Chapter 2

On A Painted Sky

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and friends belongs to JKR and other people. And remember, don't go swimming right after eating. Really. You could get a cramp or something.

April 12, 10:20 PM Hogwarts Castle & Elsewhere

Draco saw Potter's foot disappear through the veil. He grumbled under his breath because all his curses had shot wide of the hated Gryffindor. But he wasn't going to escape this time! He'd end up expelled at least, and maybe even in Azkaban!

"After him! Don't let him get away!" he yelled at the last standing member of his squad.

Millicent Bulstrode grimaced. Yes, she was overweight. Her dorm mates made jokes about it often enough. She was exhausted after running up all the stairs. She hadn't fired any spells except some disarming hexes. She might have to do this to get along with her house, but she didn't have to really help them win.

She trotted after Draco and pushed the veil aside as she entered the arch. She thought to herself that the structure looked very old.

And vaguely sinister.

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"Open up!" Umbridge ordered. The Fat Lady's portrait swung open with a disapproving scowl, and Umbridge ordered three aurors in to the Gryffindor Common Room to arrest the members of "Dumbledore's Army." She walked away with three other aurors and made her way to the Ravenclaw tower.

"What is the best kind of cheese?" the door knocker asked. Umbridge looked at it as if it lost it's mind.

"What kind of idiotic question is that?" she wanted to know. The knocker remained silent. Umbridge looked at the aurors. "Either of you in Ravenclaw?" They shook their heads.

"Cheddar!" she exclaimed.

"Explain," the knocker replied.

"AARRRGGG! Open up in the name of the Headmistress."

"Why didn't you say so," the knocker muttered while the door opened.

One angry Umbridge and three slightly amused aurors entered the Ravenclaw Common Room.

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The darkness beneath the arch gave way to normal, night time darkness. Stars shone above and a cool breeze blew the smell that Harry would soon learn is the ocean. The air was filled with the sound of crashing waves.

"Hello?" he called, right before someone hit him from behind.

At the same moment, one of the Patil sisters called out, "Move a little if someone else is coming through. Oh, never mind."

"Sorry," Harry said to his unknown assailant.

"Stupefy!" came the reply from less than a foot away. Harry knew there was no chance from this distance, but he threw himself to the side in an attempt to avoid the spell. He hit the ground hard. Or, perhaps, he hit the hard ground. And he wasn't stunned.

He reflexively brought his wand to bear on Draco, and incanted "Expelliarmus!" Nothing happened except another person appeared out of thin air and fell on Draco, who gave a gasp as the air was knocked out of him.

"They don't work," Hermione said, moving closer to Harry.

"Get off me, you cow!" Draco grunted to Millicent.

"Language, Draco," Harry said, echoing Hermione and hoping it would irritate the Slytherin at least as much as it did him. "You mean our magic doesn't work, Hermione?"

"At least our wands. We've tried as many spells as we can, and nothing works!"

"Here, let me help you up," Harry said, offering the two Slytherins his hand. Millicent took it, and he pulled her up (albeit with a little difficulty.) "So, what do we know?"

"We are outside, on a flat rock in the ocean, and something is wrong with the sky," Luna Lovegood told him.

Harry looked up, but didn't notice anything wrong.

Padma snorted. "She keeps saying something's wrong, but she doesn't say what it is."

"What do you see, Luna, that we don't."

"It's what I don't see. What phase of the moon is it?"

Terry Boot answered, "Past first quarter. It will be full in a few days." You could hear his shrug in his words.

"Which means that the moon rose in the late afternoon, and, unless we're very much farther east than Hogwarts, it should still be in the sky."

"But it's not," Justin slowly said, searching the sky.

"Potter," Draco demanded, "where the hell are we?"

"I don't know, Malfoy. But you're certainly free to leave." Harry could hear the sound of water from all around him. "How big is this rock, anyway?"

