Harry Potter & the Traitor to the Darkness

by x.Darth Kate.x

When an all girl school of American students arrives at Hogwarts, sixth year Harry must deal with the deadly consequences and the drama of Voldemort's return. BORING AT FIRST, BUT WILL GET INTERESTING! Harry & Hermione! ONE SHOT HAHAHA NOT!

Harry Potter and the Traitor to the Darkness

All names and places are fictional, and this "book" was written without the consent of J.K Rowling, real author of the Harry Potter books...my version of Book 6.

Harry stared out at the raging downpour. The farms became a mass of large rocks, zooming past. He missed Ron and Hermione, who were up front with the rest of the prefects. His only source of company was Luna. She basically showed no interest in him as she was avidly reading her favorite magazine "The Quibbler."

Harry was trying to think of some way to break the silence when Luna asked, "So, where are your friends?" Her bulb-like eyes rose to meet his.

"Um, just up front, you know, doing Prefect stuff."

She nodded and shifted back down to her magazine. Harry glanced out the window of the train once again…

Why couldn't they be back here with him, like old times? Now that their duties as prefects were more numerous, Harry seemed like an unimportant factor in their lives.

Or were they keeping something from him?

As usual, Harry had gone back to the Dursley's over the summer. He knew now that that was the only place where Voldemort couldn't hurt him. He also knew that he would be murdered or become a murderer. He hadn't told Hermione or Ron that. They would be scared… After his birthday, he had been invited to the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters, and everyone had seemed happy to see him as always. But it was bothering him. Something was. Hermione and Ron had acted very strange around him, and Harry felt suspicious.

He had questioned them about something being wrong. They both denied it.

He had asked if they were worried about Voldemort's return. They had answered "yes," but Harry didn't think that they would be acting so weird about that.

Putting his head in his hands, Harry wondered what their secret was… if they had one…

- - -

Finally, we're here, Harry thought as he made his way up the train's main hallway. He looked around for the exit among the sea of people and saw something he did not want to see.

There she was.

Cho, beautiful, and he had had a chance with her. He now saw proof things were not going to work out. The proof? Not just Cho, but another 7th year.

Kissing.

Harry winced and walked on ahead with the crowd. When he arrived outside, he heard two familiar voices call to him."Oy, Harry, mate come here," and a "Come on, Harry, we need to get a carriage." It was Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his best friends in Gryffindor.

He made his way slowly over to them and the three walked to the nearest carriage. "Get inside," Hermione yelled at him, her bushy brown hair blowing madly, "We need to tell you something!" And they did.

"So," asked Harry, "What's going on?" Once again he wanted to know if he was about to learn the reason for their odd behavior.

"You'll never believe this," Ron exclaimed, "but the Americans are here." He smiled in a sly way.

"What are you talking about? There's none of them here!"

"Well," Hermione said, "There are now. These people's school was shut down when Muggles found out about it. The school is going to stay here until their new one is built. That could take about a year."

"Wow," muttered Harry, "What's this school called?"

"The Celestial Rhiannon School of Sorcery," answered Ron, "Know what's even better? It's an all girl school."

"I find it hard to believe that anyone would like you," said Hermione testily. Her mouth twitched as she added, "Well, anyway, they're going to be sorted into houses and share our common room."

"How big is it?" asked Harry.

"Not very," she said thoughtfully. The carriage stopped and the threesome hopped out into the downpour. They raced into the Great Hall, slipping and sliding from mud. Making their way over to the Gryffindor table, they sat and waited.

The Hall always fascinated Harry. The ceiling seemed to open right into the sky, and, just like it was outside, rain fell heavily, but never hit the tables, of which there were four. Banners hung around the walls, representing the Gryffindors with red, gold, and a lion, the Hufflepuffs with black, yellow, and a badger, the Ravenclaws with blue, silver, and an eagle, and the Slytherins with green, silver, and a snake.

Harry was still gazing around gratefully at the Hall when Gryffindor's leader, Professor McGonagall entered. A stern-looking woman with her hair pulled up into a tight bun, the head of Gryffindor house was not someone you wanted to cross. He noticed that an unknown, but pretty, young woman was carting along with her about 50 students after McGonagall. Behind them came the regular 1st years, looking wet and scared as usual.

"Is that them?" asked Ron faintly, pointing at the girls closely following the young woman.

He, Hermione, and Harry took in the sight before them. The American students were not wearing robes like the plain black ones Hogwarts students wore. In fact, they weren't wearing robes at all. Instead, each girl had on short sleeved, light blue blouses and black skirts down to their knees. Most appeared nervous and were fiddling with necklaces, bracelets, or earrings. Others kept tossing their hair, smiling, and chatting with friends, oblivious to the fact that they were being scrutinized.

Suddenly, a man with a flowing silver beard stood, and the whole Hall fell silent as his twinkling eyes looked out at them. "Welcome all, old and new and smart and askew," exclaimed Professor Dumbledore, "I am pleased to introduce you to our guests for the time being, Professor Carmella and her students." He took a ragged hat out from out of his cloak and placed it on a wooden stool facing the tables.

Instead of applauding, everyone grew silent and focused their gazes on the hat. Harry wondered what the Sorting Hat would sing about this year, but after a while, it became apparent it would not even open its mouth.

Dumbledore glared at the hat, but still nothing happened. "I'm sorry to say we will not have a song from our Sorting Hat tonight. Maybe it does not sing for guests?" He continued, looking politely flustered, "Anyway, since sorting all these students will take some time, we will divide the process into two nights. First, we shall sort our guests, and I hereby turn all discussion over to Professor Carmella."

The new professor strolled up to the hat, her golden blond hair flowing behind her, and exclaimed without delay, "Isabel Andrews!" A somewhat scared looking figure slouched up to the hat and let it drop over her eyes. A second later the hat yelled, "Slytherin," and the sorting had begun.

Girl after girl came up, and after thirty-four, only six had been sorted into Gryffindor. "Come on," puffed Ron angrily, "Where are they?"

"Oh, pipe down Ron," grumbled Hermione as Yuriko Joben got sorted into Gryffindor, "I know this is boring, but be gracious to our guests."

"Aw, shut up," Harry heard Ron whisper, and he turned his attention back to the sorting, stomach growling.

A while later, Harry wished he had eaten more on the train, and he could tell Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Gryffindors were thinking the same. He watched as a tall and pretty brown haired girl made her way up to the hat. "Wouldn't mind if she were in my house," said Ron a little more cheerfully. They watched carefully as she sat down gracefully and waited…and waited.

After about five minutes, Hermione whispered anxiously, "What's wrong, the hat should have chosen by now!" Although the students started getting impatient, the teachers acted normal. Finally, the hat screeched out, "Gryffindor!" Dull cheers, just like they had been for the past twenty minutes, rose from the table. Harry looked up and down the table, and realized she was making her way to the spot next to him!

"Come on, budge up Harry," laughed Ron at Harry's facial expression, "What are you, scared?" That did it.

Harry moved over and tried unsuccessfully to flatten his jet black hair that always stuck up in the back. He and Ron tried to act cool, but they couldn't keep their eyes off the girl heading their way. "Her name's Meriel," whispered Ron just as she came up to them.

So much for calm, cool, and collected, Harry thought to himself as he heard a faint "hi" emerge from his mouth. He looked at Meriel to see her return a greeting in an odd American accent. Harry was about to turn away when something stopped him. Did I just see what I thought I saw? he asked himself. Slowly, he looked at her face and blurted, "Are those contacts?"

Meriel glanced at him and Harry saw one of her eyes was definitely green and the other light brown, almost orange. Everyone on his side of the table stared at her.

"Wow, now that is weird!"

Soon after that, the whole table gave a chorus of "Wows" and "Cools" and "Amazings!" Meriel smiled in an almost strained way and said, "Thank you."

Her long fingers rose to her chest where Harry spotted a silver cat hanging from a necklace. He blinked and stared harder. The feline had orange jewels in it, which gave off an eerie glow around it. Meriel fingered it lightly. Harry tried to look away, but the cat had his eyes stuck fast. He resisted the temptation to take it off her neck. Finally, he forced his gaze up to where he met her mismatched eyes. Harry kept looking at her. Meriel watched him warily, her eyes almost swirling--

"Uh, Harry," said Ron, "Feel like watching the sorting?"

Harry felt like some sort of spell had been lifted off him. "Oh, yeah, of course," he answered, feeling a little angry and embarrassed. He turned towards the Sorting Hat, but instead met Hermione's questioning gaze.

She appeared faintly puzzled, but snapped back to watch the unsorted students.

Professor Carmella had reached the T's. Harry watched as some girls named Talia, Karalynn, and Aleni got sorted into Gryffindor.

When Penny Zildopho took her seat at Hufflepuff, Professor Carmella straightened up and announced, "Thank you, both teachers and students for welcoming my students so readily into your system." She took a deep breath and exclaimed, "It really is my pleasure to tell you that I will be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Though this position is supposedly 'jinxed', I take it most happily. Oh yes, Celestial Rhiannon students, please be kind and considerate to all of Hogwarts. Thank you."

A string of polite applause followed this speech, but everyone was surprised. Muttering went up and down the tables about Professor Carmella being their teacher. "I just hope she's better than Umbridge," Ron stated flatly as food appeared on the tables. Hermione glanced at him, amused, and then sank into her own thoughts.

Harry took as much food as he possibly could and dug in. He peeked at Meriel, who seemed to be extremely confused. She was looking intently at the Ravenclaw table while absentmindedly filling her goblet with pumpkin juice. A little ways down, Seamus Finnegan, a sandy-haired, 6th year boy, was telling the girl named Aleni all about himself. Harry got an uneasy feeling when he twisted around to find her staring at him unblinkingly. He got an even bigger surprise when Aleni suddenly gagged and spat pumpkin juice all over the table.

"You call this liquid?" she choked to Seamus, who had gone red with embarrassment.

Ron joined in laughing with the rest, but Hermione still gave off a distinct air of seriousness. Harry chuckled and his eyes swept down the table to Dean, the tallest 6th year, and Ginny. They were immersed in a conversation that seemed to be about Quidditch, and Harry instantly remembered that they were dating. Meanwhile, Neville was showing his Mimbulus mimbletonia to some girls from the new school, named Paige Chadee and Karalynn.

Harry, full to bursting, sat back sleepily and watched as the last of the dessert plates vanished. Dumbledore stood, and the excited chatter died down.

"Well, I know you're all ready for me to hush up, and I will once I make a few announcements." He paused, daring Hogwarts to make a sound. "Our caretaker, Argus Filch, has told me, for what he says is the 463 time, to ask you not to perform magic in the corridors. First years and Celestial Rhiannon students, the immense forest on the grounds is out of bounds. Quidditch tryouts will take place on October thirty-first, or Halloween, and yes, our guests may participate. Now, off to your towers!"

Harry stood quickly, but not before he felt a nervous tap on his arm. He turned to see four of the new Gryffindors standing before him awkwardly. The one named Talia seemed to have been the person brave enough to touch his arm.

"Excuse me," she said, flipping her straight, yellow-blond hair over her shoulder, "You're Harry Potter, aren't you? Could you show us to the Gryffindor common room? By the way, I'm Talia." She smiled sweetly, waiting for an answer.

Harry took a while to recover. "Oh yeah—I'm Harry. Uh, sure, I'll show you up to the tower. Are you—?"

"Thanks," interrupted a Japanese girl, stepping out from the group, "I'm Yuriko Joben! Call me Yuri!" She stuck out an ivory-colored hand.

Harry, a little taken aback at her confidence, shook it. Talia and the other two girls appeared annoyed. Slowly, the littlest girl stepped forward and said, "Mira's my name. Pleased to meet ya." She tried to smile, but instead ended up looking confused.

The remaining girl walked up and said, "Fayola's the name," she said, twisting her black hair and peering down at her dark skin.

"Right…" Harry trailed off. "So, does anyone else need to come with us?"

Talia burst out immediately, "Yeah! There's Karalynn, Paige, Rose, Aleni, Arabella, Sasha, Derika, Sophie, Jordan, Nichelle and…" Talia glanced over at Fayola who nodded encouragingly. "And Meriel," she finished, exasperated.

Harry felt in over his head. "Ron!" he called over the sea of heads making their way out of the hall.

"What?" Ron rushed up to Harry.

"Help me! You're the prefect, after all!"

"Okay!" said Ron. He bounded off enthusiastically to a couple of new, stray Gryffindors.

Harry turned back, expecting to find Talia, but she was over talking to Fayola. Hermione was standing there.

"Well, well, well. Have you finally come out of your wondrous dream world long enough to speak to me?" she snapped.

Harry gave her a questioning look. "What do you mean? Dream world? Look, I don't have time for this! Can you help me get all these new girls to the common—?" Harry became aggravated when Hermione cut him off.

"All that can wait," she stated firmly, "Come with me." She took hold of Harry's robes and dragged him out of the Hall behind her, until they reached a deserted corner.

"Now," she said in a business-like tone, "I need to ask you something. What was up with you and the girl with the weird eyes? It's just…she seems very strange, and I was talking to some of the other new girls, and they obviously hate her." Words failed her, and she mumbled something.

"What?"

"Well… I don't know…" Hermione trailed off again.

Harry gave her a piercing stare and said, "If that's all, I'm going to go back—"

Hermione practically flung herself at Harry, grasping onto his arm. "No, Harry, that's not all. Why were you staring at her for so long? I'm worried…"

Harry thought about what she had said. He had felt really strange and unearthly, but who cared about a nice necklace that he couldn't have helped staring at? Meriel's eyes had been so strong too. Harry liked everything about her. What was wrong with looking at her for a bit?

"It doesn't matter, all right? Let's go back."

Hermione wore a befuddled expression on her face. "Harry…"

"What?" exclaimed Harry a little louder than usual.

"I'm concerned that she might be…not right. I read in a book that…"

"You know what?!" spat Harry, "I don't care about some book! It's time I got down to business!"

"Yeah," hissed Hermione back, "It is time you did something useful for a change! Start now!" She whirled around and strode up the large marble staircase.

Harry waited outside the Hall until he had calmed himself down. He walked back in to have Talia almost ram into him.

"There you are," she exclaimed breathlessly, "Don't worry! I rounded up everyone else. Your friend Ron took off after Celestina. So much for him."

Harry raised his eyebrows at Talia, confused.

"Oh, right," she added, "Celestina's a really pretty 6th year. If you were wondering, that is…"

Talia moved aside to show Harry the rest of the new Gryffindors. They all moved in around him, either smiling sweetly or simply looking bored. "Uh," Talia continued, "you know Yuri, Mira, Fayola, and me. This is Rose, 3rd year." A rather scruffy looking girl walked reluctantly up to Harry. He noticed in disgust that food crumbs were mingled in her scraggly, dirty blond hair. "Yeah, this is Karalynn, 4th year." The newly introduced girl looked exactly the opposite of Rose. She gave off the impression of being neat and prim, with light brown hair cut a little ways above her shoulders. "Call me Kara," she requested to him, smiling.

Harry saw Talia's beaming face flicker a bit when he smiled back at Kara. Her tone seemed icy when she spoke again, "This is Aleni, 5th year." Harry surveyed the girl before him, who had kept staring at him during dinner. She gave Harry a sly smile while shaking his hand. As Aleni made her way back into the depths of the group, she flipped her sleek black hair and winked.

Talia went a little red, looking silently furious. "This is Paige, she's your year." Paige shook his hand nervously, and her dark red hair gleamed in the candlelight. "Nice to meet you." Harry watched her take a look at his scar before moving back into the group.

Before long, Harry knew every new person in Gryffindor from the school, and the crowd followed him up the stairs to the tower.

As they bade him goodnight, Harry realized that the Meriel girl hadn't been there at all. Where was she? He decided to search the common room, but suddenly found someone flying at him.

"Aleni, right?"

Aleni had her hands on his shoulders, and he backed away from her cautiously. She was starting to scare him by her obvious interest in him. "Oh, Harry, you've got to meet me tomorrow night in the Owlery, isn't that where they keep owls? You have to help me send a letter to my parents!" She smiled and stared at his bewildered face. "Good! I knew you'd help me," she exclaimed without waiting for an answer. "Good night!" And she bounded up the stairs and out of sight.

