Author’s Note: Chapter eight is here! I’m pretty sure it’s longer than the rest...but even if it’s not, there’s a lot that occurs in this chapter. Before you begin reading, I want to say that in chapter three, there was a mistake with the name of the vampire Malfoy mentioned: the real name is Jareth but I believe I mistakenly spelled it Jadeth. A HUGE thanks to: Mischief Managed, MrsMarkDerosa, Sammy23, Shadowkitty22, SlytherinPrincess55, Steff Lestrange, The Phantom and wings_of_shadow for their excellent name/power suggestions! Credit goes to all of you!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Twilight. The chapter name was taken from an episode of The O.C., so, I don't own that either. I also don't own the names Jareth or Elizabeth, those belong to SlytherinPrincess55 and Shadowkitty22 who suggested them. Also, credit for the word "pups" goes to luvjamesnoliver. I also don't own The Dark Knight.
The Shape of Things to Come
Absolutely perfect chapter image by Sammm at TDA!
Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Luna were all seated at the end of the Cullen’s long dining room table. Ron, Neville and Malfoy stood behind them: Neville gripping the back of Luna’s chair, Ron floating between Hermione and Ginny and Malfoy by the giant window, his gaze flickering between the dark scenery and the group of five vampires on the other side of the room.
Carlisle sat directly across from Harry, at the head of the table, his hands casually clasped, resting in front of him. Esme and Rosalie sat on either side of him while Emmett stood behind Rosalie. Jasper’s position was much like Malfoy’s: his arms were folded and he was leaning against the wall. He and Emmett continually exchanged glances.
“Alice should be back with Edward and Bella at any moment,” Carlisle said, slicing the odd tension that had fallen over the room.
Harry nodded, “All right,” he said, returning Carlisle’s smile.
Hermione teetered slightly in her seat and Ron’s weight shifted towards her.
Luna’s head was tilted all the way back; she seemed to be anxiously eyeing the ceiling. She turned her gaze to Carlisle, “This is a very lovely house.”
“Thank you. Esme discovered it completely abandoned when we first moved to town.”
“You renovated it?” Hermione asked and Esme nodded; her smile had the same warming effect that Carlisle’s had.
“Yes, I decorated and furnished it as well, though, not without input from everyone else...” Esme smiled pointedly at Rosalie whose arms were folded tightly like Jasper’s.
“I wanted to design my own room,” she said, her gaze set strictly on her family, as if she didn’t care to look at Harry or the others at all. But Harry suspected that the fact that she had spoken at all was a good sign.
The tension was slowly falling over the room again; Neville refused to look up from his hands which were still on the back of Luna’s chair. Ginny’s gaze was set on her shifting brother.
As Harry’s own worry began to rise once more, he felt a wave of calm sweep over him, his anxiety slowly beginning to seep from his body.
Malfoy’s head jerked away from the window and he yanked his wand from his pocket, pointing it at Jasper who quickly bent into a crouch while Emmett snarled furiously, leaping to Jasper’s side.
“What’re you doing? What the bloody hell are you doing?!” Malfoy’s eyes were wild and Harry and Ron both jumped up while Carlisle and Esme stood to calm Emmett and Jasper, both of which were growling.
“Put that
away,” Ron hissed at Malfoy who continued to stare at Jasper.
“No,” Malfoy said, his voice rising and shaking, as he backed away from Ron, “No, I’m leaving.”
“Malfoy, no—” Harry began but Malfoy disapparated instantly.
“Where’d he go?” Emmett demanded, his voice a low growl. Jasper was still crouched, his eyes dark. Rosalie was poised beside Emmett, her shoulders hunched in a similar manner and her eyes darting around the surrounding area.
“Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper.” Carlisle spoke firmly while Esme floated to Jasper’s side. “Control yourselves, please.”
Harry looked to Carlisle gratefully, who seemed to have tamed, for lack of a better term, Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie to the point where they stood up straight once more.
“We’re so sorry about him!” Hermione breathed once Carlisle turned back, “I—I have no idea what’s gotten into him...”
Hermione turned to give Harry a meaningful glance while Ron scowled beside him.
“Shouldn’t have brought the bloody git...”
Emmett guffawed.
“It’s my fault,” Harry said hurriedly, still foggy over what had just taken place.
