Story: The Titans of Secrets
Chapter Twelve: The First Rebel

The dawn sunk with the sky turning a gentle blue. The excited chatters of students was heard clearly as Ginny woke up. She dreaded waking up, for it was the day of the second Hogsmeade visit.

After the last night's nightmare, she had a nabbing doubt if Shade was to be really trusted. He seemed like a nice bloke with as much a mysterious identity as hers but his constant questions of proposal was getting a tad too annoying for the witch.

She really had no idea how the guy even fell for her without seeing anything but her eyes and partially concealed face.

The nightmare flashed across her eyes as Harry greeted her that morning. Her own words from the dream echoed throughout her mind. "I can't betray my heart. . . It beats for Dragonfly and for. . . Harry."

Was it true then? Was it true that she was now harbouring feelings for the guy she hated at first glance? She did not know.

"Ginny? Ginny!" Hermione's shrieks broke her reverie.

"Huh? What?" Ginny asked, turning from her plate to look at the bushy haired witch.

"I've been calling for a good minute! What's going on in your mind?"

"Nothing," Ginny answered. Gilligan's looked at her suspiciously and she smiled innocently at him. "Are you guys going on another date, today?"

Hermione's expression quickly rose. She smiled happily before speaking. "Yes! Can you believe that Ron was acting so cutely to ask me out yesterday?" she said in a hushed whisper so as to not alert Ron who was busy stuffing his mouth. Ginny chuckled lightly. "Who are you going with?" Hermione asked.

Ginny's smile faltered.

"Why don't we go together? I have no idea about this Hogsmeade and I would really appreciate it if you could show me around," Harry suggested. "And Gil can tag along and perhaps, show me some prank places?"

Gilligan laughed and Ginny scratched her neck when Hermione nudged her in the ribs. "She'll go with you, Harry," Hermione responded instead of the red haired girl. Harry looked at Ginny for confirmation. She nodded timidly and he smiled.

"That's great. Go and get ready then, Gil! We are getting ready to explore a new place!" Harry exclaimed childishly, attracting several eyes. Gilligan grinned back.

"It's a new place for you, brother. Ginny has already shown me everything there including the unibellas. Am I right, Ginny?" Gilligan asked with a wink. Ginny laughed hard at the 'unibellas' joke.

Gilligan surely knew how to make her laugh.

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The fresh wind tickled their lungs as they strolled through the Wizarding village of Hogsmeade. Attractive sales posters advertising newly arrived merchandises formed every window's glasses. The students were busily chatting and shopping the day away as if there would be no tomorrow. Pastel grunge clouds were scattered in the sky – nothing too foreboding.

Ginny skipped around the cobbled path, holding her sling bag to not let it fall. Harry and Gilligan followed her, wearing amused smiles as she explained about each and every store of the village.

"And that'll be the path to the Shrieking Shack. It is rumored that it is haunted as screams are often heard coming from inside it," Ginny explained, coming to a stop beside the winding way.

"Really? I think being Gryffindors we must prove the rumour false," Harry suggested with a wink at his brother.

"Are you mental, Harry?" Gilligan asked. "What if there is something like a chimaera in there which roars when someone passes by?"

"Nah. It is rated to be an highly dangerous magical beast. The ministry would have identified its roars," Harry reasoned and Ginny nodded with a smile, causing Gilligan to frown and shrug it off.

"You always side with him," Gilligan muttered under his breath to Ginny.

Ginny was about to encourage Gilligan's foul mood when a sudden blast of rubble rained upon them. Harry pushed the other two to the ground and shouted in agony when pieces of debris hit his back.

Acting quickly when it stopped raining brash, Gilligan put up a quick shield.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked, concern laced in her voice. Harry smiled which turned into a grimace.

"The jewellery store. . . It collapsed," Gilligan informed, seeing the half demolished building standing beside them. "Did you hear that? Screams–" No sooner than Gilligan spoke did a horde of students and townsfolk alike came rushing. Harry quickly got up and took hold of Ginny's and Gilligan's hand.

"We need to get out of here soon! Let's get into the pub which you said Ginny!" Harry exclaimed, pulling them along as they ran to The Three Broomsticks. Ginny felt her face warm but disregarded her emotions at that time.

The doors of the pub was closed and Harry and Gilligan forced it open. Inside was a group of frightened students. Madam Rosmerta, the bartender rushed to them to examine their injuries.

"We heard the last lane of the village has been blasted apart. Are you three alright?" she asked in a concerned tone. Ginny nodded. Another boom was heard and several heads turned to the window.

