Doxology of Dragons

A/N: Okay this is still the same night as the chapter before. And if you'll remember in the first chapter Draco knew how to fence, also. And for those of you who can't figure this out, Andres Vela is Hawk Vela's father---and remember Hawk's grandmother's name (that's all I'm going to tell you or I'll give it all away heehee---you'll just have to wait until THE FOURTH CHAPTER). And remember the accents!!!!(and the fourth chapter!!)!!!!

~*~ Doxology of Dragons: Chapter 3 : THE IMMORTAL *~*

Upon request by Andres Vela, a small room in the Astronomy Tower was given to Hawk by the Headmaster.

Though none of the teachers present at the time the letter was received were sure why the headmaster would give a room to a student to use unsupervised, Albus Dumbledore was more than pleased with the reason within the letter and gave the room freely and with no complaint, only that everlasting twinkle in his eyes and the warning to only use the room during lunch, or after dinner and only early in the morning when Hawk had consent from him and him alone.

In the room now, Hawk was free to let her thoughts wander and her mind soar, as she usually did before practice. The day had been tough, and she had snuck out of the dormitory after not being able to sleep because of the dream to practice her swordsmanship.

It was a good way to leave the worries and sorrows of the real world and concentrate her mind on the familiar patterns that she had spent so many years to come up with, and perfect, herself.

In the tiny room, Hawk bent over to pick up the heavy steel fencing sword.

My sword.

The words rang in her heart as she recalled the day it had become so.

***

It was her grandmothers before it was hers. One night, when they had lived in California (her family moved around a lot) her grandmother had presented it to her as if there were no greater gift in the world.

Hawk had taken it, awe struck, and her grandmother had given her a quick lesson. At the end of the lesson she told Hawk that she had a natural talent for fencing.

When Hawk's father came home that night, Hawk had ran up to him and had shown him the sword, altogether pleased with everything Old Mother had done for her.

But instead of getting the suprised yet happy reaction Hawk had expected from her father, he had blown up and had started yelling at Old Mother and Hawk, and then Old Mother and Hawk in turns.

Finally he turned around and took the sword from Hawk, and started screaming things at her grandmother. Things that didn't make any sense, like "You're going to put ideas in her head!", and "She's not going to finish what you started!"

They had argued for so long after that, the night seemed endless to Hawk, who, for all the world felt like she was the one who had caused this riff between mother and son.

Hawk's father had stormed out of the house in the wee hours of the morning when it seemed the argument had ended. He didn't call or send an owl or anything telling them that he was well and unharmed. It was the most scared Hawk had ever been , up to that point in her life.

But, thankfully, Hawk's father came back that day after work, a little late, but well and whole. When he came through the door, he hugged Hawk's grandmother and kissed her and said he was sorry and then she apologized and they both started crying and hugging. Hawk had stood a little apart from them, not knowing if she should join them, but then her father put his arm around her and brought her into the moment.

They all cried and said they were sorry and that they loved one another. Then Hawk's father broke apart and knelt down before Hawk. He grabbed a bag off the floor and took something out of it.

It was the sword.

Hawk couldn't believe it. He had held it out to her but she hadn't wanted to touch it, it had been the cause of so much conflict between the two people she loved most.

Her father, though, reassured her and Hawk had reached a tentative hand out to the hilt of it.

When her father had been sure that she had a good grip on it, he rotated it so that it was laying backwards (or forwards, it all depends on how you look at the sword) and held it the way he had held it up before.

Then he pointed to an engraving on the blade, just above the hilt, one that hadn't been there before. Hawk looked at it closely, bending forward to see it better.

It was a tiny hawk, with it's wing outstretched, as if it had just caught the updraft and could finally lock it's wings and soar through the air.

Hawk had looked at her father then, not sure what to say, what to think, what to believe.

But he hugged her and took his hand off the sword, leaving her to carry it's weight alone, as she had for so many years now.

Hawk looked down at the sword in her hand now. The engraving was still there. Even after 8 years it still looked new.

Hawk rubbed at it with the tip of her sleeve, as if to dare a speck of dust to come and fall on it at that exact moment.

Then she took another look at the blade of the sword, something she had not done in years because she had never had the need to. But she was beginning to forget what some of the designs on the blade and hilt looked like.

What little light came in though the solitary window showed Hawk several vines twisting through one another around the edge of the blade. They reached from the hilt to the very tip of the sword, though the vines on each side never met.

The hawk was the only other decoration on the blade and the only other engraving on the whole thing.

The hilt of the sword had been enchanted many years ago to fit the hand of the swordsman who bore it.

Of all the things that Hawk loved about her sword, she adored the hilt of it.

It's handle was wrapped in a sort of beeswax so that if the bearer's hand started to sweat, the wax would keep most of it off so as not to make the handle slippery. The wax was a deep blood-red. If that was the actual color, or a victim's blood, Hawk had no idea, and wanted very much to keep it that way. The part of the sword near the hilt that was meant to cover and protect the fencer's hand was put on backwards, the exact opposite the it would be on a true fencing sword. It was used to stop the sword from going all the way into a victim's body but it was also just 'happend' to be in a position that it could keep the blood in if the swordsman was killing something above him.

Both edges of that cup came up into jagged points. A weapon within a weapon.

Death within itself.

***

Draco was feeling restless.

He tried to do some homework, and then decided what to wear the next day and then he even tried to talk to Crabbe and Goyle, but it didn't seem enough. He had an aching inside his head, as if he needed to be somewhere, but didn't know where.

Finally he decided to go for a walk.

Where he would go this late at night, he didn't know, but he decided to leave that up to his feet.

As he was about to leave the common room, an idea struck him and he went back to his dormitory.

He went over to the trunk and lifted the lid.

Deep inside, at the very bottom, he found what he was looking for and took it out. Then he placed it under his cloak, not to be seen, and walked out of the common room.

The many twists and turns of Hogwarts were enough to confuse anyone.

Anyone except Draco Malfoy.

He knew most of the halls and staircases like the back of his hand, and he expertly choose the quickest way to the Astronomy tower. Why he was going there he did not know, but would find out soon enough.

He climbed the stairs of the Astronomy tower quietly and when he came to the top, paused for a moment as his mind told him where to go.

Draco made a right turn and walked to a door that led to a dark room.

