The Shadows of His Past

The rest of the ride to Hogwarts continued in uneasy, controlled silence, but no one could suppress the furtive glances at a friend- glances that betrayed fear and revealed an underlying excitement of the unknown.

"Go on, Ron!" hissed Seamus Finnigan, giving Ron an encouraging push.

"You do it!"

"No, you! You're closer!"

Ron took a deep breath, "Has anyone got their wand, then?"

Hermione stepped forward, and handed Ron the wand, which she would have used to hex Malfoy. I still can, she considered, spying his blonde hair glittering in the darkness. As their hands came in contact she held unto her wand a bit longer then necessary. I'm going to regret this, I know I will. Ron blushed.

"ARGH!"

From the darkness, a blur emerged. The wand and candle light briefly illumed it, but all that could be seen was a shock of blonde hair. Or was that Malfoy's hair? But it was gone as quickly as it came.

****

"What was that, Ron?" exclaimed Padma, tugging on Ron`s sleeve and leaning into his arm as they walked through the heavy doors that opened to Hogwarts.

Ron looked uncomfortable, "Well..." he squirmed, leaning away from Padma.

"Ron, you were closest, you must've got a good look at it!" yelled Seamus, giving him a clap on his back.

Dean stepped forward, next to Padma, "I was pretty close too!" he put an arm on her shoulder, and whispered, "I reckon, it was a lethifold." Everyone stared at him. "You know one of those deadly beasts that look like a cloak? The ones that creep up when you're sleeping and suffocate you?" Everyone continued staring at Dean. "Last time I listen in Care of Magical Creatures," he muttered under his breath.

Padma shrugged his arm off with practiced ease. She stepped closer to Ron and whispered in his ear, "You were very brave."

Ron looked in the other direction and pretended not to notice her. His face turned a deep crimson as he sought out Hermione's bushy hair amongst the throng of students. He stepped in her direction and called, "Oh, Herm-oh-ninny!"

Hermione groaned. I hate it when he calls me that. She raised her eyes to the enchanted ceiling and pretended not to notice the eagerly gesturing redhead behind her.

She opened her mouth for a cutting response. "Ron-" but Hermione was distracted by the maniacal cackling of Peeves the Poltergeist, as he began to do a spirited tap dance on several people's heads, including hers. "Ow!"

"Peeves, now, enough is enough!" cried Professor McGonagall, exasperatedly, as once more she found him practicing his dance moves on the students heads, "Get down here, this instant!" she screamed, hurling hexes angrily at him as he spun away chuckling and occasionally blowing raspberries in her direction.

"Good old Hogwarts," remarked Harry thoughtfully, as he watched familiar faces chatting in the noisy hall and a livid McGonagall chasing Peeves. The entire school settled into a sense of comfort- comfort that only the aging and beautiful castle could bring.

Before she sat at the Gryffindor table, Hermione took a deep breath. She pulled her thoughts together and let the bossy, sensible, in control, real Hermione Granger take over. If he calls me `Herm-oh-ninny' I'm going to scream. She strode to the Gryffindor Table huffily.

"Sorry Hermione," muttered Harry, sheepishly.

"Yeah," Ron grumbled, "but we'd've known about you being a Prefect if you'd kept in touch." This half-hearted apology barely tugged at Hermione's heartstrings. She frowned, pushing her chestnut hair out of her face.

"Had a good summer, eh?" asked Nearly-Headless Nick, cheerfully to the Gryffindor's which was answered by a general chorus of vague responses. He grinned and pulled his overlarge ruff a little higher on his unstable neck.

"Yeah..."

"I guess..."

"Mmhmm..."

"I hope they hurry with the Sorting..."groaned Ron as he stared expectantly at the, now empty, golden plates.

"Shh...Ron it's about to start!" scolded Hermione impatiently as a small flap at the mouth of the hat opened wide-

"Hurry, Ginny! We're going to be..." Colin Creevey's voice faded off as all eyes in the Hall turned to him.

"Late," finished Professor Snape icily, striding forward with a particularly venomous smile at the two Gryffindors.

"I will handle this, Severus," snapped Professor McGonagall, holding out her arm to stop Snape from continuing forward. She hastily handed the Sorting list to Professor Sprout and barked, "Weasley! Creevey! My office! Now!" Pointing to the exit of the Great Hall, she strode angrily out with the tardy pair following guiltily after her.

Professor Sprout stood up, rather hesitantly, reading various names alphabetically off of a piece of parchment.

"Alba, Serena," she called, causing a small, timid girl to hesitantly put on the hat.

