Disclaimer:

J.K. Rowling is the owner of Harry Potter. Stories she has written and characters that she created are not mine. I don't take credit for any of her work. I do thank her for providing such a wonderful universe to dream about and write in.

Harry Potter and the Shadow of Evil

By: Starwin

Chapter 5 – Birthday for Talon

When Harry at last returned to the apartment he found Hermione, still looking at the book. She hadn't even noticed him enter. He stood at the door, holding it open in his hand, watching her for a long time. The color of her hair, her wrinkless face her youthful body. Harry felt his face go red as he realized where he was staring. Pulling his eyes away he shut the door, a bit more forcefully than he meant to.

Hermione sat up in surprise and looked over at Harry. He was a mess.

"My god Harry what happened to you?" She asked. "You've only been gone an hour!" Harry looked down to see his muddy shoes, the dirt on his arms and the cut in his hand.

"Nothin," Harry said. He felt like he had to talk to Ron, he reached into his pocket to find the mirror but it wasn't there, instead he felt a cold round stone. He pulled it out and saw it was a broken half of a stone circle. Hermione's eyes lit up.

"Harry!" She cried when she saw it. "Where'd you find that!" Harry looked at her with surprise as she hurried over to him carrying the other half he had pulled out of his pocket yesterday. She grabbed the new part out of his hands and pressed it together with the other half. The two parts didn't quite make a circle. Where each half connected they came to a point, and the runes didn't match up, there was still a part missing a strip down the middle.

Hermione began reading it to herself but stopped and looked at Harry.

"What wrong Harry?" She asked concern in her voice. Harry opened his mouth to say 'nothing' but before he could she fixed him with a stair and said, "and don't you say nothing." Harry closed his mouth again.

He wished, he wished he had someone to talk to about this. Hermione was his friend but, it just wasn't the same thing. His heart sank. Last year he could have written a letter to Sirius. Harry didn't even realize that he was crying until Hermione had taken his hand and led him to the couch. She vanished for a moment and then returned with a box of tissue. Harry pulled one and whipped his eyes.

Hermione sat with him, not asking for an answer or an explanation. Gently she took his hand and gave him a squeeze of encouragement. After a long while Hermione finally spoke up.

"Harry," She began he shot her a tear filled look, that said very much, 'I don't want to talk about it.' "I think you should talk about it with someone, if not with me than someone else."

'Who else?' Harry wanted to scream. 'Ron? Ha! Ron was a great friend but a bit dim in the area of anything outside Quidditch. Maybe Dumbledore, the old fool, or Loony Luna or Neville or or…'

Hermione was searching his eyes looking for an answer as she held his hands tightly. He blinked taking a long time before opening his eyes. Still seeming to be reading his thoughts she produced the mirror and placed it in his hand. Harry looked at her with uneasy eyes.

"She will listen to you Harry," Hermione said reassuringly. "She has listened to you for the last four years. The Weasley's are like your family Harry." Harry didn't need to be told this but was glad that someone had finally said it. Taking the Mirror from Hermione he held it in his shaking hands. Hermione stood gave him as strong a smile as she could manage and headed off into the bedroom to give him some privacy.

---

Harry looked into the mirror and waited. His mind was battling with itself. Hermione's voice floated back to him, 'she will understand,' 'she has listened to you for four years,' 'the Weasley's are you family.'

Harry looked down into the mirror taking a deep breath, a thought suddenly occurring to him.

How exactly did he use this thing? Someone else had always contacted him. He could only think of the first time in the night sky. Harry looked into the mirror and said, "Ginny, are you there?"

The surface of the mirror remained dark. Harry was just about to call again when Ron's face appeared in the mirror.

"Ginny?" Ron said taken aback, "What'ca wana talk to her for?" Ron asked with a glare. Harry felt embarrassed and angry at the same time. Why did Ron have to pick up the mirror? Why couldn't he mind his own business for once?

