mirrorball

chapter twenty one

"What did you tell her?" 

"I told her it's a slimy serpent, just for me." said Clara, turning a page of the newspaper idly. "Much more macho."

"Thanks," said Harry, grinning. "And what did you tell her Ron's got?"

"A girl's name in a heart, but I didn't say whose." Ron scowled and blushed as Hermione let out a soft cough. 

Harry was shaken from the conversation by the appearance at his side of Jimmy Peakes, who was holding out a scroll of parchment. "Thanks, Jimmy ... hey, it's from Dumbledore!" said Harry excitedly, unrolling the parchment and scanning it. "He wants me to go to his office as quick as I can!"

The group stared at each other. "Blimey," whispered Ron. "You don't reckon ... he hasn't found your book, has he?"

"Better go and see, hadn't I?" said Harry, jumping to his feet. He kissed Clara quickly and grabbed his bag. He dashed out of the library, leaving the rest of the group alone to study. Clara turned her head back to the Daily Prophet, but paused and did a double take at a young Hufflepuff. The girl was glaring at her. Clara made eye contact and stifled a smile, trying to be friendly, but was greeted with a look of disgust. The girl rolled her eyes and turned away, leaving Clara in shock. Since her relationship with Harry had gone public, these small judgements were becoming more common. It wasn't as though Clara was a stranger to rumors or judgement, she just always prided herself in them because they made her seem scarier. Now, girls were making a fuss over the way she looked and how she interacted with Harry. The most common lie she'd heard was that she had brewed a love potion to force Harry into a relationship with her. People said it was the only explanation for him to be dating a girl "so far below him".

Ron, Hermione, and Clara were sitting together in the common room when Harry came back from his meeting with Dumbledore. Since their relationship had gone public, Clara had been spending more and more time near the Gryffindors. Her own common room was full of Slytherins with judgmental eyes and callous words. "What does Dumbledore want?" Hermione said at once. 

"Harry, are you OK" Clara added anxiously. His eyes were wild and he seemed to be in a rush.

"I'm fine," said Harry shortly, racing past them. He dashed up the stairs and into his dormitory, then he sped back down the stairs and into the common room, skidding to a halt where his friends sat, looking stunned. "I haven't got much time," Harry panted, "Dumbledore thinks I'm getting my Invisibility Cloak. Listen ..." Quickly he told them where he was going, and why. He did not pause either for Hermione's gasps of horror or for Ron's hasty questions; they could work out the finer details for themselves later. Clara just stared at him blankly, worry crowding her every thought.

"... so you see what this means?" Harry finished at a gallop. "Dumbledore won't be here tonight, so Malfoy's going to have another clear shot at whatever he's up to. No, listen to me!" he hissed angrily, as both Ron and Hermione showed every sign of interrupting. "I know it was Malfoy celebrating in the Room of Requirement. Here- " He shoved the Marauder'sMap into Hermione's hand. "You've got to watch him and you've got to watch Snape, too. Use anyone else who you can rustle up from the DA. Hermione, those contact Galleons will still work, right? Dumbledore say she's put extra protection in the school, but if Snape's involved, he'll know what Dumbledore's protection is, and how to avoid it - but he won't be expecting you lot to be on the watch, will he?"

"Harry -" began Clara, her eyes huge with fear. 

"I haven't got time to argue," said Harry curtly. "Take this as well -" He thrust a pair of socks into Ron's hands. "Thanks," said Ron. "Er - why do I need socks?"

"You need what's wrapped in them, it's the Felix Felicis. Share it between yourselves. I'd better go, Dumbledore's waiting -' 

"No!" said Hermione, as Ron unwrapped the tiny little bottle of golden potion, looking awestruck. "We don't want it, you take it, who knows what you're going to be facing?"

Clara nodded in agreement. "I'Il be fine, I'll be with Dumbledore," said Harry. "I want to know you lot are OK ... don't look like that, Hermione, I'll see you later." 

Harry turned to leave but quickly turned once more. He planted a kiss on Clara's lips grabbed her hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "I am going to be fine. I'll come and find you as soon as I'm back, okay?"

Clara only nodded, words could not bubble out of the boiling anxiety she felt in her stomach. 

And with that, Harry was off, hurrying back through the portrait hole towards the Entrance Hall.

Clara's night was spent bent over the Gryffindor Common Room table, her eyes watching Draco walk amongst the castle halls. Ron and Hermione kept their eyes on Snape, and any other suspicious behavior. 

As the clock ticked away, Clara's heart only grew more anxious. Darkness overtook the skies, and a sudden gloom was in the air. 

"Bloody hell!" cried Ron from the window. Hermione walked towards him slowly. 

"What is it?" she asked. He moved over slightly to allow her gaze to follow his. A soft gasp echoed from Hermione's lips and she turned to Clara, "The Dark Mark. The Dementors, they're here."

Clara's head whipped back to the map and sure enough there was about thirty new names on the map. Each one appeared clumped together, and suddenly something caught her eye. Draco Malfoy was in the Astronomy tower, just like he was most nights. 

"Where's the mark?" asked Clara.

"Just over there, right above the Astronomy tower it looks like." said Ron.

"I'm going, Draco's there." said Clara, grabbing her wand.

"You can't go alone!" said Ron.

"I have to. You two stay here, guard the common room, watch the map. Those dementors could be going anywhere, and please, when Harry comes back, tell him to find me."

Clara raced out the door, and through the halls of Hogwarts. Her only wish was to stop Draco from doing something he'd regret, and she could only imagine what he was doing with the Dark Mark and those damned Dementors.