Author's Note
As always, my heartfelt gratitude and love to the inimitable Kirsti - hugs and kudos galore dear!
And a special hello *waves and blows kisses* to dashing Capt'n Timbo and the lovely Holly.
And Cindy darling - be brave, you know I'm "pumpkin through and through" - hugs and love!
First Interlude/Chapter One
I have tried something a tad different with this story as I've inserted "Interludes" before or after some of the normal story chapters; these Interludes (which are the "dark" aspect) run parallel with the story itself (which is the "light" aspect). Of course, the paths of the dark and the light do eventually cross and that's when things really get interesting…
SORCERERS' NOOK
By JanieB
FIRST INTERLUDE
It had no real awareness of itself. It simply existed as it drifted with the foul, sluggish currents of what appeared to be a river - a dark, bizarre river that moved silently along through the dank, tangled forest of an ancient demonic realm.
It became aware of velvet blackness in which nothing could be seen or felt, with the occasional exception of a pale, glistening form that slid by - one of the hideous Inferi. It had no way of measuring passing time, no way of knowing how long it had existed before it began to stir, creating thick, torpid eddies in the malignant substance of the river. Without at first being consciously aware of doing so, it began to think of itself as the Darkness. At sporadic intervals after it stirred, it began to hear a voice. The Voice of the One - for this is how the Voice styled itself when speaking with the Darkness. The Voice whispered sinister secrets, its malevolent sibilance somehow beguiling to the listener and the Darkness found it began to miss the sound of the Voice when it was silent. So it was that the Darkness was finally driven to send out its first thought, not knowing whether it would receive any response: Where are you?
I am here. I have been waiting for you.
The Darkness felt a peculiar ripple of pleasure at receiving a reply and sent out its second thought: Who are you?
I am you. We will be one.
How is that possible?
You have been - away. Now you are back. Now we will be one.
I am the Darkness. You are the Voice of the One. How can we become one?
As though waiting for this question, there was no answering thought, instead the Darkness found itself thrown into a nightmare of sensations, all the more shocking since it had felt nothing until this moment; it suffered burning anguish as it was flooded with harsh, piercing agony and pain beyond enduring. Once again it was unable to measure the time that passed before the nightmare began to recede, but throughout its ordeal it slowly came to know and understand what was happening: it was being merged with the Voice of the One - it was becoming the Voice, and the Voice was becoming the Darkness. They would become One.
At last, it was over. It was done. The nightmare receded and the black, violent maelstrom of pain slowly dissipated, leaving behind a raw awareness that was both new and ancient, a dark receptacle that held many memories. Within these memories it saw its true name, given to it in the far distant past, but it was a name of such power that it could not be spoken or thought by any other, so it chose to be the Dark One.
The Dark One left the river then, finding now that the stagnant air of the realm was more to its liking. As it hovered above the slow, oily, snake-like river that had nursed it, it was flooded with an excruciating craving that could only be assuaged by something it recognised as being vital to its continued existence…
Revenge.
The Dark One pondered its myriad memories, sifting through all the monstrosities and savagery of its collective past and finally, it came upon the knowledge of what it must do to achieve that revenge: the total, complete and utter annihilation of those who had torn it asunder and condemned it to the lowest form of existence in the Abyss. It must seek out and destroy the Enemy.
*
CHAPTER ONE
In which Harry has a dream he doesn't remember, Hermione stays home and reads, Ron goes on a jaunt, Ginny dresses up to go out with Harry while Harry worries about Hermione and gets annoyed with Ron…
Harry looked around desperately, his heart racing; all he could see were shadows and darkness, broken only by the towering forms of old trees and an endless tangle of thick vines that seemed to be attempting to choke the life from everything they encircled; the whole place resonated with ancient evil. There was no sound - not even that of his own footsteps, for even they were absorbed by the eerie silence that pressed in on him from every direction. His skin prickled with a dreadful feeling of doom.
Where am I? he wondered, as he frantically pushed aside the slimy undergrowth, feeling a desperate need to find - what? He didn't know. He knew only that he had to find it. Why? He didn't know that, either, only that he must try.
