Full Summary: After the death of Sirius, Harry muses over the time he had with Siri. But as the new year at Hogwarts approaches, he gets an idea from a comment that Luna Lovegood said at the end of 5th year. In that room with the archway. They were just lurking out of sight, that's all. You heard them. Now, Harry is heading back to the Department Of Mysteries to rescue Sirius And only one other person is going with him: Luna. Will they survive or is this the end of the wizarding world as we know it?
A/N: Holy bloody shit! I can't believe how many of you guys reviewed this fic after I posted it. I was blown away. I've never gotten this many reviews for any of my stories first chapters. Thanks guys. Thank you's will be given at the end of this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. Tonks, Luna, Harry, Remus and all the others belong to the great JKR. Just one question for her, tho: WHY SIRIUS?!
Dedication: To biblehermione, my first reviewer.
A/N2: This chapter was changed a bit do to a review that I got for this very chapter. I would just like to say that Isis has been taken out of here until I find her a good home maybe as a scared first year. Who knows. (She was also becoming a horrible Mary Sue..... shudders) I also added a few things that I thought would improve that chapter bit. Well, on with the revised chapter.
Ch. 2 Not Quiet Answers
The weeks at Grimmauld Place went faster than expected. But, as Harry supposed, it could be due to the long trip to Diagon Alley that they had taken or the fact that he was with his best friends for the first time since Sirius had died. It wasn't easier to talk about it, oh no, but it gave Harry someplace to put all his frustration to good use.
September first finally arrived and the four Gryffindors boarded the scarlet train without protest. Ron and Hermione stashed their belongings with Ginny's and Harry's then marched off to the Prefects' Car. While waiting for the others to arrive, Harry and Ginny talked with Luna "Loony" Lovegood.
"Another year, anther way to get into trouble," said Harry aloud.
"And what about Quidditch?"asked Luna behind her upside down edition of 'The Quibbler'. "Are you back or not?"
Ginny looked hopefully at Harry, who nodded. "Yeah, I'm back. The thing is, we still don't have any Beaters. Fred and George were in their last year and the two that we have right now, I'm sorry to say, suck."
"Harry," Ron said coming into the compartment. "You know what that means right? We have to find people to play both Beaters and three Chasers."
"You mean two, Ron. I've already seen Ginny play Chaser. She's in."
"And what gives you that authority, Mr. Potter?" Hermione said.
Harry puffed out his chest. A small shiny pin with 'Quidditch Captain' etched in it flashed in the sunlight.
"You're the new Gryffindor Captain? Wow! Even after all that happened last year?"
The memories of Professor Umbridge came flooding back to Harry as if a dam had been unblocked. But within those horrible memories where those of Sirius. One particular stood out vividly – Umbridge's hand groping through the fire after speaking with Sirius. A small sob escaped Harry's lips, his emerald eyes glistening with unshed tears that threatened to fall over.
'If I had only had the mirror,' thought Harry painfully, running his fingers over his left eyebrow.
"Harry?" said Ginny tentatively.
Shaking his head, Harry mumbled something about Dumbledore letting him back in. For the rest of the train ride into Hogsmeade, the entire compartment was silent except for the whispering of Luna's 'Quibbler'.
A few hours later, the scarlet train pulled into a darkened Hogsmeade station, sending the children back to another year at Hogwarts. Chatter filled the air as students got off and greeted Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts.
"Yeh holdin' up alrigh', 'Arry?" asked Hagrid as the five passed him.
Harry gave him a slight nod. "Holding up just fine, Hagrid," said Harry tersely.
The other four were shocked at how Harry had just spoken to the one person whom Harry had never spoken ill of or about. With a slight shake of his head, Harry walked silently away from the train and to the Thestral pulled carriages.
Luna watched silently as Harry made his way through the crowd. "Is he alright?" she asked Hermione.
"He's been kind of tense this entire summer," she said with a sigh. "And a bit snippy, too. Remus said that there's not much we can do for him, just help him ride this out and be there when he needs us the most."
"Do you want to see if he'll talk to me?"
"He doesn't want to talk to anyone," said Ron. "Hermione and I barely got two words out of him while we were with him. He just doesn't want to talk." Ron looked to where the other Prefects were standing. "We've got to go, Hermione. Looks like they need help with the first years."
Ginny and Luna watched as their two friends walked out of sight.
"C'mon," said Ginny. "Let's see if we can catch Harry and ride with him."
