Swept From the Past

Chapter 48: The Emerald's Heart -- part one

Minerva McGonagall was talking with Professor Sprout, when she noticed that something was wrong. The students had gathered around something. The music stopped, leaving the Hall filled with the deafening rumble of the student's voices.

Minerva stood up immediately to see what had happened. She cleared a way through the students and saw that Harry Potter had fainted. The Headmaster was kneeling by Harry's side, holding the boy's head.

"Silence please," Dumbledore's powerful voice ordered. The loud talk reduced to whispers.

The Headmaster put his right hand on Harry's forehead. He closed his eyes.

"Albus," Minerva said after a minute, "what is going on?"

Dumbledore opened his eyes again and sighed. "It is as I feared," he said. "Voldemort's work. Dark Magic."

Everyone flinched, Minerva included.

"What about Potter?" Minerva asked. "Can you wake him?"

The Headmaster threw a worried look at Minerva.

Suddenly, Harry's scar became dark. A red line glittered briefly inside of it. A sort of thin black thread came out of the scar, as if pulled out horizontally by an invisible hand. The thread thickened, as it emerged from the scar. When it attained the length of two meters, the diameter of the thread had reached the size of a rope.

The students screamed. They panicked and rushed over to the exits. Minerva was jostled from everywhere. One of the mummies even trampled on her feet. Minerva tried to calm the agitation, but she was carried away by the flood of people. When three-quarters of the students had left, Minerva managed to clear a way through the crowd again. She was scared. What was that thing coming from Potter's scar, still attached to his forehead by that endless dark thread? When would it stop growing?

Dumbledore didn't move from where he was. He closed his eyes again, his hand still on Harry's head. His lips moved, but Minerva couldn't hear what he was saying. Then she gasped. The end of the dark rope took the shape of a serpent's head. A live serpent, which kept growing!

"Albus!" Minerva called, stepping forward.

"Stay where you are, Minerva," the Headmaster bellowed. He opened his eyes and threw Minerva a look which meant that he was the only one able to help. "Do not try to interfere," he said. "If you hurt the serpent, you will hurt Harry. Stay away."

Minerva gasped. What had Albus said?

Dumbledore's stare was insistent. Minerva nodded, although she was still in shock. She stepped back and left the Great Hall. Only a few staff members and students had not run off: Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and Madams Pince and Hooch.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled, breathless. "We... we can't leave him! That creature... does it... come from him? It's... impossible!"

"What's that bloody thing?" Ron exclaimed. "It's getting... huge!"

Minerva cast a quick glance at the group. Hermione had tears in her eyes. Ron's face was very white. They both looked shocked. But Ginny seemed to be the most shocked. She stared at the scene through the opening between the doors, her eyes wide. She seemed ready to faint.

"Harry," she said with a strangled voice.

The Transfiguration teacher took hold of herself. "What are you still doing here?" she snapped. "Go away! This is dangerous!"

"But... Harry?" Hermione argued. "We can't --"

"The Headmaster is taking care of him," Minerva retorted. "To your dormitories now! Sixth years students can't do better than a confirmed wizard, as far as I know."

Harry's friends didn't want to leave, but Minerva cast them a cold and commanding stare. Albus knew what he was doing. Harry Potter couldn't be better protected.

"Irma," she said, looking at the Librarian, "these students must be conducted to their common room immediately. With what is happening to Potter, we must be prudent. Especially with these three."

Madam Pince nodded.

"But..." Ron said.

"There's no 'but,' Weasley," Minerva interrupted. "The Headmaster is busy enough with Potter. He doesn't need to watch over the three of you in addition. This is no time for getting in trouble!"

Madam Pince forced the three students to follow her despite their protestations. Minerva sighed. One good thing done!

***

Harry perceived a light in the darkness. He raised his eyes and saw the full moon, high in the sky between the trees. Where was he? He didn't know. Harry looked around. Trees? The Forbidden Forest. How had he come here? His head seemed so heavy. His scar ached, prickling to warn him of danger. He had to leave immediately.

He heard the rustle of the leaves. Something was roaming around... observing him... Harry gasped. There, in the bushes, two eyes reflected the light of the full moon. Suddenly, the eyes disappeared and a long howl filled the silence of the forest. A werewolf!

Harry ran away as fast as he could. He stumbled over the uneven soil and fell flat on the ground, hitting his temple hard on a stone. He cried from pain. His heart beating hard, he stood up quickly and ran off again. He could hear the animal running after him, growling like an enraged, hungry dog. Harry saw Hagrid's hut in the distance. He used his last strength to hurl himself to the hut's door. He opened the door rapidly, entered, and closed the door behind him.

But when he turned around, he jumped from surprise. He was in the library. The hut's door had disappeared. Harry calmed his pounding heart and walked among the aisles of the library. Suddenly, he noticed a glow near one shelf. He turned the corner and saw Hermione seated at a table, a pile of books in front of her.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, running to the girl.

Hermione didn't react. Her eyes remained fixed on a parchment that lay on the table.

