Chapter 9 Lovers Lost, Choices Gained
That morning Harry was still upset about Hermione. He felt awkward going to the Quidditch field knowing Hermione would be there.
He kept his distance as he ran. A few others started to notice.
Cho jogged up to Harry. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Harry tries to put distance between him and Cho.
She jogs a little faster to catch up with him. "What happened?"
"Nothing, sorry."
Ron sees the two talking and runs up. "Hey Cho, Harry, what's up?"
"Nothing." Harry starts to run a little faster.
Cho grabbed his arm before he could get away. "You had a fight didn't you? I can tell. You and Granger had a fight didn't you?"
Harry nodded. "We had a date last night and some thing weird happened and I don't want to talk about it. ? Can I go now?" This time Ron grabbed Harry's arm.
"No Harry, you are my best friend and you seem to be hurt. I won't let you walk away like this Mate."
Harry did want to talk about it he had to get his anger out, but to Ron and Cho? "It's personal alright?"
"You are my friend so personal includes me. Cho told me how you two talked when you were in the hospital together. She cares about you too so tell us." Harry gave up. Sirius was busy and he couldn't put his feelings into words for a letter. He didn't really have much of a choice.
"We went to the Room of Requirements. We were going to have a date alone and away from everyone else. It was great. When we finished dinner we went into a door that had just appeared. It was a field with an amazing sky full of stars and in the middle was a bed."
"Oh." Harry spat at Ron.
"No not 'Oh'! She attacked me. Her voice changed. She thought the room was making her do it but Dobby said the room doesn't act like that. It can't make some one do what she was doing."
"Maybe it was some thing she ate."
"Dobby said he made the food. He wouldn't have poisoned us."
"Maybe he made a mistake? Used the wrong herb."
"Don't be ridiculous Ron the House Elves make food every day with out making a mistake. Maybe he was wrong about the room. Harry how exactly did she act?"
"She started yelling at me and tearing at the dress like it was suffocating her and her voice changed."
"Shouldn't you tell Dumbledore?"
"No. He, this is between Hermione and I." Harry and the others continue running.
Harry tried talking to Hermione through the day but she ignored him.
He went to be hoping tomorrow would be better.
Harry woke up with a start as the pain he felt was everywhere. He heard the voice it was talking to him though, as though it was a separate being from him. "Been awhile there boy what the hell were you thinking? Everyone ran away and no one is coming to help you. What are you going to do now? You'll be lucky if that woman can heal you. Your legs are shattered. What were you thinking?"
Harry didn't know if this was true as he couldn't move his head to look down. He laid there feeling the pain but like the Unforgivable Curse Ginny had cast on him. It was there and yet it wasn't. Maybe he had broken his spine. When did he do it? Hadn't he just gone to bed?
"Your life is over boy. You failed."
Harry woke up in the hospital room escaping his dreams. Voldemort tormented him the entire time showing him Hermione in the Common Room reading or in the Prefect bathroom. When she was in the library studying. Wherever she went Voldemort seemed to be there.
He looked around and saw flowers and a brown haired girl whose nose was buried in a book. "Hermione?" She looked up dropping her book.
"Harry you're awake!" She hugged him hard causing him to cough.
"What happened?"
"We don't know."
"How long was I here?"
"Three days."
"So for three days Voldemort has shown me you. In places he couldn't be like the Common Room or the Prefect bathroom or in the Great Hall. He knows where you are at all times. I can't let you love me anymore. It is putting you in danger."
Hermione snaps at him. "Shut up Harry! I love you damn it you can't tell me to stop that! Do you think I fear Voldemort? I don't. Not anymore. You can't push me away Harry you can't tell me what to feel and I know you love me."
"I do Hermione but if he comes after you and hurts you I couldn't live with myself." Harry sees her smile. "What?"
"I'm Muggle born. He'll come after me any ways. Don't let Voldemort have what he wants Harry. He wants you alone."
"How do you know that?"
"You said it before. You always had help. If you don't have help you'll be weak."
"He is going after you because of me. He went after my parents because of me and look what happened to them."
Hermione lowered her hand. "Harry you are blaming yourself aren't you? Stop that before it consumes you and your soul. Guilt can kill you." She lowered her head on Harry's chest.
Harry felt the heat through the bandages and brushed her hair with his hands. "Hermione you are in danger because of me. I wish it wasn't true but it is. I don't want to lose you as a friend but if you hate me for this but live in the end then it will be worth it." She raised her head as Harry reached for his right hand. "Where's my ring?" She reached into her pocket and handed it to him. "Oh. Well no point in putting it back on. Take it Hermione and give it to someone who won't get you killed." He handed it back to her.
"You are breaking up with me because of Voldemort? Maybe you are weak you are going to throw what we have away because you are afraid of Voldemort. Fine you can have these back." She took the necklace, bracelet, and her ring off dropping them on the floor before leaving.
"Good Hermione please hate me and never talk to me again. It will keep Voldemort away from you." Harry lay back down on the bed falling asleep peacefully.
Harry again woke from a dream. This time the girl with his mother's eyes was calling to him. He wanted to go to her and talk but couldn't.
He saw Hermione's things sitting on the floor next to him. "Good Voldemort will leave her alone now. I hated doing that to Hermione but I needed to keep her safe from Voldemort. Better for her to hate me and live then to love me and die." He sat up swinging his legs over the side of the hospital bed. "Hey they took the bandages off." His chest still hurt but pain was something that didn't affect Harry anymore.
