Chapter Five~ The Voice

Bruised and stiff-legged from Quidditch practice, Harry walked into the Great Hall dressed in his scarlet Quidditch robe, holding his broom in his right hand. He sat between Aki and Ari and across from Ron and Hermione. "So how did practice go?" asked Ron.

*Oh it was great," Harry said sarcastically, "Andrew only ran me into a goal post three times."

Hearing this Aki looked up and clenched her fists and growled, *Andrew is such a prat!" After getting funny looks from the rest of them she took a deep breath and calmed herself.

Ron looked over at Hermione who, like always, reading a book

"For crying out loud! Hermione just put the book down for once. It's Winter Break" said Ron taking her book away from her.

Hermione gave an annoyed look, "I'm not studying Ron, and I'm reading."

" No way!!" Ron glanced down at the book and a disappointed look appeared on his face, "Aww, Hermione, I thought you were actually reading something interesting.*

She quickly snatched her book back from Ron, *I never see you gripe at Harry when he reads Quidditch through the Ages, over and over again." Ron sat there stunned at her come back and obviously didn't have one of his own.

Harry noticed Aki pull out a small yellow piece of paper that had two names written on it and under the names were tally marks, It read, " Ron~4, Hermione~ 12". Aki added a tally mark under Hermione's name, "Ron you're falling behind" Harry took a bite of his bacon and looked to his left, feeling like he was being watched. He caught gaze of a very familiar pair of amethyst eyes.

Not realizing she was staring Ari looked away, " Sorry, it's just that I can't help but notice that your actually eating."

"Whoa!!!" Ron said nearly falling from his seat and leaning over across the table feeling Harry's forehead. " He doesn't seem to be sick"

" Its cause im not" Harry replied removing Ron's hand from his forehead.

"Harry? Shouldn't you change your robes? We leave for Hogsmade in ten," said Hermione, not looking up from her book.

Harry jumped from his seat and ran out of the Great Hall heading for the Gryffindor Common Room.

After quickly changing his robe, Harry headed out the door until he heard a voice. *Take the map" the voice said. Confused, Harry turned around but saw nothing, *Whose there?"

" Take the map" the voice said once more.

Harry slowly moved towards his trunk and knelt beside it, wondering if he should open it or not. "

Take it" the voice whispered in his ear.

He took a deep breath and pulled his wand out of the pocket of his robe. Harry placed his hand on the trunk and before he reached to the count of three he swung it open. Blinking, Harry lowered his wand; there was nothing in the trunk. Now he knew that he must be going crazy.

Suddenly the window flew open and the wind blew its cold breath violently into the room, causing hung pictures and the bed curtains to whip around.

"Do as I say Harry James Potter!!!! Take the Map!" the voice yelled out angry.

Without even thinking Harry grabbed the Maurader's Map and slammed the trunk. Harry looked around, it was quite and calm, as if nothing ever happened. *But....how..." he looked over and noticed that the window was still open. Curious he got up and walked over to it.

His eyes widened as he glanced down and saw the carriages that took the seventh years to Hogsmade, leave.

*NO wait!" he cried out, but it was useless.

He ran out of the gryffindor common room as fast as his legs could carry him. Unexpectedly, he ran into something, causing him to fall back on the floor.

*Shouldn't you be with your troublemaking friends" a low voice growled.

Harry's eyes widened, it was Professor Snape staring down at him with his cold black eyes.

"Er well I...." Harry tried to explain but his tongue seemed to be tied at the moment.

Snape's brow raised, *Or does he find it boring and feels like he could sneak around here?"

*No, sir I was just trying to catch up with them."

Snape's lip curled into a sneer, *They already left. Oh dear I guess you'll have to stay here and since you are here I see no reason as to why you shouldn't be excused from the homework. I expect a report on the 1000 uses for wormwood." and with that Snape turned around and strode off in satisfactory.

Harry cursed at himself and now walked down the slowly down the empty corridor. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Maurader's Map. He smirked and opened it,

*I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

The map began to appear and showed a little black dot labeled Professor Snape, heading for his office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry soon found himself in Hogsmade and looked around Hunnydukes Sweat Shop for any sign of his friends.

"There you are Harry, "Aki cried running over to him, *Come on everyone's worried" She grabbed his hand and pulled him over to where the rest of them stood.

Harry didn't like the look on Hermione's face, for she knew that he used the Mauraders Map, but said nothing.

"'bout time you showed up," said Ron holding an armful of sweats, " what took you so long?"

"I was er. delayed" Harry said smiling weakly.

"What difference does it make? He's here now. C'mon Harry I want to show you something" said Aki cheerfully, once again grabbing him by the hand and pulling him over to a shelf filled with sweat tangy delicate candies.

Ari stood there quietly watching Harry and Aki laughing, as they choose what tasty treat they should take home.