What
had gotten into Malfoy? Normally, Malfoy was composed, though; Harry always considered him partially a coward. But this was one of Malfoy’s areas of expertise—the only reason Harry had let him come along in the first place. Jasper had been merely shifting the mood, making it more comfortable for everyone and Malfoy had...
panicked? Harry wasn’t sure how to describe Malfoy’s reaction; he couldn’t explain the wild look in his eyes.
But he recognized it.
He recognized that look from the time he came across Malfoy in moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, when Malfoy was overcome with desperation from Voldemort’s orders to murder Dumbledore.
But why would Malfoy feel the same desperation
here when he had vouched that the Cullens wouldn’t cause them any harm?
Harry was drawn out of his thoughts by Luna’s airy voice.
“Our actions are our own. It’s not your fault, Harry.”
Harry looked up at her before glancing at Ginny who was nodding fervently.
“Malfoy’s always been insane, Harry.”
The Cullens were all gazing at Harry, Jasper’s expression confused while Emmett began to look relaxed again.
“Alice is back,” Esme said softly, hearing Alice’s arrival.
Neville and Ron exchanged looks while Hermione straightened in her chair. Ginny was still looking at Harry.
Alice skipped daintily into the room, going instantly to Jasper’s side and taking his hand in hers—a quiet reassurance. She preceded a boy with a tall, lean frame and an array of bronze hair; he looked barely older than Harry. But what caught Harry’s attention the most was that he was holding the hand of a girl, a girl with slightly pink cheeks and chocolate brown eyes—a
human girl.
Neville was the first person who caught Harry’s gaze—he looked utterly bewildered, a look shared by Ron and Hermione both. Luna and Ginny, however, appeared to be unaffected by the obvious intimate relationship between the vegetarian vampire and the human girl.
“Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville, this is my son Edward and his fiancé, Bella. You remember Alice, of course.”
Harry nodded at Carlisle before raising a hand and murmuring a hello to the two newcomers.
Ron’s eyes were slightly narrowed, scrutinizing Edward.
Edward was holding Bella behind him, her face poking out from behind his back to gaze at Harry and the others. Rosalie’s expression remained harsh while Emmett’s grin had returned to his face; Neville continually glanced at Emmett out of the corner of his eye.
Jasper was standing stiffly while Alice hugged his arm, her expression one of almost impatience. Carlisle was still wearing a warm smile, obviously trying to make Harry and the others feel more comfortable. Esme was sitting again, her stare flickering between her family members.
The tension was becoming unbearable once more, especially with Jasper no longer trying to improve the mood.
“Look,” Harry began, taking a step forward while all eyes, gold or otherwise, focused on him, “We’re not here to hurt anyone...we just...need help.”
“With?” Rosalie demanded and Carlisle gave her a reprimanding look.
“A prophecy that was made by a seer at our school—” Jasper’s eyes flickered to Alice who continued to look at Harry, her expression suddenly hard, “—you see, in our world, a war just ended. A dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, tried to take over the world by killing all of the muggle-borns—er, wizards and witches born to families with no previous association with the wizarding world—and using his followers, Death Eaters, as well as other creatures to help him gain power. Just after the war, Professor Trelawney—the seer—made a prediction that a group of vampires, the Forus, who worked under Voldemort, would try to take over the world...” Harry trailed off, wondering how to best phrase the next part of what he had to say.
“The prediction said that the world would fall to utter black if Harry—” Hermione glanced at Harry after picking up where he left off, “—and a golden-eyed coven didn’t stop them.”
Silence fell over the room after Hermione’s breathy finish.
Emmett was no longer smiling and Rosalie, Esme and Bella were all wearing horrified expressions. Jasper and Edward had both tightened their grips on Alice and Bella; Edward’s mouth was in a tight line while the corners of Jasper’s lips twitched into a deep frown.
“Was that all of the information given to you in the prophecy?” Carlisle asked; his eyebrows were puckered with worry.
“Yes,” Harry said, wishing suddenly that he had more information to give them. Harry realized that even if the Cullens agreed to help them, he had no idea where to begin.
“Harry was the one who killed...
Voldemort,” Neville spoke abruptly, drawing all eyes to him, “I mean, during the battle, Harry’s the one that saved us all.”
There were nods from all of the wizards and witches in the room.
“All of you helped...” Harry said, his eyes focused on the white carpet beneath his feet.
Ginny cocked a brow, “I didn’t help that much.”
