✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

05 | S A V E D

I'll stay awake, 'cause the dark
is not taking prisoners tonight.

   EMBER WAS STUMBLING through the forest, people's screams and yells were still heard all around her. Silently cursing she looked around, trying to surpress the panic knotting her throat. Harry, Ron and Hermione had been right in front of her as she hasted over the campsite. Stepping into the safety of the tall trees shadows, she was alone. She didn't dare to call for them, afraid of who might find her.

   After a while Ember decided to stop. She had no idea where she was, and running deeper into the forest just didn't seem as a wise idea at all. According to the noises, those hooded folks were still torturing the muggles at the campsite. All she had to do now was to keep calm and hope for anyone to find her — as long as it wasn't one of the masked men.

   The forest around her was filled with the sounds of crispy dead leaves and cracking twigs, as people seemed to pass by anywhere, but still too afraid of who they might be, Ember kept her mouth shut, her breathing flat. Her ears highly sensitive gulped every tiny sound coming out of the woods, her eyes pierced into the darkness, the small hairs on her neck and arms raised, her fist clutched tightly around her wand. Although she didn't hear him coming.

   "Look who we got there", the snarling voice spoke, and Ember jumped five feet into the air, before twirling around.

   Draco Malfoy's bleech blonde hair was reflecting the moonlight shining through the gaps in the forest's canopy, his pale face contrasting the darkness surrounding him.

   "Lost and forgotten", he coldly said. "But you're used to it, aren't you?"

   "Would you mind to just shut up and leave me alone?", Ember growled, rolling her eyes.

   "Where are your weasles and your dimwit brother? Busy hiding Grangers bushy mudblood head?", he cackled. "Seems like even your brother doesn't waste his time taking care of you."

   "This is getting boring, you know?", Ember coldly replied. "We both know from the two of us it is you being jealous of Harry's fame. Why so busy trying to pretend your defiant behaviour is mine?"

   "Do I look like I want to have a scar cracking through my face?", the Slytherin snorted.

   "You look like you still can't deal with the great Harry Potter having rejected you desperate hope for being his friend at the start of our first year."

   His eyebrows furrowed. "Sure. If I see what's your brother befriended with — all those scum and filth — I'm perfectly fine with not being even close to something like a friendship with him."

   "Good for you", Ember dryly laughed. "If you'll excuse me now, I have to go back." She turned around, hearing him cackling, as she walked away from him.

   Unfortunately, Ember didn't make it far. In the darkness her feet suddenly lacked of ground beneath them, and she sacked down, falling about three feet deep and a crack shot through the night like a canon call, followed by the agonizing scream escaping her throat.

   "Potter?!"

   Quick steps rushed through the woods, and looking up she once more was faced with Draco Malfoy. She refused to let the tears escape her eyes, him being the last person she wants to see herself crying, even though the pain in her right shin was killing her.

   "Are you okay?", he asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

   "What do you even care?", she hissed through the pain, pressing her eyes shut tightly.

   To her surprise, Malfoy started climbing down the slope she'd fallen down, kneeling down next to her.

   "Your leg is broken", he said in a matter of fact kind of voice.

   "Oh thank you, Captain Obvious", Ember hissed through gritted teeth.

   He opened his mouth for a reply, but was cut off by a sudden appearance of thousands of voices screaming up in panic. The reason seemed to have appeared right above them, enlightening the nightsky; a gigantic green sparkling skull with red glowing eyes, a snake coming out of its mouth, making the whole picture even more absurd.

   "What the —"

   "Okay, let's get you out of here", Malfoy cut her off.

   Ember looked at him dazzled. "You — what? I don't need your help."

   "As much as you're so different to your brother, your stubbornness matches his perfectly", Malfoy snorted. "The forest isn't safe any longer. Not for a Potter."

   Before she could do anything, Mafoy lifted her up, supporting her to stand up, and Ember groaned as her right feet touched the ground. She wasn't happy about this at all, but had to admit that she was dependent on Malfoy.

   "Why are you doing this?", she asked, her face a grimace, as he dragged her up the small hill.

   "Not to do your brother a favour, be sure about that", he replied. "I never thought you'd be this heavy."

   "Sorry, but not sorry", Ember snorted. "Well, that wasn't a satisfying answer. So why are you helping me?"

   "I'd prefer you to simply shut up until we reach the edge of the forest", the boy snarled. And so she did. Not because she had any intention to follow his instructions, but because of the burning pain sending hot waves through her whole body.

   Still there were people hurrying over the campsite, but not even close to as much as there were before. It looked kind of post apocalyptic; smashed tents, fires crackling here and there, dust from what the people had whirled up while fleeing was hanging in the air like fog.

   "Ember!", a familiar voice was calling for her, and she saw Charlie Weasley running at her. "Are you okay?"

   "My leg is broken", she croaked, and as suddenly Malfoy's hands let go of her, she was about to sack down, if it weren't Charlie's arms catching her.

   "Was it him?", Charlie sharply asked, glaring at Malfoy.

   "No", Ember quickly replied. "It's fine, he helped me."

   "I guess you're getting by now", Malfoy snorted, and walked away. With curious eyes Ember followed him vanishing into the dust, before Charlie brought her back to the Weasleys' tent.