Chapter Five
The walk home was uneventful, no one was coming outside for anything. Harry suspected they may have been afraid of another "bombing". The empty streets made Harry even mor amazed that a Death Eater wasn't trying to pick him off at that very moment. As he walked up to number four he was surprised to find a Ministry of Magic car parked in front of the house. It meant that Mr. Weasley was there. It also meant he'd be in trouble.
"Hi Mr.Weasley," Harry called softly, shutting the door behind him. The Dursely's were backed up against the wall in fear, Dudley shaking the most out of the three.
"Hello Harry." Mr. Weasley sounded disappointed but relieved. Harry couldn't blame him.
"I was just explaining the situation to your Aunt and Uncle. Fred, George, why don't you help Harry bring his things down to the car." Without a word Harry and the twins ran up to his room, loading everything into the trunk.
"Harry, where were you?" Fred questioned.
"Yeah, Dad thought you were already dead," George added.
"I was at the library," he explained. "I had to do a little bit of research. It was important."
"Your muggle cousin still scared of candy?" Fred inquired qith a sly grin, chaning the subject.
"Yes. Try not to engorge hs tongue this time though," Harry warned. "Remember your mum." Fred and George nodded and as they passed Dudley one of them called out:
"Want a piece of toffee?" Dudley nearly burst into tears as his father stepped in front of him in attempt to shield his large son. Mr. Weasley nodded curtly to them and shut the door as they left.
"Harry," Mr. Weasley began sternly, "You were told to stay inside the house. I was worried to death that you might have already been killed!"
"I'm sorry," Harry apologized. He hated making the Weasleys worry.
"You're going to have to listen from now on," he continued. "We can't offord any risks to your safety." They drove in silence to the Leaky Culdron and when they pulled up Ron came rushing outside.
"Harry! Hey, where have you been? You were supposed to be here with Dad and the twins an hour ago!"
"I was at the muggle library," Harry explained, grabbing Hedwig while the twins carried his trunk. "I'll explain later," he added in a whisper. Ron nodded and they walked up to the room they'd be sharing. Hermione and Ginny were in the room across the hall, Fred and George were next door, and Mr and Mrs. Weasley were across the hall from them. Percy obviously had no plans to leave his office, so he wasn't even there.
"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley cried out as the boys returned back downstairs, pulling him into a tight hug. "You had us so worried!"
"I'm fine," Harry choked through her strong grip. "All in one piece, see?"
"Molly, your suffocating him," Mr. Weasley chuckled. With a muffled apology, Mrs. Weasley let go and took a step back.
"How are you holding up dear?"
"I'm fine," Harry reassured for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Honestly. I'm not at all shaken up. I mean, I have the best wizards watching over me, right?" Mr. Weasley gave him a smile, but his ears were tinged pink from embarrassment. Harry almost had the courage to say he was being protected by someone else, but he choked those words down. He didn't want the Weasleys to think he crazy.
"Harry, want to play a game of chess?" Ron suggested, pulling out his old battered set. Harry sat across from him and the two set into the game and about half way through Hermione joined the group, scolding Harry for worrying them.
"I was at the library," Harry explained again. Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Don't get used to hearing that either," he added, hoping to lighten the mood slightly. "I was doing a little bit of research."
"On what?" Hermione questioned.
Looking around to make sure no one else was looking Harry continued, "its about this missing muggle girl named Jessica Bennet. She went missing the night you-know-who killed my mum and dad. She's actually the reason I'm still alive, he ghost was protecting me."
"Really?" Ron hissed. Harry nodded.
"You know, I read about her in the Rise and Fall of the Dark Wizards, Harry," Hermione stated. "She was kidnapped by Death Eaters, one of them was caught be he swore she was still alive and was being kept as a hostage. But the death eater wouldn't reveal any more then that, said he couldn't because the information was never given to him. The ministry has tried to locate her but just like the muggle police, they never found any trace of her."
"The librarian gave me this." Harry pulled out the silver charm. "It belonged to Jessica. I guess she was hoping I could give it to a psychic or something." Hermione snorted, rolling her eyes, but Ron took the charm and looked at it.
"My dad knows a bunch of people," Ron started. "Its a special division, not exactly connected with the ministry, but close enough that they help out from time to time. A bunch of psychics. Personally I think some of them are nutters but there are a few who actually have a gift if you ask me."
"We can ask tomorrow," Hermione suggested. "Its time to eat dinner..." Her voice faded as her face seemed to go lax, her eyes glazing over.
"Hermione?" Ron asked, waving his hand in front of her face. But seconds later the same thing seemed to happen to him. Harry started to move, but suddenly the entire scene around him began to change. He was no longer at the Leaky Culdron, but at a small house not too far from where much of Diagon Alley stood in present times. Outside in the back yard stood a little tent, positioned a few yards from the woods edge.
"Harry! Ron!" Hermione shouted!
"Hey! Where are we?" Ron asked.
"I haven't got the slightest clue. Harry?"
"I...I think we're in Jessica's time. Before she went missing."
