XVII
There are already four months had passed before Halloween, it could not last long. You could feel the charge in the air above, the gathered in this strange place, and they still had no solution to their problem. Not how they wanted to come to the mighty dragons past, nor how they should manage to get that many people also from the island. Your ever-growing belly made Hermione also be created. Lavender had this situation have long taken advantage of and read the care of Ron after rotten. Hermione was exhausted stand and put up the full bucket of water on the floor in order to treat her aching back a break.
There was no way to tell exactly how far advanced the pregnancy was real, but they suspected that they probably had to be between the fifth and sixth month. Hermione took the bucket back up and it was the last piece to the house. Not until she was sure she was out of sight, she took out her wand and left the bucket makes hovering inside. The kitchen was at that time as always empty and the dinner could wait a while longer. It is the perfect time to rest, she thought, and went up the stairs.
She entered the small laboratory where Severus at his desk poring over a pile of documents. He was so deep in thought that he had not noticed. Only when she was blocking the sunlight, he looked up. "Are you all right?" He asked her what she replied with a nod. A little skeptical, he looked at her on her forehead was a clear film of sweat to see and she had flushed cheeks. "You should not try you so much," he said sternly, looking at her yet always eyeing. "I go it well, "she assured him again and then walked around the large desk to see better. "What are you doing?" She asked, looking curiously over his shoulder.
"I plan as we remove the dragon from the portal. I suspect that we no longer have too much time, we have much left anyway, too much time, "he said. "And how exactly do we do that?" Hermione asked, leaning against the table. Severus looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "We make this not at all," he said quietly, "That makes me and perhaps I'll take me with a little help, but definitely not pregnant woman."
saw Hermione indignantly at him, "You need my help," she exclaimed, "except addition I have not asked for your permission! "Severus looked at her angrily," You are a much bigger help if you stay here and I know you're safe and I do not must have constant fear that you are of a dragon and Merlin knows what else will eat more, "he said sternly. "Oh and what if something happens to you? Do you think I want to sit around here and having to worry that something happens to you? I'm coming and this is my last word, "and she had cried at the end of the set almost as much as they had talked himself into a rage.
Severus stood up and positioned himself in front of her threatening. "You stay here and this is my last word," he said softly menacing voice and looked at her coldly. It was a look that it gave her to run for the back down, a look that had not seen for a long time and it hurt, but Severus wall and walked.
He knew he hurt her so had, but it was not the time for her to discuss it. Soon, the portal would open and when they do not at this dragon came by and they would miss a single minute, they would have a whole extra year to spend on this island. No, he simply could not risk not, and still less could he risk it, to give her and take her to bring her in as a danger.
He did not know where he wanted to go, when he again found himself in the village. He was just gone straight ahead, somewhere, the main thing away. He had seen her injured face. Since when did you become so soft, asked He himself, however, tried to shake off the idea again, and prefer to think of the upcoming task.
In a Hermione was right, he could create the impossible alone, even if it was impossible to take them. Whom should he take? He had seen them lining up with their wands, Weasley and Longbottom were excluded. Potter and Draco?, He thought. Well, it did not usually leave much. Ginny, perhaps, no it was a woman. Sure, it was silly, he knew that she as a woman could not deal worse with her wand, even better than Potter, he admitted to himself, but something in him rebelled against it.
It would be best if they would leave as soon as possible, perhaps even today. Severus went back to the house and took their luggage ready. He was glad that Hermione was not down here, probably they had laid up short, he thought as he packed up food, water and everything necessary. Then he went into his lab and seized a number of a drinker, which he had specially prepared for it.
The door was pushed down and someone walked into the kitchen. It Draco was how Severus vestellte as he was to get back down. He pressed his case in his hand and pointed at him to wait, then he still went back up and knocked on one of the doors that opened Harry.
"Come along," he said in the usual tone of command and was already on the way down, so that Harry had to follow him to yell at him because of the insolent tone of voice.
"What do they think their own ..." he began, then stopped, however, held surprise. "Will it go away?" He asked, perplexed, when he saw the luggage. "We're going three," Severus said quietly, "We will take care of this dragon, so that when the time comes, in time to reach the portal."
"Right now?" Harry asked incredulously. "If they are too afraid Potter, they are welcome to stay here. I think Mr. Malfoy and I should get back the well alone, "he said smugly, and had taken to Harry's sore spot.
