Hi there, thanks for the reviews! Here's chapter 1, and (for the time being at least!), we're back to present day Hogwarts....
CHAPTER 1'Harry, pass the sugar will you.'
Breakfast at Hogwarts. The Great Hall was bustling as usual, and the ceiling (this morning a rather depressing September grey) was a flurry of feathers as the morning owl post was being delivered. Term was into its second week, and Harry assumed that this onset of owls was the forgotten school items being sent from home. The Slytherins were all laughing loudly about something – no doubt one of Malfoy's pathetic jokes, Harry thought. The Gryffindor table was as lively as ever, but everything was a bit hazy to Harry this morning –
'Harry?' Hermione tried asking again. 'Harry, could you pass the sugar?'
'What?!' Harry jumped, suddenly aware that someone was saying his name. He saw Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Dean Thomas staring at him looking highly amused.
'Finally!' Said Hermione with a smile, 'What's up with you this morning? I've just said your name three times!'
'Oh...' said Harry, 'nothings up – really – I was just thinking about... something.'
'Ron's eyebrows raised and he looked rather too like Fred and George for comfort. 'Something? Bet it's a girl!'
At this Ginny joined in too – 'Oooooh yes! I remember when Charlie fancied this girl he went all quiet for ages – was off in another world most of the time! Who is it, Harry? Not Cho surely?'
'No, for goodness sake! Calm down you two – no it's weird – It might have been a dream – '
'A dream?' Hermione interrupted seriously, 'Not one of – ' she lowered her voice, ' you know – those dreams?' Ron and Ginny stopped giggling. Dean looked a bit confused, but shrugged and made no comment.
'No, not like that, ' said Harry, and Hermione looked relieved, 'But not far off – I mean, it felt the same as the ones I've had before –very real and everything, but Voldemort wasn't there, nor any Deatheaters and –well, I'm not sure it was a dream – I don't remember dreaming it – seems more like a memory, but I don't know how it could be.' This all tumbled out of Harry in agreat rush, leaving the small group at the table slightly dumbfounded.
'Weird...' said Ron, returning to his cereal. 'Well, at least its not anything bad – like, to do with... (he took a deep breath) Voldemort – just a bit strange. Hey – maybe its not a memory – maybe its like a premonition!'
Hermione snorted and stared at Ron in disbelief. She never made any attempt to hide her views on the subjects of fortune-telling, foresight, prophecies and premonitions. Harry however, ignored her, and gave a bit of thought to what Ron had said. He sighed and shook his head.
'No, I don't think it can be, because a premonition is like a dream surely? I'd remember having it. This has just apparently appeared in my head with no explanation – and it can't be anything to do with the future, because the people who were there were – I think –'
He stopped mid sentence. He suddenly had the strangest feeling that someone was watching him...out of the corner of his eye, he could have sworn he had seen Dumbledore flick his eyes in their direction. Harry turned towards the staff table, but all of the staff, Dumbledore included, were engrossed either in food or conversation.
'Who Harry?' Harry returned his attention to his friends and realised he had a captive audience – Ginny was practically falling off her seat she was leaning so far across the table.
'Yeah, come on Harry – you can't just stop there!' Ron said. Even Hermione nodded furtively in agreement.
'Oh – sorry – the people were – and don't laugh at me, I know it sounds ridiculous – I think ... the founders of Hogwarts – Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. One of the women was definitely called Rowena, and they were all wearing the house colours, and I think I was in Hogwarts, although in no room I've ever seen.'
Dean let out a long, low whistle and stood up – the Hall was beginning to empty, and lessons would be starting in about fifteen minutes. 'Sounds a bit intriguing mate! Let me know how it turns out!' he turned to Ginny, 'You coming upstairs, Ginny?'
'Yeah, just a sec!' She wolfed down the remainder of her toast, and sprang out of her seat with a grin. 'See you later, you three – I want to know more about the memory-dream!' and she and Dean walked off together. Harry and Hermione chuckled to notice Ron's glowering face.
'Oh come on, Ron,' said Hermione desperately trying to keep a straight face, 'give the girl a break! They're a very cute couple!' Harry dissolved into smothered laughter. Ron on the other hand, turned his glower on Hermione.
'I will not, and they are not! And that's all there is to it.' He stood too, and changed the subject abruptly. 'Right, we'd better be off too, or Snape will have every house point he can take. You can tell us more about the Founders thing on the way, Harry.' The three of them stood up, and made their way towards the crowded doorway, and then on up the stairs towards Gryffindor tower.
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'Well, I reckon it must be something important. Or at least – well, it's a little out of the ordinary isn't it?' Hermione was still pondering the mystery as they approached the portrait of the fat lady.
'You reckon I should tell Dumbledore?' asked Harry glumly – the idea of going to the headmaster about something that was neither memory not dream did not fill him with enthusiasm.
'No,' Hermione continued, 'I think we should just wait and see what happens – see if anything else happens that will make it make more sense. Porphyrious!'
'Porphyrious?' said Ron, 'What - ?' but he shut up as he saw the Portrait hole swing open. 'Ah – Password.' he said sheepishly and clambered through. Harry let Hermione go first and then prepared to climb on through himself, but something stopped him. He glanced upwards and cast his eyes over the other portraits that adorned the Fat Lady's wall.
And then he froze.
There, hanging in the top right hand corner of the wall, was a picture Harry had never noticed before. It showed a darkened room, lit only by a flickering fire...there were four people there - clad in crimson, sapphire, emerald and gold.