Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its characters. I do own Sage, Kip, and Keels so :P.
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, please review again. And May thanks to my beta Persephone!!!
New Moon
Chapter Three: Suspicions
A short while later found Harry walking to Dumbledore's office in troubled silence. His cheerful
demeanor had dropped, and he was allowing his mind to circulate with the new information he
had attained over breakfast:
Ron was married to a witch from Ireland who was a member of the Order Of The Phoenix.
At least the Weasley tradition of redheaded children will be maintained. He snorted with a short
quick laugh that held very little humor. In fact he found no humor in this subject, thinking back
on Hermione's expression, and Ron's uncaring.
But really, who is this Katherine women? Harry shook his head as he walked, closing his eyes
and furrowing his brow. For some reason the subject had made Hermione uneasy. Did she and
Ron have a thing? Or was there something off between this Katherine and Hermione? Ron was
not helping much. He had ignored everyone over breakfast in favor of that letter. It was like she
had him wrapped around her finger in a way that felt ... dark.
Harry shook his head again and looked out ahead of him. He was standing before the gargoyle,
but suddenly he desired no conference with the Headmaster. Do I desire solitude because of these
troubling thoughts?
At that moment there was a soft touch on his shoulder. Turning he saw Sage, who it seemed, had
followed him out of the Great Hall. Keen blue eyes looked unblinkingly into green ones.
"What was that all about? You know, you scared everyone when you suddenly stood and left
with no explanation." Though it would have seemed to others that Sage's tone was accusing and
reproachful, Harry perceived that it was more worry than anything else.
I don't know what it was, Sage. Harry sighed and leaned back against the stone wall at the
entrance to the Headmaster's office. Sage stood silently, watching.
"Something troubles me." Harry said quietly, his tone betraying nothing. It was cool, crisp, and
efficient, as though in his own mind this trouble had been pinpointed, named and cataloged. It
was not so, however.
Sage saw, with his clear eyes, right through Harry's tone. He glanced behind him at Kip who
stood a little further off. The boy was trying not to intrude and looked away, though they both
knew he was listening with avid attention.
Sage raised his hand again to Harry's shoulder and squeezed gently and reassuringly. "Let's go to
Dumbledore's office, you can ask him to set up a meeting for you with a reporter for later today."
Sage paused for a long moment, and his eyes shifted back to Kip. "Then you and I will talk." In a
slightly louder voice he proclaimed, "Neh eon sel i gelnisti!" and smiled brightly.
When no one else is listening? Harry looked over Sage's shoulder at Kip. The teen seemed put
out by the fact that he could not understand what Sage had just said. Harry allotted himself a
quick chuckle. Sage and he had made up that language in Keels; it was useful for private
conversations, for they were obviously the only one's who spoke it. They called it 'Shile Tongue,'
for that name seemed to amuse them both greatly.
After a moment Harry nodded, smiling in gratitude at his friend of so long. Sage could read
Harry's emotions as though he laid them bared at his feet. But with Sage, Harry didn't mind
much. And so the three of them turned to the gargoyle...
~*~*~
For some reason Harry welcomed the cold rain. He lowered his hood and closed his eyes,
reveling in its cool and gentle caress. Sage stood beside him, cape drawn up around his entire
body. He hugged it close to himself and looked at Harry with a strange sort of expression.
They walked in silence along the grounds until at last they entered the forest. Harry had no fear of
the Dark Forest any longer, the forests on Keels were far more treacherous and they had made it
out of every sort of situation alive and relatively unscathed. They didn't go far in, and stopped in
a small glade where the ground was relatively dry and the trees overhead blocked out the rain and
wind.
There they sat and stretched there legs into the center of the glade, looking up at the thick leaves
above there heads, some nearly purple with Autumn's touch.
Sage looked away from the leaf canopy and stared at his friend. Though Harry looked to be
calmly enjoying the forest, the tightness of his jaw revealed his true emotions. Sage waited for
Harry to speak, knowing that he would in his own time.
"Something's wrong." Harry began, still looking above him. "I sense some strange apprehension,
like something big has happened while I was gone, something very big, but no one dares to tell
me."
