Chapter 5
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"I don't want porridge, I hate it!" a very dramatic blonde eight year old girl bellowed at Hermione. Hermione stirred the kettle so that the porridge wouldn't burn.
"Just try it," Hermione said patiently.
"NO!" The girl stamped her foot to the ground. The other children looked with wide eyes at the dramatic scene.
"Erin, please just try it for me, I've put something special in it." The little girl, Erin, looked at her as if she was the biggest liar in the world. Tears were almost filling over and she looked desperately from side to side. Hermione looked from side to side as well and then waved her over. Erin looked hesitantly at her and then took a few steps forward. Hermione put her hand next to Erin's ear and whispered, "Don't you want to know what I put in it?"
Erin pulled back and her bottom lip trembled as she asked, "What?"
"Fairy dust!" Hermione answered and looked into her big blue eyes.
"I don't believe you," Erin shrieked loudly and started to pull away. Hermione grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"No, really. Look at the other children, have you ever seen them eat so quickly?" she asked and Erin looked around. "I'm telling you, I know two fairies who give me their dust."
"Just two?" Erin asked doubtfully.
"Yes, only two." Hermione nodded and handed her plate to Erin. "You don't have to try it. But most people would jump at the chance to try fairy dust."
Erin took the plate and went over to sit on one of the logs used as benches. Four logs were laying around one of the fires used to cook on. Hermione smiled to herself as she saw Erin eat the whole plate from the corner of her eye.
"Well done," Harry said as he sat down next to her on the log. She handed him a plate and smiled.
"Yum," he whispered and she laughed. "You know, I always thought it was wrong to lie to kids. I've always found that the truth works better," he said in a rather serious tone.
"Yeah well…" Hermione sighed and looked away from him.
"What?" he asked, encouragingly.
"I know what she's feeling, that's all. Coming from a home of love, being thrown into this forest with all these strangers. Not understand what's going on."
Harry looked at her. She looked so sad, serious and slightly angry.
"Is that what happened to you?" he asked.
"When you live with your parents you get pancakes, eggs, and whatever else you like. Then they die and you're all alone. Porridge is kind of a big deal at that age," she sighed. Another child approached them and she handed him a plate, smiling.
"So do you have to go through this every morning? The whole fairy drill?" Harry asked and looked over at Erin who was still eating with great hunger.
"No, it just for the kids who have just arrived. It's hard to explain, but it is necessary to make their arrival less scary."
"I understand," Harry said and hesitantly put some more porridge in his mouth.
"Do you?" Hermione asked and turned to him.
"Yes"
"Do you?" she asked again a bit more forcefully.
"Look my parents died to," Harry said, his anger rising.
"Someone raised you, though. Someone wanted you. You weren't sold as a slave," Hermione hissed and her temper burned. Harry felt a moment of sympathy for her before he felt anger again.
"My parents were murdered. Voldemort killed them for speaking out against him." They both became quiet. Hermione looked at her hands, feeling ashamed of herself. It was wrong of her to try to compete with someone for claim to the worst life.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Yeah, me too," he answered honestly. When their eyes met they both smiled. Hermione almost felt as if they were thinking the same thing.
"I'm just overwhelmed here, with all these new people," she said and looked around. Harry followed her eyes and looked around the tent. It was indeed like stepping back in time. A green, leafy forest with brown tents all around, fires burning, people carrying water, people picking vegetables, and children running around with wooden swords.
"Are these people born here?" he asked.
"Sure. Quite a few of the children are born here, many are orphans. If you didn't have a godfather you might have ended up here yourself," she answered honestly and she registered the thought on his face.
"Hermione…" he started. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say, he just wanted to talk about how they had met. Maybe tell her now in plain words that what Blaise had done was awful, and he somehow wanted her to tell him… he didn't know what he wanted her to tell him.
"Oh my God!" she shrieked so suddenly that Harry almost fell off his log. He looked up and saw three people walking towards them. He knew them all and was slightly surprised-Neville Longbottom, Hannah Abbott, and Cedric Diggory. Neville was a good friend of Harry's; he had gone into hiding when he had fallen in love with Muggle-born Hannah Abbott. He refused to sign the contract saying that Neville willingly married a lesser being and that they were now both Improbus. They had left society shortly after, and were now wanted criminals. Cedric had gone to school with Harry, but they had never been friends. Cedric had competed in the Triwizard tournament in Harry's fourth year and had won.
