HARRY POTTER AND THE RETURN

BOOK 8

CHAPTER 1: THE VISITORS

It was a cool, crisp morning and Hermione was reminiscing on her seventh, and final, year attending Hogwarts. She thought of the gruesome deaths she had witnessed and the end of the war between those loyal to the past Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, and the followers of Lord Voldemort, who brought his life to a brutal end. Then, as a tear trickled down her cheek, she remembered the death of one of her best friends. One of her first friends. Harry James Potter.

In their seventh year of Hogwarts, Harry was in an epic battle with, the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. Voldemort was killed, but, Harry was never found, afterwards.

In the middle of her thoughts, she heard six, sharp, cracking noises, downstairs. Someone had apparated. Hermione wiped her eyes, stood up, and looked out the window. "We will find you," she said to an unseen presence, "I know we will."

When she reached the bottom of the staircase, she saw that the Weasley siblings, Charlie, Bill, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny, had come to visit. They were sitting in the living room, when she walked in. Hermione ran to greet them.

"Ron!" she exclaimed, "Did your-" Ron cut her off. "The Ministry is still looking for him," he said, quietly, and turned away.

"Oh." Hermione mumbled, sadly. "I thought-." She stopped herself. "Never mind."

"So," said Mrs. Granger, trying, desperately, to sound Cheerful. "What brings the Weasley clan here?"

Bill answered. "Dad's got a message for you and your family." He pulled out a sheet of parchment. It read:

'Due to the current situation, we are unpleased to inform you that we are, presently, giving up on the search for Harry Potter. We will announce him "K.I.A." in the following weeks to come.'

Hermione fell to her knees and began to sob, uncontrollably. "They can't do this! They can't! They have to continue the search! It's not fair! We all need him! He's our life line! Harry's the one who saved us all an unbreakable curse!"

Mrs. Granger put her hands on her shoulders. "Let them finish, sweetie"

Bill continued.

'We are, terribly, sorry for any inconveniences, but it has taken much too long to recover him. So this is the only possibility.

With greatest respects, The Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimigeour.'

"What!" yelled Hermione, in frustration. "The only possibility? What is Harry's alive? What happens then?"

"Hermione-" Ginny began. Hermione interrupted. "No! Tell me. What if he needs us? What then?"

Everyone was silent. Hermione rolled her eyes and stormed up the stairs without another word. Mrs. Granger followed.

"She's not taking it very well, is she?" Ron uttered. "No, Ron" responded Fred and George, sarcastically. "She thinks this is some kind of Quidditch tournament."

"It was just a question," Ron told them, angrily. "You know, Hermione's got a point. Harry's gotten out of worst. Maybe he's somewhere out there." Ron continued. "And, besides, when has Hermione ever been wrong?"

"Well, rules are rules." Said Percy. "So don't get any ideas, Ron."

'Me?" asked Ron, "What do you mean 'me'?"

"Guys, that's not the point," Ginny interrupted. "I'm going to check on Hermione, if you don't mind." Ginny retreated, upstairs, to where Hermione and her mother were.

Bill rose from his spot on the couch. "You know, we may just have a chance to get around the rules."

Ron stood up, his eyes burning with the urge for adventure. "You mean we can go save Harry, after all?" His smile went from his face. "That's going to be a challenge. How are we going to do it?"

Bill shook his head and frowned. "Let me finish and you'll find out."

He continued "Well, first of all, you have connections. Me. Maybe I could talk toScrimigeour and find a good loophole. But it might take a while."

"Brilliant!" Ron said, enthusiastically. "And when can we go after Harry?"

"Ron," said Bill. "LikeI said, it will take a great deal, of time, to know. It all depends onf the say of Rufus Scrimigeour."

"Well, we'd better be off," said Percy. "We wouldn't want mum and dad to be worried."

"Okay," said Fred. George continued. "Ron, why don't you go and fetch Ginny and we'll see you at the Burrow."

"What!" Ron Yelled, "Oh, all right." Ron stomped all the way up the staircase. And, when hereached his destination, he heard something that he thought he would never hear. He put his ears to the door as he heard these words omitfrom Hermione's mouth.

"You don't understand," she said.

Her mother responded first. "Understand what, sweetheart? I can't help you unless you help me."

"Mum," Hermione began."I-It's just- Mum, I think I love him." Ron's jaw dropped.

"With Harry dead, it's like a part of me is missing." Once again, a tear rolled down Hermione's face. She looked up and realized whatshe had just said. "Oh. I'm being silly. Nevermind."

Ron gained back conciousness and knocked on the door. Hermione, quickly, wiped her face, as Ron opened the door. "Ginny." He avoided eye contact. "Uh, it's time to go. Don't want to be late or mum will go mad." He let out a sarcastic laugh.

Hermione knew hehad heard, from the way he acted. But she said nothing.

Ginny answered, "Okay. Hermione, I'll write you later." Hermione gave a nod of approval, and looked, shamefully, away.

"Sweetheart," Mrs. Granger said, as she prepared to leave. "Everything will be alright. Trust me, you don't have to worry about anything. Leave that to me." Hermione let out a forced smile and her mother kissed her on the cheek and left.

And as she did, Hermioneflopped onto the bed. "What have I done?" She said under her breath.