Chapter 14
Riddle Me This
"`Morning, Harry," said Ron, who had also just woken up. It was a Saturday, which meant no lessons, but a load of homework that had to be dealt with.
Harry looked over to his four-poster, which was messy with dirty socks and shirts that were thrown about the bed and said, "I need to talk to you and Hermione about something."
Ron stopped pulling his pants on and looked at him. "Sure," he said, though he had a doubtful look on his face. "About what?"
"It's kind of hard to explain," said Harry, turning over on his bed even more so that he could now fully face Ron. "But I think that it's best that I talk to you about it because I just think that it might explain a lot of things. Even though I don't clearly understand it myself," said Harry.
"Er, right," said Ron, raising an eyebrow.
"Are you afraid of me, Ron?" he asked fiercely.
"No," Ron said immediately, but he didn't meet Harry's eyes.
Harry scowled, but didn't blame him. Ron was his best friend, but after watching him get someone landed in the Hospital Wing with an questionable check out, Harry could tell that he didn't really want to be near him. Just like last time, thought Harry. And this wasn't even his father....
Hermione had been brave to come so close to Harry after what had happened. He felt that he should have told her sooner about what Safari had said, but he wasn't sure how much encouragement that would give in her attempt to help him. Cilia had said that it was important to open up to the people around him, but how could Harry do that if what he had to say scared even himself?
Ron finished getting dressed and asked him if he was coming down to breakfast, to which Harry's answer was that he would meet him there. He got up and, pulling on whatever clothes he could find, he traipsed down to the Gryffindor common room, where he saw Ginny sleeping on the couch, but something wasn't right. As he watched her, she seemed to be jerking in her sleep, and not the usual kind of jerk that someone would have as if they were having a nightmare; it was as if she was attempting to do something like wake up, and wasn't able to. Harry panicked, checking around to see if any prefects were there to help her, but, when no one was in sight, he carefully came up to her and poked her on her shoulder.
"Ginny?"
She woke up with such a start that Harry backed away from her and thought that she was going to scream. She looked very pale and sweaty and seemed to be only half-aware of her surroundings.
"Er - Ginny, are you all right?" he asked.
She looked at him, still drowsy, and shook her head.
Harry's mouth slowly opened and he didn't know what to say. What could have caused a little girl to jerk like that in her sleep?
"What is it, Ginny?" he asked her. "What did you see? Was it a dream?"
She shook her head again.
Harry sat down on the couch next to her, but she moved away.
She's scared of me as well, though Harry.
"Sorry," he mumbled and got up, ready to leave, when she said, "No, don't go!"
Harry turned around and saw that she had a hand stretched out to his direction, but was staring into space. He stared at her, as though she were mad. She suddenly looked at him and her eyes widened. She clapped the hand over her mouth and shook her head a third time.
"Ginny - what - ?"
"Get out! GET OUT! What do you want with me?! Just leave me ALONE!" she screamed, tears in her eyes as she ran to the girls dormitory and locked herself inside.
Harry had watched in shock and was not sure what had just happened. Had he said something? He was only trying to make sure that she was all right...Was Ron's sister going insane? Then again, thought Harry, there are many definitions of what is insane and what is quite normal in the wizarding world. Finally, he decided, however, that this one of them. Ginny had gone mental.
He quickly escaped the common room and descended down to the Great Hall where a numerous amount of whispers burst into the air as soon as he walked inside. He frowned, but proceeded to the Gryffindor table where Ron, Hermione and Neville were seated, already eating breakfast.
As he sat down, he wasn't sure how they would react to him, what with all the stares that he was getting from the people around him, but they all smiled at him, nevertheless, and continued eating.
"How did you sleep, Harry?" asked Hermione.
Harry thought about it and finally said, "Not too good, but that's not the point - listen, Ron, there's something wrong with Ginny - "
"What?!" said Ron, going pale. Hermione looked perplexed and Neville's eyes had turned to Harry, looking very stern.
Harry looked at them, meaningfully, and told them what he had witnessed that morning.
As he finished, Ron seemed furious. He got up and threw down his napkin, saying loudly, "You keep away from my sister! And that goes for me as well!"
