Masked Reality

Chapter Four

The remaining weeks until the day he was going to return to Hogwarts for his fifth year were quite a blur. Harry had hailed the Knight Bus and gone to the Burrow (he had recently received a letter from Ron with an actual address that led him straight to their house). From there, his life had taken a big spiral because Ron, as well as the rest of the Weasleys, were acting more than oblivious to the recent events of Harry's fourth year. Ron didn't even remember Fleur, which was more than surprising, because she'd left quite a vivid memory with Harry (veelas do that to a guy, you know). When he'd finally decided to tell them about the CPS people being Lucius and Ember, followed by the strange creature taking him to the Malfoy Mansion and him just barely escaping thanks to a strange talisman/portkey that Hedwig had given to him (he still had it and showed it to them), they all reacted differently. Mrs. Weasley repeatedly hugged Harry and told him how happy she was that he was all right. Ginny kept smiling at him and reassuring him that she would hug him too, except that it would be awkward (it was more awkward for Harry because she kept telling him that). Ron continually threatened to beat Malfoy and father to a bloody pulp. Fred and George were grinning wickedly, and whispered to Harry that they would send some of their trademark mail tricks to the Malfoys in retaliation. Mr. Weasley was partly shocked, but at the same time knew that it was going to happen. He said that Lucius had always had it in him, and that it was only a matter of time before he tried to take things into his own hands and solve problems that way. Harry asked Mr. Weasley what he'd meant by this (thinking that Mr. Weasley may have suddenly remembered the tragic events of Harry's fourth year), who only solemnly said that he wasn't exactly sure. Percy, as usual, was so immersed in his own life that he barely acknowledged Harry's latest adventure. Also, nobody knew what kind of creature Harry's kidnapper could have been, which wasn't reassuring or helpful in the least.

The week before their return to Hogwarts, Ron and Harry had gone to Diagon Alley to meet up with Hermione, and the three bought their supplies together (they all noticed how strangely dark and evil all of the Defense Against the Dark Arts books seemed to be, and there were a few of them). When they were to collect potions ingredients, Ron saw something on the list that made him gasp and stumble a few steps before stopping completely. Harry and Hermione stopped as well and stared at him.

"Well, either you're going to tell us or you aren't," Hermione said hastily, wanting to get her shopping done as soon as possible so she could get out of the unusually cold weather and buy a yummy Butterbeer.

"Have either of you read these ingredients?" Ron asked, dumbfounded. He handed the list to Hermione. She raised her eyebrows when she read it carefully, and her mouth was gaping open. She gave the list to Harry without saying a word. He looked it over.

"You can't be serious." The familiar anger was boiling inside Harry once again. "Why does this say 'All students are to note that doubling the amount of all of the listed ingredients is crucial due to the double teachers for Potions, Professor Snape and Professor Malfoy'?!?!?!?" He was too hysterical at this point to keep his voice down. A few passerby slowed down/stopped and stared at him.

"I don't know, Harry, but calm down or else we're going to get thrown out of the Alley! I don't particularly want to have to shop for the rest of our supplies in Knockturn Alley, and I know you don't either because of your only memory of it... You remember how it was." Hermione convinced Harry to step into Betty's Best Butterbeer for a drink for each of them, and after ordering three butterbeers that tasted deliciously warm and sweet, Harry was ready to talk about the situation like a civilized person.

"Why is Malfoy's father teaching us if Dumbledore knows that he's a Dea-" Harry stopped short, remembering how his friends had somehow become oblivious to their fourth year. He cleared his throat. "-he's a... bad person?" He knew that wasn't going to suffice, but didn't care much. There wasn't any other way to put it.

"What I want to know is, why is Lucius doubling up with Snape if there's another opening for a professor? Why not just take that job, or have Snape take it and become the new Potions teacher? It isn't very logical, if you know what I'm talking about." Hermione looked over at the two of them, who were looking at her quizzically. She sighed. "I've got to stop talking like I'm an intellectual when I'm around you two." They nodded and couldn't help but grin.

"Your smartness is just too much for us Herm." Ron gave her a big smile and slurped down the rest of his Butterbeer. Harry was happy that the drinks had managed to put his friends into better moods, but still couldn't believe that Lucius Malfoy, the man who had posed as a CPS angel, the man who had sent a strange creature to kidnap him and take him to the Malfoy Mansion, the man who was right in Voldemort's inner circle, was going to be within the safe walls of Hogwarts with a free chance to tear Harry's throat out at any desired time.

The scarlet steam engine that had faithfully taken all of its riders to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was standing next to Harry and Hermione, along with the Weasleys. They were saying their last good-byes before they went to drop their stuff off in the compartments and return for an official last good-bye. Mrs. Weasley hugged every single one many times, and Mr. Weasley settled for a handshake from Harry and Hermione.

Harry and Ron and Hermione looked back at the Weasleys' parents as they climbed up the stairs and into their compartment, sitting down and opening their window to wave as the Hogwarts Express chugged away and sped out of sight.

As they sat back in their seats, Ginny appeared in the doorway. "Hello there. I'm quite bored at the moment... have you seen Fred and George? I need to be entertained until the lunch cart arrives."

Hermione gave Ginny a smile. "I think they're in the compartment two down or so. If you can't find them, have the intercom woman call for them. That's always a sure-fire way to find those two." Ginny nodded her thanks and shut the compartment door behind her. Ron looked at Hermione, who was staring out the window. "So, are and my sister, like, best friends or something?"

Hermione cocked her head. "Sure." She shrugged and looked back out the window.

