Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and its various publishers own Harry Potter. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Thanks, Zijnehoogheid. I fixed it! Thanks to everyone for taking the time to read and review! Notes are at the end of the story. But just let me take this moment to cheer -- It's almost June!
Chapter 18
Something's in the Air
The rain was pouring down in sheets. Safe in Hagrid's hut, Harry looked out the window at the Forbidden Forest, hidden behind a gray curtain. Fang filled a chair by the fire, his drooling tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. The door opened and a dripping wet Hagrid came in.
"'Allo there, 'Arry! Didn't expect to find you 'ere!" Hagrid gave him a wide smile. "How about a cuppa?"
"Sorry to let myself in, Hagrid. I was out for a run and it began to pour…Fang didn't seem to mind." Harry said.
"Ha! That's one of the great things about Fang. He's a friendly sort of watchdog." The giant set about putting the kettle on while his guest sank into a chair. Bringing the tray over by the fire something bright caught his eye, "What's that around your neck…I'd never've pegged you for wearin' jewelry."
Touching the gold band around his neck, Harry shrugged and said, "It isn't really jewelry…it's one of those things from my family's box. It's a Celtic torque. Anyway, that's what we think it is." He had transfigured the thick gold piece so that it appeared to be an extremely thin gold band embedded with three miniscule rubies. He wore it under his clothes. No one could see it under his school uniform, but in his running gear, the faint glint of gold peeked out from the top of his tee shirt.
For a while they settled down comfortably in front of the fire to drink their tea and talk quietly. Hagrid told Harry about his plans to visit France during the winter holidays. Noticing Harry's brow furrowing, he asked, "Somethin' on your mind there 'Arry?"
"Nothing really, Hagrid. I was thinking about what Hogwarts was like when my parents were here — during the first war with Voldemort. Did some students support him?"
With a serious look, Hagrid answered, "Those were dark times. No one knew who supported…You Know Who. We only knew there must be some supporters among the Hogwarts students. Just like now. Things may not seem as bad because the war isn't underway yet. Only stands to reason that some'll support him…when the time comes."
Warmed by the fire, the tea and the friendly chat, Harry braved the storm and ran back to Gryffindor to get ready for the day.
Meanwhile, the breakfast scene was pretty much the same as always, except that Ginny was sitting with Ron and Hermione staring quietly into her teacup. His voice full of concern, Ron asked, "Aren't you going to eat anything, Ginny?"
At least that's what Ginny thought he said. She was too sleepy to pay attention. Although she was grateful to him for insisting she move over to join him, leaving her group of admirers a few seats away, she wasn't fully awake. Her response to his question was to turn her head toward him and squint.
Hermione gave him an indulgent look, then said to Ginny, "You look pretty tired for someone who goes to bed early every night."
"She's never been a morning person no matter how much sleep she's had. Might be best to leave her alone until she's had some more tea," Ron whispered.
Hermione whispered back, "Maybe we could find a way to inject the caffeine into her. Muggles have a thing called an I.V. It puts liquid straight into your blood."
Shaking his head at his girlfriend, Ron said, "You have some frightening ideas sometimes, Hermione."
Ginny just lifted her eyebrows sleepily and settled back into studying her cup.
A scuffle near the door drew everyone's attention. Crabbe and Goyle were there holding Malfoy's arms and wrestling with the blond boy who was carrying a large bouquet of red roses. Pansy Parkinson was with them talking animatedly.
Suddenly Malfoy shouted, "Are those chocolate croissants for breakfast?" His large, lumbering captors turned to check the serving trays, loosening their grip on him. He took advantage of this and slipped away, shouting, "Ginny!" rather desperately.
Pansy yelled, "Stop him, you idiots." Crabbe and Goyle lunged for him, tackling him to the floor. Pansy muttered, "You know this is for your own good…Stupefy!" Malfoy went limp. Goyle scooped him up and carried him out of the Great Hall with Pansy and Crabbe following close behind.
"What was that all about?" Hermione asked.
With a shrug, Ginny answered, "How should I know?"
"Well…he did shout your name," said Ron, looking annoyed.
Ginny shrugged again and sipped her tea. Her eyes widened as Harry approached. She sat up straight and moved over so he could sit down.
"So…what happened to Malfoy?" Harry asked. He'd watched as Pansy and the boys carried Draco away from the Great Hall, the remains of his red rose bouquet strewing potpourri in his wake.
After Ron explained the little breakfast drama, Ginny asked, "Do you think there was something in that cookie he tried to make me eat?"
"What cookie?" Ron asked. Ginny and Harry took turns explaining the scene with Malfoy and his goons down by the lake.
Ginny added, "Where were you last night, Hermione? I waited for you."
"Umm…I got caught up…" She twisted a lock of curly brown hair guiltily. She and Ron had spent the entire evening alone in the Muggle Studies classroom congratulating themselves on the success of their plan.
Harry joined in. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "What were you thinking sending a letter to Ron saying Ginny was missing? You'd just told her to meet you at the lake…What were you two playing at? Malfoy could have hurt Ginny." Hermione turned an attractive shade of pink.
"But you were there to save her! Well done, Harry." Ron tried to sound like that was the end of the conversation. "Is that the time? We'd better get to class." Hermione and he stood up and beat a hasty exit.
An amused Harry and Ginny watched them go. "Do you think we'll ever find out what that was about?" Ginny asked.
"Probably not." He made a face at her, then smiled. "I suspect they just wanted some time alone. Ron didn't come up to bed until after midnight. I don't think his prefect duties were keeping him occupied." Opening the copy of the Daily Prophet that Hermione had left behind, Harry was soon scanning every page.
Neville joined them at the table. "What do you two have your heads together about? Planning another prank, Ginny? Everyone's saying you played a good one on Draco Malfoy — slipped him a love potion or something. What's next…and can I help?
"I didn't do anything to Malfoy. He did it to himself." Ginny felt she had a reputation to protect. Turning to Harry who was still turning the pages in search of something, she asked, "What's so interesting in the Prophet?"
Harry's forehead was furrowed as he continued to turn pages. "There's nothing in here about Sirius' name being cleared…I mean Pettigrew was caught and convicted. What more will it take? They sent an innocent man to Azkaban for twelve years…They know that now." He shook his head.
