Sorry bout the lateness of this Chapter, my beta had relatives of her roommate's over and was unable to get any editing done for live five days... but we has it now, and tension is building! And finally the 'M' rating starts to apply in this Chapter, you have been warned...

Chapter Thirteen

Finals

"You're late, boys!" Professor Flitwick said reprovingly as Harry opened the classroom door. "Come along, quickly, wands out. We're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into groups…"

Harry, Ron, and Faykan hurried to a pair of desks at the back and opened their bags. Ron looked behind him.

"Where's Hermione gone?"

Harry looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet Harry knew she had been right next to him when he had opened the door.

"That's weird," said Harry, staring from Ron to Faykan. "Maybe… maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"

But Hermione didn't turn up all lesson. Faykan didn't look at all surprised by her absence but Harry was far too cheerful to care at the moment. The Cheering Charms had left them all feeling very contented as they made their way down to lunch.

Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time they had finished their apple pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and Harry and Ron had started to get slightly worried.

"You don't think Nott did something to her?" Ron said anxiously as they hurried upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower.

"Highly unlikely." Faykan replied, smirking to himself.

They passed the security trolls, gave the Fat Lady the password (Flibbertigibbet), and scrambled through the portrait hole into the common room.

Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. They went to sit down on either side of her. Harry prodded her awake.

"Wh… what?" said Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W-which lesson have we got now?"

"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?"

"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"

"But how could you forget?" said Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"

"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Nott, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!"

"You know what, Hermione?" said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."

"No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry... I'll see you in Divination!"

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The Easter holidays were a nightmare. The third years had never had so much homework! Hermione had so much work from all her classes that she had barricaded herself in the Room of Requirement and only came out to catch a few hours sleep nightly. The only times that Draco even saw her was while he was training with Harry, Ron, and Faykan, and even then she only participated occasionally, the spent the rest of the time sheltered behind her books as she scratched away at essay after essay.

Harry was still having difficulty with the intensity of his wandless magic, due to the mysterious block on him, and Faykan had made no progress in removing it. According to Faykan, it had become damaged somehow, and would be impossible to remove without massive trauma to Harry and Faykan wasn't willing to risk permanently harming him to free his magic.

Therefore they had shifted their lessons to focus more on things that Harry could perform equally with Draco, Ron, and Hermione. Faykan had commissioned them all to continue practicing their wandless magic on their own, as it was important for their magical development. They were currently attempting to cast a modified version of the shield spell, molding it to make a dome around them to protect them from all angles. Faykan had told them that this spell was the simplest of all wards. Draco and Ron stood at one end of the room, struggling to maintain the spell while Faykan threw spells at them, gradually increasing the difficulty to test the strength of their shield wards.

Harry would have joined them, but Faykan said that Harry had had Quidditch practice, again. Draco had had increased practices as the final match came closer, but even Harry admitted that the Gryffindor captain, Wood, was slightly over zealous, more so now that Gryffindor was only two hundred points away from winning the Quidditch Cup for the first time in years.

"Protego Totus," Ron muttered, spinning his wand in an arc and refreshing his portion of his and Draco's joined shield ward. They had been working on withstanding Faykan's attacks for almost an hour, and together they had struggled under the rain of blows that their trainer had rained on them. Faykan had been near ruthless, throwing everything from stunners to large shards of transfigured ice at their shields. Both Ron and Draco were panting, sweat pouring from their faces, but their shields had held under the punishment.

"Ready?" Faykan asked them again, signaling that he was about to launch another barrage. Draco recast the spell, reinforcing the left half-dome of the shield.

"Orbis incendia!" Faykan cried, slashing his wand outward, and a large sphere of flame launched itself from the end, sailed across the room, and exploded upon the dual shields. Draco could feel the heat as the fire splashed around them, but their barrier held strong, preventing even a single spark from singing either boy.

