Thank you all especially to Daughter of Darkness, Babebunny, tonksssand a few others for their continuous support since the beginning of the prequel. And also to those new readers and who's still reading and still loving what I'm offering and... I'm blabbering huh?
DoD777: Well...I agree with you that I don't think JKR's gonna bring Sirius back. But if that's the case, I'm a little disappointed that he had died without a body. Perhaps that was JKR's intention in the first place. To allow us Sirius Lovers to live in denial lol. Oh and no worries about long review, I love them. In fact, the longer the better. It makes me feel really appreciated to have someone spending time on reading my story and reviewing them.
DragonSwordMaster: Hmm... I don't know... probably 5 more chapters or so. Call me a sadist but I kind of enjoy torturing my reader with the frustrating relationship they now share hhehe! But I'd say you should enjoy a certain chapter on Christmas. Not our Christmas. Their Christmas!
Chapter 6: Espionage
It was the first Saturday of the school term and the famous trio were lying on their stomach on the hearthrug near the fireplace, propelled up by their elbows and writing furiously with their quills (or at least Hermione was).
Harry stared at the two short paragraphs on his essay about Human Transfiguration on his parchment, his quills suspended in midair. Hermione on the other hand, had already written a length of two feet and still counting. Frustrated, he sighed and pushed his homework away and rolled onto his side, watching the flames licking the sides of the fireplace.
Both Ron and Hermione looked up at him. "It has occurred to you that we're taking our NEWTs this year, hasn't it?" Hermione said in an accusing tone.
"Of course, Hermione, you've only said this ten times already today. For Merlin's sake, this is only the first week of school!" Harry snapped irritably, "Look the weather is perfect for Quidditch!"
"Only!" Hermione huffed indignantly. "You do realise how important NEWTs is, especially if you want to be an Auror. Five NEWTs minimum! And all must be Exceed Expectation, to say the least. Unless you're telling me you're giving up on becoming an Auror, hmm?"
"Hermione…" Ron began but she rounded on him instead.
"And what now? You're going to agree with him?" she shrieked uncharacteristically, "You do know how important it is for him to master his spells. It could be anytime, Ron, anytime!"
Then, looking at Harry's depressed face, her face dropped. "I'm sorry, Harry," she said softly, "It's just… I don't know what's wrong with me lately." And she fled from the room, tears cascading down the contours of her face.
"Hermione!" Ron called after her but she disappeared back to the girls' abode before he could get another word out.
"Harry, are you okay?" Ron asked tentatively, conferring his attention back to Harry. "Look, Hermione's just upset about all the attacks that'd been going on outside the wall of Hogwarts. She feels awful that she's sitting safe in here while the others are facing mortal peril. You know what I mean? She didn't really mean to, you know…" His voice trailed off awkwardly.
"I know," Harry said quietly. He understood Hermione's unease. And he knew he'd have chosen death than to see his friends come to any harm. But that, however, was not an option for him. If he died, so would his friends. In fact, he could almost foresee that if it came down to the last fight out, it would be more likely his friends who would be sacrificing themselves to preserve his life. He could not let that happen. He needed to be ready. His friends needed to be ready.
"Ron," he said with a new surge of determination, "What do you think of regrouping the DA again?"
"Wha – Oh! That's brilliant!" Ron said enthusiastically, "it would be much easier now, without Umbridge. I wonder why we didn't do that last year. Are you sure? If you are, I could star – What happened to your scar?"
Harry blinked, "what?" he asked.
"Your scar, it's gone. And your – your eyes… They're not green anymore!" Ron blurted.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked. He touched his forehead and traced the lightning bolt shape. "It's still here."
Ron blinked twice. "It's back. I swear it was gone! I swear your eyes were hazel just now!"
"If I hadn't known better Ron," said Harry, "I would think you're describing my dad."
"I'm not, Harry. I really…" Ron paused as if deep in thought and then he exclaimed, "it happened before!"
"I'm lost, Ron," Harry said. "I swear you're talking more and more like Hermione," he mused.
But Ron ignored him. "Remember that day when I woke you up to go to the Burrow, when you had a nightmare?"
"Yes…" Harry said slowly. He remembered Ron's peculiar behaviour but had shrugged it off when Ron told him it was nothing.
"Well, actually I thought I was looking at Vol-voldemort," said Ron, "and I thought I was hallucinating. But now it happened again. I'm dead sure your scar disappeared for a moment right there."
Harry stared at Ron, not knowing what to say. He knew his friend would not lie to him about something like this. Heck, even the Weasley twins would not joke about something like this.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"Positive," Ron confirmed. "Maybe you should consult Dumbledore."
In years of experience, Harry knew that if he ever had any problem, consulting Dumbledore would be the best choice to make. However, like always, Harry had his reservations about spilling his guts out to the Headmaster. What if he thinks I'm a freak? And that was not the only reason. Harry still felt ill-willed towards the old wizard for keeping things from Harry especially the one about the Prophecy. Even if Harry had come to appreciate Dumbledore's pain as time went on, he still felt he was not so ready to forgive the man's foolish mistake that caused Sirius' death.
"Maybe," Harry answered quietly.
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Once again, Janieve found herself in a situation she was already used to – sneaking out in the middle of the night. With her robes billowing behind her, she slithered down the hallways that will lead her out of the castle.
Her wand in one hand, she fought back the urge to just transform into her Killet form. It would have made sneaking out much easier. After a near escape from being discovered by Peeves, Janieve was sprinting across the field towards the Forbidden Forest.
"It's me," she said, when she reached a particular tree in the forest, panting.
"Hi Jan," said Tranquil, the leader the of the Killets pack. "Have you got the thing?"
"Yes," Janieve said, "do pardon me for my tardiness. Dumbledore would not let me transform and I find the castle security quite hard to break in my human form."
"Indeed," said the feline creature. Janieve retrieved a vial from her pocket, which held a thick purplish-red liquid.
"Horntail," Janieve informed, "I hope it helps." Grawp's blood that Janieve had offered the Killets last year had a temporal immunity effect and within weeks of consuming the blood, they were back to their usual self again. Knowing that Dragon's have high resilience to injuries, Janieve had jumped at the opportunity to joined Charlie with Dragons Keeping.
"Thank you," Tranquil said as Janieve tied it to her body.
"The Dark Lord has a new plan," she said.
"What of?" Janieve inquired.
"That, I'm not sure. But he had planted a spy in your school. To finish the boy," Tranquil answered.
Janieve's eyes widened and she stared at the Killet. "Who?" she asked.
"We don't know," Tranquil said. She occasionally tilted back her head as if she expected someone to be coming. "I've got to go."
"Okay, thank you," Janieve said as she watched her informant leave.
A spy? Who could it be? To finish the boy, the Killet's hissing voice rang in her ears repeatedly and she shuddered. I have to tell Harry, she thought. But before she could even take another step, something hard collided with the back of her head and she rolled back her eyes and fell forward with a thump.
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Next Chapter: 4th May (Wednesday)
I know I know! Long wait right? But bear in mind that this chapter is out much earlier than expected so... what can I say?