Dead Man Walking (HP/LOTR>Adventure/Fantasy)

For the next ten minutes or so, the great many sounds of ruslting hands and feet set about to tidy up his or her compartment could be heard through out the entire section of the express train nearest to any one person. The golden trio neatly stacked their sleeping supplies upon their seats temporarily until they could get their luggage down from the shelves above. As the boys pulled out the handle and wheels upon their chests of posessions, Hermione placed their borrowed supplies up high onto the shelves. Soon, with everything in order and hand, they stepped out into the hallway and made their way past some open compartments and down to the nearest exit to wait until the train came to a complete stop.

When the express pulled into the station and the doors slid open, conductors jumped out from the doorways and conjured up a ramp for the students to walk off with ease. Harry and his friends manuevered through the sea of wizards and witches to get closer to Hagrid, the school's grounds keeper, so that they could talk to him along the way to the shore of the lake before they had to load onto the little boats to get across. They only managed to get close enough to be behind the crowd of first years that were entow around Hagrid's gigantic strides. Since the golden trio had the advantage of being slightly taller than the incoming first years, they were able to watch were they were going easily.

With that given, Harry noticed another tall figure walking alongside the grounds keeper. He immediately recognized the mysterious dark stranger from earlier for his clothes made him stick out like a sore thumb. A couple of the first years were trying not to walk too close to the strange man. Harry mentally brushed that off as those kids just being scared and nervous around a stranger. Also, he noticed that the fedora hat was angeled to the side, looking up and was talking up to Hagrid about something. Harry could hear the grunts and cruff accents in the half giant's dialect as he chuckled and responded to the stranger's questions and so forth. Based on Hagrid's reactions to whatever was being said, must mean that the man walking beside him wasn't such a bad person as the clothes had hinted to many. Although Harry had a theory about him, he was concerned that the guy was going to have quite a presence and a scary persona like Professor Snape or something of the like. Clearly this observation made him relax and feel a little better about the dark stranger, although he still had much to learn about him.

~TBC~

A few moments later, the huge incoming crowd marched their way up the marble staircase, passing by a huddle of nervous first years before Professor MaGonagall at the top and through the entrance hallway. As everyone was drawing closer to the great big wooden doors of the Great Hall, the two tall adults amongst them excused themselves to the front as they parted through the middle of the herd. Since they were the first to arrive before the grand entrance, the doors magically swung inward to welcome them in. The increasing gap between each set of doors allowed the light from within' the Great Hall to flow forth and spil across the hallway and people nearby, making their faces glow from other than anticipation.

With doors wide open like outstretched, welcoming arms, the sea of people flowed in like a diverging wave into the Great Hall. As usual, there were four elongated lackered tables for each house with millions of firey white candles floating a few feet above them. The ceiling above was shrouded in many wonderful shades and hues of blue and black, matching the night sky beyond. All of the students from second through their seventh year, quickly seated themselves amongst their friends and proper housemates. They left room towards one end of the table closest to the school staff's table near the wall at the opposite end of the vast room. Meanwhile, Hagrid led the mysterious stranger down the aile between the Ravenclaw and Gryffidnor table towards the one where all of the teachers and staff were sitting.

The grounds keeper found him a seat between the potions' master, Professor Snape, and the divination teacher, Professor Trelawny. When Harry had looked over and spotted this new seating arrangement, he quitely laughed to himself and felt emmense pity for the guy. That poor man had to make small talk with an uptight ex-death eater and a crazy woman who kept making silly predictions about your sudden demise. Harry grinned whickedly as something just came to mind, "Oh, this should be good! I can't wait to see what happens when she finally drives him insane with her nonsense! Hmm...I wonder if he could give Ol' Greaser there a connimption...? Be hella funny to see him tick Professor Snape off!" After that delightful thought, he turned his attention back over to his friends and told them the news.