After a moment's pause, the hat announced, "HUFFLEPUFF!" and the little girl ran to the table where a merry ghost known as the Fat Friar eagerly welcomed her.

"Douglas, Amelia" became the first Gryffindor and so it continued all the way until...

"Eriksson, Stanley", who was a Ravenclaw.

"Wonder who our new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher is going to be?" Hermione mused, quickly scanning the teachers' table in search of new faces. Catching Hagrid's eye, she saw him smile and wave at her. He looked different. Very different. She giggled, "Look at Hagrid!" Hermione prodded Ron.

Harry laughed, "I must say it does all the better for him." and he gave Hagrid a thumbs up sign. The messy tangles of untamed hair were now cut easily half a foot shorter and were combed back.

Ron grinned, "He probably just wanted to look better for Madame Maxime." he chanced a half glance at Hermione, "He really likes her."

Hermione smiled in a self-satisfied sort of way, "He`d better! He spent all summer with her," she murmured. Harry and Ron grinned and gave Hagrid another set of thumbs up.

Hermione laughed. "He was off being an ambassador." Harry and Ron both raised their eyebrows.

"Being an ambassador, eh?" Ron smirked, and winked again, "So that's what they call it nowadays...Hagrid you old dog."

Slowly, comprehension dawned on Harry, "Of course! That special job over the summer...Dumbledore suggested that Fudge-"

Ron smirk quickly turned into a scowl, "Don't even mention that name."

"Well, Dumbledore suggested that he send envoy's to the giants-" Harry continued in an undertone, looking around the chattering table.

"And who better then Hagrid and Madame Maxime!" exclaimed Hermione a little too loudly. People stared.

"Who is our new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher is going to be?" Seamus said to Ron as the last name, "Zarelli, Joseph", was called.

"Dunno," whispered Ron, "But I `spect we'll be finding out soon," Ron nodded at Dumbledore as he raised his hands for silence.

"Ah, another year at dear old Hogwarts...another feast, another beginning- for many," announced Dumbledore, "Meet our new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher, Professor Evaline Smethwyk." At her name, a very skinny woman with highly pronounced cheekbones stepped forward, immediately dominating the entire table with a perturbing sense of mystery. Despite her paleness, she had a certain air of elegance, which made up for her lack of beauty. There was a rather weak applause, as many students stared at the cold, expressionless face, framed by locks of shoe-polish black hair, and looked to her class without enthusiasm.

"Oh boy," said Ron sarcastically.

Dean leaned over to Harry and whispered, "Snape must be fuming, he missed the Defense Against Dark Arts job again!"

Hermione once more scanned the teacher's table and said, somewhat surprised, "I don't think so." She pointed to where Snape stood. Harry felt his jaw drop; he had just seen the strangest thing. He had seen Snape laugh.

"Look!" he hissed, "Snape is-"

Seamus looked up mildly surprised and whispered something to Lavender Brown. She giggled, "I reckon their friends."

"She looks even tougher then Mc Gonagall," muttered Harry with a groan. Hermione, however, did not say anything, and only picked her Shepard's pie. She sighed and rested her head sadly on her elbows.

Harry looked at her with surprise, "What's the matter, Hermione?"

"She's probably thinking about her classes or something," said Ron distractedly, eyeing the last treacle tart.

Hermione glared daggers at Ron and mumbled, "I was just thinking...oh never mind." She waved her hand vaguely.

Harry stared at her out of the corner of his eye and finally remarked, "This has nothing to do with spew, right?"

This seemingly offhand comment had its desired effect, Hermione laughed, "No, Harry. I think S. P. E. W is permanently disbanded." Ron and Harry both feigned disappointment.

"But Hermione-!" They pretended to protest.

Dumbledore stood up once more, "To all new students remember the Forbidden Forest is exactly that, forbidden. Also, the list of unacceptable items has been extended to include all of Fred and George Weasley's new supplies of magical mischief- Really P.U.Trid Dung Bombs, Canary Creams, Ton Tongue Toffees, etc. Good night to you all! Off you trot."

As Harry passed by the teacher's table, he heard Filch whisper to Ms. Norris, "Should have known those miserable twins would give us trouble, even after they graduated." The Gryffindors cheerfully exited the Great Hall, chatting noisily. Distracted by Peeves, who had stolen Professor Flitwick's hat, they ran straight into Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins.

"Watch where you're going, Mudblood!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson at Hermione.

The Gryffindors glowered at the Slytherins, who merely waggled their tongues menacingly. Ron stepped forward, but was held back, "Gerroff Harry!" but the strong, almost painful, grip remained and he turned around- annoyed. He paled. "Professor!"

