Chapter 9: The Mystery of the Key
Willow found herself in the middle of nowhere. There was dark all around her, as much as she strained her eyes, she couldn't see even a glimmer of light. "Hello?" she called into the darkness, "Is anybody there?"
"The Key has come to Hogwarts?" a cold voice rang from deep within the darkness that made her blood run cold. "Yes, Master," she heard someone answer. "Fine then, we shall go to Hogwarts and retrieve it," the cold voice answered, "Come my faithful servants! Your Master, the Dark Lord, calls upon you!"
Just then, she woke up, "What was that? " she asked herself. Willow sat in her bed and replayed the dream through her mind. She remembered the sorting hat saying something about the Dark Lord. The dream, if any was true, told her the Dark Lord was looking for something called the "Key". And that "it" had come to Hogwarts.....
Back in Harry's Head
"They don't make 'em like that here, do they mate?" said Ron watching Hermione and Willow walk up the stairs to the girl's dormitories. "I'm moving straight to the States after I graduate."
"What are you going to do after graduation, Harry" asked Neville. Harry hadn't thought of that, what was he going to do after graduation? He had been studying to be an Auror, but if he didn't get high enough marks, he wouldn't be able to get in the necessary N.E.W.T. classes.
"I'm not sure," he replied, frowning slightly.
"Well, I reckon I should be headed off to bed," sad Ron yawning. "Me too," said Harry trudging up the stairs. He got to the boy's dormitory and slipped out of his robes and into his night clothes.
Yawning, he slipped under the bed covers and closed the curtain around his four poster bed. For a few moments all he heard were Ron's snores and the patering of the rain against the window before falling asleep.
Harry was sitting in a damp stone room, lit only by the moonbeams coming thru a small window. The light fell on a hooded figure bowed before him. "Hello?" He heard a distent voice call, "Is anybody there?" He ignored it.
"The Key has come to Hogwarts?" he said in a voice that was not his own. "Yes, Master," answered the hooded figure. "Fine then, we shall go to Hogwarts and retrieve it," he answered, "Come my faithful servants! Your Master, the Dark Lord, calls upon you!"
Harry sat up bolt right in bed, his scar stinging. "Are you alright?" said Neville staring down at him wide eyed and pale. He nodded clutching his scar. "'Cause you were making a bloody fuss."
"Should we tell McGonagall? What was your dream about this time? Is anyone hurt?"
"No," he answered, "It's Voldemort, he said something about a 'Key' here at Hogwarts, and he's coming to look for it."
"Harry, maybe we should get McGonagall," said Ron turning towards the door.
"No!" said Harry grabbing his wrist.
"Harry-"
"NO!"
"Fine then, blimey, I was just trying to help," Ron finished wrenching free. Everybody, quite taken back by his outbreak, went back to their beds. Harry swung his legs back unto the bed and stared out watching the rain hit the window.
These weird dreams had started in his fifth year and he had gotton quite use to them since. Though they were still disturbing. I'll tell McGonagall tomorrow, he thought shutting his eyes and falling asleep once more.
Back in Willow's Head
"Willow," said Hermione pulling the curtains, "Let's go to breakfast, Harry's waiting down stairs." Willow quickly got dressed completely pushing the dream out of her mind as she sprinted down the stairs eager to start the first day of lessons.
"What do we have first?" asked Harry as they walked down to the Great Hall. "We have Care of Magical Creatures with Ravenclaw at eight," Willow began from the top of her head, " Potions with Slytherin at nine, Charms with Hufflepuff at ten, double Transfiguration with Slytherin again at eleven and twelve, lunch-"
"You've memorized the schedule?" Harry interrupted with disbelief. "It's just, you know, never being able to learn stuff like this, you, you get pretty excited," she said rather sheepishly.
They walked into the Great Hall and sat beneath the enchanted ceiling which showed a gray, dreary morning. Hurriedly, Willow wolfed down her breakfast. "Come on guys, were gonna be late," she warned. "Willow, we still have ten minutes," said Hermione, "Oh, and you have a bit of egg, right there."
"Oh," she said embarrassed as she wiped it away with here sleeve. They finally finished eating and began to walk onto the grounds when they were stopped by a cold voice, "O'Conner," she heard someone call. She turned around and saw a tall boy with sleek blond hair, cold, gray eyes, and a pale face.
