Hogwarts '06/7

[Q.Araignee]

Looking around, there was no sign of Misty with Dinas. Something was wrong, she just knew it. Rowena stepped forward a bit to reply, answering the Professor's glare with a steely one of her own.
"It's just that it's been half an hour since you left, sir, and we were getting worried. Do you know where Misty is?"

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

"No, it looks like she's gone missing. I've let Professor Prewett know. Hopefully we're overreacting and she's just held up somewhere... but we need to make sure that's the case. I'm going to call off the practice, but you should all go to dinner at the table, it's all set up. The cooks will come up to take your orders 5 minutes after everyone that's coming to the table is seated. Could you please go down and tell the others? Obviously they can take a short break but make it short."

[GodrictheGriffon]

"There's something strange going on. And I don't like it. What if Misty's-"Lily gulped. the word was stuck n her throat."What if Misty's dead?"She finished weakly. Rowena gaped at her.
"I mean. It's all incredibly unusual, isn't it. There's definately something going on here that shouldn't be."

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Dinas walked back to his office to think.

He would wipe Misty's memory and return her tomorrow. He needed fear. That was what this was all about. He needed as much fear as he could produce. Then, and only then, could his plan be realised.

He picked up a small hand-held mirror from his desk.

"Minister?" he queried.

"Right here, Dino. How's progress coming along?"

"Brilliant... it's perfect so far. But your end is much more important. Have you got everyone you need?"

"Everyone. I've imperiused some others too, just to be safe."

"Good. Our time is nearly here, my friend. We will define the next generation. Gone will be the mudblood lovers. It will be an extermination, my Minister."

"They will bow to us, Dino. I will contact you soon."

"Good evening, Bruno."

The Minister for Magic was an old friend. Bruno Archibald. A foolish, gullible old friend.

[Q.Araignee]

There was a terrible truth in Lily's words, one that made Rowena sure of what they had to do.
"We should go and tell the rest of the team about dinner." Her voice sounded oddly still, and Lily threw her an incredulous look- so she turned to face her friend properly.
"Dinas is up to something, we know it. Ever since that day with Professor Lupin and everyone. So we're going to find out what. We follow the team up to dinner, leave early- saying we can't eat more because we're too worried about Misty- and then we find a way into Dinas' office."
She knew she was flushed wih anger, and couldn't care less. Almost as an afterthought, she added in a harsh whisper- "I'm not losing anyone else."

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Dinas changed his mind. It would be too dangerous to hide Misty away for the whole night. He started walking up to the Room of Requirement. By now, the Quidditch team should be starting their dinner, he thought.

[GodrictheGriffon]

Lily sighed."You're right."she said"Now let's go tell the others."
They set off down to the quidditch pitch in silence. Neither could talk. They were just to worried about Misty.
The rest of the team was still in teh air when they arrived.
"Tell them to come down." she told the seeker who was passing by. He shrugged and flew off to tell the rest of the team. In a minute, the rest of the team was there surrounding them.
"Dinas still hasn't found Misty, but he found us and told us to get you and tell you to go up to his office for dinner." the team set about finding the bludger's and the snitch to put them back into the crate. They appeared at Dinas' door within twenty minutes and sat waiting for him, talking about quidditch.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Dinas entered his office and saw the whole team ready and waiting for him to start dinner.

"Look who I've found!" he introduced Misty to the group. The Slytherins shrugged. The Gryffindors looked slightly more cheerful about it, greeting Misty like she'd died and come back to life.

"It seems Miss Burns got cornered by an angry centaur in the Forest where she was helping the groundskeeper and couldn't do anything until she was rescued by some kinder of the folk. They gave her a ride back to the castle."

[GodrictheGriffon]

"That's great!" said Lily with a slightly falsley-sweet smile. She glanced at Rowena there was something wrong. And they were going to find out what.

[Q.Araignee]

It took a great deal of effort for Rowena to not turn to Lily's glance, and to plaster a delighted grin on her face. But when they sat down, they were either side of Misty- whatever they would find out, they would make sure Misty was with them the whole time.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

The team settled into the rhythm of dinner, certain sections of the group discussing relevant tactics. The Slytherins didn't seem to be letting anyone else in on their talks.

[GodrictheGriffon]

"What happened? Where were you?"Lily asked as teh conversation turned to the use of the Hawkes-Head Attacking Formation.
Misty didn't answer she just stared down at her plate of pasta.
"Can you tell us? Do you remember?"Lily tried prompting her again.
Still nothing.

[Scarlet Lioness]

She had a blank look on her face.

'Didn't you hear Dinas? I got cornered by some lunatic of a centaur...'

She stared back down at her pasta.

[GodrictheGriffon]

Lily shot Rowena a skeptical glance with raised eye-brows over teh top of Misty's head. Lily could tell that Misty was lying. She hadn't told them why she was in The Forest in te first place.

[Q.Araignee]

Rowena nodded a little, agreeing with Lily. She finished off her chilli quickly and looked at Misty worriedly.
"But why would a Centaur get angry with you?" she asked reasonably. "I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and I'm sure I saw something about how the Centaurs in the Forest won't hurt any students from the school if they're alone- they don't harm 'foals'. There must be something else you're forgetting..."