23. The Unknown Passage
Harry scanned the area intently, looking for something that would lead him to Draco's whereabouts. Then someone skidded into view at the top of the stairs.
'Is he here?' Ron asked urgently looking down at Harry. 'The kids who just ran past me-'
'Ron, look out!' But before he could react to Harry's warning, Ron was hit hard in the shoulder by a stun almost at point blank range that sent him careering backwards into the fifth floor corridor. Draco was fleeing back the way he had come. Harry dropped his wand hand and leapt up the stairs in pursuit.
'MOVE!' He yelled. A small group of three or four students were making their way cautiously towards Ron's still form sprawled near the top of the stairs. They flattened themselves against the wall terrified as Harry raced through them. Then something caught Harry's eye. The corner of a tapestry half way along the passageway depicting two centaurs gazing at a purple flame on a grassy knoll, a mesh of stars stirring above them, gently flapped back into place.
He pelted towards it, flinging the ancient wall-hanging aside and squeezing himself into a narrow opening that was sliding closed. A wave of steamy heat swamped him as the wall shut behind him with an echoed thud, extinguishing the dim ribbon of light that had filtered through, leaving Harry enveloped in darkness.
Harry knew he had made a mistake the second he took a step forward. Instead of hitting a hard surface, his foot plunged into nothingness, and feeling totally disorientated in the utter blackness, Harry teetered for a moment and then lost his balance. He dropped quickly, and then jarringly collided with something, yet he continued to fall, being propelled with gathering momentum along a smooth round, slimy surface. It twisted and turned, grazing Harry's elbows as he went. Then without warning, he left the slippery surface and was airborne briefly before thudding face first onto hard stone.
His head still reeling from dizziness, and his heartbeat racing more than ever, he scrambled to his feet and lit his wand, trying to find something in the stiflingly hot, damp blackness to focus on.
The minute the light splayed along the glistening stone walls, an ear piercing shrill rang out. The pitch was so unbearable that Harry doubled up, hands clenched over his ears, and eyelids pressed tightly together trying to shut out the noise. It was not the sound of the merpeople's song that screamed aboveground; it was a thousand times worse. It seemed not only to attack his eardrums, but pierce his very skin as well, prickling at it with cactus-like spines of painful sound.
Unable to think, Harry curled up against the wall behind him, squirming in an effort to escape the burning sensation that felt like a fine mist of acid on his skin. But as Harry forced his eyes partially open in the foggy wand light, hands still pressed firmly against his ears, expecting to see his clothes morbidly dissolved and melted to his body, astonishingly his jeans appeared whole, untouched. The painful sound pummelling him relentlessly made tiny specks of light dance sickeningly before his eyes.
Then a flash of white-hot heat shot through his chest. His grip on his wand loosened, sending it clattering to the ground. The light dissolved and Harry knew no more.
'Potter …' Harry felt a sharp jar in his shoulder. 'Potter!' Struggling to open his eyes, his head throbbing painfully, Harry's gradual recognition of the cold voice of Draco that intruded on him sent his pulse racing, rousing him fully. But as he urgently tried to lift himself, he found he couldn't move his arms or legs. Wrenching at the binds around his wrists and ankles furiously, he stopped dead as the sole of a shoe pushed against the side of his face with spiteful force, shoving his cheek into the warm wet surface he was lying on.
A cold, contemptuous laugh broke the silence. 'Well, well … we meet again.' Harry could not see him, but Lucius Malfoy's voice was unmistakable. A wave of fear gripped Harry as his fingers flexed uselessly in search of his wand.
'All but the most dim-witted of NEWT students would have extinguished their wand at the sound of a Screaming Wraith. It appears Severus is right. Harry Potter is not troubled with the petty art of learning. Far too mundane for the "Chosen One"?'
'You shouldn't have followed me here.' Draco said sourly as he leant down, planting his pale face at an odd angle in front of Harry's, his black Death Eater robes draped loosely around him. Lucius increased the pressure of his foot on Harry's head warningly, as he tried to jerk free.
'You're leaving us no choice but to do something about you.' Lucius drawled.