Soon as everyone was comfortably seated, the entire room went as quiet as a graveyard as Professor MaGonagall led two neat lines of first years down the center aile towards the section of floor before the staff's table where the Sorting Hat, perched upon a stuwel, was waiting. All of the room's occupants' eyes were fixated upon the front of the room. The transfiguration professor took up her position next to the old hat, gave her introduction speech about the ceremony, and then unfurled the scroll of names in her wrinkled hands. For the next fifteen to twenty minutes of the Sorting Ceremony, Professor MaGonagall read down the list of names to which lead to

***PLEASE IGNORE THE ABOVE/PREVIOUS POST. IT'S AN ERROR. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT GOT POSTED WHILE I WAS WORKIN' ON THIS ONE. SINCE I'M NOT ALLOWED TO DELETE IT, JUST BARE WITH ME HERE, PEOPLE!***

Soon as everyone was comfortably seated, the entire room went as quiet as a graveyard as Professor MaGonagall led two neat lines of first years down the center aile towards the section of floor before the staff's table where the Sorting Hat, perched upon a stuwel, was waiting. All of the room's occupants' eyes were fixated upon the front of the room. The transfiguration professor took up her position next to the old hat, gave her introduction speech about the ceremony, and then unfurled the scroll of names in her wrinkled hands. For the next fifteen to twenty minutes of the Sorting Ceremony, Professor MaGonagall read down the list of names to which lead to the latters coming up to sit upon the stewel and having the hat placed over their heads. The weather beaten hat filled with numerous stitches would study the children's mind and then shout out the chosen house.

By the time that MaGonagall had finished A through K of the alphabet, she paused in her role call and looked up at her audience. She ignored their perplexed expressions and said, "Before I continue role call, I have a very important announcement to make. I would like for you all to know that we have a new student who enrolled at our school at the last moment. He's an American all the way from New Orleans, Louisianna, which is in the United States. Also, he's going to attend here as a seventh year and must be sorted into a house." Professor MaGonagall paused and took a moment to refer back to her list for the name. "Larsen, Aldin!"

Upon recognizing the name Larsen, Harry suddenly froze and emerald eyes went wide from shock of recognition. He whipped around in his seat to see the identity of the cloaked stranger from days ago and to stop whispering with his friends. Harry looked to the front of the crowd of first years in line and spotted Larsen immediately. For the seventeen-year-old was about a foot taller than the others around him. This "Aldin" guy sported the raven school robes that seemed to compliment his golden blonde hair. His hair was short in the back and long in the front and crown. Floppy bangs that almost overlapped the top of his ears. The candle light gave the gold a nice shiney and silky look to it. Harry couldn't see his face nor his eyes for Larsen had his back to him.

Within' that short frame of scrutiny, Aldin Larsen stood tall as he approached and sat down upon the stewell. His deep blue eyes scanned over the sea of faces as MaGonagall held the Sorting Hat above his head. Just when she was about to place it over his golden locks, the stitches that resembled a pair of eyes and mouth twitched and blurted out, "Ravenclaw!" Many faces contorted into expressions of utter amazement at this. The hat had never came to a desicion this quick nor before touching one's head since Draco Malfoy became a Slytherin five years ago. And like the platinum blonde fifth year, the new Ravenclaw had a huge grin on his face. All of the girls at the Ravenclaw table began to applaude with joy that they got the cute one as a housemate. Soon, everyone else at their table and the rest of the crowd joined in. Aldin stood up and went to find a seat in a nonchalant manner, as if this were no big deal as it was to everyone else.

Harry's brow furrowed in deep thought as he continued to look on at the blonde. Intrigued to have learned what the seventh year's name was and what he had actually looked like underneath that dark hood. He remembered those cerulean orbs quite well, calm as the ocean blue and as penetrating as the twilight night skies. In the background and, once again, no longer seeming important to watch, the Sorting Ceremony had continued after the crowd got over their short lived stupor. Harry returned his attention back to his friends and answered their questions of why he had reacted the way he did when Aldin was announced. Nearly ten minutes later, the ceremony was finally completed. All of the houses received a fair and nearly equal amount of new additions to their tables.

