Chapter Six
Whispers In The Corridors
Harry stood at the top of the room, looking out at the students that went to the school. They were all wearing the same coloured robes, but all the tables were wearing different stitching on the back of their robes.
"Ah, the Hogwarts students", said the man in the middle of the table behind Harry. He was sitting in a chair that was made entirely out of carved stone, with Egyptian paintings all around it.
"Good afternoon Professor Karnac", said Snape, with a slight sneer on his pale face.
"Well, this is a wonderful day for us all", said Professor Karnac beaming.
"Yes, I suppose you could say that if you want", muttered Snape.
"Students of Tutankhamen school for the Magic Arts and Egyptian Hieroglyphics", said Professor Karnac loudly to the whole hall. "Welcome our guest students of the year. As you all know, Durmstrang has been temporarily closed down while they find a new headmaster, so we needed a school that was willing to lend us a few of their brightest students, so they could learn all about us, and tell us about what they do themselves, at their school."
Bright? Ha, thought Harry. Now he knew that Dumbledore must have mixed his exam results with Hermione's. Harry always said he was about a smart as a potato doing a dance to the Hogwarts school song, even if he got good marks or not.
"So, after much searching, I received a letter from Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry telling me that he has three students that fit the criteria that I wanted in foreign students, so he sent these three students."
Professor Karnac picked up a piece of parchment and read out what was written on it to the whole school.
"Firstly, we have Miss Hermione Granger", said Professor Karnac looking over at Hermione, and she beamed at the sound of her name.
"Yes, I have heard some very interesting things about you Miss Granger. According to this, you have scored the highest exam mark four years in a row, and you broke the school record for the highest mark for a Defence Against the Dark Arts Exam last year by scoring nine hundred and forty three per cent, absolutely shattering the previous record of two hundred and twenty two, set by Charlie Weasley."
Hermione and Harry looked at each other, but looked away quickly, because they both knew that it was the DA that helped with that exam result.
And we have Mr. Ronald Weasley, who, oh, well, we won't go into what he did. All you need to know is that is has something to do with a giant chess set."
Ron turned a nasty shade of green, and looked away from them all.
"Oh, and we have our guest of honour. Ladies and gentleman please put your hands together for the one person to have escaped him, the one person to have ever duelled him, the one person to have ever seen him return. Make welcome... HARRY POTTER!"
Harry was expecting this. Instead of clapping, they just started whispering amongst one another, and some were pointing at him, pointing towards where his scar would be. Harry was really getting sick of this, and was glad for his fringe being long, otherwise they would be standing up and coming over to get a closer look.
"Mr Potter doesn't need to be introduced, after all, we all know who he is and what he did", said Professor Karnac happily.
"Well, all that needs to be done is for you three to be resorted. It is a lot like the way you were sorted at Hogwarts when you were in first year, so there is nothing to worry about", said Professor Karnac. "All we need to do is wait for Professor Evans. Where is he Severus"?
"He went out to fix the Mandrakes up, because there was an animal in the greenhouse or some nonsense like that", said Snape sourly.
"Oh, well we had better wait for him then", said Professor Karnac softly.
Five minutes past and still Professor Evans hadn't returned, and Professor Karnac was about to send someone to go help him when he came barging into the hall, dirt all over his face, looking as if he had run a marathon. On his way up to the head table, he tripped over his own feet and fell face first onto the floor.
"Oh my", said Hermione putting her hands over her mouth.
"Professor Evans, are you alright?" asked Professor Karnac.
"Er, yes i, owch, am", said Professor Evans, getting up off the floor and limping up to Professor Karnac.
"Good, well we needed you to set up the sorting for the Hogwarts students", said Professor Karnac calmly. This man reminded Harry so much of Dumbledore, that he was picturing it was Dumbledore sitting in the chair in front of him.
"Hogwarts? Oh yes, the exchange students Dumbledore sent. I will be right back."
And he walked out of the hall and into a side chamber that was joined to the dining chamber.
As Harry was looking around at the students, a sharp pain shot through his scar. Harry put his hand up to his forehead and screwed his eyes up in pain.
"Harry, are you alright?" asked Hermione carefully, because Harry was likely to explode if asked that these days.
"Yes, i'm fine", said Harry. The pain was gone as quickly as it had come. When he looked at the students behind him they were pointing and whispering again.
Harry didn't know what had caused the sudden pain in his scar, but all he could hope was that it didn't involve Voldemort.
"Yes Lucius, the plan will go ahead as planned".
Lucius Malfoy was sitting in his study doing paperwork for the Ministry, when Lord Voldemort's head appeared in the fire.
"MASTER, I didn't see you there", said Mr. Malfoy, scattering papers everywhere.
"Yes, of course you didn't", said Voldemort smugly.
"Master, should you be using Floo Powder, after all, the Ministry would be watching the networks-"
"I have my ways of using fires without the need for Floo powder", interupted Voldemort.
"So, you wish the plan to go ahead master?" said Mr. Malfoy.
"Yes, I do, but it has to be altered, now that muggle loving fool Dumbledore has sent the boy to Karnac's good for nothing school. I mean, what interested him to be headmaster of something rediculous as that, I will never know."
"I have no idea either," said Mr. Malfoy.
"No, of course you don't, your not always around. ive come by here four times this week and you havn't been home. So, where have you been then?"
Voldemort stared at Mr. Malfoy through his cat-like eyes. Even though Mr. Malfoy was a death eater, Voldemort still though of him as a betrayer to him.
"I have been doing things for the Ministry Master", said Mr, Malfoy. "I still need to make sure that they don't think that I have gone back to you. If Fudge found out that I was still serving you, he would throw me into Azkaban so fast-"
"Calm yourself Lucius", said Voldemort. "If that lame excuse for a Minister for Magic was to put you in Azkaban, i would get you straight bak out of there. Fudge will not always have full co-operation of the Dementors."
"Yes Master", said Mr. Malfoy, sitting down at his desk again.
"Now Lucius, to tell you the plan, we need a bit of help, so stand back, and cover any valubles that you don't want dirty."
Voldemort's head dissapeared, then there was a flash of green fire, and Voldemort's whole body appeared in Mr. Malfoy's Study.
"Now that I am here, we can start", said Voldemort. He waved his wand, and a large holographic diagram appeared in the room, showing a three dimensional picture of five pyramids. A gold one, silver one, bronze one, crimson one and a black marble one. Each of them stood, at a guess, about as tall as the Great Pyramid, and were spaced at great distances from each other. At least a couple of miles from each other.
"Master, what are those?" asked Mr. Malfoy, looking around his study at the pyramids.
"They are pyramids Lucius, what do they look like?", said Voldemort smugly.
"Yes, they are, but what do they mean?" said Lucius Malfoy, almost losing his temper, but managing to control himself.
"They mean, that if you ever speak to me like that again, you will be doing your paperwork for the ministry in St. Mungo's", said Voldemort fiercly.
"My appologies", said Mr. Malfoy.
"Good. Now I will tell you the significance of these pyramids", said Voldemort, turning to the pyramids. "These Pyramids are the five Pyramids of Furmat".
Mr. Malfoy almost fell of his chair. "T-the Pyramids of Furmat Master? Arn't they just a myth?"
