Harry Potter and the Eye of Darkness

Chapter 9: Shocking News

A/N: Dumbledore'll explain to Harry all about the Mrs. Figg thing. Basically that's about it.

Harry reached the stone gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office and called, "Cockroach Cluster!"

The gargoyle however, stayed in its place. Harry sighed. Dumbledore had changed the password again.

"Er- Chocolate Frogs! Sherbet Lemon! Balderdash! Canary Creams! Bertie Bott's every Flavoured Beans! Wizard Whee- "

The door swung open. "That's all right Harry," said Dumbledore. " I knew you wouldn't get the password."

Harry followed him inside. He'd been there quite a few times before. It was a beautiful, circular room and the walls were lined with pictures of previous headmasters and headmistresses who were all snoring gently in their frames. He petted Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, and the phoenix which both Harry and Voldemort's wands included a feather from.

Dumbledore sat down behind the desk and Harry sat on a chair before him.

"Well Harry, there is much to say and I'll try to explain as quickly as I can. I do hope I'm not taking too much of your time."

"Oh not at all, professor. I-um- have Divination now."

"Which means no precious time at all is lost, according to you," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.

Harry's face turned red.

"Now I'm sure you've been wondering about-"

"I know Mrs. Figg's a witch," said Harry hastily.

"That's right. It is very difficult for me to explain this. First you must understand the importance of Arabella Figg living next to you before you learn the truth of her disappearance."

Harry nodded.

"Now tell me something. What do you think Lord Voldemort wants more than ever right now?"

"Er- to gain back his full power and become the most powerful wizard in the world?"

"And?"

"Well, to- to kill me," said Harry quietly.

Dumbledore fixed him with his penetrating stare for a moment. "Unfortunately right," he said finally.

"I already know that, professor."

" I know. Bear with me, Harry. Now haven't you wondered all these years how come he was never able to get to you at your relatives? How come he never came back for you?"

"He had lost his power!"

"But he as been steadily gaining it for the past few years."

"Oh. Okay. So, he- he couldn't find me at the Dursleys maybe?"

Dumbledore smiled. "It is not a question of finding you, Harry. Voldemort always knew where you were. He knew the exact location of your aunt and uncle's home."

"But-"

"But Voldemort couldn't get to you. Not with Arabella Figg next door."

"You mean- she's my Secret Keeper?"

"Well, this spell is quite similar to the Fidelius Charm, yes. But it's not the same. Even though he knew exactly where you were, with Arabella Figg there, there was some force driving him back. And you were safe, for Voldemort wasn't strong enough to overpower her and to get to you."

"But this summer_'

"He did. He overpowered her. He broke into her house and kidnapped her. Which meant if he came back for you, you would be gone in a flash. Of course, Voldemort had to take Arabella away and then come back, or the spell would still work. Anyway, as soon as I heard that she was gone, I sent an owl to Arthur Weasley and told him to take you to his home immediately. My fears were correct. I learned later that Voldemort arrived half an hour after you had left."

Harry gasped.

"I w- would've died," he said under his breath.

Dumbledore nodded slowly.

Then a thought occurred to Harry. "The Dursleys!" he exclaimed. "I never liked them, but"

"No Harry, they are alive. I sent them a spell just after you left. They suddenly remembered they had to go on a shopping trip."

Harry couldn't help smiling. Then he said, "I bet Voldemort was furious after he came back and didn't find me."

"Exactly. I'm sure that when you said that, you didn't realize the full meaning and seriousness behind it. After he came and didn't find you, Voldemort was probably more determined than ever to kill you. And he has probably been searching for another way."

"Another way! But sir- he has already found a way!" exclaimed Harry. Dumbledore looked at him sharply.

"And why do you say so?"

Harry quickly told him about both dreams, about what Malfoy had said on the train, and finally about Professor Trelawney's prediction.

Dumbledore stroked his long beard in thought.

"So it all adds up," he said quietly. "Harry, I believe you've already realized that you are in very grave danger. I don't mean to frighten you but I want you to stay on your guard."

Harry nodded. Then he said, "So Voldemort wanted to contact this person who has this weapon that Voldemort needs to destroy me. But I had the first dream before Mrs. Figg was kidnapped and Voldemort's plan had failed."

"It doesn't really matter. It was perhaps a premonition of what was going to happen after Voldemort's plan failed. Or he was working on two plans at the same time."

Harry nodded again. "Professor- D'you have any idea what this deadly weapon is?"

"Unfortunately, no. You say you don't remember the name from the dream?"

