Chapter 11
The Snow Ball
Over the next few days, Harry found that he didn't need to act very hard to be annoyed with Fuggio. He wouldn't let Harry go into the grounds even to visit Hagrid, and was with him wherever he went. He even slept at the bottom of Harry's bed. Luxury for me he whispered when Harry asked if this wasn't a bit uncomfortable. Harry supposed that the end of a bed must seem a lot better than a rocky cave, or all the other places Sirius had slept while on the run. Lessons were both worse and better with Sirius beside him. Malfoy didn't dare to openly taunt him, but Harry knew that Malfoy and the Slytherins were continually laughing and making jokes about Harry and his bodyguard. Harry didn't mind too much though, in the tower room he and Sirius had been catching up on events that had taken place since their last meeting. Sirius wouldn't tell Harry much about what he's been doing, but he did give general hints that he'd been working for Dumbledore against Voldemort. Harry told him about the letter he'd seen in Snape's office, but surprisingly Sirius seemed unalarmed by it, and quickly changed the subject. However Harry couldn't get the letter out of his head. The hums, too, he was sure that Snape was behind that, if it hadn't been for Professor McGonagall and Peeves and his water he could have died. Why wasn't anyone that worried? Dumbledore said that it wasn't Snape, well then, it meant that a Dark Wizard had got into the school. Perhaps Snape had helped, perhaps that was what the letter was about. Harry couldn't stop thinking about the Dark Mark on the parchment. The following day when Sirius was at one of his meetings with Dumbledore, Harry got Hermione and Ron to meet him at break in a corner of the common room. "I'm going to break into Snape's office and read that letter," he told them. "You can't!" said Hermione horrified, "you could get expelled, and Dumbledore said you weren't to go anywhere without Sirius." "How will you get past Sirius?" Ron asked. "It's alright, I'll pretend to go to sleep, then put the invisibility cloak on, and then go, Sirius will never know. I have to know, if it is Snape trying to kill me, I've got to know, he threw me to the floor when he saw I'd seen the mark." Hermione tried again, "Harry, Dumbledore won't let anything happen to you, Sirius is with you, and Snape is on our side now. He saved your life remember?" "Dumbledore let me get nearly killed by the hums, and he didn't stop Voldemort nearly killing me, and arising last summer, and he didn't stop Cedric being killed," said Harry almost bitterly. Hermione didn't answer, and Harry thought about it. So many times he had nearly got killed, but hadn't. In the first year, didn't Dumbledore find him as soon as Professor Quirrel had finished with him, hadn't Fawkes saved him in the second year, and Harry had survived his first proper meeting with the adult Voldemort. Harry remembered vividly that look of strange triumph of Dumbledore's when Harry had told him about Voldemort taking his blood. Hadn't he told the others in the first year that Dumbledore had taught him just enough to help him defeat Voldemort? He had the feeling that everything that had happened had happened under Dumbledore's control. Then with a sick lurch he remembered Cedric, no, Dumbledore wasn't all powerful, Cedric had died, and Dumbledore had been deceived by Barty Crouch for a whole year, that surely showed that Dumbledore was human, and that even he had made fatal errors. If he couldn't recognise a servant of Voldemort's right under his own nose, who said he was right about Snape? "Harry, Harry," a voice interrupted his thoughts. His mind stopped its wondering, and focused on Ron and Hermione who were looking at him curiously. "I'm going," Harry said finally. "I think it's best if I go alone, there's no point in us all getting into trouble." "If you are going, then I am coming with you, Hermione said adamantly. "Ron better not go he'll be expelled for sure, and the two of you would sure to wake Sirius. Ron stared at Hermione angrily, but didn't say anything. "Alright then Hermione, tonight at twelve, that will give Sirius time to get to sleep, and." "Of course Chudley cannons will win the league," Ron said rather loudly. Harry stared at Ron in bewilderment. Hermione caught on, "I don't know why you two have to talk about Quidditch all the time." She moaned, "Oh hello Fuggio," Harry turned and saw Sirius standing right behind him, smiling broadly. Harry felt a twinge of guilt about deceiving his godfather, but then the bell rang for the next lesson, and he quickly gathered up his books and headed towards the greenhouses for Herbology.
During the next lesson, Harry was both nervous and excited about his nighttime expedition. He desperately wanted to find out what was in that letter. He was thinking about it so hard, that the Scissor Tree he was pruning took advantage of his lack of concentration and cut large chunks of his hair off before he noticed. At lunchtime they had to go to the library to find a hair growing charm, much to Ron and Sirius's amusement. That night Sirius pulled out his little couch bed next to Harry, and Harry patiently waited for him to fall asleep. However Sirius seemed to have no intention of doing so. Harry waited and waited, and felt himself get more and more tired.
