So, the sixth year of Hogwarts had already begun. It was well into November where the days dragged on in darkness and pending semester finals loomed in the student's heads. Here, in a study hall in the northern most part of the school we find Harry Potter, the most famous of all. Alone he is now and studying for a test in potions. He had just stormed out of the commons from having a fight with Hermione. She was far too bossy for him. He hated her for it, he wanted to understand something, but she refused to tell him. Anyway, Harry thought drilling over his potions book, Ron will be happy I left him and Hermione alone. They always are looking for ways to be rid of me these days. No one was ever in this study hall because, frankly it was only used when everyone and their brother had too study, it was far from any common room and rather dark.

Drilling over his book Harry heard someone enter. Jumping he looked around. It was another student, one he didn't recognize.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said the girl, "I didn't mean to startle you. There's hardly anyone here. It's nice studying alone. But it seems I'll not be alone tonight."

"Who are you?" Harry asked as politely as possible. He had never seen her before. Her hair was brown, layered rather choppy-like and her eyes, of deep brown that shined as if a star bor in them.

"I'm Clara Plowski," She said sitting at the same table some distance away from Harry, "I'm in Slytherin." Harry sighed, friends with his enemy, "But it seems you've had bad experiences with Slytherins. I didn't say I was a Slytherin, I'm just in Slytherin. I don't share most of their views."

Harry looked at her book...potions. "Studying for the potions test too?" Harry asked

"Yah," Clara looked at her book, "When do you have it?"

"First luckily so the information doesn't have to stick for long." Harry laughed.

"Me too." Clara said in realization, "Guess we're in the same class."

Harry thought a moment; Clara opened her book, "Hey-" she turned her brown eyes towards him with confidence as he asked, "You wouldn't want to study together would you?"

"Sure, but I don't know how much help I'll be...I don't think of myself as that bright..." Clara said moving over next to Harry.

After about an hour and some of going over things in the dim, dusted study hall they finally seems to have gotten over everything they needed.

"Liar." Harry said when they were packing up.

"What?"

"You said you weren't bright." Harry said, "You seems just as bright a Hermione, and she's the smartest person I know."

"Am I really 'bright' like her? I don't spend my days in the library." Clara said.

They walked out of the North Study Hall, a clock in the hall reveled it was past their curfew, for there was no clock in that study hall.

"Darn it." Clara sighed. "This happens all the time. I should really put a clock in that place myself. I know a shortcut to Slytherin common room without getting caught. But, Harry," He looked to her seeing her face in the blue light of the moon through the opaque windows, "I don't know if you'll make it to Gryfindor if you go with me. You'll have to go around the Great Hall."

"It's ok," Harry said unsure why she cared for him even though they had met only a couple of hours ago, "I'll go with you. I don't think I'll get caught."

Clara nodded, "Let's hope so," then she quickly turned, to what looked like into a wall, old and only touched by the age of time. There was a large picture of which she silently woke up.

"Oh why hello Clara my dear," The old colonel of gray eyes and a smile of past glory said, "Out late again I see...Oh and it seems you've picked up someone...Harry Potter, why hello my boy, I've only seen you pass thrice before. Well as usual I must ask for the password. But if your looking to get him back my tunnel in not to the Gryfindor common room."

"I know colonel." Clara smiled. "He's seems to be coming anyway. Estelio"

"Goodnight." He nodded his baring head down, the painting swung open.

They walked in; it seemed as though no light in the world could reach this foreign place. It was dark, but dry. Harry could see no roof or curve above his head, nor could he see anything behind or forward, there was only the solid floor, and he could not see Clara, but he could hear her. She had picked up something. "Illuminatious" And from her hand came a flame of white and gold.

"What is that?" Harry asked.

"Oh, this is a heavy grain, called Alcarust, that if you say the right spell it with turn into flame that will not burn you, but will provide light, quick handy, to say the least." Clara's face was illuminated by the bright flame, "Stay close, I'll show you the path to Slytherin, sorry but none of the other passages get any closer to Gryfindor than mine."

"That's alright," Harry said following Clara's silhouette

Some ways as they went on Harry asked:

"What language was that you used to open the painting?"

"Oh just a dead language no one uses. I still speak it though, it's flows smoothly off the tongue, like a song. It was by accident I feel up this passage. I was singing a song in it and the colonel asked about it and lead to the passage."

"Oh..."

The path was long, they seemed to be walking forever, but in reality it was no more than 10 min, which in the dark was truly forever.

"Isn't in quicker to go down the regular halls to your common room." Harry asked over Clara's shoulder, "I could be back to mine now. I mean where's it go other than to the Slytherin commons? It's not that hard to get back from the north study." Harry's mind raced and he wondered if it was good idea to trust and stranger, a Slytherin no less. "Are you sure you're not a true Slytherin?"