Before Harry could recover from the strange Aleni encounter, Talia came to stand next to him. "Well thanks a lot Harry," she said, "It was great meeting you."

"Uh, yeah…You too!"

She grinned and said, "Good night," and walked away, up to the girl's dormitory.

Harry was finally going to head up to his four-poster bed when he spotted Paige, peering intently at Neville's plant, which he had left downstairs. He went over and asked, "If you like those so much, why don't you buy one?"

Paige whipped around and turned red with embarrassment. "Oh, um, I wasn't looking at that, I was…well, here." She handed him a piece of paper that read:

Quidditch Tryouts

October 31st at 6:00p.m.

Gryffindors only!

2 chasers

2 beaters

Be prepared to win!

"Oh, cool," said Harry, "I'm the seeker on the team!"

Paige immediately glared at him and abruptly said, "What?!"

"I'm the seeker," repeated Harry curiously.

"You?"

"Yeah, me. Why do you ask?"

"It's just… I'm a seeker…" Paige trailed away unhappily.

"Oh." Harry's brain had completely frozen. Now what was he supposed to say?

Paige frowned once more, mumbled something that sounded like "good night," and dashed away from him, up the stairs.

Harry felt unexpectedly exhausted, and he sank into his favorite armchair by the fire. It seemed like someone had drained the common room, for it was only Harry, a group of 7th years, and…

"Hello Meriel."

She said, "Hi," dropping into the seat next to him. Once again, she fiddled with her necklace and Harry pulled his gaze away from it, reluctantly remembering Hermione's warning. He asked her, "So, did you find the way here by yourself? That's really impressive if you did, especially for the first time."

A shadow of— was it fear?—crossed her face. Harry simply took it as a reflection off the flickering fire.

"No," Meriel finally answered, "Ron took me."

"Oh…" He looked at her and started to say something, but it was too strong, her eyes drowned him, and before he knew it, he was asleep…

- - -

When Harry woke up the next morning, he was lying in front of the now dead fire. Standing up groggily, he remembered last night's events. Where is everyone? he thought, peeking outside. Darkness covered the grounds, but a faint yellow line beckoned on the horizon. Harry, guessing it was around dawn, quietly snuck up the stairs to his dormitory and pulled on his robes. Grabbing his bag, Harry exited the tower and walked slowly down to breakfast.

As he strolled past the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, voices flowed out the door, and he swore he heard his name. Retracing his steps, Harry leaned in to listen:

"Don't worry, it always happens," he heard Professor Carmella say quickly, and she sounded on the verge of saying something else when a more familiar voice interrupted.

"No. My dear Estrell, this is a very serious matter," said Albus Dumbledore, "Meriel Ocienius must be found. In the way you describe her, she seems vulnerable and power-hungry. That's not a good combination."

"Please, Albus! She's very intelligent, maybe even smarter than this Granger girl you described. Meriel won't get into danger…"

Harry thought Professor Carmella was probably bragging about Meriel. Who could be smarter than Hermione?

"Listen to me," said Dumbledore, "We will search for Miss Ocienius. That's final," he added firmly. "Voldemort is in action once more. He will go to any length to have Harry Potter killed. Good day to you."

Harry heard chairs scraping and footsteps. Not wanting to be discovered, he ran behind the nearby statue of Brunhilda the Brave and watched Dumbledore walk down the corridor in the opposite direction.

He started to head down to the Hall once again, processing the information that he had just discovered. So Voldemort was still intent on killing him? He shouldn't have been surprised.

It had been just at the end of the last Hogwarts school year when Harry had found out that he was either going to kill or be killed by Voldemort. It was his destiny. Could he trick fate? Avoid his terrible future? Probably not, he thought. He had not even told Ron or Hermione about this, because he knew they would jump out of their skins and be extremely scared.

Sighing, he entered the Great Hall and found Katie Bell, a brown-haired 7th year chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team sitting and eating in the center of the table. "Harry," she called out excitedly to him, "Come here!"

Harry walked over and said, "Yes?"

"Isn't great?"

"What?"

"You don't know?" Katie exclaimed, her jaw dropping in shock.

Harry only felt even more confused. "I don't know what?"

"That I'm the new Quidditch captain!" she said, "Guess what? You're my co-captain!"

"Co-captain? I didn't know there were any." He did feel a little happier though.

Katie laughed, "Oh, Harry! McGonagall wants to train you up a bit so you can be captain next year, that's all! And you're really good!"

Harry smiled, "Thanks," and he sat down next to her. "So," he said, reaching for a stack of toast and coffee, "Angelina and Alicia left?" he said thinking of the former chasers and captain.

"Yeah," answered Katie, "It is a little depressing though. They were some of my best friends." She opened her mouth to say something else when what felt like a few rabid animals came barreling into their backs.

"Ouch!" said Katie and Harry, and they looked over their injured shoulders to see Aleni and Talia racing to sit across from them.

Breathless and flustered, Talia sat first and spoke, "Hi Harry! How are you? Are we in the same class? If we're not, will I see you around? What are the classes like? Fun? Easy? Hard--?"

"Oh don't mind her Harry. She's just jealous that I'm going to be in your class today, right?" Aleni looked expectantly at him as she sat roughly down beside Talia.

"Uh… Well, no. 6th years and 5th years can't be in the same class." He glanced uneasily at Katie, who appeared shocked at their behavior.

"That sucks," said Talia.

"Yeah, horrible."

"Idiotic."

"Stupid."

"Still," Talia added smugly, "I would probably be the one in his class… Not you."

"Highly doubt it," Aleni shot back.

"Forget it, it would be me, and only me," hissed Talia.

"Me."

"Me!"

"Me!"

"ME!"

"NO, ME!"

Harry and Katie watched, stunned, as they flung angry words at each other. But then, a shadow loomed over them, and Harry saw Professor McGonagall standing above, looking annoyed.

"Girls, do you really think this is the best way to get noticed? Miss Tempest, down there!" Harry looked on as Talia slunk off to the other end of the table. "Miss Turner, you sit at that end." Aleni shot a furious glance at Talia and Katie, but she reluctantly moved down.

Katie looked very relieved. "What was that all about?"

Harry shrugged and continued eating, but had barely lifted his goblet to his lips when he heard a "Hello" issue from above him. He turned and viewed Fayola, Yuri, and Karalynn sitting across from him. "Hi," he answered back.

All of a sudden, Yuri started snickering and Fayola let out a burst of laughter. Only Karalynn contained herself and smiled.

"Well," said Yuri trying to be calm, "When are you and Aleni going on your first date?" She exploded with laughter and Fayola joined in again. Even Karalynn let out a faint "ha." Harry scrutinized them for a minute and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Karalynn said, "Only the fact that Aleni is in love with you. So is Talia."

Sarcastically, Katie replied, "Big surprise! They just had a row before you came in."

Yuri stopped laughing and asked rather rudely, "Who are you?" Fayola stopped also and looked suddenly interested.

Katie wasn't fazed for a moment. "My name is Katie Bell, and I'm captain of the Quidditch team." She snuck a glance at Harry and continued eating.

"Oh," said Yuri casually, "We thought you were Harry's girlfriend. Are you?"

Harry looked at her furiously and Katie spat out the eggs she had been chewing. Her face reddened a bit as she said coolly, "No."

Yuri still looked suspicious and Fayola was watching them with every move. Karalynn only looked mildly concerned and helped herself to some food.

"So," she said to Harry, "We would like to know all about this school and the teachers." She pulled out a piece of paper, poised to write.

"First of all," said Harry, "We don't use paper and pens. We use parchment and quills."

He looked at the three girls, who wore stunned expressions; Yuri almost shouted, "What?!"

Katie piped up and said irritably, "We've always used them. Hogwarts is—!"

"Extremely time warped!" said Yuri, eager to get her point across, "Since when has anyone used that stuff? What a waste of time…"

"It is not," said Harry quietly, "You can still get the job done. This is the way we do things at Hogwarts."

"Still," said Yuri crossly, "It's outdated, outmoded, and…well, this is the modern day in age!"

"So you think Harry and I are old-fashioned?" asked Katie heatedly.

"No, I just—!"

"Guys," Karalynn said loudly, but then she lowered her voice to a whisper, "Stop. We'll adjust. Besides, people are staring."

Harry turned to see the Slytherins mimicking them:

"Oh," cackled one of the 7th years in a fake girl's voice, "This is the modern day in age!"

"No… Me, scar face, outdated?!" chuckled another. Harry was angry, and the emotion worsened when he saw Draco Malfoy and his sidekicks Crabbe and Goyle laughing hysterically.

Spinning back to face the new girls, he stated, "I'm not hungry anymore. See you." He got up and flung his bag over his shoulder.

"Wait, Harry, I'm coming too." Katie got up and followed him from the hall.

"Well," she asked as soon as they were out of sight, "Where are you headed?"

Harry pulled out and consulted the schedule he had acquired the night before. "Herbology. And you?"

"Transfiguration," she said, "I'll see you around."

"Bye!" Harry waved and turned to find Ron standing behind him.

"Hi Harry," he said in a very cheerful voice, "You'll never guess what happened to me!" He grinned.

"What?"

"I'm dating Celestina Cierre! I went and introduced myself last night! She's the best!" Not quite getting the reaction he wanted, Ron exclaimed, "Well?"

"That's great," Harry said with false cheerfulness, "Listen, we have Herbology first…"

"Oh," said Ron, "Well, first I'm going to escort Tina to her first class. See you there!" and he raced into the Great Hall.

Harry leaned against the wall, thinking. Who was Celestina? He swore he had heard her name last night, but who was she again? He shook his head and almost ran into Hermione, who had been rushing hurriedly towards him.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry about last night!" She looked like she was going to say something else, but instead her mouth dropped open. "Oh my!" she exclaimed, pointing inside the Hall, next to the Gryffindor table.

Harry followed her gaze and saw Ron talking to a very pretty girl with flowing auburn hair and a dazzling smile. She was chattering on about something, and Ron was watching, mesmerized.

"Harry," whispered Hermione, "Do you know who that is?"

He said distractedly, "Celestina Cierre," and kept watching her and Ron until he noticed Hermione glaring at him.

"Harry," she said irately, "Do you know what a clique is?"

"No," he answered honestly, facing her again, "What is it?"

Hermione looked furiously at the pair and said, "It's another word for a group of people who think they are superior to others. Actually, that's not always true. It's true that these types of people don't accept anyone but people like them to be their friends." She stared at Harry. "Celestina was very popular back at their school. She ruled over them a bit, come to think of it. Anyway, I'm just warning you not to get involved with her. Of course," she added, throwing another glance at Ron, "It's too late to save him." Hermione gave one last furious glance over her shoulder and took Harry's arm. "Let's go before he gets here."

"Fine. But really Hermione, what's wrong with Ron having Celestina for a girlfriend? She can't be all bad."

Hermione stopped unexpectedly as he said this. "Everything's wrong with Ron having a girlfriend."

Harry didn't like the way she'd said that all. Everything was wrong? Once again his mind drifted back to how Hermione and Ron had acted over the summer holidays.

"Oy, Potter, got another girlfriend?" yelled Malfoy. The Slytherin's chortles filled the Entrance Hall, and Harry went red. He'd had enough stress this morning, and the anger had finally reached its breaking point. "You wait Malfoy," whispered Harry, "You just wait…"

And before Hermione could stop him, he threw himself at Malfoy, who yelled and aimed a punch at his face. Harry dived and grabbed hold of his legs, and Malfoy thrashed and kicked. Suddenly, Harry felt fists coming down on his back, and a burly 7th year seized his waist and flung him through the air. Landing hard on his back, he stood and yelled, his wand pointed at Malfoy, "Expelliarmus!" The force of the spell lifted Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and the unknown 7th year off of their feet, and they slammed against the wall with a sickening crunch.

Surprised faces were peeking out of the Hall at the commotion, and Malfoy's fellow Slytherins were murmuring angrily. Everyone seemed afraid of Harry, and instead of waiting around to have Snape's wrath unleashed on him, he dashed outside into the breezy morning air.

Out here he felt much calmer, especially since no one was following him, not even Hermione. Harry strode across the lawn to the greenhouses where they had their Herbology lessons and sank down against the wall. He suddenly felt helpless, and all the energy had left him. He worried. What would happen when a teacher found out what he had done to Malfoy? Would he be expelled? Would he be suspended? Would he be lucky and just get a detention?

Probably not, he thought to himself sadly. He would be expelled… forever…

"Harry!"

Oh no, he thought, Here comes Professor McGonagall. Here comes my doom, here comes my last days at Hogwarts…

"What are you doing here, down on the ground?" It was Hermione. She looked very confused, her eyes almost blank…

"Hermione?" asked Harry. How could she not be scolding him for throwing Malfoy against a wall? Wasn't she scared of him too?

"Yes, it's me," she said irritably, sitting on the grass next to him. "I'm just wondering how one minute you were right next to me, and another minute, you're sitting here." She paused and gave him an interrogating look.

Now Harry was the one confused. He hadn't been standing near her at all; he had been fighting Malfoy… "Hermione," he said cautiously, "Remember? My fight with Malfoy?"

She answered, "Which one? Just tell me why you're out here. Do you own a Time-Turner or something? Or are you just really fast?" Once again she looked suspiciously at him.

Harry recalled the time when Hermione had had so many classes that she'd needed a Time-Turner to go back in time to get to all of them. He shook his head and said incredulously, "What do you mean, which one?! I just fought him. Just now!" He wanted to reach out and shake her. "Hermione," he said slowly, "Don't you remember?"

She stared disbelievingly at him and said, "Look, it doesn't matter, let's just go inside." She nodded at the door to the greenhouse. "You always have battles with him anyway…What else is new?"

Harry gaped at her, but he reluctantly followed her inside.

The smell of damp earth greeted them, and a short, squat witch was checking plants in a corner. "Oh, hello!" Professor Sprout said to them happily, "Welcome back!" She hadn't only been talking to them, for a dozen other students had just entered the house. Harry watched in astonishment as none of his fellow students made any type of gesture towards him. Why couldn't anyone remember the fight?!

"Alright, chaps," the Professor called out to them, "Today we'll be working in groups of five, so find some partners!"

Harry wondered who else could join them when Paige strolled up.

"Hi," she said, purposely not looking at him. "Can I work with you?" she asked, directing the question at Hermione.

"Sure," the bushy-haired girl answered cheerfully, when yet another person approached them.

"Hello," exclaimed Ron merrily, sitting on Harry's other side. "You'll never believe what Tina said! She…" Ron went on and on about his new girlfriend, but no one seemed to be listening. They had focused their attention on the newcomer.

"Good morning," said Meriel haughtily, and she sat directly across from Harry, next to Hermione.

"Would ya look at that!" said Paige sarcastically, "You were lost, and now you're found! How amazing!"

"Only intelligent people can lose and find theirselves again," retorted Meriel icily, "So, unfortunately, that counts you out."

She had struck gold. Paige flushed angrily and opened her mouth but…

"Let's get going," yelled Professor Sprout. Paige shut her mouth and twisted in her seat so she couldn't see Meriel or Harry. Meriel appeared triumphant, and she turned to face the front of the greenhouse as well.

The rest of the lesson went smoothly enough, with some minor kinks. Hermione got very annoyed when Professor Sprout called on Meriel instead of her, and got the answer right.

"Don't worry about it, Hermione," Harry advised her as they made their way back across the grounds to Charms, the next lesson. "Everyone knows you're the smartest in the year!"

Hermione made an ungrateful sound and stomped off with Harry lagging behind. She was happier when Professor Flitwick completely ignored Meriel in class and called on her only. "I guess today won't be so bad," she mused at lunch, "I mean, it can't get any worse, right?"

At first Harry agreed that the day was definitely becoming better. Before dinner another sorting ceremony took place for the British children; the hat sang its usual cheery song for everyone too.

