Harry was tossing and turning in his sheets, drenched in sweat as another nightmare took over him. The same cemetery, the same abandoned house opposite the tomb stones. The same elderly caretaker wondering to his death. Wormtail had been there, and two others; one he presumed to be Voldemort in a frail hardly human state. The other he had seen at the Quidditch World Cup but still he knew nothing about him.
The scene played the same each time, the caretaker approaches the door, silently. A snake slivers past and enters the room. Wormtail and the unknown man are crowding round a chair. Then before the caretaker could process what was happening, he's killed. A killing curse. Only somebody as foul as Voldemort and his Death Eater followers could have conjured it.
"Harry! Wake up." Everything rewound back to the beginning before the dream slipped away. The only thing left was the sound of the Caretaker boiling his kettle over the stove. "Harry, mate, are you with us?" Ron shook Harry again until Harry's eyes twitched and broke open.
"Ron..." Harry looked up to see Ron, Seamus and Dean hovering over him.
"Bloody hell Harry. We thought you were having a fit or something." Ron looked concerned, everyone did. Harry was used to the nightmares but it had seemed that his reaction to the dream had everybody scared.
"I'm fine. Honestly Ron." Ron wasn't quite convinced. He placed a hand on Harry's forehead to check his temperature. Harry was burning up.
"Maybe you should stay here today. You're roasting." Ron took a seat at the end of Harry's bed and proceeded to remove the duvet away from Harry so he could cool down.
"No. I'll be alright once I've had a shower." Ron felt like a mother bird being protective over her children, Harry was the angsty teenager who just wanted to be left alone. Ron wasn't quite having any of it. After last night he'd been feeling overwhelmed with concern for Harry, far more than usual.
"Harry...do you want me to get 'Mionie in here?" Ron threatened. Harry's eyes widened, the only thing worse than a helicopter Ron was a helicopter Hermione.
"I'm alright Ron, really I am." Harry stood up and walked past Ron and into the bathroom. Harry had a history of nightmares and he always felt back to normal after a shower.
-breakfast
"Wasn't yesterday just amazing?" Hermione was still swimming in the thrill of last night. Nobody had seen it but Viktor had given Hermione her first real kiss. She could hardly believe it; her first kiss came from Viktor Krum, Bulgarian Quidditch superstar, and one of the most handsome men on the planet.
"I didn't get in till this morning, my and Ginny stayed till the very end." Nevil had came back to the dorm room during the early hours of the morning, humming and dancing with himself merrily until had had gotten into bed. "Saw you two having fun last night." Nevil nudged Ron with his shoulder.
"Well yeah, a bit." Ron stabbed a sausage with his fork and proceeded to bite it in half.
"Do you ever stop eating Ron?" Hermione glared at Ron from across the table.
"What? I'm hungry. Come to think of it, we didn't even raid the buffet." Ron shrugged and took another sausage. Harry shook his head in agreement.
"I did say we should eat at one point." Harry pointed out.
"Yeah yeah, but neither of us wanted to stop dancing." They both laughed at each other playfully.
"Wouldn't have wanted to spill anything on your robes, your Aunt Tessy would have killed you." Harry teased. Ron had forgotten about how embarrassing his robes were after the first dance.
"Leave it out!" Harry almost choked on his pumpkin juice but he did manage to spill it down his front. People from the next table over had seen and giggled between themselves. "You're such a dork."
"Look the post." Nevil watched as owls flew in through the hall's entrance. They each began dropping packages in front of their intended. Harry was used to not seeing Hedwig, he didn't have anybody who would send him post- anything sent from Sirius was sent privately. Ron's owl carried letters, much to Ron's appreciation; he didn't want his mother sending him more robes.
"We've got a letter from Mum. Ginny." Ginny watched as her brother took the letter from the owls beak, after it had once again crash landed in a pile of scrambled eggs. Ron could only shake his head, ashamed.
