The Weight of the World

Chapter 13 - Snape's Report

After the Quidditch session the group went back to the castle to clean up and get ready for dinner. When they went into the Great Hall, Snape, Moody, Dumbledore, and Lupin were all up at the head table having dinner. Meagan's mother Professor Livingston was down below them having dinner with Madam Pomfrey at one of the house tables. Ron, Hermione, Meagan and Harry joined them down there.

"Hey you guys," Professor Livingston said to the group. "I saw all of you down at the Quidditch field earlier. I suppose you all taught Meagan how to ride a broom?"

"She's a natural Professor," Ron said smiling.

"It was so much fun mom. How come you never told me about Quidditch? I can't wait to see a real game. It's got to be the best thing in the world to watch."

Meagan's mother just looked at her with a bit of surprise on her face. She had no idea that something like that would have ever interested her daughter.

"I told you about Quidditch before I'm sure. I probably didn't explain the whole game to you, but I am sure I mentioned something about it to you a time or two didn't I?" She asked.

"I think I would have remembered it mom, anyway, Harry is on the house team, and you should see him fly! Ron is going to try out for the open spot on the team this year. Mom, you have to let me buy a broom. Flying is the most unbelievable thing in the world," Meagan said.

"Honey why don't you catch your breath and get some dinner?" she said. "I see you three are keeping her busy. Hermione from what I hear you are quite the student. Maybe you and Meagan can start on some OWL studying," she said looking at her daughter.

"Yes ma'am, I already have the study guides in our common room from the library. I started on them last night. We can begin going over them tomorrow." Hermione said anxiously.

Ron looked at the table and surveyed the food. He was starving from all of that Quidditch, and he knew between he and Harry, there wasn't near enough food there. "Dobby?" Ron said loudly.

Dobby appeared with a pop right beside him. "Wheezy! What can Dobby get you and your friends?" he said smiling.

"Dobby, just bring us whatever you have made down there, don't go to any trouble okay?" Harry said.

"Trouble? How could it possibly be any trouble sir? Harry Potter is the greatest wizard Dobby has ever known. Dobby is forever indebted to Harry Potter. Harry Potter could never trouble Dobby to bring he and his friends anything, anything at all sir," he said and popped out of site.

The next thing they knew, the entire table was covered with every food they could think of. Madam Pomfrey and Professor Livingston almost spit out the food they were eating when they saw the table absolutely covered in front of them.

"He must really like you Harry," Meagan said with a large smile as she dug into a steaming dish of roast beef.

Harry blushed a bit then started to fill his plate. They all chatted back and forth all through dinner, and when they had all stuffed themselves silly, the table was magically cleared of all of their dirty dishes.

Dumbledore and his group sat up at the table drinking from their goblets and engaging in hushed conversations.

Harry and Ron were talking about the Gryffindor Quidditch team when Dumbledore stood up from where he sat.

"Harry? Can you join us up here for a bit?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry nodded at him and then after a quick glance at Ron and Hermione, he walked up to the head table.

"Yes Sir?" Harry said as he reached the table.

"Harry, Alastor has told me that your dream came to a conclusion last night."

"Yes sir."

"Snape has confirmed what the dream said to be true. I must ask that you exercise caution inside the school. Do not walk around alone at night. Take your wand with you always. I must also ask that you don't travel to Hogsmeade until we have more information regarding this attack. I won't worry you with details Harry, but I will tell you that we are working to do what we can to keep you and the others safe."

"Thank you sir, thank you all," Harry said looking over Snape, Moody and Lupin.

"That is all Harry, thank you," Dumbledore said.

Harry went back to join the others at the table below.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this Headmaster?" Snape asked Dumbledore.

"Severus, I am sure. I do not see any other way. There aren't many people that know about that passage way. It is one of the only ones that has remained undiscovered by myself or even Filtch for that matter. If you leak it to the death eaters that it's a safe way in, we can lead the assassin to us, and hopefully capture someone who can help us in our fight," Dumbledore said.

"Do you not think that we might be divulging too much with that entrance Headmaster?" Snape said again.

"Severus, either way the passage is still there. Pettigrew knows about it I can assure you. If we know that the Death Eaters know of its existence, and also that they think that we do not, that takes one more variable out of the equation does it not?" Dumbledore said.

"Yes sir, you are right. I will move forward with the plan. I will send word," Snape said as he got up from the table.

"Severus?" Dumbledore said to him as he was leaving. "Do be careful."

Snape walked past the table that Harry and the others were sitting at. He had a nasty look on his face, but the glance he shot at Harry seemed almost worrisome.

"What was that about?" Ron whispered to Harry.

"I don't really know Ron, but I can tell you that it doesn't look good. I'll tell you more when we get to the common room," Harry said.

Later that night the four of them played games until they were all very tired and ready for bed. Hermione said goodnight to Harry and Ron and she and Meagan walked up to their dorm room to go to bed. Harry and Ron stayed behind for a minute.

"So what's up Harry?" Ron asked him.

"Snape found out something about Voldemort's plan to send someone to kill me. I am sure that Dumbledore asked him to go back and find out more information." Harry said.

"What did he find out?" Ron asked.