Then he broke through the last of the repellent undergrowth and stumbled out onto the narrow strip of clearing that ran alongside a river. But it was like no river he'd ever seen before, either waking or sleeping. It was black and viscous - almost like oil. It glistened with points of light beneath the surface here and there - yet there was no sunlight touching it, as none seemed to be able to pass through the dank, thick canopy overhead.
Harry looked from left to right - but the river looked the same in both directions; it seemed to be sliding sluggishly rather than actually flowing. There was no other movement, no sound. It was as though he was alone in this dismal forest.
Then something caught his eye and he looked down at the river; he shuddered, swallowing the sudden nausea that swept over him at what he saw: a sickly white figure floating by just under the surface of the black river and he realised then that the glistening points of light were in fact reflections of the dim light in the lifeless, staring eyes of Inferi as they were carried along at varying depths in this river of death.
Hypnotised with horrible fascination at the sight before him, Harry was unable to tear his eyes away. As the Inferi disappeared around a bend in the river, he blinked and found his eyes drawn back once more to the river directly in front of him, where sluggish eddies were disturbing the stagnant, slow-moving surface. Then it was almost as though a huge, invisible spoon was stirring the black substance.
Harry found himself squinting as a harsh light suddenly burst into the clearing - he couldn't tell whether it came from somewhere above him or from the river itself. Throwing his arm up to cover his eyes as the light turned a foul, sickly green, Harry felt himself falling - but as he fell, he heard a hideous, distorted scream echoing through that rank and deadly forest…
Harry woke abruptly with a startled exclamation, sitting up and staring around, his heart pounding, his eyes wide with fear. However, when he saw his own familiar bedroom instead of some ugly, evil-infested forest, he did as he'd so often done in the past: he fell back on his pillow and went straight back to sleep. The next morning, he remembered nothing of the nightmare that had disturbed his slumber.
*
`Hermione! Have you seen that copy of Hot Hair I brought home yesterday?'
Hermione was reading, sitting on the cream-coloured "comfy" couch in the living room, as opposed to one of the two "good" armchairs that flanked the couch and which, in Hermione's opinion, weren't at all what you could really call comfortable, especially when one wanted to read.
At the sound of her name, Hermione raised her eyes from her book and grinned at her cat. Crookshanks miaowed rather knowingly in response from his favourite spot, curled up in the hollow behind his mistress's knees. It was a spot that was always there whenever Hermione sat on the couch and read (which was often, this being Hermione), because she habitually pulled her legs up and tucked her feet to the side.
Grinning at Crookshanks, Hermione called out, `There's a magazine in Crookshanks' basket. Maybe he's after a new look!'
Ginny's amused voice echoed down the hallway from the bathroom of the flat they shared. `Oh, very funny Hermione! I really need it - Harry'll be here soon and it has a charm in it for a beautiful hairdo I want to wear tonight!'
Hermione giggled, scratching Crookshanks under the chin as she called out, `Ginny, you know Harry - as if he's going to notice your hairstyle! Besides, it's you he's interested in, not your hair!'
Hermione's fingers ceased their under-chin-scratching and moved back to turn a page of her book. Crookshanks, with a resigned snuffle, dropped his head back to rest on Hermione's ankle, knowing the scratching was at an end; he knew that when his mistress was reading she forgot everything else.
Ginny knew it too, because instead of calling out again, she padded along the hallway to the living room, already dressed for her night out except for her shoes. She didn't often go to such lengths with her hair, but a friend at work had pointed out this particular hairstyle to her the day before, saying she thought it was perfect for her. Ginny had loved it and asked if she could borrow the magazine that featured it, something her friend was happy to do as she'd finished with it.
`What do you mean Harry won't notice my hair?' asked Ginny, as she headed for Crookshanks' basket which was sitting beside the hearth of the large fireplace.
Crookshanks' unblinking gaze followed Ginny closely as she began rummaging amongst the myriad bits of blanket in his basket.
Hermione glanced up at her flatmate, laughing. `Ginny, I was kidding! It's on the kitchen table over there - I was flicking through it over my afternoon tea. That's if Pigwidgeon hasn't chewed it up!' Crookshanks miaowed, managing somehow to sound amused at his mistress's joking and disdainful at the mention of Ron's small owl, all at the same time.