Harry noticed her distant look. "Are you all right, Herm? You sure do seem really far-off."

Hermione didn't get a chance to answer Harry's query. Their compartment door slid open, and an all-too familiar face appeared in the doorway. Draco Malfoy stepped into the compartment and closed the door behind him.

"How dare you have any guts left to show your face around Harry?" Ron said, flabbergasted. Hermione had more than expected it, and pulled her wand out.

"Relax Granger, Weasley, I'm not going to kill Potter. I've come as the bearer of quite the good news." He folded his arms and stared smugly down at Harry, who was sitting next to the door.

"We already know, Malfoy." Hermione placed her wand in her lap. Malfoy's smile faded a little.

"Yes, well, there's more to it than that. Not only is my father teaching with Snape, but he's getting a promotion at the end of the year. I'm betting fifty Galleons that he becomes Headmaster."

"We all known you well enough to know that you wouldn't pay that much if your life depended on it," Ron growled. Malfoy glared at him.

"I wouldn't talk about money if I were you, Weasel. Your parents can't even afford decent clothes for you, let alone make payments on anything besides the mortgage, but by the looks of your house they haven't even been following through with that." Satisfied with his remark, Malfoy turned and left the compartment, remembering to slam the door shut behind him.

Ron's eye twitched for a bit, until Hermione said something about it.

"Ron, either close your eyes or put a patch over it because that eye looks possessed and I've forgotten the Anti-twitch Charm. It's grossing me out," Hermione said, huffed.

Harry grinned at Ron's reaction as he stubbornly closed his eyes and sat with his arms folded and a scowl.

The lunch cart rolled noisily down the hallway, finally stopping at their doorway. Harry purchased one of everything (two of the things that they especially liked), mostly because he felt like experimenting today. Ron gratefully munched on every kind of candy that he could get his hands on.

Hermione was still very distant, and didn't eat much. Harry watched her out of the corner of his eye until night began to fall.

"Herm? What's wrong? Are you sad... angry... depressed, maybe?" Harry suggested. Hermione looked warily at him. He noticed how suddenly she had gone from looking like a happy fifteen-year-old girl to a troubled 21-year-old.

"Oh, Harry, you've really been on my mind. Not, like, girlfriend-boyfriend type thing. You know that. I've been thinking about everything you told us. But I simply don't remember any of that happening during our fourth year," she said.

"Well, I wish you would tell me what did happen during our fourth year," Harry responded.

Again, Hermione was cut off. However, this time it was because something right outside the window caught all of their attention.

It was the size of a swan, with body the color green, blue and purple, a set of large and beautiful wings that reflected much of the dying sun's light, a tail that looked as if it could fold up but was currently stretched to its full length, and a pair of shiny diamond-like eyes and black talons. What fascinated Harry, Ron and Hermione the most was a headdress-type thing on the bird's head (they guessed it was a bird; it sounds like one, so I'm going to say it is), glittering in the sun, exposing encrusted jewels and gems and rubies that covered much of the headdress. It was a very intricate pattern, golden except for the jewelry on it.

Hermione seemed to notice something that she knew Ron and Harry would notice too, and confirmed what they were thinking. "Its eyes are definitely diamonds," she stated. "But what is this beautiful bird, and where did it come from?"

"Look! There's a note tied around its neck, and its carrying a package in its talons!" Harry shouted.

"Let's let it in!" Ron suggested excitedly.

Hermione helped Harry open the window, and the beautiful bird glided into the compartment, filling much of it even after it folded its wings and tail. It had dropped the package on Harry's seat. He picked it up after closing the window again and examined it.

"Well, get on with it then!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry ripped open the brown packing paper, and opened up the small white box that the paper had revealed. Inside was a ring, and a note.

Harry,

Did she reach you before or after your arrival at Hogwarts? I'll be proud if you discovered her on your journey there.

As I promised, here is your present. In the box along with this note was a ring. Its blue band represents a blue coin that I'm sure you've already received from Hedwig (I actually gave it to her when she visited me one night while I was close to her hunting grounds). The band was made from the same substance as the coin. The inscriptions on the ring are various ancient runes, mostly promising wealth and eternal happiness to the bearer, of course. But the one inscription that caught my eye was the rune for "guardian angel." Apparently, the bearer of the ring will be sent a guardian angel in disguise, so I hope that happens. That would be quite a present!

Be sure to let me know how school is going, Harry.

Sirius

Oh, before I forget, your final birthday present is the one who brought you this package: Sidney.

If you're wondering what she is... she's a new breed of bird called a Kristale. I'll send you a packet telling all about her and her kind.

Harry was too excited. He slipped the blue ring onto his fourth finger of his right hand, looking over the runes. He then turned to see his brand-new pet. He thought about the obvious. She was female, her name was Sidney, and she was something called a Kristale.

Something suddenly hit him like a huge bag of bricks. Hermione and Ron looked over at him expectantly, and he nonchalantly gave them the news of the bird and the ring.

As they started gabbing about the bird and ring and Sirius, Harry thought about what he'd finally managed to remember. He couldn't say anything about it to Hermione or Ron because they wouldn't understand. Back at the end of my fourth year, Sirius had made some sort of alliance with Snape. He wasn't in this type of hiding anymore. So why is he now?... Wait... Why did I only remember this now?

This only added to Harry's list of strange occurrences, which had grown to at least three pages.

Sidney let out a very pretty singsong note, looking at Harry inquisitively. He stared into her eyes for a while, forgetting about the dilemma with Sirius. He patted his new bird on the back, stroking her long neck and feathers silently.

Nothing more was said for the rest of the trip.