Chapter Thirteen

The Recovery

            In the morning, during breakfast, Dumbledore stood up , as to make an announcement.

            "Attention, may I have everyone's attention please!"

            All eyes turned to him.

            " I have the unfortunate task of telling you all know that our gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, has been killed."

            The hall erupted in noise. No one knew how to take the news. Was it an accident? Was Voldemort gaining power? None of the students, except for Ron, Harry, and Hermione, knew the truth.

            Harry glanced over to the Slytherin table. He saw that Malfoy and the rest of them looked thrilled with the news.           

"Silence! Everyone, please calm down," Professor McGonagall insisted. "This will not have any effect of the classes. Things will proceed as normal."

            Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to take advantage of their day away from classes. They didn't have any homework, and no one else was in the common room. So they sat down in the chairs closest to the fire, being that it was midwinter. They were all to sad to say much of anything. Ron tried to break the silence.

            "So, heard any word on your broom Harry?"

            "Ron, he just lost it yesterday," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

            "No, not yet Ron," Harry replied.

            "Well, the next Quidditch match is Saturday you know."

            "Yeah, that's what I'm worried about."

            "Don't worry," Hermione said, "it's bound to turn up soon."

            "I hope so."

            Around lunchtime, the trio made their way down to the Great Hall. Obviously the teachers had told the students where they were, because no one asked them. Lunch seemed unbelievably dismal. Even though the turkey and gravy was excellent, a feeling of dread filled the room.

            "Harry, you really should eat something," Hermione nagged sympathetically. Usually the only time she had to tell him this was before a Quidditch game, so she was worried.

            "I'm not hungry," he told her.

            "Are you feeling alright?" Ron inquired.

            "I'm fine. I'll be in the library if you need me," and he left.

            "Harry, going to the library on his own? He must not be feeling well at all," commented Ron.

            "I know, wonder what he's looking for?" Hermione told Ron.

            "Who knows. We better leave him alone though. You know, give him some privacy."   

            "You're right. Well, I' done. Let's head up to the common room, shall we?"

            "Yeah, let's go."

            Although they hadn't noticed it, they had both left the table with full plates, just like Harry.

            Harry had been walking around for about ten minutes. He decided to take the long was so he'd have more time to think. He had went to the dormitory beforehand to get something.         

            When he got to the library, he sat down at a table far away from the others. He took the leather-bound book he had retrieved, and put it on the table, then he opened it.

            It was the photo album Hagrid had given him at the end of his first year at Hogwarts. It was full of pictures of his mother and father. All of the pictures reminded Harry about the Mirror of Erised. This was the first time since the last time he had seen it. However, this time he didn't want to see his parents, he wanted to see Hagrid. He hadn't seen or heard from him since the end of last term, and now he never would. Just ten more minutes would have been enough. He thought to himself as a tear rolled down his cheek. Harry dried his eyes and made his way back to the common room.

            When he got back to the common room, he made his way up to the dormitory. He didn't want to talk to anyone, and he was tired also.  

When he got there he found Ron and Hermione talking on Ron's bed.

            "Hey guys," he said.

            "Are you alright? You look as though you've been crying," Hermione told him.

            "Yeah, I was a little."

            "Well, are you okay now?"

            "Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

            "Well, we're concerned Harry. You've been acting quite oddly these last few days."

            "Yeah," interrupted Ron.

            "It's okay. I know you're just trying to help. I'll be alright now, at least I hope I will," Harry told them. "Except I can't shake off this funny feeling that I've met Professor Salia before, you know?"

            "Yes," Hermione responded, "Deja Vu."

            "What are you saying Harry.

"Well, I've noticed that my scar hurts a little during Care of Magical Creatures lessons."

            "Do you think she is or was a Death Eater?" inquired Hermione.

            "Not necessarily, but I do think she has ties to Voldemort."

            "Argh! Why do you always have to say his name!" Ron said, annoyed.

            "Sorry, Ron, I know you don't like it, but I can't always remember not to say it."

            "It's okay."

            "Harry," Hermione started," maybe you should tell Dumbledore about all this."

            "I don't want to worry him, as he's already busy enough."

            "He would want to know about this, it's important."

            "I just don't want to tell him until I know more, that's all."

            "That sounds like a good plan to me," Ron told him.

            By now classes were over and the common room was full of people and noise. With winter holiday only a few weeks away, things were suddenly starting to look up for the friends.