My heart felt thank you to VacantSkies for his added dash of potions and a wave of charms to this story. His website is www.fanfiction.net/~vacantskies
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine…
On to…
Chapter 10
A young man robed in black with a green cloak with silver inlay was in a genuflect position as a ribbon, scarlet and gold with a medal at the end, was placed above his head. As the medal settled down on his chest, the Minister of Magic of Gryffindor stated, "It is my pleasure to award the Heir of the Steward of Slytherin the Order of Merlin, third class, on behalf of the Kingdom of Gryffindor for services rendered above and beyond the call of duty for a citizen of Gryffindor. Arise, Master Draco, and congratulations!"
The young man stood up slowly as the crowd cheered. Draco could feel his cheeks warming at the attention. He turned and looked at the crowd gathered below the stage at the Great Hall of Gryffindor and then he bowed slightly. On stage with him were his father, the royal families of the three kingdoms with the exception of the Crown Prince of Hufflepuff, the overseer and caretaker of Stonehenge, and the members of the House of Weasley. Draco felt someone approach from behind and a small hand reached for his. He smiled as he knew the touch of the lady who had just claimed his hand. "Ginny," he thought as he felt his face flush. Turning towards Lady Ginny he saw unshed tears in her eyes and a look of pride as she smiled back.
The overseer of Stonehenge approached the front of the stage and, lifting both hands which immediately quieted the crowd, said, "Without further delay, let us all enjoy this evening and the wonderful feast prepared in honor of Master Draco Malfoy, heir of the Steward of Slytherin." Then suddenly tables appeared in the Great Hall with plates and abundant food. On the stage a high table also appeared. Draco, still holding the hand of Lady Ginny, guided her towards his seat.
"Master Draco, I am not sitting at this table," Ginny said softly.
Draco looked at her confused and replied, "What? You're the reason why I received this award and you are not sitting with me?"
Ginny shook her head with a rueful smile. She pointed out a table close to the stage which already seated some of her other brothers, though her parents were assigned at the high table.
Draco pulled her gently as they descended the stage and approached the table she indicated, he pulled out a seat and held it for Lady Ginny; when she was seated Draco then pulled out the seat beside her and sank into it. This caused the occupants of the table to stare at him with a shocked expression. Draco heard a loud gasp from the high table on the stage and saw that the Minister of Magic of Gryffindor and Lady Molly held the same expression on their faces. Lord Malfoy stared at him, dumbfounded.
Draco defiantly returned their looks, turning to the siblings of Lady Ginny said, "Well, I am the honoree, so I would think it should be my decision on where I wish to be seated."
That said, the Weasley brothers looked at each other then turned their gaze to their only sister who sat there blushing, but she met their eyes, daring them to have their say about the situation. The brothers shrugged and then continued with their previous conversation.
"Bloody hell!" exclaimed Lord Ronald Weasley as he approached the table and saw that his assigned seat was occupied by the heir of the Steward of Slytherin, who looked back at him with steely cold gray eyes.
"Ron, why don't you join Lady Lovegood, eh?" Ron's eldest brother, Bill asked.
"Aye, be a good boy and go run to Lady Luna, Ronniekins!" Fred continued with a smirk.
Ron, though delighted with this idea, was not easily swayed. Frankly speaking, Ron did not like the Heir of the Steward of Slytherin one bit. "Something shifty in those eyes of his…" and the mere fact that he had those shifty eyes set on his only sister did not help one bit.
Turning to the man occupying his seat, Ron asked in a threateningly low voice, "Excuse me, but are you not supposed to be seated at the high table, Master Draco?"
"Aye, that I am…but I want to be seated here beside Lady Ginny," Draco drawled, his chin rising up a notch as he sneered.
Ron felt his face burning in fury; he just despised the arrogance of this man from Slytherin. "Well, Master Draco, what you desire and what you are required to do are not one in the same now, is it?" Ron paused. Cocking one eyebrow, he scoffed, "But then what should I expect from a citizen who hails from the kingdom of Slytherin but to defy any sense of decorum at events such as these. Being that you are now just introduced to the common courtesies that we have been exposed to all our lives."
Ginny gasped at the unwarranted attack of Ron towards Draco. She could feel her blood boiling and was about to let it loose on her brother who was a year older and a foot and a half taller than her but Draco, just grasped her hand and then looking up at his attacker said, "Well done, Lord Ronald! May I compliment you on such a wonderful observation of my sense of propriety or lack of it? But I must say that for a member of the court of Gryffindor, your tongue hails from that of Slytherin!"
Ron gawked at him, and felt totally insulted at having a similar trait from those of Slytherin. Looking at his brothers for support, he was met with disappointment in Bill and Charlie's eyes; Percy chose to ignore him, looking pleased at being seated beside the honoree of the reception; and as for the twins, they were gazing at him with interest and just itching to know what would come next. Ginny was a whole different picture. He had never seen his sister that angry at him-ever!
Something registered in his mind. The reception seemed to be much quieter as he turned and saw that the other tables were now watching them. Looking up at the high table, Ron saw his mother was irritated with him and his father had quite a disgruntled expression. "Mum's going to have kittens over this!"
