Stars Go Blue: Chapter 19
Standard Disclaimer applies. Mature.
Draco and the Trio waited quietly outside the house, hoping to have a sign from Snape soon.
"So why exactly are we trusting Snape?" Ron asked for the hundredth time.
"Because he's on our side, you numbskull, now shut up or Wormtail will hear you and blast your freckled face off."
Draco was concentrating on an upstairs window, when suddenly he saw movement.
"Up there," he gestured, and the Trio followed his line of vision.
"Gin," Harry whispered, "How could I have gotten so caught up in all of this that I neglected you so much?"
"It's hardly the first time, Potter," Draco drawled, staring at the other girl in the window.
Before Harry could respond, Draco grabbed his head and fell on the ground. His mind had suddenly been filled with an abundance of pictures, taking him by surprise and such force that it bowled him over. Concentrating, he slowed them down. Nodding slowly to himself, he was unaware of the semi-concerned stares of the Gryffindors. When all that Snape had figured out was passed on, Draco turned to the Trio.
"Well, it's go time."
*~*~*
Unfortunately for Severus Snape and everyone else involved in this rescue mission, Mara and Ginny were hardly damsels in distress. Both of them were smart witches, who had no desire to be party to whatever it was that Wormtail had planned. This, along with their lack of knowledge that there even was a rescue mission, thrust them into a situation wherein they felt they could work together to escape.
"Any ideas?" Ginny asked, looking out the window.
They had tried the door, felt for hidden springs in the closet, and attempted to push the window open, all to no avail.
"Actually... yes."
Mara felt a metal nail file in her pocket and took it out. Smiling, she walked over to the door, and laughed out loud.
"What's so funny?" Ginny asked, moving to join her.
"The hinges are on the inside."
"Does that mean what I hope it means?"
"It means we are going to get out of this room. I'll work on getting this open... you try to figure out where we should go when we do so."
"Deal."
Mara set to work with the nail file, using it as a screw driver to loosen the hinges of the door. This was tedious work, and the nail file kept bending. Finally, the last hinge came off in her hand, and she flopped on the floor, examining her roughed-up fingers.
"Got it," she said to Ginny, "where do we go?"
"Well, I think Wormtail went downstairs, so, near as I can tell, our best bet is to get to the room on our right, open a window and jump into the bushes... hopefully with as little commotion as possible."
Mara looked the redhead over with approval.
"Good plan, Gin. You got what it takes to get us out of here after all," she smirked that smirk she'd acquired from so many months in close proximity to Draco.
Draco. The very thought of him only brought pain. She knew she'd brought it upon herself.
First of all, he is not even close to the type of guy you would have had a chance with. Secondly... You abandoned him; made him feel unneeded... Showed a massive lack of respect for him, attacked his manhood by that lack of respect. You know well that respect is what a man needs more than anything; yet you refused his need; and look where that got you... Trapped in a bedroom with his ex-girlfriend, captured by a madman who transforms himself into a RAT for crying out loud!!
Mara stood, shaking herself free of the mental hindrances.
"Just one small problem with the quiet aspect of your plan," Mara informed Ginny.
"What's that?"
"This door is gonna make a huge ruckus when I pull it open. So I'll stay at the door of the next room while you jump... Even if only you get away, at least you can get some sort of help."
Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but something in the other girl's eyes stopped her.
"Okay," she sighed, getting ready to make a break for it.
Gathering her strength and her courage, Mara wedged her already battered fingers into the crack of the doorway. As she pried it loose, it remained astoundingly quiet. Finally the door was past it's frame.
Grabbing the handle, Mara nodded to Ginny, who nodded back. Inhaling and holding her breath, she pulled on the door as hard as she could. The door shot open, flying out of Mara's grasp and crashing to the floor.
"Go!" She hissed at Ginny, unknowingly reverting unto Parseltongue.
The meaning was not lost on Ginny however, for she sprung into action, her long red hair flowing behind her as she fled to the next room. She was immediately followed by Mara, who stopped at the door, armed with her nail file, ready to do battle if it came to that. She looked behind her to see Ginny pushing in vain on the window.
"Come on Gin," she whispered, "go faster."
"It won't budge!" Ginny breathed, her hair falling in her frantic eyes.
Both girls scanned the room, and saw the chair just as they heard footsteps on the stairs.
"Doesn't matter now, does it?" Mara asked Ginny, who nodded.
Mara turned around, ready to meet her adversary, while Ginny picked up the chair. Bracing herself, she swung it as hard as she could at the window, which immediately shattered.
~*~*~
The door flying into the room upstairs had interrupted Wormtail and Snape's conversation. Jumping up, Wormtail swore, cursing Mara and Ginny and himself for leaving them alone together.
Snape found himself cursing as well; he should have realized that the Weasley brat and Voldemort's granddaughter would hardly sit on their heels and wait for a rescue team.
The two men rushed to the staircase, and as they started to ascend it, there was an ear-shattering crash.
"SHIT!" Wormtail exclaimed, stumbling on the steps.
