Harry Potter and the Mysteries of Love

Chapter 4 - A Visitor

For a moment, the hall remained silent. 'Dumbledore was obviously joking,' Harry thought. 'I mean, c'mon she's sitting right there.' But when Harry looked at the seat that would be Ginny's, she wasn't there. Only then did Harry realize that he hadn't seen her since they all left the thestral-pulled carriages. 'Ginny Weasley was found unconscious only moments ago,' Harry recalled and the words finally pinged into place.

Apparently a lot of pinging was happening at that same time because soon the hall's cold silence had elevated to low roar. Before long the entire hall was talking with their friends about this mysterious and devastating news.

Dumbledore, who had remained quiet for a while as if pondering, all of a sudden, spoke, "Students please retire to your dormitory immediately. Ronald Weasley, please meet me in the Hospital wing in 10 minutes time." All of the students immediately stood from their sears and made for the exits.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione lingered. Harry and Ron turned toward Hermione, as if expecting her to say something comforting. But no words came; instead Hermione sat back down and stared at the Ravenclaw banner on wall. She had a look of terror and confusion on her face.

"Move along students," Professor McGonagall demanded urgently as she past on her way out. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had no choice but to follow her to Gryffindor tower. As Harry and Hermione made to ascend the marble staircase to the common room, Ron silently separated from his friends and turn to the left so he could meet Dumbledore in the hospital wing.

Harry and Hermione walked up the stairs in ultimate quiet. There seemed to be and impenetrable barrier between them. "Veritaserum," Professor McGonagall called ahead of them. The fat lady's portrait swung open and she stepped inside, they followed.

The common room was full of people. Apparently, they had been talking about Ginny, but as soon as Professor McGonagall entered, all fell silent. "Students," she pursed her lips. "The hour is late. In twenty minutes I expect all of you to be in your private dormitories." She turned around and walked through the portrait whole. The moment she was gone the noise level immensely elevated.

Harry was glad that no one seemed to notice his entrance. So many times had he been forced to endure painstaking questionnaires upon his arrival. Hermione made straight for her dormitory. Harry half-heartedly sat himself down in chair by the hearth. He stared into the fire's burning depths. It had been here that he had spoken to Sirius in secret. It had been here where Hermione came up the plan for the DA. It had been here that he would study into from the dark of night to the light of morning. But it was also here that Harry thought. He had done some of his deepest thinking here, by the fireside.

It was rare that Professor McGonagall insist her students go to bed, but when she did implore them, they had no choice but to obey. So, by the time twenty minutes had passed, Harry was the only sole in the common room. He reluctantly stood and made his way to the staircase. But at just this time Ron came in.

"Will she be all right?" Harry asked.

"Um... yeah, they said she would."

"Did they say how it happened?"

"Um... they're just guessing someone stunned her." Ron was speaking very quietly. No matter what he said, Ron loved his sister. She had never made fun of him like Fred and George and wasn't perfect like Percy, Charlie, and Bill.

"They think it was someone in the castle?" Harry asked shocked. Ron just simply nodded. They both made their way up the stairs.

They both undressed in silence. Ron, pulling up his pajamas, bid Harry goodnight, hopped into bed, and pulled his curtains closed. Harry followed suit. Thoughts racked Harry's brain. 'Was Ginny going to be all right? Who could have stunned her? What does Hermione think of me?' Harry simply couldn't escape his prison of thoughts, dreams, passions, and lusts.

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The next morning, Harry woke from a fragmented sleep. The sun was only just peaking over the gray mountains when he slipped off his pajamas and pulled up his jeans. He dawned a bright red t-shirt and crossed to his window. The grounds stood stock still. The lake was calm, the water still. There was no sign of the giant squid. The only sign of movement was the smoke billowing restlessly from Hagrid's chimney.

It was then that he heard it. 'Harry' it called. He left the window side and headed for the door. He wasn't hungry but it was an excuse to leave this room, this room which contained so many memories. He didn't know why he was running. When he was running he was lonely. But when he settled he felt restless. He felt as if he was the only Trojan in a legion of Greeks. Harry knew that he was the only one who had experienced pain. None of the others knew real misery.

