A/n: Yeah! Part 1 of this story got over 100 hits in less then 24 hours, but it only got 2 reviews ::frowns:: I expect better. I would like to dedicate this part of the story to VCdunk613. You have no idea what getting e-mails liek that means to me. Thanks. Allrigth eveyone, please read, then review. : )
Part Two: Empty Thoughts and Empty Class Rooms
Harry was climbing in a tree. It was an old tree. Below him four men and one woman sat playing cards. Harry didn't know three of the men, but he knew the other two: Winetta Locus and Peter Pettigrew.
"That's ten gallons you owe me now, Peter," said one of the men.
"Ohh..," said Peter. "Well, I'll be sure to give them to you as soon as I get the money. Master has a new plan. We'll get paid soon."
"A new plan?" One said questioningly.
"Yes," said Gretchen's mother. "A chain of murders to threaten Dumbledore. One of which I plan to perform myself."
"Really, Winny. Which one would that be?"
"My daughter's murder."
"Your daughter? I thought you loved her?" Peter said.
"I do. I love her enough to kill her before she gets trapped into the web of lies Dumbledore feeds her. What am I saying? She's already trapped, already gone. Gretchen Locus could have been great. She could have been the darkest of us all, but I lost her."
"Is it true," one man asked, "that you were going to purify her blood by putting a drop of Master's blood into it?" Winetta laughed, a cruel cold laugh that, Harry somehow knew, Gretchen still heard in her night mares.
"Of course it's true! I would have done anything to kill the light in that child's heart! She was born with this power and the curse of kindness. I tried many curses on her in her youth. I tried so hard to make her like me. But it never work. That's all right, she'll soon be dead."
"How soon?"
"Harry! Wake up!" a voice called. Harry nearly screamed. It sounded like Winetta, but when he opened his eyes, Harry realized that Gretchen was calling him. "It's your turn."
"Oh," Harry said quickly. "Wait for me." With that he got up and entered Professor McGonagall's office.
"Well, Harry, how are you?" asked Professor McGonagall, transfiguration teacher and head of the Gryffindor house.
"Err....good. Um, so we're talking about my future right?" The professor nodded. "Well, I have no idea what I'm going to do in the future so....um....can I go now?"
"Harry, as hard as it is to except you are growing up and you will be leaving soon. The time has come to start thinking of what is best for you when this is gone. Now, you're pretty good a Quiddich, what if you played professionally?"
"No."
"You've been good at defeating dark magic..."
"I don't want to be an Auror." McGonagall sighed.
"Harry, I'm trying to help you, the least you can do is cooperate," she said irritably. "Now, where can you imagine yourself ten years from now?" Harry shrugged. McGonagall gave him a stern look.
"I've never really thought about what's gonna happen after Hogwarts," Harry said. "All I know is that I don't want to play Quiddich or be an Auror. Look, professor, I have a killer headache, can I just go?"
"You're not afraid that you'll die before you leave here are you?" she asked.
"No," Harry admitted. "I'm not fared of dying, just of other people dying first."
"You can go, Harry," the professor said grimily. Harry bolted for the door. Once out, he grabbed Gretchen's hand and lead her threw the many halls and corridors of Hogwarts.
"What's going on?" she asked, once they had stopped. Harry didn't answer her. He
was too busy shouting at a gargoyle.
"Toadscales?" he asked. "Cauldron cakes? Vampirebats? Silver White Winters that Melt into springs? Oh...I give up! Trying to figure out this password is as annoying as a bumblebee!" The Gargoyle swung over to reveal a moving stair way. "Bumblebee?" Harry questioned, rolling his eyes.
"Harry what are..."
"Come on, we need to see Dumbledore," he said.
"Why?"
"Because I had a dream."
"I have dreams everynight, Harry, and I never....," Harry raised a hand to silence her and Gretchen became quiet. He knocked on the door and a few moments later Dumbledore emerged.
"Harry? Gretchen? What a fine surprise. Please do come in. What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have a class?" he asked as he rushed them into his circular office. Harry looked around and saw the portraits of all the old headmasters and headmistresses sleeping in their frames. Fawkes was sitting in the corner of the room, looking rather sick.
"His burning time is soon," Dumbledore commented. "Now, what was it you needed to tell me?"
"Professor, you now how in my forth year I had those dreams were my scar would hurt?" Harry asked.
"Yes, go on."
"Well, I had another one." Harry paused waiting for Dumbledore to say somehting. When the old man said nothing, Harry kept on going. "In my dream there five deatheaters under a tree, talking about a string of murders. Then they said that they were going to kill Gretchen." Dumbledore blinked. He looked form Harry to Gretchen. Then he gave Harry one of his characteristic stares. Harry felt as if Dumbledore could see though him. He shivered.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "While it is upsetting to hear the is news, I'm not surprised. What you did last year, Miss. Locus, was very brave and wise, but it has angered Voldemort."
