Author's note :- For those who asked Hermione's new Patronus is a female deer it marks another stage in her development not to mention her relationship with Harry. Analogous to the restyling of her hair but much more profound, our Hermione is not a little girl anymore.
From the OED 2001. Hind / noun a female deer, especially a red deer or sikia in and after the third year.
-Origin Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hinde and German Hinde, from the Indo-European root meaning 'hornless', shared by Greek kemas 'young deer'
I just thought it sounded better than Doe.
Sorry
Solomon.
Chapter Twelve
Back to School
Was Hermione overjoyed at being reunited with an old friend from her first year at Hogwarts? No not really. He was so much larger than the time when they had carried his crate up to the top of the astronomy tower, but then that was only to be expected now she thought about it. She remembered that even at a tender age he had the ability to tear things apart, the sound of the teddy bear being ripped to shreds in his crate came easily to her mind, and that aspect of his personality obviously had not changed much, the dripping remains of Greyback and the two wizards were testament to that.
As Norbert sat there, his head tilting from one side to the other, like a questioning puppy, she began to imagine that perhaps he could look quite tame and endearing, but she knew this was a false impression. She shuddered, this was a creature that could kill with a breath, its teeth, its claws or the flick of its tail with the razor sharp ridge running down to its tip, but for some reason it just sat there and stared at them. In the back of her mind Hermione remembered things she had learned at her muggle school about birds, and the way they would follow the first object they saw when they emerged from their eggs, perhaps dragons were similar. The three of them had been with Hagrid the day Norbert hatched, maybe in some strange way he remembered them, although she did recollect that once he had bitten Ron quite badly; she hoped that had been an accident and it wasn't a dragon's way of showing affection.
Norbert suddenly raised his head to look into the woods behind where Harry and Hermione were standing, something was moving through the trees again. Harry and Hermione turned, and in the shadows Dementors and several dark-cloaked human forms could be seen coming toward them. Instinctively they backed away, wands at the ready to produce a Patronus, or something more devastating for the dark wizards out there. Four or five backward steps and they stopped; there was a tree at their back. It certainly felt as solid as a tree and they could feel the rough bark-like surface as it pressed into their coats, but then it moved, and trees aren't supposed to move like that. Harry risked a glance upward and towering over them was a great chest and beyond that a sinuous neck, and then the dragon's head weaving slowly from side to side as it watched the creatures approaching from the woods, he and Hermione had backed into Norbert's front legs.
Spells flashed out off the trees, but before they could reach the pair they were aimed at, Norbert swept one large foot forward to encircle Harry and Hermione, and the reductors and stunners bounced harmlessly of his hide. The wizards in the woods only had the one chance, Harry felt Norbert gather a deep breath and then he let fly with an enormous belch of fire, incinerating anything in its path. Wizard, Dementor or tree all instantly burst into flames. Harry and Hermione released their Patronuses, and as before Prongs and Elowyn leapt into the fray, driving the Dementors into the fire that was boiling from the dragon's mouth.
The merest touch of flame and the bone-dry Dementors would flash into incandescence and be reduced to ashes in moments, their agony was short lived; the attacking wizards fared less well. There were what could only be described as human torches, out there in the blazing woods, that were running about in a frenzied effort to extinguish the flames that sought to consume them. Their screams cut through the air like knives, and made both Harry and Hermione pale at the thought of the pain they must be suffering. Then Norbert launched what appeared to be a solid ball of fire, it shot across the clearing and into the trees where it landed and exploded. The noise was tremendous, and the heat washed over the dragon and the two it was protecting, then the screaming stopped and all that could be heard was the crackling of the fire as it devoured the trees and whatever else had fallen to it.
Needless to say destruction on this scale was not going unnoticed. From the direction of the house the sound of shouting and the bellow of another beast, that Harry had no wish to discover where or what it was, rolled over the lawns. He did not know if he could communicate with Norbert or even if the dragon really cared what happened to them, but so far he appeared to be on their side. Released from Norbert's protective talons Harry ran out so that the dragon could see him, calling his name he pointed in the direction of the house.
"Norbert…Norbert… INCENDIO!" he cried, and in example shot a jet of flame from the end of his wand toward the building. It never reached it, he never expected it to, but there was no doubt that the dragon understood. In quick succession Norbert spat fire balls that sailed over the lawns and crashed into the walls of the castle. Large lumps of stone were propelled into the air by the explosions, and the resulting conflagration bit deep into the structure of Mountfitchet Castle. Again and again, like some ancient cannon, Norbert fired on the castle and as it was slowly reduced to a pile of burning rubble there was a shimmering in the air, and Harry and Hermione knew that whatever enchantments had been on the building and the surrounding grounds had failed, and they would be once more visible to wizard and muggle alike.
The response from the wizarding world was amazingly rapid, within seconds of the wards failing the CRACK of apparating witches and wizards could be heard everywhere. This was not the sound of those escaping, but others arriving, and their dress of varied and multicoloured robes made them stand out against the black of the dark wizards. Harry, Hermione and Norbert stayed where they were, in the clearing with the blazing forest at their backs, as a brief exchange of spell fire subdued the few who had made it out of the house and onto the lawns.
"We ought to get out of here Harry," said Hermione, "we don't want some over zealous Auror mistaking us for two of Voldemort's henchmen."
"Sorry?" said Harry not following her train of thought.
