| Harry rolled over, touching his throbbing forehead. His scar hurt suddenly like nothing he had ever felt before. It burned him and he awoke tears of pain rolling down the sides of his cheeks. He sat up and knew that trouble was on the way. The kind of trouble he could not put a finger on, but enough to know that something was going on, or about to happen. He stared around the dark room and noticed that everything seemed to be in place. No one seemed to be in any direct danger, everyone was sleeping soundly, nothing was out or order or out of place. The only sounds he could hear were that of his occupants deeply breathing. He sighed, getting up to walk around. The fire in his scar didn�t go away. He bit his lip to overcome the pain, and as more tears seeped down his cheeks, he brushed them away violently. He couldn�t cry. He just couldn�t do it. Harry wandered around the dark room a few more minutes before walking over to the windowsill he had sat at for so many nights. Lonely thoughts had been collected at that windowsill. It had been so long however that he had sat there, thinking about depressing things that he almost missed the spot. He had no need to be lonely anymore, for reasons obvious. He resumed his position, sitting down and pulling his knees toward his chest. He felt the scar on his forehead pulse violently and just as he was about to close his eyes and hope the pain went away with numbness, he saw a light outside shine. It caught his attention almost immediately. He pressed his nose to the glass and saw the light was coming far down below from the grounds. Harry had his share of bad eyesight but it didn�t prohibit him from recognizing the face in the light. It was Cadence. He would never mistake her pale face, dark sparkling eyes and light, flowing hair. She looked around, her face lit up by a light coming from the end of her wand. Her head turned each way, obviously searching to see if anyone saw her, and then she ran away, toward the Forest he guessed. Harry jumped up. He couldn�t let her go into the Forest, especially so late at night. He ran toward his bed, pulling out his clothes, peeling his pajamas off quickly and shoving his regular clothes on. He ignored the fierce pain in his head, throwing his shoes on, grabbing his wand and scarf, and then running out of the dorms quietly, following the trail that Cadence had already lead him on. Creeping silently out of the portrait hole and threw the corridors, he whispered, �Lumos,� and saw a bright light come out of the end of his wand. He followed it more swiftly, dodging between large pillars so as not to be seen, and finally made it outside safely. He ran toward the place he had spotted Cadence and looked around just as she had. What business did she have going into the Forest? It wasn�t as if she could just waltz in there any time she liked anymore. She was being foolish and he had to go and make sure nothing happened to her. His scar was starting to burn so badly now that he almost couldn�t breathe. He had to stop a few times and let it singe on his forehead. It hurt badly, but he was persistent. He had to press ahead. Cadence needed him. She didn�t know she needed him though. Cadence peered into the Forest, making sure she hadn�t been caught yet. No one was around, no one had seen her leave she was quite sure. She had managed to throw on her clothes silently, tuck the necklace into her pocket, grab her wand and blow out of there before midnight had struck. She crept around with her lit wand, trying to get to the clearing as soon as possible. No one could find out where she was, no one could see. She had to be quick so she could get back to the dorms, go back to sleep, and have the whole ordeal be over. She was scared though. To be quite frank she was frightened out of her mind. She had been warned already to stay out of the Forest. It was now a dangerous place for not only her, but for Harry as well. She didn�t want to risk any harm to herself. She stopped quickly. She thought she heard something rustle in the bushes behind her. Even though she had checked hundreds of times before she left to be sure no one was following her, she had felt for the past ten minutes that someone was following. She had been sure to backtrack and check every possible hiding place, but she had found nothing. Cadence concluded that it was merely her nerves and her mind playing tricks on her. Breathing deeply, she bent over and continued forward, moving along the narrow path that had been made going to the clearing. She felt the palms of her hands sweat as she continued. The light from her wand was shaking visibly. She heard another rustle, this time, louder and closer. She jumped, looking behind her. �H-Hello?� she called in a hoarse voice. There was nothing. �Is someone there?� she called again. Again, no answer. �I have to warn you� I do know a few curses� I�ll be sure to make you aware of that if any bodily harm should come to me.