"And my mother."
"And your mother. However, we don't know when or how Voldemort will strike, so we'll just have to be careful." Dumbledore sighed. "There was a brake in at the Ministry of Magic's Ministry of Records building last night," he said. "They killed the guard one duty, and the stole, too. Three family files were stolen."
"Family files?" Harry questioned.
"Files kept on a magical family," Dumbledore explained. "As I said, three files were stolen. The Potter file, the Locus file, and the Black file. Do any of you have any idea why these files were taken?"
"No," Harry said.
"Not a clue," said Gretchen. A sudden thought popped into Harry's head. She's lying.
"Very well," Dumbledore said. "You know the password. If either of you need to talk you'll always be welcome." Harry and Gretchen left.
"You'll never believe what professor McGonagall said," bragged Ron the next day at breakfast. "She said that I'd do fine working for Grimgots."
"So?" Harry asked.
"So that's were Bill works! I don't want the same job as my brother!" Ron exclaimed. "She also said I'd do good in the Ministry of Finances for the Ministry of Magic. That would be an ok job I suppose, though not very exciting."
"What do you want to be Ron?" asked Harry.
"I don't know. Something that makes lots of money," said Ron. "What about you, Hermione, what do you want to be?"
"I really don't know," Hermione said. "Something complicated. Something interesting. I think I want to be a wand maker."
"What?" Harry and Ron both said in unison.
"A wand maker! You know, I'd make wands. I could use the information from Care of Magical Creatures and Magical Theory to do it. Then I could use my other classes
to make specialize wands for Transfiguration or Charms," Hermione explained. "It just seems like a rewarding job, don't it? You get to help a new generation of witches and wizards and make money at the same time. Not to mention that the art of making wands is emmencly complex. Did you know that it takes at least three days to make one wand? And
that you can't use a wand to make a wand?"
"No," Ron said. "What about you, Harry? What do you want to be?"
"I haven't thought about it," Harry said truthfully.
"Oh!" Hermione said suddenly. "Ron, we need to pass out the new schedules for this week!"
"That's right," Ron exclaimed. "It's a perfect thing." Ron and Hermione passed out new shedules to first and second year students while some of the older perfects passed out the third fourth and fifth year shedules. A seventh year perfect gave out the sixth and seventh year shedules. Then all the perfects sat back down.
"Hmm," said Harry. "Why aren't we having any Charms lessons this week?"
"Oh, Professor Flintwick is going to some special club of his," Hermione explained.
"Look on the bright side, Harry," Ron said in sarcastic tone. "We get a double potions lesson instead." Potions was Harry's least favorite subject headed by his least favorite teacher, Professor Snape.
"Great," said Harry sarcastically.
"Have you seen Gretchen this morning?" Hermione asked.
Ron shrugged. "She's in your dorm, not ours." Hermione gave him a stern look.
"She's not in my dorm anymore, Ron, remember? I already moved into the perfects dorm. Speaking of that, you should get moving, too. Fletcher Cords is going to be very angry with you. He's the Headboy now." Ron rolled his eyes, but Harry did not.
"You're moving out of our dorm?" he asked in an almost hurt voice.
"Well, yes," said Ron, who was shifting uncomfterible in his chair. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Harry, I just didn't want to upset you. Hey, why didn't become a perfect, anyway?"
"I don't know. I suppose I've lost too many house points to qualify," Harry lied. He made a mental note to ask professor McGonagall the next time he saw her. "I have to go to the library."
Ron rolled his eyes. "You're going to make-out with Mandy again, aren't you?"
"So what if I am? You make out with Lavender in the common room almost everynight. Parvotti was very upset. That is, until she and Seamus started trying to suck eachother's brains out." Hemrione giggeled.
"Oh, Harry. Terry and I wanted to know if you and Mandy would like to have dinner with Ron, Lavender, and us, sometime. We already arranged for Ron and Lavender to come at a Perfects meeting yesterday," Hermione said. "Will you ask her? I mean, she already knows, but I think she wants you to ask her." Harry nodded.
"Thanks Hermione," he said. Then he left the room.
Mandy was waiting for him in the library. She was sitting at a table far away from the Liberian. "Oh, Harry it's so good to see you," she said.
"You just saw me yesterday," Harry commented.
"I now, but yesterday was yesterday and today is today," Mandy explained. Harry just nodded, not having a clue as to what Mandy was getting at. "Harry, I've had a revelation."
"A revelation? What 'bout?"