"Hermione!" Harry repeated. "Something weird is happening! I was in the Forbidden Forest, and I was attacked by--"

"Have you learnt your lessons?" Hermione asked. "Professor Vector said we would have our final Arithmancy exam tomorrow."

"Hermione," Harry replied with irritation. "There's a lot more important than those bloody exams."

"Do you realise that you'll fail your year?" Hermione replied, not removing her eyes from her parchment.

"I... what?" Harry asked. "What do you mean?"

"You missed all your Arithmancy classes," Hermione replied. "For four years."

"I... Really?" Harry asked. So he had missed four years of Arithmancy? And he had the final exam tomorrow? He gulped. He felt anxious and ashamed. Why had he missed his classes? He would fail his year! He would never become an Auror!

"Help me!" Harry pleaded. "You've got to help me revise! I don't want to fail this exam!"

"Read these books," Hermione said, pointing at the huge pile of books in front of her.

Harry gripped the book on the top and opened it. He read, but didn't understand anything. The numbers appeared to be moving.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed. "The numbers are mad! They're moving over the pages."

Hermione laughed. "Of course they're moving!" she replied. "You must find the right combination first to decrypt it."

"But I don't know how," Harry said.

"Then you'll fail your exam," Hermione responded. "If you had learnt your lessons, you would know how to read the book. The combination is written in the book."

"So I must read the book to find the combination to decrypt the book?" Harry asked. "How did you find the combination?"

"I read the book," Hermione replied.

Harry didn't understand anything. He thought he was going crazy.

"Time is up," Hermione said. "Give me the volume."

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed. "I didn't have time to read it!"

"You had one minute and a half," Hermione replied, snatching the book from Harry's hands. "That's long enough to read all the books in the library! Now, it's time to study Potions..."

Hermione raised her head and stared at Harry. The boy realised with horror that it was not Hermione, but Snape with an ugly smirk on his face.

"So, Potter," Snape whispered under his breath, "Wandering the library at night, when you should be in your common room? Tut tut, I'll teach you how to respect rules..."

Snape removed the volume at the bottom of the enormous pile of books, which had grown bigger. The pile collapsed on Harry, crushing him under its weight. A wave of books submerged him. Harry gasped for air.

A sudden blaze of light flashed around Harry. Instead of being crushed by the wave, the boy found himself diving into it, swimming among the volumes, trying to find an exit. The books transformed into fishes, and Harry found himself in luminescent blue water. He felt he was flying on his broomstick. A quick glance under him proved that he was actually flying on his broom. The luminescent blue water transformed into fog. Harry didn't see the ground or the sky. He was just flying among vapours.

Harry saw something flying straight at him. A black Bludger. Harry raced higher and avoided the ball, but he saw another black Bludger aimed at him. He dove. The ball missed him again, but another one appeared. It continued again and again. Then Harry saw a Golden Snitch in front of him. When he extended his arm to reach the Snitch, twenty Bludgers appeared at the same time to hit him. Harry sank with his broom and zoomed, pirouetting several times. He felt one Bludger brush against his ear, hissing like a serpent.

Where was the Snitch? Harry heard the chants of the supporters in the stands... and the whistles. The audience sang an awful hymn:

"Potter is our King

He cannot catch a little Snitch

That's why Slytherins all sing:

Potter is our King."

"Hey, Potter," Malfoy's drawling voice said from somewhere. Harry didn't see anything except the fog. "Did Weasley lend you his broomstick? A Floorcloth Two Thousand?"

The spectators laughed. Harry couldn't see them, but he heard their mockery that echoed in the stadium.

He looked above him, trying to see something through the fog and gasped. A gigantic Snape was staring at him with a sadistic smile. He turned an enormous ladle within the fog, in the Quidditch pitch. The awful reality hit Harry. He was in Snape's cauldron, just above the nasty potion that boiled in the receptacle.

Snape poured horrible, sticky ingredients in the cauldron, just above Harry. The boy avoided the triton's eyes, but he was splashed by snail's slime. He lost his balance and fell screaming into the steaming brew.

***

Minerva looked inside the Great Hall. Now, the serpent was around eight meters long. The Transfiguration teacher suppressed a cry. The big snake's head stopped a few inches from the Headmaster's face. The tongue of the monster flicked out of its mouth in a scary hiss. Dumbledore's body sat perfectly still.

Suddenly, Minerva perceived a familiar sound: an eerie, vibrating music that gave her hope. 'Fawkes,' the Transfiguration teacher thought.

The crimson bird flew from the magic ceiling and dived at the serpent. The snake turned its attention to the bird and forgot about the Headmaster. Its head raised into the air, trying to catch the phoenix in its long fangs. Fortunately, Fawkes soared just in time. The bird flew around the furious serpent, occupying its attention. Still the snake continued to grow.

"Minerva," Rolanda Hooch said, "do you know what we can do to--"

Minerva shook her head. "Albus knows what he's doing," she murmured. "You heard him. If we hurt the snake, we hurt Potter. So we mustn't interfere. But I think you should search for Severus. With that snake... his Potions may help. I'll stay here to watch the Great Hall."

