Chapter Four: A Future Glance
Harry sat squashed between Fred and Bill, who kept on mentioning, "Harry, remember what I said about our little venturing?" to Harry, who always nodded and continued to stuff his mouth with Mrs. Weasley's cooked carrots. Bill had meant it when he said that he and Harry could travel to other places by floo-powder later on, which probably proposed that they would go later on that night.
But there was also another intriguing concept that kept on rolling around in Harry's mind. What had Ron meant when he had said, " It was Ginny." Surely not that Ginny had been the other person beside Malfoy, right? Harry stayed quiet all through dinner, and Ron kept on glancing at him, to Ginny and back to him again.
Hum, Harry thought, it could be Ginny, though. She looked bothered by the fact that the twins and Ron were trying to figure out who someone was. But then again, she would have stopped Malfoy from hurting Ron. By the end of supper, Harry had come to the conclusion that Ginny was innocent, and that she was afraid of storms, and that the boys were just pulling his leg.
Although Harry debated on these concepts many times after dinner, he still held onto the belief that Ginny wouldn't ever be close to Draco Malfoy. Harry resolved that he would not tell anyone what he had concluded, because that would just make a bigger fuss over the subject. Nevertheless, Harry still wondered who was by Malfoy, and why.
"Ron, time for bed! You have a lot of things to do tomorrow." Mrs. Weasley called, sighing at him, and giving him a 'you know better' look. "But!" Ron protested, but he just received an even harder expression from his father whom was standing beside his mother, ready to back her up. Ron hung his head, and grumbled, " Yes, Mother." Ron turned to walk up the stairs, followed by Harry, and Fred, leaving George, Ginny, and Bill watching them, and Charlie, who was outside, was studying a new type of dragons.
While heading up to Ron's room, Fred turned into his own room, and then Harry heard Mrs. Weasley say, " Arthur, that boy is picking up from Fred and George." She shook her head, and Harry heard George exclaim, " Hey! We're not that bad!" Harry stifled a laugh, and walked into Ron's orange room.
Hedwig was back in her cage, awaiting her reward for bringing Harry Hermione's response. Ron was changing into his blue pajamas that were tattered around the rims, and had a rip running along the left pant leg. As Ron went to brush his teeth, Harry quickly opened the letter from Hermione.
It said:
Dear Harry,
It is nice to hear that you are well. I am doing well also. My summer has been very pleasant. I have bought you all of the things that you suggested, and I even chipped in a bit to get you the StarChaser broom. Don't worry about paying me back. I will see you in two days! Meet me in the third train car from the back, I will save a spot for you, Ron, and Ginny. I can't wait to see you!
Love from,
Hermione
"Ginny? Why Ginny? Did the two girls form an alliance over the summer, or something?" Harry asked, folding the letter back up, stuffing it into his pocket, and rewarding Hedwig with some treats, that were quickly gobbled down.
"What about Ginny, Harry?" Ron had come back into the room without Harry noticing, and had heard him. "Nothing." Harry said dully, his green eyes starting to loose their sparkle because of his weariness. Ron shrugged, and climbed into bed, even though there was still a hint of light outside. He sighed and reluctantly closed his eyes.
Harry climbed into bed, with his full ensemble of clothes on, for he would sneak downstairs when everyone was asleep. Harry laid on his back, stared at the ceiling, and pondered on what Ginny was thinking, because he could sense, somehow, that she wasn't asleep, even though Mrs. Weasley had hastily hurried everyone to bed, including herself, and Mr. Weasley.
Harry somehow could sense what Ginny was doing ever since she had held his hand; it was like she had somehow connected the two of them mentally. Harry had gotten two glances of what Ginny was thinking, one when he was eating, and one when he was lying there, in bed.
The first glance at dinner, Harry thought that he was daydreaming, but he was wrong. He had just shoved three slices of roast beef into his mouth, when he saw a scene. Ginny was sitting on Hogwarts' grounds, over by the lake with the giant squid. One other person accompanied her, but Harry couldn't make out who it was. Ginny walked over to the person, gripped their hand, and walked out across the lake, only they didn't sink, they were walking on the water. When they reached the center, a tunnel opened up, and the two of them walked down into it, slowly at first, then rapidly, until finally, it closed over them. Harry had the feeling that they were still alive, and that they were somewhere, but they needed to get out.
