HERMIONE GRANGER AND THE TALENT SHOW

HERMIONE GRANGER AND THE TALENT SHOW

Part IV

By Phoenix Tears

Author's note: I'm baaaaaaaack!! And with a new pen name too! I hope you enjoy this part of the series cos this is like, the turning point in the story. Anyway, I'll put another 'Author's note:' at the bottom of the page, once I've finished.

On the 15th August 1945, Grindelwald was seen apparating in front of the McKingston's. There, Grindelwald killed Mr and Mrs. McKingston, but Abigail McKingston and Byrce McKingston got awayWhen the14 year old twins were asked how they managed to escape Grindelwald's wrath, Byrce replied that their parents had seen Grindelwald come and had given then floo powder and had locked them in the living room, where a warm fire was blazing. They went directly to the Minister of Magic and told him what had happened. One week later, Abigail and Bryce were found dead in their rooms. To this day, investigators are unable to say whether Grindelwald had killed them, or if they had committed suicide. Two weeks later, Albus Dumbledore showed up in Salazar's Coven, and challenged Grindelwald to a duel. Some say that Tom Riddle was Grindelwald's second and that James Potter was Dumbledore's, but we shall never know, because only Grindelwald perished that fateful night. Grindelwald's supporters fled before Albus Dumbledore could turn his wand on them. Only one stayed. Tom Riddle. But Albus Dumbledore didn't see him, hidden by an invisibility cloak It is said that once Dumbledore apparated back to Hogwarts, Tom Riddle found the ashes to which Grindelwald was reduced, transformed them into Grindelwald's powers and locked them in a Box Of Powers, a box in which powers of a deceased can be put, and chanted a spell. When he said this spell, all of Grindelwald's powers were transferred into him. Maybe that is true, maybe it's not. But we do know that Tom Riddle became Lord Voldemort, and that the downfall of Grindelwald was almost certainly the reason for Tom Riddle's rise to evil.

Hermione Granger

Hermione smiled at herself. She had finished her History of Magic term paper in a record setting hour. Only two more papers to go and she would have no more work for the rest of the term, and it was only October! Harry and Ron hadn't even started on theirs, but as far as she was concerned, that wasn't her problem. She rolled up the parchment, tied a neat red ribbon around it and ran up to her dormitory where she put her work on a shelf next to her bed. Hermione smiled and ran down the stairs and sat down next to Harry in an armchair next to the fire.

"Let me guess, you've finished all your term papers." Harry groaned.

"No. I've still got Potions and Defense against the Dark Arts." Hermione replied, staring at the fire.

"You're such a perfectionist!" Harry smiled at her. Hermione laughed.

"You shut up!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Oh shut up! Both of you! You sound like two 8 year olds flirting!" Ron appeared behind them, wearing a Chesire cat grin. Harry blushed and Hermione laughed.

"Oh! That reminds me! Celestina Warbeck wants me to set you up with her." Hermione told Harry, as simply as if she had just told him that birds fly.

"WHAT?" Harry shouted. Hermione glanced at him. It was hard to tell whether he was surprised or angry.

"SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ME!" He shouted, attracting a few confused glances from the few people who were in the common room.

"Well, erm, Harry, my sister's a huge fan of hers and she told me that Celestina has been following your exploits since her parents told her about you."

"SO! THAT DOESN'T MEAN SHE KNOWS ME!" Harry looked slightly delirious.

"HERMIONE!" She jumped at the sound of her name. "TELL HER I SAID NO!"

Ron was looking at his best friend like he had just refused 1,000,000,000 galleons. Hermione sighed.

"Fine. But it won't be my fault if she's heartbroken."

Harry mumbled something about Celestina not being heartbroken since she didn't know him.

"Harry!" Colin Creevey ran up to the trio. Harry rolled his eyes. " I've got a message from Professor Dumbledore. Hey, Harry can I have your picture?" He said, handing Harry the note.

"Not now Colin" Harry sighed. Colin's face fell and he walked off, looking at his feet. Hermione couldn't help feeling sorry for him. She heard Harry gasp.

"What is it?" Ron asked, looking over Harry's shoulder. Harry handed him the letter. Ron's reaction being almost exactly the same as Harry's Hermione snatched the note from Ron's hands and read it herself.

Dear Mr. Potter,

It is to our great happiness that we announce to you that you are a candidate for the post of announcer at this years inter-school talent show. If you accept, please come to The Entrance Hall at 3.00 PM. The other candidates are: Diane Lefrere, Sharles Hawken, Lee Jordan, Olivia Noixbrune and Julia Hermick.

Good luck!

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Hermione gasped.

