Return

RETURN

CHAPTER SEVEN-TURNING

I stumbled back out of the dorm. I too, felt the urge to vomit, but I forced it down.

"Neville's dead," I choked out.

The girls sobbed and hugged each other.

"Get Professor McGonagall," I instructed Lavender.

She nodded and fled from the common room.

"Did anyone see who attacked Neville?" I asked, eyeing Ron and Harry.

"No," Harry said.

Ron went pale a sign that he had. I didn't pressure him, because I too, had a feeling I knew who attacked Neville.

"Weird. You mean when you heard Neville scream, no one put the light on?" a Gryffindor boy named Alex Marsden asked.

"I didn't see anyone," Harry said, his voice becoming hard. "Ron, did you?"

Ron shook his head energetically.

I knew Ron was lying to protect his friend, but I began wondering just how much longer we could pretend that Harry really wasn't the same as he was.

Shortly, Professor McGonagall entered the common room, and went into the dorm.

When she emerged, she too, looked sick.

"This is serious now. Did any of you see what happened?" she asked, her voice cracking.

The boys' shook their heads.

"The Headmaster's going to want to know. I want all of the Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's, Slytherin's and Hufflepuff's sleeping downstairs in the Great Hall. Someone's obviously found a way to get into Hogwarts undetected. There will be teachers keeping an eye on you all. Let's go," Professor McGonagall said, her voice shaking.

Still in our nightgowns and pajamas, we all followed her out. She went by the Ravenclaw tower, Hufflepuff and had Snape get the Slytherin's. Professor Dumbledore was told immediately. With a wave of his wand, the tables stacked themselves against the wall and sleeping bags appeared on the floor in four separate sections. The Slytherin's were against the far-left wall, Ravenclaw's, against the right, Hufflepuff's, near the head table, and Gryffindor's in a corner.

Professor Snape and Professor Sprout were patrolling. Ron stated that he had to use the restroom. One of the Ravenclaw boy prefects went with him.

Harry had a sleeping bag next to me.

"This is really scary," I whispered, as I laid on my stomach and crossed my arms. I rested my chin on top of my wrist.

Harry was lying the same way next to me.

"Yeah, but I'm sure it'll be all over with shortly," he replied.

"Are you sure you didn't see anything? I mean, Alex is right. If you heard Neville scream, someone would've put the light on and seen someone," I replied.

Harry's emerald green eyes changed. I saw something in them that sent fear down my spine. To my surprise, he reached over and grabbed my throat.

I felt his fingers digging into the side of my neck.

" I said, I didn't see anyone," he said, angrily.

"Harry, please! You're hurting me!" I choked out, gasping for air.

I felt tears forming in my eyes, from the lack of oxygen, and fear.

The anger in his eyes vanished. I saw remorse fill them. He immediately let go.

"Hermione...I'm so sorry," he said, automatically.

I gasped for air and coughed.

"I really am so sorry," he apologized again.

I stopped coughing after a while and looked at him. I saw the familiar Harry now.

"What happened? You tried to choke me!" I asked him.

"I don't know..." Harry replied shaking his head. "My God. I can't believe I tried to hurt you."

"It's okay," I said, eyeing him warily, but then forced a big smile on my face as Ron came back.

"What's up? This is just like in our third year when they thought Sirius was in here," Ron replied getting into his sleeping bag.

"Yeah," I said as I unzipped my bag and slid in.

Most of the students were also starting to climb into their bags.

"Alright. Lights out and no talking," Professor Snape said.

The candles were put out and the only thing that gave off a gentle light, was the starry enchanted ceiling above us.

I lay awake, facing away from Harry and Ron thinking deeply.

I couldn't believe Harry tried to strangle me. He would rather hurt himself than hurt Ron, or me or anyone else. He really wasn't himself. That warning was right. Why didn't I see it before?

Because you love Harry so much and you really didn't want to lose him. I thought, answering my own question.

What else is going to happen?

Feeling tears flooding my eyes, I closed them and eventually fell asleep.

In the morning, when the teachers felt confident that no one remained in the castle after the attack on Neville, we were allowed back in our house dorms.

Harry looked totally guilty now. He offered to carry my books to class and kept apologizing. I felt my heart lighten slightly and thought that maybe I was wrong to assume that he was intentionally trying to hurt me. He seemed back to his old self now. But I had to stop kidding myself and just face the fact. This wasn't our Harry.

