A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or the song used in this Chapter, Defying Gravity from Wicked!
Chapter 21
It Starts Making Sense
The weirdest things happened to me when the weather started to clear and the snow started to melt.
For one, Draco and I didn't even do anything for Valentine's day. In fact, he was nowhere to be found that day at all!
Second, my visions had been coming terrifyingly more frequent, but I wasn't able to see anything. It was as if I was blacked out and hearing voices. Among which was Draco's, sobbing my name, saying he had to kill someone or "he's going to kill her."
Her. I knew he was talking about me. But the problem was I didn't know what I was in danger of. I didn't even know what Draco had to do! I wish I knew besides that stupid "Harmonia Nectere Passus" crap that was replaying in my head over and over again.
"I just don't know anymore, guys." I said to Hermione and Ivy one warmer Friday morning as Hermione and Ron and Ivy started reviewing for their Apparition tests that afternoon. "I can hear things, but I can't see what goes on in these visions."
Ivy looked grave as Ron and Harry were having their own conversations "Maybe you should talk to Trelawney."
Hermione shook her head "No way, Icy! Trelawney's a fake!"
I looked to Hermione and shook my head "No, she's not, Watson." I said. "She was the one who made the prediction of Harry and Voldemort, and she also made the prophecy about me and Draco. And the prediction of Wormtail. She may know what she's talking about, even if she's a little…airy." I said, making a face.
Suddenly before Hermione could say a word, Ron ducked behind me as a girl approached.
"It isn't Lavender!" Hermione, Ivy and I shouted together.
"Thanks." Ron said.
"Get off me, Weasley!" I snapped, rolling him off me as Heather Riness walked up and handed Harry a scroll of parchment.
"Harry Potter, I was told to give you this." she said, turning to me and smiling "Oh, hey, Han. When's the next DA meeting?"
I thought about it. "Next Friday night. Tell the Gryffindors." I said, smiling.
"Great, thanks, Hannah. See you around." Heather said, walking away as Harry opened the parchment.
"Dumbledore said we weren't having anymore lessons until I got the memory!" Harry groaned. (Apparently, he was trying to get a memory from Slughorn.)
"Maybe he wants to know how you're doing?" Ron suggested as Harry read the scroll and huffed.
"Not even, take a look at this." Harry said, handing Ron the parchment, Hermione looking over Ron's shoulder.
"You really should see Trelawney about those…" Ivy started, lowering her voice "V-I-S-I-O-N-S of yours. They could really mean something."
I nodded "I'll get right on that." I said honestly. I was honestly certain that the Seer could help me. I stood up and dusted myself off. "I'm going to go talk to Trelawney. I'll be right back." I said, heading back into the castle and up to the Divination room.
…
When I went up the trapdoor to Divination, I saw that the door was closed.
I knocked on the door that lead into the classroom itself. "Professor, it's Hannah Potter. Could I have a word with you?" I said.
The door opened and Sybill Trelawney stood into the threshold, smiling at me.
"Ah, Ms Potter. I knew you were going to come." she said, still smiling as she opened the door for me "Come in, come in, would you care for some tea?"
"Please." I said, walking into the classroom and sitting across from Trelawney's dining table as she poured some tea out for me and handed me a cookie. "Thank you, Professor." I said, taking a sip of tea.
"You're quite welcome, Ms Potter. Now," Trelawney said, sitting across from me and sipping her own tea "what is it that you wished to speak to me about?"
I took a deep breath and told Trelawney about the visions and the constant chorus of "Harmonia Nectere Passus" in my mind, the visions about my death and the sudden loss of sight in them. When I was done, Trelawney was shocked for a moment, but then she smiled.
"So, seeing as you are a Seer, I was wondering if you could tell me what the visions mean, Professor." I finished, sipping my tea some more.
Trelawney beamed, and took my hands in hers. "My dear, you are a natural." she said.
I creased my eyebrows in confusion "What do you mean, Professor Trelawney?" I asked.
"You, Hannah, are a natural Seer." she said proudly "I've never in my years at this school have I been given a natural skilled Seer."
