Ch. 29 Close Encounter

Tuesday, October 13, 1992

I stared at the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, attempting to teach trolls ballet.

Him being clubbed to death by those very same trolls seems a rather expected result. But I wonder what Barnabas was awaiting for his efforts.

Was he attempting to prove to the magical world, that trolls had the capability to learn or even be trained? Or was he just plainly barmy?

Putting thoughts of the deceased wizard out of mind, I turn around to face the stone wall across from the tapestry.

The thought of Dumbledore keeping an eye on me kept me away from the Room of Requirement, but that's not the case today.

Dumbledore was called to the Ministry during lunch. Free of any afternoon classes, I decided to seize the moment and made my way to the seventh-floor.

Without further delay, I mentally repeated what I need as I paced back and forth in the hall. It was on my third pass through that I noticed a door emerge from the wall!

With a joyous smile, I quickly entered the opening, closing the door behind me.

I find myself in a vast and sparsely furnished study. The only furnishings being a high-backed chair and a small bookcase. The space is well lit and perfect for reading the half-dozen books on the stocky shelves.

Moving to the bookcase, I grab a random book and sit down. On the spine of the book, 'Untethered' is pressed deep in the leather.

Hours quickly pass, as I'm reading the small pile of books.

The books are incredible! Filled with spells, rituals, and theories of the soul!

The best part, not one of these books are in my collection. I'm not sure how the Room of Requirement does it, but I'm glad it does!

As I finish the fourth book, I check the time before grabbing another one.

"Oh shit!" I was supposed to meet Aurora twenty minutes ago!

Grabbing one of the unread books, I quickly make my way out of the Room of Requirements.

The moment I step into the hallway, the book suddenly disappears from my hand.

"Interesting," I softly whisper. It appears there are limits to the items provided by the Room. I'll have to look into this more.

But first, someone is waiting for me!

*********************

Tucked away, in a corner, of the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry and Hermione were quietly talking while Ron brooded over his homework.

"Alright, Harry. The first thing we must do is list what we know. What are the facts?" Hermione intently stared at Harry as he sat across the small table.

Ron took the time to roll his eyes before resuming his attempt to scribble out his homework assignment.

Harry ignored Ron's reaction in favor of thinking of everything that's been happening. "I've heard the strange voice twice now. Once during my second detention with Lockhart, and the second time after finishing a late-night Quidditch practice. I'm sure it's the same voice."

"Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world." Ron sympathetically told Harry.

"Ignore him, Harry." Hermione resumed filling in a rough timeline. "So the first time you heard the voice was the night of the eighth, and the last time you heard it was on the twenty-second."

Looking up from her timeline with joyful surprise, "Harry! Both times were late at night on a Tuesday!"

"So I'm not crazy," Harry said with a great deal of relief.

"The verdict is still out on that one, Mate!" Ron quipped good-naturedly.

Harry rolled his eyes then bumped Ron's elbow as he was about to resume writing.

"Concentrate, Harry! I need you to think of every detail you can." Hermione ordered in a tone that gave no room for argument.

Harry endured Hermione's unrelenting questioning as best he could. Harry was relieved when Hermione was convinced he wasn't crazy, but the more details they combed through, the more he began to feel uneasy. This was reminding him of the events of last year.

Coming to a decision, Harry looked meaningfully into Hermione's eyes.

Recognizing the look of brave-stupidity, Hermione quickly spoke up. "Harry, this is not a good idea."

"It's perfect, Hermione. Tonight is a Tuesday, and it's nearly nine. We can comb the area looking for clues and be back before curfew." Harry's mind was already set.

Hermione attempted to dissuade the messy-haired boy. "We should tell a professor, Harry. Professor Dovahkiin would listen..."

"To what, Hermione? That I'm hearing voices in the halls?" Harry quickly interrupted.

"That you're hearing a menacing voice, at set times, and in certain areas of the castle. Professor Dovahkiin may even have an idea of what is going on." Hermione handily refuted.

"Oh, come off of it, Hermione," Ron spoke up. "You make it sound like he's the next coming of Merlin."

Harry and Hermione simultaneously turned to face Ron with blank stares. Noticing the matching looks from his two closest friends, Ron quickly turned back to his unfinished homework. "He's still not Merlin," Ron mumbled to his parchment.

Turning back to the most intelligent witch he knows, Harry pleaded. "Please, Hermione. I need more than this if I want to go to a professor. I need something they can't wave off."

Staring into the desperate eyes of her first friend, Hermione gave in. "Fine, we'll both head down to take a look. Go get your invisibility cloak, we might need it."