Harry pulled Draco with a mixture of anger and determination, a bag from his hand and hung them around. "You wait here. I just write a quick note, where we are. I guess we will now not come back, "Severus said and went upstairs to his laboratory, where he just wrote something on a piece of paper which he would lay down on the table. On the way back, he passed by her bedroom. For a moment he hesitated, but then he quietly opened the door. Hermione lay on the bed and slept. He went to her, sat down briefly next to her and stroked her gently on the face, then he left. When he was away
she opened her eyes and looked at the closed door. He was gone and they still felt this incredible anger in itself.
***
For a while they were heading and the farther they penetrated into this forest, the more difficult was the road. The trees were so close together that hardly a ray of sun came through. It was hard to tell what time it was without seeing the sky. Was it evening already? Was the sun already set? Severus stopped. A quick glance at his two companions clearly showed their fatigue, but nor had any complaints from the two in order not to be the first to give up. He also felt already clearly the day in the bone. Whether evening or not, they were exhausted and should take a break, but where?
Again he looked around. It was hard to describe what troubled him so. He could hardly hope to find a better place. For hours they marched through this dense thicket already, but had since they entered this forest, he had this feeling. The feeling as you would follow someone or maybe something - there it was again.
Severus turned around abruptly, but it was heard no more. He had raised his wand and went up to the job, but as before, when he thought something had heard was that there was nothing.
"We stay on Night, "he said, taking off his bag. Exhausted, they sat down on some blankets, which kept if not the cold, so the least moisture of the soil away. They had made a fire, they warmed up slowly. It was remarkable was how much to cool the environment when the sun stayed away.
There it was again, the noise, thought Severus, when he took a few loaves of bread from one of the bags and looked around warily. A gurgling growl was suddenly close to them to hear very clearly that this time, Harry and Draco had not escaped. All three drew their wands produced and held out to the place from which came the strange noises. What kind of animal it was, Severus wondered. He had never heard similar noises.
his finger before his lips moved and made it clear to Harry and Draco that they should be quiet. Carefully, he walked a few steps and moved with a sudden sweep aside a thicket. What he found surprised him but did drop his wand again.
"You?" Asked Severus, Harry and Draco at the same time, even though each one, in a tone of voice. Conner McCoy's tanned face was a little pale. Severus was Conner's hand aufzuhelfen to him because the man was still kneeling in his hiding place.
little hesitant, he took his hand and addressed to his full size. What he had seen everything? On his face, more than was good for him and more importantly, what in Merlin's name is he doing here?
"Who are you?" Said Conner. He gave Severus a view is not, and if he was afraid he did not show it at least. "We are magicians, like them," Severus replied seriously. "How?" Conner asked amazed. Severus twisted the eyes, it had no sense anyway to tell him anything. "Sit down," he says, "Follow us the whole day? What they do here anyway? "
Conner looked around, but the two boys saw him just amazed at how he, so he decided to do the first time what was required of him and put himself in the nice warm fire. "Some of the men they have observed," he said, "They said they had behaved strangely lately. I told them that they are wrong and make it to prove they have followed them. Tell me Severus. Have I been wrong to me? Was it wrong to defend her? What kind of people they? "
" What they find it actually a spy behind us? "Draco roared suddenly. "Calm down Malfoy," Harry said, "your behavior is just not exactly inspire confidence." "Will you say anything Potter?" Draco yelled at him. "Quiet! Both of them, "Severus continued to rage. Again the strange rumbling was heard, but this time he was sure where it came from, from the Conner looked hungry for the bread.
"I did not expect to stay away so long", he said apologetically. Severus handed him a couple of breads, thank the Conner took it. "It is too late and too dangerous to let them go back alone. We are already far too much in it, "Severus stated. For a moment he looked at Conner of legend and took an inclusion. "All right," he said, "they will come with us, but they do exactly what I tell them. I will they clarify everything later. The only thing I can tell you right now is that there is some way from this island to come down and is in this forest. There are only a small obstacle, for which we take care of beforehand. "
Conner looked at him in surprise, but nodded. During the period in which he had followed them through this strange forest, he had always had an uneasy feeling, and had seen some creatures that he had never seen before in his life. It was a pleasant feeling of security, not to be alone, even if it all he had learned so far, had made suspicious. The Mention a way to leave this island, had indicated to him, however, pushing aside his caution. How often had he dreamed of coming here at last gone. He thought of all the wonderful things that were there to do out there, all that his children was denied.
