DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. They are the property of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros, etc. No money was made from the creation of this story.
Chapter Fifteen: Preparations of the Order
"I can't believe I didn't beat him," Hermione growled as she sat down next to Harry. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Nancy had settled themselves at the Gryffindor table after another long day of duels and were ready to have hot food fill their stomachs.
It had been several weeks after their last encounter with Keung. Harry had accepted the fact that Keung's life wasn't his decision, but did his best to not think about it, keeping himself preoccupied with schoolwork, Quidditch, and the Dueling Club.
Though ever since the meeting, Harry had had a lot of trouble sleeping. He wasn't suffering from nightmares, but his body and nerves wouldn't allow sleep to wash over him. He told Hermione about his insomnia, and ever since, he would to find her waiting for him in the common room after everyone had gone to bed. The two would hold each other and talk until the early hours of the morning; Harry was amazed at how she always found a way to soothe his nerves.
"I mean…I figured everything out," Hermione sighed as she leaned forward on the table and rested her head in her arms.
Harry looked over at her and couldn't help but smile. He rubbed her back gently and kissed the side of her head affectionately. Hermione tried her best to keep her pouting look, but it soon turned into a weak smile.
"It's not so bad," Ron replied as he took a large gulp of his pumpkin juice. "You at least tied with him."
"But that's the second time I've tied in a duel," Hermione retorted as she sat up, her hands clenched in tight fists. "There's no way I can compete for one of the top places now."
Hermione's confidence had risen to a new level after she defeated Cho Chang, allowing her overall dueling composure to relax a bit. She continued to study her opponents, but it didn't help her with her last two. Both were seventh years from Ravenclaw and the two dueled with almost the same defensive style. No matter what Hermione tried to do, she could not break their defenses, forcing herself to run out of time in both matches.
"Oh, come now," Ron sighed as he took his eyes of his beef stew. "Would it be that bad if you didn't get one of those top spots? I mean…would you really want to duel against Harry or Nancy?"
Harry and Nancy were much more fortunate during their duels. Harry had had intense duels with his last two opponents, but always found a way to outwit their strategies and send them off the platform without having too much trouble. Nancy's last two duels were relatively simple due to the fact that her last two opponents were seventh year boys that were completely taken with her beauty. Ron didn't take a liking to their stares and was glad to see Nancy hurl them out of the platform without breaking a sweat.
"I know that Harry and Nancy are my friends," Hermione responded. Harry and Nancy sighed to themselves knowing that Ron and Hermione were ready for another one of their fits, and despite the fact that they were sitting next to the two; they weren't noticed. "They would be hard to duel against, but I would at least like to have a try at it."
"You mean to say that you would look forward to fighting them?" Ron replied with a disgusted voice. "What kind of girlfriend are you…wanting to fight your boyfriend?"
"This has nothing to do with the fact I'm with Harry," Hermione roared back. The volumes of their voices had started to rise, causing Nancy and Harry to slowly lower their heads as other students from the Gryffindor table turned to look at Ron and Hermione. "Is there something wrong with wanting to challenge myself?"
"Oh sure…challenging yourself…all you're doing is picking fights," Ron snuffed as he crossed his arms.
"I'm not just picking fights!" Hermione shouted as she started to stand.
Harry noticed this and immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back down to the bench. Hermione looked over at Harry, and her anger started to subside when she saw his pleading eyes.
"Don't worry, Hermione," Harry said as he leaned forward and nudged her head with his. "Whether you make it in the top four or not, you know that you're a great dueler. And if you don't make it into the top four…then I'll gladly accept a challenge from you after the tournament is over."
"Really?" Hermione asked with her eyes lighting up.
"You seem a little too eager about dueling me," Harry said with an unsure voice as he moved his arms down and started to tickle her sides. She started to giggle as she leaned against him and gave him a quick kiss on her cheek.
"I don't get you two," Ron sighed as he started to slurp his stew. He noticed Nancy's smiling face looking at him, and he couldn't help but smile back.
"Oh, leave them alone," Nancy giggled as she looked at their two cozy friends. "I'm sorry, Hermione. You did a great job today though. I don't think there was anyway in beating those two with the spells we were allowed to use."
"What do you mean?" Ron asked as he placed his spoon into his empty bowl.
