Tears in Heaven

Nor rubbed his face and found his cheeks wet with salty tears. He quickly wiped them all away and when he looked back up into the fire, he saw words within them.

"In the middle of the night, will he return.

The Plan to ruins - lost and burned.

His purpose be not yet fulfilled

Until the right path is again instilled.

A heart is to be restored - a life is to be claimed,

From long ago - the Hero was tamed.

Into Death must one journey

To bring back who will grasp victory.

A past will come forth - Young and Old will reunite

To conquer the one and win the Fight."

He stared at the words that had formed before him. Someone suddenly knocked on the door and he jumped up. The words disappeared with the wave of his hand and he quickly made his way to the door. On the other side stood Remus. The other man smiled when he saw his guest, but Nor was too preoccupied to notice his rather downcast nature. "Nor," said Remus, "just wanted to tell you breakfast is ready."

"Thanks," said the latter with a smile. "I'll be down soon."

Remus nodded and left.

Nor turned back to the fire and, with another wave of his hand, words reappeared in the flames, but they weren't the same.

It was then that his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he slid off his chair to the floor.

~*~

Hallie stirred and blinked her eyes open. She was confronted with a ceiling painted hunter green and walls the same color. The curtains were black velvet and no light seeped past them. The room was really void of light except for something glowing nearby. The other half of the room was separated by a flimsy curtain - only slightly see through. She slowly sat up and felt the distinct feeling of helplessness. After many attempts, she finally got herself propped into a sitting position with the help of the fluffy pillows surrounding her. It took a moment to get her breathing back to normal, but once that was done, she wiped the beads of sweat that had formed on her brow away.

After a short moment, a creak was heard. Mumbling voices could be heard and Hallie braced herself. She knew she wasn't home anymore - but she could remember last night's events...or at least she believed they were last nights. It was hard to tell how long she was out. Two figures approached - only their outlines visible in the feeble light of the room and through the near transparent curtain. The drape was pushed back and they walked towards her.

A smirk appeared on the face of the man she knew as Ian McLowe. He sat at the edge of her bed and grinned tauntingly at her as her eyes widened. She moved herself away from him. He caught her wrist in a tight grip and she knew that purple marks would be the result. "You remember me, don't you?" he said in a velvet smooth voice. The other man stood a few feet away, watching. She turned her face away from him and didn't even try to free her arm from his grasp - she didn't want to waste her strength...or what little of it she had. He reached out and turned her face so that she was looking at him. She glared at him in hatred. He was the one responsible for her being where she was. It was his fault. He ran a finger down her jaw line. She spat at him. His mocking grin was soon replaced with a scowl as he backhanded her. "Bitch," he growled.

"Bastard," she countered just as menacingly back.

He raised his hand at her again but the other man stepped forward and gripped Evan Rosier's wrist in warning. Evan pulled his wrist away, stood up and pointed threateningly at Hallie. "You'd better watch yourself, Miss Forester," he hissed, then, after giving her wrist an extra hard squeeze, he turned and promenaded out of the room.

Hallie eyed Lucius Malfoy warily before turning her face away from him. "It won't be long now," he said evenly.

At the strange tone in his voice, she turned to look at him. "What?"

He smirked the legendary Malfoy smirk. "We're leaving soon - at dawn on the upcoming day." Lucius dropped a piece of parchment on her lap. "Save up your strength," he added. "You'll need it." The blond headed man looked at her expectantly.

Hallie picked up the piece of paper and smoothed it out. What she saw was a strange looking image - almost like a compass. Below the picture were the words 'X marks the spot.' She looked up at Lucius in curiosity. He smirked and stood up. "What is this?" she wondered.

"It's the map that will lead your loved ones to you," he replied. He turned and approached the exit.

"Whatever happened to you?" she blurted out suddenly.

He turned back around and looked at her in contemplation. The expression upon his face was of mild alarm as if he had never been asked such a question. After a short moment, he said, "I was gone before I was ever pulled in."

