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3uzz3ee · 07-21-2008, 05:51 PM

oh my days...

I see where Ginny was coming from with the cheer potion, but Freds right, she should of researched it first...

other than that...

BAD TWINS!! THATS YOUR LITTLE SISTER!!

Great post Nik!!!

Abi...

Little Trooper · 07-22-2008, 12:24 AM

Awww poor Ginny. She shouldn't have ran away. Harry will find her and then kiss her

Krysta · 07-23-2008, 09:49 AM

Chapter 17, part 2

The two friends walked in silent earnest across the huge lawn towards the Forest. The six of them had split up. The twins had disappeared in the direction of the lake whilst Hermione and Heather had slipped into the secret passage behind the statue of the witch to search Hogsmeade for any sign of their friend. Harry had protested the two girls going alone to begin with but after 20 minutes of "we can take care of ourselves" the boys eventually headed towards the dark forest together.

Neither of them spoke, each lost in their own fears and feelings. Their speed dwindled slightly as they reached the forest's edge but their determination won through as they began to weave their way through the undergrowth towards the meagre path they knew lay just within the darkness of the trees. It was barely a trail really and they could only just make it out in the light of their wands.

"Maybe we should have got Hagrid to come with us." Harry suggested breaking the silence in a low murmured voice.
"Too late now." Ron murmured back forcing his way through the trees as silently as possible.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked abruptly stopping dead. A few steps ahead Ron stopped and turned to face him.
"To find my sister." He answered firmly.
"We're just wandering into the forest. Would Ginny have done that?"
"What?" Ron really seemed disoriented now, rubbing his neck with his hand and shuffling slightly on the spot. He was clearly anxious to keep going.
"Ginny must have had a plan of some kind. She must have been heading for somewhere in particular. She wouldn't just wander off into the middle of nowhere with no…" he was cut off as a gut-wrenching scream was heard over the sickly silence of the forest.

The look of terror on Ron's face was evident even in the darkness. The scream seemed to have come from everywhere around them and now in the deadly silence that followed, two friends were frozen in fear.
"Ginny." Ron whispered, almost as though his voice wouldn't come properly. Harry knew he was right though he couldn't call any response from the depths of his lungs. The look they shared said everything. Within seconds they were both hurtling through the trees, no longer caring for the noise they were making in their wake. They screamed and shouted her name, sending Lumos spells into the trees to light the area. Nothing. They didn't even know where they were running to or where the scream had come from. Almost as suddenly as they had begun to run they both came to an immediate stop, breathing deeply for oxygen and looking anxiously around them in every direction. One look at Ron told Harry his friend was beginning to panic.

"It was her, it was Ginny, she's here, she in here…somewhere…" he stopped to catch his breath once more. Harry swallowed deeply as a lump formed uncomfortably in his throat. He knew Ron was right. He parted his lips to speak but was stopped before he could begin. A thunderous rumbling was shaking the ground beneath their feet causing them both to stumble, grabbing for a supporting tree.
"What the…" Ron was silence once again and a tremendous, deafening roar filled the air accompanied by an enormous ball of fire. Their eyes were wide with fear now as the rumbling stopped and the ground became still.

They both took a step towards where they both felt the rumbling had come from. They were sure it had come from deep in the forest, deeper than either of them had ever ventured. Slowly, cautiously they walked side by side into the ever-growing darkness. A couple of times they were frozen to the spot as another, slightly calmer roar was heard ahead of them.
Faster and faster they charged through the trees, Harry tripping once to be pulled to his feet hastily by his best friend. The trees went on and on seemingly forever. Harry wasn't even sure what direction they were running in now but still they kept going. He was filled with an energy he'd never felt before. It was relentless, never-tiring energy that pulsed through his veins.

When they stumbled out of the trees into a clearing they fell over their own feet in surprise. The silence and serenity of the place hit them both immediately. Harry's eyes found it hard to focus properly and it took him several moments to recognise his surroundings.
"I've been here." He said quietly. Ron just looked at him questioningly. Harry looked down at the trickling stream at their feet, at the huge boulders scattered around the ground. The lush green grass seemed almost blue in the moonlight.
"Professor Hedwig brought me here." Ron frowned in the darkness, the moon casting shadows on his face. Ron looked around him, picking out the path on the far side of the clearing that lead steadily upwards. Harry followed his gaze.

"Then up there…the waterfall?" he asked in between deep breaths. Harry nodded remembering that day they'd all wandered into the forest only to find Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback living in the cave behind the waterfall. Harry looked upwards and could just make out the top of the small mountain silhouetted against the night sky. As a grating almost whimpering growl cut through the silence the terrible truth dawned on Harry. Harry's gaze was immediately drawn to the opposite path, leading down towards the bottom of the waterfall. He'd noticed the path when he'd been here before and even as he looked Ron had followed his gaze and was charging across the clearing towards the path.

He had already disappeared into the trees again before Harry could catch up. It was cooler down here, but freshness came with it. There was nothing creepy about this part of the forest. The tall dark evergreens were left behind them and they both raced through the peacefully swaying beech and oak trees. Harry caught up with Ron just as he ran clear of the trees once more. The path came out right by the pool at the bottom of the tumbling, roaring water. The sound was quite deafening and Harry had to shout to be heard.
"He's not here." He shouted, his glasses covered in spray from the waterfall.
"He's here. And so is Ginny." Ron shouted back. He began making his way around the large pool, climbing over rocks to reach the wall of the waterfall itself. As Harry watched his friend disappeared behind the mighty wall of water into the cave concealed beyond.

They were watching him again. Piercing through the darkness, whispering, creeping after him through the trees. Beside him the great cat trotted seemingly oblivious to the red eyes in the shadows. The tumbled down bricks and slabs of stone built themselves up as they passed through the ruins and soon the temple was tall and strong around them as they ran in slow motion down the torch-lit stone corridor. The chamber was as it was before. The stone alter was lit by flaming, red torches. A girl lay there unmoving, a dark creature standing over her corpse. Ginny?
No.
The red hair disappeared to be replaced with raven-black locks tumbling over the young woman's shoulders. The creature at her side glided sideways to reveal her face. A pulse of recognition passed through his consciousness. It couldn't be her. She was older. This woman was…young. Not a girl, but a young woman in her twenties. Krysta Hedwig…but not her. It wasn't her. And what was he doing to her? What was he holding above her body that glistened? The knife was short and gilded in a twisted erratic blade ending in three sharp points. His head fogged. The black hair turned red again and Ginny's lifeless body lay before him.

The walls around him fell away and became rubble again as the world came rushing back. The vision was over leaving him disorientated and confused. He blinked hard, his vision bleary and misty. Ron stood a few feet away clinging to the remains of a pillar as though to let go would mean dropping dead to the ground.
The rumbling growl drew his attention. Harry felt the world slip away again in terror as the image of a beautiful, motionless girl lay before him. The creature looming over her was painfully familiar to him still he rushed forward. He stopped dead two feet from Ginny's limp, lifeless body wand at the ready. But something about the way the dragon gently nudged her side, sniffing her softly and whined made him lower it again.

Slowly and cautiously he knelt beside her. Norbert ignored him completely and continued to gently nudge her side as a dog would his dead master, confused and hurt at the lack of response. Harry looked up at the dragon and saw something in its eyes. Pain. There was no other way to describe it. He touched Ginny's hand and gasped when he found it cold. His stomach flipped and he felt his chest tighten. His head spun. He couldn't see, think or feel. He was numb all over as his fingers traced a line over her cold, blue lips. He touched her shoulder gently whispering her name, whimpering as her head rolled limply to one side.

"Oh god." He whispered. He felt more than heard Ron appear behind him. He turned sharply to look up at his friend. He didn't even notice the tears burning his cheeks. He was still numb. The look on Ron's face was hard to read. Neither of them said a word. Finally Ron drew his wand and looked up at the enormous creature mourning at his sister's side. His intentions became instantly clear to Harry.
"Ron no, he'll kill you."
"Then help me. Either way, me or that monster dies." He growled. Norbert took a heavy step backwards causing the ground to rumble slightly. He clearly recognised a wand when he saw it. Something in the dragon's eyes told Harry he knew what was happening.
"Ron…"
"Help me or leave, Potter."
"You don't even know how she died Ron. You don't know…"
"I know there's a natural born killing machine standing over the body of my dead sister. Pretty conclusive if you ask me."

