Nargles

By Brando


Dedicated to Katie

Disclaimer: Still not JKR. Still own nothing.

This one is where the drama really picks up.

Again, out of laziness I went ahead and used part of that RP again.

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"Aren't you satisfied yet?" Narcissa Malfoy snapped at one of the young aurors who was tearing her beloved sitting room to pieces. The brown haired youth didn't bother to reply and instead continued to look under the tables and rugs. Growling with frustration, Narcissa threw her arms to her side and exited the room in a hurry. She was downright sick of all these aurors thinking that they could tear this place apart. She was also very disappointed in Lucius, who had obviously become an old buffoon if he was captured this easily.

Months had passed since Lucius Malfoy and many other Death Eaters were arrested and sent to prison at the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries. Narcissa had been losing her patients as the aurors continued to come every week and search Malfoy Manor for anything that may link them to Voldemort. She had complained to everyone from Cornelius Fudge to the aurors themselves; but none of them would listen to her since Dumbledore's respect was back and Fudge was not allowing any mistakes.

Cornelius Fudge had been ruined. Hermione's year long ban on Rita Skeeter writing any stories was over and now she was back at her job at the Daily Prophet. Hermione kept Skeeter on a short leash and had clearly told her that one story that made Harry look bad and she'd be off to Azkaban for being an unregistered animagius. Still, Hermione had no problem with allowed Rita to grill Fudge. And grill him she had. Rita had written her most horrible article ever on how Fudge had wasted almost an entire year that he could have spent fighting Voldemort. The second that article (which contained quotes from Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter) came out, Fudge was asked to resign. He declined the offer to give up his job and despite the many, many howlers he was trying his best to return his favor to the public.

"Aren't you people done yet?" Narcissa barked to a pair of aurors sitting in her reading room going through the books. The aurors – Alastor Moody, who had recently been re-appointed as Head Auror after Dumbledore made the suggestion to fudge; and Nymphadora Tonks – looked up at her.

"No, Mrs. Malfoy, we're not." Moody growled menacingly. "What's the big hurry to get us out of the house? Expecting company? Maybe some of your husband's business friends, eh? Or perhaps your sister I dare wager?"

Narcissa narrowed her dark eyes. "You have no proof that I've ever committed a crime. And I will be suing your department for definition of character because of that, Moody."

"I think she is in a hurry to get rid of us, Mad-Eye." Tonks smirked. "Perhaps we should stay the night."

Moody growled a yes in response. Narcissa's dark eyes became like tiny, furious beads of frozen death as they stared at Tonks. Tonks – who currently had waist-length neon green hair and was twirling it around her finger boredly – stared right back up at her.

"You've been searching my house for months and found nothing. If I have something to hide, which I don't, you're a failure at finding it. Then again your mother was quite the failure as well."

"My mother may have bad taste in names." Tonks shot back. "But if you say that again I'm going to have to jinx you, Auntie."

"That won't be necessary." A high, cold voice said.

Mad-Eye and Tonks, as well as all of the other aurors in the room, turned around and found themselves staring at the doorway from the sitting room. The body of the brown haired auror was on the ground, lifeless and empty. Standing above the body, tall, black and cloaked while his horrible white face and red eyes like slits gleamed in the darkness, was Lord Voldemort.

He held in his hand a black wand and raised his unusually long, white fingers that held it up into the air. A woman with matted black hair and a hallow face stood at his side and held her own wand steady. A small, balding man with a face like a rat and a hand made of silver was on Voldemort's other side.

"Avada Kedavra!"

From outside the large, stone castle that was called Malfoy Manor, a flash of green light could be seen in the windows. The sound of running was heard as well as the sound of speeding death. And when all of those sounds had ended, and quiet returned, several black cloaked creatures began gliding up to the house. As they floated over the ground, all the happiness and warmth around them was drained away and nothing but death and chill was left behind in the wake of the army of dementors.

Lord Voldemort's army of dementors.