"Read it out then." Ron opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. He swallowed his mouth full of toast and washed it down with a glass of pumpkin juice.
"My dears, how was the school dance?" - "Typical Mum..." Ron added. "Ron, I trust that you wore those robes that I sent you? I know that they are quite old but its a Weasley tradition. Funny, I received the paper this morning and saw pictures of you and Harry dancing - you even made the front page! Naturally I put the pictures on the cabinet."
"What? That's great. Seems like you two made front page of the Daily Prophet!" Ginny exclaimed, no wonder everybody around them had stopped to stare.
"It's true, look." Hermione passed down a copy of that morning's paper. "You weren't the only ones, all of the champions were there too."
"I doubt that paper will ever leave Mum's shrine." Ron could hardly believe it, he had never noticed any reporters, well it wasn't too unlikely that he had missed them when he had his eyes glued to the ground.
"Carry on, Ron." Ginny looked up from the paper to prompt her brother.
"And Ron, if you'd of told me that you didn't have a date, I would have fixed you up with somebody." - Ron trailed off and coughed. "Never the less it looked like you had a great night! I'm glad that you went with Harry rather than not going at all. Ginny, I know that I don't have to worry about you. I know that such a pretty girl like you had no trouble finding a handsome fellow to accompany you. Write to me soon, both of you. I'll see you soon at Christmas."
"Oh, Mum wrote a letter the other week asking if you guys wanted to come for Christmas. You know how Mum is..." Ron folded the letter in his hands and threw it aside, making sure not land it anything.
"I can't this Christmas Ron. My family and I are visiting relatives in Cornwall. Make sure that you thank your Mother for her hospitality." Hermione looked torn, it was obvious that she was already signed up for something but she would have much rather spent Christmas with her friends.
"Umm, yeah, sure. Why not? Christmas with your family will actually feel like Christmas. The Dursley's never really welcomed me for Christmas...and I lived there." Harry had brought down the atmosphere, Ron and Hermione felt guilty even though they had nothing to do with what happenes at that oppressive home on Private Drive.
"I'll tell her that you'll come." Ron nodded to his plate and carried on eating. In order to quickly change the topic Hermione brought her bag onto her lap unzipped it.
"I don't suppose either of you has completed Professor Trelawney's homework?" Hermione took her note books out from her satchel and placed them down on the table with a heavy thud.
"Of course not. Who do you take me for?" Ron scoffed and stole a piece of toast from Harry's plate. Harry didn't process what had just happened, he just watched his friend steal his food. Usually he'd smack Ron's hand away. Even Hermione had noticed and and frowned suspiciously.
"Harry? What about you?" Hermione prompted.
"No." Harry shook his head. Hermione could only roll her eyes, she expected no little from her friends.
"At least I won't be the only one. I bet tones of people haven't done it." Ron had no plan to do his homework, he never did anything that was given. Especially with the ball just last night, he knew that he'd be covered. There would be rows of students with excuses before she even approached them about the essay.
"You two are so frustrating. How do you possibly expect to get a good grade?" Ron paid her no attention, she'd been barking up the wrong tree for four years now.
"Grades are the last thing on my mind right now Hermione." When Harry wasn't battling dragons and stuggling to solve the clue in his golden egg, he was dodging the 'Potter stinks' gang. It wasn't like he had all the time in the world and his life was perfectly balanced.
"What about you, what have you got to say for yourself?" Hermione quickly moved on. She knew how much stress Harry was under already.
"Give it a rest, I didn't want to do it, alright?" Ron had never snapped at Hermione like that before, the table went quiet. Ron carried on eating. Hermione gathered her books back and packed them away.
"I'm going to get a head start." Hermione left breakfast. Harry and Nevil watched her walk away without saying a word.
"Mwybe we should go too Ron. You know how long it takes to get there." Divinations was at the very top of the North Tower, up a flight of stairs, up a rusty ladder and through a trap door in an overhead floor.
