Sorry for the late update! I got really sick (like being in the hospital sick) but now I'm a little better so I'm trying to catch up on my stories so here's this! It's a little bit shorter than I preferred but oh well.

"You're not going to back out, are you?" Colin pestered Harry the next morning. The boys had woken up bright and early, intending heading down the Great Hall with intentions for Harry to inform McGonagall of the voice he'd been hearing. Colin was still plagued by nightmares involving Riddle. He figured it was only a coincidence. He probably only scared himself after the night when they saw the memory. It didn't mean anything.

"No," Harry reassured him. "I said I'd do it, didn't I?" He was unconsciously fingering his jumper, Colin noticed.

They arrived in the hall, looking around for Professor McGonagall but were dismayed to find her nowhere in sight. The students were loud chattering whilst they ate. The three boys stood in the middle of the asle, glancing. Professor McGonagall typically would've been eating her bearfast by now or, if she finished early, making rounds around the castle to make sure no one was up to no good (i.e the Weasley twins).

"Have you not noticed you are holding up the aisle?" Professor Snape snarked, coming up beside them, his robes billowing. "Do you believe you are of more importance, Mr. Potter? That you can do what you want because you are a celebrity?"

"No sir," Harry said with gritted teeth. He forced himself to be calm. "Sir, we were wondering if you knew where Professor McGonagall was?"

Snape's black eyes lingered on them, narrowed with suspicion. "Professor McGonagall is traveling on important business."

"Does it have anything to do with Dumbledore's suspension?" Colin asked in a hushed whisper.

Snape looked furious with his question. "I suppose you weren't just roaming the castle, you were spying on a conversation that certainly doesn't concern you," he leaned in closer, sneering.

"It does, doesn't it!" Ron said bravely speaking to the irate man.

"Thirty points from Gryffindor," Snape snarled. "And if you dare eavesdrop once more, you'll be getting a far harsher punishment than Professor McGonagall could ever give." He began walking away but Harry jogged up to him.

"Sir, wait! Please!"

The angry man compiled reluctantly. "What is it, Mr. Potter? Come to gloat some more about your adventures last night?"

"No sir," Harry said. "I actually need to tell you something. I was going to tell Professor McGonagall but since she's not here, I suppose-"

"You suppose that I could be the one to hear your sob story? What, was your pillow not fluffed up enough? Did the other children make fun of you?" Harry tried to cut him off, but the potions master wasn't done.

"Did someone tell you the truth about your father? I don't want to hear it, Potter. That will be twenty points for wasting my time," Snape turned sharply in the other direction.

"What a jerk," Ron scowled.

"Yeah," Colin made a face. He hated it when anyone insulted his brother, especially Snape. The man just seemed to have it out for Harry and he mentioned Harry's father many times; perhaps he held a grudge against him for something. It would certainly make sense, not that it excused anything, of course. Colin's protective instincts came from being a big brother to Dennis. Even though he was a year younger than Harry, he still felt the same way.

"I wonder what Dumbledore's suspensions got to do with McGonagall traveling," Harry wondered thoughtfully.

"Maybe she's trying to bring him back," Ron said enthusiastically. "She's probably at the Ministry right now trying to change their minds and showing them how wrong Malfoy was about him. We'll get him back soon. No one could say no to McGonagall." Colin thought humorously of a tough looking Ministry official cowering from McGonagall's stern look she frequently gave her students.

"You really think so?" Harry said skeptically.

"Of course!" Ron said with confidence. "Dad works at the Ministry. I could owl him and ask." He sat down and grabbed some food, hungrily devouring it. His friends joined him, Colin sat across from Harry who was next to Ron. The first year didn't feel so hungry, so he nibbled on a drey piece of toast, washing it down with juice.

Suddenly, Ron nudged Harry so hard he almost lost his breath. "What was that for?" the raven haired boy wheezed.

"Luna's coming." A blush crept Colin's face when both boys grinned, wiggling their eyebrows. Honestly, the nerve of them! He couldn't wait until they had crushes and he could tease them.

