Harry Potter and the Arch of Hades
By: Merusa
Chapter 8: La Medianoche (The Midnight)
Harry had long since discovered that he hated Halloween with a passion.
Halloween could never be good. In his first year, a giant troll had nearly killed his friends. The year of the Chamber of Secrets, the entire school had begun to think he was a psycho on that day. In his third year, a man he himself thought was a psycho had attacked the school, and the year after that, it was announced that he was the fourth champion, and fate had spelled out Cedric's doom. The year of the Umbitch had followed- enough said. Last year, he had been clued in to the fact that Halloween was the night in which has parents died.
Needless to say, Halloween sucked.
It was because of these thoughts that Harry felt quite nauseous when he stepped out of Gryffindor Tower to do his usual Head Boy rounds. It was a few minutes before twelve p.m., and Harry, though still slightly riding the euphoria of their Quidditch victory over Slytherin that morning, prayed that the midnight would arrive soon.
He took a deep breath as he approached the entrance hall, as he had done every time since the dream. The hall was where he had seen the odd line of people, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before he discovered something strange about the staircase.
When he turned the corner and saw the staircase, he stopped dead in his tracks. His mouth fell softly open in a sort of silent scream, as his eyes took in the sight before him. He'd seen the scene before, not as a memory, but in a photograph. The summer before his fifth year- Ron's prefect party. Mad-Eye Moody showing him this, thinking he was giving Harry a real treat....
"Come here, I've got something that might interest you....Original Order of the Phoenix. Found it last night when I was looking for my spare Invisibility cloak, seeing as Podmore hasn't had the manners to return my best one....Thought you might like to see it."
Harry eyes roved over the staircase. Marlene McKinnon. Frank and Alice Longbottom. Dedalus Diggle. Benjy Fenwik, who they only found bits of. Edgar Bones, Amelia Bones's dead brother. Caradoc Dearbon, who vanished, Gideon Prewett and his brother Fabian, who, now that Harry thought about it, looked strangely like Mrs. Weasley.....and there.His mother, father, and Sirius.
They were frozen in the moment, Lily's hand fixed on her dress, James's head thrown back as if in laughter, and Sirius looking thoughtfully at where the camera would be set up.
The dead members of the Order of the Phoenix were fixed in time.
Why am I seeing this?
He looked over the group again. Not one figure had moved.
Then suddenly, there was life.
The apparitions were chatting and laughing happily, and Harry knew that they didn't know where they were. The living members were abruptly there, but they were in colour. Harry figured that they were accidental astral projections of some kind. He looked closely, and saw that two figures were missing: Mad-Eye and Dumbledore.
"Really, Albus! They're too young!"
Harry turned and saw that the missing two were hovering in a corner, their outlines flickering constantly.
"Alastor, I know that you have a soft spot for them- we all do, since the attack- but they're seventeen. They have the right the join if they want to, and they wanted to. We can't refuse volunteers, not at a time like this."
"You've heard the prophecy," Mad-Eye hissed, "Lily and James's son! We can't let them get involved!"
Dumbledore shook his head. "It could just as easily be Alice and Frank. We don't even know if Lily is capable of having children, thanks to the attack."
"Albus! Alastor! Come over here, he's going to take the picture!"
Harry watched in fascination as the two men immediately assumed smiles and joined the group. They all posed, smiled, and, together, disappeared.
"What was that?" Harry murmured.
The clock struck midnight.
Harry slipped quietly into the common room. He wasn't surprised to see Ginny sitting by the fire, curled up in Harry's favorite chair. She had insomnia like he did, and often stayed up late. She smiled at him. "Hullo."
He couldn't summon the energy to smile back. "Hi."
She studied him for a moment before standing up, offering the chair to him wordlessly. He moved and sat down. She perched on the arm of the chair, adjusting her night robe as she went. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Harry shook his head no.
She nodded. "Okay."
They sat in silence for a long time.
He walked up to the statue. "Livin' La Vida Loca." It ran aside, revealing the moving staircase. He hopped on to the step and rode it up the Headmaster's office. He knocked.
"Come in."
He stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind him.
Dumbledore smiled tiredly at him. "Hello, Harry," he said quietly, "are you ready for your first lesson?"
Author's note: All quotes came from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, American first edition.
Review Responses:
Greek Mione- the dream was supposed to be confusing! Don't worry, though. I get it.
Creative Deficit- YESH! HURRAH FOR CRYPTIC DREAMS! Well, as for your Ginny threat, it is a very valid threat. However, I heartily remind you to read a chapter in its entirety before flaming me. Just a friendly, unobtrusive, not-in-any-way-mysteriously-foreshadowing note. Hint Hint. Wink Wink.
Nathalie- Hello! Nice to meet you! It's never too late to ask. Harry communicated with his friends by using their owls- like, Ron would owl Harry, Harry would use Pig to send multiple letters rather than just replying to Ron. Hedwig ate plane old owl food, the poor thing- and the mice of the magical world rejoice!
Heathz- Thanks. Sorry for the lack of updates.
I'm trying. I really am. Anyone for foreshadowing? Really. If you guess an element of the plot or something that's going to happen, I'll give you a cameo!
Merusa