A/N: Hey everyone! Okay, I finally got out my first chapter. Harry is in his 6th year at Hogwarts. There is a little bit of everything, action, adventure, angst, romance (h/h of course!), and probably a lot more, but I just can't name it. Please review!
Disclamer: Unfortunately for me, everything belongs to J. K. Rowling.
The End
Chapter one: The Dream
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He was flying. He was flying so fast that he was in danger of falling off his broom and crashing to the ground. All he could hear was the sound of the crowd below screaming and applauding mixed with the sound of thunder echoing through the night. A sudden roar from the Ravenclaw side of the stands told him that Cho was getting closer to him. He had to get to the snitch before her. And he had to do it fast. With one more thrust from his broom, he caught it. The tiny golden ball was freezing underneath his fingers. He was about to dive down to land, when he felt an all too familiar jerk from somewhere behind his navel. Soon he was no longer in the Quidditch stadium, but somewhere that he had visited only two years ago. He heard yells, and menacing laughter coming from all directions.
"I have caught you, Harry Potter. Now, be a good laddie and give me your wand," and high and cold voice soon met his ears, giving him dreadful chills down his spine. "No? You don't want to give me your wand? Then I must force you to give it to me. Crucio!" Harry suddenly felt pain rippling through his body, which fell to the ground twitching. He did not scream, for he knew that he would only be giving Voldemort the satisfaction if he did so. But soon enough, the pain subsided, and he was suddenly aware of his surroundings. This was the graveyard where he had been just two years ago, when he touched the Tri Wizard Tournament cup with Cedric.
"Harry, Harry, Harry... Why must you be so stubborn? If you just did what you were told once in a while, then you wouldn't have to experience so much pain." Voldemort's sarcastic remark caused the hundreds of death eaters to erupt in laughter once more. Harry felt anger coursing throughout him, and reached for his wand in the pocket of his robes, only to find that it wasn't there. He looked up at Voldemort, who was twirling the narrow strip of wood between his fingers. "Do you know Harry, that I've heard that being killed with your own wand hurts more? I think I shall see if this is true tonight. Unless, of course, you wish to hear your other option. Would you rather become my slave, and obey my every command?" Laughter cracked the unearthly silence again. Harry stood up, looked right into Voldemort's gleaming red eyes, and said,
"Not in a million years would I ever join your worthless little club. I would rather die than become one of your mindless slave's, all of whom are stuck to believing that you are some kind of god." Harry certainly did not feel as brave as he had sounded, but he was not going to just give up his life to Voldemort. There was no laughter anymore, and Voldemort raised his hairless eyebrows.
"You have courage Harry. Something I must have overlooked when I was trying to kill you all these years. But, unfortunately for you, your courage has mad me feel angry," at the last words, Harry felt surging pain on his forehead, and let his hand clutch his scar. "You see, Harry, I can and will cause you more pain than you could ever do to me. I bid farewell to you now, my dear Harry. Avada Kedavra!" The last thing Harry saw was a blinding flash of green light hurling toward him. And being unable to move, the light struck him, and he felt his life being wiped away....
Harry woke shaking and sweating. His throat hurt, and he guessed this was because he had been screaming. All of his dorm was awake, and were crowded along his bed. Rushed questions of his sanity made Harry want to faint, but he simply shook his head. "No, no, I'm fine. It was just a dream." Seamus looked very uncertain, and Dean was eyeing him with something that looked like fear mixed with uncertainty. Ron was very white, and told the rest to go back to bed. He turned around and looked at Harry, who was still shaking. "Harry, are you sure you're alright? You were screaming so loudly that I wouldn't be surprised if the entire castle was awake."
"No, Ron. I'm fine. It was just a dream. But... Wait... my scar!" He quickly got up from his bed, and attempted to go out the door, but Ron stopped him.
"Harry, you're not making sense. Where are you going?" Ron asked, looking even more worried.
"Ron, My scar hurt. Siri- Snuffles told me to tell Dumbledore whenever my scar hurt." He proceeded to go down to the common room, with Ron following him.
"But Harry, it's the middle of the night! Why don't you just wait until tomorrow morning?" Harry looked at Ron, and then plopped down in a chair by the fire. He looked around, searching for something. His heart was still pounding uncomfortably, and his hands were still shaking. The memories of the dream started flashing before his mind. Ron sat down next to him eyeing his carefully. He looked as if he was afraid Harry might explode. "Harry? Can you tell me what happened?" Harry would not have shared his nightmares with anyone but Ron, because Ron was his best friend. Harry sighed, and started to repeat his dream for Ron. By the end, Ron looked as shaken as Harry had before. "You mean, you were at the final Quidditch match and the snitch was a portkey? Harry, maybe you should go tell Dumbledore. I mean, you have been known to predict the future with your dreams haven't you?" Ron said, only half joking. Harry cracked a little smile, and shook his head.
"No, I'll just talk to him tomorrow. Right now, I'm going back to bed." He got up, Ron following him again. On the way, Ron tried to ease the situation.