Harry suddenly awoke. He had fallen asleep, he grabbed wildly for his glasses and watch and found that it was quarter past twelve. He should have met Hermione fifteen minutes, ago. He glanced down at the Sirius' bed to check that he was asleep.but he wasn't there. Some clothes had been cleverly arranged under the blanket, so that a casual looker would think that there was someone asleep there, but to Harry's stare it was obvious that the bed was empty. What was Sirius doing? Harry didn't have time to think long about it. He grabbed his jumper and the invisibility cloak, and crept quickly down to the common room. Hermione was there looking impatient. Harry quickly apologised and told her about the empty bed. She was as surprised as he was, but they were both impatient to get on with the job. Harry put the cloak around them both, and they set off out of the portrait hole. They headed towards Snape's classroom, hoping that the letter would be in his desk somewhere. They reached the dungeons without difficulty. Hermione used the alohomora spell to open the heavy dungeon door. Inside it was pitch black, and Harry lighted their wand, as they moved towards the desk at the front of the room. He tried to ignore the glinting jars with their preserved contents glinting in the wand light. They were two desks away from Snape's desk when the silent dust air of the dungeon was ripped apart by the loudest screeches Harry had ever heard. Deafened, Harry saw the largest crow he had ever seen swooping towards him. "Run!" he yelled. They turned and ran blindly out of the room, the crow's cawing loud enough to wake the dead. "Everyone will have heard that" whispered Hermione terrified. "Snape must use the bird as some sort of burglar alarm." "Never mind that, lets get out of here." They ran along the corridor like some kind of mechanical toy with a part missing as they tried to move while keeping under the invisibility cloak. As they turned a corner the almost bumped into Snape, in long white and black pyjamas, charging along the corridor. Hermione flung them both behind a statue, and Snape passed without seeing them. He was followed shortly by Filch limping breathlessly. Harry and Hermione didn't dare move for fear of being heard. They could hear Snape banging angrily about in his classroom. "Has anything been taken, Professor" Filch asked quietly. "No, I don't think so, Saven frightened them off. No, the question is who and why?" Snape replied slowly and thoughtfully. Filch then said something inaudible. There was a pause and Harry and Hermione heard Snape venomously, "Potter! Perhaps we have grounds for a little Versitserum." Harry felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead, beside him, Hermione stood closer. "Do you want me to carry out a search?" Filch asked in his oily voice. "No you won't find him, he'll be wearing his father's cloak. He'll be long gone by now anyway. No you get back to bed, I have some unfinished business." "Yes Professor." Snape swept out of the dungeon, and up the corridor. Filch paused and locked the door with a large silver key, before following Snape. Harry and Hermione breathed again. "That was too close, Harry, He knows its you." Hermione said fearfully. Harry shook aside his sickness at Snape's words. "Never mind about that now, what unfinished business has Snape got at this time of night?" Harry asked intrigued. "Come on let's find out." Hermione didn't move. "He thinks we're miles away now," Harry reassured her. They set off after Snape. However they quite a way behind, and soon lost him as he made several quick turns on the ground floor. "What are we going to do now?" groaned Harry. "Well the only place he can be heading in this direction is the entrance hall, and the grounds," said Hermione sensibly. If he was going to the staircase, he would have used the back ones near the entrance to the dungeons." Harry followed Hermione to the nearest window overlooking the grounds. There were two figures walking in the moonlight. One Harry recognised instantly. He would know that figure anywhere, Professor Jenai. Harry couldn't make out the other figure except that it was a man. Snape? They had their arms around each other, and were deep in conversation. Was Professor Jenai with Snape? Were they on the dark side together? "There's someone coming," whispered Hermione urgently. They turned and saw Mrs Norris' red lamp like eyes staring right at them. They could hear Filch muttering down the corridor. "Come on let's go," whispered Harry. They quickly and quietly returned to the Gryffindor tower. Sirius's bed was still empty, but Harry was too tired to ponder it further.
