In the Midst of Love and Evil

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In the Midst of Love and Evil

~ The story of Sailor Gryffindor ~

By the Empress of Chaos

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Chapter 1 -- New Game

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The morning air was crisp, with the accompaniment of a light fog bank. Fading into the light of dawn, the moon traded places with the sun to watch over the magical castle. Leaves of the trees in the Forbidden Forest showed themselves in colors of red, yellow, and brown, with the occasional green.

The occupants of the castle awoke slowly. Close to 7 AM, some started to get dressed or do whatever it was that they did in the morning. Hermione found herself starring out the window into the foggy morning. She watched the sun rise over the forests and mountains, highlighting the fog as it did. A nice fall morning, indeed.

"Hermione, hurry or you'll miss breakfast," one of the other girls called.

"Coming!" Hermione called back, but still continued to stare out the window. She didn't take her gaze away from the window until a streak of an Eagle Owl zipped by, then returned and landed on the window's edge. It knocked on the window, and with one motion, Hermione let it in and took a small piece of parchment from it.

It made a noise that sounded rather like "mission completed", then left.

Hermione read the note.

Hermione --

Meet me in the usual spot.

Draco

It struck Hermione as odd. The "usual spot" was an empty classroom 3 or 4 doors down from Transfigurations. Once, the last time they were there together, they had been caught and told not to go there again. She shook her head and smiled. Maybe that was why she liked him so.

She hurried and got dressed and headed downstairs with her books. At the bottom of the stairs, she looked left, then right, to make sure that the coast was clear. She, then, made her way to the portal door.

"Hermione? Where you going?"

She turned around. Ron and Harry were standing at the base of the boy's staircase.

"No where."

Harry nodded, with an odd look upon his face. Harry knew about her and Draco; he was the only one who knew. "C'mon, Ron, let's go get our things." Ron reluctantly followed Harry up the stairs.

Thank you, Harry! Hermione thought, and thus continued on her way to meet Draco. It wasn't a very long walk, but still, she had to be careful in case anyone was watching.

"Good morning, Hermione... God, you look beautiful," Draco spoke softly, cautiously, as Hermione entered the small classroom, and placed her stuff by the door.

"You say that every morning," she placed her arms around his neck, "Why'd you want to meet me?"

"Do I need a reason?" He leaned forward and kissed her.

"Of course you do!"

"In that case," Draco slipped out of Hermione's grasp, and got a somewhat small box out of his own bag, "this is why I wanted you to come. I got it for you for your birthday, but I couldn't wait to give it to you then." He handed her the box.

She gently lifted the top off it, and peered in. Inside was an amulet with an oval stone that was red in color with a gold glow set in a gold frame and a gold chain that went through a loop at the top. "It's beautiful, Draco..."

"It is," Draco took the amulet out of the box and put it around Hermione's neck, "and you know what? So are you."

"Thank you," she smiled. "Now, let's get out of here before someone sees us."

"Good idea."

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Hermione arrived at the Great Hall just as the owls filled the air to deliver the daily mail. She wondered over to the Gryffindor table and sat down.

"What took you?" demanded Ron.

"I... I had to go get something," she replied. It was the truth, just not the whole truth. He must have believed it, because he went back to eating. She let out a small sigh, a part of her feeling guilty about not telling the whole truth.

Hedwig fluttered down from the mass of owls, landed next to Harry's plate, abducted a piece of toast, and took off again. Harry just shrugged and took another piece of toast. Hermione started to chew on some beacon when Professor Dumbledore stood up from his seat. The collection of humanity that made up the student population of Hogwarts quieted as they noticed he was waiting for them to do so.

"At the beginning of the year, which wasn't too long ago, you were informed that we were going to have some visitors from an American school of Magic and Telepathy," Dumbledore stated to the now somewhat quiet crowd, most of which were still crewing on a small portion of their breakfast. "Well, they are arriving today, and it is expected that all of you will be on your best behavior. Welcome them to Hogwarts, but don't do anything out of the ordinary," he eyed the Weasley twins, "Now, finish your breakfast and get off to your classes." Dumbledore smiled at the crowd, then sat down again.

"I don't like the idea of someone being able to go through your head whenever they want to," exclaimed a small second-year Gryffindor.

We try to respect people's wishes.

A strange "sound" passed through the heads of all that were in the Great Hall. It wasn't really a sound, more like the words just appeared in everyone's heads. Almost immediately, the Hall dropped dead. Everyone was silent, unsure what to do.

If you do not want us to read your thoughts, then we will not. Most the time, though, we can not help it.

