Chapter I
The Guests of Hogwarts
Dumbledore was very pleased to see all the students back again during the Hogwarts Welcoming Feast. His eyes were visibly twinkling in the warmly lit Great Hall as he witnessed proudly once more another sorting ceremony for the new First Years. He glanced slowly at the table of the Gryffindor house, when its occupants stood up in ovation after the Sorting Hat called on a newcomer to head over to them, looking for his most beloved students.
At last he saw Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger cheering along with their House colleagues - Dumbledore held out a wide smile and nodded approvingly at the sight of them. He never had students like them before and he had never seen more intellect, bravery, and friendship than these three show through the years in any student in his history as Headmaster of Hogwarts. For that, he felt blessed and proud of them, though he was careful not to show it to anyone lest he be accused of playing favorites.
And have Harry, Ron, and Hermione grown. They were now in Hogwarts for more than four years; they turned the school a very exciting place every year since they first stepped foot in this fine School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It depends on how one looked at it, Dumbledore thought, as he made quick look towards the Slytherin table where Draco Malfoy sat.
Harry was startled by a low growling noise that seemed to come from under the table across from where he sat, and followed by another one beside him. He bent over a little to look under the table but Ron held out his right hand to stop Harry from bothering.
"Sorry, but that was my stomach…I'm famished!" Ron said cheerfully as his hand found his belly once more. "The sorting ceremony seems to be taking longer each year, I reckon it's kind of a conspiracy to slowly starve me to death."
Seamus Finnigan smirked as he gave an approving gesture to Ron.
"So, Hermione, did you pay a visit to Viktor Krum over the summer?" asked Harry. Ron seemed to have forgotten about his stomach all of a sudden as his eyes darted toward Hermione.
"Well, yes…" she said softly giving Harry a you-should-not-be-asking-about-this-here sort of look. Feeling that already gave Ron's undivided attention to her she went on to say "He was quite nice - he showed me around Durmstrang but he's already graduated. He was hired as assistant coach who can also compete for the Bulgarian Quidditch Team before I went home." Hermione smiled a little and she turned her attention back to the sorting ceremony to avoid Ron's stare.
"Wow, that's great," Harry said though a little part of him felt a little sad - he didn't know exactly why. He looked at Ron who now had his elbow resting on the table with his hand on his cheek, and he looked quite pensive. He had his other forefinger running circles along the brim of his golden plate.
Ron's eyes, with great difficulty, lifted from looking at his plate to meet Harry's. By reading Ron's lips he understood what his friend was quietly saying. "Thanks, Harry."
"Uh, Sorry," he mouthed the words at Ron shrugging and he felt like sinking under the table feeling guilty of spoiling the fun for him.
"I can't see Snape around," said Neville and this somehow broke a little ice. "D'you reckon he's already had it with Hogwarts?" Neville's face seemed to have brightened while he asked this as he eagerly looked for him at the teacher's table. "GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat bellowed and most of the Gryffindor students stood up again in ovation around Neville, blocking his view. This didn't stop him from standing atop his stool to keep scanning the teacher's table looking for any sign of Snape.
The sorting ceremony was over and Dumbledore called the attention of all the people in the Great Hall. He got everyone's attention except Ron's who was still looking down his plate. "I have an announcement to make," said Dumbledore in a voice that has been magically amplified across the hall. "As you may have noticed, Professor Snape of Potions is not with us right now because he currently has very important matters to take care of for Hogwarts." He ignored some excited talk from the Gryffindor table and moans from the Slytherins. He went on, "We have a substitute teacher for Professor Snape for as long as he is away. We are very fortunate to have her eagerly volunteering for the job…we welcome Professor Olga Gargarin, retired from Durmstrang."
