Hello Dear Readers, I hope you enjoy even though it is short, I promise that after the first few chapters it will be longer. At the end if you could please review? I'd like to know where I did good and where I'm lacking so I can fix it. Thanx.
Chapter One: It's that foreboding feeling again
…And when he was born the moon smiled for him,
But when the fires of hell escaped, and reaped destruction on the earth,
She wept crimson tears…..
Sheanda Corilla Black,
Part of the Lost Prophesies of Azar
It was no use, he had been at it for a week already and McGonagall still showed no sign of letting up.
"But professor-" Harry protested.
"No Mr. Potter, while you might be able to defend yourself should Deatheaters show up, and I use "might" lightly, the other students would have absolutely no chance," she said bluntly. She sighed when Harry stood up abruptly and began to pace, while his raven black hair, always messy, fell into his shadowed face as he stared determinedly at the floor. When he did finally speak his voice was quiet and determined.
"But that's just it, isn't it? There will be almost no chance of leaving this castle in the months, hell, maybe even years to come. I know you have the authority to allow a school trip to Hogsmeade in Professor Dumbledores absence. Shouldn't we have this last chance to get out and just relax for a while before the war?"
"Language Mr. Potter," McGonagall sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "I had no clue you wanted to leave so vehemently." Harry blushed and opened his mouth to speak. "No Mr. Potter I know you are only looking after the interests of the rest of the students, and you are correct in that I can authorize a trip to Hogsmeade, I just don't know why I should it's just too dangerous." But she did know why she should. She slumped back into her chair, and looked around her office absently thinking. How drab her office was with its cold stone walls, stone floors, and her desk which was bare except a few piles of unmarked homework, there was absolutely nothing in the room that personalized the office as hers. Tiredly, she turned back to Harry, letting her eyes rest on him until he raised his own striking but probing eyes to meet hers determinedly. ' He looks so much like his father…." She sighed again. Yes, he may look like James, but their personalities were completely different. James had been loud, carefree, with an infectious smile and laugh. Yes, she admitted, James was a little arrogant and self centered but then wasn't everyone at his age? Harry was so much quieter, somber with sad eyes filled with the losses he had suffered. Harry was not carefree at all, on the contrary he was a child who was forced to grow up too fast at an early age. She knew the loss of Sirius at the Department of Mysteries was still affecting him, that he still blamed himself even after two years, and the sad thing was he blamed himself for every bad thing that happened. Another thing that was different about him he was modest and selfless, two very hard traits to find these days and she knew it was because of his abusive childhood. ' How would things have been different if HE would have been stopped before he left school…No matter, it's no use crying over spilt beans, better to focus on the present.'
She thought carefully about his request. What Harry had said was true. The stress of the upcoming war was slowly getting to everybody, especially the students. They were tired and suspicious, a bad combination, and as a result barely anyone got enough sleep, and either fell asleep in class or didn't show up at all. The teachers didn't have the heart to punish them. The worst thing about the rise of HIM, was probably the large numbers of recruits HE was getting everyday, even some students had joined and had been sent to spy in Hogwarts and to try to coerce their friends to join up too. 'No….The worst thing was never knowing if your best friend was actually your worst enemy until it was too late.' Maybe it would be different if Albus were here, but he's so busy running the war at the Ministry that he barely had any free time to come home to Hogwarts, and the way things were going he never would. 'Maybe a break would be good for them,' McGonagall reasoned, 'a chance for them to rest and recuperate, before the eye of the storm is over and the hurricane arrives.' She smiled at Harry, who's face immediately brightened taking her smile as a good sign. The professor stood up and walked to the window ignoring the fidgeting young man waiting impatiently behind her, and instead watching the last vestiges of sunlight dance across the grounds before moving on and leaving only the shadow behind. When she next spoke her words were chosen carefully. " In light of Headmaster Dumbledores absence at this time, I give you permission to take the students to Hogsmeade", Harry began to smile, but it wavered under her next words. "However, it is your responsibility to get them out of there at even the slightest hint of danger," the Transfiguration professor informed him seriously. "I will give you a Portkey, which in the case of an emergency, will activate when you speak the trigger word. In this case it is trigger words." McGonagall pulled open one of her desk drawers and extracted a jade stone. Taking her wand out she tapped it twice and said, "Colo Colere Colui Cutum, I do hope you heard that Mr. Potter, those were the activation words," at Harry's nod she continued, "When activated, the Portkey will immediately send you and all the students back to where it was programmed, in this case Hogwarts. Do not use it unless it is an emergency, I want no funny business. I could get in a lot of trouble for giving you an unauthorized Portkey," she intoned sternly. The boy swallowed nervously. McGonagall tapped the Jade once more and whispered, "Agredior," and then reached out her hand the nervous student. Harry seemed to hesitate briefly before reaching out and grasping the stone in the palm of his hand and staring at it blankly for a moment, then he whispered:
"Thank- you."
