Harry stood beneath the staircase cramped up with Hermione and Ron as they tried to get a good hearing of what was going on. His circle glasses were dusty and his vision was a little foggy.
"What's going on?"Harry asked pushing his face closer towards the door.
"I have no idea,"Ron replied smushing his face as well.
Hermione, the girl who was the only one away from the door stood at the back of the staircase holding a thick leather book in her hand that read: The Standard Book of Spells Grade 7. "It's particularly quiet don't you think,"she spoke up taking her face from the book to look at the two boys.
Ron raised an eyebrow,"How would you know? You spent the last few hours stuffing your face into that stupid book."
"It's not stupid Ron. While we are away from Hogwarts hiding from You-Know-Who, you might as well continue your education no matter where,"she protested throwing one of her famous Hermione looks at him. Ron was terribly moody and he stopped putting his ear to the staircase door and turned around to lean against it. He fiddled around with a chocolate card and opened it to find the wizard card.
"What did you get?"Harry said, looking for a distraction. He couldn't see clearly with his blurry glasses and the whole room looked like crumbs of pumpkin pasties.
Ron looked at it from both angles to find a still image of Albus Dumbledore,"Dumbledore." He looked down quickly and stuffed the wizard card in his pocket. "It...well-it's not moving,"he said looking down sadly. "You know- I don't mind having about 16 of these, I think I'm going to keep this one,"he replied trying to brighten up so he wouldn't be the one darkening the little room. Harry looked down feeling guilty and stood up to sit down next to Hermione forgetting the thought of the no longer Albus Dumbledore.
"I might as well learn something out of this while I'm away at Hogwarts,"he said. This seemed to lighten up Hermione's mood, another person with an interest in knowledge...sort of. "Ah! This glasses are really starting to bother me,"Harry said taking them off and frantically rubbing his eyes. Hermione took them and stared at the cracked lens.
"Auculus Repairo!"she shouted with her wand. A small popping sound occurred and the glasses were as good as new. Harry grinned and rubbed them with his sweater first before putting them on.
"Thanks,"he said before taking a closer look at the book. "You're studying the Forbidden Curses?"Harry asked in disbelief. "Are you sure that's the Hogwarts school book? Blimey Hermione, using one of those could earn ourselves a lifetime sentence in Azkaban,"he said almost shuddering a little. He looked through Hermione's bag to find all of the schoolbooks and some other thick books strictly organized.
"Of course I know that, but we are probably going to have to use one of these sometime in our life Harry. Come on, Vol-err-"she began.
"Just call him Voldemort!"Harry insisted. He shrugged not knowing what the big deal was.
"You know-who,"Hermione pressured. "Anyways Harry, now that You-Know-Who has taken...over,"she said sadly, almost sniffling a little. "Well- our lives are at stake Harry and you seriously can't be talking to be about an Azkaban sentence! And...yess, these are the Hogwarts books,"she said triumphantly. She huffed a little and went back to studying the books.
"You know Harry... I think we are starting to have a bad influence on her,"Ron joked looking sadly down his card which quieted him down. He shoved it in his pocket again, determined not to take it out.
"Will you shut up Ron, and come over here?"Hermione asked. She gave a serious glare at him which reminded Harry of Ron' mother. Speaking of Molly Weasley...
"Come on Arthur! You can't be serious can you?"a familiar voice of Ron's mother said. Harry raised an eyebrow and quickly and quietly went down to press his ears against the door. He looked beside him to find Ron pulling out a little pink string with a toy ear attached in the bottom.
"It's Fred and George's,"he whispered quietly handing each one of them to Harry and Hermione along with himself. "Knicked it myself,"he grinned triumphantly.
"You don't need to knick from your own brothers!"Hermione said disapprovingly. She took the little string anyways and they both layed down on their stomachs and stuck them onto the door frame hearing louder voices and even screaming.
"Wonder what that's about,"Ron said skeptically.
"Shh!"Harry and Hermione said at the same time pressing a finger to their mouths. The staircase was completely silent.
"Yes I know that but-Arthur...why is the staircase so silent?" asked.
"Bloody hell, raising Fred and George has done her good,"Ron said raising his eyebrows and wrinkling his forehead. "Quick...talk!"he said awkwardly. "Thanks for the lovely lesson Hermione,"he said offering her the fakest smile ever. Harry pursed his lips hoping not to burst into a fit of laughter. Hermione stammered a bit, not knowing what her line was.
"Well...what have we learned today Ron?"she said raising a perfectly arched eyebrow. She threw the thick book on his lap and folded her arms and tilting her head strictly.
"About spells Professor. Hermione," Harry replied for him. Hermione shook her head as if not the most genius teacher could ever change them both. Suddenly, they attached the strings back on the door frame, listening quietly again.
"Must have been you imagination Molly dear,"the stern and weak voice of Arthur Weasley said.
"Yes, maybe indeed. But that's not the point! Arthur I expect you actually be home in the darkest hour of wizarding history!"Molly replied. They hoped the ear strings had come with a crystal ball to see the petrified face of .
"It won't be dark anymore, it is a short victory for the dark wizards. With our victory comes sacrifice Molly!"Arthur pleaded.
"You're talking like a typical Ministry Worker Arthur. It's our duty to protect Harry, don't you realize that he's the only hope the wizarding world has left?Harry. Potter, the boy who lived,"Molly said in a whisper.
The ear strings were starting to break down and they couldn't hear anymore. Suddenly, all their backs were leaned against the wall and they stared from one to another, and then all their eyes were on Harry.