Chapter 2: A Rift in Time
"So who do you think it was that arrived this morning?" Ginny asked from where she sat, spread-eagled across the lounge in the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione glanced up from her seat on the floor, in front of the table on which her books were spread across. "Definitely Ministry from the look of him. No doubt called to help deal with all of the recent 'incidents' we've been experiencing."
Ginny propped her head up on her hand in order to get a better view of Hermione. "Seriously Hermione, someone might think you were the involved in the idle castle gossip, with all the things you seem to know."
Besides allowing the corner of her mouth to quirk up, Hermione didn't react to Ginny's words, refusing to look away from the piece of parchment she was writing on.
"Not at all, I'm just capable of remaining methodical whilst looking at the bigger picture so that I don't miss any of the smaller, indicative pieces of information people otherwise would have overlooked."
Ginny couldn't help but smile at the no-nonsense, 100% logical answer that was completely Hermione, at any other time she would have gone on to tease her about it but something else was on the forefront of her mind, which she was keen to investigate. "Speaking of gossip, what's going on between you and my brother?"
The sound of the quill scratching on the paper disappeared as Hermione's hand froze midsentence. She raised her head, her eyes widened at both the suddenness of the question and the question itself.
However Ginny declined to elaborate, merely gazing levelly at Hermione, one eyebrow arched, clearly awaiting an answer.
"I…I don't know what you're talking about." She finally replied, trying to refocus on her almost finished paper.
Ginny scoffed and preformed an exaggerated eye roll, in order to show Hermione just how much she believed that.
When Hermione refused to reply or even react, Ginny tried again "With all the goo-goo eyes he's been sending your way, I find that hard to believe."
Realising her attempt to regain focus was in vain, Hermione placed her quill and parchment onto the ground and turned her body to face the lounge, giving Ginny her complete attention.
"What do you want to know?" She asked briskly, hoping to get the inquisition over as soon as possible.
Not one for missing an opportunity, Ginny pulled herself up and assumed a more serious posture, seating herself on the edge of the lounge. "You are aware that he has feelings for you?" She asked bluntly.
Hermione took a moment to consider her answer, "Yes.. Lately he has become more…" Hermione searched her mind for an appropriate and word, but for lack of a better one settled with "Affectionate."
"Has he asked you out yet?"
A cold feeling settled over Hermione at Ginny's question, the thought of Ron asking her something along those lines, didn't bring her the joy or elation she had heard was common when a girl was asked out by a boy who meant a lot to her.
As much as she cared for Ron she doubted that she could ever see him as other than a friend or brotherly figure, perhaps not too long ago she had felt something more but that had faded after it had failed to be acted upon.
"No." She finally replied.
Ginny considered the brunette seated in front of her, whose face wore an expression of complete concentration, as she took her time considering each of her answers and their exact wording, as if it were the most important interview of her life.
Ginny however knew such focus and intenseness was typical of Hermione. And whilst she was not as close to her as Harry and Ron, she still liked to consider themselves friends. That is why worry started to seed itself in her mind as she saw nothing from Hermione to indicate she was pleased with the recent turn of events.
"Hermione… What are you going to do when he does? You know as well as I, that now that he's realized his feelings he's not going to let anything stand in his way, least of all common sense. So do you feel the same way about him?"
Hermione took a deep breath and brought her eyes up to meet Ginny's, she deserved to hear the truth. "Once I did, yes.. But if he were to ask me out now… I'd still say yes."
Ginny's flaming red eyebrows shot up at the answer she was clearly not expecting but she retained her questions so that Hermione could finish her reasoning. "Just because I might not feel that way about him now, doesn't mean I won't in the future. Anyway, it'll make him happy which is better than the alternative. Besides, who else would I consider going out with that would actually be interested in me?" Hermione realized towards the end she had started to speak her thoughts aloud.
A surge of sympathy swelled within Ginny as she regarded her friend, "Hermione…"
"Hermione!? What are you still doing here?!"
Both girls glanced up to see Harry standing in the common room doorway. "Harry!" Ginny gasped. Hearing her, Harry's gaze shifted from Hermione to Ginny. They both stood staring at each other for a few moments before Harry, seemingly with great effort, refocused on Hermione. Ginny glanced away with a red blush covering her face.
"I came back because I left a book in the dorm, don't you know Charms starts in 3 minutes?"
Shock sparked through Hermione. "Oh my gosh! How could I have not noticed how late it had gotten?"
She quickly rushed around picking up papers and books and piling them into her bag whilst Harry ran up the stairs. He returned just as Hermione finished packing away her ink and quill.