Harry made his way down staircases and through corridors. Everything seemed so empty, so blank. He encountered no one on his descent. The pictures had yet to stir and the armor hadn't moved. Feeling obligated, Harry entered the Great Hall. It was deserted except for Professor Dumbledore and Professor Delphius.

Harry made straight for the Gryffindor table. He walked with purpose hoping that Dumbledore and Delphius might deduce that he wanted to head to the quidditch pitch early or something of the sort. But Harry was foolish to wish that the white-bearded men would be misled. He had hardly to sit down before Dumbledore led Professor Delphius down from the staff table and towards Harry.

"You woke up bright and early this morning, Harry, did you?" Dumbledore asked conversationally.

"Oh, you know, I'm a light sleeper." There was no point lying to Dumbledore, Harry suspected that he probably knew most of what was going on in Harry's life right now.

"Well, I was just coming down to so that you could meet Professor Delphius." He politely gestured to his cousin.

"Hello," Harry respectfully greeted. Professor Delphius raised his hand and Harry shook it.

"Very pleased to meet you, Mr. Potter," he courteously responded. His voice was soft and misty bust sounded clear and youthful.

"Well, Hello Minerva," Dumbledore greeted the headmistress as she came in carry a handful of schedule's. "Did you rise a little later that usual?"

"Well, last night's events left me a little tired." She thumbed through her schedules, "Patil... Peters... Potter," she said absent mindedly. "Here you go." She handed him his schedule. McGonagall turned to leave but whirled around after three steps. "Oh, Potter?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Would you like to be quidditch captain for this season?" Of all the things that Professor McGonagall could have asked Harry certainly hadn't expected this.

"Thanks, Professor!" Professor McGonagall smiled and turned towards the staff table. Students had begun to arrive in the Great Hall as well as teachers. Harry looked down at his schedule. Today had NEWT Potions, double NEWT Transfiguration, Muggle Studies, and double Defense Against the Dark Arts. This Monday wasn't as bad as last year, but it certainly was every bit as difficult. This was going to be a long year. Within minutes, Hermione arrived.

"Good morning," she pleasantly greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," Harry barely got out. He could hardly stand to speak to Hermione, he couldn't bare look at her.

"Well, that's good."

"Yeah, I guess," Harry mumbled

"I'm going to the library," she said conclusively as she grabbed a piece of toast and rose form her seat.

"Where's Hermione headed?" Ron asked half-heartedly of Harry as he sat down. Harry's eyes followed her all the way out the door.

"The library," Harry responded, while looking into his porridge.

"Mr. Weasley, this is for you," Professor McGonagall explained as she handed Ron his schedule.

"I've been made quidditch captain," Harry remarked with lack of enthusiasm.

"That's great!" Ron insisted.

"Yeah, I guess," said Harry, brightening a little.

"When are you going to hold tryouts?" Harry hadn't even considered that being made quidditch captain would make him captain of the quidditch team. He would have to devise plays, hold tryouts, and coach the team. Whatever part of him had just brightened had dimmed to an all time low.

"Oh, I don't know," Harry mumbled.

Ron, feeling the dejected atmosphere Harry was emitting, changed the subject. "What class do you have first?" he inquired.

"I've got NEWT Potions," came Harry's despondent reply.

"I feel sorry for you; I've only got History of Magic." Ron glanced up at the staff table. He still wasn't used to the fact that his dad would be his teacher.

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Soon, Harry and Ron parted in the entrance hall. "See you at lunch," Ron concluded. Harry made his way down to the dungeons, where he met Hermione.

"Hello," she greeted awkwardly. They walked into Snape's classroom. "Listen, I've found-" Hermione was cut off by Severus Snape's oily voice.

"Settle down class, settle down," he coolly demanded. "Now as you most certainly have realized, this is a NEWT level class. The potions that we will brew in this classroom are highly advanced for most wizards." His apathetic tones echoed off the stone walls. "Therefore, this class will require your utmost talents in craft of potion making. I'm sure most of you can handle this challenge." Snape's eyes lingered on Harry. "Although, every year there are those few who have merely achieved so much by luck. These few will quickly be single out and excluded from all other lessons in this advanced class."