There was noise coming from inside the room, barely audible, but noticeable all the same. The noise was familiar to Draco and his hand tightened around the object under his cloak almost instinctively.

Draco's blood boiled as he drew nearer to the sounds. He had not had a good, or fair, for that matter, fight in many years, and judging by the sounds coming from the inside of that room, he just might be up to a challenge.

Even as he came to the door he knew who was inside. Draco had never come upon anyone in Hogwarts who could conceive that sound, and make it sound so... right.

He stopped and leaned against the doorway. Looking at the sight before him and yearning to join in the fun, for the person before him was clearly having that. It looked to Draco as if the person before him knew what to do with that which was held in an expert hand.

Just a little longer, he thought, I'll watch for just a little longer and then present myself in a while.

Now, though, he was content to just lean back and watch a marvel unfold before him.

***

This was the first time Hawk had drawn the sword since she got to Britain, and yet it was still shiny, as if she had only polished it yesterday. She rocked her hand slightly and the sword made the tiniest of movements. But that movement drew in the light of the moon and for a brief second, there was nothing but pure light shining off the edge of the blade. It momentarily blinded Hawk, but she moved the sword a little and it faded as if it had never been.

Suddenly, and completely without warning, Hawk struck out with the sword, stabbing the air and then bringing it down, so that it made a whoosh sound as it sliced through the air. Then she was back to the position she had been before, as if she had never moved.

Hawk took a deep breath, readying herself and beginning the first motions of "La Luna Blanca", a practice pattern she had put together herself, more than 4 years ago.

She started swinging the sword through the air, twirling it with her hand, but never letting it be more than a half a centimeter away from her skin.

Then she stepped out with her left foot, something her grandmother had taught her to confuse her opponent, since she was, of course, right-handed. It was confusing because a person usually stepped out with the foot that corresponded with the hand they wrote with.

Hawk excitedly began the familiar motions and movements of the pattern. Her breathing became shallow as she sped up the pace of her movements and the adrenaline rushed through her body. As she twirled and jumped and slashed through the air Hawk's hair stuck to her face where the sweat was but she didn't even consider stopping and putting it back in a ponytail. In fact, she barely noticed it as Hawk stumbled slightly on a move that she could never quiet get but it did not break her pattern. Her grandmother had always taught her that it was okay to mess up. What really mattered was how you recovered. And, oh how Hawk recovered. She never missed a beat, never thought twice of her mistake. She just let it be and made sure that the next time she got it right.

In place of the pell that should have been there, Hawk was using the air. Her father had not allowed her to bring the pell she had used at her old home, but had promised to build her a new one when they had gotten settled.

That time had not yet come, so for now...

***

Draco was impressed with the ability of this girl. Her hand movements and foot work were precise. There were a couple of times -no more than two, he was sure - that she messed up. It would have been quiet enjoyable but he was too busy watching her as she continued on, as if she had done nothing wrong. It was amazing how she never broke her concentration. She looked as if she was the first real challenge that Draco had seen in about 3 years. Half an hour later Hawk had finished her practice, and was standing still in the moonlight. Sweat drenched her neck, and she finallly picked up her hair in a pony tail. She looked quite beautiful that way. She squatted down and was cleaning her sword to sheath it. He was getting restless by the second, he would not stay in the darkness any longer. He stepped out of the shadows that had hidden him from her gaze.

"You know, your footing is horribly wrong," Draco said cooly as if it was constructive criticism. Hawk was still squatting and did not reply.

The darkness of the room might have covered any expressions that Hawk might have shown. Draco did not know because her back was to him. She slowly stood up, back still to him. She had been aware for the past thirty minutes that someone was watching her, but she had ignored it. But now that she knew who it was...

This is my room, nobody dare intrude me.

"If someone attacked you from the back, you wouldn't realize it until you were dead."

Hawk remained still, looking out of the window as if there was something mystic waiting for her in the white light of the pale moon.

"Does your bad handling affect your hearing?"

With a quick, smooth motion Hawk unsheathed her sword and like an incursion attacking it's prey, she brought it to Draco's ivory throat. Draco, who had too much experience to ever be caught of guard by an angry opponent, blocked Hawk's death blow. Making their swords clash into what Draco refered to as a 'sword kiss.'

"Twitchy little ferret, aren't you?" Hawk said, very carefully choosing her first words. The one and only thing that Harry, Hermione and Ron relished about Draco, since it was the first time he was really publicly humiliated.

His eyes flashed silver fire and he raised one eyebrow. Draco realized for the first time that she had a slight Spanish accent that was rather mesmerizing and he chided himself for never noticing it before. But now wasn't the time for that. He twirled his sword around hers to release it from her grasp, he moved slowly to the right, sword still outstretched, but Hawk, who knew what he was doing continued to move in his step.

"What? Didn't expect it from me, Draco dearest?" Hawk said in a sarcastic tone, she was careful not to fall out of step for that would give Draco the chance to attack her.

"I think it's about time someone showed you proper instruction," Draco said thinking which direction to go.

"I've had proper instruction since I was four."

Draco stepped out, turning so fast Hawk didn't know what hit her. He was quickly behind her and had managed to pull her body towards him, his sword at her throat. His free arm held her tightly in position, if she moved there was a great chance that his sword would slice her tanned skin.

"I think you're enjoying this position, Malfoy."

"Not as much as you."

"I don't play this game," Hawk used her elbow to strike him in the stomach giving her a split second to set loose.

"That wasn't very nice," and with that Draco struck the first blow.

Hawk quickly blocked it with her blade, twirling left, moving like an arrow she lifted her sword and made it collide with Draco's. Draco skid it off and solicited his blade towards her, it hit her near the hilt, which was an advantaged because she used the razor sharp edges on it to unhand him. His sword flew up in the air landing a few feet from him.

Draco stood unarmed looking at Hawk. She laughed. She had to. Here he was, the "champion", defeated. She let her defense down for a split second as she relished in her tiny victory.

Big mistake.

Draco crouched, took his sword as fast as a falcon in flight and unarmed her, making Hawk instantly stop beaming.

"Now whose laughing?"

"You whorodistic bastard!!!" She had never felt so humiliated, defeated, and stupid in her life. She had known that it wasn't because she lacked skill that she stood disabled, but it had been so stupid of her to laugh and stand off guard when his saber was lying no more than three feet away. Honestly, Hawk you are so stupid, she thought to herself.