"Well dressed in black and standing next to a dragon, hardly looks as if we're here to provide tea and biscuits for the troops." she replied.
"Oh, hadn't thought of it that way," he gave her a rueful smile. "What are we going to do about Norbert? Can't just leave him for the ministry, heaven knows what they will do with him."
"That's true, he did help us out," Harry gave Hermione a look that said 'we both would have been werewolf food but for him'. "OK so he saved our lives," she begrudgingly added.
It wasn't hard to give Norbert praise, but to be honest he scared the living daylights out of her, and he was standing so close to them that she could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck. She wasn't sure how safe they were.
Norbert rumbled deep in his chest and Hermione gave a little nervous shriek, but she needn't have worried, his disquiet was directed out on to the lawns where several of the invading wizards were heading in their direction. Harry moved out to stand between the advancing Aurors and Norbert, Hermione stepped up to be at his side when her foot made contact with something in the grass, the chinking noise caused her to look down, and there hidden in the vegetation was Greyback's potion bottle, she bent down picked it up and put it in the pocket of her dragon hide coat.
"Drop your wands, and move away from the dragon," said the tall, dark-skinned wizard standing slightly in front of the others, who were maintaining a respectful distance from Norbert, who was growling and dribbling fire from his mouth again.
"Hello Mr Shacklebolt," said Harry, conversationally, "I thought you were working with the muggle prime minister, these days?"
"Well I'll be damned; Harry Potter is that really you? And Hermione Granger as well," he shook his head in disbelief. "I suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised. We've been searching for this place for months, knew it was around here somewhere, just couldn't see where. How long have you known about it?"
"Oh about half an hour or so, wouldn't you say Hermione?"
"Err…yes, about that I suppose," she replied, as if this much destruction to Voldemort's aspirations was an everyday occurrence.
"Hummm….," Kingsley Shacklebolt was not sure whether to believe them or not. "What about the dragon?"
"Back up," said Harry simply, "Charlie Weasley lent him to us," he lied easily.
"Well, whatever, your timing is perfect." he said, receiving blank looks from Harry and Hermione. "I am sure the Headmistress at Hogwarts will be relieved to hear that her wayward pupils have seen fit to return to the country, and after this," he said waving his arm around at the devastation, "being in the Ministry's good books. It will give more weight to the case against that Umbridge woman."
Neither Harry nor Hermione had any idea what he was talking about and it must have shown. "Of course, you won't know, seems she overstepped the mark a bit, had Arthur's kids attacked."
Harry was horrified at the news. "What Ron and Ginny?" he couldn't believe the news.
"Are they alright?" demanded Hermione.
"Yes, they're fine, there was some torture involved, I think," but Kingsley was talking to fresh air, Harry and Hermione were heading back to the tunnel to reclaim their motorcycle. "I'll need to get a report on all this from you," he called after them, but they didn't reply. He looked at the dragon glaring down at him, and he wondered what they were going to do with it, when with a great cry the creature spread his wings and leaped into the air vanishing as he cleared the tree tops. Faintly in the distance Kingsley could here the sound of a motorcycle which faded into nothingness as Harry and Hermione set off back to Hogwarts.
* * *
The Brutus Vampire, when going flat out, was much faster than Harry's Firebolt, and it had to be said that Harry pushed the machine to its limit as he and Hermione tore invisibly across the sky. His passenger said nothing about the speeds they were reaching, she knew the desperation Harry was feeling and shared it, so she hung on and tried to think of something else. The object she was concentrating on nestled in the pocket of her coat, Greyback's bottle, actually it was not the bottle itself, but the potion it contained that Hermione was interested in.
She had never heard of anything which could produce the effects of lycanthropy unless it was a full moon, and to leave the werewolf with his sanity, that was even more unheard of. She was still discussing the ramifications of this most potent potion with herself when she felt Harry put the bike into a dive. She risked a peek and saw that he was casting all caution to the wind, and was bringing the machine down on the gravel roadway that led to the castle doors. Faces peered out of windows as the deep rumble from the engine reverberated around the castle walls, and the group of students that were gathered about Hagrid's hut looked up to see the bike disappear as it landed on the road. The Care of Magical Creatures Professor watched with the others, then as the motorcycle engine fell silent, shouted "Class dismissed, an' don't forget the essay," then following his students he hurried up to the castle and with his enormous stride beat most of his pupils to the doors. Of Harry and Hermione there was no sign, just the large motorcycle at the foot of the castle steps, propped on its stand, ticking quietly as the hot metal of its engine and exhaust cooled in the November air.
The two riders had leapt off the machine as soon as it came to a stop, and then taking the steps two at a time, shot through the open doors of the school. They stood for a moment in the Great Hall wondering where to go, then with "McGonagall" on his lips Harry headed to the grand stairs and up them to the Headmistress's office. Lessons were obviously still on as there were no students walking through the corridors, but their passage was not unnoticed and doors opened as they passed and Professors poked out their heads to see what was going on. Professor Flitwick smiled to himself as he watched the tail end of a dragon hide coat whip around the corner of the corridor that led to the Heads office. 'About time,' he thought, 'all this secrecy and hiding, now at least Minerva will be happy.' and he returned to his class of first years who still hadn't got to grips with the Wingardium Leviosa charm.
The gargoyle at the entrance to the stairs saw them coming and let Harry and Hermione by without a word, they raced up the spiral staircase and found the door at the top open and Professor McGonagall sitting calm and composed at her desk.
