Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from the Harry Potter universe. I've just borrowed them and will return them safely to where I've taken them from.
Dear me... Has it really been almost SIX months since I posted the last chapter?! I beg for your forgiveness... I had a huge workload on my agenda, and in April, I moved to Japan, so my apologies... At least, I've got this typed out until the very end now (hehe), so I promise more regular updates from now.
I'm taking a few strides forward at last. The big reveal is not bound to come very soon. Stick around, please... I just know you're going to both curse and praise me by the end of this chapter. Hehehe. No, I'm not particularly sane, but you already knew that.
To the other authors around here, how much time do you spend on your chapters? Just being curious.
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Chapter 7 - My dearest
It seemed like hours afterwards. Harry could almost feel the pressure of the past days being lifted from his shoulders as he stood there, Luna next to him. No unspoken words passed between them, nor did he feel any closeness to her. And yet, her presence was soothing in a way words could not describe.
Somewhere in between, she left. His eyes followed her uphill. He saw her blonde, unmoving hair glisten in the sun that had finally come out.
The scenery changed.
Yellow liquid erupted from the woods on hilltop and flooded everything, came roaring down to where he, Harry, stood, one small boy against a giant enraged wave. Miraculously, it calmed down the moment before it reached him. The orphanage was no longer visible, nor was Luna; they had disappeared behind a wall of yellowish water, the same that was now covering Harry up to his waist. It was not, however, wet or cold. Harry would not have noticed its presence at all had he not been able to see it.
The stream of liquid joined the sea, creating a broad path of gold perpetually moving in waves. These were huddled together closely under the dense clouds - and all of a sudden, they created a huge face.
Harry gasped and stumbled backwards.
It was not a face he knew, and yet it was strangely familiar. An old man was looking down on him through half-moon shaped spectacles. His eyes were full of kindness, and there was a hint of urgency in his lined face. He moved his lips, but no sound came out.
Losing his head completely, Harry tore his gaze from the thing and pelted uphill. The yellow liquid parted before him as he ran, finally revealing the orphanage.
Harry skidded into the hall, panting. As he ran through the corridor, he just saw Luna's back disappear at the top of the stairs.
***
What was it between Tom and Ginny? Harry had already got used to Tom watching the red-haired girl a lot; this evening, however, he witnessed her staring at the pale boy furiously all over dinner. Hermione was not there; he had bumped into her at the entrance to the cafeteria, at which she had given him a frightened look and positively fled. Sirius was missing as well. Harry overheard a group of girls discussing his absence, and his good looks. At the top of the long table, Helen was looking sour, her black hair in a tight bun. Ron was sitting alone with Neville for a change; Luna had retreated into a distant corner and was not eating, but playing witness to them all, as though they were unknowingly participating in some weird drama.
After dinner, Harry dashed upstairs into his room where he lay on his bed, spread-eagled, for hours. Nobody disturbed his peace, although he did hear people walk up and down the corridor. He had never before noticed how alive the orphanage sounded. Eventually, however, silence fell as the lights went out, and Harry drifted into an untroubled sleep filled with dreams that were happily void of yellowish old men's faces.
At least they were in the beginning.
***
The following morning was dedicated to peanuts.
Of course, the other children still would not talk to Harry. But, he gathered from their conversations over breakfast that Amy's condition had not improved in the least and Helen was seriously considering a transfer to a hospital. Hence, money was short, and Flinch had returned from his regular shopping tour with a large box containing nothing but peanuts. Consequently, the children spent the morning sitting in small groups around bins and peeling. There was not one happy face in the room, and more than once, Ron let out a frustrated groan, especially as Luna turned over their bowl, scattering the peanuts in a neat circle. He went to retrieve them, throwing Harry a dirty glance.
"Wish I could just make these things peel themselves", Ron muttered. Neville's eyes flickered to Harry for the merest second.
"Where's Tom? He could do it", Ginny said loudly from near the window, where she was sitting in silence with a red-eyed Hermione.
Indeed, Tom had retired immediately after breakfast. Apparently, peanuts did not fall into the range of his duties.
Sirius was absent again. Helen had chosen not to comment on this. Generally, the atmosphere was very tense. Harry felt he attracted too many stares, not surprisingly, but it would be a relief to finish. His fingers already felt raw.
