It was hard for Harry to be patient through his recovery. He had never been one for sitting still, never having had the opportunity during his formative years. The few times he had fallen ill, Petunia had glared at him in disgust, and sent him outside to do yard work so that he didn't contaminate her Duddykins, but that was in the days before…..the days before Percival. The long hours of rest were draining, but according to Madame Pomphrey re-growing a Liver was a nasty business (now where had he heard that before?), without taking into account his kidneys.
Somehow, he came to be sitting facing Severus Snape who had brought an enquiry from the Headmaster. The whole situation was somewhat confusing to Harry. Why hadn't Dumbledore just visited him, himself?
"The Headmaster wishes to know, how you are feeling Mr Potter," Snape stated.
A surprised laugh, emerged from Harry's lips, before he sobered upon seeing Snape's frown, "Oh! You're serious."
"Do not compare me to that Mutt!" Harry noted the slight twist to the corner of his mouth.
"Did…did you just make a joke Sir?" Harry wondered out aloud in his shock.
"Just answer the question, Potter," Snape said dryly.
"You haven't asked one yet," Harry grinned. Then continued more sombrely, "It's just weird. If Dumbledore was actually interested in me why didn't he just come down here and ask himself? It's like he's concerned for me but at the same time he's not. Or maybe he just wants to appeared concerned?"
"Do not start! Are you well?"
"To be honest Sir, I feel terrible. I'm tired all the time. Yesterday I fell asleep in the middle of eating breakfast! Percival had to take my cup of tea so I didn't burn myself tipping it over! Every part of me aches and ….." he let out a puff of air that moved his fringe. "It doesn't do to focus on it. I'm getting better, I didn't sleep as much today as I did yesterday, and I've been able to start catching up on the schoolwork I've missed. Including completing the pop quiz that Madame Umbridge set me."
"I had heard about the last. It seems she was most displeased that you managed to score so well. In fact, I believe you out scored every class who took the test."
Harry had heard about it too, Ron had reported that several students had been given detention over the results.
"But this is not what I mean." Snape continued, "Albus wants to know if your scar has been acting up. Have you been having any unusual feelings, urges or visions?"
"No," Harry shook his head, looking up at his teacher shyly. "Though can I tell you something in confidence?"
"Go ahead Mr Potter, be aware if it affects your health, I may advise your Godfather or your Healer."
"It's ok they already know." Harry waived away the concern. "I had been getting feelings that I knew came from outside of myself. They started after the tournament. I assume you know where they are coming from, because of this Percival has been teaching me Occlumency. He says I am doing well. If I remember to practice every night, then I don't have any trouble. Every time something has come through since I started learning, it has been because I have gone several nights without."
"The Headmaster is expecting you to experience more visions, I am unsure of the reasoning behind this. He seems to think that you might be able to tell us Riddle's next move. I was to encourage you to advise the Mutt when they occur. However, I would also encourage you to continue practicing your Occlumency. Any potential gain that could be made by seeing what the Dark Lord is up to, is far outweighed by the potential for him to find out about the link and to turn it to his advantage. He would use it to trick, deceive or possibly drive you mad. Just how proficient is Mr Graves?" he wondered out loud. The boy was only months older than Harry and Occlumency was an incredibly difficult thing to teach. "I believe I shall need to check your barriers, though you need to recover first. It is unlikely that we will find time to do this before the winter holidays, but we will arrange something by the time we return after Yule."
"What about our trip to explore the chamber?" Harry pressed. "Will we have time for that?"
With a long-suffering sigh, the dour man replied, "I suppose I did promise. But first you need to be able to manage all those stairs!"
Harry groaned dramatically but still did another round of the exercises Healer Addison prescribed, as soon as the Professor was replaced by Percival. In the end it was Percival who told Harry how he came to be so ill.
"You became sick right after breakfast so we assume that someone slipped a potion into your tea or the milk you used in your porridge. It must have contained Elderberry…"
"Which caused the reaction," Harry nodded.
"And with the other symptoms, it was probably in a cleansing potion."
"I never thanked you did I?" Harry asked thoughtfully, a cute crinkle in his brow.
"For what?"
"For getting me up here. It can't have been a very pleasant thing to do! It's all a bit foggy to me," Harry continued to frown.
"Well, it wasn't the best thing I have ever had to do, but it wasn't the worst either. I'm not surprised that you don't remember. I had to carry you from the third floor."
"Oh Perce, I'm sorry I didn't mean to be so much trouble."
"It's hardly your fault someone spiked your tea is it? I'm just glad that I was there to help."
Harry nodded, "I mean it though. Thank you." He tipped his head to the side, "It was Hermione wasn't it?"
Percival gave a wry grin, "It seems like she is the most likely culprit. Especially if she thinks I have been giving you potions".
"Which we discussed on the first night back." He let out a sigh, "I suppose at least that means it wasn't a deliberate attempt at hurting me. I don't think she would know about my allergy. How do we get her to stop?"
"I really don't know."
Percival didn't mention the other thing that Hermione had done. In fact he wouldn't have mentioned it to anyone at all if Ron hadn't confronted him about it, as he figured that her disfiguring was enough of a consequence. Now both boys were keeping a close watch on the girl. Unsurprisingly Harry was almost the only student to be able to hold a conversation with Hermione, during the two weeks she waited for the word to disappear, that managed to look her in the eye. She had certainly been a lot more subdued during that fortnight, however it remained to be seen whether it would have any long last affects.
Delores had a plan! Oh she couldn't wait. If she was lucky she would remove that little pawn from the playing field permanently. It was just a pity that she couldn't act on it immediately. No, too many questions would raised if she tried right now. However by Christmas everyone would have forgotten this little incident and then she could do what she liked. Maybe Cornelius would give her a reward. He wasn't a bad boss really, though she did wonder if he was ambitious enough. She picked up her pink chintz patterned china cup of tea, and smirked. Well she could always have him replaced if he wasn't living up to her expectations, now couldn't she.
Finally, Remus had made it to the camp. It was nothing much, merely a collection of tents around the edge of a large clearing in the forest.
"The wanderer returns!" a sarcastic voice called.
Turning around quickly, Remus caught sight of the wolf who had spoken. He was big, certainly bigger than Remus, a solid tower of sinew and muscle topped with thick blonde hair.
"Aiden," Remus replied with a friendly smile. "It's been a while."
"You never come without a reason," the man stated flatly.
It was a much more aggressive response than Remus had been expecting, "Have…have I offended you in some way?"
"Remus," the man looked him in the eye. "You are a wizard, and we respect the choice that you made. Look around you….." with a wide sweep of one arm he gestured to the village. "We are not a wizarding people. We are a people, who have been victimised, bullied and thrown out like the rubbish that lines the streets of London. When you last came, you helped us by educating the children. It was appreciated, but the moment you heard from that man, you left the children behind. Were they not worthy of your attention?"
