Chapter 16: Hogsmeade Thursday
Cho walked down a long corridor, the side opening to look at a large rock garden. Water was falling off of the cliff face, into a large pool. Cho walked faster, wanting to see her father quickly. She opened the door at the end of the hall, and walked inside.
Her father had his back turned to her, standing at the counter, pruning a sort of rare plant that grew in only a few places in the land of the dead. She stayed standing, her hands clasped together behind her back. Cho's father set the small shears he had down onto the table.
"Speak."
"Sir, the man called Zalrot has grown beyond your control. Today he threatened my life again. This is about the-"
"Twenty-seventh time you've come to me for help on this issue, I know."
"Then why don't you do anything about it?"
"Because Zalrot is only doing what he thinks he must do. He is older than me, has more experience than me, and I respect him for that."
"Then why is he a lower rank than you?"
"Because I started the Green Flame Torch Project. I've seen what will happen if Voldemort wins, I have seen what will happen if Harry gets the torch first. Harry needs that power to destroy Voldemort. When I started this, no one believed me, no one, except Zalrot. He volunteered to train the boy, but I reminded him of the prophecy, he still agreed to work with me, and help you."
"Well these death threats aren't helping me sir."
"Well neither is anything else. If Harry Potter does not move further than he is at this moment, I will pull you from your position. You're dismissed."
"But, sir-"
"You are dismissed!"
Cho sighed, "Yes, sir." She walked out of the office silently, and held the door open for her mother. The woman closed it after Cho started down the hall.
"The same old argument, Josh?"
"Yes, Nikki, it was."
Harry Potter woke up on Halloween, a lot earlier than he had wanted to. Cho had ended their training session early that night, and the amount of noise coming from the Prefect common room from something Harry didn't want to know about had been keeping him awake after the session ended.
He got out of bed, dressed himself, and walked out of the door. As he got to the entrance way, he Saw Hermione, sitting at a desk, doing her homework. He walked over to her, as softly as he could.
"Boo." she said. She turned around looking at Harry, who was grinning widely, "trying to scare me, huh?"
"Maybe a little." Harry said. Hermione stood up, and planted a soft kiss to his lips.
"You ready to go?" she asked.
"Go where? Don't we have class today?" Hermione shook her head.
"No, the ball is tonight. We have the day off, and there is a planned Hogsmeade visit."
"Right, forgot about that."
"I nearly did too. I think the amount of Homework is finally starting to get to me."
Harry looked stunned. He then put his had to her forehead, gently lifted up the eyelids, and looked for a few seconds, "No sign of brain trauma."
Hermione burst out laughing. She was holding her side with her left hand, covering her mouth with her right, trying to keep the noise down, "alright, let's get some breakfast and go down to Hogsmeade."
Harry could only nod, "You know, I never formally asked you to the ball."
"Yeah, you did- wait, you're right." she said, looking at him, "why are you bringing this up now? I never really thought about it, but if you want to…"
With out even letting her finish the sentence, "Hermione Granger, would you give me the honor of letting me take you to the Halloween Ball." She was surprised he said it with a straight face, because she was having a hard time stopping herself from laughing.
"Yes, I would love to go with you." Hermione said, before nearly collapsing with laughter. Harry grabbed her shoulders to keep her up.
"I know, it was corny, but did you have to laugh?"
"I'm sorry, you just reminded me of those cheesy soap operas my mother used to watch. They always made me cry tears of laughter." she spit out before bursting into another fit of giggles.
Harry put his hands on her shoulders, "Okay, Hermione. Take a deep breath, in, and out." Unfortunately, this didn't suppress anything, because she only laughed harder, "Hermione, I'm serious now, you look like you're about to pass out." It took a few minutes, but she finally calmed down, her face red and her eyes glistening with tears.
She wiped her eyes off with the back of her hand, still chuckling, "Let's get breakfast now, unless you can come up with another plan to delay it?" Harry's stomach growled loudly, sounding like Ron burping after drinking a little too much butterbeer.
'Um, I think not." he said with a grin. He put his arm around Hermione and pressed a kiss to her temple, "I don't think that my stomach can wait any longer." They walked out of the statue entrance, with Ginny following close behind them.
Ginny was ducking from statue to statue, running as softly as she could. Her eyes were on Harry and Hermione the entire time. They were walking and talking about anything and everything under the sun. God, this is so cute.
They turned the corner, and Ginny took a peek at her surroundings. This isn't a hallway. She thought, and then saw why the two turned into what she now saw was an empty classroom.
"I did ask you if you had anymore ideas on how to delay breakfast. Since you didn't come up with one, I came up with this." She leaned in and kissed him softly, her eyes closing with pleasure. Then things heated up, the passion grew, and the kiss deepened.
