"Harry, I think it is time I tell you about the Veil of Darkness."

A few moments of silence past as they stared at each other. Eventually Harry spoke.

"Pardon?"

"The Veil of Darkness, Harry. I was going to tell you about it. About what it is." Dumbledore said slightly patronisingly. Harry ran the name through his head… for some reason it seemed slightly familiar with him… it wasn't his name Harry Veil of Darkness…. It wasn't his address… 4 Privet Drive Veil of Darkness Surrey. Then like the kind of exhausted occurrence that causes a slow grin at first followed by a stupid tone, Harry remembered.

"Wasn't the Veil of Darkness that thing at the Ministry?" he asked slyly, like a naughty school boy who finally found out what was in the girls toilets.

"Yes and No." Dumbledore said as he smiled at Harry's memory. "You see it's quite confusing and so you should listen carefully. The actually truth is there are two Veil of darkness' although they are quite different things. There is the one you know about that is in the ministry. More commonly known as the Arc of Spirits. There is also another, which is the correct Veil of Darkness. I shall explain the origins of the names if you like, since I expect you're getting somewhat Confused." Dumbledore said as he saw Harry's face contort slightly as he tried to comprehend it all. Two Veil of Darkness'? "I know I am and I'm one of the few people to really understand both of them."

"Now lets begin with what I believe to be the start." Dumbledore said as he rubbed his ear thoughtfully. "There are three worlds Harry. The first which you obviously know, is the one we are living in, earth. The second, which you learned of last year, is the Netherworld, which is where the spirits of the dead reside. Now this is known as the Arc of Spirits, amongst other names, but the reason why it is often referred to as the Veil of Darkness, is because of its shimmering black appearance." He explained as he gave a pause for Harry to show he was following. He nodded and Dumbledore continued.

"Also before the other portal to the real Veil of Darkness became public knowledge, that is to say the knowledge of the ministry, all they had was ancient scriptures mentioning another world and the portal between. The scriptures called it the Veil of Darkness, and naturally, it seemed to make perfect sense that this was The Arc of Spirits, when in fact it is not. Now onto the real Veil of Darkness. It's difficult for me to describe it to you Harry, or why it exists, but the few people who know about it and its history seem to believe that it is where magic came from, thousands of years ago. It is a world of both sense and madness. If you could imagine this other realm to have all the things we have, but at the same time have them in a different quantity and understanding, then perhaps you would start to imagine what it is like."

"Now the Veil of Darkness, unlike the Arc of Spirits, doesn't seem like it was ever intended to exist, and so the connection between our world and it is very weak. In fact it is only strong enough to open every so often. The time it stays open for and the amount of time before it next appears varies. However, after extensive research, a few years ago I managed to discover that it is controlled by the planetary shifts, and the gravitational pull from when they are all perfectly misaligned. You may wonder why I am the person who discovered this, and I at no point would like to claim it is because of my intelligence. It is merely because the Ministry and most of the people who find out about it dismiss it as unimportant, after all why should they care? It is only open for a few weeks every century. Although not all at once."

"I myself have had to pleasure of spending a few years in the Veil of Darkness, many years back now. Longer than it seems. Before I became a teacher hear at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said as he cast his mind back surprisingly well. Harry could practically picture himself in the situation, but then perhaps that is what Dumbledore had intended, and as any student knows. When he intends something it damn well happens!

"So this Veil of Darkness." Harry asked as Dumbledore seemed to have finished talking. "You said that it is a little like our world on the other side. Are there Muggles and Wizards?" At this Dumbledore seemed to snap out of his reverie and cast an almost angry look at his desk.

"Yes, there are Muggles and Wizards. However, they do not live like they do in our world?" he spat sourly.

"So they live together?" Harry asked as he tried to imagine it. It had always been a thought of his. What would happen if the muggle world found out about magic.

"Yes!" Dumbledore said, but not in a tone that suggested it was a good thing. They do live together, but not in a sense that we would hope for. You see, as far as I know, The Wizards and the Muggles are in conflict. They were last time I went and from what I learned, they had been for the last several hundred years, I expect little has changed in the time since."

