Moonlight and Starlight

Ebony Speedle

Story Summary:
Harry's seventh year is just beginning, but when two new members of staff are being more mysterious than helpful, two wild horses have mysteriously appeared in the grounds and Dumbledore is back, Harry, Ron and Hermione are in for a bumpy ride... *slightly AU, character death later on, rating for final chapters*

Chapter 01

Posted:
05/25/2006
Hits:
354


1. In Harry's 7th year the DADA teacher is 18 YEARS OLD! How did he/she get the job? Is there something weird about him/her? Is he/she the best teacher Hogwarts ever had?

"Harry, who's that?" Ron asked, as they stood on the platform, outbound for the last time. The girl walked past again, her red hair whipping behind her.

Harry shrugged. With pressure to pass his N.E.W.T.S, Voldemort, the Order and Horcruxes to worry about, a new student was the LEAST of his worries. "Who knows? Where on earth is Hermione?"

"I'm here for goodness sake," Hermione shouted, standing behind the boys with her hair and face flustered.

"Oh," Ron said sheepishly, helping load her cases into the compartment they had chosen, near the front with Harry's name written on a 'reserved' notice stuck to the window. The girl walked past again and swung into the train, slamming straight into Hermione.

"Sorry," she smiled, helping the now fuming Hermione to her feet.

"Yes," Hermione said angrily, stomping into their compartment. The girl smiled and skipped off down the train.

"Crazy," Harry and Ron sighed in unison.

"How's summer going?" Hermione asked Luna who was already in the compartment, reading the Quibbler upside down again.

"Can't honestly complain," Luna sighed, closing the crumpled magazine and shoving it forcefully into her bag.

"Anything from the trolley dears?" asked the grey-headed witch with the food supplies.

"One of everything please," Harry said, holding the money out and dropping it into the woman's hand. He staggered back into the compartment and dropped his food onto the table. "Just like our first trip," he reminisced sadly. The train jerked and stopped suddenly.

"Though this is more like our third trip," Ron pointed out as they all drew their wands and shuttered the blinds as instructed. Everything grew deadly silent, no movement from anywhere or anyone. "Except without Professor Lupin." Harry gulped. The werewolf wasn't there to save him this time. Maybe never again. He'd been sent on a mission and no one had heard from him. The train jerked again, accompanied by shouting and the sound of wands firing off. Steadily growing closer. Harry's palms began to sweat. He could barely keep a grip on his wand handle. He was aware that he was shaking. Someone moved outside the door. His heart began strangling his brain. He wanted to scream, cry out, anything. Fear began to consume him. He shook more vigorously as a hand reached towards the handle. Hermione sobbed in front of him. Ron was paler than usual. Even Luna seemed to have a grasp on the situation. Why can't I? He selfishly thought to himself. The door opened, and the Death Eater the other side grinned beneath his mask.

"I found the boy!" he shouted into the corridor. Harry felt sick. He was certain that he was going to be sick. Everything he'd eaten at The Burrow was going to reappear. Oh God, he thought. Now there were three, stepping slowly into the compartment. The first was fully inside. The second close behind. There was a scream. Harry couldn't identify the species, but the cry was not human. Another answered it. Then the train began to shake. Hoof beats. Hoof beats? Irrational, you've died, he told himself. But, before his eyes charged two horses to match the hoof beats. One was jet black, mane and tail blowing freely against the breeze it was creating. The other was pure white, almost glowingly. They met in the middle, trapping the two last Death Eaters between the solid muscle in their chests. Hoof hit skin and tore, blood spraying mainly from the white that was also the first to rise to its feet. It then grabbed the final Death Eater by the scruff of his neck and tossed him out of the train as the black took care of the others. Then, they were gone. The train started up again. Harry breathed again.

"Harry, put your wand down," Hermione whispered, laying her hands on his outstretched arm. He nodded blankly and lowered his wand, tucking it into his pocket.

"What the bloody hell was that? Death Eaters attacking the train?" Ron stormed, sipping a bottle of juice carefully.

"Half of Slytherin have been withdrawn," Luna nodded.

"Of course."

"We should change," Hermione suggested after a long pause, in which everyone glanced from Harry to one another and back.

The Entrance Hall was packed as they walked in. People parted nervously at seeing Harry, allowing him safe passage. They spotted the girl walking ahead of them, fingers linked around a tall, darker-haired man. They skipped all of the house tables and began walking towards the staff table, deep in conversation.

"Excuse me, but that table is for staff only," Hermione scolded, puffing out her chest where her 'Head Girl' badge was pinned to her robes.

The girl smiled back. "Yes, I know, we are staff."

Hermione's mouth fell open as the girl smiled and allowed herself to be lead to her seat. The sorting began and was over very quickly, as only twenty students were joining the Hogwarts First Year this year. Then Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"Life, ladies and gentlemen, is a gift. It is, however, riddled with pitfalls, traps, pain and darkness. But, also, light, love, happiness, friendship, passion, can be found and realised with little effort. This year is a difficult year. Life is going to be hard. Frightening things will happen; I cannot prevent this. Your world is changing in ways you will never understand and will never want to, but I know that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will not bow to change, we will remain true to our founders; Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor. The powers they felt most important, most valuable, to all of the students in their houses, will be what saves you. My friends, let your hearts be burdened with fear and hope this year, and work hard." His speech was about darkness; a darkness none but Harry could perceive. "And finally, joining our staff this year is Miss Calique Hawthorne as your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, and our new Potions Master, Mr Barty Crouch Junior." A dull applause rang out.

"I bet he's not just her assistant in lessons," Ron muttered to Harry who suppressed a giggle of agreement.

