Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Please don't sue.
Unfortunately, the mood at Hogwarts was not as relaxed when the returned after the week as it was with the Aurors. Every few days a massive muggle killing would occur. Other Auror divisions would arrive, only to find that the Death Eaters had already retreated. And every few days, the horrors would appear in the Daily Prophet, where terrified students learned of the destruction on the outside world. Finally, one daily prophet announced the ministry's acceptance of Voldemort's return.
"Why is he doing it?" Ron asked Harry, as the Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny sat down for lunch in the Great Hall. "Why is You-Know-Who attacking all the muggle towns?"
Harry thought a minute, and softly said, "I'm not sure if he's doing it."
The other three turned around and faced him. Ginny asked, "Well, if he's not doing it, then who is?"
Hermione beat Harry to answering, and softly said, "Malfoy."
Ron, Ginny and Hermione looked at Harry again, who slowly said, "Either one could be doing it. Voldemort could be leading the attacks, to show he's not weak, and to intice some of Malfoy's followers back. Or Lucius could be leading them, to try to get the ministry to acknowledge Voldemort's return."
Harry noticed that the others had looks of worry on their faces and said, "Listen, maybe we should talk about something else?"
"Divination," muttered Ron.
"You want to talk about Divination?" Harry asked incredulously.
"No, I've got an idea on how we can get back at Trelawney," Ron said. Harry asked how, but Ron only gave him an evil smile. Uh oh, Harry thought, Trelawney better run.
Needless to say, Harry's anticipation of Divination was at an all time high, although that didn't say much in itself. Ron seemed anxious too, and both actually arrived several minutes early.
For some odd reason, Trelawney reverted back to the earliest methods of divination after Firenze left. They had been doing bird entrails and fire omens all over again, and they were finally on Crystal Balls. Trelawney did her best to instruct the class, but everyone detested her for her treatment of Firenze, and even Parvati and Lavender were a little cold towards their professor.
In the middle of class, Ron closed his eyes. Well, Harry thought, I guess the act's about to start.
"I see… I see…" Ron intoned slowly, "the giant spectral dog… an omen for death." Upon hearing the D-word, Trelawney made her way over to Harry and Ron's table.
"Did I hear death?" Trelawney asked, and Harry was disgusted at the slightly optimistic tone of her voice.
Ron, however, kept to the same slow, monotone voice and said, "I see the giant spectral dog… that haunts the graveyard… it will stalk you." Harry was a little confused; how would a death omen help them get back at Trelawney?
"Oh dear," said Trelawney in her mistiest voice, "I am dreadfully sorry, Harry."
"I do not see Harry," Ron slowly said, "I… see…" He opened his eyes suddenly, trembled a little, and licked his lips. "I… er… saw…"
"What did you see?" Trelawney prodded. By this time, everyone had given up the pretense of reading their crystal balls and was huddled around Harry, Ron, and Trelawney.
"I, saw, you," Ron said nervously, "Professor Trelawney."
"Nonsense," Trelawney laughed, "I haven't seen any sign in any forecast of the grim!"
Ron kept his straight face, and solemnly said, "You will, professor." Even Trelawney had a hard time ignoring the finality in Ron's voice. Harry was amazed as Trelawney actually trembled a little and said, "Ok, class is dismissed early today."
Harry and Ron walked back to the commons, and Harry finally asked, "What was that all about, Ron?"
Ron looked at him and said, "You didn't get it, did you? I'm so disappointed in you, Harry."
Harry was even more confused and said, "What? What didn't I get?"
Ron smiled and casually said, "Oh, nothing. By the way, do you mind if I send a letter to your godfather?"
Harry suddenly stopped, smiled widely, and said, "Ron, you are evil! You are so evil!" Both of them ran as fast as they could to the Gryffindor commons; they had a favor to ask Sirius…
Ron and Harry looked over their note with glee:
Sirius,
I've got a big favor to ask of you. Our divination professor made an inexcusable comment about another person's physical deformity. That person happened to be a teacher we admire, and was crushed by the comment.
We were wondering if you'd help us get a little revenge. She's deathly afraid of the figure of a grim, and we were wondering if Snuffles could pay a visit to Hogwarts. I'd love to see you, as well. All of us Gyrffindors miss you!
- Harry
Harry and Ron read and reread the letter, laughing harder each time. "Oh, I just can't wait!" chortled Ron.
"Calm down, Ron," Harry said, although he was still laughing as well. "We have Quidditch to worry about tomorrow." Ron nodded; they had almost forgotten about the first Quidditch game of the year, Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor.
