Okay, Chapter 2…  It's short, but I want to put something up.  Please keep reading and review!!

The Wizard of Crow

By: Meg-chan

            The post was just arriving as Harry sat down next to Ron.  They said good morning and tucked into breakfast without saying much.  The odd feeling his dream had left him with was still lingering in the pit of his stomach.  With his fork he pushed a bit of scrambled egg about while his eyes scanned the Great Hall. 

He looked up and down each table pausing on each one for a moment.  When you looked at the houses like this, so objectively, you could really see the traits that the sorting hat had been looking for.  Harry's eyes fixed upon the Slytherin table, analyzing each person there.  What an awful bunch they were…  Yet Harry really didn't know any of them when he thought about it.  They seemed to like each other well enough.  Whatever, he didn't plan on hanging out with any of them any time soon.

He looked over at Ron, who was speaking quickly with his mouth full to Seamus.  It really was rather disgusting.  Harry smirked and turned back to his food.  Just as he was taking a bite of toast a sudden chill went down his spine.  He looked up again to find none other than Draco Malfoy staring at him intently from the table he had been scrutinizing not five minutes before.  It was quite an unnerving experience.  Harry hated being stared at, and had become slightly paranoid over the last few years, so this wasn't the most comfortable of situations.  He looked down hurriedly and began to eat once more.  Those cold gray-blue eyes could still be felt penetrating his very soul. 

Not being able to stand it anymore, Harry stood and left the hall.  Ron looked after him and called out, "Harry, where ya going?" 

Harry replied quickly, "No where Ron, I'll see you in class, alright?"  Without waiting for a response from the redhead Harry made his way out into the main entrance.  He stood there for a moment and looked up at the arching ceiling.  He sighed to himself.  Ever since his fourth year these feelings of loneliness had overwhelmed him every now and again.  What with Voldemort and the Ron and Hermione being together, and him alone as ever…  It was looking to be one of those days.

Harry made his way towards the front doors, thinking that he might walk around by the lake or go see Hagrid before class began.  As soon as his hand made contact with the door's handle the room became eerily quiet.  A cold breeze blew around his ankles, slightly lifting the hems of his robes.  Harry turned slowly, and looked up and around the large room.  It felt as though someone was there, but no one was to be seen.  "Hello?"  Harry called.  "Ron?  Is that you?"

No one answered.  Nothing was heard except for Harry's voice reverberating off the walls.  The wind had stopped and the silence was almost deadly still.  All of a sudden the air seemed to grow stale, and empty, like the eye of a storm.  Harry was quite confused and began backing slowly towards the door.  The Great Hall was still full, why couldn't he hear anyone?  What was going on? 

As these thoughts were racing through Harry's head he failed to notice the light slowly seeping out through the cracks under the door.  All the lamps slowly went out.  Soon, the only light left was a small pinprick of light in the center of the room.  Harry stared at it, not knowing what else to do.  Slowly it began to grow, and with each millimeter it expanded the feeling of dread in Harry's stomach grew. 

The light began to solidify, and take shape.  A man became distinguishable in the light, more like he was coming out of it rather than being it.  Breath caught in his throat, Harry reached for his wand.  The man stepped forward and the light disappeared.  Harry was plunged into total darkness.  A faint green glow seemed to be emanating from the figure in front of him.  In a soft, rasping voice, it spoke.  "Harry Potter…  how long I have waited for this…"