Harry's hands went up to Hermione's face, pushing her hair back behind her ears. Her hands rested on the back of Harry's head, pulling his face closer. Hermione started walking backwards, Harry moving with her, straight into the wall.
They stood there, mouths locked together, until their shortness of breath became a problem. Harry pulled away slightly, his breathing shallow. Hermione was doing the same thing, looking at Harry with so many emotions that were flowing through her eyes.
Then, Harry's stomach rumbled again, pulling them out of their passion, "Looks like it's time for me to eat."
"Same here." They walked out of the classroom, looking around, seeing if anyone was trying to spy on them, and walked down the hall, not knowing about the second person following them.
Ginny was standing around the corner, pretending like she was waiting for someone, when Harry and Hermione walked by.
"Hey, have you by any chance seen Luna around? I need some help with my Transfiguration assignment." Ginny asked, trying to hold a straight face. She was looking into Hermione's eyes, as if daring her to ask if she was being told the truth. She then looked past Hermione, at something that was moving in between the statues in the same way she was a few minutes before.
The man looked like he was a little over forty, with dark brown hair, and pale skin. He looked as if he hadn't seen the sun in years.
"Ginny, you alright?"
She looked at Harry, who was staring at her intently. He looked back to see nothing was behind him.
"Oh, I thought I saw Luna coming. Never mind. What did you say again?"
"I said, no, we haven't seen her. Sorry."
"Yeah."
"I'll help you tomorrow, be at the library at three, ok?"
"Sure."
Ginny walked off, looking down the hall one more time, just to see if there truly was anyone there.
Ron sat in the Great Hall, eating his toast. He had just asked Lavender to the ball. A last ditch effort on his part. Why does it have to be sooo difficult? I'm already sixteen. I've already asked Hermione out, what so hard about this?. He looked down at Lavender, who was throwing him so many looks like puppy-dog eyes and other look-alikes, it had gotten old hours before she had even started.
He looked to the doors of the Great Hall to see Harry and Hermione walk in, talking energetically with one another about something he couldn't hear. Finally Hermione broke off and went to the staff table, and Harry sat down.
"Hey, Harry. Who did you ask to the ball?"
"Hermione." Harry said, picking up the marmalade, "we're just going as friends."
"Are you really? Or are you just doing this to spite me? Saying that I'm such a failure that she has to resort to you?"
"What are talking about?"
"You know what, you want Hermione, you can have her!" Ron walked out, not angry at Harry, but at Ginny again. Thank god this will all be over tonight.
Hermione was walking back from the staff table, having asked Sirius a question about Monday's training, and sat down next to Harry.
"Where's Ron going?"
"I think he suspects something. He asked me who I'm taking to the ball, and I told him you, but only as friends."
"Which to the outside world, is true."
"But I think that he knows that something is going on."
"Oh, you're just being paranoid."
"Am I?"
"Yes. There is no way the king of insensitivity can know about us. I don't even think he knew we were together when we were together." Harry chuckled, "So, what are we gonna do today?"
"Want to get a butterbeer when we get to Hogsmeade?"
"Sure."
The carriages were moving slowly down the path to Hogsmeade, letting everyone have a nice conversation in the calm of the morning before going out onto the hectic streets. Harry and Hermione got a carriage to themselves, cuddling in the seat, and looking out of the window.
"So, Hermione, what are you going to be wearing to the ball?"
She grinned devilishly, "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"I would."
"Well too bad, because I'm not telling." She kissed Harry softly, just as the carriage stopped. The door opened automatically, and they both stepped out into the morning sun, "So, Harry, how about that butterbeer?"
"Would this count as a second date?"
"I would say yeah."
"Then let's go."
Harry and Hermione walked down the road, past the hundreds of students that were filling the main road. They finally were able to wade through the traffic jam of students, and walked through the doors of Three Broomsticks, which was filled with more students than Harry had ever seen in there.
After five minutes, they finally found a table near the front of the room, close to the counter. Harry went up to get the drinks, leaving Hermione at the table alone. Ernie Macmillan came up to the table.
"Hey, Hermione."
"Hey, Ernie."
"Do you want to go to the ball with me? No one else wanted I asked said yes."
"Ernie, I'm sorry, but I'm going with Harry."
"Well, can't you just tell him that you can't? I've actually fancied you for a long time."
"Ernie, why don't you say that to the person standing behind you." Ernie turned around to see Harry standing behind him, two mugs of Butterbeer in his hands. He looked shocked for a second, before gaining his composure.
"I'm sorry, Potter, but Hermione is going to the ball with me, and there is nothing you can do to change that."
