Harry Potter and the Isle of Mists
Disclaimer: I can only hope to attain the creative brilliance of J. K Rowling.
AN: Please review. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, so be kind.
Chapter Two: Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?
Harry set his bag down gently on the edge of Hermione's lawn, and pulled out his wand, not caring who saw it. He approached the house carefully, but could hear nothing. Had everyone been killed?
When he edged in the front door, he could see Hermione's crumpled form at the far end of the corridor. He started toward her in alarm, but stopped when he saw the ghastly apparition suspended in front of her.
"What in bloody hell?" he began, stepping toward it. His wand was at the ready, but there was no need. It was a phantasm… unmoving, unreal, a terrible projection meant to intimidate and frighten.
It had obviously done its job well.
Harry eased around it, pressing his back into the wall, unwilling to let any part of himself come into contact with it. As he moved past it, he noticed that the figure was in Hogwarts robes, with Gryffindor colors, and obviously intended to be dead. A broken pair of glasses lay in the apparition's outstretched arm. The figure was toppled forward, bent over itself, and a mop of dark hair obscured the face, but cold chills crawled over Harry as he realized who it was obviously intended to be.
Hermione had evidently realized it also.
When Harry reached her side, he knelt beside her and made sure she was breathing. She didn't appear to be injured in any way, and so he shook her shoulder gently.
"Hermione, Hermione, wake up," he said urgently. She stirred and her lashes fluttered, as she struggled to sit up. "Wait, wait, slowly," he said. Her eyes opened. "Do you remember what happened?" he asked.
He watched her, as her eyes became focused and she saw him for the first time.
"Oh, Harry!" burst from her in a gasp, and she nearly throttled him in a tight embrace that almost knocked him backwards. "I thought - for a moment - they wanted it to look like you," she stammered, adding in disgust, "I think I fainted." Her mortification at the involuntary display of weakness made Harry grin, despite the seriousness of their circumstances. Her eyes narrowed at him, when he smiled, and she socked him in the arm.
They both stared at the phantasm again in a kind of horrified awe. Harry lifted his wand.
"Sc-" he began, but Hermione pushed his wand arm down.
"No, the Ministry of Magic will be here soon, and they'll need to see it," she said earnestly. Harry realized that she was right. With the Dark Mark displayed, and magic occurring at the Muggle home of an underage witch, Cornelius Fudge would definitely be sending wizards to investigate.
"Good, that solves the transportation problem, then," Harry thought aloud, and Hermione looked at him questioningly. He quickly told her about the attack on Hedwig. He omitted the parts about the sensation of panic and dread he felt, and how he heard her screaming in his head. She'll think I'm out of my mind, he thought.
Hermione's hand shot out and grabbed his sleeve. When he looked at her curiously, she dropped her hand, her cheeks burning bright red, and said only,
"Let's get out of here. I don't want to see that thing anymore." They retreated into Hermione's living room, leaving the phantasm where it was, in the corridor outside the kitchen.
"Why would anyone attack Hedwig?" Hermione exclaimed. "It doesn't make any sense. And why would I have a letter delivered that blew up into that - that thing when I opened it? And they happened at nearly the same time."
"It came in a letter?" Harry asked, seizing onto that particular detail.
"Yes, I found it on the stoop when I got home. I had lunch with Mum and Dad near their office." Harry's shoulders slumped.
"So, you didn't see who delivered it, then?" Hermione shook her head apologetically.
"Why do you think that's important?"
"Hedwig had huge talon slashes on her. It had to be Malfoy's eagle. I just wondered what brought your letter."
"But nobody's been hurt. Nothing's been done to us… not really. All they've succeeded in doing is driving you out of the Dursley's house, and …" Hermione trailed off and they stared at each other in horror.
"I left, and came to find you," Harry said hoarsely. "They would have known I didn't have any options… Muggle home, no magic, no owl… it's a cinch I would come to you."
"They're manipulating us into some kind of trap," Hermione murmured. "I hate being bullied!"
"How do we know what to do next?" Harry asked.
