The Dragon's Rose
a/n: someone asked how dumbledore was going to protect the students from the gargoyles. in the previous chapter, voldemort said that they dont really harm anybody, intentionally, but scare the students, and put the school in a tizzy.
but, he is going to do something, dun worry... jeez, the other day i heard aaron carter on the radio, with his new "im all about you" song, and God, he sounds sooo nasely. how can people consider that talent? he sounds like he has a clothespin on his nose! what has Stan done?
...
chapter seven :: a dull sharp cheddar
...
The gargoyles roared, and immediately raced off in opposite directions. Minerva let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Serverus took out his wand and furrowed his brow. "We need to stop them, Albus." He said, referring to the gargoyles.
Dumbledore nodded, and began walking in the direction one of them had gone. As a confused Minerva and Serverus followed him, Albus explained about the gargoyles.
"The gargoyles of time were once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff, believe it or not. Helga was rather fond of them, and kept them as guards at her manor. The first headmaster of Hogwart's at the time, needed a way to keep unwanted people out of his office.
"The late and ailing Helga offered them to the headmaster, who was repulsed by them, and quite scared as well. But he accepted the gift, not wanting to turn her down. Helga passed away shortly after that, and was the last founder to die. Almost immediately afterwards, the headmaster had the gargoyles turned to stone, with acceptions for passwords.
"What he didn't do, however, was link the gargoyles to the portal. This was done by the next headmaster, who found Salazar's portal, and decided he couldn't risk students getting in there un-noticed. He cast a spell that brought the gargoyles back to life whenever someone passed through the portal.
"He didn't realize the damage gargoyles could inflict, however, lucky for me, I was the first to experience the gargoyles of time's visit. They nearly trampled some first years, but the creatures really mean no harm. They're merely searching for Helga, their mistress. They're very loyal beasts." He said.
Minerva sighed. "How do we stop them?" She asked.
"The spell used for turning them back to stone and having them reappear in front of my office, is 'monstruent excellibus'. It must be performed twice on each beast in order for it to work properly." Dumbledore answered, calmly removing his wand from his robes.
Minerva followed suite, and the three professors walked the halls of Hogwart's chasing after the gargoyles.
...
The next room Harry and Hermione were entering was bright, and the walls and floors were made of white marble.
On the opposite wall, there was a large carving in the shape of a circle. Three gems were on the line's outer rim, a ruby, a diamond, and a sapphire.
Inside the circle there was a magnificent emerald, the color of Harry's eyes, Hermione noticed.
Above the emerald, carved into the wall, in delicate writing, there was a riddle.
Hermione finished reading the riddle off the wall. She turned to Harry, her brow knitted in thought.
"Any ideas?" She asked, softly.
Harry bit his lip. What were three characteristics that were important to him? There were so many, it was almost impossible to pick out three.
A nagging little voice in his mind piped up.
'Remember your first year!" It cried out, and Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. What happened his first year? Memories came rushing back to him, Quirell, the Mirror of Erised, the protections... wait. The protections. This was deja-vu. The tasks they were going through were significantly parellel to the ones in his first year.
And just as in his first year, Ron had been knocked unconscious. Harry had the terrible feeling he would be facing the dark lord by himself after all.
"Harry? Harry what are you thinking?" Hermione asked, and Harry opened his eyes, his gaze falling upon the lovely young woman that stood beside him.
It seemed almost yesterday they were figuring out Snape's logic problem, and she was telling him how great of a wizard he was...
That was it! He recalled her listing important things... what were they?
"Hermione! I've got it! First year. After Snape's logic problem. You told me, there were more important things than books and cleverness. What were they?" He asked her, desperation evident in his voice.
He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Please, Hermione, try and remember. What were they?"
She inhaled slowly. "Bravery." Hermione said, and they looked up at the riddle circle. The ruby glowed. Harry broke into a smile.
