Chapter Seven

November literally flew by and so did the first weeks of December. The teachers were very eager to keep the fifth years busy and neither Ron nor Harry had time for anything else then homework, study lessons and Quidditch practices. Though she didn't have to practice, Hermione seemed to be off worse. She spent even more time in the library, there were days when she stood in front of the doors even before Madam Pince arrived and had to be thrown out by the librarian late in the evening. To put it in a nutshell, Hermione was frantic about the upcoming O.W.L.s and she was driving Ron insane with it.

During the last week before the Christmas holiday was about to start they got into a serious fight about it.

"Ron, I can't understand that you've not started revising yet."

Hermione glared at Ron who was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room and had a game of chess with Seamus. Ron looked up at Hermione who stood beside his armchair, hand at her hips.

"Hermione, I struggle hard to keep up with the work we have to do until term is finished. If I start revising now I won't have the time to eat and sleep anymore. I'll start after the holidays."

Hermione shook her head.

"Why not start in the holidays? I mean, you will be here the entire time and could surely find some moments to make up a revision plan."

Seamus saw that an argument was coming and quickly got up and left the Common Room.

"Hermione, I really don't know why you make such a big deal out of it. The O.W.L.s are still ages away and they're not that important anyway. Why do you care so much?"

"Because the owls are important, believe it or not! They have an influence on our N.E.W.T.s and those have a serious impact on our possible choice of jobs!"

Ron just shook his head in disbelief.

"The N.E.W.T.s Hermione? That's two more years to go! Really, you've gone nuts, I told Harry that this day would come. By the way, why don't you bother Harry with your complaints? He doesn't revise either, but you just lecture me about it!"

Hermione blushed slightly.

"Maybe because I'm not as worried about Harry's grades than I'm about yours. He's doing better in a lot of classes, he doesn't need to revise as much as you do."

"Hermione really, it's none of your business. So why don't you go back to the library now, you've been gone for more than an hour. They'll surely have started a search party for you already."

He gave her a last glare and went into his dormitory. Out of the corner or his eye he could see Hermione storming out of the Common Room, tears in her eyes.

He stormed into the dormitory, slammed the door shut behind him and threw himself onto his bed.

Harry, who had been reading a book on his bed, looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"Ron?"

"What?"

"Hey, no need to be so harsh, I didn't do anything, did I?"

Ron removed the pillow, which he had pressed against his face as if he tried to suffocate himself, and sat upright.

"No you didn't, sorry. It's just Hermione."

Now Harry cocked both eyebrows.

"What about her?"
"She keeps lecturing me about the revisions for the O.W.L.s. According to her, I should have started revising during second year already. Believe me Harry, she's gone completely nuts!"

Harry had a hard time to suppress his laughter.

"What's so funny about this?"

"Ron really, I don't know if I'm the right person to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Oh Merlin. Ronald Weasley, you can be so thick sometimes, it's unbelievable."

Harry shook his head while Ron started scowling.

"Fine, if you don't want to tell me. Just keep your little secret with Hermione, I don't mind."

Now Harry couldn't suppress his laughter anymore, no matter how hard he tried.

"Ron, I don't have a secret with her."

Harry got up from his bed, sat down beside Ron and closed the curtains around the four-poster. After he had put a silencing charm onto them, he turned towards his friend.

"Okay, I'm doing this because I can't stand the constant quarrels between the two of you anymore. But if she ever asks you, tell her that you've found out on your own."

Ron's brow frowned.

"Found out what?"

"Oh Merlin, she will never believe that you figured it out on your own. Ron, for how long do you know Hermione now?"
"You know exactly that I know her for four and a half years now. What's that all about?"

"Right. Four and a half years. Have you realized something different about her since we came back to school?"

"Erm…she cut her hair during summer?"

Harry sighed. This was harder than he had thought.

"I meant her behaviour towards you."

"Well, she keeps on bothering me with this revision stuff. She's always around trying to get me reading a book or something. What are you up to?"

"What I'm pointing at is that she is caring about what you do. She is worried that you can't keep up so she watches what you do."

"And the point is? She's doing the same with you."

"The point is that she's not doing the same with me. Because she doesn't care for me that way."

"Which way…wait! You're not trying to say that Hermione…"

"Yes Ron, finally. I'm saying that Hermione cares a lot more for you than you think she does. Because you're more than just a friend for her."

Ron looked puzzled.

"Harry, you're nuts. She's only talking about books, homework, essays and revision to me, it's not that she's…in love with me if that's what you're pointing at."

