Chapter 11 – New Addition

"I cannot believe you would pull a stunt like that! It was completely against the rules, and..."

Harry inwardly groaned as he listened to Hermione take out her anger on a fifth year that had been caught sneaking back into the Gryffindor common room early that morning after being gone all night. Apparently he had been...spending time with...a Ravenclaw girl his own age in the Astronomy tower the previous night. Really, Harry didn't see what business it was of Hermione's, but she had been taking her Head Girl duties very seriously as of late – which was the simple two days they had been back.

"Great Merlin," Ron muttered from beside him, "Nobody is going to get away with anything this year, what between her and that Hufflepuff bloke..."

"Derrick," Harry supplied boredly.

"Yeah, that's the one," Ron agreed, "They're going to run themselves ragged trying to catch every single troublemaker at the school."

"They sure are," Harry agreed.

Apparently Hermione had heard the last two comments, and she whirled on them so fast that Ron nearly fell off the couch and Harry jumped about a foot into the air.

"So you think it's wrong to catch troublemakers, do you?" she screeched, "Well I'll have you know that without-"

"We know, 'Mione, we know," Ron interrupted, "I'm just saying that if you keep getting people in trouble for every little thing, you're not going to have time for me."

For a moment, Hermione didn't say anything. Harry waited, knowing that what happened next was either going to result in one of two possible extremes. The next moment, a smile crossed her face. Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"I suppose you're right," Hermione agreed, taking a seat next to Ron, "I mean, I won't have time for the important things if I'm always on duty."

She leaned in to kiss him and Harry decided to ruin the moment.

"Come on, you two, I was going to have breakfast," he complained, sheltering his eyes from them.

Hermione gave a small giggle, but Harry heard her readjust herself on the couch so as to not ruin his appetite. He took his hand away from his eyes and saw that the scene much reminded him of how things had been at Hogwarts since he had first arrived, back in his first year. Ron looked lazy and reluctant to move from his spot on the couch, Hermione looked as if she were mentally planning the answers to her next class, and as for him – well, he was just looking at them.

"Where's Silver?" Ron grumbled, glancing at his watch curiously.

"It is rather late, isn't it?" Hermione agreed, "She never took so long to get ready last year."

"Maybe that's because she slept in the dorms last year," Lavender suddenly supplied, appearing seemingly out of nowhere.

It took Harry a second to catch what she meant, but when he did, he vaulted off of the couch with amazing speed.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"I mean what I said," Lavender replied, Parvati giggling at her side, "Every night she walks into the dorms late, sits on her bed – which is bare, mind you – and waits for ten minutes before leaving again. Then, early the next morning she comes back, sits on her bed – again, which is bare – waits for about an hour, and then goes downstairs. We thought..."

She paused, a smirk crossing over her face.

"We thought for sure she was with you," Parvati finished, allowing both of them to dissolve into giggles.

"Well, she wasn't!" Harry yelped, looking wildly around the room as if expecting to see her hiding in one of the corners.

Still giggling, Parvati and Lavender headed out of the common room, leaving Harry nearly out of his mind with worry.

"Where could she – where would she – why would..." he rambled, still looking around the room.

"Harry, calm down," Hermione said in her usual 'I-know-something-that-you-don't' voice.

"What? Why? Tell me!" Harry demanded.

"Me, too," Ron added interestedly.

"She's obviously with some sort of teacher or authority figure," Hermione said, drawing herself up in an 'an-authority-figure-like-me' way, "She has nightmares, remember? Well, she obviously didn't want to go having them in her dorm with the others every night, and the adults probably didn't want her to either, especially Snape, so she's not sleeping there. But she didn't want us to know, because she didn't want us to worry?"

"Well, I'm worrying," Harry declared, calming down enough to sit on the couch once more, "But where would she go, and why isn't she back yet? I mean, she wouldn't want to miss Potions first thing in the morning."

At this, Ron and Hermione both gave him an odd look.

"What?" he asked, feeling clueless for no reason.

"Harry...Snape's not teaching this year," Ron said slowly.

"I know, but...what?" Harry exclaimed.

"Didn't you see, he wasn't at the Staff Table the night we came," Hermione pushed, "Or were you too busy looking at Silver?"

"I was too busy looking at Silver," Harry replied unashamedly, "Now tell me what you're talking about."

"Snape can't stay here, at Hogwarts, where he'd be putting both himself and Silver in danger," Hermione explained, "Voldemort's mad at him for betraying him, and...well, he's already after you – having Snape here, too, would be like attending school in Voldemort's lair."

"Does Silver know?" Harry demanded.

