The Darkness Within

The Darkness Within

Chapter 2: Quidditch and Revelations

Harry, who had been named Quidditch captain of the Gryffindor House team, decided to hold the try-outs for the team on the second weekend of September.

So, Saturday afternoon found him and Ron, who he’d named co-captain and team strategist, standing in the drizzling rain out on the Quidditch Pitch in front of the tens of hopeful Gryffindors, who had turned up to compete for the available spots on the team. And there where available spots. Indeed all the positions where available, except Seeker and Keeper, played by Harry and Ron respectively, since everybody else had left school the previous year. Thankfully, Harry’s lifelong ban on Quidditch had been lifted and he could be Seeker again, but that also meant that Ginny, the third member of the team, was out of a position to play in.

In consequence, the first order of business was to find a suitable position for Ginny to play in. Taking into account that Ginny possessed the most important traits of a successful Seeker – agility and speed, the boys decided to have her try out for Chaser. A position, which utilizes the same qualities in addition to teamwork.

It was obvious from the word go that Ginny was ideal for the spot. Now, the only problem was finding two more Chasers, who could work well together, and with Ginny.

The Beaters turned out to be a time-honored and -tested classic. Third year twins in the spirit of Gred and Forge, Hogwarts legends for Quidditch … and other reasons.

Even though both Harry and Ron were sure they got together the best available team, and could tell Professor McGonagall with a clear conscience that the Quidditch Cup was as good as theirs, the boys still put together a hard training schedule. For the first time Ron agreeing with Hermione that there is no such thing as over preparing or in this case – overtraining.

So the weeks passed, busy with schoolwork and Quidditch training; Harry had little time to spare for thoughts of the prophecy and his stark destiny. Even the nightmares had subsided, because of the sheer physical exhaustion he felt every night as he dropped, nearly unconscious, onto his bed.

Time passed, and before anyone could even notice, Halloween had arrived. The anniversary of his parents’ death fifteen years ago. That brought back to the forefront of his mind Sirius’ death, Voldemort and his prophecy-proclaimed destiny.

On the night of the Halloween feast, he felt severely depressed, and as he sat down next to Hermione at the Gryffindor table both of his friends noticed that something was most definitely wrong.

“Harry, mate. What’s up?” asked Ron, watching his friend’s face, the pile of mashed potatoes in front of him momentarily forgotten.

“Oh, it’s nothing …” Harry answered, hoping they’d leave it at that.

Hermione, however, was not willing to let it go. “Your parents … it’s the anniversary of their death. Right?”

“Yeah, I guess everyone knows that,” said Harry, then pulled himself together and continued, “Anyway I don’t want to talk about that at a feast, so just drop it, okay?”

Hermione looked into his eyes for a moment and said quietly, “All right, but some day soon we are going to talk about it … and about Sirius.”

Harry hesitated, “Sure, Hermione …”

Ron, oblivious to the conversation, was already piling all the tasty Halloween treats onto his plate. Harry followed suit, and the somber conversation was forgotten for the moment.

After the feast, the students returned to their common rooms, and in Gryffindor Tower, the party continued in a much less subdued manner than in the Great Hall, as bottles of Butterbeer magically appeared and the Wizarding Wireless was turned up as the sounds of a popular song by the Weird Sisters filled the room. Harry excused himself by saying he was tired and going to bed, in order to escape the impending conversation Hermione had threatened him with.

Harry walked up the staircase and flopped down on the bed, pulling the curtains closed behind him, and lay on his back, staring blindly up.

For the first time in nearly two months, he couldn’t get the prophecy out of his mind. His mind started wandering. He thought about the future that he was destined to have, he thought of all the plans he’d made with his friends in the fifth year. He thought about becoming an Auror, he thought about becoming a killer. He thought of dying before ever leaving school. He thought of the battles he’d fought so far, and the battles lying ahead. And accompanying all those thoughts, he heard Trelawney’s eerie voice speaking the prophecy that was going to change his life – the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… The words kept on ringing in his head as his exhausted brain succumbed to sleep. And sleep he did, with pictures and sound of old memories and nightmares conquering him once again.

Harry was walking down a corridor in Hogwarts, when he heard it…

The soft hissing that seemed to be coming from everywhere … the heir … heir…

And suddenly he was in the Great Hall looking at a large snake…

Parselmouth ... evil, only dark wizards…

The hissing was back…

He stood a sword in hand; the blood was dripping onto the floor…

Cedric’s body was lying in front of him…

Avada Kedavra.

Crucio.

Bellatrix Lestrange’s body lying in front of him…

A bloody sword…

Must die.

Something unforgivable…

Kill or be killed.

Walking down the hallway at Hogwarts…

The blood dripping from the sword…

Red eyes, burning…

Kill.