"Here, Harry", Luna said, handing him yet another bowl. Thankfully, he reached out for it, but Ron chose that precise moment to extend his right arm, unbalancing Luna's and smashing the bowl. "Oops", he said.
Quietly, Harry knelt down to tidy up the mess and was surprised to find Luna doing the same. He would have given anything to stop her. Judging by the expression on Ron's face, he was about to make another enemy. Then, however, Ron shrugged and joined the two of them without a word.
Lunch was, predictably, a menu consisting of peanut pasties, rolls with peanut butter, and peanut cream for dessert. Opinions varied about this new diet.
"Disgusting", Ginny informed the others. "I don't think I can stomach this. Right" and she put down her fork, "it's time for someone to take responsibility." Her eyes bored into Harry's. Before he could say anything in reply, however, Helen stood up and called for silence.
"This is not an easy situation", she began. "We will have to live mainly on peanuts for a while. It is too cold to grow anything in our garden just yet, and we do not have the money to satisfy your need for variant food. I expect you all to stick together. Please try not to lay the blame on one single person. When this is over, we shall confront the need to discuss several important issues. Until then, leave it to me and Mr Flinch to find some alternatives."
A general murmuring broke out after her speech. Harry could not help noticing how many angry eyes fell on him in spite of Helen's words.
"About time too we tackled 'several important issues'", Ron grunted angrily in a low voice. Emil, who was sitting with them for a change, tittered nervously.
***
In the afternoon, Harry went to his room to think. Not long into having fallen asleep, however, he was woken by a sharp blow on his head.
"Luna's had an idea. We're waiting for you in the hall", Ron said coolly, still bent over Harry's bed.
The door slammed shut behind him. Harry got up, massaging his forehead with his fingers. He washed his face while his almost-blind mirror watched him drearily.
A small group of people was standing in the hall. Ginny was hovering agitatedly near the corridor. Neville, Luna and Ron were already at the entrance; Hermione and Emil were talking almost cheerfully.
"What took you so long?" Ginny demanded immediately when she caught sight of Harry. "We told Helen we were leaving half an hour ago!"
"Don't exaggerate, Ginny", Ron said coolly, although he, too, looked disgruntled.
"Where are we going anyway?" Harry inquired politely. Ron spared him a resentful look before he turned to nod at Luna. Immediately, the blonde girl fixed her gaze onto Harry. He shivered. It felt odd to be watched like that, even though he knew Luna.
"It seems that we are supposed to be living on peanuts only for a while", Luna said in a tone that indicated no reproach towards Harry. "I like peanuts, but I think I have already seen enough of them after our last meal."
"Hear, hear", said Ginny casually, but Ron shooed her as Luna continued.
"I have discussed the matter with Ronald and Helen. We think it might be a good idea to go into town and, well, ask the people there for food."
Harry nodded. "Ok..."
"Luna said to take you along", Ron went on, throwing Harry yet another dirty look. "As for me, I'd rather you stayed in your bedroom, but... Well, off we go!"
A surprise awaited Harry as they stepped outside into the already setting sun. Next to a gleaming pile of once neatly arrayed bicycles that had collapsed under its own weight stood Helen, casting them all a very maternal look. Harry felt warm in spite of the cool breeze.
"Well, good luck", she said hoarsely. "I told Flinch to wait for you in case you're late. Please put the bicycles back into the shed -" she pointed to a shaggy wooden cabin Harry had never noticed before - "once you're back."
Ginny stormed forward to grab the bike on top, pushing Harry aside. The others followed smoothly. As it turned out, there were not enough for all of them, so Neville was allowed to sit behind a very reluctant Ginny; Luna, of course, shared with Ron, and Emil, with Hermione. Harry was left to pick the bike at the bottom. Its lights had shattered, but apart from that, it seemed in order. He gingerly tested the brakes before he followed the others downhill, briefly wondering whether they might finally allow him into the infirmary if he broke a leg or two...
Halfway downhill, Harry had to shield his eyes against the sun, which so strongly reflected on the water surface it had coloured the whole hill yellow, no, golden.
Harry stopped for a few seconds to have a long look around, while the others were continuing on their path. The light was almost gone...
Suddenly, a pair of red-hot eyes bored into Harry's neck. Sweat broke out all over his body, and he shivered with fright. Whimpering, he hid his face in his hands.
Amy's voice echoed inside his head. Her scream, over and over again, bounced against the inside of his skull.