Ron gave a snort of laughter. "Of course she knows, mate," he assured him, "She was the one who told us. She never told you?"

"No," Harry grumbled, feeling oddly like pouting.

Hermione and Ron exchanged a significant glance that bothered Harry greatly, seeing as he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out what it meant.

"Let's go find her," he mumbled, getting up from the couch and heading for the portrait.

Without a word, Ron and Hermione followed.

"Where would she go?" Harry asked as he stepped out into the hallway.

"We could ask Dumbledore," Hermione suggested.

Harry nodded and began to head for Dumbledore's office, turning over all the new information in his head. One way or the other, Silver had been keeping things from him, and he didn't like it. More importantly, he didn't see any logical explanation for it. And, in reality, he felt that she would be safer with him than she would with any...

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt as he heard a familiar voice humming from around the corner.

"Silver?"

He couldn't keep the accusing note from his voice, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Harry!"

The next moment she whirled around the corner, enveloping him in a hug.

"I'm so sorry I slept in," she apologized, "But I was having the most wonderful dream about-"

"Why didn't you tell me?" he interrupted.

"About my dream?" she asked, confused.

"About how you're not sleeping in the girl's dorms anymore, and how Snape's not teaching at Hogwarts anymore," he corrected, glaring at her the best he could.

She seemed to shrink slightly under his gaze, still looking slightly puzzled.

"I didn't want to worry you, sweetie," she began tactfully.

"Oh, so when Lavender told me that you weren't sleeping in your dorms, I wasn't supposed to be worried?" he demanded.

She looked slightly thoughtful. "Well, I suppose maybe that would worry you," she agreed slowly.

"And Snape?" he persisted.

"I forgot," she murmured softly, lowering her head so as to not face him.

"You did not," he accused.

She turned to look back the way she had come, as if wishing she could go back to wherever she had been.

"Harry, I don't like to talk about it," she said quietly.

"Ah, so you decided that you would tell Ron instead?" he inquired.

"Harry, it was while we were in a fight," she explained, looking tentatively up at him, "I wanted to tell you, but then it was just too much – we fought, and you went to the hospital, and then..."

She looked so concerned at the memory that Harry felt all of his accusation draining. He still wanted to know where she had been staying, but she looked so apprehensive of him that he knew it could wait until a later time.

"Alright," he agreed, stepping forwards and putting his arms around her, "I'm sorry. Come to breakfast with me?"

She gave a slight giggle against his chest. "Who else would I go with?" she asked amusedly, putting her arms around him and snuggling closer.

"Hopefully nobody," he replied, much more cheerful than he had been previously.

"Definitely not," she agreed, pulling away and sliding her hand through his.

Ron and Hermione looked vaguely amused, but for the most part, said nothing. Talk at the Gryffindor table at breakfast spoke mainly of the new Potions teacher. The first and third years had had her the previous day, and they reported that she was tolerable. Harry didn't think any teacher that was taking the replacement for Head of House for Slytherin would be particularly nice, but he didn't say so for fear of working Silver up. She was doing quite a good job of it already all by herself. She stared blankly at her plate, occasionally moving her eggs about or twisting her napkin in her lap, but otherwise was silent. Hermione gave Harry glances that clearly told him not to speak about it and, trusting Hermione's wisdom, Harry did just that, although he occasionally reached over and brushed a hand through her hair.

Finally, the bell rang and it was time for classes to begin. Silver looked resolute as she stood up, and halfheartedly joined into their conversation as they walked towards the dungeons. When they arrived at the door, however, she grew silent and her eyes began to get teary.

"Come on, honey, it'll be okay," Harry coaxed.

"It's just – he's always been here," she protested weakly, allowing him to take her hand and drag her towards the door a few steps.

"I know," Harry assured her, "But he'd be in danger if he was at Hogwarts."

"No he wouldn't!" she exclaimed, so passionately that Harry looked over at her in surprise.

He shook his head slightly, deciding not to argue, and led her into the classroom. It was much the same as it had been before, except with a bit more light and most of the specimens that had adorned the shelves gone. There was no teacher present, and the students took a seat with an air of anticipation. Everyone wanted to see the new teacher for themselves – except, of course, for Silver.

Harry was, quite frankly, concerned for her. He knew that it must be hard on her to have to face not seeing Snape anymore, but was it really worth all the grief it was apparently causing her? To him, it wasn't, but to her, Snape was something different – something he would never understand. Shaking his head slightly, he reached over to rub her back, earning himself a grateful look in return. Before he had time to say anything to her, the classroom door suddenly opened. Every person in the room twisted to get a view of the new professor. A tall, regal looking woman with pursed lips and platinum blonde hair pulled into a tight bun surveyed them all from the doorway. With a purposeful motion, she allowed it to slam shut behind her as she walked to the front of her room, her shoes making a clicking noise against the stone floor. She arrived at the front of the classroom and whirled to face them, her light blue eyes piercing into each of them in turn.