Picking up the jewelry Hermione had dropped on the floor he left the hospital. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to leave yet but he didn't care.
Walking to the Gryffindor Tower he figured it must be dinner time since no students were in the halls or in the Common Room. Getting changed he ran to the Great Hall so he could get something to eat.
When he got to the Great Hall he heard yelling that reminded him of his second year when Ron had gotten a Howler from his mother after they stole and crashed the car. "I told you to kill the Potter boy and yet all you have done is given me excuses! Since your incompetent fathers got sent to Azkaban his responsibilities have fallen on you three! Finish your duties or I will be the one to punish you!" Harry saw the howler burn in front of Draco Malfoy whose eyes were wide in fear and shock. Before the last bit of the letter was gone Harry saw several dozen wands pointed at the Slytherin table.
"I didn't, I'm not, I swear…" Draco stood up. It was the wrong move. The same wands, many from every table besides Slytherin, moved as countless spells flew at the Slytherin table covering Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and several unlucky Slytherin sitting too close.
"Now students calm down." Dumbledore's voice got everyone's attention. "Will someone take them to Madam Pomfrey to sort them out? Very good. Now while I believe in the best of my students I am very disappointed in you three. To the rest of the students very good spell work and nice to see how the Houses can come together for a common cause. If we could please go back to our dinners we will be able to go back to our rooms. You 5th and 7th year students need all the time you can get to study for your OWLs and NEWTs. Harry looked at his table seeing that Devin, Ron, and Hermione were already sitting never having gotten up to attack Malfoy. Hermione he understood along with Devin but Ron? Why hadn't his best friend defended him? Had Hermione already gotten to Ron?
"Good now that everyone is mad at me they are safe from my plague." Deciding he wasn't hungry he went back to his room to sleep.
Harry felt himself being shaken quite violently, his scar hurting. Reaching for his wand he found that it wasn't where it was suppose to be. "Get up Harry everyone's been looking for you!" He felt a hand slap his face. "Wake up what the bloody hell were you thinking leaving the hospital room like that! Wake up damn it." Harry raised his left arm blocking Ron from smacking him again.
"Why are you yelling at me? I was trying to sleep in case you hadn't noticed the closed eyelids and the slow breathing." Ron Picked Harry up and threw him over his left shoulder.
"You were supposed to be in the hospital. When Cho and I went to check on you we saw you weren't there and we panicked. The whole school's been searching for you for over an hour. I only saw you were here since I was trying to get your map to find you." Ron escorted Harry out of the room and down the stairs into the Common Room. "Look what I found everybody!"
"Harry!" Several students yelled running over to him. "Don't worry he was just sleeping, right Mate?" Several laughs follower as Harry stood up shaking the cobwebs from his head.
"Shut up I was tired."
"Tired? For the past three days you have done nothing but bloody freaking sleep, how the hell can you be tired?" Ron smacked him on the back rather hard. Harry's eyes closed when his scar flashed in pain. "Ouch, sorry Mate. I hit a little hard didn't I? Damn right arm, I've been trying not to use it much since it is still wrapped up." Ron held his arm tightly. Ron made Harry follow him out of the room to the Great Hall. "There should be a Professor or two waiting for us there so they can call off the search."
Harry wondered what kind of search was going on since they had passed no one on the way. He was still tired yawning and feeling his head become dizzy several times.
Only a few feet from the Great Hall he felt cold, fear, terror. "Dementors!" Harry went to take his wand out but forgot he hadn't brought it with him since he couldn't find it in the first place. Three Dementors walked towards Harry and Ron slowly sucking the happiness out of them.
Ron finally got his wand up and started yelling out different curses and charms none that worked on a Dementor. "Run Ron, go and get Dumbledore." Harry fell back into the wall too weak to stand anymore. Ron actually did what Harry told him to do running off in hopes of finding Dumbledore even though that wasn't Harry's real reason for sending him away. "Come on you bastards kill me. I'm the only one left here suck my soul out so Voldemort will leave Hogwarts alone." Harry saw a green flash, heard a woman screaming, he saw a little baby crying as the woman protected him.
"Spirio Latta!" A white flash blinded Harry as a scream deafened him. Collapsing onto his side he thought he could feel the air become warmer, the fear left him, maybe Ron had found Dumbledore or he was dieing…
"Harry do you have a crush on me?" Harry heard a voice, a woman's voice, sounded to old to be Hermione.
"What?"
"I said do you have a crush on me?" Harry opened his eyes to see Madam Pomfrey.
"No of course not, ew, not that you're ugly but older and a teacher sort of, ew."
"Then why do you spend more time here then you do in class?" Harry started to laugh as he got the joke.
"Oh you know I just love these lumpy old beds. Besides where else can I drink potions that taste like sewage?" He heard another voice from behind Madam Pomfrey.
"I swear Mate you spend more time here than any where else."
Harry looks an sees Ron and Ginny. "Where's Hermione?" The two siblings stopped talking looking at Harry.
"Do you really think she would come here after what you did?" Harry didn't know what to feel, sad that his friend was gone, but relieved that she was still mad at him that she still hated he would make her no longer be a target of Voldemort.
"So you aren't mad at me Brother?" Ron nodded.
"Ginny is but I wasn't leaving her alone with her boyfriend." Harry looked at her.
"I was not going to sneak off to see my boyfriend!"
"Ha so you admit you have one!" She crossed her arms looking at Ron with disgust.
"No I don't have one you git." Harry laughed at them breaking the tension.