But as the sorting song resounded loudly in his ears that night, he thought that the day was taking a turn for the worse after all. Harry turned to the clock, which read 11:45. That meant he had been doing his immense load of homework for three hours! Folding up the parchment he had been using for an essay on Conjuring Spells, he yawned and shook Ron who had fallen asleep beside him.

"Come on, Ron!" he said to his limp form. A sudden idea formed in his mind. "Oh Ron," he trilled in a high-pitched voice, "Wake up! It's Celestina!"

Almost instantly Ron jerked his head up and bellowed, "Coming Tina," and he strode up the stairs to the dormitories. Harry laughed and rose from the chair. Stretching, he gathered up his items and turned to find--

"Harry," said Aleni, rushing toward him, "You forgot!" She seemed very dismayed, and her eyes looked a little wet.

"Forgot?" he said, thinking back to what had happened the previous day. "What… Oh yeah…" He remembered how she had practically forced him to go help her send a letter in the Owlery. "Look," Harry said, hoping to reason with her, "I'm sorry, but I had a lot of homework and… some issues to deal with." His mind wandered back to the incident with Malfoy.

To his surprise, Aleni brightened a bit and she said, "Don't worry! We can go now!" She took his hand and led him out of common room.

"Wait," Harry said, and he wrenched his hand out of hers. "We can't go out at night! We're not allowed!" Again, to his bewilderment, Aleni beamed and whispered slyly, "That's what you think."

She opened the Fat Lady's portrait and beckoned him forward. "Oh, alright," Harry muttered in annoyance. How long was this going to take? He slid through the hole and, once again, Aleni grabbed his hand and held tight.

As soon as they were out, Harry's mouth fell open. "What the…?"

For this was not the traditional Hogwarts at night as he knew it. Little globes of pink light were floating along the ceiling and lots of couples seemed to be walking together. "What's happening to this place?" asked Harry in astonishment.

"Just the fact that Professor Carmella announced a new rule that you're allowed to roam at night as long as you have a… partner," answered Aleni mischievously.

Nervous beads of sweat formed on the hand that was not being held by Aleni as they made their way up the stairs. His heart thumped uncomfortably in his chest as thoughts of escaping popped into his mind, each more feeble than the last. Finally they reached the Owlery, and Harry remembered the time he had come up here with Cho Chang. She had saved him from detention…

Wait, he thought excitedly, that's it! He turned back to Aleni and pointed over her shoulder at a handsome grey owl that he knew did not belong to Cho at all. "Oh look," he said in mock surprise, "There's Cho's owl."

Aleni glanced at him suspiciously as she pulled him over to a regular brown school owl. "Who's Cho?" she asked in a fake casual voice, but Harry knew he had her intrigued.

"Cho just happens to be a girl in Ravenclaw," he answered happily.

Aleni faced him and said in an irritated tone, "Well… Is she friends with you?"

"No," said Harry cheerfully, "She was my girl--!"

"What?" interrupted Aleni angrily, tying her note so tightly on the owl that it hooted in disgust, "Did you say she was or is?"

"Is," he lied, but a minute later he knew that was a mistake.

"Well here's news for you Harry," she cried. He had no idea of what was coming, he braced himself for a tidal wave of fury, but it never came. Looking up, he saw Aleni standing by the window, watching the owl with her letter fly away into the night.

Cautiously he approached her, but when he was about a foot away, she suddenly whirled around and grabbed his arms and pinned him to the wall. He struggled and almost broke away, but Aleni threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips.

Then the door burst open.

Harry spun around and shoved Aleni to the floor. He wiped his mouth and faced the people who had just come in. It was…

"Harry," said Ron in shock, and not close behind was Hermione. She looked ready to murder Aleni, who had risen from the disgusting floor and was brushing herself off. "What the hell were you doing?!" yelled Ron. He strode across the room and yanked Harry towards Hermione.

"Yeah," she said in a deadly way, "Don't worry, you can tell us! I mean, we just thought we'd come and find you after you disappeared from the common room… BECAUSE WE'RE YOU'RE FRIENDS!" Hermione suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs.

Harry took a step back from her. He had never witnessed her being this angry, and frankly it was scaring him.

"We actually cared about what happened to you," said Ron quietly, "How come you didn't tell us about…" He glanced uneasily at Aleni, who had her hands on her hips and looked like she had done nothing wrong, "How you didn't tell us about this?"

Harry decided not to take his anger out on Ron. By all means, it had been Aleni's fault. "Look," he started to say, but then he was interrupted by Hermione.

"LOOK?" she shouted, and this time Ron took a step away from her too. "LOOK? NO, YOU SEE HERE!" She took a deep breath and continued in a softer tone, "All summer when you were with us, something felt strange. Now, it feels like you're giving up Ron and me. I mean, it's obvious you're busy, but you seem not to care anymore. Ron and I talked, and he feels the same way. You're distant and--."

"OH, THAT'S JUST GREAT, YOU AND RON HAD A NICE LITTLE CHAT BEHIND MY BACK?" bellowed Harry. He shoved Ron out of the way and made his way to the door. "I hope you're happy," he said menacingly, "Now I have no other reason to live! Voldemort should come and kill me now. Then you can whisper about me as much as you like!" He marched out the door and slammed it behind him.

Harry suddenly felt drained. He stopped to listen through the door, but no one was speaking. They were probably all too taken aback at what he had said and done to talk.

He walked purposely back to his dormitory. After he pulled on his pajamas, he dropped into the four-poster bed and turned to the clock. It said 12:14. Then, he fell asleep…

- - -

The next morning when Harry woke, the sun was bright and shining. Sleeping bodies were rising and falling again, and everything seemed peaceful. Harry wondered if what had happened last night had been dream. He glanced over at Ron's bed. It was empty.

Harry got up and placed his circular glasses on. He hurriedly pulled on his robes, grabbed his bag, and headed out to the common room. Hermione and Ron weren't there either, and he was sure after he searched the room five times.

Now a bit worried, he raced out of the tower and up to the Owlery. He pulled the door open and saw them.

Right underneath the window laid Aleni, sprawled on the floor and motionless. Off to the side were Ron and Hermione. They too appeared…dead?

"Wake up!" Harry yelled at Hermione, and he tried to lift her. Her head lolled from side to side and she had blood on the lower part of her face. He dropped her and shook Ron, who had a couple scratches on his cheek. "RON!" Harry shouted, "IT'S CELESTINA! WAKE UP NOW! GET UP!"

He released him and crawled to Aleni. "ALENI," Harry roared, "I DON'T LIKE YOU THAT MUCH, BUT PLEASE BE ALIVE!" Her eye was black-and-blue, and he put her down.

It seemed hopeless. They couldn't be dead. Harry tried to imagine life without his two best friends, but it was too painful.

Then he remembered. Maybe they were just stunned. He could wake them up. What was the spell again?

"Enervate," said Harry expectantly, and a flash of light illuminated the room. It had worked!

Ron sat up blearily and shouted to no on in particular, "Stop! That's a foul! I'm referee! Shut up!" Then he fell to the floor again and lay still.

Aleni, however, was getting to her feet, and she looked around the Owlery slowly. When her eyes came to Harry, she rushed over to him and sobbed, "She attacked us! She attacked us! Look at me! I thought I was going to die!" She broke down and started crying hysterically.

"Aleni, Aleni it's alright!" Harry reassured her, patting her back awkwardly. Again she threw herself at him and started sobbing on his shoulder, but Harry didn't back away. Maybe he could ask her what happened, because Ron certainly wasn't telling. He took an anxious glance at Hermione, but she had made no move whatsoever.

"What happened?" Harry asked Aleni once she had stopped bawling. She looked up at him through her curtain of black hair and replied, "It was her. She tried to kill that red haired guy on the floor and me."

Who was she? Harry thought. "Aleni," he questioned her, "Who attacked you?"

And to his surprise, Aleni pointed hatefully at Hermione.

"No…" he said in shock, "Hermione? She'd never do that!" After last night, though, Harry did have his doubts…

"It was her!" Aleni said indignantly, "When you left, she grabbed her wand and whispered to me, 'There's no one standing between you and me now.' Then she said some weird words. Like, 'Ava Kedaba' or something. I don't know." She sniffed and continued, "Then she had second thoughts or something and she said something else. After that, I have no idea what happened because she knocked me out."

Harry was stunned himself, but in a different way. Hermione, try to use the killing curse? Why? Things weren't making the least bit of sense anymore, especially where Hermione was concerned. First there was the time she couldn't remember the fight with Malfoy…

But wait! He thought suddenly, No one had remembered that, not even Malfoy himself!

"Are you absolutely sure?" asked Harry skeptically, "I'm finding it kind of hard to believe…"

"It was her!" Aleni cried, "There's only on other person I would suspect!"

"Who?"

"Meriel Ocienius!" yelled Aleni. "She's so weird! No one can stand her!" She paused then said quietly, "I wish it had been her." She frowned at Hermione.

"Why?"

Aleni sighed and said, "I hate her. Everyone in our school hates her. All the teachers loved her, though. Meriel was the perfect girl." She looked Harry directly in the eyes. "It's time for the world to find out who she really is… a monster." Before Harry could respond, Aleni turned away from him and walked quickly out the door and down the hallway.

Now that she was gone, Harry focused his attention on Ron. He looked like he had… fallen asleep?!

He ran up to him and bellowed in Ron's ear, "RON! GET UP!"

Ron swiftly rose to his feet and said, "Celestina, where are you?" He put his arms out and felt through the air in front of him, eyes still closed. Harry stood purposely in front of him and said, "It's Harry to you!"

Ron's arms fell limply to his sides and he said "Oh…" All of sudden, he nearly knocked Harry over with his yells, "Harry! It was Hermione! She killed that Aleni girl, I couldn't do anything, I'm sorry!" He looked over at the spot where Aleni had been lying and said, "Okay, maybe she didn't…"

"Ron, listen to me," Harry said forcefully, grabbing his shoulders, "Did Hermione try to kill you?"

Ron shook his head. "All I can remember was when she was threatening Aleni, and then Aleni fell and she looked dead. I couldn't see which spell she had been doing, she was blocking me! After that, I think I remember… Hang on." He screwed up his face in concentration and said, "I think there was someone else. Yeah, there was!" He looked at Harry and continued, "The last thing I remember is some other person standing in the corner of the room, over there!" Ron said, motioning. "The person was whispering something, and then I was stunned!"

Harry thought back to what Aleni had said about Meriel. "Stay here," said Harry to Ron, and he walked carefully over to the corner where Ron had been pointing. He knelt down and felt the floor with his hands, looking for a clue.

Something glinted amidst the hay and owl feed. Harry reached out and picked up a small orange jewel.

"Brilliant," said Ron from right behind him, "That must be worth loads!" He gazed wonderingly at the gem, but Harry felt sick. Why? Because he had seen that jewel before…

On Meriel's necklace.

- - -

As the weeks back at Hogwarts flew by, Harry only saw Meriel in classes. She didn't appear to be a blood-thirsty murderer, but Harry kept his distance anyway. So far, there had been only one suspicious moment between them, not counting the time he had been talking to her and had suddenly fallen asleep.

It had happened a couple days ago, in their tenth Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Harry didn't enjoy this class anymore, due to the fact that Professor Carmella taught very much like Quirrel had: boring, and they rarely had practical lessons. He had been drawing little pictures of himself on his Firebolt, the best broomstick in the league, and then tapping them with his wand to make the doodles move. Ron enjoyed this very much, chuckling when the little Harry on the parchment flew in circles. To make it even better, Harry drew Malfoy falling off his broom, and Ron released a snort of laughter which attracted Professor Carmella's attention.

She had marched over to them and ripped the parchment out of their hands. "Just to let you in on a little secret, boys," Harry remembered her stating, "I don't tolerate this sort of behavior in my class." The Professor had torn the page down the middle and thrown it into the trash can. "Now, to continue…" she had said, and as before she had droned on about the proper use for incantations and spells, asking them to copy down this and that.

Harry had sighed and glanced around the classroom. He had discovered Meriel staring at him with a look of loathing on her face. Before she turned away, he felt a searing pain on his scar, which had been prickling for months because of Voldemort's return. He had apprehensively placed a hand to his forehead and felt it burning under his fingers. It didn't worry him much though. After all, Voldemort could be feeling angry or something.

Last year, Harry had gone so far into Voldemort's mind that he had had visions. After practicing clearing his mind most of the summer before going to bed, it wasn't so bad anymore. Dumbledore had helped him too.

Harry was eating lunch while brooding about this. Of course, there were more important things to think about, especially something that was sitting directly across from him.

Hermione was reading "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6" for what seemed like the thousandth time. Harry watched as she ate anything that was in front of her, obviously fascinated by what the book contained.

Once Harry had filled Ron in on the fact that orange jewel was Meriel's, and that all of Celestial Rhiannon hated her, Ron no longer suspected Hermione. The only thing was, Hermione didn't seem to remember what had happened up in the Owlery, and she refused to talk to Ron or Harry at all about it. This seemed odd…

As the time drew near for Harry to have his next Defense Against the Dark Arts class, he gathered up his books and got ready to go when the bell rang.

He made his way out through the crowd of people with Ron following shortly behind. "Oh, save me a seat in there Harry!" he yelled unexpectedly, and Harry turned to see Ron rushing over to Celestina. He shook his head and flowed out of the Great Hall with the rest. While walking slowly down a corridor to class, he accidentally dropped one of his books.

Reaching to pick it up, he found it snatched up by another hand. Harry peered up and saw… her.

Meriel stood there with an amused look on her face. "So…" she said mysteriously.

Harry didn't like this situation at all. Nervously, he said, "So what? Can I have my book back?" He attempted to grab it, but Meriel's hand swung out of reach.

"Only if I get some answers first," she said without humor. Suddenly, she turned around and flung the book up the corridor, and it landed with a dull thud next to a suit of armor. Harry started to walk swiftly toward it, but Meriel threw out her arm, catching him in the stomach. "Not so fast," she said threateningly, shoving him backwards with strength that could not have been hers at all. His scar gave a painful throb.

Harry glared at her in bewilderment and whispered the first thing that came to mind, "Aleni was right."

Meriel stared him down and asked guardedly, "Aleni was right about what?" She took a step nearer to him, but Harry backed away.

He said menacingly with confidence, "The fact that you're… a monster!"

Harry wasn't prepared at all for what happened next. Meriel reached out for him and, as she touched his face, a cloud of smoke erupted from the spot where she had been standing.

He coughed as the smoke engulfed him and squinted through to see her lying on the floor, immobile. He felt weak and feverish from the moment that her finger had grazed his face, and he receded up the corridor in the opposite direction. Harry turned and broke into a run all the way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

Finding class already in session, he snuck pathetically to the other side of the room where Ron and Hermione were staring at him in alarm.

"What happened to you?" Hermione whispered urgently, grabbing Harry's hand and pulling him up into the seat next to her. She seized his arm and looked at it intently.

Unexpectedly, Hermione grew faint and murmured worriedly to herself. "No, no, no! This can't be real… No!" She glanced up at him in a frightened way and whispered, "Come with me!"

Ron looked on fearfully as Hermione and Harry silently slid out of their seats and glided through the back row of the classroom. Once they arrived outside, she yanked him all the way back to the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione searched the common room frantically for any sign of another human being, and when she found none, she led Harry gently to an armchair and sat down in the one beside him.

"Fill me in, Harry," she said immediately, and he told her all about his confrontation with Meriel. As he finished up his story, Hermione quickly jumped up and exclaimed, "We have to go to Dumbledore!"

He stared at her. "Hermione, he's not going to care about this! Forget it!"

She pulled him back up and practically shouted, "No! We're going to Dumbledore!"

Harry could do nothing as she dragged him to the door and out the portrait hole. "Shouldn't you two be in class?" asked the Fat Lady as they came out of the tower.

Hermione ignored both Harry and the Fat Lady, and instead put his arm around her shoulder. "You know," she hissed as they passed Professor McGonagall's room, "This would be a lot easier if you actually tried to stand up."

