The Elementals by Namacub95 (best book club books for discussion .txt) 📕

the forest cleared but they weren't in the school grounds. They were standing on a cliff with the moonlit lake twenty foot below them and to the west they could see Hogwarts, a beautiful sight any other time.

"You have your wand right?" Shauna asked as she produced hers from an inside pocket.

"Funny story." Keith said with a grimace

"Idiot." Shauna muttered "Why the hell didn't you bring your wand? Do you want to be killed?"

"I didn't think I would need it!"

"Newsflash Downes! Always have your wand!" Shauna yelled

"I'm not stupid! I just didn't expect to be attacked or be running for my life!" Keith yelled back

"You should always expect the unexpected! Remember Moody's saying? CONSTANT VILGILANCE!"

"For God's sake Shauna! If I went around like that then half of Hogwarts would be in ruins!"

"Use your brain Downes! You take your wand everywhere with you!"

"Oh shut up!" Keith yelled "You're doing my head in!"

"You aren't a walk in the park either!"

"Then go away!" Shauna scowled at Keith and walked a short distance away. She began to pace like a caged animal with Keith following her movements. She suddenly stopped dead and turned to look at Keith.

"What are you staring at!" Shauna demanded.

"Nothing!"

"Quit staring at me! You're starting to creep me out!"

"Shhhh!" Keith said looking past her into the bushes, he swore that he just saw one move.

"Don't 'shhhh' me! AND QUIT STARING!"

"BEHIND YOU! HIT THE DECK!" Keith yelled. Shauna dropped to the ground and flames shot over her head, she missed them by an inch. Three black cloaked figures emerged from the forest

"Death Eaters!" Shauna hissed. The dark cloaked figures advanced on the two teenagers and Shauna pushed herself to her feet and pointed her wand at them. Keith pushed himself to his feet as well and glared at their attackers.

"Who are you?" Shauna asked.

"Step aside child and we might spare you and your friend." Said one who sounded like a man with a rough Scottish accent.

"Tell me who you are." Shauna demanded.

"That is none of your concern. Now move!" the same one replied.

"I'm not moving until you tell us who you are and why you attacked our friends." Shauna declared.

"This is the last chance I am going to give you. Now move aside little girl."

Shauna didn't move but Keith shifted slightly so he was closer to Shauna, he didn't want her to be attacked how ever much she annoyed him. There was a brief moment of complete silence while nobody spoke or moved.

"Fine, you have made your choice." Before Shauna could do anything a jet of black flame was shot at her. Keith shot an arm out to try and stop the flames from hitting Shauna and suddenly Shauna yelled, not in pain but surprise. A jet of water shot from behind them and extinguished the flames.

He didn't know what had just happened and personally didn't care at that moment because it had just saved Shauna and himself from being flambéed. Shauna had a look of utter amazement and slight fear on her face. Keith tried it again and the water whipped from behind them again and hit the attacker directly in front of them who stumbled back clutching his face.

"It's him! He's an Elemental!" yelled one who from the sound of her voice was female.

"Get him! But remember don't kill him!" yelled the one with the Scottish accent.

Several jets of flame were shot at Keith and he grabbed Shauna's arm and pulled her out of the way.

"Stupefy!" Shauna yelled as Keith dragged her out of the way. The spell was easily dodged and more flames were shot at them. The three closed in on them with more black flames.

"Albus!" Alice screamed as a jet of black flame barely missed his head. Alice pulled her friend with her through the shrubbery of the forest in a desperate attempt to elude their pursuers.

There was a deafening rumble from above and Alice looked up to see thunder clouds rolling overhead and hiding the full moon. She was quickly shaken from her thoughts by a hiss from Albus to hurry up.

They shuffled through the undergrowth but they couldn't hear anyone coming after them.

"Where have they gone?" Alice hissed glancing around fearfully as if she expected someone to jump out from behind a tree at any moment.

"I dunno but be quiet. We might have lost them." Albus replied. The two continued in a stop start pattern through the thick shrubbery hoping that they had eluded their pursuers but Albus felt that they wouldn't have given up that easily.

They quickly scrambled out of the thick undergrowth to a small clearing. They stopped to rest for a few minutes after climbing through the undergrowth. The thunderstorm above them rumbled ominously and lightening flashed above them which caused the two teenagers to look up.

"C'mon we have to keep moving." Albus said when he had caught his breath back. Alice nodded in agreement and started to follow Albus out of the clearing.

"There they are!" yelled a voice.

"How the hell do they keep finding us?" Albus said. He and Alice broke into a run again. The two friends hurled through the woods desperate to escape while black flames were shot at them.