"You mean your godfather…right?" Neville said. "Sorry, Harry."
"Thanks, Neville," Harry answered. If anyone in the school understood his need to stick up for the people in his life, it was Neville. They both lived with the hope of righting past wrongs.
Luna floated over to the Gryffindor table and sat down on the other side of Ginny. The two girls began talking about their Charms homework. Neville was suddenly very interested in his food.
"I need to talk to Remus," Harry said aloud to no one in particular, setting the paper down on the table. He'd tried unsuccessfully to contact Lupin for two days, even trying to firecall him from Moody's office. No one seemed to be home at Grimmauld Place. "I need to find out what happened." He sounded frustrated.
"Well, you won't find out by reading the Prophet," said Luna, shaking her head sympathetically. She handed him the latest copy of the Quibbler. There was a grainy photo of an odd looking furry creature on the front and a headline that read, "Blood-Sucking Bugbears: Are They Hibernating in Your Neighborhood?"
"Thanks, Luna…it's good to keep informed," Harry said politely, looking into her slightly bulging eyes. He could sense the sincerity behind her gesture.
Ginny knew that Harry meant that he needed to know what happened at the Order of the Phoenix meeting, but she couldn't think of anything that would help. None of the Order members were present at the head table so there wasn't anyone to ask. "Why don't you go down to Defense class early and see if Professor Moody's around." She smiled at him sweetly. "I'll go with you if you like." Harry closed the newspaper and they left to find Professor Moody.
Arriving at the Defense classroom, Harry called to the Professor. A black cloaked figure emerged from Moody's office and said dryly, "Professor Moody isn't in. I'm assuming you aren't bellowing for me, Potter. Or you'd show more manners. Then again, perhaps not."
Harry stopped himself from responding in kind. Instead he looked around to see if they were alone and said, "What happened at the Order meeting, Professor?" His concern over Remus Lupin's absence had conjured up images of secret Order missions gone wrong.
Snape raised an eyebrow and said, "I've told you before…the walls of this castle have ears." He sneered at both of them, then gave Ginny a meaningful look.
With an impatient wave of his hand, Harry sealed the classroom shut and encased just Snape and himself within a crystal dome. Ginny jumped back from the glass and rolled her eyes. She knew Harry was upset, but this was a little over the top.
Within the dome, Harry looked Snape straight in the eye and said, "No one can hear us now…Sir. Can you give me a straight answer?"
Snape had spent most of his adult life in the company of very powerful wizards. If he was impressed with Harry's display of power, he didn't show it. Instead he rubbed his arm absent-mindedly and said, "I spent last evening in a more intimidating presence than yours, Potter. I suggest you ask your werewolf friend what business the Order conducted in your absence. Now let me out of this overgrown cup you've created." His black eyes seemed blank, but he looked away as Harry's bright green eyes bored into his. He wasn't in the mood to match Legilimency skills.
"Wait! What did you want to tell me about Blood Charms, Professor? Do you know what Voldemort is planning?" Harry remembered Snape's previous warning.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to speak his name in my presence? The Dark Lord will not suffer traitors easily. He doesn't tell anyone about his plans. Least of all me." Snape seemed to age right in front of Harry, as though the worries of his life were wearing him down.
"All right, Professor," Harry said, removing the dome and the wards sealing in the room. Knowing that Voldemort didn't trust Snape didn't make the Potions Professor any more reliable in Harry's view.
Recovering enough to make his usual lip-curled snarl, Snape said, "That will be detention served with Mr. Filch and twenty points from Gryffindor for disrespect." Harry looked up to see some Hufflepuff students who'd just opened the door. They were giving him sympathetic looks as Snape dished out his punishment and left in a swirl of black robes. Colin Creevey and some other Gryffindors filtered in to the classroom.
Ginny gave Harry a questioning look to which he replied with a shake of his head. She smiled at him. The appreciative look he gave her in return did not go unnoticed by the students coming through the door for Defense class.
One student in particular followed Ginny's gaze and gave Harry a sinister look. Looking back at Ginny like she hung the moon, he shouted, "At last, we can be together." With that startling cry, Draco Malfoy flung himself down on his knees in front of her and said, "I've been searching for you everywhere. You're so beautiful, so lovely. Please just let me sit at your feet and tell you how wonderful you are."
His blond hair was out of place like he'd been running, but his expensive robes looked perfectly pressed. He looked up at her, his pale eyes glazed over with adoration.
Colin, Harry and several others pulled out their wands, but Malfoy didn't notice.
"What was in that cookie, Malfoy?" Ginny asked, trying to pry her hand loose from his death grip.
"M…mm…marshmallow, Ch…choc…colate and a l…love slave potion." He stuttered as though he was struggling to stop himself from speaking. "I can't lie to you. You're too perfect. I am your servant." He lay his cheek on her hand.
"Ew…a love slave potion! You've got a lot of nerve, Malfoy. You tried to shove that cookie down my throat. How long will it last?" Ginny looked furious.
"Twenty-four hours!" Malfoy said. Then kissed her hand quickly to stop himself from saying anything more.
What happened next happened fast. Colin and another student threatened to curse him. Ginny tried to wrench her hand away from Malfoy's lips. Meanwhile Harry shouted, "Let her go!" He was seeing red at the sight of the Slytherin gripping Ginny's hand.
"No! I won't!" Malfoy yelled back, sounding like a two year old.
Ginny drew her fist back in response, preparing to punch him to get his lips off her hand.
Harry tucked his wand into his pocket. Grabbing Malfoy's arm, he forced him to turn toward him and look into his eyes. A flash of red light appeared all around them. Without another sound Malfoy slithered to the floor in what appeared to be a deep, peaceful sleep.
Harry stepped toward Ginny, his bright green eyes still sparkling. Wishing they were alone, he asked, "All right there?" She smiled her response also wishing the crowd would disappear.
Turning to the others, he said, "I'd better take Malfoy to the infirmary. Maybe Madam Pomfrey has an antidote for that love potion. We can't have him following Ginny around all day." Everyone laughed, relieved that the tension in the room was gone.
