To Crash and Burn

"Have you noticed Peeves isn't causing any annoyance as of late? Rather peaceful Hogwarts is without nuisance of that sort," Nearly Headless Nick said.

"He does not want to be involved in any bother with Baron. Baron's been very busy with Professor Snape nowadays," the fair ghostess of Ravenclaw replied.

"Yes. He's been very much less sociable lately." Sir Nicholas said. "The heads of houses are meeting here soon, we better be off."

"Have you heard anything about Harry?"

"Yes. He was given the week to recuperate - but hadn't used it wisely. Instead, he attended every class and bicker. Been left alone excessively, rejects all company."

"I heard he didn't reject the company of the Slytherin boy, Malfoy, that day."

"Very alarming, I am very suspicious."

"As 3/4 of Hogwarts."

"I must say, though, that Harry must be handled with extreme caution: we don't want him turning close to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Cho Chang gasped inaudibly as the ghosts disappeared through the wall and quickly made her way back to the Great Hall.

"Hello Harry." She smiled.

"Hello Myrtle."

"Well, what's wrong?" She said, her smile turning into a wondering scowl.

"Nothing Myrtle."

She wasn't convinced and realized hurt in Harry's usually vacant expression he usually wore since the end of fifth year. "That doesn't seem right."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But Harry, you'll feel much better if you do, you people always do."

"Drop it, Myrtle!"

She gasped and sobbed. "I was only trying to help!"

"Well, stop helping then."

She screamed and dived into her toilet cubicle.

He faced The Sink.

"Haa-hshii!"

The sink dislocated and opened the entrance to the chamber. Harry went down. He walked into the chamber till he reached the center. "Inflamari," he hissed, holding his hand out. The blood vessels of his extended hand deoxygenated as the random torches lit the chamber up.

"Very good, Potter," he recalled. "'Voldemort is my past, present and future'." (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, JK Rowling). He looked at the water. "'You were brilliant Fawkes', I wasn't quick enough." (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, JK Rowling). The Memories... "'There is no good and evil'. 'There is only power and those afraid to seek it'." (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone, JK Rowling).

"The fools. Thinking me their puppet. Like I'm going to forgive and forget. Sadly mistaken miserable souls. Throwing me into a murderous cage since age one. Matching me with an ancient rune. Fools."

"Where is the Weasel?" Harry snorted. "Tell me, Potter, where is that filthy little mudblood?" Harry narrowed his eyes. "Who's there when you need them?" He sneered. "You're the only Gryffindor here."

"And you're the only Slytherin here."

Harry's eyes fell to where Fawkes dropped the Sorting Hat that evening.

"How ironic," he darkly sneered.

"Think, think, think, Potter..."

Harry walked back to the common room later. "Hello, Harry!" a voice turned him abruptly. He was blinded momentarily by a flash.

Colin blinked then stepped back. Harry walked away. He grabbed his books and belingings then headed to Transfiguration. McGonagall and Hermione were talking about something when he entered the classroom. He went to sit. "Good afternoon professor." HE opened his journal and started writing, ignoring the world.

Hermione remembered Ron's words:

"If only we can get out hands on that journal!"

"It's charmed to repel from anyone unless Harry physically gives it to them."

"So we surround it. It's bloody important - Harry always writes in there."

She sighed and turned back to the professor.

Minutes later, students filed in.

Ron sat next to him.

"Harry! Did you hear? Malfoy fell off his broom yesterday during Slytherin's practice!" Seamus said.

"Hit by a bludger!" Dean snickered.

"What?" Harry finally reacted. "Somebody hit him with a bludger?"

"It was hit by him. No Slytherin in his right mind would dare touch Malfoy, like any other sane person. But Malfoy? I don't know... he'd hit anything!"

Dean and Seamus shook with laughter.

Harry wordlessly got up and collected his things. He approached.

"Excuse me professor, may I be excused to go to the infirmary?"

"What for Potter?"

"It's an emergency."

"If you must. Do tell Poppy to report what's wrong to me."

Harry made his way out.

"Where does he think he's going!" Hermione hissed.

Harry walked into the infirmary a couple of minutes later and looked for the blonde head. He approached the bed hid by a partition. "Why, Mr. Potter, are you not in class, prey tell?"

"Madame Pomfrey, I broke my heart, can you fix it?" Harry said, totally ignoring the 'greasy git'. His eyes watched Malfoy not stirring in the bed.

"Your heart, Potter?" Madame Pomfrey asked, surprised.

"My arm."

She took a look.

"You arm is fine."

"No." He hit it against the partition so that the skin broke. Snape an dPomfrey reacted quickly by grabbing the swinging partition and restraining Harry. "Not anymore."

"Mr. Potter!" she exclaimed at the bleeding arm.

"What in the name of Merlin are you thinking, Potter!" Snape barked.

"Are you going to heal it?" Harry calmly asked.

This was new to the professors. Very new indeed...

"Who are you?" Snape demanded.

"You should know," Harry retorted accusingly in a hiss.

"No, I'm afraid not."

"I am your past, your present and your future. I am your life and eventually your death. I am The Boy Who Lived and Died, the Rise and Shine - Pride and Joy of the wizarding world, and most probably its downfall. I am Harry Potter, staring back at you with eyes wide open." Harry's eyes left Snape's with the last letter and turned to Madame Pomfrey. "I do not appreciate being neglected, Madame Pomfrey."

"You've gone barking mad," Snape stated. "You will come with me immediately to the headmaster's office, Potter."

"And let you receive the blame for my arm infecting? Let's go, professor."

"That will be enough, Mr. Potter! Let's go to the other bed and leave this one to rest," Madame Pomfrey demanded.

"Of course. We wouldn't dream of waking our sweet little angel."

Snape fumed. "Insolent imbecile! How dare you dwadle me! I have never met a more foolish harlequin. Fifty points from Gryffindor and I will see the headmaster for this," Snape fumed.

"Ok. I'll probably get detention till I graduate. But believe me, you have met a more foolish-"

"I will made sure you don't graduate from this institute, Potter. Mark my words."

"Oh I'm-"

"ENOUGH!" Madame Pomfrey cried out, irate. "Professor Snape I do advise you leave my infirmary at once! Mr. Potter, I do suggest a quieter and cleaner mouth in here. Do NOT," she breathed, "make me take this to the office. You know how serious the office is about teachers disturbing the peace, Severus. I do advise the end of this immediately." She glared at Harry. "On that bed, Potter." She turned to Snape. "I suggest 'out that door', professor." She fixed the partition.

Albus Dumbledore walked into the infirmary.

"Professor Dumbledore-"

"I have heard quite enough, Severus. Listen, and listen very carefully. What I am about to say will indeed be the beginning or the end."