A/n Ok so I've been lazy and busy but I'm back and better then ever! I
hope. Let me know what you think, k? You do think don't you? Prove that you
do with a review!
Cat Stevens - The Wind
"I listen to the wind
to the wind of my soul
Where I'll end up well I think,
only God really knows
I've sat upon the setting sun
But never, never never never
I never wanted water once
No, never, never, never
I listen to my words but
they fall far below
I let my music take me where
my heart wants to go
I swam upon the devil's lake
But never, never never never
I'll never make the same mistake
No, never, never, never"
Comforting Arms
Chapter Six
Tapings in the Night
It was dark when I left the cabin but the paths were lit by tall torches on either side of the trail casting a sort of eerie glow on the soft ground. The only buildings that were lit up were the lodge and the nurse's office, having just left the nurse's I made my over to the lodge. As I drew closer I could hear laughter and music leaking out of the building and floating across the crisp night air. Silently, as to not disturb the activities inside, I opened the lodge door and stepped into the warm glow of the building. I was met by the sight of the entire camp dancing in the middle of the lodge, all the tables and benches had been pushed to the sides of the room where the were now stacked on top of each other. I spotted Ron and Hermione in the middle of the sea of people, both dancing to their hearts content. Funny I never knew Ron could dance. I made my way over to the two of them dodging the groups of giggling girls and hyperactive kids.
"Hullo guys, miss me?" I asked grinning as the both jumped at the sight of me.
"Harry! I thought you were still in the nurse's! What are you doing up and about you should be in bed resting." Hermione said full of concern and sounding amazingly like Madame Pomfrey.
"Awe leave him alone Hermione, he can't spend all his time in the nurse's cabin now can he? Great to see you Harry." Said Ron grinning. "You must be starved, there's some great pumpkin pastries and cauldron cakes over there, you want to go get some?"
"Maybe later, right now I need to talk to you too, alone." I replied.
"Oh no, what's happened now? It isn't You-know-who is it?" Hermione whispered leading the way out of the lodge and into the quite of the night.
"No, it's not that."
"Well that's a relief you had us all worried there for a second." Ron sighed.
We had reached the disserted Quidditch pitch by then and I told them in a quick whisper about Diana and that strange yet familiar lady's voice, and how Diana just clasped afterwards. They both gaped at me when I was finished.
"What did she mean 'things happening that not even Dumbledore could predict'? Dumbledore wouldn't have let you come here if it wasn't safe, right Harry?" Hermione asked her eyes full of concern.
"I don't know, I mean Sirius said that he, Remus and Dumbledore made sure everything was safe before I came here but then Hogwarts is suppose to be safe too and look what's happened to us the last four years." I looked around at the two of them and realized had completely ruined their evening. "Hey look guys, there's no use worrying about it now right? We don't even know what Diana said is true, lets just go back to the lodge and have some fun for a change okay?"
"Yeah alright lets go." Ron said getting up from the set he had taken on the grass.
"But." Hermione began but seeing the look on Ron's face she stopped. "Yes alright let's go."
We were making our way back when we ran into Jeff, literally, he apparated right in front of us. Ron and I both stumbled backwards and Hermione fell down with a soft thump.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" He barked at us.
"Why don't you watch where you apparate! You could have hurt somebody." Ron shot back.
Jeff seemed to realize whom he was speaking to and where he was just then. "Oh, yes sorry you're right, I've been off lately, my mothers sick you see and it's made me discombobulated I'm afraid. I apologize if I startled any of you. Well I must be off." He said quickly then turned and fled down the path in the opposite direction we were heading.
"What's with him?" Ron asked grouchily while helping Hermione up.
"I don't know but I think we should keep an eye on him, I have a funny feeling his up to something." I said looking in the direction in which Jeff had gone.
"I think you're right Harry," said Hermione "any way let's get back to the lodge before any more counselors decide to apparate right in front of us."
We made it back to the lodge in time to see the last of the campers heading off to bed and counselors putting the lodge back in order.