“You were the one who figured everything out, Harry,” Hermione said gently while Neville nodded in agreement.
“We’d all be dead if it weren’t for you, mate,” Ron sighed and Harry found himself frowning.
“Some people
are dead because of me,” Harry said as his head snapped up.
“That’s not true!” Hermione gasped.
“Really? What about Collin or Dobby or Lupin and Tonks or
Fred?” Ginny looked down, “If I hadn’t waited to turn myself in—”
“Then you would be dead!” Ron snapped, his face aflame.
“But I’m not, am I?” Harry countered, his voice rising, “Everything happened because of
me and now it’s all going to happen
again! I can’t ask all of you for help—” Harry looked between his friends and the Cullens, “—I can’t put anyone in danger.”
“You don’t have to ask—” Ron began.
“—we would never let you do this alone.” Hermione rose.
“This is our world too,” Neville said, “And—and we want to fight for its safety.”
“Neville’s right.” Carlisle stood, “If the prophecy you’ve informed us of is correct, then we are all in danger. I cannot speak for my entire family—” Carlisle looked back at Emmett, Rosalie, Esme, Edward, Bella, Alice and Jasper, “—but I will do all that I can to help.”
“Count me in!” Emmett volunteered with a wide grin.
Esme stood and laced her fingers with Carlisle’s, her agreement to help silent. Harry suspected that Esme would follow Carlisle anywhere and vice versa.
Jasper and Alice exchanged a long and meaningful look, their eyes speaking silently for them, “This...sounds a lot like the territory fights in the south,” Jasper said, “I’ll definitely help.”
“Anything to keep our family safe,” Alice nodded, tightening her grip on Jasper’s arm as she looked up at his pale face.
“I agree with Alice: anything to keep my family safe,” Edward said, his eyes set on Bella’s worried face.
“C’mon, babe, it’ll be fun...” Emmett prodded Rosalie, who let a small smile slip.
“I’ll fight,” she finally agreed and Emmett’s grin widened further yet.
Harry’s stomach was clenched. He didn’t want
anyone to have to help him...
“This isn’t Voldemort, Harry,” Ron said and Harry looked up at his best friend, “This isn’t about just you. We have to do this
together: accept our help, mate.”
Hermione’s eyes were brimming with tears as she took Ron’s hand.
“Thank you,” Harry said, softly, “All of you.” He looked around at Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Edward and Rosalie—all of whom were willing to sacrifice their lives to fight.
Bella was about to say something when Edward spoke, “Hmm... that’s an interesting idea...”
Edward was responding to someone’s thoughts, Harry assumed. Edward turned to face Jasper.
“I’m not sure if they'll agree,” Jasper said and Edward nodded, “But...” he smiled lightly, “It worked well for us last time.”
Alice’s eyes were closed and Bella gasped.
“You’re going to ask the pack for help..?” she choked.
“Alice?” Carlisle asked immediately.
Alice opened her eyes, “I won’t be able to make out their decision until we’ve asked.”
“So when do we fight?” Emmett cut in, his question directed at Harry.
“Ermm...”
“Since we’ve made the conscious decision to fight, Emmett, I’m sure Alice will be able to tell us when it will occur.” Carlisle said, looking at Alice who nodded.
“I’ll be watching,” she assured him with a nod, “But I think we should ask the pups sometime soon; they’re already aware of the arrival.” Harry guessed she was referencing them: himself and the others.
“Do you think they’ll agree to help us?” Esme asked.
“I’m not sure,” Carlisle admitted, “I assume that the fight will take place over in England—” he glanced at Harry who nodded deftly, unsure of whose help the Cullens were talking about asking for, “—it’s far from their territory, Sam may feel uncomfortable taking his pack such a long way.”
“And what will I do?” Bella asked, but she was looking only at Edward.
“You will stay here.”
“
No!”
“Bella, please, I cannot put you in any danger; you cannot come with us.”
“But what about last time—?”
“This may not be like the fight against Victoria,” Edward said softly, “I don’t know if I’ll be able to sit this one out.”
“But no one will be looking for
me; no one will be after me!
Edward—”
Edward cupped her face in his hands, his face contorted in pain, “I’m doing this to keep you safe, Bella. You are my
life and I won’t let anything jeopardize your safety.”
Harry could tell that Bella was thinking hard, trying to come up with something that would allow her to come along.
