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RETURN

CHAPTER SIX-SMALL PRINT

"Mr. Potter!" Madam Pomfrey cried.

Ron and I looked at each other quickly.

"We thought you were dead!" Professor McGonagall said, shocked.

"He was just knocked out," I said, quickly.

"I don't doubt it! You're a lucky boy to have survived that kind of a fall," Madam Pomfrey said, relieved and stunned.

"How do you feel, Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Great!" Harry replied grinning.

Madam Pomfrey checked Harry's pupils and pulse.

"Everything seems normal," she replied.

"Well, I guess it's back to classes for you. Don't worry about the homework right now. Just rest and take it easy," Professor McGonagall said.

Harry swung his legs over the side of the cot and stood up. We walked out of the hospital wing, Harry occasionally stumbling into me. I guess his legs have to remember how to work.

When the rest of the school heard, they were all curious to hear about his fall. Harry told them the truth. Ron and I explained to him about Parvati and Professor Dumbledore and why the dance was canceled.

"Wow. Poor Parvati," Harry said, shaking his head.

"Yeah. That's hard," Ron agreed.

We were sitting in the common room that night. A warm fire was crackling. I was sitting on the floor on the hearthrug. Crookshanks had trotted in, spied Harry, and flattened his ears back. He hissed at Harry and flexed his claws.

"Crookshanks!" I scolded.

Crookshanks growled warningly at Harry before streaking up the stairs to the girl's dorm room.

"Weird. Normally, he curls up your lap," Ron mused, watching the bottle brush tail disappear.

"Eh, maybe he saw a mouse or something," Harry offered.

"Maybe," Ron said, looking at me.

I tore my eyes away and toyed with the edge of the rug.

"I'm going to bed," Ron announced.

"I'll be going shortly as well," Harry said.

"Good night," Ron said, as he began walking toward the boys' dorm.

Harry had been sitting on a chair. He got up and sat down in front of me on the rug.

"Are you okay?" he asked, sitting Indian style.

"I lost you. You mean the world to me. I love you more than life," I said, keeping my eyes on the rug.

"I love you too more than life, but I'm back...for good," Harry replied, gently tilting my face up toward his.

I smiled.

He moved his face closer to mine and kissed me. I kissed him back.

He gently pushed me backward onto my back. He hovered above me.

Pretty soon, we began making love.

When we were done, I adjusted my tie and vest and smoothed my hair back.

Harry was finished getting dressed.

"Good night, Hermione," Harry said, giving me a kiss.

"Night," I replied as I headed to the girls dorm.

The next morning, we all went down for breakfast. Harry hungrily dove into the food.

Ron eyed him.

"And you talk about me being a garbage disposal," he commented as he watched Harry scarf down eggs and bacon.

"He's hungry," I said, distractedly.

My mind was still back on what happened last night. He was so gentle and loving. I'll never forget it or how we moved.

"I'll say," Ron said, shaking his head.

Just then, Malfoy came over to us.

"Hey Potter, it's too bad you survived that fall," Malfoy said, snickering. "Imagine the news!"

I stood up abruptly that my fork clattered to the floor.

"Shut up, Malfoy," I snapped.

"Or what, Mudblood?" Malfoy taunted.

At that, Harry stood up and stood in front of me.

"You might want to join the choir," Harry snarled at him.

"What choir? There's no choir here, Potty. Maybe you hit your head too hard," Malfoy jeered.

"The soprano's might be a good spot," Harry said, as he grabbed Malfoy's shoulders and brought his knee up into Malfoy's groin.

Malfoy let out a whoosh of air and was doubled over keeping his hands protectively over the spot where Harry got him.

Crabbe and Goyle helped Malfoy out of the Great Hall. Ron was beside himself laughing.

"Oh man! That was great!" Ron said, laughing and slapping Harry on the back.

Harry sat back down.

I sat back down and picked up my fork.

"He's got it coming," Harry muttered.

"He's a twit," Ron replied.

"He'll be sore for a few days," I said.

"Yeah, he will," Harry said.

"That was great though! I've never seen Malfoy cry!" Ron laughed.

"Get used to it," Harry replied.

Ron and I looked at each other, but shrugged and went back to our breakfast.

We entered Transfiguration. Today, we were changing pencils into darts.