Sage nodded even though Harry wasn't looking. "Are you talking on a grand scale or something
more personal?"
Harry looked down and met Sage's gaze. "I think it's personal..." he faded off, looking at the
ground below him and picking up a small twig which he then proceeded to snap into several
pieces. "but something inside me screams for attention to be paid." He paused again, and looked
up.
"Something's off with Ron. I'll try not to assume too much about his wife but, it's like he's
deteriorating." Harry looked back at the broken twig in his hands, and continued. "He's skinny,
too skinny, and there isn't any muscle left. When I first noticed his thinness I attributed it to the
way of life of wizards here. They don't need to be in peak physical condition like we do. But
thinking more clearly it strikes me as more than disheartening. Ron's a member of the Order of
the Phoenix, he should be in top physical condition.
"Did you notice how early he left last night? He wasn't tired, it was like he had something he
needed to do, but he couldn't, or wouldn't tell us. And this morning. Ron was never a morning
person, but it was like he was on autopilot. It reminds me in a strange, sort of foreboding way, of
the Imperious Curse, but if he were under it we would have sensed it." He sighed loudly and
shifted uncomfortably with the invisible weight he carried.
Sage sat in silence. He had noticed, but he was to unfamiliar with this place, with these people
and there customs to come to any sort of conclusion. He remembered Lorna and thought of the
Hall of Bask, but dared not make such a parallel.
After a while, Harry spoke again. "Maybe I'm just making shadows into monsters. I know I'm not
in Bask anymore, and maybe it's paranoia, but it just feels wrong." He looked away, his lower
eyelids filled with suppressed tears. "Maybe I just wanted it to be great, like it was when..." He
didn't finished, and as he sat there he let the tears fall down his cheeks, making thin trails of salty
wetness on his clean features. "Maybe I was just dreaming."
"Harry, I don't know a lot about this world, or these people, but it feels wrong to me too. Kip
hasn't noticed, but he's to innocent, I don't think he's capable of noticing. He hasn't been burned...
he hasn't been broken." He took a moment to control his own tumult of abrasive emotions. "I
think Hermione feels it, but not as acutely as we do. It's the whole frog in boiling water thing
Patty loved to quote."
Harry smiled in a distracted manner as he repeated obediently, "If you put a frog in boiling water
it'll jump out, but if you put it in cold water and slowly heat it the frog will sit there and boil to
death." Harry laughed a little. "Patty certainly had a way with words."
"He was always like that, no matter what he was talking about it always seemed he meant to boil
frogs." Sage said, smiling slightly.
Harry sighed heavily again. "I think I need to go talk to someone."
Sage smiled knowingly. "Hermione."
"No," Harry said quietly, Sage raised an eyebrow. "I need to talk to Professor Snape." Sage
stuttered for a moment as Harry stood and began to walk away. He stood hastily and followed.
"Wait, but he's the creepy guy that attacked you!" Sage yelled as he approached. At Harry's nod
he tripped and nearly fell. After regaining his composure, or at least his footing, he caught up and
walked at Harry's shoulder, watching the younger man from the corner of his eye. "I think
perhaps I should come with you."
Harry seemed amused by the offer. "Yeah, so that he can get you back for attacking him. Don't
worry, I can handle Professor Snape."
~*~*~
Harry smiled as he stood outside the door to the potions classroom. He knocked on the door and
entered after hearing a gruff response. Snape had what Dumbledore had called "department
time," and was seated at his desk brooding over some parchment. As Harry entered Snape
glanced up and seemed to start with surprise, though his expression hid it. Harry smiled politely.
"May I have a few moments of your time Professor?" Snape seemed taken aback by Harry's
address and nodded stiffly.
Harry moved further into the room, and he sat on one of the desks in the front row. He pulled his
large sword awkwardly onto the desk so that it wouldn't pull at his belt as he sat. He met his
former Professor's gaze, the man's curiosity seemed to cover any anger or hatred that formerly
existed. Harry barely felt any of it now, it had been too long, and he had had professors that made
Snape seem pleasant and supportive.
