Harry Potter and the Secret Squib

by Slick22

Harry has just turned sixteen and has learned an old and dark secret from his Aunt, Petunia. When he finally returns to Hogwarts, he realises that there's someone lurking around at night, someone who definitely shouldn't be at the magical school.

15. Chapter Fifteen: The Sorting Hat's New S...

Harry Potter and the Secret Squib!

Chapter Fifteen: The Sorting Hat's New Song

"Are you coming mate?" shouted Ron "Or are you just gonna' stand there all night?"

Harry's mind had been completely focused on the outside of the castle that he had completely forgotten about going inside

"Oh, yeah" said Harry as he hurried up the stone steps to rejoin his group "I just kinda' zoned out there, sorry"

Cho and Dominic walked up to the great oak doors.

"Okay everyone, as Head boy and girl we would like to welcome you back to Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" said the Head boy proudly

The two doors behind the Head boy and girl started to open slowly; as it did Harry caught sight of Hogwarts insides, as well as Professor McGonagall who was expecting their arrival

"Professor, Hagrid told me to tell you that he will be arriving with the first years in a few minutes" said Cho politely

"Ah, thanks you Miss Chang" replied Professor McGonagall "Please, lead the rest of the students inside"

"Will do" said Dominic butting in "Everyone, follow us"

One by one the students passed through the large oak doors and made their way across the dry and brightly lit entrance hall; Harry looked around and saw even more soaking wet faces he knew, they were all laughing and discussing their summers. After a few more moments the door to the Great hall opened. The hall was once again glistening with ablaze candles and echoed with student's footsteps as they made their way to their seats. The four long house tables were starting to fill up while the candles floated in midair along them. The Hogwarts ghost were all floating around the hall and welcoming back the previous year's students eagerly.

As Harry walked down the aisles to his table, people started to turn away and whisper to their friends; Harry remembered this from the year before, but now he wasn't sure if they were calling him a hero or still saying he is a fraud.

"Hey Ginny" shouted a fifth year girl "Come and sit here with us"

"Oh hi Alice!" replied Ginny just as loudly as she ran to join her friends.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Seamus carried on walking until they found some seats next to Neville and Dean

"These seats taken?" asked Harry cheerily

"Harry! Yeah sit down mate?" Dean answered just a enthusiastically

"Hey Neville" said Seamus as he took the seat next to him

"Oh, hi Seamus" replied Neville happily

"Hello Harry" said a cheery Victorian voice

"Oh, hello Nick" replied Harry

"It's good to see you're well" said the polite Gryffindor ghost "I'll talk to you later – I have to go see the Fat Friar, we've got a bet going on; it's to see which of our houses gets the most new students, I'm of course betting on Gryffindor – well, cheerio"

"So, who'd ya reckon that is" said Ron as he discreetly nodded at a witch sitting at the staff table

Harry turned to his side and looked straight at this mysterious new professor. The senile looking witch was sitting on Dumbledore's right (the exact same space Dolores Umbridge had sat in the previous year). She was wearing a very tall and old looking grey wizard's hat; (which some what resembled that of the Sorting Hat) it had wide black belt strap fixed crookedly around it; the belt strap had a large golden belt buckle attached to it at the font; her eyes were a very dark shade of blue, and gave her a very stern kind of look about her; Harry's eyes continued to survey the rest of her face; she had a very long and thin nose, which held her half moon spectacles half way down it (her glasses resembled Dumbledore's). Harry's eyes seemed to suddenly zoom out from her face and see the rest of her body; she had a very tall and skeletal neck (one of which was almost identical to his aunt Petunia's); she also seemed to be very skinny, but still looked very healthy; Harry noticed that she was wearing robes that looked very much like Professor McGonagall's, but this new professor's were a very dark shade of mauve.

"I dunno' who she is mate" said Dean "But she looks pretty strict"

"Yeah, tell me about it" said Seamus worryingly "If we 'ave to deal with another Umbridge – I'll do me nut!"

Harry laughed but continued to stare at the new witch sitting at the staff table; and to his bewilderment; she winked at him

"What – Did she just – I mean – Did she – huh?" stuttered Harry

Harry's bafflement was suddenly pushed aside as he watched as a certain half giant walked up to the staff table and took his large seat. Harry automatically knew what this meant; the first years had successfully crossed the lake and are about to come in, and, as if by magic, they did just moments later.

