A week went by. Harry kept having that dream every night. He and Katherine had discussed it once and hadnt come up with anything. His mind kept wandering to the dream, and it just happened to be what he was thinking about until Snape interrupted his thoughts.
"Potter!" He snapped. Harry's head jerked up to look at him.
"What?" Harry asked. Malfoy and his two goons sniggered behind their hands.
"Pay attention! Five points from Gryffindor!" Snape said and smiled wickedly to Harry. Harry decided not to argue and glanced at Ron and Hermione who were working together on a potion. Harry took out his recipe book and flipped to the page they were supposed to be working from.
"There's no need." Said Katherine, his partner.
"Why?"
"Because I've just finished making it on my own."
"Oh thanks for including me."
"Any time. I thought I'd just let you keep to your thoughts."
"Oh." They worked in silence from then on.
"Miss Patil!" Snape said loudly. The class turned to look at Parvati. "Will you kindly focus!" Parvati made a little whimpering sound.
"I am focused sir." She said.
"Let me rephrase this. Will you focus on the lesson instead of Potter?" Snape said. Parvati blushed and so did Harry. Snape moved away from her in one long step after he flashed another wicked smile.
"Well, he's in a good mood." Harry commented.
"No joke." Hermione said. She looked at the watch on her wrist. "Oh thank the goddess we're out of here in a minute."
"Good. I hate this class." Harry said.
"I agree," Ron said and glared at Snape's turned back. The bell rang and everybody hustled out of the classroom, glad that it was the last class of the week.
~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*
Harry had fallen asleep in front of the fireplace again. He was having another one of his nightmares, but this one was different. He had been seeing his parents' deaths all over again. When he woke up his scar hurt, as he had expected. But the pain was different this time. He felt a small trickle of blood fall from it. Was his scar bleeding? He raised a hand to it and wiped. When he put it back down he saw a smear of blood on his hand in the firelight. He looked up at the fire trying to figure out how this could have happened. When he looked back down at his hand again, the blood had vanished and the pain in his scar was gone.
"What's up Harry?" Hermione asked. "You're never this quiet." They were heading down the stairs to breakfast.
"A premonition." Harry said.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked, a little startled.
"I mean, something bad is going to happen. I can feel it in my stomach." Hermione and Ron exchanged glances.
"Oh." Hermione said. "Well you know I don't believe in Divination. I'll bet you're just hungry."
"I'm not very hungry actually." Harry said.
"Well maybe sleeping on the couch last night is making it hurt." Ron suggested.
"Have you ever slept on that couch?"
"No." They chimed.
"Well then you obviously don't know how wonderfully comfortable it is."
"Whatever." Ron said, wanting to change the subject. "You finish that D.A.D.A. homework?"
"Yeah. It was pretty easy, was it not?" Harry said.
"No. I still don't understand it." Ron pouted.
"I'll help you tonight then." Harry said. They reached the great hall and started to go in but were stopped by Professor McGonagall.
"Have you three seen Katherine?" She asked. Harry saw she had a panicky look on her face.
"What's up?" Harry asked.
"For once, the urgent news doesn't concern you." She said.
"Well that's a relief." Harry said. "I think I saw her making her way down the stairs when we left."
"Thank you." McGonagall rushed off up the halls.
"Something is going to happen." Harry said. "I know it."
Katherine didn't show up for a single class all day. Not much was different without her in classes. Of course Lavender and Parvati kept wondering where she was the entire day. They had accepted her into their little social group in an instant. They hung onto every word she said because whenever she spoke it was always something funny, flattering or very intelligent. Most of the other houses thought she must be stuck up, because she didn't talk to much, but the Gryffindors knew better than to think that. She was always willing to help anyone and she gave off the impression of somebody very compassionate and caring.
Harry walked up to the common room alone that evening. Hermione and Ron were taking a walk around the castle and Harry decided he did not want to be present for their smooch- fest. Nobody else was in the common room when Harry entered it. Or at least that's what he thought at first. Near the back of the room somebody was sitting at a table, her head buried in her arms, which were folded on the table. Harry realized it was Katherine.
He walked over to her. Could she possibly be asleep? No, she wasn't. She was crying. Her shoulders moved up and down with every new sob. In one of her hands she was clutching a letter. She didn't look up as Harry approached her.
"Katherine, what's wrong?" Harry asked and put a hand on her shoulder. It was very hot.
"They're gone." She sobbed.
