Part Three: The Halloween Dance
Harry was hidden safely under his invisibility cloak as he crept up the stairs to the girls dormitories. Just wait until the morning comes, the sensible little voice in the back of his mind, which sounded strangely like Hermione, said. But there was another louder voice that insisted that he keep on going. You need to know now, it said, sounding oddly like a worried Sirius Black. Sirius Black? his own voice wondered. On top of all that
there was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind. Something's not right.
Finally Harry reached a door labeled "5th Year" and opened it. Harry could see Parvite, Lavender, and Hermione all sleeping. Then, towards the right side of the room he saw Gretchen's bed. He quietly walked over to it and pulled the curtains back. He took off his cloak, as not to frighten her. How would you feel if you were awaken by and invisible man? "Gretchen," he said quietly. To Harry's surprise she woke up instantly. She must be
a light sleeper, he thought.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered.
"I need to talk to you. Meet me in the common room," Harry said quietly. He slipped on his cloak and crept down the stairs, then waited for her in an arm chair by the fire. A few minuets later she rushed down.
"What is it?" she asked in a slightly worried tone.
"I was looking through the photo album," Harry said softly. "I saw a picture of my parents while they were still dating and I just had to ask. Did you know?"
Gretchen said nothing for a moment. "I was wondering if they'd be there. I know my parents did graduate the same year yours did, but that's it."
"Oh," Harry managed. "How do you know so much?" Gretchen shrugged. She turned around and started heading for the girls dormitories but that stopped and turned to face Harry.
"Do you ever get the feeling something's wrong?" she asked him. Harry couldn't say anything. "I thought so," she said softly. "I'm sorry I was avoiding you so much earlier. I've never really met someone who....I know this is strange.....someone who could
probably understand me, assuming I told you everything."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"I don't know. I.....," she stopped. "It's almost like were the same sometimes, like we see the world the same way. No, of course we don't. I suppose I'm just paranoid, but that's no surprise. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" Harry shock his head. "All right then. I'm going back to bed. We have Herbology again tomorrow, and astronomy, and charms. Those aren't really anything that I'm good at. So I should go."
"What are you good at," Harry said absent-minded.
"Transfiguration, Potions, and Defense Against Dark Arts. Well, Ill be seeing you, Harry." She quietly left the room. Harry stayed still for several minuets, thinking about almost nothing. Then he grabbed his cloak and hurried off to bed, drifting into a dreamless sleep.
Gretchen said nothing about the photo album the next day. Harry didn't remind her about it, either. It started to become a nightly routine of his. He would look through the book every night before he went to bed. He never seemed to get pasted third page, though. Not until Ron found it sitting on his bed and, fascinated by the fact that the pictures weren't in a museum somewhere ("Those things are so rare!"), decided to look
threw it while Harry peered over his shoulder.
After the fifth page the photos became normal, or at least wizard normal. They moved in blinked and walked about. Harry noticed that every time he turned a page the photos of his parents an dtheir friends became younger. Ron turned page six. "Wow,
she looks like Gretchen," Ron muttered.
"Yeah, with blue eyes and short hair. What does the paragraph underneath say?" Harry said. Ron began to read aloud.
"'This page is dedicated to our dear friend Winetta Locus, who was once a Gryffindor, but has now changed so completely that when she was resorted after her O.W.L.s (as we all were), she was placed in Slytherin. She will be missed, and we hope
she returns to be the person she was before. Until that happens, however, we do hope that when she a Snape (the slime-ball) brake up, she is in as much distress as Sirius was when
she dumped him. Signed, Lily, Maryane, Stella, James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter.'" Ron finished and put the book down. "So that's Gretchen's mum?"
"I suppose," Harry muttered. Ron shrugged.
"She doesn't look evil," Ron commented.
"Looks can be deceiving. After all, Tom Riddle looked like a perfectly normal boy, and look who he turned out to be." Ron gulped. "Besides," Harry muttered, "You should never judge a book by its cover, or at least that's what Hermione says."
"I suppose. Do you reckon Gretchen knows what this says about her mum?"
"Gretchen seems to know everything, but Ill give this to her later just in case. I have to go. Tonight's the first Quiddich practice," Harry explained. He got up and left the dorm, while Ron continued to admire the book.
"'Ello Harry," Fred and George Weasly said as he raced onto the field. Harry was the sixth on to arrive. The only person they needed was.......Harry sighed. Oliver Wood had
graduated. They would need a new Keeper. Harry also realized that it was the last year for all the other members of the team, too. Fred, George, Angelina, Katie, and Alecia were all in their seventh year. That meant Harry would be the only remaining member of the first Gryffindor team he had ever been on.
"Well, its good to see you all here," said Professor McGonagall who walked up to the team.
"What are we going to do, professor?" Alicia asked softly.
"Professor, we haven't found a replacement Keeper yet," Katie explained.
"Yes, I know," the Professor said grimly, "but we will find one soon. Does anyone have any suggestions concerning the matter?"
"Well," Harry said bluntly, "Dennis Creevey is always catching things, but that's usually because he just knocked it over......."
