Unpredictable Life

~ Chapter 18: The Wave of Chaos ~

Inside the Great Hall.

Harry entered the big room and saw that his Potions partner and her boyfriend were looking at the Gryffindor table in apprehension. Ginny seemed to understand what needed to be done as she mildly suggested that they play over at the Ravenclaw table before running off to get the blocks. The raven-haired Gryffindor nudged his red-haired best friend over in Luna's direction and carefully hid a smile when he thought he saw Hermione's eyes narrowing slightly.

The emerald-eyed wizard stood back and watched his peers as they sat down, and refrained from making any comments when he saw the identical glares coming from the Slytherins who had yet to take their seats.

"This isn't going to work. They think we're crap and it's going to be bloody uncomfortable sitting there with them," Harry heard Alhena mutter under her breath.

"Is there a problem?" the green-eyed wizard inquired in a mild tone and was surprised with the Slytherins' reactions when they jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. Oh, I didn't think that I could make Malfoy squirm. How interesting. Harry smiled wickedly. He could see that the Slytherin couple was making themselves sit in between Neville and Dean. Since the raven-haired Gryffindor was staring at them from behind, it did not escape his observant eyes when the Ice Prince's fingers brushed lightly against the Empath's and he snickered softly at Alhena's answering carress. A sign of reassurance? The smile was still plastered on his face as he took a seat in between Luna and Ron, and across of Draco.

Dishes began to appear and he met stormy-gray eyes. "I didn't know that you were planning on a dinner arrangement," Malfoy said, almost contemptuously.

"You don't like it, you can just leave and sit over there with your worshippers," Ron snapped.

"Now, now, boys. Don't be rude," Luna said sweetly.

Harry sighed and helped himself to dinner, glancing occasionally at Severus. The man was looking at him and the emerald-eyed wizard shivered slightly. Ginny came back with a small box, sat beside her boyfriend and immediately began to eat the food that the boy had set aside for her.

Can he please stop looking at me? Harry gave a nearly audible groan. The Potions Master had not stopped staring - although it was interpreted as glaring by others - in his direction and it was so unnerving to the young wizard that he was having trouble swallowing his food.

"Interesting," Draco Malfoy said slowly. "What have you done to the Potions Master, Potty? Charmed his socks into Gryffindor colors?" The Slytherin prefect raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

"Do you think S - Snape needs any reason to glare at me?" Harry countered. "I thought you might have noticed that he has been staring daggers at me since the first time I sat at the Gryffindor table," he continued, the lump that was stuck in his throat finally going down his esophagus. Draco merely smirked in response.

~*~

"You'd better stop looking at him, Snivellus," Sirius said rather demurely. "Before I give in to my impulse to gouge your eyes out."

"Why don't you mind your own business, Edan?" Severus replied mockingly, giving Harry's godfather a sidelong look. Before long, his coal-black eyes drifted back to watch the emerald-eyed Gryffindor, silently wondering what the group of youngsters was up to. He took a sip of his coffee and nearly spluttered when he saw his 'favorite' student looking at him with a knowing glance. Bloody hell.

He finally fixed his eyes upon the Gryffindor table instead and patiently ignored the chuckles coming from his colleague. Insufferable dog, he thought to himself.

:Are you talking to yourself again, dear boy?: the amused thought drifted into his mind.

:Fawkes, why are you talking to me?: the Potions Master asked resignedly.

:Probably because you're the only person that interests me greatly. It is too bad that Harry can't hear me ... but I guess I don't need another listener,: Fawkes replied and suddenly, Severus felt an inkling of trepidation.

The Potions Master had had time to think about it but the conlusion which he had arrived at was quite disturbing. It scared him, which was surprising in itself. But having known the Headmaster since he was a teenager and considering that Dumbledore was his father figure, Severus had to admit that he had become rather fond of the old pigeon.

:What are you worrying about?: Fawkes sounded curious, as though the phoenix couldn't really hear his thoughts.

I must be thinking quietly since it has escaped his attention, the ebony-haired professor mused.

:I heard that. What is it you're thinking of?:

Should I mention it? His eyes darkened with worry. :I'm thinking about one of the possible reasons that I'm hearing you ... and that your owner is in the thick of it all,: Severus sent his thought. He felt a surprised exclamation coming from Dumbledore's pet and blanched.

:Well ...: Fawkes finally said after a long pause. :Well, well, well ... It seems like you are as intelligent as Albus said that you would be. I'm glad I made the right choice,: the phoenix replied softly. :Don't dwell on it though.:

Then the phoenix's presence was gone from the back of his mind and the Potions Master heaved a sigh of relief at having his mind's space back to himself. Unconsciously, his eyes returned to focus on the mop of unruly black hair and widened when he heard his young lover yelling something incredibly rude to Draco. The Head of Slytherin House was half tempted to bark - cutting off points from Gryffindor was a nasty habit of his - but his student beat him to it.

