Harry Potter and the Secret Squib!
Chapter Eighteen: Just a Dream?
Dinner in the Great Hall that evening was not a pleasant experience for Harry. The news about his fight with Malfoy had already travelled fully around the school and was having some of its minor details edited, which, by Hogwarts standards, should not have happened for at least another day.
Harry heard whispers all around him as he sat eating between Ron and Hermione, and just like the previous year, it didn't seem like anybody cared whether Harry heard them or not. However, unlike the previous year, everyone's whispers seemed to be congratulating Harry, and the rest of the Gryffindors for finally shutting up Malfoy and his cronies.
"Can you believe it?" Ron said, amazed as he hungrily ripped his chicken from the bone with his teeth.
"Nah… who would have known that a fight with the Slytherin's would have got us this much respect?" Seamus said, happily while rather coolly flicking his hair to the third year Ravenclaw girls who were watching.
"I'm just surprised Professor Tonks didn't give us all detention" Neville said, gladly as he pored himself some Pumpkin juice.
"I wish I could have been there" Ginny said, sorrowfully. "I sounds amazing! And I would have loved to stick it to some of those idiots!"
"D'you reckon Professor Tonks reported it to Snape and McGonagall?" Seamus asked.
"Well, she probably would have had to since it got round the school so bloody quick" Dean laughed.
"Hey Harry, what did Tonks want with you earlier, by the way?" Ron asked, as he continued to loudly chew his chicken.
"Oh, she just said that it was right of me to not attack Malfoy when he was down…"
"I still dunno' why you didn't though…" Ron said, continuing to chew hungrily "You'll never get another opportunity like that again!"
Hermione frowned angrily at Ron.
"Ron! Don't say that! Harry showed Malfoy that he was much stronger than him but not retaliating!"
"Right Hermione, and I suppose the next time that Harry sees a Death Eater he'll just stand there and let them attacking him?" Ron replied, sarcastically.
"No… but – oh – that's different and you know it!" Hermione argued back, angrily.
"How is it though? We all know Malfoy's gunna' follow in his father's footsteps anyway…" Ron replied.
"Well… well it just is!" Hermione said, sounding slightly irritated. "God, you can be so naive some times, Ronald"
And with that note, Hermione sharply picked up her school belongings and quickly made her way out of the Great Hall, leaving her knife and fork land on her plate with a loud clang.
"What's her problem?" Harry asked, confusedly.
"I'm not sure… but she might still be angry with me for pretending to be dead after she cast her Varishium spell…" Ron laughed.
"Ron do you always have to upset her?" Ginny asked, angrily.
"Gin, it's not my fault she always goes off on one, I didn't do anything wrong so I shouldn't be -"
But Ron's sentence was stopped as Ginny shook her head and quickly got up from the table, while muttering irritably "Boys…"
"What is it with girls these days?" Ron asked, confusedly. "So, Harry, fancy going back to the Common Room now? Maybe we could get some rounds of Wizard Chess in before bed"
"Sure, why not… not much left to do here" Harry said, as he looked down at his finished rice pudding.
Harry and Ron gathered up their school bags from under the table and made they're way out of the crowded Great Hall and into the rather cosily lit Entrance Hall.
"Oit, Harry, look" Ron said, as he nudged Harry in the ribs. "It's them"
Harry looked up in the direction of where Ron nodded to, and noticed the two people standing on the landing, arguing loudly.
"It's… Cho" Harry replied, taken back.
"Yeah, and Michael Corner… what d'ya suppose they're arguing about?" Ron asked.
"Well – err – I dunno' – but – well… let's just go already" Harry said quickly, brushing off the question as he quickly walked up the staircase while trying to avoid eye contact with Cho.
Ron stood routed where he was with a puzzled look on his face, before finally ascending up the staircase to catch up with his best friend.
"Harry… Harry!" Ron gasped, as he gained on Harry. "Wait up will ya'… I'm not as young as I used to be"
Harry laughed.
"You can say that again… looks like all that food you had over the summer has slowed you down"
"I can talk?" Ron replied, sarcastically. "You're the one who look as if they were weighing their broom down during Quidditch!"
Harry laughed.