"The village is under attack!" One seventh year screamed before shooting outside, wand in hand. Several seventh years followed their fellow classmate to join in on fighting. The shop owners, regardless of gender, came out to defend their lands.

Harry turned to Ginny and Gilligan.

"I'll help them. No, Ginny!" Harry cut her short when she made to interrupt him. "You are a seventh year but you are not of age. Gil, make sure she doesn't sneak out. I'm sure she will do just that." With that, he rushed out into the cold and depressing battle. Ginny turned to Gilligan with pleading eyes and he shook his head vigorously in response.

"I am as old as you but I can't take part either. As far as I hate to tell it, we will have leave it to the grown-ups."

Ginny frowned but before either of them moved, the ceiling boomed and shook. Dust billowed from it and turned the air gray while pieces of wood feel around them, shattering on the floor. From inside came screams and the sound of clashing metal. With a resounding report, the center beam of the ceiling cracked and rained down heavy shingles.

Confusion scattered the students as they tried to dodge the deadly barrage. Ginny and Gilligan pressed against the wall to avoid the falling debris. Rosmerta screamed and so did several students and hooded figures – whom Ginny recognized as Death Eaters, Voldemort's followers – rushed in, shooting several lethal spells. Gilligan forced himself to erect a shield around them as Ginny took on two of them.

Sending stunners in quick succession tired her out enough to not observe the purple hex flying towards her. Gilligan sent her down with a banishing charm and she slided to the ground. Several wood splinters cut her cheeks but she disregarded them. Taking Gilligan's distraction, she scurried outside and after running for several minutes, found an empty alleyway.

"Dragonfly, Enigma!"

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Dragonfly leaped confidently over the standing buildings. She came to a halt when she noticed Harry fighting. He was nursing a huge gash on his arm. The sight of it made her cringe but she continued ahead.

Her brown eyes scanned the crowd to see any suspicious behavior of any undercover person who did not wear the Death Eater mask.

Suddenly, an Eater popped up, his upper lip curling to reveal a line of yellow, rotting teeth.

"'ello beautiful! 'Hat's 'ith the 'ood?" he asked. Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. From the stench which could be smelled from miles away, she could make out that he was drunk. Not to mention the way his wordings were slurred.

An idea occurred to her and she smiled wickedly.

Taking two steps closer to the Eater, she winked at him. "You are much more handsome, Mister Eater. Do you think we could have a small chat to know each other?" Although she cringed internally, she forced herself to pound her foot at the land. The man's lips curled into a grin.

"'Course! 'ho are ya?"

"I am Nathalie. Now, since I answered your question, answer mine. Who has sent you here?"

"Our good sire, Confusion, 'course!" he rambled.

"Confusion?" Ginny asked, perplexed. The man's gaze suddenly turned suspicious.

"'old up! Ya aren't extracting mine information, are ya?!" He whipped out his wand in a surprisingly fast motion as he swayed on spot. Dragonfly froze. Coming closer to her, he reached out to grab her hand.

"Expulso!"

The man was thrown off his feet and he toppled down the roof and landed with a loud thud on the ground. Dragonfly doubted if a single bone of his wasn't broken.

"Beauty Fly!" It was Shade. His wand was pointed at where the man was and he was slightly breathless. "Are you mental?!"

"You could assume that," Dragonfly stated. Shade crossed a few buildings to reach her. "If I have found something, it is that a man named Confusion is the one behind the attack. Have the aurors and hit wizards arrived yet?"

"Yes. The hit wizards have stunned and even killed a few but the casualties of the Light side are unknown as of yet. I eavesdropped on the aurors. This attack was supposed to be unexpected and they are looking for one student."

"Student?" Dragonfly asked in disbelief.

"Yes. If I put together pieces, this student they are looking for is probably someone who is higher than second year. Only third years and above are allowed to come for Hogsmeade visits," Shade explained.

"But why would they look for a student? Do we know who it is?"

"No idea, Beauty Fly."

"Do you reckon it's Harry Potter?" Dragonfly asked. "He's a Quidditch star and is in seventh year."

"What? No. . . I-I don't think it's him they are looking for," Shade said.

"Why not? It is a possibility, Shade!"

"They might have a fear that he is protected by security," Shade reasoned. Dragonfly sighed.

"I suppose but we should keep a close watch on him. . . in our civilian selves of course," Dragonfly suggested.

"I suppose. . . Now, since we are here. Why not go on a leisurely walk around this village?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Of course not –" but Dragonfly did not pay any attention for something more important caught her eye: a building was collapsing and beneath it was a student. . .

Cliffhanger!

Guess who the teen is? ;)

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Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x