Chapter 29 – Paranoia
"So... Professor Snape glared at you to stop you telling everyone?" Hermione asked, astounded.
"Yeah he did," Harry replied fervently, "and he reacted so quickly to the revelation of Karkaroff's death that you'd think he knew about it already."
They were sitting in the Gryffindor common room, which was empty, and it was late on Sunday evening. Harry, Ron and Ginny had just returned from Grimmauld place, and Harry was filling in Hermione, (who had stayed with her parents that weekend), on all the events.
"So let me just see if I can remember everything you've said," Ron said slowly, "First Snape forbids you from telling Dumbledore about your vision. Then you see him talking to Dawlish and hearing about the sighting of Karkaroff, and within a few days, he is found dead – news that Snape seemed to have already known about. He again forbids you to tell Dumbledore about your vision. And on top of all that, he wrote a letter to "L.V"? He's guilty as sin..."
"I don't know," said Hermione slowly, "Dumbledore trusts him..." But Harry could tell she was trying to convince herself more than anybody. Of course Ron had jumped at the chance of blaming Snape, and Ginny, after seeing the evidence, was also starting to become very suspicious of Snape.
"That's what you always say," Ron cut in briskly, "and you know that, although he's really wise and powerful and all, there's always the chance that he could be tricked..."
They all sat with their own thoughts for a while. Could Snape be a traitor? Every chance, Harry thought bitterly. He got to his feet, kissed Ginny good night, before returning to his dormitory.
The next few weeks rolled by fairly uneventfully. Harry had restarted Quidditch practises for the imminent match with Slytherin that would be held at the beginning of May, just over a month off. He was also working hard with the D.A, now on a binding spell like petrificus totalus, which worked on more than one person – the genus petrificus incantation. This, along with meetings with Professor McGonagall meant that Harry had barely one night a week to do his homework, a fact that had meant he had very little time to spend with Ginny. However, an opportunity presented itself for a day out with Ginny, when a notice was posted on the Gryffindor common room board, announcing a Hogsmeade date that weekend.
"Great," said Ron enthusiastically, "I've been meaning to stock up on Honeydukes sweets for ages..."
Harry laughed. "You'll eat them within ten seconds anyway," he muttered, so only Ginny could hear him, and she laughed. Harry again marvelled at the sound, but the threat of missing Potions caused him to abandon the thought, and he raced off downstairs to grab some breakfast.
The day of the Hogsmeade visit dawned bright and crisp, the last echoes of the winter chills seemingly ebbing away, as April marched on. Harry looked out of his dormitory window to see the sleek black-coated Thestrals weaving their way effortlessly over the ragged forested skyline. He watched as a flock of birds shot of a bunch of trees, shrieking angrily, before they wheeled away towards the lake, where Harry could see a tentacle of the giant squid breaking softly above the surface.
Seeing that Ron was still asleep, Harry headed down to the common room, where he found Hermione and Ginny sitting talking to Neville.
"Don't tell him..." Hermione was saying, her eyes rooted on Neville.
"Don't tell who what?" Harry replied. Hermione whipped around, and upon seeing whom it was, let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh it's you Harry," she said, in a relieved tone, "I was afraid it was Ron for a minute." She breathed deeply. "Oh but you'd tell him anyway, so never mind."
"What?" said Harry, now deeply confused.
"It doesn't matter!" said Hermione loudly, in a voice that told Harry exactly how much it mattered, "Just don't ask!"
Harry turned to Neville, but Neville spoke first. "I've been sworn to secrecy," he said, rolling his eyes apologetically at Harry, before he looked directly over Harry's shoulder. "Oh, hi Ron!"
Harry whipped around to face Ron, as Hermione shot him a speak-and- I'll-kill-you look. For a moment Harry thought Ron had heard the conversation, but then...
"Morning all," Ron yawned sleepily. "What time is it?"
Ginny couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing before she fled from the room, Hermione chasing her, still howling.