"Good morning," came her dreamy voice that reached his ears and instantly soothed him.

"Morning Luna," Ron and Harry responded.

"Good morning," Colin patted the spot next to him. "Would you sit down?"

"Oh yes!" she beamed, sitting down a little closer than he'd expected. Her body was touching his and he felt that warmth again from it; not an uncomfortable warmth, but that warmth that made him calm. "I'm sorry about Hagrid, Harry," she said sympathetically. "I'm sure he'll get released soon."

Harry didn't know how to respond. "How did you know?"

"Draco is gloating to his friends that he was the one to get Hagrid locked up. I know he's lying. He always lies."

"Does anyone else know?" Harry was noticeably saddened at being reminded that Hagrid was in Azkaban and there was nothing they could do about it."

"Some," she revealed. "But that's not important. Your true friends will discern the truth." Colin smiled at her wise words while Harry didn't seem comforted by her statement.

"But I don't have that many true friends," he said, blushing when Colin and Ron looked offended. "Besides you guys and Hermione."

"And the twins," Colin added.

"And Hagrid," Ron said in a 'duh' tone.

"And Dennis."

"And Seamus."

"And my parents."

'And Neville."

"And Dean."

"And-"

"Okay," grinning, Harry laughed. "Okay, I guess I have more friends than I thought."

"See," Colin pointed out, "you can't say you don't have true friends. We'd do anything for you, Harry."

"Right," Ron said firmly. "I almost died for you and Hermione last year, twice. That's gotta mean something." Harry looked puzzled.

"Twice?"

"Once by the chess match and my mum," Ron shuddered, recalling that day. "She was so mad for me losing so much points. She even sent a howler to Charlie."

Colin, out of the corner of his eye, saw Luna's big eyes staring at him. He began to feel self conscious. "Do I have something in my hair?" he reached for his head but found nothing there.

"Oh, no," Luna said cheerfully. "I was just trying to make the Lollymungs go away. They were swarming around you. Their stings hurt." Harry elbowed Ron before he could utter a word.

"Well thank you," Colin was pretty sure those Lolly Lungs or whatever they were, didn't exist but he wasn't about to inform Luna that. "I'll make sure to do the same for you."

Luna beamed, making him smile too.

"Merlin, Colin. Do you even sleep anymore? You've got bags under your eyes," Ron pointed to his face.

Colin frowned. He didn't have a mirror so he picked up his plate and sure enough, in his reflection showed dark, ugly circles that made it look like he had a shiner.

"You aren't sleeping well," Luna observed.

"Not really," Colin muttered, thinking of his latest nightmare.

"Why?" Harry asked. "Did you have any dreams again?" He was fussing over him again.

"Yeah," Colin admitted. "They're scary, Harry. It's always Riddle. Is that some sort of sign?"

"It could be," Luna said calmly, spreading jam on her toast. "Did he say anything to you?"

"He said we'd be meeting soon," Colin watched as Harry's eyes hardened. "Does that mean anything?"

"He probably want to kill you," Luna said it casually, like she was asking what was on the dinner menu. "Pass the pumpkin juice, will you?" Colin emotionlessly handed her the juice. This was worse than he thought. Harry looked torn between worry and fury that someone would dare touch his brother. Ron had stopped eating, his eyebrows quirked at Luna's statement.

"But he's just a memory," he said. "A memory can't kill someone." Luna just smiled at him but didn't offer an elaboration. The redhead mumbled something. Colin caught the last word: mental. For some reason, he felt a surge of anger toward him. Luna was not mental. If anything, she was the smartest out of all of them. Thankfully, Luna hadn't heard, or, if she did, she made no indication.

"Would you like to go nargle hunting with me?" she asked sweetly. "I'd love to have someone else. It's so lonely without Daddy."

Colin was tempted to say yes. He and Luna hadn't spent much time together due to Hermione's petrification and him having to help Ron and Harry figure this mystery out. But then he rememebred that they still hadn't found the diary. "Er, sorry, Luna. I'm busy. We're busy," he corrected himself.

