Chapter Ten

The Crying

New day dawning, rain is falling
Newspapers blow at my feet
Someone told me, take it easy
Take all the time that you need

I make my way all through,
The crowded faces of the day…

Now it's all over,

It's all over with the crying.
Now it's all over,

I'm stone-cold sober
And I'm trying.

Now it's all over,

It's all over with the crying.
Now it's all over,

I'm stone-cold sober
And I'm trying

Who would ever take the time…?
To hear me say goodbye?

- Kristian Leontiou, The Crying

Hermione was standing at the door within two seconds, leaving Harry staring blankly at the wall. "Who is it?" he asked dumbly.

"It's me, Dannie," she said softly as she came nearer, walking behind Hermione.

"How did you know that stuff? How long were you standing there listening?" he asked rudely, not able to mask the sinking feeling of bitter depression and failure in the pit of his stomach.

"I wasn't standing there for long and come on Harry, it's not like the two of you were getting up to anything was it? I wasn't about to walk in on you betraying your best mate now was I?" Harry shook his head realising hot salty tears were sliding down his face. "And to answer your other question, I have that book, a little more well kept than that one, no blood on my one you see, and you have it too Harry."

His head shot up as fast as it could, mild whiplash setting into the back of his neck. "Ow," he grumbled, "what do you mean that I have it too?"

"It's the book set for Sixth Year Defence; I'm guessing you haven't read it yet?" she asked bluntly.

"No," he admitted, "I haven't read it, but why would Lupin set us a book that tells us all about Sirius' death for this years DADA?" he asked Hermione.

But it was Danielle who answered. "The book is about curses you mug and it has theory about how the curses came into existence. The Patronus Charm… The Veils of Life and Death are the reason that the Charm came into existence."

"You know something, you sound scarily like Hermione… apart from calling me a mug, she'd never do that," he told Danielle.

"Oh really?" asked Hermione huffily, "Well, you're actually wrong about something… you mug!" and pushing past Danielle, she stormed from the room.

"Does she do that sort of thing all the time?" asked Danielle, "Because it's the third time in two days…"

"No, she's never done that before, but then again, she's never broken up nastily from someone she loves before," Harry told Danielle.

"Alright then, are you coming back to the Common Room?" said Danielle as she turned towards the door.

"I'll be there in a little bit."

"Okay then."

"Oh and Dannie, Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts are on Saturday, Ron and I are practicing Friday night if you want to join us."

"Thanks Harry, I'd like that."

The Common Room was pretty empty when Harry returned, he guessed everyone was down at dinner but he noticed a lone figure hunched up in a chair near the fireplace and headed in the direction of Ron.

"Hey mate," said Harry, slumping down into the chair opposite his best friend.

"Hi," replied Ron unenthusiastically.

"Still pissed off about Hermione?" he asked.

"Yes… and about what Malfoy said…"

"Ron, who cares…? He was only saying it for the effect of upholding his Slytherin-in-ness… Anyway, it's Malfoy, he's scared of a bald man who can't kill a baby, since when have you ever cared about Draco Malfoy's thoughts?"

"Well, there was second-year when I tried to make him eat slugs because he called Hermione a Mudblood and then there was that time that…"

"Ron, it was a rhetorical question…"

"Oh."

They sat in silence together, staring at the fire as it danced over the logs, Harry wishing that Sirius' head would appear there and talk to him, advise him, comfort him… Ron's eyes were glistening with tears, Harry was sure he was thinking about Hermione and how she told him that she hated him, when would they learn that their love could survive anything?

At around about half past seven the portrait opened and Hermione and Danielle walked into the Common Room chatting animatedly about something girly with Ginny and some girl Harry didn't know the name of behind them. He waved at them and the girl who was talking to Ginny almost fell over. That's odd thought Harry, but he saw her blush an alarming shade of pink and understood that she must fancy him… or Ron… but then why hadn't Hermione knocked her out?