"If they were a myth, why would I be showing them to you as part of the plan" said Voldemort.
Mr. Malfoy thought it best to keep his mouth shut and just listen from now on, only talking when spoken to.
"Thats better", said Voldemort. Now I will tell you what these pyramids have to do with the plan.
"Karnac is planning to take the Potter boy to the Pyramids some time later this year. My faithful servent that I have placed at Karnac's school make sure that nothing will go wong with the plan.
Mr. Malfoy couldn't help but doubt. The last time one of Voldemort's 'faithful servents' went undercover for him, the death eater had been exposed and a dementor had administered it's deadly kiss, sucking his soul out of his mouth.
"Well, I must be off, lots to do. Good evening Lucius".
And with a small pop, Voldemort vanished.
Mr. Malfoy went back to his paperwork, hoping that whoever was in charge of this whole operation, didn't stuff up.
Five minutes past and still Professor Evans hadn't returned from the side chamber. When he did return, he was carrying a stool in one hand, and a pair of gold scales and a feather in the other.
After placing the stool in front of Professor Karnac, put the scales on top of it, put the feather on the left hand scale, then Professor Evans took his seat next to Professor Karnac.
A few minutes after that, a gold feather appeared in front of Karnac, followed by a bright light.
After the light had dissapeared, Harry looked up to see the old Hogwarts Sorting Hat Sitting on the Table, in front of Karac.
It sat completley still, then all of a sudden, the brim opened up, and the hat began to sing:-
" One day in ancient times,
About four thousand years ago.
There lived a wizard called king Tut,
Who was also the countries Pharoh.
He ruled over all the land, and never did a thing wrong,
But still he was murdered, wearing only one thong.
Now this school that we see before us is a reminder of the king,
The headmaster told from all the rest, wearing the sacred ring.
Now this school called Tutankhamens, a school for magical learning,
Has been offered guests of honour three, to prove that we are yerning.
To learn the ways of the people, and to do what was done,
But this school is different, a lot different to the Hogwarts one.
At Hogwarts we have Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin,
And then we have old Gryffindor, the prize among the bretherin.
But here at tut's school, we have something quite different,
Their houses are named after gods,
Some worshipped more than a Griffrent.
Firstly we have Horus, a highly praised god,
Where students do their very best, to put peas back in the pod.
Then we have Anubis, where the students are good at potions,
The softly bubbling couldron is all that they need in motion.
And of course, we have Osirus, a god with adoration,
The students who get chosen for it, are warmed with consideration.
And finally, we have the House of Ra, the prize among the rest,
Who always strive to try their hardest, to always be the best.
So whatever you do, don't be afraid, and please don't be upset,
Cause if you do, i woun't be here, to teach this in a bet.
The entire room clapped loudly after the hat had finished and the hat bowed to them once, then went completely still again.
"Well done. Well, I must say, that was most entertaining", said Professor Karnac smiling broadly. "And now, the moment we have all been waiting for. Let the sorting begin."
As soon as Professor Karnac had said these words, the scales started to glow with a golden light. It lasted for about three minutes until the glow was gone, and a smooth and calming voice came from the scales and said:- Mr Ronald Weasley.
"Up you go Mr. Weasley", said Professor Karnac happily.
Ron, shaking, went up the small step in front of him and stood next to the scales.
"Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you", said Professor Karnac, putting a hand to his forehead. "You put your wand onto the scale that is empty".
Ron put his hand into his pocket and pulled out his wand, then placed it onto the scale. It immediatley balanced on its tip and glowed slightly red.
A large holographic picture of the god Anubis materialised before their eyes, staring down at Ron with its dog-like eyes. Ron took a small step back, a slight green tinge in his cheeks.
Anubis considered Ron for a moment, then pointed a long finger towards the table at the far end of the chamber.
"Comgratulations Mr. Weasley", said Professor Karnac brightly. "You have been selected to join the house of Ra, our most prized students in the whole school".
Many of the students from other houses scowled up at Karnac.
"My appologies students, you are all prized among my company."
Professor Karnac made a small smile that Harry couldn't work out, but it made him feel slightly uneasy somehow.
After Ron had been ushered to his seat by one of the prefects in Ra, the scales started to glow again. "Miss Hermione Granger".
Hermione, trembling, walked up to the scalesand put her wand into the empty one, just as Ron had done.
The hologram of Anubis appeared once more, and pointed to the same table that it had done for Ron.
"Congratulations Miss Granger. You too have been selected to join the house of Ra. Please take your seat among your classmates."
Hermione walked with the prefect to a seat next to Ron.
"We'll cross our fingers", Hermione mouthed to Harry, telling Harry that they are hoping that Harry gets chosen for Ra as well.
Finally the scales glowed once more, and the voice called: "Mr Harry Potter".
Harry walked up to the scales and put his wand on it. The hologram of Anubis looked directly into Harry's eyes, making Harry feel very uneasy.
It looked around the room at all the tables until finally its head came to a rest at the table directly in front of it. Anubis smiled slighly, and pointed to that table, then it vanished with a small pop, which Harry thought was wierd because it never made a popping sound for Ron or Hermione.
"Congratulations Harry", beamed Professor Karnac. "You have been selected to join the house of Anubis. A house you should be very proud to be in".
A tall, stocky boy with blonde hair and thin, oval shaped glasses got out of his seat and walked over to Harry.
"Over here Potter", said the boy gesturing to the table where a seat was empty right next to the boy.
"Never mind Harry", said Hermione as Harry passed the table Ron and Hermione were sitting at. "We are sure to have some classes together".
"Yeah, don't worry about it mate", said Ron grinning.
Harry grinned back and sat in the empty seat. Almost immediatley every face at the table was staring at him.
"Oi, leave him alone", said the prefect sternly. "How would you like it if people started goggling at you all the time? Don't you think he has had enough of this over the years?
"Thanks", said Harry when everyone was looking at Karnac again.
"Ah, it was nothing", said the prefect. "I just fancied you had had enough of people staring at that scar".
"Yeah, it does get annoying".
"Oh, by the way, my name is Jake Evans. My Dad is the deputy headmaster here. We moved to Egypt from London two years ago. I miss Hogwarts though".
"You went to Hogwarts?" asked Harry.
"Yeah, I managed to do my O.W.Ls but because we went to another country I had to repeat the fifth year so I did my O.W.Ls twice. Did better the second time round too, but im still only in the sixth year. I was one year ahead of you until I moved here. Dad could have gotten a job at Toadstools, but no, he likes to go for the big places."
"Whats Toadstools?", Harry asked.
"Oh it's another school in England. It's not as popular as Hogwarts is, and not as big either, but it gets really good reviews in Wizarding Schools of the World. It even got on the same page as Hogwarts this year.
Jake picked up a magazine of the table and passed it to Harry. Below a picture of Hogwarts was a picture of a small castle with flags at the top of each tower. It wasn't nearly as big as Hogwarts, but was still really inviting. Harry looked at the picture of Hogwarts for a while until the room went silent again and Harry looked up to find Professor Karnac standing up.
"Well, all I can say is, enjoy", said Professor Karnac. "Oh, and yes, you can sit anywhere you like".
