EnlightenedKing: Thanks again for the complements. You were right, Harry is going to ask Fiona, and Hermione, is going to end up going with someone else to Hogsmead. I haven't decided who yet. But about Marietta only being able to stun Semis, well it wasn't for the reason that you thought. It's for another reason that I don't want to revile yet. I just wanted to put it in as a note, so that in a further chapter someone doesn't go "Hey You established that she was going to do that." Anyway I know it seems a little complicated, but I can't tell you why she couldn't do it just yet.

Chang Kuei: I'm glad that you liked the last chapter. Thanks for adding me to your myspace. I don't get a lot of people adding me. Hope you enjoy this one. Keep me updated on the band.:)

Quillian: Thank you very much for posting. I certainly do hope that Marietta gets what she deserves as well, but she's really smart, so you never can tell what will happen. But you can expect more evil from her soon.

Hello everyone, back again, with another chapter. Um… well Here everyone is taking their collective intelligence, and putting the pieces together. Not a lot of action here, but some attraction, and I'll let you decide how good it is. Enjoy, and thanks for the reviews.

Sincerely,

Highice007

http/profile. 28: Sharing Intelligence

When Harry and his mates entered the room of requirement Cho and Luna were already there waiting for them. They were sitting at a long table, Cho looking sad as usual, and Luna was happily reading an issue of the Quibbler. They both looked up as the Gryffindors entered the room. "Hello Ron! Harry… Hermione." Luna said with a joyful tone that turned to one of uncertainty at the end. Hermione sensed this, and walked cautiously over to Luna, with an upset expression on her face. She put her head down for a moment and then raised it.

"Luna, um… I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean to yell at you, and call you a liar, and you were right about the Snorack anyway. So… I'm sorry about it, really." Hermione said with guarded sincerity. Luna smiled, and hugged Hermione, to Hermione's surprise.

"That's Okay Hermione! I knew that you were just having a bad day, or something. We all have them and sometimes say things we don't mean. I forgive you and I'm glad that were still friends." Luna said happily. She then went to Ron and put her hand in his. Hermione looked at Luna hiding the anger, and pain in her heart. "Friends?" she thought. Hermione turned to look at Cho and they stared at each other for a moment, each with unreadable faces. Finally Cho lowered her eyes and nodded to Hermione as an indication that the apology had been enough. But Cho still had a sad expression in her eyes that never seemed to go away. Everyone exchanged pleasantry greetings.

Harry gave a great sigh as he took a seat at the table opposite Cho, and Hermione and Ron followed suit with Luna sitting across from Ron and giving him a flirtatious smile. Hermione seeing this became angry at Ron for smiling back and moved closer to Harry to get away from Ron. Cho noticed Hermione's actions to get close to Harry and felt her heart break all over again. Cho blinked back a tear, as Harry cleared his throat.

"Err… well it's good to see you and Luna here Cho. I wanted to thank you both for coming. Well were all here to find out what Marietta Edgencombe is up to. Cho, Luna, Sir Nicholas, and the Gray Lady have been noticing some really suspicious things about her lately. Um well anyway I thought if we all worked together and sort of threw in everything we knew about the situation, we could find out what she's up too." Harry said awkwardly. "Um… I guess I'll start. Well Hermione and Ron told me that Marietta is now Head Girl. We all know that by now, but were not sure how. Apparently she was chosen by the Head Master by recommendation of the Masters." Harry said. Cho looked up at Harry and raised her hand. Harry smiled at her, thinking it cute. "You don't need to raise your hand Cho. This isn't the DA, and I'm not above anyone here. Were all a team trying to work together to solve a mystery. So please feel free to speak you mind without asking permission." Harry said jovially. Cho blushed embarrassed.

"Well um… Jill Tanaka was our seventh year prefect last year, but… she couldn't return to school, and let the staff know before the summer break. They had to find a replacement… and… Marietta, she… had very high marks. She always had the highest marks. So they made her a prefect. Also she helped Umbridge out a lot last year." Cho said. "But Harry, all of you… I didn't know that she was helping her! You have to believe me! I'm really sorry. I thought that I could trust her. But she was working for Umbridge when I was not around her. Please forgive me Harry. I swear that I didn't know!" Cho pleaded, with tears streaming down her face, at her inability to see through her own former best friend. Harry who had been so mad at Cho on the train reached over and gave her a hug.

"Shhh… It's okay Cho. No one blames you. I know that you didn't mean to get the DA busted up. We all know it. That's why your face wasn't marked by the jinx. You're among friends here." Harry said comfortingly. Everyone told her that they were like minded with his assessment. Cho thanked them, and continued.