Harry was taken aback by these words, but felt a horrible pain in his chest as he watched Ron exit through the Great Hall and get away from the scene.
Harry stared into his plate; he didn't want to see Neville and Hermione's reactions to what had just occurred and, least of all, the people that were looking over to their table, since he could tell that that had to be practically the entire Hall.
He fooled around with the food on his plate for a couple of more minutes when he finally got up, saying, "I'm not hungry," and left after Ron.
"Harry, wait - " said Hermione, but it was too late because he was already half-way to the entrance and he was not planning on turning back.
He walked out onto the grounds, where he felt people had still been watching the back of his head, but he kept on going toward the lake nevertheless, turning toward Hagrid's cabin, having not been to see the gamekeeper for quite a while.
He knocked on his giant wooden door and said, "Hagrid? It's Harry. Open up, will you?"
"Comin', comin'," came Hagrid's booming voice as the door finally swung open and Harry saw the tall man, looking very weary and beckoning him inside of his hut.
"How've yeh been, Harry?" he asked.
"Okay, I guess," said Harry. "You?"
"Oh, I don't know, ter tell yeh the truth, Harry," he spoke, sitting in one of his rather large chairs.
"How come?"
"Well, I'm sure yeh know, Harry, buh what happened ter Dumbledore a couple o' weeks ago - I mean, with you and your grandmother and all - well, I jus' can't imagine that - that he might - that Dumbledore, I mean, he's been like a father ter me - "
Harry should have seen this coming and had now only remembered why he hadn't been to see Hagrid for such a while. "I know, Hagrid," he said. "I'm sorry."
After all, no one was to know about what Snape had told Harry about the death triangle of the prophecy and he didn't feel as if it were appropriate to tell Hagrid about it at the time or ever at all.
"I should go," said Harry.
"No, Harry, stay...stay...I haven' had the chance ter talk ter anyone for a while - "
"I know, Hagrid. It's just - I think that it would be best if I left," said Harry and, tears shining in his eyes, he exited the cabin, leaving Hagrid looking puzzled behind him. Walking along the lake, Harry remembered how he had battled with the merpeople, attempting to get Gabriele and Ron - Ron? What was he going to say to him? What was happening to Ginny?
Harry felt as if there was an open whole in his heart that could never be filled. The Weasleys had always been like a family to Harry. He had now wished that he hadn't even bothered making sure that Ginny was all right, but would that have made things different? Harry had the impression that what Ron had said was not out of the anguish or protection of his sister but more of the bubbling urge to speak those words. Ron didn't want to do anything with Harry. He was dangerous and whatever he had to deal with would affect Ron and his family too greatly to risk it.
Harry sat himself on the bank of the lake, but was disturbed by a voice that called to him. "Harry?"
He turned to see Hermione strolling over to him.
He turned back to the lake, staring out into the sky, hoping that the sun would dry the tears in his eyes.
"Harry?" she repeated.
Harry knew that he couldn't ignore Hermione any longer and so he said, "What?" quietly.
"What happened?" she asked.
"What d'you mean?" he said, not looking at her.
"Something's been going on. What are you not telling us, Harry? There's something that's torturing you, I can tell..." said Hermione, who had now reached him and sat down next to him.
"What - what would you know about keeping something? When you won't even tell me what it is that you're doing behind my back - "
"Harry - " she began.
"I know. You can't tell me, right?" he said, now looking at her for the first time.
She shook her head, biting her lip.
"I thought - I thought so," he said.
Hermione sighed, "This isn't about me, Harry. It's about you. This is much more important than whatever I could ever being going through..."
Harry nodded.
She placed a comforting hand on his arm and asked firmly, "What happened to Ginny?"
"Look, I don't know," said Harry. "I didn't even do anything. I was just trying to help - "
"Harry, you know something!" she interrupted. "What do you know, Harry? Tell me. What did Safari tell you about the prophecy?"
Harry looked at her, shocked. "How did you know about that?"
She sighed impatiently, "It's not that hard to figure out. He mentioned it when we first saw him. Don't you remember. Ninety seven?"
"What about it?"
"That's where the prophecy lay in the Department of Mysteries, Harry," she said. "Don't you remember? `He mentioned a thing or two or three or...ninety seven...'"