Nothing happened for a while, then a fine, bright red sand started to fall onto the tables, which almost immediatley turned into platters of food. Steak and chops, roast chickens and chicken pieces, including drumsticks and wings, crumbed and plain, English sausages, flavoured sausages and even Australian sausages, kippers, lamb roasts and racks of lamb, pies of all kinds, and as a surprise, a serving of lasania for each, that was said to have a special ingredient that helped you to sleep when you called for it.
After the food had turned to sand again, it became deserts. Ice Cream of all kinds you can think of, including all those favourites everyone loves, chocolate pudding and custard, all different flavours of jelly (Jello for you Americans because you call it that), apple pies and cream that changed colour, and almost the entire London bakery.
Once everyone had eaten all they could, the rest of the food became sand again, and floated back up to the ceiling.
"Well, I think it is time for everyone to get off to bed", said Professor Karnac softly. "Prefects, will you be right in taking our guests to the house common rooms?"
"Yes headmaster", said a tall black haired girl sitting at the table Ron and Hermione were sitting at.
"Good, how about you Mr. Evans?"
"Yes sir, it will be no problem at all", said Jake loudly, standing up and putting a closed fist up to his chest on the position of where his heart would be. Everyone else in the room stood, and did the same, while Harry, Ron and Hermione looked around at everyone, clearly confused about this strange gesture.
"Come on Harry, I'll show you where your staying", said Jake as everyone filed out of chamber and headed in different directions.
"I thought that this school didn't have dormitories", said Harry.
"Yeah, so did I, but the school built little apartments for everyone to sort of live in while we are here, so it's kinda true", said Jake grinning. "But because your not a permanant student here, and because all the sixth year apartments are being used, the three of you have to share with one of us, and because your in my house, you will be sharing with me. It's strange really, it's as if Karnac knew that you were going to be in my house. It's scary how much alike he is with Dumbledore."
They walked through many passageways and behind a few tapistrys, and after about five minutes, Harry had the impression that they were going underground because the ground seemed to be sloping downwards. Finally they came to a stop in front of a stone door that had a kartush in the middle.
"Never could understand this infernal language really", said Jake angryly. "So I just changed the language and the password,and now i'm right. You should have seen me the first time I tryed to get in here. It took me an hour before my dad got here to let me in. Thank the muggles for inventing mobile phones otherwise I would have had to spend the night out here in the corridor, and that's not pretty."
"How come?" asked Harry who had no idea why a harmless corridor would scare someone so easily.
"Well, the rumours are that at night, when all the torches are extinguished, the corridors whisper to each other, whisper secrets and spells. Not something anyone would like to here on the way to the bathroom at one o' clock in the morning."
Jake turned back to the door and said " Well we had better get inside or we may find ourselves getting into trouble for being out after dark".
Jake turned back to face the door, took out a red coloured wand and uttered a very complicated spell. Harry looked at the door and saw it opening out to a large square room filled with candles and a roaring fire in a fireplace on the far side of the wall. Two large beds were put in the room. The one closest to the fire was a four poster bed that looked oddly like the bed Harry slept in at Hogwarts. In fact, it was the bed Harry slept in at Hogwarts.
"Headmasters instructions", said Jake smiling. "Headmaster Karnac thought that you would be more comfortable if you slept in your own bed, so he sent an owl to Dumbledore asking if he could borrow your bed, and this morning I came in here and found the bed here."
"Er, thanks", said Harry, slightly confused, but happy to see something familiar. Not that he was unhappy to be away from Hogwarts, at least he woun't have to look at Malfoy's smug face for a while.
"Well, er, come in Harry", said Jake, turning bright red. "Im sorry, I just havn't had someone to share a room with for a while, especially not someone like you".
Harry stepped into the room and was instantly warmed from head to foot, because the corridors were so cold. Harry went straight to his bed, pulled the hangings all the way around, and started to get changed into his pyjamas. Just as Harry was pulling his arm through his sleeve, a small sound like a bell chim rang out and Harry heard Jake open the door, then some small muttering, then Jake closed the door again.
"Er, Harry, I have something here for you", said Jake.
"Yes, it's all right, im dressed", said Harry, opening the hangings.
Jake handed him a small piece of parchment that had some strange writing on it.
"Er, Jake", Harry asked loudly. "What is this supposed to be exactly.
"Oh, it's your timetable, hang on, i'll fix it up for you".
Harry handed Jake the parchment, and Jake muttered, Languagis Englaro. The symbols scrambled around a bit, before comming together to form words that were written in english.
"Thanks", said Harry, putting his timetable into a draw next to his bed. "I would have never been able to get to class trying to read those symbols."
"Yeah, i know what you mean, I had a whole lot of problems getting to classes when i first got here", said Jake grinning. "It seems I wasn't the only one either, but we found a spell in a book that told us how to change writing into english, and now all timetables are in english. Except for the new ones of course. The headmaster still insists on printing the timetables in Ancient Egyptian, he says it will help us to learn, but i mean to say, how are we to learn if we don't know where to go."
"Well I think I had better get to bed", said Harry starting to get under the covers.
"Yes Harry, good idea, we have a big day tommorrow with the start of term", said Jake, walking over to the large lamp and extinguishing it, leaving the only light comming from the roaring fire.
Harry laid there in bed for a while, thinking over in his head about what had happened the past few weeks, until finally he drifted off to sleep.
Harry was in a large room full of glass objects on shelves. He was walking down one of the isles, searching for something, but he couldn't remember what. Then the room dissolved and everything went black, then it came back again. But it was a different room. The same room that Bellatrix Lestrange killed Sirius. Harry saw Sirius up on the dias, near the curtain that Sirius fell behind. Bellatrix was no where to be seen. Harry walked down the stars towards Sirius, then stepped up onto the dias, walking towards Sirius. They stood facing each other, then Sirius said something. "Save me Harry, save me".
The room dissolved and Harry found himself upright screaming.
"Its alright Harry, calm down", Jake was saying, gesturing to a shadow out of Harry's line of vision. Harry stopped screaming as soon as he woke up, looked around and found several people standing around his bed. One of them had come forward and was talking to Jake softly. Harry managed to catch the last of the conversation.
"Ok then, go and get Professor Karnac, he will want to tell Dumbledore about this", said Jake sternly. The boy turned around and left the room. Shortly after that, Professor Karnac appeared in the room, closely followed by Snape.
"What is it Potter?" asked Karnac softly "Did you have a premonition in your dream? Was it about You Know Who?"
"No", said Harry, slighty out of breath and with a hoarse voice because of the screaming he just did. "No, it was about, about S-Sirius Black".
Some of the people around Harry's bed gave a small scream. Clearly, they hadn't been told that Sirius was innocent of the crime that had sent him to Azkaban, or that he had died only a few weeks ago. Professor Karnac looked shocked, and Snape stared at Harry, surveying him as if checking him if he was lying or not.
"Are you sure it was about Black Potter?" asked Snape curtly.
"Yes Professor", said Harry nodding. "I'm positive.
"HARRY, Harry, are you alright"? Hermione had entered the room, closely followed by Ron.
"Oh Harry, we heard Professor Karnac tell Professor Snape what had happened. Are you hurt, are you ok?"
