Adaptations

Adaptations

Part 8

Harry got up early the next morning; there was much to do and he needed to get started early. After showering, he dressed in his grunge-waif best, or maybe that should be worst, and headed downstairs, his school bag banging against his hip. Aunt Petunia gave him a nasty look but Harry didn't bother to notice. Instead, he headed straight out the front door. When he reached the Little Whinging High Street he took a few moments to window shop at a few places, gathering information for later, before walking to the train station to head into London. He opted for a direct route today because he wasn't sure how long his errands would take him.

His first stop upon reaching Diagon Alley was a visit to Gringotts. He needed more money, pounds and galleons, and he got that first. After a visit to Quality Quidditch Supplies, he left the shop and stood in front of the window for a few minutes. He was admiring the new Nimbus Storm that was displayed there. It was a good broom, not up to the standards of his Firebolt, which was still the world class standard, but it was still a good broom, quick, agile, but stable enough to be flown with just your knees. Then he went to Florean Fortescue's for one of their huge sundaes while sitting at one the outdoor tables. He waved at several Hogwarts students shopping for their school supplies and even chatted for a few moments with Hannah Abbot and her parents.

After making sure that he had been seen and recognized by several people, Harry ducked through The Leaky Cauldron and out into muggle London. Dashing down the stairs into the Tube he dodged through the crowd and into a public loo. A few minutes later, a neatly dressed young man in khaki trousers with a button down shirt, a pair of mirrored sunglasses concealing bright green eyes under the bill of his cap, left the loo and headed back up to the street, completely unnoticed. A few blocks down, the sunglasses were replaced with his usual black spectacles and, after carefully looking around for watchers of one type or another, Harry continued with his tasks.

Much of the afternoon was spent visiting a number of muggle shops before Harry headed back to Surrey just ahead of the evening rush. Dinner with the Dursleys was tense, as usual, and Harry retired early to his room to study. Before going to sleep, Harry made sure to repack his bag with all the things he would need the next day.

* * * * *

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sat in the staff room along with two of his Heads of House. His fingers were, as usual, steepled under his chin and he had a serene look of half-amusement on his face. However, at the moment he was anything but serene. Professor Minerva McGonagall was seated across a small coffee table from him and she was reading a piece of parchment for the third time in as many minutes. The other occupant of the room, Professor Severus Snape, was standing and glowering at a rather hyperactive little gray owl about the size of a tennis ball, as if his glare alone held the power to incinerate the bird on the spot.

Professor Dumbledore reached into a pocket of his robes and withdrew an owl treat. Pigwidgeon, as if he knew what was expected, immediately flew to him and rested calmly on his wrist as it ate the treat. Professor McGonagall returned the parchment to Dumbledore and he deftly tied it back onto the leg of the little owl.

"Now, I think it is time for you to complete your delivery to Little Whinging," Albus told the bird as, with a wave of his wand, he opened one of the high windows to allow the owl to escape into the night.

"I am heartened to see that Harry is not withdrawing completely from his old friends as he makes new ones," Minerva said after the owl had flown away. "Perhaps they can ease his worries." The headmaster simply gazed at her and nodded. She continued, "From Miss Weasley's note, it appears that Miss Granger has succeeded in convincing him that patience is his best course of action at this time."

Professor Snape continued to scowl. "I doubt anyone could teach that boy patience. But perhaps the idea of not having his faithful followers behind him caused him to think twice before taking any foolhardy action."

Professor McGonagall looked about to reply when the headmaster spoke, "Perhaps Severus, perhaps, But I think it may be best to monitor the tracking charm carefully for the next few days. Where is Harry now, by the way?"

Minerva looked at the table in front of her. Across it was spread a large map of the London area. Other maps showing other regions of England, including a highly detailed map of Little Whinging with many notes and observations on it, sat in a stack on the floor underneath the table.

"It appears that he is still walking through muggle London. He has stopped at a few shops but he appears to be simply wandering. Is he alone?" she asked. Dumbledore nodded and Professor McGonagall continued, "Are you certain it is wise, Albus, to just allow Harry to wander by himself? Shouldn't we at least have someone nearby?"

"Ah Minerva, I do, indeed, think it best this way. Harry is aware that he is monitored. However, I feel that if he should see anyone following him, he would react badly. We know where he is, and if trouble should appear..." the old wizard ignored the snort coming from the head of Slytherin House, "we can have members of the Order Apparate to his location within seconds. I think that this is the best that we can hope for."

The trio stood, watching as a small black dot, labeled 'H. Potter', slowly moved across the surface of the map.