"Friendship..." She said, their eyes still on the gems. This time the sapphire lit up, and Hermione beamed.
Harry frowned. "Wait... Hermione, you only said two things that night. Because after friendship you broke down and told me to be careful." He said, the events in his mind becoming clearer.
Hermione shook her head. "I know. But I know the last one. Because I wanted to say it back then, I was just scared, and thought you'd think me silly..." She explained, blushing prettily.
Harry smiled tenderly, and kissed her softly. "I'd never think of you as silly." He said, and she smiled. "Well, good. Because the last thing," She said, nuzzling him. "is love."
They kissed, and the diamond shone brightly, and the emerald shone brightly. The riddle circle broke in half, no, the walls broke in half, and seperated, clearing the way to a single door.
Harry looked down at his beloved. "Hermione, I love you, but I think I have to face Voldemort alone." He said, and she nodded.
"I know. I thought about that earlier, when we first set out." She said.
"I think you should go help Ron..." He said.
"I know. I'll go and take him to Mme. Pompfrey. I thought about that too." She assured him, smiling, and Harry laughed lightly.
"You're a great witch, Hermione." He said, and her lip trembled, and she wrapped him up in another warm embrace.
"Not as good as you." She whispered in his ear, and then kissed him.
Hermione left through the door they came in through.
...
Draco's bed appeared magically in the center of Salazar's study, and Voldemort looked up, smiling.
"At long last, our guest of honor is here." He hissed, and pulled back the curtains ferociously.
Draco and Ginny parted in surprise, and Ginny drew up the sheets around her body.
Lucius appeared at the dark lord's side, looking down his nose at his son and the Weasley.
"Well, she's got a figure, I'll grant you that much." He said, wrinkling his nose. Ginny's mouth dropped in shock and horror, and Draco drew himself up to a sitting position, covering her body with the sheets even more.
"And you've got an incredibly small brain, I'll grant you that, you bastard." Draco snarled at his father, who sneered.
"At least it's just my brain that's small." Lucius hissed, and Draco turned purple with anger.
"You mother fucking -" He started, but Lucius interuppted.
"I should hope I'm fucking your mother. I am your father. And after all, a family is nothing without love." He hissed.
"Hate to break up this touching family reunion... I mean, you know me, I'm a sucker for father/son moments, but I do believe that we have a sacrifice to perform?" Voldemort said, seething.
Ginny suddenly burst into tears. She grabbed Draco's arm, and clutched it protectively.
"No! Please, don't take him!!" She sobbed, her voice strangled.
Voldemort's eyes flashed a deathly red.
"What? Dare you question me? And why shouldn't I take him, little weasel?" He asked, threateningly.
Ginny sobbed into Draco's arm, her tears streaming down her face and on him, leaving rivulets.
"Because I love him." She whispered, and Draco kissed her forehead. Lucius glared at them, and Voldemort sneered.
"Oh, how sweet. I'm getting cavities." The dark lord hissed, and grabbed Draco's other arm, and pulled him brutally out of the bed, and Ginny shrieked in horror, tears streaming down her face.
"No!" She called out, but it was in vain. The two men laid hold on him and gripped his forearms in a clenching grasp, and began dragging the struggling Draco over to a flat table.
"Let go of me, you bloody.. bastards-" Draco yelled kicking and writhing in their grasp.
A loud creak was heard, and everybody turned to look at the door, which had just opened.
Harry Potter stepped into the room.
Voldemort rolled his eyes in disgust. "Oh, honestly must you always show up?" He hissed, and Harry glared at him, clutching Godric's sword tightly.
"That's what heroes do, Voldemort." Harry quipped.
"Heroes die sometimes, Potter." Voldemort said, raising his brow.
"But villians die more often. That's why they're villians." Harry said, glaring angrily.
"Oh, you know, I hate to interuppt, but I'm bloody naked over here. Could you two spare the verbal catfighting and get down to it?" Draco said, suddenly, and Lucius glared at his son.
