"Hermione, we have to move!"
.
.
"Harry, stop!"
.
.
"She's not waking up!"
.
.
"Why didn't you protect me, Harry?"
.
.
Harry awoke with a gasp, breathing heavily. Panic increased in his throat, his wild eyes searching the room for the danger. The dorm… It was just a dream…it was the same dream again….
Harry hissed as his right hand lit up in pain. He clutched his hand to his chest as the searing pain only worsened. He curled in on himself, trying not to scream.
It felt like his whole hand was burning, the fire coiling inside of his veins trying to burst through his skin. Gritting his teeth in pain, he began to count backward from fifty to try to calm down.
Focus, he thought, focus. Slowly, the fire began to subdue, calming until it was nothing more than a dull ache. His palm still pulsed where the fire had retreated, reminding him it wasn't a dream and it will be back.
Exhausted, he uncurled his arms and legs, laying back down in his bed. Opening his eyes, he could see none of his dorm mates had moved, all still sleeping. Ron and Seamus both let out loud snores from their beds.
The sun was only beginning to rise, giving the sky outside the window a purple and pink glow.
Harry brushed a mixture of sweat and tears away from his face. He blinked, looking up at the ceiling.
Something soft brushed across his foot and Harry smiled, turning to the gorgeous orange and yellow colored bird on his side.
She stared at him, her eyes softening at his palm, still clutched into his chest.
"It's okay, Aura," He muttered, "It was just a dream."
With a soft trill, she butted her head against his hand. Harry lifted it to his face to study it. He had it wrapped in bandages for now though Madam Pomfrey had said there was nothing wrong with it.
Harry frowned. The teachers had all brushed off what happened to him as adrenaline and magical outbursts but Harry knew it wasn't true. Something had happened to him in that bathroom.
He frowned at his hand again.
Aura let out a trill, reminding him of her presence. He smiled, brushing his wrapped hand across her head. She closed her eyes, pleased with the attention.
"Do you know what happened to me, girl?" He frowned. Aura opened her eyes to look at him, sending him waves of comfort through their bond.
He wished they had told him there was dark magic inside of him instead of pretending it never happened. He just wanted to know what was happening to him.
Whatever this was, he didn't have control over it at all. Closing his eyes, he could still hear the screams telling him to stop, the overwhelming fear coming from his friends.
The way they all looked at him….
Aura let out a soft trill, nuzzling her head against his hand. Harry opened his eyes looking at his familiar.
He stiffened as he felt her send an image through their connection. He saw his right hand but bare.
He frowned at Aura, who stared back at him calmly.
Sighing in defeat, he sat up in bed, staring at his hand in apprehension. Softly, he began to unwrap his hand, wincing as it still felt raw.
His hand unwrapped, he turned it over and winced at the image before him. The back of his hand looked as if it had been cut open, drawing a symbol into his flesh but there was no blood, no wound.
It was sealed, already scabbing over into a scar. Softly, he traced the pattern on his hand. He had never seen anything like it before, looking as if someone mashed several letters in the alphabet together.
Before he could wrap it back up, Aura dropped her head onto his hand. Her feathers were so soft and he could feel the heat coming from her but it only soothed him further.
He watched as a tear fell from Aura's eye, dropping onto his hand. He watched with disbelief as the tissue around his injury began to close up, healing before his eyes.
The tissue closed until it was no more than an angry scar on his hand.
"Thank you, girl," He smiled, rubbing the top of her head.
He flinched as a pain shot through his hand. Grabbing hold of it, he shut his mouth, preventing a scream from escaping. The flames began to race through his hand again and he felt the flames tearing through his skin.
Looking at his hand, he saw the scar on his hand begin to glow faintly with a dark green color. He held in a scream as his newly healed scar began to open back up.
When it was finally over, Harry let out a ragged breath, filling his lungs up with oxygen. Looking at his hand, there was no blood like before but the skin had turned red as it was ripped open once again.
With a heavy breath, Harry looked up at Aura, who gave him a sad trill in response. She went to softly nuzzle his hand but Harry jerked his hand away.
Staring down at his hand, he noticed he was shaking.
"Aura, what's happening to me?" He looked at her, his fear showing in his eyes. Aura let out a trill, sending him comfort through the bond, but Harry couldn't care less.