It looked to the locked grumpy man he now called a friend. Could he really bring them to this island? His gaze wandered on to Harry and Nguvumalis words sounded to him again in the head. The man with the sign of hitting will come and carry them from here, he repeated in his thoughts. No matter who or what they were, he had his last Months previously familiar and he was not disappointed. If they really knew how to came down to this island, he had to risk it well and just continue to trust him.
saturated and warmed up more, the last remaining tension from Conner and he lay down on one of the ceiling with his back to the fire that warmed him from behind.
managed The light of the flames, it just illuminate the immediate area, but they could not see two meters away, the black darkness has swallowed every ray of light. The exhaustion was quickly taken its toll, barely, that she had lain down, they were already asleep and the flames died away during the night to a faint glow, which burned down logs.
It began to dawn, and just wrapped the area in soft shades of gray, as Severus woke up. It was early, he noted, almost a little too early, but a strange feeling in his stomach made him uneasy. It took only a moment, then he was wide awake and looked around carefully. All was quiet. He sat up. Sure, it was scary and dangerous in this forest, but he was already paranoid? A boisterous yawn escaped him, and as He again opened his eyes, he saw two red rubies sparkle in the dark thickets of the forest.
The same red glittered around now at other sites, all around them. Severus was not the environment in mind as he carefully with a hand groped for his wand, as the morning silence was broken by a sudden rustling and jumped a gray strange beings from the bush, after Harry's arm grabbed suddenly attracted to him. Harry woke from his sleep at the moment. The shock he was still sitting in the bones and the deafening pounding of his heart had to a moment all the noise around him ousted. Only when the shock subsided, he was aware of the whole situation. The burning pain in his shoulder came from the sharp claws of the creature that they dug deep into his flesh and was staring at him from the sparkling ruby red eyes. It was bent, as it knew of chimpanzees, with gray, leathery skin and strong legs that carried it effortlessly over the forest floor, while his long arms with sharp claws along the ground dragged.
It bared its sharp teeth, as it hissed and gave off a sweet smell of decay. Only then did Harry, that he was something on his foot and held that creature which kept him to grind in the forest. With his sudden waking, he had escaped with shock and Draco, on the other end of the long-taken. Almost at the last moment Draco had not assessed the situation correctly and grabbed Harry's leg.
Severus, who had found his wand, staring still in the red eye. While most possessed enough intelligence not to face a magician in the road and when they did it but it is because they are afraid not have to. That could only mean one thing, this creature was either extremely stupid or extremely dangerous, and it was now out. Severus Harry approached cautiously. Another roar, this time in Severus' direction, Harry blew the foul breath in his face, when suddenly two more of these strange scooped emerged from the thicket, with as red eyes and gray, leathery skin, which they in the haze of dawn could seem almost invisible.
Draco was still holding Harry's inexorably fixed leg, as now one of the other creatures spitting grabbed his hand. A gash ran from the back of his Hand and let him back in alarm. At the same moment in which he let go of Harry's leg, this was in the dense undergrowth drawn, and disappeared like a shadow in the dark, followed by the other two animals.
"For Merlin's sake," snapped Severus. Both he and Draco and Conner were on their feet and hurried in the direction where Harry had disappeared. They left everything behind, blankets, water, food. Instead, they clung to their wands. Conner had his hand lying on a long hunting knife and ran close behind the two. "What in God's name was that?" he asked. A tremor in the voice of the otherwise so self-assured man could be heard clearly.
"I have not the faintest idea," admitted Severus and tried again from the ground for tracks. Conner went past him and held straight for a tree. The experienced hunter pointed to a few fresh scratch marks. The viscous resin flowed from the damaged bark out yet. These scratches had to be fresh, just minutes old. Some time they went in that direction, they followed the tracks until they met at a Harry's shoes and looked around.
The landscape here was rocky, and one of the great gray Rock had protected them while they stealthily to a cave not far from them peered sat before receiving two of these creatures.
