Hey guys! It's me again! I know it looks like I forgot about yet ANOTHER story, but I haven't. I have dance auditions coming up on the 28th of this month and I've been very busy getting the choreography down and all. I've had this chapter done for a while, but I'm only just now getting around to it so you all can read it. Sorry it took me so long. I'm working on part 2 of this chapter so hopefully that will be up within a couple of days. You guys are awesome and I luv ya! Enjoy the chapter, and review please.
http://s3.invisionfree.com/the_Phoenix_Prophecy
Chapter 3
Part 1
The day ticked on very slowly, with the students anxious for it to go quicker, and for the ball to start sooner.
Harry and Hermione eventually found Ron after their time in the library, and when asked where they had disappeared to, Hermione honestly stated "The library." Things were smoothed over roughly, but quickly-after convincing Ron it was in fact in their best interest to stay behind.
Meanwhile, McGonagall was walking briskly through the corridors of Hogwarts, on her way to her office. Every pair of eyes belonging to the students she passed, were on her as she went on her way. She didn't acknowledge them, even being aware of the fact that they were skeptical of her rushing behavior.
Opening the door to her office, she sighed contently and made her way to her desk, only to find a note lying on top of her stack of books. She picked it up gently and opened it in the same fashion. The way the note was scribbled out indicated the author of it was in somewhat of a hurry. It read:
Minerva,
The situation in which we recently discussed at our meeting has been resolved, and we have a new one on our hands that is just as bad, if not worse. Please tell Sparky to contact us immediately as we were not able to owl him directly.
We're looking forward to the events tomorrow, and have everything arranged for safe transport.
Again, please get this information to the person previously mentioned soon, so we can discuss what needs to be done.
Waiting anxiously,
T.O.
Professor McGonagall folded up the letter and rushed back out of her office to go find Dumbledore, with a confused look on her face. Her robe swished behind her as she went, again drawing the attention of a batch of students that had their eyes glued to her.
Finally she had reached the hidden entrance to Dumbledore's office. She whispered the password and in return it granted her access up the spiraling steps. She stepped on, it carried her up, and she lightly tapped on the door. It creaked open and Dumbledore stood in the center of the room looking at her with raised eyebrows.
***
Harry felt the sudden urge to get up from the sofa he had been napping on. Earlier, Ron and Hermione left him to go take care of a few details down in the Great Hall. During this time, he changed into his dress robe, and settled some last minute details he overlooked, such as locating his tie, and sending a short letter to Lupin about the week's vague and minor events. Feeling tired after all this, he nestled himself down on the sofa and apparently fell asleep. For how long, he wasn't sure.
His eyes squinted around the room a bit as they adjusted to the significant change in light around him. When he had fallen asleep, he realized, the sun was still out. Now it was rapidly disappearing from the sky. His eyes stretched open wider, and he jumped to a standing position. Looking over himself quickly, he straightened out his robe and tie then made his way to the portrait hole. Just then, Ron and Hermione came through, looking distressed.
"Harry! There you are!" Ron said. "You were supposed to meet us in the Great Hall over twenty minutes ago. What happened to you?" Hermione, who had her arm wrapped around Ron's, looked Harry up and down.
"Did you-fall asleep, Harry?" She asked quietly. His hair was a bit messy, and he remembered that's the only thing he didn't fix just a moment ago.
"Well it's not like I meant to do it. I got bored."
"As long as you're feeling all right."
"I'm fine," he said weakly. Ron and Hermione stared at him suggestively for a few moments. "I said I'm fine." This time he was more convincing in his tone, and the two of them brushed it off.
"We better go." Ron said. "My sister will be wondering why you haven't gone down to meet her yet." Ron pulled Hermione's arm and turned them both around. In mid-step out of the portrait hole, Harry said, "Ginny and I aren't going to the ball together."
Ron swiftly turned around and came back into the room, with Hermione dragging along behind him. "Can I have a word with you, Harry?" He glanced at Hermione. "In private?" he growled out to Harry.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh please! Like I don't know what you're going to talk about." She walked off and had a seat on one of the sofas so Harry and Ron could have their privacy.
Ron took Harry by the arm and pulled him over to the staircase. "What do you mean you're not going with my sister?" He asked sternly. Harry tried not to chuckle at the furious look on his face. "Because, Ron. That's why. We decided a while ago that if either one of us found alternate dates for tonight, that we would just forget the whole deal. That is why we decided to go together in the first place-neither of us could find anyone else to go with."
