Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix- Chapter 31
Harry tore out of the Tower followed by Ron and Hermione. The trio hurried down the deserted hall to Professor Lupin's classroom. Everyone was in their lessons. Harry prayed that Lupin wasn't too busy with a class or anything and sped towards his classroom with Ron and Hermione behind him. They reached Lupin's large, oak classroom door. Harry paused and glanced to one side. Hermione gave him a small, encouraging smile and Ron nodded tensely. Harry raised his hand and knocked three times.
"Come in." Harry hesitated before he pushed the door open. He was relieved to see Lupin sitting at his desk looking at papers with no other students in sight.
"Pro-Professor, I'm sorry, you aren't busy are you?" Harry hovered around the door with Ron and Hermione. Lupin glanced up.
"Harry! Hello. No, of course you aren't bothering me. Please take a seat." Lupin gestured towards the seats at a desk in the front row.
"No, no thank you Professor. Actually I need to talk to you." Lupin put his papers down and gave Harry a concerned look.
"What's wrong?"
"I need to talk to you, Snuffles and Professor Dumbledore." Lupin gazed at Harry with a serious look on his face.
"What's wrong? What has happened?" He looked concerned. Harry hesitated again.
"I'll-I'll tell you when we get to Professor Dumbledore's office." Lupin looked as though he was going to question them further, but thought better of it and stood up and followed them wordlessly out of the classroom. The small group headed down the Marble Staircase, through the front doors and across the grounds. They headed towards Hagrid's Hut and upon reaching it there was a loud yell. Harry glanced to the side and saw Hagrid giving a Care of Magical Creatures lesson to a group of Slytherin and Ravenclaw third year students. They were backing away from something that looked rather like an eel, except it was purple and had two heads.
Lupin entered the hut and called to Snuffles. He explained that Harry had something to tell them and Lupin and Snuffles emerged from inside the hut. Snuffles immediately went to Harry's side and looked up at him quizzically. Harry managed a smile at him and they began their walk back to the school. Snuffles jogged close to Harry and let out a bark. Harry shook his head and muttered, "I'll tell you when we get to Dumbldore's office."
"How long has this thing that you want to tell us been going on?" Lupin suddenly asked quietly.
"Since school started this year." Lupin stopped walking for a second to look at Harry with raised eyebrows, but he let it go for now.
"Is this also the thing that caused you to burst of Potions, dragging Ron and Hermione with you, that you wouldn't tell us before and forbade Ron and Hermione from telling?" Harry nodded feeling upset.
They entered the school in silence. Hermione was pale and her hands trembled slightly. Ron was quiet and withdrawn. Harry was thinking of how he was going to tell his guardians that he had been keeping a huge secret from them for months. Lupin strode just ahead of the others with a fixed look on his face. His normally kind eyes were a mix of worry, frustration and anger. Harry briefly wondered if Lupin was angry with him, but didn't seem likely. Lupin looked as though his mind was elsewhere.
As the group passed some extra rooms on their way to Dumbledore's office a sound distracted them. Lupin stopped and turned towards the door. There was a quizzical look on his face. The noise hissed out of the room again followed by a cloud of smoke. Lupin stepped towards the door carefully, gripping his wand. He slowly opened the door, but there was nothing there. Curiously they stepped inside the room, but the door swung shut. Something hissed Harry's name. It was the same voice- the one from his dreams. Harry cried out loud and took a step backwards when he saw floor beginning to glow. He felt Hermione back into him in fear. There was another hissing sound and a flash of yellow momentarily blinded them. There was a huge grinding sound and they began to spin around faster and faster. Harry reached out for something to hold onto and he grabbed someone's arm. The person shouted to them, what he said was inaudible, but Harry recognised the voice. Sirius had transformed back into a person. They suddenly hit something hard and they all fell to the floor.
Only, they didn't fall to the stone floor of Hogwarts; they fell on a patch of grass, which was black and shrivelled up. Harry raised his head slightly seeing Ron, Hermione, Sirius and Lupin around him, also trying to snap out of their shock.
"We've been waiting for you." Harry froze as he heard a cold voice address them. Cruel laughter followed this and Harry felt a feeling of dread hit him.