"That's exactly what I'm pointing at. Listen, we talk about Hermione here. Hermione. Remember? The one who is always found in the library? Top student of our class? Always carrying around a book? Being so concerned about your studies is just her way to say how she really feels for you."

Ron locked at Harry.

"How can you be sure? She didn't tell you this, did she?"

Now it was Harry's turn to blush a little.

"Well, actually no. She did tell Lavender however, which was a big mistake because Lavender told Parvati. And Parvati told Dean last Hogsmeade weekend when they were in the Three Broomsticks and he told me."

Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"I just decided to tell you because I can't stand it anymore to watch the two dance around each other, each waiting for the other one to make the first step. No, don't contradict Ron, I know you better than you think. I know exactly that you feel more than just friendship for Hermione and that you just didn't tell her because you thought that she didn't feel the same. Well, now you know and this hopefully comes to an end. Besides, I'll win five galleons if you two make it up before the end of the week."

Ron looked flabbergasted.

"You were betting on when Hermione and I would become an issue?"

"Well…yes. But only the four of us here in the dorm. And the twins. And some sixth years…"
Ron raised his hand and shook his head. He didn't really want to know. For some long moments, the two boys remained silent. Finally, Ron spoke.

"And what am I supposed to do now?"

Again, Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Talk to her? Take her for a walk and tell her? Snog her senseless at the Astronomy Tower?"

The pillow hit his head before Harry had the time to react.

"Harry James Potter, you are not helping!"

"Ron, it's not like I'm the most experienced person in this."

"Ah yes? And what about Samantha then?"

"Samantha?"
"Yes, Samantha! Oh, come on Harry, I've seen the way you look at her, you can't tell me that you don't like her."

Harry shook his head.

"Well, even if I did it would be totally out of question. We have hardly spoken five sentences straight since she arrived here and by the way she is in Slytherin! That's totally out of question."

"She's not a typical Slytherin if I might remind you. They don't like her, even Snape seems to hate her."

"Weren't we talking about you and Hermione here? Well, how about a nice romantic Christmas present."

"Like?"
"Ron really do I have to do everything for you? I can already see me proposing Hermione one day because you don't know how to do it!"

This time, Harry saw the pillow in time and dodged it. Before the two realized it, they were engaged in a big pillow fight which ended with Harry's t-shirt being torn in the struggle over the last intact pillow on the bed.

When they both stepped out of bed, panting, red in the face, covered in feathers and Harry with a torn shirt they found themselves in front of three puzzled looking dorm mates standing in front of them.

Ron's eyes widened.

"Erm…it's not what it looks like. I can explain…"

That was too much. Seamus, Dean and Neville burst out laughing. They laughed so hard that Dean had to support himself on the bedpost, Neville rolled on the floor and Seamus banged his head on the wall.

"Really Ron, Harry, I don't want to know", Dean finally managed to say. "But now I know why Ron never managed to get busy with Hermione."

Harry broke into a grin.
"Actually Dean, you owe me five galleons. I've just managed to convince Ron of telling her. And this", he gestured at himself and Ron "is just the result of his denial. He rather throws pillows than uses his brain for once."

Dean shrugged and Neville and Seamus seemed to calm down.

"Well, if you say so. But no money until I've seen proof. And you better convince me because I'm not so sure if I believe that you simply had a pillow fight in there…"

Dean was quickly convinced by a pillow hitting his head. Ten minutes later, the fifth year's boys dorm looked as if somebody had blown it up and the five boys were all covered in feathers and didn't look much different from Harry and Ron when they had left Ron's bed.

Ron, much to Harry's dismay, did not have 'the' talk with Hermione that day. But he went into the library and made up a revision schedule for himself with her.

When thee two came in to Gryffindor Common Room later that evening, they found Harry in front of the fireplace, his Transfiguration notes spread out in front of him. He looked up at them and grinned.

"Hey you two. Been thrown out of the library because of indecent behaviour?"

Ron blushed deep red and Hermione stared at Harry.

"What exactly are you talking about?"
Harry understood.

"Oh, nothing Hermione, just kidding. Now, how about a nice game of chess? I'm done with my homework for today. Ron? Hermione? Which one of you wants to try and beat me?"

Ron laughed.

"As if you could ever stand so much as a chance against me. But how did you manage to do all you homework in such a short time? Transfiguration, History of Magic and Potions?"

Harry's eyes widened.

"Potions?"

"Em, yes Harry, Potions. You remember? The essay on Sleeping Potions and their antidotes? Four rolls of parchment, due tomorrow morning at ten?"

