Tiyuri: Thanks again for reading the last chapter, and for your concern in general about me. I hope that this one keeps you interested. I'm very grateful for your interest.

Well there is not much to say about this chapter, except that thankfully the long day ends. The events between the time Harry got zapped and when Ron woke him up will be revealed in great detail in a future chapter. Um… well… I think I don't have so many readers anymore, but if anyone's left, thanks again. Take care all.

Chapter 25: Dinner in the Common Room

Cho sat on a bench against the wall of the castle, in an out of the way area. She looked around to make sure that she was alone. Once she was sure, she opened the letter from Harry, flattened it out against her Herbology book, and read it to herself again.

Dear Cho,

I've been thinking about what the ghost have been telling us that Marietta, and Filch have been up to over the summer. It all seems really devious, and I think that you and Luna were right to keep tabs on Marietta, to make sure that she doesn't cause any trouble. I think that we should tell the ghost to look for the second bewitched room. Well at least just Sir Nicholas, and The Gray Lady, I'm sure we could trust the Fat Friar as well, but if you tell everyone a secrete, than it's not a secrete anymore is it? Besides, I really don't want the Bloody Barron finding out either. I really don't think that I could trust a Slytheren ghost, no matter how long he's been in this school.

Cho, I really am glad that you and Marietta are not friends anymore. You always did seem to be really nice. I'm sorry about what happened on Valentines Day last year, and about a lot of stuff that went on. I just can tell you that a lot was going on that you don't know about, and that I can perhaps never tell you. I just hope you'll understand. I really am glad that we can be friends again. Also Hermione told me that you warned her about Marietta, and I'm really impressed. I know that even thou you and Marietta are not friends anymore, it couldn't have been easy for you to go against someone you had been friends with for a while. Thanks for doing the right thing. Hermione is really special to me, and I'm grateful too you. We both are.

One last thing. I was thinking that we all needed to put our heads together on this thing. I think that we should meet in the room of requirement on Saturday. Most of the students will be outside if this good weather holds up, and no one will be looking for students gathering there, since there are no DA classes. We can all be assured of secrecy. But remember Cho; don't breathe a word of this to anyone, but Luna. Nothing against you, but I can't have anything like what happened last year, take place again. I trust you Cho.

You're Friend,

Harry Potter

Cho was severely depressed. Harry was evidently still in love with his girlfriend Hermione Granger, and tomorrow Cho was going to have to spend at least an hour with her. Between her being Harry's girlfriend, and the way that she treated Luna, Cho was going to have a terrible time at the meeting. Cho was happy that Harry was proud of her for warning Hermione, but Cho didn't think it was very special. Wouldn't anyone else have done the same thing? Just because you don't like someone doesn't mean that you wish any harm on them. And Harry still evidently had trust issues with Cho, not because he didn't trust her personally, but because Cho had made a poor choice in friends, a poor choice in her best friend to add. If only she could go back, if only she could have seen Marietta for the person that she was. But she couldn't, and now it probably ruined any chance that she could have had with Harry. Cho let out a deep sigh. She knew that she could never look at Harry as just a friend, but if that's what he needed right now, than she was going to be the best friend that she could to him. She would just have to keep her love for him a secrete to herself, and find some way to deal with the pain. She pulled out a quill and some parchment from her book bag, and began to write a short letter to Harry telling him that Luna, and herself would be at the room of requirement at five thirty on Saturday, and mentioning that she wanted Hermione to apologize to Luna, when they got there. She also noted that she would do what ever she could to help in any way she was able. When she had finished she sealed the letter, and started off to the Owlery to send the message. As Cho tried to cheer herself up she reflected on the fact that Marietta had been chastised by Madam Sprout as she left Herbology class without permission. But even that was not really good news, as she had lost twenty points from Ravenclaw, for the infraction as well. Cho packed up her books and started off towards the owlary, to have an owl deliver the message to Harry. As she walked in the door to the castle Emit Walsh and two of his Hufflepuff Quidditch team stormed in the door, still in Quidditch uniforms nearly knocked her over as they rushed into the main entrance in a huff. He stopped to check on her.

"Oh… err, sorry Chang. Are you okay?" he asked sincerely.

