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 13 – Mind Games
Sunday was much more pleasant then the day before. Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione spent most of the sun filled day outside just sitting and talking about things. It wasn't until during dinner in the great hall that Harry found anything to remind him of the next week of classes.
"Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said from behind Harry. Harry felt shock he hadn't noticed her aproch he had been in such deep conversation with Ginny. Professor McGonagall handed Ron an envelope and then handed one to Neville, before moving off down the table. Harry looked at his friends, Ron shrugged obviously having an clue what it could be. Harry watched as McGonagall continued to hand out envelops to people along the Gryffindor table.
"Oy," Ron said disappointedly as he read the letter from the envelop.
"What's it say," Harry asked.
"Detention… starts on Monday and goes through to Wednesday, that's not too bad. Looks like McGonagall will be heading it." Ron said. Ron looked over at Harry and then at Hermione. "Why didn't either of you get detention?"
"I did," Harry said, "but I haven't gotten a time yet." Harry looked over at Hermione as did Ron.
"What," Hermione said looking at both of them. "I didn't hit anyone in the fight."
"But you were there!" Ron pressed eyeing Hermione like he knew she was hiding something.
"Yes, but I didn't fight anyone." Hermione said again.
"Mr. Potter," A cold voice interrupted, it was Snape. He was standing behind Hermione. He handed a letter over her head to Harry and then, to Harry's shock, Snape handed a letter to Hermione. With a sneer Snape turned and moved off, back to the head table.
Harry opened the envelope and pulled out the paper inside.
Your detention will begin at 6 o'clock on Monday. You will attend detention every night with Professor Snape in room 303, until Monday of next week.
Signed Professor Severus Snape
Harry let out an unpleasant sigh. Ron looked at him.
"Looks like I didn't get off after all mate," Harry said crushing the paper and stuffing it into the pocket of his robe. Harry looked back up at Hermione who was wide eyed reading her letter as well.
"Bad luck Harry, you almost made it out of that one. How bout you 'mione?" Ron asked. Hermione folded the letter quickly and put it back into the envelope.
"It's nothing," Hermione said breathlessly.
"What?" Ron asked a laugh in his voice. "'mione, you can't say its nothing. Everyone else that got letters like that has detention. You've got detention too haven't you?" Ron said leaning closer and trying to grab the letter from her.
Hermione slapped Ron's hand as he reached for it.
"Ouch," Ron cried pulling back and rubbing his hand. Hermione pushed the envelop into her pocket. "What'ca do that for!"
"I don't," Hermione said, "it's nothing." Harry was starting to feel angry now. It was obvious Hermione had gotten detention. She had gotten a letter just like everyone else. Why wouldn't she just admit it?
"But Hermione," Harry said, "you got a letter, just like me, Ron and Neville. What else could it be but detention?" Hermione seemed started when Harry had started speaking to her. She had been doing this all day long and it was starting to annoy Harry. It was almost like she had become afraid to talk to him.
"It's not," Hermione said her eyes wide and her voice pleading.
"I got it!" Ron shouted as he held up the envelope he had taken from Hermione's pocket well she'd been talking. Her eyes went wide as Ron pulled the letter out. Hermione reached across him trying to grab it.
"HA!" Ron said triumphantly as he read the letter and Hermione struggled against his back to get it. "It does say you have detention, with Snape!" Hermione stopped trying to get the letter. She balled her fist and punched Ron hard in the arm.
"Ouch!" Ron cried. Hermione's face looked like it was on the edge of tears. She stood yanked the paper from Ron's hands and stormed from the great hall.
---
Ron was still rubbing his arm as he, Harry and Ginny headed up towards the dormitories.
"I don't think you should've done that," Harry said to Ron.
"She was lying to us wasn't she?" Ron said angrily. "I mean she really does have detention, with Snape, of all people." Harry remained silent. He had detention with Snape too but he hadn't mentioned it.
"Mr. Potter a word please," came Professor McGonagall's voice from behind them. Harry stopped and turned to see her coming up the hallway towards them. Harry felt uneasy, what now, was she going to give him more detention?