I swallowed "Professor, what about these visions? They're all about me dying or being hurt in some way. And lately, I haven't seen anything but have been hearing things, like I was knocked out in the vision."
Trelawney turned serious "Hannah, my dear girl, this is a sign. You are in grave danger."
I gulped "Grave danger?" I squeaked.
Trelawney nodded gravely "Yes. You say you've seen Death Eaters in your visions?" she asked.
I nodded "Bellatrix Lestrange mostly, but I have seen…" I stopped. Despite the fact that Scarlett Zimmerman was a Death Eater, I didn't want to rat her out. "others. I didn't know them, but I've seen the Dark Mark on all of their arms."
Trelawney nodded and wrote down 'Bellatrix Lestrange and others' on a sheet of parchment. "Any more details? Weather, perhaps?"
I nodded "The one vision I had, I was outside, and it was relatively warm."
Trelawney nodded again and wrote down 'Late spring/Early summer' on the parchment and looked back up at me. "Anything else?"
I nodded "I saw a rough faced man with a scar on his cheek and he had ripped my throat out. His hair was all matted with dirt and blood." I explained.
Trelawney gasped and scribbled down 'Werewolves' "Anyone else?"
I nodded "Draco Malfoy. I saw and heard him sobbing my name as I died."
Trelawney nodded and handed me a tarot card "The knave of spades." she said dramatically "A dark young man, possibly troubled, one who dislikes the questioner." she explained before handing me the tarot deck from which the card came from "Take them. I want you to look through them and see if any of them spark a vision. If you have one, feel free to come to me with it."
I took the cards and pocketed them "I'll keep it in mind." I said.
Trelawney nodded and grasped my hand again "Be careful, Ms Potter." she said. "Use your element control power should it be necessary. And use your talent. Treat it as a gift and not a curse."
I nodded, standing up "Thank you, Professor. I will." I said. "I'd better be going. My brother will be wondering where I am. Thank you for listening." I said.
"Anytime, Ms Potter." Trelawney said, smiling at me as I walked out. "Oh, and Ms Potter?"
I turned around "Yes, Professor?" I asked.
"My door is always open when you need to talk. Or just to chat." Trelawney said, smiling.
I grinned. "Thanks, Professor." I said, sliding down the ladder.
Suddenly, I realized that was the most sense that Sybill Trelawney had ever made since I had her for a teacher.
The visions were a sign that I was in danger (no shit, me!). I was destined to meet my maker in late spring or early summer, and something to do with werewolves and Draco.
But the problem was, I didn't know exactly when I was going to be in danger from Bellatrix and company.
On the upside, I got the gist of why I was having the visions. Down side, I was probably going to die.
Nah, I won't die! I told myself. I'm pretty good with magic. Not that I'd shoot my mouth off about it.
I walked back into the common room and sat down. Suddenly, I had the urge to use my Twin Telepathy.
Hey, Harry. I thought. What did that note you get say?
Oh, hey, Han. Harry thought back. The note said that a close pet of Hagrid's died. You know that giant spider I told you about second year? The one Hagrid said was so sick when we went to visit him last?
Yeah. Aragog, wasn't it? I thought.
The very same. Apparently, he died last night and Hagrid wants me, Ron, Hermione and Ivy to go to the burial at dusk tonight.
Is he mental? I thought. We can't get anywhere! The security is like, tripled! Aurors, Dark Detectors, you name it!
No, no, listen to me! Harry thought to me. I'm not going down. I have to get a memory from Slughorn for Dumbledore. I didn't get to him lately, but I'll get him in Potions after free period. There won't be a lot of people there, with the Apparation tests going on in Hogsmeade.
I sighed in relief. Good. I thought to him, smiling. Glad you're using your head, bro. I added, checking my watch. I have to get my book bag and stuff. I'll see you in Potions.
Yeah, sis, see you in Potions. Harry thought before I broke the connection and went up to my dorm to get my book bag with my Half Blood Prince Potions book (which I also learned had some spells in it! Talk about sweet!) and walking down to the common room and back up to the boys' dorms and pounding on the wall.