"He'll never notice me" Ari thought sadly, "No one ever does."

The afternoon came all to fast for Harry, for he was having fun and didn't want it to end. A low rumble sounded across the land. The once fluffy white clouds transformed into hideous, gloomy, grey rain clouds. A calm wind now started to whip around, messing up everyone's hair. It didn't matter to Harry, for his hair was always untidy. He did however feel sorry for the girls whose long hair kept blowing in their faces.

Harry looked up in time to see Ari, Hermione, and Aki break into a run heading for the Three Broomsticks.

*What's wrong with them?" asked Ron confused *Its just a little windy and could have been worse.

Just a he said this, a loud crack of thunder and lighting filled the sky.

Harry looked at Ron, *You were saying?"

Ron gulped *Nothing".

Without warning rain began to pour down on them.

Soaked and wet Ron and Harry entered The Three Broomsticks. Ignoring the stares from the people around them Harry and Ron walked over to a table where Hermione, Aki and Ari sat. At the sight of them and their soggy robes Aki spit out her butterbeer, laughing.

"What happened to you two?"

Harry rolled his eyes and sat down, Ron doing the same.

"We went swimming"

Harry looked across the Table at Ari, who was staring into her mug and wondered what was wrong.

"Harry, I'm going to get some more butterbeer, want to come?" Aki asked.

" Yeah, sure. Ron you want any?"

*Sure," Ron said shivering.

Harry nodded at Ron's reply and followed Aki to order their butterbeers. Ari looked up from her mug and watched as Harry turned to leave.

After getting their butterbeers, Harry and Aki headed back over to the table. Malfoy, who was sitting next to Belle at another table, stuck his foot out and tripped Harry. Harry hit the floor with a hard force. The butterbeers flying from his grasp and spilling all over Harry and the floor.

"Hey! That was uncalled for Malfoy!!" Aki yelled angrily at Draco and helping Harry off the floor.

The students never noticed the Professors, Dumbledore and McGonagall sitting at a table in the far corner, wondering how the students would handle this situation.

Draco stood up and stared Aki down, "And what are you going to do about it?"

The table where Draco sat toppled over and students rushed to get out of the way. Harry's eyes widened in disbelief. Aki had just punched Draco right in the jaw. Draco looked up at Aki, his bottom lip bleeding and his eyes full of hate.

"You'll pay for that!" Draco yelled and jumped up raising his hand as if to strike her. However, his arm was caught by Harry before it ever reached her.

*Someone with such class as you should know better than to strike a lady," Harry said in a low tone.

*What would you know about class?" Draco sneered.

The room fell silent and all that could be heard was the violent storm outside. Harry felt as if someone was pulling him backwards and turned around. His eyes met Dumbledore, his eyes not calm and cheery like they usually were, but grey and hard, Harry greatly hated that look. He turned back around to find Draco being held back by Professor McGonagall.

" Potter! Malfoy! I am ashamed of you two. "McGonagall's voice sounding harsh.

"We will discuss this when we get back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said calmly, looking between Harry and Draco.

The lights began to flicker on and off, causing confusion, until the stayed off. People screamed in fear and ran around blind in the dark. Harry felt Dumbledore let go of his robe and slipped away. Although he didn't go far for someone knocked him over and fell on top of him.

*Im sorry" Ron's voice cried out.

*Ron?"Harry asked looking around in the dark," That you? "

" Harry?" said Ron.

"Get off me! "Harry griped at him, pushing him off. He got up but too much frustration tripped over someone, and fell.

"Oww!" Ari's voice cried out.

Harry blinked, "Ari?"

" Harry? "She reached out and touched his face, "It is you!"

" Yeah it's me" said Harry trying to get up but couldn't because others kept tripping over him.

She didn't know why but she started to run her fingers through his hair. Harry began to feel lightheaded, and leaned forward, "What am I doing?" he thought to himself. He pressed his lips against hers, softly kissing her. Ari was having trouble trying to convince herself that this wasn't a dream. Harry opened his eyes at the precise moment when a flash of lighting revealed Aki sneaking out into the storm.

He quickly broke the kiss and ran after her. The light came back on revealing tables, chairs, students, and even professors all piled against one another. Ari got to her feet and looked around for Harry, but he was no where in sight. She noticed that Ron was also on top of Hermione and giggled. Ron got up, not looking at Hermione, his face turning as red.

Draco smirked as he saw Ari confused and lonely.

*He's not here" he said walking up to her.

"Hes not? Where is he then?" she said confused.

"Why don't' you ask Aki? Or what ever her name was. Oh, she's not hear either is she? Hmm, Oh yes I remember, her and Harry snuck out of here right before the lights turned back on." Draco smirked and walked away. Ari stood there greatly confused and worried at the same time.

(*cough* Review *cough* Rate* clears throat* sorry 'bout that :p )