Ron gave Harry a quizzical look, which Harry responded to with an innocent one. "Mental," was all Ron said about it, before he, Harry and Neville headed down for breakfast. The fact that Harry was pretty sure as to what that had been about did not deter him from pestering Neville whenever Ron was distracted.
"Come on Neville..." Harry begged, "I know Hermione still..." But Neville shook his head at Harry. He seemed to be revelling in his position as confident of the girls, and did not want to relinquish this new position.
The three of them ate their breakfast and met with Ginny and Hermione in the entrance hall. Hermione and Ginny both avoided Ron's eyes, smiling inwardly into their scarves. They had both already eaten their breakfast earlier, and so they didn't wait in the Entrance Hall.
Ginny took Harry's hand, and the two of them led the small group out down the front steps and into the Hogwarts grounds. After each being checked by Filch who, as usual, seemed to be looking for a reason to not let them go, they headed down the long lawns and towards Hogsmeade. Harry had just begun to marvel at the bright and warm weather, before he stepped out of the Hogwarts gate, and into Hogsmeade.
The whole world seemed to go cold. Suddenly gloomy, dark clouds ravaged the formerly clear skies, an enveloping darkness descending. He looked around, his insides seemingly frozen, to see what was happening. The others had stopped next to him, and seemed to be talking to him, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. But he could hear something else...
He wasn't sure what it was at first. His eyes glazed over, and he could almost see something, someone. They were laughing, it was a rich laugh, playful and friendly – a man was laughing. But then harsh female laughter erupted in his mind and he fell to his knees, as the pain in his chest became almost unbearable. He heard the male laughter stop, and just before he passed out, he heard another voice – his own – yelling out the words into the darkness.
"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!"
Harry awoke where he had fallen. The sky was clear above him, and he could see Ginny's worried face peering over at him. But before he let her speak, he spoke first.
"Dementors," he said breathlessly, "there are Dementors here."
"Harry what?" said Ginny, blanching at the word "Dementors."
"I felt them," said Harry shakily, gingerly raising himself up and onto his feet. He swayed for a second but soon found that his legs worked, and frowned for a moment. "In my mind I... I heard... him dying." Harry looked at the floor as he said this. He had realised that he had been reliving the events of his fifth year, and had realised it had been the death of Sirius that he had been living through.
Ginny and the others looked at him fearfully. "Oh Harry," Hermione said softly, and Ginny hugged him gently.
"Let's go back to the castle eh?" said Ron, eyeing Harry cautiously. "It'll be quieter."
Harry nodded his grateful ascent at this idea, and they turned and started to walk back up to the castle. They walked past Filch near the gate, who frowned at them but didn't say anything.
They headed up through the grounds, and when they reached the green sweeping lawns overlooking the lake, the five of them, (for Neville had come back with them), settled down on the grass. Ginny propped herself up against Harry.
They talked seriously about the Dementors being on the loose, and what would happen if they really were in Hogsmeade. Neville was of the opinion that they were in Hogsmeade, as there would be nothing else to make Harry feel like that, and Harry was grateful for Neville's reaction.
"Do you reckon we should talk to..." Harry started, but he stopped mid sentence. He was staring at something, something he hadn't spotted earlier, but his eyes were now fixed on a spot above a patch of trees in the forest.
"What is it, Harry?" said Neville, trying to follow his gaze.
"I just saw something moving... there!" he yelled, as he spotted it again, jabbing his hand out to point at it. "Something just moved in the forest! Something big... it looked like... it looked like a Giant." An echoing silence followed this pronouncement.
"I don't see what you're pointing at mate," said Ron grimly. Harry ran a hand through his hair. Was he going mad?
"But..." he looked hard again at the spot where he had been sure he had seen movement. It had been a small grey shaped object that was moving across the forest canopy, like a squirrel between the trees. Except it had been far too large for a squirrel... He looked around at the others, who were all looking at him with a combination of pity and concern.
