HARRY POTTER and the DARKEST NIGHT

Chapter 20 - Lethe's Office

By: Zero Star (zrostar)

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Lunch was past, they were full and the weariness of the night before was taking it's full effect. Hermoine and Ron sat with Harry on the stairs a few feet away from MacGonagol's office. Harry wanted a moment to gather his thoughts before he was to explain that he wad drownding in a perfectly dry bed last night. He wasn't sure how the words would sound outloud. Um.. professor, I was sleep and had an awful dream, then I spewed up nasty lake water? Or ... Prof. MacGonagol, I had this nasty dream about black stuff and it got me and then I puked some up.

"Nothing sounds right!" Harry shouted grumpily. "What am I supposed to say... what could she really do for me anyway..."

Hermione frowned and placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Harry. I can tell her for you. You don't have to say a word." She looked at Ron for support and kicked at him when he didn't reply. "We'll explain everything for you."

Ron whined at her sudden attack. "Er! Yeah, I mean it's not like she's going to be mad we are trying to save you. Thank goodness you aren't a Slytherin, right?" He chuckled dryly without humor. Quieting himself when the other two leared at him in disaproval.

Harry sighed heavily. "MacGonagol will send me to the hospital wing for sure. I'd bet I'll miss all kinds of practice, get behind on my homework, and probably supervised for the rest of the year! I mean it's just... If only there were someone less intimidating to talk to about it, someone who would be really forward about curses and stuff... who could give me my own advice. Someone to help me help myself..."

As Harry finished speaking a loud crash vibrated a door just a few yards down the hallway. It was followed by a kind of roaring sound, followed by a violent hissing and a masculin shout of triumph. A muffled "HAHA, Got you again!" was a familiar voice.

The three exchanged glances, and no need to ask each other, and dashed in unison for the door. Pausing outside, Harry noticed a very faint rendition of the Gryfindor lion faded, almost into obscurity, had been painted across the door handle. They began to pound and knock.

"Are you alright! We heard a crash!" Hermione knocking loudly.

"Shout if you're ok! We hear a noise!" Ron tugged at the door handle.

"Is it safe for us to come in?" Harry standing back a ways, trying to discourag his friends.

There was a brief silence, the only sounds were students in the hallways going about their sunday business. Then a quiet 'snick' as the large lock unlatched itself from inside. The door swung open into darkness.

"Helloooo?" Hermione slowly asked peaking her head inside the dark room. "It's pitched black in there!"

Ron frowned an instantly pulled her back, "What are you doing!"

"No no, it's alright, you three may enter. But shut the door behind you!" The gruff familliar voice encouraged them in.

They slowly made their way into the darkness, hessitant and unsure. Ron shook his head, "this had 'bad idea' written all over it."

As the three of them just cleared the door, it slammed shut, hard and loud causing the three to jump in surprise. It really was pitched black. There was nothing to see and everything to hear. The ticking of several loud clocks, hard clacking footsteps on the hard stone floor, their hearts beating paniced in their chests. And finally, a quiet friendly chuckle.

"It's alright. I won't hurt you." Professor Lethe's voice echoed. A snapping sound and a single strangely luminescent candle burst to life behind his desk. It illuminated the entire room. He grinned approvingly, sitting in a chair that seemed so much larger than he was. "Welcome, young Gryffindors, to my office."

Ron and Hermione stopped hugging each other for dear life and Harry sheathed his wand as thier eyes ajusted to the surroundings.

Lethe's desk was small and tidy, vastly different than the shelves which lined the walls. The shelves were cramped and filled messily with everything from books, boxes, charms, jewels, scrolls, animal skins, animal feet, hornsof various kinds, folded paper ornements, tea cups, daggers, photographs, model ships, smoking pipes, paint and brushes, quills, scraps of paper, and many more completely indescribible items. On the walls were old paintings so covered in dust and soil they were completely unseen. The floor was also dusty hard stone mostly overed by a formerly lovely oriental rug, it's dominating colors where purple and red. Four chairs sat before his modest desk, and he guestured for them to sit. They looked around, wide eyed and marvelled before taking the offered seats.

"So, dear students," he smiled kindly. "What brings you into my office?"

They sat quietly for a few moments, Ron and Harry exchanged glances before Hermione broke in.

"Well... we were on our way to MacGonagol's office when we heard the sounds of a fight coming from behind this door." She looked at him with surprise. How could he not have understood the racket he was making.

He sat with a cocked eye brow for a moment. "Oh... that." He chuckled. "Nothing to worry about." He smiled again. Despite his smile, somewhere behind him looked like something large and powerful had broken a hole into the stone wall of his office. A few of the bricks were broken and shattered hanging by a thread, there was nothing but darkness behind them.

The trio gaped at him.

"Nothing to worry about." Ron breathed hoarsely. "Right... suppose you're gonna tell us Harry isn't supposed to worry about all his nightmares either!"