"My office please, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said holding out a hand. "You're welcome to come along Mr. and Miss Weasley." McGonagall added as she eyed the two red headed children on either side of Harry.
Professor McGonagall led the way to her office and proceeded to the front of the room. Harry had an uneasy feeling. He had no idea what this could be about, why had they needed to go to her office to talk. If it was a private matter why had she invited Ron and Ginny to come along?
Professor McGonagall sat behind her desk and the three students stood in front of her.
"I have just received word from the Ministry of Magic that your ban on Quidditch has been removed Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall said. Harry was caught off guard. Of all the things he had been expecting this had not been one of them. "I am therefore happy to return your broom to you," Professor McGonagall pulled out Harry's Firebolt from behind her desk and handed it to him. "As well as to inform you that your place on the house team will be reinstated. Since you are now the senior member on the team it is also fitting that this year you lead as team caption."
Harry felt his jaw drop he couldn't believe what he was hearing!
"You will need to find some new seekers as by my count your team doesn't have any at the moment." Professor McGonagall said. "I would recommend that hold tryouts for new members next weekend." Professor McGonagall leaned forward. "And Potter, I know you can do this. So don't let me down."
Harry nodded dully and managed a 'thanks' before leaving the room.
When they were well on their way back to Gryffindor tower Ron, who had been smiling since they left Professors McGonagall's office finally burst out.
"WOW! Harry," Ron said slyly. "Welcome back to the team mate! Now we'll be unstoppable! We have a real chance of beating everyone this year. I can't believe that the Ministry of Magic really removed the ban and…" Ron continued to talk about all the great ideas he had and plays he was considering. Harry tuned him out, not because what Ron had to say wasn't important but because Ron had said something that bothered Harry.
Why had the Ministry of Magic removed the lifetime ban? Fudge was obviously not found of Harry. Maybe it hadn't been up to Fudge? That was likely but at the same time Harry felt Fudge would have tried to make it his business. That Fudge would've done anything to stop Harry from having fun. Something didn't feel right.
"So, Harry," Ron said a grin in his voice. Harry was pulled away from his thoughts. "What'da you reckon?"
"Sounds like a great plan Ron," Harry said having no idea what Ron was talking about. Ron beamed.
"Oy, Harry this year is going to be great the Slyhterins won't know what hit um! Unless it's a bludger and then most likely they won't remember!" Ron exclaimed as they reached the fat lady.
---
The walls of the cave were dark. The floor was black like a starless sky. The only thing Harry could see clearly was the illuminated door at the end. Large metal snakes curved around it. They were alive, hissing and slithering all over the door.
Harry drew his wand. Something didn't feel right. He wasn't compelled to approach the door. The air felt cold. Harry was fully aware of his surrounding. This was unlike any dream he'd ever had before. The images were too real.
There was a click and the door began to swing open. Harry readied his wand but there was nothing on the other side, at least nothing he could see. The room beyond was hidden in blackness.
"Lumos," Harry whispered in a hoarse voice. His wand tip illuminated with a bright glow. A horrible screeching reached his ears. The black floor was moving away from him like mist pushed aside by footsteps. Stone floor was appearing in a circle as the blackness backed away from the light. The screeching halted as the blackness on the floor moved out of the circle of light produced by Harry's wand.
Even though the darkness beyond the door had no shape Harry could see it undulated. He knew, somehow, that it was alive, that it was watching him.
"Hey put out that light!" Said a gruff voice from Harry's left, "can't you tell we're trying to sleep?" Harry glanced over at the wall where the voice had come from, there was a moving painting hung upon the wall and in the painting was himself and Hermione.
It was the painting from the island of Avalon. Harry's face in the painting looked worn and tired. Hermione looked afraid and in the background the third-floor corridor had changed. The walls were no longer made of carved stone. The braziers that had lit the corridor had vanished. It had become the cave that led to the Chamber of Secrets! The black shadow that stood next to the door was more pronounced, larger, more menacing and it now had bright glowing red eyes. The door to the Chamber of Secrets in the picture was still closed.
