As he entered the school again, he saw Professor McGonagall standing there, talking with Filch about something. Obviously, someone had already tried pulling a prank, just mere minutes after returning to Hogwarts. Harry chuckled to himself as he heaved his trunk, along with Hedwig's cage, first to the Owlery to drop off Hedwig. Once he had done that, he went off to his dormitory, but he realized he didn't know the password.
"It's okay, Harry. I know it," Ron told him, who was walking beside him the whole time. "Snivellus," Ron spoke, and the Fat Lady snickered before swinging open. "Like it, Harry? I thought of it myself," Ron said, as he began laughing softly. Harry just sniggered to himself before proceeding up the stairs to his dormitory. He slid his trunk in at the end of his bed, and jumped onto the bed, laying his head back on his pillows. For some reason, he was feeling very tired.
"What are you doing, Harry? C'mon! You're gonna miss the feast!" he heard a voice shout to him from near the door. Harry looked up to see Neville poking his head through the door. Harry grunted as he slid out of bed and grabbed his glasses from his bedside table. He was nearly asleep, but Neville just had to barge in and wake him up. He put his glasses on, and adjusted them so they weren't so crooked before walked slowly towards the door where Neville was waiting.
"Harry! I've been looking all over for you! Where were you?" Hermione yelled as he emerged from the dormitory. Harry rolled his eyes as he walked closer to her.
"I was trying to sleep..." he muttered, in a grumpy sort of tone, much like that of an old man disturbed from his resting spot. He led the way out of the common room, followed by Hermione and Neville. When he thought about it, he really didn't know where Ron disappeared to after letting him into the common room. He shrugged off the question, and continued to walk down the numerous staircases in route to the Great Hall.
They entered the hall to see that it was nearly full, and Ron stood up to show them where to sit. Dumbledore was at the front at the staff table, and Harry saw him wink as he walked in. Harry grinned at Dumbledore before walking over to one of the free seats Ron had saved for them. The rest of the Quidditch team was sitting there as well, and Ron was discussing something with them about the Slytherin game.
"Please, please, I'd like to have your attention. This is a very serious announcement, and I need you all to listen up," Dumbledore spoke as Professor McGonagall tapped her glass with her spoon. At once, the hall became silent and all eyes were on the Headmaster, except for a few Slytherins who were still discussing snakes. "Blast-ended Skrewts have been placed at the doors into the castle as a security measure. Parents have been informed, and those parents who think there is a huge risk may take their students out, though I have not received any complaints as of yet. There will be teachers escorting students out to the Care of Magical Creatures class, and there will also be several Ministry officials lurking around the grounds on guard duty. Please, I ask you not to make a big deal of this. Nothing is certain to happen; this is just a precautionary measure. Now, without any further adieu, I'd like to welcome you all back to Hogwarts and may you enjoy this first meal back."
At these words, plates among plates of food appeared in front of them; the most delicious food they had ever tasted. Harry could tell that Ron was in heaven. It wasn't that Mrs. Weasley's food wasn't good, because she could make dirt taste good, but it was the fact that there was so much of it in front of them. You could eat for weeks off of the amount of food. As soon as the food had appeared, Ron had shoveled mounds of potatoes onto his plate, and had a stack of slices of beef next to it, all drenched with thick brown gravy. On the side, he had placed three rolls, all smothered with butter.
"Geez, Ron, you act like you've never seen food before," Harry laughed at his friend. Harry's plate was nowhere near as full; he just had a little bit of each thing. Ron tried to sputter out something in retaliation, but the food in his mouth made it impossible to decipher what he was trying to say. Amazingly enough, Ron was the first person done at their table, and was done way before anyone else. After about fifteen minutes of waiting for Ron, the plates that had once held roast beef and potatoes had now disappeared and were replaced with bowls of a variety of ice cream flavors. Ron had a mix of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, whereas Hermione only took a few spoonfuls of the vanilla.
They were permitted to leave the Great Hall after they had finished their dessert, and Ron, who was barely able to walk after eating so much, led the way back to the common room. He threw himself down on the sofa in front of the fire before emitting an enormous belch.
"Wow, Ron. That was real attractive," Hermione told him whilst she rolled her eyes. They sat there chatting about the reason why these security measures had taken place, for they were some of the only kids who knew why. There was a threat that Voldemort would try to attack the school, and the thought of it made it very difficult for Harry to fall asleep that night.
