Chapter Nineteen

Falling Like Flies

The absent seemed to make the room even colder. Harry went to sleep with his Weasley sweater on. He fell into a fitful sleep one that even though his was cold, he woke in a sweat.

His breath came hard to him as he tried to focus without his glass. Grabbing for them he knocked over the water jug sending it to its shattering death.

"HARRY!" Neville shooting, half a croak. "What's wrong?"

"I need... I need..." But what Harry needed wasn't clear, he didn't even no. He wanted Ron, he needed Dumbledore, Seri, Sirius... his parents.

Everything went to a blur. Seamus ran to get McGonagall, Dean handed Harry a glass of water as Neville talked to Harry softly, trying to calm him down. "What do you need Harry? You need an owl or something from your trunk?"

Harry eyed him his breathing not getting any slower. What he saw, what he heard... why didn't he ever listen to anyone? Clear your mind before you go to sleep! Geeze Harry! But what is what he saw you true... what if... oh God!

"Harry, I can get you what you need." Neville pushed, wanting more than anything to help.

"Mirror..." Harry chocked, "Get mirror... from trunk."

Neville leaped into action as he threw open Harry's trunk. He dug past a shoe box and finally found the hand mirror, wrapped in brown parchment. "Here."

Harry took a deep breath, "Padfoot," he mumbled and the mirror shown and the glass disappeared.

"What did you see Harry?" Neville asked.

"I need Sirius. I need Seri." He needed Ron staring at him through the darkness to help him. But Ron wasn't there, Sirius wasn't there, Seri wasn't there, his dad wasn't there, his mom wasn't there. In deepest depression and sheering scar, he fainted in the darkness, just as a gaunt faced Sirius began to appear in the mirror.

He awoke a time later, this time not in a cold sweat. The hospital wing was cool and comfortable. Ron and Hermione had fallen asleep in a lounge chair next his bed, Hermione sleeping on Ron's shoulder. If the images and sound of his dream were not clouding his mind, he would have pee in his pants with glee the Hermione and Ron were finally growing close... but he felt as they grew closer together, they grew further from him. He put on his glasses and stood, stretching. His scar was unruffled and his thoughts straight. He remembered what he heard, what he saw... and they didn't phase him now, he had to be strong, he had to have him life in order.

He crept out of the wing and down the clammy corridor's. He entered the Potion's dungeon and knocked on Snape's office. "What?" he grumbled, stumbling to the door. "Potter, you know what time it is?"

"Professor, I know it's late... or perhaps early, I don't know the time but I was just making sure you were going to teach me Occlumency this year."

"You want me to?" Snape said, in disbelief.

"I had another dream professor, nothing to do with Voldemort, just with my future... I don't want to have those dreams any more; I don't want to have these images in my head while I'm trying to enjoy my last year here. I want to make them go away... and I want you to help."

"Alright Potter, that's the thirst I want. I'll talk to Dumbledore about it, he was going to teach you, but I will this year." Snape went to close the door, but then looked Harry up and down. "Go back to the hospital wing, Hermione and Ron will be waking soon."

Harry obeyed, swimming in thought as he walked back down the chilly hall ways barefoot. Those voices, he knew them... they spoke so softly, like a child's lullaby singing him to sleep. Then the voice change. He saw his family, people he loved die before his eyes, and that voice chanting. "They drop like flies... they drop like flies. One by one everyone you love, everyone you ever knew will all drop like flies. You're parents fell first and now your friends and the rest of the family... they will drop like flies. It's the beginning of the end now Potter... everything will happen on my terms, they will drop like flies and the more you try to save them the more flies fall. They drop like flies, they drop like flies."

Images of Ron and Hermione meeting a bloody end, thoughts of Seri and Sirius fading behind a curtain Harry couldn't open... he stood alone in a room of blue... cold and sweating... that couldn't be his future... he had a future... and he was going to live his life without these fruitless prophecies till his future ended.

He reentered to hospital wing to find Hermione and Ron still sleeping. He clambered into bed and sat there staring at the blank wall in front of him. He watch as a single fly flew about the air, finally meeting the open window and disappearing into the night.