On the last day of term Harry and Sirius spent a long cozy evening playing wizard chess. Harry won, but he had the feeling that Sirius had meant it that way. Hermione was going home this year, as were many of the students. With the threat of Lord Voldemort many families wanted their children with them. Even Ron had been asked to go home. After a lot of persuasion on Harry's part, that he really didn't mind, and he did have Sirius to look after him, and Sirius would keep him company, Ron eventually decided that he would spend Christmas with his family. This was something he hadn't done since he had begun Hogwarts. When Harry and Sirius had finished their chess match they went down to the common room to find it deserted. Sirius looked a little worried, but said nothing. Harry followed him down the main stairs, and towards the Main Hall. As he approached, Harry was surprised to hear Dumbledore's voice booming from the slightly ajar door. Following Sirius's lead, they sneaked in the back, and were just in time to catch Dumbledore's message, "As you know today is the last day of term, and tomorrow many of you will be returning to your families. However I feel that the tension from the outside world has reached us here, and as a result I would like to announce that tonight we will be having a joint feast and end of term Snow Ball. All students are to wear fancy dress, and masks also if desired. The Ball will begin at 8:00. There will be prizes for interesting costumes- go forth and have fun" There was absolute silence from pupils and teachers alike. No one could ever remember anything like this happening at Hogwarts. A party, fancy dress, tonight! Stunned whispers began to percolate through the crowd of students, and by the time Harry had found Ron and Hermione the Hall was alive with students discussing what they were going to wear, who they were going to ask to dance, and what masks they were going to make. "Wow, isn't this cool," Ron greeted Harry, as they struggled to reach each other through the excited streams of pupils. Hermione met up with them, her eyes excited at the challenge. "I'm going to be Ethel the Skulder, off The New Wizards!" she said happily. "Who on earth are they?" asked Harry. "A famous witch band," Sirius answered for Hermione. "What are you going to be?" he asked Ron. Ron blushed faintly, thought for a moment, and then answered, "How about a troll?" I could get use some of that potion from potions, and make a mask of a face." But then his face fell. "Perhaps that's not such a good idea." When they reached the common room it was bustling with activity. All the students were putting a lot of effort into their costumes. Harry and Ron still hadn't decided what to be. Everyone seemed to be full of ideas, making very elaborate costumes and masks. Harry and Ron sat in their dormitory trying desperately to think of something. Sirius had gone to an urgent meeting with Professor Dumbledore after the surprise assembly. The harder Harry tried to think what to wear, the more blank his mind became. He couldn't think of anything to be. It didn't help not being brought up in the wizard world. Many of the wizards and witches at Hogwarts had heroes from wizarding books, comics and Quidditch. After sitting on their four-poster bed for nearly half an hour, Harry was close to desperation. He decided to go to the library in search of inspiration. Ron followed him into the deserted silent library. They started flicking through books for any ideas for their disguise. Ron suddenly, a large book in his arms looked up and said, "What about a dragon? If I got a large mask, a horntail, or something." "It could work," Harry told him. "But what about me?" Hermione came bursting into the library. "Look!" she panted, gesturing to a large pile of silky and red material in her arms. "You haven't decided have you?" she asked Harry. "I've just seen Sirius. He gave me these said they might by useful." Harry took them. They were made of a fine slippery silk. He held them up, not quite sure what they were. Ron however let out a large gasp. "Is it really? Quidditch robe from the 1879 Quidditch World Cup. The last time England beat the world. They are worth, I don't know how much, but a lot. They're priceless." "Sirius said it was your Christmas present, but he thought you'd like it more now instead. Picked it up on his travels." "Wow" said Harry. "Thanks for this Hermione, I can't wait to say thanks to Sirius." Then he caught sight of Ron's face. He was trying to look happy for Harry, but Harry knew that he was feeling jealous that Harry was getting all the attention and presents. Harry knew how he was feeling. Fourteen years with the Dursleys had shown him what it was like to be the underdog. "Ron, would you like to wear them? I'll go as a Quidditch player. Chudley Cannons. That should be easy to make." "No don't be silly. Sirius gave it to you.how could you not want to wear it?" "Well to be honest I'd rather keep a low profile tonight, what with everything that has happened. Please go, I insist," said Harry. "Well, if you're sure." "Yes, of course I am." "Yesssss!!" Ron looked as pleased as punch. They made their way out of the library, Ron almost skipping along. In the common room with the help of Hermione, Harry made the orange tunic using a useful sewing spell Hermione had found in a library book. "I knew it would be useful" she told Harry. Then she went to her own dormitory to sort out her own costume. The excitement was building throughout the school as the hours passed. Harry spent his time doing some holiday homework, but his mind wasn't on it. Lizzy and her friends were talking loudly in the corner, and Ron kept interrupting him, alternately thanking him and telling Harry to pinch him because he didn't believe it was happening to him. Eventually Ron gave up and reread Flying with the Cannons for the hundredth time. It was quite late when Sirius returned to the common room. He seemed to be in a terrible mood. Every time Harry asked him anything Sirius would snap at him and then apologize quickly. Harry thought it must be something to do with the meeting with Dumbledore, but he wouldn't say any more. That evening just after dark the students got into their costumes and made their way down to the Hall. The hall was decorated for Christmas. The huge Christmas trees were covered with real candles and golden bubbles bounced around. The Christmas fairies danced on the branches, their silver dresses catching the caught the candlelight. However the students were mainly ignoring the wonderful decorations and staring at the roof. It was snowing. The snow fell from the enchanted ceiling and made a thick layer on the floor. But instead of becoming slushy and melting when