By now Norbert was clearly agitated and was demonstrating this with snorts of smoke and tiny flickers of flame through his nostrils.
"Look at her Ron. There's hardly a mark on her. This isn't the work of a dragon, Ron." Ron faltered and cautiously lowered his wand to drop to his sister's side. He looked over her body. She wasn't even bruised. Her lips were blue, her skin white as a sheet but there wasn't even a sign of a struggle. Reluctantly he looked up at the dragon, who seemed to be cowering in the corner of the chamber ruins.
"What's wrong with him?" Harry looked up at the creature. He was crying.
"He's mourning." Harry offered gently.
"Crocodile tears." Ron said in a low angry voice. Harry looked at him in shock.
"That beast killed my sister and thinks he can save himself by pretending to mourn. Dragons are known for it Harry, I'd have thought a mighty dragon-slayer such as yourself would know that."
"Ron…"
"Get out of my way!"
"Ron, think about it. What if he did kill her? If you take him on now, he'll kill you too." Ron faltered again.
"We can't take him on by ourselves. We need help."

"Right behind you." The boys whipped around to see the twins standing in the half-standing doorway wands at the ready. They joined their younger brother and before Harry could say a word in the beast's defence the three young wizards were bombarding Norbert with every spell they could think of. The roars of anger, frustration and pain were deafening, shaking the grounds and ruins around them as the mighty creature fought against the rapid fire. Harry ducked out of the way, pulling Ginny's body with him as some of the spells went astray. He cowered in the corner watching helplessly as Norbert was forced to the ground in an almighty scream and a final explosion of fire from his snout. Finally as he lay wheezing and whimpering in a heap Ron, George and Fred lowered their wands, each taking a step closer to the barely alive dragon. Just as Ron leaned closer to touch him, he was knocked to the ground as someone flung themselves to the floor by the dying beast.

"What did you do?" screamed Hermione holding the creature's massive head as close to her as she could. Ron took a shaky step backwards. Harry's head was spinning out of control now. He couldn't handle anymore. What was going on? Another figure joined him at Ginny's side and Heather whispered something only just audible as "oh god" as she cradled Ginny's limp head in her knee. Desperate tears were pouring down both of the girls' traumatic faces.
"Ginny." Ron murmured, dropping to his knees as though suddenly devoid of energy. Hermione looked around the room picking out Ginny's body. Heather looked up at her and then at Norbert who was inches from death. Her grief-stricken face turned to horror.
"Norbert?" she whispered, her voice broken and grated. Ron frowned in anger as Hermione continued to stroke the creature's head tears pouring down her face.

"That monster's a murderer. Stay the hell away from it." He growled and even Harry was shocked at the vehemence in his voice.
"He's not." Hermione spat back at him with equal hatred. Ron seemed to stumble back as though her words had some physical force. "He'd never hurt one of us." She whispered letting her tears drop onto Norbert's head, running down between his eyes and down his snout. He grunted slightly as though in response.
"We need to get to the castle, we…we need to…to find Dumbledore. He'll know…he'll know what to do. He always knows what to do."
They turned to look at the speaker. It was Heather, walking shakily towards them. Harry followed behind her, Ginny's limp body in his arms. Ron moved quickly forward.
"Give her to me." He ordered. Harry didn't argue and let his friend take Ginny from him. The twins followed Ron out of the chamber like a vigil guard. Harry was fixed to the spot even after the brothers were out of sight. Heather had joined Hermione on the floor and between them they held Norbert's head gently in their arms weeping uncontrollably onto his temples. He watched mesmerised. Finally they lifted their heads and looked over at him.
"We have to find who did this Harry." Hermione spoke pleadingly. All Harry could do in response was nod.

She was icy, her skin the colour of milk. Her lips were dry and colourless. But her hair…it was beautiful, like fire engulfing her lifeless face. He jumped as someone moved past him. Madam Pomfrey smiled sadly at him as she covered the body with a white sheet that paled against the girl's skin. Her brothers stood at the end of the bed, their faces frozen in an expression Harry couldn't read. Their parents hadn't arrived yet and they were doing their duty as the family vigil. Harry felt he should leave but he couldn't bring himself to leave the girl's side. He hadn't spoken since they left the temple, none of them had except for when George had told Dumbledore what had happened out in the forest. Harry had wanted to defend the dead dragon as George had accused the poor creature of attacking his sister, but he couldn't speak. Besides it wasn't the time.

He had never known the Hospital Wing to be this still. They all jumped as the door opened and a tear-soaked Hermione and Heather appeared through the doorway. Harry relaxed and almost as instantly tensed again when he saw the figure that appeared behind them. Hermione and Heather parted to allow Professor Hedwig passage to Ginny's death bed, then fell in behind her like some Sentry guard. She reached out to touch the sheet covering the bed. Harry almost expected one of the other boys to try and stop her but they remained in their frozen positions watching their teacher. She gently pulled the sheet away from Ginny's face sadly shaking her head.

"It wasn't meant to happen this way." She said quietly.
"It wasn't meant to happen at all! If it wasn't for your murderous dragon she'd still be alive." Krysta looked up at Ron whose face had contorted into a twisted mask of hate and anger. He didn't look like his friend any more.
"Norbert did not kill your sister, Ron." She responded calmly looking the boy straight in the face. Ron faltered slightly, but only for a second.
"Well of course you're gonna say that. It's your fault. You brought him over here and now you're going to have to face Dumbledore. He'll rip you apart for this and if he doesn't, my Father will." He hissed back but took a shocked step back as Hermione stepped in front of her teacher defensively. Krysta placed a hand gently on the shaking girl's shoulder.
"It's ok Hermione. Ron, Dumbledore knows Norbert is here. Was here anyway. I brought him here on Professor Dumbledore's request." She said calmly. Ron's eyes widened in shock and confusion.
"Dumbledore! He is responsible?" he gasped, unable to find his voice.
"Ron…" a quiet voice spoke but was unheard.
"I can't believe this!"
"Ron, please." The voice was finally heard. Ron turned to see Charlie standing in the doorway.

There was a moment's complete silence as Charlie held his little brother's gaze. Ron looked back silently before collapsing to the ground in tears. His big brother scooped him up into his strong arms and let the boy sob his heart out.
There was a heavy, uneasy din as only the boy's sobs could be heard muffled against his brother's broad shoulder. The lump in Harry's throat was close to bursting, but he couldn't cry, not here, not in front of Ginny's family. It wasn't his place to. His longing to stay at her side was fast being overcome by his desire to escape. He looked up at his teacher. She stood silently watching Ron shaking in his brother's arms her expression not legible. She turned back to Ginny sighing deeply.
"Did you find her?" she said quietly and Harry jumped when a new voice was heard. He turned in shock to see Sirius Black.

"She's gone. Probably back to her master."
"Sirius?" Harry whispered under his breath. Sirius turned to look at his godson and Harry was shocked by the haunted look on his face. His thick black hair was longer than it had been before the summer, his eyes somehow more deeply set into his head.
"Harry, thank god." He gave the boy a hug before clamping his shoulder with two strong hands.
"Are you alright?" he asked in a low voice, clearly not wanting to make a scene in front of the Weasleys. Harry nodded swallowing hard at the lump that persisted in his throat. Sirius turned back to Krysta and Harry followed.
"What's she doing?" asked Ron who had dislodged himself from Charlie's arms and had moved back to the bed, standing next to Harry. Krysta was pulling the sheet from Ginny's body, lifting her arms gently and looking them over thoroughly. Ron moved forward as though to stop her, to push this strange woman away from his sister's corpse. It was Sirius that pulled him back.

"It's ok Ron." Ron stopped but still watched anxiously as Krysta began examining Ginny's legs. Almost immediately she stood straight and looked at Sirius with a look that said she'd found what she was looking for…but kind of wished she hadn't. Sirius moved forward as did Harry. He saw immediately what Krysta had found. Two swollen lumps on Ginny's outer-thigh, red and angry blisters dribbling dried blood. Harry knew instinctively what it was. He'd never seen one before, not a real one. Fred, George and Charlie moved closer to see the snake bite that had ended their sister's life.

To be continued...

emjay · 07-23-2008, 01:33 PM

No! Ginny's dead??? I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I can't wait to see what's next!

3uzz3ee · 07-23-2008, 06:19 PM

Dun Dun Dun!!!