Professor McGonagall was just as usual leading the long line of terrified looking first years; in her left hand she held a small wooden stool, and in the right was a heavily patched and old wizard's hat

The talking in the hall suddenly faded and turned into silence. The anxious first years lined up neatly in front of the staff table and turned around to face their fellow students. Professor McGonagall placed the stool gently and carefully in front of them, and placed the hat on the seat, then, stepped back.

The first years faces glowed weakly in the candlelight, each of their faces were different; some looked nervous; others looked anxious or even smug. As Harry looked up and down the line he once again remembered how terrified he had been when he was to be sorted; believing that a giant troll awaited him, and when he entered, how completely relieved but still petrified he was when he saw the Sorting Hat. Harry's mind snapped back to his brief conversation with Nearly Headless Nick; Harry started to wonder how many more students would be taken down as a Gryffindor, a Ravenclaw, a Hufflepuff or a Slytherin.

Suddenly, the rip near the olds hat's brim opened wide like a mouth, and after a few more tense moments, the Sorting Hat burst into song:

Oh, I may just look like an old and ruined hat,
But do not judge by what you see,
For you all shall be surprised to find,
That this old hat has more than one trick up its sleeve,
Once you place me on your head,
All your future will become clear,
You shall be sorted into your new families,
And begin your first year.
So all new students who have entered,
Come and sit under me,
For I will tell you where to go,
And the person you will be.
One by one I'll pick,
One of the houses four,
Ravenclaw, Slytherin,
Hufflepuff or maybe Gryffindor.
So use your heads wisely,
For I am about to see,
Where you do belong in this magical school,
There's nothing your mind can hide from me.
You may belong in Mighty Gryffindor,
If you have guts and nerve,
By being brave and courageous,
This house you'll truly serve;
You may belong with the Noble Hufflepuffs,
Who are loyal, proud and true,
And if you're a hard worker,
Then in this house you will do;
Or maybe in Wise Old Ravenclaw,
If you have intellect and brain,
Those with the presence of mind,
In this house will remain;
Or you may lie in Determined Slytherin,
If you have a cunning mind and wit,
And by achieving your goal,
In their house you shall fit.
Now you have heard my song,
Please here my plea,
For I will only sing this once,
And it is for your up most safety;
Even when you are sorted,
We all must stay united,
For the Dark Lord has re-risen,
He has been sighted.
This was said before
But no one did believe
And the dark lord was successful
He got what he wanted to achieve
Many of you may stand and fight,
While others may ignore him,
But what ever you shall choose to do,
Please heed this warning,
And now please continue...
And begin the sorting...

The Sorting Hat once again became motionless; a wave of applause broke out like a firework, people were shouting and cheering, while others whistled and stood up and clapped.

Harry threw a look over to the first years; some were looking even more nervous and petrified than they were when they first came in; seeing a hat sing isn't exactly normal for a muggle-born or half-blood.

"Not as long as last years eh'" said Ron quietly

"Yeah" said Harry cheerfully "But do you think – err – that it was talking about... us? You know, with the sighted bit?"

"Well, not so much us" answered Hermione "More... you"

"What? But we all – you know – last year" replied Harry confused

"Yes, but you was the only one who saw him -"

"Dumbledore did too! He was the one who fought him off" replied Harry defensively

"Yes – but – well – you saw him first, and well, did tell everyone, so I'm pretty sure he was talking about you"

The Great Hall once again feel into complete silence and the quite mutterings came to a quick end as Professor McGonagall once again stepped forward, this time holding a large roll of parchment. She lowered her eyes and called out the first name on the list.

"Alverti, Tom"

A small terrified looking boy stepped forward and placed the tall hat on his head with his quivering fingers; the hat fell down over his eyes and rested on his shoulders. The Hat remained motionless for an anxious moment, then, suddenly, the rip near the brim opened up and shouted: "Ravenclaw!"

The Ravenclaws clapped loudly and cheered as Tom Alverti made his way over to their table and sat down next to Luna Lovegood. Tom looked very happy and proud to be going to the Ravenclaws, as Harry watched him sit down he spotted Cho a few seats away.

Slowly but surely the long line of first year students thinned down gradually until just one student remained standing; a small girl with medium length light brown hair and tiny freckles spreading across her nose and her cheeks.

"This is it Harry" said Nearly Headless Nick cheerfully "If this girl comes into Gryffindor we've won the bet!"