"We're not sure, Harry," Tony said. "Once we found that there's no wall, and it seems like a steep drop off into the water, we decided that exploration can wait until the morning."

"I demand you send me back, right now, Potter!"

"You know, Malfoy, if I could, I would. But we're stuck. And it seems you're stuck with us. So shut up and become co-operative, or at least shut up. So, who all's here?"

On the rock with him were Terry Boot, Tony Goldstein, Padma Patil, and Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw; Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan, and Zack Smith from Hufflepuff; Millicent Bulstrode and Draco Malfoy from Slytherin, and Parvati Patil, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Harry Potter from Gryffindor.

"Anything else, before we call it a night?" Harry asked.

"Yes, who put you in charge?" Zack asked, belligerently.

"We did," Padma answered. Harry couldn't tell them apart by their looks, but he could distinguish their voices. For one thing, Parvati usually sounded like she was half a breath away from a laugh.

"What do you mean, 'we did?' Did you hold a vote before I got here?"

"Don't be silly, Zack. By following Harry, we made him our leader."

"And any time you want to go your own way, that's fine with me," Harry said.

"We'll see in the morning," Zack harrumphed.

"Anything else?"

"I would like it put in the record that I think the Room has a very strange definition of safe. You did say you asked for safety, right Hermione?" Neville declared.

"I think I did."

"You think?" Ernie groaned, but chuckled. "Next time, be more specific."

"I'll remember the next time we're in the same situation!"

"You're all insane! We're on a rock who knows where with no way off and no one knows where we are and magic doesn't work! And you're making jokes?" Malfoy shook his head in disbelief.

"Well, it could be worse," Susan said.

And far too quickly to be totally spontaneous, Hannah added, "It could be raining out."

"Good night," Harry said, settling on the rock surface. It was very smooth, for being rock. He figured it was carved by magic, but if magic didn't work here, then how could it have been done?

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"Turn over your wands, and come along quietly." The aurors had summoned the people on their list, but only six were in the Gryffindor tower. Eleven others, including Potter, were missing.

George looked at Fred, and nodded. "Don't try anything, Fred," George said, getting between his brother and the red robed men. George took two wands out of one of his pockets and Fred hid his up his sleeve.

"Lee?" he said, again hiding his friend's action with his own body. "We can't disobey the authorities; just hand it over." Lee Jordan slipped his real wand into his pocket.

George turned to the aurors and handed over three wands. "Angela? I think Harry was right and we should have left before." He directed the girls to go first and followed them out of the common room.

"Which way, officers?" Fred asked, cheekily once they were out of the Gryffindor tower.

"Just head to the front door."

They went by way of the central staircase, but when they reached the forth floor, George said, "Do you think Harry's behind the mirror?"

"What mirror?" the head auror wanted to know.

"There's a secret passage behind a mirror on the this floor. It isn't well known because the passage collapsed, so it doesn't go anywhere. It would be a great snogging spot, but it's so dirty, I wouldn't deign to bring a date there!"

"Shut up, George!" Fred whispered. "I don't think sucking up to them will get you any better treatment!"

"We certainly reward thems that cooperate," one of the aurors said.

"Yes, show us," the leader told them.

"Rat," Fred snarled. George just shrugged and headed towards the right hand corridor. Coming on a mirror in a little alcove, George pointed it out.

"The password to activate it is 'No it kelfer.'"

"Pretty stupid password," Fred muttered, and the surface of the mirror rippled as if it were water in a pond.

"You can walk through it now," George gestured for the aurors to go through.

"After you," the leader said with a sneer. George shrugged, and walked through the mirror as if it wasn't there. Fred and Lee followed.

"Watch the girls," the leader said to one of his companions. Then motioned for the third auror to go through the mirror, and he followed.

The last auror, just watched the girls, wand pointing in their general direction. Which is why he collapsed when George came out of the mirror a minute later and stunned him from point blank range.

Lee and Fred appeared, too.

"That went well," George said.

"Indeed it did. Excellent work."

