It is always coldest before the sunrise.
The biting freeze in her bones and the dank rotting reek of the early morning hour might've indicated to Audette straightaway that they had been asleep for some time when her eyes shot open in the ash tree encampment.
Her heart was racing, the world was pitch black, and Draco's body around hers felt like a cold corpse as if he'd passed away in his sleep.
A swath of beautiful emerald fabric laid across her front, and for a split second of confusion her body was utterly paralyzed as the Hogwarts flight cape slid away leaving her and Draco exposed to the nipping elements of the bizarre Irish landscape.
The unnatural way that it slid off on it's own was the first hint that something was not right.
In the span of a split second, a wash of dread splashed through her nervous system when she had but that degree of time to register that the silver rope was no longer holding them in place against the barky exterior of the tree. Her spine caved to the natural tug of gravity and Audette plummeted from the nine foot high tree branch into the grassy terrain below.
Crack.
Instantly upon impact her spine snapped at the base of her neck, and she was overcome with the jarring morbidity that she was completely immobile in a crumpled mess of bent limbs, likely to be left permanently disabled. The agony was indescribable; shooting tendrils of pain coursed down her back in rivers of angered nerves, and all the while the only distracting element was the visual of a single blade of grass directly across her vision.
It seemingly went on forever, that slow, gory descent into paralysis.
She struggled for over an hour to accept that she would never walk again, doomed to a lifetime of imprisonment within her newly devastated form.
One drop, two drops, three drops of water dotting the viridian plant material. Each tiny vein that ran in bifurcating union throughout the blade was morosely accentuated in her mind in order to distract from the negating horror.
Snap.
Audette awoke in a scalding flash from the drastic nightmare, miraculously back in the ash tree in Draco's protective lap, his arms wound tightly around her waist. A ticklish delight from his long, fluttering eyelashes was dancing on her cheek where their skulls had collided in adoring slumber.
Her spine was fully in tact, and for a second she was verifiably lost in her thoughts after the portrayal of what seemed to be the most surreal experience now disappearing like smoke in the wind. Surely her back was broken, surely she'd just fallen from the tree.
Audette sat there in Draco's strong arms, panting in cold terror. Again, something was exceptionally off-putting with her sense of reality. The fair hair on her neck was shot outwards at a right degree angle, and her heart was racing like a jackhammer. Not a sound of natural processes reverberated from the surrounding environment.
The silence was deafening, and perverse.
"Draco..." Audette managed to whisper interactively through uncontrollably clenched teeth, her voice echoing ridiculously loud, but he only hummed and buried his pointy face further in her neck.
A tear ran down her cheek as she fought for critical autonomy over her body that for whatever reason was being withheld from her.
The world swirled as she once again - without rhyme or reason - fell out of the careful clutches of the boy, only to be impaled mercilessly on a broken branch that had been set upright by natural forces between two jagged rocks below.
This time, it took her only twenty minutes to gasp and heave in tormented anguish as she died at the slowest possible rate, gurgitating thick blood onto the mossy softscape. There was nothing to be done, no hope of recovery, only a gaping hole in her visceral cavity that wept until her body was drained.
Snap.
She was back in Draco's arms once again, awaking from a nightmare within a nightmare.
Audette barely had a second this time to breathe chaotically before Draco's glove appeared in front of her face only to dive one of his daggers deep between her breasts.
"Wh-why?" she tried to ask, but speaking and breathing was a lost cause.
The solid weaponry grinded ruggedly against her rib cage with each resounding inhale. The disturbing grit of steel alloy against her skeleton was not only monopolizing but hellish as she passed away slowly - the raw scrape of flesh meeting metal left her choking and spluttering blood until her final minutes in his murderous hold.
Snap.
She came to awareness with the compound focus of having experienced now three nightmares piling one on top of another, each resulting in a morbid ending.
Audette's chest heaved below the Hogwarts flight robe which was back in place. Draco's arm was yet again around her waist, but this time was different. The chemical hatred within the air was not present.
An endless tittering of Latin spellwork was running through her ear at half volume. Draco had begun whispering ancient incantations associated with Occlumency, and the the boundary of protection seemingly extended to Audette's mind as well. His sweaty hand was clamped hard across her mouth, conceivably to prevent her from screaming.