Harry swallowed hard.

"I'll be right back!"

He jumped up from the chair and ran upstairs to the dormitories. Potions, how could he forget that stupid essay!

Only this morning he had been more than angry with Snape for giving them such a huge essay and so little time to write it.

He rummaged through his trunk in search of his Potions book and notes, but found nothing.

"Where are those bloody Potions notes?"

Harry spoke to himself and tried hard to remember where he had put those notes when he had come back this morning. They had been in the dungeon, Neville had blown up his cauldron once more and Snape had punished them by giving the essay to all those involved in the incident. Which meant the Gryffindors. Harry had collected his things, put them aside to help Neville with the cleaning up and then…then they had left the dungeons. He had forgotten his book and notes in the dungeons! Great!

Harry slammed his trunk shut and thought for a moment. There was no other choice, he would have to go down and fetch his notes if he wanted to write the essay. He still had slightly more than half an hour time before curfew.

When he came down into the Common Room once more, Hermione and Ron were sitting over their History of Magic books and finished their essays.

"Hey Harry, where do you go?"

"I forgot my Potions book and notes in the dungeons this morning. I will have to get them if I want to write that essay."

Hermione and Ron gave him a sympathizing look.

"But be back before curfew, don't get into trouble please."

"Sure Hermione. I'll be right back."

And Harry climbed through the portrait hole and left for the dungeons. All the way down he cursed himself for having been so stupid.

Why did he have to forget his book and notes in the dungeon that morning? He had completely forgotten about it and now it was close to curfew and he needed to get them to finish his homework. Snape wanted it handed in the next morning, and he didn't want to receive another bad mark in potions.

Harry reached the dungeons and was just about to open the door when he realized that Snape was in there, talking to somebody.

He hesitated and then, against all reason, decided to stay outside and overhear the conversation.

He soon recognized the second voice as Cornelius Fudge from the Ministry of Magic.

"So she really has been brought here?"

"Yes she has."

"But Dumbledore knows that she will be killed by the Dark Lord if he finds her."

"That is right."

Snape's answers were taciturn and cold.

"The fact that she is hidden here will make it a lot easier for the Dark Lord. What about the security precautions?"

"Dumbledore has tightened the precautions this year, and everybody is supposed to keep an eye on her. He thinks that it is safe enough, but I know that the precautions are ridiculous.

There are a lot of lacks and holes, the castle and its grounds cannot be guarded completely."

"Voldemort will be after her?"

"I don't know about him changing the plan, Cornelius. I have not been informed about changes, so that's what I suppose. She has been marked already, it will save the Dark Lord a lot of time. And time is one thing he doesn't have. Everything is prepared and he thinks that it has already taken too long. Christmas is close, and up to the end of term he surely wants to perform it, otherwise his enemies will be prepared to stand up against him."

"Do you think he knows where she is hidden?"
"I know that he knows it. I heard another Death Eater talking about it. He said the person he needed was at Hogwarts."

"Then we only have to sit and wait."

"That's all I'm supposed to do right now, you're right Cornelius."

Harry heard a movement in the corridor and turned around.

Mrs. Norris was standing in front of him and watched.

Checking his watch, Harry realized that 9.00 p.m. was already close. He could not get into the dungeon anymore, not as long as Snape and Fudge remained there.

He would not be able to do his homework properly, but that didn't matter anymore.

Someone was hidden at the castle, and this person was being searched for by Voldemort.

Snape finally hat returned to the Death Eaters and he knew about the lack of security precautions around the castle. That's what he heard. And Fudge was on Voldemort's side just as well.

They wanted to wait for Voldemort to catch that person, and it was going to happen within the next few months, maybe even weeks.

Harry walked back to the Gryffindor common room, Mrs. Norris at his heels.

He had to tell someone, but whom? Everybody here at school trusted Snape and no one would listen to him but only ask why he had been at the dungeons at that time.

Dumbledore maybe would listen, but he surely wouldn't believe him.

Sirius!

That was the answer. He had to sneak out to tell Sirius, his godfather surely would believe him.

He only had to wait until everybody had gone to bed, then he would sneak out. For a moment he thought about telling Ron and Hermione about what he had just heard but then decided against it. Ron would tell him to go to Dumbledore and Hermione would try to hold him back from sneaking out. They would not understand how urgent it was to reach Sirius. And if they against all reason would decide to come with him, they would only get into trouble if they were caught. No, he would do it alone this time.

