Darkness and Shadow

Chapter 24

Disclaimer: Harry & Co. belong to J.K. Rowling, blah, blah, blah, blah, etc, etc…

There's somethin' happenin' here.
What it is ain't exactly clear.
There's a man with a gun over there
A-tellin' me I've got to beware.


I think it's time we stop.
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin' down.


There's battle lines bein' drawn.

Nobody's right if everybody's wrong.
Young people speakin' their minds
A-gettin' so much resistance from behind.

Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth

Draco left Hogwarts after his visit to Harry in the infirmary. At first he simply walked away, placing one foot after the other in a random direction. In no time his hands and feet were ice cold, and he decided it would be a good idea to find a place to stay.

He remembered a large house that his Grandmother Black had willed to him when she died. After adding a few specific wards even his father wouldn't be able to enter.

Hoping that he remembered the location correctly he gathered his power and disappeared into the night.

Appearing in the right spot he paused a moment to catch his breath. Long distances still took a bit out of him. Looking around he found a dagger in one drawer and sliced the point across his palm. He could feel the blood seeping down his hand. Walking back outside, he pressed his palm against the outside wall of the house.

Pulling away a bloody handprint remained on the stone. Slowly it soaked into the house and the ward keyed to his blood appeared. No one would be able to enter without his consent. Its' perimeter was about thirty feet out from the building on all sides.

Going back in he slumped into an armchair by the fire, and tried to decide what he would do regarding Voldemort.

Taking a quick quotes quill, so no one would recognize his handwriting he began to write an anonymous letter to the Headmaster.

Sir,

I have some relevant information regarding the Dark Lord. I hope you will find this useful. He intends to collect Mr. Potter sometime before the school year ends. To the best of my knowledge there are no less than three, but no more than eight students who would want to get into Voldemort's good graces by completing this task. Be aware that only some of these snakes are in the snake pit. Sadly I don't have their names, however…

Draco went on to list anything he had learned during the meeting, and sent it off with a nondescript barn owl.

--

In the Gryffindor common room Ginny Weasley was doing her best to get Harry to talk to her.

"Harry why don't you come for a walk with me?" she asked.

"I'm not really interested…"

"Come on. The moon is almost full and it's getting pretty warm outside." She grabbed his arm and pulled him forward.

"Ginny, you do know I'm only interested as a sister right? Besides I'm not allowed outside."

"I know Harry. I only asked because you've been getting more and more withdrawn. You're trying to laugh and joke with everyone so your friends don't worry, but I can see the change in you."

"I don't know…"

"Oh come on. It's not like you've never broken the rules before right?" she grinned at him.

"Fine," he gave in. "But only cause I'd never get rid of you otherwise." He let her pull him through the portrait and down the stairs.

They were making their way toward the doors when Harry saw Dumbledore coming toward them.

"Harry," the man said cheerfully his blue eyes twinkling. "I was just looking for you. Could you come with me to my office please?" Turning to Ginny he said, "Good evening Miss Weasley. I'm sure Harry will be more than happy to spend time with you later this evening."

Harry sat in the Headmaster's office and declined the lemon drop that was offered to him.

"Harry, what happened tonight that had you heading toward the entryway?" the man asked.

"Well…Uh," Harry stammered."

"You have my word that no one will get punished for this. I simply need to know."

Damn, thought Harry. How does that man know everything that goes through my head?

"Ginny suggested that we go for a walk Sir. Please don't be angry. It's all my fault. She was just trying to cheer me up."

"Well now Harry, I'm afraid I have some bad news. I received a letter tonight. It says that there are people in Hogwarts that have an interest in getting you to Voldemort. It's critical that you promise to stay inside."

"You're not implying that Ginny…? It's not possible. She's Ron's sister!"

"I'm not implying anything. I'm simply asking that you be more cautious than ever. Your instructors will be walking you back and forth from your classes from now on. They are all above suspicion."

Yeah, that's why three of the five DADA teachers I've had so far have tried to kill me, Harry thought contemptuously.

"Sir, I don't need anyone…"

"I won't have any objections Harry."