Pansy Parkinson appeared at the door with Professor Snape. She had red petals and rose stems stuck in her disheveled hair. "What have you done to him?" she cried.
Snape looked annoyed and said, "I'll take care of him Potter. He's in my house after all. That will be another fifty points from Gryffindor and a second detention. I'll be talking to your head of house about further sanctions. You can't go around attacking people."
"But Harry didn't attack anyone, Professor. Malfoy was bothering Ginny and then he…well, I think he just fainted," one of the Hufflepuffs said.
"Miss Weasley seems unharmed, and yet, Mr. Malfoy is unconscious. It's obvious what happened here. You'll serve that second detention with me, Potter."
"He'll serve no detentions for defending a student, Snape." Moody stomped into the room. "I saw the whole thing from my office. Malfoy was bothering this girl, kneeling in front of her and spouting all sorts of nonsense. And I think you'll find he tried to use a love potion on her. I'd say that's a matter for the Headmaster. Love potions are banned in this school. Now…" Everyone was staring at the old Auror who shouted, "Find your seats and we'll begin!" The students scrambled to their seats.
The following day, Harry was sitting in Dumbledore's office waiting for his tutorial. Fawkes was preening on his perch. He was glad to have some time with the beautiful phoenix. He was in the prime of his cycle, beautiful and fit. Wondering if they had time for a spin around the forest before Dumbledore returned, he said, "We should go flying again soon, Fawkes." The large bird trilled his agreement. Harry thought he understood every note. It calmed and heartened him just like it always did.
The portrait of Phineas Nigellus said, "You're just a thrill seeker like my nephew. He used to fly off on that enchanted motorbike and be gone for days. Of course, I never blamed him for wanting to get away from Grimmauld Place."
"Hello, Professor," said Harry politely, wondering briefly what had happened to Sirius' old motorbike. "How are things at headquarters? Is Professor Lupin there now?" Harry hadn't spoken with his guardian for several days. It appeared that Remus didn't have his mirror with him or was too busy to contact him.
"These are difficult times for the Order, Harry. But I'm sure that Dumbledore will tell you," he said before suddenly feigning sleep.
"Tell me what, Professor?" Harry asked hoping to wake the portrait back up.
"What is it, Harry?" Dumbledore entered the room as silently as ever.
"Is everything all right with the Order, Professor Dumbledore? How's Remus?" If he didn't get a straight answer, he felt like he was going to lose it. He couldn't stand the thought of losing someone else.
"Remus is fine. He's probably headed off to Wolfhaven Inn for the full moon tomorrow night. The Order is having some problems, Harry. You might as well know about them. We seem to have a mole. Just as in the first war, our plans are leaking out. Someone in our inner circle must be giving out information." The usual twinkle was missing from his eyes. His expression was resolute.
This is what Harry wanted. Someone to tell him what was going on — to talk straight. Giving Dumbledore an equally determined look, Harry said, "Whatever I can do to help. You just need to ask." He knew that Professor Dumbledore was a great wizard, accomplished at reading people. If anyone could figure out who the traitor was, it was the Headmaster.
Dumbledore nodded. He appreciated Harry's earnest attitude, but he had to wonder if the teenager was truly able to block Voldemort out of his mind. Perhaps an unwitting traitor was staring back at him with an eager expression. Perhaps he was wrong to trust Harry with the Order's business.
Taking the Headmaster's silence to mean that he wasn't going to discuss any more details, Harry brought up the problem that had been on his mind all day. "Why has nothing been done about clearing Sirius' name? Pettigrew is in prison. That should be all the proof the Ministry needs."
Dumbledore sighed, knowing his explanation was not going to satisfy Harry. "Minister Fudge is a politician. He refuses to give a public acknowledgement of Sirius Black's innocence because he doesn't want any more negative publicity. Even in private he's remained adamant that Black may have been innocent of betraying your parents to Voldemort, but in his fury over their deaths, he caused the death of thirteen Muggles."
Harry couldn't believe it. Anger rising, he yelled, "But Pettigrew confessed to all of it! He told them he framed Sirius for betraying my parents and blowing up that street!"
Dumbledore continued, "Fudge claims that Black admitted his guilt to Fudge personally on the night of the crime. You know he was the first to arrive on the scene."
"So that's it? Nothing else can be done?" Harry was saddened, but he was not about to let this issue drop just because it made Minister Fudge uncomfortable.
Trying to help Harry understand, Dumbledore said, "You must pick your battles well in life, Harry. Now is not the time to alienate the Minister of Magic. Not when he has just come around to our way of thinking about fighting Voldemort and his followers."
"The battles usually pick me, Professor. But I won't walk away from this fight. It doesn't end here." Harry would clear his godfather's name somehow, even if he had to take on Fudge by himself.
"No doubt you are right. The story most assuredly does not end here," said Dumbledore giving Harry a look of approval before beginning their lesson.
At the end of the week, dark clouds filled the sky. Something was in the air. A change, a threat, an unknown presence arrived with the chill wind blowing off the lake. All day, Hogwarts students huddled together as they walked to the greenhouses or out to Hagrid's cabin. It didn't seem like a good time to be off by yourself.
Darkness fell early and the sense of unease persisted. Maybe it was just the excitement of the upcoming Halloween feast. Ginny kept close to Colin and hurried away from the enclosure of unicorns near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They had stayed after class to help Hagrid feed the young ones. The two foals, who were gold when they were born, had turned almost completely silver.
Ginny was sorry to leave them with the storm stirring, but Hagrid had assured her they would be all right in the small shelter within the enclosure. The shadows were growing and the wind was beginning to howl. As Colin and she walked, she wondered what Harry was doing.
Rhys had cut Harry's fencing lesson short because it was Halloween, so Harry had plenty of time to clean himself up and go down to the Potions classroom before the Hogwarts feast. As he approached the dungeons, Harry felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. Reaching the door of the Potions classroom, Gregory Goyle knocked into Harry's shoulder. Without greeting or apology, the Slytherin hurried away.
Snape was apparently in his office. The bright light of a desk lamp shone from the door into the darkened, torchlit Potions classroom.
