A/N: I am not the greatest at "Hagrid-Speak" though I gave it my best shot. If it's terrible, just let me know and I'll either cut him out of the rest of the story somehow or I'll just give up on his way of talking. I think I do pretty well with Luna and Dobby… just not a huge Hagrid follower, I guess.

This is a much shorter chapter than any other… shorter even than my first chapter. I needed to put some things in play… and, in truth, this chapter was actually a part of the previous, but it was already my longest chapter by far in comparison… so I'm adding it here.

We've got some action, though not a lot… this story is still about the emotional drama and angst. I just wanted to set some things up.

Thanks… and keep those reviews a'comin…

O X O X O X O X O X O

SOMETHING WRONG

"'ave ya considered sayin' yar sorry?"

Ron wiped at the sweat beading along his forehead, his body protesting at the forced manual labour that he was currently performing as a part of his detention for the events after Hogsmeade last night. Pushing the shovel back into the hardened earth, the late autumn early winter weather not making the job any easier, he looked up at the Care of Magical Creatures professor and Keeper of the Keys at Hogwarts.

Sighing, Ron leaned heavily upon the garden tool's handle. "Many, many times, Hagrid. In every way that I could think of and that I could afford. One, even, that I couldn't afford." He ended with a chuckle.

The half-giant nodded sagely as he puffed at the pipe in his mouth, something close to the size of a child's version of a saxophone. "'ell… Not dat I'm much with women, Olymp'ya forgiv'n me, but I still think yar best chance wit the lass is ta say yar sorry."

"I guess so… but she kissed me." At the larger man's sharp look, Ron blushed. "Well… Luna did. I was walking her to the tower and, pretty as you please, she kissed me."

"Wot's da problem then, 'onald?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "She says I can't have all of her…"

Tuning the giant out of his head, Ron picked up the shovel and continued his job at digging holes along the outer edge of Hagrid's garden. In any other instance, especially considering how his own family had a garden for vegetables, Ron would have thought that he was preparing for a new row or two of vegetables… but the holes being dug were nearly one foot by one foot square.

Shuddering, Ron turned his mind back to the task of digging, never mind what was being planted… although he couldn't help but think upon a blue-eyed blonde that enraptured him completely… nor the fact that his own sister and brothers had led to her now being unwilling to commit to him and any type of relationship.

"Whoever thought of forcing kids up at the crack of dawn to do detention should have their wand snapped and then made to clean every bathroom in the school by hand." He complained aloud.

"And if it was a muggle and they were used to doing it by hand?" Lavender asked.

Ron looked up to find that Hagrid had vanished and Lavender, Hermione and Susan were all walking towards him, each helping to carry a large box (without using magic, of course). He couldn't help feeling amusement and that it might just be worth it to be up at this ungodly hour to see those three in the state they were in. Lavender, normally the epitome of perfection, looked horrible with her hair in a severe bun and her clothes and hands stained with dried mud. Susan and Hermione were similar in appearance, although Hermione's curly hair was completely wild with frizz.

"And if you even think of laughing, Ronald Weasly…" Susan's eyes flashed.

Ron shook his head. "Just glad to not be alone digging anymore."

"Oh, we're not digging." Lavender responded with a smile. "We're bringing the seeds."

At her words, Ron watched as they set the box down and began removing the lid of the wooden crate. Unable to help himself, the single redhead in the bunch looked over their shoulders curiously. He felt his eyes roll as he realized that there were twelve bowling bowl sized seeds in the large box.

"Crimy, but what are those?"

Hermione Granger smiled. "Well, if you had ever paid attention in Herbology…"

"Let's just assume I didn't."

"Surprise, surprise."

Ron glared at Lavender before grinning cheekily at the brunette as she sighed. "If you'd done your own homework once in your life, you'd know that these are Suc Seeds." At his blank look, she shook her head. "Honestly, Ron. Suc Seeds become Purifier Plants… they're used to help keep muggle technology emissions like gasoline fumes and smog away from magical areas. It helps to prevent a mutation of magical effects."