people stood on it, it remained crisp and clean. Even by the huge roaring fire the snow did not melt. At the head of hall the Wyrd Sisters were playing merrily. Harry entered the hall self-consciously, avoiding a wild looking troll bearing an axe, and a small girl who looked like a merperson with a green skin and a watery dress. When Ron entered quite a few people did a double take on seeing his costume. Several people came and asked him, if it was an original, and told Ron what they would give to own it. Ron was looking elated and Harry was glad that he'd let Ron wear it. Harry and Ron made their way to the side, Sirius behind him trying to look invisible and unthreatening, which as a goblin he had about as much chance as looking normal as Voldemort in a nursery. Harry sat next to Ron who was looking equally lost. They were here, but now what? Did they have to dance? Ron and Harry sat without talking, each considering, and rejecting asking a girl to dance with them. Hermione came to sit with them looking breathless. "Seamus just asked me to dance," she said excitedly. She was dressed in a surprisingly low cut indigo dress, and had a strange looking headdress, which involved many peacock feathers. A lot of boys were looking at her with new eyes, and before long she had been asked by a blond haired boy from the sixth year. "Aren't you going to ask someone to danceaHaH ?" she asked before flouncing off with the blond haired boy. "I'm going to get some food," said Ron grumpily. He stormed off. Harry knew better than to follow, so instead he asked Sirius again what Dumbledore had said in his office. "Harry if I thought it was safe to tell you I would." Sirius replied crossly. Harry feeling rather quashed stared at the dancers twirling in the falling snow. Parvati was dancing with Dean who was wearing his Westham United Football strip, much to the amazement of many of the wizards. Harry could see Dumbledore at the teachers' table looking rather like King Neptune with a large trident, a large pearl necklace and was a rather odd blue colour. Professor McGonagall was dressed as, well as Professor McGonagall, and Professor Jenai was wearing an even tighter dress than usual, and was dancing with Professor Sinistra the astronomy teacher. Snape was nowhere to be seen. Just then Sirius leaned across, "Look, I'm sorry about snapping at you. Something bads happened, and there's only one-way out as far as Dumbledore and I can see, and it's not a nice one. That's all I'm saying, so please don't ask again. Is that Ron over there." He was dancing with Lizzy Ferkell. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her brown eyes wide and excited. She was talking rapidly, but Ron seemed to be listening avidly. They seemed to be dancing a lot closer that Harry would have thought normal. Harry felt a pang of jealously. He ignored it and went back to studying the dancers. He was rather disconcerted to see a few boys with messy hair and a drawn on lightning shaped scar. Sirius got up and walked to towards the tables of food, muttering that he needed a drink. Harry's eyes wandered around the room, admiring the huge Christmas trees and the decorations. He realized that the fairies were humming in time to the Wyrd Sisters. Harry looked at the huge doors leading into the hall. A tall man had just entered the room. There were little gasp of fear as he swept past people. He was wearing a long black cloak, with a long mask, with a pale face, and thin lips. His eyes were glowing red. On the back of the cloak was a skull with a snake coming out of it. It glowed threateningly, instantly recognisable as Voldemort's Dark Mark. Whispers echoed round the hall, It's You Know Who Who's come as Him? Behind him came two heavier built wizards wearing similar costumes. They were heading directly for Harry. The crowd drew back as they passed. "Malfoy's come as You Know Who!" Harry whispered to himself in amazement and feeling a little uncomfortable. The Wyrd Sisters had stopped playing, and the dancers had paused, all eyes were watching Malfoy and Harry. "Thought I'd show my loyalties. We all know what's going to happen to you. It's only a matter of time," Malfoy sneered. Harry said nothing. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Sirius making his way towards them from the far side of the hall. Malfoy looked quickly around, enjoying the shock he'd caused. Harry felt white with angry. Malfoy was pretending to be the wizard that killed his parents. He reached for his wand. "Got no-one to dance with Potter. Not surprising who'd want to dance with you. They'd be the next target," Malfoy continued smoothly. He was about to continue when someone stood in front of him. Cho was stood by Harry looking furious. "I'm dancing with Harry. Have you got a problem with that?" Harry felt he'd died and gone to heaven. By this time Professor McGonagall had reached them. Harry had never seen her so angry. "How dare you enter this room dressed like that," she roared. "Get to your common room now. Fifty points from Slytherin EACH for that inappropriate dress. Get out of this hall now, and don't come back. You will have your detentions next term!" There was a moment when Harry thought that Malfoy was going to challenge Professor McGonagall, but after a short pause Malfoy slunk from the room, and the music resumed. "Do you want to dance now?" Cho asked softly when people had stopped staring. "I wanted to ask you before, but I was too nervous, that you'd say no." "You didn't seem too nervous just now." Harry told her in amazement. "That was nothing. I've been wanting to stand up to that idiot for ages. Shall we dance?" Harry followed her as if in a dream. They held each other tightly, just enjoying being together. The rest of the evening flew by. Harry was in happy ecstasy. When Dumbledore announced the final dance, Harry couldn't believe where the time had gone. The snow continued falling softly around them, and crunched crisply underneath their feet as they danced, and the gentle scent of pine needles made them feel as if they were alone in the huge hall. As the final notes faded away, Cho leaned towards Harry, put her arms round him, and together their lips came together, and they kissed. The kiss lasted through Dumbledore's final speech which neither Cho or Harry were aware of. Harry had never known anything like it. As Dumbledore finished the snow vanished, and fireworks softly exploded showering the students with thousands of tiny falling golden stars. They floated down around them, landing softly in Cho's hair. When Harry made his way back to his bed, shivering through the cold corridors, and through the deserted common room, he was in no doubt that it had been the best evening of his life.
