CHAPTER FIVE

THE GREEN GEM

Harry quietly opened his trunk and took out the silvery cloak. For a brief moment, he considered waking Ron, but decided against that. He threw the cloak over himself and went down to the portrait hole. Upon exiting, he saw that the fat lady was gone.

Slowly and silently he made his way down the dark corridors. After a few minutes his vision adjusted to the darkness and he could see more clearly.

When Harry entered the library he muttered, "Lumos," so that a light appeared at the end of his wand.

Harry quickly scanned all the books with his vision, sweeping the wand close to them to read the titles.

"No. Not rocks. Not jewelry... Hold on! Yes! Here it is!"

He picked up an old book with the title, Gems That Possess Dark Powers.

Slowly and cautiously, Harry opened the book in his hands.

There was a bright flash and Harry was blinded. He dropped his wand and the book as he covered his eyes with his eyes as an instinct. Harry panicked. What if someone came? He kicked out with a foot, attempting to close the book. Finally, his foot connected with the cover and as he kicked upwards, the book snapped shut. The light abruptly faded and he was overwhelmed by darkness once more.

Harry rubbed his eyes and blinked several times before he could see again. He bent down and picked up his wand and the book. Then he quickly threw the invisibility cloak over himself and walked toward the exit.

Suddenly, Harry stopped. He thought that he had heard something from his left. Slowly, Harry turned toward that direction.

Nothing… I'm paranoid…

He turned to go again, but for the second time, he heard shuffling. Harry stared into the darkness, squinting his eyes to see farther. He turned and walked in the direction of the noise. As he rounded a corner, he saw light from the hallway seeping into the library. Someone had just left.

Harry tried to move quickly but silently and by the time he got out of the library, the shuffling was fainting more and more.

Forgetting to be silent, Harry jogged down the corridor. He was aware of his footsteps that thudded softly on the floor, but he did not attempt to quiet them. Harry stopped after rounding a corner. He peered in front of him and saw that the entrance to the school was open. Someone had just left.

Harry hesitated and without thinking, he ran out after the figure. The footsteps of the leaving figure were growing louder as he neared. Immediately after exiting, Harry tripped on a tree branch.

"Ah!" he tried to muffle his shout as he landed on the ground, hard.

As he tripped, the book flew out of his hands and landed about twenty feet in front of him... twenty feet behind the cloaked figure.

The person hesitated and stopped. That figure turned around slowly, staring at the book. All was silent as no one and nothing moved.

Don't let him see me... Harry prayed silently, keeping very still.

It felt as if time had stopped and only Harry was able to move... but he kept still. Harry held his breath and looked up at the figure trying to see who it was. Suddenly, the figure moved swiftly in his direction.

Oh, no....

Harry opened his mouth, but the figure stopped by the book. Relief passed over Harry. He was dimly aware of the pounding of his own heart.

The figure stared down at the book silently then hastily bent down and grabbed it. The cloaked person seemed to be looking at the title... then with a nasty voice, it said, "Destructio!"

A light from within the book flashed and cracks ran along it. Harry gasped inaudibly as the book burst in flames. The figure dropped it as the crackling flames enveloped the book. Then, as the book fell to ashes that were quickly blown away by the wind, he ran toward the lake. The figure's footsteps died down as he moved away from Harry. After the footsteps had disappeared, only the wind was heard.

Harry, wide eyed, had figured out that the cloaked enigma of a person was a he. The voice sounded oddly familiar... but Harry couldn't place it.

Who is it...? Why would they be out right now?

He quickly scanned the Hogwart's grounds for any sign of the person. All traces were gone.

Harry remained very still for a few minutes. When he was sure that the cloaked figure was not coming, he hastily got up and went back into the castle. Harry ran down the halls, only stopping when he was in the Gryffindor Common Room. He stumbled in and stared around, catching his breath. Everything was normal... everything was okay....