Ginny straightened, her hands going to her hips as she looked down at her friend, joining in her laughter.
Then she threw her hands in the air and shrugged, a smile still in place. `I believed you because I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if Crookshanks did haul if off to his basket to read it!' she exclaimed, grinning at him, certain she saw a gleam of superior catly amusement in Crookshanks' eyes.
`Neither would I, actually, and why do you want to mess with your hair anyway? It looks gorgeous as it is! In fact, all of you looks gorgeous!'
Ginny dropped her hands and smoothed down the fitted lines of her emerald green, knee-length satin dress. It had thin shoulder straps and while the back dipped in a "V" almost to her waist, the top of the front was cut straight across, revealing no cleavage.
`Thanks, Hermione. I'm still getting used to wearing Muggle dresses, but I really like them. They're much more feminine than robes.'
Ginny, like most witches brought up in an all-magic family, had grown up wearing robes. When the occasion called for Muggle clothes, it was usually only during holidays and travelling to and from Hogwarts, and this meant the only Muggle clothing she'd really ever worn was their ever-practical jeans.
`Well, you look wonderful. If he doesn't notice your hair, Harry will definitely notice that dress!'
`I hope so!' said Ginny, her cheeks turning a shade of pale, pretty pink.
Just then, green flames filled the fireplace opposite the couch where Hermione was sitting and Ginny let out a squeal.
`He's Flooing! And I'm not quite ready! Talk to him for a couple of minutes and I'll be right back!' cried Ginny as she ran from the room, her red hair streaming behind her.
Harry stepped out of the fireplace a few seconds later, smiling in greeting when he saw Hermione on the couch. Crookshanks gave him a welcoming miaow and Harry stepped forward, bending to scratch the purring cat behind the ears.
`Hi, Hermione, how are you?'
Hermione smiled warmly back at him. `Sitting. Reading. Couldn't be better!' she replied.
`Ginny still getting ready?' he asked as he sat down, his leg inches from Hermione's foot. He stretched both his legs out and crossed them at the ankle as he spoke, then clasped his hands behind his neck.
Marking her place and then closing her book, Hermione unconsciously began to scratch Crookshanks under the chin again as she spoke.
`Yes, but she's nearly done. She looks lovely - special night tonight?'
Harry shrugged. `Not really, just this new restaurant Neville told me about. He said it's pretty swanky so I told Ginny she'd better dress up a bit.'
`Muggle or Wizard?' asked Hermione.
`I don't think Neville knows any Muggle places,' replied Harry with a grin, `so it's Wizard - why?'
Hermione waved a slender hand dismissively. `No real reason, just that Ginny's wearing a dress - and you a suit - so I thought perhaps it was Muggle.'
Harry shook his head as he looked down at his own clothes; a beautifully tailored black suit and crisp, white linen shirt, open at the neck. `Ginny's just into the whole Muggle thing when it comes to clothes at the moment,' he commented, sounding happily philosophical.
`No tie?' asked Hermione with a delicately arched eyebrow and small smile.
`In the pocket,' said Harry with a lopsided grin.
Hermione laughed. `I suppose you need help to do it up?'
Harry laughed too. `I was never much good at doing it the Muggle way and I guess my heart's not in it when it comes to remembering spells like that. Seems sort of pointless.'
`I see - pointless. A bit like you just walking across the hall from your place?'
Harry looked very sheepish as he replied, `I was sure I could hear Esmerelda prowling around and I just wasn't in the mood for being fussed over, so I Flooed,' speaking of their eccentric landlady who, after all this time, still couldn't believe she had Harry Potter as a tenant and did indeed fuss over him whenever she saw him.
`I see,' said Hermione, giving Harry a knowing look, accompanied by something very close to a smirk.
Harry groaned. `It's all right for you! You seem to be able to escape her clutches quickly!'
Hermione laughed, pointing a finger at him, `I know, but I think it's really funny that you can't!'