"Yes I'm fine", chocked Harry as Hermione flung her arms around Harry's neck, and rung him so tight, he thought he would start seeing a bright white light at the end of the tunnel any minute now.
"Miss Granger, far be it for you to ever resist a bout of your precious evesdropping, but if you do not let Potter go right now, there may not be a Potter to question about what happened tonight", said Snape coldly. Hermione let Harry go, and stood next to Ron, still watching Harry, a small tear on her cheeck.
"Now that Potter isn't being strangled to death anymore, I think we should take Potter to your office Karnac so we can question him out of the way of distractions". Snape looked around at all the people around Hary's bed and they all cowered away from Snape.
"Yes yes, good idea Severus," said Professor Karnac. "Ok you lot, out of the way, let Potter through". And with that, Harry walked out of the room, escorted by Professors Karnac and Snape, Jake bringing up the rear, shooing students away, telling them that if they didn't get back to bed right now, they would be put on detention for walking the corridors at night without permission.
As Harry walked up the corridor, with the only light comming from a small flame torch in Snape's hand, Harry heard a small voice that sounded as if it were comming from the walls. "Help us Harry, Help us", it said. Harry was starting to understand why the students didn't like wandering around late at night, and was beginning to wonder why he was doing just that until he came to a large stone statue of Professor Karnac himself. Snape gave a small sneer, but Karnac seemed not to hear, because he strood up to the statue, bowed very low, and said:- "I am the Headmaster of this school so let me in".
The statue looked down at him, then walked slightly to the left revealing a small stone staircase with a gold door at the top. God these people are obssesed with gold, thought Harry as he climbed the stairs and went through the door. What he saw almost gave him a stroke.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting on a chair by the fire, talking to the head of Mr. Weasley, which was sitting in the fire. "Dumbledore, he is here", said Mr. Weasley.
Dumbledore turned his head and looked directly at Harry, suveying Harry, as he always did, through those half-moon glasses.
"Albus, I had no idea you would be here tonight", said Karnac staring at Dumbledore with a slight look of shock on his face. "But i'm afraid, not to be rude or anything, but this isn't a really good time Albus. Harry here has just told me -"
"That he has had a dream concerning Sirius Black, yes I know, that is why im here", said Dumbledore, not taking his eyes off Harry.
"Oh, how did you find out so quickly, I havn't even sent an owl yet?" said Karnac.
"Severus sent me an owl as soon as you told him about Harry's dream, and I thought it would be best if I was here when you questioned him. Professor McGonagall will be here shortly."
But Headmaster", said Harry. "What about Hogwarts? whos looking after all the srudents and the castle?"
"Relax dear boy", said Dumbledore calmly, raising a hand to silence him. "Professor Flitwick is looking after things while i'm away, and I can't think of a more trustworthy teacher to watch things for me".
"And what about me", came a breathless voice from the doorway. Everyone turned and saw Professor McGonagall standing there, slighty travelworn, with a large scratch on her face and a very irritable look to match. Harry made up his mind that this was the thinnest her lips could go without the danger of them being swallowed up by her mouth.
"Dear lord Minerva, are you alright?" asked Dumbledore, getting up out of his seat and helping her towards another near Karnacs desk.
"Yes yes, im fine," said Professor McGonagall, clutching at a stitch in her side and accepting a goblet of potion from Snape, which he had conjored up out of midair and told her it will help her to feel better.
"Damn Hogwarts magic", stormed Professor McGonagall finally, after drinking all her potion and regaining her strength, and temper to boot.
"I had to walk fifty miles before I was out of range of all the magic so i could apparate, and then i met Hagrid's brother in the forest! Honestly Albus, he has to keep that giant brother of his somewhere else, he nearly killed me."
"Calm down Minerva, we need to question Harry about his dream", said Dumbledore quietly. He was looking at Harry with somthing that Harry took as concern.
"Oh yes, the boy". Professor McGonagall straightened her cloak and sat down.
"Now Harry, tell us what happened in your dream in as much detail as possible", said Professor Karnac calmly.
"Well, er", said Harry, thinking back to the dream, trying to remember parts that were already a blur.
"I remember seeing Sirius standing in front of me, asking me to help him".
"Did he say anything else?" asked Dumbledore sharply.
"No", said Harry. "Thats all he said. We were in the Department of Mysteries. In the room with the dias was. The room where Sirius........"
Harry looked away, ashamed to let them see him cry.
"It's alright Harry, we understand", said Professor Karnac softly, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "We know how hard Sirius's Death was on you. You can go back to bed now".
"Ah, headmaster, if i may", said Snape to Dumbledore. "But what has Potter got to do with anything that concerns Black. He is dead after all."
"Yes, he is Severus," said Dumbldore with an air of impatiance in his voice. "But all the same, when things that happen around people who have seen people die, and that thing starts to affect there dreams, we must take extra caution in making sure nothing happens to those dreams."
Harry stared at Dumbledore, and had no idea what that meant. But he was saved asking when Dumbledore told him to go back to bed. Harry closed the door behind him, but held back to hear what they were saying.
"Well, Potter has proved it", came the voice of Karnac. "It has to be true now. Sirius Black isn't dead after all.
"Yes, but how do we get him back?" said Professor McGonagall. "He is stuck in between our world and the world beyond".
"Well", said Dumbledore softly. "If Harry can see him in his dreams, he may be the key, but don't mention this to the boy, he may not want to do anything just yet."
"Ok then", said Karnac. Harry heard chairs moving and ran down the hall until he was out of site. The conversation carried all the way down the hal, and Harry followed t a distance, but was close enough to hear what was said.
"How do we get Black back without anyone noticing headmaster?" asked Snape to Dumbledore. "After all, Black is still a wanted criminal. If the Ministry of Magic find out, they will take Black back to Azkaban, or have the dementors perform the kiss."
"That is why the Ministry must never find out about it", said Dumbledore softly. "We have to do everything we can to make sure Fudge never finds out about Sirius."
"Yes sir", said Snape, a sour look on his face. Harry knew that Snape will have a hard time dealing with Sirius again. They were never friends, so when Sirius died, Snape didn't feel any sympathy.
"Well Minerva and I must get back to Hogwarts", said Dumbledore. "Oh and Karnac, Hagrid will be here at the end of next month''.
"Thank you Albus", said Karnac cheefully. "Hope you have a safe trip".
Next moment, Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix, appeared on Dumbledore's shoulder. Professor McGonagall Put her hand on his golden plumage, and in a blink of an eye, they were gone.
"Well Severus," sighed Professor Karnac. "I think we should get back to bed ourselves".
Karnac headed back up the chamber, but Snape was heading for the place Harry was hiding. Harry rushed out of the corner and back into the hall that lead to his room. As Harry walked back to his room, he heard those strande voices again. "Help me, Harry, help me." Harry shivered, and opened the door. Jake was waiting for Harry in a chair by the fire.
"Is everything alright?" said Jake.
"Yes, just fine", said Harry.
Harry got into bed thinking, can it be true? Can Sirius really still be alive? If he was, it would be a dream for Harry. He would finally be able to leave the Dursleys. And that, is something anyone would want.
Well, there it was, that has to be my favourite chapter. I listened to you all and made my chapters longer. oh, and by the way, a Griffrent is a creature I invented for the story, u will find out more about it later on.