"Oh." Ron tried to sound interested, but knew that he failed; Susan and Lavender both were rolling their eyes at Hermione's explanation.

Shaking his head, he frowned back at the ground. "Well, let's throw these seeds in and let me get to burying them. Soon done, sooner I can try to get some sleep before class."

They had managed to carefully set four of the giant seeds into ground, with Ron following behind them to cover them in the hard soil, when Susan's gaze went high over everyone's head… her eyes turned towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"Susan…" Lavender chided. "Stop daydreaming and get back to work."

"There's smoke."

"Smoke?" Hermione asked as she absently wiped her dirt covered hands across the old shirt she'd worn for detention. "Where?"

The young Bones girl pointed. Even Ron stopped shoveling dirt to pause and look back at where the other three students were all looking. Holding his hand over his eyes to block the morning sun's rays from blinding him, he could see the large plume of black rising somewhere in the distance.

"Isn't that towards Hogsmeade?"

At Lavender's pronouncement, Hermione was suddenly moving to try and find Hagrid. In the pit of her stomach, she felt that something was indeed wrong.

O X O X O X O X O X O

Covering his mouth as he yawned, Harry blinked his eyes several times and tried to find the spot where he'd left off in the text book sitting on his lap. Without even looking, his hand moved to the small table to his left and picked up the mug of coffee… his fourth this morning, and took a sip, enjoying the jolt of caffeine that was introduced into his system (not to mention the several spoonfuls of sugar he always added).

He hated being up this early, but when Hermione had woken him up as she left from the Head Girl suite located next to his, she'd been extremely loud… almost as if she'd been doing it on purpose. Once out the portrait, he'd attempted to roll back over and go back to sleep, but that nagging doubt that he'd been too hard on them… her especially, kept him from returning to the wonderful dream he'd been having.

Frustrated that she'd gotten to him, Harry had quickly taken a hot shower and then decided to get a jump on some of his studies, especially if he was going to try and destroy the horocrux sometime this week… he'd need to have his schoolwork ready in case of missing classes.

And what gave her the right to be upset? He'd followed the rules, acted like Head Boy. Hadn't she been the one complaining that he'd not been taking his duties seriously? It's not like it was his fault that she was the one involved in the situation that he'd finally dealt with? Was it?

Disgusted with himself, Harry finally closed the book and threw it across the room, the resounding thud as it landed on the floor was not nearly enough to satisfy the surge of adrenalin that had flooded his system.

How could she be mad at him? At him! McGonagall backed the detention… it wasn't his fault that the two of them were fighting… fighting over him! And who is she to act all superior? Tell me! She gets detention for acting like… like… well… like me or something and then she actually decides to make me suffer because she got caught! She bloody chose Ron over me…

Harry pulled himself out of his mental rant as he realized he direction of his thoughts. All of that building emotionally charged energy seemed to drift away as he sat back on the couch, not ever really remembering ever standing up.

That's what it all came down to for him. Hermione chose Ron… forget the lust spell and the muggle drugs and whatever else. He blamed her for not being strong enough to choose him over Ron… and he couldn't forget that.

It wasn't fair. "It's not fair…" he whispered… unsure of exactly what part he was referring to.

Shaking his head, Harry moved quickly up to his room and back, his hands carrying both the Marauder's Map and his Firebolt. Flying always improved his mood… and with Tonks still missing, over a week now, he'd been flying more and more.

Seeing that it was clear in the corridors, around the tower, Harry quickly moved out, ignoring the admonishing look from the portrait as she was forced to open up for him. He smiled at her and started jogging, his desire to be out of the castle and up in the air driving him. Occasionally, he would glance down at the Map, checking his progress… so far, all was clear. Nearing the front doorway of the school, Harry took a moment to check the Map again… too much open space had to be crossed between where he was and the large doors.