Harry gave a beaming smile before rushing up to his dorm room.

"It'll be a tight fit having all three of us under the cloak," Ron spoke up.

Glancing at his parchment Hermione firmly declared, "You're not going."

Disbelief and outrage flooded Ron's face! "What?"

"You're not going," Hermione repeated. "That essay is due tomorrow, and you are only halfway through it. Really, Ron. I have no idea why you always wait 'till the last minute to start your assignments."

Before Ron could reply, Harry returned, holding his left arm firmly to his torso.

"Okay. Let's go then."

Swiftly making their way lower in the castle, Harry and Hermione combed through the third-floor halls looking for something. Truthfully, neither had a clue as to what they should be looking for. They just hoped that something would stick out.

It didn't take them long to lose track of time. The darkened halls caused the duo to move slower than usual as they looked for clues. Trying to avoid the notice of a curious group of Ravenclaws, lead them to become disoriented.

Nearing curfew and unsure how far they were from Gryffindor Tower, Harry and Hermione agreed to cease the search and return to their dorm under the invisibility cloak. Their speed was reduced even further by having to move in sync to stay completely hidden.

As curfew finally arrived, Hermione started to become visibly agitated. It was a feeling that Harry shared. Having just finished serving out his detentions, Harry had no desire to be thrown back into the incompetent clutches of Lockhart.

Attempting to take a possible short cut the pair found themselves walking down a second-floor corridor neither had seen before. Stepping around a corner into a moonlit hall, both came to an abrupt halt. Standing in front of a closed-door was Professor Dovahkiin.

Unexpectedly, lightning sparks burst across Professor Dovahkiin's body as if he wore a cloak of lightning. He suddenly spun towards the invisible pair, and an unstoppable force grasped the hidden pair.

Unable to even lift a finger, fear tightly gripped Harry and Hermione. Both looked on in fear as Professor Dovahkiin seemed to be staring directly at them with an unknown power brightly pouring out of where his eyes should have been.

They both had witnessed Professor Dovahkiin during Dueling Club. He casually displayed power and skill they had never thought possible. Right now, Professor Dovahkiin didn't look casual. He looked deadly serious. Worse of all, it was as if he could see them despite being fully covered by an invisibility cloak.

After staring at them for what felt like an eternity, the intimidating power ceased pouring from Professor Dovahkiin's eyes, and the lightning completely vanished.

With his pale eyes now visible, Harry confirmed they were fixed on him and Hermione.

Professor Dovahkiin raised his hands up, and with a clapping motion, began to mimic a heartbeat. His pace steadily increased until it sounded like a fast-beating heart. Harry couldn't help but think Professor Dovahkiin was mimicking his own racing heartbeat.

In a calm and reassuring voice, Professor Dovahkiin addressed the hidden pair. "I can hear you. Both of you." Ceasing his clapping, Professor Dovahkiin lowered one arm. "Now, let's see who we have here."

Unreasonable panic quickly fell upon Harry and Hermione as they watched Professor Dovahkiin slowing raising his hand in their direction. Neither wanted to be on the receiving end of a spell cast by the History of Magic Professor.

Unfortunately, they didn't possess the ability to move at the moment.

As they watched with dread-filled eyes as Professor Dovahkiin's hand raised the final few inches, the door he was standing before suddenly opened.

"Finally," came a throaty female voice as a bare dark-skinned arm reached out and grabbed the front of Professor Dovahkiin's robes, forcefully pulling him out of sight.

As the door closed, Harry and Hermione slowly turned to look at each other. With an unspoken agreement, they both turned and fled back towards Gryffindor Tower.

Unable to stay beneath the cloak in their escape, Harry ripped it off of them and tucked it into his robes.

Bursting into the safety of the Gryffindor Common room, both hunched over with their hands on their knees. All either could do was gasp for breath.

Hearing the disturbance, Ron rushed over to check on his friends. Taking in the sight of the panicked pair, Ron was starting to become worried. "Bloody hell. What happened?"

Harry and Hermione had to take turns explaining what occurred. By the end of their tale, they had finally caught their breath.

Giving them an annoyed look, Ron could only shake his head. "So, not only did you not find any clues, you almost got caught by Professor Dovahkiin, who, if you ask me, sounds like a bloody dark wizard."

Raising her nose in the air, Hermione stared down Ron. "Professor Dovahkiin is not a dark wizard. You simply fear what you do not understand." Looking at Harry, "Now, I'm heading to bed. I suggest you two do the same."

Ron and Harry could only stare as Hermione made her way up the stairs to the Girls' Dormitory.