Hullo Loyal Readers!
It is I, GOD, here to service you another wonderous helping of Harry, via GreenEyes style. Now, for those of you who have been stressing, YES, Skye doesn't show up for several chapters. So, you can faithfully read my story without worry over a certain arrogant Slytherin ruining it for you. But I DO introduce a crucial character in the upcoming chapter. Well, crucial for HARRY anyway. Cause doesn't our favorite hero deserve a bit of happiness for all his hard work (like getting good grades and not killing Skye)? Well, he gets it, and in a BIG way. Ok, nuff of my blabbing, onto the show!
Spider-man281: I'm very glad you decided to read my other stuff, it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. But, ok, regarding your question...I know you buttered me up with the compliments and all,but sorry, can't let leak any spoilers dealing with 'Mione. You can TRY bribery and flattery, by all means, but the results aren't guaranteed. In which case, you'll just have to suffer with the mortals and wait for the rest of the chapters.
It was a conspiracy, that had to be it. There was no other explanation. Just a plain and simple conspiracy. Everyone was in on it and no one had bothered to mention it involved him. No one. It was mutiny!
"Off with their heads!" Harry exclaimed.
Draco arched a brow and peered at him over the top of his book." Pardon?"
Harry's face furrowed with concentration, as if simply just looking at one spot long enough would make all his answers suddenly jump out and dance with him.
At the far off look in the Gryffindor's eye, Draco decided it better not to interfere with the insanity going on inside Harry's mind. Such as the tip ' Never wake a sleep walker' goes, so belongs ' Never antagonize an angry Harry Potter' to the same category, or the consequences could be dire.
"Honestly, Harry, I really AM sorry!" Ron dared to comment, eyeing his friend on the verge of a mental breakdown.
"Shush," Harry snapped, narrowing his eyes upon the very edge of a blade of grass.
Ron sighed while Draco shook his head, returning his cool grey eyes to his reading," Give it up, Weasley. Potter's in one of his moods."
"Its NOT a mood, MALFOY. Its a bloody conspiracy!" Harry stated, his attention on torturing the grass into answering him knocked astray.
"Conspiracy?" Ron asked puzzled.
"Oh good lord," Draco sighed exasperatedly, putting down his book.
"YES! YES! A CONSPIRACY! That's what it is! There's no WAY it could be anything else!" Harry shouted , looking more mad by the minute.
"I SAID I was sorry, Harry. Its not MY fault my Dad got us tickets to Peru for the holidays. I DID ask if you could come, but he only got four," Ron replied, trying his best to ease his best friend from going nutty over the Christmas break.
Harry huffed and crossed his arms, then jerked his chin at Draco," And YOU. Vacationing somewhere in the Netherlands, was it?"
The blonde slumped his shoulders, disliking the accusing look in Harry's eyes," Like I'm going to enjoy three weeks of having to listen to my father's incessant bragging and nonsense about how I'm to follow in his footsteps while my grandfather points out in exacting detail how each Malfoy was better than me."
Harry's posture softened a bit, though he stubbornly continued to stay angry.
"Trust me, Harry, its probably best if you just stay here where its safe," Ron said quietly." Dumbledore can-"
"Dumbledore won't be here," Harry stated curtly, looking off at the dull blue lake.
"What?! Why?!" Ron almost yelled.
Harry shrugged," Beats me. Probably thought he deserved a vacation like the rest of you.."
"Oh, Harry-"
"Don't you 'Oh, Harry' me. This isn't FAIR. Its just NOT. After all I've been through, I don't even get a bloody vacation! Nooooooo, I get stuck HERE," Harry jerked his thumb viciously at the looming castle." All by my lonesome while YOU two at least get to be miserable someplace distant...Gah! I won't even be able to visit Hagrid because he's gone off to France to visit Madame Maxime! Its like everyone suddenly decided to do something this holiday and completely forgot to give me a heads up..."
Ron sighed, it was all he could do. Behind all the insanity and angry exterior, Harry was truly hurt inside. It made Ron feel absolutely horrible.
"Look...I'll buy you something down there and I'll send a letter each day while I'm away."
"Me too," Draco added, giving Harry a hopeful smile.
Harry pushed himself to his feet and walked back to the castle, ignoring the surprised looks on his friends' faces.
It was all fine for them, SURE, they were the ones going. They were the ones who got to go someplace and have a chance to forget in all the excitement of new adventures. Not like him...
" Its harder being the one who gets left behind.." Harry mumbled to himself, pulling his cloak tighter around him as he walked down the quiet corridor.
"Its your destiny, Harry Potter...It was written in the stars before you were even born."
Harry screeched to a halt, jerking his eyes up at someone standing most menacingly at the foot of the staircase.
Skye smirked and continued down the last step, her long raven hair bouncing behind her. Like a prowling feline, she slinked up to him, an even bigger grin on her face, "Poor baby Potter...Everyone forgets about him soon as he's done saving peoples' hides."
Harry fumed quietly, "I'm not in the mood, Skye."
"Well, I am. Seems you're going to be the only one left here for the holidays.. Me, I'm going to Greenland to visit family. We have quite the winter mansion there." Skye simpered sweetly, batting her thick eyelashes.
Harry gave a low growl and pushed past her.
" Watch your back, Potter! You just might find someone cursing it!" She screamed after him as he tore up the stairs as quickly as possible.