"What are you hanging around with losers like that for, a mudblood and a celebrity who needs there head deflated," at this, two people that looked like massive boulders snickered. "What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry sneered. "Nothing that concerns you, Potter," he answered back coldly, "So, what do you say?" he said turning his attention back to Willow, "How's about you dump this foul blood and come with me?"
Willow could see it in his eyes, she could see that he had a cold, dark heart. One that could never be freed from the eternal darkness that traps so many hearts.
She looked from Harry and Hermione back to Malfoy. "I can clearly see who has the foul blood here," she said coldly and turned back to her two friends, "We'd better get going, we might be late," she said to them as she readjusted her book bag slung over her shoulder. They walked out onto the grounds leaving a dumbfounded, and vanquished Malfoy.
"Good job, Willow, you told off that Malfoy," Hermione said smiling. But she was distracted by something else, her pendant was glowing.
In Hermione's Head
"Good job, Willow, you told off that Malfoy," Hermione said smiling. But Willow looked distracted by something else. "What's wrong?" she asked her. She was holding a emerald green pendant that was glowing bright. It had a strange, design in the middle, it was almost like three long, narrow leaves connected at the end. "Its never done this before," Willow said trying not to panic.
Just then, it began to dim until it was no longer shining. "That was weird," she said quickly blowing it off, "Come on, we're gonna be late."
They finally reached Hagrid's, or what use to be Hagrid's, hut. Most of the Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors were already there. Just as soon as they got to the fence in the back of the hut, they saw a large metal cage with a large, wolf-like creature pacing the perimeter of its cage. Every time someone made eye contact with it, it snarled and snapped at the bars of the cage. Its white fur shimmered even in the suns dull light. Its fiery, steel gray eyes turned upon Willow and it suddenly became calm.
In Willows Head
Its eyes turned upon Willow and she stared into its eyes. She felt as though it could read her mind, and heart, as though it understood something about her she had not yet discovered.
Suddenly, she heard the back door to the hut open and she broke the gaze. A tall young man walked out. He had messy straw colored hair covering his eyes that were a bluer than blue color, so blue that it didn't seem possible. He couldn't have been any older than twenty. Behind him a dog that looked very much like the creature in the cage, strutted gracefully over to it and sniffed cautiously.
"I'm your temporary Magical Creatures teacher," he said walking up to the low fence near where they were standing, "I'd prefer you call me Tom. Not Professor or anything like that, it makes me sound old." The creature suddenly issued a low growl from the back of its throat and the dog quickly jumped away in surprise.
"This is an Arius," Tom said beginning the lesson, "they are a wolf-like creatures except with magical properties," The Arius sat behind the bars of the cage looking steely at everyone. "This is my dog Wendell, he's part Arius part wolf," he said motioning to the dog beside him. At the sound of his name he began to wag his tail violently and looking around at everyone with keen, intelligent, brown eyes. "He's not as fierce as the Arius, but still has most of its instinct and powers. Any questions?" he asked looking around at the group, "yes?" he said pointing to Willow.
Tom's Head
"Any questions?" Tom asked looking around at the group, "yes?" he asked as his eyes rested upon a girl short dark red hair, and emerald green eyes. "What are some of there powers?" she asked curiously. He began to explain, "Well, it can read peoples hearts, it can tell whether there a good person or whether there heart drowns in darkness."
"Don't you think its mean to keep a wild animal in a cage?" the girl interrupted.
"Yes, but-"
"Shouldn't it be in a bigger cage, at least?"
"Well-"
"Couldn't you be busted for that?"
Tom was very frustrated now, "Would you please refrain from asking so many questions,-
Tom finally got the class under control and the rest of the lesson went smoothly without any more questions from Willow until the bell rang and everyone scrambled for there bags. "See you next lesson then," Tom said watching the girl that had asked the question grab her bag and walk towards the castle with her friends.
Willow's Head
Willow was thinking about her dream when they headed towards the dungeons for their next class. I should've asked Tom if he knew what the "Key" was, "Do you guys know anything about something called the "Key"?" Willow asked Harry and Hermione. "No, I don't think so, why?" asked Hermione. "Wait, did you say, the 'Key'? Harry asked.
