Tears of Fire

The third floor corridor, midnight.

Hermione stared down, shocked at the note scribbled in unfamiliar handwriting in her fist. Then looked back up at the owl who had delivered it. It ruffled its feathers in a dignified manner then flew off once more. It was a school owl, anyone could have sent it. A sudden idea made her glance down the great hall table at Ginny. Her hunch was confirmed when she saw the younger girl also staring intrigued after a school owl, an identical note clutched in her hand. Hermione smiled slightly in satisfaction. But a wave of anxious anxiety swept over her. Some fate linked her and Ginny, but what? They had tried to figure it out themselves, but it seemed that now there was no longer any need. She had a feeling they were going to find out tonight.

*******

Fleur Delacur propped her star chart against her jug of pumpkin juice, attempting to chew her toast, prepare her lesson, and make eyes at the attractive new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, all at the same time. She was perplexed to find that this last goal really didn't seem to be working at all. Veela charms were pouring freely, and she had summoned a slight breeze to whip strands of silky blonde hair behind her and across her face. But he somehow was managing to keep his eyes fixed on his breakfast, hardly glancing at her, though most of the male teachers, a few of the male students... and Madam Hooch were eying her with interest. She scowled, this was more than just a conquest now, it was a challenge. She planned to conveniently run into him, very soon. She would make sure he would notice her this time, and once he did, he stood no chance. This decided, Fleur let the veela charms fall, went back to her star chart, pulled out a silver quill and began to make notes. She cursed in an unladylike fashion when Professor Flitwick spilled his coffee, consuming her paper with brown liquid that always smelled so much better than it tasted.

*******

Harry sat next to Professor Belanger, a little nervous, but the rush of joy he was feeling far overcame that. He was finally doing something! He was fighting the dark! And he was making progress. He could feel the courage and spirit he always used to feel in adventures washing through him again, reviving him, making him alive again. For the first time in months he was all here, because here was where he needed to be, resisting, fighting for the greater good. This was what he was born for.

Harry cast a glance around the dark, silent corridors, and anxiously checked his watch. They should have been here by now. Belanger gave him an amused look.

"Don't worry, they'll come."

Harry smiled briefly back at his Professor and friend. He didn't know much about the man beside him, but he knew that he needed him. He was helping Harry to take the first steps against the Dark Lord. He had been for weeks. It wasn't like Harry to trust so much, so freely so soon. But there was something about Belanger, some sort of light about him that made Harry know that he could trust him, that he was working to do the right thing.

Harry could see two heads now making their way up the staircase, both female, one a deep chocolaty brown, and the other a fiery red. He sighed in relief, Hermione and Ginny. The two girls were climbing towards them now, they had spotted Harry and Belanger. They both had uncertain, apprehensive expressions, and their hands were clasped tightly together.

Harry's eyes went automatically to Hermione, she looked so pale, she was staring at him with wide eyes, as if she'd never seen him before. This hurt Harry slightly, he knew she wouldn't have been expecting him, but still...

"Harry?" Hermione asked uncertainly. Harry looked at her, really looked at her for the first time in months. She looked so much different now than the skinny, wild haired girl who had annoyed him and Ron when they had first met her. He remembered when she had shocked them both by lying to Professor McGonagall to get them out of trouble. That was when he had first seen past all her advanced books and spells to the girl underneath, that was when she had first become his friend.

She was so much older now, sometime during sixth year she had managed to tame her hair somewhat, he had never noticed before what a dramatic change in her appearance it made. Her dark brown hair now hung in long, shiny curls that reached almost to her waist. The eyes under her slightly arched brows were hazel, he noticed for the first time, not just brown. They had a thin ring of forest green around the pupils, before changing into a warm brown. They were framed in dark lashes, but naturally so, Hermione never bothered with cosmetic charms like so many of the other girls did. Her small nose and cheeks were lightly brushed with freckles. Her mouth was full and soft. It was strange he thought, how sometimes she could look so innocent, so childish, so like the Hermione he had always known, but at other times she could looks so infinitely beautiful.