"Is there trouble here?" Inquired their new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher, who looked sternly at the Slytherins and Gryffindors.

"There's always trouble when Potter's around," whispered Snape, giving Harry a particularly venomous look, "Right Malfoy?" but Draco, too, had paled, even more then usual, and no longer seemed like he wanted his thoughts to be heard.

A large group had collected around the exit of the Great Hall, but Snape shooed them irritably away, "Clear off! Unless you want a detention with me tomorrow. I`m sure Mr. Filch and I would be more then happy to arrange something. Something very painful." The other Houses quickly left at this, heading down the corridors to their dormitories, and scowling at Professor Snape. "Sorry to spoil your fun," he sneered at their retreating backs, obviously delighted with spreading misery amongst his students.

As the Gryffindor's stomped angrily away, Ron commented, "Weird, though, that Draco wouldn`t give us a bad wrap to the new teacher. That was almost human of him."

"Yeah, almost," said Hermione with a cheerful smile at Ron. Ron blushed and tripped on the trick step most students had learned to avoid.

****

Harry awoke to find himself the only one in the dormitory. He entered the Great Hall quickly and plopped himself next to Hermione at the head of the Gryffindor table.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing," Hermione responded quickly. Too quickly. Harry raised his eyes, but dismissed it as the post owls had just arrived. One dropped the Daily Prophet and an enormous Great Grey dropped a letter in Hermione's lap.

"Who's it from?" asked Harry as Ron groggily stumbled into the Hall.

For a moment she was silent. "Viktor..." murmured Hermione, wistfully, turning scarlet as Ron pulled out the chair next to her.

"Ah, we have eggs and bacon!" said Ron, loudly, giving himself generous portions of each and eating them ravenously, not really seeming to pay attention to anything else.

Harry whispered to Hermione," What's in the letter from Viktor?" She blushed again and began stammering something incoherent. Spying Lavender, she got up and went to catch up with her just as she was leaving the Hall. "Wonder what that was about," he muttered to Ron, but Ron, too, had gone.

As Hedwig alighted beside Harry's glass of pumpkin juice, he ruffled her feathers tenderly and sighed, "Perhaps, we're the only ones who haven't changed." He looked up at the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall, cherishing each moment he had in Hogwarts. Hedwig gave his finger a gentle nip and ate his toast crusts gratefully before she soared out of the Hall, and to the Owlery.

Over his schedule, Harry spied Ginny as she began to bolt through her servings of eggs and bacon. "Hi Ginny! How are you doing?" He asked casually, taking a mouthful of omelet.

Ginny jumped, startled and looked around the noisy Hall as though to make certain that Harry was talking to her, "Oh, fine!" she smiled, blushing almost to the color of her red hair and knocking over her goblet of pumpkin juice. Harry pretended not to notice and Ginny pretended that it hadn't happened.

He quickly scanned the table, looking for anything that might be harmed by the spreading juice and realized he had received a letter. Opening the envelope, he noticed that it bore the Hogwarts seal, and rushed to read:

Harry felt slightly ominous about what exactly Hagrid's surprise was, but he scribbled, "I'll be there." hastily on the back of the parchment, nonetheless. The foreboding feeling lingered, but he ignored it as he read his course schedule, "Damn! Double Potions first...with Malfoy and Snape," he said aloud to no one in particular.

"How are you doing, Harry?" queried Ginny, moving her arm to cover the spreading pumpkin juice. She winced and hoped that the juice would be dry before her first class.

"Oh, I'm just fine!" Harry smiled, "Look! Someone spilled their juice and didn't clean it up. Your arm's in it." He shook his head, hiding a grin, "Why don't I help you with that?" Without waiting for a response he stood up and proceeded mopping up the spreading liquid with his napkin. "Give me your arm," he ordered. Hesitantly, she held out her arm, and flinched almost as though she thought that Harry's touch would burn. Still smiling, Harry cleaned up her arm and sleeve as best as he could.

"Silly of them," remarked Harry with a grin, "Not to clean it up."

"Oh, well," Ginny blushed, looking up at him and smiling, "sometimes people do silly things."

Harry took a step closer to Ginny. He just realized this was the first time she had looked him full in the face. "Too true," he murmured.

"Hi, Harry, hey!" called an all-too-familiar voice. Apparently Colin's admiration of him hadn't diminished over the summer. Harry groaned inwardly and looked up at Ginny`s face. It was then he realized he was still holding her damp arm. He gingerly put it on the table and began finishing the remains of his omelet.

"Hello Colin," Harry said, somewhat distantly, in a dull monotone.

"Hey Ginny! See you in Transfiguration!" called Colin Creevey, making his way over to Harry and Ginny.