Harry slowly took off the invisibility cloak and walked up toward the boys' dormitories. He was aware of the pounding of blood in his ears. As he entered, he thought once more about his encounter with the mysterious figure. He knew that voice... but he couldn't put it with a face.

I'll tell Hermione tomorrow.... Maybe she'll know what happened....

But Harry knew what had happened. He got into bed but couldn't sleep, tossing and turning. A sickening feeling was in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know who the person was, but he knew why the person had destructed the book.

My dreams.... Perhaps they do mean something....

And when he finally drifted off into sleep, a thought flowed with him.

Someone doesn't want us to find out and know....

* * *

The next day, Harry pulled Hermione aside to tell her what had happened.

She shook her head. "No one at Hogwarts knows the destructing charm..." she said.

Harry sighed.

"Well, maybe some of us do..." she said.

"Like you?" Harry asked.

"I did not destruct that book!" Hermione yelled, like that was an outrageous thing to suspect her of doing. "I was in bed... like you were supposed to also!".

"I wasn't accusing you! But if you know it... others might also!" Harry said.

"Then why would someone want to destroy a book and leave Hogwarts in the middle of the night?" Hermione argued.

"I don't know why he was out in the middle of the night... but I know why he destroyed the book!" Harry said.

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?" Hermione asked.

"'Cause they didn't want someone to read the book and find out something! I dunno... it's a feeling that I have!"

Hermione groaned. "I still don't see why someone would be out in the middle of the night destroying books about gems."

"Yeah. I know but-"

"Too bad you didn't get the book though...." Hermione said.

Harry nodded, sighing inwardly to himself. He heard Hermione clear her throat.

"Did you look through all the books?" she asked.

"No...."

"Well. We should try to find more," Hermione said.

"But-"

"It's the only way we'll find out what the gem in your dreams are...." Hermione told him.

Harry groaned.

"Why don't I go then," Hermione suddenly suggested.

Harry looked at her.

"What's the difference? As long as you give me the invisibility cloak... I'll get a book." Hermione sounded convinced and firm.

Harry decided not to argue. "Okay. But be careful Hermione...."

* * *

At about 9:30 that night, Harry entered the Gryffindor Common Room as Hermione quietly slipped out. They had done this many times before, when individually, they had sneaked out in the dark of the night.

"Thanks," Hermione whispered to him as she hurried down the corridor.

She went to the library and entered.

Hermione repeated what Harry had done... scanning the books for any that fit the topic she was looking for. Hermione found several books on rocks and jewelry, but she didn't see any on green gems.

After about thirty minutes of searching, Hermione picked out a book titled The Meanings of Green Gems. She saw that it was a thin book with crinkled, old pages.

I can probably read this in an hour, she thought to herself.

Hermione sighed and wiped the dust off the cover. She was about to open it... but thought better of that and decided to show Harry first.

Quietly, but in triumph, Hermione made her way out of the library and back to the portrait of the fat lady.

"Dipplewink," Hermione said softly.

The fat lady was half asleep, muttering, "Yes. Yes...."

The portrait hole opened and Hermione stepped in. She looked around and saw Harry asleep with his head on a table. He had been waiting for Hermione to return from the library.

"Harry!" Hermione said quickly. She slipped off the invisibility cloak and walked up to her sleeping friend. "Wake up! Harry!" She shook his shoulders.

"Time for school?" Harry muttered sleepily.

"Harry! Come on!" Hermione said.

"Huh?" There was a pause and Harry's eyes snapped open. "Hermione! You're back!"

"Yeah... and look at what I found."

She held the book out toward Harry. He stared at it and took it from her hands.

"Hmm.... The Meanings of Green Gems...." He looked up at Hermione. "That'll probably help," he said.

"Hopefully," Hermione sighed. "I don't want to sneak out again and break rules..."

"You suggested that you would go!" Harry cut in.

"I know..."

"So don't blame me," Harry said.

"I wasn't! But if this doesn't tell us anything... you have to sneak out! Not me!"

Harry groaned. "Ron, you, and I used to sneak out all the time..." he muttered.