Hallie watched as he left the room.

~*~

Hermione set off at a quick pace and Ron scowled as he hurried to catch up. "What's gotten into you?" he exclaimed. "You're acting stranger than normal!" When she turned to look at him with a raised brow, he continued, encouraged by her slight reaction. "Not that you're really ever normal - I mean, I don't think anyone in the world loves school as much as you do...well, maybe Perce...he's - no, that's not the point. You've been avoiding me!" He blushed when she glanced at him once more. "Well, not just me, but Harry!" He paused. "But, more importantly, me!" His ears went pink when she looked at him in amusement. "I mean that I'm failing Potions!"

"Ron, I've been helping you with Potions," Hermione pointed out.

He frowned. "When was the last time."

She sighed and looked at the ceiling. "Just a couple of hours ago, before Malfoy fainted."

Ron grinned suddenly. "He already looked a bit feminine...then he goes fainting," he chuckled.

Hermione stopped and turned to him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I didn't mean anything about girls...always...fainting, I just meant -," but she rolled her eyes and started walking once more. He rushed to catch up. "Don't change the subject!" he exclaimed.

Hermione chanced another quick glance at him and noted that his freckles were standing out more than usual. A smile tugged at the ends of her lips. His red hair seemed slightly astray, though not as messy as Harry's was. In his eyes burned a fire of emotion and she admired him for that very thing. He seemed sparked into life with every feeling he had - whether it was anger or remorse, he expressed himself with passion.

She then noticed that he was still speaking. "...Seamus and Dean said, right?" It was a question.

"Sorry, Ron, can you repeat that please? You were just droning on and on that I couldn't keep listening," she said with a barely restrained grin.

Ron looked at her straight face and glared. "I said that you know what Seamus and Dean said right? You know, about...about..."

"Oh, Ron, about what?" she said, impatience in her tone.

"About you and - and Malfoy," replied Ron in a conspiring tone.

"What?"

"You know..."

"No, Ron, I don't know," she said to him. They arrived at the painting of the Fat Lady. "Caput Draconis," Hermione said. The painting swung open and she led the way in. It was empty; everyone had gone down to lunch.

"They said that...well, they said that you...you and Malfoy..." He stopped and frowned. "Hermione, it's true. You've been going off on your own a lot and once at dinner, you left and a short while later, Malfoy left!" said Ron with wide eyes. Hermione held back her laughter. She shook her head at Ron and mimicked his expression - widening her eyes and looking horrified. He glared at her. "Look, I'm just trying to look at for you, you know. That's what they're saying and by your reaction, it's a bit hard not to believe," he said, crossing his arms.

She looked at him in sympathy. Dear Ron, great friend Ron...she smiled inwardly. "Just what exactly are you getting at?" she asked, putting a bit of strain in her voice. His lips were pursed tightly and formed a straight white line. She then noticed that his hands were balled into fists. Her expression softened. "Look, Ron, I really have to get my Arithmancy book. We're going to miss lunch if I don't hurry and get it. Do you want to go on to lunch without me?"

He blinked at her. "What?" He ran a hand through his hair, further messing it up. "Oh - oh, no. I'll wait right here," he said, looking at her as if she were trying to trick him. She nodded and went up to the girls' dormitory with a smile upon her face.

A moment later, Hermione came back down the steps to see Ron pacing back and forth before the fire in the deserted common room. She backed up a bit to stay out of sight. "I should," Ron whispered to himself. "I shouldn't be afraid - what would the others say?" He looked up towards the dormitories and advanced towards it. Then he turned around and marched back towards the fire. "No, no, I shouldn't do it. I should wait until later...until...the summer, no, next year. Yes, next year. I -," but suddenly he heard a noise nearby. Hermione was looking at him strangely. "Oh! Hermione, hi," he said, blinking at her in surprise.

She walked towards him with an expression of amusement. "Did you know you were talking to yourself?" she asked.