� She tried to make herself sound more confident than she felt. Suddenly, to her horror she saw a faint light in the distance, coming toward her. Her heart pounded within her chest, and she backed up to turn and run. She stumbled, turned around, and ran for her life. Her heart pounded so heavily in her ears that she could no longer hear anything. She breathed heavily, holding her wand out in front of her, refusing to look back. She noticed that she was coming closer to the clearing, and decided that once she arrived there, she would hide from whoever was following. She made it the clearing safely, but as soon as she had slowed her breathing and her heart rate started to decrease, she saw the faint light coming from the same place she had just run from. A startled cry came from her throat. She threw herself behind a bush, trembling visibly. The footsteps came closer as did the light. The light suddenly stopped almost right in front of her. Harry stood at the edge of the clearing, looking around for Cadence. He had just seen her light coming from the place he was standing. She couldn�t have gone far within a few seconds. �Cadence?� he called out quietly. He looked around and called her name a few more times. Cadence peered out from behind the bush. It was Harry! How had he known she had come? She slunk out from behind the bush and whispered, �Harry.� Harry gave a start and turned toward her, running swiftly. �Cadence!� he yelled. He ran directly toward her, throwing his arms around her and holding her protectively against him. �Harry what are you doing out here?� �I could ask you the same thing! You know the Forest is too dangerous for you at this time we have to go back!� he demanded. �Harry, you don�t understand,� she said, pulling the necklace from her pocket. �If I don�t get rid of this right now, tonight� if I don�t throw it out into the pond, Voldemort� he could come back.� Harry�s eyes widened behind his round glasses. �What?� �It�s a long story� I�ll explain it later. Let me just get rid of this,� she said, holding the necklace in her hand. "Let me just throw it into the pond and on our way back I�ll explain it.� Harry�s mouth dropped open. �I don�t understand� what�s going on Cadence?� �Listen to me!� Cadence shouted with an urgency Harry had never heard before. �Let me throw it out!� Harry nodded slightly and Cadence moved around him and as she hopped over the log that normally blocked their view from the pond. �Be careful,� he croaked, holding his scar again. She made no move to indicate she had heard him. She was suddenly filled with a vigor and force he had never seen before. She moved silently around the unicorns, pulling out the necklace all the while as she did. Before Harry had a chance to react, a dark figure leapt from the bushes behind Cadence, tackling her to the ground. Harry felt as if he were rooted to the spot he was standing in. The figure that had landed on top of Cadence was strong and heavy and kept her arms pinned to the ground. She writhed and screamed, kicking at whomever was on top of her. �Get off of me! Get off!� she screamed in agony. Harry suddenly felt as though he could move. He ran toward her, pulling out his wand as he did. He pointed his wand straight at the figure on top of Cadence and screamed, �Expelliarmus!" The figure was hit with a sudden blast and fell backward. Cadence jumped up, pulled out her wand and pointed it at the figure as well. �Believe it or not both of us know some wicked curses,� Cadence seethed. �The Cruciatus Curse comes to mind!� The figure backed up, and with a sudden flicker of movement, the person pulled out his own wand, standing at full length. A dark voice came from the shadow. �I don�t know if that�s necessary,� it said. �For I know some Curses as well, and I�m not about to let some fifteen year old brat threaten me.� Cadence backed up. She let her wand fall down to her side. �The Killing Curse comes to mind.� Harry stood in front of Cadence suddenly, not as resilient to the figure in front of him. �Whatever your quarrel is with this lady, you will have to take it up with me first.� �How brave of you Mr. Potter, but I have no quarrel with either. All I desire is a small token.� �Of what?� Harry asked suspiciously. �The lady you stand in front of knows of what I speak.� Cadence sobbed. �I have nothing. �Indeed. What is that that lies at your feet?� Cadence looked down and picked up the necklace. �It is naught but a family heirloom,� she defied. �Why should I give it to you?� she asked. �Because I much desire it.� �You can�t have it,� Harry answered. The figure pointed his wand and shouted, �Rictusempra!� A silvery light hit Harry in the stomach and he doubled over, wheezing and giggling slightly. Cadence backed up frightfully but the figure flew toward Cadence, tackling her down again, putting his hand around her throat, reaching for the necklace. �Give it to me! Now!� Cadence choked and gasped, clutching the necklace in her closed, cold fist. She kicked at the figure wildly, but that didn�t seem to matter to him. �GIVE IT HERE!� the voice yelled. Cadence felt as though her life was slipping away. She tried to pry the figure�s fingers off of her neck, but was unsuccessful. �Give me the necklace!