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 12 – Reading the Signs

Harry was considering skiving off Double Divination but Hermione had hissed at the idea.

"But Hermione," Ron said in protest. "You just walked out on the class, how can you tell us we've got to go?"

"You're welcome to drop the class too, Ronald, but until you do its still class and you still have got to go!" Hermione said glaring at him.

Divination lessons had resumed in the tower and Harry wondered what Fernze was doing now that Trelawney was teaching divination again.

Harry barely heard a word that Trelawney said, not that he paid attention anyhow in this class. Harry dully considered why he was even taking divination. After all, Hermione did have a point, Trelawney, for the most part was an old fraud. Except that she had made two accurate predictions about Voldemort.

"Today," Trelawney said dreamily. "We will be starting the art of examining Key Lines, also called as Chi Line.

"Wands out please," Trelawney said. Harry and Ron exchanged startled looks. To Harry's recollection they had never once taken their wands out in Divination class before.

"Now make a motion like this," Trelawney moved her wand in what was a rough approximation of a triangle. "And say the word Expans Cebrium!" As Trelawney said the words the tip of her wand glowed gold for a moment and the triangle she had drawn in the air became visible for an instant. She smiled at the class, the expression on her face seemed like she wasn't awake.

"Now, lets all give it a try." Trelawney said. People around the room began to draw the triangle in the air and say the words. A few of them got the golden light at their wand tip but no one managed to illuminate the triangle.

"This is stupid," Harry hissed as he watched Ron make a 'V' in the air.

"Well at least it beats making up predictions," Ron said. "I'm completely out of ideas, I mean we've already used all our good stuff." Harry smiled at Ron. His attitude of late had become more friendly and Harry thought it might be Ginny's doing.

Harry let out a sigh, he might as well give this stupid spell a try. He moved his wand in the best approximation of a triangle he could manage and then spoke the words.

Harry's wand stuck suddenly in the air as though caught by an invisible hand. The tip pulsed gold and the triangle illuminated in front of Harry. First it was only an outline, but quickly it began to fill with bright white light.

Gold lines moved rapidly through the white light. Taking abrupt turns and speeding off in another direction. The lines of gold increased in number and speed. Harry started to panic. He couldn't get his wand free and his hand wouldn't let go.

There were so many gold lines now that the white light had become gold light with white lines moving in it.

"Nox," said a excited voice from somewhere. The golden triangle vanished. Harry was standing rigged with his wand still out. Professor Trelawney was standing in front of him, her wand tip touching his, an excited look upon her face.

"That was very good Harry," Trelawney said, her dreamy expression had vanished and her eyes glowed with excitement. "The Key Lines must be very strong today. What did you see?" Harry pulled his wand away. Trelawney was smiling politely at him waiting for an answer.

"Nothing," Harry said honestly. "Just, light." This however didn't seem to disappoint Trelawney in the slightest.

"And in the light?" Trelawney asked excitement now evident on her face. Harry was starting too feel uncomfortable. He had never seen Trelawney like this before. She seemed like she was ready to jump up and down with excitement.

"Gold lines," Harry said not knowing where she was going with this.

"You have seen the line of fate, Harry," Trelawney said unable to hide the excitement in her voice. "Within them is the future! Each line is a different possibility among many. A thread of existence! It takes many years to interpret them correctly," Trelawney turned and hurried quickly to the front of the room and pulled a very large, very old looking book from one of the cabinets behind her desk.

"Your inner eye is very strong, this book will help your power of foresight become more pronounced!" She handed Harry the book. It was so heavy he almost dropped it.

"Uh, thanks?" Harry said looking at Ron who was trying with all his might not to burst out into laughter.

"Now, there are several other spells used to see Key Lines, everyone please turn to page 42 of your Insight into the Future books." Trelawney continued her dreamy air returning to her but her eyes kept flicking towards Harry. Harry put the great old book into his bag, not sure if he would ever bother to look at it.

---

The rest of Divination had been far less exciting and when at last the class was over, Harry was sure that Trelawney truly was nothing more than a great, old, fraud.

Lavander and Pavatie had tried desperately to get Harry's secret for making the Key Line spell work but as he told them, he honestly didn't know. Thinking that he wasn't telling them because he wanted to be on Professor Trelawney's good side, they stormed off.

Ron was still laughing as they reached the great hall for dinner.

"Oh shut up Ron," Harry said as the reached the doors to the great hall. Ron only laughed louder.

Ron and Harry reached their seats on opposite sides at the Gryffindor table. Hermione and Ginny were already waiting for them.

