A/N-Thanks a gazillion for all the reviews, guys. It's definitely
encouraging to know that someone is reading my story. I got a complaint
that my formatting was too close together. I may have mentioned this
before, but I can't help that; in Microsoft Word it's all nicely spaced
out. Thanks to my little sisters, Baby 'Nor, who was no help whatsoever
and who I love, and Jack O' Fred who was tons of help and who I love.
The next month was grim yet uneventful. Voldemort's threat was beginning to be realized, though he had not done anything yet. This just made people more worried that he was planning something huge-something horrible. A gloomy atmosphere muffled the entire school, but no place was more dismal than the Gryffindor Common Room. Everyone there had liked Harry well enough and his absence was felt. Nasty remarks could be heard about Malfoy almost constantly.
More days slipped by and the useless feeling that had haunted Hermione was now felt by Ron as well. Neither of them got much sleep, but when they did all they could dream of was Harry, which was worse than being sleepless.
Everyone seemed to be waiting for something to happen, but nothing did, and for a whole month Harry lay still, just like the castle seemed to be doing.
It was a dreary day outside. The sky was so dark with clouds it could have been night and it drizzled continually. At lunch the noise level was a dull murmur. Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Gryffindors were practically silent. It was then that pandemonium commenced. It started slowly at first; a white fog gradually creeping over the Great Hall until no one could see except for the blurry, dark shapes of their classmates. There were screams and nervous whispering. What was happening? Then someone burst through the doors with a loud bang, making everyone jump as one. They heard the voice of Professor Vector, "Headmaster! It's-it's You-Know-Who!" Everyone stood up, panicked. Most people were rushing to the doors, hoping to run and hide. Only Hermione knew where to go. "Follow me!" she whispered loudly to Ron. Parvati, Lavendar, and Neville heard also and they all went after her. Instead of panicking and screaming, as most of her classmates had done, she had kept calm and, squinting through the fog, had noticed a few of the Slytherins disappear into a corner. The five struggled with difficulty through the sea of people who were fighting to squeeze through the main doors. Visibility was practically non- existent; Ron crashed into two tables and tripped over seven people. When they eventually reached the corner, sure enough, there was a trap door. Not caring what they might find at the bottom, they jumped down, except for Neville, who tripped and fell in headfirst. When they landed, they were in a circular room, but before they had enough time to look around, a Seventh Year Slytherin who was taller, even, than Ron, loomed over them. "I suppose you are all heading for the Malfoy Manor?" he said, "It is the only one left." No one answered for a moment, but then a resounding boom was heard from above. "Yes, all of us," Hermione said quickly. "Alright then," he handed her a large, dull gray stone that had "Malfoy Manor" carved into it in fancy script, "Each of you need to put a finger on this stone. You will be transported to your house in--," he checked his watch, "Five seconds." They all did as they were told as loud and piercing screams were heard from the Great Hall above. "Five.four.three.two.hey, aren't you a Gryffindor?" his realization and fury was seen for a half a moment. But he had realized it too late and they were transported away. There was a blur of color surrounding them and they landed on a cold, stone floor. Neville lost his balance and toppled over, causing a sort of Domino effect, at the end of which they were all on the floor with several people on top of them. "Graceful," a drawling voice came from above. They all looked up. Draco Malfoy was at the top of a wide, marble staircase.
The next month was grim yet uneventful. Voldemort's threat was beginning to be realized, though he had not done anything yet. This just made people more worried that he was planning something huge-something horrible. A gloomy atmosphere muffled the entire school, but no place was more dismal than the Gryffindor Common Room. Everyone there had liked Harry well enough and his absence was felt. Nasty remarks could be heard about Malfoy almost constantly.
More days slipped by and the useless feeling that had haunted Hermione was now felt by Ron as well. Neither of them got much sleep, but when they did all they could dream of was Harry, which was worse than being sleepless.
Everyone seemed to be waiting for something to happen, but nothing did, and for a whole month Harry lay still, just like the castle seemed to be doing.
It was a dreary day outside. The sky was so dark with clouds it could have been night and it drizzled continually. At lunch the noise level was a dull murmur. Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Gryffindors were practically silent. It was then that pandemonium commenced. It started slowly at first; a white fog gradually creeping over the Great Hall until no one could see except for the blurry, dark shapes of their classmates. There were screams and nervous whispering. What was happening? Then someone burst through the doors with a loud bang, making everyone jump as one. They heard the voice of Professor Vector, "Headmaster! It's-it's You-Know-Who!" Everyone stood up, panicked. Most people were rushing to the doors, hoping to run and hide. Only Hermione knew where to go. "Follow me!" she whispered loudly to Ron. Parvati, Lavendar, and Neville heard also and they all went after her. Instead of panicking and screaming, as most of her classmates had done, she had kept calm and, squinting through the fog, had noticed a few of the Slytherins disappear into a corner. The five struggled with difficulty through the sea of people who were fighting to squeeze through the main doors. Visibility was practically non- existent; Ron crashed into two tables and tripped over seven people. When they eventually reached the corner, sure enough, there was a trap door. Not caring what they might find at the bottom, they jumped down, except for Neville, who tripped and fell in headfirst. When they landed, they were in a circular room, but before they had enough time to look around, a Seventh Year Slytherin who was taller, even, than Ron, loomed over them. "I suppose you are all heading for the Malfoy Manor?" he said, "It is the only one left." No one answered for a moment, but then a resounding boom was heard from above. "Yes, all of us," Hermione said quickly. "Alright then," he handed her a large, dull gray stone that had "Malfoy Manor" carved into it in fancy script, "Each of you need to put a finger on this stone. You will be transported to your house in--," he checked his watch, "Five seconds." They all did as they were told as loud and piercing screams were heard from the Great Hall above. "Five.four.three.two.hey, aren't you a Gryffindor?" his realization and fury was seen for a half a moment. But he had realized it too late and they were transported away. There was a blur of color surrounding them and they landed on a cold, stone floor. Neville lost his balance and toppled over, causing a sort of Domino effect, at the end of which they were all on the floor with several people on top of them. "Graceful," a drawling voice came from above. They all looked up. Draco Malfoy was at the top of a wide, marble staircase.