The students made a non-so-enthusiastic but respectable applause from the hall as Professor Gargarin rose up from her chair to bow down and acknowledge them. She looked about 70 years old, tall, pale, and a little skinny. Minus the long crooked nose with a big mole on top, she looked as though she was the female version of Snape. She wore the all-too-familiar jet-black robes that seemed to be the preference of Witches interested in the dark arts. And like Snape, she didn't seem to know how to smile at all.
Hermione quickly turned to Harry. "Harry, I met Professor Gargarin when I was in Durmstrang," she said with noticeable displeasure on her face. "Krum introduced me to her, but she's really nasty. And you know what…before I got on the wooden ship for home she plucked a strand of hair from my head without even asking me. That was weird. I wonder why she did that though…" Hermione started to stare blankly on the opposite wall as if she was in deep thought. Neville's enthusiasm suddenly went off to a screeching halt. Anyone who heard Hermione's story seemed to have dropped his or her shoulders in disappointment.
"Don't worry, Neville," Hermione said softly as she patted him on the shoulder. "I'll still cover up for you when it comes to that."
"Aw, that's really sweet, Hermione!" said Fred Weasley as he mockingly patted the pointed end of his table napkin under his eyes. He snorted as George poked an elbow against his ribs, now both of them suppressing their laughter. Hermione flashed her eyes on both of them to give a "stop it!" look, but Harry also gave in to the twins' antics. She could now only grin as she went along with the joke, seeing Neville blushing profusely, but she nevertheless gave him a very reassuring smile. Ron didn't feel like laughing however.
"Professor Gargarin agreed to share us what is being taught in Potions around Durmstrang," Dumbledore continued. "Also this year, the Ministry of Magical Education has introduced a student exchange program between the three schools in Europe that includes ours, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons. This program has been designed to enhance relations between the three schools of witchcraft and wizardry, and right now it is on an experimental basis.
"We have in exchange of Andrea Cummings from Ravenclaw and Cate Bruno of Hufflepuff, Miss Carina Lovic from Durmstrang and Mister Gaston Cavalier from Beauxbatons."
More applause came from the hall.
"Oh, that's Krum's former girlfriend in Durmstrang," Hermione added for Harry. Carina, was average looking, had long blonde hair, had rather thick eyebrows, and a little taller than Ron. She seemed to know how to mingle well with the students in Hogwarts; she was now deep in conversation with Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin.
Ron had a strong urge to ask Hermione "So now WHO is Krum's current girlfriend?" but he decided against it.
"Mister Cavalier and Miss Lovic are presently our guests, and I expect everybody to be courteous towards them. Having said that, I am aware that all of you are hungry because of your journey through the Hogwarts Express, so without further adieu…" Dumbledore clapped his hands once and lavish amounts of food magically appeared on top of the tables.
"About time…" Ron muttered as he plunged his fork on three layers of roast beef.
Harry might as well have been as hungry as Ron as he quickly devoured the food on his plate as fast as he can put them there. Halfway through the meal and countless talk around his Housemates, he looked back and forth between Ron and Hermione who did not speak to each other since he asked Hermione about Krum. He dreaded another yelling match between them in the common room like what they did last year.
"Hey, Ron," Harry called. "You know, I finally saved up on a new Wizard's chess set," he said in an attempt to break the ice between them. "Got one in Diagon Alley today, and I was gonna give it to you tomorrow as a surprise. What d'you say if we do a few rounds with Hermione tonight before bed?" Ron's eyes suddenly brightened as he heard this great news from Harry, who now wore a nervous grin.
"Harry, I don't know what to say - thanks! Would you like to play, Hermione?" he asked her eagerly.
Hermione turned her head slowly toward Ron, smiled and said "Yeah, just like old times, Ron…" visibly looking relieved. They now both engaged in a wholesome conversation.
Feeling a little triumphant that he took care of the problem that he himself caused, Harry wanted to take another look at Professor Gargarin, who was sitting three seats away from Dumbledore, and who seemed to be staring darkly back his way. For Harry, that was a little peculiar.
