A/N: I do not own any character in this bit of fic… JK, y'all know of whom
I speak, is the mastermind. JK is the goddess of all that is good, and I
thank her. I do own the potions mentioned in Chapter 2. Madame Pomfrey
uses a similar potion on Our Boy Hero in GoF, but mine is original. Enjoy.
1 I'll Be There When You Wake
2 Chapter I: The Song of Silence
Seventh-year students Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter were eating lunch in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unlike their earlier years at Hogwarts, they ate in silence. Usually, the trio of friends would have some conspiracy or rumor to work out. Most of the time, Ron would be trying to talk Hermione out of the day's homework. No, this year, especially most recently, they ate in silence. They only left each other's sides when it was necessary. Naturally, to sleep, and for Hermione's Arithmancy class while Harry and Ron took Divination. Hermione took Independent Potions Research with Professor Snape, instead of Advanced Potions, like the rest of the Seventh- years.
The Enchanted Ceiling told of a clear fall day. Most of the Great Hall was cheerful, the Slytherin table was particularly happy. Draco Malfoy was yet again impersonating Harry. This time, it was of Harry's reaction to news that he'd received. Malfoy stood up, while Crabbe, pretending to be McGonagall, told Harry that Hagrid and Madame Maxime had disappeared in the Alpine Mountains. Malfoy clutched his heart, totally overexaggerating, and fell to his seat, but missed and hit the floor. What really happened was that McGonagall told Harry, he had to sit down, and that blasted Malfoy pulled the chair out from under him. The Slytherins laughed loudly and for a long time.
"Harry," Hermione asked, "you don't pay attention to them, do you?"
"Ugh! I should hex him six ways to Sunday!" Ron exclaimed.
"Ron!"
"Ron, really, what good would harming a Death Eater's son do anyone?" asked Harry. "No, 'Mione, I don't give Malfoy the satisfaction of wasting my time. I wish I knew 'bout Hagrid, though. It's been ages since we've heard anything."
"I don't know, I think, honestly, that it is part of Dumbledore's plan. Hagrid is more qualified for this kind of work than most of the Ministry."
"Maybe you're right," Harry replied.
They continued to eat in silence. The three had grown so close over the years that the silence didn't bother them. All their fears of Voldemort, the Death Eaters, the Dementors, were better left unvoiced. Ron and Hermione figured that Harry had enough to worry about without them adding to it.
~*^*~
The silence was comforting, in ways. In the library, Harry could count on Hermione's frustrated sighs as she did research for Potions. Harry also found comfort in Ron's sighs of boredom that came about every fifteen minutes. Down at the lake, only the Giant Squid broke the silence by occasionally surfacing and creating waves. This seemed to Harry as the only peaceful place on the grounds.
Other ways, though, the silence left Harry empty. In the mornings, the Great Hall was no longer graced with the arrival of owls. That had been stopped after three Muggle-borns had received cursed letters from Death Eaters. Hermione had received one, but luckily, she was speaking with Flitwick, the owl had only placed it on her seat. The letter proceeded to eat its way through the bench and then the floor. The other students weren't so lucky. One girl, a fourth year, from Hufflepuff, lost her left hand… The other, a second-year boy from Ravenclaw lost the fingers on his right hand… Harry thanked the heavens above everyday that Hermione didn't receive that letter. What would he do without his 'Mione? Oddly enough, no Slytherins received cursed letters.
The silence carried to the Owlery. No students were allowed to send mail, therefore, making Hogwarts completely shut off from any outside contact. The only news they heard was from the Acting Deputy Headmistress.
The worst silence of all was at night. Neville's snores still filled the room, and sometimes Dean would talk in his sleep about football, but Harry slept very little. He found that even if he couldn't avoid the pains in his head, he could avoid some of the bad dreams. His scar throbbed, stung, burned. Sometimes, his whole body writhed in pain. It was second nature to him now. He lay there in the dark, haunted by evil, night after night.
~*^*~
Harry managed to focus somewhat on his classes. Ron knew he suffered during the day, but was oblivious to his best friend at night. Harry figured Ron had enough to worry about without him adding to it. Ron's parents did reconnaissance work for Dumbledore. Bill was busy working on Unforgiveable counter-curses (Or so he had heard. He had heard so little for so long). Charlie was in the United States, keeping an eye on Ginny. She had transferred to a wizarding school there. Her parents wanted her away from everything, because of what happened in the Chamber of Secrets. Percy was no help at all. He had never been. The Twins kept watch over the Burrow for their parents. Yes, Harry thought Ron had a lot of worries without assistance.