"Alright then, I'll race you, first one back to the Common Room wins" Harry said, happily. "The exercise should do that pot belly of yours some good!"
"You won't win, you can barely even run with your – oh, hey Cho" Ron grinned, as he turned around an waved.
"What? Hi Cho – Hey!" said Harry as he fell for Ron's trick.
"C'mon Harry" Ron laughed, as he took three steps at a time.
"Don't be so cocky Ron; I'm right on your tail – Ron! Stop!"
Ron laughed.
"Like I'm going to fall for that trick –"
WHAM!
Without looking, or concentrating on where he was running, he had missed a step and crashed straight into a shield charm cast by Professor Snape.
"Mr. Weasley, would you please give me one reason why I shouldn't take your useless self straight to the Headmaster for disobeying the school rules" Snape spat, cruelly.
"Well… I – err – I –" Ron stuttered, as he scrambled to his feet
"It – it wasn't his fought Professor" Harry gasped, as he reached the landing.
"Ahh, Mr. Potter, I should have known you'd be part of this as well"
"But Professor, it was an –"
"Professor!" Filch said, breathlessly as he came speeding around the corner, with Mrs. Norris at he's heels. "Professor Snape, one of the students has set of several dung bombs by the statue of Boris the Bewildered on the fifth floor"
"And what do you want me to do about it?" Snape asked, meanly, while turning to face Filch "Last time I checked you were the caretaker"
"Well, Sir, I was wondering if you – I mean – if you happened to see anything suspicious going on with the students"
Snape's vicious eyes slow returned upon Harry and Ron.
"Hmm… I wonder, why would two known troublemakers such as yourself be doing running frantically from the fifth floor –"
"Most probably running from the scene of the crime if you ask me… – err – sir" Filch added, coldly.
"Well, I didn't… so if you wouldn't mind, don't interrupt me again" Snape said, harshly.
"But Professor!" Harry yelled, loudly. "Me and Ron didn't do anything!"
"Mr. Potter, if I would have wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it!"
Harry felt his heart skip a beat; he's temper was once again rising. He could feel his hands wanting to quickly snatch up his wand, and hex Snape where he stood.
"Now, you two, come with me to the Headmasters office. I think he'll be interested in this information –"
"Hold your Thestrals there, Severus" Tonks said, confidently as she came up from the stairs. "The culprits behind the incident have already been caught and have given a formal apology to Albus"
"What? Hmm…" Snape thought. "You two may go, but don't let me catch you two running these hallways again!"
Tonks smiled and gave a quick wink as the two friends walk passed her and made their way back up to their Common Room.
"Merlin… what's up with Snape?" Ron asked, moodily.
"He probably heard about how we showed up his precious Slytherins earlier" Harry laughed.
"Yeah… lucky that Tonks had already found – Padfoot- who had done it, other wise Snape would be trying to get us expelled again" Ron said, thankfully as he climbed through the Gryffindor Common Room entrance hole.
"So, Harry" Ron started, as he moved other to the small table by the window "We playing?"
"Yeah, alright" Harry replied, happily "I'll just go get my pieces"
"Get mine while you're up there as well then mate" Ron called after Harry as he disappeared up the large spiral staircase and towards the Gryffindor boy's dormitories. When coming through the dormitory door Harry moved over towards Ron's trunk and quickly snatched up the silk pouch containing he's prized Wizard chess pieces from inside it, and then moved over towards he's own, slightly less-unorganised trunk.
Harry instantly began to rummage around the untidy insides of his trunk looking for his own pieces, however it was obvious straight away that they wouldn't be as easy to find as Ron's were.
One by one Harry took his items from the trunk and placed them around where he was knelt, however, he stopped for a moment as he pulled out the marauders map and tapped it gently with his wand, saying "I solemnly swear I am up to no good".
Harry watched as he's friends below in the Common Room sat around together talking, although, Harry couldn't actually tell they were talking, or just sitting around together. Realising how long he was taking he began to fold the map back up when a certain small moving block dot caught his eye, the very same block dot he saw a few days previous.
Harry stopped for a moment, and began to think about whether he should try and once again and follow the mysterious person, or whether this was just simply a mistake, created by the map itself. After several more moments of thought Harry closed the map and said "Mischief Managed" clearly, not waiting to go around on another wild goose chase.