Harry reached down suddenly, taking her by surprise as one hand encircled her ankle, the other pulling off her shoe, dropping it to the floor and then tickling her foot. Crookshanks hissed in disgust at the disturbance as he jumped over Hermione's legs, knocking her book, which fell heavily to the floor as she laughed, twisting and leaning forward, trying in vain to pull Harry's hand off her ankle and kicking at his leg with her free foot.
`Funny, is it? I'll show you funny, Hermione Granger!' he gloated.
Hermione was gasping for breath, unable to speak for laughing when Ginny, who'd decided against the fancy hairdo, walked back into the room, her thick, red locks swinging across her back. She rolled her eyes and sighed as she reached the couch, smiling nevertheless at their antics. `Harry, will you cut that out! You know Hermione hates being tickled and teased!'
Harry released Hermione's foot and lifted both hands in the air, grinning innocently, his green eyes dancing as he said, `Truce?'
Hermione glared at him as she fell back on the couch, holding her stomach as she caught her breath, her feet pulled in close to her, out of Harry's reach.
`Truce?' she panted indignantly, `You just wait, Harry Potter!'
Harry chuckled. `I'll wait, Hermione Granger, although it'll probably be forever!'
Hermione tried to maintain her glare, but the corners of her mouth betrayed her as they lifted in a smile.
`It may take a while for me to pay you back, Harry, but it won't be forever, I promise you!'
`Enough, you two!' admonished Ginny as she leant over the back of the couch, her hands on Harry's shoulders as she bent down to drop a kiss on the top of his head. `I'm ready,' she said happily.
`So am I,' said Harry as he stood up and turned, smiling in appreciation when he saw Ginny. `You look wonderful,' he said softly.
Ginny smiled, her eyes glowing.
`So do you - although a tie wouldn't be out of place,' she finished, tilting her head to one side and giving him an appraising look.
`Oh, yeah - oops! Hermione, would you?' asked Harry as he felt in his pocket for his tie.
Hermione, having retrieved her book from the floor, was in the act of pulling her shoe back on when Harry spoke.
With a wide-eyed, innocent expression, she asked, `Would I what, Harry?'
Harry groaned. `My tie, Hermione, please!'
He could hear Ginny trying to suppress a giggle.
`What do you think, Ginny?' asked Hermione, looking up at her friend, who was now laughing softly despite her exasperation at their skylarking.
`I know you owe him one, but you'll have to save it - I need him in one piece tonight!'
Hermione grinned as she put her book aside and rose gracefully from the couch, reaching for her wand, which was sitting on the small table at the end of the couch. `For you, Ginny!'
With a complicated little twirl accompanied by a soft, `Adstringo tersus!' Harry's tie rose from his hand like a black, silk snake and slid around his neck and in the blink of an eye was hanging straight and perfectly knotted.
`One day I'll be able to do that,' sighed Ginny enviously. Although as powerful a witch as Hermione in many ways, Ginny didn't have a natural affinity for the "minor, everyday" spells; Hermione, as always, appeared to have an affinity with every spell she came across.
`You probably won't,' said Harry with a grin as he walked around the couch, holding his hand out to Ginny.
`You're probably right!' laughed Ginny as she put her hand in his.
`Have a lovely time,' said Hermione, feeling a pang of envy, wishing she was going out too.
As he and Ginny walked towards the door, Harry frowned thoughtfully and turned to look over his shoulder at Hermione.
`Where's Ron? Aren't you two going out tonight as well?' he asked.
He felt Ginny's grip tighten convulsively as he spoke, and when Hermione lifted her chin, shaking her head as she gave him what he thought of as one of her "brave smiles", he knew something wasn't quite right.
`Would you like to come with us?' he asked, wanting to help somehow even though he didn't know what was wrong.
Ginny's grip tightened further and Harry knew his impulsive invitation wasn't a good idea. Luckily, Hermione's response got him off the hook, even though he didn't really like the idea of leaving her home alone when he knew she had some sort of problem.
`Thanks, Harry, that's really kind of you - but you've a table for two waiting for you - you and Ginny go and have a lovely evening. I'll be here when you get back; maybe we can all have a coffee if I'm still up.'
`I'll wake you if you're not!' said Harry with a grin, wishing he could do something more.
