Harry, Ron and Hermione walked into the library. Ron had an annoyed look on his face.
"We've been here ten times today!" Ron complained loudly. Harry nodded agreeing with Ron.
"I don't think I can write any more for Professor Binns's essay."
"It's not just for the essay, which I think both of you could have done a better job on, but it's about the rumors going around about that castle in the U.S." Hermione explained
She walked off and started searching through books, running her finger down the spines of most any book. Ron started to turn around and walk out of the library when there was a flash of light and it felt as if they were falling into darkness. They landed on a hard stone floor in what appeared to be a dark corridor. Harry stood up rubbing his back where he landed.
"Where the bloody hell are we?" Ron shouted angrily getting up off the floor.
"I don't think we're in Hogwarts any more." Harry said uneasily. They heard Hermione stand and walk in a circle. She stopped and looked at the book in her hands. She turned and looked at them.
"I think I know where we are." Ron shot her a menacing look.
"We're in Arcadia University also known as Beaver College."
"Beaver College? But isn't that in … you know … America?" Ron stammered.
Harry turned to look at Hermione whose face had gone as red as Ron's hair. She nodded her head and opened the book. Hermione flipped through different pages, while Ron and Harry remained silent.
"Alright, I've figured out where we are in the Castle, we're in the Grey Towers." Harry thought for a moment. Grey Towers. It sounded familiar. Maybe it was something Professor Binns mentioned in class. Then he had another thought. If they got here by the book then maybe…
"Hermione! If the book got us here all we have to do is turn to a certain page in the book to get back right?"
"Not necessarily, I've read about transporting books and some only transported people to a place and not back. A witch once was sent all the way to Antarctica and was never able to get back." Hermione told Harry.
"I guess it's time for another adventure then." Harry said bravely. He turned around to start searching the castle when he walked straight through a ghost. It felt like taking a shower with freezing cold water, but it was even worse. The color-drained form Ron's face and Hermione dropped her book with a thud.
"Who are you?" the large, frightful looking ghost asked.
"I-I … a-am … R-R-Ron." He said almost as if he were asking a question.
"Hi, R-R-Ron." The ghost said cheerfully. Ron had his mouth agape and Harry pushed him aside to talk to this ghost.
"Would you mind telling us who you are?"
Before the ghost had time to answer Hermione shouted, "I know who you are! You're right here in the book, it says usually on your journey to this castle you will meet a friendly ghost… but the rest is smudged. I can't make it out." She turned to look at the ghost for help, but he said nothing.
"Apparently your no help." Ron said slightly annoyed. They walked along the hall leaving the ghost. They came across a grand staircase that was a beautiful peace of work. The whole thing was made out of marble and had decorations all along the sides.
"Wow! It's almost as long as mine at the Burrow." Ron said while being fairly proud his own large staircase.
Hermione still had her nose in the book and was quite interested in what it said.
"Race you up, Harry?" Harry shrugged and turned to look at how long this staircase really was.
"Come on, Harry." Ron urged
"Oh, alright." Harry replied
"Wait!" Hermione shouted but it was too late for Ron he was already running up the steps. Harry however had stopped and turned to look at her.
"What?" He asked.
"Ron might choke! These stairs are cursed; it says so in the book. No one is able to run up them with out choking."
Harry turned his head to look at Ron, who was now slowing down and having trouble breathing. Harry started up the steps slowly with Hermione trailing behind him. It seemed to take forever to get to Ron. Once they did Harry sat on the step and tried to help him.
"Try taking off his shirt." Hermione said.
Harry ripped the shirt off luckily not pulling off any buttons. Color came back to his face and his breathing was back to normal. They climbed the few steps left before putting Ron's shirt back on him.
"You all right, Ron?" they asked in unison.
"Alright." He replied
Hermione opened the book again. Ron and Harry turned to look at her, waiting to hear what to do.
"If we make a right we would be going towards the mirror room. If we make a left we would be heading towards the red room." She said.