"Ya, do you know anything about it?" Willow said as they walked through the dark, musty dungeons to their next class. "No, do you?" she shook her head as they turned a corner. "How do you too know about this, 'Key'?" asked Hermione.
Harry began first, "I had a dream last night, I was Voldemort, and I was in this dungeon. First, I heard this far off voice saying, 'Hello,' and something, else, I don't remember, and there was a Death Eater, I don't know who he was I couldn't see his face. He said that the 'Key' had come to Hogwarts. Then Voldemort said he was going to come here, to Hogwarts, to find it..." his voice trailed off.
"Mine dream was like that too, except, I couldn't see anything, it was pitch black."
Nothing else was said as they walked down the musty corridors and thru the doors to their next class.
Hermione's Head
They took there seats in the back of the classroom and began unpacking there stuff. I wonder if I should ask Harry to the dance, Hermione thought setting up her cauldron, That's it, I'll ask him, but, she began to have second thoughts, what if he doesn't like me like that, what if he just thinks of me as a friend? I'd look like a complete idiot. She looked at Harry and thought, but what if he does?
"Alright, class, settle down," said Snape as he burst through the door, and the buzz that had once filled the room died down, "Today we will be making a sleeping drought today, so come on now, get your stuff out quickly!" he said as his hateful eyes scanned the room.
In Harry's Head
They took there seats in the back of the classroom and began unpacking there stuff. Ok, I'm going to ask Hermione right now, Harry thought confidentially. He gathered up all his confidence and he turned towards Hermione. Suddenly all the confidence he had once had seemed to have leaked out of him and he turned back to his cauldron. Maybe not, he thought disappointedly.
"Alright, class, settle down," said Snape as he burst through the door, and the buzz that had once filled the room died down, "Today we will be making a sleeping drought today, so come on now, get your stuff out quickly!" he said as his hateful eyes scanned the room.
In Willow's Head
Willow followed the Professor's instructions as quickly as possible and got out her ingredients. A small piece of paper fell in front of her on the desk. She looked to where it came from and saw Malfoy looking venomously at her. She opened the note and read: You've made a big mistake, O'Conner, no one makes a fool of Draco Malfoy.
Just then, the note was grabbed out of her hands, "Well, well, what have we here?" Snape said his eyes scanning the note, "Passing notes, are we?" he asked sticking the note in his robe pocket, "Ten points from Gryffindor."
"Professor, I-"
"Another 5 points for talking back," he said hatefully. "Now, I need you to powder the water beetles..."
"How can you stand him?" Willow asked Harry and Hermione. "We can't," they both whispered in unison.
The rest of the lesson went rather smoothly, except for the fact that Neville spilt his potion and bursted out in repulsive green boils.
After charms and transfiguration, they headed to the Great Hall for lunch. Willow was examining her wand curiously when Harry said, "You're doing well with a wand for never using one before, with a bit more practice, I bet you'd be as good as Hermione."
"Hey, Willow," she heard someone call from behind them. She turned around and saw a curly brown haired, grey eyed, sixth year Ravenclaw, "I was wondering, will you come to the dance with me?" he asked.
Panic rose in her, "No," she said with out thinking, "I can't, I'm already going with someone," she said seeing the hurt look on his face. "Oh, ok," he said still looking rather hurt as he sulked into the Hall.
"You do?" asked Hermione. "No, of course not," Willow whispered anxiously, "It's just, I don't even know him," she continued as they entered the Great Hall.
But that was only the first of many offers she got to the dance she had to turn down. Including Ron, and Seamus. "Willow the heart breaker," joked Hermione after she turned down a fifth year Hufflepuff. "Shut up," Willow snapped, "I bet you'd turn them down too, I don't even know half of there names."
When they got to Gryffindor Tower, they were the only ones there. "Everyone must still be at lunch," said Harry sitting on the couch. "I wonder what's taking them so long," said Hermione sitting next to him. "I'm tired," yawned Willow taking a seat across from them closing her eyes. "Me too," Harry said also closing his eyes. "How 'bout," Hermione said in-between yawns, "we take a nap?" Though both Harry and Willow were already fast asleep.