"I guess the party's over." Said Ron rather disappointed.
"Looks like it, we should probably just go to bed any way, Jeff said we'd be scrimmaging the other team tomorrow so we'll need our strength." Hermione yawned turning to go.
"Yeah alright, I'm just going to grab a snack first, I haven't eaten since breakfast." I replied.
"I'll go with you Harry." Ron said looking more awake at the thought of food.
"Right, see you tomorrow then." Hermione said and left.
Ron and I went to the kitchen door and knocked. We waited for a few seconds before the door opened and we were met with the sight of Jeff.
"Yes what do you want?" Jeff asked gruffly.
"I was err... wondering if I could get something to eat? I haven't eaten since breakfast because I was in the nurse's all day." I said to him.
"All right, hold on and I'll bring you something, stay right there." Jeff said and turned the door closing behind him. He came back several minutes later with some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and bag of chips. "There you go, now go to your cabin its late and you two should be asleep, we have a big day tomorrow."
"Ok thanks."
Ron and I left and went back to our cabin. Everyone there was already in bed so Ron and quickly went to our bunks as quietly as we could. I ate my food swiftly and then changed and got into bed. Sleep came immediately.
I woke up sometime after midnight to a soft taping on the window next to my bed. At first I thought it might be Hedwig but then it came to me that there was no way she could have flown the letter to Sirius and come back all in the same day. The taping continued so I sat up and put my glasses on. Looking over I was startled to see the face of Diana staring back at me with wide almost tragic blue eyes. I hastily got up and opened the window.
"Diana!" I whispered so as not to wake any body else. "What are you doing here? This is the boys cabin you're not allowed here!"
"I know but." She paused as Ron gave a grunting snore and rolled over "I had to talk to you about today."
I sighed, I wanted to know what that was about so I had no choice but to allow her to come inside, I couldn't let her stay out there alone and I wasn't about to go outside and join her, it was freezing outside. "Alright come in here its too cold to stay outside for too long. Be quite though I don't want anyone to wake up and get us trouble." She silently crawled through the open window and hurriedly sat on the end of my bed.
"Here take this, you must be cold." I said offering her a blanket from my bed.
"Thank you." Diana said accepting the blanket and wrapping it around herself.
"So what did you want to tell me? Something about what happened today?" I asked eager to know more about that incident.
"Yes." She took a deep breath and began to explain. "You see I'm not an ordinary witch, well I am but every now and again something takes over me and uses my body as a sort of channel. It's the reason I'm home schooled, since I have no control over what I do or say or when that happens my parents thought it would be better if I stayed at home, for my safety and for others as well. I wanted to apologize if I scared you today; I also wanted to ask you what I said or rather what she said. I can never remember what happens."
"Oh well err. it was nothing really just a sort of warning but its nothing to worry about stuff like that happens to me a lot." I said beginning to understand a little better though not much, I couldn't shake the feeling she was holding back something.
"Oh. I see."
"Does it happen to you often? That trance thing?" I asked.
"Well. it depends. It doesn't happen too often though. I should probably go, sorry to have woken you up." She stood up and returned the blanket. "Good night Harry." She bent down and gave me a quick hug before departing through the open window.
"Err... Goodnight." I whispered as she left, a little shocked from the hug. I fell back to sleep shortly after she left.
Ron woke me the next mourning as the other boys in the cabin were changing and heading off to breakfast. I put on a shirt and some jeans and made my way to the lodge, Hermione caught up with us as we were entering the lodge she had on a simple blue shirt and jean shorts, she had also managed to tie her hair back in a ponytail.
"Hello. Did you get any sleep last night Harry? You look as though didn't." said Hermione.
"I did. Guess I didn't get a whole lot though." For some reason I didn't fell like sharing with them last nights encounter with Diana, not just yet any way, for at that moment Diana came up to us smiling and wearing a tank- top and cargo pants her deep brown hair that was almost black was braided into pigtails and her blue eyes shimmered with excitement.