"Look I'm glad she is mad at me. The more she hates me the better." The two red heads looked at him strangely. "Voldemort was after her. When I was asleep he showed me her in places he couldn't be. He has spies here in Hogwarts and showed me he could get her any time he wanted. If she hates me then she won't be a target anymore. I would rather she never speak to me again then have her love me and die." Ron seemed to understand but Ginny just got upset over this.
"Harry she doesn't hate you she is just hurt as hell. She can't stop loving you just like I can't stop loving..." She cut herself off there.
"Damn it Ginny who is it? Devin? Neville? Draco? Who the hell are you in 'love' with?"
"What was that last bit?"
"Come on Ginny you can't be in love you are to young for that. You have some crush on somebody and you call it love, just like you 'loved' Harry." Ginny huffed and left.
Harry wished Ron would leave but his Brother wasn't going to leave him alone. "So Mate where do you want the plaque to go?"
"What Plaque?"
"The one that proclaims this bed to be the Harry Potter Bed, what else would I be talking about?" They both laughed. "So you are serious, You-Know-Who has spies here?" Harry nodded.
"He showed me her in the Common Room reading, in the library studying, he even showed her in the Prefect bathroom." Harry was a little put off by Ron laughing at this.
"What? I wish I had gotten that last vision I bet Hermione is great underneath all those robes." Harry threw a pillow. "Oh come on Harry like you don't wonder what Cho looks like underneath her Quidditch robes. You had a huge crush on her last year even asked her to the Yule Ball."
"That was different."
"Ginny told us you were awake Harry." Dumbledore walked in with Devin surprising Harry.
"Why is Devin here? Are you ok Devin?" Devin looked up at Harry with a scowl.
"Don't worry about him Harry he is just upset Professor Snape took points off for being out of the Common Room. I brought him here since I thought you would like to thank him for saving you."
"He saved me? I thought Ron had found you." Dumbledore chuckled and let Devin talk.
"I did it Harry I told you I knew a spell that would hurt those damn things. They saw me and thought I would be easy prey never suspecting they had no affect on me. I was amazed they had noticed me though since the last one couldn't detect my presence. They are no longer a problem even if we don't know how they got in." Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We will eventually Devin just not now. Ron were you looking for me?" He nodded. "Why didn't you go to my office then?" He shrugged. "Why were you at the Great Hall in the first place?"
"I found Harry and thought there would be teachers there so they could call off the search for him."
"So why didn't you go to my office for that?" He shrugged again. "It's ok Ron, Harry will be fine just needs a check up by Poppy and will be let go." They left leaving Madam Pomfrey alone with Harry to see if he would be allowed to go back to his bed.
Madam Pomfrey had let him go finally after several tests. On his way back he heard talking from a classroom. Looking in he saw a blonde girl and two tall red heads, the red heads he recognized as Fred and George, but the blonde girl didn't look like anyone from Gryffindor. "Come on you want to do this or not? It would be the greatest thing to happen since, well, the last great thing." She was arguing with them over something.
"But the whole school? Couldn't we just a get a certain few? Harry and Hermione are the main targets after all." What were they talking about? Who is the girl?
"Bobby we have to be very careful planning this, if we get caught not even an army Vampires will be able to protect us." The girl crossed her arms across her chest.
"Do you really think I would let any of blundering fools in Slytherin find out? Especially after what happened to Draco and his friends. I made sure not to sit near him knowing that was coming." What the hell was going on? Was she a Death Eater? Were the Twins? Was this how Voldemort was able to spy on Hermione? How could the twins betray him like this? He gave them a thousand Galleons to start their joke shop and now they were working with the Death Eaters to get him and Hermione? Harry ran back to the Gryffindor Tower to find Ron and warn Hermione not waiting to hear the rest of the "plan".
"You are lying Harry why you think this would work I don't know." Hermione was trying to get away but Harry had her stuck in the corner.
"I'm not lying! They are working with some Bobby girl from Slytherin. I told you Voldemort was after you! I guess they don't know that you and I broke up or that you hate me. If we have a fight when they get back then they might leave you alone and just come after me." Harry couldn't believe he was having trouble convincing her why would he lie about such a thing?
"Bobby? Why the hell are they talking? You can't really think they are Death Eaters they're Weasly's! They would never be Death Eaters."
"I don't understand it either maybe their family was threatened and they are doing this to protect them. I don't like this but I know what I heard. They are going after me and you and if we let them know we aren't together anymore they will leave you alone and come after me."
The Common Room door opened, the Twins walked in, better now then ever. "Sorry Hermione but I would rather you hate me and live than love me and die." He had said it before and it was still true. "I don't care what you say I saw you with him! Just studying? He never studies! One would think the smartest witch of Hogwarts would be able to come up with a better excuse!" Hermione cowered back into the corner. "Oh come on I knew it! I can't believe you I spend a few days in the hospital and you're already jumping someone else! Never speak to me again damn it." Harry turned around hoping his performance was good enough to fool the Twins.
"No problem you bloody git!" Hermione stomped off past the Twins headed for the Library where she would be left alone to cry.
Apparently the Gossip Group, Lavender Brown and the Patil Twins, had heard the fight and the news was known in the entire school before everyone went to bed. Quite amazing how fast news can spread amongst teens.
The Golden Trio was breaking up over Hermione. Some rumors said Hermione was with someone else but no one really believed those since who else would it be?