The Great Hall soon became very noisy as all of the older students were welcoming and introducing themselves to the new comers. Getting up from their spots to shake hands, exchange names, and make them feel at ease. All except the Slytherins, who were going about in a more calm and proper manner of ediqutte. At the center head of the staff's table, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore got to his feet and requested for silence above the buzz with his hands raised. So it was said, so it was done. Dumbledore's inquisitive brown eyes flickered from familair face to familair face out there. Then, taking a deep breath and in a clear speaking voice, he began his traditional lecture about welcoming everyone back and explaining the school's vital rules that must be followed at all times.

As the headmaster briefed the rules about the Forbidden Forest, try outs for the school's Quidditch teams, punishment for bad behavior, and how schedule's work; his audience began to grow restless from their unrelenting attpeittes within' them. Even, Harry noticed, the dark stranger between "the mental cases" was losing his perfect posture and was beginning to slump in his seat. Somewhere during the explanation of poor behavior and bell schedules, the young sorcerer's attention was renewed with the fascination of learning as the man began to remove his black leather gloves and placing them next to the set of forks before him. Then, raising one bare hand, he pulled down the scarf to his neckline that revealed the lower half of his face that had been concealed from view. The skin was fair and smooth underneath the glow of the candle lights.

"This year, I was fortunate enough to be allowed to hire whomever I wanted as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor without any pressure nor grief from the Ministry of Magic, like last year," said Dumbledore with a hint of pride in his voice. Harry decided to tune back into to what the headmaster was saying, for he too, desperately desired to know who it was this year. "He is a wonderful man and was so kind to accept my invitation, even after I told him about our school's reputation!" At this, the old wizard smiled warmly and raised his hands a little in a form of a small praise of gratitude. Also, nearby, the dark stranger staightened up in his seat, knowing it was almost his que. "It is with great pleasure to introduce to you, Hogwart's brand new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher...Professor Draven Sabatt!"

Upon hearing his name called, the latter got to his feet as all eyes were captivated on him. A wide grin spread across his features as he reached up to remove his fedora hat and bowed graciously. The arm holding the object pressed across his chest, with the hat held near his shoulder. With said object gone, it left to reveal long goregous locks of red hair that had been tinted almost to the roots, a metallic like orange. The light seemed to shimmer off the color like metal would. Professor Draven Sabatt's hair was swept back into a ponytail except for a few lone locks that had strayed from it. They framed his face when he had bowed, giving him a slight angelic appearance. Golden shades carefully balanced upon his cheek structure. "I am most honored to meet your acquaitances," came the soft, smokey voice of the new DADA professor. He slowly sat himself back down into his cushioned seat. Draven reached over the silverware and his neglected leather gloves on the table, and gently placed his dark brown fedora hat just beyond it.

Before Harry had gotten the chance to calm his racing mind down from data overload, Dumbledore regained the attention in the room and announced that the feast may begin. He clapped his hands a couple of times that caused steaming plates of hot food and a variety of jugs of refreshments to appear upon all of the tables present within' the Great Hall. Everyone gasped with great delight and began to dig into the dishes eagerly. Just before Harry allowed himself to endulge in all this, he cast one last look in the new professor's direction. Draven had a fine red eyebrow arched in wonder from the sight of the arrival of the feast. An audible growl protested to Harry for food, so he eagerly turned back to serve himself and appease it. He joined in with his friends and fellow housemates' conversations, with a mind feeling at ease for having the mystery of the two strangers' identities been revealed. The Boy Who Lived allowed himself to believe that there was nothing more to learn about them beyond his own two eyes for the time being.

~END / CHAPTER 2: A WINDOW'S VIEW~
>>TBC<<

Author's Note: (Commentary is Coming Soon!) ^.^

(No spoilers available for Chapter Three!)

Commentary (Author's Notes)

Hey Everyone,

I would like to make a few things clear about the new content that I added to this chapter (2) recently. Like, the differenitation of hair color. Take different shades and references I make about blonde hair. When I say that Aldin Larsen's hair is "a golden blonde", think of Jonathan Jackson's (General Hospital and Disney's Tuck Everlasting) or Brad Pitt's hair in "Interview with the Vampire". When I describe it like that, you can tell it's very different from a "platinum blonde", which is like Draco Malfoy's (Tom Felton) in the Harry Potter movies.