"For a minute there I thought I was cornered. But then I remembered that you're a woman." And then he laughed.

That was it. Hawk jumped out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground seizing his sword and stabbed him in the leg. She hadn't meant for it to go in as far as it did, but Hawk realized her mistake as she saw a flow of blood emerge from his lower leg.

After a very long and very stunned silence on both parts, Hawk finally broke the stillness.

"Oh my God!!! I am so sorry!! I didn't mean to, really, it was a reflex!!" Hawk was saying hysterically, almost yelling in her panic.

Draco sat on the floor of the tiny room, holding his shin with one hand, trying to keep what little blood he had left inside of him, steadying himself on the floor with his other.

"I thought we were just practicing. If I had known we weren't, you would be the one sitting on the floor," Draco said, looking up at Hawk and giving her a mischievous smile.

Hawk made a noise in the back of her throat and shook her head. Even when he was in danger of bleeding to death, Draco still had a horrible sense of humor.

"Listen, we have to get you to the nurse, now," Hawk looked down at Draco and her hair fell in a shiny sheet around her face.

"The 'nurse'?" Draco said, the mocking in his voice evident, knowing it would make Hawk mad.

"Yes, the 'nurse', or the 'Medicine Woman' or whatever it is that you call that person who cures all your aches and ales," Hawk yelled, waving her hands in the air in exasperation.

"Well, usually I have my mum come and kiss all my 'aches and ales', or , as I like to call them, 'boo-boo's'," Draco said, looking in her eyes and making it hard for Hawk to decide if he was playing around or not. She finally decided to settle on the hope that he was playing around, if only for her own sanity.

"Get on you feet, hurry up, you asshole," Hawk started walking towards the door, and only stopped when she noticed that Draco was not behind her.

She turned around and saw him sitting, rather pathetically, on the floor, just staring after her.

"Oh, right, the whole leg thing, I forgot," Hawk hurried back over to him and bent down to help pick him up.

"That's not suprising. You'd forget that you were a girl if you didn't take a shower every morning-ow!"

"Oops," Hawk shrugged innocently as Draco glared at her. She had 'accidentally' stepped on his foot as she put him in a position where she could help him limp to the nurse and not kill him - entirely.

"Come on, up you get," Hawk said, trying to lighten the mood by imitating Draco's accent.

She didn't even get a smile.

"Hurry, before you lose to much blood. I'm not going to carry you all the way over there," Hawk put in hurriedly, trying to cover up the very evident silence hanging between them.

"I hope you're not seriously thinking of taking me over to the infirmary," Draco pulled away from her grasp just a little to get a better look at her, "'Cause if that's the case, you might as well go over to Professor Dumbledore, whack him over the head and scream where we were and what we were doing while dancing naked with a cow."

Hawk frowned and shook her head at Draco, trying hard to keep a straight face at the irony of the whole situation, "Professor Dumbledore already knows where I am and what I am doing, so I have no problem with taking you over to the infirmary. You, on the other hand, would to have one hell of a story to tell them, and I wouldn't miss out on the chance to get you to answer their questions in a million years."

Draco looked at her, dumbfounded. Hawk smiled inwardly at having put that look on Draco's face personally.

"Dumbledore knows what you are doing here? And he approves?!" Draco yelled, looking at Hawk with big eyes.

"Yes, he knows, and he totally approves," Hawk said with arrogant nod of her head. "Totally," she said again, as if to shove it in Draco's face. "Now come on, I haven't got all day-or...night-no, wait, good heaven's! All morning? When did that happen?"

"Obviously while you were busy gutting me." The look on Draco's face told Hawk that it would not do good for Draco's ego if she went around the school telling everyone what had happened tonight.

Hawk frowned and sighed, "We better hurry, classes will start soon and I don't really want to explain to Ron, Harry, and Hermione where I have been."

Draco shrugged and started walking again, with the aid of Hawk's shoulder. "Just tell them the truth, that you and I were in a dark, tiny room all night long, with no lights and no supervision. That should tell them all they need to know."

"All they need to know about what, Draco? My incurable head-sickness?"

Draco put on a face of mock hurt, "Would you really need an incurable head-sickness to sleep with me?" he asked innocently.

"Malfoy, I would need an incurable head-sickness just to be in the same room with you for over an hour."

Draco shook his head. "This coming from the person who is so worried about me dying?"

Hawk frowned in the darkness, "You know what, Draco, just shut up! Are we almost there? You're not exactly the lightest person to be dragging all over a castle."

From next to Hawk, no response came. She waited and kept walking, hoping that she was going in the right direction, waiting for Draco to answer her. He never did.

"Malfoy!" Hawk yelled to the person next to her.

"What?"

"Why don't you answer me?!"

"Because you told me to shut up!" Draco said as if it were evident.

"You know that is not what I meant," Hawk said severely.

"Okay, well then, because you told me I was fat," Draco said, as if Hawk had hurt him deeply.

Hawk made a noise in the back of her throat, "I did not tell you were fat....But why are you so worried that I mentioned it? Your celebrity diet not working the way you hoped or what?"

"Hey! Those things are never worth what you pay for them, and the only way celebrities lose weight is by puking up their own bodily organs!" Draco snapped. Next to him, Hawk laughed, "Are we almost there or what?" and then she added very quickly, "not that you're fat or anything, but, you know its late and I'm tired..."

Draco smiled and Hawk couldn't help but stumble as her knees gave out slightly, "Yeah, we're almost there. Just keep walking straight and then take a right at the end of the corridor."

It took a while for the words to sink in-mostly because she had to decipher almost everything he said-and in no time at all they were at the door to the infirmary.

Hawk stopped at the door, not sure whether to knock or just go in. Draco made a noise of impatience, leaned on Hawk, and pushed the door open.

The infirmary was nothing like Hawk had expected. She had imagined it to be like all the other nurse's offices she had been in while she lived in America; small, dark-lighted, and smelling like medicine, vomit, and urine. But it wasn't like that at all. There were at least 24 beds-12 lined up along each wall-with night-stands and curtains to go around each one. There was four windows that let in light from the moon,-and sun during the day-the floor's shone with cleanness and practically gave Hawk back her reflection, and it smelt like winter: crisp, fresh, and with a hint of cinnamon. There was a room off to one corner that was probably the office of the person who worked here and a huge fireplace built into the far wall. Hawk looked around the room and only one word came to her mind. Hospital.

