HP 6 - A different Half-Blood...

The Ravenclaw Match

He was positive everyone woke up. Neville was standing up by his bed and Dean and Seamus watched from their beds. Ron had jumped out of his bed and was kneeling next to him. Harry was shaking. He sat up and leaned against his bed. He started massaging his temple trying to relieve the pain.

"Harry, are y-you alright? W-What hap-happened?" Ron stuttered.

"Just a dream. Sorry, I woke you," Harry responded, still shaking and he put his arm down.

He got up slowly, refusing Ron's help and desperately trying to avoid his eyes.

"I'm going to walk it off. I want to be alone," he said, firmly.

He left from the room without waiting for a comment. Fortunately, for him, Ron did not follow. He went down a sat on a squishy chair by the dying fire. He was trembling still and taking in panicked breaths, but it was not from the dream or his scar. He was afraid. Voldemort could not find out about the prophecy. It was the only defense Harry had against him, and this was the second time Voldemort had broken into his dreams. Was he in any other dreams? Could he risk going back to sleep?

No, I can't go back to sleep. What if I can't wake up in time? he thought. Well, I can't stay awake forever. I just have to be careful. Yes... careful... careful....

It took him awhile to calm down. He kept repeating careful in his head. Finally, after about an hour, his mind shot to another question, what are am I going to tell Ron and Hermione?

Harry did have a brilliant cover 온라인카지노게임. Losing Sirius was a dream he had all the time, but it was a hard tossup which topic he least wanted to talk about, Sirius or the prophecy. He might be able to avoid their questions about Sirius and talking about the prophecy is worst of the two. By his reckoning, they would take the prophecy worse than he did. After all, he is the one who needs to learn how to kill someone. He dosed in and out of consciousness until morning, but he kept snapping awake in paranoia. Sunlight had filled the room, when Hermione came down followed by Crookshanks.

"What are you doing up already, Harry?" she asked, watching him apprehensively.

"Couldn't sleep. Want to get some breakfast, Ron probably won't get up for another hour or so," he said, in a weary voice.

"I didn't go back to sleep," Ron said, marching down the stairs. Harry wiped his forehead exhaustedly, sensing an argument.

"After you had another dream and decided to it walk off," Ron said, letting Hermione know what had happened.

"Another dream? Oh, Harry, what happened?" she said, terrified.

"It's not about Voldemort," Harry responded, tonelessly.

Ron flinched at the name and grabbed his ears as though trying to screen it out.

"Really? Well, what was it about?" Hermione asked, ignoring Ron.

"Guess," Harry said, irritably.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked, cautiously.

"Fine, just hungry. Let's go down and..." Harry started.

"Oh no, you don't! I think it's about time we had a talk. You haven't been sleeping and don't deny it! Don't you think we would notice by now?" Hermione said sternly, glancing to Ron for support, but like usual, he had decided to let her do all the work.

"Hermione listen, I don't want to talk about it," Harry said, getting frustrated.

"Talk about what? You don't even say his name. Harry, it wasn't your fault," she said, slightly exasperated.

That last line had did it. Harry's temper shot through the roof. Few things affect him these days, and they finally hit one of them.

"That's enough! End of discussion! Now, do you guys want to eat or shall I go alone!?!" he shouted, not worried about waking anyone else up and motioning toward the door.

"You need to talk about it Harry!" Hermione yelled, unmoved by his temper.

"See you later," he said, keeping his voice even.

He turned and walked out the portrait hole, without another word. He did not go down to the breakfast. Instead, he hid behind the statue of Lachen the Lanky by the portrait entrance and waited for Ron and Hermione to leave. He was breathing hard. He did not want to talk about it. Why couldn't they get that? Fortunately, they did not take long. He could hear them arguing as they passed.

"Ron, he's just angry and depressed, it isn't a good combination. He'll calm down eventually," Hermione said, stepping through the portrait.

"But when?" Ron said, nervously.

"Maybe when you try talking to him, too! You just sit back and let me handle all of his problems!" Hermione snapped.

"They are his problems, though, maybe..." Ron started.