"Well, you know," Nancy replied as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice. "If these were real duels…you know, real ones against real dark wizards…we'd have more spells at our disposable, like curses and such. If we were allowed to use everything we could, I'm sure Hermione could of broken through their Invisible Walls."
"Hermione, how many points are you away from the fourth place slot?" Harry asked her before he turned and blew at his beef stew, his stomach growling.
"The fourth place slot is being held by Arthur Pinket, a seventh year from Hufflepuff," Hermione replied as she started to stir her stew with her spoon. "He is only ahead by two points…so it shouldn't be too hard to catch up to him with our final duels. Though, I find it disgusting that Draco Malfoy is ahead of me by a point."
Ron opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when he noticed Nancy shoot him a glare. Harry smiled at Hermione as he swallowed a spoonful of stew, "You'll do fine."
"Thanks," she smirked as she offered him a fork full of her mashed potatoes, causing Harry to snicker.
"Okay, snogging is one thing…but this is going too far," Ron groaned as he watched Harry accept Hermione's offering by consuming the potatoes off her fork.
Nancy started to giggle as she reached into her book bag and pulled out her N.E.W.T. Charms textbook. She cleared her section of the table and started to skim through the chapters. She had been preparing for her N.E.W.T.s for the past few days, reading over her textbooks and notes whenever she found some spare time. Compared to the other seventh year students, Nancy stayed relatively calm and cheerful during her studies.
Harry swallowed another spoonful of stew as he looked up towards the small windows. He heard several students start to stir to his right and he turned to find a very aggravated Professor Snape making his way down the aisle. Harry let out a soft sigh as he looked over to a confused Ron.
"Mr. Potter," Snape snarled as he stopped behind Harry.
"Yes, Professor?" Harry responded with his nicest voice as he turned to find Professor Snape glaring back at him
"Why were you trying to cause trouble earlier?" Snape asked as his eyes narrowed.
"What trouble, sir?" Harry asked with a confused look on his face.
"Don't play stupid with me, Potter."
"I'm not playing stupid, Professor. I really don't know what you're talking about," Harry replied sincerely, his mind quickly replaying his day in his head.
"That's it, Potter!" Snape snarled as he pulled out a piece of parchment out of his pocket. He pulled out his wand and shot several sparks at it. "Be here, tonight at nine o'clock…you have detention with me."
Before Harry could say another word, Snape shoved the parchment into his hand and made his way out of Great Hall. Harry stood from the bench and crinkled the paper in his hand, his rage boiling.
"What did you do?" Ron asked as he looked up at Harry.
"I didn't do anything," Harry exclaimed as he took his seat again. "Ron…you were with me the entire day…we didn't do anything we weren't supposed to."
"Nothing that I can think of," Ron replied as he crossed his arms and too replayed the course of their day in his mind.
"What does the note say?" Hermione asked as she softly leaned against Harry and firmly massaged the back of Harry's tense neck.
Harry let out a soft sigh as he felt goose bumps cover his body from Hermione's hand.
"It says…Fourth floor, east corridor, last classroom at the end of the hall," Harry said with a soft voice.
"We've never had classes in that area before," Ron said as he looked over at the parchment in Harry's hand.
"Tonight is going to be a long night," Harry sighed as he placed his head on the table, crumpling the note again in his hand.
* ~ * ~ * ~ *
Harry quietly made his way down the east corridor of the fourth floor, his anger with Snape growing worse and worse with each step he took. He looked around at the walls and noticed that they were covered with a thick layer of cobwebs. He wondered why the house-elves never cleaned this corridor, but before he had a chance to come up with a possible solution, he was at the end of the corridor, facing a large brown door.
With a soft sigh, he pulled the door open and walked in. He expected to find Snape with his usually scowled look and had somewhat prepared for whatever Snape had in store for him, but what he saw completely shocked him.
Harry's eyes went wide when he saw Professor Dumbledore, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Professor Snape, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sitting around a large circular table.
"Harry," Mrs. Weasley smiled as she got up from her chair and gave him a big hug. Harry hesitantly hugged her back, trying to think of a possible solution of why the Order of the Phoenix was sitting inside a classroom in Hogwarts. "It's good to see you, how have you been?"
"I've been all right," Harry replied quietly.
Mrs. Weasley rubbed his cheek and gave him a warm smile before she made her way back to her seat, leaving a startled Harry to stand on his own.
"Well, have a seat, Potter," Moody said with his usual raspy voice. "We don't want to be waiting here all night."