"Look Ron I need to talk to her, can you get her for me." Ron searched Harry's face for a moment not really understanding what was going on. Finally he nodded without any comprehension and said.

"I'll go find her one sec." And his face vanished. Harry sat for what seemed like forever. A few times he even thought of putting the mirror away but every time he went to do it he could hear a whisper telling him not to. Finally at long last Ginny's face appeared, Ron was hovering in the background.

Ginny looked surprised when she saw Harry and a bit sad.

"What's wrong Harry?" Ginny asked in a concerned voice. Harry's eyes flicked to Ron for a second. With startling comprehension that he would only have expected from Hermione, Ginny turned to Ron and shooed him out of the room. He could hear Ron's cry's of protest but after a threat of "You want me to try out my batboggie hex on you!" Ron finally left. Ginny returned to the mirror, her eyes searching Harry's face. "Okay it's just me here, now what's wrong Harry?" She asked again.

"It's…" Harry began, his mind falling in an uncontrollable spin. 'What the fuck was he doing?' "It's nothing, I'm sorry to of bothered you." Harry said quickly moving to put the mirror down.

"Harry!" Ginny cried, the face of the mirror was pointed up towards the ceiling so that he could not see it. Harry was just about to let go of it his fingers clasped tightly on the mirrors edge. "Please Harry, tell me." Ginny's voice was pleading but soft. Harry pulled the mirror back into his lap and looked at Ginny's face in it. Her bright eyes watched him, pleaded him to talk to her. And as if this was some magic key Harry began to pour out his heart from the begging of the summer.

He couldn't have stopped himself if he'd wanted too. After he finished one thing he blundered right into the next. Ginny looked horror struck when he came to the part about the illusions of her and Ron. Once he got to the end his mind began to wander and other events began to pop forward. Harry soon wasn't even sure what he was saying anymore. Everything he had ever thought seemed to be flooding out of him and Ginny sat there listening to every word.

Finally Harry wound down breathing hard. Not sure what all he had said or how long he had been talking. But surprisingly aside from a sore throat he felt much better. Ginny still smiled at him.

"Feel better?" She asked in a supporting, kind, soft voice.

"A lot, thanks Gin." He said, her eyes rose in curiosity. "Err sorry, Ginny." Harry corrected himself remembering the story Ron had told him about the time Fred and Gorge had called her Gin for a week, needless to say it was the last time anyone had ever called her that.

"No," She said quickly, "from you, it sounds okay, it sounds right even." Harry gave her a wary smile. "Harry." She said more seriously. "I am here for you, if you need to talk just ask, I'll be borrowing Ron's mirror for a bit." Harry couldn't help but smile at the grin on her face. "And if he tires to stop me I will make him wish he hadn't." Harry's smile grew even more. He knew that if the twins were the princes of pranks than Ginny was the queen by far and away because unlike Fred and Gorge she could get away with it.

---

For the fist time in what was as long as Harry could remember he slept a night with no bad dreams. No Voldemort, no Snape, no Malfoy. Just and ocean and a red headed witch sitting and hugging him as they sat on the beach watching the waves roll in under an endless sunset.

---

When Harry woke in the morning he felt refreshed, energized. Everything that had been biting away at him all summer seemed to have been pushed back by some invisible wall. He noticed that again, Hermione was up before he was.

Dressing he headed out to the living room to find her there, with breakfast on the table and the large leather book open held close to her face. He felt a ping remembering the 'journey of truth.' Harry sat down opposite from her and took one of the plates. Hermione lowered the book and looked over the top to see Harry.

"You look much better this morning." She said smiling. Harry couldn't help but smile back.

"Thanks," he said. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

"I just gave you a push, you went the rest of the way on your own." Hermione said beaming. Harry suddenly desperate to change the subject looked to the thing that was nagging at him, the book.

"'mione, you gona look at that book all day long?" Harry asked.