Harry looked over at Hermione who was now on her feet, she seemed anxious at the sight of them and Harry was just about to tell her that they were all friends, all on their side when she started running towards them. It almost looked like she was reaching for a wand inside her cardigan but instead when she reached them she threw herself around Cedric's neck.
Harry took a step back, very shocked by what was happening. People had started talking loudly in the camp, the new arrivals presence becoming known quickly.
Harry ran a hand through his hair and turned back to the new arrivals.
"Oh, thank God you're safe, I was so worried," he heard Hermione shriek as she kissed Cedric's cheek. Harry felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach. Of course, he thought, why wouldn't she have a boyfriend? A girl like her… Cedric hugged her tightly and laughed.
"You know nothing can hurt me," he said and Harry glared at him slightly. Hermione released him and took his
hand in hers. Their fingers intertwined and as they walked next to each other she literally beamed at up at him.
"Oh, Cedric, I have been so worried. Everyone returned ages ago without you," she said just as they passed Harry. "Come, Dumbledore will want to see you."
Harry turned and looked at them, feeling jealous. He had felt jealousy before while in school, but this was so much worse. He almost wanted to vomit.
Harry!" he heard footsteps and was soon devoured in Neville's arms. "It has been too long!" Harry forced himself to snap out of his mood and smile at Neville.
"Neville, it's so great to see you!" he said and he and Neville sat down on the log Harry had so recently shared with Hermione. Neville sat down and looked thankful to get off his feet. When Ron hurried forward with a goblet of water he drank it so quickly; Harry was afraid he would drown. Sirius hurried forward and kneeled next to Neville.
"News!" he begged as soon as Neville had put down the goblet.
"The camp is gone, all of it. What was left standing when you left was burned to the ground," Neville said despondently. "They even tore up everything we had planted, they poisoned the water creaks. I fear no animal nor plant will live there for hundreds of years."
"And what about the prisoners?" Sirius asked. Neville looked away into the forest.
"I am afraid someone followed us," he whispered.
"Could they have?" Harry said quickly and rose to his feet, wand out. Sirius grabbed him and pulled him back down.
"No, Harry," he whispered. "Dumbledore has guards all around, towers, alarms."
"We had those same protection, Sirius, and they still got to us," Neville said and looked behind him. Sirius grabbed Neville by the chin, turning him back to them.
"Neville, you are tired. No one is here. What happened to the rest?" Sirius demanded.
"Some died in the fight, some were taken prisoner and some were killed on sight," Neville said with hesitance.
"What about Remus and Tonks?" Sirius asked, terror to his voice.
"We never saw them," Neville drank more water.
"So they never returned after being in London," Sirius said, more to himself then anyone else. Neville swayed slightly, still sitting on the log.
"He's exhausted," Harry stated. "He needs rest."
"Where is Hannah, where is she?" Neville mumbled and collapsed forward on Harry's shoulder.
"She is safe, she will be safe here," Harry answered Neville as he helped Sirius lift him under the arms. Together they led him to the tent already set up for them. Once inside, Harry saw Hannah waiting for Neville, she also looked worn out. When they put him down on the cot she immediately laid down next to him and they were soon both lost in sleep.
Harry and Sirius left the tent, both deep in conversation about what they had just seen and heard. Sirius searched among all of the curious faces gathering around them.
"Where is the other one? The man who came with them?" he demanded. An older man approached them quickly.
"Hermione took him to his tent, she is putting him down."
"His tent?" Sirius asked and Harry looked at the old man, wishing for answers to a thousand questions.
"Yes, Cedric Diggory used to live here with us. He was here for a long time."
"Why did he leave? Is he a spy?" Sirius asked and looked over at Harry who as staring at the old, bald man.
"Well, Hermione Granger was sent on a mission in the magical world, and I think he didn't want to be here without her," the man answered honestly. Sirius turned to Harry, but he had already spun on his heel and was storming away.
