Return
Harry was sitting next to Ron at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, pushing his food around his plate, staring vacantly at his peas.
"They have a good life" he dully informed Ron, who made an uncomprehending face at him.
"Who do?"
"Peas. The peas, they have a good life" he repeated. "You know, they're all cosy in their pod, with all the other peas, just sitting there in the field… nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to kidnap them…"
"I reckon you've lost it mate" Ron said, patting Harry on the shoulder. "Anyway, life wouldn't be so good… soon they'll be in a pan of boiling water. Still, quick death I suppose."
Harry made a non-committing noise and continued to mash up his peas methodically with his fork, chin propped up by his hand.
The stormy evening sky reflected his mood perfectly. It had been two weeks now since Hermione had disappeared and he began to lose faith in Dumbledore's efforts to find her. How could he help? What could he do? Harry was failing her, everyday he sat here in safe old Hogwarts Hermione was out there with her, with Rookwood. He sank further into his depressive mood. The peas would get no mercy now.
Suddenly shouts of surprise rang out from the far end of the Great Hall, causing Harry to look up from his dinner. He gasped as a figure seemed to materialise out of thin air, then vanish again, only to appear a few seconds later. Harry rose from his seat, staring wide eyed as once again the apparition appeared.
"Hermione?" he whispered, incredulous. It was Hermione, he was sure of it. "Hermione!" He shouted.
He sprinted down the length of the hall, Ron close behind. He skidded to a halt just as Hermione flickered out of sight again. Ron ran up beside him, out of breath. Harry looked around frantically, hope flaring in his eyes for the first time in days.
He turned around sharply as a scream pierced the air behind him. Suddenly Hermione was right there, sprawled on the cold stone floor, a long black staff clutched in her left hand, wand in her right. She looked as though she hadn't washed in weeks, her jumper was shredded and her jeans torn and filthy. Her long bushy hair was matted and her face had smears of dirt all over it. And… was that blood? Harry quickly moved to her side and knelt down next to her. He was relieved to see that she was breathing, but was unconscious. The blood looked old, a dry drank stain on her jumper.
Then Dumbledore was there, and McGonagall, both looking extremely grave, but immensely relieved. They ushered the gaping students away to their respective common rooms and called for Madam Pomfrey, who came bustling in immediately. She quickly checked Hermione over, frowning slightly at a thin white scar on Hermione's left upper arm, tutting as her eyes took in the blood. She looked up at Dumbledore.
"Just stunned I think, but it looks quite serious, I don't think she's eaten much for a few weeks, and she looks quite ill. Who knows what else happened to the poor girl" she murmured, eyes once again on the scar. "She needs to go straight up to the Hospital Wing" she informed Dumbledore briskly. Her eyes travelled over Harry and Ron and she frowned again. "I'm afraid she won't be having visitors for awhile boys, Miss Granger will need plenty of rest." she said sternly. Harry opened his mouth to argue, but thought it best to go along with it, not for a minute taking his eyes off Hermione.
Dumbledore bent close to Hermione and studied the black staff by her side. His eyes grew troubled and flicked quickly from the scar on Hermione's arm and back to the staff, then to the sapphire atop it. He finally straightened up and waved his wand, levitating the staff so it hovered upright in the air in front of him. Harry's eyes grew wide as he suddenly realised what it must be. "Professor…is that?…but how?…" he asked, trailing off under Dumbledore's blue gaze.
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes Harry, this is the Staff of Amaror. I think its ah, safe, if I may use the word, to say that it has been activated." Seeing Harry's questioning glance he continued, "The Staff, as you are no doubt aware, has many uses, one of which is transport, even to unplottable locations. This is what Miss Granger did today I believe" he gave a tired sigh and looked towards the Marble Staircase. "You boys had better be going to bed now, its late. Minerva, will you alert the Order that Hermione has arrived back, safe. I shall inform her parents." he continued. "And the ministry I suppose" he added with a grimace. "Minerva would you be so kind as to alert the Daily Prophet of the return of Miss Granger, and I think we should make it clear that the Ministry was not involved in her escape, no doubt they will want to take credit some how."
Harry and Ron made their way slowly up to the Gryffindor common room, each lost in their own thoughts. When Harry climbed in through the portrait hole he was met with a torrent of questions about Hermione, none of which he answered. He pushed through to the boys staircase and took the stairs two at a time up to his dormitory, where he quickly changed into his pyjamas and got into bed. He closed his eyes, totally exhausted, both physically and emotionally. He finally realised how wound up and tense he had been for the past two weeks. Now, finally, the crushing weight of his worry for Hermione had lifted from him and he was able to sleep soundly for the first time in weeks, his mouth curved into a smile.
The next day was a Saturday, meaning no lessons. Unfortunately, an annoying voice in Harry's head kept telling him that he should spend the day catching up on all the work he'd missed in the last two weeks. He had barely paid attention in classes and any homework he did got awful grades. As the Hospital Wing was strictly out of bounds, he had nothing to do other than the substantial workload looming ahead of him. As much as he wanted to make a nuisance of himself at the Hospital Wing he realised that annoying Madame Pomfrey was not the smartest thing to do, and Hermione certainly wouldn't approve, he could imagine her stern look and it made him grin, until he caught sight of the teetering pile of parchment on his desk. He sighed heavily and dragged himself out of bed and got dressed. He quickly ate breakfast with Ron before loading books into his bag and heading to the library. He cast a moody look out of the window at the clear winter day and scowled heavily. All he wanted to be doing was either sitting with Hermione, or practicing quidditch with his friends.
But instead he joined Ron at their usual table in the library, and they got to work trying to get through two weeks worth of work in the space of a few hours, no easy task. If only Hermione was there being her usual strict self, cracking the whip. Hey now there's a thought…. No! focus…
By the time Harry had finished about half of the work Ron threw down his quill and stretched. "Well, that's enough for me mate" he announced, eyes pointed deliberately away from the huge pile of uncompleted work that still loomed in front of him. "We've been here all bloody day! It must be about dinner time by now." he said over the loud grumbling of his stomach. Harry glanced at his watch and saw that it was 6pm, definitely time to stop. He followed Ron's example and threw his quill down, looking triumphantly at his 'finished' pile, which now was casting a larger shadow than his 'to do' pile. A good days work indeed.
They got back to their dormitory after a quick dinner and collapsed onto their beds. Ron groaned loudly. "That's got to be the most work I've done in my life." he complained. Harry agreed heartily, proclaiming that now Hermione's back she can do the rest. Ron laughed and said that that was very unlikely. Harry grinned and got ready for bed, eyes sparkling. He had had an idea…
After everyone else was sound asleep, Harry got up quietly and pulled the silky invisibility cloak from his trunk at the foot of his bed, followed by the Marauders Map. He glanced quickly around the room and pulled his father's cloak on over his head. Moving quietly so as not to wake the other boys, Harry crossed the room and slipped out of the door, map in hand, eyes focused on the area marked 'Hospital Wing' and the little dot 'Hermione Granger'. Just her name scrawled on the map, where it had been so absent before, made his heart beat a little faster and his eyes shine a little brighter.