Chapter 6
The Second Attempt
Hermione woke with a start. The scarlet canopy of her four-poster was usually the first thing she saw each time she awoke, but it took longer than usual for her to recall what had happened before she had plopped on her bed the night before. Slowly the memory of Harry going down the witch's hump replayed in her mind and walking down the corridor to the common room all by herself. She then remembered she kept herself awake with all the anxiety she experienced that night; but because of her exhaustion she hadn't noticed she had fallen asleep. The sun was already up; Padma and Lavender were already out.
She closed and covered her eyes with both hands and began hoping it was all a dream. Fearing for the contrary, she slowly sat up and opened her eyes. What she saw made her heart sink - she saw that she hadn't bothered to change at all since yesterday (her shoes were still on), and Harry's invisibility cloak was splayed on the bed by her side. Everything happened were real.
"Hermione," said Lavender Brown as she came in the room they shared since their first year. "You look horrible. Anything wrong?" She slowly went over to Hermione's bed and sat on it.
Hermione looked at her. "N-nothing's wrong, Lavender," she managed to lie. "I just didn't have a good night's sleep that's all." She slowly slid Harry's cloak behind her back away from Lavender's sight. "What time is it? What day is it?"
"Eight thirty - Saturday," Lavender replied. "Hermione, haven't you heard?" she added slowly because she sincerely didn't want to add something to Hermione's troubles with what was going around the campus that morning.
"Heard what, Lavender?"
"Harry and Ron."
Hermione's eyes went round and her breathing began to get shallow. "What happened to them?" she said anxiously, fearing the worst.
"It's all around the school. Harry - he's been expelled, and Ron escaped as he was being brought to London and is on the run from the Ministry."
"Who expelled Harry? Is Professor Dumbledore awake now?"
"Not yet; Dumbledore's still the same since the other day - some witch from the Improper Use of Magic office said to have sent Harry an owl because he used magic outside Hogwarts twice - heard Professor Snape talking about it with some wizards."
Hermione breathed, smiled slightly, and looked blankly ahead. So, Harry had managed to break Ron out after all, she believed. It was strange for her to feel some sort of relief now, but this meant Ron is out of mortal danger as of this time. All Harry and Ron could do now is to keep themselves from being captured while she'd look for a way to clear them up.
From Lavender's point of view it was very odd to see Hermione smile like that after being told some bad news. "Hermione - are you all right?" She was beginning to worry about her sanity when Hermione's smile flickered (she still had that dreamy look on her face).
"Oh," said Hermione, coming back to her senses. "I'm all right, Lavender, don't worry about me - I'm just still being sleepy…" She forced a smile.
"Okay," said Lavender slowly, with a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "If you need something I'll be around…" She got something out of her trunk and walked out the room slowly, giving Hermione a last glance before disappearing toward the stairs to the common room.
Actually Hermione had realized how Herculean a task it would be looking for the truth about what happened in Dumbledore's office, especially now that she was virtually all to herself. Would she ask for help from Lavender or Parvati? Dean or Neville? Maybe, but probably not now. She wouldn't dare tell anyone what she and Harry were up to just yet, or else somebody might spill all the beans and things would get more difficult for her as it is.
Taking inspiration from Harry's apparent success in rescuing Ron, Hermione felt it would rather be dangerous to be ruminative at this stage. She had to do have a grip on herself and do something in the soonest possible time - not only for her friendship with Harry and Ron, but for Hogwarts' existence as well. Hogwarts was in danger of collapse if Dumbledore was lost because Death Eaters could descend immediately on the school once that happened. She needed to protect the Headmaster from further danger, delegating that task for herself even though no one had asked her to. She'd do this while looking for proof of Jack Chadron's treachery, too.