"Good morning, class," she greeted, her voice sounding more businesslike than Harry had expected, "As you know, I am you new Potions Professor. You may call me Professor Ramone, and nothing else."

Her eyes landed on Harry and, as he was used to, flickered upwards to his scar. The beginnings of a sneer formed on her lips, and Harry felt singled out. Was he ever going to meet a Potions teacher that didn't hate him?

"I am taking the place of Professor Snape," she continued, "And I..."

She paused as a sniffle was heard throughout the room. Oh boy, Harry thought, mentally rolling his eyes. He had to give Silver credit for trying, though – she was making a visible effort not to burst into tears.

"Is there something the matter?" Professor Ramone demanded, looking at her curiously.

Never one to withhold the truth, Silver replied honestly. "Y...y...yes," she wailed, tears bursting forth quite suddenly.

Professor Ramone looked mildly taken aback by Silver's response, but didn't so much as step in her direction. Instead, she turned to Harry.

"What's the matter with her?" she demanded, pointing a long, pale finger in Silver's direction.

"She's...uh...she kind of..." Harry stammered uncertainly.

"She's had a rough summer," Hermione volunteered.

Professor Ramone's eyes traveled from Harry to Hermione, and then to Silver. After what looked like a moment's contemplation, she met Harry's eyes once more.

"Is she yours?" she inquired.

Harry thought it was rather an odd question, and wasn't quite sure how to respond.

"She's...erm...my girlfriend," he ventured.

"May I take her?" she replied.

Harry began to get a bit edgy. She was referring to Silver as if she were a thing instead of a person.

"No," he answered flatly, "I mean, it depends on what you mean by taking her."

"I just want to borrow her," Professor Ramone replied, as if that clarified her request.

Harry raised an eyebrow and looked from the professor to Hermione questioningly. Hermione was staring at Professor Ramone in a slightly fascinated way, and he didn't catch her eye.

"I won't harm her," Professor Ramone added.

Hermione gave a small nod, and Harry reluctantly mimicked her.

"Well, okay," he agreed, "Just so long as you don't..."

"I won't," the professor told him, taking brisk and purposeful strides in Silver's direction.

Silver had, Harry realized, stopped sobbing, although she hadn't taken her face out of her hands. Once she reached Silver, Professor Ramone cleared her throat pointedly.

"Come with me, girl," she commanded regally.

Silver tentatively stood up, looking up at the Professor apprehensively and then trotting to keep up with her as she strode to the door and stepped outside, waiting for Silver to join her before clicking it shut. Immediately everyone leaned towards the door, as if that would help them hear what was being said. After only a few moments, Professor Ramone reentered, looking utterly emotionless. As she passed Harry, she gave him a slight sneer, making him uncomfortable once more. He opened his mouth to question where Silver was, but he was interrupted.

"Today we will be making Concealment Potions," she announced in a no-nonsense voice, "You will need three cups crushed unicorn horn, one pint of dragon blood, two handfuls of..."

Harry pretty much zoned out on the rest, and when she finally stopped talking, the class got to work in an almost eerie silence. He silently beat himself over the head for not having a clue of what to do. He looked up and saw, to his dismay, that Professor Ramone was watching him. Grumbling under his breath, he began to work with gathering the ingredients he had heard. Unfortunately, he had no clue what to do with them.

"Mr. Potter," Professor Ramone snapped when he had been standing in front of his empty cauldron for five minutes, "Were you paying attention to the instructions I gave you or weren't you?"

"I wasn't," Harry admitted, figuring he should just get detention and be done with it.

"That is completely unacceptable, you're just going to have to have a meeting with Voldemort," she replied airily.

Harry's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he looked at her. He glanced around the classroom to see the other's reactions, but nobody looked particularly interested. Hermione simply shook her head as she continued to add ingredients to her potion. His mouth dropped open at the utter lack of response from his classmates.

"Mr. Potter," she snapped, "Did you hear me?"

"What are you talking about?" Harry exploded, "Are you insane? Nobody says...nobody..."

"Well, I'm sorry if you've never gotten a detention before," she interrupted wryly, "I suppose this'll just have to be your first."

"Detention?" Harry echoed dumbly, "You didn't anything about a detention, you told me to talk to Voldemort!"

That time, there were reactions. Somebody's cauldron gave a mild explosion, gasps could be heard, and a shrill scream came from the corner of a room.

