I'm heading out of town to visit the relatives, so I won't be updating for
about three days.
I promise to have the next chapter up as soon as I return.
Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.
About the previous chapter. (Evil Grin) I'm thinking like an adult, and it was obvious that they knew Harry was listening. It really isn't Dumbledore who's keeping things from Harry, it's Harry who isn't telling Dumbledore what is going on.
Adults can be manipulative.
Read and Review Nothing is My Own ************************************************************************
Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Last Meeting
Harry's fears were confirmed as only half of the DA showed up for his summoned meeting. All of them eyeing each other suspiciously in silence.
"Alright, we're all here to get everything out in the open. Everybody is innocent until proven other wise. We're going to go over every single scenario and possibility to figure out what happened, and who deflected."
Everyone starting in at once, yelling that he did it or she did it. It was complete chaos.
"SHUT-UP!" Ron finally screamed silencing everyone again.
"Let's start with me, who thinks I did it?" Ron questioned staring around the room.
"The thought has crossed my mind," Luna admitted, "but it left."
"Okay, Ron where were you when the cloak went missing?" Harry said with a strictness.
"Well, I was in the Great Hall for about fifteen more minutes after you and Hermione left. Then I asked Neville if he wanted to play a game of chess, so we went back to the common room until the coin summoned us to the Room of Requirements," Ron stated.
"Neville, is that true?" Harry asked.
Neville shook his head, "yes Harry, at least fifteen Gryffindors can verify what we were doing before we left."
"This is pointless," Zach Smith snapped rolling his eyes.
A few more DA members made their way into the room, eyeing everyone nervously.
"Okay, Smith where were you?" Hermione asked.
"He was with me. We were going over our DA material in the library," Hannah Abbott voiced in.
"What about the Creevy brother?" Michael Corner asked, staring at the two.
"We were eating in the Great Hall when Harry summoned us," Dennis argued.
"I'm can verify that for them. I was at the table with them, and so was Dean, Lavender and Seamus. We were there when Ron and Neville left, and they left with us after we were summoned," Pavarti confirmed.
"Where were you Corner?" Ron reared.
"I was with Terry Boots and Kevin Sherry playing exploding snaps in the fourth floor south corridor, clear on the opposite side of the castle," Michael said proudly.
Harry nodded, realizing that they couldn't confirm or deny his alibi since Boots was missing from this particular meeting.
"Ginny Weasley was in the hospital wing with Madame Pomfrey, so she's rule out," Hermione offered.
Harry looked over at Lavender Brown, "so tell me everything that happened when you and Keebler followed Cho and Malfoy."
Lavender looked around the room before speaking, "well, we followed them out of the Great Hall. Since we didn't have the invisibility cloak, we had to keep our distance, but we saw them going into the Astronomy tower. It took us a few minuets to catch up with them because if we didn't put some space between us, Malfoy would hear out footsteps. When we got to the top of the stairs we didn't hear anything, so Paul ran off without me. When I finally caught up with him, Cho was on the ground unconscious and Paul had his wand drawn on Malfoy."
"So Chang and Keebler were in it together," Seamus shouted, pointing his finger.
"I didn't do anything," Paul Keebler defended, "yes, I did run ahead of Lavender because it was too quite, I had a bad feeling. When I got to the top of the tower Malfoy was searching through Cho's robes."
Cho lowered her head, "I don't even know what happened, one minuet I was telling Malfoy I wanted to join Purebloods United, hoping he'd tell me something. Next minute I was hit by a curse, I'm not even positive Malfoy cursed me."
"Than somebody else could have been in the room before Paul and Lavender arrived," Hermione deduced.
Zach Smith shook his head, "that doesn't explain how the map turned up missing."
"It's possible that if Purebloods United were on to us, they could have been spying on us to. If they were following us then we showed them how to get into the Room of Requirements, even with a password charm on it. Not even a password charm is full proof," Harry said, letting things piece together in his mind.
"So are you saying, nobody is a spy?" Neville asked.
"That is exactly what he's saying," Hermione answered. "Harry has a good point. What better way to get us to turn against each other than to place mistrust in each other's minds?"
"But what is Purebloods United up too?" Ron demanded.
Harry looked around the room nervously, "if they know how to get into this room, someone might be in here with us right now. Some one with my invisibility cloak."
