Courage

-34-

Book: Courage
Chapter 34
Word Count: 3778

Ron, Layla, and Hermione watched Harry nervously all through dinner, not daring to talk about what they'd overheard, because Percy was sitting close by them. When they went upstairs to the crowded common room, it was to find Fred and George had set off half a dozen Dungbombs in a fit of end-of-term high spirits. Harry headed straight up to the empty dormitory, leaving Ron, Layla, and Hermione to exchange concerned looks.

When the first day of the Holidays rolled around, Layla was sad to find out that Cedric was leaving for the Holidays, catching him on his way to the station.

"I'll write to you," said Cedric with a soft smile. "And when I get back, I would love to have that talk with you that we couldn't have after the Quidditch match."

"Okay," said Layla with a smile of her own. "Happy Christmas, Ced."

"Happy Christmas, gorgeous."

Cedric then planted a soft kiss on Layla's cheek and left. Layla returned to her common room to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat by the fireplace. She walked over and sat in the available seat on the sofa beside Harry, noticing how tired he looked.

"Harry, are you okay? did you even get any sleep?" she said anxiously.

"I'm fine," said Harry.

"Harry, listen," said Hermione, "you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. But the thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid."

"Like what?" said Harry.

"Like trying to go after Black," said Ron sharply.

"You won't, will you, Harry?" said Hermione.

"Because Sirius Black's not worth dying for," said Layla.
　
"D'you know what I see and hear every time a dementor gets too near me?" asked Harry. The other three shook their heads, looking apprehensive. "I can hear my mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort. And if you'd heard your mum screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her—"

"There's nothing you can do." said Layla quietly. "The dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban."

"You heard what Fudge said. Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are," said Harry. "It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others."

"So what are you saying?" said Ron, looking very tense. "You want to — to kill Black or something?"

"Don't be silly," said Herinione in a panicky voice. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"

Harry didn't answer, until—

"Malfoy knows," he said abruptly. "Remember what he said to me in Potions? 'If it was me, I'd hunt him down myself... I'd want revenge.'"

"You're going to take Malfoy's advice instead of ours?" said Ron furiously. "Listen... you know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black had finished with him? Dad told me — the Order of Merlin, First Class, and Pettigrew's finger in a box. That was the biggest bit of him they could find. Black's a madman, Harry, and he's dangerous—"

"Malfoy's dad must have told him," said Harry, ignoring Ron. "He was right in Voldemort's inner circle—"

"Say You-Know-Who, will you?" interjected Ron angrily.

"—so obviously, the Malfoys knew Black was working for Voldemort—"

"—and the Malfoy's would love to see you end up like Peter Pettigrew," Layla pointed out. "Harry, Malfoy's just hoping you'll get yourself killed."