Augury [Harry Potter Fanfic]

g. five

Sawyer and Anton were happy to say that the Yule Ball was of the funniest things they've done that year.

Sawyer was dressed in a black dress-robe she found last minute at Hogsmeade, and Anton wore an elegant pair of red robes, much like most of the Durmstang students.

George, despite not actually coming with Angelina, spent most of his time speaking mainly to her, as Fred and Lee joked around with Alicia and Katie, all occassionally dancing, uncluding Anton and Sawyer- who both turned out to be horrible dancers.

Soon, Angelina and Katie took it upon themselves to help the pair to dance a bit better, but it was to no avail, as soon enough the girls realized that those two were lost causes.

At some point, their feet sore from the attempts to dance, Anton and Sawyer ditched their shoes and resigned to eating whatever they could.

"That's no way to celebrate the Yule Ball!" Katie laughed at them.

"Why not?" Anton wondered. "Ve are having fun, that is all that is important."

"Hey Hermione, Viktor!" Sawyer cheered as she walked to the two. "How's it going?"

Viktor grinned slightly, nodding to signal he was enjoying his time. She turned to Hermione, who was beaming. "Great! You?"

"Anton and I are ruining the reputation of both Hogwarts and Drumstrang, so great!"

Viktor seemed at much higher spirits than usual, and even though he spoke with the five of them quite a bit, he seemed very willing to chat with Hermione just as much as she wanted.

"Well, Vik, Herm, we'll probably go to the kitchens at some point, so you're invited if you'd like."

"Sure," Hermione surprised Sawyer with not commenting about house-elves, but Sawyer simply shrugged it off, waving to them as she re-joined Anton, who now spoke to Katie about Drumstrang.

"You know, I figured it would be a bit lame, but I'm having a good time," Fred told her as she sat down next to him. George was still speaking with Angelina, and Lee took Alicia up to dance-- it seemed that it didn't matter at the least who asked who out, and that they were all just having fun.

"So, how long's George been into Angelina?"

"Since about third year," Fred shrugged. "Probably won't do anything about it. He was more than glad to switch with me, probably was too shy to ask her out as it is."

"So why did you want to switch?"

Fred's gaze followed Hermione and Viktor for a short moment. "Been developing an unhealthy crush about a girl. But I am getting over it quite certainly."

"You're into Hermione?" she asked.

"Well you're into Charlie."

"I could live with Hermione as my sister in law." Fred grinned for a moment, before his face dropped a bit, ghost of a smile still present.

"I'm the one who will die, won't I?"

Sawyer's face fell as well, and she stared at his brown eyes that suddenly glimmered. "Fred..."

And that was all the answer he needed.

Nodding, he stood up, walking off to speak with Percy.

::

"...don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."

"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" Karkaroffs voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be overheard. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it -"

"Then flee," said Snape's voice curtly. "Flee - I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

Snape and Karkaroff came around the corner. Snape had his wand out and was blasting rosebushes apart, his expression most ill-natured. Squeals issued from many of the bushes, and dark shapes emerged from them.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as a girl ran past him. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her. "And what are you two doing?" he added, catching sight of Harry and Ron on the path ahead. Karkaroff, Harry saw, looked slightly discomposed to see them standing there. His hand went nervously to his goatee, and he began winding it around his finger.

"We're walking," Ron told Snape shortly. "Not against the law, is it?"

"Keep walking, then!" Snape snarled, and he brushed past them, his long black cloak billowing out behind him. Karkaroff hurried away after Snape, and thus, they both ran right into Sawyer who was sitting on the trail with a gigantic grin on her face, Ace right next to her.

Karkaroff paled further.

"What are you doing here, Black?" Snape spat with venom she was very used to by now; after all, it's been like that since she made him pass out a year prior.

"Please sir, I go by Wilde until my father is proven innocent."

"Your father's the farthest thing from innocent," he growled shamelessly.

"Because you two are just a pair of pure little angels, are you not?"

"You insolent child, I demand respect!" Snape roared. "Digging through my memories and shoving your nose where it should certainly not be, walking the school as though you own it! You're not much different than Potter and his father, you Blacks are!"

"Well, I've been told how handsome and funny my father was, so I'll take it as a compliment, sir."

"You surely don't mean-" Karkaroff paused. "You're Sirius Black's daughter?"

"Well, allow me to finish this feud before you assume I'm here to argue," Sawyer sighed. "The mark's getting clearer for a while now, right?" They stared at her as though she's grown a second head. "Oh, for Merlin's sake. The dark mark!" Snape hushed her quite rudely.

"How do you know of that?"

"Miss Black over here is a seer with an affinity to death," Sawyer chose not to correct him. "By merely seeing you, she probably sees all of the deaths you are responsible for."

"How peculiar."

"So I'm here to tell you to the face. The Dark Lord's returning, so if you want to escape, you should do it soon, Igor," Sawyer told him seriously. "Because when he'll be back, first thing he does is deal with his followers. Those who come, those who don't. Especially those who rat out."

"Is that a threat?" Karkaroff asked.

"You're as far as it get, sir," she stated, standing up. "It's a friendly warning. There's one person who could protect you as it is, and you should ask your friend over here who is that."

"What do you get from warning us?" Snape asked rather suspiciously. "I thought you hate warning people and changing what's been written."

"I believe you've been updated about my recent near-death experience. Very near-death, I suppose. My duty was done, and I failed, the story was written and I could leave this world," she looked rather numb as she spoke of that. "But, you know, I just said 'screw you, fate,' and decided to stay and change everything I could.

"So if it's up to me, as many deaths I could stop, it's good. No matter the price I take, I'm just dead girl walking."