Chapter 22: House Divisions

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"A house divided against itself cannot stand."
-Abraham Lincoln

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"Harry, wake up!" Ron called in a panicked voice. "The game starts in less than an hour!" Groggily, Harry lifted his head to
see Ron racing around their room and random Quidditch equipment strewn across the floor. Letting out a groan, Harry sank
back into his warm comfortable bed. 

"Harry! GET UP!" Ron yelled, yanking open the curtains. The sunlight streamed in and Harry shut his eyes tightly. He's 
definitely gone nutters now, he thought to himself. Even Oliver Wood never resorted to wake up calls... Harry
glanced at the clock on his nightstand and his mouth fell open in shock.

"Ron, it's nearly 11:30! The game starts at noon!" he cried, jumping out of bed. Ron turned around and stared at him.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you for the last ten minutes! Now, get up and get ready! We HAVE to win this game!"
The game, of course, was the final one in the Hogwart's tournament. Even though it was against Hufflepuff, a team that
was generally easy to beat, if the Gryffindors lost they would have to play against Slytherin again for the first place 
position. The first time had been close enough and Harry didn't want to repeat it and lose.

In record time, the two boys dressed, grabbed their brooms, and headed out to the Quidditch pitch. Most of the team was
already waiting there impatiently. 

"Ron!" Ginny gasped, pulling on the sleeve of his robe. "I didn't think you were going to make it! You're usually down here
so early!"

"Bugger off, Gin," he hissed, pulling himself away from her. "Have you started warm-ups yet? No? Then let's get going!" Ron
yelled to the rest of the team. Ginny stayed to one side, her arms crossed and a sour expression on her face.

"He needs to quit being such a prat," she muttered to Harry as she mounted her broom. "This Chudley Cannons thing has gone
to his head."

"Maybe he just woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Harry suggested. He himself had initially felt awake when he had gotten 
out of bed; the shock of adrenaline at realizing he was going to be late had kept him going for a good fifteen minutes, but it 
was beginning to wear off. He was becoming aware of how tired he really was. He was vaguely aware of the players around him 
getting into position and he followed along, though slowly. He struggled to focus his eyes as Madam Hooch's whistle blew,
signaling the start of the match. I shouldn't have stayed up so late, he chided himself. But a slow grin crossed his
face. But it was worth it... Now I'm an animagi, and not even a lame one at that. A wolf is cool-

"Harry!" The bloodcurdling scream echoed across the field. His head whipped to the left as he heard Lavendar Brown's voice.
She was pointing frantically to Justin Finch-Fletchley, the new Hufflepuff seeker, who was streaking his way towards the
Snitch. Harry zoomed towards the glittering golden ball, but his heart sank as he realized he couldn't make it. He was too
far away. Please, oh please... His hopes were dashed with a cheer from the Hufflepuff crowd - Harry saw Justin grinning
and holding the Snitch. 

"And Hufflepuff wins, in the shortest game this season!" Dean's voice boomed over the stadium. Harry sank slowly to the 
ground, still in disbelief. He landed on the ground and turned to Ron, who gave him an angry glare. 

"You weren't paying attention," he hissed, stalking off towards the showers. Jack Sloper walked past him.

"Hey mate, nice try. Don't worry about it, though. It was just too far away," he said consolingly. Ginny patted him on the
back as he walked by.

"Can't win them all, Harry," she said, sounding unconvincing. "Don't let Ron get to you." Harry began walking off the field,
but glanced back to see the crowd of Hufflepuffs congratulating Justin. Rachel was standing at the front of the group, smiling
and clapping. The scene made his blood boil.

*************

Ron remained mad at Harry for the rest of the day. Even though Gryffindor still had a shot at first place, they would have to
beat Slytherin again. Ron was blaming Harry for the entire loss; Harry had heard this from several people, but not from Ron
himself, since he refused to talk to him. That evening, the trio spent an awkward night in the common room - the tension was
thick between the two friends and Hermione was trying to stay out of the discussion completely. Finally, she slammed her
Potions book shut with a loud bang.