"It's this stupid spell!" She said putting the book down in her lap and reaching for some toast. "I've read it so many times but I still can't figure out why it's here. I have asked the book different variations of the same question but every time this spell appears!" She said in an exasperated voice. "I just don't understand it, it's just the animagus spell!" Harry tottered on the edge of telling her about the "vision" he'd had and finally decided on the short version or rather just the end product.

"Have you looked up magical creatures?" Harry asked. Hermione still looking down at the book and nibbling at her toast answered not glancing up.

"I don't see what magical creatures have to do with anything. Animagus can't become magical creatures." Hermione said as she continued to read.

"Are you absolutely sure, what about becoming phoenixes?" Harry asked inquisitively. Hermione looked up.

"Do you know something I don't?" Hermione asked.

"Let's just say a very reliable person told me that it was key to defeating Voldemort." Harry said staring at her face looking for her to flinch at the sound of the name, she didn't.

"Wouldn't care to share who that was so I could ask them?" Hermione replied in a hurt voice. Harry tottered on the edge, should he tell her. After all Oberon had said that it wasn't the future he had seen.

"Yesterday, I had this sort of, journey." Harry began, Hermione's eyes grew a bit.

"The journey of truth?" She asked her voice trembling as she watched Harry's face.

"Blimey, 'mione is there anything you don't know?" Harry said feeling a bit relieved. Hermione gave him a weak smile that vanished quickly.

"I told you that I already read everything about Avalon in, Avalon, A History." She replied. "Harry, the journey of truth is just an answer to your question. It's not really anything that's going to happen." Harry looked at her and then launched into his story. She listened intently and when at last he finished with Oberon appearing and explaining it to him, her face was unreadable.

"I see." She said in a pondering voice. "Oberon is right you know. It wasn't a dream but it's not reality ether. It's just an answer. Do you know what the question was?" Hermione pressed. Harry took a deep breath this was something he had shared with Ginny but could he talk about it with Hermione? He considered Ginny like family but Hermione, she was still just a friend wasn't she?

Harry sat for a long moment forgetting what he was originally debating about. Only one question seemed to fill his thoughts, something he had been struggling with for a very long time. What was Hermione to him? She wasn't just a good friend she was much more but she wasn't the love of his life ether. She was some place in-between, a sister maybe? It sounded strange at first but by the time the thought had finished in his head he couldn't see really anything else to call her.

Hermione was still staring at him expectantly. Harry was suddenly panicked, what had she asked him again?

"I'm sorry what?" Harry said in an apologetic tone.

"Do you know what the question was, that the journey of truth showed to you?" Hermione asked again her voice still soft and inquisitive.

"Yes." Harry said simply. Hermione looked at him as thought to say 'yes and…?'Yes was obviously not what she had wanted to hear. 'She's like a sister to me.' Harry thought again. "It's a question I have been asking myself for a long time, why me, does it make a difference if I fight against Voldemort or not?" Harry said finally, not really feeling like he had lost anything be saying this. If he had expected her to scoff or laugh at him he was mistaken, though he hadn't really expected her to.

"Oh Harry, of course it does." She replied. "The journey showed you what would happen if you were gone, if you gave up."

"Or it showed me the answer to the other question," Harry said darkly, he hadn't even told this to Ginny. "What if I fail?" They both sat quietly for a while the words hanging in the air for a long moment.

"The journey doesn't show the future Harry." Hermione said. "And you won't fail. We will all be there to help you." She smiled reassuringly and then looked down at the book. "But your journey might have given us some insight on something I glazed over, you said Phoenix right?" Harry nodded. "Well it would protect you form death if you were transformed but there just isn't any way I can see to do this. You don't get to pick what form you will become. From what I have read it's sort of like a quest you go on to find your form or for it to find you. Once you do the quest that's it, you can never try again." Harry slumped back. "It requires a spell and a potion. Both are fairly difficult to do, but…" She traced her finger down the page. "I am sure I can manage."