Harry looked back at the real door to the Chamber of Secrets. It was fully open and next to it was a shadowy shape, its eyes glowing red. Harry pointed his wand at the shadow. The shadow did not move away or cover its eyes and no horrible screeching came from it. The shadowy shape stood watching Harry, the glowing red eyes, unblinking. Then it took a step towards him.
Hands began to sprout from the sides of the shadow. Its body that had been just a long black column became pronounced. It had legs and feet.
A glowing red mouth split open across its newly forming head. It began to speak in words that sounded like mumbles. Harry couldn't understand any of them. Harry pointed his wand at the shadow monster.
"Lumos Maxima!" Harry shouted. The light flared brighter for a moment and the shadow monster looked away. The light dimmed back to the regular glow. The monster looked back at Harry, its eyes narrow and its mouth contorted with rage.
The shadow monster roared and the walls shook. Its fingers curled in its shaking hands as it roared again. Great black skeletal wings erupted from its back and curved outwards in the air like claws. The shadow monster took another step towards Harry.
There was no room for retreat. Behind Harry was the collapsed stone that blocked his path. The blackness on the floor crept forward as the monster advanced. Harry still had his wand outstretched and light still glowed at the end but it seemed to have no effect. Harry had no idea how to fight a shadow monster. The only thing that seemed to work against it was a light spell but he only knew the Lumos spell and a way to make it more effective for a short time.
Harry waved his wand again and shouted "Lumos Maxima". The light burned bright again and the darkness stopped for a moment. Then the light dimmed and the shadows advanced. Harry was searching his brain trying to think of anything that would help him. How did one fight off darkness?
"Risen Sol!" Harry shouted thinking back to the first menacing shadows he had encountered. A bright light erupted from Harry skin like he was made from the sun and a bubble of light created a wall against the shadows. Harry felt warm.
The shadow monster reached the edge of the bubble, the blackness was every where now, pressing down on the bubble. Harry could no longer see the walls or the door at the end of the cave. All Harry could see were the red eyes as they searched the bubble of light. A fist and smashed against the light bubble. There was a horrible screaming as the monster reeled back in pain, its shadow hand evaporating away. For an instant the walls around Harry became visible again. The monster took a step back.
This was what Harry had been waiting for. Harry took a step forward and the shadows on the floor began to evaporate a horrible screeching erupted inside Harry's head. The shadow monster began taking quick steps back to avoid the light.
Harry moved forward as quickly as he could. Each step felt like he was pushing against something very heavy and the screeching was growing louder. At last there was no more room for retreat. The monster was forced back through the doorway. Harry took hold of the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and closed the heavy metal door.
---
Hermione hadn't come to breakfast the following morning. Ron was looking a bit put out, he seemed to missing his usually enthusiasm for breakfast. Harry wasn't feeling much better himself.
The news of being able to play Quidditch again had made him happy last night but he wasn't sure about being team captain. Sure Harry had run the DA but a Quidditch team? He didn't know anything about leading a Quidditch team. He also didn't think he would have enough time to manage a team and lead the DA. Harry wished Ron had gotten the job since he seemed much more suited for it.
But that wasn't what was troubling Harry the most. The dream he'd had last night was still in his head. It hadn't faded like the dreams normally did. He could still see clearly, the door, to the Chamber of Secrets closed at the end of the hall. It didn't matter how much he tried to forget, the dream still remained prominent in his mind.
Breakfast was short and what little conversation came was very forced. Even Ginny seemed subdued from her usual cheerfulness.
When Ron and Harry reached potions they found that Hermione was already in the room. She was sitting at one of the table in the back, instead of up front where she normally sat between Ron and Harry. As they entered she avoided looking at them pretending instead to be studying some notes, Harry noticed however that they were upside-down.
