Chapter

Chapter 42

DISCALIMER: For the millionth time these characters are not mine

Author's note: Hey you guys! I can't tell you how sorry I am that I couldn't upload before this. I've been really busy and well one thing led to another. Anyway I feel this story has gone on long enough…so I'll be ending it soon. If anyone has any particular ending that they have thought of, please let me know. Anyway, humble apologies once more.

2 weeks later

"What do you mean that he's not coming?" Harry's voice thundered ominously in the silent room. All of them, Harry and his friends along with Snape, Remus and Sirius (who was in disguise) were gathered in the Headmaster's room in Hogwarts. Ginny placed a comforting hand on Harry's, equally shocked by the Headmaster's quiet announcement.

It was Monday morning and Harry had been all geared up to confront Voldemort when he came to visit Hogwarts on his publicity tour. But just as Harry had reached school, he was ushered into the Headmaster's room along with his friends where he got the shock of life when he saw Sirius there along with Remus. After a lot of murmuring and confused whisperings, the Headmaster had swept into the room with Snape striding in behind him.

The Headmaster had a deep frown on his face, as did Harry's uncle. No doubt they were discussing something regarding Voldemort. Harry soon found out what.

"No. He's not. I told him not to. I said that the school was having its exams. He already had some prestigious opening to go to anyway." The Headmaster said in a quiet voice which cut through the thick silence in the room like a knife.

"B-But why? Why would you do that when you knew how important it was for me to confront him?" Harry's stormy green eyes reflected his anguish and pain. And his deep anger at being thwarted. "How could you do that to me? How dare you do that to me?" Harry's chest was heaving with the effort of breathing through the tightness that was constricting his chest. Ginny could almost see the pain radiate off him in waves and cursed Voldemort and the entire situation for the millionth time. Harry had enough problems what with his deafness and his nightmares to have to start worrying about personal vendettas now.

Ginny and the others were worried sick about Harry. Harry had this mad idea that he could take on Voldemort and expose him for the murderer he was but Ginny wasn't so sure. It wasn't a question of whether she and the others had enough faith in Harry. They all would support him no matter what he did. But Ginny also knew that it was very easy to be carried away and disregard the cold facts that were there. Harry, though he appeared to be older than he was, was after all only 16 years old. And Voldemort was a seasoned killer dammit! He had already killed two people that they knew off and God knows how many others. He was ruthless and cold blooded and this oncoming award ceremony and its cash prize were important to him. Too important to leave any loosed ends which would allow a two year old murder case to expose him.
Ginny was aware of these facts even while Harry wasn't. She ran her gaze over the occupants in the room noticing that Ron and Luna were talking quietly in one corner, Draco had a somber expression on his face and for once, even Hermione wasn't as effervescent and bubbly as usual. Sirius and Remus were sitting with worried expressions on their faces. Harry had explained the situation with Sirius to all his friends, who had been ready to pounce on him if he so much so as looked at Harry. Even now, Ginny saw the skeptical way Ron and Draco were regarding Sirius, watching him for any funny moves.

Snape was standing behind the Headmaster, an outraged look on his face while the Headmaster just looked deeply grave. His hands were folded over his desk. Ginny's eyes slid back and forth between Harry and him.

"Potter! Mind your tongue! You have no right to speak to the-'' Snape said heatedly. The Headmaster cut him off by holding up a hand. Even, Harry who had been about to respond angrily to his uncle's diatribe, shut up and sat down. The Headmaster and he were locked in a silent stare for a minute before Harry shook his head in disgust and looked away.

The Headmaster waited for Harry to look at him again before he started signing, "Harry, believe you me, I know how much you want to avenge your parents, Sirius, your life as you knew it but confronting Voldemort without any proof or any proper facts would have achieved one and only one thing. Voldemort would have become aware of your presence and then he would have come after you. And we wouldn't have been able to do a single thing." Everybody sat there shocked as Ron translated what the Headmaster had just said.

However, for all Harry knew, it was just the Headmaster and him in that room at that moment. The Headmaster continued, he too ignoring the avid attention of the others. His main concern was for Harry to understand what he was saying.

"Do you think that by just openly accusing him, he'll confess and then he'll be put in jail?" Snape put in, his voice dripping with derision.