"Pulockulous," Hermione shouted at the door with her wand raised, placing a locking charm upon it.
Everyone glanced around the large room, "how do we find them?" Cho whispered.
Harry bit his lip, before pulling out his wand, "accio cloak."
Nothing happened.
"That proves it, nobody is in the room," Ron said with a shrug.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "it doesn't prove anything, maybe they've placed a disobedient charm on the cloak and map to make sure they can't be summoned."
"Why would someone do that?" Neville questioned.
"Because, everyone knows Harry can do a summoning charm," Hermione answered.
"So what do we do, wander around the room until we bump into somebody?" Zach questioned sarcastically.
"Darkness Extensa," Hermione shouted again, as the room when pitch black.
"What the bloody hell did you do that for?" Ron blurted out.
"Now we're all on the same playing field," Hermione responded.
Harry tried to wave his hand in front of his face, but couldn't see a thing, "Hermione, we can't do anything in this darkness."
"Who just grabbed me?" Neville shouted nervously.
"Sorry," Pavarti whispered back.
"This is ridiculous, what are we suppose to do?" Michael Corner demanded.
"Just be quite," Hermione instructed.
She bumped into Harry, "who are you?"
"Hermione, it's me!" Harry said back.
"Okay, now I know who you are, walk until you bump into someone. Nobody else move," Hermione continued.
Harry shook his head but started walking, "okay, bumped somebody."
"It's me," Ginny answered, Harry grabbed hold of her robe and she started forward, dragging Hermione along.
"Got someone," Ginny announced.
"It's me," Padma said softly. "I've got someone too!"
"It's is Luna Lovegood," revealed a dreamy voice.
"Ouch, we're bumping not slaming," Zach protested as Luna grabbed on to his robe.
If the lights had been on, no telling how ridiculous they all looked playing a game of train in the pitch dark.
Zach grabbed onto Lavender, who grabbed onto Pavarti, who grabbed on to Cho.
"Okay, who do I have?" Cho asked, as everyone before her had done.
Nobody answered.
"Are you sure you've got someone?" Ginny asked.
"Positive," Cho started to say before a loud crack sounded sending a blinding light though the room, throwing everyone off their feet. When everyone's eyes readjusted the door to the Room of Requirements was wide open.
"What the hell happened?" Paul Keebler asked rising to his feet.
"Someone was in the room with us," Cho answered holding up the missing invisibility cloak in her hands.
Everyone let out a few mumbles.
"How do we know you didn't have it all along, and just pretended to grab onto someone?" Pavarti accused.
"A very good point, Patil," Ron added.
Cho looked around the room, hoping for some sign of support, "I didn't do it, I swear. I grabbed onto someone."
"She didn't do it, there is no way she could have done it." Harry backed her up, "is there Hermione?"
"That was a very dark spell, but I don't think it is impossible for her to have casted it," Hermione said, looking nervous.
"I didn't do it," Cho argued.
"So what really happened in the Astronomy tower with Malfoy?" Ron continued to interrogate.
Cho was on the verge of tears, "I told you! I was trying to get him to tell me about Purebloods United when I was hit with some type of stunting spell."
"So you have no feeling for Draco Malfoy?" Pavarti asked viciously.
Harry gave Pavarti a cold glare, sympathizing with Cho for what she was going though.
"NO!" Cho said instantly.
"What about the paper you were scribbling on that had DM written in the corner?" Padma asked, with a guilty expression.
Cho looked at her with shock, "I didn't write that. Harry, you believe me, don't you?"
"Yes," Harry said firmly.
"How can you believe her, she's obviously lying?" Lavender asked, amazed.
"She didn't do it," Paul Keebler jumped in.
"How do we know, you weren't in on it too?" Ron snapped.
Michael Corner made a motion forward towards Ron, but Ginny place a hand on his chest to hold him back.
"This is ridiculous, we all agreed a few minuets ago that nobody did it," Ginny said.
Ron narrowed his eyes, watching Corner dangerously, "that was before we had proof one of us was a traitor."
"She's not a traitor!" Harry yelled back.
"I don't know, I saw her writing at her desk right before Padma found the paper with the initials. It was at her desk," Luna said lightly.
"Her desk?" Harry asked confused.
"All Ravenclaws have their own desk in the common room to help them study," Michael explained.
