Harry Potter and the Golden Bell

Chapter 6

A Second Dream

Harry was sitting outside of Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione walked up to him smiling.

"Harry, we have something for you," said Hermione.

"We know you're going to like it," said Ron.

"Really? Let's see, then," said Harry

"Now, if you should get into trouble, ring that bell and we'll both come looking for you," said Hermione.

"Wow! Thanks, guys! Can I go play now?" asked Harry eagerly.

"Sure. Go on," said Hermione. Harry leaped up, bell in hand, and ran into the Forbidden Forest. He skipped through the trees smiling happily. He didn't know why he was skipping, but it seemed like a good idea. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a black shadowy figure appeared. He grabbed Harry's arm. Harry screamed and rang his bell frantically. He looked at the figure's hand. It was gray and blistery; Unhappy. Harry fought away and began running through the woods. The figure ran after him calling his name. It was only whispering, but its words were ringing loud in Harry's ears. "Harry Potter!" it was saying, "Harry Potter!!" Harry stumbled over a tree root and flew to the ground. The figure grabbed him by his collar and pulled him up. It whispered in his ear holding Harry tighter and tighter, "Harry Potter...the golden bell is with you...you have it in your hand...In a few days, someone you know; someone you love; someone you respect; and someone you trust, will turn out worse than they are. Worse, Harry! They will turn out to be someone you despise, someone you loathe with all that's in you. Beware the golden bell, Harry. Lord Voldemort is back! He's back!" Harry screamed. He squirmed around, but the thing's grip was far too tight for him to get out of. The person rolled up Harry's sleeve and held a large ax over his shoulder........

Harry sat up and gasped for air. He was breathing h still dark outside and he could hear Ron's snores coming from the foot of his bed. Harry got out of his bed and went to the window. He looked outside thinking that maybe he'd see someone in a black cloak, and just as he had expected, he didn't.

Hermione and Ron were sitting in the Great Hall before breakfast. Ron had to finish an assignment for potions, and Hermione was awake, so she decided to come with him. Harry half ran into the Great Hall and sat down next to Ron.

"Guys listen," he said, leaning in closer. He looked around to make sure no one was listening; specifically Malfoy. "I had another dream last night." Hermione gasped.

"What happened?" asked Ron. He had a tinge of fright in his voice. Harry's dreams were always so frightening and confusing. He wasn't sure if he was afraid of what the dream was going to be about, or if he was afraid he wouldn't understand the dream once Harry described it.

"It was a complete reenactment of the night that the boy in the story in the golden bell was killed. Except the boy wasn't there. The boy was me." Ron whimpered. He understood. He was just afraid that he understood.

"What happened?" asked Hermione, "What did the man say? Harry, did he chop off your arm?" Harry shook his head to quiet her down.

"You and Ron gave me the bell and I took it in the woods. Just like the story, a man came up to me and told me that I have the golden bell. He said that in a few days, someone I know, love, respect, and trust will turn out to be someone I despise and loathe with all that's in me. Then he raised and ax to my arm (Ron whimpered) and then I woke up. (Ron sighed.)"

"Someone you love..." said Hermione thinking, "Maybe Anna-Nicole?"

"But I don't love her," said Harry.

"You might in a few days. You said you were going to go talk to her one of these days," said Hermione.

"Well...someone I despise and loathe with all that's in me...that's Voldemort. (Someone turned around at looked at Harry then looked back at their homework) Someone's going to be hurt by Voldemort. Someone here IS Voldemort! If -"

"Would you mind calling him You-Know-Who, please? It might not bother you, but it bothers everyone else!" Harry turned around and looked at the kid who had said that.

"Sorry," he said and turned back to Ron and Hermione. "If you see anyone acting strange in any way (Ron looked at Colin Creevey who was staring at Harry. He was far enough down the table not to hear)...besides him. He's always strange. But, if you do, tell me right away. Allright?"

"We've got your back, Harry," said Ron.

"Don't worry, Harry. Everything's going to be just fine,"

"Oh...and there's something else." Harry put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the small bell. He placed it in his palm and opened his hand for his friends to see. Hermione covered her mouth.

"Harry, where did you get that?" she asked.

"It was on my nightstand after I woke up from my dream," said Harry. He handed it to Hermione. Ron leaned towards her to get a closer look. Hermione looked inside the bell.