After a few more tense moment Professor McGonagall called out her name "Zeller, April"

The small girl stepped forward shakily and placed the tall hat over her head, the Sorting Hats brim once more opened up to form a mouth and shouted almost instantly "Gryffindor!"

Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors clapped madly as April Zeller stumbled over to their table to sat down with her fellow Gryffindors

"Yes! I won! Well, I'll be back in a few moments; I need to claim my winnings" said Nearly Headless Nick as he floated away through a third year

"Psst, Rose!" whispered Ron to a second year "Is that your sister?"

"Yeah! I'm just happy she got into Gryffindor" replied Rose proudly as he sister took the seat next to her

The Great Hall once again fell silent but this time it was for their headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, as he got up to welcome them before the start-of-term feast.

"To our new first years" said Dumbledore in a powerful but friendly voice, his arm stretched out wide over his phoenix pedestal and a huge smile of his face "Welcome! And to our older students – welcome back! As many of you already know, I usually start these feasts with as few words as possible. So, Enjoy!"

There was the usual appreciative laugh and stampede of applause as Dumbledore sat back down and threw his long silvery beard over his shoulder to keep it out of the way of his food, which, had just appeared out of know where, the five long tables were filled with all different types of food and drinks, Chicken, Pies, Vegetables, Bread, Pumpkin juice and so much more.

"'About time!" said Ron excitedly as he rubbed his hands together greedily "If I'd had to wait any longer I dunno' what I'd had done!"

Ron's loud eating was broken by Nearly Headless Nick floating back over looking very pleased

"So Nick, what were you and the Fat Friar betting for anyway?" asked Hermione politely

"Simply the honour of having the better house, that's all" replied Nick cheerily

"Yeah, I guess a ghost wouldn't be needing any Galleons or Sickles anyway" said Ron jokily

Hermione shot a disgusted look to Ron

"Oh I mean – err – I hope I didn't offend you again Nick, I didn't mean it how it sounded -"

"Oh I'm not offended" said Nick happily "I think your quite right – what would a ghost need money for? We wouldn't have any use for it"

Ron shot a smug look back to Hermione while he pilled more pieces of chicken onto his already filled up plate

After about an hour later all the students were finished eating and the noise in the hall started to get higher again as friends discussed their plans for the coming year, but, as Dumbledore got back up to his feet the talking ceased immediately.

"Well, now that everyone has finished eating yet another delicious feast, I would like to take a few more moments to give the usual start-of-term notices" said Dumbledore "First years are to know that the Forbidden Forest is out-of-bounds to all students – especially a certain few (Harry, Ron and Hermione once again exchanged big smirks)

"Mr. Filch, our resident school caretaker has asked me to inform you all for the four-hundred-and-sixty-third time that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes, nor with the other un-permitted things which will be pinned to Mr. Filch's door throughout the year" said Dumbledore joyfully "We only have one change in the staff this year, and that, is the rather un-popular role of the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher"

Harry turned his head to face the woman sitting on Dumbledore's left; she seemed ready to stand up and introduce her self

"So we are delighted to introduce the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Nymphadora Tonks"

As the students started to give a light applause Harry, Ron and Hermione turned around to face each other with their mouths gaping open

"Oh – My – God – T – Tonks?" said Harry bewildered

"It – It can't be the same Tonks... can it?" asked Hermione just as dazed

As the applause died down the new Professor Tonks sat up from her tall chair and got to her feet "Hem, hem" said the new Professor as she cleared her throat "Just kidding! Wotcher Everyone!"

The Great Hall gave a funny little laugh; it seemed they were a bit worried that it was in fact Umbridge in disguise

Then, suddenly before everyone's eyes, Tonks slowly metamorphed from the senile old Witch and into the normal purple haired young energetic member of The Order of the Phoenix

The whole hall's jaw's dropped, seeing an old hag transform into a teenage looking Witch was amazing; the hall burst out in muttering. Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. As Professor Tonks sat down she gave a wink and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny (who was also laughing with the trio from a few seats away)

Dumbledore continued, "The tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place in two weeks time, if you wish to know the exact times, please ask one of the four Quidditch captains" Harry sat up with pride as he realised Dumbledore was also talking about him "There will also be many other events throughout this year, but we will tell you them nearer the time" Dumbledore had a secretive glint in his eye.