"Lord Weasley! Fancy bumping into you like this! I seem to have lost my way to my table, there seems to be a sudden infestation of Wrackspurts. Now we mustn't let our guard down, heaven knows what type of havoc they can reek!" Lady Luna Lovegood said in a dreamy voice, her eyes unfocused, then looking up at the man before her she whispered "Lord Weasley, mind if you help me search for my table?"
"Um…certainly, Lady Lovegood. My pleasure." Taking her hand, Ron gave one last glare at the platinum blond haired man beside his sister then guided the lovely lady to any table with a vacancy for both of them.
Ginny let out a sigh of relief and silently thanked the lady from Ravenclaw, "Crisis averted for the time being…" she thought.
Peering at her brothers, Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George, she saw the look of disapproval at the gesture of the young man beside her. Though they did not like the way Ron handled the situation, it didn't mean that they were going to welcome a Slytherin with open arms. Glaring at them one last time, she started to eat.
"Are you all right?" Draco murmured.
"I should be asking you that question, Master Draco," Ginny replied.
Draco gave her a small, sad smile, "I understand where your brother was coming from. Though I must say, he needs a little lesson on the how to handle situations with some finesse. I still cannot believe that he is related to you!"
Ginny felt her anger rise once again. Ron may have been a prat-but he still was her brother. "May I warn you that though I do not agree with the way Ron behaved, he still is my sibling. So, Master Draco, if my family appalls you, then maybe you should go to your seat at the high table."
Seeing her cheeks flushed with mild fury made him swallow rather loudly. "I apologize, that did not come out right." The word was new to his vocabulary, he'd never needed a reason to use it before. But trying to maintain a calm façade, he let his awkward apology stand. Looking at his lady, he held his breath. Then, seeing her tense posture relax slightly, he started to breathe normally, but he saw that she did not smile.
Draco then took a small bite as he felt the eyes of the other Weasleys bore into him. "This is going to be a long night…"
XXXXX
Lord Ronald Weasley was still agitated over the encounter with the Slytherin honoree, but somehow, along the way of looking for a table to accommodate him and Lady Lovegood, their positions changed and she was the one leading them through the Great Hall. It was full and he was still irate but then he felt a sudden serenity wash over him. Luna turned to him slightly and gave him a small smile. Then it struck him that the calmness which had seeped into him was her doing. He returned her smile. "Hmm...did she just channel some of her emotions to me?"
As if seeing her for the first time he noticed her natural glow. Her gown bore the colors of Ravenclaw and it was simple in design but still alluring. He chuckled as he saw her chosen headpiece ; it was her wand stuck in her hair, holding it in an elegant twist. Around her neck was a necklace that seemed to be made up of…butterbeer bottle caps. "She certainly is beautiful. Odd taste in jewelry, though…" Shaking his head as if to clear it while pulling on her hand slightly, he recalled the conversation that had happened moments ago and asked, "Lady Lovegood… uh, just what is a Wrackspurt?"
She giggled, which caused Ron to think that she'd made it up. Relaxing a bit at this knowledge, thinking that she wasn't as mental as she seemed but knew how to defuse a stick situation she whispered back, "Lord Weasley, you do not know what Wrackspurts are?" She gave him an incredulous look.
Ron dumbly shook his head.
"Well, Wrackspurts are creatures which invades one's mind causing it to become unfocused."
Ron stared at her and started to wonder how many Wrackspurts took residence in her brain. "What is it with Ravenclaw women? Are they all this mental?" His thoughts briefly flickered to the Crown Princess of the said kingdom along with her lady in waiting.
Luna then stopped at a table. Looking at Ron she said, "Well, Lord Weasley, I hope this table is to your liking?"
Seated at the table were Lady Chang who Ron had met in Ravenclaw and had the pleasure of playing Quidditch with, beside her was Baron Finnigan, a few gentlemen from the court of Ravenclaw, and Duchesses Pavarti and Padma of the House of Patil from Gryffindor. To the other side of Lady Cho there were two vacant seats. Smiling at those he recognized, he pulled the seat for Lady Lovegood and waited till she was seated, then bowing to the ladies and nodding to the gentlemen at the table, he too took his seat. Plates appeared before him and Luna and they started to eat as they listened in to the different conversations already taking place.
"Lady Cho," Luna asked, "Where is the Crown Prince of Hufflepuff?"
Cho's expression turned grim. "Prince Cedric is quite ill tonight, hence his absence." Then brightening up suddenly, "Change of topic...Let's talk about weddings instead. Lady Lovegood, you must come to my wedding! It will take place a week before the winter holidays. I believe the invitations have been sent. We will be granting the Quibbler an exclusive on it!" she said, adding an incentive knowing that the official periodical of Ravenclaw was owned by Luna's father, Viscount Lovegood. Cho then looked over to the young man beside Luna. "Lord Weasley, an invitation has been sent to you to and to the House of Weasley. Cedric and I hope that you shall all make it. Hufflepuff is beautiful during that time of the year. It already is tranquil and beautiful but with the snow it adds more to the enchantment," Cho finished in a whimsical voice as visions of her wedding came to mind.
Ron, having his mouth full of food, just nodded his reply.
"Lady Cho, thank you for the invitation. I will make sure to arrive earlier so that I may de-nargle the mistletoes for your ceremonies. Hmm…I hope that the yetis won't make an appearance since Hufflepuff is a mountainous region..." Luna's expression looked like she was planning some plot against the so called yetis.