His eyes started to blur as he tightened his arms around himself even more, refusing to give in. His throat stung and his mind started to wander...Everyone had gone mad. Everyone was leaving him...What would he do? What if something happened?...What if Hermione...He hastily shook his head clear of the subject, hurrying down the third floor corridor.
He couldn't even stay at the House of Black, the only place he felt close to the people he'd lost.
Just being NEAR Sirius' things would help him through the lonely Christmas. Waking up to his Godfather's Quidditch posters tacked up on the walls and his old clothes messily crammed into the thin dresser would've been a present all its own. But no...It wasn't to be...
"Blast it all!" he hissed softly.
"...Yes, but why now?....I see..."
Harry stopped and quietly retraced his steps. That voice...It sounded familiar. Using his crafty Seeker skills, he sneaked up to a slightly cracked door, a light streaming out into the dark hallway. Pressing his eye up to the slit between the doorway and the door, Harry let out a silent gasp as he saw the entire Order gathered in the classroom.
"But I still don't see WHY we must," Snape said, looking rather cross about something.
"Simply, Severus, because we need more man power, or woman, whichever suits you." Dumbledore replied calmly, folding his wrinkled hands on the top of a table.
Professor McGonagal leaned forward in her chair quite anxiously," But what of Potter? None of us will be here to watch after him."
"Potter is quite capable of taking care of himself, he needs no keeper," Snape almost hissed, but caught himself when he realized who he was speaking to.
"Even so, he's still in grave danger...I feel it. Its getting stronger everyday," Tonks put in, twisting her hands in her brilliant white hair, almost looking like Draco's older sister.
"We all feel it," Mr. Weasley added quietly, shifting nervously in his spot against the wall.
"And the fact that NOTHINGS happened since last June is making me even more nevous," Lupin said with a frown, his arms crossed in a very uneasy way.
"Harry is seventeen years old and very able of watching after himself. I do not fear leaving him here will do any harm," Dumbledore proclaimed, looking quite final in his decision of the matter.
"So when are we to leave?" Kingsley inquired, adjusting his drooping hat back onto his head.
" Right now as a matter of fact. Arthur, I hope you and Molly enjoy your vacation with your son and daughter. Please do bring me back a souvenir," The aged headmaster said as everyone stood up and began to fiddle with their cloaks.
Harry couldn't believe this. It was as if he were some PET they agreed to keep in a kennel while they were away at the store. He was a human being, damn it, and a legal adult. He had the right to decide where he went, himself, not a bunch of adults who thought he was some depressed, pathetic weakling who cried at any sign of danger.
He put up with a lot of things, a LOT. All summer long he'd done as he was told, his whole life for that matter. Well, no more. He was fed up getting left behind and he'd be damned if he let it happen again.
"Oiy! I'm coming too!" He shouted, rushing into the room just as the wizards were preparing to leave.
The whole lot turned and stared baffled at the teen.
"I'm sorry, Harry, but you're not to join," Dumbledore said gently.
Harry's lips thinned as his fists clenched. Everyone knew this wasn't a good sign. "Like bloody hell I'm not!" He bellowed.
The adults blinked, watching in stunned silence at the tall raven-haired boy stalked up to them and took a firm position amidst them." You lot have been bossing me around since the first second summer began, and like a good little boy, I listened. Well, enough is enough. I'm NOT going to let you tell me what to do one more time. I have as much right to go wherever it is to go as any of you do, perhaps even MORE. I'm apart of the Order, and whether you like it or not I'm going to participate in EVERYTHING it does. Do I make myself clear?"
The others gazed around at each other, unsure how to answer him.
"Harry, we don't-" Mr. Weasley began.
"Don't WHAT? Think its a good idea? Well, BUGGER it! I DO!" He screamed, unable to contain his outrage." I refuse to stay behind and play the part of the obedient lap dog...If you leave me, I swear on my parents', Sirius' and Cienna's GRAVE, I will march out of this castle and RIGHT into Voldemort's hands."
Heated whispering and shocked mutterings told Harry this had gotten their attention. And he fully intended to go through with it if they refused to give into his demands.
So, with a solemn face, Dumbledore turned to look at Harry, knowing he couldn't have protected him as if he were still a child even if he wanted to. With a simple nod, he stated lightly," You may accompany us."
Harry gave a triumphant 'yes!' and smiled satisfactorily. Crossing his arms and looking around at the defeated witches and wizards happily, he inquired," So, where're we going?"
Snape gave a loud groan as Tonks couldn't help but smirk.
"Across the ocean," Lupin answered , tying his cloak on around his sleek neck.
Harry's eyebrows arched," Across the oce-. You mean...We're going to the States?"
Lupin nodded. Harry glanced at McGonagal who confirmed the gesture.
"WICKED!" The young Gryffindor exclaimed, proving to them all that this would indeed be an interesting trip.
Dumbledore frowned as they all prepared to depart. He feared....Was it wise to allow Harry to come, when he knew very well what might happen? The old man felt he was losing his sharpness in his golden years...Would it really be a good decision to let fate handle things for once, instead of guiding Harry along his destiny himself? He didn't trust fate...It had hurt poor Potter so many times before. And looking at his face full of fury earlier made it only that much more solidified.
But he would do it. He'd let The Fates deal whatever they had in store for Harry and Dumbledore would be there if the down-trodden Gryffindor found something he never expected...and the old man would hope he'd forgive him somehow....