The glance ended, and Harry immediately looked at Ginny, who was glaring at him. As he looked away he glanced what looked like a lake with a hole in the middle of it; Ginny had formed it out of her mashed potatoes.
The second glance, however, was different. Harry saw Ginny, in her room, close to a lamp, hunched over a book entitled Divination: For the Early Starters. Ginny looked up from her book, and whispered into the darkness.
"Harry? Are you in here? Or are you just thinking that you are." Harry didn't know what to do, but he settled on whispering, " Ginny? What the heck? How can I see you? I am in Ron's room, how…" Ginny put her finger to her lips, " Be quiet! I accidentally linked us when I held your hand right when the lightning thundered." She said, going back to her book, " Now go to sleep, or don't think about what I am doing, that's how I can communicate with you right now. Remember that. Now go away." The vision blurred as Harry thought about something else, and then eventually it disappeared.
Harry bolted up in bed, flabbergasted about what Ginny had just told him. "She linked us two together? For how long? And how do I know if she's watching me?" Harry whispered, almost not hearing himself over the howling winds. It was raining now; rain pelted on the windowpanes, splattering onto the windows, and creating the perfect diversion for Harry to get away.
He shot a glance at Ron, who was dead asleep, snoring quite loudly for the first time. Harry quickly got up, careful not to make any noise, and opened the door. It squeaked, but blended in with the storm sounds. He quickly made his way down to the kitchen, stopping at Ginny's room, debating on whether to go in or not.
He decided not to knock, and not to open the door either, but he still wanted to talk to her, so he thought about what she was doing, which was exceedingly hard, since he hadn't tried to communicate with Ginny, it just happened. Finally he saw the familiar scene with Ginny reading her book.
" Ginny, open your door." Harry murmured. Ginny looked up with an exhausted sigh, and went to open her door. The vision faded, and Harry was greeted into the room as it did.
As Ginny saw Harry, she gasped, and invited him into her room. "What, Harry?" she sounded a little agitated as she glanced at him, and returned to her book. Harry strode up to her with three swift steps, and took the book gently out of her arms, placing it down-faced on her bed. Ginny looked up at him, and felt herself liquefy away.
" How long are we gonna' be linked together?" Harry was the one who sounded aggravated now. "Until I can learn how to take the spell off." "How did you perform the spell in the first place, Ginny" Ginny shrugged, " I dunno', it just, well, happened. Spells don't always need a wizard to perform. There could be a very good reason for this, if you really think about it." Harry had never heard Ginny talk this much in one breath to him.
" Then how do I know when you're watching me?" "You won't always know it, but you can feel it, you just know. But you won't always see what I am doing, you will sometimes see what I am thinking." Ginny responded. Harry nodded and took a seat on the bed, sighing.
Their conversation went on like this for about thirty minutes. Harry asked all the questions, and Ginny provided the answers. By the time Harry had to leave, he didn't want to. He figured that he liked to talk to Ginny. If only he could open up to her more.
"Well, I have something to do, Ginny. Thank you. Good night!" Harry quickly exited the room before he could change his mind about leaving. He turned to go downstairs and spotted Bill gazing up at him. Harry blushed for being caught in Ginny's room, but Harry was extremely relieved when he didn't ask.
"So, where to, Harry?" Bill headed over to the fireplace, and took some floo-powder. Harry shrugged, following him. " Diagon Alley, or even better, Hogsmeade?" Bill suggested, cocking his head to Harry, who was instantly sparked with an idea.
" Hogwarts?" Harry dug his foot into the carpet, and awaited the answer. "Perfect. Then we can use one of the Gryffindor fireplaces to get home, or, if there is time, somewhere else?" Harry nodded, smiling into the darkness. Bill held up a hand, " Wait! Go get your invisibility cloak! Just in case some professors are already there." Harry nodded hastily, and silently ran up the stairs, opened the creaky door, which was covered up by the noise outside, and stumbled over to his trunk.
Harry opened it without a sound, and rummaged around for his father's invisibility cloak. He found it within a matter of seconds, and rushed downstairs again. Huffing, Harry handed the cloak over to Bill, who was illuminated with a sudden strike of lightning. "Wow, new record. Almost one minute, Harry." Bill joked, throwing the powder into the fireplace, and jumping into it.