"I didn't write that!" Cho exclaimed, now starting to cry lightly.
Harry felt into his pocket, feeling the small vial of Veritaserum Professor O'Riley had given him, "the meetings over, if we're going keep fighting amongst ourselves than we've wasted our time tonight."
"Harry, how can you be so blind? I know she's pretty girl, but come on mate!" Ron argued.
"Meetings over!" Harry spat back.
Cho was sobbing lightly as the room slowly began to clear out, angry words being said under everyones breaths.
"Come on," Harry said as he approached Cho and grabbed her hand.
"Harry, I swear. I didn't do it. I'd never turn over to that side," Cho pleaded.
Harry forced a smile, and lied, " I believe you."
He stopped by the door and glanced at Hermione before handing her his invisibility cloak. Hermione gave him a sympathetic look before he brushed out the door.
"I don't understand why everyone hates me?" Cho sobbed.
Harry's opposite hand kept rotating the vial in his pocket. He only had enough for one person. Surely O'Riley hadn't given it to him so he could question his girlfriend, but he had to know. He walked quickly as Cho remained silent behind him.
When they arrived in the kitchen, Harry left her sitting at a table, telling her he'd be back in the just a second. The house elves of Hogwarts greeting him excitely, offering him some pastries and a pitcher of pumpkin juice, which he willing excepted. Before he went back to Cho, he pulled the vial out of his pocket and dumped it into the pitcher, swirling it so it mixed well.
"I thought a bite to eat might make you feel better," Harry said, trying to look innocent.
She lowered her head and mumbled, "thank-you, but I'm not hungry."
"At least drink something, it will make you feel better," Harry replied, sounding so desperate it reminded him of Umbridge.
Cho nodded as she lifted the glass to her lips and took a drink, "I'm sorry to get so upset."
"So, tell me everything that happened between you and Malfoy," Harry pushed, holding his breath as she took another sip of her pumpkin juice.
"I've told you everything. I just tried to flirt with him, hoping he'd tell me something. I didn't even kiss him," Cho began, "I swear Harry, I never had any feelings for Malfoy. I think he's cold."
"So you don't know what happened in the Astronomy tower?" he continued.
"No, I was talking to Malfoy one second, and down on the ground unconscious the next," she explained again.
Harry felt a surge of relief pass through him, finally confirming that Cho had told him the truth.
"The only other person I've ever cared about is Cedric, and I betrayed him before he even died," Cho continued.
"How?" Harry asked, not positive he wanted her to continue.
"I thought it was so romantic, him saving me from the merpeople and all. Then I found out how brave you had been down there and how cowardly Cedric had been,. You refused to let any of us get left behind. Cedric just took me without even thinking about everyone else. From that point on I couldn't get you out of my mind," Cho confessed, "Cedric loved the thought of who my father was. He loved to daydream about what our future would be. I guess part of me didn't want a future with a man who only thought about himself. The day before the third task, I told him he didn't deserve to win."
"You did what?" Harry asked.
Cho bit her lip, "it was a silly fight actually, but I was so mad at him. I told him you deserved to win because you were brave enough to care about someone besides yourself."
Harry gulped, "you really said that to him?"
"Last year when I told you I wonder if he knew all the stuff we were learning, maybe he'd still be alive," Cho began to sob.
Harry lifted her chin, "and I told you he did know it, but if Voldemort want to kill you there isn't much you can do to stop him."
"Voldemort wants to kill you, doesn't he?" Cho asked, trying to look brave as she said it.
It was the first time Harry had ever heard her say Voldemort's name, and looking at her fear, he didn't have the heart to answer her.
"I want to be there when you fight him Harry," she said as firmly as her quivering voice would allow, "I can't let you go it alone."
"I can destroy him Cho, but I've got to do it alone. If something happened to you or anybody else. I'd never be able to live with myself," he told her.
"And if something happened to you and I wasn't there, I wouldn't be able to live with myself," Cho replied back.
"Mr. Potter, a word please," Professor McGonagall said, appearing out of nowhere.
"Professor, we were just getting a bite to eat," Harry started to fumbled.
"I don't care what you and Miss Chang are doing in this restricted area of the school at this time. She needs to report back to her dormitory, and you need to come with me," she said firmly.
"Harry," Cho whispered.