You can't kill Ginny!! Se needs to make up with Harry!!

Shame on you!!

Love you really!

PAMS

Sabrina_Snape · 07-23-2008, 08:33 PM

Nik,
If you've killed Ginny I swear I will let Sabrina loose and trust me thnot happy at the moment as it is. (long story) How can she die??? It's not possible... she loves Harry and Harry loves her and they still need time to figure that simple thing out!!

Snake bite? Sounds like Nagini to me, but it could've been any other snake that Voldemort just happens to control that we don't know about. Stupid evil... urgh! PAMS!!!

Jemma
xxx

Little Trooper · 07-24-2008, 12:48 AM

Ginny can't die. Harry was spose to kiss her and make it all better. they need to live in happyness. I am so hooked on this story I was on the edge of my seat reading this.

Krysta · 07-24-2008, 07:32 AM

:evillaugh

Krysta · 07-25-2008, 08:00 AM

I could leave you all over the weekend without knowing what happens, but I'm not that cruel, so here you are:

Chapter 17, part 3

"Oh god, no." whispered Ron. Harry looked at him. "Norbert." He said his voice shaking. The horror returned immediately to Harry's face. Ron looked pleadingly at Charlie. "I swear I didn't know." Charlie looked confused.
"Ron what are you talking about?" Ron looked at the floor. He couldn't confess this to his brother. And how were they supposed to explain to Hagrid? Harry understood the position Ron found himself in but he couldn't comprehend it. He'd taken the life of an innocent beast.
"What about him?" asked Krysta turning to look at them and Harry saw that her eyes were full of fear. Ron faltered. He didn't know where to look. The twins simply exchanged a sickeningly guilty look and stared at their feet.
"What did you do?" their teacher asked again. Her voice was not angry, it was more afraid than anything.
"We…we thought he had killed her." Ron managed to stammer.
"We didn't know." added George in a hoarse whisper. The fear in Krysta's face turned to terror.

"He was…standing over her when we found her. We just assumed…" Ron's voice finally gave in and he closed his eyes in shame. Krysta staggered backwards, Sirius steadying her as she toppled.
"Is…is he dead?" she asked. She was visibly controlling her emotions now. Each word was an effort to remain calm. The look on Ron's face and his guilty turn of the head was all the confirmation she needed. Harry expected an outburst but none came. Instead she leant backwards against Sirius who closed his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief.

"He was trying to save her." She gasped. Harry thought she was trying to defend him to the brothers but she was talking to Sirius. "He knew, he knew who she was. He was protecting her." Ron looked at Harry desperately but Harry didn't know what to say or do. "What are we going to do? How do we protect them now?" she asked again. She was babbling. Panic had set it and Harry was beginning to realise there was something more to Ginny's death than a random snake in the forest. And why was Krysta so upset by it? Krysta felt she owed Arthur Weasley for taking Harry in. Maybe this was his grief for failing to protect his daughter. But no matter how much Harry told himself that, he couldn't fool himself. There was something happening here that Harry wasn't part of.

"Krys there's nothing you could have done, obviously nothing Norbert could do."
"Don't tell me that. We both know it's not true. This…this wasn't meant to happen. This is all wrong."
"Denial isn't going to help her family. It's not going to help…anything."
"I'm not in denial Sirius. This wasn't meant to be, there's something very wrong with this. The signs…"
"The signs have been wrong before Krys." Here the conversation between Krysta and Sirius ended and both of them glanced at Harry before looking away uncomfortably. Harry sharpened his attention. What was happening here? What did they mean?
"He's trying to cheat fate again." The woman said quietly looking directly at Sirius. He looked back.
"And it looks like he may have succeeded." He told her.

"No." said a voice no one was expecting to hear. Krysta turned to Heather who stood anxiously behind her next to Hermione who shared her desperate expression.
"She's not gone. This isn't over." Heather continued.
"Heather, what do you feel?" asked her teacher looking both of the girls over.
"We can feel her. It's like she's trapped. It's like it isn't real. Not yet. Someone's trying to distort things."
"A darkness. A terrible darkness, watching us, waiting."
"Trying to trick us."
Hermione and Heather babbled alternately whilst Krysta listened intently. Sirius stood behind her as if waiting for a translation.
"Is it Voldemort?" asked Krysta calmly ignoring the gasps and glances the others shared. Harry was relieved when Heather shook her head vigorously. However his relief was short lived when she spoke.
"It's something worse."

He couldn't believe he'd slept at all. To his astonishment he rolled over to be blinded by the light filtering through the window. He felt disorientated somewhat. How could he have slept at all after…what had happened?
The feeling in his stomach suggested something terrible, something tragic but no matter how hard he tried to recall yesterday no memory came. Maybe he'd had a bad dream and the feeling of dread had remained with him.
The fluttering of wings at the window snatched his attention away and all thoughts ceased. The kestrel fluffed her feathers, dropping a roll of parchment onto the sill. Harry reached for the scroll carefully, eyeing her talons warily, though he knew somehow this bird would not harm him. There was a strange feeling of déjà vu about this.
He shook it off when someone entered the room. Harry wasn't at all surprised when Neville came in. Nor was he astonished when the kestrel…Kattera? What that her name?…flew from the windowsill to land on Neville's shoulder. Harry wasn't even aware of what Neville was babbling about. He was staring at the all-too-familiar scroll in his hand a heavy feeling growing inside his head. He felt like he was in a recurring dream. He forced himself back into the present and Ron's voice flooded into his mind.

"That bloody bird! What the bloody hell is it bloody doing here?" Harry watched as though from outside the scene, as a film or a play. A film or a play he'd seen before.
"Kattera? How do you know her?"
"She's been delivering letters to me." Harry said in a whispery, distant voice. Even the sound of his own voice seemed unreal to him.
"Oh? Why was Krysta writing to you?" Whilst Ron's jaw dropped in shock, Harry merely dropped back onto his bed holding his head in his hands in confusion.

Harry listened as Neville told them about his relation to their new teacher, though he didn't really hear any of it. What was the point? He felt as though he already knew all about it anyway. Maybe he was still asleep and this was just a warped dream. By the time they made it down to breakfast however he was beginning to have second thoughts. He was definitely awake. Sausages never tasted this good in his dreams. He watched Ron shovel heaped forks of bacon into his mouth as he had millions of times before. Of course that would feel familiar. It happened every day.

Even when Hermione scolded him and told him to leave room for the Halloween feast he ignored the déjà vu effect it had yet again. Hermione scolded Ron all the time. He laughed however as Ron managed to spattle his face with orange juice as he told Hermione about Krysta's kestrel, Hermione wiping his mouth for him with her serviette. They chatted about the conversation earlier and Hermione exclaimed loudly when she heard of Neville's involvement.
This was getting too strange for Harry. He felt like a tape that someone kept rewinding and playing back. He looked over towards the teacher's table and watched as Professor Hedwig offered something of her plate to the bird that perched on her shoulder. He watched as the bird accepted the offering and flew halfway across the room to land on a moving statue, which batted at the bird in annoyance.

Everything seemed to be in slow motion. His friends in animated conversation, the students who came and went from the Great Hall, each one oblivious to the sensations that persisted in Harry's head. He watched Ginny flick some strands of hair over her shoulder before continuing to play with her breakfast. He frowned. Something nagged at the back of his brain. Something was…not quite right.
She looked up at him, catching his eye and for a moment the spell was broken. The strong, persistent déjà vu feeling left him in the moments that their eyes locked. Simultaneously they blinked and it was over. Clarity faded away and Harry found himself absorbed once more into the fog that filled his mind.

Harry only half listened really. Sharon and Neville were doing most of the talking anyway. The library was deserted, but then, Harry had expected that. Sharon and Neville chatted away for an age like long lost friends whilst the others listened in earnest. All except Harry. Outside the library window Harry could hear students laughing and shouting to each other. Halloween had touched each and every one of them, making them giddy and excitable. Halloween? That thought stuck in his mind. He felt like he was forgetting something. That he had forgotten something and that…he didn't know.
"What's up, Harry?" He was launched, rocket-like into reality and he stared around at the anxious faces.
"Huh?"
"You look kinda worried. It's not the end of the world again is it?" He looked at Ron's grinning face and returned a half-smile. He wished Ron wouldn't joke about such things.