His efforts to produce a barrier of mental protection thankfully had overridden Audette's freaky nightmares, allowing the real world to come into the spotlight.
Her teary eyes shifted in her immobile head to inspect what nasty creature in their surroundings could be the source of the trauma, noticing then that the Celtic pixies had formed the shape of an ominous glowing skull over the water's surface.
There, flat against the trunk of the tree, was the drooling foul demon.
A monstrous beast produced by the owl witch Macha; a Strigiformagus.
Two large, owlish yellow eyes were violently glued to Draco and Audette, each the globular diameter of cantaloupes. The mutated creature was lanky and humanoid, covered in rippling spotted brown feathers, but in place of a beak was a gaping hole in it's face which revealed razor sharp teeth capable of removing flesh from the bone at hyper speed.
Despite her father's insistence that they were in fact, not Irish mythology but very much real, Audette still had yet to meet anyone who'd come across the rare carnivorous creatures. Macha herself was questioned to be of actuality, having not been sighted or reported upon for centuries.
She was infamous for the control and regulation of emotions - victimizing fairies in particular by trapping their joy in glass amber jars - but Montgomery had always warned Audette that this was only the tip of the iceberg. He'd strictly instructed her never to take naps in the woods, because should she be discovered by a Strigiformagus then she would meet a most horrific death.
The Strigiformagus consumed it's prey alive, by producing an endless loop of nightmares within nightmares, confusing the sleeping victim into believing they were constantly waking up when in reality they were being eviscerated and torn to pieces.
Very few had survived a run in with a Strigiformagus, only to spend the rest of their lives devastatingly deformed as the creatures usually went for the face first.
The monster seemed to be incapable of climbing the tree to their serious luck, it's claws just hardly scraping the bottom of the branch in a feeble effort to catch a segment of Audette's draping dress.
Finally after ten more minutes of Draco defensively whispering it seemingly gave up the Legillimency battle, and Audette's eyes followed as it wandered at a snail's pace into the thick brush, snapping twigs and growling.
Draco did not release her at first nor did he stop repeating the incantations for another ten grueling minutes. When he did drop his trembling hand they both shook in place, gasping and crying.
The sun was only beginning to rise, and Audette was surprised when he began yanking off the silver rope. "Get up, I'm going to be ill," he explained in a strained voice she'd never heard from him before.
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"Should we not stay up here, where it is safe?" she meekly complained, crawling stiffly across the branch so he could leap from the tree.
"You fucking stay right there," he wandered a few feet with the back of his hand against his mouth, white as a sheet and drenched in sweat. The glowing pink handprint remained on the front of his quidditch sweater which he tore back and forth, tears running from his eyes in silent rivers. Apparently it was all too much, and Audette watched in sympathy as he bent over and hurled into the wavy green grass.
She specifically disregarded his demand that she stay in the tree, clumsily slithering her way down the trunk to pat his back. He shrugged her off and walked in angry circles while covering his face with both hands, "It must have run me through a hundred times before I realized it was invading my mind. Nice job mentioning that fucking thing Audette. I'm glad you listed off Imps andThestrals."
Audette chewed guiltily on her lip, "Don't be rude, Draco, and watch your mouth. I was of the impression the Strigiformagus might be a product of fairy tales. Everyone in Ireland believes Macha to be a figment of imagination."
He glared at her as he magnetized his dewy broom to his back once more, "If I didn't study Occlumency, we'd be dead. If I didn't strap us to that fucking tree, Audette-"
Audette made a face, swinging her arms in frustration, "-Yes, yes, and if you hadn't entered yourself in this bloody idiotic tournament neither of us would be here in the first place. I would be happily snuggling with my Consciaur, not filthy and cold in an unsightly burnt dress."
Almost more terrifying than the Strigiformagus was the caustic sneer on Draco's pointy features as he loomed over her, driving his finger into her shoulder, "I can only protect you with the information you provide me with. You are the most educated person in this arena on both the landscape and it's inhabitants. Sharpen up, Bellarose. Now pick up that unsightly burnt dress - we're getting a head start today."
