Harry Potter and the Flame of Flamora by Zanarkand Rating: PG13 Genres: Romance, Action & Adventure Relationships: Harry & Hermione Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5 Published: 25/08/2003 Last Updated: 08/05/2004 Status: Completed Harry and his friends have entered their sixth year at Hogwarts, hoping for a nice relaxing year. As usual, their hopes were crushed as they find themselves stumbling onto a secret that could destroy everything they hold dear. 1. Another Summer's Way ----------------------- **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 One: Another Summer's Day** Harry Potter sighed to himself as he looked out his window towards the morning sky from the floor of his room. It was another hot summer day in the month of July, and Harry couldn't stop the wave of boredom and frustration from rising within him. Harry had been forced to stay cooped up in number four, Privet drive by the Order of the Phoenix. With the recent rise and exposure of Lord Voldemort, everyone within the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry of Magic were scrambling to prevent another war from beginning. Harry released another sigh as he sat up and looked around his room. It was a depressing sight. His clothes were scattered all over the floor, his books dispersed about his bed, and parchments covered his desk in an unorganized fashion. Not being able to leave the Dursley's home had forced Harry to resort to something he'd never believe he'd do to keep himself from going insane; his summer homework. He picked up the photo album that Hagrid had given him during the end of his first year at Hogwarts. He flipped through the pages and looked at the picture of his parents. Harry gave another depressing sigh as he turned the page. The next picture was of him and his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, at the end of their fifth year at Hogwarts. Harry couldn't help but release as soft smile as he looked at his friends, unable to wait for the new school year to start so they all could be together again. He continued to flip through the pages until he found his parent's wedding photo, his eyes focusing on the man standing behind his father. Sirius Black, his father's best friend and Harry's godfather, was the closest person that Harry had to a real father. However, due to a horrible twist of fate, like his parent's, Harry had lost him as well. Despite several talks with Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, about the events that transpired in the Department of Mysteries the previous year, Harry couldn't help but blame himself entirely for the fate of his godfather. He knew that if he had only continued to practice Occlumency, all of it could have been avoided. Harry heard something behind him and he turned to find Hedwig sitting on her perch with a letter attached to her leg. Harry's expression lightened incredibly as he quickly got up and walked towards his snow owl. He stroked the feathers on her back gently and he smiled as he noticed that the letter attached to her leg was from Hermione Granger. She was the only real contact that he had with the outside world since the beginning of the summer. Ron and his family had taken a family vacation to the United States. Fred and George's joke shop, Weasely's Wizard Wheezes, was booming and they were the talk of all those who entered Hogsmeade. Their store was so popular that it threatened to put Zonko's, the past reigning joke shop, out of business. With the earnings the twins had made, they were able to provide the funds for the vacation for the whole family (with the exception of Percy, who still refused to acknowledge his family). Ron made sure to keep in touch with Harry, but barely had enough time to write about once a week. The majority of his letters were somewhat short. Harry could tell that he had written them in a hurry, but the from the details that were explained in them, Ron and his family were having a wonderful time. He couldn't keep himself from laughing when Ron explained how the Americans drove of the wrong side of the road and spoke with the funniest accents. Writing to the Order wasn't always an enjoyable task. To ensure that no one could understand the message if the messenger owl was intercepted, Harry was forced to keep what he wrote to a minimal. The Order had made sure to keep in contact with Harry at least once every three days to make sure that the Dursleys were treating him properly. The thought of knowing that the Dursleys could no longer abuse him was a wonderful one; however, it actually made things less interesting for him. Last summer, he would sometimes vent his frustrations on his cousin, Dudley, or Uncle Vernon, but with the threats the Order made at the end of the previous year, the two rarely spoke to him. Hermione, aside from his schoolwork, was the only thing that was keeping him sane over the summer. Harry and her had been writing to each other almost everyday since they parted from King's Cross Train Station at the beginning of the summer. Harry revealed his frustrations about been locked up and his loss over Sirius to her, and he was eternally grateful to her for being there for him. She was the only person he could talk to with regards to everything that had taken place over the past year. She would always reply, telling him that Sirius' death wasn't his fault and how there were things in the world that they couldn't control. He took the letter from Hedwig's leg and sat in his chair. He opened the envelope and noticed that it was written on light blue stationery. He smiled softly realizing how much of girl Hermione was. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Dear Harry,* *I'm glad to hear that you are feeling a lot better. I honestly didn't know what to say about the things that you were going through, but thank you for saying that I helped. You know that I always want to help. I was hoping that I didn't sound too much like a person lecturing you than a person trying to console you.* *Yesterday was okay. I helped my mum and dad at the clinic. I mostly assisted them in getting things that they needed when they were working on their patients and doing a lot of work at the front desk. I don't know who they hired to work the front desk, but they are horrible. The desk was a total mess and it took me five minutes to find the telephone under the piles of paperwork, which I also had to organize.* *I had an idea! Since it's your birthday in two days, I was wondering if you would like to spend the day in London with me on your birthday? You've been stuck at your uncle's house for too long. I'm sure the Order would allow you to go if it's only for a day. It would be great to see you. I talked to my mum about it and she said that she would give us some spending money. What do you think? If you don't want you, it's okay. It's only an idea.* *I need to help my dad with dinner. It's his turn to cook tonight and he is horrible in the kitchen. Write back soon and let me know what you think about going to London. If you don't want to, it's okay.* *Love, Hermione* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry's heart started to beat uncontrollably. A mixture of excitement and anticipation filled his body as he reread Hermione's letter again. Of course, he would want to get out of the house. He couldn't stand being locked up any longer. He needed to be able walk outside and breathe free air, if only for a day. Another feeling soon formed inside him. It was an indescribable sensation that he had felt in the pit of his stomach. He was going to spend the day with Hermione. He didn't know why, but for the first time, he felt nervous about being alone with her. He thought about it for a few moments, but the growling of his stomach forced him to stop. He took in a deep breath as placed Hermione's letter back inside the envelope. He placed the envelope inside his desk drawer, where he kept all her letters, and made his way out of his room. He stretched his back and made his way towards the stairs. He heard Uncle Vernon making an unpleasant comment about something he was reading followed by the clinging of utensils against plates. He shook his head as he descended the staircase. As usual, none of them had informed him that breakfast was ready. He slowly entered the kitchen and found the Dursley's in the middle of their breakfast. The three talked about going out to dinner that evening, refusing to acknowledge the fact that Harry had just entered the kitchen. Harry didn't mind this and took his spot at the table next to Dudley. Aunt Petunia had prepared eggs, sausage, and bacon that morning. Harry reached over and placed a few sausages on his plate and proceeded to take a last few strips of bacon when he heard Dudley grunt. “What do you think you're doing?” Dudley growled as he looked at Harry's fork. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia looked towards Harry, giving him an icy glare. “I'm helping myself to some bacon,” Harry replied softly, noticing a large mound already stacked on Dudley's plate. “What does it look like I'm doing?” “Too bad boy!” Uncle Vernon spoke out as he picked up the newspaper. “That bacon is for Dudley. He needs to maintain his strength.” Dudley had entered himself into a boxing league that summer. Dudley had grown somewhat leaner over the past year, adding to his already menacing look. He unfortunately used his strength to bully the smaller kids around their neighborhood, but Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia never paid much attention to it. They felt that no what the circumstances were, the other kids were the ones who started the fight, and that Dudley was merely defending himself. Despite the hostile gesture he made at Harry, Harry never took any of their threats seriously anymore. “Sorry Dudley, but I would really like this bacon and since your plate is already covered with it, I will just help myself.” Dudley tried to stab the bacon with his fork, but Harry was too quick for him. Harry had taken the remaining pieces and moved them away as Dudley's fork came slamming down, cracking the plate. Aunt Petunia rose to her feet and glared at Harry. “Look what you have done you horrible boy!” “What I've done?” roared Harry as he met his aunt's stare with an equal amount of hatred. “I will not tolerate such behavior in my house!” Uncle Vernon bellowed has he slammed the paper on the table, his eyes fixed on Harry, his face turning a shade of purple. “Fine,” Harry replied as he got up from his seat. He took the plate and walked away from the table back towards the stairs. “Where do you think you're going with our food?” Uncle Vernon hissed as he watched Harry stop at the foot of the stairs. “Don't you dare think I'll let you take that food after the way you've disrespected my family!” Harry sighed and looked at the Dursleys. He had anticipated this action and had already planned out his remark in his head. “Fine then, but I will have to tell the Order about it. I'm suppose to write to them today and let them know how I'm doing.” Uncle Vernon's mouth suddenly closed, his expression changing from rage to fear. The memories of being threatened at the train station at the beginning of the summer started to fill his mind, and the idea of angering the Order was something that he didn't want to do. He lowered his eyes and turned away from Harry, focusing on the dining table. He growled softly and said, “Fine, keep the food.” Harry gave them a lopsided grin as he made his way up the stairs and back to his room. He settled at his desk and proceeded to eat breakfast as he pulled out his quill, his inkbottle, and a fresh roll of parchment. He brushed the tip of his quill against the inner rim of his inkbottle as he thought about what to write to the Order. After he had thought it over thoroughly, Harry started writing and took a quick bite of bacon. He had to be sure to be as discrete yet indiscrete as possible with his letter. The last thing anyone wanted was to have a Death Eater discover the location of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry put his quill down and read over this letter to himself. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am doing just fine, trying to keep myself busy. Would it be okay if I went out with Hermione on birthday? I've been locked up for too long. I hope everything is going well. Let her and me know what you think. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was one of the more non-descriptive letters he had written to the Order, but he felt that it got the message he wanted across without having to give away too much information. He folded the parchment in half and pulled out another piece. He thought about what to write in his letter back to Hermione. He leaned back in his chair, chewing on a piece of sausage. Hedwig looked down at him, hooting softly. Harry smiled and tossed a piece towards her. She swooped down, catching it in her beak. She landed on her perch and proceeded to eat it. Harry dipped his quill in his inkbottle and began to write. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Hello Hermione,* *I would really like to go to London with you. It would be great to get out of this house. Believe me, I can't take much more of it. The Order's rules are so strict that I can't even relax in the front yard. I tried working on Professor Binn's essay but I couldn't concentrate on it. I decided to work on Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration essay instead. I have the first few paragraphs written out, but I still have ways to go.* *Don't feel like you're lecturing me. I sometimes feel bad for always complaining about the same thing. I'm really happy that you're willing to listen. I don't have anyone else to write to, with Ron gone and all. But I am feeling a lot better about it. Thank you again for everything. I would of really gone mad if it weren't for you.* *Sorry that this letter is short. I want to send Hedwig out as soon as possible so the Order has time to write back. I hope they say it is okay for me to go. I told the Order to write to you too with their answer. It'll give you more time to plan things out. How do you plan on getting us to London? I was just wondering about that….* *I hope your day is a good one. Write back soon! Thanks again for helping me out, Hermione. It means a lot to me.* *Yours Truly,* *Harry* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry folded the parchment in half and wrote Hermione's name on it. He looked at Hedwig, and she knew that it was her cue to get ready. She fluttered down to his table and stuck out her right leg. Harry rolled one parchment and attached it to her leg and then rolled and attached the other letter on her left. “Now, take this one to Hermione.” Harry pointed to her left leg. “And take this one to the Order.” Harry pointed to her right leg. Hedwig gave him a loud hoot and flew out of his window. He watched her disappear into the morning clouds before looking back down to his breakfast. He finished it quickly before moving back to his bed. He looked at his Transfiguration book and thought to himself. He took the book back with him to his table and proceeded to finish his Transfiguration essay. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Hedwig returned the following morning and gave a loud hoot as she landed on her perch. Harry opened his eyes and stretched his back, releasing a loud groan. He rose from his bed and placed on his glasses. He walked over to Hedwig, giving her an affectionate pat. He proceeded to remove the two letters attached to her leg. He took a deep breath and crossed his fingers as he opened the letter from the Order. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *You may go with Hermione. Be careful. We will be keeping an eye out.* *Moony* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry's heart started, his excitement rising. However, again, the feeling of sudden nervousness overtook him as he thought about being alone with Hermione. He thought about why this could be, trying to rationalize everything in his mind. *This is Hermione. You've been alone with her loads of times. You two are best friends. There is no reason to get nervous.* Harry again shrugged off his thoughts as he opened Hermione's letter, reading it intently. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Harry, *I am so excited! I am so happy that the Order allowed you go. I talked with my mum and she said that we should use a taxi to get around. I will be at your house at 11:00AM on your birthday. Don't worry about the money. My mum says she will handle everything. She is quite fond of you, you know.* *I have to go. I need to help my mum and dad at the clinic again today. I will see you tomorrow at 11:00AM. Don't get into any trouble.* *Love,* Hermione ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --> 2. London With Hermione ----------------------- **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 Two: London with Hermione** Harry looked at the clock in his room, noticing that it read five minutes-till-eleven. He sighed heavily as he looked at himself in front of his mirror. Finding something to wear was one of the most difficult things he had ever had to do. He rarely went out into the muggle world (with exception of going out with the Dursleys, which rarely happened), and wearing Dudley's handy-downs wasn't a very attractive idea. Harry managed to scrounge up a pair of his black school pants and decided to wear the sweater that Mrs. Weasley had knitted for him the previous Christmas. His stomach was turning again with nervousness. He felt a rush of electricity run up and down his spine as he again glanced at the time on his clock. Two minutes-till-eleven it now read. Harry took another look at himself in the mirror, realizing that there was nothing more he could do to improve his appearance. He groaned softly to himself as he sat down on his bed. *Why does it matter how I look? It's only Hermione. There isn't any reason to be a show off or anything.* Harry's head shot up when he heard a doorbell ring. He took in a deep breath and stood to his feet. As he walked out of his room, he could hear the Dursley's rushing to door, curious to see whom it was. To his amazement, they didn't have any sort of negative reaction. Actually, to Harry's surprise, they looked very welcoming to the stranger at the door. Harry wondered if it was Hermione at the door; however, when coming into clear view of the door, he saw something he could never imagine. Hermione Granger was standing there with a warm smile on her face. Her long brown hair had been straightened and was hanging in a ponytail, tied together by a soft, light blue bow. She was wearing a white, sleeveless buttoned blouse, a light blue skirt that went past her knees, and held a small white pocketbook in her hands. He swallowed hard as he continued to walk down the stairs, his hand gripping the banister very tightly, his palms starting to sweat. She looked absolutely stunning. “So you must be one of Dudley's friends from school,” Aunt Petunia smiled as she let Hermione in. Dudley was speechless, his eyes fixed on the beautiful girl in front of him. He took a step forward, which in turn made Hermione take a step back. Hermione looked incredibly shocked after hearing this statement but before she got a word in, Aunt Petunia continued. “Why didn't you tell us that had such a pretty girlfriend, Dudley?” “Actually…” Hermione started as she continued to back away. “She's with me!” Harry announced as he quickly pushed his way through the Dursleys and stood next to Hermione. “What?” Uncle Vernon laughed, his hands wrapping around his round stomach. “With you? Why on earth would anyone want to be with you?” “Actually, I am with him!” Hermione replied with a stern voice. She wrapped her arms around his neck, surprising everyone including Harry. Harry looked down at her and she smiled as she leaned up and kissed his cheek. The Dursleys' jaws slowly dropped at the affection that the girl was giving Harry. “Happy Birthday, Harry Potter. Let's go,” Hermione whispered as she took the awestruck Harry by the hand and led him out of the house. “Where do you think you're going?” Uncle Vernon roared. “Those freaks at that school of yours said that you are not to leave this house!” “The Order gave me permission. See you all later,” Harry smiled as he and Hermione walked towards the yellow taxi parked in front. Harry opened the door for her and she smiled as she entered. Harry entered after her and noticed the horrific glare he received from Dudley and Uncle Vernon. Harry grinned at them before shutting the door. “Where to?” the taxi driver asked as he looked at the two. “London…the Regency Café on Regency Street, please,” Hermione responded. “Oh, I know that place. Got some mighty fine grub there,” the driver smiled as he set the cab in gear and drove off. “Thanks for that, Hermione,” Harry said with a grin on his face. “Just to see that look on the Uncle Vernon's face would have been a great birthday present.” “You're welcome,” Hermione blushed as the two looked at each other. Hermione couldn't help but brighten her smile when she noticed the clothes that Harry was wearing. She reached out and softly touched the sleeve of Harry's sweater giggling, “Is this the best you could come up with?” “Hey,” Harry groaned as he reexamined his attire. “These just happened to be the best clothes that I have…you better believe it. Aside from these, all I have are Dudley's old clothes, which could easily fit Ron, you, and myself comfortably.” Hermione continued to giggle as she leaned back against her seat. “You'll love London. It's a great city.” “I really wouldn't know,” Harry confessed softly. “What do you mean?” Hermione's carefree look soon sank to a deeply curious one. “Well it's…” Harry took a breath. “I don't leave the house much. I just stayed with the Dursleys, only being able to go out when they did. They rarely take me any place worth seeing. I mean, the most exciting place I've ever really been to was the zoo…and that was a good five years ago. Aside from King's Cross, I haven't really seen much of London.” “I'm sorry, Harry,” Hermione replied as she touched his hand with hers. Harry's pulse began to race and he couldn't help but turn a shade of red. “Don't worry, I'll show you around. You will have a wonderful time.” Harry's nervousness soon disappeared as the cab ride continued. Hermione told him about her previous trips to London with her parents and how much fun she had. Her voice was very soothing, almost melodic. He enjoyed listening to her stories and watching her expressions as she described each in detail. The moments in the taxi cab with Hermione was by far the most fun he's had during the whole summer. * ~ * ~ * ~ * The cab stopped at Regency street, directly in front of the café. Hermione reached forward and handed the driver their fee before exiting the cab with Harry. Harry raised his arms into the air and stretched his back as he took a deep breath of fresh air. He looked around, examining their surroundings, amazed at how the buildings looked. Harry had never really had a chance to look around such a large Muggle city as London. “C'mon Harry,” Hermione said joyfully as she took Harry by the arm. She led him into the café and got them a seat outside under a large white umbrella. The waiter handed them the menus and told them that he would be returning shortly to take their orders. Harry opened the menu and looked at the wide selection. He skimmed through it quickly, his eyes catching the prices. He felt guilty about not having much Muggle money with him. The most he was able scrounge out from around the Dursley's house was £4 in loose change. Harry placed the menu down and looked at Hermione. She had her menu flat on the table, her hand moving down the selections. “I'm sorry Hermione,” Harry said softly. She looked up at him curiously. “I mean, I'll pay you back from everything, I promise.” “No Harry,” she replied with her head shaking. “It is your birthday, and I am treating you to everything.” “But….” Harry started but stopped when he got a surprisingly stern look from her. She looked back down at her menu and smiled when she found what she was looking for. Harry looked at his menu and continued to peruse through it, determined to find the cheapest meal to help ease his guilt. “I'll have the club sandwich and ice tea, please,” Hermione said as she handed her menu to the waiter. “I'll take the ham sandwich and…uh…water,” Harry stated as he, in turn, gave his menu to the waiter. “Those are fine choices,” the waiter smiled. “Your drinks will arrive shortly and the food should only take about ten minutes to prepare. If you need anything feel free to call on us.” He bowed his head at the two and walked back into the café. “How did you find this place?” Harry asked Hermione as he looked around the busy street, watching the people walk by. “My parents and I come here and eat all the time. It's a really nice café and it has a great view.” The two proceeded to look around, gazing at the variety of Muggles that walked by. Some wore business suits, while others wore T-shirts and shorts, and occasionally some wore leather jackets and piercings that covered their faces. Harry's gaze soon fell upon Hermione again. She looked very pretty with her hair in ponytail. He noticed a hint of make up and couldn't help but take in a deep breath of her vanilla perfume. Harry caught himself from daydreaming when he noticed the waiter placing their drinks onto the table. The two smiled and proceeded to sip their drinks. “You look very pretty,” Harry said with a somewhat nervous tone. His eyes looked straight into hers. “I like the way your hair looks with the bow.” “Thanks,” she smiled, her face turning a light pink. She ran her fingers through her ponytail and continued. “It took me forever to get my hair straight. I wish I could of just used a charm, but I was forced to use this device my mum calls a flat iron. I've never used one before, so my mum helped me out. I'm glad you like it.” “I do,” he smiled as he took another sip of his water. Their conversation continued nonstop throughout the course of their meal. The two were having a wonderful time and greatly enjoying each other's company. The two talked about how lucky Ron was getting a chance to visit the United States with his family. Harry commented that Fred and George's joke shop was doing incredibly well, and how the two are still coming up with new items to help students get out of class. Hermione groaned at the thought of how horribly her job as a Hogwarts' prefect would be affected by the circulation of Fred and George's trademark gags. Cho Chang, a seventh year girl who played Seeker for the Ravenclaw team, somehow became their next topic of their conversation, a subject that both Harry and Hermione felt uncomfortable talking about. Harry hadn't thought much about her over the summer. Cho had begun to date Michael Corner at the end of last year's school term. Despite the fact that he liked her during his fourth and fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry didn't mind at all. He had realized that Cho and him were on two completely different wavelengths. Cho was a very emotional girl and Harry found out the hard way that he couldn't cope with her mood swings. She was a sweet and very pretty girl, but with the way things were, the two would have never worked out. He simply didn't know how to make her happy. Hermione could tell that the subject was making Harry feel uneasy, so she decided to change it to Viktor Krum, the Seeker of the International Bulgarian Quidditch team. Harry's mind stopped with a sudden jolt. *Why is she bringing him up?* He couldn't explain the feeling he was getting. He felt this agonizing feeling inside him and the only thing he wanted to do was to stop the conversation before it went on any further. “How about we get going?” Harry quickly suggested as the waiter approached with the small, black leather folder, which contained the bill. “Sure thing,” Hermione responded as she looked at the bill and placed a £10 note inside the leather folder. “Let's go.” The two stood up and left the café, walking down the street in the direction of a large theater. Hermione noticed that Harry was deep in thought and didn't want to disturb him. She instead looked around the street, gazing at all the shops and the people walking by and around them. She wondered how her life would have been if she decided to remain a muggle and not learn magic. “Now will you look at that?” A man yelled as his friends whistled. “That's a sweet morsel you got there, lad.” Harry and Hermione turned to find several teenagers ogling her. They were wearing dark clothing and were given her very inappropriate stares as they whistled and howled. Harry's rage suddenly flared inside him, and he wanted nothing more than to walk back and turn them into slugs. He took a deep breath and instinctively wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulder, pulling her closer to him. She was surprised by this but was soon relieved to hear that the whistles and howls of the teenagers had stopped. She rested her head gently against him as the two continued to head down the street. “Oh, sorry!” Harry exclaimed when he realized that he still had his arm around her. In fear that he might make her angry, he quickly moved his hand off her shoulder, but was soon stopped by her. She took his hand back and placed it back on her shoulder. He looked at her with a look of both confusion and joy. “It's okay,” Hermione said quietly, her face now bright pink. Harry gave her a smile and the two continued to walk until they stopped in front of a large old fashion theater covered with lights. Harry grinned as he thought about how the theater would look when all of its lights were turned on. The two looked up at the showings and noticed that they were old American films. Harry looked down at his watch and saw that it was only half-passed-two and that there was a showing of Casablanca starting at quarter-to-three. “Hey, want to watch a movie?” Harry asked excitedly. “I've never actually been in a movie theater before.” “Wow!” Hermione exclaimed as she looked up at him. “They must of really kept you locked up.” Harry looked down at her with an odd expression on his face, wondering if suggesting a movie was a dumb idea. She wrapped her arm around his and gave him a soft squeeze. “I'd love to see a movie.” Harry smiled and the two walked up to the ticket booth. He look at man inside and gave him a bright grin, “Two tickets for Casablanca, please.” “Okay sir, that will be £4,” the man replied with a tone of utter boredom. Hermione reached into her pocketbook, but Harry stopped her by taking her hand with his. “I can handle this one.” “But Harry…” she insisted. Harry didn't allow her to finish the sentence. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change and handed it to the somewhat aggravated worker. The man sighed and counted out the change to see that Harry had exactly £4. He handed them the tickets and the two walked in. “Harry, I told you I could handle everything,” Hermione continued. “Please, Hermione,” Harry replied as the two walked over to the concession booth. “I am more than grateful to you for wanting to pay for everything, but I would still like to chip in something. I know it wasn't much, but it was at least something.” “Oh okay, but I'll take care of everything else.” “That's perfectly fine,” Harry nodded as he showed her his empty pockets. “I don't have anything else on me.” Hermione grinned at him and looked up at the menu. “One large butter popcorn, please.” After receiving their popcorn, the two walked into the theater. They found that it was only a quarter of the way full, mainly filled with couples. Harry and Hermione found nice seats right in the middle of the theater room. Hermione sat down and placed the popcorn bucket on her lap as Harry took the seat to her left. He realized that there was an arm attached to his chair that could be moved down to separate the two seats. He thought about lowering but decided to leave it up. The theater room soon darkened and the movie began. Harry did his best to concentrate on the movie, but his attention was on Hermione. He enjoyed watching the light from the movie flicker across her face, showing her expressions. He could tell that she was focusing on the movie, occasionally taking popcorn form the bucket and slowly eating it. Harry noticed that her left hand hadn't moved since the beginning of the movie and was pretty close to his right hand. Harry took a deep breath and moved his hand so that it laid on top of hers. Hermione let out a soft gasp of surprise and almost jumped in her seat causing the popcorn bucket to fall off her lap. The two then heard a series of people shushing, causing them both blush. “Sorry,” Harry whispered as he reached down and picked up the popcorn bucket. The majority of the popcorn had spilled out, but there was still at least a quarter left inside. “I didn't mean to.” “It's okay,” Hermione smiled in return as he handed her the bucket. “It just took me surprise.” Harry decided to keep his hand away from hers, hoping not to cause another scene like before. Hermione looked over at Harry and noticed that he was afraid to move his hand, and decided to do it herself. She carefully took Harry's hand in hers, and the two smiled at each other before continuing to watch the movie. Harry let out a soft sigh. *This is the best day of my life.* * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry and Hermione walked outside, shielding their eyes so they could get adjusted to the sunlight. The two smiled at each other and Hermione leaned against him giving him a friendly nudge. Harry grinned at her before looking at his watch. It read ten minutes-passed-five. His smile grew larger when he realized that he had a lot of time left to spend with Hermione. “Where to next?” Hermione crossed her arms as the two began walking down the street. “If you'd like, we could stop by one of the museums and take a look around.” Harry looked at her questionably, which gave her the impression that it was a bad suggestion. “I mean…we could instead.…” “No, Hermione,” Harry replied as he gave her shoulder a friendly nudge with his. “A museum would be great.” Harry's body suddenly grew cold and his scar began to hurt incredibly. He quickly raised his hand to his forehead, trying to massage the pain away, groaning softly. Hermione noticed this, growing extremely worried. She quickly moved in front of Harry, looking at into his eyes. “What is it, Harry?” “Danger is coming,” Harry groaned softly, but before Hermione could look around, someone grabbed and pulled them into an alleyway. Harry and Hermione looked to see a person standing in front of them wearing a long, black trench coat. The hood of the dark trench coat covered the person's face, and without hesitation, the person started to walk towards them. Harry suddenly realized that he didn't have his wand, and when Hermione didn't take hers out, he knew that she had not brought hers as well. The two started to back away from the person, Harry standing in front of Hermione. She put her hands on his back and looked around above his shoulder, staring the figure walking towards them. “You're making things easier for me,” the person muttered softly. Harry and Hermione realized that the voice belonged to a woman. It sounded soft, almost friendly, but from the movements this woman was making; she was definitely someone who wanted to harm them. “Who are you?” Hermione asked as she looked around Harry's shoulder. “You can have all our money.” “It's not your money that I want,” the woman replied softly as she continued to advance towards them. “Then what do you want?” Harry retorted. He and Hermione soon realized that they had backed themselves into a dead-end. With nowhere else left to run, Harry knew that they would have to face the woman in front of them. Harry decided to put his fists up in a manner in which a boxer would to prepare himself for a fight, hoping that this gesture would intimidate the woman. “You must be joking,” the woman laughed as she pulled out, to Harry and Hermione's great dismay, a wand out of her trench coat. “I want your head, Potter.” “I like just where it is,” Harry said despairingly as he lowered his hands from a boxing stance to a defensive one, trying to shield Hermione. “Say your good byes,” she laughed again as she raised her wand. “Harry….” Hermione cried with a shaky voice. Harry looked around the alleyway; cursing softly to himself when he realized that there two had nowhere to run. He turned back to the woman and noticed jet-black hair flowing out of the hood of her trench coat. He narrowed his eyes and as able to get a better look at her face. Harry was almost taken aback by her; she was quite pretty with intense blue eyes. He soon noticed the fury within her eyes and knew that he and Hermione were in horrible trouble. “*Avada*…” The woman hissed as she prepared to point her wand at Harry. Harry's eyes grew wide as he felt Hermione's grasp of his sweater tightened. A stream of light suddenly flew past Harry, hitting the woman square in the chest, causing her to be launched backwards. However to Harry's astonishment, she was able to perform a somersault in the air and land on her feet. “Now this one may be a little tricky,” Harry heard a man speak from behind him. Hermione and Harry turned to find Lupin standing behind them with Tonks, both with their wands readied. Tonks' hair was a deep red color and it hung to her shoulders. Lupin wore an angry look on his face as he pointed his wand at the woman, walking towards the two thankful kids. “Sorry we were a bit late.” “That's perfectly fine,” Harry replied as he let out a sigh of relief. Hermione carefully moved from behind Harry and stood next to him, her hand held tightly in his. “So the Order of the Phoenix has appeared to save the life of young Harry Potter,” the woman snarled. Her hood had fallen back, exposing her face to them. Lupin was stunned to see such a harmless looking girl, but he kept his wand up and slowly took a few small steps forward with Tonks beside him. “We will always protect Harry!” Tonks exclaimed as the two continued their advancement towards the woman. “You better run back to your master if you know what's good for you!” “Oh please,” the woman laughed as she glared at her two obstacles. “It will take more than you two to stop me. I will take that boy's life.” “Sorry,” Lupin replied with a firm, yet calm voice. “You will not pass.” “Have it your way, then,” the woman roared as she pointed her wand towards them. “*Accio!*” Harry and Hermione looked behind them and their eyes widened as they saw a dumpster flying towards them. Hermione looked forward towards Harry and took a hold of Harry's sweater; pulling him down just as he reached out and took Lupin and Tonks by their arms. “Duck!” Lupin and Tonks did and watched a huge dumpster fly over their heads, crashing into a wall that stood next to the woman. She raised her wand again as she started to advance towards them. Lupin and Tonks quickly stood to their feet, facing the woman and being careful to shield Harry and Hermione from anything she may throw at them. “*Expelliarmus!*” Tonks yelled as she pointed her wand at the woman. A bright light flew at the woman, but she easily evaded it and screamed, “*Incendio!*” A fireball flew out at the end of the woman's wand, soaring directly towards them. Harry and Hermione jumped to the ground, Harry covering her with his body as both Tonks and Lupin dove to the side. The fireball exploded as it made contact with the ground, but before Lupin or Tonks could react, a fiery whip flew at Tonks. The whip grasped Tonk's leg, instantly burning her on contact. Tonks let out a small scream as Lupin looked up to see that the whip of fire was attached the woman's wand. Lupin quickly rushed towards Tonks, but before he could reach her, the woman pulled on her whip, causing Tonks to be hurled into the air, slamming against the wall of a building. “Tonks!” Hermione screamed as she and Harry ran to her aid. Tonks laid motionless, the back of her head was bleeding freely. The whip released its grip on her leg and flew back towards the woman, disappearing into nothingness before it reached her. “She's hurt badly,” Harry exclaimed, his voice filled with rage and fear. Lupin looked again at the woman and knew that he was up for a tough fight. *She used a Flamora weapon. But she can't possibly been alive back then, she is too young. How could she have learned how to use them?* “That's only a taste of what I can do,” the woman smiled as she raised her wand, flame rushing out of it. The flame appeared in the shape of a sword and she pointed it towards Lupin. Lupin took a small step back as he readied himself. He had never faced a Flamora weapon before and wasn't precisely sure on how to combat one. He raised his wand and slowly took another step back. “*Stupefy!*” Lupin shouted as the woman started to run towards them, both her hands grasping her wand. Red sparks flew at her, which she, in turn, blocked with her sword. Lupin's gritted his teeth when he realized that he failed in stopping her advancement. He looked down at Harry, but before he could say a word, Harry picked up Tonks' wand and stood next to him. The woman flung her flame sword down, causing Harry and Lupin to leap in opposite directions. Harry landed on his feet, but Lupin was less fortunate. His left foot landed on and empty bottle, causing him to slip and fall against the wall of the alleyway. Hermione's eyes began to water as she looked at Harry and then to the woman, who was now slowly advancing towards the fallen Lupin. “Now it's your turn to meet your fate,” the woman laughed as she raised her sword. She suddenly stopped when she felt something poking her back. “Not if I can help it!” Harry growled, pushing Tonks' wand into the woman's back. “*Expelliarmus!*” The woman was flung forward, her body colliding into the wall. She fell over unconscious, her flame sword extinguishing itself. Lupin got to his feet and rushed over to Tonks. Hermione, in turn, got up and ran to Harry, wrapping her arms around him. Harry sighed softly as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a tight hug. “We better go before she wakes up,” Lupin ordered as he lifted Tonks into his arms. Harry and Hermione nodded and followed closely behind him as they quickly made their way towards the entrance of the alleyway. Harry's heart was racing, many upon many questions bouncing off the walls of his mind. *Who was she? Was she a Death Eater? What's Voldemort planning? Will the Order be able to stop him?* Lupin stopped before they reached the entrance of the alleyway. He placed Tonks down so she was sitting against the wall. He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold pocket watch. He looked at Harry and Hermione; both of them exhausted, and ordered, “Both of you, touch this watch.” Harry and Hermione did so as Lupin took Tonks hand and placed it on it. He opened the watch and Harry was surprised to see that there weren't hands on the face the face of the watch, just the numbers. Lupin gave them a reassured nod as he pushed on the number four. Harry and Hermione suddenly experienced a rush as they felt themselves being lifted off the ground. A bright light consumed them, causing Harry to close eyes closed. When he opened them, he realized that they were standing in the backyard of number four, Privet Drive. “Was that a portkey?” Hermione asked as she examined the watch. “It is based on the same principles,” Lupin replied as he helped Tonks to her feet. She was now awake, but incredibly disorientated. She grasped onto Lupin's jacket in the manner intoxicated people would to steady themselves. “Each number represents a different location and when you press it, it will instantly transport you there.” “That's amazing and all,” Harry interrupted as he looked up at Lupin, “but is going on? Did Voldemort send that woman after me?” “I don't know Harry,” Lupin replied with a sound of doubt in his voice. He sighed as he looked into Harry's firm eyes. “I'm sorry Harry, but I cannot permit you to leave this house again until it is time to return to Hogwarts.” Harry opened his mouth in an attempt to argue against Lupin's statement, but he felt Hermione squeezing his arm. He looked at her, her eyes pleading with him. “Please Harry, don't argue with Lupin about this. I don't want you to get hurt. Please!” Harry took a deep breath and his anger subsided. He looked back at Lupin, who tried to give him a reassured smile, but Harry could tell that he was incredibly worried about the situation. Harry nodded to Lupin before he gave Hermione a soft smile. She returned his smile with a small one as she gently rested her head against his shoulder. “I'm really sorry about all of this,” Lupin replied as he opened his watch again. “Hermione, we should get going. I'll transport you to your home. Sorry again Harry…Happy Birthday though.” Harry let out a depressed sigh, as he looked at Hermione. She gave him another tight hug and a soft kiss on his cheek. “I'm sorry I wasn't able to take you to the museum.” “Oh no, don't worry about it,” Harry replied as she walked over to Lupin. Harry quickly reached into his back pocket and pulled out Tonks' wand and Hermione's pocketbook. “I swear, you girls drop everything.” “I almost forgot about that,” Hermione smiled as she took her pocketbook and Tonks' wand from him. “Don't mention it,” Harry smiled back as he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Hermione blushed and placed her hand on the watch. “Oh, your present from me will arrive tomorrow,” she said as Lupin gave Harry a comforting smile. Harry watched Lupin push a number and he, Tonks, and Hermione vanished with a bright flash. He let out another heavy sigh as he turned to find Uncle Vernon staring at him with his face a shade of deep purple. “You've got owls!” Harry's eyes lit up as he ran passed Uncle Vernon and up to his room. He found several owls flying around in circles, each holding a wrapped package. He looked up at Hedwig, who was utterly disgusted at all of the owls that had invaded her territory. Harry walked towards the center of the room and opened his arms and with one swoop, each owl dropped Harry's presents into them. Harry was surprised by the weight of all the packages and instantly sank to his knees, placing them gently onto the floor. The owls released several loud hoots before finally leaving Harry's room. He looked at the first one and pulled out the card. It had been from Ron and the Weasleys. He opened it and read it to himself. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Dear Harry, Happy Birthday, mate! My family and I had to send this owl almost a week before your birthday because it flew from the United States! I hope it makes it in time. You have a good birthday and we hope you like the presents. Take care and I'll write to you again soon. Happy Birthday! Take care, Ron and the Weasleys* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry smiled at the card and turned his attention to the nicely wrapped present. He tore the wrapping paper and opened the box to find an assortment of candy inside it. He pulled out several packages of chocolate frogs, fruit flavored wiggly gummy worms, and a large package of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Harry smiled when he recalled the first time he had tried them on the Hogwarts Express, the same day that he met both Ron and Hermione. He looked inside again and found several treats that Mrs. Weasley made for him. Harry thought a second and wondered how she would have time to make them if they were in the United States. The thought went away when he noticed a wrapped package underneath the treats. He opened it to find a jacket that had the words “Old Navy” written on the front pocket. Harry was amazed at how the jacket looked and how soft it felt. He stood up and tried it on, a smile forming on his face because the jacket fit him perfectly. He sat back down to the ground and examined another package. This one came from Mad-Eye Moody. Harry opened and found a heavy book inside. He had to make an amazing effort to pick the thick book up and out of the packaging paper, feeling incredibly sorry for the owl how had to carry it. He opened the book and read the title, *The Advanced Book of Spells Used Against the Dark Arts*. Harry sighed as he flipped through the pages, examining all the spells it contained. Moody wanted him to study and master such spells, especially with the Dark Lord running out and about. His remaining presents had come from Hagrid and Lupin. Hagrid had baked him a cake covered with blue icing. Harry smiled at it and carefully took it out of the box. He then noticed a book inside that was entitled, *The Monster Book of Advanced Level Monsters*. Harry hesitated to pick up the book because of how the original Monster Book had reacted when a person touched it. He slowly touched the cover and quickly retracted his hand, but the book remained motionless. He hesitantly picked it up and opened it, relieved to see that it wasn't going to move. Though he did want to ensure his safety, so he quickly placed the book in his trunk and locked it. He next opened Lupin's present and found another large book inside it. Harry let out a sigh, hoping that it wasn't another book filled with Defense against the Dark Arts spells. Instead to Harry's amazement, the book was had the title, *100 of the Most Powerful Wizards and Witches Ever!*, written across the cover in gold. Harry opened the book and smiled when the saw that the first chapter was dedicated to Albus Dumbledore. He looked through the chapter, focusing his attention mostly on the pictures of Dumbledore when he was younger and reading the captions. He read through bits of the chapter noticing that it was a miniature biography of the headmaster and continued to flip the pages. The next chapter featured the Dark Lord. Harry's expression changed from happiness to extreme hatred as he skimmed through the chapter. By that point, he decided to close the book and move to his bed. He cleared away schoolbooks and relaxed, as he lied there staring at the ceiling. His thoughts racing again as he relived the day inside his mind, trying his best to speculate Voldemort's next move. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry woke up the next morning and saw another owl standing next to Hedwig on her perch. The two owls were hooting to each other, engaged in a deep conversation. Harry looked at his desk and noticed nicely wrapped present sitting on it. Harry walked over to the present and realized that it was from Hermione. He quickly opened the letter and read it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Dear Harry, I'm sorry about how short our day was yesterday. It was a lot fun though while it lasted. You would have loved the museum I wanted to show you. It dedicates the majority of its space to the medieval times and it has a wonderful yet hilarious section about wizards and witches. I don't know where Muggles get their information about wizards and witches because all their “facts” are complete nonsense. Though, it would have still been a lot of fun to look through all of it. My mum was furious when she saw my clothes. They were covered with dirt and my skirt was torn in several places. Her expression changed to a really worried one when I told her I was attacked. She asked if you and I were okay and I told her about the woman and how you, Tonks, and Lupin fought against her. Her admiration for you has grown. All she did last night and this morning was ask about you, wanting to know more about you. I hope you like the presents. I stumbled across one of them when I visited Diagon Alley early last week and I thought it would be perfect for you. Sorry, but I end this letter. I need to help my parents again at the clinic. I figure they should just hire me and make things easier on themselves. I had a wonderful time yesterday…well until that woman showed up. It was one of best days I've ever had. Write back soon and Happy Birthday! Love, Hermione* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry's smile grew as he opened her present. There were two books and a small wooden box inside the package. He looked at the first book and was amazed to see *Hogwarts, A History*. He noticed a piece of paper sticking out of it and he took it out. Hermione had written him a note. He laughed to himself as he read, “Hey Harry. Read this when you get a chance. This way I won't be the only one who knows too much about our school.” He picked up the next book and his jaw dropped. The book was entitled, *Strategies and Maneuvers of the World's Best Quidditch Players*. Harry opened the book and flipped through the pages, his eyes focusing on the titles of the sections. He recognized a few the titles such as Hawkshead Attacking Formation and the Wronski Defensive Feint. *Thanks Hermione*, he thought to himself as he examined the pictures. Each picture moved to show how the maneuver or strategy looked and each section was dedicated to explaining how each was performed, how effective it was, and most importantly, instructions of how to beat it if another team were to use the maneuver on you. Harry set the book aside and took out the small wooden box. He opened it to find a golden snitch inside it. He picked it up to find that it wasn't a real snitch and felt something inscribed into it. He looked at the inscriptions and his smile grew widen wider. *Always reach out for your dreams and hold on tight once you have a good grip.* --> 3. The Second Wielder --------------------- **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 Three: The Second Wielder** Harry let out a sigh of relief when he finished dragging his trunk out of the front door of number four, Privet Drive. He looked up at the night sky and took a deep breath, feeling the cool air rush into his lungs. The Order had discussed the arrangements of how to get Harry back to Hogwarts safely, and the best plan they created was to have Harry take the Knight Bus to the Leaky Cauldron. A member of the Order would escort him and Mad-Eye Moody believed that the attacker wouldn't dare strike at Harry when other people surrounded him. Harry went back into the house, and quickly got Hedwig's cage, the snow owl hooting softly inside it, and his most prized possession, his Firebolt. Harry felt it tremble as he walked back into the night. He sighed to himself as he placed Hedwig down on top of his trunk and blew off some of the dust that covered the broomstick. *Sorry I wasn't able to take you out at all over the summer. I'll give you a good polish once we're back at Hogwarts.* Sigh… *I just hope I will be able to play this year…you know, with Umbridge banning me and all*. Harry's face soon grew hot with fury at the thought of Professor Umbridge. She had caused him so much anguish during the previous year, and the thought of her still made his right hand ache. He often wondered what had happened to her. However, whatever her fate may be, he hoped that she was feeling as uncomfortable as she made his friends and him feel when she was the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. Harry turned around and found the Dursleys staring at him. Aunt Petunia wore her typical stern look as her eyes darted from his trunk to him. Dudley had his usual angry look; his had his arms cross and his chubby chin in the air. Harry could tell that he didn't want to stand there, but then again, he knew that none of the Dursleys really wanted to. The expression of Uncle Vernon surprised him. He was standing there with a friendly smile, his eyes filled with hope and joy. Harry's only conclusion was that Uncle Vernon was glad that he was going and couldn't hide his happiness. “So you'll be going then,” Uncle Vernon said with a somewhat eerie twinkle in his voice. “Yes….” Harry replied, but before he could say more, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. Harry closed his mouth and turned to look up into the sky. He wondered if anyone from the Order was planning on showing up, but his patience soon started to disappear. He looked around and realized that he couldn't wait any longer if he wanted to make it to the Leaky Cauldron on time. He took a deep breath and braced himself. He closed his eyes and quickly raised his wand into the air. With a sudden BANG and a flash of bright light, it had appeared, the extremely large, purple, triple-decker bus that had a golden inscription that read, “The Knight Bus.” It gently landed on the street, Harry amazed at the fact that nothing had to move out its way. He quickly picked up Hedwig's cage and walked over to the entrance where he found Stan Shunpike grinning at him. “'Ello there `Arry! Long time no see! Welcome!” “Hello Stan,” Harry smiled has he boarded the bus. Stan nimbly jumped onto the curb and started to drag Harry's trunk inside. It hadn't changed a bit since the last time he rode on it. Harry waved at Ernie Prang, the elderly driver of the Knight Bus, as he walked by, and he gave him a smile and waved back. Harry and Stan moved over to the closest bed near the right side of the bus. “This bed will be okay, Stan.” “Good choice,” Stan grinned as he pushed Harry's trunk under his bed. Harry placed his Firebolt next to his trunk and reached into his pocket, but before he could pull anything out, Stan put up his hand in objection. “No need `Arry. This here be a favor to Dumbledore. Yous take a load off. One of yer friends are `ere to ride with you.” “Hello Harry,” a deep voiced echoed. Harry turned to his left to see a tall black wizard sitting up on the bed next to his. It was Kingsley Shacklebolt. “I'll be your escort to the Leaky Cauldron this evening.” “That's great!” Harry replied as he sat on his bed and let out a breath of relief. He wasn't positive if the Order had forgotten to send someone to watch him. Harry usually got aggravated when others had to step in to protect him; however, in this situation, he was glad that there was someone there, and also, someone he knew. He knew he wasn't a match for the woman who attacked Hermione and him in London, and knew he would need all the help he could get if they were to cross paths again. “All settled in then,” Stan smiled as he turned and walked towards the front of the bus. “Kay Ern!” With that, the bus started to shake and vibrate, and with a violent crash that nearly caused Harry to lose his balance, it left the street in front of number four, Privet Drive. Harry rested his head against the window and stared into the night sky, his mind reliving the attack in London again. *That fire sword…that hatred in her eyes…her smile as she attacked…Tonks….* “How is Tonks doing?” Harry quickly asked as he turned and faced Kingsley. “I haven't heard anything about her after I saw her in London.” “She is doing okay,” Kingsley replied in a soft yet worried voice. He turned and looked into Harry's uneasy gaze. “She is currently in St. Mungos.” “What?” Harry gasped, his hands clenching into tight fists. “But.…” “She is doing fine,” Kingsley interrupted, noticing that Harry was starting to get anxious. “She took a really bad hit to her head and she's been feeling dizzy ever since. It isn't as bad now so don't worry. According to Moody, she should be on her feet in no time.” “That's good,” Harry responded in a much calmer voice. He looked at his bed covers for a bit before looking back at Kingsley again. “Do you know who's trying to kill me? “I'm not quite sure,” he answered as he rested his head against the wall and closing his eyes. “I haven't been able to do very much for the Order because of all the new assignments Fudge is handing out to all the Aurors. Though from the things I hear, the Order believes that the woman who attacked you is a new Death Eater…someone we have never encountered before. From what I heard Remus say, she is very skilled and incredibly dangerous.” “Yes,” Harry said softly as he examined Kingsley. “What was that fire sword she was using? I've never seen a spell like that before.” “It's a Flamora weapon,” Kingsley answered back as he opened his eyes again. “Flamora?” “Ancient spells that haven't been used since the medieval times. It was one of the more prominent weapons back then. They were weightless and possessed incredible power. You saw it with your own eyes. Not many things can be used against such a weapon. Not even the most powerful water spell could extinguish the flames. The fire is completely controlled by its summoner.” “How would you fight against it?” Harry asked as he imagined the woman's flamed sword in his mind. “The only real known way to combat a Flamora weapon,” Kingsley started as he took a small breath, “is to use another Flamora weapon against it. Though the power of the weapon can only be measured by the power of its user. I'm not exactly sure how this woman learned how to use them.” Harry looked puzzled. Kingsley gave him a grin and continued, “These weapons were only to known to us through the stories and statements made by wizards and witches during those times. There was never any form of documentation created that could instruct a person on how to use such a spell. Therefore, finding the answer to how this woman was able to use it so effectively has become one of our top priorities.” Harry took another deep breath as he felt himself sinking into his bed. Kingsley put his hand on his shoulder and looked at him with a comforting smile on his face. “Don't worry about a thing. She won't come near you once you're in Hogwarts. And believe me, Moody and Dumbledore will find a way to stop her Flamora weapons. Just relax.” Harry smiled back and rested his head against his pillow. He stretched and for the first time since arriving on the bus, allowed himself to unwind. Suddenly, the bus came to a crashing halt, which in turn forced Harry to fall off his bed. He looked up, rubbing his head, and watched a few witches exit the bus and a wizard entering. The wizard walked over and took the bed in the back left corner of the bus. Harry sighed as he got back into his bed. *Relax…here?* With another jolt, Harry fell out of his bed again. He grumbled to himself as he got up and found Kingsley smiling down at him. He handled the tremendous jerks incredibly well, not once budging from his bed. Harry got back into his bed and watched Kingsley close his eyes again. Harry settled in and sighed as he gazed out of his window. His mind began to wonder again and it soon fell upon Hermione. A warm feeling formed inside his chest and Harry couldn't help but smile. He and Hermione had continued to write to each other throughout the whole summer. After visiting London with her, their relationship had grown much closer. They were able to expose more of their feelings about things in their letters, but the one thing that they haven't yet talked about, which he, himself, was afraid to bring up, was their feelings towards each other. Harry reached into his back pocket and pulled out the letter he had received from Hermione a few hours before he left the Dursleys. He looked at the light blue paper and examined the neatness of her penmanship. He let out another soft sigh and reread the letter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Dear Harry, I can't believe that the new term is about to start! I am so excited, how about you? I wonder who Professor Dumbledore is going to hire to be our new Defense against the Dark Arts professor. Though I doubt that he will be able to find anyone willing to accept the job. This would make it the sixth year in a row, wouldn't it? Maybe it is curse after all. Whoever it is, I hope that he or she will at least let us practice using the spells. I just arrived in Diagon Alley this morning, and my mum and I went shopping for my new dress robes. I always trust my mum's judgment about these kinds of things. We went to* Madame Malking's Robes for All Purposes *and she had a new selection of dress robes. It was really hard to pick one, but in the end my mum and I found this dark blue one that was perfect. It has a really pretty and elegant pattern drawn in silver. After I bought it, I bumped into Parvati Patil and she was a little mad me because I had bought the robes that she was interested in. I felt bad for a little bit, but I had already bought them, you know. I'll finish up this letter now so Hedwig can send it to you before you leave. You have a safe journey, okay. I've been worried about you traveling like this. Protection or not, you need to be careful. I can't wait to see you tonight. I will talk to you then. Love, Hermione* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry folded the letter and placed in back into his pocket. He looked around the bus and thought about their upcoming school term. They all had received their O.W.L. results during early August, and those scores determined what courses they eligible for the upcoming term. Hermione had received all “O's” on her exams, as Harry had expected. He found it funny to know that Hermione actually felt nervous about failing them. *There was no way in a billion years that Hermione Granger could fail at any sort of exam.* Harry and Ron though were a different story. Harry was excited when he saw that he had received “O's” in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures. He was also pleased to see that he had received an “A” in Potions. It meant that he had passed the exam, but he didn't have a high enough score to take Professor Snape's Advanced Potions class. Harry had passed all his other O.W.L.s with at least an “A” grade, for the exception of History of Magic and Divination, where the received “P's” on both. Unfortunately, to Harry's dismay, despite the fact he didn't pass the O.W.L. for History of Magic, he was still required to take the Professor Binn's class this year. Ron was pleased to find out that he had passed every one of his O.W.L.s for the exception of Divination. He told Harry about how his mum's furious reaction when she had found out that Ron called his examiner ugly, unintentionally, right to his face. Mr. Weasley had heard about it and found it hilarious. However, Ron wished that his father's humor would of rubbed off on his mother. Instead, he was forced to clean the Burrow once they returned from their vacation. Harry smiled to himself when he thought about how happy he'll be once he's reunited again with two best friends. He looked to the back corner and saw the old wizard playing with his beard. Harry sat up and looked around the compartment and found another man sitting in the other corner with a large black hood covering his face. Harry suddenly felt a violent jolt as the Knight Bus had landed at another stop. The old wizard got up and walked off the bus, and Harry noticed that no one had got on. “Next stop, Leaky Cauldron!” Stan announced to Harry. Harry smiled at him and stood up from his bed and stretched. Something caught his attention from the corner of his eye and he looked out the window to see a figure flying towards the bus. Hedwig started to hoot and attempted to open her wings inside her cage. His scar suddenly started to hurt and he knew that the figure approaching was not friendly. “Kingsley,” Harry muttered causing him to open his eyes and look at Harry. He immediately understood the look in Harry's eyes and quickly got to his feet. Harry pointed at the object flying towards them, causing Kingsley to suddenly pull Harry away from the window. “Stay here!” Kingsley ordered urgently as he pulled out his wand. Harry, in turn, pulled out his wand, waiting for the figure to hit the bus. “Don't do anything foolish, Harry. Just stay behind me.” Harry did as he was told, keeping his wand up, his eyes focusing on the shadowy figure growing closer and closer. He watched Kingsley's body tremble, the action causing Harry's confidence to slowly dwindle. The figure was now several yards away from the bus, causing Kingsley and Harry to lower themselves, preparing for the object to crash through the window. However, the moment the figure was about the crash through, it vanished. Harry and Kingsley slowly rose to their feet and looked out the window to find that nothing was coming. Harry's grip on his wand tightened as he followed Kingsley to the window. Kingsley looked out of it and suddenly saw a reflection of something in it. He quickly turned around and found the figure approaching from the opposite window. Hedwig let out a sharp screech, and with a sudden crash, the figure broke through the window, causing the bus to violently shake. “Wat is….” Stan shouted has he steadied himself against the wall looking into the back compartment. His eyes grew wide as he found a person, holding a black broom, standing in front of Harry and Kingsley, covered head to two with a black cloak. The figure pulled back its hood to show the woman that Harry had been dreading to see. “No matter what!” Kingsley roared to Stan, his eyes still on the woman. “Do not stop flying until you get us to the Leaky Cauldron!” Stan quickly left the compartment and Harry felt the Knight Bus' speed increase. The woman released her broom, and Harry watched it fall to the ground. When the broom made contact, the woman bolted towards Kingsley, causing him to take a step back. Kingsley tried to point his wand at the woman only to realize that the woman had taken a hold of his wrist. “What is this?” Kingsley growled as he tried to pull his wrist away from the girl, only to see that his attempts were futile. Harry quickly launched forward, his wand out. The woman turned to face him and smiled, lifting her arm. Harry suddenly felt the wind get knocked out of him. The woman had summoned her broom and caused it to fly directly into his stomach. Harry sank to the floor, coughing, and she again turned her attention to the struggling Kingsley. “Poor Auror,” the woman smiled as she punched Kingsley. Kingsley fell back but was able to remain standing. He quickly moved his wrist up and yelled, “*Expelliarmus!*” Harry watched the woman supernaturally dodge the sparks of light and pulled out her wand in retaliation. Kingsley jumped back a few feet and held his wand up, pointing it towards the woman's chest. The woman gave Kingsley a devilish grin as she started to pace back and forth in front of him. Harry managed to stand to his feet and in turn, pointing his wand up. “I won't need to use a Flamora on you,” the woman said as she put herself into a dueling stance, her wand out in front of her. Kingsley did the same and slowly started to approach the woman. She winked at him and soon stood straight, smirking at him. “I'll let you have the first shot.” Kingsley didn't waste any time and launched a hex at her, blue sparks flying out of his wand. The woman moved to her side, the hex missing her by inches. Harry took a step forward, attracting the attention of the woman. She turned to Harry and gave him a disapproving look. “Now, one at a time, Potter.” “*Leviosa!*” the woman roared, causing Kingsley to start levitating off the floor. He started to grunt, trying to get himself to lower to the ground, his arms and legs flailed in the air. Harry looked at Kingsley and back to the woman, and again took another step, opening his mouth and preparing to let out a spell. The woman turned to him and growled, “I said one at a time, Potter! *Tarantallegra!*” Harry suddenly felt his legs start moving erratically. He tried his best to keep them from moving, but was unable to stop them. He knew this curse; it was the same curse the Draco Malfoy had performed on him when the two were dueling in Defense Against the Dark Arts when Gilderoy Lockhart was teaching at Hogwarts. “Harry!” Kingsley growled as he looked at him. “Please don't do anything! I'll take are of her!” “Will you?” she smiled as she turned back to him. “*Stupefy!*” Kingsley's body suddenly went limp, his eyes staring at the ceiling with a blank stare. Harry's rage grew inside him as he looked back into the woman's eyes. She gave him a smile and started to approach him. “What do you want with me? Did Voldemort send you?” Harry yelled at the woman, as he tried to keep himself from falling over. “My you are a brave child,” the woman replied, her seemingly happy expression turning to a one full of hatred. “There are not many who would dare speak the Dark Lord's name. You are seeking a quick death, aren't you?” The woman raised her wand into the air and bright flame rushed out of the end, taking the shape of a sword. She pointed it at Harry, who in turn gazed at her, masking his fear with an expression of hatred. Harry's mind was racing. *I need to find a way to disarm her…but how will I do it with my legs like this!* The woman started to laugh as she suddenly swung the sword to her right, hitting Kingsley across the chest with the flat portion of the flamed blade. Kingsley fell to the ground unconscious with burn marks on the front of his cloaks. Harry's rage suddenly exploded and he wanted to do nothing more than cause this woman terrible pain. “You ugly hag!” Harry screamed. It wasn't what he had in mind, but under the current circumstances, insulting her was the only option left open to him. “How dare you?” the woman retorted as she approached Harry. She took her left arm and swung it hard, hitting Harry across the face. He fell to the ground and realized that his legs had stopped moving. He looked up to find the flamed sword inches away from his neck. He could feel the heat rise of it and he knew that he had no place left to go. His eyes moved and found their way to the man sitting in the corner. Harry had completely forgotten about him, but was utterly amazed and horrified to see that he had done nothing to help Kingsley or him. “This will teach to disrespect those who are more powerful than you!” Harry's eyes returned back to the woman as she raised her sword. His gaze darted back to the corner to find that the man had disappeared. He again looked back at the woman and saw her begin to lower her sword. Harry put his arms up in front of him to protect himself, but soon realized that the sword was no longer lowering itself. He looked again to find that the man, who was sitting in the window, had a firm grasp on the wrist of the woman. “Let go of me!” the woman demanded as she swung her left arm at the man. The man avoided that attack and pushed the woman back as he released her wrist. “What? Who are you?” The man sank to his knees and helped Harry back up to his feet. He then pulled his hook down to expose an Asian face. His hair was cut short and he was in terrible need of a shave. Harry looked at the man's eyes and soon realized that he looked like someone he knew. The woman's expression had changed to one of sudden surprise. He turned to look at Harry noticed the blaze in his eyes vanished instantly, leaving a pleading look. “Harry, please step back.” “Keung!” the woman squealed as she took a step forward, lowering her sword. “Is it really you, my love?” “Don't you dare call me that, witch!” Keung replied, his voice filled with anger. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a silver wand. Harry slowly walked over the bed and headed back towards the front right corner of the back compartment. “How could you say such things to me?” the woman pleaded, her voice filled with despair. “We've been through so much together.” “You destroyed everything I ever held dear!” Keung responded as he now held his wand up, slowly moving into a dueling stance. “Now I will finish what you started.” “How dare you!” she screamed as she raised her sword. The bus suddenly came to another crashing halt, causing everyone to fall over to the floor. “Run out of the bus! I'll take care of her. Go!” Keung ordered to Harry, as he got to his feet. Harry stood up and quickly grabbed Hedwig's cage as he ran to the front compartment of the bus. He found Ernie and Stan hurrying out, and quickly followed. The street in front of the Leaky Cauldron had been completely disserted. Harry stumbled onto the street and moved away from the bus as fast as he could. He noticed that Stan and Ernie stood close by and watched the bus start to shake and rattle uncontrollably. Harry turned around and was completely taken aback to see the large bus sway around so vigorously. He looked towards the entrance of the inn and saw Hermione and Ron quickly exiting, followed by a small group of people. He let out a sigh of relief as he sank to his knees in exhaustion, placing Hedwig's cage down next to him. “Harry!” Hermione screamed in a voice full of fright and worry. She immediately gave him a tight hug and helped him up to his feet as Ron picked up Hedwig's cage. Harry ignored the terrible soreness in his legs and the three started to move back towards the inn when a large explosion came from behind them. Harry and Hermione wheeled themselves around to see a large chunk from the right side of the Knight Bus had been destroyed. “No!” Stan screamed as he started pounding the ground, on his hands and knees. “Not our bus! Please not our bus!” “Let's go Harry,” Hermione said to him sternly as she tried to pull him back towards the inn. Ron had already entered the inn with Hedwig and placed her down on a table before returning back to the street with Ginny and Mrs. Weasley close behind him. Ron hurriedly ran to Harry's other side and also helped him stay standing. Ginny moved towards her mother, and Mrs. Weasley wrapped her arms protectively around her daughter, completely in awe to see what had happened to the Knight Bus. “No,” Harry replied, taking deep breaths. “Not yet. I need to make sure he's okay.” “What happened?” Mr. Weasley bellowed as he ran out of the inn. He stopped in front of Harry and looked directly into his eyes. “What happened, Harry? Where is Kingsley?” “He's still inside the bus,” Harry answered, trying his best to look around Mr. Weasley and at the rattling bus. “We were attacked again by that woman.” Harry felt Hermione tense up under his arm, her hands clenching tighter on his clothes, and Harry couldn't help but give her a tight squeeze. She looked up into his eyes and he could read the worried expression on her face. He gave her a lopsided grin and nodded to her, assuring her that he was okay. She gave him a small soft smile back as they turned their attention back to wobbling bus. Keung jumped out of the bus and moved towards the middle of the road, his silver wand clutched in his right hand. The woman soon followed, swinging her flamed sword erratically at him. Keung was able to dodge her sword swings with ease; however, was never in a proper position to strike at her. “Is that the fire sword you told me about?” Ron asked as he looked at Harry. Harry, with an agonizing look on his face, nodded to him. Ron let out a gasp of amazement and stared at the woman continuing to swing her fiery blade at Keung, only to continuously miss him. Hermione looked up at Harry again before asking, “Who's he, Harry?” “I don't know,” he responded as he looked back down at Hermione's hazel eyes. She leaned her head against his chest as they continued to watch the two combatants. Harry took another deep breath before speaking again. “I think his name is Keung and he saved Kingsley and me from that woman.” “Why won't you just die?” screamed the woman as she continued to swing her sword in an attempt to strike him. “Oh, come now, Reins,” Keung smiled as he ducked under one of her violent swings. “You cannot possibly expect to beat me with that kind of attitude.” “You are so arrogant!” Reins howled as she took another swing at him. This time he moved to her side and kicked her legs, causing her to trip. She easily recovered and continued to glare at Keung with utter hatred. Harry noticed the fire in her eyes, and it reminded him of the loathing look that Malfoy had always given him. He looked down at the ground for a few moments before lifting his head again. *But if she hates him so much, why did she call him `her love'?* “Fine. Let's end this,” Keung retorted as he held the silver wand firmly in his hands. Harry noticed the color of the wand, but his attention soon went back up to his rescuer. A sudden wave of fire erupted from the end of his wand, and now he too was standing ready with a blade of fire. Reins eyes grew wide and she immediately took several steps back. “Bloody hell!” Ron yelped as his mouth hung open. Harry and Hermione looked absolutely astonished at the sight before them. Just one month ago, they were assaulted by a woman who seemed literally indestructible due to her flamed weapons, but now they were witnessing her face an opponent who possessed the exact same skill. Harry let out a reassured sigh to see that Reins was having such a terrible time in fighting Keung. Ron let out a victorious cry as Keung raised his sword. “It's brilliant! He can't lose the fight now.” “He will win,” Harry softly said to Ron and Hermione. “He is just too good for her.” “I think we should go inside,” Mrs. Weasley said with a stern and authoritative voice. However to her disappointment, none of the kids or Mr. Weasley, acknowledged her plea. She looked around at them again and decided not to say anything more knowing it would too fail to get them to move. She noticed all the over tenants of the Leaky Cauldron were staring at the two fighters and felt another wave of uneasiness run through her body as she looked back at them. The two fire swords clashed causing small embers to fly everywhere. Reins continued to swing her sword in every direction in an attempt to strike Keung, but only sliced air or caught his sword. She growled at him a bit and started to slow her pace down. Keung noticed this and decided to give her more space to see what she had devised to do. “Suddenly cautious,” Reins laughed as she slowly started to back away towards the bus. Keung held his wand in both arms, anticipating her next move. The angered woman glared from Keung and then to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Her sword soon vanished and a blazing whip appeared in its place. Keung's eyes darted from her to the three, and his eyes grew wide. “Let's see how fast you really are.” She quickly flung her whip, but it wasn't towards Keung, but towards Harry. Hermione and Ron tried to move Harry out of the way, but the whip was moving too fast for them. Harry's eyes grew wide as he saw the tip of the fiery whip fly towards him, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's screams echoed in his ears. Harry quickly closed his eyes and waited for the whip to strike him, but instead heard the whip hit something with a loud crack. Harry opened his eyes to see Keung standing in front of him, with the end of Reins' fiery whip wrapped around his left wrist. Harry's mouth dropped as he watched the whip burn through Keung's sleeve, hissing deafeningly as it made contact with his skin. Harry broke away from Hermione and Ron's hold and moved towards Keung. “Stay back!” Keung barked as he looked behind him. Harry's worried expression soon left him when he saw that Keung was unaffected by the burning whip. He smiled at him and turned his attention to Reins. She pulled the whip back in an attempt to pull him over, but he stayed planted to the ground, holding his fiery sword in his right hand. He swung his blade over the whip, cutting it and causing the flame around his wrist to disappear. “Please, you two. Take Harry back.” “Keung,” Harry spoke softly as he noticed that the whip had left a dark burn around Keung's wrist. He was then taken by Hermione and Ron and he allowed them to move him away from his rescuer. Keung started to move towards a panicked Reins, and before he was able to raise his sword, she disapparated. Keung released a sigh of relief as his flame weapon vanished. He examined the place where she stood quietly. He turned towards Harry and the others and walked towards them. “You watch yourself,” He said softly as he stared directly into Harry's green eyes. Harry swallowed hard and tried to say something, but he was silenced when Keung lifted his hand in objection. “Your life means more to this world than you think. Stay alive.” Harry and the others looked as Keung walked towards the bus. Everyone remained speechless as he hopped inside through the gigantic hole. Hermione looked up at Harry and rested her head against his chest again. Harry let out a soft breath as he slowly nudged the side of her head with his cheek, trying to make it seem as if he was leaning on her for support. The pain in his legs were now gone, but they still felt incredibly weak. Ron stood next to Harry, motionless, staring at the bus, unsure of what to expect. Keung leapt back out onto the street with Kingsley draped over his shoulder. He walked towards the crowd with Harry's trunk and his Firebolt levitating behind him. He set Kingsley on the ground and Arthur immediately ran to his fallen companion. “Kingsley, are you okay?” “He's unconscious,” Keung replied softly. Arthur looked up at him with a questionable look on his face. “He will be all right. He wasn't cut by the blade…only burned by it. Give him a few weeks and he will be okay.” Keung turned and started to walk to the bus. He pointed his wand towards it and with a quick flick; the Knight Bus began to shake again. However, this time the destroyed portions had resembled itself, as if an invisible giant was rebuilding the Knight Bus. Keung placed his wand back inside his cloak and turned to look at Harry, his eyes making contact with his. Harry could sense a certain calmness within them, but was unable to see how he could remain so calm after such an ordeal. Without another word said, Keung smiled at him and disappeared with a cloud of smoke. Harry's mouth fell open; a shocked expression took over his face. He turned and looked at Hermione, softly saying, “He's hurt.” “I think he'll be able to take care of himself,” she replied moving her eyes to the fallen Kingsley. “Let's get you inside and get your wounds treated.” * ~ * ~ * ~ * Everyone was gathered around a large table, Harry letting out a soft sigh as he took a sip of his butterbeer. After Keung had vanished, Hermione helped Harry into the inn and treated his wounds, while Ron and brought Harry's things up to their room. Several wizards from the Order escorted Mr. Weasley as he transported Kingsley to St. Mungos, and within an hour he had returned to the Leaky Cauldron. They sat around a table and Harry told them, in detail, the events that took place on the Knight Bus. He had paused several times as he massaged his aching legs, but was able to make it through the entire story without too much trouble. “It's seems so difficult to believe that that woman is so powerful,” Mr. Weasley said as he looked up at the ceiling, his arms behind his head. “She has successfully injured two of the Order members, and we still haven't yet found a way to stop her flamed weapons.” “But we have Keung,” Ron replied as he took a large gulp of butterbeer. Harry looked down at the table with a blank expression. Hermione sat to his right and she gazed at him with an uneasy look. Ron, who sat on Harry's left, laughed as he continued, “He took care of her like she was nothing. Blimey, he was incredible!” “He has done a lot for Harry,” Mrs. Weasley added as she looked at Ron with a worried expression. Ginny and Hermione looked towards her. Harry continued to stare at the table, his mind swirling around in circles. “Though he is someone that cannot be trusted.” “What?” Harry burst out with an utterly offended and confused expression as he looked at Mrs. Weasley. Hermione was startled at Harry's reaction. She slowly lowered her left hand from the table and took Harry's right hand. She gave his hand a tight squeeze, and like magic, Harry's rage had somehow subsided. With a softer, but firm voice, he asked, “Why can't he be trusted?” “That man has a very shady past,” Mr. Weasley answered as he leaned forward, resting his arms onto the table. Harry turned his head and looked at him, his eyes showing that he needed answers. Mr. Weasley sighed softly as he looked down into the table. “There are too many unanswered questions about him. Until they are answered, he cannot be trusted.” “Saving my life isn't a good enough reason,” Harry retorted. Hermione gave his hand another squeeze, and Harry did everything in his power to keep his emotions from exploding. *What does he know? He wasn't there! He wasn't stranded there all by himself. He's never even faced a Flamora weapon!* “I don't mean to make you upset,” he replied as he looked at Harry with soft expression. Harry could tell that Mr. Weasley was trying to calm him down, but he couldn't help the fact that his blood was boiling. “You're life is very important to all of us. We just need to be cautious. We can't trust anyone until we know for sure until they can be trusted. It's for your safety.” “Yeah,” Harry let out a groan. “Always for my safety.” “It's late, everyone to bed,” Mrs. Weasley quickly announced. She knew that the situation was getting very uneasy and wanted to do everything in her power to prevent an argument from breaking out. She and Mr. Weasley stood from their chairs, as did everyone else. Harry's emotions continued to race, but he thanked Mrs. Weasley in his mind because he no longer wanted to sit there and listen to Mr. Weasley make his accusations. Hermione helped Harry to his feet and supported him as he walked towards the stairs leading towards the rooms. Ron and Ginny attempted to help Harry as well, but he told them that he was fine and that he'll go with Hermione. Ron and Ginny looked at them curiously, but after Hermione insisted they go ahead, the two went on and started up the stairs. Hermione and Harry slowly ascended the stairs after them, but didn't proceed to their rooms once they reached the top. As Ron and Ginny entered their respective rooms, Harry and Hermione sat down on the top stair and looked back down towards the empty tables. Hermione turned towards Harry and looked into his eyes. She could tell that he was scared, but he was trying his best to stay strong. Hermione leaned her head against his shoulder, as she tried to hold in her own emotions. Harry looked at her and moved his arm around her, giving her a tight squeeze. “Oh Harry!” Hermione cried as she threw her arms around him, burying her face into his neck. Harry noticed her tears against his skin, and he returned her tight embrace, resting his head against hers. Her body trembled in his embrace. “I knew it was a stupid idea! You could have been killed!” “It's okay, Hermione,” he replied as he started to rub her back, trying to calm her down. Her shuddering had subsided, but he could still feel her tears flowing down his neck. “I am okay. Look at me…I am perfectly fine.” She broke their embrace and looked into his eyes. He brushed her tears away with his thumbs as he softly held her face in his hands. He gave her a soft smile, which slowly melted her fears. Hermione felt the warmth of his hands and was unable to keep herself from giving him a smile. He laughed to himself as he continued. “Hermione…I…” Harry placed his hands on his legs as he struggled with his words. His face was still turned towards her but she noticed that his eyes were moving around uneasily. Hermione let out a soft giggle as she covered his mouth with her delicate hand. Harry's eyes met hers and her smile grew wider as she nodded at him. “I do too.” Harry let out a brighter smile as he kissed her hand. Though her expression suddenly changed from one filled with joy to one filled with concerned. He looked at her with worried gaze and placed his hand on her shoulder, massaging it softly. “What's wrong Hermione?” “We can't tell Ron,” she replied quietly, her eyes meeting his again. “I don't want to hurt him.” “I don't either,” Harry responded as he looked at the door that sealed the room where Ron was. Harry and Hermione had known of Ron's feelings towards her. He had never verbally expressed it to either of them, but they both knew that they had existed. Though it was somewhat hard to believe that he had feelings for her, due to the fact that they always fought. Harry's mind suddenly leapt to the idea that this may prevent him from being with her, causing him to look at her with an expression filled with grief and fear. “Does that mean we can't be together?” She gave him an utter look of surprise and took his hands with hers. “We can be together…we just need to hide it from other people for a while. We have to break to Ron slowly.” “How would we do that?” Harry asked as he looked down at her hands. She gave his hands a soft squeeze before she responded, “I don't know. We will think of something when the time comes…but until then, we can't let him know how we feel towards each other.” He nodded to her as he took her right hand with his left. He raised it to his lips and kissed it softly, causing her to giggle at him as the two stood up. She leaned against him and he wrapped his arm around her waist. “Harry…there is going to be a formal dance held at Hogwarts on Christmas Eve.” “Yeah, I heard about it,” He replied as the two walked into the hallway. The two turned towards each other and stopped when they were in front of their respective rooms. Harry placed his hands on her waist, and she, in turn, rested her head against his shoulders. Harry took a deep breath and whispered the question that was egging him. “Would…you…like to go with me?” “I would love to, Mr. Potter,” Hermione smiled, noting how adorable he was when he struggled to share his feelings towards her. She looked down towards their feet, her expression changing again. “Though, I may have to decline if Ron asks me…you know.” “Well,” Harry said softly as he lifted her head with his hand. He felt his nerves start to tighten and his mind was spinning, but he forced himself to stay focused on her. He had never felt this way about a girl before, and he didn't want anything to keep him away from her, even if it risked hurting a friend. Though Harry knew that he would never hurt Ron, which led him to only one conclusion. “I guess we will just have to tell him before then.” Hermione nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on his. Her heart started to beat faster and she slowly raised herself up on her tiptoes. Harry's heart began to take incredible leaps as he, in turn, lowered his lips towards hers. The two closed their eyes, as their lips grew closer. Harry's mind started roaming out of control as he felt her breath against him. *I'm going to kiss Hermione…my Hermione.* “Harry,” Ron called has he opened the door to his room. Harry and Hermione immediately let go of each other and turned to Ron. Ron looked at them oddly, and the two smiled at him. “Well I'll see you tomorrow,” Hermione said quickly as she stuck out her hand to Harry. “Right, see you tomorrow,” Harry replied as he took her hand and shook it. She walked away from them and entered her the room that she was sharing with Ginny. “Blimey, what was that all about?” Ron asked as he and Harry entered their room. “I don't know,” Harry responded in a calm voice, hoping with all his heart that Ron had not seen what they were about to do. At this moment, his heart sank to an emotional low. *I didn't kiss her….* He took his pajamas and gloomily changed as Ron got into his bed. Ron stared at up at the ceiling and Harry could tell that he was deep in thought. “What do you think my mum meant when she said that Keung couldn't be trusted?” Ron asked Harry as he got into his bed. “He seemed fine to me.” “Yeah,” Harry replied as he pulled his blankets up. He stared at the ceiling and soon found his body growing incredibly limp, his exhaustion slowly taking over. He turned in his bed, enabling himself to face Ron. “Your parents have their reasons, but I believe Keung is an okay guy.” “He's brilliant…” Ron said as he yawned, his eyes closing. “My parents worry too much sometimes.” Ron had fallen asleep. Harry turned again in his bed and looked up at the ceiling again. He took his glasses off and set them on the night table next to his bed and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and slowly felt himself fall into a deep sleep. His mind started to flash pictures of things that he had seen today. It stopped on Reins, it stopped on Keung, it stopped on the fallen Kingsley, it stopped on Ron, it stopped on Mr. Weasley, and finally, an image of Hermione flashed in his mind. The image was of Hermione smiling at him while his hands held her soft face. Harry let out a soft sigh as he felt a blanket of warmth and security cover him. --> 4. The Hogwarts Transfers ------------------------- **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 Four: The Hogwarts Transfers** “Where'd you go?” Ron asked Harry, as he, Ginny, and Hermione watched Harry hurry back to them. It was a bright sunny day in Diagon Alley and the four had set off to the various stores to purchase their needed school supplies. Harry smiled as he quickly walked up to his friends and took a spot next to Hermione. “I'm sorry,” Harry replied as he tried to catch his breath. “I left something back at the Apothecary and I went back and got it.” They had all just left the Apothecary, where Hermione needed to replenish her supplies for her Advanced Potions class. On their way out of the store, Harry had vanished amongst the crowd of people, and had only just returned to his friends. The four continued to walk down the street, looking around at the various stores that were around them. The Alley was filled with people, the majority being Hogwarts students. They passed by Olivander's wand shop, where they found him helping several first years find their perfect wand. Harry loved Diagon Alley; many happy memories flashed through his mind as he and his friends made their way to Flourish & Blotts Bookstore. “Well, since I'll be using your old books,” Ginny smiled at Ron before turning towards the crowded store, “I'll head back to the Leaky Cauldron. I'll take your potions stuff with me, Hermione.” “Oh thanks,” she replied as she handed Ginny a bag full of random ingredients. Ginny took the bag and smiled at the three as they walked towards the entrance of the store. She giggled to herself and yelled, “Now don't get lost!” The three entered the store to find it completely filled to its maximum capacity. They managed to walk around a bunch of young kids they believed were first years, rushing out of the store. This eased the congestion slightly, but moving around was still a bit uncomfortable. The three managed to make their way to various sections of the store where they found the books that they needed. Harry took the crowded store as a good reason for him to stand close to Hermione. “What are you doing?” she whispered to him with a mischievous smile, when he started to nudge his shoulder softly into hers. “Oh, nothing, just trying to get through,” he replied back with an even bigger smile. Their attention was soon turned to a young woman approaching them. She had a pack of people, mainly Hogwarts students, behind her and had a very agitated look on her face. “Excuse me, but can you help me out?” the girl asked politely as she stopped by Harry, Hermione, and Ron. The young girl was incredibly pretty. She had long, flowing, light brown hair that fell down to the middle of her back, deep green eyes, and she had this sort of incredible maturity about her. Hermione caught Harry staring at her, and she, in turn, nudged him in his side with her elbow. “What could we help you with?” Hermione replied as she gave the girl a fake smile. “Well, I'm new here. I just transferred from Beauxbaton and I…” her eyes were moving around as she talked, making eye contact with both Harry and Ron on several occasions, “this is embarrassing…I need help finding my books.” “What about your fan club?” Ron asked as he pointed over her shoulder to the large crowd that gathered behind her. She turned around and gave them an icy glare, but none of them had noticed. “I don't know,” she replied as she turned to face them again, her gaze settling on Harry. “They don't seem to be much help. I wish they would stop following me.” “I'm sure you do,” Hermione muttered to herself as she noticed that the girl was looking straight at Harry. Harry heard Hermione's sarcastic remark, and, in turn, carefully slipped his hand behind her and rubbed her back softly. She looked up at him from the corner of her eye, and he felt her giving him a deadly glare. “I'll help you out, if you'd like,” Ron said to her as he held out his hand. “Can I see your book list?” The girl gave him her list and he looked through it, frequently looking around towards the different sections of the store. “Well, you can come with me if you'd like…I can get them for you.” “I'd really appreciate that,” she replied with a smile, which made Ron's heart to race with happiness. Ron smiled at his friends as he headed in the general direction of the girl's books with the girl behind him with the relatively large group of people traveling in her wake. “What's wrong, Hermione?” Harry looked at her, her eyes evading his. He took her books from her arms and placed hers along with his onto a nearby table. He then turned and placed both his hands on her arms, incredibly worried at her sudden change. She gave him the impression that he wasn't standing by her, but instead over a thousand miles away. “She's pretty isn't she,” Hermione replied as she looked in the direction of Ron and the girl. Harry immediately knew the reason behind Hermione's mood. *She's jealous…she's jealous because of that girl.* This in a sort of way flattered him, knowing that Hermione truly did care for him, but he knew that causing Hermione uneasiness was the last thing he'd ever wanted to do. “She's okay, I guess” Harry said as he tried to move his head so he could look at her face. “Nothing all that special though.” “Nothing special?” Hermione retorted as she looked up at him with look of hurt and anger. “Then why were you staring?” “I wasn't staring,” Harry replied, his voice getting defensive. In all honesty, he was taken aback by the girl's beauty, but had trouble determining how to express the fact that he didn't stare at her in any sort of lustful way. He thought to himself, still looking into her eyes. “Well…she is pretty,” Hermione added as she looked down towards their feet, a sound of defeat in her voice. “Yeah, she is,” Harry replied, causing her to tense up, “but she is nothing when it comes to you.” Hermione looked up at him with a look of utter bewilderment and gratitude. Harry smiled at her and he softly rubbed her cheek with his hand. He let out a deep sigh, and Hermione noticed his face turning red. He was struggling with his words again, and she couldn't help smile and blush a bit more, wondering how Harry was going to piece together what he had in his mind. He took a deep breath before saying, “Yeah…you blow her right out the water.” “That's the best you could come up with,” Hermione giggled as she raised her eyebrows at him. Harry turned a bright red as he opened his mouth, trying to say something else. He started to stutter a few things, but she gently placed her hand over his mouth. She gave him a bright smile, the sadness in her eyes vanishing. “Thank you.” “You're welcome,” he smiled back, completely relieved. Harry knew that he needed to improve on his complementing abilities, but he always grew nervous when he wanted to say something nice. He pushed the thoughts out of his mind as he looked back into her eyes. He then leaned forward and kissed her on her forehead, taking in the scent of her perfume. “Well if it isn't Potty and his Mudblood girlfriend,” a snide voice became from behind Harry. Harry turned expecting to find Draco Malfoy standing with his usual unpleasant smirk, only to find that this expression was far worse. The memories of the previous year had rushed back into his mind and he remembered how Malfoy's father was one of the Death Eaters that were arrested in Department of Mysteries. Harry couldn't help but feel satisfied at the fact that the Malfoy's prestigious family name was now terribly scarred. “What do you want?” Hermione retorted as she glared at him. Malfoy gave her his snarled smirk as Crabbe and Goyle appeared behind him, both wearing their typical angry but clueless expressions. Hermione rolled her eyes and took a hold of Harry's arm with her hand. “Let's go Harry.” Harry gave Malfoy a big grin, before he turned and started to walk away. Malfoy's face grew burning red, his fists clenching tightly, and his knuckles turning white. “That's right! Hide behind your Mudblood girlfriend. You coward!” “That's enough you filthy pig,” a man with a stern voice shouted from the entrance of the shop, causing everyone to turn and face him. A tall bold man stood there wearing dark green robes with blonde waving hair. He had his arms on his waist and had an aura about him that made him shine like a famous celebrity. He took several long strides towards Malfoy and stared down at him. “I believe you owe this young lady an apology.” “I will not apologize to her,” Malfoy growled back at the man as he avoided his gaze. He turned his attention towards Harry and Hermione again before looking back up at the man. “Do you have any idea who you are talking to?” “I do not care if you are heir to the throne of England,” the man answered fervently as he walked away from Malfoy and towards Hermione. “No man should dare insult such a delicate flower.” He gave Hermione a dashing smile, causing her blush slightly. Harry noticed her reaction and couldn't help a horrible sense of anger build inside him. He glared at the man, who had completely ignored him and continued to stare at Hermione. He gave her small wink as he turned his attention back on Malfoy. “Now I demand that you give her an apology or I will be forced to take action.” “What is going here?” a store clerked roared as she walked up and stood in between Malfoy and the gallant man. No one answered. Growing frustrated with the silence, she turned and looked directly at the man who was now pacing back and forth. “Who are you?” “My name is William Weinstein,” he said to her with a professional voice. “I came to the aide of this beautiful young woman when I heard this filthy mongrel insult her.” Hermione blushed again when she heard his compliment; she hadn't noticed Harry's uneasy look. Harry stood speechless but felt that he needed to do something. He took a step forward to the clerk; his mind drew a complete blank as he opened his mouth. The clerk turned to him, and he began softly, “It was just a small argument. It wasn't a big deal.” “I will not tolerate such behavior in my store, Mr. Potter,” the clerk responded as her eyes moved from William to Malfoy. “Now, if you're done with all your shopping, please leave so others can get their books.” Harry walked back towards Hermione, she noticing his inability to make eye contact with her. He turned to find Malfoy's face filled with confusion and disgust as he and his cronies walked out of the bookstore. Harry's attention was then focused on William Weinstein as he made his way back towards them, his back straight and posture perfect. He carried himself incredibly well, which added to his shimmering aura. He took Hermione by her hand and leaned down to kiss it. Hermione's face filled with surprise, but she did not retract her hand away from him. She looked up at Harry, wondering why was simply standing there if he was truly angry. William smiled at her, softly saying in his deep voice, “My name is William Weinstein, and may have the pleasure of knowing your name?” “Hermione…Hermione Granger,” she replied softly. She could feel Harry's anger beginning to swell. *Harry…do something, you git. Just don't stand there.