"Well… well anyway, Marietta, every year since I've known her has been really good at school. I mean she studied a lot like me, but she didn't have to. Well she also was on a lot of committees too. So that with her marks, and Umbridge sending her recommendations for the prefect and head girl position, she was able to get Head Girl." Cho finished, sitting back down. Harry reflected on the information for a minute. He found himself staring at Cho and wanting to kiss her, to hold her. Why was he feeling this way about her? The crush was over. Harry fought to suppress the emotion from his mind. Concentrate on the business at hand Harry he told himself.

"How did you know about Umbridge giving her the recommendation Cho?" Harry asked curious. Cho opened her mouth to speak, but Luna beat her to the answer.

"She told us Harry. She came in our carriage to yell at Cho for sending her a howler, a week before, and… well Cho noticed the Head Girl badge on her, and confronted her about it. She had come in with Danielle Forester, and some Slytheren prefect, and pulled wands on us, and after our friend Beverly snuck up behind her, and disarmed them, she spilled her guts, warning her to watch out." Luna said, as the collective jaws of the Gryffindors dropped.

"Marietta pulled wands on you?" Ron asked concerned, and a little angry. Cho and Luna nodded.

"Why did you send her a howler Cho?" Harry asked surprised.

"Well… she, she was talking about You, and My Muggle born and half blood friends, and she… she was talking about how she was going to hurt Miss Granger… . And she um, wanted me to stop speaking to any non pureblood friends I had. She mentioned something about how things were changing in the Wizarding world for the better, and I shouldn't associate with Muggleborn people anymore. But I've come to find that Marietta and I have very different ideas about what changes for the better mean." Cho finished and was quite. Hermione was very touched by Cho's statement.

"Thank you Cho. I'm really grateful that you're not a hater like her. It was very good of you to stand up for us Muggleborn." Hermione said with a smile. "I think that were going to be good friends." Hermione finished. Cho gave a plastic smile. "Friends?" she thought to herself. Probably not. She really didn't want to get close to Harry's girlfriend. The pain was too much even now. She would settle on acquaintance, but could never be Hermione's friend.

"I'm proud of you too Cho. I know that you would never side with the likes of Marietta. Especially after what happened to… well I know that you can be trusted." Harry said cautiously. Harry didn't say Cedric's name, but Cho knew that He was referring to the death of her dead boyfriend, and the hurt that she had felt last year and at the end of the year came back, though a little more subtle. She was moving on from Cedric's death, but it still hurt, and did you ever really get over someone who you cared about so deeply dieing? Especially dieing in such a tragic way. Cho buried her feelings deep; she had to concentrate right now. She had to help Harry. He needed her to focus.

"Now I'll let everyone in on something as well. I talked to Nearly Headless Nick during the feast, and he had some interesting things to say about things that went on here over the summer. It seems that Marietta came to visit Filch, the caretaker of this castle, over the summer, along with his twin brother. They spent their time here ghost and poltergeist proofing his office. Sir Nicolas also told me that it always appeared that Marietta was the one giving orders, which is confusing, because she's only a student at this school, and not on the staff… obviously. None of the ghost know what they were doing in there, but it was very dubious, whatever it was. We still don't know what the connection between Marietta and Filch is but…" Harry stopped, as he was interrupted by Cho.

"Filch is Marietta's Uncle." She said softly. The Gryffindors let out a collective gasp.

"He's Marietta's what!" Harry asked not believing his ears. Cho kept her face expressionless, as she looked up at Harry and spoke.

"Well Luna, and I… we… we overheard her on night talking to Filch, and he was calling her niece, and she was calling him uncle. But… well Luna and I, we got the feeling that they didn't like each other very much, and he was mad about her being in charge of something. Also he said that he was upset because he could never let Miss Norris out of the office, and Marietta mentioned something about having food, and water supplies for a few months, ready for a room that she was using, but even Filch didn't know what it was for, and through their conversation Marietta made it very clear that she was in charge. I can only guess that the room might be the second ghost proof room that Marietta and Danielle were talking about the other day. But she's been sneaking off sometimes to go see someone on some nights." Cho finished. Harry scratched his head.

"Where do Marietta and Danielle chat about this and, what time does she leave at night to go see… whoever she sees?" Harry asked.

"She leaves past curfew on some nights. She and Danielle talk in the Ravenclaw common room when no one else was around. Luna and I were hiding under a common room table the first time we herd them." Cho stated.