Draco must have seen the look of amazement on Hawk's face cause her gave her a little shake and said, "It's only the infirmary."

She pulled herself together and pushed her hair behind her ear with one hand.

Just then the door to the office opened and out came a middle-aged lady in a dress with one of those funny little nurse hats on her head. She didn't seem suprised to see them standing at the end of the line of beds but wasted no time in getting to the side of Hawk, taking her by the hand and walking her over to a bed, all the while muttering to Hawk and herself.

"I told the headmaster that he shouldn't have given a little girl a sword and leave her in a room by herself. 'She'll wind up hurting herself' I said. And I was right, wasn't I, dear? What is it? Did you give yourself a hangnail?"

Hawk pulled away from her, highly offended. She could hear Draco laughing at the other end of the infirmary. "I did not give myself a hangnail! I can handle my sword very well indeed and I am not a little girl!!"

The woman stopped trying to shove Hawk onto the bed and looked at her, "Well then what are you here for?"

Hawk raised her head high and said in a tone of insolence, "Because I stabbed Draco Malfoy in the leg."

Suddenly the laughing stopped and Hawk could feel Draco's 'death-gaze' on her back. The nurse looked from Draco to Hawk and back again, then rushed off and came back dragging a very harrassed looking Malfoy and sat him next to Hawk on the bed.

Draco's body radiated hate as Madame Pomfrey took his leg in her hand and started mummbling things to herself.

"Well, you stabbed him good and hard, there didn't you?" she asked when she was done examining the wound. She took out her wand and started to mend it. "Never thought I'd see the day when a girl said no to a boy in such a way-especially a Malfoy-and then defended her pride and dignity all by herself-especially with a Malfoy..." she continued to mummble to herself and it took Hawk a while to understand what the nurse had said-and then she blushed. Hawk dared a glance at Draco and noticed that he was blushing, too.

After a few more awkward moments in silence, Madame Pomfrey stood up and said, "Okay, there is nothing more I can do for it, Mr. Malfoy, but I would like to keep you in the infirmary for a couple of days, just to make sure that it heals properly. Ms. Vela, thank you for bringing him here, but you and him both need your sleep, so I suggest you get back to your common room before I get the headmaster up."

Again, Hawk had to wait for the understanding of each word to make it's way through her exhausted brain and by then, the lady was looking at her like she thought Hawk would never leave.

Hawk finally got up and, with one final look at Draco, left the infirmary. She made her way down to the tiny room they had come from and put away her sword, this time, sadly, with no interruptions.

At the door, Hawk looked back into the room and all that had gone on that night. It certainly had been exciting, Hawk had to admit. As her gaze roamed the room, a glint of light on silver made her take a second look at one corner of the room.

On the floor, looking shiny and sharp and deadly, was Draco's sword. Hawk picked it up and held it to the light that the moon gave off. It was extremely beautiful. It was cool to the touch and felt very light for the kind of sword it was. Hawk closed her eyes as she held it in her hand and it whispered to her of a lifetime of practice with only one person and of many battles won and almost none lost. The light reflected exquisite desings and carvings in the blade and handle. They seemed to be dragons. Hundreds of them, scattered all over the outer edge of the blade and the hilt. Hawk squinted and before her eyes the carvings started moving. Some attacked each other, others just moved gracefully along the sword. Hawk blinked and they suddenly stopped, as if they had never been. Weird, she thought, and frowned.

Without a second thought Hawk picked up her sword and took them both out of the room and up to the common room with her.

As she climbed the stairs to the girls dormitory, she couldn't help but giggle at the thought that she had taken Draco Malfoy's sword and was going to sleep with it under her bed.

***

Under the covers of the infirmary's bed, Draco thought about everything that had gone on that night and really wondered about how he had gotten into this mess. But the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't help but smile. She really is a good fencer, a tiny voice said in the back of his head. And Draco found nothing to disagree with.

He settled into the covers for a good night's sleep (or what was left of it) and in the morning, he wouldn't worry about anything. Maybe if Hawk hadn't been so funny or charming...or beautiful, he would have made another big deal out of this like he did in the third year. But there was something about Hawk. He didn't know what it was but it was there, and that was enough. Her voice alone was enough to make Draco stop short. He had never really heard anyone speak with an accent like that and he just couldn't get it out of his head.

Draco closed his eyes and dreamt of an army of women running at him with long pointy swords.

***

The master sat in his chair facing the fire. Even his most loyal servant feared to call his name and resided on 'master'. He stood looking at the flames diverting from small to large in a matter of seconds, and remembered all the pain he had been through, the many years of his glory until one person came and took it all away. A boy. No. The boy. If only he had killed him when he had the chance, none of this would have happened. And if only the wretched Adrianna wouldn't have gotten in his way. Ahh yes. Adrianna. The way her name rolled out of his tongue. It was fascinating. Her very name was beautiful. As was she. The best of my death eaters. The head of my army. She was great at the sword, all who stood before her left with a bloody lip and a broken blade. But she betrayed me and protected the pathetic Potters. "I never quite under stood why you did that Adrianna."

She was eminent at fencing, and headed his men in everything. He had loved her once, but she foolishly loved the man that became the father to one of his most loyal servants.

And for that Lucius Malfoy would pay.

***

Almost 24 hours after the inncident in the room, Hawk was exhausted. She had tons of homework and she wasn't going to accomplish anything in the common room where Ron, Harry, Seamus, Ginny and Dean were all throwing pillows at each other and Hermione was standing on top of a chair, screaming at the top of her lungs trying to make them all stop. So she had gone back up to the dormitory.

Hawk deeply wanted to join but had refused because she had exceeded amounts of homework and she didn't wanted to fall behind. She spread her books on her bed (which had remained black with the silver dragon she had enchanted on the bedspread) and decided that she should begin with potions because it had ironically become her favorite subject, to Ron's and Harry much disgust.

Hawk opened The Art of Elixirs by Bruce Bigelow and began reading.

The Mantore, which is a sleeping potion helps the host restrain strength after a long days work. It was very popular in the 1400's when the muggles worked on fields and wizards sold the Mantore as "plant tea", for relaxation purposes. This potion was forever made famous by the ridiculous Sleeping Beauty story in which a princess falls into a deep sleep and is awoken by a kiss.