"Oh yeah..." said Harry, looking dumbstruck. "But how did you - ?"
"What did he say, Harry?"
Harry took a deep breath and looked out into the water, which was glistening from the sun.
"Tom Riddle - Tom Riddle - he's a part of me and so is my mother. But they're also a part of Voldemort. My mother - my mother is a part of what will help me defeat him. When - when - on that night when he tried to kill me, the only part of him that had remained alive was his magic that bound his body to his soul, which is what all witches and wizards have, but he had developed his magic to be especially strong," said Harry, his voice shaking.
"Matt's still alive," said Harry, looking at Hermione, whose mouth was slightly hanging open and her eyes looked full of concern, and he put both of his hands on her arms, "but the reason that he got so affected by the curse was because of my emotions towards Voldemort. If I don't kill him soon...I might be putting a lot of people into danger," said Harry.
"Then - then we have to do something, Harry," said Hermione, looking grimly into his eyes. "We have to fight...We have to win the Maneosioan War...."
"How, Hermione?" he asked her.
However, just as she opened her mouth to speak, Mark had come running up to him, out of breath, but speaking nevertheless. "Harry - th-there's someone who wants to talk to you - " he gasped. "Mr. Thompson - he - he wants to speak with you."
Harry's face went pale and he looked at Hermione, who squeezed his hand tightly and nodded. Getting up, Harry brushed the grass off his clothes and followed Matt back to the castle, who seemed very enthusiastic about having delivered the news, and looked back at Hermione, who continued sitting on the shore, watching him ascend up to the castle.
Mark kept turning around and beckoning Harry with his hand until they finally reached the entrance to the Hospital Wing and he whispered, "See you, then. Good luck."
Harry looked at him questioningly, but Mark had already began to walk away after waving him good-bye and Harry took a deep breath, bracing himself to meet Matt's father.
At least it wasn't Mrs. Thomspson...Harry thought. Mothers would usually get all hysterical...
"Mr. Potter," said Mr. Thompson as Harry approached a very tall man with dimly brown hair and a rich grey cloak. He seemed to remind him of someone that he had seen on the Dursleys' television, but he couldn't think of whom...
The man stretched out his hand toward Harry, which he shook, and gave him a slight smile. Harry didn't exactly feel like looking him straight in the eye. They were standing in front of Matt's bed, where the boy was still lying, unconscious.
"Listen, Mr. Thomspon," Harry began, "I never meant for this to happen. I mean, Matt's a great kid and all and an excellent Keeper - I mean, you should have seen him play - "
"I know," said Mr. Thomspon, folding his hands behind his back.
"You - you do?" said Harry.
"Do you know who Edward Thomspon, is, Harry?" spoke a tiered voice behind them. Mr. Thomspon's eyes traveled to where the voice had come from and Harry wheeled around.
"Not exactly, sir," said Harry to Dumbledore.
"Mr. Thomspon is a very dignified member of the Order. He has been helping us get inside information from any dealings with the Quidditch Games, including the World Cups. A lot of the players that would enter England were often spies and he would get us some extra clues in on them. As a matter of fact, he reported Mr. Bagman to Alastor Moody. Mr. Thompson, Harry, is the owner of only the fines broom company in business. As a matter of fact, I believe he is also the inventor of the Firebolt, is he not?" said Dumbledore, who had now fully walked up to the two of them and looked at Mr. Thompson.
He nodded, saying, "Model 3940, only the finest. You have no idea how long it took me to program all of the features into that broom. Matt came up with the name, actually."
"Matt?" said Harry, looking over to the boy, who was as still as log.
"Yes," he spoke. "As a matter of fact, Matt told me that you are the lucky owner of one of those babies. You are his Captain, are you not?"
Harry nodded. "How come Matt doesn't have one?" he asked.
"Matt favors the Nimbus series," said the father.
"Yeah, that's a good broom."
"Isn't it? I've always favored those. Of course, the balance is always very important and the Nimbuses tend to do well on those. Very proportional. Not that the Firebolt doesn't have the same techniques, but it is built for speed, so it is much more focused on it's light weight and agility in bending itself according to the rider's will. Wouldn't you say?"
"Yeah," said Harry, amazed at the fact that he had actually met the maker of his favorite broom. If only he hadn't done anything harmful to his son....