"Ahh!" Alice screamed as she tripped over a tree root. Albus spun around to help his friend but she was almost instantly surrounded by the black cloaked figures.

"Alice!" Albus yelled as he saw one of the figures raise their arm and produce the black flames. Albus didn't know what he was thinking but he ran at the figure and tackled them before they could land the strike.

Albus felt almost uncontrollable rage, they had tried to kill his friends…they had tried to kill Alice. Albus and the dark cloaked figure hit the ground with a loud thump and the sound of crumpling leaves. The hood of the person's cloak slid back and Albus was peering at a young sandy haired man.

Albus readied a punch and the man's eyes widened to an almost comical size. He was staring transfixed at Albus's raised fist. Albus looked at his fist and to his horror it was on fire. Albus jumped up with a yell of surprise, his hand was on fire but strangely he couldn't feel any pain at all.

"You're an…" he began.

Alice pushed herself to her feet and tried to run but was caught by the other two. She struggled with all her might to break free of their hold but it was no use. She watched in amazement as Albus's hand ignited and burned, it didn't seem to be hurting him though. She looked up as another flash of lightening illuminated the clearing throwing light on everything.

Alice felt very odd, she felt something welling up inside of her, and a strange power was rising up inside of her, it was because of the storm. Her captures suddenly yelled in pain and let go of her arms. They quickly moved in to grab Alice again and she put up her hands to stop them and a force field erupted from her palms on either side and it stopped them from coming any closer to her.

Albus saw this and ran at the two cloaked figures who made to attack him but roots began to wind themselves around their legs and the promptly fell forwards. Rose and Scorpius were standing behind them and Rose was manipulating the roots.

"You two alright?" Rose asked when she eased out of her stance. Her dress was burnt so they could see her shins and Scorpius's cape had been torn, their faces were blackened with soot but looked alright save for some minor burns on their arms.

"Uh..." Alice and Albus began unsure how to explain the strange powers they just used.

"We saw what you did and don't worry it's fine." Scorpius assured them.

"Where are Shauna and Keith?" Rose asked glancing around.

"We split up to give them a chance to escape." Alice said.

"Hey!" Came a voice from their right, Shauna and Keith were emerging from the darkness. "Whoa...what'd we miss?" Keith asked.

"You guys won't believe what Keith just did!" Shauna said pointing at her companion. "He did something with the water and froze those Death Eaters to the trees!"

"They aren't Death Eaters." Rose said.

"Who are they then?"

"I have a hunch but I just hope I'm wrong." Scorpius muttered.

"C'mon I want to go back to the castle." Alice said as rain began to fall.

Chapter 11: Secrets Revealed

Professor McGonagall sat in her office reading through a letter. It was from a concerned parent and not two days previous she had received a similar letter from another concerned parent. She could understand their concern, if she herself had received the letter which she had sent to both sets of parents she would reply with concern too.

The father was asking her if his son was completely and utterly safe in Hogwarts, she knew his concern. He had been an ex-pupil of hers and although she hadn't held him in the highest regard then she had to admit that between then and now that pupil had changed.

The contents of the letter slipped through her mind as she read and stored itself in her mind, reminding her to write back as soon as she could and tell him that there was absolutely nothing to worry about.

…my wife and I thank you for telling us this unexpected news and hope that our son will remain safe in your care.

Draco Malfoy

McGonagall finished the letter and decided that some things just couldn't wait so she retrieved a quill and parchment from a drawer in her desk.

There was a sharp knock on door which caused her to look up from the parchment and she sat her quill down again. There was only one reason why anyone should disturb her at this ungodly hour. The storm was still raging outside with the occasional lightening flash illuminating the room.

"Come in." She said. The door open and six dishevelled, ash covered and scared teenagers stood in the doorway accompanied by Professor Davies, Professor Harries and Professor Downes.

"Sorry about the late hour Minerva." Professor Downes apologised. Professor McGonagall put away the parchment and the three teacher and six pupils filed into the room.

"I assume you know why we are here." Professor Davies said the experience was hardly a new one.

"Yes I do Preston." McGonagall said with a nod "But there are six students here, two of which I have seen before."

"There was an altercation on the school grounds." Professor Harries explained. The Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher looked grim; her lime green eyes stared at the floor like a child caught doing something they shouldn't. "It was Cult members and from what we have been told they were here to search for the Elementals."

"I see." Professor McGonagall said, deep in thought.

"These six were found and chased through the Forbidden Forest." Professor Harries continued "The Cult members were trying to kill them."

"Did you know this was occurring Morgana?" McGonagall asked. Professor Harries shook her head.

"I only found out when they ran out of the forest yelling about being attacked." She answered "We followed them and found the Cult members