"Ron! Look what happened this summer when he was just left to deal with 'his problems'! He starved himself and got beat up for more than the reason he gave us! Now, I can't do this on my own!" Hermione half-shouted, clearly not worried about upsetting Filch, who could turn up at any moment.

"Well, you're good at it..." Ron said, slowly as his voice trembled.

"Yeah, but he is quite use to me telling him what to do. You are his best friend and you don't talk to him. He needs you to help him whether he wants you to or not!" she said exasperated.

"Alright, alright! Let's just go meet up with him first," Ron resigned.

As their footsteps faded away, Harry left his hiding place and went up to get his books for the rest of the day. If Ron and Hermione started up again, he could just take off. He met up with them in Care of Magical Creatures. Ron spoke first.

"Harry, calm down," he said, trying to avoid another row.

"I am calm," Harry said.

"Ok, you don't have to talk about it," Hermione started.

"I know I don't," Harry said, bluntly.

"Good, so you aren't gonna run off now, are you?" Ron said.

"No," he said, shortly.

"Ok. Let's see what deadly new surprises Hagrid has in store for us today!" Ron said trying to break the tension.

"Yeah, let's hope Hagrid can actually handle it," Harry said, doubtfully.

"And that it isn't anything illegal," Hermione piped in.

Hagrid actually planned a wonderful (non-violent) class for them. He brought several different kinds of birds, including Fawkes, Dumbledore's loyal phoenix. Hagrid showed how to correctly handle and feed them, as well as explain their uses. The class was murmuring good things when they left.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was as challenging as before. Harry figured it would not be too long until they learn how to kill, though they did try mind control on some larger animals. Ironically, in Transfiguration, they worked on conjuring animals as well. The day slipped by slowly, and Harry was exhausted from lack of sleep. He figured Ron and Hermione had come to an agreement not to talk to him right away about it, and Harry was grateful for it. It made it a lot easier.

At night, his thoughts focused on one thought: Was Voldemort going to invade his dreams again? He did not know, but his last thoughts dwelled upon that unhappy thought before he fell asleep. He awoke with a start a few hours after falling asleep. He rushed a couple of panicked breaths in before he could regain control. Did he come? he thought, but Harry could not remember. He racked his memory, but nothing. His scar was not hurting, so it was a good sign. He looked around and saw Seamus silhouetted against the window. He was watching outside, and he turned to see Harry was watching him. Harry got out of bed and walked over to talk to him.

"What are you doing?" Harry whispered.

"Just thinking about the war, I can't go outside anymore more, you know, with all those rampaging griffins out there," he said with a smile and Harry returned it. "Bad dream?" Seamus asked.

"Don't remember. Don't know if I want to remember it," he said, truthfully.

"Well, it's your business. I wouldn't tell anyone my dreams, unless they were really funny," he said, smiling.

"Yeah, I want to be alone. I think I'll go sit by the fire." Harry said.

Seamus nodded to show he understood and Harry walked down into the common room. It seemed so private at night. He curled up on a couch by the fire and watched it spark and crackle. Crookshanks jumped up onto him and Harry petted him.

Ron and Hermione weren't going to let up, he thought. They are going to make me tell them the prophecy. Voldemort could capture and torture them. No, they must not know. They just believe it is about Sirius. His heart sank just thinking about him.

He watched him slowly fall when the spell hit him. He had to save him... Lupin had to let him save him this time. Sirius.... He woke up again. Dawn was approaching. He did not want to wait for Hermione to get up. He ran up and quietly got his bag. Everyone was still asleep. He left quietly down the stairs and out the portrait hole. He did not get to the sixth floor before....

"Potter!" Harry turned to look into the crazed eyes of demented, bitter caretaker.

"Yes," Harry said trying to act polite.

"Don't say yes like that, what are you doing out of bed at this time of morning?" Filch spat at him.

"Walking around. It's morning," Harry muttered.

"No one walks around this time of the morning! You are up to something, like all the rest of the brats in here," he spluttered.

"Well, if there isn't anything you can accuse me of, can I go?" Harry said, indifferently.

Filch glared at him, "If I find one thing out of place...."

"Yeah, I know, you will hang up by my wrists in the dungeons," he said bluntly and walked away from the infuriated caretaker, before he could respond.

