Chapter 03
Hermione sat on the edge of Harry's bed, shivering from the traumatic dream she'd experienced. Harry had tried, unsuccessfully, to awaken Draco through telepathy, so he had gone down the hall to Draco's room to get him.
Hermione absentmindedly pulled at a loose thread on the blanket that slackly covered the lumpy bed. She glanced up as the hinges of the door squeaked. Harry and Draco walked into the room cautiously, joining Hermione on the edge of the bed. Harry took Hermione's cold, shaky hand in his and whispered,
"I told him."
"How much?" Hermione inquired.
There was a pause in which Harry's eyes flicked over to Draco's.
"Everything."
Hermione nodded and turned her head to face Draco. Draco sighed. He closed his eyes and Harry saw his eyelids quaver slightly. Draco licked his bottom lip and opened his mouth to speak.
"I had no doubt," Draco began in a quaking voice, "That my father is conspiring for something this year. I didn't know what it was until you told me these details, but I knew it was something. That's why I left home. I thought… it was just getting too dangerous. Someone…" Draco paused and blinked tears out of his eyes, "Someone's going to die."
"Who?" Hermione gasped.
Draco shrugged. "Dunno."
"I don't know what's going to happen," Harry said, "But I know one thing for sure."
"What's that?" Hermione asked quietly.
"We've got to stick together."
Draco and Hermione nodded their agreement. Without another word, Draco stood and left the room. He walked slowly and resolutely down the hallway and Harry and Hermione heard the door to his room creep open, then close quietly.
"Best be off to bed, then, Hermione," Harry suggested, kissing Hermione on the cheek. He wiped away a stray tear from her eyes and, very softly, rubbed her back. Hermione sighed and looked up at Harry. A hint of a smile crossed her lips.
"Harry," she whispered, "No matter what happens to us… I love you more than you can ever realize… more than anything."
Harry smiled and tried to say something back, but nothing came out. Laughing softly to herself, Hermione leaned up to kiss Harry's open lips and murmured, "You are my only refuge now, Harry…"
Harry gently picked Hermione up and carried her like a baby to her room. He placed her on the bed and tucked the blankets around her.
"Are you warm enough?" he asked.
Hermione nodded.
"Goodnight, then," Harry whispered, "I'll see you in a few hours."
Hermione nodded again.
Harry grinned obliquely and headed for the door. He turned the knob and stepped into the corridor. With one last look into the room, he whispered into the darkness, praying that his words would find Hermione's ears.
"Goodnight, Beautiful."
***
Draco lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling above him as if it were the most riveting thing he'd ever beheld. He'd been lying there for nearly two hours after leaving Harry's room. He couldn't sleep. Draco tried to clear his mind to relax, but try as he might, haunting memories of the summer plagued his mind.
Try to think of something else, Draco told himself. Like Quidditch or something…
"My Lord, you look wonderful."
"Do not lie to me, Malfoy," a squeaky voice muttered. "You know as well as I that without Her, I can never become *half* of what I was!"
"But my Lord, you grow stronger every day…"
"Every day without her Soul, her *mind*, her very existence, Malfoy, is a day less that I have to do my work."
Lucius lowered his head. "I have tried, my Lord. I am still trying…"
"You are not trying hard enough!" the little voice snapped. "Must I replace you? Or are you competent enough to carry out my will?"
"Oh, My Lord, I am competent! I am loyal, devoted…"
"And what of your son? He has shown little promise."
Lucius felt his cheeks burn. "Draco will not be useful to our cause. I see him drift farther and farther away with every… every…"
"Murder, Lucius? With every murder?"
"Yes, My Lord."
"Though, as I recall, he has done *no* work for me whatsoever." The voice was filled with acidic annoyance. "Why is he still at Hogwarts? He is in danger there this year."
Lucius bit his lip. "If he is in danger, Lord, then so be it. I have no fatherly love for him anymore."
"Now *that* is loyalty, Malfoy. No compassion for Traitors… perhaps you *are* competent after all."
The all-too-proverbial voice faded as Draco attempted to picture the Quidditch Pitch early in the morning. The smell of the grass, the sound of the flags atop the hoops fluttering in the breeze… but all he heard was the shouting…
"Shut up, Narcissa!"
