Chapter 14 Soar, Web, Sneak

Harry haphazardly wondered down the hallways towards Professor McGonagall's classroom. He was beyond detached. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny came running up to him with concern.

"Ohy Mate! Hold up! Why did you miss lunch?" Ron asked as food flew out of his mouth.

'I see you didn't.' Harry muttered sarcastically. Ron had a questioning look on his face as Harry said quickly, "I had lunch with Professor Snape."

"Well, is she as evil as everyone thinks?" Ginny snootily asked.

Harry felt his blood pressure rage inside of him. "Ginny, you know nothing about the situation and I suggest you show the Professor more respect in front of me." Harry commanded

Ginny rolled her eyes as she decided to bail out of the conversation. "Whatever. Here. Read this. I'm off to class."

Harry reluctantly took the note and Ginny strode off towards her next class leaving the trio of Ron, Moinie, and Harry wandering in the hallway towards transfiguration.

"Harry, I know a lot has happened over the summer and the last thing you need right now is henpecking and questions." Hermione stated looking directly at Ron. "When the time is right I know you will talk to us. Just know that I, I mean we are here for you."

Ron totally ignored Hermione's direction and blasted out, "So you gonna tell us what's up or what?"

Harry shook his head at Ron and turned away in disgust. Ron, who just realized what he had done, was about to be laid into by Hermione. Harry just looked onward as the rest of the 5th years began to whisper excitedly because Ron was going to get his ass kicked.

"Crabbe, Goyle get a load of this! A Weasel and a Mudblood are having a lovers spat!" Draco Malfoy yelled out from across the corridor.

"Why don't you sod off Malfoy!" a disturbed Dean Thomas yelled.

"Yeah Malfoy! This is none of your business!" Seamus Finnigan fired off also.

"Oh and why do you both care! Wait a minuet I got it! Both are you are Weasel's new girlfriends?" The Slytherins all laughed out loud causing a major ruckus in the hallway. Nobody noticed Harry who was staring at the column beside Malfoy and then the stone started to move.

"Malfoy get a life! Why don't you just get out of our way so we can get to class!" Hermione retorted.

"Malfoy, blah, blah, blah, why did they make you a prefect anyway. All you do is boss around and embarrass your boyfriend! Honestly it's the pure witch or wizard I'm out for. I'm surprised Ron hasn't dumped you yet for sheer annoyance!

Harry glanced away from the stone column as soon as Malfoy finished speaking. The column instantly turned dark with disgust and a mighty rumble shook the ground. The stone column shook and the ground began to split into a lightening bolt pointed right at Draco Malfoy's feet.

"What's going on here?" Malfoy called out, "Are you doing this black sorcery Scarhead?" Other Slytherins began to fall to the floor as they were somehow forced down to the ground before Harry. A white light began to fall out of the column Harry was staring at as it began to break apart above Draco Malfoy's head.

"ENOUGH!" Harry roared. His voice shot out like a sound wave from his tiny body. The column began to fall to the ground and Harry pushed his hands from left to right blowing the falling stone like a feather in the wind. Draco had fallen to the ground screaming as he watched the stone come within inches of his face. Draco looked at Harry with terror and fear has his eyes had rolled back into his head and his scar was bleeding. Before anyone could react, Harry fell to the ground with a solid thump.

Every student in the hallway saw what had happened at that moment. Jon Clift ran from the back of the pack and pushed thru the crowd of Gryffindors and Slytherins who stood there in shock and horror watching Harry who now was convulsing on the floor.

Jon sprang into action and bent down and grabbed for Harry's pulse. "Ron go and get the nurse! Ginny, clear this space for Harry! Dean go and get Dumbledore right away!"

"Jon what should I do?" a tearful and scared Hermione said.

"Come here and help me. We need to help him out of his state of shock."

Jon and Hermione made Harry as comfortable as possible as they waited for help.

Meanwhile, Harry felt his mind drift into another dream.

The darkened hallway was distorted, long, and narrow as if Harry was watching something through a pensive. Voices could be herd from the room at the end of the hall. Harry ran thru the hallway as quick as he could. A bright white light crept thru the door and beckoned him to the inside. A baby's cry was heard thru the door and a golden seal of a phoenix crest was cast on the door. There was a name on the door. As Harry moved closer to the door a tugging feeling was pulling at his navel. Harry outstretched his arms and yelled, "Nooooo."

A bright white light was being shown in his eyes now. Harry couldn't focus his eyes at all and put his hands up to his eyes.

"No! Stop it! Leave him alone!" Harry yelled and surged from his bed with the strength of an adult wizard.