"Stanford Bell Company," she read. "Stanford Bell Company existed almost 200 years ago! This is either impossible, or you have the golden bell, Harry!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione started down the hall to Herbology. It was almost the end of classes for the day. They were late for the class and were rushing to greenhouse 3 as fast as they could. Apparently, someone else was rushing to their next class as well. Anna-Nicole was going the other way. She was going so fast and not paying attention, that she bumped into Harry. They both fell opposite ways. Hermione and Ron just backed off.

"Oh my God!" cried Anna-Nicole, "I'm so sorry, Harry!" She bolted up and held out her hand to him. He took it and stood up.

"It's fine...it's allright - " Anna-Nicole was frantically brushing him off as if he had just fallen into a bag of flour.

"Anna-Nicole - " She stopped immediately, blushed, and looked down at her feet, squirming nervously.

"Harry! Come on, we're late!" yelled Ron.

"Listen..I have to go. Meet me at the lake after dinner. Allright?" Anna- Nicole nodded. Harry kissed her on the cheek and met up with Ron and Hermione. He rolled his eyes and pushed them both along away from Anna- Nicole. "Come on," he said. Anna-Nicole stood there in awe and dropped her books. She felt as if she was going to have a heart attack. Harry Potter had just KISSED her.

Professor Sprout was giddy that day - as she was every day. After the students put on their coats and gloves, Professor Sprout started the lesson. She clapped her hands together once.

"Now," she said, "Today we are going to be collecting billywig poison. Can anyone tell me what a billywig's sting does to the body?" Hermione's hand shot up.

"Miss Granger?"

"A billywig is a magical insect, native to Australia. The billywig is about a half-inch long and vivid blue in color. Its sting causes giddiness and levitation. For this reason, the billywig's sting is highly sought after by Australian wizards. Dried billywig stingers are also useful as a potion ingredient."

"No wonder why Professor Sprout is so happy today," whispered Ron into Harry's ear, "Too many billywig stings." Harry chuckled at Ron's joke.

"Excellent!" said Professor Sprout, "10 points to Gryffindor." The Gryffindors looked happy. Not many of them liked Hermione very much, but they liked getting house points because of her. The Slytherins, however, just looked at the Gryffindors with jealousy and some cursed to themselves.

"Now, milking a billywig is quite easy. You see, you just take your piece of hog flesh and stick your billywigs into it. When the flesh gets heavy, squeeze it into your beaker. When your beaker is filled up to the mark that says: 2 cups, bring it to me. You will then go back to your stations and get another 2 cups of the poison, and so on until you run out of billywigs in your container. Any questions? Allright, you may get started. Oh! and keep your gloves on at all times! Don't scratch your eye, pick your nose, dig in your ears, or suck your fingers. Those are all easy ways for billywig poison to get into your body. We don't want anyone bouncing off the walls or floating 100 feet over our heads." Professor Sprout demonstrated and then set the students to work. Ron peered into his container of billywigs.

"This is disgusting," he said with a pained look on his face. He looked at the hog flesh and whimpered. Hermione picked up her cup and went up to Professor Sprout.

"Hermione's done already?" said Ron incredulously.

"I guess so," said Harry watching her come back to the table.

"You two better get working," she said, starting her next batch of billywig poison. Harry and Ron looked at each other and just started working. Harry picked up a billywig and forced it into the flesh. He watched it wriggle around until it was completely still. He took the dead billywig out and put it in an empty container. He looked at Ron who was trying to get one of his billywigs to stay still. Neville seemed to be wrestling with a few of his. The students at his table were laughing hysterically at him.

"Harry?" said a voice from the side of him. Harry looked where it came from.

"I'm done, do you need help?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah that'd be great," he said.

"You're done? Completely done?" asked Ron. He was done with only 3 billywigs. "Well, I need some help too." Hermione rolled her eyes and started working on Harry's billywigs with him. She looked around and then spoke to Harry quietly.

"I went to the library and read about Stanford Bell Company. They went out of business after the 5 years they were open, when people found out that they had made the golden bell. It said that it has a curse on it. A death curse. it's irremovable, too. No countercurse can get rid of it once it's on the object. The company wasn't very well-known. They worked quietly and kept strict hours. They made sleigh bells to church bells and were known by a small group of people for the bells in the community church. I'd suggest you get rid of that bell, Harry. I don't know how it could have just appeared on your nightstand, but it's bad luck."

