"So tonight at 10, we leave. 'Kay guys?" Harry whispered to Hermione and Ron softly as they walked back into the castle. A few feet ahead of them was Allen and this was only because he was daydreaming and didn't notice they had hung back.

"Alright, but I still don't like this." Hermione hissed back right as Allen noticed he was alone. Whirling around, he frowned when he saw the three standing there conversing in soft tones.

"Hey!" He called out, startling them. "Are you guys coming?" He asked.

"Sorry mate! Got caught up in conversation." Ron apologized as they walked up to him.

"Oh?" Allen asked; interested. "Must have been interesting if it made you stop walking. What was the topic?" The white haired boy asked casually, unaware of the panic he had just caused the three. They all looked helplessly at each other before blurting out together;

"House elves!"

"Quidditch!"

"Chess!"

". . .Blinding." Allen said after a moment of just looking at them. "Perhaps you should get on the same conversation, yes? I'm sure that would tone down the confusion."

"No, it's all the same subject!" A red faced Hermione choked out. Gah, she hated lying! Especially to sweet people like Allen. "The house elves, you see, created a game. I-it's like a mix of quidditch and chess! Quite hard to beat or so I've heard."

Allen's blue eyes bore into hers and she couldn't help but glance at the floor in guilt. Her head shot up when he busted out laughing.

"Wow." He said, wiping a tear away from his eyes. "Hermione, I'm sorry, but that's the worst lie I've heard in years and I've heard a lot of bad lies." He told the girl before losing his composure and started laughing again.

Hermione just looked at Ron and Harry and gave them the 'I tried' shrug. She jumped a little when she felt two hands come softly down on her shoulders. Turning, she blushed beat red when she saw how close Allen was to her face. Afraid he was going to yell at her, she calmed down when all she saw was a kind smile on his face.

"Next time," He started out, "say this: It's a private conversation that is none of your concern. See? No silly excuses and people won't call you a blatant liar!" He ended with a wink, letting go of her and moving out of her personal space.

"You're not mad?" Ron asked. Normally he'd be pissed at someone getting so close to Hermione but he was busy puzzling over Allen's lack of reaction.

"Not really. I figure it's not really my business. I was only asking because I was curious." Allen responded. He was a little hurt that they would lie to him, but he shrugged it off. He was about to say something, when he remembered something.

"Do any of you have the time?" He asked them.

"Just a moment." Hermione responded as she took out her wand. Chanting a spell, numbers shot out in a sparkly blue.

"It's 6 already? I need to get to the library." Allen told them, already on the move. "I'll see you guys later!" He called over his shoulder as he turned a corner, disappearing from sight.

"Ok? At least we don't have to worry about making up a story now." Harry said to his shocked friends. "Bye the way Hermione, do you think you could do a little research on the wards put up around the grounds?"

"I knew you'd ask me that sooner or later!" She smirked at him, patting her book bag. "Aren't you lucky I've already checked out the book that we need."

"Hello Madam Pince!" Allen greeted the Liberian as he walked by the desk.

"Good evening Mr. Walker. What are you looking for tonight?" She asked him. Over his stay, he had come to the library every other night. Sometimes he came in looking for books to help him with essays. Other times he just came in to read for fun. She had been as stern with him as she was with the other students but after watching how careful he treated the books, she softened up on him.

"I have to do an essay. Are there any books referencing the Dark Ages and the affect it had on wizarding culture?"

"Isle H, under Wizarding Culture." She replied promptly.

"Thank you!" He said as he walked to where isle. Upon reaching it, he blinked at seeing a familiar red head passed out surrounded by books. Shaking his head with a smile on his face he walked over and bent down. Gently grabbing his comrade's shoulder, he began to shake him while calling his name.

"Wake up Ravi." Allen called softly. "Come on, get up before Madam Pince finds you." Nothing. Seeing that he was getting nowhere, Allen grabbed the nearest book and slammed down on the sleeping teenager's head.

"Wake up!" The words and the pain jolted Ravi out of his blissful sleep.

"Radishes are the one of the few vegetables that can go into potions!" Ravi yelped as he bolted up. "And I wasn't sleeping; I was simply in a transcendental state of mind!" He declared to thin air.

"I had no idea thinking such deep thoughts produced so much drool." Allen commented with a sly smile.

"Sometimes you need to sacrifice to receive a deeper state of mind." Ravi replied in a wise tone, as he rubbed his face with his sleeve in a typical kid fashion. "In this case I had to ruin my beautiful face. Fear not, my looks will return shortly."

"Thankfully, you're looks don't mean much to me."

"Ouch! So cruel baby." Ravi whined. "Why are you back here anyway?"

"The urge to kill you gets stronger every time you call me that." The pale boy informed him. "To answer your question, I'm looking for a book on cultures and the Dark Ages. You?" Allen asked as Ravi pulled out some books.

"Thankfully for you, I've read almost every book in this isle. Here, these will help. As for me, I promised Panda I would read as much as possible while I'm here." Ravi explained.

"Thanks!" Allen said to him as he walked over to an empty table, setting his stuff down. He couldn't suppress a smile at hearing Ravi groan and follow him.