----

It was very odd. Harry was sitting in a booth at the Three Broomsticks, with Luna Lovegood sitting across from him. She was stringing the bottle caps from their butterbeers onto her necklace and Harry was just sitting there watching her, his almond-eyes wide. He enjoyed being around Luna; she made him feel at easy. Sure, so their first real conversation had been a long depressing one about Sirius and Mrs. Lovegood and the Potter's and Voldemort and all of the things that made their lives depressing and miserable; but now it was much more fun. Why, today they had been discussing Quidditch and the easiest way to catch Crumpled-Horned Snorkacks. Okay; so Harry didn't quite believe that Snorkacks were real, but that was okay.

Things were going wonderfully too. This had to be the single greatest date of Harry's life. Sure, he only had one date before it; but this one was much better. Unlike Cho, Luna was actually interested in talking about happy things, and also unlike Cho, Luna looked really cute when Harry made her laugh, which seemed to be all the time. In fact she was laughing at his joke right now. Oh this was a good day to be alive! Luna was laughing at his joke; in another of her loud, long, over-the-top laughs like the kind she had used on the train with Ron. Okay, so most of the people around them were looking as if she was insane, but Harry like the way she laughed. Besides, people already thought they were both unbalanced, so why not be crazy and happy?

"You know Luna; this is the best date of my life. I really like you."

Harry said as he took her hand in his own. Luna was blushing now and staring at him with those wide eyes that made Harry's heart flutter and his cheeks flush. She was smiling and then she was speaking to him. What was it she was saying? She liked him too? And she was having a great time? Yes! Yes this was good! Harry and Luna were both having a great time and they liked each other! It was like a fairy tale, or a dream –

"Harry have you seen Pig? Harry? HARRY!"

Harry's eyes shot open and he found that his blurry vision was currently locked on a redheaded boy above him. Groaning, Harry didn't even both reaching for his glasses before he put a hand on Ron's face and pushed him away. He could hear Ron squeak and tumble to the ground with a thud, followed by quick cursing and angry shouts. Harry groaned and grabbed a pillow, flinging it over his head and trying desperately to block out the sound. Every night Harry dreamed of Voldemort and Bellatrix murdering Ron, Hermione, Luna and Lupin and Ron always made him sleep through that. The one night Harry had a good dream was the night Ron chose to wake him up. The irony was overwhelming.

Sighing and realizing that he would not be able to finish his dream about Luna, Harry sat up and began to rub his eyes. He had been having a good dream for once in his life . . . a dream about Luna. Harry was still groggy from the lack of sleep and it wasn't until he was slipping on his glasses and digging around for some clean pants that he realized he had been dreaming about dating Luna.

Harry had suddenly realized that he did, in fact, have a crush on Luna Lovegood. He wasn't going to deny that to himself. Three years ago when he had first played Cho Chang in Quidditch, he had felt a crush on her. Now he had a crush on Luna; and found it was very different. He had liked Cho because she was pretty. That may sound shallow, but it was the truth. The second he'd gotten to know Cho he'd found she wasn't only a witch, but also something that rhymed with witch.

Luna on the other hand was kind, and gentle, and caring, and also very pretty. She was, err, "eccentric", for lack of a better term. Then again he didn't mind that. So what if she tucked her wand behind her ear, and wore a bottle-cap necklace. So what if she had constructed a life-sized Lion's head that actually roared. Harry saw that as creative and constructive; instead of weird and unconventional. Then again, fighting men with two faces, conversing with serpents, and pretty much anything else in Harry's past could be construed as irregular as well. Perhaps they were just two peas in a pod. Two peculiar peas in a pod.

Harry was halfway to his first class – Defense Against the Dark Arts – when he was shaken from his thoughts about Luna by a voice that he, unfortunately, recognized.

"Slow down Potter." Malfoy growled.

Harry turned around and his vivid-green eyes locked on the shapes of Malfoy, Crabbe and Knott. All of them looked downright lethal and it was at this moment that Harry noticed he was alone in the hallway with them and that he was late for class. Since everyone else was in class there was little chance they'd be interrupted and Harry knew right away that Malfoy was gunning for revenge. After all, Goyle was in St. Mungo's because of Harry and Malfoy's reputation had been damaged almost as badly as his broom because of the past two days.

"How many beatings do you fancy for today Draco?" Harry asked in a fake-sweet voice. Malfoy narrowed his eyes.