"What's so funny?" Ginny asked Ron as he sat down next to Hermione.

"It's nothing," Harry said sitting next to Ginny and kissing her on the cheek, she glowed red for a moment.

"Oy!" Ron said trying to overcome his laughter with seriousness. "Harry I'm right here, I can see you ya'know!"

"Obviously," said Ginny in a tone that told him very much to mind his own business.

"So," Hermione interrupted, "how did divination go?" Ron beamed at Harry and his face twitched before he broke out in laughter again. Harry ignored him.

"I think you're right Hermione, Trelawney is an old fraud. We started studying something called key lines and…" Harry began.

"And Lavander and Pavatie nearly jumped him after class for muscling in on their territory!" Ron cried between laughter. "Oy, Harry! Your face I don't think I've ever seen you so panicked before!" Ron still overcome with laughter put his head down on the table and continued to laugh uncontrollably into his arms.

"Key lines?" Hermione asked inquisitively. "We studied those in Arithmancy." Harry looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad.

"You what?" Harry said shocked. "But Hermione they're part of divination, why would you study them in an Arithmancy class? Isn't Arithmancy just magic by calculation?"

"Well, yes," Hermione said shrugging, "I guess that's the simplest way to put it. The movements of Key Lines are a mathematical function. But Harry its all speculation, you can't really predict where key lines will go they follow the Magical Chaos Theory."

"The what?" Harry asked blankly.

"Oh, well it's a theory that talks about the way magic works. It says that the same spell cast over and over will not always work exactly the same way." Hermione said. Harry looked blankly down at Ginny who didn't seem to understand what Hermione was talking about either. Hermione sighed. "In the case of key lines Magical Chaos Theory talks about unpredictable movements it explains why key lines move the way they do but it doesn't let you see the future." Hermione smiled and fixed Harry with a knowing stare.

"Did Professor Trelawney show you Key Lines and how to predict their movements?" Hermione asked an air of smugness hovering around her.

"No," Harry said thinking back to class. "She showed us a spell but she couldn't get it to work properly." Hermione shook her head still smiling. "But I did."

Hermione looked up at him wide eyed. She didn't seem shocked or surprised but her face glowed.

"Did you really? And did you see the key lines?" Hermione asked excitedly. If Hermione had been wearing very thick glasses, Harry might have, for a moment, mistaken her for Professor Trelawney.

"Yeah," Harry said uneasily, "but there were so many and they seemed to be random. I don't see what it has to do with seeing the future at all."

"Well, you don't really use Key Lines to see the future, do you? That would mean you could predict what path they were going to take and that's just not possible. Key lines are more to examine paths in the present. Like," Hermione thought for a second, "like the map for example."

"The map?" Harry asked blankly. "What map?"

"The Marauders map," Hermione said, "it most likely uses Key Line interpretation to see where people are in the castle. It really is a very advanced piece of magic." Hermione saw a detached look on Harry's face.

"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Do, do you think my Dad took Divination too?" Harry asked suddenly. Hermione pursed her lips as if she didn't want to answer.

"It's more likely that he would've taken Arithamancy to perform a charm like that," Hermione said, "but we don't know that it was your father that made the map." Harry nodded dully and set into dinner still feeling uneasy.

---

The DA meeting was still two hours away but Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had all shown up early to prepare. The four of them sat in the chairs that the Room of Requirement had provided them.

"Well Hermione?" Harry asked. It had been her idea that they all come early to talk about the 'new direction' the DA would take on this year. Hermione and Ron had been spending a lot of time in the library doing research.

"First," Hermione said, "from all the letters you got, Harry, it looks like we've lost a fair amount of our members from last year. Ravenclaw seems to have dropped out entirely." Harry was disappointed to hear that, most of the Ravenclaw students had been very promising. "I've also," Hermione looked around uncertainly as if her next words might be dangerous, "also heard that there is a group of Slytherins that are looking to join."

Harry's mouth opened in protest. But Hermione continued before he could get a word out.

"I know what everyone thinks about them, but honestly not all Slytherins are as bad as Malfoy. The houses are just a divider, something to keep the school apart. I'm checking up on them as must as possible but really, except from being in Slytherin they aren't any different from us." Hermione watched Harry expectantly. He nodded a solemn okay that said for her to continue but that he would think about the Slytherins.

"Second because of the security breach last year I think we should take a few extra steps this year. I'm working on something new for us but for the moment we just need to let everyone know we won't be using Gallons anymore."

"Lastly," Hermione said looking at all the faces around her listening intently. "Me and Ron have been doing some research into how wizards fought in the past. I've been studying the fighting techniques wizard in war time use."

