The Figure Clothed in Black

Chapter Twenty-One: Plans

~What? ~

Harry took a deep breath before asking again.

~ Will you go out with me? ~

He held his breath waiting. Please say yes, please say yes, he thought desperately to himself.

~ You want to go out with me? ~

She sounded like it was as impossible as bringing the dead back to life.

~ Umm... yes. Will you? ~

~ You really want to go out with me? Seriously? You're not joking? ~

~ Why would I joke about something like this? ~

~ I dunno, but I just didn't expect it in the middle of class, or really at all. ~

~ I'm sorry I asked in the middle of class, but if I didn't I knew I wouldn't have enough courage to do it later. ~

Man, Harry thought, why did I tell her that? And why did I ever ask her out?

~ Harry? ~

~ What? ~

~ Yes. ~

~Really? You will? ~

Know he was the one making it sound impossible.

~ Yes, really. I like you more than just a friend. I didn't think you liked me the same way. Hermione said you did, but I didn't believe her. ~

~ She told me that you like me, but I didn't believe her either. Well, not at first anyway. ~

~ Crap. Professor McGonagall is coming over. I'll talk to you later. Bye! ~

Harry lay down on his bed, grinning from ear to ear. She had said yes. She had actually said yes!!!

His happy thoughts were interrupted when Sirius poked his head and said, "Kirsten and Dustin are here. What happened?"

Harry hoped off the bed, still grinning from ear to ear. He debated for about a half a second if he should tell Sirius. "She said yes."

"Kayla? I didn't even know you had asked her out," he said with a slight smile on his lips.

"I just asked her a second ago. She said yes! I didn't think she would, but she did!" He grinned bigger if it was possible.

Harry's grin was contagious, and soon Kirsten and Dustin were grinning for no apparent reason.

But Dustin and Kirsten both knew why they were grinning, really. It was seeing Harry being so happy, rejoicing that he was alive. Smiles and laughs had still been few from him, but seeing him this happy made them believe that someday, a very long away, he would be okay.

*~*

I should be made at you, Kayla wrote on a piece of paper in Charms, for playing match maker, but I'm not. She passed the note across to Hermione, who was sitting beside her. She watched as her eyes scanned the paper. She wrote something then passed it back.

Did he ask you out? Did you say yes? I didn't think he would have the courage to do it.

She wrote back, I didn't even think he liked me. He said he asked me during class because he knew he wouldn't have enough courage to do if he didn't do it then. I don't think he meant to say, think, that, but anyway I said yes. Why do you think I'm smiling like this?

Hermione placed the paper skillfully so it looked like she was taking notes on what Flitwick was talking about instead of about Harry and Kayla, I noticed you smiling, but didn't think much of it.

They didn't get a chance to pass any more notes because they know had to do the spell that Flitwick was having them practice. They struggled for a few minutes not knowing what spell they were supposed to be doing, but figured it out from hearing their classmates say the incantation.

*~*

"What's you name?" Voldemort said quietly, and silently rejoicing as he saw the girl shudder.

"Sarah," she said her voice shaking.

"Sarah what? You did not supply me with a last name."

"Dursley. Sarah Dursley," she said giving the name of her biological father instead of the name her foster parents had given her.

"Dursley? Are you of any relation to Vernon, or Petunia Dursley?" he said, eyes narrowed, suspicious.

"M-my parents, I mean my f-f-foster parents, said that Vernon Dursley is my biological father.

Voldemort blinked. Someone had finally surprised the Dark Lord.

"What about your mother?"

"They never knew who she was," she said quietly almost in tears.

"Crucio."

*~*

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk, deep in thought. Through his connections with the castle he could tell that someone had entered the grounds through one of the passageways. He could tell that two had left when one had entered. Sarah Porter hadn't been in classes, and was not in the infirmary.

He picked up the note that he had found when returning to his office after dinner.

Dumbledore,

How are you going to protect your school, and your students, now?

It was signed with the Dark Mark.

*~*

Ethan leaned back on the bed, relieved. Together he and Amy had just enough money to make the journey to Platform 9 ¾. They were going to get to the platform a day or so earlier to be sure they were there when the train left to pick up the kids going home for Christmas. They had checked train times and the times for the ferry that would take them across the English Channel to London.

They last thing was to write a letter to their parents saying where they were going. He was starting on that now as he knew it would be difficult to write. He knew that something big was about it happen. He had been having more dreams recently about Voldemort and, knew he was planning something big, and that Hogwarts was at the heart of it. He planned to be there when whatever it was happened.

*~*