"What kind of rooms are those?" Ron asked curiously.
"I don't know. I'll have to read more on page thirteen…"
"No!" Ron shouted. Hermione stopped turning the page. Harry looked at Ron confused.
"You can't thirteen is a bewitched number." Ron said making Harry even more confused.
"How can a number be bewitched?" Harry asked.
"In the Muggle world on Friday the thirteenth crazy things go on right? Well, George told me that crazy things go on in their world because even worse things happen in our world, just because thirteen is a bad number." Ron explained.
"Do you really always take Fred and George seriously?" Hermione asked bewildered why he should believe George.
"Well, sometimes."
"Then since we can't turn the page," Hermione said taking a side glance at Ron, "We might as well go to the mirror room?"
Harry who was getting confused even more by the second asked why.
"Well, uh…it's…a… I don't know… because," she paused "Well, I don't know." Hermione spat out. Ron was looking at her with a grin on his face.
"Finally, something she doesn't know." He laughed a little. Then Harry turned to look at him.
"Ron, we have to work together we can't bother with this right now. We have to be serious." Harry said with a hint of anger in his voice.
"Alright, alright."
He pulled out his wand and muttered, "Lumos." But instead of his wand lighting up all of the torches lit up in the hall.
"Spooky." Ron said.
He pocketed his wand and they continued on. They could here the wind blowing outside and the swing of some old doors in the wind. The torches gave a little light, while the shadows made were dancing on the walls. Water dripped while stair creaked. They finally came to two large oak doors, almost the size of the doors in the Great Hall.
"I can hear music." Harry said creeping up to the door. He tried to open the door, but it was locked.
"Hermione, work your charm." He said.
Hermione stepped up to the door and said "Alohamora."
The doors opened and they stepped in. They were able to see many different people dancing to the music they heard which seemed to have become much louder.
"Harry, Harry." A voice called. Harry turned around looking for who said it. He turned and looked at Hermione.
"Did you call my name?"
"No."
Harry stepped completely into the room looking for someone calling his name. His clothes changed into a tuxedo. He stopped walking and stared down at them. He turned to look at Hermione and Ron. Hermione had a beautiful periwinkle dress on that made her look like a god. Ron, however, was looking down at his clothes with disgust.
"How can Muggles wear these?" Harry and Hermione laughed. Then Harry heard the voice again.
"Harry, Harry." But this time bother Hermione and Ron heard it. They all wandered around looking for who would be calling Harry.
"Harry, right here." The voice said. Harry who was looking to the right side of the room turned his head slowly to see Sirius.
"Sirius!" Harry jumped happily at seeing his godfather. Ron and Hermione turned and looked happily at Sirius.
"How are you all?" Sirius asked.
"Alright, but why are you here?" Harry asked.
"I'm in hiding aren't? So I would be hiding here."
"But, wouldn't they," Hermione said pointing to the other people in the room, "Hand you over to the Ministry?"
Sirius shook his head. "No, they aren't even real people. They're a reflection of the past."
Ron apparently was totally lost and did not understand what Sirius was saying at all. Sirius chuckled at the look on Ron's face and started to explain.
"This is the mirror room, but not an ordinary mirror room. Instead of showing your reflection the mirror shows the past. Right now this room portrays the night Mr. and Mrs. Harrison met. Look there." He pointed to a figure who was tall had dark hair and had a prominent nose. "That's Mr. Harrison. And over there," he said pointing to a slender woman with bright blond hair in a dress similar to the one Hermione was wearing, "is Mrs. Harrison." The three stood there looking on at the ball with great interest. How could it be possible to see both Mr. and Mrs. Harrison plain as day and not as a ghost? They were dead after all. Harry thought about this. He turned to ask Sirius his question but he was gone.
"Where'd Sirius go?" He asked quickly.
"Bloody hell! He's gone!" Ron said amazed. "He must have disapperated, I guess."