The second-year sighed. "Okay," she spoke to the unseen people with that eerie “voice”.

The bell rang, and the empty silence was filled with the scraping of chairs, and the footsteps of a huge number of students made their way to their classes.

"What do we have first?" Harry wondered out loud. "Double Potions, isn't it?"

"I think so," Hermione and Ron answered at the same time.

Ron's face grew semiserious as he added, "That's the one thing I don't want to see first thing in the morning: Snape."

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Potions started out normally that morning. Snape praised the Slytherins and made some nasty comments about the Gryffindors as he talked about paying attention in class. At that point, they started to make a potion that would turn grass different colors, depending how much of one thing or another up mixed in. It also made any area in which it was applied grow astonishingly fast ("And it'll do the same thing to your hair is your not careful," Snape snapped; "Should use it on Malfoy!" Ron whispered to Harry, who had to work hard to contain a laugh as he envisioned Draco with long hot pink hair).

As soon as everyone was working, and Snape was lost on something to make some “cruel” comment about, the door opened, and a young lady stepped through. She had to have been only 16 years old, with white eyes and long dark silver hair (part of which was hanging down in front, while the rest was tied in the back). Her robes were of a light silver, and she had a cape that looked a lot like dragon's wings.

Are you Professor Severus Snape? She asked telepathically.

"Yes," he turned to the students, who were all starring at the girl with silver hair, "Work!" he hissed. "What do you want?" he sneered at the girl.

My name is Estelle Dracon. My headmistress, Professor Isabelle, assigned me to observe the fifth-year Gryffindors for a study students of my year are conducting. Magus will be here shortly. He will observe the Slytherins of the same year. This is the Potions class, right?

"Yes, this is Potions...” he growled, “You may “observe” the Gryffindors, though I'm not too sure why you'd want to..." he shook his he slightly in dismay, then lurked back into his office, hissing something as he passed Neville that sounded a lot like “Idiot!”. Estelle found a stool to sit on, and began to "observe" the Gryffindors.

"Estelle, is it?" Seamus asked the silver haired girl.

Yes. I am Estelle.

"How does Telepathy work?"

For us -- my peers and I -- Telepathy is our eyes, ears, and mouth. We mostly use Telepathy for communicate with each other, as well as magical work. We can send others our thoughts and pictures and things like that, and we can "hear" others thoughts. The human brain just translates it to words so that you can understand it.

"That's cool."

Gryffindors, since I will be observing you for possibly a few months or to the end of the year, you might fell a slight pull towards the back of your brain. This will most likely be me trying to find something -- may it be directions or such. I will know if you wish me not to. I am willing to give out advice, as well.

For the second time that day, something struck Hermione. It might just be a long shot, but it might be worth it. As she placed some Unicorn hair into her potion, she thought a thought directed at Estelle. Would you happen to know anything about this dream I've been having?

There was a moment's pause, then, silently, with less of an echo, as if it were to her only, Depends. What kind of dream is it?

I'm not sure... It's of a battle... Hermione thought back to Estelle. The battle takes place in a garden with the Earth hovering overhead.

I have not seen a dream like the one you describe -- of course, all dreams are different. Send it to me.

Send what?

That dream. And also, do something. You look like you have been frozen.

Right. Hermione searched through her memory and brought the strange dream to the surface of her consciousness. She saw flashes of the Earth, of the man, of the kiss, of the battle, and of the death that the two people suffered as she passed the dream on to Estelle, all the while Estelle pondered to herself about Hermione's dream.

Where are my Slytherin fifth-years? A new voice entered their heads as a blonde guy with brown eyes and the same robes as Estelle entered the dungeon. Although he had a happy smile on his face, he seemed slightly evil.

Shut up, Magus.

Magus ignored Estelle's comment. We are going to have so much fun, Estelle. From what I hear, the Slytherins and the Gryffindors hate each other. It is the continuation of a rivalry between the two guys that founded both houses. I believe that they have been dead for 500 years, or 1,000, or something to that extent.

Shut up, Magus.

Magus wondered over to the side of the room where all the Slytherins sat. Is this not nice? They separate themselves for us. Do you not think this is convenient?

Estelle sighed. Ignore what Magus says, she called to the Gryffindors, but also making sure that Magus and the Slytherins heard as well, He is all talk. I could beat him in a duel with my hands tied behind my back... not that that would change anything.

I'll take you up on that. Right here, right now.

Not now, but maybe later, though. Estelle then turned her attention to Hermione. I think I know what your dream is about, she privately spoke telepathically to Hermione, There is defiantly something really special about you.