"I don't think I know what you mean." Harry said kindly. She lifted her pretty, tearstained face.
"My- family… he took them away from me." All at once Harry understood. She stood up and Harry hugged her.
"I know, I know, I know, I know." Harry said and stroked her hair. "He took my family away from me to."
"I should have gone to!" She sobbed. "He only w-wanted to kill me. They shouldn't have died. It should have been me."
"I understand. He only wanted to get rid of me to. Not my entire family." A single tear rolled down his face. "At least you weren't there to see it happen."
"That is true." She said and looked up at him suddenly. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "You must think I am very stupid."
"Not at all, Kat. Not at all." Harry said. "It's only right to cry for the dead."
"You really do understand, don't you."
"Yeah." Harry said. He was amazed at how awkward he didn't feel. Usually crying girls gave him the creeps, but it was different with her. "I saw my parents death. I've seen it hundreds of thousands of times. It's one of my reoccurring nightmares."
"I'm sorry."
"Not your fault."
"What is it like to be an orphan?" She asked suddenly.
"I couldn't tell you." Harry said. "I'm not an orphan. I used to live with my aunt and uncle. But I'll tell you, I used to wish I was an orphan." She laughed through her tears.
"Why would you want that?" She asked.
"Because they were the scum of the universe." Harry said simply. "They used to make me live in a cupboard."
"That's horrible!" Katherine said. Harry's plan of getting her not to think of her dead parents was working.
"Isn't it though? Well they still think I'm dead back there, so I get to stay here over the summers."
"Will I have to stay here over the summer to?"
"What about your dad?" Harry suggested. "Surely you could stay with him?"
"No good. Last I heard, he was in Azkaban."
"Oh." Harry said, a little startled. "Well living in the castle isn't such a bad thing. I love it here."
"What am I going to do without them?" Katherine said, bursting into tears again. "They even got Gandmama."
"You've got all of us here at Hogwarts."
"No offence, but your not exactly the motherly type." They both laughed.
"Well no, but have you met Madame Pomfrey yet? She's very motherly. And Professor Dumbledore is a lot like a crazy old grandfather." Kat laughed again.
"No joke there." She said. "Harry, you have no idea what this means to me. You don't have to sit down here, missing dinner just to listen to my pity stories."
"I know, but I think this is a little more important than mashed potatoes and chicken." Harry pointed out.
"You're a real friend you know that?" She said.
"Thanks," Harry said. People were beginning to file into the common room and were shooting the pair of them very odd looks.
"Katherine!" Parvati screamed as she entered the room.
"Katherine!" Cried Lavender right behind her. Kat and Harry exchanged annoyed glances.
"Oh honey, you've been crying!" Parvati said and took her away from Harry.
"What's wrong?" Lavender said. Harry turned away when Kat started crying again. Ron and Hermione were entering the room now and he went over to meet them.
"Did you see Katherine?" Hermione asked him.
"Yeah. She's going through a rough time. Her parents were murdered by Voldemort last night." Hermione gasped.
"Oh no!" She said. "I'm going to go talk to her."
"Okay." Ron and Harry said as Hermione tore off to go comfort Kat.
"I feel so bad for her." Harry said.
"Yeah, that has got to be horrible." Ron said, looking at Harry awkwardly.
"Don't look at me like that." Harry snapped. Ron said nothing.
~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*
Harry had somehow coaxed Kat into coming down to breakfast with them the next morning, although she said nothing on the way down to anybody. They didn't really say anything to her either, just left her alone to think. They all sat down at the table and began to eat. Harry, who wasn't very hungry just poured himself a glass of milk. It tasted oddly of bitter almonds. They had just gotten to an interesting subject of conversation, when McGonagall appeared by his side.
"Ah, Potter. There you are. I need to speak with you privately." She said. Harry looked at Hermione and Ron and Kat, who gave him very blank expressions.
"I'm not in trouble, am I?" Harry asked, scanning his memory to find what he had done against the rules in the past week. McGonagall's eye's clouded up. Harry suddenly had the premonition of foreboding in his stomach again.
"No. Follow me." She said. Harry shrugged and followed her.
"I'll see you guys in class then." Harry said. They went into McGonagall's office and sat down. McGonagall stared at Harry for a while before she spoke.
"I'm afraid I have some bad news." She said. Harry scrunched up his nose. How could there be bad news? Voldemort had been back for a year now, that was nothing new. Did it have something to do with the crazy dreams he'd been having?
