ONE
It started with a scream that shook the whole of Gryffindor Tower awake. It reverberated off the stonework in an explosion of echoing agony.
Hermione bolted upright in bed, heart thudding in the ringing silence that followed. She listened frozen, her hand ghosting across the smooth wood of her nightstand. Rain poured down on the endarkened castle, the only accompaniment to the hush of held breaths. A muttering unfurled throughout the dormitories, low fearful voices texturing the soundless dark.
Lavender found her wand first. The tip glowed to life, illuminating the pale faces of her roommates. Hermione snatched up her own from atop her pile of bedside books.
"What was that? You don't think one of those things could have gotten in here do you?" Lavender whispered.
"Or it could be Black again." Parvati said flatly from the shadows of her bed. "It came from upstairs."
They all looked towards the darkened ceiling. Dread gripped her, her mind's eye painting a picture of the boy's dorm in dripping red. It couldn't happen, it wouldn't, she would not allow it.
"Lavender shut that light off, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves," someone hissed from behind their drapes. There was a squeak and the light snapped off, plunging them into the waiting blackness.
Hermione rolled the smooth wood of her wand between her finger tips hearing nothing of the hushed conversation going on around her over the blood pounding in her ears. She touched it against the side of her bedside table. There was a single, phosphorus spark and the wood parted like water. She reached inside.
Her feet swung off the bed, and took her across the cold stone floor. The girls hissed their warnings, but she did not hear. She would not let anything happen to them. Even now, while they hated her. She would unmake it if she had to.
The heavy door screeched as she pushed it open, a shocking sound in the dead silence. The hallway was striped with wand-light that spilled from cracked quarters. The door opposite creaked open, Hermione glimpsed red hair and met a pair of familiar brown eyes across the hall. The tower held its breath, awaiting the next sound.
"Nobody's being murdered guys, was a nightmare, go back to bed."
Hermione and Ginny both sagged, dread releasing its grip at the sleepy sound of Ron's irritated announcement. The tension unwound through the tower like a spring. There was an outbreak of muttering as doors clicked shut all round them. Ginny glared upwards for a moment and snapped her door shut.
Hermione floated back towards her bed. It seemed nobody felt like traversing the freezing corridors to report the incident, least of all her. She clambered back under her heavy blankets and let the darkness swallow her and what she had almost done.
But not before she carefully placed the Time Turner back in its hiding place.
"It scared the bejesus out of me," Ron said through a mouthful of bacon the next morning. Hermione, who was sat buried in a textbook a few spaces apart from the rest, tried not to listen too obviously. Neville was nodding along, or perhaps just nodding off beside him. "He was dead asleep, then he just sat up and screamed. I thought for sure Sirius Black had got back in." Ron was clearly enjoying himself, holding court despite looking as red-eyed as everyone at the table.
Harry had not turned up for breakfast, which was probably just as well, considering the number of cankerous Gryffindors presently hunched over their morning beverages.
"Oh he freaked out the whole tower, believe me." Ginny sank down next to her brother and snagged a piece of toast off his plate before he could swallow enough to protest.
"Hey! Well at least you weren't three feet away from him. It was horrible, he screamed as if he was being tortured," Ron said, pulling his plate out of reach. "Thing was though, when I pulled back his drapes he took one look at my face and burst out laughing."
"A natural reaction when confronted with your face Ronnykins!" one of the twins called from further down the table, Ron tried unsuccessfully to flick a bean at his brother's head.
"Why?" Ginny asked. Ron flushed.
"He said he had forgotten how stupid I looked, then he rolled over and went straight back to sleep."
Ginny snorted and Hermione smiled quietly into her cup of tea.
Ron had spotted her though, and he scowled down the table. "What you looking at?"
Hermione hurriedly fixed her eyes back on her breakfast and resolved to act like she couldn't hear him. She would not cry she told herself, her eyes suddenly hot and her face tight. She would not give him the satisfaction.
"Bog off Ron," Parvati said sitting down opposite her.
"I don't want her listening in on my private conversations," Ron declared sulkily. Ginny and Neville put their heads down, suddenly preoccupied with their breakfasts. She felt a familiar jolt of hurt even as she told herself she understood why they kept out of it.
"Stop being an ass, she was the only one who bothered to get up to check you lot hadn't been murdered last night," Parvati said, pointing her fork at him. Hermione felt her ears go red. She was grateful for the support, but she wished Pavati would just leave it alone. Ron muttered something under his breath. There was a thump and he scowled across at his sister even as he reached down to rub his ankle.