"I was having a dream about that stupid dance. I was asking every girl, and they all said yes. So when it was time for the dance, I had like fifty dates." Harry laughed. The Halloween Dance was only a fortnight away, and neither Harry nor Ron had a date yet. Harry would have had no problem trying to get a date, as almost every girl in Hogwarts liked him. When Rita Skeeter's reports had finally gotten too boring, it seemed like everyone had wanted to either become his friend, girl friend, or just someone who walked around with Harry. He was constantly surrounded with girls, who were all twittering madly, making Harry's head spin. The whole school, it seemed, wanted to know whom Harry was going to ask to the dance. Harry's increased popularity had not affected Ron. Now Ron was one of the most popular boys in school. Girls too, surrounded him. Harry was told over and over by teachers that his father went through this as well, and they seemed to be haunted by this fact. Professor McGonagall had said to him after a class that the teachers felt like they were repeating history. Harry rolled over in his bed, and sighed, and almost immediately, he fell asleep.
The next day was no different. When Harry sat down at breakfast, the entire girl population of the Gryffindor house also sat down.
"Harry, you look tired, did you sleep alright?" a girl whom Harry had never spoken to in his life asked him. He opened his mouth to respond, but another question bombarded him. "Harry, who are you going to ask to the dance?" and once again, all the girls began giggling madly and started to ask the same question over and over again. He didn't answer. The girl who he had wanted to ask was never mentioned. Her face immediately popped into his mind. Her chocolate brown eyes... her brown hair... and her voice... her beautiful voice. Harry felt guilty for loving this person. She was after all, his best friend aside from Ron. Yes, he loved Hermione Granger. He had since he was eleven. And he wanted to ask her to the dance, but he was afraid of ruining their friendship. And she probably didn't even like him. He sighed. "Oh... look at him... he's thinking about the girl he likes..." a high female voice interrupted his thoughts, and he was painfully brought back to reality. "Who is she, Harry?" "Are you going to ask her to the dance, Harry?" "What house is she in Harry?" Harry groaned and got up from his seat, hundreds of girls form all the houses followed him. Ron quickly found his place next to him, and quietly said, "So, today's the day huh? Are you going to ask Hermione?"
"Ron! Will you be quiet? I don't think they all want to know that I like Hermione" he said. The final bell to get to class rung, and all the girls started to run away, yelling their goodbyes to Harry over their shoulder. Harry walked into Transfiguration, late as usual. Professor McGonagall had given up taking points off Harry for being late, because he was usually late every day. Harry took his seat next to Hermione. She smiled a reassuring smile, and pat his shoulder. Harry felt as though a million bolts of electricity was running through him as she said, "Girl problems Harry?" Harry nodded. "Don't worry. Its still the beginning if the year, I'm sure they'll calm down soon." Harry snorted.
"Wanna bet? They didn't calm down last year, and they probably won't this year." Hermione smiled again, but didn't say anymore because McGonagall was starting class.
After unsuccessfully trying to transfigure a coffee table into a full desk, Harry set off to go to the common room. He didn't feel like trying to eat while twenty girls were twittering at his side. He descended up the boy's dorm stairs to get his Firebolt Three Thousand. This new broom was also a gift from his godfather, Sirius Black. After Voldemort had smashed his old broom, The Fireblot, to bits, Harry was in search of a new broom, and Sirius, being free, had gotten him the newest and fastest broom on the market. While walking to the Quidditch field, Harry was reminded of his fifth year, when Sirius had been declared innocent. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, had witnessed Wormtail, or Peter Pettigrew's speech in front of Hogwarts. This speech was about his "terrible" and "haunting" life, and how he was not sorry about Sirius's imprisonment. The Minister immediately gave Sirius another trial, and declared Harry's godfather a free man.
"Harry! Harry, over here!" an annoying squeaky voice interrupted his thoughts. Harry looked around to find Colin Creevy waving towards him from the stands. He reluctantly walked over to the small fifteen year old, and sat down next to him. "Hiya Harry! What are you doing here? Why aren't you at lunch?"
"Oh, I wasn't hungry, so I decided to come down here and practice for the next Quidditch season. Why are you here?"
Colin smiled sheepishly, and said, "I was practicing also. I heard that the team needed another chaser, and I thought I might try out. You're the captain this year aren't you?"
"Yeah. Colin, if you don't mind, I really need to get some practice in, so.... I'll see you later." Harry got up again and went down to the field, leaving Colin looking slightly put down. Harry mounted his broom, and felt the familiar feeling of happiness wash over him. He swooped in and out of the goal posts, down close to the ground, and flew higher again.
By the time he was heading back to the Gryffindor common room, it was already five minutes to his next class. He hurried up and down the boy's dorm stairs, and rushed through the corridors, looking at his schedule on his way. He had Defense Against the Dark Arts. Now who was the new teacher? Harry thought. He hurled through the class room door, with one minute left until the class started.