Ron's mood seemed to become worse and he took his normal seat near the front, not looking back at Hermione or even over at Harry. Harry decided Hermione looked like she wanted to be alone, so he also took his normal seat as well.
Potions was a grueling lesson that had left Harry with little time to think about any of the other problems he was having. Snape had been so angry that only four people in the class had successfully managed to brew the Contridicurous Potion that he'd assigned an even more difficult and complex concoction, the-almost-but-not-quite-impossible potion, was what Harry had written it down as in his notes. By the end of the lesson only Malfoy and Hermione had managed to create the potion to any satisfactory level. Harry had come close but Snape had vanished his potion complaining that it had the incorrect odder to it. Harry was fairly sure that his potion had been odorless, just as the instructions had called for it to be.
The entire class had been assigned two parchment lengths on the correct procedure to brew the almost-but-probably-impossible-because-snape-is-a-slimy-git potion.
Harry was glad to be free of potions class but Herbology hadn't gone much better. Harry's mind kept wondering and he had managed to get stung not once but four times by the Black Throned Thistle plants they had been trimming. His right hand still had a burning sensation in it. They had been handling baby Black Throned Thistle pants, if they had been full grown Harry might be dead. Harry was thankful when at last dinner came around.
Hermione, again, hadn't sat with them during dinner. Harry spotted her further down the table eating alone. He felt an urge to move down a sit with her but Ginny took his arm and shook her head.
"She really wants to be alone right now," Ginny said. Harry had no clue how she could know this but decided she was probably right. After all it seemed like every girl knew everything about everyone else.
It was about halfway through dinner when Hermione appeared on the other side of the table. For a second Harry had thought that she might have come to sit with them but she hadn't.
"We have detention now," Hermione said to Harry. Harry looked at the clock on the wall of the great hall it was 10 minutes till 6.
"No we don't," said Ron, "detention doesn't start till 8." Hermione ignored him like she hadn't heard a word he had said.
Harry was confused. How had Hermione known that Harry had detention with Snape too. He hadn't told her. Ginny gave him a push. He was still sitting there stupidly with Hermione watching him.
"Right," Harry said getting up. Ginny caught his arm and gave him a kiss on the check before he could get away. She looked into his eyes and Harry could feel the heartstone in his pocket jump. Harry smiled back at her and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. Ron dropped his fork and his mouth hang open. He couldn't find any words.
As Harry departed he could hear Ginny hissing at Ron as he began to complain.
---
Harry and Hermione walked down the empty hallways silently. Harry didn't know if she was angry at him or not. Hermione turned and headed up one of the staircases.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked as he followed. Hermione shot him a startled look as though only just realizing that he was there.
"Well, room 303, that's on the third floor." Hermione said. Harry nodded. Now that he thought about it he couldn't ever recall going to room 303. Snape usually held his detention in the dungeons.
"'minoe," Harry asked. She looked at him uncertainly. "How did you know I had detention with Snape, because I don't remember telling anyone."
"Well," Hermione began, "I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about it and I really don't have detention." Harry was shocked, she was still denying it even after they were both walking up to detention. Harry couldn't believe it. "I'm not really sure I should say anything. Professor Snape will be able to explain."
Harry was about to start in on Hermione but he suddenly realized where they were. Harry looked around feeling uneasy.
"'minoe, this isn't the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side, is it?" Harry said, already realizing that it was. They moved down the corridor. Harry had walked this path many times in his dreams. Somehow the corridor seemed smaller now that he was actually here.
Standing at the end was Snape, leaning against a door next to the one at the end of the corridor. Harry was starting to feel uneasy. This was too familiar, to real. Harry didn't know if this was a dream or reality. He felt that any moment Snape would spot them and send them away. But that moment never came. Snape merely looked disdainfully down at them as they reached the end of the corridor. The room that Snape was standing next to was room 303 and Harry suddenly realized something was out of place.
In his dreams this corridor had only one door. The locked door at the end but now that he was here, for real, he could see that there were many doors that lined the walls.