The two girls ran after Harry, their hair streaming out like banners behind them. Dodging people – and their animals, of course – from the other houses, Ginny and Luna just managed to make it to the black carriage that was carrying Harry.
"Got room in there for us, Harry?" asked Ginny, out of breath.
Without giving her an answer, Harry pushed open the door and sat back against the velvet cushions, staring at the velvet wall as they climbed in. The two breathless girls rested comfortably as the carriage began to make its way out of Hogsmeade.
The hour long carriage ride seemed to go on forever. None of them had said a word and the silence was starting to perturb Luna. She cleared her throat loudly causing both Harry and Ginny to start.
"So, Harry," said Luna, "How was your summer?"
"All right, I guess," said Harry unconvincingly.
Ginny looked at Harry, desperately wanting to say something when Harry spoke up. "Gin, if you want to say anything about Sirius, just keep your mouth shut. I've probably already heard it from Ron and Hermione." Harry turned to face the shocked redhead, his green eyes as hard as ice. "Please, don't take it the wrong way. Just never mention his name ever again, you hear me?"
"Yes," she said in a small voice.
"Good. Now, both of you, shut up."
Luna couldn't believe how mean Harry was acting. He wasn't anything like this at the end of last year. How could he have changed in such a short time?
"I can't believe you, Harry!" shouted Luna. "All we're trying to do is be your friends. You don't have to be snippy with us. Can't we do something to help you?"
Harry laughed. "Can't believe me how? How I've changed? Oh, I've heard it already. And I don't need to hear it anymore. Lectures." His green eyes hardened even more as he glared in her direction. "And if you were trying to be my friends, then you'd leave me be. Because you know what? No one can help me. Not now. Not ever."
An idea dawned on her as Harry turned away from them. The Dursleys. Those retched Muggles that Harry lived with during the summer months. They must've told him that he killed his godfather.
"Why I aught to . . ." mumbled Luna under her breath.
Harry's head whipped around to face her, his eyes freezing her insides. "Did you say something, Luna?"
"Sorry, Harry. I was just thinking aloud to myself. Don't worry about me."
The carriage finally snaked its way onto the Hogwarts' ground, letting the students off at the large wooden front doors. As soon as their carriage stopped, Harry immediately jumped out, took a fleeting look at the Thestral, then made his way into the Great Hall, leaving both Luna and Ginny speechless.
"What's gotten his knickers in a twist?" said Ginny as they made their way into the castle.
"Too many things, I reckon," replied Luna with a sigh. "But this is very unusual, even for him. He wasn't anything like this last year was he?"
Ginny shook her head. "It wasn't until he came to visit for the summer. It just seemed to go downhill from there." Ginny's mood seemed to brighten as she saw her brother and Hermione sitting at the Gryffindor table.
The two of them split and headed their separate ways, Luna to the Ravenclaw table and Ginny to the Gryffindors. She placed a quick kiss on Dean Thomas' cheek as she passed and, with a smile playing on her lips, headed towards her brother.
"Hey," said Ginny as she sat next to Hermione.
"Hey, Gin," said Hermione. Noticing the look on the youngest Weasley's face she asked, "What's wrong?"
"We got Harry to talk," sighed Ginny. "Though it wasn't a good one."
"What happened?" asked Ron quietly as the sorting song started.
Ginny explained throughout the entire sorting song what had happened inside the carriage ride.
"Strange," said Hermione as the entire school clapped for the Sorting Hat.
"I know," Ginny replied.
The three of them sat in silence, just wondering to themselves what had changed him so much in such a short period of time. They were soon startled out of their thoughts as Albus Dumbledore stood up to address the school, his blue eyes sparkling behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I assume that you are all eager to start your new classes in the morn and I would like to stress these few rules that we have. First, no one is to go into the Forbidden Forest unless you would care to meet your doom out there. Secondly, there is to be no use of magic in the halls. And finally, let's eat!" The headmaster clapped his hands and the food magically filled their plates.
Two wonderful hours later, the entire school made their way to their respective dorms, all complaining of stomachaches.
Hermione and Ron led the way to the dorms, instructing the first years of the stairs and trick steps (one kid almost stepped in one because a burly first year pushed him. Luckily, Ron caught him). They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, where Nearly-Headless Nick welcomed them by bursting through the wall next to the portrait.
"Password?" said the Fat Lady.
"Proxima Centauri," said Ron.