Harry checked his Skin Growth Potion. It had been simmering properly for the last two weeks. He took it off the heat and added the ground occamy shells, continuing to stir as it cooled. The Potion thickened and turned white. It looked ready. As he carefully bottled up and labeled a sample, Harry wondered, 'Is it my imagination or is the room growing darker?'
He moved to the door of Snape's office to hand the Professor his work. He always made sure the Professor had accepted his sample before cleaning up his caldron. That way, he couldn't destroy the sample and give Harry a zero on the assignment.
Snape was sitting in a chair in a dark corner of the room with his head bowed. His sleeves were pulled over his hands. His arms were crossed over his chest. Harry thought, 'He does hang around in the shadows. Even when he's by himself.' Harry cleared his throat and said, "Here's my Potion sample, Professor."
Snape's head snapped up at the sound. "Finished at last, Potter? Perhaps I need to start setting a time limit for you."
"I'm just striving for perfection, Professor. Something I've learned from working with you," Harry answered with a straight face and a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
The corner of Snape's mouth twitched. It was almost a smile. "That will be all, then. You don't want to be late to the feast." He dismissed Harry with a wave of his hand.
Back in the classroom, Harry finished clearing away his caldron and supplies. The classroom seemed to grow darker although the torches burned steadily. Harry wondered how that could happen in the dungeon. Even if the sun was going down, that should have no effect down here. It was a mystery to Harry, but he quickly forgot about it as he hurried away. He was anxious to get to the feast and be with his friends.
The Hogwarts Halloween feast was always exciting. When Harry entered the Great Hall, it was already packed with students. He passed first and second years with candy in both hands shouting excitedly to one other. Ron had saved Harry the seat next to him. The air was overcharged with talking and laughter. He couldn't define it, but he felt a jarring note. Maybe he just wasn't in the mood for a party.
Moody and Snape were absent from the staff table. Professor Dumbledore was deep in conversation with McGonagall. Sprout and Flitwick were laughing about something. High above them, the enchanted ceiling was covered with dark clouds, occasionally lit by lightening, but making no sound. "Do you notice anything missing tonight?" asked Harry.
"Like what, Harry? How much more food can you eat?" Ron had heaping helping of everything as usual.
Hermione shook her head at her boyfriend. Keeping his tall frame fed was a daily task that he took very seriously. "Don't tell me you're missing Snape, Harry," she said.
"Oh, I know what's missing. We haven't had anyone play a prank of Malfoy for days." Ron laughed at the thought.
Ever since Malfoy's unfortunate attempt to slip Ginny a love potion, he'd been plagued with teasing and pranks. For the first couple of days, it was just the fifth year Hufflepuffs kissing their hands and murmuring, "I love you!" whenever Draco passed them in the corridor. Then someone convinced Peeves to follow the Slytherin around for an afternoon, showering him with rose petals and making kissing noises. Finally someone, probably an older student, discovered how to animate one of the suits of armor to follow him around for a day and kneel at his feet whenever Draco stopped walking.
Harry laughed, too. They'd been having fun at poor Malfoy's expense, but that wasn't what Harry had on his mind. "Maybe it's the storm. I just feel like something is going on or something is going to happen."
Ginny shuddered. "I know what you mean, Harry. It's been building up all day. Maybe it's just the storm. It seemed to get darker earlier today. The wind was already howling when I walked back from Hagrid's class."
Hermione asked, "Does anyone else think it's odd that Snape and Moody aren't at the feast? I've never known Snape not to be here. Of course, Moody could be off working for the Order. Did he say anything to you this morning, Harry?"
"Not a word. We checked on Hogwarts' wards. He's been teaching me to set personal defense wards so we spent some time walking around the castle checking on the castle defenses after class. Pretty interesting really." Harry poured his pumpkin juice slowly.
"So how were the wards?" asked Ginny. She knew Bill did a lot of work with ward charms, working for Gringotts. Charms was her favorite subject.
"They said to say hello," answered Harry. She smiled at his stupid joke. "Anyway, I just saw Snape down in his office."
"The storm is moving closer," said Hermione as a sudden loud clap of thunder shook the hall startling everyone.
The doors of the hall flew open with great force. The figure of a man dressed in flowing black robes staggered into the room and halfway to the staff table before falling. His face appeared to be covered by a dark scarf. He lay there, flat on his back and motionless.
For a brief moment the hall was quiet. Then kids stood up screaming. At the same time, Dumbledore and Harry from two very different angles, yelled, "Expecto Patronum!" Harry's stag leapt forward from the end of his hand. A large silvery phoenix flew from Dumbledore. The two Patroni reached the figure at the same time. With the prongs on its head, the stag lifted the black scarf-like creature into the air where the silvery phoenix clutched it with its talons and carried it high above their heads and hovered.
"Silence!" yelled Dumbledore's magically enhanced voice. "You will all remain seated in this hall until we have a chance to search the castle. Then you will proceed to your dormitories accompanied by your head of house and prefects."
The crowd of students quieted. Most watched, fascinated, as Dumbledore held his wand toward the Patronus hovering overhead, Dumbledore uttered an incantation that no one could hear and the fluttering black scarf disappeared into thin air. The silvery phoenix dissipated shortly after as did Harry's stag.
Harry and Hermione rushed to the figure of Snape who was lying very still. "Enervate!" Hermione cried. Snape gasped. This sharp intake of breath was followed by several deep breaths as the Potions Master's eyes fluttered open to take in his surroundings. He started to sit up. "Wait! Lie still, Professor," she urged softly.
"Everyone step back. Give him some room to breathe," said Harry.
The Slytherins were starting to gather around their head of house. Madam Pomfrey arrived to take charge. "Lie still, Severus. Miss Granger is quite correct. You may be a little lightheaded after a Lethifold attack."
At the mention of the Lethifold, the children near enough to hear gasped and began to murmur.
Lethifolds were extremely rare. No one in the room had ever seen one before, including Dumbledore. They usually hid in the shadows and struck their victims in their sleep, making descriptions of them vague. 'It must have attacked Professor Snape as he was meditating or whatever he was doing when I saw him down in his office,' thought Harry.