Harry tossed in his sleep, prey to another dream from Voldemort. He was in a pristine valley, and a small house was not too far in the distant. Padma was there, except she looked a lot like Voldemort now. Her eyes were fully red, her body was beginning to grow taller and thinner, and her skin was losing its healthy vibrancy it had before – now it was pallid and colorless. Harry pondered that pretty soon it wouldn't be a question of whether to refer to it as Voldemort or Padma. There would be no trace of Padma left.
Voldemort whirled around to face the group of death eaters behind him. "WHAT!" he screamed.
The death eater had clearly just given his lord some bad news, and timidly repeated, "Two more have been eliminated by the aurors."
Voldemort angrily hissed, "Lucius! He will pay!"
Another Death Eater spoke up and said, "Minister Fudge has also admitted that you have returned as well."
Surprisingly, Voldemort didn't attack the death eater, but only glowered angrily. "That," he said, "was part of Malfoy's plan. He wants to bring me to the attention of the world, so they will oppose me as well. Idiot! He doesn't realize that I cannot die, and that he will inevitably fall to my wrath."
The Death Eaters didn't have anything to say to this. Eventually one asked, "What are we to do, my lord?"
"We will search," Voldemort hissed, "For the Obsidian Tome. When we find that we will…" Voldemort trailed off, and started to look around nervously.
"We will what?" asked a death eater.
"Be quiet!" yelled Voldemort, who was looking around. Voldemort then closed his eyes, and Harry felt his dream slipping. NO! yelled Harry inside his mind, He remembered I could sometimes see him in my dreams! Voldemort's face became almost calm, and Harry silently woke up with no screaming and his scar twinging only slightly.
"BOLLOCKS!" Harry yelled, angry.
Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Neville all immediately woke up and looked at Harry. Harry grinned sheepishly.
Ron looked at him, half grumpy and half anxious, and said, "Does your scar hurt?"
Harry grimaced and merely said, "I'll tell you tomorrow."
Harry and Ron walked down to breakfast and sat down with Hermione and Ginny. Harry was still a bit tired from the night before. He was able to get back to sleep, unlike during the summer's dream, but he still didn't get as much sleep as he'd like and was worried a little about the Quidditch match.
Not being one to delay the inevitable, Ron immediately asked, "So, what about the nightmare?"
"Nightmare?" Ginny asked, alarmed.
Harry sighed and started, "Ok, first off, we were right. Voldemort isn't doing those attacks. They're Malfoy's doing – he's trying to get the ministry to admit Voldemort has returned."
"Then he's succeeded," Hermione said softly.
Harry nodded, and said, "There wasn't much in the dream. Voldemort knows that I can see him when he's angry. So sometimes he catches himself, and forces himself to become calm. When that happens, my dream just slips away and I wake up."
The other three looked at him in silence. Finally Ron said, "So Malfoy is winning?"
"No," Harry said abruptly, frowning, and then explained, "Lucius and his followers are fools. Despite everything, Voldemort is immortal. He'll most likely regain his power eventually, and I'm sure he won't be happy with Malfoy when he does."
Harry looked around and saw all the nervous faces at his proclamation of Voldemort's eventual return and said, "Don't get me wrong. This is good. It's decreased Voldemort's followers. Although…" Harry trailed off.
Before any of the three could ask him what he meant, Harry continued in a quiet voice, "Although Voldemort talked about finding something called the Obsidian Tome." None of the group had ever heard of it, even Hermione.
"You know what you have to do now, don't you Harry," Hermione said.
Harry laughed and said, "Yes. I have to tell Dumbledore. But do you three think you could look in the library for any reference to the Obsidian Tome? I'd really like to know what Voldemort's trying to get his hands on."
Hermione, Ginny, and Ron nodded, and Harry felt a little better. If there was anything in the library, Hermione would find it. And she couldn't ask for better companions than the Weasleys. Harry managed a weak grin, left the table and headed for the staff table.
"Can I help you, Harry?" Dumbledore kindly asked.
"Yes," Harry replied gravely, "I need to talk to you."
Harry left the room he had been talking to Dumbledore in, slightly irritated. He had the definite impression that Dumbledore knew what the Obsidian Tome was, but wouldn't tell him. He also looked lukewarm about the news in general, and Harry was actually feeling a little less optimistic after leaving.
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Ok, ok, you were all right about Lucius being the one to attack the muggles.
Disappointment… I only got two people to review the last two chapters. I'm so sad! And the worst part is, I promised that I'd get it done my the 20th, so I can't even threaten to not post until I get a certain amount of reviews. Argh.
Can I ask you this? Was it something I wrote that you all didn't like? If it is, tell me WHAT'S WRONG! I can't make the story good if you don't tell me what you don't like!
Ariel: I swear, Ariel, you'll kill me one of these days.
Seifer: I think you're the first person I've ever heard express sympathy for Filch… Glad you liked the trap. It just seemed like Voldemort would plan something intricate like that.
Everyone – please review!