Harry squeezed her hand, "it's okay, go back to your common room."
Harry followed his head of house as she lead him to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
"Professor, what's going on?" Harry asked.
As he walked into the room, he saw Professor Snape and Professor O'Riley looking at him with disappointment.
"So you used the potion tonight. What a waste, I told you it would never work," Snape started.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.
December O'Riley gave Snape a dangerous look, "I owe you an apology Harry. I thought you'd use the potion on Draco Malfoy."
"Why would you want me to use a Veritaserum on Malfoy?" Harry inquired.
"Because it wasn't a Veritaserum, it was a mind searching poition," Snape hissed.
Harry looked around curiously, "I don't understand."
"We think you may be right, and the Dark Lord is recruiting students at Hogwarts. Professor Snape made the potion a few months ago. When taken, I can use Legimens to see straight into the mind of the taker," she confessed.
"So you were going to look into Malfoy's mind to see if my suspicious were true," Harry said quickly.
"Yes, but tonight, when I started getting vision, I realized that the wrong person took the potion," O'Riley confessed.
Snape rolled his eyes, "I only made three vials, one for Professor Dumbledore, one for Professor O'Riley and one for myself. Each potion will only work for the person it was created for. This is my vial, and although I think it is a waste, Dumbledore thinks it is a good idea to let you slip it into one of the Purebloods United members' drink."
"Why don't you do it yourself?" Harry asked hatefully.
"Because, none of us Professors can afford to take that kind of risk. If the students are taking the dark mark, and we're caught sneaking something into his drink, it could be disastrous," Professor McGonagall said suddenly.
"What in the bloody hell is going on, I thought you trusted Malfoy!" Harry snapped.
Snape eyes twitched, "I do, and the only reason I've agreed to the preposterous idea is to prove the young wizard's innocence. Not that you'd ever understand, judging people is in your blood."
Harry held his breath for a moment before looking back over to Professor O'Riley, "you tried to use me."
"Yes, I was hoping if you did it on your own free will, you'd look less guilty, and the less you know, the safer you are," she said softly.
"I'm not safe, and keeping things from me doesn't make me any safer," Harry spat.
"Mr. Potter, we're asking you to do us a favor. Will you help us?" Professor McGonagall asked, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.
About the previous chapter. (Evil Grin) I'm thinking like an adult, and it was obvious that they knew Harry was listening. It really isn't Dumbledore who's keeping things from Harry, it's Harry who isn't telling Dumbledore what is going on.
Adults can be manipulative.
Read and Review Nothing is My Own ************************************************************************
Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Last Meeting
Harry's fears were confirmed as only half of the DA showed up for his summoned meeting. All of them eyeing each other suspiciously in silence.
"Alright, we're all here to get everything out in the open. Everybody is innocent until proven other wise. We're going to go over every single scenario and possibility to figure out what happened, and who deflected."
Everyone starting in at once, yelling that he did it or she did it. It was complete chaos.
"SHUT-UP!" Ron finally screamed silencing everyone again.
"Let's start with me, who thinks I did it?" Ron questioned staring around the room.
"The thought has crossed my mind," Luna admitted, "but it left."
"Okay, Ron where were you when the cloak went missing?" Harry said with a strictness.
"Well, I was in the Great Hall for about fifteen more minutes after you and Hermione left. Then I asked Neville if he wanted to play a game of chess, so we went back to the common room until the coin summoned us to the Room of Requirements," Ron stated.
"Neville, is that true?" Harry asked.
Neville shook his head, "yes Harry, at least fifteen Gryffindors can verify what we were doing before we left."
"This is pointless," Zach Smith snapped rolling his eyes.
A few more DA members made their way into the room, eyeing everyone nervously.
"Okay, Smith where were you?" Hermione asked.
"He was with me. We were going over our DA material in the library," Hannah Abbott voiced in.
"What about the Creevy brother?" Michael Corner asked, staring at the two.
"We were eating in the Great Hall when Harry summoned us," Dennis argued.
"I'm can verify that for them. I was at the table with them, and so was Dean, Lavender and Seamus. We were there when Ron and Neville left, and they left with us after we were summoned," Pavarti confirmed.
"Where were you Corner?" Ron reared.
"I was with Terry Boots and Kevin Sherry playing exploding snaps in the fourth floor south corridor, clear on the opposite side of the castle," Michael said proudly.