"Who was being murdered?" Harry asked, dropping down beside her Iike it was the most ordinary thing in the world. Hermione stared at him goggle eyed as he reached across her to snag a bit of toast. He gifted her with an easy smile. The sort she had not seen since the whole horrible broom business began. "Morning Hermione. You are looking great today," he said cheerily looking utterly unaffected by last night's interrupted sleep. Ron was staring open mouthed at him, a forkful of eggs frozen midway to his gullet.
"Harry!" he spluttered apparently unable to process this turn of events. He was not the only one. Hermione watched him wearily, waiting for him to remember and move towards those he still considered his friends..
"Hey Ron," Harry said waving his toast at the other boy, "what you doing all the way down there?"
The bubble of hope in her chest was too much. She stood up, her eyes burning with unshed tears. Ostracisation was hard enough, she would she would not be teased. She gathered up the portable parts of her breakfast and resolved to head to the library for their free first period.
Parvati lit into a confused looking Harry as she walked away, her head down. She tried to feel grateful, but everything hurt.
She was concentrating on keeping her face under control, so she didn't see the Slytherin before she ran right into him.
"Ew Granger, watch where you're going." Malfoy's sneer was almost a blessing as she felt her lip curl at the very sight of him. "You've gone and tainted me with your dirty muggleborn hands, I'm going to have to have a shower."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at the repulsive teen. She gave a theatrical sniff.
"I'm sure the rest of our class would thank me if you did Malfoy," she said sweetly. She savoured the slow look of comprehension that overcame his rat-like features and swept past before he or his goons could think of a reply.
She didn't get far, Harry caught her in the corridor, an outraged looking Ron trailing behind him.
"Hermione! Hermione stop." He caught her arm as she tried to walk faster, she swung around and he stepped back looking shocked.
"What do you want Harry?" she said, her voice high and tight. Her joy at her small victory over Malfoy gutting out at the thought of another devastating snub. Harry had the gall to look hurt by her reaction. He shuffled in place a little, looking back at a scowling Ron. She started counting to ten, telling herself that this time she would walk away even as her heart thumped and that painful hope rose once again in her chest.
"I, well I wanted to apologize," he said flashing her a smile as if it would make the last few months all better. His attempt at charm faltered at her expression but he forged ahead. "For being an ass about the broom. We've been really childish about it." Hermione felt her eyes swim with tears, despite all her promises to herself. She told herself it wasn't good enough, that a simple apology could not make up for months of hurt and loneliness. But his eyes held only sincerely. "You are so much more important than that. Please can we be friends again?"
The dam broke. Harry looked startled by the armful of weeping girl he suddenly had to deal with. After a frozen moment, Hermione felt his hand come up to pat her hair. Ron hurumphed loudly his hands in his pockets, he kicked the wall scowling.
"Hey it's okay," Harry said as her sobs descended into hiccups. "How about we go sit by the lake for a while? Soak up some sunshine before we have to brave the dungeons."
Despite everything Hermione still hesitated, the pile of work she had planned to do pressing down on her, even with her special arrangements there was never enough time.
Yet their reconciliation seemed fragile and a fear rose in her that even this small rejection could server it once again. Harry appeared to see something in her face, his eyes found hers and he gave her a reassuring smile.
"Come one Hermione, you've all the time in the world," Harry said. "Spend some of it on a morning in sun, make some memories worth cherishing. " She looked sharply at him, her hand fluttering over the place the time-turner lay. But he was not focused on this moment, his eyes had taken on a distant hollow look. She suddenly wondered if the night before had had more of an effect than his determined cheer would suggest. Ron met her eyes and for a breath they were united in worry. Then Harry seemed to shake the shadow from his memories, he grinned at them, suddenly buoyant again.
"Last one to the lake is a giant squid!" He jogging backwards down the corridor. It was probably the most carefree she had seen him all year, a look at Ron told her that he too was bemused by this strange change in mood. But he wouldn't look at her. It was as if Harry had sharpened the blade, the hurt cut deeper than it had in months. Yet she followed them as Harry shepherded them out into the morning sun.
She couldn't deny them. Ten year old Hermione had not had friends. She had read about them, even the most unpopular characters were given at least one. Yet she never seemed to have the knack of making people like her. The day an owl had granted all her secret daydreams she had been sure she had finally found where she fit.
It had only taken her till the end of the first week to realise that children were the same everywhere. Even here she was too eager, too desperate, too annoying to be liked by anyone. It had been crushing to hear that word again from the boys she had tried to befriend on the train. She had fled, vowing to give up on friendship and retreat back into books and cleverness, just as she always had in the past.