"Yea, I'm okay." Cho said weakly. She looked at their uniforms. "Were you guys playing another house today?" she asked, wondering if Harry was at practice today. A look of controlled rage came over Walsh's face, and his team mates looked none to pleased as well.

"Yea, we were playing a bunch of gits that can't follow the rules of the game. I'm going to report their reprehensible conduct to my head of house, they almost got my seeker, Cindy Miggins killed." He said hotly. Cho raised an eyebrow. "My god I didn't know that the Slytheren team had become so brazen. I mean they had always tried to get away with a couple of cheap shots before, but…" Cho started.

"No Chang, I mean the Gryffindors! Especially that… that… Potter! He's the one that almost killed Miggins. I'm going to request he be expelled, despite his celebrity status." Walsh finished. Cho couldn't believe what she was hearing. She looked at Walsh with disbelief.

"Walsh you must be mistaken. It was an accident if Harry caused her to fall. You know he would never do anything like that. I know Harry, he's a good person, he…"

"Look Chang, don't go defending that… don't go defending him to me, he was happy about it. Kept saying that Quidditch was an aggressive sport not for the faint of heart, and if we didn't like it that maybe we should go play Quidditch with the under fives. Of course after he gathered that I was going to my head of house, he denied everything, but I'm not going to let him get away with it. If you don't believe me ask anyone on my team." Walsh said and turned to Max Beck, his male beater. "Max, tell Cho that I'm serious about it." Max nodded his head.

"It's true Miss Chang. Harry and his team were really rough beyond what was necessary, and Potter was damn violent. He even tried to knock Fred Gibson off his broom during the match because he was about to score the Quaffel." Max said. Cho shook her head.

"Look I… I know Harry must have an excuse for what he did… he…"

"What excuse Chang? You weren't there. You didn't see the match. Don't go defending Potter just because he's the boy who lived. I read some material about him, and his victory came with some odd circumstances. I wonder just how much of it's true." Max said. Cho looked at him with an upset look on her face.

"What have you been reading that says that?" Cho asked. Max looked around defensively.

"Well I, just stuff. Look it doesn't matter. The thing is that Potter practically attacked us, and encouraged his team to do the same. So what do you think his excuse is?" Max stated. Cho was at a loss for words. She couldn't think that Harry would ever do anything like that, but she couldn't think of any reason why the two people in front of her would lie.

"Well… I'll ask him." She said even more upset. Walsh gave her a dirty look.

"You do that Chang, and tell him not to let me catch him alone in the halls either." Walsh said. Now an angry look came over Cho's face.

"Don't you touch him Walsh! I'll get everything cleared up, but if you lay a hand on him, you'll have to answer to me." Cho said. Walsh shook his head, and the two beaters laughed. Everyone knew that Cho had reparation of crying often, about a lot of things, and didn't seem to poses the skills of a fighter. The three of them walked off without another word. Cho started up the stairs toward the part of the castle where the owlery was located, and tears started to drop from her eyes, as she worried about Harry.

Harry was dumbstruck at what Ron was telling him, as they sat in Professor McGonagall's Office. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Ron, I… I don't remember any of it. I don't. The last thing I do remember is leaving charms class and going down to the locker room. And then nothing! What could have happened?" Harry asked with nervous anticipation of Professor McGonagall's impending arrival. Ron looked at him on the edge of disbelief.

"Why did you leave charms class to go to the pitch Harry? And why didn't you just tell Flitwick that you were ill? Because he thought you were ignoring him he took ten points off of Gryffindor because of it." Harry tried to search his mind as to why he had left charms class.

"I… I honestly don't know. I can't remember much, only that I needed to go to the pitch. Oh! I just remembered that I lost my wand. I have to go to Filche's office, and get it." Harry finished. Ron looked at him oddly.

"Well better wait for the Professor first Harry. I think were in a lot of trouble." Ron said. Just then the door to the office opened and Professor McGonagall entered. She quickly took her seat, and placed a glowing blue orb on her desk.

"Now Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. I understand that you both have something to tell me." She said casually. Ron recanted the story that he had just told Harry in great detail, and they both explained that Harry had no memory of it. After they had finished Professor McGonagall closed her eyes and lowered her head, giving herself a moment to take it all in. After a few moments she raised her head again and spoke.