"What about?" Harry wondered out loud.
She began reading a letter. "We regret to inform you that Dudley Dursley, Petunia Dursley, Vernon Dursley and Marjorie Dursley have passed away last night."
"WHAT?" Harry said rather loudly. This couldn't be. "What do you mean they passed away last night?"
"Harry, they've been murdered. Or at least three of them were. It says in this report the Ministry gave us that they murdered Marge and Vernon and Dudley."
"Well how did my aunt die?" Harry asked. This had to be a dream. It had to be. Things like this just didn't happen.
"Well she was apparently hiding behind her son and- well- you of all people know his size. When Dudley was killed, he fell backward and-" McGonagall couldn't finish her sentence.
"He crushed her to death?" Harry asked. McGonagall nodded very slowly. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…" Harry rocked back and forth in his chair, letting this sink in.
"You have been excused from all classes this week so you may attend the funerals. You will need to leave by broomstick on Wednesday. You have today to pack. That is all. You can choose to finish breakfast or you can just go to your room." McGonagall was crying. Harry suddenly wondered why. She had never even met the Dursleys. Harry said nothing and walked from the room and up the hall. He was numb all over with shock.
"Harry!" Somebody from down the called to him. Harry didn't stop. He pretended he didn't hear them. Ron and Hermione soon caught up with him.
"What'd she want?" Ron asked. He looked at Harry's face. "Whoa- what's wrong?" Harry didn't know why he was so sad. Three or four tears had leaked out of his eyes.
"Nothing." Harry said. "I'd just like to be alone I think." He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his cloak and walked faster.
"Well if it isn't Potter!" Came a cold drawling voice from the shadow of one of the corridors on the left. Malfoy stepped out of the shadows. "Potter the cry- baby…"
"Get the hell away from me, Malfoy."
"Language, Potter." Malfoy said. "I suppose McGonagall just gave you the news, did she?"
"I'm counting to three, Malfoy. One-"
"It must have been great fun, murdering all of those Muggles-"
"TWO-" Harry said louder.
"But a bit of a waste, as you didn't really like them anyways."
"THREE!" Harry wheeled around and punched Malfoy with all of his strength in the nose and stormed off. Hermione and Ron had figured out what happened.
"Harry, why are you sad? They were horrible to you." Hermione said and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off.
"You don't understand. They were the only family I've ever had and now even they died. Nobody. I have nobody left. Nobody, nobody, nobody! You have no idea what it feels like to have nobody. You have absolutely no idea how it feels to wake up in the morning, knowing that you will never and have never had a proper family!"
"It's okay." Hermione said, startled and a little frightened. "We understand."
"No you don't. Don't even pretend to think that you understand. When was the last time you were called an orphan, or one of your parents died? Never! It hasn't ever happened to you. I don't want to hear it from you either Ron. And no I am not hyperventilating, Hermione, it just makes me sick when people try to pity me, or give me useless advice that I already know." He glared at them both, feeling a little better now that he had gotten this off his chest. (Author's note: I know I had Harry like, spaz out last book but I needed to do this again to work it into what will happen in this chapter. Clear as mud? Good.)
"Harry, we need to get to class." Ron said in the lull in conversation. Harry was still glaring at them both. Hermione and Ron looked extremely uncomfortable and bolted off down the hallway. Harry decided to apologize when he saw them at lunch.
Harry entered the common room. There weren't very many people in there, just a few of the first years, grabbing their stuff for classes. They soon left to. He decided to go see Kat, as she had gotten the week off to. He walked up the stairs to the girls' dormatories and entered the room.
"Harry, what are you doing here?" She asked, startled. Her face was streaked with tears.
"The rest of my family was murdered last night. Every single one of them." Harry said. "Being an orphan sucks."
"Voldemort's really on a roll." Kat said. They hugged. "When do you have to leave for their funeral?"
"Tomorrow, by broomstick. You?" Harry asked and sat down on Parvati's bed.
"Same." She said. "I have to find something to wear today though. My whole family was Muggles except my mum. I'll never know why she married my step- father." Silent tears were running down her cheeks.
"Wasn't he good to her though?"
"Yes, I suppose he was. He was the best with kids."
"That's good. I'll bet your family is going on to a better place." Harry said. He really couldn't think of anything else to say.
"I'll bet yours are too."
"If they get really lucky they will." Harry said under his breath. Kat heard it and laughed.