'Get-off-me!' The words came out muffled through distorted lips as Harry seethed in anger. Lucius dug his foot further into Harry's cheekbone. 'I'm-warning-you…'
'What?' Lucius drawled sarcastically 'what is it exactly you plan to do? Since you do not have a wand, nor even a free fist or leg, your limited magical skills, as well as your primitive mudblood tendencies are of no use here. Perhaps you plan to talk incessantly until you manage to bore us to death with your usual drivel?
'Then again, maybe you have something even more delightfully woeful to share with us?' Harry felt a pang in the pit of his stomach as he watched a malicious smile creep across Draco's lips. Lucius continued, 'Though I should warn you, if you're planning on reciting the grim details of your deplorable personal life with Miss Weasley, I may be inclined to lose my patience.'
Draco sniggered as the pang in Harry's stomach swelled into full-blown nausea.
His anger exploded suddenly, and with an all-mighty lunge, Harry wrenched free of Lucius's foot and brought his bound legs crashing into the back of Draco's knees. Draco let out a painful groan as he crumpled to the ground.
Harry shuffled into a wall behind him, coming to a rest, sitting upright with his bound arms tucked behind him. 'If you go near her' he said, his voice sounding strange 'it'll be the last thing you ever do!'
For the first time, Harry could see Lucius as he rounded on him, wearing the same pitch-black robes Draco wore. With his long pale hair and the angle of the strange coloured light that barely shone from Draco's wand casting long shadows across his sleek face, he looked even more sinister than usual.
'You are hardly in a position to threaten anyone,' He said darkly, bringing his wand only inches from Harry's face. It was obvious he was on the verge of cursing Harry into oblivion, but the anger that flooded through Harry over-rode any fear he should be feeling.
'I mean it.' With a piercing, deadly gaze, Harry held Lucius's pale eyes as he spoke slowly and deliberately. 'If you, your son … or anyone else touches her … '
Draco had picked himself up off the floor and now rounded on Harry, furiously. 'You wont live long enough to worry about the Weaslette, Potter! One day soon-'
'One day soon,' Lucius cut in coolly, 'you will face the Dark Lord, and you're life will be a living nightmare.'
'Right,' Harry said sarcastically. 'As apposed to the dream come true that it is now?' He was shifting his body slowly, trying to ease it into a position where he could get to his feet. 'You may not know, not being one of Riddle's closest cronies anymore, (Draco looked outraged) but I spent the last week facing him, and yet … here I am!'
Lucius raised an eyebrow, looking down at Harry malevolently. 'Youescaped him?' A faint smile edged Lucius's thin lips. Harry had expected the revelation to anger him, possibly even incite fear, but Lucius looked amused. 'Even you cannot possibly be that ludicrously dull. Tell me,' Lucius leaned in uncomfortably close to Harry's face, 'did you ever bother to ask who it was that released you from your bonds? … No?' He shook his head slowly and drawled 'Oh dear, oh dear! Still, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You cant even find something that is right under your no-'
'Father!' Draco said sharply. He sounded nervous as he watched Lucius with a mixture of fear and warning. Lucius eased himself upright.
'Lumo Sepia!' He snapped. His wand instantly glowed in the same eerie light that Draco's gave off. 'You are fortunate the Dark Lord wants you alive,' Lucius bitterness was evident as he sneered down at Harry. 'Though, you will not think so when he comes for you.'
Harry narrowed his eyes at Lucius's smooth grin. Anger pulsated through him as he finally wriggled up the wall into a standing position. 'Next time we meet, I'll wipe that smile off your face!'
Lucius glared at Harry, his knuckles whitening over the grip of his wand as it shook slightly, and through gritted teeth he said 'Oh, I do so look forward to you trying. In the meantime,' Lucius waved the tip of his wand and the ropes slid from Harry 'let's see how you deal with your present state of affairs.'
Lucius's malicious smile disappeared along with the rest of him as the glow from both his and Draco's wands retracted and Harry was plunged into darkness once more.
There was a brief sound of cloaks fluttering in the darkness as Harry imagined Lucius and Draco making their escape … then nothing.
'Great!' Harry said under his breath. 'Now what?' He stood in black silence, swamped in sticky heat, and concentrated.
Accio wand!
Nothing. A drip echoed somewhere near as Harry squeezed his eyes tightly shut and said aloud 'Accio Wand!'
