Chapter 28: Whisper from the Dark: The Rat’s Watchful Eye

Chapter 28: Whisper from the Dark: The Rat's Watchful Eye

The Gryffindor common room buzzed with excitement as students returned from their Hogsmeade trip. Lavender Brown burst through the portrait hole, clutching a glossy shopping bag to her chest, her face flushed with a mix of exhilaration and lingering shock.

"You won't believe what happened!" she exclaimed to Parvati Patil, who had stayed behind to finish a Charms essay. "Harry's prediction... it almost came true!"

Parvati's eyes widened. "What? Tell me everything!"

As Lavender launched into her tale, more students gathered around, eager to hear about the latest development in the growing legend of Harry Potter's supposed Seer abilities.

Meanwhile, Hermione Granger entered the common room, a thoughtful expression on her face and a book-shaped package tucked under her arm. She scanned the room, noticing the crowd around Lavender but choosing instead to approach Neville Longbottom, who was tending to a curious-looking plant by the window.

"How was Hogsmeade, Hermione?" Neville asked, looking up from his horticultural endeavours.

Hermione hesitated for a moment before responding. "It was... interesting. Have you seen Ron? Or Harry?"

Neville shook his head. "Ron's still out, I think. And Harry's been in the library most of the day. Working on something for that new Divination Club, he said."

As Hermione nodded and turned to leave, Neville couldn't help but notice the corner of a blue book peeking out from her package, its silver lettering catching the light.

Seamus Finnigan plopped down in an armchair near Lavender's growing audience, his expression a mix of amusement and skepticism. "Go on then, Lavender. What's this about Harry's prediction?"

Lavender's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Well, you remember in Divination class, Harry warned me about being careful while shopping for a dress?" The group nodded, leaning in closer. "So there I was in Gladrags Wizardwear, trying on this gorgeous silvery dress..."

"It was stunning," Parvati interjected, having heard the start of the story earlier. "Go on, tell them what happened next!"

"Right, so I'm admiring myself in the mirror, when suddenly I hear this ripping sound. I turned around, and there was this loose nail sticking out from the dressing room wall. It had caught on the dress and torn a huge hole right down the back!"

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the gathered students. Dean Thomas, who had been listening nearby, furrowed his brow. "But didn't Harry say something about the dress unravelling?"

Lavender nodded vigorously. "That's the thing! When I took the dress off to examine the damage, I noticed that the tear had caused a seam to come undone. If I hadn't noticed it right away, the whole dress might have fallen apart the next time I wore it!"

As the discussion around Lavender grew more animated, Colin Creevey bounced excitedly on his toes at the edge of the group. "This is brilliant! Harry's becoming a real Seer. I wonder if he'd let me take photos for the school paper?"

Across the room, Hermione had settled into a quiet corner with Ginny Weasley, who had just returned from Hogsmeade as well. Ginny eyed the package in Hermione's hands curiously. "New book?"

Hermione nodded, a slight frown creasing her forehead. "Yes, it's an advanced Arithmancy text. I found it in a small bookshop off the main street."

"Let me guess," Ginny said with a knowing smile, "Blue cover with silver lettering?"

Hermione's eyes widened slightly. "How did you...? Oh, of course. Ron told you about Harry's prediction?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, actually. I overheard Harry telling Ron about it yesterday. But it looks like he was spot on, wasn't he?"

Before Hermione could respond, the portrait hole swung open again, and Ron clambered through, arms laden with Honeydukes sweets. He made a beeline for Hermione and Ginny, grinning widely.

"You'll never guess what happened at the Three Broomsticks," he said, dropping into a nearby chair. "Madam Rosmerta was telling everyone about some sort of premonition she had last night. Said she dreamed about a black dog wandering around Hogsmeade, and then today, she swears she saw one sniffing around behind her pub!"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "A black dog? You don't think it could be... you know, the Grim?"

Ron shrugged, already unwrapping a Chocolate Frog. "Who knows? But with all this talk about Harry's predictions coming true, people are starting to take these things more seriously."

As the evening wore on, the common room continued to buzz with excited chatter. Stories from Hogsmeade were exchanged, each one seeming to circle back to Harry's growing reputation as a Seer. Some students spoke in hushed, awed tones, while others expressed skepticism or even concern.

Near the fireplace, Neville found himself in conversation with a group of fourth-years who were eager to hear about the upcoming Divination Club. "Do you think Harry will teach us how to make predictions too?" one of them asked eagerly.

Neville shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not sure. Harry hasn't really said much about it. But I suppose we'll find out at the first meeting."

As the night deepened and students began to drift off to their dormitories, the absence of Harry himself became more noticeable. Whispers and theories about where he might be and what he might be doing added an air of mystery to the already charged atmosphere.

Up in the third-year girls' dormitory, Lavender and Parvati were still discussing the day's events as they prepared for bed.

"You know," Parvati said thoughtfully, "I'm starting to wonder if there's more to Harry than we've realised. First the thing with Malfoy in Care of Magical Creatures, now this... What if he really is developing the Sight?"

Lavender nodded, her eyes wide. "I know! It's incredible, isn't it? I can't wait for the Divination Club to start. Do you think he'll tell us how he does it?"

As they continued to speculate, neither girl noticed Hermione, who had paused in the doorway, listening to their conversation with a mixture of curiosity and concern etched on her face.

As the Gryffindor common room slowly emptied, a small, unremarkable rat scurried along the shadows of the walls, its beady eyes darting back and forth. This was no ordinary rat, but Peter Pettigrew in his Animagus form, hiding in plain sight as Ron Weasley's pet, Scabbers.

The rat paused near a group of stragglers, his ears twitching as he picked up snippets of their conversation.

"...and then Harry predicted exactly what would happen to Lavender's dress!" a young Gryffindor was saying excitedly.

"Not just that," another chimed in. "I heard he warned Malfoy about something in Care of Magical Creatures too. Saved him from that Hippogriff, apparently."

The rat's whiskers quivered, a very un-rat like look of concern crossing its features. This was troubling news indeed. If Harry Potter was developing true Seer abilities, it could pose a significant threat to certain... plans.

Scurrying closer to Ron's abandoned bag of Honeydukes sweets, the rat continued to eavesdrop.

"Do you reckon he can see the future then?" a third student asked in a hushed tone.

"Dunno, but my sister said he's starting some kind of Divination Club. Reckon he might teach others how to do it too."

The rat nearly forgot to maintain his cover, almost rising onto his hind legs in alarm. A Divination Club? This was worse than he'd thought. If Potter was not only developing these abilities but also teaching others, it could completely upset the delicate balance of...

Suddenly, a shadow fell over the rat. "There you are, Scabbers!" Ron's voice boomed from above. The rat barely had time to squeak before large hands scooped him up. "Been looking all over for you. C'mon, time for bed."

As Ron carried him up to the boys' dormitory, the rat's mind raced. He needed to find a way to relay this information, and soon. But how? And to whom? The risks of exposure were great, but the potential consequences of Potter's growing abilities were far greater.

In the darkened dormitory, as Ron's snores filled the air, the rat lay awake, his tiny heart pounding. Tomorrow, he decided. Tomorrow he will find a way to send a message. For now, though, he needed to stay put, to observe, to gather more information.

After all, knowledge was power.

And in the dangerous game he was playing, Peter Pettigrew needed all the power he could get.