The Snow Ball
Over the next few days, Harry found that he didn't need to act very hard to be annoyed with Fuggio. He wouldn't let Harry go into the grounds even to visit Hagrid, and was with him wherever he went. He even slept at the bottom of Harry's bed. Luxury for me he whispered when Harry asked if this wasn't a bit uncomfortable. Harry supposed that the end of a bed must seem a lot better than a rocky cave, or all the other places Sirius had slept while on the run. Lessons were both worse and better with Sirius beside him. Malfoy didn't dare to openly taunt him, but Harry knew that Malfoy and the Slytherins were continually laughing and making jokes about Harry and his bodyguard. Harry didn't mind too much though, in the tower room he and Sirius had been catching up on events that had taken place since their last meeting. Sirius wouldn't tell Harry much about what he's been doing, but he did give general hints that he'd been working for Dumbledore against Voldemort. Harry told him about the letter he'd seen in Snape's office, but surprisingly Sirius seemed unalarmed by it, and quickly changed the subject. However Harry couldn't get the letter out of his head. The hums, too, he was sure that Snape was behind that, if it hadn't been for Professor McGonagall and Peeves and his water he could have died. Why wasn't anyone that worried? Dumbledore said that it wasn't Snape, well then, it meant that a Dark Wizard had got into the school. Perhaps Snape had helped, perhaps that was what the letter was about. Harry couldn't stop thinking about the Dark Mark on the parchment. The following day when Sirius was at one of his meetings with Dumbledore, Harry got Hermione and Ron to meet him at break in a corner of the common room. "I'm going to break into Snape's office and read that letter," he told them. "You can't!" said Hermione horrified, "you could get expelled, and Dumbledore said you weren't to go anywhere without Sirius." "How will you get past Sirius?" Ron asked. "It's alright, I'll pretend to go to sleep, then put the invisibility cloak on, and then go, Sirius will never know. I have to know, if it is Snape trying to kill me, I've got to know, he threw me to the floor when he saw I'd seen the mark." Hermione tried again, "Harry, Dumbledore won't let anything happen to you, Sirius is with you, and Snape is on our side now. He saved your life remember?" "Dumbledore let me get nearly killed by the hums, and he didn't stop Voldemort nearly killing me, and arising last summer, and he didn't stop Cedric being killed," said Harry almost bitterly. Hermione didn't answer, and Harry thought about it. So many times he had nearly got killed, but hadn't. In the first year, didn't Dumbledore find him as soon as Professor Quirrel had finished with him, hadn't Fawkes saved him in the second year, and Harry had survived his first proper meeting with the adult Voldemort. Harry remembered vividly that look of strange triumph of Dumbledore's when Harry had told him about Voldemort taking his blood. Hadn't he told the others in the first year that Dumbledore had taught him just enough to help him defeat Voldemort? He had the feeling that everything that had happened had happened under Dumbledore's control. Then with a sick lurch he remembered Cedric, no, Dumbledore wasn't all powerful, Cedric had died, and Dumbledore had been deceived by Barty Crouch for a whole year, that surely showed that Dumbledore was human, and that even he had made fatal errors. If he couldn't recognise a servant of Voldemort's right under his own nose, who said he was right about Snape? "Harry, Harry," a voice interrupted his thoughts. His mind stopped its wondering, and focused on Ron and Hermione who were looking at him curiously. "I'm going," Harry said finally. "I think it's best if I go alone, there's no point in us all getting into trouble." "If you are going, then I am coming with you, Hermione said adamantly. "Ron better not go he'll be expelled for sure, and the two of you would sure to wake Sirius. Ron stared at Hermione angrily, but didn't say anything. "Alright then Hermione, tonight at twelve, that will give Sirius time to get to sleep, and." "Of course Chudley cannons will win the league," Ron said rather loudly. Harry stared at Ron in bewilderment. Hermione caught on, "I don't know why you two have to talk about Quidditch all the time." She moaned, "Oh hello Fuggio," Harry turned and saw Sirius standing right behind him, smiling broadly. Harry felt a twinge of guilt about deceiving his godfather, but then the bell rang for the next lesson, and he quickly gathered up his books and headed towards the greenhouses for Herbology.
During the next lesson, Harry was both nervous and excited about his nighttime expedition. He desperately wanted to find out what was in that letter. He was thinking about it so hard, that the Scissor Tree he was pruning took advantage of his lack of concentration and cut large chunks of his hair off before he noticed. At lunchtime they had to go to the library to find a hair growing charm, much to Ron and Sirius's amusement. That night Sirius pulled out his little couch bed next to Harry, and Harry patiently waited for him to fall asleep. However Sirius seemed to have no intention of doing so. Harry waited and waited, and felt himself get more and more tired.