"Take him to the anteroom, Poppy" said Dumbledore, indicating the small room off the Great Hall where Harry had gone when he was selected as a Triwizard contestant. Conjuring a stretcher underneath a scowling Snape, Dumbledore turned to Harry and asked, "Would you come with me, please?"
Harry accompanied the Headmaster back to the staff table. Ron, Ginny and Hermione followed. Dumbledore looked at the others and smiled. "I was just going to ask Harry to locate Professor Moody. You may take your friends with you if you wish."
Harry scowled. "I think they should wait here until we've searched the castle." He didn't want his friends in danger, especially Ginny.
All at the same time, his friends cried, "No way!" "You can't go out there alone!" and "What if there're more of those?"
"Professor Moody doesn't answer by our usual means of communication. I thought perhaps you could consult your excellent map," suggested Dumbledore, "By all means, take your friends along with you. I have no objection." Seeing that Harry wasn't convinced, he added, "The castle wards do not indicate any significant threats or I wouldn't ask you to do this."
Harry turned to his friends and said, "Fine…all right…but we stay together. The map is up in the dorm. We'll start there." As they moved away from the Great Hall and up the staircase, he asked, "Have any of you been practicing the Patronus Charm?" They shook their heads.
"Did you conjure that Patronus without your wand, Harry?" asked Hermione.
He shrugged his shoulders, thinking, 'So what if I did?'
Hermione answered patiently, "Do you really think that's a good idea, using Wandless Magic in front of so many witnesses? I thought you were going to keep that to yourself."
"I just forgot," said Harry truthfully. It was becoming easier to just cast a spell quickly without fumbling in his robes for his wand. At least it had worked. Maybe no one noticed.
When they reached Gryffindor, the wind was blowing. The windows were wide open bringing the storm inside. Papers and leaves were flying around. Harry shut the windows and surveyed the room. Some evil purpose was behind this. At least that's how it felt. "Maybe the castle wards have been breached. Something seems wrong."
He looked in his trunk for the Marauder's Map. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good!" he said, tapping the surface of the parchment. Like a spider web being drawn by an invisible hand, lines covered the page.
Looking over his shoulder, Ron said, "There. Moody's up on the Astronomy Tower. He's all alone." Most of the dots on the map were concentrated in the Great Hall.
"Something's not right. Ron, take Ginny and Hermione back to the Great Hall and tell Dumbledore," Harry said. As all three of them began to protest, he shook his head and asked, "Ginny, do you have your mirror with you?" He glanced briefly at Ron to see his reaction.
"Of course, but I won't let you go alone." She held her chin up. Despite her defiant stance, her eyes were pleading with him and her hand slipped into his.
Despite the fact that her brother and Hermione were there, Harry pulled her briefly into a reassuring hug. "It will be all right. Dumbledore needs to know where Moody is as soon as possible. If there are any surprises when I get up there, he should know that, too. I can contact you with our mirrors. Ron will go along to protect you. And Hermione…she has to go, too. She is the only one among the three of you that knows how to conjure a Patronus. She has to go with you to the Great Hall. Otherwise, it may not be safe." He was speaking fast, trying to get all three of them back to the relative safety of the Great Hall.
"Right then. Let's not waste any more time talking about this," said Ron. "Harry knows what he is doing. He won't be up there alone. It's Moody! He's going to be fine with an experienced Auror." His tall strong presence and voice boosted his sister's confidence.
As they reached the door, Harry put a Disillusionment Charm over each of them. "Can't hurt to be prepared," Harry said, letting go of Ginny's invisible hand.
The wind was blowing down the stairwell when he arrived at the Astronomy Tower. Harry couldn't hear anything but the storm. The map still showed Moody alone at the top. Harry could feel the warmth of the gold torque around his neck despite the coolness of the Disillusionment Charm that he placed on himself to disguise his approach. Moody's stealth training was about to be tested in action.
When he reached the top, he found the Defense Professor out cold. He ran the next few steps, shouting, "Enervate!"
Moody woke up. Even though he was still sprawled out on the floor, he immediately pulled his wand. With a dazed look still on his face, he shouted gruffly, "Who's there! I'll start throwing hexes if you don't show me who you are!"
Releasing his Disillusionment Charm, Harry stepped toward Moody and said, "It's just me. What happened?"
Moody's only answer was his eyes getting wider as a large, black dragon loomed behind Harry. The warning cry from the beast barely gave Harry enough time to turn around before the dragon lunged at him.
Miraculously, Moody's hastily cast, "Protego Inferno!" protected the two of them from the blast of fire that came out of the dragon's mouth. Harry's quick reflexes helped him dive out of the way of the dragon talons, but he was not fast enough to escape the spike on the back of its tail as it turned away. The heavy, sharp spike tore through Harry's robes into his upper arm. Crying out in pain and grabbing the wound, Harry yelled, "Where did a dragon come from!"
The beast looked back over its shoulder as if it had heard Harry's question, but it continued to fly upward in a spiral.
A second, equally fierce looking dragon was approaching. This time Harry had time to throw the Conjunctivitis spell straight into its purple eyes as it flew directly toward Moody and himself. The dragon gave a roar of pain and crashed into the tower, tumbling toward the ground before righting itself and flying off into the dark night.
As the first dragon changed course and flew after the injured one, Harry turned to Moody and asked, "Are you hurt?" He held out his uninjured arm to help the Defense Professor stand up.
Getting to his feet and dusting himself off, Moody looked at Harry suspiciously. Then he growled, "Where did you come from? Get out of here. Go to your rooms. Those beasts could be back any moment." Moody was more worried about Harry's safety than the castle defenses.
Harry ignored his order. "How did dragons get here, Professor? Could someone have sent them?" Harry asked as he and the Auror moved toward the stairs. He could feel a warm trickle of blood running down his arm. The gash stung like crazy.
"Not here," Moody hissed. "Wait until we are inside." The giant, bat-like wings of the black dragons could still be seen in the distance over the Forbidden Forest.
As they hurried down the stairs, Moody said, "I never saw what hit me. Must have been one of those dragons. My head is pounding like I bashed it against the stones…lucky that neither of them finished me off while I was unconscious."
On their way down the main stairwell, Harry described the Lethifold attack on Snape. Then he called Ginny to tell her they were on their way down.