Ron and Ginny were confused since they knew that Hermione and Harry had broken up before that fight and Ron was "busy" with Cho at the time not Hermione. Ron was worried when he was talking to Cho as several Ravenclaw students glared at him but Cho knew the truth so he wasn't in any trouble.
Hermione did not show up for breakfast until the last minute grabbing some toast and juice before heading to class. Thankfully Divination was first for Harry so he didn't have to see Hermione just yet but next class how would that work? "Come on Harry in the bones it says you will uh, is that a goose or a duck?" Ron was trying to cheer him up. "I think a flock of geese will attack you carrying you off to the someplace, does it matter, where, uh, let's say that's a pile of gold, you will find a great treasure. I know you don't die but maybe a sack of gold falls on you crushing you under its tremendous weight." Harry smiled trying to mask the pain inside.
"Thanks Brother but treasure isn't always gold." Ron smiled back while Harry read his "fortune".
Just barely getting through class with Hermione, Harry had a new worry. That night was supposed to be a DADA class down in the Quidditch Field but with Hermione angry he wasn't sure if she would show up or not. The book he had went over a new type of magic that he and Hermione had been practicing and anted to show others.
Luckily she did for she was to show the new wandless technique of casting simple spells. "Now the point of going wandless is that several spells are ineffective against you. The Expelliarmus spell doesn't work unless there is something in your hand. To show this I will have Harry cast it on me while I hold nothing. Harry?" Harry raised his wand pointing it straight at her.
"Expelliarmus" The spell hit Hermione in the chest but nothing happened.
"See? No wand or weapon results in absolutely any affect what so ever. Now if I do it to Harry, Expelliarmus!" She stuck her hand out and nothing happened. "Ok so I haven't perfected it yet." She tries a few more time before Harry's wand drops from his hand.
"It isn't as powerful as a spell with a wand. But it will work with extreme concentration." Harry picks his wand up. "Of course a Protego should stop it." He holds his wand out. "Protego."
"Expelliarmus!" The shield shimmers but Harry keeps his wand.
Harry lowers the shield. "Now if she used her wand the shield might block the spell. If she doesn't have a wand in her hand how would I know to put the shield up?"
"Isn't wandless magic really hard though?"
"I've been practicing and it still took me a few tries and all I did was make Harry drop the wand."
"The wand helps focus your power. With out it you," Hermione catches him off guard.
"Rictusempra!" Harry couldn't help but laugh, literally.
"As you saw I disabled my opponent with such a simple spell. Death Eaters use Unforgivable spells. But those need a wand. The simpler spells while weaker can be done with out a wand."
Harry takes a few deep breaths. "Normally that spell would last a lot longer but with out a wand it isn't powered like normally."
The group work together with only Neville getting some one to laugh with out using his wand.
After ending the DADA class Harry was walking back when he heard some one call his name. "Hello?"
"Over here Harry."
He sees some one near the Quidditch locker rooms and walks over to them. "Pansy?"
"Yes." She pulls her wand out. "You messed up Dumbledore's Pet. All alone with out any friends to help you."
"What are you going to do?" Harry reaches for his wand.
"Not so fast Potter." Draco comes out from the other side. "It was you wasn't it who sent that letter?"
"No."
"Then one of your friends. The Weasly twins? Those mud blood loving gits would think it was funny wouldn't they?"
"Don't make me take points off from both of you."
"You'll be doing it from the infirmary! Expelliarmus!"
Harry had nothing in his hands so it wouldn't affect him. He used this to his advantage and acted like he was thrown back uncontrollably.
Draco and Pansy started to gloat not realizing Harry was acting.
He pulls his wand out. "Stupefy!" Draco is thrown in to Pansy.
"No! How did you hold on to your wand?!"
"You obviously missed my class. Stupefy!" He hits Pansy next and she goes down next to Draco.
"What is going on? Students on the Quidditch field?" Mr. Filch was running behind Mrs. Norris.
Harry wasn't sure if it was against the rules or not. Several of the teachers knew about his classes but hadn't said they should stop. "I don't want to deal with this." Harry took off before Mr. Filch could see him.
Going into the Great Hall the next morning one would see 50 points had been taken off of Slytherin putting them back into negative points. Slytherin was not having a good year. Ron had a good laugh when he told the story about what happen getting Harry a little worried about the news he had to tell his Brother next. "The girl I told you about, Bobby, she was talking to your brothers about a plan that involves me." Ron was interested at this.
"What kind of plan?"
"Not sure. Your brothers were trying to talk her out of involving the whole school and just go after me." Harry gave Ron a look that told him what couldn't say.
"You think she is a Death Eater and she is using my brothers? Why would she go to them for it though? I know that the tricks they have are pretty advanced but still why didn't she go to one of her own?" Harry shrugged.
"When Voldemort was showing me Hermione he showed her in places that he couldn't have gone but a Gryffindor could, or the Prefect bathroom, only a girl could go in their so Bobby could have been that one." Ron shook his head sighing out relief, what he was relieved about Harry didn't know.
"Come on Harry to go in the Prefect bathroom you need to be a Prefect or have one let you in right?" Harry nodded. "But Pansy and Bobby don't get along, so how could she get in?" Harry had no idea. "My brothers are not helping a Death Eater. They might be planning something but I know they aren't helping a Death Eater."
"I hope so Brother, I hope so." Harry did hope Ron was right but something inside him told him that it couldn't be.
Classes were starting to pick up as the OWLs and NEWTs got closer and closer. Hermione was either in the library or with a teacher prying into their minds for help.