"Now, to bed young ones, first lessons begin tomorrow!"

Harry tossed and turned in his bed, sweat pouring from his body and every mark and scar on his body on fire. He climbed silently out of bed and found a clean shirt to stagger out into the corridors in. With Snape not sneaking around, it was easy to walk around and cool off. He paused beside a window, watching the squid dance with itself under the moonlight. Two other shapes drew his attention; the two horses from the train. The white gently nipped the blacks shoulder, which retaliated with a gentle nuzzle. The white suddenly took of and galloped across the grass, the black visibly sighing and chasing after the other. Under a tall tree, they paused and drew closer together, rubbing one another's coats with their soft, velveteen muzzles. Harry smiled, strangely happy for them, as though this was their first meeting and he was watching the simple courtship. He returned to bed, dreaming of the horses and what life would be like just to be one. Free...

"Good afternoon class," Calique stated as she breezed into the room. She was wearing a pair of black trousers, red polka dot stiletto heels and a black tank top, revealing toned, tanned arms. Her hair was thrown into a neat fold and her make up was perfect, down to the ruby-red lipstick. "Any questions before I start?" No hands were raised. "Wonderful, now then please-"

"How old, exactly, are you?" Hermione asked when she realised no one else would.

"Very rude, Miss Granger, but I will answer. I am eighteen, as of four months ago. Any more pointless questions? No? Good. Page sixteen is our first topic this year, and it is Vampires. Now then, anyone know anything about Vampires?" Hermione's hand shot into the air. "Apart from Miss Granger?" A few more hands went up. "Ah, yes, Mister Longbottom, yes?" He nodded. "Would you like to stand up and tell the class what you know?"

"They can... Choose to kill or just drink blood," Neville stammered.

"Brilliant, five points for Gryffindor. Anyone else?" Calique sighed. "Miss Granger?"

Hermione smiled smugly. "Often confused for animagi, as some can transform into bats or wolves at will."

"Another five. Anyone else? Let's start with the basics. Firstly, the colour of a persons skin does not necessarily relate them to being or not being a vampire. I hope you're all writing notes. Very good. Eyes are a good way to tell, they take on a strange, metallic look, as you can see in this picture." She flicked her wand and a Muggle photograph appeared on the board. "Secondly, aversion to sunlight is a good way to tell, and also a useful weapon against them. Other weapons include crucifixes, garlic, holy water, and silver will slow the healing process." With each item she said a new photograph appeared on the board, making a collage by the end. "Finally, anyone know how to heal a non-lethal bite from a Vampire?" Dean raised his hand, and Calique motioned for him to stand.

"Tears of someone the victim loved, loves or is in love with."

"Very, very good! Five points to Gryffindor! I do not want to set you all much homework, so all I will set you is twenty bullet points on the Vampire, to be given in tomorrow morning."

"We don't have a lesson then," Ron wondered out loud.

"You'll have to give it in before the lesson then," Calique replied, swishing her wand and causing the photos to disappear. They all filed out, one by one chatting eagerly about their lesson.

"Professor Hawthorne?" Harry whispered, standing a little away from her.

"Hm? Oh, Harry, hello, how are you?"

He nodded and smiled, "I'm alright. I was... Wondering if you know anything about Horcruxes?" He was transfixed by her midnight-blue eyes, which flickered over him.

"A little, yes, would you like me to elaborate?" she replied, continuing to pack her bag.

"If you could," he said quietly, watching her every motion.

"I have little time now, would you come back at eight o'clock this evening?"

"Yes, thank you, see you then," he muttered, hurrying out of the room.

It was dusk when Harry finished his bullet points and walked to the window he had seen the horses from before. He went alone, feeling this was a secret he wanted to keep for as long as he could. There they were, yin and yang, moon and sun, black and white. In his dreams he saw the white as a beautiful, graceful mare, enticing the black stallion into a new world where she was his and he hers, their lives entwined like leaves in fresh spring sunlight. He sighed and checked his watch. 7:55pm. It was only a one-minute walk from the window to Professor Hawthorne's classroom. He couldn't tear himself away from the slow, serene dance the two horses were moving to, rhythm of darkness pressing against them and love beating around them.

Calique ran in late, flushed and smiling. "Hello Harry, I hope I'm not too late to keep you waiting."

"No, it's fine."

She smiled and swooped down the steps, pulling her stool up next to him and dragging a book from her bag. "This is the only reference book I could find with any mention of Horcruxes in it, I hope it is of some use. Harry?"

"Yes? Oh, sorry, I was thinking about..."

"Horses," she finished for him, laying the book flat. He looked surprised. "A white mare and a black stallion, caught in the eternal ribbons of love yet unable to love one another. They do exist, Harry, one day they'll reveal themselves to you. You are heavily burdened, young man, go to bed and sleep. Tomorrow we shall continue this discussion, now go and sleep! And have another look at that Marauders Map of yours," she winked as she walked out. He smiled as he watched her walk up the steps and out of the room, pulling her hair out of the fold as she walked. He gritted his teeth and, dragging the heavy book with him, hurried out into the grounds. He heard whinnying and followed, the sound drawing him onwards towards the forest, transfixed by the noise. He dropped the book and flew into the forest, pushing aside foliage and branches. There it was again, closer. He stumbled and dropped his wand. He regained it and staggered on. He saw the white. He smiled stupidly and ran towards her. It span around when he was less than five paces away. It was hideous, rotting with jaws like a sabre-toothed tiger.

"Ugh," he muttered in disgust, turning to run and slamming into a tree. His glasses smashed and fell from his face. The creature was upon him, pressing its rotten face against his and slicing his skin with its fangs. "HELP!" he screamed, over and over and over and over...