Harry found an open chair next to Mr. Weasley and quickly sat in it, his eyes focusing on Dumbledore's. Dumbledore smiled at him as he leaned back against his chair, his hands placed firmly on the table.
"Now, I hope you all know the reason why we're here," Dumbledore announced as he looked at everyone around the table. Harry slowly raised his hand, his expression of utter confusion never faltering. "Yes, Harry?"
"Actually, Professor Dumbledore…I don't know why we're here?" Harry spoke out sheepishly as he lowered his arm.
"You mean, Professor Snape never told you?" Moody replied with a bewildered voice, looking over at a quiet Snape.
"Professor Snape just told me I had detention with him and to come here," Harry answered as his eyes moved to Snape.
"We're here because of a certain situation has made itself known to us," Dumbledore said as he took a deep breath. "We gathered here tonight to plan out possible solutions to our growing problem. We felt that you should participate in this meeting because of all the experiences you've gone through this year."
"What is the situation, sir?" Harry asked, his intrigue building.
"The situation with the Flame of Flamora," Moody answered as he stood from his chair and started to pace around. "We were worried about Voldemort raising a Flamora army once we heard the news that you were attacked by a Flamora wielder. We then started a small, quiet investigation to determine the reason behind the attacks on you."
"What did you find?" Harry asked curiously.
"We found that our assumptions were true," Moody answered with a slightly defeated voice. "We've recently learned that Voldemort has been rounding up all his remaining Death Eaters…as well as recruiting some new ones."
"He was sending Magnolia Reins after you because he needed to test the Flamora's abilities," Dumbledore continued. "Despite the fact that she had failed on several occasions, Voldemort is incredibly satisfied with the weapon's performance. Harry, Voldemort is preparing a Flamora army. Remus Lupin has infiltrated their ranks under the disguise of another and he has been informing us that the majority of Voldemort's Death Eaters are now capable of summoning and using the Flamora weaponry."
"Raising his own Flamora army…" Harry muttered to himself. He then turned and looked at everyone around the table. "How will you fight against that army?"
"We're currently getting as many Order members together," Moody explained as he slowly took his seat, "and when we feel we're prepared, we're going to go after Voldemort before he has a chance to do anything. Take him by surprise before his forces get too large."
Harry was somewhat startled by Moody's answer. The thought of a massive battle between the Order of the Phoenix and Voldemort's Death Eaters left a very unsettling feeling in his stomach.
"Is there something wrong, Harry?" Dumbledore asked when he noticed Harry's uneasy expression.
"How would you fight against a Flamora weapon?" Harry asked, a certain fear appearing in his voice.
"Every weapon has a weakness," Moody replied, his magical eye spinning in his head. "All we need to do is find it. Dear boy, we're not just going to go storming into a fight without at least knowing that."
"So all of you are going to fight?" Harry softly asked as his eyes focused on the Weasleys. "You too…Mr…Mrs. Weasley."
"He need to do our part Harry," Mr. Weasley answered with a weak voice. Harry could tell that he wasn't in a condition to go off and fight, and Harry knew for certain that Mrs. Weasley wasn't the kind of witch that could harm another human being. "We don't want you and Ron to grow up in a world controlled by him."
"There are those loyal to the cause, Potter," Snape spoke with somewhat of a disgusted tone as he glared at Harry. "We are all ready to give up our lives for that cause."
"A cause…" Harry muttered to himself as he took a deep breath. He looked at Dumbledore with intense eyes, feeling his courage swell along with his fear. The bottle that held Harry's memory of the prophecy that Dumbledore had told him last year had finally opened itself. Harry knew that if Voldemort were to be vanquished, he had to be the one to do it.
"I want to fight too, Professor Dumbledore."
"That's out of the question!" Mrs. Weasley responded with her mouth gaping open.
"But I can fight," Harry insisted, leaning forward so that his hands were on the table. "I want to help."
Before Mrs. Weasley had a chance at make another argument, the door of the classroom opened and they all turned to find Remus Lupin. He had a weak smile on his face as he slowly walked over to the table and took a seat next to Harry.
"How did things go, Remus?" Moody asked, purposely refusing to acknowledge Harry's previous statement.
"It's far worse than anything we could imagine," Lupin sighed as he closed his eyes and relaxed against the chair. "His numbers are steadily growing with each day and he's already planning an attack."
