Disclaimer: Belongs to J. K. Rowling.
A/N: IMPORTANT! Please read the authors note below...it concerns the extra snippet.
Thank you all for reviewing! I apologise if I didn't send you the snippet...a few of your emails didn't work so please check what you've written. As for the people who reviewed today....well...this is the full chapter, right here.
Hermione worried her bottom lip as she drove up the winding driveway of Dolohov's Sicilian manor. In the failing glow of twilight, the house atop the hill looked imposing backed by the purple hue of the last light of the day. It looked old, but unlike the castello she had visited earlier, its history was not one Hermione was sure she wanted to discover.
After issuing her second warning, the old seer had stood and walked away, her steps surprisingly spry and agile for a woman who looked as if she'd seen at least a century. Before Hermione could even protest, she was gone and with her, the cosy armchair, the tea service and all the other furnishings in the room. With a pained exclamation, Hermione fell onto the cold, dusty floor of the open aired room, her fingers still curled as if they held the cup of tea she had been offered earlier.
She still wasn't sure if that woman could be trusted…her first warning made next to no sense and her second was so everyday that Hermione wasn't quite sure if she had been pulling her leg.
Slow down at 7:15 p.m.
Slow down?
Hermione snorted and shook her head; she had always thought that divination was an ineffective and pointless magic but this was really going above and beyond. Why would she every listen to such nonsense?
She glanced down at the digitised clock in her dashboard.
19:15, it read and Hermione scoffed, rolling her eyes just as the manor gates came into view.
Remembering Dolohov's instructions, Hermione extended her hand to the passenger seat, searching for her wand which was concealed in the glove box compartment. She was supposed to use some...
Hermione slammed on the breaks and screamed in horror as a dark shadow with luminescent eyes streaked haphazardly across her car's path. As the vehicle skidded to a sudden halt on the gravel path, Hermione whimpered and stumbled out the driver side door, quickly rounding to the front of the car.
In the faint illumination of the still purple sky, Hermione couldn't make out any harmed form on the gravel path. A flash of movement caught in her peripheral vision however, made Hermione look up just in time to see what looked like a cat's tail disappear into the undergrowth on the side of the road. From it's less than fluid movements, Hermione could tell it had been hurt and a burst of remorse made her wrap her arms around herself.
Deciding in an instant, Hermione found herself following in the cat's wake, crouching low as she pushed aside the wilderness which blocked her path. She strove forward, leaving her car behind as she emerged deeper into the dense and overgrown surrounds. The light was nearly gone and a silvery moon was rising, casting an eerie glow over the unfamiliar terrain.
A pathetic mew caught her attention and Hermione's head shot to her right where she could make out the bars of the fence which must have circled Dolohov's property. At the foot of them, curled into a small defensive ball was the cat. It mewled again and Hermione blinked rapidly to clear the tears which rose in response.
"Shh…" She eased forward, careful to keep her voice low. "I'm sorry darling, I didn't see you until it was too late…I didn't mean to harm you."
It lifted its head from its defensive position and huge blue luminescent eyes stared at Hermione. It seemed to contemplate her outstretched hand before relaxing slightly and rising unsteadily to its feet. One paw was curled defensively off the ground and Hermione knew it must have broken something as it hobbled forward.