"Ingenious," said Professor McGonagall softly, "and to think that they managed the original while still students."

"The idea that those four could manage anything if they thought it could aid them in their misbegotten schemes is quite reasonable."

"Jealous that you didn't think of it first, Severus?" Minerva's eyebrows arched as she spoke. Severus Snape was a genius with a cauldron, but creative thinking had never been his forte.

"As if I would ever have need for such a contrivance," he responded.

The headmaster intervened before things could escalate. "Ah, but we have need for it, don't we? And I am quite pleased with its performance thus far." Professor McGonagall sat back against the cushions of the sofa while Snape returned to leaning against a bookcase. "By the way, Severus, have you been able to make any progress with that task I mentioned?"

"Which task would that be, Headmaster?"

"Why the potion, of course," Dumbledore replied. "Have you made any progress in working out what it was and how it is brewed?"

"Headmaster, the sample we had was small, and it has been over a year since it was recovered from the graveyard. The chances of working this out are remote to say the least."

"I have every confidence in your abilities, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly. "If anyone can solve this riddle, it is you."

* * * * *

Harry had another busy day ahead of him and it was likely to be a very long day as well. He woke early and was working in the yard as the sun rose over the horizon.

"Morning, Harry," a nervous Tonks said. She had never really gotten over the shock she had received when she had greeted him that morning at the beginning of summer and was greeted in return by the vision of Voldemort in his eyes.

"Wotcher, Tonks," Harry answered cheerfully. He didn't look up from his work but he seemed willing to talk. "So, you're the one with Harry-minding duty this morning?"

"Yes, I am. My shift is over in a couple of hours though. It was a beautiful night with all the stars out."

"I'll bet it was," Harry answered. "Are you hungry? I could run in and fix you something to eat. It's about time for me to have breakfast anyway."

"Thanks, Harry, but no. Like I said, I'll be off-duty in a bit and I'll just head home to get some sleep. Food will only keep me awake."

"If you say so," he said and returned to his weeding with vigor.

After about another hour he was done and went inside to change. A short time later, he left the house again, this time by the front door, with his bag over his shoulder and a small bundle in one hand. Tonks noticed that he was wearing khaki trousers with a light jumper. He looked nice and that meant he was on his way to London to meet with the Chang girl. Tonks smiled; it was good to see Harry acting normally, and they made a nice match, even if they were less affectionate than most teenage couples. Just before he headed off down the street, Harry deposited his bundle on the front porch. It was two pieces of toast with jam wrapped in a napkin, she noted, and a glass of orange juice.

"I figured that this wouldn't keep you awake," Harry said to the air in front of him. Tonks grinned as she slipped past him wearing the invisibility cloak, and picked up a piece of the still warm toast. "Just remember to put the glass and napkin back before you leave, OK?"

"Will do, mate!" Tonks called to his back as he strode down the drive and away. She'd report to Dumbledore that he had headed off, presumably to London, and then she might even take off a bit early. Convenient since she had a date that evening, her first in a while, and she wanted to look her best.

Harry's route into London was much less direct than his route the day before. In fact, he rode the train through London and out into Harlow before leaving the train and taking a bus back into the city. He arrived at the cafe, where he was to meet Cho, earlier than expected. He took a seat in the shadow of a building across the way and watched.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, back in the staff room at Hogwarts, Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore were once again watching the map laid out on the table.

"It seems that Nymphadora was correct," said Minerva. "Harry is meeting with Miss Chang today. I wonder why he chose such a circuitous route?"

"Possibly just varying his habits, Minerva," answered Dumbledore. "It is an excellent habit for him to develop. It would make it much more difficult for Voldemort's followers to predict his behavior if they should see him and try to follow him."

"Like yesterday?" Professor McGonagall asked. "It was foolish of him to go to Diagon Alley alone. We know he was seen by at least one of Voldemort's informants and followed."

"Unsuccessfully, may I point out," Dumbledore said, trying to calm her. "Even our own agents lost Harry once he entered the Underground. We were only able to track him the rest of that afternoon thanks to the charm. Perhaps, he wanted to be seen."

"Wanted to be seen?" Minerva was incredulous. "Why on earth would he want to be seen?"

Dumbledore smiled. "What was Harry wearing yesterday?"

Minerva blinked. "He usual clothing, horribly ragged and ill-fitting. It's disgusting what those muggle relations of his give the boy to wear. I don't see why he just doesn't toss the lot of those old rags and be done with it."

Dumbledore smiled. "And what is he wearing today?"