Hermione was walking towards the young version of Mrs. Harrison. Harry ran to catch up with her. He did not want her to talk to Mrs. Harrison because he did not know exactly what would happen especially if this was from the past and whatever happened might change the present, so to stop her he blurted out whatever came to his head.
"Hermione, do you want to dance?" Harry asked not knowing what he had said. Hermione stopped walking and turned to look at him. At first she looked baffled, then the baffled look turned into a smile.
"I thought you'd never ask." She said jokingly or at least Harry thought that was how she said it. They walked together to the center of the room. Harry held out his hand and they started dancing. Harry had no idea how he was doing it because he, well, could not dance. Hermione saw the amazed look on his face and smiled. They looked for Ron in the crowd. They saw him over by the food table, which made them laugh. Ron had a thing for food. The song ended, but they did not stop dancing. Harry looked in the mirror to see what the two of them looked like together, but he didn't see Hermione and him. He saw what he thought was Mr. and Mrs. Harrison. He stopped abruptly and so did Mr. Harrison in the mirror. Hermione, confused at Harry's actions stopped and looked at the mirror. Her jaw dropped and so did Mrs. Harrison's. They stood there doing nothing for what seemed like ages. Then Harry finally spoke.
"How…what…" He couldn't get out what he wanted to say. One of the people at the past ball, stopped next to them. It was an elderly lady who was wearing what looked like a bird in her hair and a black dress with many frills. "You two look lovely tonight." She said.
"Thanks?" Harry said.
"Excuse me," Hermione said as the lady started walking away, "Do we know you?"
"Of course, don't you remember me?" she asked with a quizzical look. "It's been awhile since you've seen me, I was your nanny." Harry stared at her. Hermione gave the women a look like she was crazy. "To whom?" Harry asked.
"Oh, not you dear boy, but your lovely wife to be." She responded.
"Blimey." Harry said quietly so neither the woman nor Hermione could hear him. The nanny walked away and joined another conversation. Hermione and Harry had completely stopped dancing. The music continued to play, but they didn't hear it. Harry let go of Hermione and ran to where she put the book down before they began dancing. Harry flipped through the pages looking for the part on the mirror room. It read:
The mirror room has been told to show the ball the night Mr. and Mrs. Harrison met and fell in love at first sight. Legend has it you are only able to witness them dancing if you dance with your own true love. Once you start dancing you will play the roles of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison and everyone will believe you are them, unless you had any companions travel with you, who will still see you for who you are.
Harry gulped. He didn't believe any of it but still it made him wonder. He handed the book to Hermione and told her to read it. He watched her face while she read and look for her expression. Hermione read the entire passage without changing the look on her face. She closed the book and looked up at Harry.
"You seriously can't believe this rubbish, Harry." Hermione said a little perturbed.
Harry was amazed she didn't believe it at all. Whenever Hermione wanted to know the truth, she consulted a book now she was saying a book was wrong. As if reading his mind she said, "I don't think the book is wrong. I think that legend has it wrong, because we can't … c-can't…you know…"
"Can't be true love." Harry finished for her.
"Yes, exactly." She said nodding her head. Harry decided to drop the subject. They headed for the food table where Ron was pigging out. Ron waved with a hand that was holding a chicken leg.
"Oo wat shum?" Ron asked.
"What?" Hermione asked.
Ron swallowed and answered, "Do you want some?" Hermione had a look of disgust on her face, signaling Ron a no. Ron shrugged and grabbed some more for himself. They watched him eat for another minute before Harry started talking. "I think we should leave this room there is nothing else we can do here and it doesn't look like we can find our way back to Hogwarts from this room." Harry and Hermione started walking out the door but Ron stopped. He was staring at Mrs. Harrison. The look on his face told them that he had fallen for her and there was no stopping him. Ron stood up straight and walked towards Mrs. Harrison.