"All right," Rolanda replied.

"Search for Professor Burns too," Minerva added.

Rolanda left.

Suddenly, Minerva heard a thumping sound, which made her jump. Thunder? No, it couldn't be. The sound repeated again and again. How could a tempest be raging outside the castle? Minerva hadn't seen any clouds in the sky. Was that a trick from the enemy?

Professor Burns Apparated in front of the Great Hall and stepped into the corridor.

"Professor Burns!" Minerva exclaimed. "We have a problem! The Headmaster is--"

"I don't have time for that," Burns replied sharply. "We're under attack! Bring the students to their dormitories immediately!"

So the castle was really under attack? Minerva shivered.

Burns raised her arms above her head. "Vestimentum," she uttered, still walking. Her dress changed into a dark shirt, black trousers with a sheath hanging from her belt. Minerva noticed the letter G written on the golden guard of her sword. Lord Grindelwald's sword. Burns' satin gloves changed into her black, leather gloves. Her stiletto heels transformed into high-heeled boots.

"Capa," Burns added. Her dark green cloak appeared on her shoulders and unrolled along her back.

Professor McGonagall knew what an attack on the castle meant. Burns' place was with her crew. However, Harry Potter's future was linked to the Wizarding World's future. Burns' knowledge in the Dark Arts could be precious now. She must be informed of the situation.

"It's Potter," the Transfiguration teacher said, hoping that her words would have an effect on Burns.

The Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher stopped in her tracks. "Potter?" she asked, spinning around. "What...?"

Fine. Minerva had got Captain Burns' attention.

"The boy fainted," McGonagall responded. "Albus says that it's linked to Dark Magic."

Burns raised an eyebrow. "What happened?" she asked briskly. Minerva perceived anguish in her voice.

"A... snake came out of his scar," McGonagall replied. "It is still attached to Potter and keeps growing bigger. The Headmaster said that we mustn't do anything to the serpent. It seems that if we hurt the snake, we hurt the boy."

"Where is the Headmaster?" Burns asked quickly.

"In the Great Hall," Minerva replied. "Near Potter, and near the serpent."

Professor Burns rushed over to the doors of the Great Hall and had a look. Minerva gasped with horror when she herself looked into the room. The serpent's size had almost doubled. Fawkes was flying higher in the air, but what would happen if the snake bit or even swallowed the bird? And what about Albus and Harry?

The Transfiguration teacher stared at Burns. The Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher frowned. She seemed worried and deep in thought.

"I can't do anything," she said finally, anger in her voice. Her jaw clenched.

"Can't you?" McGonagall asked, surprised.

"Potter is cursed by a strong Binding Spell," Burns explained. "The Somnus Ligatus Curse. And Voldemort is the wizard who uses that link. I have already defied him once. But last time, I was not strong enough. I needed the help of a powerful magical artefact."

Minerva flinched at the name of You-Know-Who, but she shivered when she heard that Burns had already defied him.

"Harry Potter needs the protection of someone more powerful," Burns continued. "Someone he trusts. Dumbledore knows it. That's why he stayed with him."

"But," Minerva said, "the snake keeps growing! If the Headmaster and the boy stay in the Hall, they will--"

"You don't know what the serpent is, do you?" Burns asked.

Minerva shook her head.

"It is a creation of Harry's mind," Burns continued. "A part of his spirit. It represents his deepest fear."

"His deepest fear?" Minerva repeated. "Remus had told Albus that Harry's Boggart had taken the shape of a Dementor."

"Fears change," Burns replied. "Last year, many awful things happened to Harry. Sirius' death... being possessed by Voldemort in the Ministry of Magic." She paused. "Sirius told me that Harry thought he had attacked Mr. Weasley... as a snake."

"A snake?" Minerva said again. Yes, she remembered. But... did it mean that...?

"The serpent is Harry's vision of himself," Burns continued. "It's a part of his mind. He unconsciously fears he can become that snake. The serpent keeps growing because he uses Harry's fears to gain strength. When the serpent is big enough, he will swallow Harry's body. Harry will be devoured by his deepest fear and he will die."

Minerva gasped.

"Harry is now in a nightmare state created by Voldemort," Burns said. "His fears will feed the snake. Harry needs to find a light in this shadow, and Dumbledore will be this light, since his power can go through Voldemort's barrier of darkness. But only Harry can decide if he wants to follow the light. Only he can get rid of the serpent."

"I had never heard of such a spell," Minerva said.

"Few people know about that spell," Burns responded. "It's powerful Dark Magic. Only powerful Dark Wizards know about it..."

"The Headmaster is not a Dark Wizard!" Minerva exclaimed.

"He doesn't practice," Burns replied with a smirk. "Here's the difference. Now close the doors and stay here to watch. No one must enter here and disturb Dumbledore and the snake. Otherwise, the Headmaster and Potter will have no chance to survive. Do you understand? No one."

Minerva cast an instinctive glance at the door. She heard a Crack. When she looked back at Burns, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher had left.

