This is the same disclaimer that I used for Chapter One, obviously, so if you read it already, don't waste your time in doing so again: None of the characters in this fic are mine. They were all created by J.K. Rowling and are the property of her and Warner Bros.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Oh yeah, and if you think the riddle is really obvious or the story is getting too complicated, please review and tell me so. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Thanks!

CHAPTER TWO

HARRY

'What in the world is that supposed to mean?' Ron sputtered, looking blankly from the fire to Harry's face.

'No idea. I thought you might have some clue.' Harry shrugged, "Maybe Hermione'll be able to figure it out."

'God, she's brilliant. I dunno what we'd do without her. If anyone's able to figure it out, she--' Ron stopped abruptly, embarrassed, looking at Harry's befuddled expression. He changed the subject quickly.

'How did you find that riddle, anyway? And what was that thingy you said- Jee onnie totum?'

'Oh, yeah. I was getting to that. S' a bit strange, actually. I… er, well. Ok,' Harry didn't know whether to tell Ron the truth or not. He didn't want his best friend to get really nervous and excited—and maybe tell someone. Somehow, it seemed important that this be kept secret. He didn't know why, but all of a sudden he felt a surge of selfishness: He, Harry, would be the only one to know how he had found out about the riddle. It's funny, he thought, I can almost hear a little voice inside of me hissing lie, lie. Harry frowned. For a moment, he could swear, there was something familiarly snakelike about that voice.

HERMIONE

It had been two weeks, and still Hermione couldn't find any interpretation of her dream. She had had that same dream every night- and by now she was restless.

She tried to tell herself to put it aside; that it didn't really matter— but always it came to haunt her. She wanted to know what it meant so much…

She pushed everything else to the back of her head and went to look for Ron and Harry, seeing as she had to make sure they were studying. That afternoon the three of them were to have a History of Magic exam, and Hermione was quite sure that neither Ron nor Harry had been taking notes the whole term.

It didn't take her long to find them. As she headed up to the Gryffindor common room, she could hear them talking in hushed voices about something- and it wasn't History of Magic.

'I dunno. No clue what that line means, a werewolf and a moon?' Harry was saying.

'Yeah. Never mind that part,' Ron muttered, "What about the stag? I dunno anything about stags— isn't your patronus one?"

'Uh huh. You can't kill a patronus, though-'

They both stopped abruptly; frozen still the second Hermione entered the room.

LUNA

Luna sat at the Ravenclaw table, eating her lunch sullenly, while all around her was the buzz of cheerful, friendly conversation. She looked about herself bitterly, longing for the one thing that everyone else had and she hadn't. Friends.

Last year she had thought that was all over. She had fought He-who-must-not-be-named's death eaters with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Ron and Ginny Weasley. Without her there, a few of them might have died- but no, it was too much to ask for their friendship. They had friends, she had none, and Luna had learned it would be that way forever.

HARRY

'Oh, it's just you, Hermione. You got us really scared there, for a moment.' Harry told his female best friend shakily.

'Yeah," Ron frowned, "We've got something to show you.'

The boys took Hermione to the fire, blazing in the hearth. Harry cast the spell.

'Gionotium!' They watched, once again, as the riddle formed in the fire, and Hermione looked at it with worried interest. When she was done reading, she spoke.

'Harry, I have an sure feeling this has something to do with Lord Vol-demort.' She said, struggling to make herself say the name. Ron shuddered, but Harry nodded.

'Yeah, that's what I reckoned, too. I mean, now that he's risen again and all, well…'

'Right.' Hermione answered shortly, and her eyes darted around the room, making sure no one was coming. Then she took out a roll of parchment and scribbled something down.

'What's that?' Ron snatched it away from her. She rolled her eyes.

'Honestly, Ron. Must you be so impatient all the time? I'm writing down the riddle. We can work on it during class.'