"Shut up, Potter!!!" the silver-haired Slytherin yelled furiously.

Severus cocked his head to one side as he examined what that particular group of students was doing. It appeared that they were engaged in a game that involved building a tower out of blocks. The boys participating in the game were all taunting the one student that the Potions Master secretly hoped would take up his profession, while the girls were all giggling. At least Moon isn't laughing all that much.

Several issues about the girl surfaced in his mind. He wondered just how deep Draco's feelings were for the witch. He found difficult to believe that the Ice Prince was content to stay with the nothing-out-of-the-ordinary, homely girl. The professor watched Alhena calculatingly. The fact that she was an Empath and might have have manipulated Draco to 'love' her gave him the chills.

Perhaps I should call her in and drill in a bit of ethics. A frown began to form on his face.

:She's got it all straight, Severus,: Fawkes inserted his comment suddenly. :She didn't use black magic or anything like that to get the boy, if you want to know. The girl has a journal ... something that her mother left her. If she had been inclined to sell it to an antiques shop, it would have fetched several thousand Galleons. Rather than making her embarrassed by forcing her to tell you what actually happened during the summer holidays, you can just tell her that you wish to borrow the journal,: the phoenix suggested. :Albus asked her about it the second night after the school term started.:

Groans of disappointment distracted him from his silent conversation. It appeared that Hermione had managed to place the last block on the top without making the forty-five centimeter tower quiver. The smartest witch in all of Hogwarts - excluding the Transfiguration professor - was giving the other players her trademark winsome, toothy smile.

"Since this is the first time this has happened, I say that I, being the last and having managed not to destroy the structure that we've been building for the past twenty minutes, be given the authority to ask each of you personal questions," Severus heard the girl say smugly. There were more groans but no strong opposition coming from the rest of the group.

:Is Miss Moon's journal that valuable? And accurate?: Severus inquired as he finished his coffee. Remus offered to refill his mug and he nodded, mumbling a 'thank you'. He controlled the urge to swipe at Sirius, who was blinking his eyes flirtatiously at the tawny-haired wizard and himself.

:There's some sort of coercion spells involved,: Fawkes replied thoughtfully. :Only females can write in it and Alhena has absolutely no control over what she is writing. Once your quill touches the surface, you go into a trance-like state. But the account might be a little biased. Females do think differently than males do.: The phoenix seemed to be quite amused at that.

:I'll keep it in mind,: the professor answered, absently rubbing his left forearm. He leaned back in his chair, made sure that he was still scowling, and looked over at Harry Potter. He was not particularly surprised to see his young lover blushing. What on earth is Granger asking him? Although the Gryffindor's tanned complexion made it difficult for anyone to see his embarrassment, Severus was well acquainted with the way his lover's body worked.

The emerald-eyed wizard always nibbled on the end of his quill while thinking or his tongue would stick out a little if the Gryffindor was absorbed in writing his essays. If he was engaged in reading a book he found fascinating, he would often toy with a lock of his hair. On the few occasions that Harry would sneak into Severus's chambers to do a little private reading, he would startle at finding his fingers twirling empty air. To Sev's amusement, he would grin sheepishly once he remembered that his hair was now much shorter. When Harry was hiding something from him, he would always swing his left arm a little every few seconds. If he was embarrassed, he would be tongue-tied and have to try several times before he managed to say something clearly.

A smile tugged at the corner of the Potions Master's lips but he repressed it since his emerald-eyed lover had turned slightly to gaze at him. The bright orbs of green that were Harry's eyes looked at him with such naked fondness that Severus thought he'd be lucky if half of Hogwarts's population never noticed it. That brought his thoughts back to his female Slytherin student.

I am glad, even grateful, that she has kept her observations to herself. Resignation seemed to drape over him like a cloak and he sighed. It wouldn't surprise me if she has already guessed about Black's identity. His Dark Mark gave a slight tingle and he looked crossly down at his arm. He excused himself from the table and marched along, giving the Golden Boy a furious look as he exited. He breathed a little easier and swore silently to himself, half-cursing the werewolf for having the idea to switch places with the Animagus.

Severus shook his head slightly and went down the steps leading to the lower levels of the castle. He had a huge cauldron of Wolfsbane Potion to deal with right now.