"Don't tell me you're not going." Ron groaned. "Who cares if they don't know you."

"Oh I'm going! Trust me on that one!" Harry had a grin on his face so big that Hermione could see his back teeth.

"So, let me get this straight. You won't go on a date with the world famous Celestina Warbeck, but you'll agree on trying out to be something that, if you don't mind me saying, you might have difficulty auditioning for, seeing how tense the competion is."

"So, what's your point." Harry said. He looked as though someone had just accused him of stealing the Hope Diamond

"Nothing." Ron sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Hey! Harry!" George Weasley ran up to them, a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. They need a replacement seeker for the Ravenclaw quidditch team, but only for the show." George added, seeing Ron's face light up with glee, then fall again. "They said that they can be from any house as long as they're on a team."

"Well, I might not be able to." Harry grunted. "I'm trying out to be the announcer for the show already. If I get the part, I won't be able to do it."

"I'll try out." Ron said, snatching the piece of paper out of George's hands and reading it. " It doesn't say anything about it having to be a seeker."

"What time is it? I should start going down for the rehearsals."

"2.30." Ginny squeaked from behind a book. She was sitting in a chair right behind Hermione. She still felt pretty upset about not being selected to represent Hogwarts in the talent show, no matter how many times Hermione tried to console her.

"Right. Thanks Ginny." She picked up her bag from a table and walked out of the common room. When she arrived in the Great Hall, Almost thirty people were already there, either sitting down reading pieces of paper out loud, practicing dance moves in a corner, flying on broomsticks, singing to themselves, talking to friends, or, like Cho Chang, watching people practicing with a smile, but extreme nervousness in their eyes. As soon as Cho saw Hermione walk in however, she laughed and pointed to the far corner of the hall. Celestina was surrounded by a crowd of fans, signing pieces of paper as they came into her face. She did all this with a massive smile on her face. But Hermione could see her teeth were clenched. Hermione smiled a bit, then sighed. Poor Celestina. Hermione hoped Harry's life wouldn't amount to that. Hermione walked over to Cho, who smiled and nodded at a seat next to her. Hermione took it, and heard Cho say:

"What are you doing?"

"Singing. What about you?"

"Story-telling." Cho's eyes welled up with tears. "I wrote a story on my relationship with Cedric."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't you fault. Harry came up to me the other day and started apologizing to me about Cedric. But I just told him that he couldn't have done anything, that the only person who was at fault was Voldemort, and that Cedric would have wanted to thank him for saving his life in the maze. I think I gave him a million reasons for him not to feel guilty for the rest of his life."

Hermione sighed

"You should have seen him after the tournament, he was totally out of it. He offered to give away the money he'd won a million times or something. I don't know what he did with it though."

Cho looked at the ground for a minute. Neither of them said anything. They were surrounded by voices, screaming fans and the whooshing of broomsticks as they flew overhead. Finally, Hermione heard Professor Flitwick squeak:

"Attention please! Richard Philpson, could you please come down. Flying is not permitted in the great hall, unless you are given permission!" A few people groaned at this, but within ten seconds, Hermione could no longer hear voices coming from above.

"Today, we will only be rehearsing the running order." He flicked his wand and instantly a piece of paper appeared in everybody's hands. " The Dancers will go first, Then the Quidditch performers, then the singers and the story tellers will go last. Hogwarts will always perform first, then Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will go last. Now, if the Hogwarts representatives for dancing could go on stage, please?"

Jon Fratcher and 3 other 7th years walked onto a stage that had been specially set up for the occasion.

"Starting postitions please!" They turned, their backs facing the audience.

"Finishing positions!" They walked to the front of the stage and slid into the splits.

"Thank you! Please have a seat and wait until the end of the rehearsal!"

Professor Flitwick screamed the same three sentences at least ten times before Hermione heard:

"The Hogwarts representative for singing please!"

Hermione gulped and climbed onto the stage. She heard a few whispers, people voicing their disbelief that that Gryffindor girl who always had her nose buried in a book was somewhere else than in the library, and doing something else than reading. A few of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students recognized her from two years ago and pointed at her and whisper about her going out with Victor Krum! Hermione glanced and saw her arguing with Frederik Derasa. Hermione bit her lip and Professor Flitwick shouted

"Starting position please!"

She took a step forwards.

"Finishing position please!"

She took a step back. A few people giggled and whispered, no doubt making fun of her boring presentation. Hermione saw Cho giving Frederik a silencing glare.

"Thank you! Please have a seat and wait until the end of the rehearsal!"

Hermione jumped off the stage and walked over to Cho, who had an incredibly furious fire in her eyes.