"Nope, he just won't do. How about that third year, Iris Indigo," suggest Fred.
"Yes...," said Harry. "Yes, She'd make a very good Keeper. Speaking of replacing a keeper, we need to replace a captain." Everyone eyed one another nervously. There was silence.
"Wow, Harry, that's amazin," Ron commented. "Quiddich Captain."
"I really didn't want to be captain," Harry muttered. "Everyone agreed but me. They said I should be captain now so I have practice when the rookies come next year."
"Still, Harry, it's an honor," Ron said.
"I know," replied Harry. "I'll be right back." Harry stood up and walked over to the table where Gretchen was sitting, put the old photo album down on it and walked back over by Ron, where they continued to talk about Quiddich till Harry said he was tired and went to bed, but not to sleep. When the first hour of the next day had passed, Harry quickly jumped off his bed and walked into the common room. Gretchen was already there.
"What is it, Harry," she asked suddenly.
"I wanted to talk to you about yer mum, if you don't mind," Harry said. Gretchen was silent for a long moment, and Harry silently feared that he had lost her friendship forever.
"These words never leave these walls," she muttered. "Ask anything you'd like, and I'll answer what I please."
"All right," Harry said, "did you know that she was friends with my parents at Hogwarts?"
"I suspected, but I didn't know," Gretchen answered in a no nonsense tone.
"I'm sorry, Gretchen, I just wanted to know," Harry commented. "I don't know much about my parents so, it's just...good to know."
"Harry.....," Gretchen broke off. "I don't know much about your parents either. And what I do know you don't want to here."
"Yes I do," Harry said quickly. Gretchen sighed.
"Very well. All I know is what my mother told me. She tended to complain about what low lives they were, and how even though everyone praised them as great wizards, they seemed to get nothing at all accomplished. She hated them, Harry, you must understand that," Gretchen explained. "I'll try, but....."
"Try what?" Harry asked.
"I haven't been feeling well, Harry. I'm going to bed." With that, Gretchen left him alone in the common room. Harry himself went to bed shortly, and quickly fell asleep, Gretchen's odd words slipping from his head, not to be remembered in a long time.
Time began to fly again, as it always seemed to at Hogwarts. Days became weeks, weeks became months. Soon, it was October, only a few days before the dance. Hermione was going with Victor, who had recently flown in, Gretchen was going with
Justin, a hufflepuff, must to the dismay of a dateless Ron. Harry, had managed to get a date with Hannah Abbot, Justin's friend. She hadn't been able to get a date, and was very excited when Justin set them up.
On the day of the dance, Harry dressed in his black robes with the green belt and Ron in her new navy blue robes with a red belt (that matched his hair surprisingly well).Hermione was warring her pink robes, but Gretchen was no where to be seen. The feast
was started by the headboy and headgirl walking in together (for they were dating) and waltzing together. After that, the other students danced as well.
Unlike with Parvati, Harry couldn't get out of dancing with Hannah, which he didn't like for she kept stepping on his feet. The worst of it happened when she stopped dancing all together and shouted "Hi Justin" as the hufflepuff boy and Gretchen entered the room.
When he saw her, all Harry could think was that she looked beautiful. She was warring like green robes with a darker green belt that matches his. Her hair hung down in perfect ways and her eyes were animated in a way Harry had never seen them before. She smiled at him for a moment, then she and Justin began to dance.
It wasn't long after that when Harry, Hannah, Hermione, Victor, Justin, Gretchen, Ron, and Susan Bones (a hufflepuff) sat down and began to eat. "It's so exciting," Susan said as she Hannah and Justin began to chat about something. Hermione and Victor soon left to dance. "Err...Justin," Gretchen said after a moment.
"Huh?" he said as he stopped talking.
"Would you mind if I danced with Ron and Harry for a bit?"
"Sure, go ahead," Justin said, as he went back to his conversation. Gretchen grabbed Ron's hand and they danced for a song. Ron was blushing like mad the entire time, Harry had never seen his ears go so red. Then, finally, the dance was done and Gretchen came to the table and grabbed Harry's hand. Before he knew it they were off.
Dancing with Gretchen was the easiest thing Harry had ever done in his life. She must have been the best dancer in the world. It seemed that they didn't even needed to say anything, but knew exactly where the other one wanted to turn or where their feet
were so that no feet were stepped on. Instead of dancing in the usual circle, Harry and Gretchen danced all across the room, much to the envy of some other students. None of Harry's friends noticed.
It hit like a blow when the music stopped. All the movement ended and Harry was devastated as his ears pounded with stillness. The people around them chattered and the band on stage started saying something about the next song, but Harry didn't notice, he was looking at Gretchen. She seemed disappointed, too. "Do you want to just go," Harry said suddenly. "No one would notice."
"What about my date?" she said.
"He's with mine." No more words needed to be said. Harry grabbed Gretchen's hand and led her off the dance floor and into the hall. They didn't really know where they were going, so they just wandered a bit and found themselves back in the Gryffindor
common room, alone. Aside from Hermione, Harry had never been alone with a girl before. It was easier then he thought, or maybe it was just Gretchen.