"With all that said, let us begin by reviewing the properties of concertimano. Now what is concertimano?" Hermione's hand pierced the air. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?

"Concertimano is an oily fungus most commonly found in hollow trees." Hermione mouthed the definition from the back of the class.

"Excellent Mr. Malfoy, 10 points to Slytherin. Miss Bulstrode what is it most commonly used as?"

"Well, let's see, I suppose it would be used as a sealant," said Millicent Bulstrode. She turned to look at Hermione. She and Hermione had been enemies for six years now. The tension was unbearable between the two.

"Quite correct, Miss Bulstrode." Professor Snape turned to the chalkboard and tapped it once with his wand and the most complicated potion had ever seen appeared. It was approximately 25 lines long! It filled the entire chalk board. "You will find whatever supplies you need in these cupboards." He pointed his wand at 3 ebony cupboards. He tapped the board once more and there appeared three lines that divided the potion. "There is no way that you can finish in one day. Therefore I have divided the potion at its natural breaking points. You may begin," he said simply.

Harry was beginning to feel worried. He turned to Hermione who remained cool as a cucumber. "Harry, I'll go get the supplies," Hermione suggested. "You stay here and the copy the potion down, word for word, so that we don't miss anything." Harry nodded and fiddled through his bag for his parchment and a quill. Hermione turned and left for the covered, where a line was forming.

"Step one: dice toad's tongue into five pieces of equal length," Harry mumbled as he wrote down the steps. "Step two..." by step four Hermione had returned. Hermione began to dice frog's tongues and Harry continued to write. Soon, Harry was dicing and Hermione was sealing the tongues with concertimano. Just as Harry had finished step five, the bell rang. He was starting out the school year a step behind. This wasn't going to be fun.

Moments later, Harry met Ron outside of Transfiguration. "How's Snape?" Ron asked teasingly.

"He's worse than ever. He assigned us a 24 step potion!" Harry complained.

"Like I said, I feel very sorry for you." They walked into the classroom. Professor McGonagall was sitting behind her desk.

"Students, please quiet down." Harry could feel it coming, his second sermon in an hour. "As you undoubtedly remember, last year you had your OWL examinations. Therefore, if you are sitting in this classroom, you received an Exceeds Expectations or and Outstanding on your exam." Professor McGonagall continued with her speech and later than Harry would have chosen they began to review vanishing spells.

"Students, in exactly one week we will begin conjuring spells. I highly recommend that you continue practicing vanishing spells in your free time. It makes all the difference," Professor McGonagall concluded as the bell rang.

Harry could not have been more ready for lunch. Not only was his mind dizzy with thoughts, he was also exhausted. Hermione quickly grabbed a turkey sandwich and headed to the library. Harry and Ron, however, ate a hefty lunch. To Harry's delight it was all eating and no talking. Harry was finding it very difficult to talk to anyone. He knew who must do so soon, but he felt like there was and invisible barrier between himself and everyone else in the world.

Harry and Ron silently made their way towards the fourth floor. There was a classroom on that floor that they had never visited. It was the Muggle studies classroom. As they dawned the last step of the spiral staircase, Harry and Ron noticed a line assembling in front of the classroom.

Harry and Ron approached incredulously. 'Why is there a line outside of the classroom?' was there first thought. Ron's second thought was, of course, 'Is this some new way for my dad to embarrass me?' Though Harry's was, 'This class may be very interesting.'

As they too joined the line, Harry and Ron were greeted by Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom. Neville's face had thinned over the summer and he had grown at least four inches. Soon enough, they noticed what they were standing in line for. Mr. Weasley seemed to be giving each student a roll of parchment and a syllabus for the semester. 'Oh,' Ron thought, 'well, that's a relief.' Ron would soon find that he was overreacting about a lot of things.

Harry and Ron now noticed that Hermione had joined them. "Stuck your nose in enough books, today?" Ron asked Hermione.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "As a matter of fact, you two should be happy that I'm looking through all these books."

"And why is that?" Harry asked skeptically.

Hermione lowered her voice. "Because, I'm researching those voices we keep hearing." Harry and Ron looked at each other in excitement.

After a pause, Ron spoke up. "Well?"

