(A/N: Ok. I admit that I spell some words wrong. And I also admit that sometimes I can be really lazy when it comes to looking stuff up. At least I get close to the spelling. That's the best you'll get right now.)

Chapter Eleven

By some miracle, Harry and Ron had gotten their homework done by the end of the weekend. Now it was the beginning of the week and time to worry about lessons with Snape. Both Audrey and Harry had worked hard to improve. They felt they were both succeeding.

On Monday, there was Double Potions. It was the worst class yet. Snape took ten points just because Audrey dropped her quill while taking notes. He seemed in an extremely sour mood.

That evening, Harry returned to the common room after only an hour. A broad smile stretched his face. "He only succeeded once. You wouldn't believe how mad he looked!"

Just as everyone returned to their assignments, they heard an explosion. A red glow emanated from the windows. Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Audrey gathered around one of them. Flames leaped out of the Forbidden Forest. The fire wasn't on the school grounds, but just outside the limits.

Surprisingly, the grounds remained quiet. The teachers either stayed in the building or left by some other means. After a while, many of the students got bored and went up to bed. But Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Audrey remained at the window, a red glow on their faces as they quietly comprehended the meaning of the fire.

The next day, most of the students expected some sort of explanation, but none came. This made Audrey and her friends suspicious. In every spare moment they ran through ideas of why the fire was dept secret.

Later that day, Audrey made sure to clear her mind before knocking on Snape's door. Then, Audrey entered. Snape turned and asked, "Are you ready?" Audrey nodded and did not resist when Snape cast the spell.

For a few minutes, Audrey felt Snape probing through her mind trying to find some emotion to rely on. She allowed him to look knowing there was nothing to find. A short time later, Snape pulled out. "Well, it looks like you've been practicing. I must warn you. Don't get cocky. There are ways around everything...You may go." He turned back to the potion essays he had been correcting earlier.

A little shocked at the shortness of the lesson, Audrey withdrew out of the room. Audrey slowly walked back to the Common Room. As she walked by a row of ceiling to floor windows, another explosion and burst of orange light gleamed over the Forbidden Forest. Audrey stopped and turned toward the light. 'I wonder what these fires are about?' she thought. 'Is it Voldemort trying to get in the school?'

"No," Audrey said aloud. "There would be a change in atmosphere if that were true...A diversion, maybe?" She decided that a diversion was most likely. 'But what was he trying to cover up?' She continued to ponder this new thought all the way to the Common Room.

Easter holiday was approaching and the students had more work than ever. The explosions and fire outside the school grounds had not ceased as the weeks went on. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Audrey had seen almost nothing of Hagrid because he was fighting fires. Madame Pomfrey was overflowing cases of allergies because o the soot. Even though the teachers did not voice any concerns, the tensions at the school heightened.

There were rumors that the Hogsmeade trip would be cancelled. Harry and Audrey were still having Occulmency lessons, but they barely lasted fifteen minutes. At each lesson Snape always reminded Audrey that it was imperative to keep practicing.

It turned out that yes, indeed, the Hogsmeade trip was cancelled. The student body sat glumly at the house tables the day before holidays. Suddenly, the owl post flew in. an old decrepit owl crashed onto Ron's plate, hooting a sigh of relief at the journeys end.

Scowling because Errol had ruined his breakfast, Ron removed the letter attached to the leg. After reading it, Ron was beaming. Laughing, Audrey nudged him, "What's made you happy all of a sudden?"

"Oh," Ron said smiling, "Only that we don't have to spend Easter vacation in this ruddy castle." He paused to increase the suspense. "We're spending vacation in Diagon Alley! Mum has got us two rooms in the Leaky Cauldron!"

Before Harry and Audrey could jump with joy, Hermione interjected, "Isn't that too open? There are so many little alley ways where someone could hide."

"Hermione," Ron groaned, "Don't be such a worry wart. They would never have allowed it if it were too dangerous." Still looking unconvinced, Hermione dropped her objections.

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Audrey arrived safely at the Leaky Cauldron. Just as Ron had expected, Mad-Eye Moody and Tonks had visibly escorted them. There were some immediate ground rules set up. They could only go into Diagon alley and they had to be in their rooms by seven every night. Tonks had assured them that the would be totally on their own, but they knew better and didn't believe her.

