Harry Potter and the Dream of Fate

21

It Happens...Tonight

Today was officially the day of the final talent competition. Although, no one would attend because it had been canceled. Canceled, along with any classes, after class gatherings, clubs and/or Quidditch practices. Today had been declared an anonymous holiday, and although quite suspicious, the students did not really mind much.

At lunchtime, Dumbledore had explained that the teachers needed a day off to meet together and discuss future plans for the school. About 99.9% of the student body believed him. The exception, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Persephone and Draco, knew much better. Persephone on the other hand did not act shocked nor surprised at the news; instead, she looked prepared.

Evening fell on the Gryffindor common room as most evenings do, and around eight many students had found their way to the dormitories or around the fire for a late game of wizard chess. Persephone was nowhere to be found, and that worried Harry beyond belief.

They had not exchanged many words since their last meeting a week ago, after the Hogsmeade trip. Since that night, Persephone was too busy to talk, too much in a hurry to sit with him at lunch, to even exchange a smile. She was on the rampage, focusing her energy on one goal, to kill Voldemort. If everything went according to her plan, tonight was the night she would avenge her parents death, and perhaps suffer her own, and the very thought numbed Harry's insides.

***

One more hour. Harry watched the clock with an intense stare until it was time. He was dressed wearing dark pants and a loose fitting flannel shirt, in greens and blacks, to blend in. He had his wand in his pocket and his invisibility cloak over him. Everyone was asleep, but the ticking of the clock was pounding in his brain. In an hour he would be face to face with his greatest enemy again, but this time it would be different. This time he would have a companion at his side, and the simple thought of seeing her determined face beside him almost soothed him. This time he wouldn't have to do it alone. This time she would be there.

At about ten of two, Harry decided to go down and wait for her, and as he approached the common room he saw that it was deathly silent. Something glowed from the center table, and he went to take a look. There was a small piece of parchment, no longer than the palm of his hand, with a short message scribbled upon it.

Harry- I'm gone,

I had to go before you tried to stop me-

Hopefully we'll meet on the way.

- Persephone

Harry visibly tensed at the message. She had left! She had gone without him! She could already be--but wait. He moved his thumb across her name and saw the ink smudge. It was still wet, that meant she couldn't have left more than five minutes ago. He grinned: he could still catch up with her.

Harry threw on his invisibility cloak as quickly as he could and ran through the portrait without a look back. He ran through the halls in the usual way she used to leave the school. He couldn't find her. He began to worry and decided that without the cloak she would have to move a lot more slowly as to not get caught. Therefore, he waited outside the doors, shrouded in the magical cloak. After waiting only about five minutes he saw a dark figure emerge from the shadows. It was her.

***

Persephone's eyes darted every which way, keeping every angle in clear view. As she approached the doors she heard footsteps around her and flung behind the largest column in the Great Hall. She heard the footsteps pass not too far away from her, and yet she couldn't make out a body. She stood there for a while until she heard the doors open and close, confirming her thoughts that someone was sneaking outside as well, and perhaps using an invisibility spell. But who?

Waiting for a few more minutes she decided it was safe to proceed. Walking gingerly towards the door, almost cat-like, Persephone slipped between the main doors and crouched on the marble steps outside. She still couldn't see anyone, but keeping her eyes peeled, she took another step.

Still, no one was there.

Another step.

"Persephone?"

She sprung back almost instantly, grabbing a hold of her attacker and throwing them as far as she could. She then reached for her wand and ran back to them, ready to pounce when...

"Harry?"

"...ugh...yes...hello Persephone," he moaned as he shook off the dirt on his clothes.

"Oh my God, Harry I'm so sorry!" she whined, running towards him and helping him brush of the dirt. Her touch sent a hot sensation through his spine, and he stepped back, perhaps a little too quickly.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "I thought it was someone else, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Harry replied, "If I couldn't handle that, then I doubt I'd be here looking for Voldemort."

Persephone smiled and looked at him. Suddenly her smile faded. "You're not wearing that are you?"

"What?" He said looking at himself, "What's the matter?"

"Your clothing is much too loose, anyone would be able to grab you a mile away!" she said incredulously.

"I, well, I didn't give it much thought..."

"That, Harry, is quite obvious, now let's see how I can fix this..."