"Oh, thank you for the offer of de-nargling the mistletoe! I would not have the time to rid myself of the infestation personally; your help would certainly be needed. Not to worry; I shall have Cedric line the area with torches to scare off the yetis," Cho answered with a laugh. She had been a member of the court of the Crown Princess of Ravenclaw before she moved to the Kingdom of Hufflepuff, so Luna's bizarre remarks were not surprising to her and to those from Ravenclaw present at the table; in fact it endeared her more to the court members. But to those at the table from Gryffindor, with the exception of Ron, the exchange was baffling. Baron Finnigan choked on his drink and the Ladies Pavarti and Padma exchanged looks that seemed like Luna and Cho grew a second head as Ron went on eating.
Luna, satisfied with the tactical plan of Lady Chang against the yetis and pleased at her assignment on the mistletoes, continued with her meal, oblivious to the fleeting looks given to her from some of the Gryffindor citizens as their table became one of the quietest in the Great Hall.
XXXXX
"Hmmm…"
"What is it, Moony? Smell something fishy?"
Earl Remus Lupin brought his gaze to one of his best mates, Duke Sirius Black. "Ne'er, not fishy, but I do smell a rattlesnake."
"Of course, the stench is from the Slytherin duo!" Sirius hissed as he looked toward the high table at the Steward.
The two were making rounds since they decided to make up for their lack of attentiveness during the coronation of the princess of Ravenclaw. As they walked amongst the tables at the Great Hall of Gryffindor, sometimes stopping to chat with members of the court, they kept a sharp eye out for anything amiss.
"Does it not surprise you that though this ceremony was held in honor of the Heir of the Steward of Slytherin, only the honoree and his father made an appearance? Not even his mother nor any other citizen of Slytherin came," Remus said rather warily.
"Good for us, I say, less people to take into account for!" Sirius answered smugly as he looked over to where Mad Eye Moody and Amelia Bones seemed to be in a deep and serious conversation, while Moody's magical eye kept spinning around.
"Padfoot, something is amiss. I cannot place my finger on it but I have this gut feeling that something menacing is about to take place…"
Sirius saw the troubled look in his friend's eyes, "Those damn werewolf senses. If there is something forbidding that is to occur, Moony will surely pick up on it."
Searching around, Sirius pulled forth some of his heightened senses which he'd acquired from his Animagus form. Sniffing the air like a dog, he felt the hairs at his nape stand at attention. "Damn it to Hades, Remus! I hate it when you're right! Then there was that warning last night…Do you think it's Pettigrew?" Sirius growled.
"I don't know…" Remus paused and looked around. "We did check up on the sealed secret passages of the castle. Dumbledore fortified the wards. I am sure we would have felt the presence of our former comrade."
"We should inform Mad Eye and Amelia immediately-constant vigilance, you know. You think James should know, too?" Sirius murmured.
"Let us play it by ear, Padfoot. You go inform Mad Eye and Amelia; I will have a talk with Auror Tonks…"
Sirius looked at Remus skeptically. "Is that a subtle way of telling me that you will be checking the broom closets with my cousin?"
Remus blushed, then retorted, "Sod off, Black," causing Sirius to laugh cynically considering the tasks they were to undertake.
XXXXX
"All is prepared, Pettigrew?" inquired the King of Slytherin.
"Aye, Your Majesty. It has been set in place at the chamber below. The Death Eaters are awaiting your order for them to proceed," came the garbled reply.
"Finally, you have done well, Pettigrew. Now it is up to Lucius to see that all will succeed."
A tall woman with ebony hair and deep set eyes entered the throne room and prostrated herself before her king.
"Ah, Bellatrix, be prepared to lay siege to Gryffindor. This is only meant for a preview of things to come. I want maximal damage, but take no prisoners. I would like to come and see the fear on the faces of the Potters and those in attendance, but it is not wise to reveal my presence yet," King Voldemort said.
Marchioness Bellatrix Black Lestrange was one of the king's staunchest allies. Once belonging to the venerable house of Black from the Kingdom of Gryffindor, she and her sister Narcissa Black Malfoy broke off from their family when they married their husbands Marquis Rodolphus from the House of Lestrange and Lord Lucius hailing from the House of Malfoy, respectively. The two sisters were very much intrigued by the dark arts and found themselves perfectly happy at relocating to the Kingdom of Slytherin and joining their husbands as members of the Death Eaters-King Voldemort's personal guards, causing their family to disown them by burning their names off the Black family tree tapestry.
"Your Majesty, your wish is my command." Bellatrix curtsied as she stood up, quite proud of herself at being chosen by her king to head this attack. She proceeded to the chamber below to await their signal to proceed.
"This will be one of Slytherin's finest hours! And the King chose me to bring this glory to him!" She felt practically giddy with anticipation at what was to take place that night.
Upon entering the dark chamber, Bellatrix noticed the hooded wizards and witches assembled. Each had an excited aura among themselves. She felt strong arms around her waist. Smiling, she turned to her husband and gave him a very heated kiss.
"Ready, Bella?" Rodolphus asked.
"Love, you know that I live for nights like these!" Bella replied in a childlike voice.
"Hmmm…you just love it for the hunt!"
"Rodolphus, I love it for the power! Gryffindor will fear our name tonight!" Bellatrix then pulled her husband's face down to hers.
