Hey guys- Sorry that I haven't posted in forever- it's just that highschool, AND field hockey- well, we'll just say that I get a lot less sleep these days… but I WILL continue posting, so hang in there!

Chapter 21: A Few Very Interesting Ideas

"She's making us host a ball!" Alexis exclaimed loudly as she marched into lunch on the first of November. Ron followed in behind her, his expression blank as he took a seat. The rest of the Great Hall was almost empty, except for a few Ravenclaw first years, as well as Dean and Seamus, who were sitting by themselves at the other end of the Gryffindor table. Ron and Alexis had missed most of lunch to talk to Professor McGonnagal about the New Year's Eve party, and Alexis continued to tell Harry and Hermione about the visit as she took her seat.

"McGonnagal says that we can't have a party unless there are chaperones, everyone dresses up, and- and- urgh!" Alexis banged her head on the table. "She's wrecking it! Oh! And, we have to invite everyone- fifth year and up." Bang bang bang went Alexis' head on the solid oak furniture. She buried her face in her hands and let out a moan, and Harry, who was sitting across from Alexis, found this the moment to voice his opinion.

"Didn't you want to have a lot of people?" He said, causing the girl to slowly bring her head upwards, her usually perfect hair all over the place because of her 'head banging.'

"I was getting that notion too-" Hermione added. "Didn't you-"

"What I said was one hundred people, not- not everyone fifth year and up! Do you think that I want Malfoy at my party?"

"Oh." Hermione said slowly, pursing her lips.

There was silence, and the only sound was a few first years getting up to leave, glancing nervously at Alexis, who was still fuming, her hair having fallen back into its naturally 'perfect' state.

"You know what?" Alexis grabbed a roll from the basket in front of her. "I'm going to eat outside; just to think of me, hosting a party- where people dress up- and-" she shivered, gathering her things. "You know what, I'm also going to find Luna; we need three guitarists, and she'll make an excellent addition to the band. Hermione- Come with me?" Alexis got out of her chair.

"But-"

"Please Hermione?" Alexis begged, and Hermione, looking a bit annoyed, grabbed some food as well and followed her friend from the Hall.

Harry and Ron waved goodbye to the two girls, then sank into silence. The redhead just picked at his meal, something that Harry had rarely seen him do. He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed for what seemed like an eternity, avoiding Harry's eyes. Harry shifted in his seat, looking around the hall, trying to think of something to say. At the other end of the Gryffindor table Seamus sneezed loudly; he and Dean were getting ready to leave. The four of them were the only ones left in the room. Harry checked his watch. 1:40. There was still twenty minutes until their next class.

"So…" Harry tried to make conversation. Ron glanced up at him, then he went back to his sandwich.

"That was interesting. Luna- how Alexis wants her added to the band…" He forced a grin, but Ron didn't react in any way, which Harry found a tad annoying. Ron had flinched rather obviously when Alexis had mentioned the 5th year. Still, Harry tried another topic. "What's your class doing in Potions?"

"We just started the Polyjuice potion." Ron's answer was short and somewhat curt.

"Oh. Right. We did that at the beginning of term…"

Ron didn't reply, chewing on his food, staring at his plate. Harry looked over towards Dean and Seamus again. They were coming towards him and Ron.

"Hullo." Harry nodded to them as they came closer. Dean ginned in answer; Seamus emitted another loud sneeze.

"Listen Harry, it was a real relief when I heard that you were using a picture of Hermione for your star project," Dean said as they passed. Over his shoulder he added, "it was good to know that I wasn't the only one using my girlfriend's photo."

Harry stared at the fellow Gryffindor; he could sense Ron stiffening across from him.

"What?" Dean said over his shoulder. "Not used to her being referred to in that way yet? Really, no one was even sure that you two were going out, but congrats anyway." He grinned, but Harry shook his head.

"We aren't going out."

"What?"

"I said; Hermione and I are just friends. She isn't my girlfriend."

Dean stopped walking, his eyebrows furrowed. "Oh."

"Who told you that… we were…" Harry's voice trailed off.

"Oh. No one. I just… assumed that… since you were using her picture… I dunno!" Dean laughed. "Never mind." Harry laughed as well and Seamus rolled his eyes.

The two others left and Harry turned back to Ron, still grinning. He was met by a pair of hard, gray eyes. Harry tried to ignore Ron's cold stare, but it was like dousing his head in icewater.

"Kind of funny, isn't it?" Harry said, though 'funny' seemed to have left with Dean and Seamus. He bit his lip and stared at his lunch.

"Very." Ron replied in the same, curt manner that he had been using before, though this time he wasn't trying to disguise his bitter mood. The boy put down the remaining half of his sandwich and got up out of his chair.

"Why are you in such a bad mood today?" Harry finally heard himself demanding, feeling a little more than slightly angry.

"Harry, you could have traded pictures with me." Ron hissed, walking from the table, Harry in tow.

"Hold it, this is why you've been ignoring me since we got up this morning?"