Christmas morning came. When Harry had said he'd left his present for Ron back in the dorm, Ron took that advantage and yanked me into a corner.

"I saw him attack Neville," Ron whispered fearfully.

"Are you sure?" I whispered back.

Ron nodded energetically.

"That's not the only thing. Last night when I asked him if he was sure he didn't see anyone, he grabbed my throat and squeezed it," I replied.

Ron's eyes moved to my neck.

"Your necks red a little bit," Ron said, quietly.

"He's not our Harry," I replied sadly.

"The warning was right," Ron said.

I nodded.

Just then, Harry re-appeared and held out his hand to Ron.

"Happy Christmas, mate," Harry said.

Ron took it and opened it. It was a new edition of the latest Quidditch book called Quidditch: The Q Files. It basically had the ins and outs of Quidditch, and explained all of the sport enjoyed worldwide.

"Wow! Thanks Harry," Ron said, brightly.

"You're welcomed," Harry grinned.

He turned his eyes onto me.

"Did you like your present, Hermione?" Harry asked.

Harry had gotten me a charm bracelet.

"Yes. I love it," I said, forcing cheerfulness in my voice.

"Great. Let's get to breakfast, and then classes," Harry said, as he turned and headed back into the dorm to change into his uniform.

Ron followed behind. I entered my dorm and also changed.

Ginny sat with us at breakfast.

"Hey Harry. How are you feeling?" Ginny asked.

"Fine. Why do you ask?" Harry asked.

"Just wondering," Ginny said.

"Thanks, but I'm fine," Harry replied.

He seemed to totally forget Ginny was there once breakfast came and dug into the food.

Ginny looked at Ron and had a hurt expression on her face. Normally, Harry would never just cut her off like that. Ron shrugged.

We couldn't tell anyone what we had done. We would get into serious trouble. But I had made up my mind. If Harry goes to far, I was going to have to tell Professor Dumbledore.

No sense expelling Ron. After all, it had been my idea in the first place.

I sat, picking at my food.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. Fine," I said, distractedly.

"You sure?" he prompted.

"Positive," I said.

He went back to his food satisfied.

En Route to Arithmancy, Pansy and her gang cornered me in the hallway.

"Is it true that you slept with Harry?" Pansy squealed.

Her gang giggled and pretended to barf.

"How do you know?" I demanded.

"It's true?" Pansy squealed.

I nodded.

"Oh my God!" one of her friends laughed.

"How do you know?" I repeated angrily.

"Let's just say, a certain Weasel's sister had spied," Pansy said, mysteriously.

I froze, thinking.

"Are you saying that Ginny was spying on us? Why?" I demanded shocked.

"Malfoy threatened her. He wanted to know what was going on between you two, even though it made him sick," Pansy said, delightedly.

Just then, Harry appeared.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking from me, to Pansy and her friends.

"You slept with her?" Pansy asked, turning to him and gesturing toward me.

"Yes," Harry replied. "How do you know?"

"Weasley's sister. Malfoy threatened her," Pansy replied.

Harry was starting to get angry.

"Why would he threaten Ginny?"

"Because he wanted to know what was going on between us," I said, quietly.

"It really was none of his business," Harry snarled.

"Well, it's going to be all over school now," Pansy sang happily.

"Don't you dare tell anyone," Harry growled. "Or you'll be sorry."

Pansy continued to walk down the corridor giggling.

"Don't pay any attention to her," I said, gently taking his arm.

He turned to me. Now, I was actually afraid of him.

He hurried after Pansy.

Feeling that he was going to do something, I followed him.

While Pansy's gang entered their classroom, Harry managed to grab Pansy before she entered the classroom. I peered around the corner and watched. Pansy tried to scream, but Harry clamped a hand over her mouth and grabbed her wand from her hand and held it over Pansy's chest.

"I told you you'd be sorry. I can't take that risk of you telling," Harry growled.

I watched in horror as he thrusted the tip of the wand into Pansy's chest.

Her body slumped to the floor in a heap. She didn't get up. I spun away from the corner and clamped a hand over my mouth.

It was confirmed. He was evil. He walked right past me and headed down the other corridor. I had held my breath as he had passed.