~*~

Harry was grinning from ear to ear as he watched Draco's hand trembling slightly as the Slytherin pulled a block out of the column. It's going to collapse. I just know it, the green-eyed wizard triumphed. What shall I ask him? Beside him, Ron was snorting in amusement, also feeling the prefect's doom.

"We should take bets ... but that kind of thing is illegal to do in school," Ginny amended her sentence quickly since Professor McGonagall chose that moment to walk past them.

"You know, I don't think the twins are as corrupted as she is," Ron muttered to himself, making both his girlfriend and best friend chuckle.

"Thanks ever so, Ronniekins," the youngest Weasley answered sarcastically.

Just then, a loud crash filled their ears as the tower finally crumbled. It took them a moment to get the ringing in their ears to stop and Hermione muttered to herself that casting a silencing charm on the pieces might be a good idea. Silver-eyed Draco muttered a few choice oaths as the rest of the players and watchers burst out laughing.

"Harry! Make it really awful for him!" Ron shouted into his ear and the raven-haired Gryffindor winced in pain.

He shushed his friend and contemplated the Slytherin's stormy face. What should I ask? "No lying," Harry said to Draco, and if it was possible, the platinum-haired wizard's expression became even stormier. The Gryffindor scratched his chin thoughtfully. He mentally eliminated questions that were related to Voldemort or Death Eaters. After a minute or so, Harry decided on a question that concerned only the Slytherin. Ron and Ginny might scream at me for such an amateurish query, but I can't think of any other things to ask.

"What is it?" Draco barked, looking at him impatiently. Harry stabbed him with a glare of his own.

"What made you go out with her?" Harry pointed at the witch sitting across from Luna.

"What makes you think I'm going out with her?" the Slytherin exclaimed but Alhena was already giving him cold looks.

"Careful there. Your girlfriend doesn't look too pleased," Dean added slyly.

"It's personal," Draco growled.

"Right," Harry sneered and the boy sitting on the opposite bench watched him with narrowed eyes.

"She's nice," Draco finally answered, albeit a little forcefully.

"Come on, Malfoy. Surely you can do better than that," Luna taunted.

"Damn you! It's personal!" The Slytherin prefect turned to face Alhena. "And why aren't you saying anything?"

Harry was just about ready to laugh. He didn't know that such a simple - and nosy - question would make the Ice Prince flounder so much. He saw Moon roll her eyes sardonically and mutter something under her breath.

"Just give them tidbits, Draco Malfoy. It's not as if you're telling a story," the girl huffed.

Harry watched as the prefect frowned a little. Finally, Draco sneered, "Why am I going out with her and not Pansy ... or any other of the Slytherins? Or any of the Purebloods? It's quite simple, Potty. She knows exactly who I am."

"That's cryptic enough," Alhena answered with a smile and she looked at Harry curiously. "What?"

"Nothing," the Gryffindor answered sourly. He looked at his watch and raised his eyebrows. "We should go back to our common rooms now. It's nearing curfew." Nods of agreement went around the table.

"Thanks for the game," Alhena said.

"Wait! Do you think we could take pictures?" the Creevey brothers asked hopefully.

"Uhmmm ... no thanks," Harry said, smiling a little apologetically.

At the same time, Draco refused in a much more brusque manner.

"It's just a photo," Alhena and Ginny replied in unison.

Harry shrugged his indifference and struck a pose. A picture is only a picture ... when it is a picture. I wonder what the photographs will show when Colin and his brother develop them in the magical solutions, Harry pondered. Ron smacked his arm slightly and he laughed and dropped his pose, readying himself for something more suitable.

Luna snuggled closer and the emerald-eyed wizard was still deciding if he should drape his arm over her shoulder when Ginny flung her arms about his neck. "Gin, you're going to get me killed!" Harry exclaimed.

"Balderdash! Dean, you come here!"

Harry shifted slightly in his seat so that he could watch the red-haired girl and her boyfriend. She pulled Dean Thomas close to her and resumed her previous stance. Harry couldn't see how his roommate was posing but the position must have been intimate since a moment later, the boy squeaked.

"Ginny, I'm afraid your brother might smother me with a pillow tonight."

Chuckles erupted from the group and Harry watched as Alhena advised Draco to put on a bland expression. The Slytherin prefect wasn't in the mood to comply with her wishes and she threw her hands up and looked away, putting a smile on her face for the photographer.

"All right. On the count of three: one ... two ... three! Smile people!" Colin instructed. There was a bright flash of white and Harry found himself blinking his eyes furiously. "Let's take another one! Just in case," the Gryffindor said. The group found themselves changing positions and they spent their remaining time taking pictures.

"Why the frenzy though?" Harry asked, looking at his friends in bewilderment. "It's not as if ... oh ..." He looked at Hermione and Ron almost bashfully.

