Breaking Apart ; Harry Potter [2]

Chapter 18

"Let me see it again." A spine-chilling voice hissed out softly.

A sleeve rolled up, almost apprehensive, revealing an almost jet black Mark. The Mark was taunting, scary. A warning to some but a great joy to others.

The Mark was turning darker by the minute as if it was like an almost empty hourglass. But the Mark did not represent the end of something; no, it symbolised the beginning of something big. Something as dark and black as the tattoo on the persons arm.

The Mark was simple; a menacing skull with a serpent coming from its mouth.

"Ah yes, the time is close now. At last! Step aside Wormtail so I can give our guest a proper greeting!"

Harry awoke with a gasp, his breathing heavy and worry eating away at his brain. His scar hurt. More than the last time he had had a nightmare. He soon began to believe these nightmares meant something. They weren't - they couldn't - just be his imagination. They felt so real. So alive. It must mean something.

A noise echoed in Harry's ear and he jumped. The floorboards creaked - making his heart speed up even more. Harry felt a cold sweat rush over him as his hands clutched his bedsheets helplessly. His body was still distraught from what he had just witnessed sleeping, so trying to get it to move so he could get his wand was a no go as it refused to move.

Suddenly, Harry saw a head full of brown hair and sighed when he recognised it was only Neville who was still in his dress robes with a bright but slightly dazed smile on his face.

"You alright Harry? I just got in. Me!" He chuckled and danced off, singing to himself.

Harry collapsed back in bed, his mind still racing, confused as ever.

Harry didn't manage to get back to sleep that night as suddenly the music from the Yule Ball seemed too loud and the rustling of the trees seemed to scratch at his mind. His eyes stared at the ceiling while he listened to the night time creatures sing their haunting song and the whistling of the wind.

All the hours Harry spent awake thinking, one thought was definitely clear. One thing he knew for certain.

It was the Dark Mark he saw and something beyond his comprehension was coming...

>>>

"Harry you told me you'd figured the egg out weeks ago. The task is two days from now." Hermione scolded Harry with worry etched on her face.

Harry sighed in annoyance.

"Really? I had no idea." Harry said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

His hand went to rub his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Robyn noticed the tiredness in his eyes and the bags under them. His skin looked more sallow. "I suppose Viktor's already figured it out."

"I wouldn't know, we didn't actually talk about the tournament. Actually we didn't really talk at all, Viktor's more of a physical being. I just mean he's not particularly... Mostly he watches me study. It's a bit annoying actually." Hermione replied, her voice getting more sharp. "You are trying to figure this egg out, aren't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean these tasks are supposed to test you, in the most brutal way they're almost cruel. And um, I'm scared for you. You got by the dragon mostly on nerve, I'm not sure it's going to be enough this time."

Before Harry could reply, Cedric came walking up.

"Hey Potter."

"Cedric." Harry greeted. Cedric pulled Harry aside.