Ron was busy with Wizard Chess or Quidditch books completely unnerved.
Harry was reading although not as much as Hermione was. He had gone through his school books over the summer and the DADA book he bought at Hogsmeade several times. He knew he would pass DADA but his other subjects were going to be tricky.
Divination didn't really matter so he never opened the book unless he was in class. Transfiguration was alright especially since he could control his hair and his fingernails. He had worked on his toenails getting them to twist and curl as they grew into different designs. Other transfiguration was a problem not being able to turn a money bank into a pig but he was working on it.
Neville seemed to be going into panic attacks whenever a book was opened. One time screaming when someone mentioned potions.
Harry was worried that at first the stress would get to himself when he finally found that he could remember what he read, he knew what he read, he wasn't going to worry.
Devin on the other hand was constantly meditating to keep calm and his nerves under control.
Monica had help studying from Ginny who said it was good practice for her next year.
The Daily Prophet arrived one morning with bad news. The news had not been very good for the past few months but wasn't so bad as to cause people to breakdown until that morning. 3 Dragons Disappear From Dragon Ranch After Death Eater Attack! Pictures showed huts burning and people crying. Harry and most of Gryffindor was surprised to recognize one of the people in the picture. "Charlie! It says here that there were several injuries but no deaths. But that's Charlie, even in black and white his red hair shows." Ron and Ginny left the Great Hall with Cho and Monica close behind. One to console their boyfriend and one to console their best friend.
"I can't believe this happened! How is Voldemort controlling the dragons? This isn't good they can be tough to control and if Voldemort can we are in trouble aren't we?" Hermione was about to say something when she saw it was Harry who had spoke. She still hated him for what he did even though she still loved him. That was the price of love. To care about someone enough that they could hurt you unlike anyone else.
The rules at Hogwarts had been tightened. No one allowed after curfew, not even Prefects or the Head Boy and Girl.
The Astronomy Tower was finally rebuilt although it went unused as no one was allowed out after 9. Not even for class. No couples dared go up there for a snogging session with the new strict punishments.
Harry was busy trying to get to Quidditch practice, study for OWLs, homework, and Prefect meetings all while trying to figure out what Bobby and the Twins were up to and who it was letting all the Dark Creatures in. He needed a break and got one unexpectedly one morning.
In the Great Hall he was eating breakfast getting annoyed by the coughing from the Hufflepuff. Every time one of them touched a fork they coughed. It was amusing at first but was getting annoying the more it happened.
The Ravenclaw table wasn't much better yelling "Woo!" whenever one of them touched someone of the opposite sex. A simple elbow to arm was enough while sitting down.
Harry was highly amused by the Slytherin table though as every time someone sneered all the juice in the glasses would shoot up into the air spraying all the Slytherin students which happened almost every minute.
So far it seemed Gryffindor had lucked out making Harry suspicious. He wished now that he hadn't made Hermione so mad so he could talk to her when she got there. The Slytherin table finally got fed up with being sprayed with juice and tried to leave finding they were unable to as their butts were glued to their seats.
Finally Hermione came in and sat down as far away from Harry as possible. The second she touched a spoon all the silverware at the table shot up into the air and stuck in the ceiling. Several Gryffindor students yelped in pain as some were holding onto the silverware at the time it shot into the ceiling.
It now seemed everyone was glued to their seats making everyone mad. The teachers seemed slightly amused by what had happened to their students. "I see someone is taking April 1st as an invitation to have some fun with their fellow students. Now it was funny at first but some may want to eat today and leave for class soon." As soon as Dumbledore clapped his hands together there was a bright pink flash. Blinking and rubbing his eyes Harry saw that everyone was now pink. Their clothes, skin, hair, even their eyes were pink. All the tables, the food, silverware in the ceiling, all pink. "Well then I do say that was different." Dumbledore took his glasses off now that the lenses were pink and he was unable to see through them. "I hope whoever did this knows that this kind of magic is highly difficult and even if I am impressed if you are caught you will be given detention." Dumbledore sat down quietly going back to his breakfast.
It seemed that the Great Hall wasn't the only thing affected. The entire castle was pink inside and out. The Gryffindor Common Room was pink, the dorms were pink, even the clothes inside the trunks were pink. It appeared to have been the same in other Common Rooms as all the students were still wearing pink. Ron walked up behind Harry patting him on the back. "See told you they weren't Death Eaters." Harry felt like he had just been punched in the stomach as he realized what had happened.
"That's why they were talking with Bobby. They needed someone inside of Slytherin. How did you know this?" Ron Smiled.
"They came to me so I would ask Cho to get Ravenclaw." Ok so now that explained everyone but Hufflepuff.
"Who got Hufflepuff?"
"Will Flitwick's best friend is in Hufflepuff and she agreed to put the charmed boxes in the places they were supposed to be. Took quite awhile for them to plan it out." Harry was thinking about all the plans he had heard about this year, it all fit.
"Is this what you are doing? I remember you were talking to your counselor about a plan to prove you were ready to be back is this it?" Ron shook his head.
"No I did that already this was just a fun thing to do." Harry laughed hard as they went to class with everything still pink.
That night Harry had a new worry. If it wasn't the Twins and Bobby then who was it that was spying for Voldemort? It was hard to study as all the books were pink hurting everyone's eyes.
Potions was tomorrow and oh what a sight Snape will be. Harry was looking in the mirror at his pink hair and eyes. Even without them being green his eyes still reminded him of his mother and the girl from his dreams. He wondered about making himself bald like he had in class but his bright pink head made him think of something that was very wrong.