Whispers In The Corridors
Harry stood at the top of the room, looking out at the students that went to the school. They were all wearing the same coloured robes, but all the tables were wearing different stitching on the back of their robes.
"Ah, the Hogwarts students", said the man in the middle of the table behind Harry. He was sitting in a chair that was made entirely out of carved stone, with Egyptian paintings all around it.
"Good afternoon Professor Karnac", said Snape, with a slight sneer on his pale face.
"Well, this is a wonderful day for us all", said Professor Karnac beaming.
"Yes, I suppose you could say that if you want", muttered Snape.
"Students of Tutankhamen school for the Magic Arts and Egyptian Hieroglyphics", said Professor Karnac loudly to the whole hall. "Welcome our guest students of the year. As you all know, Durmstrang has been temporarily closed down while they find a new headmaster, so we needed a school that was willing to lend us a few of their brightest students, so they could learn all about us, and tell us about what they do themselves, at their school."
Bright? Ha, thought Harry. Now he knew that Dumbledore must have mixed his exam results with Hermione's. Harry always said he was about a smart as a potato doing a dance to the Hogwarts school song, even if he got good marks or not.
"So, after much searching, I received a letter from Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry telling me that he has three students that fit the criteria that I wanted in foreign students, so he sent these three students."
Professor Karnac picked up a piece of parchment and read out what was written on it to the whole school.
"Firstly, we have Miss Hermione Granger", said Professor Karnac looking over at Hermione, and she beamed at the sound of her name.
"Yes, I have heard some very interesting things about you Miss Granger. According to this, you have scored the highest exam mark four years in a row, and you broke the school record for the highest mark for a Defence Against the Dark Arts Exam last year by scoring nine hundred and forty three per cent, absolutely shattering the previous record of two hundred and twenty two, set by Charlie Weasley."
Hermione and Harry looked at each other, but looked away quickly, because they both knew that it was the DA that helped with that exam result.
And we have Mr. Ronald Weasley, who, oh, well, we won't go into what he did. All you need to know is that is has something to do with a giant chess set."
Ron turned a nasty shade of green, and looked away from them all.
"Oh, and we have our guest of honour. Ladies and gentleman please put your hands together for the one person to have escaped him, the one person to have ever duelled him, the one person to have ever seen him return. Make welcome... HARRY POTTER!"
Harry was expecting this. Instead of clapping, they just started whispering amongst one another, and some were pointing at him, pointing towards where his scar would be. Harry was really getting sick of this, and was glad for his fringe being long, otherwise they would be standing up and coming over to get a closer look.
"Mr Potter doesn't need to be introduced, after all, we all know who he is and what he did", said Professor Karnac happily.
"Well, all that needs to be done is for you three to be resorted. It is a lot like the way you were sorted at Hogwarts when you were in first year, so there is nothing to worry about", said Professor Karnac. "All we need to do is wait for Professor Evans. Where is he Severus"?
"He went out to fix the Mandrakes up, because there was an animal in the greenhouse or some nonsense like that", said Snape sourly.
"Oh, well we had better wait for him then", said Professor Karnac softly.
Five minutes past and still Professor Evans hadn't returned, and Professor Karnac was about to send someone to go help him when he came barging into the hall, dirt all over his face, looking as if he had run a marathon. On his way up to the head table, he tripped over his own feet and fell face first onto the floor.
"Oh my", said Hermione putting her hands over her mouth.
"Professor Evans, are you alright?" asked Professor Karnac.
"Er, yes i, owch, am", said Professor Evans, getting up off the floor and limping up to Professor Karnac.
"Good, well we needed you to set up the sorting for the Hogwarts students", said Professor Karnac calmly. This man reminded Harry so much of Dumbledore, that he was picturing it was Dumbledore sitting in the chair in front of him.
"Hogwarts? Oh yes, the exchange students Dumbledore sent. I will be right back."
And he walked out of the hall and into a side chamber that was joined to the dining chamber.
As Harry was looking around at the students, a sharp pain shot through his scar. Harry put his hand up to his forehead and screwed his eyes up in pain.
"Harry, are you alright?" asked Hermione carefully, because Harry was likely to explode if asked that these days.
"Yes, i'm fine", said Harry. The pain was gone as quickly as it had come. When he looked at the students behind him they were pointing and whispering again.
Harry didn't know what had caused the sudden pain in his scar, but all he could hope was that it didn't involve Voldemort.
"Yes Lucius, the plan will go ahead as planned".
Lucius Malfoy was sitting in his study doing paperwork for the Ministry, when Lord Voldemort's head appeared in the fire.
"MASTER, I didn't see you there", said Mr. Malfoy, scattering papers everywhere.
"Yes, of course you didn't", said Voldemort smugly.
"Master, should you be using Floo Powder, after all, the Ministry would be watching the networks-"
"I have my ways of using fires without the need for Floo powder", interupted Voldemort.
"So, you wish the plan to go ahead master?" said Mr. Malfoy.
"Yes, I do, but it has to be altered, now that muggle loving fool Dumbledore has sent the boy to Karnac's good for nothing school. I mean, what interested him to be headmaster of something rediculous as that, I will never know."
"I have no idea either," said Mr. Malfoy.
"No, of course you don't, your not always around. ive come by here four times this week and you havn't been home. So, where have you been then?"
Voldemort stared at Mr. Malfoy through his cat-like eyes. Even though Mr. Malfoy was a death eater, Voldemort still though of him as a betrayer to him.
"I have been doing things for the Ministry Master", said Mr, Malfoy. "I still need to make sure that they don't think that I have gone back to you. If Fudge found out that I was still serving you, he would throw me into Azkaban so fast-"
"Calm yourself Lucius", said Voldemort. "If that lame excuse for a Minister for Magic was to put you in Azkaban, i would get you straight bak out of there. Fudge will not always have full co-operation of the Dementors."
"Yes Master", said Mr. Malfoy, sitting down at his desk again.
"Now Lucius, to tell you the plan, we need a bit of help, so stand back, and cover any valubles that you don't want dirty."
Voldemort's head dissapeared, then there was a flash of green fire, and Voldemort's whole body appeared in Mr. Malfoy's Study.
"Now that I am here, we can start", said Voldemort. He waved his wand, and a large holographic diagram appeared in the room, showing a three dimensional picture of five pyramids. A gold one, silver one, bronze one, crimson one and a black marble one. Each of them stood, at a guess, about as tall as the Great Pyramid, and were spaced at great distances from each other. At least a couple of miles from each other.
"Master, what are those?" asked Mr. Malfoy, looking around his study at the pyramids.
"They are pyramids Lucius, what do they look like?", said Voldemort smugly.
"Yes, they are, but what do they mean?" said Lucius Malfoy, almost losing his temper, but managing to control himself.
"They mean, that if you ever speak to me like that again, you will be doing your paperwork for the ministry in St. Mungo's", said Voldemort fiercly.
"My appologies", said Mr. Malfoy.
"Good. Now I will tell you the significance of these pyramids", said Voldemort, turning to the pyramids. "These Pyramids are the five Pyramids of Furmat".
Mr. Malfoy almost fell of his chair. "T-the Pyramids of Furmat Master? Arn't they just a myth?"