Remus opened his mouth and took a breath. It took another exhalation before he felt he had formed a worthy reply. "You are right," he acknowledged, "what I did was wrong. I dropped everything when he called. You're not the first in recent days to point out that I have been following him blindly."
Remus turned and took a few steps over to a fallen log, he sat before continuing, "It wasn't just him this last time. It was the opportunity to meet my best friends' son. He was hidden away from me when James died. It was the one chance I had to meet my …..pup."
"You feel that much for the boy?" Aiden sat beside the frail man, stern demeanour softening somewhat.
"I do, but he doesn't feel the same way. He…it was him that pointed out that I have allowed the debt, I felt that I owed to Albus Dumbledore for enabling me to attend Hogwarts, to grow into a thing that could be used to control me at the cost of my own family. My pup was…..he was neglected and I fell for every one of Dumbledore's pretty platitudes. I've been looking you know, into what he had done for everyone else. Do you know what I realised….I realised he hadn't done a damn thing. There has not been another werewolf since me to attend Hogwarts. None of the laws have been repealed, they've only been added to."
Remus, dropped his head into his hands.
"I know. Why are you here now?"
"He..Albus wanted me to come and persuade the tribes to join his side in the fight against Tom Riddle."
"Who?"
"It's the real name of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. There is some thought that his other name might be a Taboo once again."
Aiden snorted, "What's he offering us?"
"That's the thing," Remus said with a derisive laugh. "Nothing! He has nothing more to offer than last time."
"You said he wanted you to do this, but what are you actually here to do?" Aiden raised a brow in challenge.
"I….I'm here to warn you. These…." he looked around the clearing. "These are your family. Protect them as you can. Get away from the isles if it is at all possible. I believe both sides, want nothing more than to use you. I loved working with the kids, teaching…" he collapsed into his hands again.
A warm hand found his shoulder, "What warning Remus?"
"Tom Riddle has risen again, Dumbledore is opposing him, but I fear he is not as light as any of us want to believe. I am in too deep, and can not get away, but you and the children, get them…keep them safe!"
"You are a good man Remus, thank you for your warning. Where are you going next?"
"I still have to try, so I guess I will head to speak to Soren. And then I must try Fenrir's pack, maybe some can be convinced to find their own path."
"You will find no welcome there. Everyone of them is as vicious as their Alpha. That's a suicide mission."
"Yeah, so Sirius said."
"At least rest the night. Greet the children for they have missed you. Renee has taken over the lessons. She is not as knowledgeable as you, but she tries hard."
"She was always very patient."
"Come, eat and sleep before you continue."
"Thank you, and Aiden. For what little it's worth, I'm sorry."
A firm clapped on the shoulder was the only acknowledgement Remus received.
A small group of fifth years had taken to meeting in one of the empty classrooms on the third floor. When they first discovered it, held a few broken desks and chairs that had been left abandoned over the years, With Harry's skill, born from picking over Dudley's old toys and repairing anything useful, and the help of Dobby, they had mostly been fixed up and pushed together. The truly damaged ones had been removed by the house elves. There was even a small bookshelf against one wall, and a couch, that Dobby had popped into the room from only the Gods knew where.
It was a comfortable space, where they could bring their problems and homework, when they wanted a place to get away from their common rooms. They had been joined over time, by a half dozen of the younger students, who had requested mentoring, Fred, George and Lee, who were always looking for a quiet out of the way spot to work on prank items and the Gryffindor chasers. While most were Gryffindors, Luna had turned up the night after Harry, had finished repairing the furniture, dragging a couple of bean bags behind her. Sometime around the start of the second week, they had also been joined by a couple of first-year Hufflepuffs, Hannah Abbot and oddly enough Blaise Zabini from Slytherin. Ron had studied the boy intently at first, but as he sat right down and help a third year Gryffindor with her runes Homework, he was content keeping an eye on the situation.
Currently Harry was standing beside Neville and Ron on the far side of the room, working on blasting hexes, which they were aiming at small blocks of wood, that were floating against the wall. Percival was practicing shields with Fay, Dennis and Colin in the middle of the room to prevent any shrapnel created flying and disturbing the students sitting at the desks. As usually Luna was sitting on a bean bag, head on the floor and legs in the air, reading the Quibbler.
"Bombarda!"
"Confringo!"
Two blocks burst.
"Well done, now we need to have them move," Harry lifted his wand.
"But! I thought you said it was all about accuracy, managing to hit a small target, or something," Ron protested.
"Well it is. Imagine that you are facing off against a Death Eater, but they are standing over against the wall there," Harry pointed. "In the middle, you might have, Neville. You don't want to hit him! You want to be able to hit whatever small piece of the Death Eater you can see."
"But why must it move Harry, it's too hard!"
"Death Eaters aren't going to just stand there and let you take pot shots at them Ron. Worse yet they'll be firing back at you, but we'll work on combining different moves later."
"Argh!" Ron groaned, but lifted his wand wearily. He wouldn't give up, but sometimes it was hard work being Harry's best friend.
There was a sharp rapping at the door, before it was pushed open, to bang against the wall. Cho Chang blushed heavily as she was revealed in the door way.
"Um….sorry. But someone mentioned there was a study group….and ah…I thought…..I might…..if….it's alright?" her friend Marietta Edgecombe was standing in her shadow, a number of books clenched in her arms.
Harry just shrugged and turned back to Neville and Ron, with a flick and a swish, he conducted the blocks in their swaying from side to side, like the pendulum on a pair of Grandfather clocks.
Another week passed and the room was no longer the quiet haven that it had started out as. It seemed to have morphed into some sort of inter-house meeting place. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but didn't have the same atmosphere the group had been looking for originally. Somewhere along the line, Hermione had come in and started tutoring all and sundry, the Ravenclaw sixth years had taken over the bookshelf and couch, while the Hufflepuff second years refused to leave the beanbags. It was now impossible to practice spell casting for fear of hitting someone, and it was only a matter of time before Umbridge found them and booted them all out.
Harry looked around the room with a sigh, "I wish there was somewhere else we could go?"
"I suppose we could move to another room?" Percival shrugged. "Now they have this, I doubt that all of them would follow."
"Where though,"
"The snuffle gouts told me that they have been hibernating on the fifth floor," Luna said as she walked up beside them.
"In that case lead the way, Luna," Harry smiled.
The room was perfect, well it was a suite of rooms really. Sometime in the past, a Professor wanting a larger teaching space had half opened up the space between their office and the classroom. There was a large open space, that had obviously once been the classroom, with an adjoining alcove, about the size of one of the teachers offices. Through a door in the alcove that was perpendicular to the classroom, was another set of rooms, that must have once been the professors' private quarters, consisting of a small sitting room, bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom, had enough, ventilation and space that they could use it for potions. The sitting room, would be ideal for a quiet study area, and the open spaces would work for spell casting a group study.