"Be optimistic!" She started to sing. Harry had been right when he had thought her a singer the first night they had met. "Don't you be a grumpy. When the road gets bumpy- just smile, smile, smile! Be happy!" With every 'smile' she sung she pinched his cheek.
"Where'd you get that one?" Harry asked, laughing a little.
"A movie." She answered simply.
"It's cute." Harry said and stared out the window. The third years were outside with Hagrid for their Care of Magical Creatures class. Nothing was exploding and nobody was screaming or laughing so Harry got quickly bored and watched Katherine pack.
"Shouldn't you pack to?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah." He jumped off.
"Parvati is going to just die when I tell her that Harry Potter was lying on her bed."
"They aren't that horrible are they?" Harry asked with a scrunched up nose.
"They must be obsessed. Well, Parvati is at least. She's a heartbeat away from tattooing your name on her ass." Harry laughed.
"Let's hope she doesn't. I went to the dance with Parvati in my fourth year. She was a pretty good dancer. Although I did feel a little like a trophy on display for the masses."
"That'll happen when you're popular and famous." Kat said. Harry groaned.
"I'm going to go pack now. See you at lunch?"
"Sure." Harry smiled and left the room to go and pack. He finished in less than ten minutes. Getting bored and depressed he put the duffel bag at the foot of his bed and walked down the stairs. Kat had finished packing to and was also down there, looking at the fire.
"Oh- hello." She said when he came into view.
"Pretty fire, no?"
"A little hot, if you ask me."
"Nah."
"You are crazy. At first I thought you were just on crack or something. I mean, you kind of smell like smoke-"
"That cant be helped." Harry cut in.
"And you can do some crazy things. But then I remembered that whole Merlin thing and realized that's what it was. You still are crazy though. I don't care about logic." She finished. Harry laughed.
"Thanks- I think?" Harry said.
"Done packing."
"Yeah."
"Did you remember pajamas and a toothbrush?" She asked. Harry thought back.
"No."
"You'd better go pack it while you think about it." She said. Harry nodded. "I'm going to lunch! I'll see you down there!"
"See you." Harry said. He threw in the forgotten items and began to jog down the stairs. Maybe it was because he was running on an empty stomach, but he suddenly felt very, very, very sick. His eyes started to water and his head pounded and the world started to spin. His stomach was churning. He wanted to throw up, to get it over with but it wouldn't come up. He made his way over to the portrait hole and toppled out. He is his head on the floor with a sickening crack and Harry was out cold.
A person stepped from the shadows, laughing slightly. Its face was covered with a black mask and all one could make out were two misty blue eyes.
"Fool," it chuckled and then disappeared into the shadows again.
~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*
"Wonder what's takin' Harry so long." Ron said through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. Hermione cringed at the sight of his open mouth but said nothing about it.
"He said he'd be down right behind me." Katherine said lightly.
"He could have just decided that he wasn't hungry." Hermione pointed out.
"Yeah, that's true." Katherine agreed. "But- I have this strange feeling something's happened."
As if on cue, a piercing scream echoed down from upstairs. It wasn't a normal scream. It wasn't like somebody had seen a mouse, or a friend had crept up behind you and grabbed you. It was a scream that of somebody surprised or frightened. At the high table, A couple of the teachers including Dumbledore had gotten to their feet. Another scream sent them running off down the hall. The babble of students had decreased greatly and now it was just whispers.
"Come on. I want to see what's happened." Katherine said, looking very white. Ron nodded and stood up with her, but Hermione was reticent. She looked like she was going to tell them that this was against the rules, but since it wasn't, she snapped her mouth shut and followed them out into the hall.
When people saw them leaving, many of the other students followed. They all wanted to see what had caused half of the teachers to run upstairs, but when they got there, they all regretted going.
Cho Chang was standing frozen, pointing diagonal to the floor. Harry Potter lay there in a heap. Blood was seeping out of the side of his head and his left leg was sticking out at a strange angle, obviously broken. He had a very pained look on his very pale face and his eyes were half-open.
"Get Madam Pomfrey." Dumbledore ordered Snape. Snape nodded once, looking confused and took off at a run. Hermione's eyes were wide and so were Ron's. Kat looked horrified and also very confused. "Students go back to your dorms. Now. Lessons are cancelled today, until further notice." With a flick of his wand he had Harry on a floating stretcher. He wasn't moving very much. Now and then his half-closed eyes would twitch and he would let out an almost inaudible whimper of serious pain.