Yet they had come for her, out of guilt perhaps, but they had come when everyone else had forgotten her. They had defended her. Then they had included her, made space, and suddenly she was part of a three as if it was the most natural thing in the world. They would probably never realise how much that mattered to her, or how badly their silence had hurt.
So she grasped greedily at any peace offering, desperate to reinforce the fragile bonds of friendship that had been so easily broken, and followed them into the sunshine.
They weren't the only one looking to get some air before Potions. The lakeside was fitted with their classmates and whoever else had a free period. Harry spotted Neville sitting with an open potions book and threw himself down on the grassy bank next to him.
"Wotcha Neville," Harry said.
Neville looked slightly startled by the sudden company. His eyes moved from the boys to her and his eyebrows rose but he made no comment on their reconciliation. As the boys rummaged through their bags he caught her eye, a smile full of happiness for her flashed across his kind face. Hermione felt a rush of affection for the quiet boy and she resolved to sit next to him in Potions.
"Just going over some things." Neville said, holding up his book. A Herbology book thick with bookmarks lay on the ground next to it. It had occurred to Hermione in the past that Neville with his extensive knowledge of magical flora should have an excellent framework for Potions. Hermione knew for a fact the only reason he was not completely failing the class was because his written work was actually very good. It was one of the extensive list of reasons why she despised Professor Snape. A person who took so much pleasure in ruining their students potential in their subject had no business in a classroom. Ron pulled a face at the sight of an open book. Harry tilted his face towards the sun, he seemed to be drinking in the sight of the sun-drenched castle aside the placid lake. The giant squid lazily catching bits of leftover breakfast tossed by reclining students to the sound of distant laughter.
"It's nice to have some peace and quiet." Harry said as they basked below the spring sky. Ron let out a huge yawn.
"It is, especially after last night," he said with his usual tact. " Everyone was convinced Black had got to you at last."
Hermione felt like kicking him as a shadow passed across Harry's face, displacing the quiet contentment that had rested there. But despite his flippant tone, Ron's eyes betrayed a genuine concern. If she was honest with herself, while she was glad to bask in Harry's sunny mood, she didn't buy it for a moment. It was not something that should be ignored, even if she really wanted to.
Still he could have given them a few more minutes.
"Sorry about that. Nightmare," Harry said looking away from them both.
"Anything to do with – you know," Ron asked tapping his forehead, Hermione saw Neville raise his eyes heavenward as he busied himself with his book.
Harry hesitated for handful of moments, Hermione knew he was going to lie before he opened his mouth, his eyes skating past them to look out over the lake.
"I don't really remember to tell you the truth," he said, pale fingers ghosted over his wand which was tucked behind his ear like an errant daisy. "Dreams can be funny like that sometimes."
"It wasn't funny," she said despite herself, the words forcing themselves out as the horrific silence of last night came rushing back. "I thought you...you."
Harry's smile dimmed. "I'm sorry, Hermione, if I scared you."
Hermione dredged up her own smile, trying to salvage his attempt at a good mood. Ron was at least smart enough to drop it. They shared another concerned look, at least until he remembered that he was mad at her. They sat in silence, but the awkward atmosphere could not survive under the warm sun. Hermione found herself inordinately grateful for taking Harry's advice, the stress of the last few months seemed to drain away. She was with her friends again and everything else seemed so small in comparison.
Even schoolwork, she thought ruefully.
The warm weight of the time-turner resting against her skin, what was the point of having all the time you wanted if you didn't spend some of it on days like this?
Their peace was disturbed by the unpleasant arrival of Draco Malfoy. Hermione groaned as he marched towards them Crabbe and Goyle trailing him like trollish shadows, he had probably had just about enough time to think of a comeback she thought waspishly as he opened his mouth.
"Finally grovelled your way back into the group Granger?" he said, looking slightly disappointed at her inclusion, he had probably thought up some really stinging comments about her having no friends, she thought, the side of her mouth kicking up. He turned on Harry instead, looking mildly insulted that the other boy had not even bothered to sit up. "Surprised to see you out on the grounds Potter, aren't you scared Black will get you? I hear you're having nightmares now."
Crabbe and Goyle chuckled dutifully and Malfoy preened like an unpleasant peacock at the edge of the water. One good shove, she thought, fingers itching with uncharacteristic temptation. Neville closed his book, looking like he would rather be anywhere else. Harry raised a lazy hand and gave the other boy a cheery wave. Malfoy looked like he didn't quite know what to do with that.