"Come in the pair of you, and close the door," she lilted in her soft Scottish accent. "And what can I do for you?" she asked as if it was no more than two of her pupils standing in front of her, with some mundane school matter to discuss with her.
"Ron," Harry gasped, he was quite out of breath.
"Ginny," Hermione managed, but she was in no better state.
"Perfectly fine, and so is Miss Lovegood," said the Head to quell their worries.
"Luna?" Harry coped with another word, and then steadied himself, "We heard they had been attacked."
"Please sit and have some tea and I'll tell you all about it." The Professor waved her wand and a small table laden with tea and biscuits appeared with two nicely stuffed armchairs upholstered with a bright flowery pattern. So Harry and Hermione flopped down into the chairs, and while she poured, the Headmistress began to explain what had occurred.
"….Because Zabini used an unforgivable curse on Ginny the ministry became involved, and under veritaserum the involvement of Delores Umbridge came to light." said Minerva McGonagall as she recounted the story. "It was fortunate that the curse watchers are in a different department to her so she was unable to keep it quiet, the Minister had to act, she is awaiting trial and the rest of her committee has been disbanded. The school is on its own again, and this is the icing on the cake," she picked up a piece of parchment from her desk. "Arrived from the ministry not five minutes before you did, a complete exoneration Harry, you are free to go where you like." She gave the two seated before her a steady look. "It must have been something fairly impressive for the Minister to change his mind; you're not his favourite person young man, what have you two been up to?"
Now it was Professor McGonagall's turn to listen while Harry and Hermione filled her in on the last few hours.
"So why were you there again?" inquired the Headmistress.
"Ahh, just checking a lead to Voldemort," said Harry quietly, without looking her in the eye, "Yes that's right, just checking."
"Very well," the Headmistress pursed her lips in thought, and then she looked at the large clock on the wall of the office. "End of lessons in a few minutes," she told them, "I suggest you go to the Gryffindor common room, you ought to be able to catch up with Ron and Ginny there."
They stood in front of the portrait of the fat lady, but no matter what they said to her without the password she was not going to let them in. This was a little embarrassing; they hadn't thought to ask McGonagall, what were they going to do?
"Don't you know who we are?" Harry asked of the lady in the frilly pink dress.
"Of course I do, I'm not stupid you know," she replied.
"So couldn't you make an exception," he pleaded.
"No, no password, no entry," and she turned her back on them.
Harry looked as if he wanted to argue more but Hermione grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him away.
"Never mind Harry, I am sure someone will come to our rescue." That someone just happened to be Neville Longbottom.
As Neville walked up the stairs to the painting he mumbled to himself, repeating the passwords over and over again, he wasn't stupid but he had a fixation about forgetting the words that would open the common room door, and now he had developed appalling memory for them.
"Leo fremartus?…Leo frematus? No that's not it," he paused, then he tried again, "Leo fremitus,… yes that's right." He walked confidently to the portrait, "Leo fremitus," he announced and the painting swung aside.
"Thanks Nev'," said Harry as he and Hermione moved out of the shadow by the next flight of stairs.
Neville stopped in his tracks and stared in bewilderment at his two old class mates.
"Harry, is it really you? Hermione, what have you done to your hair? It…it looks great," he stammered, as she smiled and he went a little pink. "Ron said you might come back now Umbridge is gone. Are you here to stay?"
"Not sure yet Nev', early days and all that," said Harry, "Err… shall we go in," he prompted as the portrait began to swing shut again.
"Oh damn, Leo frenmentis," Neville tried, but the fat lady paid him no heed and closed the door in his face.
Hermione laughed kindly at him, "Let me, Leo fremitus," she said in a clear voice.
"In or out, make your mind up," said the fat lady crossly, but nevertheless she swung aside again.
The common room was still the same and both the wayward students felt instantly at home. The fire in the grate was burning brightly and the room held that comfortable warmth that comes with the intimate knowledge of long term occupation. Neville stood there not trusting his eyes, it was hard to take in, then Hermione stepped up to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Lovely to see you again Neville," she said and Neville knew for a fact that they were real and the pinkness in his cheeks turned into a bright red glow.
"Ron said we might see you once Zabini implicated that Umbridge woman," said Neville repeating himself and smiling properly for the first time, "but none of us really believed him." Then he became troubled again. "In fact you better be prepared for some initial bad feeling, a fair few students, not Gryffindors mind you, thought you had deserted us and run away." Neville began to look very uncomfortable, "You see, that's what it said in the Daily Prophet."
"And as usual everyone believes what they read in the papers," said Hermione a little crossly.
"Of course they do Hermione, and if you remember that is what we wanted them to think." chided Harry.
"Sorry I'd forgotten… no I hadn't," Hermione corrected herself, "it's just that newspapers and the Prophet in particular make me itch."
The rest of the house began to arrive from their lessons and Harry and Hermione found themselves surrounded by a large group of students, all of whom seemed pleased to see them. As the younger ones dispersed Seamus and Dean cornered Harry and began to ask some very personal questions about what he and Hermione had been up to, and what on earth had she done to her hair. Harry neatly fielded most them, but did become a little hot under the collar in doing so, and left the boys with a distinct impression that he was being economical with the truth. He realised that Hermione had probably undergone the same treatment, because as Lavender Brown passed him on the way to the girl's staircase she gave him a very meaningful wink.