"It's okay Hermione," he said with a smile, giving the hand that was not clinched tightly in Ginny's a comforting squeeze.

*******

Hermione bit her lip, her eyes moved restlessly from Belanger to Harry, unsure which to look at. Something very big was happening and she knew it concerned her, and not knowing precisely what it was tormented her. And Belanger frightened her. And what was Harry doing here?

"What do you want with us?" she asked, her voice sounding less steady than she would have liked.

"Wait," said Belanger, and he pulled out his wand. For one terrifying moment, Hermione thought he was going to curse them right there on the spot.

"Silencio," he said, waving his wand. Some sort of sparkling substance began to pour out of the end, glistening through the air, spreading to fill all of the air around them. When they were surrounded in the odd shimmer the spell stopped.

"There," said Belanger, his slightly accented voice echoing strangely. "Now we can't be overheard." He sighed then, and leaned back in his chair slightly. "It's a long story, I'm not sure where to start."

"How about with what on earth you've been doing to us?" Ginny asked suddenly, startling Hermione. Her voice was tight, Hermione could understand why, after what she'd been through.

"Getting inside my head, catching me on fire, and doing who knows what to Hermione, you haven't really given us reason to trust you, you know?" Ginny finished.

"I know," said Belanger. "And I'm sorry, but I've been a bit..." he hesitated slightly, "desperate."

When Hermione and Ginny just stared at him suspiciously, he continued. "As you know, Voldemort-" Ginny gasped at the mention of his name, Belanger went on, "is not a man, he once was, but that was a long time ago. He has taken measures, horrible measures, now to never be killed, and he won't be, he can't be. But he can be defeated. However, it takes greater power than any wizard can come by themselves, even Harry," he said with a smile.

Harry looked slightly uncomfortable, but pleased.

"As you might have guessed already, it takes the strength of the elements." Hermione had partially expected that, but still, hearing him say it aloud confirmed her wild suspicions, and sent a shock through her.

"Earth, Air, Fire and Water." Belanger said slowly, seeming to taste each word.

Hermione knew them, obviously, but the way he said them made each one feel as if she had never heard them before. Each one seemed to pulse with a power of it's own, and on the word "Earth" Hermione felt a twinge of the power she had felt in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom earlier.

"The great powers are always here, but they arise to be used by humans very rarely. Only when there is immense need, like now. It has happened only twice before. At times like these, four females, four witches, are born, and in each of them a small amount of one of the great powers flows through their veins, in their very skin. This makes it possible for them to be used as channels for the four great elemental powers. All ordinary humans would be destroyed."

"Earth," he nodded at Hermione, and there was no mistaking the familiar rush of power she felt.

"And Fire," He nodded at Ginny. Hermione felt Ginny's hand surge hot in hers, like a shock. This was ludicrous, and the logical part of their brains both knew it. But another part of them, another part could not deny it. Though they did now want to believe it, they knew it was true.

There was a silence, then Hermione's voice surprised even herself.

"Females you said? So is Harry not one of the four?"

"No," Belanger answered. "He is the wielder, you remember the prophecy? It is only him that can destroy Voldemort, because of the connection between them. You will supply him with the power."

"And you?" Ginny asked. "Where do you come in?"

Belanger's jaw tightened slightly. "I have another part to play." His tone invited no questioning. Then he seemed to relax a bit. "It was also my task to gather you all, and instruct you. I preformed a spell, that told me where to find you. All four of the Daughters of the Elements are here, at Hogwarts, but I have yet to find the other two."

"Hermione," he said, talking only to her now. "Only the Daughter of Earth can command Earth Demons. I think that perhaps you know that?" Hermione nodded slowly.

"And Ginny," his gaze moved to her now, "I suspected you. It is almost evident just by looking at you, in your every movement. The fire was the last test, it didn't burn you, am I right?" Ginny also nodded.

Something odd was going on inside Hermione's head, thoughts were whirling. This couldn't be happening, surely not, not to her! But it was, and she could feel it. She had always helped Harry in his adventures and fights against Lord Voldemort, but she was never actually part of them. It had always been Harry that had the special powers, him who had always had to do the real work and fighting in the end.