"This is ridiculous, you two," she lectured, glaring at both of them. "Can't you just apologize?"

"No," Ron answered sullenly, rifling through pieces of parchment. "It's all his fault."

"I'm going upstairs," Harry growled, stomping up the spiral staircase. He entered his bedroom and sat on his bed, pulling the
curtains around the bed closed. What am I supposed to do now? he asked himself. First they had lost the game, then 
Rachel had been happy that Hufflepuff had won, then Ron was upset at him. I can't stand being in here any longer, he
thought angrily. A sudden and slightly crazy idea popped into his head. I don't HAVE to be here...

Getting out of his bed and carefully closing the curtains behind him, Harry walked quietly over to the painting on the wall.
Touching his finger to the fish in the picture, the trapdoor swung open and Harry climbed inside. I'm free! he thought
with a grin.

Moments later, Harry found himself outside. He felt like going for a long, relaxing walk, but since it was early December, he
was freezing. Why didn't I bring my cloak? he wondered, shivering. As he walked towards the lake, he had a perfect idea.
In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a wolf and was racing around the perimeter of the water.

***********

"Ron, really, why are you two so worked up over this?" Hermione scolded. Ron scowled, staring at the floor. Most of the
common room had cleared out by now; only a few other students were still up, studying or chatting quietly in the firelight.

"We could have had the whole thing won, if Harry would have just been paying attention," Ron grumbled. "Everyone was doing
great out there, and then he has to go and screw it all up..."

"Ron, I'm sure he didn't mean to," Hermione said gently. "And you still have a chance at the Cup, right?" Ron nodded.

"I guess I shouldn't have gotten so mad," Ron mumbled. "It's just that... well, he's been so distracted lately." Hermione
shrugged.

"I'm sure he has good reasons, Ron. Some things are more important than Quidditch." Ron sighed, wrapping his arm around her.
The couple sat quietly in the room, barely even hearing the lone wolf's howl that broke the silence.

**********

Harry was enjoying his newfound freedom. Running past the lake, Hagrid's hut, and a small grouping of trees, he entered the
Forbidden Forest. He ran and ran, no longer feeling clumsy on his four legs. After what seemed like hours, he stopped and
glanced around, panting. A mild fear ran through his body; he had never been quite this deep in the forest before. It's
fine, he told himself. I can just follow my own scent back out. He began sniffing around, but there were so many
unfamiliar smells he wasn't sure which one to follow. Panic was now flooding through his brain. His eyes drifted upwards 
towards the full moon. Sitting back on his haunches, he let out a mournful howl. 

The forest around him seemed creepy and dark. Harry was afraid to change back into his human form, for whatever danger was
lurking nearby would most likely be easier to escape as a wolf. He was surprised by the sound of cracking branches behind
him; he turned around rapidly, but saw nothing. He began sniffing again, but smelled nothing. Even more afraid, he began to
walk off towards one direction, but the sound was following him. Harry began running as fast as he could, but stopped after
a few minutes. Now he was just deeper within the forest and all the more alarmed. He heard the twigs cracking behind him 
again and turned around once more. 

There was a dark shape moving through the trees mere meters away from him. Whining softly, Harry retreated into the shadows,
but glanced the moving object again. He was shocked as he saw it move into a lighted area and was finally able to see it
more clearly. At first, it appeared to be a werewolf; it was, of course, the full moon, and this creature had been following
him. But upon closer inspection, Harry realized it was not a wolf of any kind but more like a huge dog. As it moved toward
him in the darkness, Harry could hardly make out its shape. The animal stood in front of him unmovingly. 