"Hey! I saved us a table already but we better hurry or someone will take it." She smiled leading us over to a table by the window. "I'll wait here while you guys get your food."
"Wicked, thanks!" Ron said heading over to the food. Today there were scrambled eggs and fried potatoes, along with the usual assortment of food, sausage, bacon, toast etc. We piled food on our plates and headed back to the table where Diana was waiting. Diana left to get her food as soon as we got back then rejoined us five minutes later with a plate full of food herself. When we had finished eating we headed outside to meet our group. I was looking forward to being in the air again, to the excitement and energy rush I get when I play Quidditch, it's the one place I could always feel at home and can just for that short period of time forget I'm: 'Harry Potter - The Boy Who Lived'.
Most of the people were already there when we arrived; we just had to wait for Jenna and Scott who came out shortly after us arguing about some cat named Buttons and wither they should charm it green or orange, Scott wanted green and Jenna orange. They stopped arguing when they saw as all watching them. They took a set and we waited for Jeff to arrive and give us instructions. Five minutes later Jeff showed up grinning.
"Good mourning! Hope you're all ready for a great game of Quidditch! Today as you know we well be having a little scrimmage match between Star Catchers and Phoenix Fire. This is just a friendly game to see how well your team works together. It's not about winning or losing its just about going out there and having fun! All right everyone go get your brooms and meet me at the Quidditch pitch in five minutes." Said Jeff enthusiastically.
We all left to get our brooms and then headed over to the Quidditch pitch to meet Jeff as instructed. Ron and I were the last to arrive (Ron was having trouble finding his broom which turned out to be under his bed). We met up with the rest of the team and Scott gave us a quick pep talk before it was time to get started. Hermione and Diana were both extremely nervous having never played before, but from what Ron told me they would do fine. Jeff called us over to the center of the pitch for the kick off having the two captains, Scott and Melanie, shake hands first, he blew the whistle and we were off.
I rushed strait up into the air to begin flying high over the field looking for the snitch, having just started practicing yesterday there was no real plan of attack for this game so I figured I may as well catch the snitch as soon as I see it because I have no idea how good their seeker is. After a few minutes I came to the conclusion that Melanie was not only the team captain but their seeker as well and from what I could tell she was a pretty good one too. We were doing all right, Hermione had managed to score giving us one up, 20 to 10, when I spotted the snitch at the same time Melanie did.
We were on opposites ends of the field and it was hovering just above the ground right in the center of the pitch, I quickly speed down towards it vaguely noticing that Melanie did the same. As we got closer to it reaching the snitch it appeared as though Melanie and I would crash into each other, all the other players had stopped what they were doing to watch and I could faintly hear Ron and Hermione along with the rest of the team shouting encouraging words, though I have to assume they were encouraging with the wind rushing in my ears I couldn't really tell. I reached the snitch and leaned forward reaching my hand out to grasp it as Melanie did the same, a urged my Firebolt faster and managed to get my fingers around the snitch but at the same time a could feel Melanie's hand on it as well, we both pulled up quickly so as not to nose dive into the grass, hands still firmly wrapped around the golden snitch its wings fluttering against our hands. Three feet from the ground we stopped and Jeff came towards us.
"Well this is a first!" Jeff cried "You both seemed to have managed to catch the snitch at the same time, though Melanie your hands are more on top of Harry's which means I have to assume Harry caught it slightly before you, so the 150 points and the win goes to team Phoenix Fire! Congratulations! Both teams did an excellent job; it looks like we're going to have two very evenly matched teams."
Our team and the other both began cheering and celebrating the good game as we headed back to the lodge for some refreshments. I was about to inter the lodge when I heard a female voice with an Australian accent whisper to me: "Good game Potter, but next time you wont win." I turned and saw Melanie walking behind me with Calli and Renna who were talking and laughing, Melanie appeared to not notice me at all and be completely engrossed in their conversation, she brushed past me into the lodge still seeming to ignore me. I hurried to catch up with Hermione, Diana, and Ron, forgetting the incidence, it was probably nothing personal, she must not like to lose is all.