"They will have brought him determined to go there," Conner said thoughtfully. "And how do they want to know so exactly? They just say they are familiar with these creatures? "Draco asked sarcastically. "No," Conner said quietly without responding to the tone of the younger, "but I am familiar with predators. This here, "he pointed with a gesture towards Cavity, "chase the pack, and they live in packs. Presumably they have their young in the cave, so they bring their food to them. "
" How many there are probably "asked Severus. "Maybe five," Conner thought, and drew his knife from its leather sheath, "if these two are not the same as those who have attacked our camp."
crept carefully the Mä ; men closer to the cave. Conner was right. Four juveniles were playing at the cave entrance and gave the stranger no attention, the adult animals had disappeared in the woods. Although the pups also had a bad feeling triggered in their stomach, but they could not Harry have to wait so long, and finally it was just a matter of two to see the two that they walk in the woods would have come back. The interior of the cave was dark and full-grown by other creatures was not a trace. Wherever they put the three men had no time to look long and no desire to stay here any longer than necessary. She cautiously entered the dark cave. "Lumos," illuminated both wands. The weak light, they kept just about to stumble over the uneven ground and an unpleasant smell of moss, wet stone and a bit foul, Severus could not yet assign the blew toward them.
Conner, who was walking behind the two magicians and their dim lights, felt cautiously along the wall when he tripped over a large stone and loudly fell on the dark floor. For a moment their hearts were exposed. They held their breath and listened for a telltale sound. Their lights had deleted it.
"Everything ok with them? "Severus whispered after a while the fallen Conner. "Yes, but I landed in something disgusting," replied a bit scared and lifted his hand from the muddy ground. Severus lit his wand, the now enlightened weak Conners face. "What's that?" He muttered, pulling his hand into the light. He was a slimy, red-brown liquid covered, that musty, metallic smell reminiscent of clotted blood.
Severus lit the place on the floor gave way, as all the bystanders disgusted by the rotting animal carcasses. Conner got to his feet and wiped his hand on his pants. "What the ...", he began," Let us quickly find the boy and get out of here. "A shiver chased him down the back.
went cautiously further. In the darkness and the small steps that they were moving it, it was almost impossible to get a reliable sense of distance, but these caves had to be large. After a while, are they marched steadily ahead, they eventually came to a fork in the they turned off. It seemed to be a dead end.
Severus and Draco looked at each end of the cave. "Here he is," Draco whispered as he came across an unconscious Harry to the ground. Severus was immediately rushed to him and shone at the boy carefully. Except for the wounds to his shoulder and his arm, left by the claws, he appeared to be unharmed.
"Potter," whispered Severus and shook through him, but a response never came. It took his wand and pointed it at Harry, he muttered a spell. Startled, Harry tore her eyes and shot high. Severus immediately pressed his hand against Harry's mouth and smothered surprised cry.
Severus gently pulled back his hand as he felt that Harry's breathing had calmed down. "Professor," Harry whispered hoarsely. The relief was shot through his body, to see him clearly. He caught his shoe, Severus had thrown him and pulled him with gratitude.
"Can they go?" Asked Severus. Harry scrambled to his feet. His legs felt shaky, but he nodded. "All right, I would not find out where our friends stuck now, so let's quickly disappear from here, "said Severus and led the way, back into the long, narrow cave passage that would lead to the outside.
There it was again this red glitter. Eyes staring at him from the darkness. He stopped and felt the other three in ran into him. "Run!" He shouted. There was no need to behave quietly and unobtrusively, because they have already been discovered. Other pairs of red eyes joined to the first and threatened to catch up.
you ran as fast as their legs they wore, had forgotten the initial Drowsiness, which Harry had felt at first. The fear had turned into adrenaline rushing through their veins and banished any thoughts of escape, apart from their heads and drove them further and further to the bright spot at the end of the corridor.
scratching their claws, which they crossed the stone floor was with each meter to the creatures they came closer and louder. Severus turned around. Severus did not dare to stop and fired a blind stupor. Apparently he had met one of them. Something heavy had fallen and held the attacker for a moment.
They had reached the exit and ran to the forest now, in the hope they can depend on the trees. Severus looked back behind him. "Oh great Merlin," he swore, "Five? So that I could have lived! ". Again he threw a stupor back, dodging which the creatures could. "How many?" Draco asked, panting. None of the other had previously dared to look around. "I do not know, maybe twenty," replied Severus and saw the three faces green with him.
Abruptly, the men to stop forced, because some of the creatures had overtaken them and now blocked the escape route forward. From behind came the rest of the group and Kesselt it on. The attackers left their prey not out of sight, while the group moved closer and closer.
A loud, deafening roar was all the blood freeze in their veins, but the roar is not obvious from the creatures they had just circled. The nervousness, the flow of such predators suddenly for the better. They came no closer, but stopped where they were and saw be careful. One of the creatures was finally turned and disappeared into the undergrowth, whereupon he joined more and more until the men finally stood alone among the trees.
