Disclaimer: don't own, don't sue(don't own this disclaimer either, just so you know)
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Harry, Hermione, and Ron got off the Hogwarts Express and into one of the horseless carraiges to take them into Hogwarts. They started off towards the school. Harry was sitting quietly staring off into space. After a few minutes he spoke.
"Colin's dead." Ron and Hermione jumped, gasped, and gaped at Harry. They were surprised, not only by what he said, but by the suddeness of his speech.
"What?" Ron whispered after a moment.
"He's dead," Harry said shortly. Ron and Hermione just stared open-mouthed at Harry, at each other, back at Harry, back at each other.They sat in shocked silence for the next few minutes, at which time they reached the school.
As they went into the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione gasped again. Harry had no reaction.
Instead of the usual banners decorating the Great Hall, there were banners of black, the same as when Cedric had died. Other students noticed this, too.
The three sat wordlessly at the Gryffindor table. Harry just stared blankly ahead. Ron and Hermione looked down the Gryffindor table and saw the second-year Dennis Creevy looking pale and staring at nothing much the way Harry was doing.
The Sorting Hat was brought out, and the first years were all sorted.
Dumbledore stood at the High Table, and the Great Hall was silenced.
"The beginning of another year," he said. "As you may have noticed, we have a change of decoration this year. This is because of a terrible event that took place only a week ago. I am deeply saddend to tell you that Colin Creevy is no longer with us. I am also deeply saddened to say that he was targeted by Lord Voldemort." Everyone except Harry in the Great Hall gasped in unison. Cho Chang's eyes were wet. Harry made no reaction at all.
Dumbledore went on with his speech, and everyone toasted to Colin Creevy. People weren't so sad as they were when Cedric died, but again they saw just the kind of senseless cruelty Voldemort was capable of.
"Let the feast begin," Dumbledore said at last, after the usual start-of-term announcements.
Nobody ate as much as they usually would, perhaps with the exception of a few Slytherins. Harry ate nothing at all, just continued staring at nothing. Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances.
After the feast, as Harry and Ron started up to Gryffindor tower(Hermione went up earlier, because she was a prefect and had to show the first years where to go), Professor McGonagall approached Harry.
"Mr. Potter, Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you." Harry felt as though ice was just slipped into the pit of his stomach. He wordlessly followed her, and Ron went up to Gryffindor tower alone.
"Hello, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, smiling slightly. He happened to be standing in front of the open doorway behind the stone gargoyle when Harry and Professor McGonagall arrived.
"I will leave him here, Professor," Professor McGonagall said, and left.
"Come, Harry," said Professor Dumbledore, and they went up the moving staircase and into Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore sat at his desk, and Harry sat across from him in a chair, nervously.
"Harry," Dumbledore began. Harry gulped. "Colin was murdered on one of the nights you weren't on Dreamless Sleep potion. That leads me to believe that... you saw it happen." He sighed. Harry looked at his lap, then up at Dumbledore. He swallowed, and nodded. Dumbledore sighed again.
"I am sorry that you have to witness all of this. I perceive, however, that... Colin's death is weighing on you particularly heavily." Harry didn't respond. Dumbledore sighed again. "I would like to ask you to talk about it."
Harry stared in horror at Dumbledore.
"I can't," he said sadly. Dumbledore looked at him sadly.
"Are you sure?" he asked quietly, after a moment. Harry swallowed, closed his eyes, and nodded. Dumbledore took a deep breath.
"I am sorry, Harry. *Please* come to me *anytime* if you ever change your mind." He gave Harry his characteristic gaze. Harry squirmed a little bit.
"You may go now, Harry," Dumbledore said kindly. Harry stood up, and nodded.
"Thank you, Professor," he said quietly, and left.
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Harry, Hermione, and Ron got off the Hogwarts Express and into one of the horseless carraiges to take them into Hogwarts. They started off towards the school. Harry was sitting quietly staring off into space. After a few minutes he spoke.
"Colin's dead." Ron and Hermione jumped, gasped, and gaped at Harry. They were surprised, not only by what he said, but by the suddeness of his speech.
"What?" Ron whispered after a moment.
"He's dead," Harry said shortly. Ron and Hermione just stared open-mouthed at Harry, at each other, back at Harry, back at each other.They sat in shocked silence for the next few minutes, at which time they reached the school.
As they went into the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione gasped again. Harry had no reaction.
Instead of the usual banners decorating the Great Hall, there were banners of black, the same as when Cedric had died. Other students noticed this, too.
The three sat wordlessly at the Gryffindor table. Harry just stared blankly ahead. Ron and Hermione looked down the Gryffindor table and saw the second-year Dennis Creevy looking pale and staring at nothing much the way Harry was doing.
The Sorting Hat was brought out, and the first years were all sorted.
Dumbledore stood at the High Table, and the Great Hall was silenced.
"The beginning of another year," he said. "As you may have noticed, we have a change of decoration this year. This is because of a terrible event that took place only a week ago. I am deeply saddend to tell you that Colin Creevy is no longer with us. I am also deeply saddened to say that he was targeted by Lord Voldemort." Everyone except Harry in the Great Hall gasped in unison. Cho Chang's eyes were wet. Harry made no reaction at all.
Dumbledore went on with his speech, and everyone toasted to Colin Creevy. People weren't so sad as they were when Cedric died, but again they saw just the kind of senseless cruelty Voldemort was capable of.
"Let the feast begin," Dumbledore said at last, after the usual start-of-term announcements.
Nobody ate as much as they usually would, perhaps with the exception of a few Slytherins. Harry ate nothing at all, just continued staring at nothing. Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances.
After the feast, as Harry and Ron started up to Gryffindor tower(Hermione went up earlier, because she was a prefect and had to show the first years where to go), Professor McGonagall approached Harry.
"Mr. Potter, Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you." Harry felt as though ice was just slipped into the pit of his stomach. He wordlessly followed her, and Ron went up to Gryffindor tower alone.
"Hello, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, smiling slightly. He happened to be standing in front of the open doorway behind the stone gargoyle when Harry and Professor McGonagall arrived.
"I will leave him here, Professor," Professor McGonagall said, and left.
"Come, Harry," said Professor Dumbledore, and they went up the moving staircase and into Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore sat at his desk, and Harry sat across from him in a chair, nervously.
"Harry," Dumbledore began. Harry gulped. "Colin was murdered on one of the nights you weren't on Dreamless Sleep potion. That leads me to believe that... you saw it happen." He sighed. Harry looked at his lap, then up at Dumbledore. He swallowed, and nodded. Dumbledore sighed again.
"I am sorry that you have to witness all of this. I perceive, however, that... Colin's death is weighing on you particularly heavily." Harry didn't respond. Dumbledore sighed again. "I would like to ask you to talk about it."
Harry stared in horror at Dumbledore.
"I can't," he said sadly. Dumbledore looked at him sadly.
"Are you sure?" he asked quietly, after a moment. Harry swallowed, closed his eyes, and nodded. Dumbledore took a deep breath.
"I am sorry, Harry. *Please* come to me *anytime* if you ever change your mind." He gave Harry his characteristic gaze. Harry squirmed a little bit.
"You may go now, Harry," Dumbledore said kindly. Harry stood up, and nodded.
"Thank you, Professor," he said quietly, and left.