Harry nodded limply and they came to a stop in front of the headmaster's office. Mercilessly, Hermione dropped him to the floor and stood boldly in front of the statue standing guard outside of it. She thought a minute and bent down to Harry's motionless form.

"Do you mind?! Tell me what the password is!"

He shrugged tiredly and laid his head back on the floor.

Hermione kneeled beside him and wrenched him up off the ground. "Please Harry!" she begged him, her brown eyes full of concern.

Harry nodded his head and said with all the strength he could muster, "Candy…" He closed his eyes for a moment and couldn't open them again.

"What?"

"Different… candy names…" His head flopped uselessly around on the floor.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand!" Harry's eyes flickered open for a moment and he saw Hermione's face barely an inch from his. One lonely tear dropped off her face and onto his.

With a tremendous heave, Harry rose off the ground and sat at her side. "Hermione," he said, "Just think of all the candies in Honeydukes. That's what I--!" He stopped abruptly with his mouth open.

Professor Snape had just emerged from behind the statue.

"Well, well, well," he drawled, his mouth lifting into a lopsided smile, "What a touching scene…" His eyes roamed from Harry's weak form to Hermione's tears.

Flicking a piece of parchment and expensive looking quill out from the pocket of his robes, he started writing with flourish. "Potter and Granger, found out of class beside the entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office," Snape murmured loud enough for the two to hear, "So," he said, rolling up the parchment and sticking the quill back into his pocket, "I understand that loitering calls for detentions." A shadow of a smirk crossed his face.

Harry felt the energy start flowing back into his body. Even though Dumbledore trusted Snape, he knew that he would never, ever…

"But Professor," Hermione said nervously, "We have something very important to tell Dumbledore." She glanced anxiously at Harry and started to say something else, but Snape cut her off.

"Miss Granger," he said with intent, "Do not think that just because other teachers believe the foolish things that come out of your never-closing mouth, that I will." Snape sneered at her and whipped his robes around, striding off in the opposite direction.

Hermione appeared defeated and lost for words. "Now what do we do?" She looked thoughtfully at the statue.

Harry was about to mention what the password might be when the statue moved again. This time, it was Dumbledore.

"Sir," Hermione cried, "We need to tell you something, please!"

He stared down at her, his silver-white eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "Come in."

Harry stood hastily, but collapsed as soon as he took a step. Dumbledore reached out and supported him with muscles that Harry didn't think he had. The three of them crowded into the rotating staircase that led to Dumbledore's office.

Once there, Hermione helped Harry into a couch off to the side of the office and sat timidly alongside him. She toyed with the hem of her robes, and every once in a while peeked fretfully at Harry, who had flopped down and was lying unmoving on the cushions.

"Explain," commanded Dumbledore simply, and Hermione took off in a torrent of words about Harry's encounter… or at least what she knew of it. Dumbledore sat patiently at his desk and listened attentively, with the occasional glimpse at Harry.

As Hermione trailed away, Dumbledore rose and walked over to the limp Harry on the sofa. He brushed back his hair and looked carefully at Harry's scar.

"Oh, Professor," whispered Hermione tentatively, "There's something else…" She reached out and pulled one of the sleeves up on Harry's robes.

Immediately, Dumbledore shifted his eyes to the unknown thing on his arm. Harry saw his expression go from surprise to fear. "No…" he echoed Hermione. Suddenly, he covered the thing and mumbled some words, pointing his wand to the ceiling.

"Leave me!" Dumbledore yelled into the air, his face livid. Harry looked up curiously. What he saw made his scar burn madly, and he fell to the floor and sheltered his face. The pain kept on, and Harry was vaguely aware of Hermione dropping to the floor beside him.

He looked searchingly up through his haze of pain. Where did it go? Harry had known what he'd seen, the damage was done…

He had seen Voldemort.

Harry closed his eyes and rubbed his scar furiously. Hermione was on the floor next to him, and he saw her blinking back tears. "Who…Was that…?" she started in a terrified way. He turned his head to face her completely.

"That was him, alright."

Hermione buried her face in her arms and gave a sob. Harry looked to see Dumbledore pacing back and forth between his desk and Fawkes the phoenix's stand.

"Sir," said Harry, actually getting the strength to stand. "Why? Why was he--?"

Dumbledore interrupted him, "It is not only the question of why, but how." He stopped walking to stare at Harry. "I believe that there is a link to Voldemort in this castle." He paused and nodded to Hermione on the ground. "Miss Granger's story only verifies this even more. The fact that Miss Ocienius could cause you to be weak in a time when you should have been strong shows--"

"Aleni was right after all!" exclaimed Harry again, "I thought she was going a little overboard, but it's true!" He took a breath and said, "How are we going to stop Meriel? Why did she get put in Gryffindor anyway? Shouldn't she be in Slytherin with that kind of power?"

Dumbledore sighed and said, "It cannot be helped. A member of this school will not go through the sorting process again." He beckoned Harry over to him. "There is something else, Harry. Come."

Harry walked over to his desk and Dumbledore once more pulled up the sleeve of his robes. "I think you should see this," he said softly. Harry looked intently at his totally unremarkable arm. What on there could be so important and frightening?

At the sight of it, his eyes practically bulged from his head. "What?!" he shouted, backing away from Dumbledore. "I'm not… I can't be…"

Harry looked at his arm again. On it was a menacing skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. In other words, it was the sign of Voldemort.

Dumbledore looked sadly at Harry and gripped his shoulder. "Harry…" He paused and said, "I just do not know."

Harry had never felt worse in his life.

- - -

That night, after the episode at the headmaster's office, the sign on Harry's arm had still not faded. When he was drifting off to sleep, he swore he heard laughter resounding across the room, and a pain seared from the Dark Mark and all across his arm.

Harry sat bolt upright in his bed, and the cold, laughing voice slowly faded away. He was left with nothing but silence.

Ripping open the bed curtains, Harry looked vigilantly around the room at Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Neville's four-poster beds. There was nothing but darkness. He slumped back into sleep…

- - -

At breakfast, Harry kept his eyes down and made sure no one saw the Mark. Before he had escorted Hermione and Harry back to their dormitories, Dumbledore had warned them not to tell anyone what had happened. This included Ron.

Both Hermione and Harry had been too exhausted to care much about that then, but they certainly cared now.

Ron wouldn't leave them alone. Every two minutes he asked what had happened last night, trying to catch them off guard. Harry was helping himself to a small helping off porridge when Ron said casually, "What happened last night?"

Hermione glared at him and ate her toast aggressively. "Like I said three minutes ago, it's none of your business!" She threw her half-eaten toast on her plate and hid herself behind her Defense Against the Dark Arts book.

"Fine!" Ron slammed his juice on the table. "Don't tell me! That's okay, I'll live with it!" He looked at Harry and asked almost pleadingly, "Where were you last night?"

Harry glanced at him and said in an annoyed way, "You do that know you and Hermione put me through this two summers ago, right? Maybe it's your turn!"

Ron opened his mouth to retort but then the morning post came.

Through a curtain of fluffy owls, Harry saw Ron stand and grab his bag roughly. "I'll be seeing you," he said gruffly, and Hermione and Harry looked on as he walked over to the Ravenclaw table.

Harry didn't feel remotely hungry anymore. "Do you think we should have told him?" he asked Hermione unsurely.

He waited for Hermione's answer but it never came. Instead, she suddenly seized the neckline of Harry's robes and pulled him towards her.

"Oh my gosh!" she said in an astonished fashion. "Harry, why didn't you tell me?"

Harry shoved her hands off his robes, for she had grabbed hold so tight that she was choking him. "What are you talking about?"

"You…you…" Hermione trailed away. "You could have seriously hurt him!" she exclaimed, grasping the sleeve of his robes. "Let's go!"

Harry let her drag him away from the table. As he went, it seemed that the whole hall had gotten quieter. Hundreds of eyes were now following him and the Slytherin table had looks on their faces that could kill.

"What…?"

Even Ron, who had made space at the Ravenclaw table next to Celestina, was staring at him in shock. Harry glanced swiftly at the High Table and saw Professor McGonagall's lips tighten and Snape's sneer change rapidly to a look of pure surprise.

Hermione continued pulling him until they were outside, hidden behind a wall of the castle. "Good, I think we're alone now."

"Why is that so important?"

Hermione gave him a very frustrated glance and repeated, "'Why is that so important,' honestly! Harry, all I want to know is why you didn't tell anyone about it! I mean, I understand your temper, but this…"

"But what?" Harry said almost angrily, "But what? Hermione, I really don't know what you're talking about!"

She looked up at him. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I am. I don't have any idea what's wrong. Did you see McGonagall? And Snape? And the Slytherin table? What did I do now?"

Hermione hissed, "Malfoy! That's what you did! You threw him, Crabbe, Goyle, and Kyros against the wall! Remember? The whole hall watched you do it!"

Harry held up his hands, as though to shield his face. "Wait, before I say anything who is Kyros?"

Another exasperated look emitted from Hermione, but Harry was almost sure he had seen something else flash across her face--what it was, he didn't know. "Kyros is that 7th year boy who you also threw against a wall."

"Okay, I'll tell you what happened, but you have to believe me."

"I do. Harry, I was a witness!"

"Alright, alright." He sat down on the dewy grass and tugged Hermione down with him. "Listen to me. I remember the day I did that very clearly. But…"

Hermione gazed at him expectantly.

"See, I don't remember it so clearly because of that one thing. The day I threw Malfoy against a wall, you didn't remember. And you were a witness."

"I don't understand."

"Exactly! The day I lost my temper, well… I didn't really understand anything either. A lot happened that day. Including the whole Aleni issue."

"Harry, I refuse to talk about that."

"I wasn't going to… yet. Anyway, I'll tell you what happened from the beginning." Harry started with what Hermione had said concerning Celestina Cierre and worked from there. He explained everything from his point of view, right up to the part when they had gone into Herbology class.

At the end of his explanation, Hermione looked very taken aback. "Do you mean to say," she whispered shakily, "That I forgot? I forgot everything?"

"Yes," Harry answered, "The bizarre thing was though, you weren't the only one. Everyone forgot about it, even Malfoy himself."

"Oh no…" Hermione trailed away. She stood up quickly and stated, "We have to go see Dumbledore again."

"Not again!"

Hermione pulled him up and grabbed his shoulders firmly. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "Yes! Let's go!"

But Harry didn't move. Right then, at that very moment, he had had an unmistakable urge to do something, but Hermione had turned away before he could reach her lips.

She stopped when she realized Harry wasn't moving. "What are you doing?" she asked him.

Harry didn't reply, but he kept staring at Hermione. It seemed like he had been blind for sixteen years, and now he could see. Her dark brown hair didn't appear so bushy anymore and her eyes were dark and creamy. She had gotten taller, and her skin was clear and smooth. He blinked and glanced away when her voice wafted into his thoughts.

"Harry, is something wrong?"

Feeling himself turn red, he turned his back to her and instead looked out on the lake. The clear blue water flowed gently, and the giant squid residing in it poked out a tentacle. Trees in the Forbidden Forest waved in the breeze, and the sky above was a dismal gray.

Harry jumped when he felt Hermione's hand on his left shoulder. "Harry," she said soothingly, "Tell me what's wrong."

He continued staring ahead of him, not bothering to respond. They stayed that way for a long time, Harry looking out to the lake, Hermione's hand resting on his shoulder. The peace and silence was broken when Harry whirled around and said suddenly, "There's nothing wrong, nothing at all." As soon as he'd said it, he knew he sounded unconvincing.

Hermione removed her hand and said in a low voice, "If you're sure…" She once again turned to walk back to the school. But Harry couldn't take it anymore, not after he had been so close. He walked swiftly after Hermione and stepped between her and the door back inside. "One more thing…" He kissed her on the lips.

Hermione's body tensed. Before Harry knew what had happened, she'd slapped him in the face, drawn back, and said fiercely, "No!"

Harry looked down and suddenly felt very embarrassed and stupid, massaging the place where Hermione had hit him. How could he have done that?

"No, I mean…" Hermione brushed her hair back from her eyes uneasily and continued, trying to keep her voice even, "I mean… I'm sorry Harry, but I can't."

"Oh."

The silence around them felt incredibly loud, and Harry stepped towards her. Hermione backed away and stopped. "I can't Harry. I really am sorry, though. It's just…" She paused again at the depressed look on his face. Then under her breath she said, "Meet me tomorrow night, right after dinner, in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom." Hermione gave Harry another anxious glance, stepped around him, and walked back inside.

- - -

"So tell me again Mr. Potter," Snape drawled as he stood in Professor McGonagall's office, "Why you did such a terrible thing to Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Kyros Gregorz. Of course, they are only in the hospital wing with twelve broken bones put together."

Harry murmured, "Is that all?"

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, sir."

Snape looked down at him venomously over his hooked nose and repeated, "Tell me again, Mr. Potter, why you did such a terrible thing to Messrs. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Gregorz so that it landed them in the hospital wing! Or…" He pulled a potion bottle with a liquid inside that Harry dreaded.

"Veritiserum?"

Snape laughed. "For once you have it right!" He uncapped the container and held it an inch from Harry's face. "Shall we use it?" he cackled. At that moment in time, Harry thought he looked remarkably like a crow. Greasy black hair waved on the side of Snape's face, and the hooked nose seemed to threaten Harry as much as the expression did.

"No, Professor, I don't think I'll need that, thanks."

Snape did not answer, but instead slipped the potion underneath his robes and strode to the middle of the room. A moment later, Professor McGonagall walked in.

"Alright, Potter, I think this incident calls for detention," she said, "On November 1st, which is two days from now, you will report to Mr. Filch's office and do whatever he feels necessary that you do."

"But Professor," said Snape, smoothly interrupting the conversation, "I think it is better to have Potter attend detention tomorrow night."

"And why do you think that?" said Professor McGonagall, "You know all too well that Potter cannot manage that, considering he is co-captain and must judge new players at his team practice."

Harry was very glad she had mentioned that issue. He had forgotten about Quidditch tryouts completely, and he guessed Katie wouldn't have been too happy with him if he hadn't remembered at all.

"Oh yes, that's right! How terrible of me to forget," Snape said silkily. He glared at Harry.

"Yes, well, now that that is over with," Professor McGonagall said, "I will take my leave. Oh, and Potter," she directed at Harry, "report to detention at 9:00 and make some good choices for Gryffindor." She almost smiled, but Harry thought it could have been a grimace.

"I think I'll leave too," said Harry quickly, and he rushed out the door before he had to be alone again with Snape and Veritiserum.

It was around late afternoon, and Harry had missed Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms class. Dinner would be starting soon, and there was no point in going to the last two minutes of Charms, so he headed up the stairs to Gryffindor tower.

Along the way he brooded about what he had done lately. Seriously hurt Malfoy and his cronies, kissed Hermione, gotten a detention, had a Dark Mark placed on his--

Harry looked down at his arm and pulled up the sleeve hiding it. There it was.

The Dark Mark appeared to shimmer in the semi-darkness of the hall, but Harry was not exactly sure if it was his imagination or not. The snake protruding from the mouth of the skull looked as if it was creeping steadily up Harry's arm, so he covered it before his mind could get the better of him.

Harry ran up to the tower, uttered the password to the Fat Lady, who was dozing in her frame, and stepped inside the common room. After making sure no one was present other then him, he sat in a squishy armchair and dwelled on his problems.

But he was not by himself after all. Someone was right behind the chair he was sprawled in, and Harry didn't know how he knew someone was there.

He suddenly swiveled around and asked, "Who's there?"

The first thing he saw was a lock of black hair followed by Aleni's face. Talia's yellow-blond head appeared beside her. They clambered up off the floor and said in unison, "Will you go to the ball with me?" When they realized that they had both said it, defiant stares were exchanged.

Harry had mixed feelings. He felt shocked and a little relieved, for he had been almost certain Meriel was lying in wait behind him.

"Sorry, I didn't understand what you said. Can you—?

"Will you go to the ball with me?" Talia and Aleni inquired again simultaneously.

Harry instantly became worried. What ball?

"I didn't know there was one."

"Oh, trust me, there is," said Talia.