"My future," she said. Harry almost rolled his eyes. He was tired of hearing everyone talk about their futures. He was especially sick about hearing Mandy talk about her future. Apparently, Mandy had mapped out her entire life before she even arrived at Hogwarts. Harry thought that was a little odd, but he didn't say so.
"I was just thinking, if I'm going to be working at Grimgotts, what will you be doing?" she said. "I mean it's just that when we're married..."
"Married?" Harry repeated. "Who said anything about getting married?"
"Well, we have been going out for over six months," Mandy said. "My parents had only been going out four months when my dad proposed so, I kinda assumed....."
"You assumed that we would get married? We're only sixteen, Mandy. I don't want to worry about marriage for a long time."
"Are you saying that you don't want to marry me? That you think I'm unworthy?" Mandy assumed.
"I never said....."
"Because if you do, Harry Potter, I assure it will be the worst mistake of your life." Harry sighed.
"I don't want to not marry you," Harry said, "But I don't want to marry you either. Yet. But I will tell you what I do want."
"What is that," Mandy said irritably.
"I want you to come with Hermione, Ron and I and their dates to dinner sometime." Mandy's face lit up.
"Oh, I knew that you really did love me, Harry." With that the two locked lips.
The conversation Harry had with Mandy bothered him all day. It bothered him so much that the double potions lesson with Snape was barible. And the new recruits on the Gryffindor Quiddich team didn't seem half as annoying as they actually were. After Quiddich practice, Harry looked forward to going to sleep, and maybe having a talk with Ron about Mandy, but when he arrived in his dorm Ron's bed was gone. Harry knew
where it was, with the other boy Perfects. Harry sighed and went to bed, unbearably alone with his thoughts.
Mandy had assumed that Harry would marry her someday. How could she have ever thought that? Harry didn't know what he was going to do with his future, but one thing he did know was that he didn't want to get married right away. Not to Mandy.
Not to Mandy? Harry was surprised at his own thought. He loved spending time with Mandy. She was smart, and funny, and a great kisser. Harry loved her. At least he thought he did. She was beautiful. She was one of the most beautiful girls Harry had ever seen. Yes, he did love her, but she seemed to doubt that love.
Harry thought for a moment of the witch on the train. She had though Harry and Gretchen were going out. Harry knew he didn't love Gretchen. He had figured that out last year. She was very intriguing, but he didn't love her. Had Mandy some how discoed the witches opinion of Harry and Gretchen, though? Did Mandy thing he was cheating on her? Harry hoped not. Mandy was becoming a constant in his ever shifting life. A life were he felt that he was losing his two best friends.
Ron and Hermione were perfects now. That much was obvious. They almost seemed to be using their new statis as perfects to avoid spending time with Harry. They always seemed to be busy with one Perfect event or another. Helping a first year get to classes, attending a meeting. Harry was getting sick of it.
He suddenly felt that he was wrong about them. They hadn't grown up over the summer. If they had, they would understand that friendship was the most important thing at that moment. Harry wished he could tell them that, but he hadn't had time to talk with them since breakfast. Even if they were in classes together, Harry wouldn't dare talk during potions, and they were to aborted in their magical theory class that say to whisper. At lunch, Ron had been with the perfects, moving his bed, and dinner, Ron and Hermione had been sitting at the perfects table. That had left Harry with no one to talk to but Ginny Weasly, Ron's sister. Harry didn't mind that too much, except that she could still be a bit shy in front of him. He really needed to talk with someone his own age. Some one who
could understand him. Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and headed for the girls dorm. Harry was going to talk with Gretchen.
As usual, she was easy to wake. Gretchen was a light sleeper. When she crawled down into the common room a few minuets later, she was wide awake. "What is it, Harry?" she asked. Harry hadn't talked to Gretchen at all that day. Harry supposed that after hearing about Harry's dream she had become a bit frightened, but she looked fine now.
"I jut needed to talk to someone," Harry said. "I've been thinking about everything. Gretchen, are you scared?"
"No really," she said.
"I mean, do you ever get the feeling that your doing something wrong?"
"Sometimes, but not often," she said. " 'Long is the rode-braving the cold-To keep the soul unsold-As we get old--And has it all become a bliss a bore-As it never was before I do not think that true, folklore-For there's a demon at my door'"
Harry looked at her, bewildered. "What was that?"
"It's part of a poem written by a witch under the pen name Kate Marie. It's about evil and death. For me it's always been about mother. Mother and Voldemort and the Deatheaters. It seems like there always with me now, so I think of that poem a lot," Gretchen said.
"How does the rest go?"