He returned back to his trunk and found his chess pieces lying dirtily at the bottom, so he quickly picked them up one by one and dusted them off, before replacing the contents of the trunk.
"Hey, Harry, what took so long?" Ron asked, as Harry came down the circular staircase.
"Oh, I – err – got a bit side tracked… sorry" Harry said, scratching his head.
"No problem… you get my pieces?" Ron asked, sitting back down at the table.
"Yeah, here" Harry said, as he coolly threw Ron his silk pouch.
"Right, now, sit down and let's play"
Harry awoke once again the next morning to rain thundering and pounding against the window. As he looked around his gloomily and dark lit dormitory, he saw how each of he's friends and fellow roommate's beds were empty and messily unmade. He's quickly scrambled out of he's covers and moved over towards he's bedside table to check his watch for the time.
He couldn't believe his eyes when he realised how late it was, how could he have slept all the way to twelve to twelve? And more importantly, why hadn't anyone woken him up earlier?
He quickly got to his feet and desperately started to pull his clothes from his trunk and messily get dressed. However, he stopped as he noticed how he's was the only trunk in the room, and that all evidence of his friends from the dormitory were gone – Dean's posters, Seamus' Irish flag, Ron's dirty socks – he was alone.
After several more minutes he was he sprinted down the spiral staircase and into the empty Common Room, which, was also deprived of the inhabited feel it had just hours before.
Harry felt his heart skip a beat as he raced through the Portrait Hole and down to the Entrance Hall. However, as soon as he reached the bottom of the marble staircase he noticed that the massive paintings, too, were devoid of occupants. It seemed as if the entire Hogwarts had been suddenly emptied of any life.
Harry burst through the doors and into the Great Hall, yet, once again and much like the rest of the Wizard school, he found himself to be the solitary trace of human life.
"Ron?" Harry yelled, nervously. "Hermione?"
Harry waited a few more moments to see for a response, however, the only sound around Hogwarts grounds were Harry's voice echoing of the walls around him.
"Hagrid?" Harry shouted. He felt his pulse begin to race faster if fright. "Professor Dumbledore? … anyone?"
Harry shook the doubts quickly out of his mind and bolted from the Great Hall, heading to the large double doors, leading out to the Hogwarts grounds. However, what Harry saw when he reached the other side of the great oak doors wasn't what he was expecting.
He couldn't believe he's eyes. He was no longer in Hogwarts grounds, and the door he had just walked through had completely vanished, as if he had been teleported away from the grounds. He was alone.
Harry looked up into the dark and gloomily night sky, while running frantically around Hogwarts he had forgotten how much it was raining, and was now feeling the full force on he's face. He quickly wiped his glasses clean with his robes' sleeve returned them to his face, where he watched as a patch of mist slowly and eerily passed in front of the bright moon, obscuring the light just as a cold breeze passed by, and chillingly shot down his spine.
He quickly brought his attention back down to the ground, and looked around for any sign of Hogwarts, or any magical thing for that matter, but all he could see was the mist and fog in the distance, and the long, uncut grass around his shins.
Although, just at that moment Harry noticed the foggy outline of something in the distance, past all the mist, that seemed to be getting more clearer by the second. He instantly broke into a sprint and moved into the mist, and what he found when he reached the other side was something he hadn't been expecting.
Harry appeared to be standing on the edge of a Muggle village, which rather much resembled Hogsmeade. Harry thought for a moment about whether it could actually be the Wizard village, but the lack of magic made it apparent that it wasn't.
Harry continued looking from a distance. He had a strange feeling about the village, as if he knew the village, or as if he had been there before.
Suddenly, a light on the top floor of the thatched cottage in front of him flicked on, catching he's attention. Harry looked down at his wrist looking for the time, it was now five to twelve, only then did Harry realise that the watch wasn't saying it was in the afternoon, but in the morning.
Harry then began to wonder if he's watch was right, because if it truly was just before midnight, why wasn't he's friends in their dormitory sleeping, or at least in the Common Room.
However, Harry's thoughts suddenly stopped as he heard as noise behind him. He quickly turned around to see the silhouette of a person emerging from the mist, and walking directly to him.