"I can't believe you haven't heard about it yet!" added Aleni dramatically. She leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "You'll go with me, right?"

"Wait, listen—!" Harry started to say, but he got cut off by Talia.

"Actually, it's not until Christmas, but Ginny told us about it. She has special connections, of course. She has a boyfriend named Dean, and he found out from this guy named Jacob, who's in 7th year, and he overheard Professor Carmella suggesting it to Mr. Dumbledore who said it was a marvelous idea for us to get to know each other!"

"Hold on," said Harry, finally getting a word in, "You're friends with Ginny Weasley? Ron's sister?"

"Oh yeah, she's the greatest," said Aleni, "Her boyfriend Dean is so sweet! Do you know him too?"

"Yes, he shares a dormitory with me, but why—?"

"Do you know Jacob?" Talia asked Harry, "He's nice enough, but I think he's kind of weird."

"No!" Harry said firmly, "Will you listen already? Why—?"

"Sorry Harry, I really am."

"I'm even sorrier."

"Aleni, 'sorrier' is not a word."

"How would you know? It's not like you're a walking dictionary!"

"Duh! Of course I'm not! I'm better than a walking dictionary."

"When you say that, I hope you don't mean prettier than a dictionary, 'cause you're so not!"

"Don't diss me!"

"Guess you expect me to apologize to you too Talia, huh? Don't count on it!"

"Getting an apology from you is like getting a gift from hell!"

"Shut it!" Aleni hissed.

"No, you shut up! I didn't start it! 'Sorrier', god… Didn't you ever pay attention in English class?"

"No, I was too busy trying to see over your big head!"

"Wait!" Talia held up a hand. "Oh right, bad English must be genetic! I can tell your parents had it too! Know why? Who ever heard of the name 'Aleni'?"

Harry almost saw the steam coming out of Aleni's ears. "Why you little… FREAK!"

It happened to fast for him to stop it. Harry watched as Aleni jumped on top of Talia and began clawing at her face. Talia let out a high-pitched scream and fell on the floor with Aleni on her back. They rolled around, screams coming from the human ball on the floor and hands snatching at throats. Before long, Aleni had Talia pinned beneath her and the wand in the former girl's fist was pointed at the latter's throat.

"APOLOGIZE OR I'LL BLOW UP YOUR THROAT!" screeched Aleni at the top of her lungs. That's when Harry interfered.

He pulled out the wand hidden underneath his robes and aimed it at Aleni's. "Expelliarmus!" shouted Harry, and Aleni's wand took flight over to the other side of the room. He stood and said, "Accio Wand!" and the wand that could have been the cause of much damage flew into his hand.

Aleni gaped at him and looked like she was about to explode. Her black hair might have been smoke, and her livid face could have been the fire. She glanced down at Talia, who was unmoving and gasping for breath. Aleni stood and said furiously to Harry, "Give it back."

"No."

Aleni lifted Talia roughly off the floor and placed her hands around her throat. "Give it back Harry, or I'll strangle her."

Harry glanced hurriedly from Aleni's wrathful face to Talia's pleading one. He lifted Aleni's wand and made to throw it to her. But he stopped midway.

He leaped agilely over to Aleni and yanked her hands off Talia's throat. Aleni gave a yelp and fell over. Harry shoved Talia towards the door and yelled, "Go!"

Talia raced to the portrait hole and hurdled through it. Harry turned and bellowed at Aleni, "Why? Why! Why did you do that?"

Aleni sat up and started to sob like she had done exactly a month ago, up in the Owlery. "Harry," she cried, "My parents are dead! Talia knows it too!" She buried her face in her arms and bawled.

Harry walked over and kneeled down beside her. "I'm sorry. Still, you're not the only one without any parents, you know."

Aleni looked up and asked sadly, "Who else is there?"

Harry stiffened, giving her an incredulous look. "Me."

She gasped and said, "Oh god, I'm really sorry! I can't believe I forgot…"

Harry sighed and said, "It's okay. But still…" He stood, "If you ever need to talk to someone, well, I'm here. I'm always here." He turned to walk upstairs.

"Wait, don't go!" Harry stopped and found Aleni standing beside him. She took a deep breath and said, "I want to say sorry again for coming on you in the Owlery. It was really dumb of me. You must hate me a lot."

"No," said Harry, "Not really. I mean, I'm not asking you to do it again, but…"

"I've been avoiding you all month because of it. I'm a real jerk, I guess."

"You're not a jerk, Aleni. You just… You just come on a little strong, that's all. Oh," added Harry, "Is there really going to be a ball?"

"Yes. Didn't you believe us?"

Harry laughed. "To tell you the truth, no. I thought it was another excuse to…well, you know…" He fiddled with his collar. "Also, why were you two out of class?"

"Why were you?" Aleni's mischievous smile twinkled, and Harry knew he wasn't imagining it.

"Now that's confidential information."

"Detention for beating up those Slytherin guys, huh?"

Harry chuckled weakly, "Yeah."

Aleni's melodious laugh resounded around the room. She gathered up her things and stood again. "Nice talking to you, and I am very sorry for everything. Friends?" She held out a hand.

Harry nodded and shook the hand in front of him. "Friends…"

- - -

The Firebolt glinted in the late afternoon sunlight. Freshly polished with straightened twigs, it attracted the attention of everyone who arrived for Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts. Harry looked on as the crowd gathered around it and gaped at its beauty.

"Okay, okay," Katie Bell shouted to the Gryffindors hoping to be chosen as new Chasers or Beaters, "This isn't the time to be worshiping Harry's Firebolt! We're here for tryouts!" She walked up to every turnout, sizing them up. "We need someone who will put Quidditch first, so if you're involved in anything that will clash with practice, you might as well clear out."

No one moved.

"Guess that settles that," said Katie. She turned to Ron, who was standing directly behind her. "Ron, go get the ball crate with Harry." She then continued her speech to the other Gryffindors.

Harry and Ron walked back to the changing rooms, squinting in the sun. As they each grabbed one end of the crate, Ron mumbled something inaudible.

"What?"

Ron looked up. "Nothing," he replied in a would-be-innocent way.

Harry shook his head and the two boys hauled the crate outside. When they were halfway across the Quidditch pitch, it happened again. Harry stopped and dropped his end of the crate. Ron almost fell, but caught himself at last minute.

"What was that for?"

Harry pushed the bridge of his glasses back up his nose. "That was exactly what I was going to ask you. Do you mind telling me why you keep talking to yourself?"

"I'm not talking to myself," Ron replied hastily, shifting the crate.

"Then who are you talking to?"

Ron sighed and said, "I think there's something going on with Hermione."

Harry froze. Did Ron know what he had done to her?

"I think she might be keeping something from us."

Relaxing a bit, Harry said, "Everyone keeps things from each other, Ron. She has secrets, you have secrets, and I have secrets that I haven't told you two and…"

He had gone too far, as he could see from Ron's expression.

"Wait a minute," said Ron suspiciously, "How come it seems like no one is telling me anything anymore? What kind of secrets are you hiding?"

Harry felt trapped. Should he tell Ron about the prophecy?

At the end of last year, in the Department of Mysteries, Harry had found out that he played a major role in a prophecy made by none other than Sibyll Trelawney, his old Divination teacher. He remembered as though it had been only yesterday, when Dumbledore had repeated the prophecy to him, making Harry take on the largest burden of all. It was a burden even larger than losing Sirius Black, even larger than watching Cedric Diggory get killed. It was Harry's destiny, and there was no turning back.

The memories he had dug up from deep inside him faded away as Ron spoke. Harry glanced up and heard him say, "Tell me, Harry! Since when--?"

"Hurry up!" Katie's voice came ringing across the pitch. Ron quickly picked up the part of the crate closest to him and yelled back, "Coming!" Harry was safe.

Unexpectedly, Ron leaned towards Harry's ear and whispered, "I think we'll talk about this later.

Harry sighed. He wouldn't be let off the hook after all.

They carried the crate over to Katie, who announced, "Let's start with Chasers first… All Chasers please form a line over here!"

The majority of the people who had arrived queued into a long line. Katie counted them silently and bit her lip. "There are an awful lot of you… Harry and Ron, you take the first fifteen people and I'll take everyone else. Oh, yes," she added, "Beaters, please be patient and sit in the stands for now. Thanks."

Harry beckoned his people towards him. "Er," he started unsurely, "Well, I suppose you can go first."

He pointed to a medium-sized boy with dark skin and short black hair, who he recognized as a 5th year. Held tightly in his hand was a Nimbus 2001, and around his wrists and neck were gold chains. The boy nodded and Harry witnessed a golden earring flash in the sunlight. "No problem." He blinked and added, "My name's Jorge Alonzo."

Jorge jumped on the back of his broom and sped off around the goal posts at an alarming rate. He circled the pitch and plummeted back down to the ground. Landing softly on his feet, he asked smugly, "What do you reckon, Potter?"

Harry didn't appreciate the fact that Jorge had called him by his surname. It sounded very familiar, a little too familiar to the way Draco Malfoy said it. He said, "Good enough… But what can you do with a Quaffle?" Ron chuckled under his breath as Harry threw the ball unpredictably to Jorge.

He and Ron watched in shock as Jorge caught it easily. They gaped as he twirled it on his finger and smirked. "No wonder you're not a Chaser," he sneered. Tossing the ball roughly to Ginny Weasley, he strode over to the stands where a group of boys and girls cheered for him.

Harry felt the anger he had been suppressing for weeks surge threateningly up inside him. Taking a sideways glance at Ron, he could tell he felt the same.

"Let's move on, shall we?" said Harry, stifling his rage difficultly.

They made slow progress, and at the end of the line, Jorge and Ginny were by far the best. "I suppose we're done," Ron said tiredly, "Let's go now; I have a pile of homework to do before the Halloween feast tonight."

Harry sighed and replied, "I think we should tell Katie who was the best, though. I mean, she can--"

"Hold on! What about me?"

The two boys peered up to find red-haired Paige Chadee glaring at them. "I didn't come down here for nothing!" she said heatedly. She gave them a lopsided smile and held out the broom clutched tightly in her right hand. "Get a load of this!"

Harry and Ron looked curiously at the broom to see what was so special about it.

To Harry, it had a close resemblance to his own Firebolt. The twigs were straight and glossy and the handle and seat were luminous in the sun. But there was a difference, Harry knew that when he read the words:

Moon Rider

Ron tilted his head and said, "I've never heard of it." He exchanged a glance with Harry who also appeared confused. "Neither have I," he added.

Paige let out a sigh of exasperation and she leaped on it. "Get the Firebolt," she ordered, flipping her red ponytail over her shoulder.

"What?"

Defiantly staring at Harry, she said impatiently, "Come on! Get your broom and I'll race you." A malicious glint entered her green eyes.

He was becoming angry again. "No, I have to talk to Katie," said Harry, turning away from her.

But Paige called to his retreating back, "I know you want to!" She smiled slyly as he stopped walking. Looking back, his eyes swept over her, and he realized she reminded him of someone. The green eyes… his green eyes; the red hair… suspiciously like his mother's--!

"Harry!"

He looked in the other direction to see Katie walking towards him. "Are you finished with everyone? Who do you think is best?"

Harry snapped out of his reverie. "Yes, we're finished… with everyone except her." He pointed menacingly over his shoulder at where Paige was standing last.

Katie smiled knowingly. "What did she do to you?" she asked in a mock bored tone.

Harry grumbled back, "She's already angry with me because she was a Seeker on her old team. And now she wants me to race her on broomstick." He lowered his voice and said, "Ever hear of a 'Moon Rider?' That's the name of the broom she has."

Suddenly Katie's smile dropped and turned into a frown. "No, she can't have one of those. They're not available to the public yet." She grasped Harry's shoulder and steered him over to where Paige was standing.

"Give it here," said Katie in an irritated fashion when they reached Paige and Ron's sides. Reluctantly, Paige held out the broom and found it quickly snatched out of her hands. Harry watched as Katie's infuriation turned into a look of surprise.

"I cannot believe it!" she exclaimed wonderingly, scanning the broom, "How… How…" she stammered. Gaping at Paige, she asked, "How did you get it?"

Paige smiled and Harry felt something in his chest give a jolt. "I have special connections," she explained. Turning to him abruptly, she said, "Now how about that race, eh?"

Harry felt the word "yes" tumble out of his mouth without him even realizing it, but Katie interrupted, "Maybe you should go back to the common room. I'll take it from here. You and Ron should go get ready for the Halloween feast."

"Fine," said Harry thoughtfully. He told Ron he could go back to the castle without him and Harry turned to leave. "Tell me who got in," he requested to Katie.

She nodded and said offhandedly, "By the way, who do you think should be on the team?"

"Ginny Weasley and, well…" He looked over in Jorge's direction. "I suppose that idiot should be on the team too, but I don't care for his attitude much."

Katie scribbled what Harry had said down on a spare piece of parchment. "Thanks. I'll see you later." She strode off to the hopeful Beaters.

Paige and Harry were alone, and he wiped his hands on his robes and said, "I should be going now," he said. When she remained silent, he added, "The Halloween feast is always good…I suppose I'll see you there?"

"Yeah, sure," Paige said quickly. She looked around to make sure no one else was within earshot and said quietly, "I'm sorry that I got all mad at you about the whole Seeker thing. I guess it isn't so bad being a Chaser after all."

"Don't worry about it," said Harry. He looked on as she fidgeted with a charm bracelet on her wrist.

"I better go try out now," Paige stated at last. Gripping her "Moon Rider" firmly, she started to walk away. Harry began to turn away also.

"Oh, one more thing," she said, turning around suddenly. He glanced back at her as she said, "Don't think that some day you won't compete with me for the Seeker spot, because I'm a lot better then you think I am."

Harry smiled as Paige strode away.

- - -

As he ascended the steps to the dormitories, Harry heard a voice calling his name.

"Hey Harry, wait up!"

Rolling his eyes, he turned to find a small, mousy blond boy blocking the stairwell to the common room. A camera was in Colin Creevey's right hand and his wand was tucked behind his ear.

"Hey Harry, are you going to the Halloween feast? You should sit with us, Harry because all my friends want to get to know you! It'll be really great, Harry!" Colin took a breath and added, "Ron and Hermione can come too, and so can Aleni and Talia because they're in our year, and—!"

"Colin!" said Harry forcefully, "Look, I have to get ready for the feast... I'll uh… I'll see where I'm sitting when I get down there."

"Okay Harry!" Colin said enthusiastically, "Bye Harry, I'll see you there! Bye!"

Harry watched amusedly as Colin bounded down the stairs to tell all his friends about his conversation with 'the famous Harry Potter!'

He turned and opened the dormitory door. A voice emitted from inside, saying oh-so-familiarly…

"So…"

Harry froze. Oh no, he thought, Not her, make it be anyone but her…

He grabbed the doorknob and slammed it shut. Whirling around, he ran down the stairs at an alarming speed, almost tripping with the effort. But it was too late…

A voice yelled from behind him, and he felt a spell blast against his back. Harry fell and tumbled into the railing, his face scratched and bruised, his scar burning.

"We meet again Harry."

It wasn't Meriel. It wasn't Hermione. It wasn't even Aleni or Talia. Someone much worse loomed above him, her dark eyes flashing, and her thick hair greased and shiny.

It was Sirius's cousin, Sirius's murderer:

Bellatrix Black.

Harry opened his mouth in rage. He could feel it, could feel the burning hot hatred coursing through his veins. A vision of a tall, crumbling arch flashed in his mind, its tattered veil fluttering in a nonexistent wind.

"You!"

Bellatrix laughed mirthlessly. A leisurely wave of her wand caused Harry to become bound by thick ropes. "Potter, Potter, Potter," she said in a tone that someone would use with a disobedient child, "You have much to learn. Let's continue our discussion elsewhere, shall we?"

A flash of light illuminated the stairwell, and Harry felt the blackness engulf him.

"He's awake!"

"Finally! My god, we've been waiting for hours! What did you do to him Bella?"