She then remembered Jack Chadron. He was behind all this and he was still scot-free. Nobody knew the true colors of Jack in Hogwarts except Hermione. "But who had sent the letter in behalf of You-Know-Who?" she thought out aloud, pounding her fist softly on her thigh. Snape and McGonagall were still suspected as the middlemen, but deep in Hermione's heart McGonagall couldn't be a traitor, but Snape could still be.
Hermione's mind buzzed. She couldn't recall where she put Chadron's letter and felt a sense of relief (or dread) when she felt it inside her robe pocket. To make sure that was it, she read it again after making sure she was alone in her dormitory. She felt her spine tingle again - the letter had the same dreadful effect of foreboding, the one she had hoped would never happen to Dumbledore and Hogwarts - and this was the only proof yet of Chadron's treason, albeit pretty weak. This letter had to be kept away from the wrong hands, and whoever wanted it must take it off from her dead cold hands, she resolved, and placed it back inside a secret pocket of her robe.
After cleaning up herself and changing into some casual clothing, Hermione decided to pay Professor Dumbledore a visit in the hospital wing. She didn't know if students were allowed to see Dumbledore, but she felt she had to perform some kind of charm to protect him from further attempts on his life. The problem is, she didn't know anything effective, and she had to find something from the usual place - the library.
She passed by the big oak doors of the Great Hall; students were still eating their breakfast. She felt hungry, but she didn't want to mingle in with the others as they were sure to talk about Harry with her and she certainly didn't feel like it. She took out her wand and pointed at a piece of buttered toast at the end of the table and whispered "Accio". The bread zoomed across Dean Thomas's face; he took notice of it, and saw Hermione catch it outside the Great Hall. He tried to call her but Hermione just winked at him and walked off very quickly.
On the way to Library, she had bet anything that Dean only cared to talk about Harry's expulsion. The thought infuriated her as this would prove that the students only wanted to get the inside scoop of what was probably the hottest topic in school. She munched her toast and walked the corridors, only looking at the floor to avoid other students' stares and to guide herself towards the Library. If somebody called her then she had a valid reason that she hadn't noticed him - and sure enough, she didn't see who was standing along her path and she felt her face bump on to someone's chest.
Hermione looked up, half of her toast thrusted inside her mouth now, and Snape was glaring at her. "Good morning, Miss Granger," he said with a dry expression on his face. "We would like to have a word with you." A couple of surly looking wizards she thought were from the Ministry of Magic flanked Snape, and they were looking at her, too.
Hermione glanced behind her, and at the end of the Hall, she saw Dean and Neville stop abruptly at the sight of Snape and doubled back. It looked like they were following her. She returned her gaze to Professor Snape.
"Pufffessr Shnape," she said stuffily, forgetting the toast was still in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed it as quickly as she can. "Uh, okay, sir," she said, her eyes darting to the other wizards and back at Snape again. "May I know what's this about?" She knew what Snape wanted to talk about, but she had to act puzzled in front of him.
"Don't play innocent, Miss Granger," said Snape menacingly. "I don't believe you've got nothing to do with Harry Potter's recent adventures last night, I daresay. Tell us what you know, and I won't accept anything other than the truth!"
Hermione tried hard to look bewildered in front of Snape. She wasn't used to telling lies, and Snape's dagger look at her made it even more difficult for her to think of a way out of this. She knew if she failed to convince Snape on the spot that she had nothing to do with it, he would have been more than glad to detain her or kick her out of school right there and then - that meant mission failed and goodbye to the wizard world as she knew it. That would be bad for Harry and Ron, too. Oh what the heck, she thought.
"Harry? Wha-what happened to him, Professor?" Hermione said in a fake but seemingly authentic panicky voice. "I-I've been looking for him everywhere, sir!"
"You know very well what happened to him, Miss -" Snape tried to spit but he was caught off guard when Hermione grabbed the front of his robes and went into hysterics.
"I-I've been h-hearing horrible rumors around the school about Harry, sir!" she wailed, shaking Snape's robes vigorously. The ministry wizards shifted nervously seeing a young lady acting like this. "P-please tell me, sir! Harry c-can't be - be -DEAD?!?" Real tears poured out from her eyes as she pleaded.
