Chapter 18- A Wish Is Granted

Ever since the incident in Potions, Hogwarts had been on high alert. There were several prefects and professor standing guard in the halls, all the students were to be in their common rooms immediately after dinner, and Quidditch was cancelled 'for the time being' as Dumbledore had put it.

The days that passed were very uneventful. They went to class, ate, did homework and tried to sleep. It seemed to be that way for the teachers as well, McGonagall had lost that stern alert look in her eyes, which were now filled with worry. Even Potions with Snape was bearable. He had them abandon making the Polyjuice Potion and had given them mostly written assignments from then on.

Even meals were eaten in silence. There was the occasional chatter of much homework (the teachers were attempting to keep them busy somehow) but meals were usually eaten in haste for there was a rush to get to their next classes or to their common rooms 'safely.'

If the ministry was aware of the events going on at Hogwarts, they kept it very hidden. Harry was sure that they knew but was keeping it a secret from the media, hoping not to cause more trouble after letting the Dementors slip through to the other side.

It had been at least two weeks since Dumbledore was aware of Cassie's vision and none of the high security had been lightened. Ron and Hermione often had to leave on prefect patrol in the hallways leaving Harry and Cassie to wallow in their misery during the evenings and late nights.

"I hate this," Harry whispered as he tried to finish his Transfiguration essay.

"I do to," Cassie sighed, playing with her quill.

"I hate being me."

"Don't say that."

"Its true..."

"I hate being me."

"Are you making fun of me?" Harry asked, slightly louder than he had meant to. Several of the Gryffindors in the common room glanced over at him quickly but then turned their heads back down towards their rolls of parchment.

"No," she replied dully.

There was a long silence after that.

"Did you ever figure out what happened?" Harry asked. He hated the silence. The silence caused him to think, and thinking depressed him.

"No."

More silence.

"I wish they'd just come already." Harry said.

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He was running, and running fast. He came to a halt at a large iron gate which opened for him. He ran inside the towering mansion, up all the flights of stairs and into a large, cold stone room. He didn't know why he was there, or how he knew where they where. But he did. He looked around but it was too dark. The only illumination was the fading glow of the dying fire in the hearth. Behind him he heard a voice.

"Harry?" It was a girl's voice. Soft and kind, but full of fear.

"Hermione?" He asked. He spun around as she emerged from a dark corner. She slowly approached him, her face was pale and her eyes were bloodshot.

"Where'd you get that?" She asked him, pointing to his hand. He didn't know what she was talking about at first, but he opened his sweating palms and found that he had been clutching a diamond ring.

"I don't know..."

"Harry!!"

Ron's voice brought him out of his dream and back into reality. He was lying in his four-poster in the boy's dorm shivering with cold. Around him Seamus, Neville and Dean were hastily packing suitcases. Harry squinted at the clock across the room, quarter past two.

"What's going on?" Harry yawned as he put on his glasses.

"Hurry up! Pack some clothes. We've gotta go," Ron explained as he threw some more things into his bag.

"Why? I don't get it. What's going on?" He asked again.

"We have to leave. Dumbledore's spreading us all out around the castle. We're going into hiding and we're not sure how long we'll be."

"What? Where are we going? Where's Dumbledore? How long? What's going on!?" He asked very irritated this time.

"It's not safe anymore Harry. We've got to go or else they'll find us." Ron said as he started to pack up some of Harry's things.

"Who's they?" Harry questioned as he helped Ron shove his belongings into his suitcase.

"The Dementors are almost here. And we've got to go."

(a/n: okay, im begging you now. PLEEEEEEAAAAASE review to mi fic. I've posted this story on a bunch of forums and they seem to like it a lot but I need to know if there's any of you reading this story HERE. How do you expect me to continue if I dunno if anyone's reading? Or how's my writing gonna get better? Hmmmmmmmmm? Btw, sry this chapter's so short.)