He clutched his hand, falling back into the comfort of his sheets, holding a pillow to his face to prevent any tears from falling.
Please, what's happening to me, he begged for an answer, fear tearing into his stomach and making it's home.
"Hermione, we have to move!"
Hermione was frozen in place, her eyes locked unblinkingly on the mountainous beast before her. She struggled to move, to scream, anything but fear kept her in place.
The troll narrowed it's black, beady eyes onto Hermione's frame. With a deafening roar, it raised its club above her. Everything went silent as the fear consumed her.
She was going to die.
Hermione's eyes flooded with tears but she couldn't do anything but stare in panic as the club came down at her faster than she could see.
At the last second, something collided into Hermione's side, knocking the breath out of her as she fell, catching her elbows on the stone floors.
Everything registered at once. The pain in her elbows from catching herself, the pressure from something landing on her side, and a loud high pitched scream that echoed through her ears.
Hermione looked up in alarm, seeing the troll's angry face now only feet away, but what caught her attention the most, was the body collapsed onto her own.
Hermione sat up on her knees, cradling her friend's head in her hands. Mara's hazel eyes stared up at her, her eyes filled with shock and fear, her mouth open as she screamed.
That's when she noticed the red liquid pouring onto the concrete floor.
Hermione blanched at the scene, one of her hands grasping her mouth in horror.
Mara's leg was broken, a piece of bone jutting out from a long cut in her leg, the whole of it twisted in an unnatural way. Blood continued to pour from the injury onto the floor.
Mara's gaze faded to the doorway before her eyes slid closed. Hermione froze, struggling to comprehend what was happening.
That was when Hermione felt her breath stop. Something was pouring into the air, making it thick and heavy, too thick. Hermione grabbed a hold of her throat as the air began to suffocate them.
That was when she saw Harry. His hair sticking up and his green eyes glowing green color. His lips twisted in a snarl. She could taste his rage on her tongue.
Hermione stared in horror as Harry began throwing spell and spell at the troll in a fervor. She couldn't hear any of the spells he was saying only then did she realize he was casting wordless spells.
Hermione covered her ears as the troll let out a deafening roar.
On the other side of the room, Ron and Neville looked just as freaked out as she was, their faces pale as they shouted at Harry to stop, to go back.
Hermione looked at Harry's form once more, the troll in front of him, roaring in pain. She could see blood rolling down its face.
She took a deep breath, almost tasting the magic in the air. Rage. Anger. Protection.
With a new determination, Hermione quickly shrugged off her robe and placed it on Mara's leg, putting pressure on the injury.
Everything passed in a blur until she felt the magic retreating as if it was never there. Looking up, she caught Harry's emerald eyes. He looked at her, shaking as his eyes bled with the fear she was feeling. Before Hermione could say anything, Harry fell to the floor.
Everything erupted into chaos.
White Flames burst onto the ground around Harry, preventing the teachers from moving forward.
A loud cry burst from above them. A bird floated above Harry, made of white flames as it let out a loud screech at the teachers.
Though the flames were surrounding her, she couldn't feel any pain or heat.
A loud roar nearly deafened her as a large cat came racing through the flames. It was as large as a tiger with a mixture of black and white stripes and spots on its pelt. It let out a snarl at the offenders, it's back turned to Hermione and Mara.
Hermione watched as it's slitted yellow eyes met Hermione's brown. It gave a loud snarl.
"Hermione, wake up!"
Hermione shot up, her eyes widening at the shout of her name. She looked up into the frowning faces of Neville and Ron.
Neville frowned at her, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. Ron stared at her with an indescribable emotion on his face.
The great hall was noisy with hundreds of kids eating breakfast. Hermione frowned heavily, staring at the feast of food before her.
She didn't remember falling asleep.
"Are you okay, Hermione? Maybe you should go to the hospital wing, that's the second time this week you've fallen asleep at breakfast." Neville frowned.
Hermione shook her head solemnly. "No, I just didn't get much sleep last night."
She didn't tell them how weird it was to look over at the bed next to her and not see ahead of fire or a small black and white kitten.
Neville nodded but Ron was the one who pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes on Hermione.
"You still haven't gone to see her?" He said, his look clearly stating his disapproval.
Hermione glared at him, attempting to defend herself when Neville heaved a sigh.
