They had sat in the Room of Requirement for a few hours after learning that news, they had missed classes and meals and had only sat there in complete silence.
Rons eyes seemed to bulge out of his head and Hermione sat fighting tears, Harry sat watching his best friends and hoping he never had to give them any horrible news such
as this... his undecided fate. At 8 o'clock that night they went back up to Gryffindor tower. Ron and Harry went up the spiral staircase to their dormitory they both changed
into their pyjamas and slid into their beds all that could be heard after all the lights had been turned out was Ron wispering "Don't worry you'll be great" before letting the dormitory
get filled up with the sound of more and more snoring boys. Sleep didn't come easily for Harry he knew the war was comming but that wasn't what was keeping him awake he had wanted
to hug Hermione, to make sure she was OK and to wipe all those unshed tears away as soon as they fell like he knew they would 'whats wrong with you?Are you her best friend or ...' realization
hit Harry like a ton of bricks... ' I fancy Hermione!!!' he spent have the night scolding himself for even thinking it.' you can't just mess with her heart now, you won't even live to see 17 if
Voldemort has his way' Even with his self-scolding he still fell asleep to dreams of holding Hermione in his arms and kissing her.
Next morning Harry woke up a little later than usual. "Harry mate" Ron was saying "You'll be late!!!" "Bloody hell Ron why didn't you wake me?" He asked his friend. Ron muttered
something under his breath and if Harry hadn't been in the bathroom he might have heard what it was. They met Hermione in the Great Hall with only minutes to spare and upon entering the room many students
turned in their chairs to look at him and Dumbledore smile a slight smile under is beard after seeing the courage Harry had. Harry walked up to him after being motionned to do so. "Hello Mr. Potter" Dumbledore said
"Hello Sir, you wanted to see me?" "Yes Harry I beleive we should have a word to day during your first class seeing as it is Defence Against the Dark Arts, the class it would be easiest for you to catch up in" Harry nodded,
he understood. he told hermione and Ron to go ahead that he'd meet them later on, he could tell they were worried so he told them where he was going.
Dumbledore and Harry walked up to the Headmaster's office and told the gargoyle the password "fainting fancies" which Harry knew already because he was a prefect. "Harry I know you saw the message on the
wall yesterday and I'd like to know how you feel about it" "Well Sir, all I know is that either I die or become a murdurer soon" he answered with a heavy sigh. They sat talking about possible spells to use to kill Voldemort without using an
Unforgivables Harry was given a few books and permission to use the Room of Requirement to practice. Most spells were about showing the love you have for everyone around you in ope that a level of love high enough would kill Voldemort.
There was one that stood out though, one particular spell which conjured all the love that other people had for you, Dumbledore found this one the most interesting.
All the time Harry had to spare he spent in the Room of Requirement, he wasn't alone. Hermione and Ron spent just as much time there as he did. Ok maybe Ron wasn't there all the time but Hermione was there every second there with Harry. No one really noticed that the trio wasn't really a trio anymore, it was a duo and one person on the side. " Harry lets try this one....it's an advanced sheilding spell but for your mind...it over rides the entire Occlumency system which means that even Ligilimens can't get throuhgt it" Hermione said one night with enthusiasm. "Ok Sure" was all Harry could say, he had been thinking about the war his fate the death toll that was already starting to rise. Every day news in the prophet was revolving around Voldemort, the dark mark had appeared in many places all over the world although all in Great Britain was worse the rest seemed to be scare mark...no murders but in London over 100 people were dead and the amounts grew more and more as you approached Hogwarts. It was obvious, Voldemort was working his way towards Harry gathering an army as he went along. The intensity of the moment built up higher and higher Harry felt more and more guilty everyday. "Students we have some news as part of the new defence program we will be starting a duelling club again...this time it will not be taken lightly. There is a war approaching and everyone is subject to torture and death we will protect ourselves to the best of our powers" Dumbledore said after dinner one day. "we will later have meetings divided by years or level of magical training to best approach the task of ending Voldemorts terror for ever". The plan was therefore divised The fifth years would come out with all the strong younger people followed by the weaker ones and the sixth years and finally all the seventh years would come out. Harry would be invisible trying to get the factor of surprise on Voldemort the teachers would be everywhere just as would be all the members of the order.