`Just try it!' retorted Hermione, smiling in a manner that she hoped was reassuring. `Now scat!'
When they'd gone, Crookshanks leapt gracefully up onto the couch and once more took up his position behind Hermione's knees, his gentle, rhythmic purring soothing Hermione as she sat and stared into the empty fireplace, her book forgotten as unbidden thoughts crowded into her head.
Harry's words seemed to hang in the air. "Where's Ron? Aren't you two going out tonight as well?"
`Bit hard to go out when your boyfriend's not around, isn't it?' Hermione murmured to Crookshanks who gave her a sympathetic "miaow" in reply, although somehow Hermione didn't really feel the need for sympathy.
*
They hadn't long been seated at their table in the Dragon's Lair, overlooking a Thames that shimmered with the reflections of night lights in the soft, summer air, when Harry asked Ginny about Ron.
`He's gone off with Seamus and Colin on a freelance assignment. He's been sitting around a bit bored, as always, while he's waiting for the new season to start. He said he'd leave you a note…you didn't get it?' asked Ginny, cocking her head to one side, a small, puzzled frown wrinkling her brow.
Harry shook his head. `Didn't see any note - not that I was looking, I suppose. Where's he gone exactly?' He was quite accustomed to his flatmate's often haphazard ways.
`Seamus offered him a chance to go with him and Colin while they do a run-down on all the British Quidditch teams and their star players in the lead up to the play-offs for the World Cup next year. I think they're off to Falmouth first - to check out the Falcons.'
Ron, whilst an extremely enthusiastic player for Gryffindor when they were at Hogwarts, was nevertheless wise enough to realise he didn't have the talent to play with the "big league", but that didn't stop him being involved in as many aspects of Quidditch as he could. This had led him into a career as a professional Quidditch commentator - the most popular and in-demand one for some time. His popularity and position gave him a lot of "perks", including free time during the off-season for this jaunt with Seamus Finnigan and Colin Creevey.
`I see,' said Harry, and he did. Ginny didn't even need to elaborate - he knew Ron would've jumped at the chance without a second thought - not even for Hermione…
`I was a bit surprised Hermione took it so well, actually,' said Ginny. `She hasn't even actually seen him to say goodbye - he just sent her a note this morning.'
`What? And Hermione's not upset? Are you sure?'
`Well, she says she's not. You know Hermione.'
Harry's gaze locked across the table with Ginny's. `How long's this assignment going to take? Has Hermione said anything else?' he asked tersely, feeling uncharacteristically irritated with Ron on Hermione's behalf; haphazardness was all very well, but this was a gross lack of consideration in Harry's eyes.
Ginny shrugged. `Until the end of next month, I think Hermione said. He'll have to be back after that by August, for the start of the new season. You know Hermione, she accepts Ron for what he is. At least, she says she does.'
`What's that mean?' asked Harry, his eyes dark with concern. As he'd done ever since their first year at Hogwarts when he'd remembered where Hermione was when the troll was loose in the school, Harry was instinctively looking out for her, a reaction he'd never questioned.
Ginny shrugged again. `Just my own feeling. I think that despite what Hermione says, she's just being loyal to Ron - you know what she's like. Anyway, it only happened today Harry, and I haven't had a chance to discuss it properly with her yet. Pigwidgeon delivered Ron's note this morning, telling her where he was going and asking us - me - to look after Pigwidgeon while he's away.'
Harry was frowning; he had a strong feeling that Ginny was leaving something unsaid. Naturally, he knew of Ron's almost overwhelming enthusiasm for his work and anything connected with the sport it involved. But what about Hermione? It was almost as though he loved Quidditch more than her! He said as much to Ginny who gave him a grim smile before replying.
`You know, Harry, since this morning I've been thinking about Ron and Hermione a lot - a lot!' she repeated for emphasis, `and before now I hadn't realised it, but I'm sure there's been a gradual change over the last few months - perhaps even since last Christmas. I've also just realised they haven't even been going out as much as they used to. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I'm sure it seems as though things have been different between them for most of this year.'
