Harry Potter and the Eye of Isis

Chapter 11 - Yule

December 20, 1996

Hermione stared at Harry with wide eyes, willing him to hear her displeasure with his actions. While Harry knew that Hermione was trying to get him to use Legimency to hear her thoughts, and he certainly could hear her, he continued to ignore her as he strapped his wand to his forearm. He understood her concern and the message she was trying to give him, but Harry was refusing to acknowledge it. Instead, he sat on his trunk, running down a checklist in his head of all the things he would need to pack tonight so he'd be ready to leave for the Burrow in the morning.

Hermione clicked her tongue loudly against the roof of her mouth in order to get Harry's attention again. "Harry, this is not a good idea," she insisted. "You shouldn't be doing this tonight. I heard what Malfoy said to you but I think it's a trap."

"Lay off, Hermione," Ron groaned as he sat on Harry's bed. "Harry's a big boy, he can handle himself."

"It's just that I don't trust Malfoy--"

"Neither do I, Hermione," Harry stood and threw his robe over his shoulder, fastening it tightly at the neck. "But I'm not going to let him get the best of me."

"But he is getting the best of you if you go--"

"Hermione," Ron complained, "give it a rest."

"I can't, Ron," she said sternly. "Harry's risking his safety, and he's my friend, and besides, I am a prefect, and what he's about to do is breaking school rules. You're a prefect too, Ron, how can you sit there and just let him go?"

Ron shook his head in frustration. "I'm turning a blind eye."

"Report me to McGonagall if you have to, Hermione, but I'm going," Harry said calmly as he reached the door. "You do what you have to do, and I'll do what I have to do."

"Fine, whatever, but don't say I didn't warn you," she said hastily, stalking past Harry.

"She's getting very testy lately," said Ron once she had left the room. "Clobber him, mate!"

"Thanks, Ron," Harry left his dorm, walking through the common room without making eye contact with anyone in there. He could feel Hermione's eyes watching him, and he wondered how long it would take her to go to McGonagall. Her words were resonating in his ears. Harry knew she was right because he didn't trust Malfoy either, but stubbornness was getting the better of him. He couldn't admit to himself, or Hermione, that he was a bit concerned about the potential situation that he was allowing himself to walk into.

While it wasn't unlike Malfoy to challenge Harry to a duel, it was unlike him not to want an audience. Malfoy took great pleasure in showing-off, and doing anything that publicly humiliated Harry in any way. But he had been clear that he wanted to duel Harry alone at the Quidditch Pitch.

*

Ron found Hermione sitting in a large chair near the fire, facing away from everyone else in the common room. He sank down into the chair, effectively scooting her over several inches and pressing her against him. "You don't have to go tell McGonagall, you know?" She stared into his eyes without saying a word. "I don't understand why you're so angry about this, Hermione. What is it? You know that you can tell me?"

"I know," she said curtly, "but you'll only defend him."

"He's my best friend," Ron offered as an explanation, "and quite frankly, Malfoy needs to be taken down a peg or two.

"That's not the point, Ron. I know he's an insufferable git, but that doesn't change the danger that this situation presents. Don't you think it was odd that he made a point of telling Harry to come alone?"

"Maybe he's tired of Harry getting the better of him in front of everyone else. Maybe he's planning to insult him some more. I don't know why Malfoy wanted it to be just Harry, but I think it might be good to let them duel--"

"Until they kill each other?" Hermione asked. "You know they're capable of it."

"Maybe, but that won't happen and you know it."

Hermione took in a deep, jagged breath. "It's just that... I have a bad feeling."

Before Hermione could expand upon the bad feeling she was having, Ron pressed his lips against hers, and began kissing her deeply. It took a few moments for Hermione to completely relax in his embrace, but soon her arms were twisted around his body, as she kissed him back intensely. After several long minutes, Ron slowly pulled away from her mouth. For the first time, nothing else mattered but looking at her. He studied the lines of her faces, the slight smile spread across her lips, and the sparkling light in her eyes.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" Hermione nodded her head slowly to answer Ron's question.

They walked silently through the common room, exiting into the corridor where they quickly found their hands intertwined. Ron noticed her continually glancing up at him. Finally, she said what was on her mind.

"You didn't have to do that just to stop me from going to McGonagall. I wasn't going to--"

"Hermione," Ron stopped walking so that he could explain himself to her. "I didn't kiss you because I thought it would stop you from going to McGonagall. If you feel you need to, just do it.

"I kissed you because I wanted to," he cupped her face in his hands, "in fact, I want to do it again if...if you'll let me."

Hermione had only to open her mouth to answer for Ron to take the opportunity to kiss her again. He slowly pressed her against the wall, kissing so fiercely, that they both began breathing heavily. Ron continued to hold Hermione's face while her hands roamed over his jumper until she found her way under the garment to rub his bare chest.

"Hermione," Ron moaned. "I love you."

"I love you too, Ron," she told him as she pulled him through the doorway and into the Muggle Studies Classroom.