"What did you say to Lavender?" Harry asked Hermione as they waited for Ron and Ginny to arrive. It seemed Ron was always late because he now insisted on waiting for his sister and Luna to finish their lessons and then escorting Luna to Ravenclaw tower before coming back to the common room with Ginny.
"Nothing at all," she said in feigned surprise," what about you and the boys?"
"Oh… nothing either," Harry replied.
"Did they believe you?" Hermione asked him in a very quiet voice.
"No," replied Harry in a whisper.
"Neither did Lavender," Hermione whispered back and then she giggled.
A few of the students, now settled doing a bit of pre-evening meal homework, looked up at the pair as Hermione's silvery laugh ended with her giving Harry a kiss on the cheek. They smiled at the scene; it felt all right now, everything was back where it should be, and they turned their attention to their work again.
They saw Ron as he entered through the portrait hole; he looked tired and didn't notice that his sister had stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Harry and Hermione sitting together by the fire. He ambled across the common room, intent on going up to his bed for a short nap before dinner, Harry watched his best friend who was totally oblivious to all around him.
"Hi Ron, bad day?" asked Harry.
"What, Oh yeh, you ought to try these second year NEWT classes Harry, real bummer some of them." Then it appeared that Ron realised there was something unusual in Harry greeting him to the common room, for he stopped, turned and stared at both his friends. Then an enormous grin spread across his face, and he rushed over to them, arms outstretched to grab them both in a huge hug. "HARRY, HERMIONE," he yelled, "It's so good to see you, you don't know…." he seemed unable to go on, but any further embarrassment was saved by Ginny flying across the room to join in the reunion. They eventually settled themselves into the large sofa near the fire, and in the relative privacy afforded them by their housemates, they caught up on each others' news.
"Yes, Neville told us that Blaise Zabini informed on Umbridge," said Hermione, after Ron had explained all that had occurred in the classroom.
"Informed!" exclaimed Ron, "he spilled his guts out, if they hadn't shut him up he would have told them every nasty little detail of his life, and some of what he did say was rather unsavoury."
"That's putting it mildly," said a subdued Ginny, Hermione had noticed that apart from her initial effusive welcome she had remained rather quiet. While Ron was telling Harry of his latest ideas for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Hermione took the flame haired girl to one side.
"Are you ok Gin?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Ginny gave her a resolute look, "I'm fine,…" then her lip began to tremble. Hermione put her arms around her and Ginny crumbled, and began to cry. Ron and Harry stopped talking and looked enquiringly at the girls.
"Give us a minute boys?" Hermione gave them a 'leave it to me' look, they took the hint.
Then Ron said, "Hey Harry how's about coming upstairs, you haven't seen the dorm for a while. It was a pretty lame excuse, but it allowed them to leave without fuss.
"Right," said Hermione in a kind but business like tone, when Ginny had calmed down a bit. "What's all this about?"
"It's all so silly really, things I haven't been able to share with anyone, just sort of weighing me down." She smiled at her serious friend, "Ron's ok, he's had Luna, but when Dean found out that we were being targeted he dropped me like a hot brick, and it really hurt. I thought he was more like Harry and I would be able to rely on him."
"Trouble is Ginny that there aren't many out there like our Harry," said Hermione, trying to comfort her.
"I'm finding that out the hard way, Hermione…" she paused, "and Harry isn't ours is he? He's yours."
Hermione gazed into Ginny's bright brown eyes, and sighed, "Oh dear, I didn't realise."
Ginny gave her a sad smile. "No neither did I," she sat quietly for a moment. "It was ok to start with, and I knew you were right for each other, even now that hasn't changed and I know I have no chance with him, but my heart won't let him go."
Hermione had no answer for her young friend, her own experiences with love and Harry gave her no grounds for sagely advice, it would take an older head to sort this one out. However Hermione did manage to get Ginny to tell her what else was preying on her mind.
"God, that Cruciatus curse is really horrible, far worse that the other spells Zabini used and he was touching me with his wand when he used those." Ginny showed Hermione the marks still visible on her arms, and others on her legs that she had been too embarrassed to show even to Madam Pomfrey. "The Cruciatus didn't last for very long because at the same time Luna did whatever it was that she did, she won't explain, but through the pain I felt this cooling wind and I opened my eyes, and that was when I thought the curse had driven me out of my mind."
"Are you sure?" Hermione asked in disbelief, when Ginny had told her what she thought she had seen.
"No I'm not but I don't see who else it could have been."
"And he was a ghost?"
"I think so," Ginny replied.
"That would mean he has some unfinished business, something he still needs to do," Hermione reasoned, "He wouldn't be like Nick, too frightened to go on."
"Do we tell the others?" asked Ginny.
Hermione was thoughtful, "No not yet, especially Harry, he has only just got used to the idea that the old man isn't around anymore." Then she made a decision, "we'll have a word with Luna first," Hermione put a friendly hand on Ginny's shoulder, "and don't worry, I doubt very much you are going mad."
