Disclaimer: All characters are the property of J K Rowling who I greatly admire.

My first effort – feedback greatly appreciated.

The following morning Dumbledore called a special assembly in the Great Hall and made the following announcement.

"Boys and Girls of Hogwarts, it is with great regret that I have to announce that one of our sixth year pupils has been suspended pending an enquiry which may lead to his expulsion. The pupil in question is Harry Potter."

There was a stunned silence as the pupils of Hogwarts tried to make sense of this news. Ron could not resist looking across to the Slytherins table where he expected to see Malfoy and his cronies Crabbe and Goyle smirking with delight. Instead they were looking at each other in puzzlement and he distinctly saw Malfoy shrug his shoulders.

"Following repeated transgressions of the school rules," continued Dumbledore, "I was left with no alternative but to take this course of action. There will an enquiry in front of a panel of teachers and governors. I hope that the outcome will be a happy one. I called you here to make this announcement in order to try to keep any conjecture and rumour to a minimum and I will continue to keep you informed. Now I would like you to return to your lessons."

Slowly, and in silence, the pupils filed out of the Great Hall. Ron and Hermione, anxious to return to the Gryffindor common room, tried to avoid the questioning glances of everyone around them. Unfortunately, they were unable to avoid Draco Malfoy who, with Crabbe and Goyle at his side, blocked their way in the corridor.

"So," sneered Malfoy, "Potter's gone, has he?"

"Shut it!" hissed Ron.

"Ignore him, Ron," said Hermione.

"I'm amazed he lasted this long," continued Malfoy. "Still, he couldn't rely on being Dumbledore's favourite for ever, could he?"

"Come on," said Hermione grabbing hold of Ron and trying to brush past Malfoy.

"You know," said Malfoy, "I expect my father will be on the panel that decides Potter's case. He'll see to it that this time Potter's dead."

The use of the word 'dead' had the desired effect. Ron and Hermione stopped in their tracks and Ron, his face turning several shades of red, glared furiously at Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle guffawed their appreciation. Malfoy leaned in close to Ron and Hermione and spoke in a low voice so that the crowd that had gathered around them would not hear what he was saying.

"Look here," he said, "I have no idea what Dumbledore's up to but you know and I know that Potter is dead. He's dead and that's all there is to it."

Malfoy leaned back. A malicious grin spread across his face.

"How can you know that?" yelled Ron, shaking with fury.

"Ron. Don't!" implored Hermione.

"Potter's not coming back, Weasley," grinned Malfoy. "He's not coming back."

Ron was reaching into his robes for his wand when Hagrid's loud voice boomed behind them.

"That'll be quite enough of that!"

Ron turned to see Hagrid's massive form striding towards them.

"Right," growled Hagrid, glaring at Malfoy, "you've got lessons to get to, haven't yer? Then get to 'em."

With reluctance, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle moved away and the crowd began to disperse.

"And as for you two, "said Hagrid, turning to Ron and Hermione, "I don't know everything that's going on but I do know one thing. Dumbledore's a great man, he is, and if there's any way of thing's turning out right he'll see to it. So don't you worry 'bout nothing."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other. They could see that they were both experiencing the same sinking feeling. They both knew that if Dumbledore could fix things then he would. But Dumbledore had made it clear to them that he could not bring Harry Potter back.

Only Ron and Hermione could.

They recalled the conversation of the previous evening in Dumbledore's office. They had stared at Dumbledore when he had informed them that Harry could be brought back to life.

"How?" Hermione had asked. "How do we do it?"

"There is a way," said Dumbledore. "But I can't tell you what it is. You have to find it yourselves."

"We have to find it?" said Hermione.

"I can have no part in it," continued Dumbledore. "For me, the magic would not work."

"But you can tell us what do, professor," said Ron.

"If I was to tell you then that, in itself, would render the magic ineffective," answered Dumbledore. "You have to find the way yourselves and you have to find it soon."

"You can't give us any clue, professor," asked Hermione.

"I'm afraid not," said Dumbledore moving across to the window.

"Ah," he said, "It's morning. The sun is rising in the East."

He continued to stare out of the window in silence and Ron and Hermione decided that it was time to leave.

Over the next few days Ron and Hermione spent every spare minute in the library. They both looked through as many books as possible although Ron, having little confidence in his own intellectual abilities, secretly hoped that Hermione would find the answer. Three days later, though, as they were sat in the library at midnight, they were no closer to finding the magic that Dumbledore had referred to.

"It's useless," groaned Ron, closing yet another book.

"We have to keep looking," said Hermione, not looking up from her book.

"I'm so tired," said Ron, rubbing his eyes.

"That's OK," said Hermione, kindly. "You go to bed. I'll carry on here for a bit."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll just be another hour or so."

Ron replaced his book on the shelf and made his way back to the Gryffindor boy's dormitory. He undressed slowly, pulled on his pyjamas and climbed into bed. Shortly he fell into a fitful sleep.

An hour later Ron was awakened by someone shaking him. It was Hermione.

"Hermione!" gasped Ron, barely awake. "How did you get in here?"

"There are spells to stop the boys getting into the girl's dormitory," explained Hermione, "but not the other way round. Look, Ron, I've got something really important to ask you. Can you come down to the common room now?"

Of course," said Ron, climbing out of bed.

They walked down to the empty common room which was in darkness except for the glowing embers of the dying fire. Hermione turned to Ron with a look of urgency.

"Ron," she said, "this is really important and you've got to give me an honest answer. OK?"

"OK," said Ron.

"Ron," asked Hermione, "are you a virgin?"

Ron paused and wondered what to say. Then he noticed the serious look on Hermione's face.

"Yes," he admitted. "I am a virgin."

"Good," said Hermione. "So am I. Ron, there is a way. There's a way that we can bring Harry back to life."

"There is?" asked Ron, trying to hide the embarrassment of his recent admission.

"Dumbledore did give us a clue," continued Hermione excitedly. "When he said about the sun rising in the east. That's what me think about eastern magic."

"Hermione, what is it?" demanded Ron.

"Tibetan sex magic," said Hermione, looking straight at Ron. "We're going to perform a ritual using Tibetan sex magic."