Everything was going well the plans were progressing quickly. Everyone knew their part and exactly what, when, where, who, how, why...they knew it all. Harry hadn't spoken to Remus in a while, it was a great shock to him when he received a letter
from the last marauder worth mentionning. His 3rd year DADA teacher had writen:
Dear Harry,
With the war approaching I beleive you should everything about your parents their pasts and yours. You know alot already but there are things some people don't even remember.
I have already asked Dumbledore if it was alright for me to meet you in Hogsmead, he said 'no'. I then asked him to set up a meeting time within the castle finally after a few
weeks of waiting his reply was 'yes'. Ask him where and when, incase this owl gets intercepted. I can't wait to walk you down memory lane with you.
your friend,
Moony (Remus)
p.s. I had to sign a letter that way i haven't done that in years...
Harry had laughed at his signature even if it gave him a pang .... he was now thinking about Sirius, Padfoot as he had been known. He made his way to the Headmaster's office with a lingering thought in the back of his mind....' what does Remus wanna talk to me about?' he reached the office and went up the spiral staircase to the big doors leading straight to the room in which his headmaster sat behind a desk. Harry knocked on the door. "yes Harry you may enter" said the Headmaster, Harry openned the doors and greeted his Headmaster with a slight smile. " I heard that you would know where I could meet Remus..." Harry trailed off, not knowing how to ask for his answer politely. "Yes Harry I know about all that here it is ...now don't tell anyone else and make sure no one sees you when you go meet him" Dumbledore said in a warning tone." Don't worry Proffesor"Harry answered " i have a few tools that will help" he said this with a grin and returned to Gryffindor tower.
A few days later was when the meeting was scheduled, at 7:30 pm in the room of requirement. It was presently 7:15pm and Harry was walking down the hall under his invisibility cloak with the marauders map to help him find his way around the
few people still roaming the halls. He entered the Room of Requirement and sat down on the couch that had been put infront of the fire with two small tables, one at each end of the couch that held a display of a few wizarding candies and a bottle of butterbeer each.
It was now 7:29 'just a little longer' thought Harry as the curiosity built up inside him. 7:31 'ok he's just going to arrive 'fashionnably late' this time' he thought 'What does 'Fashionnably late' mean anyhow??'. 7:45 "OK I'm going to leave if he isn't here in three minutes"
he said out loud but to himself. 7:58 "ok now i'm just maybe I got the days mixed up.." . Harry not being the sharpest tool in the shed hadn't thought of looking on the map until of course Dobby entered the Room "Hello Dobby" "Hello Harry Potter Sir." the elf replied
"what is Harry Potter doing here Sir?" the little creature asked "Oh I'm well...err.... waiting for a friend" Harry answered awkwardly " Should Doby leave Sir?" he asked "No no Dobby it's alright, I could use your company. " harry answered "I just wish I knew where he was"
he added as an after-thought. "Why doesn't Harry Potter look on the map with all the names?" the little elf asked "THANKS DOBBY" Harry yelled and picked the small creature up and spun him around "I hadn't even thought of that" he finished in a normal voice while putting
Dobby down. He then ran to where he had left the map, opened it and said "I solemly swear I am up to no good" the grounds and offices of all of Hogwarts appeared and Harry took his time searching the entirety of the map for Remus with no luck. He looked at Dobby expectantly
thinking that Remus had sent word that he couldn't make it for tonight that they would reschedule but Dobby just bowed and left saying he had some things to do. Harry thought this was suspicious. He went to Dumbledore's office.
"Proffesor?Proffesor?PROFFESOR!!!???!?!?!"Harry yelled as he approached the top of the spiral staircase leading to the Headmaster's office. "Yes Harry?" Dumbledore's calm voice said from somewhere in his office. Harry opened the doors and entered to find Dumbledore sitting at his desk. "Harry, why are you running in here yelling?Why aren't you with Remus?"the old man asked breezily " He didn't come" Harry said simply "didn't he send word that he couldn't make it tonight??" Harry hadn't been truly worried until now, he saw that not only had Remus not come he hadn't said why either....something was wrong. "Harry when was the last time you heard from Remus??" Dmbledore asked worry writing on his face "When he sent the letter telling me to see you sir" "Oh dear" was all the headmaster said before sending Harry to his common room with strict orders not to tell anyone but Ron and Hermione and that they couldn't tell anyone either. "Proffesor?" "yes Harry?" he asked softly " what are we going to do to find him??"Harry asked looking very much like a little 5 year old who had been seperated from his Mother in the supermarket, shy and insecure.