Carefully Hermione brushed off millions of years dust and dirt. This fossil was ancient and easily damaged. As she moved along the rib cage the creatures shape began to emerge.
"Come on, it's time to head in." Hermione looked up at the face of the camp's trail guide, Aisha. She was a mysterious woman of the desert. No one knew much about her past. But she knew the desert. Hermione glanced up and saw that the sun had indeed risen along with the temperature. She had been so involved with her work . . .
"Well, I guess it'll still be here, tomorrow," Hermione tried to not be annoyed by the interruption.
"What makes you so sure? The desert does have powers." Hermione laughed this off as
they walked back to the tents. Only two and half weeks left. Would that be enough to unearth
this new find?
That night Hermione sat restlessly under the mountain of blankets. The wind whistled
eerily. The desert does have powers. The words echoed in her head. It's just a myth, a silly old
myth. But, another part of her argued Myths are based on facts. Another wind swept over the
camp. Hermione yawned and fell asleep.
"It won't do any good, you know," Aisha patiently repeated.
"But it was just a sandstorm, the fossil is still there. Just covered up," Hermione said again, "We'll dig. We'll -"
"It won't do any good."
"And why not? The winds weren't strong enough to bury it that deep. There's hardly even a dune!"
"It won't do any good."
"Are you saying that the fossil, that gigantic fossil, was moved by that itty bitty wind last night?"
"The desert has powers."
"I'll take that as a yes," Hermione said, still doubting this possibility.
"Go ahead and dig. Waste your time. The fossil is," she moved her head to the side as if
listening to someone, or something. "Gone," she finished. Hermione, somehow, had no doubt.
Hermione pushed her cart towards Platform 9 & 3/4's. Checking to see that no muggles would notice she walked straight ahead. With a woosh she disappeared. On Platform 9 & 3/4's it wasn't strange at all to walk through the wall. She didn't see Harry or Ron so she boarded the train, hoping to meet them in a compartment. She saw many familiar faces, Ginny, Colin, Fred and George. Some she saw were just as familiar but not pleasant: Draco, Crabbe and Goyle.
"Hey Hermione! Over here!" A red haired, freckle faced boy poked his head out of the compartment. Hermione rushed to Ron and Harry and deposited her trunk in the compartment.
"So how was the trip to the Sahara? Find any fossils?" Harry questioned.
"Yeah," Hermione explained about all the fossils they found and ended with the strange disappearance of the biggest one.
Soon the snack cart rolled around and the bunch ordered lots of things, including the every flavor beans.
"ACK!!" Hermione coughed and sputtered recognizing the unpleasant taste.
"What did you get?"
"Camel dung!"
"You know this flavor, how?" Harry asked.
"Just an incident in the desert." They turned to look at Ron who was madly eating chocolate frogs and putting the cards in a neat pile. Their look became a stare and the pile grew. Ron glanced up and noticed them. With his Weasly blush he explained:
"Gotta catch 'em all!" With this statement he lunged after a frog escaped his grasp. The
conversation eventually turned to the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. No info turned
up.
They finally reached the great hall watching with friendly humor as the 1st years fretted about the upcoming "test". After the sorting hat's song and ritual the feast began. Only then did anyone think to look for the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
"I don't see him," Ron complained.
"Excuse me," Harry said to the tall person blocking their view, "Do mind moving a little?" The tall guy moved so they could see.
"Aisha!" Hermione cried in surprise.
AN: All the characters (but Aisha) belong to JK Rowling and all that boring stuff. I'm not stealing them, I am simply borrowing them for your amusement. So Warner Brothers - Lemme along you paranoid freaks.
That said, look up. That is my lousy attempt at a cliffhanger. Oh well. At least I can't get worse.