"You mean we are taking the DA to war?" Ginny asked. Harry had forgotten that they hadn't yet told Ginny any of this. Harry hadn't even intended for her to come along to this meeting but she had insisted.

"Yes," Harry said. Harry had his chin resting against his hands, "We don't know when or where but we all know its coming. Hermione is right, up until now we haven't been much of an army. We need to start getting ready because the Ministry isn't going to help when the time comes."

"It's actually much worse than any of us think," Hermione said. "There used to be a department in the Ministry of Magic call the Department of Magical War, wizards in the department were called Warlocks. But after World War Two they were disbanded. Warlocks either went into retirement or were moved into the Department of Magical Law."

"What's World War Two?" Ginny asked.

"It was a muggle war," Harry said thinking back to the things he had learned so long ago in muggle school. "It happened in, I think, 1940s."

"Actually it started July 7th, 1937 and lasted until 1945. It involved nearly every country on earth." Hermione said.

"But what's a muggle war have to do with anything?" Ginny asked. "I mean what muggles do against each other really isn't any problem of ours is it?"

"Well, that's what the ministry says, but that's not the truth," Hermione continued. "The truth is that even though wizards like to think our world is totally separate from the muggle world the war was everywhere. Muggles and wizards alike were being killed every day.

"In the end the Ministry had no choice, they had to get involved. So they sent in Warlocks at the same time the Americans joined the war. It was a planed cover so that the muggles already fighting in the war would get suspicious of the new strange groups of people fighting with weapons they had never seen."

"A cover up for magic," Ron said, "Muggles don't believe in magic, it was a brilliant tactical strategy. A weapon that people don't think can exist being used to win!"

"But there was also another factor, the leader of the enemy forces was an insane muggle called Hitler, a sadistic inhuman monster that killed thousands of muggles and wizards alike." Hermione said. There was a look of horror on everyone faces as she continued to tell them all he had done to people during the war. "He became obsessed with magic, looking for artifacts and spells he could use. There are even rumors that he begun to build magical weapons near the end of the war. But as far as any of the historical records go, none of it ever happened. Wizards never joined the war and Hitler never found out about any type of magic.

"I think that wizards have become complacent, that magic has made them feel like they are invulnerable." Hermione continued. "Even when Voldemort appeared they believed that it was nothing to be afraid of. Instead of getting wizards together to fight him they just pretended that he didn't exist or that he wasn't their problem.

"And when at last they could ignore him no longer he was too strong for the current Ministry of Magic to do anything. They had forgotten how to fight."

Everyone sat quietly for a while.

Harry couldn't believe that he had never heard about any of this before.

"But didn't Aurors fight against, Voldemort?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah," said Ron, "but most of the time they lost, it was a battle of defending. You don't win when all you do is protect yourself that's the basic rules of combat. A good defense is a good offence."

A knock came at the door and everyone jumped. Hermione looked at her watch.

"Looks like a few people are early," she said getting up and cautiously moving to the door. Both Ron and Harry drew their wands and moved into attacking positions on either side of the door.

Hermione unlocked the dead bolt and carefully clasp the handle pulling the door open slowly. On the other side it wasn't just one student but large group. Hermione waved them in.

Harry counted maybe 40 people in the group of students. Less then last year but not zero. Hermione, Ron and Ginny helped move out cushions for people to sit on well Harry got up on the rectangular stage. He was starting to feel some uneasy now.

Harry looked out at the students and began to look though what they had left, 17 Gryffindors, 3 Ravenclaw and 12 Huflpuff. Thirty two students in all. Harry was hopping there would have been more people, but he would address that later.

At last when everyone was settled in Ron, Hermione and Ginny made their way up to the stage and sat in the chairs provided. Harry took a deep breath.

"Welcome back to the second year of the DA," Harry said looking out across the faces. They were giving him their full attention. "A few things are going to change this year so before we get started I want to tell you about them. If after I tell you you don't want to be part of the DA anymore then the door is open now for you to leave and no one will think less of you."

None of the students moved or even looked around they just sat watching Harry and waiting for him to continue.

"This year the DA will become an army. It is more than likely we will fight against dark wizards. The Ministry of Magic isn't going to help us so its up to us to fight the war. You might be asked this year to put your life on the line of the DA and anyone not willing to fight and die for what they believe is right has no place here." Harry watched the students, again, no reaction, not even from Neville.

"Alright, I will let Ron explain some of the new things that will be happening this year." Harry said and turned to look over at Ron who seemed to have gone pale. Slowly Ron got up and walked on shaky legs to the front of the stage. Harry stepped back and took a seat along the wall.