XXXXX
The night before the awarding ceremony in the Castle of Gryffindor at the guest bed chambers of the Princess of Ravenclaw in the East Tower
"Come in…" a soft voice answered.
The door opened to a scene with the Crown Princess of Ravenclaw seated in bed, a book on her lap as she was running a brush through her hair. She was wearing only her bed dress and did not feel the need to cover up, thinking that her late night visitor would be Luna.
Looking up, she was surprised to see her parents along with her future in-laws piling into her bed chambers. Hermione stood up abruptly, dropping her brush and book while she curtsied instinctively. Queen Sara rushed to her and handed her a robe as the three lagged behind. Lily took a seat at the couch in front of the fireplace as Sara led Hermione and positioned her between the two queens as the kings conjured up two armchairs and sat across the ladies. The four adults wore grim expressions as they gazed at the princess.
"Mum, what is wrong?" Hermione asked, wringing her hands anxiously at what the reply would be.
"Princess…" King James started.
"Please, your majesty. You should know that in the privacy of our chambers we can do without any formalities," Hermione said with a warm smile for the king who looked like an older version of her fiancé.
"Ah, yes, um…Hermione. We are here to discuss a pressing topic with you. I am sorry child, for disturbing you at such a time but we seem to all agree that there is no time better than the present," James replied, somewhat uncomfortable with the task at hand.
"Hermione, there is something that you should know concerning your life and that of Harry's," Lily continued, but seeing the stunned expression now on the face of the princess, she rushed to say, "You are a highly intelligent witch, Hermione. Beautiful and brilliant; my son is truly lucky to have you at his side for the rest of his life. Now tell me, do you believe in divination?"
Hermione's frown deepened; she did not understand where this conversation was going. She was caught off guard by Queen Lily's question about divination. She believed that divination was a very unstable field of magic. If it wasn't for Cedric, she would have dismissed divination as a totally bogus form of magic. Meeting the gaze of the Queen of Gryffindor, she answered, "To be honest with you, I see divination as an erratic field of magic. Cedric and King Amos are said to be gifted with foresight, yet they have no means to conjure predictions at call. So to be frank, if it were not for the Crown Prince of Hufflepuff, I would not waste time with Divinations."
The four adults again looked at each other. "Okay, this is starting to become annoying…" Hermione thought, "Why all these questions and those looks?"
Looking at her father, she asked, "Dad, what brought you all here tonight? I'm sure it is something important since all four of you came here." Turning to Lily she continued, "If this discussion concerns Harry and I, do you not think that it would be pertinent that Harry be here too?"
James began, "We thought about that but we decided it would be best if you heard what we have to say separately."
"Hermione, there have been prophecies made, ancient prophecies which were handed down from generation to generation. Some even made from the time of King Arthur," Sara addressed her daughter, gauging her reaction. "Well, we have come to recognize these prophecies to concern you, Harry, Cedric and even the heir of the Steward of Slytherin, Draco Malfoy."
Hermione looked quizzically at her mother, she had not known her to believe in such things. "Mum, you always told me that we are the bearers of our own destiny. No one controls it but ourselves. Neither the fates nor destiny hold the upper hand to our own future. You and dad had always said that the power to choose will always be an option to everyone, not something foretold. Why are we even having this discussion?"
Sara, wringing her hands, looked at John for help, who decided to take up the thread of the discussion. "Hermione, what we have taught you is true. Willpower and the option of given a choice will always be more powerful than any prophecy. But we have to look at the sign of the times. To be honest poppet there is a darkness lurking at our front doors. No matter how James, Amos and I want our children to live in the ways of the light-we cannot always keep you sheltered and uninformed. Now it even may be our follies as fathers that we open your eyes to this only now, when we should have trained you for things to come ever since you were born."
Hermione stood up and began pacing. She had heard of "dark times ahead" way too many times these past few days for it to be coincidental. This discussion was starting to give her a headache, as she placed her fingertips to the side of her head and rubbed. Feeling four pairs of eyes staring at her, she sat back down and asked, "Well, what are these prophecies?"
Lily took the hands of the princess and squeezed them. Then she smiled as her eyes misted. "Is it right to burden the future wife of my son with a load which I have carried for nineteen years? Is this fair to her and Harry? O Merlin, guide us!"
Clearing her throat, she told Hermione, "This prophecy refers to Harry. I'm sorry to have to inconvenience you with this which James and I have been carrying since his birth-but being his future wife, it is your right to know."
The other three adults nodded solemnly as Lily dictated the prophecy, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Ruler approaches… Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…And the Dark Ruler will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Ruler knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives."
Hermione was slack jawed as she stared at Lily who was crying. The princess turned to her own parents as King James placed a comforting hand on his wife. The mournful expressions they all wore confirmed that it was true. Standing up, she tried to maintain her composure but she could feel her eyes watering up. The four adults in the room kept silent as they watched the princess walk over to her bed and sit on its edge. They watched in silence as Hermione reached out towards her headboard and stopped midway, seeming to brush something away. They did not know what to think of this odd behavior, but they remained quiet. Still sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at her parents, she softly asked, "Mum, do I have a prophecy attached to my birth as well?"
She started to rise but Hermione lifted her hand in a sign that asked her to stay there. Sara then sat down slowly as John stood to be by his wife. Looking at their daughter, they nodded simultaneously and Sara recited the prophecy that only she, John, and Albus Dumbledore knew.
