Chapter Four

When morning began Harry heard the first signs of life being the creaking floorboards all around him as many of the people surrounding him awoke and left to the lower level. After about 20 minutes of listening to the guys around him wake up Harry stood up and left the sleeping room.

He went down the flight of stairs until he reached the main floors landing. Harry heard a small murmur of laughter and chatter and headed towards the Hang room. Harry found all three couches taken over by bodies. About 50 people were already in the room, surrounding a black and white television that was playing old re-runs of Wiley Coyote and his amazing anvils. Harry joined the group and found himself drawn into the T.V. After about twenty minutes, or about 30 coyote deaths, Rob entered the room. Immediately the whole room stood up and began to migrate to the dinning room. Harry followed suit.

When he entered the dinning room he saw about twenty circular tables laying perched against the wall. Immediately upon entering the room the oldest ones unfolded the tables legs and took stacked chairs from the wall and put them next to the tables. Everyone began to sit down, and Harry quickly took a chair that looked as if no one planed on sitting in it. After everyone got settled, Rob remained standing. He spoke with a loud, clear voice that could have easily been heard outside the building if anyone was there.

"As you know, last night the Ar paid us another visit. They heard our movement past out designated sleeping time and were angry. We must do as we are told. We must not anger the Ar. Most of us here have suffered a punishment from them and do not want another one. We must do as we are told for our own safety." Rob sat down, a cheeky grin on his face. "Lets Eat!" and clapping his hands twice the tables were suddenly filled with plates, cutlery, and many different breakfast dishes. After Harry saw the food arrive, he turned to speak to a short, pale red-headed boy next to him. "I thought magic didn't work here!" he said, utterly amazed.

"It doesn't." Said the red-head in a bored voice, dishing hash browns onto his plate. "The Ar has magic of their own. It does work. Are you the new kid?"

"Yes, I'm Harry," he replied.

"I'm Daniel, Dan for short. I was in Ireland before I came here. My mum got me down for Hogwarts 'n everything! And two days 'for September first, I landed here. Two days! Since you're new and sound English, I'm guessing you've been there."

"Yeah, I was supposed to graduate at the end of this year."

Dan dished a few eggs and sausages on to his plate and began to eat. Harry, finally realizing how hungry he was himself, loaded on with food and began to chow down. After five minutes of eating, a tan, brown haired boy who looked to be one the oldest ones here sat up and moved across the tables, whispering a secret to each one.

A few minutes later, he made his way to Harry's table. He sat down in an empty chair and said, "How many of you are olders?"

Harry, Dan, and one other boy raised their hands.

"There'll be a meeting in the sleeping room after breakfast. New guy?" he said, looking at Harry.

"Yeah, he's new." Dan said, coming to help Harry in his new environment, "But I don't think he'll squeal. You member Harry Potter? Well, this'll be him."

The older boy glared wide eyed at Harry and did a quick look at his scar.

"I'm Aaron Dregger." He said, seizing Harry's hand and shaking it.

"Calm down Aaron! He just wants to get out of here as well."

"Right, well, anyway Harry, you'll find out about the Ar at the meeting. Be ready to go in five."

And with that Aaron stood up and left.

"Sorry he's such a bugger." Dan said. "You done eating?"

"Yeah." Harry replied, his appetite was gone with the thought of the meeting.

"Then lets go. Some people have already gone up."

They stood together and made the long walk up the stairs.

The shades were still drawn across the sleeping room, but the lamp that had previously lit the corner was now in the center of the room, lighting much more. A circle formed around the lamp, leaving a decent amount of space between the people and the light source.

The circle was now a crowd. Rob entered the room and the murmurings of the group went silent. He moved to the center of the room and began to move around the light, talking to everyone.

"I have good news, everyone." A giant smile flickered across his face. "I have been given information on how to escape."

Immediately the room erupted with chattering.

"When I went to pick Harry up last night," he began, quieting the room down with in a second, "The Counselor told me that there was away out. And it was right under our very noses. She said that the way out was what we fear most outside, and that is why we are only allowed out with the Ar watching us."

"What does that really tell us though?" said someone across the crowd Harry could not see.

"It tells us that we must search for our way out during our time outside. Tell me, what do you fear outside?" Rob pointed to a very short, very skinny boy who looked like he was a younger, and shouldn't have come up.

"The gray sun" He replied.

"And you?" Rob asked an older that was about Harry's age. He sat for a moment, his eyes glazed over and staring into the lamp.

"I fear the darkness."

I thick hush fell over the group. This time Harry did know what they were talking about. That think, black horror that was at the end of the road. It was no friendly night, but a fearsome lightless place known for hiding enemies and ferocious beasts.

"I also fear the darkness." said Dan, who sat next to Harry.

That sentence was soon heard all across the room. Harry even found himself saying the line.

"Then we know the Darkness holds something vital to our escape. No matter how much we fear it, we are going to have to face it. That's it for this meeting unless there are any questions."

Harry raised his hand.

"What are the Ar?"

The room stared at him, watching for an answer. It seemed half the room didn't even know yet they had been here for months.

"Harry," Rob began, slowly, "The Ar are human like creatures with amazing strength. Imagine the power of an elephant put into a human."

"So they're human?"

"No, they are not. They hunger to hurt us. That's the way they live. Pain gives them life." Rob sighed, walked through the crowd and took a seat on one of the beds. "They say that at home there are creatures called Dementors who feed off of a humans good memories, leaving only the bad. Now, imagine a creature who can not hurt you unless you do something wrong. That creature eats your screams in as energy when it is allowed to torture you. That is why we hunger to go home. This place is a living hell." When Rob said the last line he seemed unsure of what he'd said.

Harry raised his hand again for one last question. "How long have you been here?"

Rob closed his eyes and bowed his head. He took a deep breath in before releasing it and saying, "The Healers here tell me I've been here since I was nice months old."

A/N- longer then the last! yay! Next chapter- what is happening back home with Hermione and Ron and everyone.

COOL QUOTE

"Fear defeats more people then any other one thing in this world."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

(what a cool name!)