Snape shot images to Draco and the Dark Lord, informing them of the new development... As he and Pettigrew reached the top of the stairs, he saw Mara in the doorway, looking as though she were about to do battle. Something shone in her grasp, and Snape struggled to make out what it was. He nearly laughed out loud; she was getting ready to attack Peter Pettigrew with a nail file.
"As intriguing as that may be to watch," he whispered to her mind, "I'd rather see you with a fighting chance..."
The nail file was heavier in Mara's grasp, and she looked at it, and then acknowledged Snape's action. She now held a sturdy knife, and Ginny was out the window. Turning, she fled for the window, but it was already too late. Pettigrew hit her from behind, immobilizing her.
At that instant, her grandfather, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy all made a dramatic entrance; the whole scene seemed to stop as the three teenagers stared at the most feared and renowned man in the Wizarding world, and he stared right back at them. Then, all four looked at Snape in disbelief.
Severus rolled his eyes and threw up his hands, "Surprise!"
The small break in time was all Pettigrew needed to gain the foothold of surprise. He disarmed the Dark Lord and then Hermione, sending both man and girl flying; and then turned on Harry and Draco. Draco made a break for Mara, while throwing a hex at Wormtail. Before he made it to the girl, a large snake entered the room.
"Nagini," Peter spoke sweetly, as if welcoming a dearly cherished friend, "whomever you should like to eat..."
The snake needed no prompting before heading for Draco, who quickly had his hands full with trying to fend off the snake.
"buhouahoahoa," Peter's chortle sounded ridiculous, and Snape actually laughed out loud. Wormtail disarmed him as well in the split second advantage Snape's mirth had given him, and turned to face Harry Potter.
Harry knew that if he were to say a spell, Pettigrew would be faster, just as Snape always had been. Gathering his knowledge of everything Snape had taught him in regards to Legilimency and Occlumency, and allowing his anger to overwhelm him, he cast the most effective silent spell of his life.
Draco had just killed Nagini, and Hermione and Voldemort had just returned to their feet when Harry sent the curse Wormtail's way. Pettigrew, despite being unable to know what was coming had summoned Mara's stiff body to use as a shield. Voldemort, being the among the best Occlumens in the history of the Wizarding world, saw both minds, and had only a split second to decide.
His body moved before his mind had reacted, and he jumped into the path of the curse. It hit him and he immediately crumpled to the ground. Before anyone else could act, Hermione and Draco, each being to the side of Pettigrew and suddenly finding themselves with a clear shot, disarmed and bound him respectively. Mara, no longer supported by Pettigrew fell forward, using her face as a cushion to break her fall.
The room was left in silence.
Draco and the Trio waited quietly outside the house, hoping to have a sign from Snape soon.
"So why exactly are we trusting Snape?" Ron asked for the hundredth time.
"Because he's on our side, you numbskull, now shut up or Wormtail will hear you and blast your freckled face off."
Draco was concentrating on an upstairs window, when suddenly he saw movement.
"Up there," he gestured, and the Trio followed his line of vision.
"Gin," Harry whispered, "How could I have gotten so caught up in all of this that I neglected you so much?"
"It's hardly the first time, Potter," Draco drawled, staring at the other girl in the window.
Before Harry could respond, Draco grabbed his head and fell on the ground. His mind had suddenly been filled with an abundance of pictures, taking him by surprise and such force that it bowled him over. Concentrating, he slowed them down. Nodding slowly to himself, he was unaware of the semi-concerned stares of the Gryffindors. When all that Snape had figured out was passed on, Draco turned to the Trio.
"Well, it's go time."
*~*~*
Unfortunately for Severus Snape and everyone else involved in this rescue mission, Mara and Ginny were hardly damsels in distress. Both of them were smart witches, who had no desire to be party to whatever it was that Wormtail had planned. This, along with their lack of knowledge that there even was a rescue mission, thrust them into a situation wherein they felt they could work together to escape.
"Any ideas?" Ginny asked, looking out the window.
They had tried the door, felt for hidden springs in the closet, and attempted to push the window open, all to no avail.
"Actually... yes."
Mara felt a metal nail file in her pocket and took it out. Smiling, she walked over to the door, and laughed out loud.
"What's so funny?" Ginny asked, moving to join her.
"The hinges are on the inside."
"Does that mean what I hope it means?"
"It means we are going to get out of this room. I'll work on getting this open... you try to figure out where we should go when we do so."
"Deal."
Mara set to work with the nail file, using it as a screw driver to loosen the hinges of the door. This was tedious work, and the nail file kept bending. Finally, the last hinge came off in her hand, and she flopped on the floor, examining her roughed-up fingers.
"Got it," she said to Ginny, "where do we go?"
"Well, I think Wormtail went downstairs, so, near as I can tell, our best bet is to get to the room on our right, open a window and jump into the bushes... hopefully with as little commotion as possible."
Mara looked the redhead over with approval.
"Good plan, Gin. You got what it takes to get us out of here after all," she smirked that smirk she'd acquired from so many months in close proximity to Draco.
Draco. The very thought of him only brought pain. She knew she'd brought it upon herself.