"What are we doing here?" Harry asked. He suddenly felt panic as he realized something. How had Snape known about Harry's dreams of this place. The only other person that had any knowledge of them was, Hermione. Harry looked at her his eyes wide.
"You told Snape about my dreams?" Harry said angrily. It was all falling into place. That's why Hermione was here, because she had told Snape about Harry's dreams! Just like when she had told McGonagall about his Firebolt. How much more had she told Snape? Harry didn't seem to recognize Hermione, it was like he had never seen her before, this was something he never would have expected her to do to him.
"No, Mr. Potter," Snape hissed, "it is your own fault by not guarding your thoughts more carefully during your Occulmancy lessons." Harry wasn't sure but that didn't seem right. Harry couldn't recall having remembered this place during his Occulmancy lessons.
"We are here to help reinforce your control over your mental defenses." Snape said as he pulled his wand out as he moved towards the door at the end of the corridor. "When working with dreams it is often required to actually go to the place of weakness to help your mind make the comparison between real and imaginary." Snape pulled the door at the end of the hall open. Harry had expected to see blackness beyond it, but instead there was just a small room with a trapdoor in the floor. Fluffy was not sitting on top of it.
"Now, Potter, we will journey into your mind." Snape said lifting his wand. "And you will remember that beyond this door is just a room."
"We?" Harry asked. Harry looked over at Hermione as she pointed her wand at him too. Harry had no idea what was going on.
"Exon Legilimens!" Snape and Hermione shouted together.
The walls started to blur. The door to room 303 faded back and forth between existing and vanishing. The corridor became larger and then smaller. Harry blinked hopping to force the uncertain world from his eyes.
Both Hermione and Snape were standing at the door now. In the corner against the wall was a headless, armless version of what had once been Snape, a pool of blood gleaming around it. Harry couldn't recall what had happened, how Snape had gotten like that. The real Snape and Hermione stood at the locked door.
"There is nothing," Snape said as he pulled the door open. Harry felt a rush of fear and drew his wand. Light flared at the wands tip as the Lumos spell cast without Harry even saying a word. Harry wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, his body just reacted. Behind the door there was just an empty room. Harry kept his wand up.
"See, Harry," Hermione said trying to sound cheerful. "There isn't anything there." But even as she said it Harry could feel the room becoming cold. Slowly Harry turned around to look down the empty corridor behind him. It was coming.
The stones in the walls of the corridor began to move twisting and growing into odd shaped rocks. The empty corridor began to close itself off and a large round metal door grew from the newly formed wall. The door sprang open and blackness rushed out into the corridor.
---
Hermione watched as the tendril arms of the shadows enveloped Harry. He lashed out against the black squid-like monster but his attempts produced no results.
"Lumos Excendos!" Snape shouted. The light hit the mass of shadows that was holding Harry. A horrible screeching noise erupted in Hermione's head but the shadows did not move away, they did not release Harry. Snape lowered his wand.
Hermione had no idea what to do now. She and Snape had talked about this encounter for over a week. Talked about how to removed the 'door' from Harry's dreams so that it wouldn't be a problem anymore. Hermione had spent whatever time she hadn't used for the DA studying Legilimancy and Genesis Ex Mentis.
This should have worked. With the door into Harry's mind sealed the connection to Voldemort should have been broken. But there was now another door and it had opened all the way. Hermione didn't know how this could even be possible.
The mass of shadow writhed and undulated. Then on the front, at least the side that was facing them, great red slit like eyes opened.
"Granger," Snape said hoarsely. "Go and get the Headmaster." Snape leveled his wand at the corpulent shadow monster. "Quickly!" Snape hissed when Hermione hadn't moved.
Hermione waved her wand making the exit symbol to break the legilimancy spell but nothing happened. Snape looked at her.
"What are you waiting for! Go, now!"
"It isn't working!" Hermione said. She was starting to feel panicked now. She knew that the exit spell had been correct, why hadn't it worked?
Snape moved his wand performing the exit spell but he too remained. Snape tried again.