Harry blushed as he realized that was exactly what he had expected. He thought that he would go in with all guns blazing and then come out a blazing hero. That was probably all that would be left of him if Voldemort got his hands on him, Harry thought with wry amusement. A blaze.

"I see you did. Really Potter, when will you stop being an idiotic show off like your father and for once in your life think with your brain instead of your ego?" Harry was surprised at these malicious words. He had really thought that he had achieved an understanding with his uncle. Never in his wildest dreams would he ever realize that this was his uncle's albeit weird way of showing concern.

Sirius as usual took immediate umbrage. "Why you little-!"

"Silence!!" This time Dumbledore's voice thundered across the room, causing Hermione to jump nervously. Even Draco, who was normally the epitome if calm, looked a little shaken. He clutched Hermione's hand tightly desperately wishing he was someplace else. The thought of what his father would do to him if he ever realized what Draco was aiding…no, participating in, made him even paler.

Sirius and Snape would have come to blows had the Headmaster now uttered that one command. The room was once again filled with a thick tension. Harry rested his forehead against his hand, in a gesture of being completely fed up. What the bloody heck was going on? He wondered, tightly screwing up his eyes in a bid for patience. He took a few deep breaths in, thankful for Ginny's quiet support when she squeezed his hand lightly.

After a minute, he raised determined eyes to the Headmaster and said, "So what do we have to do?"

Harry was walking through the corridor towards his homeroom when he felt someone come running up beside him. He raised his eyes heavenwards in a quiet bid for patience. He was not in the mood to talk to anybody right now. Not even Ginny.

He slowed his footsteps and turned towards his unwanted companion. It turned out to be a slim boy around his age, if not a year younger. He had a camera around his neck and was red from the exertion of keeping up with Harry.

Once he realized Harry was looking at him, he immediately straightened his tired posture and stuck out his hand towards Harry, a friendly smile on his face. "Phew! Hi Harry. I'm a really big fan of yours. I'm with the school newspaper. I guess you wouldn't know of me huh?" He said with a hopeful expression.

But when he saw the blank look on Harry's face, he rushed to introduce himself," Oh! Um, no problem. My name is Collin Creevy. Photographer with the school newspaper. I was hoping I could get your picture. You're a tough man to get hold of. I've been calling out your name for the past few minutes but I guess you didn't hear huh?"

A wave of discomfort flooded through Harry at the mention of his disability, staining his cheeks with hot color. "Um…Well." He mumbled, feeling a little cross at having to deal with this along with everything else.

However, it soon gave way to amusement when he saw how red Collin's face had become when he realized what he just said. The look on Collin's expression suggested that he wished the school floor would open him and up swallow him. The red color staining Collin's cheeks clashed horribly with his red hair.

He started backing away while stuttering an apology, "S-s-sorry!" In his embarrassment he didn't realize that he was backing into Draco who had come in search of Harry.

Draco responded true to form as Harry winced at Collin's plight. "Hey watch it kid! Buzz off with the camera before I strangle you with it. And watch where you're going!"

If possible, Collin flushed a deeper red. He still managed to take a quick picture of an amused Harry before running off like the dogs of hell were after him.

"Kids these days! Have no respect!" Draco said as he strode over to Harry's side. "So..uh..you ok?" he said, referring to the scene in the Headmaster's room, awkwardly patting Harry on the shoulder.

Harry responded with equal grace, "Yeah..um..fine."

"Yeah well..you know the chicks get all…you know" Draco muttered, totally mystified as to how to ask Harry if he was ok. The mission Hermione had sent him on.

"Yeah man…Fine." Harry repressed the urge to shuffle his feet. Draco was praying really hard that noone else was around to see this awkward bonding between Harry and him. It was so uncool. Harry felt exactly the same way.

"Well um, what class do you have right now?" Draco eagerly grasped that topic as a lifeline.

Even Harry seemed relieved that the awkward moment had passed. "I have the violin."

"Practical?" Draco asked with raised eyebrows, aware of the implications.

"Yeah. Practical." Harry answered defensively, waiting for Draco to comment.

Draco just said, "Well best of luck… You're going to need it."