Harry sighed. There of course was a problem, while he didn't like the size that the group had grown to, having been so often excluded by the Dursley's he really didn't want to exclude anyone. Though it would be nice to have something just for themselves.
Luna and Percival watched the warring emotions drift across Harry's face.
"I…" his brow crinkled. "I…."
"We don't have to tell them," Percival said.
"But it's….selfish…."
"The snuffle gouts, don't want just everyone here, Harry," Luna said firmly. "I think we should encourage the nargles to stay away, don't you think, Percival?" Her luminous silver gaze drifted up to meet his eyes.
"I think that can probably be arranged. How about an intent based ward?" he asked.
"Can we do that in the school?" Harry asked.
"I don't see why not,"
"Should we just ask Hogwarts? Maybe she could put up wards for us?"
They pressed their hands to the cool stone, it was an odd feeling, a mix of positive and negative emotions.
"I guess not."
"It's alright Harry, and how about we split our time. We can get quiet study done here, and then head over to the other room, to chat with everyone else, so nobody is left out."
They called Dobby, and asked him to see if there was anymore abandoned furniture that they could use. It only took half an hour to transform the room. Percival had engraved, several chunks of black tourmaline with the runes that would keep the room from being noticed. Harry and Luna cleaned out the rooms, and made sure the furniture was all in good order and Dobby provided them with more desks, chairs and a large purple bean bag.
"It's perfect," Harry smiled as they left pulling the door shut behind them.
The trick was to spend enough time in, what they now dubbed, the rec (recreational) room, that no-one really noticed them missing. There was of course the usual group, that followed them over to the new 'study', but this time the secret was well kept.
It was the last Friday before Christmas Holidays, and the 'rec' room, was buzzing with activity. Dobby had apparently taken it upon himself to decorate the room for Christmas. There was a hundred golden baubles suspended from the ceiling and a banner hung over the middle of the room that read: HAVE A VERY HARRY CHRISTMAS!
Harry only just managed to get it down before the door creaked open and Luna entered, looking as dreamy as usual.
"Hello," she said vaguely, looking around at what remained of the decorations. "These are nice, did you put them up?
"No," said Harry, "It was Dobby."
"Mistletoe," said Luna dreamily, pointing at a large clump of white berries, placed almost over Harry's head. He jumped out from under it, feeling thankfully it wasn't one of the bunches he had seen Fred and George enchanting that afternoon.
"Good thinking," said Luna very seriously. "It's often infested with Nargles."
Harry grinned. As the room began to fill he wondered at the changes. Blaise Zabini, was seated next to a fourth year Ravenclaw. Terry Boot , was asking for help with his Arithmancy homework, from Daphne Greengrass who had turned up with her sister Astoria, just the previous week. There was a smattering of other Slytherins, spread throughout the room, chatting away.
"Harry?" a soft voice, interrupted his thoughts.
"Oh," he turned to see Cho, standing beside him a sheet of parchment in her hand. "Hi Cho."
"Could…I…just," she flushed. "Um, well, you see I have this defence homework to do. It's not actually for Umbridge, but from the Newt papers I found in the library. They say that you're the one to come to for help?"
"I'm only fifth year Cho. I haven't even sat my owls yet," Harry tried to deflect her away, the way she was looking at him made him feel decidedly uncomfortable.
"I know, but even with Umbridge's lesson you still do the best. Could you have a look?" she asked.
"I guess, but don't be upset if …." he held out his hand for the parchment. Her giggle, when their fingers brushed, made Harry frown. Protego, Stupefy, Impedimenta, Petrificus Totalus, Bombarda, Expelliarmus, they had covered every spell on the list last year, while he had been studying for the tournament, none of them were particularly difficult. "Um… Are you having trouble with these."
Cho, looked at him, dipping her head so she had to look through her fringe, her eyelashes fluttered a couple of times as she nodded, smiling at him coyly.
He shrugged, he looked around half expecting Percival to scold him, but couldn't see his friend anywhere. "I guess. I know them. What are you having problems with?"
They cleared a corner of the room while it was still early enough that they had the space. Half an hour later, Harry left Cho to her practice and made his way over to where Marietta Edgecombe was asking Percival questions about Runes. As soon as she saw Harry approaching, she bounced away to her friend.
"I could have used your help earlier you know," Harry said as he pulled out his homework and sat down.
Percival smirked, "You seemed to be doing alright on your own, when I got here."
They weren't alone for long, it seemed that everyone had come to the room, and it turned into some sort of odd Christmas party. It was a long time before the room began to quieten down. Harry was lying on the floor with his head beside Luna's. She was lying inverted on the bean bag once again, head next to Harry's, legs supported by the beanbag, and feet in the air. They were taking turns hovering the Quibbler in front of their faces, trying to do it wandlessly.
"I'd best go," Luna murmured. "Merry Christmas Harry." She plucked the magazine from the air, let her feet fall over her head in a somersault and stood up. "See you next term."
"Bye Luna, have a Great Christmas."
"Happy Yule, Potter," the contingent of Slytherins said as they sauntered over to the exit as a group.
He gave them a lazy wave, "Happy Yule. Blessings be."
Slowly he rolled over, stood up and made a pile of beanbags in the corner so they were out of the way. He heard a hearty sniff and turned to see Cho standing in the middle of the room, tears pouring down her face.
"Wha?"
He didn't know what to do. She was simply standing there crying quietly.
"What's wrong?" he said, uncomfortably.
She shook her head and wiped her eyes on her sleeve,
"I'm - sorry," she said thickly. "I suppose…it's just….learning all this stuff….it makes me wonder…..whether if he'd known it all…..he'd still be alive."
Harry's heart went out to the girl. He ought to have known that she needed to talk about Cedric, and who else would understand?
"He did know this stuff," Harry said quietly. "He was really, really good at it. He had to have been or he would never have got to the middle of the maze. He would never have been selected for the tournament at all. But if …someone as evil as that wants you dead, you don't stand much of a chance."
She hiccoughed loudly, "You survived when you were a baby."
"Yeah, well," Harry said wearily, edging towards the door. "It wasn't anything I did, so it is nothing for me to be proud over."
"Oh, don't go!" said Cho, sounding tearful again. "I'm really sorry to get all upset like this….I didn't mean to.."
She hiccoughed again. "I know it must be horrible for you," she aid mopping her eyes on her sleeve again. "Me mentioning Cedric, when you saw him die….I suppose you want to forget about it?"
"It's no more horrible than it is for you, to have to live without him," Harry said. When she started crying again he wondered if he would have been better not saying anything at all.
"You're a r-really good teacher, you know," said Cho, with a watery smile. "I've never been able to stun anything before."
"Thanks," Harry replied awkwardly.