"Draco! Come on, we've got Potions!" I shouted.
"Be right out, Oreo." Draco called back out.
I rolled my eyes and took out the tarot deck Professor Trelawney gave me. I shuffled through them. When I stopped, I picked the top ones up.
"Two of spades." I muttered to myself. No vision, but the back of my mind whispered conflict.
I shook my head and put the card in my back pocket, drawing another card "Seven of spades." I muttered, staring at the card. There was no vision, but my eyes flashed a nasty green. The same green colour as the light in the Killing Curse. So that didn't sound like a happy thought. "Bad omen." I muttered, tucking that card into my pocket and drawing another one.
"Ten of spades." I whispered, hearing shouts of effort and pain and seeing a flash of a battle in the main corridor. "Fighting." I said, drawing one last card as I pocketed the other one.
The knave of spades.
A dark young man, possibly troubled Trelawney's voice said in my mind. One who -
"Dislikes the questioner." I whispered, shocked as I sunk into a vision.
…
A familiar flash of blond hair whizzed past me and into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, fiddling with his tie nervously as he walked into it and grasped a sink, bowing his head.
I looked over to him and saw that he was shaking. Shaking and gasping for breath, letting them out in sobs.
He was crying.
Myrtle floated over to him and touched his shoulder "Don't." she cooed "Tell me what's wrong. I can help you."
"No one can help me." Draco's voice sobbed "I have to do it. He's making me. And it won't work. And he says if I can't do it…he says he'll kill her."
I gaped as I heard Harry's voice shout "I know what you did, Malfoy! You hexed her, didn't you?"
…
I shook my head and tucked the knave into my Potions' book just as Draco was coming out.
"What were you doing, Spitfire?" Draco asked.
"Nothing." I lied, trying to sound normal. "Just reading my potions book."
Draco rolled his eyes and smirked "Smart ass." he muttered "Well, come on, we have Potions."
I giggled and gave Draco my best cutesy face. "Carry me?" I asked.
Draco sighed. "How can I say no to that face?" he asked, crouching down. "Hop up." he said, rolling his eyes as I jumped on his back.
I beamed and hung on tightly "To the Potions' classroom!" I said, kicking Draco lightly in the side.
Draco shook his head "The things I do for beautiful women." he muttered.
I giggled "Good boy." I muttered.
…
In Potions, there was only five people in class. Me, Harry, Ernie MacMillan and Draco.
"Since there is so few of us, why not brew something amusing?" Slughorn suggested, beaming at me.
I rubbed my hands together at the same time as Ernie "I've got a plan brewin' already!" I said aloud, when Draco opened his mouth.
"What do you mean by amusing?" Draco asked, sounding a little bitter.
"Surprise me." Slughorn said, waving a hand to set us to work.
I beamed and flipped open my Potions book, turning it to the potion called the Singer's Brew, a very heavily modified recipe that would empower any singer's voice and make them sound ten times as better.
Draco was making a Hiccoughing Solution and I turned to Harry, who was making a potion to cause euphoria in the drinker.
I grinned and set to work. This Brew was going to be amazing.
…
When Slughorn told us to stop brewing, he came to the Slytherin table (i.e. mine and Draco's) first. He called Draco's Solution merely "Passable" but he stopped when he came to my midnight blue Singer's Brew.
"Ah, I should have guessed that you'd make a Singer's Brew, Ms Potter." Slughorn said, ruffling my hair. "With vocal cords like yours, it's not surprising. Why not give it a test and show those here what a real singer is capable of?"
I swallowed. "Um…I've never really taken this before." I said quietly.
"Oh, come now, it seems to have been brewed perfectly." Slughorn said brightly.
I swallowed and stood up straighter, conjuring a small goblet. "All right." I said, dipping the goblet into my potion and taking out some of it and chugging it all in one go.
Suddenly, my throat felt all tingly and itching to sing. I smirked.