Harry looked pointedly and fixedly into the beady eyes of the potions master. Snape raised an
eyebrow but Harry continued to stare, making no clear effort to explain himself. Snape smiled in
a strange sort of amusement.
"So, why do you want me, of all people, to tell you what you've missed?"
Harry smiled at Snape's response to his silent question. "Because Ron and Hermione never gave
you enough credit. Neither did I, all those years ago..." he paused a long moment. "Dumbledore's
too polite, he's too forgiving. I need a truly objective view."
Snape seemed amused and surprised at the compliment. He nodded his ascent and sat back in his
chair a little.
"Everything changed with your disappearance. They hide it well, but it tore Weasley and Granger
apart. I don't think they would've ever been friends, had you not been there to keep them together.
On the outside they seemed unchanged, relationship wise, but Weasley didn't want to spend time
with Granger anymore.
"When he met Katherine on a job for Dumbledore, he was smitten. I'd worked with her once
before, and though she comes off as polite and understanding, she's quite the demanding person.
She demanded, subtly, Weasley's time and attention. When they first met, Granger got a bad
feeling about Ms. O'Neill. She told Ron. Something about the women had Granger on edge.
Weasley, it seems, got in a bit of a huff about the whole affair. They didn't talk for a while
afterward." Snape paused and looked at the parchment on his desk.
"About a month before the wedding, which came along very fast, I might add, Granger met up
with the two of them and made peace. It's still stretched though, they don't get on like they did
before. They put on quite a face though, meeting for birthdays and holidays. I think Katherine
allows it because she pities Hermione."
Harry furrowed his brow in confusion. "Why would anyone pity Hermione?"
Snape looked up curiously at the young man who sat on the desk before him. "Sometimes I forget
how smart you are, Potter ... times like these when you're a complete idiot." Harry smiled at both
the compliment and the insult. "She's hopelessly fallen for you... she has been for years, never
letting anyone else get close. Save perhaps Mr. Lupin who was also upset about your
disappearance, but that's not romantic. And for that, Katherine considers her a pity case."
~*~*~
Harry walked slowly from the dungeons toward Dumbledore's office where he knew a reporter
awaited him. He would have preferred to take off into the forest, and think for a few days before
returning. But that would not be possible here.
Harry approached the gargoyle and controlled his features. He pushed his present thoughts to the
very back of him mind, keeping his plan at the forefront. He gave the password quickly and
ascended the stairs at an energetic pace.
After an abrupt knock, Harry entered. Dumbledore smiled at him from behind his desk and the
Daily Prophet reporter stood. Her robes where an annoying shade of pink somewhere between
florescent and gray, with gold embroidery along the hems. An orange bag sat next to her chair
and she smiled, her overly straight teeth nearly making Harry grimace.
She extended her hand. "Marietta Lonwal." she said in a high and false voice. Harry smiled
forcefully and sat in the chair beside hers.
She took out a quill and parchment and set them on her knee, then she removed a nice looking
camera from her bag.
"A quick photo Mr. Potter?" she asked with fake admiration.
Harry nodded and smiled politely again as she snapped a few shots. She then replaced the camera
and sat with her quill poised over the paper.
"So, Mr. Potter, where have you been?"
"Away." Harry replied, nearly smiling at her sudden look of annoyance.
"And what were you doing while you were away?"
Harry shrugged, but didn't speak.
She seemed to be getting angry. "Well, Mr. Potter is there anything you would like to say?"
"Yes," Harry said, allowing himself a small smile. "I would like to tell Voldemort that I'm back,
and waiting for him at Hogwarts."
The reported blanched. She had written what he said down word for word as he had spoken. She
looked down at the name written on her parchment in horror. "Do you mind if we put he-who-must-not-"
"Yes," Harry interrupted, "I mind. A wise person once told me that fear of the name only
promotes fear of the thing. You can tell your readers that too."
He heard her scribble quickly on her parchment as he stood. His sword made a loud bang as it
struck the wooden leg of the chair he had exited, and he left the room without so much as a nod
good-bye.