He blinked at her. "What?"

"You were talking to yourself just now."

He couldn't seem to hear her. "What?" he asked again and she rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded like, 'honestly!' Ron shook his head as if shedding some thoughts. "Oh, oh right. Yes - yes, I knew that," he said afterwards. She nodded in disbelief. He walked over to her and held out his hand but quickly pulled it back. "Look, Hermione, we need to talk. Harry says I'm being crazy and a git, but everyone's talking about it," he told her, his face unusually grave.

She frowned at him. "Everyone's talking about what?" He scuffed a foot. "Ron, what is it?"

"Harry's been busy and I've asked him to talk to you, but he just says that I'm being hopeless. He thinks - he thinks..." but then he quickly looked up at her and blushed right to the tips of his ears.

"What?" she probed.

He shook his head. "Never mind that."

Hermione put her hands to her hips and glared at him. "Ron, I insist you tell me right this instant what you're babbling on about!"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Hermione, um - the boys - that is, Dean and Seamus, you know - well, you see, Hermione -," but she let out a sound of frustration.

"Get on with it already! Harry's right, you are acting like a git!"

He scowled at her. "Now look here, I'm just looking out for you and here you are being all ungrateful and you don't even know what -," but she cut him off again.

"Then bloody tell me and get this damned conversation moving!" she yelled.

He looked at her in surprise. "Her-Hermione, you-you just - you swore!" he exclaimed, looking at her with wide eyes.

She blinked at him. "Oh, really?" she asked sardonically. He just looked at her in incredulity and she fought the urge to slap him across his face. "Now, Ron, do tell me what it is you're trying to tell me."

"Tell you?" he asked in a hoarse voice. "I - I really don't think I was going to tell you anything."

She scowled at him and stopped fighting. She hit him across the face - not as hard as she had Malfoy, but enough to snap him out of his daze. "You are in sufferable!" she yelled.

He slowly put a hand to his cheek as he gaped at her, his eyes goggling and his mouth hanging open in absolute horror. "You hit me! You - you actually hit me!" He looked positively horrified. She felt a strong pang of guilt but when he glared at her, she felt her action had sufficed. It had rather been a thrill being so daring. I must do things like that more often, she thought. "Fine, you want to know? Fine! Seamus and Dean think you're prancing around with some guy because of all the time you've been going off by yourself. You think no one notices, but I have! And Harry! And Dean and Seamus too! Even Neville has noticed! They think you're having it out with some boy! Seamus is insisting it's Draco Malfoy and Dean thinks it may be someone rather like those two bloody blokes - Crabbe or Goyle!" Now that he started, he couldn't seem to stop. "So tell me, we're all wondering, you know, what in the world are you doing?"

She blinked at him.

"Are you still writing to that Krum fellow? Seriously, Hermione, he couldn't do anything for you! You're better than he is! And besides, he lives all the way in Bulgaria!" He scowled at her. "And what did you do at his little castle over there that summer two years ago anyway?" He paused and ran a hand through his hair. "I mean it, Hermione, he really is not good for you. The others all say you're sneaking off with someone during your little excursions but I'm not sure. I really do think that maybe you're falling over yourself for Krum and writing bloody letters all the time. I mean, well, you seemed...you seemed...you seemed..."

"Ronald Weasley, are you finished yet?" interrupted Hermione, her hands on her hips. He looked up from the ground and blinked at her. His eyes were wide.

"Um...no - no, not yet, but...but if you'd like to say something, go on," he said softly.

Hermione couldn't help but smile so she did and laughed as well. He just stood there as if rooted to his spot and stared at her with those wide eyes of his. "Ron, I am not 'having it out' with Malfoy as you said or with Crabbe or Goyle. I'm definitely not fawning over Victor Krum - though we haven't stopped writing to one another," she saw Ron's face fall and restrained another smile, "but I don't like him, I assure you. We're just friends."