Professor McGonagall was terrified. What would happen if Harry Potter didn't follow Dumbledore?

***

Harry fell into the disgusting, boiling liquid prepared by Snape. He tried to move his arms and legs to swim, but they seemed to be paralysed from fear, and something more. He felt he had no strength at all. A force was catching him from below, pulling him under. He had to do something or he would drown.

Suddenly, a gigantic Ron leant above him.

"Ron!" Harry yelled. "Ron! It's me, Harry! Help me!"

Ron plunged a ladle into the potion and scooped up Harry in the ladle. Harry was safe! He could always count on Ron in difficult situations.

Ron poured the liquid in a cup clumsily. Harry was submerged by the brew. He swam to the surface and put his head out of the potion.

"Hey, mate!" Harry cried, mad at Ron. "You could have fished me out first!"

"Hmmm," Ron said with a hungry stare. "Chocolate!"

Harry blinked. Choc... WHAT?

Ron blew on the surface of the potion, raised the cup, and prepared to drink.

"Hey!" Harry yelled. "Nooo! Bloody cretin! I'm in the cup! Don't you hear me? Don't swallow!"

Harry swam as fast as possible to the other edge of the mug, but he was carried away by the flood of liquid that poured into Ron's mouth. Then he shut his eyes, not wanting to see what Ron's insides looked like. The liquid went down in waterfalls, the torrent almost drowning Harry for a second time. Through his eyelids, Harry saw a blaze of light.

Then, the agitation of the water stopped. Harry opened his eyes again and found himself in a little pond. He swam to the shore and went out of the nasty liquid. He lay on the pink ground, exhausted.

"Hhhaaarrryyy," a voice hissed from nowhere. "Harry couldn't place that voice. He wasn't even sure it was real. The voice was like a murmur. It soon disappeared.

"Buy The Quibbler!" Luna's voice said, making Harry jump. Harry sat and looked around. Behind him, a stall stood against a pink wall. On the top of the booth, a big shiny pink and yellow poster flashed The Quibbler's new slogan: "If you want to know more about Harry Potter, read The Quibbler."

"Buy The Quibbler, ladies and gentlemen," Luna continued. "In this edition, more about the flying Skrewts that attacked the Ministry of Magic last night!"

Harry stood up and stepped to the stall.

"Buy The Quibbler, ladies and gentlemen," Luna repeated.

"Why are you advertising?" Harry asked. "There's no one here."

"There could be," Luna replied. "Dad told me The Quibbler was a magic paper. It makes people appear."

"That's rubbish," Harry responded.

"You are here," Luna said. "Buy The Quibbler, ladies and gentlemen!"

Luna seemed strange. Had her eyes got bigger? And had they always been so red? Harry couldn't say.

"I'll take two editions," Neville's voice said from behind. "One for me, and one for Gran."

Harry spun around. Where did Neville come from? He was so... weird, dressed like an old-fashioned Muggle. And since when did he smoke? He wore a long, beige trench coat, a black hat, and had a cigarette in his mouth. He looked like a Muggle detective in the fifties.

"Neville," Harry said, "why are you dressed like that?"

"That's my cover," Neville said. "You-Know-Who won't find me if I'm dressed like that. You should find a cover too. Gran said she has an old Indian tunic at home. It'd be your size."

An Indian tunic? Surely not the best way to go unnoticed in the Wizarding World.

Luna clapped her hands. "That's a wonderful idea!" she said, giggling.

"No, thanks," Harry replied.

"It would please your parents," Neville said. "I've heard they didn't have much fun in St. Mungo's."

"My parents?" Harry exclaimed. "They're dead."

"Only their minds," Luna said.

"We all know that they're completely nuts, Harry," Neville said with a mocking tone.

"No," Harry said, "it's your parents who are... ill. Mine were killed by Voldemort."

Luna laughed hard. "He said the forbidden word!" she said between hiccups, tears in her eyes. "Very, very funny!"

"He doesn't know what he's saying," Neville said. "Healers, bring Harry Potter to his parents!"

A mediwitch Apparated beside Neville. The place changed. Harry found himself in St. Mungo's. The nurse gripped Harry's arm and led him with force to a white room. Harry gasped. His parents lay on two separated beds. They were strapped to the beds.

"Mum! Dad!" he exclaimed.

Harry's mother reacted to his call. She fidgeted violently, her wide eyes staring at the ceiling. Her hair was a mess and her lips so dry that they bled. Harry's father kept muttering something Harry didn't understand. He blinked at regular intervals as if the light hurt him. He drooled a bit. His glasses were broken with lightning bolts scored on the lens. The same symbol as Harry's scar.

Harry was shocked. His heart was broken. So his parents were alive, but insane? He swallowed his coming tears and left the room. The boy couldn't watch. He hadn't been prepared for the sight of his parents so ill... It was horrible... Really horrible... He felt bile come up from his stomach. He could hear the insane cries of his parents, calling for him with guttural sounds, laughing devilishly as if they had been possessed.

Suddenly, a pointed object hit his neck.