* * *
Theodore Nott thought he was going round the bend, he had the information he needed, he knew where Potter was hanging out, but every time he tried to write the location down on the piece of parchment he wanted to send to his uncle, he lost control of the pen, and an unintelligible scrawl was all that resulted. He tried again and again, but nothing worked. Even speaking the words out loud and asking another Slytherin student to write down exactly what he said didn't produce anything but meaningless drivel. The incredibly complex Fidelius Charm that Hermione had performed to protect the Shack meant that Ron, as the secret keeper, was the only one who could pass that information onto another even if it was, as in this case, an unintentional mistake. Nott may have the knowledge that the Shrieking Shack was acting as Harry's base, but there was no way he could let anyone else know. He was still fighting with his problem as he made his way down to the evening meal. He had concluded, after a good deal of thought, that the concealing charm was in operation and that the only option open to him now was to actually take someone there, but he, like all the other students were stuck in school until the end of term, unless there was a Hogsmead weekend, and that seemed unlikely.
So intent was he on working out his conundrum that he failed to notice how quiet it had become in the Great Hall, and it was only as his neighbour at the Slytherin table nudged him hard with his elbow did he look up and see Harry Potter, and was that Hermione Granger with him? The pair, along with a gaggle of Gryffindors, were heading towards that house's table, Nott couldn't believe his eyes and at that moment all sorts of possibilities began to occur to the young prospective Death Eater.
Harry and Hermione ran the gauntlet of many disapproving stares, especially from the Ravenclaw table, but they bore them in silence because they knew that the school bush telegraph would soon spread the word of Umbridge's involvement in Harry's absence, and as they sat and ate their first meal in many months in the wonderful surroundings of the Great Hall, they could hear the whispers flying around already.
The following morning the mood at breakfast was much more congenial, the rumour mill had obviously worked overtime that night, and Harry and Hermione were mostly forgiven for their enforced absence, but some on the Slytherin table wondered why they had bothered to come back at all.
Refreshed by a quiet evening in the Shrieking Shack, they had snuck back there at curfew after leaving the bike with Hagrid, Harry and Hermione thought it best to present as normal a face to the school as possible while still engaging in their own private agenda in finding the Horcruxes. They applauded with the others when the Headmistress announced that, with the removal of Delores Umbridge's committee and their restrictions there would be a Hogsmead weekend next week, as there would be only another week after that before the end of term. However she did restrict those going to the fifth year and above, which caused a bit of an uproar from the fourth and third year pupils who were traditionally allowed to go, but as it was for their own safety there was no question of disobeying.
"They accepted that too well," said Ron, "not like a certain person in our third year would have done, 'eh Harry?" And he gave his best friend a large wink.
Hermione loved the fact that at last she had full uninterrupted access to the library; she felt this would make a great difference to the search, but she had not expected that in this instance Ron was to provide more information than the books.
The conversation was held in whispers under the stern gaze of Madam Pince, who flitted about the shelves of books like a large butterfly looking for a particularly tasty sample of literary nectar.
"Ravenclaw had this seal," said Ron quietly when the librarian has disappeared from view.
"I've seen it," announced Hermione, earning her a 'this is my story' sort of look from Ron, "well I've seen the result of her using it. It's on every one of those bits of parchment of hers we have back home." Now it was Harry who lay a restraining hand on her arm, "Sorry, go on Ron." she said, taking in the quiet reprimand.
"Thanks," he said dryly, and then he waited as Madam Pince fluttered by and disappeared into her office. "I thought it would be a good item for Voldemort to use, but the obvious catch, where was it? Ron looked at the other two, expecting them not to know, and he was right. "Then Luna pops up and says it's in the Ravenclaw common room, and it is!" he exclaimed, a bit too excitedly and a little too loud. They heard the scraping sound as a chair was pushed back, and quickly gathering the few books that Hermione had borrowed they shot out of the library before Madam Pince had a chance to have another go at them.
"So when can we get a look at it?" asked Harry as they walked back to Gryffindor tower.
"Hopefully tonight, when everyone has gone to bed," Ron replied, "I'll ask Luna."
"Fine," said Harry, and Hermione was reminded that she needed to have a chat with the not so daft girl herself.
"I don't get anything from it at all Harry," said Luna as they looked up at the highly polished seal in its box on the mantelpiece. "Perhaps it is too far away, but it doesn't give me the creeps the way the goblet did," and she gave a shiver at the memory.
"How do we get it down?" said Ron, who was by far the tallest of the four in the
Ravenclaw common room that night, and it was still way out of his reach.
Hermione gave a tutting noise and pulled her wand from the Gryffindor robes that both she and Harry had started wearing around the school again. "Wingardium Leviosa," she said succinctly, and with a swish and flick of her wand the box floated out of its niche and gently descended to the table that they had, cleared of its mountain of books a little earlier.
"You just had to do that didn't you," said Ron sarcastically.
Hermione smiled a toothy smile, and Harry rolled his eyes, the Granger-Weasley one- up-man-ship club was still going strong.
Luna looked from boy to girl and sighed, she was fully aware of the seven year long agreement between the two friends to disagree with each other at every opportunity, a situation that would have doomed any idea of a lasting relationship between them, even if Ron had not upset the apple cart. Shaking her head, not really understanding the reasons behind their behaviour, she reached forward to the box and turning the clasp it opened with a click.
Everyone's attention was now on the box and the seal it contained, "I better not touch it, yet" said Harry, and all agreed with this as they remembered the way a shade of Voldemort had jumped out of the goblet. So Luna put her hand into the box and grasped the seal and lifted it out. "Still nothing Harry," she said as she laid it on the table top, "and isn't it supposed to be heavy?"
