Chapter Thirty-Seven
"Lowered Defenses"

Page One

"Flitwick's started working on the sleeping bags," said Charlie, walking over to talk with Sirius. "I've discussed the matter with Snape… we've decided I need to make the first run, to make sure it's safe."

"What about Fudge?" asked Sirius, nodding his head at the sleeping lump of the Minister of Magic.

"We're leaving him out of this," spat Charlie disdainfully. "He'll have nothing but negativity, we don't need that right now."

"Agreed. Are you sure you should go alone?"

Charlie nodded his head. "I'll be fine. I tailed you for ages and you didn't even know it. I can circle the grounds, make it to Hogsmeade and back and no one will be the wiser."

"Do you have somewhere in mind to house the children?" asked Sirius concernedly.

Charlie nodded his head again, this time with a slight grin as his cheeks began to blush. "I know a young lady who used to attend Hogwarts. She graduated early and started a Bed and Breakfast on the outskirts of town. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to take care of some kids for a while, she's used to it."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at Charlie, noticing his cheeks getting progressively redder. "Go on, then, but please be careful… and I'll have questions for you this time about your activities."

Charlie smiled as he turned to leave the Great Hall. The rain was still pounding dramatically outside as clouds swirled ever faster overhead. Charlie found the dragons right where he had left them, holding their ground right outside the front doors. A very large, deep emerald green dragon turned her head toward Charlie, her majestic neck gliding swiftly and elegantly from side to side, battling with the horrendous winds.

"We're going for a ride again, Shiva," said Charlie softly, stroking the dragon's scales. The dragon proffered her wing to Charlie as a step up to the crest of her neck. He climbed up, grasping onto a small rope that had been tied around her shoulders.

"Up you get," he whispered. Immediately her wings began to beat, shaking Charlie's sides. Quickly the dragon was airborne, hovering gently in place, awaiting directions. "To the Inn, girl, by way of the forest."

The dragon seemed set on auto-pilot, knowing immediately where to go. They had traveled this area many times and Shiva knew it by heart. She flew over the lake whose waves were whipping the bank as violently as if the giant squid's tentacles had grown massively and were attacking the ground, fighting for a hold on the land. The trees swayed just as Charlie had tried haphazardly to explain to Sirius, as if every leaf were a bird in a gigantic flock, breaking away from the ground and swaying nonchalantly in order, without any directions being given. Everything was as expected, except for one small figure out of place. Someone was running frantically across the grounds, straight toward the forbidden forest.

Charlie clicked his teeth and pushed forward gently on the creature's neck, urging her downward. The message understood, Shiva dove toward the figure running across the muddy grass. As if chasing a snitch, her path was set, her determination uninterrupted. She opened her talons, ready to grasp it by the shoulders.

The figure on the ground felt the impending shadow overtake the little light that hung over him, guiding his way. He looked up to see two massive talons reach for his shoulders, seize them tightly and lift his feet from the ground.

Charlie flew directly back toward the other dragons, still guarding the entrance to Hogwarts. The person he had captured was flailing viciously against the dragon's clutches, but did so without making a sound.

Shiva hovered over the ground, again lowering its wing to allow Charlie to slide off. As his feet hit the ground Charlie spun his head toward Shiva's catch of the day.

"Malfoy!" shouted Charlie. "What the devil are you doing out here?"

Malfoy's head spun around to meet Charlie's gaze dead on. Charlie took a step back in alarm as he saw Lucius's eyes; they were wild, untamed, as if they were the eyes of a madman. Charlie pulled out his wand from his shirt pocket and pointed it slowly at Lucius. "I'm sorry to do this to you," he said slowly, "But you don't seem… well. Ligare!"

Ropes flew out of Charlie's wand and bound their way around Lucius, tying his arms to his side and his ankles together, rendering him completely immobile. Charlie looked up at Shiva and nodded. Immediately, Shiva's talons loosened and Malfoy dropped to the ground, landing roughly on his backside. Charlie reached around and grabbed the back of Lucius's cloak, dragging him up the steps and into the castle.

"Sirius!" shouted Charlie urgently. "Snape!" He walked over to the doors to the Great Hall and flung them open.

Several tablecloths were floating in midair, each one holding a few students. Flitwick had been running drills to test the contraptions he had created. As the doors flew open, Flitwick lost his concentration and several of the tablecloths fell back to the ground, a few moans coming from inside the satchels as students hit the floor.

"Look who I caught," said Charlie as Snape and Sirius ran up to him, spinning Lucius around on the floor so he was facing the oncoming duo.

Snape and Sirius stopped dead in their tracks as they saw the wide, malicious eyes of Lucius Malfoy.

"What's going on?" asked Harry, climbing out from under one of the white tablecloths that had fallen.

Immediately Lucius's head turned toward the sound of Harry's voice. He sat bolt-upright off the floor, his eyes grew intensely focused and his whole body seemed to swell. A piercing demonic scream came from beneath the rope that tied his mouth and within an instant the ropes began to break. Before anyone realized what was going on, Lucius was free from his bounds and was lunging toward Harry, the scream echoing around the room like the shriek of a banshee. His mouth grew wider, revealing small white teeth, pointed and jagged, anxious for the attack.

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