Chapter 1

To leave or not to leave

Calm. The first time he had felt it in months. And silence. Safe silence. Except for Ron and Hermione whispering a little ways up the stairs. didnnow you see what

Harry was glad that they found each other. HeI broke up with her. What if shet love her? I was gone for eight months. Did she find someone else? Does she still love me? So what if she found someone else? But could I hurt her that way? Would I make her stay with me? That would most definitely hurt her. I cant reject hert want tot want to. I could leave. I could leave her alone with him. If she loves him, I variable? Ill stay away. I won Harry thought as he walked down the steps.

Hermione had her hand on his shoulder. He had stopped walking, and hadnWhen we first met, I asked you about something. What was it?Neville I Harry said, and smiled weakly.

I just had to make sure.t leave her eyes. Harry noticed.

m fine.t even really know if he was fine or not.

t look fine.Death Eaters?!s newly mended wand Vibrated slightly, and his hand tingled as it did the day he got the wand. It wanted to be used again.

s too dark without the lanterns to be sure,It was only a hunch, getting us out of the could be our friends, and none of us would ever do we tell though?We have to , no! It Hermione whispered.

Harry said standing up to full height. He was still mostly hidden behind the banister. A spell flew into the air. Ron pulled harry down, but it was aimed at the light above them.

Harry said.

m smaller than you two; I go and try to see-No, Im faster and-Ronald. Stop can Harry tried.

Both Ron and Hermione had turned to him at the same time.

s stopped.Do you hear anything? !Harry? Ron?Neville?Yeah. Dean, Seamus, and Luna, you mad?!s arm around her shoulder, and made a futile attempted to pull Harry up from the ground.

Neville, Dean and Seamus moved forward, and Neville found RonWhat did you say you would do to Harry, Hermione, and I if we tried to leave the tower, first year?I said I would fight you, because we couldn Neville said, slowly raising his hand, and gently pushing the wand aside. Ron nodded and turned around as Neville and Seamus Pulled HarryHe is way too light. And look at the three of them Neville thought to himself. He could see in Seamus eyes, he was thinking the same.

Neville said, and they moved down the hallway.

One level down and two corridors over, they sat in front of the Room of Requirement door Hermione pushed the door open a crack and looked around. Everyone in the room was a sleep in beds, and all of the beds were separated by curtains. She opened the door wider and waved them in.

They headed to the first row with more than one empty bed. Hermione looked at Ron in confusion, as they past numerous empty beds, all of which had an occupied bed on one side or the other. They were almost in the very back of the room, when they found three beds next to each other.

Neville and Seamus laid Harry on the bed to the left, and motioned to the other two for Ron and Hermione. Hermione held her silent until after she was behind the curtain.

t think of keeping Harry away from people right now.The Room did it. We want harry safe, and he doesn Neville said, standing up from a chair by the door.

Hermione nodded and headed to the curtain she remembered Harry going into. On the table next to his head, sat a tray with a rainbow of potions. Some of the bottles were already empty; others seemed to have small labels on them. She thought. Looking around the small area, she could see that everything was flawlessly clean and shining, the room having foreseen the need for new equipment.

Harry on the other hand, was a mess. His face and arms were covered in fading bruises, and his chest to his finger was a crisscrossed patchwork or small and fading scars. After a few seconds they were all only small, thin, pale lines. And He was skinny. No, skinny wasn sick. The only word she could use to describe him was sick. But even that faded. Soon skinny was the only word for what he looked like. Skinny and tired.

She thought. It was sad to think that Harry had been treated the way he had for so many years. Harry who would put himself in harmHe even took that spell for ? Ron? Hermione are you in there? Oh! Neville. Are they here?Yeah Neville said. Hermione stuck her head out from behind the curtain, and saw Neville standing in the door, blocking GinnyHermione!Is hes alright?Yes. Only tired. I think we should let him rest Hermione said leading Ginny back to the door. Just before both Ginny and Neville passed the frame, A scream echoed in the room, Shill and broken.

Hermione yelled. Ron burst out from behind a curtain and followed Hermione to HarryHarry!Hold !Harry! Wake up, Harry!Let me in! Open the door! Hermione! Ron! Open the door!Sorry He said. Lowering his eyes, he winced as Ginny continued to bang on the door.

re doing?!s muffle voice through the door, as the banging stopped.

m Ginny started but was cut off.

Molly Weasley, ever the worried mother, burst through the door.

Harry sat up all the way, and swept his feet around and on to the floor. He stood up and put his shirt on as Molly pulled the curtain aside. Ginny followed quietly, her hands red.

Molly said, pushing or pulling all of them along behind her. Hermione was barely able to grab the little box of Sleeping Draughts that Poppy handed to her.

All of them were herded through the halls and up the stairs until the revolving staircase, and then they were all huddled in the office as they took turns, walking into the fireplace and yelling