Still nothing.
The drip seemed to grow louder in the stifling silence, and then Harry felt something brush past his leg. He stepped back in alarm.
A waft of humid air swept around him, ruffling his hair slightly, triggering a growing unease in the pit of his stomach. Almost unsure if his eyes were open or closed anymore, Harry reached his arms behind him and felt for the wall, planting his hands firmly on the warm slimy surface in an effort to get his bearings.
The waft gently grew into a steady breeze and Harry's heartbeat quickened with the looming certainty that he was not alone. As dreaded confirmation, a fuzzy blue-green glow appeared in the distance. At first, he thought he had imagined it, but as it spread out along the glistening rounded surfaces, it pushed the air ahead of it with a quickening speed, blowing Harry's jacket out around him.
Harry looked down suddenly in the blurry light. Something had curled itself around his leg.
'Socks?' Ginny's cat was staring up at him, her tail flicking wildly as her hair ruffled in the wind. She pressed her head into his shin then sniffed the ground.
There, almost undetectable, lying on the damp stone at Harry's feet was his wand. He bent down and scooped it up, looking in wonder at Socks as she turned in the direction of the blue-green light, which lit up the surroundings. Following her gaze, he was horrified to see that a huge shadow was visible in the midst of the eerie glow, drifting straight for him with ever increasing speed. The wind rushed at him as Socks scooted across to a small fissure in the stone wall, and disappeared.
Harry glanced back at the encroaching shadow, raising his wand, his mind racing. His hair and clothes blustered about him as he looked around him desperately for a way out. Then Socks reappeared through the wall. She growled at Harry, lifting her paw up and clawing at the air, and then darted back through it. Harry knew she was trying to get him to follow her, yet there was no way he could fit through the narrow gap, but he bolted towards it in an effort to put some distance between him and the shadowy light that was hurtling towards him.
Then quite suddenly, the light died, the wind dropped, and all was silent again.
Harry listened to the sound of his rapid breathing in the blackness as he turned back towards the now non-existant light. This cannot be good, he thought. A tingling sensation crept up his spine and he knew whatever had been within the light was almost upon him. He had to do something, fast! 'Lumo Sepia!' His wand ignited in the same eerie light that the Malfoy's had given out.
Harry froze at the sight before him.
In the dark light, two monstrous forms loomed barely feet away. They were almost human, but too reptilian in their features to be considered so. One had an elongated snout and hard armoured skin like a crocodile, and the other had spiky scales that fanned out along its back and neck like a prehistoric lizard.
Their bodies were undulating as if fluid-like, glowing fluorescent in the wand light, and both eyed Harry venomously, baring their dripping, silvery teeth.
A viscous hissing sound brought Harry out of his stupor. Socks was standing at his feet, her hackles raised and her tiny pointed teeth bared. She let out a low rumble of warning and advanced on the rippling creatures in what Harry thought was a totally reckless move on her part. They opened their mouths and the same horrible screeching sound he had heard before accosted Harry, making him curl into himself as he tried to shut out the noise and pain, but Socks spat and growled savagely, seemingly unhurt by their wailing.
To Harry's amazement, they started to retreat as she slunk towards them, but then she turned suddenly, pouncing on Harry and pushing on his chest with surprising force, sending him reeling backwards towards the wall.
In shock at her surprise attack, Harry watched as she darted up a small stairwell that had appeared out of nowhere where before all he could see was the tiny fissure. Realizing she had shown him the way out, a way maybe he could see only by the Sepia light, he took off after her, his skin burning and his hands still clenched over his ears, the wraiths in pursuit, following Socks as she leapt up the stairs turning every now and then to let him catch up.
The stairs ended where a tunnel began, and Harry ran on through it, glancing over his shoulder, but the painful sound of the creatures at his back seemed to fade as the air became dryer and cooler, until he could no longer feel his skin burning.
The curved stone walls of the tunnel ended abruptly, leaving only dirt and wood in their wake as it slanted off at an odd angle. Harry didn't dare try switching to a brighter light, even though it was hard going as he tripped and stumbled over what looked like tree roots in the dirt floor. Sock's tail flipped out of sight on occasion, but then Harry would see her again standing in the middle of the tunnel, her eyes glittering in the strange light, waiting for him.