"Where is his first target?" Moody quickly asked, noticing that Snape was about to say something. Despite the fact that Lupin had never really had problems with Snape, Snape had still found a reason to despise and contradict him whenever he had an opportunity.
Lupin took in a deep breath before he opened his eyes and looked at Professor Dumbledore. "Once he has a decent force assembled…he is planning an attack on Hogswarts castle."
"That can't be!" Mrs. Weasley cried as she looked at Dumbledore. "Professor Dumbledore, we need to send the children home at once!"
"It's all right, Molly," Lupin said weakly. "Voldemort needs his numbers to grow before he can storm the castle. I overheard two of his Death Eaters discussing it and they believe that attack would take place something over the summer."
"Why during the summer?" Harry asked as he looked at Lupin.
"Voldemort wants to attack the castle when it is at its weakest," Lupin explained. "He wants the majority of the professors to leave for the summer holidays, making things a lot easier for him."
"But I thought that Hogwarts is guarded by many enchantments…wouldn't it be impossible for Voldemort to invade it?" Harry asked uncertainly.
"Hogwarts is guarded by many enchantments," Dumbledore replied, his hands together on the table. "However, enchantments are breakable. And the Flame of Flamora is one of those things that can break through the enchantments that protect Hogwarts. If Voldemort attacks when Hogwarts is poorly guarded, it is possible that he could destroy it."
"What are we going to do about it?" Mrs. Weasley asked frantically, her body shaking.
"We need to prepare," Dumbledore answered with his voice firm. "We will continue to gather as many Order members as we can and we must help Keung Chang locate the Flame of Flamora. If he is successful at extinguishing it, there will not be a reason to worry about Voldemort's actions towards Hogwarts."
"I don't understand why we must rely on that man?" Snape said as he crossed his arms.
"I know you aren't fond of him," Dumbledore replied as he looked over at him. "However, he is very loyal to our cause and he will do everything in his power to prevent such an event from happening."
"Men like him don't deserve second chances," Snape muttered as he sank against his chair.
"I could said the same thing about you," Harry snapped, causing the majority of the members to look at Harry with shocked eyes.
Snape rose from his chair with his fists clenched, glaring at Harry with hateful eyes. Lupin and Mr. Weasley quickly rose from their chairs, ready to defend Harry.
"That's enough," Dumbledore stormed, causing the three to sit down. He looked at the three before settling his eyes on Harry. "Harry could you please go to Hagrid's house and explain the situation to him? Tonks will you escort him?"
"Sure thing," Tonks replied with a smile as she rose from her chair and walked over to Harry's.
Harry's eyes were still focused on Snape. He was happy to be included in the Order's meeting, but he no longer wished to be there if he had to tolerate Snape's constant glares and further badmouthing of his friends.
"I don't need an escort," Harry said as he rose from his chair.
"Oh, I'm sure you don't," Tonks grinned as she took him by his arm. Harry let out a defeated sigh as he nodded towards Dumbledore, Lupin, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
The moment Harry and Tonks left the room, Tonks had morphed into an almost exact replica of Hermione Granger. Harry was startled at first, but couldn't help but hide his smile when he noticed that she had pink hair.
"Something the matter?" she asked as she looked at him.
"Hermione doesn't have pink hair," Harry snickered as he pointed towards her head.
"Oh, right…completely forgot about that," she replied as her hair changed to a soft brown. "Better?"
"Better," Harry smiled as the two made their way down a flight of stairs. Harry was happy to see that Tonks and Kingsley had healed from their injuries, allowing his guilt to subside slightly. "I'm really sorry about you getting hurt."
"It's fine," she replied as she looked at him. "There was no way I was about to let that mad woman lay her hands on you."
"Thanks Tonks," Harry smiled as they made their way down another flight of stairs.
They stayed relatively quiet for the rest of their journey towards Hagrid's hut. As they made their way across the grounds, Harry stopped and looked behind them every now and then, having a weird feeling that he was being followed. He thought to himself that it might of being Keung, but he wasn't entirely sure. Without saying anything, he would smile at Tonks and they continued their trek.
"Hagrid, it's me," Harry said as he knocked on the door. He heard footsteps walk towards the door, but was somewhat surprised to find Keung opening it.
"Hey Harry, Hagrid is on another journey to Diagon Alley," Keung smiled as he looked at Harry and then to the fake Hermione. "Hi there, Nymphadora."