"She really said yes, mate?"
"Yes, she did."
"Not from what I heard. Hermione, did you say that you would go with him?"
"Well-"
"Yes, she did. Why can't you trust my word?"
"Because you have been known to be a liar, everyone knows that."
"Well everyone knows you've been known to be a murderer as well, so since Hermione said yes to me, I think I am protecting her."
"Say that to the three girls you raped last year. My ex-girlfriend included in that number."
"I never raped Cho. That little hoar-"
"That woman you just insulted was worth ten of you, and you took something she couldn't replace, ever."
"She came onto me."
"That's why she comes running to me one night, crying?"
"Yeah, crying tears of joy that she finally got some. You never gave her anything that she wanted."
"How in the hell would you know if I did or didn't? All you did with her was get your jollies off on her and then threw head into the wall."
"Think what you want."
"Ernie," Hermione said, raising her wand at his ear.
"Yes, love?"
Hermione's face turned into a look of disgust, "If you do not get away from me right now, I will make sure you will never hear another person again. Do you hear me?"
"No, not really."
"And another thing, I am not going with you to anything, even as much as a visit to your jail cell. I will not go to the ball with you."
"Of course you are, you filthy little mudblood. Because my blood says you are my slave." The whole place stopped speaking, they were listening intently at the conversation.
"Oh, no, no, no. You see, my intellect tells me you're too weak to do anything about my 'defiance' of blood." Ernie raised his fist behind him, ready to throw a swing.
"Steady that fist, Macmillan. Or I'll steady it for you." Said a deeper voice from next to Harry. Heads turned to see Justin Finch-Fetchley.
"What do you want, you mudblood queer?"
"I never said I batted for the other team. But, we all understand if that's what you're into. If you want to find another one of your kind, look for Draco Malfoy. Now get out of here, or I will force you to leave."
"You're too weak to do anything, Fetchley."
"Am I? Do you seriously doubt my power?"
"Oh, hell yes."
Justin raised his wand, "Then you won't want to see this." Then Ernie backed off, and ran out of the door, "Sorry about Ernie. I think he wants to be the next Voldemort."
"What?" Harry asked, his face looking surprised.
"Oh, didn't you know? Ernie's entire family, while pureblood, Death Eaters. Everyone of them are Death Eaters. He followed in their footsteps." Hermione just nodded her head, remembering how repulsive the boy was, "See you guys."
"Yeah, see ya, Justin." Hermione said as he walked out, "God, the nerve of some people!"
"I hear ya."
Justin walked into the shrieking shack, and threw some floo powder into the lit flame in the fireplace.
"Dosheera nawaa." The fire swelled to a massive size, and Zalrot's head appeared in it.
'Pala kara, nalahina?"
"Zalrot, nokipeena dubin. Dopernio baker. Voldemort silence."
"Over and out." Zalrot's head disappeared, and Justin walked out of the house.
Harry and Hermione were sipping their butterbeers, talking to each other about things that had happened during the week. Ron getting detention for slugging Malfoy, Susan Bones announcing her relationship to Terry Boot, stuff that they didn't talk about in the carriage.
"So, what do you think about Ginny's date?"
"Who is she going with?"
Hermione grinned, "Ron's going to go ballistic. She's going with a friend of Percy's that was in our year, Damian Rendell."
"Ravenclaw?"
"You see, that's the problem. In his last year, Percy started making friends with some of the Slytherins. Damian was one of them."
"You've got to be kidding me. What is she thinking?"
"She says that he isn't as bad as most of them. He's more or less the Slytherin version of Fred and George."
"You're right, Ron is going to go ballistic. And that's only because he's a Slytherin."
"Yeah, but I fear that if Percy finds this out, that he might try to flip her."
"Try to get her to be a Death Eater?"
"Exactly. If she refuses, she's dead. If she goes along with, she'll probably die anyway. Especially with the measures Fudge authorized."
"He's letting Aurors use the Unforgivable Curses to Apprehend suspects, didn't he?"
"Not only that, but he's trying to let normal people do the same thing."
"He does that, and the entire country will be in danger."
"My thoughts exactly."
"You know, we shouldn't really be talking about this. It's the day of the ball. We should be enjoying ourselves."
Hermione giggled softly, "You're right. How about we go to Honeydukes?"
"Sure."
LAPD Police Officer Chris Sanchez was driving her 1996 Ford Crown Victoria down the 405 freeway at 125 miles an hour. The lights on top of the car were flashing and the alarm was blaring at a volume normally reserved for movie theater sound commercials. She was chasing after Juan Martinez, a local gang banger on parole for possession and armed robbery.
