A Fall Through Worlds And Time Apart

Part 32

Sirius went around to find Ara's room empty. He went to Harry's room and found both Ron and Ginny sitting tensely. "Er... where's Harry?" he asked.

Ginny glared at him and Ron answered. "He...he is avoiding everyone after....er...we..hear....Moody...er..You-Know" Ginny smacked his arm and turned to Sirius. "We overheard Mad-Eye telling that You-know-Who may be pocessing him and ever since Harry is being a prat, shouting at Ara and you, and then pretty much avoiding all of us. And then you went off, got drunk and Ara thought hard and she insisted to bring Hermione over and we could not send Kreacher and so Hermione took the knight bus to Burrow and then flooed here. Now she has gone to bring Harry here and You better stay here and support us or ...." she finished threateningly as she stared hard at Sirius who gulped. Ron was nodding vigorously from behind. Sirius silently sat in the chair.

Minutes later Hermione skipped in followed by harry who looked surprised on seeing them all and mildly guilty on seeing Sirius, in particular. Hermione avoided all his expressions and pulled him to sit beside her opposite to Ginny and Ron.

"I came on the Knight Bus," said Hermione airily, pulling off her jacket before Harry had time to speak. "to The Burrow and then flooed here. Pretty exhausting if you ask me. But I didn't know if it would look suspicious when I come alone to this particular street in the Knight Bus. And Dumbledore told me what had happened first thing the morning, but I had to wait for term to end officially before setting off. Umbridge is already livid that you lot disappeared right under her nose, even though Dumbledore told her Mr. Weasley was in St. Mungo's and he'd given you all permission to visit. So..." She sat down next to Ginny, and everyone except Sirius looked up at Harry. "How're you feeling?" asked Hermione. "Fine," said Harry stiffly. "Oh, don't lie, Harry," she said impatiently. "Ron and Ginny say you've been hiding from everyone since you got back from St. Mungo's." "They do, do they?" said Harry, glaring at Ron and Ginny. Ron looked down at his feet but Ginny seemed quite unabashed. "Well, you have!" she said. "And you won't look at any of us!"

"It's you lot who won't look at me!" said Harry angrily.

"Maybe you're taking it in turns to look, and keep missing each other," suggested Hermione, the corners of her mouth twitching. "Very funny," snapped Harry, turning away.

"Oh, stop feeling all misunderstood," said Hermione sharply. "Look, the others have told me what you overheard last night on the Extendable Ears -" "Yeah?" growled Harry, his hands deep in his pockets as he watched the snow now falling thickly outside.

"All been talking about me, have you? Well, I'm getting used to it."

"We wanted to talk to you, Harry," said Ginny, "But when all you do is shout at people and shut door to faces like that...." Sirius said, still not facing anyone. Harry grimaced. "I...." Ginny held up a hand "You've been hiding ever since we got back. Don't deny."

"I didn't want anyone to talk to me," said Harry, who was feeling more and more nettled. "Well, that was a bit stupid of you," said Ginny angrily, "seeing as you don't know anyone but me who's been possessed by You-Know-Who, and I can tell you how it feels." Harry remained quite still as the impact of these words hit him. Then he wheeled round. "I forgot," he said. "Lucky you," said Ginny coolly.

"I'm sorry" Harry said, and he meant it. He stole a quick glance at his godfather before asking Ginny, "So... so, do you think I'm being possessed, then?" "Well, can you remember everything you've been doing?" Ginny asked. "Are there big blank periods where you don't know what you've been up to?" Harry racked his brains. "No," he said. "Then You-Know-Who hasn't ever possessed you," said Ginny simply. "When he did it to me, I couldn't remember what I'd been doing for hours at a time. I'd find myself somewhere and not know how I got there." Harry hardly dared believe her, yet his heart was lightening almost in spite of himself. "That dream I had about your dad and the snake, though -"

"Harry you've had these dreams before," Hermione said. "You had flashes of what Voldemort was up to last year." Sirius added.

"This was different," said Harry, shaking his head. "I was inside that snake. It was like I was the snake... what if Voldemort somehow transported me to London -?"

"One day," said Hermione, sounding thoroughly exasperated, "you'll read Hogwarts: A History, and perhaps it will remind you that you can't Apparate or Disapparate inside Hogwarts. Even Voldemort couldn't just make you fly out of your dormitory, Harry."

"You didn't leave your bed, mate," said Ron. "I saw you thrashing around in your sleep for at least a minute before we could wake you up."

Harry started pacing up and down the room again, thinking. What they were all saying was not only comforting, it made sense... without really thinking, he took a sandwich from the plate on the bed and crammed it hungrily into his mouth.

I'm not the weapon after all, thought Harry. His heart swelled with happiness and relief and he turned to Sirius whose eyes showed the same level of Happiness. He hugged Harry tight before Harry could apologize. Then he suddenly threw his hands in the air and started singing, "God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriffs" startling them all. Ron gave a loud squeak as they all laughed. "Hey its Christmas. Come on." He grinned and waltzed out of the room still singing "God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriffs" at the top of his voice. Harry looked he was about to follow when he suddenly turned to others, "Where is Ara?" Ron grinned. "Helping Kreacher set the place for Christmas. She spent some time worrying on how to talk to you and then" "called me." Hermione grinned. Harry nodded as guilt crashed his insides.

"Hey she would never be angry on you, mate." Ron said comfortingly. Harry muttered, "I.... she will feel bad about herself. I am so ashamed. I told her..." "We all heard that Harry." Ron said as he again grimaced.

"Well, I think you should just tell her how you feel. " Ginny said, Harry looked at her doubtfully as she smiled warmly. Hermione said softly, "She will understand Harry." Ron put an arm on his shoulders, "She always understands, especially you. And its Christmas Harry, everything is forgiven." Harry smiled weakly as together they stepped out.

Ginny and Hermione shared a look and shrugged, following their brothers out.

Hey my readers....

So I forgot Hermione took the knight bus. So I twisted it a bit. Sorry....

Christmas time...... What are the presents?

Ooh am excited..... Some much awaited romance is bound to happen....

So Read Vote Comment.....

Take care my dears....