"Come on," said Ginny quietly, taking Harry by the arm, and she led him back up the steps, and into the castle. They entered the Gryffindor common room, which was empty save for a few second and first years that weren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade.
They soon settled down into a slightly easier manner, although Harry could see them shooting glances at him occasionally. He himself was worried too. He somehow knew that it had been a Dementor that had made him feel so weak. He'd felt their effects far too many times before to not recognise it when it hit him. But he wasn't sure about the movement.
Their had been movement, he knew there had, but it hadn't been a Dementor. It had been something huge, and Harry closed his eyes, frowning. And then he knew what it was. He remembered vividly when he had woken up that morning, the sudden scattering of the birds into the sky, and then he recalled another time, the previous year when the same thing had happened. That time, it had been because Grawp the giant had pulled up the tree beneath it. But this time, as he had looked over the lake, he had seen the stony, mossy strewn head of a giant. He knew it now, as clearly as if the giant had walked up to him and done a dance in front of him.
"Harry?" said Hermione gently. Harry opened his eyes. The others were on the other side of the room, playing exploding snap, but Hermione was sat on the chair next to him.
"It was a Giant," Harry said quietly, so as not to disturb the others. "I know it was."
Hermione's eyes jerked up to meet his. "Are you sure?" she said quickly.
"Yes," Harry affirmed, "I'm certain." He cast his eyes over at the group sitting on the floor playing exploding snap. And his eyes fell on Ginny. He stared at her for a few minutes, before Hermione interrupted.
"Harry what is it?" she asked, sensing that something was amiss.
"It's just..." Harry paused for a moment, unsure exactly as to what to say, or even if he should say it. "I don't know, it's just... I can't help but think that... me going out with Ginny err... isn't the best idea."
"Oh Harry why not?" said Hermione, who had obviously not been expecting that as an answer.
He cast another wistful glance at Ginny and sighed. "Because the closer she is to me, the more danger she's in."
"So... Professor Snape glared at you to stop you telling everyone?" Hermione asked, astounded.
"Yeah he did," Harry replied fervently, "and he reacted so quickly to the revelation of Karkaroff's death that you'd think he knew about it already."
They were sitting in the Gryffindor common room, which was empty, and it was late on Sunday evening. Harry, Ron and Ginny had just returned from Grimmauld place, and Harry was filling in Hermione, (who had stayed with her parents that weekend), on all the events.
"So let me just see if I can remember everything you've said," Ron said slowly, "First Snape forbids you from telling Dumbledore about your vision. Then you see him talking to Dawlish and hearing about the sighting of Karkaroff, and within a few days, he is found dead – news that Snape seemed to have already known about. He again forbids you to tell Dumbledore about your vision. And on top of all that, he wrote a letter to "L.V"? He's guilty as sin..."
"I don't know," said Hermione slowly, "Dumbledore trusts him..." But Harry could tell she was trying to convince herself more than anybody. Of course Ron had jumped at the chance of blaming Snape, and Ginny, after seeing the evidence, was also starting to become very suspicious of Snape.
"That's what you always say," Ron cut in briskly, "and you know that, although he's really wise and powerful and all, there's always the chance that he could be tricked..."
They all sat with their own thoughts for a while. Could Snape be a traitor? Every chance, Harry thought bitterly. He got to his feet, kissed Ginny good night, before returning to his dormitory.
The next few weeks rolled by fairly uneventfully. Harry had restarted Quidditch practises for the imminent match with Slytherin that would be held at the beginning of May, just over a month off. He was also working hard with the D.A, now on a binding spell like petrificus totalus, which worked on more than one person – the genus petrificus incantation. This, along with meetings with Professor McGonagall meant that Harry had barely one night a week to do his homework, a fact that had meant he had very little time to spend with Ginny. However, an opportunity presented itself for a day out with Ginny, when a notice was posted on the Gryffindor common room board, announcing a Hogsmeade date that weekend.