"Harry! Over here!" Hermione hissed. Ron was not sitting with them as usual, but he was sitting with Lavender Brown. Harry held back a laugh. Ron had started to like Lavender since last year, and never missed an opportunity to sit with her. No matter, now you can sit with Hermione, his mind told him. He plopped down in his seat, still panting from his wild rush through the school. Hermione looked at his cautiously.
"Harry, are you okay? You weren't at lunch."
"I know, I was practicing Quidditch," Harry whispered. "Who do you think the new teacher will be?" Hermione shrugged and turned her attention to the opening door at the front of the classroom. A young man wearing shabby robes and carrying an old briefcase walked into the classroom. Harry's mouth dropped open when he realized whom this man was, and saw that the man was looking at him with wonder and respect blazing in his eyes. Before Harry could get any words out, the teacher spoke.
"Hello class, I'm sorry I'm late." There was a collection of gasps from the entire class.
"Professor Lupin!" several students shouted. Harry just grinned and waved to his old Professor and friend, who gave him a wink, and smiled back.
"Now, we must get class started so all of you can practice using this spell."
Professor Lupin set down his briefcase, and brought out a beaten up trunk from behind his desk. "Most of you will remember when we experienced with boggarts. For this lesson, we will also be using them, but not in the form of your worst fears. They will take the form of dementors, and the spell in which we will learn today will temporarily banish these dementors." Harry already knew what this spell was. It was the spell he had used during his third year to rid the dementors that had been causing him to faint when they got near them. This lesson would be easy, for Harry at least.
"Most of you will not know this spell, but I know that at least one of you does," Professor Lupin said, looking at Harry. " Harry, would you please come up here to show the rest of the class what this spell does?" Harry felt his face heat up as he got to the front of the class. "You ready, Harry?" Lupin said as Harry rolled up his robes. Harry nodded, but he didn't feel ready. The dementors always caused him to feel clammy, and he almost always passed out when they neared him. Harry hoped that today would be one of his lucky days. Professor Lupin dragged the battered trunk to the front of the class, put his hands on the lid, and tore back the lid. A tall dementor walked out, and Harry felt the familiar wave of cold sweeping over him. He pointed his wand at the creature, and thought about when Sirius was freed, and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" A huge stag leapt out of his wand, and charged toward the dementor, who stopped and disappeared with a crack. Harry sighed with relief as Lupin closed the trunk again. The silvery stag galloped back towards Harry, looked him in the eye, and then disappeared back into his wand.
"Nice job, Harry! I can see you've been practicing!" The Professor was practically beaming down at Harry. Harry smiled back, and said,
"Well, it wasn't really practice, it was more like I was forced to use it." Lupin smiled again, and Harry went back to his desk. Hermione was looking very happy as well, as whispered in his ear,
"That was great Harry!" Harry grinned again. Ron gave him a thumbs up sign from across the room.
The class ended, and only Harry, Hermione, and Seamus had been able to use the spell correctly. Lupin had asked Harry, Hermione, and Ron to stay after. When the rest of the class left, Lupin finally spoke.
"It is so nice to see you three again! My you have all changed," he said looking the three of them over. "Harry, you're looking more like your father than ever! You've almost grown to Ron's height!" Ron and Harry looked at each other, and laughed. But it was true; Harry was only a couple of inches shorter than Ron. "An Ron, you look a lot like your mother nowadays. Hermione, I see that you are still the smartest student in the class. And the three of you are prefects!"
"So why are you teaching here again, Professor Lupin?" Harry asked.
"Please, call me Remus, but only outside of the class. Professor Dumbledore said he was in desperate need of a teacher, and I thought I'd give it another try. Wow, three years really changes people." He was looking them over again.
"I'm sorry, Professor, er, Remus, but we've got to get to Potions, or Professor Snape will not be happy." Hermione said, looking at her watch.
"You're right. But please visit me later!" They left, Ron hurrying ahead to go find Lavender. Harry was starting to wonder why Ron left so much all of a sudden. Surely Lavender wasn't that interesting. Hermione looked up at him, and cleared her throat nervously. Harry suppressed a frown. Why was she acting nervous? If anything, Harry should be the one who was nervous. He did like her after all.
"So... Um... Harry... Are you going to the dance?" Hermione asked in a quiet voice. Harry suddenly realized what was going on. He had to conceal his rush of happiness and answer.
"Yeah, I think so. Are you?"
"Yes, I am, but not with anyone. Who are you going with?" She asked as they entered the potions room and took their seats.
"No one. Hey, if you're going alone and I'm going alone, why don't we go together?" Harry asked more bravely than he felt. Hermione smile shyly and nodded. It seemed that she had been waiting a while to talk to him. Harry was certainly surprised at the fact that Hermione seemed to like him. She hid it very well. Although it was obvious to almost everyone, Harry hadn't told her of his feelings either. He supposed that she probably noticed thing better than he had thought.
A/N: Okay, I know that really sucked. But once the story goes on, I think it will get better. In the next chapter, the dance will happen, and Harry and Hermione talk a lot... PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!