There was short moment of silence. "Well, Hermione, who is it then? It's...it's obvious that - that you're going on about - about something...what is it?" wondered Ron in a quiet tone.

"Oh, Ron," she said, shaking her head. Hermione dug around in her bag and pulled out something flat and round with an inch thick ivory rim. She came over to stand beside him before the fire and held the object before them. "It's...it's a Speculum. Er - I've been working on it for - for your birthday present," she told him in a voice barely above a whisper. She didn't meet his gaze but went on to explain. "Speculums are like mirrors...but they're enchanted. This one can show you whatever you like. If you wanted to see what someone was doing, you could...well, unless they have privacy spells around them, you could see them wherever they are." Her glance wandered out the window where a heavy storm was wreaking its havoc. "I...I wanted to give it to you at a better time, but...well, I guess that this is about as good a time as any." She finally chanced a look at him and saw that he was blinking blankly at the Speculum. He looked up at her but his expression didn't change.

Her heart sank. She dug around in her bag again and pulled out a box. "This is from me too, and Harry. He's been helping me with this one. It's...it's Wizard's Chess but Harry and I charmed the pieces to look like the Chuddley Cannons players and the Puddlemere United players. I didn't know what the players looked like so that's where Harry came in. Er - I suppose he would have wanted to be here to give it to you, but I doubt he'll mind. He has another present for you too." She handed both the Speculum and the Wizard's Chess board to him silently.

When she looked at him, the blank expression was still present upon his face and she got the distinct feeling that he didn't like the presents. She had thought and thought of something that he would have wanted and came up time after time with nothing. The Speculum and the Chessboard were things out of all her ideas she thought he would most enjoy but clearly she was wrong. Just the day before she had hoped and hoped that he would like them, and she was let down horribly. Hermione felt near tears and barely refrained from sniffling pathetically. It was raining outside and horribly gloomy but she couldn't help but feel excited to give him the presents. It couldn't have been a more desolate time to give him the presents. She had wanted his birthday to be special and she wanted her presents to be as well. Maybe she should have just gotten him some quidditch supplies instead.

Suddenly arms were wrapped around her and her face was pressed into black material. She blinked in surprise. When she felt as if she was starting to suffocate, Ron released her. "Hermione..." he started, then stopped. He opened and closed his mouth but seemed speechless. His pale blue eyes were still wide but held shock and awe within their depths. He pulled her close again and buried his face in her bushy brown hair. She wrapped her own arms around him lightly patting his back.

"Ron, I -," she began but cut herself off when he pulled back again.

"I - I can't believe...I can't believe you'd do this for me," Ron said, looking into her eyes intently. His voice was pitched low but was husky with emotion.

Hermione just looked at him, unsure of what to say. He smiled and smoothed her hair affectionately. She shivered at his touch. "I just wanted your birthday to be special," she told him softly. He scuffed a foot and chewed down on his lip before looking at her again. Ron bent his head towards her...

Suddenly, the portrait swung open and Neville rushed in. He looked between Ron and Hermione who both jumped apart when he stepped into the common room. "Oh - er - uh - sorry," he stammered and ran up to the boys' dormitory with an extremely red face. After a short moment, he came back down and after one more flustered look at the two, ran out of the room. Ron and Hermione looked at one another then broke out into laughter.

~*~

Gayle sat just beside the door, her head on her knees. She leaned against the wall and didn't seem to notice the pool of water that spread around her.

She then remembered the crushed look in his eyes. It seemed that he always lost everyone he cared about. Poor Billy Forester...she shook her head. He wasn't lost yet, it was part of some plan she wasn't let in on - or perhaps he was just the puppet she thought they made him to be. If he was a puppet, however, what would that make her? Her assignments made her feel less than a slave - and the cause behind her doing them, made her feel more so.

