And So it Goes

Summary: It is the morning after the mysterious battle on the lawn. So many unanswered questions - who were those people, what was it that they holding, and did that scene have any connection to Harry? Excerpt - Harry's mouth was now slightly dry. He looked up at his headmaster with a expression of concern, “What was it than, sir, what was it that they took?”

A/N - Once again, thanks everyone for the lovely reviews. I hope that this chapter does not disappoint. This story is going to be much more extensive than I had originally planned, so I hope you all stick around for the ride. Chapter 6 is lengthy, and the chapters from here on out will be a bit more descriptive and elaborate than previous ones, since you will be needing more back story. I promise the romance of our favorite couple will appear in every chapter. Lastly, I know that the Patil twins are in Ravenclaw, but I put them into Gryffindor for my story. Sorry if that irks anyone. It will be the only character change I will make.

I hold my breath as this life starts to take its toll

I hide behind a smile as this perfect plan unfolds

But oh, God, I feel I've been lied to

Lost all faith in the things I have achieved

And I've woken now to find myself

In the shadows of all I have created

I'm longing to be lost in you

(away from this place I have made)

Won't you take me away from me

Crawling through this world as disease flows through my veins

I look into myself, but my own heart has been changed

I can't go on like this

I loathe all I've become

Lost in a dying world I reach for something more

I have grown so weary of this lie I live

*******************

"Well, would ya look at that? Should we wake 'em?' Seamus asked in a whisper, folding his arms and pseudo sitting on the back of the couch.

"Well, at least they're not trying to keeping it a secret from me anymore, or from anyone for that matter, they're right here for everyone to see - well, partially, anyway." Ron whispered back to Seamus, who was trying to hold back laughing. "Although, who knows what they 'secretly' look like under that cloak. I mean, Harry's sweater is over here, and her shoes and socks are over there....hmmm, maybe you're right, we should wake them up before everyone else gets up."

As soon as the words 'gets up' escaped Ron's lips, he had leaned over the couch, grabbed the cloak from what he thought was the middle, and ripped it straight off Harry and Hermione with a snap. To this, Harry out of shock, sat straight up, and in doing so, rolled Hermione, who had been spooning in front of him, onto the floor. Harry spotted Ron, not even noticing Hermione due to his his current drowsy state, and muttered out an "Oh, Ron!" before plopping back down on the couch. Harry, now on his back, looked toward the fire place, only to have two narrow slits for eyes glaring back at him.

"Oh My God, Hermione," Harry said, sitting up and starting to laugh, "I'm so sorry."

Hermione looked from Harry to Ron and Seamus, "Thanks for the wake up call, gents," she said sarcastically through a yawn.

"No problem. Think of it this way, you should thank me, you're lucky I was up so early to do my hallway duty," Seamus replied. "otherwise, the whole dorm might have come down and caught you in this most, how should I say...hmm...interesting position." Seamus and Ron started to laugh. "Although, seeing you roll onto the floor was a damn right amusing way to start my morning, so maybe I should thank you."

To that, Harry tried to stifle his laughter, Hermione on the other hand, wasn't as amused. She turned her back on the boys and started to put on her socks and shoes in an effort to ignore their recap of her hitting the floor.

Harry was still sitting on the couch, but was panning the room, clearly searching for something, while Ron and Seamus were still laughing.

Ron bent down and picked up Harry's sweater that was laying on the floor, next to the couch, and held it up over the back, "Looking for this?" he asked, trying to be coy.

Harry started to slightly blush, "uh yeah, thanks." But as he went to reach for it, he noticed someone step through the portrait, and stopped mid grab.

"Good Morning, everyone."

Hermione let out a squeak, clearly startled by Dumbledore's sudden appearance in their common room, and rushed to finish tying her other shoe.

"Good Morning, professor," Seamus and Ron said simultaneously. Harry, on the other hand, just took his sweater from Ron and started pulling it on over his black t-shirt.

Hermione quickly got to her feet. She started fussing with her hair, pulling it back into a ponytail, when she finally glanced directly at Dumbledore. She managed to let out a small "hello," her voice echoing the embarrassment she felt at Dumbledore catching them both dressing, even if it was just socks, shoes, and Harry's sweater.

