Unforeseen ((plot people))

[Harry Potter]

The closer it came to Christmas the more restless everyone was getting, not that he ever really got the reason why. It was a small break from NEWTS and that was a good thing, but other than that, everything was still the same. He was staying at Hogwarts, with Hermione and Ron, just like he always did. He could already guess the gifts he would be getting, for the most part at least; A used pair of socks for the Dusley’s and a sweater with his name on it from Mrs. Weasley. Ron and Hermione were the only surprises. While maybe it was nice to have a bit of a holiday, there was always the extra work the professors thought needed to be done before hand. Today it was potions simply because he had put it off as long as possible and he had a large length of parchment to finish on the details of making some potion he had forgotten the name of. Hermione would know though, she always knew, and that morning at breakfast he asked how hers was coming, which his promptly replied that she had finished last week. At least she seemed to know what he was getting at and agreed to meet him back in the Great Hall just after lunch and she would help him.

After lunch, which he took a bit longer than usual to eat because it meant he could avoid potions just that much longer, he went back to the Gryffindor towers and got his things and headed back to the Great Hall to meet Hermione. By the time he got there, he House Elves had cleared the tables and the room was almost completely empty. At least it meant he and Hermione wouldn’t have to worry about distractions, he thought as he sat down near the end of the table and laid his parchment and potions book in front of him as he waiting for Hermione.

[Ron Weasley]

Ron couldn't help but hum a bit as he walked down the halls. He was a bit bummed that he wouldn't be able to leave Hogwarts during Christmas and see his family, but with the way the danger was right now, his mom had decided to keep him at Hogwarts, where he was safest. As long as Ron could sidestep any unwanted "Surprises" this might actually be a good Christmas. During the previous years Ron hadn't had to much money, so his gifts to his friends hadn't been very good. It usually amounted to a bag of candy or chocolates, but not this year. This year Ron had saved up his money and bough Harry and Hermione some quality gifts.

Well, the day of classes was finally over and Ron actually had the heart to attempt homework. At first he tried the common room, but had no luck there. A bunch of younger students had been extremely loud and try as he might Ron couldn't get them to shut up for more than a second, even when he imposed his Prefect powers, which he didn't like to do considering the amount of rules he had broken in his previous years. Not even the student lounge gave enough silence for him to work. So his last resort was the great hall.

Ron stepped into the great hall and smiled when he noticed it was empty save for a few people. Looking at the Gryffindor table he spotted a familiar face he hadn't seen in a while. "Harry!" Ron called walking over to him and sitting next to him. Since the start of School Ron hadn't been able to see Harry that much. Classes had been going with such intensity that Ron couldn't even talk to Harry there. Even Quidditch practices were to busy to stop and have a quick chat. "Can you believe the amount of work McGonagall gave us today? I mean, can't she lighten up on us Gryffindors for once like Snape does for the Slytherins?" Ron sighed. "So watchya up to?"

[Hermione Granger]

Christmas was closing in on everyone, including Hermione. The yuletide cheer seemed somewhat dulled this year for her. She had already purchased gifts for Ron and Harry, something she hoped they would both appreciate; it had taken her a day or two to find the right items but she thought her care and effort was well worth the prizes she snagged in the end.

She had run into Harry earlier that day and he seemed to be struggling with their Potions work; as usual he had left it for a last minute rush job. Why Harry and Ron insisted on taking weeks on end to do one assignment at the last minute was beyond her. It was all about time management. Time management was key; at least that was how she accomplished things.

She had taken a very quick lunch since she wanted to get some studying in and wrap Ron and Harry’s gifts. After eating and doing her wrapping it had been back to the books for a while until she was to meet Harry. Hermione walked down the stairs from the Gryffindor common room and down the seven flights to the Great Hall. It was drastically quieter from the way it had been at lunch, a fact to be very thankful for. She had some parchment and quill with her and some other books to get a jump on her holiday homework.

Hermione spotted Ron and Harry as soon as she took a look over the room; a smile spreading across her face as she walked up to them. “He is going to do his potions work,” Hermione interjected as Ron questioned what Harry was up to. “Isn’t that right Harry?” she said as she slid onto the seat beside him. “And what are you doing Ron?” she asked her red haired friend.

[Professor Sybil Trelawney]

" Yes, yes....all seems to be ready," Trelawney prattled around her classroom, muttering with what would seem like gibberish to anyone else. However, no one at Hogwarts would of known that the teacher had been locked inside her classroom for three days, surviving on nothing but bread and water. Reshelving a couple of old books, she eyed the lump of cloth that swathed the curious object she had received the other day. It didn't look any different from any other crystal ball, but she had been instructed not to touch it. Nervously reshelving a couple of books left on her desk, she checked the sundial that was directly across from one of the large windows in her office. " Almost time...yes, yes." Trelawney gingerly picked up the the crystal ball, still wrapped in its blue cloth, and left her stuffy classroom for the first time in days.

It was dinner time at Hogwarts. Normally, the halls would of been packed with students rushing to the Great Hall, but this night was different. Most of the students had returned home for the holidays, and the halls were almost silent. Sybil's footsteps echoed off the stone walls, not even deviating when a stray student waved hello. She was intent on her destination, and this duty weighed heavy on Sybil's shoulder.

