"What did Dumbledore mean?" asked Sari.

"You'll have to wait until the end," said Ron. "That's what Harry had to do. It was only at the end that it both worked and made sense."

"Why did it take so long?"

"Well," her grandmother said. "Harry had something that triggered his true power in magic. Some say he was a Dark Wizard because of how immense his powers became. Sometimes waiting is the beginning of understanding."

"When You-Know-Who tried to kill him when he was a baby, some of his powers got transferred to Harry. That was how he spoke Parseltongue, and became as powerful as You-Know-Who.

"Did you think he was?" Sari asked.

Her grandparents sat silently. Hermione looked over at one of the pictures of Harry and replied, "No, I don't think he was one at all."

Ron nodded slowly in agreement.

The bell rang from the distance.

"Oh, my!" her grandmother cried. "It's that late already?"

Sari frowned. She didn't want the story to stop now. Her grandfather seemed to have read her mind.

"Sari, we will finish another time. Right now we must go eat."

Sari nodded. It seemed, however, when they departed that her grandparents were happy to stop.

A month went by, and Sari still didn't hear the rest of her grandparent's story. She would find them loitering in the library and in the Great Hall. When Sari tried to speak or get near them, they would suddenly walk away or tell her that they had something important to do.

On Halloween, the Great Hall was decorated beautifully with jack-o-lanterns and spider webs. Live bats fluttered and screeched in the ceiling.

Peeves would often dart out of the knight armor and hallways to scare the students to death. One first year was so scared that she was still screaming on the other side of the castle.

In Transfiguration, Prof. Kinndle gave them yarn spools to turn into spider webs. Sari was the first to do it right so she was awarded points.

Everyone in the Great Hall thought that the House Elves had outdone themselves. Roasted ham with pineapple made their mouths water, and desserts of all kinds littered the tables along with fresh hot rolls and chicken. White rice steamed in its dish, and the tables were scattered with candy galore.

"Let's pig out!" Sarah exclaimed, raising her fork.

"All right!" Sari hailed.

Soon everyone was joining in on the fun. Even Prof. Nikolay seemed to be having the time of his life. Sari's father had to take away his goblet of wine because the professor began to laugh uncontrollably.

November came by suddenly as did December. Leaving the Gryffindor tower, Sari walked through the school towards the library where she was sure that her grandparents would be present. True to her knowledge, there they sat reading the Daily Prophet.

"Ron, look at this."

He looked over and sighed, "Oh, please"

"What? It's a Frizz-Be-Gone hair potion."

Sari clamped her hand over her mouth to refrain from laughing. Her grandmother did have frizzy hair, though.

She waited a few minutes before talking to them because she didn't want them to know that she had hear her grandmother's remark. Hermione hated to be embarrassed.

"Hello, there" she said smiling.

They frowned.

"Oh, hello, dear," Hermione replied with a fake smile.

"Can't talk now." Ron rushed.

They stood up to leave, but Sari grew angry. She stomped her foot loudly on the floor. Ron and Hermione stopped and looked at their very upset grandchild. Then they stared into each other's eyes.

"All right Sari," Mr.Weasley sighed. "We'll tell you more."

All three of them were back in the small room the next day. The morning sunlight stained the tiny hidden room in bright patches.

"Now, where were we?" asked Ron.

"When Harry finished talking with Dumbledore." Sari reminded.

"Ah, yes"

"Tell me about how Draco Malfoy and Harry started to get along." She said excitedly.

"Very well. It was early January. Snow was everywhere and blizzards occurred almost every week. Malfoy was at his usual pranks and levity. There were six of us their including Crabbe and Goyle, who were his dumb friends."

"You listen here, Potter," Draco sneered. "Don't get in my way. I'm going to tell my father about how old Dumbledore is running this place. We tried to do that years ago but you people got in the way."

"Then don't do it in the first place." Harry snapped.

Draco's eyes squinted in annoyance. "You know who my father is, Potter. You wouldn't want him to come and speak to you personally. He might bring a little friend of yours."