Harry nodded, realizing that they couldn't confirm or deny his alibi since Boots was missing from this particular meeting.
"Ginny Weasley was in the hospital wing with Madame Pomfrey, so she's rule out," Hermione offered.
Harry looked over at Lavender Brown, "so tell me everything that happened when you and Keebler followed Cho and Malfoy."
Lavender looked around the room before speaking, "well, we followed them out of the Great Hall. Since we didn't have the invisibility cloak, we had to keep our distance, but we saw them going into the Astronomy tower. It took us a few minuets to catch up with them because if we didn't put some space between us, Malfoy would hear out footsteps. When we got to the top of the stairs we didn't hear anything, so Paul ran off without me. When I finally caught up with him, Cho was on the ground unconscious and Paul had his wand drawn on Malfoy."
"So Chang and Keebler were in it together," Seamus shouted, pointing his finger.
"I didn't do anything," Paul Keebler defended, "yes, I did run ahead of Lavender because it was too quite, I had a bad feeling. When I got to the top of the tower Malfoy was searching through Cho's robes."
Cho lowered her head, "I don't even know what happened, one minuet I was telling Malfoy I wanted to join Purebloods United, hoping he'd tell me something. Next minute I was hit by a curse, I'm not even positive Malfoy cursed me."
"Than somebody else could have been in the room before Paul and Lavender arrived," Hermione deduced.
Zach Smith shook his head, "that doesn't explain how the map turned up missing."
"It's possible that if Purebloods United were on to us, they could have been spying on us to. If they were following us then we showed them how to get into the Room of Requirements, even with a password charm on it. Not even a password charm is full proof," Harry said, letting things piece together in his mind.
"So are you saying, nobody is a spy?" Neville asked.
"That is exactly what he's saying," Hermione answered. "Harry has a good point. What better way to get us to turn against each other than to place mistrust in each other's minds?"
"But what is Purebloods United up too?" Ron demanded.
Harry looked around the room nervously, "if they know how to get into this room, someone might be in here with us right now. Some one with my invisibility cloak."
"Pulockulous," Hermione shouted at the door with her wand raised, placing a locking charm upon it.
Everyone glanced around the large room, "how do we find them?" Cho whispered.
Harry bit his lip, before pulling out his wand, "accio cloak."
Nothing happened.
"That proves it, nobody is in the room," Ron said with a shrug.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "it doesn't prove anything, maybe they've placed a disobedient charm on the cloak and map to make sure they can't be summoned."
"Why would someone do that?" Neville questioned.
"Because, everyone knows Harry can do a summoning charm," Hermione answered.
"So what do we do, wander around the room until we bump into somebody?" Zach questioned sarcastically.
"Darkness Extensa," Hermione shouted again, as the room when pitch black.
"What the bloody hell did you do that for?" Ron blurted out.
"Now we're all on the same playing field," Hermione responded.
Harry tried to wave his hand in front of his face, but couldn't see a thing, "Hermione, we can't do anything in this darkness."
"Who just grabbed me?" Neville shouted nervously.
"Sorry," Pavarti whispered back.
"This is ridiculous, what are we suppose to do?" Michael Corner demanded.
"Just be quite," Hermione instructed.
She bumped into Harry, "who are you?"
"Hermione, it's me!" Harry said back.
"Okay, now I know who you are, walk until you bump into someone. Nobody else move," Hermione continued.
Harry shook his head but started walking, "okay, bumped somebody."
"It's me," Ginny answered, Harry grabbed hold of her robe and she started forward, dragging Hermione along.
"Got someone," Ginny announced.
"It's me," Padma said softly. "I've got someone too!"
"It's is Luna Lovegood," revealed a dreamy voice.
"Ouch, we're bumping not slaming," Zach protested as Luna grabbed on to his robe.
If the lights had been on, no telling how ridiculous they all looked playing a game of train in the pitch dark.
Zach grabbed onto Lavender, who grabbed onto Pavarti, who grabbed on to Cho.
"Okay, who do I have?" Cho asked, as everyone before her had done.
Nobody answered.
"Are you sure you've got someone?" Ginny asked.
"Positive," Cho started to say before a loud crack sounded sending a blinding light though the room, throwing everyone off their feet. When everyone's eyes readjusted the door to the Room of Requirements was wide open.