"What happened?" Katie Bell wanted to know.

"We stunned them. We should go before they wake up."

"But how did you do that without a wand?"

"We had wands. It was just very unfortunate that they were specific when they asked for our wands. We handed over some Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes fake wands. Had they tested them. . . ."

". . . they would have turned into rubber chickens." Fred completed his brother's sentence, while handing the girls their wands. They soon reached the statue of the one-eyed, hump-backed witch.

"Ladies and Lees first," George offered, as they escaped the castle.

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"Harry?"

"Huh?"

"I'm cold. Mind if I sleep next to you for warmth?"

"No, go right ahead. I wish I had brought more clothes." He had already shared the few extra bits of clothes he had around. Parvati was wearing a pair of Dudley's old pants under her dress. Luna had his spare shirt on. He had packed light, and thought that once on his own, he could replace some of the old clothes he wore. But it seems it wasn't enough for Luna.

The Luna spooned next to him. He felt another at his back. Luna pulled his arm around her, while the unknown girl behind him put her arm around him to give a quick hug. She then tried to get her arms and as much of her as possible next to him, to share some of his warmth.

"By the way, Harry, the moon is back," Luna told him.

He upset both girls by sitting up to look at the sky and see the three-quarters full moon.

"I don't think I've had that much sleep," he said quietly.

"Me, neither," Luna confirmed. "But there she is."

Harry couldn't argue with that, and lay back down. He noticed some of the others were huddling together, too. Behind him was Hannah with Susan next to her.

"Anyone know what time it is?"

"Two," came the the sleepy reply from Hannah.

"That's not right, is it, Luna?" Harry asked.

"If Hannah's watch says it's two, I don't think its broken."

"But the moon shouldn't be there at two. I'm thinking it should be closer to midnight or eleven for the moon to be almost right overhead.

"Yes, and the stars over there aren't moving, either. I think the sky's broken, Harry. Go back to sleep."

Harry looked where she seemed to be pointing. He couldn't tell anything about the stars. Except he couldn't recognize any constellations. There weren't enough stars up there, either. He looked the other way - Orion. That was alright. Before he could puzzle this any more, someone stood up and walked over.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Cold," Millicent answered.

"Come join us. It's not much, but it helps a little."

"Thanks, Potter." She came closer, and Harry could see that she was in a bathrobe. He opened his bag and pulled out the only other cloth he had.

"Here," he said, handing over the invisibility cloak. "It's all I have left to share." He had already given the Hufflepuff boys his winter cloak.

"Thanks, Potter."

"Get next to Luna."

"No," Luna said. Millicent had been surprised by Potter's actions but this rejection was what she was expecting.

"You get next to Harry, and I'll be on the outside, if that's alright with you."

"Why are you doing this for me?" Millicent asked.

"Because you are cold, silly!" Luna said, as she lay down again, and pushed back against Bulstrode who was up against Harry.

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April 13, Dawn, unknown location

Harry woke up after an uncomfortable night. He was still uncomfortable. He was lying on his back, head on his bookbag - he had used his only luggage as his pillow - and his arms hurt. Probably because there were two girls, one on each side, lying on them. Millicent and Hannah were partially draped over him. He couldn't argue that they felt warm. But he couldn't call lying on the rock surface comfortable. Luna lay curled up against Millicent, but no one was on the other side of Hannah.

He looked around, as well as he could without disturbing the girls. They were on a flat rock not too far above an ocean. Looking towards his left, he could see water as far as the eye could see. To his right, a few kilometers away was a mountain. But about a half kilometer away was the shore.

The rock itself appeared to be mostly circular with two bent columns, or horns, sticking up from opposite ends of the rock, curving up and out, and narrowing as they neared the end. Someone was squatting near the edge. Without his glasses he could just make out the yellow hair. Suddenly, he turned away, embarrassed. He realized it was probably Susan relieving herself. Suddenly, something grabbed his testicles.