"Miss Granger -" started Snape, his eyes widening - not with anger but with unmistakable horror and concern.
"NOOOOOO! P-please! It c-can't be!" she said, and screamed shrilly thereafter. Many students who were walking by were now staring at her. Snape and the wizards just nervously stood in front of her, frozen, looking around, and not knowing what to do. Hermione decided to faint in-between screams, and allowed herself to fall on to the floor.
"S-severus," said one panic-stricken wizard. "We gotta bring her to the hospital -"
Professor Sprout showed up, looking scandalized. "Professor Snape! What do you think you're doing to Miss Granger?" she said fiercely.
"We…only wanted to talk to her, but…" Snape tried to explain, but uncharacteristically didn't know what to say to Professor Sprout as she stood in front him, hands on her hips.
Professor Sprout didn't wait for any answer from Snape and carried Hermione off to the hospital wing. "Out of the way! Out of the way!" she shouted through the gathering crowd. Nobody ever noticed Hermione suppressing a laugh against Sprout's work robes.
-o0o-
Word of Hermione's screaming fit went around the school like wildfire. Except for the Slytherins, all other students took pity on her because they thought it was really awful to have lost a couple of best friends overnight (after being close companions for nearly five years). So the students had plucked up some courage to look at Snape suspiciously (who was now in bad mood) each time he got past them. Some Gryffindors were conjuring up some flowers to give her in the hospital wing, but Madam Pomfrey strictly kept visitors out and received the rush of bouquets for Hermione.
Hermione began to feel slightly worried that her little play made her look like she had lost her marbles, and she thought the whole thing would become pretty embarrassing once she got out. She hoped this little incident wouldn't be talked about in the next 50 years. She could see it now: her granddaughter, approaching her on her rockers wanting to talk about Hermione Granger losing it in the halls of Hogwarts, possibly after being told about the story by her classmates. She realized this thought was getting too far fetched so she shook it off.
But the thought of Harry and Ron was the most pressing concern and it was surely worth the trouble. She was glad she got away from Snape that time, but what if he'd meet her again after getting out of the infirmary? The same alibi won't be too convincing anymore.
"Another big one from your friends, Miss Granger," grumbled Madam Pomfrey as she created a twentieth vase out of her wand and placing it at her side table. She, however, stood back and admired the cheerful sight of fresh flowers adorning Hermione's bed. "So how are you feeling now?" she said, sitting on Hermione's bed and feeling her pulse.
"I think I'm okay now, thank you," said Hermione, smiling slightly. "I think I lost it there for a while…"
"Well, I don't find anything wrong with your mind at all, dear," assured the nurse, mixing up some potion to make Hermione relax. "I remember having exactly the same fit when I lost a - uh - boyfriend when I was your age," Madam Pomfrey said, blushing profusely. "That Matilda…well that was a very long time ago…"
Hermione snorted as she drank her potion. "Harry's not my boyfriend, you know, Madam Pomfrey. He's just my best friend…" She paused to herself and thought silently, "I guess…"
"Of course he isn't, dear," said Madam Pomfrey, smiling. Hermione could tell she didn't believe it, but it was just fine for her. "Don't worry, by all indications Mr. Potter's still alive. But unfortunately he was too foolish to go on his own and break Mr. Weasley from the custody of Ministry Wizards."
"Do you have any news about them?" said Hermione anxiously even though she had already drank the tranquilizing potion.
"Very sketchy, I'm afraid," said Madam Pomfrey seriously. "The Ministry of Magic is busy looking for them as we speak. They'll be caught soon, I expect. It would be better that way, as they might encounter hags or werewolves along the way."
Hermione just nodded. She wasn't sure what she'd feel if Harry and Ron were caught soon. "H-how's Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall?"