"Yeah I suppose." Ron let go of his knife and fork, grabbed his satchel. Ron placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and proceeded forward.
-Lesson: Divinations
The two boys entered the room through the hatch and looked around for an empty table. It was a wide, semicicular chamber with heavy velvet drapes. Following the curvature of the room were a number of round desks, each with a pair of cushioned stools beside it. Their eyes focused on their usual spots, empty like always. Both boys threw off their bags and flung them under the table before taking a seat.
"Don't suppose we'll learn anything today?" Harry asked as he tapped the glass ball that sat centrally on the table. He glared at his reflection in the ball, noticing how dark the bags under his eyes were.
"Do we ever? Crackpot, she is." With his head resting comfortably in his folded arms he proceeded to close his eyes. Processor Trelawney was almost always late to class, despite her office being a meer few feet away.
"Psst! Ronald! Sit up." Hermione leaned over her table and reached down towards Ron. Her harsh tone was brisk and unforgiving. Ron yawned and sat up regardless.
"Boys and girls..." The processor opened her office door, a hand reached out towards the students that watched. Even though they had been taught by Trelawney for four years now they were never used to her weirdness, every time they were surprised. "Are we all ready to gaze into our futures?" Professor Trelawney moved towards her desk at the front of the class room.
"Aren't we working with tea leaves today, Professor?" Hermione raised her hand but need not wait for confirmation to ask her question.
"Right you are Dear girl." The Professor summoned fourteen tea cups, one for each student. The cups were filled with herbal tea, not hot but warm enough for the tea leaves to infuse and for the students could drink. "Now each of you take a cup!" She gestured for the students to pick up their cups, "Drink it, leave some left at the bottom and try not to disturb the leaves at the bottom."
Everybody took their cups, in all honestly, the tea tasted like crap. Sugar would damage the integrity of the tea and it was damn near impossible to avoid the small shards of tea. It took everybody a while to finish their teas. Ron left a pool in cup, not wanting to finish the rest. Harry could only grimace with each heavy gulp. Professor Trelawney waited and watched for the last of the cups to be placed back into the table.
"Pick up your books and exchange your tea cups." Trelawney pushed her bottle cap spectacles further up her nose with anticipation. Ron and Harry couldn't be bothered and exchanged glasses with each other. "Now use your brilliant and perceptive little minds to analyse the remains in your partner's cup. You may just find something very interesting!" She exclaimed eagerly.
"Remind me not to pick this next year." Ron sat up and grabbed a book. He slid the other towards Harry.
"Don't worry, I'm not taking this next year." Harry reassured as he picked up Ron's cup. Harry squinted, trying to discern a picture or image from the mess of leaves. All he could see was two thick straight lines. Harry could only shake his head, 'no wonder this isn't an exact science' Harry thought to himself as he opened the book. He looked over at Ron who seemed to be doing something similar.
"What kind of mess is this?" Ron whispered to Harry as he couldn't make out the shape in the base of the cup. It looked like many things...all common things.
"Why? What does it say? More devistation? Troubles to overcome? Sounds about right." Harry sighed heavily expecting nothing less than a problematic prediction for telling of a major obsticle. Wouldn't be surprising knowing he had two tasks still to complete in the Tri-Wizard tournament.
"No...it just looks like a bunch of floweres, kinda." Harry frowned suspiciously. Ron just shrugged and continued flick through pages in the handbook. "What about mine?" Ron had been quite confused about things this year and he had to question a lot of his actions. Maybe, despite this being a bunch of hocus pocus, it might provide answers.
"I don't know..." Professor Trelawney clapped her hands to draw attention away from the cups and to the front.
"I trust you've come up with something! Now let's take some volunteers." Hermione's hand shot up, immediately exposing Harry and Ron that sat in front. The two boys were trying their best not to be picked and kept their heads down, avoiding eye contact with their Professor. "You two boys at the front, I sense that your predictions are very intriguing." She walked towards Harry and Ron.