Some way along, the tunnel came to an abrupt end. Socks watched Harry as he came to a stop, flicking her tail impatiently as she prowled round and around on the spot. Harry looked down at her expectantly.
'So, how do we get out?'
She looked up at the tunnel roof above them, and following her gaze, Harry noticed the wood that was splayed scarce and disorganized in the rest of the roof, seemed to have a much more solid form directly above them. In the inky light Harry could make out what looked like a trap door, only it appeared to have no way of opening it.
Not sure if the wraiths were likely to still be following them, Harry wasted no time in blasting it with a Reducto curse that sent splinters of shrapnel in all directions.
'C'mon then.' Socks immediately jumped into Harry's outstretched arms, and he hoisted her above him. She leapt clear of him and landed with a light thud on the wood above. Pocketing his wand, Harry jumped up and grasped the jagged edges of wood, pulling himself up with difficulty until he was sitting on the edge of the hole.
Looking around him, he could see a huge old wood and iron bed bent up in the middle and lying on its side, the mattress torn and oozing fluffy green feathers. There was an oversized wooden table and chairs, an assortment of traps and hanging cured food, pots and pans and other gear dangling from the roof, and finally a large stone fireplace on the far wall.
Hagrids?
Harry lifted himself to his feet and looked back at the ruin of floor where Hagrids bed used to be. Hagrid had not long had his hut rebuilt after last years fire; Harry didn't relish the thought of telling him he had made a crater in the middle of the floor and destroyed his bed into the bargain. He took out his wand and tried to repair the damage; the bed heaved slightly and groaned as the iron moved reluctantly, but then it merely collapsed in on itself even further. Deciding it was best left to someone more skilled, Harry grabbed Socks and headed to the door, walking out into the cold mid-morning light.
'Harry! You're filthy! What happened?'
Harry looked down at his clothes as he buried his fingers in the fur of Sock's neck. He was indeed, filthy. His shoes, which were once white, were coated in black slimy mud, along with the whole back and left hand side of him.
'Is Ron okay?' he asked as he met Hermione's scowl.
Her face dropped. 'Why wouldn't he be?'
'Oh' said Harry.
'Harry, what is going on! Where is Ron, and why wouldn't he be okay?' Hermione was standing on the worn out carpet in the Gryffindor Common Room tapping her foot with her hands on her hips, and a very fiery look in her eyes.
'Hello.'
Harry and Hermione turned to see Ginny strolling over to them. She had a rather blank look on her face as she inspected Harry's state. 'I don't suppose that mud is Peruvian Bugboo-'
But Socks wriggled free of Harry's grip and leapt at Ginny, seemingly greatly pleased to see her mistress. She knocked the books out of Ginny's hands, sending them tumbling to the floor. Harry crouched down with Ginny and helped her gather them up again, leaning in so no one else could hear.
'Ginny, we need to talk.'
Harry stood up with an armful of books as Ginny smiled and said pleasantly 'I've always liked a good conversation.' Surprising Harry with her receptiveness.
'Not here though!' Harry said. 'I have to go and check on Ron first, but then we must talk.'
'Harry!'
He turned to see Ron coming through the porthole rubbing his shoulder soothingly. 'What happened to you?' he asked grinning as he took in Harry's slimy clothing.
'I'll tell you at lunch. You alright?'
'Yeah. McGonagall wants to see you though. She wasn't looking too happy either when she brought me round. Did you catch up with him?'
'Who?' Hermione said impatiently. She was trying to coax Socks to her, but Socks kept darting out of her reach.
'We'll meet at lunch; I'll fill you in then. Ginny, come on.' He placed her books on a small table and grabbed her hand, pulling her to the door.
'Harry …' Hermione called out hesitantly. Both he and Ginny turned and looked at her expectantly. 'Oh, er …' she looked from Harry to Ginny uncertainly 'n-nothing.' She said in frustration, waving at a hand at them dismissively and resuming her pursuit of Socks.
Harry led Ginny into the first empty classroom they came to, closing the door behind him before turning to her gravely.
'He knows Ginny. Voldemort knows.' He said quietly, frowning as Ginny flinched slightly.
'Oh,' Ginny said, then added vaguely 'knows what?'