"Ouch!" Harry exclaimed. He turned around and saw Ron. Ron threw a quill at Harry's face. Harry felt enraged. Couldn't Ron find another game? The situation was already hard for Harry without having to bear Ron's stupid tricks!

"Are you crazy?" Harry yelled. "I'm here to see my parents, and you throw quills at me?"

"I guess this one was a Revealing Quill," Ron said. He looked disappointed. "Fred and George sent a few to me, but they got mixed up with the Killing Quills in the packet."

"The WHAT?" Harry asked, surprised.

"The Killing Quills," Ron said. "Fred and George's latest invention. They asked me to test it on you. I hope that the next one works..."

"You're kidding," Harry replied, completely puzzled.

"Yes," Ron responded.

Harry sighed from relief.

"The Killing Quills are not really Fred and George's latest invention," Ron continued. "The last one is the Torturing Quill. Much more fun."

Harry gasped. A strange light appeared in Ron's eyes. He squatted down and his body changed. His legs and arms stretched out, while four more legs sprouted under his expanding belly. He transformed into a giant spider.

Harry was terrified. He put his hand within his robes to take his wand. Why hadn't he thought of it earlier? But his hand didn't find anything. Where was that bloody wand? Had he left it somewhere? In his common room, maybe?

"Kill him," Ron hissed like a serpent to an army of spiders that had appeared at his side.

***

Burns Apparated into the Entrance Hall, her sword at the ready. A quick check around proved that no enemy had entered the place. Burns moved forward prudently and reached the giant oak front doors of the castle. They were closed and locked. The woman sighed from relief. For the moment, the students were safe inside the castle. The teacher could have Apparated directly here, but she had preferred to be vigilant.

Her fists clenched from anger. Harry... She had failed in the promise she'd made to Sirius. She hadn't been able to protect Harry. It had cost to her to admit it, but she was not powerful enough to defy Voldemort a second time. She was proud, but not stupid. Entering the Great Hall to help Harry would have condemned him and the Headmaster to death.

Nightmares... Voldemort would use Harry's deepest fears to weaken him. Burns, more than anyone, knew what it was like to be flooded by despair and buried in shadow. The world of nightmares had no logic except a person's phobias and worries. It was a mix of incoherent thoughts and impressions, based on reality or a certain perception of it. It dug up the hidden fears of the person who slept, making him or her regress to a childish condition. A sort of feverish state, oppressive, and almost impossible to fight. Courage hardly survived in nightmares, since no one was aware he was dreaming. Reality seemed so awful that it only made people run away, again and again, with no hope to be saved. And Harry was no exception.

Burns closed her eyes and bit her lip. Voldemort knew that Dumbledore would try to help Harry. Entering the spirit of a victim of the Somnus Ligatus Curse was very dangerous. It required a lot of power to share that connection. So much power that no one had ever managed to reach the conscious part of the victim's mind. But Dumbledore was not everyone. He was Harry's only chance.

Now Burns had the responsibility of defending Hogwarts. In any case, Dumbledore wouldn't have strength to fight. Losing the Headmaster as an ally was a terrible loss. Her intuition told Burns that Voldemort had planned a devastating attack. If her crew was defeated, the castle would fall, which would seal the fate of the school and Harry. Failure meant death.

The recurrent sound of the cannons made her come out of her thoughts. She took a deep breath, gathered her courage and Disapparated.

She Apparated on the upper deck of her ship, lit dimly by little lanterns. The ship could be completely invisible in daylight, but not at night. Every source of light could be located in the darkness. Unfortunately, a minimum of light was required.

Fifty pirates aligned the cannons. But... why had The Emerald Star left its original position above the castle? Its sails unfurled, the Galleon floated high in the sky, above the large lawns of Hogwarts, straight toward the castle.

"Capt'n," Taz exclaimed, before Burns could inquire. "We're under attack!"

"What sort of attack?" Burns asked the blond wizard with an eye-patch.

"Mountain trolls," Taz said. "Hidden in the Forbidden Forest. Forty of them tried to approach the castle. They're all dead, thanks to the cannons. More will probably come near soon. But with the darkness, it's difficult to locate them."

"Stupid creatures," Burns commented. "Keep shooting them with the cannons. They must not approach the entrance doors of Hogwarts. Use the incandescent cannonballs if you really need to, but don't waste our ammunition. They are essential against more dangerous enemies like vampires. Don't use them as long as you can use the starlight."

"All right, Capt'n," Taz replied.

"This is the first round," Burns said. "Go to the upper, middle, and lower gun-decks, and order the different teams to be ready for a direct fight. It will be a difficult battle. Show no mercy. I'll make a little speech pre-fight, but the canons' team mustn't stop shooting while I'm speaking. Tell them they must keep reloading the guns until the battle is over."

Taz rushed over to the hatch which had appeared at the bottom of the foredeck and went down the opening.

Burns wondered how those trolls had managed to enter the Forest. One troll could have managed to escape the vigilance of her team and cross the woods. But forty? And more were coming? Hmmm...

