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.
Welcome to a chapter I thoroughly enjoyed writing!! Not that I didn't enjoy the previous ones, mind you. I hope you'll find this agreeable, what with more 'new' characters making their entry... Ah, and poor Neville, isn't he? Also, I must say I've come to terms with Ginny. Not with H/G, that is to say. It's just interesting how writing your own story makes you reassess your take on characters you've only known from reading about them. Still, I'll be grateful for any reports from your side about OOCness! Preferably, I'd of course like to hear that you had a great read. Enjoy!
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Chapter 8 - The mad alchemist
The evening had gone by in a blur. Tom Riddle had been in the common room just as Harry had feared, and all the colour had drained from his face at the announcement.
Hermione had nestled close to Harry all evening, causing him to feel very uncomfortable and strangely pleased at the same time. Ron, Neville, Luna, Emil and Ginny had gathered around them to chat. Ginny's face in particularly had betrayed all sorts of emotions as usually; Harry, however, had felt no remorse at not choosing her, what with the warmth the wonderful girl next to him radiated. He felt glad to be alive.
The following weeks had been amazingly quiet. Harry noticed how several people relaxed their hardened stance against him, while others seemed much less ready to do so.
He, Neville and Ron were great friends again, like their first evening had promised. Emil was still extremely shy, with the addition of having grown weaker. Hermione was watching him with scrutinizing anxiety and even asked to share a room with him, which she was denied by a very strict Helen, who seemed less fond of her pet student now that she had committed the dreadful sin of becoming engaged.
One rainy evening, the friends were sitting together in the common room, talking about the day. Gloominess was pressing on the windows. But the friends were far from feeling depressed. Ron had just caused Luna to lapse into a fit of laughter - she was very prone to these outbursts, causing everyone watching to laugh along with her - when Tom Riddle arrived, looking down at them all coldly. Ginny stared fiercely back; Hermione hid behind her book.
"Can we help you?" Harry asked him, a frown on his forehead.
"I want to talk to you, Potter", Tom said harshly. "Follow me."
And he turned on his heel and left the room.
Harry glanced around at his friends.
"Don't", Hermione said. "He's up to something."
Ron nodded gravely. Harry had shared the anecdote of his visit to the attic with them.
Tom reappeared.
"I don't have time for you right now", Harry called out.
Riddle looked simply furious.
"One day", he said very quietly, still standing at the door, from where Harry should not have been able to understand him, "you'll regret this."
Lessons were fun these days, and as the cold days passed into spring, they were often held outside. Sirius showed up at the castle in very irregular intervals, and on these rare occasions often took his pupils to the sea or to the edge of the forest that for some reason, he would never enter.
"It's because there are weird creatures in the forest", Ron told Harry and Neville on a visit to their room (Emil had tagged along). "You know, I'm really curious about what they might be."
So it was agreed that they would use their next free afternoon to explore the forest. Hermione was opposed to it initially - "I mean, what's the use of it? And it might be dangerous!" - but in the end, she was convinced that they would be fine, it was just like taking a walk and they would be back before sunset. So she, among with the others, set off on a warm, balmy afternoon.
In spite of Tom's warning, it had already become natural for Harry to hold her hand on many an occasion. He took it this time too, and together, they walked in the lead of the others, feeling they had not a single care in the world.
The forest turned out to be green, leafy, and unexcitingly void of the fascinating creatures that Ron had hoped to meet.
They had, however, a pleasant time picnicking under a huge tree in a clearing, chatting away as the sky grew darker. When the air became chilly, they agreed to head back.
They were halfway home when they realized that one from their number was missing. Emil was no longer with them.
This caused Hermione to go spare with worry.
"I mean, he is sick and all, who knows, he might have collapsed!"
"You go on", Harry told Ron, Luna, Neville and Ginny. "We'll head back to get him."
"Shouldn't we all go?" demanded Ginny, but Ron, who had already nodded his agreement, cut through her words. "Don't be silly, Gin, they'll find him, and in any case, if we don't go back, Helen will send someone to look for us. Just make sure you hurry", he added to Harry.
