Disclaimer: I only own the story
Author's notes: see bottom of page


Every Time I Close My Eyes - Chapter 16


Lupin gave him a warm smile, then said,
"Well, Harry, aren't you going to introduce me?" Harry looked back at
Mortority and said smugly,
"Professor Mortority, this is Remus Lupin, he taught Defence Against the
Dark Arts two years ago." Lupin extended his hand, but Mortority merely
looked at it.
"I know who you are, and I'm afraid I don't shake hands with mongrels."
Lupin's face hardened. Them Mortority turned to Harry.
"I expect more commitment from you in my lessons Potter. Just remember
that." He stalked away. Harry quickly said,
"Professor, I'm really sorry about that. He and I don't exactly get on."
"I see that. Anyway, on to other things. It has been too long." The smile
returned. "Why don't you fill me in on what's been happening around
here?" They re-joined the others in the Three Broomsticks. Everyone was
excited to see him, and he informed them he would be staying in
Hogsmeade for a while.

"Cool! You can visit us in the castle!" Said Ron.
"I can safely say you will be seeing me there. I'm quite interested to see
my students in action."
"In action?" asked Hermione.
"Of course. I'd like to think my year of teaching you is helping in the
Geolite competition!" At the mention of the competition, Harry felt the
familiar wave of depression take him over. Someone else to watch him
betray them. Lupin was oblivious to his discomfort.
"Yes, I've heard all about it. Well done all of you who are still in." Fred
beamed, Ginny blushed, and Harry looked out the window. Lupin
continued,
"I've just met your, er, charming new teacher. Have you learnt anything
interesting?" As Hermione went into a detailed re-telling of the whole
curriculum, Harry found his mind wandering. He saw himself holding a
stone, (he wasn't sure what the Geolite looked like, so settled on a fist
sized rock), then the whole room glowed. As the light faded away, two
people were standing there......
"Earth to Harry!"
"Huh? What?"
"We were just telling Lupin about the match, you kinda zoned out for a
minute there." said George.
"Sorry." Lupin gave him a curious look, but turned back to Hermione who
started telling him about Psygators.

A while later Fred and George dragged Ginny away to Zonko's, and the
trio were left alone with Lupin. With a glance at Harry, Ron asked,
"Have you heard anything from Snuffles?" Lupin sighed.
"No. I know we would have heard by now if he had been caught, but I
have to admit, I'm a little worried." Ron had asked to try and cheer Harry
up, expecting good news, but had got the opposite. Hermione said,
"You don't think anything's happened do you?"
"Unfortunately, there's no way to know. We will just have to wait and
see." Lupin saw Harry's troubled face, and added,
"He can take care of himself. No need to worry yet."
You don't know the half of it, Harry thought.

Lupin accompanied them back up to the Castle, saying he needed to see
Dumbledore.
"Is it a secret mission?" asked Fred mischievously. Lupin laughed.
"If it is, then it's a secret." Harry spoke up.
"So there's no chance of you replacing Mortority?" Hermoine looked up
and sighed.
"Harry, there's nothing wrong with Mortority. Get over it." Harry and
Lupin exchanged a look, then dropped the subject.

The rest of the day was spent trying to guess what Lupin was really doing
at Hogwarts. No-one, including Harry, thought he was just there for a
friendly visit. Harry felt so much better now he had people to talk to. He
actually felt optimistic again. There were so many people on his side, there
must be some way to stop Voldemort. He just wished he could help Sirius.
He looked for the thousandth time at his watch. Sirius was still lost. Harry
didn't even know if he was being held in a different time period. From his
dreams he knew he was in a huge stone room lit by purple flickering light.
Not much to go on.

The next week could have almost passed for normal, if normality ever
existed in Hogwarts. Snape was as mean as ever, but compared to
Mortority he was doting on Harry. Harry got through Defence Against the
Dark Arts by just switching off. No-one else would have spotted the
taunting, but Harry did. If he saw Mortority in the corridors he just
completely blanked him out. After a particularly boring History of Magic
class on the Great Goblin War of 768 AD, Harry almost walked into
Draco Malfoy.
"Watch it Potter." He snarled. Things had definitely got back to normal,
Harry thought.

"My Lord, something unforeseen has happened. He is no longer alone. He
has lost his fear of me."
"That is unfortunate." Mortority desperately wanted to take a few steps
away, but knew that could be the last mistake of his life. After a pause,
"Wormtail is in position?"
"Yes my Lord. He is awaiting your instructions."
"Good. It seems his services will be needed. Send Lucious along, I don't
want things to get messy." A high cold laugh.
"Yes my Lord. And the....incentives?"
"Keep them alive. He must have hope after all. Put them with the dog."
Mortority thankfully bowed away into the darkness.

Harry had gotten through nearly a whole week without being threatened
by Mortority. Only on the night before the second round did he begin to
feel edgy again. As he drifted off to sleep, he remembered what
Dumbledore had said that morning.
"Due to Quidditch being off for the moment, the teachers and I have
agreed to get the Geolite competition out of the way as soon as possible,
and get back to full teaching weeks. Therefore the third and final round
will be held next Saturday, when the winners and representatives of each
house will face each other to find the winner." Echoes of the cheers which
followed this speech reverberated around his head. Whatever happens, he
thought, this is all over in a week.