They looked at each other for a long moment. Harry felt a burning desire to run from the room, but decided that he would feel worse leaving the girl, who was so obviously distressed, alone.
"Mistletoe," said Cho quietly pointing at the ceiling over his head.
"Yeah. It's probably full of Nargles though."
"What are Nargles?"
"No idea, you'd have to ask Luna."
Cho made funny noise, halfway between a sob and a laugh.
"I really like you Harry."
His head flicked around so fast that his neck cracked, and he discovered to his surprise that she was standing so close to him now that he could have counted every freckle on her nose. She was much too close, he could even see the tear still clinging to her eyelashes.
Harry returned to the common room half an hour later to find Percival sitting with Ron and Hermione in the best seats by the fire; nearly everybody else had gone to bed. Hermione was writing a very long letter; she had already filled half a roll of parchment, which dangled from the edge of the table. It was nights like this when she was busy working away that Harry remembered how they all used to get along. Ron was lying on the hearthrug, finishing his transfiguration homework.
"What kept you?" Percival asked, as Harry sank into the armchair next to his.
Harry didn't answer. He appeared to be in a state of shock. Half of him wanted to tell them what had happened, and the other wanted to take the secret with him to the grave.
"Are you alright Harry?" Hermione asked, peering at him over the tip of her quill.
Harry gave a half-hearted shrug, and when Percival's hand touched his shoulder, he almost sighed in relief.
"What's up?" said Ron, hoisting himself up on his elbow to get a cleared view of Harry. "What happened?"
Harry, didn't know quite how to tell them. More importantly he didn't know what to say to Percival.
"Is it Cho?" Hermione asked in a business-like manner.
"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to Harry," Percival tried to reassure him, but was cut off by Hermione.
"Did she corner you after everyone left?"
Numbly surprised and feeling vaguely ill, Harry nodded.
"What did she- er want?" Ron asked casually.
"She…." Harry began hoarsely, he cleared his throat and tried again. "She -er"
"Did you kiss?" asked Hermione briskly.
Ron sat up so fast he sent his ink bottle flying all over the rug. Disregarding this completely, he flicked his gaze from Harry to Percival and back again.
Harry, starred at Percival's blank face, "She…'issed me!"
"What?" said Ron.
"She kissed me. I was standing there, and she was crying about Cedric and I sort of tried to comfort her. To be frank I mustn't have been very good at it because it made her cry more and then she kind of sprang at me!" He was pale, accept for two very bright red marks on his cheeks and he had dropped his eyes, refusing to look at Percival now.
"Well!" said Ron. "How was it?"
"Wet!" Harry said without thinking about it.
"You can't say that Harry! Oh the poor girl. Cho spends half her time crying these days. At mealtimes, in the loos, all over the place. I bet she's all confused because she likes you, but she still likes Cedric, and she probably feels guilty for liking you after what happened to Cedric. Then there is the fact that you were there, that has to complicate matters as well."
"I didn't know what to do," Harry said lamely, looking up slightly at Percival. "I pulled away and tried to explain that I wasn't interested…"
"Oh Harry, you could have been a bit nicer to her. I know she's not Ginny but…still it could have been worse."
"I don't really see how," Harry murmured. "I just hope she understands that I'm really not interested. I think she's more confused than anything else."
"Well, as amusing as it is hear about you embarrassing yourself Harry, now that I have finished this," Ron waved is parchment in the air. "I'm off to bed."
Hermione sighed, "Yes, I think I'll finish this in the morning. Goodnight."
Harry waited for them to leave, his face resting in the his hands. It was not until he was sure that they were gone and he and Percival were alone that he looked up.
"I…." he began, but his throat squeezed shut.
"She pounced at you?" Percival asked with a raised eyebrow, and an amused smirk.
Harry nodded, "It was awful. If that is kissing, I don't think I want to know about it."
"Really," Percival said archly. "Come on. If you are this traumatised over a little kiss, you had best go to bed to recover. Time to go upstairs." He held out his hand and when Harry took it, he pulled the smaller boy to his feet. They stood for a moment chest to chest, Harry looking up into Percival's dark eyes. As Percival leaned down, Harry closed his eyes. There was the gentlest feeling of warmth as their lips met briefly.
They were again, standing in Myrtle's bathroom, clustered around the sink. This time Harry and Percival had been given detention for failing to complete their potion on time. Harry had brushed his hair off his face and Snape had jumped on the opportunity, claiming that it was unhygienic and hair must have fallen in not only his potion but Percival's. He had vanished their work in the last moments of class leaving the pair nothing to hand in. Not that either minded, knowing that he had either seen enough to give them a mark or would let them brew it again later.
"Open," the more Harry used it the easier speaking Parseltongue was becoming. Certainly, Harry could now tell when he spoke it and could use it in the absence of a snake.
Once again, the stairs appeared, after so many nights of detention rendering the carcass, there was no longer any hesitation in entering the tunnel. The second portal was opened, and they moved into the chamber. Only it wasn't the same. Someone, Harry, highly suspected Dobby, had been cleaning. The scum, cobwebs, and insects had all been cleared away and sconces now flickered brightly on the walls. It was practically…cheery!
"Dobby?" Harry called.
"Yes Master Harry Potter Sir," the Elf said, grinning happily.
"Have you been cleaning up in here?"
"No Sir," Dobby pulled at the little uniform he was wearing.
Noting that the Elf fidgeted a bit guiltily Percival asked, "Do you know who has?"
Dobby opened his eyes as wide as they would go, and made a great show of peering around the room. He stuck out his tongue, licked his finger and held it in the air, as one might test wind direction. Finally, when he was happy that no one was watching them he nodded.
"Well who is it Elf?" Snape demanded impatiently, earning a glare from Harry.
"It be Winky!" Dobby whispered dramatically.
"Winky?" Harry said in surprise. "But you said she was depressed and has a problem with…"
With a snap of his fingers Dobby took away Harry's ability to speak, "We does not speak of it, Harry Potter Sir."
It was only the second time Harry had seen Dobby upset, the first time being with Mr Malfoy though that was anger, he swallowed and nodded. Another snap restored his voice.
"Sorry Dobby!"
"Winky be's trying to impress so she be finding a new family too."
"But who is going to see the chamber? Surely, she won't find a new family here. Only the three of us ever come down here," Severus said.
"Harry Potter be seeing," Dobby said nodding smugly.
"Yes, but Dobby I have you. And I barely have enough work to keep you occupied at the moment!" Harry protested.
"Dobby told Winky about Harry Potter Sir's Godfather's house, lots to do there."
"But Sirius has Kreacher."
"Kreacher is being old, and needing help," Dobby said dismissively.
"Why Sirius though?"
Snape hummed thoughtfully, "Because Barty Crouch Senior's wife was Lacerta Black. So Winky would still be working for someone in the family, especially if she was Mrs Crouch's elf before she got married."