"According to the report, Harry is wearing some proper clothing. That is why Miss Tonks concluded that he was going to meet Miss Chang. "

"Exactly" was the headmaster's reply.

Professor McGonagall's brows were furrowed in thought. "So he wanted to be seen yesterday in his usual attire so that it would be less likely that they would recognize him today, properly dressed?" Dumbledore nodded and Minerva shook her head slowly. After all these years she was still learning things from her old mentor. Harry had been protecting Cho by exposing himself.

"Why do you look so sad, my dear?" Dumbledore asked gently.

"The boy shouldn't have to think about such things," she answered, her voice touched with sorrow. "Sometimes I doubt we have done right by him, with the life we have forced upon him."

"We've given him the best we could under the circumstances, Minerva."

Their attention was suddenly drawn by a flash of color on the map before them. They watched as the 'Use of Magic' alert faded, waiting to see how Harry would react. His dot quickly crossed the street and went to where the magical incident occurred.

"Ah, that must be Miss Chang Apparating in," Dumbledore said.

"It's unfortunate that we can't use the map to identify all the witches and wizards in the vicinity, as the original Marauder's Map does," Professor McGonagall said.

"Yes, but then, when Harry journeys into Diagon Alley, it would be almost impossible to keep track of him, not to mention the people we need to watch for. The magical alerts seem to work satisfactorily for now. With a little judgment we can readily determine if something untoward happens."

* * * * *

Harry dashed across the street to meet Cho. She smiled as he came down the alley and greeted him with a light peck on the cheek.

"Hungry?" Harry asked her. Cho nodded. "Are you sure you want to eat here? I'd love to take you to a nicer restaurant if you'd like."

"Oh no," Cho said with a blush, "this will be fine. I like sitting outside and watching all the people walk by. Muggles can be so fascinating." She pointed to a passerby. "Take that one for example, why on earth is he talking so loudly when there is no one there to talk to? It looks like he's talking into his fist."

Harry laughed. "He's using a mobile telephone, Cho. It's like a little two-way wireless that connects to the telephone system so he can talk while he walks around."

Cho frowned slightly. "What on earth could be so important that he has to talk about it all day long? And if it is so important why doesn't he just go and take care of it?"

"I don't know. You want to go ask him?"

Cho seemed to consider this and Harry began to worry that she might go and do it, when she broke into a teasing smile. "Then I'd be as bad as he is, wouldn't I? Let's just go eat."

Their lunch seemed to pass too quickly as Cho chattered about the upcoming school year. She reckoned the new Head Boy would be Thaddeus Bullfinch, of Ravenclaw naturally, but didn't have a clue who would be Head Girl. Through it all Harry seemed distracted and spent most of his time gazing at the passing faces, trying to see if anyone was paying too much attention to them.

"Harry," Cho said after noticing this, "are you all right? You're not paying attention."

"Hmm," Harry said distractedly then he quickly snapped out of it. "And don't try anything clever, I know you don't have radishes growing in your ears." Cho giggled, remembering their first discussion about this sort of thing. "I admit though, I am a bit distracted today."

"Too busy watching all the pretty girls go by in their short skirts to pay attention to me?" she mock pouted. Harry was surprised; he hadn't even noticed any. Not that he thought he would see anyone as pretty as Cho even if he was paying attention.

He shook his head. "No, it's not that. I'm just thinking about what we talked about before."

Cho tilted her head, just a tad, to the right. "Which before, Harry? We've talked about a lot of things."

"You know, the other day..."

"Harry, you're being awfully evasive."

Harry lowered his eyes to the table for a second and then looked directly at her. "Cho, did you mean what you said the other day about helping me?" Cho hesitated. "You don't have to, you know. I'd understand if you didn't want to get involved."

Cho looked at him and wondered. "Harry," she said at length, "if it helps in any way, even if it just helps you, I want to do it."

Harry grinned wickedly, "You sure you wanna do it?"

Cho blushed and swatted his arm. "Are all you blokes alike? One track minds, the lot of you!"

"Yup," Harry grinned, "we only have different faces so you can tell which one is yours. The rest is interchangeable."

Cho grinned back then grew serious again. "Yes, Harry, I'm sure. What can I do?"

"Well, I'm going in tonight..."

"Tonight?" Cho practically squealed. "You intend to go tonight?"

"Shush," Harry hissed, looking around to see if they had attracted any attention. "Yes, I'm going to do it tonight, assuming that the twins come through. Is that a problem?"