Hermione recognized the dark circles under Harry's eyes. She had similar ones her third year at Hogwarts. The Time-Turner wouldn't create extra time for sleep. She was reminded of herself that third year by looking at Harry, only he looked much worse.
1 I'll Be There When You Wake
2 Chapter I: The Song of Silence
Seventh-year students Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter were eating lunch in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unlike their earlier years at Hogwarts, they ate in silence. Usually, the trio of friends would have some conspiracy or rumor to work out. Most of the time, Ron would be trying to talk Hermione out of the day's homework. No, this year, especially most recently, they ate in silence. They only left each other's sides when it was necessary. Naturally, to sleep, and for Hermione's Arithmancy class while Harry and Ron took Divination. Hermione took Independent Potions Research with Professor Snape, instead of Advanced Potions, like the rest of the Seventh- years.
The Enchanted Ceiling told of a clear fall day. Most of the Great Hall was cheerful, the Slytherin table was particularly happy. Draco Malfoy was yet again impersonating Harry. This time, it was of Harry's reaction to news that he'd received. Malfoy stood up, while Crabbe, pretending to be McGonagall, told Harry that Hagrid and Madame Maxime had disappeared in the Alpine Mountains. Malfoy clutched his heart, totally overexaggerating, and fell to his seat, but missed and hit the floor. What really happened was that McGonagall told Harry, he had to sit down, and that blasted Malfoy pulled the chair out from under him. The Slytherins laughed loudly and for a long time.
"Harry," Hermione asked, "you don't pay attention to them, do you?"
"Ugh! I should hex him six ways to Sunday!" Ron exclaimed.
"Ron!"
"Ron, really, what good would harming a Death Eater's son do anyone?" asked Harry. "No, 'Mione, I don't give Malfoy the satisfaction of wasting my time. I wish I knew 'bout Hagrid, though. It's been ages since we've heard anything."
"I don't know, I think, honestly, that it is part of Dumbledore's plan. Hagrid is more qualified for this kind of work than most of the Ministry."
"Maybe you're right," Harry replied.
They continued to eat in silence. The three had grown so close over the years that the silence didn't bother them. All their fears of Voldemort, the Death Eaters, the Dementors, were better left unvoiced. Ron and Hermione figured that Harry had enough to worry about without them adding to it.
~*^*~
The silence was comforting, in ways. In the library, Harry could count on Hermione's frustrated sighs as she did research for Potions. Harry also found comfort in Ron's sighs of boredom that came about every fifteen minutes. Down at the lake, only the Giant Squid broke the silence by occasionally surfacing and creating waves. This seemed to Harry as the only peaceful place on the grounds.
Other ways, though, the silence left Harry empty. In the mornings, the Great Hall was no longer graced with the arrival of owls. That had been stopped after three Muggle-borns had received cursed letters from Death Eaters. Hermione had received one, but luckily, she was speaking with Flitwick, the owl had only placed it on her seat. The letter proceeded to eat its way through the bench and then the floor. The other students weren't so lucky. One girl, a fourth year, from Hufflepuff, lost her left hand… The other, a second-year boy from Ravenclaw lost the fingers on his right hand… Harry thanked the heavens above everyday that Hermione didn't receive that letter. What would he do without his 'Mione? Oddly enough, no Slytherins received cursed letters.
The silence carried to the Owlery. No students were allowed to send mail, therefore, making Hogwarts completely shut off from any outside contact. The only news they heard was from the Acting Deputy Headmistress.
The worst silence of all was at night. Neville's snores still filled the room, and sometimes Dean would talk in his sleep about football, but Harry slept very little. He found that even if he couldn't avoid the pains in his head, he could avoid some of the bad dreams. His scar throbbed, stung, burned. Sometimes, his whole body writhed in pain. It was second nature to him now. He lay there in the dark, haunted by evil, night after night.
~*^*~
Harry managed to focus somewhat on his classes. Ron knew he suffered during the day, but was oblivious to his best friend at night. Harry figured Ron had enough to worry about without him adding to it. Ron's parents did reconnaissance work for Dumbledore. Bill was busy working on Unforgiveable counter-curses (Or so he had heard. He had heard so little for so long). Charlie was in the United States, keeping an eye on Ginny. She had transferred to a wizarding school there. Her parents wanted her away from everything, because of what happened in the Chamber of Secrets. Percy was no help at all. He had never been. The Twins kept watch over the Burrow for their parents. Yes, Harry thought Ron had a lot of worries without assistance.
Hermione recognized the dark circles under Harry's eyes. She had similar ones her third year at Hogwarts. The Time-Turner wouldn't create extra time for sleep. She was reminded of herself that third year by looking at Harry, only he looked much worse.