Scars: Scars Saga 1

Astronomy Tower

A/N: I feel I must offer up a warning for this chapter, as it contains some mild violence. The action is brief, but the fallout is lasting.

*This chapter has been edited slightly to alleviate parts that may have been too much.

Scars

Chapter 4: Astronomy Tower

Blood-red, he rose, and arrow-straight,
His fierce beams struck my brow;
The soul of nature sprang, elate,
But mine sank sad and low.

My lids closed down, yet through their veil
I saw him, blazing, still,
And steep in gold the misty dale,
And flash upon the hill.

-Stars by Emily Bronte

The door swung forth on its own accord and my heart ceased its steady beating. I stared perplexed into dark nothingness, wondering what would have caused the door to open. A cold, chilling air rushed over me and the nothingness began to slither towards me. The stench of evil, like rotting eggs, filled my senses. I stumbled backwards, blood beginning to rush through my veins.

Further and further back I moved, ever hesitant, while the nothingness continued to creep its way over to me. I was startled to find that I had run into the outer wall sooner than I had expected. But when a pair of ice-cold fingers wrapped their way around my arms, I realized it wasn't the wall I hit. I quickly looked around me and saw that I was surrounded by more nothingness. My blood turned to fire as it sped through my veins.

As I scanned the circle around me again, the nothingness began to take shape. Seven dark figures stood around me. Seven figures cloaked, hooded, and masked in black stood around me. My breathing became uneven, and my heart pumped erratically.

"Well, well, well look who we have here," the figure directly behind me sneered. Its voice was somehow disguised so I didn't recognize it.

"A brave little Gryffindor," said another figure.

"She doesn't look very brave," yet another mocked.

I didn't feel very brave.

The figure directly in front of me, the one who came through the door, remained silent; it was studying me, searching me. The icicle fingers holding me began to stroke my arm. I spun around, whipping out my wand in the process, and pointed it directly at the spot where the figure's face would be, but before I could even think of an appropriate defensive curse I was disarmed. I glanced around to find that there were six wands directed at me; my own wand lay outside the circle.

"A fighter," the figure before me said.

"I like the fighters. They're more fun," another figure said, laughing sinisterly.

I was outnumbered, out powered, and completely petrified. Where was James when you needed him most? Oh right, he was backing off and letting me take care of myself. I suddenly couldn't remember why I had insisted that I could take care of myself. This very moment proved otherwise. I was defenseless and weaponless. Wait, I wasn't weaponless not totally at least. I still had my telescope.

The seven figures started moving in on me, closing off the circle. Their taunting laughs swam around me, mocking me. I gripped the telescope box firmly in both hands. One figure leapt forward; I sidestepped him and swung the box furiously, catching him in the back. The other figures didn't approve. They too tried lunging for me. I fought back with my telescope. I succeeded in knocking a few of them with the box, until they managed to pry it from my hands and toss it aside. Now I was truly weaponless.

I was once again facing the door and I noticed that there was a clearing. So I made a run for it. Grabbing the handle, I pushed and pulled, twisted and turned but nothing happened. The door had been magically sealed. I was trapped.