Dobby nodded happily.
"All right Dobby. Could you thank Winky for the work that she's done, and tell her I promise I'll talk to Sirius?" The Elf nodded. "How are you going finding….."
Dobby looked at him with a frown. "Don't be giving secrets! Dobby's job is to protect Harry Potter Sir's secrets."
"Right, um. Well how are you going looking for that book?"
Dobby tugged at his ears.
"Don't punish yourself Dobby!"
"Can't find it anywhere. Have followed the bearded goat everywhere. Is not here."
"That's ok, we'll have to have a think about where it could be hidden, and come back to it later. In the meantime, could you try and find any of my parents old text books for me, maybe their school trunks? It would mean a lot."
Happy to have another mission the Elf popped away.
"Well, it all the interruptions are over, I suggest we get moving before it is time for curfew!" Snape said brusquely.
"Yes Sir," Harry agreed, eagerly and led them to the back of the room, where the mouth to Slytherin's statue still stood open. "Um, are there any detection spells we should try?"
"Revelare," Snape's wand slashed, there was a flash of light, and then nothing.
"Maybe try it in Parseltongue?" Percival suggested.
Harry hissed, there was the tell tale flash of success but nothing was revealed. "Right so if we can go on then?"
Percival pulled him back as he went to step into the opening, "Not you first."
"But…" Harry looked at him quizzically.
Percival slapped Harry on the back of the head, and hissed "Now I know why you need a Shield, because you are incapable of taking care of yourself!"
He glared into Harry's green eyes, until he saw them drop, and a blush crawl over the other boys cheeks. The spy said nothing but saw it all, making a mental note to confront the boy later.
"Not you either, Sir!" Percival sniped as their professor made to move. Snape turned his glare on the boy, who met it with a supremely unimpressed one of his own. "Not only are you a Spy for Riddle, but you practically live in Dumbledore's pocket. We have no known way of explaining it should something happen to you down here. I have received some unique training at home that means I am the best choice. If something goes wrong we can just put it down to an accident while practicing spells unsupervised, or exposure to a toxic combination of potions ingredients."
With a slight incline of his head, Snape stepped back and allowed Percival to lead the way into the room, beyond the opening. It was a simple stone room, that had a spiral path that lead up the inside of the statue. At the top they could just see a platform, presumably for the snake to rest its head on and gaze out of Salazar's eyes. At the back was an arch, through which they found another simple chamber with a tunnel on the opposite wall, and a door to the right. A quick glance revealed the tunnel was likely built specifically for the serpents access.
"I believe that will lead up and out to the forrest," Snape commented, as he returned from walking a few steps in. "The walls aren't sealed, thought the edges are smoothed off the stones, on all sides, with wear. At some point we might need to consider how to seal it."
"Well that leaves…" Harry pointed to the wooden door, he hissed. In the aftermath of the flash the door shone blue.
"Well, the question is did Riddle find this room, when he was a student here? Or was the last person to enter Salazar Slytherin?" Snape mused.
"No, I think the question is…" Percival paused as Harry approached the door. "Harry, stop!"
The boy paused, glanced at them for a moment, before turning back to the door. Percival reached out and shook him by the arm, "Let me try, you promised you would listen."
The oath bought Harry to a stand still, "ok."
"Good. Revelare," the door glowed blue again. "Right." Percival raised his wand, and cast several other detection spells, some left the door glowing and others did not. It was rather impressive the way his wand slashed and whirled, emitting quite a light show. Snape raised a brow, at some of the spells, there were several he had never heard of. Special training indeed. Eventually Percival stopped with a sigh, and turned to Harry.
"I believe that it has been spelled with Parseltongue. It just seems to be sealed so a simple, Finite, or Alohamora should be enough. Try finite, first," he stepped back.
Harry hissed at the door. Then nodded at Percival who pushed the door open, to reveal what appeared to be a study. A single row of books sat on a shelf that was attached to the wall over the desk. There was another door, in the wall opposite to the one they had entered by, but they left that alone for the time being.
"Try the revealing spell again Harry," Percival prompted.
Nothing further was revealed.
"Well this seems, slightly underwhelming," Snape commented. As he glanced over the contents of the desk. Harry stared at the painting on the wall, which seemed strange in its frozen state. "Harry can you read this?" Snape held out the book he had picked up.
Taking it Harry glanced at the pages, "It's a diary. Can't you read it?" At the shake of Snape's head, he flipped to the last page, "I leave this to you the next Heir of Slytherin. Be not deceived as I have been. Things are not well at Hogwarts," he read aloud. "It seems rather ominous."
"But was it written by Slytherin or Riddle?" Percival asked.
Harry flicked through the pages, "There is more than one style of writing here, and the words change slightly. This is the last in the book, so it would have to be Riddle, wouldn't it?"
He carefully placed the book on the desk, uncertain as to whether he wanted to read it or not. Raising his eyes he found the books on shelf. "The Art of Altruism, Healing Potions, Practical Parselmagic for the Healer. They don't really sound like the sorts of titles that Tom Riddle would read do they?" he looked at Snape.
"I can see you do not wish to read the diary Potter, but it might be the only way we can find out, what has happened here."
"I'm unsure," Harry acknowledged. "After…..what happened in the chamber with Ginny, I'm cautious however I also don't want to leave it lying around the dorm. Can you imagine what would happen if it was found? It also doesn't feel like that book we found the other day nor Riddle's diary, but with…..our things aren't safe. Ron said someone had been going thorough our things."
"Could we set this room up to study in Professor? That way it can stay down here. After Christmas if Harry is cleared by his Healer, I mean to start teaching him some defensive spells, but we will need to practice."
"I will set up alert wards in the front chamber. That way I will know when you are here and if you get hurt," Snape agreed with a nod. "I might even tie them to the Mutt as well, just in case I am otherwise preoccupied. We can set up the tunnel as an entrance for him."
Percival nodded in agreement.
"You must leave now!" Snape said suddenly. "The Headmaster is in Myrtle's bathroom and while he does not speak Parsletongue, I believe he can imitate it!"
"Dobby!" Harry called. "Can you pop us somewhere there are no students or portraits, please? As close to Gryffindor Tower as you can." The Elf appeared and snatched the boys by the hands and disappeared with a pop, as Severus put his hand on the castle wall, requesting an exit into his own staffroom.
Dumbledore paused as he ran a finger over the sketched picture of the snake. Three years ago the boy had spoken about the chamber below the school and he hadn't paid any heed. The way the boy was acting now, reminded him of another child from half a century ago, who had also discovered the chamber. After intimating to Harry that there was a connection between the two he hadn't thought on it any more. Perhaps there was something to it after all. At the time the boy had been too caught up in his acts of heroism to truly understand the possible significance of what he had un-covered. Time and the traumatic events would have erased the immediate curiosity. No, there was no doubt in the Headmaster's mind that the boy would not have had the slightest interest in returning to the chamber. If Slytherin had a chamber under the school, what treasures could be lying there? Having them be re-discovered now could, be beneficial in bolstering is flagging support, or provide evidence against his foes. He raised his wand with a grin.