"Mr. Potter. I'm sure that you didn't mean to do this. I think that you may have been under the influence of You-Know-Who, but until we can prove that I'm afraid that some disciplinary action must be taken. I'm sure that Professor Sprout will be livid when she finds out one of her students almost got killed by being attacked by you. I don't know how Dumbledore and I are going to explain this to her." she said. Harry looked up at Professor McGonagall with a worried face.

"But why should I be punished for something I didn't have any control of? I mean if Voldermort…" Harry stopped in mid-sentence, as he saw both Professor McGonagall and Ron jump at the mention of the name. He gave a deep sigh. "…if You-Know-Who is controlling me, I could get in trouble a lot more. I'll be expelled. This isn't fair." Harry complained. Professor McGonagall looked at him with pity. I realize that it's not Mr. Potter, but until we can find away to get You-Know-Who out of your head. I'm afraid that you're going to have to be put in detention every week day after class, and that you're not to be permitted to go to Hogsmead for the time being either. It's not safe for you outside the school." She said.

"Doesn't look like it's too safe for em inside the school either." said Ron. Professor McGonagall stood up and took the glowing orb off her desk, and put it in her pocket.

"I'm going to go get Professor Sprout, and have her come to the head masters office with me. Just go to the Gryffindor Dorms. I'll have a house elf bring dinner up to you. Don't go eat in the great hall tonight, I think that after what you both told me that you need to avoid Hufflepuff's for a while." She finished, and left. Harry and Ron got up and headed to the Gryffindor dorms, getting dirty looks from a few Hufflepuffs as they did. Evidently word had spread fast, but no one tried to molest them.

Cho Chang sat on the lavatory toilet with her Herbology book open, trying to concentrate as she read the same sentence over again for the seventh time, still not understanding what it said. She was in the rest room because everywhere else that she tried to study she heard people talking about how Harry had flipped out at the Quidditch pitch, and almost gotten a girl killed. A first Cho had tried to argue with a couple of people in the library about it, but soon found that one of the people making the accusation was an eye witness on his own team, and Cho only ended up getting in heated argument defending Harry, just like last year. Still Cho knew that Harry had to have a good explanation for what he did, but she couldn't think of what it was. She worried about him, remembering Walsh's threats, and her worrying made it all that much harder to concentrate on her studies. She really had to talk to Harry about it soon, but couldn't send owls back and fourth. "Oh, if only the Wizarding world had phones, like the Muggles did, especially cellular phones, Cho could just call him up, and ask him to explain. He would have a good excuse and she could explain it to her friends that she was trying to avoid right now, because in her common room that's all they were talking about as well, and Cho never liked to hear what Beverly said about Harry. Also Cho and Beverly had gotten in another fight about the Crumple Horned Snorack. After Cho had explained to Beverly that it was real, Beverly had accused Cho of still trying to cover for Luna's active imagination, and refused to go down to the fenced in area behind Professor Hagrid's hut, to confirm that it was true. Her other room mates were of like mind as Beverly, and that's why Cho was trying in vein to do her home work in the girls lavatory. The thought of sneaking out to try and find the secrete passage that led to the Gryffindor Dorms, to visit Harry came to her, but she knew that she would not be able to find it anymore than she could find the second bewitched room. Saturday at five thirty couldn't come soon enough Cho thought, desperately wanting to see Harry. She closed her book, she couldn't concentrate anyway. She would just go to bed early tonight. Maybe she could try and do her homework tomorrow. She had better she thought, because she wasn't close to where she needed to be. Cho made her way back to her dorm room and flung herself down on the bed. She closed her eyes, and waited for sleep to set in.

Harry was frustrated. Many of his own team didn't believe him about his mind being erased. He tried to tell them about You-Know-Who being in his head, but he wasn't able to divulge all the information to them, as it would give away stuff about the order. There were still students who believed him, about half, but he had fallen out of favor with enough of his fellow Gryffindors, for it to hurt him. He wondered what Fiona and Cho would think of him. As he was sitting at a table, talking to Ron in the common room, he heard a familiar voice speak to him.