"Who's – who's there?" Harry shouted out to the distance. He's heart began to race faster as the main became semi-visible.
Harry wasn't sure what he was seeing. The man appeared to be dressed like a wizard, however, what would a Wizard be doing here in a Muggle village, then again, what was Harry doing here in a Muggle village also.
Harry suddenly and sharply felt his lightning bolt shaped scar burn with pain upon his forehand. He fell to one knee in pain and quickly forced he's hands quickly on top of it and tried to calm it down, but with no avail.
Harry pulled himself up off the floor, hands still pressed to his forehead, and looked towards the hooded figure, who seemed to be getting closer with each passing second.
Harry began to get extremely nervous, he began to look all around where he was, as if expecting for something to happen. However, as the mysterious figure took another step Harry's scar seared with pain, which returned Harry back to his knees.
Harry began to take sharp, deep breathes as the scar got more painful as the person drew closer, now only around ten feet stood between the two. Harry couldn't let the person get any closer; he wasn't sure how long he would be able to last if the pain was to get any stronger. He reached down into his robes and slowly and nervously pulled out his wand and aimed it at the figure…
"Stop!" Harry yelled, as bolted upright in his bed.
He frantically began to look around to see where he was. It would appear that he was back in his dormitory, Dean, Seamus, Ron, and Neville were all back in their beds and fast asleep.
Harry gave a deep sigh of relief and laid back down on his pillow, which was completely soaked through with sweat. Harry wiped his brow with he's wrist and turned the pillow over. As he closed his eyes trying to get back to sleep he's mind raced over the contents of the dream… where was Harry? And why did he's scar keep getting worse as the man got closer? Could it really be him?
Realising that he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep anytime soon, Harry sat up from in his bed once more and stared out the window. He watched as the rain drops would hit the window and recherché off in separate multiple pieces.
Harry didn't know what to do, last year when this sort of thing was happening, he would have just simply written to Sirius, and told him about it, but now with Sirius gone, Harry felt as if he had no one to confide in.
"Ron… psst, Ron" Harry said, trying to wake up Ron. "Ron, you git, wake up"
"What – what's up, Harry?" Ron said, sleepily.
"Well – err – Never mind…" Harry said, changing his mind. He decided it would be better if he spoke about it with Lupin first, rather than Ron and Hermione.
Harry quietly got out of his bed and opened his schoolbag carefully, pulled a role of parchment and a quill and head out of the dormitory for the Common Room.
Making straight for his favourite squashy old armchair beside the now extinct fire, Harry settled himself down comfortably and unrolled his parchment while looking around the room. He quickly scanned the notice board for any new reminders or dates, and then went back to uncorking his ink bottle. He slowly dipped his quill into it, and then held it suspended an inch above the smooth yellowish surface of his parchment and began to think of what to write.
After several minutes Harry brought his eyes back down to the blank parchment, which now had a number of ink splotches dotted around it, thanks to the quill dripping continually. Harry flipped the parchment over to its back and once again began to think about what he should write.
When finished, Harry reread the letter several times over, trying to see if he had included everything that happened in the dream, and make sure he hadn't left anything out. Considering how long the letter had taken to write, Harry hadn't wrote much at all, he had been pretty vague about how he felt when the person got closer, and he had hardly described the Muggle Village at all.
Deciding the letter was finished Harry carefully sealed the role of parchment and got up from the cosy armchair, heading out through the portrait hole and for the Owlery.
"Why hello Harry, what gets you up this early in the morning?" said Nearly Headless Nick, drifting disconcertingly through a wall ahead of Harry as he walked down the passage.
"Oh, the storm outside woke me up, and I couldn't get back to sleep" Harry replied. "So I thought I'd post some mail while I had the free time"
"Ah, I used to be a light sleeper myself you know? The sound of a pin dropping could wake me up… but not now, now I'm dead to the world" Nick chuckled, happily "Well, must be going, see you Harry…"
"Yeah, bye" Harry said as he turned right and began his route up to the West Tower.
Window after window went passed Harry, and much to his dismay, they all showed the same bleak and dismal scenes outside. The rain was beginning to become louder and heavier, and the thunder and lightning from the previous night was coming back.