Before Harry could make up his mind whether to run away or attack it, the dog lay at his feet and growled playfully. Pouncing 
back up again, it ran a few steps away, wagging its tail, before stopping to look back at Harry. Some mysterious animal instinct
told him that the dog wanted him to follow it. He took a few cautious steps in its direction, and he could have sworn that
the dog grinned. It began bounding through the forest and Harry took off after it, careful to stay close enough to follow, but 
not too close; he wasn't sure how much he trusted it. After what seemed like an hour, Harry was getting worried again. He didn't 
seem to be any closer to any kind of civilization, and he had no way of telling if the dog was bringing him deeper into the forest 
or out into the open. Just when he was beginning to think about giving up, he heard the dog in front of him give a happy yelp, 
and he emerged from the Forbidden Forest behind it. Panting heavily, he turned to face the dog, and his breath caught in his 
throat. It wasn't just any dog. It was completely transparent, something he had not been able to make out in the darkness of
the Forbidden Forest. The ghost-dog looked up at Harry with dark eyes and Harry's stomach flipped. The huge, bear-like dog...
the ghostly quality...those eyes... Harry transformed back into a human.

"Sirius?" he asked, his voice wavering as he held out his hand towards the mysterious animal. As his fingers made contact
with the silvery substance, the animal disappeared completely.

***********

Christmas was quickly approaching at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The students were in high spirits and
Ron, who had eventually forgiven Harry, was plotting the next Quidditch game against Slytherin - the game that would determine
the winner of the Quidditch Cup. Harry, however, was involved in his own thoughts.

A week after the incident, he still hadn't told anyone about his experience with the ghostly dog, since it would require him to 
tell them about his illegal animagi skills. Still, the vision of the animal haunted his dreams and made his wonder. Was it
really Sirius? And if not, what exactly was it?

He received his answer sooner than he would have thought. One evening for Care of Magical Creatures, in what Hagrid had labeled
as a "practical lesson", the N.E.W.T. class, made up of all houses, was required to meet after dark to examine the nocturnal 
creatures of the Forbidden Forest. Harry's attention soon waned after Hagrid had pointed out the silvery mooncalf dung and a 
tiny horned toad on the bark of a tree. He trudged along the path alongside Rachel, Ron, and Hermione, mulling over his plans 
for Christmas break. He focused back on the conversation again when he heard Hannah Abbott gasp in surprise.

"Hagrid, what kind of animal made those footprints?" she asked quietly, pointing to the ground. Harry's heart leapt into his
throat as he stared at the forest floor: two sets of prints, one clearly a wolf's, and the other a larger animal's, led a 
straight line through a small clearing. Hagrid squatted on the ground (no small feat for a man of such a enormous size), and
took a closer look.

"Well, this one 'ere, tha's a wolf for sure," he said, tracing the outline of the smaller prints. Pansy Parkinson let out 
a shriek.

"There's WOLVES in this forest?" she cried, huddling closer to Draco, who looked just as frightened. Harry snickered to himself.

"Yeh, not too many though," Hagrid mumbled, studying the ground intensely. "It'll be these tracks that'll give ya a real
surprise..." he said, touching the larger tracks.

"What are they from, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, pushing her way to the front of the crowd of students. The expression on her
face made it clear she was dying to know the answer. Hagrid didn't answer for a moment, but touched the ground again with
his enormous finger.

"Tha'd be the tracks of a Gytrash, Hermione," he replied quietly. A few students in the group gasped, seeming to know what
that was. "It's a giant ghost o' a dog or horse, depends on how it decides to take its shape. Usually only show up fer leadin' 
lost travelers back home. Some folks say a Gytrash is the ghost of a lov'd one who's been lost, but tha's an old wives' tale."

"If it's a ghost, how come it leaves footprints?" Draco asked, surprising the class with such an intelligent question.

"Don' rightly know, but they always do," Hagrid replied knowingly. "They like to leave their mark, those animals." He continued
to stare at the ground, frowning slightly. "What I can't figure is why there aren't any human footprints. Gytrash aren't real
friendly with other animals, ya see. Jus' with helpin' out wizards who're lost. Must've been some real strange situation with
this wolf."

Harry's heart was thumping so loudly he thought the entire class would be able to hear it. Sirius, he thought wildly.
It WAS you!

******************

I'm getting way off track of where I planned to be with this fic, but I'm having fun, so no worries, lol. Hope everyone's
enjoying this, and thank you again to those of you who just started reading!

Thanks to my reviewers:

From hpff.com:
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From ff.net:
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Natural Anthem