The other thing that I wanted to tell you guys is about Professor Draven Sabatt's voice. When I say it sounds soft and smokey, think of Johnny Depp's voice. As for his hair, I don't need to provide further explanation of that. No confusion there. About his golden shades, they look alot like Alucard's from the manga, Hellsing. Also, his clothing looks like a combination of Gabriel Van Helsing from Van Helsing and Alucard's, too. I'm quite aware that I describe Draven as being really tall alot. To give you guys a rough estiment of his height, I would have to say...somewhere between 6' to 6'4". As for Aldin, he's somewhat taller than the actors who play Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Draco (Tom Felton), but a bit shorter than the teachers.

Later,

Sodapop Allerdyce the Sane Psycho

P/S: One more thing, as for news on the progress for Chapter Three, it's becoming quite difficult to come up with a plan for this one. Sorry, this may take a while to form an outline and appear here at KMC Forums and FF.net! Please be patient, my readers. ^.^

Chapter Three: Not Alone (SPOILER)

Spoiler:
(Over the weekend and nearly a month into the school year...) While meditating for a Divination (Level 4) assignment, Harry discovers something very unique about his aura. The session is cut short when Draco Malfoy enters the courtyard and calls his rival by a pecuilar name that Harry had never expected him to know. Aragorn. Curiosity and suspicion is aroused as to how the Slytherin knew that name. Luckily, Draco drops by the golden trio's place in the Great Hall to deliver a private message to Harry stating that he would like to meet him by the lake to talk after lunch, alone. The Boy Who Lived complies, unaware of the astounding news that he's about to receive. Also, there is an ancient posession that is to be returned to him. (What could it be?)

Note: Chapter Three might be subject to change, but that isn't for sure of yet. Enjoy! ^.~

Wow, Soda, you have gotta get back to work on this one! i love it so far! It is awesome! I particularly liked Draven - and his name fits the face I made him to a T! Love the shade of hair he has too. I am glad the hair colour for Aldin was cleared up too. Sandy blond/mousy is better than platimun! (like BP in INterview with a Vampire)

If you want to know my opinion about anything else, you know you can PM me any time!

Love lots
xxxxxxxxx

Lava the Tutamlik

Originally posted by Laviera_j
Wow, Soda, you have gotta get back to work on this one! i love it so far! It is awesome! I particularly liked Draven - and his name fits the face I made him to a T! Love the shade of hair he has too. I am glad the hair colour for Aldin was cleared up too. Sandy blond/mousy is better than platimun! (like BP in INterview with a Vampire)

If you want to know my opinion about anything else, you know you can PM me any time!

Love lots
xxxxxxxxx

Lava the Tutamlik

Reply to Review

I really appreciate it that you love my story so much and the characters that I created for it. Don't worry, I will get back to work on this story as soon as I can manage! It's just that it has taken me forever to formulate enough ideas into an outline for chapter three. During the time that I'm not working on posting new content, I keep myself busy by typing up alot of notes and brainstorming. I had to put alot of thought into chapter three in advance. I even have ideas and events that won't come until much later! Also, I have some rough outlines for (about) chapters four and five.

What you must know about what went down with making rough outlines for the next three chapters, was that I needed to find ideas/events that I had noted down earlier and try to see what I could use for a chapter and what to leave for the next. Plus, plan out which events from the LOTR movies should appear as Harry's visions/dreams throughout those chapters and the rest of the story. Luckily, around that time when I was recalling which events from the movies should be visions, the extended version of the second movie was on HBO. I took plenty of notes! (Yea!) Anyways, I found the extended version quite fascinating for I had never seen the extended version before. So, this means that I will be including some of the deleted/extended footage in Harry's visions. (Just thought you should know for you might not recognize some of the visions that may come up!) I am so grateful that I had decided to watch it that day for I had needed to review the movie so badly!