Ginny was making a face; she knew how it felt to be left behind.
“You could always do it sooner...” Bella said quietly.
“
No!” Edward snarled, “Bella, we had an
agreement!”
“But the wedding was pushed back because of this! If you did it now then I could help, I could fight with you!”
Edward was shaking his head.
“It makes sense...” Emmett said and Edward whirled, his eyes narrowed sharply at his brother, “Sorry, kid.”
“That’s not necessary,” Alice said and Edward and Bella both turned to Alice who was eyeing Ginny, “Sorry. I saw what you have to say.”
“Oh,” Ginny said, “Um, well, she
could come along.” Ginny looked up at Harry, “There is
something that would keep her
invisible.”
“My dad’s old cloak,” Harry explained, giving Ginny a nod before facing the Cullens, most specifically Edward, “When you put it on, you become invisible. No one would be able to see her.”
“And since we’re not fighting at Hogwarts, if things got too bad, we’d be able to get her out of there.” Luna continued with a smile and Hermione nodded.
“Apparation,” she said, “We can appear and reappear in different places within moments. One of us would be able to take her to safety or back to Forks, if need be. ”
“Is that what that one kid just did?” Emmett questioned with a quirk of his brow.
“Malfoy? Yeah, the bloody prick disapparated,” Ron said, a frown reappearing on his face. He’d been severely against the idea of bringing Malfoy along in the first place.
“
Ron!”
“Please, Edward...” Bella pleaded, “I can’t...I could never let you go without me.”
Edward still looked deeply conflicted; he glanced up at Jasper.
“Bella’s right—I doubt their attention would be on her considering their inclusive objective,” Jasper said, looking to be in deep thought himself.
Edward’s eyes closed; “If anything goes wrong...you’ll be able to take her to safety?” he looked to Harry who nodded quickly.
“Yes.”
“Fine,” Edward said, his tone becoming strict, “But you will do as I say the entire time, Bella; if I tell you to leave, then you will.”
Bella nodded with a relieved sigh.
“When should we ask Sam?” Jasper asked as Edward slid an arm around Bella’s waist, pulling her to his chest, a protective gesture.
“How about at a party on Saturday?” Alice asked, a wicked smile flashing across her face, “Afterall, Bella
is turning nineteen.”
“
Noo,” Bella groaned, “Well,” she said with a sigh after noticing Edward’s amused expression, “You got what you wanted...another year as a
human.”
“You said you could do nineteen, love.”
Ron’s eyebrows had shot up, his blue eyes wide, while Neville’s jaw had dropped. Luna looked fascinated.
“You’re going to become a vampire?” she asked curiously and Bella nodded as Edward grimaced.
“Shame,” Emmett shook his head with a smirk, “You’re funny as a human.”
Bella frowned at him as he chuckled to himself; Rosalie’s mouth was in a firm line.
“No parties, Alice,” Bella begged, changing the subject back to her birthday.
Alice pouted, “You’re hurting my feelings, Bella...”
Bella rolled her eyes but sighed, “Just a
small one, okay? Nothing big.”
Alice winked.
* * *
“No, I’m leaving.”
Draco disapparated from the Cullens' dining room and back to his house. His hands trembling, he made his way quickly to the bathroom that was adjoined to his bedroom.
He gripped the sink before turning the water faucets on, letting cool water spill into the marble sink.
He looked up into the mirror and grimaced. He was losing it. He’d begun panicking when the little black-haired girl had left to retrieve the mind-reader. What if he couldn’t keep his mind blank? What if everyone there found out that he was
spying for the Forus?
He could almost feel the mind-reader getting closer as he stood by the large window. Desperation had taken over and Draco used the fact that Jasper was shifting the mood as an excuse to leave. He couldn’t have staid, not with the possibility of exposing himself. If the Cullens found out, they would have killed him.
Right?
Draco sighed into his hands as he splashed water on his face. When he looked back up into the mirror, he saw a pair of bright crimson eyes staring back at him.
Draco’s mouth fell open in horror as his collar was grabbed and he was flung back into his bedroom, skidding across the wooden floorboards.
Elizabeth glided to the bathroom’s door-frame, her vibrant, long, blonde hair framing her angular pale face. Physically, she was only eighteen.
“Back so soon?” she asked, her voice high-pitched, “I thought you were supposed to be doing your job?”