* “You must be the famous Harry Potter,” William grinned as he released Hermione's hand and held it out in front of him. Harry took his hand and shook it hard, only to feel William's grip overpower his. “I thought that you of all people would have been glad to see me tarnish that boy, especially after the rude things he said to your girlfriend.” “She isn't my girlfriend!” Harry retorted so loudly that Hermione jumped. William only smiled back at the two with his arms up in front of him in a defensive manner. “Sorry there,” William replied. “I didn't mean to put you on the spot. Though, if you are not her boyfriend, maybe she will fancy me.” “It's her decision,” Harry responded calmly, bottling his anger inside him. “Well, we need to continue shopping. Hermione, let's go.” “Can I accompany you?” he asked quickly before Harry and Hermione moved. “It's okay,” Hermione responded before Harry had a chance to open his mouth. “We're in a hurry. It was nice meeting you.” Hermione took Harry by the arm and pulled him towards the corner of the shop, leaving a very stunned William behind. She looked around and made sure that no one was near them before she pulled Harry into one of the empty aisles. She looked at him and found that his eyes were full of sadness. She took both of his hands and hers and softly asked, “Mind explaining what all that was about?” “I…” Harry opened his mouth, but closed it again. He took several deep breaths as he tried to sort out what he wanted to say in his mind. He wanted to make sure Hermione understood what he wanted to say, but at the same time, not upsetting her. He opened his mouth again and was finally able to force out, “I don't like him very much.” “I've noticed,” she replied, not breaking eye contact with him. “I'm sorry Hermione.” He took his hands away from hers and leaned against the bookshelf, crossing his arms as he looked up at the ceiling. He took another deep breath before looking back into her eyes. “I…well…I was jealous.” “Now was that really all that hard to say,” she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She rested her chin against his shoulder and looked up at him, watching his eyes soften. “I'm sorry too. I should of never put you in that position.” “It's not your fault that you're beautiful,” he softly spoke as he noticed her eyes start to twinkle. “Really?” she giggled, her face turning bright pink. Harry had never complemented her like that before, and even though she has heard such compliments from other people, it meant so much more to her to hear it from Harry. Harry turned and wrapped his arms around her waist, and she, in turn, moved her arms around his neck. His heart started to race again, the warm and comforting feelings that filled his body the night before had completely enveloped him again. The world around them darkened, the noise softened, making the two feel that they were alone. Harry began to lower his face to hers, the two closing their eyes. *Hermione…* CRASH! The sudden sound of books falling onto the floor caused Harry and Hermione to turn. They peaked through the shelf of books to find the girl that they had met earlier leaning over her books with Ron by her side. The two looked let out a deep sigh of relief to know that no one had seen them. Hermione let out a soft groan, knowing that their moment was ruined. Harry smiled at her as the two released their hold on the other. The two took deep breaths, allowing their flushed faces to simmer down, and walked around the shelf to help the girl and Ron. “Where've you two been?” Ron asked, holding a stack of books in his arms. “We've been looking all over the place.” “Sorry,” Hermione answered as she picked up one of the books from the floor and placed it on top of the stack that Ron was holding was holding in his arms. “We were just browsing and we lost track of time.” “Your fan club left?” Harry asked as the four stood up, noticing that aside from the four, there wasn't another person in sight. “Oh yes!” the girl smiled as she brushed the dust off her dark blue robes. “The store clerk got angry at them for taking up space and forced those that were done shopping to leave. Oh, I'm Nancy Mason, by the way.” “Hermione Granger,” Hermione smiled as she shook her hand softly. “I'm.…” Harry started but was stopped by her squeal. “You're Harry Potter!” “Well…yeah,” Harry responded as he scratched the side of his head, peaking at Hermione from the corner of his eye. Hermione held her smile and started to read the titles of the books that Ron was holding. “I've heard everything about you from Fleur Delacour,” she said as the four moved towards the center of the store. “Oh, you knew Fleur?” Harry asked as they made there way to table where Harry and Hermione had left their books. Harry smiled to see that they were still there, knowing that having to find them all over again would have been an incredible hassle. “Yes, she's one of my closest friends,” she replied as the four friends stood in line for the register. It took almost an hour for the four to leave Flourish & Blotts, Harry answering all the questions that Nancy asked him. She asked the same usual questions that every curious person had asked upon meeting him. He talked to her about his parents' death, how You-Know-Who is after him, and recapped a few of the adventures that Ron, Hermione, and he had been on together. When the four finally left the bookstore, they decided to head back to the Leaky Cauldron to take a break. They found an empty table near the back of the inn and quickly moved towards it before anyone else could claim it. Harry took his seat first at the small rectangular table. Hermione took the seat next to Harry while Ron and Nancy took the seats facing them. “So tell us a little bit about yourself,” Ron said as he turned and faced Nancy. Her face was flushed from the summer's heat and the unbearably agony of having to carry so many heavy books. “Well…I'm going to be a seventh year,” she replied as she looked back at Ron, her expression light and cheerful. “My family lives in London, but during the majority of the year, my parents work in France for the Ministry of Magic. They work in the Department of International Magical Cooperations.” “Oh, my dad works for the Ministry,” Ron quickly said. “I know of your dad,” she smiled back at him. “He's Arthur Weasley, he works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office, doesn't he?” “Yes he does,” Ron nodded with an unsure look on his face. “How do you know of him?” “I've heard many good things about him from my parents. I find his job the most fun of them all. I would love to work in that department once I've graduated.” Harry and Hermione stared at the two with a questionable look. Harry turned and grinned at her, his expression hopeful. The two realized if something were to form between Ron and Nancy, the two would have an easier time in revealing their relationship to him. Harry turned to face Ron, and found him and Nancy laughing as their conversation about Muggles continued. He gave the two a small grin, his mind formulating a plan. *And if they don't find each other, Hermione and I will just need to give them a little push in the right direction.* “You don't have a hint of a French accent,” Harry commented as he looked at her. “Oh, I was born and raised in London,” she replied with a smile. “Je parle français tres bien, but I never seemed to develop an accent. I guess it's because my family constantly moves back and forth between London and France throughout the year.” “Why are you transferring to Hogwarts?” Hermione asked curiously. She felt Harry take her hand underneath the table and she smiled to herself as she felt him give her hand a gentle squeeze. “It must be hard leaving Beauxbaton.” “I've always wanted to attend Hogwarts,” she answered as she looked at Hermione. “Though because of my parents' work, I had no choice but to attend Beauxbaton. I'll definitely miss it, but…Hogwarts is one of the best schools of witchcraft and wizardry, and it would be a dream to actually meet Albus Dumbledore.” “He's a really great headmaster,” Ron spoke as he smiled at her. “He's really good friends with Harry, Hermione, and me.” “I wouldn't go as far as to say `really good' though,” Hermione interrupted as she looked at Ron. *It's cute…he's trying to show off to her.* The four continued to chat about the new school year and how exciting it would be. Harry smiled at Hermione as she talked about their classes with Nancy. The three had learned that Nancy was just like Hermione, a bookworm who desired nothing more than to obtain knowledge. Nancy talked about the advanced classes that she had taken at Beauxbaton and what things that they may expect in their upcoming classes, saying that Hogwarts follows a study schedule that resembles anything to that of Beauxbaton's. Harry hid his laughter to see how quickly Hermione and Nancy got along. Her eyes no longer contained any form of resentment or hostility, but were now replaced with admiration and curiosity, as if she were talking to her older sister. The four laughed and had a wonderful time as the three started to talk to Nancy about the fun experiences they had shared together at Hogwarts and how much fun she will have. Harry and Hermione didn't once release their hands, the two sneaking at smile towards each other occasionally. The four turned to see that Mr. Weasley had entered the inn. He made his way towards the table and gave them a grin as he stood before them. “How are you all doing?” “We're doing just fine, dad,” Ron replied, wondering why his father was staring at them. “Harry,” Mr. Weasley said as he turned towards him. “I was just informed by Dumbledore that you need to talk to Cornelius Fudge and explain what you know about the situation to him.” “What? When?” Harry replied, an extreme disgust in his voice. “Why do I need to talk to him for?” “I'm sorry Harry,” he sighed as he placed his hand on his shoulder. “The Ministry needs to know exactly what's going on, and both Fudge and Dumbledore requested that you should speak with him.” “When does he have to go?” Hermione asked, her hand clutching Harry's tighter. “Well…since we will be going according to Fudge's schedule,” he sighed heavily as he looked at Harry, “you and I will go see him on the morning of September 1st.” “You can't be serious?” Harry shouted as released Hermione's hand and stood from his chair. “I will miss the Hogwarts Express.” “That has already been settled. After our appointment, I will take you to Hogwarts with the flying car.” “You have a flying car?” Nancy whispered to Ron. Harry shot him a glare, causing Ron not to answer. “I'm sorry Harry…but we don't have a choice in the matter,” Mr. Weasley finished, quickly moving away from the table before Harry could make anymore arguments. “Calm down Harry,” Hermione said softly as she stood behind him. Harry sat back down in his chair, grumbling to himself. Hermione took her seat next to him and again took his hand in hers underneath the table again. She squeezed his hand tenderly, wishing that she could calm him down. “I hate it when they do this,” Harry growled softly, staring at the table. “I never have a choice, do I?” “Why, what's going?” Nancy asked softly as she felt the tension at the table grow. Hermione and Ron explained the situation to her to the best of their abilities, causing Nancy's eyes to widen with both fear and utter astonishment. “You mean, things like this happen all the time?” “Unfortunately so,” Ron replied as he looked at Harry. Harry raised his head and gave him a weak smile. Ron smiled back as he turned to look at Nancy again. “Bloody hell, we haven't had a single year without having something like this happen.” “You make it sound that you would enjoy an uneventful year,” Nancy smiled as she let out a sigh of relief, watching the tension at the table loosen. “We would gladly accept a nice and boring year,” Hermione smiled as Ron and Harry let out a small laugh. “I'll take your trunk now, Harry. Well…good luck and I'll see you at dinner,” Ron said as he took Harry's trunk onto the train. The remaining three days at Diagon Alley had passed faster than Harry had hoped, and he was now standing on platform nine and three-quarters, watching all the Hogwarts students embarking the Hogwarts Express. Ron had found Nancy, Hermione, and himself a nice compartment near the back of the train and was volunteered to load the luggage into their compartment. “It was nice meeting you. I'll see you at Hogwarts,” Nancy smiled at him before she turned and boarded the train, following closely behind Ron. Harry took in a deep breath as he turned his attention towards Hermione. She looked at him and gave him a soft smile. Crookshanks was walking around them, occasionally rubbing his back against Harry's leg and purring softly. When Nancy and Ron were out of their sight, Hermione moved towards him and gave him a tight hug, burying her face into his shoulder. Harry wrapped his arms tightly around her, kissing her forehead. “I wish you could come with us,” Hermione said quietly as she looked up into his eyes. “Me too…” he replied as his eyes moved from her to the train and back to her again. “But I'll be there by dinner, so everything should be okay.” Hermione nodded as she gave him another tight embrace and kissed him on the cheek. She leaned down and picked up Crookshanks, stroking her back unconsciously as she continued to look into Harry's eyes. Harry took a step forward and too started to pet Crookshanks, his other hand settling on Hermione's cheek. She felt goose bumps cover her body as Harry started to rub her cheek softly with his hand. The whistle blew and the two knew that the train was about to leave. Harry leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. She quickly turned and ran up the stairs and onto the train. The stairs that once stood in front of all the entrances were soon rising into the air and disappearing before him. Harry looked up at Hermione through the glass and scenes from old black and white romance movies appeared in his head. She gave him big smile as the train released streams of steam, great quantities of smoke puffing out of the front stack. The train started to move forward, and Harry couldn't help but stare at it as it left the station. Within minutes, it was gone, taking all the anticipating students back to Hogwarts for another wonderful year. *Not me though…no…I have to go talk to one of the thickest men in all of the magical world.* Harry raised his arms in the air and stretched his back. He rested his arms on the back of his head as he turned and walked towards the barrier that led him back into King's Cross Train Station. He found Mr. Weasley smiling at him, but Harry couldn't muster a smile. He placed his arms down to his sides and followed Mr. Weasley out of the station. Harry's mind pondered how they would go to the Ministry. They had all taken company cars to get to Kings Cross, but upon leaving them, the cars had magically vanished. “Here we are,” Mr. Weasley announced as he stopped in front of what was miraculously the Ford Anglia, parked in the parking lot of the train station. Harry didn't bother asking earlier but the last he remembered of the flying car was that it was wandering around the Forbidden Forest right outside of Hogwarts. Harry simply stared at the car, and Mr. Weasley gave him a smile and put his hand on his shoulder. “We recovered it earlier during the summer.” “Where'd you find it?” Harry asked with a look of utter confusion. “We found it right on the outer edge of the Forbidden Forest,” he replied as he took Harry to the passenger side and opened the door for him. Harry got in and noticed that the interior of the car had been completely redone in black leather. Mr. Weasley closed the door and entered the car from the driver's side before continuing, “The poor thing was a bloody mess. All the windows were broken and its body was completely demolished.” “Who repaired it?” Harry asked as he moved his hands across the dashboard, feeling the texture. “Oh, one of my colleagues from the Ministry,” he answered, a smile still on his face. He turned on the car, set it in gear, and drove away from the train station. “He loves tinkering with muggle inventions more than anyone else I know. Took him about a month to fix her up, and she's running better than ever.” Harry took a deep breath as he and Mr. Weasley rode the elevator inside the Ministry of Magic, pacing quietly as he waited for the elevator to stop. When it did, the doors opened to expose a long and narrow corridor. The two stepped out of the elevator and proceeded down the corridor, walking passed a torch every few feet. They final stopped in front of two large doors, with a gold plate above reading *Minister of Magic*. “All right Harry,” Mr. Weasley smiled as he patted him on the shoulder. “He only wants to talk to you, so I'll just wait out here.” Harry nodded and pushed one of the doors open. He entered and was taken aback by the size of the room. It was double the size of Professor Dumbledore's office and contained almost three times the amount of books. The ceiling of the office was enchanted to show a bright blue sky covered with many puffy clouds. Harry took a closer look and noticed how some of the clouds would quickly take on the shape of an animal before returning to their puffy state. Aside from books, the walls were covered with portraits of those Harry guessed to be the previous Ministers of Magic. Harry looked forward and saw a large table near the back of the room on top of what looked like a raised platform. He carefully walked up the steps to find Cornelius Fudge sitting at the large desk scribbling on a large pile of documents. He looked up at Harry for a few seconds before returning his attention to the parchments on his desk. Harry stood there speechless, unsure of what Fudge had in store for him. “Please sit down, Harry,” Fudge said in a calm voice, yet Harry could tell that he was trying to retain his frustration. Harry took several steps forward and took a seat in a large chair, curiously looking at the documents that Fudge was examining. Harry heard a series of whispers, all of which seemed to be filled with anger, from outside the front doors. He turned as the doors opened to see Percy Weasley storming in. Percy closed the door behind him and walked over to the table and took a seat next to Harry. Harry looked at him, but Percy didn't acknowledge him. Harry rested against his chair again, putting to his hands together, patiently waiting for someone to break the silence. “All right, Harry,” Fudge spoke out as he placed his quill down and moved his papers aside. He looked at Harry with an odd look. Harry couldn't read Fudge's eyes, they seemed to be filled with annoyance, curiosity, and several other indescribable emotions. Fudged placed his hands on the table and took a deep breath. “I've been informed by Dumbledore that you have been the target of a series of attacks.” Percy immediately started scribbling as Fudge spoke his words. Harry nodded at him before opening his mouth, “Yes sir. I've been attacked twice during the summer.” Harry continued to relay the events that took place, making sure to emphasize how his assailant used the Flamora weapons incredibly well and if it weren't for the intervention of another Flamora wielder, he wouldn't be sitting in front of Fudge today. Fudge asked several questions about the Flamora wielders and upon hearing the names of Reins and Keung, Fudges eyes went wide. “It can't be a coincidence,” Fudge muttered to himself. Harry leaned forward against the table, trying to listen to what Fudge had to say. “What?” Harry replied, his eyes fixed on Fudge. “What is it about those two?” “If you are describing the people that I think you are,” Fudge answered, his fingers rubbing his chin, “then you may be in more serious trouble than you think.” “How so?” Harry questioned as he leaned back against his seat. “Keung Chang was tried for the murder of a fellow Hogwarts classmate about eight years ago,” Fudge started. Harry's eyes went wide and he carefully listened to what Fudge had to say. “There wasn't enough evidence to put him in Azkaban and Dumbledore didn't expel him from the school. Magnolia Reins was the Hogwarts student that reported the murder to the authorities. She left Hogwarts upon hearing that Keung was acquitted of all his charges, and when Keung found out that she had left the school, he did the same.” “Is this Keung,” Harry interrupted, “related to the Cho Chang that is currently going to Hogwarts?” “Why yes, he is her older brother,” Fudge replied, his eyebrows rising. “I must inform Dumbledore. Keung is a very dangerous man and should not be trusted. He may have saved your life in front of the Leaky Cauldron, but it doesn't mean he won't take it the next time you bump into him.” Harry nodded and Fudge rose from his seat. Percy did the same and Harry quickly caught on and too stood from his chair. Harry was surprised to see Fudge extend a hand to him. Harry took it and Fudge gave him a hard handshake. Upon releasing his hand, Fudge began, “Trouble always seems to find you, Mr. Potter. You be sure to keep an eye out for things. You may go now. I will inform the all those in the Ministry and we'll have the Aurors keep an eye out for both Magnolia Reins and Keung Chang.” “We're almost there,” Mr. Weasley softly spoke as he shook Harry's arm. Harry woke to find it incredible dark, but was relieved to see the silhouette of Hogwarts in front of him. It was truly a magical sight, with the moon directly above and the candlelights flickering from all the windows. Harry and Mr. Weasley didn't speak much after leaving the Ministry of Magic. Mr. Weasley understood that what Fudge discussed with Harry was his business and Harry would tell him when felt the time was right. The car flew around to the front of the castle and landed gracefully on the grassy lawn. Harry smiled at Mr. Weasley, completely amazed at how well he flew the car. Harry's previous encounters with the vehicle have never been so peaceful and carefree. Harry exited the car and walked around to Mr. Weasley. “Thank you for the ride,” Harry smiled as he placed his hand on top of the car. “I'm sorry…about the way I acted earlier.” “Oh Harry,” Mr. Weasley replied. “I would of done the same thing if I were in your shoes. Take care now, tell Ron and Hermione I said hi.” “I will,” Harry nodded. He started to walk towards the front entrance of Hogwarts when he heard Mr. Weasley call out to him. He hurriedly returned to the car with a curious look. “Do you know who that girl that Ron is with?” He asked as he raised his eyebrows at him. “Her name is Nancy Mason. She's a seventh year transfer student from Beauxbaton,” Harry replied as he crossed his arms, shivering slightly from the cold. “We met her in Flourish & Blotts when we were getting our books.” “Oh, I see,” Mr. Weasley grinned as he looked back at Harry. “Keep an eye on him. I know how you two enjoy getting into trouble.” Harry smiled back and took a step back as Mr. Weasley put the flying car in gear. Harry waved as he watched the car lift of the ground and disappear into the night sky. He turned and made his way into the castle, traveling up the stairs towards the Great Hall. He walked in to find that the Great Hall was empty for the exception for Hermione, Ron, and Nancy, whom were talking to Dobby, the house elf. “Harry Potter has returned to Hogwarts!” Dobby cheered as he ran away from the table and towards Harry. Harry smiled at him as he sank on to one knee. Dobby was wearing a pair of different colored socks, an old Gryffindor tie, red tattered pants, and three of the hats that Hermione had knitted the previous year. He leapt into Harry's arms and gave him a big hug. Harry hugged him, patting him on the back as he watched the three rush over to him. “Can Dobby get Harry Potter sir anything?” “Oh that's okay, Dobby,” He replied as he let go of the house elf. He stood up and smiled the three. Dobby waved at them as the four walked out of the Great Hall. “You're late, Mr. Potter,” Hermione said to him with a cheerful voice. Harry could tell that she was worried about his tardiness. “I'm sorry,” Harry replied as he looked at the three. “I don't know what happened, the time just flew by, I guess.” “Nah, don't worry about it,” Ron replied as he grinned at him. “The feast just ended about a half an hour ago, so we weren't waiting up too long.” “Though if you kept us waiting for another ten minutes or so,” Hermione giggled, her mood lightening incredibly, “we may of just left you out in the cold.” “Don't be like that Hermione,” Harry grinned at her as she gave him a friendly nudge. Harry's attention was then turned to a giggling Nancy, her cheeks flushed from her laughter. “So, what house are you in, Nancy?” Oh, you'll never guess,” Ron replied with a smile as they started to ascend a set of stairs. “Nancy was sorted into Gryffindor!” Hermione announced. Harry smiled at Nancy who turned a brighter pink. When they reached the top of the stairs, they walked towards the Gryffindor corridor, the three relaying the course of the evening to Harry. They talked about the Sorting Hat's new and even drearier song, the Christmas Ball, and most importantly the introduction of new teachers. “Who's our new Defense against the Dark Arts Professor?” Harry asked as they came in view of the Fat Lady's portrait. “We haven't seen him yet. Professor Dumbledore said that his name was Marcus Spencer, but he won't arrive at Hogwarts until tomorrow morning,” Hermione replied as they stopped in front of the portrait. She cleared her throat and spoke in a loud and crisp voice, “*Rectatis Ignoramus*.” The Fat Lady bowed her head and opened the door, showing them the interior of the Gryffindor common room. The four walked in and found the common room was empty, but the fire was still blazing. Harry walked over to the fire and sat down on the floor in front of it to take in its warmth. Hermione sat down on Harry's left, while Ron and Nancy took a seat on Harry's right. “What time is it?” Harry asked as he raised his arms into the air and stretched, releasing a small yawn that made Hermione smile at him. “It should be around ten o'clock by now,” Nancy replied as she looked over her shoulder and about trying to find the clock inside the Gryffindor common room. “This is a really excellent room.” “It's home,” Ron smiled to her as he rolled back and laid on the ground, staring up at the ceiling. He stretched his arms in front of him, before crossing them against his chest. “I hope I will fit in here,” Nancy said softly as she wrapped her arms around her knees, her voice filled with a sense of both anticipation and fear. “Oh, you'll love it here,” Hermione smiled at her. “Gryffindor is one of the best houses in the school and has some of the friendliest students…by far.” Her mind had wandered towards the Slytherins and she shuddered slightly. Harry noticed this and wished he could wrap his arm around her to comfort her, but was forced to sit there and only look at her with his pleading eyes. Ron then sat up and placed a hand on Nancy's shoulder. “Don't worry. It'll be great. And if you ever need anything, just come ask one of us and we'll help you out.” Harry and Hermione gave her a reassuring nod, which in turn, allowed her to take a deep breath and relax. Ron turned to Harry with a peculiar look on his face. “Though you know what's really weird. That new guy, William Weinstein.” “What?” Harry replied, a bit louder than he had mean to. Quieting his voice, “What do you mean, Ron?” “He's another transfer student,” Nancy answered for Ron as she looked at Harry. “He's also a seventh year and he came from a school in the United States. He said that his parents started recently working for the Ministry of Magic, so they came to London.” “How do you know all this?” Harry asked. “Blimey, the guy wouldn't leave us alone,” Ron interrupted, causing Harry's gaze to go to him. “He was sitting with us on the train and even got sorted into Gryffindor.” “Really…” Harry muttered as he turned to face the fire, yet looked at Hermione at the corner of eye. Harry truly didn't like William, and if the thought were possible, he would of rather spend a day with Draco Malfoy than a day with William Weinstein. Hermione noticed Harry's uneasiness, and she moved closer to him and started rubbing his back. “Harry, you okay?” she asked quietly. “Yeah, just a little dizzy,” Harry lied as he looked into the fire. “I was in the flying car for ages.” “Oh, that can happen,” Ron sighed as he too looked into the fire. He then turned to Hermione with a smile. “Though he does really fancy you Hermione.” Harry turned to her, she able to read an uncertainty in his eyes. She looked over at Ron before responding, “He was horrible. I wish he would just leave me alone. He was trying to show off by talking about how wonderful school was in America and how he was a star Quidditch player. All he did was bother me.” Harry's expression had completely lightened as he turned and looked at the fire. The thought of Hermione being disgusted by William's approaches made his body loosen. His mind then started to roam around the idea of Quidditch. He made a mental note to be sure to talk with Professor McGonagall to see if he would be allowed to play this year. His mind soon blanked and went back to the thought of William. “He's really in Gryffindor?” “It's seems that way,” Ron replied as he scratched his head. Harry turned to Hermione and gave her a quick smile and wink, which eased her unsettling nerves. She wished with all her heart she could give him a tight hug. After a few minutes of listening to the fire crackling, her mind wondered about Harry's absence. “Oh, how did things go at the Ministry?” Hermione asked as she looked at him. Harry took a deep breath and told the three about the things that took place in Fudge's office. He felt Ron grow uneasy when he mentioned Percy's name, but continued on before Ron made a comment about his older brother. He explained Fudge's reactions when he mentioned the Flamora wielders and told them the story behind Keung's past. The three listened intently and didn't say anything until he was finished. “That doesn't make sense though,” Hermione said with an objective tone as she thought about Fudge's accusation about Keung. “Why would someone who would want to save you and then tell you to stay live, to only want to kill you later? “I don't know,” Harry responded with a shrug. “Though just because Fudge thinks he's bad, doesn't mean that he is bad person. I mean he plastered the entire Magical World with rubbish saying Dumbledore was horrible.” “I read a few of those articles,” Nancy said with a disgusted look on her face. “I didn't believe a word of it. My parents said that Fudge was too much of a coward and didn't want to acknowledge the idea that You-Know-Who could be alive.” “That's exactly right,” Hermione continued as she looked in the fire. “We need to do some research about this.” “Yes,” Nancy spoke, building off of Hermione's idea. “We should read up as much as we can about the Flamora weapons and look over past Daily Prophet clippings about the girl that Keung murdered.” Hermione looked up at Nancy with sheer amazement. “That was the exact same thing I was thinking.” “Oh no,” Ron groaned as he took a hold Harry's sleeve, placing his forehead against his shoulder. “It's enough with just one Hermione, but now we've got two.” Harry, Hermione, and Nancy laughed softly as they watched Ron. Though within seconds, Ron had lifted his head and was also laughing. Their laughs soon turned into yawns and they knew that it was time to settle in. Ron and Nancy got up first and walked off to the stairway that led up to the dormitories. “I'll be up in a second, you go ahead,” Harry spoke softly when he noticed that Ron was waiting for him. Ron nodded to him and followed Nancy up the stairs. Harry got up and stretched his back. He looked down at Hermione and she gave him a smile as she raised her arms up to him. Harry leaned down and picked her up, pulling her into a tight embrace. He whispered into her ear, “I missed you.” “I missed you too,” she replied as she looked up at him. She sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder. “I'm really sorry about the whole William thing. I do wish he would leave me alone.” “Don't worry, Hermione,” Harry replied as he kissed the side of her head. “I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you out.” “Never leave me like that again, okay,” she said sternly as she looked into his eyes. “Never again,” Harry smiled back as he started to rub the side of her face gently with his hand. He leaned down and closed his eyes. Hermione did the same and lifted herself onto her tiptoes, longing so badly for this moment, their lips fractions of an inch apart. “Harry Potter sir, should be in bed?” a squeaky voice came from below them, causing Hermione to yelp and jump. Their lips missed as their heads collided, causing both of them to release one another to rub their now throbbing foreheads. Harry looked down at Dobby with an angry look, his right hand massaging the pain on his forehead. Dobby's face went pale as he backed away. “Dobby is sorry. Dobby is very sorry.” Dobby quickly moved over to the stone chimney and started pounding his head fiercely against the wall, releasing small cries of pain with each hit. Harry realized this and grabbed Dobby to prevent him from causing more harm to himself. He placed Dobby onto an armchair, staring directly into his large round eyes. Harry knelt down in front of the chair, not releasing his hold on the shaking house-elf. Hermione settled next to Harry, her hand still rubbing her forehead. “Didn't I tell you to stop punishing yourself?” Harry asked sternly as he continued to hold the squirmy house elf. “Yes, Harry Potter sir did,” Dobby squeaked, his face covered in tears. “But Dobby caused Harry Potter sir and his girlie pain.” “Listen Dobby,” Harry spoke, his voice calmer and friendlier. “Do not tell anyone what you saw tonight.” “Promise us, please,” Hermione added, her hands now on Harry's shoulders. Dobby looked at the two and nodded quickly. “Now, I will only release you if you will no longer hurt yourself,” Harry included. Dobby nodded again, and Harry carefully released him. Dobby sat in the chair and continued to look at the two, unsure of what to do. Harry stood up and looked at Hermione. She smiled back at him as she yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. Harry smiled at her and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. He looked back down at Dobby, who continued to stare at the both of them. Harry made his way up the stairs with Hermione behind him. The two stopped when they reached the door that would lead to the girls' dormitories. Harry gave Hermione a bright smile and she blew him a quick kiss before she opened the large brown door and disappeared behind it. Harry let out a soft sigh as he began to ascend the staircase, his hand moving up to rub his forehead. “This is getting real depressing,” he muttered to himself as he walked into the sixth year boys' room, his stomach starting to growl. 5. Marcus Spencer and the Dueling Club -------------------------------------- **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 Five: Marcus Spencer and the Dueling Club** The Great Hall was filled with the noise of clinging plates and Hogwarts students discussing their new schedules. Harry grinned at Ron as he continued to complain about all their advanced and double classes that they had this year. Hermione sat next to Harry and couldn't help but lean against him every time Ron made an emotional outburst about something. Nancy tried to refrain from laughing, but nearly spitted out her pumpkin juice when Ron went off on how they would have Double Charms after breakfast. “Double charms!” Ron groaned as he put his head down on the table. “Bloody hell, why did I have to do well on that O.W.L?” “Oh calm down, Ron,” Hermione smiled after taking a sip of her pumpkin juice. “It's not going to be so bad.” “Yeah,” Harry said as he swallowed a piece of sausage. “Don't we learn the basics of apparation this year?” “Yes, we do,” Hermione replied as she glanced again at their schedules. “Though, it is definitely a full schedule, we don't get a lot of breaks.” “It also says that he have two days of double Defense Against the Dark Arts,” Harry spoke before eating the remaining eggs off his plate. Hermione and Ron took a closer look and both realized that Harry was right when they saw that they had Defense Against the Dark Arts both on Wednesday and Friday during the afternoons. “It won't be so bad,” said Nancy as she wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I had a full schedule last year and it seems like a lot right now, but once you get use to it, you all will do fine.” “Oh yes!” a voice came from behind them. Harry and Hermione turned around to see William with a sparkling grin on his face. A large crowd of girls from all four houses was standing by him, their eyes focused on him. “And if you ever need help, fair Hermione, I will gladly be of service.” “How thick is this guy?” Ron whispered to Nancy, causing her to giggle softly. “I received “O's” on all my O.W.L.s,” William announced as we flashed Hermione another smile, “and all the advanced classes I took last year were a piece of cake.” “Very thick,” Nancy giggled back at Ron, covering her mouth so no one could read her lips. “Really?” Hermione responded, causing Harry to look at her with a confused expression. She sneaked him a wink and continued. “So…you mean to say that you would have time to tutor someone.” “Oh yes,” he moved his hands to his waist and nodded at her. “I should be able to finish all my homework in no time and I can easily tutor another student.” “And getting thicker,” Ron grinned as Nancy let out a muffled laugh. “Really? That would be really sweet. Could I ask you a favor?” Hermione gave him a big smile. Harry continued to glance at her with a questionable look. “I mean it is a really big favor.” “Consider it done, Hermione,” William got down on one knee, which in turn caused students from every table to turn and look at them. He took her hand in both of his. This caused Harry to glare at William, while several of the girls in William's fan club gave icy looks at Hermione. “Just tell me and I will do it.” “Could you tutor Neville Longbottom, if he has trouble in any of his classes?” Hermione asked as she retracted her hand and placed it on Neville's shoulder. Neville's eyes went wide as he gazed at William with awe. “That would be fantastic,” Neville said as he looked at Hermione. “I'm pretty sure I'll need help in Charms and Transfiguration. They were never my good classes.” “Uh….” William responded with utter shock across his face. Ron and Nancy laughed to themselves, and Harry was forced to turn his head away to keep his grin hidden from William. “Tutor Neville…” “Yes,” Hermione nodded as she smiled at Neville. “I tutored him for the last few years, but with all these advanced classes, schoolwork, and my prefect duties, I may not have enough time to help Neville when he needs it. I would truly appreciate it.” “Well…” William sighed as he took a deep breath and flashed her another smile. “Of course I will him out. Anything for you.” “Wicked,” Neville smiled as he stood up from the long table and stuck his hand out to William. William shook it reluctantly. “Thank you very much William.” “That's quite all right,” he replied as he released Neville's hand. William gave Hermione another smile as he walked out of the Great Hall, his female fan club following behind him. “Wait up, William,” Neville called as he gathered his things and followed the crowd out of girls out of the Great Hall. “That was a very mean thing to do to Neville,” Ron mumbled to Hermione as he wiped his mouth with his napkin. He stood from his table and picked up his books from under the bench. “Yeah,” Harry nodded as he too stood up from the table, picking up his bag. “You really think that he will take the time out of his busy schedule to help out Neville.” “Of course, I don't expect him to help Neville,” she replied as he wiped her mouth with her napkin. Harry bent down and picked up her bag for her, finding it amazingly difficult to lift. Hermione stood from the bench and smiled at him as he handed her bag to her. “Thanks.” The four left the Great Hall and stopped by a staircase. Nancy explained that her first class that day was N.E.W.T. Potions. Ron and Harry gave her a sympathetic look. The two were completely relieved to know that they would never have to take another class with Professor Snape during their remaining two years at Hogwarts. The three waved at her as she started to walk up the stairs. “So if Mr. Perfect won't tutor Neville, you going to tutor him, then?” Harry asked as the three made their way to Professor Flitwick's class. “If he needs it, of course I will,” Hermione replied as they walked into the classroom. They smiled when they saw a Hufflepuff girl wave at them. The three took their seats along the long table, Harry sitting in between them. The three looked around the room and found a series of objects on a table in the center of the room. The table was covered with feathers, large solid balls, an assortment of different colored quills, and several glass bottles. The three looked at each other and shrugged before they pulled out their books, notepads, quills, and inkbottles. “At least, this class won't be too bad,” Ron said softly as he started to skim through his Advanced Charms textbook. Aside from spiders, Ron despised the Slytherins more than anything else in the world. Draco Malfoy and his cronies had continuously stepped out of their way to say something condescending towards Ron and his family, trying to get a rise out of him. Ron resented them incredibly, and if it weren't for Harry and Hermione to calm him down, he would have gladly hexed each and every one of them. Harry looked down at Hermione's full bag and looked up at her. He smiled at her, “You know…you don't have to carry every single book with you to all your classes.” “You never know what material you'll need,” Hermione replied as she opened her book to chapter three; she'd obviously read ahead. “This way, I'll always be prepared.” Harry grinned at her as they watched several more students enter the room with Professor Flitwick behind them. Ron groaned softly to himself as Professor Flitwick took his spot in front of the class. It meant that the first class of their sixth year at Hogwarts has officially began. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Ron and Nancy walked into the Gryffindor common room after dinner to find Harry and Hermione, sitting on the long couch in front of the fire, reading their textbooks. The two walked towards to them, having to maneuver around the random Gryffindors grumbling about their first day of classes. The two were finally able to break through the crowd and sat down on the floor next to them. “Harry,” Ron groaned as he looked him, “don't tell me Hermione has already got you to do your homework.” “There is nothing wrong with starting early,” Hermione replied as she stuck her tongue out at him. “Do you really want to struggle with your work like you did last year?” Ron sighed at the idea and finally decided to pull out his History of Magic textbook out of his bag and began flipping through the pages. Nancy smiled at him as she laid on the floor and began to review the first chapter of her Potions textbook. The time passed quickly as they worked on their homework. Ron yawned and rubbed his strained eyes as he closed his book. He had had enough studying for one night. He then looked up at the clock, noticing that it was five minutes before eight o'clock. “Oh cripes,” Ron groaned as he shoved his book into his bag. He looked at Hermione with an aggravated look on his face. “It's almost eight o'clock. We have to do our rounds.” Hermione looked at the clock and suddenly crammed her books into her bag, and left it by Harry. She stood up and walked with Ron out of the common room. Nancy looked curiously at the two and back at Harry. He didn't even notice that the two had left. She placed her book down and tapped Harry on the shoulder, causing him to look at her. She looked towards the front door and asked, “Where are they going?” “Oh, they didn't tell you that they are prefects,” Harry responded as he placed his book onto his lap. Nancy looked at him with a questionable expression. Harry smiled and continued. “They are like the student leaders for Gryffindor. They are right now walking around the corridors to make sure that students aren't doing anything that they shouldn't be doing.” “Oh,” Nancy replied as if a light bulb was light in her head. “We never had prefects at Beauxbaton. Madame Maxime hires a bunch of men that were previously Beauxbaton students, and they guard over the entire school from rule breakers and such.” Harry nodded at her and found Ginny and Dean walking towards him. Ginny smiled at the two and stopped in front of Harry with Dean next to her. Harry looked up at them with an inquisitive expression. Before he could open his mouth, Ginny crossed her arms and sternly asked, “When are you going to talk to Professor McGonagall about joining the Quidditch team again?” The mental note that Harry had made earlier to himself finally appeared in his mind as he looked at Ginny with a blank expression. “Uh…I'll ask her tomorrow after class.” “Make sure you do,” Ginny replied as she moved her arms to her hips. “Do you realize that we don't have a single Chaser on the team and very…I hate to say this, but incredibly slow beaters.” “You play Quidditch?” Nancy smiled at Harry as she sat up. “You never told me.” “Harry? Why…he's only the greatest Seeker that ever set foot in Hogwarts,” Ginny explained as Nancy's eyes grew with admiration. “He was banned last year because of a stupid technicality, but he should be able to play this year.” “Why were you banned?” Nancy asked curiously as Harry he took his glasses off and covered his eyes with his hand, rubbing his temples. “He punched Draco Malfoy after one of the matches,” Dean answered as he placed his hands in his pockets. “Can't say that he didn't deserve it though. He insulted Ron and Ginny's family and Harry was standing up for them.” “Draco Malfoy…that Slytherin boy with the blond hair…always has these two large fellows following him,” Nancy described. Ginny nodded to her and Nancy's expression turned to one of anger. “I never liked that boy. I've never even met him but the stories I hear about him are completely horrible.” “He's not a person you can like very much,” Ginny added as she turned her attention back to Harry. She placed her hand on his shoulder, “Be sure to ask McGonagall tomorrow.” “Don't worry I will,” Harry replied as he placed his glasses back on. He looked up at Ginny and gave her his lopsided grin. “Thanks for reminding me.” “You're welcome,” Ginny smiled back and whispered, “Be good to her.” *Be good to her…what?* Harry opened his mouth, but Dean and Ginny had already walked around his chair and back towards a table where Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom were sitting. Harry looked down at Nancy, who was now reading her Potions book again. *She doesn't believe that I am with Nancy…does she?* “Is something wrong?” Nancy asked when she noticed that he was staring at her. Harry shook his head and picked up his book and continued reading it; however, he found it very difficult to concentrate. Harry finally decided to place his book in his bag and stood up from his chair. Nancy looked up at him, “Going somewhere?” “Yeah,” Harry responded as he stretched his back. “Ron and Hermione should be back in about twenty minutes or so. I should be back in about an hour. I just need to check up on a few things with a few professors.” She smiled at him as she watched him get up and walk out of the common room. Harry slowly and quietly descended the staircase and headed out of the castle in the direction of Hagrid's cabin. Harry saw light coming from inside and smoke leaving the chimney. He smiled and quickly made his way across the grounds. He occasionally felt that something was following him, causing him to stop and look behind him. When he noticed that no one was there, we continued to make his way to the cabin. When Harry reached the front door, he reached out and knocked on it. He heard large footsteps coming towards the door and it opened to expose the friendly half-giant with a napkin around his neck. “Hey there, Hagrid,” Harry smiled as he looked up at him. “'Lo Harry,” Hagrid said in his usual growling voice. He smiled back at him and backed away from the door. “Come in, come in.” Harry walked in and smelled something strong coming from the fireplace and realized that he had caught Hagrid in the middle of his dinner. Harry walked over and took a seat in a chair. Fang, Hagrid's large black dog, walked up to him and rested his head in his lap. Hagrid walked over to his table and sat down, looking at Harry. “My yeh've grown. Look jus' like your dad.” Harry smiled back at Hagrid but didn't know what to say. He looked down at Fang and started to scratch behind his ears, his mind trying to find something to say. Hagrid noticed Harry's troubled silenced and got up from his seat. “Yeh okay, Harry?” “Yeah,” Harry said softly at Hagrid. “It's just…a lot of things have been happening.” “Thinkin' `bout the attack by tha' Flamora woman, huh?” Hagrid suggested as he pulled a chair over and sat next to Harry. Harry nodded to him and looked back down at Fang. “But, tha's not wha's botherin' yeh.” “It's not like it's bothering me,” Harry confessed, his voice steady. “It's just something that I can't get off my chest.” “Oh…” Hagrid replied as he pulled his napkin away from his neck. He tossed the napkin on to the kitchen table and folded his arms across his chest. “Girls, eh?” “What makes you say that?” Harry quickly answered, unable to keep his face from turning red. Hagrid smiled at him, knowing that he had hit the nail directly on the head. “Who yeh havin' trouble with?” Hagrid ran his fingers through his beard and thought to himself. Harry didn't answer him, but continued to look down at Fang, who was now lying at his feet. “Can it be?” “What?” Harry quickly asked as he shot his head up. “I reckon it was goin' ter happen some day,” Hagrid smiled as he walked patted Harry's shoulder roughly, nearly causing him to fall out of his chair. Harry looked up into Hagrid's eyes, curious to see if he knew what he was thinking. Hagrid let out a soft laugh as he placed his hands on his knees. “Ter think…Harry and Hermione.” “What?” Harry gasped as he tried to hide his look of utter amazement. “Hermione and me…you must be joking?” “I am?” Hagrid smiled at him as he stood up and walked back over to his table. He sat down in front of his dinner and took a drink out of his large mug. He looked back at Harry with a grin on his face and Harry knew that there was no way he could convince Hagrid otherwise. “Yeah, it's Hermione and me,” Harry said softly as he averted his eyes away from Hagrid. “Wha' Harry?” Hagrid asked with a peculiar look on his face. “Yeh not ashamed, are yeh?” “Oh no!” Harry said as he stood to his feet, startling Fang. Harry started to pace around Hagrid's cabin as he tried to find the right words in his mind. “Hermione is perfect…I am really happy with her…but it's just…” “Wha'?” Hagrid asked as he turned away from his table to look at him. “It's Ron,” Harry finally let out as he stopped pacing and looked at Hagrid. He took a deep breath before continuing, with a voice of utter defeat. “Hermione and I have to keep our relationship a secret until we tell him. We think that he likes Hermione too…” “Oh…” Hagrid replied as he ran his fingers through his beard again. “I see wha'cha mean. Bes' not ter hurt him. Though yeh got ter tell him, before things ge' too hard.” “That's what I've been telling myself,” Harry responded as he looked towards the floor. “It's just…I don't know how. I don't want to lose a best friend over something like this.” “Well…I can't be sayin' nothin' `bout tha',” Hagrid said as he took another drink of his mug and swallowed. “Though, I'm sure yeh'll think of somethin'.” “Yeah, hopefully,” Harry said, his expression lightening. He looked up at Hagrid and knew that he didn't want to talk this anymore. He thought for a few seconds, before asking, “Hagrid, whatever happened to Grawp?” “Grawp,” Hagrid sighed. “I reckon he's in the fores'.” “You reckon?” Harry's mouth dropped. “What do you mean?” “Grawp ran away over the summer,” Hagrid said with a truly depressed voice. “I tried ter find `im…but… I couldn'. Hope the tike's okay.” “I'm sure he's doing all right,” Harry said as he gave Hagrid a comforting smile. Despite Hagrid's sadness, Harry was somewhat relieved to hear that the Hagrid's violent half-brother was no longer near the castle. He didn't want Hagrid to be upset, so he knew that he needed to change the subject. “What are you going to be teaching us in Care of Magical Creatures class?” “Tha' be a surprise,” Hagrid replied, his eyes starting to twinkle. “I can tell yeh this though…remember the firs' time I taught tha' class and had a bunch of creatures tha' some say were ter be too dangerous…” Harry nodded at him, a confused and anticipated look on his face. Hagrid smiled at him before continuing, “Well…jus' say some of them will be comin' back.” Harry smiled at Hagrid, remembering their first day of Care of Magical Creatures class during his third year at Hogwarts. Hagrid was announced to be the new professor during the opening feast, and for their first lesson, they studied hippogriffs. Harry recalled staring into the eyes of Buckbeak, when volunteered himself to be first student to approach the massive creature. He was then startled to find that the clock in Hagrid's cabin read quarter-to-nine. Hagrid noticed the time and stood from his chair. “Yeh better be going before it ge's late. Don't wan' yeh to ge' inter trouble. Thanks for comin' by and visitin' me.” “Think nothing of it Hagrid,” Harry smiled as Hagrid opened the door for Harry. Harry walked out and turned to look at Hagrid before he closed the door. “Thanks for everything. You're the first person I was able to tell about Ron.” “Don't yeh worry yehself `bout it,” Hagrid replied as he grinned at Harry. Harry was about to open his mouth again, but Hagrid spoke first before he had a chance to respond. “Bu' don't tell anyone. I won't, yeh have my word.” “Thanks Hagrid,” Harry replied. Hagrid gave him a comforting nod before closing his door. Harry wrapped his robes around him tightly when he felt a cold gust of wind blow by him. He quickly dashed across the grounds and started to ascend the stairs, two at a time. He made sure to avoid the attention of Filch and the prefects, especially Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, knowing they would take any reason to give Harry detention for however long they could possibly stretch his sentence to. Harry quickly peaked around the corner, and saw that there was no one in sight. He took a deep breath and quickly made his way down to the corridor when he heard a woman clear throat behind him. He stopped dead in his tracks and let out a sigh, before he turned. “What are you doing out so late at night?” Professor McGonagall asked, with her arms crossed. “You should be in the Gryffindor common room.” “Well…” Harry began trying to think of a good reason to be out so late. He quickly ran several possibilities through his head, like he needed something in the library. Though he soon realized that was in the wrong wing to be returning to the common room from Library. Harry looked up into McGonagall's stern eyes and decided to bend the truth. “I went to see Hagrid. I wasn't able to say hi to him because I was late yesterday.” “I see,” McGonagall replied as she looked out the window towards Hagrid's cabin. “You should know better than to be running across the grounds when there is a mad woman on the loose. Be sure that I never catch you again.” Harry nodded to her, realizing that she was implying that if he had to leave the castle that he should at least use is Invisibility Cloak. McGonagall nodded to him before she turned and began to walk away. Harry's mind suddenly landed on Quidditch. “Professor McGonagall, can I play Quidditch again? “I don't see why you can't,” McGonagall responded as she turned to look at him. She then raised an eyebrow before continuing, “We need all the players we can get.” “Yeah,” Harry said as he nodded. “I've heard that we need Chasers.” “Definitely…maybe you should try and talk to that William Weinstein.” Harry's expression fell to one that showed complete disgust. McGonagall didn't bother to comment on Harry's expression but continued, “I know he's obnoxious, Potter, but if he claims he's an excellent chaser, we need to at least take a look.” “Yes Professor,” Harry replied, sounding like child who was just forced to do something they hated to do. “All right, Potter. Get back to the common room.” Harry nodded and made his way quickly to the Fat Lady's portrait. He noticed that no one else was around; he whispered the password and walked into the room. He was greeted by a few of his Gryffindor friends that he hadn't greeted since his return to Hogwarts and saw Ron, Hermione, and Nancy still in front of the fire with their books. He quietly sneaked towards the armchair that Hermione was sitting in. Ron noticed him, but didn't say anything when Harry put his finger over his mouth. Ron smiled at him and continued to look over his book, his eyes turning over to Harry every few seconds. Harry stood directly behind Hermione's chair, and quietly looked over it to see her reading over chapter four of her Charms textbook. He quickly moved his hands over her eyes, which in turn, made her jump in her seat. Ron and Nancy couldn't help but laugh at Hermione's reaction. Hermione, completely flushed, turned in her armchair to see Harry's grinning face. “Oh you'll pay for that,” She smiled as she grabbed the pillow that she was resting her head upon and swung it at him, catching him in the side of the head. Harry fell over with a look of utter surprise, causing Nancy and Ron to laugh even more. * ~ * ~ * ~ * The afternoon that Harry, Hermione, and Ron were waiting patiently for had finally arrived. After lunch, Nancy and three went their separate ways to their respective classes. The three entered a room that was all too familiar to them, but always had a new face leading them through their studies. The three took their seats in their Defense against the Dark Arts class and waited patiently for their new professor to arrive. “Oh great, it's Potty, the Mudblood, and the Weasel King,” they heard behind them. They turned to find Draco Malfoy several rows behind them, with his usual smirk on his face. Crabbe and Goyle sat next to him and gave them their most menacing glares, as Pansy Parkinson laughed at Draco's comment. “How's your father doing?” Harry asked with a grin. His comment had silenced all the Slytherins and even caused Hermione and Ron to turn towards him with their eyes wide. Draco's face went white as he stared into Harry's eyes. Harry knew he had struck a nerve and silencing Malfoy was something that he was looking forward to do since their unfortunate meeting in Flourish & Blotts bookstore. Harry turned to face the front of the room as Hermione and Ron did the same. The two looked at Harry oddly, never expecting him to say such a thing to Malfoy. Harry kept a blank expression on his face, but he was both smiling and frowning on the inside. Smiling because he had finally said something to get a rise out of Malfoy, but sad in the fact that, no matter how horrible a person may be, no son should be without a father. Malfoy rose from his seat and retracted his wand ready to hurl at spell towards Harry's back. “I would not do that, Mr. Malfoy!” a voice roared from behind them. Everyone in class turned to find Malfoy standing with his wand in his hand. Harry gave him a searing glare before turning is attention to the man who yelled at Malfoy. The man had long brown hair that was tied together by a black sash, thick dark eyebrows, and was dressed in brick red robes. Malfoy took his seat with a look of complete disgust on his face as the man walked to the front of the classroom. He carried a stack of parchments under his arm and tossed them onto the table, causing them to land in a very disorganized pile. He turned and faced the class, a blank expression on his face. “My name is Professor Spencer,” he said in a dry voice. “I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.” He paced back and forth along the front of the room, examining the young teenagers in their seats, the students unaware of what to expect from him. He stopped again before proceeding, “The documents you saw me discard on the table were end of the year evaluations made by your previous professors as well as various essays that you've written for this class throughout the course of your stay at Hogwarts. “I can safely determine that you are all keen on various aspects of Defense. I've read that Professor Lupin have taught you how to defend yourself against several dark creatures and Professor Moody…or whoever he was, has taught you the basics of the three Unforgivable curses. Though I can't say much in terms of Professor Lockhart and Professor Umbridge…looks like it was a waste of two years of your lives.” Again, Spencer began to pace in front of the class, moving over towards the table and glancing over at a piece of parchment before continuing. “Though I am glad to see that at least two of you managed to achieve an “O” in your Defense against the Dark Arts O.W.L. and ironically enough both were a part of organization that wasn't approved of by your previous headmistress.” Spencer looked up from the parchment and his eyes settled on Hermione and Harry as students started to whisper. The two looked at each other from the corners of their eyes before returning their attention to Professor Spencer. “As some of you have noticed, you all will have another double session of Defense Against the Dark Arts on Friday.” “Yes,” Malfoy interrupted as he gave Professor Spencer a condescending look. “What's the meaning of that? Some goof up?” “No Mr. Malfoy,” Spencer replied with a harsh voice, not appreciating the attitude and disrespect that Malfoy had just shown him. “Please refrain from asking incredibly stupid questions.” The class filled with a muffled giggle, which made Malfoy slump into his chair with an aggravated look. Professor Spencer gave the class another blank expression, which made everyone quiet down. “Now…if there are no more stupid questions…the reason you have another double session of Defense Against the Dark Arts is because Dumbledore and I feel that you all need extra lessons to prepare you for the world that is out there. “I am not insinuating that all of you will want to become Aurors or that you would even want to confront dark wizards or witches, but these are the basics that you must learn if you wish to survive if you ever encounter such a person. With the rise of the Dark Lord, many people within the Ministry feel that dark times will be coming soon, and it be best that you are all prepared to face it.” Professor Spencer stopped to allow this information to be absorbed by the students who had turned pale. Harry noticed Ron shaking in his chair and he couldn't help but shudder as well, waves of electricity running up and down his spine when he thought about Lord Voldemort. He noticed Hermione looking at him with a worried expression as she took his hand underneath the table. Harry gave her a soft squeeze as the two turned their attention back to Professor Spencer. “Now the purposes for your second Defense Against the Dark Arts class is to give you actual practicing time to master the spells that I will be teaching you on today. We will start off with simple spells, which may seem incredibly boring for a lot of you that do know what you're are doing, but they must be mastered before we may proceed. After we finish our review, I will spend the majority of our time left together teaching you every spell that I possibly can. You must first learn the basics before you're truly prepared to duel any wizard. Though until we begin again after the Christmas Holidays, you will only need to stay for the first hour of your practical Defense class. Those who wish to stay after for further lessons or tutoring are welcome to stay.” Professor Spencer moved over to the table and pushed several parchments away, clearing a spot near the edge. He sat on the desk and crossed his arms and legs. “The one good thing that Gilderoy Lockhart did do during his short stay in Hogwarts was the creation of a Dueling Club. I, though, was saddened to hear that no other professor after him decided to continue it. Therefore after talking with Professor Dumbledore, he has allowed me to reestablish it.” This statement caused everybody to lean forward in their seats; some had faces full of dread, some full of joy, and others just plain surprised. “The Dueling Club will commence after the Christmas Holiday. In order to pass my class each of you will have to participate in the duels that I assign you. The Dueling Club will also be opened to seventh year students, but don't worry, only the best of you will have to face them…though just because a person is a year older, doesn't mean that they will be anymore talented than you all are. Don't forget, they had the same professors as you during the previous years, so your loss was also theirs. “The Dueling Club will be held during the second session of Thursday's Defense class. Now…each of you will participate in seven duels, and you will be given a rating depending on how you do and the complexity of the spells that you use. Of course, there will be limitations of what spells can be used…we don't want any accidents. I will explain the rules further once we recommence after our Christmas Holiday. Just know this, that if you wish you to pass my class, you must participate in all ten duels…whether you win or lose, you must participate in all seven.” Spencer hopped off his desk and walked over to the blackboard. He picked up a piece of chalk and scribbled “The Invisible Wall” onto it. Everyone opened their notebooks and started to copy the name down. Spencer turned to face the class again and examined the students. “I need a volunteer.” No one raised their hands. Spencer looked around and found that the majority of the students were frightened and completely intimidated by his request. His eyes settled on Harry's. He smiled at him when he noticed that Harry's eyes weren't filled with fear. He then looked over at Hermione, who was somewhat startled by his smirk. “All right then, I'll just pick someone. Ms. Granger…” “Me, sir?” Hermione squeaked as she placed her hand on her chest. Harry and Ron's eyes went wide and they could hear a few of the Slytherins behind them snickering. “Yes,” Professor Spencer said with a nod. “Could you please take notes for Mr. Potter? Mr. Potter you will be my volunteer for now.” “Uh…sure,” Hermione answered as she looked over at Harry. Harry took a deep breath as he got out of his seat and walked towards the front of the room, feeling everybody's eyes on him. He walked to Professor Spencer and stood as straight as he could, Spencer towering over him by at least a foot. “Don't worry Mr. Potter, no harm will come to you. Please stay up here until I ask you to return to your seat,” Spencer smiled as he turned his attention back to the class. “Your first lesson will be on the Invisible Wall. Who can tell me what that is?” Hermione raised her hand with her usual expression on anticipation on her face. Harry couldn't help but grin when he looked at her. Professor Spencer looked at her and gave her a smile. “Yes, Ms. Granger?” “It's a basic defensive spell that forms an invisible barrier when summoned. It can block most elementary spells and can also weaken a spell if one manages to break through the barrier,” Hermione stated in a clear voice almost if she were reciting it out of her textbook. “Excellent textbook definition, ten points to Gryffindor,” Spencer replied as he turned towards the chalkboard and scribbled out a simplified version of Hermione's answer. “Now, this spell should of been the first spell that you should of learned during your second year, but from what I read about Professor Lockhart and his…limited knowledge of the subject…I find it somewhat tragic that none of you have been taught how to summon it, especially it now being your sixth year.” Spencer walked over to the opposite side of the room, and pulled out his wand, signaling Harry to do the same. He looked at Harry as he assumed a dueling stance, his wand out and his other hand behind his back. Harry lowered himself into his stance, with his wand out and his other arm above his head, as if he were a fencer. Spencer smiled as he turned to face the class. “Now, the Invisible Wall is known for absorbing attacks, but if the attack is too strong, it will in turn break through it. I will demonstrate. Mr. Potter, please fire any spell you would like at me.” Harry stood there dumbstruck at the idea. He had never once been ordered to attack a teacher before, but Professor Spencer smiled and gave him a reassured nod. Harry took a deep breath as he raised his wand and yelled, “*Expelliamus!*” Sparks left Harry's wand flying directly at Spencer. Spencer waited a split second before he moved his wand up down as if pulling a blanket over his head, and to everyone's amazement, Harry's spell hit an invisible barrier and vanished. Spencer turned and looked back at the class, allowing Harry to release his breath and stand straight again. “Now, the Invisible Wall isn't a very hard spell to perform,” Spencer announced as he started to walk towards the front tables, his voice loud and clear. “Actually, it can be sometimes thought of as a secondary reflex when you're attacked. No incantation is needed to summon the wall and there isn't any form of specific wand motions. Just thrust your wand out as if you are cutting through something and imagine a shield protecting you. If your mind is clear and you're visualizing that wall, nine out of ten times it should work. “Now summoning it is simple, but the barrier only stays for a split second and is strongest right when it's summoned. If you summon it too soon, the wall may not hold the attacking spell, and if you wait too long…well don't wait too long.” Spencer paced back to the chalkboard, scribbling down the explanation he had just announced. Harry looked over at Hermione and Ron and saw that they were scribbling away with their heads looking up every now and then. Hermione noticed Harry's stare and she gave him a quick smile before she continued writing. Spencer then added another name onto the board “Reflective Wall.” “Now this spell,” Spencer announced as he walked back towards the front tables, “is the older and tougher brother of the Invisible Wall. While the Invisible Wall absorbs the attack, the Reflective Wall launches the attack back upon the user. Though with enough training and practice, you will be able to redirect the attack in any direction that you please.” Spencer returned back into his dueling stance as Harry did the same. Spencer turned his head to face the class. “The Reflective Wall is summoned the same way as the Invisible wall for the exception that must say the incantation *Protego*. Now, just as the Invisible Wall, you must concentrate on the formation of the wall, but with this spell you must also envision where you wish the attacking spell to be reflected.” Spencer went back to his stance and nodded at Harry. Harry took another deep breath before and raised his wand. “*Expelliarmus!*” The sparks flew towards Spencer and again he waited split second before he raised he scratched the air again yelling, “*Protego!*” The sparks hit the wall and instantly left the shield heading directly in Harry's direction. Hermione and Ron's eyes went wide as they saw the sparks fly towards him. Harry immediately jumped back a step as he too swung his wand, as if he were trying to swat at the spell. However to everyone's surprise, the sparks hit another invisible barrier and disappeared. Spencer couldn't help but grin at Harry, who recovered to his dueling stance, breathing deeply. “Good job, Mr. Potter,” Spencer said as he gave him a small bow. “You are a fast learner. I wanted to see how your reflexes were and I am quite impressed. Ten points to Gryffindor and Mr. Potter, you may take you seat.” Harry sighed in relief as he started to make his way towards his chair; several students sitting near the edge of the rows gave him big smiles and patted his shoulder. Harry took his seat and gave Ron and Hermione a big smile. Ron returned his grin with an even bigger one as he gave him a thumbs up. Hermione, too, gave him a bright smile and affectionately squeezed his hand underneath the table. The class recommenced, Spencer discussing a few of the basic spells that they were all familiar with. He had asked for several other volunteers, and a few people were reluctantly picked. Aside from a few whining expressions from the volunteers, the class went by very smoothly with no one getting injured. When the class had ended, everyone began to place their books in their bags and proceeded to leave the class. When Harry and Ron had finished packing their bags, Hermione told them to wait and not leave. “What is it, Hermione?” Ron asked as he placed his book bag onto his desk. “Professor Spencer may know something about the Flamora weapons,” she replied as she looked up at him and then towards Harry. “We should ask him. He may have some answers.” “Right,” Harry nodded as he also placed his bag on his desk. The three walked towards the front, where they found Spencer organizing the papers that he had thrown onto the desk in the beginning of class. He noticed them standing behind him and he turned and gave them an inquisitive look. “What can I do for you three?” he asked as he placed the stack of papers in the center of the desk. “We were wondering if we could ask you something about a certain weapon?” Hermione said softly as she looked up at him. “What weapon?” Spencer replied as he crossed his arms. “The Flamora weapons…” Harry stated quickly. “Ah…” Spencer replied as leaned against his desk. “Trying to find out more about the weapon that mad woman is trying to attack you with?” “Yeah,” Harry answered timidly. “Could you tell us anything about them?” Hermione asked, her hands together in front of her. “The Flamora weapons are a form of dark magic. They were created during the ancient times when power was what ruled the world. Not many wizards and witches were able to master the art. Legend has it that the flames of the Flamora weapons are incredibly intense and if cut by such a weapon, the burn would never heal. When two wizards engaged in combat using them, the victory doesn't necessary belong to the victor of the fight, but to the warrior that survives from the wounds…though not many of them survived.” Spencer placed his arms on the desk and looked towards the ceiling before continuing. “They are truly barbaric weapons…which makes them the ideal weapon for times such as these. Aside from disarming the wielder or combating a Flamora with another one, there aren't many ways for a person could survive such a fight.” “You don't suppose You-Know-Who knows how to use them?” Ron asked, his voice shaky. “I doubt it,” Harry replied as he looked at Ron. “If he knew how to use them, I'm sure he would of used them on me by now.” “What are you two talking about?” Spencer asked as he looked from Harry to Ron. “We believe that the woman is in league with the Dark Lord,” Hermione responded. “That is a very real possibility,” Spencer muttered as he rubbed his chin. “Though a solid connection between the woman and the Dark Lord has not yet been proven, so that possibility may only remain as an assumption.” “I don't even want to imagine You-Know-You with a Flamora sword,” Ron said weakly. “It's bad enough that he sends Death Eaters after us, but Flamora weapon…blimey.” “How would that woman learn how to use such a weapon?” Hermione asked, ignoring Ron's rambling. “I can't answer that question. I'm afraid that no one knows that answer aside from those who already know how to use them,” Spencer sighed. “Maybe she found some sort of document that taught her how to summon it. It's either that or it was something that she was born with.” “Born with?” Harry muttered. “Yes, I once read in an old book that stated that there were children that were born with the ability. It had something to do with their parents being cut by a Flamora weapon before…” Spencer said as he started to pace in front of his desk, scratching his head. “Oh…I remember. The book stated that when a parent was cut by a Flamora weapon, the burn he or she suffers from would somehow transfer into their children giving them the ability to wield it themselves, whether or not the parents themselves knew how to use the weapons.” “So you're saying,” Hermione started as she watched the pacing Spencer, “that the ability to use the Flamora weapon could of been something that was passed down through her family?” “It's a possibility. But I can't say for certain. Those weapons haven't been used for many centuries now,” Spencer responded before looking at the clock. “Well, sorry, I need to go to my office. If you have anymore questions, feel from to ask me on Friday after our lesson.” The three walked back to their desks and picked up their bags, leaving Spencer behind to resort his papers. The three walked out of the room and stopped by a set of stairs. Harry felt a bit uneasy about the information that Spencer had given them. “So you think what he said about the ability being passed through blood is true?” Ron asked as he looked at Harry, unsure of what he was thinking. “No it can't,” Harry replied as he looked up at Ron. “If that were true…and if Keung is Cho's brother…then wouldn't it seem that Cho should have the same ability?” “Maybe the Keung who saved you isn't the same Keung that's related to Cho,” Hermione suggested, knowing full well that suggestion couldn't be right. The pieces of the story they received from Harry and Cornelius Fudge fits together too well. “Yeah, could be a complete coincidence,” Ron said with a nod. “Could just be one big mistake.” “I doubt that it's a coincidence,” Harry replied as he looked at the three. “We're missing something…and we need to find it before it's too late.” --> 6. The New Quidditch Captain ---------------------------- **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 Six: The New Quidditch Captain** It was the morning of September 19th, a very special day for Harry for two significant reasons. The first reason was that this evening was the Quidditch tryouts and first practice for the Gryffindor team, and the second reason being that it was also Hermione Granger's birthday. Harry rose from his bed and stretched his arms and back as he reached over to his night table and picked up his glasses. He looked at the clock and noticed that it read fifteen minutes to eight o'clock. Harry got out of bed and looked around the room to only find Neville sleeping in his bed. He rummaged through his trunk and dug out some clothes. He opened the drawer of his night table and took out a small brown envelope. He carefully placed it into his pants pocket and quickly he made his way to the Gryffindor bathrooms to get ready for the day. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry made his way to the common room to find a large number of Gryffindors laughing and smiling. He made his way to the center of the crowd to find Hermione blushing at everyone. Nancy and Ron were already by her side, with their arms around her, all three with bright smiles on their faces. A chorus of “Happy Birthday” soon rose from the crowd as Hermione noticed Harry. She gave him a sparkling grin as she released Ron and Nancy to give him a big hug. “Happy Birthday,” he smiled at her as he tightened the embrace. He then whispered, “I'll give you present later, when there are not so many people around.” The two broke their hug and continued to smile at each other, Hermione winking at Harry. After several minutes of further cheering and singing, everyone left the common room and made their way down to the Great Hall, where they found the remainder of the Gryffindor students eating at their table. Harry and Hermione took their seats as Nancy and Ron took seats opposite to them. The three continued to talk about their classes, with Ron grumbling about how he hasn't had enough time to finish his essay for Harry and his Muggle Studies Class with all of Hermione and his prefect duties. “Oh they aren't that bad,” Hermione said as she sipped some of her pumpkin juice. “All we have to do is patrol the halls.” “Yeah but that takes time,” Ron replied, his cheeks filled with his breakfast. “How do you expect me to keep up with my classes if we're forced to walk around the corridors all night?” “I swear, Ron,” Hermione's voice growing aggravated. “If it's not one thing with you, it's definitely another.” “What?” Ron responded after swallowing a big gulp of pumpkin juice. “I'm actually trying to be a good student!” “Aren't you going to say anything?” Nancy asked Harry, who didn't seem to mind or notice the fact that they were fighting. Harry looked at her as he took a bite out of his toast. He gently shook his head before stating, “These two are always like this. I'm surprised that they lasted so long without getting into an argument.” “Is this healthy?” Nancy asked with a loud voice, trying to ignore the commotion coming from Ron and Hermione. “I don't really think it is,” Harry replied as he took a drink of his pumpkin juice. “Though…I guess if they take out their frustrations on each other, they won't take it out on me.” Ron and Hermione's bickering was soon stopped when they saw William Weinstein walking up towards them. Hermione looked over at Harry, whose eyes were fixed on William with an icy glare. To their dismay, William stopped by Hermione and got down on his knees. “Dear Hermione,” William smiled at her. “Why didn't you tell me that it was your birthday?” “Hey, do you mind?” Ron interrupted with a growl. “She and I were in the middle of something.” “Hold your tongue,” William retorted as he shot a glare at Ron. “Hey, that isn't necessary,” Nancy responded in Ron's defense as she rose from the bench. William stood up as well causing everyone around the Great Hall to turn towards them. Harry looked from Nancy to William, uncertain if he should say something. “I have no quarrel with you,” William snapped as he looked at Nancy, his face covered with aggravation. “All I wanted to do is talk to Hermione.” Hermione groaned to herself as she picked up her bag and swung over her shoulder, nearly hitting William's legs. She rose from the bench and before anyone could say another word, she stormed out of the Great Hall. William was dumbfounded by Hermione's actions and turned to face Nancy. “Look what you did, you self righteous witch!” William roared as he looked at Nancy, his hands in the air. “Don't speak to her like that!” Ron shouted as he stood from the bench, turning his aggravation towards William. Harry let out a soft sigh and quietly got up and picked up his bag. He was glad that no one had noticed him and he quickly hurried out the Great Hall after Hermione, leaving Nancy, Ron, and William to yell at each other. Harry walked out of the main doors and found Hermione pacing back and forth, grumbling to herself, occasionally stomping hard on the ground. He walked over to her, placed his book bag on the ground next to hers, and watched her continue to pace as placed his hands into his pockets. Hermione had noticed Harry's presence, but decided not to say anything for the fears of blurting something offensive towards him. “Would it be wrong for me to say that you look cute when you're angry?” Harry asked with a small smile on his face. Hermione shot him a glare, causing a cold shiver up his spine. “Well…then pretend I didn't say it.” “Why does Ron have to be so stubborn?” Hermione finally growled as she stopped and looked at Harry. “I mean, can't he just let go of his pride for once?” “You know that it's Ron,” Harry said softly as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “Ron doesn't know how to handle his frustrations, so he complains about them. I don't think there is anyway to stop him.” “But…” Hermione tried to object, but was silenced when Harry placed a finger on her soft lips. “Don't think about it too much,” Harry continued as he smiled at her. “You're only going to work yourself up. And if my memory serves me correctly, today is your birthday. Please, calm down.” Harry moved his finger away from her lips and placed his hand into his pocket. Hermione couldn't help but smile at how mature Harry was acting, and he, in turn, gave her his lopsided grin. Harry pulled out the small envelope from his pocket and opened it. He let the contents fall into the palm of his hand, and Hermione's eyes grew wide when she looked at it. A necklace had fallen into his hand. It was of a light blue crystal shaped into a small rose held by a thin silver chain. Hermione looked into his eyes, her mouth open and a look of surprise and awe covered her face. “Where did you get it?” Hermione smiled at him, as he placed it delicately into her hands. “Oh, I saw it on our way to the Apothecary when we were in Diagon Alley,” Harry replied with a grin in his face, completely delighted to see that Hermione liked the gift. “When you guys were done shopping for your potions ingredients, I quickly ran back and bought it. I thought that you would like it.” “Like it…I love it,” Hermione giggled as she looked into his eyes. “Help me put it on.” Harry took the necklace and moved his hands around her neck to clasp it, she holding up her hair for him. She looked down on it and gave him a delighted smile. “Well it doesn't match with what I'm wearing, but it's beautiful.” “It's a reflection of its wearer,” Harry replied softly, turning bright red. “Oh, so you're saying that I don't match?” Hermione asked, a frown forming on her face. Harry's face sank and he tried to explain what he meant, but didn't get a chance to when she smiled back up at him and gave him a hug, wrapping her arms around his neck. Harry smiled back and wrapped his arms around her waist. “What do we have here?” Hermione and Harry heard from behind them. It was Parvati Patil with a giggling Lavender Brown. “Oh, it's nothing,” Harry replied as he and Hermione released each other. Parvati's gaze soon fell upon Hermione's necklace, her mouth dropping. “Wow…who gave you this?” Parvati asked as she walked over to them and examined it. Lavender's attention too fell upon the necklace as she gazed at it with admiration. “Oh…” Hermione started as she looked at Harry. Harry shook his head slightly and Hermione quickly replied, “My parents did…for my birthday. I just wanted to try it on and Harry was helping me out.” “Right,” Lavender giggled as she looked at Harry. “Just helping you put it on, you say?” “Yeah,” Harry responded to her sarcastic remark. “That's all.” “I saw this in Diagon Alley,” Parvati said as she looked at Hermione. “It cost almost twenty galleons, I think.” Hermione's eyes grew wide as she looked from Parvarti to Harry, who gave her a shaky smile. Hermione cleared her throat before saying, “I never knew it cost that much…I couldn't possibly accept it.” Harry's expression fell to one of complete shock as he interrupted, “But you're parents bought it for you. They must really want you to have it.” “Yeah, but twenty galleons,” she continued. “That's too much.” “Nothing could possibly be too much for their only daughter.” “Well, we're going to head over to Herbology,” Pavarti said with a curious expression on her face. “We'll see you two there later.” Harry and Hermione waved at them as they walked away. When they were no longer in sight Hermione turned to Harry with her hand on the necklace. “Twenty galleons? That's too much, Harry!” “Please, Hermione,” Harry responded as he ran his hand through his untamed hair. “I really want you to have it. The cost doesn't matter to me. If you don't accept it, you'll really hurt my feelings.” “Harry…” Hermione groaned softly as she looked into his pleading eyes. She took a deep breath and gave him a quick hug. “Thank you for the present. I love it.” * ~ * ~ * ~ * The day continued rather smoothly. Ron and Hermione hadn't bickered at all day due to the fact that they refused to talk to each other. Harry tried to ease the mood on several occasions by talking to the two, but they would respond to him but not the other. Harry finally gave up after their Care of Magical Creatures class, where Hagrid taught them about Scorpides; a creature that resembled an overgrown scorpion with two tails rather than one. After class, Hermione made her way back to the Gryffindor common room as Ron and Harry headed towards their Muggle Studies class. The time passed by slowly for Harry as he listened to his professor explain how a television worked and what it's function was in Muggle society. Ron was completely intrigued by everything he was hearing, but Harry had to bite his lip in order to keep himself from falling asleep. When class was finally over, Harry and Ron packed up their things and walked towards the Great Hall for dinner. The two were giddy with anticipation for their first Quidditch practice. As they walked into the Great Hall, Harry noticed Hermione chatting with Nancy, and Harry quickly pulled Ron to a halt. “What is it, Harry?” Ron asked as he turned to look at him. “You and Hermione need to start talking to each other,” Harry replied with a stern look. “Your silence is driving me mad, and it isn't making Nancy feel any more comfortable either.” “Well, she started it,” Ron said with a stubborn tone, his arms crossed. “Please Ron,” Harry pleaded. “It's her birthday.” “Oh…all right Harry,” Ron responded as the two walked over towards the Gryffindor table and took their seats opposite of Hermione and Nancy's. The two had been talking about Hermione's necklace when they noticed the boys sit down. Ron and Harry gave them a smile as food magically appeared on their plates. “Hermione…so...sor…,” Ron stuttered with his words, causing Hermione and Nancy to look at him with confused expressions. Harry looked over at him and quickly, but softly elbowed him in the ribs. “Sorry about early.” Hermione's eyes grew wide at what she had just heard. Never before had she ever heard Ron apologize for fighting with her. She looked at Harry, who was in the process of devouring a chicken wing. She smiled back at Ron before answering, “Oh, it's quite all right. It was my fault too.” “Now, was that so hard to do?” Nancy asked as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice, completely relieved that Ron and Hermione were once again on speaking terms. Dinner passed by quickly as the four talked about their classes and how glad that the weekend had finally arrived. Nancy and Hermione giggled at Harry when they saw his expression change to that of utter boredom when Ron explained what Harry and he studied in Muggle Studies that day. Harry carelessly twirled his mashed potatoes with his fork before he changed the subject to their first Quidditch practice. After dinner, Nancy and Hermione walked back to the common room to finish their homework, both wanting to give themselves an easier workload for the weekend. Harry and Ron continued ahead and walked towards the Gryffindor Quidditch locker room to get ready for their first practice. Harry looked over to the Quidditch pitch and was taken aback on how good it looked. His heart grew at anticipation as he and Ron entered the locker room. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Ron and Harry walked onto the Quidditch pitch in their red and gold uniforms, the Firebolt in Harry's hand and the Clean Sweep in Ron's. They soon noticed that there were only a few people standing there. They found Dean standing next to Ginny, who was also dressed in her uniform, Andrew Kirke and Jack Slopper, their uncoordinated beaters playing around with their bats, and three other Gryffindors waiting patiently with their brooms. To Harry and Ron's surprise, one of the three happened to be Seamus Finnigan. “Hey Seamus,” Harry smiled as he walked over towards him. “I didn't know you were going to try out?” “I wasn't planning on it,” he replied as he held his broom tightly in his hands. “Dean dragged me over here, telling me that he didn't want to be the only person out here who didn't know what he was doing.” “That was nice of him,” Ron responded as he looked over at Dean and Ginny, his eyes narrowing on Dean. Dean mistook Ron's gaze as a friendly one and waved at them. “He's treating my sister right…isn't he?” “I guess he is,” Seamus answered with an unsure tone. “They haven't fought or anything.” Ginny and Dean made their way over and stopped by the three to form a small circle. Ginny looked over towards Harry and said, “Well…shouldn't we begin the tryouts?” “Yeah I guess,” Harry replied with a nod. “How will we decide who gets on?” Ron asked looking over to his younger sister. “Well, I say that the people who played last year should be the judges,” Ginny responded sounding that she has rehearsed this before their conversation. “So we'll just have them do several drills, like throwing and dodging practice, and we'll keep the people we feel are the best.” “You've got it all figured out,” Harry smiled at her before he looked over at the two newcomers standing there with clueless looks on their faces. “You'd make a good Quidditch captain.” Ginny couldn't help but giggle at the idea. “Me…don't me stupid. I'm good at giving out orders but I'm not a team leader…actually I was wondering if you would like the job.” “Me…” Harry replied, taken aback by Ginny's suggestion. “I don't know if I'm the right person for that job.” “Well in that case, I am,” a professional, yet irritating voice said behind them. They all turned to find William Weinstein walking over towards them, obviously eavesdropping on their conversation. “I was the Quidditch captain of my old team and we were undefeated.” “That's great and all,” Ginny replied, trying her best to refrain for commenting on his boastfulness. “The players will decide who their captain is, and that can only happen after we form a full team.” “Well, I'm an outstanding Chaser,” he grinned as he held his broom out to everyone to see. “My Nimbus two-thousand-and-one and I scored over fifty goals last year. I even once got two hundred and two points for my team during one game.” Harry didn't enjoy listening to William brag about his record, but something in his stomach sank when he realized how valuable he would be to the Gryffindor team if they were planning on making another run for the Quidditch Cup this year. Harry took a step forward and spoke before Ginny had a change to say something insulting. “Let's start the tryouts.” The six nodded as they walked over to the other students. Harry thought for a second before explaining that they were going to go through a set of drills to see how everybody would perform and upon the completion of the drills, the decision of who stays and who goes will be made. Ginny noticed Harry's ability to talk to the newcomers almost immediately and she grinned at him knowing that her statement about making Harry captain had some sort of backing. Ron was relieved when he discovered that none of the newcomers wanted the job of Keeper, meaning that he would be able to keep his position. However, it also appeared that all the newcomers wanted the position of Chasers, which to Harry and Ginny's dismay meant that they would not be able to find replacements for Andrew or Jack. Harry took a deep breath before explaining how the Chasers tryout would move along. It was a fairly simple drill. Chasers were responsible for scoring goals, but were also responsible for stealing the quaffle away from the opposing Chasers. Ron would take his position in front of the three large hoops, and Andrew and Jack would be ready with a bludger. They would then have three students play as defensive Chasers, while three others played offense. Harry explained that each person's performance would determine whether or not they would make the team. Harry also added that he would be overlooking the progress of the drill from a higher altitude and would make comments as the drill progressed. Everybody was in agreement and Ron, Andrew, and Jack took their respective positions. Harry told them that Ginny, Dean, and Seamus would be play defense and that William and the two younger and seemingly frail newcomers would play offense. Harry got on his Firebolt and soon noticed William's envious stare. Harry decided not to comment on it and flew up into the air until he was able to get a clean view of the entire pitch. Harry signaled them to begin and carefully watched them; somewhat intrigued to know what William was capable of. William let out a war cry as he charged forward with the quaffle cradled in his arm. Harry's eyes went wide as he watched William fly elegantly through all three of the defensive Chasers, dodge both bludgers, and score a goal on a very unsuspecting Ron. There wasn't a single moment during that entire run when William looked like he wasn't in complete control of what he was doing. Harry's heart started to pound harder when he realized that with William, no other team stood a chance, but then again, it was William, one of the most aggravating people he had ever met. * ~ * ~ * ~ * The tryouts went by quickly, Harry already making up his mind who would make the team after watching them play for ten minutes. He winced every now and then when we watched something go horribly wrong below. It wasn't anything life threatening, but it still wasn't a pleasant sight either. On several occasions, William passed the quaffle to one of the newcomers, but to everybody's dismay, William had thrown the quaffle so hard that when a newcomer caught it, it would cause him to spin out of control. Harry immediately knew that the newcomers would not be suited to play for the team. They both had slow reflexes and were not capable of flying and holding the quaffle at the same time. Harry though was completely impressed with how well Dean and Ginny did. Ginny had excellent technique and was able to maneuver very well. Plus, due to her small size, she was able to fly through several sticky situations untouched. She had a strong arm and a very wide shooting range, able to beat out her older brother with two out of her three shots. Ginny possessed the tenacity to be a Chasers and Harry grinned to see that she definitely had to skills to pull it off. Dean possessed absolutely no flying ability, not being able to move much once he was off the ground, however his arm was incredible. He threw the quaffle so hard that it almost wasn't visible as it traveled towards Ron. Ron was able to block the majority of his shots, but obviously paid the price by grimacing about how much it hurt afterwards. Harry knew that with a proper strategy and good old fashion flight training, Dean would also be another invaluable person to their team. Harry called the tryouts to a halt and everyone lowered themselves to the ground. Harry commented on how impressed he was with everyone's performance and that they were all outstanding players. Harry knew he was lying about Seamus and the two newcomers. Seamus possessed the potential to become a strong player, but was nothing compared to Ginny, Dean, and William. However, before he could say anymore, the two newcomers exclaimed that they didn't like playing Quidditch and would rather support the team in the stands than over the pitch. Harry thanked them for coming out and the two solemnly walked back towards the castle. “Well,” Ron sighed as he looked back at the others. “Now what?” “What did you think, Harry?” Ginny asked as she looked at him, she trying to recover her breath. “Who do you think should be on the team?” “Well…” Harry replied as he looked at the rest of them. “Just spit it out, Harry,” Ginny insisted, obviously growing impatient with Harry's silence. “We trust your judgment.” “Well…” Harry started again as he took a deep breath. “Ron will stay as Keeper…Andrew and Jack will stay as our Beaters…William, Ginny…and Dean should be our Chasers.” Harry watched Seamus lower his head as he started to turn away from the group. Harry quickly stated, “Seamus, you don't have to go?” “But, I'm not on the team,” Seamus replied as he looked back at Harry, a truly depressed look on his face. “You don't have a position on our team now, but you can be our reserved players,” Harry continued, watching Seamus' eyes light up. “I mean, if someone gets too hurt to play a game, we'll need someone to take their spot.” “Really, you mean it?” Seamus smiled at him. William gave Harry a peculiar look as Harry nodded, wondering why he would want such an untalented person to stay on the team. “That'll be awesome,” Dean smiled as he and Seamus slapped their hands in the air. “Now that leaves us with one thing…” Ginny started as she looked back at Harry. “We need to decide who will be our new captain.” “I volunteer my services,” William announced as he raised his arm into the air. “No offense William,” Ginny retorted as she looked at him. “You may be an outstanding Chasers, but you're not much of a team player.” “What?” William replied with a look of utter shock. “I am too a team player. What I do benefits our team! The more points I put up the better for our team!” “Yes, but we need a person who puts their team ahead of their own ego,” Ginny spoke in a clear voice so everybody could hear exactly what she said. “Not all Americans are like this, right?” Dean whispered to Ron as they watch Ginny and William argue. “Oh no,” Ron replied quietly. “Most of them are really pleasant. I can't explain this one.” Ron sighed as he glared at William. “Now listen here girl!” William roared as he took a step forward. This action caused Ron and Dean end their conversation and the two also took a step forward, ready to defend of Ginny. Harry noticed that the situation was getting too tense for comfort and immediately stepped forward. “Stop this!” he shouted causing everyone to turn and look at him. He lowered his voice, but his tone stayed firm. “If we're going to fight over something as stupid as naming someone captain, we're not going to last as a team once we play a real game. Everyone, please calm down now before we all start saying things that we would much rather keep to ourselves.” Ginny and Ron were completely taken aback by how Harry had handled the situation and both raised their hands to point at him. As if on cue, they both smiled and announced, “Harry! You be the captain!” “What? I never…” Harry replied, his voice pleading. “All in favor, raise your hands,” Dean smiled as he lifted his arm into the air. Seamus, Ginny, Ron, Andrew, and Jack raised their hands immediately. They all looked over at William and with a heavy sigh and look of defeat, he raised his hand as well. “Then it's settled,” Ginny smiled as she looked at everyone. “Harry Potter is the new Gryffindor Quidditch captain!” * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry had finished getting dressed and placed his Quidditch uniform back into his locker. The remainder of the practice was somewhat productive, but the overall dislike between Ginny and William had become more evident. They would refuse to the pass the quaffle to each other, only to add to their frustrations. It almost got to the point where the two were trying to steal the quaffle away from each other. Harry had no answer for this problem. He didn't want to bench either of them because he needed both of them to play, but he knew that something needed to be done to stop their fighting. He and Ron left the locker room to find Ginny talking with Hermione. Hermione smiled at the two as they walked towards them. “So I hear that you're the new Quidditch captain,” Hermione exclaimed as she looked at Harry, his cheeks turning slightly red. “Yeah…” He started as he nervously scratched the side of his head. “I was volunteered for it.” “Blimey, the position was yours the moment you set foot back on the pitch,” Ron laughed as he patted Harry on the back. “Where's Nancy?” Harry asked curiously when he noticed that she wasn't in sight. “Oh, she said that she had to go over to the library to finish up on essay,” Hermione replied as the three started walking. They waved bye to Ginny, who was waiting behind for Dean and Seamus. “That reminds me,” Ron spoke suddenly as something popped in his mind. “I got to get going, I'll see you guys later.” Before Harry or Hermione could say another word, Ron had hurried up a flight of stairs. The two looked at each other, wondering where Ron was going. For the past week, he would sometimes vanish for a span of an hour or so, but would never tell Harry or Hermione about his whereabouts. The moment either of them had asked him about it, he would look blankly at them before quickly changing the subject. “We need to figure out where he's going,” Hermione said as she took a step up the stairs, only to have Harry take her hand before she could climb the next step. She turned and looked at Harry with a confused look. “We can't just go chasing after him,” Harry replied as he looked into her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, Harry spoke again. “I mean he can probably hear us if we start climbing up the stairs.” “Then how do you suppose we find him?” She asked as she stepped back down from the step, with her arms crossed. “Hey don't forget,” Harry said with a grin. He then started to imitate Snape's voice. “Harry Potter is a hooligan you has no respect for the school rules.” “What's that suppose to mean?” Hermione replied, trying to fight back her giggle. “We'll just use the Marauder's map,” Harry smiled as he took her hand and walked towards the Gryffindor common room. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry and Hermione stood behind a corner looking down at the Marauder's map, both under Harry's Invisibility cloak. Harry pointed to the dot with Ron's name above it and pointed it towards a door across the hall. Hermione nodded and quickly stuck her head out of the cloak and peaked around the corner to ensure that no one was coming. When no one approached, Hermione covered herself with the cloak and the two took a step forward towards it, but Harry suddenly pulled her back. “What?” she whispered as she looked at him. “Someone's coming,” Harry replied quietly his head very still. They heard footsteps and looked down at the map to find that the person approaching them was Nancy Mason. Harry looked at Hermione with a curious expression and she returned it with a shrug. They watched Nancy walk by them and opened the door to the room where Ron was. As she walked in, she pulled the door behind her, but failed to completely close it. Harry and Hermione nodded to each other and quietly crept to the door and peered inside. They found Nancy taking a seat next to Ron inside an empty classroom. Harry and Hermione gave each other unsure looks and quickly refocused their attention on Nancy and Ron when they heard them talking. “Could you help me with my Charms?” Ron asked her. “I just remembered that I'm going to have a practical exam on Tuesday.” “Sure thing Ron,” she replied with a soft giggle as she looked over to his book. “Oh, I remember this charm.” Harry felt Hermione's warm arm wrap around his shoulder and he looked to she her smiling at them. “They should get some privacy,” she whispered to him as they both quietly walked away from the door. Harry rolled up the Marauder's map and placed it in his pocket. He then pulled off the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it under his arm as he and Hermione made their way back to the Gryffindor common room. “Wonder why he'd want to keep it a secret though?” Harry asked her, holding her hand tenderly in his, occasionally giving it a soft squeeze. “Silly, Ron doesn't want anyone to know that he's being tutored,” Hermione replied as they rounded a corner and continued walking. “Besides, it looked like they were having a good time together.” “I guess we never needed to give them a friendly push,” Harry smiled, causing her to giggle at him. They rounded another corner only to be stopped by Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. Harry and Hermione immediately released their hands as Malfoy gave Harry his usual snarled smirk. “What's this, Potty?” Draco said with his eyes full of malice. “Out of your common room this late? That calls for a detention.” “No,” Hermione spoke up before Harry had a chance to open his mouth. “I am just escorting him back from the library. We were doing research for our Herbology essay.” “That doesn't matter,” Pansy laughed as she placed her hands on her hips. “He is still out of the common room way passed the allowed time and that is violating school rules.” “Have you two honestly read your prefect handbooks?” Hermione asked as she glared at the two. Draco and Pansy looked at each other and didn't answer, obviously haven't even opened theirs. “It says that a student is only allowed to be out of his or her common room after curfew if he or she is being escorted by a prefect.” Malfoy and Pansy looked at each other and then back at Hermione, with a distrustful look. Hermione sighed and took a deep breath, “So, as you can see, I am escorting Harry, so he is allowed to be out of the Gryffindor common room.” “It's only a technicality,” Malfoy snarled as he glared at Harry. “Listen,” Hermione growled as she took a step forward towards Malfoy. “If you do not leave us alone and continue your prefect duties, I will have no choice by report your lack of responsibility to Professor McGonagall. I'm sure she'll gladly have a chat with Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape about having you two being replaced by students who can actually handle the job.” “Fine,” Malfoy replied as he crossed his arms. “You may go, Potter.” Harry smiled at Malfoy and Pansy as he and Hermione walked passed them. He could hear them grumbling and couldn't help but look at Hermione with astonishment. Her expression hadn't changed and he could tell that she was still angry at how Malfoy and Pansy had approached them. When Malfoy and Pansy were no longer in hearing distance, Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulder pulling her closer to him. She rested her head against him and wrapped her arm around his waist. He kissed her forehead and whispered, “Thank you for helping me back there.” “It was nothing,” she replied with a smile as they stopped in front of the Fat Lady's Portrait. The two released each other and Harry approached the portrait to whisper the password when the common room door opened to show William Weinstein. He smiled at the two and walked by Harry to stand in front of Hermione. Harry looked at him with one of his eyebrows raised, wondering what William was planning to do. Hermione looked at Harry but then up at William when he stopped in front of her. “I'm sorry about this morning,” he smiled at her and she, in turn, nodded to him. “I do want to give you something for your birthday though.” He took out his wand from his pocket and pointed it to his hand. With a flick of his wrist and he called, ”*Orchideous!*” Beautiful flowers shot out of the end of his wand and a bouquet was formed in his hand. He placed his wand back into his pocket and he took Hermione's hand. He leaned down and kissed it, which caused Harry's eyes to narrow and his blood to boil. William then handed her flowers and smiled. “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman. Happy Birthday, fair Hermione.” “Thanks,” she said with a fake smile on her face as she accepted them. William was pleased and was about to say something when Harry took a step forward. “So where you going? It's kind of late for a stroll?” Harry asked, causing William to turn and look at him. “Harry…I didn't even notice you there,” William answered, which caused Harry's eyebrows to rise. “I needed to talk to Professor McGonagall about something. Private matters you know. Would you like to go with me, Hermione?” “Actually, I need to finish up some homework,” Hermione quickly answered as she gave him an apologetic, yet fake, smile. “Sorry.” “Oh think nothing of it,” William smiled as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Hermione noticed Harry's hands clenching into fists. “I'll see you later then.” William gave Hermione another flashy smile as he made his way down the corridor. Hermione turned to find Harry had already walked into the common room. She quickly followed to find him taking a seat on the floor in front of the fire, placing his crumbled Invisibility cloak on the floor next to him. She looked around and noticed that for the exception of a few students reading, the Gryffindor common room was empty and quiet. Hermione walked over towards Harry and took a seat in an armchair. Harry looked up at her and moved over so he could rest his back against the chair, next to Hermione's legs. “What's wrong, Harry?” She asked as she tossed the flowers William had just given her into the warm fire in front them. This action seemed to calm Harry down, because she could see his body had started to relax. “I really don't like that guy,” Harry said as he turned to look at her. “Who does he think that he is? And to think, I was actually happy when I found out that he was a good Quidditch player.” “Leave him be,” Hermione replied softly as she started to comb her fingers through his hair. “He's just one of those egocentric men who starves for attention. I'm sure the message will get through to him soon.” Harry smiled at Hermione as she continued to run her fingers through his hair, trying to make it part to the side, only to have it return back to its unruly form when she removed her fingers. Harry snickered at her before saying, “According to Ron, he's thicker than the walls of Hogwarts…it may take some time before he even acknowledges the fact that there may be something to acknowledge. Though since he is out and about without a prefect, I hope Malfoy finds him and gives him a detention.” Hermione giggled at him as he turned to look into the fire. One by one, the remaining students got up and headed up to their respective dormitories, leaving Hermione and Harry alone. Hermione continued to run her fingers through his hair as the two stared into the fire, enjoying its warmth, and enjoying each other's company. Harry's mind again focused on the blazing fire, watching the yellow, orange, and red colors dance in front of him. His mind then traveled onto a memory that he had kept hidden inside him. He remembered the time when he had first spoken to Sirius through the Gryffindor fireplace. It was during his fourth year and he was trying to prepare for the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. Harry tried to push the memory away, but the moment he saw Sirius' face in his mind, the door holding his memory burst open causing everything to fall out. Hermione felt Harry's body shudder, but she didn't think much about it thinking that Harry must have just experienced a chill. However, when the shuddering persisted followed by a sob, she got worried. “Harry?” she whispered, but he didn't respond. His body started to tremble and his sobbing became more erratic. “Harry, please…look at me.” Harry reluctantly turned to face her and Hermione's eyes began to water. Harry's face was covered in tears. He tried to hold them back when she saw his face, brushing his tears away with the sleeve of his robes, but he couldn't keep them from falling. Hermione touched his wet face with her hand, gently brushing a few of his tears away, and scooted over in the armchair. “Come here.” Harry stood and snuggled into the armchair with Hermione, burying his face into her neck, wrapping his arms around her. Hermione wrapped her arms around him tightly, stroking the back of his neck gently. She rocked them back and forth slowly like a mother would to calm her child. However, her attempt failed. Harry clung to her tightly and allowed his tears to flow freely. “What's wrong?” Hermione whispered into his hair, holding him securely against her. “What's wrong, Harry?” “He's dead because of me,” Harry sobbed, not moving his head away. “I let him die.” “You did not let him die,” Hermione replied, her tears now sliding down her cheeks. “You did everything you could. There was nothing more you could do.” “But it's because of me,” Harry weakly said as he moved his head, now resting it against her shoulder. Hermione didn't know what to say. She remembered that during the earlier half of the summer, he had written to her confessing how he couldn't live with the guilt of Sirius' death and how he at times cried himself to sleep. Hermione tried to console him to the best of her abilities, but she knew that this was a situation where he needed to grieve and overcome his loss. Though she did make a promise to herself that she would not allow him to face his grief alone, and that she would be with him every step of the way. She kissed his forehead and he looked up at her with a weak smile. He rested his head on her shoulder again and took deep breaths. She could tell that he was calming down as she kissed his forehead again. Harry had been her strength for so many years now. He was always the brave one of the group and with him near her; she felt that she could do anything. She had never witnessed him like this before, and it truly frightened her. She needed him to brave, not for just himself but for her as well. They sat in that position for several quiet minutes. Hermione felt his body stop shuddering and she couldn't help but smile as she rested her head against his. Hermione held onto him, never wanting to let him go. She felt him stir his head against hers and felt his lips kissing her cheek. She looked into her eyes and she was glad to find that his strength had returned to them. “Thank you,” he whispered as he rested his chin on her shoulder, not releasing her from his grip. “Thank you for being here with me.” “You know that I'll always be here for you, silly,” she smiled back at him as she placed a finger on his forehead and playful traced down his face, over his nose until she stopped on top of his lips. Hermione gave him a soft smile that instantly melted his heart. Harry released his one of his arms from her and allowed it to softly caress her cheek. They heard the portrait door opening, but before Harry could move, they heard footsteps walking into the common room. Harry felt Hermione's body tense up and he knew that they would be caught if they didn't do something quickly. He looked around them and noticed that his Invisibility cloak on the floor next to the front leg of the chair. Harry reached for it, but was suddenly refrained from moving when he heard Ron speaking. “I wonder where they went?” Ron asked as Harry heard his feet shuffle somewhere behind him. Hermione held her breath and tried her best to keep still. Harry again reached down, and when he felt his cloak, his slowly pulled it up towards them. “Maybe they went to bed, it is ten o'clock after all,” Nancy answered as they heard her feet walk towards them, but then stop and then walk away. Harry took this as his cue, and quickly and quietly covered Hermione and himself with the cloak. “What was that?” Ron asked as he walked towards the other armchair near the fireplace. Harry and Hermione held their breath as they saw him look around and shrug his shoulders. He walked away again, out of sight. They heard him walk around for a few seconds before he came to a halt. “Oh, thanks for helping me out again Nancy.” “Oh don't worry about it, Ron,” Nancy replied, a ring of happiness in her voice. They then heard her voice sink to a concern and almost apprehensive level. “Do you still think that you will ask Hermione to the Christmas Ball?” Harry and Hermione's eyes grew wide as they looked at each other. Hermione's lips curled into a small frown as her hopes for Ron to fall for Nancy dwindled away. Harry noticed this and softly nudged her head with his. She looked into his eyes and couldn't keep her smile from forming. “I don't know,” Ron answered. His reply eased Harry and Hermione's nerves for the moment and they wanted to cheer, but they knew that they would be caught if they made a noise. They breathed slowly, feeling their breath on each other as they waited patiently for the two to do something. Ron continued. “I was thinking that there might be someone else I want to go with.” Hermione let her mouth drop before she turned it into a smile. Harry grinned back at her as he nudged her head again. Hermione quietly repositioned herself, so they were sitting comfortably again with Harry's arms around her. Harry noticed that Hermione was still wearing the necklace he had given her, and he moved one of his hands to the small crystal rose and examined it. Hermione's grin grew when she looked at him, his eyes fixed on the delicate rose. “Is there someone you would like to go with?” they heard Ron ask Nancy. They heard feet shuffling on the carpet, but unsure who was walking around. “There is this one guy,” Nancy replied with a soft giggle. “Though I don't know if he notices me or not.” “Oh, you must be joking,” Ron said with his voice full of surprise. “Believe me, you are noticed by every guy in school…most with pulses and a few without.” Nancy giggled at Ron's compliment as the images of Nearly Headless Nick and Peeves formed in her head. Harry and Hermione heard her yawn, and they hoped that the two were going to head towards their dormitories. “I'm tired. I'm sure Hermione is already in bed; she usually doesn't stay up this late,” Nancy said sleepily. “Good night Ron.” “I'll get to bed too,” Ron responded as Harry and Hermione heard the shuffling of feet towards the staircases. “I more day before the weekend begins. I love weekends.” The two heard footsteps moving up the stairs and after waiting a few seconds, Harry pulled the cloak off them and carefully looked over the top of the armchair to make sure that they had gone. When he noticed that no one was there, he got out of the armchair. Hermione then got up and raised her arms in the air to stretch her back. Harry couldn't refrain from grinning when noticed that the Invisibility Cloak had made her hair extra puffy. He started to run his fingers through her hair and tried his best to fix it. “Thanks, kind sir,” she smiled at him as the two made their way up the staircase. When Hermione got to the door that led to the girl's dormitories, she blew him a kiss and whispered, “I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you again for the present.” “Anything for you,” Harry replied with his own smile. “Good night Hermione.” Hermione waved at him before closing the door behind her. With a deep breath, Harry continued to the climb the stairs. His mind soon focused on Ron and Nancy. *So Ron…there is another girl you want to ask. I bet I know who it is. Maybe that extra push will be needed.* --> 7. Hogsmeade on All Hallows Eve ------------------------------- **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 Seven: Hogsmeade on All Hallows Eve** The Great Hall was crowded with laughing and smiling students. Today was Halloween and marked the first day that the eligible students of Hogwarts were allowed to visit the wizard town of Hogsmeade. This would be a truly memorable trip because the tenants of Hogsmeade are known to throw the most extravagant parties on Halloween night. Candy would be handed out by the handful, haunted houses would be created, and the night would end with a fantastic fireworks display. “It's going to be brilliant!” Ron grinned as he took a piece of pumpkin pie from a tray in the center of the table. “I heard from George and Fred that they are going to build a really scary haunted maze.” “That'll be great. We'll have to go visit their shop,” Harry smiled as he took a large gulp of pumpkin juice. He noticed Hermione's uneasiness about the idea. “What's wrong Hermione?” “I've never really liked haunted mazes,” she replied as she looked at Harry. “I know they are all fake, but there is something unsettling about having people covered in blood trying to scare you. It makes me cringe.” “Then may I be of service?” a strong voice said from behind her. Harry and Hermione turned to find William Weinstein wearing his usually grin. “I will gladly escort you through the town if you would like.” “Where does he come from?” Ron asked himself as he covered his face with his hands in utter frustration. “This guy is really getting on my nerves,” Nancy whispered to Ron with a look of utter disgust on her face. Ron placed his hands back onto the table and smiled at her. He then turned his attention towards William, wearing an icy glare of his own. “No, that'll be okay,” Hermione said with an apologetic voice. “I'm going to going with Ron, Nancy, and Harry. I will be fine.” “That's perfectly fine,” William replied with a saddened voice. He turned and looked at Harry to find him smiling at him. William took a deep breath as his eyes focused on Hermione. He cleared his throat and lowered to his knees, taking Hermione's left hand in his. “Then, would you like to accompany me to the Christmas Ball?” The sound of chatter around the tables and the clinging of plates suddenly stopped after William's question. She turned and looked at Harry to find him an expression of complete shock. The sounds of students whispering and snickering soon filled the Great Hall. Hermione's face was bright pink and she was speechless. Several girls stood from their seats and were surprised at the fact that William had asked Hermione to the dance. “I'm sorry William, I can't go with you,” Hermione finally replied after a long silence. She withdrew her hand and looked at him with sincere eyes. “I am all ready going with someday else, so I'm sorry.” William, Ron, and Nancy were taken aback by Hermione's statement. William stood up completely bewildered as he gave Hermione a soft smile. He bowed his head to her and quietly walked away. The crowd of students suddenly grew louder as students passed the word around that Hermione Granger had turned down William Weinstein on the count that she all ready has a date for the dance. Hermione turned back in her seat to find Ron and Nancy staring at her. She gave them a weak smile as she took a bite of her toast. “Who are you going with?” Ron asked slowly. Nancy looked at her intently, waiting for her answer. “Oh it's…” she started. “It's a secret…” “Secret?” Nancy responded with her mouth hanging open. “Oh, you can tell us.” “I want to,” Hermione insisted as she placed her fork down on her plate. Harry's grip on his fork tightened slightly as he looked at her and Nancy. “It's not me, it's my date. He doesn't want me to say anything until the dance gets closer.” “That's a bit strange,” Ron added as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice. The silence that Hermione was given them cued the two to stop asking further questions about the subject. They knew that Hermione wasn't going to say and they would only upset her with persistent questions. They finished their breakfast and made their way to their classes. Hermione was the center of attention in each class with random students coming up to her and begging her to tell them who her secret date was. Hermione refused each time, growing slightly aggravated with her sudden popularity. She finally smiled at the end of Care of Magical Creatures, because it meant that her day was over and she could escape all the persistent questions, finally getting some piece and quiet. Hermione told the boys that she was going to meet Nancy in the library and that they were going to begin their research on Keung Chang's past. Hermione and Nancy had been trying to find time to investigate the archive of Daily Prophet clippings for sometime, but due their busy school schedules, they never had the time. When they realized that they would have time today, they immediately agreed to do as much research as they could before their trip to Hogsmeade. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “So do you know who Hermione is going with?” Ron asked Harry as they took their seats in their Muggle Studies class. “You haven't said anything about it. You know something, don't you?” “I don't know anything,” Harry replied as he started to flip through his textbook. Ron didn't believe him for a second, but Harry continued to shrug at him. “She hasn't told me a thing.” “Then what you so nervous about?” Ron asked as he noticed that Harry had begun to sweat. “I'm just excited about going to Hogsmeade tonight,” Harry said with his most convincing voice. “I mean…it's going to be great.” Ron took in a deep breath when he realized he wasn't going to get Harry to talk either. The two sat up and watched their professor enter the classroom with a digital clock. Harry's jaw dropped open when his professor started to explain what it was to the curious students. Harry dropped his head onto his textbook, groaning softly to himself. “Why am I in this class?” When they're lesson was over, Ron and Harry emerged from their class and walked towards the library. Within minutes they had arrived and started to move through the aisles of tables, looking for Hermione and Nancy. They found the two girls sitting in a table covered with newspapers near the back. Nancy and Hermione smiled at the two boys as they sat down in the chairs facing them. “So, found anything?” Ron asked as he looked at the piles of Daily Prophet newspapers on the table. “Yeah,” Nancy said as she placed the paper she was looking at onto the table. “We searched through the entire archive, and this was the only article that we could find on it,” Hermione added as the boys looked at it. “It didn't even make front cover news.” “We think that the Ministry was trying to hush it all up,” Nancy concluded. She sat back in her chair and placed her arms behind her head. “What they were trying to hush up, we don't know.” Harry looked at Hermione, who only returned his gaze with a confused expression. He looked back down at the article and found a picture of Keung with his arms around a girl he didn't recognize. The beautiful girl had dark, shoulder length hair and sparkling smile across her face. The picture moved to show the two looking each other and then softly kissing before the two broke and smiled again. The caption underneath the picture stated: *Keung Chang and Veronica Cross several months before Cross' brutal murder!* Harry's eyes focused on their Hogwarts robes and noticed that Veronica had a Gryffindor insignia on her robes while Keung had the Slytherin insignia. Harry scratched his head before he looked down and read the seemingly short article. *---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------* *Fifth year Hogwarts student, Veronica Cross, was found dead in the arms of her boyfriend, Keung Chang, also a fifth year student at the distinguished school. The murder was reported by fellow student, Magnolia Reins, who found the screaming Keung holding his dead girlfriend at the edge of the Forbidden Forest near the school. Witnesses stated that there was some sort of commotion that took place before the murder, which caused Cross to flee towards the Forbidden Forest with Chang in hot pursuit. Students thought that the two were heading for a lovers' rendezvous and didn't find the act unusual. Other witnesses stated that the two were found quarrelling when Cross told Chang that she wanted to end their relationship. Authorities believe that bitter rage and jealousy may have been the motive for murder. Cross' silver wand (pictured on the left), which was once used by her father to battle forces of darkness, was never recovered from the scene of the crime. This action was thought to be incredibly strange by several of Cross' friends as they stated that Cross would never go anywhere without her wand. Chang is on temporary expulsion from Hogwarts until he stands trial at the Ministry of Magic.* *---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------* Harry blinked several times before he skimmed through the article again. He then looked at the picture that featured the wand. The silver wand was held tightly in the hand of a smiling Veronica Cross. Harry's eyes suddenly grew wide. “What is it, Harry?” Hermione asked as she looked at Harry. “I've seen this wand before,” Harry replied as he looked at her. “It was the same wand that Keung used to fight Reins when we were in front of Leaky Cauldron.” “Are you sure?” Ron asked as he looked at the wand again. “I could be wrong,” Harry hesitated as he continued to stare at it. “But I am pretty sure that it's the same wand.” “What does that mean?” Ron questioned as he looked at the three. “It definitely makes Keung look guilty,” Nancy responded as she examined the picture of the wand. Hermione's eyes went wide when she examined the picture of Keung and Veronica. She quickly pointed to the insignia on Veronica's cloak stating,” She was a Gryffindor…” “And Keung was a Slytherin,” Harry finished, which caused Hermione to look up at him with an impressed smile. “A Gryffindor snogging with a Slytherin,” Ron gasped as he sunk into his chair. “Well that relationship was doomed to fail.” “Don't you see it Ron?” Hermione said as she stood from her chair. “If Keung was a Slytherin…then there is one person we know for certain may have some of the answers we need.” Harry groaned to himself as he sank into his chair and looked at Hermione. With a voice of complete frustration, Harry spoke firmly, “Professor Snape.” * ~ * ~ * ~ * The ride up to Hogsmeade was a surprisingly quiet one for the four. They looked at each other and occasionally smiled. The four knew that they would have to approach Snape with their questions, yet they found themselves completely intimidated by the idea. They were fortunate to learn that Snape would be one of the professors in charge of chaperoning the students that evening. This meant that they should receive at least one opportunity to go talk to the grouchy potions professor before the night was over. They looked out the windows and saw Hogsmeade come into view. As the carriages entered the town, they realized that everything was quiet and surprisingly dark. With the fog covering the ground and a faint rotting smell surrounding them, it gave the students the impression that Hogsmeade had turned into a ghost town. The carriages came to a halt and everyone remained still. Harry looked out of the window and around at the dark stores, noticing something move in one of the windows. Harry looked over at Hermione to find her shuddering softly. With a sudden burst of light and loud crash, everything in Hogsmeade had come alive. Flame torches ignited, store doors opened, and the tenants of Hogsmeade howled as they came to greet their guests. Harry was somewhat surprised to find Hermione clinging to his arm, shaking hysterically. Ron and Nancy couldn't help but laugh, causing Hermione's face to turn red. Harry smiled as he opened the door and walked out, watching his feet disappear in the fog. He helped Hermione and Nancy out of the carriage, and grinned at Ron, holding his arm out to him. Ron grinned back as he graciously accepted Harry's arm as he descended the stairs. The girls couldn't help but laugh at the two. The four walked around Hogsmeade examining all the Halloween decorations that hung from the roofs of the shops and the street torches. Harry turned to find Nancy clinging to Ron's arm, Ron's face completely red because of it. Harry looked at Hermione and couldn't help but grin at her. However, she didn't notice. She was walking incredibly close to him and had a worried expression on her face. Harry didn't understand Hermione. This was the girl that bravely went with him and Ron into the chambers that led to the Sorcerer's stone. This was the girl that daringly followed Harry as they chased down a huge black dog that had dragged Ron into the Whopping Willow. This was the girl that courageously went with Harry to storm the Department of Mysteries. Yet she was completely shaking the moment they had entered Hogsmeade. Harry looked around and soon found Fred and George's shop. He headed towards it with the three following close behind him. When they approached the store, they realized that the store was covered with cobwebs and what looked like huge spiders crawling over it. Ron's body started to tense as he slowly cowered behind a scared Nancy, terrified himself at the sight of the eight-legged creatures. “So you've come to test your mortality?” A voice howled from behind them, causing the four to quickly turn, Hermione clinging to Harry again. They were relieved to find Fred Weasley wearing a tuxedo and fake vampire teeth. “Hey Fred,” Ron said as he let out a sigh of relief. “How are things going? Where's George?” “Hey Ron,” Fred smiled as he patted him on the shoulder, eying Nancy before giving Ron a satisfactory grin. “Things are going great, our haunted maze is the most popular attraction here. George is right now inside, running it. You guys interested?” Harry looked around at the three and knew that they were shaking slightly at the idea. He smiled at Fred and answered, “Sure Fred, why not?” Harry's response had caused all three to look at him with completely unthankful expressions. Fred grinned as he pointed towards the entrance of the haunted maze. It looked completely menacing, almost as if they were going to walk into the mouth a gigantic beast. “Because all are such close personal friends, I'll waive the entrance fee. Though I would have to hang on to your wands for the duration of your stay in the maze.” “Why is that?” Ron asked, completely startled by Fred's statement. “Because you stupid git, we don't want you pulling out your wands and shooting everything inside the maze that may frighten you. George and I must be aware of such things and ensure that our workers are safe from those who cast spells uncontrollably. Besides there isn't any real danger inside the maze, so you won't need them.” Fred held out a box and the four reluctantly placed their wands inside it. Harry started to get second thoughts about the whole idea as he watched Fred close the box. He then directed them to the front entrance and gave Harry a smile that made him feel uneasy. Harry took a deep breath as he walked through the entrance with Hermione closely behind them. Harry felt this incredibly eerie feeling at the pit of his stomach and he turned to find Hermione standing behind him. However to his surprise, he didn't see the entrance of the maze, instead he saw a black wall covered with large green vines. “What's going on?” Hermione asked in a squeaky voice as she instinctively walked over to Harry. “I don't know,” Harry replied as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, holding her tightly against him. “I guess he wasn't joking about this place being a maze.” Harry and Hermione slowly walked away from the black wall, examining their surroundings. They looked like they were in the jungle. The trees around them seemed to be moving on their own and certain portions of the ground released white mist that almost made Harry gag when he realized that it smelled incredibly like Dudley's room. The two found a large hole, which looked like it led into an unforgiving tree. Harry and Hermione examined their surroundings again and knew that this was the only exit they had in the room. Harry examined the hole to see only darkness. He looked over at Hermione and released his hold on her and took her hand in his instead. He took another deep breath as he took a step into the darkness. To his sudden surprise, his foot caught nothing but air, causing him to fall into the hole, pulling a very unfortunate Hermione with him. They slid down what looked like a pipe for what seemed like minutes. The two occasionally let out a scream when they saw gory ghosts poking their heads through the pipe to stick their grotesque tongues out at them. Harry made contact with the floor first, falling directly on his back. Hermione soon slid out of the pipe landing on top of Harry. Harry let out a soft groan as he got up with Hermione in his arms. She had accidentally jabbed her elbow into his ribs when she fell onto him. “That really hurt, Hermione,” Harry moaned as he rubbed his chest, Hermione holding onto his arm. “Well that's what you get for making us come in the place,” Hermione responded as they looked around the new room. Harry noticed that it looked very similar to the Chamber of Secrets. The ground was littered with what looked like animal bones and the walls seemed to move as if it was alive. The two carefully made their way across the room towards a door at the other side. Harry looked cautiously at the ground, expecting something to come out at them. They suddenly heard someone scream followed by another one and they recognized the screams belonged to Nancy and Ron. They quickly ran into the door, occasionally stumbling over the scattered bones. They saw the two run by them with a shadowy figure moving quickly towards them. Harry and Hermione moved quietly towards the figure to see that it looked like a mummy. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, but were startled when they heard Nancy and Ron's screams again. Harry looked Hermione and almost on cue, she stopped shaking. The two stood up, holding each other's hand, and nodded to each other. They took off in a run with Harry in front. They went by the mummy, which caused him to growl uncontrollably as if they had startled it. Harry noticed this and knew that the mummy had to be one of the workers that George and Fred had hired to scare unsuspecting people. The two continued to run, until they found themselves waist deep in what look like mud. “What is this?” Hermione groaned as she and Harry made their away across it towards the next door. Harry examined the substance and realized that it didn't smell anything like mud. He touched the substance with his fingers and it felt smooth and somewhat cool to the touch. To Hermione's disgust, Harry licked his finger and looked at her. “It's chocolate,” Harry grinned, causing her face to change to one of complete confusion. “You must be joking,” she replied as she stuck her finger into the substance. She hesitantly licked her finger to find out that Harry was right. It tasted like chocolate, really good chocolate as a matter of fact. Harry got to the edge of chocolate swamp and climbed out onto solid ground. He held his arms out to Hermione, and helped her out. The two realized the chocolate on their robes had hardened quickly, making it amazingly difficult to move their legs. The two looked forward to find this yellow force field in front of them. “What do you suppose this does?” Hermione asked as they stopped in front of it. “Only way to find out,” Harry replied as he walked through it. Hermione tried to stop him, but before she could get a word out he had already crossed it. Harry looked down and suddenly realized the chocolate had vanished of his robes. “Walk through Hermione, it's safe.” Hermione did too and they couldn't help but smile at each other as they entered the next room. To their displeasure they discovered that the room looked like a graveyard. They were then startled to see ghosts leaving their graves and howling loudly as they flew around their tombstones. Harry and Hermione carefully walked by each ghost, hoping not to disturb them. Every now and then, a ghost would stare at them threateningly, causing Hermione to squeeze Harry's hand tighter. They entered what they hoped to be their last room when they found Nancy and Ron being surrounded by what looks like werewolves. Ron and Nancy were completely white, unaware of the fact that Harry and Hermione had shown up. “I highly doubt those are real werewolves,” Hermione whispered to Harry as the quickly hid behind a tree. “What do you suggest?” Harry asked as he and Hermione looked around the tree at the werewolves, who were now walking in circles around Ron and Nancy. “We can sneak up behind them and give them a taste of their own medicine,” she grinned at him. He smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek as he nodded. The two quietly crept out of their hiding place and quietly moved towards the werewolves. They stopped and hid behind two small boulders, hoping that they hadn't attracted their attention. Hermione nodded at Harry and the two quickly moved from behind the boulders. With a loud cry they each grabbed a tail of an unsuspecting werewolf, pulled hard on them. “Oh you must be joking me!” a man growled as he pulled off his mask. The four looked up to see that the person was actually George Weasley. “You guys aren't supposed to do that. You completely ruined everything. I almost made Ron faint.” “Oh bloody hell,” Ron growled as he took a step towards his brother. “You overgrown slime toad. If I had my wand right now…” “See,” George grinned as he looked at Harry and Hermione, “those are the reasons we took your wands away from you before you entered the maze.” By this point, the other werewolves decided to remove their masks to show young men no older than George grinning at them. Nancy and Hermione started to giggle, fear of the haunted maze completely leaving them. Ron gave up his grumbling and decided to cross his arms and ignore George's apologies. “How far are we from the end of the maze?” Harry asked, causing George to turn towards him. “Actually, it's right passed that door,” George replied as he pointed towards a door that was about five yards away. “Meeting us werewolves was the last scare you were suppose to get out before you leave the maze.” “Thanks,” Hermione replied as she and Harry made their way towards the door. “We'll see you later.” “That was a horrible trick to play,” Ron growled as he looked at George. George shrugged his shoulders and placed his mask over his head, getting prepared for the next group of unsuspecting victims. Nancy smiled at Ron, which help calm his nerves. The two then made their way through the last door. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “So you guys have fun?” Fred asked as he pulled out the box that held their wands from inside of his jacket. “It wasn't too bad,” Harry smiled at the others as he took their wands out of the box. “Thanks again.” “No sweat, Harry. Come back again if you feel like having another go,” Fred smiled as he turned his attention to several other Hogwarts students staring at the entrance of the maze with intrigued expressions. “Well that was definitely a unforgettable experience,” Ron grumbled as he took his wand from Harry. Harry smiled at him as he handed Hermione and Nancy their wands. They all placed their wands back into their pockets and let out a large and happy sigh, all glad to make it out of the haunted maze without too much trouble. “Should we go talk to Snape?” Nancy asked as the four continued to walk around Hogsmeade. Tenants wearing masks jumped out at them from behind dark shadows occasionally scaring them. Ron grumbled to himself each time it happened, while Hermione's face found a home buried against Harry's shoulder. “Yeah, we should,” Harry sighed as they started to look around for their grouchy professor. “Why, Hermione, getting cozy?” Ron asked with a peculiar voice, when he noticed Hermione's closeness to Harry. “No,” she replied as she released Harry. “I don't like all these haunted things. My parents took me to one of those `made up' haunted houses when I was little, and the people inside scared me so badly that I've been skeptical ever since.” Ron snickered after hearing Hermione's response, but was then softly elbowed in the side by Nancy. He turned to her and found her looking at him with a stern expression. Ron immediately stopped, figuring that Nancy must have shared a similar experience because she too was shaky once they had entered Hogsmeade. “There he is,” Harry said as he pointed towards the Three Broomsticks tavern. The others looked to find Snape standing near the entrance with his hands behind his back. He was wearing a look of utter disgust on his face, and the four could guess that he didn't want to be supervising the students. Interestingly enough, none of the tenants of Hogsmeade attempted to scare Snape, knowing that they would not only fail, and in turn, be scared by his rage. The four made their way towards the tavern, moving around other students as they walked by. To simplify things, they got into a line with Harry in the lead. Though with Harry suddenly stopping, the three ended up walking into each other. “What was that for?” Ron asked, but soon went silent to see Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe standing in front of them. Hermione immediately gave Cho an icy glare, but Cho hadn't noticed due to the fact that she was looking at Harry. She looked incredibly timid with her hands in front of her, her fingers moving uneasily. “Harry,” she said as she looked towards the ground. “Do you think I can talk to you for just a minute?” “Uh…sure, I guess,” Harry responded, causing Hermione to grow tense as she looked at him. Cho started to walk away from the group with Harry behind her, leaving Marietta at the mercy of dirty looks from Ron and Hermione. Marietta wasn't aware of it, but it was her who squealed about the D.A., a group formed by Harry and Hermione to teach students how to use defensive spells. The end result forced Dumbledore to go into hiding, which allowed Professor Umbridge to assume the position of Head of Hogwarts. Cho stopped when she felt that they were out of listening distance from the remainder of the group. Harry stopped and stood next to her, his hands in his pockets, his heart beating strangely. He turned to look at the group and saw Hermione looking at him with a very worried expression on her face. Harry turned to look back at Cho, but was suddenly surprised when she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around and burying her face into his shoulder. “I was so worried about you,” she sobbed, tightening her grip on Harry. Harry's face went white at Cho's actions. He reluctantly started to pat her back, and his body tensed when he saw the incredibly hurt expression on Hermione's face. “It's okay Cho,” Harry said, continuing to pat her back softly. “That happened ages ago. I'm fine now.” Cho finally released him and took a small step back, her eyes filled with tears. “I meant to talk to you several times earlier during the year…but I always lost my nerve. I was really worried when I heard about your attacks.” “It's okay,” Harry replied with a weak smile. “Everything's okay.” “Um…” Cho started as she looked towards the ground again. “I'm sorry about how things were last year. I mean it was really awkward for both of us. Do you think we could start over? What I want to say is, do you want to go with me to the Christmas Ball?” “Cho…I,” Harry hesitated, trying to find the words in his head. “I would like to, but I can't. I've already asked someone.” Cho jerked her head up and looked into his eyes, the corners of her mouth tensing. She turned to look at the group and noticed Hermione staring at Harry with her arms crossed. She let out a soft sigh and gave Harry an incredibly weak smile. She nodded before she looked over at the group again. “Mareitta,” she called, causing Marietta to quickly walk over towards her. Cho gave Harry another weak smile and a slightly harsh voice, “I hope you have a good time with Hermione Granger.” When the two walked away, Harry slowly made his way back to Hermione, Ron, and Nancy, knowing that he would have to explain what just happened. When we got to them, he looked at the three. Hermione still had her arms crossed, refusing to make eye contact with him. Ron and Nancy simply looked at him with confusion written all over their faces. “Uh…” Harry started as he took a deep breath. “She said that she was worried about me and then asked me to the Christmas Ball.” “And what did you say?” Hermione suddenly replied finally making eye contact with him. “I said that I all ready had a date,” Harry answered. Hermione's body loosened as she sneaked him a quick smile. Ron and Nancy gave Harry an even greater confused look. Harry opened his mouth in attempt to answer their questions before the two could pose them, but was then interrupted by Hermione. “We should go talk to Snape now,” she said as she looked over at him. Snape looked almost like a statue, not moving anything for the exception of his eyes. “Right, we should,” Harry replied with a nod as he started to walk towards him, Hermione following behind. Ron and Nancy looked at each other utterly lost at what had just happened. Nancy shook her head and grabbed Ron's arm as the two quickly caught up to Harry and Hermione. Harry's pace soon lowered as they approached Snape. Snape's gaze soon fell upon him, but he did nothing but stand in his spot. Harry stopped and looked at him, trying to find the words he wanted to say. “What is it, Potter?” Snape finally asked as he turned to look at Harry and his three companions. “We were wondering,” Hermione said, saving Harry from standing their speechless, “could you tell us anything about Keung Chang?” “How do you know that name?” Snape retorted. Harry noticed the fire grow inside his eyes, which made Hermione feel uneasy. “That was the name of the man who rescued me,” Harry answered, his voice steady and firm. “We found a Daily Prophet article on him and it said that he was a Slytherin. We were wondering if you could tell us a little about him.” “That is none of your concern,” Snape replied as he turned away and looked out towards the street again. “This is too big, even for you.” “But this is real important,” Nancy blurted out, causing the other three to look at her. “Ms. Mason,” Snape snarled, not turning to face them, “if you raise your voice at me one more time, you will give me no other choice by to…” Snape was suddenly cut off when something flew between Harry and him, hitting the wall behind them. They turned and were startled to find a dagger stuck to the wall. Harry's scar started to burn incredibly, which in turn, made his entire body tremble. He slowly turned his head and his heart fell to the pit of his stomach. Magnolia Reins stood several yards away with a menacing grin across her face. Snape's eyes grew wide at the sight of her. Snape hesitated to speak as he slowly took a few steps towards her. The four took deep breaths and slowly followed behind him, wondering what Snape was planning to do. Snape suddenly stopped and looked over to his right. They saw him looking at a very worried Professor Sprout, who was also staring at Reins. Snape took a deep breath and yelled to her, “Get the students back to the school, immediately! It isn't safe here!” Professor Sprout nodded and soon informed the other professors. Within minutes, the students were grumbling and groaning when their professors forced them out of the town towards their carriages. The tenants of Hogsmeade noticed the pandemonium and wondered what was going on. However when their eyes focused on Snape and the woman, they knew trouble was going to start. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Nancy didn't once move from behind Snape. “Go now, Potter,” Snape growled as he slowly pulled out his wand. “Don't play the hero, boy.” “No, professor,” Harry replied as he too pulled out his wand. “I need answers and if I don't get them from you, I'll just have to ask her.” “You are foolish!” Snape retorted as he looked down at him. “You are no match for her. Now leave before I give you detention for the entire year!” “I'm not going!” Harry shouted, his wand held firmly in his hand. “We can't go, professor,” Hermione spoke as she walked to Harry's side and pulled out her wand. “That woman is after Harry. If Harry runs for the carriages, she will surely follow.” “Exactly,” Nancy added as she took her place next to Hermione with her wand raised. “We'd be endangering all the students if we tried to get away now.” “And you know how that's against the whole hero code,” Ron concluded with a smirk as he stood by Nancy, his wand ready. “Stand back, then,” Snape said with an aggravated voice as he took a step forward. “I'll see if I can get some answers.” Before Harry could say anything, Snape had left the four, walking slowly towards Reins. Reins grin grew wider as she, in turn, took out her wand and took several steeds towards Snape. Hermione felt Harry's body tense. She took him by the arm knowing that Harry would also run in once the fight begun. “Why are you doing this Magnolia?” Snape asked as he raised his wand at her. “Well isn't it my favorite professor,” Reins hissed as she raised her wand at him. “I have nothing against you. I just want the boy.” “As much as I despise the boy myself,” Snape replied as he came to a halt, “I can't let you have him.” “Now that is truly a shame,” Reins grin grew even wider as she too stopped her advancement. “If you don't step out of the way, I will force to go through you.” “What's going on here?” a voice came from behind her. She turned to find George and Fred Weasley with their wands out. “Who are you?” “None of your concern,” she winked as she suddenly raised her wand, “Stupefy!” Before Fred and George had time to react, they were struck by the red sparks and fell onto their backs unconscious. “You wretched hag!” Ron yelled as he took a step forward. Hermione and Nancy quickly grabbed Ron's robes to prevent him from taking another step, worried at what Reins would do to him if he were to do something rash. “You know,” Reins turned to face Snape again, “I've been hearing people call me that a lot lately and I am really beginning to resent it.” Snape assumed his dueling stance, readying his wand above his head. This action caused Reins to laugh softly as she readied herself, her wand pointing directly at Snape's head. She shook her head slowly at him before she took a step towards him. “*Expelliarmus!*” Snape roared launching sparks of light at her. Reins quickly ducked out of the way and screamed, “*Incendio!*” Snape took a step back and scratched the air with his wand, causing the fireball to crash into an Invisible Wall. Harry watched intently as Snape battled Reins, though something didn't look right. He watched Reins movement in correlation to Snape's and realized that something was really off. Hermione noticed Harry's gaze and carefully rested her hand against his arm. Harry didn't feel Hermione's touch, his mind content of finding the obscurity in the fight. “She's holding back,” a man said as he took a spot next to Harry. The four looked up and were stunned to find Keung standing by them with a small smirk on his face. “Is she?” Harry asked as he focused his attention back on the fight. “She's leading him into a false sense of hope, and once he feels confident he can beat her, he will start to get reckless and drop his guard,” Keung explained as he crossed his arms. “When Snape does that, she will truly strike.” “You need to help him,” Hermione quickly said as she moved her gaze from the battle to Keung. “Help Snape?” Keung replied, contorting his face from the suggestion. “I will only help that pompous, arrogant buffoon when he needs it. I actually wounded mind watching him get knocked around a bit, though.” Hermione and Nancy were completely taken aback by his remark and looked at each other with unsure eyes. They returned their attention onto the battle, bewildered about to say in response to Keung. “Stupefy!” Snape shouted, launching more bedazzling sparks towards Reins. She let out a soft cackle as she scratched the air with her wand to form her own Invisible Wall. She started to slowly walk towards Snape giving him a bright but deadly smile. Snape unsure of her next move started to slowly back away from her. “*Motus!*” Reins roared as she pointed her wand towards the ground. The ground around her started to rumble causing Snape to lower his stance. A crack soon formed on the ground in front of her and quickly traveled towards Snape. Snape tried moving away, but the crack seemed to follow him and before he could react a second time, the crack stopped near his feet, causing the ground to explode. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Nancy took a step back at the sight of the ground erupting. Snape fell onto the ground unconscious, his robes torn and his legs bleeding freely. They watched Reins laugh as she turned her attention to them. Her focus soon fell upon Keung and her hardened expression changed to one of complete joy. “Harry, I need you and your friends to get Snape and leave Hogsmeade immediately,” Keung ordered has be placed a firm hand on Harry's shoulder. “I'll take care of our little friend here.” “She looks different from before,” Harry replied as they watched Reins walk over, her wand lowered. “I've noticed,” he nodded as he started to walk towards Reins. “I'll distract her, you get Snape and run.” Reins smile soon turned to one of complete malice as she pointed her wand at Keung. Keung took a deep breath as he pulled his wand out of his pocket. Nancy, Ron, and Hermione soon noticed its distinct color and realized that it did look exactly to picture provided by the Daily Prophet article. “You look good,” Reins said with what seemed like a friendly voice. Harry looked at the others and nodded as they slowly started to make their way towards the fallen Snape. “As do you,” Keung replied softly as he stopped and lowered himself in his dueling stance. “Let's get started, shall we?” “My, someone in a hurry tonight?” she laughed as she assumed her dueling stance. “This will be a lot of fun.” Reins suddenly lunged forward forming her flamed sword at the end of her wand. Keung quickly moved out of the away completely surprised by her sudden increase of speed. Keung regained his footing and summoned his Flamora blade. Harry was right. Something had definitely changed since the last time the two had faced. She seemed more aggressive and her smile was as terrifying as ever. Harry looked over at the two combatants as the others settled themselves around Snape. He laid motionless on the ground with his eyes closed. Hermione shook him softly, but he didn't respond. “He's still breathing,” Nancy whispered as she placed her hand under his nose. “Oh shucks,” Ron groaned as he looked at Nancy. Nancy shot him an unappreciated look before she turned to find Harry staring at Keung and Reins. “Mobilicorpus,” Hermione softly chanted, her wand pointed at Snape. Snape's body started to levitate and Hermione nodded at Nancy. Nancy turned and gave Harry's robes a tug to attract his attention. He turned and looked at Nancy, who signaled that they were ready to go. “All right,” Harry whispered as the four slowly started to creep towards the entrance of Hogsmeade. He turned his head again and saw Keung and Reins in the middle of an intense fight. However, Harry's nerves tightened when he realized that Keung wasn't doing as well as he did in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Keung stumbled backwards after parrying Reins' blade. He was breathing deeply with a totally bewildered look on his face. Reins swung her sword a few times, but Keung was able to maneuver around them without too much difficulty. He took several steps back and held his flamed blade in front of him. “Struggling?” she grinned at him as she slowly walked towards him, closing their distance. Keung's attention quickly moved to Harry and his friends, pleased to see that they were moving Snape. Rein noticed his gaze and immediately turned her attention towards the four. “Where do you think you're going?” “Harry, get down!” Keung shouted over to them. Harry and the others looked towards Keung to find Reins advancing towards them with a swift dash. “Run!” Harry roared, causing Hermione and Ron to run towards the entrance, Snape levitating behind them. Nancy realized that Harry was going to stand his ground against Reins and ran to his side to aid him. “Stupid boy!” Reins screamed as she whirled her sword behind her causing her sword to stretch into a whip. When she was within the proper distance, she swung her whip towards Nancy. Harry realized this and quickly grabbed Nancy, pulling her out of the way just as the whip flew by them. The two fell awkwardly to the ground and he heard Nancy cursing as she tried to get up. Reins pulled the whip back and was about to fling it towards them again when she felt something hard it her from behind. She collapsed to the ground and laid there quietly. Harry and Nancy looked around and found Hermione and Ron running back towards them. “Harry…Nancy, you okay?” Hermione panted as she helped Harry to his feet. Harry nodded and smiled at her, turning his head towards Keung, who was slowly approaching them. “My ankle,” Nancy winced as Ron helped her to her feet. “It looks like it's sprained,” Ron said after he quickly examined her ankle. Nancy winced again as she tried to apply weight onto her foot. “Here, I'll carry you.” Nancy nodded as Ron lifted her in his arms. He then turned and nodded to Harry and Hermione. Harry and Hermione looked at the approaching Keung, but were suddenly startled when he grabbed the collar of Harry's robes. “What do you think you're doing?” Keung growled at Harry. Harry's expression fell to one of shock and fear. Keung turned and looked at Hermione, his eyes cold, before he looked at Harry again. “You are doing nothing but endangering your friends. Get out of here when you still can.” “Keung!” Reins screamed from behind them as she raised herself from the ground. Keung turned and found her face covered with dirt. She lifted her wand again and formed her Flamora sword. She pointed the blade towards Keung and laughed. “I can take care of the boy later, but you are truly starting to test my patience.” “Please Harry,” Keung began again, his eyes softening. “Get away from here. She has been completely transformed and I don't know how long I can hold her off.” Harry nodded and Keung released his grip on his collar. He gave Harry a weak smile before he turned to face Reins again, his wand ready. Ron quickly made a run towards the entrance, holding Nancy in his arms, with Harry and Hermione close behind. Harry heard Keung's wand ignite again and soon could hear their blades clashing. After hearing Keung's words, he knew that his first priority should have been the safety of friends. For that matter, he didn't bother to turn and look behind them to watch how Keung did. He gritted his teeth and ran as fast as he could behind Hermione. He noticed a single carriage left behind and an impatient-looking threstral waiting for them. Harry waited for Ron to get Nancy into the carriage and quickly helped Hermione inside before getting in himself. He shut the door and found an unconscious Snape curled up on the floor. Before another word could be said, the threstral began to pull the carriage away from Hogsmeade and away from Keung. --> 8. Dumbledore's Explanations ---------------------------- **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 Eight: Dumbledore's Explanations** Harry sat in a chair in Dumbledore's office, allowing his body and mind to relax. Upon returning to Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey quickly opened their carriage and escorted the group back to the castle. While Ron, Hermione, Nancy, and Snape went with Madame Pomfrey to the hospital wing, Professor McGonagall took Harry to the stone gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office. She informed him to explain everything to Professor Dumbledore, so he would be able to take the proper precautions in preventing another attack. “Cranberry Artichokes,” Harry muttered to himself as he looked around Dumbledore's office. “His passwords seem to get stranger and stranger.” His eyes fell upon the perch where Fawkes, Dumbledore's faithful phoenix, usually stood and sighed when he noticed that he wasn't there. Professor Dumbledore's office hadn't changed since the last time he was there. His desk was covered with different parchments, little astrological gizmos sat on several tables in front of his fireplace, his personal library filled with old books, and the walls covered with the portraits of past Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts. Harry smiled to himself when the memory of his first visit to Dumbledore's office appeared in his mind. He was incredibly intimidated about the idea of being in the Headmaster's office, but it turned out to be one of the fondest memories he ever had. During the visit, Harry was worried about whether the Sorting Hat had placed him in the correct house, but after discussing the matters with Dumbledore, Harry knew that he was meant to be a Gryffindor. He looked towards the top of one of Dumbledore's shelves and found the Sorting Hat. It was quiet and still. If Harry didn't know any better, he would figured it to be a typical old wizard's hat. Harry stretched his arms and then his back as he stood up and continued to look around Dumbledore's office. He was starting to grow restless. He had been waiting for almost half an hour and all he wanted to do was go and see how his friends were doing. Harry heard something behind him and he turned to find Fawkes standing on his perch. Harry smiled at him and slowly walked towards him, holding his hand out to pet him. Fawkes let out a soft screech as he rubbed Harry's hand affectionately with his head. Harry's smile grew as he softly ran his hand down Fawkes' back. “How have you been Fawkes?” Harry asked as he looked into its dark eyes. “I am okay, I guess. A lot has been happening to me lately. When has anything ever not happen to me?” Harry let out a soft laugh as Fawkes looked tenderly at him. “I wish you could talk. Maybe you can help me out a bit. Help me figure out how to make all of this stop. Help me figure out why all this keeps happening to me. Help me figure out how to lift this cursed scare off me. I wish you could talk.” Fawkes' heard suddenly jerked, and Harry turned towards the door to see Professor Dumbledore. He gave Harry a soft smile, the same twinkle in his eyes, as he walked over to Fawkes and patted him softly. Harry's sudden mood had lightened at the sight of Dumbledore. Despite everything that has happened and the several times that he was infuriated with him, Harry could always turn to him for guidance and reassurance. Those were two things that he truly needed at the moment. “I'm sorry for my delayed arrival, Harry,” Dumbledore said as he sat in his chair. “I had to talk with Professor Snape and your friends about what they saw tonight.” “Couldn't of you just asked me?” Harry asked, his voice sounding a bit defensive. *Does he not trust my memory of how things were? I was there too.* “I am going to ask you,” Dumbledore replied as he placed his hands on the table, his fingers together. “However, I know that there are things that you will recall differently from that of the others.” Harry sat in his chair with a confused expression on his face. Dumbledore gave him a reassured smile and continued. “You have knowledge of this situation that the others do not. You know specific details about both Keung Chang and Magnolia Reins that I am sure that the others do not.” “What is it that I know that the others don't?” Harry asked as he leaned back against his comfortable chair. “That on the other hand, I am not quite sure,” Dumbledore responded. He anticipated Harry's curious and lost expression and continued. “I want you to tell me everything. Tell me everything you remember about your encounters with these two starting with your first encounter with Magnolia Reins on your outing with Hermione.” Harry took a deep breath and told Dumbledore everything he remembered. He told him about Reins ability to form a Flamora sword and a Flamora whip. He next told him about her attack on the Knight Bus and how Keung had saved him for the first time. He mentioned the fact that Reins had called Keung `her love.' He also told him about the research that Hermione and Nancy had conducted on Keung and everything they discovered about Veronica Cross' murder. He quickly mentioned the fact that Keung seemed to be using Veronica's wand when he saved Harry. And he finally concluded talking about how Reins had somehow grew more powerful and was giving Keung a difficult time at Hogsmeade. When Harry finished, he leaned against the chair and took a deep breath, feeling completely exhausted. He looked at Dumbledore, who did nothing but stare back into Harry's eyes with his hands on the table. Dumbledore, too, leaned back in his chair and gave Harry a soft smile. “You and your friends have done a lot about this,” Dumbledore said in a relaxed voice. “We wanted to know why this was happening. No one seemed willing to help us, so we knew we were on our own,” Harry replied, leaning forward and placing his hands on the edge of Dumbledore's desk. He examined its craftsmanship for a few moments before he looked up at Dumbledore again. “Professor, why did the Daily Prophet only write one article about the murder of Veronica Cross? I figured a story like that would of been in every Daily Prophet paper for ages.” Dumbledore smiled at Harry for he had asked the right question. “You have come upon something the Ministry of Magic has been hiding for the past eight years,” Dumbledore said as he stood from his chair and started to pace around his seat. “So the Ministry was trying to hush it all up….” Harry muttered softly as he looked at Dumbledore. “Yes, Harry,” Dumbledore smirked as he stopped by Fawkes' perch and started to stroke his feathers gently. “What I am about to tell you is of the strictest of confidence. Though, I feel that you should use the information however you see fit.” Dumbledore walked back to his chair and relaxed against it before he started. “The Minister of Magic, eight years ago, was Millicient Bagnold, a true dark wizard hater. She enforced the strictest of laws with the harshest of consequences to those who showed allegiance to Voldemort. “Do you recall the time when you gazed into my Pensive and witnessed several young men standing trial at the Ministry of Magic?” “Yes,” Harry replied as the images of watching Barty Crouch's son being pulled away from the courtroom. “They were all Death Eaters…and they all went to Azkaban.” “Correct,” Dumbledore nodded. “Bagnold was the woman who oversaw those proceedings. She made sure that if any form of evidence was provided proving the guilt of a possible Death Eater, they would be immediately sent to Azkaban. “When you defeated Lord Voldemort as a baby, Bagnold took it as a personal insult. She wanted to be the woman who outwitted and defeated the Dark Lord. Her image as a strong leader was compromised when the Wizarding world discovered that a one-year-old boy was able to do something that Bagnold and her Aurors could not. That was when Bagnold made it her personal mission to place every Death Eater she could in Azkaban with a life sentence. She felt that it was his way of saving her career. “She was doing a satisfactory job too. Many Death Eaters were placed in Azkaban and as Bagnold had hoped, her popularity grew with every Death Eater she captured. However, the death of Veronica Cross was something that threatened to destroy everything Bagnold had tried to rebuild.” “How is that?” Harry interrupted, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore. “Veronica Cross was murdered by a Flamora weapon.” “A Flamora weapon…why? How would that affect Bagnold's popularity?” Harry questioned as he scratched the side of his head. “I am disappointed to say that to this day, I do not truly know the complete explanation behind the murder. Though the reason why Bagnold felt threatened by the death of Veronica Cross was that the weapon used to perform the murder is best known to associated with dark powers,” Dumbledore explained as he got up from his chair and walked over to his bookshelf. He skimmed through the books and pulled out a particularly old one. He returned to the table and opened the book. After flipping through the pages, he nodded and placed the book in front of Harry. Harry looked down at it and his eyes grew focused. He looked back up at Dumbledore with his mouth open. He swallowed and softly read from the book, “Flamora weapons were powerful weapons forged by forces of evil during the medieval times. Their power was difficult to duplicate and they were used to slaughter those that stood in the holder's way, whether it be a battle ready warrior or an innocent child.” “Bagnold feared that her popularity would decline incredibly if the public discovered that a Hogwarts student was killed by a weapon used by dark wizards. She felt that if she had done his job more efficiently, such a tragedy could have been prevented. However the thing she feared most was how the public would view this tragedy. That was when she took action and after threatening several heads of the Daily Prophet, she was able to conceal the truth behind the murder, labeling it as an attack provoked by jealous rage.” “So, was Keung innocent?” Harry asked as he skimmed through the book. “Yes, that he was,” Dumbledore replied as he took a deep breath. “I stood by Keung at his hearing, which was presided by Bagnold, herself. Keung tried to explain his story to them, but Bagnold would not have it, saying that he was a liar and a killer. She did everything within her power to provoke Keung to lose his composure during the hearing. If Keung were to do anything that would look like a physical threat towards Bagnold, Bagnold would have the authority to put Keung in Azkaban with a life sentence. “To prevent Keung's rage from getting the better of him, I spoke in his defense. I told the judges that there was no possible way that Keung could committed the murder due to the fact that he was not capable of summoning a Flamora weapon. My statement caused many of the judges to stir, mostly because I was not supposed to mention anything about the weapons used during the murder. “Bagnold immediately acquitted Keung of all the charges, telling us to leave the courtroom before she changed her mind. I was honestly startled at Bagnold's sudden kind gesture. I knew that she would want something in return. My hunch proved correct for I received a message from Bagnold by owl several days after the trial. She told me that she would not press further charges against Keung if I agreed to never speak of the Flamora weapons.” “What did you do?” Harry asked, completely absorbed in Dumbledore's story. “I told her that I would never accept such a threat,” Dumbledore replied firmly, though after taking another deep break, his voice grew calm again. “However, to this day I have never said anything about the trial to anyone. If my memory serves me correctly, you are the only person that I have told this to.” “Why didn't you say anything? What was Keung's side of the story? What happened to Keung and Magnolia?” Harry asked one after another, but stopped when Dumbledore raised his hand and smiled at him. “Don't worry Harry,” he grinned as he lowered his hand. “I will explain. “As you have read in the Daily Prophet article, Magnolia Reins was the Hogwarts student that reported the murder of Veronica Cross. After Keung was apprehended, he was sent to my office. Keung was a good and kind student but he had lived a very troubled life at Hogwarts. Though I truly believed that under no circumstances would he ever harm another student, especially Veronica. He was truly taken by her. “Upon his arrival, I asked him to tell me everything. He informed me that the culprit was actually Magnolia Reins. He stated that he overheard several students talking. They said that Magnolia was planning an ambush for Veronica, near the Forbidden Forest, in an attempt to scare her. He hurried to assist Veronica, but found a masked woman attacking her with what appeared to be sword made entirely out of flames. Keung tried to save Veronica by fighting the masked woman, but his attempts fell short. Veronica was killed, but it hadn't been premeditated as what many were led to believe, but Keung informed me that it happened by accident.” “Accident? Veronica's death as an accident?” Harry asked, a complete look of bewilderment on his face. Dumbledore nodded before he continued, “Keung told me that during his fight with the masked woman, he had successfully knocked her to the ground. When the woman tried to recover, he attacked her again causing her to fall once more. However when she fell, her blade struck Veronica across her chest. Keung immediately came to Veronica's aid and the woman started screaming how harming Veronica was not a part of her plan. He told me that the woman's mask had fallen off when she fell a second time. Magnolia Reins was behind it. “Keung informed me that before he had a chance to stop her, Magnolia had fled back towards the castle. She immediately alerted me of the situation and I, along with other professors, found Veronica Cross dead in Keung Chang's arms.” “Did you talk to Magnolia Reins about what happened?” Harry asked after thinking to himself for several moments. “Yes I did,” Dumbledore nodded, his fingers running through his long white beard. “She told me that she followed Keung and Veronica into the Forbidden Forest. She claims that the two had been arguing because Veronica no longer wanted to be with him. She said that Keung's reaction had scared Veronica causing her to run to forest, with Keung after her. When she found the two, she told me that she found Keung holding Veronica's body, his robes covered with her blood.” “Did you believe her?” Harry's face grew to an uncertain one. “I did not believe her story,” Dumbledore replied firmly. “I do not require serums or lie detecting devices to tell me when someone is lying. She was incredibly uneasy in her seat and she never did once make eye contact with me. She also claimed that she did not know how to summon a Flamora weapon. However after some research on her family's history, it did state that her family did possess that particular ability. Despite the fact I knew that something was wrong; I didn't have enough information to determine what exactly happened that afternoon in the Forbidden Forest. Though I knew for certain that I did not want Keung to be imprisoned in Azkaban for something he did not do.” “What happened after the trial?” “Upon returning to Hogwarts, Professor Snape informed me that Magnolia Reins left the school. Magnolia's parents did not want her attending this school after learning the fact that Keung was to return. Keung's life became significantly harder after that day. All the students, including his friends, had abandoned him. The situation escalated when Keung was sent back to my office after getting into a fight with one of his classmates. “When he arrived, he informed me about his feelings and how he no longer felt welcomed at Hogwarts. I could see that his patience had nearly left him and when he asked me about the Flamora weapons, I made the decision to answer him. To this day, I do not know if that was a mistake. I decided to show him an ancient scroll that was given to me on one my travels many years ago. The scroll contained information regarding the creation of the Flamora weapons, how only those that have been cut by such a weapon could ever wield its true power. The scroll was also the only existing document that had the instructions on how to summon the Flamora weapons.” “So a document does exist…” Harry said softly to himself as he started to think. “Why were you not sure if telling Keung about the Flamora weapons was a mistake?” “I will answer that question soon,” Dumbledore assured him as he took a deep breath. He looked at around his office and his eyes soon fell upon Fawkes, who seemed like he was sleeping. “Do you recall in the article from the Daily Prophet explaining that Veronica's wand was missing?” “Yes,” Harry replied. “The article said that it was strange because her friends said that she would never go anywhere without her wand.” “Well the truth is that her wand was at the scene of the murder. However, no one had recovered it. On the night before the day that Keung was sent to my office for fighting, Fawkes had found it and brought it to me. My intention with the wand was to send it back to her parents with a letter expressing my deepest sympathies. Keung completely lost his composure when he saw the wand on my desk. I did my best to console him, but I knew that this was something that he would have to handle on his own. There was not anything that I could say to him that would keep him from grieving over the loss of someone he loved. “Professor McGonagall soon appeared in my office and told me that there was an issue that I needed to attend to. Feeling that everything would fine, I told Keung to stay in my office as I went with Professor McGonagall. However, to my surprise, when I returned to the office, Keung was no longer there. After walking to my desk, I found a note on from Keung. “The note read that he was going to find Magnolia and seek vengeances for Veronica. I then noticed that Veronica's wand was gone and so was the scroll that possessed the instructions on how to summon the Flamora weapons. I was not sure if I should of notified the Ministry of this matter, because it would cause Keung look guilty for Veronica's murder. It would also give Bagnold a reason to send her Aurors after him. I finally decided to allow Keung to be on his own, and I hoped that his knowledge and conscience would give him the strength to move on with his life. After Keung left my office that day, he had never returned to Hogwarts.” Harry sat in his chair silent, unsure about how to respond to everything Dumbledore had just said to him. Dumbledore smiled at him as he crossed his fingers, “Keung has a good heart, but for these past eight years, he has lacked guidance. Be wary when you're around him. He is strong and I know he wishes to protect you and your friends from Magnolia. However his emotions can be very unstable. I am incredibly impressed knowing that he has mastered a Flamora blade, I just hope that it doesn't corrupt him.” “Corrupt him?” Harry asked, causing him to sit straight in his chair. “The Flamora weapons are incredible dark spells that needs to fee off of the user's life-force in order to be summoned,” Dumbledore answered. “If he isn't cautious on how he uses it, the darkness could possibly consume him. Hence my warning to you about being wary when you are around him.” Harry nodded and relaxed in his chair again. Harry's eyes had started to grow sore and he found it incredibly difficult to fight off his yawn. Dumbledore smiled at him again as he rose from his chair. “It's almost one o'clock. I suggest you get back to your dormitory and get some rest.” Harry got up from his chair and gave Dumbledore a weak smile. “Good night, Professor.” “Good night, Harry,” Dumbledore's smile grew warmer, his eyes still twinkling. Harry left the office and made his way down the steps. The stone gargoyle took him back down to the entrance of the secret passageway. He placed his hands in his pockets and shuddered softly as the cold of the night hit him. He looked back and watched the stone gargoyle conceal the passageway. He slowly made his away towards the Gryffindor common room, allowing his mind to wonder as he walked. “I hope Keung is all right,” Harry muttered softly to himself as he walked up to the Fat Lady's portrait. “*Rectatis Ignormus*.” The Fat Lady looked at Harry with a piercing glare when she woke from Harry's words. She let out a soft sigh and reluctantly opened the passageway for him. Harry walked into the common room to find Ron and Hermione sitting in their armchairs, both sound asleep. He quietly walked over to their chairs and smiled at them. He knelt in front of Hermione's and looked at her sleeping form. She looked so peaceful, so relaxed. He softly touched the side of her face with his hand and she opened her eyes. A soft smile formed on her lips when her vision focused on Harry. When she realized that she wasn't dreaming, so pushed herself off her chair and gave him a tight hug, her arms around his neck, her face buried into his neck. Harry smiled to himself as he wrapped his arms around her and embraced her, never wanting to let go. “Harry…” Ron said with a yawn as he started to move in his chair. Harry and Hermione unwillingly released each other and looked over towards him. He raised his arms and stretched his back. He then rubbed his eyes and looked over towards them. Harry took a seat on the couch between their armchairs and watched the fire. “How is Nancy?” Harry asked. “She's doing all right,” Ron said as he tried to fight of a yawn. “Madame Pomfrey said that she wanted her to stay in the hospital wing tonight to let her ankle heal. She should be out and about by tomorrow.” “What about Snape?” Harry asked, his tone lowering. “He'll be fine too,” Ron said with a harsh tone. “The wounds he got weren't too horrible. She says that he needs to spend the weekend in the hospital wing and he should be completely fine by Monday.” The three grew silent as the watched the fire. Harry's mind was still moving in circles around the facts that Dumbledore had explained to him. He tried to piece as much of it as he could together, but there was still missing pieces. “What happened?” Hermione asked as she looked at him. “What did Dumbledore say to you?” “He told me a lot,” Harry replied, his eyes still on the fire. Harry took his time to explain everything he had heard from Dumbledore, making sure to not skip over any details. When he had finished, he looked up at his two friends to see looks of surprise on their faces. He expected this. It was a lot of information to absorb, but not everything that was explained by Dumbledore made perfect sense. Dumbledore was unaware of several things when it came to Keung's story; either that or he didn't wish to share it with Harry. Hermione suddenly rose from her chair. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it and took a seat next to Harry on the couch. Ron unable to see the paper, too, stood from his chair and settled next to Harry. Harry looked at the paper and realized that it was a Daily Prophet newspaper dated back several years ago, but on the exact same month and day as the issue that discussed Veronica Cross' murder. “Where did you get this?” Ron asked as he looked at Hermione. “The library,” she said quietly as she turned the paper towards the article she wanted. “You mean to tell me that you stole something out of the library?” Ron asked, his eyebrow rose. “I'll put it back. I just noticed it, but I didn't get a chance to talk about it because we were all getting ready to leave,” Hermione replied, trying to make her crime seem like something that couldn't be avoided. “So I took it with me.” Hermione turned to the proper page and the two focused on an article at the center of the page. They saw a picture of a house on fire with several people around it, screaming. Harry looked at the caption and read out loud, “The burning of the Cross Family home.” Harry looked at Hermione and she insisted that he continued. He looked back towards the article and started to read out loud again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *The home of Malcolm, Jennifer, Willard, and the late Veronica Cross burned down last night. The authorities believed that the burning of the house was intentional when the Ministry of Magic officials were unable to extinguish the fire. The fire was surrounded by sort of protective shield that the officials were not able to bypass. As a result, the officials were not able to do anything, aside from watching the house burn.* *By early morning, the house had been completely demolished. Ministry of Magic officials were able to recover the bodies of Malcolm and Jennifer Cross, but were unable to locate their son's, Willard. The Ministry of Magic would appreciate the public's help in finding Willard Cross. Unfortunately, because all of the family photo albums were destroyed in the fire, they were unable to produce a photograph of Willard. The Ministry had to resort to discussing the matters with the Cross family's neighbors to produce a sketch of Williard's image (pictured on the left). Any sort of information to the whereabouts of Willard Cross would be invaluable.* *Malcolm Cross was best known for his work as an Auror in Russia and other east European countries. He had placed many dark wizards and witches in the wizard prison, Azkaban, during his twenty years of hard work for the Ministry of Magic. He retired last year from the position as an Auror and took a new position with the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. Jennifer Cross was a humble woman who always placed her family before herself. Neighbors and family friends commented on how their family was always full of joy before the murder of the daughter, Veronica. Willard, their younger child, was a growing boy who should true potential on the Quidditch pitch.* *The hearts and prayers of the Ministry of Magic and the Daily Prophet go out to the family and friends of the Cross family. This is a true tragedy and Ministry of Magic will do everything within their power to bring the culprits to justice.* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Blimey,” Ron said with a gasp as he looked over at the sketch of Willard Cross. “That picture would not do anyone justice.” “Ron,” Harry replied with a harsh tone. He looked down at the article again and softly said, “So everyone, except for Willard, was murdered.” “Yes,” Hermione said as she looked into the fire. “Something doesn't seem right about the whole thing. There are too many missing pieces.” “Hey, you don't suppose that all of this was done by Magnolia Reins,” Ron suggested as he lowered himself to the ground, resting his hands behind his head. “You know…like she was assigned by You-Know-Who to kill the Cross family because of all the things that Veronica's dad did.” “It would seem like it,” Harry replied, unsure of where his train of thought was going. “But you said that Keung told Dumbledore that Magnolia Reins killed Veronica on accident,” Hermione brought up as she looked at Harry. “I doubt Magnolia would just go out and kill the rest of Veronica's family if the cause of Veronica's death was really an unfortunate accident.” The three grew silent again for several minutes. Harry and Hermione were staring again into the fire, while Ron stared aimlessly at the ceiling of the common room. “I'm tired, I'm going to get to bed,” Hermione finally said with a yawn. Harry smiled at her as he got up and stretched his back. He looked back down at his friends and saw Hermione smiling with her arms raised towards him. He helped her up and found Ron on the ground with his arms also up. “You're joking,” Harry said with a small laugh. “Oh Harry,” Ron said in a pleading voice. “I can't get up.” “Lazy git,” Harry said with smile as he helped Ron to his feet. They watched Hermione walk up the stairs towards the dormitories and the followed close behind her. She waved at the boys one last time before she made her way through the large door that led to the girls' dormitory. Ron and Harry looked at each other and made their way up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Harry allowed his mind to wander some more hoping that it would come across something he hadn't thought of yet, and may help him figure why anyone would want to kill Malcolm and Jennifer Cross. * ~ * ~ * ~ * A few weeks had passed and the Fall examinations were steadily getting closer. The common room was filled with students reading books and quizzing each other on potential examination questions. Hermione was sitting in her favorite armchair rereading several chapters in her Advanced Potions textbook while Harry laid on the ground in front of Hermione's armchair, looking over several of his textbooks. Crookshanks purred as she curled his body against Harry's side. Ron and Nancy had disappeared; another tutoring session Harry and Hermione figured. Hermione sighed as she closed her potions textbook. She enjoyed potions to an extent, but it was truly one of her most unentertaining classes. It was a very small class, only consisting of five students, including herself. She was incredibly timid when it came to that class. She didn't know any of the other students, she being the only sixth year in Gryffindor to pass Snape's requirements to enroll into Advanced Potions, and she felt incredibly uncomfortable due to the fact that Snape constantly glared at her. Snape had been particularly colder to her, Harry, Ron, and Nancy. After recovering from his injuries, he talked with the four during lunch and painfully awarded each of them twenty-five points for saving his life. The four knew that he didn't want to give them points for it. It seemed more likely that someone else believed that they should have be awarded something for the hardships and that Snape should have been the one to deliver the message. Hermione looked down at the floor where Harry was laying. His textbooks were pushed off to the side and he, instead, had the Quidditch strategy book she had given him for his birthday out in front of him. He had several pieces of parchment dispersed on the floor next to the book, and to what Hermione could figure; he had different Quidditch maneuvers drawn out on them. She then noticed him playing with something in his left hand and a smile grew on her face when she realized that it was the snitch that she had also given him for his birthday. Harry noticed her eyes and he looked up at her with a bright smile. She placed her potions books on her armchair and sat on the floor next to Harry. “Preparing for your first game?” she asked as she picked up one of the maneuvers that Harry was designing. “Yeah,” Harry replied as he gave her another smile. “Tonight is going to be our last practice before the game, and in three days we'll see if we're going to win or sink.” “I have all the faith in the world in you, Harry,” Hermione smiled at him, which magically calmed his tensed nerves. Harry had been incredibly worried about their first game. The Gryffindor practices were running smoothly, but the team still faced its usual bumps. William and Ginny were still known to allow their anger to flare towards one another, causing Harry to put their practice on hold in order to prevent the two from getting into a fistfight. Andrew and Jack's beater abilities had improved slightly in the sense they can now somewhat aim where they struck the bludger. They, however, still had trouble getting into their proper positions, which in turn, never allowed them to gain control of either of the bludgers. The only thing that Harry was grateful for was the fact that Ron and Dean had improved greatly. Ron's reflexes had heightened incredibly and he no longer lost his confidence if he were to allow to quaffle to get by him. He still cursed at himself for not stopping it, but his head remained in the proper setting and he was able to recover. Dean's flying had also improved incredibly. He wasn't prepared to do anything too advanced on his broom, but he was at least able to maneuver and fly in a straight path. “What are you trying to do?” Hermione asked him as he started flipping through the pages in the book. “I'm trying to figure out a way for Dean to get open shots at the hoops,” Harry replied, still flipping through the pages of the Quidditch book. “Is Dean good?” Hermione asked with an interested voice. “He has a really good arm. The best throw I've ever seen. He can throw a quaffle from halfway across the pitch and make it in any of the hoops he wants,” Harry explained as he moved from his laying position to a sitting one. Crookshanks got up and stretched his back, before hopping into Hermione's lap and curling into ball. “Though the problem is that all his throws move in a straight path. A keeper could easily stop the shot if he were expecting it.” “Oh,” Hermione responded as she looked at the parchment again. “So what you need is a way to get Dean out in the open, but keep the rest of your opponents distracted.” Harry nodded and Hermione gave him a smile. She took his quill from his hand and began to scribble and draw on a piece of blank parchment. Harry looked at what she was writing and realized that she was scribbling down a Quidditch maneuver. He looked at her with a curious expression and decided not to ask any questions until she had finished. When she did, she placed his quill down and showed him the parchment. “I call it the…hmm…One Time Fake Out Pass,” Hermione grinned as she started to point specific things out. “Now, Ginny is really agile on her broom, so you'll have her charge directly into the center of the opposing defense with the quaffle. You then have William fly in after her, making them think that she will pass the quaffle to him for the shot. However, she doesn't pass the quaffle to him, she will pass it over to Dean. Now Dean should be somewhere within passing range of Ginny, but no one will suspect that he will take the shot, if William is there…” “Then when he receives the quaffle, he'll have a perfect shot at a misdirected keeper,” Harry finished, his eyes filled with awe as he looked over the parchment. This made Hermione smile and she crossed her arms with a very satisfied look. “Hermione, this is brilliant! You should be our playmaker.” “Oh no,” she responded with a giggle. “It was something that I just thought of. I don't even know if will work or not.” “Believe me,” he nodded. “If everything goes according to what you said, it will definitely work.” Harry gave her a very grateful grin, but his attention soon fell on the clock in the Gryffindor common room. It read quarter-to-seven. He then quickly started packing his things, which slightly startled Hermione. “Sorry Hermione, but practice begins in fifteen minutes.” “It's okay,” she replied with a soft smile. “Thank you very much. This maneuver is really brilliant. We'll call it…The Granger One Time Fake Out Pass,” he said with a professional voice. Hermione grinned at him, her cheeks turning pink. When he was finished packing, he leaned over and quickly gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I'll see you later,” he said. Hermione touched her cheek and waved at him, as he quickly made his way through the Gryffindor students and out of the common room with a large smile across his face. --> 9. Gryffindor vs. Slytherin --------------------------- **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 Nine: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin** The Gryffindor common room was filled with anticipated and excited students. Today marked the first match of the school's Quidditch season and it would be between the school's largest rivals, Gryffindor and Slytherin. The students needed days like this to unwind from studying. Their Fall examinations were just around the corner, and the students needed a day of carefree fun and excitement to calm their nerves. The Gryffindor students were truly excited about this game. Gryffindor had always had brutal games against Slytherin, being that the two were always the top contenders for the Quidditch Cup. However, with the return of Harry Potter as their Seeker and new captain, and with the arrival of transfer student, William Weinstein as their lead Chaser, they felt that the Quidditch Cup was as good as theirs. Harry let out a soft sigh as he stood in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. He was wearing his red and gold Quidditch robes and he held his Firebolt firmly in his right hand. A small grin formed across his face as he looked at the Fat Lady. She looked back at him with an impressed smirk on her face. Harry took a deep breath and whispered the password to her. She gave him a quick smile as she opened the passageway into the Gryffindor common room. Harry allowed his face to drop to a soft frown as he walked into the common room. He was greeted by many of his friends and fellow Gryffindors. They shook his hand, patted his back, and cheered his name as he looked around for Ron, Hermione, and Nancy. After several minutes of searching, he finally able to them standing by the fireplace talking and laughing with Ginny. He took another deep breath, shook someone's hand, and made his way over to them, trying his best to keep his sad expression. “What's wrong, Harry?” Hermione asked as he took his spot by her. He felt a smile creeping in, but he needed to keep his face tense and his expression firm. “Harry…” “I just talking with the girl I wanted to take to the Christmas Ball,” Harry started as he let out a sigh. Nancy, Ron, and Ginny immediately grew intrigued due to the fact that none of them knew who Harry had asked. Hermione tried to keep her expression straight, but she looked at him with a confused look. “Oh…” Ron smiled as he gave Harry a friendly knock on the shoulder. “Went out for a snogging before the match, huh?” “Of course not, silly,” Nancy replied giving him a stern look. “If he were snogging with a girl, would he really have a sad look on his face?” “Well, she could be a bad…” Ron continued, but an icy glare from all the girls caused him to close his mouth. “What happened?” Hermione asked softly as she started to rub his back as a friendly gesture. “She…” Harry took a deep breath, keeping his expression firm. “She said that her family is making her go home for the Christmas break, so she won't be able to go to the dance with me.” “Oh Harry, I'm really sorry,” Ginny said with a very sympathetic voice. “That must really be awful.” Hermione's eyes grew wide when she realized what he was planning in his head. *That is very smart, Harry. Why didn't I see this coming? And you told me that you had no sense about these types of matters.* “Will you be okay?” Hermione asked him as she continued to rub his back gently with her hand. Harry nodded slightly, but didn't lighten his expression. “Don't worry mate, we'll find you a new girl,” Ron said as he looked at Ginny. “Ginny, you know a bunch of girls that haven't been asked yet to the Christmas Ball, don't you?” “Oh yes,” she answered as she crossed her arms and thought to herself. “I can think of several right now who would love to go with you.” “Oh no,” Harry replied as he raised his arm in objection. “I don't know if I want to go to the Christmas Ball anymore. It wouldn't feel right.” “But Harry,” Nancy kindly argued. “You have to go. What are you going to do?” “I don't know,” Harry said softly as he looked into the fire. Ron tried to say something else, but Hermione interrupted him before he got a chance and said, “Oh, leave him be. It is his decision if he wants to go or not. I am sure if Harry feels like it, he will find another girl on his own. Though, don't go around advertising him like he's a piece of meat.” “Yeah, you are right,” Nancy replied as she released a soft sigh. The Gryffindor common room opened and they turned to find William Weinstein entering. He wore a flashy smile as he greeted and waved to all his Gryffindor fans. He made his way into the center of the room holding a chair in one of his hands. He placed the chair on the floor and gracefully stood on it so that everyone could see him. “Now my fellow Gryffindors,” he spoke, his voice steady and firm, “there is no way in the world that Slytherin will defeat us. With my strength and my lightning moves, they will not know what hit them. They will regret ever showing their faces on the field to face William Weinstein and the Gryffindor Quidditch team!” While numerous students began cheering, Ron turned to look at his friends with a complete look of disgust. Harry's expression finally changed to one of complete puzzlement as he watched William wave his broom in the air as if it were a sword. “Oh, that boy is going to get it!” Ginny growled as she took a step towards his direction. Though Harry and Ron quickly grabbed her arms and prevented her from advancing any further. She looked at them with a determined face, “He needs to be taught a lesson!” “Whatever he needs to be taught,” Harry quickly responded, “teach him after the game. We need all our players healthy and ready.” Ginny calmed herself down and the two released her. The Gryffindor common room door opened again and this time it was Collin Kreevey who entered. His face was red and he was taking deep breaths as if he had been running for miles. He walked over to Harry and smiled at him. “Hey Collin,” Harry said with a confused look on his face. “What's going on?” “Professor McGonagall…” Collin replied as he tried to catch his breath. “She wants…the team ready to go…to the pitch. Have Hermione…take the students…to their seats.” “Okay, thanks Collin,” Harry said as he gave him a nod. Collin gave him another quick smile before he dashed through the people and out the common room door. “He is a strange one,” Ron said as he walked over to his armchair and picked up his broom, his body growing tense. “Good luck, you three,” Hermione smiled at them as she gave Harry's arm an affectionate squeeze with her hand. Harry smiled at her as she and Nancy left the group. Within minutes, Hermione was able to calm the cheering students and led them out of the common room towards the Quidditch pitch. “All right,” Harry said with a nod as he looked at his team, all of them wearing their red and gold Quidditch robes, their brooms held in their hands. “Let's go!” * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry and the Gryffindor team stood tense and ready behind the large wooden door. They stood in a standard “V” formation with Harry standing at the point, closest to the door. His heart was pounding hard and his breath was getting short as the excitement raged inside him. He could hear the students outside the door, cheering and screaming as they waited for the Quidditch players to take the field. “Welcome everyone!” a voice came over the megaphones around the loud stadium. Harry turned and looked at Ron with a shocked expression when he realized that the voice belonged to Collin Kreevey. “It's another beautiful day and the weather is just right for an exciting match!” “All right,” Harry said to his team as faced the doors. “Let's just relax and play our game.” The large door started to creek and within seconds it swung open, sunlight filling the corridor. Harry turned to his team and gave them a lopsided grin. They all nodded to him as the mounted their brooms. Harry turned and faced out the door, overlooking the pitch. He mounted his Firebolt and in unison, they all kicked off the ground and soared out of the corridor towards the center of the pitch. Harry felt his body come alive again as he soared over the pitch. The wind in his face, the roar of the crowds, the thrill of the game; he had missed all of these things during his suspension. He looked down at his Firebolt and his heart filled with anticipation. He wanted to push his Firebolt to its limit, but the one desire that Harry felt grow inside him was his need to catch the snitch. Win or lose, all he truly wanted to do is to catch the flying ball before Malfoy could get his greasy fingers on it. “There is the captain of the Gryffindor Team, flying on his coveted Firebolt, Harry Potter!” Harry heard Collin roar followed by the cheering of students, not only from Gryffindor, but Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw as well. Harry flew by the Gryffindor stands and he smiled when he saw Hermione and Nancy standing near the front, with a thrilled Hagrid standing behind them with his arms in the air, cheering his heart out. Harry's eyes soon locked onto Hermione's and his heart started pounding even harder. He wanted to catch the snitch, but no longer for himself, but for her. *Reach out for her, and once you've got a good grip, never let go.* The two teams assembled around the center of the field, giving each other glares. Draco gave his usual snarl at Harry, who could only return it with one of his own. Ginny looked over to Dean, who was very nervous about being in front of so many people, and gave him a sweet smile. Ron noticed this and his eyes narrowed on Dean, but with a sigh and a shake of his head, he was looking towards the center of the pitch again. “Here comes Madame Hooch! The game is about to begin!” Collin bellowed into his microphone causing everyone to scream and shout even more. Harry watched as Madame Hooch walked towards the chest that held the Quidditch equipment. She kicked the chest and the lid swung opened, releasing the bludgers and then the golden snitch. She placed her silver whistle into her mouth as she looked up at the ready teams. With a quick smirk on her face, she threw up the quaffle and blew her whistle. “And they're off! Weinstein has the quaffle and look at him go! He flies by Montague and Pucey…throws…SCORES! Gryffindor leads ten to zero!” William raised his arms, which caused the stadium to roar. Harry noticed this and shook his head slightly as he looked around for the snitch. *Ok Harry, we'll do fine. William and Ginny will have everything under control.* “Warrington brings up the quaffle, but Weinstein steals! He flies by two bludgers…throws…SCORES AGAIN! Gryffindor, twenty to zero! The crowd goes wild! “Montague recovers the quaffle…passes Thomas…passes Weasley….oh! Barely dodges the bludger from Kirke! Throws…OH! Weasley catches the quaffle!” Ron grinned at Montague and threw the quaffle to Ginny. “Weasley brings up the quaffle up the center…flies in between Crabbe and Goyle…passes it to Weinstein…throws! Blocked by Bletchley! Quaffle falls…Weasley recovers it! Goes around Montague…throws…SCORES! Gryffindor has a commanding lead of thirty to zero!” Professor McGonagall smiled as she relaxed in her seat. She looked over at Collin and smiled as he looked around, doing his best to commentate the game. A sigh escaped her lips when memories of Lee Jordan's commentating entered her mind. She knew that the kids grew up very quickly. She was happy to spend these times with them, watching them laugh and have fun. It was the side of teaching she had enjoyed the most, but no one truly knew it. Harry looked around the pitch; his eyes squinted as a light wind began to pick up. He suddenly saw something shining around the middle post where the Slytherin goalie was hovering. With a sudden explosion of speed, Harry blasted towards it. The crowded stared at awe as Harry made his away across the pitch. Malfoy noticed Harry's burst of speed and flew as fast as he could to cut him off, but Harry was too far ahead. Harry squinted his eyes more and his heart started to pound when he was able to make out the soft outline of the golden ball. “Potter flies for the snitch! OH! That was a close call!” Harry quickly steadied his Firebolt as he looked over his shoulder to a grinning Goyle. He had barely missed Harry with a bludger. Harry quickly looked around and let out a groan of frustration when he realized he had completely lost sight of the snitch. He slowly made his way above the game again, causing the Gryffindor crowd to let out a soft moan. “Montague to Pucey…back to Montague…back to Pucey! Throws…beats Weasley! Score is thirty to ten, Gryffindor leads!” Ron lowered his head after the play, cursing to himself under his breath. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, his rage growing inside him. He could hear the Slytherins chanting, “Weasley is our King,” a rhyme the Malfoy had created the previous year to anger him. Ron grinned to himself, knowing the only way to shut them up was to stop more shots. “Weinstein with the quaffle…flies through Montague…almost lost it…throws…SCORES! Gryffindor up forty to ten! William Weinstein is unbelievable!” William raised his arms again and let out a howl as he flew back towards the Gryffindor side of the pitch, when he felt a sharp pain in his side. He looked up to see Crabbe with a menacing look on his face. The crowded started to shout in anger and Madame Hooch blew her whistle. “Foul by Slytherin for an unprovoked attack on a Gryffindor chaser! Gryffindor penalty shot!” she roared as she gave a distasteful look at Crabbe, who seemed even more outraged. “Weinstein is ready to take the penalty shot! Oh that Crabbe…never was a good sport…just one rotten…” “Collin!” Professor McGonagall shouted as she looked at him with disapproving eyes. Collin sank into his chair, remaining quiet until William took his shot. Professor McGonagall smiled to herself as she sat down in her seat, knowing that not even time could erase Lee Jordan's memory from her mind. “SCORES! Gryffindor with an astounding lead of fifty to ten!” Harry suddenly saw Malfoy dive for something out of the corner of his eyes. He gritted his teeth and flew towards Malfoy as fast as he could. Everything around him became a blur; his focus was only on Malfoy. To Harry's horror, he saw something flying in front of Malfoy and he knew that it was the snitch. He gripped his Firebolt even tighter and decided that it was time he tested the Firebolt's limit. Harry's body became a blur as he made his away after Malfoy, gaining on him with incredible speed. Harry noticed that Malfoy was almost within an arm's reach of it. He decided that his best option was to dive down and grab the snitch on the pass. Harry maneuvered several yards above Malfoy and watched him struggling to reach for the snitch. Harry patiently waited and when he saw his opening, he made the Firebolt dive directly towards Malfoy. He extended his arm, his hand ready. The maneuver was executed perfectly, but both Harry and Malfoy completely missed the snitch. The snitch suddenly dove as Harry and Malfoy made a grab for it. When the two were able to steady their brooms from their sudden stop, they looked around in all directions but were unable to find the tiny golden ball. Malfoy looked at Harry with a look of utter hatred as he flew back up towards the center of the Quidditch pitch. Harry allowed himself to take a deep breath, realizing that his hands were numb from holding onto the Firebolt so tightly. “Oh and that was a close call for both seekers!” Collin announced as the two seekers took their positions again, high above the rest of the players. “This game could of ended just then! “Pucey brings the quaffle on the right side…passes to Warrington…OH, he's hit by a bludger, but Montague recovers the quaffle! Passes to Warrington…throws…WOW! Fantastic save by Weasley…Thomas loses the quaffle to Montague…passes to Pucey…SCORES! The score is now, Gryffindor fifty, Slytherin twenty.” The Gryffindor crowd was saddened to see the quaffle fly through the middle hoop, but there was nothing Ron could of done about it. He was faced with two Chasers and wasn't able to predict the motions of the quaffle. Ron growled again to himself for not waiting longer before he reacted. He looked up at Harry, who gave him a reassured smile. Ron tightened his grip on his Clean Sweep and he nodded to himself as he flew back into his keeping position. “Ginny!” Harry called out from his position high above the quaffle game. Ginny held the quaffle in her arm and she looked up towards her captain. He raised his arm in the air; his fist clenched and made a circular motion as if he was polishing something before he slammed his first into his other hand. This confused Malfoy, his eyes locked on Harry's bizarre gestures. Ginny nodded and stopped in mid-flight, allowing herself to hover in the middle of the Quidditch pitch. William and Dean saw her and knew that it was time to try it out. “Thomas and Weinstein are flying towards Weasley and there she goes! She is fast! Weinstein is behind her…she's splitting the defense…Bletchley sees the move…WHAT? Weasley passes to Thomas…throws…SCORES! Did you see that throw? That was amazing! Gryffindor extends its lead, sixty to twenty!” Ron howled as he raised his arms after watching Dean execute the play. His expression though changed to one of complete focus, when he saw the Slytherins flying towards him with the quaffle. He gripped his broom tightly and watched as Montague approached him with the quaffle, Pucey behind him, and Warrington below him. Montague threw the quaffle towards Ron's left hoop, but Ron was able to prevent it from going in by knocking it down. William recovered it, but Warrington took it away before he had a chance to cradle it in his arms. Warrington threw towards the right hoop. Ron moved as quickly as he could with his right arm outstretched and was just able to knock the quaffle back; however, to his dismay it went directly into the arms of Pucey, who instantly threw it towards the middle hoop. Ron gritted his teeth as he swung himself over towards the middle hoop, allowing his legs to leave the broom. He swung himself around and was amazed when his left foot made contact with the quaffle, sending it towards the middle of the pitch. “THAT WAS AMAZING! Weasley has made another unbelievable save! Thomas recovers the quaffle…throws from center of the pitch…SCORES! Bletchley didn't see the shot coming! Gryffindor leads Slytherin, seventy to twenty!” Harry cheered for Ron and Dean as he watched the game progress. He suddenly caught something fluttering at the corner of his eye. Harry turned to find the snitch only a foot from his right arm, however, before he could react, it dove back towards the pitch. Harry grinned to himself as he took a firm hold of his Firebolt and descended after the snitch. “There goes Potter! Malfoy is behind him…but can't keep up!” Harry closed one his eyes and kept his other squinted as he followed the snitch back towards the ground. He took his right arm off the broom and tried to reach for the snitch. His middle finger grazed it, causing the snitch to suddenly change its direction, flying parallel with the ground. Harry placed both hands on his broom and positioned himself so that both his feet were now standing on the back half. He used all of his strength to pull his Firebolt up with his hands as he pushed down with his feet. “Potter pulls out of his dive! That was a close one! He's still after the snitch!” Harry increased his speed again until he was within arms reach of the snitch. He again reached out for it, but his fingers needed an extra inch. He then saw something coming from his right, which caused him to dive slightly. It was a bludger. He took a quick breath and continued his pursuit of the snitch. When Harry was within arms reach of the snitch again, he knew that he wasn't going to get a better opportunity than this. He then noticed Goyle hit a bludger in his direction. His eyes moved between the bludger and the snitch, and he estimated from its path that if he were to reach out for the snitch, he would most likely be struck by the bludger. Harry clenched his teeth as he decided to take his chances. He saw the bludger coming from the corner of his eye, but he still reached out for the snitch. Harry held onto tightly to his broom in preparation for the hit, but he saw something move up from under him. It was Andrew Kirke with his bat ready, but to his complete horror, the bludger struck Andrew in the chest, sending him flying off his broom and onto the ground. “WOW! Kirke is down and he isn't moving!” Harry looked forward and realized that he was running out of room, and if he didn't make his move now, he would lose the snitch for certain. He took a deep breath and leapt off his broom towards the snitch. He felt it move into his right hand and he closed his hand tightly around it. Harry noticed the ground getting closer to him, and he instinctively pulled his arms up to protect himself. Harry made contact with the ground and started to skid along it, causing his body to tumble like a rag doll. He finally came to a halt against the middle hoop post on the Slytherin side of the field. Harry couldn't feel anything; he opened his eyes, a wave of dizziness had taken him. He had lost his glasses sometime during his fall. His ears you ringing; all he could hear was his heart beating slowly in his chest. He felt something move in his hand and he looked down into it with a weak smile to see the snitch, fluttering its wings softly. He attempted to stand, but his body didn't wish to respond. He then decided to raise his arm into the air and show the crowd that he had the snitch firmly in his hand. “POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!” Collin roared as he started jumping on his seat, the microphone in his hand. The entire stadium roared and cheered as the announcement echoed. Harry could hear people yelling his name and he did his best to locate the voices, but everything in front of him remained a blur. He tried to move his body again, however this time, it not only failed to respond, but it started to hurt incredibly. Harry gritted his teeth fiercely as he tried to keep his pain inside him. “Harry! Are you okay, mate?” Harry heard someone call out to him. He realized that the voice belonged to Ron. “Can you move?” “Ron…” Harry managed to get out as he took a deep breath, the pain of his body overwhelming. “I…I…” Before Harry could finish his sentence, his vision began to fade, his hearing completely gone, and his mind turned black. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry slowly opened his eyes. Everything around him was still a blur, but he was glad to see that his body stopped aching. He looked forward and he could make out several people sitting by him, but was unable to determine exactly who they were. He heard someone take a step towards him and he felt his glasses being placed on. Harry smiled weakly when he realized that it was Hermione, Nancy, Ron, and Ginny standing around his bed. They all had worried expressions on their faces, but the one thing that hurt Harry more than his fall was the look on Hermione's face. She was on the verge of crying, her eyes glistening from the forming tears. He could tell that her body was completely tense, and tried to move his hand towards her, but his arm wouldn't move. “Don't try to move anything, Potter,” Madame Pomfrey stated as she walked towards the bed and took her spot next to him, looking at him with a combination of happiness and disapproval. “That was one of the most reckless things I've ever seen in all my years as a healer! What were you thinking?” Harry laid there, unable to find the words on how to explain the reasons for his action. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The truth was that he didn't really know why jumping off his broom was the best answer to the situation. If he truly wanted to, he could of waited for the snitch to move in another direction, and he could of easily followed it. “It's just all the adrenalin pumping through him,” Ginny answered for him. Madame Pomfrey looked at Ginny with an expression that showed she didn't approve of her answer. “You know…when you're in the middle of game…it just happens sometimes.” “Sometimes…” Madame Pomfrey sighed as she massaged her temples with her hands. She stopped and looked at Harry again. “I am truly concerned about you, Mr. Potter. You broke over a dozen bones in your body with that stunt of yours. Now as much as I enjoy being a healer, I don't enjoy watching students suffer because they were being careless.” Harry gave her a nod, still unable to speak. They heard the door to the hospital wing open and they saw Professor McGonagall walking towards them. She stopped by Harry's bed and let out a sigh of relief when she saw Harry looking back at her. “How's he doing, Poppy?” she asked with a concerned voice, her eyes moving from Harry to his also concerned friends. “He'll be fine, Minerva,” Madame Pomfrey answered as she started to squeeze certain parts of Harry's left arm to make sure that his bones were healing properly. “He was lucky though.” “I know,” she replied, her eyes moving back to Harry. He was unable to read her expression, and because of it, his mind started to race with all the possible things that she could say to him. Madame Pomfrey nodded with a satisfactory look on her face before she smiled at Professor McGonagall and made her way back to her office in the front of the hospital wing. “Care to explain your actions, Potter?” McGonagall asked with a stern voice. Harry opened his mouth, but this time was able to get something out. “I…I don't know why I did it. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the time.” “Potter,” she said, her voice softening. “I know how much you love Quidditch. I know how much you enjoy flying out there. I especially know how much you enjoy winning, especially against the Slytherins…” “You're not going to ban me?” Harry asked quickly, his voice full of concern. His response caused Ron and Ginny's eyes to widen as they turned and looked at Professor McGonagall. “Oh no,” she replied as she shook her head. “You are the captain of the team, and they need you for your leadership.” “Yeah, he's a great captain,” Ron interrupted. “Best I've ever seen.” Professor McGonagall looked at Ron and gave him a smile, before she turned back to Harry. “Potter…you need to stop taking these kinds of risks. I understand that it is your life and your body you're putting on the line, but you need to understand that your actions have a greater affect than you think.” Harry's eyes moved towards Hermione's. A single tear left her eyes, and it slowly made its course down you cheek. Watching Hermione liked this killed him inside. Though the worst of the matter was the fact that he caused her the grief she was feeling. “You need to be more careful,” McGonagall continued. “Quidditch is just a game…win or lose, you still have your whole life ahead of you.” “I'm sorry…Professor,” Harry said softly as he looked down towards his bed. “That's all right. Just think next time,” she replied as she slowly turned to face the door. “Oh, nice catch by the way.” Harry smiled at her as she made her way out of the door of the hospital wing. He moved his eyes back to his friends and gave them a weak smile. “You gave us a real scare, Harry,” Nancy said quietly but returned his smile with her own. “Blimey, I've never seen anyone do that before,” Ron said with a look of awe in your eyes. “It looked completely awesome…well until you hit the ground that is.” “You do need to be more careful, you know,” Ginny said after giving Ron a disapproving look. “It was a great catch and all…but we like you as our captain, and there isn't much you can do if you're planning to being stuck in a hospital bed after every match.” “I'm really sorry,” Harry replied, his eyes back on Hermione's. “I won't do it again, honest.” “We believe you, mate,” Ron smiled as he gave Harry a friendly pat on his shoulder. “Though it would be cool to see it again sometime.” “Ron,” Nancy said with a harsh voice, but loosened her expression when she saw Ron and Harry snickering together. “All right, time to leave,” Madame Pomfrey announced as she walked out of her office. “You all need to return to your common room, it's getting late.” Harry finally noticed that it was night outside the windows. He wondered how long he was unconscious. He gave his friends reassured smiles and they all, for the exception of Hermione started to walk away. Hermione didn't move; she stayed by his bed, her eyes focused on her shoes. “You coming Hermione?” Ginny asked as she waited by the door for her. “I'll be there in a second, you go on ahead,” Hermione responded, not turning around to face Ginny. Ginny's eyes narrowed slightly as she wondered what Hermione was doing. Though she let out a sigh and walked out with Nancy and Ron, closing he door behind her. “You had to play the hero, didn't you?” Hermione said with a low tone, her body shuddering. “You always have to be the hero.” “Hermione…” Harry answered. He ignored Madame Pomfrey's warnings and pushed himself into a sitting position. “I didn't mean to upset you.” “Well you did,” she replied as she raised her head and looked into his eyes. Her eyes were no longer just filled with worry but anger. “You always upset me when you do something like this.” “I…” Harry tried to respond, but he wasn't sure what to say. Hermione took a step forward and wrapped her arms around her neck, burying her face against his chest, her tears flowing. “Stupid…stupid…” she muttered into his chest. “I'm sorry Hermione,” Harry said softly as he wrapped his left arm around her and started to move his right hand up and down her back. “I'm okay. I'm fine.” “Promise me,” Hermione said as she lifted her head from his chest and looked into his eyes. “Promise me that you will never do that again. Promise me that you will never just put your life on the line, just for a silly game.” “I promise,” Harry replied as he looked into her eyes. He knew that this was a promise he had to keep. He couldn't stand to hurt her in such a manner. He could not stand making her cry, and over what? It was just Quidditch. All the joy Quidditch gave him could never compare to the happiness of Hermione Granger. “Ms. Granger,” Madame Pomfrey said as she walked over to Harry's bed. “Mr. Potter needs to rest. I'm sure you two can recommencing this at a later time.” “Oh no,” Hermione replied as she pulled herself off Harry. “It's nothing…I mean…” “It's all right, Ms. Granger,” she grinned as she walked over to examine Harry. “I figured just as much.” “Good night, Harry,” Hermione said with a bright smile, her tears gone. “Good night, Hermione,” he replied with his lopsided grin. Hermione turned and walked towards the door. Harry let out a soft sigh as he watched her exit the door. “Best not to worry her anymore, Mr. Potter,” Madame Pomfrey grinned as she helped Harry lay back against his bed. She took off his glasses and placed it on the small table next to him. “You're body will be as good as new by tomorrow afternoon. Get some rest now.” Harry gave her a weak smile and she softly patted him on his shoulder. She turned and made her way to her office. Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the cold air of the night rushing into his lungs. He let out a soft sigh as he felt his body starting to loosen. *I'll never make Hermione worry again*, Harry thought to himself. *I will not make her cry like that ever again.* * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry quickly made his way back down the corridor leading to the Gryffindor common room the next day. His body was feeling fresh and rejuvenated, and he couldn't help but smile. For the first time, he noticed that he still had his Quidditch uniform on. It was completely in shreds, pieces of the robes missing, obviously due to the fall. He slowed his pace when he reached to the Fat Lady's Portrait. He whispered the password and she gave him a quick nod before opening the common room door. “Surprise!” he heard meaning people scream as he entered the room. The shock had taken him so badly, that he nearly stumbled back out the door. As he steadied himself, hearing several people snicker at him. The common room was completely filled with smiling faces, each of them holding a large mug of butterbeer in their hands. He then saw Ginny walk towards him and took him by the hand so she could lead him towards the center of the group of people. When they reached the center, he could see Hermione, Ron, and Nancy grinning at him, each holding a mug of butterbeer of their own. Ginny stopped Harry at the center of the room and gave him a bright smile. “What's all this?” Harry asked as he slowly as started to turn and look around at everyone. “This is the celebration party for the win yesterday,” Ron replied as he took a large gulp from his mug. “Don't tell me that you've been having a party since last night,” Harry replied with a confused look on his face. “Oh, don't be stupid,” Ginny smiled as she handed him a mug of butterbeer. “You think we could celebrate our win without our captain?” Ginny turned and looked around at the crowd surrounding them. “Everybody, mugs up! Thank you. To the win against Slytherin and to our captain for his incredible catch, his unbelievable bravery, and his down right insanity!” Everyone laughed and cheered as they all took a drink from their mugs. Everyone started to talk and laugh again as the party continued. Hermione walked over to Harry and gave him a tight hug. He smiled at her as he knocked mugs with Ron, Ginny, and Nancy. “As much as you need to be at this party,” Hermione giggled as she released him and took a step away, “you really need to go take a shower.” The four grinned at him, and he knew that wearing his uniform for the entire night and after such a brutal game; his scent was all that appealing. He nodded to them and quickly made his way up the steps towards the boys' bathrooms to get ready for the party. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Night had fallen again and the party finally started to die down. The commotion, the laughter, and the fun lasted the entire day. Even during the times when they were in the Great Hall for lunch and dinner, the mood for the Gryffindors didn't falter. This of course, didn't settle with the Slytherins, but there was nothing they could do when they were being supervised by other professors. The common room was almost empty, leaving Hermione and Harry on their own again. They looked around at the common room and noticed that it was a mess from all the celebrating that was going on. “Oh this place looks terrible,” Hermione said to him as she looked at the empty mugs littered aimlessly around the room from the floor to the top of bookshelves. “It'll be cleaned up by the morning,” Harry replied as he took a hold of her soft hand. “Those poor house-elves,” she said with a sigh, causing Harry to look with her with a weary expression on his face. “They really should be paid to clean all this up.” “Oh Hermione,” Harry said as he pulled her into an embrace. “I thought you have given up on all that S.P.E.W. stuff.” “Oh no,” she replied as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I've just been a little preoccupied with something else.” Harry smiled at her, knowing that she was preoccupied with him. They suddenly heard the portrait door opening, and they quickly released each other and moved up the steps leading to the dormitories. The quickly peaked around the wall to see that it was Nancy and Ron who entered the common room. Harry and Hermione looked at each other and smiled as they turned their heads back towards their friends. “Thanks again for all your help,” Ron said with a smile as the portrait door closed behind him, several books in his arms. “Oh it's okay, Ron. Whenever you need help, feel free to ask,” she replied to him. Harry could tell that she was thinking about something from the blank expression on her face. “So do you think Harry will find a date for the Christmas Ball?” Ron asked as he stood in the center of the common room with Nancy, her hands in her pockets. “I really doubt it's a question if he could get a date, it's more of does he want a date,” she replied as she took a deep breath. “I'm sure he does. He wouldn't want to feel left out,” Ron responded as he started to pace back and forth in front of her. “I talked to Ginny earlier during the party and she said that Parvati Patil was interested in asking him,” Nancy said with a voice filled with joy. Harry watched Hermione's face contort from the statement and couldn't help but contort his own as memories of what happened the last time they went to a dance filled his head. “Really?” Ron replied as he looked at Nancy. “Harry went with Parvati to a dance during our fourth year, and it wasn't a pretty sight.” “Why was that?” “Oh, it's because he wanted to go with Cho Chang, instead,” Ron explained, but from the expression he received, he figured that she didn't know who he was talking about. “That girl that talked with Harry when we were at Hogsmeade for Halloween.” “Oh…” Nancy replied as she thought back to that night. “Well, he could ask her now since his date canceled on him.” “That would be a great conversation,” Ron said sarcastically. “Going back to her and asking after he said no to her…though I still hear from Ginny that she likes him. I don't know…I reckon it's worth a shot.” This suggestion really started to make Hermione tense. Harry rested his hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently, but it didn't seem to have any affect on her. “We'll figure it out later, we still a month to find him a date,” Nancy replied as she let out a yawn, which she covered with her hand. “Hey Nancy,” Ron said, his voice growing soft and uncertain. “Did that guy you wanted to go with ever asked you?” “No,” she replied, her voice uneasy. “I've been waiting, but he hasn't done it.” “Well…” Ron gulped as he took a deep breath, sweat forming on his brow. “Well…if you don't want to wait for him…you could go with me instead?” “You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to ask me that,” Nancy smiled at him. “What…you mean…” Ron was utterly speechless. He stuttered a few more words, but suddenly stopped when Nancy gave him a kiss on his cheek. Ron literally froze, his books slipping out of his hands, falling to the floor. Harry and Hermione couldn't help but grin at each other. He winked to her and she nodded in return. They both took deep breaths as they walked back into the common room and started to clap and whistle. “What?” Ron shouted as he nearly jumped out of his skin. Nancy completely froze, her face bright red. “We were wondering how long that was going to take,” Hermione smiled as she walked over to Nancy and gave her a quick hug. “You two will have a lot of fun together.” “Ron, you hound,” Harry snickered as he bent down and picked his books up for him. He then wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “That was mean, making the poor girl wait that long.” Nancy and Ron stood there speechless, their faces red. Harry smiled at Hermione, and she couldn't help but giggle. For the first time, it wasn't their moment being ruined. Harry felt a little guilty for putting Nancy and Ron into that embarrassing situation, but he couldn't resist the temptation. He was happy that Ron had asked Nancy. Maybe now when Hermione and he broke the news to Ron about their relationship, he wouldn't take it too badly. “Well, good night you two,” Hermione said as she gave Harry another wink. “Nancy and I need to talk.” “Good night,” Harry smiled as the girls ascended the staircase. Harry noticed Ron's silence and looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “What's wrong, Ron?” A smile finally broke out on his face as if everything that had just happened hit him. “Nothing's wrong. I'm going to the dance with the prettiest girl in the school and she likes me. The world is perfect. There's nothing that could possibly ruin my mood.” “Oh…you feel ready for the examinations?” Harry replied with a grin on his face. Ron's expression suddenly fell to one of dread as he turned to Harry with a look of complete worry on his face. “Why did you have to bring that up…that wasn't very nice.” Harry snickered to him as the two walked up the stairs and headed toward the sixth year boys' dormitory. 10. The Christmas Ball ---------------------- **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. **C****hapter** **T****en****: T****he** **C****hristmas** **B****all** The month of November quickly flew by and as the students had dreaded the Fall examinations had fallen upon them. Students were scrambling around during the examinations week, trying to do their last minute studying and preparation for the exams they had that day. Unfortunately some students pushed themselves too far that they forgot to sleep and decided to make it up during a few of their exams. Harry slowly made his way to the Fat Lady's portrait. He was completely exhausted and very thankful that today was Friday. It meant that he didn't have any more exams and that for the next several weeks, he and his friends could relax and spend their time doing nothing. What he really wanted to do was to spend time with Hermione. Nancy and Hermione had been somewhat distant with Ron and Harry during the past week. The girls needed as much peace and quiet as possible to complete all their studying, and they felt that the boys would have been too much of a distraction. Ron handled their temporary separation better than Harry did. His cheerfulness hadn't changed since the night that Nancy accepted his invitation to the dance. Harry, on the other hand was a different story. He wanted to know what Hermione was planning and how they were suppose to go to the dance together. He tried to approach her with that question one night when she was studying alone in front of the fire, but she didn't answer him. Actually she didn't even look at him. He decided to give up on asking her and since then, been waiting patiently for her to do something. After dinner that night, Harry told the others to go ahead because Dobby needed to talk to him about something. To his surprise, when he met with Dobby, the house-elf was asking what he should get everyone for Christmas. Harry's mood lightened a bit when looked at the wide-eyed elf, wearing green socks, one of Hermione's knitted caps, brown trousers, and the shrunken sweater Ron had given to him two years ago. Knowing that Dobby wasn't going to go out to buy anything, he told Dobby a few suggestions of things that he could make them instead. The suggestions consisted of knitting clothing and making treats like pies and cakes. During that time, Harry's mind went through his checklist making sure that he had bought everything he needed to everyone's Christmas present. He had bought Ron a broom polishing kit, the same kind that Hermione had bought for his thirteenth birthday. For Nancy, he bought a very interesting pocket dictionary that not only will state the definition of words, but could also read through a parchment and mark the spelling errors. Shopping for Hermione was a bit tricky. He wanted to buy something for her that contained sentimental value, but he had no idea on what to buy. After pacing back and forth between several stores in Hogsmeade, he decided to buy her an enchanted diary, a sparkling hair clip, and a book of love poems. The book was suggested by Ginny, when she realized that Harry was shopping for a girl that he liked. “*Rectatis Ignoramus*,” Harry muttered to the Fat Lady. She bowed her head slightly and the door opened. Harry walked into the Gryffindor common room and found that it was still somewhat empty. Harry figured that they must of the Gryffindors were still been down at dinner, since plenty of sweets were being served on the count of it being the end of the term. Harry looked towards the fireplace and saw Nancy and Ron trying to comfort a crying Hermione. Harry's heart suddenly fell when he saw her shuddering in an armchair. He quickly made his way over and took a spot next to them. “What's wrong Hermione?” Harry asked urgently as he looked at her. He then turned to Nancy and Ron who both had truly sympathetic expressions covering their faces. “What happened? What's going on?” “Hermione's date canceled on her,” Nancy replied softly as Hermione let out a soft wale, burying her head into Nancy's shoulder. Nancy wrapped her arms around her, rubbing her back softly. “Why would he want to cancel?” Harry asked with a look of shock on his face. His shock wasn't caused by the fact that Hermione's date had canceled on her, but of how dramatic she had made it. However, nonetheless, she was crying, and he felt something inside him die every time she did it. “The dirty jackal,” Ron growled as she stood to his feet. “That monster said that he didn't know that she was a Muggle-born and when he found out, he canceled their date.” “I'm so sorry, Hermione,” Harry said to her softly as he placed his hand on her arm and squeezed it affectionately. She took her head off of Nancy's shoulder and tried to give him a weak smile, but couldn't do it. Harry pulled her into a hug, allowing her to rest against his chest. “Who did this?” Harry asked. “We don't know,” Nancy replied as she stroked the back of Hermione's head. “She won't tell us who it is.” “Though once we find out,” Ron said as he stomped back and forth around them, “believe me Hermione, we'll make him pay.” Harry tightened his arms around her and her shuddering started to subside. Hermione loved being in his arms. All her worries and anxieties melted way when his arms were around her; a feeling of warmth she could never find anywhere else. “Could someone get me some water?” Hermione asked with a weak voice. “We'll get it for you,” Nancy said as she looked over at Ron. Ron nodded and they made their way to the other side of the common room where the glasses and water pitcher was. “A bit dramatic, don't you think?” Harry whispered to her, not releasing her from his hold. “Nothing wrong with being a little dramatic,” she said softly as wiped her eyes with her hands. “And I'm happy that crying charm is starting to wear off…it's really hurting my eyes.” “Here you go,” Nancy said as she handed a glass of water to Hermione. Harry released her and she slumped back into the armchair, slowly sipping her water. Ron offered a glass to Harry. Harry accepted it and sat on the floor in front of Hermione, trying to wear his most concern face. Nancy reached over and rubbed Hermione's shoulder gently. “Are you going to be okay?” she asked with a comforting smile on her face. “I guess,” she replied after taking a deep breath, her eyes still watery. “It's not so much that I'm upset about not going to the ball with him, but I really enjoyed the idea of going to the ball. You know...I haven't been to a dance since our fourth year.” “Yeah,” Nancy nodded as she gave Hermione a weak smile. She then turned to look at Harry and her eyes lit up. “Harry, have you found a date for the Christmas ball?” “No,” Harry replied as he lowered his glass. His mind suddenly realized what Hermione was trying to do. “Well then it's settled,” Ron said as he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. “Will you go with Hermione?” “Yeah,” Harry said trying to keep his voice under control. “I mean, if she wants to.” “I'd like that,” Hermione said with a weak smile, which caused Harry's heart to start pounding erratically. He looked over at Ron and Nancy, and they were both wearing big smiles on their faces. Harry allowed his bright smile to form and looked into Hermione's brown eyes. *You did it, Hermione. That was bloody brilliant.* Harry found Ron sitting on a log overlooking the lake, behind the castle. The ground was blanketed with snow and Harry wondered why Ron would want to be sitting out there on his own. The day had finally come. It was Christmas Eve. Ron should have been excited about this day, not only because Christmas coming right after it, but also that tonight was the night of the Christmas Ball. “What you thinking about?” Harry asked as he took a seat next to Ron. “A few things,” he replied, his face red from the cold. Harry looked out towards the lake and couldn't help but be mesmerized of how the sunlight reflected off it. “It's just…” “Just what?” Harry asked as he turned to look back at Ron. “Do I…am I attractive?” he said quickly before he looked down towards his shoes. The question nearly made Harry fall off the log, but he was able to keep his feet firmly on the ground. “Why are you asking me that?” “I've been thinking,” Ron replied as he looked back out towards the water. “What…what does Nancy see in me?” “Oh, come off it Ron,” Harry said in a reassuring voice. “She cares for you. I mean she pretty much told you that she's been waiting for you to ask her.” “Yeah, but…what does she see in me?” Ron asked as he turned and looked Harry. Harry took a deep breath and crossed his arms. “You have loads of good qualities…you're funny…you're an outstanding Quidditch keeper…you're a good brother…you're a great friend…if I was a girl, I'd go out with you.” Ron's expression changed to a questionable one. “Oh, that makes me feel a whole lot better.” “What?” Harry said as he tried to fight off his laughter. “You mean to say that you wouldn't be honored if the boy…I mean, the girl-who-lived wanted to be your girlfriend?” Ron started to laugh uncontrollably, his cheeks turning redder. Harry could no longer hold his laughter back and laughed with Ron for several minutes, tears slowly escaping their eyes. “You scare me sometimes, Harry,” Ron chuckled as he steadied himself on the log. “I scare myself sometimes too,” he replied as he took in deep breaths to calm his aching chest. “Hey, let's get back to the castle. It's freezing out here.” “So is there a lucky girl at school you fancy?” Ron asked him as the two started to make their way across the grounds towards the castle. Harry wanted to tell him everything about him and Hermione, but he couldn't. Ron was feeling happy and confident about himself. He didn't want to do or say anything that would make him feel like he had betrayed his trust. “I don't know,” Harry replied with hesitation. “I think so…but I don't know.” “Think so?” Ron responded, his eyebrows rose. “It's not Cho Chang, is it?” “Oh no,” Harry replied as he shook his head. “That was ages ago. It's someone else.” “Well who?” Ron started to grow impatient. “Someone I know?” “Well…yeah,” Harry said, but his voice still hesitated. “I'll tell you soon, I promise. I just need to think about it for a little bit more.' “Bloody hell,” Ron grumbled as he paced back and forth in front of the fire. He was wearing his new hunter green dress robes that Fred and George had bought him the previous year. Harry, wearing navy blue dress robes he had recently bought when he was at Diagon Alley, sat in his usual armchair with his arms crossed. “We've been waiting for almost an hour.” “It's only been fifteen minutes, Ron,” Harry said as he watched his friend work himself into a frenzy. “Sit down a relax. They'll be here soon.” “But they said they'd be here by quarter-to-eight,” he replied, still pacing. “It's already eight, we're going to miss the ball.” “Ron, the ball isn't going anywhere. It'll be there if we're late. Besides, you're talking about Nancy and Hermione. You know girls are never on time about this sort of thing.” Harry wanted Ron to relax. Watching his friend pace back and forth wasn't doing anything good in terms of his nerves. The more Ron paced, the more nervous Harry started to get. Ron finally took a seat on the couch next to Harry's armchair, but he didn't seem to calm down. He kept fidgeting in his seat, crossing his leg, then not, and moving his arms around as if he couldn't get comfortable. Harry did his best to ignore him, but it was really hard to ignore someone when they were acting in such a strange manner. “Sorry, didn't mean to keep you waiting,” Nancy said from behind them. “It's about…bloody…” Ron's mouth dropped. Nancy was standing in front of him wearing shimmering green dress robes that truly brought out the color of her eyes. Her hair was done in a one stylish braid and she had a hint of make up, with her lips now the color of deep red. She started blushing from Ron's stare, unable to hide her flattered smiled. Ron swallowed hard and he gave her a warm smile, “You look really nice.” “Thanks,” she said her cheeks getting pinker. Ron walked over to her and stuck out his right arm. She gave him a soft smile as she took his arm and leaned against him. “Oh Harry, Hermione will be down in a second.” “Oh thanks,” Harry replied as he took a deep breath. He got out of his chair and walked over to the two, straightening out his robes as he walked. When he stopped in front of them, he started to feel his hands tremble and his palms getting sweaty. He gave them a nervous smile and in turn, started to pace. “Hey Harry,” a soft voice came from behind him. He turned and found Hermione, a soft smile forming on his face. She was wearing the deep blue dress robes she once described in one of her letters to him. A light silver design moved across it, resembling flowing wind. Her hair was done in a fashion he's never seen before. While some of her hair was wrapped into an elegant bun, she also had some flow down behind her in soft curls. She had on light make up and a hint of pink lipstick. Harry was completely entranced by her. She blushed slightly before saying, “What do you think?” “You look wonderful,” he said with a smile as she walked over to him and took hold of his left arm. “You don't look half bad yourself, Harry,” she replied as she tried to fix his hair, only to have it fall back into place. The four friends smiled at each other and left the Gryffindor common room. They bumped into several of their friends along the way to the Great Hall. They stopped a few times so the girls could comment on their dress robes with the other girls, leaving the guys to stand around and simply ponder about what the girls were thinking. After several stops, they were finally at the entrance of the Great Hall. They were completely captivated by the look of the hall. The ceiling was enchanted to look like the night sky with falling snow and the room was lit only by the stars from the enchanted ceiling. They looked towards the front entrance of the hall and saw the Weird Sister singing their newest hit. They made their way into the Great Hall and they all smiled when they saw all the students dancing and laughing. Hermione leaned against Harry, and he smiled as he wrapped his arm affectionately around her. He looked over and smiled at Ron, who started to move his head with the beat of the song, causing Nancy to giggle at him. Harry felt something pulling on his robes and he looked down to see Dobby looking at him. Dobby grabbed Harry's hand and started to pull on his arm. Harry looked into his eyes and he could tell that Dobby needed to tell him something incredibly urgent. “Hey, Hermione,” Harry said next to her ear. “Dobby needs me to tell me something. I'll be right back.” Before Hermione could respond, Harry allowed himself to be dragged out of the Great Hall by Dobby. Dobby pulled him behind a corner and looked around to make sure that no one was listening. “What's wrong, Dobby?” Harry asked as he looked back into the Great Hall, unable to see Hermione, Ron, or Nancy. “Harry Potter sir,” Dobby squeaked as he looked up at him, his body trembling. “Danger is coming. Danger is coming to Hogwarts.” “What do you mean Dobby?” Harry quickly asked as he sank onto one knee so he could look straight at Dobby. “What danger?” “Dobby does not know,” Dobby replied as his body started to shake even more. “Dobby saw strange things outside Hogwarts today. Harry Potter sir, Dobby is afraid. Dobby is afraid danger will harm Harry Potter sir, his wheezy, and his girlie.” “Don't worry Dobby,” Harry said with a worried smiled, placing his hand on Dobby's shoulder. “Whatever it is, Professor Dumbledore will handle it. Calm down.” Harry stood up and gave him a quick smile before he made his way back into the Great Hall. His mind started to race around what Dobby could of possibly meant when he told him about danger approaching. *There is no way Magnolia Reins would just storm Hogwarts castle. If Voldemort wouldn't dare try such a thing, Magnolia surely wouldn't.* When Harry finally found Hermione, but he felt his heart sink when he saw that William was talking to her. Harry quickly made his way through the dancing students. He was somewhat surprised to see Luna Lovegood dancing with Seamus Finnigan. He felt himself smile as he continued to make his way through the dance until he was next to Hermione. “Ah Harry,” William smiled as he looked over to him. “Good to see you. I was just telling Hermione how wonderfully her new play worked at our last Quidditch match.” “Yes,” Harry gave him a fake smile. “It's a really brilliant play.” “So, my assumptions were correct,” he grinned as he looked from Hermione to Harry. “I always figured you two would come together. I guess it was only a matter of time.” “Who's your date?” Harry asked as he moved closer to Hermione. “Hi Harry,” he heard a voice from behind William. To his surprise he saw Cho walked forward and stood by William. Harry's mouth dropped, unsure on what to say to either of them. “Hi Cho,” Hermione said with a soft smile. “How are you?” “I am just fine,” Cho responded with a smile, but Harry noticed the glare she was giving Hermione. “Well, we're going to get going now,” Harry quickly interrupted as he gently took Hermione's hand with his. “We'll see you later William…Cho…have fun.” Harry and Hermione walked towards the center of the crowd and they found Ron and Nancy dancing near Ginny and Dean. Harry smiled at Hermione when they reached the others and they took their spots next Ron and Nancy. Harry couldn't stop laughing when he watched Ron move his body insanely with the music. He felt Hermione grab his arm and when she started to dance, he to took this as his cue to begin embarrassing himself. Harry moved his body to the best of his ability, but felt incredibly self-conscious about his performance. Hermione moved closer to him and gave him a sweet smile and with that, he no longer cared how odd he might have looked. He did, however, made a mental note to find someone who could teach him how to dance. When the song ended, the students started to clap and cheer. The Weird Sisters took a bow and announced that they would be taking short break. Hermione moved towards Harry and leaned gently against him, his arm wrapping around her waist. Ron and Nancy smiled at each other, their faces completely flushed from their wild dancing. “Hello there Harry,” he heard someone say from behind him. He turned to find Luna and Seamus smiling at him. “It's been ages, hasn't it?” “Yes it has,” Harry replied with a smile. “How have you been?” “I've been all right,” she responded as she looked up at Seamus. “My dad has been really busy and I've been helping him as much as I can. I spend a lot of time reading over his new articles.” “How is *The Quibbler* doing?” Hermione asked as memories of the previous year filled her mind. To help spread Harry's knowledge of Voldemort to the public, Hermione had set up an interview between Harry and Rita Skeeter, an incredibly irritating and snoopy reporter. The interview was published in Luna's father's paper, *The Quibbler*, and it made headline news that not only informed the public but shocked the Ministry of Magic. “It's going great,” Luna smiled as she looked at Hermione. “Ever since Harry's article was published in the paper, the popularity of it grew almost ten fold.” “That's fantastic. I'm really happy for you,” Harry smiled. He then turned and looked at Seamus. “Hey Seamus, did you hear that Andrew won't be playing Quidditch anymore.” “What?” Seamus gasped. “Why, what happened?” “After he took the hit by the bludger during the Slytherin game,” Harry said as he took a breath, “he refuses to get back up on his broom. I don't think he'll be ready to play again until next year.” “What does that mean?” Seamus said, his voice full of worry. “Well, since you're our reserve player…it means that you will taking his spot.” “You mean…I'll be a beater?” Seamus' voice filled with more fear than anything else. “You'll do fine, Seamus,” Harry smiled as he gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Our first practice will be coming up soon. You best be ready.” Seamus stood there dumbstruck by Harry's comment. The music started again and as the fast beat started to fill the Great Hall, a round of cheers came from the students. Harry felt someone place their hand onto his shoulder and he turned to find Hermione smiling at them. “If you boys are done talking about your game,” Hermione said with a sweet voice, “mind if we get back to dancing.” Harry smiled at Hermione as he took her hand with his. He looked over one last time at Seamus as he started to walk towards Ron and Nancy with Hermione. “Don't forget Seamus, you're our new beater.” When Harry and Hermione reached Ron and Nancy, they found the two dancing wildly again. Hermione started to dance with a bright grin on her face and Harry couldn't help but smile as he did the same. He occasionally bumped into Ron, who only gave him a small shrug as he continued to hop about the place. Harry smiled at him as he watched his best friend dance even wilder than before. “You know, you look really odd,” Harry shouted over to Ron. “Well, isn't that what dancing is?” Ron replied as he smiled at Nancy. “I reckon we all look like fools at the moment.” “No silly,” Nancy giggled as she looked over at Hermione. “Hermione and I look fine, it's only you two that look odd.” Harry and Ron looked at each other and then turned to look at the girls with frowns on their faces, causing the girls to give them pouting expressions. The boys' frowns soon turned into smiles and they moved closer to their dates and whirled them around. Hermione mesmerized Harry. Her hair bounced freely, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes glistened as she danced with him. Her smile was wide and he could tell that she was having a wonderful time. Harry's heart pounded faster and faster as his eyes focused on Hermione. She looked completely amazing tonight. “Something wrong?” she asked as looked into his eyes. “Oh no,” Harry replied as he gave her a warm smile. “I'm just really happy, that's all.” “Why's that?” she asked with her sweetest voice. “Oh, I'm just here with the most incredible girl in Hogwarts,” he answered. Hermione blushed a deeper pink as they noticed that the song had softly started to die down. The students slowly stopped dancing and applauded again for the Weird Sisters. They all took a bow before the started playing another song; however this time, it was a slow one. The students grew somewhat quiet and Harry knew exactly what that meant. He looked at Hermione and she gave him a soft smile. He took a few steps towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist as she placed her hands on his shoulders. They slowly started to sway their bodies, Harry leading them into a slow turn. Harry enjoyed dancing this way a lot more compared to the erratic form. With this kind of dance, Harry could hold onto Hermione, control the pace that they were moving at, and most importantly, he didn't seem to be making a fool of himself. Hermione allowed her hands to move to his chest and she laid her head against him. His right arm soon moved up from her waist and wrapped itself around her back. He was holding her tightly against him and he felt more alive than he has ever had. Hermione looked up at him and he looked intensely into her eyes. She laid her head against his chest again, and he moved his head so that his cheek was resting gently on top of her head. Harry could hear several students whispering about something as he and Hermione continued to dance. Harry didn't care what they were saying. He no longer cared about keeping his relationship with Hermione a secret. He wanted nothing more than to tell the world that he wanted to be with Hermione Granger. He wanted nothing more than to hear Hermione announce to the world that she wanted to be with him. Harry opened his eyes and looked over to find Ron dancing with Nancy. Nancy's head was resting against Ron's shoulder and Ron looked incredibly happy. His and Nancy's eyes were closed as they softly moved around in a circle. Harry looked back Hermione and a soft smile formed on his face. “We need to tell them,” Harry whispered to her. “I know, we do,” she replied as she took her head off his chest and looked at him. “You look beautiful,” Harry said softly as he removed her right arm from her back and gently touched her cheek with his hand. Her face felt incredibly warm and she placed her hand over his as she gently turned and kissed it. Harry and her eyes met again, able to look into each other's soul. Harry swallowed hard before he lowered his head towards hers. She raised herself on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck. They closed their eyes and their lips grew closer together. Harry could feel her breath on his lips and wanted nothing more than to take hers with his. *Hermione…Hermione…* “Trolls!” a man shouted as he came bursting into the Great Hall. Harry and Hermione let out sighs of frustration as they turned their heads to see Professor Spencer running towards the front tables where Dumbledore and they other professors had been sitting. Harry and Hermione quickly made their way up towards the front table in an attempt to eavesdrop on what Spencer needed to say. “Headmaster, several mountain trolls have just entered the castle,” he said as he took a deep breath. The music soon stopped playing as they watched Professor Dumbledore rise from his seat. “How can that be possible, Marcus?” McGonagall asked as she in turn stood from her seat. “I don't know, Minerva,” Spencer responded with a shrug. “I was on my way to the Great Hall and I saw the front doors of the castle were wide open and when I went to investigate, I found at least three sets of footprints made by what looked like mountain trolls.” “Students,” Dumbledore started with his booming voice, causing everyone to turn their heads towards them. “There has been a temporary situation in Hogwarts. I will please ask you to remain in the Great Hall. Prefects please make sure that all the doors to the Great Hall remain closed until the other professors and I return.” With that said, Dumbledore along with the majority of the professors from the front table made their way out of the main entrance of the Great Hall. The only professors that stayed behind were Professor Sprout and Professor Spencer. Hermione and Harry found Nancy and Ron standing by the front doors. “What the bloody hell was that all about?” Ron asked as he looked at Harry and Hermione. “Mountain trolls are in the castle,” Hermione replied as she took a breath. “Again?” Ron responded as his jaw dropped, memories of their first year entering his mind. “Professor Dumbledore will handle it,” Harry replied as he leaned up against the door. The door suddenly jolted as if something large had just hit it. Harry's eyes went wide as he turned and took several steps away from the door. Professor Spencer and Professor Sprout quickly moved in front of the four with their wands ready. The other students started to scream when the pounding got louder and more frequent. Suddenly they saw the door slowly started to fold, releasing small pieces of wood as it contorted from all the pounding. Within minutes the door was completely warped and was barely being held on by its hinges. Sprout and Spencer readied themselves. Harry and Hermione looked at each other and nodded as they took out their wands. Ron and Nancy nodded as well as they withdrew theirs. The door suddenly burst open flying towards them. Spencer and the four were able to maneuver away from one door, but Sprout wasn't so fortunate. She tried to run, but the door hit her back, knocking her over onto the floor. Spencer ran over to her to check on her condition and was relieved that she was only knocked unconscious. The four looked at the entrance but was unable to see what was doing all the pounding due to all the dust that was filling the air. Harry looked over at his friends and took a cautious step forward, with his wand out in front of him. Spencer noticed this and quickly got to his feet. “You four, please do not do anything foolish,” Spencer said as he quickly moved over towards them. “It's okay Professor,” Ron said as he gave him a weak smile. “We've taken a mountain troll once.” “I know,” he replied as he looked Harry, Ron, and Hermione. “But from what Professor McGonagall has told me, it was what…dumb luck that saved you.” “We can handle ourselves,” Hermione replied as Harry took one more cautious step forward. Suddenly the mountain troll entered the Great Hall causing many of the students to scream. Several of the prefects started ordering the students to move towards the front of Great Hall, doing their best to distance the students from the huge beast. Harry looked up at the huge beast but noticed something different about it from the last one he had seen. This mountain troll didn't look stupid or lost, but extraordinarily furious. It had drool spilling out of its mouth and its eyes were glowing an eerie yellow color. The troll looked around and finally looked down at Harry. “This doesn't look good,” Ron said with a cowering voice. “What are you waiting for?” Spencer roared as he took a step forward, “*Stupefy*!” Sparks left Spencer's wand and flew towards the troll's head with incredible speed. It struck the troll directly in the forehead, but the troll didn't seem to be affected by it. He took a menacing step towards Harry with his club raised in the air. “Harry, get back!” Hermione screamed as the troll swung his club. Harry jumped back a few moments before the club came crashing down on the floor, causing bits of stone to fly up into the air. Harry turned and looked at his friends as he raised his wand. The three did as well and with a deep breath they all shouted. “*Stupefy!*” However the spells didn't work. It was as if some sort of shield protected the troll, either that or the troll was simply immune to it. The four started to move back towards the wall of the hall with the troll slowly advancing towards them. “Hey!” Spencer shouted at it as he started to move his arms wildly in the air to attract it. “Come after me you mangy oaf! Look over here!” The troll ignored the yelling by Spencer and focused his eyes on a determined Harry. Spencer grew incredibly impatient as he ran towards the back of the troll and leapt into the air, wrapping his strong arms around the troll's neck. This time the troll started to move his body wildly trying to get the professor off his back. “*Adfligo!*” Spencer shouted as released one arm from the troll's neck and pointed his wand towards the ground behind it. The stone floor shattered, leaving broken rocks and a small hole. Spencer used all his strength to pull the troll back. The troll soon found itself stepping into the hole, causing it to lose its balance. With loud thud, the troll fell onto its back, his head hitting the ground hard. Spencer had managed to jump out of the way just before the troll landed on the ground. He got up and dusted himself off as he walked over to the four stunned students, his expression a seemingly light one. “That wasn't too bad,” he said to them as he took a deep breath and looked at the fallen troll. Spencer noticed the other students started to gather around to examine to fallen beast. “Get back! You don't know if it'll wake up or not!” The other students obeyed and they took several steps back. Harry looked at Hermione and gave her a soft smile. She had been tense during the entire ordeal and when she noticed Harry's smile, her body finally relaxed. He wrapped his arm around her and she gently rested her body against his. “Blimey that was brilliant!” Ron said with a large grin on his face as he looked at Nancy. “Never seen that before.” Nancy smiled at Ron as she lowered her wand and took a deep breath. Spencer looked at the fallen troll and started to walk towards it. He noticed that the troll's breathing was steady, and he raised his wand as he took several more steps towards it. He stopped near its head and looked at it, noticing some sort of symbol marked on its forehead. His eyes suddenly went wide and he turned and looked at Harry. “This troll is being controlled by someone. It has…” Spencer stopped when he felt the troll grab his leg. Spencer tried to pull his leg free from the troll's grasp, but the troll's grip was firm. As the troll rose back to its full height, it held a completely powerless Spencer upside down. “We've got to help,” Nancy shouted as the four took several steps forward, their wands raised again. However before they could do anything, the troll had thrown the professor over them and onto several tables, causing them to break under the force of his impact. The students started to scream and panic as they all took several more steps back, their backs against the front walls of the hall. The four quickly ran over to Spencer to find that he had been knocked unconscious. Harry looked up at Ron and their gaze fell upon the large beast that was now taking several steps towards them. Harry and Ron nodded at each other as the got up and took several steps towards the beast, but before they could do anything, it swung its club at them. Ron and Harry quickly jumped out of the way as the club came crashing down onto the floor. Nancy quickly got up and ran to Ron's aid as Hermione went to Harry. Hermione helped Harry up and the two were completely shocked as it moved towards them. It swung again. Harry grabbed Hermione and pulled her out of the way, moving them towards the tables and chairs, which were moved to the side of the large hall. “*Incendio!*” Nancy screamed as she sent a fireball into the troll's back, burning his skin. To her bewilderment, the troll wasn't even the least affected by this. It kept advancing towards Harry and Hermione, walking slowly with his club raised in the air. “Hey, look over here!” Ron shouted as he moved over towards the troll's right and started jumping in the air with his arms flailing. The troll didn't bother to take notice, his eyes still focused on Harry and Hermione. “I knew it,” Harry muttered to himself as he and Hermione moved towards the wall. “What?” Hermione asked she looked up at him, dirt covering his cheeks and body. “He's here for me,” he replied as he looked at her. Before she could say anything, the troll swung again, causing a table to be hurled at them. Harry pulled Hermione out of the away as the fell onto the floor. They quickly crawled under another table and could hear Ron and Nancy firing an endless stream of spells at troll, but nothing seemed to work. “You promised me that you would not play the hero!” Hermione shouted at him as she grabbed his sleeve. Harry looked at her and gave her a weak smile as he rubbed her cheek with his hand. “I'm sorry. I would never break a promise unless I really needed to. And your safety is definitely more important to me than my own.” Hermione's eyes started to water as she opened her mouth to argue with him, but he silenced her by putting his finger onto her lips. “Don't worry. I've been through tougher spots than this. Besides I can't die, I haven't even got a chance to kiss you yet.” “Harry!” she screamed as he got out from underneath the table and ran for the door of the Great Hall. The troll immediately turned and looked at Harry. “What are you doing, Harry?” Ron asked as he looked over to his friend. “What I can,” Harry replied as gave Ron and Nancy a reassured nod. Harry quickly ran out of the door, causing the troll to move quickly after him. Harry looked behind him and was relieved to see the troll following him. He looked around and decided the best thing to do was to run outside; it would give him the more room to maneuver and outrun the beast. He ran as fast he could and was surprised that the troll was keeping up with him. He quickly turned towards the door leading outside and he decided that now was his best chance. He pushed himself and increased his speed as he ran out of the castle faster than his legs had ever carried him before. He heard a loud roar behind him and was incredibly shocked to see that the troll was not only keeping up with him, but in fact he was gaining. Harry looked forward and noticed that he was running towards the Forbidden Forest. He thought to himself that he would make his stand there and hope that the trees would give him some sort of advantage. He felt his legs ache, but he knew that he couldn't stop until he made it into the Forbidden Forest. When Harry finally made it, he moved towards a particular spot that was covered by many trees. He turned and watched the troll move towards him with his club raised. Harry took several deep breaths as he tried to calm himself down, when he noticed that the troll was steadily advancing towards him. It was now acting incredibly erratic as he swung his club into the nearest tree, causing it to fall. “Well that isn't very good,” Harry muttered to himself as he watched the troll slowly make its way towards him. Harry thought to himself for several moments, wondering how he could harm the beast the desperately wanted to harm him. He looked back into the troll's glowing eyes and nodded. He lowered himself and raised his wand as he watched the troll's progress. Within several minutes, the troll had finally made his way towards him. Harry aimed his wand towards the troll's head and waited patiently for it to get closer. The troll did just that with his club raised again, ready to crush Harry. “*Conjunctiva!*” Harry shouted as he fired several sparks directly into one of the troll's eyes. This did it, the troll was howling in pain as he started to rub one of his eyes with its huge fist. However to Harry's dismay, it seemed to only anger the beast as he kept swing his club even more furiously at him. Harry quickly moved as the club smashed the spot he was just standing on. Harry rolled on the forest floor and quickly got up. He tried to run into the forest, but tripped on the root of a nearby tree. He quickly moved again as the club came falling down, literally causing the tree to uproot itself. “Think Harry,” he said softly to himself as he looked around for a way to escape. The troll advanced towards him again and Harry decided to make his way up a large boulder in front of him. He climbed as fast as he could and rolled over the top as he looked down at the screaming troll. Harry took several deep breaths as he let out a sigh of relief, hoping the troll would give up. His body ached from exhaustion and he decided to relax on his back for a few moments as the troll grunted to itself. Harry felt a sudden jolt, which caused him to get up and look over the edge towards the troll. The troll was swinging his club madly at the rock face and to Harry's utter horror; the rock face was starting to crack. Harry looked around and realized that he had nowhere to go but down. Harry noticed a patch of shrubs below the right side of the boulder and decided that that was the safest route to go. Harry held his breath, but before he could jump, the troll swung his club against the rock, causing the rock to crumble. Harry fell, covering his face with his arms as he hit the ground. Harry rolled over slowly and felt a sharp pain in his left arm as he looked up at the towering troll in front of him. His panic had left him, leaving a sense of peace inside his chest. He tried to move his body, but it wouldn't respond. Harry took a deep breath as he watched the troll walk towards him. He let out his breath as his mind wondered onto Hermione's smiling face. He closed his eyes and his world went black. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry opened his eyes and found himself hanging upside down by his feet. He noticed a fire by him and he could sense several things move around him. He tried to free himself but he was too exhausted to keep it up for long. His left arm hurt incredibly and he realized that he must of broken it when he fell from the large boulder. “Mountain troll…” Harry muttered as he tried to see if it was still around. “There is no longer a mountain troll here, son of man!” someone roared out to him. Harry turned his head and he watched what looked like a horse approaching him. He let out a sigh of complete regret as he watched an angered centaur walk into the light of the fire. “How dare you bring such a beast into our forest!” “I didn't mean to,” Harry quickly replied, his voice pleading. “It attacked Hogwarts castle and I had to lead it away. The only place I had to run was into the forest.” “Into the forest!” the centaur roared as he growled at Harry, his hands clenched in tight fists. “Two died trying to fight off that beast! All you humans ever do is worry about your own hides!” “I'm really sorry,” Harry said with a sincere voice. “An apology from a human isn't worth anything in this forest!” the centaur roared as he started to move towards Harry. “You should of just given your life to the troll! You will regret ever coming into our forest!” “But you are noble beings. You would never kill the foal of anything,” Harry replied remembering Hermione and his unfortunate experience with the centaurs last year. “First of all, you look like a full grown human to me. And second, for leading such a heinous monster into our forest and causing the death of two our kind, the only punishment suited for you is death!” The other centaurs started to roar and stomped their hooves into the soft forest floor. Harry swallowed hard as he looked around at all the centaurs approaching him. He tried to say something but there was nothing he could possibly say to calm all the infuriated centaurs. He watched them walk menacingly towards him and he let out sigh, knowing that there was nothing he could do about his current situation. A centaur was suddenly thrown back, causing all the centaurs to turn towards their fallen comrade. They all roared, and from what Harry could tell, there was a large fight occurring somewhere behind him. He tried to swing his body around, but wasn't able to muster the strength to do it. He watched in amazement as a centaur collapsed next to him. He immediately realized that the thing that could be harming the centaurs could be another mountain troll. He used the remaining of his strength to try to free himself, but failed again. He wasn't able to locate his wand and cursed to himself when he realized that the centaurs must have taken it from him when he was knocked out. “Are you trying to escape?” a centaur growled as he watched Harry struggling. The centaur walked over to Harry and gave him a menacing grin. “You will die, son of man! You will die!” Harry saw the centaur pull back his arm, and Harry instinctively move his arms to protect himself. Harry let out a gasp of air when he felt the fist of the centaur drive into his stomach. He started coughing uncontrollably as his eyes grew wide, focusing on the creature. His eyesight started to fade again as he felt his body grow limp. His left arm and his stomach hurt incredibly. He closed his eyes and allowed his lungs to take in short and quick breaths of air as he tried to subdue the pain. He opened his eyes again and noticed the centaur pull back for another punch, however before he could release it, something had hit him from the side, causing the centaur to fall over. “You'll be okay now, Harry,” Harry heard a voice say as he closed his eyes again, allowing his mind to grow blank, his world in darkness again. 11. Christmas in the Forbidden Forest ------------------------------------- **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 Eleven: Christmas in the Forbidden Forest** Harry woke and found himself covered by several warm blankets next to a small fire. He slowly sat up and stretched his arms, wincing when he felt a sharp sting in his left arm. He looked at it and found that it was bandaged with a splint, and hung from an arm sling that was wrapped around his neck. Harry let out a soft yawn as the memories from the previous night rushed into his head. His eyes grew wide when he suddenly remembered that he was in the Forbidden Forest. He recalled running from a mountain troll, being held hostage by a group of centaurs, and the centaurs scrambling around when they were ambushed by something. He shook his head slightly as he tried to figure how he managed to get where he was, his heart rate rising. “You okay there, Harry?” a voice came from his left. Harry violently jerked, his body tensing as he slowly turned to look at the person who spoke to him. He found Keung smiling at him. Harry's body relaxed and he gently slumped back onto his warm blankets. “How long have I been sleeping?” Harry asked as he ran his right hand through his hair, staring into the dark blue sky, slowly growing brighter from the morning sun. “You've been sleeping for almost eight hours now,” Keung replied as he started to wipe his left arm with a wet cloth. Harry looked at Keung's arm and noticed a dark scar around his left wrist. Harry remembered that Keung received that scar from Reins during their fight in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry's eyes then focused on a deep cut in his left forearm. Harry looked at Keung's face and watched him grit his teeth as he slowly wrapped the white bandage around it. “What happened to you arm? Did the centaurs do that?” Harry asked, concern in his voice. “No, the centaurs didn't give this to me. Though they were a handful...feisty buggers,” he replied softly as he fastened the bandage securely and pulled down his left sleeve. “I got this a long time ago.” “Doesn't look like it's healing,” Harry pointed out as he sat up from his blankets again. “It's one of those wounds that will never heal, Harry,” Keung said firmly as he stared into the fire. “Oh, Happy Christmas. I'm sure that you'd love to celebrate it anywhere else but here…but Happy Christmas nonetheless.” “Happy Christmas,” Harry responded as he looked back up at the sky. Keung threw several pieces of wood into the fire, his eyes staring intently at it. Harry constantly looked at him, trying to prepare the things he wanted to ask him in his mind. However, every time he opened his mouth, he quickly closed it, unsure if the question he wanted to ask would make Keung angry. “What is it that you like to know?” Keung said with a smile as he finally broke his gaze from the fire and looked at Harry. Harry's body tensed as he opened his mouth again, yet nothing came out. Keung released a sigh, his eyes sincere, “It's okay, Harry…you can talk to me. I'm actually a pretty nice person, you know.” “Well…I've talked with Professor Dumbledore about everything, but there are a few things that I don't get,” Harry said quietly as he got out and took a seat next Keung by the fire. “So you know everything about the trial and the Ministry of Magic hushing everything up,” Keung smiled as he threw in another piece of wood into the fire. “Yeah,” Harry softly spoke as he looked at the fire. “What is it that you want to know?” Keung asked as he lowered himself back onto the forest floor, putting his hands behind his head. “What happened when you came to Hogwarts? What caused all of this to happen?” Harry asked quietly, hoping that Keung didn't get angry from his questions. “It's quite a long story,” Keung said as looked at Harry. “You really want to hear it?” Harry nodded slowly. Keung rose to his feet and started to pace back in forth in front of the fire, trying to sort everything in his mind. He finally came to a halt and looked at Harry. He took a deep breath and began, “I didn't have many friends before I went to Hogwarts. The few friends that I had were all Muggles and when I heard that becoming a wizard meant that I would be gone for the majority of the year, I knew that I would slowly lose them. But I wanted to be a wizard more than anything in the world. “I was really scared when I first boarded the Hogwarts Express. I looked around into the different compartments and found everyone happy and smiling. They were joking around and eating candy and just having fun. Watching everyone look so happy, made me feel kind of worse because I didn't know anyone.” “I know what you mean,” Harry said as he looked up at Keung with a weak smile. “Same thing happened to me during my first year.” Keung smiled at Harry before continuing. “I eventually found an empty compartment and I decided to stay in it. I pulled out a few of my new books and decided to look through them to pass the time. That was when I met my best friends. “Their names were Richard, Michael, and Chris. They were first years too, but they all grew up around each other so they were all really good friends. They befriended me and they told me that I was going to have a great time in Hogwarts. They started to tell me stories of all the trouble they used to cause around their Muggle neighborhood, and I just thought that they were completely amazing. “Well…we got to Hogwarts and I met Hagrid. How is Hagrid by the way?” “Oh, he's great,” Harry nodded. “He's teaching the Care of Magical Creatures classes now.” “That's really good to hear. I liked him a lot…he always made me feel welcomed at Hogwarts. “Well, when we got to the Great Hall and we met Professor McGonagall. She told us that it was time for the sorting. I was somewhat excited about the whole idea of being a sorted in a particular house and how they would become your family. However, after meeting Richard, Michael, and Chris, I wanted nothing more than to be in a house with at least one of them. “It seemed though that fate wanted to play a cruel trick on me. While all three of my friends were sorted into Gryffindor, I was sorted into Slytherin. Why I was sorted into Slytherin, I'll never know. The Sorting Hat took at least five minutes to sort me. It went on and on about how I had the potential to be in any of the houses, but it decided that Slytherin was my best option. “And that pretty much began some of the hardest years of my life,” Keung sighed as he took his seat next to Harry again. “Despite the fact that I was placed in Slytherin against my will, they still welcomed me. Though the one thing I really wanted was to be a Gryffindor. That pretty much caused loads of problems for me. “Whenever I had a class where the Slytherins attended it with the Gryffindors, I would always sit with Richard, Michael, and Chris. They would often joke about me being in the wrong house, but they were my best friends. This didn't necessarily go over well with the Slytherins, especially Professor Snape. He took it as an insult that I didn't show pride in my house or myself. “I didn't really care what they said to me. I started to resent them for all the resentment they were showing me. The only Slytherin that seemed to truly befriend me was none other than Magnolia Reins, who was at the time a second year student.” “So, you were actually friends with that woman?” Harry asked as he let his mouth drop. “Yes,” Keung nodded slowly. “Magnolia was the only person in Slytherin house that I could talk with. She was an very kind girl and she received several insults about wanting to being friendly with me. However, Magnolia came from a very respected family and she was considered to be a model student by Professor Snape, so the insults she received were minimal. In fact, some of the Slytherins congratulated her for showing me pity. “Well as the years went on, things didn't get easier. I remained best friends with Richard, Michael, and Chris and from my connections with them, the Gryffindors accepted me. This made me feel wonderful, but the Slytherins felt that I had delivered another sharp blow to them. Again, Magnolia was my only friend in Slytherin. She occasionally warned me that I shouldn't be causing trouble with our house, but there was nothing I really could do. Even if I had stopped talking with the Gryffindors, the Slytherins would never have accepted me. “Professor Snape could never take points away from me for my actions, so I spent at least four days out of the week with him in detention. He would always give me the most rigorous lectures about house loyalty and how Slytherin house was the best house in the school. I respected him as a professor and listened to what he had to say, but in the end, if I had to choose between the two houses, I would have still gone with Gryffindor.” “I might actually have to say that your life has been harder than mine,” Harry said with a grin as he looked at Keung. “You kidding me!” Keung laughed as he stood up and stretched his back. “Having to live up to everybody's insane expectations, not having a personal life, people always hassling you for your life story…your life is harder…just say mine's a bit more complicated. But you can't say I didn't really deserve it.” The two laughed for a bit as Keung helped Harry to his feet. Keung walked over to the blankets and with a flick of his wand; it vanished. He then made his way to the fire and with another flick of his wand; the fired extinguished itself. He turned and smiled at Harry. “We best make our way back to Hogwarts. It'll take pretty much the whole day for the journey on the count that those centaurs had to take you so bloody deep into the forest.” “Thanks for helping me again…” Harry said as he started to follow Keung through a narrow passage of trees. “Thank you for all the times you've helped me.” “Think nothing of it, Harry,” Keung smiled as he slowly started to descend a small hill. “It's been a pleasure.” “Hey Keung…what happened with Veronica Cross?” Harry asked, but when he noticed Keung's body tense, he immediately regretted asking the question. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…I mean...” “It's okay Harry,” Keung replied as he gave Harry a weak smile. “I told you earlier that I would tell you and I will.” Keung took a deep breath as the two continued to walk through the woods. Harry felt horrible about having Keung relive through such a horrible memory. Keung slowed his pace down slightly to ensure that Harry could keep up with him. He gave Harry a weak smile and let out a soft sigh. “During my fifth year at Hogwarts, a student from a school in Russia transferred to Hogwarts and everyone was talking about her,” Keung started as he looked up towards the trees. “She was utterly beautiful, the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my life. And by some twist of fate, she was sorted into Gryffindor. My friends always joked about her with me because they knew how much I liked her. “Though I've never liked a girl before…not in that way, you know. So as you can imagine, I wasn't sure what I should do. I was really nervous when I was around her…my body feeling like it was jelly…my mind going blank every single time I wanted to say something to her. I remember several times I made a complete fool out of myself, because I would approach her and open my mouth, but nothing would come out. Really pathetic when you think about it.” Harry couldn't help but snicker at his comment, which caused Keung to grin at him. Harry remembered the emotions and anxieties he experienced the night before his birthday outing with Hermione that year. He had stood in front of his mirror for several hours trying to figure out what he should say and how to hide his nervousness from her. “Well, Magnolia never approved of my liking for her,” Keung continued as he helped Harry up an incredibly steep hill. “She said that it's one thing to be friends with the Gryffindors but to actually have one as my girlfriend would seriously be out of the question. That was when I realized something. Magnolia liked me. I don't know if she liked me the whole time she knew me, but something must of happened somewhere. Though I wasn't really sure what I was suppose to do…I liked Magnolia as a friend, but nothing more.” “That explains the reason why she called you `her love' while we were on the Knight Bus,” Harry said as he took a deep breath. The two had reached the top of the hill and Harry was glad to see that he could see the castle over the horizon. Though he did realize that he and Keung did have an incredibly long journey ahead of them, and the fact that it started snowing didn't make things easier. “Yeah…her love,” Keung groaned as they made their way along a dirt trail. “Well as time passed, something happened between Veronica and me. She and I were studying in the library together and for the first time, she and I really started talking. And we weren't talking about everyday things like homework and classes, but we were talking about our dreams and we really opened up with each other. And after that day, we became really good friends. We would usually get some food from the Great Hall during lunch, and we'd go out towards the lake and eat by the water.” Harry looked at Keung and he could tell that he wasn't feeling incredibly well. Keung took a deep breath and continued. “On Halloween night, we had our first kiss in the library, and that was when everything went right and when everything went wrong. Everything was right because being with Veronica made me feel like the happiest guy in the world…but wrong when Magnolia found out. Her caring for me turned into pure hatred. So as you can imagine, my life as a Slytherin wasn't anything to brag about. “Veronica and the Gryffindors were the only friends I had now. Though that surely did change.” “You don't have to talk about it anymore,” Harry exclaimed, noticing Keung's body had started to shudder. “No Harry,” Keung said as he ran his fingers through his hair. “You should know everything. You should know the whole story behind this. “I listened to several Slytherins talking one day during lunch when I couldn't find Veronica. I heard them say that Magnolia was going to play some sort of prank on her…you know…scare her. After listening some more, I heard that this was going to take place in the portion of the Forbidden Forest by Hagrid's cabin. “I ran as fast as I could towards the Forbidden Forest and when I got there, I saw Veronica on the ground with this masked woman holding a fiery sword. I immediately ran in to fight the woman. She hesitated to fight me…actually; she was trying to run away. Though I wouldn't let her go…I felt that it was Magnolia behind that mask and I wanted to prove it to myself.” Keung's voice got harsher as he continued his story. “During the fight, I knocked her down…though when I did so again…the blade of her sword swung down…striking Veronica. I ran over to her and realized that she was dying. The woman started screaming apologies to me saying that she didn't mean to harm her. I looked at her and found none other than Magnolia staring back at me. “She tried to run away, but I was able to grab a hold of her arm and I wouldn't let her go. She pleaded with me to let her go, but all I wanted to do was to turn her over to Professor Dumbledore…however to get me to let go, she swung the blade at me and struck my arm.” Keung lifted his left arm and Harry realized that the cut that he was cleaning earlier must have been from the Rein's Flamora blade. He then remembered that the enchantments from the Flamora blade never allowed a cut wound to heal, which explained Keung's need to always redress the wound. Harry looked puzzled for a moment, before he stated, “You never told Professor Dumbledore about that cut, did you?” “No, I didn't,” Keung replied as he stopped walking. He turned and looked at Harry with a depressed and infuriated look on his face. “You need to understand something, Harry. This world claims to revolve around truth and justice, but it doesn't. It's nothing more than some idealistic dream. I knew the moment I became a suspect; the Ministry of Magic would of never listened to what I had to say. They would never believe that Magnolia Reins, a member of a very wealthy and powerful Wizarding family, could ever conjure a Flamora weapon or commit murder. I, on the other hand, was an outsider. I didn't like my house and I was constantly being badmouthed by Professor Snape. “I knew that Professor Dumbledore would keep me out of Azkaban, but I also knew that the Ministry of Magic wasn't going to lift a finger to find Magnolia.” Keung was on the verge of yelling. Harry took several deep breaths as he absorbed everything that Keung was saying. “I knew that if I wanted to bring Magnolia to justice, I needed to do it myself. But I couldn't do it as I was. That was when I decided to take the Flamora Scroll and Veronica's wand from Professor Dumbledore's desk.” “Why Veronica's wand?” Harry asked quietly. Keung pulled the silver wand out of his pocket along with what looked like a Gryffindor tie. “I guess you could say…something of a good luck charm,” Keung smiled weakly as he held the wand in his hand. He then tied the Gryffindor tie to the wand, before he placed it back inside his pocket. “Also, if I hadn't had taken it, I wouldn't have been able to summon my Flamora blade.” “How do you summon the blade?” Harry asked as the two started walking again. “I read through that scroll so many times trying to figure it out,” Keung groaned as he looked at Harry. “Though after two years of trying, I finally realized that I was missing something. The scroll told me that the only way to form a Flamora weapon was to unleash my emotions into the shape of a weapon. No matter how angry I was when I tried to form the weapon, I couldn't do it. I was missing something; I needed something along with my anger. When I saw Veronica's wand, all my painful memories of loss and death filled every part of my being and the hatred I felt towards Magnolia increased many times over. “When I attempted to summon the Flamora blade using Veronica's wand, I felt my entire body light on fire. It was the most excruciating feeling I have ever felt in my life. I felt sorrow and revenge fill every part of me, but I was finally able to summon the Flamora blade. However, I knew that even though I could form the blade, I was still no match for Magnolia. “When I fought against her in the forest, she could of easily killed me during several moments of the fight…but she refused to. However despite the fact I knew I was completely outmatched, I continued to fight her. The reason she was too powerful for me was not because she had a vaster knowledge of magical spells, but was because she understood the strategy behind dueling and because she simply knew how to physically fight.” “What do you mean?” Harry asked as they made their way up another hill, Harry's heart pounding faster when he noticed that Hogwarts castle was steadily growing larger in the horizon. “A wizard's greatest fear during a duel would be to lose his wand,” Keung explained as he looked at Harry. “Once a wizard is disarmed, they feel completely useless. In many cases that is true. I knew that if I wished to really fight against Magnolia, I needed to train myself. So for the past six years, I've been doing just that. While I wandered the Wizarding world trying to gain as much knowledge as I possibly could about her whereabouts. “When I heard reports about a woman attacking the famous Harry Potter with a fiery blade, I figured that it had to be her. No one else in their right mind would ever dare use a Flamora weapon in public. So, I decided to follow you…keep an eye on you.” Keung stopped for a few seconds. He turned to look at Harry and gave him a confused expression, “You don't leave your house very much, do you?” “I wasn't allowed to,” Harry replied, his voice growing frustrated the more he thought about it. “I have lived with my uncle, aunt, and cousin for all of my life. They are the most horrible Muggles in the world. But, Dumbledore told me that I had to live with them because I was safe there.” Keung could tell that Harry didn't want to comment anymore on the subject and quickly continued his story. “Well…I received a letter from someone one day saying that you were going to take the Knight Bus to the Leaky Cauldron. It also told me not to interfere unless I had to. I didn't know who sent me the letter, but I decided to believe it. I rode that bloody bus the entire day, waiting for you to board it. You have no idea how glad I was to see you…that bus is horrible.” “Wait, is that the reason you didn't help Kingsley and me until Reins used her Flamora weapon…because of what a letter said?” Harry quickly asked, realizing that Keung could have easily prevented Reins' attack and Kingsley's injury. “Yeah. I'm really sorry about that,” Keung replied with a remorseful voice. “When I saw you enter the bus, I knew the letter had to be from Dumbledore or someone who wanted you to be protected. I really wanted to help you, but I only allowed myself to do it when I knew that you were in serious trouble.” Keung could see the rage building in Harry's eyes and he knew that Harry wasn't satisfied with his apology. He couldn't blame him. He knew that he would have been just as mad if he were in that position. Keung felt horribly uncomfortable with their silence and wanted to desperately break it. “Harry…Magnolia would never simply just attack you,” Keung finally spoke. Harry turned to face him, his angered expression replaced by one of confusion. “There is no connection between you and her.” “Why would she attack me?” Harry asked impatiently. “Don't you see?” Keung answered, his voice calm. “She would never attack you just to attack you…she must of been told to do it by someone. And who in this world would want nothing more than to kill Harry Potter?” “Voldemort…” Harry replied, understand everything that he was hearing. “That's right…and that was when I realized that she must now be one of Dark Lord's Death Eaters.” Keung turned and looked at Harry again. “I wasn't about to let the only wizard capable of ridding the world of the Dark Lord be murdered by that insane woman. At that point, I permanently became your second shadow, only exposing myself when I needed to.” “And I'm grateful for it,” Harry replied as he gave Keung a weak smile. “But, what are you going to do once you really fight Reins?” “I honestly don't know,” Keung answered with a shrug. “I've been chasing her for so long…I don't really know what I'd do. At first I wanted nothing more than to kill her, but now…I don't know if I could even do it if I was given the opportunity. It's a bit strange really…living only for revenge but not be sure about it.” “I think it just means that you have good heart,” Harry said with a soft voice. “Dumbledore said to me that he was worried about how the Flamora weapon could corrupt you.” “The Flamora can easily corrupt a person. I try not to use it until I truly need to. The feelings I get when I use it…they aren't very pleasant. I have to really concentrate to make sure that I don't completely lose control of my emotions and myself.” “Keung, did you ever go back to your family?” Harry asked as the two continued along a narrow path, surrounded by trees. “I tried,” Keung replied with a sigh. “My parents are very proud and they believe that family honor is the most important thing in this world. When they found out that I was put on trial for being a suspected murderer, they literally disowned me. That was when I really decided that I would spend the rest of my life hunting down Magnolia Reins. When I said that she took everything dear away from me, I really meant it. “Harry, you know my sister, Cho, right?” “Yeah,” Harry said hesitantly. “She's a really nice girl…she plays Seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.” “That's really good to know,” Keung said with a soft smile. “I miss her a lot. I remember always going into the living room and playing with my baby sister when she felt lonely. It was really some of the most peaceful times in the world for me. Hey…I heard you and your red-haired friend, Ron, talking about her one day. Did you go out with her or something?” “Well, for a little bit,” Harry answered, incredibly worried how Keung would react. “Though things didn't work out between us…just was too complicated…you know. She is a very nice girl and all…but....” “Don't worry about it, Harry,” Keung said with a smile as he gently patted Harry's right shoulder. “She's old enough to take care of herself. Though I have to admit that she can be very complicated…real mental, right?” “She can be,” Harry said with a relieved sigh. “Hey Harry, do me a favor,” Keung said with a soft but stern voice. “Please don't tell Cho about me. She doesn't need to know anything more than what my parents have told her.” “But,” Harry started, “this would show that you were innocent…you can go back to your family.” “Harry, please…I won't be ready to go back to my family for a while. I'm dead to them right now; best it stays that way for the time being. Promise me, you won't say anything.” Harry nodded, still unsure of why Keung would want such a thing, but knew he shouldn't pry anymore into it. They walked for a bit without saying a word, Harry's mind circling again at the article that he had read about the murder, when his mind then went back to the Daily Prophet article about the burning of the Cross' home. “Keung, did you know that the Veronica's home was burned down a few years ago?” “Yes, I've heard all about it,” Keung replied softly. “I went to investigate, but I was never able to get close enough to the house to do anything. The Ministry of Magic seemed to be concerned about something pertaining to that house, but I really don't know what or why. I've also been searching around for Veronica's brother, Willard, but I haven't had any luck yet.” Harry and Keung walked for what seemed like hours without saying a word. The two tried to pace themselves taking breaks every so often, so that they wouldn't get too tired. The two would relax for a few moments and look up at the hazy sky, the sunlight barely shined through the thick trees. It would snow at random times of the day, causing the two to walk faster towards the castle. Harry thought about everything. His mind working as hard as it could to piece everything together, but he was still unsure about a few things. He looked at Keung and thought for a few moments. “Keung…” Harry finally said, breaking their long silence. “Do you still have the Flamora scroll?” “Oh no, Harry,” Keung replied as he shook his head. “I destroyed it a long time ago. I don't want anyone finding it and doing anything stupid with it. It's bad enough that it was stolen once…don't need any more mishaps happen. Though I do remember reading something in the scroll that really intrigued me.” “What was it?” Harry asked anxiously. “In the beginning of the scroll, it talked about the formation of the first Flamora weapons,” Keung explained. “It was created by a warlock in a fiery pit located on an uncharted mountain. The fire that blazed within the pit was called the Flame of Flamora. The part that somewhat frightened me was that the Flame was black. It obviously shows that its warlock wasn't a very pleasant. “The scroll stated that all the Flamora weapons ever used, drew its power from that one flame. And he flame almost works like a virus…a disease. A portion of the flame lives inside the user and when that flame strikes another person, some of it is transferred into them, and so on. The flame needs to travel through the blood. That's the reason why those who have been struck by a Flamora weapon can form their own and why children of a Flamora wielder possess the same ability. “When you think about it, it is almost an ingenious design. If the flame could pass through the blood, an army of Flamora wielders could be easily formed.” “You mean to say that…Lord Voldemort could try to create his own Flamora army?” Harry asked with his eyes wide. “It's very possible. I mean all Dark Lord really needed to do was to have Magnolia poke all of his Death Eaters with her blade, and with proper training, they all can be as deadly as she. The public isn't aware of it, but the Ministry of Magic has been in complete hysteria over what to do if such a situation occurs,” Keung replied with a grim voice. “How can something like that be stopped?” Harry asked, his voice full of tension. “There was something scribbled near the end of the Flamora Scroll,” Keung started as he rubbed the back of his head with his hand. “I figured that if the instructions are followed, the Flame of Flamora would be extinguished. When that happens, the Flamora wielders will no longer have anywhere to draw their power…meaning that the Flamora weapons would no longer exist.” “What did the instructions say?” Harry asked as the two hopped down from a large boulder. “Hmmm...” Keung said softly as he thought to himself. “It was poem...oh yes. *“The Flame of Flamora isn't meant for the light of heart,* *Its powers can kill and split the world apart.* *For those who wish to end the misery of its burning reign,* *Dispatch thy love, fury, and sorrow into the flame.