"Then you're sure that Jessica is the ghost who was helping you?" Hermione checked. Harry nodded.
"Mom, I'll be fine!" came a new voice. "I'm just sleeping outside!" The side door opened and out came a nine year old girl with the brightest blue eyes Harry had seen. She was wearing a long white nightgown and carrying a pillow and some blankets.
"That's her alright!" Harry exclaimed.
"Shhh!" Hermione hissed. "She'll hear you!"
"Uh, Hermione? I don't thik she can see or hear us at all," Ron said slowly.
"You're right," Harry acknowledged. It was like being in the pensive in Dumbledore's office. They were seeing the events of the night Jessica disappeared! They watched apprehensively as Jessica climbed out of the tent at around midnight, wandering into her house for a drink. But when she came back out her gaze had fallen on the woods. There was a strange glow coming from somewhere in there.
"That must be why she went in that night," Hermione mused, watching the light move around. Sure enough Jessica walked silently across the yard, enetering the woods.
"Lets follow her!" Harry exclaimed, running after her, his friends at his heels. "Hey...where'd she go?"
"In there," Ron pointed out, pointing to a small thicket of dead branches. They could just make out the white nightdress beneath the dark sky. And there were other people too. People in hoods carying torches. They were speaking to each other. Suddenly one of them shouted and Jessica took off, running as fast as she could.
"Oh no!" Hermione cried out as Jessica got caught on the brambles. "Harry-"
"CRUCIO!" But this time it wasn't just Jessica's screams that filled the air. Hermione and Ron screamed as wel, and Harry just watched in horror the way he had the night he'd seen this in his dreams.
"Harry... Ron... Hermione...?"
Harry shook his head, rubbing his eyes. They were back in the Leaky Culdron, all three of them on the floor. The Weasleys stood over them, concern written on their features. "What happened?"
"Actually, we thought maybe you could tell us," Mr. Weasley admitted. "All three of you had this glazed look on your faces and then out of nowhere you started screaming."
"We were screaming?" Hary repeated.
"Well, not you Harry," Fred said. "But Ron and Hermione were. What happened?"
"I'm not sure," Harry lied. Hermione and Ron were still numb with shock, so they just nodded along. After a quick, tense meal, they went up to their rooms.
"Harry, that was horrible!" Hermione gasped.
"I know," Harry sighed. "But I don't know what to do about it! Her ghost says she wantsmy help, but I don't know what she wants!"
"Well, whatever it is, we'd better do it," Ron resolved. "I do NOT want to see that again!."
Harry and Hermione nodded in silent agreement. "Then we help her."
The walk home was uneventful, no one was coming outside for anything. Harry suspected they may have been afraid of another "bombing". The empty streets made Harry even mor amazed that a Death Eater wasn't trying to pick him off at that very moment. As he walked up to number four he was surprised to find a Ministry of Magic car parked in front of the house. It meant that Mr. Weasley was there. It also meant he'd be in trouble.
"Hi Mr.Weasley," Harry called softly, shutting the door behind him. The Dursely's were backed up against the wall in fear, Dudley shaking the most out of the three.
"Hello Harry." Mr. Weasley sounded disappointed but relieved. Harry couldn't blame him.
"I was just explaining the situation to your Aunt and Uncle. Fred, George, why don't you help Harry bring his things down to the car." Without a word Harry and the twins ran up to his room, loading everything into the trunk.
"Harry, where were you?" Fred questioned.
"Yeah, Dad thought you were already dead," George added.
"I was at the library," he explained. "I had to do a little bit of research. It was important."
"Your muggle cousin still scared of candy?" Fred inquired qith a sly grin, chaning the subject.
"Yes. Try not to engorge hs tongue this time though," Harry warned. "Remember your mum." Fred and George nodded and as they passed Dudley one of them called out:
"Want a piece of toffee?" Dudley nearly burst into tears as his father stepped in front of him in attempt to shield his large son. Mr. Weasley nodded curtly to them and shut the door as they left.
"Harry," Mr. Weasley began sternly, "You were told to stay inside the house. I was worried to death that you might have already been killed!"
"I'm sorry," Harry apologized. He hated making the Weasleys worry.
"You're going to have to listen from now on," he continued. "We can't offord any risks to your safety." They drove in silence to the Leaky Culdron and when they pulled up Ron came rushing outside.
"Harry! Hey, where have you been? You were supposed to be here with Dad and the twins an hour ago!"
"I was at the muggle library," Harry explained, grabbing Hedwig while the twins carried his trunk. "I'll explain later," he added in a whisper. Ron nodded and they walked up to the room they'd be sharing. Hermione and Ginny were in the room across the hall, Fred and George were next door, and Mr and Mrs. Weasley were across the hall from them. Percy obviously had no plans to leave his office, so he wasn't even there.
"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley cried out as the boys returned back downstairs, pulling him into a tight hug. "You had us so worried!"
"I'm fine," Harry choked through her strong grip. "All in one piece, see?"
"Molly, your suffocating him," Mr. Weasley chuckled. With a muffled apology, Mrs. Weasley let go and took a step back.