A brief moment of relief shot through her, until the reason for their escape, the great dragon who guarded the portal appeared over their heads and close to them landed in the trees. Conner was still rooted to the spot there, directed his gaze with wide, unbelieving eyes at the great beast, until Severus grabbed him and behind himself and the other a broad tree trunk moved.
"By Saint Hubert, as we have again been lucky," said Conner easier after a while, "Let's get out of here before we meet more of these evil demons." & Bdquo , I am sorry to disappoint them, "Severus replied," but that is because the small obstacle that we must eliminate in order to come down from this island, "Conner looked back in horror. from behind the tree. "This can not be serious?" He said, pulled his head back again. "I hope they have a plan?" He asked, somewhat later, when he was resigned to the inevitability of this fact.
Only now did Severus, that they had in their pockets all the stress leave. He had worked for a month on this very moment, all designed in every detail. He wanted nothing to chance. For every possible opportunity he had prepared a potion. Now they probably did nothing else left to improvise as. "I had one," he admitted, "but which is now somewhere along with our food in the forest. "
" It would be better if they are hiding here. Without a magic wand would be the sheer suicide, "said Severus. agree Conner nodded, and remained behind the thick tree stand while Severus gave the boys some advice and then out from behind the tree came from.
The dragon did not seem to be observed and was still standing calmly in his seat. Severus muttered a spell and then a golden magic lasso rose from his wand and skillfully placed around the neck of the dragon. His attention had it. The dragon reared up angrily, as a second lasso from the other side to put his neck and prevented him from turning his head. Furious, he blurted out a fire swirl and scorched everything before it in gray, smoking ashes.
The dragon reared up and tore Severus and Draco a bit off the ground. "Hurry Potter," Severus yelled at him. Harry had spoken to the award twice already, but his wand was still no reaction. "Petrificus Totalis" he shouted again. The great dragon body went limp and fell with a loud rum that shake the earth under their feet left, to the ground.
Solely the big yellow eyes of the animal walked among the half-open songs from side to side and fixed the three magicians. Awesome Conner came out of his hiding place. "Is he dead?" He asked. "No, just paralyzed," replied Severus and still kept a respectful distance from the animal. "But I doubt that he will stay there very long," Severus said then added with a glance at Harry. "I have to prepare a spell, but the channels must be for a while. Let us hope that the Full body clip holds so long, "he added, raising his wand.
"Saxificus Totalus," he said aloud. A bright blue beam left his magic wand and flocked to the big animal in front of him. The first few minutes nothing happened. He was still there just like that directed the beam onto the dragon, until after some time, gray spots on the skin of the animal revealed that have been growing. One of the front paws was already geworten completely gray. Only now they realized that the great creature in these places was turned into stone.
Puzzled Conner went closer to the dragon. He was still lying quietly on the ground, only his eyes showed clear anxiety. "He was always at the end of the food chain and there was never anything, what he had to fear," Conner said reverently and walked around the animal. With his hand he stroked the warm, rough scales and the smooth, sharp sting, which rose from the powerful tail.
Severus looked like a tremor went through the great body. The magic seemed to subside. Conner was still standing next to the powerful tail and marveled at the great Animal. He had to decide, and quickly, he thought, as he dropped in the next moment his wand and ran toward Conner. had finally stopped Just when the magic act, he joined the Scots to the side. The massive, spiked, tail shot up and threw Severus to the side. He had hit a tree, his whole body ached. Carefully, he clutched his stomach and felt a gaping wound that in a moment, his whole lap in warm wet blood soaking.
Harry had reacted quickly. It is aimed the dragon who stumbled a bit dazed. "Saxificus Totalus" he shouted. Again, to yield a blue beam. The fossilized paw had made him slow and partial fossilized wing prevented him from flying on. Draco still looked scared to Severus before he even took his wand and stood next to Harry. "Saxificus Totalus" he cried, too. Both beams had been connected at the other end. The fossil was faster. The animal could not move his legs, the stone stains spread quickly from the stomach until it also covered the last inch of the dragon and the beast choked with a Cry to completely gray stone froze.
"Uncle," Draco said scared and ran to the man hurt Conner had pressed with a cloth to the wound. He could stop the bleeding, but the pool of blood around Severus' back showed that he had already lost much blood. Conner gently lifted the cloth, exposing the gaping wound, a real hole left by one of the spikes in his belly.
"Professor," Harry also knelt down beside him, but there was no reaction, still her former professor leaned against the tree.
To be continued ...
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