Madame Pomfrey came running down the corridor at great speed and with one look at Harry she came to a conclusion. "Poison." She said and whisked the stretcher off with Harry on it.
"Potter!" He snapped. Harry's head jerked up to look at him.
"What?" Harry asked. Malfoy and his two goons sniggered behind their hands.
"Pay attention! Five points from Gryffindor!" Snape said and smiled wickedly to Harry. Harry decided not to argue and glanced at Ron and Hermione who were working together on a potion. Harry took out his recipe book and flipped to the page they were supposed to be working from.
"There's no need." Said Katherine, his partner.
"Why?"
"Because I've just finished making it on my own."
"Oh thanks for including me."
"Any time. I thought I'd just let you keep to your thoughts."
"Oh." They worked in silence from then on.
"Miss Patil!" Snape said loudly. The class turned to look at Parvati. "Will you kindly focus!" Parvati made a little whimpering sound.
"I am focused sir." She said.
"Let me rephrase this. Will you focus on the lesson instead of Potter?" Snape said. Parvati blushed and so did Harry. Snape moved away from her in one long step after he flashed another wicked smile.
"Well, he's in a good mood." Harry commented.
"No joke." Hermione said. She looked at the watch on her wrist. "Oh thank the goddess we're out of here in a minute."
"Good. I hate this class." Harry said.
"I agree," Ron said and glared at Snape's turned back. The bell rang and everybody hustled out of the classroom, glad that it was the last class of the week.
~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*
Harry had fallen asleep in front of the fireplace again. He was having another one of his nightmares, but this one was different. He had been seeing his parents' deaths all over again. When he woke up his scar hurt, as he had expected. But the pain was different this time. He felt a small trickle of blood fall from it. Was his scar bleeding? He raised a hand to it and wiped. When he put it back down he saw a smear of blood on his hand in the firelight. He looked up at the fire trying to figure out how this could have happened. When he looked back down at his hand again, the blood had vanished and the pain in his scar was gone.
"What's up Harry?" Hermione asked. "You're never this quiet." They were heading down the stairs to breakfast.
"A premonition." Harry said.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked, a little startled.
"I mean, something bad is going to happen. I can feel it in my stomach." Hermione and Ron exchanged glances.
"Oh." Hermione said. "Well you know I don't believe in Divination. I'll bet you're just hungry."
"I'm not very hungry actually." Harry said.
"Well maybe sleeping on the couch last night is making it hurt." Ron suggested.
"Have you ever slept on that couch?"
"No." They chimed.
"Well then you obviously don't know how wonderfully comfortable it is."
"Whatever." Ron said, wanting to change the subject. "You finish that D.A.D.A. homework?"
"Yeah. It was pretty easy, was it not?" Harry said.
"No. I still don't understand it." Ron pouted.
"I'll help you tonight then." Harry said. They reached the great hall and started to go in but were stopped by Professor McGonagall.
"Have you three seen Katherine?" She asked. Harry saw she had a panicky look on her face.
"What's up?" Harry asked.
"For once, the urgent news doesn't concern you." She said.
"Well that's a relief." Harry said. "I think I saw her making her way down the stairs when we left."
"Thank you." McGonagall rushed off up the halls.
"Something is going to happen." Harry said. "I know it."
Katherine didn't show up for a single class all day. Not much was different without her in classes. Of course Lavender and Parvati kept wondering where she was the entire day. They had accepted her into their little social group in an instant. They hung onto every word she said because whenever she spoke it was always something funny, flattering or very intelligent. Most of the other houses thought she must be stuck up, because she didn't talk to much, but the Gryffindors knew better than to think that. She was always willing to help anyone and she gave off the impression of somebody very compassionate and caring.
Harry walked up to the common room alone that evening. Hermione and Ron were taking a walk around the castle and Harry decided he did not want to be present for their smooch- fest. Nobody else was in the common room when Harry entered it. Or at least that's what he thought at first. Near the back of the room somebody was sitting at a table, her head buried in her arms, which were folded on the table. Harry realized it was Katherine.
He walked over to her. Could she possibly be asleep? No, she wasn't. She was crying. Her shoulders moved up and down with every new sob. In one of her hands she was clutching a letter. She didn't look up as Harry approached her.
"Katherine, what's wrong?" Harry asked and put a hand on her shoulder. It was very hot.
"They're gone." She sobbed.
"I don't think I know what you mean." Harry said kindly. She lifted her pretty, tearstained face.
