Planting The Seeds Of The End {Book 2 in the 'Rise Of Slytherin' series}

01

[A/N: Assuming you've already read 'The New Age Of Magic', you may want to re-read the last chapter, as I've made some edits. Enjoy!]

There were many polaroids on Rhiannon's wall. All had been taken by the same small, turquoise camera. And each told a story, all caught in a single 'snap'. But there was one which stood out above the others, higher on the mountain if memories. One polaroid which held stories for more than Rhiannon. One polaroid which built the bridge between two worlds; a perfectly normal picture, nothing out-of-the-ordinary on the surface. It didn't move, it didn't come alive, it simply was. But delve deeper into that frozen moment, and you would find that there was so much more to it than you would expect. The picture was of a large castle, standing tall and proud in a picturesque green landscape. The name of this castle: Hogwarts. A year ago, to the very day, Rhiannon had been heading there. She had been expecting the time of her life, and rightly so; the time of her life was ready, waiting and poised. But it had been cut short by forces far beyond the control of an eleven year-old.

Rhiannon lay on her bed, expression screaming longing as she stared at the polaroid. Her eyes were practically begging the picture to draw her in, to give back what she had that year ago. But of course it wouldn't, and she knew that. Not after everything that had happened. A small tear rolled down her cheek as her thoughts flew back in time, back to that fateful night.

***

"Professor!" Louis yelled, face vivid with desperation. McGonagall stopped in her tracks, turning to glare the children. All four faces, lit in the candlelight, were pale, and their fear was almost palpable.

"Professor, we-- it's--" Louis struggled.

"Yana-- and the-- the--" Louise tried to finish her sentence, but found herself unable to get out another word.

"Whatever is the matter?" McGonagall asked incredulously, taking a step towards them. Louis shook his head.

"Professor... Professor Yana... Dean... He's-- He's..."

"What?" the Professor demanded, her patience wearing thin.

"He's gone," Alex said quietly, in a shivering whisper. Silence struck. Rhiannon took in a shaky breath. This was horrible. School wasn't meant to be like this. Hogwarts wasn't meant to be like this.

"Gone?" Professor McGonagall questioned, staring down at Alex.

"Dead," Louis answered.

"We saw-- we were there when--" he stopped. The silence thickened.

***

Louis sat on the edge of his bed, leaning into his hand as he stared glumly at the floor. There was a small, questioning hoot, and he looked up at his barn owl. He was in his fairly vast cage, poking his beak between the bars. Louis sighed.

"Morning, Fattington," he replied, looking back down at his feet. One year ago, he had a new school, new friends, new possibilities... A new life. And it had been stolen from him. The best things he could possibly wish for were gone. He deserved better. They all did.

***

McGonagall did not speak. She breathed heavily.

"Explain," she said quietly. Louis gulped. "Quickly, now!" she commanded with sudden urgency.

"We saw-- we saw Lee and these two prefects and then-- then Dean came along and he took-- he took their wands and then there was this-- this man and-- and he-- he--" Louis stammered.