Over all, the classes throughout the next week in Hogwarts were simple. Most of it was review and some taking notes. Gryffindors received very little homework so Harry had much time to plan the Quidditch tryouts. They were scheduled for Friday night.
Every morning, Hermione would get an urgent owl and would rush out of the Great Hall without saying a word. Harry and Ron never really see her besides in classes because she was always "studying for a test" or "looking something up in the library". She was obviously lying, but to Ron and Harry that wasn't important. They were too anxious for tryouts to see what would be to come for the Gryffindor quidditch team.
Friday morning rolled around and they had Herbology first thing.
"Hermione!' Ron called up the girls' staircase in the Gryffindor common room, checking his wristwatch. ' We're already…10 minutes late!"
Harry sat on a floppy couch facing the staircase waiting for Hermione while Ron, becoming more furious by the second, tired running up the staircase. He got about halfway up when the stairs morphed into a large slide and he slid down.
"UGH!' He said facing Harry picking his books up that he dropped. 'She's always coming into our dormitory…doesn't Hogwarts know 70 percent of rapes are to guys!"
"Uh…nope. I suppose Hogwarts doesn't." Harry said turning around and looking out the window. It was very cloudy out. He then saw a student with bushy hair sprinting out the castle.
"Ron! She's already out there!" He said scurrying off the couch and out the portrait hole. Ron said a very rude word he certainly wouldn't have said if anyone else but Harry and him were in the common room.
They just made it into the greenhouse to find Hermione wasn't there.
"I was positive that was her!" Harry whispered to Ron once they took their seats.
After Herbology they headed to the Great Hall for lunch. There, they saw Hermione already seated finishing up her meal.
"Where were you?" Ron said slamming his books down in front of Hermione. Hermione simply look up and said
"I was a bit busy, that's all." And she began to stand up and leave.
"Are we going to be seeing you in Care of magical Creatures?" Harry asked stopping her by her arm.
"I'm going to have to skip today, I'm awfully busy." She said shrugging and she walked out.
"My god." Ron said helping himself to beef casserole.
"What the hell would she be so busy at?" Ron said stomping out of the grounds to Hagrid's hut.
"Why are you stressing over it, Ron?" Harry asked trying to keep up with Ron.
"Well, I'd give anything to be skipping classes wither her, but I know if I miss one class I'll miss something important. I'm just upset that she can skip and she's still smart, I guess." He said sighing.
"Oh." Harry said once Ron was finished.
When they got to Hagrid's hut they went to the back and found a huge tank with dark scaly creatures floating about in the dark murky water. Harry knew at once what these were.
"Grindylow review!' Hagrid called from the other side of the tank. ' Now… let me jus' lift the lid of this an'….ARRGH!" One of the grindylows hopped out of the tank and ran into the woods.
"Now, can someone tell me what happens when a grindylow leaves water?" Hagrid asked beaming.
"It slowly begins to die" Harry said looking at the part of wood the grindylow escaped to.
"Thas' correct Harry!' Hagrid said ' Now, lets all find it…it didn't go far…they don' last long on foot once they're on land."
And they ventured into the dark woods. Harry and Ron led them. They had been in the forbidden forrest more than any of the other students and they were used to the roots lying on the ground and tall, twisting, trees. After about 2 minutes the rest of the class got separated from Harry and Ron.
Harry had now just realized Ron and him were alone when his scar started to throb with his heart. They kept walking and Harry was beginning to think he passed the same twisted tree three times before.
"Are we lost?' Ron asked and then suddenly stopped. 'What's that smell?"
Harry stopped to and inhaled.
"Ew." He said moving towards where the stench was coming from.
There was a clearing a few paces ahead where there was a cloak sprawled out on the ground. Ron walked up to it holding his nose. He stopped and stared at the lump under it.
"Harry! It's a dead man!" He said in shock.
Harry ran up to the body, heart beating and turned it over.
His heart fell down to his gut.
He knew those snake-like eyes.
He knew that pale cold face.
And it was dead.
Lord Voldemort.