Harry tore out of the Tower followed by Ron and Hermione. The trio hurried down the deserted hall to Professor Lupin's classroom. Everyone was in their lessons. Harry prayed that Lupin wasn't too busy with a class or anything and sped towards his classroom with Ron and Hermione behind him. They reached Lupin's large, oak classroom door. Harry paused and glanced to one side. Hermione gave him a small, encouraging smile and Ron nodded tensely. Harry raised his hand and knocked three times.
"Come in." Harry hesitated before he pushed the door open. He was relieved to see Lupin sitting at his desk looking at papers with no other students in sight.
"Pro-Professor, I'm sorry, you aren't busy are you?" Harry hovered around the door with Ron and Hermione. Lupin glanced up.
"Harry! Hello. No, of course you aren't bothering me. Please take a seat." Lupin gestured towards the seats at a desk in the front row.
"No, no thank you Professor. Actually I need to talk to you." Lupin put his papers down and gave Harry a concerned look.
"What's wrong?"
"I need to talk to you, Snuffles and Professor Dumbledore." Lupin gazed at Harry with a serious look on his face.
"What's wrong? What has happened?" He looked concerned. Harry hesitated again.
"I'll-I'll tell you when we get to Professor Dumbledore's office." Lupin looked as though he was going to question them further, but thought better of it and stood up and followed them wordlessly out of the classroom. The small group headed down the Marble Staircase, through the front doors and across the grounds. They headed towards Hagrid's Hut and upon reaching it there was a loud yell. Harry glanced to the side and saw Hagrid giving a Care of Magical Creatures lesson to a group of Slytherin and Ravenclaw third year students. They were backing away from something that looked rather like an eel, except it was purple and had two heads.
Lupin entered the hut and called to Snuffles. He explained that Harry had something to tell them and Lupin and Snuffles emerged from inside the hut. Snuffles immediately went to Harry's side and looked up at him quizzically. Harry managed a smile at him and they began their walk back to the school. Snuffles jogged close to Harry and let out a bark. Harry shook his head and muttered, "I'll tell you when we get to Dumbldore's office."
"How long has this thing that you want to tell us been going on?" Lupin suddenly asked quietly.
"Since school started this year." Lupin stopped walking for a second to look at Harry with raised eyebrows, but he let it go for now.
"Is this also the thing that caused you to burst of Potions, dragging Ron and Hermione with you, that you wouldn't tell us before and forbade Ron and Hermione from telling?" Harry nodded feeling upset.
They entered the school in silence. Hermione was pale and her hands trembled slightly. Ron was quiet and withdrawn. Harry was thinking of how he was going to tell his guardians that he had been keeping a huge secret from them for months. Lupin strode just ahead of the others with a fixed look on his face. His normally kind eyes were a mix of worry, frustration and anger. Harry briefly wondered if Lupin was angry with him, but didn't seem likely. Lupin looked as though his mind was elsewhere.
As the group passed some extra rooms on their way to Dumbledore's office a sound distracted them. Lupin stopped and turned towards the door. There was a quizzical look on his face. The noise hissed out of the room again followed by a cloud of smoke. Lupin stepped towards the door carefully, gripping his wand. He slowly opened the door, but there was nothing there. Curiously they stepped inside the room, but the door swung shut. Something hissed Harry's name. It was the same voice- the one from his dreams. Harry cried out loud and took a step backwards when he saw floor beginning to glow. He felt Hermione back into him in fear. There was another hissing sound and a flash of yellow momentarily blinded them. There was a huge grinding sound and they began to spin around faster and faster. Harry reached out for something to hold onto and he grabbed someone's arm. The person shouted to them, what he said was inaudible, but Harry recognised the voice. Sirius had transformed back into a person. They suddenly hit something hard and they all fell to the floor.
Only, they didn't fall to the stone floor of Hogwarts; they fell on a patch of grass, which was black and shrivelled up. Harry raised his head slightly seeing Ron, Hermione, Sirius and Lupin around him, also trying to snap out of their shock.
"We've been waiting for you." Harry froze as he heard a cold voice address them. Cruel laughter followed this and Harry felt a feeling of dread hit him.