"That's it! We'll extort money from you once Professor Dumbledore announces the Hogsmeade weekend," Denis informed them all, smiling widely.

"Sure," emerald-eyed Harry answered.

"I hope you people are done with your photo-taking ceremony," Professor Lupin interrupted them, smiling faintly at them.

"Yeah, we're done," Harry replied, his smile brightening his face. "We'd better scoot before Professor McGonagall or - even worse, Filch - finds us loitering about after hours."

"Wise decision," the tawny-haired professor agreed.

"Let's go then. I'm not feeling particularly sleepy so -" Hermione's sentence was cut off by a very enthusiastic Ginny.

"- we can continue playing!"

"Absolutely not," the bushy-haired girl spoke firmly. "You can ask Dean or Neville, but these two," she eyed Harry and her boyfriend sternly, "are sitting down with me and dealing with their D.A.D.A essay. And my dear girl, have you forgotten what year you are in now?" Hermione smirked as Ginny grumbled under her breath.

"I'm in quite a good mood - studious in fact - that I'm not going to argue with you."

"Harry, are you alright?" Ron asked worriedly.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just practicing what someone told me weeks ago: 'Get your work done before you settle into play mode'. Not his exact words, but it comes fairly close." Harry managed to keep his expression bland through it all. Draco looked puzzled at Ron's flaming face and at the way Hermione and Ginny were striving hard not to giggle.

"Do you know something that I don't?" the Ice Prince asked Alhena immediately.

"Even if I did, why should I say anything about it?" she replied, tilting her head to one side and looking curiously at Draco. "Right, Four-Eyes?"

"I wonder what nickname she'd give me if I decided to forgo my glasses and opt for misty-gray contact lenses," Harry said, a little sardonically.

Alhena was hard-pressed to keep a normal expression. "Then I'd call you Cataract."

"Now that's really offensive!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Cataract?" Harry looked at the 'Miss-Know-It-All' inquisitively.

"That's my girl," Draco replied with an uncharacteristic beam to Alhena.

~*~

Inside the Defence professor's chambers.

Sirius looked up from his book and wondered just how long his lover was going to continue grading the students' assignments. It was nearing midnight and the sapphire-eyed wizard thought that it was about time for the other wizard to rest. The full moon is just a few nights away. He ought to be tired, Black fretted.

"Don't frown so much, Siri. You'll age faster that way," Remus said lightly, glancing up at him for a second before focusing back on his papers.

The black and silver-haired man muttered something nasty under his breath and rose to his feet to return the book he had been reading back to its proper place. From there, he strode over to the area behind his lover's chair to look outside. He pushed at the window slightly and it opened, letting a cool breeze into the chambers.

Sirius crossed his arms on the window sill and leaned forward, enjoying the night air. A smile slowly began to form on his face and he closed his eyes. He inhaled the scents of autumn and shivered slightly - not because of the cold draft - but because of the sudden tingling feeling that exploded in the pit of his stomach.

Beyond all logical reason, Sirius loved autumn. He knew that part of it was because his lighter-haired partner was in love with the shades of the season. The hair on the Animagus's arms started to stand and he chuckled, amazed by the reaction induced by the simple, innocent thought. He was aware that the sound of a quill scratching against parchment no longer reached his ears but he pretended not to notice.

A light touch on his waist alerted him that his mate was standing behind him and edging closer. He fought the urge to grin. A pair of strong hands wound about his waist and Sirius stood to give his partner an easier hold.

The pair just stood before the window, with Sirius wrapping his arms about Remus's lightly haired hands. Black closed his eyes and leaned slightly into his lover, pleased to hear the soft purr of content coming from the werewolf. All too soon, the golden-eyed wizard pulled his hands away and Sirius made a soft sound of protest at the early withdrawal. He turned swiftly to grab at the other wizard but hesitated when he saw Remus looking at him with a sly gleam in his eyes.

His heart seemed to stop beating and he shuddered at the most intense stare the werewolf had ever given him. I am not some kind of a love struck fool and I am not having butterflies in my stomach, he assured himself mentally. And my knees aren't turning to jelly from that look. As much as Sirius denied it, it felt as though he had just run a race and that his legs were about to give way.

He watched as Remus's lips curved into a feral smile and he backed up a step. He had nowhere to escape to since the window was behind him. He was quite sure that he did not want to go over the window and decorate the jagged rocks below with bits and pieces of himself. Sirius gulped as his lover ever so slowly pressed against him.