Ron's face softened up a bit, and he was very relieved his best friend had no intention of leaving his sister in the dust while he went with someone else. "Harry, you could have gone with any girl, you know."
Harry clenched his jaw and looked at him with a surprised look on his face. "Have you totally lost it? I would have taken Hermione if I could, but with this little arrangement the Order has set up, I'm forbidden from it." He stopped to look at him seriously. "I'm serious about this Ron. She better have a good time tonight or-" His jaw clenched a bit when Ron put his hand on his shoulder.
"Come on, look at who you're talking to."
Harry bit back the urge to say something, and instead glanced over at Hermione sitting on the sofa. Ron followed his eyes and thought for a minute before he said anything.
"She's been in a good mood ever since you two came back from the library. I don't think we have anything to worry about." Thinking back to what happened in the library Harry bit his lip and innocently diverted his eyes somewhere else while Ron stared at him suspiciously.
Ron cupped his shoulder and walked off to give Harry a few minutes alone with Hermione, who was still on the sofa minding her own business by staring up at the ceiling and tapping her foot impatiently.
"You know, you never did thank me for picking out that dress you're wearing. You look great," He said, looking down at the simple sky blue dress that clung to her body, stopping just below the knees. The straps were thin, and the dress had an empire waist-making her look quite a bit younger like they were back in first year again.
Hermione startled when she heard Harry's voice coming from behind her. She never heard him cross the room.
Harry's grin widened when Hermione twisted in her spot to look up at him as he stood behind her. "Harry, you're right. Thank you." She rested her chin on the back of the sofa and just looked up at him. She brought her head up as he knelt down on the floor to be eye-level with her. "Where did Ron go?" Hermione asked, looking toward the entrance of the common room.
Harry briefly turned his head then looked back into her calm eyes. "I'm not sure exactly. I was in a daze and wasn't really paying attention."
Her posture straightened significantly, and she gave him a questioning look. "A daze? What do you mean a daze? Is something wrong, Harry?" She brushed the hair away from his forehead and waited for an answer.
"It's nothing. I'm just tired."
"Harry." She scolded, and his eyes rolled a bit in defeat. He was never able to ignore that look she always gave him when she wanted to know something, especially when she knew it was something important.
"Well last night, I had another dream."
"Another one? Harry, you've got to go to Dumbledore about this. It could be serious, or even very dangerous."
Softly, he put a hand over hers and was quiet for a moment. "I know it could be dangerous. The last time I had dreams like these, Sirius ended up dead." His tone was soft, and even a bit remorseful. Hermione's heart sank with hearing him saying things like this again.
She reached up and curled her hand around the back of his neck. "Harry, it wasn't your fault. You didn't know what those dreams meant-none of us did. You've got to stop doing this to yourself before it ruins you."
His thoughts trailed on a bit, but he reminded himself how lucky he was to have someone as patient and caring as Hermione close to him all the time. "I know it wasn't my fault. I know now that I have to be careful with these dreams I have. I know I can't go jumping to conclusions every time." Harry calmed greatly when he felt the warm skin of Hermione's forehead against his.
***
Professor McGonagall shut the door behind her as she stepped into Dumbledore's office. He seemed very quiet, and she somehow suspected he knew why she was there.
"Albus," she spoke quietly. He held out a hand, as if asking for something. He knew. She plucked the letter from her robe and placed it in his gentle hand. His concerned eyes cast down upon the letter he was about to read.
Walking back to his desk, he gestured for McGonagall to sit down while they sorted things out. He began to read the letter once he was seated at his desk. His eyes skipped over each letter with great interest, but the look on his face was soft. It was almost as if he wasn't surprised with the news in the letter, and even possibly a bit relieved.
McGonagall waited anxiously for his thoughts on the matter. And then he finally spoke.
"How long have you had this?" he asked her, finally looking up from the small piece of parchment in his hand.
She scrunched up her face a bit. "Just a few short moments. How did you know about it?" Thoughts reeled through her mind intensely as he stared at her. Then it occurred to her. "Albus, is it safe to assume that Sparky is in fact the Headmaster that's looking at me right this moment?"
His eyes twinkled with pride and he stood up. "Well I wanted something original and fresh," he said with a light, happy tone.
McGonagall nodded and tried to hold back the enormous grin that was challenging to come out. "Well it certainly is fresh, but the next time you decide to go poking around for a code name, would you mind telling me?" He nodded and plucked some Bertie Bott's jelly beans from the bowl on his desk. "When I read that letter I almost thought it had been sent to the wrong division-although, it was addressed to me."