"Or perhaps you are off to see that overgrown chicken of Hagrid's before they chop its head off," he said eyes alight with vicious glee. That got Harry to pay attention.
"Buckbeak?" Harry said as if he had forgotten who he was. Hermione felt a jolt of hurt, anger followed it. Her nights alone in the library desperate to find a way to save the hippogriff apparently meant little to the two who had promised to help. Ron, halfway to scrambling to his feet, looked suddenly guilty, Harry did not, he sat up and fixed Malfoy with a mildly interested look.
"I heard he's not got that much time left." Malfoy continued, watching her face. "A dangerous animal like that that should be put down, with an axe."
Hermione didn't even realise she had flown at him until she felt her fist collide with the sharp edges of his eye socket. It wasn't a powerful punch, but it was completely unexpected and Malfoy went down like a sack of potatoes.
Ron and Neville dragged her back as Malfoy scrambled backwards up the bank.
"You filthy little barbarian," he howled at her.
He scrambled to his feet, knocking away the clumsy help of his goons. He groped in his pocket. The wand-tip inches from his face froze him in his tracks. Harry stared him down, looking mildly bored. Hermione had not even seen him move. They stilled, the tip of Harry's wand smouldered a sulphurs red. Hermione could feel the heat on her face. Harry didn't bother verbalising the threat. He didn't need to. Malfoy was not stupid, he lowered his hands and settled for shooting her a vicious look.
"You'll pay for that Granger," he said and he sounded like he meant it. But his eyes kept being drawn back to the smouldered wand.
She opened her mouth but Ron laid a hand on her arm. She looked at him in surprise but he was glaring at the Slytherin.
"Piss off Malfoy," he growled, showing more restraint than she usually considered him capable of.
Hermione could see Harry had unsettled the Slytherin, he was trying to edge away from him without it looking like a retreat. Hermione couldn't blame him, there was something unsettling about the flat disinterest in those green eyes. Yet Harry for his part appeared to have lost interest in the situation, he was staring out at the lake again, oblivious to the heat. Hermione had never seen a spell held at the wand-tip in that way.
But Malfoy would not be Malfoy if he let such a slight pass by. She had left a mark. Malfoy's eyes flicked to Ron's hand on her sleeve. They then flickered to Harry who was not paying attention. Hermione could almost see the moment he decided Ron was a easier target.
"Looking to pollute you bloodline even further Weasley?" he goaded, mouth twisted into a sneer. "I guess your family has finally sunk so low you would stoop to a mudblo-"
He jumped backwards laughing as Ron lunged. Hermione and Neville dragged him back by his robes, as Crabbe and Goyle lumbered forward, wands finally in their fat fists. Hands full, she shot a desperate look towards Harry.
Who was sprawled back out on the grass, wand behind his ear. Hermione could still feel it's heat though Harry apparently could not.
"It's too nice out for this," he said propping himself up on his elbows. "Why don't we just sit and enjoy the sun instead?"
The six of them stopped and stared at his patently mad comment, the brewing fight momentarily forgotten. They glanced at each other, united for a moment in complete confusion.
"Have the big scary Dementors finally addled your brain Potter?" Malfoy said, but bafflement robbed his words of any bite. Harry sat up, mouth widening as he took in the wrong-footed blond.
"Not at all, just seems too nice out for this nonsense," he replied sounding entirely sincere. "Why don't you just join us instead?" Ron looked like he'd swallowed a slug. Malfoy's face was a picture. Hermione considered the possibility Harry might have just accidentally cooked his brain with the spell still smoldering by his ear.
"She hit me!" he whined, jabbing an accusatory finger in her direction. Hermione noted with a complete lack of remorse that his eye was already developing what promised to be a brilliant shiner.
"You came looking for a reaction Malfoy and you got one, take it like a man why don't you?" Harry's friendly tone had not wavered, but there was an edge to his words that spoke of danger. Malfoy opened his mouth before seeming to change his mind.
"Whatever Potter," he muttered, shooting one more confused look at his smiling rival before sloping off. The smile twisted into something mocking as Harry stared after them. Ron let out the breath he had been holding and relaxed his clenched fists.
"Git. You can let go of me now Hermione, I can't believe you hit him!" Neville nodded behind him, looking deeply impressed.
"I can, in fact I'm pretty sure it was inevitable,"Harry said, wandering over. He threw his head back and laughed wholeheartedly, "he's gonna be supporting that shiner for a week, don't ever change Hermione."