"...And we got in trouble a lot too!" Hermione said.

"Did not!"

"Remember our first year?" Hermione argued.

"Well... besides that..."

Hermione smiled. "Let's drop that subject. Here. Give me the book."

Harry passed the crinkled book back to Hermione who took it in her hands gingerly. She paused a little. Then with slow hands, she opened the book.

WHOOSH.

"What?" Hermione cried. She dropped the book.

A gust of wind flew harshly into the room and swirled around the two of them. There was a hissing sound and Harry opened his eyes a little to see what was causing it.

A trail of smoke swirled together in circles, joining into a shape.

What...? A skull....

The wisp of smoke swirled again and parted. It slowly glowed green and combined into a perfect copy of the gem in Harry's dream.

"Hermione!" Harry yelled. She looked up and saw the figure.

"The gem?"

Harry nodded but he wasn't sure if Hermione saw him.

All the while, the wind blew on relentlessly. Harry stumbled forward toward the book. He stretched out a hand and was about to close it...

...And it stopped. The wind died down as drastically as it had started while the smoke vanished. The only traces left were Hermione and Harry, looking like they had just walked in from a dust storm.

Hermione slowly made her way to Harry's side and peered down at the book. She narrowed her eyes.

"Look here," Harry said.

Hermione looked down at the faint, barely recognizable words while straightening her hair. She squinted her eyes more and made out the words.

Green gems are usually a sign of evil. If worn or even touched, the jewel may posses its holder, making them perform Dark magic that they would not be able to originally. Most often, the gem can only be controlled by its maker. But when the maker passes on, he/she may bestow the power upon someone else... even in the far future.

Harry said sarcastically, "That's nice..."

Hermione shrugged and flipped the pages, scanning for anything interesting. "Hey! Read this!"

The most well known Green Gem was owned by none other than Salazar Slytherin. It is said that the founder of Slytherin house left the skull shaped gem in the so-called Chamber of Secrets, in the mouth of a statue.

Harry gasped. "I know what statue they're talking about!" he said.

"Really?" Hermione asked.

"Yes! Tom Riddle opened the statue mouth and the Basilisk came out from there..." Harry let his last words trail off.

Hermione was looking at him in awe. Her eyes suddenly sparked with sly excitement. "What if..." she said.

Harry looked at her, "No! Hermione! Definitely not! If Voldemort got the gem..."

"It's possible that he didn't Harry!" Hermione squealed.

It suddenly clicked in Harry's mind at what she was directing at. "No..." he said.

"Come on! I've never read that You-Know-Who had a gem that possessed people! The gem may still be in Hogwarts!"

"No..." was all Harry could think to say.

"...And... it still might be in the Chamber of Secrets..."

"Hermione! No!"

"You're the Parselmouth..." she said.

"But last time I was down there..."

"The Basilisk is dead!" Hermione said.

"But..."

"Don't argue Harry!" Hermione sounded affirmed.

"I don't want to go back to the Chamber of Secrets!" Harry told her.

"Come on! You are the Parselmouth! We have to see..."

"Hermione!"

"Harry! I would go..."

"But you don't want to!" Harry said, not sounding too happy.

"It's not that..."

"Yes it is!"

"No it..." Hermione sighed. "Fine! Yes it is..."

* * *

They kept the book for about a week before Harry snuck it back into the library. After arguing, they agreed that Harry would go to the Chamber of Secrets on Saturday night. Hermione had said, "...Because there is no school the next day."

As the days went by, Hermione kept on reminding Harry, "Remember to check everything!"

"Yes, Hermione. That's the eighth time you've told me today!" Harry said. "Plus, I'm not going until Saturday! That's four days away!"

"Four days is a short time!"

"M-hmm...." Harry said sarcastically.

"It's for your own good that I'm reminding you," Hermione said to him.

When they told Ron about the dreams, the gem, the mysterious figure, and the book... he didn't show much interest in it.