"Hermione your bloody brilliant!" Harry exclaimed.

"This will take about a month to prepare though." Hermione continued. "In the mean time we should both begin to study the technique used. This won't be easy, becoming an animagus is very hard. Most wizards never learn it. Becuase after the age of 17 you can't become one. And what's more you are trying to become a magical creature." Hermione sighed. "If you really want to do this Harry it's going to be a lot of hard work. And even then I'm still not sure it will work!"

Harry told her that he understood and that if she was willing to help he was willing to try.

---

It was a grueling month. Harry hopped that for the sake of future students Hermione never became a teacher. She was incredibly demanding, more so than any professor Harry could think of. He felt like he was prepping to take his N.E.W.T.S.

Hermione gave him mornings off as she needed them to work on the complex potion component of the spell. During his free time Harry roamed the island exploring it as much as possible. He found the flight charm to be most helpful for looking where to go or traveling around. The island wasn't very big but he soon learned it was far faster to fly some place then to walk.

But most of the time he spent on the beach watching the ocean and listening to the soft rolling of the waves.

His dreams remained at bay for the most part. A few unpleasant nightmares floated through every now and then but they were just normal bad dreams.

Snape had not tried to contact him again for lessons, though Harry had to admit he wasn't sure if Snape ever really had. And every few nights he talked to Ginny enjoying her laugh more and more each time. Finding comfort in her eyes and in just talking to her. She listened to everything he had to say, and unlike Hermione didn't press him for more when he didn't want to talk about it.

The only thing Harry didn't enjoy was the practice. Animagus were very accomplished in transfiguration. Well Harry was pretty good, Hermione was much better. He quickly became truly surprised at how much she really knew and began to wish he had asked her years ago for help on the subject. The counter point to all this was that Hermione would take nothing but absolute perfection from him and some days he didn't get to sleep until the sun was rising in the sky.

---

Finally at long last it was the morning of. Today the potion would be ready. When Harry got up he found Hermione out in the living room over the cauldron. Hedwig was sitting on the couch and below her was a pile of letters. Harry felt surprised. There were also a couple of packages for him also!

Hermione beamed at him.

"Happy Birthday Harry!" she cried, springing up and rushing over to give him a hug. Harry had completely forgotten, was today his birthday? Time seemed to have flown by. Harry sat down on the couch and picked up the stack of letters. It was thick, how many people had written to him?

Hermione sat down excitedly and watched him as he opened each letter and read it, then passed it to Hermione. Some where just cards but others were letters.

Neville had sent him a letter, talking about how much his Gran was impressed with his improvement over the last year, and that it was because of Harry he was so much better!

"It's not true," Harry said passing the card to Hermione, "He put in the hard work I just gave him a hand getting there." He also had a letter from Luna and from other members of the DA.

But happy birthday wasn't the only thing in most of the letters, almost everyone had asked if Harry would continue the DA this next year. Hermione seemed to have noticed this too.

Finally with all the letters gone he turned to the three boxes. The first one was from Hagrid. Harry pulled off the outer wrapping to find a large Chocolate Cake inside with 16 Candles on it that were already lit. Harry smiled and blew them out as he did they shouted "'Appy Birt'day 'arry!" in Hagrid's voice.

Harry looked at Hermione in surprise and delight, Hagrid wasn't supposed to do magic. Harry pulled out one of the candles and read the words on the side. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes were printed in block letters. He passed the candle to Hermione and with a pop the candle burst into confetti. Harry laughed but Hermione looked a bit shocked.

After putting the cake down on the table he moved to the next package, it was from Ron. He opened it to find a load of candies and joke items from the 3Ws, there was also a letter at the bottom.

Dear Harry,

Look at all these neat things! This is really from me, Fred and George, they packed you all of their best products, I got you the sweats as I can't imagine that you've had any since you got out to that island place.

Mom said we would go pick up your books and stuff for you so don't worry about it.

Have you heard the Cannons are winning Harry! They are brilliant!