"Well it's a pity you trusted me then." Clara said flatly.

"What are you talking about?" Harry stopped.

Clara turned looking at Harry holding her flame in her palm. "What do you mean Harry?"

"I don't know but I don't like the sound of this. Where are you leading me?" Harry asked defensively.

"Fool, I'm not kidnapping you. It's just you shouldn't be so trusting if deep down you don't know what's doing on." Clara said turning to continue on.

"Snake!" Harry's anger for Draco and Slytherins came out; "You tricked me! What do you want? Where are we going?"

"I told you. But it seems you don't trust me, I don't want anything." Clara breathed quickly and then as Harry approached her now offensively, and she dropped her flame and grains. All light left the area and Harry couldn't even see his hand in front of his face reaching for Clara.

"You snake! What have you done!" Harry yelled, he pulled out his wand ready to fire into the darkness.

A voice came...It was Clara's she seemed no more than a foot in front of him and sad. He heard it as her voice trembled, "If you will not trust me to lead you on a safe path then how can I trust you if you are going to attack me?"

"What are you talking about?!" Harry yelled to the darkness.

The voice was moving, "I'm sorry you hate some people. Please, just don't hate me. You don't realize what a threat you are to people. Some people say you can not bring happiness to anyone." Clara lit her flame, but she was behind Harry, "So, I'm sorry if am a little afraid of you."

Harry understood now, as he turned to looked at Clara behind him. She must have seen something in him, but deep down she's afraid of him, just like a lot of people. He shouldn't have been so offensive.

"Alright." Harry took a deep breath and put away his wand, "Sorry, will you lead the way please."

"Alright." Clara said stepping in front of him "... Please don't call me a snake...I truly wish not to fear you."

They continued in silence until the came to a wall.

"This is it, the exit." Harry heard Clara put her hands to the wall, "Another painting," She whispered, "Estel"

"What do those words mean?" Harry asked before she opened the painting.

"Trust and Hope."

The painting cracked open. She went out and Harry followed. They where now directly in front of the Slytherin common room portal.

"Be careful." Clara whispered. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Harry asked as they stood in front of the portal.

"If you get caught," and from turning out the light in the tunnel. Clara said but as she turned and said the password a person's foot steps where heard. Quickly Clara pulled Harry into the portal with her.

"What are you doing?" Harry whispered inside the Slytherin common room directly next to the door.

"It's better than a detention." Clara whispered. "I don't know how long it will be before they are out of site."

Harry looked at the common room of which he had seen before. It still was decorated in greens and leathers of high aristocracy. It seemed as though no one else was in the room; it was now midnight and Harry had to get some sleep before he'll forget what he learned. He turned back to Clara of whom he now realized he had pinned in the corner.

"Oh sorry," Harry blushed a bit as he let her go.

"It's alright." Clara squeezed around Harry.

Clara sat on the marble steps in front of the door and Harry joined her.

"Who do you think it was?" Harry asked,

Clara shrugged. A few moments passed.

"Well they should be gone." Harry said getting up.

Clara walked up to the door. "Don't get caught, it's passed midnight, that's a worse detention then before."

"I won't, " Harry smiled and slipped out the door.

Harry found it easy to get back to his room. He thought if he needed it, that he could use the Room of Requirement on the way. But as he walked in he found Hermione and Ron still awake, but they didn't seem to be too worried about Harry. They were together. Harry had almost wished he hadn't returned to see them. He understood they thought no one would be around and they are teens, but he didn't expect Hermione to be so close to Ron, if felt odd to Harry. He tired to not disrupt things by sliding across the wall. But Ron's eye caught Harry. He quickly stopped him.

"What? Why are you-?" Hermione began but Ron quickly got up.

Ron walked up to Harry who was innocently standing against the wall and Hermione quickly joined them. She stood behind Ron with a firm grasp on his arm. Harry saw Hermione was worried but Ron on the other hand was smiling like a bafoon.

"Sorry I didn't mean to walk in or anything." Harry said trying to make his way to the dormitory but Ron wouldn't let him pass.

"We were originally waiting for you." Ron said annoyed, "You stormed out. It's midnight you know."

"I was in the North study hall, there are no clocks in there, I lost track of time." Harry said rather confused why Ron seemed so mad.

"Right..." Ron mashed his lips together like he was in deep thought, "...Well night lad."

Harry began to walk away. "Aren't you going to bed?" He asked turning around.

"I'll be there." Ron said turning his back to him and re-directed himself to Hermione who now looked rather pleased and blushed profusely.

Harry went to bed. The thought of Ron and Hermione like that seemed so wrong to Harry, he remembered the rather pathetic Ron he once knew. He's so much more, should he say in harmony now. Hermione though, she certainly has come into her own. Harry remembered how innocence they where as first years... so much has changed.