"Give her what little privacy we can, Harry," Hannah said, holding his future children in her hand through his clothes.

"Er, right. I don't even have my glasses on. Was just trying to see what's going on," Harry said, keeping his eyes on Hannah. She released him.

"Sorry, but. . . ."

"OK. But I'm going to have to use the facilities, such as they are, too. What time is it?"

The sky was lightening over the mountain, towards the ocean side, it was darker - they were on the western side of the mainland. Susan rejoined them, and Harry put his free hand on Bulstrode.

"Millicent? Let me up, please."

Bulstrode opened her eyes, and realized she was draped across Potter. She moved back as if burned, causing Luna to grunt in pain as they hit. She looked around like a deer caught in headlights.

"Calm down. I just have to get back some circulation in my arms, and get up."

Others were stirring. He saw Draco sit up and start waving his wand, trying to get any sort of spell to work. Harry didn't know whether to be glad that Draco couldn't cast anything on them, or worried that none of them could use magic. He came down on the side of worried.

"I'd like my cloak back, please," he asked Bulstrode.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks, Potter." She handed it over to him. He packed it away.

He put on his glasses, and while it brought everything into focus, it didn't change what he saw. Land was still about a half kilometer from them across the water. The circular rock they were on was still less than ten meters across. They were still in a lot of trouble, as he thought of their immediate needs.

Hermione came over to him.

"Morning Hermione. No, I don't know what to do."

She smiled at his attempt to guess what she was going to ask.

"Well I do. All the boys are going to gather over there and watch the island while the girls take care of some personal business on the seaward side. Then we can change places."

"Er, I wasn't thinking about that, but now that you mention it..."

"Don't think about it. It's bad enough as it is without the potty humor that going to occur shortly. . . ."

"I wouldn't worry about that, Mudblood. Potty's humor is as poor as his clothes - OW!"

Draco had walked over to them and taken the opportunity to practice what he called wit. But then Harry decided to defend Hermione's heritage with his fist.

"Oh, yes, Malfoy. In case you don't get it the first time. I will not let you use that word around us."

"When my father hears about this. . . ." Draco gasped out.

"I really don't care about your father. And, as he isn't here, you might want to try not using him as a threat. It sounds really hollow most of the time, but here? It's pathetic."

The rest of the group had gathered around them. Harry explained Hermione's plan, and they broke into two groups.

As Harry stood looking over the water separating them from land, he said, "We're going to have to cross this very soon. Can everyone swim?"

"Why would we have to?" Draco demanded.

"Yeah," Zack added. Harry wondered if Draco was going to get a follower here to replace Crabbe and Goyle.

"Because we have no food or water here. We're going to become very thirsty very soon."

"You think there's food and water over there?" Ernie asked.

"We won't know until we check; and we've got no place else we can go to look," Justin answered him. "I can swim pretty well, Harry."

"Thanks, Justin. I can't."

"But you did during the Triwizard last year?" Neville questioned.

"True, but that was with Gillyweed. I can barely dog paddle."

"Wow, something the great Harry Potter can't do," Malfoy sneered.

"Your turn," Susan said from right behind them, forestalling a fight.

"Thanks, Susan," Neville responded, heading towards the other side of the rock.

"I don't suppose anyone has any toilet paper," Terry asked.

"Use your own supply of parchment. But go light on it," Hermione answered. Looking at the heavily wooded land she continued, "I don't think we'll be getting any new supplies any time soon."

Soon the whole group was looking at the water separating them from the land. Stretching from left to right for several kilometers (they weren't sure of directions yet but were pretty sure the island was to the east of their rock, so they did have an general sense of direction) it had a sandy beach right across from them. Other places had rocky beaches, and to the "south" was a cliff that stretched several tens of meters high. Beyond the beach was a jungle. Palm trees seemed to be the major vegetation near the beach, but further back were other types. Then, depending on where you looked, the land either sloped up into the mountainous interior, or encountered another cliff. No where could they see any sign of habitation.