" 'With his dread and deathly eye-Tempting me with evil's pie-To run with rage and steal and lie-Until the day that I shall die--And for the entire world to see-He calls my name and comes to me-How am I ever to be-As I want to be, free--He is not my owner I am not his slave-A path for him I shall not path-or nothing but heartache has he gave Such that will haunt me in the grave--I tried and tried to get him away-Only to find that he
must stay-So will battle him anther day-For it will always be that way--And has the Good bid us farewell-And given us it's finial yell-The demon brings it into hell-Forever close in prison-shell--And has it all become a bliss a bore--As it never was before--I do not think that true, folklore--For there's a demon my at my door.'"
"I don't get it," Harry said.
"I didn't think you would. Hey did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"It sounds like someone's coming up the stairs," Gretchen said.
"But it's one in the morning, you and I are the only one dumb enough to up at this hour," Harry said. "Well, we'd better....." The door opened. Albus Dumbledore walked into the common room, followed promptly by Sirius Black.
"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed.
"Shhhhh," said Gretchen. "You'll wake the others."
"Harry, I'm go glad to see you. How have you been?" Sirius asked.
"Great," Harry said. "I'm Quiddich captain now."
"That's wonderful. You're father would be so proud of you Harry. He would be so proud." A silence filled the room. Sirius wiped away a tears from the corners of his eyes. Harry looked away.
"If you'll excuse us for a moment, Harry, I need to have a word with Sirius." Dumbledore lead Sirius to the other side of the room and talked to him in a low voice. Harry turned back to Gretchen, who hadn't left yet. She was watching Sirius and Dumbledore talk. There was a look of curiosity in her eyes. Curiosity and something else....pain. Harry looked at Gretchen's dark eyes, and then looked at Sirius. His dark eyes were just visible. Suddenly, Harry understood.
"I'm going to bed," she announced.
"No you're not," Harry told her.
"I'm not?" said Gretchen sarcastically. "Why is that?"
"Because you're going to tell him," Harry said. "You're going to tell him who your father is." Gretchen gasped.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"Your eyes." Harry waited a moment. "Well?"
"I can't Harry, I just can't."
"You have to. He has a right to know," Harry said in a slightly raised voice. He didn't know that Sirius and Dumbledore could hear him. "If you won't I will."
"You certainly will not!" Gretchen proclaimed. Dumbledore and Sirius could hear her, too. "You can't."
"I can to. He's my God father."
"Well, he's my real father and I say no!" Gretchen announced.
"What!" Sirius shouted. Gretchen gasped. She looked at Harry and Sirius, pure horror in her eyes. She turned around and ran straight into the girl's dorms.
"Gretchen," Harry called. "Gretchen, come back here."
"Harry what did she mean?" Sirius asked. Harry looked at him. "Harry?"
"Gretchen said that her mum had bewitched her dad and that he didn't know 'bout
her," Harry said. "I never thought that Winetta Locus bewitched you."
"Winetta? She's Winetta's daughter?" Harry nodded. Sirius just stood there, shocked.
Sirius stayed in the castle for a few days. Harry did the best he could to explain the him about Gretchen. It was hard though, seeing as Gretchen refused to talk to him. Or Hermione of Ron. A week had past and Harry was beginning to miss her friendship. He was also becoming more and more grateful of Mandy. However, one Monday, a week after Sirius had visited, everything changed. Dumbledore stood up at breakfast. There was no fire in his eyes. Harry knew something was wrong. The hall quieted. "I am afreid something horrid has happened," Dumbledore announced. "As you all know, Professor Flintwick was attending a meeting of the Grand Champions Dueling Club this week. While he was in attendance Voldemort attacked. I'm sorry, but Professor Flintwick is dead."
All sanity in the hall disappeared in that moment. All the Ravenclaws started crying, for he was the head of their house. The teachers started crying as well. Hagrid's bellows could be heard throughout the halls. Harry could see Professor Morryson comforting Professor McGonagall out of the corner of his eye. Hermione was in tears, Ron was trying
to comfort her, but to no avail.
Harry felt empty. So empty that he couldn't cry. The rest of the day passed in a bliss. Before Harry knew it he was alone in the Gryffindor Common room. it was late. Everyone else was in bed. He was briefly aware that someone else had entered. "I'm sorry, Harry." Gretchen was there. She sat down next to him.
"Sorry about what?"
"Not speaking with you." She looked away. When she started to speak again, her voice trembled. "I've just been so angry. So stupid. Harry life it too short to act this way. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She took a deep breath. "Harry, I'm scared." She met his gaze again.
"Me too," Harry breathed.
"Come on," Gretchen said. "Let's write a letter to Sirius Black. He deserves to know." Harry nodded and the two began to write. Gretchen got out a quill and some parchment and started write 'Dear Sirius' when she suddenly got pale and put her hands over her ears, then she collapsed. Harry felt himself falling into unconciousness, too.
