~ Home for the Summer~
A/N: This chapter and the next may be a bit shorter, but they're suppose to be combined, I just wanted to change the title.
Chapter Ten- Howler in the Heart
The red envelope stood as a symbol for the suspense and great fear for Harry and Hermoine. While it could not bring any physical harm, the idea of it's contents shattered their minds.
" What if it's a trick?" Hermoine suggested, only wanting to find a simple solution, or an excuse.
" It's a howler, it can't get that complicated" Harry took an extra step. Like Ron when receiving his first, his hands were trembling upon opening it.
" Master Potter" the voice said before forming itself into a mouth shape. Dobby, he automatically matched the voice to that of the House Elf he freed years ago. " Dobby regrets to inform Harry that his daughter has been kidnapped. Dobby cannot say who has done such a horrible thing, only that the dreadful person has left you a message in the one place Hogwarts dreads the most". And with that, the howler self-destructed.
Harry turned around, leaving the dorm, Hermoine followed, clueless. " Harry, where are we going?" she chased him down the hallway.
" The one place Hogwarts dreads the most".
" Which is?" Hermoine got her answer when they arrived at the girls bathroom. At least, she thought it was her answer. " Here? The girls lavatory?".
Hermoine wanted to know what Harry was thinking, Harry knew what he wanted, just not how to get it. Here was a start. Inside, the faucet with a rowdy snake mounted into the steel easily became obvious. Rapidly, he searched the area.
" Of course" she discovered his doing, " the chamber of secrets. But isn't it sealed again?".
Harry found yet another envelope, but this one was black, not red. It was between the pipes and the while, stained porcelain. This one, was not a howler. " Maybe, but I don't think we'll have to go in".
" What does it say?" she asked when seeing there was no voice along with it.
Harry held the paper between his trembling hands. " So, Potter, you were smart enough to find this. If you're not too late, you may be lucky enough to save your love and precious joy. Just remember, you'll have to catch me first" he dropped his hand, " that doesn't help".
Hermoine stayed deep in thought, " you'll have to catch me first" she silently repeated, her face suddenly gleamed, " you'll have to catch me first!" she eagerly caught Harry's attention. " Draco, Draco took Ella!".
" How do you know?" while Draco Malfoy was an easy suspect, he did not want to automatically want to jump to that conclusion. But he wanted to find someone.
Hermoine's exhilaration grew, " whenever you play a match against Slytherin, Draco always says ' you'll never catch me', well now he's saying that we have too". She saw the slight hint of doubt in Harry's eyes. " Dobby sent us the Howler, why else would he do it if he was not once the slave to the Malfoy family?".
There was no answer. " Oh my god" Harry muttered, " but how does this help us find where he is?".
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Hermoine adjusted the left arm guard to Harry's arm, securing the strap. No matter the match, he had never been dressed in the uniform so fast, like it never happened.
" You don't have to do this" she told him, " if we go to someone for help, it will be safer".
" If we go to someone else, he'll kill her. Last time we wanted help, all the better things happened because of something we did.
She still tried to find some sort of loophole, " but none of that could get you killed".
Harry held her hand, " every time I go out there, every match I play, there's a chance I could die, there was a chance I couldn't have woken up the day I fell. It's more serious this time, we know Ella is safe, and that he has her. If this is the way he wants us to get her back, so be it. If it isn't done now, it may not be the first time we loose her". She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him as close as he could be. " If anything bad happens, get out of here as fast as you can".
Hermoine left a gently peck on his cheek before backing away, " please be careful".
" I'll be back when I have Ella".
She watched him leave out onto the court. Still remembering the courageous words, desperately believing them.
Another Author's Note: Like I said, this one and the next one will be a little short only because I get bored easily and wanted to change the title. But I should have Chapter 11 up today. There's only two chapters left!