He surprised her by tossing his flight cape in her face to warm her for the journey through the unseasonably cool environment, despite being of the unjust impression that it was somehow her fault they'd been attacked by an owl demon.
Audette yanked on the shiny emerald robe and flung the huge hood over her head to walk bitterly behind him in the misty morning grass, following his parallel trail inland from the eskering river. Crows squawked at them from the branches of trees sheeted by stringy moss; the only other living things they came across for a long while.
At one point just as the sun had broken through the clouds they spotted a sleeping pair of Erenholl boys who'd built a vegetative mat on the rocky terrain near the water. Draco paused for a second with his arm across Audette's chest, his bright eyes flickering over the pair as if debating harming them in some brutal way.
He seemed disappointed when he came to the wordless conclusion that they didn't possess anything of value in their camping area - as if he had some irrational hope that a packet of licorice wands would turn up when he kicked at their robes - then gestured for Audette to quietly move along.
Hours of hiking gradually upwards resulted in Audette's feet breaking out into punishing blisters in her ill-fitted footwear. Her muscles were sore and stiff, yet Draco didn't slow down his lightning pace for one second.
She tried everything to obtain a break; begging him for a piggy back which was blatantly rejected, and skulking about having to pee much more frequently then she actually had to which only made him humiliatingly accuse her of suffering from incontinence issues.
Closing in on the second arch Audette pointed into the sky at the concave altering screen, as if Draco could see the movement from the ten foot lead he was maintaining on her at all times, "Doesn't that fallen tree look dreadfully alike the one we just passed?"
She'd been watching the display thirstily all day in the hopes of Theodore and Blaise popping up, but their status had not been updated. It was obviously a strategic selection of clippings because Audette had not seen her and Draco on it whatsoever, as if the Simulation Architect wanted their progress and location shielded from the rest of the champions.
It seemed that a Durmstrang couple were in rough shape in a pile of stone ruins, the male champion inflicted with a gigantic bloody burn on his lower calf. The Beauxbatons were apparently unconcerned with their competitive rankings, having all clustered together to survive in a large pack near the first archway. Audette could not be certain, but she was quite convinced her and Draco were far, far ahead due to waking up at five in the morning.
Draco didn't bother to turn his face from his hasty march, "Nice try Audette, but I won't be falling for any more distractions. Do I need to provide you with a diaper? Because if you pretend to piss behind a tree for the seventh time in an hour there will be consequences."
"No, Draco this is vital. Harry Potter is right behind us," Audette whined nervously.
At this he froze on the spot, his left glove curling in a rageful fist as he pointed his chin into the sky.
Indeed, just around the bend not a minute behind them was Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter, staring up at their own faces and chatting under their breaths. Ginny was missing a large segment of her hair on one side; her normally long red locks were effectively cut to a bob on the left side of her head. Harry Potter's right eye was bruising into a vicious black circle below his smashed spectacles, similar to the one on Draco's face.
They seemed displeased to see themselves in the sky; if they had been stalking the two Slytherins then the jig was up thanks to the tournament live feed.
Audette spun around to peer at the rounded edge of the forest where the Gryffindor lovers would be showing up at any second, "Oh my, isn't Potter hostile towards you?"
"He's a bloody maniac, and she's even worse, come on," Draco seethed, dragging Audette into the forest by her upper arm to hide them behind a set of slimy boulders. They crouched and huddled together, listening and waiting.
There was a dull scrape of shoes on the craggy hardscape, then Harry's voice cut through the air, "Well that's terrific, he'll have spotted us now. They can't have gone far, come on we have to stay on them. If he places before the three days he'll be first in the final trial and then everything will be over."
"He's got that vapid princess with him, not a chance they finish that early. He'll be lucky if they get out of here alive at all," Ginny cruelly replied, and Audette could just see the eye roll associated with the commentary.
Harry's voice was now much closer as he stepped through the bushes investigatively, "Yeah Ginny that's not exactly comforting. I'm pretty certain Snape wouldn't have selected her if that was the case. Her father is one of them, don't you see? They've infiltrated the tournament a second time. The Simulation Architect, the Event Beast Master...Mr. Malfoy's generous donations - they have total control, and I'm convinced they need Draco to place first."