Crash!
Turning his head towards the noise he paused for a moment, but after a slight reverberation the sound stopped. Whatever it was Argus Filch would clean it up he was sure. Albus turned back to the sink.
Smash!
The old man sighed. He should really look into what was going on, after all it was HIS school. Quickly making his way into the corridor, he met with what at first seemed to be a bemusing sight. Peeves was having a pitched battle with the suits of armour in the hallway. Peeves lobbed a lump of stone at the armour in front of him. It drew its sword of steel and swiped at the stone, sending the split pieces bouncing off back up the hall away from the Headmaster. There was a cry as with another smash a stone hit the castle window, and glass shards flew in every direction, showering a group of students, that the Headmaster hadn't seen previously but whom were pinned down behind a plinth. They screamed, loudly.
"Peeves!" boomed the Headmaster. "Cease this action."
The poltergeist merely cackled loudly.
"Nasty mast-y thinks he tells,
but Peevesie, weevesie knows he smells,
Smelly mast-y nasty past-y,
Don't believe-sie all he tells,
Cause he leads you straights to hells!"
The poltergeist sang his ditty as he fired-shot-threw whatever he could at the suits of armour. It was a wonder where he found so many loose stones.
"Peeves!" Professor McGonagall came briskly around the corner, "You're harming the students! Stop at once!"
There was a faint tingle in the air and with a last cackle Peeves shot off through the ceiling, presumably in search of more fun.
"Really Albus, what happened? I was marking papers when the portrait of Media Helgist burst into the painting in my office and said that there was a disturbance."
"I was merely wandering the castle, and came upon the scene mere moments before yourself, my dear. You handled it so beautiful I didn't think to interrupt," he complimented.
"Wandering the castle Albus?" McGonagall scolded. "Have you signed those papers yet?"
"Paper's?" he feigned confusion.
"Yes for Black's donations."
"Oh, surely they aren't necessary don't you think. I feel we should encourage him to donate the money towards the Order rather than the school don't you. After all the school has managed thus far."
"Albus, if you don't sign, those damn papers, I'll go over your head and take them to the Board of Governors myself!" McGonagall snapped. "We have a student who is still in St Mungo's after the latest incident with the brooms. And as you insist on pairing the Slytherins with the Gryffindors in potions it is a surprise that no-one has yet died in that class. I can only assume that, that is the reason for Severus' surly manner. Maybe the new desks will save his sanity. The Gods know I would have lost mine if you had done the same thing to me! To your office and sign now!" She all but frog-marched him up the corridor.
Pop. They were in a strange room, lined with rows of shelves and filled with rubbish. Dobby let go. Almost immediately, Harry, arched back in agony and collapsed, with a pained cry. Percival reached out and got his hand under Harry's head in time to lower it safely to the floor.
"Can you get …. get Sirius!" he gasped to the elf in shock, still supporting Harry's head as he groaned.
Two pops later and the dark haired man was kneeling beside him.
"What happened?" he demanded roughly.
"I don't know," for once the usually collected Percival looked like the fifteen year old he was. "We were investigating the Chamber with Snape. He had put a ward up to let us know if anyone came into the entryway. It activated so Harry had Dobby, pop us away. When we arrived here, Harry collapsed. I don't know what's wrong with him the only thing I can think of is that there cis another one of those..things nearby. Do you think there could be… one here?"
With a frown Sirius said, "Kreacher!"
"Master calls?"
"I want you to search this room. You are looking for something that feels like the locket. When you find it, place it in the same box….." he paused and looked to his Godson, who was still writhing on the ground. "Please."
With a nod the Elf moved off into the shelves. Sirius turned back to the boys to see Percival carding his shaking fingers through Harry's hair, head now resting on his leg, trying to get him to settle between the waves of pain.
"Sorry, I guess I panicked. I should be better than that," Percival said feeling a bit embarrassed. Harry crying out and collapsing had been so unexpected that he had panicked. What use was his training if he didn't use it.
"You called for help, that's the main thing, and," Sirius turned to where a horrified Dobby was still staring down at his Master, whimpering. "You didn't freeze up."
"Dobby," Percival called the Elf's attention to him. "You couldn't have known what would happen, so don't punish yourself, please. I know Harry would agree." There was an affirmative like grunt from his lap. "Now do you know what Kreacher is searching for?"
The floppy ears swung from side to side as Dobby shook his head.
"Feels….like…diary," Harry managed to get out.
"It feels like the diary?" Percival repeated. "Dobby do you understand? Search for something that feels like the diary that was given to Ginny Weasley. If you find it bring it here."
"Yes, Master Percival Sir," Dobby said solemnly and joined Kreacher in searching the shelves.
"Perhaps we should have Dobby pop Harry to the dorm, I hate seeing him like this," Percival said.
"Would you be able to tell just by the feel of it, if they found something though? I know I wouldn't. I mean I would be able tell if it had some to sort of nasty spells on it, but specifically the horcrux of Tom Riddle, no."
"Me either, though, we could have them find it, and then check with Harry later, or send it to …." he stopped as Harry's whole body convulsed.
"No! Need to stay….know soon."
"Shh….Harry, you have school tomorrow," Sirius clutched his hand. "I think Perce is right, we should ask….." Harry's back arched, his eyes rolled back in his head and he began to scream.
His body felt smooth, powerful and flexible. He was gliding between shining metal bars, across dark, cold, stone… he was flat against the floor, sliding along on his belly…..it was dark, yet he could see objects around him shimmering in strange, vibrant colours…he was turning his head….at first glance the corridor was empty…but no….a man was sitting on the floor ahead, his chin dropping on to his chest, his outline gleaming in the dark…..
Harry put out his tongue….he tasted the man's scent in the air….he was alive but drowsy….sitting in front of a door at the end of the corridor…..
Harry longed to bite the man….but he must master the impulse….he had more important work to do….
But the man was stirring…a silver Cloak fell from his legs as he jumped to his feet: and Harry saw his vibrant, blurred outline towering above him, saw a wand withdrawn from a belt….he had no choice…..he reared high from the floor and struck once, twice, three times, plunging his fangs deeply into the man's flesh, feeling his ribs splinter beneath his jaws, feeling the warm gush of blood…..
The man was yelling in pain….then he fell silent…..he slumped backwards against the wall….blood was splattering on the floor….
His forehead hurt terribly….it was aching fit to burst…
"Harry! HARRY!"
He managed to prise his eyes open. Every inch of his body was covered in icy sweat; Dobby Kreacher, Sirius and Percival were all gathered around and leaning over him with pale concerned faces. He felt as though a white-hot potter was being applied to his forehead.