* “I've been thinking about that for some time now, but I still don't know what it means. Though discovering the meaning would be pointless if I don't know where the Flame is even located. Those are the things I'll worry about once I get you back to Hogwarts.” “That's something Hermione would be good at solving,” Harry smiled as thoughts of Hermione filled his mind. Though along with the pleasant feelings that came into his heart, a certain feeling of dread soon formed. He knew that he needed to do everything in his power to save her and his friends, but he also knew that she really hated it when he placed his life on the line. “I'm just hoping she doesn't get too mad at me about all this.” “Hermione…the girl that was with you at the Leaky Cauldron and Hogsmeade…has bushy brown hair?” Keung asked as he turned and looked at the somewhat confused Harry. “Yeah,” he replied with a weak smile. “She doesn't like it when I get myself into these situations.” “I completely agree with her,” he said with a grin. “Watching over would be a lot easier if you didn't always have to find trouble.” The two laughed and continued their journey through the forest. The sun slowly started to set and Harry was starting to find the emptiness of his stomach unbearable. He also noticed that it started snowing again, but Harry didn't have time to feel the cold with he and Keung continuously moving. The two traded a few jokes and took a few more breaks until they were finally in viewing distance of Hagrid's hut. Harry's eyes lit up when he realized that it was finally back at Hogwarts. Keung suddenly jumped away from a nearby tree as an arrow struck it. Harry was completely startled and nearly fell to the ground. Keung and he looked at the shooter to see a very angry Hagrid with his crossbow raised and another arrow prepared. “Yeh release Harry if yeh know wha's good for yeh!” Hagrid growled as he aimed the crossbow at Keung. “No Hagrid,” Harry shouted as he stood in front of Keung. “He's okay. He saved me.” “Yeh sure Harry,” Hagrid replied as he started to lower his crossbow, Harry nodding quickly. With a sigh of relief and a large smile, Hagrid dropped his crossbow and gave Harry a fierce hug. “Oh, Harry. Runnin' inter the fores' like tha'…Ron and Hermione couldn't sleep las' nigh'. They were walkin' aroun' the all day lookin' for yeh.” “How are they?” Harry asked as he looked up at Hagrid. “Are they all right?” “Yeah, they're back a' the castle,” Hagrid responded as he looked up and took a closer look at Harry's companion. He released Harry from his hug and slowly walked over to him, his eyes widening when he recognized who it was. “Can' be…Keung?” “Hey Hagrid,” Keung smiled as he took a step forward into the dim light. “It's good to see you again.” “Yeh too, lad,” Hagrid smiled as he gave him a rough pat on his shoulder and looked towards Harry. “Dumbledore be expectin' yeh. Yeh both best go.” * ~ * ~ * ~ * Upon entering his office, Harry immediately informed Professor Dumbledore about Keung saving him in the Forbidden Forest and leading him back to Hogwarts castle. Keung was incredibly reluctant at first about speaking to the Headmaster, but when a soft smile and calm eyes greeted him, his nerves relaxed. Keung apologized for stealing the scroll, but Dumbledore only smiled at him telling him to respect the flame's power and not to misuse it. Keung could only respond by saying that the flame wasn't a gift, but in fact a curse. Harry let out a soft sigh, feeling the exact same way about the scar on his forehead. “So you believe that Lord Voldemort is planning on exploiting the Flamora weapons,” Dumbledore said with a still voice as he looked at Harry and Keung. “I believe so Professor,” Keung said as he took a step forward. “It would be an unstoppable army.” “Without proper preparation, I would have to agree with you,” Dumbledore replied as he stood from his chair and walked around to them. “I've been afraid of when such a time would come. Lord Voldemort knows he cannot fight against the Ministry of Magic the way his current army. Now he wishes to use the Flame of Flamora. “The Order and the Ministry will be informed about this and we will take the necessary actions. However in the mean time, Harry you must be more cautious about your actions. I understand that you were trying to save your friends last night and I commend you on it, but please don't leave the castle next time.” “I understand Professor,” Harry said as he nodded. He knew that Dumbledore wanted to say more, but Harry wanted to keep the subject on the Flame of Flamora. “Do you happen to know where the Flame is located?” “That has been something I have been trying to locate for the past twenty years,” Dumbledore replied with a low tone. “It is protected by magic that far surpasses my powers and knowledge. However, I refuse to surrender to it and I continue to search for it to this day.” “Do you know how to extinguish the Flame?” Keung asked. “Yes, I do. A person that possesses the skill to use the Flame can only extinguish it. Did you find my little message at the end of the scroll?” Dumbledore asked with a soft smile on his face. “That was you who wrote it,” Keung replied with a look of confusion. However before he could get another word out, the door of Professor Dumbledore's office opened and Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape entered the room. “Oh my, Potter,” McGonagall sighed with relief as she walked over to him. “You have no right running off the way you did. We all thought that you were killed by that mountain troll.” “I'm sorry Professor,” Harry replied. “I didn't mean to…it seemed like the best idea at the time.” Professor McGonagall let out another soft sigh as she turned and looked at a flustered Keung Chang. Her expression became firm but her eyes had a look of gratitude in them. “I take that you're the one who saved Mr. Potter.” “Yes, Professor McGonagall,” Keung replied as he noticed Snape's glare. He ignored it, keeping his focus on McGonagall's stern eyes. “I'm really sorry about what happened all those years ago. I hope you…” “What is he doing here, Headmaster?” Snape hissed as he looked at Keung with utter dislike. Harry was completely taken aback by the look that Snape gave Keung, because it reminded him dreadfully of the one that he always gave him. Aside from his father's friends and himself, he had never seen Snape glare at anyone with such fury before. “He is our guest, Severus,” Dumbledore replied as he walked back to his chair and took a seat. “For saving Mr. Potter's life on several occasions and saving yours as well at Hogsmeade, I believe we owe Mr. Chang a warm reception.” “He is nothing more than a coward and a liar,” Snape snarled as he continued to look at Keung. “I'm sorry Professor Dumbledore,” Keung said as he turned and looked at him. “Thank you very much for your warm hospitality but I must be going. There are a few things I need to take care of. I will return later.” “Godspeed, Keung,” Dumbledore smiled. “You are always be welcomed at Hogwarts.” Keung nodded and turned to give Snape an icy glare. He made his way towards the front door and gave Harry a smile. “Thank you again,” Harry said with a soft smile. “Don't worry Harry,” Keung replied as he stopped at the door of Dumbledore's office. Before he walked out the door, he turned and smiled at Harry. “I'll still your second shadow…just don't get yourself into too much trouble.” * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry laid in his usual hospital bed and let out a sigh of relief from the comfort. After he had left Professor Dumbledore's office, Professor McGonagall led him down to the hospital wing, where Madame Pomfrey cleaned him up and healed his wounds. An extremely happy Dobby had brought him a tray of assorted food and sweets, and Harry happily finished the entire tray before Dobby left back for the kitchen. He looked at the ceiling, his stomach full and his body no longer aching, and hoped that his friends would come down soon. He heard the door of the hospital wing open and we quickly sat up from his bed. A large smile formed on his face when he saw Ron and Nancy enter, carrying nicely wrapped presents. However, his smile somewhat faded when he realized that Hermione wasn't with them. Nancy placed her present at the nightstand next to Harry's bed and leaned down and gave him a quick hug. “You really know how to scare us, Harry.” “Yeah,” Ron added as he placed his present on top of hers and gently knocked Harry in the shoulder. “The whole school was scrambling around looking for you.” “Where's Hermione?” Harry asked as he took a deep breath. “She's on her way,” Ron replied as he pulled up two chairs for Nancy and himself. “We've all been a mess after you disappeared, but Hermione had gone completely mental.” “She couldn't sleep at all last night. She kept getting out of bed and going to the bathroom,” Nancy continued as she gave Ron a soft smile and sat down in her chair. “I think she was crying the whole night.” “She's really mad at me, isn't she?” Harry asked softly as he sank back into his bed. “Well, she definitely isn't pleased with you,” Nancy answered softly as she gave Harry a weak smile. “You know that she cares about a lot about you.” “Yeah, you're her best friend and everything,” Ron said with a small smile. “You're both her best friends too,” Harry added as he sat up from his bed again. “Yeah, but she's been really close to you lately, you know,” Ron said as he crossed his arms. Harry could sense a little tension in his voice but he didn't think much of it. “I'm really sorry,” Harry pleaded. “I never meant to make you all worry. You know that's the last thing I would ever want to do.” “It's okay, Harry,” Nancy smiled as she reached over to the nightstand and grabbed his presents. She handed them to him with bright smile on her face. “Happy Christmas, Harry.” “Thanks,” Harry smiled as he placed the presents in his lap. “The presents I have for you all are…” Ron chuckled a little and looked at him with a bright smile, the tension completely gone from his voice. “I found them under your bed last night. I was having trouble sleeping too and I found them. Hope you're mad at me.” “Oh, I'm not mad,” Harry snickered as he gave Ron and Nancy a big smile. “Did you guys like your presents?” “Blimey yes!” Ron smiled. “A polishing kit…I was thinking about buying one as soon as I had enough saved up. A good polishing is exactly what my Clean Sweep needs.” “The dictionary will be really helpful when I need to start writing those three-foot parchments for my N.E.W.T. classes. Thank you very much,” Nancy grinned. Harry was happy to know that his friends liked his presents and he hoped that Hermione liked hers as well. “Go on, open yours.” Harry picked up Ron's gift and tore the wrapping paper. He opened the box and found several packages of candy from Honeydukes, as well as several different gag items from Fred and George's joke shop. Harry found a small bag of yellow beans and looked at Ron with a confused expression as they pulled them out of the box. “Those are *Weasley's Yellow Vision Beans*,” Ron explained as he looked at the beans. Though from Harry's blank expression, he knew he had to explain more. “When you eat them, everything you see turns yellow. It's actually quite cool. The affects last for about fifteen minutes or so, and they also taste like lemon.” “Thanks, these are great,” Harry said with a small laugh as he picked up Nancy's present. He tore the paper and opened the box to find a wristwatch. He took it out of the box and examined it and noticed that his initials were engraved along the face of the watch. “This is really nice, thanks Nancy.” “I thought you would like it,” she replied as she pulled up her sleeve and showed him her watch. “One of my dad's friends makes wristwatches for Muggles, so I decided to write him a letter and ask if he could make watches for all of us. They also have a really neat enchantment. If one of us is ever in serious trouble, the wristwatch will start to vibrate and the face of the watch will change to the initials of whoever is in trouble.” “That's brilliant,” Harry smiled as he placed the wristwatch on his left wrist. “Though with our luck, it'll always be your initials on the watch,” Ron grinned at Harry as he showed Harry his watch under his right sleeve. “I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over, please go and let Mr. Potter get some rest,” Madame Pomfrey said with a smile as she looked at the three smiling students. Harry watched Madame Pomfrey walk back to the office before his attention focused on the door of the hospital wing, wondering where Hermione was. “She'll come by soon,” Nancy smiled as she touched his hand and stood up from her chair. “Happy Christmas Harry.” “Yeah, Happy Christmas,” Ron said as he got up and gave Harry his usual grin. “We'll see you tomorrow.” “Happy Christmas. Thanks again for the presents,” Harry smiled at them, hiding the fact that he didn't want them to go. “I'll see you guys later.” Ron and Nancy made their way out of the hospital wing and Harry let out a depressed sigh. He placed Ron's present onto the nightstand and started to crumble all the wrapping paper into a large ball. He placed the ball on top of Ron's present and sank into his bed, wondering if Hermione was so mad that she refused to visit him. Harry stared at the ceiling and sighed softly to himself, trying to find a way that he could ever make Hermione forgive him. He heard the door of the hospital wing open again, but he didn't bother to look. Though when he heard the footsteps growing closer, he looked and saw that it was Hermione walking towards him. Harry immediately sat up on his bed and moved his legs over so that he was now sitting on the bed rather than lying in it. Hermione placed her gift on the nightstand next to Ron's and looked into Harry's eyes. Harry noticed that her eyes were dark and swollen from the crying that she had been doing. Harry opened his mouth and tried to say something, but he couldn't think of anything. He wanted to beg for her forgiveness but he didn't know how to ask for it. Hermione looked into his eyes and she knew that he was sorry. She gave him a small smile as she took a step forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against the crook between his shoulder and his neck. Harry wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, kissing the side of her head gently. Harry's hand moved up and down her back and he felt her shudder softly against him. “I'm really sorry, Hermione,” he whispered into her ear as he kissed her temple softly, taking in the pleasant scent of her hair. “I didn't mean to make you mad…I didn't want to make you worry…I was scared that you would get hurt…I'm really sorry.” “Don't worry, Harry,” she said as she looked into his eyes, their arms still wrapped around each other. “I'm not mad at you anymore. Believe me, I was really mad yesterday…but I'm okay now. I've just been really worried.” “I didn't mean to…” Harry pleaded but stopped when she gave him a warm smile. The flicker of the candlelight danced on her face and he was at awe at how radiant she looked. He then noticed her move on of her arms off his neck and picked up her wand. He gave her a curious look and she simply smiled back. “Hermione…what are you going to do?” “*Wingardium leviosa*,” she whispered as she flicked her wand. Harry noticed something float up above them and he looked up at it curiously. His eyes went wide when he finally recognized that it was mistletoe. He looked into her eyes and she gave him a soft smile as she placed her wand on top of her present. “Happy Christmas, Harry.” “Happy Christmas, Hermione,” he whispered as her hands went to his cheeks and softly rubbed them. She closed her eyes and he did the same as he pulled her closer. He felt her breath against his lips again, but the thing he felt next was indescribable. Her lips were incredibly soft yet were firm against his, a soft vacuum forming in his mouth. He felt like he was flying again, but this was an adrenalin rush he has never felt before. His whole body trembled and he tightened his grasp around her. Hermione pulled back softly and looked into his eyes, her cheeks completely pink. Harry moved one of his hands and gently rubbed her cheek. Her hands moved to his neck again and he softly pulled her head towards his, feeling the wonderful sensation again as their lips touched. Harry softly deepened the kiss, moving his hand to the back of her head and softly played with her hair. The sensations he felt were like nothing he had ever experienced before, his heart beating faster and faster. The two heard the door of the hospital wing close and they pulled their lips away from each other and looked to see if anyone was there. When they realized that it was nothing, Hermione turned and gave Harry a soft smile. “How was that?” she asked softly, her cheeks blushing even pinker. “That was wonderful,” he whispered as he tightened his arms around her. “Better than…umm…you know,” she said nervously, fidgeting with her words. “You know…Cho?” “Who?” Harry asked completely confused of what she was talking about. “Good answer, Harry,” she grinned as she leaned in and gave him another deep kiss. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Madame Pomfrey exited her office to check up on Harry and was slightly taken aback by what she saw. Harry was sleeping, leaning towards the right side of his bed, while Hermione sat in a chair with her left arm on the bed and head resting on his shoulder. Madame Pomfrey walked closer to the two, and she noticed that Hermione's right arm was draped over Harry and her hand was holing his, their fingers interlocked. “Kids,” she whispered to herself as she let out a soft sigh. She smiled at the two as she carefully pulled up Harry's blanket and covered Hermione with an extra one from the bed next to them. The two stirred slightly, Hermione rubbing Harry's shoulder gently with her cheek. Madame Pomfrey giggled softly to herself as she made her way back to her office. 12. The Start of the Dueling Club --------------------------------- **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 Twelve: The Start of the Dueling Club** The Christmas Holidays flew by faster than anyone had expected or wanted. Harry had explained everything that he and Keung discussed in the Forbidden Forest to Hermione, Ron, and Nancy, and he could tell that the idea of Voldemort building an army of Flamora wielders scared them terribly. He also told them about how the original Flame could be extinguished, and, in turn, it would remove the Flamora abilities from all its users. They tried to approach Dumbledore to ask him about what he had written on the scroll, but he was always preoccupied with other Hogwarts matters. Their first two tries failed because he was busy discussing school matters with other professors. Their third try never took place due to the fact that they weren't able to locate him. Their fourth and final try was thwarted by an urgent message from the Ministry of Magic that forced him to leave the school for a couple of days. By that point, they had given up on talking with Dumbledore and Hermione told Harry that he needed to asked Keung about it the next time they saw each other. The idea made Harry snicker slightly because if he were to stay out of trouble, Keung wouldn't have a reason to show up. Aside from worrying about Voldemort's next move, Harry and Hermione spent a lot of their alone time together, but their relationship had still remained a secret. The two talked about their relationship and knew that they had to tell Ron and Nancy soon. They didn't like keeping their relationship hidden from them, but they also didn't enjoy pretending to only be friends around other people. By the first Monday of January, all the students were back in class and going through their usual school routines. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were incredibly anxious to get back to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class because today would mark the start of the Dueling Club. It was the only thing the sixth and seventh year students could talk about when they attended their practical Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons during the earlier half of the year. Harry and Hermione stood together with a large group of students as they waited for Professor Spencer to return to the class with the seventh year students. The practical Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons were held in a large and empty circular room. Professor Spencer usually stood in the middle of the class while the students assembled into groups of two or three and practiced their defensive spells. When a day came when they needed to practice their offensive techniques, Spencer would set up several different target dummies and allowed the students to release their frustrations upon them. During the first session of their practical lessons, Spencer had them practice their basic defensive spells. He was keen on having them be able to perform the charms perfectly, especially if today marked the first day of the Dueling Club. After their first session was over, he told the class to prepare themselves for the Dueling Club was going to commence as soon as he brought the seventh year students. Harry and Hermione knew that something was seriously bothering Ron. Ever since Harry had returned from the Forbidden Forest, Ron has been amazingly rigid when he was around either of them. It seemed subtle at first, but by the time school had restarted, he was completely ignoring them. Harry and Hermione tried talking to him on several occasions that day, but he would simply give them a cold shoulder and walk away. Harry looked around the large group of students and found Ron standing by Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom. Ron wore a frustrated face as he noticed Harry's gaze, but he didn't bother to even turn his head to acknowledge it. Harry looked at Hermione and gave her a shrug, not knowing what could possibly make Ron this upset. Hermione's eyes suddenly went wide as she looked up at Harry. “Do you think he knows?” Hermione whispered, her eyes uncertain. “You know, about us?” “I don't know,” Harry replied softly as he looked over at his red-haired friend. “He could know…but I figured that he'd say something about it…you know how he usually blows up…but it is Ron….” After about a half-an-hour, the front doors opened and Professor Spencer entered the class, carrying a large brown bag over his shoulder, with the seventh year students traveling in his wake. Harry and Hermione waved to Nancy and she walked over to them, giving them a bright smile. However, the concerned looks she received in turn, made her feel that something was wrong. “Do you know why Ron has been ignoring us?” Harry asked as he took another look at Ron. “I have no idea,” Nancy replied as she looked over at him. “He hasn't mentioned anything to me about it.” “Did you notice anything out of the ordinary about him recently?” Hermione asked as Professor Spencer made his way to the center of the classroom. “No,” Nancy answered as she thought back. “He hasn't mentioned anything about it. I noticed that he seemed somewhat distant, but that was about it.” “Well his distance has completely got me aggravated,” Harry said in a low tone as he looked over at Ron again. “I'll be back in a bit, I'm going to go talk to him.” Before Hermione could say anything, Harry was had begun to maneuver his way around students towards Ron. Hermione let out a soft sigh and crossed her arms, completely frustrated at how the situation was. Nancy noticed this and patted Hermione gently on the shoulder. “I'm sorry Nancy,” Hermione said with another sigh. Hermione gave her a weak smile and took a deep breath. “I just hate it when those two fight about something.” “Does it often happen?” Nancy asked as Professor Spencer got the students to take a few steps back, forming a very large circle around him. “Those two rarely ever fight,” Hermione replied as she started to back up with Nancy. “The last time they fought was back during our fourth year over something really stupid. The thing that was really horrible was that it took Harry nearly getting killed for the two to make up.” “So that's what you're afraid of,” Nancy said with an understanding look on her face. Hermione nodded and the two looked back towards Ron. Harry was still making his way around the students, but the moment Ron noticed that Harry was approaching him; he started to move away from him. “What is he doing?” Harry groaned to himself as he continued to follow his friend, moving through the crowd of students. Professor Spencer noticed Harry and Ron's peculiar behavior but decided to say anything about it. He snapped his fingers and an incredibly large circular platform appeared above his head. He signaled for the students to move and he did as well as the platform lowered itself. The students stared at it with expressions full of confusion and interest when the platform settled itself onto the floor. The top of the platform rose about a foot of the ground and it seemed to be made out of smooth black stone. There was an attractive symbol of the sun and moon in the center of the platform written in gold. There were also several posts that were placed along the edges of the platform, each with a red gem connected to it. Lastly, there were two silver circles placed on opposite sides of the large black platform, each several yards away from the center symbol. “This dear students is the Dueling platform,” Professor Spencer announced as he hopped onto the large platform and dropped his brown bag in the center. “All the duels that will take place will only be done on this platform. It is specially designed for civilized Dueling competitions and is the only platform suited for spectators to watch without having fear of being struck by runaway spells.” “What are the posts with the red gems for, Professor?” Hermione asked as she raised her hand in the air. When Spencer turned to look at her, Harry took this as his opportunity to quickly sneak up to Ron. Ron was unaware of this, nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt someone take a hold of this wrist. Ron turned and found Harry giving him a stern look. Ron returned Harry's sternness with a glare as he tried to walk away, but Harry wouldn't let him go. “The red gems, Ms. Granger, is what keeps the spectators safe,” Spencer replied with a smile. He pulled out his wand and pointed it towards one of the gems when he noticed Ron and Harry struggling behind him. He turned and looked at them with utter bewilderment; however, they didn't notice his gaze. He sighed softly and continued, walking slowly towards them. “These gems absorb magical spells when they pass a certain boundary, almost like a fence. While a body can pass through it with ease, a magical spell won't. This way, spectators are shielded and generally safe from injury.” Hermione and Nancy gave each other worried looks when they saw that Professor Spencer had stopped right in front of the struggling boys. Harry noticed Spencer's tapping foot and immediately released Ron's wrist. Ron's eye went wide and the two immediately stood straight as if they weren't doing anything wrong. “I don't know what you two are fighting about, but keep it outside of my classroom,” he said to them in a low tone, his eyes serious. “Though,” an eerie smile formed on his face, “then again, keep that rage bottled up, you two will need it today.” Spencer smiled at the two and turned around to move back towards the center of the platform, leaving them completely confused. He stopped in the center of the platform and started again, his voice loud and firm. “As I stated earlier in the year, you will all each participate in seven matches. Each match will last for five minutes only and you will receive a score on your performance at the end of each match. “Now the four students who have the highest point values by at the end will each receive twenty-five points for their house. The last four will then engage in a small tournament where one true champion will be determined. Now the champion will not only receive a gold medal for his or her achievements, but also earn another fifty points for his or her house.” Spencer heard the students murmuring amongst themselves and he grinned to himself. He knew by including house points in the competition, he gave the students more incentive to try harder and apply the skills that they have learned. He placed his finger to his lips and room quieted down again. “Now,” Spencer began as he took a breath, “the point system is not very hard to learn. Plus I will set up a bulletin board on the wall that will display a your win-lose ratio, your total points, and your current position amongst your year and amongst everyone participating in the dueling club. “The winner of the duel is awarded two points. A winner can only be established when any part of his or her opponent leaves the platform and touches the floor, whether it be by choice of the dueler or actions of the duel. In the case of a tie, when neither duelist is knocked out off the platform or both are knocked out at the same time, neither duelist will receive points for the win. “Now there are other ways to earn points. Time will play factor in your overall score. Remember, the most time two students will receive for a duel is five minutes. The faster you defeat your opponent, the more points you will receive. The most that can be earned for time is three points. Only the victor of the duel will be awarded for this category. “The last way you can earn points involves the complexity of the spells you use and your strategy behind it. The most your can receive is five points, and this is when I will really be judging you. This is the only category where the both the victor and the defeated can earn points. “Therefore if you add everything up, the most you can receive for one duel will be ten points. However, you can be penalized points as well. You will lose five points from your total score every time you use a spell that isn't permitted in the duel. At the beginning of each day, I will remind you of what is legal and what isn't. Though hear this. This dueling club is meant to prepare you for the real world. This a really opportunity for you all to see what you're really made of…take this competition seriously.” Professor Spencer looked around at the students and was pleased to see that they were all listening to him. He looked over at Harry and Ron and also gave them a smile, since the two had stopped fidgeting. He walked over towards his brown bag and pulled it into his hands. “I have all your dueling schedules in this bag. I'll walk around and hand them out to you. This may take some time, so feel free to catch up on any readings and feel free to practice.” Harry looked over at Ron, who still had an angered look on his face. Harry crossed his arms and thought for a second before he turned and took a deep breath. “Ron, why are you ignoring Hermione and me?” “Blimey, Harry…do you think I'm that thick?” Ron replied with a voice filled with hurt and anger. “Honestly, you have no respect for me.” “Ron,” Harry retorted, almost on the verge of shouting. “Please, what is it? Just tell me?” “I don't need to tell you anything,” Ron grumbled as he crossed his arms. “Now, you're acting really thick,” he growled as he turned to face the platform again. Hermione and Nancy watched the boys' progress and let out depressed sighs when they saw the two were still angry. Nancy looked at Hermione with worried eyes and Hermione shook her head, muttering something to herself. Several minutes had passed, yet the boys still refused to speak to each other. Harry turned and tried to say something to Ron on several occasions, but nothing came out. He was afraid that he would lose his temper, and getting into scuffle wasn't something he was looking forward to. He would then return to his grumpy form with his arms crossed. “Here you go, Ms. Granger…Ms. Mason,” Professor Spencer smiled as he hand them their dueling schedules. The two smiled at him and read through the list to see if they knew any of the students they were dueling. “I'm going to duel Draco Malfoy for my second duel!” Nancy smiled excitedly, which caused Hermione's eyebrows to rise. “Bit excited, aren't you?” Hermione said with a sarcastic smirk as she looked through the names on Nancy's list. “I'd love to knock him right out off the platform and onto his bottom,” she said with a triumphant voice that caused Hermione to laugh a little. Her eyes continued to travel down the list and suddenly went wide. “I am going to duel Ron for my fourth duel.” “Oh no,” Hermione giggled as she patted Nancy gently on her shoulder. “A lovers' quarrel…” “Oh, it's nothing like that. Ron and I are just friends,” Nancy replied, her cheeks turning red. She started to giggle with Hermione before she asked, “Who will you be dueling?” “Let's see…” Hermione started as she looked through the names on her list. “Lavender Brown, Neville Longbottom, Padma Patil, Cho…Chang…” “Cho Chang?” Nancy asked with an intrigued voice. “Yes,” Hermione replied softly as her eyes moved around the room. She found Cho standing by a laughing William Weinstein. Her eyes narrowed as her mind started to imagine the many things she would do to her when it was time for their duel. “What's wrong, Hermione?” Nancy asked, noticing Hermione's body tensing. “It's nothing,” she replied with a shrug. “I really doubt it's nothing,” Nancy said as she walked in front of Hermione so she could look right into her eyes. “What's going on? I know you're hiding something.” “All right,” Hermione replied with a soft sigh as she took Nancy's hand and moved them to an area of the room that wasn't overly occupied. She took a deep breath and let out another sigh before she began. “I like Harry.” “I know you do,” Nancy replied with a soft smile. “A person must be pretty thick not to notice how you both act around each other.” Hermione gave her a weak smile. “Well, Cho Chang was the girl that Harry liked for the past few years. The two of them went out for a little bit last year…I mean…they even kissed.” “So you're afraid that he still has feelings for her?” Nancy suggested. “No no, it's not that,” Hermione said as she shook her head. “It's more like…I'm not sure if I could live up to her.” “Hermione, Ravenclaw or not, you're a hundred times smarter than that girl ever will be,” Nancy said softly as she placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder. “I mean, a person must really have ruddy priorities if they are willing to be close with a boy like William Weinstein.” “It's not just books…it's everything,” Hermione cried out softly as she looked over at Cho. “I'm worried that I won't live up to what Harry expects of me...you know, after spending time with her.” “Oh my, Hermione,” Nancy said with a stern voice as she placed both her hands on Hermione's shoulders. “You really think that Harry is going to choose that girl over you? Now, I'm not sure how much you've noticed, but Harry really likes you too.” “I know,” she giggled softly as her cheeks turned a deep shade of pink. “He and I have been…together for a while now.” “Really?” Nancy replied, her mouth hanging open. “How long?” “Before our sixth year started,” she said softly, watching Nancy's eyes grow wide. “I really wanted to tell you…we both wanted to tell everyone…but we weren't sure how to tell Ron.” “Why not Ron?” “We felt that Ron has fancied me for the past few years,” Hermione replied softly, worried that Nancy would be infuriated with her. “It seemed that his feelings for me had passed, but we weren't sure and we didn't want to hurt him.” “Oh.” Nancy's eyes went wide again. “So you think that's the reason why Ron is mad at you and Harry.” Hermione nodded as she looked towards Harry and Ron again, only to find the two weren't talking to each other. She drew in a shaky breath as she returned her attention to Nancy. “You're not mad at me…are you?” Hermione squeaked. “Mad?” Nancy replied. “Oh…about Ron? No no…like you said it's all in the past. Besides it's none of my business who he likes…we're just friends.” Hermione was relieved to hear this, but she could tell that there was some hesitation in Nancy's voice. Nancy looked over at the two boys and smiled back at Hermione. “Don't worry about them Hermione. Boys will be boys; I'm sure they'll work it out. If not…we'll just have to hex some sense into them.” Hermione giggled at the comment and gave Nancy a firm nod with a bright smile on her face. However, her smile soon sank when Nancy raised her eyebrows at her and gave her a knowing grin. “So…have you…you know…” Nancy started. “What?” Hermione replied, completely confused. “You know…have you kissed him?” Nancy asked slyly as she nudged her shoulder. Hermione's face turned a deep shade of pink again, but she remained speechless. “So you have…well how was it?” Harry looked over at the girls and found them giggling at each other. Seeing Hermione's smiling face made him feel a lot better, and his patience had somehow come back to him. He looked again at his stubborn friend and was about to say what was scrambling through his mind when Professor Spencer walked up to them. “Well, here you go boys,” Spencer smiled as he handed them their lists. “The last ones. Now you two get ready.” “Ready for what?” Ron asked as he watched the Professor get up onto the platform. “You and I are the first to duel, and it seems like we're dueling today,” Harry replied with somewhat surprised, but suppressed voice. “And what makes you say that?” Ron retorted as he turned to him. “This,” Harry answered as he showed Ron his schedule and pointed out the line: *Duel #1: Ronald Weasley*. “Can't be,” Ron replied as he looked down at his own schedule and found the first line underneath his name stated: *Duel #1: Harry Potter*. “All right,” Professor Spencer announced as he clapped his hands together to everyone to quiet down. “Now we have enough time left of our class to have one duel. Now, please pay attention, because these two young gentlemen will be first to duel in our club. I expect you all to be observant. The best way to learn is by example.” The students were silent as they moved and crowded around the platform, waiting patiently for the first two students to duel. Professor Spencer smiled at his class as he hopped off the platform. He started to clap his hands as he announced, “The students for Duel one will be Harry Potter and Ron Weasley!” The students started to murmur to themselves as Ron and Harry got onto the platforms. Hermione and Nancy's faces went white as they saw the two boys make their way towards the center of the platform. Harry looked at Hermione and shrugged his shoulders, a look of bewilderment on his face. “Okay, now boys,” Spencer instructed as he pointed towards the silver circles. “Take your starting positions at the silver circles. Now, you may not use any form of transfiguration spells on each other or summoning charms on items outside of the platform. No form of curses or jinxes can be used. Also, you may not use any form of physical combat. This dueling club is here to perfect your dueling technique and strategy only. All right boys, you have five minutes, commence!” Professor Spencer pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. He gave the boys a nod and flipped a small hourglass over. The crowd of students started to cheer and clap as they watched Ron and Harry salute themselves with their wands. Harry and Ron slowly started to pace around the platform, each of them taking deep breaths. Harry gritted his teeth as Ron started to lower himself into his dueling stance. Harry stopped moving and did the same, but when he readied himself, he saw Hermione standing behind Ron with a look of absolute dread on her face. Harry lowered his wand and looked at Ron with sincere eyes. This action caused a lot of the students to whisper amongst themselves as well as leave an incredibly puzzled look on the face of Professor Spencer. Ron was also confused by Harry's actions but knew that Harry's eyes were being serious. “Please Ron,” Harry said with firm voice, “What is bothering you so much?” “Is this the place to discuss this?” Ron asked as Harry looked down at Hermione. She gave Nancy a soft smile and with a deep breath she nodded to Harry. “Yes, better here so everyone else can hear,” Harry said with a weak grin. “You know how fast word gets spread around here…no need for false rumors to start.” “Oh I can't believe this! Is this really necessary?” “It is if you refuse to talk to me!” “All right, fine…you want everything out in the open. Fine by me! Why didn't you tell me about you and Hermione?” Ron asked with a hurtful voice, causing everyone around them to immediately start murmuring again. Spencer's mouth dropped and his grip on his parchment and quill loosened, causing them both to fall to the floor. He was completely taken back by what was taking place inside the Dueling platform. His belief of a well thought out duel was shattered. “We were worried that you still fancied her,” Harry explained. “We didn't want to hurt you.” “First off, I do not fancy Hermione,” Ron growled as took a step forward. “And second, it hurts me more when you keep things like this way from me. I'm supposed to be your best friend! Best friends don't hide secrets from each other!” “I'm really sorry, Ron,” Harry pleaded. “We're both very sorry. And don't you think for you second that you're not our best friend. We promise…no more secrets.” “No more secrets?” Ron asked with a sigh, a soft smile growing. “I promise, no more secrets,” Harry nodded, a grin forming on his face. “Good…I'm glad that is settled then,” Ron smiled as he placed his wand in his pocket. “You know it's really great by the way…you and Hermione.” “Thanks…I wanted to wish you the best with…” Harry also about to put his wand away, but immediately stopped when he looked over to a very agitated Professor Spencer, who was now chewing furiously on the top of his quill. “Umm…” Spencer groaned, his face trying to dissolve back into a peaceful one. “As much as I like the fact that you two are good friends again, you have two minutes left to finish the duel. So…how about you take out your wands and get a move on if either of you are planning on earning any points for this duel.” Ron gave Harry a lopsided grin as he took out his wand and lowered himself into his dueling stance. Harry did the same and held his wand firmly in his hand. Ron suddenly took a step forward and shouted, “*Incendio!*” “*Protego!*” Harry yelled as he took a step back, scratching the air with his wand. The fireball struck the wall and flew back towards a prepared Ron. He, in turn, scratched the air with his wand causing it to vanish as they struck his Invisible Wall. Harry grinned at Ron as he readied himself again. “*Compello contrudo!*” Harry shouted as he launched white jet of sparks at Ron. Ron was ready to form another Invisible Wall but waited to long to summon it. The white sparks rammed him directly in the chest causing him to fall back onto his back and slide off the platform. “Ron!” Harry yelled as he quickly ran over to where Ron had fallen. He stood up with a smirk on his face and started to rub the back of his head as he shrugged at Harry. “Well done Mr. Potter,” Professor Spencer said with reluctant smile as he stood on the platform and clapped for Harry. The students started to clap and cheer, while some others, mainly the Slytherins, stood in the places with disgusted looks on their faces. “Well…you get two points for the win…one point in terms of time…I truly hope you don't plan on making friends with everyone you duel against…and three points for complexity, your Reflective wall was superb. That brings your total to six. As for you Mr. Weasley, you will receive two points for successfully producing an attacking and a defensive spell. “Okay, that's enough for today. Everyone listed from Duel two to Duel twenty, be ready by next Friday. All right, class dismissed.” Harry and Ron walked over to the girls, and they were both greeted by smiling faces. Hermione for the first time was able to give Harry a warm hug, no longer worried about hiding her feelings for him. The two did hear a few students snicker and murmur, and a few snide comments coming from the Slytherins, but it didn't matter to them. “Oh, you two aren't going to start snogging or anything?” Ron said in a whiny tone as she took his spot by a giggling Nancy. “It's like watching your brother and sister…yuck.” Harry and Hermione looked over at the Ron and gave him a disturbed look as they all made their way out of the classroom. Hermione noticed Cho staring at the two with stern eyes, and she couldn't help but smile at her as she leaned closer to Harry and took his hand in hers. Harry looked at Hermione with a grin on his face as he leaned over slightly and kissed the side of her head. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “You doing okay, Seamus?” Harry asked as he and the other Gryffindor Quidditch players were ready to take flight. It was their first practice of the new term and Harry noticed that Seamus hadn't stopped shaking since he set foot on the Quidditch pitch. Seamus looked up at Harry and nodded slowly as he mounted his broom and slowing lifted off the ground. Harry flew over to him and patted him on the shoulder. “So you remember everything, right? You remember all your defensive positions and covering positions?” Seamus nodded hesitantly and Harry gave him another pat on the shoulder. “Okay then, we're going to run a basic defensive drill. You and Jack will be ready with your bludgers and the only thing you need to do is try to stop the Chasers from taking shots against Ron. It's a pretty simple drill, so don't worry too much about it.” Seamus nodded as he flew over towards his guarding position next to Ron and Jack. Harry flew over to William, Ginny, and Dean, who were hovering over the center of the pitch. He explained the drill and the three nodded in compliance. Harry flew high above the pitch to monitor the practice and with a loud yell; the Chasers had begun their run. Harry watched Jack and Seamus move forward and take up their defensive positions, a smile growing on his face. Ginny approached from the right side holding the quaffle with William flying behind her while Dean brought up the left. Seamus watched them carefully and when he noticed Ginny had passed the quaffle back to William, he raised his bat and prepared to hit his bludger. When William was within the proper range, Seamus and Jack both struck their bludgers; however with Harry and Seamus' immediate shock, Seamus' bludger veered directly to the left instead of forward. Harry watched the bludger fly and realized where it was heading. He opened his mouth and tried to yell, but it was too late. The bludger struck a very surprised Jack, who started to stagger on his broom, before slowly falling off. Harry and others immediately landed and ran over to their fallen Beater. He laid on the ground motionless with a complete look of shock on his face. “Jack!” Harry shouted as he knelt down next to him, his hand moving in front of Jack's dazed eyes. “Do you hear me? You okay?” “No, Professor McGonagall…” he blurted out with a dizzy expression on his face, “I didn't turn my cat into a rock. She doesn't want to be one…she'll be mad at me for ages if I do it.” Harry looked up at the other players with a look of puzzlement. Ginny gave Harry a quick smirk as she knelt down next to him and reached her hand over to Jack's face. With a quick motion, she swung her hand, slapping Jack across the face. Jack suddenly jerked and sat up, breathing in quick breaths. “Things like this always require a lady's touch,” Ginny smiled as she stood up. “Yeah, real ladylike,” Ron exclaimed, completely horrified by his sister's action. Ginny stuck her tongue out at him as she and Harry helped Jack to his feet. “I'm really sorry,” Seamus exclaimed as he looked at Harry and Jack. “I didn't mean to do it. I swung the bat and I just hit it the wrong way, and…” “It's okay, Seamus,” Jack replied as he started to rub his sore chest. “Just give me a fair warning next time.” “Can you still practice?” Harry asked as he leaned down and picked up Jack's broom. “Oh yeah,” Jack replied as he nodded. “Little hit like that shouldn't put anyone in the hospital.” Harry gave him a smile and gave Seamus a sympathetic pat on the back as the Gryffindor team took flight again. The practice progressed slowly; the team needing to take breaks every now and then to nurse a player that was accidentally hit by Seamus' rogue bludger. William was getting unbelievably frustrated with Seamus. He couldn't stand to have such an unskillful player on the team and was utterly infuriated that Seamus never covered an offensive Chaser properly. Seamus was assigned to protect William as he flew for the opposing hoops. Seamus' job was to cover William and ward off the defensive Chasers and Beaters, allowing William to get a clear shot at the hoops. During several runs, as Ginny and Dean flew up to William in an attempt to steal the quaffle, Seamus would strike the bludger towards them. However instead of splitting the defensive to allow William a clear shot at the hoops, the bludger would nearly strike William. William took particular offense when he was forced to dodge Seamus' bludger for the third time, and began ranting about how Seamus was intentionally trying to injure him. Ginny didn't enjoy listening to William's cries and simply wished that a bludger would strike him off the pedestal that he placed himself on. Dean noticed her comments and tried to calm her down, but when he noticed the fire in her eyes, he decided otherwise and took a few steps back. Seamus tried to leave several times during the practice, feeling that his mistakes would surely caused him to be kicked off the team, but Harry stopped him every time. Harry knew that it was his first practice and how was positive that he would improve over time. Seamus was truly surprised by Harry's kindness towards him, especially after taking an unsuspecting hit in the right shoulder by one of Seamus' inaccurate swings. Practice finally came to an end, the Gryffindor team entering their locker room feeling more sore, more bruised, and more beaten than any game they have ever played. Ron laid down on a nearby bench, commenting on how playing against the Slytherins was more civilized. Harry shook his head and told Seamus to ignore them and be prepared for next week's practice. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “Not so hard,” Harry winced softly as Hermione massaged his right shoulder. “Really Harry, did you all get into a fight?” Hermione asked with a concerned voice as she continued to massage his bruised shoulder. She and Nancy were sitting in their armchairs, while the boys sat on the floor in front of them. The girls were completely shocked when they saw the Quidditch team slowly drag their feet into the common room, each of them looking like they had just been on the losing half of a brawl. “No, it was just a very physical practice,” Harry replied as he moved his hand up and placed it on top of Hermione's delicate hands. “Physical…” Ron added as he jerked slightly when Nancy rubbed a part of his back that collided with one of the hoops when he had to dodge one of Seamus' misfired bludgers. “It was a bloody firing range. Seamus was slowly taking his time to knock us all off our brooms.” “Isn't that Seamus' job as a Beater?” Nancy asked with a completely puzzled look on her face. “It is…but he hitting the wrong people…and…when they don't expect it…oh never mind,” Ron replied as he slowly bent his back. “It was his first practice,” Harry added as he leaned back against the edge of Hermione's armchair. “He's still learning…he'll get it soon.” “He better…” Ron groaned as he slowly stood up to stretch his back, “…or we won't have much of a team left.” Hermione giggled softly at Harry as she got up from her chair. She helped Harry up, and he graciously sat down in it, taking a deep breath as he felt how comfortable it was. Hermione smiled at him as she then proceeded to sit on his lap, turning herself so that she could rest her head on his shoulder and hang her legs off the side of the armchair. “Oh, come on now,” Ron groaned again as he sat back on the floor. “Don't start all this.” “We aren't starting anything,” Hermione replied as she leaned her head against Harry's shoulder. Harry and Nancy let out soft sighs as they listened to Ron and Hermione's usual banter. Harry didn't pay attention much to the argument because he knew that it wasn't anything he could control. However, he was curious on how the argument went from Harry and Hermione's closeness to the essay that was assigned to them by Professor McGonagall. Harry looked into the fire and thought about the day he spent with Keung in the Forbidden Forest. He replayed their conversation in his head, trying to see if he may have forgot about something that would help him figure out something about Magnolia Reins and the Flame of Flamora. He then started to think again about the poem that Keung told him, but was having trouble. He stared into the fire and rested his head against Hermione's as his mind continued to go over everything concerning the poem. His eyes suddenly went wide when he remembered the most important line. “I think I remember it,” Harry said softly to himself, causing Hermione to look up at him. “Remember what?” she asked softly as she sat up on his lap, looking into his eyes. “The last part of the poem Keung told me,” he answered. Ron and Nancy looked up and looked over at him. The two got up and knelt down next to armchair that held Harry and Hermione. Harry looked back up at the ceiling. “The majority of the poem talked about how the flame was bad and how it could end the world, but the last line said…*dispatch thy love, fury, and sorrow into the flame*.” “Love…fury…sorrow,” Nancy repeated to herself as her eyes focused on the floor. “What does that all mean?” Ron asked as he sat on the floor. “Love…fury…sorrow…they all sound like they contradict each other.” “Wait…” Hermione said as her eyes lit up. “Harry, you said that Flame of Flamora could only be extinguished by a person who can use the flame, correct?” “Yeah,” Harry replied with a nod, unsure of where Hermione was going with her train of thought. “You also said that when Keung was able to form his Flamora sword, he needed to use all his anger and emotions to do so,” she said as she looked at Nancy. “So, maybe,” Nancy continued as she looked back at Hermione with a horrific look on her face, “he needs to throw himself into the fire…you know…sacrifice himself.” “No, that can't be it,” Harry said firmly, not wanting to accept that option as a possibility. “He isn't going to just throw himself into the fire.” “But you said it yourself that he looked really depressed,” Hermione replied in a soft voice. “He said that he had lost everything dear to him…maybe that has been something he was planning.” “Wouldn't of he said something about it then?” Ron asked as he looked from Nancy to Hermione. “You know, wouldn't of he said something about it to Harry?” “I really doubt he would,” Nancy answered as she looked at Ron. “I mean…you're not going to just tell someone you're planning on killing yourself…he would of frightened Harry.” “Also,” Hermione added as she looked at Ron. “He doesn't know where the flame is located…not even Dumbledore knows. It might be something his planning on doing once he finds it.” “But…” Harry objected softly, a feeling of complete dread falling over him. Despite their short time together, Harry felt incredibly close with Keung. He felt a strong connection with him. Like him, Keung had suffered horribly from the loss of loved ones and he, too, was suffering from a curse he never wanted. He hadn't felt such a connection with anyone since Sirius had died, and the thought of losing another friend was starting to get unbearable. “I need to take to him soon,” Harry muttered to himself. Ron noticed Harry's troubled expression and patted Harry's arm with a smile. “Well…all you need to do is throw yourself into the lake or something, and Keung will have to show up to save you.” “Ron, that isn't funny,” Hermione retorted, but her expression lightened when Harry smiled at Ron and started to laugh softly. 13. Cotton Lures and Cookies ---------------------------- **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 Thirteen: Cotton Lures and Cookies** “Weasley drives through the center! Bludger misses…she whizzes by Case…keeper Myles covers Weinstein…there's the pass…passes to Thomas…THOMAS THROWS…SCORES! The Granger One Time Fake Out Pass gets itself another goal!” Collin shouts into his microphone. “Gryffindor fifty, Ravenclaw ten! “That Hermione and Harry…nicest couple in Hogwarts…did you know that they….” “Collin!” Professor McGonagall roared as she stood from her chair. “Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger don't need their personal business being announced to everyone.” The news of Harry and Hermione didn't surprise a lot of the students. In fact the majority of them had already assumed that they were together, some actually shocked that they had only recently made it official. Harry could tell that Hermione was a little uncomfortable with all the attention she was receiving, now that she was with The-Boy-Who-Lived. He told her not to worry about it and how she'll get used to it. *The curse of fame*, he thought to himself. Harry scratched the side of his head as he looked over to find Ron laughing. Harry couldn't help but contain his snicker as his eyes continued to move around, looking for the snitch. His eyes soon moved to a shaky Seamus, who hadn't moved very much throughout the game. Seamus had improved slightly during the last few practices, but he still didn't feel confident enough with his skills to apply himself during the game. Harry's eyes suddenly noticed something glittering near the center hoop that Ron was guarding, and without a second of hesitation, he was off. He gripped his Firebolt tightly and pushed it once again to its limit. “Potter is off!” Ron quickly maneuvered out of the way as Harry flew by him, directly through the center hoop with his arm out in front of him. He quickly made a swipe at the snitch, but it dropped and almost instantly veered back towards the center of the pitch. Harry gritted his teeth as he pulled hard on his Firebolt to get it to swing around back towards the pitch. Harry's eyes grew wide when he realized that Cho was approaching towards him, flying towards the center of the pitch from the opposite direction. Harry watched the snitch make its way directly towards her, and he realized that if he didn't catch it before it reached the center, Cho would have a perfect chance for it. Harry took a quick breath and pushed his Firebolt passed its limits again, trying to keep himself as level to the broom as possible to keep him from slowing down. He squinted his eyes and found it incredibly difficult to move his arm out in front of him. The snitch started to dodge around in random directions but still continued to move towards the center of the pitch. Harry looked forward and noticed a blue blur making its way towards him. He knew that it was Cho and that she wasn't going to give up on the snitch. Harry made another swipe with his hand, but found it incredibly difficult. The snitch was moving too erratically and with his current speed, he couldn't make any quick movements with his hand. “Chang…Potter…Chang…Potter…it's going to be one sticky, disgusting, gruesome…” “Collin!” Professor McGonagall shouted as she felt her stomach churn from Collin's details. Harry took a quick breath and made another attempt to grab the snitch, but it suddenly flew dove towards the ground. Harry looked towards Cho and noticed that she was still approaching him. He pulled on his broom as hard as he could, causing himself to suddenly climb, just as Cho maneuvered herself downwards after the snitch. Harry cursed himself as he pulled his broom back down after Cho. He pulled himself as close to his broom as he could, but suddenly jerked up as a bludger flew by him. He turned and looked to find a smiling Ravenclaw Beater. His heart suddenly sank when he looked down to see Cho with her arm out in front of her. He swallowed hard and began his dive towards her, but a bludger suddenly flew by him towards Cho. Cho noticed a bludger and suddenly broke her pursuit the snitch, veering upwards. Harry turned to see a very startled Seamus breathing deeply. Harry pulled out of his dive and gave Seamus a bright smile with his thumb up. “That was an UNBELIEVABLE stop by Finnigan! Chang is off the snitch…both seekers fly back up above the pitch!” Harry looked around again and noticed a very flustered look on Cho's face. She looked at him and he could notice something her eyes. He tried to take a closer look but a sudden roar of thunder and flash of lightning caused him to look up towards the clouds. It started to get dark and he knew that this would definitely complicate a few things. Rain soon started to fall, but Harry didn't pay much attention to it. He pulled out his wand and quickly performed the *Impervius* charm on his glasses, and continued to monitor the progress of the game, while looking around for the golden snitch. “Weasley STOPS another shot! Passes to Weinstein…Weinstein moves around Harris…around Carter…passes to Weasley…Thomas is in position…Myles moves…Weasley THROWS…SCORES! Gryffindor takes their commanding lead to sixty!” Harry started to clap, but suddenly saw Cho descend towards the pitch. Harry quickly gripped his Firebolt and flew after her, happy to see that he was gaining on her. Cho looked behind her and tried to move herself in front of Harry to keep him from passing. Harry gritted his teeth as he started to move left and right, only to have Cho block his way again and again. The snitch suddenly stopped, causing the two to fly by it. Cho pulled on her broom, but her current speed was preventing her from making a sharp turn. Harry kept his grip firm on the broom as he swung his body off it, causing the Firebolt to instantly change directions with him. His hands slipped off, but he was able to successfully land back onto his Firebolt. After a quick breath, he took off again towards the snitch. Cho cursed to herself as she finally finished her turn and flew after Harry, only to find him pulling away. The snitch made its way towards the posts at the opposite side of the pitch, and Harry chased it as fast as he could, his arm out in front of him. Something suddenly flashed in his mind when he realized that this was the same situation that caused him to hurt himself during the last Quidditch match. He took a quick breath as the promise he had made to Hermione started to ring in his ears. He looked towards the middle post and realized that he was going to hit it. He watched the snitch move up around the post and he knew he had little time to react. He moved his feet onto the back half of his broom and pushed down with his feet as he pulled up with hands. He followed the snitch up the post, slowly feeling the extra weight of his water-soaked robes affect his speed. Harry reached out for it again and felt the snitch graze his fingers. He gritted his teeth as he retracted his arm and threw it out again, nearly causing himself to lose control of his broom. His eyes widened and he let out a howl when he realized that the snitch was grasped firmly in his hand. Harry pulled his broom out of his climb and he slowly lowered himself to the ground holding the snitch up the air. “HARRY POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!” He heard the pitch roar with students cheering and clapping. Harry landed on the ground and took his Firebolt with his left hand as he held the snitch firmly in his right. The Gryffindor Quidditch team landed and all ran over to him with large smiles on their faces. “Good catch, Harry!” Dean shouted as he reached over and patted his back. “Wicked!” Ron said as he grinned at Harry. “It's good to see that you won't be going to the hospital wing this time.” The team laughed as they noticed a small crowd heading over towards them. Harry smiled as he saw Hermione running towards him, her hair damp from the rain and a large smile across her face. He opened up his arms and she jumped into them, wrapping hers around his neck and planting a soft kiss on his lips. “Oh not this again,” Ron groaned as Nancy came over and gave him a tight hug, causing his face turn bright red. “Who's talking now?” Ginny asked with a grin. Ron gave his sister an icy glare as Nancy released him. Harry broke their kiss and gave Hermione a quick peck, his arms tightening around her. He turned his head and gave Seamus a bright smile. “Good save back there, Seamus. If it weren't for you, we would of lost that one for sure.” “Oh, it's nothing,” Seamus replied quietly. Though before he could say another word, a crowd of smiling students ran up and started to complement him. Harry smiled at Hermione before he turned and looked at Seamus again; glad to see that he finally felt like he was a part of the team. * ~ * ~ * ~ * The Great Hall was filled with laughing and smiling students. Today was Valentine's Day and the students were excited because they would have an opportunity to go to Hogsmeade that evening. The trays in the center of the long tables were filled with heart-shaped sweets and the soft giggle of girls could be heard throughout the hall as they read through their Valentine cards. Harry groaned as he looked down at his bowl of porridge, Hermione rubbing his back gently. After Professor Dumbeldore learned that Harry was the target of the mountain trolls' attack on the castle on Christmas Eve, he had prohibited Harry from leaving the castle. Hermione teased him every now and then about leaving him alone at the castle so she could go to Hogsmeade with Ron and Nancy, but always stopped when she noticed that Harry was starting to believe her. “It won't be that bad,” Ron said as he tossed a heart-shaped cookie into his mouth. “It'll just be the same old thing,” Hermione added as she leaned against him. “I know,” Harry replied as he swirled his spoon through his porridge. “It's just all the restrictions that Dumbledore has on me. I can't even go to the bathroom if I don't have someone escorting me.” “Don't worry, Ron and I will get sweets for you and Hermione at Honeydukes,” Nancy smiled as she opened her bag and pulled out a large stack of Valentine cards. “Who are all those from?” Ron asked as he nearly choked on another cookie. “A bunch of people,” Nancy replied as she started to look through the pile. Harry and Hermione grinned to each other when they noticed the irritated expression on Ron's face. Nancy, too, noticed this, but couldn't help but play with him a little bit more. She picked up a card and opened it, softly giggling as she read it. “So…who's that from?” Ron asked as he looked over at her, his face tense. “It's from a boy in my N.E.W.T. Transfiguration class,” she replied as she placed the card back down on the table. “He's a really sweet boy.” “That's nice to know,” Ron said with an uninterested voice, his eyes never leaving the card. “Oh Ron,” Hermione exclaimed as she smiled at him. “She's only egging you on.” Harry, Hermione, and Nancy laughed, but Ron refused to join in. The four left the Great Hall and made their way to their next classes. Nancy waved to the three as she made her way up a set of stairs, Ron still with a pouting expression on his face. Though when he noticed her blowing him a kiss, his heart started working again and he was wearing his usual smile. The three made their way out of the castle and walked over across the grounds towards Hagrid's hut for their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. When they got there, they saw several students talking about plans for the evening, while others sat on the wet grass and patiently waited for the class to start. “`Lo, yeh three,” Hagrid smiled as he exited his hut. “How are yers?” “Pretty well,” Hermione smiled as Harry wrapped his arm around her waist. “Tha's good,” Hagrid replied as he walked over towards the back of his hut and picked up a large wooden box. “It's good to see yeh three.” “What's in the box, Hagrid?” Harry asked as the half-giant placed the box on the ground several feet in front of him. The three could smell a very pleasant aroma escaping from it, almost as if the box was filled with women's perfume. “You'll see, Harry,” Hagrid smiled as he waited patiently for the rest of the class to join them. Within minutes, all the students had gather around and Hagrid gave them all a big smile before he started. “`Lo class. Yehs know tha' today is a special day, so we'll be lookin' at some really special creatures.” Hagrid walked over to the large box and pulled out a large white ball of fur. All the girls immediately took a step forward when they saw what it was. It was a white creature that resembled a large rabbit. However it had small round ears like a mouse with a dark brown nose. It had short claws on its paws and a black-and-white stripped tail that instinctively wrapped around Hagrid's wrist. “These here are Co'on Lures,” Hagrid smiled as he started to pet the white creature. It started to shudder, almost as if it was purring, causing an incredibly pleasing aroma to fill the air. Harry took in a deep breath and found it incredibly intoxicating. His eyes focused on Hermione's smiling face and soon focused on her pink lips. He swallowed hard and couldn't fight off this strange urge to kiss her. He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss, which caused many heads to turn. Hagrid snickered to himself as he stopped petting the cotton lure. “These creatures are special cus fer their smells. They are real friendly, an' if yehs are nice to it, it will let ou' a very nice smell. The smell is an enchantmen'. “Have yehs all hear' the tales of Muggles who fall in love cus they were stuck by Cupid's arrows?” Hagrid paused and looked around at a lot of the nodding students and continued. “I don' know if Cupid is real, bu' some of `em couples were near these here co'on lures. Men in love do funny things when they smell `em. Just like Harry.” Harry and Hermione turned a deep red as they watched the students turn and grin towards them. Harry looked up at Hagrid and smiled softly when he saw the half-giant was barely able to contain his amusement for pointing out him and Hermione. “Well then what else are they good for?” a snide voice asked. Hagrid turned to find Malfoy and his cronies standing in the back of the class, all of them wearing their bored expressions. “I mean…a creature that just smells good can't be all that important.” “Well, these co'on lures are very importan'. Their blood is used in many love potions an' perfumes,” Hagrid replied as his eyes narrowed on Malfoy. “So it would be really important to you, Malfoy,” Ron snickered as he looked over at him. “I reckon you'd have to use a potion to get a girlfriend.” The class started to laugh as Malfoy and his cronies took a menacing step forward. However, they halted when he noticed a very unapproved look on Hagrid's face. Malfoy stood his ground and crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing on Ron. “Yehs mus' be careful with `em. Don' provoke `em or pull their tails,” Hagrid said as he placed the cotton lure on the soft grass. It released Hagrid's wrist and it started to hop toward to a bunch of girls standing in the front. They all giggled as they knelt down and started to pat its back, causing the intoxicating aroma to fill the air again. Hermione looked up at Harry and found him shaking his head, his eyes looking completely glazed over. She smiled at him and gave him a tight hug, causing him to lean down and kiss her again. “Will you two stop that?” Ron retorted as he looked over at his two friends. “Don't either of you have a shred of decency?” “I can't help it,” Harry replied as he broke the soft kiss. “That smell just makes me want to kiss her.” Ron snickered to him as he gave him a lopsided grin, one of his eyebrows raised. “You'll take any excuse to kiss her, won't you?” “Now, if yehs all gather in groups of three. I have `nough co'on lures fer all of yehs,” Hagrid smiled as he walked over to the box and pulled out several more cotton lures. “Today, yehs all will be feedin' `em. They like ter eat fruits, so I gots plen'y of apples, oranges, strawberries, and plums.” Hagrid quickly moved over to his hut and brought out the four buckets of fruit. He placed the buckets next to students and started to hand them different fruits. The cotton lures started to hop over to the different groups, looking up at the students with its brown noses wiggling. All the girls immediately kneeled down and started playing with them, causing more of the pleasant smell to saturate the air. Harry tried his best to hold his breath, causing Hermione and Ron to laugh a bit. They looked towards the groups and noticed a cotton lure sitting on its own, not wanting to approach the students. Hermione smiled at the two boys and they made their way over to it, only to find it moving away from them. “Oh, yeh three be'er be careful with tha' one,” Hagrid sighed as he walked over to them. “What's wrong with it, Hagrid?” Hermione asked as she watched the cotton lure shudder. “The poor tyke…I found it a few years back,” Hagrid replied as he placed his hands on his waist. “Its family were killed by hun'ers, so I reckon it don' like us much.” “Oh the poor thing,” Hermione said with a sympathetic voice as she knelt down and stuck her hand softly out to the shivering creature. “Yeh bes' be careful,” Hagrid smiled as he handed Harry and Ron several different fruits. “If co'on lures are provoked, they let out a bad smell. I hear it can knock a man out fer hours.” “That's good to know,” Harry replied as he knelt down next to Hermione and handed her a strawberry. The cotton lure's nose started to twitch, and it slowly started to move towards them. “Okay, yehs three look like yeh'll do fine,” Hagrid smiled as he gave Ron a hard pat on his back, nearly causing him to fall over, and made his way over towards the other students. “Look, it's coming,” Hermione whispered to the two as the cotton lure slowly made its way over to them. “Now hold your breath Harry,” Ron said with a snicker as he tossed one of the strawberries in to his mouth. “You snogging with Hermione may provoke it.” Hermione shot him a quick look as she continued to wave the strawberry in front of the cotton lure. It continued to make its way over to them, until its nose touched the strawberry. Hermione placed the strawberry on the ground and they all smiled as they watched it eat it, a soft form of the pleasant smell leaving its body. Harry was happy that the aroma this cotton lure was emitting wasn't as potent as the others, allowing him to keep his emotions under control. He then placed another strawberry on the grass a bit closer than the one Hermione had placed, and the cotton lure moved hesitantly closer to eat it. Hermione gently stuck out her hand and patted the creature's head. “It's so soft,” Hermione cooed as she placed another strawberry down a bit closer than the last one. The cotton lure moved closer, giving Ron and Harry a chance to softly pet it. The cotton lure started to purr and Harry could smell the same potent aroma that he had earlier. He tried to hold his breath, but the intoxicating aroma had founds its way inside him causing him to feel the urge to kiss Hermione again. However before he could react upon it, the three heard a bunch of students start coughing. Hermione picked up their cotton lure in her arms as the three stood and looked over to see several students moving away from Malfoy. He was lying on his back with a look of complete shock on his face. The three took a step forward, but immediately took a step back when they were hit by the worst smelling stench they have ever smelled in their lives. Harry had to take several steps back to stop himself from gagging, shaking his head several times. He watched Hagrid hold his nose and quickly made his way over to the fallen Malfoy. He looked down to find a cotton lure shaking violently and squeaking at Malfoy. “Wha' happened?” Hagrid asked as he turned to face the other students. “He pulled on its tail,” Parvati gasped as she held her nose with her fingers, causing her voice to drop several pitches. “It then started to squeal and it let out that smell.” “Oh,” Hagrid groaned as he released an aggravated sigh. He lifted a limp Malfoy up and draped him over his shoulder. “I'll be back in a bit, yehs all keep feeding `em.” “Now that is embarrassing,” Ron snickered as he watched Hagrid carry Malfoy up to the castle. He turned and to his dismay, found Harry kissing Hermione again with their cotton lure purring gently. Ron dropped his head as he walked back towards the crowd of students. “I tell you…no decency whatsoever.” * ~ * ~ * ~ * “So you two have fun,” Hermione smiled as she waved at Ron and Nancy. “You sure you won't want to bring a cotton lure with you?” Harry suggested to Ron with a grin on his face. “Cotton lure? What's that?” Nancy asked as she looked at Ron. “It's nothing…we'll see you two later,” Ron quickly answered as he gently took Nancy's hand and quickly walked out of the common room. Harry and Hermione looked around and found that the common room was empty. The two made their way to their favorite armchair and took a seat with Hermione on Harry's lap. Harry smiled at her as he pulled out his wand and summoned his Transfiguration book to them from a nearby table. He caught the book and handed it to Hermione. She opened it to the chapter they needed to read for their next class and placed the book on her lap. The two sat quietly and read to themselves, pointing out a few facts to each other every now and then. When they were both done with a page, Hermione would turn it to the next and they would continue. Harry occasionally peaked at her and smiled when he saw how intently she was studying everything she was reading. Her eyes would move slowly across the page, her fingers pointing to several bold keywords. He noticed that she would occasionally close her eyes and bit her lower lip softly when she was committing something to her memory. Harry swallowed hard as he focused his attention on her soft lips. She noticed Harry's gaze and she looked at him with a curious expression. He ran his fingers through her hair gently, which caused her to lean closer against him. “You done with the page?” Hermione asked as her fingers moved over to flip the page. Harry nodded and she turned it, moving her eyes slowly again as she read through the page. Harry smiled softly as he looked back at the page and forced himself to concentrate on it, trying his best to stop peaking at the beautiful girl sitting on his lap. Hermione finished the page and glanced at Harry. She noticed that his eyes were intense as if he was burning a hole through the book. He would occasionally use his left hand to push his glasses against the ridge of his nose as he read, his right hand gently playing with her hair. She took a deep breath and realized that she could never study with Harry. There was no possible way she could concentrate on anything with him sitting there. She let out a soft sigh as she closed the book, confusing Harry by her actions. “Something wrong?” he asked as he looked into her eyes. “Nothing's wrong,” she answered she dropped the book on the floor. She gave him an inviting smile as she leaned forward and kissed him. Harry's heart started beating faster and faster as he felt the rush of indescribable feelings consume his body. He wrapped his left arm around her, and gently pulled her head closer to him with his right hand, deepening the kiss. The warmth of her body, the incredible sensations of her lips, the feeling of complete security, Harry could stay there with her in his arms and her lips locked with his forever. “Oh my, you two!” they heard a girl squealed. They broke their kiss, their cheeks flushed as they looked over to find a startled Parvati Patil and a gaping Lavender Brown. Parvati took a step forward and crossed her arms. “I mean honestly. I thought Ron was only joking about you two not having decency, but he was clearly right.” “The common room is a non-snogging place, you two,” Lavender smiled as she contained her giggles. “Go get yourselves a room if you wish to continue such indecent behaviors,” Parvati added as she realized her soft laugh. Hermione gave them a bright grin as the two waved and left the common room, giving the couple their privacy. Harry looked at her and let out a soft sigh. He leaned in to kiss her again, but she got off his lap before he had a chance. She took him by the hand and he took stood from the armchair. She gave him a sweet smile as she pulled him towards the portrait door of the common room. “What's going on?” Harry asked as followed her out of the common room. “I talked with Dobby earlier when you were in your Muggle Studies class with Ron,” she replied as she looked down at her watch. It read quarter passed eight. “What you talk to him about?” he asked her curiously as she led him towards the Great Hall, her pace slightly increasing. “It's a surprise,” she smiled back as they passed the doors of the Great Hall. “I wrote to my mum about this and she suggested we do this together.” “What is `*this*'?” Harry asked hesitantly as they stopped in front of the large portrait of fruit that led to the school's kitchen. She tickled the pear and it giggled until it turned into a green handle. She pulled on it and led Harry inside. They found Dobby smiling at them and a bunch of items on the table that would send food up to the Gryffindor table. “Dobby is so happy to see Harry Potter sir with his girlie,” Dobby smiled as he ran over to Harry and gave his leg a hug. “It's nice to see you too Dobby,” Harry replied as he patted Dobby on his back. Dobby released his leg and looked up to Hermione. “Dobby has done everything miss has asked of me,” Dobby said dignifiedly as he straightened his posture. “That's great Dobby. I'll take over from here,” she nodded and Dobby took his cue. He waved at Harry and quickly ran out the door at the back of the kitchen. “What's all this about?” Harry asked curiously as they made their way to the table. Harry looked at the items and realized that they were ingredients for something. He turned to Hermione as she opened a large book and started flipping through the pages. “Here we are,” she smiled as she found the page she was looking for. She turned to him with a big smile. “We're going to make sugar cookies.” “Make?” Harry responded even more confused when he first entered the kitchen. “How are we going to make them?” “With our hands, silly,” Hermione smiled as she read over the instructions. “My mum said that its one of the most fun things a couple can do.” “Hermione,” Harry said with a weak voice. “I don't really know how to bake?” “Haven't you ever cooked for the Dursleys?” she asked, not looking away from the instructions. “I sometimes cook for them…well it's more like the sometimes force me to cook for them,” he answered as he started to look through all the ingredients on the table. “They would worry that I'd tried to poison them or something. I was mainly ordered to serve them the food. Aunt Petunia did most of the cooking. Besides, I've never baked before.” “Well it'll be fun,” she insisted as she gave him a friendly nudge with her shoulder. “I have a little experience with cooking. I did help my dad every now and then when it was his turn to cook dinner.” “Hermione, we don't have an oven in here,” Harry noticed when he looked around at all the kitchen, his eyes focusing on the pots, pans, and plates, but nothing that resembled a Muggle oven. “I asked Dobby about that,” she replied a she looked up and pointed at the large brick fireplace. “He said that we could use the fireplace and it should be okay, since that is what the house-elves use to make cookies.” “Hermione, you know I would really love to do this with you,” Harry started looking into Hermione's dark brown eyes, “but I don't want to mess anything up.” “Oh silly,” she smiled as she gave him a quick peck on his lips. “It'll be fine. It'll just be like potions class again.” Harry gulped at the idea and looked down at the recipe in the large book. He smiled at her and replied in a sarcastic voice, “And that was definitely one of my best subjects.” She giggled at him and gave him another quick kiss as she looked back at the recipe book. “Okay…hmmm…first we cream the shortening.” “Cream the what?” Harry asked as he looked at the ingredients in front of him. “Don't worry about it,” Hermione replied as she pulled out a wand and summoned over several bowls and the needed kitchen utensils. “I'll do that, you just separate two eggs into this bowl and stir it with this.” She handed him an eggbeater and he graciously accepted it with a grin. He took two rather large eggs and cracked them both, allowing the contents to drop into the bowl. He picked up the eggbeater and started to swirl the eggs, his mind focusing as hard as it could on the task. Harry knew that it was a relatively easy one and he has done it before, but he didn't want to upset Hermione by not being able to accomplish the simplest of tasks in the kitchen. They worked quietly as the assembled all their ingredients into one large bowl. Hermione added the flour as Harry added the proper amounts the sugar and milk. Hermione had to stop Harry a few times when he accidentally mistook the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. Harry couldn't help but admit it that Hermione's mother was right about this activity being fun. When they were done, Harry summoned over two large cookie sheets. The two mixed the ingredients with large wooden spoons, occasionally having a small spoon fight in the bowl causing a bit of the batter to splatter on their robes. They then started to pour globs of the batter onto the cookie sheets and used their wands to mold the cookies into the shape of hearts. Upon accomplishing that task, they walked over to the large fireplace and carefully placed the trays inside. The two moved back to the table and started to clean up the small mess they made. Harry smiled as he looked at Hermione, a bit of flour had made its way onto her face, whitening her cheeks. “Eight or so minutes and we should be all done,” she smiled as she looked at Harry. She noticed his look and started to touch her face. “Is there something on me?” “Just some flour,” Harry replied, unable to hold back on his laughter. “Oh really,” Hermione replied with a sinister grin, causing Harry to feel a bit uneasy. Though before he had time to guess what, Hermione flung a handful of flour at him, it hitting directly in the face, his glasses turning white. “Now that was uncalled for,” Harry said with a low tone as he wiped his glasses with his hands. “You do realize that this of course means war.” “You wouldn't dare,” Hermione said with a trembling voice as she slowly backed away from him. Harry gave her an evil grin as picked up a handful of flour. “Harry Potter, you put that flour down.” Harry flung it at her, causing the white powder to fly everywhere. She shook her head, causing the flour to fall from her face and her hair. She then gave him a very sad look. “You know, I was trying to be the mature one, but obviously diplomacy isn't going to work here.” Harry quickly moved his hands in front of his face as Hermione hurled another handful of flour at him. He smiled at her at as he slowly lowered herself. She started to giggle as she quickly backed away from him. Harry bolted after Hermione, and she squealed as she quickly turned and ran for the end of the table. “I'm going to get you, Granger,” Harry smirked as Hermione made her way around the table. “It'll take a lot more than your Seeker skills to catch me,” Hermione responded as she stuck out her tongue at him. He started to move towards the end of the table, but Hermione slowly moved, making her way down the opposite side of the table. A light bulb went off in Harry's head as he took a step towards his left, causing Hermione, in turn, to run towards her left. Harry suddenly jumped onto the table and chased after her. Hermione let out a soft scream as she quickly hopped onto the table next to the Gryffindors. Harry instantly jumped onto the table and reached out his arms, wrapping them around her. She tried to wiggle out his arms, but Harry refused to let her go. Harry tried to take a step back, but his shoe slipped on something, causing him to fall onto his back with Hermione on top of him. Harry let out a groan, causing Hermione to quickly turn so that she was looking at him. “Harry, are you okay?” Hermione asked with a worried voice as she rolled off him. “It's nothing, just hurt my shoulder a bit,” Harry replied as he slowly rotated it. “I'm sorry,” she said as she started to massage it gently with her hand. “It's okay,” he insisted as he moved his right hand and gently touched her flour-covered cheek. Hermione smiled back at him as she rolled back on top of him, allowing her weight to rest on him again. She looked into his green eyes and he gave her a soft smile. She brushed some of the flour out his hair as she leaned down and firmly placed her lips on his. Harry closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her as she softly deepened the kiss. Her hands moved up and rested on his cheeks, softly rubbing them and feeling the powdery texture of the flour. Harry's mind was racing again as the sensations came back to him. He loved the sensations that he experienced when he kissed Hermione, and knew that he could never get tired or bored with them. “Excuse Harry Potter, sir,” they heard a small voice come from beside them. They broke their kiss and looked at Dobby, holding their trays of cookies in his gloved hands. “Your cookies are ready sir. Dobby will leave them on the table.” “Thanks Dobby,” Hermione replied with a sigh of relief to see that their cookies had turned out all right. She started to move herself off of Harry, but his arms remained tightly wrapped around her. She looked back into his eyes and gave him a soft smile as she leaned down again, giving him another deep kiss. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Hermione and Harry sat quietly in their armchair together, wearing their pajamas, eating their cookies, and enjoying the warmth of the fire. Hermione had snuggled on Harry's lap, resting her head against his chest, quietly eating a cookie. Harry had his left arm wrapped around her, breathing in the fresh scent of her shampoo. He had to admit that their cookies tasted really good and as he took a small bite out of one. “Be sure to thank your mum for me,” Harry smiled as he leaned down and kissed the side of her head, her hair still a little damp from her quick shower. “For what?” Hermione asked as she sat up and looked into his eyes. “Making these cookies with you was a lot of fun,” he replied as he gave her a tight squeeze. She smiled at him and leaned forward, their lips fitting perfectly together. Harry almost smiled to himself when he was able to taste the sugar on her lips. They separated when they heard the portrait door open. They looked around the armchair and watched a mass of happy and giggling students enter. Harry and Hermione smiled at each other when they realized that it was the students returning from their trip to Hogsmeade. The two patiently waited for Ron and Nancy to appear, but were somewhat stunned to find the two completely red and angry. Ron made his way over to Harry and Hermione and sat himself on the floor, crossing his arms irritably, as Nancy made her way over to the other armchair and sat down with a scowl look on her face. “What happened?” Hermione asked as she looked from Nancy to Ron. “Oh nothing,” Nancy said with an aggravated voice. “He was just telling me about how much he liked Fleur Delacour.” “You told her about that?” Hermione asked with a shocked expression on her face as she turned towards Ron. “She asked me and I answered,” Ron replied with his hands up in the air. “I mean…I was just being honest!” “Why does it upset you so much?” Harry asked curiously. Nancy and Hermione shot him a look and he stuck up one of his hands to defend himself. “I'm sorry, I was just being curious.” “Fleur was one of my best friends at Beauxbaton, but she was also one of my rivals…oh never mind,” Nancy growled as she got up from her armchair and sat down on the couch next to Harry and Hermione's armchair, glaring at Ron. “Oh,” Hermione said as she let out a soft sigh and gently rubbed Nancy's shoulder. “Well…umm…Ron didn't know any better.” “I didn't know what?” Ron shot up as he looked at Nancy. “I was being honest…isn't that what a girl wants?” “It is Ron…” Hermione tried to explain but didn't know how to convey it to him. “It's just…” “It's okay, Hermione…there is no point in trying to explain,” Nancy said with a defeated sigh as she rested her head against the side of Hermione and Harry's chair. An eerie silence fell upon them. Ron was infuriated and refused to look at Nancy, while Nancy with a more hurtful than angered expression refused to look at Ron. Harry and Hermione looked at the two, feeling completely speechless on how to get the two to talk to each other. The two looked at each other and gave each other a soft smile. “Want a cookie?” Hermione whispered to Nancy as she handed offered her plate full of cookies that she and Harry had just baked. Nancy looked confused for a second but she softly giggled as she took one. “I told you to bring a cotton lure,” Harry whispered to Ron with a lopsided grin. Ron looked back up at Harry and started to snicker as he leaned back onto the floor and placed his hands behind his head. 14. Complicated Choices ----------------------- **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 Fourteen: Complicated Choices** Several weeks had passed since Valentine's Day, and Harry and Hermione were relieved that Ron and Nancy were once again on speaking terms. Ron still didn't understand why Nancy reacted the way she did and would constantly ask Hermione for a girl's point of view about the subject. Hermione would try to answer his question but felt that it was more of something that Nancy should answer. Ron, however, never did bring it up with Nancy; worried that reminding her about the subject would instantly anger her. It was Friday afternoon and it meant that it be another day of duels at the Dueling Club. The duels had progressed a lot faster than Professor Spencer had hoped. He had high hopes for his students, looking forward to well-strategized duels, but would always be disappointed by the performances of the majority of the students. The duels usually ended within the first minute and caused by dumb mistakes. Spells often backfired; ultimately causing several students to knock themselves out of the platform, while some accidentally fell out due to bad footing and not keeping track of their surroundings. Madame Pomfrey was truly glad that the Dueling club was progressing without many of injuries. The worst injuries that students suffered were bruises from how they landed on the floor once they were launched off the platform. She suggested that Spencer should summon cushions for the students to land on, but he felt that their performances, or lack of there of, didn't earn them the privileges of a soft landing. Even Harry's duels were somewhat disappointing to Professor Spencer, not because of Harry's performance but how none of his opponents were truly a match for him. For the exception of his duel with Ron, Harry had easily dispatched his opponents within the first minute of the duel and with the use of only one or two spells. Harry felt somewhat guilty after his matches. A lot of the students found him incredibly intimidating when it came to situations like these. The constant question being thrown around was, “How do you duel the boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?” The other students that Professor Spencer had his eyes on were Nancy Mason, Hermione Granger, William Weinstein, and Draco Malfoy. Spencer knew that those four were the only wizards and witches that possessed the same potential as Harry. He recognized the potentials before the Dueling Club began and purposely assigned them to face more difficult challengers during the later half of their duels, wanting to truly them to test their abilities. Both Nancy and Hermione had elegant styles of dueling, though completely different strategies. Nancy was a student who figured out how to defeat her opponents during the match. This made her seem a bit reckless, however she never once lost control of the duel, always attacking her opponents when they least expected it. Hermione, on the other hand, was the type of student who studied her opponents and found their weaknesses before the match. When her matches took place, she literally had all the spells she would need to use planned out and how to systematically dispatch her opponents. Malfoy fought his opponents with tenacity and merciless rage. He would often enter the platform with a cold expression and unleash his most powerful spells on his opponent within the first minute of the duel. The majority of his opponents could never prepare themselves for his charge, allowing Malfoy to push them off the platform with ease. Malfoy had been victorious in every one of his duels with the exception of the duel against Nancy, where she gleefully tricked him into slipping off the platform by stepping on his on his own ice charm. William had a very strict defensive strategy that completely puzzled Harry and Ron. The two always figured him to be the type who would constantly attack his opponent with spells and insults, until he or she cracked, but he was the exact opposite. He allowed his opponents to hit him with everything they had, and when they ran out of things to do, William would use a simple spell to knock the out of the platform. However, to Harry and Ron's incredible dismay, he would then begin to gloat, flashing his perfect smile and have the majority of the girls in class starting clapping an cheering. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Nancy stood by the edge of the platform and watched the students duel one another, waiting patiently for their turns. Today marked the day for their fourth duels, and they were all exceedingly anxious. Harry and Hermione were mainly concerned with Ron and Nancy due to the fact that they were going to be the next two students to duel. Ron was somewhat tense, continuously pacing back and forth to keep himself from going insane. Nancy was standing completely motionless, as if she was in some sort of trance. Every now and then, the two would make eye contact, but neither would say anything to the other. Aside from worrying about Ron and Nancy, Harry and Hermione would have their work cut out of them today. Harry quickly looked through the room and found a very disgusted Malfoy staring at him. Harry fists tightened as he felt his rage build up inside him. Spencer had assigned the two to duel and Harry was couldn't wait to use everything that he has learned against him. Hermione's eyes found Cho talking to William Weinstein and her heart started to race. Hermione had been secretly waiting for this day. She and Cho had their moments when they could have discussed their differences, but she knew that Cho would never give up on Harry. Hermione knew that she would always be after him, and she needed do everything in her power to prevent Cho from taking him away. Hermione had watched Cho duel carefully, making mental notes to herself of how to defeat her. However, to Hermione's displeasure, Cho had improved miraculously since the time of the D.A. Cho had a style where she would unleash multiple spells one after the other, usually causing a great deal of misdirection for her opponent. When her opponent completely lost control, she would use the attacking form of *Expelliarmus* to send them off the platform. The only strategy Hermione could form to counteract that of Cho's was to try to misdirect her as well. Though she was having a bit of trouble, because unlike Cho, she wasn't skilled enough with her wand to launch consecutive spells right after another. She felt incredibly nervous, but took several breaths to keep herself calm, unable to stop her doubt from building up inside her. “You okay?” Harry asked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Hermione smiled softly and nodded, but Harry could tell that she was looking over at Cho. He moved so that he was standing in front of her and looked deeply into her eyes, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. “You're going to win, Hermione. I believe in you. You'll do just fine.” “Thanks Harry,” she replied softly as she leaned in and gave him a tight hug, resting her head on his chest. When they released each other, they looked over at their friends and walked over to give them a few encouraging words. “You ready?” Hermione asked Nancy with a soft smile on her face. “I guess,” she replied as she looked over at Ron. He was still pacing, his hands in his pockets and a stern expression on his face. Nancy smiled and looked back at Hermione. “It's going to be hard dueling against him.” “You'll do fine,” Hermione grinned as she walked closer to Nancy and whispered into her ear. “You have a chance get him back for liking Fleur.” “I've always wanted to get him back for that,” Nancy giggled as her eyes lit up. Harry shook his head slightly as he made his way over to his nervous friend. “Ready for Nancy, Ron?” Harry asked as he watched his friend move back and forth. “You kidding me,” Ron replied as he looked into Harry's eyes. Harry could tell that Ron hadn't done a good job of mentally preparing himself for the duel. “There is no way I can beat her. Didn't you see how she beat those other guys without every breaking a sweat? I might as well just not bother getting into the platform and forfeit.” “You can't forfeit. You'd be embarrassing yourself and you won't be able to pass the class. Besides I think you have a shot if you think everything through,” Harry said as Ron started pacing again. “She isn't going to use everything on you.” Harry wanted to say more but a round of claps and cheers stopped him. He turned and looked towards the platform to see Neville standing in the center with a big smile on his face. Professor Spencer got up onto the platform and started to scribble something onto a piece of parchment. Harry noticed that he was writing with a black quill. He had gone through over two-dozen quills since the start of the Dueling Club, habitually chewing on them when he watched an agonizingly horrible duel. Spencer looked around at the students and announced, “Mr. Longbottom will receive two points for the win, two points for time, and two points for complexity…giving you a total of six points. Ms. Myles, that will be three points to you.” Neville hopped off the platform and smiled at Dean and Seamus as they patted him on the back. Spencer crumbled up the parchment and touched it with the tip of his wand, causing the parchment to vanish with a puff of smoke. He turned to face the bulletin board and pointed his wand at it. A series of white sparks flashed from the tip of his wand and flew directly into the bulletin board, causing numbers to change and ranks of the students to alter slightly. Ron looked over at Nancy and she gave him a soft smile as the two got up onto the platform. Spencer smiled at the two as they took their positions on the silver circles. Spencer pulled out another parchment out of his pocket and quickly made his way off the platform. The two saluted and the students started to cheer and shout again. “Okay…Mr. Weasley, you currently have fourteen points and a record of two and one…Ms. Mason, you have twenty-three points with a record of three and zero…you both know the rules and what you can't use?” Professor Spencer asked as he looked at the two. They both nodded, not taking their eyes off of each other. “All right then…commence!” Ron and Nancy instantly went into their dueling stances. Hermione leaned against Harry and he wrapped his arms around her waist as the two watched their friends ready to battle. Ron started to take a few steps forward and Nancy cautiously didn't the same. Ron's eyes were focused on hers, waiting to see if she was planning on making the first move. When she refused to do so, he gritted his teeth and prepared himself. “*Expelliarmus!*” he shouted as he launched yellow sparks towards her. Nancy quickly moved to her right, allowing the sparks to hit the barrier behind her. She then lifted her wand towards Ron and shouted, “*Incendio!*” Ron took a step back and scratched the air with his wand causing the fireball to hit an Invisible Wall. Ron and Nancy readied themselves again in their dueling stances, both taking in a deep breath. “*Deflagratio!*” Ron shouted as a wave of fire rushed out of his wand. “*Fulguritus!*” Nancy shouted, in turn, as a wave of lightning left her wand, colliding with Ron's wave of fire in midair. The two stood their ground, each pushing as hard as they could. The collision in the center caused a large fireball to be formed, contained by several waves of electricity. Ron gritted his teeth as he used all the strength to push himself forward, causing Nancy to take a few steps back towards the edge of the platform. Nancy dropped herself to one knee and pulled back on her wand, causing the lightning wave to vanish, but before the fireball had a chance to move, she pointed her wand at it again and screamed, “*Excisio!*” The fireball exploded, causing several of the students to shield their faces and take a few steps back. Ron had fallen onto his back, but not off the platform. Nancy slowly stood up as she watched Ron lift himself to his feet, his face black from the explosion. Nancy couldn't contain her giggle from the totally confused look on his face. Ron gave her a smirk as he lowered himself to his dueling stance again, Nancy doing the same. “*Incendio!*” Ron shouted as he launched the fireball at Nancy. “*Protego!*” Nancy roared back as she shot the fireball back towards him. “*Compello contrundo!*” Ron called as he moved out of the way of the fireball. The yellow sparks flew towards Nancy, but was stopped by her Invisible wall. Ron landed on the ground and immediately got his feet with his wand raised. “Ron!” Nancy shouted as she pointed towards his robes. He turned and his eyes grew wide to see that he wasn't successful in completely dodging the fireball. He started to jump up and down before he started to insanely pat the portion of his robes that had caught on fire. Nancy quickly made her way over to him and chanted, “*Aquula!*” A small jet of water came out of her wand and slowly extinguished the fire. Harry and Hermione gave each other puzzled looks as they turned their heads to look at Professor Spencer. He was as dumbstruck as ever, with his teeth now chewing on the feather portion of his black quill. The students started to murmur again as Nancy walked back over to the other side of the platform, her face a bright pink when she realized that she wasn't suppose to be helping Ron. Nancy settled back into her dueling stance and Ron took a deep breath as he lowered himself. However, when he took a step back, his shoe slipped on the water, causing him to fall backwards and off the platform. The students started laughing at Ron's misfortune as Nancy quickly made her way over to him, nearly slipping herself. Nancy helped Ron up, and he couldn't help but turn red. Professor Spencer shook his head with a defeated look on his face as he hopped onto the platform and walked over to the area covered with water. He pulled out his wand and knelt down with tip of his wand touching the water. The water started to be sucked up the wand as if it was a straw and within seconds, the puddle was gone and the platform was dry again. He stood up and looked at Ron and Nancy as he cleared his throat. “Good duel…Mr. Weasley…Ms. Mason. Mr. Weasley…I should of thought twice before having you duel another one of your good friends…especially after the last incident between you and Mr. Potter.” Harry lowered himself a bit and tried to hide behind Hermione as the students started to giggle. Professor Spencer finished scribbling on his parchment and announced, “Ms. Mason, you will receive two points for the win, two points for time, and four points for complexity…giving you six points. Mr. Weasley, you will receive three points.” Professor Spencer hurled white sparks over towards the bulletin board again, before he made his way off the platform. Harry looked at Hermione and gave her a soft smile. She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss before he released his hold on her and made his way up the platform. The students started to softly whisper as they watched Harry step onto the platform; but their whispers soon turned to full blown conversations as Draco Malfoy jumped onto the platform, wearing his usual snarled smirk. “Ready to be humiliated, Potter?” Malfoy snarled as the two took their positions in the silver circles. “Save your tongue, Malfoy,” Harry replied with an icy glare as the two saluted each other, causing their respective houses to start cheering. “All right…Mr. Malfoy, you have seventeen points with a record of two and one…Mr. Potter, you have twenty-one points with a record of three and zero…both of you aware of the rules and the restrictions?” Spencer asked as he pulled out another piece of parchment out of his pocket and began scribbling on it with his quill. The two turned to Spencer and nodded with firm expressions on their faces. “All right…commence!” “*Incendio!*” Malfoy immediately yelled as he launched a fireball at Harry. Harry quickly lowered to his dueling stance with his wand ready. “*Protego!*” Harry shouted as he scratched the air causing the fireball to launch move towards Malfoy. “*Incendio!*” Malfoy roared again as he hurled another fireball, causing the two to collide in midair and explode. Harry immediately took a step forward, his wand trained on Malfoy's legs. *“Compe llo contrudo!”* Harry yelled releasing a white jet of sparks. The sparks caught Malfoy in the legs, causing him to his legs to suddenly jerk backwards, making him fall forward onto his face. The crowd started to roar as Harry slowly approached Malfoy, his wand trained on him. Hermione, Ron, and Nancy started to chant his name along with the other Gryffindors. Malfoy looked up at Harry, gently massaging the large bruise on his forehead. “*Conglacio!*” Malfoy shouted as he pointed his wand towards Harry's feet. Harry tried to retaliate but suddenly slipped, causing him to fall to his knees. He looked at his feet and saw that they were stuck in two large blocks of ice. “*Incendio!*” Harry roared as he aimed his wand at Malfoy. Malfoy quickly rolled out of the way as the fireball hit the ground and got back on his feet. Harry tried to stand, but the ice was making it too difficult to maintain is balance. Malfoy snarled as he took a few steps towards a struggling Harry, his wand readied. “Isn't this convenient?” Draco laughed as aimed his wand for Harry's head and stopped when he was within a few yards him. “How pathetic…*compello contrundo*!” “*Protego!*” Harry scratched the air just at the correct moment sending the sparks back at a completely shocked Malfoy. It struck him square in the chest, causing him to fly in the air and land at the edge of the platform, completely winded. Harry smiled to himself as he pointed his wand to the ice blocks on his feet. “*Finite Incantatum*,” Harry chanted, causing the ice to vanish. Harry stood to his feet with his wand raised. He noticed Malfoy's grip on his wand tightened and he carefully lowered himself into his dueling stance. “Get up, Malfoy.” “*Incendio!*” Malfoy shouted as he quickly jerked his body up with his wand aimed at Harry. Harry ducked just as the fireball flew over his head. “*Fulguritus!*” Harry shouted, causing a wave of lightning to strike Malfoy's body. Malfoy fell back onto his back. But to everyone's amazement, within seconds, he managed to get up on his feet again. Harry knew he had a chance to knock Malfoy off the platform, but couldn't stand to hit anyone with a spell when they were down, even Draco Malfoy. “*Serpentsortia!*” Malfoy roared as he released a snake out of the tip of his wand at Harry. The snake landed on the floor and started to make its way to Harry. Harry looked up at Malfoy with a surprised look but snickered to himself as he pointed his wand at the snake. A smile started to form on his face when he realized that Malfoy was running out of spells to use on him. “*Coniectio!*” Harry shouted with his wand trained on the snake. The snake started to hover slightly of the ground and with a flick of his wrist, the serpent was thrown at Malfoy. “*Incendio!*” Malfoy roared as he launched a fireball at the snake flying towards him. Harry took this as his opening and quickly lowered his stance with his wand trained at Malfoy's chest. “*Compello contrudo!