"If they were a myth, why would I be showing them to you as part of the plan" said Voldemort.
Mr. Malfoy thought it best to keep his mouth shut and just listen from now on, only talking when spoken to.
"Thats better", said Voldemort. Now I will tell you what these pyramids have to do with the plan.
"Karnac is planning to take the Potter boy to the Pyramids some time later this year. My faithful servent that I have placed at Karnac's school make sure that nothing will go wong with the plan.
Mr. Malfoy couldn't help but doubt. The last time one of Voldemort's 'faithful servents' went undercover for him, the death eater had been exposed and a dementor had administered it's deadly kiss, sucking his soul out of his mouth.
"Well, I must be off, lots to do. Good evening Lucius".
And with a small pop, Voldemort vanished.
Mr. Malfoy went back to his paperwork, hoping that whoever was in charge of this whole operation, didn't stuff up.
Five minutes past and still Professor Evans hadn't returned from the side chamber. When he did return, he was carrying a stool in one hand, and a pair of gold scales and a feather in the other.
After placing the stool in front of Professor Karnac, put the scales on top of it, put the feather on the left hand scale, then Professor Evans took his seat next to Professor Karnac.
A few minutes after that, a gold feather appeared in front of Karnac, followed by a bright light.
After the light had dissapeared, Harry looked up to see the old Hogwarts Sorting Hat Sitting on the Table, in front of Karac.
It sat completley still, then all of a sudden, the brim opened up, and the hat began to sing:-
" One day in ancient times,
About four thousand years ago.
There lived a wizard called king Tut,
Who was also the countries Pharoh.
He ruled over all the land, and never did a thing wrong,
But still he was murdered, wearing only one thong.
Now this school that we see before us is a reminder of the king,
The headmaster told from all the rest, wearing the sacred ring.
Now this school called Tutankhamens, a school for magical learning,
Has been offered guests of honour three, to prove that we are yerning.
To learn the ways of the people, and to do what was done,
But this school is different, a lot different to the Hogwarts one.
At Hogwarts we have Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin,
And then we have old Gryffindor, the prize among the bretherin.
But here at tut's school, we have something quite different,
Their houses are named after gods,
Some worshipped more than a Griffrent.
Firstly we have Horus, a highly praised god,
Where students do their very best, to put peas back in the pod.
Then we have Anubis, where the students are good at potions,
The softly bubbling couldron is all that they need in motion.
And of course, we have Osirus, a god with adoration,
The students who get chosen for it, are warmed with consideration.
And finally, we have the House of Ra, the prize among the rest,
Who always strive to try their hardest, to always be the best.
So whatever you do, don't be afraid, and please don't be upset,
Cause if you do, i woun't be here, to teach this in a bet.
The entire room clapped loudly after the hat had finished and the hat bowed to them once, then went completely still again.
"Well done. Well, I must say, that was most entertaining", said Professor Karnac smiling broadly. "And now, the moment we have all been waiting for. Let the sorting begin."
As soon as Professor Karnac had said these words, the scales started to glow with a golden light. It lasted for about three minutes until the glow was gone, and a smooth and calming voice came from the scales and said:- Mr Ronald Weasley.
"Up you go Mr. Weasley", said Professor Karnac happily.
Ron, shaking, went up the small step in front of him and stood next to the scales.
"Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you", said Professor Karnac, putting a hand to his forehead. "You put your wand onto the scale that is empty".
Ron put his hand into his pocket and pulled out his wand, then placed it onto the scale. It immediatley balanced on its tip and glowed slightly red.
A large holographic picture of the god Anubis materialised before their eyes, staring down at Ron with its dog-like eyes. Ron took a small step back, a slight green tinge in his cheeks.
Anubis considered Ron for a moment, then pointed a long finger towards the table at the far end of the chamber.
"Comgratulations Mr. Weasley", said Professor Karnac brightly. "You have been selected to join the house of Ra, our most prized students in the whole school".
Many of the students from other houses scowled up at Karnac.
"My appologies students, you are all prized among my company."
Professor Karnac made a small smile that Harry couldn't work out, but it made him feel slightly uneasy somehow.
After Ron had been ushered to his seat by one of the prefects in Ra, the scales started to glow again. "Miss Hermione Granger".
Hermione, trembling, walked up to the scalesand put her wand into the empty one, just as Ron had done.
The hologram of Anubis appeared once more, and pointed to the same table that it had done for Ron.
"Congratulations Miss Granger. You too have been selected to join the house of Ra. Please take your seat among your classmates."
Hermione walked with the prefect to a seat next to Ron.
"We'll cross our fingers", Hermione mouthed to Harry, telling Harry that they are hoping that Harry gets chosen for Ra as well.
Finally the scales glowed once more, and the voice called: "Mr Harry Potter".
Harry walked up to the scales and put his wand on it. The hologram of Anubis looked directly into Harry's eyes, making Harry feel very uneasy.
It looked around the room at all the tables until finally its head came to a rest at the table directly in front of it. Anubis smiled slighly, and pointed to that table, then it vanished with a small pop, which Harry thought was wierd because it never made a popping sound for Ron or Hermione.
"Congratulations Harry", beamed Professor Karnac. "You have been selected to join the house of Anubis. A house you should be very proud to be in".
A tall, stocky boy with blonde hair and thin, oval shaped glasses got out of his seat and walked over to Harry.
"Over here Potter", said the boy gesturing to the table where a seat was empty right next to the boy.
"Never mind Harry", said Hermione as Harry passed the table Ron and Hermione were sitting at. "We are sure to have some classes together".
"Yeah, don't worry about it mate", said Ron grinning.
Harry grinned back and sat in the empty seat. Almost immediatley every face at the table was staring at him.
"Oi, leave him alone", said the prefect sternly. "How would you like it if people started goggling at you all the time? Don't you think he has had enough of this over the years?
"Thanks", said Harry when everyone was looking at Karnac again.
"Ah, it was nothing", said the prefect. "I just fancied you had had enough of people staring at that scar".
"Yeah, it does get annoying".
"Oh, by the way, my name is Jake Evans. My Dad is the deputy headmaster here. We moved to Egypt from London two years ago. I miss Hogwarts though".
"You went to Hogwarts?" asked Harry.
"Yeah, I managed to do my O.W.Ls but because we went to another country I had to repeat the fifth year so I did my O.W.Ls twice. Did better the second time round too, but im still only in the sixth year. I was one year ahead of you until I moved here. Dad could have gotten a job at Toadstools, but no, he likes to go for the big places."
"Whats Toadstools?", Harry asked.
"Oh it's another school in England. It's not as popular as Hogwarts is, and not as big either, but it gets really good reviews in Wizarding Schools of the World. It even got on the same page as Hogwarts this year.
Jake picked up a magazine of the table and passed it to Harry. Below a picture of Hogwarts was a picture of a small castle with flags at the top of each tower. It wasn't nearly as big as Hogwarts, but was still really inviting. Harry looked at the picture of Hogwarts for a while until the room went silent again and Harry looked up to find Professor Karnac standing up.
"Well, all I can say is, enjoy", said Professor Karnac. "Oh, and yes, you can sit anywhere you like".