"I haven't found anything just yet." It was there turn to receive their class materials.

"Hello Harry, Ron, and Hermione!" Mr. Weasley enthusiastically greeted. He lowered is voice. "Am I doing a good job?" he asked expectantly.

"We'll tell you when class is over," Hermione said politely. They walked into a classroom that resembled an ancient Greek theater. About 10 rows below them was a podium with a desk situated on it. Being the last students to come into the classroom, they sat on in the middle of the seventh row.

Mr. Weasley left the door walked down the aisle to the podium. "Hello, class," Arthur greeted enthusiastically. "My name is Arthur Weasley. I'm Ron and Ginny's father." As you might have guessed, Ron's face flushed as heads turned toward him. But
Harry wasn't concerned about Ron at the moment. He was more concerned with Draco and his band of Slytherins who were laughing hysterically about something. He wouldn't let them ruin Mr. Weasley's first day. But there was no need for Harry to take care of that, Mr. Weasley would.

"In my classroom I expect no one but myself to speak, unless I have given you permission. That will mean detention for you, Mr. Malfoy along with Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle." That certainly shut them up. It seemed that Mr. Weasley had a whole new confidence when he was teaching. You could see it in his face, in his posture; it was an air of poise.

"Shall we return to class, eh? Students please turn your attention to your syllabus."

For the first time Harry looked at his syllabus. They were certainly going to be busy this year. Mr. Weasley began to read.

Muggle Studies Syllabus: Semester 1

Unit 1 - Muggle Creativity

Read and discuss The Lord of the Ringsby J.R.R. Tolkien

Read and discuss The Chronicles of Narniaby C.S. Lewis

Write short fantasy novel (5,000 words)

Unit 2 - Muggle Science

Discuss Newton's laws

Anatomy

Human anatomy essay (2,000 words)

Discuss electricity

Electricity essay (2,000 words)

Unit 3 - Muggle Economics/History

Discuss governments

Government essay (2,000 words)

Economies of the world

Civilizations and Cultures

Essay over a civilization/culture (3,000 words)

On December 12^th we will have an end of the semester exam that will count for 25% of your total grade. Each essay (or novel) counts for 10% of your grade and the other 15% are for participating in discussion.

After Mr. Weasley finished reading over the syllabus, he reminded the class that they should be finished with Book 1 of the Fellowship of the Ring by next Monday. The class was then dismissed and Harry, Ron, Hermione walked down to the podium.

"Excellent job, Mr. Weasley," Hermione truthfully complimented.

"Thanks for getting Malfoy," Harry said ecstatically.

"Well he was disrupting the class," Mr. Weasley explained. "But you better run along to your next class."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned to walk up the steps. "Your Dad's a great teacher," Harry remarked.

"Yeah, I guess." There was a look of sheer relief on Ron's face.

Five minutes later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking into the infamous Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Professor Delphius was seated at the back of the classroom at a small mahogany table. On the table sat only a sheet of paper.

"Students, please refrain from emitting obnoxious noises," demanded Professor Delphius as Crabbe finished his sniggering at Goyle's loud raspberry. "I was informed that in a student's sixth year they have already advanced from such foul play." Professor Delphius rose from his chair, picked up his parchment and strode to the classroom's front.

"Students, let's begin the school year on happier notes." His tone was soft and misty. "My name is Ildus Delphius. I am..." But it was not heard was Professor Delphius was because at that precise moment and huge explosion rocketed the castle. Ildus Delphius turned swiftly to the window and with a hurried, "Students, stay here!" he ran out of the classroom.

Pandemonium swiftly spread throughout the small classroom. Parvati and Lavender rushed to the window. "The North Tower, it's gone!" Parvati shrilly screamed and it was so. Soon 15 students had rushed to the small window where the North Tower was once visible. Others had run to the door and found it locked. Automatically they began hurriedly exclaiming 'Alohomora,' but to no avail.

"He can't just shut us in here like this!" Seamus hollered. But soon enough, the class had realized that their petty attempts of escape would leave them nowhere. So all the students sat down in their chair and waited.

After about thirty minutes later Professor Delphius opened the door. Students, he began please report to your dormitories. We have a Death Eater in the castle.