Ginny was looking furious. Ron dragged her away by her arm. They could her complaining loudly even after the group had disappeared around a bend.
Harry was suddenly very conscious of finding himself alone with Hermione. They had never been since that evening when she had come to his room.
Hermione, however, had more pressing matters on her mind. "Let's go, Harry", she whispered.
Dusk was settling in around them, and before long, the moon came out, basking the path before them in silver light and creating a shiny circle on Hermione's hair.
Harry could not help noticing how beautiful she was...
Suddenly, Hermione stopped. "Hush!"
Harry listened carefully.
Voices!
There was no mistaking them in the gloomy forest, which had become as silent as death. There were indeed voices somewhere ahead of them. And they were arguing about something...
"What're you doing here, wandering around like this at night?"
It was somebody young speaking, a male. He sounded strangely like Ron...
"Yeah, maybe we should teach you a lesson for leaving your path", said someone else who sounded very similar to the first.
"Don't, oh, please, don't, I didn't mean to..."
Hermione squeezed Harry's hand painfully. Harry had recognized it, too: Emil was whimpering.
"Stupefy!" yelled the two males.
There was a flash of light in the thicket, a muffled scream, and a thudding sound. Hermione darted forward, dragging Harry behind her.
The pair arrived at a clearing, smaller than the one they had visited before. The scene before their eyes was frightening. Two tall male figures were towering over a lump on the ground.
Harry grabbed Hermione and pulled her behind a bush. They both held their breath as they watched.
"What shall we do with this one now, Gred?"
"Not sure, Forge. Let's take him to the master."
Those were funny names. And yet, they sounded strangely familiar. Just as their voices definitely resembled Ron's...
Harry had no time to ponder on this. The two males were now heaving up the motionless lump that was Emil and carried him away.
"Quick", Hermione breathed, so they got up and followed.
They did not have to walk a long way. Soon, the branches obscuring the path cleared to reveal a small hut. The windows were painted with specks of dust; faint light could be made out behind him. Smoke was rising from the chimney in curls.
"Somebody is living here", Hermione said in awe.
"They must be quite mad", Harry muttered. Hermione smiled weakly.
"In any case, they have got Emil", she reminded him. "What do we do?"
Before Harry could reply, however, a very cold voice resounded from inside the hut. To their horror, it said, "I think we may have guests. Gred, go bid them welcome."
The door of the hut flew open with an almighty crash, and one of the tall figures emerged, staring directly at where the pair stood hidden.
It was insane - there was no way he could see them in the darkness, Harry thought. And yet, the young man raised a hand and beckoned for them to come.
"Let's go", Hermione whispered, and together, they walked towards the hut.
***
Meanwhile, Ron, Luna, Ginny and Neville had arrived at the orphanage.
They were received by a disgruntled Flinch, who told them off for staying out so late, and sent them to their rooms.
Ginny was still bickering with Ron as they ascended the staircase.
"You know, you could at least have let me go with them, three and three would have been fine", she hissed.
"And what difference would that have made?" Ron sneered.
Behind him, Neville was nodding his consent, probably thinking it would have been way too dangerous for Ginny to go anyway.
"You know what I think?" Ron said harshly. "You're just trying to be in their way! You're still sour because Harry didn't pick you!"
"I don't care what you think, Ron, it's none of your business anyway!"
"Anyway, stop trying to be in their way!"
"I only wanted to help!" Ginny yelled, looking as though her head was on fire from outrage. "If Harry and Hermione get lost in the forest -"
"Shh!"
Tom Riddle had appeared at the top of the stairs, clearly looking for the source of the commotion. His eyes narrowed as he saw Ginny.
"I should have known it was you, Weasley. I am trying to concentrate and find you a nuisance. Do us all a favour and shut up."
He then turned to walk away. Ginny, of course, would not take anything from Riddle.
"Oh, have I cut through your concentration on very important matters, Tom?" she hissed.
