Harry Potter and the Ghosts of Hogwarts

Chapter 4

Escapes

Harry woke up slowly not knowing where he was. He was surprised that he could wake up at all. As he lay there still disorientated he prepared himself mentally for any torture that they could dish out. Harry wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing. Harry felt that his situation was futile, but he felt relief in the knowledge that he had gotten a letter off to Dumbledore before his capture.

As he started to gain awareness Harry only became more confused about his situation. He found that the bed he was lying in was soft, and that he was bound in no way, magic or otherwise. He sat up in the bed and he recognized his surroundings, he was in his dorm at Hogwarts.

Hogwarts? Harry thought in disbelief, Could this all have been a dream? Am I still in my fourth year? Harry opened up the red velvet curtains to see if any of the other boys were there with him, but he found that their beds not only had no people in them, but they also had no sign of a person's possessions around them. The only time in which Harry could think of that there were no trunks and school supplies in the dormitories was summer. Now was the truly baffling question, how did Harry get to Hogwarts?

Harry had a brilliant revelation as to what must have happened, Dumbledore some how knew and he saved him. This must be it, Dumbledore could do so many things that he didn't even realize.

As if on cue Dumbledore entered majestically into the room, followed closely by Mrs. Figg.

"Good morning," Dumbledore said as he seated himself across from Harry,

"Would you like a gumdrop?"

All Harry could do was gape openmouthed at the headmaster. The master wizard was sitting right beside a traitor to the cause against Voldemort. Dumbledore took his shocked face as a sign that explanation was in order.

"I suppose not. You have just woken up after all," Dumbledore waved his hand and a full course breakfast appeared before him.

"Harry I would like to reintroduce you to Mrs. Figg. She is a retired Auror."

"How can you sit by her? She attacked me," Harry said finally getting over the shock.

"Arabella is a good friend of mine and was once a very good friend of your parents."

"Good friends have ended up traitors in the past," Harry said suspiciously, remembering the deception of Peter Petigrew and the imposter of Mad Eye Moody. These instances had unfortunately worn away some of the blind faith that Harry once had in reference to those wizards around himself, even if they were old friends of Dumbledore.

"Harry you don't understand what is going on. If Mrs. Figg wanted to attack you she would have been able to do it all of the times that you stayed at her house."

"She could have been waiting for Voldemort to return," Harry protested.

"Harry," Mrs. Figg spoke up finally, "I wasn't lying in wait. I was protecting you."

"Protecting me?"

"After you parents died I was left to the task of looking over you," Mrs. Figg.

"She was chosen as your magical guardian. Everyone knew you were in danger and it wouldn't have been logical to leave you in the hands of defenseless muggles. Arabella was named your protector and she was aware of every wizard that entered your home through magical detectors. The protection around you is infamous so wizards have never tried to enter into your home."

"Your school was also one of these safe zones," Mrs. Figg interjected, "You probably don't know, but I own a small business near your school that I would go to everyday in case of emergencies. Your only vulnerable times were when you went outside. This year you began doing your morning runs and odd jobs in the neighborhood and because it would be odd for me to follow you everywhere so I sent out my cats. I guess you noticed their presence and mistook it for a threat."

Harry could see how this made sense but he was still worried.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were after I found out about the wizarding community?"

"Well," Dumbledore began, "Everyone does, but you in particular, like to escape the cages that we are placed in. I thought that it would be better if you weren't told about your protector so that you wouldn't attempt to leave in a bout of teenage rebellion, or some other reason."

Harry could admit that this was often the case so he decided that he would trust Mrs. Figg again.

"So we will leave you to your breakfast Harry. All that I ask from you is that you stay on the school grounds while you are here," Dumbledore got up to leave.

"Wait," Harry said. He was still confused, "Does this mean that I am not going back to the Dursleys?"

"Well Harry, from what your letter told me there is a kidnapping plan in the works and I wouldn't want to leave you under anyone else's care but my own." With that Dumbledore walked out Harry's door with Mrs. Figg in toe.

Harry dug into his breakfast, realizing that he was very hungry, and he thought about his unimaginable luck. Somehow Harry not only hadn't been kidnapped but he also escaped the Dursleys far sooner than he expected he would. Earlier his hopes for getting out at all were slim to none and now he was in his favorite place on the planet and he didn't even have to do homework.

* * *

Harry was left mostly to himself during his stay at Hogwarts. He felt that he had found the perfect medium that all people could only wish for. He was allowed to live in a magical world while escaping the pressures of school life. The only thing that would make it more perfect would be for him to be allowed to use his powers, but you can't always get what you want, as the saying goes.