Ron picked it up, it was very light, and as he looked into its mirror like surface he realised that was exactly what it was. "Made of glass Harry, silvered on the inside like a mirror, this isn't real."
"Give it to me," said Hermione, "I think there might be a way to find out a few things about this glass seal."
Ron handed it over and Hermione placed the seal on a large sheet of parchment she found on an adjoining table. Using quill and ink that Luna provided, she began to draw lines and make calculations that surrounded the seal, occasionally tapping glass or parchment with her wand in a way that made absolutely no sense to either Harry or Ron. Luna however, was leaning over and examining every scratch of the quill and mark made and when Hermione wrote down a figure five she put a restraining hand out and said
"Shouldn't that be a three?"
"What!" Hermione said crossly, then, "Yes of course, thanks Luna," made the change, and continued with her Arithmancy. The noise of intense concentration continued for fully half an hour, with the odd word from Luna and question from Hermione as she realised that the blonde haired girl was as good at the subject as she was. Hermione finished her calculations with a flourish of her quill and looked at Luna who nodded in agreement that everything was correct. Then she stood back and touched the glass seal one more time, every mark on the parchment glowed for a second, and the answer appeared in a small box Hermione had drawn right at the beginning.
"There," she said with a feeling of accomplishment.
"There, what?" said Ron.
"It's a date?" put in Harry before another spat could start.
"Yes, it's the date the glass seal was made," said Luna. "That was brilliant Hermione, I would never have considered using Maha-Pudma's equation, but I see now the way it holds everything else up, amazing."
Hermione gave her a very happy smile, "Thanks," she said, "But without your corrections I would have been miles out."
"So what does it mean?" said Ron who was beginning to feel hopelessly outclassed by the two witches.
However it was Harry who answered him. "It means Ron that this seal was made the year before Tom Riddle came here for the Defence against the Dark Arts job, and swapped his award for services to the school with Hufflepuffs cup."
The light began to dawn for the tall red head. "You think he could have stolen the seal and replaced it with this at the same time?"
"Exactly," said Hermione.
"Well that's good, at least we're further along now," said Ron, satisfied that he hadn't led everyone on a wild goose chase.
"How so Ron?" asked Harry.
"Well we know that the seal is most likely a Horcrux, and we either have to look for it or for something else made of silver that is of value to Voldemort." he answered smugly.
"What on earth makes you think that," Hermione obviously didn't believe a word of it.
"Because, if it still in the shape of the seal, it's the seal we will look for," he paused for a moment while he gathered his reasoning. "And because it is made of pure silver, it can only be transformed into another pure silver object." He ran the thoughts through his head again then nodded. "Yes that's right, immutable transfiguration laws, base metals stay as they are."
Hermione had an expression of total shock on her face, "God he's right, and I never even thought of that."
Ron would have crowed if it was not for the fact that several hundred Ravenclaws were asleep in the tower above them, so he satisfied himself by licking his finger and drawing an imaginary number one in the air. Harry could not help it, so many times had he come out second best to his girlfriend, but he managed to stifle his laugh by pushing his handkerchief into his mouth, so no one heard him, and Hermione's pride was only very slightly dented.
* * *
A few days after the discovery in Ravenclaw tower Hermione managed to get Luna on her own. Ron was busy desperately trying to get Harry back on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and at the moment was not having much luck, but Hermione could tell he was weakening. She had finally resigned herself to suffering yet another match worrying about her boyfriend's safety, but at least he would not have to play against Slytherin. The two boys were off somewhere discussing that very subject and Hermione and Luna were sitting together in the window of a hallway, not used much by other students, which overlooked the lawns and Hagrid's hut far below.
"Ginny was very upset by the incident with Zabini," Hermione was telling Luna of her first evening back in Gryffindor tower. "But strangely it is not so much the pain of the torture that causes her problems now; it is what she saw when the torture stopped."
"Oh I didn't know that," Luna said keeping her head bowed to avoid eye contact with the smartest witch of her age.
Hermione cupped her hand under Luna's chin and lifted it up to stare into her blue eyes, and in that initial look, call it intuition, but Hermione understood. "You know what she saw, don't you?"
"Yes," Luna replied somewhat unwillingly.
"Was it a spell of yours, or was it really him?" Hermione demanded.
"It wasn't my spell, I just called," Luna was being a little ambiguous.
"So it was him," there was a note of success in Hermione's voice, "Is he alive or is he dead?"
But Luna didn't answer, because from behind Hermione there was a rustling sound of moving robes, and the brown eyed girl felt a shiver of expectation run down her neck.
"That all depends upon your point of view Miss Granger," said an instantly recognisable voice." Hermione spun around to stare directly into the face of Professor McGonagall. "You see, for those of us who believe in him, Albus will never be truly gone," she continued in her lilting accent, "and I have no doubt that in times of need those who are worthy will be able to call on him."
"But?" this was not the answer Hermione wanted.
"No more buts and let us leave this line of questions for the moment," the Headmistress sounded quite insistent, "I think you are causing Miss Lovegood some distress."
Hermione turned back to Luna who indeed looked rather pale and little beads of perspiration were standing out on her forehead. "Oh hell, I'm sorry Luna, I didn't mean to,…" Hermione in turn was becoming upset, "It was just Ginny…" she put an arm around Luna's shoulders, "Let's go and find Ron and Harry. Don't worry I'll think of something to tell Ginny." she reassured Luna.