'About us, of course!' he said sharply.
'Oh!' she said as comprehension dawned 'that's not good is it? How did he find out?' she asked interestedly.
'Malfoy, who else?' Harry said in impatiently, annoyed he didn't seem to be having the impact he thought was warranted. 'Anyway, it doesn't matter how he knows; the point is you are now a target! This is exactly what I didn't want to happen!' He started pacing the floor nervously. 'He'll try to get to you, I know he will! That's what he does!' His insides were swirling with painful guilt as he stopped abruptly, taking hold of Ginny's arms.
'Until the Christmas break, you are not to leave the inside of the castle! Do you understand? And never walk the corridors alone! Always make sure someone is with you!' he let go of her and started pacing the floor again. 'I'll put the DA onto it.' He said to himself as his mind raced. 'I'll make sure there is always at least two of them with you wherever you go.'
'Oh, I don't think she'll like that very much.' Ginny said blandly.
'Who?' Harry snapped.
'Oh … er … maybe you should talk about this later? I'm in a bit of a hurry actually.'
'What are you talking about?' Harry stared at her in angry bewilderment, beginning to lose his temper that she appeared not to be taking his worst fears seriously. She watched him dreamily as he grabbed her too tightly by the arms and said in almost a yell 'Ginny, this is important. He knows! He'll come after you! He'll use it to get to me if he can. You have to stay hidden, you have to stay safe!' He was shaking her as the painful lump in his chest made his eyes water.
'I cannot let anything happen to you! Do you understand? I wont let you get hurt! I wont let him take you too! I wont lose you as well! Do you understand me?' He could feel himself losing control as his eyes dropped to her mouth. The pain within him branched out, surging through his whole body as a salty tear threatened to leak behind his glasses. In a fit of desperation, he thrust his lips to hers, looking for a way to shut out the pain. But he pulled away again prematurely and frowned as he searched her face. She looked stunned, confirming what he had felt in her lips. The anguish of it tore through him.
'Oh ... Oh I'm sorry Ginny. I had no right.' He let go of her and backed away. 'I really am sorry … really I am…' he could feel himself crumbling as he dropped his gaze to the floor. 'More sorry than you can know.' He walked passed her without looking at her and opened the door, tilting his head in her direction. 'Go straight back to the Common Room. And tell Ron he's to stick to you like glue!'
The guilt that swamped him had Harry so torn up that when he finally reached the Gargoyle; he stood in front of it unable to utter the password. Ginny was now in serious danger, possibly more than anyone else, even himself, and it was all because he couldn't control himself. He should have stayed away from her after he left her at Dumbledore's funeral!
Dumbledore … someone who was already no more because of Voldemort. Harry tortured himself with the knowledge that he had endangered Ginny recklessly.
'Stupid!' Harry chided himself angrily through clenched teeth. If Voldemort took her, he would not kill her straight away. He would surely use her as bait. What would he do to her in that time? 'Stupid … stupid idiot!' He said, breathing hard in an effort to reign in his emotions.
'I doubt that's the password.'
Lupin smiled faintly as he stopped before the Gargoyle, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder. He must have seen the excess water in Harry's eyes because his smile faded as he studied Harry intently. 'What is it? What's happened?'
Harry sat in the Head's office and spilled everything he knew about Draco Malfoy's whereabouts when he was in the castle. McGonagall and Lupin listened as Harry told them about the secret passage that did not appear on his map, and about Lucius and Draco's presence in the underground drains. McGonagall rested on her elbow with her fingers to her mouth and a pained expression on her face as Harry recited as accurately as he could what Lucius had said, leaving out the part about Ginny, fearing he wouldn't be able to keep his composure if they dwelled on it.
He told them about the Screaming Wraiths, and the tunnel that led to Hagrid's, acutely aware that the paintings were not bothering to hide their interest. The occasional gasp or short disbelieving comment about Death Eaters roaming the castle at their leisure escaped their lips, and when he had finished, Lupin was the first to speak.
'Harry, why didn't you tell us about Draco when you first saw him?' He looked weary as he leant against McGonagall's desk with his hands in his pockets.
'Because I wanted to find out what he was up to.' Harry replied, his eyes on a green, ball-shaped paperweight that sat atop some parchment on the desk.