"Can you guys not? Mara said she's getting out in a few days if Madam Pomfrey will let her," he added.
Hermione cracked a smile as she remembered Mara had been caught trying to sneak out of the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had kept her for a week longer just because she could.
Hermione frowned, looking down at her hands. "I wanted to visit her but I.." she trailed off, unsure of how to put her feelings into words.
Neville sighed at the look on her face. "Well, you're not the only one who hasn't visited her."
Hermione frowned, her eyes darting to the empty seat across from her. Looking down at the table, she couldn't even think about responding.
She could feel both Neville and Ron's glances throughout their breakfast, even as they fell into silence. She could feel her throat closing from the guilt she felt.
Hermione looked up when she felt someone slipping into the seat beside her, an arm going around her shoulder in a casual way.
"Hey, ickle firsties-"
"Why the glum look?"
The twin's sat across from them, identical grins across their faces.
Ron rolled his eyes, his mouth full of food. "Hy u gobba bobbus?"
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Ronald. Honestly." Hermione shook her head, glaring at the redhead.
He rolled his eyes before swallowing the food in his mouth. "Why you gotta bother us?" He said, stretching out the syllables with a scowl.
"Honestly, Ronald-" Fred said, in a shrill tone.
"How many times do I have to tell you?" George said, his voice just as high.
"Don't talk with your mouth full!" they said together, wagging their pointer fingers at him.
Neville covered his laugh with his hand while Hermione rolled her eyes.
Ron glared at the twins. "Oh, bugger off."
Fred and George grinned delightfully at their brother.
"Ah, ah, Ronnie-kins,"
"We wouldn't have to-"
"Report this to mum-"
"Now would we?"
George laid his arm across his younger brother's shoulders, grinning in mirth.
"Gerroff me!" Ron shrugged George's arm off him, a scowl on his face.
Neville turned to Hermione with an amused smile. He was more relaxed than she had ever seen him. "Mara's uncles finally went home, so she should be free later."
Her surprise must have shown on her face cause he smiled back at her. "She could really use some cheering up, all alone in the hospital wing."
Hermione frowned, her eyes drifting to the empty seat across from her.
Hermione hated her hesitation. She stood outside of the hospital wing, nervously biting down on her lip.
It wasn't that hard, just go in, she scolded herself. Yet, she was unsure.
Oh, how she hated to be unsure.
Taking a deep breath and gathering all of her Gryffindor courage, she pushed open the door. Her eyes searched the room, finding her friend in the nearest bed. The black and white cat that Hermione had come to expect was laying at the end of the bed. It gave no notion that it even knew she was there. Hermione couldn't help the wariness when she looked at the sleeping cat. She couldn't help but remember yellow slitted eyes.
Mara looked a lot better. Her face had more color than when she had been laying on Hermione's lap, blood on her face.
Hermione's eye unconsciously searched for mara's leg, which was hidden under the blanket.
She could still see the blood and bone if she closed her eyes.
Mara looked up when she noticed Hermione standing by the door. Mara gave her a large grin. "Hermione!"
Hermione couldn't help but smile with relief. Neville had been right, Mara didn't hold grudges. Hermione came forward, sitting in the chair next to her bed. She held out the notes she had taken for Mara.
"Um, here, they're notes for the classes you missed."
Mara took them from her with a bright smile. "Of course while everyone else brings me, sweets, you bring me homework."
Hermione flushed, sinking back into her chair.
Mara laughed. "Don; 't worry, Hermione. I love that you always know what to do."
Hermione smiled before biting down on her lip. "Um, about-"
"I don't blame you, Hermione."
Hermione looked up in surprise. Mara smiled down at her kindly. She reached out, placing a hangover Hermione's.
"You looked guilty. I will never blame you. It was an accident, Hermione."
Hermione looked down, shame filling her. It hadn't been an accident. She had frozen. If Hermione hadn't frozen up, maybe Mara wouldn't have-
Hermione's eyes trailed to Mara's leg.
Mara let out a sigh. She pulled on her covers, revealing the said leg. Hermione gasped in surprise, nearly expecting gushing blood but was relieved to know there was nothing there.
Mara wiggled her bare leg with a grin. "Healed right up! They only had me stay to make sure the bone grew back okay."