Harry knew that he was talking about Voldemort, but he didn't act scared.

"Likely story, Malfoy," Hermione said. "Dumbledore is here."

"It doesn't matter, Mudblood. He'll come anyway and Potter knows it as well. Don't you, Potter?"

Harry didn't reply. For once, Draco was right.

Malfoy laughed. "You'll be seeing him soon enough. You've been informed."

"How do you know about that?" Harry yelled.

"You know my father."

Harry felt like punching Draco in the face, but it was he who started first.

"Move, Potter." Malfoy said rudely, and he pushed Harry violently aside. Harry in the process grabbed his arm. Draco fell down with him and both were angry.

"Get over here, Potter!" he cried.

He grabbed Harry by the shoulders and hit him hard in the face.

Hermione screamed and begged them to stop.

Harry kicked Draco in the stomach and he fell forcefully to the ground.

Crabbe and Goyle moved into action and began hitting Harry as hard as they could.

"Stop it!"

Ron grabbed Goyle by his robes and punched him hard.

Hermione stood off in the corner of the area hugging her books and crying silently, watching Harry and Ron fight.

"Move!" Draco shouted at his friends.

They stopped and got out of the way. Draco smiled when he saw Harry's bloody lip and Ron's black eye.

"Had enough, Potter?"

Harry ignored him and slowly slid his hand under one of the trees. Keeping eye contact, he gripped a large stick in his hand.

Malfoy swung back his foot and struck Harry in the ribs.

"Stop!" Hermione shouted.

Draco looked in her direction. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was still clutching her books.

"Stop?" he taunted. "We're just beginning."

Malfoy dropped quickly onto one knee and jarred his fist out to hit Harry, but he was ready. Harry suddenly hurtled the stick from under the tree and it cracked loudly onto Draco's head. He cried out and slammed onto the ground. Crabbe and Goyle thumped over to him, but Malfoy stopped them.

"No," he mumbled. "I'll get him."

The side of his face was started to draw blood and a large bruise was beginning to form.

Harry got up and bent over to hold his sore stomach.

"You'll pay for that!"

Draco lunged at him and they fell to the grass. Harry threw him off and stood up again. He grabbed a branch from a tree for support. He stepped back slightly when his foot fell backward. Looking behind him he saw a crevasse.

"Oh, no." he whispered.

Draco abruptly ran up and hit him again. Harry lost his grip on the branch and started to fall. Draco slipped on the rocks and followed him.

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione shouted.

The four of them ran and looked over the side and saw the two of them falling down a steep drop hitting tree branches and rocks.

"Get help now!" Ron ordered Crabbe and Goyle.

Without hesitation they obeyed.

"Harry, can you hear us?" Hermione called.

"Harry!" cried Ron.

Harry felt himself falling. He saw Draco falling too, screaming his lungs out. Harry collided with rocks, dirt, tree branches, and everything else a forest had. He tumbled down and when he landed, he was so sore that he could barely move.

The sound of Draco hitting the ground filled his ears. Slowly, Harry opened his eyes and noticed that he fell onto soft snow. He looked above him and saw Draco's body lying stiff and motionless. Harry struggled to get up, but the pain was intense. After awhile he didn't collapse, but stood up shakily. He walked over to Malfoy and checked to see if he was still breathing. He was alive, but unconscious. Harry grabbed his arms and dragged him out of the crevasse.

Every once in awhile he would rest, and then continue on. Hagrid had told him that there was a cave somewhere nearby, and Harry was determined to find it.

Clouds were hovering over them like a vulture. Harry knew instantly that a blizzard was coming. He trudged onward until he found the hole in the rocks. Trees grew around it so that it was difficult to spot.

Dragging Malfoy around wore him out, but he had to find wood to build a fire before the blizzard came. He didn't have his wand with him since it was a weekend. Harry checked Malfoy's pockets to see if he had his. No.

Harry started out into the forest gathering and breaking off wood from the trees. They were wet from the snow so they would have to dry first.