Juan was driving a 94 Honda Civic, which was souped up with the entire street racing package. Nitrous oxide, quad shocks, and an engine that would rival any US made car, with a supercharger to boot. He had already activated his spray a few miles back and was now trying his best to throw the empty bottle out the window while avoiding traffic going 130 mph.
"Why doesn't this guy let up?" Chris' partner, T.J. Styles asked her while trying to do his best to hold on to the handle above his head.
"Because we have a charge sheet fourteen feet long. He knows that, and he knows that he can go away for life."
"Well, just so you know, that if we hit the wall, we're rabbits on the highway!"
"I thought we already were."
She passed a Jeep Wrangler, finally catching up to Juan, ramming the bumper as hard as she could. The Civic swerved a little bit, but stayed on the same course. Juan then turned to his left sharply, leaving the lane. Chris saw an empty car hauler in front of her. T.J. shot the chains holding a small ramp that helps cars onto the trailer, sending it into the pavement. Sparks shot out from the moving hauler, and Chris shot through them.
"Hold on to your seat belts boys and girls, this isn't going to be subtle." She punched the gas pedal into the floor, sending it over 140 mph. The Crown Victoria flew up the top of the hauler, and jumped over the top of the semi, landing right in front of the car that was in front of the car hauler.
That's when she saw it, and exit close to Juan, and a semi just ahead of him. She pulled out her service weapon, a standard 9mm Beretta, and fired into the right, back tires of the semi's trailer. The trailer started to turn, flying to the left, causing Juan to fly up an exit at 100 miles per hour.
When she looked back on this, she didn't know how she could have hit his tire while he was going at that speed, but she did. She aimed quickly, and shot his right, front tire on the Civic, sending it off of the exit, into oncoming traffic. It flew through the air at one-hundred miles per hour, and not knowing where he was going to stop.
Which was seconds later, when he landed. Right when his wheels touched the ground, the Honda Civic crashed into a blue Ford Probe. Juan, unfortunately wasn't wearing a seat belt. He flew through the windshield, his momentum as fast as the car's was. His speed through the air was incredible, and was stopped when he crashed face first into the windshield of a 1995 Chevy Cavalier that was driving down the freeway at 70 mph.
"Well, that'll teach him to wear his seatbelt." Chris said, as her adrenaline was starting to fade from her system.
Harry was carrying the shopping bags that both he and Hermione had bought from Honeydukes, each loaded with sweets of all shapes and sizes.
"So, Hermione, do you need another three hours to prepare for this ball?"
"For the most part, yeah." She started walking back to the castle, "Oh! Harry, I'll take my stuff if you want."
"No, I got it. I'll leave it outside your door. You go on ahead."
"Are you-"
"Yes, I'm sure. Now if you need to, go."
"Alright." She started up toward the castle, and Harry followed went into a shop near the back of Hogsmeade. Might as well get her a small gift. Not too expensive.
Zalrot, Nikki, Joshua, and Dubrino sat in the Water Temple. They were sitting on four out of the five rocks, which made a pentagon if you connected the dots.
"Dubrino, what is the real world status?" Joshua asked.
"Sir, as I stated in my report of two weeks ago, Voldemort is getting closer to the location of the Green Flame Torch."
"How many pieces of the map does he have?"
"He has Morgana's piece. He took that from the town of Arrsburg, after tearing its inhabitants to pieces."
"He needs two more, then?"
"Well, if you can say that he more or less has Ursulane's piece, because one of his close servants, his mistress in fact, has Ursulane's piece."
"What about Abendale's piece?"
"Avalanche Ridge remains untouched by anything, but it's only a matter of time before he finds his heir and kills him."
"Who is the heir?"
"A squib has the protective powers. A squib by the name of T.J. Styles. An American."
"Where is he, we need to locate him."
"He lives in Los Angeles, California. Address 2256 Sunset Blvd."
"Put him under protective custody. What is his occupation?"
"He's a police officer with the LAPD. Is partner is a Chris Sanchez."
"Male?"
"No, Female."
"Hmm, beyond me. Put them both under protective custody. And Zalrot, one month is nearly up, you'll be able to pull her soon."
"Thank you."
Harry had been pacing the room for fifteen minutes. It was nearly time for the ball to start.
"You have to have patience, Harry. These things take time."
"I know, I just can't wait to- to-"
Hermione was standing in the doorway, more beautiful than he had ever seen her before.
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Hey all! I hope you liked this chapter! Watch for the next one, Chapter 17: Halloween Ball. Thank you, all of you. Oh, if you are wondering about the police chase, well, Chris Sanchez is more or less the main character of it because she plays more of a role in the final book of this Series, a book I call Apocalyptic Dawn. Thank you!