With all of the LOTR 2 events in mind and notes, I had to figure out which ones I was going to use off the list and space them out throughout the next two chapters, more or less. I am trying to wrap up the LOTR 2 visions, so that I can move onto ROTK. It's very vital that Harry reaches those events within' his visions/dreams! (I am not going to spoil you by saying exactly why those events are important.) For Chapter 3, Harry is going to have three visions. The first one that I'll mention is that he'll be remembering a previous dream. That way I don't have to bother going through the event and save length so that the chapter won't get too long and lengthy. The next vision will be very brief and during a boring class. (Hint, hint: History of Magic) Last, will be vision towards the end of the day when Harry gets to bed. The first and last vision will be extended footage, so that should be fun for those who haven't seen that yet.

Like I said, the third chapter takes place about a week into the school year. Originally, my plans for chapter three were for chapter four. I had an outline for the old version of three, but the content seemed too boring and couldn't find anything good to spice it up. Plus, I got lazy and wanted to skip ahead to chapter four where more of the action would be. So, I scratched out plans for three, so that four shifted over and became christened, three. Don't worry, you really don't miss much in that chapter! Basically, it had Medical Care, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Ancient Runes as the main classes that are focused on while I skipped and briefed the others. It's the first day of school.

By the way, Medical Care is the name that I came up with for that class where students can learn to become midi-wizards, doctors. Since there were no academic descriptions for this class available at the Harry Potter Lexicon, I had to create my own name for that class and what the students would learn. If you were wondering why I have Harry taking Medical Care and Ancient Runes, is for the fact that it has something to do with the Aragorn side of him and the curiosity to explore those new fields. (After all, the students are supposed to take more advanced classes and things that have to do with their majors.) As for the rest of his schedule and the bell schedule that I designed myself, I will explain that sometime after or during posts for chapter three.

Draven and Aldin appear in the old version of Chapter Three, but they won't come up at all in the new version that I have come up with recently. I think it would work better that way, at the rate that I'm writing/planning three. But, don't worry your pretty little head for they are going to have larger roles in the next chapter, four. Well, at least for Draven. The size and bulk of their roles from chapter to chapter will vary. They will remain mysterious for quite a while. Everyone gets to learn and know one side to both of these newcomers, but there is another side that almost no one will see. That mystery will slowly unravel along the way and won't be completely revealed until towards the end of the story. (Say the last couple of chapters...more or less.) Draven and Aldin have an unknown duty/mission there other than being a professor and student (undercover, basically). (I'll stop rambling about their mystery before I blab it all away to you guys!)

Now back to what you mentioned in your review about Draven. What is it exactly that you like about him and describe to me what his face looks like in your mind's eye? Glad you liked the name. Draven Sabatt fits him perfectly and so smooth and kick ass! All the names that I come up with for my original characters must be kick ass and fit their persona. Same goes for everything else that I name, person or not. I have to really like the name or phrase in order to use it, most of the time. If I don't like the name that could fit the character, I keep working at it until it does. For I don't want their names or anything to sound corny! (As best I try to do that...)

I thought so too, that Draven and Aldin's hair compliments them perfectly. I made sure that their hair, eyes, and facial features matched their persona. I based them off of looks on guys that I like, espeically young male celebs. Draven's hair is totally original and I always thought that would look cool. (Originally, his hair was going to be a dark brown that almost looked black.) As for Aldin, it was mostly spined off from Brad Pitt and Jonathan Jackson. I pretty much have a clear idea on who I would like to see (imagine) in the role of Aldin, but I'm still debating about Draven. Originally, I was going to use the actor who I had playing him when I used this character in my (old) rpg game, Hellsing's Exiles, but I'm not so sure now. (The reason that I'm not mentioning the actor for Draven's name is that I don't want to spoil your image of him.)