"My- family… he took them away from me." All at once Harry understood. She stood up and Harry hugged her.
"I know, I know, I know, I know." Harry said and stroked her hair. "He took my family away from me to."
"I should have gone to!" She sobbed. "He only w-wanted to kill me. They shouldn't have died. It should have been me."
"I understand. He only wanted to get rid of me to. Not my entire family." A single tear rolled down his face. "At least you weren't there to see it happen."
"That is true." She said and looked up at him suddenly. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "You must think I am very stupid."
"Not at all, Kat. Not at all." Harry said. "It's only right to cry for the dead."
"You really do understand, don't you."
"Yeah." Harry said. He was amazed at how awkward he didn't feel. Usually crying girls gave him the creeps, but it was different with her. "I saw my parents death. I've seen it hundreds of thousands of times. It's one of my reoccurring nightmares."
"I'm sorry."
"Not your fault."
"What is it like to be an orphan?" She asked suddenly.
"I couldn't tell you." Harry said. "I'm not an orphan. I used to live with my aunt and uncle. But I'll tell you, I used to wish I was an orphan." She laughed through her tears.
"Why would you want that?" She asked.
"Because they were the scum of the universe." Harry said simply. "They used to make me live in a cupboard."
"That's horrible!" Katherine said. Harry's plan of getting her not to think of her dead parents was working.
"Isn't it though? Well they still think I'm dead back there, so I get to stay here over the summers."
"Will I have to stay here over the summer to?"
"What about your dad?" Harry suggested. "Surely you could stay with him?"
"No good. Last I heard, he was in Azkaban."
"Oh." Harry said, a little startled. "Well living in the castle isn't such a bad thing. I love it here."
"What am I going to do without them?" Katherine said, bursting into tears again. "They even got Gandmama."
"You've got all of us here at Hogwarts."
"No offence, but your not exactly the motherly type." They both laughed.
"Well no, but have you met Madame Pomfrey yet? She's very motherly. And Professor Dumbledore is a lot like a crazy old grandfather." Kat laughed again.
"No joke there." She said. "Harry, you have no idea what this means to me. You don't have to sit down here, missing dinner just to listen to my pity stories."
"I know, but I think this is a little more important than mashed potatoes and chicken." Harry pointed out.
"You're a real friend you know that?" She said.
"Thanks," Harry said. People were beginning to file into the common room and were shooting the pair of them very odd looks.
"Katherine!" Parvati screamed as she entered the room.
"Katherine!" Cried Lavender right behind her. Kat and Harry exchanged annoyed glances.
"Oh honey, you've been crying!" Parvati said and took her away from Harry.
"What's wrong?" Lavender said. Harry turned away when Kat started crying again. Ron and Hermione were entering the room now and he went over to meet them.
"Did you see Katherine?" Hermione asked him.
"Yeah. She's going through a rough time. Her parents were murdered by Voldemort last night." Hermione gasped.
"Oh no!" She said. "I'm going to go talk to her."
"Okay." Ron and Harry said as Hermione tore off to go comfort Kat.
"I feel so bad for her." Harry said.
"Yeah, that has got to be horrible." Ron said, looking at Harry awkwardly.
"Don't look at me like that." Harry snapped. Ron said nothing.
~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*
Harry had somehow coaxed Kat into coming down to breakfast with them the next morning, although she said nothing on the way down to anybody. They didn't really say anything to her either, just left her alone to think. They all sat down at the table and began to eat. Harry, who wasn't very hungry just poured himself a glass of milk. It tasted oddly of bitter almonds. They had just gotten to an interesting subject of conversation, when McGonagall appeared by his side.
"Ah, Potter. There you are. I need to speak with you privately." She said. Harry looked at Hermione and Ron and Kat, who gave him very blank expressions.
"I'm not in trouble, am I?" Harry asked, scanning his memory to find what he had done against the rules in the past week. McGonagall's eye's clouded up. Harry suddenly had the premonition of foreboding in his stomach again.
"No. Follow me." She said. Harry shrugged and followed her.
"I'll see you guys in class then." Harry said. They went into McGonagall's office and sat down. McGonagall stared at Harry for a while before she spoke.
"I'm afraid I have some bad news." She said. Harry scrunched up his nose. How could there be bad news? Voldemort had been back for a year now, that was nothing new. Did it have something to do with the crazy dreams he'd been having?
"What about?" Harry wondered out loud.
She began reading a letter. "We regret to inform you that Dudley Dursley, Petunia Dursley, Vernon Dursley and Marjorie Dursley have passed away last night."