"So we're going to kill The Dark Lord?" Ginny asked, "We're working for the light? Against evil?"

A strange expression flickered across Belanger's face. "No." His voice was slightly strained, and Hermione looked once again into his eyes, the strange utter darkness of them, seeming to hold so many secrets. "There are no light or dark sides, only in stories are there the epic battles between good and evil. This is real life, it is amazing how many people seem to be confused about that. No person is wholly good, or wholly evil, we each have some of both in us, always. That's what makes us human, if we were completely either one, we wouldn't be here. It's true some people act one way more than the other. But no matter what, there is always some good in everyone, no matter how well it is hidden. That's why it is never justified to kill someone, no matter how much evil you may get rid of for the time being, you will kill that amount of good as well. People who try to use violence to achieve an end of good are fools. Violence only creates more violence, increasing the hatred and darkness in a downward spiral that never ends unless someone uses different means to end it."

"No one is completely evil? Not even Voldemort? If we could kill him, would you?"

"No," Belanger answered firmly. "In fact, it is very fortunate that we can't, otherwise it would still be a mortal matter, and the elements never would have stepped in. This way, we can end the evil in Voldemort for good."

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny all stared at him in utter confusion.

"You will understand when the time comes, I promise." He ran his fingers through his dark, glossy hair in frustration. "But in the mean time, we only have two out of the four, and we're running out of time."

*******

Ginny nodded, looking at Belanger thoughtfully. There was something he wasn't telling them, something didn't fit, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, because, absurdly enough, she did. She had every reason not to, but she couldn't help feeling that there was good in him, and that she could trust him.

But then again, he had used Legilimency on her. And the feeling he had left in her mind was so familiar. He wasn't Tom, she knew that for sure. If Tom was anywhere near her, she would have felt him. And yet, something about Belanger reminded her so strongly of him, certain shadows on his face, the darkness in his eyes. Thoughts of Tom brought detest and wariness, but also unbidden tingles of anticipation, and delight. Some of this was called up when she looked at Belanger. Who is he? She asked herself, not for the first or last time.

*******

Draco lay on his back, the wet grass was soaking the expensive, black material of his clothing, but at the moment this didn't seem all that important. He would apply a scourgifying charm on it when he got up anyway. His silver eyes were skimming the dark sky, widening themselves, trying to take it all in. The sky was sparkling, there was not a cloud in sight, the millions and millions of stars were breathtakingly clear against the inky black sky. Draco felt small, unnoticed next to all of this expansive brilliance. And he was cold, always so cold. It was a bone deep, aching coldness.

There was a shuffling of grass as someone trudged across the grounds towards him. The figure approached, walking uncomfortably close to him, carrying something in their arms. They had obviously not seen him. Draco peered through the darkness, trying to make out who it was. The shoulders were too broad to be female he saw, though the hair was deep black and hung a bit untidily long. Draco could see green eyes glowing in the darkness now, and moonlight glinted off round glasses. He knew who it must be; a sneer creased his mouth. During the past year they had grown apart a bit in the fact that they no longer held such grudges against each other. They didn't work as hard in their constant competition against each other; they had so much more to worry about now. However, they were still far from fond of one another.

" Hullo, Potter." Ordinarily he probably would have kept quiet, but he couldn't resist the opportunity of catching Harry off his guard. Harry started slightly, then whipped his head around to squint a few feet above where Draco lay. Draco grinned, enjoying himself immensely.

"Down here, darling."

Harry's eyes darted down, focused on him, then narrowed. "Malfoy! What the hell are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Draco said, raising himself up onto his elbows, his long legs stretched out leisurely in front of him. The grass where Draco had been lying was frosted over, cracking as he leaned forward. He could tell that Harry's eyes lingered on this in the darkness, and Draco was thankful that he didn't mention it.

"Don't bother," Harry said coldly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Ooh! Secretive are we? Meeting someone for a midnight snog perhaps?"