"Oh" Harry said as he tried to imagine a world of angry Dursley's. If people were like that then it was very possible for then to be at war. "But Sir, couldn't the wizards… well… do some spells and make the muggles get along with them?" he asked hopefully. Dumbledore however replied with a frown and shook his head. "No Harry. They tried that. They tried many things, and forcing the muggles is what they seem to favour. However the fact of the matter is that the magical population had been diminished somewhat from its original majority, due to persecution in the early ages. Now they are vastly outnumbered and even with Magic they cannot over power them all. It is a constant struggle which no side wins, and even if they did, there are no prizes at the end."

"this is one of the reasons it is so dangerous in the other world. Any wizard who steps foot is either forced out of the main country and into a nation of islands far out at sea, or else they live in secrecy and tight groups for self defence." Dumbledore said as his eyes had narrowed and his vice had become bitter. Harry could tell that Dumbledore wasn't the keenest fan of this other realm.

"You said something about the Exorcist. They are from behind the veil?" Asked Harry as he tried to remember that he was there to talk about Cho.

"Yes Harry. The Exorcist I have in mind lives in other land. I met them when I last stayed there some years ago, and we became friends of sorts. There is no communication between us and them except them the portal opens, so I'm afraid what I tell you isn't' the latest news, and the Exorcist might not even be alive still, for death does seem to be rather unfortunately common I found."

"So we need to get them to help Cho. That shouldn't be to difficult. We just don't walk round shouting "hey everyone look I'm a wizard. Watch me turn you into a frog and shoot lightning form my finger tips!" It shouldn't be tough should it?" Harry said as he leaned back in the chair with his arms behind his head.

"No Harry. It's not to difficult. And that is why, should we have to, we will. We shall travel beyond the Veil of Darkness and into the other world."

"Sir. Does this other land inside the Veil of Dankness have a name?

"Yes Harry. It is called Pharaphax

He ran it over in his mind. At least it wasn't called something like the lovely safe land of puffy clouds and gentle breezes. With a name like that you knew it would be a hellish torrent of storms and sharp teeth being rammed into you in by an assortment of monsters, each one more grotesque than the last. No. Pharaphax sounded fair enough. You could trust a name like that because the x made it sound evil. It was the subtle art of misnaming. Maybe whoever came up with names had a warped sense of humour, but for whatever reasons people always assumed the Bunnyfluffer was a pleasant creature. Until they met one and felt its teeth sink several inches into their head and start to extract their brains.

They usually didn't get to dwell on their mistake for long.

Harry considered the possibilities of saving Cho. Any half decent person didn't have a choice, and Harry liked to think of himself as a caring person. He would risk going into the Veil of Darkness if it meant saving the life of Cho. Besides, girls liked having their lives saved, or so it seemed. Maybe afterwards she would smother him with kisses and give him gifts of gold, frankincense and mer. Or at least it was something along those lines. Harry wanted to ask exactly what this mission into Pharaphax would contain, should it ever take place but as he went to speak something happened that stopped him.

"What exac…" he began before Dumbledore suddenly spoke

"Yes I think that is enough information for tonight. I wouldn't want to swap you down with any unnecessary details at the time." Harry glared at Dumbledore for a minute. Normally the headmaster exuded manners enough to please the queen and earn him a royal breakfast with extra bacon. Interrupting was only used by Dumbledore as a means of ending a conversation, or so Harry had come to conclude.

"But…" Harry began again as he just wanted to ask one of the few questions. Once again a quick sentence started from Dumbledore, without showing any sign of annoyance.

"I'm sure your very tired so you an be going off to bed now Harry. I wouldn't want to keep you, with school early tomorrow morning it would just be irresponsible of me." Dumbledore said with a smile as his eyes stayed fixed on Harry.

"I…" Harry tried one last time. He knew he wasn't going to have a goodnights sleep with so many questions still fresh in his mind.

"VERY tired…" Dumbledore said loudly and clearly as he gave Harry a look which caused him to stand up from his seat. He knew he couldn't win.