Harry's mind started to wonder away from Dumbledore's voice and concentrate more on trying not to fall sleep, he couldn't wait to go upstairs and lay down in his warm and beautifully soft four-poster bed; his day had been so eventful that he just wanted to collapse on the spot. To stop himself from falling asleep he decided to look around the Great Hall; his eyes went directly to Cho, who looked just as proud as ever with her Head girl badge gleaming on her new robes; Harry couldn't take is eyes off her, she looked radiant, even if the Great Hall's ceiling was pounding loudly with rain

"Psst, Harry" whispered Ron quietly "So you've stopped listening too?"

"Yeah, a few minutes ago" whispered Harry back "When did you stop?"

"After he stopped talking about Quidditch" Whispered Ron gloomily

Harry gave a snort of laughter and Hermione shot them both an appalled look

"Ahh c'mon Mio – Hermione! (Harry raised an eyebrow to Ron's stutter) You can't tell me you're still listening"

"Yes, Ronald, I am" whispered Hermione harshly out of the side of her mouth while still listening and facing Dumbledore

"Can you to just give it a rest? I had enough of your bickering over the summer, at least stop for the rest of the night" said Harry sternly

"Oh, err – yeah, alright, sorry Harry, I didn't mean to -"

"Just forget it" Harry said quickly and averted his eyes away from Ron and went back to looking up at the gloomily sky above; the rain was still beating down hard and the thunder was getting louder and more frequent. Harry watched as the quick bluey-white bolts of lighting hit above him.

There was suddenly a loud amount of clattering and banging all around him, Harry realised that Dumbledore must have dismissed all the students from the Hall. Harry started to get up dazedly when Dumbledore was again stood up and opened his mouth to speak "Oh, and may I please speak with the Head boy and girl, the prefects, new and old, and Mr. Potter". Harry stopped and turned back around to face his headmaster, Ron and Hermione did the same.

As Harry reached Dumbledore he looked around and saw all the year's new prefects, and more importantly, Cho.

"Ahh, its good to see that everyone is here, right, down to business" said Dumbledore joyfully "Mrs. Chang, Mr. Thompson, would you please tell the new Prefects their duties? And then send them to accompany last Years Prefects?"

"Certainly Professor" said Dominic with a joyful nod

As Cho walked away with Dominic and the Prefects (including Ron and Hermione) Cho gave a small wave and mouthed "Bye..."

"Now, Mr. Potter, would you please accompany me to my office?" asked Dumbledore politely

Harry nodded in reply and they set off to Dumbledore's office through the large Great Hall doors and to the large stone gargoyle on the second floor

"Bertie Botts" said Dumbledore in his usual cheerful tone

The gargoyle spun around slowly to reveal the spiral wooden stair case to the headmaster's office. He and Dumbledore stepped into the stair case and waited as it spun slowly and rose to the office. Harry entered the large and beautiful circular room; it was once again full of the funny little noises that inhabited Dumbledore's office, Harry saw the spindle legged tables against the right side wall of the room, buzzing and emitting the usual little puffs of smoke, on the tables sat several different silver objects, some that Harry swore were various types of Dark Detectors. The walls were brightly coloured in scarlet and gold colours and covered with portraits of the old headmasters and headmistresses.

"Welcome back old boy!" shouted Everard cheerfully while waving

Harry smiled "Oh, hello Mr. Everard"

"Please, just call me Everard, Mr. sounds, so... formal" joked Everard

"W – What's all this ruckus? Can't a portrait get some sleep anymore?" said the bald and senile wizard sleepily

"Over Armando, lave the boy alone, he's just gotten back!" defended Dilys Derwent

"I'll leave him alone when he talks quieter!" argued Armando Dippet with a yawn as he went back to bed

"Ignore that old fart Harry" joked Fortscue "He's just grumpy because he hasn't got enough sleep – HA! – All he does is sleep! The lazy -"

"Tell me Everard, where has Phineas gotten to?" asked Dumbledore politely while taking a seat behind his large desk

"Hmm, well, I believe he is over at number twelve talking with his great-granddaughter, but I could be mistaken" answered Everard

"Ahh yes, how is he taking the death of the last Black?" inquired Dumbledore

Harry's stomach did a flip when he heard Dumbledore speaking about Sirius, he still felt completely guilty for his godfather's death

"Not very well, not very well at all. You know pure-bloods like him live by their families! Having one die by another is a very hard thing, especially when it wipes out the bloodline too!"