"You're the one getting the beating, Potter." Malfoy spat in a venomous tone. "Even if you hex one of us the other two will take you out. And I promise you that by the time we're done with you, you'll be with Goyle in St. Mungo's."

"And you'll be with daddy in Azkaban." Harry replied coolly. Malfoy glared like the sun and his wand hand began to shake with rage. Harry was merely buying time until he'd have to find a way out of this. Then again he had once been surrounded by Death Eaters and being dueled against by Voldemort himself and he found a way out; so Draco Malfoy was just a small fish in a big pond of people who wanted Harry in pain.

"Let's curse him and get it over with." Theodore Knott complained, aiming his wand much steadier than Draco. Harry remembered his encounter with Mr. Knott last year at the Department of Mysteries and he was sure that Theodore, like Draco, was doing this more for his father than for the oaf Goyle.

"Sure." Harry responded. He went for his wand and Malfoy began to hiss a spell, but at that moment a shape appeared between them and all four of the boys stopped. Professor Wiltra had stepped between them and his beady eyes were looking from the Slytherin Trio to Harry. Then he cleared his throat.

"You're late for my class. Ten points from each of you, and I will speak to Professors McGonnigal and Snape about this."

Wiltra then turned and hurried Harry and the Slytherins into his class. As soon as Harry was pushed into the classroom he made his way over to his seat (which was located in the middle of the room, with Ron at his right, Hermione at his left, Dean in front of him and Pavarti behind him). He turned his eyes up to the board where the words "Elevated Risk Spells" were written. Then he looked up at Wiltra who was leaning a gloved hand on his desk. His eyes then moved over to Malfoy, who was glaring at him dangerously from the corner.

"Now as I was saying." He continued his lecture from before. "ERS or Elevated Risk Spells; are some of the most dangerous spells taught to wizard kind. They are all designed for simple, everyday purposes; however because of their possibility to become lethal if used incorrectly, the Ministry did not want you learning them until now. Today we shall learn the burning spell, Exussum Nunc.

However as soon as Professor Wiltra had said these words and reached waved his wand so that a large square of chalk would write it on the blackboard behind him; Hermione raised her hand with a outright confused expression printed on her face.

"Yes Miss. Granger?" The Professor asked.

"Professor, shouldn't we be taught Extermino Nunc, the spell for poisoning house-hold pests like rats, first? The book recommends it. Page 211, I believe."

Professor Wiltra blinked, Ron muttered something that sounded oddly like 'know-it-all', and Harry; who wasn't paying attention, merely sat there thinking about the next time Malfoy would jump him. A moment later Professor Wiltra opened the large leather-bound spell book on his desk and began flipping through pages.

"Yes, well." Professor Wiltra said, a slight blush creeping onto his face and a nervous sweat glistening on his bald brow. "H-however." He continued, obviously very flustered that he had been caught in a mistake. "I see no reason to teach it to you. We'll proceed with the lesson I had planned then."

Hermione quirked a brow from Harry's left and Ron began to absently twirl a quill in his hands as boredom overwhelmed him. Harry however wasn't paying much attention as Wiltra continued his lesson on burning ERSs. Instead of listening to the teacher's comments on the various charms and hexes, Harry was thinking about the dream he'd had about Luna and Himself. He found his eyelids growing heavy and, remembering the good dream from before, Harry didn't even try to give up. Instead he set his head down on the desk and allowed sleep to wash over his body.

Harry found that he was no longer sitting in Professor Wiltra's class. Now he was sitting in a large wooden chair with a red silk back. Harry was wearing long black robes and he was looking down at a letter, reading it boredly as his long white fingers tapped the desk impatiently. Suddenly a door opened and a pair of women appeared. One was tall and slender and dressed in the finest clothing money could buy. Her blonde hair was falling around her head gracefully and she struck him as a figure from the Victorian age. The second woman was shorter and thinner and much paler. Her hair was black and while it was obviously been washed and cut it still had a permanent look of tangled weaves.

"My lord." Bellatrix Lestrange hissed at Harry. "I pursued the aurors Moody and Tonks as far as I could; but they have escaped."