'Don't you think we might have had a better chance of determining his intentions together?' asked Lupin.
Harry sighed heavily. 'I couldn't tell you because I'm almost certain it had something to do with the task Dumbledore left me.'
'The Horcruxes?'
Harry looked at Lupin in surprise. 'You know?'
'Yes, though I have not known for long. I am not privy to all of the information. Professor McGonagall and Aberforth are the only ones who know almost as much about this as you do. And it must stay that way. Voldemort could still get information from anyone else if he should happen upon us.'
'We must seal the secret passageway, immediately!' McGonagall said briskly. 'And Hagrid's hut will need to be investigated. I can see how they have utilized the drains, but how on earth they have been getting into the grounds escapes me!'
'What about the fireplace?' Harry said.
'It's a definite possibility. They must have built the tunnel between Hagrid's and the drains. It was just dirt and wood, you say?' Harry nodded at Lupin. 'Then it makes sense that they were able to get in and out of the grounds through the fireplace, and were using the tunnel to enter the castle.' He added gravely.
'I never heard of such a thing!' one of the most pompous looking of the portraits said huffily. 'I thought Hogwarts was supposed to have superior security.' As the old ex-headmaster pounded his fist on his armchair for emphasis, a few portraits murmured in agreement.
'It always did when Albus was here.' Professor McGonagall looked pale, the news of the infiltration obviously weighing heavily on her. 'I am certain that if he were still running things the castle would have been safe, as it is-'
'As it is...'
Harry and the others looked at Dumbledore's portrait at the sound of his voice. He was peering over his half-moon spectacles at Professor McGonagall. 'Their secret has been successfully discovered before they had time to do any real damage.'
'But do we know that, Albus?' McGonagall stood up and approached him questioningly. 'We're not even sure what they were doing here in the first place.'
'I think it is safe to assume that if they had managed to complete their mission, we would know.' He glanced at Harry and gave him the slightest wink before turning his attention on Lupin. 'I trust you know what to do?' Lupin nodded. 'By the way, now would be the ideal time to tell Harry why you are here, Remus.'
'Yes, of course. Harry, you will be joining Molly and Arthur Weasley at the burrow for Christmas again. Members of the Order will be here on Saturday to escort youself, Ron and Ginny onto the Knight Bus, staying with you to ensure your safety. Molly has also informed me that you are most welcome to bring someone along, if you wish.
'Well, I should be going.' Lupin moved to the door and opened it, and then turning he said to McGonagall 'I shall have the passage entrance and Hagrid's Hut guarded until something more permanent can be worked out. Harry,' he said with a nod of his head 'I shall see you at Christmas.' Then he turned and left, closing the door behind him.
'What did he mean,' Harry asked nobody in particular 'I could bring someone along?'
'I am certain you can think of someone who deserves a Weasley family Christmas, Harry.' McGonagall said as she took his elbow and led him to the door. Harry thought he saw a faint twinkle in her eye. 'In the meantime, how is it working out with Professor Slughorn?'
Harry frowned, uncertain of how she knew he had approached him, but looking over her shoulder at Dumbledore, he wondered no more. Dumbledore nodded slightly.
'He said he'd have some information for me tomorrow morning.'
'Very well. I must get on.' The Professor opened the door and edged him out of her office. 'It seems we now have a traitor in our midst, on top of everything else.'
'A traitor?' Ron breathed. 'Why does she say that?' He was sitting next to Hermione at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall scooping cauliflower and cheese onto his plate. The ceiling above them was heavy with grey cloud as the magic rain tumbled down above them.
'Isn't it obvious Ron?' Hermione poked her zucchini absentmindedly. 'McGonagall would have left the rebuilding of Hagrid's hut to people she thought she could trust. Whoever made that tunnel and bewitched the fireplace so it could be used, must have worked on it.'
'I'm betting they wont try to use it again.' Harry said looking at his plate of food with disinterest.
'Well good! Means we don't have to worry about Malfoy sneaking around the place.' Ron stabbed at his Yorkshire pudding and stuffed it into his mouth. 'Chunior or shenior!'
'Hermione, have you done Screaming Wraiths in your defence classes?' Lucius's comment about him not bothering to learn had been playing on Harry's mind.