"This, uh, year we'll be makin groups of people," Ron said in a squeaky voice. "Er, called squads, they will consist of four people and one leader, so, uh, five members per team, squad." Ron was breathing fast now. Harry knew he wasn't good at speaking in front of people.

"There're four different positions in a squad. Healer, Tank and Damage." Ron said uncertainly. Some of the students for the first time looked at each other with unease. Harry counted in his head Ron had only listed three positions. "One Tank, one healer and two damage dealers. A tank is the wizard in the front, his, uh, job is to draw enemy fire and protect the squad. The damage dealers are there to, uh, well deal damage, usally with spells… And the healer is there to heal people."

Someone raised a hand in the audience. Ron seemed unnerved by the question and pointed at the person unable to speak.

"What does the leader of the group do?" The Ravenclaw girl asked.

"Oh, well the leader, er commander of the group leads them." Ron said. "His job is to be able to fill in for any other spot and to keep in contact with command and then issue their orders. I think that's it," Ron said turning and looking at Harry. Harry nodded and looked over at Hermione. Ron made his way back to the seat next to Harry. Ron's face was pale and he was sweating profusely.

"You did fine Ron," Harry said encouragingly. All Ron could do was nod.

Hermione reached the front of the stage.

"I'm going to talk a little bit about the change in security this year." Hermione said holding up a piece of parchment. "This is our new member list, before you leave be sure to sign it. If your names not on it you would be able to find the meeting room next time."

Harry was surprised, Hermione hadn't told him anything about that. She really was a very brilliant witch.

"Next, the Gallons we used last year will no longer work, due to the fact that a few of our members didn't return this year. A new method of contact will be ready for you soon. We will have another meeting next Friday but after that the schedule will be changed frequently so that our movements don't become suspicious since the DA is still a secret club.

"And lastly," Hermione said pulling out another sheet of parchment. "This is the list for anyone here who is interested in becoming a commander of a squad. If you put your name on this we will give you serious consideration for a leadership position." Hermione set both of the parchments down on the front of the stage and looked back at Harry.

Harry stood and walked to the front, everyone's eyes in the room drawn to him again.

"One last thing," Harry said. "Start looking for more members only people you trust and think would honestly be interested in the DA. An army is nothing without members. That's it for tonight, don't forget to sign the sheets before you go, next week we will start our new practice."

---

Everyone but Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny had left. Hermione was looking over the two list of people as Ginny and Ron put cushions back in the pile.

"Looks like almost everyone signed up to be a commander." Hermione said as she handed the list over to Harry. Harry looked over the list, there were a lot of good students here, then Harry spotted Neville. Harry almost dismissed the possibility but he had to admit that Neville had gotten much better, maybe not leader position better but better none the less.

Harry's eyes moved down the list, second to last he spotted Ginny's name. Harry shot her a glance. Harry was starting to feel uneasy again. Why had she put her name on the list?

Hermione was pinning the member list up on the wall.

"'Mione you sure it's a good idea to leave that here?" Ron asked as he tossed the last cushion onto the pile.

"Oh, well it has to stay here for the charm to work," Hermione said. "I put a Fiddlus charm on the paper. Only people who know where it is can find it and since its in this room, you wont be able to find the room if you don't know where the paper is."

"That's pretty clever Hermione," Harry said. She smiled back at him. Out of the corner of his eye Harry was sure he could see Ginny scowling at him.

---

When they reached the Gryffindor common room Ron suggested they head up and get the ELF wiz-fics. But Ginny said that Harry and her would wait for them in the common room.

There weren't many other people up. Just a few students doing homework, mostly fifth years that had O.W.L.S coming and were getting increased home work. Harry wondered for a moment when Ginny had found time to do her homework.

Harry and Ginny sat down on the floor at one of the small coffee tables well they waited for Ron and Hermione to return.

"I want to know," Ginny said suddenly from across the table. Harry looked at her.

"Know what?" Harry asked. Ginny's face was nothing like Harry had ever seen before. Her eyes were narrowed and her lips tight together. He had the uneasy feeling that she was trying to look into his head.

"What's going on between you and… and Hermione." Ginny said. Harry felt a sudden shock. 'Between him and Hermione?' What was Ginny talking about.

"I don't know what you mean?" Harry said.

"I see the way you look at her and the way she looks at you," Ginny said, she seemed like she was on the edge of tears. "If, if you and her are…"

"What!" Harry said suddenly panicked. "No, I mean we are just friends Gin." Harry reached out a hand and took one of Ginny's. She pulled away. Harry felt suddenly hurt. What was Ginny on about? Why do girls have to make so little sense?