"Hi Harry," said Ginny as the four grew nearer to himself and Ron. "How are you?"

"I'm good, what about you?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm cool. Hey, this is Siobhan…" said Ginny, nodding to the girl next to her. She was very pretty now that Harry could see her close up. She had long auburn hair with a side fringe and a cute smile.

"Hi," she said timidly.

"What year are you in?" asked Harry.

"Same as you, but I only got here the year of the Triwizard tournament. I was home schooled before that," she told him in a very quiet voice.

"How comes?"

"I don't know, my mum just didn't want me going but when she found out I was in Gryffindor she was happy, I was afraid I'd be sent back home again after Cedric died but she had no further complaints… not even about Mad-Eye Moody being an impostor," she said and then sighed heavily. "Weird world isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess it is," sighed Harry.

Danielle pulled her wand out and cast a spell to bring some chairs over but almost knocked a few first years out and Ginny, Hermione, Siobhan and Danielle sat down to talk to Harry and Ron.

"So, who exactly is trying out for the Quidditch team this year?" asked Hermione.

"You know, I haven't actually got a clue, I'm obviously not going to forsake my position of Seeker so that leaves what, space for two Beaters and two Chasers, Ron's got no choice but to stay on as Keeper –"

"You seem to have a lot of confidence in me…" grumbled Ron.

"– As I was saying Ron will be staying on as Keeper. Look mate," Harry said, turning to Ron, "Think good Gryffindor 'Weasley is our King'; you can do it if you put your mind to it, and you know you can."

"Weasley is our King? Draco told me about that…" said Danielle, but she was silenced as Ron gave her a look of disgust. "What? I was just saying…"

"Well don't!" said Ginny nastily.

"Who's got your goat?" asked Danielle sarcastically.

"What?"

"It's a saying you mug," stated Danielle.

"Well," said Siobhan, coughing loudly through the argument that was surely about to commence. "So, Harry, what subjects do you like the best?" asked Siobhan blushing furiously. Harry noticed Ginny threw her a rather annoyed look.

"Oh, I like Defence Against the Dark Arts," he caught Ginny's eye. "Gin, what has got your goat?"

"Nothing that concerns you," she said rudely.

"Jeez, Harry was just asking Ginny, there's no need to bite his head off!" snapped Ron.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Hermione in her irritating fashion.

"No it doesn't happen to be obvious to anyone except you…" said Ron but Hermione cut across him.

"Well, I wouldn't have expected you to have got it… with a scull as thick as yours!"

"My scull is not thick!"

"Yes it is! You have been blind to your sister's upset all afternoon! You are an idiot Ron Weasley! She needs her brother right now and you are oblivious to her cries for help!"

"Don't you dare tell me what I should and should not do with my sister!" he yelled. "It's not your place!"

"Yes it is! Ginny's my friend…"

"And she's my sister! Just because we were going out doesn't mean you have the right to tell me how to run my life! You made sure you had nothing to do with me last night so leave me alone!"

Tears were welling up in Hermione's face and the others sitting around the now standing pair had inched away from them. "You are a pig-headed arse hole Ron, I was trying to help and you just can't stop it! You want me back yet you keep pushing me away!"

"But… but…"

"Go fuck Lavender… I'm sure she'd jump at the chance to yank your trousers down!" screeched Hermione storming off.

"Well, you're really going the right way to get her back bro… well done!"

The rest of the week seemed to go quickly to Harry and he was walking into Potions, the last lesson of the week, when he realised he was having Quidditch practice that evening.

"Well, you select few have decided to take Potions for the final two years at Hogwarts," said Snape coldly, his eyes skimmed over Harry and then, surprisingly, shot Danielle a disgusted look. "For many of you, the Potions we brew will become too complex and you may wish to drop out of the subject," again he looked at Danielle, but this time it looked like he was more hopeful, "but until that day, may I remind you, that this year, the work we do must be completed to an extremely high standard! We will be brewing potions that can change a person's physical state and could even save those from death…"

Danielle coughed loudly.