***

Draco fixed the mask on his face, looked at his gloved hands and for a second forgot his identity. He looked around the crowded room, his father to his left, his master to his right. In the pit of his stomach he saw a bright, careless face, and in his hand he saw the weapon in which he would use to destroy it. For a second, tears came to his eyes, and then he remembered the mask and what it signified. He was not Draco Malfoy, he was not a fifteen year old boy, or a friend to a spontaneous girl. He was his master's servant, masked and cloaked and hidden. His identity was always to be kept a secret. And as he pondered his identity, he felt his forearm burn. It was time. His destiny was not to be accepted, his destiny was to kill any threat to his master. He got out of the circle, and left the cabin.

***

Harry looked down at himself and felt like some sort of spy. His loose pants and plaid shirt had turned into a black turtleneck and black hugging slacks. If he had a pistol and a Ferrari he would have sworn he was the new Pierce Brosnan, but he got out of his daydream and returned to reality.

"Perfect." Persephone admired her handiwork and blew the tip of wand. She also was decked out in a spy outfit that Harry couldn't look at for too long or he began to blush. She wore a black turtleneck also, however it seemed to be joined to her pants in some type of elastic, hip hugging material. Her hair was down, very sleek, and she wore a thin belt in which to hold her wand. On her chest, there was a small bulge that Harry couldn't place, something underneath the turtleneck.

"Persephone," he asked, "what's that?"

"What's what?" she retorted, returning her wand to her belt.

"That." He pointed to it and Persephone's eyes widened a slight bit.

"Oh, this!" she chuckled, "This is just a thing, just a thing I'm wearing, a necklace, you know...."

"It's Draco's necklace isn't it," Harry said a bit miffed.

"Yes. I'm wearing it for protection; see how it kind of fits over my heart like that? It's there to protect me."

"Let's get going," Harry said swiftly, trying to get attention off that bloody necklace.

"Okay, but first," she said, "Harry we need to get some things straight."

She took his hand and led him into the woods, they settled into a thicket and she stood extremely close to him. Harry began to perspire and nerves began to tickle his throat. Persephone proceeded.

"Whatever happens tonight, there is no going back. If either of us separates, we have to promise to keep going after the goal, that's Voldemort. We're not here to protect each other Harry, okay? If anything happens to me, don't try and be a hero. For your sake, for MY sake, please, keep after Voldemort okay?"

Harry looked at her, without words. No, he wanted to scream out. If anything happened to her, he would try his hardest to protect her. Just say no, his mind was telling him, but her eyes were peering into him. She was right. They weren't there for each other; they were there to get the Dark Lord. He swallowed.

"Okay."

And with that, she hugged him.

***

Harry's shoulders still trembled a bit when he thought of the hug and the impact it had on him. For some reason, a simple hug had given him more of a sensation than any of Cecile's kisses had. Persephone walked about three paces ahead of him, alert and quickly avoiding any pretense of traps or dangers. Harry heard a small rustle behind him and hissed at her to stop. She looked back at him, eyes wide and darting throughout the whole forest.

"I heard something," Harry whispered, pointing in back of him.

"Cloak!" she responded in the same urgent whisper. She walked to him and they both crouched on the ground, Harry about to throw the invisibility cloak upon them when the owner of the rustling appeared.

"Oh my God, go ahead Harry, just kill me now." Persephone regained composure and rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Cecile?" Harry said incredulously, "Cecile, what are you doing here?"

"I saw you leave the castle!" Cecile exclaimed, quite loudly, "What are you doing here with her!"

"Cecile, shhh," Harry desperately tried to quiet her, "Cecile, we here on a very important mission, you need to go back to the castle..."

"Want me to obliviate her right now, Harry? I guarantee it won't take much to clear her mind." Persephone twirled her wand between her fingers as if it were a baton.

"You! You brought him here, didn't you!! You are a horrible little witch and I'm going to teach you a lesson!" Cecile lunged at Harry and threw him behind her. She took out her wand and pointed it in Persephone's face, with a quick flit of her wrist, she flung Persephone back about 200 yards, creating nothing but a rustle in the brush where she landed.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Harry screamed at her, writhing to be free from her grasp.

"I'm doing what needs to be done," Cecile said in an unusually calm tone. Harry stared at her in disbelief before he felt a fogginess cloud his brain. "Don't struggle Harry, it'll only make it more painful." Harry tried to keep his eyes open, but his fight proved to be no help. Slowly he felt himself slip out of consciousness, the last thing in his sight being two very large, yellow eyes.