Lunch was even stranger and a new feeling had joined the déjà vu in Harry's mind. The feeling of dread. He saw the argument before it started. But when he thought to himself "Ron's going to march out that door any second" two seconds before it actually happened, Harry decided enough was enough. Leaving Heather and Hermione with looks of shock on their faces he ran out of the Hall after Ron, catching up to him just as they reached the common room.
"I'm not in the mood, Harry. Just let me be alone ok." Ron said calmly and Harry stopped, nodding his head. He understood that. Sometimes you just need to be alone to calm down. Ron had just started off towards the stairs when Harry remembered why he'd gone after Ron in the first place.
"Ron wait."
"Seriously, Harry I…"
"No, no, I need to talk to you. It's not about Heather or anything." Ron stopped and looked back at his friend. He took a few steps back towards Harry when he saw the expression on his face.
"What's up? You look kinda, well, spaced."
"I am!" Harry exclaimed and Ron dropped onto one of the red sofas. Harry slumped into an armchair and clasped his hands in his lap, wondering how he was going to start explaining this.

"Something weird is happening." He began and then paused. Ron raised an eyebrow.
"Harry, something weird is always going on. Be more specific." Harry grinned slightly
"Well to put it simply, I feel like everything has already happened." Both of Ron's eyes became wide in confusion.
"Eh?" he asked and Harry realised that what he'd said hadn't really made any sense.
"Well when I woke up this morning, that kestrel landed on my windowsill and left me a note from…" he stopped. He'd never actually read the scroll. He pulled it out of his back pocket and un-crumpled it as best he could. Ron leaned over to get a better look.
"Who's it from?"
"I dunno. It's not signed." They both peered at the note, which had been scribbled extremely poorly on the parchment.

Something very weird is going on.

"Is that it?" asked Ron, disappointed. Harry shrugged. He turned the paper over and over as though expecting more words to appear on it. Stranger things had happened after all. He looked closer at the parchment but nothing became apparent. Something did catch Ron's eye though.
"Look. What happened to it here?" he asked pointing out some patches on the thick parchment. Harry ran his fingers over the rougher than normal surface. It had been scratched. There were tiny indentations and cuts in the material just below the single line of writing. Harry shrugged again.
"Could have been anything." He said and Ron nodded.
"Well this doesn't tell you much apart from that something weird is going on…which you already know." Ron said disinterestedly, which put Harry back on track.
"Yeah, back to that. Well the strange thing is that when the bird appeared I had the strangest feeling of déjà vu." He said, watching Ron for a response. Ron shrugged his shoulders.
"Nothing weird in that, Harry, it happens all the time."
"Yes, but it never went away."

Harry set about telling Ron of the strange feelings he'd all day. How everything that had happened that morning felt as though they had already happened and how Harry had even begun to predict the outcome of conversations. Ron listened intently, fixed on Harry's every word.
"Wow. Even the argument?" he asked. Harry nodded.
"Right down to you storming out of the room." He concluded finally. Ron shrunk back from that comment.
"Well…she annoys me." He muttered in defence.
"Ron I'm not judging you. I'm just saying that I knew you were going to do it. Somehow…it's like it had already happened and…I don't know. The entire day has been like a dream."
"That is weird. But it could be anything. Seriously Harry I don't think it's anything to worry about." Ron said encouragingly. Harry smiled through the side of his mouth uneasily.
"I don't think it's that simple."
"How do you mean?" his friend asked.
"I don't know, I just…have this terrible feeling that something horrible is about to happen."
"Like what?" asked Ron suddenly looking concerned. Ron knew enough of Harry's visions to know that they should be taken seriously. These latest feelings were no exception.

"I don't know. I really don't."
"Are you getting déjà vu now?" Ron asked thoughtfully. Harry paused for a moment. He hadn't noticed the feelings had gone. The whole time he'd been talking to Ron the strange feelings had been absent. This whole conversation felt new and clean. He shook his head and Ron brightened.
"Well that's progress." Harry nodded almost as uncertainly as Ron had spoken. Harry just hoped Ron's enthusiasm wasn't going to be short lived.
They both jumped out of their skin as something on the table near them exploded. Ron leapt to his feet in a defensive stance, his wand at the ready. He lowered it again however as two figures appeared from behind the sofa laughing their heads off and pointing at Harry and Ron hysterically.
"Are you two insane?" cried Ron red-faced. The twins looked at each other before George answered.
"We respectfully decline from answering that question."
"Yes, besides we all know the answer." Shot back Harry with a grin and Ron's scowl slipped into a grin.
"So you ready then?" asked Fred motioning towards the corridor.
"Oh yeah. I forgot." Answered Ron hastily grabbing his rather empty looking book bag.
"Forgot what? Where you off to?" asked Harry suspiciously. The suspicion increased as the pathetic "oh nowhere."s and "nothing at all, nothing no er…"s began. It only took a raised eyebrow from Harry for the pretences to stop.
"Ok, ok we're going to Hogsmeade." George whispered, pausing before speaking again.
"Wanna come?" he asked with a grin and Harry grinned back with a nod of the head.

The tunnel was darker than Harry remembered, but he supposed that was because only George's wand was alight and he was at the back of the small troop. He lost count of the number of times he trod on Ron's cloak or even stumbled into the wall where some rocks stuck out a little too far. He was relieved when they finally reached the trapdoor in the back room of Honeydukes. He waited patiently for George to give the "all-clear" before clambering out of the tunnel and blending discreetly into the small crowd of shoppers in the sweet shop. Halloween always brought out the shoppers especially in the only Wizard village outside of London.

Harry noticed that the shelves were emptying quickly…almost as quickly as they were being magically refilled. He stared in astonishment as shelves chocolate bars; jars of gobstoppers and hanging spirals of liquorice hanging from the ceiling replenished themselves. By the time he found Ron, his friend had already bought enough goodies to fill his pockets to bursting.
"Save room Ron, we're not here to stuff our faces." Warned Fred. Harry was surprised.
"Why are we here then?" he asked and all three brothers looked at him in astonishment.
"Don't tell me you of all people have forgotten Harry!" Ron exclaimed his mouth full of chocolate frog…a whole one.
"Forgotten what? Halloween? Are we off to Filibusters then?" he asked, thinking of all the fabulous fireworks there must be in there at this time of year. Fred and George exchanged a surprised glance.
"Harry I can't believe you forgot her birthday!" cried Ron.
"What?" he was confused. Hermione's birthday was in September. He looked at them blankly.
"Ginny's!" cried Fred in exasperation. Harry's jaw dropped. He'd completely forgotten.
"Woops."

"What about this?" he asked holding up a green silk scarf with silver trim. Ron wrinkled his nose.
"Bit girly."
"She is a girl." Protested Harry. Ron shrugged.
"Well whatever you think, Harry." Ron said uncommitted before returning to the shelves of tricks and games. Harry put the scarf back sulkily but couldn't help thinking it would suit her beautifully. Oh god what was happening to him? He was colour co-ordinating. He shook his head and joined Ron. He picked up a wooden box with gold-leaf patterns on it. Shaking it gently, he nearly dropped it when it sprang open in his palm. Ron laughed as two tiny little figures inside began beating the hell out of each other with little wooden clubs.

"It's Punch and Judy!" cried Harry grinning. He'd only ever seen one Punch and Judy show in his life. Uncle Vernon had taken Dudley to the seaside one day when they were 6. Whilst his Aunt and Uncle had taken his cousin to the beach to go donkey riding, Harry had been left in the car. There had been a Punch and Judy show by the edge of the car park and he'd watched through the car window, giggling and imagining it was himself and Dudley in the show instead.
He'd laughed in his head all the way home at the idea of batting his cousin over the head with a stick, whilst Dudley wailed and moaned about the donkey that had refused to move with his weight on its back and had then kicked Uncle Vernon harshly in the backside.

Harry had had to try very hard not to laugh out loud when he heard this story. Now he gazed at the toy in his hand in wonder a slight smile touching his lips. The crocodile had joined them now and a chubby policeman with a long string of sausages. Ron and Harry laughed as the whole show was acted out for them in miniature.
"Nice to see that the simple can still amuse."
They jumped out of their skin as the owner of the new voice appeared behind them. Harry gulped. Professor Snape loomed over them like a storm cloud.

Sabrina_Snape · 07-25-2008, 08:32 AM

ahhh, confusing... deja vu or what!