~*~*~
He found Sage outside sitting on the wet grass. The older man was watching his apprentice run
laps around the lake and avoid the reaching tentacles of the giant squid. Kip, it seemed, had
decided to call the creature Ted, for no apparent reason than to speak to it as he passed, as though
they were long time friends. The rain still fell, but not as heavily. Harry sat beside Sage and
watched with half-seeing eyes the young man running around the lake.
"Did you learn anything of interest?" Sage asked after a long moment.
"Yes, a few things."
Kip was nearly upon them now and looked longingly at his master. He was hoping, it seemed,
that Sage would tell him he was done. But Sage just smiled and motioned for him to continue.
"Like what for example?" Sage asked, looking over at Harry for the first time. After a moment
Harry relayed the tale. He excluded nothing, including Hermione's supposed feelings toward him.
"Well, what do you think about it?" Sage asked when Harry had lapsed into silence. Kip had
made several more laps and before Harry answered, Sage's attention was diverted to the panting
youth. "Do some stretches so you don't cramp up, then rest a bit." Kip nodded heavily and did as
told without complaint. Sage turned back to Harry.
"I guess I was right about Ron, and I still feel something strange about his wife. Even more so
now than before." Harry replied, very aware of the young man stretching not three yards away.
"That's all well and good." Sage replied in a low, even voice. "But what about Hermione?"
Harry didn't respond for a long time and Sage watched him intently. What about what Snape said
about Hermione? He wouldn't lie about that, I'm surprised he even told me. He must have
thought it was obvious. I'm sure he knows what he's talking about, but maybe he misread her
emotions concerning me. He sighed aloud. "I don't know."
Sage smiled and then frowned, a sadness etched into his otherwise emotionless face. You know
Harry, and you don't have to be afraid. Tell her before it's too late. Tell her before you two end
up like Lorna and me. He quickly shook the thought from his head and looked away.
Harry had seen the look, however. "You're thinking about her again, huh?"
It wasn't really a question, not really, because Harry already knew the answer. Sage looked back
at Harry and smiled weakly. He shifted toward Harry and pulled his best friend, more like a
brother, into a hug. "Don't end up like us, Harry. Please don't." Harry nodded and Sage sat back
again. Kip looked over at them curiously, he hadn't heard anything, and that made him even more
curious.
~*~*~
It was just about lunch time. Hermione brushed her brown hair out of her eyes as she left her
classroom, following her eager students. Her classes today had been dull. She had been so
preoccupied with Harry's sudden and alarming behavior over breakfast that she could not
concentrate and her poor students had suffered.
She turned around a corner and found herself in an empty hallway. She wondered if she should
tell Harry more about Kara Weasley, about her suspicion, her fears. She looked out the window
to her right. She stopped and stared.
Harry was walking up toward the castle with Sage at his side and Kip lagging along behind
looking quite worn out. Sage and Harry looked deep in troubling thoughts as they walked in silence.
Hermione touched her lips with her fingers as she watched them. Harry's cape was thrown back
over his shoulders and his muggle-like clothing was clinging to his lean form underneath.
Hermione blushed deeply and looked away, she blinked several times but could summon no
image other than his to replace her thoughts.
Quickly she moved down the corridor toward the door, hoping to beat them there. But she didn't
need to worry, for they were still a little ways off when she opened the door to greet them. Kip
was the only one who seemed to notice her as the older two were still so lost in thought. He
smiled politely through his apparent exhaustion and inclined his head. Hermione smiled at him
but could not help as her eyes roamed and fell back on Harry.
As though he could feel her eyes on him he suddenly looked up. She gasped as he smiled brightly
her, a startling contrast to his former troubled expression and made his way up the stairs toward
her. Sage's expression was now similar, it was as it had been before, bright and welcoming.
"Just about lunch time?" Harry asked as he stopped to stand before her. She smiled and nodded,
but for some reason found her throat to constricted to speak. She moved out of the doorway and
the three of them entered. They walked in silence toward there living quarters to change and
ready themselves for lunch in the Great Hall.