Dumbledore nodded sympathetically and turned back to face Harry "Please, take a seat"

"But there's not one there -"

Before Harry could finish his sentence Dumbledore had flicked his wand and in front of his great oak desk stood a very tall and very comfortable looking chair

As Harry walked towards the tall seat opposite Dumbledore, yet again he spotted the enormous, claw-footed desk, which was below the shelf where the Sorting Hat was usually kept. Harry sat down in the comfortable chair, in front of him on the desk was Godric Gryffindor's sword, the same sword that Harry had pulled from the Sorting Hat in his second year and used to slay the Basilisk. Next to the desk was a rather large bird cage, and inside it was a beautiful swan-sized bird with fiery-red plumage (apart from its golden tail), with a brilliant golden beak and golden talons; Fawks.

"Um, Professor, Am I – Err – In trouble?" asked Harry nervously

"Oh my no, I just need to speak with you privately about a few subjects"

"Oh... Okay" said Harry feeling a little bit less worried "Is it about Tonks being the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"That is one of the subjects yes; I take it that you or any other Order knowing Hogwarts students will not divulge any information about what she does in her spare time? Yes?"

Harry nodded

"Good, now for the second thing I wanted to speak to you about, and you must swear not to repeat this straight away"

Harry's stomach had butterflies flying around inside it; what was so secretive that Harry wasn't aloud to mention it straight away?

"Okay?"

Harry nodded again

"Good, are you ready?"

Harry didn't nod this time; he was too anxious to hear what Dumbledore had to say so he just sat there, nervously wondering what he was about to hear; "Maybe it's about the note he gave me!" he thought to himself over and over again "Yeah, that must be it!". Dumbledore opened his mouth and began to tell Harry the secret.

Ron and Hermione PoV:

"C'mon you midgets, hurry it along now" said Ron dully

"Ron, that's no way to talk to the first years!" replied Hermione quickly

"But Hermione, they're even smaller than last years!" exaggerated Ron "What does the lake do now days? Shrink people?"

"Hello Ronald!" said a small voice

"What? Oh, it's you... Having fun being a Prefect?"

It was Luna; she appeared to have already finished taking her group of first years to their Common Room

"Oh yes, it is really very fun, maybe now people'll believe my theories about all the ancient beasts"

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes

"You're not still telling me you believe in them things?"

"Didn't the end of last year prove anything -"

"Don't – talk – about – the – end – of – last – year!" shouted Ron and Hermione together

"But... why?"

"Just don't! Okay?" shot Ron coldly

"Yeah, okay..."

"I still don't know why they didn't make Ginny a Prefect" pondered Hermione

"Well, it's like she said – she did get completely taken over by You-Know-Who in her first year" answered Ron

"Yeah I guess but – well – that was only one time! In our first year we tried to fight him, and we still got made as Prefects"

"Yeah, I guess so -"

"Okay everyone; this is the Gryffindor Common Room, the password to get in is 'Padfoot', okay, got it? Let's go in" said Hermione sounding very teacher-like

Ron opened his mouth to say the password to the fat lady when she looked at him and said:

"Yes alright, I heard your girlfriend the first time, Correct"

Her portrait swung open like a door, revealing the circular hole in the wall leading to the Gryffindor Tower. The beautiful scarlet and gold Common Room looked more welcoming than ever, the cosy circular tower room was full of brand new looking squashy armchairs and tables that were identical to the old broken versions. The fire was once again crackling merrily in the grate and the usually completely covered notice board was surprisingly bare, all except for one piece of parchment.

As Ron climbed through the entrance with Hermione his face was the exact same colour as the walls around him

"Okay, first years, your dorms are listed on the piece of parchment over on that notice board" Hermione said while pointing to the board

A flood of Gryffindor first years broke into a run at the notice board; many started shouting and thrusting their fists in the air out of happiness. As the excited first years started to make their way up to their new rooms the six previous year's students started to come in.

"Hey Ron" shouted Seamus "You coming up with me, Dean an' Neville?"

"Yeah, alright, have any of you seen Harry?" replied Ron

"Nah, not since Dumbledore called him out as we were leaving"

"Well..." said Hermione as she walked over to join their conversation "I'm pretty sure Dumbledore was taking him to his office -"

"His office? Harry can't have done something wrong already!" said Neville worriedly

"Well, I think he may just be talking to him about – well, you know" said Hermione reassuringly

The conversation suddenly went quiet

"So – err – shall we go up to the dorms then?" asked Ron while trying to change the subject

"Yeah – yeah alright" answered Dean

Ron, Dean, Neville and Seamus all made their way up to their dormitory while Hermione stayed behind and waited for Ginny. After a few more moments of walking up the spiral staircase the boys reached their dormitory (theirs being the highest dorm in the tower). Their circular room was almost empty except for the five large four poster beds, five bedside tables, five large black trunks at the bottom of all the beds and the five windows looking out onto the grounds.