A cackle broke the darkness into pieces. Harry groggily lifted an eyelid and viewed some of his least favorite people in the world:

To his right was Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father. His long, white-blond hair was combed and straight, a steely glint in his cold gray eyes. Standing beside Malfoy was Antonin Dolohov, who Harry recognized as the Death Eater who had almost killed Hermione last year in the battle at the Department of Mysteries.

To his left was Bellatrix, who was carelessly twirling her wand around. She stopped laughing when Harry opened both eyes and gave her a glare.

"He's fully awake now," she stated unnecessarily, as Malfoy and Dolohov were already gazing at him. Bellatrix turned to another Death Eater who Harry hadn't noticed. "I'm guessing my work here is done?"

Augustus Rookwood stepped out of the shadows that had been shrouding him, nodding to a door on the far side of the room. While Bellatrix exited the room, Harry caught a glimpse of his blemished face before he once more retreated into obscurity.

Malfoy muttered something and drew his wand. Harry instinctively tried to reach into his pocket for his own wand, but his hands were tied.

"Don't even think about it, Potter," hissed Malfoy.

"It wouldn't have mattered, his wand's not even there!" added Dolohov.

Malfoy scowled before turning back to Harry. "The Dark Lord has asked us to deliver a message to you," he said resentfully. "Why, I don't know…"

He held up a worn piece of parchment with a look of disgust on his face. Dolohov flicked his wrist and the ropes binding Harry's arms vanished.

Malfoy threw the letter to Harry, who caught it with ease. But he didn't even attempt to open it.

"No."

Dolohov sneered at him. "What do you mean 'No'?"

Harry knew he was taking a risk, but he kept going: "I think that's obvious. I won't open it. I won't read it. I'm not even going to look at it." He brushed the paper from the table that he was sitting on to the floor.

Malfoy raised his wand and pointed it directly at Harry's heart, "Pick it up and read it… Now…"

"No."

"Read it."

Harry took a deep breath and repeated his answer, "No—!"

Malfoy, Dolohov, and Rookwood, who had emerged from his corner, concomitantly raised their wands, and each began to utter a curse.

Harry leaped to the floor as three enchantments hit the wall. The room seemed to shake and dust fell to the floor.

He rolled toward the door where Bellatrix had disappeared through, his vision masked by the falling dust. His hand reached up to what he thought would be the doorknob. Finding it, he twisted it. The knob didn't move at all.

Harry Potter, his legs still bound together, was locked in a room with three bloodthirsty Death Eaters. He was almost certain that he would die.

The dust had settled and he could see clearly. The scene that met his eyes was not what he had expected.

Malfoy and Rookwood were laying face-down on the floor, and they appeared unconscious. Dolohov was gone.

Something didn't seem right to Harry. It was…

It's too easy, Harry thought, everything seems to have gone in my favor.

He glanced around the room cautiously for his wand. After a minute of silent searching, he spotted it on the floor, by the table that he had been tied on.

Taking one last glance around the room, he walked over to the table. The wand was lying still, but Harry didn't dare touch it, at least not yet.

He waited for at least five minutes, staring at his wand, his only source of magic, defense, and power. But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was another presence…

Harry couldn't take it. He reached for the wand and grasped it in his hand tightly.

Nothing happened.

But then Harry felt a jerk in the area around his navel, and he was off to another place…

"Ouch!"

Harry landed heavily on the ground near the Quidditch pitch. It was twilight, and a strong wind blew in his ear and whipped his hair.

Looking towards the castle, he saw the Great Hall windows alight with color, which meant he was missing the Halloween feast.

Harry stood and wiped off his robes. Sweat soaked his forehead and his fingers were covered in grime. Confusion rattled his brain and a sudden dizziness took hold of him, causing Harry to sit down.

The last few days had been a blur of perplexity. He couldn't even keep track of the days anymore. Everything seemed ten times harder than last year, and it was all the Americans' fault.

It was so hard to believe that just a few hours ago he had been judging Gryffindors for the house team, been asked to sit with Colin Creevey, and been asked to go to a ball that wouldn't take place for months. Harry had no idea what was going on, and he almost wished to go back to last year, even if there were hardships.

I can't Harry. I really am sorry though. It's just…

Harry jumped to his feet. His meeting with Hermione! How had he forgotten?

He shoved his portkey wand into his pocket and raced across the grounds to the castle.

- - -

A breathless and flustered Harry slammed the door to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He glanced around at the familiar, though depressing, old stalls and sinks; one of them which was formerly the entrance to Salazar Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets.

Harry sank to the floor, only to hear a dull, gloomy voice say, "Who's there?"

He glanced over to one of the cracked stall doors in time to see a ghost exiting it. Her long transparent hair was in pigtails and pearly glasses twinkled in the dim lighting. An air of sadness seemed to hang over her until she laid her small eyes on Harry.

"You came to visit me!" she squealed in delight. Moaning Myrtle glided quickly over to him and smiled weakly, for it was an expression she had not used in a long time.

Harry started to say something in return when the bathroom door opened.

It was Hermione.

To his surprise, she also appeared out of breath. An anxious look played on her face, but it vanished as soon as she saw Harry.

"Harry!" she cried, dashing over to him, "Where have you been? You missed the feast! I was looking all over for you after your Quidditch tryouts, but Ron said you were in the dormitory, so I went up there and you were gone and I panicked and then—!"

"Hermione!" Harry said loudly, but his voice grew quieter when he continued, "Hermione, please, listen to me! I was kidnapped!"

Silence filled the bathroom, only to be interrupted by a splash. Moaning Myrtle emerged from an overflowing sink and said, "What?"

Harry shook his head and said again, "I was kidnapped."

Hermione lost her flushed look completely, only to have it replaced by a pale, frightened appearance. "By w-who?" she asked, her voice quivering.

He answered bitterly, "Bellatrix took me. We met in the stairwell. She hit me with some spell that kept me unconscious for hours. When I woke up, I was in some other room. There were Death Eaters there: Malfoy, Dolohov, and Rookwood… Malfoy said that Voldemort had a message for me. He threw me a piece of paper, but I didn't read it. The Death Eaters got angry. They tried to hex me, but I jumped out of the way. Then—"

"Wait," Hermione said. Harry noticed that her eyes were shining and her face had remnants of tears. As she brushed her hair back from her face, her hand shook. "H-Harry, do you m-mean to say that V-Voldemort gave you a l-letter? A-And he expected y-you to r-read it? I-I mean, actually r-read it?"

Harry watched as she tried to say something else, but all that came from her mouth was a chocked sob. Tears began to roll down her cheeks and she stuttered, "I-I'm s-so sorry H-Harry… I j-just can't t-take it…" Hermione's voice caught in her throat and a mournful wail emitted from her lips.

He was at her side in a flash. She allowed him to put his arms around her and hold her. Hermione began to cry even harder as she and Harry sank to the floor. He tightened his hold on her as they sat on the cold, wet ground, Hermione still sobbing her eyes out, Harry recalling the unfortunate events that had taken place that day.

He lost track of time. Before long his eyes drifted to Myrtle, who had been watching them all along. She stared unblinkingly at Harry before diving into the water-filled sink, most likely traveling down the drain to the giant lake on the grounds.

Hermione's breathing eventually slowed and her tears stopped flowing. Harry almost released her when she finally spoke:

"Harry…"

He peered down at her, only to feel that unmistakable urge, the same one he had felt when they'd stepped outside yesterday morning. He leaned in; his only thought was how Hermione's lips would feel on his lips, her skin on his skin…

It only surprised him more when she reached his lips first.

It seemed like forever when he kissed her, a forever that he definitely wanted to last. Every memory he had of Hermione flashed before his eyes. It was their first year: he watched as a young, brown-haired witch hugged a black-haired boy with a scar. Second year: A stall door opened to reveal Hermione with cat characteristics. Third year: Hermione screaming as she rode on Buckbeak the hippogriff with Harry. Fourth year: A dazzling girl in blue robes at the Yule Ball, Viktor Krum at her side. And fifth year: Hermione, looking dead as she lay on the floor in the Department of Mysteries.

When she finally broke away from him, reality hit him with astounding force. He was sitting on the floor in the girl's bathroom; he might die at the hands of Voldemort; he had a Dark Mark on his arm.

"Harry? Are you alright?"

Harry looked down at Hermione, whose own eyes were full of concern. He stood abruptly and said, "No. I'm not."

She rose from the floor, brushing dirt off her rumpled robes. Taking a deep breath, she stepped directly in front of him.

"Harry?"

He stared back at Hermione, taking in her beauty, her smell, her being. Nothing could go wrong when she was at his side. If Hermione was gone, everything was gone.

He smiled weakly at her. "Yes?"

To his confusion, she didn't return the smile. "I have something to tell you," she said haltingly. "I… I need you to promise that you won't lose your temper when you hear this..."

Harry's beam wavered. "I promise. What is it? What's wrong?"

Hermione stared at her feet and whispered, "I can't kiss you anymore, because someone would be mad…"

"Who?"

She gulped and said, "My boyfriend…a Slytherin..."

Harry felt as though his whole world was crashing down on him. Hermione's words resounded in his ears, making him feel suddenly dizzy and light-headed.

Before he knew what was happening, he had fallen to the floor. Moaning Myrtle's bathroom faded slowly away, only to be replaced by darkness…

- - -

"Wake up, Harry!" said a clear, pure voice.

He opened his eyes and saw an angel. She had Hermione's face, Aleni's hair, Talia's smile, and Paige's body. A shining halo levitated slightly above her head and she wore a spotless white robe.

Harry raised his head and spoke: "Why Hermione…? Why don't you love me?"

But it wasn't his voice that came from his mouth. It was a cold, snide voice… And it was Draco Malfoy's…

He put his hands around his throat, as though he could force the voice out. To Harry's astonishment, his hands tightened without him wanting them to. He began to choke and gag; all of sudden, his hands fell away from his throat—he could breathe—but unpredictably Meriel's hands replaced his… She was killing him…

"Goodbye Harry," she said in her enchanting voice, though now it was tinted with evil. Harry felt the world slip away; with his last drop of breath, he cried, "Remember Hermione… Remember… I'll always love… I'll always… always…love…you…"

Harry gradually witnessed Moaning Myrtle's bathroom slide back into focus… the familiar dank, wet smell greeted him.

Bleary-eyed and tired, he started when a wet cloth was pressed against his forehead. "Get her off!" he yelled, "Stop her, Hermione! I can't die! Meriel…!"

"Harry!"

Suddenly, he was back. The world was clear; he could see. Hermione was kneeling over him, her eyes once again wet with tears of concern. "Harry, wait… Hey sit down!"

For Harry had jumped to his feet, knocking her to the side. "Dumbledore," he stated loudly, "I have to go to Dumbledore now!"

Hermione picked herself up and grabbed Harry's arm, beginning to say something. Then he remembered:

"HOW COULD YOU?" he shouted at her.

She took a step away from him in fright. "Oh my god, Harry, you promised you wouldn't—!"

"HERMIONE, STOP!" he roared, "WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME? WHY! I NEED YOU! WHO'S YOUR BOYFRIEND? I'M ASKING YOU… WHAT'S—WRONG—WITH—ME?"

Hermione's tears flowed and she started sobbing hysterically. "I knew this would happen… JUST LEAVE ME ALONE HARRY!" she shrieked, and she shoved open the door and ran out into the corridor.

- - -

What time is it? Harry asked himself, how long have I been in here?

He was currently hidden behind a large portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw on the sixth floor. He had decided immediately after Hermione had gone that he could not go back up to Gryffindor Tower; it was best to hide until he was sure she was asleep.

Harry looked at the watch on his arm. It read 10:13 P.M. He'd only been concealed for half an hour! It had seemed much longer.

He sighed and hoisted himself out from behind the picture. The halls were not empty, thanks to Professor Carmella's "partner rule," so Harry was rudely stared at by many passing couples.

"What are you looking at?" he spat at a pretty seventh year girl and her boyfriend. It took him a second after to realize that he had just yelled at Cho Chang and her new "partner."

But I don't care, he told himself, I don't feel anything for Cho anymore. No… I like Hermione… Maybe I love Hermione… Isn't that what I told her? Isn't it?

So why doesn't she love me back? I mean, she kissed me in the bathroom! Does she secretly love me? Is her boyfriend fake? How can she be in love with someone else!

This thought instantly made his stomach churn. Who is her boyfriend? Which Slytherin is it?

It better not be who I think it is... It better not be—

"Malfoy…"

Harry glared at his archrival who had just exited from a nearby classroom, just itching to hurt him… maybe even kill him…

"What are you doing here? I don't see you with a girlfriend!" He fingered the wand in his pocket, getting ready to whip it out when necessary.

Malfoy took a step closer to Harry and laughed. "Well, look who's talking! I don't see you with anyone either, Potter!" He smirked at Harry's dirty face and robes. "Where've you been? Didn't see you at the Halloween feast with your… lover."

"What 'lover'?" It hit Harry how stupid that sounded once he'd said it.

Malfoy looked him up and down, possibly searching for a weapon…as though he was about to disclose valuable information that would make Harry hurt him.

Instinctively, Harry intensified his hold on the wand in his pocket, just in time to hear Malfoy say, "Accio Wand!"

The wand jerked in Harry's hand, but he kept it otherwise enclosed in his fist. "Nice try," he sneered at Malfoy, who was now standing in a rather rigid position.

Malfoy didn't respond at all. Harry watched in confusion and relief as he fell to the ground, stiff as a board. "What the…?"

"You've just witnessed the work of Ginevra Molly Weasley," said a familiar voice. Harry looked away from Malfoy's taut form and to the right, where the voice had come from.

Ginny Weasley stepped out of the shadows of the corridor and smiled at Harry's expression. She motioned to Malfoy, who was refrained from moving anything but his eyes as he lay frozen on the floor, and said, bright-red hair shining, "That git was obviously bothering you, so I performed one of my best spells."

"Yeah, thanks," Harry said. His brain buzzed with everything that had happened to him that night. The phrase, I need to go to Dumbledore, kept replaying in his pounding head.

"Uh… Look, Ginny, I've had a really rough night and…uh… I have to go to Dumbledore to tell him something…something important."

Harry almost thought he saw a flash of hurt in his Ginny's eyes, but he dismissed it as soon as she replied, "Harry, can you answer a question for me? Do you know why Hermione's crying? She ran up to her dormitory before I could say anything—"

"Maybe we should talk about this somewhere else," he suggested hurriedly, as Malfoy's eyes were focused directly on him; people could still hear when they were put under the immobile spell.

Me and Ginny are going to pay when Malfoy finally gets up, Harry thought to himself, Knowing him, he'll probably spread a rumor about me or find some stupid reporter to do it for him. I wonder… Did he really have something important to tell me? Damn, this was my one chance to find out before the whole school does; now I've lost it. Oh well…

Harry led Ginny down a deserted hallway to an unused classroom. Before shutting the door, he peered around to make sure Peeves the Poltergeist was not inside and that no one was coming down the corridor towards the room.

"Okay," he said, "Ginny, a lot of stuff has happened to me today that I can't explain… I mean, today has been one of the worst days of my life and I'm incredibly confused. Well, what happened with Hermione was… Ginny, are you there?"

"Of course, Harry, I'm listening."

A wave of reassurance washed over him. "Okay, anyway, we kind of…well…we kind of… we kissed a bit—"

A gasp rang from Ginny's mouth. "Not again!"

"Yeah, I know, well… Hey, wait a minute, what do you mean by 'not again?'"

Ginny gave something between a sigh and a snicker. "Hermione told me about last time too. Sort of. I might have forced it out of her a little…"

Harry continued his story, though he felt some anger bubbling up inside of him, "Than Hermione broke up our…our little moment. Then she confessed something to me. Then—!"

"Hold on Harry!" interrupted Ginny, "What exactly did she 'confess'?"

A frown etched itself on his face. "Sorry, but I can't tell you that—"

"Don't worry, I think I already know."

"What?"

Ginny paused then whispered, "It's about her boyfriend, isn't it?"

Harry began to sigh, but he stopped midway, "Ginny, how come she told you about this guy and not me? Of course, I've only been friends with her for six years, but that doesn't seem to matter much anymore, does it?"