Harry looked surprised, realising this was no doubt what he'd felt Ginny had left unsaid earlier. His expression became thoughtful as he reflected on this for a minute before he eventually nodded. `D'you know, now you mention it, I think you're right. Isn't it strange neither of us has really noticed before this?'
Ginny replied thoughtfully, `I think we've been too involved in our own lives and it's not as though things have been exactly wrong with them - they always seem happy enough when they're together, it's just that that doesn't seem to happen as often anymore…'
Harry nodded, looking equally thoughtful. `That's it, I suppose. They haven't been fighting for a while now, either - just, well, Ron's always involved in something to do with his work - he seems to have all the time in the world for that - and Hermione…' Harry looked at Ginny quizzically.
`You live with her, Ginny,' he said almost pleadingly, `you see her and talk to her every day. What have you noticed?' He felt as though he'd somehow let Hermione down by not noticing any of this earlier; it was as though he'd failed to look out for her - even though she'd often insisted over the years he didn't need to exercise his "saving people" thing on her behalf, that she was quite capable of looking after herself.
`I feel a bit guilty, actually,' replied Ginny, `that I haven't really taken in the changes over the last few months till now. I mean, I've been thinking about it a lot today - as I said - and you know how they used to love going to a different restaurant or café almost every weekend and Ron -' Ginny grinned and rolled her eyes `- would just about eat his way through the menu?' Harry nodded, also smiling, but then Ginny's expression became serious once more as she continued. `I think it's been almost three months since they did that. And going to see movies - Ron loved them after the first time Hermione took him to see one. I think that was their last date about a month ago - they went and saw a movie and then came home with pizza and Ron went home early because he had some Quidditch thing on the next morning! Otherwise, Hermione always seems to be either working late or at home, reading.'
Harry sat back in his chair and out of habit ran his fingers through his hair in an eternally futile attempt to push his unruly black locks out of his eyes.
`She hasn't said anything about problems with Ron?'
Ron certainly hadn't said anything about problems with Hermione to him. In fact, come to think of it, he hadn't said much about Hermione at all lately, whereas once he'd always been full of anecdotes about his time with her.
Ginny shook her head. `The more I think about it, the more I realise I've been so wrapped up in my own life that I never even asked! I feel as though I should've noticed something - I mean, Ron's always off doing something connected with Quidditch!'
`Bloody Ron!' Harry exclaimed, `What's wrong with him?' Looking-out-for-Hermione mode again - he just couldn't seem to help himself…
`It takes two to tango, Harry,' said Ginny gently. `It may not just be Ron.'
Harry dismissed what Ginny said with an impatient wave of his hand.
`Of course it's Ron,' he said abruptly, not seeing Ginny's raised eyebrows at hearing this vehemently spoken sentiment.
At this point the waiter arrived with their entrees and once he left, their conversation moved to other things, although Ginny wondered to herself why it was Harry was so adamant that any problems Ron and Hermione may have were, without question, Ron's fault…
Before she picked up her knife and fork to eat, Ginny's hand stole across the small distance between them and Harry automatically reached out with his own hand and took it. Ginny squeezed appreciatively. `I'm so glad we don't have any problems,' she said softly.
Although preoccupied, Harry managed to smile and returned the squeeze. He was thinking that he was now certain Hermione would still be awake on their return because he knew she never slept well when she was worried about something - and he didn't doubt she was worrying, whether she showed it or not. His newfound irritation with Ron gnawed annoyingly at him, taking the edge off his enjoyment of the wonderful meal they were served, not to mention the loving attention of his girlfriend…
*
The previous afternoon Ron had received an owl from his friend and former schoolmate, Seamus Finnigan. In his letter, Seamus - now a respectably successful freelance sportswriter - asked Ron whether he was interested in joining himself and Colin Creevey on an assignment to put together a series of articles about each of the British Quidditch teams, all of whom were preparing for the play-offs to compete in the World Cup the following year.
Ron knew that Colin, while he worked on a casual basis in his uncle's Muggle hardware store, was widely known in the Wizard publishing sector for his photography skills. Ron, in his excitement over the invitation, had replied immediately, sending off an enthusiastic acceptance of Seamus' offer without a second thought.
