Ron leans against a tree, looking pale. Harry stands off with Hermione as i stand forward. its my turn. Hermione gives me a slight nod.
"Dissendium!" i yell sending a purple light towards the locket that only spins swiftly in place, staying whole.
"Incendio!" Hermione yells
flames engulf the locket and its metal flesh turns scarlet, but then the flames die.
"Expulso!" Harry shouts
the tree stump explodes, but the locket remains unmarked.
"Confringo!" i yell
the ground beneath the stump craters, but the locket remains untouched. Hermione and i lower our wands, but Harry continues on, firing a succession of spells, looking almost possessed. i study him oddly until, finally, he stops. all goes silent except for the leaves shifting in wind above. then, slowly, another sound comes clear...a ticking. coming from the locket.
"its angry." Ron says
i shiver. Harry steps forward, kneels down and takes the locket by the chain. it ticks. he slings it over his neck and rises.
"what're you doing?" i ask
"we have to keep it safe until we can figure out how to destroy it." Harry answers
"i can put it in my bag.." Hermione offers
"no." Harry says strongly
"seems strange, mate. Dumbledore sends you off to find loads of Horcruxes, but doesn't bother to tell you how to destroy them. doesn't that bother you?" Ron asks
Harry studies the locket, whose ticking has slowed, then walks off. Hermione and i eye Ron, who return our glances, then pushes away from the tree and walks off slowly in the opposite direction.
Ron lies on his cot, fiddling with the radio. voices surface in the static briefly, then fade.
Hermione and i sit in a field of flowers, collecting them and then tying them into knots to form a flower crown. Harry sat against a tree, a good distance away, turning the mirror shard around in his fingers.
"one more flower...and...there!" Hermione says placing the flower crown she had knotted onto my head
i giggle and place mine on Hermione's head.
Hermione smiles but it quickly fades as we both look over at Harry. he looked like he was in pain and his scar was contracting.
we run over and Harry's eyes flutter open.
"i thought it had stopped." Hermione says
Harry looks at us and shakes his head.
"you can't let him in, Harry. Dumbledore himself said it. you have to close your mind. its too dangerous-" Hermione begins
"its not a candle i can blow out, Hermione. it always burns, even if its just a flicker. can you understand that?" Harry interrupts
"tell me. what you saw." i say sitting down next to Harry and leaning against the tree
"he's found him. Vol-" he stops, glancing back towards the tent, toward Ron. "You-Know-Who. he's found Gregorvitch."
"the wand maker?" i ask
"yes. how'd you know?" Harry asks
"Viktor, my ex boyfriend, got his wand from Gregorvitch. most Durmstrang students did at one time. what's he got to do with You-Know-Who?" i ask
"You-Know-Who wants something Gregorvitch once had--dunno what. but he's desperate to have it. its as if his life depends on it." Harry answers
the radio squawks from inside the tent, Harry's eyes flare.
"dont--it..comforts him." Hermione says
"well, it sets my teeth on edge. what's he expecting to hear? good news?" Harry asks
"i think he just hopes he doesn't hear bad news. it gets him through the day." Hermione answers
Harry eyes her expressionlessly, nods towards the tent "how long before he can travel?"
"i don't know. it takes time. I'm doing all i can." Hermione answers
"you're not doing enough." Harry mutters
i study Harry, confused.
"take it off." i demand
Harry slips the locket off
"better?" i ask
"loads." he answers
Hermione takes the locket, cradles it in her fingers "its cold. even though its been lying against your skin for days...we'll take turns okay?" Hermione slips it over her neck
Hermione and i huddle under a cotton blanket outside in the frigid darkness. we are taking turns watching guard. it was our turn tonight. my eyes rake the trees. deep within, there is, for the briefest of instances...movement. or so it seems. i squint and see nothing. then...something carries in the air...laughter. the cackle of...boys? or so it seems.
"lets go check it out." Hermione whispers
i nod and we both rise, walking into the darkness. we move deeper into the trees, then we stop. shadows splinter amid the towering trunks and voices come clearer. my heart thumps faster than ever. we watch as a gang of Snatchers make their way in our direction. they look unwashed and feral, as if they've been in the wild for some time. as they pass, within feet of us, but unable to see us, only our eyes track their passage. as before Scabior leads the way, Fenrir Greyback at his side. abruptly, Scabior stops, eyes narrowing.
"what's that? that...smell?"
the others glance about dumbly. Scabior retraces his steps before he stands directly in front of me, his eyes looking right through me. he leans forward ever-so-slightly, only inches from my neck, nostrils flaring. the locket ticks, trembling upon Hermione's breastbone. then, slowly, Scabior pulls back, eyes probing the darkness, before withdrawing, leading the others away. the last pair drag what appears to be bodies.
as they vanish between the trees i finally begin to breathe again.
YOU ARE READING
True Love Conquers All (sequel to Loving You)
Fanfictionsequel to Loving You the last installment of the Draco Malfoy Love Story Series the one thing that i will always remember about my father is the story he would tell me every night before bed of a forbidden love between two people. a man and a woman...