On the way back to the cave Harry fell only once, but kept his mind on getting back. After the wood had dried enough he placed them in the center of the cave. He found flint in the back and struck it against the wood. Flames ignited after sparks shot from the stone. Minutes later the blizzard stormed by and falling snow swirled into the cave and it grew colder. He shivered and fed the fire more wood.

Draco began to stir shortly after. Harry clutched a piece of wood in defense.

"Where am I?" he asked weakly.

"You're stuck in a cave with me." Harry answered.

Malfoy recognized him and grew angry.

"Potter, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. You pushed us down here."

Malfoy ignored him and tried to stand up.

"Ouch!"

"What's wrong?" asked Harry. He was actually concerned.

"It's my foot, or my leg, I don't know."

Harry moved over to him and touched his ankle. Draco cried out and pushed him away.

"What do you think you're doing? That hurts."

"I'm checking to see if it's broken." Snapped Harry.

"How would you know?"

Harry didn't reply.

"When I get out of this place, I'm telling my father about the dangers here."

"You're not going anywhere right now," Harry said. "With that foot, you're staying with me."

They were silent until Harry got up.

"Where are you going?" Draco said snottily.

"To get more firewood and sticks to make you a splint."

"You're going out there?" Draco asked apprehensively, pointing outside.

"We need firewood, and you need a splint. I'm getting what we need."

Before Malfoy could say anything else, Harry disappeared into the thick, cold snow.

"But we have to go and find them!" Ron said.

"No," Dumbledore said. "We can't risk more lives searching in the blizzard. We must wait."

He stared out the window.

"But Harry's out there and he doesn't have his wand "Hermione whined.

"Neither does Draco." Said Crabbe.

Dumbledore's expression reflected in the mirror. It was full of regret and sadness.

"I'm sorry."

Harry was consumed in the snow. Wherever he turned he couldn't see anything but white. It was bright, too, and it made him squint. Feeling his way around Harry snapped off branches and twigs that he found on the trees.

After he had enough Harry started back the way he came. He knew that it was the right way, even though each footprint he made in the snow was swallowed up each time by the freezing whiteness.

He finally came upon the rocks. Harry felt his way to his left and found the opening of the cave. He staggered in and fell to the floor that was covered in snow.

"Are you okay?" Malfoy asked.

He then noticed what he had just said so he then hurled and insult. Harry ignored him and brushed off the snow on his robes and hair. He laid the other branches on the ground to dry while keeping the ones needed for Malfoy's splint.

"What are you going to use to bandage them on?" pondered Draco.

Without a second thought Harry took off his robe and ripped a strip off the bottom. He wrapped it around Draco's foot with the branches and tied it tightly.

"There." Harry muttered.

Malfoy shivered violently and hugged himself for warmth.

"Here." Harry said.

He threw his robe on top of Malfoy, and then settled across from him near the fire.

"Why are you doing this?" Draco asked softly.

Harry stared up at the ceiling from his back. "I don't know."

Draco tucked Harry's robe tighter around him and shivered less. Harry curled into a ball on his side and shivered worse than his partner. He felt his eye lids droop from weariness. He was so tired that he could barely shiver.

"Don't sleep!" Draco yelled.

Harry's eyes snapped open.

"If you sleep," he went on. "You'll freeze."

Harry was skeptical about Draco being in the same room with him, but he knew that he was right. He nodded and forced himself to sit up.

The hours went by slowly. The blizzard was blowing all through the night. Harry forced himself to stay awake. Often times he would see in the corner of his eye Draco watching him. At one point, however, Harry swayed and then collapsed onto the frozen ground. Malfoy was awake and pushed himself over to him. He draped Harry's robe over him and watched Harry sleep and shiver.

An hour later the blizzard subsided and day shone through the clouds. At this time Draco was out of the cave searching for anyone that would help them. He limped here and there but found no one. Minutes later he heard the voices of Prof. Snape and McGonagall.

"Over here!" he hollered.