Harry looked from Matt's father to Dumbledore, unsure of what to say next.
"Well," said Dumledore, "I think that the most important thing to assure you of, Mr. Thompson, is that Matt is going to be just fine. There's been a bit of - er - accident, I believe, with Harry. He is the leader of a Defense league amongst the student population here at Hogwarts and I believe that things just got a bit - er - out of control. But, rest assured, Matt is being attended to and he is going to be just fine, you need to worry. However, if you need to have a lone word with Harry, I will leave you at that and see you later in my office. Good day," said Dumbledore and, lifting his hands so that they were buried in his long sleeves, he glided out of the dormitory.
Harry looked at Mr. Thompson and shrugged. "I really hadn't mean to do it," he mumbled. "We were practicing - this Spell and, well, when I fired it, it sort of got reflected on a Dark detector and it hit Matt. I'm sorry. I promise that it won't happen again. I shouldn't have done it in the first place; anyone could have gotten hurt..."
"That's all right, son. I'm sure Matt will forgive you. After all, you hadn't meant to do it. Tell me, what is this Defense league all about?"
"What - the D. A.?" said Harry. Mr. Thompson nodded. "Well, it's just an organization training us to, you know, defend ourselves against Vol - You-Know-Who and we practice different kinds of jinxes and things like that."
"Do you have any particular ideas?" asked Mr. Thompson, his eyebrows raised.
"Well - well we were considering some things but - "
"Would you like to take a walk with me, Mr. Potter, I would like to discuss some things with you," he said.
Harry gulped, wondering where this was going, but nodded, and they exited out onto the ground.
Finally, Mr. Thompson said, "I remember when I attended Hogwarts. It was back in the day when the Primorisian War was only just beginning. It was a difficult time and we had to arm ourselves at all costs. Of course, children were not to meddle in such things as the war, but you are an exception, Potter. Tell me, what are you planning to do if You-Know-Who were to plan to, say, strike Hogwarts. Surely, you have a plan. The Headmaster was just going to discuss his ideas with me, but he also advised that I speak to you about a thing or two. Do you have any plans whatsoever?"
"Well - " said Harry, clearing his throat. "Your son did bring up the idea that we get Portkeys."
"Portkeys, eh?" he said, rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger. "I suppose - but is that all? I mean, are you not to defend yourself in any manner?"
"Mr. Thomspon, I don't want to be rude or anything," said Harry, "but I just want to ask you this: why do you want to know all this? I mean, what is your position to ask me these questions? No offense."
"I was the General for the Ministry of Magic Defense Force back in the day," said Mr. Thomspon, "and I want to help you, Harry, I really do, because I know that you will want to fight in this war, from what Dumbledore and the others have told me, simply because I remember that I was a lot like you. I was a leader at Hogwarts and I always knew that it was worth the defense to stand up to the difficult times that we were having back then. And I know that they will be just as hard - if not worse this time. I also know - as do many - that You-Know-Who will be bound to come after the school because of you, and I want to see these children protected. From what I've heard, you've battled yourself enough surprises. I want you to be prepared for this, this time. I want you to be the surprise," he said, stopping and looking at Harry, his face shadowed by the sun.
"So what do I do? I mean, what can we do if he does come after Hogwarts, which he will? I mean, there isn't much we can do - "
"Think, Mr. Potter. You must gather your strengths and attempt to force them upon your enemies. You need to unify the school as a single force. As much as I would never want to see children in battle, this time, I'm afraid there will be no choice. This is as much as a draft as anything, Mr. Potter, and you will be the drafter."
"But - but how - ?"
"Think about what must be accomplished, Mr. Potter. Use what you have and what you don't."
"What - ?"
"And turn to Matt if anything. He knows what he's talking about. I taught him a thing or two."
"Mr. Thomspon," said Harry, "people won't - people won't die, will they?"
He turned to him, his mouth twitching, and said, "I don't want to lie to you, Harry, simply because I know that there is no doubt that there will be deaths, but I do want to tell you that you must do anything possible to evacuate the school and get everyone to safety when the time comes, Mr. Potter. That's...an order."
Harry gulped.
"Will you help me, then?"
