Light began to infuse the boy's dormitory of the Gryffindor Tower. A new day was breaking, a new day that held what? What else would this new day bring? Ronald Weasley sat upon his bed, staring at his mismatched stocking feet sticking out from the hem of his robes.
What else would go wrong today? Ron rubbed his weary eyes, feeling exhausted from head to toe, yet unable to sleep. So many things had been happening lately. So many things that all ended up with someone getting hurt, someone angry, or someone in the hospital wing. Hermione was in the hospital wing, attacked by someone. Ginny was in the hospital wing, also attacked by someone. Neville and Cho in the hospital wing, again attacked by someone.
Ron looked up and around the boy's dormitory. It was empty. All the beds untouched. He found it strangely frightening to be alone in the room. Normally there would be someone snoring away, or at least the regular breathing of someone sleeping. Never was there complete and utter silence.
Ron got to his feet, slipping on a pair of shoes, and heading for the door. Someone was attacking his friends. Someone was hurting each and every one of them. Ronald didn't know who it was or why they were doing it. The only thing he knew was that he had to do something about it. He couldn't continue to let those closest to him continue to get hurt.
But then again the number of people close to him was running pretty low. Ron thought grimly as he trudged down the stairs. The only person not hurt and who could be called a friend with some stretching was Luna. She was a strange one, but Ron still didn't want her getting hurt.
He entered the dim Common Room. The torches and candles were out and the light coming through the thick glass of the windows was still dim. Ron pulled out his wand, pointing it to a tray of fat candles sitting upon a desk. The spell was on his tongue, but he noticed something… no, someone sitting in a chair near the smoldering fireplace.
"Harry?" Ron asked.
The dark figure shifted. Neville caught a glint of light reflected from Harry's glasses as they turned to look in his direction. "Go away." Harry said.
Ron stood there gripping his wand, suddenly filled with irrational rage. "I'm going to see Ginny and the others. Want to come?" Ron asked, pushing away his anger.
"Go away." Harry repeated.
Ginny, Hermione, Neville, Cho. Ron suddenly realized that they all had something in common. Harry. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. Enemy of You Know Who. Ron began to feel a sudden chill. What if this were some Death Eater plot? What if someone was targeting Harry and instead kept getting those closest to him?
How many times had other people been hurt because of Harry? Bad things happened to people around Harry Potter. Things that always hurt those that cared for him the most. Nearly twenty students were in the Hospital Wing right now, paying because of Harry's actions. And where was Harry? Moping in the Common Room, without a scratch on him.
Ron stared at Harry, his earlier fear being replaced with anger. Only a few months before Ginny had broken her ankle in the Ministry. Neville his nose. Hermione was nearly killed, and for what? A ball of glass?
Other people paid for his actions.
"Fine. Sit here and mope in the dark." Ron snapped. "Ignore your friends who were hurt. What does that matter to you? What does my little sister, Hermione, Neville, Seamus, Dean, and the others matter to Harry Potter. You bloody, pompous, self centered-"
Suddenly Harry moved from the chair, bounding across the Common Room and shoved his wand into Ron's face. "I'll tell you this one last time. Go. Away." Harry said.
Ron stared into the red-rimmed wild eyes and backed off. "You're bloody mad." Ron whispered. Harry gave him a rough shove, sending Ron stumbling to the floor and painfully hitting his elbow upon a desk.
Harry stood there in the middle of the Common Room as Ron clamored to his feet and staggered out of the Tower.
XXX
"Quiet." Madam Pomfrey hissed to the gathered students. The whispering suddenly died and the students looked to Pomfrey. "I know you all want to get out of here as quick as possible. But I must say a few things. One. If you begin feeling any pains, hurts, or problems come back here immediately. Second. Those with bandages, be careful with them and see me tomorrow to get them off. Third. No. More. Fighting."
Someone began laughing, but Pomfrey's cold gaze shut them up quickly. "Now. Get out of here and I don't want to see any of you in here again." She said, stepping away from the Hospital Wing entrance.
"Finally." Ernie McMillan whispered, heading for the exit with the other twenty or so students that had been kept over night.
"I'm looking forward to a shower." Dean said as they got out of eyesight of Pomfrey's glaring façade. "Got to get the smell of Hospital Wing off of me." He plucked at his robes and wrinkled his nose.
"Hey. At least its breakfast time." Seamus muttered beside him.
"Oh, gosh. I'm so hungry." Hannah said, clutching her hands around her stomach. 'I couldn't eat any of that swill Pomfrey was trying to shove down our throats last night." She shuddered at the memory. "It was almost torture."
Ernie agreed with Hannah. "Breakfast. Eggs. Sausage. Biscuits. Buns." He sighed.
"Forget the shower. I'm up for something to eat." Dean said after his stomach began rumbling.
"Hopefully it won't be a repeat of yesterday." Seamus said, lifting up his arm wrapped in bandages. A badly cast Jelly Leg spell had instead nearly broken the bones in his arm into little pieces. Pomfrey had spent a lot of time to heal that wound and only aftr begging on his hands and knees had Seamus been allowed to leave.
"Harry Potter." Hannah almost spat the name. "That boy's trouble."
"Well…you can't really blame him." Ernie said, but then stopped at Hannah's glare.
"He's a bloody nutter." Seamus exclaimed.
Silence descended upon the four as they headed down to the Great Hall. No one disagreed with Seamus' statement.
XXX
Until Next Chapter!!!