There were plenty of bird songs in the air. The forest was a blaze of color, too - flowers seemed be blooming everywhere. The air was cool, and the breeze from the ocean almost constant.

"Oh heck!" Hermione cursed. Harry looked at her in surprise.

She just shook her head. "My book bag is water resistant, but not really water proof. If water gets in the opening, my books will be ruined."

"You should have been a Ravenclaw," Padma sighed.

Hannah giggled. "Only a Ravenclaw would worry about books while stuck on a deserted island."

"How do you know it's an island?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. I just guessing. But the fact that despite good visibility we can only see a few miles each way makes me guess that."

"Well, I'm getting hungry," Millicent said. "We can discuss forever, but that won't get us across to the island or whatever."

"'Whatever' is a good word for it." Luna said.

Parvati seemed to pick something up from her tone of voice. "Out with it. You've figured something out, haven't you."

"No. It is just that we may have got up early because it was uncomfortable sleeping. But we've been up for a while, and while the mountains on this side are still in shade, from the angle of the light and shadows, I'm guessing we should see the sun by now."

"She's right," Padma said, looking at her watch. "We've been up for over an hour, and it does look like the sun should be visible over the mountains. And has anyone noticed the clouds?"

"I did. But I didn't want to upset anyone," Luna answered.

Harry looked at the sky. There were some big fluffy clouds to the east, and wispy clouds to the west.

"See that cloud?" Padma pointed straight up. The cloud in question was a long cirrus cloud stretching from the west. When it got right over them, it stopped as if it was cut in half. It was moving from the west, and there was an invisible line, right above them, where the cloud disappeared.

"And those clouds to the east? They've been there since I woke up. Their shape doesn't change. They're like fake clouds placed in the sky."

"What does all this mean?" Justin wanted to know.

"We're not in Kansas any more," Luna answered.

More than one person went "Huh?"

Nothing more was forthcoming from the blond, so they considered their options.

The surface of the rock they were standing on was five to seven feet above the water, and was wider at the top than at the water level. Once in the water, it would be virtually impossible to get back up.

It turned out that both Hermione's and Padma's book bags were water resistant. The only reason they weren't considered water proof was there was no way to totally close the top. They lucked out with Justin's book bag being enchanted larger on the inside than the outside. He could carry most of the groups luggage inside his, and his bag fit in Hermione's.

"It looks like Hermione's bag would fit in Padma's," Terry pointed out. "So, if we put her's in Padma's, and tried hard to keep Padma's bag out of the water, then any water that accidently got inside would still need to get into Hermione's bag. It would protect our stuff."

"But what the use will all those books be here?" Malfoy wanted to know. "As it is you're talking about making two trips to get all your junk over there."

There was a chorus of disagreeing voices until Susan held up her hand for quiet. "We're taking everything because it's all we have," she responded. "We don't know what we will need, or what we will have to jury rig, bastardize, or sacrifice to survive. All we know we have is right here, and I promise you, that, no matter what we leave behind, we will need it at some point."

"How can you be so sure?" Hermione wanted to know.

Susan smiled. "Who here's unlucky?" Harry raised his hand, followed by Luna, Millicent, Ernie, then most of the rest of the group. Malfoy and Hermione didn't raise their hands. "See," Susan said, still smiling. "With all this unluck, we're almost guaranteed to need whatever we leave behind." That got chuckles from most of the group.

"Right," Harry said, "Who can swim?" Neville, Harry, and Ernie didn't raise their hands.

"Good, now who can swim well?" Millicent, Hannah, Terry, and Luna raised their hands.

"And you're good enough to help the non-swimmers?" They nodded. Harry thought for a moment, and said, "Then you four, I'd like you to talk it over and come up with a plan to get all of us over to land."

"Why don't we all swim together?" Zack asked.