Nothing happened for a while, then a fine, bright red sand started to fall onto the tables, which almost immediatley turned into platters of food. Steak and chops, roast chickens and chicken pieces, including drumsticks and wings, crumbed and plain, English sausages, flavoured sausages and even Australian sausages, kippers, lamb roasts and racks of lamb, pies of all kinds, and as a surprise, a serving of lasania for each, that was said to have a special ingredient that helped you to sleep when you called for it.
After the food had turned to sand again, it became deserts. Ice Cream of all kinds you can think of, including all those favourites everyone loves, chocolate pudding and custard, all different flavours of jelly (Jello for you Americans because you call it that), apple pies and cream that changed colour, and almost the entire London bakery.
Once everyone had eaten all they could, the rest of the food became sand again, and floated back up to the ceiling.
"Well, I think it is time for everyone to get off to bed", said Professor Karnac softly. "Prefects, will you be right in taking our guests to the house common rooms?"
"Yes headmaster", said a tall black haired girl sitting at the table Ron and Hermione were sitting at.
"Good, how about you Mr. Evans?"
"Yes sir, it will be no problem at all", said Jake loudly, standing up and putting a closed fist up to his chest on the position of where his heart would be. Everyone else in the room stood, and did the same, while Harry, Ron and Hermione looked around at everyone, clearly confused about this strange gesture.
"Come on Harry, I'll show you where your staying", said Jake as everyone filed out of chamber and headed in different directions.
"I thought that this school didn't have dormitories", said Harry.
"Yeah, so did I, but the school built little apartments for everyone to sort of live in while we are here, so it's kinda true", said Jake grinning. "But because your not a permanant student here, and because all the sixth year apartments are being used, the three of you have to share with one of us, and because your in my house, you will be sharing with me. It's strange really, it's as if Karnac knew that you were going to be in my house. It's scary how much alike he is with Dumbledore."
They walked through many passageways and behind a few tapistrys, and after about five minutes, Harry had the impression that they were going underground because the ground seemed to be sloping downwards. Finally they came to a stop in front of a stone door that had a kartush in the middle.
"Never could understand this infernal language really", said Jake angryly. "So I just changed the language and the password,and now i'm right. You should have seen me the first time I tryed to get in here. It took me an hour before my dad got here to let me in. Thank the muggles for inventing mobile phones otherwise I would have had to spend the night out here in the corridor, and that's not pretty."
"How come?" asked Harry who had no idea why a harmless corridor would scare someone so easily.
"Well, the rumours are that at night, when all the torches are extinguished, the corridors whisper to each other, whisper secrets and spells. Not something anyone would like to here on the way to the bathroom at one o' clock in the morning."
Jake turned back to the door and said " Well we had better get inside or we may find ourselves getting into trouble for being out after dark".
Jake turned back to face the door, took out a red coloured wand and uttered a very complicated spell. Harry looked at the door and saw it opening out to a large square room filled with candles and a roaring fire in a fireplace on the far side of the wall. Two large beds were put in the room. The one closest to the fire was a four poster bed that looked oddly like the bed Harry slept in at Hogwarts. In fact, it was the bed Harry slept in at Hogwarts.
"Headmasters instructions", said Jake smiling. "Headmaster Karnac thought that you would be more comfortable if you slept in your own bed, so he sent an owl to Dumbledore asking if he could borrow your bed, and this morning I came in here and found the bed here."
"Er, thanks", said Harry, slightly confused, but happy to see something familiar. Not that he was unhappy to be away from Hogwarts, at least he woun't have to look at Malfoy's smug face for a while.
"Well, er, come in Harry", said Jake, turning bright red. "Im sorry, I just havn't had someone to share a room with for a while, especially not someone like you".
Harry stepped into the room and was instantly warmed from head to foot, because the corridors were so cold. Harry went straight to his bed, pulled the hangings all the way around, and started to get changed into his pyjamas. Just as Harry was pulling his arm through his sleeve, a small sound like a bell chim rang out and Harry heard Jake open the door, then some small muttering, then Jake closed the door again.
"Er, Harry, I have something here for you", said Jake.
"Yes, it's all right, im dressed", said Harry, opening the hangings.
Jake handed him a small piece of parchment that had some strange writing on it.
"Er, Jake", Harry asked loudly. "What is this supposed to be exactly.
"Oh, it's your timetable, hang on, i'll fix it up for you".
Harry handed Jake the parchment, and Jake muttered, Languagis Englaro. The symbols scrambled around a bit, before comming together to form words that were written in english.
"Thanks", said Harry, putting his timetable into a draw next to his bed. "I would have never been able to get to class trying to read those symbols."
"Yeah, i know what you mean, I had a whole lot of problems getting to classes when i first got here", said Jake grinning. "It seems I wasn't the only one either, but we found a spell in a book that told us how to change writing into english, and now all timetables are in english. Except for the new ones of course. The headmaster still insists on printing the timetables in Ancient Egyptian, he says it will help us to learn, but i mean to say, how are we to learn if we don't know where to go."
"Well I think I had better get to bed", said Harry starting to get under the covers.
"Yes Harry, good idea, we have a big day tommorrow with the start of term", said Jake, walking over to the large lamp and extinguishing it, leaving the only light comming from the roaring fire.
Harry laid there in bed for a while, thinking over in his head about what had happened the past few weeks, until finally he drifted off to sleep.
Harry was in a large room full of glass objects on shelves. He was walking down one of the isles, searching for something, but he couldn't remember what. Then the room dissolved and everything went black, then it came back again. But it was a different room. The same room that Bellatrix Lestrange killed Sirius. Harry saw Sirius up on the dias, near the curtain that Sirius fell behind. Bellatrix was no where to be seen. Harry walked down the stars towards Sirius, then stepped up onto the dias, walking towards Sirius. They stood facing each other, then Sirius said something. "Save me Harry, save me".
The room dissolved and Harry found himself upright screaming.
"Its alright Harry, calm down", Jake was saying, gesturing to a shadow out of Harry's line of vision. Harry stopped screaming as soon as he woke up, looked around and found several people standing around his bed. One of them had come forward and was talking to Jake softly. Harry managed to catch the last of the conversation.
"Ok then, go and get Professor Karnac, he will want to tell Dumbledore about this", said Jake sternly. The boy turned around and left the room. Shortly after that, Professor Karnac appeared in the room, closely followed by Snape.
"What is it Potter?" asked Karnac softly "Did you have a premonition in your dream? Was it about You Know Who?"
"No", said Harry, slighty out of breath and with a hoarse voice because of the screaming he just did. "No, it was about, about S-Sirius Black".
Some of the people around Harry's bed gave a small scream. Clearly, they hadn't been told that Sirius was innocent of the crime that had sent him to Azkaban, or that he had died only a few weeks ago. Professor Karnac looked shocked, and Snape stared at Harry, surveying him as if checking him if he was lying or not.
"Are you sure it was about Black Potter?" asked Snape curtly.
"Yes Professor", said Harry nodding. "I'm positive.
"HARRY, Harry, are you alright"? Hermione had entered the room, closely followed by Ron.
"Oh Harry, we heard Professor Karnac tell Professor Snape what had happened. Are you hurt, are you ok?"
