Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter I'd be writing book 6 right now, and as I'm not…

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This was a day that would be remembered forever in Hogwarts history. The school was full of tension and even the students who had no idea what was going on felt it. In the Gryffindor common room there was an unnatural hush. They had all gathered around the fireplace waiting. They were not quite sure why, but they knew that they had to wait.

Nearly every member of the school was also scared, the last time they were ordered to stay in their common rooms was when Sirius Black had broken into the castle. The prefects walked up and down their common rooms, not quite sure what they were meant to be doing but trying to enforce order on the frightened pupils.

The only common room that was not scared was that of the Slytherins. Their common room seemed to be more apprehensive rather than scared or frightened; however they like the rest of the school were waiting in silence. They seemed to know something important was about to happen, something that would change history forever.

The only sounds made in all the common rooms was the crackling of the fires, the spitting of the wax in the candles, the sound of their breathing and the squeaking of the prefects shoes as they walked up and down. There was a very definite unease within the castle walls as everyone waited, even the Slytherins. Everyone waited…

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Ron and Harry walked side by side, shoulder to shoulder down an eerie passage way. Grim looks set in stone on their faces, hands clenched by their sides and their breathing heavy. Their footsteps tapped on the stone wall beneath them echoing down the dark and musty corridor.

Nothing was said between them but they both knew exactly what the other was thinking. There was one thing on both their minds, save Hermione.

Harry knew that if Lord Voldemort got Hermione he would become more powerful than ever before and would be able to defeat Harry as Voldemort would have Hermione's love. Harry needed to save both Hermione and himself from that fate.

Ron knew that he loved Hermione and could not bare to let anything hurt her. Hermione had been apart of his life for about 5 years now and he wasn't go to let her be taken away from him that easily. He needed her; she added stability to his life and was part of the person he now was. Both Harry and Hermione were the most important people in his life and if someone threatened to hurt them, that person would have to deal with him.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were 'The Trio' and they stuck together no matter what. Both knew Hermione was in danger and both wanted to save her. They knew they would have to work together just as they always had, and when they worked together they had always won. This time they were working to save a member of the trio, without her they would be nothing.

Harry and Ron continued to walk further down the cold passageway, away from Hogwarts. Their figures disappearing from sight into the mists of the darkness beyond.

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In the cobbled courtyard nothing stirred. There was no breeze to speak of and the musty air hung on everything it came into contact with.

None of the twenty figures had moved, all had stayed exactly where they were, just as though they were waiting for someone.

40 pairs of shiny black eyes gleamed out of the slits in their hoods; all focused one a space in the middle of the circle.

They knew that they were soon to be joined with their master. They knew that the prophecy was soon to be completed.

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Albus Dumbledore swept down a corridor, his robes billowing out behind him seemingly by some invisible force.

He was furious beyond measure. No one hurt any of his student without facing his wrath especially Tom. He could not actually believe that this boy had come into his castle; this was meant to be a safe place.

Dumbledore whispered something to the golden phoenix that was perched on his shoulder. Fawkes swept off down the corridor to continue the search elsewhere in the castle. Dumbledore needed to find Hermione before it was too late. That was when he heard the scream.

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Everyone in the Gryffindor common room jumped. A scream had swept through the castle reaching even the farthest corners, blowing away cob webs and dust. It was a high shrill scream that seemed to go on forever ringing down the corridors. It was filled with pain and anguish. It was a woman's scream. All at once the common room was filled with startled and hysterical talking, even the prefects were too scared to hush them and calm their fears.

Everyone was asking the same questions, who screamed, why did they scream, and was the reason for the scream why they had to stay in their common rooms?

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Snape had been checking the area around the kitchens when he heard the scream. It was so shrill and loud that it pierced through his skull and resounded inside his head.

'Oh no.' He whispered under his breath.

He ran towards to the great hall trying to track the scream, his greasy hair flowing after him like a mane. The scream was getting louder and louder, it was shrill and sounded as though the person the scream belonged to was being tortured.

Snape, Harry, Ron and Dumbledore all flooded into the great hall looking for the direction of the scream. It seemed to be coming from a corridor that none of them had noticed before, it had a small stone entrance that you would have to bend to get through. They all fled down it dreading what they would find.

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Sorry I haven't updated sooner but I haven't been allowed near the computer as my brother and mum have been hogging it and not letting me on!!!!

Please R & R my story, how do I know what everyone thinks of it if you don't?

Once again thanks to all my reviewers!

Kit21 - We so have to meet up!!! Lots and lots of ice cream I think!