"Yes, Miss Parker?" he asked.

"Professor, I was under the impression that this year would be a difficult one. I've already brewed a Polyjuice Potion."

The colour in Snape's face drained and was replaced with a slight flush. "Then you will be able to answer my question. What must you do to your Boomslang?"

"Shred the skin."

Snape's mouth tightened. "That is correct." He turned to face Ron, "Weasley, if the Potion is brewed correctly, how long, exactly, should the potion's effect last?"

"An hour," said Ron, his gazed fixed upon the solitary window in the room.

Snape began to look livid. "What is the vital ingredient that needs to be added, just before the potion is consumed?"

"A bit of the person you're changing into, Sir!" said Harry brightly, a wide grin spread across his face.

Snape was spitting venom at the Gryffindor's, who were, slightly baffled, not to mention just a tad amused, by Snape's up-tight state. "Today, I wish for you to turn to page eighteen of your 'Advanced Potion Making' books and make a start on the Potion of Umbaro. Can anyone except Potter and his posse of annoyingly incompetent fools tell me what this potion does?"

Draco slowly raised his hand and Snape almost collapsed with relief. "Yes Draco?"

"Once it has been drunk, the person who has taken said potion can, for up to ten hours, morph into a shadow-like state and therefore, is able to hide in shadows and move through them. Those in their shadow-like state can not be seen or, if the drinker is a witch or wizard, can their magical energies be sensed. It wasn't used during the last war against the Dark Lord as it was only discovered five years ago."

But it was not Draco that answered, it was Danielle.

"Miss Parker, let me assure you that I don't particularly like students who interrupt the natural flow of my class! Ten points from Gryffindor." A smirk spread across his face. "I'd watch your step if I were you Miss Parker, rest assure I'm watching you, dogging your every move if you understand what I am saying."

"Yes Professor. I'm sorry, I just, wanted to show you that I am very keen to impress you with my Potion making. Albus told me not to cross you."

"Miss Parker, no matter how friendly you appear to be with the Headmaster of this school, let me assure you, in my class room you will only mention him as the Headmaster or Professor Dumbledore!"

"Jeez, you sound just like my dad said you would," she mumbled.

Snape's mouth twitched. "Twenty points from Gryffindor! And I think a special essay about the correct composition of the Potion of Umbaro, the side-effects it can have, and knowledge of what it does to the body. I expect a roll and a half of parchment, on my desk by Monday morning. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Sir… Crystal." She rolled her eyes and began to set up her cauldron.

"That was amazing!" stated Ron and hour and a half later, walking up the steps from the dungeons. "I mean! No one has ever pissed off Snape so badly in their first week before! Well, unless you count Harry, but I think we have to make an exception for him, seeing as Harry's dad and Snape were like mortal enemies!"

"Oh yes Weasley! I can see exactly why that would be such an achievement! If you didn't notice, she lost."

"Look, cuz, as much as I appreciate it and all, I think I had the last laugh, seeing as I concocted my potion with complete accuracy, so much that even Snape couldn't fault it!"

"Well, we're all just happy that Weasley's potion didn't kill us!"

"Yes, but at least his was the right colour! What was yours again, luminous pink? Oh yes I can really see how that potion is going to turn someone into a living shadow! You could see the glow of your potion even through Ron's smoke so, you might want to try shutting up." Draco flushed. "Ah, almost as pink as your potion," she cooed. She patted Draco's cheek and sauntered off up the rest of the stairs in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

"You know, that girl never ceases to amaze me," whispered Ron, in obvious awe.

The evening air was cool, the sky was an outstretched sea of blues, reds, oranges, yellows and pinks, and two lone Quidditch players were walking down to the Pitch, deep in discussion about their first week back at Hogwarts.