"Don't tell me what to do, you sick bastard! I've been following your little childish hi-jinks for long enough! I'm tired of it!"
"And you think I give a damn?" Lucius yelled, pounding the table with his fist to punctuate his anger.
"I have lost hope for the cause, Lucius. It is far too dangerous. Too outlandish a plan to risk." Tears began to stream down Narcissa's face.
"Narcissa, you know *none* of the details of this plan. So shut your frigging mouth until you do."
Narcissa nearly screamed in her rage. "I know more than you think I do!"
"Shut up, bitch!" Lucius pulled out his wand. "Don't… try… me…" he growled.
Narcissa reached frantically in her robes pockets for her wand. She glanced up at Lucius. He was absentmindedly twirling a wand in each hand…
He had her wand. She was helpless. Unarmed.
"Lucius…" Narcissa begged.
"Get down, Narcissa." Lucius grinned maliciously.
"No… Lucius… please…"
"It's a pity, darling," Lucius said sarcastically. "I didn't want it to have to come to this. But it seems you leave me little choice." He rolled up his sleeves.
Just think of the first game, Draco thought, starting to panic. If he couldn't get his mind off of these painful recollections…
The feel of the Golden Snitch in his gloved hand, Draco tried to convince himself. The victory lap after the first goal was scored… the feeling of the wind in his hair as he perfectly executed a Wronski Feint… almost there… almost out of the memories, Draco thought. But then… the sound of the crowd was drowned out by an acrimonious voice…
"My Lord, we have not been able to obtain the Glumeba Ring."
"Why not?" Lord Voldemort demanded.
"We are unable to, ah, retrieve it."
"You *know* she has it!"
"We can not capture her, Lord. She is protected by it."
Voldemort snarled in frustration.
"She will be at Hogwarts this year, my Lord," Lucius assured the frazzled man.
Voldemort contorted his rotting face into what slightly resembled an evil grin. "Good. We will get her there."
"Who will help us, Lord?" Lucius asked.
"You know the Girl has agreed. She will be of invaluable assistance."
"My Lord, you are certainly placing an enormous amount of trust in a girl of so few years…"
"She is fourteen."
"A mere child."
"You dare contradict me?" Voldemort's tone was icy.
"No, No! Never, Lord…" Lucius bowed apologetically. "A minor observation… but, ah, you *do* trust her?"
"Certainly, Malfoy. You forget… my own mother was a Scot."
Draco snapped back into reality. He closed his eyes and sighed. He was consumed by an odd feeling, a mixture of agony and compunction. It was overwhelming.
Try as he might to fall asleep, Draco was up for good, so he decided to finish packing everything he needed for the train ride to Hogwarts. Besides, Draco decided, the Sun was beginning to rise. The world would be waking up soon.
***
Sitting on the Hogwarts Express and staring blankly out the window, Harry reminisced about the past five years of his life. A three-headed dog, a dragon, a fugitive godfather, and a mortal enemy… a far cry from the sleepy life on Privet Drive Harry had left behind.
"Harry?"
Harry flinched as Hermione laid her hand upon his arm. "Sorry," she mumbled. Harry smiled slightly at her.
"You just startled me, that's all," he told her.
Hermione stood behind Harry and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She kissed the top of his head and lay her cheek on his messy black hair.
Harry felt his heart quicken as Hermione's hands crept down to his chest. He felt her graceful fingers slowly trickle over his gray sweater and smiled to himself.
He leaned his head back to gaze into Hermione's angelic face. Her long, straight hair was swept back in a low, loose ponytail that hung over her right shoulder. A few stray strands of hair hung in front of the left side of her face. Harry reached up and tucked the hair behind Hermione's ear. She smiled sweetly at him before leaning down to kiss him.
Harry took Hermione's hands and held them in his own. He kissed her again, and, as he did, he felt Hermione's grip on his hands tighten.
Very suddenly, the door to the compartment opened to reveal Ron standing in the corridor with an amused look on his freckled face. Harry and Hermione pulled apart instantly. Ron just smiled and shook his head. He took a few steps into the corridor and shut the door behind him.
"*So* sorry to interrupt," Ron began, trying not to laugh, "But there's nowhere else for me to go. You see, all throughout the train, people are doing the exact same thing you were when I walked in!" Ron donned an air of mysticism and nodded knowingly. "Mysterious."