"Harry you really scared us," Hermione told him as she walked between Harry and Ron. They were heading to Hermione and Ron's dorm. "McGonagall had Seamus come get us... Ron ran like a bat out of hell."

Ron turned a little pink, but did nothing. Harry patted his back, understanding the Ron must miss him too. "Do you all like being alone?" Harry asked, nudging Ron so Hermione couldn't tell.

"It's nice a quiet, easier to concentrate also," Hermione said, "But we do miss you Harry, and Ginny and Neville. It's not the same."

"Do you have to stay in the dorm?" Harry asked.

"We asked Dumbledore that," Ron answered, "He just smiled and said he advised us to stay put. I hope he changes his mind though... after last night I mean."

Harry looked at him, daring him to say it, but Ron stopped. Harry read his mind, the small part of Ron eager to keep silent, "I wish I was there Harry, I wish I could have been there for you."

"What did you dream?" Hermione asked, turning the corner.

"Just a bunch of bad stuff, people dying, the same oh same oh."

"But you looked different," Ron said slowly. "You're eye looked strained and you weren't pale white. You were ever cold but sweating like it was July!"

Harry was holding back to information, from himself and them. He shrugged and Ron looked over it. Harry didn't want to tell them... it was his own voice saying these people will die... his own voice.

"Home sweet home," Hermione said pointed to a larger statue of iron Harry always looked past. "Mockingbird" the statue came to life and stepped aside, taking off his iron head and putting it over his chest as he bowed. "We named him Tom." Hermione said off handily, passing him and entering a brightly lighten room. The tapestries were thick and deep, the furniture crisp and clean.

"What do you think?" Ron asked, the caboose of the group.

"It's cozy and it is quiet... but..." Harry smirked. "I don't like it."

Hermione giggled walking to the door on the left of the room.

"Can't go in there." Ron said, grabbing Harry's arm as Harry tried to follow. "That's the girl's dorm and his a guy trying to enter it..." Ron looked down and grimaced, "bad things happen... Dumbledore told me."

Harry went a bright shade of green.

"Only joking mate," Ron said, chuckling and following Hermione.

The room was a deep shade of purple with rich oak furnishings. Hermione had her own book shelf with every school book and extra curricular book she could ever need, including a book for the futures of Head Girls and how they did it.

"We have classes this morning." Hermione said, rifling though her trunk looking for her robes. "This year has been a mess; it's going to get messier."

Ron and Harry nudged each other and nodded. "Just how we like it."

The morning was sluggish; eight o'clock charms then off to ten o'clock Defense Against the Dark Arts. Flamel, as much as Harry hoped he would be a instant hit, drug out notes just like a living Binns, which as Harry thought about it, that's what he was... a man living WAY past his expiration date.

With ten minutes left in the class, and Flamel finding no weakening in his droning Harry found himself just writing, what he didn't know. First he wrote that the Unforgivable Curses where illegal after a muggle raid in the 1790's then he wrote something that both puzzled and scared him. He lowered his quill, forgetting about Flamel's notes and stared at it. "The Prewetts are next." Prewetts, he thought, Hagrid told him seven years ago the Prewetts was an entire family Voldemort and his follower whipped out. What did that mean the Prewetts are next? Maybe Harry was going crazy from all this writing.

There was a shout from Flamel's office and a screech owl came barreling in the classroom window at the bell rang. Flamel sprang to his office and the owl landed in front of Ron. The three of them stared at it, Draco lining behind them pretending to have dropped his book. "Open it," Hermione choked.

Ron looked at her and nodded. He took the letter and let the owl fly back out the window into the morning. He tore it open and read it silently as Draco, Harry and Hermione watched eagerly. Ron dropped both his mouth and the letter.

"Ron," Flamel appeared back in the classroom. "Come on son, we're going to Dumbledore's office." Ron, nodded leaving his books and papers behind. Hermione and Harry dare not follow, the look on Ron's face was pale, his freckles invisible now.

The door closed and the silent chilled the classroom once again.

"What does it say?" Draco asked.

