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Darkness Rising by Sirena
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Darkness Rising

Sirena

Here's chapter 10. I think that this is coming together well and that everything is falling into place. As promised, this chapter will contain a trip to Malfoy Manor and the raising of the Inferi. The identity of the Dark Knight will be revealed within the next few chapters. I'm thinking I might reveal her around chapter 17. Can't promise, because I haven't written it yet, but that's what I'm shooting for. I think you're all going to be surprised. I actually had thought of making her someone, and then changed my mind and made her someone else. Someone that would affect Carys, and therefore Noah and Sebastian more.

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Sebastian was back in his room. He'd unpacked his things by noon and spent the rest of the day planning his date with Carys. He wasn't entirely sure she remembered the fact that they were supposed to go out, but he was determined that he was going to remind her of it. He made reservations at a restaurant in Venice, Italy, thinking that they could Apparate into the nearest Wizarding village, and walk into the city. She knew that Draco and Ginny had taken the kids there when Carys had been ten, but to his knowledge she hadn't been back since.

He was standing in front of his closet, debating between the black tie and the emerald green one that matched his dress shirt when Draco rapped on the door and walked in. His godfather took one look at Sebastian, in a pair of dress slacks, dress shirt, with the suit jacket tossed over the chair and lifted an eyebrow.

"I see you got over Carys quick. Who's the lucky girl?"

Sebastian waved one hand and the door shut behind Draco. "I'm taking Carys out to dinner."

Draco was shocked enough that he had to sit down. "You're taking my little girl out on a date."

Sebastian turned to face Draco. "Is that a problem?"

"Seeing as she's sitting downstairs in her pajamas watching the newest horror flick with Abby and Jordyn? It could be."
"I want to keep her off balance." He sat down beside Draco. "We agreed that I would take her out on a date tonight, but with the attack and the stress and getting moved back in today, I think she's forgotten."

"I'd say so. I think I'll go remind her. Subtly." Draco added when Sebastian started to protest. "But before I do, what have you got planned?"

Sebastian grinned. "I'm taking her to Venice. Great little restaurant. Ventimiglia's."

Draco whistled. "Fancy. Please tell me you have reservations."

"Seven thirty. I called about noon and set it up. I figured we'd do the fancy dinner and wine thing, then walk around the city, maybe a gondola ride, and then I'm taking her for ice cream."

Draco would have laughed at the end of the date Sebastian had planned had he not known his daughter's addiction to double chocolate chunk ice cream. She could, and had, on many occasions, eaten an entire quart in one sitting. "Sebastian, this is putting me in a bit of a bind. I want to give you advice on how to make it a wonderful date because you're my godson and that's what I've always done for you. But this date is with my daughter. And that makes me want to tell you to take her someplace she'll hate so that she'll never go out with you again. And I think you know enough to know that that isn't anything personal."

Sebastian walked to the mirror to check his hair, again studied the two ties. "I won't hurt her. You know me too well to think I'll take advantage of her. I love her, Uncle Draco."

Draco headed for the door. "I know you do. Which is why I'm not trying to ruin this for you. And wear the black tie."

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Carys jumped as the killer stabbed yet another helpless female. She absolutely adored Muggle horror movies. When she felt hands descend on her shoulders, it was her turn to scream. Draco's hand clapped over her mouth.

"Easy there, baby. It's just Dad."

Carys turned around, slapped his arm. "You know better than to touch me while I'm watching a movie."

"Normally yes. Just wanted to check and see what your plans for today were. With the Aurors giving you and Sebastian a couple days off, I thought maybe you two had planned something."

Carys shook her head. "No, I don't think-oh crap." She leapt off the couch, barely missed hitting her father. "Sorry, Daddy. Gotta go. I've got a date!" she paused at the top of the stairs. "Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"Does he remember that we're supposed to be going out?"

"He was debating on what to wear when I left his room." Draco said honestly, following his daughter up the stairs.

"What should I wear?"

"A turtleneck and overalls."

Carys giggled, kissed her father on the cheek. Draco hugged her tight for a long second. "Can you send Mom in?"

"Sure."

Carys gripped Draco's fingers. "Thank you, Daddy."