The frame swung outwards, revealing the red and gold interior of Gryffindor Tower. The upper class students were already seated in the soft chairs that littered the area around the fire or were at the tables playing Wizard's Chess or Gobstones.
"Welcome," said Hermione, "to the Gryffindor common room. Here is where you will spend most of your time when you are not in class or asleep."
"Dormitories," said Ron. "Girls, up and to the left. Boys, the same on your right. Now, have a pleasant evening." Ron gasped at himself as the first years wandered their way to their rooms. "I sounded like Percy, didn't I? Merlin help me, I've become like him. Fred and George are going to kill me."
Hermione chuckled as she went to her room to continue her reading for the year.
The common room was filled with the sound of people chatting animatedly to one another or to the game that they were playing. But Harry would not take part in any of it. In the most desolate corners of the common room, sat the Boy Who Lived, wallowing in his self-pity. The Creevy brothers had already said hi to him, but in return all they got was a verbal thrashing. The shadows had become his refuge since that fateful day. No one could judge him when they couldn't see him.
"Harry?" whispered Hermione as she stood over him.
Harry glared at her. "What do you want?"
"I just wanted to see how you were doing. You didn't sit with us this time and Ginny told us how you snapped at her on the carriage ride. You sure that you're all right? We're worried for you, Harry. Can't you see that?"
Harry didn't answer. He felt that she would know when he was all right and now just wasn't it. He was tired of all the sympathy that he was getting from everyone close to him and for one small moment – this very moment – his heart turned to ice.
Hermione's eyes grew cold the longer the two of them were together in silence. "Well, I must be off to bed. Classes start tomorrow and I must be well rested for the day. 'Night, Potter."
Harry's head snapped up as Hermione walked away. Those last words rang through Harry's mind like a foghorn.
'Night, Potter, rang Hermione's voice. 'Night, Potter, it rang again. Over and over the sound of her voice repeated in his head.
It's over, thought Harry painfully. Nothing's ever going to be right in my world. NEVER!
Harry's emerald green eyes hardened to the color of the frozen ocean–hard, with no warmth evident in them whatsoever. The old Harry Potter had left–the new one had come, and there was nothing to be done about it. Only one person, in Harry's opinion, could've brought him out of this faze–and now he was gone, dead, never to return.
Harry quickly stood up and ran to his room, where he plopped himself onto the bed. Drawing the curtains closed, Harry fell into a troubled sleep, dreaming of the horrors that this world contains.
There you go. Sorry that there wasn't much excitement in there but there was a lot of bashing from Harry. And Hermione's pissed off. Don't worry, she won't stay that way for long..... Now, time for the thanx....
biblehermione: I'm so glad that you liked it. I was actually kind of worried that they weren't gonna be in character. Tho Luna is a bit OC in this chapter, at least in my opinion. And my first reviewer. gives a cookie
Snuffles: I'm so glad that you enjoyed it. Tho I was in a total shock when Siri died.... I was actually crying and I never cry at books.
Jaynes: You need to get a life, girl. Tho I'll try and talk you outta it on Sat. Hehehe...
DuosBunny: Sorry but there's not gonna be any romance in this fic. I may mention some feelings between two characters later on but other than that there's nothing. Sorry.
Adri: Glad you liked it.
Immirtal Z bomie: Glad you liked it....
Lady Arwen of Rivendell: Thanks for the support! Glad you liked it!
crazy Rei luva: Well, here's your update. Hope you enjoyed it.
Erynwen: Awww.... I'm glad you really liked the first chapter.... I don't think we'll ever know just why it was him... JKR must have some ingenious plan up her sleeve.... I'll just send a muse after her...
chris-black: Glad you liked.
There are all the reviewers. I can't say how much this means to me.... sniff Well, I hope to see more of your reviews in the near future.
Oh! And my friend want your opinions on this idea she has for a fic. If you could leave your thoughts on this in your review too, she would be ever so grateful.... and I'll still be here to write.... v ....
Title: Sometimes
Summary: Sirius' death was the last straw and Harry just can't deal with his life anymore. So to cope, he makes himself a new identity in the Muggle world - Adrian Miles. But, fortunately or unfortunately for him, the wizarding world is determined to get their hero back....
So? Good or bad? Makes you wanna get up and kill her? Hehe, hope not....
Thanks again for the reviews!
Hugs and cookies for all!
FawkesnFlame and Moony