Their first day of vacation, the foursome replenished their writing and potion supplies. Unsurprisingly, they ran into Bill, Ron's brother, who insisted on staying and talking to them about school. Ron was furious that the Order did not trust them to stay out of trouble.

The next day dawned bright and clear. They all ate an early breakfast. In the morning, they wandered up and down Man street discussing a variety of topics. Just as they were passing by Flourishes 'n' Botts on their way to lunch, Malfoy and his father walked out.

The foursome continued to walk past pretending they didn't see the Malfoys. This did not last very long because Lucius Malfoy grabbed Audrey's arm an said, "You're Audrey Hadley, right? I used to know your mother. Have you heard from you lately?" Malfoy was being extremely polite, but Audrey saw right through the act.

"No, I haven't," she said, extricating her arm from his hand. Then, Malfoy insisted that she lunch with him so they could talk about her mother. Audrey refused, saying that she already had plans. Hastily, they walked away.

Twenty minutes later, Lucius Malfoy bowed to a thin man sitting in a chair. The man raised a hand, signaling Lucius to proceed.

"My Lord," Lucius began, "I do not believe she is Benton's daughter. The girl has auburn hair and green eyes..."

The man interjected, "What about his man Benton married?"

"Black hair. Brown eyes...It's very unlikely she's his daughter...Also, she truly has no idea where Benton is located. Has not even heard from her all year—"

"Ah..." the man said nodding, "She is hiding, but she can't hide forever...I will have Margaret Benton! I will have the woman who turned in my most trusted advisor!"

When they returned o their rooms, they tried to figure out why Malfoy was so nice. Audrey immediately came to the conclusion that his manner had something to do with Voldemort and his search for her mother. They all came to the conclusion that she had to be careful not to get caught by any death eaters. The rest of Easter vacation, the foursome spent in the Leaky Cauldron, getting ahead on homework.

When they got back to Hogwarts, they didn't regret getting ahead on their homework. Because the end of year exams were approaching, the teachers were loading them down with homework. Audrey had never felt so pressured in her life. The days seemed to fly by, and before she knew it, it was the weekend before final exams.

For the last week, Audrey had been studying nonstop. Knowing she was prepared, she decided to take Sunday off. She decided that a walk would be the perfect activity to clear her mind. Just as she started to walk to the Quidditch field, she was grabbed by the arms and whipped around.

"Where do you think you're going?" Snape questioned harshly. "You shouldn't be walking out alone."

Tartly, Audrey replied, "I was going for a walk! It's not any of you business anyway!" She tried to jerk out of his grasp.

"It is when I've been told to protect you...Remember, the Order is protecting you." He sneered, "Get back inside the castle before I give you detentions with me for the rest of the year!" Scowling deeply, Audrey stomped back into the building.

The next morning, Audrey sat with her friends eating breakfast. It was the first day of exams and the owl post was about to come in. from what Audrey had heard, there would be a number of Howlers coming in, warning the recipients of the consequences of failing the exams.

Audrey was still pondering this thought when the post arrived. Glancing around to see who received Howlers, she was shocked when a beautiful brown owl glided down and landed beside her. Taking off the letter and ripping it open, she started to read.

Dear Audrey,

I have missed you so much, my daughter. I wish I could have spoken to you sooner, but I'm being followed and searched for. I feel I must explain the extent of my problems.

By now you must know that Lord Voldemort has again risen to power. I have been forced into hiding because he Is after me. Sixteen years ago, I turned in his most trusted advisor. I do not know when or if I'll see you again, Audrey.

There is some bad news. Your father died over Christmas, protecting me from attacking death eaters. Your grandmother was tortured to death while being questioned of my whereabouts. You have not heard of the deaths because they were not made public.

My daughter, you must destroy this letter if you receive it. Do not disclose its information to anyone. You are in grave danger.

From your loving mother,
Margaret

Being so engrossed in the letter, Audrey did not see a small gray owl drop another letter on her plate. Paying it no heed, Audrey ushered her friends out of the hall, saying that there was something very important to discuss. Had Audrey looked at the second letter, she would have seen it was from her old friend Zina. The girl wrote that she had run away from her father and that she would be at Hogsmeade for their last trip. She also wrote that she was staying with a new friend. Some guy named Tom Riddle, who wanted to meet her friend from America.