"Why don't I help you?" she said.

Colin looked at Harry, who shrugged. "Okay," the first year couldn't help but grin like a madman.

"Say," Ron pointed toward the staff table. "What's Snape doing?" The potions master glided up to where Dumbledore would be sitting. The other professors whisper amongst themselves. Professor McGonagall was still nowhere in sight, but, thankfully, so was Lockhart.

"It is my deepest regret to inform you," Snape's lip curled when his gaze swept over the Gryffindor table where Ron, Colin, Harry and Luna were seated. "That Professor Dumbledore has been suspended for the time being."

Chaos broke out. The Slytherin table whooped and cheered while the other houses were torn in their reactions. Some sat in their seats with a stoic expression while others loudly exclaimed their opinions. Snape shushed them at once.

"Quiet," he commanded and they obeyed. "Do not fret, the castle will continue to run smoothly as I will be appointed Deputy Headmaster until he returns or we find a replacement."

Harry and Ron looked at each other horrified. Luna was indifferent. She ate her breakfast, ignoring what was around her. Colin wasn't sure how to feel; though he was sure the detention list would be quite high for a while.

"Where's Professor McGonagall?" someone demanded. "Why isn't she stepping up to be Deputy Headmistress?"

"That will be ten points for talking without permission," Snape said. The other professors looked at him in disapproval.

"Severus, it was just a question," Professor Sprout said, shaking her head. "They have a right to know."

"I don't believe children need to be knowing in affairs that don't pertain to them, Pomona," he sneered. Turning back to the staring students, he barked, "What are you waiting for? Breakfast is over! Move!"

"What do you want to do today?" Colin asked, leaning against the table as to let fellow students by as they exited the Great Hall. "I particularly want to find the diary. It's got to be around here somewhere, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "Let's go. Sound good to you, Ron? Luna?"

"Oh yes," Luna said, jumping up abruptly, nearing knocking over her cup.

"Ron?" Harry repeated.

"Er, no. I think I'm going to visit Ginny. I'm really worried about her. You guys go ahead. I'll catch up later," the redhead said. He filed out with the rest of the students.

"I hope Ginny's okay," Luna said as they made their way out. "I wonder what happened to her."

"Well," Colin started. "It was, uh, us who brought her to Madam Pomfrey." He launched into a reiteration last night's events, while omitting some parts (Myrtle's flirting with Harry). Just as always, she was not surprised in the least. "That makes sense," she said.

"It does?" he asked, bewildered. Harry didn't look to have understood her either.

"Yes," she said patiently. "There's a connection."

"Between what?" Harry was growing a little impatient by her non-elaborating explanations. "I don't get it."

"You will in time," she smiled. From that point on, neither Harry nor Colin could get her to say another word about the connection. She was certain they could figure it out themselves.

They'd dwindled through a great deal of the castle that day, in search of a diary that seemed to have vanished out of thin air. They rummaged through empty classrooms, gone through almost all the corridors to see if it had been dropped somewhere, snuck outside to the courtyard to see if it was there. They even went back to the library. Madam Price had been furious to learn someone had been sneaking around inside and didn't bother to put the books back in their correct spot. Colin and Harry feigned ignorance, loudly, but not too loudly, wondering who had done it.

Unfortunately, it was all done for nothing. The diary was gone, perhaps for good. Colin was sure it had to be somewhere in the castle, it just had to be! There was no way to be sure, though.

Harry had somewhat given up on finding the diary. He was sure if it was really important they'd find it sometime or it would turn up. His brother didn't agree, however.

"Harry, we've got to keep looking," Colin told him as they maneuvered down the hallway. Luna was still following them. Every so often she'd become distracted by something, usually her imaginary creatures, and Colin would stop walking to bring her back in front or beside him. He would not let her walk behind him. It was too dangerous. "I know it's here somewhere."

"I dunno, Col," Harry shrugged. "If you want to look for it, fine. I don't think it's here. Someone might have destroyed it or something."

"Don't think like that," Colin advised. "We'll find it soon."