"I can do it, Professor." I said.
"Care to do it in front of the class?" Slughorn asked.
I nodded. "Yes, sir." I said, stepping forward.
"This, class, is why I chose Ms Potter for the Slug Club!" Slughorn said proudly. "A proud, confidant, talented young Slytherin woman. Go ahead, Ms Potter."
I beamed, clearing my throat and belting out Defying Gravity from Wicked.
"Something has changed within me, something is not quite the same! I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game!
Too late for second guessing, too late to go back to sleep, it's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes, and leap! It's time to try, defying gravity. I think I'll try, defying gravity and you can't pull me down!"
Harry grinned and spoke Glinda's part "Why can't I make you understand? You're having delusions of grandeur!"
"I'm through accepting limits, just because someone says they're so. Some things I cannot change but till I try, I'll never know! Too long I've been afraid of losing love I guessed I lost. But if that's love, it comes at much to high a cost! I'd sooner buy, defying gravity. Kiss me goodbye, I'm defying gravity and you can't pull me down!" I belted afterwards.
I turned to Harry, who grinned as I did Elphaba's part. "Harry - come with me. Think of what we could do…together. Unlimited. Together we're unlimited. Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been. Harry - Dreams, the way we planned 'em"
"If we work in tandem…" Harry sang.
"There's no fight we cannot win! Just you and I defying gravity! With you and I defying gravity, they'll never bring us down!" Harry and I sang together loud and proud
"Well? Are you coming?" I asked.
"I hope you're happy Now that you're choosing this." Harry sang
"You too." I said. "I hope it brings you bliss."
"I really hope you get it. And you don't live to regret it. I hope you're happy in the end! I hope you're happy, my friend." Harry and I sang together before I broke into Elphaba's solo.
"So if you care to find me Look to the western sky! As someone told me lately: 'Everyone deserves the chance to fly!'
And if I'm flying solo at least I'm flying free! To those who'd ground me take a message back from me! Tell them how I am defying gravity I'm flying high defying gravity! And soon I'll match them in renown! And nobody in all of Oz no Wizard that there is or was is ever gonna bring me down!"
The room burst into a fit of cheers as Harry and I took a bow.
"Bag Elphaba and Glinda, you two are the best wizard and witch duo!" Ernie MacMillan said, applauding.
"Twins!" Slughorn said, patting the both of us on the shoulders. "That was wonderful! Hannah, you should be headlining somewhere, maybe even on Broadway!"
I shook my head "No, Professor. I don't think that Broadway would like me very much." I admitted.
"What d'you mean?" Ernie demanded "You're amazing!"
Draco glared at Ernie and silently said with his eyes "Keep your thoughts of my girlfriend to yourself!"
I shrugged and went to pack up my things and bottle my potion as everyone else did the same, Draco fuming at his grade.
…
That night, I got stuck going down to Aragog's funeral with Harry. Harry took some of his Felix Felicis and came to get me.
I decided even though that the funeral was for a giant spider, that I was going to wear a black dress and matching black heels. I was under my Invisibility Cloak.
Harry turned to me as we were miraculously out on the grounds (Harry's Felix must've been working.) "You go on, I'll catch up." Harry said, going off towards the greenhouses that we learned Herbology in.
I shrugged and walked off towards Hagrid's hut, where I suddenly felt slightly uncomfortable. And would you blame me? I had visions of my death there.
"Hey, Hagrid." I said shakily, trying to look away from the hut and surprisingly look at the spider's dead body, with eight legs curled in on itself and eight milky eyes staring without seeing. I shivered. "Sorry to hear about your spider." I added sympathetically.
"Thank you, Hannah." Hagrid said, sniffing "Where's Harry?"
I shrugged "Went down to the greenhouses for a minute, I guess." I said, looking up "Oh, speak of the devil." I added as I saw my brother walking down without his Cloak on.
"Hey, Hagrid." Harry said "Sorry, Ron and Hermione and Ivy couldn't make it. So it's just me and Hannah." he added "And I would've been here sooner, but I ran into Professor Slughorn."