"That is unacceptable, Bella." Harry – or at least the person whose eyes Harry was seeing through -- hissed. Voldemort flicked his eyes upward at Bellatrix. "Explain."

"They were aided by the werewolf Lupin!" Bellatrix attempted to explain as fear crept into her voice. "We were outmatched!"

"No Bella." Harry heard his vessel's voice repeat. "You had the dementors."

Bellatrix fell to her knees. "Lupin used a Patronus! They fled my lord! I was over powered! However I still have others after them; we will catch them I swear my lord—"

Harry could hear Voldemort's disappointed sigh. He could feel Voldemort's hand raise the wand and he could see the frightful terror that danced in Bellatrix's eyes. Maybe it was from being inside Voldemort's mind; or maybe it was because the woman had killed Sirius, but Harry was enjoying that look of fear.

"Crucio!"

Harry could hear the cries of pain. He could see Bellatrix as she writhed on the ground. And then the world began to swirl around him. He was waking up. His mind was returning and he realized he had been dreaming and seeing through Voldemort's eyes once again as he had many times in the past. When he looked up he found someone was shouting at him.

"Potter! Potter wake up you!"

Harry let out a small gasp. Malfoy was standing about a foot from Harry's desk. The Slytherins had lined up behind him and all of the Gryffindors were behind Harry; except for Ron and Hermione who stood at his sides. The Professor was no where to be found. Harry was so preoccupied with his dream and seeing Voldemort's plans and hearing of Mad-Eye and Tonks that he didn't have time for this.

"Wiltra was called to the Headmaster's Office." Malfoy smirked. "Now we're going to finish this. I would have hexed you when you were asleep, but I'd much rather embarrass you this way."

Harry shook his head. "Now isn't the time."

Malfoy glared. "You're not backing out from this Potter; not again—"

Harry's eyes fell on the ESP on the board for burning. He decided he didn't have time to waste on Malfoy and raised his wand. He'd never used the spell before and slept right through Wiltra's demonstration, so he had no clue what to expect. "Exussum Nunc!"

A jet of flames shot from the end of Harry's wand. Draco let out a loud, girlish scream as they covered him and Crabbe and Knott behind him. Blaise Zabini's shirt was ignited and Daphne Greengrass beside her shrieked as her hair caught flames. Malfoy was screaming the loudest.

Then the flames vanished all at once. All of the Slytherins who had been lit up seconds ago fell to their knees panting. Malfoy's body was covered in burns and he was whimpering and crying. Harry's vivid-green eyes moved over to where Wiltra and Dumbledore stood in the doorway. Wiltra opened his mouth but Dumbledore instead ordered him to find Madam Pompfrey before he commanded Harry to follow him.

When they were alone in the hallway on their way back to Dumbledore's office, Harry broke into speech right away. "Professor I saw Voldemort in my dream again! Mad-Eye and Tonks are in danger, he sent dementors after them and –"

"Yes, I am aware." Dumbledore nodded as he continued to walk down the halls. They were nearing his office now and Harry was thoroughly confused at the idea that Dumbledore knew this was going on. Dumbledore knew about what happened? What did that mean?

"You know?" Harry asked.

"Last night, Lord Voldemort and his minions attacked the Auror group assigned to search Malfoy Manor." Dumbledore explained. "Alastor Moody and Nymphadora Tonks were able to escape; however they were hunted by dementors and Bellatrix Lestrange. As I understand it they spent the night in the woods and were found by Remus Lupin this morning. Lupin was able to help them escape; I don't think I have to tell you he's good with the Patronus Charm."

They didn't speak another word until they were in Dumbledore's office. Harry was so swept over with relief that Bellatrix had failed to catch them. Dumbledore took his usual seat and Harry sat down in an armchair in front of his desk. On the edge of the desk was a silver vase-like object that seemed to be emitting strange noises. Harry looked at it for a second before turning up to Dumbledore.

Harry sunk back into the chair with a soft sigh. He had been worried the Order had lost two of its members. Yes, he had heard Bellatrix say that they had escaped; but it was much more comforting to hear it from Albus Dumbledore. Harry then looked back up at him.