"Harry Potter, Dobby brings you dinner." Came the familiar voice of his friend and favorite house elf. Dobby snapped his fingers and the table in front of Harry and Ron was filled with delicious food and pudding. Harry smiled, and his stomach gave a grumble, he hadn't had anything to eat since lunch.

"Dobby! Oh thanks! How have you been?" Harry asked. Dobby smiled at Harry.

"Dobby has been very good; Dobby is just back from his holiday at the Hogwart's Lake. Dobby has enjoyed it very much, and will go again next week." Ron raised an eyebrow.

"The lake? Doesn't sound like much of a holiday to me. You could go to Wales or something if you wanted too." Ron stated mater of factly.

"Dobby is not wanting to stay too far away from Hogwarts, as Dobby may be needed" Dobby said proudly. A thought came to Harry. He leaned down to Dobby.

"Hey Dobby, have you or any of the other house elves heard anything about a bewitched, ghost proof room?" he asked. Dobby nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Yes! Dobby knows the room! The caretaker Mr. Filch has that room. The ghost loves that room." Dobby said.

"Err… no I mean another bewitched room. Do you know of any other one?" Harry asked. Dobby scratched his head, trying to think for a minute.

"Hummm… no…Dobby…"

Suddenly they were interrupted, by an agitated voice.

"Oy! What's this? How come Potter gets to eat in the common room? Didn't he try and kill someone today? How is that fair?" came the voice of Devin Smith, a fifth year Gryffindor. Harry and Ron turned to look at him with angry looks on there faces.

"Look Smith, Harry wasn't responsible for what happened at the pitch today. How can you make such an accusation?" Ron shot. Smith gave a chuckle.

"Because Katie Bell told someone about it right in front of me… of course I heard about it all day today from a lot of people, but Katie was an eye witness. So it looks like if you almost kill someone… the school gives you dinner in the common room. Very interesting.

Ron shot up out of his chair, his face red with anger, and Smith stepped back a few steps.

"Dam it Smith, don't you read the papers? Harry must have been under the control of You-Know-Who." Ron said, and at the mention of the most evil wizard in history, the room went quite, and all eyes turned on Harry, Ron, and Smith.

"Look, it's simply like this, today Potter attacked a fellow student. Now I think that if You-Know-Who were here than the head master would have known about it, and warned us. But then again I hear that Potter may have the head master under the imperious curse." Smith added, and the room started to boo him, and pelt him with paper for the statement. Ron smiled.

"It looks like no one here shares your assessment of the situation Smith. Everyone knows what a hero Harry is for what he did at the ministry last year, and soon we'll get to the bottom of all this, and find You-Know-Who, and prove that what happened to Harry today wasn't his fault. And as far as the food goes, well until we get our proof, Harry will just have to stay away from the Hufflepuffs until they cool down. Smith gave an angry look at Ron.

"Well there has been some alternate thought as to what exactly did go on at the ministry last year, and how much of what you and Harry said was true." Smith said with increasing hostility. To this the students pelted him with more paper, and several shouts for Smith to leave the common room were heard. Semis Finnigan walked up to him.

"Now look here Smith. I doubted Harry's story last year as well, but… well I was wrong about him then, and you're wrong about him now. Harry's word is enough proof to me, but if you want proof of his deeds, just read the daily profit." Semis defended. Smith gave a sarcastic smile. Well, last year he was a villain in that paper, and this year a hero… but the year is just begun. I wonder what the paper will say about Potter in a month." Smith finished with a cold smile across his face. Harry suddenly appeared from behind Semis, and got into Smith's face.

"And just what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean Smith?" Harry asked. Smith put up his hands in defense, and smiled wide.

"Oh, nothing. Just that the papers seem to be confused in your role as hero or villain, and you might end up as the latter if you keep attacking fellow students." Smith said cautiously.

"I didn't attack anyone. At least not of my own free will. But I'm going to make sure that is doesn't happen again." Harry said confidently. Smith's smile now turned to a frown.

"Well, see that you do quickly… or else no student in this school will be safe from The Harry Potter." Smith said, and walked back to his bedroom, being jeered and pelted with paper from fellow Gryffindors as he did.