He found Ron and Hermione still sitting over their essays when he got back. He told them that his notes had not been in the dungeons and Ron offered him his notes. Harry quickly finished his essay and went to bed. Ron followed only minutes afterwards.

Harry checked the time on the alarm clock on his bedside table again. It was half past eleven now and for more than half an hour he had heard no sound from the others than now and then a low snore or the sound of someone turning around in bed.

He decided that they were all asleep and that it would be safe to sneak out now.

He pulled the invisibility cloak over his robes, opened up the curtains of his four-poster and left the room.

The common room was empty and the fire had burned down. Harry opened the portrait hole and stepped outside.

He knew he was not only breaking the school rules but also the promise he had given Sirius, but he needed to tell him what he had overheard. And it could not wait any longer.

Snape was up to something, and he could tell nobody here at school. They all trusted Snape but Sirius surely would understand.

He didn't know what exactly Snape had been speaking about, but there was a girl here at school who was in mortal danger if Voldemort found out her whereabouts, and Snape was obviously only waiting for Voldemort to come.

He reached the secret passage to Hogsmeade, then checked on the Marauder's Map that nobody was in the corridor with him, and opened it.

He had been in that passage before, it would take him half an hour to reach the cellar of Honeydukes, the sweet shop, then he could climb out of the window and go to Lupin's house.

Only a couple of minutes after Harry had closed the passage, the fracas in Hogwarts began.

If Harry still had been there, he could have been seen groups of hooded figures enter the castle through the front doors and spread in the corridors.

They seemed to know exactly where they had to go to, they were all heading for the dormitories and the common rooms of the houses.

Snape didn't hear them coming, though.

He had been guarding the corridors on the third floor and was now replaced by Filch.

"Mrs. Norris is quite exited this night. She knows something is about to come."

Snape let out something like a laugh.

"Then maybe you should send up Mrs. Norris to Sybil Trelawney to let her check whether she has the true talent of a seer. But please, try to keep an eye on the corridors as well and not only on your cat."

With this, he strode off first into his office once more and then he wanted to check the Slytherin common room.

If somebody was still awake, he would send them to bed and if not, he wanted to make sure that everything was all right there and no intruders were walking along.

He had only been in his office for five minutes searching the cupboards for the ingredients his third years would need the next day when he heard a loud sound from outside, as if a suit of armour had been smashed.

'Peeves', he thought, 'this time it is enough. I'll tell the Bloody Baron about it.'

He extinguished the lights and went out of his office, when he heard another smashing sound.

Snape hurried onwards down the corridor, and then he saw Filch.

The caretaker was lying on the floor between the remains of a rusty suit of armour, blood running out of a wound at the back of his head.

Snape bent down to check Filches pulse and breathing, when he heard somebody calling him.

"Severus, there are Death Eaters in the castle."

He turned around and saw Professor McGonagall hurry towards him.

"I have seen a group of them walking over to the Hufflepuff common Room and sent Prof. Sprout to tell Dumbledore. They have tried to get into Gryffindor Tower just as well, but by now they haven't been successful. Professor Flitwick is there and tries to hinder them. There are too many, we have to do something!"

Snape rose up.

"They will be trying to get into the Slytherin dungeons. The one they search for is there. Minerva, we have to hurry."

"What about Filch?"
"He will be all right, he is just knocked out"

They started running towards the dungeons. All of a sudden, a sting of pain shot into Snape's left forearm and the Dark Mark appeared.

"Minerva, the Dark Lord knows where she is. He will have them to get her, we have to hurry! Why didn't I go to the dungeons straight away?"

They reached the dungeons and saw that the entrance had been smashed. That had obviously been the second smash Snape had heard on his way here.

Both stepped into the Slytherin common room and found it in chaos.

Snape saw that most of his students had been stunned and lay on the floor. Three Death Eaters were standing in the middle of the room, wands raised.

"Expelliarmus!"

Both, Snape and McGonagall had raised their wands and together their surprise attack had unarmed them. McGonagall stunned them while Snape already ran towards the girl's dormitories.

On his way there, he met two other Death Eaters, both of whom he unarmed and stunned. He reached the fifth years girl's dormitory, where Pansy Parkinson tried to hide behind a bed together with a younger girl Snape didn't recognize at an instant.

"Ms. Parkinson, are you two all right?"
"Yes, Professor. Did they go away?"

"The ones that were in here did so. Listen, just stay here and hide, but answer me one question. Where is Ms. Lewis?"

"When that fracas started, some of the girls ran out to the boy's dormitories. I think she was with them."

Snape turned around.