He was relieved when she answered. "We're back in the Great Hall. Nothing's happening here. Some of the teachers and seventh years have gone to search the castle. Did you find Professor Moody?" she asked.
Harry said, "Someone or something knocked Moody out. He's all right now. We're on our way down." He said goodbye and put the mirror back in his pocket. The only sound as they approached the Great Hall was a slight rustle from his feet and the telltale thunk of Moody's artificial leg.
When they reached the main entry, Harry was seized by a pain he hadn't felt in months. His scar was so painful it was blinding him. He gripped the handrail and gasped, "Scar!"
Allowing himself a brief moment to sense things, Harry could tell Voldemort was angry, but that he wasn't nearby. With his head swimming in pain, Harry saw the rather large figure of a Death Eater kneeling down in front of him. The man's head was bowed and he was crying and blubbering incoherently. Voldemort was punishing whoever he was.
With great effort, Harry cleared his mind and put up his mental defenses. He straightened his posture as the pain subsided. If Voldemort was angry, that must be a good sign. Of what, Harry had no clue. As they continued to the bottom of the stairs, the doors to the Great Hall were flung open and a group of students passed by them, led by Terry Boot and Cho Chang.
"We're headed back to Ravenclaw," Terry said without waiting for the question. Cho nodded. She had her wand drawn.
"But…how do you know the way is clear?" Harry asked.
Cho said, "Some of the teachers searched the common rooms and dormitories. Dumbledore said that it will be safe in our houses, but no one is allowed to go anywhere else until the rest of the school is searched. We're going to finish the feast in our common room." As she walked near Harry, she gasped. "What happened to your arm? You're bleeding…I better take you to the infirmary."
"Er…don't worry. It's just a scratch. Anyway, Madam Pomfrey is probably still off somewhere taking care of Snape." Harry gave her a small smile. "I hope you've been practicing your swan, Cho." She smiled back appreciatively and started motioning to her group to move up the stairs.
"What does 'practicing your swan' mean, Potter?" Moody asked. He still looked terrible, white faced and sweaty.
"Just what are you suggesting, Professor?" Harry laughed despite the circumstances. "Her Patronus is a swan."
"Mmmm…how did she learn the Patronus Charm? I suppose it was the D.A. How many other students are capable of producing a Patronus?"
Harry answered, "Only a few in each house — except Slytherin. Maybe I'd better walk them back to their dormitory since Snape is gone."
"I'll do it, Potter." Moody didn't seem too enthusiastic.
"Are you sure? I mean — you seem a little pale. You might have a concussion. We don't know how long you were unconscious." Harry's concern made him speak his mind. He didn't like the idea of Moody passing out on the way to the Slytherin dungeon.
McGonagall tapped Harry on the shoulder and said, "Have you taken a look at yourself, Potter?" She turned to Moody and gave him a long appraising look as well. "I think both of you had better get to the infirmary. Poppy will take care of you. I'll take the Slytherins safely back to their house." Without waiting for protests, she motioned to the Slytherins. The group left, heading down the stairs toward the dungeon.
The Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were leaving, led by their prefects. Ron and Hermione were with their group, of course, but as his eyes scanned the crowd, Harry couldn't see any sign of Ginny.
Hermione saw him looking worried and called over, "She's in the infirmary helping Madam Pomfrey." A group of first years were sticking close to her side. They moved as one with her as she walked over to look at Harry's arm. "You'd better hurry down to the infirmary yourself."
He smiled at her, "Thanks, Hermione." To the crowd around her he said, "Stay close. Her Patronus is a giant sea animal."
Soon he was face to face with Ginny in the infirmary. She gasped at the sight of his tattered and bloody sleeve. After calling out to Madam Pomfrey, she said, "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt? I would have come to find you." Harry was relieved to see her, safe and sound with her arms full of blankets. He let her concern wash over him.
Madam Pomfrey fussed over both of the new patients, sending Ginny to the store cupboard for bandages and potions. She turned her full attention on Harry and said, "Looks like a wild animal took a piece out of your arm, Potter."
Harry shrugged although his arm was throbbing with pain. Pointing at the figure of Professor Snape resting in a bed on the other side of the room, Harry asked, "Will he be all right?"
Madam Pomfrey said, "I gave him a Dreamless Sleep Potion before the excitement began. He should be all right after he's had a chance to rest."
Professor Dumbledore joined them silently with Fawkes riding on his shoulder. "So you found Professor Moody, Harry. Mission accomplished. I've checked the castle wards. Looks like everything is under control. We'll search the rest of the castle tonight, just to be sure."
While Moody explained what had happened in the Astronomy Tower, the Headmaster listened, as calm as could be. Dragons on the roof, a Lethifold in the dungeon -- nothing seemed to faze him. Dumbledore listened to their story, then quietly excused himself.
Madam Pomfrey made little tsking noises as Moody told her it was a Hebridean Black dragon that had knocked him out, then gashed Harry's arm. "It wasn't as large as some, although it was certainly big enough to do plenty of damage. There were two of them. Maybe someone should warn Hagrid." She cleaned and healed Harry's wound in with a series of quickly uttered charms, still shaking her head over the very idea that the terrifying beasts were on Hogwart's grounds.
"Warn Hagrid! He'll probably want to throw them a party," Harry said with a grin, watching his arm closely as the last healing charm worked its magic.
Madam Pomfrey had turned her attention to Professor Moody who was grumbling about fussy old women. Casting a look that silenced the old Auror, she ran her wand over him with a diagnostic spell.
Ginny silently handed Harry two Potion bottles, which he drank despite their foul taste. Then he stood up and said cheerfully, "Thanks for all your help. Guess I'll be going now. Sweet dreams, Professor Moody. I'm glad you're feeling better."
He took a few steps away from the infirmary beds. Then he turned to Ginny and asked, "Can I walk you back to Gryffindor Tower or do you need to stay here and help?"