"Ron!" Harry jabbed him in the ribs. "Shut up."

"What!" Lethe quickly snapped at him. "What was that Mr. Potter! What kind of nightmares?"

Harry paused and blushed. It was always hard to entrust a teacher with his problems, even if he really had to. Lethe must have sensed his hessitation and instanty snapped at the other two to leave. Harry would be returned to them safely when he was finished speaking to him alone!

Harry didn't feel any better alone. Lethe he didn't know well enough to trust, yes he was interesting. At least he might get some advice. This was the first time he was able to really have a good look at this new professor. Yes, he was short, a bit shorter than Harry had originally guessed. But also, pale. Very pale. It may have been the bright royal red in the man's robes... but he seemed a little hollow eyed as well. It didn't encourage Harry at all.

"Harry, a friend says you were seen walking the halls at night." Lethe began in a soft voice, devoid of it's previous gruffness. "That's dangerous you know... all kinds of crazy things get around this school."

Harry didn't recall being caught or seen by anyone or anything. Except for Cherti, but he had said he wouldn't tell.

"I'm not asking you to admit to it." Lethe sighed. "I'm just giving you a piece of my mind."

Again Harry sat in silence looking around the office, unsure of what to say. "Yes, sir." Was all he mustered up. At a second glance, Harry seemed to noticed there were no windows and for early afternoon it was very very dark in his office. Almost as black as a cave. It reminded him of the blackness of his dreams and gave him a nasty shiver of recall.

"You look tired Harry." Lethe tried again, in the same kind voice. "You wouldn't be the only one having trouble sleeping."

"So I've heard..." Harry mummbled before he realized what he was admitting to.

Lethe only cocked an eyebrow, he wasn't going to pin him on it. "Dumbledor had his suspicions that you might have trouble when school started." He paused a long silent moment to observe the boy. "Is it getting to you? The lack of sleep?"

"Yeah... well... it's more the dreams than it is missing the sleep..." Harry's voice was small and he stared intently at his shoe laces.

"May I ask you what kinds of dreams these are, Harry?"

The boy paused. "Dark." He rubbed his forehead which held a dull ache. "Cold."

The professor raised his eyebrows and inched slightly closer to him. When he spoke his voice was very soft and comforting. "Harry... do you know where you are in these dreams...?"

"No, sir." Harry rubbed his forehead again, his ache was growing slightly stronger.

"Harry." Again Lethe inched slightly closer, his eyes burned with interest. "Is anyone with you, in these dreams?"

"Sometimes..." Harry rubbed his head again, he could feel the pressure building. "Sometimes I think I can see something. Sometimes I think it's a person, sometimes it's just like a faint object." When he finished speaking a full pounding had grown in his forehead just under his scar. It was painful.

Lethe had stood and was looming over Harry, visibly resisting the urge to reach for him. "What does it look like?" His voice was still light and sympathetic.

Harry looked up at him, his vision clouded from the stabbing in his skull. It was nearly audable, like a hard knocking sound.

"Professor!" The knocking came again. "Professor Lethe, can I speak to you about our last assignment!"

The voice was of a younger student, muffled as she shouted through the wood of the heavy wooden door.

Instantly some tension that filled the room was broken. Lethe sighed and slumped back in his oversized chair on the opposite side of the desk. "Yes, my dear, one moment." He shouted back, the irritable gruffness returning to his voice. "Harry, Madam Pomphrey is offering sleeping aid to anyone who asks for it. And you may wish to keep track of these dreams of yours. I have a gut feeling, they may be telling you something. If they should give you any more troubles. Please, please, please don't hessitate to speak to me about it. Now off with you!"

As the pounding in his skull slowly began to subside, he looked worriedly to the professor. "Sir... you won't tell anyone, will you?"

"I shan't breath a word of it to any living soul." Lethe grinned and waved him away.

Holy crap! I'm so sorry I had a life for a few years. I'm sad I haven't written anything since this god awful job of mine kicked in. I'm not joking I'm really trying to come back this time! I have new hours and stuff. SO it will help.

About the "re-write" I was supposed to do. After not reading this story for a long time and sitting down to read it again. I really remember why I was going to re-write in the first place. The last 4 or 5 chapters sound really rushed to me and I found a bunch of typos, even a couple of FLUBS! But I'm not going to worry about that for a while now, or unless I suddenly get fired. THEN, I'll be all over it! ;)

I miss you guys and I miss my writing, but my story is SO much clearer in my head now! So... yeah.

Anyone just picking this put for the first time... I started this story back in like 2002 way before the last couple potter books came out, so I know I've missed a few things here and there. But I'm not really worried about it. I tried to rewrite it in 2004 and then my job overtook my life. I sold my soul to a corperation...

Thanks!
-Zero

written: 08-01-06