He turned to face her. His face was stark white, and there was nothing but revulsion in his face.
"Quiet."
Ginny winced as though she had been electrified. Ron and Neville instinctively moved before her, glaring at Riddle.
Tom leered back at them.
"Maybe I should go and tell Helen that her pet pupil and the fiancé of convenience are taking a night time stroll in the forest", he said coldly.
"You're not", Ron retorted, although his face betrayed a certain amount of shock.
Tom Riddle paused as though he were listening to something.
"You know what", he said finally, "I don't think I'm going to after all. Your dear friends have landed themselves in trouble already."
"You will not scare us", Luna said plainly, fixing her clear gaze onto Riddle. "They will be fine."
Riddle shrugged and finally walked away.
Ron let out a deep breath.
"What was that about?"
"Do you think he knows something?" Neville asked, sounding worried.
"You know, I think he might. He's a nutter after all. Still, it could also be a bluff", Ron replied.
"Let's go looking for them", Ginny suggested. She had not calmed down entirely. Her eyes were blazing from an inner fire.
"I do not think Flinch would let us out again", Luna said innocently.
Ginny stomped her foot on the topmost stair angrily. "Don't you all see that this is what it was all about? A bond of friendship! Ha! Look at yourselves! Abandoning Harry and Hermione in the forest, just like that!"
Ron shook his head in exasperation. "Gin, we're not abandoning them. Don't you see why Harry told us to go back? So we won't get into trouble. We're safely back. But the most important thing is, if Harry and Hermione don't come back, we still can go looking for them - in secret. Think", he said in a low voice.
Ginny was silenced by these words. However, tears were welling up in her eyes.
"Look, Gin", Ron said, moving closer to her, "don't ruin everything for yourself. You're full of energy, but you're always releasing it at the wrong times. Don't worry, it'll be fine..."
She sniffed once then wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"Thanks, Ron. I wish I had a brother like you."
"I'll be your brother anytime", Ron smiled. "I mean, we're friends and all, and we even look somewhat similar. And 'Wheezy' isn't that far from 'Weasley' either."
Neville stared unbelievingly at this new development of things.
"Well", Ginny said in a light voice, "shall we go to our rooms, then? Let's meet later tonight", she added.
And so they did.
***
They were led into the hut by Greg. Harry was feeling properly agitated. He could sense Hermione shivering; her nerves were most likely giving her the creeps.
Inside, the air felt stuffy. There was a roaring fire in the grate. To Harry's surprise, there were windows facing to all outward sides of the hut, although most of them were boarded up. What Harry had taken to be flecks of dust were in fact very delicate pieces of cloth in shades of grey. These gave him the feeling of having forgotten something crucially important. They almost seemed to be whispering to him in strange voices...
Harry shook his head to rid himself of the eerie thought and concentrated on Hermione. She looked faint with anxiety as her eyes moved over the scanty furniture, consisting of a large cauldron placed on a table in the centre of the room. It emitted a fair amount of smoke, which was astonishingly clear, so that the inside of the hut was merely glistening in a feeble haze.
There was a storage cupboard, containing various sorts of strange liquids in colours that looked simply revolting. Harry backed away from them.
Gred and Forge sat on either side of Emil on an unusually long couch by the wall. They were not looking at anyone or anything in particularly, but talking about something apparently funny in low voices.
Emil was unmoving, pale in the face, and had the appearance of having been placed to sit in an uncomfortably stiff position, rather than being able to move himself.
Hermione made as though to dash towards Emil the moment she saw him. Noticing this, Harry squeezed her hand to keep her from doing so, and she desisted.
The atmosphere was tense, as if they were kept waiting for something.
Suddenly, the flames in the grate turned green.
Harry watched in amazement as they blazed higher and higher, emitting green sparks and hissing violently. There was green light on the walls, and Gred and Forge's red hair turned a dark moss green.
Before Harry could begin to fear they might just be consumed by the flames, a dark shade began to materialise in the flames.
A man!
The dark figure straightened up and emerged from the flames, looking around the hut and brushing dust from his long coat.
