The Female Durmstrang

The Legend

   I was without my wand, sinking in a swamp, far away from Viktor, and I'm pretty sure Voldemort and his death eaters were now up and looking for us.

   Great.

   I tried not to struggle, for it would make me sink faster. I concluded that the one and only choice that I had was to sit still and hope for the best. After awhile, I was up to my shoulders in the swamp.

   I was starting to get worried that this would be my last moments. No one came for another 15 minutes.

My face grew red as the swamp water flooded into my mouth, preventing me from breathing. I started crying.

I tried to scream, but I couldn't.

A loud crack filled the air, ringing in my ears. I closed my eyes, preparing for Voldemort to come out of the shadows and curse me. But nothing happened for a minute and it was just me sinking in the swamp, up to my nose.

When I became certain it wasn't the dark lord, I looked up. Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes looked down on me. He didn't say a word until he lifted his wand and pointed it at me.

"Ascendio!" He said. I popped out of the swamp and onto the bank next to Dumbledore.

I stood up breathing heavily and still wet and muddy from the swamp. "Thank you, sir." I told him.

"No need to thank me, Miss Heder." He said to me kindly. I fidgeted where I stood. "Can we please go find Viktor now? I asked him.

"Of course." He replied. "Do know where he is?"

"Umm not really." I said truthfully.

"That's alright. I think I have an idea where he might be."

   He held out his arm and I took it. The second I felt the warmth of his skin, he disapparated, taking me with him. I felt the quick change from the muddy and grim swamp, to a happy and green forest.

As we arrived at our our destination- wherever it was- I let go of his arm and just stared in amazement at the beautiful forest, with bright red and shining apples on each and every one of the trees. I had never seen anything like it.

I caught sight of an amazingly lush tree in front of me. It somehow stood out from all the rest. I didn't even notice when my legs started moving towards it.

I was only a few feet away. I stretched out my arm, about to brush the unusually soft looking trunk, when a hand caught my shoulder and stopped me. I spun around to find a stern looking Dumbledore holding me back.

"Lemme go!" I struggled against his grip.

"Rose, you must listen to me." He said calmly.

I didn't want to listen. "No!" I yelled. "Let me go!"

His grip loosened a bit, but not enough for me to break free.

"Rose, you must understand." I stopped struggling to listen. "This part of the forest is very dangerous. You must think before you act."

"What's so dangerous about a tree?" I asked.

"These are special trees." He told me sternly. "These apples will not cease to kill you."

   Was it just me, or was this man crazy? "And how is that?" I asked with quite a bit of sass.

   "This forest has been here longer than anyone can remember." He answered patiently. "In fact, there is a whole legend written about these amazing trees and their apples."

   I became intrigued. "Do have time to tell me that legend?" I spoke with pure curiosity. "Of course." Came his reply.

   "There once lived an old witch named Harriet Wetherman. She was quite dark and mysterious as most described her. She was said to have lived among a green and sunny field all her life. Until one day, when a man came knocking at her door. The man turned out to be a muggle traveler who was passing through the area and needed shelter for the night."
  
   "The witch, being very kind as she always was, let him stay. But the next morning, the old witch woke up to see him picking the apples from her orchard. Although the witch was very kind, she was jealous of her apples, as she grew them specially. The woman got very mad at the man and did not allow him to stay any longer. But, the very next day, another traveler came and asked to stay. The woman let him stay. But this traveler made the very same mistake the last one did. The old woman was fed up and brought out her wand. But what she didn't know, was that the traveler was also a wizard. He too brought out his wand and the two dueled until the sun set."

   I shifted where I stood. Part of me was anticipating the next part, but the other part was afraid to hear what came next.

   "They were both powerful, bit they knew only one could win." Dumbledore continued. "They were both weak and tired, and decided to end the fight. At once, they both fired the killing curse and both curses met in between them and it exploded. Killing them both, and spraying the nearby trees and the ground with their jealous blood. It is said these trees are now poisoned with their blood."

   I just stood there. Staring at him. I couldn't believe what I just heard. I shifted again, but with a sense of sadness and anger. I am unsure why I felt this way, but I do.

   I blink to clear my mind, and look up at Dumbledore. I am surprised and uncomfortable. I take one last glance at the apples as he pulls me by my wrist and away from the trees and into a meadow.

   In the center of the meadow, I see Viktor. Sitting on a hollow log. But it looks like he's talking to someone. I am unsure who, but he hears us coming, so he turns.

   His face is red and puffy, as if he'd been crying, but his face shows signs of joy anyway.

   I start to run towards him, and he runs towards me. I feel as if a huge weight had been lifted of of me.

   The golden brown grass sways side to side, and we almost meet each other.

   We are finally a few steps away when I stop. But he keeps moving. He runs straight through me and to Dumbledore. I drop to the ground in confusion and disgust.

   He ran through me.