I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter Twenty — Exams

Time flew by. Pranks were played. And Hermione Granger still hated Harry Potter. Life went on normally, well as normal as it could in a magic school. But everyone, on the most part, was happy. They one thing that hampered everyone's (except Hermione's) happiness was the fact that exams were only a few days away and they all had to stay inside.

Harry, Ron, Seamus, and Dean all understood they material and didn't have to practice that much. Neville, on the other hand, was having trouble in everything but Herbology. But, being the good friends that they were, agreed to stay in and help him.

Harry was feeling a growing sense of dread as the exams approached. He didn't know what it was. But something just didn't feel right. It was enough to make him feel ill. It didn't help him much with his scar constantly burning. He didn't tell anyone because he didn't want to worry any one.

The situation with Snape was now at a standstill. Snape found that he couldn't do anything to Harry Potter or the rest of the Gryffindors. Dumbledore had a spell on him that caused him to not be able to see the name on each essay until after each paper was corrected. This was the only solution that he could come up with. But that didn't stop Snape from sneering at the Gryffindors when ever he passed one.

On Wednesday, they had their Defense, Herbology, and Potions exams. Neville was sure he should panic about the schedule or rejoice that he had his worst subject after his best. They told him not to worry that if he concentrated he would do fine in Potions.

The Defense exam was mundane and easy. All they had to do was match up the Dark Creature to its characteristics. Seamus how ever seemed to be fuming over the test. Harry watched some of his classmates before he went back to his test. He knew he, and everyone else for that matter, got a perfect score.

The feeling was worse than ever in that class however. He managed to block out the pain but the dread just kept increasing as the hour passed. When the bell rang, everyone grabbed their bags. Harry, being the closet to Quirrell, Heard him cast a spell on all the bags.

"Portus!" the teacher whispered.

A moment later, the entire class felt a pull behind their navels'. Harry finally knew why he was feeling dread. His professor was evil.

When they landed, they were in the deep in a forest. They had no idea whether it was the Forbidden Forest or one that was much further away. Harry quickly took out his wand and began casting spells that he learned while he was at Uncle Remmy's house.

"Okay everyone, the good news is that we are still within Hogwarts' wards. The bad news is that we are over twenty miles away from school. We have to go northeast to go to Hagrid's cabin. I suggest that we stick together and pool our knowledge." Harry immediately assumed that he was in charge.

"What makes you so sure that's what we should do, Potter? We should gather supplies. First then decide what to do from there." Hermione was angry that Harry tried to take control.

"How are we to know what we need if we don't plan?" Harry shot back.

She knew that Harry was right so she just shut up so she wouldn't make a prat of herself. She sat down and the others followed her.

"What we need most of all is heat and a way to carry it. I'm pretty good at transfiguration so I think that we could find some rocks and turn them into glass jars. We also need food. Neville is the best at Herbology so He should take a few others and look for edible plants..."

Professors Sprout and Snape were on there way to the Headmaster's office. The First Year Gryffindors hadn't shown up for their exams. Sprout was worried while Snape was furious. They reached the stone gargoyle at the same time.

"Albus, something isn't right here." Sprout spoke up.

"What isn't right is the fact that those Gryffindor brats think they are too good to sit an exam." Snape sneered. His arms were folded over his chest in a foreboding manner.

"What are you talking about?" The headmaster was confused.

"The children are missing. I can't find them at all." The Herbology teacher was in near tears.

"Severus, inform the other professors that the students are missing. Pomona, come with me to the teachers' lounge. They can't have left the grounds. I'm the only one who can create Portkeys to locations off campus." Dumbledore instructed them.

Twenty minutes later almost everyone was in the teachers' lounge. The only one who was missing was Quirrell.

"Headmaster, I couldn't find Quirinus. He seemed to have disappeared with those Gryffindors. I bastard has fled. He was the last one with the students." Snape reported before he was even asked.

The meeting continued. Since McGonagall was in shock and in no condition to help with the search was told to contact the parents and give the Muggle parents a way to the school. And she had to tell the Weasley siblings what happened to their little brother.

A small rat ran down the familiar tunnel. He met with Quirrell there several times that year. He didn't know what the young teacher was planning but he wanted to be part of it. When he got the spot, he transformed. It was Peter Pettigrew.

"What's going on? I listened in on a meeting and they were saying that the First Year Gryffindors were gone. What did you do to them?" Pettigrew asked Quirrell.

"It was a spell that went wrong. I only wanted to get rid of Potter but my spell affected all of their bags." Quirrell knew that he was in huge trouble. "If they all don't die, well I don't know what will happen. Master isn't happy with my mistake."

Hermione was furious. Harry told them that they had to get rid of unnecessary belongings. Unfortunately, for her, that meant most of her books. Sure, she knew them by heart but they were hers. Now, her bag was filled with berries. They looked a bit odd but she was assured by Neville that they were edible.

She kept looking at Harry. He did seem to know what he was doing. Maybe she was a bit hard on him. He really didn't do anything that was too harmful. When they got back to school, she promised herself that everything would be resolved between the two of them.

