The Prophesy: Silent Shells

Harry ran down stairs eagerly pulling down his sleeves as he went. He ran to the door and flung it open.

'Sirius.' Harry's voice betrayed his excitement and he ran back into the house to collect his belongings.

Petunia stood by the door as she watched her last link to her sister get ready to leave her for good.

Harry stopped and gave her a hug as he passed her standing in the doorway. He whispered his thanks for getting Vernon and Dudley out of the house.

She stepped away from him and looked into her sisters eyes before smiling at him and shutting the door behind her.

'Well Harry, shall we go?'

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A week later Harry was waving goodbye to the large black dog on the Platform 9 ¾ while the train pulled out of the station and returned him to Hogwarts. He sat in his usual carriage with Ron, Hermione, Dean, Seamus, Neville and Ginny. From time to time other people would put their heads around the door to say hi.

At one point Cho Chang was walking passed the carriage and Harry got up and went to the door.

'Cho?'

Cho looked at Harry and he could see the fear and sadness in her eyes. She had lost a lot of weight he noticed. Before he could say anything else the one time girlfriend of Cedric Diggory gave a sob and ran down the passage outside the carriage and clambered into the next carriage.

Harry went and sat down, fiddling with the blade in his pocket. The other people in the carriage pretended not to have noticed this exchange and continued talking as if nothing had happened.

Harry got up and went to the bathroom.

When he came back Hermione noticed that he was looking less tense and was glad.

Ron only noticed the dark stain on the sleeve of his robes.

///////////////

When the students arrived at the school it was raining slightly and they hurried indoors.

At the Gryffindor tables every one was talking and laughing as the food appeared on the table. Only one student was quiet.

Sitting at the teachers table, the newly re-instated DADA teacher Remus Lupin watched Harry with concern etched on his face. Harry was sitting silently, listlessly picking at his food. Halfway through the meal he got up and left the table.

'I'm tired 'Mione, I think I'll go to bed.'

Hermione and Ron watched him go with apprehension written all over their faces, but then they turned and immersed themselves in the conversation around them.

Up in the dorm, two hours later, Harry was standing awake looking out the window. When Ron came up he pulled his sleeves down and turned to smile at him.

'Harry, are you ok? You don't seem yourself. Is there anything that I can do?'

Harry shook his head and smiled. 'Nope, I'm fine, I told you at the feast, I'm just tired.'

'Harry, you have been up here for over 2 hours and it doesn't look like you have slept at all. Your bed isn't even touched. You can't be that tired if you won't go to sleep.'

Harry opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Ron's exclamation.

'Hey look at this on the floor!'

Glad of a distraction Harry turned to look at what Ron was pointing at.

*SHIT*

'It looks like...blood. But, how did blood get in our dorm?'

'Maybe a house elf cut itself or something,' Harry suggested pathetically.

'Don't say that to Herm,' Ron warned him. 'She's as mad as ever over those elves.'

Harry grinned and climbed into bed.

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In the few months that followed Harry was cutting himself less and less.

It was nearing Christmas and Harry and his friends were getting ready to go to Hogsmeade when Hedwig flew in the window. Harry gave her half a mince pie as he opened the letter.

'Oh my Fucking Merlin!'

The whole common room stilled in shock to hear the language coming out of the Boy Who Lived's mouth. He ran to the portrait and pushed it open before yelling back.

'Go on without me. I'll catch you up.'

He then tore down the corridor as if a pack of three headed dogs were after him. He skidded to a halt outside the headmaster's office.

'Sugar Quill,' he panted after taking another glance at the letter in his hand. He tore up the already moving steps and hammered on the door at the top. It opened and he raced inside only stopping when he crashed into Albus Dumbledore's desk.

'Is...is it true Professor?' he asked quietly, and slumped his shoulders and turned away at the look in his eyes.

'But... how...why?'

'This letter should explain everything,' said Dumbledore handing him a piece of paper.