Heroes at Hogwarts

four | spirits and stairwells

harry

Harry was being followed.

He'd been walking to Hagrid's hut with Ron, Luna, and Hermione when he felt it. A cold wind washed over him and sent him into shivers, despite the late summer air.

Now, he was resting in his dormitory with the other boys when he felt it again, but this time it was accompanied by a strange laugh. The sound echoed through the dormitory and Harry flinched at the sudden silence it left behind.

None of the other boys even looked up.

"Alright there, Harry?" Neville was tending to his plants by the windowsill.

Harry realized he was shaking from a cold sweat. He nodded at the other boy. "Of course. What plant did your grandmother send this time?"

If Neville noticed Harry's change of subject, he didn't let on. He simply smiled and pointed to what looked like a lump of green and yellow vines. "Something Luna's father recommended. I haven't looked into it yet, but I believe it's much like the mandrake in means of caregiving. I'll talk to Sprout to be sure, though."

The lump of vines twisted around like a snake, and Harry looked away. "It's cool you found something you're interested in, Neville."

The light haired boy smiled and went back to cutting the leaves off one plant. He scrunched up his nose at the plant next to it and called out; "Seamus, if you don't start taking care of your wormwood it's going to dry out!"

Seamus huffed and pulled himself off his bed. "Neville, why don't you just take over on the plants? I swear, I don't know why my auntie sent it!" He trudged over to where Neville was fussing over the plants and the two began arguing about the state of the wormwood.

Harry was glad to have Neville's attention off of him. Ron, however, also seemed to notice a change in Harry's mood.

The redhead flopped onto Harry's small bed. "Wotcher, Harry, come to the pitch with Ginny and I?"

Harry smiled at Ron for his attempt to improve Harry's mood. He nodded and proceeded to push Ron off the bed. "Now go get your broom. Let's go."

By the time they finally met up with Ginny, shook Dean, and made it to the pitch, it was almost dark. Harry smiled and wove his wand in the air.

"Perks of being team captain." He pointed to each light stand around the pitch and muttered, "lumos." The stands each emitted a strong light onto the grass.

Ron smiled. "Perfect." He mounted his broom without another word and took off, weaving through the practice cones Hooch had set up the day before.

Before Harry could take to the air, Ginny set a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Harry was puzzled before he realized he was shaking. He smiled and shook his head, as if waving it off. "Oh, sure, just a little nervous for team tryouts tomorrow."

Ginny shook her head. "Why? Harry, you're the captain."

He just stared at her for a second. She stared back. He hadn't realized how dark her eyes were. He took a step back and her hand fell off his shoulder.

"Harry?"

Ron kept doing loops.

"You won't tell Ron?"

Ginny smiled a little. "What is it?"

"I'm going crazy."

She giggled a little and shook her head at him. "I doubt that."

"I kept hearing this laugh today. And it was cold." Harry looked down. "So cold."

Ginny's forehead creased. Harry watched her think. He hadn't ever paid much attention to Ron's little sister before, but all summer he'd made a point to avoid her.

She was beautiful. Her red hair matched his best friend's perfectly and her eyes reminded him of the gardens back at Privet Drive, where he would hide in the trees from Dudley and his friends.

But she was dating Dean, one of his best friends, and she was Ron's sister, and Harry didn't have much time for girls. Everyone expected him to defeat Voldemort, run the quidditch team, and be the best in classes. He didn't need to complicate things with his best friend and his family too.

"I bet if you asked Hermione," Ginny started, tearing Harry from his thoughts, "she'd know what it meant."

Harry was suddenly mortified. "No. Sorry, Gin, but no." Ginny looked hurt, but Harry turned away from her. "I can't talk to Hermione about this, she'll have medicine, treatment, and Dumbledore by midnight. I'll talk to Hagrid," he said. He mounted his broom and took off before she could get another word out.

Ron met him in the air. "What was that about?"

"Nothing, Ron." Harry smiled at his friend.

Ron said something, but all Harry was focused on was the gust of wind that was blowing through the valley. He struggled not to think about what he'd felt earlier in the day, but a sudden scream- that seemed to come from nowhere- echoed through the field.

His body went rigid. He gripped the broom with all of his might and shook his head with his eyes closed hard.

"Harry?" Ron asked, confused.

"Nothing. Nothing," Harry muttered. "I think I'm going to go visit McGonagall."

By the time Ron muttered, "Alright," Harry was already heading for the ground.

Ginny was sitting in the grass, right where Harry landed, and she jumped up and caught him when he stumbled off his broom.

Harry never stumbled with his broom.

He hid his reddening face and marched away.

"Harry!" Ginny called, but he kept his head down and went right past Dean, who was making his way to the pitch, looking for his girlfriend.

"Hey, Harry, have you seen..." the other boy's voice died as Harry kept his pace and went right by him.

He plowed right into the great hall and right into someone's back.

"Potter!" Draco Malfoy turned, juice all over his shirt. Harry just pushed him aside and began to run to McGonagall's office. "Potter! Get back here!" Malfoy shook the bottle he'd been drinking out of and threw it at Harry. It smacked Harry in the back but he didn't stop to throw it back like he normally would. When he turned down the hallway to her office, he caught the bewildered look on Malfoy's face, like he couldn't believe Harry didn't take the bait for a fight.

Harry sprinted down the hall, his robes flying out behind him and his glasses threatening to fall off. It wasn't until he actually reached the professor's door that he hesitated.

What was he doing? Barging into Professor McGonagall's office just to scream out, I'm going crazy, Professor, you should send me away! Harry took a step back, his fist held up to knock. It was barely a week into the year. He'd been going for a normal school year this time.

Harry shook his head and left, heading back to the dorm. He was getting cold flashes, that's all it was. His Uncle Vernon used to get them all the time. He'd barely left McGonagall's hallway when the cold wrapped around him again, and he was running.

Malfoy was suddenly there, arms crossed and standing in front of the stairs, blocking his path. "What is your problem today, Potter?" Malfoy voiced, but it was all he managed to get out. Harry pushed right by him, and almost made it down the stairs.

Draco Malfoy grabbed the back of his robes, sending Harry flying backwards down the stairs. He heard Slytherins above him snickering while he tumbled, but was just focusing on trying to right himself.

His back slammed into someone, and he felt them give way.