Personally I hate it because I never know if it's really happened before or not. Poor Norbert

You can't fully blame the guys though, the evidence looked really bad against him.

Harry forgot Ginny's birthday!! That's just bad... he's known her forever! Uh oh, why does Snape have to be there? And we all know he's amused with it as well!

PAMS!
Jemma
p.s. i'm glad you're not evil!
xxx

3uzz3ee · 07-25-2008, 08:37 AM

I can't believe Harry forgot Ginny's birthday!
Well, it is Halloween so i guess thats a good enough reason to forget...
And they get caught!!
By Snape!
Harr'ys in for a bad day!

emjay · 07-25-2008, 01:37 PM

Deja vu . . . I wasn't expecting that! I hope Harry figures out what's going on before it's too late.

So is Snape back to normal? LOL

Little Trooper · 07-26-2008, 04:39 AM

How can you forget Ginny's Birhtday Harry. Just give her a kiss for her birthday

3uzz3ee · 07-27-2008, 09:02 PM

Nik...

If you do not post soon i shall set the bear on you...

When he was chasing me, something happened and now he is my slave!!

So............. POST!!

And i shall post in your other story too!!

Abi...xox

Krysta · 07-27-2008, 10:53 PM

Ok, ok! I'll post some more. Just...keep that bear away from me!

Chapter 17, part 4

"Very nice Mr. Potter. I believe I had one a little like it when I was a child." There was a pause whilst Ron and Harry exchanged a shocked and confused expression, wide-eyed as two electrocuted bullfrogs.
"It's er, I was just, er, looking."
"Quite" said Professor Snape a slight gleam in his eye. Harry swallowed hard and saw Ron's throat do the same.
"Now would you two gentlemen like to explain what you're doing here?" He spoke slowly but lightly in a tone they weren't used to hearing from their potions teacher. The glanced at each other again, completely lost for words. Harry head told him it was a trick and that any second the old Snape would reappear and expel them on the spot. He didn't know how to answer. Ron saved him the trouble.

"It's my fault Professor. It's my sister's birthday and I forgot. I had to come and find her a present, sir. Harry came because he didn't want me to come by myself. What with…everything." Snape studied Ron for a second and Harry threw him a grateful expression that also said "are you mad?" at the same time.
"Your sister? Halloween. Of course." Something seemed to occur to Snape in that instant and then he snapped out of it. "The Headmaster made it quite clear that no one was to venture out of the grounds."
"We know, sir, but it would break her heart…" protested Ron but Snape held up a hand to silence him.
"I appreciate that Mister Weasley but rules are rules. 50 points from Gryffindor. Find your presents as soon as possible and meet me by the pub. I'll take you back to Hogwarts myself."
"Thank you Professor." Said Ron watching the man's face as though he feared he would suddenly turn into a Dementor. With that Snape was gone leaving behind two highly confused students.
"Ok, what's going on? Why'd he let it go like that?" whispered Ron just in case Snape was hiding somewhere to listen.
"What do you mean? We lost 50 points! Man, are the others going to be riled about this."
"Fifty points? Harry, he could have had us expelled straight off for this. We got off lightly. He's beginning to freak me out."

Harry was thoughtful. Ron was right. Had this happened last year Snape would have demanded their expulsion and taken at least 100 points from Gryffindor plus as nasty a detention as he could muster.
"It's not him." Ron said handing money over the counter for the "Silly Bones" game he was buying for Ginny. It was really cool. A real live miniature skeleton about the size of a woman's hand. Harry would never have bought it himself for her, but he knew she'd find it funny.
"How'd you mean?" he asked handing the money over for the Punch and Judy box. He hoped she'd like it. It was a child's toy but it was quirky and he knew Ginny liked that kind of trinket.
"It's not Snape. It can't be. Either it's not him, or someone's cast a spell on him." Ron said decidedly and Harry grinned. Though when he thought about it, it wasn't such a silly idea.

Ron flopped casually onto his bed whilst Harry stood rigid, white as a sheet as he watched the crisp white envelope Ron was twirling in his hands.
"What's up with you? It's just a note from Ginny. Probably having a strop coz she thinks we've forgotten her birthday." Said Ron with a satisfied grin. Harry grinned back uncertainly. Maybe Ron was right. But then why did he have this feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach…and that all too familiar déjà vu. He gasped as Ron fumbled the envelope open and swallowed hard. Somehow he already knew what it said..

"Ginny!"
Ron tripped and landed on his face and his cry fell silent. He pulled himself briskly to his feet not even bothering to wipe the moss and bracken from his cheeks he dashed on into the night. Harry was ahead of him.
"Harry where are you going?" he shouted angrily. Harry didn't even seem to hear him. He was in a world of his own. His reaction to the letter had bothered Ron. He hadn't seemed at all surprised. Had he already known? Had Ginny confided in Harry? They had become very close over the last few months. If he had known something was so terribly wrong, then why hadn't Harry told anyone? Ok, Harry and Ron's little sister were very good friends, maybe even more from Ron had witnessed, but still…Something like this he was sure Harry wouldn't have kept secret from him. Especially as it concerned the Quidditch team. No, Harry couldn't have known. Maybe it was this damn déjà vu thing his friend had been experiencing, whatever it was.

He certainly seemed to know where he was going. After a rushed and frantic argument with Fred and George the four of them plus Heather and Hermione had raced off into the night to search for their friend and sister. Harry had practically dragged Ron to the forest and had then disappeared into the darkness at top speed almost leaving Ron for dust and no one was as frantic about his sister's safety than Ron. A thousand thoughts dashed through his mind. How would he explain it to his parents? How would their lives change? The thought of not finding her terrified him. How would Bill react and his father…oh his Father. His only daughter. How could he not blame Ron, after all it was his fault. How could he not even have noticed there was something wrong? But he had noticed it, he just hadn't wanted to acknowledge it.

A sickening feeling of guilt was establishing itself in Ron and a new desperation to find his sister. Still Ron could hardly catch up with Harry as he tore through undergrowth like a gazelle running from a cheetah…or a boy running from Voldemort, knowing no matter how fast you ran the enemy would always catch you. But Harry wasn't running from something. He was running to something. There was a sense of direction and purpose about him as he dashed between trees.
The first explosion of fire and deafening roar did not halt them, though Ron's heart flipped in fear. A new urgency was present in their stride as they both thundered through the forest and by the time they'd reached the clearing Ron had managed to catch up with his friend. When Harry reached the waterfall however, he stopped a haunted expression dancing on his face in the moonlight.

"What's wrong? Why have you stopped?" Harry turned slowly and looked at Ron almost apologetically.
"We're too late" he whispered. And even in the dreadful silence that followed, neither of them heard the snake slither away through the long, moon-bleached blue grass.

Everything was blurred. The voices and the people around him were part of another world. The déjà vu had merged with reality and now he couldn't tell one from the other. Hermione's weeping was a muffled sound flickering in and out if his head the corpse of the almighty dragon a hazy vision moving in and out of his consciousness. And Ginny…he couldn't see her. He couldn't see her body or acknowledge her death. It wasn't there; didn't exist to him. Even when he looked at her she wasn't there. He knew it was denial, knew that he just didn't want to see or accept the tragedy. It wasn't until Heather appeared at his side that some kind of clarity manifested itself in Harry's mind.

After a few moments she spoke.
"You see it too." It was a statement not a question. "You see all of this…it isn't real." She spoke slowly and huskily. He opened his eyes wide and looked at her. They both looked down at the body of their friend and Harry realised that what she was saying was true. The blurred images and distant voices weren't his denial but some kind of portent. Signs that what was happening around him was very wrong, an illusion. And as a new thought entered his mind, Heather spoke it out loud.
"We need to find Krysta"

Harry and Heather watched from a distance as Ginny's family stood around her in the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey scuttled around the room nervously, not knowing what to say. Krysta and Professor Dumbledore stood to one side in private discussion, their voices low. The snakebite had shocked everyone…besides himself, Heather and it appeared; Hermione. He wasn't the only one experiencing this déjà vu then? But why had neither of them said anything earlier?
He was shocked at how calm the two girls were. Ginny was dead. But then Harry wasn't so freaked either. Why wasn't he in pain? He was, of course he was. Seeing her body lying there was horrific. But he felt no loss, no sense of despair at the thought of Ginny's life being over. Was this denial? Somehow he knew it wasn't. He felt like he knew something but he didn't know what it was he knew. Somehow it was blocked off.