"Goodnight Sir." Harry said as he turned his back and stepped out of the office, and onto the cool stairs. Harry hadn't noticed, but the office had been very warmly lit with the grand fireplace it held, and since he had gone in the night coldness had crept over the rest of the castle. He gave an involuntary shudder as a slight ruffle of wind seemed to travel past him. Goosebumps arose on his back and arms as he pulled his sleeves over his hands to keep them warm, and crossed his arms in an attempt to encourage the warmth to stay within him. It was a five minute walk back to the common room, or a three minute walk if you knew what you were doing. It wasn't long and so Harry set off down the cold steps and on his way with a simple sigh and a cloud of cold breath.

At the bottom of the stairs he paused a moment trying to calculate which of the two shortcuts he had in mind would be the most beneficial. The one way was slightly longer but didn't involve him going past that group of girls who always seemed to hover around outside the bathroom and throw shoes at you when you approach. Ashe glanced he suddenly felt something behind him. Something painful. He jumped with a small yelp as he spun round to find out what it was. He found his nose pressed up against the gargoyle. He took a few steps back for safety, and then looked up slowly to find himself staring into the grinning visage of the large statue. Realising what had happened he glowered up at the carving.

" Oh yeah real funny. If I had been stood just a few centimetres…" he scholded as he measured out a small amount between his thumb and fore finger to emphasise his point. "A FEW CENTIMETERS further back you would have turned got me in the nasties, and let me tell you this. Your lucky you didn't because if you did you would be getting a complaint off me you know!" He said as he wagged a finger at it. It remained motionless as it grinned stupidly. "I know you're listening to me!" He shouted as he stabbed a finger at its head, which did nothing ton alter the statues position. "You think its funny to hurt people do you? You're a member of the Hogwarts staff and you have a job to do." Just to get his point across he kicked it sharply in what he thought were its equivalent of its ungodlies. There were a few things that didn't change no matter what you were. Human, Vampire Goblin or Troll. All of them considered it a cheap shot, or at least they did when it was used against them.

There was silence for a few moments in which The Gargoyle's grin slowly faded off its face to be replaced with one of extreme pain. It slowly sunk down, like a man made of clay giving into gravity. It clutched at its private area as Harry watched it.

"That's what you get for messing about." Harry said as he took on a sympathetic tone. He was a male and knew how unfair he had been. If there had been a book of fairness (there was but it was the kind of unspoken book that is known from birth by every male) then it would never say "a jab in the bum = a kanker to the wan..."

"You don't have to be so rough. I was only having fun." The Gargoyle said as it finally managed to straighten itself up and wipe away the tears that had begun forming in its eyes. Harry sighed and took a seat by it, on the edge of an ornamental water fountain.

"As I said. You work for Hogwarts. And not only that but you guard Dumbledore's office. What could be a more respected job than that? You should be happy that you have such a good job. Form what I know a lot of Gargoyles are being forced to do manual labour these days for low pay aren't they?" He asked as he patted the Gargoyle on its knee gently. It winced slightly as Harry hand approached the lower half of its body, before relaxing, but keeping up its guard and eyeing his hand wearily.

"Yeah. I guess so. My brother got fired form his job. Used to guard a shop but nowadays magic is doing everything isn't it." He said as he rolled his eyes in anger.

"I know… Life can't be easy can it?" Harry asked as he gave it a rub on the back. He hadn't intended to learn all about Gargoyles but when Hermione was lecturing all about them for three hours whilst Harry slaved away over a potions essay, he couldn't help but pick up on a few facts.

"Now he works in a mine overseas… Doesn't get much money a day and he says it takes a whole hour of scrubbing to get the soot off. Our mum was dead upset when she found out. Told him to try out for Hogwarts like I did. With You-Know-Who about there would be a bit more work round this place you see. Only problem is he doesn't have a very good edumacation like me's."

Harry nodded. He didn't care to point out that by any students standards the Gargoyle was very thick. It looked to be in a delicate state as it was and Harry didn't want to upset it anymore. (Also there was the fact that it generally wasn't wise to insult something which could squash your head in its fist like a ripe tomato.)