Madam Pomfrey scowled at him. "You're not going anywhere Potter. You've lost a lot of blood. You'll have to stay here for the night to give the Blood Replenishing Potion a chance to work. "
"Please…you don't need to worry. The Potion will work just as well no matter where I sleep…and I'll sleep better in my own bed. I feel all right…and your Healing Charm worked perfectly." Harry didn't want to spend a sleepless night in the infirmary with Snape and Moody snoring nearby. "Besides, Ginny shouldn't walk through the castle by herself tonight. It isn't safe!"
Madam Pomfrey gave Harry and Ginny an appraising look. They both looked innocently back at her. Potter was right; no one should walk around alone tonight. "All right…I guess you'll do fine. Mind you keep an eye on him, Miss Weasley. Any sign that he feels faint — you know what to do."
When they were alone in the corridor, Harry took her hand and said, "Madam Pomfrey has a lot of faith in you, Gin." Most of the matron's assistants were sixth and seventh years.
"I told Professor Flitwick that I might want to become a healer after Hogwarts and he put in a good word for me." She blushed prettily at the look Harry was giving her.
"You've earned the chance, Ginny. You're better at Charms than…even Hermione, I think." Although his best friend always excelled at Charms, it was more a matter of careful study, than the natural skill that Ginny seemed to possess. Looking over at the pretty red head, he smiled and said, "I think I'm feeling a little faint."
She gave him a skeptical look and said, "Sure, Harry…Maybe you just want to know what I'll do if you pass out?"
"Madam Pomfrey said that you'd know!"
A healthy blush covered Harry's cheeks. He looked around for a moment, then pulled her behind a statue of Deirdre the Sorrowful. Leaning against the stone wall, he ran his hands down her arms and said, "Maybe you'd better check me over more carefully."
"So you want to play healer, Harry?" Ginny smirked at him, but didn't step away.
"Something like that," he said as he raised her hands up to his chest. "Can you feel my heart beating?" Seeing her nod, he added, "That's a start." Then he gently placed his lips against hers, marveling at how soft they were.
With her hands on his chest, Ginny could feel Harry's heart rate increase, even through his shirt. Moving her hands up around his neck, she melted into his touch, molding herself to his slim frame. Harry let out a small moan and deepened the kiss.
Ginny's head began to spin. The world seemed out of focus and off balance. She was drowning in a host of feelings that were new to her, as Harry trailed light butterfly soft kisses along her jawline toward her ear.
The kisses stopped and Harry held her close, holding her head against his shoulder, with his hand resting in her hair. She listened to his heart rate slow down as the world became more focused. "You're not going to faint, are you?" he asked, still keeping her close.
"If I am, it's your fault." She looked up into his smiling green eyes. "It's been a heart stopping night. What girl wouldn't worry with a boyfriend who likes to run off and fight with dragons?"
"Boyfriend?" Harry grinned. While they'd been meeting in secret for weeks, neither of them had been bold enough to put any labels on what they had together.
Frowning slightly, Ginny said, "What would you call yourself then?"
"Oh, I like the sound of boyfriend…makes it sound like we plan to be together." His hand cupped her cheek, forcing her to look up at him. He saw caring and uncertainty in her eyes. Running his thumb along her lower lip, he said, "I want us to have a future together. That's the thought that helps me think and plan. But is it what you want…someday?"
She smiled at him, her brown eyes shining. "Yes, of course it is, Harry…someday we'll have a chance to be together without any worries." She nestled her head back against him.
Keeping her close, Harry added, "We'll walk down the street without worrying about Death Eaters…"
"or dragons…"
"or older brothers…" Harry kissed the top of her head. "Someday. We can be together and there won't be anything to stop us." Tomorrow someone could sort out why two dragons appeared on the roof and how a dangerous Lethifold had found its way into the Potions classroom. Tonight, they both smiled as they carved a moment out of an otherwise frightful day to envision a better future for themselves.
The following day, Hagrid gathered together some of the older Care of Magical Creatures students, hoping they could help capture the dragons that had appeared the night before. "All right, there. Searching the Forbidden Forest is no picnic. You all need to pay attention to yer' surroundin's. The centaurs aren't the only unfriendly creatures you might encounter."
Terry Boot stepped forward and asked, "There must be fifteen students here. How do you expect us to capture two dragons?"
Hagrid gathered his pack and pink umbrella together. Looking at the assembled students, he said, "If we can just find the dragons, we'll let the trained Dragon Masters take over. They're already searchin'. We're 'ere to be fifteen extra pairs of eyes…so don't go trying anything foolish. It'll take the whole team of trained adult wizards to stun a full grown dragon…and there are two of 'em."
Seeing the worried look on Terry's face, Hagrid said, "Listen…if ya' catch sight of the dragons, send up green sparks. If ya' get into some other kind of difficulty, send up red sparks. We'll be there quick as we can."
Draco Malfoy grumbled, "What's the point of this? Isn't this a job for the Dragon Masters? Students shouldn't be out here. Besides those dragons were probably a figment of Potter's overactive imagination. He always has to be the center of attention. That half breed Hagrid would believe anything he said." The two other Slytherins, both seventh years that Harry didn't know, nodded their agreement with Malfoy.
Ignoring Draco's grumbling, Harry said loudly, "I'm ready, Professor. Who's with me?" Everyone's hand went up except Malfoy and his friends.
Hagrid smiled, and said, "Choose your partners and we'll begin…" Turning to the three scowling Slytherin's he said, "Maybe you three ought to stay here…don't feel bad, the Forest can be frightening to many young 'uns." He turned his back on them and moved off.
Harry partnered with Neville and Terry who were standing near him. As they began walking into the woods, Harry noticed Malfoy and the others trailing behind unhappily.
Tugging on Harry's arm, Neville said, "Maybe we should mark our way so we don't get lost."
"We could turn the leaves blue as we pass a bush or tree. The Coloring Charm should last long enough to find our way back." Terry suggested.
Harry said, "Good idea. We can also use this one, too." He put his wand on the palm of his hand and said, "Point Me East!" His wand spun around until it pointed east. "We can use the same spell west as we leave."
The three traveled in silence for half an hour. The only magical creatures they encountered were some bowtruckles who shook their fists at them when they turned their tree blue and a group of fairies hovering over a small pond. The forest was beautiful. Red and gold leaves were still clinging to the branches.