It was kind of like the old murder mysteries Aunt Petunia used to watch: Poirot or Miss Marple. The Books were always better but Aunt Petunia was not much of a reader. "What's the point in reading the book when everything's happening right there on the screen?" Harry liked the books. You always knew someone was lying, but you could never quite work out what it was they were covering up. You knew things weren't what they seemed but that was all you knew, and when at the end the small Belgium detective called all the suspects together to reveal the answers it suddenly all made sense.

All the little clues you'd noticed but didn't quite understand all fell into place. Harry was waiting for the end of the book where everything would become clear. It wasn't coming. He felt like he was in that place half way through the book where everyone thinks they know what's going on but you know it's too simple and therefore can't be what's really happening. And just as everyone's settled down and accepted the obvious something bizarre happens to reveal that things go far deeper and are more complicated than anyone had imagined. That's how Harry felt now.

"Sirius is coming" Harry said quietly. It wasn't a feeling or a psychic intuition. He just knew it. He felt Heather's eyes on him. Hermione came to stand with them her eyes bloodshot and cheeks damp.
"It's getting cloudy." She said, to Heather more than to Hermione. Harry didn't need to look out of the window to know she wasn't talking about the weather. He felt it too. The night was growing short and the darkness was like a shroud over his very consciousness. Even as he thought about it the déjà vu feeling was dwindling leaving him with an empty feeling of ignorance. With it came the despair.

Even the déjà vu felt like déjà vu. He could swear he'd had déjà vu about this very same, well, déjà vu before. Blindly stumbling down the common room stairs with the note clutched in his hand he stopped dead when he saw the two girls standing together in the middle of the room. They glanced up when he came in and looked nervously at each other. Something snagged in Harry's mind. There was something he had to ask them. What was it? They were looking at him in a similar way like they were going to say something but had forgotten what it was. Their attentions were drawn away harshly as someone else scrambled into the room. It was Ginny still in her night shirt, red hair flying wildly around her face. She looked bewildered. Looking at each one of them in turn they all stared back. Harry felt something stir in him. Relief? But about what? Ginny stammered as she failed to get her words out.

"I…I can't…what…" she stared around at them desperately and Heather went to her, leading her to a chair.
"What happened?" she asked staring up at Heather as though she were some oracle who knew the meaning of life.
"Nothing…yet." Was her answer. Something flashed across Ginny's face. It looked like fear and recognition. She suddenly started scrambling up the hem of her nightshirt to reveal her thigh. Harry gulped and turned away, averting his eyes.
"There's nothing there." Hermione spoke for the first time. Harry swallowed his bashfulness and turned to look at her. He examined her leg from a distance and was almost surprised to see that it was unblemished. But then why wouldn't it be? What had they expected to see? Ginny covered her legs again and sat looking thoughtful.

"What's happening? It's like I know something but I don't know what it is." Harry said and the girls all turned to look at him. They didn't get a chance to answer as Ginny squealed and they all turned to look at the tapestry she pointed at. It was moving and it was quite clear that someone was behind it. As all students went for their wands, they lowered them again instantly as Professor Hedwig appeared from behind it looking panicked. Harry stared at the tapestry gobsmacked. Was there a passageway behind it?

"Is everyone ok, are you alright?" she gasped. She’d obviously run at top speed from wherever she had been. She immediately went to Ginny's side touching her shoulder gently.
"We're fine, but…"
"…what's going on?" asked Heather and Hermione in turn sounding like one person speaking a single sentence. Krysta stood at her full height after glancing Ginny over, clearly satisfied that the girl was alright.
"I'm not sure, I just…"
"Knew you had to be here." Finished Heather and Krysta nodded.

"So you don't know what's going on either?" asked Harry sounding both disappointed and frustrated. The woman shook her head and dropped into a chair.
"Is it happening to everyone or just us, because Ron and Neville seemed in blissful ignorance earlier." Harry said and Krysta looked up thoughtfully.
"Neville seemed normal? That's strange. I wonder why it's only you." She sounded distant.
"And Ron." He emphasized again. She seemed disinterested in that.
"Everyone seems completely normal. Even Professor Dumbledore didn't understand my early morning panic." She told them and the two still standing girls sat down with their teacher at the table. Harry eventually joined them. There was silence as they all glanced at each other or at the grains in the wooden table. Eventually Krysta spoke.

"Listen I want you all to be extremely careful ok?" they nodded earnestly but she spoke firmly. "I mean it. Keep an eye on each other. Don't wander off alone. No trips to Hogsmeade, no visiting Norbert, girls." The girls giggled and Harry stared at them. They'd been visiting the dragon in secret without him and Ron? Hermione smiled guiltily at him and he couldn't help but smile back. She was quite clearly very fond of the creature and they both knew Ron wasn't so keen.

"The déjà vu has gone." Ginny exclaimed and Harry suddenly noticed it himself.
"This hasn't happened before. This means we've progressed. We're getting closer."
"Closer to what?"
"Working out whatever it is we have to change."
"It could be anything. It doesn't exactly help that we're not exactly sure what it is we're trying to prevent."
"Exactly. Besides the way to prevent things from happening are often so obscure…"
"Yes. It can be something tiny and seemingly unimportant, like a single conversation or a gesture…"
"…or something huge and dramatic."
Harry watched the conversation pass back and forth amongst the women like a game of table tennis. Finally he couldn't sit quietly any longer.

"OK!" he almost shouted and the few students that had begun to filter into the Common room looked over and rolled their eyes. There were a few whispers of "Oh dear, Potter's off on another tantrum". He ignored them and looked at each of the women in front of him in turn. "Now will someone please tell me what's going on?" he glared at them and they glanced at each other again. They did that a lot he'd noticed.

emjay · 07-27-2008, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krysta

"He's beginning to freak me out."

Me too, Ron. Me too.

Well, things are really getting freaky now, aren't they? Do the girls know something that Harry doesn't know?

Thanks for the update! I wasn't expecting to see one tonight.

Krysta · 07-28-2008, 07:57 AM

I got 'beared'...I mean bullied into it.

Sabrina_Snape · 07-28-2008, 08:09 AM

Ah but if you hadn't posted when she threatened you with a bear, I would've threatened you with Sabrina... and you dont wnt that to happen do you?

I love the post! Though I really want to know why Ron and Neville still dont realise anythings wrong.

PAMS!!!
Jemma
xxx

supercodi95 · 07-28-2008, 09:16 AM

love it!! can't wait for more!!

~Codi~

3uzz3ee · 07-29-2008, 11:37 AM

YAY!

*sends bear to bed*

Postie!! Its kinda weird that they're the only one that know somethings wrong...

And Ginny's alive... AGAIN...

I can't figure it out!

Placids · 07-29-2008, 09:53 PM

New reader =P

Woooooooww!! I like this book five better than JK's =) ...Sirius doesn't die, does he? Please don't be as heartless as she was =(

Please post the next bit!!!!!! I'm so hooked on this story

Krysta · 07-30-2008, 03:03 PM

Hi Placids! Welcome to the mayhem.

Really glad you're enjoying it. I have to admit this story takes up a lot of my headspace: what with one sequel and two prequels on the go...phew! Well let's get through this one first, then eh? Here's part one of the next chapter, especially for you.
xx

PS - if you see the bear, just read it a story. That usually pacifies it.

Chapter 18: Things to Do In Hogsmeade When You're Dead

"A time loop?"

He'd had this conversation at least 5 times now.

"A time loop." Confirmed Hermione dumping a huge and rather dusty book on the table in front of Ron. He looked at her sceptically.
"You don't expect me to read that do you?" he said looking at the book as though it were a plate of broccoli. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"No actually. You haven't bothered for the last 5 days so why should you now?"
"6 days." Corrected Heather. Both girls looked at him tiresomely and he grinned back.
"Technically it's not even 1 day." Added Ginny and Ron winked at her.

He peered at the pages that seemed more scientific than mystical. They showed a representation of a timeline in a spiral going along the page. There was a snag in one of the loops where somehow it double backed on itself. It looked like one of the optical illusion posters Harry's old Maths teacher used to put on the walls of the classroom. No matter how many times you tried to find a path through the maze or room of insane staircases you always ended up either upside down or back where you started from. The time loop was kind of like that. Time just kept going back to the beginning of that loop forever and ever into infinity.