Still Harry found himself in perfect bliss. When Dumbledore said that Hogwarts was open to him this included the Quidditch field and Harry even convinced Madam Hooch to let him use the snitch for practice.

One day when he was out on the field chasing the golden snitch through the sky, one of the teachers came onto the field and was staring up at him. Harry figured that they wanted him for something so he quickly caught the snitch and did an impressive fifty-foot dive through the sky, pulling up just before he reached the turf below.

Harry lifted his head with a big grin spread across his face, but it left sooner than it came. For in front of him was Professor Snape, the most disliked of all the instructors at Hogwarts. Harry had been there a week and hadn't seen Snape, even at the meals that they had in the Great Hall, regardless of the fact that most of the room remained empty with out the other students to fill it. Harry had been hoping that he wouldn't have to see him until the beginning of the term but it seemed that his luck wouldn't stretch that far.

"So it's true," Snape said with pure disgust seeping through his voice, "The famous Harry Potter has been allowed to return to school early as no other student has been allowed since Dumbledore began as Headmaster here. Once again Mister Potter you have set a record for all of your entourage to admire."

Snape's scowl could only be matched by Harry's own. He felt as though his clean escape was being dirtied by Snape's presence.

"Why are you here?" he asked, trying to keep the contempt from his voice.

"Isn't it obvious?" Snape said with a sneer, "I have come to watch the masterful Harry Potter show off, which you did." His voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Is there some problem with me practicing Quidditch?" Harry asked matter-of-factly.

"I don't think it is fair that you should be given extra advantages over the other house teams by being able to use the field sooner than any other players."

Harry could see it in Snape's eyes that he was determined to ruin his extra time at Hogwarts. Taking away Quidditch when he was so close to the field and the resources would be as torturous as the Cruciatus Curse.

"Life isn't fair I guess," Harry said in a mock happy tone. With that he grabbed his broom and went flying into the air once more. Harry knew that when term started he would pay for that tête-à -tête, but at that moment it was surprisingly refreshing.

* * *

One rainy day Harry decided that he would visit the school library and see what he could find about the subjects that he was going to study in the year to come. He knew that if he didn't have a good excuse for being there he would be kicked out so he brought along his homework, regardless of the fact that he was completed with his work.

He wondered aimlessly among the shelves looking at all the different things that he could learn about, and eventually he became familiar with the organization of the books. He came upon a shelf of books that was full of textbooks for any year that you happened to be in. Harry fished out those that he was going to study that year and leafed through them.

Harry got bored with that because it was mostly instructional information and he was unable to practice any of the spells that were in them and it was frustrating. He shut the book and moved on to another shelf that contained biographies. He assumed that these would be boring because he had been forced to do a book report on a person's biography in muggle school. Still the rain was pouring and he was tired of textbooks so he pulled off one about a random person and read the title to himself. Godfrey Gooshank, Grandfather of Ghouls. Harry read the back and it looked very interesting. He had never seen a story about a person that looked interesting before but low and behold he was once again reminded that the magical world and the muggle world were two very different places. The stories were not only original and new, but they were humorous at the same time.

The first ghoul was created by a man who was anything less than ghoulish. Godfrey Gooshank was a simple potions maker and he cared for nothing but his laboratory. One day he fell in love with a woman but because of his humble lifestyle she would never want him, also she was dating an old rich man because she wanted his money. Godfrey knew that he wasn't talented enough to be an alchemist and make gold so he decided to turn his true love from men with money. First he made a potion that showed what each person truly would look like if what was inside determined their appearance. He slipped the concoction into her old rich man's drink and out came a ghoul, the first of a long line of lovers given the potion, although Godfrey never won his love's heart.

Harry smiled broadly at the result of this fool's plan, the man was interesting and Harry decided that he would check out the book and read it for the rainy days ahead. He headed toward the Great Hall for dinner and was content with himself for doing something educational in his free time. Hermione would be proud.

For the first time Harry noticed the missing spots for teachers around the table and he imagined what types of vacations they were having at this time of year. The few that were there this early before term was that ones that in Harry's opinion had the least reason to be there. This included the caretaker Filch, Professor Trelawney, and Madam Hooch. Still Harry decided to make the most of having the flying professor on hand and he started to quiz her about the up coming Quidditch season.

"Well if you are interested in getting a head start on the season I can let you sign your team up for practice slots on the field. I just made the calendar this morning."