Hermione stood by the fire as the other's went there separate ways. Harry's bedroom door was
ajar and it was all Hermione could do not to turn and peak. Though even the thought of peaking
made her blush again. She decided she'd distract herself by talking to him.
"What happened at breakfast? You left so suddenly I was worried." She called over her shoulder
without daring to turn.
Harry exited his room behind her and she turned. He was wearing different pants, dark brown
and dry, they weren't as form fitting as his black jeans, to Hermione's dismay. She blushed
deeply, both at the thought and at the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt. His muscular chest was
bare and tan. He didn't see her blush though, as he was busy drying his hair with a towel.
"I had some things I needed to discuss with Dumbledore." he stopped as though considering
whether or not he should say more. "And I needed to think."
She arced an eyebrow at his words and focused on his face. Now free of the towel and looking
closely at her. "About what?"
"Many things," he replied evasively and sat in one of the plush chairs. She looked down at him
and searched his features. He stared back unblinkingly, then stood. He moved toward her and
stopped very close to her. Hermione felt the heat rise into her chest at his closeness. He didn't
flinch away from her searching eyes. "I have a lot to talk to you about Ron and his wife..."
Hermione's throat caught at his words and she looked even more intently at him. "and about you."
She furrowed her brow. "What about me?"
In answer Harry moved his right hand up to her face and stroked her cheek gently. His calloused
fingers tingled with the soft touch and he took a very conscious step forward. He used his hand to
softly lift her chin and took her hand in his other. He brought his face slowly down to hers and
closed his eyes. As their lips brushed against each other he shivered involuntarily at the electrical
shock that swept through him. Hermione's reaction was immediate and her free hand traveled up
his chest to rest at his neck. She pulled him closer to her...
They broke apart suddenly as Kip opened his door with a loud bang and entered. He seemed
oblivious to the moment he had shattered and walked halfway into the room before noticing
either of them.
"Harry you're only half dressed. Come on I'm hungry." Kip said, smiling up at the older man
when he did finally notice them. Harry nodded silently and blushed slightly when he glanced at
Hermione before going back into his room. This time shutting the door behind him.
Hermione stood stock still and stared at the space he had exited as her mind and body reeled as
though having just come off some intense muggle roller coaster. She looked up when Sage
entered the room. He looked questioningly at her flushed features and smiled. Way to go Harry.
((I hope you enjoyed. Thanks for the reviews! Sorry I didn't reply to everyone individually. I'M SORRY I'M LAZY! DON'T HATE ME FOR IT!
dmmason03, kateydidnt, ksmcan (he planted one just for you!), Geminidragon, Nyoko (thank you, as always, for the wonderful review. Yeah, Harry's cool.), A.M.bookworm247 (I'm thinking about a prequel, but if I do one it won't be until this is finished. I'm not the best at multi-tasking), Star Mage1, Kira6, Tropic, Kylena (there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little sugar!), Angel Star194 (I'm glad you enjoyed it so much!), lordanhur, Maxx77, angelwings6117 (please don't hurt me!!!), Anonymous9 (I don't know what to say, thank you), Kyra2 (Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of "I want to die" Harry. Just one of those things. Sage and Kip are original characters. Snape didn't want to come to breakfast, his pride was hurt.), Greyhound Master, Sapphire Lotus, TaioraCrazedGirl, RoxySurf (is RoxySurf your pen name?), Lightening Rain (I'm considering writing a prequel, but most of the Keels stuff is supposed to be mysterious, but you'll learn more as the story progresses. He might tell Hermione, I haven't decided.), Fiona Opal (Fiona's a good name), gallandro-83 (I hope you got my e-mail. Thank you for reviewing again!)
Also note that I will be on the other side of the country for a little over a week, starting Thursday, the 9th of October, so chapter four may be a bit delayed (I will not have a computer in California.)
ALSO!!! My beta, Persephone, has a wonderful story posted! And you should ALL read it! Her Pen Name is Crying Willow, and the story is The Sky is Quickly Changing. I recommend it!))