The attack was over as suddenly as it had begun. Harry carefully removed his hands from his wet cheeks and looked around carefully. Then he jumped so badly he almost slipped.
Tom Riddle was standing on top of the hill, watching him.
***
Their tour through town was only a minor success. What with Ron's snide remarks about Harry falling behind on the path downhill, and people slamming the door shut in their faces, and the night that had quickly enveloped them in shivering cool, there was not one single member of the small group that did not secretly wish to return home. However, none of them spoke, seeing as the lump Ron was clutching, a dirty cloth containing leftovers of a turkey, was the only treat they had received this evening. None of them wanted to return to the orphanage with bare hands.
"Let's try the one over there next", Hermione said. She was probably the most tired of them, judging by her eyes, and yet she seemed highly motivated. It was probably her people-saving thing. After all, they wanted to help all the children at the orphanage.
"The one with the garden?" Ginny returned, rubbing her eyes wearily with her sleeve. Hermione nodded.
The house was very small, hunchbacked like an old dwarf between towering hedges. Yet it looked cosy, and the light radiating from the tiny windows held a promise of warmth and friendliness. As the children walked through the high grass that had not seen a mower in a while, they started feeling a little more cheerful. Even if they were rejected again, they might continue some more...
Harry knocked on the door.
"Coming", shouted a booming voice from inside immediately. Startled, the orphans and Emil looked at each other. Not only had this reply come unexpectedly fast, it had been a suspiciously familiar voice that had answered them...
The door flew open, and Sirius grinned down at them. "Well, well, so you have come to my hideout!" He laughed his barking laugh, and they instinctively drew a little closer together.
"Now come in, come in!" He motioned for them to step inside. "I'm not biting, you know!"
Hesitantly, they obeyed. The bulky door slammed shut behind them. Neville looked as Harry felt - like a mouse in a trap.
The feeling lessened slightly as they entered the living room, where a fire was crackling peacefully in the grate. Sirius came hustling in bearing a great tray, which he put down on the floor before the chimney, where a pretty woman, her honey-coloured hair flowing around her shoulders, was sitting. She smiled up at him, little stars dancing in her eyes.
"Do sit down", Sirius urged them impatiently. They grouped around the tray. It was laden with tea and hopefully peanut-free pasties. Harry's stomach gave a loud rumble as he realized they were there. The woman smiled at him.
"I'm Alice", she said. "Sirius has told me about you, Harry."
"Has he?" Harry asked feeling slightly nonplussed.
"Alice", said Sirius, his large feet thundering over the carpet, "is my girlfriend."
The children stared at him. He grinned mischievously. "You see, Helen doesn't approve of her... Or let's say she feels I don't know where my priorities lie. She says I should be at the orphanage all the time, when I can just as easily live here..."
"Well", Hermione spoke up while Ron and Ginny rolled their eyes simultaneously, "you know you should take your work a little more seriously. You have been absent from the orphanage for days now. Do you really think you are being fair towards Helen?"
"Now look here, Hermione", Sirius said uncomfortably. Harry noticed that Alice was considering Hermione through narrowed eyes. "I am taking my job seriously. But honestly, don't you think it's okay to work and enjoy life a little at the same time?"
"If you were working, I don't think Helen would raise any objections", Hermione returned flatly, helping herself to a cookie.
Sirius chose not to reply to this. Instead, he turned towards Harry.
"So... how's life at the orphanage?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "You see, Hermione's got a point. If you did spend some more time up there..."
"Let's have no more talk about this", Sirius interjected, looking a little disgruntled. "I see it's getting dark already. I think I'll accompany you uphill once you're finished eating. How does that sound?"
"We've got bikes", Ron said coolly. "Anyway, life's not going well at the orphanage. We're short on money, so we're having to live off of peanuts for the time being..."
Sirius shuddered. "Not the best diet one can dream of, is it?" He chuckled. Harry could not see what was so funny about this. From the way Hermione was glaring at Sirius, he could tell she also considered him very irresponsible.
"I guess it can't be helped. You see, Helen has kept me informed about these matters. Little Amy needs medical treatment, and the government is very unwilling to provide money for orphans these days..."
Harry glanced at Neville, who had just produced an oddly stifled sound, something between a cough and a sob. It probably related to his baby sister. Harry felt a surge of pity for Neville, but he knew he would be shooed down immediately if he dared display it.