"How are you holding up dear?"
"I'm fine," Harry reassured for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Honestly. I'm not at all shaken up. I mean, I have the best wizards watching over me, right?" Mr. Weasley gave him a smile, but his ears were tinged pink from embarrassment. Harry almost had the courage to say he was being protected by someone else, but he choked those words down. He didn't want the Weasleys to think he crazy.
"Harry, want to play a game of chess?" Ron suggested, pulling out his old battered set. Harry sat across from him and the two set into the game and about half way through Hermione joined the group, scolding Harry for worrying them.
"I was at the library," Harry explained again. Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Don't get used to hearing that either," he added, hoping to lighten the mood slightly. "I was doing a little bit of research."
"On what?" Hermione questioned.
Looking around to make sure no one else was looking Harry continued, "its about this missing muggle girl named Jessica Bennet. She went missing the night you-know-who killed my mum and dad. She's actually the reason I'm still alive, he ghost was protecting me."
"Really?" Ron hissed. Harry nodded.
"You know, I read about her in the Rise and Fall of the Dark Wizards, Harry," Hermione stated. "She was kidnapped by Death Eaters, one of them was caught be he swore she was still alive and was being kept as a hostage. But the death eater wouldn't reveal any more then that, said he couldn't because the information was never given to him. The ministry has tried to locate her but just like the muggle police, they never found any trace of her."
"The librarian gave me this." Harry pulled out the silver charm. "It belonged to Jessica. I guess she was hoping I could give it to a psychic or something." Hermione snorted, rolling her eyes, but Ron took the charm and looked at it.
"My dad knows a bunch of people," Ron started. "Its a special division, not exactly connected with the ministry, but close enough that they help out from time to time. A bunch of psychics. Personally I think some of them are nutters but there are a few who actually have a gift if you ask me."
"We can ask tomorrow," Hermione suggested. "Its time to eat dinner..." Her voice faded as her face seemed to go lax, her eyes glazing over.
"Hermione?" Ron asked, waving his hand in front of her face. But seconds later the same thing seemed to happen to him. Harry started to move, but suddenly the entire scene around him began to change. He was no longer at the Leaky Culdron, but at a small house not too far from where much of Diagon Alley stood in present times. Outside in the back yard stood a little tent, positioned a few yards from the woods edge.
"Harry! Ron!" Hermione shouted!
"Hey! Where are we?" Ron asked.
"I haven't got the slightest clue. Harry?"
"I...I think we're in Jessica's time. Before she went missing."
"Then you're sure that Jessica is the ghost who was helping you?" Hermione checked. Harry nodded.
"Mom, I'll be fine!" came a new voice. "I'm just sleeping outside!" The side door opened and out came a nine year old girl with the brightest blue eyes Harry had seen. She was wearing a long white nightgown and carrying a pillow and some blankets.
"That's her alright!" Harry exclaimed.
"Shhh!" Hermione hissed. "She'll hear you!"
"Uh, Hermione? I don't thik she can see or hear us at all," Ron said slowly.
"You're right," Harry acknowledged. It was like being in the pensive in Dumbledore's office. They were seeing the events of the night Jessica disappeared! They watched apprehensively as Jessica climbed out of the tent at around midnight, wandering into her house for a drink. But when she came back out her gaze had fallen on the woods. There was a strange glow coming from somewhere in there.
"That must be why she went in that night," Hermione mused, watching the light move around. Sure enough Jessica walked silently across the yard, enetering the woods.
"Lets follow her!" Harry exclaimed, running after her, his friends at his heels. "Hey...where'd she go?"
"In there," Ron pointed out, pointing to a small thicket of dead branches. They could just make out the white nightdress beneath the dark sky. And there were other people too. People in hoods carying torches. They were speaking to each other. Suddenly one of them shouted and Jessica took off, running as fast as she could.
"Oh no!" Hermione cried out as Jessica got caught on the brambles. "Harry-"
"CRUCIO!" But this time it wasn't just Jessica's screams that filled the air. Hermione and Ron screamed as wel, and Harry just watched in horror the way he had the night he'd seen this in his dreams.
"Harry... Ron... Hermione...?"
Harry shook his head, rubbing his eyes. They were back in the Leaky Culdron, all three of them on the floor. The Weasleys stood over them, concern written on their features. "What happened?"
"Actually, we thought maybe you could tell us," Mr. Weasley admitted. "All three of you had this glazed look on your faces and then out of nowhere you started screaming."
"We were screaming?" Hary repeated.
"Well, not you Harry," Fred said. "But Ron and Hermione were. What happened?"
"I'm not sure," Harry lied. Hermione and Ron were still numb with shock, so they just nodded along. After a quick, tense meal, they went up to their rooms.
"Harry, that was horrible!" Hermione gasped.
"I know," Harry sighed. "But I don't know what to do about it! Her ghost says she wantsmy help, but I don't know what she wants!"
"Well, whatever it is, we'd better do it," Ron resolved. "I do NOT want to see that again!."
Harry and Hermione nodded in silent agreement. "Then we help her."