She entered the Great Hall silently. Usually Sybil's entrance would be accompanied with a great flourish that would involve some poor student getting told about their impending death. Her gaze was steady, looking over the crystal ball at the three students who had gathered at the Gryffindor table. Becoming eager to please her master, her step quickened as she approached Harry Potter. " Oh, you dear boy," she bent over, looking at the Boy Who Lived with true concern in her eyes. " I have seen something terrible in your future. I must show show you what is in store for you in the near future." Without touching the crystal, she pulled the blue cloth off the top of the ball. The cloth now hung around her hand, obscuring it from view. Dark clouds rolled violently in the orb, threatening to tell the unknown.

[Lavender Brown]

Lavender sat in the common room of the Gryffindor tower. She was reading over her Transfiguration book. It seemed that Professor MacGonagall thought it was funny to assign an essay to the 7th years over the break. Of course, her other professors hadn't bothered to give them less homework either. She didn't understand why it was so important to get all this homework, but then again N.E.W.T.'s were coming and that was certainly a reason to keep them all contained within their studies and make sure that they pass them with high marks. Lavender cared about her marks, but didn't think they were going to be that hard. Sure the O.W.L.'s were difficult, but not to the extent that the professors had prepared them for. They were over preparing them for the N.E.W.T.'s. However, there was nothing Lavender could do about it. She wanted to get good marks so she had to do all the work that they assigned.

Lavender sat for a few more minutes trying to read and write, but she kept getting distracted by the younger students who were screaming and laughing. She just wanted to hit them on the head and tell them to shut up, but she didn't want to be rude, she wasn't that kind of a person. She shook her head and returned to her book, but she knew that she wasn't reading anything. After all, that was about the 15th time she had read the same sentence and she still wasn't understanding it. She quickly shut the book. There was no way she was going to concentrate in the common room. She needed to be around quieter people if she wanted to study well. It was odd, but sometimes she needed to be around the sound of talking to be able to study, but not the sound of screaming and laughing people. If they were quieter she would stay, but they weren't. She picked up her bag and stuffed her books into it. She stood and quickly left the loud common room behind.

Lavender was going to head to the Student Lounge, but she was getting a bit hungry. She knew the Great Hall would be serving food soon, so she headed in that direction. Stepping into the Great Hall she looked around. It was pretty much empty save for a few students. Looking over at the Gryffindor table she saw Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Trelawney. Lavender was confused as to why Professor Trelawney was there. She hardly ever left her classroom in the tower. Lavender couldn't see what she had in her hands, but it looked interesting. She quickly hurried to the table and sat down across from Hermione and next to wear Professor Trelawney was standing with a cloth and what looked like a crystal ball. "Hi Hermione, Ron, and Harry! What are you doing down here Professor?" Lavender asked with interest. Trelawney was her favorite professor and she was interested in knowing why she was here talking with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who had stopped taking her class a while ago.

[Parvati Patil]

" Lumos!" Parvati's wand brightened as she held it over Unfogging the Future. The room was wrapped in darkness as the girl tried to the decipher the rolling, angry clouds in the white orb. It still mystified her. The little leaf floating off into an unknown void. Ever since it had appeared in her crystal ball that night with Lavender, it had haunted her. It showed up in her dreams as often now as it did her crystal ball. Becoming angry and frustrated with her premonition, she slammed the book shut and put out her wand. It only took Parvati a few minutes to turn back on the lights in the abandoned classroom and to get her things together. Of course, she had only brought the bare essentuals in with her. Best to pack light when exploring the hidden meanings of a person's future. Who's future it was now, that was still the mystery.

Parvati pushed the sleeve of her robes up to check the time. It was nearly dinner time, and her stomach was rumbling from the lack of food. After about a ten minute trek to the Great Hall, she could hear voices eminating from the open doors. It still amazed her how voices just echoed off the walls of the castle. As she turned the corner, she could only see about fifty students causing the loud commotion. Scanning the room, she hadn't seen her sister Padma yet. Out of fear and concern for their daughters, her parents had refused to let them come home for the holidays. Death Eaters were everywhere, and they felt that their daughters would be better protected at the school. However, she did see her best friend, Lavender Brown.

Walking up to the small group she had joined, she put her right arm around her friend's shoulders in a swift hug. " What's up, guys?" Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Trelawney were all in the little huddled group. Trelawney held a crystal ball in her hand that was now somewhat rudely pushed in Harry's face. Parvati was pretty sure that she heard Lavender ask the teacher a question, but Trelawney had ignored her. " Umm, Professor, is something the matter?" Trelawney's eyes looked a bit glazed over as she stared into Harry's.

Parvati looked down at the crystal ball in a bit of a trance. The swirling clouds were dark just like the ones that she had seen in her somewhat similiar orb upstairs. Parvati leaned in to get a better look, not even noticing the people around her anymore. The clouds were hypnotizing, and the sounds of her fellow classmates had disappeared. The leaf floated across the clouds again, taunting her. Damn, what the hell does it mean? Parvati was becoming frustrated with the premonition, and she felt that the answer was just a little beyond her reach. Seeing the leaf flutter over the clouds again, she reached out her hand to let her finger follow it's path across the glass.

What came next was unexpected. As her finger touched the glass, she felt an unusual tug in her naval. Parvati screamed as she felt her feet leave the ground. The Great Hall disappeared from her view in a swirl of violent colors and dizziness.