"Still both out, I'm afraid," replied Pomfrey, shaking her head and glancing over to a bed with the curtain covers. Hermione thought that was where Dumbledore was lying down on. "I couldn't find any remedy to revive them - I'm not miracle worker like most of you think, Hermione. I'm afraid we'll have to wait for the time they'll wake up on their own - if it ever comes…" Madam Pomfrey let out a stifled sob.
Hermione sat up and hugged Madam Pomfrey, who embraced her, too. "We both feel the same way, Madam Pomfrey," she said quietly. "What do you think is going to happen to Hogwarts now?"
"If they don't wake up at all, I'm sure You-Know-Who won't wait another minute and take over the school, I reckon," Madam Pomfrey said, deeply worried. "I'm quite puzzled he hadn't stepped in already - Professor Dumbledore had been out of action for more than two days."
Just then, Professor Flitwick entered the hospital wing. There were some students peeking through the double doors from outside and he closed them quickly. "Poppy, how's my favorite model student going?" he squeaked.
"She hadn't gone over to the deep end, Professor," replied Madam Pomfrey and turned to Hermione. "However you still need to rest until later this afternoon then you can go off." Hermione nodded.
"Splendid," said Flitwick, glowing.
Hermione remembered that she had earlier set off towards the Library to research some charms before landing unexpectedly in the hospital wing, and having the charms expert himself around seemed to be heaven-sent. She didn't waste any time deciding to take the opportunity of asking Professor Flitwick for some tips.
"Uh, Professor Flitwick," said Hermione timidly. "If you're not so busy at all, I'd like to ask you something - if it's okay."
"Why, of course, Miss Granger," said Flitwick smiling, and walking over eagerly to her bedside.
"I'll be in my office if you need me, Hermione," said Madam Pomfrey, standing up and walking away.
As soon as Madam Pomfrey walked away from sight, Hermione said, "Uh, I've been wanting to learn some, you know, protection charms because, you see, I've been very worried about Headmaster Dumbledore…"
Flitwick nodded slowly. "Yes, go on. Speak your mind, Miss Granger, don't be afraid…"
"Thank you, Professor. You see I have the most horrid feeling that someone still wants Professor Dumbledore dead and may try a second time to finish him off. So I thought of performing some sort of a charm to give him the best form of protection while he's sleeping - but I don't know any good ones yet…"
"Ah, I don't find it surprising that you've thought of that, too, Miss Granger," said Flitwick, his eyes twinkling. "After all, you are to me most brilliant student in your year - if not the whole school." Hermione beamed.
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Granger. We teachers have already made sure Professor Dumbledore is well protected from what you've thought about. I've been asked to perform a, uh… I'm not supposed to say which charm I gave Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall for obvious reasons."
"So you believe the murderer is still around the school, Professor," Hermione eagerly said, hoping that Flitwick would say he didn't believe Ron could be it.
"As the alleged perpetrator is out of the school, Professor Dumbledore is apparently out of danger, but Professor Snape and I still think there still might be an accomplice around - and Professor Trelawny keeps on annoying me with predictions of someone long bearded dying…" Flitwick puffed. "So it's still necessary to perform some protection charms on him and Professor McGonagall until they come to. That'll frustrate them. If you'll excuse me, Miss Granger, I have to check on the Headmaster and see if my charm hadn't been disturbed." Flitwick smiled and walked towards Dumbledore, a few beds away from Hermione.
Even though it wasn't good that many people still thought Ron was the one who tried to kill Dumbledore, it was comforting to know for Hermione that Professor Flitwick had already subjected Dumbledore to a few protection charms - it meant that once she had gone out of the hospital wing she could concentrate on looking for more clues, and being a prefect will get very useful. But from what Flitwick said, the teachers still didn't seem to rule out Ron for the attempted murder.
