Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Lazy Cat ch1
Pansy was strutting around the courtyard with her bags packed. She got to go home for the summer break a few days earlier than everyone else and she intended to let everyone know. "Bye all, I wont miss most of you to be honest." She said with an annoying laughter. "Especially you Potter, Weasley and mudblood."
"That's good 'cause nobody will miss you either." Hermione replied with a smirk.
"Tough luck Granger, you're just jealous 'cause your parents can't get you out of school earlier. Cause they are poor, and muggle."
"Whatever." Hermione said and went back to her book.
Pansy clenched her fist, this made her visibly angry but she decided to storm off not to waste any more time here. She had plans for this summer, she'd go swimming in the lake that was just beside the Parkinson manor, she would go shopping and get some nice clothes, though they could only wear their uniform at Hogwarts, which was a real shame, Pansy thought.
Two days later Pansy was on the floor of headmaster's office crying. One of the two aurors that were there went to help her up but she pushed the man's hand away, and pulled herself up on the chair across Dumbledore.
They just told her pretty much everyone at Parkinson manor was dead, she couldn't really see anything running for her life when the death eaters stormed their home. She did see with a corner of her eye, her father fall down fighting the death eaters, she heard him hit the ground too, but she held a belief he was alive, at least until now. She continued crying covering her face with hands and rubbing her red eyes as the black eyeliner around her eyes melted away.
"I thank you for your bravery on her behalf." Dumbledore said.
"Not necessary sir, just doing our job."
"We'll be on our way than." The other auror said and they went for the exit.
"See you again I hope." Dumbledore said on their way out.
The older auror half turned around. "I hope not, we'll just be bringing you more kids with dead parents. At least we were in time to save the girl."
"True that, very fortunate." Dumbledore confirmed. "Goodbye, and good luck to all of us." Dumbledore added as the aurors walked out.
Pansy now looked up at the headmaster then continued crying burying her face in her arms on the table.
Dumbledore walked to the window of his office and gazed into the distance. "It's hard to lose your parents even at old age… I can't imagine how hard it must be for a sixteen year old."
"Sixteen and a half." Pansy added trough sobs.
"Take your time Miss Parkinson, but I do want to talk with you after."
Pansy cried a few minutes more but then she slowly pulled herself together, fixed her shirt and wiped the melted mascara from her cheeks with her pale fingers with black painted nails.
"I don't understand…" Pansy started. "Why would he kill my parents? Was he afraid they would oppose him? Though, as far as I knew they had no intention of doing so. I really don't understand…"
"That is the way the dark lord thinks, he is paranoid in his fear. To keep his power he will eliminate any possible threat, even his own followers." Dumbledore explained.
"How ironic that I was saved by aurors, same people I was taught to hate." Pansy said realizing she never did thank them for saving her life.
"Yes. The important thing is you're still alive. But if you want to stay that way you need to listen to me." Dumbledore said seriously.
Pansy nodded wiping her cheeks once more.
"They will come after you. They'll want to finish the job as fast as possible, even before reporting back to Voldemort if possible."
"I see." Pansy said with a worried look.
"Today you can sleep in the nurse's office. I'll have a professor stay with you there. I'll think of something by tomorrow."
"Alright." Pansy agreed.
They went to the hospital wing. Professor Snape was willing to spend the night there protecting Pansy if something should happen.
Dumbledore retuned to his desk and sat down thinking.
Just then the phoenix staircase on the entrance of this office started moving. Up the stairs, came three people.
"Oh it's you three… perfect."
"Why?" They asked.
"I have a special task for you… actually only one of you."
Harry, Ron and Hermione stopped looking at Dumbledore who stood up and inspected them one by one. They forgot why they even came to the headmaster's office in the first place.
"You like cats don't you Miss Granger?"
"Yea… I guess I do." Hermione said confused.
"Good. You two run along now." He said pointing to Ron and Harry.
"But professor…" Harry protested.
"It can wait?" Dumbledore asked, as if he knew they had only a minor concern to report.
"Yes." Harry replied.
"Wait in front a few minutes please."
Harry nodded and pulled Ron out by the shirt.
"I have a special task for you Miss Granger. Tomorrow before you leave for the summer break, come to my office, I'll tell you more about it than."
"I will." Hermione said.
"Now call Ron and Harry in."
They discussed some rumors with the headmaster. Harry insisted he knew who death eaters in Hogwarts are, mainly Draco, but without any evidence as usual Dumbledore declined to do anything about it.
"What did Dumbledore want with you?" Harry asked as they walked out from the headmaster's office.
"Don't know, he said he would tell me tomorrow."
"Why couldn't he tell us about it?" Ron said as if offended.
"It's obviously a special task, a task he wouldn't give to just anyone." Hermione said proudly, even a bit too proud just to spite Ron.
Tomorrow she showed up like she said. She walked in Dumbledore's office to find him sitting by his desk. On his desk was wire cage with a black cat inside.
"What's this?" Hermione asked right away.
"That is… wait a second." Dumbledore said casting some sort of spell on the cage which glowed for a moment. He than placed a small black wand inside the cage, next to the cat.
"I need you to take this cat with you, on your summer vacation, and take care of it."
At that the cat got really wild and started clawing on the cage.
"Relax." Dumbledore said to the animal.
"This is a person, right?" Hermione asked.
"Yes."
"Who is it?"
"Someone who's been through a lot in the last few days, and needs our help… your help."
"Fine…" Hermione muttered. "But why me? Am I in danger doing this?"
"No danger at all if you do as I say. Don't let the cat out of the cage and don't cast any spells..."
"I know, as it's forbidden by the ministry for underage witches and wizards, outside the school that is." Hermione finished his sentence.
"Exactly. Follow these rules and there will be no problems."
"Will do! Don't worry about a thing sir." Hermione confirmed.
"When the summer break is over just bring the cat back to me. That's all."
It sounded like a simple task and Hermione was glad the headmaster had entrusted her with it.