"Stay here until a teacher fetches you. No need to be scared, but stay here and remain calm."

He closed the door behind him and walked over to the boy's dormitories. On his way, he found Crabbe and Goyle who were lying on the floor, being stunned as well.

He heard Samantha screaming behind a door.

"Draco, no!"

He stormed in, unarming the Death Eater that had raised his wand against Samantha. As he turned around, he saw that Draco Malfoy was struggling with another intruder. Not seeing any chance to unarm him, he went to the fighting couple, grabbed the neck of the Death Eater and hit his fist against the opponent's chin.

"Mr. Malfoy, take Ms. Lewis and hide behind the beds."

Draco struggled free and took Samantha by the wrist, pulling her behind a bed next to the wall.

The Death Eater had gotten up again, he stormed towards Snape, but then, all of a sudden, he stood still and vanished. Again, Snape felt a sting on his left forearm.

"You two, stay in here and lock the door. I will be back in a minute!"

Back in the common room, Professor McGonagall stood there and looked around puzzled.

"They disapparated. But they could not have…not on Hogwarts ground… and they were stunned…Severus, how could they…?"

"The Dark Lord will have found a way. Go to Gryffindor Tower, you might be needed there. I will take care of the students here."

McGonagall left and Snape turned to wake up the stunned students.

"Listen to me carefully. The intruders are gone and there is no danger for you anymore. Stay here and remain calm. Help each other, if needed. I will go and fetch the ones who are still in the dormitories. I'll be back soon. If anything happens, call me. We will go to the Great Hall."

He first went and told Parkinson and the other girl to go into the common room, then checked the other girl's dormitories which were empty and finally went to the boy's dormitories.

He knocked at the door.

"Snape here, let me in!"

Malfoy opened the door. Samantha was still hiding behind the bed. She was crying like mad.

"Are the two of you all right?"
"I'm fine Professor, but Samantha is completely messed up. I could not calm her down, she just repeatedly said it was all her fault."

Much to Malfoy's surprise, Snape went over, pulled Samantha onto her feet and lifted her chin with his hand.

"Look at me Samantha. They are gone. No one will do any harm to you, do you understand? We will go to the great hall now, it will all be all right. Understand?"

"Yes."

He hugged her shortly.

He turned around to Malfoy. "We'll better go to the common room now."

Malfoy, who had been thrown out of bed by intruders he only knew too well and then had been locked up with a hysterical girl now really got confused by the sight of Professor Snape hugging a student to calm her down.

"Well,…yes Professor."

They reached the common room where everybody still was standing around in shocked silence.

"Okay students, as far as I know the intruders have vanished. Nothing here endangers you anymore. We will all now leave for the Great Hall, so please stick together. Is anybody missing?"

"No sir" Millicent Bulstrode looked at him "only Draco and Samantha were still missing, but you brought them with you."

"Okay. I will walk in front and the seventh year students will walk at the back. Stay together and don't leave anybody behind. Call if you see something unusual."

So the Slytherins left their common room and walked towards the Great Hall. No sign of the Death Eaters was seen, but here and there a suit of armour had fallen down or a picture was damaged.

Shortly before they reached the Great Hall, they were joined in by the group of Hufflepuffs led by Professor Sprout. She looked at Snape.

"My students are complete, is anybody from your house missing, Professor Snape?"

"No, fortunately not. Let's hope that it stays so."

They entered the Great Hall where the Ravenclaw students were already standing in a corner.

Dumbledore stood in the middle of the room. He had just waved the tables to the side of the room with his wand and now conjured mats and sleeping bags for the students.

Professors Sprout and Snape stepped over to the headmaster.

"Professor Sprout, are your students okay?"

"Yes headmaster. All of them are there. The Death Eaters haven't even gotten into our common room. The children are only confused."

"Good. Severus, please tell me that none of your students is missing as well."

"Fortunately I can. There were seven Death Eaters in the common room and in the dormitories, most students had been stunned. But they will recover, nobody got hurt."

"Miss Lewis?"

"She's fine, only a little upset. She and Mr. Malfoy were attacked, but I came in time. How could they apparate and disapparate on Hogwarts grounds?"

"I don't know Severus, I don't know."

"What about Filch?"

"He will be brought here by Madam Pomfrey. She will stay with the students. Ah, the Gryffindors, hopefully complete as well.

Students, if you will please listen to me!"

The Great Hall became silent.

"I know that all of you are shocked, but nothing is here to endanger you anymore. I will have to talk to your teachers right now, so we will leave the room. I leave the prefects in charge, send one of the ghosts if we are needed, we stay close to the hall.