Ron

Attached was a clipping form the Daily Prophet of the Cuddly Cannons flying around in their victory over Moldur Hawks. Harry smiled and passed on the letter to Hermione. He opened the last smallest box. It was from Ginny. Inside was a carefully wrapped heart shaped stone. But it had been broken in half and the other half was missing. Carefully Harry took the stone out of the box it fit neatly in the palm of his hand. It was warm to the touch and he could feel a heartbeat inside it.

Hermione smiled at him as he held the stone. He set it carefully in his lap and retrieved the letter from the bottom of the box.

Dear Harry,

This is a heartstone. Through it you can feel the heartbeat of the person that has the other half of the stone, when one of us is happy the other will feel warmth through the stone, when one of us is sad the other will feel cold. Keep it close and think of me.

Love Gin

Harry smiled and did not pass the letter onto Hermione. He felt the warmth of the stone in his hand the quickening of the pulse in the stone as he held it close to his chest.

"Harry!" Hermione suddenly cried. Harry looked at her. She was looking intently at the clipping from the Prophet Ron had sent them. He didn't know she liked the Cuddly Cannons too. "Its an article about the Ministry of Magic! From the night of the attack!"

The stone dropped from Harry's hands and fell into his lap.

"Ron cut some of it off." Hermione said as she scanned it.

The Ministry of Magic denies an attack took place lead by you-k…

Little Whinging. They also claim that rumors about ministry off…

untrue.

Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge is quoted as saying…

"As saying what?" Harry asked. Hermione shook her head.

"Ron's cut off the rest." Hermione said as she scanned the surrounding articles for information. Harry had the feeling that things were not going well for the ministry, but he had hopped the article would provide more detail about the ministry wizards involved.

---

Hermione had taken a slice of the birthday cake but said that one was enough and that now she had to concentrate on the potion. It was in the final stage and needed close attention. Harry reread some of the letters and the short part of the article again. The stone in his breast pocket beat in time with his own heart and radiated heat.

While Harry had been here on this island he had forgotten about the outside world, about the ministry of magic, even about Hogwarts. But this article was a startling reminder of what was going on. And he felt uneasy about as his mind began to come out of its numbed state it had taken over the last month and worry once more filled his thoughts.

Hedwig had not wanted any of the birthday cake but had settled for on of the strips of bacon from the plate of food Hermione had brought up. After letting Hedwig out the door Harry was ready to take a bath to clear his head when Hermione informed him it was time.

"Okay," Hermione said handing him a vial of what seemed to be blue smoke. "You will drink that and I will cast the spell, after that it's really up to you. Remember we only have one shot at this." Harry held up his vial and clinked it with Hermione's.

"Cheers." He said and downed the vial. It didn't taste like anything. Hermione pulled out her wand and tapped him on the head.

"Maticus Animagius!" Harry felt suddenly tired and slumped back into his seat. His eyes wavered for a moment and then the room vanished.

Harry didn't fall asleep, he felt awake but disoriented. The room around him was dark.

'What was he here to do again?' Harry couldn't remember his mind seemed fuzzy. A horse galloped in out of the blackness. He seemed to be looking at it though funny shaped glass. It had a white shimmering coat and a wild black mane. A lighting shaped stripe was along its right side. The horse slowed to a trot and came up next to him, Harry felt his hand reaching out to touch it but he pulled back.

It was a very nice horse but that's not what he was here for. Harry began to wonder around, the horse trailing silently behind him. There were many animals here, each very nice in its own right. But to each Harry felt the same, they were nice but they just weren't what he was looking for. As he passed they got up and followed him in a long procession. He tried to imagine how ridiculous he must look.

Suddenly the blackness fell away. And Harry blinked. He was sitting on the couch in the room Hermione seemed to have just woken up as well.

"What happened?" Harry asked. "I thought we were supposed to pick our animal but I haven't picked one yet." Hermione looked worried. Quickly she checked the spell book and then looked at her potion and then checked the book again.