He walked down to the fourth floor and headed toward the West Tower to visit Hedwig. He went into the circular room of Owlery and searched the rafters that were lit up by the morning light, trying to find his snowy white owl.

She was not hard to find, but before he could reach for her, she hooted, flew down and rested on his arm. He stroked her and apologized for not having a letter. He remembered he would usually send Sirius a letter, telling him about the dreams, but he could not do that anymore. He gently stroked her for a while and then he raised his arm and said a farewell as she flew off his hand and went up into the rafters. She continued to watch him, as he headed for the door. He gave one last look at her amber eyes and left.

He went downstairs and into the Great Hall. There were a few dishes for early risers. He ate a few bites, but he was not very hungry. He sat there, and people started to arrive. He really didn't want to be around people, so he walked out into the entrance hall and went downstairs to Potions, which didn't start for another two hours. He knew no one in their right in mind would hang around in Snape's dungeon. He slid down the cold, stone wall and sat on the floor. He did not know why he was avoiding Ron and Hermione, but it seemed like a good idea. An hour passed without incident, until he heard footsteps coming down the stone steps. Snape appeared. He was clearly getting ready for class. He was carrying some sort of potion in his hand.

"Potter, what are you doing down here?" Snape snarled, glaring at him.

Harry tore his eyes off the wall to look up into Snape's eyes. "Nothing," he said. "Professor," he added with difficulty and looked down at the floor.

"Nothing? Well go and do nothing somewhere else. Don't go laying your self-pity on my doorstep," he said without a sign of sympathy. Harry's back tensed up.

"I'm in the hallway. This isn't your school," Harry responded, coolly.

"Ten points from Gryffindor! And if you talk to me like that again, I'll put you in detention," he snarled.

Snape swept off into his office. Harry could already tell that Potions was going to be long and painful. Snape's blood was up. He was really getting tired of seeing Snape every day. He resumed his previous activity of counting the number of stones in the section of wall in front of him. He was up to a hundred when footsteps again interrupted him.

Malfoy came sulking down the stairs, alone and looking at the floor. He was mumbling about his father under his breath. His situation clearly was tormenting him. He was only ten feet from Harry, when he looked up enough to notice him. He stopped dead in his tracks. Malfoy's lip curled.

"What are you doing down here?" Malfoy spat, speaking to Harry for the first time since last semester ended.

"Minding my own business," he responded getting up and pulling out his wand.

He smiled as he found a perfect person to vent his rage on. He could not do much, because Snape was just down the hall, and any fight would be broken up immediately.

"Just you wait Potter! My father is going to get out eventually. He will make everything right, and you will go down just like your parents. The Dark Lord will take over this place, and people like me will be in charge. Just you wait," he said vehemently.

"Always waiting for daddy to save you? Can't do anything yourself? Now everyone knows exactly what your family is. Poor and worthless. No one cares about you..." he paused, moving to the center of the hallway as he talked.

Malfoy looked like he was going to kill.

"Am I hitting a nerve? Poor Malfoy. Doesn't even have two Knuts to rub together. Must be tough," Harry said, quietly, emphasizing every word, with a sense of pleasure he hadn't felt in a long time.

"I'll get it all back Potter, and people will pay for treating me like this!" Malfoy half-shouted and Snape appeared at Harry's side.

"Potter! What are you doing?" Snape snarled.

"Just having a chat with Malfoy here, Sir," Harry said, innocently.

Snape looked from Harry to Malfoy. Malfoy did not wait for instructions and left quickly up the stairs. Snape was watching Harry.

"How is everything going, Professor?" he asked, with a smirk.

"Watch it, Potter," Snape threatened and went into his office.

People started to come about ten minutes before class started. Seamus and Dean arrived together comparing Quidditch and football. Harry, without invitation, decided to sit with them at their table, taking Neville's spot and joined in Dean and Seamus's conversation. Harry, of course, sided with Seamus. He knew and played Quidditch, and he never really watched football

Hermione arrived with Neville. She looked at Harry, who stared unwavering at which potion ingredients he needed to set-up. Neville sat with Hermione. She was did not know what was going on, and continued staring at Harry. She was about to come over, but Snape's imminent arrival must have changed her mind, and she stayed, very frustrated, by her cauldron. Harry, Seamus and Dean continued their discussion, but the door flew opened and Snape's presence silenced any more discussion.