I also leave Professor Flitwick, Hagrid and Madam Pomfrey with you."

With this he gestured the rest of the teachers to come with him.

As soon as they had left the hall, McGonagall turned to Dumbledore. "Albus, one of my students is missing."

"Who?"

"Harry Potter."

"Oh no. Did anybody see what happened to him?"

"No. There were Death Eaters in Gryffindor Tower, but none of the students had seen Potter during the fracas."

"We will have to search for him. I have already send an owl to Lupin. He will bring Black along, I'm sure."

"Where do we start searching?"

"I don't know, Professor McGonagall. If he still was in Gryffindor Tower when the attack started, then maybe he is still there and has hid himself.

Minerva, you stay with Professor Sprout and search the Gryffindor Tower. Severus and I will search the floor and the corridors beneath, the rest will spread across the castle in pairs. We'll meet here in half an hour."

A voice came from behind.

"Whom are you searching for?"

"Remus. Would you come with Severus and me?"

They turned around and walked into an empty room. Remus Lupin and the black dog at his side followed them.

Professors McGonagall and Sprout left for Gryffindor tower, the other teachers went off in different directions.

Meanwhile Harry had reached Honeydukes and made his way out of the window. He left it open so that he could climb in again later. Then he ran towards the edge of Hogsmeade, heading for Lupin's house.

He found it empty. The front door had not been locked and the two beds had been used, but now were left.

In the bedroom that obviously belonged to Professor Lupin he found a note on the bedside table. The small owl that had delivered it sat beside it.

Harry took up the note and read it.

Remus, we're being attacked.

I need both of you at the castle.

Dumbledore

'Oh my god', Harry thought, 'it has already begun. I have to get back to the castle.'

And so he wrapped himself in the cloak and ran back to Honeydukes and into the secret passage.

When Dumbledore closed the door, Sirius changed back into human shape.

"What's going on here, Dumbledore?"

"Sirius, Remus, we have been attacked by Death Eaters. They apparated on the grounds, we don't know how they did that. They tried to get into the common rooms. Slytherin and Gryffindor students have been attacked, but fortunately nobody got hurt. Only…"

Sirius interrupted him. "What about Harry?"

"We don't know. He is the only one who's missing. Strangely, nobody saw him during the attack and nobody saw that he was taken away, either. Maybe he has hid somewhere, that's why we're searching for him now."

"I will change shape. Maybe I can find his trace and lead to where he's gone."

"If he did not disapparate with the Death Eaters, that could be a possibility to find him."

Sirius changed shape again and started running towards Gryffindor tower. He sniffed around a couple of minutes, then he had obviously found a trace and ran down the corridor.

"That is useless", Snape gasped while running behind Sirius, "the trace could be old and lead us to the library or to the restrooms."

"But maybe it leads us to Harry. Trust Sirius, he knows what he's doing."

"Well, Remus, unfortunately I cannot be as optimistic as you are, but we will see."

Sirius had stopped and changed back into human shape again. "The trace ends here. And it is fresh." He said that with a glance at Snape.

"Here at the wall?"

"That's not only a wall, Severus. It's a passage. Just tip the statue with your wand, right here, and it opens up."

The statue swung aside and the passage opened.

"Where does it lead to?" Snape still was not convinced.

"Hogsmeade." Sirius looked startled. "Harry knows that passage. Maybe he went down to Hogsmeade to fetch me when it all started. Or to hide."

Dumbledore shook his head.

"I don't think so. Nobody saw Harry in Gryffindor tower after the attack started. He must have gone down there before."

Sirius looked at him. "So you think the fact that he has vanished doesn't have anything to do with the Death Eaters?"

"Yes, that's what I think."

"But why should he have done that?"

"I'm eager to find out, but we will have to wait until he comes back. One of us has to stay here and the rest will go back into the Great Hall."

"May I ask you one favour, Dumbledore?"

"What favour, Sirius?"

"When Harry comes back and his disappearance really had nothing to do with the attack, let me deal with him first. I have got some things I like to tell him about sneaking around at night and scaring people."

"We'll see to that."

"I will stay here, headmaster", Snape placed himself beside the statue, "that will be quite a surprise for Mr. Potter."

"Good Severus. Bring him to the Great Hall and call me out when he comes back."

Harry ran through the passage as fast as he could. If only nothing had happened to Ron, Hermione, Sirius and the others. If only I don't come too late and Snape has already helped Voldemort to find that girl. Please, don't let me be too late.