Professor Binns class was a little more interesting since even he was pink but it wasn't enough to keep most of the class awake. He tried to pay attention now that he didn't have Hermione to share notes with but it just wasn't going to happen.
Harry opened his Charms book trying to read it while Professor Binns went on about some Goblin Revolt from the 1700's. Harry had gotten the book from the library hoping it might have something useful that he hadn't already learned soon becoming disappointed.
Harry hadn't realized he was asleep seeing Hermione from a different point of view. It reminded him of when Voldemort would show her to him but different. There was no evil force, there was no blood red eyes staring at him, he didn't know who was looking at her but it wasn't some one evil.
Harry woke up when some one shook him. "Get up Mate class is over."
"Oh, right." Harry closes his book and leaves with Ron.
After classes Harry goes up to his room to put his books away when he sees a letter on the bed and opens it up.
Dear Harry;
I have heard from a source that you and the Granger girl have finally broken up. I told you she only wanted you because you were famous. It's not your fault, I remember being young, not that I'm very old even less compared to Dumbledore. Sorry your first girlfriend turned out to be what she was.
The reason I am writing you is to tell you that I am a free man! Peter was caught at the Dragon Ranch unconscious giving the Ministry proof he was alive and with Veritaserum he told the whole story. They have given me a million, that's right, a million Galleons in compensation for my wrongful imprisonment and past couple years of hiding as a fugitive. I know I don't have to tell you that I would give it all away if only to get one of the years I missed being your God Father.
Another thing Harry, with you two breaking up will it be a problem this summer? Her parents are still here and are worried about how you feel. They said they will be willing to leave if it is what you want even though the young Granger said she still wants to stay here. I am sorry that things didn't end well for you two but now you are free to find someone better. Didn't you have a crush on that cute Asian girl from Ravenclaw? She is the Seeker for the Quidditch team if I remember correctly. Or what about that Blonde girl you told me about, Monica? I talked to her mother for Order business and she says her daughter has been single the whole year. Wouldn't it be nice to date her, someone who doesn't want you because you are famous. If you had listened to me at Christmas this never would have happened would it? I know I am not your father, Granger made that clear enough, but I consider you my son and did not want you hurt. If you need to talk to me about anything just write and I will try and help.
Sirius
"Someone better? I can't believe Sirius thought that about Hermione. I broke up with her, not that I can tell him why. Damn it Sirius." Harry got a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote a short reply.
Sirius
It's ok for them to stay. I broke up with her for my own reasons none of them as you say. I am happy you are finally free. What about Buck Beak? Cho is with Ron and I have no interest in Monica besides as a friend and Quidditch player. Will see you in June which seems so soon now, to go home, to a real home.
Harry
He went up to the Owlery and hands the letter to Hedwig.
Harry went to bed a little later than normal after reading more on charms. He wanted to make sure he passed all of his classes like all of the other students at Hogwarts.
Harry was tired of Ron shaking him in the morning, all he had to do was wake him up without shaking him like an English Nanny shakes a baby to shut it up. "Ron I was having a good dream." Ron raised an eye brow.
"Did it involve a lovely Brunette named Mione?" Harry scowled at him. "Hey not my fault you were talking in your sleep Mate. If you miss her so much why don't you tell her?" Harry sat up pushing Ron away.
"Because as long as she hates me she isn't a target. Hell I wish you would get mad at me sometimes just so I wouldn't worry about losing my Brother." Ron pushed back hard, more then Harry had pushed him anyways.
"Don't say that I could never really hate you. I know I throw tantrums or the time in the tunnel but I couldn't hate you Mate, you are the only brother I have who has been a true friend, much closer then any of the other gits who call themselves my brothers." It was then that Harry noticed something had returned.
"Hey nothing is pink."
"Yeah it ended at midnight. Bobby and the Twins actually went through with it, I can't believe them." Harry saw that Ron had no problem with Bobby, a Slytherin.
"You trust her? I know she hasn't done anything to us. I don't think last year she even wear one of those 'Potter Stinks' badges but can we trust her?" Ron shrugged.
"I don't know Mate but my brothers seem to have fallen for her. The Quidditch team might be a little uneasy for the last game seeing as how the Beaters broke up with two of the Chasers but shouldn't affect it too much right?" Harry had no idea that had happened.
"Wait they both broke up with their girlfriends for Bobby? How the hell does that work?"
"Who knows Mate, she doesn't seem to mind though. I talked to her a couple times helping with the plan and she seems ok. Maybe the Sorting Hat put her in the wrong House." Harry remembered the Hat, he would do well in Slytherin but he wanted Gryffindor and so he was put there. His choice changed his fate
Choices on his mind he went into Potions. Snape seemed to be in more of a foul mood then ever. "Now for today we have the Budokai Potion. It was used in Ancient Japan to give the maker strength, speed, and courage. Banned in the 1860's during the Menji Era of peace it was also used by Wizards in England during the war against the Nazi forces. Given to muggles they hoped that the young men sent over to fight would be able to defeat the enemy without many casualties. Sadly it led to more deaths than there should have been since they had false courage in battle. Something that no one would recommend. Make it and give it to a rat, if they show the effects I want you will pass, if not you will fail. Begin."
Harry was working on his potion when he started to feel weird. His head started to get dizzy.
When he drops a glass container Professor Snape yells at him. "It was only,"
"It doesn't matter what it was this time Potter. Some potions can be extremely dangerous! The next thing you drop could harm some one."