Ginny suddenly stood from the table and with hurt eyes rushed off up the girls stairs just as Ron and Hermione reemerged each carrying a small pile of books.

"Oy," Ron said as he saw Ginny running off with tears in her eyes. "Where's she going?" Ron fixed Harry with a glare, "what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" Harry said angrily. He stood and stormed past Ron and Hermione, neither followed him up stairs.

---

Saturday hadn't been a pleasant day. Harry hadn't seen Ginny all day long and even though he knew he'd done nothing wrong he still felt uneasy. Ron was in a fowl mood and hadn't said more than one or two words all day. Hermione seemed distant and every time Harry had tried to strike up a conversation with her she jumped before answering.

At long last dinner rolled around. Ron and Hermione both headed off but Harry didn't follow.

"Harry," Hermione said in an uneasy voice, "Aren't you coming to dinner?"

"Nah, I'm not hungry." Harry said from the couch where he'd been sitting most of the day. Hermione gave an uneasy look at Ron, who shrugged and turned to leave. Hermione waited a little longer but couldn't find words to say. When Harry didn't say anything else Hermione left as well.

Harry felt sick. Not ill but not well either. Something was wrong, well many things were wrong, but right now one thing on his mind was tormenting him more than anything else. Or rather the thing tormenting him was in his pocket.

Harry put his hand over the cold stone that rested in his pocket. The heartbeat very faint.

There was giggling off behind Harry. He had been dimly aware of it before but more so now because so many people had gone off to dinner. A group of fifth-year girls were sitting and talking in one of the corners of the common room.

Harry couldn't take it anymore, he had been sitting here all day waiting for Ginny to come down so he could apologize for whatever the fuck it'd been that he had done. Harry got up and made his way towards the group of fifth year girls. A Harry approached them one spotted him and whispered to the others, they all became very quite.

"Excuse me," Harry asked. They were all eyeing Harry with what he could only conclude must me dislike. "Have any of you seen Ginny around?" The girls looked at each other and Harry felt very uncomfortable.

"She's up stairs in her room." One of the girls final said. "She's been up there all day long. I don't think she wants to talk to you right now." Harry felt a burst of rage, this girl, she was a mudblood Harry could smell it, dared to speak to him like that? He felt a sudden urge to slap her down and put her in her place.

Harry took a calming breath willing for strength. He knew that was wrong and at the same time it felt perfectly natural. The girls looked awkwardly between each other as Harry closed his eyes and took deep breaths. Finally the feeling subsided.

"Thanks," Harry said roughly and left to head to his room.

---

Harry paced back and forth. He had to see Ginny, had to talk to her, but he wouldn't go back down to those girls and ask them to get her for him. There had to be a way to get into the girls' dorm.

It wasn't fair, after all that the Girls could come into the boys' rooms whenever they wanted. Harry sat roughly on his bed.

Harry could become a phoenix and teleport there, but he had never been there before and so far he had only managed to move in a strait line to some place he had seen before. He didn't even know where Ginny's room was, no, it would be far too risky to even attempt.

If only there was a secret passage or something. A thought crossed Harry's mind. 'Maybe there is a secret passage!'

Digging though his trunk, which had been delivered to Hogwarts, Harry found a very old piece of parchment. He pulled his wand out and tapped the map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Harry said. Letters began to appear and the names of the Marauders appeared on the front of the map. Foot prints began to walk around with name tags on them. Harry unfolded the parchment looking for Gryffindor tower. At last he found the entrance but as he opened it to the girls' dorm he found that the page was blank. Harry stared at it for a moment. The boys' dorm was drawn out in detail but the girls' dorm just didn't seem to be on the map.

Harry held it not able to believe what he was seeing. Of all the people, Harry thought the Marauders would have been able to get into the girls' dorms. Harry was about to close the map when he noticed tinny font at the bottom of the stairs where the girls' dorms should have started. Harry leaned closer.

"Looking for a way over or looking to be a peep?" the text read.

'It couldn't be a password could it?' Harry thought. Harry looked at the words for a long time and then another small word appeared beneath it.

"Well?" Harry was so surprised he almost dropped the map. It wasn't a password it was a question.

"Yes," Harry said stupidly, "err I am looking for a way to visit Ginny." The words faded into the parchment and lines begun to draw themselves all over the blank space. The girls' dorms appeared. He saw some names he didn't recognize but at last found Ginny's name on the fifth-floor.