He turned to Harry, smiling. "Of course. It will be my pleasure to do so, Mr. Potter. As a matter of fact, I will meet up with you and the Order next week, and we will see what we can accomplish. Actually, they have already informed me of what you have been capable of and what you are familiar with, so I think that it will definitely be a good idea to work from there. In the mean time, work with what I told you and I want to hear some of your ideas the next time that we see each other. You are a brave soul, Mr. Potter, and I intend to see you win this battle," said Mr. Thompson. Before he turned to leave, however, putting on his hat, which Harry had just noticed he had been carrying under his arm, he clapped Harry on the shoulder and said, "I do not believe that anyone should have this weight on their shoulders, but it is up to you to look after the organization that you have put together in this school. Everyone in the student body knows you, Potter, and they look up to you as their hero - "
"I'm no - "
"You may not think you are, but that is how they see you in their eyes. It is to you that they look to for salvation and it is to you that they look to for aid. You were the one that delivered the news to them and you are the one that must help them get to safety. They might be children, but they look up to you and they count on you. Dumbldore and the Order will be with you all the way, but you need to be prepared...for the worst. Have a good day," he said and, with that, he left him standing out in the grounds, staring into the distance.
Great...thought Harry....now they're all counting on me to save the school. And I'm supposed to do it and not hurt anyone at the same time. That's impossible! Harry snorted and walked back up to the castle, where he climbed the staircases to the Gryffindor common room. Nearly abandoned on a sunny Saturday evening, Harry found an empty couch into which he slumped himself onto. It had been enough that he had to deal with facing Matt's father, now he was counting on him to save the school and battle in a war...What else did they want from him?
Harry wanted to die. This was too much. He was no knight in shining armor! Who were they kidding him? First Dumbledore told him about the Prophecy - Harry clenched his fists - then Snape told him about the three deaths - His nails were now cutting into his skin - and then Safari had revealed what had been going on all along - he had a strong feeling that his palms were about to bleed at any moment...
"Why....why do you keep following me?" he heard a small voice behind him.
Turning around, Harry swore under his breath. Ginny Weasley was standing behind the couch, only a few feet away, her eyes watery, and staring at Harry.
"What are you talking about, Ginny?" Harry said, fiercely. "It's me, Harry! What's wrong with you - I'm not following you! I've always - "
"Liar! You're - you're not Harry - you - you've come back after me! Why won't you just leave us alone! I though - I- I thought that he had destroyed you already! How have you come back! It's not - not possible! Why won't - w-won't you just let me be! What have I ever done to deserve you? Stop haunting me!" she sobbed.
The other Gryffindors occupying the common room were staring wildy at Harry and he took a cautious step toward Ginny. "Listen, Ginny, I don't know what's going on, but I think that you should go and see Dumbledore or Madam Pomfrey. You're not doing well, you hear me! You're having hallucinations!"
"NO!" she screamed, backing away from him. "You won't take me this time! I trusted you before and y-you took advantage of that! I though you were my f-friend. H-How was I suppose to know who you were? When you were - you were - "
"Who am I, Ginny?" asked Harry, staring at her. "Who do you see when you look at me?"
He took another step toward Ginny, but she screamed. "Like you don't know who you are! Get away from me, T-Tom! Get - get away!" she sobbed, and feel to the floor, crying into her hands.
"Tom?" whispered Harry, his mind raising. Oh no...it couldn't be...but it was...that's why Ginny had reacted to him like that. She wasn't going mad...she was seeing Tom Riddle...in Harry. But why would she start seeing him now? After all this time...
"Ginny, I don't want to hurt you," he spoke softly. "Ginny, it's me, Harry...I'm your friend, remember that? I'm your...I'm your friend...I don't want to hurt you..."
Ginny looked up at him, still sobbing and said, "H-Harry? Is th-that you?"
He nodded and pulled her into a hug. "Come on, let's take you to see Dumbledore," he said, letting go of her, and attempting to put her back on her feet.
"N-no," she sobbed. "D-don't. H-he won't u-understand. Th-they'll think I-I'm being possessed again. Th-they won't believe m-me."