"What's your name?" Harry asked as the Gargoyle sat down besides Harry, on the big concrete stand it usually perched on.

"I don't want to say." It said as it suddenly looked a trifle worried. You will tell people and they will laugh. Us Gargoyles get very upset when people laugh at us. We used to just be able to jump on them and then they never laughed after that, but the ministry says we aren't allowed to do that any more."

"I won't laugh. And I won't tell anyone else." Harry said soothingly. Truthfully he wouldn't want to tell anyone else. People generally enjoyed discussing the parts of his life where he almost died, although Harry had to say he hadn't enjoyed them much.

"It's Norman." He wailed as he hung his head in shame. "Go on laugh. I know you want to."

"Why would I laugh at that? Norman is a nice name." Harry lied.

"But it isn't' a proper name. Us Gargoyles are meant to be called things like Colossus the Crushed or Avalanche the Angry. Not Norman. Its stupid name me mum gave me. She said it would make me sound intelligent."

"Well it must have worked if you got employed at Hogwarts over everyone else." Harry said praising as he nodded his head vigorously. Stupid things generally followed movement better than words. They could see movement and unlike words, if you didn't like where it was going you could always hit it.

"Yeah. Perhaps. I never really thought of it like that." The Gargoyle said brightly as it picked at one its sausage sized teeth.

"I'm sure its very nice working for Dumbledore isn't it. You don't have to go out in the rain or anything."

"Yeah. I suppose it is nice like that. I don't like the rain. It's dangerous or us Gargoyles you know. If we go out in heavy rain we end up sinking in the mud. A lot of us go that way…" Normal said darkly.

"You mean die?" Harry asked as his brow furrowed.

"No. We don't die. It's just that when you disappear under the mud no one can ever find you and you get lost… Horrible way to go… and then there is always weathering…You need to wax regularly in the winter to make sure the cold doesn't cause your to crack up." He spoke, his eyes wide with fear at the sheer thought of it. Harry nodded understandably.

"And I expect the pay is good is it?"

"Pretty good. I hear about Gargoyles that get rich from fighting but I don't like the idea of that. Me mother always told me to use my head. I tried head butting this bully at school but it hurt loads so I decided to get an indoor job… the kind that doesn't involve squashing people and chuckling them into the next street."

"That sounds like you made a good decision then." Harry said as he wished his career choice could be as simple. You either hit people or you didn't.

"Yeah. Al things considered I think I'm pretty lucky. Me mum says she is lucky to have two boys like us. Me brother is a bit thin on brains but he still looks after her when I can't. I send her ten galleons every month I do." Norman beamed proudly.

"Well with all that going why would you be unhappy?" Harry asked as he stared at Norman who shifted under his gaze.

"I don't know. I guess I was just bored. You're not going to grass me upto Dumbledore are you? I need this job. It would break me mums heart if she found out I had been naughty.

Harry sighed to himself. Like Bunnyfluffers, Gargoyles were really the opposite of what you would expect.

"Don't worry Norman. I can see you're a good gargoyle. Probably the best I have met." Harry said as he chose not to disclose that he couldn't remember ever heaving met another Gargoyle before. "As long as you promise not to go jabbing anyone then I won't say anything. You do a good job and you should be proud. There is no need to poke or jab or attack anyone, unless it's a Death Eater." Harry said intelligently. Norman grinned at this remark.

"Oh yes. Your right I can hurt Death Eaters. Dumbledore said I should tear their god damn head off!" There was a stretch of silence that lasted for several seconds after this comment.

"Very nice."

Just then Harry caught the distant sound of Filch conversing with the disgustingly creepy Mrs. Norris several corridors away. Deciding that even though as a prefect he had every right to be strolling through the corridors after curfew, it may still appear a little suspicious to be caught in animated discussion with the Gargoyle outside of the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Being the sinister person Filch was, he would probably cook up some story about how Harry and Norman were plotting to overthrow Dumbledore and take the school and turn it into a night club.