"How was the village trip?"

"It was fascinating until Professor Cross dragged me into a card game."

"Harsh." Ravi winced in sympathy. "Where is he anyway? Back in his office?"

"Last I checked he was surrounded by women, laughing obnoxiously and generally being a nuisance to society." Allen told him with a cold smile. "Somebody will have to drag the drunk back."

"Aw crud. Guess I'll grab Yuu and go get him." Ravi said, already imagining the drama that awaited him at the bar.

"Where is Kanda?"

"Probably meditating somewhere. That's really all he does besides eat, sleep, and threaten things."

"Have fun getting him to the bar." Allen murmured, eyes already scanning across the pages of a book and taking notes on parchment.

"It won't be that hard." Ravi chuckled. "The moment I mention the word 'fight', he'll grumble and curse but secretly he'll be looking forward to getting Professor Cross. Yuu loves fights. I'll go get him now. I have a feeling the world will crumble if Cross is left alone in a bar without supervision. Later Moyashi!" Ravi finished with a wave, ignoring Allen's irritation as he left the library.

Another hour passed before Allen closed the last book with a tired but satisfied sigh. Putting the books back in their rightful place, he was more than ready to head back to the common room when something caught his eye.

There at another table sat Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Both boys had their head together in conversation. One flipped through the open book in front of him and after a moment of studying it, just shook his head in frustration. They both had lost, helpless looks on their faces and it didn't make it any better that the students around them either ignored them or just smiled at how upset they were. Curious and angry on their behalf, Allen went over to them.

"Are you guys having trouble with something?" He asked them quietly as he came closer to the table. They both looked up at him obviously not sure what to make of him coming over to them. After a moment of deliberation, Crabbe spoke up.

"We're studying for the upcoming transfiguration test. We're just stuck."

"Maybe I can help!" Allen offered cheerfully as he sat down next to them. "What's the problem?"

"We can do the practical well enough to get a passing grade." Greg piped up. "But explaining the theory is hard, and we can't find a decent answer in any of the books. We've looked and looked but we can't find anything helpful!" He ended with a grimace. "None of this makes since!"

"Now, now, don't get frustrated." Allen chided him. "Show me exactly where you're confused. . ."

That's where he spent the next few hours, helping two boys no one else would bother with and ignoring the strange glances from passing students.

Gryffindor Common Room, 9:50 pm

"You guys ready to go?" Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione as he brought out his invisibility cloak.

"Yes." Hermione replied in a soft voice as the three of them became invisible under the cloak. As they walked down the staircases and halls the conversation went a little bit like this;

"Harry, you need to get a bigger cloak, this one's getting a bit small."

"My cloak is not getting smaller; you're getting too big."

"I couldn't stay a midget forever."

"Would you both be quiet? This is a pointless conversation."

"Your face is a pointless conversation."

"Ron, that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever."

"Shh! I hear someone coming!" Harry told them as they pressed against the wall. The footsteps kept getting closer and closer before the three Gryffindors finally saw Filch storming down the hallways with Mrs. Norris. The ragged cat's yellow eyes looked right through them, but after a moment she continued to saunter down the hall.

The three students held their breaths as Filch walked by them without stopping before letting their breaths out when they could no longer hear or see him.

"What is he doing out so late?" Ron questioned, despite knowing that Filch was always on the lookout for straggling students.

"I don't know, but let's leave before he comes back." Harry said as he began walking toward the entrance that led outside. The hidden trio made near the edge before they stopped just before alerting the wards.

"So how do we get passed these wards?" Harry whispered to Hermione. She 'hmphed!' in annoyance at him for making her study up on the wards.

"That book was written at a much higher level than I'm use to reading. It took me forever to figure out what kind of wards Professor Dumbledore put up. Thankfully the counter-spell was right under it but we have to hurry! It's not permanent. So be prepared to run." She told them both as she brandished her wand.

"Right."

"Got it."

"Here we go!" She muttered. "Gninepo Trohs!" The moment it was uttered a small part of the barrier opened up and the students dashed through just in time. The barrier sealed up the moment after Ron's foot got through.

"That was to close for my liking! You sure there isn't a way to make that last longer?" Ron asked Hermione and received an elbow to the gut as an answer. "Right. Take that as a 'no' then." He grumbled, rubbing his soar stomach.

The trio walked under the cloak until they decided they were in far enough that the trees gave them coverage from Hogwarts. The three then cast 'Lumos' with their wands after Harry folded and shrank his cloak.

"No matter what happens, we stay in a group. No running off whatsoever. I don't care if you see fascinating plant or are scared to death because the trees moved. We stick together, alright?" Harry hissed sternly. "I have no idea how we're going to track these monsters, but it won't do to split up."

"Um, Hary?" Ron said weakly, capturing the other's attention. "I don't think we have to go far." The taller boy said as he pointed a shaky finger deeper into the woods. Looking in that direction, Harry could see a faint glow of light; from what he couldn't say, but he knew none of the creatures in the forest needed a light to see at night.