Draco lifted one eyebrow. "For what?"

Carys shrugged. "Being my Dad. I really lucked out."

Draco smiled at his daughter, mind swamped with pictures of her growing up. "So did I."

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Ginny stood in front of Carys' closet while her daughter showered. She was perusing the contents when an idea struck her. She hurried out of the room and into her own. She delved into her closet and removed a dress. One that she hadn't worn for twenty years.

Carys was waiting when Ginny got back. She'd used a drying spell on her hair, and was curling it with her heated wand. She was wrapped in only a towel. Ginny laid the dress on the bed. "Here. I think you'll like this."

Carys looked past her mother to the silver sheath on the bed. It was fluid and absolutely gorgeous. "My God Mom, it's beautiful. I haven't ever seen you wear that."

Ginny smiled softly. "That's because I haven't worn it in years. This is the dress that I wore on my first date with your father." She held up a hand when Carys started to protest. "No, no, I don't think you're going to marry Sebastian, but for you to date him, to put yourself on the line with your best friend, that tells me that he has to mean more to you than the other boys. And that makes this special. Special enough for a great dress. I'd like you to wear it, Carys."

Carys nodded. "Okay then. Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome." Ginny sat on the bed. "Now, tell me, has he kissed you yet?"

Carys laughed, started on her makeup. "He has."

"And is he good at it?"

Carys rolled her eyes, turned to face Ginny. "Having him kiss you without you being braced for it should be a crime."

"Sounds just like his father."

Carys gaped. "You've kissed Uncle Harry?"

"Yeah. We dated when I was in my fifth year for a few weeks. Come on, finish up. You don't want to be late. And I don't want to be in here when Sebastian gets here. Hermione's in there with him now."

"Probably instructing him on how to treat a woman on a date."

"Typical mothering stuff. Now, Carys, do I need to explain contraceptive potions to you?"

Carys laughed. "Mom, you explained those to me when I was fifteen."

"Refresher course then."

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Hermione paced back and forth in front of her son. "I can't believe you're going out with Carys."

Sebastian put his hands on Hermione's arms. "Truthfully? Neither can I. it just sort of happened. I've like her for a long time, Mom."

Hermione arched one eyebrow. "Do you think I don't know that?"
"Was it obvious to everyone?"

"No. It wasn't obvious to Carys. That's about the only person who wasn't aware of your crush."

"It isn't a crush. I'm in love with her."

Hermione felt tears well in her eyes. She hugged Sebastian tightly. "Oh sweetie. That does come as a surprise." She sniffed once, then let her son go. "Fix your hair, get your coat, and go pick up your date."

Sebastian ran his fingers through his raven locks, which had been carefully coaxed into place a la Draco, yanked on his suit jacket and headed down the hall. If he'd stayed for long, Hermione would have started to cry, and that was the last thing that he wanted to have happen.

He knocked on Carys' door lightly and she opened it. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened when he saw her.

Her dress was silver, clung to all her curves and had a deep V in the front and the back. Her hair was curled and clipped back from her face, with just a couple ringlets glancing off of her cheeks. With the heels that she'd chosen, her face was nearly even with his, and she'd done something to her face. Her cheeks were glowing and her eyes were bigger and brighter than normal, their silver brighter than even the silver of his eyes. Her lips were slicked with some sort of coppery substance and her eyelashes looked a mile long.

"What?" Carys demanded, breaking the spell. "Do I have chocolate in my teeth or something? I knew Mom shouldn't have given me that Reese cup."

Sebastian laughed, took her arm in his. "No, no. No chocolate. I just haven't seen you so dressed up in a while. You look lovely."

"Thank you. Shall we?"

Sebastian nodded. "We shall."

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Carys was struck by all the time he'd put into arranging their date. When he'd Apparated them into the village, she'd been wondering why they were so dressed up to go eat in a wizarding pub. But he'd led her out and she'd found herself in Venice, Italy.

"Sebastian, my God, you didn't have to do all this."

Sebastian led her down the street and turned a left. "I wanted to." He grinned at her. "I like to make a good impression."

"Well you definitely have."