The man was even taller than Gred and Forge. He had long, black hair, which had a strangely greasy aspect by the light of the fire that had returned to its natural colour again. His hooked nose was so long it looked as though its owner by habit sniffed out the odour of his visitors. He had a pale face, with dark shadows under the eyes, and his fingers were long and very white.
"Welcome, my dear guests", he said in a rather high voice. Harry recognised him immediately as the one who had sent Gred to take them into the hut.
"I wonder what might have brought you here at this time of the night. Oh, we can discuss that later", he said with a dismissive gesture of the hands when Harry tried to speak up. "I have not finished my potion."
And he moved towards the cauldron, where he produced a small phial from his coat and poured its contents into the boiling liquid Harry had not noticed before.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, without warning, the cauldron made burping sounds, emitting small black clouds that smelled like rotten eggs.
Harry pinched his nose; next to him, Hermione had covered her face with her free hand. On the couch, Gred and Forge were doubled up with laughter.
"Master, that's brilliant!" Forge gasped. "I can't wait to use it!"
"I know... I know..." the tall man said softly.
Harry could not see what was so brilliant about this.
The next moment, however, he went rigid with shock.
The man had taken a long, wooden stick from his sleeve and waved it soundlessly over the cauldron. Immediately, the cauldron stopped emitting the foul-smelling clouds.
Harry stared. The liquid was gone.
He heard Hermione gasp. So it was not a trick of the light.
"Incredible", he muttered involuntarily. The black man turned towards him.
"Isn't it?" he said delightedly. "Amazing what powers this small hut contains."
And he let out a high-pitched laughter that caused goose-bumps to break out all over Harry's arms. Gred and Forge immediately chimed in.
Hermione was shivering. He pulled her a little closer.
The black man considered them through narrowed eyes.
"Oh..." he said softly. "But it seems I'm not the only one gifted with power."
Suddenly, without the slightest warning, he advanced upon them, his stick held high above his head.
"Defend yourselves!" he cried.
"Down!" Harry yelled and brought Hermione to the floor just in time. Something exploded above their heads.
The man was laughing again.
"Look here, Gred and Forge! These two have stumbled into our hideout, unaware of the great power they possess, and yet ready to attack me! Ahahaha!!"
Quite abruptly, he turned on the spot, took a flask from the unfathomable depths of his coat and, muttering under his breath, emptied its contents into the cauldron. He was busy for several minutes. Harry was wondering if the man had simply forgotten about them, when the cauldron burped again, this time sending a large red cloud around the room. Harry accidentally inhaled a mouthful; it tasted like pepper.
He coughed, and the man jumped.
"What! Visitors! What brings you here? Oh, it's you."
"He's mad", Hermione said under her breath.
"Mad!" The man had heard her. To their astonishment, it caused him another fit of laughter.
Clutching his chest, he came towards them once again. "Mad! Ahahaha!"
Instinctively, they moved closer together.
"Oh, don't fear me, my chicken", he chuckled. "I may not be quite sane, but fear nothing from me. I am not dangerous. Tell me, what are your names?"
"Harry Potter", said Harry nervously.
"I'm Hermione Granger."
For a split-second, the man's face contorted as though in pain of a long-forgotten memory. "What? Oh. Nice names, yes, really nice..."
And humming distractedly, he walked over to the cupboard and extracted a long, silvery case from underneath a pile of books. He handed it to the pair, who opened it cautiously, yet also with a strange feeling of excitement.
Inside were two wooden sticks, like the ones Tom Riddle and the man used. They had carvings on it; one bore the image of a stag, the other, of an otter.
Harry's eyes went wide.
"What's the meaning of this?" he asked, feeling dazed.
"Well, well, my dear chicken, unbeknownst to you both, there is a strange and wonderful power in your veins... But maybe you've noticed already", he nodded towards Harry. "These wands are the key to your power... unlock it and command what you have not known before."