What is he on about? The panicked thought floated through Sirius's mind as Remus gently traced his cheekbone with the tip of his tongue. He has never been so bold before ... His breath hitched when the other wizard licked the sensitive spot directly behind his earlobe and Sirius clutched at Remus's elbows when the brown-haired wizard startling nibbling on the patch of skin. The tall, handsome wizard gave a loud moan and the wet tongue traveled down his jaw-line before sliding into Sirius's slightly opened mouth.

Soft, ragged breaths - and the occasional moan - filled the chamber. Sirius's smart shirt was pulled out of his trousers and unbuttoned, leaving his chest exposed. He writhed under Remus's hands and tongue, bucking none too gently on Remus's hip. The werewolf tugged at him and he followed in an almost drunken haze to the bedroom that he sometimes shared with his hazel-eyed partner. They kissed again once they were in the other room and Sirius let himself be pushed onto the expansive bed.

"Remus ..." the blue-eyed Animagus half-moaned as his lover climbed atop him.

"Gods ... I love you so much, Sirius," Remus breathed and feasted on Black's mouth once more while his hands busied themselves with removing each piece of the taller man's clothing.

Blue eyes flared when the wizard realized he was totally naked, but then crossed when Remus slowly stroked his length. Black locked his gaze onto Remus's lust-filled eyes. Sirius forced himself not to give in to his animalistic nature and bucked in tandem with his lover's strokes. His tawny-haired lover seemed to guess what he was doing and decided to test his determination by brushing his forefinger against the tip of Sirius's manhood before licking the digit sensuously.

Sirius gritted his teeth and watched as his lover slowly backed up from the bed to idly remove his habiliments. The wizard reclining on the bed licked his lips dreamily as he watched Remus strip. His lover was one of those few people who could develop a nice tan effortlessly. Sirius had difficulty swallowing the tight knot in his throat as the other man stood unclothed by the foot of the bed.

He's beautiful ... Merlin ... I want to eat him ... Sirius held his breath when his lover slowly crawled onto the bed and lay down beside the Animagus. His eyes were drawn to Remus's mouth and he moved closer to the honey-eyed wizard. Sirius leaned and began to administer feather-light kisses all over the slightly furred bronze chest. He moved lower to Remus's stomach, then lower still.

He watched the werewolf with a smirk as he saw and felt his lover's muscles tighten. He stared at the arousal below him in fascination and without giving the tense wizard any warning, Sirius skillfully swallowed the entire length.

Remus gave a yelp and one of his hands came to fist in Sirius's hair. The latter looked up to see golden eyes watching him intently. Sirius's eyes unfocused slightly as he allowed himself to be consumed by lust and need. When the dark-haired wizard let go minutes later, the werewolf let out a very loud growl. The tall and handsome Black moved away quickly.

Sirius smirked when golden eyes flared in disbelief, then mercurially changed to an expression of pure hunger. "I want you to take me like this," the blue-eyed wizard said in a husky voice. The man below him moaned in anticipation but was otherwise silent, right up until the moment Sirius settled fully on him.

~*~

Somewhere near the castle ...

Voldemort fastened the clasp to his cloak and turned to the silver-haired wizard who had been waiting for him for quite some time.

"Master, the formation is complete," Lucius informed him quickly and the crimson-eyed sorcerer nodded.

"Very well. Send the Lestranges to activate the master point. You will gather the rest in the hall now."

Lucius Malfoy, fully recovered from the ordeal he had suffered during his imprisonment, bowed slightly and walked calmly off to do the Dark Lord's bidding. Voldemort stalked about the room. The powerful Dark Wizard was well aware that his faithful servant was all but happy with the night's plan.

"It is but a matter of abduction, my Lord," Lucius had said nine days ago. "You could hand this matter over to me and you wouldn't have to risk yourself in a skirmish."

Voldemort remained stupidly stubborn. He wanted to have the satisfaction of scaring the Potions Master into rejoining his ranks. There was just one small problem though. Since the major attack on Azkaban, the Dark Lord had become gradually aware that a link was slowly vanishing. His hold on Severus Snape was weakening. The sorcerer knew that the brooding, greasy-haired Potions Master was still able to feel his call, but he was no longer able to control the other wizard.

The power of my Mark on him is diminishing, Voldemort thought with a slight frown. How can that be possible?

The Dark Lord let out a bitter laugh as he thought of the irony. He was about to prove to Albus Dumbledore that the ancient protections surrounding Hogwarts weren't absolute, but it finally occurred to Voldemort that someone was several steps ahead of him by experimenting with a counter-measure to the Dark Mark.

~*~

Inside the boys' dormitory...