"Don't be ridiculous, of course he'll believe you, Ginny," said Harry kindly. "I mean, he believed me, didn't he? Come on," he said and, pulling her up, he led her by the shoulders out of the common room and to the Portrait hole.
"Watch your step," he said as they exited through the Portrait and ran into Hermione. "Harry! Ginny! What happened? Ginny, are you all right?" she gasped.
"Y-yeah," said Ginny, weakly, still sobbing.
"I know why she was scared of me," said Harry quietly to Hermione. "She was seeing Tom Riddle whenever she looked at me..."
"But why?" said Hermione, who looked startled.
"I don't know," said Harry.
"Let me help you - "
"No, look," said Harry, gesturing to her, "you go and find Ron. I don't want to have another row with him. Stay with him until we get back. Hopefully, Dumbledore has some answers. As you wait, I need you to take this," - Harry pulled out his fake galleon - "and figure out when the next D. A. meeting will be. Inscribe that on the galleon so that everyone will know. We need to meet as soon as possible. I'll meet you back here."
Hermione nodded, taking the galleon, and proceeded to the common room.
Harry and Ginny went up to the Headmaster's office, where they were lucky to meet Mr. Thompson, who was just exiting.
"Is everything all right, Harry?" he asked.
"Yeah - fine," Harry said rapidly. "We just need to see Dumbledore."
"All right," said Mr. Thompson, eying Ginny. "He's up there." And, with that, he left them to climb the staircase to his office and knock on the giant griffin-shaped knocker.
"Come in," said Dumbledore.
As Harry opened the door and pushed Ginny slightly inside, Dumbledore immediately stood up, looking very stern.
"What happened, Harry?" he said immediately.
"It's Ginny, sir," said Harry, walking her to a nearby chair as she was gazing at the ground and her face still looked drenched in tears. "She's been seeing...some...things..."
Dumbledore's head turned to Ginny and he walked over from the back of his desk to where she was sitting and kneeled down to face her.
"What have you been seeing?"
Ginny looked at him, gasping for air, and then finally said, "H-him, sir."
Dumbledore nodded and got up, looking at the floor with his hand at his beard.
"That is...strange," he mumbled. He looked at Harry. "Harry, when did this first begin to happen?"
"Er - just - just this morning," said Harry, blinking.
Dumbledore walked over to his desk and, still not turning around, said, "I must contact Safari. This should not be happening...Something is wrong."
"Harry," he said, turning around, "what was your reaction to what Safari had told you?"
Harry stared at him. "Well - well I - er - nothing really, particular, sir. I mean, I had a hard time taking in the information, but, I mean - "
"Did you have any dreams about it, Harry?" he asked seriously.
Harry looked confused but said, "Well, yeah, I mean, it's hard not to think about something like that - "
"I see," said Dumbledore. "Yes, I might just see the problem, here, Harry. Did you have a dream about Tom Riddle by any chance?"
"Well...yeah. I mean, he was just sort of popping in and out of my head all night and so was my mother and some other things...but, I mean, that's normal...it's just like a nightmare...not so much as a vision..."
"Yes, but, Harry, because your mind is so relaxed while sleeping and because Voldemort is weak at the moment - " he looked over at Ginny, who was still gazing at the floor and sobbing slightly - "I believe that he might have connected with the part of Tom that is in you. I believe, Harry," he spoke, walking around his desk, his finger intertwined, "that he was able to realize that he was a part of you. If I am not mistaken, Harry, after he saw a part of himself in you, that strengthened a part of Riddle. Harry, I believe that might also connect with the vision that you had only several days ago about the attack on Hogwarts. It seems that because of Voldemort's weakness, he is stirring in you because of that connection, which might be affecting you, Harry. It is not a good thing and young Ginny, here, was actually able to see that part of you because she knew Riddle so well..."
Harry began to feel dizzy. "So you're saying that Tom is taking over me?"
"No, I'm not saying anything at all, Harry, but I believe that you must do everything possible to get away from the very thought of Riddle. I believe that is would be a very dangerous thing right now...to provoke that side of him. And it seems...." he looked at Ginny," ...to be affecting the people around you."
"I should be practicing Occlumency, then, sir?" said Harry, feeling a surge of guilt at the absence of this practice for several nights.
"Yes, but not only that, Harry," said Dumbledore, "I need you to try to...forget Riddle."
