Harry sighed with distain at being back in the shadowy dungeons. When he thought about it, however, this was a perfectly dreary place for Snape�s Potion�s class.
As if thinking about him conjured him, Snape himself walked quickly to the front of the room from his office.
�I trust that as seventh years,� he drawled, �you have taken it upon yourselves to pre-read the Potions VII, hm?� He looked back at them with his eyebrows raised.
�But,� he said loudly, just as the class began reaching for their books, �a word of caution before we start.� The class immediately sat back in their seats. Hermione looked as if to say something, but Snape spoke before her. He paused, as if wondering what to say.
�There is�a change in the school. Something I sin this school that isn�t right, the teachers can all sense it, but they have decided to keep this from you to preserve some of your�delicate mental states.� Hermione and Harry glanced at each other and Ron snorted softly on Hermione�s other side.
�What this danger is, none of us are quite sure,� Snape continued, �but I can say this.� He leaned forward to emphasize his words. �The enemy is stirring.�
Dead silence hit the classroom like a tsunami. They all knew who the enemy was. Hermione gripped her pen until her knuckles were white, and Harry had to stop himself from rubbing his scar instinctively. Most people had known that Voldemort was causing activity as of late, but then again, most of them hadn�t been told it straight out. Snape straightened slowly, seeing the effect of his words.
�Now,� he said calmly, �open your books to page 5 � we have already wasted too much of this lesson.� He said it as if it had been their fault, but Harry was too numb to care. Snape�s words almost mirrored Trelawney�s, except for one change.
Trelawney had said the dark spirit was in Hogwarts.
Harry stared at a blank piece of paper. Professor Flitwick had instructed that they write an essay on the complications of the Glow Charm. But all Harry could think about was Snape and Trelawney�s words.
�A spirit hath arrived cloaks as one of us ��
�Something in this school isn�t right � �
�A dark shadow has come over this very school � �
�Only Veronica can answer.
�Psst!� Seamus whispered, breaking Harry�s thoughts. �A Glow Charm can set your hand spontaneously on fire, right?� Harry nodded, remembering the essay he had to write. Scribbling down a reasonable essay, he thought,
I have to ask her.
Harry trotted down from the school to the Quidditch practice field, and saw Ron doing the same. Harry stopped, watching Ron fiddle with his robes and flick his red hair out of his face. Harry sighed, and ran over to him.
�Ron?� he asked, and Ron stopped. �I�m tired of this.� Ron looked down.
�Me too,� he answered, and Harry grinned.
�We ok?� he asked, and Ron smiled.
�Of course.�
They walked down to the Quidditch field in silence, but the silence was golden.
When they got to the locker room, everyone was talking excitedly, sitting around Kelly, who was blushing furiously. Harry cleared his throat loudly, and slowly the chatter ceased. But before he could say anything, Ginny shouted out,
�Let�s hear it for Kelly, the winner of our game!�
The team roared, and Kelly blushed a deep, deep red, the same color of her long tresses. Harry � peeved to be interrupted and applause for Kelly � clapped slowly, waiting for the team to calm down. When they did, Harry said loudly,
�Yes, very good job, Kelly. However, there are a few things we have to work out before our next game against Ravenclaw � �
�What are you talking about?� a third year named Blake called out. �We did great!�
As Captain, Harry should have held his tongue, and give some reply that would make his team laugh before getting seriously. That�s what he should have done. However, at this point, Harry snapped.
�If brilliant Kelly had been doing what she was supposed to be doing � which is protecting our team from Bludgers, - than the whole issue wouldn�t have come about. Kelly is lucky that she caught the snitch to cover her ass.�
Dead silence hit the locker room, and it was deafening. Harry looked down, realizing what he had just said. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked up. Kelly was gone. Harry sighed. The rest of the team looked at him with wide eyes. He sighed again � he still had a practice to finish.
�Guys � � he said. The stared back at him. �I�m sorry I � � Their eyes bored into his face, accusing, confused, shocked even angry stares that made him look down again. �Let�s�get out on the field,� he finished awkwardly.
Harry stared at the door of room 201 without making any move to open it. He was afraid; afraid not to get the answers to his questions, but afraid that he wouldn�t like the answers. Finally, hesitatingly, he opened the door to the dark, empty auditorium. Cautiously, Harry walked up onto the stage, and down that black hallway. Biting his lip, Harry slowly knocked on the door.
�Come in!� Veronica�s musical voice answered, and Harry slowly opened the door.
The same clutter was there, and then some. Almost the entire floor was covered with shiny black instrument cases of assorted sizes, with a narrow path from the door to the desk. Veronica herself was straddling a rather large case, writing on a clip board. She was once again wearing jeans and a t-shirt with an odd looking dragon on it. She looked up at him and smiled.
�Harry, what�s up?� she asked, standing up.
�Um,� Harry said, watching her tip-toe in the small spaces between the cases towards him. �Who are you?�
At this point, she tripped over a guitar case and landed heavily on a clarinet case.
�Hmph,� she said, pushing herself up slowly. Taking a deep breath, she said,
�My name is�Veronica Elizabeth Isabella Potter, Sorceress and Heiress of the Potter fortune, musician and a renowned Johnny Depp fan.� She sat up and rubbed a bruise on her elbow. Harry�s mouth went dry.
�P � Potter?� he asked. She nodded.
�I nearly fainted when I saw you for the first time,� she said. �It was like James had come back from the dead. I left before he was murdered and I�ve never forgiven myself for it. This is my first time I�ve been in England since then�I had a feeling I should come. But everywhere I turn, I see my brother.� She smiled at him wanly. �Especially when I see you. You look just like him.�
Harry didn�t remember leaving, walking down the stage and out of room 201, but he must have because he found himself walking down the hallway. He swore, wondering if he should go back and talk to her � his aunt. He had family, besides the Druselys. Wizard family. He stopped, trying to think. He decided against talking to her know�he needed time to think. He continued walking down the hallway.
An Aunt. Aunt Veronica.