"Harry!" Hermione hissed.

"What? That's what she said!" Harry insisted.

"Mr. Potter, I do not know what you are talking about, but Voldemort will be talking to you about this," Professor Ramone said, looking at him as if he were insane.

"See!" Harry yelled, pointing and nearly jumping up and down.

"Harry, stop it!" Hermione exclaimed, reaching over and pulling his hand down.

Professor Ramone raised her eyebrows at him, "Perhaps, Mr. Potter, you need to a visit to Madame Pomfrey," she suggested.

Harry simply gaped. He needed a visit to the hospital wing? He wasn't the one yelling Voldemort's name out in the middle of class. Or wait, he was, but only after she did.

"I think you do, Harry," Hermione added worriedly, concern evident in her eyes.

"But I – ah!" Harry yelped as his forehead suddenly lit on fire.

"Harry?" Hermione squeaked apprehensively.

"It's...the...bloody...scar," he grunted, clutching his head.

"Harry, we should...we should...Dumbledore...Professor, look at him!"

Hermione began to point at him as if he were growing a second head, taking a step back.

"Hermione...what...I..." he stopped as a fresh wave of pain rushed through his body, followed shortly by a familiar cold laugh.

The next thing he knew, his world was black. He gave a groan, half of annoyance and half of pain.

Pleasant, wasn't it? A voice in his head inquired.

"Very," he retorted sarcastically.

Tell me, Harry, how do you like your new professor? Voldemort asked.

Harry didn't answer, suddenly thinking of how he had left Silver with her. What an idiot he was. Professor Ramone was obviously working for Voldemort.

You think so, do you? Voldemort inquired amusedly, All the better, I suppose.

Now Harry was really confused. Why wasn't Voldemort rubbing it in his face?

You really are no fun, Harry, Voldemort informed him, Your lack of intelligence is most annoying. I only ever get any fun out of you when you're writhing in pain. Your loss.

"Well you're-"Harry began hotly, but he was stopped by the surge of pain that went through his body.

He gritted his teeth against it as he began to shake with the pain. It was unbearable – his body was splitting in two, his mind was reeling with the intensity of the pain, and the groan of pain he had been holding back exited despite his efforts. But that wasn't nearly the worst of it. In the background, he heard Silver's voice calling his name as she had when Voldemort and Lucius had had her. It was all it took to cause him to pass out.

"I don't know!" an exasperated female voice snapped, drawing Harry into consciousness, "He was blabbering some nonsense about me saying the Dark Lord's name!"

"Fool boy!" came a very familiar voice, "As if you would ever-"

"Harry didn't know!" Silver interrupted, the sound of her voice causing Harry to peek one eye open.

"Exactly," Snape snapped in reply, "He didn't know, and he had no right to accuse-"

"If that was what he heard, then he can't be blamed!" Lupin interrupted from the side of Harry's bed, nearly causing Harry to jump.

Snape fell into incomprehensible grumbling, and Professor Ramone watched with a slightly amused expression, as did Lupin. Then it hit Harry. Professor Ramone.

"You!" he roared at the top of his lungs, jumping into a sitting position and pointing at her.

Lupin gave a strangled yelp from beside him and jumped back, tripping over a chair and landing on his bottom in an undignified manner. Silver gasped and jumped into Snape's arms. Professor Ramone and Snape merely looked up at him as if he didn't surprise them in the least.

"See?" Professor Ramone said, throwing her hands up in the air helplessly.

"Potter, get a grip," Snape grumbled, looking at him with distaste.

"But she's...she's..." Harry stammered, trying to find words for what she was, "Keep Silver away from her!"

Something very akin to a smile crossed over Snape's face for a brief moment. It passed so quickly that Harry wasn't sure if he had seen it or not.

"I'm sure Silver will be fine with her," Snape told him, amusement lacing his voice.

"Yes, Harry, Madeline is..." Lupin began.

"Working for Voldemort," Harry finished firmly.

"Er...no," Lupin replied, looking amused as he got up from the floor, "She's joining the Order, and she's actually going to help..."

"Joining the Order?" Harry interrupted, "I just told you that she was working for Voldemort."

"Does he always think he's right?" Professor Ramone inquired interestedly.

"Without fail," Snape assured her dryly.

"What...I do not...I just...I," Harry sputtered angrily.

"You don't know what happened," Lupin finished, "Wouldn't you like to hear from an eyewitness so that you know what was real?"

"I know what's real," Harry answered firmly.

"So I suppose you know that the Dark Lord is controlling what you hear come out of people's mouth, and it's only because you were too lazy to practice your Occlumency," Snape retorted.