He stopped abruptly at the movement that was suddenly all over the Map, dots listing almost all of the professors were moving about, moving frantically around. Something was wrong. His eyes quickly darted about the enchanted parchment, certain names he had to find, needed to find.

Luna and Draco were both still in their respective dormitories, as were Neville and the other Gryffindors. Ginny was in the headmistress' office, her punishment being different than everyone else. But it was that Ron, Hermione and the others, all serving detention that he assigned, were on the grounds. He smiled at seeing Hagrid's name near Hermione's… but they were running.

Something was definitely wrong.

O X O X O X O X O X O

She woke screaming, her eyes wide and unfocused.

Locked within her vision, the chronological order of what Luna was seeing compared to how events would unfold didn't match… couldn't match. That there could be such horror and destruction, only to be followed with such happiness…

But that he died, but there he was afterwards, strong and smiling and proud. Luna felt her heart soar at the smile on his face and the light within his eyes.

But was it enough to overcome the darkness?

To beat death?

Hands slapped at her. She was shaken and doused with water. Her roommates and others, both boys and girls, every Ravenclaw. Each took their turn at trying to wake her from the nightmare, to stop her from seeing that which no one else could see… would see. Not yet.

She wept that it was coming and so many would see it then… and for so many, it would be the last thing that they ever saw.

She was awake now, but she continued to scream.

O X O X O X O X O X O

Ginny was running like she'd never run before.

Detention was boring, having to write one hundred lines (I will not fight in the hallways) a sitting and then to help McGonagall go through the books in the small alcove behind her office. She wasn't allowed to touch the books, but rather had to wait for the Scottish witch to pull the book out, describe it in detail and have her write down all of the information. Worse, in Ginny's mind, was that she had to agree to be Obliviated if what she wrote down was too dangerous.

All of that had ceased to matter when the hearth had exploded in flames, bathing the small office in the eerie green glow that the fire always seemed to produce, and the head of Madam Rosmerta from the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade was suddenly there. No one had a chance to respond before the pretty woman started screaming that they were under attack.

McGonagall had wasted no time at the words. "Ginny! I need Mister Potter. Now!"

Ginny had sprinted out the door, barely registering that the headmistress was calling for the other professors, all the while trying to calm Rosmerta down and to promise that help was on the way.

It was still dark inside the castle, even as the sun was rising higher and higher from the east. Trying to control herself, to push out all of the doubts and hurt feelings that had swelled over her since her whole world had fallen apart, she pushed herself to not imagine that every shadow held a danger that was just waiting to swallow her, to take her away, but focused on getting to the Head dormitory.

The muscles in her legs were burning as she finally reached the top floor, the Fat Lady sleeping at her station to guard the Gryffindor tower. Bypassing her, Ginny skidded to a halt in front of the Head Dormitory's entrance, a portrait Tilly Toke standing there in all his glory (a very, very tiny bathing suit) and the defeated dragon laying on the sands of the beach.

"I need to speak with Harry Potter, sir."

Tilly Toke looked at Ginny, his skin very dark from having been under the sun for as many years as the portrait had been at Hogwarts and smiled. "Dear damsel, I would but wish that I could honour thine simple request, but that neither the Head Boy nor Head Girl is in at this time… Hey! Ungrateful brat!"

Ginny wasn't listening, her heart now racing in time with her legs as she contemplated where Harry could be. Hermione was at detention… Harry's fault… but where could he be, especially at this hour? Not paying attention to anything or anyone else, she quickly woke the Fat Lady and prayed that maybe Harry was in the Gryffindor tower instead.

Where is he?

O X O X O X O X O X O

As the portrait closed and the Fat Lady closed her eyes again, the small rat slipped out from the dark, shadowed corner that he had been hiding, the silver paw carefully covered, as the young girl he'd watched so hungrily for so many years at the Weasley home vanished.

There would be time for that type of fun later… Peter Pettigrew had a job to do.