Willow found herself in the middle of nowhere. There was dark all around her, as much as she strained her eyes, she couldn't see even a glimmer of light. "Hello?" she called into the darkness, "Is anybody there?"
"The Key has come to Hogwarts?" a cold voice rang from deep within the darkness that made her blood run cold. "Yes, Master," she heard someone answer. "Fine then, we shall go to Hogwarts and retrieve it," the cold voice answered, "Come my faithful servants! Your Master, the Dark Lord, calls upon you!"
Just then, she woke up, "What was that? " she asked herself. Willow sat in her bed and replayed the dream through her mind. She remembered the sorting hat saying something about the Dark Lord. The dream, if any was true, told her the Dark Lord was looking for something called the "Key". And that "it" had come to Hogwarts.....
Back in Harry's Head
"They don't make 'em like that here, do they mate?" said Ron watching Hermione and Willow walk up the stairs to the girl's dormitories. "I'm moving straight to the States after I graduate."
"What are you going to do after graduation, Harry" asked Neville. Harry hadn't thought of that, what was he going to do after graduation? He had been studying to be an Auror, but if he didn't get high enough marks, he wouldn't be able to get in the necessary N.E.W.T. classes.
"I'm not sure," he replied, frowning slightly.
"Well, I reckon I should be headed off to bed," sad Ron yawning. "Me too," said Harry trudging up the stairs. He got to the boy's dormitory and slipped out of his robes and into his night clothes.
Yawning, he slipped under the bed covers and closed the curtain around his four poster bed. For a few moments all he heard were Ron's snores and the patering of the rain against the window before falling asleep.
Harry was sitting in a damp stone room, lit only by the moonbeams coming thru a small window. The light fell on a hooded figure bowed before him. "Hello?" He heard a distent voice call, "Is anybody there?" He ignored it.
"The Key has come to Hogwarts?" he said in a voice that was not his own. "Yes, Master," answered the hooded figure. "Fine then, we shall go to Hogwarts and retrieve it," he answered, "Come my faithful servants! Your Master, the Dark Lord, calls upon you!"
Harry sat up bolt right in bed, his scar stinging. "Are you alright?" said Neville staring down at him wide eyed and pale. He nodded clutching his scar. "'Cause you were making a bloody fuss."
"Should we tell McGonagall? What was your dream about this time? Is anyone hurt?"
"No," he answered, "It's Voldemort, he said something about a 'Key' here at Hogwarts, and he's coming to look for it."
"Harry, maybe we should get McGonagall," said Ron turning towards the door.
"No!" said Harry grabbing his wrist.
"Harry-"
"NO!"
"Fine then, blimey, I was just trying to help," Ron finished wrenching free. Everybody, quite taken back by his outbreak, went back to their beds. Harry swung his legs back unto the bed and stared out watching the rain hit the window.
These weird dreams had started in his fifth year and he had gotton quite use to them since. Though they were still disturbing. I'll tell McGonagall tomorrow, he thought shutting his eyes and falling asleep once more.
Back in Willow's Head
"Willow," said Hermione pulling the curtains, "Let's go to breakfast, Harry's waiting down stairs." Willow quickly got dressed completely pushing the dream out of her mind as she sprinted down the stairs eager to start the first day of lessons.
"What do we have first?" asked Harry as they walked down to the Great Hall. "We have Care of Magical Creatures with Ravenclaw at eight," Willow began from the top of her head, " Potions with Slytherin at nine, Charms with Hufflepuff at ten, double Transfiguration with Slytherin again at eleven and twelve, lunch-"
"You've memorized the schedule?" Harry interrupted with disbelief. "It's just, you know, never being able to learn stuff like this, you, you get pretty excited," she said rather sheepishly.
They walked into the Great Hall and sat beneath the enchanted ceiling which showed a gray, dreary morning. Hurriedly, Willow wolfed down her breakfast. "Come on guys, were gonna be late," she warned. "Willow, we still have ten minutes," said Hermione, "Oh, and you have a bit of egg, right there."
"Oh," she said embarrassed as she wiped it away with here sleeve. They finally finished eating and began to walk onto the grounds when they were stopped by a cold voice, "O'Conner," she heard someone call. She turned around and saw a tall boy with sleek blond hair, cold, gray eyes, and a pale face.