"Yes I'm fine", chocked Harry as Hermione flung her arms around Harry's neck, and rung him so tight, he thought he would start seeing a bright white light at the end of the tunnel any minute now.
"Miss Granger, far be it for you to ever resist a bout of your precious evesdropping, but if you do not let Potter go right now, there may not be a Potter to question about what happened tonight", said Snape coldly. Hermione let Harry go, and stood next to Ron, still watching Harry, a small tear on her cheeck.
"Now that Potter isn't being strangled to death anymore, I think we should take Potter to your office Karnac so we can question him out of the way of distractions". Snape looked around at all the people around Hary's bed and they all cowered away from Snape.
"Yes yes, good idea Severus," said Professor Karnac. "Ok you lot, out of the way, let Potter through". And with that, Harry walked out of the room, escorted by Professors Karnac and Snape, Jake bringing up the rear, shooing students away, telling them that if they didn't get back to bed right now, they would be put on detention for walking the corridors at night without permission.
As Harry walked up the corridor, with the only light comming from a small flame torch in Snape's hand, Harry heard a small voice that sounded as if it were comming from the walls. "Help us Harry, Help us", it said. Harry was starting to understand why the students didn't like wandering around late at night, and was beginning to wonder why he was doing just that until he came to a large stone statue of Professor Karnac himself. Snape gave a small sneer, but Karnac seemed not to hear, because he strood up to the statue, bowed very low, and said:- "I am the Headmaster of this school so let me in".
The statue looked down at him, then walked slightly to the left revealing a small stone staircase with a gold door at the top. God these people are obssesed with gold, thought Harry as he climbed the stairs and went through the door. What he saw almost gave him a stroke.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting on a chair by the fire, talking to the head of Mr. Weasley, which was sitting in the fire. "Dumbledore, he is here", said Mr. Weasley.
Dumbledore turned his head and looked directly at Harry, suveying Harry, as he always did, through those half-moon glasses.
"Albus, I had no idea you would be here tonight", said Karnac staring at Dumbledore with a slight look of shock on his face. "But i'm afraid, not to be rude or anything, but this isn't a really good time Albus. Harry here has just told me -"
"That he has had a dream concerning Sirius Black, yes I know, that is why im here", said Dumbledore, not taking his eyes off Harry.
"Oh, how did you find out so quickly, I havn't even sent an owl yet?" said Karnac.
"Severus sent me an owl as soon as you told him about Harry's dream, and I thought it would be best if I was here when you questioned him. Professor McGonagall will be here shortly."
But Headmaster", said Harry. "What about Hogwarts? whos looking after all the srudents and the castle?"
"Relax dear boy", said Dumbledore calmly, raising a hand to silence him. "Professor Flitwick is looking after things while i'm away, and I can't think of a more trustworthy teacher to watch things for me".
"And what about me", came a breathless voice from the doorway. Everyone turned and saw Professor McGonagall standing there, slighty travelworn, with a large scratch on her face and a very irritable look to match. Harry made up his mind that this was the thinnest her lips could go without the danger of them being swallowed up by her mouth.
"Dear lord Minerva, are you alright?" asked Dumbledore, getting up out of his seat and helping her towards another near Karnacs desk.
"Yes yes, im fine," said Professor McGonagall, clutching at a stitch in her side and accepting a goblet of potion from Snape, which he had conjored up out of midair and told her it will help her to feel better.
"Damn Hogwarts magic", stormed Professor McGonagall finally, after drinking all her potion and regaining her strength, and temper to boot.
"I had to walk fifty miles before I was out of range of all the magic so i could apparate, and then i met Hagrid's brother in the forest! Honestly Albus, he has to keep that giant brother of his somewhere else, he nearly killed me."
"Calm down Minerva, we need to question Harry about his dream", said Dumbledore quietly. He was looking at Harry with somthing that Harry took as concern.
"Oh yes, the boy". Professor McGonagall straightened her cloak and sat down.
"Now Harry, tell us what happened in your dream in as much detail as possible", said Professor Karnac calmly.
"Well, er", said Harry, thinking back to the dream, trying to remember parts that were already a blur.
"I remember seeing Sirius standing in front of me, asking me to help him".
"Did he say anything else?" asked Dumbledore sharply.
"No", said Harry. "Thats all he said. We were in the Department of Mysteries. In the room with the dias was. The room where Sirius........"
Harry looked away, ashamed to let them see him cry.
"It's alright Harry, we understand", said Professor Karnac softly, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "We know how hard Sirius's Death was on you. You can go back to bed now".
"Ah, headmaster, if i may", said Snape to Dumbledore. "But what has Potter got to do with anything that concerns Black. He is dead after all."
"Yes, he is Severus," said Dumbldore with an air of impatiance in his voice. "But all the same, when things that happen around people who have seen people die, and that thing starts to affect there dreams, we must take extra caution in making sure nothing happens to those dreams."
Harry stared at Dumbledore, and had no idea what that meant. But he was saved asking when Dumbledore told him to go back to bed. Harry closed the door behind him, but held back to hear what they were saying.
"Well, Potter has proved it", came the voice of Karnac. "It has to be true now. Sirius Black isn't dead after all.
"Yes, but how do we get him back?" said Professor McGonagall. "He is stuck in between our world and the world beyond".
"Well", said Dumbledore softly. "If Harry can see him in his dreams, he may be the key, but don't mention this to the boy, he may not want to do anything just yet."
"Ok then", said Karnac. Harry heard chairs moving and ran down the hall until he was out of site. The conversation carried all the way down the hal, and Harry followed t a distance, but was close enough to hear what was said.
"How do we get Black back without anyone noticing headmaster?" asked Snape to Dumbledore. "After all, Black is still a wanted criminal. If the Ministry of Magic find out, they will take Black back to Azkaban, or have the dementors perform the kiss."
"That is why the Ministry must never find out about it", said Dumbledore softly. "We have to do everything we can to make sure Fudge never finds out about Sirius."
"Yes sir", said Snape, a sour look on his face. Harry knew that Snape will have a hard time dealing with Sirius again. They were never friends, so when Sirius died, Snape didn't feel any sympathy.
"Well Minerva and I must get back to Hogwarts", said Dumbledore. "Oh and Karnac, Hagrid will be here at the end of next month''.
"Thank you Albus", said Karnac cheefully. "Hope you have a safe trip".
Next moment, Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix, appeared on Dumbledore's shoulder. Professor McGonagall Put her hand on his golden plumage, and in a blink of an eye, they were gone.
"Well Severus," sighed Professor Karnac. "I think we should get back to bed ourselves".
Karnac headed back up the chamber, but Snape was heading for the place Harry was hiding. Harry rushed out of the corner and back into the hall that lead to his room. As Harry walked back to his room, he heard those strande voices again. "Help me, Harry, help me." Harry shivered, and opened the door. Jake was waiting for Harry in a chair by the fire.
"Is everything alright?" said Jake.
"Yes, just fine", said Harry.
Harry got into bed thinking, can it be true? Can Sirius really still be alive? If he was, it would be a dream for Harry. He would finally be able to leave the Dursleys. And that, is something anyone would want.
Well, there it was, that has to be my favourite chapter. I listened to you all and made my chapters longer. oh, and by the way, a Griffrent is a creature I invented for the story, u will find out more about it later on.