Lazuli - Harry Potter Fan Fiction (Draco Malfoy)

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

In order to write these scenes that featured in the movie, I had to watch each scene about 6 times to get the dialogue right. So please excuse me if there are a few mistakes (there shouldn't be but you never know).

I've also obviously had to edit them in order to add in dialogue for Juliet, as she's a character of my own invention and therefore isn't in the books or the movies. I've tried not to make the original dialogue too different, just added in extra bits.

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I catch up with Ron and the other's just as they're making their way towards the Covered Bridge. "He let you go?" Ginny exclaims when she sees me. I nod slowly and catch sight of two figures in the distance, running towards us. A boy and a girl.

It's evident pretty soon that it's Harry and Hermione, as we charge towards them I wonder how they managed to escape and where Umbridge is. But before I can ask, Hermione beats us to the chase. "How'd you get away?" She exclaims. Ginny looks at Ron and beams proudly. "Puking Pastilles, it wasn't pretty."

Ron beams as he takes Harry's wand out and hold it out to Harry. I do the same with Hermione's wand, which had been safely stored in my pocket, along with my own. She takes it gratefully. "Told 'em I was hungry and wanted some sweets. Course they told me to get lost and ate the lot themselves."

Harry grins at Ron's recount of how we escaped and Hermione gasps. "That was clever Ron!"

Ron shrugs his shoulders. "It have been known to happen." He says simply.

Behind me, Neville clears his throat. "So, how're we getting London?" He asks Harry. We all look to our appointed leader expectantly. Using the Floo Network is clearly out-ruled with the Inquisitorial Squad vomiting inside.

"Look, it's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done, but I've got you into enough trouble as it is." Harry states, pushing us aside so that he can get through. Amazed at how he's still persisting in trying to dispel us from coming with him, I shake my head slowly. "Harry, we talked about this..." I trail off.

"Dumbledore's Army was supposed to be about doing something real," Neville backs me up, "or was that all just words to you?"

We all look at Harry expectantly, awaiting his decision. Without us there, he'll surely get himself into trouble and with no back-up and a possible handful of death eaters that wanted him dead, that would be a dangerous combination.

"Maybe you don't have to do this all by yourself mate," Ron adds for moral support, nodding at Harry as best friends are supposed to. With a reluctant sigh, Harry nods slowly and gives in just like he did when Hermione and Ron suggested forming the DA. "So, how are we getting to London?"

For what seems like a millennium, we stand and wrack our brains as to how we'll get there. Brooms are ruled out, I'll have to retrieve mine from my bedroom and risk running into the Inquisitorial squad. The Floo network is out for obvious reasons and none of us can apparate, even if we could it's impossible to do so in the school grounds. At this rate, it would be quicker for us to walk to London than stand around thinking of a way to get there.

Nobody expects Luna to be the one to come up with an answer.

"We fly of course!" She trills.

We all look at her in confusion. "Luna, brooms are out of the question..." Ginny retorts slowly. Luna shakes her head, her thick blonde curls jumping wildly. "No, not brooms. Follow me!"

With no alternative but whatever Luna has in mind, we follow her as she runs back across the Covered Bridge, away from the castle and towards the Forbidden Forest. Harry seems to pick up on where she's taking us before long and congratulates Luna on the initiative of her plan. But despite us asking him time and time again as we canter through the forest, our wands raised and ready for any attack in the perilous place, he refuses to reveal anything. "Just wait and see" is all he says.

We reach a clearing that I've visited a few times before for my care of magical creatures lessons. Except today we don't have Professor Grubbly-Plank or Hagrid with us. And there are now pre-trained creatures that are perfectly safe to see.

Instead there is a colony of some peculiar looking beasts, with dark skin and appearing to be made entirely of bones. Large black wings stretch from the sides of the horse-like creatures, who are peacefully grazing in the clearing. Luna and Harry stride confidently towards two of the creatures, petting them warmly. Luna beckons me over. "You can see them? Oh of course, Millicent. Don't be shy, they're harmless. They're called thestrals." Wondering why she mentions Millicent at such a peculiar time, I creep over to her and hold my hand out for one of the foals to nuzzle. It's surprisingly warm and soft, completely unlike what I was expecting, but still brilliant.

"What are you guys doing?" Ginny asks curiously. I turn to notice that Hermione, Ron, Neville and my sister are still stood back from us, looking around confusedly. "Thestrals can only be seen by those who've seen death. Imagine a scarier-looking horse with wings." Harry describes for the others. "We're going to ride them?" I ask Luna, who nods enthusiastically.

"They're quite safe," she reassures me.

"Have I got this right? You're expecting me to fly all the wall to London on some strange thing that I can't even see?" Ron coughs. Harry places a hand on his shoulder and nods. "You'll be fine, just don't move around too much."

Luna, Harry and I guide the others towards the creatures and help them climb on. The thestrals stay completely calm and still whilst be boarded, waiting for their passengers to become accustomed to the strange feeling of sitting on something invisible but feeling it's breath as if breathes.

Once us three are on three more beasts, one of them - who assume must be the leader of their strange little pack - whinnies loudly and begins to canter, taking off and carrying Luna with it. The rest of our thestrals follow closely suit, and I'm reminded of the day I spent at Malfoy Manor, riding horses with Draco. Of course, those horses didn't fly.

Or at least I think they didn't.

After we pass over the Black Lake and begin to head upwards and into a southerly direction, I realise how tired I am and rest my head on the neck of the thestral, shutting my eyes as we soar through the air. I'm going to need all of the energy I can get tonight, and despite the fact that I've only known it for a short period of time, I doubt that my thestral will let me fall.

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Sorry that chapter is so short! I wanted to have everything that happened at the Ministry of Magic in the next one, so I thought that here would be a good place to stop it.