Ginny retorted, "She was getting ready to tell you Harry, but then you kissed her and messed everything up."

"Sorry," he hissed sarcastically, trying to fidget with his robe, but not able to find it in the dark. Harry held up his hand in front of his face and wasn't surprised when he couldn't glimpse it.

"Do you know who it is?" Ginny asked cautiously, treading carefully to avoid an argument.

A sudden wave of nausea welled up inside of Harry, but he constrained it with difficultly. "No, I don't," he said quietly.

"Well, it's a Slytherin…and…"

"I know that!" Harry bellowed. He felt like a container that could only hold so many emotions before it burst open. His only trouble was that there was no way to get rid of them before they seeped over the edge.

"Fine! You do know that I don't have to tell you who it is, right? I mean, why should I with the way you're acting?" Ginny huffed in an annoyed fashion.

"Sorry," he repeated for the second time.

She let out an exasperated sound and said, "Apology accepted. Now…do not get 'upset' when I tell you who it is, okay?"

Harry knew he wouldn't be able to keep his anger inside when he heard, but he was going to promise anyway just so he could hear who her boyfriend was. "Alright, alright, I won't get mad."

Or at least I hope I won't, he said to himself.

"Okay," said Ginny, "Hermione's boyfriend is…" She stopped.

All of Harry's fury and rage had been replaced with curiosity. "Well? Tell me, Ginny! Tell me!

"But what if she's mad? I mean, I didn't exactly swear to keep this information hidden from anyone, but…" Ginny trailed away once again.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley! Wait; is that your real name? Ginevra?"

"Yeah it is," she replied in a relieved voice, "Actually, my mother chose it because it's Italian for "Guinevere," and she's convinced the real Guinevere is our ancestor, though I doubt it. And my middle name, well, you know where that comes from obviously. Actually, 'Ginevra' and 'Molly' don't really go together all that well so I wish she had chosen a different name, if you know what I mean. Also—"

"Stop! Ginny, you're deliberately changing the subject! Now, even though your name is interesting and everything, who is Hermione Granger's boyfriend?"

She hesitated and mumbled something.

"Tell me who it is now! Ginny, please, who is her boyfriend?"

The room was so dark that he couldn't even see. Blackness surrounded him, and Ginny didn't respond to his question. Harry began to panic for some reason unknown to him. Something else was there… Something else was in this room at this very minute, very second…

"Ginny!" he bellowed. His eyes searched through the darkness, looking, seeking…

"Is she your friend, Harry?" said an eerie voice, "If she is, what will you do to get her back?"

The voice unnerved him so much that he wrenched out his wand and screamed, "Lumos!" louder than he had meant to.

The tip of the wand flared to life. Senselessly, Harry shielded his eyes from the brightness, letting whoever was in front of him get a clear shot at injuring, or maybe even killing, him.

"Harry, Harry, I—!" said a familiar, though foreign, voice.

Instead of even checking to see who was holding Ginny hostage, he yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

There was a rather sinister smacking sound as two bodies hit the far wall. One of the figures stood awkwardly and said, "Harry, what the hell are you doing? Ouch!"

It was Ginny, her bright hair rumpled and a hand to her head.

Harry rushed over to her and said, "Ginny! I'm sorry; I really didn't mean to hurt you at all. I was aiming for the person who took you!"

To his surprise, she laughed and responded: "Oh, yeah, the person who took me is real deadly, alright. Take a look…"

They watched as the second figure rose from the classroom floor. A curtain of dark hair masked her face, but Aleni quickly flipped it off.

"Oh hi Harry," she said, massaging her back, "I didn't mean to freak you out like that, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity."

"Just do me a favor: never take people hostage in the dark while I'm there."

Aleni almost appeared fearful of him. "Oh, I won't, don't worry. I can see why those Slytherin guys broke so many bones. Isn't that the same spell you used on them? And my wand too?"

Harry shook his head at both memories and answered, "Yeah, it was." But suddenly another thought entered his mind: Did Aleni hear all the stuff that Ginny and I were talking about? I hope not…

He said quickly, "Uh, you didn't happen to hear what we were discussing, right?"

Aleni shook her head, which reminded Harry of the strange "dream" he'd had while he was unconscious in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom: Aleni's hair, Paige's body, Talia's smile, and Hermione's face: What had that been all about?

"Actually Aleni, Harry and I have to go now," said Ginny in a painful tone. He could see a large bruise forming on her face in the wand light.

"Oh, okay," Aleni said, "That reminds me of something I should be doing now anyway." She smiled so mischievously that Harry didn't even want to know what she was up to.

"Anyway, Ginny, I'll see you around. You too, Harry." Aleni waved and ambled out the door.

"That was close," Ginny said, wiping her forehead. She immediately regretted this action as she had brushed against her injury.

"You're right," said Harry in response. He wanted to persist in trying to find out who Hermione was dating, but he felt sympathy for Ginny on account of her wound, the wound he had made.

"I can try to heal that for you," he said, motioning to the bruise.

Ginny shook her head and said, "You have to go to Dumbledore, remember?"

"I remember," Harry said reluctantly. He took Ginny's arm and steered her out into the corridor. Fewer couples were walking along, as it was nearing 11:00 P.M.

"Do you want to come to Dumbledore with me?" he inquired, "He could probably heal that."

"Sure," said Ginny, shivering. She leaned in to Harry and whispered, "Besides, I'd rather go with you anyway. It's not exactly safe to be wandering around in the halls at this time of night."

"Oh."

What did she mean by that? Harry asked himself, what kind of dangers are at Hogwarts other than Meriel, Malfoy, and the rest of the Slytherins?

They walked down the three flights of stairs and through two hidden passages before they reached the stone gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office.

"Is there a password?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah; it's always the name of a wizard candy," he told her, "Just start guessing."

"Alright… Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans!"

"Cockroach Cluster!"

"Fizzing Whizbee!"

"Sugar Quill!"

"Pear Drop!"

"Drooble's Best Blowing Gum! Licorice Wand! Blood Pop—!"

"Harry," Ginny broke in, "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Chocolate Frog!" Harry said a little louder than he should have. He then turned to Ginny and said, "Of course I'm not sure! Still, it's pretty likely that Dumbledore's using candy as a password, because he's been doing it for the last three years or so!"

"Maybe we should just give up."

"No! We need to see Dumbledore now! You don't know how important this is—"

"Harry!"

"—because I have something very important to tell him. You just don't understand, Ginny!"

"Harry!"

"—it's about Voldemort and—"

"Look at the gargoyle, Harry!"

He glanced at the statue and found it no longer blocking the entrance. "Oh… That's what you were trying to tell me…"

Ginny let out an impatient sound. She dragged Harry into the revolving staircase that led to Dumbledore's office. After slowly twisting and turning upward, they arrived. As they reached the door, she knocked loudly.

No one came to answer it.

"Excuse me, Professor Dumbledore, sir?" Ginny said tentatively, "Are you in there? We need to tell you something."

"Professor?" Harry said. After several more unsuccessful attempts at communicating with the headmaster, he said, "Let's go back to Gryffindor Tower. Hopefully we'll find him along the way." They stepped back on the moving staircase and traveled down it.

Harry and Ginny moved through the corridors at a fast pace. No one stopped them, as they appeared to be a couple themselves.

When they reached the Fat Lady's Portrait, Harry almost sighed in relief. "I haven't been here in a long time."

Ginny looked at him strangely and asked, "Say, where did you go after Quidditch tryouts? I was going to thank you for putting in a good word for me, but—"

Harry interrupted her, "Sorry, but I won't be telling you that. Ever."

She glared at him, then turned to the portrait and said, "Flipendo."

The picture swung open. "Another couple, aye?" the Fat Lady said sleepily, "I tell you, I'll be very glad when this Carmella woman is gone. I can't get enough sleep anymore thanks to you children."

Harry ignored her and slid through the portrait hole, landing in the common room. Ginny followed after, but her cheeks were burning with embarrassment.

He looked at bright red face and asked, "What's wrong?"

Ginny blushed even more and stammered, "Uh… Nothing… No, nothing's wrong at all… Yeah…Don't worry about me… Are you tired? I'm tired, so I think I'll go upstairs now… Well, goodnight." She stopped at his confused expression.

"Bye," she said hurriedly. Before Harry knew what had happened, she'd raced up to the girl's dormitory stairs and out of sight.

What was that all about? Harry thought, settling once again into his favorite armchair. The warmth of the fire in front of him spread throughout his body, making him feel somewhat better. He shifted, staring straight into the flames.

His thoughts turned to Hermione. She was the only one in the world who could make him feel warm inside, just like the fire was doing now.

But he'd lost her.

If only I hadn't started shouting at her. If only I could turn back time and make everything better.

Harry instantly thought of stealing a Time Turner from the Ministry of Magic, but no doubt he would get caught, fined, and then killed by Voldemort. A happy ending.

Who's going to care when I die anyway? Yeah, sure, there will be the Weasleys and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix, but…

Who's going to actually care though? Ron will of course. Maybe.

But Hermione won't care, whispered an evil voice in his head, Hermione's going to be glad you're dead. She hates you.

No she doesn't! screamed his mind, She loves me!

Not so fast, the voice murmured, you love her. You need her. But she doesn't need you. Hermione Granger will never need you.

She does! Harry cried, "She needs me!"

She's going to marry a Slytherin, the voice hissed, she's going to become an Auror and watch you die at the hands of Voldemort. And she won't care.

"Hermione will care!" Harry roared, "She's mine! She'll never leave me! I love her! I need her!"

But she doesn't love you… She will never, never need you…

"SHUT UP! SHE'S MINE FOREVER! SHE'LL LOVE ME! YOU'LL SEE!"

Good luck dreaming, Harry… Dreams and fantasies will get you nowhere.

"I'M—NOT—DREAMING!"

Harry fell to the floor and clutched his scar. It began to burn with such fury that he yelled and rolled back and forth. Though his eyes were open, the common room began to disappear. A world of white took its place…

- - -

"Where am I?" Draco Malfoy asked himself. Harry opened his eyes and shielded them from the dazzling world he had just entered.

"I just heard Malfoy… Where is he?" Malfoy asked.

Harry covered his mouth. He was Draco Malfoy!

Standing up, Harry looked down at his body. He was now taller and more built, and he was wearing a Slytherin cloak. He ran his hands through his white-blond hair, finding it no longer messy, but sleek and silky.

"Argh!"

He had just realized that he had been running his hands through Draco Malfoy's hair! The thought was so sickening that he gagged.

He glanced out upon the land before him. The sun was brighter here than it was on Earth. Rolling hills covered the landscape before him to his left, while to his right loomed tall, dark mountains. Harry turned around and stared in awe at a sparkling sea. It seemed endless, just as the hills did on his other side.

"Where am I?" he said again.

He pulled his eyes away from the gleaming waters, looking ever so tempting. Instead, he gazed up to the heavens.

"What the…?"

To his surprise, his body had just fallen from the sky. Harry's tousled black hair didn't match the beauty of the world around him. Also, his body was wearing a Gryffindor cloak, which was not the outfit he had been dressed in when he'd fallen into this world.

Harry rushed over to his body, kneeled down, and shook him. "Wake up me… I mean Harry! Wake up!"

His body's eyes and mouth opened at the same time. "Oh my god!" it shouted.

Harry didn't quite know how to react to this. He jumped back just as the Harry in front of him's fist flew to hit him.

The Harry in Malfoy's body stood and imperiously told his own body in front of him, "Don't go trying to hurt me again!"

The body leaped to his feet and said, "Get out of my body, Potter!"

Harry's mouth dropped open in shock. "Malfoy?"

Malfoy scowled in disgust at the Gryffindor robe he was wearing. He touched the glasses on his nose and growled, "Give my body back, Potter! Now!"

Harry stepped towards Malfoy and snarled, "Not until you get out of mine!"

He sneered back, "Oh, don't worry! I would if I could!"

Harry looked at his body on Malfoy for a bit, and then said, "Same here! How did this happen, anyway?"

Folding his arms, Malfoy turned in a slow circle, taking in the strange world they had landed in. When his eyes landed on Harry again, his lip curled. "No doubt this is some land for idiots like you to relax in. Don't know why I'm here."

"It's too bad you haven't noticed your own idiocy yet, Malfoy," Harry shot back. He reached into the Slytherin robe's pockets, searching for his wand.

He noticed that Malfoy must have had the same idea, for he was also groping through his own robe.

"Damn!" he suddenly burst out. Malfoy advanced on Harry and said menacingly, "Where's my wand? What'd you do with it, Potter?"

"I'll die before I touch your wand!" Harry bellowed, starting to lose his temper.

To Harry's surprise, Malfoy smiled slyly. "That might be sooner than you think…" He looked him up and down and began to laugh.

"I'll kill you," Harry whispered, "I'm going to kill you, right here, right now."

Malfoy's laughter—my laughter, thought Harry—faded away to be replaced by stony silence. "You wouldn't," he said after a pause, "You're too afraid." He stepped up to Harry so that their faces were only a few inches apart. "Harry Potter is a coward. I don't hear you denying it."

"You—!" He reached out and shoved Malfoy hard in the chest. Harry's body staggered, but managed to stay upright.

"Well, well, well… Looking for a fight, half-blood? As they say in America, 'do you want a piece of me?'" Malfoy grinned humorlessly.

"No," Harry answered viciously, "Getting just a piece of you wouldn't satisfy me. I want all of you, the whole thing…dead." He kicked out at him, but Malfoy pulled back.

"You missed. Just like you missed out on Hermione."

Harry almost fell over in shock. "What did you just say?"

Malfoy said, "I just might know who she's dating."

All thoughts of killing him vanished. "You do?"

"Of course. But don't expect me to be telling you anytime soon."

Harry thought it would be a little extreme to get down on his knees and beg for the answer, so he attacked instead.

Malfoy wasn't ready for his own body to be thrown at him. He yelled as Harry pinned him down underneath him. Aiming a fist at Malfoy's head, while keeping him immovable at the same time, Harry murmured, "Tell me."

"I never tell half-bloods anything."

Harry unclenched his fist, instead wrapping it around Malfoy's throat. "That 'never' is about to come to an end," he stated as Harry's body began to gag and sputter. He took a deep breath and said, "If you don't tell me Malfoy, I'll kill you. I swear I will." Harry began to laugh uncontrollably at Malfoy's terrified expression. "That's right, Draco. If you don't tell me who Hermione Granger's boyfriend is, you'll die in a half-blood's body. Your father will cry tears of shame because of it. So, it looks like you have only one thing to do if you want to live, and that's to tell me who Hermione likes more than me…"

Malfoy tried to say something, but all that emerged from his mouth was a choking sound.

Harry suddenly felt a sense of evil rising up inside of him. "Tell me…" He slightly tightened his grip on his body's throat, but Malfoy could still speak.

"K-ky," he stuttered. Harry leaned in to listen as he went on, "Ky-ky-ky-r-r-r-os."

Harry felt as though he had been electrified. He leaped off of Malfoy and shouted, "No! My god, no! You're lying!"

Malfoy rose painfully to a sitting position and slowly shook his head.

But Harry knew it was true. A memory flooded his brain, forcing him to the ground…

"But what?" Harry said almost angrily, "But what? Hermione, I really don't know what you're talking about!"

She looked up at him. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I am! I don't have any idea what's wrong! Did you see McGonagall? And Snape? And the Slytherin table? What did I do now?"

Hermione hissed, "Malfoy! That's what you did! You threw him, Crabbe, Goyle, and Kyros against a wall! Remember? The whole hall watched you do it!"

Harry held up his hands, as though to shield his face. "Wait, before I say anything, who is Kyros?"

Another exasperated look emitted from Hermione, but Harry was almost sure he had seen something else flash across her face—what it was, he didn't know. "Kyros is that 7th year boy who you also threw against a wall."

Kyros is that 7th year boy who you also threw against a wall… Kyros is that 7th year boy who you also threw against a wall… Kyros is that 7th year boy who you also threw against a wall… Kyros is that 7th year boy who you also threw against a wall…

"Potter you idiot!" someone said, "What the hell? You fainted just because of some stupid, Mudblood, Gryffindor girl?"