He swept around the room, looking like an overgrown bat. "This is the Art of Magic... You will encounter the most terrifying and beautiful things. Do not look so scared", and his voice fell into a whisper, "there is no turning back now."
"You mean to say", croaked Harry, "that Hermione has this power, too?"
The black man looked highly delighted.
"Yes, indeed. There is no doubt."
Hermione's knees gave way. Harry caught her just in time.
The look on Hermione's face was one of sheer terror. Harry understood - even if he knew he would never become like Riddle, this strange awareness of something - magic - inside him was scary. It probably related to the dreams he had... He needed to ask Hermione about that later.
"Very well", said the man. "Take your wands."
***
"They're not coming", Ginny told the others for the fifth time. She was pacing nervously up and down in the common room.
"Get a grip, Gin", Ron told his newly declared sister sternly. "Five more minutes, and we'll leave, okay?"
"It's past one already! Emil can't have walked that far!" Ginny pressed her forehead against the window. Outside, there was nothing but a pitch-black night.
Neville stood up, looking unnerved. "Ginny is right, they aren't coming."
"They will be fine", Luna said calmly.
"How can you be so sure of that?" Neville asked, sitting down again. Luna set herself to reply. She was, however, interrupted, by a gasp. Ginny, still at the window, had evidently produced it. Her face was stark white.
"What's up, Gin?" Ron asked, concern in his voice.
"Are they back?" Neville leapt up from his armchair.
"No", Ginny said, sounding distressed. "It's Sirius."
"Sirius? What about him?" Ron said, dashing towards the window. Neville and Luna followed suit.
There, indeed, was Sirius, walking towards the entrance. He had an oddly hunchbacked appearance and seemed to be limping.
"What's he doing?" Ron asked jerkily.
"He's injured!" Ginny was at the door in no time. The others ran to catch up with her.
They arrived at the entrance just in time to witness Sirius collapse on the doormat as Ginny opened the door.
***
The attack on Sirius naturally provided food for discussion over breakfast the following morning. Hermione, Harry and Emil were back and now listening to their friends as they related the events of the past evening to them.
"...so we went and woke Helen, and she brought him to the infirmary, where the matron is now taking care of him." Ron looked miserably down at his wretched meal. "They've already cut down on the peanuts..."
"And where have you been?" Ginny interjected, all impatience. "It took you ages to get out of that forest!"
"Later", Harry said curtly.
There was a prolonged silence, which caused him to look up from his plate.
Ginny, Ron, Luna and Neville were eyeing him and Hermione with suspicion.
"What?" he said defensively. Then, comprehension dawned on him.
"Wait... you don't think we've... that we..."
"There's no other explanation", Ron smirked sarcastically. "Finally alone together... Oh, of course, you'd seize the time."
"No!" Harry said loudly, causing people near them to stare at him. Ron laughed, while Ginny was looking furious. "Oh, you left poor Emil to himself, while you..."
"It's not true!" Hermione said, very red in the face. "We made a most startling discovery and - oh, shut up, Ron!"
"Who do you think attacked Sirius, though?" Harry asked. That calmed Ron down.
"Well, there's one very likely candidate, right?" he said, his eyes flickering towards the head of the table.
Tom sat there, by himself as always, and consumed his breakfast with an appearance of dignity.
The door flew open with a crash. All heads turned.
Alice had barged into the room. Her face was white with fury.
"You!" she yelled, pointing at Harry. "You!"
Amazed, Harry stared at her.
At the opposite end of the table, Helen got up and strode towards Alice, her face set.
"Now, you're a grown-up. Please do not make such a scene before the children -"
"I've just been to see Sirius!" Alice yelled. "And you know what he told me?"
"Calm down now, there's a good girl..."
"He attacked him!" Alice shouted. "Harry attacked my Sirius last night!"
The room fell deadly silent.
Harry felt his insides turn to ice. He looked at Riddle, who was wearing an incredibly smug expression, and back at Alice, who was still howling with rage.
He was conscious of people watching him.
"Harry."
Hermione whispered into his ear, tugging at his sleeve at the same time.