First of all, he is not even close to the type of guy you would have had a chance with. Secondly... You abandoned him; made him feel unneeded... Showed a massive lack of respect for him, attacked his manhood by that lack of respect. You know well that respect is what a man needs more than anything; yet you refused his need; and look where that got you... Trapped in a bedroom with his ex-girlfriend, captured by a madman who transforms himself into a RAT for crying out loud!!
Mara stood, shaking herself free of the mental hindrances.
"Just one small problem with the quiet aspect of your plan," Mara informed Ginny.
"What's that?"
"This door is gonna make a huge ruckus when I pull it open. So I'll stay at the door of the next room while you jump... Even if only you get away, at least you can get some sort of help."
Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but something in the other girl's eyes stopped her.
"Okay," she sighed, getting ready to make a break for it.
Gathering her strength and her courage, Mara wedged her already battered fingers into the crack of the doorway. As she pried it loose, it remained astoundingly quiet. Finally the door was past it's frame.
Grabbing the handle, Mara nodded to Ginny, who nodded back. Inhaling and holding her breath, she pulled on the door as hard as she could. The door shot open, flying out of Mara's grasp and crashing to the floor.
"Go!" She hissed at Ginny, unknowingly reverting unto Parseltongue.
The meaning was not lost on Ginny however, for she sprung into action, her long red hair flowing behind her as she fled to the next room. She was immediately followed by Mara, who stopped at the door, armed with her nail file, ready to do battle if it came to that. She looked behind her to see Ginny pushing in vain on the window.
"Come on Gin," she whispered, "go faster."
"It won't budge!" Ginny breathed, her hair falling in her frantic eyes.
Both girls scanned the room, and saw the chair just as they heard footsteps on the stairs.
"Doesn't matter now, does it?" Mara asked Ginny, who nodded.
Mara turned around, ready to meet her adversary, while Ginny picked up the chair. Bracing herself, she swung it as hard as she could at the window, which immediately shattered.
~*~*~
The door flying into the room upstairs had interrupted Wormtail and Snape's conversation. Jumping up, Wormtail swore, cursing Mara and Ginny and himself for leaving them alone together.
Snape found himself cursing as well; he should have realized that the Weasley brat and Voldemort's granddaughter would hardly sit on their heels and wait for a rescue team.
The two men rushed to the staircase, and as they started to ascend it, there was an ear-shattering crash.
"SHIT!" Wormtail exclaimed, stumbling on the steps.
Snape shot images to Draco and the Dark Lord, informing them of the new development... As he and Pettigrew reached the top of the stairs, he saw Mara in the doorway, looking as though she were about to do battle. Something shone in her grasp, and Snape struggled to make out what it was. He nearly laughed out loud; she was getting ready to attack Peter Pettigrew with a nail file.
"As intriguing as that may be to watch," he whispered to her mind, "I'd rather see you with a fighting chance..."
The nail file was heavier in Mara's grasp, and she looked at it, and then acknowledged Snape's action. She now held a sturdy knife, and Ginny was out the window. Turning, she fled for the window, but it was already too late. Pettigrew hit her from behind, immobilizing her.
At that instant, her grandfather, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy all made a dramatic entrance; the whole scene seemed to stop as the three teenagers stared at the most feared and renowned man in the Wizarding world, and he stared right back at them. Then, all four looked at Snape in disbelief.
Severus rolled his eyes and threw up his hands, "Surprise!"
The small break in time was all Pettigrew needed to gain the foothold of surprise. He disarmed the Dark Lord and then Hermione, sending both man and girl flying; and then turned on Harry and Draco. Draco made a break for Mara, while throwing a hex at Wormtail. Before he made it to the girl, a large snake entered the room.
"Nagini," Peter spoke sweetly, as if welcoming a dearly cherished friend, "whomever you should like to eat..."
The snake needed no prompting before heading for Draco, who quickly had his hands full with trying to fend off the snake.
"buhouahoahoa," Peter's chortle sounded ridiculous, and Snape actually laughed out loud. Wormtail disarmed him as well in the split second advantage Snape's mirth had given him, and turned to face Harry Potter.
Harry knew that if he were to say a spell, Pettigrew would be faster, just as Snape always had been. Gathering his knowledge of everything Snape had taught him in regards to Legilimency and Occlumency, and allowing his anger to overwhelm him, he cast the most effective silent spell of his life.
Draco had just killed Nagini, and Hermione and Voldemort had just returned to their feet when Harry sent the curse Wormtail's way. Pettigrew, despite being unable to know what was coming had summoned Mara's stiff body to use as a shield. Voldemort, being the among the best Occlumens in the history of the Wizarding world, saw both minds, and had only a split second to decide.
His body moved before his mind had reacted, and he jumped into the path of the curse. It hit him and he immediately crumpled to the ground. Before anyone else could act, Hermione and Draco, each being to the side of Pettigrew and suddenly finding themselves with a clear shot, disarmed and bound him respectively. Mara, no longer supported by Pettigrew fell forward, using her face as a cushion to break her fall.
The room was left in silence.