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There was utter and complete chaos inside the Gathering tent. Harry tried to listen from side-to-side, he looked from Sirius to Dumbledore to Mad-Eye Moody, they were all deep in discussion. Everyone was upset because they had just found out that many of their friends had been executed without imprisonment or trial.
Harry looked around and noticed that Hermione, Cedric, Neville, and Hannah were all missing. He figured they were too exhausted to be there. He didn't know where their camp had been, but they looked as if they had been walking for days.
"I wish I could reach my family," Ron whispered on his right side.
"They aren't in any danger," Harry answered. "Everyone believes that we're vacationing in France. Your family has never been officially suspected of anything, at all. Not even the slightest thing."
"I know." Ron violently rubbed his eyes. "It's just… well, I wish they knew how bad this was. Do you know what I mean? I kind of feel like the stakes have been raised. They're killing children now. What will happen to Bill's kids…?" Harry looked sympathetically at Ron, he knew that all Ron wanted was to warn them, tell them to be more cautious. Harry didn't blame him. He patted Ron's shoulder. Hermione entered and Dumbledore made a sign for them all to be quiet.
"What has Cedric told you?" he asked. Hermione sat down next to Kingsley and gathered her breath before she spoke.
"Twenty-two killed…" she became silent and gathered herself before she continued. "Out of those, eight were children," she continued, her voice barely audible. The whole tent was quiet, most dared not even look at her, but Harry couldn't look away.
"Did they put up a fight?" Mad-Eye asked.
"No, they were executed before they had the chance," she answered and Harry noticed that her hands were shaking.
"How could this happen?" Kingsley spoke and Harry looked as Dumbledore. He was shaking his head, in anger or grief, Harry couldn't tell.
"And the rest?" Dumbledore asked in a steady voice.
"Another twenty-five captured," she answered and Harry saw her quivering so violently now that she had clenched her hands together as tightly as she could to stop her own shaking. He wanted to hold her hand. He looked at those next to her; they all seemed too deep in their grief to help. They didn't realize how hard it was for her to bring them this news.
"That's all I have," she said her voice trembling. She gave Dumbledore a curt nod and he nodded again. Harry watched her turn and leave the tent. After a moment, he got up and followed her. He didn't bother to look back as he left the tent, he just knew Hermione needed someone.
"Hermione," he said, finally catching up to her at the edge of the forest. She spun around to face him.
"I can't breathe!" she hissed and clutched at her chest. "I… I can't catch my breath!" Harry hurried forward and she fell to her knees.
"Listen, just listen," he said hurriedly and pressed her head to his chest.
"They are dead Harry," she gasped. "They're dead. I knew them. They…" she made a sound so filled with pain that it hurt Harry's soul.
"Listen to me, Hermione," he said as he patted her hair. Hermione clasped her hands even tighter around her chest. She felt as if she was going to suffocate and die.
"Who murders children?" she asked, helplessly. Harry pulled her tighter.
"You used to go to France right?" he asked. "Where in France have you been?" Hermione breathed hard. She knew what he was doing; he was trying to calm her down, trying to make her breath. She collected herself for a moment.
She shook her head and began to cry violently. Harry puller her even closer, afraid he would squeeze her to death. He could not find any words of comfort for her, he couldn't tell her it would be all right. He felt just as she felt, this world they lived in was far too evil. Giving up seemed so appealing. He took her face in his and turned her face up.
"Hermione," he whispered and looked into her deep brown eyes. They were filled with pain. Her breathing calmed slowly, but she kept her eyes on him.
Hermione felt the desire to kiss, she wanted to touch his face. She wanted to run her hand through his hair. It felt as if tonight was the last night of her life, and all she wanted was to be close to Harry.
"Hermione?" they heard someone calling further inside the camp. She didn't pull away from Harry. She was far too lost in the moment, the connection. "Hermione, Cedric is asking for you," the same voice called out. These words however made Harry pull back, just inches from her lips. Reality hit him hard in the face.
"You should get back," he said, but she didn't answer. He gently stroked her face and with his thumbs he wiped away her tears. "You need to go back." She smiled so slightly that he hardly saw it before she rose to her feet. She looked sadly at him and wiped the dirt from her knees. As she was turning to leave she looked at him.
"Thank you Harry," she said, and hurried off.
"You're welcome," he whispered back into the darkness.
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