"No" Harry said flatly, "If I were I wouldn't be wasting time talking to you, now would I?"

Draco chuckled softly. "I suppose not. Don't know what I was thinking anyway, that you might have finally found someone who would snog that." He nodded in Harry's general direction. A long silence stretched between them, in which Harry stared off into space seemingly elsewhere, finally Draco broke it.

"Um, this is the part where you say something clever and scathing," he pointed out helpfully.

"Right," said Harry, coming back to the present. He flopped down beside Draco, "You're an ugly, big headed, evil bastard."

"Ugly?" Draco asked sounding truly hurt, "Now really, lets not hit below the belt. I can deal with the rest, but ugly?"

Harry stared at him, then laughed. "You're despicable Malfoy." There was another silence, then Harry said, "You must have some reason for being out here."

"Ah," said Draco grinning, "This one's so sharp I fear he may cut himself."

Harry grunted, annoyed. "Well then, what is it?"

"You know Potter, I would tell you, but I really don't want to." Something about Harry brought out his immature side.

They both sat in silence again, both staring at the thousands of intricate patterns that glistened across the sky, until Harry said, "I'll tell you if you tell me."

Draco smirked, apparently he did the same for Harry. "Fine, you go first."

"Give me one reason why I should."

"Because I'm just so damn cute."

Harry snorted.

"I guess you wouldn't believe me if I said I was just taking a snooze in the wet grass?" asked Draco.

"No," said Harry.

Draco sighed, "Well you'd better go first then."

"Or what? Your father will beat me up?"

Draco laughed bitterly. "Well he might. But I really don't think my git of a father would be up to it right now."

Harry looked at Draco, shocked, this was the first time he had ever heard Draco speak badly of his father.

"You just called your father a git!" Harry said, astonished.

"You never cease to amaze me with your brilliant observations, Potter."

"You always gave me the impression you adored your father!"

Draco shot him an annoyed look. " Yes, I simply adore him. I owl him little baskets of mini muffins every day. Did you really have to use the word adore?"

"Is worship any better?"

Draco let out a growl of frustration. "Trying to have a conversation with you is like drinking bubotuber puss."

"As in really disgusting?"

"I was going for painful, but I suppose either could work, you have this smell about you..."

"What turned you off your ol' da, anyway?" Harry interrupted.

"I see absolutely no reason why I should tell you."

"Because I'm so damn cute?" Harry offered innocently.

"Phooey!"

"Did you just say phooey?" Harry asked, with a crooked grin.

Draco looked slightly guilty. "I might have."

Harry sniggered.

"Hey Potter," Draco said suddenly, a different tone in his voice as if something had just come to mind. "Is that Weasley git still stuck up on you then?"

"What?" Harry asked his voice shocked and enraged from the darkness, "Ron? What the hell are you on about Malfoy?"

"No," answered Draco, his voice silky with quiet amusement. "I was talking about Ginny. Guilty conscience though, eh?"

"Sod off Malfoy. About Ginny, I really have no idea," Harry's voice was thoughtful. "Why do you want to know?"

It took Draco a moment to answer, and Harry spoke again, "You don't fancy her do you Malfoy?" he asked, sounding surprised and more than a bit protective.

"Of course not! Use that bloody scarred head of yours Potter! I would never fancy a Weasley. I was just curious, that's all."

"Whatever. Look, I actually do have some place to be, so if you're not going to tell me anything useful, I'm leaving."

"Oh gee! Please don't, that would just spoil my day!" Draco replied in a sneering tone.

"See you then. And don't think about following me, I've got my invisibility cloak."

"Like I've really got nothing better to do than to follow you around?"

Harry snorted, then walked away, whirling the invisibility cloak around his shoulders.

Damn invisibility cloak. Draco thought, dismayed, listening for the soft footfalls of the figure that he had of course planned on following.

*******

Later that night, someone else came to the same spot where the two boys had been, bending to stare at the one, long patch of frosted grass on the hot summers night. They stooped to pluck a blade from the ground, running it through their fingers, the ice gathering in their hand. Then they crushed it softly between their fingers, smiling.