Cat Stevens - The Wind
"I listen to the wind
to the wind of my soul
Where I'll end up well I think,
only God really knows
I've sat upon the setting sun
But never, never never never
I never wanted water once
No, never, never, never
I listen to my words but
they fall far below
I let my music take me where
my heart wants to go
I swam upon the devil's lake
But never, never never never
I'll never make the same mistake
No, never, never, never"
Comforting Arms
Chapter Six
Tapings in the Night
It was dark when I left the cabin but the paths were lit by tall torches on either side of the trail casting a sort of eerie glow on the soft ground. The only buildings that were lit up were the lodge and the nurse's office, having just left the nurse's I made my over to the lodge. As I drew closer I could hear laughter and music leaking out of the building and floating across the crisp night air. Silently, as to not disturb the activities inside, I opened the lodge door and stepped into the warm glow of the building. I was met by the sight of the entire camp dancing in the middle of the lodge, all the tables and benches had been pushed to the sides of the room where the were now stacked on top of each other. I spotted Ron and Hermione in the middle of the sea of people, both dancing to their hearts content. Funny I never knew Ron could dance. I made my way over to the two of them dodging the groups of giggling girls and hyperactive kids.
"Hullo guys, miss me?" I asked grinning as the both jumped at the sight of me.
"Harry! I thought you were still in the nurse's! What are you doing up and about you should be in bed resting." Hermione said full of concern and sounding amazingly like Madame Pomfrey.
"Awe leave him alone Hermione, he can't spend all his time in the nurse's cabin now can he? Great to see you Harry." Said Ron grinning. "You must be starved, there's some great pumpkin pastries and cauldron cakes over there, you want to go get some?"
"Maybe later, right now I need to talk to you too, alone." I replied.
"Oh no, what's happened now? It isn't You-know-who is it?" Hermione whispered leading the way out of the lodge and into the quite of the night.
"No, it's not that."
"Well that's a relief you had us all worried there for a second." Ron sighed.
We had reached the disserted Quidditch pitch by then and I told them in a quick whisper about Diana and that strange yet familiar lady's voice, and how Diana just clasped afterwards. They both gaped at me when I was finished.
"What did she mean 'things happening that not even Dumbledore could predict'? Dumbledore wouldn't have let you come here if it wasn't safe, right Harry?" Hermione asked her eyes full of concern.
"I don't know, I mean Sirius said that he, Remus and Dumbledore made sure everything was safe before I came here but then Hogwarts is suppose to be safe too and look what's happened to us the last four years." I looked around at the two of them and realized had completely ruined their evening. "Hey look guys, there's no use worrying about it now right? We don't even know what Diana said is true, lets just go back to the lodge and have some fun for a change okay?"
"Yeah alright lets go." Ron said getting up from the set he had taken on the grass.
"But." Hermione began but seeing the look on Ron's face she stopped. "Yes alright let's go."
We were making our way back when we ran into Jeff, literally, he apparated right in front of us. Ron and I both stumbled backwards and Hermione fell down with a soft thump.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" He barked at us.
"Why don't you watch where you apparate! You could have hurt somebody." Ron shot back.
Jeff seemed to realize whom he was speaking to and where he was just then. "Oh, yes sorry you're right, I've been off lately, my mothers sick you see and it's made me discombobulated I'm afraid. I apologize if I startled any of you. Well I must be off." He said quickly then turned and fled down the path in the opposite direction we were heading.
"What's with him?" Ron asked grouchily while helping Hermione up.
"I don't know but I think we should keep an eye on him, I have a funny feeling his up to something." I said looking in the direction in which Jeff had gone.
"I think you're right Harry," said Hermione "any way let's get back to the lodge before any more counselors decide to apparate right in front of us."
We made it back to the lodge in time to see the last of the campers heading off to bed and counselors putting the lodge back in order.
"I guess the party's over." Said Ron rather disappointed.