"I told you to stop calling me that," Tonks replied with a shocked voice as she morphed back into herself. "How did you know that was me?"
"Oh, Hermione wouldn't wear such flashy robes," Keung answered as he pointed towards her multicolored robes. "Also, I don't believe she wears red lipstick…not on a stroll like this by any chance."
"I swear," she growled as she released Harry's arm. "You are as odd as Mad-Eye Moody!"
"I'm just observant," Keung replied somewhat sarcastically as he backed away from the door and allowed Harry to enter. Keung turned and smiled at Tonks. "Will you be joining us?"
"No, I need to get back to the meeting," she replied as she smiled back at him. "I'll talk to you both later."
Keung watched her turn before he entered the hut again and closed the door. He found Harry had already made himself comfortable in large armchair next to the fire, softly patting Fang's furry head. Keung walked towards the kitchen table and started to pour hot tea into two cups.
"Are our suspicions true?" Keung asked as he handed the cup to Harry and took a seat.
"A lot worse actually," Harry replied as he took he swallowed a large portion of the tea, instantly feeling a warm blanket covering him him. "Not only is Voldemort forming an army, but he is planning on attacking the castle during the summer."
This statement nearly made Keung spit out his tea, but he successfully swallowed it before saying, "Storming the castle? He must be very confident in his new army."
"It seems that way," Harry said softly, taking another large gulp of hot tea. "I don't know what they are planning."
"If I know Mad-Eye," Keung said with a lopsided grin, "I'm sure he'll have several ideas of how to prevent an attack. He is very crafty and always has a plan for every situation."
"Do you think it's possible for Voldemort to destroy the castle?" Harry asked as a fearful look grew within his eyes.
"I think it's possible," Keung sighed as he got up and looked out the window towards the castle. "If he is determined enough, he can do it. Though if Dumbledore and the Order were there to watch over it, I would say that Voldemort's chances would surely decrease. Dumbledore should inform the Ministry…as much I don't like them…the larger the numbers, the better."
"Will you help them fight?"
"If I'm unsuccessful in finding the Flame," Keung started as he made his way back to his seat, "I will need to help them fight. I don't know what Dumbledore has planned, but it would be wrong for me to just stay out of it. Though I'm hoping this whole situation won't need to take place. I need to work harder at those riddles."
"I'm real sorry about how I acted last time," Harry said softly as he looked at Keung. "I didn't me to…"
"It's okay, Harry," Keung replied with a soft sigh. "You are only human. Sometimes a person just needs to release their emotions. Though I highly suggest you avoid trying to kick trees down…I'm afraid your foot will break before the tree decides to uproot itself."
Harry snickered softly and Keung knew that this wasn't something that he wanted to talk about. Keung placed his cup onto the table and smiled at Harry. He knew he had to change the subject to something that Harry would enjoy talking about. "How are things with you and Hermione?"
"Oh, everything is great," Harry smiled as he started to think about her. "She is a little upset about how her last couple of duels for the Dueling Club went…but other than that, she's doing just great."
"I'm glad to hear that," Keung replied as he crossed his arms.
"She's the one that has helped me the most throughout the years," Harry continued as he started to relax in the armchair. "I mean…if it weren't for her, I'd be running around and trying to pull out my hair."
"You care about her that much, huh?" Keung asked with a grin, one of his eyebrows raised.
"I do," Harry said with a nod. "She means the world to me. When I'm around her…it feels like I can do anything. She makes me feel this tingly sensation when I'm with her, and I can't help but feel happy."
"I miss those feelings," Keung sighed softly. "Those tingles…"
"I'm really sorry," Harry replied, suddenly realizing that Keung had begun thinking of Veronica. "I didn't mean to…"
"Do you realize that you apologize a lot," Keung snickered. "Don't worry about it Harry. I think about Veronica all the time. I don't think a day has passed when I haven't spent at least half of it replaying all the fond memories I had with her through my head."
"You miss her a lot," Harry said softly, feeling a little uneasy in the armchair.
"How could I not? She was my best friend…the one I loved the most…the one I thought I would be with forever," Keung muttered as he looked into the fire. "I know that I've been lecturing you lately, but there is one thing that I need to tell you and I believe that it will be the most important lesson that anyone can ever learn."
