Chasing Dreams {Book 2: Chasing Butterflies}

Chapter 29: Party Crashing

Hey everyone. Sorry about the HUGE delay on this story. I had the worst writer's block I can ever recall. I wanted to get this done as much as I could. I finally sat down today and wrote nonstop until it was done. I know it is short, but I do have one more chapter planned officially, and if I think I can get a few more in after that before the next book, I'll try to do that. There is a next book, so... I'll let you know more about that when I know more myself. I apologize again for the delay, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter anyways!

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"Define your meaning of 'war'; to me, it's what we do when we're bored. I feel the heat comin' off the blacktop and it makes me want it more. Because I'm hyped up out of control; if it's a fight I'm ready to go." –You're Going Down, Sick Puppies

Audrey pushed the annoying graduation cap back onto her head. The seventh years had been sitting at their respective tables for what seemed like an eternity already. It was an interestingly warm day for October, and being crammed in the Great Hall in graduation gowns was not making it any more bearable. The ceremony was slowly coming to a close, and now all they had to do was wait for the Hufflepuffs to finish receiving their recognition and McGonagall's closing speech. Once that was complete, they could go pack the rest of their belongings, say goodbye to their younger friends, and hop back on the train home.

The girl sighed, growing ever more bored with sitting there. She and Draco were sitting at the end of the table, towards the back of the hall. Even at graduation they were still being treated as outcasts. At this point, Audrey was done caring about that; this was the last time she would be seeing almost all of her classmates. The few she would be in contact with knew who they were and were the only ones who didn't treat her and Draco like social pariahs. The girl tapped her fingers impatiently on her diploma, something that caused Draco to glance over at her.

"We're almost done, darling," he said quietly. "Tapping your diploma isn't going to make the process go any faster."

Audrey frowned slightly. "I know, but why do the Hufflepuffs have to be so boring? I mean... does anyone outside of their house even know who any of them are?"

Draco shrugged. "Honestly... I don't think so," he admitted. "They aren't really... memorable, are they?"

Audrey shook her head, watching the line of Hufflepuffs slowly making their way back to their table. The girl was holding her breath unintentionally. The moment she could go home was coming ever closer. She silently wondered what life was going to bring once she left Hogwarts for the last time. There would be no more school, no more exams, no more dull potions essays... Life would be vastly different for her from here on out. Even more so once their child was born. It was that part that made Audrey the most nervous of all.

When the girl looked back at the stage, the line of students had finally made its way back to the Hufflepuff table, leaving McGonagall and the rest of the teaching staff up there alone. Audrey finally smiled for the first time since she had been in the Great Hall that afternoon. A few moments later, McGonagall took her place back at the podium, preparing to begin her concluding speech. The old woman opened her mouth to speak, but before any words escaped her mouth, the window behind her shattered. Audrey watched as several trails of black smoke entered the hall through the shattered window. The girl knew all too well what she was watching.

The black smoke was replaced by cloaked human figures in masks, something that made Audrey really hope she was hallucinating. When she heard the gasps of the other students, she realized that the heat of the day wasn't getting to her; there really were Death Eaters standing on the stage with the professors right now. As if her day couldn't have gotten any worse...

For the first time since she had received it, Audrey moved her hand off her diploma and grabbed Draco's hand instead, not sure exactly what was going on. The last time Death Eaters had been at Hogwarts the school had been practically destroyed. Audrey was nearly certain there was about to be another battle at any moment. Before the girl's mind could wander, one of the Death Eaters began to speak.

"You all thought the battle was over, that we were finished... well, you were wrong," he stated. "The Death Eaters are far from being finished; in fact we have only just started. We're rebuilding, with a new leader, someone who will lead us to the greatness that Voldemort himself envisioned many moons ago." The man paused for a moment, as if he was trying to let the message sink in. What Audrey didn't understand was why no one was attacking the Death Eaters for even being there. "We're still accepting new members, however, those who decline or have disowned us, don't expect us to leave you alone. We will have our revenge for what was done in May. You have all been warned."

Without another word, the man and his comrades once again took their smoke-like form and took off, travelling back through the window they had smashed only minutes earlier. There was a deafening silence throughout the hall, no one knowing exactly what was going on. It didn't take long, however, for students to begin talking in hushed whispers about the out of the ordinary event that just occurred. As McGonagall began to calm the students, Audrey's mind began to wander...

So this must've been what Pansy was trying to say to her. What else could be a bigger threat on her life than the Death Eaters being back and out for revenge? Audrey was almost certain that Pansy had something to do with the Death Eaters now, and she was sure if that was the case, she and Draco would certainly be targets. The girl was beginning to wonder what it was going to take to have a normal life ever again.

Draco must've known what she was thinking, or at least partially, as he squeezed her hand reassuringly. Admittedly, having him around made Audrey feel a bit safer, but at the same time there was only so much the two of them could do. As much as Audrey wanted to settle down with her husband and have their child in quiet, she doubted that was going to happen now. Audrey even wondered if staying with Artemis like they planned was a good idea. After all, Pansy had breached Artemis' security once already; who's to say she wouldn't do it again?

Audrey wrapped her arms around Draco's, burying her face in his arm. It seemed as if she could never catch a break...