Elizabeth stepped into the room, her white sun-dress billowing behind her in a non-existent wind, and sashayed towards him.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, bending down and caressing Draco’s cheek softly with one of her thin fingers while her crimson eyes sparkled, “Did the wittle wabbits scare you?” Her thin lips puckered into a mocking pout before she stood, “Get up,” she commanded harshly and Draco scrambled up.
Elizabeth leapt lithely onto his bed before lounging across it while her eyes closed.
“Now, tell me what you’re doing here, Draco.”
“I only came back for a moment...” he mumbled.
She opened one eye, looking at him out of the corner of it, “Liar,” she said calmly.
“I’m going back. You’ll have your information soon.”
“I should hope so.” Elizabeth sat up and gave Draco a sultry look over her shoulder, “When I saw that you were here...I thought you might have,
ah, forgotten our little agreement.”
“
Briony and I had an agreement,” Draco spat, Elizabeth’s teasing manner angering him.
“When you made the agreement with Briony, you made it with all of us, Draco, sweetie,” she smirked at him, “With me, with Jareth, with Rolf—”
“
I get it,” Draco hissed, flinching.
Elizabeth’s deep red eyes narrowed, “I told you not to fail us—”
“I won’t. I’ll go back, I just needed to...”
“Get some courage?” Elizabeth stood up and floated towards him; she was nearly a head shorter than him. Elizabeth gripped Draco’s chin in on of her icy hands, “Find it quickly, Draco, or you and
Briony won’t have much of an agreement anymore. Not when I get through with you.” She stood on her toes, leaning forward gracefully and licking the pulse point on his neck. “Oh no...you won’t have an agreement at all...”
And then she was gone.
Draco sank to his knees as the September breeze soared through the open window.
He had to go back to Forks, but how could he fool the mind reader? There had to be some way to prevent Edmund—
was that his name?—from reading his mind. A spell, perhaps or—
Draco’s head jerked up.
Occlumency.
Author’s Note: I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, as well as the length of it. At this point, the plot is beginning to pick up and the next chapter will move us further along in the story. I also want to mention that when Alice said that she won't be able to make out the wolves' decision until they (the Cullens) ask, she's referencing the the fact that the future won't disappear until the pack makes their decision. I apologize sincerely for any grammar or spelling mistakes. Please leave a review with your thoughts and criticism, good or bad. I love hearing from you! :)
Jazz
Please keep in mind that the following preview is a small excerpt from the next chapter and isn't meant to make perfect sense. Also, certain details of the chosen passage were edited out because of length. Basically, the preview is not perfect and is not meant to be. But hopefully you'll still find it intriguing.
Preview of Chapter Nine: The Dark Knight
Rolf shoved his icy hands into his trouser pockets as he glided down the center of a damp, empty street. The road was barren, as if the people living in the apartments and houses in the surrounding area all knew of the Dark Lord’s return. As if every nightwalker was suddenly afraid of night and refused to come out without the comfort of the sun.
If Rolf was honest with himself, he’d admit that the street and scene before him was indeed creepy. Yet he had been drawn to walking the desolate street and his feet carried him at a very leisurely—for a vampire—pace along its cool, clammy black top.
Rolf had only been a vampire for a century, having been attacked when he was nineteen and left to “die” in the forest. Why the vampire hadn’t just finished the job, Rolf didn’t know. He wondered if it might have been guilt. He hoped it was guilt.
Rolf didn’t like feeding off of humans and he didn’t like the idea of others doing it either.
But he couldn’t just stop even if he didn’t like doing it—he couldn’t prevent himself from sinking his razor sharp teeth into a human’s soft flesh, warm and moist when the blood reached the surface. Even thinking about being cut off from the thick, rich taste of human blood made Rolf’s throat ache and his mouth pool with venom.
Attraction, bloodlust—they were very significant parts of Rolf’s life. He’d been a wizard as a human—of course, he wasn’t allowed a wand any more now that he was a vampire, not that he needed it anyways—and he’d heard the rumors that some vampires had “special powers.” Rolf’s power—at least, he assumed it was—was attraction. He was drawn to certain places, certain people. An invisible force would tug on his torso and his feet would respond automatically. He went where the force led him.
It was a very subtle power, but distinct at the same time. It was this power that drew him to the very street he was currently walking on—the street that led him to them. 
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