"Looks like it, we should probably just go to bed any way, Jeff said we'd be scrimmaging the other team tomorrow so we'll need our strength." Hermione yawned turning to go.
"Yeah alright, I'm just going to grab a snack first, I haven't eaten since breakfast." I replied.
"I'll go with you Harry." Ron said looking more awake at the thought of food.
"Right, see you tomorrow then." Hermione said and left.
Ron and I went to the kitchen door and knocked. We waited for a few seconds before the door opened and we were met with the sight of Jeff.
"Yes what do you want?" Jeff asked gruffly.
"I was err... wondering if I could get something to eat? I haven't eaten since breakfast because I was in the nurse's all day." I said to him.
"All right, hold on and I'll bring you something, stay right there." Jeff said and turned the door closing behind him. He came back several minutes later with some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and bag of chips. "There you go, now go to your cabin its late and you two should be asleep, we have a big day tomorrow."
"Ok thanks."
Ron and I left and went back to our cabin. Everyone there was already in bed so Ron and quickly went to our bunks as quietly as we could. I ate my food swiftly and then changed and got into bed. Sleep came immediately.
I woke up sometime after midnight to a soft taping on the window next to my bed. At first I thought it might be Hedwig but then it came to me that there was no way she could have flown the letter to Sirius and come back all in the same day. The taping continued so I sat up and put my glasses on. Looking over I was startled to see the face of Diana staring back at me with wide almost tragic blue eyes. I hastily got up and opened the window.
"Diana!" I whispered so as not to wake any body else. "What are you doing here? This is the boys cabin you're not allowed here!"
"I know but." She paused as Ron gave a grunting snore and rolled over "I had to talk to you about today."
I sighed, I wanted to know what that was about so I had no choice but to allow her to come inside, I couldn't let her stay out there alone and I wasn't about to go outside and join her, it was freezing outside. "Alright come in here its too cold to stay outside for too long. Be quite though I don't want anyone to wake up and get us trouble." She silently crawled through the open window and hurriedly sat on the end of my bed.
"Here take this, you must be cold." I said offering her a blanket from my bed.
"Thank you." Diana said accepting the blanket and wrapping it around herself.
"So what did you want to tell me? Something about what happened today?" I asked eager to know more about that incident.
"Yes." She took a deep breath and began to explain. "You see I'm not an ordinary witch, well I am but every now and again something takes over me and uses my body as a sort of channel. It's the reason I'm home schooled, since I have no control over what I do or say or when that happens my parents thought it would be better if I stayed at home, for my safety and for others as well. I wanted to apologize if I scared you today; I also wanted to ask you what I said or rather what she said. I can never remember what happens."
"Oh well err. it was nothing really just a sort of warning but its nothing to worry about stuff like that happens to me a lot." I said beginning to understand a little better though not much, I couldn't shake the feeling she was holding back something.
"Oh. I see."
"Does it happen to you often? That trance thing?" I asked.
"Well. it depends. It doesn't happen too often though. I should probably go, sorry to have woken you up." She stood up and returned the blanket. "Good night Harry." She bent down and gave me a quick hug before departing through the open window.
"Err... Goodnight." I whispered as she left, a little shocked from the hug. I fell back to sleep shortly after she left.
Ron woke me the next mourning as the other boys in the cabin were changing and heading off to breakfast. I put on a shirt and some jeans and made my way to the lodge, Hermione caught up with us as we were entering the lodge she had on a simple blue shirt and jean shorts, she had also managed to tie her hair back in a ponytail.
"Hello. Did you get any sleep last night Harry? You look as though didn't." said Hermione.
"I did. Guess I didn't get a whole lot though." For some reason I didn't fell like sharing with them last nights encounter with Diana, not just yet any way, for at that moment Diana came up to us smiling and wearing a tank- top and cargo pants her deep brown hair that was almost black was braided into pigtails and her blue eyes shimmered with excitement.
"Hey! I saved us a table already but we better hurry or someone will take it." She smiled leading us over to a table by the window. "I'll wait here while you guys get your food."