While they had been talking, The Emerald Star had tacked to the left, making a big semi-circle and returning to its original position, above Hogwarts, its figurehead facing the gates of the school. The sails were taken in on the masts and yards again, as if the ship hadn't moved at all.

"Tell me, Mox," Burns asked to a tall, black-haired man, "why the hell has the crew unfurled the sails without my permi--"

"Want ter get off!" a voice yelled, interrupting the Captain. "Outta put me down now! Must find Grawp an' brin' him ter a safe place!"

Burns spun around, surprised. On the quarterdeck, twenty pirates were pulling up a solid rope linked to what Burns knew was a huge net. She stepped to the stern area of the deck and looked down. Something enormous was entangled in the net, hanging in the air. From the cries, the Captain guessed it was Hagrid. The situation was so comical that she laughed.

"Look what we've fished, Capt'n!" Hans, a muscular bald pirate with a tattooed chest said. He chuckled, ignoring Hagrid's incessant growls.

"Heavier than a whale," Greg, a young man with short blond hair and a small goatee replied.

"Joachim saw him from the mizzentop," Hans continued. "When the cannons shot the trolls, the man ran off like a rabbit. At least, he tried to. The dog didn't want to move." Hans burst into laughter.

"The dog?" Burns asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Greg added. "We fished him too."

"Clever dog," Hans said.

"Cleverer than his master," Greg replied. "The git didn't run in the right direction. He went to the Forest instead of returning to the castle. Taz thought we had to fish him and his dog before they'd be killed. So we unfurled the sails to fly above them and we threw the magical net over the edge of the ship. Caught right away!"

Burns frowned. Why had Hagrid wanted to go to the Forest? It was chance that her crew had caught him in time. With all those trolls and whatever else was hidden in the woods, the big oaf would have been killed quickly.

"He struggled so much that Greg wanted to drop the net," Hans said, chuckling.

"I thought he was a troll," Greg grumbled.

"Too small to be a troll," Hans replied.

'But as smart as a troll,' Burns thought. Hagrid had probably not realised how dangerously he had reacted.

"A little troll," Greg corrected. He frowned. "And he could have been. Don't forget it's the night!"

"Have you ever heard a troll swear, even a little one?" Hans asked, laughing.

"When we fished him, he was only grumbling," Greg retorted. "Then you used a Silencing Charm to keep him quiet."

"That's right," Hans replied. "And I shouldn't have removed it," he said with a grimace. "Couldn't that man stop yelling?"

"Bring him completely up and he'll stop yelling," Burns said. "And if he doesn't, I'll make him stop."

"Hoist away, seamen!" Greg exclaimed. "Yo heave ho!"

The men pulled a last time on the net and raised it on the ship. Hagrid and Fang fell onto the deck with a loud thump. Fang emitted a yelp. The mastiff shook from head to legs.

"Want ter get down!" Hagrid shouted again. He was still imprisoned in the net. "Leave me alone! Grawp's waitin' fer me! Must go ter the Forest!"

"Grawp?" Burns asked.

"Me little brother!" Hagrid exclaimed.

Burns screwed up her eyes. How little could his brother be? And why was he waiting for Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest? The Captain had heard rumours that a giant lived there. Were they true?

"I've never seen your brother," she said, "nor heard about him."

"He's... hidin' in the Forest," Hagrid replied. "Must help him!"

"Hiding?" Burns asked. "Why?"

"He's a little... tall fer his age," Hagrid replied. "An'... he's very... shy..."

Tall and shy... which meant 'huge and unsociable.'

"I see," Burns hissed. "But there's a little problem." She paused. "This is night," she said softly. "We've been attacked. And what's your first reaction? To rush over into a forest full of trolls while we are shooting them, risking to shoot you at the same time!" she exclaimed, her voice escalating as she spoke. "So I don't care about Grewp the Shy Lord of the Forest or whatever his name is!" she yelled. "He will stay where he is and get by himself, like a big boy! And you will keep your bloody arse on this ship or within Hogwarts, because my crew has no time for saving foolish men. We have a school to protect! So thank Joachim for being lynx-eyed. Without him, you wouldn't have passed the edge of the Forest alive, and Grawp wouldn't have any brother now!"

Tears leaked out Hagrid's eyes. He sniffed. "Jus' wanted ter help Grawp," he said. "Didn' think o' me."

"You didn't think at all," Burns replied. "Do you realise how silly you've been? I wonder what Dumbledore would think of your thoughtless attitude!"

"Reckon I shouldn'ta run ter the Forest," Hagrid said with a shaking voice. "Better have returned ter the Hospital Wing with Fang." He sniffled again. With a movement of his arm, he wiped his tears away with his sleeve. "Was so scared fer Grawp..." he said with a sheepish expression. "Didn' want ter disappoint Professor Dumbledore. He's a great man."

Burns sighed. "You'd be more useful inside with the students. They are the ones who really need protection. You are the Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, right? So return to the castle and check that all the doors that lead outside are locked."

"All, righ'," Hagrid replied. He took a large, spotted silk handkerchief from his pocket and blew his nose heavily.