As the fire burned itself out, Draco could hear the sound of polite clapping from the far side of the room. Faykan was applauding their teamwork, beaming as Ron and Draco lowered their shield and collapsed into chairs near Hermione, pulling glasses of pumpkin juice toward themselves.

"Excellent work, really well done." Faykan said cheerfully as he joined them, settling himself down and pulling towards himself a small tray of food provided by the kitchen. Ron pulled a pile of enormously thick books out of his bag, all with titles relating to Hippogriffs, and began to thumb through one. Ron had taken over the responsibilities of Buckbeak's appeal for Hermione, who Draco noted was very pleased to be on speaking terms with Ron again.

In fact, the only person Draco noticed that Hermione was not keen about being around was Faykan. He had seen her watching the boy as he helped Harry or Ron with their homework or training them, as if she was waiting for him to do… something. It was very disconcerting to Draco, but he knew better than to try and bring it up with either, as Faykan would simply brush it off and Hermione would just deny it, or worse, hex him. Hermione had been very touchy lately ever since Hagrid lost the Buckbeak's case. According to Harry, Ron, and Faykan, Hermione had lost complete control in Divination and went off on Professor Trelawney, storming out of her classroom and dropping the class after the fraudulent Professor had 'foreseen' Harry's untimely death for the hundredth time this year. Draco was tugged out of his thoughts by Harry arriving in the Room, and Faykan declaring their break over and to start working on trying to ward a small area of the room with a permanent shielding charm.

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Never, in anyone's memory, had a Quidditch match approached in such a highly charged atmosphere. By the time the Easter holidays were over, tension between the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams and their Houses was at the breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.

Severus found these petty disputes highly irritating, as they caused him to have to play the role of 'mediator' which mainly involved liberal amounts of point deduction and detention toward both houses, although the Gryffindor's punishments tended to be more public and embarrassing. Severus was just returning to his offices after dealing with a group of fighting teens when he heard the sounds of scuffling and muted voices in an unused classroom. Hoping that it was not another group of students trying to hex each other, Severus disillusioned himself, and crept into the room through the partially opened door.

Theodore Nott was dragging another student deeper into the classroom, but Severus couldn't tell who the smaller body was yet. Nott waved his wand at the door, which closed and locked itself with a squelching sound, and Severus moved closer to try and see what the boy was up too.

"I didn't want this to happen, but I couldn't find a way to talk to you alone." Nott was mumbling to the petrified student below him. He rummaged through other person's robes until he pulled out his victim's wand, pocketing it before turning the body over.

It was Undol.

The smaller boy was scowling up at Nott as the Slytherin bent over him again; talking into the boy's ear so he could not miss what was said. Severus cast the tiny listening charm that he used often in the Great Hall. "I'm going to release you from the body bind Undol; I just wanted to talk to you without Potter or Weasley around." Nott was saying. The boy waved his wand again and Undol's body relaxed, allowing him to slowly get to his feet. Nott smiled, watching as Undol moved away from him, positioning his back against the far wall and scowling back. "You wanted to talk, so talk Nott; and I would appreciate you lowering your wand." He added, noting that it was still pointed at him.

Nott did so, his face still showing how much he was enjoying having both his and Undol wands in his possession. He took a few tentative steps toward Undol, continuing to watch him with an almost feral glint in his eye, and finally cleared his throat, "Why do you hate me?" he asked in a quiet, calm voice

Undol raised his eyebrows in mock surprise, "You mean besides the fact that you're a jealous, pompous, arse?" he sneered back. "Or the fact that you are trying to get Hagrid fired, Harry expelled, and Buckbeak killed?"

"Ha ha," Nott laughed back lamely, but stopped abruptly, "You know what I mean… I can see the pure hatred in your eyes." he took another step toward Undol; they were nearly nose to nose, Nott tilting his neck to look down at Undol. Severus saw that the shorter boy was shifting uncomfortably at their closeness.