Although relieved that there was no sign of the centaurs, Harry was sure that the quiet of the forest masked a multitude of secrets. He wondered if they were being watched. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to charm the leaves blue to mark their way.
Suddenly an ordinary deer crashed through the brush, followed by a fawn young enough to still have spots on its back. They seemed startled. After giving the boys a good stare, the two disappeared quickly into the trees.
From the direction that the deer had come from, a stream of green and red sparks flew above the trees. "C'mon!" shouted Harry. The three of them took off running in the direction of the sparks. As they drew closer to the sparks, they heard a roar. Ernie MacMillan's group was high up in a tree shooting off green and red sparks with their wands. In the distance they heard another roar.
As a second dragon's roar rang out, one of the Hufflepuff's in the tree called down. "The dragons are close! We can see them from up here. One of them isn't moving…but at least they aren't breathing fire!"
Neville answered, "Keep signaling! Hagrid can't be far away."
"What shall we do?" Terry asked, glad that they were still hidden from view. Maybe their best option was to join the Hufflepuffs in the tree.
Before anyone could answer, more students joined them, asking questions all at once. "Is it the dragons? Did you see something?" and "We're those your sparks?"
Motioning to everyone to stay quiet, Harry pointed upwards to the group in the tree. They nodded knowingly. Just as they quieted, Malfoy's group came crashing through the brush. They were walking slowly as if they were out for a Sunday stroll.
Malfoy shouted, "Of course, we find the brave Gryffindors and their friends…all huddled together sending up the help signal. What a bunch of girls…did one of you see a mouse?"
Terry Boot put a hand on her arm to stop Hannah Abbott from hexing Malfoy. Those were her Hufflepuff friends up in the tree. Before any of them could sort out their differences, another roar shook the forest floor. This one was closer.
Wishing Hagrid would appear and tell them what to do, Harry asked the boys in the tree, "How far away are they?" Another roar was his answer. This time, they could feel heat and hear the crackle of underbrush lighting on fire. Malfoy and the Slytherins fled.
Harry turned and faced the heat. He concentrated on the bushes in front of them. He was focusing so hard on their dilemma that he didn't notice the surge of strength as the tiny rubies around his neck began to glow underneath his shirt.
"What now?" asked Neville. He aimed his wand at the students in the tree, wondering if he should try to levitate them down.
Hannah Abbott shouted, "Climb down, Ernie!"
Just as the next blast of heat came their way, Harry remembered the spell Moody had used on the roof. "Protego Inferno!" he shouted. A pulse went out from Harry, radiating around the students and beating back the wave of heat. As one of the dragons burst through the bushes, drawing close to the students, the strength of the spell intensified. A bright light seemed to appear, encircling them. Some students moved instinctively closer to Harry.
The dragon stopped in its tracks, looking directly at the group of students. Everyone stood their ground although several gasps and shudders could be heard. Then an odd thing happened. The animal crouched down in front of them and laid its head on its front legs as though it was bowing. For a brief moment, the dragon's purple eyes, half closed, looked sleepily into Harry's.
The moment was gone as Hagrid finally arrived with the group of Dragon Masters. They immediately took charge of the subdued dragon. Ernie MacMillan descended from the tree and into the arms of a very relieved Hannah Abbott.
Soon the other dragon was discovered a few hundred feet away, hiding in a small cave. His leg had been injured, presumably when he fell against the Astronomy Tower. Although even an injured dragon had some pretty good defenses, the female dragon that the students had located was probably trying to shield him from intruders.
As the students left the Forbidden Forest, everyone congratulated each other. Except for the Slytherins, they had faced a powerful dragon and walked away unharmed. Harry smiled at them. He agreed that they had all done well.
As they walked slowly across the lawn, the late afternoon sun lit the gold and red leaves of the trees. Even the cold castle walls seem to take on a warm glow. Harry grew silent while the excited chatter of his classmates surrounded him.
The experience with the dragon had been unlike any he'd had before. He had felt the undeniably strong protective power of the slim gold band around his neck. Walking along, he wondered which Potter ancestor had worn the torque. Had they felt the same as he did today?
He resolved to redouble his efforts to find out what the other items could do. This was his birthright, a link to his family, but now it was something more. With this to help him, maybe he could find the power to defeat the evil facing him. He could have the future he hoped to have. With that surge of power, he'd felt a surge of hope.
To Be Continued…
Notes to reviewers:
Cicatriz: Thanks for all your comments! I'm glad you find that Ron and Hermione role reversal thing believable. Of course, she's still as smart as ever. She just can't think straight around Ron.
athenakitty: Good questions! Harry tries to keep fit for fencing. Ginny is the Queen of Pranks in this story. Draco was hoisted by his own petard. Harry will be getting more detentions. And a couple of face-offs are planned. Thanks for writing!
Lourdes: Sap and fluff! That's exactly what it is. Of course, there are no millions involved so your reviews mean that much more. Thanks!
DaBear: Yes, he did, the arrogant little ferret. At least it backfired. As for killing him — let's torture him first! Thanks for writing!
Nightwing 509: Thanks for reviewing! Sorry it took so long to update. I'll be able to write faster in a couple more weeks.
Gryphonmistress: I like all of your ideas! I do see Harry as a brooding, mysterious sort of guy. He has so much on his mind, especially for a sixteen year old. Thanks for reviewing!
lluvatar: Still love your pen name. Thanks for writing!
Lily: Now you know — Malfoy was just on something, not truly in love. Harry and Ginny won't be able to stay undercover for much longer. At least not where Ron is concerned. Thanks for writing!
MindyLou: Thanks! I'll be able to write faster soon. Me June = free time! Thanks for writing!
Wytil: I'll work on the paranoia thing. Thanks for reviewing!
I'm not the weakest link: Thanks!
PrincessSkywalkerOrgana: Glad to hear from you again! I'm trying to write quickly, but it is a busy time of year for me. Thanks for your kind comments. I know Lupin may have been a little OOC, but I think those emotions would all be there. I do have another Harry / Lupin escapade in the storyboard, but it doesn't happen for a while.
Butler: Thanks for reviewing! Harry took his sweet time about making any moves on Ginny. Now they don't know how to tell Ron.
A/N: Want to tell me what you think? Please review!