Harry remembered he was still staring at Ginny and dropped his gaze. Ginny hastily picked up her book bag and ran to catch up with Colin and they walked together out of the Hall.

Ron and Lavender reentered the Hall and sat themselves on either side of Harry. Lavender opened her mouth to say something, but spotted Parvati and ran to catch up with her. Harry packed up his book bag, and took a heaping mouthful of his ketchup and eggs. Ron cursed under his breath as he peered over Harry`s shoulder at his schedule, "Can hardly wait," he mumbled sarcastically, "Yet, we struggle to get on time for a class we can't stand. Ironic, huh?" he asked, giving Harry a nudge.

But Harry was unusually silent.

"Your 5 minutes late boys...let's see, why not take five-" he stopped as Harry and Ron flinched, but Snape merely waved his hand irritably motioning for them to take their seats and set up their cauldrons. He continued, "...lacewings with one dash of essence of Belladonna."

Harry and Ron were dumbfounded, in fact, so was the rest of the class. Snape never passed up a chance to take off points from Gryffindor. Harry looked at Hermione seated next to Neville and mouthed, What's wrong with Snape?

Suddenly, Neville's cauldron began bubbling with intense ferocity, spraying the whole class with drops of magenta potion. Snape darted forward extinguishing the fire and shooting red sparks from his wand to control the unruly class. Many of the students screamed, burned by scalding drops of liquid. Neville was shivering, backing slowly out of prominence, waiting for Snape to explode at him as he always did. However, Snape merely glowered at the twisted remains of Neville's cauldron.

No one spoke as he turned to Neville, spitting, "You'll need to get a new cauldron." Neville stood frozen, staring speechless at Snape's retreating backside.

"I reckon Snape's gone mad," muttered Dean Thomas to Ron and Harry, "Why else would he be nice?" The bell rang, leaving the class still surprised and somewhat scared as they exited the dungeon as quickly as possible.

"He wasn't exactly nice, he just passed up a chance to be mean," remarked Hermione, walking a bit faster then the drifting Gryffindors.

"Well, that's something for Snape." Ron shrugged. Neville nodded vigorously.

"Maybe he's in love," suggested Parvati Patil as she reapplied her large ornamental butterfly to the end of her plait- it had become askew in the chaos several minutes earlier.

"In love?" Ron sniggered, his eyes still on Hermione, "Maybe he's just happy to have a friend."

"I think he's saving up all his anger and in one day he'll SNAP!" cried Seamus eagerly motioning with his hands. "You never know maybe we can `unveil the depths of the future' for Snape in Divination."

Dean and Ron both burst out laughing as Harry imitated Professor Trelawney's misty voice, "I see in your future...alas, death! Wait, no, I see that for everyone!" He pretended to faint, accidentally dropping his inkbottle.

Dean stopped him from cleaning up the black blots on the stone floor. "Do you see that?" he whispered pointing to the spilt ink.

Harry looked startled. "Erm..."

"It's the Grim, Harry! The Gri-i-im!" hissed Dean and widening his eyes in mock fear. Harry looked up at the trapdoor above him and began to slowly climb up the ladder that led into her classroom.

"Mr. Potter! In your seat, immediately!" scolded Professor Trelawney, as Lavender and Parvati looked at her with admiration and scowled at Harry, Seamus, Ron, and Dean. Immediately, the strong musty odor of the burning incense flooded Harry`s nostrils and he felt tired. He sank into a pouf next to Ron.

"As I was saying before Potter, Finnigan, Thomas, and Weasley decided to grace us with their presence..." She stopped and resumed her airy manner. "We will first study the ancient art of the I CHING, then move on to numerology, but I will have to stop our lessons as I will get the flu and your substitute will be ignorant of Divination. Nonetheless, when I recover we will continue on to astral projection..." She stopped again and stared at Harry. No, not again, he inwardly groaned, "You're going to-" she stopped. He screwed up his eyes and thought, Go on. Say it- its not I like I haven't heard it before. "You scar is -" but whatever Professor Trelawney was going to say, she was stopped mid-sentence, as Harry had grown rigid in his seat.

****

Harry was in a cavern. Damp, clinging mist hung about the scattered rocks and boulders like an obscuring halo. He slowly stepped into the silent, shadowed unknown. His foot struck something solid- warm and soft.

"Wha-" he uttered in surprise, but he heard nothing. It was an unnatural silence. In quiet- noise exists, but it is not important; here noise was non-existent.