'Well … not really,' she eyed him knowingly. 'I mean, they're in the text books, but we haven't really covered it in class.'
'What do you know about them?'
'They're ghosts aren't they?' Ron frowned.
'Wraiths are visible spirits Ron; ghosts are different. A wraith isn't just an echo of a past life; it has substance as well as form. It can affect its surroundings, touch things, move them.' She looked at Harry pointedly 'What did they look like?'
As Harry described them, Hermione's expression darkened. 'They're his Harry. They're Voldemort's.'
'What d'you mean?'
'Wraiths become whatever was in there hearts when they lived. Going by your description, and the fact that they didn't seem to bother Lucius or Draco, I'd say they were put there by Lord Voldemort-'
'To guard the passage' Ron finished.
'Maybe.' Hermione sounded unconvinced. 'They might be there to guard something else too.'
'Like what?'
'I don't know.' she said thoughtfully.
'Tell me about Lumo Sepia.' Harry asked, wanting to know everything he could.
'It means "Dark Light" or more commonly "Black Light."' She said, finally putting her fork down. 'Screaming Wraiths are sensitive to normal light. As soon as they are exposed to it they, well … scream.'
'It wasn't like any scream I've ever heard before.' Harry said.
'Their screams alone aren't deadly, though people have been known to be driven mad when exposed to them for too long.'
'What? So they can't hurt you as long as you don't use light on them?' Ron said dubiously.
'Of course they can. They used screaming as a weapon on Harry, even in the black light, and they do things, remember? And they apparently have teeth.' She said flashed an uncomfortable look at Harry.
'How come they were afraid of Socks?' he asked, glad to finally see his untouched plate vanish.
'It not just Socks, cats are their natural enemy.'
'Hey, do you think the cups still safe where it is?' Ron whispered.
'They don't know where it is, if they did, they would have taken it by now. If they're even after it.' Hermione said, looking up as Ginny appeared over Ron's shoulder.
'Harry, I need to speak with you.' She looked slightly paler than usual and Harry could tell there was something wrong. He left the Great Hall, following her out into the courtyard. It was very cold and raining heavily still, and neither of them were wearing coats, so they took what shelter they could under a giant willow.
'I want to talk to you about what happened earlier.' Her green eyes fixed on him as he brushed a hand through his hair in an effort to shake some of the droplets of rain off. 'There were some things I should have said, but didn't.'
'No Ginny.' Harry shook his head slightly. 'You don't need to do this. It's okay, I understand.' His heart pounded in his chest painfully.
'I don't think you do.' She said, a small crease forming between her eyebrows. 'I will not live in fear and hiding Harry, and I'm certainly not going to be surrounded by the DA everywhere I go.'
Harry stared at her for a moment. He had thought she was going to talk about what happened when he kissed her. He had thought she was going to explain why she had not kissed him back, why her lips had lacked the fiery passion they always held. He had hoped she might open up to him, even yell and scream at him for his betrayal, or maybe tell him she hadn't meant to be so cold, finally finding it in her heart to forgive him. But she had not even noticed.
The pain and hurt that was flooding every part of him began to change, anger once again rearing its head as he spoke. 'I know things are different between us now, Ginny. I know it and you know it, but Voldemort doesn't. I'm not changing my mind, you need protecting no matter how inconvenient it is for you.' He turned away from her and stalked back towards the door. Suddenly, he was yanked around by an abrupt pull on his arm.
'Harry Potter, I've got something to say and you had better listen!' They were both standing in the pouring rain; any shelter now well out of reach. Ginny's hair, which was only lightly dusted with raindrops moments ago, was quickly getting soaked flat to her head as droplets of rain tumbled off the ends of her soft fringe and crept down her face.
'I will not be dictated to! I don't care who you think you are!' Her voice sounded strange as she poked him in the chest. 'I will not be followed around or told where I can and cannot go! Have you got that straight? You are not the only one around here who is entitled to do as you darn well please!'
Ginny's cheeks were flushed, and if it wasn't for the rain, Harry was certain he would have been able to see tears spilling from her swollen eyes.