*

Harry could see Malfoy in the distance, leaning against the doors to the Slytherin changing. A sense of foreboding over came him, and for a moment he paused, ready to turn around and leave, but his stubbornness wouldn't let him. If he didn't face Malfoy tonight, he'd never hear the end of it. And in his heart, he knew he was the better trained wizard and could best Malfoy in this duel.

Harry continued on, stopping meters from Malfoy. "I don't have time for you, Malfoy," Harry thought aloud as he faced the pale blonde, more unsure of why he'd even come out to the Quidditch Pitch. So what if Malfoy was an asshole? Harry's gut instinct continued telling him that he had made a mistake coming here, especially alone.

"So, you didn't chicken out." Malfoy smirked. Harry just stared at him with cold eyes. "What's the matter? Scared, Potter?"

"Of what? You?" Harry started to laugh. "If Voldemort doesn't scare me what makes you think a stupid little arse like you would?"

"He doesn't scare you, does he?" Malfoy questioned. "Then why don't you go to him and kill him like everyone thinks that you can?" Harry said nothing, so Malfoy continued. "Why does everyone protect the precious Harry Potter if you can face the Dark Lord?" Malfoy stepped closer to Harry, mere inches separating their faces. "Because you can't defeat him and you know it, as does everyone else. Protect Harry Potter...it's laughable."

Harry's anger flared, he again felt that strange current of energy coursing through him. He reached out to shove Malfoy away. When his hands pressed against Malfoy's shoulders, electricity shoot through the Slytherin's body.

Malfoy backed off, hands grasped to his chest, breathing intensely. "It's true," he brushed his blonde hair from his brow. "You can--"

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" Harry's instinct of danger surged within him, he had shocked Malfoy before in duelling club. Realisation crawled across Harry's face as his wand slid into his hand, training it immediately on the impostor's face. "Where is Draco Malfoy?"

"Since when do you care about him? He's a stupid little arse, isn't he? What are you going to do, Potter? Save him?"

Of all things that could or should be running through his head at that very moment, it was Hermione's voice that filled Harry's mind. He heard everything she had tried to tell him before leaving his dorm, particularly the unspoken words she had filled him with. He knew he had let her down.

Harry, I trusted you to do the right thing. I even refrained from telling Professor Dumbledore what Luna said because you convinced me you were going to be safe, and that Voldemort had no way of getting his hands on you. What you're doing right now is giving him a way to capture you if he means to. I don't rust Malfoy, and neither do you. I know this will not turn out well.

"Who are you?" but before any answer could be given, or Harry could come to his own conclusion, a voice shouted, "Stupefy!" from behind him. Harry's body stiffened and hit the ground before he could even see who his attacker was.

*

Ron entered his dorm the next morning with a smile he couldn't hide. Neville looked up at him, his brow wrought with worry. "I don't think Harry ever came in last night, Ron."

Ron's happiness faded quickly as he glanced over at Harry's bed. It was made, and the book Harry had been reading the previous evening was still sitting in the exact same spot on his pillow as it was yesterday when he put it back.

Ron swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to fight off his sense of regret. Perhaps he should have listened to Hermione. "Maybe he fell asleep in the common room," Ron offered as an explanation.

Neville just shrugged. "Weren't you just down there? Did you see him?" Ron slowly shook his head. "He went to duel Malfoy last night didn't he?" Neville had to know.

"Yeah, he did." Ron answered.

"Ron, do you think that Luna is a Seeress?"

Ron swallowed again, hoping the inevitable wasn't true. "What do you mean, Neville?"

"You heard her, Ron," Neville looked down, unable to say what he was thinking while looking Ron in the eyes. "And Harry said he'd seen that look before--"

"But you know how Luna is, Neville, she gets a bit spacey from time to time, and even she said she felt sleepy." Ron tried to explain. "I think she was just having us on," but he didn't sound convinced of that.

"You're probably right," Neville conceded. "We should just go look for him before we panic. I say the worst thing that happened was Malfoy actually won the duel last night, and Harry's licking his wounds."

"Right," Ron didn't enjoy this explanation, but it was certainly better than the first conclusion that Neville was drawing. He couldn't help but watch Neville as he looked over to the calendar on the wall. "We need to find him before the train leaves."

"That's not what I was looking at," Neville admitted as he pointed at the date. "Today is Yule."

Suddenly Ron dropped his cloak, and went to Harry's trunk. He lifted the lid slowly, almost as if he thought he'd find Harry tucked inside, but instead he began rummaging through his friend's belongings until he found what he was looking for.

Ron touched his wand to the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Neville leaned over Ron's shoulder. "What is this, Ron?"

"It's a map of Hogwarts," Ron explained with his eyes still fixed on the map. "It shows every person and where they are. If Harry's here, the map will show him."

"Where did Harry get it?"

"Long story, and we don't have time for it right now."