"So how did it happen?" Ron asked flipping the pages to look at the mysterious black holes on the next page.
"Well…" began Hermione pulling the book back away from Ron, replacing it with another. Ron grumbled and tried to study the new text in front of him.
"They sometimes occur naturally, often when something disastrously wrong happens and the fabric of fate loops itself back around."
"The what of whatty?" asked Ron his eyes glazing.
"Oh what's the point? He'll have forgotten all of this by tomorrow morning anyway…or this morning…whatever." Muttered Heather getting herself confused.
"You see despite what some people may like to think, there is such a thing as fate. And if something disrupts the natural course of things, time kind of stops itself until the flaw is corrected and time can continue on the correct course."
"Well that's depressing." Said Ron after a long pause.
"Why?" asked Hermione.
"Well you're basically saying that whatever I do, whatever decisions I make throughout the course of my life, I'm destined to end up the same way." Hermione thought about that.
"You're right it is depressing." She muttered slumping back in her chair.

"However this is not the case here." Added Heather trying to get the conversation back on track. "We're not experiencing a naturally occurring time loop and that gives us an advantage."
"How come? And…how come?" asked Ron.
"Well this is a mystical time loop brought about by a curse or spell. Someone is either trying to distort fate to help themselves, or someone is trying to un-do a terrible wrong."
"Right. So this could be an evil time loop or a good time loop."
"Right."
"And we've no idea which or who might have caused it."
"No."
"So what advantage do we have then?" he asked sounding dubious.
"Well, at least we know we're in a time loop. In naturally occurring ones, the people involved have no idea. They just live the same time period over and over again, completely unaware. Therefore the loop just keeps going and keeps going forever because no one is trying to correct anything."
"Ah I see. So at least we have a fighting chance at fixing it." Said Ron perking up a little. The others exchanged nervous glances. He looked at them suspiciously.
"Ok, what's the catch? There's a catch isn't there?" Harry nodded.

"Basically the loop only goes around 12 times before it's unbreakable." Ron's face fell.
"Explain." He said slowly.
"The loop can only be broken during the first 12 days. If we haven't fixed it by then, we're stuck to live this same day over and over again."
"Forever?"
“Forever." The all confirmed together.
"How many have we already had?" he asked beginning to sound really nervous. Heather and Hermione exchanged one of their looks. It was Ginny who answered.
"We think we've had 8." Ron's face drained of any colour.
"Eight?" he asked in a hoarse whisper. "Well what have you tried so far to prevent it? I mean you must have an idea of what it is that goes wrong, where the time loop becomes snagged." He sounded desperate and pleading. Heather looked away and Hermione regarded him with such sympathy.
"What? What happens?" he asked, his voice breaking. Ginny placed a hand gently on his arm and fixed his gaze with guilt.
"One if us dies." She said and he stared at her in horror.
"Who?" he asked, his voice barely audible. Harry looked away too now.
"Me." She said gently.

"I won't let it happen, you hear me, it's not going to happen. Why would it happen? Why you? What did you do?" he was ranting uncontrollably and no one could stop him.
"Ron, calm down." Began Ginny but he shrugged the hand off his arm.
"How can I calm down? You tell me you're going to die tonight and you expect me to calm down?"
"Well acting like a maniac isn't going to help me is it?" she screamed back and the two siblings suddenly fell silent staring at each other. No one spoke as Ron pulled his sister into a hug. Harry could see he was fighting tears.
"Things have changed though." Heather began. They were running out of time and she was desperate to move this along as fast as possible. It was already 11am.
"We can't remember everything. Only parts of it. The fact that she dies. We even know how. We think. Something happens to her leg but we don't know what. It could be a curse or anything we don't know. We know that for the first few cycles Norbert is also killed. You killed him, thinking that he killed Ginny, but the last few cycles we've somehow managed to prevent it." Hermione explained. Ron looked as though his head was about to explode.
"One night we managed to save Ginny but…" Heather trailed off and Harry finished for her.
"Hermione was killed instead." Ron stared at Hermione in horror.
"Is someone trying to hurt me or something?" he said in a low voice. Hermione joined Ron and his sister in a group hug when she saw the pain in Ron's eyes.
"We're going to stop it Ron, we're already come so far. I promise you we'll stop it." Hermione sounded so sincere even Harry believed her. But Harry knew something Ron didn't. The girls were a day out. He'd had déjà vu eight times now. Which meant the cycle had gone around 9 times. They only had three attempts left.

"But I don't want to know."
"Well you're not staying here."
"But…"
"No, you're coming with us."
"But it should be a surprise."
"Ginny get your damn coat." Yelled Ron finally and grumbling she obliged, disappeared up the stairs to her dorm. Harry grinned.
"I got the impression she doesn't want to go."
"Well if she thinks I'm leaving her here she can think again. I'm not letting her out of my sight." Said Ron firmly just as Fred and George came into the Common Room.
"Say are you ready to…oh…you are ready to go then. How did you know…" Fred's voice trailed off when he saw the sullen smiles on Ron and Harry's face. "On second thought, I won't ask how you know we're going to Hogsmeade. C'mon let's get out of here before someone misses us."
"We have to wait for Ginny." Announced Ron casually.
"Er, Ron, the whole point of going is to surprise her."
"Yes well things have changed."
"Oh have they, Mister 'high and mighty'?"
"Yes. Ginny's in danger and I'm not leaving her alone."
"Excuse me? Er, have we missed something?" asked Fred as George scratched his head.
"Yes. It's too confusing though and I'm not going through it now without Hermione and her library so you'll just have to take my word for it."
"Yes, and besides even if we did explain it, you'd just forget it all over night anyway."
"No, they wouldn't Harry, because we're not going to let it happen again." Harry smiled at Ron's optimism though he couldn't say he shared it.

"Well ours HAS to be a surprise."
"I'm not leaving her here and that's final." He insisted and Fred rolled his eyes.
"Ok, ok. We'll go get her present from us, and she can stay with you. Then we'll swap over and you can go and get yours." Suggested George and Ron nodded in agreement. It sounded ideal…

The smoky atmosphere of the Tavern was making Harry's chest tighten but it was worth it for the freshly pulled pints of Butterbeer. It just wasn't the same out of a bottle. The draft stuff was so much better. He watched in amusement as Ron downed his pint and then burped haughtily. Ginny rolled her eyes but couldn't help but grin as well, then just as though to prove something she did exactly the same.
"Quite impressive for a girl." Harry slurred, beginning to feel the effects of the warming beer. Ginny hiccupped a thank you then giggled.
"Well she's learned form the best." Said Ron proudly. "I can remember her when she was this big." He announced holding his hands about a foot apart. Ginny sniggered and hit her forehead on the table.
"I feel funny." She murmured her voice muffled against the wood.
"That's ok…you look funny too." Burst out Ron and the two lads burst into laughter much to her annoyance.
"I do not!" she protested wiping her face as though just checking.

Then boys laughed harder, which made her go into a sulk. "I don't look funny do I, Harry?" she asked in her most pathetic voice. Harry stopped and smiled lop-sided at her.
"Ginny, dear, you never look funny." He said in what he thought sounded like an adoring voice and actually sounded like he was half asleep. This of course sent Ron into Roars of laughter and Ginny into fits of sniggering giggles and Harry's attempted sulk into a fit of giggling of his own. By now the students had drawn unwanted attention, though of course they weren't aware of it. Everyone knew the Hogwarts students weren't allowed in Hogsmeade these days, and Harry was hardly conspicuous. There weren't many people left who didn't know him by sight.
They were oblivious however and none of them saw the figure slip from the shadows. No one noticed the hand that slipped as it passed their glasses, past their table and out of the door, returning to its master with a cold heart.

"I don't think I've ever had a sugar rush like this." Murmured Ginny her eyes hazing over a little.
"Me either." Agreed Harry. They looked at Ron who shrugged and grinned at them.
"You know alcohol has no effect on me." He announced with bravado.
"And how would you know, young man?" asked Ginny in her Mother's voice, causing Harry to start snickering again.
"You mean there's no alcohol in this stuff?" asked Harry surprised.
"Harry, we're fourteen years old!" cried Ginny.
"Fifteen." Corrected Ron. She ignored him.
"Do you really think Professor Dumbledore would allow us to drink alcohol?" Harry hadn't thought about it.
"So why do I feel drunk?” asked Harry. Studying the pitcher of golden orange foaming liquid in front of him in interest.
"We’re not drunk." disagreed Ginny.
“Yeah, Harry, you’re imagining it.” Nodded Ron.
Harry stared at his pint glass for a few seconds as though wondering what was going to happen to the contents when it hit his stomach, then downed the whole lot in one go. The belch that followed was sweet smelling and accompanied by another hiccup sounding, to Harry at least, like pure poetry.

