Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Fourth Chapter

Ch. 33 - Lifesource and Prophecy

High like a church. Glittered with orbs. Cold like death.

I snarled lowly, the sound vibrating through the air and into the darkened abyss in front of us all. We began walking - Harry just in front of Nova and I. "Keep your wands ready." Harry whispers out softly. Jenny and James walk just behind me, my tail brushing their legs every now and again. The soft clicks that my claws elicited was somewhat satisfying, and Nova and I shared a smug look.

"Ninety-seven!" Hermione calls out quietly, however the sound still carries outwards. Harry murmured something anxiously and led us all down row ninety-seven. I studied the glowing orbs that we passed, the blue-tinted, flickering shadows disturbing my image slightly. Nova shifted uneasily, her body taking on her human form. I gave her a small nod and picked up my pace, walking at Harry's heels.

The row ended abruptly, to more shelves of glittering sources. There was nobody... except us.

"Harry?" Hermione called gently.

"What?" He lashed out the word violently, and I shifted quickly, just in case he did something rash.

"I... I don't think Sirius is here."

Harry began running back and forth, his face gone very pale, even in the dim lighting. He seemed very uneasy, and when Ron called his name, he almost tripped up with surprise. "What?" He snapped again.

"Have you seen this?" Ron rose his voice slightly, and I restrained myself from hissing at him for being so foolish. Harry approached Ron with a word of eagerness.

Ron was staring at an orb with a glum face, his hands cradling its small, browned label. "It's got your name on it." Harry asked once more what he meant, leaning up to look at the note. It had a couple of initials on it and some words;

S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D

Dark Lord

and (?)Harry Potter

Harry reached for the orb, but protests rose up. I let out a gentle rumble, but said nothing on the matter. Nova encouraged it.

Harry picked it up. I had expected it to be cold in his hands, but it appeared to be burning hot, like it had been left in the sun over a long period of time. Nothing much happened, except for the others moving closer. Nova and I shifted again, taking up the flanks, just in case. It turned out, we needed that protection, for a long, drawling voice spoke out.

"Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me." Jenny gasped in recognition.

Black shapes emerged from all around, and I bunched my muscles, preparing for a fight.

The conversation between Lucius Malfoy and Harry that came forth, I did not listen to, for I was backing up Nova, with watching all the Death Eaters circling us. "Foolish!" An echo plummeted towards us, and I snarled furiously. They had a Claw on their side! What sort of honourable creature would take their side?!

The shape of a feline formed, and I drew back slightly when I realized it was a Night Claw. I glanced at Nova, who seemed very much taken aback. It looked as though she had never seen another of her species before, and I wondered briefly if that's what I had looked like when I first met my father, and the rest of the surviving Shadow Claws.

A girlish, mocking, crazed voice penetrated the atmosphere and I heard James whimper. Bellatrix Lestrange. The torturer. "Oh, look what the ickle kitten has become!" She screeched. I snarled.

The conversation took a turn for the worst when Lucius pointed out his wand, however, Harry had been expecting it. "Protego!" The woman screeched once more, but Lucius bellowed out a command. "I TOLD YOU, NO!" He roared. "If you smash it-"

Lestrange was suddenly illuminated by the blue-tinted orbs, and her gaunt face reminded me of Sirius. I was suddenly brushed up against by a male body. I grimaced and snapped at the Claw, baring my teeth and raising my hackles. He tsked me and I narrowed my eyes, before he moved onto Nova. "Feisty." He purred, before I shoved him back harshly. He lashed his tail, but then I jumped at the sound of smashing glass.

Some orbs had fallen, and two ghostly figures had risen from the pile of scattered glass. "... at the solstice will come a new..." A voice breathed. "... and none will come after..." Then they melted into the shadows. Harry and Lucius conversed longer, but my concentration was upon the Night Claw male.

"Who are you?" Nova hissed furiously, shaking out her fur. The male smirked like some kind of predator, "My name, beauty of the night, is Salem." Nova was not flattered, but rather disgusted.

Harry and Jenny gave me a look at a moment and I nodded, as if I could read their minds.

"NOW!" Harry shouted.

"REDUCTO!"

"REDUCTO!"

"REDUCTO!"

"REDUCTO!"

"REDUCTO!"

Glass shattered and orbs rained down like thick, globule droplets. Nova and I launched at Salem, our fangs and claws outstretched. We collided with him, but we then realized that he had shining, steel spikes over his tail. I bit at his neck, my jaws meeting with his shoulder, but Nova got a spike in the back. She roared and smashed an orb into his face, which rendered him immobile for a short moment.

Salem leapt up, but we had already zipped down the glass-scattered orb. Nova glided slightly, to avoid getting glass in her paws, but I just ran right through it, ignoring the shards of agony. The male gave chase, but he was less tolerant to pain from the harsh breathing that he elicited. I heard Harry shout, "RUN!" somewhere, but I was already ahead of them all, Salem ripping through the students' pathways.

"Shadow!" Jenny cried. I roared as I skidded around a corner and hit a long, tall shelf. It began to topple over, but I dived out the way and made down the horizontal row instead, my side beginning to ache profusely and my paws beginning to sting a great deal. I found a door, and nodded at Nova who was running beside me. I heard a loud snarl, and knew Salem was on our tails. Hermione, Jenny, James, Harry and Neville barreled through the door just as we did. Hermione waved her wand and panted out a, "Colloportus!"

"They must have gone the wrong way!" Hermione whispered, clutching her sides. Nova and I looked at each other, also wondering where Ron, Luna and Ginny were.

"Listen!" Neville uttered.

"Leave Nott, leave him, I say - his injuries will be nothing to the Dark Lord compared to losing that prophecy. Jugson, come back here, we need to organise! We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary - Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead - Macnair and Avery, through here - Rookwood, over there - Mulciber, come with me!" Lucius was bellowing out orders, trying to be sneaky.

We rushed away from the door, Nova and I limping slightly. I had badly glass-sharded paws, and Nova had a nasty spike-jab in her left back leg, as well as in her back.

A rough voice yelled, "Stand aside! Alohomora!" 

The door slammed open, and we all dived under desks. I kept my breathing quiet, but the others were heaving.

"Check under the desks!"