A/N: again, nothing really happens here. I tried, I really did, but it got to over 1,400 words so I just decided to make it into two chapters so this one is just sort of setting it up.
Jezz, thanks for the reviews guys, I was sooo happy that people are still reading this even though its all wrong not OoTP is out! *hugz you all* you guys are the best, you make writing worthwhile.
WARNING! K, this is important, I'm going to use a location from OoTP in this and chapters to come. It's not a big spoiler, finding out what one room can do will not ruin the book for you but I thought I'd warn you anyway. I honestly don't think it's going to hurt if you haven't read the books but are planning to, still I'm warning you anyways.
This Chapter is dedicated to auroracat my 400th reviewer!
Chapter twenty seven: Oddness
Harry swore furiously as he landed hard on the ground. He should have returned to the astronomy tower, yet looking around, he had landed in a deserted class room (at least six feet above the floor too). A sinking feeling took rent in his insides, what would force the castle to re-arrange its self so dramatically?
He sprinted off in search of the tower, he had left his weapons behind there and decided that his best bet was to find them first, and then go looking for Dumbledore and get some answers about Severus second. If the Slytherin wasn't back in an hour, Harry was hell bent on going after him.
The rational part of Harry's mind, -that sounded disturbingly like a familiar Potions Master- reasoned that Severus was a big Death Eater now and would be able to look after himself. Lucius had provided him with a way out and everything, but it didn't still Harry's nerves or make him any more forgiving of Dumbledore for letting keep spying.
Twenty minutes of searching and Harry finally made his way to the tower, with a little help from some passing ghosts, who, apart from giving him directions were keeping tight lipped. There had been no students on his travels either, a disturbing thought in its self. Hogwarts was a school for god's sake, even in its quietist moments it had never been this deserted; it should be full of life, yet all the life he had come across was an alarming number of ghosts, it was really getting on Harrys nerves not being able to find any thing or any one.
After grabbing his 'arsenal' Harry headed to Dumbledores office. He was slowly getting an idea of the new lay out. He recognised which painting guarded where and found the headmasters office with relative ease but the growing frustration at not knowing what was going on was getting worse.
The office was completely deserted, the Headmaster was no where in sight, the paintings on the walls all stood empty and Fawks' perch was abandoned. A glass decanter shattered. Harry was not in the least pleased.
A snarling Harry Potter stalked down to the lower levels, hoping to find the headmaster there. He had been gone for three freaking hours, THREE, and this is what he came back to. Someone could have had the decency to leave him a note at least, he was supposed to be the bloody figure head to this whole thing, it would have been nice if some one had bothered about him.
"Oh Harry!" Before the green eyed Gryffindor could register anything he found himself in a bone crushing hug curtsey of Hermione. "We were so worried, we wanted to come looking for you."
"Yeah mate, we really did, but we gota guard the halls to the younger years rooms." Ron looked genuinely sorry.
"It's ok." Harry said his anger dissipating with the presence of his friends. "I have to find Dumbledore though." Harry looked past them down the hall but saw nothing but a dead end.
"I don't think he's down here, we haven't seen him, but you can go have a look." Hermione still looked worried; Harry knew she was well apprised of his role in this war, he also knew she hated it. Ron knew too that Harry would be fighting on the front line; however his unwavering faith in Harry's abilities never left for any doubt he would come back as anything but 100% fine.
"Um, it's a dead end." He pointed out helpfully, gesturing down the hall. Ron offered a strained smile before shouting to the wall a string of words in stuttering French. The wall parted and a bustling common room came into view. Harry recognised a lot of the people inside, but some he had never seen before in his life.
"Well, I'll see you soon." He was pulled into another hug from the bushy haired witch, who by now looked on the verge of tears, and then into an awkward embrace with Ron, who wasn't looking much better.
Harry let go of the red head and bounded into the common room, his irritation at Dumbledore growing again.
It proved pointless; there was neither hide nor hair of the aged wizard anywhere in the common room either.
"Harry!" Whirling round Harry saw Draco rushing towards him looking flustered and jumpy.
"Hey, have you seen Dumbledore?" Harry asked automatically, they were the only words that had left his mouth in the last half hour and he was still no where closer to finding him.
"No."
"Oh, ok, I've got to go find him."
"Harry, what's the password to Dumbledores office?" Draco was almost bouncing up and down, as if he was gearing himself up.
"Why? He's not there." Harry eyed him questioningly.
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes, that's a stupid question; I'd trust you with my life."
"Then please tell me the pass word, it's important."
"Skittles."
"You know Harry; I think you're turning me into a fucking Gryffindor, stupidly brave by association or something. Thanks." With that Draco ran off in the direction of the hall way, leaving Harry reeling after one of the most surreal conversations he'd had all year, it wasn't about to get any better.
"Arry!" Harry once again turned to see who was talking to him. His jaw nearly dropped when he found Fleur Delacour in front of him.
"Fleur?" He asked uncertainly, "what are you doing here?"
"I was asked by zie 'eadmaster to 'elp look after zie younger years at ''Ogwarts, Madame Maxime brought me with 'er 'erslef."
"Oh."
"Kurm is 'ear also, we came with zie teachers from our old schools, because of 'e-'ho-must-be-named." Fleur's face darkened.
"Do you know where headmaster Dumbledore is?" Harry asked hopefully.
"No, Madame Regnier might be able to 'epl 'ou though." Fleur pointed at a woman who was currently trying to break up a scuffle. "C'est Beauxbatons Defence-Against-Zie-Dark-Arts teacher." Fleur regarded Harry fondly. "It was good to ze 'ou again Arry."
"You to Fleur, look after yourself." With that Harry rushed off. A small part of him noted, though he still found the half Veela beautiful, his attraction to her was not on the same lines as it had been in his fourth year when he was around here.
The Beauxbatons Defence teacher looked to be a surly woman, somewhat akin to Severus Harry thought with at twang.
"Hello, Madame Regnier?" He approached her as the third year she had been berating sulked off.
"Yes." She looked up at him sharply.
"I'm looking for Dumbledore." Harry stated taking the no-nonsense approach.
"And who are you?" She said, watching him with a calculated gaze.
"Not that it matters, but I'm Harry Potter, do you know where he is?" The woman was in her mid thirties, her hair short and every thing about her business like.
"Oh, I didn't realise you had left school already." The comment shocked him a little, but he wasn't totally surprised. His class mates were all hovering around, looking frightened, some were in tears, others furious and all of them looking almost small and lost in their school uniforms. In contrast he was walking around demanding explanations of teachers dressed in battle robes. It served as a reminder of how much older in mind he was to his friends, however much he loved them, he was very different and the thought was a sad one.
"No I haven't. I need to find Albus though, now."
"He is in the Room of Requirement." Being treated as an equal by a Teacher was an odd occurrence for Harry, but he found he liked it a lot. "Do you know where that is?"
"Yes, I've trained there."
"Good. Well he should be there, every one is gathering there, he will be at the end closest to the inside door." Harry nodded and set off at a sprint to the room in question. Wondering why on earth she would tell him what side of the room Dumbledore was on, and more to the point, how in the world she would know about a room that -as far as he knew- was only known about by four people in the castle, namely him, Albus, McGonagall and Severus. Harry's heart leapt, she had said every one, so perhaps Dumbledore, McGonagall and Severus were already there. At the thought of Severus being back Harry picked up his pace a notch.
~*~*~Tbc~*~*~