The dormitory that Harry Potter shared with four other Gryffindor males was relatively quiet. Suddenly, a pair of aureate eyes appeared in a corner. Hedwig was awake and she shivered. She finally settled and blinked her eyes slowly, looking about the dark room. She jumped slightly when the redhead gave a particularly loud snore.

The snowy owl felt slightly disoriented and Hedwig was not certain what had woke her. She launched herself upwards and flew to the nearest window. The owl saw her own reflection and again, she blinked. Rotating her head to one side, she examined the lake and the environs beyond closely. A soft hoot escaped from her throat and she continued to scan the view.

Her pupils expanded and she finally spotted something that was out of place. Dark fleeting shapes obscured the reflection of the moon in the lake. Hedwig was indecisive whether she should wake her master or the entire room. She was about to shriek when a surge of alien emotions filled her being. She gave a loud hoot and fluttered her wings in agitation, aware that her master and his friends were all making odd noises in their sleep.

~*~

Harry was dreaming about shampooing Severus's hair when he found himself in the grips of terror. There were no images in his mind, just the blackness. He thrashed about in his bed and gasped loudly once he was free.

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Ron demanded in a strained voice.

The emerald-eyed Gryffindor took several moments to calm down. Beyond his screened private area, he could hear the muffled sounds of breathing and heard Dean mutter an incantation to illuminate the dark room. Harry turned and grabbed his glasses before he flung the curtain open. His roommates were all gathered in the middle of the room, frames shaking and faces pale. They all turned as one when they heard him coming.

Neville cleared his throat and looked at The Boy Who Lived worriedly. "Harry, were you the one ..." Longbottom didn't finish his sentence as a series of knocks penetrated the silence. Seamus, who was closest to the door, opened it.

Hermione, Lavender and Parvati shuffled in and Harry was a little surprised that his bushy-haired friend wasn't even in her bedclothes. When Hermione caught sight of the legendary boy, she immediately flung herself at him.

Green eyes widened in shock and Harry blushed slightly in embarrassment. What brought this on? He asked himself, looking down at the brown-haired witch in bewilderment. "I'm alright, 'Mione. It wasn't me," he answered, looking at Neville.

"Ron? Harry?" Ginny's voice called shakily. The girl stood at the doorway and she was crying. Parvati and Lavender immediately flocked to her side and wrapped their arms about the slender girl. They ushered her into the room before handing the red-haired witch into the arms of Dean. Ginny sniffled a little and then she stared penetratingly behind Harry. "Why is Hedwig acting funny?"

Harry turned to watch his pet dancing about the window sill in agitation. As soon as the green-eyed teenager caught the owl's gaze, Hedwig flew over to him and landed on his shoulder carefully. He could feel her tremble and was aware just how thin his pajama top was when her talons flexed over him erratically. What's wrong, Hedwig? he thought at his snowy owl and brought a hand up to soothe her. His friends' voices seemed to fade into the background and Harry his leaned his head slightly on Hedwig as his fingers stroked her chest feathers gently.

The procedure was oddly relaxing and the raven-haired Gryffindor thought that he was going into a trance. Some days later, he would probably slam his head against a desk or wall for not thinking the obvious. As it was, Harry felt a little sleepy but thought nothing of it. When he found himself looking at a distorted mahogany table that was very familiar, he froze. It suddenly felt as though his head was spinning and then it hurt. He realized that someone had thrown Severus up against a wall. Pain lanced through his mind, forehead and nose. Is Sev's nose broken? An inconsequential thought drifted in his mind.

The young wizard gradually became aware of the fact that he was laying face down on the dormitory floor, his shoulder stinging quite painfully and his scar throbbing violently. Invisible hands turned him onto his side and he blinked. Hermione's face was blurred but his vision soon cleared.

"There's trouble in the dungeons," he was surprised at how calm he sounded. "And I think there might be Dementors running about," Harry added. He sat up slowly.

"Is he here?" Seamus asked urgently. "You-Know-Who?"

The sense of trepidation returned and Harry's heart raced. His lover was in trouble and Voldemort was here.

"Harry?" Hermione called gently, her minx-like face turning grim. "Where are you going?" the witch asked anxiously as the teenager rose to his feet and began determinedly changing his clothes. The emerald-eyed Gryffindor looked curiously at his stinging shoulder and grimaced when he saw three talon marks running across his shoulder blade. He quickly put on his trainers and grabbed his wand.

"You aren't going out!!!" Ginny screamed in terror. "You're not ready to face Voldemort!!!" The other Gryffindors winced at her yell.

"I have to go out now, Gin. You know why," Harry said quietly. Seamus and Dean tried to stop him but he dashed out quickly and ran down the spiral staircase.