"Malfoy!" McGonagall cried in relief.

Snape raised his wand and fired red fireworks in the sky.

"Malfoy, where's Potter?" she asked as they met up.

"He's back at the cave that we're in. He's not doing too well."

McGonagall was quiet for a brief moment before she asked Draco to lead them to him.

At the cave she gasped when she saw him lying there motionless.

"Severus, carry Potter. I'll help Malfoy."

Snape cringed, but went over to Harry and picked him up. He fell limp in his arms.

"Let's go." She said.

When they reached the top Dumbledore was there waiting.

"We saw the signal. How are they?"

"Malfoy has a broken ankle. I'm not sure about Potter" she informed him.

"Bring them to the hospital wing."

Draco left the hospital a day later, but Harry stayed there for two weeks." Said Hermione. "He was in bad shape and he had gotten sick. What was it, Ron?"

"Pneumonia, I think." He answered.

"Yes, but we visited him every day."

Madam Pomfrey held the door open.

"I told you two, nothing has changed."

"But we want to see him anyway." Ron argued.

"Fine, only for a short time."

Hermione rushed over and sat down next to Harry's bed. Ron sat on the opposite side. They looked at him and knew that the nurse was right. He lay there with his eyes closed and his face pale. His breathing was slow, but steady.

"I can't believe he did that." Ron muttered. "Helping Malfoy like that. He should have taken care of himself, and now look."

"Ron," Hermione whispered. "Don't start. Harry probably had a reason. You know how he helps everyone."

"I don't care. Malfoy deserves to be here, not Harry."

"Maybe that's why he did it."

Ron froze. "What do you mean?"

"Harry knows that Draco deserves a lot of things. This is just one he can pass over."

Ron sat quietly looking at his friend laying still. "Harry just better get well, or Malfoy is going to have to deal with me."

Hermione didn't reply. She took Harry's hand and squeezed it. "Hear that, Harry? You'd better get well before Ron gets beat up."

Ron laughed. "Oh, really?"

She smiled. "Really."

Some days later he awoke in the hospital. Both of them were so happy and relieved. It began when Ron and Hermione were sitting at Harry's bed again.

"When is he going to wake up?" asked Ron.

"Be patient. He will when he's ready."

"It's been almost a week."

Hermione didn't talk anymore. She opened her History of Magic book.

"There you go reading again. You did that yesterday, too."

"You should be reading also. Prof. Binns is giving us a test on Tuesday"

"He is? I didn't know. You should tell me when –"

"Ron!" she interrupted while looking down at Harry. He was stirring a little and turned his head.

"Hooray!" shouted Ron.

"Shh, Ron, he's still sleeping." Hermione whispered sharply.

"Oh, sorry."

"Let's go tell Madame Pomfrey."

Two days later Harry was let out. He was still pale and tired, but awake at least.

"Why did you risk your neck out for Malfoy?" asked Ron.

Harry shrugged. "I guess because he needed help and I just couldn't sit there watching him freeze with his ankle bothering him."

"What, and have you freeze instead?" Ron was angry now. Harry avoided his eyes and coughed so hard that his chest rattled.

"Drop it." Hermione snapped at Ron.

"Sometimes I don't get you, Harry." Ron sighed as he got up from the chair in the common room.

He chuckled. "Sometimes I'm glad you don't."

Ron frowned and found it disturbing. Harry knew what he was thinking. "Voldemort is only half the problem."

They both flinched.

"Sorry, I mean You-Know-Who."

"Sorry isn't good enough, Harry." Ron yelled.

Harry realized that he was talking about something else besides saying Voldemort's name.

"Saying sorry is nothing. You could have died now, and not by You-Know-Who that is supposed too."

Ron gasped at shock of what he had just said. Hermione did too and covered her mouth. Harry stared with hot tears forming.

"Harry, I didn't mean it." He stuttered.

"You know," he said softly. "Sometimes I wish he would. Then I'd make your lives easier, wouldn't I?"

"No." Ron whispered, but Harry ignored him and looked away.