"NOOO!" Harry shouted, but Ron was oblivious of it. He continued walking Hermione rushed forward. Harry thought about what might happen if he changed anything in the room. Hermione had already had a firm grip on Ron when Harry finally came out of his thoughts.
"We have to get him out of this room!" Hermione shouted at Harry. He nodded while grabbing Ron's other arm. Together they dragged him out into the corridor and slammed the doors shut with a bang. They hadn't noticed that their clothes were back to their school robes. Ron who was still slightly dazed turned and looked at them.
"What you do that for? We were meant for each other." Said Ron. Hermione snorted making Ron give her an angry glance.
"You were meant for each other?" Harry asked quizzically, "It's almost like the legend in the book that Hermione and I are meant to be together." At those words Hermione's head dropped slightly as if disappointed about what he said, but Harry didn't notice his eyes were fixed on Ron.
"You saw the way she was looking at me! You know she was meant to be with me, but you don't want to admit it because you liked her!" Ron shouted back at Harry. Hermione lifted up her head and the look on her face became as stern as McGonagal's.
"Ron! How can you be so stupid? Mr. and Mrs. Harrison were meant to be together; otherwise they wouldn't be Mr. and Mrs. Harrison." She said stressing the Mr. and Mrs. All Ron could do was stutter. Harry, Ron, and Hermione started walking along the corridor without speaking to each other. They could hear a storm beginning outside and the sound of the wind thrashing against the tress. Their steps echoed off the walls as they trudged slowly back to the grand staircase. When they stood at the top of the staircase, Ron's face went white. Hermione continued to descend the stairs with Harry behind her. They didn't stop until they heard Ron make a squeak. Hermione turned and was about to start on Ron how he should not be afraid of stairs, but Harry sent her a look telling her to stop. She closed her mouth and climbed back up to where Ron had froze. The three of them stood there for so long it felt like eons. Finally, Harry broke the awkward silence. "I guess we could head to the other room Hermione mentioned, the red room." He said uncertainly. Hermione nodded and Ron shrugged. They rotated and started walking towards the red room. Hermione walked a few paces ahead of the two boys, which was what Harry wanted so he could have a word with Ron. Once Hermione was fully out of hearing range he started talking in a low whisper. "Ron, we really should go down that staircase."
"I'm not going down those things." Ron whispered hoarsely.
"But, we might never get out of here then. There's gotta be a way out off the ground floor but we can't get out from up here."
"Then, why did she steer us up the steps?"
"You were the one that started running up them." Harry said.
Ron shook his head in disappointment. Then a smile spread across his face. "Now what's up with you two being true love?" He asked loud enough so Hermione could hear.
"Ron, its just a legend. Nothing else." Harry retorted. Ron chuckled. They then heard Hermione scream. "Hermione!" They shouted together. They ran straight ahead towards the red room and ran in to find Hermione paralyzed at the site of the room. They gazed at the room and saw what made her scream. The small oval room was painted a blood red with a red carpet. In the walls were cracks were they could see blood dripping down the walls. They heard a ripping noise and another crack appeared and more blood oozed out onto the floor. Blood was spitting from everywhere. They spun on their heels to run out, but the door slammed shut in their faces. They heard the blood splatting and spitting. A few more cracks formed in the walls. Harry pulled out his wand not knowing what good it would do him. He tried to unlock the door. "Alohamora!" He shouted. Nothing happened. "Bloody hell!" Ron shouted.
"Don't say bloody." Hermione told Ron with her face turning whiter by the second. Just when they thought they would end up dieing in the midst of the room drowned by blood, they heard a snapping noise and all the blood froze. Some droplets stood still in midair. The blood oozing down the sides of the walls stayed put. Hermione grabbed Harry with fear. Ron clutched his wand so his knuckles were ghostly white. Harry stood one hand on his wand still and his other hand trying to calm Hermione. Then it happened. The torches went out with the breeze that suddenly filled the room. In came from the only window a figure, tall and shady. It was wearing a black, worn robe. It spoke to Harry, Ron and Hermione. "Enjoying your stay?" The voice sounded familiar to Harry, yet it seemed out of place. The outline of the figure loomed over them while they cowered with fear. Ron spoke mustering up all the bravery and strength he had in him. "If you must know, we are having the time of our lives."