"No. But Professor Trelawney and Malfoy both know."

" I don't believe Mr. Malfoy will give us any information, but I may be able to ask Professor Trelawney."

Suddenly a bell sounded from far off, signaling the end of third period. Harry stood up.

"Well Harry, I suppose you'd better get to lunch."

"Right. Er- thanks for, well…." Harry broke off not knowing what to say. He could have easily died that summer. But Dumbledore understood and smiled in reply. "Take care of yourself. If anything happens or if you learn the name of the weapon, come to me directly."

"Yes Professor. Bye."

"Goodbye."

And Harry left the room, sprinting down to the Common Room to find Ron and Hermione.

They were waiting for him. "C'mon, Harry," said Ron. "We've got to get lunch. I'm starving!"

At lunch Harry told them everything quietly so no one would hear. At the end, they were both stunned.

"Oh my god, Harry! You could've died!"

Harry nodded silently.

Ron was shaking his head in shock. "I don't believe it……"

"It's true," said Harry. "And if it wasn't for your dad and Dumbledore I wouldn't be here now. Anyway right now the important thing is to figure out what this deadly thing is."

* * *

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully. Harry was glad when it was finally the end of the day. They just had one more lesson: Potions with Professor Aruna.

They went down to the dungeons where the class was already seated. Professor Aruna hadn't arrived yet though. Ignoring the menacing stares from the Slytherins, they sat at a table with Seamus and Dean. It wasn't until a few minutes later till Professor Aruna arrived. When she did, she looked exhausted and not as healthy and bright as the day before. She was limping a bit.

"Good afternoon," she said, smiling weakly.

She started taking the register, and when Harry's name was called, she paused for a second. Harry realized that there was something else in her eyes besides the interest he was used to seeing in people when they saw him: What was it? Sympathy. Fear.

But she continued reading off the names and collapsed onto the chair behind the teacher's desk after she was done.

The class eyed her curiously. Some of the Slytherins were sniggering. She fiddled with some potion ingredients on her desk, then she got up and said, "Do forgive me. I'm not quite myself today. As you probably know by now, my name is Professor Aruna, and I will be your substitute potions teacher for this year while Professor Snape is away. Any questions?"

"Where's Snape?" called out Malfoy loudly. Aruna shot a look in his direction. "I may seem weak and fragile to you, but I warn you, any signs of disrespect will not go by unnoticed. If you have a question, you will please raise your hand. Do I make myself clear, Mr. -?"

"Malfoy."

Aruna stared at him for a second. Harry realized a little color had drained from her face. Her eyes suddenly looked cold.

"Right then, Malfoy. Do I make myself clear?"

"Er- yeah. Whatever."

The Slytherins started laughing.

"Mr. Malfoy- ten points from Slytherin."

Now the Gryffindors were cheering.

Aruna gave the whole class a hard look. "As far as I know, the school is preparing a truce for both your houses. This truce will begin…. , this moment. I would like to see three Gryffindors and three Slytherins sitting on each table together. You have thirty seconds, or ten points from each house. Go!"

Harry's jaw dropped.

"Harry, come on!" hissed Hermione. "Move it!" But they weren't fast enough. Everyone in the class scrambled for new seats, and they were left unfortunately with their most hated Slytherins: Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione pushed themselves as far as possible away from them. The three Slytherins did the same.

Aruna eyed the class critically. "That's better."

"Now, we've already wasted half the time, so we'll just talk about the potion that we will be doing next lesson."

The class passed on normally enough, well as normal as it can get when you're glaring and being glared at by you worst enemies who are sitting right next to you the whole time. Harry was extremely glad when it ended and they went back u p to Gryffindor Tower, the classes for the day over.

That night, Harry couldn't sleep. He lay there in bed thinking about everything. It had definitely been an interesting first day back. Many thoughts occurred to him: Where was Arabella Figg right now? Was she all right? Was she even alive? Also, there was something about Professor Aruna. For one, how come she was known only by her first name? Or was Aruna her surname? And why had she been that tired today? Why had she looked at Malfoy with such coldness in her eyes? Different questions swirled around Harry's brain. What was going to happen with the truce? When would Quidditch start? Who would be their new Keeper? And the new captain? And who had conjured the Dark Mark in the summer?

But the most important question of all stayed buried in some part of his mind. No matter what he was thinking about, the question was still there, repeating itself, over an over. What was it? What was the deadly thing that Voldemort was going to kill him with?

A/N: I'd really like to hear what you think on this whole secret weapon thing. Pls include it in your reviews!