"Let's get out of here."
"Harry Potter."
Helen approached them. Her lips formed the thinnest of lines Harry had ever seen.
"Come with me. And you, too, Miss Granger."
His heart sinking, Harry got up and took Hermione's hand.
At least, he would not have to face this alone.
***
That night, Amy died.
Harry slouched into Ron's room late in the evening, still holding hands with his girl and feeling thoroughly depressed.
"It doesn't add up", he told the room at large, sinking down on Emil's bed. Hermione perched herself down next to him. "Sirius has told Alice he saw me attack him. With a wand and all that..."
"Sounds like another scheme of Riddle's", Ron commented.
"Come on, Ron, how would he do that?" Ginny blurted out. "He cannot disguise himself that perfectly, can he!"
"It was dark", Hermione said, considering Ginny, "and Riddle looks similar to Harry. I do not think it would cost him so much effort."
Ginny chose to remain silent.
"For the time being, it's Hermione's and my word against Sirius'." Harry felt miserable saying this. He had regarded Sirius as something like a friend, after all.
"Helen thought it was suspicious that we were out of beds yesterday. We told her we had gone to find Emil and that we got lost in the forest."
"Where were you, anyway?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione launched into an explanation of what had happened, supported by Emil's feeble nods.
"Weird", Ron said when they had finished, sounding thoroughly impressed. "You've gotta show me that place sometime soon..." His eyes wore a hopeful expression.
"Oh, Ron, please don't ask us to go there again", Hermione said, shivering. Without thinking, Harry put an arm round her shoulders.
Ginny's eyes flashed angrily. Ron, on the other hand, grinned, but obviously decided to drop it for once. Neville looked awed.
"So, you have the wands on you?" Ron inquired.
"Yes", Harry and Hermione said simultaneously and pulled them from their sleeves. The previous night, the black man had instructed them to place their wands there.
"And you can do magic with them?" Ron asked.
"It's still very little what we can do", Harry told him. "I think it'll come gradually."
Ron took his wand from him and waved it cautiously.
The frame of the picture on the wall shattered and was sent flying. Everyone ducked as the picture came down with a crash.
"Ron!"
"Sorry, mate", Ron said, looking awestruck. "This thing's amazing." And he handed the wand back to Harry.
"You don't get it, Ron", Harry said. "This thing cannot be used by someone who doesn't have the power. That's what the black man told us, anyway."
Hermione nodded.
Ron's jaw dropped. "You mean..."
Neville, who had been gazing at his friends fearfully, said shyly, "Can I try it too, Harry?"
"Oh, come on, that would be too much of a coincidence", Ginny said icily.
"No, I think we should all try it", Harry answered, frowning at her.
To their astonishment, they found that all of them, with the exception of Emil, could use the wands.
"'Mazing", Ron muttered, wiping his forehead.
"It's too much of a coincidence, though", Ginny said urgently.
"Oh, come on, you're always being sceptical."
"She's got a point, though", Hermione said, looking thoughtful. "First Riddle, then Harry, and now, all of us..."
"Maybe it's the location?" Ron suggested. Hermione shook her head. "Both Tom and Harry were able to use their powers beforehand."
"Well, we won't find out right now -"
Suddenly, they could hear the thundering of feet outside. The door opened, and Helen marched into the room. To nobody's surprise, her eyes immediately fell on Harry.
Wondering what he could possibly have done this time, Harry got up.
"Come with me, Mr Potter."
"You can't!" Ron protested. "Harry's innocent!"
Her eyes met his. She did not seem enraged by his words.
"I know", she said sadly.
"Then why are you taking him?"
Helen sighed.
"To apologise, I guess."
She paused. The children looked at her in amazement.
"Amy Benson died tonight. It was Sirius who killed her."
***
He was lying, face-down, in a pool of yellow, shimmering liquid. Something was making swishing sounds above his head. It reminded him of the rags he had seen in the hut...
"Harry..."
He wrenched his eyes open. He could see!
What he saw would have caused him to scream, if his mouth had not been glued shut...