"I don't understand, there isn't a time limit. We aren't supposed to leave until we pick an animal. There was a wizard who was once stuck in the dream for 3 days well he tried to decide." Hermione was starting too look panicked. "I am sure I did everything right." Harry felt a sinking feeling, it had been all for not. They had only had one shot and that was it, it hadn't worked. What now, could he never become and animagus like his father had?

"Harry," Hermione said her eyes flashing up to him. "You didn't see any magic creatures in your dream did you?" Harry thought for a second. He didn't think he had.

"Nope." Harry replied after a long time. Hermione bent down over her book again. Harry watched and suddenly became aware that the stone in his pocket was getting cool and that the heartbeat had quickened pace. Harry tried to relaxed, he had to think positively. Maybe this gift wasn't such a good idea, he was opening himself up to someone much more than he ever thought possible.

After a few moments the stone started to become warm again and the heartbeat slowed to normal. He put his hand over the stone and whispered to it, "everything's fine Gin."

"This is it!" Hermione cried causing Harry to jump. She dipped the veils back into the cauldron and pulled them out again, but before handing it to Harry she tapped it with her wand and said. "Magius Apreus." And than did the same to hers, the blue smoke suddenly turn pink and become a liquid. Harry looked at it. Hermione downed hers in a gulp and Harry did the same. Then reaching out her wand she taped him on the forehead and said. "Magius Animagius." Like before the room seemed to fade and he reappeared in the blackness.

This time Harry felt more awake, more focused. His mind remembered the things Hermione had told him. "All the animals are there, some are just harder to find than others, find the one you want and stay away from the rest." Animals began to appear again, the same horse galloped towards him as did many other animals.

Harry took a step back, he didn't want any of these, this wasn't what he was looking for! As though he was still wearing the flight charm Harry jumped into the air as the animals stampeded below him.

He watched them with mild curiosity as they stared back up at him. A glowing red light now filled the blackness and Harry realized that without even meaning too he was flapping his arms as if they were wings. Above him, high out of reach a golden light circled, an incredibly beautiful song was coming from it.

Harry soared up towards the song. Finally he reached it. An enchanting Red-gold feathered phoenix had its wings spread as it hovered before him singing. The tips of its feathers were black and running down one wing was a lighting shaped marking. The bird had shockingly green eyes as it watching him with curiosity.

Harry moved towards it and it did not back away. He reached his hand out and touched it, his heart was racing. The feathers were warm and as his fingers brushed the bird it dissolved in the air becoming millions of golden lights.

The light enveloped Harry dancing around him. He took a deep breath and inhaled all the light. When he let the breath out he was sitting on the couch in the room, Hermione was still asleep across from him. Harry looked down at his hands and then at his feet. They felt different then they used too. Harry stood shakily and walked a few steps. He felt drained, tired beyond belief. He rested his hand against the couch.

His body was aching. What had Hermione said needed to be done after this? His mind was working over time. He couldn't recall the next step or even if there was one.

He took another step and felt himself toppling forward. Harry pushed his hands out in front of him but they weren't hands anymore. With a flap he was pushed off the ground. He felt the same but the room had suddenly gotten much bigger. He flapped his arms again and felt himself rise. Looking down he saw that his feet had become talons.

Talon suddenly realized. He had done it, he had become and animagus. He had become a Phoenix! It was strange at first. The small room made flying very hard. With carefully movements he finally managed to make it to the top of the couch. Where he perched watching Hermione as she slept.

He wasn't sure how long he had watched her but finally when she blinked and opened her eyes he let out a sigh of relief. She, however let out a gasp of surprise. He had almost forgotten what he looked like.

"Harry! You did it, you did it!" She cried. Talon beamed, he felt so tired. Hermione looked at him expectantly. "Harry?" She asked after a long while. "Aren't you going to change back?"