� the figure kept one hand on her throat, the other groping for Cadence�s hand. He clutched her wrist and banged her hand upon the ground, trying to release the stone. �Crucio!� Harry screamed from behind the struggling two. The figure on top of Cadence screamed, jerking about, not letting his grip of her neck go, slamming her wrist and arm all around, and finally, with a landing snap, Cadence felt the necklace in her hand slam onto the ground and crack open. �NO!� she gasped, watching a swirling wind of gray smoke rise from the inside of the necklace. Harry backed away, staring at the smoke. He was stunned for a few moments before he heard Cadence struggle once again. He ran over to her, pulling her out from under the writhing figure in the darkness, and held her in comfort. They stared at the swirling smoke and to their dismay, it finally took form. Harry�s scar burned in agony and he gripped Cadence tightly. Tears of pain seeped from his eyes and he brushed them away again, not allowing the stinging ache in his forehead stop him from protecting Cadence. �Harry Potter.� The voice was so familiar that it made Harry�s stomach churn. The new figure in the gray smoke pointed his wand at the other writhing figure, sending out a bolt of silver light. The figure lay on the ground, gasping for air. �How cruel of you Potter. I never would have suspected you of the Cruciatus Curse.� The voice cackled evilly, sending a shiver up Cadence�s spine. �What have you come for?� Harry asked, pointing his wand slowly upward, keeping one arm around Cadence. The figure stepped out of the gray smoke. Cadence and Harry could see clear as day that it was Voldemort speaking to them. �I have come for what I wish nothing but Harry.� He too, lifted his wand and pointed. �I have come to see your destruction.� �Wait a second,� Cadence finally found the voice to speak. �If this is Voldemort� who�?� The three in company looked down upon the gasping figure. Cadence was now surprised at how clearly she could see his face. He had short blond hair, brown eyes like her own, and his face looked haggard, like he had done too much work for too long a time. �Do you not recognize your own kin, Cadence Cartwright?� The way he spat her name made Cadence shiver. She stared at the man on the ground but said nothing. �Your parents lied to you Cadence.� Cadence looked at Voldemort now, a light flashing in her eyes. �What are you talking about? How dare you defy my parents after you so wrongfully took them from me!� �Wrongfully? WRONGFULLY?� he screamed, stepping closer to Cadence now. Harry jerked the two of them backward. �They deserved the death I bestowed upon them!� Cadence now moved to pull out her wand but Voldemort was too quick for her. �I don�t think that would be wise child.� She seethed, staring at Voldemort. �No one deserves death.� �Explain that to your brother Cadence,� Voldemort whispered. �Tell him that the parents that threw him out of his own home didn�t deserve the death they received!� Cadence�s eyes widened as she stared down at the man at her feet. �Brother?� �He was only twelve when he found the path that led him to my calling,� he explained. �And your mother and father wanted nothing of it. They cast him away, at the age of twelve! Even though as young as your brother had been the parents you had bestowed upon him the key that would lock the necklace of power. After casting him out of their lives, they forgot to ask it of him to bring the key back. It was as if they wanted no possession of his. Foolish people. How had they not known something so valuable was in the hands of someone they considered so evil? Would you not wish death upon such hideous people?� �Never,� Cadence defied. �I would never wish death upon those that bestowed me life.� �Some life it is! Look at the piteous creature now,� Voldemort poked his wand in the direction he laid. �Fourteen years has he served me loyally, and asks nothing more of me than the simple task of ridding the world of such hated creatures as your parents.� �THEY ARE NOT HATED!� Cadence screamed. She broke free of Harry�s grip, pulling out her wand and opening her mouth to begin. However Voldemort was too quick for Cadence. He stepped backward and raised his wand. �You leave Mr. Potter in the open? He has for so long been a nuisance to me. I shall rid myself of this burden while there is still ridding to be done!� Voldemort raised his wand at Harry, and it happened as if in slow motion. No words escaped from Voldemort�s lips as he shot the blast from his wand. Cadence knew what was to happen, and she didn�t think before running in front of the blast, pushing Harry out of the way. Cadence felt the blast hit in her in the back, and she fell to the ground suddenly in pain. Harry watched as a fourth figure leapt from the shadows. He paid no attention. Cadence was hurt, Cadence was lying on the ground, screaming in pain, fading� he could feel it inside of him. She was fading� he couldn�t let it happen. |
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