"Harry,"

"Just leave me alone!" he snapped. He rose from the chair, swayed slightly, and then strode out of the common room through the portrait.

"Ron," Hermione said crossly. "How could you say that? He's your friend and is under pressure."

"Come on, Hermione, I didn't mean to."

"Yes you did. Maybe not in the way Harry thinks, but in a way saying that you don't believe he can survive. That he can kill You-Know-Who and destroy the evil around us. You don't believe he can. That is your failure as a friend."

Ron gazed painfully at the floor. "You're right, I don't believe that he'll survive."

"Why not?"

"Because of the way Harry comes back every year after meeting with him. Always brutally hurt or fainted. You-Know-Who doesn't even use his full power."

"But Harry needs our trust and belief. He needs to know that we believe he can do whatever he needs to do. And right now that's to defeat the one who has been torturing him physically and emotionally. Do you understand me, Ron?"

He nodded slowly.

"Good, maybe now you can start believing in him instead of the facts."

"I gave your grandfather a serious talk then." Hermione said as she looked at Ron while she spoke.

"Yes you did." He replied, thinking back on the day.

"Did Harry forgive you?" Sari asked.

Ron nodded. " 'That's what friends are for,' he told me when I apologized. "I've never forgotten that, and I won't ever."

They were in a phase of silence before Ron suddenly burst in tears. "I still didn't believe in him. After your talk, Hermione, and even after he forgave me, I didn't. I still hear his voice saying that."

"Ron, it's okay."

"No it isn't!" he shouted. "I failed him as a friend. After he died I felt so guilty, and yet, I wasn't surprised. Just the way he died makes me feel like he wanted it to be that way."

"Do you want me to continue?" Hermione whispered.

"Yes, I need to face my failure until the end."

"Very well. So, Draco started to hang out with us more often. He never made fun of us unless we were in Potions when he'd do it so Snape wouldn't know."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the Great Hall biding their weekend time. Harry kept asking the two of them if they wanted to play a simple game of chess, which they disagreed to.

"Please," he whined. "Just one game?"

"Harry, you stink at chess." Ron said with a grin.

Harry's eyebrows twitched. "I do not. You cheat."

"Only sometimes." Ron replied casually.

"How about you, Hermione?" he asked eagerly. She shook her head.

"I have to study for a test Prof. McGonagall is giving us. Besides, I'm not very good at it."

"I'll play."

They turned and saw Draco with a smile.

Ron glared at him and snapped, "Just go away."

Draco twisted his face in an angry manner, and then smiled. "I just wanted to play chess with Harry."

Harry noticed that Malfoy actually said his first name. Ron, however, thought nothing of it. "Shut up, Malfoy, you should have gotten sick, not Harry."

"Ron, stop it." Harry argued. He turned to Draco. "You can play if you want."

They both slid down farther so that they could have peace. Ron had folded his hands under his chin and stared between the ceiling and the two of them. Even Hermione occasionally peeked over her books to spy at them.

"Harry," Draco said as their game started. "I never got to say thank you for trying to help me than yourself. Sorry I ruined your time here at Hogwarts. Really, I am."

Harry shrugged. It was weird that all this was happening.

The minutes went by and Harry was in the lead at chess. Draco was furrowing his brows in frustration as he tried to find a way around Harry's bishop while avoiding his knight at the same time. When he moved, Harry smiled and said, "Check." Draco cursed and at himself and slammed the table. Harry hid a smile behind his hand.

Later on all that was left were two kings. Harry and Draco were soon having an all-out battle. They slammed their kings at different squares before the figures could move, and darted their eyes around the board. In the end, Harry won and Draco tipped his king over before it slid to its defeat.

"Nice game, though" Harry announced.

Draco smiled at him. "Yeah, you just got lucky."

Ron and Hermione gazed down at them. "Well," she sighed. "Maybe he really did change."

"No way, he's probably being nice so that he could have Harry do something bad."

"No, he'd never do that. Draco would rather be attacked by another Hippogriff than be falsely nice to Harry."