"What are you hanging around with losers like that for, a mudblood and a celebrity who needs there head deflated," at this, two people that looked like massive boulders snickered. "What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry sneered. "Nothing that concerns you, Potter," he answered back coldly, "So, what do you say?" he said turning his attention back to Willow, "How's about you dump this foul blood and come with me?"
Willow could see it in his eyes, she could see that he had a cold, dark heart. One that could never be freed from the eternal darkness that traps so many hearts.
She looked from Harry and Hermione back to Malfoy. "I can clearly see who has the foul blood here," she said coldly and turned back to her two friends, "We'd better get going, we might be late," she said to them as she readjusted her book bag slung over her shoulder. They walked out onto the grounds leaving a dumbfounded, and vanquished Malfoy.
"Good job, Willow, you told off that Malfoy," Hermione said smiling. But she was distracted by something else, her pendant was glowing.
In Hermione's Head
"Good job, Willow, you told off that Malfoy," Hermione said smiling. But Willow looked distracted by something else. "What's wrong?" she asked her. She was holding a emerald green pendant that was glowing bright. It had a strange, design in the middle, it was almost like three long, narrow leaves connected at the end. "Its never done this before," Willow said trying not to panic.
Just then, it began to dim until it was no longer shining. "That was weird," she said quickly blowing it off, "Come on, we're gonna be late."
They finally reached Hagrid's, or what use to be Hagrid's, hut. Most of the Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors were already there. Just as soon as they got to the fence in the back of the hut, they saw a large metal cage with a large, wolf-like creature pacing the perimeter of its cage. Every time someone made eye contact with it, it snarled and snapped at the bars of the cage. Its white fur shimmered even in the suns dull light. Its fiery, steel gray eyes turned upon Willow and it suddenly became calm.
In Willows Head
Its eyes turned upon Willow and she stared into its eyes. She felt as though it could read her mind, and heart, as though it understood something about her she had not yet discovered.
Suddenly, she heard the back door to the hut open and she broke the gaze. A tall young man walked out. He had messy straw colored hair covering his eyes that were a bluer than blue color, so blue that it didn't seem possible. He couldn't have been any older than twenty. Behind him a dog that looked very much like the creature in the cage, strutted gracefully over to it and sniffed cautiously.
"I'm your temporary Magical Creatures teacher," he said walking up to the low fence near where they were standing, "I'd prefer you call me Tom. Not Professor or anything like that, it makes me sound old." The creature suddenly issued a low growl from the back of its throat and the dog quickly jumped away in surprise.
"This is an Arius," Tom said beginning the lesson, "they are a wolf-like creatures except with magical properties," The Arius sat behind the bars of the cage looking steely at everyone. "This is my dog Wendell, he's part Arius part wolf," he said motioning to the dog beside him. At the sound of his name he began to wag his tail violently and looking around at everyone with keen, intelligent, brown eyes. "He's not as fierce as the Arius, but still has most of its instinct and powers. Any questions?" he asked looking around at the group, "yes?" he said pointing to Willow.
Tom's Head
"Any questions?" Tom asked looking around at the group, "yes?" he asked as his eyes rested upon a girl short dark red hair, and emerald green eyes. "What are some of there powers?" she asked curiously. He began to explain, "Well, it can read peoples hearts, it can tell whether there a good person or whether there heart drowns in darkness."
"Don't you think its mean to keep a wild animal in a cage?" the girl interrupted.
"Yes, but-"
"Shouldn't it be in a bigger cage, at least?"
"Well-"
"Couldn't you be busted for that?"
Tom was very frustrated now, "Would you please refrain from asking so many questions,-
Tom finally got the class under control and the rest of the lesson went smoothly without any more questions from Willow until the bell rang and everyone scrambled for there bags. "See you next lesson then," Tom said watching the girl that had asked the question grab her bag and walk towards the castle with her friends.
Willow's Head
Willow was thinking about her dream when they headed towards the dungeons for their next class. I should've asked Tom if he knew what the "Key" was, "Do you guys know anything about something called the "Key"?" Willow asked Harry and Hermione. "No, I don't think so, why?" asked Hermione. "Wait, did you say, the 'Key'? Harry asked.