Harry didn't open his eyes. Please, he thought, when I look to see who's calling my name, please let me be back at Hogwarts. I don't want to be in this world anymore. Get me back in my own body…

He opened his eyes.

"Damn, Malfoy," Harry said, standing up. "When am I getting my body back?"

Harry's body looked shocked at hearing his nemesis talk to him like he was something close to a friend. Malfoy shrugged and answered, "I don't know. I want my body back."

Harry glanced up to the sky once again. Ever since his "flashback" had occurred, he had felt an abnormal sense of calm. Being in a bright world with Malfoy and the knowledge of who Hermione liked didn't seem to bother him that much.

The sun appeared to be setting, as it was slowly sinking behind the sharp mountain peaks on his right. A cold breeze swept across the grassy hills and caused the sea to ripple; he felt chills creeping up and down his spine and an odd sense that someone was watching him.

His eyes quickly scanned the landscape, until he saw her.

"The angel!"

Malfoy turned to see what Harry was talking about. They observed a haloed figure flying towards them, large white wings flapping on her back.

She alighted a few feet away from them. Malfoy whispered, "She looks really familiar…"

Harry didn't bother to reply. He strode towards the heavenly person, expecting to see the character from the other "dream" he'd had when he'd fallen unconscious in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Hello… Are you…?"

A closer look at her face made him stop talking. This "angel person" didn't have the mixed characteristics of Aleni, Hermione, Paige, and Talia. This person was an individual… An individual that Harry didn't want to be talking to at all…

"Run!"

Harry bolted away towards the glimmering ocean, leaving a confused Malfoy to stumble after in his wake.

He chanced a glance over his shoulder and saw her chasing them on foot. Meriel was gaining steadily on Malfoy, so Harry put on an extra spurt of speed.

He ran for a few more seconds before an ear-splitting scream pierced the twilight. Harry whirled around to see that Malfoy had been captured.

He had a second to make one of the most important decisions of his life. He could leave Malfoy to be hurt or killed by Meriel, or he could save him.

Harry raced back in the direction he'd come from, back to the hills. He was going to save his archrival, his nemesis, his enemy.

Why am I doing this? screamed his mind, why?

But instead of an evil voice answering, his heart did, Because it's the right thing to do. I can't let Draco Malfoy die.

Harry charged Meriel, whose enchanting beauty seemed to fall away as soon as soon as she laid eyes on him. An evil, haunted look cast shadows on her face, and the darkness around her became more pronounced.

"Leave him alone!" Harry roared, and to his surprise, she backed away from them. He grabbed a limp Malfoy with his left arm and hit Meriel's head with the other.

"Harry!" she cried desperately.

Something didn't seem right. Against his better judgment, Harry glanced at her.

He was being drawn in. Swirling, swirling, her mismatched eyes beckoned. "Come here, Harry," she whispered captivatingly.

He was mesmerized by her. Everything around him seemed to be fading away. Only Meriel's eyes stood out to him. "Come back to your world and join Voldemort… He is the source of your happiness…the difference between life and death…"

"No, he… he…" Harry started breathlessly.

"Listen to me. Your destiny is to become one with Voldemort. Together, you two can do so much…"

"No, no… Voldemort is…"

"Without him you can do so little…"

"No… Voldemort is… he's…"

"Don't say it!"

"He's…evil…"

Harry was gone…

He opened his eyes to a blurry image. The room he was in seemed to be sliding back in forth, just out of focus. Many different voices were speaking at once, and he couldn't make out what the conversations were about. Slowly, everything slid back into place. Gradually the chatter died down; when Harry finally saw clearly, every occupant of the room was staring at him.

"Harry! You're awake!" he heard Ron say. The red-haired figure raced to his bedside and looked down happily at him. "You don't know how worried we were, mate. I came down to the common room, and for a second you looked—!"

A chorus of foreign voices interrupted him. Aleni and Talia rushed over to him, relieved smiles on their faces. Behind them came Karalynn, Yuriko Joben, and Fayola.

"Wow Harry, you—!"

"We were so worried, I mean what—?"

"How do you feel?"

"I brought you chocolate, here—!"

"Please go to the ball with me!"

The last phrase almost made Harry faint again.

"Really, Miss Turner!" Professor McGonagall said briskly, "Don't go pestering Mr. Potter with such irrelevant questions at a time like this! I'm afraid that you'll have to leave the room."

The rest of the new girls snickered as Aleni rolled her eyes and walked out the door grudgingly, saying, "Right, Ms. McGonagall. Sorry."

Harry turned his head and saw Ron's girlfriend Celestina on his other side. She didn't look all that happy to be there, but when he looked at her, she smiled back.

"Hi Harry," she said in her American accent, "I don't think we've met. I'm Tina, Ron's…uh…girlfriend."

"Yeah, I know."

Surprisingly, she didn't look all that pleased with his response. "He talks about me?" Celestina asked suspiciously.

"Yes."

She leaned in and whispered, "What does he say?"

Harry felt slightly perturbed by her questions. "Only good things," he answered.

His reply seemed to have relaxed her bit. She smiled sweetly as Ron came over to them. "Ronny," she said in a voice coated with honey, "I have to go and finish my homework. It's so hard. Maybe we could go outside and you could help me with it."

Ron bit his lip and said, "But, well… I want to talk to Harry about something…"

Celestina made such a sappy, miserable face that Harry felt chills run up and down his spine. "Ron, it's one of the last warm days of the year. Please…"

"Alright, alright!" he said playfully, taking her hand. Harry watched in shock as they strolled out the door together without even so much as a backward glance towards him.

He suddenly felt a surge of dislike burning through his veins, followed by confusion. Ron never used to be like this before. It's all Celestina's fault. That stupid face and voice she used practically melted him to the ground. She's taking my best friend away. Hermione was right about her.

Of course, the thought of Hermione made him feel even worse. How was Harry supposed to make up with her? She probably did hate him…

He snapped back to reality when he noticed that everyone's eyes were on him. Talia stepped forward from the group and handed him an unopened bar of chocolate wrapped in gold foil. "Here, Harry," she said, "It's proven to be an anti-depressant by many American doctors… I think." She beamed at him and whispered to Fayola and Yuriko, who nodded to her. They walked out of the hospital wing without a word.

Kara watched them go with a slightly hurt expression on her face. Harry thought that there was a possibility that she was in the same situation as he was.

She pulled up a chair beside his bed and said quietly, "I hope Aleni didn't upset you too much." Kara opened her mouth to say something more when Katie Bell appeared over her shoulder.

"Harry, you missed your first Quidditch practice," she said, "Still, I don't blame you or anything. I was really scared by your…uh…your… Well, I guess you had something of a fit."

"How long have I been here?" he asked.

"Three days," replied Karalynn.

"I've been asleep for three days?" Harry said disbelievingly, "And no one bothered to wake me up?"

"Dumbledore and McGonagall tried," Katie continued, "But they couldn't wake you. Snape even gave you a special potion—"

"What?" he said loudly. Harry didn't like the idea of anything that Snape had made sliding down his throat.

"Don't worry, it was completely useless," she reassured him. Katie checked her watch and looked back at Harry. "Sorry, but I have to go to Hogsmeade and buy a new quill before dinner. I'll be seeing you."

"Wait," he said suddenly, "I'm missing a trip to Hogsmeade?"

"Yes, but don't worry about it." She waved and proceeded out the door.

Harry felt surprisingly tired and disappointed. Hogsmeade was a great place to visit, with its wizarding shops and large pubs. He wondered if Hermione was there with Ginny Weasley or her boyfriend…

Kyros Gregorz! Harry felt a sudden surge of triumph. He finally knew who she was dating!

But how do I know? He asked himself, it was a dream. Who says that it was real?

He wanted to keep brooding about his strange "dream," but Karalynn interrupted:

"Harry?"

He looked up, realizing she was still there. "Oh, sorry."

She shook her head. "Don't be. It's just… I have something to tell you."

He nodded for her to continue. "What is it?"

Kara tucked her light brown hair behind her ear. "Actually, it's about that chocolate." She pointed to the bar that Talia had given him.

Harry was almost dizzy with confusion. Hermione, Kyros, Malfoy, Ron, Celestina, Aleni, Meriel, Snape, Voldemort, Death Eaters…and now a bar of chocolate: He didn't have time to worry about anything else!

He glanced at the object that Karalynn was motioning to. "What's wrong with it?"

She bit her lip and blurted out, "Okay, look: I'm not supposed to be telling you this, but I think it's the right thing to do. That chocolate has been…uh…" She stopped abruptly, picked it up, and threw it into the garbage can beside his bed.

Harry, who was beside himself, almost shouted, "What was that all about? You wasted a perfectly good—"

"It wasn't good at all! It was dipped in a Love Potion, alright? Talia did it."

He wasn't surprised. Harry made a mental note to put her on the list of people that he didn't trust.

"Oh; Thanks."

"Your welcome," Karalynn said, picking up her bag, "I'm gonna get going now. Just promise me that you won't tell Talia, Fayola, or Yuri what I did with the chocolate."

"I promise."

"Good. I hope you feel better." She walked swiftly out of the room.

Harry glanced around at the now empty hospital wing. Even Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, had left him alone.

Sighing, he grabbed a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from his bedside table and ripped it open. My fears are coming true. It's just like what I was thinking about before the dream…

Deep in thought, Harry dropped a brown bean into his mouth.

"Ugh!"

He spat the disgusting object out onto the clean floor. Its flavor still lingered in his mouth, something that tasted unfortunately like dirt.

"Mr. Potter?"

Harry wiped his mouth as Professor McGonagall entered the room. He shoved the bag back onto the table and tried to look as if he'd been inspecting the unknown flower that was sitting on the windowsill.

She stood imperiously next to his bed and continued, "Professor Snape and I have rescheduled your detention, and I hope the new time is convenient for you."

"Yes, Professor," Harry said, his heart sinking. He'd forgotten all about that…

"Instead of sending you to aid the caretaker, we have given you another task. Tomorrow night you and Mr. Gregorz will—"

"Mr. Gregorz?" he interrupted in incredulity, "I have to work with him?"

"Do not interrupt me, Mr. Potter. And to answer your question, yes, you will be working with Kyros."

"But why?"

She sighed irritably and explained: "He, like you, was involved in a rather bad situation, so he will be punished for it."

Harry felt red-hot anger bubbling up inside of him, but he restrained it. "What will we be doing?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Sorting the books in the library. You'll be doing it for at least four hours, so report there at 6:00. Dinner will be waiting for you."

Harry swore under his breath and absentmindedly rubbed his arm, the one with the Dark Mark on it.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I must leave," Professor McGonagall said. She turned to go when there was a squishing sound.

"What was that?" she demanded. As she lifted up her shoe, Harry witnessed a brown blob there. His dirt bean!

"Oh, Professor, I—" he started apologetically.

McGonagall cut him off, saying, "Don't even bother to explain, Potter. What's the use?" She swept out of the hospital wing without another word.

Harry glared at the doorway she had exited through and yelled, "Dammit! What did I do to deserve this anyway?"

He whipped off his sheets and stood up. A hospital robe was on him, so he went searching for the clothes he had been wearing when he'd gotten there.

After finding them stored in a closet next to the window, he pulled them on and threw the robe onto the floor. Harry grabbed the sweets that had been sent by Hogwarts well-wishers and tucked them under his arm. With a last grim look around the room, he strode out of the wing, thinking, It's time for me to set things right.

He walked into the Gryffindor common room to find it empty, due to the fact that everyone was down at dinner. The fire was blazing, warming the atmosphere and filling the room with light, though the warmth did not reach his empty heart.

The armchair directly next to the fire beckoned to him, but he didn't dare go near it. It seemed that whenever he sat in it, strange things seemed to happen, things like him falling asleep and having weird "visions."

As Harry sat on the boys' dormitory staircase, he brooded about his recent dream. Did Malfoy see it too? How do I know if Hermione's boyfriend actually is Kyros? Still, now if I put all the pieces together, it seems very likely. But how do I know?

"Oh…"

Harry peered up to see Hermione standing next to the portrait hole. A distraught look played on her face, mingled with what looked like the remnants of tears. Her brown hair was tangled and lank, and her robes were ripped and torn.

"Hermione?"

As soon as he said her name, Hermione broke down. She cried and covered her face with her hands, as though she could push the feelings back inside.

Harry watched her uncertainly. The last time he had attempted to help Hermione overcome her emotions, they'd ended up screaming at each other. But as she kneeled on the floor and tried to stop her tears, his heart won the raging battle inside of him.

He rushed over to Hermione and lifted her off the floor, helping her to stand up awkwardly. Harry began to whisper reassuringly in her ear when he felt his face being slapped.

Hermione backed away from him and made an effort to escape through the portrait hole. He roughly grabbed her legs and yanked her back in.

"We have to talk!" Harry stated over her screeches of fury. He picked her up and carried her across the common room, towards the stairs.

"HARRY POTTER, PUT ME DOWN!" Hermione screamed. She thrashed and kicked as they ascended the staircase.

"Not until I get some answers!" he bellowed back. When they reached the dormitory, he dropped her gently on the bed and ran to the door, which he locked.

"Now, look—"

"HARRY, I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU!" Hermione shrieked. She leaped off the bed, sprinted to the door, and raised her wand, "Alohomora—!"

"Securitan!" he yelled, once again locking the door that she had just opened with the "Alohomora" spell.

"Alohomora!"

"Securitan!"

"Alohomora!"

"Securitan! Hermione, stop—!"

Harry brought his sentence to a halt when her wand appeared out of nowhere, pointing at the spot between his eyes. When she spoke, her voice was in a low, threatening whisper: "Don't make me do it Harry, because I swear I will."

They stayed that way for quite awhile. Even though his body wasn't moving, Harry's mind and heartbeat were racing. She won't do it… She can't do it… She shouldn't do it…Not to me, anyway…right?

Their eyes met, boring into each other's, staring straight ahead…

Hermione was the first to break contact, lowering her wand with a defeated look present on her face. Harry stayed frozen even when she turned away and sat dejectedly on his bed. With a sigh, she began to speak:

"I have a confession to make…"

Harry nodded his head uncertainly, feeling slightly disturbed by her sudden change of emotion. "Go on…"

Hermione wiped her eyes quickly on her tattered sleeve and continued shakily, "Well, it's been bothering m-me ever since Ron b-began to d-date Celestina a-and I think that it is t-time for our secret to c-come out."

Harry felt a vague memory stirring in the back of his mind. He searched through a pile of old emotions, and found what he was looking for. The suspicion that he'd had over the summer came back to haunt him.

She glanced warily at his face and said hesitantly, "Well, it h-happened over the summer and…"

Along with his body being frozen, Harry's mind went cold too. He stuttered, his heart beginning to race, "And…?" he asked, half of him not wanting to know the answer.

Hermione stood and walked over to the window. She gazed out for what seemed like a lifetime. "And?" he questioned again, though tentatively.

She didn't answer, instead turning slowly to face him. To Harry, she looked radiant, the sun streaming past her on both sides, her once dead eyes full of life, even if they didn't appear too happy.

Absentmindedly, he detached himself from the wall and began to walk towards her, his eyes locked with hers. "Hermione…?"

A grim expression passed over her face, followed by fear.

"Well?" Harry asked, his face only inches from hers.

She looked down and said shamefully, "What we did over the summer, Ron and I…well...we were..." A pause followed this, but she then the words suddenly flowed out of her mouth, "Welikedeachotheralotandwekissedbutwethoughtitwouldbeforthebetterifwebroketherelationshipoffbeforewecamebacktoschool!"

Harry let out a huge sigh. The words had been uttered so fast that he had only been able to catch the gist of the phrase...in the end, though, that was enough.

Turning to the door and muttering the incantation to unlock it, he said miserably, "Well...that's one mystery solved."

Before Hermione had the chance to respond, he wrenched open the door and strode down the dormitory stairs. Something that sounded suspiciously like a stifled sob echoed over his shoulder.