CHAPTER 29

Harry's worries ended when he awoke. Professor McGonnagal was at the teacher's table the next morning, as were the rest of the teachers. Wasn't Dumbledore going to make some sort of speech? Maybe he didn't want it out in the public...

"Harry!" Ginny shouted in his ear. "Are you listening to me?"

Harry turned. "Sorry." He said, "What?"

Ginny looked offended. "I said..." She grumbled. "That I saw Luna last night in the Hogwarts grounds."

"Really?" Harry looked interested; Ron and Hermione were also listening. "When?"

"Last night." Ginny said dropping her voice as other Gryffindors were leaning closer. "She was leaving the forest. It was about five in the morning." Hermione smiled to herself.

"Harry!" Ron yelled suddenly. "You've got mail!" Harry looked up. It was an old grey owl clutching a brown envelope, it landed on Harry's plate of toast and began nibbling the crusts. Harry didn't recognise the owl, but it had to be from Lupin. He had waited so long for his reply since Hedwig returned from sending him the letter empty taloned. He almost thought someone might have taken the letter before it had a chance to reach him.

He ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter.

Dear Harry,

Sorry this letter is so late. The information you gave us is very useful. The Order is having a hard time trying to control what Voldermort is doing and we are currently searching Sharing Cross. The ministry are still useless, but don't worry, we have quite a good idea of where Voldermort is. Although I cannot put this in writing, it is near you. Dumbledore knows this and he is putting yet more spells on the castle. He knew Voldermort would come and attack the school, but we also know he will not take no for an answer. I cannot put much in this letter in case it doesn't reach you, but I hope to see you soon,

Remus Lupin

"I didn't know you sent a letter to Lupin!" Ron spluttered.

"Hermione did," Harry said. He turned to face Hermione, but apparently, an owl had arrived for her when Harry and Ron had been reading Harry's letter. "Who's it from?" Harry asked Hermione as Ron leaned over. Hermione snatched the letter away and stuffed it in her pocket.

"Oh, no one in particular." She said casually and quickly changed the subject.

Ron and Harry exchanged puzzled looks but gave up and the three of them headed to their first lesson, Defence against the dark arts. "As you probably know, your exams are next month, and..."

"We're getting exams!" Seamus roared.

"Yes... You are getting exams." Professor Lovegood muttered, slightly annoyed by the interruption. Harry looked at Hermione, who was sitting up straight in her chair, eyes glued to Professor Lovegood as though he were a very interesting book. "And so we will need to practise several spells. Come on then, we'll start with the Custodis spell," He smiled at Harry and Hermione. "Then if we have time, since you all seem keen to do this, we'll move onto patronuses." There was a shout of joy from Dean and Seamus.

"I don't believe it!" Hermione said frantically as Ron tried again with the spell. "The exams! Only a month away! I should have..."

"Breathe Hermione." Ron grinned at Her. "Custodis!" He tried again and managed to produce the familiar bubble like shield and this time it pushed Harry right back as he tried walking through it.

It was the same in other lessons. "Now I know that some of you..." Snape hissed, looking at Harry. "Need to remain in this class, for your career's sake only, and the exam, will help me decide who I cannot keep next year." Neville was looking nervous. Harry knew that if he wanted to be a healer, potions was a definite choice for him. He was making progress though.

As Snape went on his usual patrol round the classroom, he walked past Neville without a word of criticism. He barely stopped at Harry, only to tell him that his hair-growing potion was a little paler in colour than the rest of the classes.

"As if it matters." Harry snapped, adding more bicorn horn. "Just as long as it works it doesn't really matter whether it's red or green."

At the front, Malfoy was splashing his potion over at Seamus, who had sprouted a beard, a bushy moustache that looked horribly like Uncle Vernon's and very bushy eyebrows. Malfoy stopped upon seeing Snape come their way. "What's going on here?" He drawled.

"It was Malfoy!" Seamus announced. "He splashed his potion at me! Can I go to Madam Pompfrey?"

"Madam Pompfrey is a healer, not a hairdresser." Snape snapped. "And I think it was carelessness, rather than Draco Malfoy." Malfoy smirked and began vigorously chopping up his own bicorn horn.

"Stupid Malfoy." Seamus muttered as he sat in front of the common room mirror that evening removing the beard and moustache Malfoy had managed to grow. "Snape ignored all the evidence anyway, Malfoy had hair all over his fingers! You know, I think this moustache suits me. Ah well." He grinned and removed that too. Hermione was sitting in the corner making notes.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked her, "Do you want to play chess?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? And no, I don't want to play chess. I'm revising for the exams."

Ron grumbled and so they had a two-player game of chess that evening. Harry was surprised to see that Hermione had received another owl that landed on top of her History of magic notes leaving muddy talon imprints on the page. "Who's it from?" Harry and Ron asked eagerly, but Hermione turned her back on them.

Hermione wasn't the only one currently occupied. "Look! What do you think she's doing?" Ginny asked them. She was staring intently out of the window at Luna Lovegood.

"Dunno." Ron said, and turned back to the chessboard.

"Is she seeing Hagrid? She's not still in the forest is she?" Harry asked her curiously.

"Looks like it. That's where she's coming from.

"Have you ever been in the forbidden forest?" Gretchen asked them, large teeth gleaming with excitement. "I'd like to one day, I vow to, before I leave Hogwarts."

"That's good." Ginny smiled at her, but it was obvious she wasn't listening to a word Gretchen was saying.

"No! It's not good!" Gretchen wailed. "If I don't know the exact wand flick of the summoning..."

Harry turned back to the game to see that Ron had made another excellent move and had won.

The only good thing about the week was the fact that the dreams had stopped, but what did this mean? Had Voldermort gained more power, or lost it? Even with the absence of Voldermort's voice, Harry's dreams were anything but peaceful.