"What the hell happened?" Paul Keebler asked rising to his feet.
"Someone was in the room with us," Cho answered holding up the missing invisibility cloak in her hands.
Everyone let out a few mumbles.
"How do we know you didn't have it all along, and just pretended to grab onto someone?" Pavarti accused.
"A very good point, Patil," Ron added.
Cho looked around the room, hoping for some sign of support, "I didn't do it, I swear. I grabbed onto someone."
"She didn't do it, there is no way she could have done it." Harry backed her up, "is there Hermione?"
"That was a very dark spell, but I don't think it is impossible for her to have casted it," Hermione said, looking nervous.
"I didn't do it," Cho argued.
"So what really happened in the Astronomy tower with Malfoy?" Ron continued to interrogate.
Cho was on the verge of tears, "I told you! I was trying to get him to tell me about Purebloods United when I was hit with some type of stunting spell."
"So you have no feeling for Draco Malfoy?" Pavarti asked viciously.
Harry gave Pavarti a cold glare, sympathizing with Cho for what she was going though.
"NO!" Cho said instantly.
"What about the paper you were scribbling on that had DM written in the corner?" Padma asked, with a guilty expression.
Cho looked at her with shock, "I didn't write that. Harry, you believe me, don't you?"
"Yes," Harry said firmly.
"How can you believe her, she's obviously lying?" Lavender asked, amazed.
"She didn't do it," Paul Keebler jumped in.
"How do we know, you weren't in on it too?" Ron snapped.
Michael Corner made a motion forward towards Ron, but Ginny place a hand on his chest to hold him back.
"This is ridiculous, we all agreed a few minuets ago that nobody did it," Ginny said.
Ron narrowed his eyes, watching Corner dangerously, "that was before we had proof one of us was a traitor."
"She's not a traitor!" Harry yelled back.
"I don't know, I saw her writing at her desk right before Padma found the paper with the initials. It was at her desk," Luna said lightly.
"Her desk?" Harry asked confused.
"All Ravenclaws have their own desk in the common room to help them study," Michael explained.
"I didn't write that!" Cho exclaimed, now starting to cry lightly.
Harry felt into his pocket, feeling the small vial of Veritaserum Professor O'Riley had given him, "the meetings over, if we're going keep fighting amongst ourselves than we've wasted our time tonight."
"Harry, how can you be so blind? I know she's pretty girl, but come on mate!" Ron argued.
"Meetings over!" Harry spat back.
Cho was sobbing lightly as the room slowly began to clear out, angry words being said under everyones breaths.
"Come on," Harry said as he approached Cho and grabbed her hand.
"Harry, I swear. I didn't do it. I'd never turn over to that side," Cho pleaded.
Harry forced a smile, and lied, " I believe you."
He stopped by the door and glanced at Hermione before handing her his invisibility cloak. Hermione gave him a sympathetic look before he brushed out the door.
"I don't understand why everyone hates me?" Cho sobbed.
Harry's opposite hand kept rotating the vial in his pocket. He only had enough for one person. Surely O'Riley hadn't given it to him so he could question his girlfriend, but he had to know. He walked quickly as Cho remained silent behind him.
When they arrived in the kitchen, Harry left her sitting at a table, telling her he'd be back in the just a second. The house elves of Hogwarts greeting him excitely, offering him some pastries and a pitcher of pumpkin juice, which he willing excepted. Before he went back to Cho, he pulled the vial out of his pocket and dumped it into the pitcher, swirling it so it mixed well.
"I thought a bite to eat might make you feel better," Harry said, trying to look innocent.
She lowered her head and mumbled, "thank-you, but I'm not hungry."
"At least drink something, it will make you feel better," Harry replied, sounding so desperate it reminded him of Umbridge.
Cho nodded as she lifted the glass to her lips and took a drink, "I'm sorry to get so upset."
"So, tell me everything that happened between you and Malfoy," Harry pushed, holding his breath as she took another sip of her pumpkin juice.
"I've told you everything. I just tried to flirt with him, hoping he'd tell me something. I didn't even kiss him," Cho began, "I swear Harry, I never had any feelings for Malfoy. I think he's cold."
"So you don't know what happened in the Astronomy tower?" he continued.
"No, I was talking to Malfoy one second, and down on the ground unconscious the next," she explained again.