"I have to go now." Harry said as he turned to Norman who had by now stopped sniffing and looked brighter and more cheerful than he had before. Norman, who being a Gargoyle, didn't have hearing to the same standard as Harry, listened for a moment longer before muttering to himself.

"I hate that cat. It always tries to do its business up against my stand. I would tear it's fir off if I was allowed… Then I could send it to me mum. She likes cats she does. Has it with mustard and mashed potatoes."

Harry laughed to himself. It would be no more than the cat deserved.

"No really, I need to go now." Harry said as he started turning to head off.

"Don't worry. I sort it out for you." Norman said with a salute. "You were nice to Norman so now you are a friend. Even if you are a fleshy person. I will crate a di… a diver…. Dive…" he stumbled as he tried to think of the word. "I will get in the way!" Gargoyles were good at that.

"Ok thanks." Harry said as he turned and dashed off as fast as he could.

As he rounded a corner he heard the two voices from where he had been.

"Have you seen anyone go this way?" Filch demanded as he faced Norman quizzically.

"I might have." Norman replied slyly.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I am not supposed to be talking to people such as yourself.

"What do you mean my kind? Filch snapped as he prodded Norman in the chest, which went by unnoticed to the colossus bulk of the gargoyle.

"I mean muggles!"

"I'm" not a muggle Filch said as he drew back in disgust at the thought of being called such a lowly creature. A loud shriek was heard echo down the corridors as Mrs. Norris had been trodden on.

"Well you don't look like a wizard. Always slinking about all shifty like. You sure your not up to something, muggle?" Norman asked as he leaned closer and surveyed the caretaker closely.

"I'm not a muggle!" Filch fumed as he stamped up and down.

"If you is not no muggle, then why can't you just magic yourself to find the students, rather than all this chasing around business?" Norman grinned as he gave Filch an elbow in the ribs which caused the caretaker to bend over, coughing and gasping for breath.

Harry expected the conversation went on for longer but it was tough to be sure, because at this point he had left hearing range and was now gliding along the corridor quickly. He turned off through a secret passageway that managed to skip two floors without actually having to go up at all. It was completely dark but so familiar to Harry that he could pas through it without looking. Of course it was just a single winding path that one couldn't possibly get lost on, but Harry managed to walk along without bumping into the wall at all.

He passed through the other end of the corridor, and after several more moments of walking he was in the common room. Filch hadn't managed to catch up with Harry, which was good to know. Clearly Norman possessed that ability which came only so naturally to him. Large people had a habit of standing in between you and where you wanted to be, and often said things like

"Step over that line and ill snap you neck like a stick, you little crap!" a gulp from the receiver was usually followed before a cautious reply.

"I'm the official line inspector you see."

"You will have to inspect your face when you get home, because if you try and get past me you won't recognise the mashed up meat on your shoulders..!"

As Harry slumped back in his bed he groaned. Ron was still off practising Quidditch. That matches were running late for the others. Apparently the trainers weren't impressed with anyone and so the hours were going on for long. There were only a few weeks till the match and if Harry hadn't got the best broom around and talents unrivalled by anyone else in the school then he would have been nervous. He would be nervous though. He knew that.

Only a moron would walk uncaringly into the biggest non professional match of the decade without being a little scared. It would be shows around the world and would be in every wizard paper from the Prophet to the Gnomes Monthly. The nerves would come later, and when they did they would sink into his very core like nails in card.

Harry didn't feel much like talking to anyone else. He couldn't say why, but perhaps it was due to jealousy. Jealous that they were able to get n with life so carefee and easy, whilst he had nothing but dangers and threats. Whilst they talked about what they would do on the weekend Harry would think about how he would probably end up dying. To tell the truth there were so many different days of dying it was a miracle that he was still alive now.

Ron was one of the few people who could appreciate Harry's love and hatred of everything normal. Ron had always been the same as Harry, yet the most different as was possible. He always wanted to be like Harry, be in the situations, yet when he finally got a chance, and faced death, the whole thing seemed to loose a lot of novelty. It was around this point in life that all the illusions boiled away and you found yourself standing with a murderer pointing a wand at you, and sitting at home on a Friday night eating crumpets and reading the newspaper suddenly seemed like a damn good idea.