Cho thought for a moment. "No, it shouldn't be. I will have to tell my father though." At the look of shocked fear in Harry's eyes she explained. "Harry, I can't keep this from him. I've already explained that I might be getting involved. I told him all about the D.A. and what happened last year. He wasn't happy but I think he accepts that something has to be done. What will you need me to do?" She suddenly looked like a frightened little girl, frightened but with a light of determination shining in her eyes. "Will I have to hex anybody?"

"No, I don't think so." Harry tried to sound reassuring as he spoke. "If we get lucky, all we'll have to do is to sit and fish for a few minutes."

Cho looked confused. "And if we aren't lucky?"

Harry thought for a moment. "Then I'll need you to sit watch for a little while and, if something goes wrong, to go find some help."

"What kind of help?" she asked.

Harry swallowed; he hated to have to say this. "If things look to be going badly, then you'll need to summon Professor Dumbledore. He'll come right away and then he'll take over. You won't have to do anything else. Just call for help, no dueling or anything."

Cho looked relieved at this. "What will Ron and Hermione be doing? And I reckon Ginny will be there as well."

Harry spoke softly, "No, they won't be there. It will be just the two of us."

Cho looked surprised. "Didn't you ask them or didn't they agree?" She couldn't comprehend that Ron and Hermione would both refuse to help Harry, not after all they had been through together, and Ginny... Well, the less said on that the better.

"Well," Harry looked almost ashamed to speak, "when I told them about it, they seemed to think that it was a good idea to wait and see what Dumbledore did."

"They refused to come with you?"

"I didn't tell them I was coming. I knew right away, from how they reacted, that they didn't think it was a good idea and I was afraid that if I told them I was going anyway..."

"You were afraid that they would tell of your plans and ruin them?" Harry nodded. Cho's shoulders slumped. "Oh Harry, I don't think they would have done that. Even if they doubted you, they would have come. And even if, for some reason, they didn't, they would never betray you."

"I dunno; would they even consider it a betrayal, or just saving me from myself?" Harry whispered. "It's just gotten so hard to trust people, even people I used to trust and who I know care about me." Cho's heart swelled as tears prickled at her eyes. He had trusted her. She quickly blinked back the tears, now was not the time for them.

"OK," she said more firmly than she felt, "I'll need to go back home, and I'll need to change. There's not some semi-official uniform I ought to wear, is there?"

Harry grinned, picturing Cho dressed in some baggy black Ninja-suit like in the muggle movies Dudley liked to watch. "No, just wear something comfortable and that you can get dirty in."

"Now wait one minute, Harry," Cho protested. "I agreed to go into danger on this trip but you never said anything about getting dirty!" She tried to keep her face stern but couldn't keep her giggles in check.

Harry chuckled back. "Sorry about that. It must have slipped my mind."

"Well," Cho retorted, "if I ruin my best skulking-about-in-the-dead-of-night outfit on this little jaunt, you're buying me a new one!"

"Agreed," Harry promised, "as long as it's leather with lots of black lace." Cho failed miserably at looking scandalized. "And high heels," Harry added.

"You blokes ARE all alike! That's just what Michael keeps trying to get me to wear!"

Harry laughed but it didn't reach his eyes.

After paying for their lunch, Harry and Cho walked the streets of muggle London. When Harry pulled her into one shop, to pick up an order he had placed yesterday, Cho almost laughed at his lack of originality. After about an hour of strolling, they found themselves near The Leaky Cauldron.

"I need to duck into Diagon Alley for one last thing," Harry said. "I just hope the twins have the rope done, or else we're sunk."

Cho looked at him and said, "Don't worry; they'll have it for you." Harry wondered if some small part of her was hoping they wouldn't. He knew that there was a significant part of him that did. "Do you want me to go in with you?"

Harry shook his head, "No, I don't think we ought to be seen together. There's too much risk."

"Risk for the plan?" she asked. Harry shook his head again. Risk for her, she realized.

Harry turned away from the Pub and began to walk down into the Tube once again.

"I thought you were going in?" Cho asked.

"I need my counter-disguise first," Harry said with a glint in his eye. He went down into the station and Cho followed. In a minute, Harry reappeared from a men's toilet. He still had on the same trousers but he had replaced his nice jumper with a ratty flannel shirt from his old wardrobe.

"I'm getting to like wearing clothes that actually fit. And it's nice to walk around with no one staring at me. So, as long as I know I'm going to be recognized, I might as well give them what they expect." Harry pulled her behind a vending machine and for a moment Cho's heart raced, but Harry just whispered to her, "This ought to be fine for you to Apparate from. After you talk to your dad and change, you can Floo back to The Leaky Cauldron and I'll meet you across the street."