"And we plan on staying for a while." Hermione added letting go of Harry. Harry who was catching on to what they were doing took a step forward. "Never would imagine of leaving, really." The cloaked figure snapped his fingers and the chandelier was lit again. He pulled down his hood to show the face of Lord Voldemort. Harry's scar burned with unimaginable pain. Voldemort laughed the same laugh when he murdered Harry's parents. It was cold like a cry of an animal in pain and was inhumane. Hermione and Ron had never come face to face with Voldemort before and knew not of what he looked like. Now, Hermione had her mouth open as if in a silent scream. Ron's knuckles were completely white and his face was white with fear, but had a look of bravery. Voldemort's laugh rang in their ears for some time. Hermione was the first to speak to Voldemort. "We will never be afraid of you. There is no need to be afraid of you. We will never lose against you even if we die." Voldemort laughed at what she said.
"Silly girl…" but Hermione cut him off.
"How dare you call me a silly girl!" She was outraged. Snape had always called her a silly girl and many more times did others call her a silly girl. She hated the sound of it; she hated it mostly because it was a lie. She was not a silly girl and she, Ron, and Harry knew that she was nowhere near silly.
"I'm not a silly girl! Nor will I ever be silly for I am not ignorant nor am I unable to understand." Hermione's face had gone red with rage. All Voldemort did was tut and continued on talking.
"You should be afraid, very afraid. Once and for all I shall be rid myself of the constant barrier in my way from becoming almighty and I shall do it in the same room Mr. Harrison has so kindly made to store bodies for ages. All of them were killed in this house. This is exactly where I will store your carcasses." He snapped his fingers causing the blood to start running down the walls again. Harry felt his stomach turn. He didn't want to put Ron and Hermione in danger just because of himself. He could not let Voldemort touch them. He was determined to do everything in his power to prevent that.
"Now where shall I begin?" Voldemort said happily with a childish grin on his face. He scanned over the trio and his eyes landed on Hermione.
"Yes, I think the silly little girl should be the first to go." He said maliciously.
"NO!" Harry and Ron shouted. They clutched their wands and shouted their spells, but Voldemort was quicker and deflected them back. Harry dodged his almost getting hit on the ear. Ron, however, was not so lucky. His body-binding curse hit him full on. He fell to the floor with a splash as he landed into the pool of blood at their feet.
"Fools, you are no match for Lord Voldemort!" He roared. "I will prevail. Power will prevail." Hermione spat on Voldemort's feet.
"You shall not prevail with Dumbledore still alive." Hermione said just as nastily as Voldemort. Harry though scared agreed with Hermione, silently. There was no way Voldemort could win if Dumbledore was still around. He'd bet that even Voldemort knew that. There was a loud tearing noise. A whole portion of the wall ripped and out tumbled mangled bodies with arms and legs missing. Some were so gruesome that no one would dare even think of their appearance. With the bodies came tons of blood. The puddle of blood was up to their knees now. Hermione and Harry grabbed Ron's shoulders to hold him up so he would not drown in the fluid.
"Blood is so wonderful isn't it?" Voldemort asked. "Why blood was the thing that gave me the power to touch you." He stepped up next to Harry and stroked the side of his cheek. Harry's scar burned unbearably. His knees bent and he sank down to the floor. He could feel the wet, warm blood against his skin. Ron fell next to him making a splash. Hermione picked him up. Voldemort gave a high cackling laugh. "Imperio!" Voldemort shouted while pointing his wand at Hermione. She dropped Ron, who luckily landed face up. Hermione walked to the walls under the Imperius Curse. She ripped at them letting more and more mangled bodies and blood fall to the floor.