A dotted line started to draw itself from where the 'Harry Potter' tag was sitting. Harry watched as it snaked out into the dormitory hall way and over to the washroom down the hall and into one of the shower stalls, the stall at the end.

Harry folded the map, pushed it into the pocket of his robe, hurried out of his room and down the hallway pushing past a group Gryffindors that lived in the room across from Harry.

"Sorry," Harry shouted over his shoulder as he almost knocked the washroom door off its hinges.

"He must really have to go!" one of the Gryffindors said before the door swung shut cutting off the laughter. Harry looked at the line of shower stalls. He made his was to the one at the end.

A sign was hung haphazardly on it that read in scrawled out letters, "out of order." Harry had never been down this far along the row. Usually there was never anyone else taking a shower when he did.

Harry tried to push the door open but it didn't move. He pushed harder but it still remained immobile, Harry was just about to pull the map out when a squeaky voice spoke up.

"Can't you read, I'm out of order." Harry took a step back. The sign had sprouted a human like face, the red letters stretched across it. "Shove off now, there are plenty of other working stalls."

"Please," Harry said, "I have to use this one."

"Oh," said the sign in mild surprise. "Fosset doesn't work in this one. It's scheduled to be repaired at some point I think. But I am just a sign after all and not often kept up to date on plans of the administration."

Harry was starting to get frustrated, this stupid sign was blocking his path, there had to be a password. Harry was just about to pull out the map when the washroom door opened and three Gryffindor boys came in laughing. They spotted Harry and one of them waved at him jubilantly.

"Oy Harry," He said, it was Adam Pallet he had been at the brawl between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins. "That ones out of order."

"Thanks," Harry said waving back. Adam looked at the others and shrugged then vanished inside one of the stalls further up the row.

"Look," Harry said in a whisper. "Please just let me use this one." The other Gryffindors were talking and laughing loudly again about something in Harry didn't catch.

"I'm sorry but as a sign, it's my responsibility to warn people of things that are out of order," the sign said. Harry had a thought.

"But not to stop people?" Harry asked.

"Oh heavens no, I'm a warning sign. I'd be breaking the rules if I tried to stop people." The sign said. "That's a stop signs job you know."

"Then why can't I open this door?" Harry asked.

"Well it's locked of course," the sign said. "Incase people don't bother to read me, though I dare say I am printed in bright red letters that are fairly hard to miss." Harry drew his wand and pointed it at the lock.

"Allohamora!" Harry said and the door clicked open.

"I did tell you this stall is out of order?" the sign said as Harry pushed the door in and then closed it again behind him. He was standing in a shower stall that looked exactly the same as the others except that one wall was made of stone instead of a wood.

Harry pulled out the Marauders map and looked at where he was. Tiny words were appearing above his head.

"Hot 3, cold 2." Harry read. What a strange password. Harry looked at the fossets and then back at the map. He saw a stick figure of himself turning something. Harry looked up again. Three turns? Harry took hold of the fosset marked hot. It seemed to be in the closed position, it wouldn't turn left. Harry turned it to the right and found it spun quite easily all the way around. No water came out. Harry tried to turn the round fosset knob again but it wouldn't go any further to the right. Harry turned it back to the close position and then back to the full open position.

Harry could hear the Gryffindors laughing and talking dimly some place in the background. His heart seemed to be making a lot of nose. Harry took hold of the cold fosset and turned it one revolution and then a back. There was a click from someplace in the wall. The round fossets began to spin around as if they had no open or closed limits. The shower head began to shake. And for a moment Harry thought he would be drenched in water. But instead the stone wall to his left pushed back reveling a narrow passage. Harry slid though the opening.

The passageway was very narrow and very dark. Harry held out his wand and pointed it down the passageway.

"Lumos!" Harry said. His wand tip glowed. Harry couldn't see the end of the dark hall. He took a few steps forward and the secret door closed behind him cutting off any outside light. Harry didn't see a way to open it again from this side so he had no choice but to proceed forward.

Harry scooted sideways along the wall for a long time. It was a very uncomfortable way to travel. At last Harry reached a small circular room only just wider than the narrow passage. A set of doorways lead out in all directions, Harry counted six identical tunnels in total, arrange in a circle. Harry checked the map. The other passages seemed to lead to wash rooms on different floors. He wanted the second one on his left, which looked like it would take him to the fifth-floor of the girls' dorms, where Ginny was. Harry noticed that there didn't seem to be a way to get to any of the dorms, at least from here, below the fifth floor. Holding his wand out Harry moved down the new passageway which seemed to slope down as he walked.