He reached the staircase and stormed up to the entrance, opened the door and ran directly into Snape.

"Potter! I've been expecting you."

Harry looked at him in disbelief. So he had failed.

"I need to see Professor Dumbledore immediately."

"What you need is training in sticking to the rules and a really good excuse for what you've done tonight to save you from being expelled. Come with me. You are being awaited."

Harry followed Snape who walked down the corridors in silence. He was obviously enjoying this. They eventually reached the Great Hall.

"You wait here!"

Snape opened the door and gestured into the room.

Moments later, Dumbledore got out.

"Professor, there is something I need to tell you…"

"That can wait, Mr. Potter. Follow me."

Dumbledore's voice was cold.

Again, Harry walked through dark corridors in silence. They reached the gargoyle that marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

Dumbledore halted, said "Liquorice" and started climbing the staircase. Harry and Snape followed him.

At the top of the staircase, Dumbledore came to a halt again and looked at Harry.

"Go into my office. We will talk later."

"But Professor…"

"You have caused enough trouble for tonight. Just once, do as you're told."

Harry entered the office and closed the door.

Looking around, he saw Sirius sitting in a chair in front of Dumbledore's table, watching him with an expression Harry had never seen before on him. Nevertheless, he was glad to see his godfather, now he could tell him everything.

"Sirius, good that it's you. I have to tell you something I heard Snape tell. About Vol…"

"What did you think you were doing tonight?"

Sirius got up and stepped closer to Harry. He watched down on his godson as he yelled at him.

"Have you gone totally out of mind? What did you think you were doing?"

"Sirius, I needed to talk to you, it was urgent."

"What did I tell you about talking to me?"
"Sirius…"

"What did I tell you?" He yelled even louder.

"You told me to send an owl and to wait for an answer, but…"

"There is no 'but'. You made a promise, remember that? And what do you do? Take the first opportunity to sneak out in the middle of the night. Do you know what happened here in the last hour?"

"I…I found a note at your place, that's why I came back."

"You should not have gone there in the first place. I get woken up by Remus who tells me that Hogwarts is being attacked, I hurry to the castle just to find out you were gone. What do you think I felt like? Everybody thought they took you with them.

The teachers searched the castle for you.

We were expecting the worst, just because you simply cannot stick to the rules!"

"But the attack was what I wanted to tell you about!"

"What? So why didn't you go to Dumbledore?"

"I didn't know that it would come so early. I only heard Snape talking to Fudge, Sirius, he's known about it. He talked about a girl who is hidden here in school because Voldemort wants her dead. I could not go to Dumbledore, he would not have believed me."

At that moment, Sirius lost control, stepped closer to Harry and yelled even louder.

"That's all? That's why you did this?

You never listen to people around you, nor do you ever believe what they say. Of course we expected an attack on Hogwarts because we knew Voldemort wanted someone we keep here!

But haven't I told you at the beginning of the year that whatever would happen, Snape would not be involved?

Do you think, Dumbledore, the rest of the teachers and me are complete idiots? Or don't you trust me?

Harry, you were endangering people around you just because you always think you know better. Rules mean nothing to you, do they?

But this time, you've gone too far.

You broke the rules, even worse, you risked your own life and mine as well. What if anybody had seen you sneaking up to Lupin's house in the middle of the night?

I trusted a secret to you, a secret my life depends on, and the way you behave you could as well write a letter to the Daily Prophet telling them where I hide.

You gave me a promise and you broke it.

Worse, you disappointed people who trusted you and you scared a lot of people. Hermione and Ron are surely worried about you whereabouts. Your friends are being attacked and you just left without telling anybody, what do you think they feel like?

You really disappointed people. You disappointed Dumbledore, your teachers, your friends and you disappointed me.

I would have expected better from you, Harry."

Sirius turned around and left the room.

Harry just stood there and shook his head. He could not believe it.

He had only wanted to help, and now Sirius shouted at him like that.

Dumbledore stepped into the room.

"Harry, Professor Snape will bring you to the Great Hall now. I want you to lie down to sleep immediately, I don't want to hear any complaints. No talking. We will talk tomorrow. Right now I have more important things to do than punishing a student who is unwilling to stick to the rules. Go now."

Harry left and followed Snape down to the Great Hall. He could tell by the expression on Snape's face that he had overheard his conversation with Sirius. Snape looked very pleased.

"I always knew that sneaking around would bring you into serious trouble once, Potter. Enjoy your last tour through the castle."