"Let me speak openly. You're still blaming Harry, are you?" Sirius continued.
The kids stared at him.
After a pause, it was Ginny to speak up.
"Well, he did push her down the stairs..."
"I didn't!" Harry immediately blurted out. Now all eyes were on him. He felt his neck and cheeks redden.
"Course you did!" Ginny gave back angrily. "Or was there anyone else we just happened to overlook? Evaporated, did he?" Her voice was steely.
"Tom Riddle was there", Harry said quietly, avoiding Hermione's eyes. "You know his powers... I believe he made me do it..."
"Trying to escape responsibility, are you?" Ginny hissed.
"No!" Harry said loudly. "But - but -"
Unexpectedly, Sirius came to his rescue.
"You know, I am very interested in this Tom Riddle. He has shown traces of strange powers even as a baby." The children looked at him in disbelief. "Yes, and I also know a little anecdote you'll find enlightening. Will you hear me out?"
Harry glanced around. Ron and Ginny's faces displayed equal distrust. Neville was looking confused; Luna was busy examining a fly that was crawling over the wall. Hermione, on the other hand, seemed deeply engaged in thought...
Finally, Ron gave a sharp nod. "If you must... But, I'm not saying we'll believe you."
"Well, I'll take that as a 'yes' for now", Sirius replied, settling more comfortably next to Alice, who regaled him with a warm smile.
"A few years ago, Tom Riddle was not living at this orphanage. I knew him back then; I was an assistant teacher at the institution where he had lived since birth. He was a curious kid, never showing up for classes, but still getting full marks on the tests. But that was not what got me interested in him in the first place. There were stories spreading about him, passed in whispered voices when the other kids were sure he wasn't around. Just like in my class. I heard rumours about things that had disappeared, as though there was a magpie in their midst. These disappearances all took place when somebody had gotten into an argument with Tom Riddle. And there were even crueller stories, about murder..."
"Murder?" Ron interjected, his voice full of disbelief.
"Oh, yes, murder." Sirius smiled grimly. "A rabbit that had hung itself from the rafters. A bird with no head, and feathers everywhere. And the owners of these poor pets all had had some sort of run-in with Tom. You see, there was a chain of weird events, all somewhat linked to Tom Riddle. And then, poor Amy Benson..."
"Amy?" The children spoke at the same time as Harry watched.
"Yes, the very Amy Benson that has been so unlucky as to be transferred to the same orphanage where she encountered her nemesis again... Anyway, there was this trip to the sea for all the children... she and a boy of her age came back highly disturbed, and all they could say about what had happened was that they had gotten into a cave with Tom Riddle..."
Hermione's eyes were very round, and she was looking pensive.
"You see", and Sirius heaved a deep sigh, "Tom's got it in for that girl. He seems to have a reason to hate her. He's shown tendencies to bully people in many ways over all these years, and we can only assume how increasingly cunning he's become. It would not be beyond him to use Harry -"
"But where's proof of that?" demanded Ron. "You know, Harry's also been involved in strange incidents, and he's got strange powers like Riddle..."
"Is that true?" Sirius asked, looking at Harry through narrowed eyes.
"Yes", Harry said quietly after a pause. "But - I would never hurt anyone! I don't want these powers, they're frightening, and if they make me a bully like Riddle, I'd rather not have them at all!"
Silence followed his words. Harry could tell that the others were thinking hard. Sirius' words surely must have shed a different light on the matter.
Harry pressed his hands on his temples, rubbing them hard. If only he could think of something to convince them that he was innocent, had been innocent all the time...
"Show your powers", Sirius commanded.
Harry obeyed, making a chair move, then extinguishing the fire in the grate and make it flare up again.
The children, even Neville, were amazed.
"It's so hard to understand all of this, Sirius", Hermione pleaded. Her voice was faint, as though she was exhausted by the cascade of thoughts that must have flooded her brain.
"Oh, you'll understand in time, I'm positive of that", Sirius said, examining her face in earnest. "For the time being, we need to form an alliance against Tom Riddle, make him reveal his true colours."
The children nodded. All of them were very white. Harry felt an icy hand clench his stomach. To form a secret alliance against Tom Riddle would be about as safe as poking a sleeping tiger in the eye.