"Madam Pomfrey! Come here, very quickly," called Flitwick, with an urgent but calm voice. Even if his voice was generally squeaky, Hermione could tell if something was wrong and snapped her head towards the direction where Dumbledore's bed was; the bed curtains were still blocking her view and couldn't see him. Madam Pomfrey ran to Dumbledore's bedside and disappeared behind the curtains. Hermione dreaded the worst - was the Headmaster now dead? She fought the urge to run over and see for herself, and wait for Flitwick to say anything. However, she heard Madam Pomfrey gasp and she couldn't take it anymore. She jumped off her bed, ran barefoot across a few beds, and screeched to a halt behind Professor Flitwick.
Someone tried to stab Professor Dumbledore while he was asleep. Several faint glowing lights were spread across his torso (on top of his purple robes) shaped like what appeared like a cross-section of a knife. Hermione clamped a hand in her mouth in shock.
"Looks like your charm worked, Professor," said Madam Pomfrey, feeling Dumbledore's pulse. "He's still alive, and unharmed. This could have happened when I rushed to get Hermione in the halls - he was spotless when I checked on him earlier."
Flitwick nodded grimly. Hermione breathed. She wanted to tell the Professor that she suspected Jack Chadron all along, and but she stopped herself when she heard someone talk behind her.
"Who could do such a horrible thing?" said a voice much like the Head Boy's. Hermione whipped around and saw Jack Chadron's face, and she looked away very quickly to avoid his gaze. She slowly walked back to her bed. Madam Pomfrey looked at Jack Chadron as if he were a trespasser.
"Have you been inside the hospital wing since last night, Miss Granger?" said Jack Chadron quickly at Hermione's back.
"No," she replied, placing a hand over her chest and kept on walking. Hermione's heart was painfully pounding, and she could feel Jack Chadron's stare behind her. "No, I didn't," she added.
"I sense there's something wrong with you, Miss Granger," Jack Chadron pressed. "Or is there something else you know that we don't?"
Hermione didn't answer. She hadn't prepared herself to face the real traitor this soon, and at the same time she was bursting to point her finger at Jack Chadron - only that it was still too immature to do so. It sounded as if the Head Boy was changing tack and the sound of his voice suggested that he's starting to cast new doubts on her "involvement". She didn't quite understand why this time she didn't have the courage of facing up to him, and she knew this wasn't doing any good.
Madam Pomfrey spoke up. "Head Boy, I don't believe one bit that Hermione did this as you are insinuating," she said, aghast, waving a finger at Jack Chadron. Professor Flitwick looked up at him, with a surprised look on his face.
"No, not at all, Madam Pomfrey," Jack said pompously. "It's just that what's happening lately had been so - stressful. Professor Snape seems to be keen on investigating Miss Granger and had asked me to see how she is doing and…"
"I don't care what he thinks and you have no business being here in my hospital wing - you tell that to the Professor Snape. You know very well that until further notice, strictly no students are allowed to get inside the infirmary except to be treated for injuries, and that includes you?"
Hermione at last found the courage to stare insolently at Chadron, who looked back at her. She didn't dare blink, as rage built up inside her - she was certain it was he who tried to finish Dumbledore off quickly and the easy way, probably in the dead of the night like he said, and he had come to see if he was truly dead. The letter proved it. Fortunately Flitwick's charm frustrated his attempt, and Hermione hoped Chadron had made a mistake by acting innocent as to pay the Headmaster a visit, and that Madam Pomfrey or Professor Flitwick would begin to doubt him. Whether it was true that he was sent in by Snape to see her or not, Hermione made it a point to avoid both of them as much as possible.
"OUT!" said Madam Pomfrey loudly, and Jack Chadron strode out of the hospital wing without taking his eyes off Hermione (who kept on staring at him). Madam Pomfrey waited for Chadron to get out of the infirmary and angrily said, "How dare he say a thing like that - as if Hermione was the culprit…" She calmed down a bit and told Hermione gently "Please get back on your bed, while I tend to Headmaster Dumbledore. Please, if you both have grudges against each other whatever it is, please settle it somewhere else, okay?"