Harry reached the top of the West tower shortly after, gasping slightly from the hike up the stairs he preceded in through the Owlery doors. Harry scanned the large and tall circular stone room looking for Hedwig out of all the hundreds upon hundreds of owls of every breed imaginable nestled sleepily up on the perches that rose right up to the top of the tower. After a few more moments Harry spotted his snowy white owl sitting on the rafters somewhere near the very top of the vaulted ceiling.
"Hey Hedwig, come down here quickly, I've got a letter for you to deliver" Harry's voice echoed through the circular room.
With a sleepy hoot she stretched her great white wings and soared spirally down onto his shoulder.
"Now Hedwig, this has to go to Profession Lupin at Grimmauld Place, and only Lupin" He told her, giving the letter to grasp in her claws. "And try and get a reply back as quickly as possible, don't stop pecking him till he picks up a quill a writes, okay?"
Hedwig gave an affirmative blink of her amber eyes saying she understood.
"Alright, have a good flight" said Harry as he carried her to one of the windows, and with a quick moment of pressure on his arm, Hedwig took off into the torrential rain. He watched her until she became a tiny black speck and vanished, then switched his gaze to Hagrid's Hut, which was only just visible to Harry, and would appear to have all its residents inside sleeping.
Harry's eyes now darted over towards the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, where he saw the dark skeletal-reptilian winged figure of a Thestral fly high above the top and circle, before diving back down to where it arose.
As Harry continued to stare out the glassless window, he heard the Owlery door open with a creak behind him. He leapt in shock as he saw that Cho had entered holding a parcel, much like the year previous. He looked down as he remembered that he was still wearing he's pyjama's, and hastily through the lapels of he's Hogwarts robe around himself.
"Hi…" Harry said, nervously.
"Oh… hi" Cho replied, breathlessly. "I didn't think anyone would be up here this early, looks like you proved me wrong again"
Harry laughed.
"Yeah, seems like we've got to stop meeting like this"
Cho gave a small giggle.
"So, what brings you here so early, anyway?"
"Couldn't sleep" Harry replied, simply. He's brain seemed to have completely stopped working precisely when he needed it. "So I thought I'd get some mail out the way, and you?"
"Well, as long as you promise not to tell anyone? Okay?" Cho asked, shyly.
"What? Yeah, sure… I promise" Harry replied, taken back.
"Well, I don't like storms… I don't know why, it's just something about them that makes me… nervous…" Cho looked down at her feet. "I couldn't get back to sleep once I woke up, so I thought I would write to my parents, to tell them how I am, how the duties are going"
Harry nodded and smiled.
"So, who did you write to?" Cho asked, sincerely.
"Oh – err – just Professor Lupin…" Harry answered, awkwardly.
"Professor Lupin? You still see him?" Cho replied, confused.
"Yeah… I'm sort of staying with him" Harry replied, uneasily. "He was a friend of my parents before they – before they… died…"
Neither of the two spoke for a few moments and the tension between them became unbearable.
"So" Harry said, changing the subject. "What were you and Michael arguing about last night?"
"What? How did you know about that?" Cho asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well – err – Me and Ron kind of… heard" answered Harry.
"Were we really that loud?" Cho asked again, shocked.
"'Fraid so…" Harry laughed. "So, what was it all about?"
"Because he told everyone I was going out with him" Cho replied, annoyed.
"Wait, you aren't?" Harry questioned.
"No… he's nice and all, but well, he's not my type… if you know what I mean"
Harry nodded.
"I mean, at the end of the Quidditch game last year was probably the first time I had ever spoken to him" Cho said "And I certainly didn't ask him to be my boyfriend!"
Harry laughed.
"Harry… I'm sorry for everything that happened last year, and for what Marietta did… it's just that I had to stick by her… she's my best friend, and it wouldn't have been right if I didn't…"
"Cho, it's okay" Harry said as he half pulled the beautiful young Ravenclaw into a hug.
"It's not though… I should have stuck by you... I really should –"
"Cho, it's okay, it really is okay…"
The two were now only millimetres away from each other. Harry felt he's heart start to beat faster and before he knew what was happening he could feel himself leaning closer to Cho. Their two faces were now so close they could feel each other's icy breath on the others cheek, and just then…
"Potter!" Filch called from the Owlery door, he's skeletal grey cat Mrs. Norris at his feet. Cho and Harry quickly broke apart and turned to face the moody caretaker. "Just because Professor Snape is a fool doesn't mean I am… I know it was you who planted those Dungbombs yesterday and my informant tells me you're ordering some more right now?"