A roar erupted from the mass of blackness. Arms had sprouted out and black skeletal wings hung from the monsters back. Hermione gasped. On its forehead was a glowing red lighting shaped scar.
"We have to move," Snape said looking around. Finally he spotted what he was looking for behind them. He pointed his wand at a large stone in the wall and it shimmered away leaving a space just big enough to crawl though. "Go Granger."
Hermione nodded and got to her knees in front of the crawl way. She felt like she was crawling through a tunnel inside a rock slide. Gradually the walls began to change into red and white stripped fabric.
The crawl tunnel ended and Hermione found herself on the Quidditch pitch. They had crawled out from under one of the stands. Snape rose to his full height and looked around.
The sky was overcast promising rain at any point. Quidditch players flew around in circles above them and the crowed was a mass of faceless people cheering. Hermione gasped. The Quidditch players were all dressed in long black robes, they looked dementors.
"This is very serious," Snape said turning to Hermione, "we are trapped in Potters mind. There are only two ways we can get free. Someone must either break the connection from the outside or we must force Potter to expel us from his mind."
Hermione nodded, trying to recall all she had read. Not in any of the books could she recall anything about someone becoming trapped in another persons mind well using Legilimancy. Why couldn't they get out?
"How do we get Harry to force us out," Hermione asked as she watched the ghostly dance of the Quidditch players.
"We need to find a memory that is so private it will cause a reflexive action to fight against us. Occulmancy works best as a reflex, the mind is trained to fight against memories we don't want to remember. If we find a memory that Potter doesn't want us to see the connection with us should be broken."
"And what about Harry?" Hermione asked uncertainly, "what about that black monster? And the open door? I thought the connection was broken when I locked the door!" Snape thought for a moment.
"It should have been, the appearance of a second door into Potters mind isn't possible. But we don't have time to speculate. Our first priority is to get free." Snape began to walk out towards the center of the Quidditch field, Hermione followed.
In the grass at the center of the field was a handle. Snape clasped it and pulled. The sod came free making a circler door in the middle of the Quidditch field, almost like a man hole. Snape tossed the door aside and looked into the room below.
Below there was a red white stripped canvas floor and the wall was packed dirt. Sprouting out from the dirt were long wooden beams and a couple of benches. It looked very odd and for a moment Hermione wasn't sure what she was looking at then she realize that it was the interior of some kind of tent. But the whole thing had been put on its side.
Snape dropped though the hole in the Quidditch field and to Hermione's amazement his feet landed against the dirt wall so that he was walking down the wall.
"Quickly," Snape hissed. Hermione nodded and lowered a foot into the hole. It felt like a long drop below her. Closing her eyes Hermione pushed herself the rest of the way through the hole and found herself sitting on the dirt floor inside the tent.
The hole they had come through behind them looked up into the sky of the Quidditch field and the an occasional black robed player whooshed by overhead.
The tent was empty. Hermione didn't recognize this place. Harry obviously must have been in this tent at some point. A roar of cheers erupted from outside the tent. Both Hermione and Snape pointed their wands at the noise. Snape lowered his wand and looked around the tent.
Snape moved towards the exit on the far side and pulled the canvas open. There was a large field out in front of the tent. And standing at the far end was a large green dragon but instead of its head the dragon had the face of Victor Krum.
Hermione felt her eyes go wide. She still sent letter to Victor and this was the last place she had expected to see his face. Hermione realize where they were. The first task of the Tri-Wizard tournament. Snape was looking around at the audience.
"No," he said disappointedly, "this isn't what we are looking for." Snape looked at Hermione, "you are his friend, what is a memory Potter wouldn't want us to see, wouldn't want anyone to see?"
Hermione thought, she couldn't think of anything Harry wouldn't want her to see. Harry didn't talk about trams in his past and though Hermione was very adept at determining what Harry was thinking on the spot she only really knew what he had told her. She thought back through all the experiences at Hogwarts. There was the DA, but she didn't want to show Snape that. The many times they had snuck out of the dorms after hours? Well, Snape already knew they did that and Hermione didn't think those would be powerful enough memories for Harry to push them out of his mind.
