The Graveyard - 7

"Good evening," he said in his best imitation of a vampire voice that he'd heard on the Dursleys' telly.

Ginny shrieked, jumping back and aiming her wand. "Sternumentum," she shouted, and Harry barely had time to raise a shield before a mass of fluttering winged creatures covered in slime slammed into the wall.

"Reducto," Ginny hissed, scrambling away as the desk blasted into bits, sending shards into the air.

Harry had to roll across the floor to escape injury.

"Ginny!" he shouted when she raised her wand again.

Wild-eyed and panting heavily, Ginny turned toward his voice, blinking in confusion. "Harry," she said weakly, slumping against the wall.

Harry stood up gingerly, brushing the dirt and debris off his clothing. "You tried to hex me," he said, dumbfounded.

He could hear Ron and Hermione's pounding footsteps on the stairs. They entered the room, panicked, just as Ginny's shock gave way to fury.

"What in Merlin's name did you think you were doing? You scared me to death, Harry!" she shouted, once again brandishing her wand at him.

"You tried to hex me," he repeated, blinking.

"Do that again, and I'll do more than try," Ginny snapped, finally putting her wand back in her pocket.

"What did you do?" Ron asked, uncertain whether he should be angry on Ginny's behalf or outright laugh at Harry.

"He sneaked up on me and spoke in a different voice," Ginny said, scowling. "Nearly frightened me to death."

"Harry!" Hermione said reproachfully, wrapping her arm around Ginny's shoulder.

"It was supposed to be a vampire voice," Harry whined.

Apparently unable to contain himself any longer, Ron threw back his head and roared with laughter.

"It isn't funny, Ron," Ginny said, slapping him on the arm.

"Is so," Ron said when he was finally able to catch his breath, tears streaming from his eyes. "Ginny Weasley admits she was scared, and Harry Potter nearly gets done in by his own girlfriend on the same day. What's not funny about that?" Ron asked, doubling over with laughter again.

Although she tried to hide it, Harry saw Hermione's lips twitch.

"I wasn't scared," Ginny said, color finally returning to her face. She raised her chin defiantly in the air. "He startled me, that's all."

"That's all," Harry said, biting the inside of his cheeks.

Hermione finally lost the battle, and she leaned against Ron as she giggled. "Merlin, Ginny. If you could have seen your face."

"Are we done here?" Ginny asked, scowling, two high points of color staining her cheeks.

"Yeah, there's nothing here," Harry replied, schooling his features. "We're back to square one."

"We'd better get back, then," Ginny said coldly. Turning on her heel, she left the room with her head high in the air.

"Damn. You're in trouble now, mate," Ron said, still sniggering.

"Don't I know it?" Harry mumbled, following behind Ginny.

Still giggling, Hermione said, "It really was a nasty trick, Harry."

As he descended the stairs, Harry was brought to his knees as a blinding pain suddenly shot through his head. His vision swam, and he doubled over, falling down the last half dozen stairs and crashing into Ginny at the bottom. He gripped the sides of his head in agony, unable to suppress his screams.

The pain in his head was intense; it felt as if the roots of his hair were on fire, burning from his scalp outward. He clawed at it, tugging out tufts of hair in an effort to stop the scorching intensity.

He could hear his friends shouting his name in the distance, but couldn't get past the intense pressure in his skull. He felt a Dark presence within his mind, coiling around his thoughts and seeing through his own eyes. He tired to fight, to push the presence back, but it was too strong. Icy drops swirled in his head, clouding his thoughts and confusing him. He was so cold.