Danielle was already sitting in the changing room when Harry and Ron walked in. "Hiya!" she said cheerfully.

"Have you started Snape's essay yet?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm about half way. I think I'm going to go and have a few quick laps of the pitch before we start, I haven't flown in a while."

"Knock yourself out," said Harry casually as she clambered to her feet, picking up, as she went her broomstick. "Holy crap is that a Firebolt?" he exclaimed.

She nodded sheepishly. "Are they allowed on the Quidditch teams?"

"Hell yeah!" shouted Ron. "We are so winning the league! Now we have two Firebolt's on the team! Malfoy is not going to stand a chance!"

"Oh."

"Don't worry, Ron takes beating Malfoy more seriously than even his Quidditch which, quite frankly, is very seriously!" stated Harry, running his fingers through his hair. Ron punched his arm in a playful manner. "Ow, that hurt!" mumbled Harry, rubbing the point on his arm where Ron's fist connected with his flesh. "Don't worry I've had my Firebolt since third year so you'll definitely be allowed it!"

Ron slumped onto the bench next to Harry to tie up his boots as Danielle walked out onto the pitch. "She's cool isn't she?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, she's really nice too. Can you believe she's already started her essay for Snape? I mean, come on, if that was you or me we'd leave it until Sunday night!"

"Yeah," Ron said with a sigh. "Harry, is it wrong of me to well, not like Hermione much at the moment?"

Harry raised an eyebrow, "What you're saying you don't want to woo her back now?"

Ron grinned in a goofy way, "Who in Merlin's name says woo?"

Harry glowed red. "Shut up Weasley!" he shouted in a rather accurate impression of Draco. "So, seriously, you don't want to go out with her now?"

"Well, I still love her and all, but I don't like her… Does that make sense?"

"No."

"It's sort of that, now that we've broken up she's been a right bitch to me and I hate that. I love her, I really do, I just, don't like the way she's acting. Does it make sense now?"

"I guess. Look, just maybe cool everything off for a while but stay her friend. It'd hurt her way too much if you didn't even grant her that. I think we can safely say that you trying to woo her back failed miserably…"

"Again with the wooing!" shouted Ron, "What is with you?"

Harry laughed, "I think we should go and start practice, we're leaving Danielle all on her lonesome."

Ron shook his head. "Some of that girl's phrases are really starting to rub off on you aren't they? And I don't mean that in a rude way either!" he added as an afterthought.

"Come on." Harry picked up his Firebolt and walked towards the pitch, his comfort zone. He kicked off from the hard earth and soared into the air. Wind rushed past him, the occasional autumnal leaf licking his cheeks.

Danielle soared past him, dropping into a superb dive and pulling out of it six inches from the ground. She really is an amazing flyer, thought Harry as she soared towards one set of golden hoops, circled in and out of them and bombed towards the other side as Ron appeared beside him. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed in Harry's ear. "She's a wicked flyer isn't she?"

Harry nodded. "Danielle?" he yelled towards her. She stopped looping the goals and soared towards Harry.

"Yup?" she asked.

"You play Chaser right?"

"I do indeed. Want me to go and get the Quaffle?"

"No, no, I'll do that. You two just do a few warm up laps," said Harry. They nodded in agreement as Harry dived towards the ground slowly.

He stumbled towards the locker room where the balls were kept. She'll be a great replacement for Alicia if she can score as well as she can fly. His attempt to lift the create of balls failed and he found himself hovering it in front of him as he began to make his way to the pitch.

The two lone figures were hovering in the middle of the pitch and suddenly one seemed to slide sideways off of their broom very slowly. The small figure was falling gracefully, long hair rushing upwards away from the pull of gravity. But she was screaming. She was screaming an unearthly scream that chilled Harry to the bone.

He saw Ron drive towards her but Harry knew that he would never catch up. She was as good as dead if she hit the floor. Six feet from collision… Four feet… Two feet… She… She…