Ron didn't answer.

In February the school was informed that members of the Ministry of Magic were coming to Hogwarts. Harry. Ron, and Hermione were outraged that Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, would be coming.

"I was right!" Ron cried. "Draco did tell his father about the incident last month. He was just being nice to you Harry so that you wouldn't suspect anything.

"Oh, be quiet, Ron." Harry sighed.

"What I want to know," Hermione cut in. "Is why they're here in the first place."

"Who cares?" Ron grumbled. "I just don't want to see Draco's father."

Days later they arrived. The three of them weren't the only ones worried about Lucius Malfoy. McGonagall and Dumbledore were sternly gazing around as they approached.

"Now that we're here, Albus, we can get down to business." Said Cornelius Fudge, the minister of magic.

The others grumbled in agreement as they entered.

Ron and Hermione looked on beside Harry as Dumbledore greeted the people. Lucius Malfoy was moodily staring at all of them with his silver gray eyes, making the school feel hollow. His gaze quickly fell onto Harry's. They glared at each other until Dumbledore came up to him and shook his hand.

"Welcome, Lucius. I'm surprised to see you here."

The man didn't respond to the headmaster's statement, but moved his attention from Harry. As they turned down the corridor Malfoy and Harry glanced at one another once more. Dumbledore also turned to stare at him with an expression clearly saying that he understood what Harry was thinking.

"Did you see the way Malfoy was looking at you?" Hermione said worriedly to Harry.

"He's a Death Eater. What do you expect?" Ron replied.

Harry stood quietly against the wall, still staring at where they turned.

"C'mon, Harry," Hermione sighed. "Let's get to class."

Two hours later school ended and the three of them were walking past the library when Dumbledore and the Ministry workers walked by. Once again Harry and Lucius glared.

"Hello, students." Dumbledore greeted. "Heading toward the Gryffindor Tower, I presume?"

"Yes." They said together.

"Good, good. We'll stop by soon. I'm giving my visitors a tour now. See you at dinner."

They marched on and Harry and his friends did soon after.

As if the day didn't pass by quickly enough dinner was soon to be served. Harry was walking a little ways behind Ron and Hermione as they were met up by Dumbledore and his tourists.

"Well, now," he smiled. "Isn't it strange how we keep meeting?"

"We're on our way to the feast." Replied Hermione.

"Yes, I'm just escorting our guests to the door."

Dumbledore was beginning to walk to the door of the Entrance Hall when Lucius stooped by and blocked his path.

"Sir, Can I speak with Potter?"

Harry felt a shudder of anger and Albus stared gravely into the man's eyes. After a brief pause he agreed. Lucius jerked his head for Harry to follow him. He did and he could feel everyone's eyes upon his back.

They walked to an area out of hearing range when Lucius stopped.

"Why are you here?" Harry asked irritably.

Lucius was silent until shortly after a pause. "It is because my job at the Ministry brought me here to this ruddy school. They do their annual checking now and then. However, I also agreed to come because I needed to make sure that you know."

Harry had no difficulty comprehending what he meant. "Yes, I know. I also know that it will be the final battle. To the death, am I right?"

Malfoy nodded slowly with a vague smile. "You're as good as dead. My master has no attention of losing to the likes of you."

Harry felt his abhor for the man increase as he glared fiercer and didn't reply.

Lucius whipped out his cloak and he could see some object shining silver.

"Do you have any idea what this is, Potter?"

Harry shook his head.

"It's a machete used by my father. It has been bestowed from father to son for centuries. Soon I will pass it unto Draco. If you do succeed in destroying my master, which I doubt, I'll finish you off myself."

With that last remark, Malfoy turned swiftly around and gracefully swept toward the exit.

Harry stared after him for a brief time before he followed.

"Harry, what-?" Ron started, but he just brushed past him and proceeded to the Great Hall. When he reached the door, he heard Ron and Hermione running after him.

"Harry, stop!" Hermione shouted.