Hermione nearly screamed with the relief flowing through her. With emotions boiling inside of her chest, Hermione looked at her smiling friend.
Mara smiled back at her before frowning at her hands. "um, How's Harry?"
Hermione nearly jolted from her seat at the unexpected question. Hermione looked at her hands.
Hermione didn't know how to tell her. She didn't know how to say that Harry hadn't been showing up for classes. That he'd been avoiding all of them. That she still had no idea what he and Dumbledore had talked about. About the glowing green eyes that haunted her dreams. She didn't know how to tell her that she just didn't know.
Hermione could feel Mara's eyes on her but Hermione didn't speak, unsure of how to communicate her thoughts. Hermione loved books and facts but they didn't help in this situation.
"You know, this isn't the first time Harry's got like this."
Hermione looked up. Mara gazed down at her hands, seemingly lost in a memory.
"It was when I was about six," Mara explained. "I was playing in the woods with Harry. Harry was always really good at climbing trees but me, not so much."
She cracked a smile.
"I got mad that Harry wouldn't come down. I don't even remember why but, I tried to climb the tree. Not a good idea to do in a dress," Mara laughed half-heartedly.
"I fell," Mara frowned. "because of course, I did. I don't really remember much about what happened, just that it hurt really bad. I still have a scar on my knee from it."
Mara looked over at Hermione with a sad smile. "I couldn't walk and we were too far away from the house to call for help so he carried me. All the way home."
Mara smiled, affection crossing her face. "He was really upset about that. Mom and Dad never blamed him. It was my fault, me being stupid but Harry always blamed himself. He locked himself up for a while after that."
"I think," Mara started, turning to look at the window across from the bed. "He really thought he was my protector. That he had to stop anything from hurting me. When he realized he couldn't…"
Hermione didn't need her to finish the thought.
Mara looked over at her, giving her a smile.
"I've never been able to help him but…" Mara gave her a smile.
"I'd head for the library if I were you."
The library was quieter than normal. Hermione clutched a book to her chest, her chest ringing with anxieties.
She noticed a head of black hair, buried in a pile of books in the corner table. Taking a deep breath, she moved toward the table, a new determination in her steps.
"Harry?" She asked. She winced as her voice came off as timider than she wanted it to be.
Harry looked up from his books, his eyes widened as he spotted her. She noticed he quickly tucked his right hand under the table. Hermione frowned, nervously clutching her book as he seemingly debated with himself.
"Can I sit down?" Hermione asked, avoiding his piercing eyes. She could feel his eyes on her, looking for something.
Out of the corner of her eye, he softly nodded.
With a small breath of relief, she moved into the seat across from him. Her eyes gazed at all the titles spread across the desk.
Unknown magic, transfiguration, charms, a lot about Ancient Runes. They didn't learn those until the third year, from what she remembered.
There were even darker books about dark magic though most seemed about how to defend yourself from dark magic and not how to perform it, much to her relief.
She frowned, most of them seemed to be from the restricted section. She wondered how he got a teacher to sign off on it.
Her attention drifted back to Harry when she noticed him shifting uncomfortably in his seat. His eyes kept flicking back and forth between her and the books.
"Um, if you need help, I've read most of the books here. The book on Self Transfiguration was certainly interesting but it doesn't really have much other than what not to do." Hermione told him.
She could feel herself rambling and she cringed. Anyone else would've gotten annoyed or irritated but Hermione had forgotten this was Harry.
Harry laughed under his breath, giving her an amused smile. "You're much better at reading than me. I usually stick to Fiction, Non-fiction usually just bores me."
Hermione smiled back. "Sometimes it is, but I really like learning. I like knowing all I can so I can be prepared for anything they might throw at me."
Books, ok, she can do books. She relaxed, giving him a bright smile. "What's your favorite book?"
Harry frowned as he thought. He smiled, "I really like Narnia and Lord of the Rings series."
Hermione brightened. "I love those too!"
Hermione went on about her favorite parts, noticing that Harry didn't seem to mind one bit. He kept a smile on his face, listening to her and nodding along. Confidence welled up inside of her. Most people would've told her to shut up by now.
Hermione stopped, however as she noticed Harry's hand. His right hand was bandaged up and Hermione frowned, pausing mid-sentence.
Harry frowned at her pause following her gaze to his hand. He moved it away. "It was just a cut."