This made Harry happy. It had been a whole year since he had played Quidditch and even though some of the other team mates would have been able to practice during the summer Harry knew that most would be out of shape, so for the first month he had practices scheduled four days a week leaving Sunday, Friday, and Wednesday open and he thought of suggesting running in the mornings for all of the other players, instead of just himself. For some reason Harry had found it much easier to get up and do things in the mornings if he had a plan and he figured that this method could transverse to the others as well.

* * *

Every morning Harry continued his tradition of running. The route that he chose was around the lake. The small path went very close to the forbidden forest and he liked it because if had no hills, there was a variety of scenery. He was able to be alone because it was obvious to Harry that the path was not commonly used. The jog was longer than the one that he had done back in his old neighborhood, but by the end, when he was panting and he had side aches from pushing himself so hard, Harry felt the type of self-satisfaction that can only come from exercise.

Harry also found that these morning jogs prepared him for the day. No longer did he have to poke himself to stay awake. Harry could only see the good in this type of self-training.

One day Harry was returning from one of his jogs and he was headed for the prefect bathroom. The Headmaster had told him the password early for the common room and the bathroom because Harry had to get in, of course. On his way to the bathroom he ran into Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. He looked unhappy as usual and Harry decided to try and cheer him up. Harry had found being needed made everyone happy and so he decided to help him out as Nick had done for him in the past.

"Hello Nick."

"Hello Harry," the ghost replied half-heartedly.

"I was wondering if you could help me?" Harry asked, seeing Nick's outline become more defined with his enjoyment. "I was just wondering why some people become ghosts and others don't."

"I would be glad to help you Harry," Nick replied enthusiastically, "The reason why at your death you become a ghost is because in everyone's life they have things that they want to do and if at your death you feel unsatisfied with the life that you led you have to stay on earth until your business is completed. Most of the time the soul is at rest, so when they are dying the person feels content with how they lived and don't feel the need to hang around. This is why those that were either murdered or killed suddenly are the ones to become ghosts."

"But my parents were murdered and they haven't become ghosts." Harry said finding the conversation interesting.

"Not all the people who were murdered become ghosts. If your parents felt that they had fulfilled their goals in life they would have no reason to stay on earth."

"Well what about Professor Binns?" Harry asked curiously, "He didn't die dramatically."

"Binns is sort of a special case. He died naturally and this makes it hard for him because he is the outsider of all the other ghosts in the castle. Also every ghost has something called unfinished business, but after all these years he refuses to tell us what it is that he stayed for. It is quite a mystery."

"That is so odd! You would never guess Professor Binns for the mysterious type."

"Well, every ghost holds some sort of mystery or they wouldn't be a ghost."

With that they said their good byes and Harry noticed that Nearly Headless Nick looked much brighter after their conversation.

* * *

Harry headed for the gargoyle that was the entrance to Dumbledore's office. He wanted to see if it was possible for him to visit the Weasley's before the end of the summer. He thought to himself about what the password must be.

"Er- Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans?"

No.

"Levitating Sherbet Ball?"

Nothing.

"Coach Roach Cluster?"

No...

After a half an hour of fruitless attempts Harry remembered something and he hoped that when Dumbledore said it he wasn't just making another random comment.

"Gumdrop?"

Yes. Harry sighed in relief as the wall slid open.

Harry stepped into the foyer of Dumbledore's office and he immediately heard voices of two people inside, one of whom was Dumbledore and the other he recognized but couldn't place. He turned to leave when he caught his name in the conversation.

"...Harry Potter could very well be an unstable young man. Why must you insist on trusting his lies?"

"Because they are not lies! They are true and Harry Potter is more stable that either you or I," Dumbledore's voice got uncharacteristically loud.

"If you force me to, I will take action. The way you are underhandedly working against me and the Ministry of Magic is unacceptable. If you don't discontinue this rumor spreading there will be many changes in the ways that we relate and in the ways that you are allowed to run this school."

"Those are things that I will have to accept, because to ignore this danger is idiocy."

"Are you calling me an idiot?"

Harry knew whom he was by now, Cornelius Fudge the Minister of Magic, and it seemed that is temper was running away with him once again.

"Well in that case here is the list of additional rules that must be followed during this year at Hogwarts. If you don't enforce these rules I will have no choice but to relieve you of your position as headmaster."

This was obviously a parting note and Harry decided that he didn't want to get caught eavesdropping on the conversation between the headmaster and the minister so he left the foyer as quickly as he could run down the hall toward Gryffindor tower.