"I'm not the good swimmer. If they say that's the best way to do it, then fine. But they're the ones that have to help the rest of us, and one of them will carry the bag of luggage, and, as it all doesn't fit in one go, one of them will have to come back out here and throw the bag up to get refilled."

"Or we could take the stuff that doesn't care if it gets wet and carry it separately," Justin pointed out.

"If that's what you decide, then fine with me. But you guys are the ones who have to decide it."

They went off and started talking.

While the self acknowledged good swimmers were talking, Hermione spoke up.

"They had a good suggestion. We should go through our stuff, get all the "cannot get wet" stuff into one pile and the rest into another.

Suddenly, Hermione cried, "Oh, sweet Lord! Justin! I love you!" Harry looked over at Justin, who had a cigarette in his mouth and a surprised expression on his face as Hermione ran over and hugged him. After a moment's hesitation, he put his arms around Hermione, too.

Suddenly, she leaped backwards, out of his arms, muttering and apology, much to the snickers of some of the other members of the DA.

Harry remarked, "Congratulations. I didn't even know you were dating."

"We're not," Hermione said, turning red. "It's just that Justin smokes, and he has a lighter with him."

"Well, I don't smoke much. It's sort of against the rules for students to smoke. But usually, on weekends, I can get out of the castle and have a cigarette. You need one?" he asked Hermione.

"No! I can't think of a more disgusting bad habit . . . ."

"Ron Weasley's table manners," Luna supplied.

"Waving your hand wildly in class when you know the answer," Bulstrode suggested.

"Just being Gryffindor," Malfoy added.

"Enough!" Harry interrupted.

"Just think," Hermione said, with just a quick glare at the Slytherins. "Once we're over there, how were we going to make a fire?"

"Incindio," Malfoy said.

"Except magic doesn't seem to work here," Padma reminded him. "We're stuck with doing it the mundane way. Which, I admit, I don't know."

"Well, one of the muggle ways is with a lighter," Hermione told them. "This will probably be the most important item we have with us."

They started sorting out what everybody had brought. Before she left to work on the sorting, Justin whispered to Hermione, "I liked the hug. Thanks." She muttered something back and turned red again.

They packed the books, quills and ink, parchment, a few pens and notebooks, Harry's invisibility cloak, and a few other odds and ends into Justin's magically expanded bag. Only the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors had packed anything. The 'Puffs had just what they carried with them, which for Justin meant his cigarettes, lighter, and magical Swiss Army knife, along with some parchments, quills and inks that he had thrown into his bag to use as "cover" should he get stopped by a prefect or teacher who would listen to an excuse.

"Does anyone think it's strange that Justin's bag is still working, while our wands aren't?" Padma wanted to know.

"That is strange. But I've never heard of something like this - a ward against spells?" Hermione pondered.

At that point, Justin and the self described good swimmers came over. "Alright, we've decided. We're going in two groups," he said.

"Why two groups?" Neville wanted to know.

"We have three people who don't swim. One of the good swimmers will be assigned to each non-swimmer to help them get to land. One of the good swimmers will be assigned to carry the bag," Millicent raised her hand with a smile. "And the other one or two will just be with the group to help anyone who has trouble. We wouldn't have the extra person if we all went at the same time. Also, with a smaller group, we should be able to keep track of everyone easier."

Terry took up the explanation, "We also decided not to carry the clothes and other items that don't care about getting wet separately. We're afraid that they would get water logged, and drag whoever was carrying them down, or else just be lost. This does mean that we'll have to get the bag back up here after we come back out."

"And finally," Luna started, but whatever she was going to say got a "harumph" from Millicent. She just looked back serenely and continued, "we'll have to strip before we go into the water."

"What?" Neville squeaked.

"Not starkers," Justin answered, quickly. "But you have to get most of your clothes off, so they don't drag you down. If we could get the stuff packed up, I'd rather go sooner than later."

"Why the rush?" Draco wanted to know.

"I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry and thirsty," he answered. "Any chance of getting anything to eat or drink is over there," he pointed at the land.