"I don't believe that bloody Frederik! You know what he just said? He said that a mudblood who cares about studying more than anything shouldn't even be here! I don't believe that bastard!" Cho took a deep breath and looked at Hermione earnestly.

"I'm so sorry Hermione. That bastard just got the best of me I guess."

"It's ok. I'm used to it. Ever wonder why I'm always so angry at Ron and Harry?"

Cho sighed.

"I just wish he would keep his mouth shut. A mudblood...I thought he had more common sense."

Hermione smiled.

"Don't worry about it."

For a minute there was silence between the two girls. Then:

"The Hogwarts representative for Story-telling please!" Cho sighed and walked over to the stage.

"Starting position please. Cho looked ahead, and did nothing.

"Finishing position please!"

Cho did nothing.

"Thank you! Please take a seat and wait until the end of the rehearsal!"

Cho walked off the stage, casting furious glares in Frederik's direction, who pretended to cower in fear. But then Frederik went one step further. He mimicked someone studying, then singing opera and having a heart attack and dying. A few students, notably pure bloods laughed heatedly at this, but Cho did exactly the opposite of laughing. She walked over to Frederik and slapped him so hard around the face that he stumbled and fell backwards, hitting his head hard against a bench. Cho looked at him furiously again, and walked over to Hermione.

"Don't even think of taking his insults to heart Herm. That idiot comes from the most prejudice family in the wizarding world, I'm surprised he didn't get into Slytherin!"

"Cho, I told you not to worry about it!"

"Hermione, it's almost more my problem than it is yours! That asshole actually asked me out on Monday. You can be sure I'm not going anymore!"

Again, no one could think of anything to say. But before long Professor Flitwick sent blue fireworks up in the air to get attention

"The next rehearsal will be tomorrow at 7.00 PM. Please be punctual! You may go now!"

Hermione got her bag as Cho put of her cloak. "Hey, Herm, me and a couple of friends are having a party on Saturday, around 8.00. You want to come?"

"Sure. Where is it?"

"In the abandoned classroom of the fifth floor of The Merlin Wing. You can bring Harry and Ron if you want."

"OK. See you tomorrow then!"

"Bye!"

Hermione took the ten-minute walk to the Gryffindor common room. When she got there, she saw Ron and Harry talking excitedly by the common room fire.

"Hermione! How was the rehearsal?"

"Not too good. Frederik Derasa called me a mudblood and now I'm labeled as 'that girl from Gryffindor who always has her nose buried in a book who the teachers chose to be in the talent show because of her grades' and the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang people remember me as 'the girl who went out with Victor Krum and dumped him for the red-head kid who liked Fleur Delacour who she broke up with two months later'."

Ron went very red in the face.

"One good thing happened though. Cho invited us all to a party on Saturday."

"She what?"

"Invited us to a party. Are you coming."

"When?"

"On Saturday, I just told you that!"

"When on Saturday?"

"Around 8.00."

"We can't. Quidditch practice."

"Ugh. Can't you postpone it?"

"Sorry Herm. This is one practice we can't postpone. The field is booked all month."

"Fine. I'll ask Cho if I can bring Ginny."

The trio was quiet for five minutes.

"So how were the auditions?" Hermione asked.

"Mine went OK." Ron said. "You should have seen the amount of people who showed up. Even Malfoy came!"

"Mine sucked. Those people from Beauxbatons were so good! I don't think the Durmstrang students are much competition, but Lee and those two from Beauxbatons were excellent."

Hermione yawned.

" I need sleep." She said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She climbed up the stairs to her dormitory and fell into bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

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"I have some very interesting information Master, concerning the capture and execution of Harry Potter." A shadowed figure said. A cloak hid his face, but his voice was disguised by a voice changing charm.

"What is it?" Voldemort asked, his red eyes glinting with excitement.

"There is to be a party in Hogwarts. Hermione Granger, the mudblood who is friends with Harry Potter. Is to attend." An evil smile crossed his face.

"What use is this information to me?" Voldemort asked. There was an impatient growl in his voice in his voice, which told the spy to hurry up.

"Hermione Granger" He said, over-enunciating the name, as he found it tricky "Is the key to the capture of Harry Potter. Our spy in Gryffindor has found out that Harry Potter has grown quite fond of this girl. We kidnap Hermione Granger at the party and Harry Potter will go to the depths of the Ocean to save her."

"Excellent." Voldemort smiled. A smile that would chill the bravest of men to the bone

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Authors note: I'M FINISHED!!!!!! This story took me ages so please, pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase review!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any questions? E-mail me @

Tearful_phoenix@hotmail.com

C Ya!

Phoenix Tears