Chapter eleven: Aboard the Hogwarts Express
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Harry was holding the Starcrystal. The power was pulsing through his fingertips along the rest of his body. Harry felt relaxed and powerful. Suddenly the dream changed. The clear blue sky darkened and turned black.
Then he heard a scream that broke the calm silence. A high-pitched scream. A girls scream. Hermione's scream…
Harry suddenly felt tense. What happened to Hermione? Was she all right? Why did she scream? Could he help her? Did she need him?
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Ron shook him awake. Harry opened his eyes. Ron was standing over him. There was cold sweat on his forehead. Before Ron could say anything, Harry bolted out of the room and into Hermione's room noisily, waking up Ginny in the process. "HERMIONE," Harry screamed running to her side.
Hermione sat up confused. "Harry, what are you doing — Ahhh!!!! Fred, George, honestly stop," as Hermione spoke there was a loud crack and Fred and George appeared. "Harry, you're gonna wake up Mum," Fred said worriedly. "What'd you scream for Harry?" George asked.
"Uh, bad dream," Harry said. Fred looked around and said, "Oh no, Mum's coming." There was a loud crack and the twins were gone. "MUDBLOODS... FILTH..." Harry rushed back to bed a bit embarrassed and heard footsteps on the stairs. "What," Ron started but Harry interrupted calmly, but urgently, "Ron, your Mum is coming and if you want her to find you awake..."
Harry didn't need to finish. Ron nodded. Both of them scrambled into bed. A minute later Mrs. Weasley ran into the room. After she made sure Harry and Ron were asleep, she went to check on the girls. Although both knew that the other was awake, Harry and Ron did not talk until the next morning.
Harry woke and saw Ron just getting up. "I was just about to wake you," he said. "Don't want to miss the Hogwarts Express." Happiness flooded through Harry because he was going back to Hogwarts. Harry dressed and went to the kitchen. As soon as he walked in, he was surprised to be met by many stares. "What?" Harry asked somewhat irritatedly.
No one answered. Harry looked away and sat down between Hermione and Ron. "So what really happened last night," Ron asked. Harry looked around quickly to make sure no one was listening, before he said quietly, "I heard Hermione scream in my dream." Hermione looked at Harry, but did not say anything. Ron looked slightly worried. Harry looked away and started eating.
Harry stood in front of the solid appearing barrier between platforms 9 and 10. This was really the entrance to Platforms 9¾. He watched as Fred and George Weasley disappeared through the barrier. "You three next, now go on," Mrs.Weasley told them kindly.
Harry took a deep breath and pushed his trolley towards the barrier, with Hermione and Ron on either side. When they reached the barrier they leaned on it and the noisy train station disappeared from behind them. They were now on platform 9¾ ready to board the Hogwarts express. Ginny, Mad-Eye, Tonks, Lupin, and Mr. and Mrs.Weasley suddenly appeared.
"You must hurry," Mrs. Weasley said, "there isn't much time." "Be careful," said Lupin looking directly at Harry, "all of you." After hugs and short good-byes the Weasleys (children) Harry and Hermione piled onto the train just in time.
Waving until Mrs. Weasley and the lot were out of sight, Harry, Ron and Ginny went to find an empty compartment ( Hermione had to go to prefect duties.) They shared it with a blonde haired girl named Luna Lovegood, of whom always had a dreamy expression in her eyes and believed everything in a magazine called The Quibbler.
Harry, Ginny, and Ron were discussing Quidditch among other things when Neville Longbottom walked in. "Hi guys!" he said excitedly. "Hey Neville," Harry replied. "Have a good summer?" "Yeah, pretty good, you?" Harry shrugged. He really didn't feel like going into it right now.
"Me too," Neville said excitedly. The time passed quickly until before they knew it, Hermione strode into the compartment to see it littered with wrappers of treats from the witch's trolley. She sat next Harry who was across from Ron. Ron looked at her and said, "Well that took long enough." Hermione gave him a dirty look. "I was being debriefed on Prefect duties Ron," Hermione said annoyed.
"So…" Harry said, desperately searching his mind for a change of subject. "Did you hear what Fudge has been saying this time?" Ginny saved, pulling out a copy of the latest Daily Prophet. Harry looked at Ginny gratefully with a weak smile. She returned his look with a small smile.
They already had their school robes on when Harry's scar seared with pain. Harry stayed conscious just long enough to hear Hermione scream, "HARRY!!!!"
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"I want it, NOW!!" Voldemort screamed at a man of whom Harry couldn't see clearly. There was something familiar about him, although Harry couldn't figure out what. The hooded man was sprawled on the floor as if he had just been tortured.
"Retrieve it, or…" he raised his wand, "Crucio." The man screamed under the spell's influence, until Voldemort calmly lifted the spell. "That goes for all of you," he said cooly, red eyes moving across several black figures surrounding him.
That was when Harry noticed that there were other Death Eaters there too. "Go," he said. They all bowed in unison, as the man on the floor quivered pathetically.
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Harry opened his eyes to find himself lying on the floor with Ginny's, Hermione's, Ron's and Neville's faces hovering over him, their faces filled with cincern. Even Luna looked up from the Quibbler, interestedly. They backed away as Hermione extended her arm and pulled him to his feet. "Are you okay?" she asked, seating herself down next to him.
He nodded shakily. "What happened?" she asked, looking straight into his green eyes. "He wants It," Harry said breathlessly. Hermione exchanged glances with Ron (who had also heard) and then fixed Harry with an inquiring look, but he refused to elaborate.
A/N: Until review and tell me what you think. I didn't get any reviews on the last chapter and I wont update until I get more reviews.