Neville nodded and joined Ron in searching the Marauder's Map for any hint of where Harry might be. They both concentrated in the parchment, searching every section, hoping that some corner was labelled 'Harry Potter'. But for all they looked they could not find the name they wanted to see. Ron folded the parchment up quickly, shoved it back into Harry's trunk, and without a word to Neville, bolted from the room with Neville on his heels.

They ran down the stairs, taking them four at a time until they landed in the common room, bolting through it. Ginny saw them, but couldn't ask anything because Ron and Neville's hastened pace wouldn't allow it. She instinctively knew that something was wrong. She dropped all of her books, and followed them through the corridors of the castle. They were all nearly out of breath when they came to a screaming halt in front of Professor McGonagall's desk.

Neville was doubled over, taking deep breaths as Ron leaned over the desk, gasping. "Harry...Harry's not here." He gasped again, pain burning in his side from his run. "He's not at Hogwarts. Luna said..."

"Calm down, Mr. Weasley," she rose from her chair and looked down at the three. "Catch your breath, and tell me what the problem is."

"Harry's gone," Neville whimpered. "Luna said--"

"What exactly is it that you two are referring to? What did Miss Lovegood say?"

"She said the Dark Lord would capture his enemy before Yule." Ginny replied, then looked at the boys. "He never came back last night?"

They both shook their heads. "We didn't realise it until this morning, Professor," Ron explained, "he went to meet Malfoy at the Quidditch pitch last night."

"For what reason?" she peered at them over her spectacles, "to duel?" They nodded. "Why would the two of you let him do such a thing?" She focused on Ginny and Ron. "You two are prefects. If you knew about this it was your responsibility to stop him, and if you couldn't, you get me immediately."

She turned to her fireplace and called Professor Snape. "Professor, I think you should fetch Mr. Malfoy and escort him to my office. It would seem that he and Mr. Potter duelled last night and Mr. Potter did not return to his dorm last night."

"Very well."

She nodded at him waiting for his head to disappear. When it did she called Professor Dumbledore. "Headmaster, we have a problem. Harry Potter is not on the Hogwarts grounds any longer."

In a matter of minutes, Professor Dumbledore was standing in Professor McGonagall's office. "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Weasley, please, have a seat." They sat at the very first desk looking up at Professor Dumbledore. "Now, tell me what has happened?" They all began speaking at the same moment. "One at a time. Mr. Weasley, you first."

"Last week Malfoy challenged Harry to a duel at the Quidditch Pitch. Honestly Professor, I didn't think anything of him going." Ron was afraid he'd lose his prefect badge over it now that Harry was missing. "If I thought that Malfoy was any danger to him, I would have stopped him, I swear it Professor."

"Now is not the time for guilt, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore stated. "Now is a time to figure out where Harry has gone." His eyes drifted to Neville, obviously asking him for his version of events.

"Harry and Ron didn't sleep in the dorm last night, I just assumed they were together, wherever they were. But when Ron came in this morning, Harry wasn't with him. That's when I asked if he'd gone to duel Malfoy. Ron checked the map, and Harry wasn't on it."

"What map?" Dumbledore questioned.

"His dad's map," Ron said. "The Marauder's Map."

"Continue Mr. Longbottom."

"I asked Ron if he thought Luna was right, if she had really given a prophecy because today is Yule, and--"

"Luna did give a prophecy!" Ginny blurted out, unable to control herself. "And she was right wasn't she? Voldemort's got Harry again! She said the enemy would have his nemesis before the sun sets on the first day of the dark half of the year."

"Miss Weasley, please calm down." Professor McGonagall insisted.

Dumbledore walked over to her and placed a hand over hers. "It will be fine, we will find Harry." Gently squeezing her hand seemed to calm her down a bit. "Who was present when Luna said this?"

"We all were, sir," Ron answered. "And Harry and Hermione as well."

"Let me see if I understand this correctly?" Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Some time ago, Miss Lovegood said that Voldemort would kidnap Harry?"

"She didn't say it would be Harry," Ginny clarified. "She said the Dark Lord would have possession of his nemesis."

Dumbledore nodded. "You all believe that she was referring to Harry though?" they nodded. "Then Mr. Malfoy challenged Harry to a duel?"

"He actually challenged him to a duel before Luna gave the prophecy, Professor." Ron corrected.

"Then Harry went last night to meet Mr. Malfoy, presumably to duel him, and you all believe this is when Harry left Hogwarts grounds?" Dumbledore turned to Professor McGonagall. "I think it would be prudent to ask Mr. Malfoy and Professor Snape to join us."

"I have already done so, Headmaster." She answered then she shifted her eyes to Ron. "And may I ask, Mr. Weasley, where you were last night if you didn't go to the Quidditch Pitch with Mr. Potter?" His head of house looked at him sternly. Ron mumbled something under his breath, but not nearly loud enough for anyone to hear. "Come again?"

"I was with Hermione."

Before anyone could express shock or question Ron at all about his own whereabouts, Professor Snape appeared in the firebox. "Draco Malfoy is not in Slytherin house."