Harry suddenly awoke. He had fallen asleep, he grabbed wildly for his glasses and watch and found that it was quarter past twelve. He should have met Hermione fifteen minutes, ago. He glanced down at the Sirius' bed to check that he was asleep.but he wasn't there. Some clothes had been cleverly arranged under the blanket, so that a casual looker would think that there was someone asleep there, but to Harry's stare it was obvious that the bed was empty. What was Sirius doing? Harry didn't have time to think long about it. He grabbed his jumper and the invisibility cloak, and crept quickly down to the common room. Hermione was there looking impatient. Harry quickly apologised and told her about the empty bed. She was as surprised as he was, but they were both impatient to get on with the job. Harry put the cloak around them both, and they set off out of the portrait hole. They headed towards Snape's classroom, hoping that the letter would be in his desk somewhere. They reached the dungeons without difficulty. Hermione used the alohomora spell to open the heavy dungeon door. Inside it was pitch black, and Harry lighted their wand, as they moved towards the desk at the front of the room. He tried to ignore the glinting jars with their preserved contents glinting in the wand light. They were two desks away from Snape's desk when the silent dust air of the dungeon was ripped apart by the loudest screeches Harry had ever heard. Deafened, Harry saw the largest crow he had ever seen swooping towards him. "Run!" he yelled. They turned and ran blindly out of the room, the crow's cawing loud enough to wake the dead. "Everyone will have heard that" whispered Hermione terrified. "Snape must use the bird as some sort of burglar alarm." "Never mind that, lets get out of here." They ran along the corridor like some kind of mechanical toy with a part missing as they tried to move while keeping under the invisibility cloak. As they turned a corner the almost bumped into Snape, in long white and black pyjamas, charging along the corridor. Hermione flung them both behind a statue, and Snape passed without seeing them. He was followed shortly by Filch limping breathlessly. Harry and Hermione didn't dare move for fear of being heard. They could hear Snape banging angrily about in his classroom. "Has anything been taken, Professor" Filch asked quietly. "No, I don't think so, Saven frightened them off. No, the question is who and why?" Snape replied slowly and thoughtfully. Filch then said something inaudible. There was a pause and Harry and Hermione heard Snape venomously, "Potter! Perhaps we have grounds for a little Versitserum." Harry felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead, beside him, Hermione stood closer. "Do you want me to carry out a search?" Filch asked in his oily voice. "No you won't find him, he'll be wearing his father's cloak. He'll be long gone by now anyway. No you get back to bed, I have some unfinished business." "Yes Professor." Snape swept out of the dungeon, and up the corridor. Filch paused and locked the door with a large silver key, before following Snape. Harry and Hermione breathed again. "That was too close, Harry, He knows its you." Hermione said fearfully. Harry shook aside his sickness at Snape's words. "Never mind about that now, what unfinished business has Snape got at this time of night?" Harry asked intrigued. "Come on let's find out." Hermione didn't move. "He thinks we're miles away now," Harry reassured her. They set off after Snape. However they quite a way behind, and soon lost him as he made several quick turns on the ground floor. "What are we going to do now?" groaned Harry. "Well the only place he can be heading in this direction is the entrance hall, and the grounds," said Hermione sensibly. If he was going to the staircase, he would have used the back ones near the entrance to the dungeons." Harry followed Hermione to the nearest window overlooking the grounds. There were two figures walking in the moonlight. One Harry recognised instantly. He would know that figure anywhere, Professor Jenai. Harry couldn't make out the other figure except that it was a man. Snape? They had their arms around each other, and were deep in conversation. Was Professor Jenai with Snape? Were they on the dark side together? "There's someone coming," whispered Hermione urgently. They turned and saw Mrs Norris' red lamp like eyes staring right at them. They could hear Filch muttering down the corridor. "Come on let's go," whispered Harry. They quickly and quietly returned to the Gryffindor tower. Sirius's bed was still empty, but Harry was too tired to ponder it further.