"Mr. Potter! You will not leave this infirmary until you receive a clean bill of health from me! Now sir please lay still and let me examine you!" Madam Pomfrey stated.

The familiar voice of Professor Dumbledore filled Harry's head, "Poppy, I think that can wait. I would like to question Harry if I could."

Harry herd the soothing tone of his headmaster and then began to open his eyes.

The disgruntled nurse said, "You have five minutes. I swear one day you will be the death of me Mr. Potter. Your glasses are on the side table."

Harry mustered enough strength to put his glasses on. "What happened? I was dreaming and then I felt a tug and then… oh no Draco! I almost killed him!" Harry began to get out of the bed as Dumbledore eased him back into it.

"Relax Harry. Mr. Malfoy is safe. Quite scared of you, but safe. I'm afraid I need to be quick and to the point. I need to know what you dreamed about?"

Harry skeptically asked Professor Dumbledore why and Dumbledore answered, "Harry I'm here to help you."

Disoriented and groggy, "Well sir, it was a castle hallway and voices, I herd voices. Then there was a door and a dog was barking and a baby was crying."

"Anything else?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes sir, there was a golden phoenix crest and a name on a door with white light coming from underneath it."

Dumbledore looked at Harry and turned and stood at the base of Harry's bed. "Harry. I am going to have Professor Anaranë come in and teach you an ancient magic called Occlumency. Do you know what that is?"

Dumbledore looked at Harry and turned and stood at the base of Harry's bed. "Harry. I am going to have Professor Anaranë come in and teach you an ancient magic called Occlumency. Do you know what that is?"

Harry was really confused now and shook his head and said, "No sir I don't, I don't care about that now. What about everything else? The ground rumbled and my voice. My voice sounded like I was like a 1000 men."

"Harry I am going to ask you NOT to talk of today's events again. Put them out of your mind and please lean all that Professor Snape has to teach you. My word is final in this matter."

Harry hung his head low and realized the conversation was over for now with Dumbledore. "Yes sir."

"That better. Now I think there is a someone who really wants to see you." Professor Dumbledore took his cue to leave and pulled the curtain back to reveal a crying Hermione Granger.

Hermione looked at Harry and her red puffy eyes were swollen from the tears she had cried, "Harry. Are you okay?"

Harry's green eyes locked with Hermione's and he smiled as he felt his stomach do flutters. "I'm fine Moinie. Can I have a hug?"

Still very aware of what had happened over the course of the day Hermione ignored her eerie feelings and went over to the bed and threw her arms around his neck. Harry leaned in and kissed Hermione embraced her with all the strength he had inside.

Hermione sobbed uncontrollably into Harry's shoulder now and he raised his hands to her face and brushed the tears away. "It is all better now Moinie. Shhh. Please don't cry." The calming words brought a choked giggle from Hermione who couldn't speak.

Finally after a few moments of consoling Hermione she spoke. "Harry we were all so worried. Ginny is worried also, but she said you should read this before you speak to her." Hermione opened her hand to reveal a letter. The letter Ginny Weasley had written Harry just before the day's incident.

"I'll read this later Hermione. I need to see Jon and Ron immediately. Can you send them in?"

"Sure Harry." Hermione was still sniffling from all her tears as she turned to issue in the next two visitors.

"Hey Hermione." Harry called out and the pause that lingered was very intense for both of the teens. Harry wanted desperately to say I love you, but all that came out, "Thank you."

Hermione wanted to say I love you also to Harry but couldn't find her voice and left the room.

After about 5 minutes, an apprehensive Ron and Jon came into the room.

"Mate, how did you do all that and how are you feeling?

"I dunno about anything right now Ron. I'm so confused about the entire event, but I feel alright. Ron, I need to talk to you alone, but first I wanted to say thank you to Jon."

Jon was standing silent in the corner and upon hearing his name he waked over to Harry's bed. "Don't worry about thanking me Harry. You just get better, that's all."

Harry pulled Jon into a hug and said, "Jon about our chat last night. Let's start after I get of here."

"No problem Harry. I'll prepare some notes."

A thin shy girl peeked her head from around the corner of the hospital bed. "Jon. Sorry to interrupt, My friends are going to their next class and I was wondering if you could come with me?"

Harry smiled as he looked at the girl. Jon had this stray goofy grin on his face. Ron looked at the two of them and said, "She is a Slytherin. What are you doing?"

"Being a teenager Ron and having some fun." Jon winked, turned and walked out of the hospital room holding Leslie's hand.

"I just don't get him Harry. I just don't understand and you… you scared so many of us. It isn't funny."

"Ron, you're my best mate and I just wanted to tell you this first before I talk to anyone else."