Hermione stifled a giggle.
"All right, Ron?" Harry asked, indicating for Ron to sit across from him.
Ron sat. "Ace, mate. And yourself? Or should I say the two of you? Or possibly the *three* of you?" He glared at Hermione with feigned accusation.
Hermione grinned widely and Harry laughed.
"So what's the news on the train, Ron?" Harry asked.
"Well, by far the biggest story is that Malfoy's going out with Nora."
"*What*?!" Hermione's eyes widened.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Well, well, well… *Mister* Malfoy," he muttered.
Malfoy! Harry thought admonishingly.
What? Malfoy answered innocently.
What the hell is this I hear about you and Nora?
It's true. I'm going out with her.
What?! Harry exclaimed in his head.
You know what, Potter? I'm a tad bit preoccupied right now… could we talk later?
What are you preoccupied with? Wait. Don't answer that. I don't want to know.
No, no you don't. Just think about it. Formulate a nice image in your mind.
Eurgh. I'll talk to you at school.
All righty, then. Draco answered in a sing-song voice.
"I can't believe it… Draco and Nora… Eurgh." Hermione shuddered. After a moment, she turned to Ron and said, "So, where are Seamus and Ginny?" Harry noticed a twinkle in Hermione's eye.
"Dunno. Making out somewhere." Ron shrugged.
Harry chortled.
"Hey, Harry, have you seen Cho Chang? She got even more hot than she was last year!" Ron grinned from ear to ear.
Harry felt Hermione take a step backwards. He immediately reached up and laced his fingers with hers.
"No, Ron, I haven't," Harry answered, "But if you like her, good on ya, mate. Ask her out, then."
Ron blushed. "I wish," he mumbled. "Never in a million years…"
"Oh come on, then, Ron. Ask her out. See if she likes you," Hermione urged. "You never know…"
Ron looked from Harry to Hermione. "You really think so? You think there's a miniscule chance she might say yes?"
"Yes." Harry said firmly. Ron chuckled at his certainty.
"Ron, if you don't ask her now, how will you *ever* know?" Hermione demanded.
Ron nodded, slowly and grimly, as if he were hearing his death sentence read to him. "All right, then," he said quietly. "If I'm not back in ten minutes it's because I've died of embarrassment."
Ron stood and left the compartment. Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry again.
"Where were we?" Harry asked in contrived bemusement.
Hermione stepped around so that she was facing Harry. She sat on his lap and Harry wrapped his arms around her waist. Harry took Hermione's chin in his hand and turned her face to his. He kissed his girlfriend very softly and closed his eyes.
"Oh yeah… *that's* where we were…"
***
"Gee, I wonder who our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be *this* year," Ron said sarcastically as the three friends traipsed up the stone steps leading to the Great Hall. It was nearly time for the Start-Of-Term Feast and Sorting Ceremony.
Hermione shook her head. "I dunno…"
"So she really said yes, Ron?" Harry asked, for the seventh time.
"For the seventh time, Harry, yes, she said yes." Ron beamed in false provocation.
"That's incredible, Ron… you and Cho. Cho and Ron. Ron and Cho. So cute. So very…" Harry sighed, turning on a very fruity voice. "So romantic."
"Oh, stop, Harry, you're embarrassing me…" Ron responded in an equally feminine manner, lisping his 's's
Hermione shook her head. "How is it you are both fifteen years old, yet you both manage to act as though you're about six?" she giggled. "Or perhaps just extremely gay?"
Harry and Ron laughed. The three entered the Great Hall and found seats at the Gryffindor table near the front of the Hall, by the staff table.
Harry scanned the table for any new faces.
"There." he said suddenly.
"What?" Hermione asked. She was putting on her black pointed hat.
"That teacher. She's new." Harry gestured to the one unfamiliar face at the staff table. Sure enough, there was a very petite woman who looked to be no more than twenty years old. She had long, flaxen curls and a thin, rather sharp face. Her most notable features were her ears. They were pointed, Harry noticed, much like an elf. Her nose was small and shaped like a ski-jump. She had somewhat large eyes that were such a dark shade of brown that they looked nearly black. Her lips, small and crimson, were fixed in a little smile that seemed very friendly. Harry noted that, like tiny Professor Flitwick, this new professor's feet did not touch the ground, and that her wrists and forearms were extremely thin. He could only speculate that the rest of her was equally as emaciated.