Nott lowered his voice but Severus had no trouble hearing his words, "Why, why do you reject me? We're both purebloods… both cunning, powerful, and influential. Yet you allow your potential to be wasted, first by commanding the Sorting Hat to place you in an inferior house, and then by wasting your affection on one who does not even realize it."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Undol replied, squirming slightly, trying to find a way out. Nott place his hands against the wall on either side of Undol, preventing any attempt at escape and continued talking, ignoring Undol's protests. "I've seen your power from the first day at Hogwarts, blazing around you like living fire. You hide it remarkably well, but not well enough. Surely you know that your feelings won't be returned in the way you desire? But…" Nott lowered one hand to stroke Undol's face, causing the smaller boy to flinch away, but he could not evade Nott with how close together they were. Tilting Undol's chin up to make the smaller boy look at him, Nott continued, "But, I would give you all you deserve: affection, care, notice, even… love. But you refuse me, why? I would do so much for you, even let the hippogriff live. I could do it, one letter to my father and the beast would go free. If…"

Undol's eyes were wide as Nott put his free arm around Undol's waist, pulling them flush against each other. "If?" Undol whispered, and Severus could hear a note of fear in his voice.

"If, you give up your crush on him, and be with me instead, like you should have from the beginning." Nott leaned forward, running the tip of his nose along Undol's jaw, causing him to shudder. "Please," Undol asked in a small voice, "Please, stop… I can't."

"And again I ask, why? He'll never give you what you want from him, but I would. Just let me prove it to you…" and Nott gripped the shorter boy's face to keep him still, and pressed his lips to Undol's.

Undol shuddered and tried to turn his head away, but Nott's grip on him only tightened. The taller boy pressed himself upon Undol, trapping his body between Nott's and the wall, and Nott ran a hand down the side of Undol's torso, trying to relax the boy. Slowly, ever so slowly, Undol did, encircling his arms around Nott's lean frame, but Severus saw his hands reaching for the pocket of Nott's robes. Nott however, clearly misunderstood Undol's motions for acceptance, and maneuvered himself to brush Undol's groin with himself.

The reaction was immediate. Undol cried out, twisted out of Nott's grasp, and brought one leg up violently, connecting directly between Nott's legs. The tall Slytherin crumpled to the floor, writhing in pain as Undol scowled down at him, his wand back in his hand and his eyes narrowed in revulsion. "I told you before Nott, time and again. I don't care about blood, or power, or anything that you could hope to offer me. Your kind disgust me, and I would rather have no notice of my desires than a lifetime of your version of happiness. Never touch me again. Don't speak to me, or to anyone else, of this ever."

And he stormed off to the door, only turning back after he removed the locking charms, "Your obsession frightens me Theodore. It is only a shadow and a dream that you desire in me. Even if there was anything possible between us, I could not give you what you expect. I am truly sorry for you. Find someone who shares your views, perhaps a nice girl… or Parkinson for that matter." With that, Faykan disappeared into the corridor, and out of sight.

Nott continued to whimper and moan on the floor for several minutes, but Severus didn't stay. They boy got what he deserved for trying to force himself upon someone as capable as Undol. The last thing he heard before ending the eavesdropping spell were Nott's only coherent words since Undol's knee connected with his genitals. "I will not give you up Faykan Undol… Potter will never love you in return, so you will be mine, one way or another."

Severus stopped dead when he heard this. Undol was infatuated with Potter? There was no possibility that it was true love, thirteen-year-olds had no understanding of the concept. However… Severus had been in love from a far younger age. He shook himself. No! This was not the time or place to think of Lily Potter. Albus had to be filled in on not only the events of the last few minutes, but of the presumptions that Mr. Nott had just placed so delicately into their hands. Potter would be protected, even if they had to drag the boy kicking and screaming to his destiny. Albus' mantra rang through Severus' mind "For the greater good…"