"Hermione!" he heard Parvati yell. "You must be mad if you're going to go with him!!!"

"I have done that for the past five years now. It's too late to stop doing it!!!" the prefect yelled back.

"But you're a prefect!"

"To hell with it!"

He slowed down when he saw that the common room was half-filled with Gryffindor students. As soon as the occupants caught sight of Harry, they all began babbling at once.

"Silencio!" Harry commanded sharply and the silence that fell was shocking. It took several moments for the agitated students to realize that their voices weren't working and then they all stared at the Golden Boy warily. "Don't speak all at one time. I can't make out what the hell you were saying," he said apologetically. "Finite Incantatem."

There were several squeaks as the rest of the Gryffindors made sure that they hadn't lost their voices. It fell to Colin to tell Harry what was wrong. "The portrait hole just won't budge! We're trapped!"

"What?" Ron, already dressed in slacks, black boots and a sea-green jumper, spoke up.

"HOW IN THE BLOODY HELL CAN THEY HAVE DONE THIS?!!!"

The shout startled all of them and they looked at the wall where the back of the portrait stood protectively over the entrance.

"HARRY!!! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"

Harry blinked and immediately, the Trio ran over and tried pushing the portrait open.

"Hermione!" the emerald-eyed wizard wheezed. "Is this some sort of emergency procedure?" the young wizard asked when the portrait clung to the wall stubbornly.

"No ... I don't think so," his frizzy-haired friend answered.

"Professor Lupin!" Hermione yelled at the brick wall. "We're fine! What happened to the Fat Lady?"

"Someone's placed a curse on her; it's almost as though she's been Petrified!" their Defence professor shouted in reply.

"MOVE OVER, MOONY!"

"Siri, what on earth are you doing?" Remus sounded a little agitated.

"Professor Wulfe! What on earth are you doing? What did you do to the portrait?" they heard McGonagall demand.

"Harry! Back away from the wall!"

The Trio exchanged looks and hastily backed up, absently urging the rest of the Gryffindors further back into the common room. The commotion in the room had brought most of the tower's residents down.

"What is he doing?" Ginny hissed into Harry's ear.

"Remember what I told you about the portraits in you-know-where? I think he's going to take our portrait off her hinges," Harry said a little meekly.

"WHAT?!" both Hermione and the red-haired witch exclaimed.

A loud grating sound sent chills up Harry's spine and he quickly covered his ears with his hands. Ginny gave a small yelp and imitated him, shuddering slightly. Harry looked at the wall carefully; he still couldn't see if his godfather was making any progress with the portrait. Suddenly it sounded as though an explosion had occurred right in the middle of the common room and another crashing noise sounded as the portrait of the Fat Lady was discarded.

He couldn't see anything beyond the portrait hole and his heart jumped when both Remus and Sirius's heads appeared - as though they were wearing an Invisibility Cloak.

"You!" McGonagall shrieked. "Don't you realize that you're putting the students in more danger?"

"And do you mean to say that the Slytherins aren't in more danger than they are?" Sirius countered, his face turning as black as his family name. It might have been attributed to the strange darkness outside. "Voldemort is down in the dungeons, their common room is in the dungeons, a quarter of the students of Hogwarts are down in the dungeons and the entrance to the dungeons has been blocked." The Transfiguration professor winced at his harsh words. Sirius continued to advance on her while Harry, followed by Ron and Hermione, crawled out of the portrait hole.

Harry looked around and squinted. Why in the hell is the castle dark? I can't even see more than seven feet in front of me! His godfather's voice interrupted his train of thought.

"The Hufflepuff common room is down in the sub-levels and that's where the Death Eaters are lurking. For all we know, we might lose half of the student population - even if we manage to keep the Gryffindors safe. Is that what you want, Professor?" Sirius spoke harshly. McGonagall paled at his words.

Harry's face turned thoughtful and he was about to call Dobby when the house-elf suddenly appeared before him. "Dobby and the others will keep your friends in the Tower safe, Mister Harry Potter sir," the creature said earnestly.

A wizened house-elf appeared beside him and she looked imploringly at The Boy Who Lived. "We can't access the dungeons! We fear the worst for our Masters and Mistresses!"

"Let's go," Sirius said, looking at Harry over his shoulder.

The emerald-eyed teenager nodded. He turned back to where the rest of the Gryffindors were, faces peering out from the portrait hole anxiously. "The house-elves will keep you safe but stay on guard and don't depend entirely on them." He stopped when Dean, Neville, Ginny and Seamus forced their way out. "What are you doing?"

"We are going to help," Ginny answered in grim determination.

"Ginny," Remus started, looking slightly pained, "your mother will skin us alive if something happens to you."