"Anyone out there?" Silence. Harry's unheard voice became frantic. "Hello?"
The silence was deafening. A low cry that seemed to pervade from the entire place, called his name. "Hello?" A moan. Shattered silence. Was that Moody's voice? He will kill you. Harry once more stepped forward. His foot struck something again.

"Wha-" he bent forward, but everything was swallowed by the ensnaring darkness. It lured him forward. Another moan. Another step. He will kill you.

Then he heard Cedric's voice. "Wands out, d'you reckon?" And Harry looked down. Two wide, glassy eyes stared at him- his face permanently frozen into and expression of surprise. It's all my fault. I told him to take the trophy.

"Harry Potter..." I told him to take the trophy. Two red eyes gleamed in the night. I told him to take the trophy. Pale, glowing hands, bearing a wand, emerged in the darkness. Harry didn't move. It's all my fault. A flash of green. And all was darkness.

Dudley Dursley awoke, his enormous chest rising and rippling like the incoming tide, with huge gasping breaths.

****

"The Dark Lord is approaching Hogwarts." Harry heard a sharp intake of breath.

"Are you sure?" whispered a voice that nonetheless carried around the empty corridor.

"Now, that the Dark Lord has returned, he must be taken care of." More whispers.

"He's getting old- his health is unstable nowadays."

"Yes. I am quite certain that action can be taken..." Snape paused. "Ah...Mr. Potter." As though predicting his next move, Snape barred the way to Dumbledore's office, looking twice and ugly and three times as stern as the stone gargoyle behind him.

"Professor Snape, I have to see Headmaster Dumbledore," said Harry, moving around him. Snape sidestepped him and continued blocking his way.

"The Headmaster is busy." Snape's thin lips, curled into a derisive smile. "I think the Headmaster had more important duties then listening to the ramblings of a delusional boy with hallucinations and a headache. See Madam Pomfrey." Snape began to glide away.

"Madam Pomfrey...? No, I-"

"What Potter?" he spat, "Do you truly need the Headmaster to kiss your bruises when you're hurt? Pathetic." Severus Snape saw the Potter boy wince. Ah, he had struck his pride. His thin-lipped smile broadening, Snape waited for Harry to leave.

Harry rocked on the balls of his feet. He wasn`t about to let that slimy git instigate him. Snape`s eyes bore into him, they were like to dying embers, releasing burning heat, but dark. Coal black. The color of the fathomless deep. The shuttered windows to Professor Snape`s soul. "But Professor Dumbledore told me to tell him if my scar hurt..."

"Very well, Potter. You may speak with Dumbledore." Snape held out his hand, indicating the guarded door, with exaggerated politeness. And with a swish, he was gone.

Draco pretended sympathy, "Did ickle Potty have a headache?"

Harry ignored him, but a flash of red in cheeks betrayed his fury. Malfoy smiled and slowly left to catch up with Snape.

"Mars is bright tonight." The gargoyle remained motionless. Harry cursed under his breath.

"Dark nights are always unpleasant?"

"The clouds are heavy?" And the door creaked open. He mounted the moving stairs and entered the empty room. Harry sat impatiently in Dumbledore`s office, his beaten up sneakers restlessly kicking at the clawed wooden feet of the chair. Headmaster Dumbledore strode into the room and silently stood in front of the four large windows that opened to the Hogwarts grounds. The clouds hung heavy in the sky, framing the old man in halo of gloom, and illuminating his white beard until it shone. His gnarled hands gripped unto the wooden sill with such ferocity it seemed as though he yet protected the school with his formidable strength. He's getting old- his health is unstable nowadays. Harry sighed. What of Hogwarts when Dumbledore is dead?

Harry began hesitantly, "Today in Divination, my scar was hurting-"

Dumbledore interrupted, "Yes, I know." He smiled at Harry and for a moment he personified Hogwarts itself. And in an instant the glamour, the power- was gone and he was just a tired old man. He sighed, "You should get back to Divination."

As Harry left Dumbledore's office he was reminded of the ballad of the Fisher King. He heard it long ago- as a lullaby? The King dwelt in a castle in the middle of a wasteland; and as the king grew older and his power waned, as did the land fade and become barren.

Harry muttered, "What of Hogwarts when Dumbledore is dead?" He whispered to himself, "The clouds are heavy around this place and Voldemort is slowly approaching."

And then he heard it- the swish of a cloak.

R G/R

l Gryffindor Table l H

H/L

Top- Ron (first time he sat down), Ginny & Ron (when he returns with Lavender)

Middle- Harry

Bottom- Hermione & Lavender

From this chappie, I think it's pretty obvious what SHIPs I sail on. ::sheepish grin:: Is anyone is reading this fic. ::looks around room:: Hello? Anyone there? R/R!