"There is a princess who shall wield unification of all four kingdoms born from the house of Rowena, who shall tame the lion, guide the badger, and defang the snake-and unto her an obscure power instilled for peace shall prevail and love will conquer under her hand and the darkness shall be no more." Queen Lily gasped upon hearing this, they had not known about this prophecy of the princess. James was now seated beside her and holding her in his arms as the royal couple of Ravenclaw remained quiet, tears running down their faces.
Lily looked upon Sara and Hermione, finally coming to realize the gravity of the situation which was now shoved on the shoulders of her future daughter-in-law and her son. The two prophecies were interlinked and part of the princess' prediction had come true. "…Who shall tame the lion…" kept repeating itself in her mind. It was now burned in her psyche.
James stood and placed a comforting hand on the shoulder of John who turned and said, "James, we are sorry to have kept this from you and Lily, but Albus asked us not to reveal it till the time was right…I believe that time is now."
James nodded. "We understand. The life of the princess would have been in jeopardy if this was heard by the wrong ears."
They turned to the princess. Her posture was quite strange and she seemed to be slumped against air. Then she abruptly sat up, one hand resting midair above her pillows as her other hand was rubbing her forehead. They could see tears flowing down her face.
She muttered softly, "This is all too much…Too much to comprehend in one night." She looked at her parents and asked again, "Is that all that I need to know or are there other revelations that you have been hiding from me?"
Sara closed her eyes, acknowledging the subtle accusation in her daughter's voice at being kept in the dark. She turned to Lily, who nodded. Hermione, watching the exchange, could not help herself, and scoffed, "Merlin! You have got to be joking! There's more?" She again leaned down towards her bed but seemed to be suspended midair, not quite collapsing on her pillows.
"Actually, poppet, this concerns you, Harry, Cedric, and we think even the heir of the Steward of Slytherin," John started.
Lily continued, "Hermione, this was told to your mother and to me and Cedric's mother upon each of your births."
Taking a deep breath, Lily narrated the last of the prophecies, "Before the golden age of unity shall come the war of darkness…Helga's chosen shall pave the way for Rowena and Godric's heirs. The three founders shall send their own flesh and blood, and their successors shall crush the head of the serpent, the heir which Salazar had erroneously chosen. Upon their victory shall the golden age gush forth, for in no other kingdom shall love bind except in the land of the lion and the eagle, the badger will remain loyal and the serpent that once was excluded shall be united with the three. But the darkness must be vanquished before the golden age shall begin"
Hermione gasped. She felt like her head was about to explode! Three prophecies which seemed to be too much to handle. Looking at the four adults in the room, she felt lightheaded. "So that shall be it…kill or be killed. That is what you are all informing me?"
"No love, we did not mean…" John began.
"Let me see, `and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.' That is Harry's license to kill, isn't it, or maybe it's just his death sentence. Now the last prophecy given to our mothers basically serves us our death warrant, wherein Cedric is to `pave the way' for Harry and me,--pave the way for what? To become murderers for the sake of this golden age? That was clearly stated in the line `that darkness must be vanquished before the golden age shall begin'…Oh, but wait! We still have not heard the personalized prophecy of Cedric…So there's more in store for us, isn't there?" Hermione screamed.
She started to laugh hysterically, then midway through, she broke down and sobbed. Covering her mouth with a hand, the princess let her tears fall free as she collapsed from her sitting position on her bed to a reclining one as she cried harder till only dry heaves could be heard. Sara and John were about to rush to their daughter who again was reclining in midair. Catching her parents approaching, she again raised her hand as if to stave them away. They stopped in mid stride.
"NO!" Hermione bellowed, "No…please…I do not want to harm you…this…what…you all have told me…it is just too much to handle…please, I cannot control my emotions right now…I do not want to hurt you…"
The rulers of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw could feel the air in the bed chamber of the princess charge up. Amazingly they felt it was too intense, as if the princess' emotions weren't the only one causing this. The small objects in the room started to vibrate and the fire in the hearth roared.
"Hermione, poppet…"Sara again tried to approach her daughter.
"Mother, I suggest that you, Father and their royal majesties of Gryffindor please see yourselves out…Just give me time to digest the information that you have told me, you have had eighteen years to digest these predictions, and now you expect us to comprehend its meaning in one night?…Please mum, I do not want to do something unintentional towards the four of you when my emotions are not in check…please."
Sara, having a pained expression at the torment that they had caused their daughter, turned back to her husband. Then the two couples walked slowly with heavy hearts out the door as they heard her continue to sob. With a last look at their daughter, John and Sara closed the door softly.
Hermione continued to weep, wiping away the tears which just seemed to keep falling. She took off her robe and reached for her wand at the bed stand. Flicking it, she placed a locking and silencing charm on her room. Lying still, she was slightly comforted as the arms that held her when she first sat on the bed in the beginning of this conversation, pulled her tighter still.
"So you heard everything?"
A hand appeared in the air, then the naked torso of a man with raven colored hair appeared as an invisibility cloak was thrown off the bed where he was stretched out on. He pulled his fiancée closer, feeling tears trickle down his cheeks as he replayed the conversation that took place before him by the adults who had no inkling to his presence in the bed when they entered.