"Ya, do you know anything about it?" Willow said as they walked through the dark, musty dungeons to their next class. "No, do you?" she shook her head as they turned a corner. "How do you too know about this, 'Key'?" asked Hermione.
Harry began first, "I had a dream last night, I was Voldemort, and I was in this dungeon. First, I heard this far off voice saying, 'Hello,' and something, else, I don't remember, and there was a Death Eater, I don't know who he was I couldn't see his face. He said that the 'Key' had come to Hogwarts. Then Voldemort said he was going to come here, to Hogwarts, to find it..." his voice trailed off.
"Mine dream was like that too, except, I couldn't see anything, it was pitch black."
Nothing else was said as they walked down the musty corridors and thru the doors to their next class.
Hermione's Head
They took there seats in the back of the classroom and began unpacking there stuff. I wonder if I should ask Harry to the dance, Hermione thought setting up her cauldron, That's it, I'll ask him, but, she began to have second thoughts, what if he doesn't like me like that, what if he just thinks of me as a friend? I'd look like a complete idiot. She looked at Harry and thought, but what if he does?
"Alright, class, settle down," said Snape as he burst through the door, and the buzz that had once filled the room died down, "Today we will be making a sleeping drought today, so come on now, get your stuff out quickly!" he said as his hateful eyes scanned the room.
In Harry's Head
They took there seats in the back of the classroom and began unpacking there stuff. Ok, I'm going to ask Hermione right now, Harry thought confidentially. He gathered up all his confidence and he turned towards Hermione. Suddenly all the confidence he had once had seemed to have leaked out of him and he turned back to his cauldron. Maybe not, he thought disappointedly.
"Alright, class, settle down," said Snape as he burst through the door, and the buzz that had once filled the room died down, "Today we will be making a sleeping drought today, so come on now, get your stuff out quickly!" he said as his hateful eyes scanned the room.
In Willow's Head
Willow followed the Professor's instructions as quickly as possible and got out her ingredients. A small piece of paper fell in front of her on the desk. She looked to where it came from and saw Malfoy looking venomously at her. She opened the note and read: You've made a big mistake, O'Conner, no one makes a fool of Draco Malfoy.
Just then, the note was grabbed out of her hands, "Well, well, what have we here?" Snape said his eyes scanning the note, "Passing notes, are we?" he asked sticking the note in his robe pocket, "Ten points from Gryffindor."
"Professor, I-"
"Another 5 points for talking back," he said hatefully. "Now, I need you to powder the water beetles..."
"How can you stand him?" Willow asked Harry and Hermione. "We can't," they both whispered in unison.
The rest of the lesson went rather smoothly, except for the fact that Neville spilt his potion and bursted out in repulsive green boils.
After charms and transfiguration, they headed to the Great Hall for lunch. Willow was examining her wand curiously when Harry said, "You're doing well with a wand for never using one before, with a bit more practice, I bet you'd be as good as Hermione."
"Hey, Willow," she heard someone call from behind them. She turned around and saw a curly brown haired, grey eyed, sixth year Ravenclaw, "I was wondering, will you come to the dance with me?" he asked.
Panic rose in her, "No," she said with out thinking, "I can't, I'm already going with someone," she said seeing the hurt look on his face. "Oh, ok," he said still looking rather hurt as he sulked into the Hall.
"You do?" asked Hermione. "No, of course not," Willow whispered anxiously, "It's just, I don't even know him," she continued as they entered the Great Hall.
But that was only the first of many offers she got to the dance she had to turn down. Including Ron, and Seamus. "Willow the heart breaker," joked Hermione after she turned down a fifth year Hufflepuff. "Shut up," Willow snapped, "I bet you'd turn them down too, I don't even know half of there names."
When they got to Gryffindor Tower, they were the only ones there. "Everyone must still be at lunch," said Harry sitting on the couch. "I wonder what's taking them so long," said Hermione sitting next to him. "I'm tired," yawned Willow taking a seat across from them closing her eyes. "Me too," Harry said also closing his eyes. "How 'bout," Hermione said in-between yawns, "we take a nap?" Though both Harry and Willow were already fast asleep.