"You're informant?" Harry said, raising an eyebrow. "You mean that cat can talk?"
"I'll have you know that Mrs. Norris one of the smartest Kneazle's in all of England, and is more than smart enough to figure out your plans…"
Harry laughed to himself.
"Crookshanks could take Mrs. Norris any day"
"What is it with you and Dungbombs when Filch is concerned anyway?" Cho whispered to Harry.
"Honestly? I have no idea… he seems to think I'm out to make he's job harder or something, and that every Dungbombing leads back to me…"
Cho gave a small giggle.
"So, Potter, where is it?" Filch grumbled.
"Where's – err – what?" Harry asked, confused.
"The order-form for the Dungbombs… I know you've got it" Filch said, angrily. "Don't play stupid with me, Potter"
"If by order-form you mean my letter, it's gone…" Harry replied.
"Gone?" Filch question.
"Gone." Harry answered, coolly.
"Hmph, do you expect me to believe that?" Filch continued.
"Guess so…" Harry said, bored.
"You must think I'm stupid" Filch asked, coldly.
"D'you want my honest answer?" Harry replied, calmly.
"Hmm, I'll be reporting this to the Headmaster I will –"
"Mr. Filch, I can personally assure you that Mr. Potter was indeed sending a letter to he's – well – family, and not to Zonko's – or any other - Joke shop…" Cho interrupted proudly, while boasting her Head Girl badge.
Filch was speechless. Harry watched as he fought the need to shout a reply back.
"Good day, Mr. Filch…" Cho said, gesturing him outside with her eyes.
As Filch grumpily made his way back through the Owlery door, Harry and Cho heard him mumble angrily to himself.
Several more seconds passed before either of the two spoke.
"Thanks… again" Harry said, happily. "Seems like you're always rescuing from Filch"
Cho laughed.
"It didn't look like you needed rescuing to me? Looked like you were handling it fine"
"Well, you never know" Harry laughed, scratching he's head. "Him and Mrs. Norris do make quite a good team…"
And that's when it happened. The two's eyes seemed to look on to each others and they began to move in closer, closer than they had been since they kissed in the Room of Requirements. Harry couldn't believe how Cho's lips felt against his, and how different the kiss was compared to the last, rather awkward, time.
The two slowly pulled apart, eyes still locked in some sort of mystical, enchanted way. Harry saw as a small ray of light breached through the dark, grey rain clouds and made its way across the room, lighting up the pair.
"Looks like the sun's up…" Cho said, happily.
"Yeah, shame about the rest of the weather though… not really ideal Quidditch conditions"
Cho nodded.
"Well, I better be getting back. My roommates will be wondering where I go to" Cho said, turning to leave. "See you Harry"
"… Hey, wait!" Harry yelled, catching her attention. "What about your letter? You still haven't posted it…"
Cho quickly looked down, finding that she still had the rolled up parchment clutched in her hand, ready to be posted by Owl.
"Oh… right" Cho blushed, embarrassedly. "I Forgot about that… I'll just post it another time, it's not important. Well, see you…"
Cho turned back towards the door and headed across the room to the exit of the Owlery, carefully dodging all the Owl droppings and dead-mouse skeletons as she did so.
"Oh, and Harry" Cho said, turning back to face him from half outside the door. "Nice pyjamas…"
Harry blushed as he watched Cho exit and head down the tower stairs. Without realising the lapels of he's robe had unfolded and opened to reveal he's silk-like red Gryffindor pyjamas sometime before.
Knowing there was no use to stay around any longer, Harry took another quick look out the window, seeing that the sunshine had been once again covered up by rain and fog, Harry made he's way out of the Owlery door and continued down the stairs to the bottom of the West Tower, and through to the Gryffindor Common Room.
As Harry came through the open Portrait Hole, he saw that the Common Room was still empty. He quickly snapped up his quill from the table and made his way back up the spiral staircase and into his dormitory to get changed into his complete school robes for the day ahead.