"Wicked, thanks!" Ron said heading over to the food. Today there were scrambled eggs and fried potatoes, along with the usual assortment of food, sausage, bacon, toast etc. We piled food on our plates and headed back to the table where Diana was waiting. Diana left to get her food as soon as we got back then rejoined us five minutes later with a plate full of food herself. When we had finished eating we headed outside to meet our group. I was looking forward to being in the air again, to the excitement and energy rush I get when I play Quidditch, it's the one place I could always feel at home and can just for that short period of time forget I'm: 'Harry Potter - The Boy Who Lived'.
Most of the people were already there when we arrived; we just had to wait for Jenna and Scott who came out shortly after us arguing about some cat named Buttons and wither they should charm it green or orange, Scott wanted green and Jenna orange. They stopped arguing when they saw as all watching them. They took a set and we waited for Jeff to arrive and give us instructions. Five minutes later Jeff showed up grinning.
"Good mourning! Hope you're all ready for a great game of Quidditch! Today as you know we well be having a little scrimmage match between Star Catchers and Phoenix Fire. This is just a friendly game to see how well your team works together. It's not about winning or losing its just about going out there and having fun! All right everyone go get your brooms and meet me at the Quidditch pitch in five minutes." Said Jeff enthusiastically.
We all left to get our brooms and then headed over to the Quidditch pitch to meet Jeff as instructed. Ron and I were the last to arrive (Ron was having trouble finding his broom which turned out to be under his bed). We met up with the rest of the team and Scott gave us a quick pep talk before it was time to get started. Hermione and Diana were both extremely nervous having never played before, but from what Ron told me they would do fine. Jeff called us over to the center of the pitch for the kick off having the two captains, Scott and Melanie, shake hands first, he blew the whistle and we were off.
I rushed strait up into the air to begin flying high over the field looking for the snitch, having just started practicing yesterday there was no real plan of attack for this game so I figured I may as well catch the snitch as soon as I see it because I have no idea how good their seeker is. After a few minutes I came to the conclusion that Melanie was not only the team captain but their seeker as well and from what I could tell she was a pretty good one too. We were doing all right, Hermione had managed to score giving us one up, 20 to 10, when I spotted the snitch at the same time Melanie did.
We were on opposites ends of the field and it was hovering just above the ground right in the center of the pitch, I quickly speed down towards it vaguely noticing that Melanie did the same. As we got closer to it reaching the snitch it appeared as though Melanie and I would crash into each other, all the other players had stopped what they were doing to watch and I could faintly hear Ron and Hermione along with the rest of the team shouting encouraging words, though I have to assume they were encouraging with the wind rushing in my ears I couldn't really tell. I reached the snitch and leaned forward reaching my hand out to grasp it as Melanie did the same, a urged my Firebolt faster and managed to get my fingers around the snitch but at the same time a could feel Melanie's hand on it as well, we both pulled up quickly so as not to nose dive into the grass, hands still firmly wrapped around the golden snitch its wings fluttering against our hands. Three feet from the ground we stopped and Jeff came towards us.
"Well this is a first!" Jeff cried "You both seemed to have managed to catch the snitch at the same time, though Melanie your hands are more on top of Harry's which means I have to assume Harry caught it slightly before you, so the 150 points and the win goes to team Phoenix Fire! Congratulations! Both teams did an excellent job; it looks like we're going to have two very evenly matched teams."
Our team and the other both began cheering and celebrating the good game as we headed back to the lodge for some refreshments. I was about to inter the lodge when I heard a female voice with an Australian accent whisper to me: "Good game Potter, but next time you wont win." I turned and saw Melanie walking behind me with Calli and Renna who were talking and laughing, Melanie appeared to not notice me at all and be completely engrossed in their conversation, she brushed past me into the lodge still seeming to ignore me. I hurried to catch up with Hermione, Diana, and Ron, forgetting the incidence, it was probably nothing personal, she must not like to lose is all.