"I'm going to hang onto it. Just in case," said Harry.

"In case of what?" asked Hermione.

"In case someone comes to find it."

Defense Against The Dark Arts was next. Dumbledore couldn't find anyone to fill the spot. He had gotten numerous owls from the Ministry of Magic about people they had that could fill it, and he refused to all of them. He didn't want another teacher like Delores Umbridge teaching the students. In the meantime, the class had a different teacher from the school every day. Dumbledore gave the teacher the information on the subject that they were to teach and they would teach it. Today, they had Professor Snape. He appeared the most in the classroom. He had been begging Dumbledore for the job for years, but he wouldn't give it to him.

The whole class was absolutely silent when Professor Snape entered the classroom. He went to the front of the room and looked around at everybody. After a long wile, he pointed to the empty seat next to Harry.

"Who sits there?" he asked in his normal evil sounding voice.

"Hermione Granger," said Harry quietly. Ron looked at him and mouthed: "Where's Hermione?" Harry looked at him and shrugged.

"Please tell Miss Granger to come and see me some time when she's free. She's getting a little present for skipping class," he said. Nobody moved, nobody spoke.

"This is what happens, students, when you neglect to show up in my class. And yes, this is my class. I am taking it over until we find you children a new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Please get used to my routine in this class as well as Potions. I'm sure you'll all be glad that you'll be seeing me twice a day." His mouth twitched and Neville stared at him in horror. He hadn't blinked for a while now and Harry wasn't sure whether he was still alive or at the most, conscious.

"Am I understood?"

"Yes, Professor Snape," said the class timidly.

"I said, am i understood?" he said a little louder.

"Yes, Professor Snape," said the class louder.

"Good. Very good. Now, I want 4 rolls of parchment on 4 different types of dragons. Due the day after tomorrow." Snape grabbed his wand and pointed it at the chalk on the chalkboard tray. It leaped to the chalkboard and started scribbling frantically:

- Antipodeon Opaleye

- Chinese Fireball

- Common Welsh Green

- Herbridean Black

- Hungarian Horntail

- Norweigian Ridgeback

- Peruvian Vipertooth

- Romanian Longhorn

- Swedish Short-Snout

- Ukrainian Ironbelly

Snape waited for the chalk to finish. While it was writing, everyone just stared at the chalkboard. When it finished, it hovered in the air for a while and blew up all over the front of the room. There was a pause and Snape spoke.

"Well," he said, "I advise you write the words down instead of gaping at them." He looked at Neville who was looking more terrified than he had at the beginning of class. The students jumped and grabbed for their notebooks and quills. Snape walked up and down the aisles slowly with his hands behind his back watching each of the students write. Neville had his quill poised over his notebook ready to write "Antipodean Opaleye," but his hand was too shaky to write even the first "A."

"Mister Longbottom." Neville jumped and moved his head slowly to look at Snape.

"Do you need me to perform the Imperious Curse on you for you to write?" The entire class looked at Neville and Snape.

"Or are you going to do as I say and write - "

"STOP!" Why had Harry done that? He screamed at a teacher - ordered a teacher to do something. He hadn't even meant to. The word had just come out. Snape and the rest of the class directed their attention to Harry. Snape walked over to him.

"Potter. Clearly detention on a Hogsmeade day hasn't left any sort of mark on you at all. I want to see you here every day for detention this week. Maybe that'll teach you to respect your teachers."

"Blimey," said Ron once they were completely out of earshot of Snape, "Snape sure was harsh today. He gave you detention every day this week, blew up a piece of chalk, scared Neville half to death, and now, i wager he's going to give Hermione a hard time once she shows up at his room." Ron paused. "Where is Hermione, anyway?"

"I don't know," said Harry, "Probably at the library. But, she wouldn't skip class for that." At that, Hermione caught up with them.

"Harry, get rid of the bell!"

"Hermione, where were you?" asked Ron.

"Snape wants you to go c him in the Defense Against The Dark Arts room," said Harry.

"Allright, I will, but just get rid of the bell!"

"No, Hermione. Listen, tell Anna-Nicole to meet me at the sundial before dinner," said Harry. Hermione sighed.

"Allright," she said, and headed to the Defense Against The Dark Arts room.

R/R!!!! I found some errors in this chapter because something got messed up on my computer...I fixed them for you cuz some important parts were left out. Ugh. Re-read please. –MJ