"Great," said Ron enthusiastically, "I've been meaning to stock up on Honeydukes sweets for ages..."
Harry laughed. "You'll eat them within ten seconds anyway," he muttered, so only Ginny could hear him, and she laughed. Harry again marvelled at the sound, but the threat of missing Potions caused him to abandon the thought, and he raced off downstairs to grab some breakfast.
The day of the Hogsmeade visit dawned bright and crisp, the last echoes of the winter chills seemingly ebbing away, as April marched on. Harry looked out of his dormitory window to see the sleek black-coated Thestrals weaving their way effortlessly over the ragged forested skyline. He watched as a flock of birds shot of a bunch of trees, shrieking angrily, before they wheeled away towards the lake, where Harry could see a tentacle of the giant squid breaking softly above the surface.
Seeing that Ron was still asleep, Harry headed down to the common room, where he found Hermione and Ginny sitting talking to Neville.
"Don't tell him..." Hermione was saying, her eyes rooted on Neville.
"Don't tell who what?" Harry replied. Hermione whipped around, and upon seeing whom it was, let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh it's you Harry," she said, in a relieved tone, "I was afraid it was Ron for a minute." She breathed deeply. "Oh but you'd tell him anyway, so never mind."
"What?" said Harry, now deeply confused.
"It doesn't matter!" said Hermione loudly, in a voice that told Harry exactly how much it mattered, "Just don't ask!"
Harry turned to Neville, but Neville spoke first. "I've been sworn to secrecy," he said, rolling his eyes apologetically at Harry, before he looked directly over Harry's shoulder. "Oh, hi Ron!"
Harry whipped around to face Ron, as Hermione shot him a speak-and- I'll-kill-you look. For a moment Harry thought Ron had heard the conversation, but then...
"Morning all," Ron yawned sleepily. "What time is it?"
Ginny couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing before she fled from the room, Hermione chasing her, still howling.
Ron gave Harry a quizzical look, which Harry responded to with an innocent one. "Mental," was all Ron said about it, before he, Harry and Neville headed down for breakfast. The fact that Harry was pretty sure as to what that had been about did not deter him from pestering Neville whenever Ron was distracted.
"Come on Neville..." Harry begged, "I know Hermione still..." But Neville shook his head at Harry. He seemed to be revelling in his position as confident of the girls, and did not want to relinquish this new position.
The three of them ate their breakfast and met with Ginny and Hermione in the entrance hall. Hermione and Ginny both avoided Ron's eyes, smiling inwardly into their scarves. They had both already eaten their breakfast earlier, and so they didn't wait in the Entrance Hall.
Ginny took Harry's hand, and the two of them led the small group out down the front steps and into the Hogwarts grounds. After each being checked by Filch who, as usual, seemed to be looking for a reason to not let them go, they headed down the long lawns and towards Hogsmeade. Harry had just begun to marvel at the bright and warm weather, before he stepped out of the Hogwarts gate, and into Hogsmeade.
The whole world seemed to go cold. Suddenly gloomy, dark clouds ravaged the formerly clear skies, an enveloping darkness descending. He looked around, his insides seemingly frozen, to see what was happening. The others had stopped next to him, and seemed to be talking to him, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. But he could hear something else...
He wasn't sure what it was at first. His eyes glazed over, and he could almost see something, someone. They were laughing, it was a rich laugh, playful and friendly – a man was laughing. But then harsh female laughter erupted in his mind and he fell to his knees, as the pain in his chest became almost unbearable. He heard the male laughter stop, and just before he passed out, he heard another voice – his own – yelling out the words into the darkness.
"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!"
Harry awoke where he had fallen. The sky was clear above him, and he could see Ginny's worried face peering over at him. But before he let her speak, he spoke first.
"Dementors," he said breathlessly, "there are Dementors here."
"Harry what?" said Ginny, blanching at the word "Dementors."