As for news on progress on chapter three, I'm typing up the outline for it and nearly half way through. Also, I'm rearranging certain events within' it in order for everything to flow smoothly. Having everything sound and run smoothly is key to me, (which can be a pain at times and cause update blockage...). Working on this outline is alot of fun and I can't wait to type it all up and then post it for all to see! There is going to alot of things happening and many discoveries to be made by some of the characters and (most of all) the readers. ^.^

Also, the title for chapter three, Not Alone, fits it so well! I didn't realize it bore the same phrase that appeared on Halle Berry's character's forearm in 2003's Gothika (movie). I didn't notice the coiencidence until I went to Blockbuster to rent movies with my friends and noticed the dvd for the movie on the shelves. Anyways, I thought that was cool.

Of course, I'll let you know if anything else comes up that I need your opinion on, Lava! (For now, I need to hear from you about this review here!) I'll try my best to get chapter three up as soon as possible. Also, I hope that you get the time to work on your poems and stories very soon!

Later, my friend and best wishes,

Sodapop Allerdyce the Sane Psycho

REPLY TO REPLY TO REVIEW Pt 1

Now back to what you mentioned in your review about Draven. What is it exactly that you like about him and describe to me what his face looks like in your mind's eye? Glad you liked the name. Draven Sabatt fits him perfectly and so smooth and kick ass! All the names that I come up with for my original characters must be kick ass and fit their persona. Same goes for everything else that I name, person or not. I have to really like the name or phrase in order to use it, most of the time. If I don't like the name that could fit the character, I keep working at it until it does. For I don't want their names or anything to sound corny! (As best I try to do that...)

Whenever I hear the name Draven I think "raven". To me, I have always seen the raven with the outsider. The Raven is the watcher, the silent, and the beautiful.

When I heard you describe him with red locks, I would gobsmacked because an image filled my mind. This is what I saw:

red locks tied back with an old piece of material or leather. His clothes are suspicious looking and his face is set. He does not acknowlege or smother Harry as many others have done. He is indifferent. There is something hidden - something deadly. I saw him with a scar on the cheek maybe, shallow, but noticable to those who are searching for it. He raises his dark eyebrow when he is feeling superior, or indifferent. People percieve him as mysterious, when it is reservation. Holding something back.

When I hear Sabbat, I think of the (i know it is wierd) all hallows eve. a night of mystery!

to be continued......

Cool Story i wonder what the real story will be like

Originally posted by Laviera_j
REPLY TO REPLY TO REVIEW Pt 1

Whenever I hear the name Draven I think "raven". To me, I have always seen the raven with the outsider. The Raven is the watcher, the silent, and the beautiful.

When I heard you describe him with red locks, I would gobsmacked because an image filled my mind. This is what I saw:

red locks tied back with an old piece of material or leather. His clothes are suspicious looking and his face is set. He does not acknowlege or smother Harry as many others have done. He is indifferent. There is something hidden - something deadly. I saw him with a scar on the cheek maybe, shallow, but noticable to those who are searching for it. He raises his dark eyebrow when he is feeling superior, or indifferent. People percieve him as mysterious, when it is reservation. Holding something back.

When I hear Sabbat, I think of the (i know it is wierd) all hallows eve. a night of mystery!

to be continued......

Reply to Review (2)

Hmm...that's quite fascinating, Lava. I never knew that that's what Draven's name meant! Glory, his name does fit his character like a glove more than I had ever expected it to be! I just came up with the game for I thought it sounded cool! (Who would've thunk?!) When I was creating the name, I tossed the idea of the name "Draco" around. Not after the Harry Potter Character, but after the dragon from 1996's Dragonheart, with Sean Connery as the voice actor. Sadly, I can't remember how I came up with the rest of the first name sounding like "raven"...*sigh* It was just too long ago when I created this character and his name. As for his last name Sabatt, I just altered the last couple of letters of the band name, Black Sabatth. Since, at the time, I used to watch MTV's "The Osbournes" reality show alot and used to think they were cool, I decided to do something with a part of that name. Also, I think I might've heard something about "sabat"...but it was something gothic of what not...(I used to believe) *shrugs* So there you have it, that's how I came up with Draven Sabatt.