"Just leave me alone!" he grumbled.

Ron scowled at him and replied, "What did Lucius say?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

Ron cursed and yelled, "Harry, you better tell us now, or I'm going to get very mad."

Harry kept his mouth shut.

"Ron, just let him be." Said Hermione softly.

"No, he should give us some idea."

"Ron-"

"No!"

"Look," Harry hollered over the noise. " Just let me deal with my business on my own. If I get killed, I get killed. It's not your problem."

Ron erupted in a heated anger and swung out his fist, hitting Harry in the face. He grunted and struck the wall, and then the ground.

Hermione screamed. "Ron, why did you do that?"

"Because he won't let us help. He's talking like he's already dead."

"Just shut up." Harry growled as he held his face.

At a sudden moment, both began to get into a violent scuffle. Hermione was in a state of panic and ran to whoever was around. Luckily, Prof. McGonagall wasn't too far away.

"Prof. McGonagall, help!"

"Dear me, Miss Granger, what is the matter?"

"Harry and Ron are fighting!"

Soon they came around the corner and the two boys were visible. Harry was on top of Ron, punching madly.

"Stop it, now! Potter, Weasley, quit it!" cried McGonagall angrily. She took hold of Harry and pulled him roughly off of Ron, while Hermione grabbed him. The two of them were still struggling to fight and curse after being brought apart.

"Now you listen to me," McGonagall said sternly and out of breath. "Your behavior will not be tolerated. Twenty points from Gryffindor."

"But-," Harry began.

"But nothing, Potter. No act of violence such as this is permitted in this school. Now I want both of you to shake hands."

Harry and Ron glared at each other and Hermione rolled her eyes at the thought.

"Do it now." She commanded.

The two of them slowly stretched out their hands and shook, holding so fiercely that McGonagall had to wretch them apart.

"Now," she sighed. "I don't want this behavior to arise again. If it does, detention and further points will be taken."

Prof. McGonagall stared at them before continuing down the hallway to where Dumbledore was at the moment.

"Idiots!" Hermione exclaimed when they were alone.

"It was his fault." Harry replied, pointing to Ron.

"Was not, you started it first just by saying what you said. How could you?"

Harry stared hard at him for a moment, and then opened his mouth to speak. "I said it because….." he didn't finish. Harry did not want to hear any more of it, so he quickly turned and entered the Great Hall.

"When he broke off like that, I knew what he was going to say." Said the present Ronald Weasley. "I somehow felt that Harry knew from the beginning of the year that he had no chance against You-Know-Who."

Sari and Hermione were silent. Ron stared at one spot and said nothing. Sari's grandmother fidgeted a little before she rose from the chair.

"Where are you going?" Sari asked.

Her grandmother didn't answer. She hobbled over to a darkened area of the room and dragged something back to the table.

"Hermione, leave it there." Ron said stiffly.

She shook her head and heaved a large wooden trunk onto the table.

"Hermione-,"

"Ron, we haven't opened this trunk in years. It would be nice to see everything again, and to show Sari." She slid her weary hands across the top and pulled up the lid.

Inside were many things. Hermione reached in and pulled out a flute. "Oh, Ron," she gasped. "This is what Hagrid gave Harry in our first year! Remember when he used it to make Fluffy fall asleep?"

Ron nodded with a minute smile.

"Who's Fluffy?" Sari asked.

"It was a three headed dog owned by Hagrid, but we won't get into that right now."

Ron next reached in and held a strange looking top. He laughed. "This is the Sneakascope I gave him. The thing was so cheap that Harry had to stuff it in some smelly sock to muffle the sound."

Hermione giggled. "Oh, look, here are some books and his broom care kit I bought him for his birthday."

They laughed and sighed in remembrance as the excavation continued. Sari watched in fascination as the two were engrossed.

Hermione then gasped again and pulled from the trunk a golden broomstick. "Look, Ron, it's the Firebolt."

Ron took it in his hands and smiled. "I remember this broom... I remember."

"Let's continue the story, dear."