Harry sighed to himself. Ron wasn't hear though. Any neither was Hermione, or any of the other people that really appreciated there was more behind a name and the claims of what he had done. There was a person. Harry wasn't just someone who defeated the dark lord. He was someone who actually did things besides that, who had a real life. Also all the claims to his fame weren't nearly as simple as they sound. It wasn't a case of wave a wand and say a spell. Few people really ever stopped and thought that if something went wrong, and it was a damn likely thing, then he would be dead. Having your life threatened was a pretty heavy thing to get over. Harry hadn't managed yet.

Custard. Not once had anyone cared to have a conversation about custard with him. Harry wondered why. Perhaps he had a different definition of custard from everyone else. He wasn't some sort of sauce freak or anything. Harry appreciated that it wasn't the sort of things wars were fought over, (with the exception on the 1664 banshee rebellion) the thing was however, that custard never threatened to kill you. It made a nice change from just about everything else. But no…boyfriends or girlfriends… Harry would like to have been able to have a conversation about it without a probably death creeping into the picture. Other people carrying on as if the darker things of life didn't exist. As if Harry's life didn't exist. It was enough to make him go insane. Sometimes he decided he probably had.

Harry closed his eyes as he lay on the bed with his eyes closed. There was a breeze blowing and it ruffled the hangings of Harry's bed causing it to brush against his hand. It was irritating yet at the same time calming. The sheet of material flowed backward and forwards like the ocean waves, except in red. The breeze wasn't however, at all pleasant. It was a cold night and Was causing a chill in the room which made Harry pull his blankets up right to his chin. He would have got out and closed the window, except he was in his bed, and that would mean being very cold for a few short moments.

No one else was in the dormitory, although it was late they were busy with homework or talk or simple things. Harry tried not to think about the latter. ?It usually put him in a bad mood. In the end he decided against closing the windows, and just lay curled up under his sheets, waiting to drift into the sleep which would shut out simple matters like being cold. His mid started to wonder over what Dumbledore had said earlier, and also over what hadn't been said. There was an awful lot Dumbledore hadn't said and it was these things which concerned him. You needed to be a bit crafty in order to hear what people aren't saying, but Harry had managed, and he didn't like it.

The way Dumbledore spoke, and the silences he left didn't seem to suggest a bright future for Cho. The way the conversations were entirely based around the land of Pharaphax through the Veil of Darkness told Harry that the headmaster had little faith in either of the two potions. Also the fact that he was so vague on the dates in question. He said that the portal between the normal world and Pharaphax would only open on the day after Christmas, and that Cho would die sometimes around the New Year. Well Harry knew death wasn't a science, except to a few deranged professors with hunched backed assistants named Igor. It was however close enough to worry. What it all boiled down to was if Cho could last long enough.

Harry knew that he would try as hard as he could. He was determined, and when he was determined things usually went the way he intended. You only needed to consider the fact that he himself was still alive. He had been pretty determined on that specific fact. If there was some way Cho knew what was going on then that would probably make life easier. They could tell her to wait and say what they were going to try and do, and it would make her rest at ease. Of course her soul probably wasn't happily wafting off to the big bright light.

Harry's thoughts then shifted again. There were two Veils of Darkness. He had to admit to himself, when he had heard mention of the Veil of darkness, or what he had thought it was, he had felt a momentary spark of hope. A hope that he might get his godfather back. Sirius could be alive couldn't he? Wasn't there even a slim chance? If there had been then it that had swiftly been extinguished by the revelation that they were in fact going no where near the Arc of Spirits. Talk about whizzing on somebody's fire.

This Pharaphax place he might be visiting, it sounded interesting, but dangerous as well. He shrugged it off, he was used to danger. If death was probable then Harry knew he would end up there… sooner or later. It was just a question of how many body parts he would arrive in. He sighed and rolled over, falling into a light uncomfortable sleep.