Harry sighed and left Dumbledore's office. Working his way up all the stairs toward the Gryffindor dorms he realized that he didn't really want to be there right now. Changing direction he made his way back to the room on the third floor.

"Dobby"

The elf popped in immediately. "What can Dobby do for Harry Potter sir?"

"I'd like a light snack and some tea, please Dobby."

The elf appeared a moment later with the food. Disappearing, he left Harry to his thoughts.

He stared at the fire and considered what Dumbledore had told him. Doubt crept into his mind. Ginny had been terribly insistent to get him outside this evening. What if she was up to something? He didn't want to know. He couldn't bear to see the sister of his heart turn dark. If she, of all people, had switched sides could he trust Hermione and Ron's company? Trying to relax, he closed his eyes for a moment. Of course he could trust them. They were his best friends.

'Like Ginny, and Draco' a voice whispered in the back of his mind. He squashed the thought immediately. The thing with Ginny was an accident. She had his best intentions at heart.

He snorted at the idea of the teachers being trustworthy. They'd never been before, so why start now?

About a week later he was following Professor Flitwick to his next class. The diminutive Professor had stopped in the middle of the hallway to talk with Professor McGonagall about something related to classes.

Harry ignored their conversation and fidgeted impatiently, wondering if he should just walk to his next class alone. Then he saw someone running up to them.

"Harry! Harry!" the person called. He looked closer and saw that it was a boy from Hufflepuff. He was running toward them. Ernie Macmillan he thought, stepping away from Flitwick.

"What's wrong Ernie?"

The Hufflepuff looked upset, and he was out of breath. Bending over to catch his breath he said, "It's Ron. He was hurt down on the Quidditch pitch. There are people on their way to help him now, but it's pretty bad. He said not to tell you, because he wanted you to be safe, but I thought you should know…"

Harry didn't wait to hear anymore, and without a word he was running down the stairs to the Quidditch pitch. He had almost made it through the entrance hall when someone grabbed him and pulled him off to the side.

"What do you think you're doing Potter?"

"Snape," Harry said angrily. "Let me go! Ron's hurt. I have to go and see if he's ok." He twisted in the Professor's grasp, but Snape didn't let go. If anything his grip got tighter.

"I'm sure Weasley is fine without you Potter. Even the members of your fan club don't need to spend every minute in your company."

"You basta…." He trailed off when he saw the Charms Professor running down the stairs looking for him.

"Where were you?" he asked angrily. "You're supposed to go with a teacher to all of your classes."

"Apparently Mr. Potter feels the rules are above him," Snape sneered.

"But Ernie said…" he started, and trailed off when he saw that the boy was nowhere to be found. Hadn't he followed him down?

"I'll take Potter to his next class," said Snape. "Flitwick, can you take a look on the Quidditch pitch, and make sure that Weasley hasn't managed to kill himself, or something equally as idiotic?"

The potions Professor pulled Harry behind him, back up the stairs to divination. "You and your stupid Gryffindor thoughtlessness could have gotten you killed today Potter. I'm surprised that even you could be so stupid. The Headmaster himself told you that your life was in danger, and here you go throwing it away without a second thought." He shoved Harry toward the ladder to the divination classroom. "Climb up or I'll levitate you to your class Potter."

Harry glared at Snape and reluctantly climbed up the stairs. He was already ten minutes late for class.

"Harry! Where have you been?" he heard Ron's call from the front of the classroom. "The inner eye was clouded, and I couldn't see if you were ok," he teased. "Trewlaney thought that you were dead for sure this time." He grinned.

Harry ran over to Ron and pulled him into a tight hug without a second thought. "I thought you were dead," he said.

"Dead? Dead bored maybe. I've been sitting here waiting for you. I thought maybe you skived off class or something."

"Ernie ran up to me in the corridor, and said that you were hurt on the pitch. I almost made it through the front doors when Snape stopped me."

"Ernie? Ernie Macmillan? But why would he do something like that? Do you think he's working for You Know Who?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find out."

"Hermione's going to kill you for running off like that you know," Ron said.

Harry sighed, and dropped his head to his desk.

--

Please Review!

--