Chapter 5
The First Death
Harry,
I thought I should tell you this before the rest of the school finds out. As you have probably heard, Lord Voldemort has risen to power. Many of us have reasons to believe that he is stronger than before. What I do know is that he is getting supporters and is headed to Hogwarts itself. Dumbledore should be announcing, if he hasn't already, the Aurors will be coming to guard Hogwarts. We don't know what Voldemort is after, but we are guessing it is you. Harry, I want you to promise me that you won't go sneaking around the castle grounds, that you will stay with someone. We are trying to stop Voldemort before he gets to Hogwarts, but there is a good chance we won't be able to do it.
Sirius
Harry sighed, putting down the letter. He was sitting in the Great Hall next to Ron and Hermione. He had been having a rough week and wasn't exactly in the mood to deal with Voldemort. Maret had broken up with him a week ago, but it still felt as though it had just happened.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Harry, we need to talk."
Harry looked at Maret weirdly, wondering what could possibly be wrong. "Sure," he said as he sat next to her. "What's wrong?"
She stuttered, trying to hold back her tears. "I-I think it's about time we broke up."
Harry stared at her blankly, brushing the hair that had fallen into his face. "But-why?" He asked, standing beside her.
"I just think it is time for us to get on with our lives..." Maret quietly replied.
"That's it? We should JUST get on with our lives?" Harry asked, and Maret slowly nodded. "Fine," he replied, leaving the common room and Maret to cry.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Harry, did you just hear a word I said?" Hermione asked, snapping him out of his daydream.
He glanced to see Ron with his mouth hanging open. "Uh, I guess not."
Hermione sighed. "I said, I'm going out with Malfoy."
"WHAT?!"
"Well, he asked me out and I said yes," Hermione replied sheepishly.
"Why?"
"Hehe! I asked the same bloody thing!" Ron said, laughing dully.
Suddenly, McGonagall came bursting into the Great Hall. Her face was white with shear terror. She walked over to Dumbledore, trying not to fall. She whispered something into his ear, and then walked away, using the wall to support herself.
As Dumbledore cleared his throat, the entire school fell silent. It wasn't even a normal silence, more like a creepy silence, when you know something bad is about to happen. "I want all students back to their houses immediately! There has been a death at Hogsmeade, and it is believed that Lord Voldemort killed the girl. Yes, a girl from HOGWARTS."
Gasps could be heard throughout the Great Hall as all the students started making their way to the houses.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"I think I know who was killed." Harry said to Ron as they entered the common room.
"Who?"
"Maret," Harry replied calmly.
"Did someone say my name?" Maret asked, standing from a chair. Her eyes were red, as though she had been crying for quite a while.
"I-I thought you were dead..." Harry said, looking at the floor.
Maret burst into tears. "That's what you wish! It was my twin sister who died. What's even worse, I FELT her die! We were connected...seeing we were twins." She fled up the stairs to the girls' dorm, and the entire common room could hear the door slam shut.
Harry shook his head sadly. "And I never even knew she had a twin."
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Harry, WHAT do you think you are doing?" Ron exclaimed.
"Uhhh...nothing much."
"Oh, don't give me that. You're holding the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders' Map. Uh-huh. Yeah, right. What are you doing?"
Harry sighed and sat onto the cold floor of the Boys' dorm. "Just going to Hogsmeade to-"
"-find the body," Ron finished for him. "Harry, you should listen to Sirius for a change and stay out of trouble."
"Yeah, and maybe YOU should start staying away from Hermione. You're starting to sound just like her."
Ron glared angrily at Harry. "Well, EXCUSE me for being worried about you." He threw Sirius' letter to Harry.
Harry picked up the letter and started re-reading it. Surprisingly, the letter made him deeply think of his Mum and Dad. He grabbed a quill and started writing a response to the letter.
Hey Sirius,
Okay, I'll promise, even though I really don't want to. I'll stay with Ron or his brothers wherever I go. I have to ask, who is this WE you kept mentioning? I've got to go. It's late night and I'm bloody tired.
Harry
Harry signed his name and put the quill away. "I'll send it in the morning." Harry said as he put the cloak and map away.
"Good," Ron quickly responded.
"Don't sound so happy."
Ron looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry," he said as he got into bed.
"Yeah," Harry replied as he got back into his own bed and was soon fast asleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Dumbledore, we can't keep the school open!" McGonagall said. All of the teachers were standing in Dumbldore's office, discussing the death.
"We have no choice, Minerva. The students are safest here," Dumbledore replied.
"As long as they stay IN the castle," Hagrid added.
Dumbledore sighed. "Yes, several of the classes with have to be moved into the castle, itself. Not even the grounds are safe anymore."
"Will O.W.L's, N.E.W.T's and the other exams continue as planned?" Flitwick asked.
"Yes, school will go on as normal, except for the fact that no one will be let into the castle, and no one will be let out."
"Are you sure that will be enough?" Sprout wondered.
Dumbledore sighed again. "I really don't know. That is why the Aurors should be here tomorrow."
"Voldemort won't dare attack the school, itself?" Snape asked.
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "Only if someone is helping him from the INSIDE of the school."
*~*~*~*~*~*
"I'm going," Harry said.
"Going where?" Hermione asked quietly.
"To Hogsmeade."
Ron shook his head. "No." They were walking back to the common room after dinner in the Great Hall.
"Ron, you can't stop me," Harry replied, almost walking through Nearly Headless Nick.
Ron sighed sadly. "Don't you even remember your promise to Sirius?"
Harry nodded and then grinned. "Yeah, I remember alright. That's why you and Hermione are coming with me."