Everything to Lose

Chapter One

To say that it was a dark, stormy night would have been the understatement of the year. The trees and brush in the forest could only be seen clearly whenever the lightning struck, illuminating the world briefly. The wind blew the trees about viciously, showing no mercy as it practically tore them apart. The thunder crashed, the sound growing nearer in the sky. Soon, the storm would be directly upon the area, and the rain would come pouring down in sheets. Oh, yes. Harry Potter knew that being in the forbidden forest in such conditions was not wise at all.

But that's exactly where he was.

He was racing down a narrow path, side-by-side with two people. He couldn't make out their faces in the dark, yet he knew exactly who they were. One, was an adult wizard in robes. The other, smaller figure, whom was beginning to fall behind, was a friend. Somehow, though, in the confusion of the moment, he couldn't remember either of their names...however, this didn't really bother him much. Harry only had his mind set on one goal, and that was getting out of the forest and back to the safety within the walls of the Hogwarts castle.

But running through the pitch black of the forest was a difficult task. They were all growing tired. They had been running for what seemed like an eternity through the forest, stumbling and tripping in the dark. Harry's side was aching more than ever, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt coursing through the scar on his forehead. The professor was gripping his arm painfully hard, willing him to go on, but he wasn't the one who was falling behind. His friend had let go of his hand, and she started slowly down.

"We've got to keep going!" the wizard shouted over the roar of thunder. "We're almost there!"

Harry grabbed his friend's hand again, and she managed to keep up for a few seconds. They knew there was an urgency in the air. If they stopped, it might well be the end of all of them. Suddenly, the girl tripped on a large tree root, and fell to the ground with a yelp. Harry stopped, turning to her. She was sprawled on her side, holding her ankle painfully. He raced back to her, and kneeled at her side, trying to pull her back up.

"We can't stop! You've got to get up!" he shouted over the storm, a pleading note in his frantic voice.

When the lightning flashed again, he could see tears falling down her face, and she whimpered, shaking her head.

"Just go, Harry! Save yourself!" she cried back, her voice breaking with emotion.

"No, I won't!"

The wizard came running to them, and he quickly solved the problem by bending down to take the wounded girl into his arms.

"We're leaving now!" he was shouting. "Hogwarts is just beyond those trees!"

Hope was sparked inside Harry. They were going to make it, he just knew it! Soon they would all be lounging inside the Great Hall, feasting on candy and drinking pumpkin juice. He could almost taste it now. But the dream was to be short-lived. Suddenly, they could see a tall figure in dark robes slowly stalking their way through the trees. It approached them menacingly, looming over them. Harry could not see the face within the hood, but he knew that the monster's appearance was hideous. The wizard saw him too, and quickly turned to let the girl down into Harry's arms.

"Get her out of here, now!" he snapped.

Harry shook his head, but there was no time to argue. The professor turned and, bringing out his wand, faced the robed figure. He raised his wand and opened his mouth to shout a curse at the demon, but it was already too late. The robed form already had his wand out.

"Avada Kedarva!"

The wizard never saw it coming. With a flash of green light, he was dead, instantly.

The girl screamed, but neither she nor Harry had time to act. The murdering villain was already upon them, laughing insanely. Harry's scar was burning in agonizing pain as the wand slowly came to point at him and the girl.

"Don't worry, " the all too familiar voice hissed, icily sarcastic, "Death is but the next great adventure...and you've got everything to lose."

Harry Potter woke up screaming. Actually, it was his screaming that woke up those sleeping next door, and they, in turn, came to wake him up. He was only vaguely aware of many voices around him as he slowly came to.

"What's wrong with him? He's sweating like a pig!"

"Fred, did you put something in his drink last night?"

"No, mum, honest! I didn't do anything this time!"

Hands were shaking him as he finally forced himself to wake up.

Mrs. Weasley was the first he saw, smiling down at him. "Good morning, dear."

Harry blinked, turning his gaze from her concerned face to those of George and Fred Weasley.

"Were you having a nightmare, Harry?" George asked excitedly.

"I haven't heard anyone scream like that since Percy had that dream about losing his job at the ministry!" Fred grinned.

Mrs. Weasley scowled at him and he mumbled something apologetic. Then, he saw Ginny and Ron Weasley, looking at him with troubled expressions.

"You alright, Harry?" he asked his friend quietly.

Harry was suddenly feeling embarrassed by all the unwanted attention he was getting. He sat up and nodded, annoyed, as he reached for his glasses.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," he snapped. "Really."

All except Mrs. Weasley looked unconvinced. She nodded, quick to change the subject.

"Of course you are, Harry, dear. It was just a harmless nightmare, that's all," she said, beginning to shoo everyone out of the room. "Now, downstairs everyone! Breakfast is getting cold!"

George, Fred, and Ginny followed her out the door, their stomachs getting the best of them. Ron, meanwhile, lingered behind, concern still etched on his freckled face.