"Just like we'll help Hagrid, huh?" Harry said bitterly.

Colin felt an ounce of regret. It had been his idea to wait so they could research. Perhaps it might not have been the wisests idea, but he was certain that trying to follow the spiders, as Hagrid said, could wait.

"We'll help him Harry," Luna said sympathetically. "In time."

Harry tore his eyes away from her. Colin wondered if he was crying, or close to it. "How much more do we have to wait?" Harry's voice was thick with emotion. "Hagrid doesn't deserve this...not after the way we treated him."

"Hagrid will understand," Colin didn't know if his words were true, would Hagrid forgive them for interrogating him? Probably. Would he understand the reasoning? Maybe, maybe not. "He's Hagrid. He could never stay mad at us, Harry; especially you."

"He's right," Luna took Harry's hands into her own, gripping them tightly, but not too tight. Colin found his eyes drawn to their paired hands. He felt strange, seeing them like that. "He was your first friends. First friends are special," she sent a dazzling smile toward Colin, letting go of Harry's hand in the process.

Colin's strange feeling disappeared as soon as Luna's hands were free. Whatever that feeling was, he didn't like it. Oh well. He pushed it to the back of his mind. Still, he couldn't bring himself to smile back at his friend, it came out looking like a grimace insead.

"Are you in pain?" Luna did something she never did before; she put both hands on the sides of Colin's head, whilst examining him. "Hmm," she observed. "You seem fine, but your head seems to be a little stuffy. Are you feeling sick?"

"No," Colin's cheeks were on fire from feeling her delicate fingers graze his head and face. Harry abandoned his grumpy, sullen mood to snicker and make fun of him. "I'm fine, really, Luna."

"If you're sure," Luna let go of him.

"Oh, lay off!" Colin grumbled to Harry, who was in full blown laughter. "It wasn't that funny."

"You're right," Harry calmed down before exploding again. "It was hilarious!" His laughter was definitely more than necessary, but Colin was relieved to see him smiling and happy than sad and upset.

"And people call me Loony," Luna mused. Colin felt a pang in his heart at hearing that horrible nickname. Oh how he wanted to track down every last person who called her that and set them straight! "I'm only Loony if you think of it that way."

"Stop," Colin said firmly. "Don't call yourself that." She looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.

"It bothers you," she stated. "Why?"

Colin paused. Why did it bother him? "Well, er, you're my friend and I...I don't like hearing my friends talk down about themselves."

"Oh," she brightened up after hearing this. "That's awfully nice to say, Colin."

"Yeah," he lightly slid his shoes over the cleaned floor. "I suppose so." He noticed Harry had stopped his laughing fit.

"We should go find Ron," he said distractedly. "Maybe we'll-" he trailed off, falling to his knees, crying out in pain. "AHHH!"

"Harry!" Colin was at his side within seconds. "Are you alright? What's happened?"

"My-my scar," Harry's face twitches uncontrollably. "It hurts." He clawed at it, howling at times. Colin couldn't imagine how that felt.

Poor Harry!

"We've got to do something," he said to Luna frantically. "Got any ideas?" The pain had apparently gotten worse. Harry writhed on the floor in agony, kicking at the air. There was no one around, the hallway was completely deserted. Colin knew he didn't have time to fetch a professor, not if he wanted Harry to be alive. Not knowing what else to do, he took hold of Harry's arms, forcing them down. He motioned for Luna to do the same to his body.

"Okay," she said, but instead of going to Harry, she approached Colin and tried to force his body down. The first year felt embarrassed yet again.

"No, no, no," he said. "Not me. Harry."

"Oh," she changed positions so that Harry was accessible. "He must be in a lot of pain," she remarked, reaching down to wipe away Harry's tears. Said boy didn't notice, he was still yelling and screaming in pain. How had the professors not heard? Colin was confused. Surely Harry was loud enough the whole castle could've heard him. But no one was coming around the corner to come to his aid like Colin expected. Nor was there any ghost floating, which was strange also.

Where was everybody?