Hermione felt herself blushing, she folded her trembling hands into her robes, the last few moments catching up to her. A flood of fear overcame her. Malfoy could report her, his father was on the board of governors. What if she got expelled? She imagined turning up at her parents house, wand snapped, the wizarding world shutting its doors behind her. She tried to cut off her panicked thoughts before they could overcome her, but her mind raced with the consequences.
"Are you alright?" Neville had noticed. He looked at her eyes full of concern she nodded, eyes prickling.
"Merlin Hermione, that was brilliant, I've been wanting to do that from the moment I met him." Ron babbled on, he grabbed her hand and took a look at her stinging knuckles. "If you get the urge to punch any other pretentious pricks keep your thumb on the outside of your fist. You could have hurt yourself."
"I'll keep that in mind," she choked out.
"I'm sure if Hermione knew that decking Malfoy was the way back into your good graces she would have done it long ago." Harry said wandering over. Both Ron and Hermione went pink. Ron shuffled his feet though he didn't drop her hand.
"Yeah well... But anyway don't bait him Hermione, you've given him a reason to go after you and we can't always be around, not with your schedule."
Ron's mild panic swam out of focus, as for the second time that day tears spilled over. A moment later she was gathered up, her redheaded friend clumsily patting her back as she hiccupped on his shoulder. She wanted to tell him it was his defence not Malfoy's taunts that had got to her but it was all too awkward. Ron coughed, ears tinged red as he gently pushed her away. He turned to Harry.
"Blimey if I thought the only thing I had to do to get rid of Malfoy was to be nice to him I'd have… no… no I still don't think I could stomach it, you're in a weird mood today."
Harry gifted them an absent minded smile, eyes still on the retreating trio.
"Harry"
"Hmmm?"
"Your wand." The encased spell burned with its unsettling fire. Harry looked down.
"Ahh yes." With a casual flick of his wrist he sent the entrapped spell skimming across the lake in a shower of firefly light.
The lake boiled.
The dungeons were cold and humid despite the day outside. Hermione shivered as they descended the stone steps, the next two hours promising to be unpleasant. The classroom was already full as they slipped in. She took her seat next to the miserable looking Neville while Ron and Harry claimed their usual back bench.
The quiet chattering stilled as Snape swooped into the classroom.
"Wiggenweld's Draft," he said without preamble, striding to the front. He looked in a particularly foul temper that morning she thought as she hastily scribbled down the notes that had appeared on the blackboard.
"I don't suppose any of you cretins can tell me the uses of this potion?" he asked, Hermione's quill stilled but even she was not stupid enough to volunteer herself when he was in a mood like that. The other Gryffindors kept their eyes on their notes. Even the Slytherins didn't look like they wanted to push their luck. Snape prowled the line of bent backs, until he came to one that was not.
"Potter," he almost purred, Malfoy smirked from across the room as Snape descended on the daydreaming boy. "Since you do not feel the need to take notes perhaps you can tell me the uses of Wiggenweld's Draft."
Harry blinked at him and Hermione winced. Harry was normally better than this at keeping his head down in Snapes class. She tried mentally tattooing the answer on the back of his skull.
"It's a minor healing potion most commonly used to counteract the Draft of Living Death," he said. Ron choked a little. For a moment Hermione actually though her mental efforts must have worked.
"Congratulations for skimming your textbook Potter," he sneered, "I don't bother to do any further reading, or else you would know what else it could be used for,"
Harry shrugged looking not at all put out, even as Ron scowled into his parchment by his side.
"I know it as been misused to prevent people from sleeping for weeks, which can lead to hallucinations and general lunacy. The Wizengamot banned its use among Aurors after overuse lead to the Hindenburg disaster, though it's still fairly popular among the veterans of Voldemort's f- war."
Snape blinked apparently too surprised to sneer at this offering of information. Hermione stared at the back of Harry's head, even she didn't know most of that, it certainly was not in the textbook.
"A very rudimentary account of the situation Potter," he said at last. He didn't take house points though which was practically a standing ovation where Harry was concerned. He swooped down the isles in search for an easier victim to take his foul mood out on. His eyes alighted on Neville who was hurriedly writing down all that Harry had said.
"Longbottom!" he said, his eyes lighting with glee as Neville dropped his quill. "Tell me what are the properties of Belladonna and why do we add it to this potion?"
Hermione knew Neville knew the answer to this, he has once given her an enthusiastic lecture on the many properties of Belladonna one breakfast time. But in the face of Snape's gleeful malice he sat mutely, looking at his desk.