Harry successfully avoided any more conversation that day and walked around outside until practice was due to start. He did not feel like changing into his Quidditch robes, so he just Summoned his Firebolt from the pitch. It flew through the open window and came right to him.

The rest of the team soon arrived, slightly put off by his appearance, but Ron and Hermione were the last ones to arrive. Hermione went up into the stands and Ron looked as though he had run down. Harry concluded that they planned to ambush him when he went to change. He missed that bullet. Ron started them on basic exercises and worked up to full plays. Harry practiced on catching the Snitch. He caught it ten times before practice end and the rest of team did well. Sloper was even hitting well. Ron congratulated them on their progress and the whole team was looking forward to their upcoming match. Afterward, Harry did not walk with Ron, but started up toward the castle alone.

The rest of the week had passed and they had barely said anything to each other. Hermione had tried to get to him during their classes, but the lesson usually stopped her. Professor McGonagall ended up taking ten points away from Gryffindor one class, because Hermione was distracting others. He ate meals on the go, sat with Seamus and Dean in class and walked the corridors when class was out.

One day, as practice ended, Hermione came up fast on Ron. She greeted him and looked directly at Harry, who put the team between them and walked around fast on the other side. He hurried up to the common room and made it there first, but did not go in. He decided to hide outside the door again. The rest of the team past, and Ron and Hermione came up slowly, and again arguing.

"You sleep in the same room! How can you not get a chance to talk to him?" Hermione asked, skeptically.

"Well, I don't want to wake him up," Ron said, uncertainly.

"He doesn't sleep!" Hermione shouted, indignantly.

"Well, I don't want to distract him. The game is tomorrow..." Ron started and knew immediately that he had said the wrong thing.

Hermione looked furious, she rose up and although Ron was taller than she was, she towered over him, with a force like that strongly resembled Mrs. Weasley.

"RON! Are you saying that you are putting a silly game over the needs of your friend!?! What are you thinking! Harry is in trouble, and you are not helping him! Now, you better put your priorities straight and you'd better do it pretty damn fast!" she shouted and stormed off into the common room.

Ron was still cowering after she left. He straightened up and paced for a minute. He rubbed the back of his neck, shook his head and entered the portrait hole. Harry waited about a half an hour and entered the common room. Neither Ron nor Hermione were there. Harry walked up the stairs to the top of the tower and started to pull off his Quidditch robes when he entered. Ron was sitting up in bed. He looked awkwardly at Harry. Harry decided to jump on the problem first, saving Ron from the humiliation.

"We can talk in the morning. I promise I'll stay with you guys, let's go to bed," Harry said, unwillingly.

Harry changed and noticed Ron looked relieved, and at the same time, confused at how he knew. Ron only nodded and got under the covers. Harry fell asleep about an hour later and noticed Ron did not fall asleep before him. The argument with Hermione and the pressure of the game weighed heavy on his shoulders. However, when Harry woke up in the middle of the night, Ron was asleep by then. Harry stuck to his word and did not leave. He dosed in and out of the Death Chamber until morning.

When Ron woke up, he looked immediately for Harry, who had already dressed and was looking out the window. He nodded to Ron, who got up and dressed. Seamus and Neville woke up soon after that, and Seamus threw his shoe at Dean to wake him up. When Ron had finished getting ready, which took an extremely long time, they headed quietly down to the common room.

Hermione was already there and looked happy at the sight of Harry. She did not want to scare him off, so she just said hello, and they headed down to breakfast. Ron was nervous about the game, but was making some conversation. He managed to eat some breakfast. Seamus, Dean, Neville and Ginny ate with them.

Some of the Slytherins across the Hall were gloating, but without Malfoy, it did not even faze the Gryffindor team. He was not even there. Ron cheered up to that fact and a vindictive smile spread across his face. They headed out to the pitch at half past nine to change. The rest of the team was strangely quiet as they changed. When they were about to leave, Ron cleared his throat and they prepared for his speech.