An uneasiness fell over Ron as he gulped, "Tell me what Harry? What do I need to know?"

"I am breaking up with Ginny. I'm sure you will hate me and stuff, but I think right now she isn't right for me."

Ron let out a sigh of relief, "Aw man, who didn't see that one coming. I was thinking you were going to tell me you were in love with Hermione or something."

Harry's heart had skipped a beat. He couldn't smash his best friend's love life. He shouldn't. He loved Hermione Granger and they both knew it. Harry stared off into space for a long time before he spoke again. "Yeah, well, I just thought you should know what was going to happen. Well, I need to get some rest and then I'll see you all in the morning. I will talk to Ginny tomorrow then."

"Okay mate. Is there something else you wanted to tell me Harry?" Ron asked inquitively. "You look like something else is on your mind."

Harry felt his entire body wanting to tell Ron yes there was. He wanted to tell Ron that he love Hermione Granger from the moment he laid eyes on her. He wanted to tell Ron that she loved him and that they were soul mates.

"No Ron. You get to class and try to stop the rumor mill. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah okay." Ron answered. "Don't forget we have Quidditch tryouts tomorrow."

"Okay. See you." And Harry went to sleep that night with an uneasy feeling in his stomach like someone was sneaking up on him.

"Okay. See you." And Harry went to sleep that night with an uneasy feeling in his stomach like someone was sneaking up on him.

A dull cold chant could be herd as Harry once again found himself in the dream that entwined him towards a castle with a long hallway. The chanting began to climb as he herd a mans scream from under the doorway. A dog collar was sitting on the door handle and it was engraved with the name Padfoot.

Harry was startled awake early the next morning with his scar throbbing again as usual. It was already one week into the new school year and everywhere he had been since the summer was left in destruction and turmoil. Feeling quite unrefreshed he waked over to Madam Pomfrey's desk and wrote her a note explaining that he would take it easy and that he was going to get some breakfast. Harry used this time alone to go over what Dumbledore had said to him about the Occlumency. Harry walked out of the hospital ward and started heading to the Gryffindor dormitories and walked right into Filch as he rounded the corner.

"Ahh dear. Out breaking the rules again ahh Potter?" Filch made sure Potter was spoken with all the hatred he could muster. Filch never could forgive Harry for harming his cat Mrs. Norris during his second year at Hogwarts. Even though it wasn't him who had harmed her.

Harry didn't care anymore about Filch, Mrs. Norris, or anything for that matter. He looked at Filch with loathing and contempt, "No sir. No rule breaking here." Harry rolled his eyes at the caretaker; "Actually I'm heading to my dormitory after a stay at the hospital wing." Harry made sure he said everything with the same manner the question was posed to him.

Harry never hated Filch. They just never got along. Filch knew his father when he was a student and assumed his dad was always up to no good. The problem was that Filch didn't even give Harry a chance he just assumed he was no good based on his father's reputation for pranks.

Filch was shocked by Harry's response, "Well then, maybe we shall just see what the lead security professor has to say about this sass." And with that the conversation was over as Filch said not another word to Harry and took him by the collar to see Professor Remus Lupin.

Professor Remus Lupin was a rather tall man over 6 foot, but over time he had become run down in height. His skin went from a statuesque man to an old man battling to keep himself together from becoming a werewolf forever. A man of no major worldly possessions, Lupin's private quarters were sparsely decorated with some books, candles, and tapestries.

Remus could hear Filch and Harry coming his way from down the hall. "I can't believe how much like his father Harry has become," he thought to himself. "It seems like just yesterday I was with Sirius and James at Harry's birth."

Filch stormed into Professor Lupin's office holding Harry by the collar. "Professor this one was out during curfew!"

Harry had enough of Filch's filthy paws on his shirt. He smelled and desperately wanted some food and a change of clothing. Harry struggled to pull his shirt free from Filch. "I was minding my own business when he pulled me into see you. He said I was breaking the rules, but I was coming from the hospital wing." Harry's voice was full of contempt now as he looked at Filch. They both started bickering

Remus had herd enough even before either of them could say a word, "Harry you will show more respect for Mr. Filch and you Mr. Filch will check out students stories before you bring me trivial rule infractions." Remus turned his char around he was too weak to deal with this the hourglass on Professor Lupin's desk was almost ready to be flipped over. The full moon was only a day away.

Remus was finding very little strength as he said, "Harry. Go to your dorm and get cleaned up for today. Mr. Filch, I trust you know what your doing. Your both dismissed."

Harry couldn't help but notice the rats that were in a cage in the corner of Professor Lupin's private quarters. As Harry walked out of the room, he noticed another cage in the room that looked like it could hold a human.