"Fight it Hermione!" Harry shouted. "You can do it Hermione! Think about why you are doing it! Think Hermione! Think!" Hermione had to beat the curse. There was nothing he can do other then try to help her by saying encouraging words. In between shouting at Hermione, he tried to think of the body-binding counter curse. He muttered it and now both he and Ron were shouting directions at Hermione. She was showing signs that she was fighting. Her work wasn't as smooth and every now and then she stopped. Eventually, she overcame it and Voldemort gave up. Hermione was back to her normal self, but she looked very tired and weak. Harry knew fighting the Imperius Curse took a lot out of a person. Ron and Harry helped her stand. They pivoted to face the door and shouted the Reductor Curse and blasted a hole through the door. They scrambled out of it. Blood and body parts flowed out behind them. They ran down the corridor with their shoes squeaking from blood, they made a distinct trail. They heard from behind them Voldemort shout Avada Kedavra. At that moment Ron fell at their side. Hermione screamed. Harry kneeled down at his side. He felt for a pulse, there was none. He then knew Ron was dead. It reminded him of Cedric's death. Harry could not move on. Hermione stood petrified at the site. Tears ran down her cheeks. A thought came into Harry's mind. How come he was not dead? How come he was not with Ron now? Why would Voldemort only kill one of them? He turned to look at where he heard Voldemort shout the Killing Curse. Voldemort stood behind three ghosts. It looked as if they had stopped him from going anywhere. He heard the ghosts speak.
"You shall not harm these children!" Said what seemed to be an older version of Mrs. Harrison.
"Move if you know what is good for you!" Voldemort shouted back.
"We will not move." Said a ghost to the right of Mrs. Harrison. Harry had no idea how they were stopping the one and only Lord Voldemort if they were only ghosts and he could easily walk straight trough them.
"Leave." Said the third ghost. Hermione and Harry heard someone scrambling up the steps. "Sirius!" Harry shouted. Sirius was climbing the cursed stairs slowly making sure he was not going to choke. Harry saw Hermione give a weak smile through her tears. Sirius came up and stood next to Harry and Hermione. "I will not let anything happen to you. Never will I let Voldemort hurt you." He told them reassuringly.
He stepped towards Voldemort and pulled out his wand. He had a menacing look on his face. "You will never harm an innocent creature again, Voldemort your glory days are over!" Sirius shouted. He walked ever closer to Voldemort. The three ghosts still stood in place. "Don't cast a spell on him." Warned one ghost. "All that will happen is we will absorb it and become more dangerous to walk through." Sirius stopped walking. That's why Voldemort wasn't attacking Harry and Hermione. Voldemort had already tried to kill them and it hit the ghosts. Now they contained the power to kill whoever walked through them.
"Then, the boy, Ron, isn't dead?" Sirius asked the ghosts. They all nodded their heads in response. "The boy has only been stunned for You-Know-Who's Killing Curse went through us then hit the boy, weakening the spell." Said Mrs. Harrison's ghost. Hermione squeaked. Harry's eyes widened. "He-he's alive?" Harry asked Hermione. All she could do was nod her head. She kneeled down beside Ron and as if he could hear her whispered in his ear. "You're alright, Ron. You're alright." Voldemort the whole time was scowling over the event. He could not harm any of them and he could not move from the place where he stood.