Both dashed out of the common room as fast as their legs could carry them, Ginny barley managed to hear the goodbyes they shouted back over their shoulders, before the portrait swung closed.
oOoOo
It was almost dinner time and Hermione having just re-emerged from the library, had successfully completed all the papers and readings necessary for the next three weeks of term.
Once she reached her dorm she unpacked her bag, placing everything away before she was to head down to the Great Hall. Happy that everything was in order she made her way down the stairs, towards the common room.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs she froze in astonishment at the sight of Ron patiently waiting by the portrait.
It was amazing in itself that Ron had not been one of the first into the Great Hall due to his infamous appetite and nevertheless had managed to restrain himself enough to effectively wait for someone before heading down to the feast. But it was even more so shocking when he spotted her and took a step forward, making it clear that the one he had been waiting for was her.
A lopsided grin took residence on his face, "Hey Hermione... Mind if I walk with you?"
Stemming her nervousness at his request she managed to reply, "Not at all."
The walk down to the Great Hall was one of silence, making the atmosphere between the two quite tense and awkward. Hermione watched as Ron's fidgeting got worse the closer they came to the Great Hall. Finally just as they were approaching the doors Ron grabbed her upper arm, jerking her to a stop, "Ow! Ron!"
Ducking his head sheepishly Ron replied, "Sorry."
They stood in silence before Hermione, hungry from missing lunch and frustrated that she couldn't move due to Ron still holding her arm, broke it. "Is there something you want to say to me Ron?"
"Ummm yes." Realizing he was still holding her arm he quickly let go. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you…"
Hermione's heart sped up, so this was it. Even though she had already gone over every possible outcome and decided the best answer was to say yes, having convinced herself so, her blood still froze in her veins at what she knew was coming.
"I was hoping that you might want to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend, as you know a sort of date-type..thing." he asked whilst his hand ran through his hair in a nervous gesture.
"Ron-"
"What I mean to say is, will you be my girlfriend?"
Hermione couldn't help but focus on the lack of eloquence and romance with which Ron had confessed. She had always hoped (or at least some deep part inside of her had) that if a boy spoke of his romantic feelings for her- that it would be a special moment, not one where anyone from the Hall could interrupt at any second. Or where the moment was more or less ruined, due to her stomach letting out a particularly loud growl.
"I-"
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you two."
The pair's heads shot to the right to see Seamus descending from the staircase. "Come on, dinner's gotta be quick, there's an important announcement they're making afterwards."
Shrugging one shoulder and offering an apologetic smile to Ron, Hermione turned to follow Seamus, silently glad for the interruption.
oOoOo
Dinner was a quiet affair with the only conversations being hushed whispers. Ron sat across from Hermione at the table between Neville and Seamus, whilst she sat between Harry and Ginny.
Ginny noticed a strange tension between the two who had been late to dinner, both avoided looking at each other but on the rare occasion they both glanced up and met each other's eyes, they both were quick to break their gaze.
The hushed whispers suddenly faded and Hermione managed to raise her gaze from her plate, successfully avoiding everyone's eyes, to see Dumbledore approaching his podium.
Hermione couldn't help but admire the Headmaster's signature cool and collected attitude he retained, despite the stir he was causing, as he silently took his place behind the podium and calmly gazing out at the sea of students before him.
"As you all know, certain events have recently occurred that have been cause for some distress and concern." His voice boomed across the hall, obviously enhanced by a sonorus charm. Whatever it is he wanted to say, he wanted to make sure everyone heard it, Hermione realized.
"To investigate this we contacted the Ministry, who in response sent Unspeakable Nolan Lightclaw." He gestured to his left. As one, everybody's heads in the Great hall turned to see a man standing to the side of the Hall, beneath the platform, that many had failed to notice.
He appeared to be rather young in years, for a Ministry official. If Hermione were to hazard a guess it would be late twenties. His eyes contrasted this though, with a gaze that suggested he knew and had seen much more than one would expect for someone his age.
In contrast to his name he resembled a shadow more than light. Long strands of dark hair fell across his face and enhancing the effect, he wore a long black cloak which covered whatever attire he was wearing underneath.
"He has spent the day retrieving information and has found that which has been causing these mysterious incidents. It is very important that you now give him your undivided attention."
Everyone remained deathly silent as Dumbledore stepped back from his podium to his seat. Unspeakable Lightclaw stepped towards the center of the Hall but didn't bother to walk up on the platform, seemingly preferring to be at more of an eye level with his audience.
Once at the center of the hall, he stood completely still, regarding his audience silently before his voice boomed across the hall. "As Professor Dumbledore said I am Unspeakable Lightclaw. I work in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic, my specialization is that of the Time Room." He paused, giving some of the students enough time to exchange confused glances with their friends.