The Great Hall continued to fill up, and the din of hundreds of antsy students swelled. Seamus Finnegan and Ginny Weasley came to sit by Harry, Hermione, and Ron, both with grins on their faces.
"What happened?" Ron interrogated.
"We got caught," Seamus said proudly. "By McGonagall."
"And you're *proud* of this?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, I'm just happy she didn't take any points off!" Ginny grinned breathlessly.
Ron just shook his head and eyed his goblet very intently. He seemed to be staring beyond it, however.
"Admiring from afar, Ron?" Harry asked in amusement.
"What?" Ron said defensively.
"Cho. You're looking at her. But why are you doing it through a wine goblet? Why don't you wave at her?" Harry asked. He hoisted Ron's arm into the air and waved it in the direction of the Ravenclaw table. Ron's face turned as red as his hair. Hermione laughed.
Cho had her back to Ron, but Padma Patil, a fifth-year Ravenclaw, saw Ron waving, and informed Cho of her boyfriend's behavior. Cho turned around, and, with a huge smile on her face, waved back at Ron. Then, she blew him a kiss. Ron blushed, if possible, even harder.
Just then, there was the clanging of a goblet from the staff table. The chaos in the Hall died down as the students turned expectantly to Professor Dumbledore, who stood at the staff table, ready to deliver his start-of-term speech.
Dumbledore wore magnificent burgundy robes with gold embroidery that seemed to dance in the candlelight. His polished gold glasses sat on the end of his long, crooked nose, and his tall wizard's hat matched the burgundy-and-gold ensemble.
"Welcome," Dumbledore said, just barely loud enough for everyone in the Hall to hear him, "To another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He paused to look around the Hall. "I am pleased to see so many faces back again this year. I am sure you are all quite eager to begin your studies once more," Dumbledore chuckled. "And I am very happy to tell you all that this year, Hogwarts will be initiating our first season of Intramural Quidditch. This will be an activity beginning after the last game of the regular Quidditch season and is open to all students who wish to participate. If you are interested, please see Madam Hooch no earlier than Christmas."
Harry suddenly remembered that he wasn't wearing his Prefect badge. He whipped it out of his robes pockets and quickly pinned it to his lapel. Hermione flashed him a sly smile.
Dumbledore continued with his speech. "Mister Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to inform you that in addition to the Dark Forest being very strictly forbidden, students are not permitted to swim in the lake. Apparently students were dragging in mucky messes from the slime of the lake."
Filch, who was leaning against a doorway, petting his skinny cat, nodded once at Dumbledore.
"And he would also like me to tell you that if he catches anyone with any products from Zonko's Joke Shop in Hogsmeade within the castle premises, he will not hesitate to assign detentions."
Fred and George Weasley, seated farther down the table, shouted boo's and other yells of dissent at Dumbledore, who merely smiled and said, "But, I am sure that a select few of you will not hesitate to promptly break this rule, as our first Hogsmeade weekend occurs one week from today."
Now Fred and George cheered loudly. Nobody else in the Hall made any noise, but they all grinned good-naturedly at the comic seventh-years.
"Now, I shall distribute your schedules…" Dumbledore clapped his hands once, and hundreds of papers fluttered in through a window and into the hands of the waiting students. "I believe that prefects will find the password to their common rooms for this week in the upper-right-hand corner."
"Now, I must introduce our newest staff member, Miss Clarice Prinker." Dumbledore raised his voice, and silence fell throughout the hall.
The tiny witch stood up on her chair and waved pleasantly at the students. There was mild applause.
"She will be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Dumbledore said proudly, "And I am sure you will all thoroughly enjoy her revolutionary teaching methods."
"Look at Snape," Ron whispered, "He's pissed."
"Well, *that's* nothing new," Hermione answered, "He always hates the D.A.D.A. teacher."
Indeed, Snape was glaring at Professor Prinker with a look of utter contempt and derision.
"Now, it is time for the Sorting Ceremony!" Dumbledore announced, gesticulating toward the tattered Sorting Hat that sat on its traditional three-legged stool. "And, if I am correct, I believe the hat would like to sing a little ditty to the first-years, so let us bring them in!"