Dumbledore looked over his moon shaped spectacles from Hermione to Harry, who was now putting on his own shoes, and then back to Hermione. He then shifted his stance so that he was looking directly through his glasses again, and smiled, "Good Morning, Ms. Granger." Hermione acknowledge his greeting with a smile and then looked toward the couch.

Harry stood up and turned toward Dumbledore, his face completely devoid of expression.

"Should I go with you now or do you want me to come to your office later?"

Ron, Hermione, and Seamus exchanged glances momentarily - Harry had told Ron last night that he knew that this was coming.

Students were now filtering down from their bed chambers. Upon spotting Dumbledore, a bustle of panicked whispering started immediately.

"Now would be best, Harry."

With a nod, Harry gave a quick "alright." He turned to Hermione, grabbed her hand, and gave her a light kiss on the lips, before turning to follow Dumbledore out of the portrait.

The panicked whispering from a moment ago now became a soft roar when the students saw Harry kiss Hermione. Hermione didn't notice them, she just kept her eyes on Dumbledore and Harry as the portrait swung closed behind them.

As soon as they were gone, Hermione was overcome with a multitude of emotions, her thoughts drowning out the sound of the gossip in the background. She sat back down on the couch, too drowsy and too unmotivated to move. Just then she remembered that the invisibility cloak was somewhere on the floor in a ball. She brushed her foot along the ground, trying to flip a bit of the visible side over. When she finally found it, it took every ounce of her willpower to not pick it up, hug it in her arms, and let herself slip back into the memory of last night - Harry's arms, his kisses, his scent - she wanted to so badly, but instead she pushed it under the couch with her foot, safe until there would be another opportunity to come and get it, unnoticed.

While Hermione was occupied with the cloak, Ron had been getting interrogated by students from every grade. Seamus had managed to escape to go and do his Prefect duties, leaving Ron alone to deal with a slew of questions from the onlookers.

“Hey, what's all of the fuss about?” Ginny asked, as she bounded down the stairs.

Hermione continued to sit on the couch, contemplating her next move.

Parvati and Padma, who had be leading up the interlopers, now turned their attention to Ginny.

Hermione could hear them give Ginny a play by play of the events, starting from when they came down and saw Dumbledore talking to Harry. They managed to include that Harry seemed to be getting dressed when the Headmaster came in. She was also sure she could make out something along the lines of - Hermione, floor, hair a mess, flustered.

'What a flattering combination,' Hermione thought.

Ginny had moved past the twins once they finished their story. “What's going on, the twins said you were down here the whole time? Why was Dumbledore here?”

“Oh, bugger off Ginny!” Ron retorted.

“What's your problem?”

“Your little stunt last yesterday, I don't know what you were trying to accomplish by telling me about the paper, but it was a down right cruel thing to do.”

Ginny went to open her mouth to speak, but Ron cut her off.

“And save me the bit about you doing it to protect me, this was about you and you know it.” Ron grabbed his books off the window seat and headed out the portrait, a small group of gossiping students still tailing him.

Ginny had neglected to notice that Hermione had been sitting on the couch. Her focus had gone from her brother, to the group swarming her brother, to watching them exit the room. Hermione had taken this opportunity of this momentary distraction to walk up behind Ginny.

“Morning, Ginny,” Hermione said in a tone that was calm, but also dripping with insincerity. Ginny turned to look at Hermione, wide eyed, clearly taken a back by her presence. “I just wanted to thank you again for lending me your mini quill,” she said, as she inched closer to Ginny, looking her straight in the eyes. She could sense that Ginny was getting uncomfortable from the way in which she swallowed hard and looked away from Hermione when she spoke. Hermione stood there for a minute, letting the awkwardness build, before sidestepping Ginny and heading towards the girl's staircase.

Once Hermione walked passed Ginny, she exhaled the breath she had been holding.

“Oh, and by the way, Ginny..” Hermione added, as she stopped on the first step and turned, “You were right -Harry was makin' eyes at me the other day.. and last night...and this morning...especially after he kissed me!,” To this, the Patil twins, who were near the door watching this exchange, turned towards each other and began intensely whispering and giggling. Ginny, however, just stood there, dumbstruck and defeated.