With their wands out, the three slowly moved closer. The closer they came to the light, the more dread filled their stomachs. After what felt like an eternity, they were close enough to see it was a fire. Standing around the flames were dozens of people, all pale, all staring into the fire without blinking or moving an inch.

"Bloody hell, what's going on?" Ron whispered as he took in the people.

"No clue. Hermione?" Harry asked but the girl just shook her head. Then, from behind, they heard a snap. The Gryffindors turned quickly, but were wrapped tightly in some sort of rope before they could raise their wands.

"Ah!" Hermione gasped as the cord wrapped tightly around her. Slowly, whatever captured them dragged them into the clearing. In the light, the three paled when they saw that the thing that had captured them was not a wizard, but a creature they had never encountered before. Fear rose in their hearts at its grotesque form and when it revealed its razor sharp teeth, the thought of being eaten alive, flooded through their minds.

A small child-like laugh broke them from their terror. Turning to the noise, Harry's green eyes flared in shock and rage.

"You!" He hissed so sharply, Hermione thought he had slipped into parseltongue. Rhode's eyes glinted in the fire as she skipped closer to him.

"Yes, me." She mocked him. "I told you didn't I?" She called over her shoulder into the darkness. "Are they stupid or what?" The girl said with a chuckle as a dark figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Why yes." A high voice responded back.

The fear was back. It was so strong it buzzed in their ears and drowned out everything else.

"Quite foolish indeed." Lord Voldemort said as he was bathed in the shallow light.

Bonus Story: You can read?

Draco Malfoy had seen many things in his young life. He'd seen his father kick house elves, watched a Weasley puke up slugs, had seen one white-haired fool sit down next him one day without so much as a by your leave, and many other things that he would rather not mention.

And while all these experiences had left marks on him in some way or another, the one he was witnessing right now was baffling beyond words, as his two best mates entered into the Slytherin common room.

Seeing Crabbe and Goyle together wasn't the problem. Seeing them with a book from the library, while much more rare, wasn't all that shocking either. True, he had made a crack about their ability to read in their second year, but Draco knew better than anyone that Vincent and Greg studied for hours on end almost every night just to keep up with everyone else. They weren't dumb by any means- Merlin's sake, if you're sorted into a House like Slytherin that relies on wits, you'd better not be daft- they did, however, struggle with the way things were taught. Everyone learns differently (Draco himself learned best with visual demonstrations) and after years and years of trying, Vincent and Greg still hadn't found theirs.

Professor Snape- bless his Godfather- had yet to give up on the two and did his best to help them when he could. But even they understood that he was sometimes busy helping others and couldn't always be there for them. Every Slytherin knew though, that the man was there when it truly counted and that's more than most could say for their parents.

Slytherins loved him for more than just taking points from Gryffindor.

So it wasn't surprising that Crabbe and Goyle had a book. What was surprising was that their faces where filled with excitement- not the usual frustration and tears at feeling downtrodden and stupid.

"Where have you guys been?" Draco called out from the couch, gaining their attention. Walking over as one they sat down next to him and handed over the book when he held his hand out.

'Basic Rules for Transfiguration.' The blonde read out loud. "Is to help you with the upcoming test?"

"Yeah!" Vincent said excitedly-excitedly!- "It has a lot of useful information in it. Greg and I are going to copy some of it into our notes."

"Ok." Draco said, still a little freaked out. "And you can actually understand the text?" he wasn't trying to call them slow, but there were some days he questioned it.

"Well at first we didn't." Greg admitted with no shame. "But then Allen came over and talked with us."

"Ah, I see- wait, what?" He asked aghast. They both had enough sense to look ashamed.

"I know you said to ignore him, but Drake, he was the only one to come over and actually ask what was wrong. He sat down and helped us find the material and took the time to make sure we understood it."

"And you didn't think for one moment that it might be a prank?" Draco stressed. If that freak messed with his friends so help him. . .

"Well, yeah, at first. But Drake, he stayed with us for hours. He even found information he didn't know about and wrote it down in his notes. And look Drake!" Vincent said as he took pieces of parchment out of his bag. "He helped us organize our notes. It's a lot easier to understand now that everything's in order." His friend confessed quietly, as Draco took in the neat handwriting and organized way the words were written.

"Did he write this for you?" Never in all his years had he seen Vincent or Greg produce such nice handwriting. Rest assured, Snape was working on that to; it was just taking time.

"Yeah." The two nodded. "He told us he had a hard time studying when he was younger because there was always so much information, he didn't know what to do with it all. Then, I think he said it was his dad, showed him how to group information together and it worked for him ever since. And it's also working for us. I don't think he's a bad guy Drake." Greg said softly. "He even promised that'd he'd help us if we had any other questions. He didn't laugh or jeer once at us. He didn't get frustrated or call us stupid." The large boy looked down at his clasped hands.

"No one besides you and Professor Snape has believed in us like that."

And Draco was silent.

'Maybe Walker isn't trying to humiliate us.' The boy thought has he handed the notes back to his friend.

That Friday, after checking several times for cheating, Professor McGonagall had the pleasure of marking two perfect scores on the test sheets of two very deserving Slytherins.