At last Harry reached the end to find a large stone wall blocking his path. It was a dead end.

Harry looked down at the map. It showed a leaver but Harry didn't see one. He searched around for it but at last came up empty.

"There just isn't one here!" Harry said at last to the map as though it could hear and understand him. The map however did not, nor did it display any new information. If this had been a secret passage it had been removed at both ends which meant that there was no way out from here.

Harry was starting to panic now. He was in a very small crawl space and there didn't seem to be any way out. Desperate he looked at the map again. It still showed a leaver where there wasn't one.

Harry put out his hand and franticly begun to feel the wall. It was cold solid stone, even some of the very powerful attack spells he knew wouldn't be able to damage it. Then his hand touched something odd. Something protruding from the wall.

Harry ran his hand along it, it was long and smooth and felt like it was made of wood but there was nothing there. Harry wrapped his hand around it and pushed down. It felt like he was lifting some king of weight on the end.

Suddenly there was a low grinding noise and the wall blocking his path swung slowly away into the wall.

Harry stepped out quickly glad to finally be free of the treacherous passage. It was something he hopped he'd never have to do again. There was a door in front of him and Harry was just about to open it when he heard voices, female voices, talking and laughing. Harry froze. He couldn't be. Harry looked down at the map and found that he was in the last stall of the girls wash room on the fifth-floor, it mirrored the boys except it that it was turned around.

How was Harry going to make it from here to Ginny's room? Harry looked down at the map and found his answer. He saw name tags of people on the floor. For the most part rooms were empty as it was dinner after all. Two of the girls, Ella Darlin and Lois Collions were in the shower stalls nearest to the bathroom door. They seemed to be talking and laughing and didn't appear like they would be leaving anytime soon.

One girl was out in the hall, Alex Lincaster, she was heading towards the stairs that led down to the common room. Two other girls were in their rooms but they were both past Ginny's.

Harry knew he had to chance it. With the map in hand he had the advantage. He could do this. Ginny was only a short distance from the wash room, six doors away on the left side.

Cautiously Harry pulled the stall door open. There was a sign on it, hung properly with very tidy writing that read, "out of order." Harry closed the door with a click and moved slowly along the row of stalls. The girls were still talking. Harry was almost to the end when the sound of fossets being turned reached his ears and the sound of water stopped.

Harry begun to panic, seeing no place else to go he pulled open the stall next to him and darted in. The moment after he was inside he heard the lock on the stall next to his click open and the sound of a hinges squeaking. Harry held his breath as he listened.

"I can't believe our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher," One of the girls was saying in a dreamy voice. "He is sooooo cute and his smile is sooooo incredible. He almost reminds me of Professor Lockheart." Both girls let out a sigh and giggles.

'Was this all girls talked about in their free time?' Harry finally heard the door to the wash room close he checked the map. The girls were walking away from Ginny's room towards one of the rooms closer to the stairs. It was clear, now or never.

Harry opened the stall door and hurried out. He checked the map again. The girls had gone into their room. The hall was clear. Harry opened the door and looked out. He checked the map once more and darted down the hall trying to walk as lightly as possible so as not to make any noise on the wood floors.

Finally he reached Ginny's door his heart racing Harry didn't even consider knocking as he took hold of the handle. He pulled his hand back quickly. The knob was hot.

"Oh, don't bother knocking," a sarcastic female voice that seemed to be coming from the handle said. "Just barge on in and…" the voice stopped as Harry knelt down to get a better view of this talking door handle. Harry realized his mistake far too late as the door handle looked at him with wide eyes.

"BOY IN THE DORMITORY, BOY IN THE DORMITORY!" the handle shouted. The other handles began to shout it too. Harry was suddenly panicked. The whole hall was shouting. Without thinking Harry used the only escape plan he could think of.

The hallway grew larger, the wand and map merged into Harry's outstretched wings, with a burst of flame Talon teleported the short few feet into Ginny's room.

---

Ginny was crying. She had been crying all day long. 'Stupid, stupid stupid!' She thought to herself. She had done it twice. How could Harry ever forgive her? She hadn't meant to say those things they had just sort of come out.

"The look in his eyes, he hates me!" Ginny sobbed into her pillow.

"BOY IN THE DORMITORY, BOY IN THE DORMITORY!" Ginny sat up as the shouts echoed through her room. Her face was stained with tears. Suddenly there was a burst of flame and the red-gold phoenix with black tipped feathers that she had first seen down in the common room appeared on her floor.