'Do you really think I would be stupid enough to flaunt who I am now that Voldemort knows about me? Is that what you think? Well it's about time someone pushed you off that bloody throne you've been sitting onMr.-Chosen-One and brought you back down to earth where the rest of us live! You think you're the only one that knows anything that's going on! You think you're the only one who can do anything about it! Well I don't want to be the one to burst your bubble, but there are-'
But Ginny never got a chance to tell him what there was. Harry swept her into his arms and bent down to taste the fire that once again flared after it had lain dormant at their last meeting. She pushed her fists into his shoulders, trying to pull away, but Harry would not release her. Seconds later, he did not need to. Her lips were ignited and she kissed him heatedly, putting her arms around the back of his neck and pulling him to her. Harry was lost for one blissful moment where there was nothing except Ginny.
Slowly becoming aware that they was standing out in the freezing cold and pouring rain, Harry slowed his kiss until Ginny's lips left his reluctantly.
She allowed Harry to take her by the hand, and following him at a run, they headed back inside. They walked without speaking until they reached the Common Room, and then Ginny made her way to the dormitory stairs, leaving Harry to ponder how he had ever thought her lips cold.
The next morning on his way to breakfast, Harry came across Hunter at the foot of the marble staircase. He was lingering with a small group of students and appeared to be demonstrating the effects of a very nasty curse to the sniggering delight of his audience.
'You've never seen someone perform such a pitiful improvement charm on themselves until you've seen Taphet's effort!' Hunter gloated. 'Imagine trying to make yourself taller and ending up with too much skin! Honestly! It was hanging off him in great wrinkly folds! He looked like my aunt Begonia's dog! And I thought that was the ugliest thing I'd ever seen!' The small crowd guffawed as a very red-faced young boy with curly brown hair tried to get passed them unnoticed.
'Hey Taphet!' Hunter yelled after Peter. 'Taphet! I could hook you up with my Aunt's dog if you're looking for a mate!'
'Hunter!' Harry slapped his hand down heavily on Hunter's shoulder. Obviously taken by surprise, Hunter glanced up at him in dire disbelief. 'You must have thoroughly enjoyed cleaning out the Greenhouses last time Hermione set you to it.' Hunter grimaced as the other students stared, unsure of what they should do.
'You know, I could think of far better ways of spending my last week of lunchtimes before the holidays, but each to his own I guess. And don't worry; there'll be no shortage of dragon dung to scrape off the floors, that's always guaranteed! Oh, and its mating season for the Mandrakes if I'm not mistaken. I'm certain you will find it very entertaining picking up after the wild parties they are sure to have thrown over the weekend.' Harry smiled pleasantly as he looked down at Hunters increasing scowl. 'Report to Greenhouse three at the beginning of lunch. I will let Professor Sprout know she can expect you.' Harry started walking away but turned again calling after him 'Oh, and I'd stay out of reach of the Venomous Tentaculars too … very nasty.'
The group dispersed and Harry entered the Great Hall, making his way over to Peter who was sitting alone at the far end of the Hufflepuff table.
'Hello! Listen, I've been thinking,' Harry sat himself down on the edge of the seat and lazily grabbed a piece of toast from one of the racks 'I promised you some one on one time, but I don't think I'm going to be able to do it before schools out,' Peter, who had smiled nervously at Harry when he sat down, tried to hide his obvious disappointment.
'It doesn't matter. I'm rubbish at magic anyway. I'd probably just be wasting your time.' The boy said sincerely.
'Oh,' Harry said brightly, 'then it is just as well I was going to ask you if you would come and stay with some friends and me over Christmas then, isn't it? Sounds like you could use the practice!'
'But … under age wizards aren't allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts.' Peter said, with a hint of excitement.
'That will not be a problem where we're going.' Harry said casually as he bit down on his toast 'So, what do you say? Wanna come?'
When Harry got back to the Gryffindor table, he was feeling very pleased with himself. Peter had accepted the offer of Christmas at the Weasleys, and assured Harry he would be ready to go with them on Saturday. And the thought of Hunter elbow deep in droppings instead of enjoying his lunch this afternoon brought an immensely satisfying grin to his face.
Harry was just about to start loading his plate, his appetite fully returned, when Hermione swooped in on him, the look on her face nothing short of horrified.
'Harry! The cup … its gone!'