At this, Harry was silent. "I thought Occlumency was-"he began.

"There are many different forms of Occlumency," Professor Ramone interrupted smartly.

"Why didn't anyone tell me that?" Harry demanded.

"We told you to practice Occlumency, you shouldn't have to question why," Snape answered.

"He has a right to know why," Lupin and Silver chorused, smiling at each other as they finished.

"Bunch of hogwash," Snape drawled, "Potter doesn't need to know anything, contrary to popular opinion."

"Harry is an adult now," Lupin argued, "And it's his right to know what's happening with his own life! He's not eleven anymore..."

"...Aw, he was probably really cute when he as, though," Silver said, beaming in Harry's direction. He half-smiled back, knowing that she was only trying to get the two to stop fighting.

Snape and Lupin both looked at her amusedly before Snape resumed the conversation as if Silver had never spoken.

"He can't know about everything that concerns his safety – as is obvious! With the rate he's practicing Occlumency, I'm surprised the Dark Lord hasn't strolled into Grimmauld Place and..."

"Harry does practice!" Lupin roared.

"Oh dear," Professor Ramone sighed, putting a hand to her forehead, "Please, you two, stop it and be reasonable. It doesn't matter whether Harry did or didn't practice, so long as he does from now on."

Both men fell into a kind of grumpy silence, and Professor Ramone gave a small sigh before sitting down in a chair, looking defeated. Silver made her way up to Harry wordlessly and offered a smile as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Lay down, sweetie," she requested softly.

He obeyed without complaint or argument, allowing her to continue to stroke his face as he did so.

"You know that Professor Ramone isn't working for Voldemort, right?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," he admitted grudgingly.

"Good, then," she said, "Because she's really very nice, Harry, I think you'll get along with her just fine."

"If you say so," he replied dubiously.

She smiled at him and leaned down to place a kiss on his forehead. "That's what I like to hear," she teased, "Now...take a nice long rest?"

"Sure," he replied sarcastically, "Just what I feel like doing."

She gave a slight giggle and shook her head.

"Alright, but you know Dumbledore's going to tell you to sleep," she said.

Before Harry could reply, Dumbledore himself pushed back Harry's curtain and walked in, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Good evening, all," he greeted, "If you would please do me and Harry the honor of waiting outside, it would be much appreciated."

Obediently, everyone filed out, leaving Harry alone with Dumbledore. The old wizard took a seat at Harry's bedside, adjusted himself briefly, and then turned to Harry expectantly.

"Tell me everything," he commanded.

"That's a lot," Harry replied, before launching into an explanation of his morning.

Dumbledore listened intently the entire way through, often nodding or giving an 'ah' at the important parts. When Harry stopped, he began to speak with what seemed to be carefully chosen words.

"And you'll be practicing your Occlumency from now on, won't you?" he asked in a slightly chiding tone of voice.

Harry nodded, feeling a bit angry that Dumbledore was siding with Snape – even if it was unintentional.

"Harry," Dumbledore said, almost wistfully, "You're nearly a grown man now. I've no doubt you'll be great. But remember that you have a prophecy to fulfill – a prophecy which your very life depends on. It's not going to be easy, Harry, but you...you'll come through, my boy."

Dumbledore's last two words filled Harry with an inexplicable sense of pride and contentment. Dumbledore's boy. No doubt Malfoy would have used it as an insult, but at the moment, Harry felt as if it were the furthest thing from one. On the contrary, it was the greatest compliment he'd received in his life. The regal, powerful Dumbledore whom Voldemort himself feared was referring to Harry in a possessive way, a way that Harry was sure he didn't refer to anyone else as. And Harry felt his heart swell with the pride that came along with that.

"Thank you," he croaked, his voice raspy and very nearly shaky.

Dumbledore turned to look at him, and Harry swore that the sparkle in his eyes made him look twenty years younger. The old man lifted up his hand and patted Harry's arm with it. It was a comforting and welcome gesture, and Harry had no idea how to return it. Apparently, that wasn't necessary, for Dumbledore then stood.

"I should be going," he announced, sounding very nearly how Harry himself had sounded when he spoke, "Madam Pomfrey will let you out in a few hours, after your last dose of medicine."

Harry nodded, and Dumbledore nodded back. Then, with a swish of his robes, he was gone, leaving Harry feeling oddly accomplished. He wasn't sure what had just transpired, but he was sure it was something good.

Note: Wow. I am, like, brain-dead. Sorry. XD It'll all clear up soon, I'm sure...

Oh, and sorry for how long it took to update, but my best friend's parents landed in the hospital, and her mom is my mom's best friend, too, so we've been really busy, not to mention schoolwork.