Discovered

Alone in the Wood

Hogwarts stood menacingly. The once bright welcoming home for all who entered now loomed like a beast waiting to pounce. I shook the dark thoughts from my head.

Harry and the rest of the trio have been missing for months. At this point they should have found and destroyed all the horcrux. Except one.

Right now darkness enveloped the land; the forbidden forest loomed menacingly. I rolled my shoulders. It's the only way. I failed in my mission so far, but this I could not fail at.

The shadows shifted tricking any who walked through that there were things watching. The forest didn't make a peep. All living things vacating to safer ground.

The menacing roar broke the silence. Shadows twisted from their hiding places until the beast stood before me. Eight feet of inky darkness stood before me. For one fleeting second I thought of Severus's eyes.

I rolled left as the beasts paw came down. The longer it charges the more it took on the shape of something akin to a bear. I dodged again feeling the breeze swipe across my shoulder. That was to close.

Focusing I summoned the sword to my hand. Another roar almost sent me to my knees. It's law came barreling down. I arched the blade high meeting it half way.The shadows sizzled and writhed.

Furry echoed through the forest as the thing charged me. When the best was nearly upon me I leapt, twisting in the air I slid my light blade through its head all the way down its back. The shadow twisted loosing some of its form. The more the light struck it the harder time it seemed to have holding its form.

Now just barely taller than me the thing morphed it's arms into scythe like weapons. I wonder if this is where we get the idea of the grim reaper I thought dimly. The arm scythes swing simultaneously. I managed to dodge the fist.

The second however the shadow had transformed back into five long claws at a speed I hadn't been able to see. They tore through my jeans cutting deep into the muscle. I let out a scream of my own then. The pain causing black dots to invade my vision.

The beast charged again. I did the only thing I could think of. I let the sword shatter. I was prepared to die. I knew going into this I probably would survive. A tear slipped down my cheek. I thought of Sirius, Remus.....Severus.

I thought of all the times Severus had been at the house sneaking into see me before he had to report back. I thought of our late night conversations, of his rare laugh. I though of how he smiled when no one but me was looking.

The beast was nearly on top of me. I force myself to roll onto my back. I didn't have time to think or focus. With the thoughts of Severus swimming in my head I sent out a blast of pure light. Claws managed to tear across my chest before the shadow exploded.

Great. If that didn't alert every death eater in the vicinity nothing will. I forced myself to stand. The cuts on my chest were shallow and overall unconcerning. My leg however, throbbed with pain loosing blood at a convening rate.

I pulled my wand from my back pocket, "episkey."

The blood slowed and finally stopped. I wasn't able to heal them completely but at least I won't bleed out on my way back to the castle. Voices alerted me. Without another thought I took off.

I headed back towards the secret entrance Tracy had shown me one night sneaking around the castle foe kicks. Once inside I pulled my student robes over my head to hide my injuries. No way McGonagall would see them and still let me fight.

Just as I slipped into the great hall McGonagall was finishing up her speech about the upcoming battle. Everyone stared at our house, no doubt wondering if we would fight.