"Well than, I suppose that we should start with the paintings in the Ravenclaw common room, ask them if they heard anything you didn't." Harry started.

"Oh! Harry that won't be possible, as Marietta freezes the paintings every night before she leaves, to keep them from noticing, but I can't remember how the spell goes. We also didn't see the manner in which she flicked the wand." Luna burst out. The Gryffindors eyes went wide.

"What… what do you mean she freezes them?" Hermione asked confused. Luna turned to her.

"Well, Marietta cast some type of spell on them, and then they just… well freeze. They have no movement at all. Like pictures from the Muggle world. When she gets back she unfreezes them, and it's as if they don't remember anything at all." Luna informed everyone.

"Fascinating!" said Harry. "Well we will have to have someone sneak into the library at night to look for a book that will produce such a charm. It's likely to be in a restricted area, that we can't get permission for." Harry said. Luna shot out of her chair with a smile.

"Oh Cho and I can do that Harry, we've already snuck into the library once trying to follow Marietta after curfew…" Luna started but was cut off.

"Luna!" Cho shot nervously, and began to blush red with embarrassment. She didn't want Harry to know that they had snuck out at night to spy on Marietta. Even though she had broken the rules to go to Harry's DA classes last year that was a noble cause that would allow her to support Harry. But Harry probably wouldn't think well of her breaking the rules for something so minor. But then, wasn't he talking about sneaking into the library now? Oh! This is so confusing, she thought. How am I supposed to act to get him to like me? Cho thought. Luna looked at Cho and smiled.

"Harry, Cho thinks that you wouldn't approve of us sneaking out and doing stuff like this. Tell her how you feel about it." Luna said proudly. Harry grinned.

"I absolutely approve of it. I mean it's for a good cause, and well it's become a hobby of mine since my first year here. Besides no one likes someone who's a complete goodie two shoes. Sneaking out at night is okay with me Cho." Harry smiled at her.

"Oh." Was Cho's only response. She wasn't sure what else to say. It looked now like she wasn't adventurous enough for Harry. She would have to find a way to fix that.

"Well about the second ghost proof room. Where is it?" Ron put in, changing the conversation. Cho lowered her eyes.

"We… we don't know. I think that it could be in the dungeon, but I'm not sure. I… Oh! Harry I just remembered! Marietta said that she had given you a memory charm. But I don't know when. She was talking about how she might give the ghost a memory charm, like she had given you one. What if… I mean I heard that you attacked some Slytherins on the train. Maybe that's what happened. Maybe she did that to you." Cho said upset. Harry lowered his head.

"No Cho… that was all me. Draco Malfoy and I have been bitter enemies since our first year, and I've had a lot of problems over the last few years, that just sort of blew up on the train. It was stupid, but I'm not going to let it happen again. I don't remember ever meeting Marietta since we arrived, so maybe you misunderstood her." Harry finished.

"No Harry I heard her as well, and if you got zapped with a memory charm then you wouldn't know." Luna injected. Harry smiled and waved it off.

"Look I took alchemy classes last year, and if someone gave me memory charms, than I would know about it." Harry stated. Ron gave a frown.

"But Harry didn't you say that the classes with Snape failed last year?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head.

"Well Ron I'd know if some one gave me a simple memory charm. After all Marietta's just a simple school girl causing trouble locally. If I can defeat a You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters, I can easily defeat her., than I can easily tell if she's trying to cast a simple charm on me, besides how good can she be at it? She's still in school. Were just trying to find what she's up to with this whole bewitched room thing. I have to admit the strangest thing about all this is that she and Filch are related, and that she was telling him what to do. I would never have expected Filch to take orders from a student, no mater what. Um does anyone else have anything to contribute to our investigation?" Harry finished.

Cho reached into her book bag, and pulled out the class year book that she had taken from the library. She opened it up to a marked page. "Well Harry I came across this book the night Luna and I… well the night we snuck out of the tower to look for Marietta. It has her mum in it, and her mum was a part of this society, well a lot of societies, and club really, but one in particular. Well it had this symbol of a black teardrop, and it seemed to be the same symbol that a lot of people were carrying on their arm in the great hall the other day. I wasn't there, but Luna described it to me. Well anyway Marietta's mum was a part of it, and well I guess that Marietta is too. From what I can tell it's a racist organization, as several of the students were talking about purity, and how much better they were than Muggleborn people. Anyway like I said, I didn't see what happened that day because I've been spending most of my breakfast, lunch and dinner breaks in the library." Cho said. Harry nodded.