The next person in danger was Ginny.

I tore away from the wall and ran down the corridor.

I nabbed Ron and had him come with me to follow Harry.

I told him what he did to Pansy.

"Bloody hell," Ron said, weakly.

"Right now, Ginny's in danger," I replied urgently.

We saw Harry leading Ginny out onto the grounds. We followed.

Harry led Ginny over to the lake. Ron and I hid behind Hagrid's hut and peered around the edge.

Then, Harry grabbed Ginny's head and pushed it underneath the water. Ginny thrashed violently. Ron went to lunge for Harry, but I grabbed his arm.

"I'm not going to stand by and watch him kill my sister," Ron hissed as he yanked his arm out of my grip and began walking toward Harry. I followed right behind him.

After three minutes, Ginny stopped thrashing and was lying face down in the lake. Her robe was soaked.

"Harry..." Ron began, but when Harry turned around, Ron stopped.

I ended up bumping into Ron's back.

Ron flung his arm out to stop me from walking any further.

Harry's emerald green eyes were cold and lifeless. He had the most chilling expression on his face. His grin was twisted and evil.

"Hi Guys," Harry said, still grinning as he took a step toward us.

We slowly backed up.

"What's going on, Harry?" Ron asked, his voice shaking.

"Ginny wanted to see if I was okay...so I showed her," Harry replied coldly.

"Why are you doing this?" Ron asked.

"Because I can," Harry answered, smiling.

Harry pulled out one of the knives from breakfast from his robe. He lashed out at Ron. Ron cried out as the blade made contact with his arm. Blood began staining the sleeve of his robe. When Ron was doubled over, Harry kneed him in the stomach and then hit Ron hard in the back of his head with his elbow. Ron fell forward face down on the grass and didn't move.

Harry began stepping toward me.

"Hermione, you brought me back," Harry said.

I had tears in my eyes.

"Because I loved you more than life," I sobbed as I kept backing up.

"Then, I guess that means that you created me," Harry said.

"No. I brought back evil!" I sobbed. "It was all a mistake!"

"I saw you...I know you saw me kill Pansy. Now, it's your turn," Harry grinned as he came at me faster.

I screamed and ran past Hagrid's hut. One of the Wammel's had jumped the paddock railing and galloped at Harry. It jumped on him, knocking him back onto his back. I stopped running and looked back.

The Wammel was standing over Harry its jaws snapping as it tried to clamp its teeth around his throat.

After a few minutes of struggling, Harry grabbed the Wammel's head and jerked it violently to the left. I heard a sickening crack. The Wammel fell to the side. Harry got up and continued to come at me. I took off running again. The only place I could go was into the Forbidden forest.

Twigs scraped at my cheeks and I felt the cuts bleeding. The twigs and branches of the trees tore at my robe. About halfway in, I heard a how rise up. I froze, unsure of where to go now.

I turned around. Harry was still coming toward me. I backed up.

As I was backing up, my foot caught an upturned root and I fell backward. I propped myself up onto my elbows and tried to scurry backward that way.

Harry was still coming toward me.

My robe hung loosely off my right shoulder. I was sobbing uncontrollably now.

Harry stood over me with the knife held above my chest.

"Thank you for bringing me back, Hermione. I owe you," Harry grinned.

"I brought back pure evil...I should have never done it," I sobbed.

Harry just smiled.

"Stop backing up. This won't take long,"

My back hit the trunk of a tree. I stopped.

Harry was standing over me.

I shut my eyes and waited.

It never came. I heard snarls. I opened my eyes. A large black wolf had appeared and jumped on Harry from behind the tree where I was leaning. The wolf bowled him over and I heard it snarling. He tried to push it off of him, but it had more strength than he did.

The wolf clamped its jaws around Harry's throat and tugged. Harry didn't move. I sat, shaking against the tree. The wolf turned around and began approaching me. I shook violently. Blood was staining the wolf's muzzle. The jaundice/gold eyes were locked on me.

"Miss Granger!" A voice called from near Hagrid's hut.

It was Professor McGonagall.

"Here!" I called.

I saw lit wands as Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape entered the forbidden forest.

I was relieved to see Ron with them. He was leaning on Professor Snape.

The wolf took off deeper into the forest.

Relief overcame me as I suddenly slumped sideways as I fainted.