Thanks so much for informing me about the meaning of his name, I'll keep that in mind for future reference. Although, there won't be many other original characters of mine with a similar name like his, for I try to make all of my characters' names different and unique to them. As for the way you invisioned him, that's pretty much dead on on what I had in mind of him being like. So much mystery surrounds him, which is what makes him appealing in the first place. Draven will come off as a darker character than Aldin Larsen will be. You really won't find out why that is until later. (But, I will tell you this: their personas are linked with their powers. *wink wink*) As for the way that you have just described him to me, I'll try to keep that theme a float and go with it! lol

Originally posted by Lara_Croft
Cool Story i wonder what the real story will be like

Reply to Review

Why, thank you for the compliment, new reviewer! Now, when you say "the real story", does that mean that you have never read the books, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter?

Hey Soda, quick quick on the new chapter! (just an eager fan jumping on her heels to read the next bit! lol

still jumping.........(although my knees are beginning to hurt.....) lol

UPLOADED: Friday, October 29, 2004

Disclaimer: I don’t own a single thing that J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling created within their stories.

Dead Man Walking

Chapter Three: Not Alone

Upon the brim of the Forbidden Forest, near an opening within' a tight gathering of trees, there stood a small gathering of adolescences incircling the area around a large man and a small flock of Pegasus. All around them, scattered, dying leaves were bowing down to the season of Autumn, having already deepened their shades of lush green to deep crimsons. Mother nature slowly exhaled a frosty breath that made its way across the land towards the students of Hogwarts, gentily teasing at their locks of hair and thick, fluffy striped scarves of gold and red or emerald and silver. The crowd surrounding the half-giant known as Hagrid, were divided upon their respective colors and seemed to be contentedly ingnoring one another or simply pulling a face in a certain person's direction to push their buttons. They rubbed their cotton gloves together for warmth as they braved the gold, waiting it out for their professor of Care for Magical Creatures to finish out his lecture and allow them to interact with the special guests of the day. Hagrid's booming voice was creating an echo as it swept across the clearing and bouncing off some unknown part of the forest.

Although the Pegasus were breath takingly beautiful and a magestic sight to bare, Harry Potter found himself staring out into the wilderness beyond the clearing, where it was dark and mysterious. He had his hands jammed deep into his cloak's pockets and was leaning against a tree to shield himself from the wind. His friend's beside him, Hermione and Ron, seemed captivated by the ever so graceful creatures. Harry did have the knowledge to recall on that his attention seemed to wander away from the lesson and become somewhat detached from reality. It was as if nothing seemed to hold him to the education provided, half the time, anymore. Conscious drifting off into a deep reverie of sorts, gazing out into space, searching for something, although Harry never quite knew what for. On occassion, he would tune everyone out and just let his past hauntings wash over him, the visions that he had nightly.

This impending vice only seemed to get worse was when he was outside, where he could see the lush fields of emerald and gaze upon nature in such a nastalgic manner. In some ways, Harry got the feeling as if the land before him were calling out to him, beackening. Giving him the sensation, the itch, to draw himself closer, farther into the depths of the beyond and discover, or re-discover, their mystery. Whenever Harry felt like this, he would attempt to block it out, but to no avail, he could not keep his eyes away for long. This attraction, this strange connection to nature, reminded him of a syren seronating the sailors out upon the ocean, to her. Very alluring, very seductive, was the syren's song of the forest, unheard by anyone but to the Boy Who Lived. As headstrong as he was, Harry could feel himself losing the mental battle at times. He longed to wander the Forbidden Forest during the darkest hours of the night, to discover what tiddings it would bring. Maybe some answers to a mysterious past of some sort from his visions?