He was reaching for Sirius. His Godfather looked straight through him,
like he couldn't see him. Harry heard voices approaching, someone was
cursing at the top of their lungs. Sirius looked up towards the voices, and
Harry saw his eyes narrow sharply. Harry turned to look, and felt anger
rise within. It was Wormtail. He was holding onto a struggling prisoner,
their face covered by a bag. Then another man Harry despised appeared.
Lucious Malfoy, also dragging a prisoner. Harry called out, but they didn't
seem to hear him. The two prisoners were thrown next to Sirius, who
began struggling as well. They were chained up, faces still covered. Harry
felt the familiar pain in his scar as Voldemort emerged from the gloom.
He said something, and the bags were removed from the prisoners faces.
Harry awoke with a start, heart racing. No, he thought desperately, Not
them. His eyes rested on the sleeping form of Ron.
Not now!

Ron rolled out of bed at the sound of Dean's alarm clock. He wasn't
surprised when he saw Harry was gone, he hardly ever slept in. Glancing
at Harry's open trunk, he saw a strange glow from inside. Everyone was
slowly getting up, not paying much attention, so Ron, curious, went to see
what it was. He recognised the Pensieve crystal Hagrid had gotten Harry
for his birthday. It was glowing much brighter than when he'd last seen it.
Just as he reached out to pick it up, he heard Fred's voice behind him.
"Ron, come on, get dressed, Dumbledore says he wants to see us before
the duels start." Forgetting the crystal, and wondering what he'd done
now, Ron hurriedly got dressed and followed Fred out the door.

Harry felt ill. He had seen Fred, George, Ginny and Ron hurrying down
the corridor towards Dumbledore's office, and knew what was about to
happen. They were about to be told their parents were missing. All he
could think was, it was because of him. He should have stuck to his plan
and pushed his friends away. But he'd been so alone those few days, he'd
been only too happy to let them believe he had entered to see his parents
again. Feeling worse than he had in days, Harry looked around. He was
near the door to the prefect bathroom. He let himself in and sat on the cold
floor. No doubt Mortority would be along soon to gloat. Harry didn't need
anything else now. Unless he used the wish for Voldemort, his best friend
would be made an orphan, and Harry would loose the person he cared
about most in the world, Sirius. He had to do it. He knew it was selfish,
that more people would be hurt because of this decision. But Harry was
only human. As a single tear traced down his face, he knew he would just
have to cope with the guilt later. Right now he had to save those three
people.
"Hello again." Harry spun around, surprised, only to nearly jump out of
his skin. He calmed himself when he realised it was Myrtle.
"Oh," he said, wiping his face. "Hi."
"Not seen much of you this year."
"Um, yeah, sorry about that."
"Oh, it's all right I suppose." She said, floating away a little. "I've seen
you've been very busy."
"Busy." Harry repeated. "You could say that."
"I was mad at you, 'cos you didn't visit me last year like you said. That's
why I didn't say hello when you were in my bathroom." Harry suddenly
paid more attention.
"You were there?"
"Oh yes. You went off down that hole again with the new teacher." Harry
looked at her incredulously.
"You saw? You saw me and Mortority?"
"Is that his name? I don't really like him. Must of hurt when he pushed
you down that hole." Harry sat, gaping at her, when his back exploded
with pain. He yelped, the sound echoing around the tiled room.
"What's the matter?" If possible, Myrtle looked even paler. Harry bit his
lip.
"Nothing. I....I have to go Myrtle. But I'll be back soon, I promise."

Harry stumbled out of the room. His back was still aching as he set off
towards the Chamber entrance. So Myrtle knew Mortority had forced him
into the Chamber. There wasn't much Mortority could do to Myrtle, she
was already dead. With hope beginning to spark inside him, Harry
quickened his pace towards the meeting with Voldemort.

Hermione was worried. She couldn'd find any of her friends anywhere.
People were milling about in the Great Hall, but Dumbledore wasn't there,
as well as Harry, Fred and Ginny who were meant to be competing.
Deciding she had better check the common room again, she heard a
drawling voice behind her.
"Awww, is Granger all alone?" Hermione turned and glared into Draco's
grey eyes.
"Who asked you? What are you doing here anyway?"
"Just watching. That's all. Not like some people." He glanced at the staff
table where Mortority sat looking very happy indeed. Hermione shook
herself. Why was she even talking to him.
"What do you want. Do you know where everyone is?" Draco looked at
her, his face getting a little gim.
"I saw the Weasels on their way to Dumbledore's. I haven't seen Potter."
He glanced at Mortority again. Hermione got a little annoyed.
"Just what is so fascinating about Professor Mortority for you to come and
watch the second round?"
"Oh nothing. I'm sure we'll all find out soon though."
"What?" Draco pulled her to the side and whispered,
"Something's beginning here Granger. Something isn't right. Unless you
can see that, you won't have a hope of surviving it." Hermione was
stunned. What was he saying? He sounded a little out of it. He was staring
at Mortority again, who had tensed up. Was it her imagination, or did he
glance a his right arm? The Professor walked quickly from the room, not
before sending a glare Draco's way. Draco let go of her.
"I think we're already too late." He said, then walked away.

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Author's notes: Ok, Things are coming to a head. Expect more of the
jumping from pov to pov, someone please tell me if it's confusing. I
know, I know, it's too short. You would not believe the amounts of
college work I have to do, so you lot decide. Would you rather me carry
on, putting a bit up per night, or would you rather get bigger chunks twice
a week or something? If people keep flaming me about the length I'll do
1 Kb at a time just to annoy you. :) Anyway, thankyou so much for the fab
reviews, not sure If you being this hooked is good for your health, but,
hey.