"I felt them," said Harry shakily, gingerly raising himself up and onto his feet. He swayed for a second but soon found that his legs worked, and frowned for a moment. "In my mind I... I heard... him dying." Harry looked at the floor as he said this. He had realised that he had been reliving the events of his fifth year, and had realised it had been the death of Sirius that he had been living through.
Ginny and the others looked at him fearfully. "Oh Harry," Hermione said softly, and Ginny hugged him gently.
"Let's go back to the castle eh?" said Ron, eyeing Harry cautiously. "It'll be quieter."
Harry nodded his grateful ascent at this idea, and they turned and started to walk back up to the castle. They walked past Filch near the gate, who frowned at them but didn't say anything.
They headed up through the grounds, and when they reached the green sweeping lawns overlooking the lake, the five of them, (for Neville had come back with them), settled down on the grass. Ginny propped herself up against Harry.
They talked seriously about the Dementors being on the loose, and what would happen if they really were in Hogsmeade. Neville was of the opinion that they were in Hogsmeade, as there would be nothing else to make Harry feel like that, and Harry was grateful for Neville's reaction.
"Do you reckon we should talk to..." Harry started, but he stopped mid sentence. He was staring at something, something he hadn't spotted earlier, but his eyes were now fixed on a spot above a patch of trees in the forest.
"What is it, Harry?" said Neville, trying to follow his gaze.
"I just saw something moving... there!" he yelled, as he spotted it again, jabbing his hand out to point at it. "Something just moved in the forest! Something big... it looked like... it looked like a Giant." An echoing silence followed this pronouncement.
"I don't see what you're pointing at mate," said Ron grimly. Harry ran a hand through his hair. Was he going mad?
"But..." he looked hard again at the spot where he had been sure he had seen movement. It had been a small grey shaped object that was moving across the forest canopy, like a squirrel between the trees. Except it had been far too large for a squirrel... He looked around at the others, who were all looking at him with a combination of pity and concern.
"Come on," said Ginny quietly, taking Harry by the arm, and she led him back up the steps, and into the castle. They entered the Gryffindor common room, which was empty save for a few second and first years that weren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade.
They soon settled down into a slightly easier manner, although Harry could see them shooting glances at him occasionally. He himself was worried too. He somehow knew that it had been a Dementor that had made him feel so weak. He'd felt their effects far too many times before to not recognise it when it hit him. But he wasn't sure about the movement.
Their had been movement, he knew there had, but it hadn't been a Dementor. It had been something huge, and Harry closed his eyes, frowning. And then he knew what it was. He remembered vividly when he had woken up that morning, the sudden scattering of the birds into the sky, and then he recalled another time, the previous year when the same thing had happened. That time, it had been because Grawp the giant had pulled up the tree beneath it. But this time, as he had looked over the lake, he had seen the stony, mossy strewn head of a giant. He knew it now, as clearly as if the giant had walked up to him and done a dance in front of him.
"Harry?" said Hermione gently. Harry opened his eyes. The others were on the other side of the room, playing exploding snap, but Hermione was sat on the chair next to him.
"It was a Giant," Harry said quietly, so as not to disturb the others. "I know it was."
Hermione's eyes jerked up to meet his. "Are you sure?" she said quickly.
"Yes," Harry affirmed, "I'm certain." He cast his eyes over at the group sitting on the floor playing exploding snap. And his eyes fell on Ginny. He stared at her for a few minutes, before Hermione interrupted.
"Harry what is it?" she asked, sensing that something was amiss.
"It's just..." Harry paused for a moment, unsure exactly as to what to say, or even if he should say it. "I don't know, it's just... I can't help but think that... me going out with Ginny err... isn't the best idea."
"Oh Harry why not?" said Hermione, who had obviously not been expecting that as an answer.
He cast another wistful glance at Ginny and sighed. "Because the closer she is to me, the more danger she's in."