On the last day of term Harry and Sirius spent a long cozy evening playing wizard chess. Harry won, but he had the feeling that Sirius had meant it that way. Hermione was going home this year, as were many of the students. With the threat of Lord Voldemort many families wanted their children with them. Even Ron had been asked to go home. After a lot of persuasion on Harry's part, that he really didn't mind, and he did have Sirius to look after him, and Sirius would keep him company, Ron eventually decided that he would spend Christmas with his family. This was something he hadn't done since he had begun Hogwarts. When Harry and Sirius had finished their chess match they went down to the common room to find it deserted. Sirius looked a little worried, but said nothing. Harry followed him down the main stairs, and towards the Main Hall. As he approached, Harry was surprised to hear Dumbledore's voice booming from the slightly ajar door. Following Sirius's lead, they sneaked in the back, and were just in time to catch Dumbledore's message, "As you know today is the last day of term, and tomorrow many of you will be returning to your families. However I feel that the tension from the outside world has reached us here, and as a result I would like to announce that tonight we will be having a joint feast and end of term Snow Ball. All students are to wear fancy dress, and masks also if desired. The Ball will begin at 8:00. There will be prizes for interesting costumes- go forth and have fun" There was absolute silence from pupils and teachers alike. No one could ever remember anything like this happening at Hogwarts. A party, fancy dress, tonight! Stunned whispers began to percolate through the crowd of students, and by the time Harry had found Ron and Hermione the Hall was alive with students discussing what they were going to wear, who they were going to ask to dance, and what masks they were going to make. "Wow, isn't this cool," Ron greeted Harry, as they struggled to reach each other through the excited streams of pupils. Hermione met up with them, her eyes excited at the challenge. "I'm going to be Ethel the Skulder, off The New Wizards!" she said happily. "Who on earth are they?" asked Harry. "A famous witch band," Sirius answered for Hermione. "What are you going to be?" he asked Ron. Ron blushed faintly, thought for a moment, and then answered, "How about a troll?" I could get use some of that potion from potions, and make a mask of a face." But then his face fell. "Perhaps that's not such a good idea." When they reached the common room it was bustling with activity. All the students were putting a lot of effort into their costumes. Harry and Ron still hadn't decided what to be. Everyone seemed to be full of ideas, making very elaborate costumes and masks. Harry and Ron sat in their dormitory trying desperately to think of something. Sirius had gone to an urgent meeting with Professor Dumbledore after the surprise assembly. The harder Harry tried to think what to wear, the more blank his mind became. He couldn't think of anything to be. It didn't help not being brought up in the wizard world. Many of the wizards and witches at Hogwarts had heroes from wizarding books, comics and Quidditch. After sitting on their four-poster bed for nearly half an hour, Harry was close to desperation. He decided to go to the library in search of inspiration. Ron followed him into the deserted silent library. They started flicking through books for any ideas for their disguise. Ron suddenly, a large book in his arms looked up and said, "What about a dragon? If I got a large mask, a horntail, or something." "It could work," Harry told him. "But what about me?" Hermione came bursting into the library. "Look!" she panted, gesturing to a large pile of silky and red material in her arms. "You haven't decided have you?" she asked Harry. "I've just seen Sirius. He gave me these said they might by useful." Harry took them. They were made of a fine slippery silk. He held them up, not quite sure what they were. Ron however let out a large gasp. "Is it really? Quidditch robe from the 1879 Quidditch World Cup. The last time England beat the world. They are worth, I don't know how much, but a lot. They're priceless." "Sirius said it was your Christmas present, but he thought you'd like it more now instead. Picked it up on his travels." "Wow" said Harry. "Thanks for this Hermione, I can't wait to say thanks to Sirius." Then he caught sight of Ron's face. He was trying to look happy for Harry, but Harry knew that he was feeling jealous that Harry was getting all the attention and presents. Harry knew how he was feeling. Fourteen years with the Dursleys had shown him what it was like to be the underdog. "Ron, would you like to wear them? I'll go as a Quidditch player. Chudley Cannons. That should be easy to make." "No don't be silly. Sirius gave it to you.how could you not want to wear it?" "Well to be honest I'd rather keep a low profile tonight, what with everything that has happened. Please go, I insist," said Harry. "Well, if you're sure." "Yes, of course I am." "Yesssss!!" Ron looked as pleased as punch. They made their way out of the library, Ron almost skipping along. In the common room with the help of Hermione, Harry made the orange tunic using a useful sewing spell Hermione had found in a library book. "I knew it would be useful" she told Harry. Then she went to her own dormitory to sort out her own costume. The excitement was building throughout the school as the hours passed. Harry spent his time doing some holiday homework, but his mind wasn't on it. Lizzy and her friends were talking loudly in the corner, and Ron kept interrupting him, alternately thanking him and telling Harry to pinch him because he didn't believe it was happening to him. Eventually Ron gave up and reread Flying with the Cannons for the hundredth time. It was quite late when Sirius returned to the common room. He seemed to be in a terrible mood. Every time Harry asked him anything Sirius would snap at him and then apologize quickly. Harry thought it must be something to do with the meeting with Dumbledore, but he wouldn't say any more. That evening just after dark the students got into their costumes and made their way down to the Hall. The hall was decorated for Christmas. The huge Christmas trees were covered with real candles and golden bubbles bounced around. The Christmas fairies danced on the branches, their silver dresses catching the caught the candlelight. However the students were mainly ignoring the wonderful decorations and staring at the roof. It was snowing. The snow fell from the enchanted ceiling and made a thick layer on the floor. But instead of becoming slushy and melting when