"WHAT?" Harry said rather loudly. This couldn't be. "What do you mean they passed away last night?"
"Harry, they've been murdered. Or at least three of them were. It says in this report the Ministry gave us that they murdered Marge and Vernon and Dudley."
"Well how did my aunt die?" Harry asked. This had to be a dream. It had to be. Things like this just didn't happen.
"Well she was apparently hiding behind her son and- well- you of all people know his size. When Dudley was killed, he fell backward and-" McGonagall couldn't finish her sentence.
"He crushed her to death?" Harry asked. McGonagall nodded very slowly. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…" Harry rocked back and forth in his chair, letting this sink in.
"You have been excused from all classes this week so you may attend the funerals. You will need to leave by broomstick on Wednesday. You have today to pack. That is all. You can choose to finish breakfast or you can just go to your room." McGonagall was crying. Harry suddenly wondered why. She had never even met the Dursleys. Harry said nothing and walked from the room and up the hall. He was numb all over with shock.
"Harry!" Somebody from down the called to him. Harry didn't stop. He pretended he didn't hear them. Ron and Hermione soon caught up with him.
"What'd she want?" Ron asked. He looked at Harry's face. "Whoa- what's wrong?" Harry didn't know why he was so sad. Three or four tears had leaked out of his eyes.
"Nothing." Harry said. "I'd just like to be alone I think." He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his cloak and walked faster.
"Well if it isn't Potter!" Came a cold drawling voice from the shadow of one of the corridors on the left. Malfoy stepped out of the shadows. "Potter the cry- baby…"
"Get the hell away from me, Malfoy."
"Language, Potter." Malfoy said. "I suppose McGonagall just gave you the news, did she?"
"I'm counting to three, Malfoy. One-"
"It must have been great fun, murdering all of those Muggles-"
"TWO-" Harry said louder.
"But a bit of a waste, as you didn't really like them anyways."
"THREE!" Harry wheeled around and punched Malfoy with all of his strength in the nose and stormed off. Hermione and Ron had figured out what happened.
"Harry, why are you sad? They were horrible to you." Hermione said and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off.
"You don't understand. They were the only family I've ever had and now even they died. Nobody. I have nobody left. Nobody, nobody, nobody! You have no idea what it feels like to have nobody. You have absolutely no idea how it feels to wake up in the morning, knowing that you will never and have never had a proper family!"
"It's okay." Hermione said, startled and a little frightened. "We understand."
"No you don't. Don't even pretend to think that you understand. When was the last time you were called an orphan, or one of your parents died? Never! It hasn't ever happened to you. I don't want to hear it from you either Ron. And no I am not hyperventilating, Hermione, it just makes me sick when people try to pity me, or give me useless advice that I already know." He glared at them both, feeling a little better now that he had gotten this off his chest. (Author's note: I know I had Harry like, spaz out last book but I needed to do this again to work it into what will happen in this chapter. Clear as mud? Good.)
"Harry, we need to get to class." Ron said in the lull in conversation. Harry was still glaring at them both. Hermione and Ron looked extremely uncomfortable and bolted off down the hallway. Harry decided to apologize when he saw them at lunch.
Harry entered the common room. There weren't very many people in there, just a few of the first years, grabbing their stuff for classes. They soon left to. He decided to go see Kat, as she had gotten the week off to. He walked up the stairs to the girls' dormatories and entered the room.
"Harry, what are you doing here?" She asked, startled. Her face was streaked with tears.
"The rest of my family was murdered last night. Every single one of them." Harry said. "Being an orphan sucks."
"Voldemort's really on a roll." Kat said. They hugged. "When do you have to leave for their funeral?"
"Tomorrow, by broomstick. You?" Harry asked and sat down on Parvati's bed.
"Same." She said. "I have to find something to wear today though. My whole family was Muggles except my mum. I'll never know why she married my step- father." Silent tears were running down her cheeks.
"Wasn't he good to her though?"
"Yes, I suppose he was. He was the best with kids."
"That's good. I'll bet your family is going on to a better place." Harry said. He really couldn't think of anything else to say.
"I'll bet yours are too."
"If they get really lucky they will." Harry said under his breath. Kat heard it and laughed.
"Be optimistic!" She started to sing. Harry had been right when he had thought her a singer the first night they had met. "Don't you be a grumpy. When the road gets bumpy- just smile, smile, smile! Be happy!" With every 'smile' she sung she pinched his cheek.