"I don't think I want to know," Hermione said, still staring at the closed door as though wishing Ron would come back through.

"Read it," Harry ordered, looking at Hermione sadly.

Draco picked up the letter and cleared his voice, "Son, You need to go to Dumbledore's office right away. You're sister will be there soon and you both are to come to London. Your mother..." Draco paused turning equally white, "your mother has been killed. Bring who ever you want to come, but please hurry, I would hate the Daily Prophet to find you before I do. – dad."

Harry collapsed onto the table, trying his hardest not to weep. His eyes were begging him too, but he held them well. Hermione rested her head on Harry shoulder, freely crying. "How could this have happened?"

"We have to go," Draco said at once. Shoving the letter in Ron's book and picking up both his and Ron's stuff. "We have to hurry up and get to Dumbledore's office before they leave. Ron needs you two."

Harry forced himself up and found Hermione uncontrollably crying near his face. "Come on Hermione," he whispered. "He's right, Ron needs us, and Ginny needs us. We have to go now." Hermione didn't remove her head from Harry's should so Harry heaved up Hermione weight and carried her out the door after Draco.

When they entered Dumbledore's office Ginny, Ron and Charlie were already there, sitting close together, all silently weeping dry tears. Draco dropped all their books on the floor and stepped back to the wall of the room. "I knew you would be he soon Harry." Dumbledore whispered. "I assume you've heard the news?"

"Yes Professor," Harry said.

"I would ask you three to stay here, Ginny and Ron will leave Hogwarts just for the time they need to recover and then be home, this is not a time to take you away from safety Harry."

"I would like to be there sir," Harry objected.

"No, you stay here; it is barely even safe for Ron and Ginny to leave."

"Fine then, may I walk them to the train?" Harry asked, nearly begging.

"Yes, you may." Dumbledore finally allowed. "Charlie, it's time to go."

He nodded and led the way, only Draco staying behind in Dumbledore's office.

"What happened?" Harry asked softly.

"Please, not now." Ginny whispered, laying her head on Harry' shoulder. He draped an arm around her shoulders and nodded.

"When will you be back?" Hermione asked.

"In a day or two." Charlie answered stiffly.

"Why can't we go?"

"Because she was murdered Harry! Right outside the Order! The damn blasted dark mark is still hovering over the place, muggles are suspicious and the muggle police found her before we did! It's going so well Harry and you are the very last person we need lurking around places we can't control." Charlie nearly yelled. Ron sniffed and bowed his head lower. "Harry, Hermione, you can't go any further. Go back to Dumbledore and he'll explain. We need to meet dad here soon."

Hermione nodded and planted a kiss on Ron check, he didn't blush. Harry hugged Ginny tightly to him whispering he'd miss her quickly. The three walked quickly to Hogsmead leaving Hermione and Harry looking on after them.

"What do u think happened?" Hermione asked, shivering under Harry's arm.

"I don't know? Maybe they were trying to get to Mr. Weasley by getting his wife..."

"Or to you by getting the only think close to a mother you had." Hermione added.

His heart sank, maybe it was that, maybe Voldemort was pin pointing everyone Harry ever cared about and one by one he would kill them... dropping like flies... He shivered uncontrollable.

"You had a dream about this didn't you?" Hermione said softly.

"Not about her dying, but about... someone said that everyone I ever cared about and everyone I every knew would die."

"Who do you think the voice was?" Hermione questioned, noting the fear behind Harry's eyes as though he almost let something slip.

"It wasn't Voldemort, I know his voice. It was someone else's." Harry bowed his head and Hermione was silent the rest of the way t the castle.

Draco met them at the door. "You missed lunch." He said, taking Hermione from Harry and escorting her himself under his arm. "Dumbledore said the elves had fixed us a lunch in the kitchen, come on."

Some what thankful Draco was there, Harry followed the couple into the dimly lit corridor. All that swam in his thoughts were of Mrs. Weasley. How she treated him, how she feared his death, how she truly was the mother he never had. What scared him more though was the heart wrenching feeling... this is far from the end of the deaths.