Gayle shifted on her spot. But Harry...Harry was different from anyone she had ever met. He wasn't like Draco or Keilan - someone who stood up for something, even if it was against everything they ever learned. No, he wasn't like them. They sacrificed more than anyone would ever know just to get one inch closer to the light - something that perhaps they would never reach. Harry wasn't like her either - someone who looked for help, who needed someone else to lead the way. When she couldn't find that someone, she had given up and tried to deal with what she was dealt. People like her, however, weren't made to deal. He was more of an individual - someone no one else could really comprehend. His past made him different, more secluded from everyone else, but his actions seemed to make him more so.

She took a deep breath and lifted her head. There was a feeling of deep exhaustion inside her as she stood up. It had been quite a while since she came inside and Harry still had not come it yet. She exited the school and saw that the storm was absolutely raging by now. As she walked back to the lake, she caught sight of a lone figure standing there. He fell to his knees, pressing his hands to his ears. There was a deafening rumble of thunder and a blinding flash of light, and then he collapsed entirely. Her heart seemed to skip a beat and in a moment she was rushing towards him.

There was a sudden pounding in her chest and a scary ringing in her ears. She remembered how he had looked at her. His eyes were clearer than she had ever seen them before and they seemed bore into her own without a bit of mercy. They seemed to penetrate right to her very soul. He knew, she thought in anguish, a weight settling in her chest. He knew all along...

Gayle felt tears slide down her cheeks.

...

Harry moaned softly as he shifted. He was lying in the grass and rain was positively pouring down upon him. His eyes were now open and he gazed around at the world that was a blur. Fumbling around in the grass and mud, he tried in vain to search for his glasses. He cursed under his breath and found that he was shaking. His body was sore and he was caught in surprise when he found part of the reason for his blindness were the tears stinging his eyes.

He caught sight of red and stumbled backwards. There was pressure on both sides of his face as someone held him steady. Soon, everything was clear - or clearer and he could make out enough in the chaos of the raging storm.

"Harry, Harry are you all right?" wondered Gayle, looking at him worriedly. She was standing above him and holding out a hand. He accepted it and stood up shakily. Her black silk robes were soaked through and her wavy auburn colored hair was plastered to her face. Lines of black ran down her cheeks and he guessed that it was make up.

"What happened?" he asked suddenly. He grasped her upper arms in his anxiety. "The green light - the screaming...I thought - I thought that you...What happened?"

Her verdant green eyes were wide as she stared at him. "I - I was running back into the castle and I - I sat near the door for a while and...and it was a long time and still you hadn't come in yet," she said. "I got...worried. So I went back outside and I saw you collapse."

"But...the green light...the screaming," he insisted in a trembling voice. "What was it?"

She blinked at him, her face void of expression but in her eyes he could see the emerald swirl of concern. "I...I came out late...I didn't see anything but you collapse," she said hesitantly. He gaped at her. "Maybe, maybe it was the lightning," offered Gayle. When he continued to stare at her she slowly peeled his grip from her arms. His knuckles had turned white with the pressure. She put her arm around him and helped Harry walk back into the castle. Instead of walking to Potions, they made their way to the Hospital Wing.

Gayle looked around but the room was empty. "Madam Pomfrey?" she called. In an instant, the woman was bustling out of her office. She took one glance at the haggard looking and soaked couple in the doorway and set into action. Before she knew what was happening, Gayle was in the hospital bed right next to Harry who, just as his head hit the pillow, was out like a light. Their robes were dried and replaced by hospital ones. She looked down at her new clothes in dismay. "No, you see," said Gayle, trying to explain. "I'm perfectly all right. It's Harry who fainted - I didn't. I just - just," but she sneezed. She blinked, then looked at Madam Pomfrey who had the expression of a woman not to be swayed.

"I will have none of that. You looked like a drowned rat and you will stay here until I say otherwise," said Madam Pomfrey. She summoned a bar of chocolate and broke off a big chunk of it for Gayle. "Now, you finish that, dear - and no complaints from you," she added when the redhead opened her mouth to protest.