She smiled grimly at his back, as he turned and all but ran from the room. " Good luck Mr. Potter, I fear you're going to need it very soon." The bad feeling in the pit of her stomach intensified and she wondered why she felt as if this was the last time she would see him alive.
" Harry, mate, I can't believe you got old McGonagall to agree to let us visit Hogsmeade," Harry's freckled, best friend said excitedly as Harry announced to the Common Room, McGonagall's decision. Harry smiled slightly at his tall, red- headed friends enthusiasm. Many of the other Gryffindor's were smiling, a seemingly foreign expression on their weary faces, as their anticipation of getting out of Hogwarts shone through. "McGonagall thought we could use a break, so we have the rest of the week free for Hogsmeade." Ron's smile brightened and he began to hum a tune that sounded suspiciously like 'London Bridge is Falling Down'. The last third of their trio, Hermione, just scowled. "That's professor McGonagall Harry," she snapped irritably, "I don't see why we should go," Hermione muttered, ignoring the disbelieving wide eyed, panicked looks she was receiving from the rest of the room, "after all isn't it a little dangerous to be wandering around Hogsmeade without any protection at all? I mean, with V-Voldemort back, and his little Deatheaters free and on a rampage, don't you think you should be much more cautious? I just can't believe you got a sensible woman like McGonagall to agree to this...this farce! Hermione was shouting near the end.
"That's professor McGonagall Hermione!" Both Ron and Harry chorused, smirking, while Hermione's face went red with embarrassment and anger. Most Gryffindor's seeing this as a sign of approaching doom, practically scurried to get away, but some stayed like Seamus Finnigan, with a big smile on his face watching with a keen interest.
"You..You two are incorrigible!" Hermione shouted, stamping her foot in frustration. Both boys smirked and then the two Gryffindors adopted innocents expressions.
" Who us?" they asked in perfectly innocent voices, before bursting out into laughter. Hermione fumed for a few more minutes, muttering about "immature males", before she reluctantly sighed and sank onto the nearest couch, a few moments later a wry smile made its way on to her face. "Don't you two ever grow up?"
"Hey!" Both exclaimed trying to look hurt. Not succeeding, both smiled and promptly threw themselves on the couch, situated in front of the merrily, crackling fire. No one said anything though they vaguely noticed the other Gryffindors leaving to give them privacy, all could faintly hear the sounds of Dean physically dragging a protesting Seamus up the stairs, and when Dean smacked Seamus when he shouted, "Hey, Dean, let me go! Isn't it enough that you ruined my only chance at entertainment for the night, but now I'm being manhandled by an oaf with no manners!" All three burst out laughing, before quieting again. They sat in silence for minutes just enjoying each others company. They knew moments like these would be scarce in the future.
Hermione sighed, before admitting, "I guess a holiday would be good for people's spirits," seeing the two begin to grin, she quickly added, "though it would be a marvelous time to study. The NEWTS are only five months away after all!" She smiled at their downcast faces before saying softly, "Harry, Ron, promise me you'll be careful." Both nodded solemnly. " She sighed. " Tomorrows going to be a long day, we should probably turn in." Both boys agreed and stood up silently. The trio said their good nights and parted, Hermione to the 7th year girl's dorm, and Harry and Ron to the boy's dorm. Harry's last thought before he went to bed was, 'Tomorrows going to be an eventful day.' How right he was.
Hermione absently changed into her cotton night gown, ignoring the soft chattering of the other girls, as she fell into bed. She frowned unhappily, before sighing and turning off her bedside lamp. Her last thought before drifting was, 'Why do I have a bad feeling about tomorrow, after all what's the worst that could happen...'
Bwahahahaha. Aren't I just the evilest little authoress you have ever seen. No? Oh well then. I still won the least attention span award...Anyway I hope you review, it's always nice to hear from a reader. Ya'all know something bads gonna happen to Harry. But guess what your not going to know till next time. Stay tuned for the next episode of "Did I Know You Before You Died?" Saranthe