"And we need to redeem Harry. If you are hated by everyone at the orphanage, Tom will have free reign."
After a pause, Ron gave another sharp nod with his head. "I'm not entirely convinced", he voiced. "But, you've given us some stuff to think about. If it were true..." And he turned towards Harry. "I'll have to apologise to you. I thought you were a decent guy in the beginning. And I'd hate for you to be a nutter. That Tom Riddle guy certainly is one."
Such a wave of relief flooded Harry's stomach, he could not help smiling.
"And don't say you detest your powers", Hermione said in a croaky voice. "Moving things and controlling the elements is nothing horrible. Unless, of course, you decide to use it for something bad..." For the first time in days, she looked at him openly.
Harry nodded curtly. "Thank you."
Sirius let out a low whistle. "You've said something brilliant, Hermione. I hear Tom used his powers to rescue my carriage. Let's have Harry do some good things, too."
"But that might backfire, Sirius", Ginny said. "If Riddle gets wind of this... Who knows, he could make it become something horrible, and then the blame would all be on Harry again."
"Okay, I see your point", Sirius answered, looking slightly crestfallen. "Well, what we can do is display a deep bond of trust between you all. If you show that you're really good friends, in spite of everything that has happened... and... yes... I think it might be a fine idea to..."
He got up and walked around the tray to kneel down beside Harry.
"How would you feel about getting engaged with one of the girls in this room, Harry? Just pick your dearest."
***
They went uphill again in silence, their bikes loaded with the food Alice had provided for them, and their heads drooping down from the weight of thoughts. Sirius had promised to return the following day.
Harry rode behind Hermione and before Ginny, making his way uphill while he went over the things Sirius had told them for the umpteenth time. It surely was intriguing how Tom Riddle had done these many things and gotten away with them. They would have to think of a flawless strategy to beat him.
But then what? Lock him up forever? Harry was sure that no lock could resist Tom Riddle. If only there were an established community of people with these strange powers... For now, it was just him and Tom Riddle.
I am no longer alone, he reminded himself. I now have allies.
He glanced around at the others fondly. Then, Sirius' voice echoed inside his head once more.
Just pick your dearest...
His dearest! Harry had never been in love, and he was not sure if any of the feelings he had for the girls qualified as such.
Luna... she was weird. He had witnessed a few normal moments of hers, though, so it might just be a show. No, it wasn't, he corrected himself when he saw her perform an astonishingly acrobatic act just so she could sit behind her saddle. She was probably the girl he'd bonded least with so far.
Ginny... she certainly had been overtly interested in him from the first day, but he also had had an inkling that this might be her behaviour towards everyone. She was cute enough, and nice if she wanted to. Most of the time, however, she was aggressive...
And Hermione. He had experienced respect for her, even admiration, missing her, and a moment of wanting to be closer to her that had been very different from the one with Amy. Yet, she was probably too reserved, and he could not grasp what she was thinking most of the time.
Maybe he had best choose Ginny, if such an arrangement were to be considered seriously.
Harry almost chuckled to himself. Nobody had lost a word on this after Sirius had posed his question, so it was almost certainly declined. Just what was he thinking? He might have regained their trust to some degree, but still, that did not mean they would go this far for his sake.
They reached the orphanage and returned the bicycles, still not talking. It was not until they had emerged from the shed, somewhat reluctant to re-enter the building, that Ron spoke up.
"Well, how do we go on from here?" He was looking at Harry, who looked back, feeling puzzled.
"We'll behave as best friends, right?" Neville said in a squeaky voice. Harry considered this. "Well, if you guys can stomach me", he finally answered with half a smile.
"Mind, we'll be watching you carefully", Ron said. Then, all of a sudden, he grinned and thumped Harry on the back. "C'mon, mate, I saw your look of relief down there. You'd have to be a brilliant actor to fake that."
The others joined in the cheering, except for Hermione, who bit her lip. Harry glanced at her nervously.
"You know, Harry", she said, "I want to believe you didn't fake it and all... But it'll take time to fully trust you."
Harry was glad to hear her say this; it did not equal a death sentence, after all, and even held the promise of progressing further from there.
"You know", he told them, "I'm immensely happy that you asked me to join you in the village. I'll prove worthy of your trust."
"Hear, hear", said Ron enthusiastically, thumping him on the back again, so that Harry choked.