"I can't think of any," Hermione said, "at least nothing that Harry would be afraid to show us." Snape's lip curled as he looked around.
"We could be lost in here forever," Snape hissed, "but of course if we stay connected much longer we won't have to worry about being lost. Our self consciousness will cease to exist and we will become just another problem in Potters mind."
Hermione felt a wave of panic. That she had read about, how could she have forgotten? One of the dangers from prolonged Legilimancy was that the ego border between the person invading and the person being invaded would break down. The two minds would become one, or more accurately the invader would be absorbed. Usually this wasn't a problem since Legilimancy rarely went beyond surface thoughts or lasted more than a few minutes, but Hermione and Snape had penetrated so deep into Harry's mind that they had become trapped and unable to leave.
"This is all fahsod, we need to get beyond these illusions." Snape said pointing his wand at the dragon. "Vex Malos," Snape shouted. Purple light crack in the air as a huge cone rushed towards the dragon. The image roared as the light hit it but a moment later the dragon dissolved into the air. Snape pointed his wand at the stands and did the same thing.
As each part began to dissolve a torn hole was left behind as though the world around was made of some type of fabric. Beyond each hole a different scene played out. One, Hermione noted, was a huge Snape looming over Harry. Another was the archway in the ministry of magic, Sirius fell through it then reappeared and fell through it again.
Snape was still blasting away creating holes into other memories. Hermione suddenly felt a sharp pain in her arm. She grabbed it. Her whole arm had become translucent.
Snape stopped blasting for a moment and looked down at his feet. Hermione noticed that one of his legs had the same ghostly translucency. Snape was breathing hard.
All of these memories were dark, but not a single one seemed to be one Harry didn't want them to see.
Hermione looked desperately around at the many memories and realize just how little she really knew about Harry. Suddenly she spotted something that didn't belong. Harry was sitting on a rock at the edge of the lake. It was a tiny memory in a small hole.
Hermione remembered Ginny telling her about the night she and Harry had spent out by the lake but Ginny hadn't elaborated on what exactly had taken place. Hermione felt hurt that Harry had taken Ginny to her thinking place but she had grown used to watching Harry from afar and what Harry did was his own business. At least that's what Hermione told herself.
Hermione's brain began to work on its own and before she really knew what she was doing she was heading towards the memory. Hermione looked through the hole that had been torn in one of the people cheering in the crowed. Hermione could see it was night on the other side and two people were on the rock that sat in the lake.
Hermione felt angry. How could Harry do this to her, why had he have taken Ginny there of all places. Hermione wasn't sure what compelled her, the need to escape from this nightmarish reality or the need to expose Harry.
Hermione reached through and pulled the fabric making the hole larger. The person continued to cheer on either side of the tare as though they hadn't just been torn in half.
Hermione stepped out onto the other side. She looked back to see if Snape had followed her but he was still blasting away.
Hermione crept along the shoreline. The rock was only a few feet away. Harry was on his side propped up on his arm looking down at the person beside him, Hermione moved closer. She was almost close enough to touch Harry when his head jerked around to look at her his eyes wide with surprise.
It wasn't Ginny laying on the rock. Hermione felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at the naked form.
"GET OUT GET OUT!" Harry shouted, Hermione took an uneasy step back and looked at Harry with a loss for words. "GET OUT!" The world around Hermione sped away leaving her in an empty darkness.
---
Hermione slowly opened her eyes. She was laying on her side against cold stone. Everything for a moment was blurry. She blinked as she pushed herself up from the stone floor.
In the middle of the hallway Harry was laying face down his arms spread out. Snape was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall, he was rubbing his eyes. Snape looked up and found Hermione.
"Get him to the hospital wing, Granger," Snape said as he pushed against the wall to get to his feet. "I need to find the Headmaster." Hermione nodded. She wasn't sure if she could stand or not but she would have to try.