"Harry!" Sirius looked more concerned than Harry had seen anyone look in his life. He clutched at his head in his hands; the pain was blinding him….he rolled right over and vomited.
"Take it and put it in the box!" Sirius urged Kreacher, grabbing a shirt off a nearby shelf to wrap the vile feeling, strange looking crown in before shoving it back towards Kreacher. "For the love of the Gods, take it away."
"This is a much stronger reaction than the last!" Percival wasn't too proud to admit that he was panicking even more now. He tried not to listen to the parts of himself that were screaming out that he needed to shield Harry from harm. Harry was breathing rapidly, but had stopped twitching, now that the thing had been removed from the room. "Harry!"
"Ron's Dad," Harry panted, his chest heaving. "Mr Weasley has….been attacked…"
"What?" Sirius asked.
"Mr Weasley….He's been bitten, it's serious, there was blood everywhere….."
"He's on guard duty tonight. We'll have to go through McGonagall or Snape. Kreacher, pop the boy's into their dorm straight onto Harry's bed, make sure you aren't seen. Then come back and take me back to Grimmauld. Dobby, go and alert McGonagall that there is a problem in the boy's dormitory. If she won't go to them, get Snape instead. Quickly now," Sirius ordered the Elves.
Percival and Harry appeared on Harry's bed, with the curtains drawn close around them, "You'll have to pretend to have had a nightmare," Percival whispered in the dark.
It was easy enough, Harry still vividly remembered the pain, and vision. It took only a few minutes of Harry's distressed screaming, for their Head of House to appear, in her tartan dressing robe, her glasses perched lopsidedly on the bridge of her bony nose.
"What is it Potter? Where does in hurt?"
He had never been so pleased to see her; it was a member of the Order of the Phoenix that he needed now, one that would act promptly, not someone fussing over him, too much time had already been wasted.
"I'm not hurt. It's Ron's Dad," he said sitting up, not looking at the other boys who were also sitting up in their beds. "He's been attacked by a snake and it's serious, I saw it happen."
"What do you mean, you saw it happen?" said Professor McGonagall, her dark eyebrows contracting.
"I don't know….." this was the tricky bit, McGonagall was used to detecting the lies of teenagers. "I was asleep and then I was there…."
"You mean you dreamed this?"
"No!" Harry protested; would she understand? How could he explain it? "I was having a dream at first about something completely different, and then this interrupted it. It was real, I didn't imagine it. Mr Weasley was asleep on the floor and he was attacked by a gigantic snake, there was a load of blood, he collapsed, someone's got to find out where he is…."
Professor McGonagall was gazing at him through her lopsided spectacles as though horrified at what she was seeing.
"I'm not lying and I'm not mad!" Harry told her, his voice rising to a shout. "I tell you, I saw it happen!"
"I believe you, Potter," said Professor McGonagall tartly. "Put on your dressing gown - we're going to see the Headmaster." At least she was taking them seriously.
"Weasley, you ought to come too," she glanced briefly at the other boys, frowning slightly at Percival who was still sitting on Harry's bed. "Mr Graves, if you can fetch the other Weasley's, and bring them to the Headmaster's office it would be appreciated."
Percival nodded solemnly and proceeded her from the room. As Harry followed McGonagall, he felt the panic inside him building, it had been so long since the vision, they needed to hurry; he wanted to run, to yell for Dumbledore; Mr Weasley was bleeding as they walked along, so sedately and what if those fangs (there was a fleeting thought of 'my fangs', but he pushed it away), had been poisonous?
"Fizzing Whizzbee," said Professor McGonagall.
The gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office, sprang to life and leapt aside; the wall behind it split in two to reveal a stone staircase that was moving continuously upwards like a spiral escalator. The three of them stepped on to the moving stairs; the wall closed behind them with a thud and they were moving upwards in tight circles until they reached the highly polished oak door with the brass knocker shaped like a griffin.
Professor McGonagall rapped three times with the griffin knocker. The door opened of its own accord and Professor McGonagall led Harry and Ron inside.
"Oh, it's you, Professor McGonagall…and…ah…."
Dumbledore was sitting in a high-backed chair behind his desk; he leaned forwarding the pool of candlelight illuminating the papers laid out before him. He was wearing a magnificently embroidered purple and gold dressing gown over a snowy white nightshirt, but seemed wide-awake, his penetrating light blues eyes fixed intently upon Professor McGonagall.
"Professor Dumbledore, Potter has had a….well, a nightmare," said Professor McGonagall. "He says…."
Seeing the Headmaster's eyes flicker his way, Harry would have preferred to not say anything to the Headmaster, but this was the only way they had of helping Mr Weasley. "It wasn't a nightmare. It was….you asked Professor Snape to…."
Professor McGonagall looked around at Harry frowning slightly, then back to the Headmaster whose eyes were practically on fire with their twinkling.
"Very well, then, Potter, you tell the Headmaster about it."
"I was asleep," said Harry, even in his haste to re-tell the story he noticed that the Headmaster wasn't looking at him, but was examining his own interlocked fingers. "It wasn't an ordinary dream….it was real…I saw it happen." He took a deep breath, "Ron's dad,,,has been attacked by a giant snake."
He said them so honestly and urgently that the words seemed to reverberate in the air after he had said them. There was a pause in which Dumbledore leaned back and stared meditatively at the ceiling. Ron looked from Harry to Dumbledore, white-faced and shocked.
"How did you see this?" Dumbledore asked quietly, still not looking at Harry.
"Well…I don't know," was the Headmaster aware of where they had been tonight, did he know? Is that why he was in Myrtle's bathroom? "Inside my head I suppose -"
"You misunderstand me," said Dumbledore, still in the same calm tone. "I mean…can you remember - er - where you were positioned as you watched the attack happen? Were you perhaps standing beside the…victim or else looking down on the scene from above or…"
It was such a curious question that Harry gaped at Dumbledore; it was almost as if he knew…
"I was…in the position of the snake," he said. "I saw it all from the snake's point of view."
Nobody else spoke for a moment, then Dumbledore, now looking at Ron, who was still whey-faced, asked in a new and sharper, nearly accusatory voice, "Is Arthur seriously injured?"
"Yes," said Harry emphatically - why were they all so slow on the uptake, did they not realise how much a person bled when fangs that long pierced their side? And why could Dumbledore not do him the curtesy of looking at him? Was he trying to imply that Harry actually had something to do with the attack, apart from witnessing it.
Finally Dumbledore stood, the movement was so quick in the end that it made Harry jump, and addressed one of the old portraits hanging very near the ceiling. "Everard?" he said sharply. "And you too Dilys!"
A sallow-faced wizard with a short black fringe and an elderly witch with long silver ringlets in the frame beside him, both of whom seemed to have been in the deepest of sleeps, opened their eyes immediately.