Dumbledore chuckled and popped some jelly beans into his mouth. "No worries Minerva. Everything is just fine." The aftertaste of one of the beans lingered in his mouth an awfully long time. McGonagall watched him with amused behavior at trying to get rid of the taste. Snapping his fingers loudly, a glass of water appeared in one hand, and he took a few sips before it finally went away. "Must be the latest flavor," he said cheerfully.
"And what flavor is that?"
"Dragon's Breath. It's now got to be the most repulsive flavor of them all."
The conversation soon changed to more serious matters and both Professors glanced down at the letter at the same time, thinking the same thing.
"Minerva, despite what The Order thinks at this moment, our students are far from being safe. Something has to be done tonight."
McGonagall clutched her hands together in deep thought for a moment. "Are you suggesting we not send them home in the morning?"
Dumbledore shook his head ever so slightly, keeping the serious look in his eyes. "It's not the entire student body I'm concerned about. True, these students need to get as far away from this castle as possible. I especially think Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Hermione need to get out of here tonight. If not, I'm afraid of what might happen if they stay."
"Very well then. I'll contact The Order immediately and-"
Dumbledore cut her off mid-sentence. "No. We don't need a big scene, they'll have enough on their hands by morning. No, no. I think we should go with someone else to help with their departure."
She nodded, and knew who he wanted to enlist for the job. "Are you sure, Albus? This could be dangerously risky."
He nodded without a second thought in his mind. "At this point in time, I don't see any reason to get all up in a huff over getting them out. Just do it. Find Severus and bring him to me at once."
***
Ron rushed back into the common room to get Harry and Hermione, but he didn't realize who was tagging along behind him: Neville, Ginny, and Seamus.
"Are you two ready to go?"
Ron saw Hermione's eyes widen and he turned around to see what she was fretting about. Ginny, Neville, and Seamus came strolling in, but luckily not paying enough attention to notice Harry and Hermione bolt apart. Hermione jumped over the back of the sofa and wrapped herself around Ron.
"Ginny, are you and Neville going together," Hermione asked very forwardly. Ron stared down at Hermione awkwardly for a moment then looked back at Harry who was still sitting on the sofa minding his own business. His eyes turned back to his sister and he saw that she was blushing. Immediately, he gave poor, innocent Neville the death-glare.
"Longbottom! We need to have a little `chat'," he said flatly.
Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. "Don't worry about him Neville, he's just got his under things in a twist."
Harry slid off the sofa and tried not to laugh at Ron's humiliated face. "She's right, you know. I wouldn't latch on to those words very tight."
Neville startled at seeing Harry appear from behind the sofa, but grinned when he knew he had the support of Ron's closest friends. "Thanks Harry."
Ginny was still standing next to Seamus and Neville, quiet as could be. She then turned to Neville and pat him on the back. "Don't worry about my brother. He's hardly ever serious when he threatens somebody-and besides, you're a close friend, so just take it as humor."
Ron bit his bottom lip and held himself back from commenting. "Let's just go!" he said frustratingly, grabbed Hermione's hand, and rushed out through the portrait hole.
Harry and the others followed behind, trying to keep up with the pace Ron had set. Hermione didn't say anything to him as they walked hand-in-hand down to the great hall.
***
Tap! Tap!
McGonagall swished through the thick door of Snape's office after a few moments when he didn't answer and had a look around. Everything was dark and dusty, like no one had set foot in there for years. Something didn't quite feel right about the atmosphere, but she kept gazing around to see if Snape was in fact in his office.
The moonlight on his desk caught her attention and she saw there was a small note lying open there, with a quill and ink right beside it. She sensed he had possibly just left the room, and might be back soon. As she inched closer to see what was written on the parchment, a slight creaking noise was heard on the opposite side of the room. McGonagall jumped and caught her stomach in her throat as she wheeled around. Snape appeared from the deepest shadows in the room and stood under the streaming moonlight, staring.
"Severus-where have you been? We have an emergency-"
"I already know, Minerva," he said flatly, with as little interest as possible.
She peered at him nervously for a moment, but he spoke and broke her thinking process.
"It seems that we're always rushing through one emergency after another. So tell me-what is it this time?"
McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Dumbledore wants to get Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the others out of here tonight-and he doesn't see it in their best interest to wait until morning."
Snape suddenly looked serious, and interested.
"Albus wants you up in his office immediately." Before she could think of what to say next, Snape's robe swished as he turned around and slammed the door behind him.