Watching

Ginny was about to rush outside with her wand held high but Colin's calm voice stopped her.

"Don't come thundering out here," Colin said with an awful calm voice. "If you do then they will throw killing curses even before trying to know who they are killing. Don't risk it, Ginny."

Ginny felt frustrated as she gripped her wand more tightly but she knew Colin was right. They had the elements of surprise and they could easily win if they knew how to use it.

"How many of them are here? What are they doing?" Ginny asked.

"Four. They are holding Luna and questioning her," Colin replied. "I am above them, hiding on the tree right outside of our tent. They haven't seen me yet. They are roughly interrogating Luna. We have to do something quickly. The Polyjuice Potion will wear off of her in a bit."

"Alright," Ginny squared her shoulders remembering how Chris was the coming up with plans and final decisions, so Ginny needed to have a cool brain . . . well, as cool as much Ginny Weasley could manage. "I am attacking them in my tiger form. Use the distraction to attack them from your position. Do not show yourself unless it's necessary."

"But Ginny --"

Before Colin could protest, Ginny changed into her tiger form and peeked outside the tent. Sure enough, four black-cloaked men were holding Luna, who was disguised as a young woman, and Colin was nowhere in sight. Ginny was glad that the Animagus form came with its perks. The tigers were stealthy and dangerous animal and by now she exactly knew how to use those skills of her tiger form. With steps light as feathers, Ginny came out and then suddenly lunged at the death eater close to her.

"Argghhhhh!"

Totally shocked the men screamed and scattered. The other three men tried to point their wands at the tiger but Colin knocked one of them, while the other dodged and threw a few curses up at the tree. The third blond one let go of Luna and cast a bunch of spells on Ginny. Using her body flexibility Ginny rolled the man she was holding and the spells hit him in the back and his body went limp. Before the blond man could use any other spell, Ginny jerked away from the man's body she was holding as a shield, then jumped at the blond one. The force knocked the wand out of his hand and his head made contact with a heavy stone and a sickening crunch, while Colin jumped down, and his and Luna's combined spells hit the other remaining man and he dropped on the ground.

After a moment of stunned silence, Colin hurried and hugged Luna, who's body was returning to her normal appearance, and Ginny changed back into her human form.

"I am so sorry," Luna said. "I really checked everything before I undid the protecting spells. I don't know how . . ."

"It's okay. It's fine," Colin said pulling back from her, then he turned to Ginny and froze. "Ginny, you okay? Your hands. . ."

Ginny's hands were covered in blood and she was staring at them with an odd expression. Colin and Luna reached Ginny and she shook her head looking at the black-cloaked men.

"It's not my blood. Let's check how are these minions doing?" She said and reached for the blond whose head just contacted with the stone. Ginny realised where the blood in her hands came from. The back of the man's head was bleeding and it was all over the stone and the ground, his blond hair was soaked in blood. Hesitantly Ginny held her finger near the man's nose. Not breathing. She touched his wrist. No response. Taking a deep breath Ginny turned over the man's hand and there was a death mark on his forearm. Ginny looked up and saw Colin and Luna checking the other three-man. "A Death-Eater and . . . dead."

Luna and Colin both stopped short for a moment. Then Colin sighed heavily.

"And he is hit by the killing curse," Colin pointed at the man whom Ginny used as a shield.

Another short pause.

"This man is alive," Luna said checking the man they knocked out at last. "And no death mark, so I think he is one of Malgino's minions."

"This one, too," Colin said checking the other one.

"Let's restraint them quickly," Ginny said getting up.

"You can go wash yourself, Ginny," Colin said seriously. "Luna and I will handle this."

"No, I am fine," Ginny said but Colin and Luna knew she was lying. It was written on her face that how uneasy she was. "Let's get this over with. What are we going to do with those two knocked out?"

"They didn't see any of us," said Colin tying them up with magical ropes. "So I think a memory charm will be enough."

"And how are we going to explain these --" Ginny gestured towards the dead men. "-- bodies?"

"It's simple," Luna said looking at Ginny with full determination and then waved her wand. One of the dead bodies changed into a palm-sized black pebble. "No one will know what happened here."

Ginny and Colin exchanged a shocked look.

"Remember what Dumbledore said to Chris?" Luna waved her wand again, changing the other body into another black pebble. "We all have the power to kill. But it's our choices and reasons, which make us different."

"I know," Ginny said glaring at the two tied knocked out men. Then she met Luna's eyes and gave a strong nod.

"I will do the memory charm and leave them a little bit far from here," Colin said hastily. "You guys pack our things. We need to get going."

***

Chris woke up late in the morning. She couldn't sleep much last night. There was so much that she didn't know -- the wizarding world didn't know about Vampires, or maybe they knew once upon a time. But now everything was kind of just stories. Chris was also worried about Oziyat and Gweneth's talk last night. She felt that maybe someone was after Oziyat and a lot was going on in this Castle but what? And the most important thing in her mind was: if today the Queen was going to meet her or not? Because the chances were very low, as there was no sign of Gweneth or anyone who would tell her about the Queen. A new servant brought her breakfast and lunch but still no word from the royals. Finally, feeling frustrated Chris went to meet Zil after lunch. She sat outside the gazebo looking at the trees around, while Zil lay down beside her looking equally bored. That's when Fawkes appeared in front of them with a burst of flames. Zil made a startled noise as Fawkes sat down on Chris's hand.

"Any news Fawkes?" Chris ruffled the bird's scarlet feathers.

Fawkes looked indifferent.

"Okay, so you just missed me?" Chris smiled guessing.

Fawkes happily snuggled close. Chris's smile broadened as she continued to pat her. Suddenly, Chris felt a pair of eyes watching her. She looked around very quickly and heard a sudden snapping sound. In a split second, she had her wand out as her eyes scanned her surroundings. There should not be anyone outside here other than her, no vampire would come out in the sun, she was sure. So who?

But now everything was silent, though Chris knew that her spy was still there. So she pretended to sit back and act casual as if she thought the sound was a mistake. After a few seconds, she felt the gaze on her again and now she knew where was the spy.

Without touching her wand or uttering anything Chris slightly extended her right hand and cast the paralysing spell on the bushes on her right. A soft thud sound followed her spell.

"Let's see, who are you?"

________ ________

To be continued. . .