In the meanwhile, as the young sorcerer's mind was elsewhere from the reality before him, a trio of familiar Slytherins were standing my an earthened brown, sun kissed Pegasus, teasing it. One of the bigger boys, Goyle, had a budgy hand full of feed and would pull it away, out of reach when the stead's mouth came too close. The other one that would remind anyone of a bodyguard to his platinum blonde companion, was stroking his hand harshly against the Pegasus' neck. Draco Malfoy, the ring leader, was petting the snout, but didn't seem to hold much wonder and pleasure in such a motion. His thin, pale face told the world that he was bored out of his mind for he could honestly care less about a class that taught about how to tend to filthy creatures such as this one that the big ouf was ranting on and on about. Draco's slender fingers found their way to the stead's bangs and began to play with them. As he did so, he slowly drew up a plan to make the moment a little more..."interesting".

Draco's sharp eyes had noticed from earlier, that every few grains of time that crawled by, the Pegasus would stretch her mighty wings out and display an impressive wingspan that was nearly as long as Hagrid was tall. The streaks of hazel blazened across the gap between him and his limit of arm reach. Draco took two cautious steps back, pretending to draw away from her, shot a quick hand towards the closest wing tip and tugged hard until a single feather ripped away within his retreating grasp. The sudden, yet temporary, pain snapped a synapse in the demi-stallion's mind. Her deep blue eyes darkened and stared daggers at the impudent human. She snorted loudly in Draco's face for they had destroyed the last straw in her tolerance towards their race fondling her. The Pegasus shifted her firey gaze to and through to the blonde's lackeys, letting them know to back off now or else get themselves into a whole new world of pain.

When the fat, bold boys of the ring leader didn't move at a fast enough pace to her liking, only infuritated her more. The brunette stallionn was at her temper's breaking point as she shifted her weight onto her hind legs and balanced there for a few seconds before her forefeet made a heavy stomp upon the earth. All of this racket caught the attention of the entire gathering with looks of alarm upon their face. Once again, Draco managed to piss off another of Hagrid's guests with an audience to bare witness to his possible doom. The Professor was about to dash over to the enraged Pegasus by Harry and his friends, but the other next to him with a silvery coat, began to act up too. Hagrid snatched that one's reins with one large, shovel sized hand and turned half-way towards Harry's section to bark at them to stand back and let him handle it. Lucky enough for the students, all of the pegasus present were tied down with traditional horses' reins to the twin trees by their haunches.

This entire collection of commotion blaring into Harry's ears caused his state of reverie to be shattered like a fragile bubble. The sphere of fantasy imploded, allowing the fresh air of reality to enter and awaken his senses. Twin spheres of emerald locked onto the matter at hand. Those same eyes widened in awe, wondering and blaming himself for not coming to a moment sooner. Harry drank in the scene, trying hard to think fast and access the emergency situation. Clearly, the female Pegasus had been disturbed by something or other that his old rival, Draco Malfoy, and his cohorts must have done. How typical of them. His gaze shifted over to the gatekeeper, who still had his hands full with the gray one, then back over to main attraction. By the mighty, protesting stead's feet, Harry's keen eyes honed in on the fact that the reins strapped around its ankles weren't going to last much longer, due to the amount of stress they were experiencing. He had to do something and fast.

Taking on the role of a hero, feeling as if this were his duty, Harry departed from the safe barrier between his best friends and made his way through the crowd towards the objective. He did not hinder Ron and Hermione's frantic warnings to return to them for his mind was already made up and focused completely upon the troublesome Pegasus. Not even an ounce of fear rose up to question the young sorcerer as he surpassed the facade of his classmates upon the border of reason and the clearing. Harry took cautious, yet measured and steady, steps as he neared the creature. There was a faint booming voice telling him to stop in the distance of his mind, but it feel upon deaf ears. Within' the mental haze of this strange display of erractic behavior, somehow, Harry knew exactly what to do to ease the stallionn without a second opinion from his conscious. Although he himself didn't have much experience with horses in general, he had confidence in his knowledge within' this state of mind. This portion of his mentality knew how to care for horses as if they were an everyday ritual of his life, nothing to it.

OMG Soda! I am gonna have to read this thourally! It is amazing - I have only read the first section because I am due at a lesson, but I am gonna! And you will have a whopper of a review on your hands!

love ya as always,

LavaT