" Hogwarts!" Bill said, muffling his voice. In a puff, Bill was gone, and it was time for Harry to climb into it. Harry followed suit, and fastened his eyes shut so as not to see the many fireplaces whizzing by. Suddenly he felt ground under his feet, and he opened his eyes.
He was standing in the Gryffindor common room. The two spiral staircases winded up to the girls' and boys' towers. The comfy, fluffy furniture lay scattered around the fireplace, and a few tables were here and there. Bill was sitting on the nearest couch, looking quite humble, and pleased with himself. Harry stumbled over to him, and reached for the invisibility cloak, which he slung over his shoulder, and asked, " Bill, just tell me exactly how we are gonna' get back into this room without the password to get in?"
Bill looked thunderstruck at the question. " I, um-um-didn't really think of that, Harry." He gave Harry a sorry look, and sighed. Maybe this wouldn't be so fun. Harry gave Bill a disappointed look, and crossed his arms. "Are there any other open fireplaces, Bill?" Bill shrugged a second time, and replied, "Ah, Harry, sorry man. But we have no other choice but to either go home, or go somewhere else." Bill hung his head and looked highly angry with himself. "Well, did you bring any extra floo-powder?" Harry asked, taking a seat onto the couch.
Bill looked over at Harry with a scared look on his face. " Oh no." he whispered. "Don't tell me that you forgot the floo-powder." Harry demanded, pursing his lips into a fine line of concentration. " Alright, I won't." Bill gave a light chuckle, and was instantly subdued with Harry's fierce glance at him.
" Okay, now it is time to think, Bill. Hum, your good at that, aren't you? Working at Gringotts and all." Harry said, softening his expression, and forcing a smile. Bill nodded, and then went into deep thought. Harry could tell because of Bill's burrowed brow, and his pursed lips. Harry placed his head into his hands, and stared at the floor through the gap in his fingers.
We could have Bill apparate back home to get some more floo-powder, but that wouldn't really be having fun, we need more of an adventure, Harry thought. Or we could just wait till everyone else gets to school, and send Ron an owl to tell him to bring along my trunk. Harry sighed, and glanced at Bill, who was looking into the fireplace. "Or!" Harry exclaimed, catching Bill's undivided attention. "We could go ahead and leave this room, under the invisibility cloak, and go out onto the grounds. We could stop the whomping willow, and go to Hogsmeade! From there, we can either signal the knight bus to take us home, or we could purchase some floo-powder and use someone else's fireplace." Harry bolted up from the couch, and punched the air, " YES!" He yelled, awaiting Bill's reply.
"Great, Harry! Only, not the knight bus, Mom would most likely catch us, and that wouldn't be good, after all that has already happened. But we could buy some floo-powder; let's just hope that the stores are open!" Bill stood up beside Harry, and took hold of the cloak, spreading it out so that the two of them could be covered. Harry watched his own hand become invisible, and then looked over his shoulder at where Bill was. "Let's go, stay close to me, though." Harry whispered, feeling that since he was invisible, he might as well be quiet.
"Well, you'd be the one to know, you are the one that always goes around under this thing." Harry heard Bill laugh, and grip his shoulder, so as not to be left behind when Harry started to move.
Harry took three slow steps so that Bill could keep up, and reached for the portrait. He pushed it open, and stepped out, waiting for Bill. As Harry let the huge portrait drop, he heard the fat lady in it gasp, "What? Who's there? Show yourself!" Harry stifled a laugh, and quickly walked away. Bill was getting the hang of it, and soon enough, they could both move together smoothly, like Harry, Ron, and Hermione always did.
Through many secret passageways, corridors with life-size portraits, and spiral staircases, they walked. Many of the portraits looked around with a look of question on their faces, they obviously sensed that there someone was there. Bill stumbled over Harry's heels once every two minutes, but other than that, they made fine progress.
Soon enough, the twosome were striding across the Hogwarts grounds over to the whomping willow. Marching over to the tree, Harry whispered under his breath, " Where is Crookshanks when I actually need that bloody cat?" Bill grasped his shoulder a little harder at the sound of his voice, and asked in a silent tone, " What now, Harry?"