"I'll worry about it next time then."
"Don't get snippy with me Potter. Ten points from Gryffindor."
"What ever. Your house is still in the negatives."
"Another ten points. And a detention."
"Your house is still in the negatives. How long has it been since you last won the House Cup?"
"Stop!" Neville grabs Harry on the arm.
"Another twenty points!"
"Stop it Harry!" Ron grabs Harry's other arm.
Harry falls forward almost going in to his cauldron. "Harry!"
Harry sat up and shook his head. "What happened?"
"Mr. Potter this kind of insubordination will not be tolerated."
"What?" Harry blinks several times as the room goes hazy.
Harry opens his eyes seeing several people standing over him. "Falling asleep in class, another twenty points."
Neville stood up. "I don't think he fell asleep. I felt some thing when I touched his arm."
"Same here." Ron kept kneeling down next to Harry. "Like some one tried to put a spell on him."
Professor Snape walks over and looks Harry in the eyes. He was uncomfortable with Snape doing this but soon Snape looked away. "Very well. No detention but the points remain taken off."
The others were confused as Professor Snape left the classroom.
Harry was going to the Great Hall for dinner when Professor McGonagall stopped him. "Harry, come with me."
"What did I do?"
"For once this isn't some thing you did but some one did to you." Harry is confused but follows her to Dumbledore's office.
Professor Snape and Dumbledore were waiting for the two. "Hello Harry."
"Dumbledore. Is this about what happened in class earlier?"
"Yes Potter. Some one tried to hex you but failed."
"What? Who? Draco?"
"What makes you think it was him Potter?"
"He and Pansy tried to attack me on the Quidditch field a couple of days ago."
"You told no one about it?"
"I took care of it."
"That is not the way we do things around here Potter. You put yourself at risk every year like your life means nothing to any one else."
"Calm Severus. He knows his life has meaning."
"Draco thought I sent the Howler and was trying to get back at me but I took care of it. It wasn't Death Eaters or Voldemort."
"The Dark Lord has many followers. I fear young Malfoy may have followed his father's footsteps. Draco could have been working on his orders to kill you."
"You know all about taking orders from Voldemort don't you?"
"Potter that will," Dumbledore interrupts Snape.
"Harry, he is a Professor and one of the many people who care that you live."
"I, I'm sorry."
"About class earlier you say it was Malfoy but I know he was busy with his potion. I was not however keeping an eye on your side of the classroom."
"So what you think Neville tried to curse me?"
"He was the first to touch you. Certain spells can require physical contact."
"It wasn't any Gryffindor. It was Draco or one of his friends."
"We'll look in to it. All of them Severus. Until then please Harry be careful. Keep your friends close Harry they are what define a person."
"His father made friends with Pettigrew."
"His father made friends with some one who was weaker than others and trusted him. He looked over the weaknesses of Peter. Unfortunately it cost him his life."
Professor McGonagall took Harry to the Great Hall before dinner finished.
Harry went to the Gryffindor dorm room and saw Ron wasn't there. "Must be studying in the library." Harry thought about studying as well but was tired and went to bed.
Waking up early Harry saw that Ron still wasn't there when Harry got ready for his morning run.
He sees every one had made it and runs with them. He was sure it was Draco or one of the Slytherin's but Snape's words stuck with him. Peter had been weak. Peter turned on his father. What if Neville... No, it couldn't be.
Finishing the run Harry got ready for classes. Ron was having a hard time using his right arm and so he switched to his left hand causing some dangerous affects. "Ron it's swish, swipe, swish, jab, not swish, swish, swipe, jab! You nearly took my head off with that spell." The hole behind him looked rather nasty making him glad he had his Seeker reflexes.
"Sorry Mate, using my left hand is about as good as using my right hand." Harry winced at the mention of the right hand still wrapped up in bandages.
"It is ok Ron I can dodge them you slow poke." Ron tried another spell getting the wand movement wrong again making it stronger and different from the spell it was suppose to be. "See?" Ron and Harry laughed as Professor Krats went over and took the wand out of Ron's hand.
"Ok you pass this part of the class just don't cast anymore spells!" Handing it back to Ron he sat down smiling.
"Cool, do half the work, most of it wrong, and get to pass. If only Snape was so nice."
"Professor Snape." Harry corrected Ron.
"Whatever Mate. He is a Death Eater even if he works for Dumbledore. It doesn't mean we should respect him." Harry frowned.
"He saved my life in our first year and helped us both in our second year. He has been teaching us for 5 years so he deserves respect for he has earned it even if he does act like a bloody git most of the time."
"Ok Mate if you say so." Ron raised an eyebrow as they watched the rest of the class doing the assignment successfully. "What is going on with you and Hermione now? She still mad at you?" Harry looked at Ron with a look to make Snape proud.
"What do you think? I did it on purpose though so I can't be mad at her. It's for Hermione's own good." Watching Hermione send spell after hex after curse at Neville, Harry felt the rage inside grow. Why couldn't he be happy with her? Why did Voldemort have to ruin everything? She was so beautiful moving gracefully as Neville tried to curse her back.
"You still love her don't you Mate?" Harry nodded before he realized what he was agreeing to. "Then how does that protect her? If she still means something to you You-Know-Who will still be after her. It doesn't matter if she hates you if you still care for her." Ron in a moment of maturity shone brightly. He was right if Hermione hated him but he didn't hate her how was he protecting her? He had to hate her back. He needed to hate her to protect her.