Harry looked at Keung intently, his eyes focused on his. "Harry…cherish everyday that you spend with your loved ones. Live everyday to the fullest. Heaven forbids that something will ever happen to any of you, but with these dark times approaching and Voldemort raising an army…it doesn't help ensure a safe future for you and your friends. Be grateful for everyday you spend with them."
Harry nodded slowly, understanding everything that Keung had told him. He looked towards the fire, feeling he needed to say something about wasn't sure of what. His mind settled on a topic and before he could think otherwise he asked, "Why don't you try talking to Cho? She's been feeling a bit sad lately…I'm sure she'll be happy to hear from you."
"I've tried," Keung replied as he looked back at the fire. "I've tried approaching her during school and saying `hi' several times, but I just couldn't do it."
"Why not?" Harry asked carefully.
"Because I didn't want to scare her," he replied softly, his voice filled with despair. "I have no idea what story my parents told her after I left. I don't know how she will react…and making a bad scene in a corridor in Hogwarts isn't exactly my idea of a good family reunion.
"I miss her a lot, though," Keung sighed as he looked back at Harry. "I mean, she was only a small girl at the time, but it was nice having someone there to talk to, you know. I didn't really talk about all the problems I was facing in Hogwarts with my parents…they would of told me to stop causing trouble…but I didn't want to hear that. So, I talked to my baby sister. She didn't understand my problems and I didn't try to simplify it for her. I really didn't want her to worry about my problems, but I needed someone to talk to."
"I think you should talk to her," Harry insisted as he sat up in his armchair. "I know that she can be emotional at times, but she will listen to what you have to say."
"Why are you so concerned about this?" Keung asked as he looked at him.
"It's just…" Harry let out a soft sigh and took a deep breath. "I don't want Cho to miss her chance to get to know her brother."
The two suddenly heard something move near the window and the two quickly pull out their wands. They heard something pounding on the door followed by the sound of someone crying. Keung slowly got up and moved to the window, but was unable to get a clear view of the person at the door. Harry positioned himself in front of the door with his wand raised. With a firm nod, Keung placed his hand on the door and pushed the door open. They both startled to see a crying Cho standing behind it.
"Cho…" Keung said softly, his wand falling to the floor. Cho looked up at him, her eyes red from her tears. Keung straightened himself and tried to say something, but before he could get anything out, Cho ran towards him and buried her face into his chest. Keung wrapped his arms protectively around his little sister and started to rock her gently. "It's okay Cho…it's okay."
"I thought you were dead," she sobbed gripping his robes firmly. "Mum…and dad said that…when you didn't come back…you were killed by dark wizards."
"No…I am just fine," Keung said softly, tightening his arms around his sister. He looked over at Harry and gave him a soft smile before he rested his head against Cho's. "How did you know that I was here?"
"I didn't," she replied softly as she took her face of his chest and looked at Harry, wiping her eyes with her robes. "I saw Harry and Hermione walk over to Hagrid's hut, and I got curious. When I saw Hermione turned into a woman, I quickly made my way here to see what was going on…and I found you talking with Harry."
"I'll let you two catch up then," Harry whispered as he placed his wand back into his robes.
"I'll talk to you later," Keung said as he cleared his throat. "Be careful, Harry."
Harry nodded and walked out of the hut, shutting the door behind him. His heart was filled with joy to see that Cho has been reunited with her brother, but a suddenly wave of panic soon overpowered his feeling. He realized how Cho would feel if Keung truly had to die to extinguish the Flame. Harry turned and looked at the hut again, but with a defeated sigh he started to walk towards the castle.
Harry stepped inside the castle and quickly made his way up a flight of stairs. He was cautious when walked into any area with a lot of light. He looked at his watch and it showed him that it was quarter-till-ten. He knew this was when the Hufflepuff and Slytherin prefects made their last patrol around the corridors, and the last thing he needed was a real detention from one of them.
Harry looked around a corner and quietly crept his way down it, quickly moving behind an old suit of armor if he thought that someone was coming. He observed his position and knew that he was very close to the Gryffindor common room. He checked around another corner, and when he saw no one, he took off at a sprint down the hallway.
He suddenly came to halt, nearly causing himself to fall over, when he found Professor Snape standing in front of him with his hands behind his back. Harry opened his mouth to say something, but he noticed a figure walk out of the shadows. To his unbelievable dismay, the figure was Draco Malfoy.