"I am sure you will, Hermione," said Professor McGonagall, and the headmistress looked on as the two girls headed back towards the main staircase. She turned to gaze out of the window and saw two boys coming out onto the lawns from the direction of the Quidditch pitch. There was a tear behind the spectacles the old witch was wearing as she watched the boys, and with a sad smile murmured "Take care Harry, difficult times, difficult times," but that voice held no trace of a Scottish accent, and then the witch sighed, her form wavered and she vanished.
* * *
The Hogsmead weekend Saturday dawned overcast and cold, as Harry and Hermione made their way up the castle steps and through the main doors, and being early they were seated at the Gryffindor table several minutes before any of their housemates had made it down from the tower. Although the older Gryffindors knew that the 'Potters' as they had taken to calling them, although not to their faces and not in Ron's hearing, were not sleeping in their dormitories only Ginny and Ron knew that Harry and Hermione spent their nights in the Shrieking Shack. Breakfast was a high spirited affair with most of the students in the top three years looking forward to a bit of freedom and some fun in Hogsmead.
One Slytherin student watched the Gryffindor table with special interest, he hoped his note had got through to his uncle, if it had then Potter and his friends would get a bit more than they bargained for when they reached the wizarding village. All the frustrations of trying to bypass the Fidelius Charm were forgotten, the location of Potter's home had become of secondary importance, now there was a real chance of getting the boy himself. Theodore Nott was relieved, Potter coming back to school like that had played right into his hands, and now this Hogsmead trip was the cherry on the top of the cake.
Ginny was trailing behind the others as they made their way up to the main gates and the road that led to Hogsmead. Hermione had spoken to her the day before and tried to explain away what she had seen in that classroom, but Ginny still had her doubts and didn't put a lot of faith in the 'psychic projection charm' the older girl had mentioned. She had convinced herself that she wasn't going barmy, so that was progress, but she still felt very lonely and hurt by Dean's rejection. 'You certainly find out who your friends are when Voldemort or his cronies come knocking,' Ginny told herself. A laugh from ahead made Ginny look up, there they were in pairs, Harry and Hermione out in front, their long dragon hide coats swishing about their feet as they walked, she had to admit they made an impressive couple, but she had to smile at her brother. Trying to look as cool as Harry, dressed the same, but not quite managing it, perhaps it was because he walked with a permanent stoop as he chatted with the much shorter Luna, but at least they had each other. 'Oh damn!' she thought, 'there is no point in moping, what will be will be.' and ran the few steps to catch them up and linked her arm with Ron.
Even though the third and fourth years were absent, Harry thought there were far too many people milling about. His few months' solitude, with only Hermione for company, had made him appreciate the peace and quiet they had enjoyed, at least when they were not fighting for their lives. So to escape the crowds Harry ushered the others into the Three Broomsticks, and they found a familiar table at the back and settled down to enjoy a drink. Madam Rosmerta served them; she looked her normal cheery self, and assured Harry that she was fine when he asked after her health; the Imperius Curse had left her with no long lasting effects, apart from her feeling very, very stupid. They sat and enjoyed their butterbeers, while outside a relatively normal morning for the Hogsmead residents and the visiting students proceeded at its normal pace towards lunch time.
In a small alley by the side of Honeydukes, a tall dark haired man was talking earnestly to a skinny boy who was pointing in the direction of the pub that Harry and the others had disappeared into. The man finished the conversation obviously indicating that the boy should return to school, but from the scowl on Theodore's face that was directed at the departing man's back that was the last place he was thinking of going.
The disruption started quietly enough; the bellow from the hills behind the village could have been almost anything, but Harry and Hermione who were just leaving the Three Broomsticks had heard it before and not that long ago. No one else appeared to be taking much notice of the noise, which as it grew nearer became more of a shout than a roar, there was no sense to the words, if indeed they were words, but the meaning was very clear, rage, and Harry had a pretty good idea at whom this rage was going to be directed. Then as the giant shouldered his way between two buildings, knocking one of them flat, the villagers and students suddenly became aware that all was not as it should be, and with cries and screams of their own, sought shelter.
"It's a giant," said Ron rather unnecessarily, as the twenty five foot monster shook the brick dust from its long straggly hair, and looked through small piggy eyes for something else to destroy. A villager pushing his stall cart, gaudily decorated in honour of the students' visit, rumbled out of a side street straight into the path of the giant. A blast of foetid breath accompanied the shout of rage that issued from the giant's throat and the villager instantly apparated away, but the cart was not so lucky. The iron banded club the giant wielded smashed down and reduced the stall to so much fire wood, and sent cobbles from the road flying in all directions. Harry ran towards the giant, and such was their faith the others ran with him, whilst everyone else was fleeing for their lives the five youngsters were prepared to make a stand. They never got the chance.
As they rounded the corner into the main street, they realised that the giant was not alone, eight wizards dressed in black, were shooting spells to the left and right. Students and villagers were left lying in the road as spell after spell made contact. Harry and Hermione instantly crouched and began to fire back, Ron was not slow to see the way they fought and the three of them, protected in part by their coats, began to score hits. A scream from Luna made Ron whirl around to see his sister spinning down to the ground, the red glow of a spell still shining at her shoulder and Luna rushing to her side. The shock of a badly thrown stunner grazing his hip and being deflected by the dragon hide drew his attention back to the fight in hand; he just had to hope that Ginny was alright.