"Why don't I just Apparate back?" Cho asked.

"Because, I think they monitor any magic that goes on around me and they will be sure to investigate someone Apparating. I doubt they'll notice a Floo and so they won't know you came back."

Cho looked around nervously. "They watch you that closely?"

"I can't be sure, but I don't want to take a chance on their becoming suspicious."

Cho nodded, and with a *crack* she was gone. Harry went back up the steps and entered the pub. He crossed through to Diagon Alley with no trouble but he knew right away that several people had spotted who he was. He walked quickly down the street until getting to number 93. As he entered he noticed a little brass bell swinging from a spring, the door had struck it when he opened it, announcing a new customer with a very rude noise. A noise that Harry had never heard a bell make before but was quite accustomed to Ron making. He couldn't help but grin.

"Ah," a voice called from the rear of the shop, "welcome to Weasley Wizarding Wheezes." Fred turned up the aisle Harry was in and the broad smile immediately dropped from his face. "Oh, it's you."

"Yes, me," Harry answered evenly. "I've come to pick up that item. Is it ready?"

"You mean the rope. Yeah, it's ready." He turned and walked away. Harry followed him and waited at the counter that ran across the back of the shop for one of them to return.

"Here it is," George said as he plopped a coil of braided nylon rope on the counter. Harry picked it up and put it in his bag.

"You're sure it works now?" Harry asked and was met with such a hostile glare that, for a moment, Harry thought meant that he had been transferred to Slytherin House. "Thanks, I owe you one."

"No, you don't," said Fred, joining his brother. "We're even now. All debts cancelled."

Harry nodded sadly; if that's the way they wanted it. "OK, we're all squared." He held out his hand but the twins just ignored it and returned to the workroom at the rear of the shop. Harry heard muttered comments but ignored them as he left the shop.

Back outside The Leaky Cauldron, Harry turned away from the Tube and walked briskly into the growing crowds. Unexpectedly turning left at the first corner, Harry rushed on, with his head turned to see if anyone jostled the crowd in order to follow. Ducking behind a rubbish bin, Harry swapped his flannel shirt once again for his jumper and put his ball cap low on his head. Then, he circled back, to stand on the opposite side of the street from the Tube, and waited for Cho to return.

He didn't have long to wait. Cho soon stepped out onto the street. Harry noticed she was wearing dark jeans and a gray jumper. He ran across the street to meet her and together they turned towards the Tube entrance.

"Are we taking the Underground?" Cho asked.

Harry shook his head, "No, but in a way I reckon I am."

As the throng pushed down the steps, Harry steered Cho off to one side, but before he did, Cho noticed him drop his glasses into the shopping bag of a middle-aged woman going down to the station. Cho looked quickly up at his face and noticed that he was wearing the new glasses that he had picked up that afternoon. They were black, just like his old pair, but with trim metal frames instead of the battered plastic.

"If you were getting new glasses anyway, why not go for something completely different and maybe a bit more stylish?"

Harry smiled. "I think you've already given me as much style as I can manage for now. Besides, I'm used to the look and too much change upsets me."

"But why did you toss your old pair?"

"That's how they've been tracking me. Remus said they hadn't put any charms on the motorbike, and I change my clothing every day. They only way they could keep track of where I am is by putting the charm on something I wear all the time."

"Like your glasses," Cho finished. "Very clever of them, not to mention clever of you to have figured it out."

Harry led her to a corner where he hailed a cab to take them to the entrance to the Ministry of Magic. When they arrived he noticed that a fairly constant stream of people was appearing in the call box and Harry wondered how even muggles couldn't notice it.

"We'll just wait here until most of the folks have gone home for the night. Then we can slip in without being seen."

"We hope." Cho added, and Harry agreed whole-heartedly.

* * * * *

Professor Dumbledore looked at the map that showed Harry, or at least he thought it showed Harry, traveling on a train headed west out of London.

"Well," he said with a sigh, "it appears that Cho has returned safely to her family and Harry has begun another long journey back to his home."

"Or at least to Surrey," Professor McGonagall corrected. "I'll notify Mundungus to be ready for his return."

* * * * *

After about an hour of waiting, the tide of people exiting the Ministry of Magic had slowed to a trickle. They waited another few minutes then crossed the street. They both crowded into the telephone booth and Harry dialed the number.

"Ministry of Magic," a voice said. "How may I help you?"