"The way you were screaming makes me think that wasn't just a harmless nightmare," he said pointedly.

Death is but the next great adventure...and you've got everything to lose... Harry shook his head, trying to force away the echo of the sinister voice inside his head. He sighed and stood.

"I have a feeling it wasn't, either."

Ron arched an eyebrow in question, but Harry shook his head.

"I'll tell you about it later. Right now, your mum's bacon is sounding really good," he said, trying to smile reassuringly. Ron still looked very doubtful, but he nodded and the two went downstairs to have a bite to eat.

******************

Harry waited until after they'd both eaten breakfast and changed into clothes to tell Ron all about the dream. After he'd given a long explanation of the relatively short dream, silence filled the room. They sat in Ron's room, pondering the dream. Harry absently fingered his wand as he gazed out the window, but saw nothing. His friend's voice jerked him back into reality.

"It was you-know-who, wasn't it?" he asked quietly.

Harry nodded. "Yes. I'd know that voice anywhere. It was Lord Voldemort."

Ron winced at the name. "Right. And you haven't got a clue as to who the girl and the," he swallowed uneasily, "wizard-with-a-death wish were?"

He shook his head with a sigh.

"I don't know. All I know is that I knew them both...very well."

Again there was silence. Finally, Ron smiled a bit, trying to be positive.

"Don't worry about it, Harry. It was just a dream. Probably didn't mean anything at all."

"But it felt so real," he said, absently reaching up to touch his scar, "and you remember what happened last time my scar hurt while I was dreaming."

The both remembered all too well. It had been another dream about Voldemort. The dream had started the events of last year that had led up to the rising of the dark wizard. It had been the worst year of Harry's life. He had watched, helpless, as Cedric Diggory was killed with the same unforgivable curse that had killed his parents. He himself had too, almost died. And, to top it all off, Lord Voldemort had regained his strength and now had a body to walk about freely in.

"Don't worry," Ron said again, bringing him out of his reverie. "There hasn't been anything heard about...him. Dad told us things have been quiet, and the ministry isn't even worried at all."

"That's because they still don't believe Voldemort is back," Harry said crossly.

"Well, maybe it would make you feel better if you wrote a letter to Sirius."

Harry hesitated. It was tempting. He hadn't heard from his godfather since the end of his fourth year at Hogwarts. That seemed like an eternity ago. Summer vacation had been fun, but it was quickly coming to an end. He shook his head, making up his mind.

"No, I won't bother Sirius. He's got to be really busy doing...whatever it is he's been doing."

Ron arched an eyebrow. "You mean, he's still being all secretive about it?"

Harry nodded. "Its alright, though. Whatever Professor Dumbledore is having him do, it has to be kept quiet. What, after the whole Mad-Eye Moody incident, its probably hard to tell who their real allies are."

Last year at Hogwarts, they had gotten a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: Mad-Eye Moody. While he was a bit crazy, he was a brilliant auror. He had been one of the best teachers they had ever had, next to Professor Lupin. So, it was all a big shock when they discovered it had really been Barty Crouch in disguise. He had used the Polyjuice potion to disguise himself. The real Mad-Eye Moody was being kept locked up in a trunk. Crouch had been spying for Voldemort the entire time.

Inwardly, Harry was dreading telling anyone else about his scar. He remembered what had happened last year, and couldn't help feeling that this coming school year was going to be even worse. He couldn't help feeling a great, terrible sense of foreboding. It was bad enough they had to take their O.W.L.s this term.

"Anyway, we're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow morning to get our supplies," Ron said, standing.

"Hermione said she's going to meet us by the Gringott bank, right?"

He nodded. "Maybe she'll know something...insightful to say about your dream." He put one hand on his hip and did a ridiculous impression of their bushy-haired friend. "I think you should go straight to Dumbledore's office! This is important, Harry, and you can't put it off like your homework! You should try to be smart, like me!"

Harry smiled, cheered up, at least for the moment. Just then, Fred and George stuck their heads into the room.

"Quidditch, anyone?"

Harry and Ron exchanged a grin. Quidditch was definitely the best medicine for anything.

******************

The next morning, Diagon Alley was crowded as it usually was around this time of the year. Parents were fussing over their young wizard and witch children, trying to make sure they got everything they needed, not short on one piece of parchment paper or one quill. There seemed to be more owls sitting in one store than usual. The clothing store sold the latest fashion robes, sporting winter colors in the latest styles. And in the Quality Quidditch Supplies, a group of young children were crowded around the window, gawking at the newest broom. Harry motioned Ron over, and they went to check it out.

There, sitting in a neat display case, was the Lightningbolt, reportedly the fastest, most efficient broom ever made up to date. Harry could remember that just last year, the Firebolt, the broom he owned, was sitting in its place. Like the firebolt, the sign underneath this new broom said that you had to come inside to find out the price. Ron sighed wistfully, staring at it through the glass.

"Mum would probably have to sell the house and everything she owned to afford that one," he said quietly.