Harry felt a surge of relief pass through him, finally confirming that Cho had told him the truth.
"The only other person I've ever cared about is Cedric, and I betrayed him before he even died," Cho continued.
"How?" Harry asked, not positive he wanted her to continue.
"I thought it was so romantic, him saving me from the merpeople and all. Then I found out how brave you had been down there and how cowardly Cedric had been,. You refused to let any of us get left behind. Cedric just took me without even thinking about everyone else. From that point on I couldn't get you out of my mind," Cho confessed, "Cedric loved the thought of who my father was. He loved to daydream about what our future would be. I guess part of me didn't want a future with a man who only thought about himself. The day before the third task, I told him he didn't deserve to win."
"You did what?" Harry asked.
Cho bit her lip, "it was a silly fight actually, but I was so mad at him. I told him you deserved to win because you were brave enough to care about someone besides yourself."
Harry gulped, "you really said that to him?"
"Last year when I told you I wonder if he knew all the stuff we were learning, maybe he'd still be alive," Cho began to sob.
Harry lifted her chin, "and I told you he did know it, but if Voldemort want to kill you there isn't much you can do to stop him."
"Voldemort wants to kill you, doesn't he?" Cho asked, trying to look brave as she said it.
It was the first time Harry had ever heard her say Voldemort's name, and looking at her fear, he didn't have the heart to answer her.
"I want to be there when you fight him Harry," she said as firmly as her quivering voice would allow, "I can't let you go it alone."
"I can destroy him Cho, but I've got to do it alone. If something happened to you or anybody else. I'd never be able to live with myself," he told her.
"And if something happened to you and I wasn't there, I wouldn't be able to live with myself," Cho replied back.
"Mr. Potter, a word please," Professor McGonagall said, appearing out of nowhere.
"Professor, we were just getting a bite to eat," Harry started to fumbled.
"I don't care what you and Miss Chang are doing in this restricted area of the school at this time. She needs to report back to her dormitory, and you need to come with me," she said firmly.
"Harry," Cho whispered.
Harry squeezed her hand, "it's okay, go back to your common room."
Harry followed his head of house as she lead him to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
"Professor, what's going on?" Harry asked.
As he walked into the room, he saw Professor Snape and Professor O'Riley looking at him with disappointment.
"So you used the potion tonight. What a waste, I told you it would never work," Snape started.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.
December O'Riley gave Snape a dangerous look, "I owe you an apology Harry. I thought you'd use the potion on Draco Malfoy."
"Why would you want me to use a Veritaserum on Malfoy?" Harry inquired.
"Because it wasn't a Veritaserum, it was a mind searching poition," Snape hissed.
Harry looked around curiously, "I don't understand."
"We think you may be right, and the Dark Lord is recruiting students at Hogwarts. Professor Snape made the potion a few months ago. When taken, I can use Legimens to see straight into the mind of the taker," she confessed.
"So you were going to look into Malfoy's mind to see if my suspicious were true," Harry said quickly.
"Yes, but tonight, when I started getting vision, I realized that the wrong person took the potion," O'Riley confessed.
Snape rolled his eyes, "I only made three vials, one for Professor Dumbledore, one for Professor O'Riley and one for myself. Each potion will only work for the person it was created for. This is my vial, and although I think it is a waste, Dumbledore thinks it is a good idea to let you slip it into one of the Purebloods United members' drink."
"Why don't you do it yourself?" Harry asked hatefully.
"Because, none of us Professors can afford to take that kind of risk. If the students are taking the dark mark, and we're caught sneaking something into his drink, it could be disastrous," Professor McGonagall said suddenly.
"What in the bloody hell is going on, I thought you trusted Malfoy!" Harry snapped.
Snape eyes twitched, "I do, and the only reason I've agreed to the preposterous idea is to prove the young wizard's innocence. Not that you'd ever understand, judging people is in your blood."
Harry held his breath for a moment before looking back over to Professor O'Riley, "you tried to use me."
"Yes, I was hoping if you did it on your own free will, you'd look less guilty, and the less you know, the safer you are," she said softly.
"I'm not safe, and keeping things from me doesn't make me any safer," Harry spat.
"Mr. Potter, we're asking you to do us a favor. Will you help us?" Professor McGonagall asked, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.