He and the princess had been sleeping together since her arrival in his kingdom, but they still had yet to bond physically. There seemed to always be unforeseen hindrances, such as a late night meeting that the prince had to attend with his father, the princess' meeting concerning the planning of their engagement ceremony, introducing her formally to the royal court of Gryffindor, paperwork or a simple dinner invitation-the list of obstacles were endless!
Due to these deterrents they would both end up completely exhausted every night and despite his sneaking into her bed chambers with the use of the Marauder's map, secret passageways and his invisibility cloak-the farthest they'd both gone was very passionate snogging before falling asleep due to exhaustion in each other's arms. Prince Harry knew that again their lovemaking would be postponed as both he and his fiancée would be mulling the events which had just taken place.
Kissing her now bare shoulder he whispered, "Every word, Love…every bloody word…"
The same night in the west tower where the delegation from Hufflepuff was sleeping…
"Cedric!...Cedric!...Wake up, darling…Cedric!" a soft alto voice whispered while nudging her fiancé awake. Lady Cho knew Cedric was having a dreaded vision during his sleep when he would thrash about in bed. It was pertinent that he be woken up immediately so he could recall the revelation.
"Cedric! Love, wake up!"
The Crown Prince of Hufflepuff suddenly sat up, his eyes unfocused, his skin glistening with sweat and in a voice unrecognizable to Cho he said, 'IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT.'
"CEDRIC!" Cho was now frantically shaking her fiancé, which caused him to turn his eyes to her, "Cedric! You're scaring me! Wake up!"
'THE DARK RULER SITS ALONE IN HIS THRONE ROOM… HIS SERVANTS HAVE BEEN CHAINED THESE EIGHTEEN YEARS... TONIGHT, BEFORE MIDNIGHT, HIS SERVANTS WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO DO THEIR MASTER'S TERRIBLE BIDDING. THE DARK KING WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANTS' AID, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS. TONIGHT ... BEFORE MIDNIGHT ... THE SERVANTS WILL DO THEIR MASTER'S BIDDING ...'
Prince Cedric's head fell to his chest. His body slackened and dropped to the bed; his breathing was harsh and rapid. Cho immediately ran out of their room, and knocking frantically on the door of the bed chambers of King Amos, she managed to wake up Cedric's father, "Your Majesty! Cedric! He had a vision!"
King Amos ran toward his son's bed chamber, followed closely by Lady Cho. Amos sat beside his son, still thrashing about and placed his hand on his son's head then uttered, "Legilimens!"
This caused the prince's body to stop seizing as the King's body went rigid. Cho saw beads of sweat starting to form on the King's forehead as his eyes moved rapidly under closed lids. Cho decided that something abhorrent might happen with the King and Prince of Hufflepuff so she ran out of the room again to summon the head Auror of Hufflepuff, Amelia Bones who was also in the west tower.
Amelia followed Cho to the Prince's bed chambers and upon assessing the situation of her ruler, she took out her wand, uttering a spell softly, she sent out a Patronus. The King and Prince had still not come out of their trance when a rush of footsteps were heard, as the rulers of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw along with their wives and their head Aurors also came hurrying into the room. They were then followed a moment later by Princess Hermione, whose eyes were still swollen from her weeping and a very reserved Prince Harry. Cho had tears falling from her eyes; it seemed a lifetime since the father and son of Hufflepuff had entered their stupor.
"John, please inform Albus and Minerva of the conditions of Amos and Cedric," James instructed. Nodding, the king of Ravenclaw sent his Patronus while Lily waved her wand to lower the Anti-Apparition wards in the tower. In a matter of seconds, they were joined by the pair from Stonehenge.
"When did this all begin?" Dumbledore asked the group, who had kept their distance from the pair, knowing that it could be fatal if they interfered with the Legilimency cast by Amos.
After she had explained to Dumbledore what had happened, her voice broke as she whimpered, "Will they be all right?"
"You did right, my child, in informing Auror Bones immediately. Prince Cedric seems to have experienced a very sinister insight. King Amos should have summoned me…" Sighing, Albus conjured up seats for those present.
"Minerva, please, a strong Colloportus and silencing charm. King James, may I request that you reinforce the wards to this tower. Alastor, if you may please look towards the South tower and see if all is at peace there. What is happening right now must not be known by our guests in the South tower."
Moody's magical eye swiveled to the back of his head and steadied itself. "Albus, Master Draco is asleep, but I cannot seem to find the presence of Lord Malfoy in his bed chambers…"
Dumbledore's eyes lost its natural twinkle as his expression hardened, "King James, can you lower the wards at the South Tower for a moment?"
The King of Gryffindor nodded and muttering a long spell while waving his wand in the air, the group saw Dumbledore's eyes close, upon opening them, he looked at James and said, "Thank you, King James, you may now replace the wards."
King James obeyed and Sirius looking at Dumbledore asked, "Well?"
"I cannot seem to place the presence of Lord Malfoy at the south tower at all."
"We can use the Marauder's map," Prince Harry suggested.
King and Queen along with the co head Aurors of Gryffindor turned to the prince, their eyebrows raised inquiringly.
"What?" Harry whispered to the group.
"What is this Marauder's map, Prince Harry?" Albus asked.
"It's a map created by the Marauders that shows all the different areas of the castle of Gryffindor and it plots the positions of all those in the castle," Harry started to explain.