Hawk laughed as she read the note on 'Sleeping Beauty'. Funny, even I thought it to be a stupid story as a little girl, but then again who wouldn't want to be awoken by a hunky-young prince right after your hangover?

Hawk closed her Potions book and opened her Charms book and started on her 'Willie Wendelin the Weird's Brother' essay in which Wendelin's cooky brother now made charms that repelled ice and coldness. Great , the dream team starring Wendelin with her fire charms and Willie with his anti-ice charms. It took Hawk an hour and 43 minutes to finish the essay, she was extremely proud of herself because Hawk had made use of her sarcasm and had stated "Wendelin and Willie would not make a great team in fighting evil against the dark forces of the Wizarding world".

She then proceeded to her most dreaded subject Divination. Even Professor Trelawney annoyed Hawk.

"Divination is a whole bunch of shi. . . "

Just then Lavender walked in to pick up her purse. "Hi Hawk! Is my hair okay? Do I look alright? There's nothing on me right?" she asked.

"Unh, no there's nothing on you Lavender," said Hawk who was trying hard not to laugh because she knew exactly how to make that statement perverted.

"Okay thank's, I'm going to go have a walk with Seamus," Lavender said as she walked out the door.

Why does 'going for a walk with Seamus' sound more like 'I'm going to do him against a wall'? Hawk thought to herself and laughed a little at the mental picture of Seamus looking terrified, pinned against the wall, while Lavender gave him a look of savage lust.

Hawk finished her Divination homework and decided that maybe she should go down to the common room to see what the others were up to. She reached into her drawer and put on her dragon-necklace. She had forgotten why she had taken it off when she had first started on her homwork and it seemed weird that she had because it was rare when she did. Her grandmother had given it to her when she was very small. The dragon took up almost half of the short chain, it's wings folding around the curve of her neck so that it looked as if the dragon were flying across her the base of her neck. The dragon glowed silver when the light hit it and the crystal that was positioned in it's hands next to its heart was clear at the moment. Hawk looked at the strange figure in her hand. There was an inscription on the underside of the dragon that read:

'Las estrellas en la noche te enseñaran el camino en la oscuridad y te trairan cerca a la luz'

It had not been the first time that Hawk had noticed it, and every time she held it she tried to decipher it's hidden meaning. She gave up and headed towards the common room. Hermione was no longer standing on top of the chair, even though Harry and Ron were still having their cushion fight, screaming things like 'I never give up. NEVER!!!'. She was completing her 'Ancient Runes II' homework and Hawk went and sat next to her.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Me, nothing just finishing this here. Ancient Runes, there's nothing more exciting than the study of ancient languages. Actually it's quite interesting that the French and Spaniards although always trying to conquer each others land, shared many ideas and common words in their tongues. Ramond, a Spaniard taught a lot of French to the Spaniards and so forth. This helped lot's of wizarding trade and industry to speed up."

Hermione said this all i a very long sentence, taking Hawk aback with all this information and because it was all so gouging.

"Don't worry Hawk, after a couple of months with Hermione you'll get used to it." Harry laughed and was hit with a cushion by Hermione who stood up frowning with her hands on her hips. She came back down and sat next to Hawk.

"Wow that dragon is beautiful, may I ? "

Hawk took the dragon off. She rarely let anybody touch it, but for the first time in her life she trusted a friend.

"Oh wow, there is no trademark in the jewel so it was probably designed especially for a specific reason, do you know what the inscription means?"

"I know what it literally means, but I can't seem to figure it out on my own. Actually I was hoping you could help me." Hawk said.

"Well let's see. 'Las estrellas en la noche'. That means 'the stars of the night' correct?"

"In the night."

"Well maybe it's a star charm. It says 'will show you the way in the darkness' in the middle ages muggles used the stars as a sort of compass. Wizards and Witches used star charms, that helped us find our way. I'm not exact on how it works but I believe this could be a star charm. The second part says 'te enseñaran el camino en la oscuridad y te trairan cerca a la luz' That means 'will show you the way in the darkness and guide you home to your dreams' right?"

"'Luz'. It means 'will show you the way in the darkness and bring you home to the light'. You confused 'light' with 'dream'. "

"Oh lright." Hermione blushed slightly and stood up holding the dragon in her hand. She turned it over slightly. And stared. And stared. She stared at it for another half a minute. Her eyes jolted and widened with her gasp. Hawk could have sworn that she saw a light bulb light up on top of her head.

"Whoa! Hawk is this what I think it is? Oh my gosh if Fred and George knew you had this they'd pay a million galleons to get it! Hawk I think this is an unlocking charm! These are very rare! Hawk imagine where you can go with one of these!"

"Shhhhh!!! Not so loud! We don't know if it is a unlocking charm or a star charm or not but I don't want anybody else to find out before I do. I'm going to try it first. And I know just the place."

"Is there something you're not telling me?" asked Hermione sheepishly.

Hawk quickly looked down at the floor to avoid Hermione's gaze. Luckily she was saved.

"Come on you guys! Lets go to dinner!!" screamed Harry and Ron, Hermione and Hawk got up and walked through the Gryffindor exit.

***

A stinging pain went up through Draco's leg. It was minimal but it still hurt. Madam Pomfrey had finally let Draco out of the infirmary. She had fussed over him for the past day and he, frankly, was quite annoyed. She was a great healer and his leg looked like nothing had happened to him. Only a few stings worked up his leg as he stood up.

"Be sure to walk around a little bit before you go to sleep, Mr. Malfoy," said madam Pomfrey putting back her potions into her medicine cabinets.

"I will. What do I do about the pains?"

"Take it like a man, you big baby," she snorted. "Don't forget to walk, just a little after that the pain will be gone".

Draco nodded and headed out the door.

***

The Gryffindor table as usual was busy with noise, laughter, and rumors. Hawk watched the great clock on the north wall patiently, but it was too confusing to decipher because there were all sorts of hands pointing at different roman numerals and even certain words like "time for class" and "time to leave" or "stop looking and eat". She looked down at her own watch, it was 9 o'clock, she had about another half a hour before Dumbledore would dismiss them.

"Hawk, is something wrong?" asked Harry looking at her cautiously.

"No, no. I, I just, I'm just tired." She faked a yawn and stretched her arms over her head.

Hermione of course, saw her and grinned. She knew.