"Are you so slow you cannot even answer something as simple as that?" Snape said as the Slytherins sniggered behind him. Hermione clenched her fists as he sat head-down beside her, the familiar feeling of helpless anger settling like a lead weight in her gut.
"Does it not say more about you as a teacher?" There was a hush of indrawn breath as all eyes snapped back to Harry. Even the Slytherins looked shocked at his audacity. Ron gaped at him as if he had grown a second head. Snape looked unable to process what had reached his ears. His eyes narrowed.
"I do not waste my time pandering to the inadequacies of talentless fools Mr Potter," Snape said, his gesture encompassing Harry and Neville and most of the Gryffindor side. Neville gazed at their desk. Hermione could see his eyes watering. She saw the look on Harry's face when he looked over at them.
"No, that's not who you pander too." Harry's voice was quiet, but it carried, his gesture encompassed the Slytherin side, a few of which were looking slightly impressed with his nerve. Hermione closed her eyes even as the part of her that was unburdened by self-preservation stood up in thunderous applause.
The classroom was silent as a crypt. Snape stood for a moment staring down at Harry who was leaning back in the back legs of his chair, his unopened book still in his bag.
"Longbottem, exchange places with Weasley," Snape said, voice like velvet malice. The scrape of Neville's chair was the only sound as he slowly made his way to where Harry was sitting. Ron flashed her a look of pure worry but neither dared speak as he and Neville took their seats.
"Mr Potter, you appear to be so confident you can teach this class better than I that you don't even bother opening your book. You can complete the assignments without yours." A flick of his wand sent Harry and Neville's potions book flying across the room and onto his desk."Should your potion be anything less than flawless I shall place you both in detention from now until the end of term." He said, his eyes on Harry as the blood drained from Neville's face.
Beside her Ron muttered a nasty expletive. The sheer unfairness of involving Neville closed her throat. Across the classroom Malfoy looked like Christmas had come early. Harry looked at Neville and back at Snape.
He smiled.
"But how did you do it?" Hermione asked for what felt the fiftieth time. She should be doubling back right now, finding a corner to duck into to redo the hour in Ancient Runes, but she couldn't let it go. She had trailed them almost as far as the Great Hall already.
"Who cares? Did you see Snape's face? He looked like he'd swallowed a lemon." Ron crowed. Neville smilled beside him, still giddy with relief at not having to spend the rest of the term scrubbing flobberworm guts from the bottom of cauldrons under Snape's eye. She remembered Neville's bogget, it would have been tortuous for the shy boy.
"You really want to know?" Harry grinned conspiratorially at her. He leaned close and she found herself holding her breath. He drew it out for a moment, then breathed in her ear.
"Magic."
"Harry!" Hermione practically wailed. Harry and Ron laughed.
"It's good not to know everything Hermione, it gives your big brain something to do," Harry said, rapping her lightly on the forehead.
Hermione wanted to throttle that teasing look off his face. Ron winked at her though she was pretty sure he hadn't a clue Harry had done it. She didn't want to sound conceited, but she paid attention to how her friends did in class, often to compensate for them come study time. She knew Harry like most Gryffindor put a bare minimum effort into Potions, and with a teacher like Snape she couldn't blame them. He might have done some reading before class, maybe, but she doubted he had a single potion memorised.
He had to have cheated. Yet he hadn't looked like he had, he had almost tossed the potion together, hardly looking at even the rudimery information available on the blackboard while Neville looked on in mild despair. Even Snape had not been able to dispute the ruby hue and spiced smell that was identical to the example he had set up at the top of the class. He had given Harry a long measured look and vanished the whole thing without comment. At least Ron had saved his victory dance for outside in the corridor.
She felt the urge to peck more at the situation, yet she had another class to go to. She looked longingly towards the chatter and the food of the great hall.
"I think I dropped my quill." She backed away, feeling for the time-turner beneath her robes. She ducked round the corner and twisted, the sands of time rushing up to meet her.
She would figure it out.
She did not figure it out.
Hermione frowned at Harry from across the common room. He was chatting animatedly to Neville, it was about something exciting judging from all the gesturing. Neville seemed enraptured anyway. Happy too, Hermione thought with a sudden stab of guilt. He had never exactly been left out, but he had never quite fit into any of the tight friendship groups in the tower.
Ron was playing chess with Ginny by the fire, the scowl of concentration on his face indicating she was winning. Hermione tried to concentrate on her book. It was old and she noted wryly, much read. The faded cover read 'Remote Reading and other Sneaky Charms for the Resourceful School-Wizard.' At least it did to her, to the rest of the common room it read 'Advanced Arithmancy.'