Once again, Harry felt guilty that he still had much more money than the Weasleys, sitting in the Gringott bank. This got him thinking about what he could do with it, and just as the endless possibilities started going through his mind, he heard a voice shout nearby.

"Harry! Ron!"

They both turned and smiled. There, off in the crowd a bit and jumping up and down to be seen over the taller people, was none other than their third Musketeer, Hermione. She grinned back, then made her way to them, already dragging a cart full of new books and school supplies. Both of their mouths fell open when she came into full view. She frowned at them in bewilderment.

"What?"

Ron arched an eyebrow at Harry, still gaping at her. "Are you sure that's Hermione?"

Harry frowned, shaking his head slightly. "I don't know...it looks like her..."

She rolled her eyes, making an impatient little noise.

"And it sure sounds like her," Ron added wryly, "but...something's different."

She sighed. "I cut my hair, you stupid git."

"And...its all straight now, too," Harry added.

Hermione smiled shyly. Her once long, bushy hair was now chin length and much more straighter. It also appeared that...she was wearing something on her face. Was that...make-up?

"I found out about this Magic Straightener gel down the street at the Wizard and Witch Hair Styling shop," she said, then looked at them uneasily. "Does it look...terrible?"

"Of course not!"Harry spoke quickly.

"Definitely not terrible," Ron added quietly, gazing at her strangely.

She sighed, looking away. "It won't be this way forever, though. My parents can't afford to buy me enough to last longer than a few weeks."

There was a short, awkward silence, in which Ron continued to look at her in the that funny way. She shot him a look, and Harry had to elbow him to bring him back to reality. Ron jerked his head to him with a start and his face became as red as his hair.

"Right! We...still need to get all those books! Let's go, then!" he said, quickly changing the subject. He then took off toward the Flourish and Blotts without them. Hermione and Harry exchanged a look before following him. As they walked, they talked about their summer vacation. Hermione had gotten a chance to see a Quidditch match, and she bragged on and on about it, knowing that Ron hadn't been there. It was just supposed to annoy him a bit, but it made him more angry than that. Once they had reached the shop, Ron was no longer looking at her hair in awe, but scowling. Harry wanted to tell her about his dream, but decided to wait, since there were so many students around. He pulled out his list of supplies, and started going down the list, but a familiar voice nearby suddenly interrupted them rudely.

"What's that in your hair, Granger?" sneered the annoying voice of the one and only, Draco Malfoy. "Grease from the Muggle cooking pots your Mudblood parents use?"

His Slytherin buddies, Crabbe and Goyle, chuckled stupidly. Ron reddened in anger. Harry shook his head, muttering under his breath.

"Just ignore them."

But Hermoine had already turned around to face them calmly.

"Its not grease, but if I ever need to borrow some, I'll be sure to ask you first," she said pompously, then smiled a little. "Or perhaps I'll ask Professor Snape. You both have the greasy hair in common, you know."

Draco glared at her, looking as if he was trying to think up another insult, but she had already turned away. Completely ignoring him, she turned back to the list.

"Defense against the Dark Wizards and Witches of the Past is the first book," she read.

Forgotten and ignored, the three bullies slumped away. Harry reached out to pick up the first book on the list. There was suddenly an uneasy feeling growing inside his stomach. Dark Wizards of the Past....oh, just bloody perfect....

"I already got that book. I've been reading it over the summer," she said matter-of-factly, taking out her copy and turning a few pages. "Chapter one, The tricks of Lord Voldemo-" Ron had quickly shut the book, laughing uneasily. "Right. Anyway, moving on..."

But Harry had heard her well enough. His eyes darkened. "It talks about Voldemort?"

Hermione cringed and nodded guiltily. "I'm sorry, Harry. I suppose the professors will want us to know what to expect from him, since he's back."

He ignored her, however, and quickly went on to get the next book. Ron sighed, leaning toward Hermione and lowering his voice.

"He had a dream with you-know-who in it," he explained. Her eye's widened.

"Another one?" she said loudly, and Ron tried to shush her. Harry, however, turned to look at them firmly.

"I can hear you both," he said dryly. "You're not exactly whispering. Look, Hermione, I'll tell you about it later after we've gotten all our supplies, okay?"

She agreed, and there was no more talk of Voldemort during the rest of their shopping. When they had finished that afternoon and were sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, eating ice cream sundaes, he finally told her. She responded exactly the same way Ron predicted she would and told him to go straight to Dumbledore. Harry assured them that he would. It was soon time for them to meet their parents, the Weasley's in Harry's case, and return home. They said goodbye to Hermione, then went their separate ways. Harry, however, suddenly remembered something he had forgotten to buy, and told Ron to go on ahead and tell them to wait for a few minutes. He went off alone to make a few stops, before joining back up with them. Fred and George looked at him suspiciously, over their bags of magical jokes and tricks, but didn't say anything. Once Mrs. Weasley had bought some additional robes for Ginny, they returned home.