Hermione began walking up the stairs again, but added, with an air of dreaminess, “ He kissed me over and over and over.....” She didn't stop until she knew Ginny could no longer hear her.

***********************

Harry silently walked alongside Dumbledore until they reached his office. Once inside, Harry started to look in the cabinets that adorned the walls. He always enjoyed examining the small knick-knacks and contraptions that filled them.

Dumbledore, who had moved to sit at his desk, started to open the conversation.

“So, Harry, I see from the way in which you left the Gryffindor common room, that you and Ms. Granger are now together?”

Harry continued to look into one of the cabinets, “perhaps,” he answered, and then thought, 'Oh, this better not be about that.'

Harry turned from the cabinet to look at Dumbledore, who's face lightened with a smile. “You see, Harry, I'm not sure Hermione told you or not, but Professor McGonagall had recommended that....”

But Harry stopped him short.

“Forgive me, Headmaster, but 'yes' I do know about what McGonagall wants and thinks, and is that truly the reason you wanted to see me this morning?”

“Well, yes and no,” Dumbledore answered, as he stood up and stepped from behind his desk, toward Harry.

“I take it you saw what went on outside last night?”

Harry said nothing, but nodded his head.

“I assumed as much. It was apparent that you knew I would be coming for you, hence, why you and Hermione where in common room together at such an early hour.” Dumbledore looked above the rims of his glasses again, the usual twinkle in his eye. Harry simply remained stone faced, determined not to let the his mentor, whom he loved, but at times hated, interfere with he and Hermione.

“Tales of what happened last night will undoubtedly run ramped through the school today, which is part of the reason I want you to have the truth.” Dumbledore motioned for Harry to sit, as he continued, “For the past 5 years I have kept things from you Harry, kept things from you that I just thought would put you in greater danger. Yet, in the end, they have managed to unfold into the most unfortunate of circumstances.” Dumbledore was slowly walking the floor of his office as he spoke, “ Last night, Pansy Parkinson's mother and father came to the school to have a conference with Professor Flickwick. After the meeting, they went with Pansy to the Slytherin dormitories, sharing with us that they wanted to reminisce, since they too were from Slytherin House. From their actions that followed, we now know that they are members of a new order of Death Eaters. While this in itself is horrible news, to make matters worse, they took something of great value from Hogwarts last night.”

Harry looked at Dumbledore in shocked. Not so much from the fact that Pansy's parents were Death Eaters - he had come to suspect every Slytherin student who chummed around with Draco was related in some way to one.

“But how did they get through the wards unnoticed? Hermione told me that this was one of the safest places to be ever since the Ministry changed them last year. I thought the wards could pick up traces of magic from a Death Eater's mark and notify, well, I don't really know. You, I guess.”

“True, Harry, the wards have been intensified, but when there is nothing there, the wards have nothing to sense.”

An expression of confusion crossed Harry's face, “Nothing, sir?”

“All of our students' parents have clearance to pass through the wards. Additionally, Professor Flickwick said that he remembered Pansy's mother wearing a short sleeved shirt last night, and I am certain that he would have noticed if she had Voldemort's mark on her arm. In not marking his followers, he has breached some of the protection that we felt we had establish.”

Dumbledore turned from Harry, now walking near the wall, stopping here and there to examine the paintings.

“You know, I have always loved the paintings here. Even when I was a young man, I would stop and have conversations with some of the characters. There were others that just loved to look at. And there were others, still, that I would have loved to live in.”

Harry just smiled in response, unsure what else to do or say, since this topic was completely off from what they had been on.

Dumbledore turned from the painting in front of him to look at Harry, “Like this one.” He pointed to a painting of a ballroom. There were no guests, but there was a table full of food to the left; to the right, was what looked like the grand entrance doors; and in the distance, straight ahead, was a small chamber ensemble, which was currently playing a slow waltz. “You just want to reach in and take a sweet from the table.”

While Dumbledore had been speaking, he had actually brushed his finger tips across the front of the painting. Harry noticed how the painting became blurry, and the colors swam and rippled, as if it was a small pool of water being disturbed.

Harry now looked keenly interested and stood to examine the painting that Dumbledore had just touch.

“As with all life, not everything is as it appears.”