Part Two: Empty Thoughts and Empty Class Rooms
Harry was climbing in a tree. It was an old tree. Below him four men and one woman sat playing cards. Harry didn't know three of the men, but he knew the other two: Winetta Locus and Peter Pettigrew.
"That's ten gallons you owe me now, Peter," said one of the men.
"Ohh..," said Peter. "Well, I'll be sure to give them to you as soon as I get the money. Master has a new plan. We'll get paid soon."
"A new plan?" One said questioningly.
"Yes," said Gretchen's mother. "A chain of murders to threaten Dumbledore. One of which I plan to perform myself."
"Really, Winny. Which one would that be?"
"My daughter's murder."
"Your daughter? I thought you loved her?" Peter said.
"I do. I love her enough to kill her before she gets trapped into the web of lies Dumbledore feeds her. What am I saying? She's already trapped, already gone. Gretchen Locus could have been great. She could have been the darkest of us all, but I lost her."
"Is it true," one man asked, "that you were going to purify her blood by putting a drop of Master's blood into it?" Winetta laughed, a cruel cold laugh that, Harry somehow knew, Gretchen still heard in her night mares.
"Of course it's true! I would have done anything to kill the light in that child's heart! She was born with this power and the curse of kindness. I tried many curses on her in her youth. I tried so hard to make her like me. But it never work. That's all right, she'll soon be dead."
"How soon?"
"Harry! Wake up!" a voice called. Harry nearly screamed. It sounded like Winetta, but when he opened his eyes, Harry realized that Gretchen was calling him. "It's your turn."
"Oh," Harry said quickly. "Wait for me." With that he got up and entered Professor McGonagall's office.
"Well, Harry, how are you?" asked Professor McGonagall, transfiguration teacher and head of the Gryffindor house.
"Err....good. Um, so we're talking about my future right?" The professor nodded. "Well, I have no idea what I'm going to do in the future so....um....can I go now?"
"Harry, as hard as it is to except you are growing up and you will be leaving soon. The time has come to start thinking of what is best for you when this is gone. Now, you're pretty good a Quiddich, what if you played professionally?"
"No."
"You've been good at defeating dark magic..."
"I don't want to be an Auror." McGonagall sighed.
"Harry, I'm trying to help you, the least you can do is cooperate," she said irritably. "Now, where can you imagine yourself ten years from now?" Harry shrugged. McGonagall gave him a stern look.
"I've never really thought about what's gonna happen after Hogwarts," Harry said. "All I know is that I don't want to play Quiddich or be an Auror. Look, professor, I have a killer headache, can I just go?"
"You're not afraid that you'll die before you leave here are you?" she asked.
"No," Harry admitted. "I'm not fared of dying, just of other people dying first."
"You can go, Harry," the professor said grimily. Harry bolted for the door. Once out, he grabbed Gretchen's hand and lead her threw the many halls and corridors of Hogwarts.
"What's going on?" she asked, once they had stopped. Harry didn't answer her. He
was too busy shouting at a gargoyle.
"Toadscales?" he asked. "Cauldron cakes? Vampirebats? Silver White Winters that Melt into springs? Oh...I give up! Trying to figure out this password is as annoying as a bumblebee!" The Gargoyle swung over to reveal a moving stair way. "Bumblebee?" Harry questioned, rolling his eyes.
"Harry what are..."
"Come on, we need to see Dumbledore," he said.
"Why?"
"Because I had a dream."
"I have dreams everynight, Harry, and I never....," Harry raised a hand to silence her and Gretchen became quiet. He knocked on the door and a few moments later Dumbledore emerged.
"Harry? Gretchen? What a fine surprise. Please do come in. What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have a class?" he asked as he rushed them into his circular office. Harry looked around and saw the portraits of all the old headmasters and headmistresses sleeping in their frames. Fawkes was sitting in the corner of the room, looking rather sick.
"His burning time is soon," Dumbledore commented. "Now, what was it you needed to tell me?"
"Professor, you now how in my forth year I had those dreams were my scar would hurt?" Harry asked.
"Yes, go on."
"Well, I had another one." Harry paused waiting for Dumbledore to say somehting. When the old man said nothing, Harry kept on going. "In my dream there five deatheaters under a tree, talking about a string of murders. Then they said that they were going to kill Gretchen." Dumbledore blinked. He looked form Harry to Gretchen. Then he gave Harry one of his characteristic stares. Harry felt as if Dumbledore could see though him. He shivered.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "While it is upsetting to hear the is news, I'm not surprised. What you did last year, Miss. Locus, was very brave and wise, but it has angered Voldemort."