There was not way she would be caught reading such a book in public.
She sighed and closed it with a snap. Most of the cheating charms listed, the ones that might actually work anyway, required a use of a wand and Harry had not touched his the entire class. Hermione doubted any of these old-fashioned spells would have slipped past Snape, in any case, the book looked like it had been in the library for at least a century and was undoubtedly well known to the teachers.
She rubbed her aching eyes. It was ironic that the only thing the time-turner could not give her was more sleep. She could not risk sleeping in the tower when also in class and empty classrooms never seemed to stay empty for a reliably long time.
Tossing the useless book aside, she reached for her actual Arithmancy book. Harry could have his small victory over Snape, she decided. He had had few enough reasons to feel happy this year, if this was what snapped him out of the dark mood that had overcome him since he had discovered the truth about Sirius Black, then so be it. Besides she thought to herself, what would she do if she found out how he had done it, report him? She knew she would not, it was cowardly, but she did not want to be left out in the cold again.
Harry laughed at something Neville said. Neville, pink faced next to him, looked flushed with pleasure. Such a small thing she thought.
"Scabbers is missing." Hermione looked up from her homework. Ron was attempting to keep the accusation out his voice and failing badly. She felt her stomach drop as his words sunk in.
"Are you sure?" she asked, then mentally winced as Ron's worried expression deepened into a frown.
"Course I am, I've ripped the whole bloody place apart, he's nowhere! Where's you're cat Hermione?"
"He's not here," Hermione said quickly, glad that it was true. "He's been out since last night. When was the last time you saw him?"
"Last night."
"Does he ever leave your room?" Hermione asked trying not to sound defensive. It was a delicate subject. Personally she thought that Ron should keep Scabbers in a cage of some kind, hers was not the only cat in the tower, but it would be an inadvisable time to bring that up.
"Not since your ginger demon decided he was on the menu," Ron said. Hermione chose to ignore that. He was not wrong that Crookshanks appeared to have it out for Scabbers. She had tried to keep him away from the boys dormitory but he was fiendishly good at getting around her charmswork. In fact, it seemed to make him all the more determined to go where she didn't want him to.
Ron had never tried to find a solution other than yell at her about it. Not that that would matter if Crookshanks had finally eaten him. For all his moaning about his manky rat, he had a special fondness for him. He would blame her, she thought with a sinking feeling and their newly repaired friendship would rupture once again.
"Let's search," Hermione said, a desperate determination seizing her. "Maybe he's just fallen asleep somewhere."
Ron did not look convinced by the joined her anyway. They worked their way down from the boys dormitories, but the rat was nowhere to be found.
"What are you guys doing?"
Hermione popped her head up from between two chairs to see the twins peering down at her. She got up, brushing carpet-crud from her knees.
"We're looking for Scabbers," she said, looking across at Ron who was on his hands and knees trying to peer under a heavy clawfoot armchair.
"Did that cat of yours finally put it out of its misery?" Fred, or perhaps George, said loudly. Hermione shot a worried look at Ron whose face was as dark as a thundercloud.
"We've not seen him since yesterday, have you?" Hermione said hurriedly.
"Never liked that rat, gave me the creeps," one of the twins said, scratching the back of his head with his wand. "Used to always find it in the bathroom when I wanted a shower."
"Scabbers just likes warm water," Ron hollered from the other side of the room.
"Really your cat would have been doing the world a favour," possibly-Fred stage whispered. They saw the look on her face and decided on a little mercy.
"Ok, ok," maybe-George said. "I've been wanting to try this spell for a while now anyway. "Accio Scabbers!"
There was silence as they listened. Then something rattled around the corner from the boys dormitories. A large bell-jar with a rat inside skidded to a stop in front of them. Scabbers had been suspended into the air, he rotated gently, his libs twisted to the point of pain, his face contorted in silent agony.
They stared down at it. Even the twins were speechless. Ron paled, and then purpled.
"Scabbers!" he tried to rip the lid of the jar off but it was stuck fast. The rat looked unconscious, it did not move as it's cage was yanked this way and that.
"Careful Ron you could hurt him," Hermione said shakily. "He must be enchanted, a statis spell of some kind."
Ron rounded on his brothers. "This is not funny, let him go!"
The twins looked at each other. "It wasn't us," they said simultaneously. Hermione believed them, they looked as disturbed as she felt.
"You knew where to find him!"