Harry checked around to see if anyone was near, and fortunately, there wasn't anyone out on the grounds at the moment. Pulling off the cloak, Bill was startled at the sight of Harry moving swiftly towards the willow, which was wildly throwing it's twisted, mangled branches around, and creaking with the sound of great age. Harry held a lengthy branch in his right hand, and was gaining on the whomping willow with long, quick strides.
Bill was about to stop him, but then realized that Harry knew what he was doing. Bill respected that part of Harry, that he was always brave in what he did, and he always, well almost always, knew what to do. Bill watched carefully as Harry reached the branch into the veering willow, and hit a knot near the trunk of the tree. The willow immediately froze, and Bill stood at a loss for words.
"Harry? How'd you, what the…?" Bill stuttered, stumbling forward with the cloak slung over his left shoulder, and his eyes wide. Harry shrugged. "It's nothing, really, just something that I learned a few years ago. Now follow me." Harry said in a matter-of-factly tone of voice.
Harry led the way into a hole that, eventually Bill found out, was a tunnel going in the direction of Hogsmeade. Following Harry, who was practically running down the tunnel with long paces, Bill was trying to start up a conversation.
"So, um, Harry. Fred and George told me something very interesting at dinner." he started. Harry froze and turned on his heel. He didn't want the whole Weasley family to know that he had held Ginny's hand, he figured that Mrs. Weasley would have a long talk with him if she found out, and he didn't want that.
Harry looked Bill in the eye, "What about?" he asked, tensing up, even though he knew that Bill could, in fact, keep a secret. Bill shrugged, "They told me about their newest get well toilet they had found in the Muggle's dump. It's green, and they took the pleasure of enchanting it to sing 'Don't Worry, Be Happy', quite amusing, I think. I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up with it this year." Bill chuckled lightly, and Harry sighed.
Harry had received other get-well toilets from the twins when he ended up in Mrs. Pomfrey's office. He had never actually seen any of them, because Mrs. Pomfrey always either sent them back, or trashed them, claiming that they were, "Unacceptable, and unsanitary for the patient".
The two of them headed onwards further into the tunnel and closer to Hogsmeade, conversing in joyful tones. Bill held his wand in his left hand, and the invisibility cloak in the other, and Harry held his wand in his right. Both of their wands were lit, and piercing the darkness with their glossy illumination. Harry and Bill chatted on about funny things, changing the subject at least three times every five minutes. Within ten minutes of walking briskly, they could see the light coming from the door leading into one Hogsmeade's most appealing attraction, the shrieking shack. Harry had been there before, inside and out, and he remembered where he had been with the wizard who murdered his parents, Peter Pettigrew.
"Bill, we're gonna come out into the shrieking shack, you know what that is?" Harry whispered, taking the cloak from him. Bill nodded, " The shrieking shack! I have always wanted to go into it! I used to throw rocks at the windows, but mother got onto me, and I wasn't ever allowed to go into Hogsmeade again, but, I did." Bill smirked, and laughed.
Harry smiled, and climbed out into the old, dusty, Riddle House. He offered Bill a hand, but he climbed out on his own, sprawling onto the dusty floor. Once they had pulled themselves together, they had headed out into the storm, which was a pretty bad idea, since the rain was coming down in thick sheets, and the lightning was splashing the dark sky with light. They ran down to the fence, and climbed over in a hurry.
Once they stumbled into the nearest lit shop, they were soaked to the bone. Panting, they were creating a lake of rainwater on the already muddy and wet floor. Harry caught his breath and headed over to the counter, the cloak splashing onto his already-wet legs.
" Do you have any floo-powder?" Harry gasped, slapping his wet hands onto the counter's edge. The cashier looked oddly familiar to him, but his eyes kept on watering, which kept him from getting a good look at their face. Bill came up beside Harry, and smacked him on the back, laughing merrily.
" Do you not realize who this is, Harry?" Bill asked chuckling to himself. Harry shook his head, exhausted, but ready for any surprise. "Take another good look."
Harry lifted his head, and smiled. The cashier was a young man, about Harry's age. He had a camera slung over his left arm, and was looking quite astonished at the sight of the wet Harry. It was Colin Creevey.