"And my mother."
"And your mother. However, we don't know when or how Voldemort will strike, so we'll just have to be careful." Dumbledore sighed. "There was a brake in at the Ministry of Magic's Ministry of Records building last night," he said. "They killed the guard one duty, and the stole, too. Three family files were stolen."
"Family files?" Harry questioned.
"Files kept on a magical family," Dumbledore explained. "As I said, three files were stolen. The Potter file, the Locus file, and the Black file. Do any of you have any idea why these files were taken?"
"No," Harry said.
"Not a clue," said Gretchen. A sudden thought popped into Harry's head. She's lying.
"Very well," Dumbledore said. "You know the password. If either of you need to talk you'll always be welcome." Harry and Gretchen left.
"You'll never believe what professor McGonagall said," bragged Ron the next day at breakfast. "She said that I'd do fine working for Grimgots."
"So?" Harry asked.
"So that's were Bill works! I don't want the same job as my brother!" Ron exclaimed. "She also said I'd do good in the Ministry of Finances for the Ministry of Magic. That would be an ok job I suppose, though not very exciting."
"What do you want to be Ron?" asked Harry.
"I don't know. Something that makes lots of money," said Ron. "What about you, Hermione, what do you want to be?"
"I really don't know," Hermione said. "Something complicated. Something interesting. I think I want to be a wand maker."
"What?" Harry and Ron both said in unison.
"A wand maker! You know, I'd make wands. I could use the information from Care of Magical Creatures and Magical Theory to do it. Then I could use my other classes
to make specialize wands for Transfiguration or Charms," Hermione explained. "It just seems like a rewarding job, don't it? You get to help a new generation of witches and wizards and make money at the same time. Not to mention that the art of making wands is emmencly complex. Did you know that it takes at least three days to make one wand? And
that you can't use a wand to make a wand?"
"No," Ron said. "What about you, Harry? What do you want to be?"
"I haven't thought about it," Harry said truthfully.
"Oh!" Hermione said suddenly. "Ron, we need to pass out the new schedules for this week!"
"That's right," Ron exclaimed. "It's a perfect thing." Ron and Hermione passed out new shedules to first and second year students while some of the older perfects passed out the third fourth and fifth year shedules. A seventh year perfect gave out the sixth and seventh year shedules. Then all the perfects sat back down.
"Hmm," said Harry. "Why aren't we having any Charms lessons this week?"
"Oh, Professor Flintwick is going to some special club of his," Hermione explained.
"Look on the bright side, Harry," Ron said in sarcastic tone. "We get a double potions lesson instead." Potions was Harry's least favorite subject headed by his least favorite teacher, Professor Snape.
"Great," said Harry sarcastically.
"Have you seen Gretchen this morning?" Hermione asked.
Ron shrugged. "She's in your dorm, not ours." Hermione gave him a stern look.
"She's not in my dorm anymore, Ron, remember? I already moved into the perfects dorm. Speaking of that, you should get moving, too. Fletcher Cords is going to be very angry with you. He's the Headboy now." Ron rolled his eyes, but Harry did not.
"You're moving out of our dorm?" he asked in an almost hurt voice.
"Well, yes," said Ron, who was shifting uncomfterible in his chair. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Harry, I just didn't want to upset you. Hey, why didn't become a perfect, anyway?"
"I don't know. I suppose I've lost too many house points to qualify," Harry lied. He made a mental note to ask professor McGonagall the next time he saw her. "I have to go to the library."
Ron rolled his eyes. "You're going to make-out with Mandy again, aren't you?"
"So what if I am? You make out with Lavender in the common room almost everynight. Parvotti was very upset. That is, until she and Seamus started trying to suck eachother's brains out." Hemrione giggeled.
"Oh, Harry. Terry and I wanted to know if you and Mandy would like to have dinner with Ron, Lavender, and us, sometime. We already arranged for Ron and Lavender to come at a Perfects meeting yesterday," Hermione said. "Will you ask her? I mean, she already knows, but I think she wants you to ask her." Harry nodded.
"Thanks Hermione," he said. Then he left the room.
Mandy was waiting for him in the library. She was sitting at a table far away from the Liberian. "Oh, Harry it's so good to see you," she said.
"You just saw me yesterday," Harry commented.
"I now, but yesterday was yesterday and today is today," Mandy explained. Harry just nodded, not having a clue as to what Mandy was getting at. "Harry, I've had a revelation."
"A revelation? What 'bout?"
"My future," she said. Harry almost rolled his eyes. He was tired of hearing everyone talk about their futures. He was especially sick about hearing Mandy talk about her future. Apparently, Mandy had mapped out her entire life before she even arrived at Hogwarts. Harry thought that was a little odd, but he didn't say so.