There was the old man's face again, complete with the half-moon spectacles. The eyes were brimming with sadness.
"Harry, what are you doing? You must return."
Return where? Harry tried to say. The old man looked at him sadly.
"Harry, it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that."
Then, the face dispersed. It was not, however, only the yellow liquid that remained.
Someone was lying next to him.
"Harry!"
"It does not do to dwell on dreams..." he whispered. The words bore a strange significance. And yet, he could not remember, try as he might, where and when he had heard them before.
"Harry, are you okay?"
It was then that he realized he was back in his room, and Hermione was sitting on a chair next to his bed, looking worried.
"What's happened?"
"Helen took you to the infirmary." Hermione bit her lip. "She wanted to show you Amy."
"Ah... yes."
Amy. Her pale face between the white curtains. Her severed throat -
"Helen said you passed out the moment you saw her. Are you okay?"
Harry nodded, clenching his fists to wipe the image from his head.
"Harry?"
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not", Hermione said softly.
Harry shook his head miserably.
"I - I just - you know..."
"You wanted to talk to her one more time, didn't you?" Hermione asked kindly.
Harry nodded. Heaving a deep sigh, he struggled to come up with another topic. It was too painful just yet.
"What's the time, anyway?" Much better.
"It's two in the morning."
"Have you been sitting here all these hours?" Harry asked, for the first time looking at Hermione with concern.
She smiled shyly. "I was so worried about you..."
"Come sit here." He shifted a little so she could sit on his bed and he was in a position to put an arm round her shoulders.
"Don't do that to yourself for my sake", he whispered into her ear.
She looked up into his face.
And without thinking, he kissed her.
It only lasted a few seconds - he had surprised himself, after all - but it was so warm, and so sweet, that when they broke apart, he lost little time in doing it again.
Then she snuggled up to him, and he hugged her like he had wanted to in a long time.
"Hermione", he whispered, and he sensed rather than saw her smile.
They fell asleep in that position.
And for the first time in what seemed ages, Harry's sleep was untroubled.
***
Alice did not show up over breakfast the following morning. Harry wondered whether she had gone back to the village.
"Yeah, probably", Ron said. "She's gotta be in a bad state right now..."
"She has probably run away with Sirius", Ginny said matter-of-factly.
They stared at her. "Run... away?"
"Well, Sirius was gone when the matron discovered Amy. The knife that cut her throat was still there, though, so they know it's him", Ginny informed them coolly.
"How do you know all these things?" Ron asked suspiciously.
Ginny jerked her head towards the head of the table. "Tom told me."
"Tom?"
"What are you on about?"
"Cut it out, Gin."
"I'm serious", Ginny said, her face set. "Yesterday evening, after Harry had left, I bumped into Tom on the stairs."
"Typical", Ron muttered. Ginny cast him an unreadable look before she went on.
"Anyway, I thought I'd just ask him whether he was behind all this stuff, and he seemed to consider ignoring me for a moment, but then he just said, no, he'd never cut up throats, I should know that this wasn't his style of doing things." She snorted angrily.
"Tom made Sirius do it", Harry said immediately.
Ginny shrugged. Ron gave her a thoughtful look.
"How does he know, anyway?" Neville asked warily.
"Oh, he's got his sources. You know what he's like. I'd bet he knows about everything that's going on in here..."
Ginny's eyes travelled over her friends' faces. There was something like triumph in her face, Harry thought.
"You're not admiring him, Gin?" Ron demanded suddenly.
Ginny started. "Of course I'm not admiring him! Don't be stupid, Ron, why would I?"
"I don't know..." Ron said carefully. "It just sounded like you thought he's... some kinda hero?"
Ginny laughed airily. "Oh, stop being silly."
Harry, however, could not help thinking that Ron had a point. And when he turned towards Hermione, he could tell from her concerned gaze fixed on Ginny that she was thinking among the same lines.
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Coming up: "Troubled girls"
In which Luna confronts Ginny, and Harry has yet another run-in with Tom.