"Mr. Harry Potter and Miss Cho Chang to visit the Ministry."

"What is the purpose of your visit?" the disembodied voice asked.

"Research for a school project."

The normally dispassionate voice suddenly sounded suspicious. "What type of project are you researching?"

Harry's mind raced. The last time he had simply told the truth and they had been let in. What was he to do now? He had to get inside.

Cho spoke up, "We are researching means of entry into the ministry right now. Partial or evasive answers evidently seem to trigger a security measure. Is this correct?"

"The entry is charmed to deny entrance to those who conceal their intentions." After a moment two name tags were spit out of the coin return, one with each of their names on it. Both bore the additional label: 'Student'.

The floor of the booth began its descent, bringing them down into the Ministry itself. When they reached the atrium, they began to walk quickly across towards the banks of elevators. In the center of the atrium, the fountain still spewed water into the air but the statues were gone. Harry examined the floor as he passed and he could still make out the gouges where the head of the wizard statue had skidded across the floor. He pointed this out to Cho and she clutched his arm tightly in response. As they passed, Harry reached into his pocket and threw a few coins into the water. They were muggle coins. Cho gave him a questioning look and "For luck" was all he said. They continued down a wide hallway lined with large fireplaces on either side.

"Here's where you'll come to call for help, if it comes to it. Just take a pinch of Floo Powder and toss it in. Just call out "Professor Dumbledore" and he should come right away."

"What if he doesn't? He might be busy or something."

Harry thought for a moment, trying to prioritize the people who would come to help him... or to rescue him, as they had before. "If you think he isn't going to come or if he doesn't answer fast enough, then go to the next fireplace and call for Remus Lupin. Then you can use a third and call for Mr. or Mrs. Weasley, somebody's always at home there.

Cho nodded and then a thought struck her. "Harry, there are no jars of Floo Powder. How am I going to call anyone?"

Harry patted her arm gently. "Don't worry, I've brought some myself. There's more than enough to call people and then Floo out ourselves if we have to." Cho nodded.

They entered one of the elevators and Harry pressed the button for Level 9. As the door began to slide closed, Cho gasped as a piece of paper, folded into the shape of a bird flapped in and began to circle the cage. She looked at the thing as Harry explained.

"That's one of the ways they send messages here. The birds fly from one office to the next just like owls would, only much cleaner."

Cho's eyebrows scrunched together in thought, momentarily distracted from her fear. "I wonder what type of charm they use for that? Is it placed on the parchment before you use it or do you have to fold it up first and then charm it?" Harry shrugged as she continued, "Hmm, I'll have to ask Professor Flitwick about this when we get back to school."

The elevator clanged to a halt and the doors rattled open. Harry looked out at the long expanse of corridor that had haunted his dreams for almost a year and gave Cho's hand a squeeze.

"This is it, your last chance to change your mind," Harry told her. "It's OK, if you do. I'll take you back up to the surface and come back by myself."

"You'd come back down here alone and do it?"

Harry nodded. "I have to."

"Then I'm coming with you," she said with more conviction than she thought she could feel. She took his hand again and led him out into the dimly lit corridor.

As they approached the door at the end of the corridor, Harry began to explain to Cho what was going to happen.

"It will look confusing, and I think that's the way they intend it to be, but just don't let it happen. Just ask the room to show you the door out and it will open. Then back up this corridor and take the lift to the atrium. Then you just use the fires to place your calls."

Cho bit at a fingernail. "But you don't think that will be necessary, do you?"

"Honestly?" he answered. "I don't know. I hope not. I hope that the rope will be enough but I just don't know."

"If it's not enough, then what will you do?"

Harry was able to avoid answering as they had entered the circular room with the blue torches. As the room started to spin, Cho grabbed Harry's arm and began to sway.

"Don't let it confuse you, Cho. It's just a trick." Harry patted her arm for comfort. "Show me the Death Chamber," he called loudly.

"Harry, it's called the Death Chamber?" she said in a small voice. "That doesn't sound promising."

A door opened to their right and Harry began to move towards it.

"Yeah, well it wouldn't sound nearly as impressive if they called it the 'Just Taking a Nap' Chamber, now would it?" He forced himself to chuckle but Cho didn't join him.

Harry led the way into the room. He carefully guided Cho down the steep stone stairs towards the archway that still stood on its raised dais in the center of the room. The dark curtain gently fluttering in a non-existent breeze. Vaguely, Harry could hear the tangle of whispers coming from the arch.

"Do you hear that?" he asked.

"Hear what?" Cho said, startled. "Is someone coming, should we hide?"