"Well, better get this place looking a bit more homey" Dean said while clapping his hands together

"You're not gunna' put up more of those West Cheese posters are you?" groaned Ron

"West Ham, not West Cheese, West H – a – m!" corrected Dean while opening his trunk

"Well, are you?" inquired Ron again

"Same am" chuckled Dean

Ron groaned louder and moved over to his bed

"So Neville, have you still got that plant of yours?" asked Seamus

"Yeah!" said Neville excitedly and reaching in his trunk for it "It's gotten a lot bigger! Professor Sprout said when it gets big enough we can bread it – just a few more weeks left and it'll be ready"

Neville finally pulled the now rather large (about the length of a man's fully grown arm) grey looking cactus out of his trunk

"Um... Neville... why's it getting bigger?" asked Ron worriedly

"Oh, my gran had to use a shrinking spell on it – it was too large to fit in my trunk" said Neville cheerfully as he watched the Mimbulus Mimbletonia grow larger

"So, Ron, good holiday?" asked Dean

"It was brilliant! Best yet! Harry and Hermione came over, and my whole family was there!" said Ron sounding very excitedly "And we met Hermione's parent's too"

Dean snorted with laughter

"Meeting the in-laws eh'"

"Shut up!" Ron shouted "So, how was yours?"

"Yeah it was alright, not as good as yours though, we just went to Barbados on holiday to visit me aunt"

"Barbados! Wow! I'd love to go there" Neville shouted loudly "That's where Abyssinian shrivelfig's grow! The amount of stuff I could shrink with one of those!"

Everyone started laughing, but it was cut short by someone entering the room

"Oh, Hi guys"

"Harry!" said Ron "What did Dumbledore want with you?"

"Oh, he just wanted to talk to me about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher"

Ron instantly knew what Harry's was on about

"Hey that Professor Tonks, do you guys know her? Because Ginny on the train said -" started Seamus

"Yeah, we know her, she's an Auror" said Ron coolly

"What?! An Auror! How comes you guys always hang around with Aurors?!" said Seamus loudly

"Well -"

"I thought I kind of recognised her – she was with us last year in – you know" said Neville

"Yeah" said Harry quickly

"But... how did she like... transform from that old woman?" asked Dean while putting on his West Ham pyjamas

"She's a Metamorphmagus" answered Harry

"A what?" replied Dean confused

"Metamorphmagus – it means she can transform her appearance at will" repeated Harry

"Cool!" said Dean sounding amazed

After a few more minutes of talking the five boys decided to try and get some sleep; so they climbed into their beds and extinguished the lights

"Psst, Harry" whispered Ron while making sure that everyone else was asleep

"What?" said Harry sleepily "What d'ya want?"

"When Dumbledore spoke to you, what'd he say?"

"He just said that we or any other of us that know about the Order shouldn't go telling people too much about Tonks"

"Too much? You mean -"

"Yup, not just Tonks either, we shouldn't talk about any Order members"

"Oh, alright" said Ron "Oh, and Harry, did Dumbledore say anything to you about that letter he gave you for your birthday?"

Harry didn't say anything, all Ron could see was that he had turned over

"Harry!" whispered Ron a bit too loud "Are you still awake?"

"Yeah..."

"Then – then did he say anything about his letter?"

Harry paused once again before talking "... no..."

"But – but, then, what'd he -"

"Just drop it Ron..."

"Oh, alright, Night then"

"Night"

When Harry heard Ron snoring he leaned up from his bed (still with his back to Ron) and just stared out of the window; watching the silhouettes of a few Thestrals in the silvery full moon. He watched as they flew up from the Forbidden Forest and circled around the area before diving back inside. Harry then continued to look directly into the full moon, he started to think about Lupin, and where he would be right now; maybe in the Shrieking Shack? But this thought was soon drowned out of His mind; it was racing with what Dumbledore had told him that evening; the same information that he made Harry promise to keep secret for a while. Harry slowly laid back down on his bed quietly and closed his eyes as tight as possible to try and fall asleep. His mind raced faster with the same words as he drifted asleep. "Should I? Should I? Should I?"