Just then, Ron gasped and ducked under the table. Hermione gave him a hard look for his lack of manners and Hawk tilted her head to see Ron under the table.

"What are you doing, Ron? The food is up here. Oh, did one of your meatballs walk off the edge of the table again?" Harry asked preparing to help Ron look for the rogue meatball.

"No, it's Sally-Anne. I'm not here. You never saw me..." Ron whispered, half to himself.

"Howdy!"

Everyone jumped and quickly looked up from under the table. Hawk and Hermione smiled at Sally-Anne and Harry subtly moved over to Ron's chair--away from Sally-Anne.

"Hey, what's shakin' bacon?" Hawk asked, immitating Sally-Anne's happy smile.

Sally-Anne frowned slightly at Hawk and then turned to Harry. "Have you seen my little Ronniekins?"

Hawk had to cover her mouth with her hand as a spurt of laughter came out. Sally-Anne just looked at her again and then turned back to Harry.

Hawk could tell that it was taking Harry all of his will power not to laugh and she felt genuinley sorry for him. She wasn't making it any easier for him, though, the way Hawk's laughter was seeping through her hand.

Harry cleared his throat before he spoke againto maek sure his voice didn't catch, "No, Sally-Anne, I haven't seen your....little......Ronniekins-" as the word came out of Harry's mouth he couldn't hold it any longer and he began to laugh, trying very hard to make it as if he wasn't. The only word he could get out was "anywhere," to finish his sentence.

Sally-Anne looked for all the world like she had no clue as to why everyone at the table was laughing and she frowned again. She turned to Hawk, "Well, if you see him just tell him that his schmoopsie-poo is looking for him."

Hawk bit her lip, trying desperately not to choke on her laughter and dared a look at Sally-Anne. "Will do," she said to spare Harry the effort of trying to stop laughing, and Sally-Anne turned around and walked away.

After making sure she wasn't about to come back, Ron got up from under the table. The jokes started almost immediatly.

"Hey, Ronald," Hawk began, unable to contain it. "You're schmoopsie-poo is looking for her little Ronniekins, just so you know."

"What a sexy nickname, Ron. It almost makes me want to do you," Harry laughed.

Ron looked up at the ceiling of the Great Hall. "Memo to me: Maime you after my dinner," and then he let his head fall back to where he was staring at Harry with dead eyes. Even the meatballs were making fun of Ron as they jeered at him from their pools of gravy.

Ron stabbed at the meatballs and mummbled, "You all are going to hell," while giving the people around him the evil eye.

A couple of minutes later Dumbledore finally stood up and dismissed them to their houses. Right after Seamus had exploded the jar of pumpkin juice that was in front of him.

All the students stood up and walked down the hallways. Hawk followed with the group of Gryffindors. As the four groups split up Hawk carefully separated herself from them and headed with the Ravenclaws, which turned through the east wing where the chamber was. Hermione uttered an unnoticed "good luck" and continued in step with Harry and Ron who didn't notice.

She quickly walked behind a group of girls that were giggling things like "ooh I really wish Oliver Wood was here", "Oh, yeah or how about that hottie Harry Potter", and 'Yeah, that 6th year Draco-" immediatly followed by "Back of Krissy, he's mine!!!" Hawk kept on walking at full speed trying to break away from the Ravenclaw crowd. She could see the deserted passageway that led to the chamber. A group of boys to the left said something like "Hey, isn't that that girl from America?" The other responded "Oh, yeah, Hawk something...She's really hot."

Hawk laughed to herself, the boys obviously thought that Hawk couldn't hear them.

***

Draco headed away from the Slytherin common room. He thought that he should walk a few times around the dungeons. But a strong feeling urged him to his quite spot. That is what he called it. His quite spot. The chamber that always lured him there. He didn't understand it. Ever since his first year at Hogwarts he had been draw to it. For some reason this year the feeling was back, and stronger than ever before. Especially around Hawk.

Draco saw the old wooden door that held the chamber that had invaded his thoughts ever since he had arrived at Hogwarts.

He walked to it and pulled it open making sure that nobody was around to see him enter. The room was empty except for the torch that was suspended on the wall. As usual Draco found the trap door that was in the floor. There was no handle to be pulled, or incantation to be said, nothing whatsoever that Draco could do to open the door. He had spent most of his free time trying to open it. But of course he never did.

The door creaked, but nobody came in. Draco closed it not knowing who or what wanted to come in. He decided to wait on the rim of the door, that way he could see the person who was on the other side. As he moved to the other side, Draco glimpsed an array of black hair and white skin pass on the outside of the chamber. The black hair reminded Draco of only one person; Hawk Vela.

A smile played across Draco's face. This opportunity was too good to pass up.

***

On the other side of the door, Hawk was beside herself. Oh my God!!! Who the hell is in there?! Oh my God, there's someone in there!!

When Hawk had left everyone after dinner, she had not expected anyone to be up here. She had prepared herself for every other catastrophe except this one.

Cursing herself for her stupidity, she lifted her wand and whispered lumos to help her see better in the half light that was coming from inside the chamber.

Hawk cautiously pushed the door open and peered around the inside to see if anybody was there.

"BOO!"

"AAAHHHH!!!"

Hawk started violently as someone jumped out from the side of the door and screamed in her face.

As the person fell back on the floor laughing, Hawk saw who he was and started cursing in Spanish.

"Bastardo!!!! Inutil, que chingado estabas haciendo ahi!!!!!" she screamed as loud as she could, forgetting for a moment that she was not supposed to be up here in the first place.

"I am not even going to ask what that meant," said Draco, who had stopped rolling on the ground clutching his side, "but it sounded funny."

"Even if you did want to know what it meant, I wouldn't tell you," Hawk said as stuffy as she could, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her back on Draco.

"What are you, four?" asked Draco, not bothering to hide the smirk that was there so often when he was within a ten mile radius of Hawk.

"So what if I am?" she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Well then I'd say you're one mutant kid."

"Shut up!" screamed Hawk "What the hell are you doing here, anyway? If you're going to be up here making out, shouldn't Crabbe be here with you?"

"No, but where is Potter?" smirked Draco "I mean did you finally steal him from Weasley?"

"You know what? Shut up! And what the hell are you doing here!!"

"That's none of your business! And what are you doing here!?"