Audette's eyes were caught on the grains of the rock before her, but her mind was spinning to process the vague information as if she'd just taken a club to the head. Her father was a what?
Somewhere nearby an Augurey had started to moan sullenly, indicating that rain was in the forecast, but Audette failed to point this out to Draco, disabled by total shock at the blunt suggestions of Harry Potter. Draco shifted next to her, collecting a stone to toss it far into the trees.
Everyone froze as it bounced off of an oak, then Harry took off smashing through the underbrush in the direction of the false trail.
"Get up, come on let's go!" Draco's voice rung in her ears.
Audette staggered to her feet when Draco ripped her by the hand. Branches slapped against her skin, threatening to blind her as they barrelled farther into the wooded expanse and away from the river. The sounds of shoes and shouting behind them sent her heart into hyperdrive at the notion that a full-blown chase had ensued.
Patters of rain droplets on the canopy above only worsened visibility, but the sudden storm at least drowned out the snapping of twigs.
It wasn't long before the two parties had been separated in the forest, and although he had failed to catch them Harry Potter had successfully driven Draco far, far off track. The second arch was now totally out of sight, and they were horrendously lost.
The thunderstorm was freezing and relentless, and it was no wonder that when they came across a crumbling stone mausoleum that they didn't hesitate to step through the decrepit doorway despite the haunting energy emanating from within.
Audette was lucky enough to be wearing the waterproof quidditch robe, but Draco was drenched down to the bone, his teeth chattering uncontrollably in the dark shadows of the overgrown tomb.
Multiple dusty stone coffins were lain out on tables as if they had just blundered into the home of a family of vampires, one of them cracked and caved in, all inscribed with ancient Celtic runes. Several armoured knights with rusty swords and shields were lining the open room, and the stench of decay burned the stagnant air even though the building must have been hundreds of years old.
"I don't like it in here," Audette whispered to Draco who had his arms crossed over his chest, his beautiful white hair plastered to his head and dripping down his neck.
"Oh really? It's giving me five star standards, Audette," he sarcastically quipped, before he grew as still as a statue, his eyes bulging dramatically.
Filled with dread she turned slowly to see that through one of paneless windows a Banshee was drifting around the exterior of the condemned building, obviously attracted to the rotting nature of the establishment. Skin pulled tight to it's floating skeleton it was gripping onto trees that it passed by, two black voids in it's skull where the eyes might've once been to signify that it was entirely blind.
One scream from the ghoul, and Draco and Audette would cease to be alive.
Neither of them dared to even breath, watching it clutching at trunks until it had disappeared out of sight.
"That was close," Audette muttered, releasing a huge gust of pent up air from her lungs, but the words were spoken too soon. When she rotated back to Draco she then noticed that the knight on the wall behind him had raised it's heavily oxidized blade, and was seconds away from driving it through his back.
"Watch out!" Audette yelped. Unfortunately when he slid out of the way barely in time, the knight altered it's course and went for a paralyzed Audette instead. She saw it's arms rotate and the wretched blade sink into her shoulder right below her collarbone, before it was ripped away leaving an oozing wound.
Her world went black and she swayed on the spot, pawing at the hot blood running down her tingling arm.
Her vision began to break into segments; Draco catching her fall...the green canopy whirring by above as he carried her through the darkening woods in the rain...him putting her down against a tree trunk long enough to bunch up the quidditch robe against the injury.
"Audette, you must remain awake until I can find shelter. Press this down, fuck help me!" his voice was tense and high-pitched as he guided her limp hand to hold the robes in place.
It was a hopeless affair as she was faltering rapidly.
He started to bolt through the shadowy woods along the base of a huge mountain, his breathing hoarse on her face which he'd cradled into his neck. Audette slipped away into blissful unconsciousness where the pain was numbed and his words were but a blur.
When she opened her eyes again she was in a damp cave, a warm fire crackling by her face, and her ears were monopolized by a symphony of panicking boys in green and silver.