The Sword of Light
by Jardyn39
Part Four of "The Apprentice Piece"
Chapter Eight: A Shocking Discovery
Harry and Kales stood in the centre of the Gryffindor common room. The lamps were low and the fire was almost out. The room was silent and looked quite deserted, although the house elves clearly hadn't cleaned up yet.
"Listen," said Kales.
Harry listened carefully. There was a sort of quiet chattering. It was coming from upstairs, from the dormitories.
"Come," whispered Kales and he proceeded up the stairs.
"No, Kales, that way is up to the girl's dormitories," said Harry and then he froze, quite shocked.
Sitting in just front of the fire was an extraordinary goblin like creature. It was small and squatting down. It was translucent like a ghost but somehow looked more solid.
"Kales, what is that thing?" whispered Harry urgently.
"That is a creature that inhabits this dream world. That one looks to have fed already. I wanted to show you some feeding. Come upstairs."
"Feeding?"
The creature moved forward hesitantly and Harry became aware that someone was lying on the settee. This thing looked like it was about to feed on them. It had a transfixed, hungry look and was barring its sharp pointed teeth.
Harry was suddenly very concerned about what the creature was about to do.
"Incendio!" said Harry and the fire burst into life. The creature snarled and ran on all fours into the shadows under some chairs.
"Who's there?" said a voice from the settee.
Harry was somewhat surprised when two enquiring heads appeared from in front of the settee and looked around the room.
For a moment, Harry completely forgot he was invisible to the waking world.
"I'm sorry, Neville, I didn't realise," he spluttered, forgetting he would not be heard.
"There's no-one there," said his companion. "We should be going up now, anyway."
She kissed Neville tenderly and walked up the stairs to the dormitory. Harry stared at her in complete and utter shock.
"Come on, Boy," said Kales impatiently, and followed the girl upstairs.
Harry followed in a daze, and got just past the dormitory door when he stopped and said resolutely, "Kales, this isn't right. I'm not going any further. I'm going back now."
Kales turned and sighed.
"Let's go back then."
*
"Good morning, Harry," said Dumbledore, sitting himself down next to Harry. "Kales visited me briefly last night. He was most concerned about you."
Harry nodded but continued to stare off into space.
"I saw something last night that I'm having trouble dealing with," said Harry.
He paused, knowing he was being closely observed by Dumbledore.
"Sir, can I confide in you? Completely, I mean."
"You have my word, Harry. What is troubling you?"
Harry sighed.
"Last night, Kales told me he was going to show me something disturbing. He was right, but I didn't get to see what he wanted me to see."
Harry turned to face Dumbledore and looked around to check that the courtyard they were sitting in was still deserted.
"When we were in the common room, Kales wanted to go upstairs to show me something. I saw a creature downstairs and I started up the fire again to scare it away. I'm not sure it did really, but I did disturb a couple I hadn't realised were there."
Dumbledore nodded in understanding.
"I was just totally shocked to see them. I had no idea they were even a couple, actually. After I got over the initial shock, I realised I had intruded upon something that was very private. I had no right to be there, even if they didn't know I was. I just couldn't go upstairs after that."
Dumbledore waited a moment before responding.
"Harry, you will have realised by now that I too have travelled though this castle and have also seen things that were, and will remain, an entirely private matter. You are the only person here at Hogwarts that knows I can monitor the school's activities in quite such an intimate manner. If people knew, I suspect they would be upset and perhaps a little paranoid."
Harry nodded.
"There has been occasion when I have been able to prevent harm coming to individuals, and I feel that justifies my actions. Even so, there have been times when I feel I have intruded and have of course left immediately."
"The thing is," said Harry a little shakily, "after we visited the castle for the first time, I kept thinking I could go anywhere, see anything, even-"
"-and yet," interrupted Dumbledore gently, "you were unable even to climb the stairs. Harry, just let your conscience continue to guide you. The wand didn't choose a voyeur; it chose someone who cares for the feelings of others. It chose well."
Harry sighed.
"The real difficulty," continued Dumbledore, "is maintaining people's confidences and secrets. It is sometimes hard not to reveal some part of what you have seen."
"I feel I should go and apologise to them."
"But how will you explain what you have seen?"
Dumbledore rose, straightened his robes and bid Harry goodbye.
*
Harry entered the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom and felt the smile fade from his face. He'd been looking forward to seeing them again but the First Years looked quite as miserable as the first time he'd taken them. They appeared to brighten up a little upon seeing him though.
A hand shot up almost at once.
"Yes?" he enquired.
"Do you want our essays for marking?"
"Essays?" Harry asked blankly. "I don't remember setting any essays."
He put his bag down and took one of the scrolls being offered. It was certainly a very long essay.
Then he remembered, Hermione had taken their last class. They had decided to alternate classes so they both got to teach each of the House groups.
"Sorry, I didn't realise Hermione had set any homework," he said reading the title of the essay. "I'm impressed you're up to this level already. Who can show me some of this?"
He looked up. No hands were being offered.
Finally the girl next to where Harry was standing said, "Miss Granger did show us but we couldn't do it."
Harry nodded and smiled.
"Hermione probably thought that researching the subject would help you learn it easier," he said returning the scroll. "The thing is, I often find that while the books might describe the words and the effects, rarely to they give any feel for the magic. Why don't we review the steps? Wands out, everybody."
*
Ginny rushed into the common room, looked around quickly and then breezed over to where Harry was sitting. He was trying to catch up with some of his homework.
"Hi, Harry! I need a favour," she said brightly. "Would you like a break?"
"Sure, Ginny," he said looking up and smiling, glad of an excuse to stop. "What do you want?"
"Thanks, Harry," said Ginny and without hesitating she lightly touched his arm with the end of her wand.
"Ow!" yelled Harry, knowing at once she had just broken his arm. "What did you do that for?"
"We need some volunteer patients for our First Aid club. Go on up to the Hospital Wing, will you? Have you seen Ron?"
"No," Harry lied as he got up.