"No, the whispers, they're coming from the arch."

Cho listened intently but could hear nothing. She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter, I reckon. Luna was the only other one who could hear them."

"Luna? Loony Lovegood could hear whispers no one else can? Somehow that doesn't surprise me."

"I hear them too, Cho," Harry said flatly.

Harry put his bag on the floor and rummaged around in it. He withdrew the rope that he had gotten from the twins and began to uncoil it. After it was untangled, he grabbed one end and shook it slightly. The rope began to snake out and wrap itself around a heavy stone block. It looped the stone, and then tied itself off into a neat and tight knot.

Next, Harry took the free end of the rope and brought it towards the archway. He could feel it pulling at him and he had to fight the urge to just jump through. Instead, he took a short length of rope and, after giving Cho one last encouraging look, sent it through the arch. The curtain rustled at the disturbance and Harry could feel a pull on the end of the rope he still held. It wasn't like someone, or something, was pulling on the rope. It was a steady pull, as if a heavy weight had been attached to the other end and was dragging it down.

Harry began to pull on the rope to retrieve it. He had to pull with all his strength to get it to come back, but come back it did... through the arch. He carefully examined the rope. He saw no evidence of fraying or burning. No sign of any damage at all to it.

"Harry, is this what you expected?" Cho asked.

"Yeah, it's what I hoped would happen. The rope isn't damaged at all and it did come back through the arch, so it is possible to use the opening from both directions." He pondered a moment. "It was harder than I expected to pull, though. Good thing we tied it off on that stone so there's no way the rope can be pulled all the way through."

Cho nodded. "So, what's next?"

"Now we go fishing."

Harry made sure that the rope was tied fast to the stone and then cast it back through the veil. Slowly he fed all the length through, letting it ease through his fingers as he tried to feel if something grabbed it. When it was all played out he sat down on the edge of the dais and began to call out.

"Sirius," he began with a whisper, "it's me, Harry. I've come to get you out. Can you hear me Sirius? Find the rope. Find the rope and follow it out of the archway and back here, back to me. Sirius? Find the rope, Sirius." He waited, listening to the whispers, with his fingers gently holding the rope, testing for the slightest twitch that might indicate that Sirius had found it. Inside the arch, the rope was searching, moving and slithering around just as the Extendable Ears snaked out from the listener.

Minutes ticked by slowly with no indication that Sirius was there at all. He began to call again, a little louder this time. Harry waited but again, there was still no response. At last Harry began to shout, calling Sirius' name through the arch and begging him to find the rope.

Finally, Cho grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him over to a bench. He sat down heavily. She hugged him.

"Give him just a bit more time Harry. You don't know what it's like in there. It may take him a bit to find the rope. You don't want to be so tired when he finally does that you can't pull him back, do you?

So, they sat and waited. Harry's hand held the rope so that he would be able to control its movements and still feel the slightest tug on it.

Finally, with an air of defeat, Harry said, "Well, I reckon there's nothing else for it."

He knelt beside his school bag and, for a second, Cho thought he was going to coil the rope and give up. Instead, Harry began to take more things out of the bag. One bundle was wrapped in the tatty flannel shirt he had used as a disguise that afternoon. As he gently unwrapped the object, Cho was shocked to see that it was the ting that her father had given him for his birthday. He also removed the bamboo ladle and a bottle of drinking water.

Carefully, Harry filled the ladle twice and emptied it into the bowl of the ting. Then he filled it a third time and set it to dripping. The hollow sound seemed loud in the otherwise silent room. Looking at the water left in the bottle, Harry took a long swallow of it and offered the rest to Cho. She shook her head and Harry set it on the stone floor.

"Harry," Cho asked cautiously, "what are you planning on doing?"

Harry looked at her with a grim smile. "I'm going in after him."

Cho's eyes grew wide. "Harry, you can't! You might not be able to come back!" Her voice was suddenly hoarse and she reached for the last of the water.

"I know, but this is the only way I can think of to get Sirius back. He obviously can't find the rope so I'm going to have to go in and bring the rope to him."

"You mean that you're just going to walk through the arch?" She couldn't believe that he would be so brave, or so foolish.

"Not exactly, I'm going to try to leave my body here."

Cho looked confused then suddenly she understood his meaning. "You mean another astral projection?"

Harry nodded. "I did it that other time, didn't I? I think that as long as I leave my physical body here I ought to be able to pass through the veil and come back again."

"How?"

"I'm not sure. I'm going to hold on tight to the rope and, hopefully, I can just climb back along it to the arch."