I gave Harry a look "I knew you should have been with me! I had a hunch, and now you're in trouble!" I nagged.
"Relax, sis, he's coming. I told him what happened and he said that he wants to change and get some drinks for afterwards."
I rolled my eyes as Hagrid teared up, saying something about "That's right nice of him, not getting you into trouble." and some other stuff about not having much to do with the Potions master.
I really wasn't listening to most things. I was just staring off into the Forbidden Forest. Wondering…wondering when my number was up.
I was probably going to die in that forest in a mere matter of months. Death Eaters were going to invade the school, Dumbledore was in danger of being killed…and Draco. Draco was stuck in the middle of it all. Not to mention me.
One question racing through my mind. How? How was I going to die? Get my throat ripped out by a werewolf? Asphyxiate to death in that apparent fire in Hagrid's hut? Some other horrible way that didn't look pretty?
"Han!" Harry shouted, averting my attention from the forest to Harry, Hagrid and the just arrived Slughorn "Come on, we're burying Aragog."
I shook my head. Damn my wandering imagination. I thought as Slughorn moved from Aragog's head. I thought I saw the flash of an empty bottle being stowed in his robes as Hagrid took Aragog in his arms and dropped him in a hole with a sickening crunch.
"Gross." I muttered under my breath.
"Hagrid, how about I say a few words?" Slughorn asked, smirking.
"Must have gotten a lot of good quality venom." Harry muttered to me. I nodded. I guess Slughorn was getting venom from Aragog.
"Farewell, Aragog, king of arachnids," Slughorn said in a priest's voice, hollow and emotionless "whose long and faithful friendship those who knew you won't forget! Though your body will decay, your spirit lives on in the quiet web-spun places of your Forest home. May your many eyed descendents flourish and your human friends find solace in the loss they have sustained."
"That was…beautiful!" Hagrid wailed as Harry and I pulled out our wands and raised the mound of dirt next to the grave and lowered it over Aragog's body, where it created a huge mound.
"Now, how about we go into the hut and drink to the poor creature?" Slughorn offered, turning to Harry and I.
"I'd love to, Professor, but I don't drink." I said, blushing.
"Oh, come along, I insist!" Slughorn said.
"I'm sorry, Professor, I have some homework to do." I lied.
"Oh, very well," Slughorn said as I took hold of my Invisibility Cloak "I shall see you in Potions."
I nodded "Yes, sir." I said, walking away as Slughorn, Harry and Hagrid walked into the hut.
I threw my Cloak on and walked into the castle, which was still unlocked and I swept silently to Gryffindor Tower and up to the girls' dorm.
"Hey, Watson, hey, Icy." I said, sitting on Drosie's bed before I realized what I was doing. "Ew! I'm on Drosie's bed!" I said before sitting on Jamie Vain's bed. "Oh, hey, Jamie." I said smiling.
"Hey, Han!" Jamie beamed as Hermione waved at me happily.
"Sherlock, Sherlock, I passed my Apparition test!" she said happily.
"Oh my Skinner!" I gasped happily. "Congratulations!"
"So did I!" Ivy said happily.
"Oh my gosh! Congratulations, Icy!" I said, wrapping Watson and Icy in a group hug.
"I can't wait to see if you pass your test, Han!" Watson said happily.
"Then we can Apparate wherever we want. Girl road trip!" I said more happy.
"Han," Ivy said, becoming serious "I went through all of your visions and memories of them. Why didn't you add that you were going to die in Hagrid's cabin after it burned down or mention that you were hearing a dark spell in your head all the time?"
I blinked "What do you mean?" I asked.
"Harmonia Nectere Passus." Ivy said, shaking her head "It's a dark spell used to perfect a Vanishing Cabinet's performance and join the connection between sister Cabinets."
I creased my eyebrows together. "What the Skinner are you talking about?" I asked.
Ivy shook her head the same time as Hermione "Han, have a seat." they said together "We think it's time you hear what Malfoy's been up to."
I blinked, swallowing as I sat down.