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Albus watched the final Quidditch match of the season with a mild expression. He had no doubts that Gryffindor would win this season, as the combination of Harry's skill, superior quality broom, and excellent workings with the rest of the team pushed them far ahead of the abilities of the Slytherins. This confidence allowed the Headmaster to focus on more important matters, such as the ever interesting dilemma of Mr. Faykan Undol. Severus had recently informed Albus about the interesting encounter between Mr. Undol and Theodore Nott of Slytherin. Apparently the young boy was convinced that young Faykan had a boyhood crush on Harry, which, in Albus' humble opinion, wasn't hard to imagine, who wouldn't wish to be with the 'Boy-Who-Lived.' It also was the perfect cover for Mr. Undol to accomplish whatever sinister plans he had to tear Harry from Albus' designs.

Yes, an interesting development, but not completely important. It might be of use to throw off the boy, show him a vision of Harry in pain to shake him up, throw off his guard for a well timed Legilimens or dosage of Veritaserum. No, what was far more interesting was Theodore's seeming obsession with Faykan's power. Albus knew for a fact that what the young Nott was feeling for Mr. Undol was not love, but simply a mixture of compulsion and physical attraction, much like what Albus himself had felt for Gellert back when they were youths. The attraction was probably magnified by Nott's ability to physically see powerful magical auras, which could lead him to attempt very foolish things simple to be with the other boy. Albus had instructed Severus not to interfere with any future interaction between Faykan and Theodore, but to simple set someone to watch them, some third year Ravenclaws would love the chance to study someone with that much magical potential without being seen. Severus had suggested this, and Albus agreed, even choosing the students to be taught the Lynx Eye spell for their 'extra assignment' of studying Mr. Undol.

So absorbed in his train of thought was Albus that he almost didn't notice Harry's spectacular capture of the Snitch, winning both the match and the Cup for Gryffindor. The crowds of cheering students from all houses but Slytherin were carrying the Gryffindor team towards where Albus sat, and Severus pressed the Quidditch Cup into his hands. Albus stood, watching with an amused smile as Harry and his friends bobbed their way toward him, and Oliver Wood gratefully accepted the trophy from Albus, passing it to Harry, trying to hide his sobbing.

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Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.

But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Harry, Ron, Draco, Hermione, and Faykan were spending as much free time in the Room of Requirement as possible. Faykan had asked the room to provide a pair of windows overlooking the ground to allow a breeze in, as the weather was starting to become comfortably warm, but it led to distractions for everyone. The grounds just seemed so inviting instead of pouring over books or trying to change small chairs into wooden sculptures. Faykan had started showing them combat uses for Transfiguration, such as changing thrown objects into deadly projectiles, up to shifting your opponent into a harmless animal. Faykan didn't expect any of them to be able to do the more advanced things for a long time, but he felt that it would be beneficial for them to see the possibilities.

Harry, Ron, and Draco had given up asking Hermione how she was managing to attend several classes at once, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. Sure enough, she had all her exams times double booked the entire week. Ron was currently trying to worm the truth out of Hermione, to no avail, just as Hedwig fluttered into the Room, and settled on Harry's chair, a note clutched in her beak.

"It's from Hagrid," said Harry, ripping the note open. "Buckbeak's appeal… it's set for the sixth."

"That's the day we finish our exams," said Hermione, looking around her double tables for her Arithmancy book.

"And they're coming up here to do it," said Harry, still reading from the letter. "Someone from the Ministry and… and an executioner."

Everyone looked up from their various activities at Harry's words.

"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal!" Hermione said, startled, "but that sounds as though they've already decided!"

"But they can't have!" Ron howled. "I've spent ages reading up on stuff for Hagrid; they can't just ignore it all!"

"Ignoring things is what the Ministry is best at, unfortunately." Faykan said glumly.

"Especially when someone else's gold is clinking in their pockets…" Draco added angrily.