"Blurry fantastic if you ask me." He slurred and Ron slapped him on the back.
"wuururrr, don't do that Ron, man, the room's swimming."
"Where big brothers?" asked Ginny yawning a little.
"I'm here you daft wench." Spluttered Ron and Harry joined in. Ginny looked confused for a moment. "No, no other big brothers. Meant to come look after me. You go get lovely pwessies for your favourite sister."
"You're my only sister."
Ron looked towards the door bleary eyed and Harry looked at his new watch. The shops would be closing soon.
"They should be here. Need to get Ginny pwessies...presents" Agreed Harry correcting himself. Ginny smiled at him. She was so pretty. He was just about to tell her how pretty she was when Ron saved him the future embarrassment.
"Less go."
"Go where?"
"Shops. Get presents."
"Need to look after Ginny." Harry reminded him.
"No, no you go get me pwessies. I stay here…finish the beer…hey that rhymes." She giggled and Harry hit his head on the table snickering again.
"Pwessies doesn't rhyme with beer." Slurred Ron looking confused. The other two continued giggling.
"No, silly. It rhymes with…what does pwessies rhyme with, Harry?" Harry looked thoughtful.
"It rhymes with…I don't know. But it doesn't rhyme with beer."
"No definitely not."
"Well why did it rhyme then?" asked Ron as if this was vitally important.
"I can't remember." Said Ginny bursting into giggles again, which Harry joined in.
"You're both mad." Insisted Ron.
"Does 'stay' rhyme with anything?" asked Ginny.
"Hay."
"Day."
"Gay."
"May."
"I didn't say any of those words." Butted in Ginny before they could carry on.
"I know."
"Well why did you say them?"
"You wanted to know what 'stay' rhymed with."
"Yes but only if I'd said it that sentence."
"Well you didn't say that. If that's what you wanted you should have said 'Ron and Harry does 'stay' rhyme with any of the words I said in that sentence?'" Said Ron and Harry's eyes crossed as he tried to follow the sentence. Ginny stared at her brother for a few seconds.
"You're stupid." She finally said and Harry snickered again.

"No, you're stupid, you said 'pwessies' rhymed with 'beer'." Argued Ron and Ginny's face fired up.
"No I didn't!" she cried raising her voice. "You said that 'pwessies' DIDN'T rhyme with 'beer'." She insisted.
"Well it doesn't!"
"I know!"
"Then why did you say it did?"
"I didn't!"
"You said 'hey that rhymes'" he shot back.
"Yes, but I didn't mean those two words!" she shouted. It was getting quite loud.
"Well which words did you mean?" he asked pompously folding his arms across his chest.
"I can't remember."
"Well what was the sentence and we'll try and see what rhymes." Suggested Harry with an attempt at diplomacy.
"Haven't we already tried that?" asked Ginny looking even more confused.
"Well let's try again. What was it you said?" Ginny gathered her breath to speak and then stopped dead.
"I can't remember." She finally announced sending Ron into roars of laughter. Ginny buried her face in the table and moaned. Harry rolled his eyes and pushed his fringe out of his eyes.
"Blurry 'ell" announced Ron, his curses almost incomprehensible.
"What?"
"Yer 'ead. It's red."
"Now that rhymes!" shouted Ginny lifting her head off the table.

Harry reached up and touched his scar, it felt hot to the touch. Why hadn't he noticed it. The Beer must have numbed his senses a little. The beer? Why did he feel so whoozy?
He studied his reflection in the glass pitcher. Right now it was a fiery red. In his confusion Harry didn't know what to make of it. Why was it hot? What did that mean? He heard a sharp intake of air and both boys looked up to see Ginny staring wide-eyed into what was apparently thin air. All of a sudden she fixed Harry with a piercing look and he gasped. Her eyes. As they had been that night. She grabbed his arm powerfully, her grip digging into his skin. He couldn't drag his gaze away from her eyes.

"They're coming. They're coming for them." She said firmly. Her voice sounded strange. Not Ginny's but creepily familiar. He knew the voice but couldn't place it.
"What? Who?" asked Ron not sure what was going on.
"Her eyes, Ron." Ron pulled his sister around forcing her to look at him. He shied away from her, releasing her instantly. And almost as soon as it had happened it was over. She stared around at them.
"What?" she asked before dropping her head back on the table. Ron was still staring at her horrified.
"The shops are going to close soon. Ginny will you be ok whilst we go? Fred and George will only be a few minutes." Asked Ron in a strange, controlled calm voice. She waved her hand in the air as if to say 'whatever' and Ron got up from his stool, dragging Harry with him, they left the pub.

"We shouldn't have left her there." Called Harry trying to catch up with his friend.
"Why not?" asked Ron not slowing down. Harry stared sideways at Ron as they walked down Hogsmeade main-street, which was full of busy and excited people hurrying to buy fireworks and Halloween treats before the shops closed.
"Er, the Time Loop? Your sister's in trouble, Ron."
"Yes but that wasn't my sister. I don't know who it was but it wasn't Ginny." Harry fell silent for a moment.
"It was Ginny…someone just sort of borrowed her for a second." He said carefully. He didn't want to use the 'P' word.
"Possessed her you mean?" Ok, so Ron would use the word for him. Harry didn't answer. His expression confirmed it.
"I'm sure she'll be OK." He assured Ron. Ron snorted.
"OK? Harry, in a few hours she could be dead and meanwhile some unknown entity is using her as the local Motel." Harry swallowed hard.

"She was ok last time." He finally said then stopped dead when he saw the shocked and horrified expression on Ron's face. He'd forgotten he'd never told Ron about that night.
"Before? This has happened before?" Harry could barely look at him. "Oh fantastic! Is there anything else you want to tell me? Anything else I don't know? What the hell happened, Harry?" Harry took a deep breath before relating to Ron the night Ginny had woken from her disturbed sleep, exhibiting brilliant green eyes and speaking words only Harry knew: His Mother's last words.
Ron slumped onto a wooden bench beside the small green in the middle of the village. Harry discreetly checked his watch. They only had a few minutes before the shops would close and dark was fast approaching.

"So…your Mother's possessing my sister." It wasn't a question really. It was more of an inner thought spoken aloud. Harry dropped onto the bench next to him. He hadn't thought about it. Now he did he was in shock. He didn't know whether to panic because the girl he cared a great deal for was possessed, be overjoyed because he maybe had contact with his mother, or to worry about the message she had given him. The message. "They're coming. They're coming for them." Who? Who was coming? He snapped back to the present when Ron sat up straight bunching his cloak tightly around him.

"Well…" Ron added, his voice sounding lighter. Harry looked up hopefully.
"…I can think of worse people to be possessed by."

To be continued...

emjay · 07-30-2008, 05:42 PM

Quote:

I have to admit this story takes up a lot of my headspace: what with one sequel and two prequels on the go...phew!

wait . . . did I miss something? I know about the 2 prequels, but are you writing a sequel too? That makes me happy!

Quote:

"A time loop." Confirmed Hermione dumping a huge and rather dusty book on the table in front of Ron. He looked at her sceptically.
"You don't expect me to read that do you?" he said looking at the book as though it were a plate of broccoli. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"No actually. You haven't bothered for the last 5 days so why should you now?"
"6 days." Corrected Heather. Both girls looked at him tiresomely and he grinned back.
"Technically it's not even 1 day." Added Ginny and Ron winked at her.

Hehe it's like Groundhog's Day - did you see that movie? - Love it! Well, at least they've figured out a part of it, now to figure out what needs to be changed.

Krysta · 07-30-2008, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsMorgan

wait . . . did I miss something? I know about the 2 prequels, but are you writing a sequel too? That makes me happy!

Hehe it's like Groundhog's Day - did you see that movie? - Love it! Well, at least they've figured out a part of it, now to figure out what needs to be changed.

Yes, I'm writing a sequel, though there are only a couple of chapters so far.

And yes, this part of the storyline was inspired by Groundhog Day.