Within the hour, Seamus Flooed him with another invitation which, as soon as he finished work, Ron took up by joining his former schoolmates at the Two Hoots, the local wizard pub near the flat he shared with Harry in the small village of Harminster Leigh, situated in the Kent Downs, south-east of London.
Returning to their table with three mugs of foaming Butterbeer, Seamus explained to Ron that he'd received an offer from the prestigious monthly publication, Wizarding World, which included an advance to cover his costs in exchange for the exclusive rights to their stories.
`What about The Quibbler?' asked Ron, `You mentioned them too.' A stray thought drifted through his mind: Luna's father owns The Quibbler…
Seamus nodded. `They've made an offer, but it's nowhere near as much as the one from the World, plus MacGregor - the Quidditch editor for the World - said I could put my own team together and I thought of Colin here and you straight away. I told old Lovegood that if he outbid the World, I'd think about giving him the stories, but we haven't heard back yet and I don't reckon he'll come near it.'
`But the World will cover all our expenses? For all three of us?' Ron asked, amazed.
Seamus and Colin both grinned and nodded, Seamus adding, `Quidditch is going to be even bigger in the next twelve months with the World Cup coming up next year. And since this season is basically the play-offs to be the representative British team, well, MacGregor, having just been promoted as the new editor of the World, wants to make himself look good and picked good old Quidditch to do it with!'
`Great, isn't it?' asked Colin, his face flushed. `I can't wait to start!'
Despite thinking it was somewhat unethical to be accepting an advance from one publication whilst telling another they had a chance, Ron couldn't overcome his excitement and shrugged off his misgivings. `So what's the agenda, gentlemen?' he asked, looking from Colin to Seamus as he rubbed his hands in gleeful anticipation.
`You ready for this?' asked a beaming Seamus. Brandishing a rolled parchment, he continued without waiting for an answer, `We leave tomorrow morning on the Knight Bus and -' he paused while he unrolled the parchment, cleared his throat and began to recite in the manner of a bus driver giving the stops ahead, `we head south to Falmouth, then across to Wimbourne, up to Puddlemere; then to Tutshill, Caerphilly and Anglesey.' Seamus looked up to see both Ron and Colin grinning and nodding. `Then we leave Wales and cross to Ireland to Kenmare and Ballycastle. Then we nip up to Portree, down and across to Wigtown, zip across to Montrose, back to England and Appleby and last, but not least, to Chudley,' and here Seamus couldn't refrain from looking up at Ron who punched the air as he head his team's name, `before we hit the Burrow for a well earnt rest and some of your Mum's excellent cooking!'
Colin and Ron gave each other a "high five" as Seamus looked on. Then without another word, each man picked up his beer and lifted it in a toast, `To Quidditch!' drawing curious looks from a Muggle couple at a nearby table (the Two Hoots catered to both the wizard and Muggle worlds) and a frown from the barman.
`Ron,' said Seamus after he'd taken a hearty gulp of his beer and placed the glass back on the table, `what about Hermione? She doesn't mind you disappearing for the best part of two months, after which you'll be spending so much time commentating you may as well be away anyway, once the season starts in August?'
Ron, to his credit, had the grace to look somewhat shamefaced. `I didn't actually get a chance to see her yet - I came here straight from work - and the trouble is, she's working late tonight, so I guess I'll have to try and see her sometime later after we're both home.' As he spoke, he realised how little thought he'd given to Hermione in his excitement over Seamus' offer. She won't mind, I'm sure! he told himself. She knows how much I love Quidditch and what a brilliant chance this is, career-wise - getting to meet all the British teams, up close and personal leading up to the World Cup! I'll promise to write every - well, Floo, at any rate; Merlin knows I've never been a letter writer. Yeah, I should be able to Floo home every now and then…Yeah, it'll be cool. Hermione'll be cool…
*
Ginny and Harry arrived home from the restaurant earlier than Ginny had expected.
`We can have coffee at home, with Hermione,' Harry had told her as he paid for their meal. `It'll be much nicer and besides, we need to find out what's going on with her and Ron.'