Harry had the horrible feeling, and was sure that everyone else agreed that the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures had had its mind made up for it by Mr. Nott and Mr. Malfoy. Theodore, who had been noticeably subdued ever since the Gryffindor's triumph in the Quidditch final, seemed to regain some of his old swagger over the next few days. From sneering comments at Harry and Faykan, to pointed glares in classrooms, it could be gleaned that Nott was certain that Buckbeak was going to be killed, and he seemed rather pleased about it.

And the worst thing of all was that they had no time or opportunity to go and see Hagrid, because the security measures had not been lifted, and Harry didn't dare go retrieve his Invisibility Cloak from below the one eyed witch.

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Exam week began with an unnatural hush falling over the castle. The third years emerged after three hours of Transfiguration limp and ashen-faced, many comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set, the hardest of which was turning a teapot into a tortoise. Thankfully, because of Faykan's training them all in Transfiguration that year, Hermione had done extremely well. Professor McGonagall's only complaint had been that she may have confused a turtle with a tortoise, but had given her full marks regardless.

After their hasty lunch, the four Gryffindors headed back up for their Charms exam. Hermione's worries were confirmed; Professor Flitwick indeed tested them all on Cheering Charms. Harry slightly overdid his on Faykan, because of the overexcitement he had felt from his friend's spell, and it caused Faykan to burst into fits of laughter, and Professor Flitwick excused them as to not disrupt the rest of the students that had not yet been tested. Faykan had had to sling his arm around Harry for support and stumbled down the stairs to dinner in drunken giddiness.

Dinner was just as quick as lunch, as the students had to dash back to the common rooms to study for Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, and Astronomy for the next day's exams.

Hagrid presided over the Care of Magical Creature exam the following morning with a very preoccupied air; his heart didn't seem to be in it at all. He had provided a large tub of fresh flobberworms for the class, and told them that to pass the test; their flobberworm had to be alive at the end of one hour. As flobberworms flourished best if left alone, it was the easiest exam anyone had ever taken, and also gave the four Gryffindors their opportunity at last to talk to Hagrid.

"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretense of checking that Harry's flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still... we'll know day after tomorrow… one way or the other…"

They had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster. Try as Harry might, he hadn't gotten his Confusing Concoction to thicken, and Snape, standing watch with an air of vindictive pleasure around them all, scribbled something that looked suspiciously like a zero onto his notes before moving away to check Faykan's. Hermione signed, sometimes Snape was just savagely cruel to Harry, Ron, and especially Faykan.

Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which Faykan could be heard banging his head softly on his desk every few minutes, clearly disgusted with the questions that he had no answers to. Hermione didn't understand why Faykan couldn't be bothered to look in any history book, but he seemed to shun them with intense dislike. Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sun burnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day when it would all be over.

Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart.

Hermione was behind Faykan as they made their way through the course. Ron was ahead of him with Harry in the lead. Professor Lupin muttered something to Harry as he emerged from the trunk at the very end, which caused Harry to smile widely. Harry hung around to watch the rest of them finish. Ron did very well until he reached the hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Faykan did everything perfectly, and emerged from the trunk rather pale and rubbing his chest in pain. Professor Lupin handed him a small piece of chocolate and a small vial of pain relief potion.

And it was finally Hermione's turn. She did perfectly fine until she reached the trunk. She hesitated slightly, wondering what her greatest fear could possibly be. Inhaling sharply, she climbed inside.

"Lumos," she muttered, lighting her wand.

A human shaped form stepped out of the shadows in the opposite corner of the trunk. The shoulder length black hair and gleaming red eyes caused Hermione to back up in horror. Faykan, the same Faykan from her dark vision, grinned maliciously at her fear. The golden locket bounced on his chest as he drew out the black ebony wand from his robes, and pointed it at her. Hermione scratched and clawed for the trunk latch as Faykan opened his mouth, "Avada…" the door burst open and she ran, screaming her head off.

"Hermione!" said Lupin, startled. "What's the matter?"

Hermione had to think fast, she couldn't just tell the truth, "P-P-Professor McGonagall!" she gasped, pointing into the trunk, and pulling the first thought out of her mind she could find. "Sh-she said I'd failed everything!"