The three battling students began to draw the attacking wizards away and Luna, supporting Ginny's head from the damp road, was heartened to see that she was only stunned. Touching her wand to the limp body she quietly intoned "Enervate" and Ginny began to stir, but a new menace was about to confront them. The giant, following its dark masters, stood less than the length of the Great Hall from the two girls and fixed them with it's myopic stare, it swung it's club which made a whistling sound as it passed through the air and began to advance.
In the doorway of a small shop a mousy haired boy watched with mounting horror as Harry and the others fought. This horror became despair as he saw the spell strike the girl and her long ginger hair flying out as Ginny collapsed, then the giant appeared and his despair turned to anger.
Five years can make a lot of difference to a small boy with a Harry Potter fixation, he was no longer small for a start, and although he still had great admiration for Harry, he had held a secret candle for the sister of Harry's best friend for some time, now she was in trouble and he was not about to let her down. Luna tore her eyes from the giant to stare at the boy who had run up and was now standing over both her and Ginny and faced their aggressor with a look of determination on his young face.
Ginny opened her eyes, her shoulder hurt like hell, and then she saw the giant and the boy who stood in its path. Just for a second she thought it was Harry, he stood the same, defiant, rock solid, and unafraid, but then she saw that it was not, his hair was wrong and he was not wearing glasses. He raised his wand and shot two silent spells, one after the other, with great accuracy, they hit the giant straight in the eyes, his only really vulnerable spot, and the creature reeled backwards, bellowing and clawing at its face. The boy readied himself to fire again, when with a whooshing of large wings, a huge form rushed overhead to fall with rending talons and teeth on the giant, who now had to fight for his own life.
Harry was beginning to tire and his left arm hung loosely by his side, they had reduced the opposition down to three, but Ron was staggering having been hit by several stunners and Hermione was bleeding from a cut to her forehead where a piece of flying glass from a shattered window had left a long wound.
The sound of multiple apparitions in the road behind them was either defeat or rescue, and Harry almost didn't care which, but as Tonks and Remus took position on either side of him the relief flooded in, they were safe.
"We will have to stop meeting like this Mr Potter," said Kingsley Shacklebolt, as the Aurors rounded up the remaining dark wizards. Remarkably the thought of tackling the twenty ministry operatives drove the thought of further fight from their minds. One had tried to apparate but a counter spell from an observant Auror had ended with the wizard splinched, they would find out where his legs had gone later. "Right only the dragon and the giant to deal with now," Kingsley called to his troops, "Let's go."
"Dragon?" asked Harry, "There was only a giant, no dragon." But the roar and flames from the main road told another story.
"Ginny and Luna!" cried a still dizzy Ron and he shakily headed off behind the Aurors.
Harry and Hermione looked at one another, then said as one "Norbert!" and set off at a run, catching up with Kingsley as he turned out onto the main road.
The giant was a smoking corpse some way down the street and the dragon stood in the middle of the road looking very pleased with itself. Harry could see Ginny and Luna crouched in the protection of another student who was pointing his wand in the direction of the Norwegian Ridgeback prepared to fight if the creature attacked.
"No!" Harry cried as the Aurors raised their wands, "It's the same one, he's on our side," he said, and Kingsley turned and gave him a hard stare. "Well he is," Harry insisted, "Isn't he Hermione." She nodded in confirmation, but deep down she wondered what the giants had done to upset this dragon so much that he showed them no mercy, and fervently hoped that Hagrid, and his half brother Gawp would not suffer because of it.
The dragon regarded the wizards, and a deep rumble sounded deep in his chest, he spread his wings and with a fierce down swing propelled himself off the ground and into the air. Three strokes to gain some height, and then he thought where he wanted to be and then he was there, with a roar that rattled window panes he swooped in to land and settled down to perch on the edge of the tower.
Kingsley watched the dragon's departure and reappearance over Hogwarts with mixed feelings, then as he re-evaluated the dragon's behaviour he sighed and turning to Remus said, "You had better go and tell the Headmistress that the dragon poses no danger," he looked down at Harry, "Mr Potter says it will be fine, which I am sure will make everything ok."
Ron having recovered most of his senses was looking on as the girl's protector held out a hand and helped Ginny to her feet. Luna stood, said something to the boy and kissed him on the cheek then turned and walked over to her boyfriend; she slipped an arm around Ron's waist and pulled him tight to her.
Ron still watched the scene before him, Ginny was still holding her rescuer's hand and he was talking quietly to her, she replied and then he talked some more, she laughed and then presented her defender with a kiss. All this was getting a little much for Ron and as he prepared to uphold his sister's honour, whether she wanted protecting or not, the pair turned and walked towards him. Ginny had a shy smile on her face and the boy….well Ron looked at him and said in a rather loud voice. "Bloody Hell."
Harry was using his handkerchief to clean up Hermione's forehead, and regarded the scene before him. "Must have taken a lot of guts to stand up to a giant and then a dragon," Harry squinted through his dirty glasses, "Who is he anyway?"
Hermione laughed, "I thought you of all people should have recognised him," and she held an imaginary camera in her hands and mimed taking a picture of Harry.
"You're kidding?" Harry looked hard at the lad with broad shoulders and a very steady gaze. "Well I never, Colin Creevey."
* * *