Talon heard the words but he didn't understand them. Change back? Change back into what? He had always been like this. Hermione looked worried.

"Harry you have to focus you have to concentrate." She said looking him dead in the eyes. "This is very very important Harry you have to change yourself back into a wizard. That is your true form." What was this girl talking about, and who was this 'Harry' she kept referring to?

Talon opened his mouth to explain to her that she had him mistaken for someone else but when he did a long and beautiful song came out, a song she didn't seem to understand.

"Focus Harry," Hermione said there were tears at the edges of her eyes now. "Please Harry." Talon wasn't sure what was wrong, he wanted to help this, Harry, whoever he was, but she seemed to be talking to him for some reason.

There was a thump against his chest. Talon looked down confused. There was nothing pressed against his shinning red-gold feathers. He felt the thump again and a warmness. It was a nice feeling, but what could be making it. Talon let out a sigh of content. His mind flashed and Harry suddenly realized.

With all his might fighting against every fiber that told him this was all he was, Talon willed himself to be Harry again. He toppled off the top of the couch and landed on his side feeling very tired.

---

When Harry again opened his eyes he found himself in bed. Still dressed in his clothing. To his surprise Hermione was passed out on the bed next to him. She wasn't up before he was. Harry felt the slow heartbeat of the stone against his chest.

Looking out the window Harry realized why. It was the middle of the night. Not feeling tired anymore Harry rolled out of bed and headed to the wash room intent on taking a bath. He was careful to lock the door before filling the tub and stripping down.

He was about to climb into the inviting bath when he realized that he had forgotten something. Moving back through his robes he found the half heartstone and took it with him. The heartbeat was still slow and steady. 'Gin must be asleep.' Harry thought contently as he settled back into the warm water.

---

After a long while Harry reluctantly decided it was time to get out, his skin was turning pruny. He let the water drain and then dressed himself. He opened the door with the intent to see if Hermione was awake yet but as he entered the living room he found in ruin. Harry drew his wand. The couches had been shredded and pushed to the floor. The remnants of his cake were splattered against the walls. The front door and the bedroom door hung awkwardly open with slash marks in them.

Without a second thought Harry bolted into the bed room. Hermione was gone, her bed had been ripped to shreds. Harry ran to the front door and looked out into the dark hallway. There was no one outside, no indication of which way to go now.

Harry was panicked what could have happened to her. He didn't think she had just gotten up early to go for a walk!

His heart was racing now.

He held out his wand in front of him. It had to work, this was important.

"Fenindo!" Harry said and to his incredible relief a glowing white orb appeared in front of him. "Hermione Granger!" Harry said exasperated. The orb leaned a little and dimmed then moved ever so slowly as it drifted down the hall. Harry followed. It was barley moving as fast as he was walking. He had a bad feeling about this.

Authors Notes:

Hey hey Chapter 5, what'da you think? … anyone, come on don't be shy!... fine be that way!

To the first reviewer, OMG thank you for a review! I needed an ego boost to keep these hands of mine hands typing.

I swear there is much more to come, I have the rest of the story plotted out to the end. It was Professor Plum in the Lounge with the Wand!

Just have to add some in-between fiddly bits that need to go here and there.

Addressing some notes I have gotten:

There isn't much humor as of yet in this story because in general, Harry's summers are rarely humorous. My bad jokes will being to sneak their way in soon though.

Flakwsasa? Oops, I try and check all my names and spelkings to the best of my ability but I can only go over a chapter so many times before my eyes start to bleed. If you spot as mistake some place don't be hesitant to point it out and I will go back and fix it D

Sadly the romance in this story will (SPOILER, SPOILER ALERT ALL HANDS TO BATTLE STATIONS) not be revealed here. You will have to find out who is in love with who as you get there. Hey if you know the ending why read the book?

Comments, feedback, questions…. Answers? Err well the first 3 anyhow are always welcome, please leave a review as they help me become a better writer and produce a better story.