"You were listening?" said Dumbledore.
"The wizard nodded; the witch said, "Naturally."
"The man has red hair and glasses," said Dumbledore. "Everard, you will need to raise the alarm, make sure he is found by the right people -"
Both nodded and moved sideways in their frames, but instead of emerging in neighbouring pictures (as usually happened at Hogwarts) neither reappeared. One frame now contained nothing but a backdrop of a dark curtain, the other a handsome leather armchair, that wouldn't have been out of place in the refreshed Grimmauld place.
"Everard and Dilys were two of Hogwarts' most celebrated Heads," said Dumbledore, now sweeping around Harry, Ron and Professor McGonagall to approach the magnificent sleeping bird on his perch beside the door. "Their renown is such that both have portraits hanging in other wizarding institutions. As they are free to move between their own portraits, they can tell us what may be happening elsewhere. Sit down all three of you. They may not be back for several minutes."
Harry sat down, watching Dumbledore over his shoulder. Dumbledore was now stroking Fawke's plumed golden head with one finger. The phoenix awoke immediately. He stretched his head high and observed Dumbledore through bright, dark eyes.
"We will need a warning," Dumbledore said very quietly to the bird.
There was a flash like fire and the phoenix was gone.
"Dumbledore!" Everard had reappeared in his portrait panting slightly.
"What news?" said Dumbledore at once.
"I yelled until someone came running," said the wizard, who was mopping his brow on the curtain behind him, "said I heard something downstairs - they weren't sure whether to believe me but went down to check - you know there are no portraits down there to watch from. Anyway, they carried him up a few minutes later. He doesn't look good, he's covered in blood. I ran along to Elfrida Cragg's portrait to get a good view as they left-"
"Good," said Dumbledore as Ron made a convulsive movement. "I take it Dilys will have seen him arrive then -"
"And a moment later, the silver-ringleted witch reappeared in her picture, too; she sank, coughing into her armchair and said, "Yes, they've taken him to St Mungo's, Dumbledore….they carried him past my portrait….he looks bad…."
"Phineus I need you to alert your Grandson and Minerva, I need you to go and wake the other…" he paused. "Never mind." With a wave of his hand the study door opened again. Fred, George and Ginny entered the room, followed by Percival. The three Weasley's all looking dishevelled and shocked still in their night things. Though Harry could see a shrunken trunk in each hand.
"Harry, Ron - what's going on?" asked Ginny, who looked frightened. "They said Dad was hurt-"
"Your father has been injured in the course of his work for the Order of the Phoenix," said Dumbledore, before Harry could speak, "He has been taken to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. I am sending you to Sirius' house, which is more convenient to the hospital than The Burrow. You will meet your mother there."
"How are we going?" said Fred, looking shaken. "Floo?"
"No," said Dumbledore. "The Floo is not safe at the moment, the Network is being watched. You will be taking a Portkey." He indicated the old kettle lying innocently on the desk. "We are just waiting for Phineus Nigellus to report back….I want to be sure the coast is clear before sending you-"
There was a flash of flame in the very middle of the office, leaving behind a single golden feather that floated gently to the floor.
"It is Fawkes' warning," said Dumbledore, catching the feather as it fell. "Professor Umbridge knows you are out of your beds…. Minerva, go and head her off- tell her any story-"
Professor McGonagall was gone with a swish of tartan.
"Some idiot moved the portrait to the gallery. I had to move into Walburga's to get his attention, however he says he'll be delighted," complained a dull voice behind Dumbledore; the wizard called Phineus had reappeared in front of his Slytherin banner. "My great-great-grandson has always had an odd taste in house-guests."
"Come here, then," Dumbledore said to group of children gathered in front of him. And quickly before anyone else joins us."
They gathered around Dumbledore's desk.
"You have all used a Portkey before?" asked Dumbledore, and they nodded, each reaching out to touch some part of the blackened kettle. "Good. On the count of three, then..one….two…"
It happened in the fraction of a second: in the infinitesimal pause before Dumbledore said 'three', Harry looked up at him - they were very close together - and Dumbeldore's clear blue gaze moved from the Portkey to Harry's face.
At once, Harry's scar burned white-hot, as though, the old wound had burst open again - and unbidden, unwanted, but terrifyingly strong, there rose within Harry a hatred so powerful he felt, for that instant he would like nothing better than to strike - to bite- sink his fangs into the man before him -
"….three."
Sitting in her usual chair at the head table awaiting breakfast, Delores was feeling more than a little pleased with herself. With any luck, by the end of breakfast the brat would be out of her hair and Cornelius would be grateful. Perhaps she would get a raise. She stretched out a jewelled hand, to grab the tongs so she could select a piece of toast.
Smiling smugly as she spread a thick layer of butter, yes any moment now. It was a little unusual she had to admit that the boy had not arrived yet, the brat was often quite early to breakfast. Though she had checked with the horrid little things that ran the kitchens, thing one and thing two had both assured her that no-one had eaten before she had arrived, and she had come straight to the Great Hall afterwards to ensure that she didn't missed the show. Perhaps the freak had slept in, after all she suspected he had been one of those out of bed after hours last night. Making a mental note to add that to his list of punishments, Delores grinned evilly as she looked out over the arriving students. Yes, it was going to be absolutely fabulous!
The flood of students entering the hall had diminished to a trickle and there was still no sign of the beastly boy. The plump blonde Longbottom squib was sitting in the Potter boy's usual spot at the Gryffindor table. She watched as the boy took a sip of his drink and promptly spat his pumpkin juice across the table, showering the opposing student, a muggleborn no less, in the sticky liquid. While she would usually find it quite amusing, Delores realised sourly that not only was Potter not there, but there was not a single red-head at the table either! That wretched woman had been lying last night!
Just as Delores smacked her hands against the table and pushed up, her breakfast spoilt a voice broke over her, "Something the matter, Madame Umbridge?"
She turned to see the plain face of the resident Potion's Master.
"I see we are missing several student's from the Gryffindor table," she bit out. "I will find out where they are and see that they are suitably punished."
"Hmm," the wretched man actually seemed amused. "As well meaning as I am sure your intentions are, unfortunately non-attendance at a meal is not a punishable offence. Though to put your mind at ease, I believe there was something in the order of a family emergency in the early hours of this morning, requiring them to leave the school."
"Still…. the Potter boy!"
"Ah, I believe he was to go with the family for Christmas and so the Headmaster gave permission for him to depart early also."
"The special treatment of the boy must stop!" the toad-faced woman stated forcefully. "It is only encouraging his delinquency."
"Indeed," Snape looked at her for a moment. "It seemed you were just leaving. Don't let me detain you." He turned towards the table.
With a huff, Umbridge waddled from the room, her day thoroughly ruined.