A slash and screams from Lavender and Parvati interrupted her thoughts. She turned to noise and saw that Dean Thomas fell into a pond. She was about to go in after him but Harry held her back. She fought Harry to get to him.

"Granger, we don't know what's in that water. We have to magic him out. Ron use your levitation charm on him." Harry held Hermione until he was sure Dean (who was unconscious) was safe. He may have been small but he was very strong.

"No one is to touch him. Seamus, try to determine what was in that water. Ron, strip him without touching him. The rest of us will try to find a clearing to settle for the night. After that, we can determine who will keep watch," Harry ordered.

They found a clearing nearby and moved Dean. Seamus continued his research of the water. He wasn't getting good results. In fact, the results were terrible. He really didn't want to tell the others about that 'water'. But he really had no choice. They would find out in a few hours anyways. He called everyone from what they were doing.

"Guys, if we don't get Dean back to the castle soon," his voice broke. "Dean isn't going to make it. That so-called water was a poison. If he doesn't get treated soon he will die. There's nothing out here that can save him." Tears were going down his cheeks. Dean was his best friend; the only one who knew all of his secrets. He didn't want to lose him; he couldn't lose him.

The three girls were also crying. Hermione may not have liked Dean much but she didn't want him to die. Harry pulled her into a hug as she cried. She smiled at the comfort Harry gave her despite the situation.

"How long does he have?" asked Neville who had Lavender in his arms. He looked extremely uncomfortable to have the weeping girl there.

"Sunrise. Even if we walk all night, we won't make it on time. All we can do is make sure that he's as comfortable as we can get him. That means we have to give him our cloaks and robes." He was barely able to talk because he was crying so hard by that point.

It was agreed upon that two people would stay up at a time. Harry put an engorgement charm on his Invisibility Cloak that once belonged to his father. He got it for Christmas. He found some sticks and made a makeshift tent out of it.

Hermione, in the mean time, dumped all of the fires she made into one spot. Seamus had caught a rabbit earlier and used a skinning charm on it. They cooked over Hermione's fire. Soon after, everyone but Harry and Hermione where trying to get some sleep.

"Harry, I want to say that I'm sorry for the way I behaved this year. I was horrible to you. You didn't deserve that. I hope you can accept my apology." She was crying again.

"You don't have to apologize, Hermione. You just didn't like what I did to the Slytherins. I don't blame you in the least. I shouldn't have given them those boils. It was cruel of me to do that. But I still stand by the fact that there was no lasting harm done to them." Harry pulled her closer and she made herself comfortable against Harry.

Hours later dawn was approaching, Dean was fading fast. The other kids were sitting around him as to comfort him. The three girls were quietly crying. Dean began to choke and suddenly he stopped breathing. The sun's first light was shinning over the distant mountains.

Harry shrunk his Cloak and cast Mobilicorpus on Dean's body and placed a cloak over him. There was no way he going to leave him behind. When he looked at he's friends, he saw that none of them had a dry face. They all cared for Dean. Some cared more than others did but he was one of them and now he was gone.

It was near noon before they exited the forest. They were feet from Hagrid's small hut. Hermione took Harry's hand and headed towards the castle.

It was strange to see that the halls were empty. They ran into no one as they made their way to Dumbledore's office in silence. In fact, other that a few spells, no one said a word since Dean died.

Harry said the password to Dumbledore's office. It felt wrong to talk but he had no choice.

Several teachers were in the office with Dumbledore. McGonagall went weak and fell into a chair. The others stopped what they were doing. No one said a word as they took in they sight of seven dirty and worn children and an eighth that was floating in front of them.

McGonagall spoke in a whisper that was barely heard. "What happened?"

Harry told them everything. He couldn't burden the others to tell their tale. He had to stop a few times. He cried through the whole telling he didn't even notice that most of the professors were crying.

"I think Quirrell was only after me. He was going to frame Professor Snape but it didn't work out like that. He's was getting help but I don't know who it was. Whoever it was, made my scar hurt. He wants me dead." Harry couldn't talk any more. He was in too much pain.

"Your parents are on their way. If any of want to, you may go home. I'll make the announcement that most of you are going to fine; at least physically." Dumbledore looked at each and every one of them. "You all proved that one day you all will make fine wizards and witches. The Sorting Hat made no mistakes when it placed you all in Gryffindor. Dean will be missed but I know that he would want you to live your lives to the fullest."

It was only half an hour later when Remus showed up in Dumbledore's office. Harry flung himself into Remus' arms and refused to let go. Remus picked him up and carried him to Gryffindor Tower. Dumbledore told everyone what happened and no one badgered him about what happened.

The dorm was empty except for a rat that was on Ron's pillow. Remus saw it and instantly recognized him. He scooped up the rat and stunned him before packing up Harry's belongings. He couldn't believe he saw that particular rat but he would recognize him anywhere.

Sirius was innocent.

A/N All that's left is the epilogue. I know I told some reviewers I would do all seven years but I'll sum that up next.