"Yea, we've run into a few of those society people. Especially that stupid Lori Sanchez. She was talking about how Purebloods were better than Muggleborn, and how Muggleborn aren't wanted here. Cho started leaking tears from her eyes upon hearing this. Harry noticed. "What's wrong Cho? Why are you crying?" Harry asked. Cho wiped a tear, and sniffed.

"It's just that Lori, and I… we used to be friends. She's changed… she never used to hang out with my Muggleborn friends, but I never thought that she would… I'm so blind to see what some of the people that I used to hang out with were really like. Harry… I'm so sorry." Cho quietly pleaded. Harry gave her a comforting glance.

"It's okay Cho really. I know that you're not like that. Look you can't help what other people do. But you chose us over them, and that's all that maters. Is there anything else in the book?" Harry asked. Cho nodded her head.

"Yes, but I don't think that it's to relevant. The society used to have their meetings in the Hogwarts Auxiliary building, but it burned down mysteriously. I found a newspaper clipping on it. I… I'm sorry Harry I just couldn't find anything else." Cho said disappointed in herself.

"Cho… really, it's okay. I'm sure that this will help. Look we just need to get Sir Nicholas, and the Gray Lady to start looking for the second bewitched room, but No other ghost. We need to keep access to what were doing very restricted. Before long we'll have answers to all of our questions." Harry finished.

The conversation went on for several hours, each member of the team putting in their information about what they knew about the situation, such as Filch complain that Miss Norris was always locked up in his office, when Harry very well remembered that the cat was always following him around. It was decided that Harry and Ron, would try to sneak into Filches office in the near future, and that Hermione, Luna, and Cho should keep researching at the library together. Also the next chance that Cho and Luna got they should follow Marietta to wherever it was she was going at night, the next opportunity they had. After a while the group started breaking up and leaving Cho was waiting for Harry, but it seemed that Hermione was waiting for him too. But Cho had something to ask him that couldn't wait any longer. She walked up to him.

"Harry may I please have a word with you in private? It's really important." Cho pleaded. Harry nodded his head, and turned to Hermione.

"Wait for me outside Hermione. I'll get with you in a minute, okay." Harry smiled. Hermione returned his smile, and stepped out reminding that she also had something important to talk with him about in private. After she had left Harry turned to Cho. She as always looked on the verge of tears, but Harry felt a warmness just looking at her. Something from her seemed to radiate warmth that Harry could never explain to himself. "What's wrong Cho?" Harry asked. Cho tried hard to get the words out, but with difficulty.

"Harry… Emit Walsh, and, and other people have been saying very bad things about you… they said. Well they said that you attacked several of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team in your practice game, and that you tried to kill the seeker. A lot of people are saying it. Even members of your own team. I know that they can't be right, but… I didn't know how to explain to them that they were mistaken. I don't know how to explain it. I need you to tell me what happened, and whatever it is, I'll believe you. I don't believe that you would ever hurt anyone like that, so please… tell me what happened on the pitch yesterday." Cho asked sincerely. Harry pulled her gently over to a bench and sat down with her. He looked into her eyes and saw a look a genuine sincerity gazing at him.

"Look Cho, I… There are things that I cannot tell you. Things that well… I may never be able to tell anyone. Are you sure that if I explain what little I can to you, you can believe me?" Harry asked in a very serious tone. Cho nodded as a tear fell from her eye. Harry gently grabbed her hand and brought it up to his head. He ran it over his scar. "You know what this is from Cho, everyone does. But what you may not know is that You-Know-Who also put some of him in me unintentionally when he was defeated. It's why I can speak parcaltoung, and why I was almost put in Slytheren I think. Anyway, You-Know-Who can get into my mind sometimes, and make me believe some things that are not real. I think also maybe he may be able to make me do things that I don't; want to do. Like what happened at the Quidditch game. I don't even remember anything. I've been feeling really weird for a long time now. It's not the imperious curse, I'm sure of that, but some how, I'm sure that he's trying to controlling me. Anyway I know that the staffs are going to help me prove my innocents, but for now I've got detention. I don't even know if I'll be able to play Quidditch again, but I'm going to really go crazy if I don't get to play it again this year. Anyway that's what I think happened to me. Do you believe me Cho?" Harry asked unsure. Cho started sobbing uncontrollably as she gave Harry a very tight hug that made him feel as if all the air was being squeezed out of his lungs.