"I actually have a purpose to my existence," Hawk said sourly and reached under the neck of her jacket and pulled out her dragon necklace. She had no idea what the hell she was doing or what she was trying to pull off. She decided that she wasn't going to play any games and was going to get right to the point. Her hand reached her shirt and she pulled the collar down a bit to show her dragon, as if her hand had a path of it's own. The light shimmered on the chain for a brief second, showing it's great luminosity and splendor.

Draco just stared at the necklace for a minute without saying anything. A funny feeling had begun to grow in the pit of his stomach.

"Listen Draco," Hawk drawled the name out, making fun of it without seeming to. But then a thought suddenly popped into her mind. Draco is Latin. Draco meaning Dragon. Dragon on my necklace, dragon in my dreams. And something her grandmother had said a long time ago about a dragon...

Hawk yelled out and startled Draco.

"Oh my God! How could I have been so blind? I'm so stupid!!" Hawk put her head in her hands and tugged at her hair.

Draco looked at her curiosly. "Excuse me? What are you rambling on about now?"

Draco almost wished he hadn't asked. Hawk looked up at him suddenly and seemed to measure him. Then, suddenly, she yelled out, as if she might just forget, "Somebody once told me that a 'dragon' would help me with something I would have to do later in my life and so far you're the only 'dragon' that I've met." Hawk flushed deeply and turned her head slightly, hoping that Draco didn't see her face.

"You think that I am a dragon?"

"Not you, your name, Draco. Latin; meaning Dra-gon," she said expressing the syllables one by one. "I need you to help me open this door, it's my destiny, that's why I'm here. It all happened like this: I came from New York to England to find this place. I came to find you."

"Wait, wait, slow down there... aren't you going to buy me dinner first?"

"Shut up, Malfoy, I need you to help me."

"What am I going to get in return? A prize?"

"Do you want another good stab in the leg?"

"Well that depends: what's your definition of a 'good stab'?

Suddenly Hawk forgot why she was even bothering to try, "You know what, forget it Malfoy, just forget it, I don't need your help I can go on fine without you! Leave!"

"No thank you I think that I'll stay here and watch you 'strive'."

Hawk narrowed her eyes. "Fine!!!"

Hawk squatted down and brushed the dirt and hay that was covering the trapdoor. She took her dragon and read the inscription, "Las estrellas en la noche te enseñaran el camino en la oscuridad y te trairan cerca a la luz."

The door stood closed. Hawk tried a different approach and sang the inscription out. That didn't work. She stood up and walked around in a circle and said it. That didn't work.

Draco laughed in the distance. He stood up and walked towards her.

"Are you done making a fool out of yourself? Or are you going to put on your top hat and sing 'Oh Susana'?"

"I can put on a little show, and sing and dance the Can-Can if you want," Hawk suggested, a trace of disgust in her voice.

"Give me that," he pointed at the dragon necklace in her hand.

Hawk tossed the dragon to Draco. For all she knew Draco could turn and run, she didn't know him, but for some reason she trusted him. She had no idea why, but when she was with him she felt like she had known him more than her own lifetime.

Draco caught it in mid-air; the dragon's crystal turned a bright green. He dropped it.

Hawk and Draco both stared at thenecklace, lying on the ground, the vibrant green that had shone through the crystal sphere the dragon was holding slowly fading into nothingness.

"What the hell was that?!" Draco asked in astonishment. His wide eyes never left the crystal which had not broken when it hit the ground and had now returned to it's clear state.

"Pick it up! Pick it up again!"

"What, no!"

"Do it you wuss!"'

Draco bent down and picked up the necklace, the sphere turned a brilliant green. "Do you have any idea what this is?"

"Yeah. It's a neck-la-ce"

Draco's voice was dead, "Very funy. Has it ever turned a different t color with you?"

"No, but that's a clear sign that I need your help. I don't know what to do from here, but all I know is that we have to open that trap door. And that necklace is the key."

"This thing is more than just a key. My father had several charms like this, and I don't know why you would have a charm of black magic."

"What is up with you and black magic? I know for sure that this is not black magic; my grandmother would never give me anything like that. It's a key."

"It's more than a key. That I know."

"Okay, well then do something."

"Like what?"

"Try it, try it," said Hawk jumping up and down.

"Try what?"

Hawk's shoulders sagged and she had the brief implication that Draco was doing this on purpose. "Try shoving it up your ass--what else?"

"Listen, I don't need this kind of verbal abuse from you-"

"Oh, just get on with it already. I would like to leave this creepy room in the next decade," Hawk said. It was not a comment, it was an order.

"Fine," and then under his breath, almost too low for her to hear, "Don't tell me what to do-who the hell does she think she is, bossing me around-" He walked across the room and bent down in front of the trap door. Draco looked at the incantation. "I can't say this, it's not even words, it's just a bunch of letters stuck together."

"It is not just letters stuck together-they're words. Here repeat after me: 'Las es-tre-llas.'"

"Las es-tre-las?" he repeated, not sure of what was coming out of his mouth.

"No, not estrelas. It's estrellas. Let it roll off your tongue-like the sound 'yah'. That's the way it should sound."

Draco furrowed his eyebrows.

Hawk sighed, "Come here, say it with me." She walked over to stand next to Draco and took his hand in her own.

It was not something she had planned to do, but it just happened. Hawk wanted to pull her hand away, but at the same time, wanted to stay like that forever. His hand felt soft, as if he applied lotion every day. She could feel his pulse under her own, and her hand began to sweat. She decided to pull away, but Draco held her hand in place.

"Say it again: Las es-tre-llas en la no-che te en-se-ña-ran el ca-mi-no," Hawk said, trying to cover up for the silence that had settled in the room.

"El Camino, now that was a good car."

"Come on, Draco, concentrate."

"Las estrellas en la noche te ensenaran el camino."

Hawk looked at Draco. "Wow...that was good."

Draco rolled his eyes in an impatient manner. "I'm not stupid, I heard you repeat it like three times."

"....En la oscuridad y te trai-ran cerca a la luz."

"En la oscuridad y te trairan cerca a la luz."

Hawk took a breath, "Okay, now we say it together."

"Las estrellas en la noche te enseñaran el camino en la oscuridad y te trairan cerca a la luz."

The brilliant green of the dragon swirled inside the crystal. The torches in the chamber flickered and died out. A gust of wind swept through the chamber as the trap door opened. Draco's and Hawk's eyes widened. The door revealed a hole that led down into the earth.