"Agreed," Hermione answered, and filled Justin's magic bag.

Harry decided to go in the second group, leaving Ernie and Neville as the non-swimmers in the first group. The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, went in the first group, for no real reason. Millicent and the Patils had gone off by themselves for a few minutes. The Patils had wrapped up in their winter cloaks and changed clothes under them, appearing in one piece bathing suits, much to the envy of the other girls. Millicent came back in her panties and a long silver and blue striped scarf wrapped around her chest.

"What?" she demanded. "I was ready for bed when the bitch called us out. Padma lent this to me."

"You act like you didn't want to be in the Squad," Draco sneered.

Millicent didn't answer, but sat on the edge of the rock. With a push from her hands she fell the five feet to the water. Justin, in his boxers, and Terry, in his briefs, jumped in near her. Luna, wearing a shear brassier and very small nickers dove into the water, and swam over to the other four.

"Now, carefully drop the bag to me," Millicent called after re-adjusting her impromptu top. Hermione was about to drop it, when Harry stopped her. He lay on the rock, and leaned over. He was able to hand it to Millicent when a wave lifted her up to him.

The Patil girls dove in, and Harry noticed a mole on the shoulder of one. He wondered which one, as they both had identical suits on.

Tony, also in briefs, jumped in next.

"Hurry up!" Terry called, Harry noticed that Millicent was lying on her back, the bag on her stomach, held with one hand, and swimming towards the shore. She seemed to bob up and down with the waves as if they didn't bother her.

Hermione quickly dropped her clothes giving Harry an eyeful of what he had only imagined. She jumped in.

Ernie jumped in right after her, and seemed to be able to tread water. Neville seemed very embarrassed about disrobing, and Harry had to encourage him. But he stripped down to his boxers, and followed Millicent's method of getting into the water.

Luna got behind him and put an arm over his shoulder to swim with him on her hip as she did the side stroke. Ernie was taken in a similar way by Terry. The group headed off, following Millicent, who they couldn't really see due to the intervening waves.

It took less than fifteen minutes to swim across to land, but to Harry, it seemed a lot longer. He breathed a sigh of relief as he watched them crawl up the beach.

"We should get all the rest of this stuff ready to go," Susan said.

They got the clothes and shoes into some order near the rock edge closest to land. After a few minutes rest, three of the four good swimmers walked back into the surf, Luna not re-entering the water for some reason. Four of the five students on the rock took off their clothes in preparation.

"Hurry up, Malfoy. Those people are going to be tired, and they won't want to wait any longer than necessary." Harry said.

"Are you sure we should be leaving here? This is the way we got here. When the rescue party comes for us, they'll probably show up here."

"What rescue party? We don't know where we are, and no one else does either. I doubt anyone will even be told we're missing for several days."

"Why?" Susan asked, as she stuffed the groups' shoes into a bag (Harry noticed it was his book bag).

"Think about it. Umbridge was made headmistress just tonight. She may have tried to have us arrested, but failed. She won't want to report that sort of failure to Fudge too soon. She'll try to find us herself. But let's face it, only magic will find us, and I've never seen her cast a single spell."

Hannah snorted, as she lined up the now prepared travel bags and book bags to be quickly loaded into Justin's bag. "That's true. She could be a squib for all we know."

"You mean we've been taking orders from a squib?" Draco looked sickened by that.

"No, you've been taking orders from a sadistic ministry toady," Zack told him.

"Here they are," Harry said, lying down on the cold stone to reach for the bag from Millicent. He handed it back to someone, and started getting up. "Where's Luna?" he asked.

"She was too tired to do the swim twice more," Justin told him.

"Decide, Malfoy. Either come or not. We're not coming back out here again."

Draco looked torn. The land looked wild and uncivilized. The rock was the only man-made thing he could see. Susan fit the last of the bags into Justin's, and looked at him.