"One more thing, though, Harry..." A mischievous grin stole over his face.
"What is it?" Harry asked politely, feeling nervous again.
"About that engagement thing..."
"I'll do it", Ginny said immediately. "People were asking me if we're dating in the beginning. We can just tell them we've made up."
Harry had not expected this. Feeling very hot in the face, he stared at the ground.
Neville coughed. He had let out a low hiss at Ginny's words, and Harry could only fathom what they meant to the shy boy.
"I can imagine getting engaged with you, too, Harry", Luna said in her usual mystified tone. It was Ron's turn to hiss, although quietly. Harry felt his insides squirm.
Ginny was glaring daggers at Luna.
"Well, Harry", Ron said after a pause in which Hermione had not spoken. "It's up to you to pick your dearest." He only seemingly sounded casual.
Harry took a while to gather the courage to face them again.
"If I do get engaged..." he said slowly. Neville's face was shining with anxiety, while small beads of sweat were forming in Ron's face.
"If I do get engaged, the girl will be Riddle's first target."
"We're not scared, Harry", Hermione said quietly. Harry looked at her. She blushed, but still went on. "Each of us is going to be Riddle's target from now on, because we'll be your friends. You know what this means. It's a declaration of enmity against him."
Harry could only nod in agreement.
"An engagement", she continued, "will certainly make one of us seem closer to you than the rest. But, it will make the others ask questions, and maybe reconsider their stance against you. Tom will have to face a strong case against him before soon." She heaved a deep breath. "Anyway, I think we should all form a strong bond. And we shouldn't hide anything from each other..."
"Will you be my fiancée?"
The words were out before he could stop them. It was Ginny's turn to hiss audibly.
Hermione simply looked at him.
"If that's what you want, Harry", she said very quietly.
"Right, then it's settled!" Ron said in a loud, mock-cheerful voice. "Let's go inside, then."
Harry could not help but notice the way Ron creased his eyebrows as he said it, as though he was restraining himself.
***
Back in his room, Harry threw himself onto his bed, thinking hard.
Of course, his newly declared friends were not happy with the arrangements. How would they be? He had both rejected Ginny and Luna, and Ron had probably expected him to decline an engagement altogether. If anyone, Neville would be okay about it.
Neville! He might even move in with Harry again!
Harry felt slightly cheered at the thought.
And surely enough, there was a knock at the door. It was not, however, Neville who entered, but Hermione. She settled down next to him, as though this was her place to be, and watched him slightly nervously.
Harry smiled at her, even though his insides were squirming once more. "She's my fiancée", he thought. It was incredible.
Hermione extended a shaking hand and placed it into his. He squeezed hers gently.
"What is it?" he said in a low voice.
"I've just told Helen", she informed him. Her brown eyes were very wide as she said this; Harry thought he might get lost in them.
"About... us?"
"Yes."
"Oh." Harry was not sure what else to reply. She was silent for a while.
"You see..." she said finally, "Helen, of course, thinks that we're too young for this and everything, besides you having attempted murder on your sleeve. She's not encouraging us, but if we must go through with this, she told me to keep it as quiet as possible. She also expressed concerns about Riddle..."
"Shh!" Harry involuntarily pressed a finger to her lips, which were startlingly warm and soft. They were inside the orphanage, and he was not sure he wanted Riddle to overhear a conversation like this.
"Don't be so protective of me, Harry", Hermione said, reading his mind. "I've told you, I'm not scared. We'll let the others know tonight, when we're in the common room."
"Hermione... are you really okay with this?"
She sighed. "Don't trouble yourself with these questions."
He squeezed her hand once more.
"Okay, I'll be in my room", Hermione said vaguely, getting up.
He still held her hand and looked at her. She certainly was beautiful, with her cheeks flushed and nervousness in her eyes. Still, she did not avoid his prolonged gaze as he looked up into her eyes.
"You know... what you said about despising me..."
"Forget and forgive", she answered offhandedly. "We're engaged now, and we'll be the best of friends."
He nodded. His chest felt unusually warm, and he resisted the urge to pull her into a hug. She might not have approved of it.
Finally, he released her hand, although with difficulty, and she closed the door behind her.
He had already fallen asleep by the time Neville came. It was some time into the night before the dreams of yellow liquid came.
Come they did.
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Coming up: "The mad alchemist"
In which the forest reveals a secret.