He was having another one of those strange dreams, one that someone had implanted in his brain, though he did not know it at first. He was walking down a pathway, through the middle of a forest. The path was very worn, but there were a few spots where rocks jutted up from the ground, and Harry had to watch where he was going, in order that he did not trip over them.
In front of him stood a very pale fellow, with a black cloak over himself. Harry recognized the man; it was Tom Riddle, whom he had defeated but four years ago in the Chamber of Secrets. He was back, and he was in Harry's mind.
"Well, well, Harry, what a surprise to see you here," Tom cackled. He let out a cold, evil laugh that sent chills down Harry's spine.
"Well, is it really a surprise? I mean, it is my dream," Harry replied. He snorted at his sarcasm. It was one of the things he had always done, to allow himself more time to come up with a plan.
"Do you think you're funny, Potter? Because I don't think this is a time where you want to be funny. There will be severe consequences. Now, so we don't waste any time, follow me," Tom instructed him. He began walking down the path, and into a clearing, where a unicorn lay slain. Blood was gently drifting out of its torso.
"You sick bastard," Harry thought to himself in disgust. A severely smug look appeared on his face, and he hung his head down in pity for the unicorn. What had it done to deserve this? Absolutely nothing. It was a poor, innocent creature, and this monster of a man had killed it, for what? For it's own good fortune, so it could live longer.
"Why do you need to use this unicorn for its blood? I thought you were back to good health!" Harry said to Riddle, whose eyes automatically went into a trance. His pupils rolled to the back of his head. Harry was using Legilimency to get into the mind of Tom Riddle. He had to answer Harry's question.
"I will never be fully recovered. I need unicorn blood for survival. Once a month I black out, and the only way I can stop it is to drink the blood from a unicorn," he answered. After this, his eyes returned to their normal state, and a very angry look appeared on Tom Riddle's face.
"How'd you do that? Why did I answer?" he asked, more to himself than to Harry. A dazed and confused look now replaced his look of angriness. He walked closer to Harry, and put his hands on Harry's face. Yet again, Riddle felt a burning sensation, and he released Harry from his grip.
"Get away from me, you monster! Get away!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs. He tried as hard as he could to push Tom Riddle out of his mind, something he had learned during Occlumency. Tom Riddle's image was fading into a light gray shadow, and then it had disappeared for good.
"Harry! What happened? You were saying all these things in your sleep!" Ron said, shaking him awake. "Is something wrong, mate?" Ron asked again. Neville, too, was standing over him, along with Dean and Seamus.
"Get...Dumbledore...Tell him it's...urgent..."
"It's okay, Harry. I know it," Ron told him, who was walking beside him the whole time. "Snivellus," Ron spoke, and the Fat Lady snickered before swinging open. "Like it, Harry? I thought of it myself," Ron said, as he began laughing softly. Harry just sniggered to himself before proceeding up the stairs to his dormitory. He slid his trunk in at the end of his bed, and jumped onto the bed, laying his head back on his pillows. For some reason, he was feeling very tired.
"What are you doing, Harry? C'mon! You're gonna miss the feast!" he heard a voice shout to him from near the door. Harry looked up to see Neville poking his head through the door. Harry grunted as he slid out of bed and grabbed his glasses from his bedside table. He was nearly asleep, but Neville just had to barge in and wake him up. He put his glasses on, and adjusted them so they weren't so crooked before walked slowly towards the door where Neville was waiting.
"Harry! I've been looking all over for you! Where were you?" Hermione yelled as he emerged from the dormitory. Harry rolled his eyes as he walked closer to her.
"I was trying to sleep..." he muttered, in a grumpy sort of tone, much like that of an old man disturbed from his resting spot. He led the way out of the common room, followed by Hermione and Neville. When he thought about it, he really didn't know where Ron disappeared to after letting him into the common room. He shrugged off the question, and continued to walk down the numerous staircases in route to the Great Hall.
They entered the hall to see that it was nearly full, and Ron stood up to show them where to sit. Dumbledore was at the front at the staff table, and Harry saw him wink as he walked in. Harry grinned at Dumbledore before walking over to one of the free seats Ron had saved for them. The rest of the Quidditch team was sitting there as well, and Ron was discussing something with them about the Slytherin game.
"Please, please, I'd like to have your attention. This is a very serious announcement, and I need you all to listen up," Dumbledore spoke as Professor McGonagall tapped her glass with her spoon. At once, the hall became silent and all eyes were on the Headmaster, except for a few Slytherins who were still discussing snakes. "Blast-ended Skrewts have been placed at the doors into the castle as a security measure. Parents have been informed, and those parents who think there is a huge risk may take their students out, though I have not received any complaints as of yet. There will be teachers escorting students out to the Care of Magical Creatures class, and there will also be several Ministry officials lurking around the grounds on guard duty. Please, I ask you not to make a big deal of this. Nothing is certain to happen; this is just a precautionary measure. Now, without any further adieu, I'd like to welcome you all back to Hogwarts and may you enjoy this first meal back."