"Let's ward the room and wait for the Ministry to arrive," Hermione answered firmly, and Harry looked at her with some surprise.
Quit looking at me like an arse and start warding! You act like I've never broken rules before!
"I'm not an arse," Harry said, half-sulking. "And I know good and bloody well you've broken rules… I was usually there!"
Hermione dropped her wand. Her face paled.
"How - how -" she stuttered, incoherently. Harry just stared at her stupidly, not understanding what had upset her so much. But Hermione was quicker.
I didn't say any of that out loud, Harry heard in his head, as clear as a bell. Hermione's mouth had not moved.
Oh shit, what's going on? was the most useful thing Harry could think.
Don't swear, Hermione-in-his-head said automatically.
"What in bloody hell?" Harry said, swearing out loud this time.
"How can you hear my thoughts?" Hermione demanded, with a nearly accusing tone.
Harry was affronted. "I certainly didn't bloody do it on purpose!" Awareness dawned on him. He remembered the shriek he heard in his head just before he saw the Dark Mark.
You didn't tell me that part, Hermione thought.
Quit snooping! I just remembered it! Harry was defensive.
We need to ward the room, she remembered and picked up her wand. Seamlessly, they moved to various areas of the room, and cast guarding, locking, and shielding charms.
"So is this thing permanent?" Harry finally asked aloud.
"I don't know. I mean, it's telepathy right? That's not unheard of in the wizarding world, but I think it's usually something you're born with. I've never heard of anyone just becoming telepathic," Hermione said, with a frown. "I need to do more research on the subject."
Harry groaned mentally. He was well aware of Hermione's tenacity once she began "research".
I heard that! Hermione thought at him in a sweet sing-song voice.
Damn, Harry thought. This was going to take some getting used to.
Something near the door shimmered and sparked, and someone beyond the door muttered an oath. Harry and Hermione both had their wands at the ready. There was a crash, and then a sound like something shattering. Someone yelped.
"This is the Ministry of Magic. Lower your wards or face the consequences!" A strident voice called. It was Nymphadora Tonks.
"Tonks!" Harry called out gratefully.
"Harry?" Tonks said in disbelief. Hermione was muttering something under her breath, reversing the wards. A moment later, Tonks stepped in, followed by several officious looking bureaucrats, and Cornelius Fudge himself.
Be careful what you say, Harry, Hermione warned.
That prat will be lucky if I tell him anything at all!
You can't afford to get into trouble. Fudge already doesn't like you, Hermione said knowingly. Harry sighed. She was right.
"Mr. Potter," Fudge said sourly. "I should have known."
"Minister," Harry said, by way of greeting, somewhat sullenly.
"There are violations all over the place! The Ministry was getting them so fast, we couldn't decide who to send. Of course, you would be the party responsible."
"We're sorry about the underage magic, but it couldn't be helped," Harry said. "Hermione got a threatening letter, with a phantasm in it. I'm sure you saw it, and the signature left behind."
"Someone sent you a Fantasma?" Tonks asked. Hermione nodded.
"It was my understanding that you were not to leave your residence with your Muggle relatives, for your protection," Fudge put in, evidently determined to get Harry in trouble.
"My owl was attacked and stripped of her message. I was afraid I was a target, and -"
"And so you decided to endanger your friend?" Fudge interrupted him. Harry felt rage beginning to simmer below the surface.
He's baiting you, Harry. Don't let him win, came the calm voice of reason from Hermione. Harry felt instantly soothed.
"I was merely seeking a way to communicate. I was cut off from the wizarding world," Harry said, refusing to rise to the occasion.
"Is Mr. Weasley here? Or Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione asked. "We'd very much like to speak to them."
"I'm afraid Albus Dumbledore is -"
"Right here," a voice from behind Fudge cut him off. Harry saw the diminutive form of the venerable wizard, and had never felt so glad in his life. Fudge looked flustered, and then annoyed.
"Professor!" Harry and Hermione exclaimed in unison.