Cho looked at him; she couldn't believe that he actually intended to do this.

"Harry, I'm not sure that this is a good idea," she said. "Have you done any research into this arch? Do you know what is on the other side?"

"I know enough to know that nobody knows that. The only way to find out is to go there and see." He saw the strained look on Cho's face. He knew that she was frightened, perhaps more frightened than she had ever been before, almost as frightened as he was. "Do you want to leave?"

Cho blinked several times and then slowly nodded. "I think we should go."

Harry nodded back at her. "All right, I pack up here and then I'll take you home."

She smiled brightly. "You mean it? You'd actually pack up and leave?" Harry nodded again. He moved towards the rope that still ran through the arch and into whatever lay beyond. Suddenly she realized what he hadn't said. "Harry," she asked softly, "you're going to come back here, aren't you?" He turned to face her as she continued. "You would take me home but then come back here to do this alone?"

Harry tried to smile. "I have no choice, I've got to."

Cho wanted to argue. She wanted to make him see that he did have a choice. He didn't have to come back here. He could let others take that responsibility, take the lead. Then she realized that this was what Hermione, Ron and Ginny must have said. They would have tried to convince him of these same things and failed. Harry was going to do this. The only question was whether or not he was going to do it alone. She sat back down on the cold stone bench, drew her feet up under her, and swiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her jumper.

"Then let's get it over with. I don't want to spend any more time down here than I have to."

Harry looked at her, she was obviously terrified but she was going to stay. She was going to stay with him, for him. "You don't have to, you know. It's all right, I'll take you home." She shook her head and said nothing. Harry nodded, amazed that she would do this for him, and returned to his work.

Harry tried to sound casual as he spoke, "I'll probably need about an hour's time."

"I'm giving you 30 minutes, then I'm calling in help," Cho said firmly.

"That's not enough time, " Harry argued. "I'll need at least an hour, maybe more."

"You have no idea how much time you'll need. You don't know what's in there. I'll give you thirty minutes, that's it!"

"An hour."

"Thirty minutes."

"Forty-five, then."

"OK, deal. In forty-five minutes I sound the alarm."

"OK." Harry looked at her, feeling that he should do something.

Instead, he turned back to the arch. The rope was set, water was plopping steadily into the ting. All that was left to do was to do it. Harry sat on the floor. He almost laughed as the cold of the stone floor started to seep into his legs; he had forgotten to bring a cushion. He crossed his legs and focused on the sounds of the dripping water.

The gentle echoes of the drops filled his mind, gradually shunting all else aside. Harry began to feel time stretch out as the drops seemed to fall slower and slower. The gaps between the drops grew longer and longer until the drops became interruptions of the emptiness they left behind. He took refuge in that emptiness. He no longer felt the cold of the floor, or the rough feel of his canvas pants against his skin. He didn't feel the soft whisper of air blowing through the archway, stirring the veil. He felt nothing. He felt nothingness. His breath slowed until it almost stilled. The room, reality itself, fell away from him. He began to rise.

His body sat there on the stone floor, legs crossed and back straight. It certainly looked uncomfortable. Harry realized with a start that he was looking at himself. He had done it! He was outside of his body, looking down at it as if it belonged to someone else. For a moment he wondered if it did.

He turned towards the arch; his feet seemed to not touch the ground so much a float a millimeter above it. He approached the veil slowly. At the last moment he turned back to see Cho easing his body down to lay on the floor. She pulled her jumper over her head and used it as a pillow for him. Harry watched as she gently ran her fingers through his hair in a vain attempt to flatten it. She rubbed her arms to fight off the chill that filled the room. Harry drifted back to stand beside her. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Cho's eyes opened wide and she looked about the room, not seeing him there.

"You make sure you come back, Harry Potter," she said softly to the empty room, "because if you don't... I'm never going to forgive you."

She bent and took his ragged flannel shirt from the floor, using it to try to keep herself warm. Harry drifted back to the arch. He could hear the whispering; it was louder now although he still could not make out any words.

Carefully, he reached out a hand to touch the archway. Even in this ethereal form the stone was cold, hard and impenetrable. His fingers reached out to touch the veil, to try to feel the texture of the cloth. As soon as his fingers reached the veil, even before he could feel its touch, he felt the pull. His fingers were pulled in. Pulled and squeezed as if he was being drawn through a funnel. Frightened, he tried to fight it. He tried to pull his hand back, but the pull was too strong. In a heartbeat, he was sucked through the arch. Harry Potter was gone.