"Well..." Ron stuttered as he straightened himself up. "Harry's leaves look kind of like a bunch of floweres..."
"Bravo Dear boy! Looks like love may be swimming your way. Watch out, or you might just let it slip away." It was creepy how Trelawney's eyes focused on Harry's, they refused to withdraw despite Harry's attempts. "What about Mr Weasley here?" Already her gaze was shifting, turning to invade Ron's soul for answers.
"I'm not actually sure Professor." Harry desperately flickered through his book to finding something to report on.
"Give me the cup." Harry handed over the cup. The Professor studied the remains very carefully. "I see something...yes...a secret! It's not wise to keep things from ones friends." Professor Trelawney tutted and put the cup back onto the table. Ron looked over at Harry and again shrugged his shoulders, he wasn't aware of any secrets.
"She must be wrong...me, love?" The only thing Harry could think about was his crush on Cho, he'd never really had a crush before but he knew that Cho wouldn't go for him and so he developed no feelings of love.
The lesson ended shortly after, both boys were hung up on their tea readings. Even though they had both publicly agreed that the Professor must have been 'off her rockers', privately they were both trying to de-riddle what it meant by keeping secrets or falling in love. Neither of them fully understood. Hermione approached from behind.
"What's up with you two? You've been acting sour since the beginning of class." Hermione had kept a careful eye on the two as they sat in silence for the remainder of the lesson.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Harry tried to shake off the looming ideas that poped into his head.
"You sure don't seem like it. Now I've got Ancient Runes now so I'll see you both at lunch." Hermione flashed a quick smile before putting her head down and hurrying off to class in the opposite side of the castle.
"Do you think that whole love thing could be about Cho? I've seen the way you look at her. It's kind of obvious." Ron daren't make eye contact. He had wanted to say something for a while now but didn't think it was his place after he and Harry had stopped being friends at the start of the year.
"No. No. I mean she's pretty...and kind...but no. It wouldn't happen anyway." Harry had once dreamt of such things happening but after Cho had begun to date Cedric he knew that he paled in comparison. She'd be much happier in his arms.
"Don't doubt yourself mate, you're a great chatch. She'd have to be silly to turn you down. Sure Cedric's tall...and a bloody great wizard..." Ron coughed, realising he wasn't making the situation any better, "Not that you aren't. I just mean... He decided not to continue with his point.
"Me a catch? All I do is get into trouble and beaten up." Harry was always one to put himself down, the wizarding world all knew of the infamous Harry Potter who had been fortunate to save the day, but Harry couldn't ignore all of his flaws. Not only was he a magnet for the dark forces, he was also marked for death. Those were two of the major dents he could think of.
"C'mon Harry you've gott'a give yourself a bit more credit. You're a good lookin' guy, not to mention the fact that you've defeated a Basalisk and out-smated a dragon." The corner of Harry's lips rose slightly, he hated taking compliments but it felt nice none the less.
"I suppose...but what about you? Are you really keeping any secrets?" Harry looked up from the floor and at his friend.
"Umm...I can't really think of anything. Then again we all know Trelawney is an old crackpot. Wouldn't be the first time she's got stuff wrong." It seemed that Ron wasn't even sure that he had any secrets, maybe that was because he wasn't sure about how he was feeling. He'd been a little confused, his feelings towards Hermione kept changing, he was sure that either her or Harry would have caught him up on it by now. Ever since the ball his feelings had changed once again...seeing Hermione in the arms of another man filled him with unjustified anger, but he soon forgot about all of that.
"You're probably right." Harry and Ron had a free period now which meant that they had to sit either in the great hall or the study room and complete homework. "Good thing she didn't ask for the homework, or we would have been scrubbing tea from cups for the next fifty minutes."
"She never asks, its like she knows that nobody's done it." Ron and Harry laughed together as they made their way to the great hall, that way they'd catch lunch early. The only downside was that Snape was regularly put on patrol.