He quickly pulled off his robe, revealing blouse and trousers. He doffed his shoes and socks, and the rest of his clothes. Sue put them into the bag as quick as he handed them to her. She then put Justin's bag in Hermione's, and Hermione's into Padma's. Harry again lay on the stone to hand the bag down, this time to Justin.

Susan and Hannah, jumped into the water. Harry thought Susan looked like someone who could be in those magazines that Dean had. Hannah was slightly overweight, but was all curves and beautiful anyway. He was glad that his boxers, hand-me-downs from Dudley, were big enough to hide his erection. Smith, in briefs, didn't have that luxury, and had jumped into the water as soon as the group from land had shown up.

"Hey," Susan cried, "no one told us it was cold."

"This is warm compared to the ocean near my home," Millicent replied.

Harry said, "I'm coming in. Help!" He sat on the edge and pushed himself off. As he hit the water, a hand grabbed him around the upper arm and pulled him to the surface.

"You probably should have packed your glasses, Potter," Millicent said. She maneuvered so the rock was behind her. "Put your hands on my shoulders. Now relax, and lean your head back, lifting your body. Here we go." She gave a powerful frog kick and breast stroke. Harry started to panic when he lost his hold as her speed suddenly slowed while she brought her hands back up from her sides to do another stroke.

"Relax, Potter, but try to hold on. Perhaps bend your elbows a little as I swim forward, so you have a little play when I slow."

"Why aren't you doing like Luna and Terry?"

"I don't like the side stroke in the ocean. In a pool where the water is fairly calm it's alright, but in the ocean, you can't see the waves coming, or where you're going, and having your carrier coughing water probably wouldn't help you relax. Do you know how to do the frog kick? You can do that without interfering with my kicks."

"Sorry, only dog paddle a little."

"Then how did you do the second task if you can't swim?"

"Gillyweed. Gave me gills and flippered hands and feet, as well as a feel for swimming."

"Damn."

"What's wrong?"

"Tides going out. We're not making as good time as we did with the first group."

"Hi Harry!" Susan said, from one side of him.

"Hi Harry!" Hannah said from the other.

"If you can swim ahead, go for it," Millicent told them. "Tides going out, and it's working against us. It shouldn't be too bad, but it's pushing us away from the group on land.

Zack and Justin came up to them, too. Justin was on his back like Millicent had been, but holding the bag with two hands. Zack was near his feet and every few kicks of Justin's would push his feet. This would almost inevitably cause water to splash on Justin's face, but he just kicked while Zack swam up to him again.

"Teamwork," Harry said. His head wasn't as far back as Justin's, so less water came over it into his face.

"What you would expect from 'Puffs," Millicent said, sounding wistful.

"Not much camaraderie in the dungeons?"

She snorted. "Everything is either bargained for or blackmailed. You're used, if useful; taken advantage of, if weak; kowtowed to if strong. Not the friendliest bunch, although they will present a unified front to the outside world, or at least the other houses."

"That why you joined the Inquisitorial squad?"

She looked at him with an expression of a cornered mouse, then it disappeared. "Yes. You do what you have to get along."

"You don't sound like you really belong there."

"Oh, I might. I have ambitions. Its just as a mixed blood, I'm not going to really pick up the useful contacts that most ambitious people go into Slytherin for. So I bide my time, and consider staying out of the wizarding world like my dad."

"Your dad isn't in the magical world?"

"Not really. He's a fisherman. Which explains my being a swimmer, he wanted to drown-proof me as soon as possible.

"But that's enough chat, we're just about here. Can you put your feet down?"

Harry let his feet drop, and soon hit sand. They helped each other through the surf, and walked out of the water. The original group was a ways away to the left of them, and they walked towards them.

Hermione ran up to them. "Harry, this way! They found water! Come on! You must be thirsty."

Harry turned to Millicent and smiled, "Can I buy you a drink in thanks."

"You may, Mr. Potter," she teased back.

"Harry. My friends call me Harry."

"And mine call me Milli."