"I don't know for sure. Dumbledore said he didn't want to worry me with it. He just asked that I don't go out of our common room by myself."

"That's no problem, you hardly ever do anyway. That reminds me, you never did get to the library today did you?"

"No I didn't. I'll go tomorrow. There are some things I need to find out."

"I'll help you. I don't feel like starting OWL studying. It's summer after all!" Ron said.

"You don't have to help me if you don't want to. Besides, you need to work on your flying. Your keeper instincts are good Ron, you just need to work on your conditioning. You remember what good shape Wood was in right?"

"Yeah I do. And I will Harry. I want to make the team bad. I'm going to bed, you coming?"

Harry looked down at the daily prophet that was lying on the table and picked it up. "I think I am going to look through this a bit Ron, I'll be up in a minute."

"Okay, but don't stay up too late. I bet if I were Hermione you'd come up with me in a heartbeat!" he said playfully.

"Keep off that Ron?" Harry said with a commanding voice.

"I'm just kidding. Harry I really don't care if you like her. She's really great you know?" Ron said.

"I know she's great," Harry said picking up the paper. "Goodnight Ron."

"Goodnight Harry."

Harry opened up the paper and sat down. He really didn't want to read it, but he didn't feel like going to bed right away. He wanted some time to himself for some reason, plus he wasn't used to the great night of sleep he got the night before so he really wasn't that tired. He sat the paper down and looked at the Foe-Glass. It was facing the wrong direction and Harry couldn't see its reflection. He got up, walked over to it and spun it around. The shadowy figure seemed to be a bit closer than it was this morning, but it was still far away, and Harry couldn't make out any of its features. He felt some rage come over him looking at the image. He hated being afraid and the figure in the mirror was frightening him.

"I.....am.....not.....afraid....of....you," he said in a voice that was very serious.

"I am not afraid of you," he repeated it again and suddenly the mirror shook and then popped and spider web like cracks engulfed it. It was broken so badly that the image inside of it could no longer be seen.

"Harry?"

Harry turned around and saw Hermione looking down on him from just outside her dorm room.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine Hermione. I accidentally broke this mirror. I threw another pillow at it but I threw it too hard I guess," he lied.

"I saw you Harry. You broke it, but you didn't throw a pillow at it," she said.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just cracked I don't think there is any glass on the floor. I'll fix it tomorrow," he said.

"Will you come up here for a second?" Hermione asked softly.

Harry looked at her, then back to the mirror. He turned it around and pushed it back up against the wall, and then walked up to where Hermione was.

When he got up by her, she took a step towards him and gave him a hug. He was a bit surprised, but almost immediately put his arms around her to return it.

"You need to be careful when you get angry. Your magic gets really powerful and you can't control it. Remember what you did to your Aunt that time?" she said still holding onto him.

"Yeah I know. I'll be careful."

"Harry? Should I apologize for last night?" she asked him.

"Did you mean to fall asleep with me?" he asked.

"I thought I didn't Harry, but now I am not so sure. It's all twisted in my head now," She said. They were still hugging each other and her head was just under his chin.

"Are you sorry now that you did it?" Harry asked.

"Not if you aren't."

"I'm not," Harry said quickly. And he felt her arms tighten around him.

"Harry? I want to kiss you but I am really afraid to."

"I know Hermione. Maybe we shouldn't. I have always felt like I could talk to you, so I have to tell you that it felt really good waking up with you this morning. And this afternoon on the broom..."

"I know Harry."

"Hermione, I just don't want to screw up our friendship. There are some things I haven't told you about me that I found out from Dumbledore. I can't really talk to you about them right now because I don't know all of the details yet myself. But I want you to know that I need you around me. I have to have you around me, and if something were to happen that screws up our friendship. I just....I can't allow that to happen. I have too many things to worry about and I just can't have that happen," he said.

"Harry, maybe you're right. I love you Harry, but. I know you're right."

She let go of him and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodnight Harry."

She then walked back into her dorm room.

Harry stood there and stared at the door as it closed with her behind it. He then looked down at the floor and turned to go to bed.

When he got into his dorm, the lights were off. He changed into his pajamas and went to the bathroom and washed his face. He then got into bed, pulled the covers over him and stared at a dark ceiling.

"Harry, you okay?" Ron asked him.

"Ron, why does everything have to be so complicated?"

"I don't know Harry. Try not to worry though. It's not going to do you any good you know. There are things we can change and things we can't. Just concentrate on the things you can change."

Harry thought about those words for a second. That just might have been the wisest thing that had ever come out of Ron's mouth. Harry went over them a few more times in his head. 'Concentrate on the things you can change,' not bad he thought.

"You're right Ron, thanks. You up for more Quidditch tomorrow afternoon?"

"Probably so, but Meagan and I are going to go into Hogsmeade sometime tomorrow. I am going to show her some of the things my brothers have invented in the joke shop."

"I think she really likes you Ron."

"I know she does. She kissed me today Harry."

"You're joking!"

"No Harry. She kissed me, and it wasn't just a peck on the cheek either."

"That's great Ron..... Well, goodnight."

"Night Harry."

Harry thought about how nice it would have been to kiss Hermione, but his resolve kicked in. "She's just a great friend," he thought to himself.