"I was just thinking, if I'm going to be working at Grimgotts, what will you be doing?" she said. "I mean it's just that when we're married..."
"Married?" Harry repeated. "Who said anything about getting married?"
"Well, we have been going out for over six months," Mandy said. "My parents had only been going out four months when my dad proposed so, I kinda assumed....."
"You assumed that we would get married? We're only sixteen, Mandy. I don't want to worry about marriage for a long time."
"Are you saying that you don't want to marry me? That you think I'm unworthy?" Mandy assumed.
"I never said....."
"Because if you do, Harry Potter, I assure it will be the worst mistake of your life." Harry sighed.
"I don't want to not marry you," Harry said, "But I don't want to marry you either. Yet. But I will tell you what I do want."
"What is that," Mandy said irritably.
"I want you to come with Hermione, Ron and I and their dates to dinner sometime." Mandy's face lit up.
"Oh, I knew that you really did love me, Harry." With that the two locked lips.
The conversation Harry had with Mandy bothered him all day. It bothered him so much that the double potions lesson with Snape was barible. And the new recruits on the Gryffindor Quiddich team didn't seem half as annoying as they actually were. After Quiddich practice, Harry looked forward to going to sleep, and maybe having a talk with Ron about Mandy, but when he arrived in his dorm Ron's bed was gone. Harry knew
where it was, with the other boy Perfects. Harry sighed and went to bed, unbearably alone with his thoughts.
Mandy had assumed that Harry would marry her someday. How could she have ever thought that? Harry didn't know what he was going to do with his future, but one thing he did know was that he didn't want to get married right away. Not to Mandy.
Not to Mandy? Harry was surprised at his own thought. He loved spending time with Mandy. She was smart, and funny, and a great kisser. Harry loved her. At least he thought he did. She was beautiful. She was one of the most beautiful girls Harry had ever seen. Yes, he did love her, but she seemed to doubt that love.
Harry thought for a moment of the witch on the train. She had though Harry and Gretchen were going out. Harry knew he didn't love Gretchen. He had figured that out last year. She was very intriguing, but he didn't love her. Had Mandy some how discoed the witches opinion of Harry and Gretchen, though? Did Mandy thing he was cheating on her? Harry hoped not. Mandy was becoming a constant in his ever shifting life. A life were he felt that he was losing his two best friends.
Ron and Hermione were perfects now. That much was obvious. They almost seemed to be using their new statis as perfects to avoid spending time with Harry. They always seemed to be busy with one Perfect event or another. Helping a first year get to classes, attending a meeting. Harry was getting sick of it.
He suddenly felt that he was wrong about them. They hadn't grown up over the summer. If they had, they would understand that friendship was the most important thing at that moment. Harry wished he could tell them that, but he hadn't had time to talk with them since breakfast. Even if they were in classes together, Harry wouldn't dare talk during potions, and they were to aborted in their magical theory class that say to whisper. At lunch, Ron had been with the perfects, moving his bed, and dinner, Ron and Hermione had been sitting at the perfects table. That had left Harry with no one to talk to but Ginny Weasly, Ron's sister. Harry didn't mind that too much, except that she could still be a bit shy in front of him. He really needed to talk with someone his own age. Some one who
could understand him. Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and headed for the girls dorm. Harry was going to talk with Gretchen.
As usual, she was easy to wake. Gretchen was a light sleeper. When she crawled down into the common room a few minuets later, she was wide awake. "What is it, Harry?" she asked. Harry hadn't talked to Gretchen at all that day. Harry supposed that after hearing about Harry's dream she had become a bit frightened, but she looked fine now.
"I jut needed to talk to someone," Harry said. "I've been thinking about everything. Gretchen, are you scared?"
"No really," she said.
"I mean, do you ever get the feeling that your doing something wrong?"
"Sometimes, but not often," she said. " 'Long is the rode-braving the cold-To keep the soul unsold-As we get old--And has it all become a bliss a bore-As it never was before I do not think that true, folklore-For there's a demon at my door'"
Harry looked at her, bewildered. "What was that?"
"It's part of a poem written by a witch under the pen name Kate Marie. It's about evil and death. For me it's always been about mother. Mother and Voldemort and the Deatheaters. It seems like there always with me now, so I think of that poem a lot," Gretchen said.
"How does the rest go?"