"Well then. Let's see if I can keep it up." He opened the door to a small restaurant and ushered her inside. The maitr'd casually opened the reservation book. Sebastian took Carys' shawl and handed it to the woman at the coat check station. "Potter."

"Very good, sir. Right this way." The man picked up two menus and led them to a small corner table. They had a good view of the street and could watch all the people. "Is this satisfactory?"

Sebastian nodded, pulled out Carys' chair himself. "Fine, thank you."

"Your waiter will be with you shortly."

Carys gaped at Sebastian as he sat down. "Do this for all your dates?" she wondered out loud, not entirely sure that she wanted to know the answer.

"No." he said, laying his napkin in his lap. "Normally a first date with me is a trip to the Leaky Cauldron and then the Shrieking Shack. You go to the Leaky Cauldron every week and the Shrieking Shack doesn't scare you. I don't tend to care if I get a second date most times." He grinned at her and Carys realized why he was so popular with the opposite gender. "This time, I care."

Carys was saved from responding when the waiter, dressed in a tuxedo came over to pour their glasses of water. "Would you like a wine list, sir?"

Sebastian shook his head. "Chianti."

"Twelve or twenty years?"

"Twenty."

"Excellent choice."

Carys narrowed her eyes at Sebastian. "How do you know that?"

"I asked my Dad. It's what he suggested, and Mom agreed, so I imagine it's nice."

"Sebastian, this is too much. I really only expected a movie and fast food."

"Which is why I didn't do a movie and fast food." He spied the waiter coming with their wine, sat back to go about the ritual of smelling the cork, swirling and tasting the wine. Once it was poured and they'd ordered their food they both relaxed a little. Sebastian looked toward the band, a couple violinists and a cellist and stood. "Let's dance."

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He charmed her that night. With the romantic dinner, and dancing, the gondola ride and then ice cream on the river. By the time they got home, she'd have been inclined to agree to just about anything. But he just walked her to her door, kissed her cheek and headed down the hall to his own room. Ginny was waiting for Carys.

"How'd it go?" she demanded anxiously.

Carys sagged against the door. "Amazing. Absolutely amazing. He took me to Venice, Mom."

"Italy?"

"Italy. Candlelit dinner, dancing, a gondola and ice cream."

"Wow. He certainly is the romantic."

"It was incredible. Absolutely incredible."

"Going to go out with him again?"

Carys lifted one shoulder as she walked into her bathroom. "The ball's in his court. If he asks, I'll most certainly go."

Ginny hated to burst her daughter's bubble. "Carys, your father wants to leave early tomorrow morning to go to the old Malfoy Manor. He thinks that the Dark Knight may have been using it as a resting place before moving to the new headquarters, wherever that is."

Carys nodded. "I'll be ready at six."

"Seven is fine. We're all going to go. Well, except for Luna and the younger ones. She claims that she's stayed out of the majority of the war against the Death Eaters and that she isn't going to start getting in it now. So it's Uncle Ron, Aunt Hermione, Uncle Harry, Sebastian, Noah and us."

"I'll be ready."

Ginny kissed her daughter's forehead. "I'm glad you had a good time, baby."

"So am I. don't know how many nights of fun I'll get to have now that we're at war again."

Ginny smiled. She knew that feeling. It had led her to her husband. "You'll be fine. Get some sleep. We're getting an early start."

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She walked around the cemetery with a sharp gaze. She had a list, and it would be followed exactly. The flask in her robes was filled with the potion needed to raise the corpses, but she had to find the right ones. She had most of them already. Adding the potion to the last two graves, she stood back and spread her arms.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Reverse the process and let them rise. Army of dead, rise to my bidding. To torture the living and rot the soul. To my command let them answer, to my will let them bend. As I will it, mote it be!"

The old Wiccan curse made the ground tremble and the headstones fall apart. No one used the old spells any longer. They were long and only good for a few things. Raising the dead was one of those things. She grinned as the corpses rose, one by one until she had an army. Made up of the Malfoy family, and Voldemort himself.

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Didn't get to the Malfoy Manor expedition, but it's coming up next, I swear! Review please! I need feedback! Hope you enjoyed their date. It took a little longer than I expected, but there it is, and I enjoyed it. Hope you did too.


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