For seconds he tested Gargarin to see if she would break her stare at him, even smiling back and made a funny sort of face, but he sensed that she was not even aware that he was looking back at her. Even stranger was that Gargarin ate her supper while her eyes kept looking at him…or maybe at someone else in the table?
He tried to align Gargarin's curious stare to the people closest to him, and from what he could see from where he sat, she might have been watching Seamus, Neville, or Hermione. For another minute Gargarin did not look away from them, but then her eyes darted for a few seconds on the direction of the Slytherin table and back to where it came from.
Professor McGonagall leaned over to talk to Gargarin, whose eyes for a few seconds didn't seem to let go of Seamus, Neville, or perhaps Hermione as she leaned back towards McGonagall. Then at last she turned her complete attention to the Hogwarts teacher.
"Hey, Hermione," Harry whispered to her while she was starting to eat her thin slice of apple pie.
"Yeah, Harry?" said Hermione.
"Did I hear you right…or was it just my imagination you said Professor Gargarin plucked a hair strand from your head in Durmstrang?"
Hermione looked at Harry and with a mocked McGonagall voice said, "You mean, Mr. Potter, you weren't listening to me when I was talking to you?" with both her fists now on her waist, making a funny sort of look on her eyes and swinging her head from side to side. "Huh? Huh?" Ron snickered at the way Hermione looked from across the table.
"Ha, Ha. Hermione, that's cute, but I'm serious, you know," Harry said a little impatiently.
"Oh," Hermione said as she returned to her normal posture. "Yeah, you heard me right, why? You figured it all out? What book did you remember it from? I can't believe I missed reading that!" Now she looked amazed at Harry.
"Well, not really," Harry replied. "I hope I'm not paranoid or something, but I saw Professor Gargarin watching you very intently from the teacher's table. Maybe it was me, or Neville, or Seamus…I'm not sure."
"Oh, is that so?" Hermione said with a curious smile on her face. "Thanks for the concern, but I'm not at all that surprised if I was the one she was staring at, Harry. From what she did to me in Durmstrang she might have hoped she would never see me again. And then she turns up in Hogwarts and recognizes me as one of the students…of all places. I hope she feels ashamed." She continued to eat her apple pie with confidence.
"Maybe you're right," Harry said with a tone of finality in his voice. It was his turn to be amazed with Hermione. She took it all too lightly, but maybe he was just being paranoid like he said himself. Shrugging, he tried to wave that thought away, but decided to make a mental note of what happened just in case.
The feast was over and the whole of Hogwarts was dismissed to go to their dormitories. Everybody piled up with the lead of the prefects towards the large hardwood doors of the entrance to the Great Hall. Harry was directly behind Hermione as they formed a line towards the exit that was now getting very overcrowded. Out of habit as he trudged along the sea of black robes, he looked around the hall looking at the faces of other students and one was Colin Creevy, who was an unwanted fan of his. Harry quickly looked the other way when Colin started to smile. He then saw Carina Lovic following the Slytherin line about 10 feet away from him who seemed to be eagerly looking for someone within the crowd. When taller students covered her from Harry's view, he was already clearing the doors with Hermione and Ron outside the Hall where the air quickly turned refreshingly cooler.
Harry, Ron and Hermione played a few exciting rounds of Wizards Chess, which culminated in an amazing comeback of Ron from near defeat to checkmate Harry's King who cowered in fright against a pawn. (You almost had that dolt, you moron, shouted the King at Harry). They all said goodnight to each other and slept soundly after that. Maybe not all of them…
Harry dreamed that he was walking along a dark damp dungeon that looked strangely familiar. His wand stretched out against any danger that may lunge at him, he ended up on a dead end-wall that suddenly turned itself into a dark oak-wood door. He slowly opened it and he was now inside a dimly lit room, about a couple hundred square feet, which was illuminated by flaming torches mounted on the walls. He could not see the opposite wall from the door where he was standing, like it was kind of a limbo. But 20 few feet away from him he saw a gray-robed hooded figure with its back against him kneeling on the floor.