Should we tell him about the mind-reading thing? Harry asked her.
Not here, she replied.
"Perhaps Mr. Potter and Miss Granger can tell us the whole story. From the beginning," Dumbledore suggested, and his eyes twinkled when he met their gazes.
Harry began with the attack on Hedwig, and his subsequent flight from Privet Drive. He edited out the feelings of doom and panic, as well as Hermione's cry in his head. Then, he related how he found Hermione and the phantasm. Next, it was Hermione's turn to tell how she found the Fantasma on her doorstep.
Dumbledore's face was grave. He regarded them, seriously, and Harry had the sneaking suspicion that the Headmaster knew they were keeping something from him.
"Miss Granger, would your parents object if you ended your summer holiday prematurely?"
"I don't think so, not if it was for safety reasons," Hermione said cautiously.
"Good," Dumbledore stated, as if the matter were settled. Fudge looked apoplectic, but said nothing. Ministry officials swarmed over the house, searching the premises and investigating the phantasm,along with its shredded envelope. "If you two will come with me, we'll go back to Hogwarts until we can muster a plan." He turned to Tonks. "Go to the Weasleys. If Harry's right and they are alsobeing watched, then the youngest Weasleys might be safer at Hogwarts as well."
Harry and Hermione looked at each other with undisguised delight.
Ron! And Ginny!
It beats Privet Drive any day of the week, Harry agreed.
"How are we going to get there?" Hermione asked. "We don't have a Floo…"
"We'll apparate to the Ministry. You'll have to file a report. We'll use their Floo network to get to Hogwarts. Miss Tonks will see that your school things arrive as well."
"Thanks, Tonks!" Harry called out. Tonks saluted, and turned her hair green in farewell. Fudge looked disgusted.
This is going to be weird, Harry noted. Are we going to tell Ron and Ginny about this?
I don't know. It might make things awkward, if they think we're talking to each other in our heads all the time, Hermione replied.
We probably shouldn't tell anyone. At least, not yet.
I think you're right, Harry, Hermione agreed.
What if this is all part of the plan? He asked nervously. Hermione cocked her head at him, questioningly. He clarified, what if whoever had Hedwig attacked, and sent you that Fantasma wants us at Hogwarts?
I guess there's no way to know. We can't walk around, wondering if everything we do is what he wanted us to do. We'd go mad.
True, Harry acknowledged. I don't like this feeling, like he sees a bigger picture, and he's -
Pulling our strings? Hermione finished for him.
Yeah, Harry said, basking reflectively in the comfortable feeling that resulted in having someone so important to him understand him so completely. He looked sidewise at Hermione, wondering how much of that she picked up. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, but she said nothing.
"Is there anything you want to take with you, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, after he had finished speaking in a low voice to Minister Fudge.
"Just a couple of things," Hermione answered. "I'll get a bag." She disappeared upstairs, and Harry lingered in the stairwell, not really wanting her out of his sight.
He was just about to follow her, when he heard,
I can feel your worry all the way up here. Will you quit? You're making me nervous.
Wait a minute, you can feel my feelings too? Not just my thoughts? Harry asked. Has it been like that the whole time?
I don't think so. I just noticed it this second, Hermione sounded concerned. Harry's worried feeling seemed to intensify.
I can feel your worry now too, Harry said. This isn't good. We're going to end up in a bloody panic.
Maybe if you try to think of something else, Hermione's "voice" was higher pitched, like she was approaching hysteria.
I bet Occlumency would help us with this, Harry thought, his training with Snape drifting into the forefront of his mind. The panicked feeling abated somewhat. I think we're probably going to have to tell someone, Hermione.
Okay, she conceded. But not until we get to Hogwarts. She appeared at the top of the stairs then, with a small satchel slung over her arm. Dumbledore and Harry were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, and she could see Arthur Weasley out the arched window over the front door, apparently Obliviating neighbors who had seen the Dark Mark.
"I'm ready," she said. Instinctively, Harry reached out and grabbed her hand, in the instant before they Disapparated.
TBC
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