"Although I doubt she hates you Mate. How many times have me and her had a row? She may not talk to me for a bit but she never hated me." Harry sighed.
"You never fought over what we did. You never hurt her like I did, have you?" Wrong question.
"Shut up Potter!" Ron had his wand out pointed at Harry point blank range.
"Sorry Ron, I didn't think…"
"No you didn't think, if you had you never would have said that." Ron put his wand away. "Sorry, I know you forgave me and she did too but I still feel bad about it. Don't say anything." Ron cut Harry off before he could say anything else.
Harry was back in the Common Room trying to think of a way to hate Hermione. She had to of done something to make him hate her. Something worse then anything he could remember. How could he protect her or Ron? Ron was his Brother and had to be a target but he couldn't make Ron mad. Not after what happened. If he just left into the Muggle world he would protect them. If he just got his things together and left that would work right? But Voldemort would still be around and Harry had to kill him. He had to kill Voldemort for what he had done.
Harry stood up and went to the dorm room to gather some things together for his new mission. If Voldemort was the one causing all his problems he would be a problem solver by taking care of his problems head on. Harry so busy with his thoughts never heard the door open. "What are you doing Harry?" Devin walked over looking into the bottomless pack that Harry had.
"None of your business." Harry shoved some clothes into the pack trying to think of anything else he would need.
"Hmmm, going somewhere from the looks of it. What are going to do Harry?"
"I said none of your business!" Harry shoved Devin out of his way as he headed for the door.
"Harry whatever you are thinking of doing I wouldn't do it. First it is close to curfew, second you don't seem to be in a right mind, and third you are acting like an asshole." Harry couldn't stop he had made his mind up and was going to solve his problems.
"It is NONE of your business!" Harry slammed the door as he ran down the stairs deciding which Hogsmeade tunnel to use.
Finally making it into the basement of Honeydukes he crept up the stairs. The door was closed and locked from the other side. "Alohomora!" The door swung open. Harry went through and got to the other door, once he opened this door, once he left, he could not turn back. Harry's hand reached for the doorknob when he heard yelling.
"What the hell do you think you're doing kid? You broke into my store!" Harry should have realized there would be security of some kind.
"I'm sorry Sir, I didn't break in I was just…"
"Stupefy!" Harry fell to the floor not achieving his goal, not solving his problem.
Harry woke up to the sight of Tonks, Sirius, and Dumbledore. He wasn't in the hospital wing recognizing it as Dumbledore's office. "So Harry I see you have finally woken up. What the bloody hell were you thinking!" Sirius grabbed him by the front of his shirt and picked him off the floor. "I hope you really were just breaking into Honeydukes and not planning something stupid." Sirius pushed Harry into a chair as Dumbledore spoke.
"I do not believe you were breaking into Honeydukes, Harry as that would be wrong. You may break the rules but you would never do that would you Harry? Please explain your actions." Harry crossed his arms on his lap.
"I had something I needed to do." Sirius stood behind Harry placing his hand on top of Harry's head.
"You're going to have to do better than that Harry. Your father never did anything this stupid, or got caught doing something this stupid. W
hat were you doing?" Harry shook his head to get Sirius's hand off his head.
"None of your business Sirius." This time Tonks spoke up.
"Harry it is our business you are family to Sirius so please tell us, we won't be angry." Harry sighed.
"I was taking care of a problem."
"And what problem requires you to be out that late? We found your pack and it had some things in it that leads me to believe you were running away. You know Hogwarts is the safest place so why would you leave it?" Dumbledore adjusted his glasses.
"I wasn't running away! I was going to take of a problem. You are wrong Dumbledore. Hogwarts was the safest place but with me there it becomes a target. The students become a target so I was going to make it safe again." Sirius tossed Harry his pack.
"So you were running away so Voldemort wouldn't go after it? He will still go after Hogwarts, the Ministry, these two places will always be targets as long as…" Sirius finally knew what Harry meant by "solving a problem". "Harry do you really think you could kill Voldemort? You don't even know where he is! Even if you did his Death Eaters, his Dementors, you wouldn't get close to him." Harry hung his head down, he hadn't thought that far ahead either. How would he find Voldemort? How could he get close enough to kill him?
"Harry you did break several rules and so you will have 50 points taken from Gryffindor and you lose your privilege to the Prefect Bathroom for one month."
"Sorry Sirius, Dumbledore, Tonks, it won't happen again."
"Damn right it won't Harry. I told you not to leave the castle! You are safer here than just about anywhere else. Thankfully your friend told us that you were acting strangely."
"Ron?" Harry hadn't seen Ron so how did he know what he was doing?
"No the other one, blonde kid, the American." Sirius tried to think of the name but Harry already knew.
"Devin. He tried to stop me. Well, told me to stop."
"When you didn't he told Professor Krats and she warned us you were trying to leave."
"Harry," Sirius leaned forward to be eye to eye with Harry. "We love you and want what is best for you. You can't be running off like that. We all want You-Know-Who dead but it won't be that easy."
"I'm sorry."
"Sirius please lead him back to the Gryffindor Common Room. It is rather late and he should be in bed."
"Of course Dumbledore." Sirius grabbed Harry by the shoulder to make sure he went exactly where he was supposed too.
A/N Changing more stuff and totally dropped one conversation which meant I had to change other things and completely wrote a character out of the series. Hopefully I'll have more time as the holidays wind down to keep fixing this and that any one who reads this enjoys it and maybe find the time to review.