"Sir? What happened to Voldemort?"

Dumbledore blinked. "He is still at Malfoy Manor, I believe."

Harry was dumbfounded. "If we know where he's at –"

"There are over one thousand Dementors." Dumbledore said in a warning voice. "I assure you, both the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry of Magic are preparing a joint-assault. However Harry I must remind you that you are a student."

Harry shook his head. "Sir, you know the prophecy!"

"Indeed." Dumbledore replied. "And you know that at this time you cannot kill Voldemort. Harry I think it would be best for all of us if you stayed in school. And I also believe it wise if you do as I commanded you earlier and stop using dangerous spells on your fellow students."

Harry opened his mouth to complain but Dumbledore shook his head. "Harry, do you trust me?"

Harry nodded. "Of course I do Professor."

Dumbledore's aged face cracked into a smile beneath the silvery beard. "Then trust that I know what I mean. If I'm not very much mistaken, you will find a way to help us. You always do."

"Professor what do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Nothing at all." Dumbledore responded. "Now have a lemon drop, Harry."

Harry was a bit surprised by this. He looked over on the large desk and found a small bowl of Lemon Drops sitting on the edge. He took one and then he sat back. While he'd much rather be involved in fighting Voldemort openly, Dumbledore was right about one thing. For five years Harry had stayed at Hogwarts and for five years he'd wound up helping the Anti-Voldemort supporters in some way. Harry then looked up at the Headmaster.

"Professor? I, err. Well, it just seems like every year you have all the answers. I always kinda thought you know more about what is happening than you let on."

Dumbledore sat back in is chair. "I have no idea what you're talking about." And while this was his reply, Harry caught the brief twinkle in his eyes. Perhaps Dumbledore had some plan for Harry yet. Harry wasn't sure. He was sure that the last time he'd gone off on his own it had resulted in Sirius Black's death; so he had no intention of dashing off to Malfoy Manor for a duel with the devil.

After finishing his lemon drop, Harry stood and turned to leave the Headmaster's office, but as he did knocked over the silver vase, which shattered on the ground. Harry apologized but Dumbledore looked rather amused. "Clean it up Harry. I shall go check on Mr. Malfoy's burns. You may return to your next class when you are finished. Although I think I must double your detention sentence."

Harry nodded and began to clean up the debris. Then his eyes fell on a small gold box that had come out of the vase. It had fallen open and a key and a old scrap of parchment had fallen out. Harry picked it up and looked around for Dumbledore, but he couldn't find it. Harry returned the key, which was gold with a red jewel at the top, to the box and was about to return the small note when he noticed a name on it.

Sirius.

Harry quickly read the note through three times.

Sirius,

Here's the key. Don't lose it.

I don't have to tell you how important this key is.

Do me a favor, Padfoot. Make sure you don't forget where you hid it. Like you did with the pencils we used for the map?


I want to pass this on to my kid someday . . .

Anyway, meet you in the Shrieking Shack later.

- Prongs

As Harry read the note he felt something. This note. This peace of paper had been written by his father. By James Potter. He read it through and realized that this paper was written by James Potter and given to Sirius Black. And that line in there about passing this key onto his kid someday. Harry didn't know what this key was for or why his dad had thought it so important, but he did know he was not giving it back to Dumbledore. It would probably be wise to ask Dumbledore what the key was for; but Dumbledore may not let him keep it that way. And James Potter had clearly written that he wanted his kid to have this key.

Harry slipped the note inside the gold box that contained the key and he pocketed it. He then continued gathering up the broken shards of the vase.

"Still here Harry?"

Harry looked up to see Albus Dumbledore standing in the doorway. He wondered if Dumbledore had seen him pocket the key, but Dumbledore's face was completely unreadable. The headmaster waved his wand and the shards of the vase vanished.

"Run along Harry. You're late for Professor McGonnigal's class."

"Yes sir."

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Current Tunes: -Listening to Jimmy Buffett, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait sing the Hank Williams classic Hey Good Lookin' (What'cha Got Cookin'?)-

Author's Notes: This one wasn't as romantically driven, but very important.

Next chapter will be about Luna.