"Now, I know you all are nervous. I am, too, but you have to focus. If you can do that, no one can ask more from you. We all have something to prove. We all have big shoes to fill. Our predecessors were a great team. Three of them are playing professionally now. It's not an easy thing to face up to, but we can do it. We have worked hard and trained vigorously. I am proud to be the captain of this team, and I hope you share that feeling. Let's go win this thing!"

They cheered at Ron's uplifting speech, and flew out the doors to the pitch and looped it. Madam Hooch released the Bludgers and the Snitch, as they landed by the Ravenclaw team. Ron and Roger Davies shook hands. Cho looked at Harry, who nodded to her. It had been three years since they played each other, and Harry was prepared to beat her again.

"And the ball is up! Taken in by Ginny Weasley and passed to Seamus Finnigan, one of the new players on the team..." Colin Creevy's voice echoed over the megaphone.

Ron had shot over to his goal post and watched his team in action, with pride. Harry soared around looking for the Snitch followed closely by Cho.

"...and passes back to Weasley, who dodges a Bludger and SCORES... Ten nil Gryffindor! The Quaffle is taken by Ravenclaw Captain Roger Davies and passed forward, but intercepted by Ginny Weasley, who passes it to Katie Bell, who SCORES!"

In the next ten minutes, Gryffindor scored three more times, Williams nailed Davies when he was about to score, and Ron made two spectacular saves. Harry had not caught sight of the Snitch. He was tired, but alert. Cho's tactics were finely tuned. She swerved in front of him to make him change directions.

"...Bell to Finnigan to Weasley and SCORE! Sixty to zero!" Colin shouted.

The Ravenclaw team was starting to heat up. They pelted a Bludger at Ron, when they were about to score, but Ron dodged the Bludger and forwarded the Quaffle out to Seamus. He was about to pass it to Katie, when the other Bludger hit Ginny in the back of the head and she was forced to land. Sean and Ron flew over to her, calling a time out.

"FOUL!!!" yelled Colin, "...and Ravenclaw Beater Bradley creams the Gryffindor Chaser out of play.... Penalty shot is taken by Katie Bell, who rounds Ravenclaw Keeper Chambers, and misses...."

Ron was concerned for his sister and Chaser, as Madam Pomfrey attended her, but Madam Hooch flew down.

"Your five minutes are up! Get up in the air or forfeit the match!" she said.

Ginny was still dazed, but Harry's instincts told him she would be all right. So, he took off toward the Gryffindor side of the pitch. Cho looked happy for the timeout and used the time to look for the Snitch on her own. A surge of anger rushed through him, and he was determined to get that Snitch before her. He raced around the stadium looking frantically for it, all thoughts of Voldemort and Sirius vanished from his mind. This time Cho could not keep up. He flew and swerved through the Ravenclaw players, disorienting them and allowing two turnovers that led to shorthanded goals.

"Look at Potter fly! He's making up their missing teammate and the Ravenclaw team is at a loss. Chang looks as though she needs to borrow Potter's glasses!" Colin said, jovially.

Ginny, after ten minutes, rejoined the game, and her follow Chasers celebrated her return by giving her the Quaffle to score her fifth goal.

"90 nil Gryffindor! Ravenclaw in position, Davies with the ball and.... Ouch, a Bludger plasters Keeper Ronald Weasley in the stomach... Davies has an open net and... Sloper sends the other Bludger right into his back! And Gryffindor recovers the ball! What a team! This is going to be a slaughter if Ravenclaw doesn't pick it up!" Colin laughed.

Harry felt a surge of laughter at that, because he just turned into a dive and easily grabbed the Snitch, before Cho even knew what was going on.

"GRYFFINDOR WINS!!!" Colin screamed through the stadium. "What a game!"

Ginny, Katie and Seamus flew into Harry, and even Sloper and Williams joined the huddle. Ron, who recovered from Davies' blow, sped across the pitch and slammed hard into Harry.

"Harry!" Ron yelled.

Ron was half-crying and half-laughing, as he hugged him. Even Katie's eyes were tearing up. Harry let go of the Snitch, as they landed, and joined in on the laughter and excitement. Hermione wrapped her arms around Ron and kissed him on the cheek. He looked confused for second, but the roar of the crowd brought him back to reality. Harry watched him with a smile on his face. He knew that Ron was going be a great captain.