The Fall of Darkness

Chapter 3

Exactly Noon that day found Harry, Ron and Hermione at the gates of Hogwarts and, surprisingly, Neville. The Watcher, they learned, was given her name by the students that surrounded the school. She did apparently have wings because now she was there, soaring around the edge of the Black Lake, children racing beneath her. When she saw Harry and company approaching Neville she went into an attack stance, causing the children to run and hide at her command.

"Great," Neville said, looking over his shoulder, "she thinks you're a threat. Look, come back tonight, I'll tell you more. You'd best go, I'll calm her."

"Look, Neville, we need to know-" Ron started, his finger pointing in Neville's face. Hermione checked her muggle watch and sighed, grabbing Ron's shoulder.

"There's no time- we're going to be late, we don't want to miss the little Veela, Ron." She said and then turning to point her finger at Neville, "we will be back Nev, you will tell us what's going on."

"Let's go!" Harry said, disapparating onto the apparition point in Hogsmeade, right outside of Honeydukes. Hermione and Ron were right behind him and together they carefully approached the candy store. The girl was there, only recognizable by her cloak, the hood now down. She was a sort of familiar looking child, sitting on the steps and looking impatient. Her skin was very dark, like milk dilluted coffee, and her eyes large and as brown as her hair. Her hair was reminiscent of Hermione's when they'd first met- full of curls, but hers seemed more tamed, more defined.

"You're late," she said with a huff, standing to meet them.

"You said you could help us," Harry said, sitting on the steps beside her. Ron looked very impatient.

"What could a child do to help us anyway?"

"I am Veela, I can do what I damned well please to help whoever I want. If you don't want it then *fine*, I'm just trying to help my Uncle. I don't care if you want to help him or not. I was told you three were nice. That you'd help get rid of those freaks. They killed my parents you know, the other Veelas. Tore them to little bloddy bits." She hissed, standing up. Harry could see her wings shift beneath her cloak, the tip of her tail swishing and peaking out at the bottom. He reached out to touch her shoulder and she hissed, causing him to draw back.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, shrugging, "ignore Ron, he's just being a hot head. I'd sincerely like to hear what you have to say." She continued to glare at Ron, her head held high. Then, glancing at Harry, she nodded and sat back down.

"My Uncle said he had a temper. Brat," she snapped at Ron, sticking her tongue out. Ron laughed and imitated her, "but, my Nonna said you'd listen, Harry, she likes you- my Nonna."

"Who is your Nonna?" Harry asked, leaning toward her and grinning.

"My *Nonna*." She replied, arching one eyebrow and smirking, "I don't give out names, Harry Potter. Now, listen, my Uncle... he's my godfather, you see... he fights the bad Veelas. Our brood used to be many, but..." she looked off, wistful for a moment, "most have died. Now, there is only my Uncle, my Nonna, myself, Auntie, and another Uncle- but he's away for the moment. I just thought you might want to join forces... or something."

"Or something?" Harry asked, trying not to laugh.

"Yes. See, we know spells- well they do, I'm not *allowed* to carry a wand," she said with distaste, pausing to huff and puff a bit, "but they can, and they rip the wings from the Veelas or heal them, or push them into the dirt...or... just whatever they want to. Uncle has lots of fun doing it, I think. They're so mean to him sometimes."

"Spells that can harm them, Harry, that could be useful. Who's your uncle dear?" Hermione asked. Kestral laughed, shaking her head.

"No names, I already said that. So," she said clapping her hands together and gesturing at the road, "I'm gonna be in loads of trouble for this, it's a secret you know. But, I'm gonna help somehow. Shall we go?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at eachother- silently debating whether or not to follow the girl who was already up and skipping away, as though she wasn't being followed by the Ministry's top three Aurors. She was quickly disappearing into the crowd.

"Well, we'd better go, we won't get another chance," Harry said, quickening his pace to catch up to the girl. She didn't once look over her shoulder to see if they were following, brown curls bouncing around her as she skipped.

They followed a girl to a small alley way, secluded. Seclusion was apparently what she wanted, as she peered around suspiciously, making sure no one else was there.

"We have to go to Diagon Alley," she whispered, removing something from her robes. "This is a port key. I'm going to use it, you may Apparate as I don't think you'd trust me enough to use my port key. I can't apparate, you know." They all nodded, she was an intelligent girl. With that, she turned the port key over, activating it and was gone.

"This is getting stranger and stranger," Harry said, scowling.

"Well, we might as well find out what she's on about." Hermione said, nodding.

"What harm could a child do anyway?" Ron asked, "I mean, really, let's at least find out." With that, they Apparated into the middle of Diagon Alley. It took them a moment to spot Kestral who was skipping towards them, smiling.

"Shall we continue?" She asked, popping a sugar quill into her mouth and skipping off. They followed behind her, sharing incredulous looks with each other.

Kestral quickly lead them up to a shop Harry hadn't noticed before. The Trio came to a stop as the girl approached the door, an open sign on the front. A sign above the door advertised for healing potions.

"It's got a notice me not charm on it," Hermione said, waving her wand a bit, "how odd for a business." The young girl seemed to be peering through the windows before nodding to herself and looking back at them.

"Well, we're here, come on then," she said, pushing the door open, a small bell ringing. Harry couldn't help but notice how much the room smelled of Snape's old potions classroom and, judging by the look on Ron's face, he wasn't the only one that thought so. No one was about, just a small counter in the front and rows and rows of shelving, filled with potions.

"Kestral, is that you?" A voice called from the back and the little girl giggled a bit.

"You know it is, Uncle, I've brought you something... some help!" she called back into the room, grinning madly. Harry suddenly had a bad feeling.

"I think this might have been her idea after all." Hermione whispered, watching the door expectantly.

A young man in the blackest of cloaks swept through the door, reminding Harry so much of Snape that he gasped, taking a step back.

"Help? Help for wha-" the man froze, staring at them from under the hood of his cloak.

"I've brought you Harry Potter and Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, so they can help you Uncle!" Kestral said, puffing her chest up with pride. Harry grinned at the girl.

"I see exactly what you've done, Kestral. Go to your room. Now." The man snapped angrily, pointing his finger through the door he'd just emerged from.

"But... but, Uncle!" Kestral cried, hanging her head, "I just wanted-"

"Sir," Harry began, stepping forward.

"You! You just *shut up*. Harry bloody Potter, honestly!" the man spat, obviously frustrated, "Kestral, your room, NOW!"

As he flung his arm out to point to the door, his back slightly turned to the trio, Harry spotted the Dark Mark on his left arm.

"Death Eater!" Harry cried, diving behind a showcase of healing salves. Hermione and Ron rolled behind the next one as Hermione noticed the shift of the man's cloak as he turned,

"Veela!" she cried, "it's a trap!"