"The spell is Advadorto," Professor McGonagall said.

We each had a pencil in front of us. I had successfully changed my pencil into a dart. Ron did too. Harry however, was having trouble.

"Try swish and flick. It's reversed from the Wingardium Leviosa charm," I offered.

"Thanks," Harry muttered and did it.

Still nothing. Harry irritably sighed and placed his wand down.

"Crap. Why isn't it working?" Harry asked irritably.

"Maybe you're not saying it right?" I offered.

"Of course I'm saying it right!" he snapped.

I looked at him, startled and taken aback.

Immediately, remorse filled his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you," he apologized automatically.

"It's okay," I said, and turned my attention back to my pencil.

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have yelled at you," he said.

"It's okay, Harry. Really," I said.

He finally looked relieved.

He still tried to change the pencil into a dart, but it wasn't working.

We headed out to the Care of Magical Creatures after that. Hagrid's beetle eyes swelled with tears.

"Thank God yeh alrigh'. I thought yeh were dead," Hagrid said, as he gave Harry a large hug.

"Thanks, Hagrid," Harry said, softly as Hagrid released him.

Everyone gathered around the paddock.

"What are we learning about today?" Ron asked, warily as he looked at the paddock apprehensively.

"Wammels," Hagrid replied, happily.

Wammels were like wolves, but had light blue and white fur, and long fur on the tips of their ears. They were friendly, just like a Golden Retriever. They had the ability to run 40 miles an hour in an open field and they could go invisible.

I peered over the top railing of the paddock. A Wammel reared up on its hind legs, placing its front paws on top of the railing and eagerly sniffed at me. It also licked my hand.

A second one did the same as Ron approached the fence.

"They're friendly," Hagrid said to the rest of the class.

The class approached the fence.

When Harry approached the fence, one of the Wammels started growling at him.

Harry froze in his tracks. The Wammel's canines and incisors were bared.

"Tha's odd...they're usually friendly," Hagrid said, uncertainly.

The Wammel tried to jump over the railing to get at Harry, but was unable to.

"I think I'll wait over here," Harry said, as he backed up against the tree a few feet away from the railing. Once out of range, the Wammel calmed down and went over to Neville.

Ron and I looked at each other. Strange. That's the second animal, including Crookshanks, that literally wanted to tear Harry's face off.

Something was different...really different...and wrong.

After Care of Magical Creatures, we all trooped back to the castle.

Harry said he wanted to take a nap. Ron and I were sitting in the common room. Crookshanks jumped into my lap and curled up. Ron leaned forward.

"Is it me or is something wrong with Harry?" Ron whispered.

"I know what you mean. Crookshanks and the Wammel wanted to tear Harry's face off," I said, stroking Crookshanks' head.

"Maybe Harry was afraid?" Ron suggested.

"I don't think so. He was the first one to venture near Buckbeak. Something else is going on," I said.

"Did the book say anything unusual about bringing back..." Ron started.

I decided to check it out.

I pulled it out of my bag and flipped to the potion page. I scanned the ingredients until I found small print below the last ingredient.

"Uh oh," I said.

"What? What's the 'uh oh' about?" Ron asked, a touch of panic in his voice.

"I think I found something," I said.

"What?"

I groped around inside my bag until I found a small magnifying glass.

I held it over the print.

"Ron, come here," I said.

Ron got up and came over, leaning over my shoulder.

We read the print:

WARNING: THOSE THAT SEEK TO BRING BACK LIFE INTO THE LIFELESS, BE WARNED. THE SUBJECT WILL BE THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT HE OR SHE WAS BEFORE.

"What does that mean?" Ron asked.

I bit my lip. I had an idea and I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I swallowed.

"I think I have an idea..." I began. "It means..."

I took a deep breath.

"That if Harry was good before the accident, he isn't now,"

Ron tilted his head.

"What do you mean? You mean that when we brought back Harry, he's now...evil?"

I looked at Ron and didn't say anything.

Ron went pale.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's not meant for Harry," I suggested, but in my heart I knew different.

"Maybe we should keep an eye on him," Ron suggested.

"I agree. I just hope that kneeing Malfoy in the family jewels was the only thing that Harry does,"

THE NEXT MORNING.

Harry wasn't at breakfast the next morning. And, to our astonishment, neither was Draco.