"Oh no, Potty," Malfoy laughed as he looked at Harry. "Out and about the castle with no Mudblood girlfriend to escort you."
"I don't care what you call me, Malfoy," Harry snapped as he glared into his beady eyes, "but you better think twice before you ever call Hermione that again."
"Oh, what are you going to do?" Malfoy chuckled as he walked in front of Snape. "You're going to attack me in front of a professor?"
Harry didn't say anything. He did his best to keep his rage bottled inside him, but he knew that he couldn't take anymore of Malfoy's taunts. Malfoy let out a small cackle, knowing that Harry wouldn't do anything. He then pulled out a piece of parchment and his wand.
"Let's see…hmmm…Potty. You will have to clean every single boy's bathroom in this castle until the year is over. That sounds like a decent punishment."
"No Malfoy," Snape said as he gave Malfoy a cold look before focusing his attention on Harry. "I will take care of Potter's punishment personally. You continue on with your rounds."
"But Professor Snape…" Malfoy cried out with a look of shock on his face.
Harry's eyes moved up towards Professor Snape, unsure of what punishment would be worse than having to clean all the boy's bathrooms. Snape shot a fiery glare at Malfoy, and he knew that he better do what he was told. He placed the parchment and his wand back into his pocket and gave Harry a snarled smirk.
"I hope Professor Snape gives you everything you deserve."
Malfoy walked off, purposely shoving his shoulder into Harry's. Harry let out a soft growl as he clenched his fists and looked up at Professor Snape. Snape's expression had turned from one of complete anger to one of eerie sincerity. Harry wasn't sure what to say, so simply stood there waiting for Snape to yell at him.
"You always need to be the hero, don't you?" Snape muttered in a low voice.
"I don't want to be the hero, Professor," Harry replied as he looked at the ground. "I never wanted to be the hero."
"I see," Snape said with an intrigued voice. "Maybe you always happen to find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, then?"
Harry looked at Snape with unsure eyes. "Are you going to punish me, sir?"
"I'll let you go this one time," Snape replied as he crossed his arms. Harry stood in his place, speechless. "Go, before I change my mind, Potter."
Harry nodded to him and slowly walked passed him, making his way down the corridor.
"Potter," Harry heard Snape call. He slowly turned, wondering if Snape had only been playing a trick on him. "Are you really considering the option of fighting with the Order?"
"I am," Harry replied with a firm nod. "I can't simply step aside and allow innocent people to die."
"You are your father's son," Snape remarked as he shook his head. "Foolish boy, you're bravery will be the end of you…now go."
* ~ * ~ * ~ *
Harry slowly walked into the Gryffindor common room and found it empty for the exception of Hermione. She was sitting in her armchair, gazing at the fire with a troubled expression on her face. Harry looked at her and his heart came alive again. She was wearing her blue and white striped pajamas and had her hair tied in a ponytail. She looked beautiful.
Harry started to move towards her, his emotions slowly taking over. Everything Keung had told him had finally sank into his mind. The thought of Hermione being taken away from him was unbearable and he knew that he would do anything and everything to protect her. He cherished everyday they had spent together since the first day he met her, and he will continue to cherish everyday from that day forward, wanting to live everyday to the fullest with Hermione and his best friends.
His mind soon settled on the prophecy. He had never told her about it. The thought of telling her or Ron had crossed his mind many times. However, it was something he felt that they didn't need to know. He didn't want to worry Hermione anymore than he had to. It was his curse, his burden, not hers.
Hermione looked towards him and she gave him a bright smile. She stood from her armchair and tried to say something, but before she had a chance to, Harry pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, causing her knees to buckle slightly. He supported her in his arms and he softly deepened their kiss.
"What was that about?" Hermione asked softly, trying to catch breath after Harry broke their kiss. She tried to stand up straight, but Harry had completely melted her legs and they refused to respond.
"Nothing," he said with a soft smile, softly rubbing her nose with his. She doesn't need to know…no one does. It's my problem…I'll handle it on my own. He kissed the tip of her nose gently and gave her a soft smile. "I just wanted to kiss you."
Hermione smiled at him, but she knew that something was bothering him. She let out a soft sigh and wrapped her arms around him. She wanted to ask him about what happened, but knew that he would eventually tell her. Her legs started to work again, allowing her to push herself up onto her tiptoes and kiss him.