Hermione nodded and did what Madam Pomfrey had told her, tucking herself in her bed. She noticed she was drenching in cold sweat - Chadron's stare meant something, and she was sure he'd be watching her from now on. She had the perfect chance to tell Professor Flitwick about Jack Chadron, but she had lost it because of her indecisiveness - she wanted to kick herself for it. Pointing the finger at Chadron this time would make it look like she had some kind personal vendetta against him, now that Madam Pomfrey thought that she and Chadron had a grudge. She wished she hadn't stared back at Jack like that in front on her.
"I've redone the Aegis Charm on Professor Dumbledore," said Professor Flitwick to Madam Pomfrey, and intently made it loud enough for Hermione to hear though he sounded pensive. "I'm afraid this won't be enough on the Death Curse; luckily the one who attempted this used mundane means to try and kill Professor Dumbledore. This means somebody else in Hogwarts also wants to kill him, and I'll make sure this has to be stopped. Probably some copy cat - I'm going to call for a meeting today with all the teachers and discuss this problem; I'll suggest placing Hogwarts under a state of emergency." He walked briskly out.
Madam Pomfrey walked over to Hermione and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hermione, could you please watch over Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall while you're here? I'll be in the back room mixing up some potions - just holler when there's something wrong. I'll tell you when it's okay for you to leave the hospital wing."
"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," said Hermione.
Madam Pomfrey smiled nervously, and walked off to her office. Everything seemed to move along very fast during the last couple days, Hermione thought as she allowed herself to relax, at least a little bit. First, the incident in the Headmaster's office, then Ron's detention, McGonagall's alleged suicide attempt, and the events that led to Harry's hasty decision to rescue Ron. And now this.
Everything was Chadron's handiwork, Hermione knew, and now he's even trying to involve her to stave off suspicion on his part. Looking for incriminating evidence to unmask Chadron seems to get trickier by each passing moment. Harry and Ron were still out there - and they were absolutely counting on her. The thought of her best friends made her teary eyed again. The anguish she felt - it was just too overwhelming. She didn't want to hold it back and cried as much as she wanted to.
-o0o-
"What is it, Ron?" said Harry as he finished his half of the last sandwich he and Ron only had. They had stayed in their present spot for half a day without encountering anyone. Ron was sitting in front of the smoking pile of ash of what used to be their campfire and he had an odd look on face.
"I don't know - just a funny sad feeling,"
"Funny sad?" Harry laughed.
Ron gave him a sarcastic grin. "It's just like, I could feel somebody's in grief," Ron continued. "Far away. Strange."
Harry could not get what Ron's trying to tell him. He checked his watch; it was almost three o'clock in the afternoon, and they were running out of food. "We have to get something to eat before sundown," Harry told Ron.
"Sorry, Harry, but I've never been outdoors all my life," said Ron apologetically.
"Me neither, so that's why we got to find a place that accepts these," Harry said, holding some of his gold galleons. "I doubt there is this far from Hogwarts."
"We'll find one, I'm sure of it," said Ron. "I bet every city or village in Britain have wizard shops - we'll be able to tell at once because the shop signs stand out. Muggles can't see it, of course."
"Yeah, like the Leaky Cauldron in London, right? D'you reckon we'll find a village before dusk?"
"We could start moving now if you'd like," suggested Ron.
"Yeah, gladly. This place is beginning to get real boring. Let's go. "
Harry and Ron stood up and spread dirt over the ashes. Their sleeping bags disappeared into thin air as they started to move out of the woods. There was a steep incline ahead of them, and Harry hoped they could get a good view of the surroundings when they would reach the top. Ron was slightly ahead of Harry, and when he reached the top, he stepped back quickly and grabbed the front of Harry's robes, pulling him down to the ground with him.
"What's wrong?" Harry said. Ron pressed a finger to his lips and pointed over to the other side of the incline. On their bellies, they crawled slowly forward and Harry knew what got Ron's attention.
