The Dream Trilogy Book One: To Dwell On Dreams (A Harry Potter FanFiction)

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Six

Harry felt Malfoy's words playing on his mind. Hermione, Parvati and Seamus had been so frantic, checking he was alright, that he hadn't swallowed too much of the river or been nipped by the Kelpie, so he sat there and let them fuss. But all the while he was mulling over what Malfoy had said, what Seamus and Parvati had accused him of.  

The fact was, so Harry could garner from the things he'd leant today, that three years ago Hogwarts was attacked by Death Eaters, some students had died, and the school had closed its doors tightly ever since. But he didn't know why they had attacked.  

And now according to Seamus and Parvati, Malfoy had 'let them in', but Harry couldn't see how. Hogwarts was one of the safest places in the country as far as he knew. But Malfoy himself wasn't denying that, he was just claiming he didn't know what was going to happen, and that he didn't have a choice. Well, what did he think would happen though, that Dumbledore and Voldemort would sit down and have a nice cup of tea? It wasn't that much of a leap to assume that if Death Eaters got into Hogwarts, bad stuff was going to occur.  

Hermione had thought to pick up Harry's coat from where he'd thrown it, and he took it gratefully to slip back on, giving him a little comfort from the harsh elements. She also had his rucksack, but he didn't put that back on. 

"Let's get away from this river," he suggested. "Maybe catch our breath, have some food then carry on?" He shook the backpack, keep to get rid of some of Lily's sandwiches.  

"Are you sure that's wise?" asked Hermione, looking around anxiously. 

Seamus had perked up at the mention of food. "Gets my vote," he said, offering a hand to help Harry stand.  

Harry turned and did the same for Malfoy, who looked surprised, but accepted the offer after only a moment's pause. "Just five minutes" he said. "No fighting, we'll just eat, rest our legs then carry on." He nodded at Hermione. "We'll be no good if we're exhausted." 

Hermione looked at Parvati and Seamus, then back at Harry. "Good point," she said.  

Malfoy pointed along the track. "We're going up in a minute anyway," he said, and began walking once again, glancing at the river wearily.  

Harry followed, the other three behind him, and tried to think what circumstances might leave him without a choice to let the enemy into his home. But then Malfoy was different, he probably didn't consider Hogwarts his home, and his father was a renowned Death Eater. It might not have been so morally compromising as Harry might imagine, but there was still something bothering him about the whole thing. 

He still felt he had no choice but to trust that Malfoy was taking them the right way, but the more he learned about his alternate past, the better prepared he felt, an at least that was something.  

They traipsed up a slope of bare bushes that snagged at their clothes, and found themselves on a wider pathway that Harry thought was as good a place as any to stop. "Everyone just sit a moment," he said, indicating the open spot of ground, and began walking in a circle around them, putting up some basic protection spells. They weren't going to stop any intruders for long, but they would at least light up to warn them and make anything unwanted bounce back a few times.  

No one seemed to want to sit, they were all looking at each other wearily, except for Seamus, who was watching what Harry was doing. "Sirius sure taught you a lot, huh?" he said, frowning. Harry guessed his magic was far more advanced than his doppelganger, but he'd rather stay alive than worry about blowing his cover just at that moment.  

"I mean it," he said to them once he was done. "We'll only have a few minutes here, so take a spot and enjoy it while it lasts." He dropped his rucksack and threw himself on the hard but dry ground, thanking the thick canopy again for its protection from most of the falling snow. He rummaged around, pulling out the wrapped sandwiches, juice, fruit and chocolate his mum had given them, and he privately thanked her for her enthusiasm as there was plenty to go round between the five of them.