"And I will kill you several times over if you get careless, Moony," Sirius inserted. "Come on - we've wasted enough time," he said impatiently. He walked off briskly and Harry followed his godfather.

Along the way, Professor McGonagall caught up with them and Remus looked at her questioningly. She replied by giving him a death glare. She absently opened the latch of her clasp and her cloak disappeared. Harry heard her mutter a spell and when he turned, he saw that McGonagall was no longer wearing her cumbersome robes.

The young wizard told himself that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him and was glad that his friends were just as bewildered. His Head of House was wearing a pair of dark breeches with soft boots and a shirt that clung tightly to her body. Her hair was still tied in a bun and she tucked her wand safely into a special pocket along her thigh. Wordlessly, she transformed into her animal form and trotted off silently, keeping her body along the wall the entire time.

Neville exclaimed faintly when a huge black dog appeared right in front of them, in place of Professor Wulfe. "Harry!" the boy started in an urgent tone. "Isn't that -"

"Dementors!" Remus hissed. "Silence!"

Their pace slowed to a walk before coming to a complete stop. The group plastered themselves against the castle walls. Harry breathed evenly and tried not to think about fear or his lover. But we're taking too long ...

"Pssssst," someone whispered.

"Professor Flitwick?" Hermione said incredulously.

"Yes. Remus, there's a shortcut to the Entrance Hall. The Headmaster's down at the entrance to the sub-levels and Rolanda and Sinistra are making sure that our passage remains unhindered," the Charms professor spoke quickly.

"Go on," Remus urged all of them in the direction of the secret entrance.

"Remus, watch out!" Harry shouted. The werewolf's eyes widened and he barely conjured the wolf-like Patronus before a Dementor came sweeping down on him. Harry watched as the Dementor lost its balance and fell over the railing. He didn't wait to hear a thud as Remus grabbed his arm and both of them plunged into the hidden passage.

Faint jets of light poured out of several wands and Flitwick motioned at Harry and the Defence professor to get moving. When the raven-haired Gryffindor turned, he saw the tiny Charms instructor jabbing his wand at certain points in the air. The group came to a small winding staircase and they quickly walked down. The Head of Ravenclaw was soon among them and Harry managed to ask him about the Ravenclaws.

"The house-elves, Professor Vector and the Gray Lady are watching them."

"AAAHHH!!!" the girls shrieked suddenly.

"Peeves!" roared Ron.

"The Dark Lord has come! The Dark Lord has come!!!" the poltergeist screamed frantically. "Help! Help! Minerva McGonagall's dead! She's dead!"

Flitwick did something and suddenly, the poltergeist was nailed to the wall. The students watched the tiny and wizened professor in disbelief. They had never seen the latter in such a manner. His small beady eyes were dark and he stared coldly at the struggling poltergeist.

"You had better not be lying, Peeves. If Minerva's not truly gone, I'm going to get my students and do some research on how to vanquish you forever from this castle."

Peeves was still stuttering when they left him.

They hurried through the passage and automatically moved in silence when they could hear shouts. That's Tonks! Green eyes widened. What on earth is she doing here? Flitwick tapped against the passage and a rush of cold wind entered the tunnel. He darted swiftly over to where Madam Hooch was cornered.

Harry could see that there was someone lying by her feet and cold dread gnawed at his soul as Peeves's words echoed in his mind. The flying instructor was flinging offensive curses at her opponent - Crabbe's father by the looks of it.

"Harry, you go find Dumbledore. He will need you," Remus said quietly.

"What about you?" Harry stared at him penetratingly.

"I have to help out here," the brown-eyed professor said solemnly before he too, went out to join the fray with the Death Eaters infesting the Entrance Hall.

Harry turned to look at his each of his friends and wondered what was going through in their minds.

"Let's go, Harry," Ron said quietly.

"Cautiously," Hermione warned. The rest nodded in agreement. "I'll go first."

Harry watched as his friend peered cautiously out of their hiding place and saw her eyes narrowing. The witch quickly ran out and Ginny was next to follow. Harry was right on Ron's tail when someone blundered into them. The person grunted in pain and long black hair whipped about the person's face.

It was Bellatrix, and her face hardened when she saw just who it was. She snarled and pointed her wand directly at Harry. "Avada Keda -" She never got to finish the incantation; a broomstick came flying through the air and hit the witch squarely between her eyes. From across the room, Harry caught Madam Hooch winking at him before the flying instructor concentrated on another target.

"Do you think Bellatrix is still alive?" Ron whispered.

"Who cares?" several voices replied. The small group of DA members quickly ran forward to the staircase leading to the dungeons.

~*~