*” Harry howled as white sparks left his wand. Malfoy looked at the sparks and his eyes went wide just as they collided with his chest, causing him to fall off the platform. The crowd started to clap and whistle as Harry raised himself from his dueling stance, lowering his wand to his side. A smile grew on his face as he turned and looked at Hermione, Ron, and Nancy. He made his way to the edge and stepped down, placing his wand back into his pocket. Hermione jumped into his arms and gave him a tight hug. “Blimey!” Ron shouted with a bright grin on his face. “That was the best duel I've ever seen!” “Though, you had us worried a bit back there,” Nancy smiled as she patted him on the shoulder. “Good job, Harry,” Hermione whispered into his ear. Harry's gripped tightened around her as Professor Spencer made his way up onto the platform. He placed his finger over his lips and the students quickly quieted down, turning their attention towards him. “Congratulations you two! That was the some of the best dueling I've seen all year!” Spencer announced as he beamed at Harry. “Mr. Potter, you are awarded two points for the win, one point for time, and five points for complexity…you have earned eight points for the duel! Mr. Malfoy, you earned five points! Good job to you both!” The students started to clap again, and Harry suddenly felt Hermione's body tense. He released her and leaned forward to give her a soft kiss. He gave her a bright smile and rubbed her cheek softly. She gave him a reassured nod as she stepped onto the platform with a nervous look on her face. Harry crossed his arms and took a deep breath, his heart starting to beat at an uncontrollable rate. Harry felt more nervous about Hermione's match with Cho than he did about his last with Malfoy. Ron and Nancy looked at each other before turning to look at Hermione slowly make her way to one of the silver circles. Cho Chang stepped onto the platform and her eyes met with Hermione's. Harry gritted his teeth slightly as he looked at the two, almost positive he could see dangerous sparks flash between their eyes. Cho took her spot in her silver circle and took a deep breath as she pulled her wand out. Hermione closed her eyes for a brief second before withdrawing hers. “You can do this, Hermione,” she muttered softly to herself as she tightened her grasp on her wand. “She wants your boyfriend…you're not going to let her have him…he is yours.” “Ms. Granger, you have twenty-one points with a record of three and zero…Ms. Chang, you have sixteen points with a record of two and one. Now ladies, you both understand the rules and what spells you're restricted from using?” Professor Spencer asked, noticing the tension between the two. They both turned to him and nodded. He smiled at them as he pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and stepped off the platform. “Okay ladies…commence!” “*Compello contrundo!*” Hermione instantly shouted as she fired white sparks at Cho. Harry gritted his teeth tighter when he watched Cho dodge it. “*Incendio!*” Cho retaliated as she hurled a fireball at Hermione. Hermione scratched the air and the fireball dissolved into an Invisible Wall. Hermione went into her dueling position and slowly started to advance towards Cho. Cho examined her surroundings before she took a few steps forward. Harry noticed Cho's eyes moving and quickly looked over at Hermione, trying to predict what Cho was planning. *Be careful, Hermione*, Harry though to himself as he watched Cho's footwork. *She is planning something.* “*Expelliarmus!*” Cho screamed as she launched the attack at Hermione. Hermione quickly moved to her left but her eyes suddenly grew wide when she realized that Cho's wand was pointing towards her feet. Cho grinned before yelling, “*Conglacio!*” The floor underneath Hermione's feet suddenly turned to ice. She cursed as she tried to keep herself upright, but found it incredibly difficult. When she was finally able regain her composure, Hermione looked at the ice and pointed her wand to it. However, before she could do anything, Cho started to advance towards her with her wand raised. “*Fulguritus!*” Cho shouted as lightning left her wand towards Hermione. “*Protego!*” Hermione screamed as she scratched the air with her wand, causing the Reflective Wall to deflect the lightning upwards until it struck the upper barrier of the platform. Hermione looked towards Cho's feet and an idea formed in her head. She pointed her wand towards Cho's portion of the platform and shouted,” *Conglacio!*” Cho managed to move her feet just in time as the sparks from Hermione's wand caused her portion of the platform to be glazed with a layer of ice. Cho looked up at Hermione and gave her an irritating smile. Hermione was unsure what the smile meant, but she tried to take a step forward only to nearly slip. “You should of thought more about this, Hermione,” Cho smiled as she started to walk around the ice with ease. Hermione's eyes grew wide again when she saw Cho's ability to move freely on the ice. Harry's heart sank when he saw the situation Hermione had just placed herself in. “C'mon Hermione!” Nancy yelled as he started clapping for her, causing the Gryffindors to start clapping as well. “*Expelliarmus!*” Cho yelled as she launched a whole series of sparks at Hermione. Hermione started to scratch the air repeatedly stopping all of Cho's attacking spells with her Invisible Walls. Cho cursed herself when she found Hermione standing. “Talk as much as you want Cho, I'm not going anywhere,” Hermione said with a stern voice as she slowly took a step forward. She pointed her wand towards the platform again and shouted, “*Finite Incantatum!*” Cho watched the ice around Hermione start to vanish and she knew that she had to do something quickly. Cho pointed her wand at Hermione and screamed, “*Incendio!*” Hermione knew she didn't have enough time to call upon another Invisible Wall and quickly dove for the ground to avoid the fireball. However to her dismay, she landed on a portion of the platform still covered with ice and slowly slid towards the edge. Hermione was able to make herself stop, but she felt something hot hit the ground next to her feet. “*Incendio!*” Cho shouted again as another fireball flew towards a fallen Hermione. Hermione noticed that the ice next to her feet had turned into water and quickly pointed her wand towards it. “*Coniectio!*” Hermione screamed as she swung her wand upwards, causing the water to rise off the platform to make contact with the fireball. The fireball and water vanished into large amounts of steam, and the Gryffindors cheered louder when they saw Hermione stand up. “You're pretty good Hermione,” Cho said softly to her as she pointed her wand at Hermione again. Hermione couldn't help but smile to see that she was starting to irritate Cho. “C'mon Hermione!” she heard Harry call out from her right. She turned her head and found Harry clapping and cheering for her. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned her head and gave Cho a small smile. She looked back down at the ice around Cho's feet and a new idea formed in her mind. “*Deflagratio!*” Hermione shouted as aimed the large wave of fire towards Cho's feet. Cho quickly dove out of the way as the fire made contact with ice, instantly turning it into water. “*Expelliarmus!*” Cho yelled as she launched yellow sparks at Hermione. Hermione quickly ducked under the spell and pointed her wand towards the water. “*Coniectio!*” Hermione shouted as she swung her wand in direction of Cho. A large wave of water rose from the platform and crashed onto an unsuspecting Cho. Hermione found her opening and aimed her wand and screamed, “*Compello contrundo!*” Cho was completely taken by surprise as the white sparks made contact with her stomach, sending her off the platform. Hermione was stunned to see that her plan had worked. She slowly rose to her feet, water dripping down from her hair and robes. She turned and looked at the Gryffindors and they all cheered as she stepped down from the platform. “Good job,” Harry smiled as she wrapped her arms firmly around his neck firmly. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a tight hug, not caring that his robes were also starting to get wet. “You were unbelievable.” “Really think so?” Hermione asked as she looked into his eyes. Harry smiled at her as he leaned forward and rubbed her noise gently with his. “Great job! Ms. Granger, you will receive two points for the win, one point for time, and five points for complexity…giving you a total of eight points for the duel. Ms. Chang, you will receive five points. You both did a wonderful job,” Spencer smiled as he continued to scribble on his piece of parchment. “Hermione,” Harry and Hermione heard a soft voice call from behind them. The two turned to see Cho with a soft smile on her face. Cho extended her hand out to her. “That was a good duel. The better girl won.” “I was lucky…you're really good, Cho,” Hermione replied as she released Harry and shook her hand. “It was more than luck,” Cho said with a small smile on her face. She released Hermione's hand and looked up at Harry. “You take care of her, Harry.” “I will,” Harry replied softly as he nodded to her. Cho gave him another soft smile before she turned made her way to her Ravenclaw friends. “Well that went by okay?” Ron said with an uncertain voice as he looked at Hermione and Harry. Harry stood there with a confused expression on his face, but was then brought back to reality when he felt Hermione's arms wrap around his waist. He gave her a warm smile and kissed her forehead gently. “So do you think everything is okay between you and Cho?” Ron asked Hermione as the four took their sits at the Gryffindor dining table for dinner. The Great Hall was filled to its maximum capacity with students grumbling about their schoolwork and how they wished they didn't have so much to do over the weekend. “I really doubt it,” Hermione replied as she leaned against Harry. Hermione's hair and clothes were still somewhat damp from the match, but she didn't seem to mind it at all. Harry, on the other hand, teased her every now and then about the only reason she was getting dry was because the water from her robes was soaked up by his. “It's like a temporary truce,” Nancy added as she took a bread roll from the center tray. “As of now, she and Hermione are okay, but anything could break their truce.” “I swear, you girls are all mental,” Ron smiled as he watched food magically appear on his plate. “It's not something we ever expect boys to understand,” Hermione said as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice. “Now what's that suppose to mean?” Ron asked as he picked up a piece of chicken with his hands. “I reckon we'll understand if you explain it to us.” “I don't like where this conversation is going,” Harry said with low voice as he looked at Ron. “It's things like this that always gets us into trouble.” “And since when did you become the voice of reason?” Hermione asked with a grin as she nudged his shoulder. “I do my part,” Harry replied before he took a bite out of his bread roll. “Go on then, explain,” Ron urged as he took a bite out of his chicken. “Hmmm…lets see,” Nancy said to herself as she took a sip out of her pumpkin juice. “One rule that you must always remember is that a girl may forgive you for something, but she will never forget.” “Like elephants?” Ron asked as he took another bite out of his chicken. Nancy and Hermione's eyes grew wide at his comment. “I mean…you know how elephants never forget…” “I knew, I wouldn't like where this was going,” Harry groaned as he pulled up his left sleeve and gazed at the face of his wristwatch, waiting for Ron's initials to appear. “Not like elephants!” Hermione blurted as she glared at him. She then picked up her fork and held it in a very threatening manner. “Another rule is that a girl would never like to be referred to as an elephant.” “I'm sorry,” Ron replied as he raised his arms in front of him. “I didn't mean it like that…please continue.” “Because a girl never forgets,” Nancy continued as she took a deep breath, “it makes it very difficult for them to let things go…especially if they are unsettled.” “So a girl may say that she wants to be friends,” Hermione said as she started to cut her chicken with her knife, “though she may want to change her mind later.” “And when boys are involved in the situation,” Nancy added, “things always seems to make themselves a lot more complicated.” “So Cho and you will always have problems until Cho gives up on Harry,” Ron concluded as he took a bite out of a bread roll. “See…told you it wasn't all that difficult to figure out. I don't know what the big deal is?” Hermione was about to say something when they heard a screech coming from one of the windows. Harry looked up and found Hedwig flying towards him with a note attached to her leg. Harry stood up and held his arm out. The snow owl landed on it and gave Harry a soft hoot. Harry took the letter and gently stroked her feathers. He placed the letter on the table and gave Hedwig a piece of his bread roll. She hooted again as she took his offering and flew out of one of the windows. “Wonder what's that all about?” Ron asked as Harry took his seat again. “Who'd be sending me a letter now?” Harry asked as he picked up the letter and examined it. Hermione placed her utensils down and leaned closer against him as he opened it. *Harry Potter,* *I know that you need to speak to me about a few things. I'll be waiting by Hagrid's hut tonight at nine o'clock. Bring your friends if you would like.* *Your Second Shadow* “Second Shadow?” Nancy whispered as she looked at Harry. “It's him,” Harry said with a low tone as he placed the letter inside his pocket. “We need to talk him and figure out some things out.” “Wait…something doesn't seem right. How did he know that Hedwig was your owl?” Nancy asked as she learned forward, making sure that no one else could eavesdrop on their conversation. “He could of saw Hedwig when he saved me on the Knight Bus,” Harry replied, somewhat shocked by Nancy's statement. “Besides, who else would sign the letter in that way?” “Remember what Dumbeldore said,” Hermione said as she looked up at him. “I think we should go Hagrid's hut, but we need to have a plan incase it turns out to be some kind of trap.” “Hagrid will be there,” Ron insisted as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice. “He'll be plenty of protection.” “We'll can't just rely Hagrid,” Hermione disputed as she looked over at Ron. “Hagrid won't be a match for Flamora weapon.” “All right then…I have an idea,” Harry said suddenly as he looked at the three. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry quietly approached Hagrid's hut with a cautious look on his face. He constantly looked over his shoulder to make sure that no one was following him, and he would scan the area in front of him to make sure that there wasn't anything odd happening. With every step towards Hagrid's hut, he felt his heart beat faster with anticipation and dread. He noticed that there was light coming from the inside hut. This gave him a sign of hope, because he would at least have Hagrid there if something were to happen. When he reached Hagrid's hut, he noticed that everything was still. This made his stomach feel uneasy. Harry slowly approached the door and softly knocked on it. However, there was no answer. He quiet made his way to the window and looked inside. Hagrid's hut was well lit from a fire inside his fireplace along with a series of candles, but there was no Hagrid in sight. He heard the rustle of leaves from the right side of the hut and he immediately pulled out his wand. He slowly made his way around to investigate but found that there wasn't anything there. He turned back to move towards the front door again, but nearly jumped out of his skin to see a figure standing next to him. “Oh, sorry Harry,” Keung snickered as he smiled at him. “I didn't mean to scare you.” “Oh, it's okay,” Harry sighed softly as he gave Keung a smile. “I'm happy, you didn't come alone,” Keung said as he started to walk towards the front of the hut. “Come alone?” Harry replied with a look of shock and amazement. “I know everything about your Invisibility Cloak,” Keung grinned as he opened the front door to Hagrid's hut. “Also, when I saw you approaching, I heard more than one set of footprints approaching…so I figured that your friends are somewhere behind you under your cloak.” At that point, Ron, Nancy, and Hermione, threw off Harry's Invisibility Cloak with astonished looks on their faces. Keung smiled at the group as they all entered the warm cabin. The four settled in the chairs inside Hagrid's hut as Keung walked over to the fireplace and picked up a whistling teakettle. Fang stood up the moment he noticed Harry and the others and immediately made his way over to Harry's feet before settling back down again. “Where's Hagrid?” Harry asked as he looked around Hagrid's hut. Hermione sat in the chair next to his and gently took his hand in hers. “Dumbledore set him on a quick errand to Diagon Alley. He'll be back by tomorrow morning. Though, I know you didn't come all the way out here to ask me that…so what was it that you needed me to answer?” Keung asked as he started to pour tea into five cups at Hagrid's table. Harry noticed that his composure had completely changed. He had shaved his face and his hair was combed in an orderly fashion. “How did you know that we needed to ask you something?” Harry asked with a confused look on his face. Keung grinned at him and removed his black robes to show the four that he was wearing a Hogwarts uniform underneath it with a green and white tie. “When I said that I was going to be your second shadow, I wasn't pulling your leg. I've been watching you move around the castle for the past several months disguised as a student.” “Really?” Ron asked as his mouth dropped. “We've never noticed that someone was following us.” “I was trying my best not to get noticed…by you four or anyone,” Keung replied as he handed Nancy and Ron each a large cup of tea. “There would no point in looking after you four only to make you feel paranoid about being followed. On occasion, I would eavesdrop on your conversations and I remember hearing that you needed to ask me a few questions. When I figured that it was safe for you to ask me them, I found your owl in the owlery and had her deliver a message to you.” “Wow…this is really good,” Nancy said as she took a small sip of her tea. “Thanks,” Keung smiled as he handed Hermione and Harry their cups. “I've been around to different places on my travels and I learned this brew when I was in…Spain, I think. Though that's another story…what is it that you wanted to ask me, Harry?” “Well…” Harry started as he took a sip out his cup, his mind circling around the burning questions in his mind. “Could you tell us that poem again about how to put out the Flame of Flamora?” Keung settled in a chair and crossed his arms. He looked up at the ceiling a bit, before he started reciting: *“Flame of Flamora isn't meant for the light of heart,* *Its powers can kill and split the world apart.* *For those who wish to end the misery of its burning reign,* *Dispatch thy love, fury, and sorrow into the flame.”* “Did you ever talk to Dumbledore about its meaning?” Harry asked carefully, giving Hermione's hand a soft squeeze. “I did talk to Dumbledore about it…though he told me that it was a task that I needed to accomplish on my own,” Keung replied as he picked up his cup of tea and started to drink. “He told me that the Flame thrives on the emotions of the Flamora wielder and that it would only accept the request of being extinguished by a wielder that purely wishes it. Dumbledore said that he had the utmost confidence in me and that I would solve the riddle in time. So whenever, you four were in class, I went to the restricted section of the library and did research on the Flame.” He reached for the table and picked up a large black book. He opened it and flipped through the pages. He stood up and handed Harry the book. Ron and Nancy moved their chairs closer to him to see what t information the large book contained. The chapter they were looking at dedicated itself to *The Myth of the Eternal Black Flame of Flamora*. “It says that according the legend,” Keung started as he sat back down in his chair, “the Flame of Flamora lies in the heart of a volcano somewhere within a mountain range in an area that is now Russia…which mountain range or which mountain…it doesn't say.” “To my recollection, there are plenty of volcanoes in Russia,” Nancy stated as she looked up from her book. “There are…and Dumbledore has checked every single one…but he wasn't able to find nothing,” Keung groaned as he scratched the side of his head. “There are a lot of enchantments guarding the Flame and it's not anything the naked eye can see. Unless the location is determined, there is nothing more that can be done. A person could spend their entire life wandering about those mountains and still not find anything.” “What are we going to do?” Harry asked him as he turned the page. “Well, I'm glad to know that Dumbledore can help us on this part of the problem, but he still hasn't found anything yet.” “The book keeps talking about chambers guarding the Flame,” Hermione stated before she looked back towards Keung. “Do you know what these chambers are?” “According to the Flamora Scroll, there are four chambers that guard the Flame,” Keung replied as he looked back up to the ceiling. He thought for a few seconds before looking at them. “The wielder who wishes to destroy the Flame must make it through the four chambers, collecting pieces of a key that will unlock the door leading to the Flame.” “Do you know what's in these chambers?” Harry asked with an unsure tone. “I don't know,” Keung responded with a shrug. “I honestly don't believe that anyone knows…well…aside for the warlock who first created the Flame, I don't believe anyone has even seen the Flame. I reckon the chambers were created to prevent any other wizard or witch to ever extinguish the Flame.” “Do you have any ideas of how to put out the Flame?” Harry asked, his voice growing tense. Hermione looked at him and noticed that he was shuddering softly. “A few ideas did come to mind,” Keung replied with a soft grin. “Though an idea that keeps resurfacing in my mind is for me to simply throw myself into the Flame…that should surely end everything, now wouldn't it?” Harry's heart nearly stopped when he heard the one answer he didn't want to hear. He immediately rose from his chair, causing the book and his cup to fall onto the floor, tea splashing everywhere. “That cannot be the solution to the riddle!” Hermione was startled by Harry's actions and nearly jumped out of her seat. Ron and Nancy were speechless, moving their gazes from Harry to Keung. Keung looked at Harry with an uneasy look on his face. “Harry…I'm not saying that that is the solution. But…” “No buts!” Harry cried, his face turning red. “You're not going to throw yourself into that flame!” “Harry,” Keung said with a firm voice. “I didn't say that I was planning on it…but if that is what the situation calls for it, I have to do it.” “No!” Harry shouted back. “I don't want you to end up like the rest!” Before Keung could say another word, Harry had stormed out the front door of Hagrid's hut. Hermione stood up from her chair, but Keung shook his head at her. He stood up and placed his cup on the table, as he let out a soft sigh and looked that the three worried students. “You three stay here. I'll go talk to Harry.” Keung walked outside and found Harry behind the hut, furiously kicking a tree. Harry noticed Keung approaching, but his emotions had risen to another peak and he needed to do something to release it. Keung found a patch of dry grass and slowly sat down, his eyes on Harry. “You know, your foot is going to break before that tree does.” “You can't sacrifice yourself,” Harry said softly as he stopped kicking the tree, refusing to face Keung. “I've lost too many people…I can't handle it anymore.” “Dumbledore told me about everything that happened to you,” Keung replied as he turned and looked towards the Forbidden Forest. “I'm really sorry about all the people you've lost in the past…but I'm sorry Harry, this is situation is bigger than you and me. I guess you could say that this my purpose in life.” “Purpose…” Harry retorted softly. “The only purpose I ever had was to cause those around me to die or get hurt.” “Harry,” Keung said softly, looking at him again. “Come here…sit down.” Harry reluctantly turned and made his way towards Keung. He sat on the grass and Keung noticed that his eyes were watering. Keung gently rubbed his back, before he took a deep breath and let out a relaxed sigh, leaning back on the grass. “Look at those stars,” Keung said as he reached out with his right hand. “They're all out tonight.” “What's so wonderful about that?” Harry responded with an uninterested voice. He didn't want to let his anger fade. He didn't want to let another person he cared about die. “My father told me something very important before my fifth year at Hogwarts,” Keung started as he let out another sigh. “He told me that when a child is born, he knows the answers to all the problems he will ever face in his life. He'll know the choices he'll make, he'll know what kind of person he'll be, and he will even know what mistakes he'll make. As he grows up, he learns about life and his mind is filled with knowledge. As he grows, the answers he once possessed are pushed farther and farther back in his mind. They are never lost, mind you…they are just forgotten for a while.” Harry looked over at Keung and could see that he had a soft smile on his face. “He told me that whenever I needed help in finding my answers I should lie under the stars and simply gaze. You see, the stars are meant to guide us…just like how they guided the first Muggle sailors to cross the oceans. They possess knowledge far greater than anything or anyone in this world. They were here before we were born and they will continue to be here the day after we go. “The stars have observed us since the day we were born and like us, they know all the answers that we will ever need. If you gaze long enough and listen…they will tell you exactly what choices you'll make, what kind of a person you will be, and what mistakes you will make.” Keung sat up and looked at Harry with sincere eyes. “I've stared at these stars for so long…looking for my answers…but I had always known what my purpose was. Ever since I was struck by Magnolia Reins' Flamora blade, I knew that my purpose was to prevent her from harming more people. The only way to do such a thing without becoming a murderer myself…is to extinguish the Flame of Flamora…and I will do it by whatever means is necessary to accomplish it.” Harry tried to say something but he couldn't. Keung noticed the tears streaming down from his eyes and he knew that Harry was experiencing the same pain and sorrow that he felt. He placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and softly squeezed it. “I'm happy to see that you care about me so much. In all honesty, I've grown quite fond of you and your friends. Don't ever believe for one minute that I want to kill myself…because I don't. I may have lost everything that was dear to me in this world, but it doesn't mean that I am going to simply end my life. However, I need to do everything in my power to prevent the deaths of innocent people, and if necessary, my life is expendable.” “Your life isn't expendable,” Harry said softly as he wiped away his tears. “No ones life is ever expendable.” “Listen to me,” Keung started as he looked up at the night sky again. “Another thing my father told me is that there are times when the only thing you can do is let go and allow things to take their course. I know that it isn't easy, but this isn't your decision. Please don't worry about it. I don't want to die…and I will do everything in my power to prevent it from happening.” Keung sat up and offered his hand to Harry. Harry took it and Keung easily pulled him to his feet. The two heard something rustle besides Hagrid's hut. Harry moved his hand into his robes to pull out his wand, but he felt Keung place his hand on his shoulder. Harry looked carefully again and he saw Ron, Nancy, and Hermione step forward into the light, all of them wearing incredibly worried looks on their faces. “You do have purpose in life, Harry…and I believe that it's one of the most important purposes in the world,” Keung said softly as he looked at Harry. “You possess a form of bravery and loyalty that I've never seen before in a person of your age. Now, you have two best friends, willing to follow you to the ends of the earth, and you have a very, very special friend who cares more about you than anything else in this world.” Harry looked up at Keung. Keung gave him a soft smile before continuing. “Protect them Harry…they are the only ones in this world you should never let go off.” Harry felt a soft breeze behind him. He turned and wasn't amazed to see that Keung had vanished. He turned and gave his friends a weak smile. Hermione shook her head softly and immediately ran to Harry, throwing herself into his arms. Harry wrapped his arms around her tightly as he looked towards Ron and Nancy. The two smiled at him, and with a deep breath, Harry gave them a reassured nod. 15. Preparations of the Order ----------------------------- **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. 16. The Final Four ------------------ **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 Sixteen: The Final Four** It was a warm Saturday morning, and the Great Hall was filled with excited and noisy students. Today marked the day that many of them had been patiently waiting for, the day of the Dueling Tournament. The tournament that would decide which of the top four students in the Defense Against the Dark Arts was to be named the Dueling Champion of Hogwarts. The four long tables had vanished, and in their places was a large dueling platform surrounded by an extreme number of chairs. This dueling platform was a lot larger than the one the sixth and seventh year students were accustomed to dueling on. The dueling surface had almost doubled and the surface of the platform now raised a good three feet off the floor. The students took their seats and immediately started arguing about whom they believed would win the tournament. The chatter mainly revolved around the top three competitors: William Weinstein, Nancy Mason, and Harry Potter. When strong enough assumptions were declared, bets involving sweets and low amounts of money were made. Hermione sat in her seat next to Harry with her arms crossed and a very disappointed look on her face. Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulder, but it didn't seem to lighten her mood. She looked at the platform and let out a depressed sigh. Hermione was disappointed because she wasn't able to make it into the fourth slot. She usually wouldn't allow such a thing to upset her; however, what made the matter unbearable was that the only person who beat her to it was Draco Malfoy, and only by a single point. The previous Thursday was the last day of competition, and Hermione was absolutely determined to defeat her last opponent to achieve the needed points to earn the fourth slot. Malfoy had won his final duel and earned himself six points, putting Hermione behind him by seven points. Hermione observed her last opponent and felt that she could defeat him. All she needed to do was earn enough points to tie Malfoy, because she knew that in the case of ties, Professor Spencer would choose the student with the better record to advance, which meant her. However to her great dismay, her last opponent wasn't the least bit challenging. She was able to defeat him within the first minute of their match with the use of only one spell. She was completely shocked by how quickly she won the duel, and in turn, fell into a greater shock for only achieving six points for the match. And when she thought the situation couldn't get worse, Malfoy added insult to the injury by making snide comments about how she only needed one more point to beat him. “Hermione…” Harry whispered as he leaned in and kissed her cheek softly. “Don't be disappointed. You did very well during your matches.” “I can't believe Draco Malfoy beat me,” she muttered, her arms still crossed. “Of all the people in this school…why that boy?” Harry let out a defeated sigh and placed his chin on her shoulder, giving her his pouting frown. She knew that he was trying to make her feel better, but she wanted to stay angry and release her frustrations. She did her best to avoid looking at him, but it wasn't long before she glanced at his silly frown and released a soft giggle. “Listen,” Harry smiled, happy to feel her body relax against him, “I'll talk to Professor Spencer after the tournament and we'll see if we can schedule a duel between you and me…since you're so anxious to embarrass me.” “I'm not anxious to embarrass you…I just want to see what's like to duel a really good opponent,” she replied with a soft grin. She noticed him blush slightly at her compliment and she gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. “Though, you'd let me win, wouldn't you?” “What kind of a boyfriend would I be if I didn't?” he answered with his lopsided grin. She giggled at him as she started to rub his cheek tenderly with her hand. “You better be careful,” Hermione said with a weak voice as she looked into his eyes. He slowly closed them and leaned forward, feeling her soft lips kiss him. He didn't care about the tournament. Win or lose, as long as he could return to her, it didn't matter. “How sweet,” Nancy giggled as she and Ron walked over to the two. “Good luck kisses, I take?” “Of course,” Hermione smiled, her cheeks a deep pink. Harry gave her a quick peck as he stood from his chair and took in a deep breath, his palms slowly starting to sweat. “Good luck, you two,” Ron said with a smile as he took Harry's seat. “If you two face each other…don't be too rough,” Hermione grinned. “Yeah,” Ron added as he looked at Nancy, “we still need him for Quidditch.” Harry and Nancy gave them reassured nods and walked over towards the area designated for the professors and the top four competitors. They found their seats next to Professor Dumbledore, who greeted them with a smile. They sat down and shook hands with the professors as they started to congratulate them. Harry felt a large hand pat him on the shoulder and was incredibly pleased to see Hagrid giving him a proud look. “Yeh gonna win…jus' like yeh with the Triwizard Tournament,” Hagrid exclaimed as he bowed his head to Harry. Harry gave Hagrid a confident nod, which made the half-giant smile even brighter. As Hagrid made his way to his seat, Harry noticed Madame Pomfrey with a look of utter disapproval and a concerned Professor McGonagall. “I don't like this at all, Minerva,” Madame Pomfrey sighed as she started to rub her temples with her hands. “The only thing that will be accomplished from this is the massacre of four students.” “Everything will be all right, Poppy,” Professor McGonagall said with an unsure voice. “Everything will be okay.” Everyone started to quiet down when they saw Professor Spencer jump onto the platform. He quickly made his way to the center, and gave everyone a large smile. He cleared his throat and with a firm and loud voice, he announced, “Welcome professors and students to our First Annual Dueling Tournament. This tournament has been the result of hard work and determination by our sixth and seventh year students. We are here today to determine which of the top four students is the Dueling Champion of Hogwarts.” The students started to cheer again, clapping and howling as loud as they could. Professor Spencer placed his finger over his lips, causing the students to quiet down and listen intently. “With the permission of Professor Dumbledore,” Spencer spoke as he turned and bowed at their headmaster, “may we start the tournament?” “You may proceed, Professor Spencer,” Dumbledore answered with a smile, causing the students to cheer again. Harry and Nancy looked at each other as they tried to take in the enormous sound being produced by the students. Harry looked over towards Dumbledore and saw Draco Malfoy sitting next to him with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face. He then noticed William Weinstein sitting next to Malfoy with a straight and intense look on his face. “William is being awfully quiet,” Harry shouted to Nancy, the crowd still as loud as ever. Nancy looked over at him and shrugged at Harry, unsure of why William wasn't wearing his usual conceited grin and bowing to his loyal fans. “The final four will participate in a single elimination match, where the victor of the matches will be given the honor of Hogwarts Dueling Champion,” Spencer roared over the crowd, causing them to quiet down. “Before we begin with the rules, let's first meet our final four. “First we have, seventh year student from Gryffindor, William Weinstein!” William rose from his chair and flashed his sparkling smile, causing a roar of screaming girls to fill the hall. “William earned himself sixty-points and is ranked first amongst sixth and seventh year students. “Next we have, sixth year student from Slytherin, Draco Malfoy!” Draco stood up and smiled towards the large section of Slytherins, all cheering at the top of their lungs and waving their green Slytherin flags. Harry looked over at Hermione and noticed her give Malfoy an icy stare. “Draco earned forty-two points and is ranked fourth amongst the sixth and seventh year students. “Seventh year student from Gryffindor, Nancy Mason!” Nancy rose from her chair with an embarrassed smile on her face. A roar of students, mainly boys, soon started. Nancy looked over at Ron and couldn't help but giggle when he slumped into his chair with an agitated look on his face. “Nancy is ranked in second with fifty-five points. “And last, sixth year student from Gryffindor, Harry Potter!” Harry stood from his chair and received an incredibly loud cheer from everyone with exception to the Slytherins. Harry looked over at Hermione as he sat down and a warm feeling washed over him when he saw her blow him a kiss. “Harry earned fifty-three points and is ranked third. “The rules are very simple. All spells may be used during the duel. Spells only, no physical attacks. The winner of the duel is the one that knocks his or her opponent off the platform. There is no time limit and there is no scoring system. The winner of the match will face the winner of the next match. There will be a five minute break between duels,” Spencer announced as he slowly walked towards the edge of the platform. He hopped off the platform and onto the mist, it slowly lowering him to the floor. “Now the first duel will be between Gryffindors Nancy Mason and Harry Potter!” Harry and Nancy looked at each other completely surprised. The two knew that they would eventually duel each other, but they never once actually thought about the scenario. They both stood up and made their way to the platform, the students around the Great Hall cheering their names. Harry hopped on the platform and reached out his hand to Nancy to help her up. The action confused the students slightly and left Professor Spencer with an eerie feeling in his stomach. Harry and Nancy took their positions in the silver circles and saluted each other. The two were suddenly startled because everything had gone silent. The looked around the platform and noticed that the students were still cheering and clapping. Harry realized Professor Spencer had enchanted the platform with a silencing charm to help the duelers concentrate. He was greatly thankful for this; he was able to hear himself think for the first time since the start of the tournament. The two looked towards Professor Dumbledore and Professor Spencer. Dumbledore gave them a soft smile and a firm nod. The two turned to each other and with a quick nod, they both lowered themselves into their dueling stances, their wands ready. “*Incendio!*” Nancy cried as she launched a fireball at him. Harry instantly scratched the air causing the fireball to hit an Invisible Wall. She gave him a soft grin as they lowered themselves back into their dueling stances and slowly approached each other. Harry knew that she was testing his reflexes. “*Expelliarmus!*” Harry shouted, a jet of yellow sparks leaving his wand. Nancy quickly moved to her right, avoiding the sparks. She pointed her wand at him as she took a large step forward. “*Stupefy!*” she screamed, red sparks of light blasting towards Harry. “*Protego!*” he shouted sending the sparks back towards her. “*Protego!*” she shouted, resending the sparks at him. Harry swiftly took a step back, scratching the air in front of him, relieved to see that the Invisible Wall was able to hold the sparks back. The two lowered themselves to their dueling stances again, slowly moving around the platform with their wands trained on each other. Harry noticed Nancy's footwork and with a sudden movement, he prepared himself. “*Fulguritus!*” Nancy shouted, a large wave of lightning leaving her wand. Harry quickly dropped to the floor, allowing the wave to pass over him. “*Aquilonis!*” Harry shouted, causing a cold gust of wind to leave his wand and consume Nancy. Nancy gritted her teeth as she tried to keep herself upright, but force of the wind made take a few steps back. Harry slowly stood to his feet, still producing the powerful wind. He retracted his wand and pointed it towards the ground under Nancy's feet. “*Adfligo!*” She quickly jumped out of the way as the ground where she once stood shattered, causing a small hole to be formed. Harry swiftly followed her motion, his wand aimed. “*Expelliarmus!*” “*Protego!*” Nancy shouted as she scratched the air, sending the yellow sparks back at Harry. Harry prepared himself to form an Invisible Wall, but his eyes went wide when he noticed Nancy's wand. She aimed it at him again and screamed. “*Fulguritus!*” Harry quickly dropped to the floor as he dodged the first attack, but was startled to see the wave of lightning fly towards him. He quickly scratched the air and shouted, “*Protego!*” The lightning bolt flew back at Nancy and she easily destroyed it with her Invisible Wall. Nancy smiled at Harry as he quickly stood to his feet, his pulse racing. He hated to admit it, but dueling Nancy was fun. Harry took a deep breath as he lowered himself to his dueling stance. He quickly moved his eyes around the platform, trying to plan out his next move. He noticed the small hole he had recently made and he softly grinned as a plan formulated in his mind. “*Deflagratio!*” Nancy shouted as a large wave of fire flew towards him. “*Conglacio!*” Harry shouted back, a wave of ice leaving his wand and colliding with the fire wave, creating large quantities of water to fall from the massive collision. Nancy's eyes grew wide when she noticed that the ice wave was pushing her flame back. Harry took this as his chance and quickly moved over to his right, trying to push Nancy towards the small hole. He lifted his and roared, “*Compello contrundo!*” “*Protego!*” Nancy shouted as she scratched the air and turned to face him. Harry tried to stop, but his foot slipped on the freshly made water, leaving him completely unprotected. The sparks collided into his chest, causing him to be thrown into the air. He landed on his back and quickly looked towards a prepared Nancy. With a flick of her wand, she cried, “S*ilencio*!” Harry pushed hard against the platform with his hands, and was able roll out of the way just as the sparks made contact with the floor. Harry aimed his wand again and shouted, “*Aquilonis!*” Nancy shielded her eyes as the cold wind consumed her body again, forcing her to take a few steps back, nearly slipping as the water from the platform started to move towards her. Harry carefully rose to his feet, keeping the wind on Nancy. “*Incendio!*” Nancy screamed as she launched a fireball towards Harry. Harry was ready to defend himself, but let out a sigh of relief when he saw the fireball vanished from the strength of the wind that he had summoned. He gritted his teeth as he continued to push forward, forcing her to take another step back. “*Adfilgo!*” Harry quickly shouted as he ended the wind and pointed his wand towards Nancy's feet. Nancy quickly jumped backwards as the ground exploded, however to her incredible shock, she stumbled into the first hole Harry had made, causing her to lose her balance. Harry aimed his wand and shouted, “*Compello contrudo!*” The jet of white sparks hit her in the stomach, throwing her out of the platform and onto the soft mist. Harry was suddenly startled when he heard the full volume of all the cheering students again. *I guess the silencing charm only works during the duel.* Harry made his way over to where Nancy had fallen to find her smiling at him. He gave her a reassured nod as he hopped off the platform, the crowd chanting his name louder and louder. “Good match,” Harry smiled, trying to catch his breath. “Very good match,” she grinned back, trying to comb her hair with her hands. “Very crafty, Harry.” “Good job you two!” Hermione exclaimed as she ran up to them, giving Harry a tight hug before helping Nancy with her now frizzy hair. “Blimey, that was brilliant, Harry,” Ron smiled as he patted Harry on his shoulder. He then turned to a struggling Nancy and said with an apologetic voice, “Sorry about the match.” “Oh it's all right,” she smiled as she and Hermione were finally able to tame her hair. “The better witch won.” “Witch?” Harry replied, his mouth slowly dropping. The three laughed at his expression as they made their way back to Ron and Hermione's seats. After a few minutes of surprisingly soft chattering, Spencer announced that the next duel was about to begin. Harry gave Hermione a quick kiss on her cheek before he and Nancy made their way to their seats next to Dumbledore. The two were stopped along the way by different professors who wanted to compliment them for their outstanding duel. The two felt incredibly proud when they saw a very satisfied look on the faces of Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. Harry sat in his chair and waited patiently for the next duel to begin. He was extremely worried about this duel. He wasn't the least bit concerned if he had to face Malfoy in the finals. In fact, he'd think of it as a blessing. Facing William was something else. Harry had carefully watched each of William's duels and he could never seem to find any flaws in his style. Harry knew that if Malfoy didn't do something miraculous, William would be his opponent in the finals. After repairing the platform, Professor Spencer stood to his feet and looked at the students. The students quieted down and he was pleased to see that they were starting to remember his patterns. He made his way off the platform and patted Malfoy and William on their shoulders. The two nodded and stood from their chairs. Harry watched them carefully as they jumped onto the platform and took their positions in the silver circles. Nancy noticed his gaze and could tell that he was anxious about the upcoming match. “What are you so worried about?” Nancy finally asked as the students started to cheer and shout again, the Great Hall echoing with their cries. “It's just William…I don't know…something just doesn't seem right,” Harry replied with an aggravated voice. He leaned back against his chair and crossed his arms. “Malfoy doesn't stand a chance against him.” Nancy leaned against the chair and watched the two salute each other with their wands. The two lowered their wands and, too, had confused look on their faces as they examined the crowd. The two looked at each other again as they started to pace around the platform. Nancy let out an annoyed sigh, noticing the two were comparing their massive egos. “You're going to regret ever meeting me,” Malfoy snarled as he lowered himself into his dueling stance. “Too late Malfoy, I've already regretted meeting you,” William replied with a grin. “Now I am going to finish what we started in Flourish & Blotts.” “You are just as bothersome as Potter!” Malfoy roared as he started to edge his way towards William. William laughed softly and watched Malfoy advance towards him, his wand still lowered. Malfoy tightened his grip on his wand and shouted, “S*tupefy*!” “*Protego*,” William sighed as he scratched the air with one swift movement, sending the sparks back at Malfoy. “*Protego!*” Malfoy roared, sending the sparks back towards William. William quickly moved to his right, allowing the sparks to hit the barrier. “Do whatever you want Malfoy,” William smiled as he slowly started to make his way towards him. “You know you can't beat me.” “*Incendio!*” Malfoy fired a blazing ball at William. “*Amnis*,” William called with a smile on his face. A rush of water left his wand and made contact with the fireball, immediately extinguishing it. “Anymore tricks up your sleeve?” “*Fulguritus!*” Malfoy shouted, a sense of panic in his voice. The lightning wave flew at William, only to be stopped by his Invisible Wall. “Honestly, if that's the best you have, you'd better just step off the platform,” William smirked as he slowly made his way towards Malfoy. “This is going to be bad,” Harry muttered to Nancy. His eyes were fixed on William with complete astonishment and dread. The crowd had died down quickly, the students shocked by how powerless Malfoy was against his opponent. “I'm happy that you beat me now,” she replied with a soft grin. Harry took a deep breath and tried to relax in his chair, but watching William's cold composure against Malfoy was absolutely unsettling. Harry would generally be overjoyed to watch Malfoy get kicked around by someone for once, but in this current situation, he was actually cheering for Malfoy. William stopped his advancement when he was within a few yards of Malfoy. Malfoy looked at him with a look of sheer panic, unsure of what he should do. He carefully looked around the platform, but nothing came to his mind. “*Expelliarmus!*” Malfoy shouted hurling all his strength into the attack, only to have it deflect off of William's Reflective Wall and back into his chest. Malfoy flew back several feet before landing on his back. He shook his head before he stood up again, his wand clenched tightly in his hand. “I think you better put that down before you hurt yourself with it,” William chuckled as he pointed his wand towards his. “*Ardeo*.” Malfoy's wand suddenly glowed a bright orange-red. Malfoy immediately released it and held his hand with an agonized look on his face. “I told you not to play with it. *Accio* *wand*,” William smiled as Malfoy's wand started to float towards him. “*Aquula*.” A stream of water fired out of William's wand, splashing into Malfoy's burning wand. When it emerged from the water, it was back to its original black form. William opened his left hand and Malfoy's wand floated into it. William lowered his wand and pointed Malfoy's at him. “Now, you be a good boy and get off the platform.” Harry looked at Dumbledore and he was somewhat frightened to see Dumbledore with a concerned look on his face. He turned and looked at Nancy. Her mouth was hanging slightly open, unsure of exactly how to interpret everything that she was currently seeing. “I will not leave this platform,” Malfoy growled towards William as he took a step forward. Harry let out an aggravated sigh to see how proud Malfoy was going to be in this situation. “You just try to make me leave.” “Suit yourself,” William replied with a soft voice. “*Compello contrudo!*” Malfoy was hit with such an enormous force that he was thrown back at least fifteen yards before he landed at the edge of the platform. Harry was completely amazed at the strength that William possessed. Harry had performed that spell many times on different students, but he has never once caused someone to fly for such a great distance. Malfoy coughed softly and took in a deep breath of air. Malfoy tried to pick himself up, but lost his footing and fell out of the platform, completely confused and lost. Several Slytherins quickly made their way over to him, followed by a worried Madame Pomfrey. William handed Malfoy's wand to Pansy Parkinson and slowly made his way to one of the silver circles. He turned and looked at Harry with a small smile on his face. “He doesn't want to wait the five minutes,” Harry muttered as he rose from his chair. “Harry, you better be very careful with him,” Nancy pleaded as she stood from her chair as well. “Something doesn't feel right about this…keep your guard up.” Harry nodded at her as he slowly made his way towards the platform. He looked towards Hermione and her eyes looked into his. He could tell that she was worried, but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. He jumped onto the platform and unhurriedly made his way passed a grinning William and towards the other silver circle. His heart started to beat uncontrollably and his breath started to get short. He took his position in the silver circle and started to wish that Nancy did beat him in his previous match. Unlike his match with Nancy, he knew that this duel would not be fun. “Looks like the final duel is going to being!” Spencer yelled as he rose from his chair, his eyes fixed on William. Harry heard the roar of the Hogwarts students again, but the moment William and he saluted each other, the noise of the crowd instantly vanished. Harry stood there quietly, his wand still saluting William. “You okay, Harry?” William asked with a curious tone. “Yes, everything is fine,” Harry lied as he finally lowered his wand. He took several deep breaths as he watched William lower himself into his dueling stance. Harry carefully moved his eyes around the platform and they fell upon Hermione. Harry's body started to feel the tingly sensations he loved so much and he softly smiled to himself, his bravery slowly returning. He looked back at William again before lowering himself into his dueling stance. “I've always wanted to duel you,” William smiled as he and Harry started to make small steps towards each other. “That's good to know,” Harry replied somewhat sarcastically as he aimed his wand at William's head. “How about you don't hold anything back?” William suggested, his eyes sparkling. “Let's see what we're truly made out of.” “Whatever you want,” Harry answered, completely worried about what William was truly capable of. “*Fulguritus!*” William shouted as a large bolt of lightning left his wand. Harry took a step back and scratched the air with his wand. The lightning bolt struck the Invisible Wall, but to Harry's shock, the wall had given in and the bolt struck him in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground. He gritted his teeth as he felt his body ache and spasm slightly. Harry pushed himself off the ground and rose to his feet, his body stinging terribly. He remembered Professor Spencer told them how the Invisible Wall reflects the power of its users and can be overcome by the attack of a more powerful wizard. This left an incredibly horrid feeling in his stomach when he realized that William was a much more powerful wizard than he was. “*Compello contrundo!*” Harry shouted as he launched his attack at William. “*Protego!*” William responded sending the sparks back at Harry. Harry scratched the air with his wand again, but his eyes went wide when he realized that the sparks that William had sent back were larger and more intense than the original sparks he sent. Again, his Invisible Wall failed, causing the sparks to hit him hard in the chest. Harry flew back several feet and landed hard on his back, feeling the wind get knocked out of him. He started to cough, air slowly returning to his lungs. His hand gripped his wand even tighter as he forced himself up. “You're pretty good, Harry,” William smiled as he started to approach him. “I haven't faced many opponents who could stand up after taking such hits.” “Where did you learn how to duel like that?” Harry asked, as he slowly started to move away from the edge of platform, trying to gain more ground. “My dad was an Auror,” William replied as he carefully monitored Harry's movements. “He taught me how to duel and everything. The most important thing he taught me was the strategy of instant victories.” “Instant victories?” Harry asked as he felt that he was a good enough distance away from edge of the platform. “Yes, for example…if you can't move during a duel,” William answered with a disturbing grin, “your chances of winning are slim to none. *Impedimenta!*” Harry didn't have time to react. The sparks from William's wand hit him directly in his left leg. Harry suddenly felt his left leg go numb and eventually completely limp. He tried to remain upright, but fell to the floor the moment he tried to apply weight to his left leg. His leg refused to respond to every command he gave it. “I'm sorry Harry, but I didn't mean for the match to end like this,” William sighed as he walked closer to a fallen Harry. “No hard feelings though. We still have a Quidditch Cup to win together.” “Yeah,” Harry replied with a soft growl. “No hard feelings.” William stopped walking when he was within several yards of Harry. He pointed his wand to him and took what looked like sorrowful breath. William nodded his head at Harry as readied his wand to perform a spell. “*Expelliarmus!*” Harry managed to roll out of the way just as the yellow sparks hit the ground. Harry pointed his wand at William and shouted, “*Amnis!*” William was taken by surprise when a large jet of water hit him in the chest, forcing him to take a few steps back. Harry ended the spell and slowly rose on his right leg, still unable to move his left one. William shook his wet head and slowly started to make his way towards Harry again. “Now what was that suppose to accomplish?” William asked as he stopped in his previous location. “Oh just something cousin should me once,” Harry replied as he pointed his wand towards a small stream of water that ended at William's feet. “*Fulguritus!*” A wave of lightning struck the water, suddenly launching William up into the air and onto his back. Harry lets out a soft sigh as he pointed his wand towards his left leg and muttered, “*Finite Incantatum.*” Harry left his left leg start to ache terribly, but he was glad that he was able to move it again. He wasn't surprised when he saw William pick himself up from the platform. He knew that he had just made William angry with that stunt. Though that was something he was hoping he could do. *Maybe if I get him mad enough, he'll start to make mistakes in his defense.* “Not such a bad trick, Harry,” William said in a voice that was too calm for comfort as he slowly lowered himself into his dueling stance. His grasp of his wand tightened and he took a step forward, shouting, “*Conglacio!*” Harry quickly moved out of the way, causing himself to fall to the ground again. He quickly started to roll as he dodged spell after spell. He quickly got back up onto his feet and he softly smiled to himself when he noticed how frustrated he was making William. “Speedy little bugger, aren't you?” William grinned as the two started to move around the platform again. Harry noticed Hermione's gaze as he traveled around the platform. Her eyes were watering and her hands were covering her mouth. He noticed a sense of hysteria and fear in her expression, and he knew that watching him duel William must have been agonizing for her. His eyes soon fell upon Ron who had a very determined, but also, skeptical look on his face. Harry took in a deep breath and suddenly Keung's words echo in his mind. *Protect them…protect them…never let them go…never.* Harry suddenly felt a new wave of courage and confidence sweep over him. The aching in his body had subsided and he felt that he had the power to do anything. He snuck another quick peak at Hermione and knew that somehow, he could win the duel. His only problem was actually doing it. “*Fulguritus!*” William shouted as another huge wave of lightning flew towards Harry. “*Protego!*” Harry yelled as he scratched the air was his wand. To his surprise, the Reflective Wall wasn't only able to hold the lightning, but was also able to send it back towards a startled William. William quickly avoided the attack and his eyes grew wide when he turned back to Harry. “Seems like you've improved,” William smiled as he lowered himself into his stance again. “Though another thing my father told me was that if you can't see, you definitely can't win. Sorry Harry, this isn't anything personal…no hard feelings.” “What are you talking about?” Harry asked as he prepared himself for William's next assault. He noticed that William was only a few feet away from the edge of the platform, but knew that those last few feet would be the hardest to gain. “*Conjunctiva!*” William roared, his wand aimed at Harry's head. Harry's eyes grew wide and he tried to summon an Invisible Wall, but the sparks were too fast. They struck him directly in his glasses, causing them both to shatter from the force. He stumbled back a few steps and was glad that his eyes weren't in throbbing pain, but was now completely helpless because all he could see were blurs. “Sorry, Harry,” William sighed. Harry followed his voice and was able to make out a large dark blur. He took several steps forward and trained his wand at it. He heard William take several steps, but was unable to determine where William was going. The blur didn't seem to move. “I'm over here Harry,” William called out, causing Harry to quickly turned to his right to find another dark blur walking along what he hoped was the edge of the platform. “*Expelliarmus!*” William roared. Harry gritted his teeth as the sparks hit him, causing him to fly back a few hit before making contact with the ground. He slowly got up and stood to his feet again, ignoring the sharp pain he felt in his lower back. He focused upon the dark moving blur again, his mind racing. *What am I suppose to do? I can't beat him. He's way too good. I mean…I can't even…see…wait!* Harry suddenly took a few steps forward with his wand aimed at the moving blur. He had just formulated a plan, but knew that if it didn't work, he'd be eliminated. William's blur stopped moving and Harry figured that this was a good enough time to try. “*Expecto patronum!*” Harry shouted as the thoughts of kissing Hermione rushed into his mind. He saw the silver mist transfigure into a large blur as it charged towards William. Harry noticed that William was completely startled by this maneuver and knew that he had to take this opportunity. Harry quickly ran forward with his wand raised. He watched William's blur try to fight off the silver one and with one finally step, Harry aimed his wand and shouted, “*Compello contrundo!*” The white sparks connected with William, sending him into air. What Harry heard next was unbelievable. He heard the roaring and clapping of students fill the Great Hall, and he realized that he had just successfully knocked William off the platform. He slowly sank to his knees and took deep breaths as he absorbed the massive sounds. He noticed three blurs running towards him and he couldn't help but smile. He knew that it was his friends. “You did it!” Ron shouted as he wrapped his arm around Harry and tried to lift him to his feet. Harry sighed and reluctantly got up, feeling his body ache once again. “I've never seen such a comeback! We all thought you were a goner for a bit!” “*Oculus Reparo*,” Hermione chanted. Harry's glasses had repaired themselves and once again he was able to see. He focused on Hermione's smiling face. She quickly moved to Harry's other arm and helped Ron support him. “Really Harry…with all the spells at your disposal, you never once thought about fixing your glasses?” “I didn't remember it,” Harry grinned back as he looked at her. “I'm so use to you fixing my glasses, I thought I wouldn't need it.” “Honestly. Boys are way too dependent on girls,” Hermione sighed as she looked at Nancy. Nancy started to giggle as the four started to make their way towards the edge of the platform. The four stopped when they saw William jump back on with a large smile on his face. He valiantly walked over to them and stuck out his hand to Harry before saying, “That was an excellent move, Harry. Never knew you could summon a Patronus. I'll be better prepared next time.” “I don't believe there will be a next time,” Harry replied with a smile as he removed his arm from around Ron and shook William's. “I'm going to avoid dueling you again if it's the last thing I do.” “You never know what the future has in store,” William laughed as the two released their hands. William slowly bowed his head to Harry and made his way off the platform towards a large group of his screaming fans. “What was that all about?” Ron asked as Harry wrapped his arm around his shoulder again. “I don't know,” Harry answered softly. “I guess he isn't such a bad guy after all.” “I think you've knocked your head one too many times during the tournament,” Ron sighed as the four made their way off the platform. * ~ * ~ * ~ * The party in the Gryffindor common room had finally died down. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Nancy were the only ones still left in the common room once everyone had retreated to their dormitories. The room was left in another great mess. The books were dispersed all over the place, large empty mugs were placed in random locations, the chairs and tables were moved, and the rug was filled with stains from the spilt butterbeer. “That was a wicked party, mate,” Ron yawned at Harry as he slowly got up from the couch and stretched his back. “Wow, I'm beat.” “That means that it's time for bed,” Nancy smiled as she in turn stood to her feet and started to massage her neck and shoulders. “I'll be okay for a while more,” Ron replied as he looked at a tired Nancy. “No no, you should get to bed,” Nancy insisted, causing Hermione to giggle softly as she rested against Harry in their armchair. “What's with all the pushing?” Ron grumbled as Nancy started to gently push him from behind towards the staircase that led towards the dormitories. “Aren't you going to tell Harry and Hermione to get to bed?” “They will get to bed,” Nancy replied with a sigh. She stopped pushing and stood on her tiptoes and whispered into his ear. “They want some snogging time and I'm sure you'd be happier not watching them.” “Well then,” Ron said instantly as he cleared his voice and looked at Harry and Hermione. “Good night, and I'll see you tomorrow.” Nancy couldn't contain her laughter at how quickly Ron had reacted to what she had told him. She turned and winked at Hermione and quickly followed Ron up the stairs. “What was that about?” Harry asked as he let out a yawn. “Oh nothing,” Hermione sighed as she sat up in his lap. She looked into his eyes and she could tell that he was exhausted. She carefully repositioned herself so that she was still sitting on his lap, but was this time facing him. “That's a pretty impressive medal you have.” Harry looked down at the shiny medal that hung from his neck. Professor Dumbledore had given it to him during the feast that evening. He was ecstatic to receive the award, but currently thought of it, as a burden for it weighed several pounds. It didn't seem too troublesome at first, but it slowly took its toll on his neck muscles. “The price of victory is always a heavy one,” he read softly as he examined the back of the medal. “I don't like it when Dumbledore takes these sayings seriously.” Hermione giggled as she helped him remove the medal, discarding it onto the floor. She leaned forward and placed her hands on his warm cheeks, staring into his green eyes. Harry smiled softly, completely captivated by her. “You really scared me today,” she said with a weak voice. “I didn't mean to,” he replied as he placed his hands on her hips. “You know, you did help me out today.” “How?” she asked, leaning forward so that the foreheads were touching. “You gave me the courage and strength to continue on with the duel when I thought I was finished,” he replied as he looked into her brown eyes. “I'm happy that I was able to help out,” she smiled as she leaned forward and kissed him firmly, slowly moving her arms around his neck. His arms moved up and down her back before they pulled her tighter against him. “So when are we going to duel?” she giggled softly as she broke their kiss. Harry gave her a look of complete shock, but before he could reply, she leaned in and gave him another deep kiss. 17. The Cup and the Kidnapping ------------------------------ **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 Seventeen: The Cup and the Kidnapping** Like many nights before, Harry had trouble sleeping. However this time, he didn't go to Hermione for comfort. Despite his insomnia, Harry was usually able to sleep after talking with Hermione. She was always able to soothe the tension in his mind and he enjoyed the deep conversations that they shared. However, his insomnia was taking a worse toll on her than it was on him. No matter how long he stayed awake and how little sleep he managed to achieve, his body never seemed to get tired. He wanted her to sleep well tonight. She, unlike him, deserved it. When he was sure that everyone in his dormitory had fallen a sleep, he slowly rose out of bed and sat on the floor by the window. He stared into the night sky and saw that the stars were out. He gazed at them for what seemed like hours, simply allowing his mind to wander. A smile grew across his lips whenever his mind focused on Hermione, Ron, and Nancy, a warm feeling filling his body. He slowly drifted in and out of sleep but his body and mind refused to let him. Whenever his eyes felt heavier than cement blocks, his scar would slightly throb causing them to open again. He felt something incredibly eerie that night. His scar had throbbed every now and then, but never to a serious degree. He knew that Voldemort was planning something, but he didn't have the slightest idea of what. Harry noticed the night sky turning into a dark shade of blue and he knew that the new day was about to begin. He got off the hard floor and slowly made his way to his trunk. He quietly took out everything he needed for his day and quietly crept towards the boys' bathroom. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry stood by one of the windows in the common room, fully dressed in his school uniform, and watched the sun slowly start to rise. He raised his arms in the air and stretched his back, releasing a soft yawn. He looked towards the fire and noticed that it was still burning as brightly has it done the night before. He made his way towards an armchair and relaxed in it, noticing how comfortable it was compared to the hard floor by the window. He crossed his arms and released another soft yawn. He stared into the fire and images of everything that had happened to him that year started to flash through his mind. He smiled as his thoughts focused on the day that Hermione and he spent in London. He remembered her white blouse, her blue skirt, and even the soft scent of her vanilla perfume. He sighed softly feeling that he could melt into the chair. “You were up all night again, weren't you?” he heard a soft voice from behind him. He turned and saw Hermione, also fully dressed in her uniform, looking at him with a concerned expression. She slowly made her way to him and snuggled in his lap, his arms wrapping around her. “Yeah,” he replied softly as he rested his head against hers, softly taking in her perfume. His smile grew when he realized that it was the same vanilla perfume that she wore on the day of their outing. “Why didn't you tell me?” Hermione asked softly as she turned her head and looked into his eyes. “You needed some sleep,” Harry responded as he kissed her forehead. “You've been having trouble staying awake in class.” “Still,” Hermione protested as she sat up on his lap. “You should of told me. You sure you feeling okay?” “I just have this nervous feeling,” Harry sighed as he looked into her worried eyes. “Nervous about the match today?” Hermione asked. Harry looked at her with a confused look that caused her eyes to grow wide. “Harry! You have a Quidditch match today…you know, the final match for the Quidditch Cup.” “Oh yeah…almost forgot about that,” Harry snickered, causing Hermione's eyes to grow even wider. “Harry, you're really starting to scare me,” she said in a worried voice as she started to move her hands around his forehead and cheeks to see if he had a fever. “What are you nervous about?” “I don't know,” he replied as he took her hands in his and started to kiss them tenderly. “Don't worry about it. It's just a weird feeling…it's probably nothing.” Hermione's concerned look soon disappeared when she saw Harry give her a soft smile. He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly, his arms tightening around her. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, softly deepening their kiss. “You'd tell me if something is wrong, right?” Hermione asked softly as she broke their kiss, her forehead resting on his. “You know I would, Hermione,” Harry replied softly as he leaned forward and kissed her again, his arms tightening around her. He did know that something was wrong, but it had nothing to do with the Quidditch game. He gently ran his hands along Hermione's arms and softly settled them on her cheeks. “Oh come off it, you two,” Ron groaned. “Don't you two ever sleep?” The two broke their kiss and looked to find the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team standing in front of them. Hermione's face turned a deep red as she slowly got off Harry and straightened her robes. Ginny giggled softly as she walked over to Hermione and nudged her gently with her shoulder. “What are you all doing up so early?” Harry asked as he stood from the armchair, causing the team to look at him with a confused looks on their faces. “Harry,” William started as he placed his hands on his hips, “you told us meet you in the common room at seven o'clock so we would be able to make it down to the pitch for a quick practice before the final game.” “You feeling okay?” Ron asked as he walked over to Harry and placed his hand on his forehead. “I'm fine,” Harry replied as he grinned at the team. “I was only joking. Let's go then.” The team looked at each other and shrugged as they slowly made their way out of the common room. Harry quickly walked over to Hermione and gave her another soft kiss before hurrying after the team. He turned and watched the Gryffindor portrait door close, the nervous feeling forming again in his stomach. “Wish me luck,” he muttered to himself as he pulled out the golden snitch that Hermione had given him for his birthday. He squeezed his good luck charm and placed it back in his pocket. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “You sure you're feeling okay?” Ron asked Harry as he tightened the straps of his armguards. “You've been quiet all day.” The Gryffindor team was dressing for their final match. Their early morning practice went by smoothly enough, however Harry wasn't his usual encouraging self. During other practices, he would clap and yell compliments, a never ending supply of encouragement; however, today, he simply hovered over the pitch, only calling out to the team to end a drill and then again to start a new one. “Just nervous about the match, I guess,” Harry lied as he pulled on his red robes. Quidditch was currently the last thing on his mind. The eerie feeling was tying his stomach in knots and he had to bite his lip on several occasions to keep from screaming about it. “It's the final game, after all.” “You really that nervous about it?” William asked as he stepped into his boots. “We're eighty points ahead of Hufflepuff. I mean…there is no way they can get eighty points if we play our game.” William had unexpectedly grown friendlier with the rest of the team after his defeat to Harry at the Dueling Tournament. He volunteered to help Seamus and Jack with their Beater practices, showing a surprising amount of patients towards the two. He had even grown friendlier to Ginny, the two now able to pass and work with each other without hostility brewing between them. Ron, against Nancy's peculiar feelings about the situation, had also become friendly with William; the two constantly chatting about their favorite British Quidditch teams. “I don't know though,” Harry said as he pulled on his padded gloves. “I just have a funny feeling.” “Stop it, Harry,” Ron shuttered as he pulled on his robes. “You're starting to make me nervous.” “There is no reason for us panic,” Ginny sighed as she walked over to the three, fully dressed in her uniform. “Even on our worst day, Hufflepuff couldn't beat us.” “I wouldn't say that,” William objected as he picked up his Nimbus Two-thousand-one. “You've seen them play. They're Chasers aren't half bad and their Seeker is just as crazy as Harry.” “Plus, they haven't lost a game either,” Ron added as he picked up his Clean Sweep. “Now, I'm all nervous.” The team made its way towards the pitch and once again found themselves behind the large wooden door that separated them from the pitch. They stood in their standard “V” formation again, with Harry at the point. They all started to fidget in their spots, adjusting their gloves and making sure that their robes were securely tied. Harry could tell that they were all nervous, and mainly because of his odd behavior. “Sorry about acting funny today,” Harry said as he faced the wooden doors. “Playing with you guys have been really great.” “You make it sound like we're going off to war,” William snickered softly. “Your head finally in the game?” Ginny asked as she patted Harry's back gently. “Where else would it be?” Harry replied as he turned to face his team. “Oh I don't know…” Ron started, trying to hold back his laughter. “Where's Hermione?” Harry walked over and gave Ron a soft hit in his arm, causing the team to laugh. Harry couldn't help but grin at them, watching them smile and laugh, the tension disappearing. He slowly turned and faced the door, taking in a deep breath as his grasp on his Firebolt tightened. They heard the door start to creek and they all got back into their positions, smiles still covering their faces. “Okay…” Harry said as he took another deep breath, “Mount your brooms.” The team did as they were instructed as the door swung open, they squinting their eyes as they adjusted to the sunlight. Harry looked behind him and gave his team a large grin. “Let's win that Cup!” “Welcome to the final game of Quidditch season!” Collin shouted into the microphone as the Gryffindor Quidditch team took flight. “Here comes the Gryffindors! They will be facing Hufflepuff!” Harry flew around the Gryffindor half of pitch and watched the Hufflepuffs fly around their half. His body started to tense and his breath started to get short. He gripped his Firebolt firmly as his scar started to throb. Harry shook his head several times, wondering why he would have a panic attack now. He took several deep breaths and was relieved to have his nerves settled. “You okay Harry?” Ron shouted from behind him as he flew into his keeping position. Harry turned and nodded at Ron, his fingers starting to grow numb from his grip on his Firebolt. He shook his head several more times and watched Madame Hooch walk towards the center of the pitch where the chest holding the Quidditch equipment was placed. He looked over towards the three Gryffindor Chasers; they were all wearing their prepared looks, their eyes moving from Madam Hooch to the Hufflepuff Chasers. “Madam Hooch is ready!” Collin shouted as he leaned over the edge of the tower, looking down towards the center of the pitch. “The snitch and the bludgers have been released…there goes the quaffle!” Harry immediately pulled up on his Firebolt, flying high above the pitch, his eyes already moving around to find snitch. He noticed the Hufflepuff Seeker fly up to his level, slowly moving around in small circles, his eyes also trained on the pitch. Harry ignored him and looked back down at the scrambling Chasers. “Weinstein has the quaffle…dodges the bludger…passes to Weasley…Weasley flies around Hamilton…around Cameron…passes back to Weinstein…SCORES! Did you see that teamwork! Gryffindor ten, Hufflepuff zero! “Hufflepuff recovers…Allen moves around Thomas…OH! Allen is struck by the bludger! Thomas recovers…passes the quaffle to Weasley…she beats Winston…SCORES! Gryffindor leads twenty to zero!” Harry clapped his hands, a bright smile on his face. He started to look for the snitch and his smile grew when finally saw it. The snitch settled itself right next to the left hoop on Hufflepuff's side of the pitch. Harry looked at Hufflepuffs Seeker and noticed that he was a lot closer than he was. He took a deep breath and gripped his Firebolt quickly. *He is only on a Comet…if I go now, I will be able to beat him to it.* Harry was off, his eyes squinting as he made his way towards the golden ball. He watched it move randomly around the left hoop and hoped that it didn't move from that spot. Harry suddenly noticed something coming from the corner of his left eye. He quickly climbed and saw the Hufflepuff Seeker fly menacingly close to him. Harry pulled himself to a halt and looked at the Hufflepuff Seeker with a surprised look. The seeker looked over at Harry and gave him a large grin. “Trying to knock me off my broom, huh?” Harry muttered as he looked over towards the left hoop. The snitch was gone. “Hamilton carries the quaffle! He ducks under Weinstein…out of reach for Weasley…throws…WOW! Weasley knocks the quaffle down…Newman recovers! He moves around Finnigan…around Slopper…Throws…SCORES! Weasley didn't guard the right hoop! Score…Gryffindor twenty, Hufflepuff ten! “Thomas recovers the quaffle…brings up the right…passes it to Weinstein…Weinstein passes to Weasley…Weasley flying right through the Hufflepuff chasers…throws back to Thomas…throws…SCORES! The Granger One Time Fake Out Pass gets another goal! Gryffindor thirty, Hufflepuff ten!” Harry observed the Hufflepuff's bring the quaffle back over towards the Gryffindor side of the pitch. Harry's eyes focused on the center of the pitch, hoping that something would attract his attention. His eerie feeling started to resurface and he felt the need to fly over towards Ron. Without thinking about the snitch, Harry slowly made his way over. “Allen brings the quaffle…throws…Weasley blocks the quaffle! Thomas recovers…stolen by Winston! Winston passes to Newman…throws…Weasley catches the quaffle! Weasley passes to Weinstein…OH! Weinstein barely dodged that bludger…HITS WEASLEY IN THE STOMACH!” Harry gasped as he saw Ron's body tremble, the bludger against his stomach. The bludger dislodged itself from Ron's stomach and flew away, causing Ron to collapse onto his broom, which thankfully lowered him gently to the ground. Harry heard the Gryffindor students booing at the Hufflepuff Beaters, who looked at each other with confused looks on their faces. Neither they nor the Gryffindor Beaters had made contact with that bludger recently. Harry looked over the Hufflepuff Seeker and knew that the snitch could wait. He quickly gripped his Firebolt tightly as he quickly maneuvered himself in front of the three hoops, taking over Ron's position. Seamus gave him a curious look with his mouth hanging open. Harry gave him a reassured nod and pointed towards the attacking Hufflepuff Chasers. “Potter is holding as the keeper! Newman passes to Allen…Allen drops back to Hamilton…dodges Weasley…passes to Allen…Allen dodges Thomas…passes back to Hamilton…Hamilton drops it to Newman…throws…SCORES! Potter was nowhere close! Gryffindor leads thirty to twenty!” Harry cursed himself as he watched the Gryffindor Chasers take the quaffle back towards the Hufflepuff end of the field. He released a sigh of frustration and looked down to see a motionless Ron. His eyes grew wide when he saw the snitch only a few yards below him. He looked towards the quaffle game and saw that the Hufflepuffs were bringing the quaffle back. He looked back down and watched the snitch descend towards the ground. He knew that he couldn't let an opportunity like this go. He instantly dove towards the ground, ignoring Collin screaming that Hufflepuff has tied the game at thirty points each. He took his right arm off the broom and reached out as far as he could, when he felt something slam into his right side, causing him to veer off into the middle post. “Potter is hit by the bludger! This is not good for the Gryffindor team…they now do not have a Keeper or a Seeker! Weasley takes the quaffle…passes it to Weinstein…Weinstein moves around Hamilton…passes Allen…passes to Weasley…throws…SCORES! Gryffindor takes the lead…forty to thirty!” Harry took in a deep breath as he pushed himself off the ground. He looked up towards the Quidditch game and watched how the Gryffindor team was struggling unbelievably. He looked around and found his Firebolt was lying on the ground next to an unconscious Ron. He looked up again at the quaffle game and gritted his teeth when he saw a Hufflepuff chaser score another goal, tying the score at forty. “Ron!” Harry shouted as he knelt down to his fallen friend and shook him violently. “Wake up! We need our Keeper, you git!” Ron opened his eyes and looked up towards the sky, but Harry could tell that he was still completely dazed from the bludger. Harry had to act quickly if he were to get Ron back up in the air, so he pulled out his wand and aimed it at him. “Sorry about this…Aquula!” A small stream of water left Harry's wand, splashing over Ron's face. Ron immediately sat up, trying to shield his face and coughing from the water that managed to go up his nose. He looked up at Harry and shouted, “Quit it, Harry! What's going on?” Harry placed his wand away and helped Ron to his feet. Ron moved somewhat slowly, but Harry was glad to see that he had enough of his senses to be able to stand again. Ron looked up towards the game and his eyes went wide as he suddenly realized where he was. “Oh no!” Ron gasped as he leaned down and picked up his Clean Sweep. “What's the score?” “It's tied at forty,” Harry replied as he picked up his Firebolt and looked up at a Hufflepuff Chaser score another goal. “Well, now it's fifty to forty.” “Bloody hell!” Ron shouted as he mounted his broom and flew as fast as he could towards his keeping position. Harry mounted his Firebolt and flew up above the quaffle game and started to around again for the snitch. He noticed the Hufflepuff Seeker flying irritatingly close to him and knew that he would need to move away from him if he wanted a better chance at the snitch. However, no matter where Harry moved, the Hufflepuff Seeker followed, always maintaining a relatively close distance to him. “Want to play that way?” Harry said to himself as he watched the Hufflepuff seeker follow him. “You asked for it.” Harry gripped his Firebolt tightly and immediately dove towards the pitch, moving as fast as he could. He looked behind him and watched the Hufflepuff Seeker dive after him. He decreased his speed slightly to allow the Hufflepuff seeker to catch up, grinning softly to himself. “Both Seekers are diving towards the ground!” Harry quickly glanced over his shoulder and noticed that the Hufflepuff Seeker was gaining on him. He looked towards the ground again and suddenly saw the golden snitch fly up towards him. Unfortunately, Harry didn't have enough time to reach out for it. He looked behind him again and was glad to see that the Hufflepuff Seeker didn't see the snitch move by them. Harry waited a split second longer and immediately placed his feet on the back of his broom to give him the leverage to pull up. He was able to accomplish it and immediately climbed up towards a fluttering snitch. The Hufflepuff Seeker didn't expect Harry's sudden stop and tried his best to do the same, nearly crashing into the ground. Harry saw the snitch was within arms reach, causing him to slowly take his right arm off the broom and reach for it. With all of his strength, Harry swatted his arm and a smile grew on his face when he felt the snitch in his grasp. He suddenly noticed an object fly over to him. He looked towards it and saw that it was a bludger. “I've got it Harry!” Jack shouted as he quickly made his way to Harry and swung his bat at the iron ball. However to their incredible shock, the bludger broke through the bat and continued its rampage towards Harry. Harry immediately dove towards the ground as the bludger grazed his shoulder and crashed into the middle hoop post on the Gryffindor half of the pitch, wedging itself into it. Harry released a sigh as he slowed his descent to the ground. He looked up towards the Hufflepuff beaters and knew that neither of them would have the strength to hit the bludger that hard. Harry landed on the ground and looked around again to make sure nothing else was being launched at him. *Couldn't of been another rogue bludger*, he thought as he looked back towards the center of the pitch. His eyes grew wide and when he realized that the quaffle game was still going. He quickly raised his right arm into the air with the snitch tightly in his grasp, screaming towards Madame Hooch. Madame Hooch noticed Harry's cries and looked down towards him to see the golden ball in his hand. She was completely surprised that she didn't see the catch, and quickly blew her whistle. The Chasers turned towards her with a confused look. She pointed towards Harry and the Gryffindor team immediately began to howl and clap. “HARRY POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS THE QUIDDITCH CUP!” Harry heard the students roar at an unbelievable volume. The Gryffindor team soon landed and rushed over to him, giving each other hugs and jumping into the air. “We did it!” Ron shouted as he gave Harry a tight hug. “We've won the Cup!” Harry's grin grew wide and he was glad that his nervous feeling had finally left him. For the first time that day, he felt all the tension leave his body and he too started to jump with the Gryffindor team, howling at the top of his lungs. He and Ron stopped jumping when they noticed the crowd of Gryffindor student's running towards them with Hermione and Nancy in the lead. Harry opened his arms and Hermione gladly jumped into them, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pulling him into a warm hug. Nancy gave Ron a tight hug that completely startled him, his body suddenly tensing when he felt her kiss him on the cheek. “You were great!” Hermione smiled as beamed at him. “We all were great,” Harry replied as he turned his head towards his team, which were now being hoisted onto students' shoulders and being carried around like royalty. He turned back towards Hermione and kissed her softly, his arms wrapped around her, the snitch buzzing softly in his right hand. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry and the Gryffindor team made their way back towards the common room after they had finished changing. They were all laughing and smiling as they stopped in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. Harry noticed that William wasn't with them and figured that he must have gone ahead. The portrait door opened and they were greeted by the Gryffindors each with a mug of butterbeer in their hands. They started to cheer and shout again as the team made their way into the common room. Harry shook as many hands as he could, trying to look around for signs of Hermione or Nancy. He looked back towards Ron and found him with an incredibly large smile on his face as he started shaking hands with several Gryffindor students. Several minutes had passed before Harry was able to make his way towards the staircase that led to the dormitories. He turned and faced the smiling Gryffindors, his eyes narrowing as he searched the crowd for the two girls, his stomach starting to regain his nervous feeling when he wasn't able to locate them. “What's wrong, Harry?” Ron asked as he walked up to him. “I can't find Hermione or Nancy,” Harry replied as he started to look through the crowd again, hoping that he had accidentally missed them. “I'm sure everything is all right,” said Ron as he too started to look through the crowd. “They're probably in the loos or something.” Suddenly, Harry and Ron's wristwatches started vibrating violently, causing them to look down towards them. They're eyes grew wide when they saw Hermoine's initials emerge on the face of their watches. Harry's heart filled with utter terror as he looked at Ron. “Harry…Ron!” they heard a voice called from the behind them. They turned to find a worried Nancy, trying to squeeze her way through the crowd of students. “Nancy, where's Hermione?” Harry asked as she reached them at the foot of the staircase. “I don't know,” Nancy said frantically as she looked at him with scared eyes. “She said that she needed to help Madame Pince with something after the Quidditch game. When she didn't come back, I really got worried. I went over the library to check on her and on my way there, I found this on the floor.” She held out Hermione's wand and Harry took it in his hand. His body started to tremble as he looked at Ron, unsure of what he should do. “Harry, use the Marauder's map!” Ron exclaimed as his eyes lit up. Harry nodded and the two ran towards their dormitory, a puzzled Nancy following close behind them. Harry pushed the door open and quickly ran towards his trunk, but immediately stopped, causing Ron and Nancy to bump into him. He slowly walked over to his bed cautiously and pointed towards the contents on it. Ron and Nancy looked towards his bed, and found a skull and a black envelope on his pillow. Harry cautiously picked up the black envelope and opened it, his eyes moving towards the skull and back towards the envelope. He pulled out a small parchment and took a deep breath as he unfolded it. The parchment was addressed to him and he slowly read it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Harry Potter,* *I never hoped that I would have to resort to such barbaric means, but it seems that your girlfriend was too smart for her own good. If you wish to save her, touch the skull. It is a portkey and it will take you to us. Be sure to have Keung with you if you wish to stand a chance. Don't worry. Your girlfriend is still alive. However, if you make me wait too long, I will have no choice but to terminate her life in the most horrible way possible.* *Magnolia Reins* ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry immediately crinkled the letter and looked at Ron and Nancy. They're eyes also wide for they too had read the letter. “What are we going to do?” Ron asked as he looked at Harry. “We need to take the portkey,” Harry replied as he reached out his hand towards the skull. “Wait!” cried Nancy as she took him by his arm, causing him to turn to her with a confused look. “We can't just go charging off without telling Dumbledore and the other professors.” “But, Hermione could be dead by the…” Harry argued, but was cut off by Nancy. “They won't hurt Hermione until they have you,” she insisted, pulling Harry away from the skull. “You can't do anything to save her if you walk right into a trap.” Harry tried to say something, but he knew Nancy was right. If they did walk directly into a trap and without anyone helping them, saving Hermione would have been impossible. He placed Hermione's wand into his pocket and the three quickly made their way out of the dormitory. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “Albus,” Professor McGonagall said as she walked through the door of Dumbledore's office. Harry, Nancy, and Ron had just finished informing him about Hermione's kidnapping. “All the Gryffindor students are in the Great Hall. All of them have been accounted for, except for William Weinstein and Hermione Granger.” “William's gone too?” Harry muttered as he looked at Ron and Nancy, his worried expression turning into one of complete bewilderment. “It seems that my assumptions were correct,” Dumbledore sighed as he rose from his chair and looked at the three students. “What is it?” Harry asked as he also rose from his chair, unable to ignore the grim look on McGonagall's face. “Professor Dumbledore, what is going on?” “I cannot permit you to go after Hermione Granger,” Dumbledore said with a firm voice as he looked at Harry. “What?” Harry cried, unable to believe what Dumbledore had just told me. “If I don't go after her, she is going to die.” “Harry…” Dumbledore started as he tried to explain. Harry, however, wouldn't have it. “How could you tell me not to go after her?” Harry roared as he slowly started to back away from Dumbledore, a look of betrayal on his face. Ron looked at Nancy and back at Professor Dumbledore, his rage slowly emerging on his face as he, too, rose from his chair. “Potter, please calm down,” Professor McGonagall said as she tried to stop Harry from moving towards the door. “Calm down?” Harry retorted as he glared at McGonagall. “How can I just calm down when Hermione has been kidnapped?” “It will be taken care of,” Dumbledore said, his voice calm. “We will not let Hermione die.” “Do whatever you want!” Harry shouted as he continued to make his way towards the door. Professor McGonagall tried to gently place her hand on his shoulder, but he abruptly moved his shoulder away from her. “I'm going after Hermione!” “I'm going too!” Ron exclaimed as he quickly moved to Harry's side. He looked at Nancy and was somewhat startled because she hadn't left her chair. “Mr. Weasley…” Professor McGonagall started, but before she could finish her sentence, the two boys had already walked out of the door. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “Can you believe them?” Harry growled as he and Ron burst into their dormitory. “I mean…not…” Harry stopped when he realized that Keung was sitting on his bed, examining the skull carefully. He turned to Harry and Ron and gave them a weak smile as the two boys quickly made their way over to him. “What are you doing here?” Harry asked, his heart suddenly filling with hope. “Professor Dumbledore knew that he wouldn't be able to stop you from going after Hermione,” Keung started as he stood from the bed. “You're not going to stop us?” Ron asked in a fearful voice. “Me? Oh no,” Keung replied as he shook his head. “I'll be going with you.” “You are?” Harry asked, his eyes widening. “Dumbledore knew he wouldn't be able to stop you,” he started again as he turned and looked at the skull, “so he called on me to help you.” “When did he do that?” Harry asked as he took a spot next to Keung and, too, looked at the skull. “He had Fawkes bring me a letter and I came as soon as I read it,” Keung answered as he pulled out a parchment from his robes and handed it to Harry. Ron walked up to Harry and the two quickly read through the letter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Keung,* *Hermione Granger has just been kidnapped by Magnolia Reins. I fear that no matter what I may do or say, Harry will not stand idly by. He and his friends will attempt to rescue her. They are full of courage and they may feel that they can overcome any obstacle to save her. I have the greatest confidence in them, but I fear what may possibly lie at the destination of the portkey is far worse than anything they can imagine. Please accompany them on their journey and watch over them. Our greatest fear is approaching and I don't know if I will be able to send members of the Order to assist you. The portkey is located in Harry's dormitory in the shape of a skull. The password that grants safe passage into the Gryffindor common room is `Rectatis Ignoramus'. Godspeed.* *Albus Dumbledore* ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry sighed softly as he looked up at Keung. His heart filled with guilt for the way that he reacted towards Dumbledore and McGonagall. *I need to apologize to them when we returned…if we return.* He swallowed hard as he placed the letter on the bed. “Shall we go then?” Ron asked the two. They nodded to him and they all extended their hands towards the skull when they heard the door of the dormitory open. “Don't go with me!” Nancy cried as she quickly made ran over to them and took her spot next to Ron, trying to catch her breath. “I thought you weren't coming?” Ron asked, incredibly happy to see her. “Sorry,” Nancy said with a sincere voice as she looked at Harry and Ron. “I panicked when we were in Dumbledore's office. Though after you left his office, I got up and ran out too.” “It's all right,” Harry said as he gave her a thankful smile. “Let's go then,” Keung said as he held out his hand towards the skull again. The three did the same and with a deep breath, they all touched the skull. Harry felt this indescribable feeling in his stomach as he felt himself being lifted off the ground. This didn't feel the same as the other portkeys that he has taken before, and his heart started to pound uncontrollably. He knew that they could be walking directly into a trap and if they did, it would have been his fault. A bright light soon flashed causing Harry to close his eyes. When the light had vanished, Harry felt a gust of heat hit him, causing him to take a few steps back. He opened his eyes and soon realized that the four of them were at the base of a mountain. Harry observed their surroundings, hearing nothing for the exception of their footsteps and the sound of something boiling. The sky was dark and large volumes of smoke filled the air from what looked like an opening from the top of the mountain. Keung held the skull in his hand and he carefully placed it on the ground in between two large boulders. He pulled out his silver wand, and with a flick of wrist and a small enchantment, the skull transfigured itself into a blue rock. He covered the blue rock with several small ones before he got up and dusted himself off. He smiled at the three and they cautiously made their way towards the mountain. Harry, Ron, and Nancy loosened their ties as they continued their advancement. The heat the mountain was emanating was horrendous, causing the four to sweat. Harry tried to take in a deep breath but stopped himself as the hot air started to fill his lungs. He then noticed something. The closer they walked towards the mountain, the stench of sulfur and brimstone got stronger. “Look over there,” Nancy said as she pointed towards an opening in the side of the mountain. Keung looked at the three and nodded as they started to walk towards it, Keung in front. They walked inside the opening and found that it was an entrance to a large cave. They quietly made their way into the mountain and were somewhat surprised to find a large staircase. Harry and Ron looked at each other with confused looks as they proceeded to climb the stairs. The stairs were made out of soft dirt and slightly deformed as the four stepped on them. Their leg muscles started to ache, but they didn't mind, for the temperature slowly dropped the higher they climbed. The four stopped when they reached a large metallic door. The door stood at least twenty feet tall, covered with strange inscriptions and markings. Keung walked towards it and placed his hand on the door only to retract it quickly. “It's burning hot,” Keung exclaimed as he waved his hand, trying to cool it down. “Is that a keyhole?” Ron asked as he pointed towards a large hole in front of him. “Looks like it,” Harry replied as he examined the hole a bit closer. “Reins really did want me to be here,” Keung said softly as he pulled out his silver wand. “Stand back you three. This lock doesn't need an ordinary key.” The three backed away and gave Keung plenty of room to do what he needed to do. He held his silver wand firmly in his hand and ignited it, his Flamora blade taking its shape. Keung pointed it at the keyhole and slowly pushed the sword into it. They heard several loud clicks, as if a lock had just been sprung, and the door slowly started to open, causing the ground to shake slightly. “You sure about this, Harry?” Keung asked as he extinguished his blade. He turned and watched the three approach him. “I know that you and Ron have been through situations like this during your first five years of Hogwarts…but this is different. This situation will be far more worse that anything any of us can imagine.” Harry gave him a firm nod as he looked over at Ron and Nancy. Ron was shaking slightly, but he kept a determined look on his face. Nancy stayed completely motionless, her eyes staring into at the long passageway that the giant door had revealed. “You told me to never let her go,” Harry answered as his gaze moved by to Keung. Keung smiled at him and placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. He gave Harry a reassured nod and the four cautiously made their way inside. 18. The Forbidden Chambers -------------------------- **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 Eighteen: The Forbidden Chambers** The four companions made their way down the long peculiar hallway. The walls were uneven, some portions protruding out more than others. The ground was covered with soft dirt, causing small clouds of dust to linger after their footsteps. A stream of fire that traveled along a narrow path that connected the floor and the right wall lighted the hallway. The ceiling also seemed to have its mind of its own, certain portions at a respectable height while other portions were so low that it forced the four to bend down as they walked. After several minutes of walking, the hallway started to grow wider and taller, allowing the four to walk alongside each other rather than in a line. They soon entered a large circular room that had four large doorways and what looked like a small stone podium. The walls were looked like they deteriorating for centuries and the foul smell of brimstone saturated the air. Harry and Keung carefully examined the stone podium, delicately brushing off a thick layer of dust that covered it. The podium had four empty slots and a large emblem of a black flame in the center of it. Harry blew off some more dust and noticed something inscribed around the outer edge of the emblem. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *To those who seek the Flame of Flamora…four chambers guard its entrance…a key each chamber holds must be returned to grant safe passage.* ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “That explains the four passageways,” Harry said as we walked over to Nancy and Ron. “Each of these passageways leads to some sort of chamber, where we need to find a key.” “Chambers?” Ron asked with a hint of worry in his voice. “You mean the four chambers that protect to the Flame?” “Yes Ron,” answered Keung as he made his way towards the three. “I don't know what these chambers will hold, but I am sure that it won't be pleasant. I really doubt they're just going to give us the keys.” “Why can't anything just be simple?” Ron asked, his voice now filled with dread. “Should we split up?” Nancy asked as she softly rubbed Ron's arm. “It'll be faster that way.” “Split up…” Keung said as he turned and look at the four doorways. “It would save us time, but these chambers will be dangerous. Our survival can only come from watching over on each other. We should go through the chambers together, one at a time.” “All right,” Harry spoke as he nodded at Keung. “So…which chamber should we try first?” “Let's try this one,” Nancy replied as she pointed to the one directly in front of her. Keung took the lead and the four made their way into the large passageway. They noticed a foul stench coming from the other end of the corridor. Nancy nearly gagged as they entered a dark rectangular room. It was filled with large mountains of human bones and the smell of rotting flesh caused the four to take shallow breaths through their mouths. The walls were covered with what looked like blood and the room was only lit by a few torches that hung from the walls. “Oh this looks promising,” Ron said with a sarcastic voice as the four slowly made their way towards the center of the chamber, Keung occasionally shoveling bones out of the way with his foot to clear them a path. “Now what?” Harry asked as the four looked around at the large piles of bones that almost reached the incredibly tall ceiling. The ground started to shake and a large stone door suddenly sealed the passageway that led them into the chamber. Harry and Keung looked each other with looks of both confusion and uneasiness as a screaming ghost appeared above them. The four slowly took several steps away from the ghost as it gracefully lowered itself to the ground. “You have just entered the Chamber of Screams,” the ghost hissed. The ghost was headless and wore a rusty suit of armor that shined an eerie red light. “This chamber will drive you mad unless you find the secret that it holds… *Oh my, I am dead,* *Please help for all I see is red,* *My poor, poor head*.” “What kind of a riddle is that?” Ron asked. But before anyone could answer him, a pitch scream filled the chamber that started to make his head ache terribly. “What's going on?” Nancy screamed as she covered her ears with her hands and slowly sank to her knees, her head throbbing uncontrollably. “We need to find something!” Keung shouted as he sank on his hands and knees, gritting his teeth as he tried to tolerate the excruciating pain. “Dead…red…head,” Harry growled as he collapsed onto the ground, his hands covering his ears. His head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice, his threshold for pain surely being tested. He turned his head and his eyes suddenly grew wide when his gaze fell upon a large pile of bones. “We need to find his head!” “What?” Ron shouted as he turned to look at Harry, his body trembling hysterically. “Find his what?” “His head!” Harry replied as he gritted his teeth and lowered his hands from his ears, feeling the full affects of the deafening screams. He kneeled in front of a large pile of bones and started to search through them. “I bet that his head is red…a red skull!” Keung and Nancy acknowledged Harry's theory and slowly crawled over to the closest piles of bones. They started to dig through them, both taking quick short breaths to dull the horrific ringing in their heads. Ron forced himself to stand, but suddenly fell onto the base of a large pile of bones, causing a tower to titter. Harry looked up at the swaying tower and noticed something red amongst the white and gray bones. He slowly got to his feet and staggered over towards the tower, pointing up towards the top. Keung looked towards the area Harry was pointing and his eyes narrowed on the red skull. “Harry…Nancy…Ron!” Keung shouted, causing them to look at him. “Get away from…the tower! I am going to knock it down!” The three nodded and slowly got up to their feet. Harry covered his ears again, relieved at how much less his head hurt, and quickly ran towards the wall of the room behind Keung. Ron moved over to Nancy and the two ran towards a wall that next to another large tower of bones. “*Adfilgo! Adfilgo! Adfligo!