When the nurse left the room for more supplies, Gayle sighed in defeat and went about eating her chocolate. It was when the last bit of it was in her mouth when Severus Snape rushed in with Draco Malfoy hovering on a conjured stretcher.

~*~

The next morning Draco sat up and rubbed his eyes. His head felt like it had earlier been hammered on and crushed with a 100-lb. weight. As he blinked, trying to get his eyes to adapt to the bright sunlight poring into the room, he saw the image he had seen upon his parchment in Potions class before he fell into an unconscious state.

"Oh, you're awake then," said someone coming over. Her red hair easily marked her as a Weasley and his eyes narrowed. She glared right back and made her way to the bed next to his. In it was Gayle.

"Get me some paper," he told Ginny. She looked over at him with a raised brow. "Now! Hurry!" he said quickly. The image was slowly fading and he needed it.

She jumped in alarm at the urgency in his voice and rushed to go get a piece of parchment and a quill. When she returned, he grabbed it and held it up to the light with weak and trembling hands. Ginny held it for him so he could draw the vision. Soon, the picture was complete and he sighed in fatigue as he lay back down against the pillows propping him up. Ginny looked at the image in bewilderment before he grabbed it from her. "Thanks," he mumbled. She looked at him for a moment before turning and walking back to Gayle.

"What are you doing here?" wondered Gayle, looking over at him with wide green eyes.

"He fainted," said Ginny, a slight smirk upon her face and Gayle laughed outright at him.

He scowled at them both. "I did not faint. I...I passed out."

"That would be fainting," said an exhausted voice from the bed beside Gayle's. Draco's eyes narrowed as he looked over. A head of messy black hair could be seen past Gayle.

Just then, an owl knocked on the window of the infirmary. Ginny frowned. "Owls aren't supposed to come here," she muttered before opening the window. It flew to Draco and dropped the letter in it. The poor creature was battered and dropped onto his bed sheets. He looked at it in dismay and pondered on whether he should push it off his bed, but Ginny came over and picked up the poor owl. He ignored her and unrolled the parchment. His eyes skimmed the contents and widened. A frown spread across his face as he read the name the parchment was addressed to.

Draco looked over to his right where Gayle, Harry, and Ginny were watching him. With the frown still upon his face, he tossed the roll to Harry who caught it deftly with exceptional Quidditch reflexes.

Harry unrolled it carefully.

~*~

Remus sat away from Sirius and Nor, his head resting on his knees. Nor had practically admitted being something different that he seemed to be, but Remus couldn't really place it. In the strange man, there seemed to be a sense of familiarity. It seemed as if they had met some time long ago. Something important had happened then, but he couldn't seem to remember what event it was.

He suddenly heard the snap of twigs behind him and jumped up, instantly brandishing his wand. However, it turned out to be Nor standing there. "Oh, it's you, I thought you were someone more...harmful," said Remus with a rueful grin.

Nor didn't reply but stood his ground. His feet were slightly spread apart and his cape flew behind him in the slight breeze. The way the sunlight fell upon him, it seemed to Remus that Nor Griffith was glowing. The man's pale blue eyes were strangely alight and overall he took upon an ethereal appearance. Then Nor began to chant.

When he was done reciting, there seemed to be total silence in the wood. Even the animals seemed awed at the power emanating from this peculiar man.

"What the hell was that?" exclaimed Sirius.

Remus looked behind Nor to see his best friend standing their, his eyes wide open and his mouth gaping slightly. He turned to Nor. "Yes, I'd rather like to know the answer as well," he said in a voice that seemed strangely distant.

Nor turned to look at him with that strange smile of his - one filled with knowledge and experience, one filled with almost all knowing. "You know," he whispered.

Remus stared at Nor Gryffith. He blinked, his heart suddenly pounding. Nor Gryffith. "Gryffith - Nor. Nor Griffith." That was how the man had first introduced himself during their first meeting.