Snape walked over and offered her his hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. Snape nodded and then moved off quickly down the corridor.
Hermione pointed her wand at Harry and murmured a levitation spell. Harry began to float his arms hanging limply down against the floor, he was still uncurious. Hermione flicked her wand and Harry rolled to his back and his arms crossed against his chest.
Using her wand to guide his progress Hermione moved as quickly as was possible towards the hospital wing.
Her brain was fuzzy. She was having trouble concentrating on where she was going, her feet led the way and she found herself at the hospital wing door. She didn't remember the walk there.
Without knocking she pushed the door open. Madam Pomfrey was at one of the beds treating a group of Gryffindor first-years. She turned to see who had come in, he eyes went wide and she rushed over to Harry.
"This way," Madam Pomfrey said as she motioned to one of the empty beds. She hovered over Harry her wand out, her face looked pale, "on this bed please." Hermione set Harry down on the bed Madam Pomfrey had indicated. When Hermione let the levitation spell drop she felt drained. Hermione slumped down into one of the chairs.
The hospital wing doors opened again and Dumbledore, along with Snape, entered. They hurried over to the bed.
Dumbledore looked at the first-year students across the way, they were whispering to each other.
"Poppy are their injuries very serious?" Dumbledore asked politely. His voice was calm and his face, though strained, did not have any hint of panic upon it.
"No," Madam Pomfrey said, "one of them thought it would be funny to make a pastry explode during dinner." Pomfrey hurried over to them and moved them out of the hospital ward with only some minor protests.
Dumbledore didn't say anything to Hermione as he pulled his own wand out and moved it over Harry. The tip glowed blue and then green and then red.
"It would seem what we have feared the most has come true," Dumbledore said his wand vanishing into his robes. "Severus, I will need the Ethereal Shield from my office. We should also get Professors McGonagall and Solaris to assist us." Snape pursed his lip.
"Headmaster," Snape said cautiously. "Perhaps it would be wiser to use the Ethereal Connector instead. The shield will only protect him from…" Dumbledore held up a hand.
"From what you have told me it would be far too dangers for us to attempt to enter Harry's mind again." Dumbledore said. "Harry must fight this battle on his own, we will assist him all we can from here." Dumbledore's tone had a finality to it. He turned to Hermione. "It would be best for you to return to your dormitory and not to mention this to any of your fellow students."
"But I can help!" Hermione cried, the tiredness faded and she felt a rush of energy.
"There is nothing more you can do for him tonight," Dumbledore said calmly. Hermione was about to protest again but Snape spoke.
"The headmaster is correct Miss Granger," Snape said, there was something in Snapes eye that Hermione had never seen before, she wasn't sure what it was. "Come now and let the Headmaster work. Snape led Hermione out the hospital wing door
As closed it behind them Snape pulled something from his pocket.
"I agree with you Miss Granger," Snape said coldly as though admitting this was something he despised. Hermione was in shock. "And I must follow the headmasters orders," Snape looked around as he opened his hand, in it was a small white square on a silver chain. Carved in the square was a large circle that had three triangles forming one large triangle in its center.
"Do you know what this is," Snape said holding the pendant out to her. Hermione nodded. She had never seen a real one just pictures in books because this item was illegal to even own. "Use it then Miss Granger, my hands are tied but your mind is still free." Snape turned and hurried off as Hermione looked down at the charm in her hands.
She had never seen this side of Snape before. But she didn't have time to figure out where this change had come from. She would have to move quickly if she was going to save Harry.
Authors Notes:
I feel at this time it should be mentioned that you have completed chapter 13 of Harry Potter and the Shadow of Evil! Congratulations! Give yourself a pat on the back!
I would like to do the same, but I can't reach my back because I am typing!
Questions still at a minimum, I dono if that's a good or a bad thing. So my brain is going to create the image of good.
I really don't have anything else to add to these AN's so I guess I will let you get back to what ever it was you were doing.
Chapter 14 is coming soon so keep watching, keep reviewing and for the love of Innoruuk keep reading!