"Why would a green gem mean anything? Seriously! Harry might be having nightmares that are connected to his childhood," he had said.

Hermione and Harry gaped at him. "...And when did you become interested in psychology?" Hermione had asked.

"I'm not. It's common sense!"

Hermione had rolled her eyes and turned away, muttering, "...And when did you get common sense?"

Ron didn't seem to care. Actually, Ron didn't seem to care about much anymore. Suspiciously, he had stopped talking as much at dinner and break. Instead, he sat there and listened to everyone else.

Hermione had told Harry, "Do you think that Ron is mad at us?"

"No...."

"Then why doesn't he- I dunno- talk so much anymore?"

Harry shrugged. "Perhaps it's a phase that he's going through."

Hermione had sighed.

Harry looked around the Gryffindor Common Room. Hermione was standing by Ron, talking to him.

"Do you want to play chess?" Hermione asked.

"No. That's okay."

Hermione sighed and walked back toward Harry. She sat down on a chair.

"I don't know why he doesn't want to play chess. He usually likes to play chess against me."

Harry laughed. "That's 'cause chess is the only thing you're bad at!"

She turned a shade pink and said, "I'm not that good in everything else."

"Yes you are."

"Don't be modest. You're a good wizard!" Hermione said.

"No! I'm not even that great in schoolwork!"

Hermione sighed. "That doesn't matter, Harry."

* * *

Hermione rushed in the halls. She needed to get to dinner.

"I need to get my book," she had told Harry and Ron before running off to the Gryffindor Dormitories. She had grabbed her thick book and run back out.

Hermione walked around a corner, not really watching where she was going. She stopped just in time from walking into a small, blonde girl.

"Oh! Sorry," Hermione said.

The girl merely stared at her. Hermione looked at the girl.

She must be a first year... Hermione thought.

"Are you lost?" she asked.

The girl shook her head.

"Oh. Well... we're all at the Great Hall right now. It's dinner time."

The girl had replied, "You aren't."

Hermione smiled warily. "Yeah. I needed to get something. Come on."

The blonde haired girl followed Hermione as she led the way to the Great Hall.

"Are you a first year?" Hermione asked.

The girl nodded. "I know that you are a 6th year..." she said.

Hermione noticed the dull tone that the small girl talked in. She wondered if the girl was a Slytherin.

As if the girl could read minds, she said, "I'm a Gryffindor. You are also."

"Yeah.... So, what's your name?"

They arrived at the Great Hall. The girl stopped by the entrance.

"My name is Andeline."

* * *

Vetil was still following them around and all he ever talked about was school. Vetil had been very excited ever since he got a 105% on a charms test.

"I didn't think I was going to do well, but I did!"

"Yeah, Vetil," Hermione said as an instinct.

They were at dinner. Ron had left early. He said that he was tired. Harry stared at the exit of the Great Hall, then back at Hermione, who was talking to Parvati Patil.

He was wondering if Ron was okay.

He looked around the Great Hall. All the students were chatting merrily.

The voice of the cloaked figure that destroyed the book rang out into Harry's head. "Destructio!" Could one of the students sitting in the Great Hall have done it?

Harry lost his appetite. Instead, he decided to go back to the Gryffindor Dormitories.

"Hermione."

"Yeah?"

"I'm going back now... alright?"

"But-"

Harry looked at her.

"Oh, fine. Remember to do your homework," Hermione said.

Harry hurried out of the Great Hall. He made his way to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Blemish," he said. The password had changed that morning.

The picture swung open and Harry went inside.

Ron wasn't in the Common Room. Harry looked around and went up the stairs to the 6th year dorms.

When he got to the door, he heard Ron muttering inside. The words were too faint to make out. Harry narrowed his eyes and moved closer to the entrance.

"...open...cave..." Ron seemed to be saying.

Harry slowly pushed open the door and looked at Ron who stared back.

Author's note: Sorry it took so long. I've had homework and my disk that I store all the stories in broke! I apologize again. A big thank you to all who have reviewed the story.