The heavy wooden doors at the far end of the Hall burst open, and Professor McGonagall entered, holding a scroll and wearing her finest red and gold velvet robes. Behind her trooped a collection of frightened first-years, all of them wearing looks of confusion, some with a hint of amazement, others with pure terror on their faces.
McGonagall joined Dumbledore at the staff table, and there was a moment of brief silence. Soon, though, the "mouth" of the hat (actually a tear in its ancient fabric) opened, and its cacophonous voice rang throughout the hall:
"I am a hat,
And I haven't any brains,
But with every passing year,
My start-of-term songs change,
So if you will be courteous,
And listen to my tune,
I can promise it won't hurt that much,
And will be over soon.
Ohhhhhhhhh…
More than a thousand years ago,
I was worn upon the head,
Of Great and Noble Gryffindor,
(Who, by the way, is dead…)
He decided to bewitch me,
And each year I sing a song,
And sort you all into
The houses where you all belong.
If you're brave and of true spirit,
You belong in Gryffindor,
And pupils who are bookish,
Are what Ravenclaw is for.
If you're power-hungry, Slytherin
Is where you ought to be.
In Hufflepuff you go if you
Are true and trustworthy.
Each house is very dignified,
In its own distinguished way,
I'll find the right abode for you
To live and work and play,
And if I'm wrong,
I'll eat my seams,
For I am always riiiiiiiiight…
And that's the end of my great song,
I leave you with…
'goodnight.'"
There was thunderous applause and jovial laughter throughout the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall stepped up to the hat and picked it up. She unrolled her scroll and read,
"Dodds, Tweedsworth."
A pudgy boy with enormous blue eyes waddled up to the Sorting Hat and sat anxiously on the stool. McGonagall placed the hat upon Tweedsworth's head. After a moment, the hat exclaimed,
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table rang with applause as Tweedsworth joined their ranks. Harry, Hermione, and Ron applauded each time a new Gryffindor was sorted. When the sorting had finished, Dumbledore stood once again.
"Now, I shall distribute your schedules…" Dumbledore clapped his hands once, and hundreds of papers fluttered in through a window and into the hands of the waiting students. "I believe that prefects will find the password to their common rooms for this week in the upper-right-hand corner."
Harry looked at his schedule. In the corner of the page, in miniscule, curly writing, were two words:
Iniquity Mortem
"What's it mean, Hermione?" Harry asked.
Hermione looked at her schedule. "It means: Death to Evil."
"Oh," Harry nodded.
"Now," Dumbledore said grandly, "Let the feast begin!"
Food instantly appeared on the tables. Casseroles, beef, chicken, soups, salads, sweets, and countless other decadences loaded the Hall. Everyone ate until they could eat no more of the rich, delicious food. Soon, Dumbledore stood again and said, "Prefects, please lead your classmates to your respective houses. Everyone please try to get a good night's sleep so you are fresh for your studies in the morning. Dismissed, everyone."
Harry and Hermione led the Gryffindors to Gryffindor Tower, where they were greeted by the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Password?" she demanded.
"Iniquity mortem," Hermione pronounced. The portrait hole opened, and the Gryffindors entered the common room. Harry directed the boys to their dormitories, and Hermione did the same for the girls. Instead of retiring to bed, however, Harry elected to sit in a leather chair near the fireplace in the common room for awhile. After an hour of staring absentmindedly into the flames, Harry heard footsteps behind him. He turned around apprehensively to see Ron standing behind him.
"Hullo, Ron," Harry said quietly with a smile.
"Hadn't you best come on to bed?" Ron inquired.
"I suppose."
The two headed back to the boys' dormitories. Harry climbed into his familiar four-poster bed and snuggled beneath the covers. He needed his sleep: the Gryffindors had Potions first the next day, and they had it with Slytherin.
A/N: Whew! That took long enough!!!! Sorry, I PROMISE to update much more frequently! (hee hee, SL!) Hope you enjoyed this chappie. Next one should be up soon. (Oh, by the way, SL, I stayed up writing this for you until 2 AM!!!! You had better enjoy it!!!!) If you have any criticism or positive comments or anything please review, feedback is always welcome J ~*~Rigby~*~