"You shut up. Lord, help me tie him to the table." He said, and Voldemort nodded, and soon the two had him locked down to the table.
Harry fumed. "Release him, or I'll kill you, Voldemort." He threatened, his wand in one hand and his sword in the other, ready for a duel of any kind.
"I really don't have time for this silliness, Potter. I'm trying to have Lucius sacrifice his son here." The dark lord muttered, and took his seat upon the throne.
Harry felt a little helpless, and wasn't quite sure what to do.
Suddenly, a figure wrapped in green silk with flaming hair darted out of the bed and cast herself down at Voldemort's feet.
"Take me, then! Don't hurt Draco, please. Take me instead!" Ginny cried out, still weeping bitterly.
Voldemort laughed.
...
Minerva, Serverus, and Dumbledore had just finished dealing with one gargoyle, and were hunting for the other one.
They passed Madame Pompfrey's office just as the door was opening. Hermione came out pushing Ron in a wheelchair.
"Miss Granger! Mister Weasley! What are you doing here?" Minerva asked, surprised. Hermione smiled lightly.
"Well, Ron got knocked unconscious by the dragon..." The teachers paled. "...and Harry and I took care of a riddle, but decided he had to face Voldemort alone." She explained, and Ron nodded slowly.
"The dragon was really -" He paled and trailed off.
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Really what? What is it Ron?"
Hermione raised a trembling arm, and pointed behind the three teachers. "Gargoyle." She whispered, hoarsely.
Serverus turned on his heel, and raised his wand in an instant, shouting, "Monstruent excellibus!!" The gargoyle recoiled slightly, as the blue light engulfed it, but then growled even more ferociously.
Ron and Hermione stepped back a bit, and watched as Minerva cast the same spell on it. The gargoyle materialized, and reappeared in front of Dumbledore's office as stone.
McGonagall pocketed her wand, clearing her throat.
Dumbledore smiled gently. "I assume you two would like an explanation." He said, his eyes twinkling.
Ron and Hermione nodded, and they walked to Dumbledore's office as he explained about the gargoyles.
They stopped at the now stone gargoyles, and Hermione shook her head. "Amazing. It never says anything about that in Hogwart's; A History." She said, incredulously.
Dumbledore nodded. Hermione looked at the floor for a moment, then cleared her throat.
"I... we, me and Ron, I mean, have decided to go in after Harry." She announced, and Minerva and Serverus looked up at her in shock.
"What? No, it's too dangerous in there." Minerva said, clutching the sides of her robes tightly.
Ron shook his head. "So what if it is? We've faced danger before, McGonagall. Besides, Harry needs us. We're worried about him. It's not fair that he should have to go through all this shit by himself." He argued.
Hermione nodded fervently. "Please, professors. Let us help him." She begged, and Dumbledore nodded solemnly.
"All right. It's for the best. Come along, let's find that door again. We'll get you in there if it's the last thing we do." He said, and Hermione and Ron lit up.
...
a/n: blarg! im so tired... and my stomach is queasy, too. ah well. how are you liking it so far? i think it's my best work yet, personally. anyways, just wanted to thank all my faithful readers and all my even more faithful reviewers, God bless them! ...
it's time for another episode offf...
Ron: I love my life.
Harry: Jean Claude Van Damme I'm good!
Snape: Oh, Harry, you make me get tingly feelings! Kiss me, you big lug!
Hermione: You're dating Hedwig?!
Jesus: I decided to make a cameo appearance in HP5! Hell yeah!
Emma Watson: I'm so in love with Tom Felton, seriously.
Tom Felton: Kiss me, Vanilla!!!
Draco: Would you care for more tea, Mrs. Norris?
...
revieewwwww
| Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter |
Draco and Ginny belong to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Warner Bros and various other corporations. They are being used here without permission and/or affiliation with the above. None of the authors listed here make any profit from these stories.