Chapter One

"I'm sick of it!" Harry yelled at his bewildered best friends. "I don't want to be the Boy-Who-Lived, I don't want to do this." He drew a deep breath, green eyes magnifying a tumult of emotions behind his round glasses. Mouth set in a hard line he turned and left, leaving his three friends gaping.

"Harry?" ventured a timid voice. Harry turned to see Sarah stepping forward nervously. "Are you…?" She couldn't seem to find the right words.

"Don't," Harry snapped. Her dark eyes widened, giving her a look of a deer caught in headlights. A prick of guilt poked the outer most shield of his anger, but he was in such a rage, he ignored it. "Leave me alone!" he growled as stalked off in the direction of the menacing Forbidden Forest.

Sarah moved back beside Ron and Hermione, watching the retreating messy-haired boy disappear into the foliage.

The three stood in silence for a minute before Hermione spoke cautiously.

"Do you think we should perhaps get Ginny? She might be able to—well—" Hermione waved her hand wordlessly in the direction Harry went.

Ron shook his head decisively. "Harry's my best mate, but like hell I'm going to let him near my sister." Hermione opened her mouth, as she felt it her duty to come to the defence of her absent friend.

"He's right." Hermione looked at Sarah and the smaller, dark haired girl continued. "Harry's not himself at the moment. He could be dangerous."

"No," Hermione shook her head. "Harry would never hurt us." Then added as an afterthought. "Not intentionally."

"We'll let him take it out on the things in the Forest, with any luck he'll be back to himself before dinner. Speaking of dinner, who's for lunch? –Ow! - What was that for woman!"

"Honestly Ron! Don't you think of anything but food?" Hermione humphed, crossing her arms in irritation.

"Of course I do," said Ron, growing unusually serious, staring intensely at Hermione. The latter blushed pink but didn't waver in holding Ron's gaze. Sarah watched the exchange with a slight smile on her face. It started to disappear after a while, and she finally cleared her throat loudly. Hermione broke the staring match first, her face still flushed.

"I'm going to class," she said flustered, not looking at Ron

"Hermione, there aren't classes on Sundays," Sarah told her amused.

"I-I meant the library!" The bushy-haired brunette sputtered. Hermione made her exit, still not looking at Ron.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" Sarah asked the redhead who was grinning broadly.

"Don't know what you mean," Ron said, trying unsuccessfully to stifle his smile.

Sarah shook her head in despair.

"Shall we go in? I fancy a trip to the library," Ron said seemingly innocuously.

"You are cruel!" Sarah exclaimed, the laughter she was trying to choke back making her voice a few pitches higher. Ron didn't answer, as he was eagerly ahead, already making his way through the heavy oak doors leading to the Entrance Hall. Sarah sighed, turning to look at the Forest. Hopefully Harry would be calmer when he came back.