"I'm going to be very blunt. It has come to the Ministry's attention that a time rift is opening above Hogwarts." Gasps were heard around the room. "This is not a reason for panic or alarm. However, what I am about to tell you, very few people know. This is confidential information- which is why certain precautions were taken earlier to ensure you will not be able to discuss this with anyone not directly involved in the situation."
Unspeakable Lightclaw once again paused to allow what he said to sink in. Hermione felt something grasp her hand, she looked down to see Ginny's hand clasping her own.
She glanced up to see Ginny's wide eyes staring back at her. Hermione smiled as encouragingly as she could to show Ginny that everything would be fine and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"A time rift is due to a fixed point in time being in danger of not happening." Unspeakable Lightclaw resumed. "Now time is mostly fluid with future events being able to fluctuate, allowing for an infinite amount of varying outcomes to be possible. However in very rare circumstances a fixed point occurs. This event is one in which must occur for a following predetermined set of events to unfold. Now some of you may ask why must this sequence of events happen? What if these events are dark in nature or lead to a dark future? Well no matter how dark the future from a fixed point is, the future should this event not occur is much, much darker. These events occur by necessity and are fundamental in the balance of the world, should they not occur, it leaves the world very unstable and very vulnerable to the dark forces. If you need an example the fall of Camelot is quite a well-known one."
More gasps were heard around the Great Hall but Unspeakable Lightclaw was quick to continue, "Due to their nature these events usually occur quite naturally with no need for intervention, however on the rarest of occasions where it is required, the Ministry has dealt with these occasions effectively and with no dire consequences. The reason I felt that you all need to be informed of this, is that the rift opening over Hogwarts is not only indicative that the event occurs here but that it involves you, as the students, as well. The reason for what caused the event to be in danger of not happening is at the moment still unknown, as is what the actual event is. However, in order to repair what has been altered there is a solution; a spell performed by one of who is specifically involved in the events to come can summon an object from the set future to act as a guide for what needs to happen. It will not be obvious and it will be unclear at first in how it relates to future events, but that is so things may progress as naturally as possible."
An arm emerged from the Unspeakable's massive cloak, he raised his arm to show what seemed to be a pocket watch held in his hand. "The rift is giving off temporal or 'time-energy'. That is what is causing the incidents around your school. But as well as the rift giving off this energy, certain individuals will be exuding it as well, depending on the severity of their role, this is how we will determine who is to speak the spell. This is a temporal detector, it is capable of detecting these energy waves. I will walk amongst all of you, examining each of you until I find someone with the highest amount of energy. Now I am aware due to accidents the rift has caused, many parents have recalled their children home."
Now this Hermione already knew, Dean had left a few days ago, which Hermione suspected was behind Harry's more chipper attitude lately. As she looked around the Hall she realized more then she had originally thought were missing from the sea of faces, as her gaze swept the Slytherin table she noticed one head of distinctive platinum blond hair was missing.
"I have asked and been assured by Professor Dumbledore that these students have been instructed to return due to the cause of the accidents being identified. As well as the need to ensure all the necessary individuals are present. If we fail to locate a person qualified to perform the spell among those present, we will then examine the returning students upon their arrival."
He then abruptly cut his speech off and walked to his right until he reached the Hufflepuff table. Slowly, he then began making his way down the aisles holding his hand upturned in front of him so that the watch was easily seen and displayed.
He paused briefly every now and then or slightly shifted his angle towards a particular person but he didn't spend longer than a few seconds doing so before continuing on.
It wasn't until he reached the end of the Gryffindor table that Hermione got a better look at the temporal detector, the casing was open but what caught her attention was the dancing light above the watch, it reminded Hermione of the Northern lights, with the rippling cascades of light, only in miniature.
She watched as he drew closer towards where they sat. The entire Hall was silent, a silence of which Hermione had never heard or felt before. She watched as the light flared slightly as Lightclaw angled towards Ron, changing from white and light green to blue with the slightest bit of red but dimming as it fell upon Seamus.
Hermione found herself holding her breath as he made his way around the end of the table and back towards them. She watched as it lit up again, slightly more brighter than with Ron as it fell upon Ginny with green and orange running through the blue and red.
Unspeakable Lightwood furrowed his brows and took one step further, bringing the detector to a stop directly in front of Hermione. She watched as a multitude of colors suddenly appeared, dancing around each other until merging to form a ball of light that flared up so brightly and suddenly, many of the students in the vicinity jumped in their seats.
Hermione opened her eyes to see a miniature sun hovering over the watch. She slowly raised her eyes from the fascinating sight to meet the intent gaze of Unspeakable Lightclaw.
"Miss Granger, if you would accompany me please."