*” Keung shouted as he aimed his wand towards the base of the large tower, causing several bones to shatter. The tower started to sway violently and with one more blast of his wand, the tower fell, making a thunderous noise as it crashed onto the floor. The crash was so tremendous that it caused several other towers around the room to fall as well. Harry and Keung took cover and were relieved to see that none of the other towers had fallen onto the spot where the red skull should have fallen. Harry and Keung quickly made their way towards the head of the fallen tower, ignoring the never-ending pain ringing in their heads. The two started to dig through the bones; scattering the rotting bones behind them. Harry's heart started to sink when he nearly finished searching through the pile, dreading that image of the red skull could have been a hallucination. Suddenly, the screaming stopped. Harry looked around and he found the silence almost too good to be true. He looked towards Keung, and a bright smile grew across his face when he saw that Keung was holding the red skull in his hand. Harry fell onto the floor and took in deep breaths, the pain in his head vanishing. His eyes suddenly grew wide when his wristwatch started to vibrate. He quickly looked at the face and saw Nancy's initials appear. He then realized that he hadn't seen Ron or Nancy since the towers of bones had fallen. “Nancy…Ron!” Harry shouted as he quickly got to his feet and started searching around the fallen bones, his heart racing again. Keung noticed this as well and a sudden feeling of worry and guilt fell upon him when he realized that any of the fallen towers could of landed on them. He stuffed the red skull into the pocket in his robes and climbed to the top of the fallen tower, his eyes scanning around the room. “Ron…Nancy!” Harry shouted again as he looked up to a startled Keung. “Harry!” they heard Ron shout. Keung squinted his eyes and he was able to make out two figures sitting next to a fallen tower. He pointed over to them and the two quickly made their way over. “Ron, you okay?” Harry asked as he quickly moved to Ron's side. Ron was holding a shaking Nancy in his arms. She had a deep cut on her left arm and she was trying her best from releasing her cries of pain, tears stream down her cheeks. Harry looked at Ron and he returned his gaze with a reassured nod. “Is everything okay?” Keung asked as he settled by the three. “Nancy got her arm cut,” Ron answered as he gave he shuddering Nancy a tight squeeze. “It's bleeding really badly.” Keung kneeled down next to them and gently took a hold of Nancy's left arm. She was hesitant at first, but when she saw the sincere look in Keung's eyes and allowed him to examine it. He gently pulled on her sleeve and tore it open to get a better look at the wound. “It's not too bad,” Keung said with a relieved smile as he pulled out his wand. “*Aquula*.” A small stream of water left Keung's wand and washed away the blood from Nancy's injury, exposing the large cut. He tapped the tip of his wand against her wound and smiled when the gash quickly scabbed over. He then summoned a long piece of white cloth, which he used to wrap firmly around the scab. He looked towards and awestruck Nancy and smiled, “This should do the trick.” “Where did you learn to do that?” Harry asked as Keung tied the cloth. “I've picked up some elementary healing skills along my travels,” Keung replied as he stood up. “You okay?” Ron asked Nancy as he stood to his feet, helping her stand. She nodded as she released a soft sigh. Ron then looked at Keung with a grateful look on his face. “Thanks.” “Don't worry about it,” Keung said back as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the red skull. The wall behind them started to crumble, revealing a large doorway. Keung looked at the three and let out a sigh as he placed the skull back into his pocket. “We'd best be on our way,” Keung said and the four made their way out of the room and followed the corridor, completely amazed to see that they were back in the original chamber with the four large doorways. They turned back towards the passageway they had exited and quickly backed away as a stone door fell, sealing it. The door shined with the same eerie red color as the ghost's armor and they recognized the strange markings on the door were the same to those of the main doors that Keung had opened with his Flamora blade. “That's one down,” Ron smiled as he looked at Nancy, who yet released him from her grasp. However he didn't mind it at all. “Let's take this one,” Harry said as he pointed towards the door directly to the right of the one they had just exited. “Let's go,” Nancy nodded as she gave Ron's arm a tight squeeze. The four made their way through the corridor and were relieved that the smell of rotting bones didn't greet them. However, the stench of bones would have been preferred when a sudden gust of heat washed over them and the odor of sulfur and brimstone filled the air. “Wow!” Ron gasped as he took a step forward. The room was comprised of a large checkered board that resembled that of chessboard. The four examined it carefully and looked at each other, completely puzzled of what their next task could be. Harry looked towards the first row of squares and examined them carefully, his eyes slowly moving up the board until he noticed a blue chest sitting on top of a large stone platform at the other end of the room. “I seems we just need to cross,” Harry said to the others as his eyes went back towards the strange checkered board in front of them. “That's simple enough,” Ron smiled as he took a few steps closer to the board. “That's the problem,” Nancy sighed as she looked at the three. “It's too simple.” The four slowly took several steps forward and were startled when they saw the passageway they had just used; seal itself with another large door. The four looked at each other and released aggravated sighs as they watched a headless ghost rise from the floor. This ghost looked almost identical to the one they had met previously, but this ghost's armor shined with a subtle blue light. He slowly approached the four and with a surprisingly deep voice, it spoke, “You have just entered the Chamber of Illusion. This chamber will lead you to your demise unless you find the secret that it holds… *The platform ahead you all must cross,* *The task be to find a boss,* *Watch thy step or suffer a loss*.” The floor started to shake again as the ghost sank into the ground, causing several different squares of the checkered platform to disappear. Heat slowly filled the room and they noticed a large pool of molten larva laid underneath the platform. “Well that does complicate things a bit,” Ron remarked as he examined the area of the board, formulating his path. “Though, it's still pretty easy.” Ron was about to take a step onto the square in front of him, when Harry and Nancy's watches started to vibrate insanely. They looked over at Ron and their eyes went wide, causing them to lunge forward and pull him back. Their action completely startled both Ron and Keung. “What are you doing?” Ron asked as Harry and Nancy released him. “Are you bloody blind?” Harry asked as he looked towards the square where Ron was about to step. “You would of walked right into a hole.” “A hole?” Keung said with a confused voice as he examined the square. “I see the floor there, Harry.” “What?” Harry replied as he looked towards the square. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers and looked again, but all he saw was a hole that led towards the lava pit. “I see a hole.” “The heat must be getting to you,” Ron smiled as he patted Harry on the shoulder. “No wait!” Nancy cried as she looked back at the platform and back towards the three. “I figured it out! This is one big illusion!” “What do you mean?” Harry asked as he looked at Nancy with a puzzled expression. “Don't you see?” Nancy exclaimed as she picked up a small rock in her hand. “We all are seeing an illusion. While Ron and Keung see a square there, you and I see a hole.” “I still don't get it?” Ron said as he crossed his arms. “Now I see…if it weren't for Hermione, you'd both be dead,” Nancy sighed as she made her way over to the hole and dropped the rock, watching it fall directly into the lava. Keung and Ron's eyes grew wide when they saw the rock fall directly through the floor. “See,” Nancy exclaimed as she walked back to them, her attention focused on Ron. “Keung and you believe that there is solid ground there, but Harry and I see otherwise. It is one really big illusion, but we each see a piece of it rather than the whole thing.” She picked up another rock and pointed towards the square directly to the left of the one that they had just examined. She turned to the three and said, “I see solid ground there. What do the rest of you see?” “I see solid ground,” Harry said as he looked at the square. “I see ground, too,” Ron said as he nodded to Harry. “I see a hole,” Keung said cautiously as he looked at the square. Nancy walked over to the square and dropped the rock. Ron and Harry were amazed as they watched the rock fall through the ground. “Whenever one of us sees a hole,” Nancy started again as she walked over and picked up another rock, “no matter what the rest of us may see, there will be a hole in that spot.” She quickly moved to another square and dropped a rock onto it. However, this time the rock didn't fall through, it instead made a soft clacking noise as it made contact with the square. She turned and smiled at the three, “I see solid ground there. And you guys?” “Solid ground,” they all said in unison as they examined the square where the rock laid. “All we need to do is map out a path where we all see solid ground,” Nancy explained as she pulled out a roll of parchment and quill out of her pocket. “Do you always carry those with you?” Ron asked with a sarcastic voice that caused her to look at him with a bright grin. After several minutes of planning, Nancy was able to make draw out a safe path for them to take. She examined the map and smiled to the three. “Okay,” she said as she made her way towards one of the squares. “The ghost said that we all need to cross. So we should get in a line and just play follow the leader. It shouldn't be too difficult.” The three nodded towards her and stood in line behind her, Harry behind Nancy, Keung behind Harry, and Ron behind Keung. Nancy took a deep breath and took the first step onto the first square. When nothing happened, she let out a sigh of relief and they carefully made their way across the board. When they were about halfway across, they felt a small earthquake, which nearly caused Ron to lose his balance. As the earthquake subsided they all released a thankful sighs until the heard something rumbling. They turned and looked behind them and their hearts sank to their stomachs as they watched row after row of squares collapse into the molten pit. “Get a move on!” Ron squealed when he realized that the following rows were approaching them. Nancy turned and started to move across the path as quickly as she could, her eyes moving up and down between the map and the squares in front of her. She heard Ron yelp as the rumbling of falling squares grew louder and louder, forcing her to move faster and faster. However no matter how quickly she moved, she knew that the falling squares were catching up with them. “Jump from here!” Harry shouted to Nancy when they were only about two squares away from the end of the platform. He looked back towards the falling squares and knew that they didn't have much time left. She nodded and took a quick step before she jumped, successfully making it onto the other side. Harry in turn, quickly took a step forward and jumped. He successfully made the jump, but accidentally bumped into Nancy, causing the two to fall over. Keung also made the jump, but was able to avoid the two and land safely on his feet. “Hurry Ron!” Keung shouted as Ron quickly made his way, the row directly behind his feet collapsing. Ron took a deep breath as he prepared to jump, but the row that held the last square collapsed, causing him to lose all his momentum. Keung's eyes grew wide as he realized that Ron wasn't going to make it. “Ron…Keung!” Harry shouted as he watched Keung jump off the ledge. He and Nancy quickly scrambled to their feet and ran over to the edge. Keung's right hand was holding firmly onto a protruding rock about a foot below the ledge, while his left hand had a firm grip on Ron's right wrist. Ron started to take short breaths, his panic taking over, when he noticed that he was directly above a large pool of molten lava. Keung tried to move Ron towards the rock face, but felt the protruding rock he was holding onto start to give way under their weight. “Just don't stand there!” Keung shouted as he looked up at Harry and Nancy. “Do something before Ron and I get turned into soup!” “Right,” Harry said as he pulled out his wand from his pocket and pointed towards Ron. “*Leviosa!*” Ron suddenly felt completely weightless and slowly started to float up towards Harry and Nancy. Keung released his hold on Ron's wrist, allowing Ron to float above him. As Ron rose to the level of the ledge, Harry pulled his wand back slowly, allowing Ron to land safely on his two feet. Keung took in a deep breath when he heard Ron land on the ground, and quickly pulled himself up and over the ledge. “You okay?” Nancy asked as she walked over to Ron, giving him a tight hug. He nodded to her as he returned her warm embrace with a firm squeeze, ignoring the fact that it felt like his shoes were melting. Keung grinned at Harry as they approached the blue chest. Harry examined it carefully and brushed a layer of dirt off the top surface. They heard a click and it slowly opened itself for them, exposing a blue skull. Harry took it in his hands and looked at Keung. “We can safely guess that the two remaining keys will be skulls too,” Keung said as he pulled out the red skull from his pocket. The ground slowly started to shake again and the wall behind the stone platform crumbled, revealing their exit. Harry placed the blue skull in his pocket and Keung placed the red one in his. The four followed the new passageway and again found themselves back in the center room. Without saying a word, the four walked directly towards the next door, ignoring the fact that the passageway that just exited from had sealed itself. Except for a few torches that did a poor job in lighting the room, and a small mirror that hung on the back wall, the new chamber was empty. The four vigilantly made their way towards the center of the chamber, preparing themselves for the endless numbers of ways this room could kill them. A headless ghost soon appeared in front of them, this one wearing an old suit of armor that shined a brilliant green. The ghost slowly drifted between the four, causing them back away from each other to give it more space. With a high-pitched voice the ghost began, “You have just entered the Chamber of Fear. This chamber will lead you to your deaths unless you find the secret that it holds… *Your fears will lead you to your demise,* *Don't allow simple things to fool your eyes,* *Look through the mirror to seek your prize.*” “I'm really getting tired of these riddles,” Ron groaned as the ghost slowly sank into the floor. The torches in the chamber suddenly extinguished themselves and re-ignited. This confused Ron but his eyes grew wide and he took a step back. He saw Nancy standing across from him with two large spiders that looked like they were ready to attack. Harry couldn't believe his eyes; Hermione was standing across from him with a look of utter terror on her face. He looked over to his left and right and realized that the reason for her fright was that Lord Voldemort and Magnolia Reins were standing next to them. Harry's mouth fell open as he looked into the evil eyes of the Dark Lord. He slowly moved his hand into his robes and pulled out his wand. Nancy let out a small yelp when her eyes focused on the three figures in front of her. One of the figures was Ron while the other two were huge snakes. They were at least twenty feet long with large quantities of venom drooling from their fangs. She took a small step back and retracted her wand as she watched the snakes rear up their heads and hissed violently as they slowly inspected their prey. Keung immediately pulled out his wand when he saw the sight in front of him. He refused to believe what he saw, but his heart started to pound uncontrollably. Veronica Cross was standing in front of him and appeared to large man made entirely of flame make its way over to her. He took a step forward and soon realized that another large flamed being was slowly advancing towards him. Harry took a deep breath as he aimed his wand at Lord Voldemort, curious of why the Dark Lord hadn't attacked him yet. But the moment he withdrew his wand, Harry knew he couldn't take any wait any longer. He looked over at a terrified Hermione and aimed his wand at Voldemort. “*Compello contrundo!*” Ron was taken by surprise as one the spiders threw a spell at him, hitting him straight in the chest, causing him to be launched into the air and land hard on his back. He started coughing and realized that he had lost his wand during his fall. He slowly lifted his back off the floor and gasped in terror as he watched a spider slowly advance towards him. Keung was shocked to see the flamed being attacked Veronica, his anger fueling him, his skepticism leaving his mind. He ran forward towards the fallen Veronica and was stunned to see that she was frightened, trying to move away from him. He turned and aimed his wand at the approaching flamed being. “Hermione?” Harry asked as he watched her raise her wand at him. “Why are you protecting Voldemort?” However before he could get an answer, he was hit hard in the stomach by a spell that caused him to fly onto his back. He slowly looked up at her, his mind racing for a possible explanation of why Hermione would attack him. However before he could find his answer, he saw Magnolia Reins quickly make her way to him, causing him to get on his feet and retreat a few steps. “Ron…what's wrong?” Nancy asked as she watched him slowly back away. She slowly approached him, alarmed when he pointed his wand at her. She stopped advancing and carefully took a few steps away, her hands up in front of her. She looked over at the two large snakes and her anger rose to a whole new level. She aimed her wand towards snakes and screamed, “What did you do to him?” Keung watched Veronica move away from him and he quickly turned to find a flamed being edge its way closer to him. He looked back at the frightened Veronica and quickly rose to his feet. He turned to face the being again, his wand trained on it. Nancy gritted her teeth as she watched the snake glare at her with its dark eyes, its mouth gaping open, exposing its hideous fangs. She looked back at Ron, a worried look still on his face, and she took a deep breath as she took another shuddering step towards the large serpent. Harry held his wand firmly in his hand and watched Reins and Hermione stare at each other, both of their wands readied. Harry's eyes then moved towards the fallen Voldemort, completely confused of why he simply sat on the floor motionless. He moved his eyes back to Hermione and noticed that she had a certain flare in her eyes that he had never seen before. Harry's eyes grew wide when Reins fired a spell at Hermione. However, Hermione instantly reflected the spell back at Reins, causing the horrible witch to fall to the ground. A smile grew on Harry's face as he turned towards Hermione, but his smile fell when Voldemort gripped his wand and aimed it at the Hermione's back. “No!” Harry cried as he aimed his wand at Voldemort, but was too late. Voldemort had released a fireball that caused Hermione to collapse to the floor. He gritted his teeth as his eyes narrowing on the Dark Lord. “*Fulguritis!*” Keung quickly got back on his feet, stunned when he realized that Veronica attacked him. He turned around and found a flamed being blasting her with a spell. He took a step forward; ready to come to her aid when he noticed something in her hand that made him stop. She was holding her silver wand tightly in her right hand. “What?” Keung said as he looked at his right hand, the same silver wand in his grasp. His eyes grew wide when he realized that something was seriously wrong with what he was seeing. However, before he could take another step, he was hit hard in the side by a spell, hurling him into the air. “Something is really wrong,” Keung muttered as he rose to his feet again. He turned around and gazed towards the center of the chamber and watched Veronica and the two flamed beings moving around each other. He took a deep breath and noticed the mirror that hung on the wall to his right. He quickly examined it and his eyes grew wide. He didn't just see himself in the reflection, but Harry, Ron, and Nancy. He turned to face the center of the chamber again only saw Veronica and the two beings. “It's another illusion,” Keung said to himself as he turned back to the mirror and tried to pull it off the wall. The mirror was attached to the wall by a glowing green chain and no matter how hard he pulled, the mirror refused to budge. “I've got to stop them. “Harry! Ron! Nancy!” Keung shouted but the three didn't notice. They were completely consumed by the illusion and were ready to kill each other. Keung gritted his teeth as he looked at the mirror again. “They can't hear me…I need to find that skull. What did that ghost say? Your demise…fool your eyes...through the mirror to seek your prize.” Keung's eyes focused on the mirror and he knew what he needed to do. He clenched his fist, drew it back, and with a swift punch, his fist broke through the mirror. His hand came in contact with a smooth object and he immediately gripped it. He retracted his hand from behind the mirror and a smile formed on his face when he saw the green skull in his hand. “What?” Harry gasped as shook his head. His wand was originally trained on Lord Voldemort, but Ron was standing in his place. He turned to the figure that once was Reins, but it turned out to be Nancy. He lowered his wand and looked at the two. “I didn't…what?” “What's going on?” Nancy asked as she lowered her wand and looked at the two. “It was another illusion,” Keung replied as he tossed the green skull towards the three. Ron caught it in his hands and the three looked at each other with confused expressions. “This chamber made us think that we were enemies by having us take on the shape of our worst fears. The chamber wanted us to kill each other.” “Blimey,” Ron said as he looked back at the skull and then towards Harry and Nancy. “You mean the entire time, I was fighting against you two?” “Oh, I'm sorry Ron,” Harry cried apologetically as he looked at Ron. “I didn't mean to blast you with lightning. I thought you were Voldemort.” “What?” Ron replied with his eyes wide and his mouth open. “Him? I thought that you were a spider.” “You're scared of spiders?” Nancy asked as she raised an eyebrow at Ron, trying her best to hold her giggle. “Little spiders?” “He wasn't a little one,” Ron said, trying to defend himself. “He was the size of a cow. I don't care who you are, but that is really frightening.” Nancy released her giggle and he returned her amusement with an ungrateful smirk. The mirror started to shake and the wall that held it collapsed to the floor, exposing their passageway. Ron placed the skull into his pocket of his robes and the four quickly made their way out of the chamber. Again, they found themselves in the center chamber and again a large door fell sealing the passageway they had exited. They four looked at the three large doors, each glowing the color of the skull it once held, and their eyes fell upon the last passageway. “One more to go,” Nancy said with a sigh of relief as she placed her wand into her pocket. Harry did the same and his hand stiffened when he felt Hermione's wand. He gritted his teeth and his body started to burn with anger. He wanted to see Hermione again. He wanted to hold her and kiss her again. His mind focused on Magnolia Reins and he knew that they didn't have much time left. He looked at Keung with stern eyes and took the lead as they entered the last chamber. The chamber, like the first, was littered with bones. However, unlike the first chamber, these bones didn't look like they belonged to humans. They walked towards the center of the room, observing several tall stone columns, standing in random locations throughout the chamber. The smell of sulfur and burnt flesh saturated the air, and they could hear something dripping along the walls. They came to a halt just before they reached the center of the chamber and waited patiently. Within seconds, the fourth ghost appeared before them. The ghost wore black armor and had large quantities of smoke escaped from the spot where its head should have been. The ghost bowed to them and pointed to an area behind it. The four looked and found a black skull sitting on top of a small pile of bones. The ghost released an eerie laugh and spoke with a sinister voice, “You have just entered the Chamber of Death. This chamber will lead you to your doom unless you find the secret that it holds… *Simple as this task may seem,* *Beware of the creature that breaths steam,* *Watch for its fiery beam.*” The ghost released another howl as it rose into the air and hovered over the black skull. It raised its arms and a heavy gust of wind suddenly rushed through the chamber causing the bones to start moving. “Never get a break, do we?” Keung groaned as he took out his silver wand and gripped it tightly in his hand, lowering himself onto his knees. Harry, Ron, and Nancy also lowered themselves as they watched the bones leave to ground and start to take shape around the black skull. Harry looked at the figure being formed and his mouth dropped. The bones were assembling themselves into the shape of a dragon. He looked over at Ron with a look of utter distress, his breath getting short. Ron pulled out his wand and slowly started to back away, tugging on Nancy's robes for her to do the same. Within minutes the skeleton of a dragon was formed, a black flame burning inside its rib cage. It reared up on its hind legs and released a monstrous roar that shook the chamber. The beast slowly sank down, his front claws breaking the floor as it made contact with it. It started to growl and slowly made its way towards the four companions. “*Compello contrundo!*” Harry shouted as he hurled white sparks at the gigantic dragon. The sparks hit an invisible barrier and to Harry's dismay, the spell was launched back towards him. Harry quickly moved out of the way and looked at the three uneasily. The dragon roared and with a swift motion, it spun itself around, swinging its tail towards them. Harry's eyes grew wide and he quickly dropped to the floor, the tail missing him by a foot. Keung was ready to duck, but realized that Ron and Nancy were too stunned to move. “Ron…Nancy!” Keung roared as he quickly grabbed them by their arms and threw them aside, flinging himself into the path the tail. He then tried to duck, but the bony tail was too close. It hit him in the stomach, causing him to be launched into a nearby column. “Keung!” Harry cried as he watched Keung collapse to the floor. The dragon let out another mighty roar as it turned itself towards their fallen companion. It quickly made its way over and raised his right paw, its claws ready. Keung opened his eyes and quickly rolled out of the way as the dragon's paw came crashing down onto the ground. He quickly hopped to his feet and realized that he had dropped his wand when he was hit. The dragon swung its paw again and Keung quickly jumped out of its path. Its paw drove into the base of a nearby column, causing it to collapse onto the ground with a heavy thud. Harry quickly ran along the right side of the dragon and saw that the black skull was located on the very middle of the dragon's spine. He aimed his wand at the dragon's long neck and shouted, “*Adfilgo!*” The sparks were deflected again by its invisible barrier and flew into a nearby wall. The dragon turned and looked towards Harry, and with a deep breath, it blew fire at him. Harry immediately dropped to the ground as the fire wave flew over his head. Ron and Nancy picked up rocks and started to throw them at the dragon. The rocks hit the dragon's rib cage several times, but its mind was content on Harry. “Hey you! You poor excuse for a dragon!” Keung shouted as he got back up to his feet. He picked up a rock and threw it as hard as he could at the dragon's head. The rock flew into the left eye socket of the dragon's skull, causing the dragon to roar and shake its head vigorously. The dragon moved its head back towards Keung and he couldn't help but give it an evil grin. The dragon turned its body towards him, flames escaping its gaping mouth. “C'mon!” Keung barked as he reached inside is robes. The dragon released another roar as it blew a gigantic wave of fire towards him. Keung pulled out a black wand from his robes and shouted, “*Amnis!*” The wave of brilliant fire collided with the massive water wave, causing extreme quantities of steam to be formed. The dragon released a menacing growl and refused to extinguish his attack. Keung sank down to one knee, his left hand holding his right wrist to steady his water wave. “*Incendio!*” Ron and Nancy shouted as they unleashed a fury of fireballs towards the dragon's head. Its invisible barrier reflected their attack back towards them, causing the two to quickly move out of the way. Harry took this as his opportunity and ran behind the dragon. He placed his wand in his pocket and quickly made his way up the dragon's tail, getting onto his hands and knees when he reached the base of its thick spine. The dragon noticed Harry's presence and started to shake its back violently. “What are you doing?” Ron yelled as he looked up towards Harry. “I'm trying to get the skull!” Harry shouted in reply as he carefully edged his way up the dragon's back, his hand only a few feet away from the black skull. The dragon finally relinquished its fire wave and started to buck hysterically, trying to knock Harry off his back. Keung rose to his feet and quickly studied their surroundings. He noticed Nancy waving her arm at him and she quickly pointing towards the column he was standing next to. Keung examined the column and a grin formed when he realized what she wanted him to do. “Okay!” he shouted. “Get the dragon over to the column!” “How are we supposed to do that?” Ron bellowed as he turned and looked towards the flailing dragon, Harry hanging on for dear life. “I don't know! Just get it over here!” Nancy looked at Ron and the two quickly moved towards the bucking dragon. Harry's left arm tightened his grasp around the spine of the dragon and quickly flung his right hand forward, successfully gripping the black skull. He tried to pull it free, but the skull had fused itself with the spine of the dragon. He gritted teeth as he focused all his energy in prying the skull off, but failed in doing so. Ron picked up another rock and chucked it at the dragon's head. The rock hit the dragon's snout causing the beast to shake its head and spit fire towards Ron and Nancy. The two quickly moved out of the way of the fireballs and ran as fast as they could towards Keung, the dragon close behind them with its neck outstretched and its mouth opened. “*Accio wand!*” Keung shouted as he aimed his black wand towards his silver one. The silver wand left the ground and flew into his left hand. Keung quickly ignited his Flamora blade and with one swift motion, sliced the base of the column. He quickly moved into position and aimed his black wand towards the top of the column. He watched Ron and Nancy run passed him, and he then roared, “*Compello contrudo!*” The white sparks struck the top of the column, causing it sway and fall. The column landed directly onto the neck of the dragon, causing its bones to shatter completely. The dragon's body flailed around for a few moments, but soon stopped. The bones that made up the skeleton of the dragon started crumble and Harry was able to finally pry the black skull of its spine. Ron and Nancy took deep breaths as they sank to the floor, completely exhausted. Nancy leaned her body against his and Ron smiled as he relaxed against her. Keung placed his two wands into his pocket and too fell over, landing on his back and taking in quiet breaths, sweat sliding down his forehead. Harry held the skull firmly in his hand and allowed his body to relax on top of the large pile of bones that once made the dragon. His arms ached and his entire body felt weak. After several minutes of silence, the door that sealed their exit slowly opened itself. The four slowly rose to their feet, gradually making their way out of the fourth chamber and back into the center room. The four gave each other soft smiles as they walked to the stone podium. “We did it,” Harry said as he took in another deep breath of air, not fully recovered from their last task. Keung pulled out the red skull on placed it in one of the slots. Ron took out the green skull and placed it in a slot next the red one. Harry held the two remaining skulls in his hands and was glad to place them in the two remaining slots. The podium started to vibrate gently and the large emblem started to glow. The surface of the emblem shattered, releasing a small black flame. “Now what?” Ron asked as they watched the black fire intently. “Only a Flamora wielder can open the chamber,” Keung replied as he rolled back his right sleeve and reached out for the fire. Nancy placed her hand on his arm and gave him a horrified look. He gave her a soft smile and a reassured nod. She unwillingly released his arm and started to cringe as she watched Keung place is hand into the fire. Harry, too, gritted his teeth as he watched the flame consume Keung's hand. “It's okay…it doesn't hurt at all,” Keung said, causing the three to release their breaths. Keung cleared his throat and with a firm voice spoke, “Grant us safe passage to the Flame of Flamora.” The flame disappeared and a portion of the ceiling behind them started to crack. They turned and observed a large circular platform break the ceiling, slowly descending onto the floor. The four approached the platform and examined it carefully. “I guess we're going up,” Ron said as the four stepped onto the platform. With a sudden shudder, the platform started to rise, taking them higher into the mountain. Harry wiped his face with the sleeve of his robes and allowed himself to sit on the platform to relax his legs. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Hermione's wand. He ran his fingers over the grip guard and a soft smile grew on his face. Though his smile didn't hold once he remembered the reason why he and his friends were in their current situation. “We'll get Hermione back,” Ron said with a firm voice, causing Harry to look at him. “We will, Harry,” Nancy nodded as she gently touched his arm. “We will get her back.” Harry smiled weakly as he placed Hermione's wand back in his pocket. The platform came to an abrupt halt, exposing a long corridor. Two narrow streams of fire lighted its path; one that connected the floor to the right wall and the other connected the floor to the left wall. Harry took a quick breath as he rose to his feet and led the group off the platform. The four made their way along the corridor, their nerves gradually tensing the longer they traveled. Ron took Nancy's hand firmly in his and she gave him a weak smile as she rested her head against his shoulder. Harry and Keung observed the corridor, both trying their best to ignore the uneasy feeling growing inside them. Harry's heart started beating at an unbelievable rate when the group stopped in front of two large doors. The four could hear commotion coming from behind them and they knew that they had reached their final destination. Harry took several deep breaths as he tried to keep his body from shaking. He looked over at Ron and Nancy, and gave them firm nod. “This is it,” Keung said with a soft voice as he looked at Harry and gave him a worried smile. “You ready?” “I'm ready,” Harry replied softly as looked over at his three companions. “Thank you all for helping me…you don't know how much this means to me…” “Harry, you don't have to thank us,” Nancy replied as she gave him a soft smile. “We're your best friends,” Ron added weakly as he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. “We'd follow you to the ends of the earth.” Harry snickered softly as he, Ron, and Nancy pulled out their wands and prepared themselves. Keung felt his left arm tremble and he knew that the Flame of Flamora along with Magnolia Reins was waiting for them. Keung took in a deep breath as pulled out his black wand and shifted his weight to his left leg. He moved his right leg back and with on hard kick, the two large doors flew open. 19. Love, Fury, Sorrow ---------------------- **Chapter Nineteen: Love, Fury, and Sorrow** “Welcome Harry,” Voldemort grinned as he and forty Death Eaters turned to face the four stunned companions. His smile grew wider as the four slowly entered the large chamber, completely overwhelmed by their reception. “You kept us waiting for almost two hours. I was afraid that you didn't make it through the four chambers. However, you're going to wish that you didn't make it through those chambers.” “Where's Hermione?” Harry growled at the Dark Lord, his wand trained on him. His scar started to burn insanely, but he ignored it, not taking his eyes off the Voldemort. Ron and Nancy held their wands firmly in their shaking hands. They moved their eyes unsteadily around the room and panic started to fill their bodies at the sight of the vast number of Death Eaters. They looked at Keung from the corner of their eyes and they could tell he, too, was feeling extremely uncomfortable in their current situation. “Young Hermione Granger,” Voldemort replied as he turned to face his Death Eaters. He lifted his arms in the air and with a swift motion, the Death Eaters moved aside to expose her. Hermione was locked inside an iron cage with a look of terror on her face. The cage was suspended by chain over a large circular pit of black fire. Keung's eyes focused on the dark inferno and his left arm started to tremble, his wound searing at the sight of it. The fire flowing through his veins had found its true master, the Flame of Flamora. “Are you okay, Hermione?” Harry called out to her, relieved to see that she was all right. “Did they hurt you?” “I'm okay, Harry. They didn't hurt me,” she cried as she looked into his green eyes, a warm smile on her face. She was unbelievably happy to see Harry and her friends, however her smile and happiness soon faded when she realized that they had just placed themselves in hopeless situation. She looked back at the stirring Death Eaters and an extremely amused Voldemort. “Isn't that touching?” Voldemort hissed as he turned to look at Harry again, his hands touching his chest. The Death Eaters started to snicker as the glared at Harry. “The reunion of two loved ones. I, however, am sorry to say that you won't get a chance to enjoy your sweet reunion.” “I am not afraid of you!” Harry barked through his gritted teeth, his grasp on his wand tightening. His thoughts returned to the prophecy and he knew that this could be the setting for the fight of his life. He looked into Voldemort's dark eyes and saw the malice in them. However he didn't feel the least bit frightened by them. Actually he felt a rush of adrenalin run though his veins. “I will fight you!” “Fight me?” Voldemort laughed as he took several steps towards him, his arms now crossed. “My, such arrogance. What possible chance do you have in surviving another fight against me? The *Priori Incantatem* won't save you a second time and Dumbledore isn't anywhere to be found.” Voldemort's Death Eaters laughed hysterically as they all withdrew their wands. Keung took a few steps forward and stood by Harry, his wand ready. Voldemort cleared his throat and as if on cue, the Death Eaters were silent. “I would find great pleasure in watching you die a slow and painful death, but alas there isn't the time for such luxuries.” “What do you mean?” Harry questioned as his eyes quickly moved across the room, making a rough guess of how many Death Eaters were glaring at him. He didn't care that he and his friends were outnumbered by at least ten to one. He felt his courage burn inside him, hotter than he's ever felt before. He looked up at Hermione; he no longer feared the idea of dying. It would take more than death to stop him from saving her. “You see, boy,” Voldemort grinned as he turned and looked at the dark Flame. “I have a new weapon. I wasn't planning on using it until a later date, but because of your interruption, it forces me take action. Therefore, you won't have a chance to fight me.” “You're going attack Hogwarts,” Nancy gasped as her eyes settled on the Dark Lord. “Very perceptive, girl,” Voldemort replied as gave her an impressed look. “You can't?” Hermione cried as she hit the bars of her cage with her fists. “I can and I will,” Voldemort smiled as he focused on Harry. He snapped his fingers and two of his Death Eaters stepped forward. He patted their shoulders and glared at Harry again. “I'm sorry Harry, but it seems like our time together has expired. I hope that these two will give you the fight that you desperately want.” Voldemort gave the four another evil grin before he took his position in front of the remaining Death Eaters. With another snap of his fingers, they all vanished with a cloud of gray smoke. Harry gritted his teeth and eyed the two remaining Death Eaters carefully. They stood motionless, almost like statues with their arms at their sides and their fists clenched. “We need to warn, Dumbledore,” Nancy cried as she looked at Harry. “We don't have time,” Keung replied as he surveyed the two remaining Death Eaters. “Dumbledore already knew that Voldemort would attack today. He most likely has all the students already evacuated. He and the Order of the Phoenix will be ready.” “The Order of the Phoenix?” one of the Death Eaters laughed as it pulled back its hood to expose Magnolia Reins. “The Order of the Phoenix cannot handle Flamora wielders. Lord Voldemort will surely destroy Hogwarts castle.” “You of all people should know better than to underestimate the power of Albus Dumbledore,” Keung growled as he took a step forward. “Besides, what good will Flamora wielders be once we've extinguished the Flame?” “Sorry, but we can't let you do that,” the other Death Eater hissed. Harry and Ron's eyes widened as they watched the other Death Eater pull down its hood. “William?” Harry said with shaky voice. “Why…William?” “Who?” asked Keung as his eyes narrowed on the man. “That's William Weinstein,” Ron replied, his mind having trouble accepting what he was seeing. “He goes to Hogwarts with us.” “I don't know what this person has been telling you, but he isn't William Weinstein,” Keung said as he took another small step forward, his gaze never leaving the man. Harry noticed that the expression on Keung's face had softened, a small smile forming. “It's been a long time, Willard.” “Willard…as in Willard Cross?” Ron responded, his lower lip trembling. “You mean, Veronica's missing brother?” “It's good to see that Hermione isn't the only one with intelligence,” Willard laughed as he reached into his robes and pulled out his wand. “Put your wand down!” Nancy ordered, aiming her wand at him. “No girl,” Reins hissed as she aimed her wand at Hermione's cage. “Put your wands down or Ms. Granger falls to a her death.” “Don't listen to her!” screamed Hermione as she looked at the four. “Don't drop your wands!” “I'm sorry Hermione,” Harry said with a defeated voice as he looked into her eyes. *Please don't worry, Hermione. We'll think of something.* With heavy sighs, the four dropped their wands to the floor. Hermione sank down to her knees and covered her face with her hands, tears pouring down her cheeks. Harry let out another sigh of frustration as his eyes moved from Hermione towards their wands. His eyes focused on the black wand next to his and realized that Keung hadn't dropped his silver one. “So…Nancy,” Willard grinned as he glared at her. “How are things with the Order of the Phoenix?” “What are you talking about?” asked Ron with a confused voice. Willard turned his head and realized that he had somehow struck a nerve with that comment. “Didn't you know, Weasley,” Willard replied as he looked at Ron. “Nancy is a member of Dumbledore's little Order. I overheard her one night giving her report to McGonagall and Dumbledore. She's quite the little sneak, if you asked me. Again…it does explain why a girl like her would ever want be with a guy like you, Weasley. I've always thought that she was too good for the likes of you.” Harry and Ron looked at her with dumbfounded expressions on their faces. Her fists clenched and she looked at the two with an apologetic look. “I couldn't tell you…” “What?” Ron asked, his heart slowly crumbling. “I was assigned by Dumbledore to protect Harry,” she answered hesitantly. She looked into Ron's eyes and could see the betrayal in them. “Protect me from…” Harry started but was interrupted by Ron. “You mean…all this time you've been with us was…because you were told to?” Ron asked, his voice weak. “So…all the things between us…weren't real?” “They were real, Ron,” Nancy replied, her eyes watering. “I do…” “I can't believe I trusted you,” Ron snapped, his body shaking. He took a step away from her, his head low. She tried touch his arm, but he jerked his head up and glared at her. “Don't…touch me.” “Oh, that's truly sad,” Reins said with a soft whimper. “Cross, you didn't have to tell him that.” “A person shouldn't die without knowing the truth,” Willard grinned as he turned and glared at Keung. “That would truly be doing them a grave injustice.” “No, a person shouldn't without knowing the truth,” Keung spoke as he took a step forward. “Willard, why are you helping Voldemort?” “I was told that he could help me…help me get the man that killed my sister!” Willard shouted as he aimed his wand at Keung, his eyes narrowing. “You…killed…my…sister!” “No, I didn't!” Keung roared back taking another small step forward, focusing directly on Willard's hazel eyes. Willard had the same eyes as his sister, but Keung knew that his heart had been tarnished. Keung opened his mouth, but nothing would come out. He looked at Reins, and his blood was fueled with anger. “It was…” “Don't believe his lies!” Reins barked at Willard. “He's nothing more than a murderer and a liar! I watched him murder your sister!” “You will pay for your crimes,” Willard growled as he moved his wand towards Harry. “But first, the three Hogwarts students…nothing more than meddlesome pests. Any last words? I reckon you only have about a minute of life left.” “Ready to shut your eyes,” Keung whispered to the three under his breath. “I'll distract them…save Hermione.” “What was that?” Reins asked as narrowed her eyes on Keung, her wand still trained on Hermione's cage. “Nothing,” Keung replied innocently. “Just saying good bye.” “Well then,” Willard smiled, his wand aimed at Harry's head. “I guess this will be the end of the famous Harry Potter.” “No!” Hermione screamed as she kicked her cage, causing the two Death Eaters to look towards her. Keung knew that this was his only chance and quickly reached into his robes. “Fulgeo!” Keung shouted as he lifted his silver wand into the air, a blinding light flashing from the tip. “What?” Willard shouted as he and Reins shielded their eyes from the bright light. However, before either had time to regain their vision, Keung ran forward and tackled them both to the ground. Harry quickly ran forward and picked up his wand. He aimed it Hermione's cage and shouted, “*Wingardium leviosa!*” Hermione felt her cage start to lift and she tried her best to see what was going on, but her vision was also blurred from the light. “*Adfligo!*” Nancy yelled, causing the chain that held Hermione's cage to snap. Harry pointed his wand gently towards him, causing Hermione's cage to slowly drift towards them, away from the pit. Willard sat up from the floor and looked over towards the floating cage, his vision regained. He quickly rose to his feet and aimed his wand at the cage. He let out an evil grin and shouted, “*Fulguritus!*” “*Protego!*” Keung shouted as he quickly jumped in the way of the lightning wave and scratched the air, causing the wave to reflect back towards Willard. “You damned devil!” Willard cried as he quickly formed an Invisible Wall, the lightning vanishing as it struck it. His eyes soon fell upon the silver wand in Keung's hand. His body started to shudder and he looked into Keung's eyes with his left hand outstretched. “That is my father's wand! Give it back to me!” “I'm sorry, Willard,” Keung replied with a stern voice, his wand aimed at him. Keung gritted his teeth when he noticed Reins slowly standing to her feet. Keung was confident in his dueling abilities, but he knew he wouldn't be able to fight them both at once. He focused his attention back on Willard and slowly shook his head. “I cannot give you this wand. You don't deserve to wield it.” “*Alohomora!*” Ron shouted causing the rusty lock on the cage to unlatch. Hermione waited for the cage to settle before she pushed the door open. She quickly stepped out of it and immediately jumped into Harry's arms, burying her head into his chest. Harry slowly sank to his knees, holding Hermione tightly in his arms. Nancy smiled at the two and she looked at Ron, noticing a look of happiness and relief in his eyes. She reached out and tried to touch his arm, but again Ron abruptly moved it away from her, giving her an incredibly cold look. “I've got you,” Harry said softly to her as he rose to his feet, pulling Hermione up gently with him. He looked over at Keung and realized that he was about to face both Reins and Willard. He released Hermione and reached into his pocket, pulling out her wand. “You dropped this.” “Thanks,” she said with a warm smile as took her wand. Harry gave them a reassured nod as they quickly ran to Keung's aide. “Look,” Reins cackled as her eyes fell upon Harry and Hermione, “it seems that Keung's little friends are ready to play.” “It will take more than four little kids to stop us,” Willard growled as his eyes focused on Keung. “I want Keung.” “No!” Reins shouted. “He can wield a Flamora blade…you wouldn't stand a chance against him. I will handle him; you take care of his little friends. Once you're done, then you can come assist me.” “Popular guy, aren't I?” Keung said sarcastically. He looked at Harry and with a firm voice, “I will handle Reins. Can you four manage Willard?” “It will be our pleasure,” Hermione answered as she stared angrily at Willard. “All right,” nodded Keung. He took a step forward and before anyone could say another word, he bolted towards Reins. Reins flashed him a bright smile as she quickly retreated towards an open area of the chamber. She held her wand tightly and her Flamora blade ignited, the flame glowing brighter than ever before. Keung slowed his advancement and took in several quick breaths as he ignited his blade. Reins giggled at him, slowly twirling her wand in her hand. Keung watched the blade carefully and quickly raised his to parry her first attack. Harry kept his eye on Willard, but could see the two Flamora blades clashing from the corner of his eye. He wanted to turn his head to check on Keung's progress, but knew that he needed to focus on the Willard. *Good luck Keung*, he thought as he slowly took a step forward towards his opponent. “Four against one,” Willard smiled as he cracked his knuckles. “I like these odds.” “Not when we're through with you,” Ron growled as he took a step forward. “I can't say anything against you three, but you…Potter,” Willard chuckled, “you should know better than to fight against me. You know that I am too powerful for you and your friends. Do you honestly believe that I would use everything I had against you during our match at the Dueling Tournament, especially with all the professors there? I could have killed you if I so desired.” Harry tightened his grip on his wand, knowing that Willard was exaggerating about his abilities. He quickly glanced at his three friends before returning his focus back on Willard, his heart slowly filling with doubt. He knew that Willard could have easily killed him in during the Dueling Tournament. He knew that from the very beginning on the duel that he wasn't a match for him. The duel that he and his friends were about to walk into could be their last. “I take that you're speechless because you don't know what to do?” Willard grinned as he took a step forward and lowered his wand to his side. The action confused Ron, Nancy, and Hermione; however, Harry knew exactly what he was planning. “Do you think we're that weak? How arrogant can you possibly be?” Nancy shouted as she tightened her grip on her wand. “You should know better than to underestimate us!” Before Harry could say a word, the three launched different spells at Willard. His grin widened as scratched the air with his wand, sending the three spells back at them. Harry quickly grabbed Hermione and pulled her to the floor as Ron and Nancy tried to stop the spells with their Invisible Walls. “No!” Harry shouted at the two as he held a startled Hermione in his arms. It was too late; the two had scratched the air with their wands. The spells collided with their walls and as Harry had feared, the spells broke through hitting Ron and Nancy, hurling them both to the floor. “Ron…Nancy!” Hermione screamed as Harry released her. She quickly ran towards them as Harry stood to his feet, his wand trained on Willard. “I told you that you all that were no match for me,” Willard said as he took another menacing step towards Harry. Harry took a step back but a cry of pain caused him to jerk his head over to the fight between the Flamora wielders. Keung gripped his left shoulder as he slowly backed away from a smirking Reins, blood flowing freely from his wound. Reins quickly advanced forward and swung her blade. Keung parried with his as he took another step back, his teeth gritted and his eyes focused. However before he could make another move, Reins struck him in the side with a sharp kick, causing him to stumble to the floor. “I find it incredibly rude that you take more interest in their fight when your life is surely on the line in this one,” Willard commented, causing Harry to turn towards him. Harry quickly took several steps back and quickly looked over at his three friends. Ron and Nancy had slowly gotten to their feet, their faces filled with uncertainty. Hermione stood in front of them with a concerned expression. Harry could tell that she wasn't able to think of a strategy on how to combat such an opponent. With the exception of Harry, none of his friends had ever faced an opponent of such caliber before. “What are you going to do now?” Willard grinned as he took another step forward. “You want a fight…I'll give you one,” Harry growled as he stood his ground. “Sorry mate, but you're not going to get into a fight without us,” Ron added as he, Hermione, and Nancy took their places next to Harry. Harry turned to his friends and gave them a weak smile as he turned and looked at an incredibly pleased Death Eater. “I will commend you all on your bravery,” Willard grinned as he aimed his wand at them. “It does explain the reason why you are all are in Gryffindor. Though Weasley…I'm truly surprised by your sudden courage. I always figured you to be the coward of the group.” Ron took a step forward with a look of exasperation. Nancy quickly took his arm, trying to prevent him from taking another step forward. Ron shot her a glare and wrenched his arm out of her grasp. Harry watched him carefully and knew that Ron was beyond any point of reason. Harry released a soft sigh and, too, started to advance towards Willard, not wanting to let Ron do anything rash. “When I said I was holding back, Potter,” Willard hissed as he raised his wand, ready to throw a spell. “I wasn't lying.” Keung noticed Willard's movements from the corner of his eye and knew that he needed to interrupt the fight. He quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding Reins' blade. He took this as his opportunity and dropped his wand to the floor. He swiftly lunged forward and grabbed the collar of Reins' robes. His left shoulder hurt unbelievably, but he had no choice. With one hard movement, Keung launched Reins over his shoulder and towards Willard. Willard noticed this and promptly moved out of the way as Reins landed on her back next to his feet. She growled and quickly hopped on her feet, rubbing her elbow gently. “Are you having trouble?” Willard asked with an unimpressed tone as Reins picked up her wand and re-ignited her blade. “Nothing more than usual,” she replied as she watched Keung slowly approach them. “He's desperately trying to protect these kids. I want him to concentrate all his strength on only fighting me. Finish them off so he has no choice but to.” Without another word she ran towards Keung and swung her blade as hard as she could, forcing him to take a step back after he parried the attack. “Oh those two…what can I say?” Willard grinned as he turned his attention back towards his four foes. “Sorry for the interruption. I doubt it will happen again…though then again… *Deflagratio!*” “*Conglacio!*” Harry shouted, releasing an ice wave. The collision was massive, a steady waterfall flowing underneath it. Harry's eyes grew wide when he felt the full force of Willard's fire wave. Harry gritted his teeth and pushed Willard's wave with all his strength. However, a feeling of dread washed over him when he was overpowered, forcing to take a step back. He turned and realized that his friends were still standing by him. “Get out of the way! I can't hold this for much longer!” “You won't have too,” Hermione quickly replied as she aimed her wand towards the collision. “*Amnis!*” Hermione's unleashed a colossal water wave that crashed into the collision. Harry grinned at her softly; relieved to feel that the massive force he was once experiencing had diminished to a tolerable level. Ron took this as his opportunity and quickly dashed away from the group until he found clear shot at Willard. He raised his wand and with all the anger within him, he shouted, “*Fulguritus!*” Willard saw the lightning attack coming and he gently smirked as he quickly called off his fire wave. He took a quick step back and scratched the air with his wand, causing all three waves to be launched back towards their summoners. Harry and Hermione quickly jumped away as their spells smashed into the floor. Ron, however, was too stunned to move, his eyes widening as the lightning wave approach him. He desperately wanted to move, but his legs wouldn't allow it. He then shut his eyes and instinctively raised his arms up to protect himself. “No!” Nancy cried as she threw herself in front of Ron, the lightning wave striking her back. Ron's eyes opened, terror filling him as he watched Nancy's body tremble in front of him. “Nancy?” Ron said with a weak voice. She gave him a soft smile she leaned forwards and collapsed onto him, Ron catching her in his arms. He slowly lowered her to the floor, his emotions racing. “Nancy…you okay?” She opened her eyes slowly and gave him a very weak smile. She coughed softly and with a quiet voice, “I do care about you…you stupid git. Very very much…” “Nancy!” Ron cried as she closed her eyes, his arms shaking her softly. “Wake up…wake up!” “Hermione, take care of Nancy,” Harry said as he gave her a worried look. “What about you?” she protested. “I can't let you fight him alone.” “I'll be fine. Nancy needs you more than I do right now,” Harry replied as he looked into her brown eyes, his expression softening. “We can't allow any spells hit her when she's like this. Ron's defenses aren't as good as yours. You can protect her better than he can.” She quickly glanced at her two friends and gave Harry a firm nod. She turned to face Harry again but found him focusing on Willard. She took a deep breath and hastily made her way over to Ron and Nancy, completely relieved to see that Nancy was still breathing. “I'll take care of her, you help Harry,” Hermione said as she stopped in front of them, her wand ready. When she realized that Ron wasn't moving, she quickly turned and shot him a look. “Nancy will be fine. I'll watch over her. Now get up and help Harry!” Ron nodded softly as he allowed Nancy to rest on the ground. He quickly picked up his wand and took his spot next to Harry. Harry looked at Ron and gave him a weak smile. Ron returned his smile with an even weaker one as the two turned to face Willard. “Oh isn't this sweet,” Willard snickered as he watched the two boys advance slowly towards him. “The brave little men are going to protect their women. Such chivalry...or is it stupidity? I'll be sure to carve both into your tombstones.” “You have a very odd sense of humor,” Ron retorted as Harry and he took another step forward. “After everything you've seen,” Willard laughed, “you really believe that you can attack me? I've given you two way too much credit. I can safely see that you're both completely lost your minds.” “Maybe,” Harry replied with a soft grin. “Well…then let's make things a bit more interesting.” Willard smiled, causing Harry's body to tense, unsure of what he was planning. Willard's smile grew wider as he aimed his wand at Ron. “*Imperio.*” Ron's body grew amazingly stiff and he dropped his wand to the floor. Harry's eyes grew wide as he quickly looked at his friend and then at an incredibly delighted look on Willard's face. “Ron, fight it!” Hermione screamed as she took a step forward, knowing that Harry was in serious trouble. “No!” Harry shouted to her. “Guard Nancy, I'll handle this!” How he would handle this, he didn't know. Ron's body soon loosened, but his eyes were glazed over. Harry knew that he wasn't able to fight the Imperius curse. “Ron, can you hear me?” Harry asked as Ron bent down and picked up his wand. “You okay?” However, to Harry's dismay, Ron pushed the tip of his wand into Harry's chest and without a moment of hesitation, white sparks were unleashed. Harry felt something hit him hard, causing him to fall onto his back. “Harry!” Hermione screamed as she took a step forward, but halted as she watched Ron turn towards her, his wand raised. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Keung noticed that Harry and his friends were in desperate need of help. He attempted to abandon his fight with Reins, but could never find an opportunity. She was swinging her blade wildly, forcing him to focus every ounce of his energy on parrying and dodging her attacks. However, no matter fast he moved, Reins seemed to move faster. *How did she get so strong? There is no possible way for her to get this good so quickly.* Keung grimaced as he felt the tip of Reins blade cut his left leg, causing him to stagger onto his right one. He looked into Reins' eyes and realized that they glowed an unnatural red. He was taken aback by them, never noticing them before. She swung her sword again, causing to stumble backwards, doing his best to ignore the pain in his injured leg. “What's wrong, Keung?” Reins asked with an evil smile as she slowly approached him, her blade aimed towards his chest. “You'd usually be spouting out some snide comment by now. No witty comebacks?” “None that come mind,” Keung replied as he continued to retreat, thankful that the pain in his shoulder and leg started to subside. “You've gotten a lot stronger.” “I'm glad that you've noticed,” she said with a cheerful voice. “It's interesting how much a little intensification can do.” “What intensification?” Keung asked, taking a hold of his wand with both of his hands. “Nothing for you to worry about!” she roared as she swung her blade at him. Keung blocked it with his, his eyes moving slightly so he could monitor Harry's process. Reins noticed this and her anger raised a level. “You should really keep your eyes on what you're doing!” Before Keung had time to react, Reins had kicked him hard in his face, causing him to fall onto his back. He watched her approach him, her eyes glowing even redder. He forced himself to stand again, wiping away the blood that was flowing from the side of his lips. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “Ron…” Harry said with a calm voice as he rose to his feet, his hand massaging his aching chest. “Put your wand down.” “I'm sorry Potter,” Willard grinned as Harry turned to face him. “Weasley is completely under my control now. There is nothing you can do about it…unless of course, you decide to attack him.” Harry looked at Ron again, but before he could say another word, he saw the tip of Ron's wand flash. Hermione suddenly collapsed to the ground, her body curled in agony and she let out excruciating screams of pain. Harry's eyes grew wide when he realized that Ron was using the Cruciatus curse on Hermione. “What are you going to do now, Potter?” Willard asked as he crossed his arms. “Your girlfriend is suffering.” “Sorry Ron,” Harry muttered as he aimed his wand at his friend. “*Compello contrudo!*” The white sparks hit Ron in the side, throwing him to the ground, where he laid motionless. Harry looked at Hermione's body and was relieved to see that she was no longer writhing in pain, but his heart suddenly sank when he realized that she wasn't breathing. “Hermione!” Harry cried as he quickly ran to her and sank to the floor. He pulled her into his arms and his body grew cold. He shook her gently, but she didn't respond. His emotions got the best of him and his eyes started to water. “Hermione…please…wake up…wake up.” “Too bad, Potter,” Willard sighed. “Looks like her lungs stopped working. It'll only be a matter of time now.” Harry's eyes lit up when he heard this. She wasn't dead yet, he could still save her. He gently lowered her to the floor and slowly lifted her chin. He squeezed her nose with his fingers and leaned down, taking in a deep breath before he placed his lips over hers. He blew into her mouth, causing her chest to rise. He pulled his mouth off hers and took in another deep breath, watching her chest lower. He did it again, and his heart skipped a beat when he felt her body move. She started to cough, air quickly returning to her lungs. “Hermione…” Harry said softly as he pulled her into his arms, his tears falling onto her face. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Keung fell to the ground, his wand leaving his hand and sliding dangerously close to the edge of the large pit. He clutched his chest and gritted his teeth in pain. Reins had successfully cut him again, the wound burning hotter than anything he'd ever felt before. “This is really pathetic,” Reins sighed as she slowly approached him. “You haven't once laid a finger on me.” “I'm sorry to disappoint you,” Keung replied as he took shallow breaths, his right arm reaching behind him for his wand. “I'm really trying…honest.” “You do know that all of this could of been avoided,” she said, her eyes focused on his. The glowing red color disappeared, leaving a deep blue behind. “All you had to do was to accept the fact that you were a Slytherin. You were just too stubborn for your own good.” “I was never meant to be a Slytherin,” Keung muttered as he managed to push himself along the ground, his hand still searching for his wand. “I never wanted to be a Slytherin.” “You don't mean that!” Reins cried, her eyes growing red again. “You know that you were meant to be a Slytherin!” “I was meant to be a Gryffindor!” Keung shouted as he finally found his wand, re-igniting his blade. However before he could move, Reins kicked him in his face, causing to fall onto his back. He tightened his grip on his wand and looked up at Reins, her blade inches away from his chest. “I loved you,” she muttered as she raised her blade in the air. “I never wanted to hurt you.” “I never meant to hurt you either,” he replied as he watched her hold her blade over her head. “Farewell,” she cried, tears falling from her eyes. Keung felt a rush of immense energy surge into his body. He looked towards his wand and realized that his Flamora blade was growing hotter and brighter. The end of his blade was hanging over the edge of the pit, and the Flame of Flamora was intensifying it. Keung suddenly realized that this was how Reins meant by intensification. She allowed the Flame of Flamora to burn hotter inside her, fueling her rage and emotions, corrupting her heart and soul beyond any form of repair. He quickly looked towards Reins and watched her blade lower towards him. He gritted his teeth and swung his blade, cutting hers completely in half. She stumbled back in shock and screamed as swung what remained of her blade at him again. Keung quickly got to his knees and spun around, Reins' blade missing him by centimeters as he forcefully drove his blade behind him towards his attacker. Reins let out a soft gasp as she felt the blade pierce through her stomach. She dropped her wand to the floor and her body remained still. Keung bit his lower lip and extinguished his flame. Within a few moments, he felt her body fall onto his. He carefully turned around and took hold of her body, resting her gently against the floor. Keung looked into her eyes and was glad to see that they were blue again. She gazed up at him and gave him a weak smile, several tears sliding down her cheeks. He took a deep breath as he gently touched her cheek with his hand. She placed her hand over of his and softly squeezed it. “Why don't you finish me?” she asked with a soft voice. “I did take everything away that was ever dear to you.” “I have enough grief in my life,” he replied with a gentle voice. “I don't need to add your death to my conscience.” “I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt her,” she whimpered, her body growing colder. “I never wanted to…” “I know…” he whispered. “I know.” “Go save Harry…go before it's too late…” She released his hand and allowed hers to fall to the floor. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “What kind of magic was that?” Willard asked with an intrigued voice as he watched Hermione breathing quietly in Harry's arms. He had never seen such a practice of rejuvenating a person before. “It's muggle magic,” Harry replied as he brushed Hermione's hair off her face, stroking her cheek gently. “Muggle magic? That's truly amusing,” he sighed as he aimed his wand at Harry. “I'm sorry but your efforts have been wasted. After I kill you, I'm just going to kill her again.” Harry looked at Willard and knew that his luck had run out. He tightened his arms around Hermione and sank his head, waiting for Willard's worst. He heard Willard summon the killing curse and he sat there, waiting for his world to end. Oddly enough he didn't have any regrets in his heart. He did his best to save Hermione, and if they had to die, he wanted it to be together. Keung suddenly jumped in front of Harry and used his Flamora blade to shield himself from the green sparks. The flame absorbed it and started to jerk erratically, causing Keung to release the wand. The flame extinguished itself as the wand hit the floor, gently rolling away towards Willard. Keung suddenly sank to his knees and looked behind him at a startled Harry. “You mean to tell me…” Keung started as he took a quick breath, his body completely exhausted, “after everything we've been through…all those chambers…getting into this chamber to save Hermione…you're just going to sit there and…take the abuse of this monster?” Harry gazed at Keung, his mouth open. He wanted to explain to Keung that he had nothing left. He didn't have the strength or the knowledge to beat Willard. Willard was a much more powerful wizard and there was nothing he could do to harm him. He wanted to say it to Keung desperately, but he couldn't. He knew Keung didn't want to hear it. He knew that if Hermione was awake; she would have slapped him for saying it. “I understand that you're tired,” Keung said as he turned and faced Willard. “I can fall asleep now and not wake up for a week, but we have to keep going. Don't forget…Voldemort is attacking Hogwarts. If we don't do something, innocent people will die.” Harry's eyes grew wide when images of Hogwarts being destroyed filled his mind. He had completely forgotten about it, his mind completely absorbed with only rescuing Hermione. Dumbledore and the other professors were most likely fighting for dear life at the moment. If he had given up, everyone and everything he never held dear in his life would have been destroyed. “The Flamora blade is powerful,” Willard grinned as he took several steps forward, placing his wand in his left hand. He reached down and pick up his father's wand, gripping it tightly in his right. His eyes lit up like a boy who's just received his favorite toy and with a sinister grin, aimed the silver wand at Keung. “I will settle things with you after I take care of Potter.” “I won't let you kill him,” Keung growled, rising to his feet. His body ached terribly and his wounds burned excruciatingly. “Why did you kill your parents? Why?” “It's simple really,” Willard replied as he stopped several feet in front of Keung, his wand aimed at his chest. “They wouldn't see things my way.” “What is that suppose to mean?” Keung asked as he took a step forward, his body nearly collapsing to the floor again. “I don't know why, but they believed the rubbish that you fed them,” Willard growled through his gritted teeth. “They believed that Magnolia Reins was the killer despite the fact that everyone else in the world knew that it was you. I don't understand why they trusted you so much. I knew that if I wanted to seek my revenge, I needed to take care of a few obstacles.” “So you killed them?” Keung retorted, his fists clenched. “You killed your parents just so you can avenge your sister's death with a clean conscience? What kind of a man are you? You don't have any of the qualities that Veronica and your parents possessed!” “Don't you dare give me a lecture on my family!” he screamed as he took another step forward, the tip of his wand poking into Keung's chest. “You have no right telling me how to run my life! You have no right! *Crucio!*” Keung's eyes grew wide and collapsed onto the floor, his body shaking. “Keung!” Harry cried as he lowered Hermione to the ground and ran over to the fallen Keung. He tried to touch him, but Keung was shaking too violently, tears slowly sliding down his face. His teeth were clenched tightly and Harry knew he was trying his best to not cry out in pain. Harry looked at Willard and saw a horrific look of satisfaction across his face as he tortured Keung. Harry quickly picked up his wand and ran towards Willard, his courage and anger returning to him. Willard pulled his wand back, but before he had an opportunity to point it at Harry, Harry gripped his right wrist. Harry tried to aim his wand at him, but Willard in turn, took a hold of his wrist. “What are you going to do now?” Willard grinned as he started to push Harry with all of his might, forcing him to take a step back. “Some more muggle magic,” Harry replied as he yanked his right wrist free from Willard's grasp. Harry released his wand and clenched his fist tightly. With all the strength he could muster, he swung his fist as hard as he could, connecting with Willard's face. Harry released Willard's wrist and took in a deep breath as he watched him stumble to the floor, his hands covering his face. Harry leaned down and picked up his wand and aimed it at the whimpering Willard. He was able to get a glimpse of his face and he noticed that Willard's once perfect nose was completely out of place, blood drooling out of his mouth. “It's over,” Harry said with a firm voice as he watched Willard struggle to stand. He gave Harry a look of utter terror and lifted his hands in the air. “Pease don kill me,” Willard pleaded, his voice obscured by his broken nose. “I neber wanded do hurd you.” “Never wanted me to hurt me!” Harry growled, his anger rising. “Do you expect me to believe that?” “No,” Willard cackled, exposing the missing teeth, his eyes gleaming. Harry suddenly felt something hit his back and his body began to hurt horrendously, causing him to collapse to his knees. He looked behind his shoulder and saw Willard's wand floating in the air, trained on his back. Harry tried to move, but a wave of electricity left the wand, striking his body. Harry released a cry of pain as he sank to the floor, smoke rising from his robes. “You should ob killed me,” Willard laughed as he spat out a mouth full of blood onto the floor. He picked up the silver wand and stood up, pointing it at Harry. “Whad you gonna do now?” Harry struggled to get to up, but the floating wand released another vicious lightning attack, causing Harry to crumble back onto the floor, his muscles twitching painfully. Willard lowered the silver wand and slowly took a step forward, his arms crossed. Harry tried to get up again and again he collapsed back to the floor, the floating wand unleashing another lightning attack. “You are sdubid!” Willard cackled with an amused look on his face. Harry took in quick breaths, his eyes shut tightly, trying to make the pain subside. His muscles felt like they were on fire and he found it incredibly difficult to move them. Willard took a few steps forward, stopping inches away from Harry's head. “Dime to die!” “Think again!” Willard heard as a fireball struck his floating wand, knocking it into the fiery pit. Willard growled and turned to find Keung on his knees with Hermione's wand in his hand. “I told you once and I'll tell you again, I won't let you kill him.” “You!” Willard screamed as started to back away from Harry, Keung following him with the wand. Willard observed that Keung's eyes were half open and his body moved slowly. Keung wasn't in any condition to do anymore fighting. Willard let out a sick smile and with a swift motion; he aimed his wand at Keung. Lightning left his wand and struck Keung square in the chest, causing him to collapse onto the ground. Keung let out a short cry of pain as wave after wave of electricity hit his body. Harry slowly rose to his knees and his eyes focused on Willard. He suddenly felt something in his pocket and he reached his hand it to pull it out. He examined the object and realized that it was the snitch that Hermione had given him for his birthday. He had placed it in his pocket that morning before the Quidditch match and had never removed it. He gripped it tightly as he looked back again at a now cackling Willard. Harry drew his arm back and threw the snitch as hard as he could at Willard, hitting him directly in his broken nose. Willard dropped the silver wand as his hands immediately gripped his nose, bellowing loud screams of pain. Harry quickly picked up his wand but his wrist was weak and trembling, making it incredibly difficult to aim. “Podder!” Willard cried as he looked at him and reached down for the silver wand. Harry narrowed his eyes and his wrist suddenly became steady. “*Compello contrundo!*” Harry shouted, the white sparks from his wand slamming directly into Willard's stomach causing him to fly into the wall of the chamber. He sank to his knees and Harry gritted his teeth as he aimed his wand at the floor right in front of him. “*Motus!*” The ground shattered and a large crack quickly made its way towards Willard and before he had time to react, the ground underneath him exploded. Willard flew against the wall again, causing it to crack from his impact. Harry watched him slide down to the floor, he still struggling to get to his feet. He saw Willard grip the silver wand and slowly lift it. “Never learn, do you?” Harry growled as he looked at the wall that Willard was resting against. Willard managed to aim his wand at Harry, but before he could do anything, Harry pointed his wand towards the wall. “*Adfilgo!*” The portion of the wall next to Willard's head shattered, small rocks and dust to flying into him. As Harry had hopped, a rock struck Willard in the side of his head, causing his eyes to widen. Willard's mouth opened, but before he could say a word, he slumped against the wall, unconscious. Harry lowered his wand and slowly made his way to a stirring Keung. Keung gradually sat up and looked at Harry with thankful eyes. Harry sank to his knees and let out a sigh of relief as Keung patted his shoulder. Harry gave him a weak smile as he looked over at his three fallen friends and noticed that Hermione was slowly getting up. Harry noticed Keung's eyes widening and he quickly turned to find Willard Cross on his feet yet again, the silver wand aimed at him. With a deep breath, he shouted, “You cand debeat me, Podder!” “*Compello contrundo!*” Harry and Keung heard someone scream as they saw white sparks hit Willard's head. Willard dropped the wand and started to stumble towards his left. Harry's eyes narrowed as he watched Willard's left foot stopped just at the edge of the pit of fire. His heart secretly wished that Willard had fallen in. “Id'll dake more dan dat…Podder,” Willard gasped as he tried to right his body. “Much...much more!” Willard's body suddenly grew limp again and he collapsed to the floor. Harry struggled to his feet, his wand trained on him. Willard looked up at Harry and cursed himself. Harry stopped his advancement and waited for Willard to give him an excuse to blast him. However, with a loud crack and an explosion of smoke, Willard had vanished. Harry and Keung released a short sigh of relief. Harry slowly turned and his eyes fell upon Hermione. She had her wand gripped tightly in her hand and her body was shuddering softly, her eyes watering. Harry quickly made his way to her and sank to his knees, wrapping his arms around her. She let out a small cry as she buried her face into the nape of his neck. “It's okay Hermione…” Harry said softly as he kissed the side of her head, the soft scent of her vanilla perfume still lingered. She raised her head and looked into his eyes. He gave her a bright smile, his heart racing again. “Are you okay?” she asked with a weak voice as her hands gently rubbed the dirt off his cheeks. “He didn't hurt you, did he?” “Nothing, I couldn't handle,” he replied as he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly, his arms wrapping tighter around her. “Harry?” Ron mumbled softly as he slowly sat up. “What's going on?” “It's over,” Harry said with a smile as he broke his and Hermione's kiss. He helped Hermione up and the two walked over to Ron. Ron slowly pushed himself onto his feet, wincing as he started to stretch. His eyes fell upon Nancy and he hastily made his way to her. “Nancy…” Ron whispered as he shook her gently. “Nancy…wake up.” “What's happening?” Nancy groaned as she opened her eyes, looking directly into Ron's. A soft smile grew on her face as she reached up and gently touched his cheek. “Hi Ron.” “Hey yourself,” he grinned as gently helped her up. “Looks like we've made it,” Harry laughed as the four friends looked at each other. Ron and Hermione nodded slowly and couldn't help but snicker softly. Harry let out a soft sigh and the four moved closer and huddled together for a group hug. Hermione's head nestled on Harry's shoulder as Nancy's rested on Ron's shoulder. Harry and Ron gently leaned their foreheads against each other's as the four hugged as hard as they could, completely overwhelmed by their narrow victory. “Where's Keung?” Hermione asked softly when she realized that he didn't include himself in the hug. The four separated and quickly turned towards the blazing pit. Keung stood at the edge, his back towards them, gazing into the black inferno. Harry's eyes grew wide and suddenly ran towards Keung with Hermione, Nancy, and Ron behind him. “What are you doing?” Harry shouted as he took a hold of Keung's arm. “We need to put this flame out, Harry,” Keung replied as he looked at him with sincere eyes. “I don't know how long Dumbledore and the Order can hold off Voldemort.” “You can't do this!” cried Harry, his mind returning to the horrific idea of Keung throwing himself into the Flame. “Harry, I have to,” Keung replied, completely shocked after hearing what Harry had just said. “Aside from saving Hermione, it's the thing we have to do.” “What about your sister?” Harry barked. “What am I suppose to tell her?” “What are you talking about?” Keung asked with a confused expression. “What does this have to do anything with Cho?” “How am I suppose to tell her that her brother threw himself into a pit of fire?” Harry shouted, releasing Keung's arm. “What are you talking about?” Keung asked with a soft grin on his face. “I am not planning on throwing myself in the fire.” “What?” Harry was completely unaware of everything that had just transpired during his bantering. “The poem told me to cast my love, fury, and sorrow into the Flame,” Keung said as he leaned down and picked up the silver wand. “It didn't say that it was necessary to throw myself into it.” “But you said that you would if you had to?” Harry spoke his voice slowly growing weaker, feeling incredibly dumb for his recent outbursts. “And I would if I had to,” Keung replied as he pulled out a Gryffindor tie from his pocket. “Though that's not the solution to the riddle.” “What is the solution?” Hermione asked as she took a step forward and gently took a hold of Harry's arm. “This is,” Keung said as he held out Veronica's silver wand. Harry's eyes focused on the wand and his mouth slightly dropped, his mind trying to find the question he was looking for. Keung gave them a comforting nod and started to tie the Gryffindor tie to the wand. “Harry, remember how I told you that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't summon the Flamora blade until I used Veronica's wand?” Harry slowly nodded as he watched Keung stare at the silver wand. “The only reason I was able to summon the Flame with this wand is because it was the only possession that I had that could invoke the emotions I needed. The Flame strove on these emotions. The memory of Veronica filled my heart with love… memory of how I wasn't able to save her filled my heart with fury…the memory of her death filled my heart with sorrow. “The answer I've been looking for was with me the entire time. It makes me wonder if Dumbledore didn't purposely leave the wand on his table for me to take.” Keung smiled softly as he looked at the wand, his eyes gently watering. Keung kissed the silver wand softly and held it out over the pit. He took a deep breath and looked down towards the blazing inferno. “I love you, Veronica Cross. Good bye,” he muttered as he dropped the wand, watching it disappear into the Flame. The Flame suddenly grew larger as if several explosions were released within it. Keung felt something rush through his body, slowly rejuvenating him. He quickly pulled back his left sleeve, exposing the now dirty bandage. He ripped it off and with a look of astonishment; he watched the first cut he received from Reins slowly disappear. In fact, all the wounds that were inflicted onto him by Reins' blade had vanished. “It disappeared,” Harry muttered as he looked at Keung, a smile forming in his face. The ground started to rumble and with a mighty explosion, the Flame erupted out of the pit, nearly burning Keung, Harry, and Hermione. The three quickly retreated towards Ron and Nancy as they watched a column of fire to rise out of the pit, drilling into the ceiling. The five covered their faces as dust and ash started to fill the room. Within seconds, the chamber was still again. The Flame of Flamora was gone. The five carefully looked up at the large hole that the column of flames had made, and they smiled softly as they saw the starry sky. “It's finally over,” Harry whispered to Hermione as she tightened a grip around his arm, rubbing her cheek gently against his shoulder. However before they had a chance to settle on the idea, the floor around them started to shake violently, nearly causing all of them to lose their balance. The chamber had begun to fall apart; the walls slowly crumbling as small geysers of steam started erupting from the floor. “We need to head back to the portkey now! This place is going to fall apart!” Keung shouted as he pointed towards the large doors that led back to the circular platform. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Nancy quickly ran for the doors with Keung bringing up the rear. Keung heard someone calling him, and he quickly turned to see Reins struggling on the floor. She was moving slowly, but was too weak to stand. “What is it?” Harry shouted, the rumbling of the rocks grew louder and louder. “You go ahead to the platform!” Keung shouted as he pointed towards Reins. “We can't leave her here to die!” Harry nodded to him and watched Keung make his way back towards Reins. The ground started to shake more violently and Harry knew that they didn't have much time left. He heard Hermione scream his name and he knew that his friends had already waiting by the platform. He watched Keung lift Reins into his arms and gave him a reassured nod. Harry quickly turned and ran as fast as he could towards the elevator. “Hurry!” Ron yelled as the three saw Harry approaching them. The walls of the corridor started to crumble from the quake, forcing Harry to weave out of the way of falling rocks. However when he was several yards away from the platform, he stumbled on a rock and fell to the ground. Ron's eyes grew wide when he noticed the ceiling directly above Harry was starting to give way. “Ron!” Nancy and Hermione screamed as he bolted to Harry, grabbing him by his robes. With a hard pull and Harry pushing off with his feet, Harry was able move out of the way just as the ceiling started to cave in. Harry's eyes suddenly grew wide as he looked behind him. The corridor was completely sealed. “Keung!” Harry shouted, prying himself lose from Ron. Ron quickly looked at the girls, the two screaming at them to get into the elevator. Harry ignored their cries and stared at the large mess that barricaded Keung and Reins from the platform. “Keung, can you hear me?” “What are you doing?” he heard Keung shouting from the other side. “Get going!” “We can't leave without you!” Harry cried, trying to move the rocks with every ounce of the strength left in him. “You have to!” Keung shouted, his voice firm. “I will find a way! Use the portkey! I will be all right!” “We need to go now!” Ron shouted as he took a hold of Harry and started to drag him back towards the elevator. Ron's eyes started to water as he heard Harry's cries. He didn't have a choice. If they had waited there too long, none of them would be able to leave the mountain alive. “No!” Harry shouted as Ron finally got him onto the platform. The platform started to shudder and began to make its way down the mountain. It occasionally jerked from the force of the crumbling rocks, but continued to move downwards without too much trouble. “Listen to me Harry!” Hermione shouted as she looked into his eyes. She knew that he was hurting terribly, they all were. Tears slowly started to slide down her cheeks, but she kept her face firm. “We need to leave! If we don't, we'll all die!” Harry took in a deep breath and nodded to her, his fists clenched tightly. The platform suddenly started to shake viciously as they reached the center chamber. The four jumped out of the booth just as the floor started to crumble around it. Within seconds, the ground surrounding the circular platform had completely given way allowing the elevator fall into the mountain. Nancy quickly pointed towards the exit and the four ran as fast as they could with Harry taking the lead. The four moved through the narrow corridor as fast as they could, weaving left, right, and down, depending on the walls and the ceiling. Harry looked behind him and his eyes grew wide when he saw that the corridor was starting to fall apart. He was relieved when they ran passed the large doors that led back to the staircase, but wasn't thrilled to see that cave was also starting to give way. Harry quickly moved to his left and took Hermione's hand with his as a huge stalactite fell dangerously close to them. He looked forward and noticed that they still had bit left to travel before they were safe. Harry aimed his wand towards the entrance of the cave when he saw that it too was starting to fall apart. He focused on the ceiling of the entrance way and shouted, “*Conglacio!*” The wave struck the ceiling, causing a thick layer of ice to surround it, giving them the extra seconds they needed to run out of the cave. However they didn't stop running, the cave started to implode on itself causing gigantic boulders to start rolling down the side of the mountain. The four ran away from the mountain, doing their best to ignore their burning muscles and their aching lungs. Harry quickly observed the area and led them in the general direction of the portkey. “That way!” Harry shouted as he pointed towards the two large boulders. The four finally stopped when they reached their destination. Nancy and Hermione sank to their knees coughing erratically. Their muscles had grown numb and their lungs felt like they had collapsed. “Bloody hell…that was close,” Ron gasped as he leaned against one of the large boulders; his eyes shut tight, sweat pouring from his face. “If we…waited any longer…we'd never made it.” Harry didn't think about resting. He immediately moved in between the two large boulders and started to search around the rocks. A smile formed on his face when he found the blue rock sitting directly in the center of a pile. Harry looked towards his friends and nodded to them as they forced themselves to move towards the portkey. “Let's go home,” Harry said softly as he took a deep breath. The four reached out and touched the blue rock, a bright light slowly enveloping them. 20. Secrets and Friendship -------------------------- **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 Twenty: Secrets and Friendship** “You weren't joking,” Nancy sighed as she and Hermione collapsed onto Harry's bed. “This sort of thing happens every year?” The portkey had safely transported the four back to the sixth year boys' dormitory. While Nancy and Hermione had the luxury of falling onto Harry's bed, Harry and Ron sank onto the hard floor. However, after their ordeal, the stone floor felt as soft as cotton. “Just about,” Hermione replied, taking in slow and quiet breaths, completely fatigued. “I don't hear any fighting,” Harry said as he used some of his remaining strength to roll onto his stomach and crawl over to the window. He collapsed onto the floor again, but was able to look out towards the grounds. It was night, but he was able to get a clear view of everything around the castle. Aside for a few fallen trees, the grounds looked exactly the way they had left it. “No one's…fighting outside.” “That's good,” Ron coughed as he stared at the ceiling, his eyes half open. “Well…Gryffindor Tower is still standing…that's always a good sign.” “Is everyone okay?” Harry asked as he slowly rolled over onto his back. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself off the floor, allowing himself to rest against the side of the bed next to his. “I'm fine,” Hermione whispered, her eyes slowly closing. “I'm okay,” Ron answered, his hands rubbing his temples gently. His eyes widened when they didn't hear Nancy respond. He pushed himself into a sitting position, his face full of worry. “Nancy? Nancy, you okay?” “She's fine, Ron,” Hermione replied as she turned to her head to face at Nancy. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing softly. “She's sleeping…only sleeping.” “Oh…okay,” Ron softly smiled as he allowed himself to crumble back onto the floor. He released a soft yawn and looked over at Harry. “These floors are really comfortable…I never knew that…” Harry raised his eyebrow at Ron, realizing that he was utterly incoherent, his exhaustion taking a complete hold of his mind and body. Harry gradually turned his head and looked out the window to see that stars were shining brightly. He turned to say something to Ron, but Ron spoke first. “You know…” he said, almost giggling, “sleep sounds really…really good. Best idea anyone…has had all day.” “Yeah,” Hermione sighed happily as she took a hold of Harry's pillow and snuggled with it. She looked at Harry and gave him a sweet smile before she closed her eyes. “Harry…your bed is a lot more comfortable than mine.” “You can have it…” Harry replied as he did his best to fight off a yawn. He closed his eyes and slowly allowed sleep to slowly take. However as the events of their day rushed back into his head, he knew that this wasn't the time to rest. He cursed himself as he forced his eyes to open. He looked at his three friends and saw that they were all asleep. “Ron…Ron,” Harry said softly as he crawled over to his friend and shook his shoulder gently. “Wake up.” “What is it, Harry?” Ron said with an incredibly aggravated voice, his eyes still closed. “We need to find Dumbledore…c'mon…incase they need help,” Harry replied, still shaking his stubborn friend. “They could be fighting somewhere inside the castle.” “They can handle it,” Ron snapped as he rolled away from Harry. “If Gryffindor Tower…decides to fall…then I'll…just see you in the afterlife.” Harry's patience was growing thin and he opened his mouth again to say something when he realized that Ron had fallen back to sleep. Harry released a sigh of frustration as he slowly stood up, finding it exceedingly difficult to maintain his balance. He looked over to his bed and saw that Hermione and Nancy. He thought about waking Hermione, but stopped when he saw a soft smile on her lips. She was completely relaxed and carefree. He didn't have the heart to wake her. “On my own again,” he groaned as he quietly walked over Ron and out of the boys' dormitory. He leaned against the wall for support but his heart sank when he looked at the stairs that led down to the Gryffindor common room. He barely had enough strength to keep standing and with him walking down stairs, gravity would surely have its fill if he happened to collapse. He gritted his teeth and slowly started to descend the stairs, relying heavily on the wall to keep himself upright. His feet nearly slipped a few times, but he was always able to catch himself. To ensure his safety, he slowed his pace down each time he nearly lost his balance. *Now I know how an old person feels when they do this*, he thought to himself as he was finally able to see the doorway that led into the common room. Harry noticed that the common room was too quiet for comfort and he stopped his descent. He pulled out his wand and held it firmly with his left hand as he continued to use his right to support himself. He silently and slowly walked down the remaining the steps, his wand out in front of him. He knew that he wasn't in any condition to do anymore fighting, but hoped that he could at least intimidate his foes by looking prepared. Harry took a deep breath as he pushed himself out the doorway, his eyes moving in every direction, his wand ready. His eyes softened when he saw Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Remus Lupin sitting by the fireplace. A smile formed on his face as he lowered his wand. He released it, allowing it to fall to the ground, causing the three to turn towards him. “Harry!” Lupin shouted with a relieved look on his face. He immediately stood to his feet and ran around the couch to Harry. He placed his hands on Harry's shoulders and Harry couldn't help but feel amazingly comforted by them. “Are you all right?” Professor McGonagall asked as she hurried over to him with a worried look on her face. “How are the others?” “I'm fine,” Harry replied softly, feeling his remaining strength draining from him. “We are all fine. They're upstairs in my room resting.” “Oh, thank goodness,” she sighed as she touched Harry's cheek gently, rubbing off some of the dirt that covered his face. “Is it over? Did Voldemort attack the castle?” Harry asked as he looked at Dumbledore. He remained in his armchair, but gave Harry a very pleased and relieved look. “It's over,” he replied softly with a smile. “Voldemort and his forces retreated before they had the opportunity to attack the castle.” “That's good…” Harry said weakly as he looked back at Lupin. Lupin gave him a comforting smile and Harry suddenly felt his knees give way. His exhaustion had finally caught up with him. With a soft sigh, he fell forward, feeling Lupin's arms wrap securely around him. * ~ * ~ *~ * Harry stirred softly, his senses slowly awakening. He felt himself in a soft bed, covered with several warm blankets. He knew something wasn't right as his mind tried to recall what had happened to him. He remembered talking with Lupin, McGonagall, and Dumbledore, but nothing after that. When his mind couldn't find the answer, he allowed himself to open his eyes and observe his surroundings. He sat up in the bed and gently rubbed his eyes. Everything was a blur to him but he recognized where he was. He had been in this room too often for comfort. He looked to his right and found his glasses on the night table. He picked them up and placed them on, watching the hospital wing come into focus. “Hello, sleepyhead,” he heard a gentle voice come from the bed to his left. He turned and a warm smile formed on his face when he saw Hermione smiling brightly at him. She was sitting up in her bed with her back resting against her pillows and her blankets wrapped around her. Harry could see that she was wearing her light blue pajamas and she looked really pretty with her bushy hair in a ponytail. “Hello,” he smiled as he raised his arms and stretched his back, releasing a soft yawn. “How did we get here?” “Professor Dumbledore brought us here,” she replied. “According to Madame Pomfrey, we've been sleeping for almost three days. I just woke up about an hour ago.” “Three days…” he sighed as he looked at the bed next to Hermione and found Ron sound asleep. He continued to look around the room, only to find empty beds and no signs of Nancy. He looked at Hermione and was about to ask her, but she already guessed his question. “She's talking with Professor Dumbledore,” she said as she unwrapped herself from her blankets and stretched her arms. “She woke up about a half an hour before you did. Professor Dumbledore came by for a quick visit and when he saw that she was awake, he said that he needed to talk to her immediately…so they left.” “It makes sense,” Harry replied as he looked over at Ron. “She's a member of the Order after all.” “Yeah…” she said softly as she turned and looked at their sleeping friend. “Do you think Ron will be okay with Nancy?” “I don't know. I think he'll…” Harry stopped when he heard the door of the hospital wing open. The two turned and found Professor Dumbledore walking in with Nancy behind him. Harry's mind started to race. He had so many questions he wanted answered, but his eyes suddenly grew wide. He couldn't believe that he had forgotten about him. He couldn't believe after everything they all had been through together, the thought him just recently entered his mind. Harry immediately jumped out of his bed, his blankets falling to the floor. Hermione nearly jumped out of bed as well, completely surprised by Harry's sudden actions. He looked at Professor Dumbledore with serious eyes and asked, “Do you know what happened to Keung? Is he all right?” “I sorry Harry, but I do not know,” Dumbledore replied as he and Nancy stopped in front of Harry and Hermione's beds. Harry could see that there wasn't a twinkle in his eyes, and it truly frightened him. “I have sent Fawkes to search for him, but neither Fawkes or Keung have returned.” Dumbledore continued. Harry's mouth dropped and he felt his knees grow weak. He took several quick breaths and slowly turned towards Hermione, his eyes expressing everything he couldn't put into words. Hermione quickly got out of her bed and helped steady him. She guided him back her bed and the two sat down, one hand holding his and her other gently massaging the back of his tense neck. “No…” Harry said to himself. He took several heavy breaths as he slowly looked up at Dumbledore, trying to keep his emotions from bursting. Hermione gently squeezed his tense neck as she ran her thumb across the top of his hand. She knew that he was on the verge of losing control. Harry trembled softly as his eyes focused on the floor. “He can't be…he can't.” “I do not wish you fill you with false hope, but it is very possible that he is alive. Only time and patience will tell,” Dumbledore said with a gentle voice as he walked alongside Hermione's bed and stopped in front of them. He pulled out his wand and with a swift flick, a large armchair appeared. He slowly sat down in it, and turned to Nancy. He gave her a soft smile and asked, “Would you please wake Ron, Nancy?” She nodded to him and silently made her way over to Ron's bed. Harry could hear Ron stirring behind him, but he didn't bother to turn around. He felt ill and despite Hermione's closeness, he felt his body turn to ice. He knew that Keung could be alive and he hoped that he was with everything in his heart. However, if he wasn't, Harry knew that it would have been his fault. He didn't want to lose another friend. He didn't want to fail in saving another friend. “What's going on?” Ron whispered to Nancy, when he noticed Harry's uneasy composure. She placed her finger over her lips and the two gently settled on Hermione's bed and faced their Headmaster. “What happened with the Voldemort and his army?” Hermione quickly asked, wanting to prevent an uncomfortable silence from falling upon the group. She watched Harry lift his head slowly, hoping that the subject would help keep his mind off Keung for the time being. “The attack was successfully prevented,” Dumbledore replied with a smile. He placed his hands together and relaxed against his chair. “Alastor Moody devised a very clever strategy in combating Voldemort's army, and we were successful in deterring Voldemort's progress long enough to give your party the necessary time to extinguish the Flame of Flamora. His forces retreated shortly after their Flamora abilities were lost, but we were fortunate to arrest over a dozen of his Death Eaters.” “How was it prevented?” Harry asked slowly, sounding relieved and somewhat intrigued. Harry was happy to learn that Voldemort had failed in attacking the castle and was incredibly delighted to see that they were the only ones in the hospital wing. However, he wasn't able to express his joy due to the somersaults his stomach was currently making. “Alastor knew that Voldemort would strike from the Forbidden Forest,” Dumbledore explained. “The forest and Hogsmeade were the two closets locations where apparition is possible. Alastor felt that Voldemort would want to strike when we would least expect, meaning that apparating into a crowded Wizard town would have been out of the question. “Therefore, we had the students take refuge at Hogsmeade and created our defenses along the perimeter of the forest. Remus was able to form a temporary alliance with the centaurs, and they helped us greatly in devising various obstacles that Voldemort and his Death Eaters would have to pass in order to reach the castle. I discussed the situation with Cornelius Fudge and he gladly sent his Aurors, along with many members of the Order, to aid us.” “Of course, he would,” Ron said as he rolled his eyes at the thought of Fudge. “That prat is always trying to take all the glory.” Hermione didn't agree with how Ron had stated his comment, but she knew that he was right. Cornelius Fudge was the exact type who would do everything in his power to stay on the right side of the people. This quality caused a lot of problems for Harry and Dumbledore the year before, when Fudge refused to accept the fact that the Dark Lord had returned. “Wait…Professor…you allowed Harry and the others to come after me and extinguish the Flame?” Hermione asked with an incredibly shocked look on her face. She had thought that her friends acted on their own, against Dumbledore's orders, but never did the thought of them having permission ever crossed her mind. She wondered if Dumbledore's judgment was starting to be compromised due to age and stress. “What if we failed? We could have all died?” “To your first question, Hermione, I did allow Harry and the others to go,” Dumbledore replied as he looked at her with sincere eyes. Ron and Nancy stirred gently on the bed, their minds trying to push away the memories of the Flame and their struggle to reach it. “I understood that you all were taking an incredible risk and it does seem like a unwise decision on my part…however I also had the utmost confidence that you all would accomplish the task and return,” Dumbledore finished. “Not all of us returned…” Harry mumbled to himself, however he had said it louder than he meant to, causing everyone to look at him. Harry lifted his head and looked into Dumbledore's eyes. He felt his emotions starting to get the best of him and he slowly stood to his feet, not taking his eyes off Dumbledore. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing would come out. He, too, had wondered why Dumbledore had allowed him to go. Harry was glad that he did, but knew that if Dumbledore truly didn't want him to, he could have easily prevented it. Though, sometime suddenly dawned upon him. The answer hit him harder than he expected and he slowly took his seat back on the bed, his eyes moving towards the ground. He took a deep breath and quietly muttered, “You let me go…because I couldn't die.” “What?” Hermione gasped. Ron and Nancy were also completely baffled by Harry's comment and looked at each other before hesitantly looking at him and then towards Dumbledore. Hermione's expression fell to one of worry. “What are you talking about? You could of easily died?” “No, I couldn't,” Harry replied as he broke his eye contact with Dumbledore and looked into Hermione's. The secret that he had kept from her needed to come out. He had kept it away from her and his friends for too long. He looked back at Dumbledore and watched him give him a soft nod. He turned to his three worried friends and took a deep breath. “No matter what could of happened in that mountain…I couldn't die.” “Harry, there isn't any need for you to be the hero anymore,” Nancy said softly, unsure of how to read Harry's actions. “It has nothing to do with that,” Harry snapped. He looked towards the floor again and quickly thought through everything, wishing there was a way he could make what he was about to say less shocking. He felt Hermione take his hands in hers. He slowly looked at her and took in another deep breath. “Well…do you remember the prophecy what we thought we lost last year? “Yes,” Hermione answered uncertainly. “The one from the Department of Mysteries?” “Yeah…well…the prophecy was never lost…I mean…I know what the prophecy is,” Harry said in a weak voice. “It was…well…it was prophesized…that the…only way for me to die…” “What?” Ron asked, his face contorting. “Only way for you to die…is what?” Harry felt Hermione's hands tighten around his. He took another deep breath and turned towards Dumbledore, his eyes pleading for help. Dumbledore understood his eyes and gently nodded his head. Harry gave him a grateful smile and returned his gaze to Hermione, whose eyes had begun to water. He didn't need to say it to her, from how she was reacting; she somehow knew what was coming. With a heavy sigh Dumbledore repeated to them the same thing that he had told Harry a year ago. He explained how the boy who would defeat Voldemort was born at the end of July, he explained how the parents of the boy had defied Voldemort three times, he explained how Voldemort would mark the boy as his equal, and most importantly, he explained how the only way for either the boy or Voldemort to die was at the hands of the other. Harry didn't move his eyes off Hermione. He watched her face grow white as Dumbledore explained everything that he didn't have the courage to say. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and her grip on Harry's hands grew tighter and tighter. Harry didn't need to read her mind. He knew that she was upset and he knew that she wasn't going to be pleased with him for keeping something like this away from her. When Dumbledore had finished, the group had grown quiet. Harry occasionally looked over at Ron and Nancy, and noticed the stunned expressions that blanketed their faces. He felt horribly uncomfortable with the silence, but he thanked it because it meant that Ron and Hermione weren't jumping at his throat for never telling them. “Does that mean…” Hermione started as she finally made eye contact with Harry, her eyes red and swollen, “that when all this is over…you are either going to kill Voldemort or he is going to kill you?” Harry nodded slowly and he watched her body shudder. He quickly averted his eyes away from her, waiting for her to scream at him. In fact, he was waiting to be struck. He knew he deserved it, and he would allow Hermione to do anything if it were to ease the pain she was experiencing. However what Harry felt was something he wasn't expecting. Hermione wrapped her warm arms around him and hugged him tightly, resting her forehead on his shoulder. “Well mate…” Ron said shakily, Harry turning to look at him. His face was incredibly pale, making his hair seem a lot redder than usual. Ron released a nervous chuckle, and Harry knew that this was hurting him just as much as it did Hermione. “I guess…this means that you're…invincible until…you know…fight You-Know-Who?” “I guess,” Harry replied as he comforted Hermione in his arms, allowing her to rest against him. He was grateful of how mature his friends were handling the news. He looked back at Dumbledore and noticed a very pleased look on his face. Harry thought back to the day he first learned about his inevitable fate and he cursed himself for reacting so poorly. He knew he had other things on his mind at the time, but he didn't want to make excuses. “Though Harry…this doesn't mean that you should go out and start picking other fights,” Nancy said with a weak smile as she leaned gently against Ron. Harry gave her a warm smile and gently nodded his head. “Voldemort to this day does not know the last and most important piece of the prophecy,” Dumbledore spoke, causing the four students to turn their attention to him. “That Harry is your greatest advantage. Until Voldemort decides to treat you as an equal, you have nothing to fear. Until he confronts you with the intention to kill you himself, your life will always be spared.” “He had a chance to kill me though,” Harry said with a firm voice, his arms tightening around Hermione. “However, he did not take it,” Dumbledore replied instantly with his index finger raised. “He was obsessed with destroying Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic that he never once considered the idea of fighting you himself. He believes that he should not have to use his own energy on someone like you. Don't you see? His arrogance will be one of your greatest allies, Harry.” “That's good to know,” Nancy whispered to Ron as he gently leaned his head against hers. “Professor, why did you ask Nancy to protect me? What was she protecting me from?” Harry said softly as he looked over at Nancy. She took her head off of Ron's shoulder and straightened her posture, looking at Professor Dumbledore with worried eyes. She then glanced at Ron and was relieved to see that he didn't show any traces of hostility or betrayal in his eyes. “I asked Nancy to watch over you for two reasons,” he started as he gave her a warm smile. “Harry, I understand how difficult your life is. I understood that after everything you experienced last year, you would need your friends more than ever. One reason I asked Nancy to watch over you was to make sure that you did not get yourself into too much trouble. Do not blame her, for she did this with the best of intentions. “I was worried about you, Harry.” Dumbledore turned to him and gave him a sincere yet apologetic look. “You have a very powerful force inside you that drives you to do what you feel is right. I commend you for such devotion to your loved ones and your need to perform the right thing, but I do worry about the situations that you and your friends manage to get yourselves into. I was afraid that after learning about your fate, you might have done something rash that could have been, otherwise, avoided.” Dumbledore paused and allowed Harry to take in everything he had told him. Harry resented the fact that Dumbledore had always treated him like a child. He looked at his Headmaster and wished he had the heart to scream at him, but he knew that Dumbledore was only looking out for him. He's always had his best interest at heart and he always will. Harry took several breaths and felt Hermione's arms wrap around him tighter. “I can take care of myself, Professor,” Harry said in a calm voice. “I know that you can, Harry,” Dumbledore replied. Harry's heart lightened when he realized that the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes had returned. “That was why I allowed you and your friends to pursue Hermione when I knew otherwise. I did second-guess myself after I allowed you to leave; however, I have faith in the prophecy and I have faith in you. I knew that you and your friends would succeed as you all have done for the past five years. Harry, I no longer see you as just The-Boy-Who-Lived…you have grown into an outstanding man…a man with a destiny far greater than that of any wizard.” Harry shuddered lightly against Hermione, slowly accepting the compliments for Dumbledore. Dumbledore saw him as a man. “The other reason I asked Nancy watch over you was because of Willard Cross,” Dumbledore said as he placed his hands on the arms of his chair. “You're saying…you knew that William was Willard Cross the whole time?” Ron suddenly blurted, his eyes wide. Nancy's expression suddenly went to one of shock to see how Ron had addressed their Headmaster. “Yes…and no,” Dumbledore replied, not taking offense to Ron's outburst. “One of my duties as Headmaster of Hogwarts is to ensure the safety of its students. When I received the transcripts of William Weinstein, I had a very strange feeling about the boy. This is the main reason I asked Nancy to watch over you, Harry.” Dumbledore paused as he looked at Harry. “My suspicions soon grew when I was informed that he had taken an interest in Hermione and attempted to befriend you. “Alastor read through the William's transcript and he read that his father was an Auror under the Ministry of Magic. He also learned that his father had died recently while on a covert assignment. Alastor recalled the name, Weinstein, from his days as an Auror and visited the Ministry of Magic to search through their archives. “After examining several files, he learned that the only Auror by the name of Weinstein actually died ten years ago. This instantly caused my suspicion to grow. However the piece of information that immediately convinced us that William was someone who could not be trusted, was that Alastor discovered that the deceased Weinstein had three children, all of which were daughters.” “Daughters…” Harry muttered to himself as he shook his head. He released a sigh and focused his gaze on the floor of the hospital wing. “That explains the reason why William…I mean Willard…was so strong. All the training he would of gotten was from his father, Malcolm Cross.” “That's correct,” Dumbledore said with a gently nod. “Malcolm Cross was a very distinguished wizard and very talented in combat. His skills and talents could be seen in his son. Willard possessed a very similar style to that of his father. It is just unfortunate that he didn't possess the same compassion and conscience as his father and sister did.” “Hold on…” Harry said, his eyes slightly tensing. “You mean, you knew that William was really Willard since the tournament, but you did nothing about it?” “I never said that I knew that William was Willard,” Dumbledore corrected. “I do not have the authority to accuse anyone of anything unless solid evidence could be produced. It is true that I felt uncomfortable with William's presence. Reasons must exist for a boy to want to lie on his transcript; however, he never once exposed characteristics of someone who would be considered evil. As you all knew, he was very likable and popular amongst the students here and very courteous and polite to the staff and myself.” “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer,” Hermione said weakly as she straightened her posture. Harry turned to her and gave her shoulder a gentle nudge. “Why were you kidnapped, Hermione?” Harry asked. “What did you find that scared Voldemort?” “I found a photograph of Willard Cross and his family,” Hermione replied as she looked into his eyes. He gave her a confused expression and she took a deep breath before elaborating. “During breakfast, Madame Pince asked me if I could assist her in reorganizing all the Daily Prophet newspapers. I told her I would help, and she asked me to stop by the library when I had the chance. I decided to go after the Quidditch match because I knew that you and your team wouldn't return to the common room for a bit. “While we were organizing some of the newspapers, I came across an old article that was about Malcolm Cross. There was a picture of him walking next to several Death Eaters that he had arrested. “When Madame Pince and I finished organizing everything, she told me that I could go. However, before I could leave she asked me to bring her an unattended book bag that she noticed on one of tables. When I picked it up, the zipper on the bag broke and all the books fell out. When I was packing everything back into the bag, I noticed that a photograph had fallen out of one of the books. “I picked it up and it was a picture of the Cross Family. I immediately recognized Veronica and Malcolm, but when I took a closer look at Veronica's brother, I realized that the young boy looked almost exactly like William. That was when I realized that William was really Willard Cross. I then got a really bad feeling in my stomach because I felt that you were in danger.” Hermione's eyes had begun to water but she didn't lose her intensity. She never once took her eyes away from Harry's. “I quickly placed the photograph back into the bag and I repaired the zipper before giving it to Madame Pince. I quickly ran out of the library and hurried back towards the common room, but Willard bumped into me. I tried to act normal, but he somehow knew. I tried to run, but I heard him saying something and everything just went black. When I woke up, I found myself in a cage surrounded by Voldemort and his Death Eaters.” “I'm sorry, Hermione,” Harry said softly as he rubbed her back. “I should of been there...that should of never happened.” “It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could do,” Hermione replied as she shook her head. “If I had…” The door of the hospital wing suddenly burst open, causing everyone to turn towards it. Hagrid walked through the door, breathing heavily, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw Dumbledore. He quickly made his way to him, holding a roll of parchment in his hand. He came to a halt and took a deep breath as he handed it a curious Dumbledore. “Urgen' message, Professor,” Hagrid said as he took a deep breath, sweat sliding down his brow. “Fudge is waitin' for yeh outside, sir. He needs ter talk to yeh righ' away `bout somethin' important.” Dumbledore unrolled the parchment and examined it careful, running his fingers through his beard. Hagrid gave Harry a giant smile and took this opportunity to wrap his large arms around the four students, pulling them into a tight hug, squeezing them against his rough fur robes. “It's so good ter see yehs,” he sighed happily. “Harry…Hermione…Ron…and o' course Nancy…made me real worried.” “We're sorry…Hagrid,” Harry gasped, his voice muffled by Hagrid's thick beard. “Hagrid…we can't breathe…” “Oh sorry!” Hagrid exclaimed as he released the four breathless students. They sank back onto the bed and couldn't help but give the half-giant warm smiles. Hagrid sighed again before straightening his back and giving them an apologetic look. “Didn' mean ter squeeze yehs too much.” “It's okay,” Harry grinned at him. “It's really good to see you too.” “We must go, Hagrid,” Dumbledore said as he rolled up the parchment and rose from his chair. He pulled out his wand and with another flick; the armchair vanished. “I am sorry but I must leave. There is a pressing matter that I must attend to. Though before I take my leave, I wanted to thank all of you. If it were not for your brave actions, many lives could have been lost during the attack. Aside for several trees, not a single life was extinguished. Thank you all on a job well done.” He gave the four students a warm smile as he turned towards Hagrid and gave him a gentle nod. Hagrid gave Harry a proud look and a bright grin before he and Professor Dumbledore made their way towards the door of the hospital wing. “Oh, Professor,” Hermione quickly called as Dumbledore reached the door of the hospital wing. Dumbledore stopped and turned towards the group. “How did the Order slow down Voldemort's advancements?” “Several tree enchantments as well as other unorthodox methods…quicksand, invisible pits, and such,” Dumbledore replied with a soft grin. “If the situation was not as threatening as it was, watching Voldemort and his Death Eaters advance through the forest would have been somewhat amusing.” Harry and Ron snickered to themselves as they imagined several Whopping Willows swatting its massive branches at the Dark Lord. Dumbledore gave the four another warm smile and a comforting nod as he and Hagrid left the hospital wing. “Listen…Ron, Harry, Hermione,” Nancy started as she stood up and walked in front of them, her eyes pleading with theirs. “I'm really sorry about lying to you all. I really wanted to tell you all everything, but Dumbledore made me swear not to. I know I was told to look after you, Harry…but you all have become my best friends. I'm really sorry. Do you all hate me?” “Before we answer,” Ron replied as he crossed his arms, giving her a lopsided grin. “Are you really a seventh year from Beauxbaton?” “Well…” Nancy hesitated, her eyes moving to Ron uneasily. “I graduated Beauxbaton last year. My parents have been good friends with Dumbledore for quiet sometime now, and when they heard everything about You-Know-Who returning, they decided to permanently stay in England and join the Order of the Phoenix. My brother and I joined the Order too. We wanted to help out as much as we could.” “I see…that explains the reason why you are so calm about your N.E.W.T.s,” Hermione said as she crossed her arms and gave her a sly grin. “You've already taken them.” Nancy gave her a weak smile; unsure whether Ron and Hermione were truly upset with her. Harry rose from the bed and slowly walked to her, looking into her eyes with a blank expression. She took in a deep breath and looked into his eyes, a feeling of worry slowly rising from her stomach due to his silence. “I'm really sorry, Harry…I never meant to…” “Thank you for watching over us,” he said with a soft smile as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a warm hug. Nancy's expression changed to one of shock as her eyes moved to Ron and Hermione. Their mouths had drop and they slowly rose to their feet, their hands ready to strangle Harry. Harry broke their hug and carefully moved behind her, so that she was shielding him from the two. “What was that for?” Nancy asked quickly as she looked over her shoulder at him. “Well…you're suppose to watch over me…so incase they want to attack me for keeping my secret away from them,” he replied as his hand carefully reached behind him and picked up a pillow, “they'll have to go through you first. The hug was a quick thank you, if they decide to get hostile.” “We will have to talk about that later,” Hermione said with a firm tone as she pulled her pillow off her bed and held it firmly in both of her hands. She looked over at Ron and gave him a mischievous smile. “Though until then…Ron…” Ron took the hint and grabbed Hermione's second pillow off her bed. He gave Nancy a warm smile before giving Harry a menacingly threatening one. “Nancy…we do forgive you for everything, but if you don't get out of the way, we will be forced to go through you.” Nancy returned Ron's smile with a sigh of relief as she tried to move away from Harry. However, Harry remained behind her, his pillow raised above his head. Ron grinned at Hermione and the two readied their pillows. Nancy looked carefully at the three, feeling helpless about being stuck in the middle. However, when she noticed the grins on their faces, she knew that they had forgiven her and she was once again a part of the group. She watched Ron raise his pillow and she released a squeal as feathers started to fill the air. * ~ * ~ * ~ * “Could you guys go on ahead?” Ron asked to Harry and Hermione as got into their Hogwarts robes. Night had fallen and Madame Pomfrey allowed them to leave the hospital wing. She was incredibly pleased to see that they had all fully recovered from their injuries and exhaustion, but wasn't the least bit thrilled when she found feathers covering the wing and four destroyed pillows. “I guess,” Harry replied as he gave Hermione a curious look. He then turned his attention back towards his nervous friend. “Ron…you okay? You're looking awfully pale. I reckon you'd be glad to be out of the hospital wing.” “Yeah, I'm okay,” he answered as he fidgeted with the straps that fastened his robes together. “Just a lot of things on my mind.” “I really doubt it's a lot things,” Hermione grinned as she gave him a knowing look. Her gaze soon fell upon Nancy who was currently fixing her hair in front of a large mirror near the back of the hospital wing. She looked back at Ron and gave him a soft smile. “Just be nice to her.” “I have been nice,” he replied as he finally managed to fasten the ties of his robes, releasing a soft sigh of frustration. “It's just…I don't know…I feel horrible about…” “She's coming over,” Hermione whispered as she took a hold of Harry's hand. “Harry, we'd better go…good luck, Ron.” Before Harry could get a word out, Hermione pulled on his arm, forcing him to leave the hospital wing. Once the door was shut, she gave him an apologetic look. “I didn't mean to pull on your arm that hard,” she said, releasing her grip on his arm. “Oh no, it's okay,” he smiled at her as he took her hand in his. “You sure we shouldn't have stayed in there? You know how Ron is…he could need our help or something?” “Ron needs to learn how to handle things on his own,” she replied as the two started to make their way down the corridor. “I believe that he will be just fine.” Harry gave her an unsure look and quickly glanced over his shoulder towards the door of the hospital wing. He released a soft sigh and knew that there was nothing he could do to help his friend by that point. Hermione gave his hand a soft squeeze and he gave her his lopsided grin. The two quietly made their way through the castle, amazed at how quiet it was. The night sky was full of thick clouds and a gentle breeze blew through the corridors of the castle. Harry constantly glanced at Hermione, awestruck at how wonderful she looked with the light of the torches dancing across her face. She noticed his looks and gave him a sweet smile, leaning closer to him. He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, enjoying their walk together. When they reached the final staircase that led to the corridor that held the portrait of the Fat Lady, Harry stopped walking, nearly causing Hermione to trip over his foot. She looked gave him a puzzled look, but realized that he was looking back down the corridor. “What's the matter?” she asked quietly as she gazed down the corridor, not exactly sure what she was suppose to be looking for. “I thought that Ron and Nancy would of caught up with us by now,” he replied as he looked at her. She raised her eyebrow at him and gave him a small smirk. “Well…I want to know if everything went okay…you know,” he continued. “Though, I guess everything must of gone well, since I don't…” Harry quickly grabbed Hermione and pulled her into the doorway that led to the stairs. He noticed Ron and Nancy walking towards them, and from the quick glance that he got, Nancy wasn't too pleased with Ron. It also didn't help Harry's nerves to see that Ron with a lost and helpless look on his face. “We should go,” Hermione whispered as she carefully peaked around the corner of the doorway and saw their friends approaching. “Wait…just a moment,” Harry replied softly as he, too, carefully looked around the corner. “Something isn't right.” “Is something wrong, Ron?” Nancy asked as she gave him a concerned look. Ron opened his mouth to say something but didn't know what to say. Nancy's patience had run out and she immediately halted, stomping her foot on the hard floor. Ron almost let out a yelp from Nancy's reaction. She crossed her arms and gave him a frustrated look as her right foot started to tap on the floor. Despite her aggravated composure, she asked in a very calm voice, “What's wrong, Ron?” “I just…I'm sorry for what I said to you, when we were…you know,” Ron said sheepishly as he looked down at his feet. “I didn't mean to blow up at you like that. I just thought…that everything we've been through…together…was only an act. I didn't know if you really liked me or not.” “There is nothing for you to be sorry about,” Nancy replied as she uncrossed her arms and took his hands in hers, squeezing them softly. “I wanted to tell you, but I wasn't allowed to. Plus…I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want to make you feel like I betrayed you. But don't you dare think for one second Ronald Weasley that what we have doesn't mean anything to me.” “Does it…really mean something…to you?” Ron asked nervously as he looked into her eyes. She gave him a soft smile and moved her hands to his cheeks, rubbing them gently. His face turned bright red, and she giggled when she felt his cheeks grow warmer in her hands. “What's…so funny?” “You really are strange one, Weasley,” she smiled as she pushed herself up on her tiptoes and firmly placed her lips on his. Ron's eyes grew wide and he felt his knees grow weak. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he slowly closed his eyes, placing his hands gently on her waist. He had never kissed a girl before and this felt better than anything than he's ever experienced. “I think we really should give them some privacy,” Hermione whispered to Harry as she nudged him with her shoulder. Harry pried his eyes off his best friends and gave her a soft smile. “We will have to get him for this though,” he whispered back as they both slowly moved away from the corner of the doorway. “After the loads of things he's said to us…it's only fair.” “But we can't,” she replied as she took his hands in hers and slowly started to pull him up the stairs. “We're more mature than that.” “Well…okay, I guess you're…” Harry started, but released a soft yelp as his left foot slipped on the step, causing him to stumble out from behind the doorway and into the hallway. Hermione, not wanting to let go of his hands, stumbled with him, releasing a small cry of her own. She was relieved when they were on flat ground again for Harry was able to stop them from falling over. However her eyes suddenly grew wide when she turned and looked at Ron and Nancy. The two had broken their kiss, but still had their arms around each other. “Sorry,” Harry said with an embarrassed smile, his and Hermione's faces turning a deep red. Ron and Nancy's eyes grew wide as they instantly released their hold on each other. “Didn't mean to interrupt your…” Harry stopped when he felt Hermione jab her elbow into his stomach. “Interrupt what?” Nancy asked as her eyes moved uneasily from Harry to Hermione. Ron's face grew even redder. “Oh…nothing. Beautiful night, isn't it? We'll see you later,” Hermione quickly answered as took a hold of Harry's hand and pulled him back up the stairs again. “You don't suppose they saw us?” Ron asked as he looked at Nancy. “Would it really be that bad?” she asked as she leaned against him and kissed his cheek. “We've seen them snog loads of times.” “Oh, you don't understand,” Ron replied as turned towards her and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. “If Harry knows, he's gong to bother us about it just as much as I bothered him about Hermione.” “Well, why did you have to tease them so much?” she asked playfully as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “It's what best friends do,” he answered as she rubbed his nose with hers. He wanted to expand on what he meant, but before he got the chance to say another word, she kissed him tenderly. * ~ * ~ * ~ * Harry sat in his armchair and stared blankly into the warm fire in the Gryffindor common room. His sixth year at Hogwarts had finally come to an end and he was prepared to board the Hogwarts Express the following morning with the other students. The remainder of the year passed by without further incidences. Talk of the evacuation of Hogwarts remained the topic of many conversations amongst the students, but as usual, after several weeks, the students settled upon other topics. The majority of the parents were thrilled and very impressed with Dumbledore and the Hogwarts' staff for protecting their children during the event; however, there were a few that didn't act pleasantly. Harry had to admit that watching Dumbledore receive a howler during breakfast one morning was one of the most peculiar things he'd ever seen. Though Dumbledore didn't take offense to it. He relaxed in his chair and listened to the howler scream with a look of interest and amusement. Interestingly enough, the howler came from Mrs. Malfoy. The prevention of the attack and the protection of Hogwarts plastered the front page of many issues of the Daily Prophet. Harry was pleased to see that his name wasn't mentioned once in any of the articles, allowing he and his friends to maintain the image of being innocent bystanders. Though as Ron had predicted, Cornelius Fudge received praise and thanks for aiding Dumbledore with the protection of the school. He pulled his eyes from the fire and looked aimlessly at the floor. Despite the fact that Voldemort's plot to destroy Hogwarts and the Ministry had failed and the Wizarding world being safe for the time being, the eerie feeling that had plagued Harry never left. He still found it incredibly difficult to sleep and would spend his restless nights either gazing at the stars or sitting in front of the Gryffindor fireplace. Harry had remained amazingly optimistic about Keung. He would often catch himself peaking towards the doors when he was in class, constantly waiting for Keung to appear with a large smile on his face. However, he was disappointed everyday. His disappointments, though, only added fuel to his persistence, and regardless of how much his mind told him otherwise, his need for Keung to be alive never weakened. His thoughts wandered to Cho for a few moments. Despite his feelings about Keung being alive, he knew that he couldn't tell her the truth about what really happened to him. Unable to think of a suitable story, he did everything he could to avoid her. However, she was able to corner him earlier today with questions about her brother. He decided to lie, saying that he was currently doing something for Dumbledore and that would return shortly. He was glad to see her smile at his answer, though he felt a heavy weight sink on his shoulders. He managed to hide his grief from Nancy and Ron, but there was nothing he could do to fool Hermione. It helped that she was being optimistic with him, telling him that Keung is alive and well, and how he would return when the time was right. Harry appreciated this, even though he knew she was only saying what he wanted to hear. She did her best to keep him busy with schoolwork, making sure that he properly prepared for the final exams, which he did exceptionally well on. Harry took off his glasses and massaged the ridge of his nose as he relaxed against the armchair. He had been waiting for two months and his heart sank when he realized that the chances of Keung showing up at his doorstep at number four, Privet Drive were slim to impossible. He closed his eyes as he placed his glasses back on, softly grumbling to himself. “You know, mate…staying up almost every night isn't good for you,” Harry heard a voice say from the staircase. He opened his eyes and a warm smile grew on his face. The two people he needed most in the world were standing there with soft smiles on their faces. Ron and Hermione slowly made their way to him, Ron taking a seat in the couch next to Harry's armchair while Hermione snuggled in the armchair with him. “What's wrong?” Hermione asked as she gently rested her head against his shoulder. Harry opened his mouth to answer, but hesitated. He was happy that his friends were with him, but wasn't entirely sure if he really wanted to expose the thoughts that went through his mind. He was worried about Keung, but something else plagued his mind. Though after receiving very worried looks from the two, he knew he had to tell them something. “Nothing…just dreading going back to the Dursley's, that's all.” “Harry Potter, you are a horrible liar,” Hermione sighed, her expression turning to a stern one. “You can talk to us,” Ron said as he slowly turned his attention towards the fire. “I mean, what good are Hermione and me if you aren't willing to let us help you?” “You two are my best friends,” Harry quickly replied. “It's just…I don't know…I'm worried.” “About Keung?” Hermione asked slowly. Harry nodded to her, but something slowly emerged in his mind. He had been blocking the thoughts for two months now, constantly pushing it away, trying to keep his mind occupied on school and Keung. “It's more than just Keung,” Harry said softly as he turned and looked into the fire. “What is it?” Ron asked, slowly leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees. “It's…” Harry took a deep breath and turned his attention back on his two best friends. “It's…I don't want either of you to get hurt.” “Who's going to hurt us?” Hermione asked quietly. Harry gently stood from the armchair and took a few steps forward. He turned and faced them, his eyes pleading. “Me…I don't know to hurt you.” “What are you talking about?” Ron asked with a confused expression. “I am cursed. Hagrid once told me that the mark Voldemort gave me was the sign of a curse, but I never really thought about it until now,” he cried. “If Voldemort ever hears the rest of the prophecy, he's going to be coming after me. If you two are with me, I know that you will be hurt.” Harry stopped and watched the two stare at him with calm expressions. “Don't you guys get it…you can die because of me!” Hermione stood from the armchair and made her way to him. She stopped several steps away from him and looked into his green eyes. She could see the worry and fear behind them, but she gave him a warm smile. Harry was slightly stunned by her actions, his heart slowly melting from her beautiful smile. “I don't care, Harry,” she whispered. “I don't either,” Ron said as he stood up and took a spot next to Hermione. “We're your best friends and we'll always stick with you.” “But…” Harry protested, but was interrupted by Ron. “Nope,” Ron grinned as he placed his hands on his hips. “Until death due us part…or something like that.” “We're not married,” Harry replied sarcastically, doing his best from hide his smile. “That hurts…” Ron whimpered, as he gently rested his hands over his heart. “What am I suppose to tell the kids?” “Ron,” Hermione muttered, not appreciating his humor in the situation. He looked into he eyes and couldn't help but release a chuckle. “What…jealous?” he grinned. The comment turned her face red and Harry knew that she was ready to start an argument. “Stop, you two,” Harry quickly said, causing the two to look at him. Hermione let out a sigh; her expression lightened as she took a small step forward. “Harry, I know Keung said that you need to protect us, but we need to protect you too.” Harry opened his mouth to protest, but she spoke again before he could get a word out. “Believe us Harry, after five…well now six years of everything we've been through, do you really think we're going to abandon you?” “But you both could die,” Harry muttered, his body shaking softly. “We don't care,” Hermione replied as she took another small step towards him. “It would take more than death for us to leave you.” Ron released a heavy sigh as he looked at Harry with sincere eyes. “Harry…we're your best friends. We've been through everything together…we love you, mate…nothing in this world could ever change that. And nothing in this world could ever make us walk away from you.” A tear trickled down Harry's cheek as he looked at his best friends. No matter what he said, no matter what he did, they wouldn't leave him. Harry took the final steps forward, closing the space between them and threw his arms around the two, pulling them to a fierce hug. “We're doing this a lot more often than usual,” Ron snickered, causing Harry to laugh with him. “There is nothing wrong with showing our affection towards each other,” Hermione smirked as she gave Harry a quick kiss on his cheek. “Hey, cut that out,” Ron snapped as turned his head to face Hermione. “I don't need to be included in this.” “Ronald Weasley,” Hermione giggled as she and Harry released him from their hug. “How is it that you have the courage to face Voldemort, but can't stand to see me kiss Harry?” “I never said I had the courage to face You-Know-You. Besides…what you're doing is…it's indecent,” he replied as he allowed himself to sink back onto the couch and cross his arms. “Hey, if my memory serves me correctly, you didn't care anything about decency when you kissed Nancy after we left the hospital wing,” Harry snickered as he and Hermione snuggled into their favorite armchair. “That was a one time thing…you guys haven't seen any of the others,” Ron huffed as he crossed his arms and looked at the two. “Others?” Hermione asked as she raised her eyebrows. “What others?” “Well…” he started, his face turning bright red. “I shouldn't of said that.” Harry and Hermione laughed quietly as looked at their flustered friend. Harry enjoyed these moments immensely. It allowed him to forget about his responsibilities and his impending fate. Sharing such moments with Ron and Hermione were more important than anything else to him. As Keung had once told him, he cherished the time he had with his friends and he would never let them go. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **A/N:** This isn't the last chapter…there is one more to go. Thank you to those who took the time to read my story and a very big thank you to those who reviewed. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. 21. Number Two, Privet Drive ---------------------------- **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 Twenty-One: Number Two, Privet Drive** Harry opened his eyes after feeling a sharp jolt. He released a soft yawn as he looked out the window of the Hogwarts Express. He could see the outline of London slowly approaching and he knew that the train ride was almost over. He looked to his right and found Hermione, sleeping gently against him, his arm draped around her shoulder. He gave her a soft smile and kissed top of her head. She stirred gently, releasing a happy sigh, but didn't wake. Harry looked down onto his lap and found Crookshanks sitting there, staring up at him. Harry gave him a peculiar look and realized that Hedwig was sleeping in her cage on the luggage rack above his head. He gave Crookshanks a disapproving look and he shook his head. The cat released a disappointed meow before curling into a ball and leaning against Harry's stomach. Harry lightly ran his fingers through the cat's fur, causing him to purr. Harry looked over at the bench across from him and saw Nancy reading a small book with Ron resting against her shoulder, also sound asleep. Nancy didn't notice Harry's gaze, her eyes were focused on her book, her lips moving ever so slightly when she turned the page. Harry grinned to himself as memories of the previous night flooded his mind. After their emotional conversation, the three ended up staying awake for the rest of the night, reminiscing over their previous five years at Hogwarts. They talked about the day they met on the Hogwarts Express and their first impressions of each other, and how they all changed throughout the years of their friendship. They also retold some of the funnier moments they shared together. The three could ever forget about the day in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class when Neville made a boggart, who took the shape of Professor Snape, wear his grandmother's dress. Nancy looked up from her book and smiled at Harry. She placed a quill on the page she was reading and closed her book. She placed it on the bench and gently stretched her back, releasing a small yawn. “It's good to see that at least one of you is up. You all slept through the whole bloody train ride. I take that you all had trouble sleeping last night?” “I'm really sorry,” he replied with a soft voice, not wanting to wake Hermione. “It was mostly my fault.” “No, it's okay. I needed to catch up on my reading.” Harry grinned at her, astounded at how similar she was with Hermione. “Are you excited about going home?” she asked as she watched his expression drop. She suddenly remembered Ron telling her about Harry's life away from Hogwarts, and she immediately regretted asking the question. “I mean…I'm sorry. I forgot about your Muggle family.” “I wouldn't really call them my family,” he said as he looked out the window, staring into the cloudless sky, noticing the sun slowly setting behind the horizon. “They're only my family because my aunt was my mum's sister. Nothing else aside from that would make them my family. You guy's are my real family.” Nancy gave him a smile and they were silent for a few minutes. Harry's gaze remained on the sky, while Nancy moved hers to the floor. They listened to the soft scratchy noises that the train made with the railroad tracks and the gentle breathing of their sleeping friends. Harry released another soft yawn as looked over at his sleeping girlfriend and nudged her head lightly with his, causing Nancy to give him a wide grin. “So…what are you going to do once we get back to London?” Harry asked. “I'm not really sure,” she answered as she looked out the window. “I know my family will be staying in London. We're going to help the Order as much as can. Dumbledore may already have a new assignment for me…but I hope he keeps me close to you, Ron, and Hermione.” “Yeah,” he said with a smile as looked at his sleeping red-haired friend, whose mouth was hanging slightly open. “Can't have one our best friends vanish for the whole summer. It'll make Ron miserable, if he couldn't see you.” She gave Ron a warm smile as she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. He mumbled something in his sleep, causing her to giggle. Harry gently shook his head as he turned his attention back to the beautiful girl lying against him. He carefully brushed the hair that had fallen onto her face and gently traced his finger across her cheek. Hermione slowly opened her eyes and looked into his, giving him her sweet smile. “Hey,” he whispered as he kissed her forehead. “Had a good nap?” “A very good nap,” she yawned as sat up, raising her arms over her head to stretch her back. She gently rested her head against the side of his chest as she wrapped her arms around his torso, releasing a soft sigh. Crookshanks noticed this and gave her a soft meow as he hopped off Harry's lap and curled up on an unused portion of their bench. “If you two…um…need some privacy…” Nancy grinned as she raised her eyebrows. “Ron and I can go.” “We could say the same to you,” Hermione replied as she gave her a lopsided smile with a knowing look. “What…what do you mean?” she asked as her face contorted to one of confusion. Hermione looked at Harry and with a bright grin, he nodded to her. “Oh…we were talking to Ron last night,” Hermione said with an innocent voice as she looked at Ron. “He told us about the…hmmm…the library, the common room, the kitchen, Honeyduke's, the library again…” Nancy looked at Hermione with a puzzled expression as she continued her list, wondering what all these locations meant. Her eyes suddenly widened as she looked to Ron. She realized that Hermione had been listing the locations where she and Ron had their private kisses. Harry noticed Nancy's burning expression as her face turned a deeper shade of red. He gently squeezed Hermione, and she stopped her list, giving Nancy an even brighter grin. “I can't believe he told you all that,” she said embarrassedly as she gave Ron a heated look. “And he was the one who wanted to keep everything quiet and not attract attention. Ha…oh…he's going to get it when he wakes up.” “Nancy, don't blame Ron,” Hermione replied, worried about what Nancy was a going to do to him. “It was mostly our faults. We were teasing him about it last night.” “Besides, we weren't suppose to tell you that he told us,” Harry added as something caught his attention. He looked out the window and he released a depressed sigh. They were about to pull into platform nine and three-quarters. Hermione noticed Harry's disappointed expression and gently nudged his shoulder with her head. “It's over…our sixth year is over,” he sighed. “Yeah…but in two months we'll be back again,” Hermione replied softly as they felt the train slowly come to a halt at the platform. “We'll be back before you know it.” Ron released a loud yawn as he sat up and stretched his back. He opened his eyes and gave Nancy a confused look when he noticed that stern eyes greeted him. He quickly looked over at Hermione and Harry and saw that they were both staring out the window. He turned his attention back to Nancy, but before he had to chance to ask what was wrong, she shook her head gently and gave him a warm smile. “Did you have a nice nap?” Nancy asked in a cheerful voice as she took a hold of his hand and gave him a painfully firm squeeze. “Yeah,” he replied as he gave her a shaky smile. She released her grip on his hand and it started to tingle as blood rushed back in. The train soon started to fill with the sound of students rummaging for their trunks. The four took this as their cue to leave the train. Harry helped Hermione lower her trunk from the luggage rack and wasn't surprised when he felt that her trunk weighed almost twice as his. *Filled with a ton of books*, he figured. He gave an exasperated look as he reached up and took a hold of the handle of Hedwig's cage. She gave him a grateful smile and a quick kiss on his cheek. “C'mon Ron,” Ginny said as she pulled a silver trunk trolley that held her trunk to the door of their compartment. She had a warm smile on her face and Harry could tell that she was happy about going home for the summer. “Mum and dad are waiting for us on the other side. Best not keep them waiting for too long…you know how dad gets around Muggles.” “Oh, they'll be fine. I thought you were upset?” Ron asked as he pulled out a silver trolley from under the bench. However before he could get an answer, she had already moved on. He shook his head and released an aggravated sigh. “I don't get her…she's first all depressed because she can't see Dean over the summer and now she all mental about leaving.” Harry, Hermione, and Nancy let out soft laugh as four strapped their trunks to their silver trunk trolleys. The four also took this opportunity to remove their robes, exposing their Muggle attires. They placed their robes into their trunks as Ron quickly looked into the center aisle to check if the path was clear. He gave them a nod and slowly pulled his trunk into the aisle way. Nancy and Hermione followed after him, Crookshanks drowsily after Hermione. Harry took in a deep breath as he looked around the compartment to make sure they didn't leave anything behind. He looked out the window and watched several students walk by, a lot of them laughing a smiling. He then released a soft sigh as he grabbed the handle of his trunk trolley and pulled it out of the compartment. Harry caught up with the group and gave them a quick smile as they slowly made their way towards the closest door. Within minutes, Ron, Nancy, and Hermione had exited the train, but has Harry was about to walk out the door, something rammed into the back of his trunk, nearly causing him to lose balance and drop Hedwig's cage. He steadied himself and looked behind him to find a black leather trunk being pushed by Draco Malfoy. “Get a move on, Potter,” he growled as he narrowed his eyes at him. Harry clenched his teeth and took a deep breath through his nose; his grip on the handle of his trunk trolley was so tight that his knuckles turned white. “C'mon Potty! Get a move on! Can't be that stupid? It's just one foot in front of the other.” “Ignore him, Harry,” Harry heard Hermione say as she took her spot next to him. She had left her trunk and Crookshanks with Ron and Nancy, who were both glaring at Malfoy through the windows of the train. She took Hedwig's cage out his hand with her right hand and took his now free hand with her left. She gave Harry a warm smile a gently pulled on his arm. Harry released a sigh and looked at Hermione's calm face. He gave her soft nod and proceeded to pull on his trunk trolley. “Running off with your Mudblood girlfriend, huh? It amuses me to see such a `famous celebrity' saunter around with such filth,” Malfoy laughed. The comment made Harry's body stiffen and before Malfoy had time to react, Harry released the handle of his trunk trolley and pulled out his wand. “What did I tell you about calling Hermione that?” Harry growled through gritted teeth as he slowly turned his head to face Malfoy, his wand aimed at his chest. “Please Malfoy…I dare you to say it again.” Crabbe and Goyle soon appeared behind Malfoy, ready to defend him, but were both completely stunned to see Harry threatening Malfoy. Malfoy stood his ground, his eyes narrowed, looking directly into Harry's. He knew that Harry wouldn't back down on his threat and he knew that he was in no position to pull out his wand. “Leave him be, Harry,” Hermione said in a calm voice, her grip on his hand tightening. “He's not worth the hassle. Let's go.” Harry lowered his wand, but his eyes were still locked on Malfoy's. Hermione gave his arm another gentle tug and he drew in a deep breath as he placed his wand back into the front pocket of his jeans. He gripped the handle of his trunk and proceeded to leave the train with Hermione. His awareness never left Malfoy, his attention somewhat drawn to Malfoy's right hand, which was slightly twitching. Malfoy suddenly broke eye contact with Harry and his right hand immediately went for his wand. Harry was too quick for him. Harry had his wand aimed at Malfoy's chest before he even had the chance to pull his out of his pocket. Malfoy froze in his spot and once again, Harry had the upper hand. However, Malfoy wasn't going to stand for it second time and pulled out his wand. “*Compello contrundo!*” Harry shouted. The sparks hit Malfoy directly in the chest and launched him back towards Crabbe and Goyle. The two braced themselves to catch Malfoy, but were shocked by the force in which he was thrown, causing all two to stumble over their trunks with Malfoy in their arms. Harry let out a satisfied grin as he watched the three Slytherins struggling to get back onto their feet. He placed his wand away and cautiously looked at Hermione, unsure of her reaction. She gave him a disapproving look, but a smile gently formed across her lips as she shook her head at him. He gripped the handle of his trunk and was finally able to leave the Hogwarts Express. “You should done more than that, mate,” Ron sighed as pushed two push trolleys towards the group. “You know Malfoy, of all people, deserves it.” “I know,” Harry replied as he placed his and Hermione's trunks onto one of the trolleys. Ron loaded his and Nancy's trunks onto the other and pointed towards the train when something caught his eye. Harry and others looked and couldn't hide their grins when they saw Malfoy and his cronies walk off the train with scowls on their faces. It seemed that several of the students had witnessed the event and some couldn't restrain their laughter as the three Slytherins walked by. “Should of used a hex…turn them into lizards or something,” Ron suggested with a soft chuckle as he started to push his and Nancy's trolley towards the barrier that led them back to King's Cross. Hermione gently placed Hedwig's cage on top of Harry's trunk, and the owl hooted hysterically when her yellow eyes fell upon an interested Crookshanks. “You leave her alone, okay,” Hermione said with a stern voice as Harry started to push the trolley. Crookshanks gave her a soft hiss and proceeded to follow her with what seemed to be a discontent look on his face. “I'm sorry, she won't bother Hedwig.” “Oh no, it's okay,” Harry replied as he wrapped his left arm around her waist, able to push and guide their trolley with his right hand. “Unless Crookshanks knows how to open the door on Hedwig's cage, I'm not worried.” She gave him a bright smile and gave him a quick kiss on his lips. The four gradually made their way towards the barrier and Harry's heart sank. He looked back at the Hogwarts Express and he couldn't wait to return to it on September 1st. He always disliked summer vacation. He was forced to return to the Dursleys, and he had the sinking feeling that the Order would be enforcing the same restrictions on him this summer as they did last year, which inevitably meant that he wouldn't be able to see Hermione or his friends until the last few days of the break. “Well…see you on the other side,” Ron said as he and Nancy walked through the barrier. Harry sighed softly as he and Hermione stared at the barrier. He gave Hermione a weak smile and took a step forward; however, she didn't move. Harry stopped the trolley and looked at her. She had a serious expression on her face and he could tell that she was deep in thought. “Is something wrong, Hermione?” Harry asked as he took his hand off the hand bar. Without saying a word, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him firmly. Harry was surprised by this, but didn't fight her. He wrapped his arms around her back and gently pushed back against her lips, softly deepening their kiss. His heart was racing again, his sense dulling, his mind growing blank. All he wanted to do was concentrate on Hermione and the electricity that streamed between them when their lips met. “What was that for?” Harry asked as he took a breath, ignoring the giggling and staring Hogwarts students that walked passed them. He noticed a bright flash and he could see Collin and his little brother from the corner of his eyes. Collin gave them bright grin before taking another picture and walking through the barrier with his little brother. “I told my parents that you are my boyfriend. My mum was thrilled, but my dad was very skeptical about it. He has always been overprotective of me,” she replied as she moved one of her hands from his neck and playfully traced along his cheek, a soft yet embarrassed smile on her face. “I don't know if my dad is ready to see us kiss each other. It also doesn't help if Ron starts calling us indecent in front of him…I know he'll will get the wrong idea.” “Oh,” Harry replied as he thought about what she said. He needed her parents' approval. Having her parents forbid her from being with him was the last thing he'd ever want, though he truly doubted Hermione would respect their wishes if they would ever said such a thing. He pushed the thoughts into the back of his mind and refocused on the adorable girl in front of him. “So you mean…we should have our goodbye kisses now.” “I don't want to think of them as goodbye kisses,” she said as her finger traced over his lips. “I would like to think of them as more of a I'll-see-you-real-soon-but-if-I-can't-let's-snog kind of kisses.” “That makes logical sense,” Harry teased as he gave her a wide grin. Her cheeks turned a deep shade of pink and she tried to explain what she meant, but he didn't give her the opportunity. His lips covered hers tenderly and the two relaxed their bodies as they focused their energy on each other again. Harry didn't know when the next time he'd get to do this with her and he wished that he knew a spell that could stop time. “What is taking you guys so…oh I should of figured,” Ron said with an aggravated voice as he walked through the barrier. His head dropped and he covered his eyes with his hand as he grumbled something to himself. Harry gently pulled his lips from Hermione's and looked at their impatient friend. “We've been waiting for you for almost ten minutes,” Ron said with a grin. “Can you both please walk through the barrier soon? Our parents are getting worried.” “Uh…sure,” Harry reluctantly replied, his arms still around Hermione. “We'll be there in a minute.” Ron gave them a quick nod before disappearing through the wall again. Hermione released a depressed sigh as she rested her head against his chest. “I guess we better go,” she said in a weak voice, pulling herself out his arms and placing her hands on the hand bar of the trolley. “My dad may get suspicious if we make them wait much longer.” “Hermione…I need to…” he started, but she had begun to cross through the barrier. Harry closed his mouth and took a deep breath as his stomach started to churn. He had something he needed to tell her. He tried to on several occasions after they returned from their `mission', but the situation never seemed to be right. He wanted everything to be perfect, but he knew that if he waited any longer, he wouldn't be able to tell her until the next time he saw her, which could be ages. He looked down at his feet and saw Crookshanks looking at him intently. He gave the cat a weak smile and quickly walked through the barrier. “Everyone is over there,” Hermione said as she pointed towards the ticket booths. Harry looked over and he could see Mrs. Weasley chatting with Ron, Nancy, and Ginny, while Mr. Weasley seemed to be interrogating the Grangers. Hermione gave him a soft smile and started to push the trolley forward when Harry placed his hand on the hand bar, preventing the trolley from moving any further. She looked at him with a confused expression. “Harry, what are you doing?” “Listen, Hermione,” Harry said with a nervous voice. He took a deep breath, his face turning red. Hermione took her hands of the trolley and placed them at her sides. “I need to tell you something before you go. I've been…you know…thinking about us…a lot lately…and there is something…I need to say before you leave.” Harry took in another deep breath realizing how awkward he must have sounded. “What is it, Harry?” Hermione asked softly, she growing nervous as well. Harry looked into her eyes and he could see that she was anticipating something. However the look in her eyes gave him the impression of fear and panic. He opened his mouth, but wasn't sure what he should say. She lowered her head and her body started to shudder. “You don't think we're a mistake, do you?” “What? No…no…no…no,” Harry replied as he took her hands in his. She looked back into his eyes and he was glad to see that her expression had lightened tremendously. “I don't think that we're a mistake…the thought never crossed my mind.” “Then…what is it?” she asked, her voice almost pleading with him to say it. “It's…just that…well…I…” Harry started to sweat, his breaths started getting short, his grip on Hermione's hands slowly getting tighter. “Hermione…I…well…I love you.” He watched her mouth slowly open and he noticed a single tear trickle down her bright pink cheek. Her silence made him wonder if he might of said the wrong thing. “I mean…how could I not…you know…you've been through everything together…it's…” “Harry, hurry up!” he heard Ron shout. “We don't got all day!” Harry lifted his hand in the air and gestured that he needed another minute, never once taking his eyes off of Hermione. With a deep breath, he spoke with a tender voice, “I'm in love with you, Hermione…very much so.” Hermione took a step forward and kissed him softly. It wasn't as deep as their previous kisses, but it sent the same wonderful sensations through his body. He thought about deepening it, but he remembered that they were in clear view of Hermione's parents. He suddenly got apprehensive but he didn't want to pull his lips away from hers. She broke the kiss and gave him a bright smile as she gently brushed her tear away. “I love you too…Harry Potter.” “Really?” Harry asked as he large smile grew on his face. She gave him a nod, her deep brown eyes focused on his. Reality suddenly caught up with him and quickly glanced over the Grangers. While Hermione's father had a questionable look on his face, her mother looked incredibly pleased. “What ever happened to not kissing in front of your dad?” “Oh…well…he'll get over it. Besides it was just a soft kiss…I think he can handle that much. Though I know once he really meets you, he'll be okay,” she replied as Harry placed his hands on the trolley and the two made their way towards the group. Harry couldn't stop his muscles from tensing and his nervousness growing. He had briefly met her parents in Diagon Alley before they started their second year, but he never actually spoke to them. He wasn't entirely sure on how to act around them. He focused his attention on Hermione's mother and noticed how strongly Hermione resembled her. *So that's who she got her hair from*, he thought to himself. “Hello there, Harry,” Mr. Granger said as he gave Harry a fake smile. Harry straightened his posture when he realized that Mr. Granger was looking him over. “So…you fancy my daught…” “Oh stop that,” Mrs. Granger sighed as she gently slapped her husband's shoulder. She gave Harry a warm smile and a tight embrace, which completely took him by surprised. “It's so good to see you, Harry. Hermione has told us so much about you.” She then looked at Hermione and gave her a devious smile. “Hermione…why didn't you tell us he's gotten so handsome.” “Mum!” Hermione gasped as she looked at Harry. Harry and the others couldn't help but snicker, which caused Hermione's face to turn bright pink again. Harry gently took her hand in his as his eyes met Mr. Granger's. Mr. Granger gave Harry a suspicious look, but after a nudge from Mrs. Granger, he gently let out a sigh and gave Harry a warm smile. “Nancy?” they heard a deep voice call from behind them. They all looked and found an incredibly tall man made of bulging muscles standing behind them. Harry thought the man looked a lot like one of the action movie hero's that his cousin, Dudley, idolized. A smile grew on the man's face when he saw Nancy and he swiftly made his way over to her. “Sorry about being late. Traffic is a bloody mess right now.” “Oh no, it's okay,” she replied as she gave him a tight hug. “Everyone, this is my brother, Frank.” Frank waved at the group and they waved back, entirely stunned to see that the two looked nothing alike, Nancy being a petite girl while her brother was an absolute behemoth. “Oh…this is Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter,” Nancy said as she directed her brother's attention towards each of them. “It's an honor,” Frank smiled as he bowed his head to Hermione and Ginny. His attention, however, was focused on Harry and Harry was able to see a glint of admiration in his expression. Frank gave him a bright grin and took his hand in both of his, shaking it uncontrollably. “It's a great, great honor to finally meet you, Mr. Potter! I take my sister did a good job in watching over you.” “She did a very good job,” Harry replied with a weak smile, somewhat flattered to see a man of Frank's stature be so enthusiastic about meeting him. However, his mind mainly concentrated on his hand, which was currently being crushed by his vice-like grip. “Nancy is a very good friend.” “Frank…” Nancy quickly spoke, realizing the Harry's need for help. She then walked over to Ron and took a hold of his hand. “This is Ron Weasley. The boy I've been writing to you about.” Frank released Harry's hand and his eyes fell upon Ron. Ron gulped and straightened his posture as Frank approached him. Mrs. Weasley, feeling that the man's expression looked harmful, slowly took a step forward and stood by her son. “So you're Ron Weasley,” Frank said as he raised an eyebrow. “I hear from my sister that you've been really nice to her and very welcoming. I also hear that she's quite taken with you.” Frank looked at Nancy and he noticed the caring looking that she was giving Ron. He smiled at him and gave him a firm pat on his shoulder. “You'll treat my sister right?” “Of course,” Ron replied shakily, totally intimidated by his presence. “Never dream of hurting her.” “Well then,” he said as he gave his sister a firm nod. “I trust my sister's judgment. It was a pleasure to meet you.” “You too,” Ron squeaked as he watched Frank easily lift Nancy's trunk over his shoulder. He gave Ron a smirk, and Ron finally took a breath, his body relaxing. “Well, I need to go,” Nancy sighed as she looked at Ron and the others. She gave them all a weak smile and they all took turns giving her a hug. “Oh before you go, how about all the kids stand together for a photo?” Mrs. Granger suggested as she pulled out a camera from her purse. The five students agreed and they stood next to each other, Ron in the center with Nancy and Ginny on his left and Harry and Hermione on his right. They all smiled brightly as Mrs. Granger took the photo. “This picture will be perfect for the mantle,” Mrs. Granger said as she lowered her camera. “Well, I reckon that we should be going too,” Mrs. Weasley said she placed her hands on Ginny's shoulders. Mr. Weasley gently nodded in agreement, but his attention was focused on Mrs. Granger's camera. He'd never seen a Muggle camera before and was always intrigued of why they only took still photographs. “Oh yes,” Mr. Granger added as he looked at his watch. “The traffic is just going to get worse. Best we should leave before it gets too bad. We don't want to be stuck in the car all evening.” Harry released a depressed sigh as he watched his friends gather their trunks. Nancy gave Ron a soft kiss on his cheek before leaving with her brother. This action caused Ron's parents to begin their interrogation of his relationship with Nancy, which he had conveniently failed to mention to them in his last few letters. Ron slowly stuttered through his answers, glad to see that his parents were simmering down about the subject. Before the Weasleys started off, Mrs. Weasley gave Harry a warm hug and hoped that he would be able to visit over the summer. Harry shook Ron's hand and the two gave each other bright smiles. “I'll see you later then, mate. Dad will talk with Dumbledore about having you over at the burrow. I'm sure he'll let you, so don't worry too much over the summer,” Ron smiled as he gripped the hand bar of his trolley. He then turned to Hermione and gave her his sarcastic grin. “And you…don't study too much over the summer.” “I was going to suggest the exact opposite for you, Ron,” she replied with a grin. He shook his head at her and gave Harry a comforting nod before he made his way towards his family. Harry sighed softly as he watched the Weasleys make on their way out of the King's Cross, preparing for the long journey back to the burrow. He turned his attention back on Hermione and gave her a weak smile as she gently leaned against him, wrapping her arm around his waist. “Harry, you're uncle coming to get you?” Mr. Granger asked as he strapped Hermione's trunk on a small trunk trolley. “We can offer you a ride, if you'd like.” “Believe me sir, I would gladly accept it, but my uncle is already here. I'll be okay,” Harry answered with a grateful smile. His eyes move onto a very irritated and stout man, wearing a brown hat and menacing look on his face. Uncle Vernon had been sitting on a bench by the ticket booths for the past fifteen minutes, waiting for Harry. However, Harry didn't care. “Well then, Harry,” Mrs. Granger said with a soft smile as she placed her hand on his shoulder. “It was really nice seeing you again. Now, you don't be a stranger. You are more than welcome to visit Hermione and us at our house when you can.” Harry gave her a bright smile and nodded, despite the fact he knew that the Order would never allow him to leave the Dursleys. Mrs. Granger moved her hand off his shoulder and opened her arms to Crookshanks. The cat let out a soft meow as it graciously jumped into her arms and curled up into a ball. She gave Harry another warm smile before she looked at her husband, who was staring intently at his watch. “Mum…dad, you both go on ahead,” Hermione said as she noticed her dad was growing impatient. “I'll catch up.” Mr. Granger gave Hermione a questionable look and was about to suggest that they could wait, but before he had an opportunity to say it, he felt his wife take him by the hand. Mr. Granger looked at her, and Harry could tell that they were silently debating about the topic. In the end, Mr. Granger lost and the two slowly made their way towards the front exit of the train station. “Well…then,” Hermione said as she gave Harry a soft smile. “I'll be sure to write to you everyday, like I did last summer. Two months isn't that long…I'm sure it'll pass by quickly.” Harry could tell that she was trying to be strong, but he knew that deep down, she was as torn apart as he was. Harry pulled her into a tight hug and gently rested his head against hers. He quickly glanced towards the Grangers and he was happy to see that they were at a great enough distance away where they wouldn't be able to get a clear view of them. With that in mind, he gently rubbed her cheek with his hand and gave her a soft kiss. “I'm going to miss you,” he whispered as he unwillingly pulled his lips away from hers. “I'm going to miss you too,” she replied as she softly sniffled, her eyes beginning to water. “It's going to be weird not seeing able to see you everyday.” “Yeah,” he said quietly. Harry heard Hedwig hoot in her cage, causing him to glance at her. She hopped inside her cage and started to hoot again, her gaze focused on something. Harry turned his head in the direction Hedwig was looking, and he could see that the Grangers had reached the front exit of King's Cross and were waiting patiently for Hermione. He released a soft sigh and returned his focus on Hermione. “You're parents are waiting for you.” “I guess I should go then,” she groaned as she pulled herself out of Harry's warm embrace. “Don't want to make my dad angry.” “Yeah,” he nodded as he placed his hands in his pockets. She gave him a weak smile before she leaned up on her tiptoes and gave him one last quick kiss. “Write me when you get home,” she said as she slowly started to take small steps away from him. “I love you, Harry.” “I love you too, Hermione” Harry replied. She wiped her eyes and gave him a sweet smile. He returned her smile with a bright grin, which caused her to giggle slightly. She waved at him and quickly turned to face her parents, Harry captivated by how her hair flowed as she turned. Harry released a heavy sigh as he watched Hermione make her way towards the front exit. Mrs. Granger wrapped her arm around her shoulder and the Grangers vanished into the crowd of Muggle travelers. Harry walked over to his trolley and gave Hedwig a weak smile. He stuck his fingers through her cage and affectionately stroked her head. He then placed his hands on the hand bar of the trolley and started to push it towards Uncle Vernon. “Took you long enough!” Uncle Vernon growled as he rose from the bench and glared at Harry. “Such horrid behavior in public…don't you have any courtesy…people were staring. I thought we raised you better than that…oh but what can I expect…nothing more than a bunch freaks.” “Sorry to keep you waiting, Uncle Vernon,” Harry said through gritted his teeth, his hand right hand aching to pull out his wand. He saw his uncle's face turning into its usual shade of purple, knowing that his answer didn't satisfy him. He was ready to start an argument, but his heart and mind weren't into the idea. “Best we go…I hear that traffic is going to be horrible.” “That's right…traffic is going to be bloody horrible,” his uncle replied with a disgusted tone. “You should be thankful I came out here to get you, boy! I should be at home with your aunt and Dudley, preparing for Aunt Marge's visit, but instead I have to come all the way out here to pick up you. What did I do to deserve such punishment?” “Aunt Marge is coming?” Harry asked, his mouth hanging open. “Why is she coming over?” “That is none of your business,” Uncle Vernon retorted as they walked out of the train station and towards the parking lot. Before Harry started his third year of Hogwarts, he had accidentally blown Aunt Marge into a large balloon. She insulted his parents by comparing them to dogs and how Harry was nothing more than a bad seed. She had provoked him to a level no one had ever pushed him before. Not even Draco Malfoy had wandered into search dangerous territory during their squabbles. Harry unfortunately lost control of his anger and unwilling unleashed his magic on her. He was happy to know that the Ministry of Magic handled the situation delicately and erased Aunt Marge's memory of the event. However, to his horrible dismay, the Dursleys' memories weren't altered. “Now boy…” Uncle Vernon started as he took a firm hold of Harry's arm, and pulled him over towards his car. He looked around the parking lot and only continued once no other person was in sight. “If you decide to use your ma…your ma…your voodoo on her…anything at all, I do not care the consequences that my sweet family will suffer, you will be on the streets!” “I won't do anything to her,” Harry replied through clenched teeth as he placed his trunk into the backseat of the car. Harry would of gladly done anything to leave number four, Privet Drive; however, knowing his current situation with Voldemort on the loose and the Order's restrictions, he had no choice but to stay with the Dursleys. * ~ * ~ * ~ * The car ride home was a painful experience. The traffic was truly horrible and Harry constantly received nasty glares from his uncle. He did his best to ignore him, his attention mostly focused on the starless sky above. His thoughts started to wander and he felt his stomach tightening when his thoughts focused on Keung. “Oh, the new neighbor has moved in,” Uncle Vernon said with a somewhat satisfied voice as the car pulled into the driveway of number four, Privet drive. “Any neighbor is better than the McNamaras…very ruddy bunch if you ask me. I'm glad to see that they have left the neighborhood.” Harry looked over at the house next door and noticed a large moving van parked in front of it. He didn't really know the McNamaras and wasn't the least bit interested in acknowledging Uncle Vernon's statements. He carefully pulled his trunk out of the backseat of the car, making sure that he didn't scratch the seat. The last thing he needed at the moment was to give his uncle a reason to scream at him. Once the trunk was out of the car, he placed Hedwig's cage on it and gripped the side handles securely. “Will you look at that,” Uncle Vernon gasped as he walked to the front door of the house, his eyes focused on a shiny black car parked in the next driveway. “Well I'll be…it's the new Mercedes…this neighbor must be very important to own a vehicle like that. We must have them over for dinner later.” Harry rolled his eyes at the comment as he lifted his trunk and made his way into the house. The searing eyes of Aunt Petunia and Dudley greeted him, but he didn't think much of it. The two followed Uncle Vernon into the kitchen and Harry could hear them chatting about their new neighbor. He released a soft sigh as he started ascend the staircase. * ~ * ~ * ~ * The following night, Harry collapsed onto his bed and muffled his screams with his pillow. Aunt Marge was her usual self and since she had no recollection of the consequences of insulting Harry's parents, she decided to make them the topic of that evening's discussion, throwing every curse and slur she could muster at them. Harry was happy that his self-control had greatly improved since her last visit, but he would have gladly given up an arm or a leg to blast her with another spell. Harry looked over at Hedwig's perch and grumbled to himself when he saw that she wasn't there. He had written to Hermione that morning about how horrible the summer was going to be and how much he had already missed her. He stared up at his ceiling and took in heavy breaths, trying to ignore the loud bursts of laughter that came from the living room. He closed his eyes and released another sigh. It was only eight o'clock, but he wanted sleep to wash over him. Aunt Marge was planning to stay with them for a week and he wanted the first day to end as fast as it could, so he could properly prepare himself for the following six. Despite his frustration, he slowly felt himself drifting to sleep when he heard something flutter through his window. He opened his eyes and a large smile formed on his face when he realized that it was Hedwig with an envelope attached to her leg. With one swift motion, Harry leapt out of his bed and approached his owl. He gently ran his fingers through the feathers on her back as he took the letter from her leg. Hedwig gave him an affectionate hoot before flying out of the window again. Harry watched his owl fly through the trees along the sidewalk, and knew that Hedwig had been anxious to do some hunting upon returning to the Muggle world. He wished her the best of luck and quickly opened the enveloped, his smile growing when he recognized Hermione's light blue stationery. He noticed something else in the envelope and he pulled it out. It was a photograph that he and his friends had taken before leaving King's Cross. A bright smile formed on his face as he turned his attention towards the letter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Dear Harry,* *I miss you! You can't believe how much I do. I spent the majority of the day working at the clinic with my parents. They actually hired me, so I'm going to receive a paycheck and everything. I'm somewhat excited about it. I spent most of my time reading through the magazines in the front office and talking to their patients, but I really couldn't concentrate on anything. I hope you're satisfied. The reason I couldn't concentrate on anything today was because I was thinking about you. I can't stop thinking about you. You better be smiling after reading this.* *I'm really sorry to hear about your Aunt Marge coming over for a visit. That is really rotten luck. I know that it will be hard, but you can handle it. You've been through worse before and everything always turned out okay in the end. Just don't blow her up into a balloon again. That would be to good for her. If you want to punish her properly, be sure to use a proper hex. I'm sure the smile is on your face just grew larger, but I'm only joking. The last thing I want is to get you expelled from Hogwarts.* *I wrote to the Order today, asking them if I could have permission to have you visit me. I had Hedwig deliver the letter, so that was why it took her so long to get my letter back to you. I hope I didn't worry you. Lupin was able to write back to me. He said that the Order wouldn't mind letting you stay with me for a couple of days, but they need to make the necessary arrangements to make sure that everything would be safe. That's incredibly good news! So don't you think for one minute that you'll be alone for the whole summer. Also, if they are willing to let you stay with me, I know they'll allow you to stay with Ron too.* *Well, I'm going to end this letter. I want you to get it before it gets too late. Be sure to give Hedwig a good rest, she's been flying around all day. My mum loves her to death. She even set up a perch next to my window, so she has a place to land when she flies into my room. You have a good night, Harry. Get some sleep; I know you'll feel better in the morning. I love you, very much. Write back when you can.* *With lots of love,* *Hermione* *P.S. I hope you like the photo. It's funny looking at pictures that don't move, isn't it? I hope you had a wonderful day and I can't wait to hear from you. I love you.* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry let out a happy sigh as he read through Hermione's letter again, his heart especially racing when he read through the part that said that he would be able to visit her and Ron. He couldn't wait to visit and be with them again. He placed the letter and the photo back into the envelope and opened his desk drawer, pulling out a small calendar. He quickly skimmed through the months of July and August, randomly thinking about when the Order would permit him to visit them. He noticed Hedwig fly through the window and land gracefully on her perch. He didn't look up from his calendar, running his fingers over the last few weeks of July. Hedwig hooted several times at him, her wings outstretched. Harry figured that she wanted to show him her most recent catch, but his mind was too occupied at the moment. He then heard something hard fall on his table and his eyes widened when they focused on the object. It was a golden snitch. “Where did you get this Hedwig?” Harry asked as he picked up the snitch. He examined it carefully and his mouth dropped when he saw an inscription on the ball. He suddenly recognized it; it was the snitch that Hermione had given him for his birthday. He held the ball tightly in his hand as he looked up at Hedwig, her yellow eyes staring attentively out the window. “Hedwig, how did you get this?” Hedwig released another hoot, causing Harry quickly to rise from his chair and look out his window. He didn't see anything outside, but he had a feeling that someone was waiting for him. He pulled his wand out of his drawer and bolted out his room and down the stairs, startling the Dursleys and enraging Aunt Marge. He could hear his Uncle's cries echoing in the back of his mind, but without any thought of hesitation, he ran out of the house. Harry slammed the door behind him and ran through the front yard, his eyes moving around erratically. Once he reached the sidewalk, he stopped and took several deep breaths, his heart racing. His grip tightened on his wand as he patiently waited for someone to appear. However, when no one did after almost ten minutes, he felt his heart sink and his anger flared. He looked at the golden snitch in his hand and gave it a tight squeeze. *Is this some kind of joke? Who would do this*' his mind screamed to him as he slowly made his way towards the house. He stopped before he reached the door, noticing the Dursleys staring at him from the windows with fearful expressions on their faces. He didn't want to go inside. He knew that he was breaking a restriction that the Order had set for him, but he didn't care, his rage was boiling. A snide comment from Aunt Marge or Uncle Vernon would have easily pushed him over the edge, and he'd gladly hex everyone inside the house. He placed his wand and the snitch into his pocket and decided to pace in front of the bushes along the walkway that led towards the front door of the house. Unfortunately, pacing didn't calm his nerves. The more he thought about the situation, the more infuriated he became. His eyes focused on a large rock that sat in between to shrubs and without thinking, he kicked it. “Just my luck!” he groaned to himself as felt a sharp pain in his foot. He gritted his teeth and started to shake his aching foot, cursing himself under his breath. “You know, Harry,” a voice came from behind him. “I'd rather you kick trees than rocks. I mean...you have a greater chance of uprooting a tree than you do at cracking a rock, but in either case I'm sure you're foot will break first.” Harry spun himself around and a weak smile formed on his face. Keung was standing on the sidewalk, wearing casual Muggle clothing and a lopsided grin on his face. He had his hands in his pockets and he gave Harry a comforting nod. Harry rubbed his eyes with the sleeves of his shirt and shook his head gently, but he didn't disappear. He even pinched himself to ensure that he wasn't dreaming. “I…” Harry started as he slowly made his way towards Keung, still unsure if he was hallucinating. “I thought…the mountain…” “Hold on…” Keung said as he pulled his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms. He raised an eyebrow and gave Harry a stunned look. “You mean to say that after everything…saving your life countless number of times…going through the Forbidden Chambers with you…defeating Magnolia Reins…accepting abuse from Willard Cross to save you. You mean to say that even though I survived all of those things…you thought a bunch of falling rocks did me in?” He gave Harry a large grin. “I'm quite offended by that assumption.” Harry released a soft laugh as he stopped in front of Keung. “But, how did you get out?” “With this,” he answered as he took out a pocket watch and opened it. Harry examined the watch and realized that it was the same watch that Lupin had used to save Hermione and him during their outing the previous year. “Reins and I survived the cave in, though because we were trapped and didn't have our wands, we thought that things were hopeless. I had enough strength to apparate, but she didn't…and as I said earlier, I wasn't going to leave her and let her die in that mountain. We were starting to lose hope when something happened that I still couldn't explain. Fawkes found us and gave me this watch. It took us a while to figure out what it did, but the next thing we knew, we were transported to Hogsmeade…” Keung stopped and gave Harry a concerned look. “You okay, Harry?” Harry choked back his emotions as he opened his arms and gave Keung a warm hug. He wasn't losing his mind; Keung was really there. Keung wrapped his arms around him, gently patting his back. “Everything is okay, Harry. I'm fine…I have been fine for a while now.” “Wait a second,” Harry said as ended their embrace. He was incredibly happy to see that Keung was alive and well, but several pertinent questions rushed into his head. He crossed his arms and gave Keung a confused look. “If you've been fine all this time, why didn't you return to Hogwarts? Why did you only show up now?” “I'll answer those questions, but how about we get inside first,” Keung suggested as he placed the watch back into his pocket. “It's not a good idea to have this conversation outside. To tell you the truth, I shouldn't of told you so much out here. But, no one's around, so I think it'll be okay.” “I don't know if my uncle would allow you to enter the house,” Harry said with an embarrassed tone as he turned and looked towards the windows. The Dursleys were still there, staring at him with expressions of utter confusion and disgust. “My uncle isn't very welcoming to my friends from school…actually he doesn't like anything that involves magic.” “I know,” Keung replied as his eyes focused on Uncle Vernon. He shook his head and pointed towards the house next to the Dursleys. “I know everything about your Muggle family. I can't believe that your mum is related to your aunt, it's beyond me to know how that happened. I meant if you would like to come over to my new place.” “Hold on…you moved into number two, Privet Drive?” “Yeah…don't worry, I will explain everything,” Keung said with a reassured nod as he made his way towards the house, Harry following close behind him. “Where do you think you're going?” Uncle Vernon shouted as he pushed the front door open. “You know that you are not to leave this house!” “Don't worry about him, Mr. Dursley,” Keung replied in such respectful tone that it surprised Harry. “Harry will return shortly.” “I forbid him to go!” Uncle Vernon retorted as he slowly stepped out of the house and gave Keung a menacing look. “He is not to leave this house! I do not want him running amok and causing trouble!” Keung took in a deep breath as he rubbed his eyes with his hand. He gestured to Harry to wait as he turned towards the approaching Dursley. Keung placed his hands in his pocket and made his way towards Uncle Vernon, meeting him in the center of the front lawn. Harry tried to listen to what they were saying, but they were talking too quietly. Harry was only able to see Uncle Vernon's red face turn to a shade of purple as their conversation continued. However after several minutes, Uncle Vernon's expression suddenly changed to one of complete joy. This utterly confused Harry for Uncle Vernon had never enjoyed conversing with anyone he believed wasn't normal. Keung stuck out his hand and Uncle Vernon graciously shook it with both of his, before turning around and literally skipping towards the house. “What was that all about?” Harry asked as Keung walked back to him. “I've never seen him that happy before.” “Again Harry,” Keung smiled, patting him on the shoulder, “I will answer everything once we get inside.” Harry followed Keung towards the front door of number two, Privet Drive. Harry stopped a moment and examined the black car that Keung had parked in his driveway. Keung snickered when he noticed this. “Don't look at it too hard, it's only an illusion to fool the Muggles. I figured that if you had to have to fake car, might as well make it a good one.” Harry laughed at his comment as the two entered Keung's new home. The design of the house was exactly to that of Dursleys, but Harry was in absolute awe. Unlike the Dursleys, who had somewhat tacky furniture and pictures of Dudley plastered across the walls, the living room greatly resembled that of the Gryffindor common room. There were two large bookshelves filled with both Muggle and Wizarding books, two large armchairs and a long couch were positioned by the fireplace, candlelight lanterns were hung throughout the room, and several portraits of witches and wizards he didn't recognize hung on the walls, each bowing his or her head to him as he walked by. “This place is brilliant,” Harry said as he noticed a framed picture of him, Hermione, and Ron on the mantle above the fireplace. He walked towards the picture and soon realized that all of the pictures on the mantle were of he and his friends. A large grin formed on his face as he looked at each picture, amazed at how much they have grown through the years. He then heard a high pitch cry from behind him that nearly made him jump. “Dobby is so happy to see Harry Potter sir!” the bouncy house-elf squealed as he ran over to Harry and gave his right leg a tight hug. “Dobby is going to be your neighbor Harry Potter sir!” “It's good to see you too, Dobby” Harry replied, somewhat startled to see the house-elf. He gently patted him on his back and watched Keung take a seat in one of the large armchairs. “Keung…what's going on?” “Hold on one second, Harry. Dobby,” Keung said, causing the house-elf to release Harry's leg and look at him. “Would you please make us some tea?” “It would be Dobby's pleasure sir,” Dobby replied as he saluted him. Keung gave him a bright smile and the cheerful house-elf quickly made his way towards the kitchen. “Well Harry,” Keung continued as Harry took a seat on the couch that was next to Keung's armchair. “I guess you want some answers from me.” “Yeah…loads of answers,” Harry said. “What's going on? Are you going to stay here?” “I am going to be staying here,” Keung said with a grin and a firm nod. “As for the reason of why I'm here…it's because of you. “For the past few years Dumbledore has been searching for a way for you to be safe and not return to the Dursleys during the summer break. He knew that you hated returning to them, but he valued your safety more than anything else, especially when he wasn't able to watch over you himself. And since nothing could protect you better than the blood that ran through your aunt's veins, you always had to return to them. “So once he discovered that your next door neighbors were moving, he set this plan into motion. The reason I wasn't able to see you until now was because I had to stay in the Muggle world and go through the whole painful process of purchasing this house. And let me tell you, this other Muggle family was also interested in it and they were relentless. I begged Dumbledore allow me to use magic and help push things in my favor…but he wouldn't have it. Though in the end, they gave up on it.” “Exactly what is this plan?” Harry asked, his heart starting to race. A large smile formed on his face. “Am I going to live with you?” “Unfortunately Harry, you cannot live here with me,” Keung answered sadly, causing Harry's face to sink. “To this day, Dumbledore hasn't been able to find a spell or charm that would protect you better than your aunt's blood. Therefore, the Dursleys' house must always remain as your home. So, the plan is for you to have this house as a haven.” “A haven?” Harry replied, somewhat confused. “What do you mean?” “By having this place as a haven, you are allowed to stay here as long as you like, only under the condition that you still return to your aunt's house to sleep,” Keung said with a smile. “As long as you keep this house as a place you visit and your aunt's house as your home, Voldemort can't find you. So if you really want to think about it…you do sort of live here, your bed just happens to be next door. Dumbledore wished he could do more, but this was the best solution that he could think of.” “I think it's brilliant,” Harry smiled as a warm feeling washed over him. He was somewhat disappointed to know that he still had to return to the Dursleys, but his overall happiness of being able to spend the majority of his day away from them, easily over powered his sadness. “So I can spend as much time as I want here, just as long I don't sleep here?” “Pretty much,” Keung replied. “Though, no matter what, you must spend some time at your aunt's house, hence the reason why it was suggested that you sleep there. I've just now talked with your Uncle about this and he seemed to find the idea to be…what exactly did he say…oh…ecstatically wonderful.” “That explains the reason he was smiling like that,” Harry said with a soft snicker. It amused him that the only way for Uncle Vernon to truly be happy is to not see him. Harry wasn't offended be this, because he felt the exact same way towards the entire Dursley family. “Your uncle is surely a strange one,” Keung commented as he rose from his armchair and stretched his back. “You can use the spare bedroom upstairs as your study. Though don't worry about it now, I'll help you move all your stuff tomorrow morning.” Keung then pulled the pocket watch and tossed it to Harry. “You can use that to ease your commute. The number four has been configured to take to your room in number four, Privet Drive, and the number two has been configured to take you to your study. That way, you can keep all your stuff here and not worry about walking back and forth between the houses.” “And if I time everything just right…” Harry grinned as he studied the watch in his hand. “Despite the fact that I will be at the Dursleys to sleep, I still wouldn't really have to see them.” “Exactly,” Keung nodded. “So once you wake up in the morning, all you need to do is push the number two to appear back here, and you can start your day. Leave it up to Dumbledore to think of everything.” “And you'll always be the here, right?” Harry asked timidly. “You're not going to disappear.” “Yes, I'll be here,” Keung replied as he held his hand out to Harry. Harry took it and Keung pulled him to his feet. “Dumbledore asked me to join the Order and I gladly accepted. He feels that after everything you and I have been through together, that I am the most qualified person to watch over you…saying of course, you don't have a problem with me being your guardian.” “I have no problem with that,” Harry smiled as the two walked into the kitchen and found Dobby pouring tea into two teacups. The two settle themselves around a large oak dining table. Harry looked over towards the kitchen and was surprised to see that it had been completely remodeled. The stove had been removed and in its place was a small brick fireplace. And rather than having the pots and pans sitting in tall cupboards, they were hung along the wall. “Oh, whatever happened to Magnolia Reins?” Harry asked as he turned his attention back to Keung. “Tea is ready, sir,” Dobby announced before Keung had a chance to answer. Dobby placed the two saucers on the table, followed by two teacups. He stood diligently by Keung and gave him another salute. “Is there anymore Dobby can do, sir?” “No thank you Dobby. If you'd like, you can unpack you things,” Keung replied as he took a sip of his tea and gave Dobby a very satisfied look. Dobby gave the two a large smile before making his way out of the kitchen. Keung released a soft snicker as he returned his attention back on Harry's question. “Right now, Reins is in the dungeons at the Ministry of Magic. After we both appeared in Hogsmeade, we were arrested by Aurors and sent to the Ministry for interrogation. Dumbledore came a couple of days later and he was able to straighten everything out with Fudge.” *That explains the urgent message Dumbledore received from Fudge*, Harry thought to himself as he placed both his hands around the cup, allowing the hot tea to warm his fingers. “So, you've been cleared of everything?” “Cleared of everything,” Keung answered. “Reins confessed to everything about Veronica's murder, so my name has been cleared. She is going to stand trial the day after tomorrow for the murder and being a Death Eater. Dumbledore and I are going to stand by her during her trial.” “You're really going to help defend her after everything she's done?” Harry asked, shocked by Keung's statement, though deep down, he knew that it was coming. “I thought you really hated her?” “I'm not saying that she wouldn't punished for what's she's done,” Keung said as his eyes moved towards the white curtains that covered the back windows. He pushed his hand into his pocket, searching for something, before he continued. “And it's true, I don't like her very much, but the Flame did corrupt her heart and she's doing her best to recover from it. Harry, everybody in this world deserves a second chance at life…not just the good people, but also the bad. Dumbledore and I are going to see if we can help reduce her sentence.” “To fifty years instead of life,” Harry suggested as he raised an eyebrow. He didn't completely agree with what Keung had said, but he wasn't in the proper mindset to begin a debate over it. “No,” Keung replied with a soft snicker. His hand found what he was looking for and he pulled out a small piece of paper. “Dumbledore and I have been thinking more along the lines of twenty to twenty-five years. The trick is going to convince Fudge of this…but you know Dumbledore, he'll think of something.” Keung slid the small piece of paper towards Harry. Harry examined it and saw a phone number written on it. Keung gripped the handle of his cup and rose from the table. “That is Hermione Granger's telephone number. I found it in the telephone directory just before I met you tonight. Did you know that there are over five hundred Grangers listed in that bloody directory? I had to use a charm to find her number.” Harry looked at Keung with a joyful yet confused expression on his face. Keung gave him a soft smile as sipped his tea. “Harry, you can have Hermione, Ron, and Nancy over as much as you like. Who am I to stand in the way of love and true friendship, right? You can use the pocket watch to help transport yourselves. The number seven will take you to Hermione's home, number eight will take you to the Ron's, and the number nine for Nancy.” “I don't know what to say?” Harry gave Keung a grateful smile. “How could I ever thank you for all of this?” “Harry, don't worry about it. As I've said before, it was my pleasure,” Keung replied with cheerful expression. Though upon finishing that statement, his expression changed to one of seriousness. “Though being here isn't going to just be fun and games. Dumbledore told me everything about your prophecy and the task you must perform. You are a great wizard, Harry, but you have a lot more to learn. It's going to be our duty to make sure that you're ready when that day comes.” “You mean…you're going to train me?” Harry asked, his eyes lightening at the thought. “I'll do as much as I can,” Keung grinned as he made his way over towards the white curtains. “I know Moody definitely wants to have a go with you.” He laughed to himself when he saw Harry's expression drop at the sound of Moody's name. “But don't worry about it now. We've got the whole summer…so just relax.” Harry nodded and took another sip of his tea. His eyes soon moved towards the telephone and he immediately looked at the paper that had Hermione's number. He placed the pocket watch into his pocket and rose from his chair. “Would you mind, if I used your…” “Telephone?” Keung finished as he grinned at Harry, causing him to nod excitedly. “You don't have to ask for permission…it's technically your phone too.” Harry picked up the black cordless phone and started to dial Hermione's number. He placed the listening receiver against his ear and his heart began to race when he heard the ring tone. He turned his attention to Keung and watched him grab the corner of the white curtain, pulling it aside to expose the night sky. “It's another beautiful starry night,” Keung said with a sigh as he gazed at the twinkling stars, taking a large gulp of his tea. Harry walked over to him and also looked out the window, astonished at how grand the sky looked. His attention returned to the phone when he heard a click followed a soft voice; a bright smile grew on his face. “Hey Hermione, it's me…Harry…really, it's me! You can never guess what just happened…” For the first time in his life, Harry didn't mind not being at Hogwarts. He knew that the futures of he and his friends were blanketed with mystery and danger; however, a new form of hope and courage enveloped him. For the first time in his life, Harry Potter was ready to meet the peril ahead of him. With a soft smile on his face, he gazed at the stars above and listened to the melodic voice of Hermione; Harry Potter had accepted the prophecy; his destiny and allowed fate to take its course. ~FIN~ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **A/N:** Thank you very much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. I have made plans on writing a sequel, but I'm still in the process of planning out the plot and such. Though I have enough stuff planned to write a little blurb about it. The next story is going to be called, **Harry Potter and the Crest of Eternity**. Legend states that over a thousand years ago, an evil sorcerer tried to take over the world by using the mystical powers of the Crest of Eternity. The Crest granted the sorcerer immortal life along with other awesome abilities such as stealing memories and dissolving all magical barriers. Godric Gryffindor, sworn enemy of the dark sorcerer, sought the aide of Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff, and the four banded together and defeated the powerful sorcerer. After the gruesome battle, the four believed that none of them had the right to claim the Crest of Eternity as their own and instead, severed the one awesome crest into four identical and smaller crests. This marked the creation of the Crest of Gryffindor, the Crest of Slytherin, the Crest of Ravenclaw, and the Crest of Hufflepuff. Each crest took the shape of the owner's seal and each possessed its own specific power. The four vowed to protect their crests with their lives, never to allow anyone to assemble them together to reform the Crest of Eternity. The story takes place during Harry's seventh and final year of Hogwarts. The Order of the Phoenix learns that Voldemort and his Death Eaters have started a campaign to locate and seize the four crests. And after several tragic events, Harry and his friends set out a quest to gather as many as the crests as they can, in hopes to prevent Voldemort from reforming the Crest of Eternity.