Harry started to hear what sounded like faint screaming, growing louder and louder, until it sounded like a girl who was behind the hooded figure was making it. "Who are you? What are you doing?" Harry shouted against the figure. He pointed his wand at it. "Answer me!" he demanded. Harry knew the figure heard his voice as it turned its hooded head to look at him. It had no face but it seemed to have just two glowing red eyes under the hood. "You're too late…" answered the figure with a cold screeching voice.
"Too late for what?!?" he asked. Harry briskly walked sideways so that he could see who was behind the figure. His stomach lurched when the face of the girl he knew pop out at the side of figure's robes with a look of terror drawn on her face. "Harry, help me! Help me please! It's gonna let go of me!" Hermione screamed.
"Let her go…NO…don't let go of her!" Harry shouted at the figure that ignored him. What he saw under Hermione was pure never-ending blackness.
"HARRY!!!"
"Give her to me or I'll kill you!" Harry demanded again.
"You're too late…" said the figure, this time in a very low voice.
Harry had to do something…he was now trying to recite all the curses he learned at school against the hooded figure, but he could only ramble everything at best. He could not seem to form all the words correctly. He was starting to panic.
Hermione let out another scream that Harry thought was her last one if he won't do anything at all. At last he formed a spell completely (Accio Hermione!) that propelled him instead towards his best friend.
He was now lying with his belly on the floor with both of his arms holding Hermione's, who was hanging on him for her life. Harry was holding her at the edge of a hole in the floor slab and under Hermione was still infinite blackness. The hooded figure was now nowhere in sight.
"Harry! Hurry please! I can't hold on much longer!" Hermione pleaded.
"Hermione! Don't give up! Please don't leave us!" Harry shouted as tears started to form in his eyes. He grunted as he pulled her upward with all his strength. But to his horror he saw from the blackness underneath Hermione was the same hooded figure he saw earlier, now its dull and old hands clasped around his friend's ankles and started pulling her downwards.
Harry felt his grip was about to slip. He was losing Hermione to the figure. He thought of reaching for his wand again but that would be too late. Now he was crying, shaking his head. "No, Hermione please don't give up now! You must fight! LET GO OF HER!" Tears were also now running down Hermione's face.
"Harry, goodbye…"
"NOOO!!!"
The figure laughed again. "You're too late…" and he lost his grip and he saw Hermione disappear under the blackness with the figure that was laughing now.
"NOOOOO!!!!" he screamed, now back in his four-poster bed. He put both his hands on his face, and he found that it was also wet with tears.
"H-Harry…"Ron croaked. "What…another nightmare?" He asked now standing up walking slowly away from his bed towards Harry's. "It's only a nightmare, `arry. Go back to sleep. Here, let me help you down…"
"H-Hermione…she…" he wanted to tell Ron about the dream, but he quickly knew this was not the time. But that might change when they both heard screaming a minute later from the girl's dorm.
Harry and Ron were now fully awake and they went into the common room with a couple of Gryffindor students who were also awakened from all the screaming to try to see what was going on. Some girls were already out and Ron saw Ginny, his sister, walking out of the girl's room.
"Ginny, who screamed?" asked Ron.
"Hermione. Oh, don't worry, she was just having a nightmare," Ginny replied lazily walking towards the girl's bathroom. "Parvati and Lavender are talking to her right now calming her down."
"Did you hear what it was she was dreaming?" asked Ron anxiously. Harry never saw Ron this concerned before with Hermione.
"Oh, yeah, a dungeon or something - blackness…nothing really," Ginny said as she stopped to reply and then she hurried off.
That struck Harry all right. "Could it be we were dreaming the same dream?" he asked himself quietly. Ron did not notice the significance of this until the next morning at breakfast. Harry had a real hard time going back to sleep.
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