He finally spoke. "You think you've won now have you? You think just something as simple as this would stop me? Ha! You have under estimated the powers of Lord Voldemort!" He then laughed shrilly. There was a pop and he was gone. Voldemort had disapperated. Harry turned and looked at Sirius bewildered. Hermione still sat next to Ron on the floor. No one spoke. Even the ghosts seemed perplexed. Then they heard another pop and Voldemort stood in front of them again. He had his wand held high over his head ready to shout his spell. His narrow eyes darted to Hermione. "No!" Harry shouted he dove in front of Hermione just as Voldemort and Sirius shouted their spells. (Avada Kedavra and Expelliarmus). The two spells combined and hit Harry who blocked them from hitting Hermione. It had an interesting effect. Harry floated in mid air and then his arms were bound to his side then he flipped over and fell face flat on the floor. The ghosts again approached Voldemort and circled around him. Hermione left Ron's side for Harry's. She pulled out her wand and unbound his arms from his side. They had a feeling Voldemort was going to disapperate and apperate again. "Run you two!" Sirius shouted. "No, what about Ron?" Harry shouted back. Sirius ran towards Harry and Hermione knowing they would not leave their friend behind. He was too much like James "Harry, I'm going to wake him up. It's just like waking someone up from being stunned. Then take Hermione and Ron downstairs as fast you can but be careful."
He stopped because Voldemort laughed. "You think you can help them get away, Sirius? Ha. You are nothing against me." He disapperate. Sirius quickly muttered the spell and Ron was back. Hermione shrieked with joy. "Go!" Sirius shouted. Harry grabbed Ron and Hermione, but had no idea where to go because Sirius didn't finish telling them. As they started down the stairs they heard a pop and they knew Voldemort had apperated. They didn't turn around to look, but Harry knew that the ghosts would circle around him again and Sirius would try to disarm him. They heard another pop as Voldemort disapperated again. They had reached the bottom of the stairs. "Where to?" Ron asked. Harry glanced around. He looked at Hermione for help. She flipped open the book. "We don't have time." Ron yelled getting even tenser. "Look, here on the map. There's a portal that I didn't see before. It's down that hall." Hermione said pointing to her right.
They ran straight down the hall. There was an extremely loud pop and Voldemort appeared right in front of them. Before he could do anything, they all shouted Expelliarmus. It took the same effect as it did on Snape the night in the Shrieking Shack. Voldemort was knocked out. "Love to stay and chat, but we gotta go." Harry said to the limp Voldemort. They continued down the hall. They came to a room the size of a closet. "This is it." Hermione said. "This is it?" Ron asked and Hermione nodded her head again. "How do we work it?" Harry asked a bit rushed to get out of the castle and back to Hogwarts. She again went through the book. She read aloud a passage. "To use the portal all leaving must enter the room. Then lock the door. Each person in the room should hold their wands and say the transportation spell. If all goes well you will be transported back to where you were. Alright, let's try it."
Hermione pulled out her wand and Harry and Ron followed. They entered the portal and locked the door. "We should all say it at the same time." Harry said. "On the count of three. One…two…three." The trio shouted the spell and they felt like they were falling into darkness. They landed with a thud on the library floor. They were all covered in sweat and blood. Harry's hair was even more a skew then normal. Ron was still somewhat white and Hermione just looked plain tired. Harry smiled at her and she smiled back. They started laughing. Ron joined in. They were a pitiful sight. They all were sprawled out on the library floor laughing covered in blood and sweat.
The doors to the library opened and Professor McGonagal came in. "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger follow me." She said. They followed her up he office and they all took a seat. "Now, explain yourselves." Professor McGonagal said. They all started at once trying to explain. "Stop." McGonagal said. "So far the only thing I've gotten out of what you said is something about a transporting book. Since I will surely believe you three didn't make that book, I will get Professor Dumbledore to sort things out and dispose of the book." She stood up and left to get Dumbledore. The three sat in silence for a while. "I'll be right back." Ron said. "Wait you can't go. McGonagal will kill you." Hermione said. "She'll kill me for going to the bathroom?" Ron asked. Hermione waved him on with a laugh and he left. Hermione turned to look at Harry. "You were great, Harry." She said with a smile. "No, I wasn't. You were the one that was great." He said back. "What you call saving my life not great?" She asked with a bit of a laugh. Harry laughed and smiled. Hermione leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks." She said and Harry had felt what it was like to be in heaven.