"Where's Malfoy? And I wonder where Harry is," Ron mused.

"I don't know...but I've got a bad feeling," I said.

Around 5 minutes later, Harry entered the Great Hall.

"There he is," Ron said.

Harry made his way up the aisle between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor's tables.

He sat down next to me.

"Hey mate...where were you?" Ron asked.

"I just had to use the restroom," Harry replied.

I looked at his uniform. There was a suspicious dark stain just below the collar.

"What's that?" I asked, gesturing to the stain.

"Oh. It's nothing," he replied nonchalantly.

Ron and I looked at each other. I decided to drop it.

After Arithmancy, I decided to go into the unused and extra Transfiguration classroom to do some deep thinking.

I easily slipped into the classroom. I began pacing.

What was that stain on Harry's shirt? Where did he really go before he showed up at breakfast? I mean, he probably did have to use the restroom, but knowing him, he'd joke about how much lighter he was. He didn't this time.

Secondly, was it true that now that Harry's back, he's evil? Does that apply to every time that potion was used? Or just certain cases?

Just then, I heard something shift in the closet. I jumped, and felt my heart pounding.

Curious, I went over to the storage closet and opened it up.

Malfoy's body fell out. He was dead. His throat looked like it had been crushed and ribbon of blood had flowed out the corner of his mouth. It landed on top of me.

I shimmied out from underneath it and ran screaming from the room.

Blinded my tears, I ended up bumping into someone in the hallway as I turned the corner.

It was Harry.

"Oh, Harry! It's horrible! Malfoy's dead!" I sobbed, wrapping my arms around him and burying my face into the front of his vest and robe.

I felt his arms encircling me.

"Really?" he asked.

There was something strange about his voice. It was almost filled with amusement.

"He looks like he had been strangled to death," I sobbed.

"Come on...let's go tell Professor Dumbledore," Harry said, as he began leading me away.

At dinner, Professor Dumbledore made the announcement that Malfoy had been found.

Murmurs went around. Everyone was curious and wondering how Malfoy had been strangled.

The only one who seemed unrattled by this, was Harry.

"Blimey, who would have the strength to crush Malfoy's windpipe?" Ron mused weakly.

"I don't know," I said, swallowing down nausea.

"Harry? You got any ideas?" Ron asked.

"None whatsoever," he replied calmly.

Ron and I exchanged looks again.

"How could you be so calm? Someone was murdered!" Ron cried surprised.

"I'm calm because I know the person will get caught. Dumbledore won't let anything else happen," Harry replied.

That makes sense, but still....he was still eerily calm about the whole situation.

Later that night, Neville cornered Ron and I in the hallway.

"Guys...I have to talk to you," he gushed urgently.

"Sure...what about?" I asked.

"Harry," Neville said.

"What about Harry?" I asked casually.

"I saw him last night with Malfoy. I saw them heading into the empty classroom," Neville whispered.

"Really?" Ron asked, clearing his throat.

"Yes!" Neville whispered, shaking.

"Maybe Harry saw who did it?" I offered.

"Maybe...he's still acting oddly," Neville replied. "After the fall. He really was lucky to survive that! I'll definitely say he's The Boy Who Lived now!"

Just then, Harry appeared by the portrait hole, which was the entrance into Gryffindor's common room.

Neville forced a huge grin on his face.

"Hey, Harry!" he said, his voice shaky.

"Hi Neville. Whatcha talking about?" Harry asked.

"Malfoy," I replied.

"Ah," Harry replied.

"Well, it's late. Let's head to bed," Neville said, forcing brightness in his voice.

We all trooped into the common room and went our separate ways to the dorms.

Around 3 AM, I heard someone screaming from the boy's dorm. The girls threw off their covers and we all fled into the common room.

"What's going on?"

"Who screamed?"

We saw Ron running from the boy's dorms. He looked pale and sick, like he'd vomit any moment.

"Ron? What happened?" I demanded.

"Neville..." Ron's voice trailed off as he vomited directly onto the floor.

Girls squealed with disgust, while others tried to help him.

Harry emerged shortly after. He looked oddly calm again.

I brushed past Harry and entered the boy's dorm. I found Neville lying in his bed. I froze and clamped a hand over my mouth.

Neville's throat had been cut.