"Harry!" She cried in surprise and delight. The phoenix looked panicked. Harry had come all the way to the girls' dorm, risking life and limb, to see her. Ginny knew that at any moment now Professor McGonagall would be swooping in to find out who had snuck into the girls dormitory.

"Quickly Harry!" Ginny said running over to him and kneeling down. "We have to get out of here." Harry gave her, what Ginny could only assume, was a nod. She held out her arm and Harry hopped up onto it, his talons grabbing firmly but not painfully. Ginny moved over to the window.

There was more shouting outside now.

"THIS ROOM, THE BOY WAS AT THIS ROOM!" The door shouted. Ginny flung the window open and Harry, still holding tight to her arm flapped his wings and pulled them out the opening as a loud knocking echoed from the door.

Ginny felt like she was flying. Even though Harry was holding her by the forearm she felt as light as feather. It wasn't awkward or painful it was perfect. She had felt this feeling many times in her dreams, but it hadn't been a phoenix carrying her then it had always been Harry, just like it had been on the day he had rescued her from the Chamber of Secrets.

They were clear of the castle now and the shouting had all but dissipated into the night. Ginny wasn't sure where they were going. The ground was dark below them. The moon, not quite full, didn't provide enough light to make out anything but the glow against the lake.

Harry began to descend down towards the ground. They landed by the edge of the lake near a large rock that had partly fallen into the water.

Ginny's feet touched the ground and Harry sat, still on her arm, light as a feather. The heartstone in her pocket was warm and the beat was fast.

Harry hopped from her arm and glided down over to the slab of rock sitting on the lake. Ginny hopped out to it following Harry.

The black water of the lake glowed softly in the light of the moon. Ginny's eyes were starting to adjust now and she could see the shimmering water stretching out for miles and the dark mountains in the distance. Harry took wing again and landed on a smaller portion of rock a few meters out. It was too small for Ginny to stand on but Harry sat perfectly upon it.

Ginny watched as the feathers began to glow with red light that fanned out into the water making it glow like a circle of fire. Then Harry began to sing.

His song moved the wind and the lake rolled gently to the shore as his enchanting rhythms filled the air. Ginny's knees felt week and she sat unable to stand and listen to the beautiful song. She cried with happiness as the Phoenix swayed back and forth in time with the melody, its glow becoming brighter and brighter. The stone in Ginny's pocket became warmer, the heartbeat faster.

Suddenly there was a burst of flame as Harry opened his wings. The fire danced in a circle for a moment as it expanded outwards floating away and vanishing like a smoke ring a moment latter. The song softened and ended.

Ginny could barely breath it was the most beautiful song she had ever heard. The phoenix gave a flap of its wings and landed before her.

The red vanished and the bird enlarged several times. Harry was on one knee in front of Ginny his head down.

"I'm sorr…" Harry started but was cut off as Ginny wrapped her arms around him and kissed him all over his face. Finally she embraced him in a tight hug, her head resting on his shoulder.

"So am I Harry," She whispered in his ear. "I know we both have a lot to learn about each other, but together I am sure we can muddle though it." She pulled back to look into his eyes, they were hidden behind the reflection of her face in his glasses.

Ginny took hold of them and pulled the glasses off Harry's face then leaned forward and kissed him gently on the mouth. She pulled back after a second searching his eyes. Harry smiled and leaned back into her for another, longer, much more passionate kiss.

---

Time seemed to rush by as Harry lay next to Ginny on the cold stone. Harry had pulled his robe off and covered himself and Ginny with it. Her body was warm next to his as they lay awake watching the stars drift through the sky.

They had spent the rest of the night holding hands and just being close to each other well pointing out silly shapes in the stars.

Harry was surprised when the stars begun to vanish into the blue sky. Finally when the sun crested the mountains behind them Harry suggested that they should head back to the castle for breakfast.

Ginny smiled and they held hands all the way back to the gates.

Authors Notes:

And thus goes chapter 12. I hope you are enjoying reading the story as much as I am writing it. More coming soon.

In answer to the question about Solaris, he is based off many different characters and not just any one specific person, as are many of the characters I create for my stories. I try and avoid modeling any character on any one person I know or characters I have encountered in other stories. It's not always the case, but I do my best.

I still see a lot of hate for HP/GW pairing that has been in the story so far, I'll probably get a lot more from this chapter, however I would like to take this time to remind my readers that I did not say that was the final pairing for this story nor did I say it wouldn't be. You just have to read on and see what happens.

I will say one thing for certain, there will not be a DM/GW pairing, ever. In fact I will assure you that Draco will never ever in any of my stories become Harry's friend.