They began talking about everything from Quiddich to Potions to that silly door on the third floor. Harry was feeling wonderful, it was as if there was nothing in the world that could go wrong, and then of course, it did.
Gretchen's face paled very suddenly. Her bottom lip quivered and sweat began sweeping down her face. "Are you all right," Harry asked.
"Harry can you keep a secret, even from Ron and Hermione," she asked. "I could," Harry said.
"Then I'll tell you tomorrow. Let's get back to the dance. If anybody asks, I started feeling ill so you walked me back here. When I felt a bit better we came back down. Come on Harry, let's go." With that she grabbed his hand and led him down the spiral stair case and back to the main hall. Gretchen refused to say two words to Harry the rest of the night. He didn't know whether to be worried or angry. Gretchen was a nice person, but she sure knew how to drive a man crazy.
Harry continued about his day normally, except for the fact that Gretchen still refused to speak to him. Now, he was just upset, not angry. He knew he had done nothing to deserve this, but she shunned him away just the same. It wasn't until the end of Charms, the class that had before lunch that she even looked at him. She walked over to him, grabbed him lightly on the elbow and whispered, "This way." Harry followed her until there wasn't a single student in sight.
"What is it," Harry asked.
"Harry, I think the deatheaters have escaped from Azkaban."
"What? Gretchen, how could you come up with something as silly as that." The sigh just sighed.
"It's called a blood bind, used between two members of a family," said Gretchen, her eyes pointed at the floor in shame, her voice now beginning to tremble. "It's not my fault that my mum was the way she was, always paranoid that I'd tell her secret to someone. It really isn't my fault. She did the Blood bind on us, Harry. She did it so that she could yell at me when I was away from her, threaten me into being a good girl. She was quiet in Azkaban, because they made her crazy, but she whispered to me last night, Harry. She's getting stronger." Harry didn't know what to say.
"What should I do, Harry?"
"Well, well," said a new voice, "isn't it just the cutest couple."
"Draco," Gretchen hissed.
"It's it sweet? Pot-head and Loser. I couldn't have thought of something so repulsing myself." With that Malfoy was off.
"He's going to tell everyone," Harry muttered. "Ron has the biggest crush on you! He'd just kill me!"
"Oh, relax, I'll have a good and persuading lie to tell Ron by the end of the day," Gretchen said. "I'll tell him in needed your help with.....something."
"Right," Harry said doubtfully. "Now what?"
"I don't know. That's why I asked you here in the first place," Gretchen said. "Last time I told someone I heard me mum I ended up in a white room for eleven years."
"What do I look like? So wise guy like Dumbledore?" Harry shouted.
Gretchen smiled. "Harry, you're a genius. I could kiss you right now.
Dumbledore will know what to do. But how do I get into his office?" Harry said nothing.
"Oh, that won't be a problem." Gretchen jumped. She and Harry both whirled around to find Dumbledore already behind him. "I've been watching you sense last night. Really, Gretchen, no one ever gets that pale from one dance. Now, I suspected you knew something, but I didn't dare think you knew something that important. I just got an owl from the ministry this morning myself. I'll announce it to the school at evening meal but what to do until then........."
Dumbledore started pacing and stroking his beard. "Ah! Even I am amazed by my own brilliance. Come now, to my office. We must hurry." With that he started off towards the statue that his the secret stairs, leading to a door with a griffin handle. Once you stepped threw that door, there you were. Dumbledore's office. He quickly ushered them in and closed the door behind them.
Dumbledore had no smile and Harry and Gretchen sat down. He eyed the two as if suddenly realizing exactly what was going to happen, and dreding it. "I'm afraid I must ask you to become the tow most responsible students this school has ever known." Harry and Gretchen eyed eachother, clearly clueless. "Does a Blood bind work both ways Gretchen?"
"No," she said, "Not exactly. I may be able to..err.....skimm the thoughts at the top of her mind if I'm lucky, but I can't talk to her."
"Exactly as I thought. Your mother was always very good with specifics, but alas there is always one flaw in the perfect plan. I'll need you to do that every morning and write down what you can tell me, then go into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and ask her to guard it." Dumbledore paused and gazed at her. "I don't ant to have to ask you to dot his Gretchen, but if it can help stop Voldemort....."
"I understand." Gretchen shifted nervously in her chair. "But things will happen. She'll get stronger and then mad at me and I'll be scared all the time. Then everyone will notice and I'll be forced to tellt he truth." Dumbledore smiled sadly.
"Did you really expect this new life to last forever?" Gretchen sank into her chair. Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, Ron and Hermione are to be left out of all of this. It will only make things worse if they find out. They are both very brave, but unlike those of us in this room, the call him 'you-know-who'. If they found out they would panic." Harry nodded. "Now, I've just sent letters to all the parents informing them that children with be sent home tomorrow. It will be a one week vacation. I have a special project I will need you two for. You'll be forced to conveniently miss the train. Now, you'd better get to lunch. I'll talk to you this evening." With that, they left.
to be continued..................
Disclaimer: Not mine