"We used a summoning spell, Ron," George said looking a bit ill. "We aren't that good at it yet so he must of been quite close. That's all we know."
They all turned to look at the stairs leading to the boys dormitories.
"Who would do this?" Ron said, he sounded completely lost, his face crumpled in the face of such cruelty. Hermione's heart ached for him as he wrapped his hands around the jar.
"We'll find out," Fred said grimly, "this is far beyond a joke."
"Have you fought with anyone lately?" Hermione asked, her stomach turning. Scabbers could not move, he could only blink helplessly up at them.
"Nobody in the tower," Ron said, "we need to take him to McGonagall."
Just then the portrait hole opened and Ginny, pink as a rose, came through. Harry's laughter followed her in as the portrait hole slid shut behind them.
"Hi guys," Harry raised his hand in their direction. His attention was focused on Ginny, who looked beyond the power of speech. She nodded enthusiastically at whatever Harry had just said. The poor girl was going to take weeks to recover from that smile directed at her.
"Harry."
Harry looked up at Ron's tone. His eyes focused on the bell-jar in Ron's arms and the smile dropped from his face. He was across the room in three powerful strides his face darkening with every step.
"What do you have there, Ron?"
Ron mutely held out the jar for Harry to see. Ginny gasped behind him, her hands flying to her mouth. Harry stared at the suspended rat. Hermione looked into his still face and her breath caught. Cold depthless fury pooled behind his eyes. The jovial mask of the last week swept away in a rush of hate that overtook even Ron's dawning anger.
He blinked and the look was gone, tucked away out of sight. He looked up at Ron, his concern evident.
"Where did you find him?"
"Fred summoned him," Ron said, his voice choked, "he came down from the boys dormitories."
Harry nodded, eyes still on the rat. He touched the jar gently. There was something ugly under his carefully controlled expression, Hermione thought, glad he was holding back for Ron's sake.
The poor animal's plight made her furious, her mind was already drawing a list of suspects, short though that list was, but Ron just looked devastated. He clutched the jar, unable to tear his eyes away from his pet.
Harry touched his shoulder gently. "We shouldn't try and open it, it could hurt him."
"We should go to McGonagall," Hermione said as calmly as she could manage.
Ron nodded, carefully cradling the jar. They drew up around him and made their way towards McGonagall's office.
"And you found him like this?"
They all nodded. McGonagall's office could barley accommodate all of them. They crowded around her desk as she peered into the jar, her face tight with anger.
"This is a grave matter, animal cruelty such as this goes far beyond a schoolyard prank," McGonagall said, "the perpetrators will be punished I assure you."
McGonagall looked over her spectacles at the rat. They watched expectantly as she tapped the glass with her wand, muttering spells under her breath. A small frown appeared between her eyes as they seemed to have no effect.
Ron fidgeted as McGonagall noted something down on a price of parchment.
"The jar appears to be recently enchanted," she said almost to herself. "Have you perhaps had any disagreements with some of the older boys?"
"No!" Ron said. McGonagall nodded absentmindedly, her focus taken completely by the jar.
"Yes it would be unlikely, this is beyond what we teach at Hogwarts."
She cast another spell, the light washed of the rat, it glowed green. McGonagall's eyes shot up to her hairline. She cast it again, and then another series of spells in quick succession. Whatever they told her made her sit back in her seat, looking deeply troubled. She opened her mouth and the appeared to change her mind.
"How long have you had this rat?" she asked instead.
"It's been in my family near eleven years," Ron said.
"And it's a common garden rat, not a magical breed?"
"No he's just a rat- will he be okay professor?" Ron begged his voice cracking. Scabbers looked no better than before her battery of tests, she had yet to even attempt to remove the jar that entrapped the poor creature. In fact she looked like she would rather not touch it at all,
"His life is presently in no danger Mr Weasley." McGonagall said briskly. She stood up abruptly and gathered her notes. With a flick of her wand the jar rose to hover by her shoulder.
"I must go and consult with Professor Dumbledore. For now, please return to your common room. I will bring you any news."
They watched her hurry off without another word. Ron watched her go, setting his face against the tears that gathered in his eyes. The twins placed a hand each on their little brother's arm, they did not look their usual joking selves, in fact they looked dangerous.
Hermione trailed them back to the common room, listening with half an ear to the traded speculation and plots of revenge. Something was bothering her. It was Harry's face she thought staring at the back of his head as he listened to Ron's ranting. She had seen anger on his face, hatred even at the sight of what had been done to Ron's pet.
What she hadn't seen was surprise.