Ok people! Yay! Chapter 27! This is the chapter where stuff really starts to happen!
Lara: Hey! I won't help you write a humour fic if you keep mimicking me like that. *glares* Anyway, just kidding I'll help ya. Moving in, thanks for reviewing, I'm sure you don't have a clue what's going on, but hey! Any review adds to my collection.
Ghetx2o: Yeh, I couldn't keep them apart for too long, their too great together. And Hermione……well you know. WHAT?! NO! You can't *cries* That's like, AH! Well maybe I'll just stop writing at the end of this chapter. See how you like it. I'm not talking…….typing…..to you anymore.
Itshanishman: Glad you liked it, I'm trying not to take too long, but like I said, chapters are staring to take too long to write, don't kill me.
Jen: Sorry, I try to update as soon as possible, but you know, what with school, mock SAT's and a whole load of other stuff, it's hard to update too quickly, and the chapters are getting harder to write. *sigh*
Pippi: I know, Ron's kinda drifted out of the picture. But he'll be back, actually he's in this chapter!………well kind of. I can't wait until you write something, I bet it'll be great. Will it be a Harry/Cho fic. *pleads*
Little Marauder: Thanks! Hope you like this chapter!
HoshiHakari4ever: Yay! My chapters are making you happy, not angry cos I won't tell you anything! *grins* This chapter probably won't cheer you up, sorry, but all good things must come to an end.
Miss-Aurelia: Hey! Please, please, please! Tell me the cucumber story, you don't have to put it in a review, you can e-mail me if you like! Thanks for the cookie and you may take what you wish for that delightful review. Oh and I'm vegetarian so sausage, nu-uh. I'm sorry this story must end soon, but like the cheesy saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Of course I'm planning on more fics. I've got about three definite ideas, and a few things which need sorting out. But I may take a short break from writing and I have my other fandom to consider (Jimmy Neutron) I some fic ideas for that too. Anyway. This review reply is probably boring you to death, so I bid you happy reading!
Gryffindor's Heiress: Hey, thanks for the review. Kieran will definitely play a big role in this story before the end, he may be working for Voldemort, he may not. You'll just have to wait and see. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When they parted Harry looked deep into her eyes and smiled, before releasing his grip on her reluctantly.
"Goodnight." She said smiling at him, Harry returned the smile and started to say:
"Goodni-" he began, but a sudden stab of pain shot through his forehead, he screamed and fell to the floor clutching his scar. The pain was blinding, Harry felt like his head might explode as he struggled to hold onto his consciousness. Images began to flash past his eyes as the excruciating pain increased. But he couldn't make them out. All he saw were flashes of colour, red, yellow, black, green. He couldn't concentrate enough to decipher them.
The pain didn't stop for at least 2 minutes, but it felt like forever as Harry crouched on the floor, losing all feeling of where he was. All he could feel was sheer agony.
Eventually Harry seemed to be released from the grip of pain and sat on the ground sweating and breathing with some difficultly. Cho was crouching before him crying desperately. When he opened his eyes and stopped screaming she threw her arms around him, sobbing uncontrollably. Harry barely noticed her as the throbbing pain ebbed away leaving him confused. He hadn't experienced anything like that this year. He didn't know what to think, should he tell someone? Dumbledore?
For about minute Harry sat still, trying to figure out the images he'd just seen. But it only made his head hurt even more. so eventually he came back to earth and embraced Cho, holding her close trying to comfort her. It was a while before her sobs subsided and she lifted her head.
"What happened?" she asked shakily. Harry shrugged.
"I don't know really. Sometimes it get that when I'm experiencing Voldemort's thoughts or feelings, but I couldn't figure anything out." He said, still confused as to what it meant.
"I was so scared." Cho said as a fresh wave of tears spilled over
"Hey, it's ok I'm fine, it's happened before." Harry said hugging her again and wiping away her tears. "Come on, we have to get back, don't worry about me, I'm exhausted, all I need is some sleep." Harry said, helping her to stand up and smiling encouragingly at her. Cho tried to force a smile in return.
"I don't want to leave you, what if it happens again?" Cho said not letting go of his hands.
"Don't worry I told you, I'll be fine. It's over now." Harry insisted. "You're friends will be wondering where you are." Harry said. Cho gave in, reluctantly and with one last kiss they parted.
Harry wandered slowly back to his common room, deep in thought about what he'd seen, or rather what he hadn't seen. He knew he had to tell Hermione, so when he collapsed in a chair by the fire he told her everything, and she listened intently for the few minutes it took to tell the story. Harry had hoped she could shed some light on the situation but she had no idea what to say. So Harry gave up and went up to his dormitory, hoping he could forget about everything through sleep.