Professor Lupin, Harry, Ron, and Faykan took almost an hour to calm her down; it was hard when she thought that the evil Faykan would step out of the trunk any moment and start to attack them all.

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When at last Hermione regained a grip on herself, she, Harry, Ron, and Faykan made their way back to the castle. Ron was still inclined to laugh at Hermione's boggart, but Faykan was keen to keep him distracted from going on about it.

"Hello there, Harry!" came a voice from the top of the stairs in front of the castle. It was Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"

"Yes." replied Harry. Faykan just eyed the Minister, while Ron and Hermione hovered awkwardly in the background, them not being on speaking terms with him.

"Lovely day," Fudge continued, casting an eye over to the lake, "Pity… pity…"

He sighed deeply and looked down at the four Gryffindors.

"I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."

"So, that means that the appeal is going to be ignored does it?" Faykan said, putting a hand on Ron, who had stepped forward to interrupt.

"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at Faykan, "Have we met before young man?"

"Yes, at the Malfoy Yuletide party, I was with Harry when you introduced him to Madam Umbridge…"

"Oh yes, that was a lovely party wasn't it?" Fudge said, smiling slightly. Just then two wizards came through the castle doors behind Fudge. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin back mustache. Harry gathered that they were representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this... Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"

The black-mustached man was fingering something in his belt; Harry looked and saw that he was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs and jerked her head toward the entrance hall.

"Why'd you stop me?" said Ron angrily as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"

"Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" said Hermione, but she too looked very upset. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak..."

But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying.

Harry, Faykan, and Ron's last exam was Divination; Hermione's, Muggle Studies. They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione left them on the first floor and the three boys proceeded all the way up to the seventh, where many of their class were sitting on the spiral staircase to Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute studying.

"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him. He had his copy of 'Unfogging the Future' open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. "Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?" he asked them unhappily.

"Nope," said Ron in an offhand voice. He kept checking his watch; Harry knew that he was counting down the time until Buckbeak's appeal started. The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, "What did she ask? Was it okay?" But they all refused to say. Ron grimaced when his name was called, and returned twenty minutes later shaking his head sadly. Faykan had a small smile on his face as he was called. Harry knew it was because Trelawney thought him a genius at Divination, and was likely to accept anything he told her as true predictions.

Finally, it was Harry's turn. The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made Harry cough as he stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table to where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for him before a large crystal ball.

"Good day, my dear," she said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb... Take your time, now... then tell me what you see within it..."

Harry bent over the crystal ball and stared, stared as hard as he could, willing it to show him something other than swirling white fog, but nothing happened.

"Well?" Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. "What do you see?" The heat was overpowering and his nostrils were stinging with the perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them. He thought of what Faykan had done while teaching him and his friends Occlumency, and decided that it was worth a try. He sighed, clearing his mind, but to no avail. So he just made some stuff up about seeing a hippogriff, but Trelawney didn't seem pleased about it. He finally got up to leave, but then a loud, harsh voice spoke behind him.

"It will happen tonight."

Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagging.

"S-sorry?" said Harry.

But Professor Trelawney didn't seem to hear him. Her eyes started to roll. Harry sat there in a panic. She looked as though she was about to have some sort of seizure. He hesitated, thinking of running to the hospital wing, and then Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own:

"The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight… The servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight… before midnight… the servant… will set out… to rejoin… his master…"

Professor Trelawney's head fell forward onto her chest. She made a grunting sort of noise. Harry sat there, staring at her. Then, quite suddenly, Professor Trelawney's head snapped up again.

"I'm so sorry, dear boy," she said dreamily, "the heat of the day, you know... I drifted off for a moment..."

Harry sat there, staring at her.

"Is there anything wrong, my dear?"

"No… nothing…" Harry replied slowly, and left the room, dashing back to Gryffindor Tower.

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