At these words, plates among plates of food appeared in front of them; the most delicious food they had ever tasted. Harry could tell that Ron was in heaven. It wasn't that Mrs. Weasley's food wasn't good, because she could make dirt taste good, but it was the fact that there was so much of it in front of them. You could eat for weeks off of the amount of food. As soon as the food had appeared, Ron had shoveled mounds of potatoes onto his plate, and had a stack of slices of beef next to it, all drenched with thick brown gravy. On the side, he had placed three rolls, all smothered with butter.
"Geez, Ron, you act like you've never seen food before," Harry laughed at his friend. Harry's plate was nowhere near as full; he just had a little bit of each thing. Ron tried to sputter out something in retaliation, but the food in his mouth made it impossible to decipher what he was trying to say. Amazingly enough, Ron was the first person done at their table, and was done way before anyone else. After about fifteen minutes of waiting for Ron, the plates that had once held roast beef and potatoes had now disappeared and were replaced with bowls of a variety of ice cream flavors. Ron had a mix of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, whereas Hermione only took a few spoonfuls of the vanilla.
They were permitted to leave the Great Hall after they had finished their dessert, and Ron, who was barely able to walk after eating so much, led the way back to the common room. He threw himself down on the sofa in front of the fire before emitting an enormous belch.
"Wow, Ron. That was real attractive," Hermione told him whilst she rolled her eyes. They sat there chatting about the reason why these security measures had taken place, for they were some of the only kids who knew why. There was a threat that Voldemort would try to attack the school, and the thought of it made it very difficult for Harry to fall asleep that night.
He was having another one of those strange dreams, one that someone had implanted in his brain, though he did not know it at first. He was walking down a pathway, through the middle of a forest. The path was very worn, but there were a few spots where rocks jutted up from the ground, and Harry had to watch where he was going, in order that he did not trip over them.
In front of him stood a very pale fellow, with a black cloak over himself. Harry recognized the man; it was Tom Riddle, whom he had defeated but four years ago in the Chamber of Secrets. He was back, and he was in Harry's mind.
"Well, well, Harry, what a surprise to see you here," Tom cackled. He let out a cold, evil laugh that sent chills down Harry's spine.
"Well, is it really a surprise? I mean, it is my dream," Harry replied. He snorted at his sarcasm. It was one of the things he had always done, to allow himself more time to come up with a plan.
"Do you think you're funny, Potter? Because I don't think this is a time where you want to be funny. There will be severe consequences. Now, so we don't waste any time, follow me," Tom instructed him. He began walking down the path, and into a clearing, where a unicorn lay slain. Blood was gently drifting out of its torso.
"You sick bastard," Harry thought to himself in disgust. A severely smug look appeared on his face, and he hung his head down in pity for the unicorn. What had it done to deserve this? Absolutely nothing. It was a poor, innocent creature, and this monster of a man had killed it, for what? For it's own good fortune, so it could live longer.
"Why do you need to use this unicorn for its blood? I thought you were back to good health!" Harry said to Riddle, whose eyes automatically went into a trance. His pupils rolled to the back of his head. Harry was using Legilimency to get into the mind of Tom Riddle. He had to answer Harry's question.
"I will never be fully recovered. I need unicorn blood for survival. Once a month I black out, and the only way I can stop it is to drink the blood from a unicorn," he answered. After this, his eyes returned to their normal state, and a very angry look appeared on Tom Riddle's face.
"How'd you do that? Why did I answer?" he asked, more to himself than to Harry. A dazed and confused look now replaced his look of angriness. He walked closer to Harry, and put his hands on Harry's face. Yet again, Riddle felt a burning sensation, and he released Harry from his grip.
"Get away from me, you monster! Get away!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs. He tried as hard as he could to push Tom Riddle out of his mind, something he had learned during Occlumency. Tom Riddle's image was fading into a light gray shadow, and then it had disappeared for good.
"Harry! What happened? You were saying all these things in your sleep!" Ron said, shaking him awake. "Is something wrong, mate?" Ron asked again. Neville, too, was standing over him, along with Dean and Seamus.
"Get...Dumbledore...Tell him it's...urgent..."