"Well, get it, my boy! The passage to the main castle is not far from here anyway," Moody growled.
At this, Prince Harry nodded slowly, looking at the princess with a small smirk as Hermione blushed, "Well...it's across the castle...um...it is at the east tower..."
Sirius slapped his forehead with his hand as Lily uttered a small `Oh,' Remus pinched the bridge of his nose as he looked at James, who was now staring at his son with an annoyed expression. The quartet now knew that Harry had been using it to get to the princess, who was showing signs of being completely embarrassed.
McGonagall then took off the locking spell she had placed, oblivious at the undercurrent being exchanged by the Gryffindor group. Waving his wand, Harry muttered, "Accio Marauder's Map" and after a few moments, the map flew into his hand. McGonagall then reiterated her past locking spell, securing the west tower once again.
Moody approached Prince Harry, quite curious as to how the map worked. Aiming his wand at the parchment, Harry said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Suddenly the blank parchment showed the different areas of the castle of Gryffindor; on it were dots showing where everyone was, both he and Moody searched for the dot which would confirm where the Steward of Slytherin was.
"Well I'll be a five legged hippogriff! This is brilliant! Hmm, wonder what's so interesting in the dungeons that would catch the attention of Lord Malfoy?" Moody asked, watching the dot pacing the dungeons which was situated below the Great Hall of Gryffindor.
The co Aurors of Gryffindor looked at each other and shrugged. "No prisoners are being held there now. We'll go down there to investigate," Remus replied as Sirius nodded, both turned and after the locking spell was down, they left for the dungeons, wands ever ready.
Harry then waved his wand over the map and muttered, "Mischief managed." The parchment was blank again, folding it up he was about to pocket it in his bed robe when his father approached him.
"I'll take that, thank you very much…" James said, giving his son a reproachful look. Harry handed it over, blushing as he moved to the side of his fiancée. Placing a hand around Hermione's shoulder, he gave her a kiss on her temple and she in turn placed her hand on top of his, providing comfort to each other in this horrid situation.
"What do we do now, Albus? Can you not assist King Amos?" Minerva inquired after a while.
Releasing a deep breath, Dumbledore shook his head slowly, "If I interfere now, I may do more harm than good for King Amos and Prince Cedric."
Looking around at the assembled group, he conjured up a chair for himself. Sitting down rather heavily, he stated, "Now we wait…"
XXXXX
Laughter and revelry continued in the Great Hall of Gryffindor. Those sitting at the head table on the stage at the front seemed to have a good time, considering most of them had little sleep, but if one looked closer everyone had tense expressions, except the Steward of Slytherin and the Minister of Magic of Gryffindor and Lady Molly. King James gave his son a peculiar glance and then he shifted his eyes to the Crown Princess of Ravenclaw. He saw her pushing her food around on her plate, her expression heartbreaking. Gone was the natural glow she always had around her - it seemed to have diminished and James felt guilty at being one of those responsible for extinguishing that glow last night.
"Harry, why were you using the map?" James asked his son.
"I always had it in my possession. Why?" Harry replied cautiously.
"Nothing. Just plain curious."
Harry looked at his father and then at his fiancée who was a few seats away from him. She instinctively met his gaze and gave him a small smile before going back to staring at her plate. "Wouldn't you like to know, father? Truthfully, I've been using it to get into Hermione's bed chambers. Then last night you barged in my fiancée's room and bombarded her with the weight of the magical world. You kept the prophecies a secret even from me and when I gave you the opportunity to come clean this morning, you continued to hide it from me…You, mum and Hermione's parents just shattered my love's heart and the lot of you are pushing her to the edge of insanity! Now Prince Cedric lies unconscious in his bed and we have our hands tied knowing that something's going to happen but we just don't know what it is nor when it shall occur…" Harry thought to himself, but forcing a smile, he addressed his father, "Nothing to talk about, dad? Maybe there's a pressing issue you want to get off your chest?"
Harry felt his mother stiffen at his side, while his father looked at him with surprise and lowered his eyes, "Um…Something to talk to you about, you ask? Well…ah…I just…I just…erm…What makes you say that, Harry?"
Harry continued to smirk as he pushed his food around his plate. "Nothing, you just seem preoccupied. That's all…"
James stared at his son. Looking over his head, he met Lily's eyes. She shook her head subtly and James took it as a sign not to push the issue further. Though he had been thinking, "Did the princess say anything to Harry since we've told her of the prophecies? If she did, Harry would have just come right out and confronted me and his mother…" He dismissed this line of thinking. He was just being paranoid.
"Unless…was Harry in Hermione's bed chambers when we went in?" He tried to replay the scenes from last night, suddenly remembering the odd gestures of the princess, then realization hit him-"He was on the bed! Harry was using the invisibility cloak!" James recalled the princess's odd movement and how she kept collapsing a few inches above the bed! He had thought at the time that maybe his eyes were just playing tricks on him, but now he knew the truth. "Harry, why did you not reveal yourself last night? It would have been easier on all of us…" James then looked at his son with a guilty expression, he was about to deal with the truth with Harry when his son stood up abruptly.
"Excuse me, father. The music has begun and I would want to dance with my fiancée before someone beats me to it." Harry, bowing to his father and giving a quick peck on the cheek of his mother, started to move towards Hermione.