"You know that I fancy her- and you heard what Professor Sinistra said, and now what Dean thought-"

"You think that this is going to change things between Hermione and me!" Harry's face was aghast. "Ron, it's just a stupid photo! Sinistra said that it'll only be up in the sky for a few weeks, that's all the time she's rented it for-"

"I don't care how long it's up there, Harry! You'reusing Hermione's picture! You're- you're pasting her face among the stars!"

"Ron, this is in no way going to change your chances with her."

"Says who?"

"So you want to trade?" Harry felt annoyed.

"NO!" Ron retorted, exasperated, and they fell silent.

"Well, you weren't making any progress, anyway," Harry retorted after a minute or so.

"It isn't like you're helping! She would probably say yes if I asked her to- to Hogsmeade or something."

"Well, then why don't you get it over with! Ask her to the next bloody Hogsmeade weekend!" Harry was loosing his nerve.

Ron shuffled his feet rather awkwardly. "I could… but…"

"Well, what do you expect? No wonder you aren't getting anywhere. Should I ask her for you?" Harry said, exasperated.

Ron stared at Harry, having frozen at these words. Harry could tell that the redhead had been on the brink of explosion. After several moments the silence was broken.

"Merlin Harry!" It came out in a flabbergasted yell.

For a second, Harry had thought that Ron would accept, but obviously, that idea was ludicrous.

"Harry- you think that I can't ask her out myself? I'm not ten years old, alright?" With this, Ron stalked off, leaving Harry in the middle of the corridor bearing an aghast expression.

……………………………

Harry found himself falling endlessly, his pajamas pulling at his limbs as he fell freely into black, endless nothingness. Or was it nothingness? Was he really moving? There was no point of reference, so he was seemingly floating in mid air, but he could feel wind tugging at his clothes. A quickly approaching ground changed Harry's mind- he had been falling, he realized as he silently hit a mossy, forest floor.

As his eyes adjusted to the light, Harry picked himself off the ground. He could make out trees above him. Strange- he had not felt them when he fell… In the distance he could barely make out the glimmer of a campfire. He approached quietly. The only sound he heard was that of his own heart beating… until- the thick air was sliced by a cold, high laugh that Harry found so very, sickeningly familiar.

Blood rushed in his ears, and a chilling wind whipped through his hair. Harry's forehead ached as he came face to face with him… Voldemort.

Suddenly, Harry felt like he would be sick. He gagged and jerked forward, clutching his stomach. Voldemort's red eyes gleamed above him- the villan did not see Harry.

Harry felt himself tumble uncontrollably forward, toward Voldemort's boots, but instead of colliding with the hard leather, Harry toppled through- no- into the body of his nemesis.

His ears pounded with thoughts as they swirled through his mind. No- not his mind- Voldemort's mind.

"No-" Harry demanded strongly. He tried to clear out the thoughts- this was a vision. This is what Occlumency was supposed to have kept him from. But an iron fist seemed to clamp down on his mind. Harry did no longer exist. In Harry's place, there was now Voldy-Harr. The terrible dark lord of present day.

What's this? Ah… Wormtail. Horrible piece of vermin.

"Master, Master!" Wormtail fell to his knees at Voldy-Harr's feet, kissing the shiny leather, pulling at his master's robes.

Disgust. Floods of disgust wrenched through Voldy-Harr's body and he kicked out, colliding with Wormtail's mouth, causing the vermin to bleed.

"Leave, fool. You know better than to disturb me while I think."

Wormtail huddled by the fire, nursing a split lip.

"It is very important, Master."

More, heart-wrenching disgust. His friends, thought Voldy-Harr. His friends are his last strand of support. He knows that I know now. He can get rid of me, but without his friends- he cannot do anything. I need to destroy his every sense of home in the world. He will be weak, and he will come to me out of- out of hate. But my hate is stronger.

"Master- Master."

"I said- begone!"

"Master- good news…"

"I said- leave!"

And the air around them exploded- not something conjured by Voldy-Harr. Twelve men apparated into the clearing around the campfire.

Joy. Suddenly disgust was replaced with Joy. Earthquaking joy. "My Family. I knew that you would return."

Suddenly, Voldy-Harr clutched his face. Pain. Allarm. Harry fought free of Voldemort's mind. They were separate, finally.

The boy awoke in his dormitory, drenched in sweat and shaking from head to toe.

Harry felt weak, trembling as he sat up in bed, contemplating the events of the dream- the vision. Should he tell Ron?

Even as Harry looked at the peacefully sleeping Ron in the nearby bed, his mind transferred Ron's face into a snarl. "You're ruining my chances with Hermione," the imaginary Ron stated, and Harry looked away from his best friend. No- not Ron; he didn't want to talk to Ron. Harry's strength gave one last attempt to hold the boy propped upward, then shattered, and Harry fell back onto his pillow in a deep sleep.

If this were a movie; I'd put in World On Fire by Sarah McLachlan.