"Whoa!!!"

***

Voldemort sat staring at the fire. It had become his favorite place to think on his next diabolical schemes. He thought of the upcoming events and the effect that they would have on both the muggle and wizard population.

"Yes, the world will have a big surprise, isn't that right Nakani?" he asked his pet ske who he was milking of her poison to drink as if it where vodka tonic.

Lucius Malfoy stood next to his master. He had just relayed the news that Voldemort's army was impatient and bloodthirsty and ready to move.

In one corner of the room there was a slight movement and Lucius turned to see a woman carrying the jugs of snake milk.

Lucius had seen her before. It was hard not to notice her seeing as she was one of the only women in the Dark Lord's army. They had never spoken and Voldemort had always told Lucius to leave her alone.

Lucius had never quiet gotten a good look at the women's face for shimering, straight, black hair kept it almost always hidden on the rare occasions when she did not have her hood bpulled all the way to cover her face. There was something untrustworthy about her that made Lucius squeamish around her. Or it may just have been the way she never talked, was almost never seen and never questioned the Dark Lord but followed his commands with eerie preciseness.

The Dark Lord suddenly talked again and Lucius turned away from the shadowed face that seemed to staring a hole right through his soul.

"I remember my days of glory, and they will soon be back, now that my loyal servant has brought me back to power. All will be well now. The Potter boy is now a man of 16." Sixteen, what a sweet age, and yet I remember what I was doing at the age of 16.

Voldemort laughed. It echoed through the hallways of his mansion and made the woman in the room shiver with fear.

***

Hermione stared at the clock in the girl's dormitory. It was now 12:37 a.m. and Hawk was still not back. Had it worked? Did her little 'experiment' function? Oh no, what if something went wrong? What if it backfired and Hawk was hurt? What if that thing wasn't really a star charm, or a pick-lock...

The room's door opened. It was Hawk.

"Oh my God Hawk! You're safe! Thank goodness!" Hermione whispered not to wake up the rest of the girls.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay, I'm okay. Chill."

"Chill? You have a chill?"

Hawk laughed a little. "No, I mean calm down; I'm alright." She undressed and pulled on her pajamas in the darkness. Everyone was asleep except Hermione who had stood up waiting for her. How sweet. The moon's light was the only thing illuminating the dorm and Hawk could barely make out Hermione's face.

"Oh my God! Did it work? What is it? And where exactly did you go?"

"Okay, I'm going to tell you but only because I trust you. I think Harry and Ron should also find out, but I don't think that they'll be very happy with one tiny detail."

"Tell me, tell me, tell me," Hermione said exasperated as she sat next to Hawk on her bed.

"Do you remember the time when I decided to do some exploring of my own, and ended up getting lost. Harry and Ron had to come and get me out and I was late for Divination?"

"Yeah, I think that Harry must of told me."

"I found this chamber Herm. Not a chamber. I found the chamber. And I don't think that I found it by coincidence. I went there today, but somebody was already there."

Hermione's eyes widened. And she gasped, "Who?"

"Draco Malfoy."

"No way!" Hermione screamed.

Lavender turned in her sleep. "Shh!! Hermione, keep it a little quieter."

"Oh my God, it was Malfoy?! What was he doing there?" she whispered.

"I don't know. I think he just found himself there. Hermione he's the one. He's the one that I was looking for. I haven't told you this but, my grandmother, before she died, told me that a dragon would help me with something very important that I would have to do later on in my life. Draco is that Dragon. He opened that chamber. You were half right, it is a key. But I don't know what we have opened. Hermione it's a passage way, and I don't know where it will lead us."

"Thats a little scary Hawk," Hermione said, curling up into a ball on her bed.

"It gets even wierder, though. I haven't told anyone yet, but I've been having really wierd dreams. Like, really wierd. They show me the end of the world with Voldemort being the one who destroys it. But then a dragon comes out of nowhere and kills him....And I can't see myself but I know that I am the one who is telling the dragon what to do. I know its weird, but its like that everytime." It was the other dream Hawk had in turn with the one she had had last night, but this one seemed more important than the one that had kept Hawk up the night before.

"Oh my goodness Hawk, I can't believe it! Dumbledore must know."

"No! Not yet, promise me Hermione, promise me that you won't tell any teachers yet. They shouldn't know. At least not yet. After we leave, then maybe.

"When are you leaving?" Hermione's voice was tiny in the dark room.

"As soon as possible--tomorrow."

"No!!" Hermione shouted and they heard Lavander snort in the bed next to them. "You can't," she whispered now. "You have to promise me that you won't Hawk. I don't want you to put yourself in any kind of danger."

Hawk looked up at Hermione, touched. She couldn't remember any one of her other friends ever caring about her so much.

"I won't put myself in danger Hermione. I promise. Not if I can help it."

***

Draco stared at the top of his four poster bed. He couldn't fall asleep, not right after what he had been through. Everything had happened in a matter of a few hours. Now he knew why he had been drawn to that place, and he still couldn't believe that he and Hawk had unlocked that trapdoor. After so many years of him trying to open it on his own all it took was her in the same room as him. He remembered telling her to not tell any teachers yet of what had happened. He knew that Hawk was the major part of this ordeal, but why had he been dragged into it? Perhaps it was his father's fault. After all he was Voldemort's most loyal servant.

A servant that is what he was. Draco called him that behind his back, knowing that many a time Lucius had screamed that he was servant to no one.

Hawk had said that they should go down the hole that had been concealed beneath the trapdoor. But Draco had told her that they shouldn't, that they should just forget about what had happened. Draco remembered Hawk screaming at him and calling him names in spanish, saying things like 'this is our destiny' and 'how can you expect me to ignore this?'.

Then she had asked him, quiet politely, if he would go down with her. Draco remembered the look on her face and it haunted his mind as he closed his eyes, trying to go to sleep. The look had softened her features so that she looked so delicate. Hawk had looked Draco square in the eyes when she had asked.

It had wrenched his heart when he had told Hawk that he would not go down the stairs with her and that she should really forget about this night.

He didn't really expect her to listen to him. In fact, he would have been suprised if she did.

***

The sun rose on it's shimmering pedestal awakening all the boys in the Gryffindor dorm. Harry awoke with a stabbing pain striking at his forehead. Sweat endeared his body and his pajama shirt stuck at him.

He was back.