Ginny had sighed and resigned herself to the inevitable, sharing Harry's concern for their friend. And so when they arrived home, it was to find Hermione putting the kettle on.
`Good timing,' she smiled at them. `Tea or coffee?'
`Coffee, please!' said Harry and Ginny in unison as they moved to the round kitchen table and sat down.
`How was it?' asked Hermione, as she began pulling cups and saucers from the cupboard.
`Delicious!' said Ginny.
`Expensive!' said Harry, making both the girls laugh; despite not needing to worry about money, Harry had never been able to shake off the habit of noticing the price of things, learnt from the monetary deprivation he'd suffered at the hands of the Dursleys.
`You're home early, though,' said Hermione, as she poured boiling water into the coffee pot before picking up the sugar and heading to the fridge for milk.
Harry and Ginny exchanged a look which Hermione couldn't miss as she walked towards the table with the milk and sugar.
`You came home early because of me,' she said flatly, putting down the jug and bowl and pulling out a chair, looking from one to the other as she sat down.
Ginny nodded. `Harry's a bit pissed off with Ron,' she said, `and so am I. He didn't even come and see you before he left!'
Hermione gave them a smile accompanied by a small shrug. `I know, but he had to leave very early this morning and he did try and Floo me last night - he said so in the note he sent me.'
`He could've come over and waited until you came home to see you, and tell you himself and say goodbye, even if it was only for a few minutes before bed,' said Harry, sounding deeply indignant.
Hermione shrugged philosophically. `He had a really early start. And it's only for six or seven weeks.'
`And then he arrives home only to bounce off again every week to whichever Quidditch stadium he's commentating at!' retorted Ginny, who couldn't understand Hermione's lack of concern.
Hermione looked from one to the other, her expression puzzled. `Why are you so worried all of a sudden?'
Ginny and Harry exchanged yet another look that Hermione couldn't miss.
`Well,' said Ginny hesitantly, `we, uh, over dinner we were talking about our, er, recollections of - things - over the last few months…well, since the New Year really, we think and, erm…'
Hermione gave them both an odd look. `And?'
Ginny looked at Harry, uncertain as to how they should put this. Harry gave her a small, understanding nod then turned to Hermione.
`Hermione, things have changed with you and Ron, haven't they? Things are - different now, aren't they?'
Hermione turned her head slightly and looked into the distance, her eyes clouded with a newly discovered anguish as she contemplated Harry's question. Both Harry and Ginny remained silent, waiting. After a minute, Hermione turned a thoughtful look on Harry before saying softy, her tone resigned, `You're right - things have changed and they are different. I've spent the last few hours thinking about nothing else and I've come to see that it's actually been a gradual process, one I've only been aware of subconsciously until - well, until now, until today. With Ron going away. I'm not sure anymore what the future holds for us, actually.'
Harry and Ginny exchanged perturbed looks, Harry feeling a strange dread steal through him at the prospect of this upheaval in all their lives together with some other emotion that he didn't stop to analyse. `What's going on, Hermione?' he asked tersely. `Don't you love each other any more?'
Ginny gave a small shake of her head, wondering at a man's ability to ask blunt, direct questions without any compunction or consideration, but Hermione's answering shrug shocked both her and Harry.
`What is going on?' asked Ginny, speaking too loudly in her concern.
`What do you mean?!' cried Harry, speaking over the top of Ginny. He found he felt very disturbed at the thought of their cosy lives as a foursome being disrupted. It had been Harry-and-Ginny-and-Ron-and-Hermione for so long now, and he was only just realising he'd assumed unquestioningly that it would always be so…
Hermione shook her head, waving her hands in front of her as if to fend off their astonished questions. `Let me just get our coffee and I'll tell you a story, all right?'
Harry and Ginny nodded in unison as Hermione rose from her chair.
`Hurry up with the coffee though, will you?' urged Harry with a lopsided grin, in what was a rather lame attempt to lighten the atmosphere.
Ginny gave him a quelling look, which he ignored because he didn't see it. He didn't see it because he was watching Hermione as she nodded in reply on her way back to the bench, where she proceeded to push the plunger down through the hot coffee…
TO BE CONTINUED…
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