Harry entered his dormitory still pondering the images he'd seen a few minutes ago and what they could mean. He was so deep in though, he didn't even notice the absence of Kieran who was usually sitting waiting for Harry reading, doing homework or something.
He was just about to give up thinking and collapse on his bed when he noticed an owl sitting on his four-poster with a letter tied to it's leg. There was nothing written on the envelope so Harry opened the letter an unfolded it. The letter it was written in scrawly hand writing that Harry recognised as Ron's. But he'd thought Ron hated him and Hermione, he hoped it wasn't another letter full of abuse. But when he began to read he immediately found that this was a lot more serious.
HarryI'm sorry for everything I've done, but you have to believe me, it's not my fault. It's Kieran. I know he's taken my place at Hogwarts, but he's not who you think he is. I'm the only one who knows. He's Draco Malfoy's cousin, he's working for Voldemort and he's the reason I was expelled. It was him who sent the alcohol for the ball, he knew I would be caught and suspended. That's what he wanted. Whilst I was at the Burrow he got into my room, I don't know how, but he did, he put me under the Imperious curse, he was controlling my actions whilst I was at Hogwarts, that's how I got expelled. I could barely remember my own name at times, but the spell beginning to slip and I knew I had to tell you, he's not safe, you're not safe around him, he's going t-
That was all that was written. Harry turned over the letter. But there was nothing but blank parchment. The information wasn't sinking in. Ron. Kieran. Malfoy. Voldemort. Imperious curse. Nothing made sense. The words just flitted around his brain as he tried to make sense of them. He felt like he was in a dream, or nightmare. Harry put a hand to head and to his scar which still throbbed dully not helping his brain concentrate.
The images he'd seen just minutes ago when his scar had hurt came whirling back, clouding his mind even more. He began to pick out clear pictures, mostly Kieran, Voldemort or Ron. There was no pattern or sequence to the images, they just came at random, not meaning anything. When Harry managed to shake the shapes from his brain he blinked several times and looked down at the letter.
Suddenly he understood. Well he understood enough to charge down the stairs into the common room clutching the letter in his fist. Hermione was still sitting by the fire, working on some sort of homework, he sprinted over to her and thrust the letter at her panic rising inside him. Blind panic was sinking in as the words finally began to make proper sense to Harry.
Hermione's eyes skimmed the letter quickly, her expression turning from interest to horror and sheer panic with the abrupt ending. She looked at Harry who was standing over her breathing very heavily, trying to keep calm.
"I-I-I don't understand, Hermione stuttered out. Harry felt exactly how she sounded, confused, anxious and panic stricken.
"I know, but if you think about it, it makes perfect sense." Harry replied. "It brings everything together. Why Ron was expelled. Why it was Kieran who came to Hogwarts. Why Kieran acted so……..Ron-like." Harry said quickly. Hermione nodded.
"So you think it's real……?" she said, Harry gave her a bemused look.
"What?" he asked. What did she mean? Real?
"I mean, it could be fake or something, a lot of weird stuff happens around Hogwarts." She said. Harry knew it was a rational idea but still dismissed it almost immediately.
"Who would make up something like that, who would be able to tie everything together like that so convincingly, it's got to be real, meaning Ron must be in danger, why else would he stop writing in mid sentence. If Kieran has him under the Imperious how long is it until he does something drastic to him." Harry said very quickly, his brain ticking over at an alarming rate, trying desperately, to think what he should do.
But his scar exploded with agony again. He felt his knees buckle and he screamed out in pain. His forehead burned like fire and those images crept into his minds eye. He saw Kieran, he had his wand in his hand and was laughing maliciously at someone or something below him which Harry couldn't see. There were screams from the person Kieran was torturing and Harry felt that feeling of panic grip him even tighter.
"RON!" he screamed, if he could only reach a few centimetres further, he could…..touch…….Ron……but…..
Then it was over, the pain diminished, and Harry was left kneeling on the common room floor, sweating and panting, like he had just before with Cho. Hermione looked horrified and terrified, she knelt beside him tears welling in her eyes.
"Harry! Are you ok?" she said through her first tears. Harry took several deep breaths and stood up.
"I'm fine, but Ron isn't. Kieran's got him, he's torturing him Hermione. We've got to do something." He replied, and without waiting for Hermione to reply he grabbed her arm, pulled her across the common room and out of the portrait hole.
He ran along the corridors and down the stairs, pulling Hermione behind him until he reached the entrance hall. He let go of her arm and ran towards the front doors. He yanked one door open and sprinted out into the open air. He could hear Hermione running behind him, too out of breath from running to question him.
Harry wasn't thinking straight, all he knew was that his best friends was in extreme danger and he had to do something.
Cho's POV:
Cho hadn't returned to her common room yet, she didn't want to see her friends just yet, she was preoccupied with what had happened with Harry. She was worried about him, something was tugging at the back of her mind, telling her that something wasn't right. She'd wandered the corridors for a while now still mulling everything over, wishing she could check on Harry, just to convince herself he was fine.