Dumbledore took a few steps back, pointed his wand and the painting and said, “Engorgio.”

The painting, that had only been about two feet long and wide, now expanded to the size of a door. The other paintings that were on the wall merely shrunk to compensate for the expansion.

“After you, Harry,” Dumbledore said, as he motioned for Harry to step through.

Harry gave Dumbledore a wary glance, but then looked at the painting. He slowly stepped over the frame of the picture and began to walk into the ballroom. As he passed through the facade of the painting, it felt as if a cold mist was washing over his entire body. Quickly the sensation was over, and he was standing inside a beautiful, gilded, and ornately decorated ballroom. Dumbledore was now standing to his left.

“Where are the musicians, professor? Harry asked.

“It's magic, Harry. They were never really in here to begin with.”

Dumbledore began leading Harry through a series of corridors, in what appeared to be another castle, one fit for a king. Marble walls, elaborately carved statues, and more paintings graced the the hallways.

“In almost every room at Hogwarts there is a painting like the one we just stepped through. The picture itself is different, of course. This is the Founder's Corridor. These hallways are secret passageways that connect the rooms. The paintings, which serve as the access to these hallways, are constantly changing, similar to the staircases. One will rarely know which painting is real, and which is a doorway.

Dumbledore stopped at a painting that was the size of a door. It was a portrait of four students, each one wearing a robe that featured the colors and emblems of the four houses. Harry could tell from the style of the robes that this portrait was done many, many years ago. The students were helping each other hoist up the house cup. As Harry and Dumbledore neared the painting, its frame began to shimmer.

“Ah, here we are,” Dumbledore said as he stepped into the picture, Harry following right behind him.

Harry looked around and quickly realized that he was in the trophy room. He then turned to look back at the painting, which was now shrinking on the wall, while the rest of the paintings were expanding, to what Harry could only assume, was their original size.

“The paintings in the Founder's Corridor that act as portals out, do not change pictures or their location on the wall. Nor do their pictures move. Each painting represents something from the other side, hence, the house cup representing the trophy room.”

Dumbledore began to walk around the room while looking into the cases. “This is only a third of the trophies that belong to Hogwarts. The remaining trophies, along with many other precious magical commodities, are hidden in three rooms that the corridor also hides.”

Harry looked up from the case to Dumbledore, 'The Mirror of Erised,' he thought. He had looked for it so many times to no avail. Dumbledore had probably moved it there.

“So, what other precious commodities are hidden there, Professor?”

Dumbledore smiled slightly before he gave a his vague answer.

”Many ancient enchanted and powerful objects.”

To this, Harry just returned his gaze to the trophies.

“Let me ask you this, Harry, what did you see last night?”

Harry thought for a moment, replaying the scene on the lawn in his mind. “I saw four people taking aim at two. Suddenly, one of the two people,” Harry paused, now realizing who the two were, “uh, one of Pansy's parents pulled out a box. It was glowing gold, actually, it seemed to be pulsing. The four that had been taking aim at them had stopped for some reason when they saw the box. Next thing I knew, a hippogriff was soaring past my window and landing by the couple, who jumped on and took off.”

“I brought you here, Harry, since I knew for a fact that this room would be unoccupied. You needed to see the Founder's Corridor to understand how last nights events came to pass, plus, I now want you to have access to those halls, in case of emergency.”

Harry nodded, wanting to take all of this in. Dumbledore motioned for Harry to take a seat on one of the benches along the wall.

“Last night, when the Parkinson's were in the Slytherin Common room, they were there with a purpose more significant than reliving old memories. They went with the intent of finding the painting that would give them access to the Corridor, and they found it.”

Harry suddenly realized the implications of Dumbledore's words - the Parkinsons were able access to the entire castle.

“Once in the castle, they found one of the three rooms that the Corridor hides,” Dumbledore added.

“So, that's what they were carrying out last night, something from one of the rooms.”

“Precisely, but we are left with many unanswered questions this morning. We are not sure if they actually knew what they took, or if they simply grabbed the first small object they saw to take back to Voldemort, proving to him that the Corridor does actually exist.”

Harry's mouth was now slightly dry. He looked up at his headmaster with a expression of concern, “What was it than, sir, what was it that they took?”