It's a good thing that the sun was at their backs, because they saw four people just a few yards down the slope who seemed to be scouring the grounds for clues, looking for something - or maybe someone. Harry could tell they were wizards by the look of their clothes. The sound of their voices were faint, but he and Ron could make out what they were talking about.
"They've been through this way," said a thin, middle-aged wizard who was crouching down and examining something on the ground.
"How can you tell, Graham?" said one impatiently.
"Because I can, you fool!" snapped Graham, standing up. "I've been in this business all my life, Damon."
"We've been looking for them since this morning," Damon persisted. "They could be a hundred of miles away by now, and I don't see any clues around."
"Incredible, you are," said another to Graham. "I say we call it off and report to him we couldn't find the kid anymore."
"He won't be too pleased," growled Graham. "You know he doesn't accept failure, and you know what he does when you face him empty handed!"
"So that's why you're leading us in a wild goose chase - to save your own lovely skin, is that it?" said Damon.
"Suit yourself then!" spat Graham. "I'll keep looking for Harry Potter with or without your help. If you don't want to save your own skin, then you're free to go. Don't tell me I didn't warn you."
"C'mon, I'm out of here," Damon said, looking around at his other companions. "Come with me. The Dark Lord will find other ways to get Harry Potter, and I'll tell him Graham had lost his touch and bungled the best opportunity since that tournament in Hogwarts before last summer. Right, he won't be pleased at all…with you, Graham. Andre, Horace, let's go." But the two other wizards didn't move an inch.
"I think I'll stay with Graham, Damon," said Horace nervously, obviously preferring to keep on looking rather than facing their master empty handed.
"Yeah, I think so, too," Andre decided. Damon looked at the three other wizards with an open mouth.
"Well, Damon, I believe you said you were leaving?" said Graham triumphantly. Damon didn't say another word and disapparated with a pop. "Wise thinking, you two, but you're always free to go when you want…foolish of him to assume what the Dark Lord wouldn't do…"
Ron slid back down and pulled Harry with him. He jerked a thumb at a direction away from the wizards and Harry nodded. As silently as they could, they ran away deeper into the woods, hoping they won't be spotted by them, and stopped only when they were certain they had gone far enough.
"Harry, did you hear what they were saying down there?" panted Ron.
"Yeah, they weren't looking for you - they were after me," said Harry. "Voldemort wants me again." Ron flinched.
"That means - this is bad," said Ron. "We're not only dodging the Ministry of Magic, but Death Eaters, too. It's as if they knew all along you'd come and break me out…"
"I bet Chadron tipped them off last night," said Harry thoughtfully. "Does this look like part of the plot to kill Dumbledore to you?"
"Uh-huh, now that you said it, it makes some sense. Two birds with one stone, like. With Dumbledore dead, and you in the hands of You-Know-Who - it would have tremendous shock effect on the wizard world. Remember that many still think you're legendary. Everyone will think they have no hope anymore and surrender is the only option left."
"What'll we do?" asked Harry.
"Well, obviously we have to keep ourselves some being caught. Unless we could return to Hogwarts you're not safe from You-Know-Who. If you'll get arrested by the Ministry they'll lock you up in Azkaban for sure. You said once the dementors are in You-Know-Who's league and they'll just give you to him, right? So our only hope is to return to Hogwarts, but under the present circumstances that's out of the question - they'll still put you in Azkaban. The only time we could get back there for good is when I get cleared because you'll get cleared, too."
"Hermione," said Harry.
"Yes, Harry, she's our last hope," Ron said hopefully. "And while we're still on the run, I'll guard you with my life."
Harry smiled widely at Ron and said, "Thanks, Ron." They both shook hands firmly and patted each other's back.
"C'mon. Let's move," said Harry, and they both walked further away from the Death Eaters, not really sure how long they would keep on doing this.