Or be killed.

Blood everywhere.

He jumped up from the bed, staring wildly around, his clothes drenched in sweat. A dream, nothing but a dream, he thought and laid back into the bed in the hopeless attempt to fall asleep again that night.

Half an hour later he gave up all pretense, and got up from his bed, and walked down the stairs to the common room to sit in a chair near the fire, planning to stare at the flames until the morning came and with it light and people, and the normalcy of classes and homework.

That plan was put to rest when he made his way to the armchair near the fire and noticed it was already occupied.

“’Hermione, what are you doing up so late?” he asked in a quiet tone of voice.

The bushy-haired girl looked up from her book and smiled at her friend. “Couldn’t sleep … so decided to read a little... What about you? What are you doing up so late?”

“About the same. Couldn’t sleep,” Harry answered, and sat into the comfortable chair next to her.

“Nightmares?”

Harry was startled and blurted out, “How did you know?”

“Harry, I’ve been your friend for over five yeas and watched all last year you suffer nightmares about Cedric. Knowing you, I’d guess now you have them about Sirius as well. You know, since we’re both up right now … we could talk about it … Sirius and your nightmares I mean.”

“Hermione, I’m not sure I want to talk about it. I’m dealing with it in my own way, and let’s just leave it at that. Please." Harry looked at Hermione seriously. “And about the nightmares... They are rare; haven’t had one in months,” he said in a chipper tone, trying to lighten the mood.

Hermione wasn’t one to give up easily, but she was also the smartest witch Hogwarts had seen in a century, and she knew her friend well. So, this time she let it go and looked for another topic of conversation. Harry was faster, however, and asked with a sly look in his eyes, “And you, why couldn’t you sleep? Thinking about something special?”

“I don’t know what you mean, Harry Potter,” Hermione was indignant. “I just wanted to read for a while.”

“Oh, come on, Hermione. The whole school knows Ron has a crush on you since the Yule Ball in our fourth year here.”

“What are you talking about, Harry?” She seemed truly confused.

“You mean you really haven’t noticed, Hermione?” He looked at her. “The entire school is making bets on when you’ll finally get together.”

Suddenly Hermione seemed very nervous. “Harry, has Ron told you anything about me? Has he told you he liked me, have you heard anything else except the school rumors?”

“Not in so many words, Hermione, but I’m sure he likes you like a … you know …” He seemed pleased to inform her of that, and upon noticing the growing alarm in her eyes continued, “You like him too, don’t you, Hermione?”

She looked at the fire for a moment, contemplating the flames and then glanced at Harry. “You know that people in school are also taking bets on when you and Ginny Weasley start dating?”

Harry sighed. “I know. But what has that got to do with you and Ron?”

“I saw you, you know, talking with Ginny.”

“And?”

“Any ideas on how I could have the same talk with Ron, without hurting his feelings?” She still wasn't looking at him.

“You mean?”

“Yeah, I mean that he’s like a brother to me, my best friend … but that’s all.” She was looking at him again, with a small searching smile the boy didn’t seem to notice.

“Well, that’s a mess. You’d better talk to him soon, Hermione, before he gets his hopes up and eventually even more hurt.“ He stood up to leave for his dormitory.

“I will, Harry. Soon. Goodnight,” the girl said, watching him disappear up the stairs.

“Goodnight,” came the muffled reply as Harry made his way to his room. He sat down on his bed for the second time that night. He felt sad for Ron, his best friend, and at the same time, strangely relieved. And as he closed his eyes no nightmarish visions of blood and swords appeared; instead, he saw a brown-haired girl sitting in front a warm fire, and as sleep engulfed him, the Boy-Who-Lived felt only peace.

The next day he waked well rested from a good night’s sleep and walked to breakfast with Ron, sat down in his usual spot next to Hermione, and proceeded to act like any other teenage boy – eating too much breakfast, complaining about the day's lessons and teachers, in particular Snape, and stealing furtive glances at the girl he liked.

And if said girl noticed that one of her friends was acting happier than in a long time, she didn’t say a word about it. She just sat there, enjoying the conversation with her friends, stealing her own looks at the boy.

The only one to notice anything different in the behavior of the two people might have been the third party of this triangle, but he was busy as well. Working up the courage to approach the girl he liked and tell her that.

The three people sat there, all happy in the moment for their own reasons. Not one suspecting that this was their last moment of innocence. A breakfast of three friends, the Golden Trio of Gryffindor. It was about to come crashing down around them, destroyed from within: by jealousy, distrust and above all a destiny, undeniable in its darkness.

Hermione, Ron and Harry got up from the table, the breakfast finished, ready for the days first lesson with Hagrid. They walked out the Hogwarts Great Doors, the girl walking between the two boys, all laughing and talking.

… to be continued …