With this, he opened the door of the Great Hall and let Harry in.

Harry walked over to an empty sleeping bag at Ron's left side and lay down.

"Harry", Ron whispered, "where have you been? We've been worried. What happened?"

"Leave me, Ron. I have problems enough."

That night, Harry found no sleep.

The next morning, Professor McGonagall led them back to Gryffindor tower. The entrance had been repaired temporarily and the common room had been tidied up.

"Go and tidy up your dormitories. First lesson will be cancelled today, breakfast begins in an hour, I will fetch you. Afterwards you will be guided to your classes by a teacher."

She turned towards Harry.

"Mr. Potter, I'm taking you to Professor Dumbledore now. Follow me."

Harry walked with her to Dumbledore's office. She led him in and then left.

"Good morning Harry."

"Good morning, Professor."

"Please, have a seat. This will take a little longer."

Harry sat down.

"I have never seen anything compared to what happened last night, not in all my years at Hogwarts. Would you please be so kind to tell me why you left the castle?"

Harry told him the story he had wanted to tell Sirius. After all that he had been told by his godfather, he felt very stupid about what he had done.

After he had finished, Dumbledore looked at him for a while, but his expression did not show the same friendliness it had always shown before.

"So what you're telling me is that you overheard parts of a private conversation of one of your teachers, then suspected Professor Snape of being Voldemort's ally, and instead of telling me or Professor McGonagall about it, you sneaked off in the middle of the night, even though you were on curfew, to leave the castle for Hogsmeade. There you wanted to tell your godfather, who has to hide from the Ministry and stays at the place which is most dangerous for him only because of you, about your suspicion.

In the meantime, the castle is being attacked and you're the only one who's missing. Everybody is worried and the teachers start searching the castle for you."

"Well, I guess that's it, yes."

"Harry, I'm disappointed. I would have thought better of you.

I have been very broad-minded about punishing you in the last years. This has to end. This time you have gone too far. You can finish this year at Hogwarts because at the moment I cannot afford the time to find a place where you can stay safely during term, but you won't be able to come back next year. You will be expelled. I cannot keep students who consciously endanger the life of other's.

You may go now. Professor McGonagall will bring you back to your dormitory."

Harry was not shocked. He had expected to be expelled. He had seen no other possibility as he had thought about it during the last night.

"Professor, I don't want to bother you, but can I ask you one more question?"

Dumbledore looked at him.

"Is Sirius still staying in Hogsmeade?"

"No, he left. We thought it would be more secure for him and he agreed. I don't know where he went to, but he will surely let you know."

He looked down onto the parchments that lay on his desk, signalling Harry that their conversation was over.

"Okay."

Harry turned around and left.

Professor McGonagall waited for him beside the Gargoyle and walked him back to the Gryffindor tower.

"You have half an hour left to prepare for lesson. Go upstairs and collect your things together."

Harry went into the dormitory where Ron, Neville, Seamus, Dean and Hermione were waiting for him.

"Harry!" Ron came over to him. "What happened?" He looked at his friend. "Where were you last night and why did McGonagall take you to Dumbledore this morning?

Harry looked at his shoes as if they were very interesting all of a sudden.

"I'm in trouble. Last night I wanted to see Snuffles in Hogsmeade and so sneaked off. I got caught, Snuffles shouted at me, Dumbledore expelled me and Snuffles left without another word. That's the short version, and I don't want to talk about it."

"Expelled you?" Hermione had gotten up. "Why?"

Harry looked up. "Breaking the rules? He said that punishment would be a lot harder this year, and I really earn it. I'm allowed to finish this year and take my O.W.L.s, but I won't come back next year. And now I got to find my herbology book, I don't want to be late."

And he started searching his trunk. Behind his back, Ron gestured everybody out of the room and closed the door. Then he stepped over to Harry.

Harry looked up and realized that he could not hold back his tears.

Ron didn't say a word but pulled Harry up to his feet and took him into his arms.

"It's not that I care about being expelled. I earn it. It's Sirius. He was so disappointed, I have never seen him like that before. And now he's gone because I put him in danger, because I didn't think before I acted.. It's all my fault. Since last year, I have done anything wrong that I could."

"Sirius cares about you. He won't have left forever. He has not been an angel himself, he knows that people make mistakes. Think about when he sent Snape into the Shrieking Shack at full moon, that's not been one of his greatest deeds either. He will send you a message as soon as he's found a place to hide. Calm down, it won't turn out as bad as you imagine it."

"I hope you're right."

"Let's go to breakfast, I'm starving."