"And for pity's sake, promise you won't enter the Great Hall tonight," she ordered. "You could provoke a great catastrophe if you did it!"

Hagrid sniffed again. "I promise," he said.

"Fine," Burns replied. "Release him and his dog," she ordered to her crew. "Bring him to the fireplace and make him Floo to Professor McGonagall's office. Today, the password to leave is 'Bat's blood.' The password to come back is 'Chocolate Squid'."

Burns turned around, leaving Hagrid to his fate, and searched for Alphonso. Where was he? He should be on the upper deck now.

"Mox," she called, "Where's Alphonso?"

"On the upper gun-deck, Capt'n," he replied. "He's waiting beside the gun ports, arming the cannons."

"Bring him back here," Buns said. "Quickly."

Mox obeyed.

Burns stepped to the starboard side of the ship. She stared at the ground below, trying to piece together what had happened. A few mountain trolls lay on the grass, dead. From this height, they looked like greyish boulders in the darkness. Poor, brainless creatures... Sent by Voldemort as sacrifices. Pity for them.

"Capt'n," Alphonso's voice said. "You asked for me?"

Burns spun around. "Yes," she replied. Damn! Why was that man staring at her like that? Something in his attitude was weird. "Emergency promotion," she said. "I give you your position of second-in-command again. I need someone to second me, and you're the best fighter in the whole crew. Fight well and you'll keep the post after the battle."

Alphonso's eyes sparkled as if Christmas had come. He grinned.

"I mean... if you're still alive," Burns added to restrain his enthusiasm. 'And if we're all still alive,' she thought.

Alphonso grimaced.

"Potter is in coma due to Voldemort," Burns continued, "and Dumbledore is trying to help him. You know what it means."

"Yes, Capt'n," Alphonso replied with a smirk, "it means that we'll have a lot of action this evening."

Burns nodded. "We knew that an attack would happen," she said, "but I didn't expect it to be tonight."

"Maybe you had planned something else for tonight?" Alphonso said sarcastically.

Burns raised an eyebrow. "Which means?" she asked. Where did that rude comment come from? What did Alphonso imply?

"Nothing," Alphonso replied innocently.

"It'd better be," Burns snapped.

She waited for the men who had escorted Hagrid to return. Then she went to the foredeck and conjured her big green Commandant hat. "Apparitus," she uttered. The ship responded to her order. A sun-shaped symbol appeared at the middle of the foredeck. Burns stepped to the sign and stood above the shining mark. This symbol allowed the Captain of The Emerald Star to address a message to the whole crew, which was dispersed on the different decks on the ship. Captain Burns' image and speech could be seen and heard at the different levels of the Galleon.

"Your attention, my Hearties!" she shouted.

The pirates on the upper deck, the only ones she could see, stared at her.

"Tonight will not be an ordinary battle!" she exclaimed. "Tonight, we will all have to show courage and fight until death if necessary. This castle is full of students. They need to be protected. Are you ready to give your lives for them?"

"YEAH!" the men exclaimed at the same time, raising their fists in the air to show their determination.

"Are you ready to make Voldemort's allies pay?" Burns yelled.

"YEAH!" they replied.

"Tonight, WE are under attack," Burns shouted. "The enemies who will come here have chosen their fate. Don't show pity or you will fail. We are the wall that must protect Hogwarts. Either our enemies will run away or they will break themselves on us!"

"YEAH!" the men yelled.

"A good chief is nothing without a good army," Burns continued. "And a good army is nothing without a good chief. I've chosen Alphonso to be my second-in-command. Although he has committed mistakes in the past, he has always proved his value in combat. Only he will be able to lead you to victory if I fall."

"ALPHONSO! ALPHONSO!" the pirates acclaimed.

Alphonso stood on the deck, his chest stuck out and an expression of pride on his face. Although he was arrogant most of the time, Burns recognised that he deserved such an ovation. His presence was essential tonight, if they wanted to defeat whatever would attack them soon.

"WHO ARE WE?" she bellowed to keep motivating her crew.

"THE LOST PIRATES!" the men shouted.

"YES!" Burns yelled. "AND THE LOST PIRATES CAN'T BE DEFEATED!"

"ALL HAIL CAPT'N BURNS!!!" the pirates acclaimed.

"NOW LET'S SHOW THEM HOW POWERFUL WE ARE!" Burns yelled. She brandished her fist to the air.

"YEAH!" her crew exclaimed, imitating her gesture.

"ALL THE TEAMS AT THE READY!" Burns ordered. She stepped away from the symbol, which disappeared.

The pirates returned to their activities. Some of them went back to the cannons. The others left the deck, using the door under the quarterdeck to reach the weapons room.

Burns stepped to the starboard side and stared into the horizon. Something was coming from the Forbidden Forest. Something which appeared to be bigger than trolls...

***

Hermione was walking with Ginny, Ron, and Madam Pince to the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was shocked. What had happened to Harry? Professor Dumbledore had spoken of Dark Magic used by You-Know-Who. Then he'd said that hurting the serpent would hurt Harry. Hermione had never heard of such spells. But she was sure of something: Her friend was in danger.

