Beauty and the Unexpected Beast

The Room of Requirements

I ran away from Hogsmeade and towards the black iron gates of school. I wasn't sure what was going on as I saw lines streak the skies that seemed to come from the Ravenclaw tower. I chose to ignore them and try to go through the gates, I threw a rock at them to test for any wards and saw that they were already heavily guarded. Swearing, I paced as I thought of a way to get inside the castle. Aberforth had to have informed the Light side of the fast approaching war due to the obvious extra precaution they were taking. As I paced and shoved the horcrux farther down as Voldemort grew angrier, I saw a bat-like creature flying in my direction.

Recognizing my Godfather's flying shape immediately I shot a spell up in the air to signal where I was, and the bat figure swooped down and turned in my direction. Severus landed in front of me with his ropes flying around him and the thick black smoke that came with flying disappearing.

"Draco, you must get inside and hide yourself." Snape said. He was clutching his wand tightly like he had just finished a duel. "Potter was spotted, though he is now using his invisibility cloak. Minerva will wake the students and bring them to the Great Hall. Get in there before The Dark Lord calls you to come to him. If it's a fight he wants you must be ready of them."

"I still have unfinished business in the castle Severus." I reply glancing back at the gates.

"Then you wait here for the Death Eaters to break in. Minerva can't hold the Dark Lord outside for very long."

"Where are you going Snape?" I ask hurriedly, watching as he takes a few feet away from me.

"I have business to take care of before this starts." Snape rose his wand hand and flew up with black smoke following him through the skies.

I watched for a moment before I suddenly heard a commanding and cold voice speak from every direction.

"I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have a great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood." He spoke in short sentences as if he was speaking to children with no knowledge. When he spoke again, his voice was above a whisper and gave me chills. "Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded."

"You have until midnight."

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I stood at in entrance of the chamber of secrets. It was a very long, dimly lit chamber. The whole room had a greenish light to it and serpent statues were located around the room.

Ron stood a little behind me looking cocky again. He was planning on taking the credit for coming down here. Muttering things about how it was obvious and he was surprised I hadn't thought of it. Walking ahead of him was the only thing keeping me from snapping at him to act accordingly. Though he wouldn't have even gotten in if it hadn't been for me speaking the parseltongue that Harry had often muttered in his sleep when Ron left us. After a few tries at opening the door, I learned that it was the line of hissing that Harry usually spoke when he fell asleep with the Marauder's Map. Ron had tried at first, but he wasn't around Harry as much as I was.

Now we stood in front of a large upside down dead snake. The snake was rotting away, but not yet bone clean. Ron walked in front of me now and started to wiggle the poisonous fangs out of the mouth with little care.

"Ronald!" I say, marching forward. "Those can kill you in a good thirty minutes!"

"Worried about me 'mione?" Ron says, turning around and smirking at me. The smirk makes me think of Draco even though it is not in any comparison; I sneer back at him.