She walked past an old, worn tapestry of some random knight on a jet black horse, but she didn't notice it, she hadn't noticed anything since she'd seen Harry.
But out of nowhere a red glow began to burn around Cho, she jumped in fright and looked around for the source, pulling her wand out in the process. But didn't spot it until she looked down to her hands and saw the ring on her finger. It was glowing bright scarlet, illuminating the dark corridor. Cho gasped and held her hand up to eye level, it burned brighter and brighter as if trying to tell Cho something.
There was a flash of red light around her and an image appeared in the glowing light. Like a picture in a crystal ball. It was Harry, he was with Hermione, they were outside in the castle ground, running, quickly but quietly. They were going somewhere, but Cho had no idea where.
Then it was gone. The light from the ring dimmed and she was left alone in the corridor once again. Cho felt slightly panicked, but she wasted no time in turning back the way she'd come and sprinting as fast as she could towards the Hogwarts entrance hall.
Cho was very athletic, she had to be fast on a broom to be a seeker, all the training she'd been through made her running skills very good, she was easily the fastest girl in her house, but she felt like a snail running around the corridors to the entrance hall. She had to find Harry. He needed her. She knew very little about what he was doing, but instinct and some sort of connection told her he would need her soon.
Cho quickly reached the entrance hall, she dashed through the front doors and out into to open. He eyes flitted left and right, searching for any sign of Harry or Hermione. Nothing but a quiet night breeze greeted her so she turned and ran off towards the Quidditch pitch.
Harry's POV:
Harry reached the Broom shed, where his Firebolt was kept. He tried to yank open the door, but found it locked. Hermione realised it was her turn to step in. She pulled out her wand and said 'Alohamora' still nothing, she cursed under her breath, it was locked with magic beyond a simple spell. She muttered more spells under her breath and eventually the lock clicked and the door swung open.
Harry didn't stop to ask how Hermione had done it, he ran inside, picked up his broom and mounted it.
"Get on." He said simply to Hermione who hesitated slightly.
"Where are we going Harry?" she asked.
"Just get on. We don't have time, Ron's in danger." Harry said desperately, knowing each second that ticked away was another second closer to losing Ron. Still Hermione didn't move.
"But remember what happened last time, what if it's just Voldemort playing with your mind again. You should go to Dumbledore." Hermione said biting her lip.
"It's not. I just know it's not. Please Hermione we have to hurry." Harry begged. Hermione sighed and mounted the broom behind Harry who kicked off from the ground and they sped into the cold night air. The throbbing in his scar was constantly increasing, making the feeling of panic and Harry's stomach increase. He turned his broom and leaned flat on the Firebolt which shot forward at an alarming rate.
Even flying couldn't calm Harry's feelings now. His heart was heavy with worry and panic. No matter what Hermione said he knew Ron was in danger. The wind whipped through Harry's hair as he urged his broom faster. He didn't know where he was going, yet he knew exactly where to turn. He lost all track of time as he sped through the air on his Firebolt, Hermione clinging on behind him.
Cho's POV:
Cho kicked off from the ground and flew into the air on her Nimbus 2000. She didn't know where Harry was going but her instinct and that connection they had, told her where to turn and where to go. She knew it would be a test for her and her broom to keep the same speed as Harry and his firebolt, but she had to try. She leant flat on her broom and zoomed off into the darkness after Harry.
Her eyes searched the sky, desperate for any sign that Harry was near, but she never glimpsed him. She'd been flying for at least half an hour, letting nothing but her feelings guide her. It was risky but she felt sure they wouldn't let her down, not when she needed them most.
Cho's eyes stung as the cold, harsh night wind biting at her cheeks making her deep, brown eyes water. But she barely blinked. The wind tore straight through her flimsy school robes, but she didn't notice the cold. Every particle of her body was determined to find Harry. He couldn't do this alone. And whatever this was, it was why they were connected, it was why she had the ring, why they had a special connection, and why their destinies were intertwined.
With these thoughts Cho urged her broom faster, begging the darkness that swallowed her trail to give her sign. But she saw nothing.
Harry's POV:
Harry could see large buildings beneath him, blocks of flat, factories and offices. He knew he was flying over London and he knew where he was going. The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. He said to himself as he touched down outside 11 and 13 Grimmauld place. He dismounted his broom and propped it against one of the brick walls. He remembered that piece of paper he'd been shown last year. 'The Order of the Phoenix may be found at number 12 Grimmauld Place, London.' He thought hard.
The house appeared in front of him. Harry charged towards the door and yanked at the door handle, finding it open he charged inside, Hermione hot on his heels.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mwahahahahaha! I'll just leave you all in suspense.