"Harry I… I'm so sorry for you. I can't even imagine what you must be going through. I believe you, and I promise that you can always count on me to be there for you. I care about you a lot Harry… I promise you that I'll explain to everyone about what You-Know-Who is doing to you." Cho said through tears as her warm cheek pressed against his. Harry stroked Cho's beautiful raven black hair, and felt the wetness of her tears on his face.

"Well Cho… I don't think that you should tell anyone about that really. Not just now. If people know that he could do that to me… it will be just like last year, and everyone will think that I might go off on them. I don't ever want that again. I'm sure that the staff will come up with a potion or something that I can drink that will keep him from controlling me." Harry stated. "Until then I'll just have to wait for this ting to blow over, Okay?" Harry asked. Cho nodded reluctantly.

"Harry what do I tell people until then?" Cho asked still wanting to help. They had not yet pulled away from their embrace, and Harry could again feel the warmth of her body against him, and smell her vanilla scented shampoo. Her almond shaped brown eyes were hypnotic to him, and he wanted to kiss her at that moment.

"Cho. Just… don't worry about it. Things will… blow over in… a couple of weeks. Really. Cho looked deep into Harry's emerald green eyes, and smelt his breath. He must have eaten some chocolate frogs before he came to the meeting, because his breath smelled of chocolate. It was pleasing to Cho. Everything about Harry was pleasing to Cho. She always felt so warm being next to him, and so sincerely happy. Just being in his presents made her just for a short time forget all her problems. She loved him. Not because he was The Harry Potter, but because of some connection that she could never understand. She respected him because of his bravery, and Quidditch skills, and she felt sympathy because of all the pain that he had suffered through his life, but she could not understand why she loved him. But she knew now that she had to tell him, now that they were alone together, now that her heart was felling this way.

"Harry there is something I have to tell you… Harry I…" Cho started, but was interrupted.

"There you are. Harry hurry up! I have something that I need to talk to you about. It's important." Hermione stated. Harry pulled away from Cho and started to get up.

"Sorry Hermione, Cho and I were just having an important chat. He turned back to Cho. What was it you wanted to ask me Cho?" Harry asked with a smile. Cho looked over his shoulder at Hermione. She didn't want to start a fight or anything in front of anything. Cho lowered her head. Nothing. It can wait." She said softly. Harry nodded. He started off with Hermione, and left Cho sitting in the room of requirement. She had moved to the table and looked to be reading the year book. After Harry and Hermione had left, Cho simply sat there in a daze, not being able to cry. She had guessed that she was out of tears for now. She wished she could be stronger. She had noticed that Hermione Granger had brownish curly hair. Cho looked at her own Hair hating it. Black. She thought. How ordinary, how unattractive. Not a beautiful black like Harry's, but a boring black. Cho gathered her books and set off to the Ravenclaw tower. Her friend Stephanie Burt knew several hairstyle charms, and maybe she could make Cho's hair into a beautiful brown, and give her curls. Maybe then she could look beautiful to Harry, if she looked more like Hermione Granger.

"That's what was so important? You want me to get you back with Ron?" Harry asked Hermione agitated. "Look you can go out with Ron anytime that you please. You're the one who refuses to date him. He still cares about you Hermione." Harry said.

"Are you kidding Harry? Didn't you see how he was all over Luna at the meeting? He was being very… open about what he wanted and it wasn't me! Please Harry just talk to him for me." Hermione pleaded. Harry gave a sigh.

"Fine I'll let him know how you feel, but I'm telling you, you had better start looking for a date to Hogsmead this weekend yourself. I'm sure Ron isn't ready for a commitment. And I don't thank that they were all over each other at the meeting." Harry finished. Hermione gave him a dirty look.

"Well they left together didn't they? There probably snogging in some empty classroom right now. Please Harry. You have to convince him." Hermione pleaded. Harry put his head down in capitulation.

"Okay, okay, I promised that I would, and I will. I'm just saying don't expect anything from him. He still wants to date around." Harry finished. Hermione smiled.

"Thank you Harry. I really am grateful. Oh! Will you be taking Cho to Hogsmead Harry?" Hermione asked. The question caught Harry off guard.

"No… why do you ask?" He said.

"Well it's just that she really seems to like you is all. I think that she still has feelings for you." Hermione said.

"Well, were just friends, and I'm going to ask Fiona Shaw to Hogsmead. Anyway its dinner time lets head to the great hall. I'm famished." Harry said rubbing his stomach. But on the way he kept thinking about Cho, and about how she felt as they held each other. It was a good feeling, and he wished that Hermione had not interrupted them.