Hermione frowned at him. Somehow, she knew he was lying, maybe because he refused to look her in the face or maybe because he pulled his sleeve over the injury as if trying to hide it.
"Harry, are you-" She didn't get to finish as Harry gasped, pulling his hand under the table. His face twisted in pain as he stared at his hands.
"Harry, what's wrong? We need to go to the infirmary." She said, trying to quiet her panic. She briefly gazed a look at Madam Pince who hadn't seemed to notice the situation yet.
She rushed over to his side but Harry just turned away from her.
"It's nothing, I'm fine," Harry said, gritting his teeth.
Hermione frowned. He was lying. She sighed, looking at him worriedly. Something happened to you on Halloween, didn't it? " She frowned, looking at his back as he hid his hands from her. She barely caught his flinch.
Hermione frowned. "I don't know how to help you if you don't tell me what's wrong. I just want to help. Please," Hermione winced as her words came out as pleading.
She waited as Harry didn't move. She could see his back moving up and down with his breathing but otherwise, he was completely still.
Just as she was about to give up, she heard Harry whisper "okay,"
Harry turned around a mix of emotions on his face. Hermione smiled, brushing away her worry for a moment. She knelt down beside him, grabbing a hold of his bandaged hand.
It wasn't glowing anymore but she could feel a scar on the front of his hand. She looked up, giving him a questioning look.
He sighed heavily, before unraveling the bandages. Hermione gasped at the grotesque sight on his hand. It looked like a glyph or something had been carved into his hand. Frowning, she remembered reading about medical injuries, how scar tissue looks when it's reopened.
She could imagine that this is what that looked like. From his knuckles to his wrist, the weird symbol was broken open.
"What happened?" She asked, digging for information.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I woke up in the infirmary and my hand was like this. Madam Pomfrey didn't know how I got it either but she said it was healing but when I went back to my room, It started glowing again and the wound reopened. It keeps happening."
Hermione frowned. "What is it? Is it a hieroglyph?"
Harry sighed and shook his hand. "I tried that but I couldn't find one that matched. I thought maybe it was an Ancient Rune but most of the books on Ancient Runes I can't check out till the third year. For all I know, it could be nonsense."
"When does it start glowing?" Hermione asked, an idea coming to her head.
Harry frowned. "Well, the first time it was because of I…" He paused, his cheeks turning pink.
Hermione frowned. "What?"
Harry sighed. "I had a nightmare. About that night."
"Maybe it's connected to your emotions," Hermione said, thinking out loud. With a frown, she looked up, remembering the same green glow in his eyes. "Do your eyes glow too?"
Harry gave her a weird look. "No, why would they?"
Maybe he doesn't remember, Hermione thought. Heaving a sigh, she looked at the books piled on the desk.
"I'm sorry," Harry said, his eyes downcast. "I didn't mean to get you involved in my problems."
Hermione looked at him in surprise. She opened her mouth to ask what he meant but paused. His eyes looked at his hand, having taken it back from Hermione's grip.
She didn't know how to talk to him, how to reassure him. She didn't know.
"Well, maybe Mara-"
Harry gave her an alarmed look. "No, you can't tell Mara!"
Hermione shrunk, nervously looking over at Madam Pince, who had finally noticed their table. She glared at them but didn't move yet. Hermione wasn't sure she would look past another outburst.
Harry gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, just don't tell Mara. She already got hurt once because of me."
Hermione really didn't understand the logic in that one but…she wasn't sure he would take kindly to her pointing that out.
Hermione sighed, giving him a smile. "I won't tell her. We'll find out what's going. I promise."
Harry gave her a small smile. "Okay," He frowned suddenly. "and I'm sorry, about Halloween."
Hermione gave him a confused look.
"You must have been scared of me. I probably looked like a deranged lunatic." He said, putting his head on the desk.
Hermione didn't know what to say to that. She didn't know how to tell him that she was scared. That she was terrified. That she was scared she going to die. She was scared Mara was going to die. She was scared of the blood pouring onto the floor. She was scared of Harry getting hurt too.
Most of all, She didn't know how to say that not for a second was she scared of him. That no matter how much rage or anger was pouring into the air or how dark his face looked, she had never thought he would've hurt her.
She didn't know and that scared her most of all.