Putting a hand on his son's arm, James looked at him and said, "We shall talk later, Harry. Your mother and I do have something to tell you. I'm…I'm sorry you had to find out the way you did…"
Harry froze. He then knew that his father finally realized where he was last night. Nodding stiffly, he continued walking towards his Hermione.
XXXXX
Lucius looked at the dance floor at the Great Hall of Gryffindor. He watched as the citizens of the three kingdoms moved gracefully with not a care in the world. He sneered at the frivolity of the occasion. Taking a sip from his goblet he started to plan his next move which was critical. He recalled the events last night and was thankful that he had finished his task when the head Aurors of Gryffindor ran into him as he exited the dungeons.
Surprised by the encounter, Lucius made a lame excuse that he was in search for the kitchen but got lost in the vastness of the castle. He saw the suspicion in the eyes of Duke Black and Earl Lupin, but he moved nonchalantly so as not to aggravate the situation. He even accepted their offer to lead him back to the south tower, just in case he got lost again.
Looking around, he noticed that Alastor Moody watching him intently. He nodded his acknowledgment to the infamous chief Auror of Ravenclaw. Shifting his gaze, he saw his son dancing with the red haired lady of Gryffindor who was the reason for this event.
"I wonder what the king of Gryffindor would think if he found out that due to the foolishness of this award ceremony they brought upon themselves the wrath of my king?" Fighting the urge to feel sick, he kept his eyes on his son, who for once, had a genuine smile plastered on his face as he gazed intently on the lady before him. "Draco, you idiot! How dare you betray my lessons on indulging in such stupidity of the practices of the other kingdoms! Though I cannot deny you quenching the thirst you have lusting over that filthy blood traitor, I will have to teach you a harder lesson about being loyal to your own kind…"
Lucius then searched for the Auror who seemed concentrated on watching his every move. He smirked as he saw Duke Black talking to the Head Auror of Ravenclaw. "This is my chance…" He abruptly stood up and made a quick exit, rushing over to the dungeons using the secret passage way Pettigrew had told him of.
Lucius was grateful for the foul up of the Aurors of Gryffindor. "They may have sealed the secret entry and exit passageways, they did not think of warding the secret passages inside the castle itself. This mistake will cost the kingdom of the lion greatly."
Upon reaching his intended destination, he took out what seemed to be a small box from his cloak. Placing it against a wall close to the exit of the dungeons leading toward the Great Hall, he whispered 'Engorgio', and the small box expanded into a very large cabinet. Opening the door of the cabinet, he aimed his wand and let out a shot of red inside. As he kept the door open, he waited for reinforcements.
XXXXX
"Damn it! I lost him again!" Moody growled as he walked to the head table while his magical eye kept moving around.
Sirius looked where the Steward of Slytherin had once been sitting. He quickly left to alert the other Aurors of Gryffindor who were positioned strategically around the Great Hall. He gave them their signal and they started to move inconspicuously to mingle with the guests to be in better positions to protect them.
Pulling out his two way mirror he called, "Remus!" and immediately the face of his friend appeared. "It's about to begin…" he muttered as he and Moody made their way to the head table to protect their respective rulers.
Remus nodded slightly and closed his mirror as he informed the Ravenclaw Auror with him. His gaze looked towards his rulers and witnessed Sirius and Moody arrive at the head table at the same time as Bones approached King Amos. James looked at John and they then stood up along with Dumbledore and McGonagall. Lily and Sara searched the dance floor to locate their children.
Not wanting to scare the guests, the rulers and Aurors subtly unsheathed their wands. Moody saw the Heir of Slytherin still at the dance floor with Lady Ginevra. He signaled to Sirius where the boy was. They both kept their eyes on him, wondering why it seemed like he was oblivious to the absence of his father. They did not know whether he was in cahoots with his father or if his actions were a charade.
"James! Where is Harry and the princess?" Lily whispered to her husband urgently. Sara was with her and looked on anxiously, still searching the hall for their children.
Suddenly there was screaming from the back of the Great Hall near its grand doors, those on the stage at the head table whipped out their wands and aimed it at the entrance, John conjured a crossbow and immediately handed it to Sara. Different colored spells burst forth as dark hooded figures seemed to pour out of every corner of the Great Hall. They heard spells such as `Crucio,' `Sectumsempra' and `Diffindo' The group was only slightly relieved that they had not seen any green lights nor heard the `Avada Kedavra' curse. They hastily moved into place to protect their people.
Lily and Sara called out the names of their children as they leapt off the stage in graceful unison.
Queen Lily muttered shield spells and counter curses against the Death Eaters as Queen Sara took aim and hit some of them with exact precision with her crossbow. The queens of the two kingdoms looked at each other as Death Eaters advanced towards them. Nodding they stood back to back, one armed with a wand, the other with a crossbow. They knew that they had to protect their people, their kings and their children, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives...
A/N: yes, I know I'm evil…there IS a part 2 to this chapter.
I think the readers are now officially bored with my story-so I'm putting in the action part…trying to see how or if I can write this…
Don't forget to tell me what you think in the review box.
Thanks for all the reviews, especially to those of you who have been faithful since the start. As for the new reviewers-welcome and I hope that this story reaches your expectations…
Oh yeah! I almost forgot: Teasers!
It's simple-the continuation of where we left off here… `cue: evil laughter'…
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