"Forget him?" said Harry, taken aback. "How in the world do I forget - "
"I did not say that is was going to be an easy thing to do, Harry," said Dubmeldore in a low voice, "but it is necessary. He will be fighting it."
Harry nodded and helped Ginny out of the chair.
"You okay?" he asked her. She nodded her head slightly and seemed to be getting back to herself.
As he began walking her to the door, Dumbledore followed him, holding it open and said, "And - er...Harry, try to keep away from snakes," he advised, looking at him. "They might...provoke your Parseltongue...."
Harry nodded and led Ginny down the flight of stairs and back up to the Gryffindor common room. There, he met Hermione sitting by the fire on the couch with Ron, and she seemed to be trying to talk him into something because he had his face buried in his hair and would groan every now and then when she would not a point with her finger.
When she saw Harry and Ginny walk in, she immediately stood up and helped him get Ginny to the couch. Ron looked up at his sister and then at Harry, scowling.
"So what is it? What's wrong with her?" he asked.
"Well it's just - " said Harry, exchanging a nervous look with Hermione, "Dumbledore says that Riddle is...sort of coming alive in me - "
"What?" exclaimed Ron, standing up. Harry sat next to him with Hermione and explained everything that Dumbledore and Safari had told him. Ron had the expression on his face as thought he had not wanted to hear a word of it and would flinch every time Harry mentioned Voldemort's name, but he heard him out and took a deep breath when he finished.
"But, I mean, you'll be able to, you know, block him out, won't you? It's not like you're - I mean, you're not about to turn into Riddle or your mother - "
"No, of course not!" said Harry, "But he just reckons that it's the only explanation for why Ginny was seeing Riddle when she looked at me."
"Gin, do you still see him?" Ron asked his sister, looking at her glumly.
She turned to look at Harry and then at Ron, shaking her head.
He looked uncertain. "How come?"
"I think," said Harry, "that she can only see him whenever I'm stressed or focused on something that has to do with him. The first time, he had been haunting me all night and it seemed as if she was dreaming about him too and then the second time I was thinking about the war and death and things like that so I guess that now I've sort of let go on that because I was more focused on getting her to Dumbledore. I dunno." He shrugged.
Ron still looked questioning, but then said, "So you've just got to, you know, not think about it, then, right?"
"Yeah," said Harry, with sarcasm, "it's that simple."
Ron sighed and said, "Look, I'm sorry about before, mate. I shouldn't have said what I said. I didn't mean it. I was just...scared, I guess."
Harry nodded his head. "Yeah...I know."
"Oh Harry," Hermione said suddenly, "the next meeting is this Monday," she said.
"All right. Thanks," he said taking her hand and an idea suddenly popped into his mind so he looked at the three of them and said, "I think it's time that we talk to everyone and I think that I know just what to do."
"What are you talking about, Harry?" asked Hermione, looking puzzled.
Harry looked, from her to Ron, to Ginny, and said, "I think I know....what we need to do...to win..."
Ron and the girls looked up at him with questionable looks on their faces, but Harry said, "Don't worry, you'll see..."
On the start of that week, the members of the D. A. had once again assembled themselves to meet in the Room of Requirements and Harry was pacing up and down the front of the room while everyone else settled down, the crowd noisily conversing amongst themselves about one thing or the other.
Finally, Harry called the meeting into order and, pacing at the front with one hand behind his back and staring into the floor, he spoke, "I haven't really discussed this with anyone, but I think that I have finally decided on what we are going to do in order to assure the safe evacuation of everyone in the castle. I think that this is the only way that we will be able to win and the only way that we will be able to take the element of surprise. I've considered this and thought about it, and I've finally settled on our position." Harry stopped pacing and looked around the room. "After training and preparation, soon enough,...we are going to play."
"Play?" said Smith. "Play what?"
Harry looked around the room once and, after seeing the concerned expressions that occupied the crowd, which included that of Ron and Hermione, he answered, "Quidditch."
A/N: Well, I've got both good news and bad news. The good news is that Harry hasn't gone insane…yet. The bad news is that I probably won't be updating this soon for a while. Sorry, folks, but I'm quite busy. Meanwhile, please review!
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