"Where'd you get that one?" Harry asked, laughing a little.
"A movie." She answered simply.
"It's cute." Harry said and stared out the window. The third years were outside with Hagrid for their Care of Magical Creatures class. Nothing was exploding and nobody was screaming or laughing so Harry got quickly bored and watched Katherine pack.
"Shouldn't you pack to?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah." He jumped off.
"Parvati is going to just die when I tell her that Harry Potter was lying on her bed."
"They aren't that horrible are they?" Harry asked with a scrunched up nose.
"They must be obsessed. Well, Parvati is at least. She's a heartbeat away from tattooing your name on her ass." Harry laughed.
"Let's hope she doesn't. I went to the dance with Parvati in my fourth year. She was a pretty good dancer. Although I did feel a little like a trophy on display for the masses."
"That'll happen when you're popular and famous." Kat said. Harry groaned.
"I'm going to go pack now. See you at lunch?"
"Sure." Harry smiled and left the room to go and pack. He finished in less than ten minutes. Getting bored and depressed he put the duffel bag at the foot of his bed and walked down the stairs. Kat had finished packing to and was also down there, looking at the fire.
"Oh- hello." She said when he came into view.
"Pretty fire, no?"
"A little hot, if you ask me."
"Nah."
"You are crazy. At first I thought you were just on crack or something. I mean, you kind of smell like smoke-"
"That cant be helped." Harry cut in.
"And you can do some crazy things. But then I remembered that whole Merlin thing and realized that's what it was. You still are crazy though. I don't care about logic." She finished. Harry laughed.
"Thanks- I think?" Harry said.
"Done packing."
"Yeah."
"Did you remember pajamas and a toothbrush?" She asked. Harry thought back.
"No."
"You'd better go pack it while you think about it." She said. Harry nodded. "I'm going to lunch! I'll see you down there!"
"See you." Harry said. He threw in the forgotten items and began to jog down the stairs. Maybe it was because he was running on an empty stomach, but he suddenly felt very, very, very sick. His eyes started to water and his head pounded and the world started to spin. His stomach was churning. He wanted to throw up, to get it over with but it wouldn't come up. He made his way over to the portrait hole and toppled out. He is his head on the floor with a sickening crack and Harry was out cold.
A person stepped from the shadows, laughing slightly. Its face was covered with a black mask and all one could make out were two misty blue eyes.
"Fool," it chuckled and then disappeared into the shadows again.
~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*
"Wonder what's takin' Harry so long." Ron said through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. Hermione cringed at the sight of his open mouth but said nothing about it.
"He said he'd be down right behind me." Katherine said lightly.
"He could have just decided that he wasn't hungry." Hermione pointed out.
"Yeah, that's true." Katherine agreed. "But- I have this strange feeling something's happened."
As if on cue, a piercing scream echoed down from upstairs. It wasn't a normal scream. It wasn't like somebody had seen a mouse, or a friend had crept up behind you and grabbed you. It was a scream that of somebody surprised or frightened. At the high table, A couple of the teachers including Dumbledore had gotten to their feet. Another scream sent them running off down the hall. The babble of students had decreased greatly and now it was just whispers.
"Come on. I want to see what's happened." Katherine said, looking very white. Ron nodded and stood up with her, but Hermione was reticent. She looked like she was going to tell them that this was against the rules, but since it wasn't, she snapped her mouth shut and followed them out into the hall.
When people saw them leaving, many of the other students followed. They all wanted to see what had caused half of the teachers to run upstairs, but when they got there, they all regretted going.
Cho Chang was standing frozen, pointing diagonal to the floor. Harry Potter lay there in a heap. Blood was seeping out of the side of his head and his left leg was sticking out at a strange angle, obviously broken. He had a very pained look on his very pale face and his eyes were half-open.
"Get Madam Pomfrey." Dumbledore ordered Snape. Snape nodded once, looking confused and took off at a run. Hermione's eyes were wide and so were Ron's. Kat looked horrified and also very confused. "Students go back to your dorms. Now. Lessons are cancelled today, until further notice." With a flick of his wand he had Harry on a floating stretcher. He wasn't moving very much. Now and then his half-closed eyes would twitch and he would let out an almost inaudible whimper of serious pain.
Madame Pomfrey came running down the corridor at great speed and with one look at Harry she came to a conclusion. "Poison." She said and whisked the stretcher off with Harry on it.