" 'With his dread and deathly eye-Tempting me with evil's pie-To run with rage and steal and lie-Until the day that I shall die--And for the entire world to see-He calls my name and comes to me-How am I ever to be-As I want to be, free--He is not my owner I am not his slave-A path for him I shall not path-or nothing but heartache has he gave Such that will haunt me in the grave--I tried and tried to get him away-Only to find that he
must stay-So will battle him anther day-For it will always be that way--And has the Good bid us farewell-And given us it's finial yell-The demon brings it into hell-Forever close in prison-shell--And has it all become a bliss a bore--As it never was before--I do not think that true, folklore--For there's a demon my at my door.'"
"I don't get it," Harry said.
"I didn't think you would. Hey did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"It sounds like someone's coming up the stairs," Gretchen said.
"But it's one in the morning, you and I are the only one dumb enough to up at this hour," Harry said. "Well, we'd better....." The door opened. Albus Dumbledore walked into the common room, followed promptly by Sirius Black.
"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed.
"Shhhhh," said Gretchen. "You'll wake the others."
"Harry, I'm go glad to see you. How have you been?" Sirius asked.
"Great," Harry said. "I'm Quiddich captain now."
"That's wonderful. You're father would be so proud of you Harry. He would be so proud." A silence filled the room. Sirius wiped away a tears from the corners of his eyes. Harry looked away.
"If you'll excuse us for a moment, Harry, I need to have a word with Sirius." Dumbledore lead Sirius to the other side of the room and talked to him in a low voice. Harry turned back to Gretchen, who hadn't left yet. She was watching Sirius and Dumbledore talk. There was a look of curiosity in her eyes. Curiosity and something else....pain. Harry looked at Gretchen's dark eyes, and then looked at Sirius. His dark eyes were just visible. Suddenly, Harry understood.
"I'm going to bed," she announced.
"No you're not," Harry told her.
"I'm not?" said Gretchen sarcastically. "Why is that?"
"Because you're going to tell him," Harry said. "You're going to tell him who your father is." Gretchen gasped.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"Your eyes." Harry waited a moment. "Well?"
"I can't Harry, I just can't."
"You have to. He has a right to know," Harry said in a slightly raised voice. He didn't know that Sirius and Dumbledore could hear him. "If you won't I will."
"You certainly will not!" Gretchen proclaimed. Dumbledore and Sirius could hear her, too. "You can't."
"I can to. He's my God father."
"Well, he's my real father and I say no!" Gretchen announced.
"What!" Sirius shouted. Gretchen gasped. She looked at Harry and Sirius, pure horror in her eyes. She turned around and ran straight into the girl's dorms.
"Gretchen," Harry called. "Gretchen, come back here."
"Harry what did she mean?" Sirius asked. Harry looked at him. "Harry?"
"Gretchen said that her mum had bewitched her dad and that he didn't know 'bout
her," Harry said. "I never thought that Winetta Locus bewitched you."
"Winetta? She's Winetta's daughter?" Harry nodded. Sirius just stood there, shocked.
Sirius stayed in the castle for a few days. Harry did the best he could to explain the him about Gretchen. It was hard though, seeing as Gretchen refused to talk to him. Or Hermione of Ron. A week had past and Harry was beginning to miss her friendship. He was also becoming more and more grateful of Mandy. However, one Monday, a week after Sirius had visited, everything changed. Dumbledore stood up at breakfast. There was no fire in his eyes. Harry knew something was wrong. The hall quieted. "I am afreid something horrid has happened," Dumbledore announced. "As you all know, Professor Flintwick was attending a meeting of the Grand Champions Dueling Club this week. While he was in attendance Voldemort attacked. I'm sorry, but Professor Flintwick is dead."
All sanity in the hall disappeared in that moment. All the Ravenclaws started crying, for he was the head of their house. The teachers started crying as well. Hagrid's bellows could be heard throughout the halls. Harry could see Professor Morryson comforting Professor McGonagall out of the corner of his eye. Hermione was in tears, Ron was trying
to comfort her, but to no avail.
Harry felt empty. So empty that he couldn't cry. The rest of the day passed in a bliss. Before Harry knew it he was alone in the Gryffindor Common room. it was late. Everyone else was in bed. He was briefly aware that someone else had entered. "I'm sorry, Harry." Gretchen was there. She sat down next to him.
"Sorry about what?"
"Not speaking with you." She looked away. When she started to speak again, her voice trembled. "I've just been so angry. So stupid. Harry life it too short to act this way. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She took a deep breath. "Harry, I'm scared." She met his gaze again.
"Me too," Harry breathed.
"Come on," Gretchen said. "Let's write a letter to Sirius Black. He deserves to know." Harry nodded and the two began to write. Gretchen got out a quill and some parchment and started write 'Dear Sirius' when she suddenly got pale and put her hands over her ears, then she collapsed. Harry felt himself falling into unconciousness, too.