She looked at Ginny... The girl hadn't uttered a word for several minutes. Her face was pale. She stared at the floor while she was walking, an expression of shock on her face. It was not surprising. Ginny had always had a big crush on Harry, even before she had entered Hogwarts. And now that he paid attention to her...

Hermione sighed, feeling her chest hiccup and tremble. Poor Ginny... Hermione understood how her friend must feel. Being helpless was awful, especially when it was about the person you loved. Hermione cast a quick glance at Ron and met his stare. She blushed and looked away.

Hermione heard a big 'BANG' and jumped. What were those thunder sounds she kept hearing? At first, Hermione had been so shaken by what had happened to Harry that she hadn't paid attention to the noise. Then a part of her mind had recognised it as fireworks. Now she had just realised that there were no fireworks at Hogwarts. She was ready to ask about the odd sounds to Madam Pince, when she noticed Snape at the end of the corridor, walking in a hurried gait.

"Severus," Madam Pince said when he was close to the group, "Have you--"

"Do you know how to Floo to The Emerald Star?" Snape interrupted.

"Do I know what?" the Librarian asked.

Snape snorted. Hermione guessed that he'd had his response. He kept walking and ignored Pince, who had stopped in the corridor like the students, a puzzled expression on her face.

Hermione followed Snape with her eyes. A few steps forward and he almost bumped into Madam Hooch. He grumbled something the girl didn't hear.

"Severus," Madam Hooch said, "Professor McGonagall sent me to--"

"Not now," the Potions master snapped.

"Harry Potter is the victim of a hex!" Madam Hooch insisted. "The Headmaster is at his side, but a big serpent has come from Potter's scar. Professor Dumbledore forbade us to hurt the snake, but your Potions could be usef--"

"I don't care about Potter and the Headmaster," Snape hissed. "You want a Potion? Ask Madam Pomfrey to check in my lab."

"But..." Madam Hooch asked, obviously astonished.

"But what?" Snape snarled. " You want to save Potter and Dumbledore? Do it. I have my own problems to settle, and I surely don't have time to waste."

Hermione gasped. 'How to Floo to The Emerald Star? His own problems to settle?' Seeing Snape's infuriated look and hurried attitude, something must be wrong with Professor Burns.

"Do you know how to Floo to The Emerald Star?" Snape asked, like he had done with Madam Pince.

"Professor Burns' ship?" Hooch asked.

"Yes," Snape said with an irritated tone. "I tried to Floo, but it didn't work. Any suggestion?"

"I think you need to find the correct password first," Hooch replied. "Measures of safety."

"And I suppose, of course, that you don't know the password?" Snape said unpleasantly.

"I don't," Hooch replied. "Only the Headmaster and Professor Burns know it."

"Then I'll find another way," Snape responded. He stepped again and turned the corner.

Madam Hooch stared at Madam Pince with an interrogative look. The Librarian shrugged her shoulders.

Madam Pince turned around and cleared her throat. "Let's go to your common room," she said. She escorted the students to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Hermione, Ginny, and Ron entered their common room, full of anxious students, still wearing their dress robes. The door shut behind them.

The whole Gryffindor house gathered around the trio.

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"Is Harry... still alive?" Parvati queried.

"What's that thing that came out of his head?" Lavender continued.

"Is he all right?" Neville questioned.

"I can't believe it happened to Harry!" Seamus exclaimed.

"Neither can I," Colin Creevey replied.

"Will he die?" Dennis Creevey added.

"Shut up!" Ron yelled suddenly. "Shut up!!!" he repeated with anger. The Gryffindor common room became quiet right away.

Ron's fists clenched and shook from anger. His face had reddened. He breathed hard, looking like a boiler about to explode.

"I've heard enough!" he shouted. He cleared a way through the Gryffindor crowd and entered the boy's dormitory without adding a word. He slammed the door behind him.

Hermione knew how hard it was for Ron to accept that maybe Harry was about to die. This simple idea made her sick.

"Are you all right, Ginny?" Lavender asked.

Ginny didn't reply. She burst into tears and rushed over to the girl's dormitory.

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed, following her.

Ginny collapsed on her bed and buried her face in the covers. "He will die," she said, her voice muffled by the blankets. "You-Know-Who will kill him!"

"He's with Dumbledore," Hermione said reassuringly. "He couldn't be safer."

Ginny sniffed. "He could be," she responded, "if he was still dancing with me in the Great Hall, instead of having this awful serpent attached to his scar!"

"Calm down," Hermione replied.

"I can't even help him!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Neither can we," Hermione responded with a weak voice. She felt so sad for Harry, for Ron, for Ginny, and for herself. Imagining that Harry could... No! Not like this! He hadn't even... even what? Said goodbye to his friends? It didn't work that way... It never worked that way...

Ginny kept crying. Hermione caressed her hair to comfort her. What could she do, except waiting? Convince Ginny that Harry wouldn't die? She wasn't sure of it herself...

***

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