people stood on it, it remained crisp and clean. Even by the huge roaring fire the snow did not melt. At the head of hall the Wyrd Sisters were playing merrily. Harry entered the hall self-consciously, avoiding a wild looking troll bearing an axe, and a small girl who looked like a merperson with a green skin and a watery dress. When Ron entered quite a few people did a double take on seeing his costume. Several people came and asked him, if it was an original, and told Ron what they would give to own it. Ron was looking elated and Harry was glad that he'd let Ron wear it. Harry and Ron made their way to the side, Sirius behind him trying to look invisible and unthreatening, which as a goblin he had about as much chance as looking normal as Voldemort in a nursery. Harry sat next to Ron who was looking equally lost. They were here, but now what? Did they have to dance? Ron and Harry sat without talking, each considering, and rejecting asking a girl to dance with them. Hermione came to sit with them looking breathless. "Seamus just asked me to dance," she said excitedly. She was dressed in a surprisingly low cut indigo dress, and had a strange looking headdress, which involved many peacock feathers. A lot of boys were looking at her with new eyes, and before long she had been asked by a blond haired boy from the sixth year. "Aren't you going to ask someone to danceaHaH ?" she asked before flouncing off with the blond haired boy. "I'm going to get some food," said Ron grumpily. He stormed off. Harry knew better than to follow, so instead he asked Sirius again what Dumbledore had said in his office. "Harry if I thought it was safe to tell you I would." Sirius replied crossly. Harry feeling rather quashed stared at the dancers twirling in the falling snow. Parvati was dancing with Dean who was wearing his Westham United Football strip, much to the amazement of many of the wizards. Harry could see Dumbledore at the teachers' table looking rather like King Neptune with a large trident, a large pearl necklace and was a rather odd blue colour. Professor McGonagall was dressed as, well as Professor McGonagall, and Professor Jenai was wearing an even tighter dress than usual, and was dancing with Professor Sinistra the astronomy teacher. Snape was nowhere to be seen. Just then Sirius leaned across, "Look, I'm sorry about snapping at you. Something bads happened, and there's only one-way out as far as Dumbledore and I can see, and it's not a nice one. That's all I'm saying, so please don't ask again. Is that Ron over there." He was dancing with Lizzy Ferkell. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her brown eyes wide and excited. She was talking rapidly, but Ron seemed to be listening avidly. They seemed to be dancing a lot closer that Harry would have thought normal. Harry felt a pang of jealously. He ignored it and went back to studying the dancers. He was rather disconcerted to see a few boys with messy hair and a drawn on lightning shaped scar. Sirius got up and walked to towards the tables of food, muttering that he needed a drink. Harry's eyes wandered around the room, admiring the huge Christmas trees and the decorations. He realized that the fairies were humming in time to the Wyrd Sisters. Harry looked at the huge doors leading into the hall. A tall man had just entered the room. There were little gasp of fear as he swept past people. He was wearing a long black cloak, with a long mask, with a pale face, and thin lips. His eyes were glowing red. On the back of the cloak was a skull with a snake coming out of it. It glowed threateningly, instantly recognisable as Voldemort's Dark Mark. Whispers echoed round the hall, It's You Know Who Who's come as Him? Behind him came two heavier built wizards wearing similar costumes. They were heading directly for Harry. The crowd drew back as they passed. "Malfoy's come as You Know Who!" Harry whispered to himself in amazement and feeling a little uncomfortable. The Wyrd Sisters had stopped playing, and the dancers had paused, all eyes were watching Malfoy and Harry. "Thought I'd show my loyalties. We all know what's going to happen to you. It's only a matter of time," Malfoy sneered. Harry said nothing. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Sirius making his way towards them from the far side of the hall. Malfoy looked quickly around, enjoying the shock he'd caused. Harry felt white with angry. Malfoy was pretending to be the wizard that killed his parents. He reached for his wand. "Got no-one to dance with Potter. Not surprising who'd want to dance with you. They'd be the next target," Malfoy continued smoothly. He was about to continue when someone stood in front of him. Cho was stood by Harry looking furious. "I'm dancing with Harry. Have you got a problem with that?" Harry felt he'd died and gone to heaven. By this time Professor McGonagall had reached them. Harry had never seen her so angry. "How dare you enter this room dressed like that," she roared. "Get to your common room now. Fifty points from Slytherin EACH for that inappropriate dress. Get out of this hall now, and don't come back. You will have your detentions next term!" There was a moment when Harry thought that Malfoy was going to challenge Professor McGonagall, but after a short pause Malfoy slunk from the room, and the music resumed. "Do you want to dance now?" Cho asked softly when people had stopped staring. "I wanted to ask you before, but I was too nervous, that you'd say no." "You didn't seem too nervous just now." Harry told her in amazement. "That was nothing. I've been wanting to stand up to that idiot for ages. Shall we dance?" Harry followed her as if in a dream. They held each other tightly, just enjoying being together. The rest of the evening flew by. Harry was in happy ecstasy. When Dumbledore announced the final dance, Harry couldn't believe where the time had gone. The snow continued falling softly around them, and crunched crisply underneath their feet as they danced, and the gentle scent of pine needles made them feel as if they were alone in the huge hall. As the final notes faded away, Cho leaned towards Harry, put her arms round him, and together their lips came together, and they kissed. The kiss lasted through Dumbledore's final speech which neither Cho or Harry were aware of. Harry had never known anything like it. As Dumbledore finished the snow vanished, and fireworks softly exploded showering the students with thousands of tiny falling golden stars. They floated down around them, landing softly in Cho's hair. When Harry made his way back to his bed, shivering through the cold corridors, and through the deserted common room, he was in no doubt that it had been the best evening of his life.