Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her wooden seat, she had been in the
library now for almost three hours. She perused through a particularly
large copy of 'The Secret to Breaking Even the Most Unbreakable Codes' in
the hope that she would be enlightened and finally decipher the seemingly
impossible message on the ancient and withered parchment. It had been
nearly a month now, and this task had taken an immense hold of her, any
spare time she had was spent attempting to study and work it out. For some
reason she was drawn to this and she just couldn't work out why.
Ron had promised he would help and he had kept to his word, but he had only come with her a few times to the library, realising how impossible it was to crack, he had given up on helping her. She understood, after all he had other commitments which he himself were bound to, and he couldn't spend all his time with her, no matter how much she wished he would.
At that very moment, just as her mind had started to wander she heard footsteps rapidly approaching the table she was placed at.
'Hey 'Mione, how's it going? Solved anything yet? Ron let out a small laugh.
'Oh ok, maybe you were right, this code probably is impossible to crack, but I can't understand why someone would hide this in a book and not expect anyone to wonder what it says' she replied holding up the parchment.
'Perhaps you just weren't destined to find out what it means'
'Oh shut up, you know I don't believe in all that rubbish. Fate and destiny. honestly Ron you've been paying far too much attention in Divination. And that in itself surprises me!'
'Well I'm going to make my back to the common room, care to join me, or are you going to continue to waste away here?'
She gave him a very sharp look, but then proceeded to gather her things together, rolling up the parchment carefully and placing it in the pocket of her robes.
Later that evening in the common room, the discussion made its way once again towards Hermione's progress on her personal project. It began with Harry asking how things were turning out, and the rolling of Ron's eyes who was seemingly bored of the topic. He felt now, that the whole thing meant nothing and Hermione was just wasting her time, time that she could be spending with him oh and Harry of course.
'Well while we were having dinner I realised that the only place I haven't looked is in the restricted section, but obviously I would never get permission to do so, so that's out of the question' she answered looking exceedingly thoughtful.
'In the form of breaking school rules maybe, but it's still possible, you could borrow my cloak if you want to' Harry whispered.
'Don't be ridiculous Harry; I couldn't do that, what if I was caught?'
'Well that's the point, you won't be will you? You will be invisible believe it or not, I did it in first year managed to get away with it didn't I? Well just about.' He sniggered.
'No I couldn't Harry its wrong, I'm meant to be responsible, being a prefect holds duties you know, and I must show good behaviour and that means no breaking of school rules.'
Ron had been extraordinarily quiet throughout the conversation, he had been deep in thought; maybe if he went with her, at least then if they were caught he might be able to help her explain away their presence. Obviously he wanted to go with her for another reason, but he would never voice that thought. She was his friend and he was more than sure that that's all it would ever be.
'Hey Hermione, if you want to go and I know that you do, I'll go with you, and then that way if we get caught, we can just say that we were patrolling the halls or something?' he finally said.
She turned to look at him, obviously going over in her head what he had just uttered. She definitely didn't want to get in trouble, but the thought did appeal to her, maybe she might find the answer if she were to look in there? What about the fact she was a prefect though? She would be letting herself down if she got into trouble for this. And then she thought about Ron's made up excuse, it could possibly work, if she were quick they could be in and out of there in no time.
'Are you sure? I mean I'm not saying this is right, but this whole thing is driving me insane, I need to know what it says. I can't believe I'm agreeing to this.'
'Yeh I'm sure, how about twelve tonight? That's should be late enough, only Filch will be around by then, be less people to run from' he chuckled.
At five to twelve, Hermione snuck out of bed, she had had a few hours sleep and had gone to bed fully clothed. She crept silently down the staircase from the girls' dormitories, at the foot of the stairwell she saw Ron standing holding something in his arms, to which she assumed was Harry's invisibility cloak.
'You ready?' he whispered.
She nodded in reply.
They walked towards the portrait hole, climbed through then looked to check the coast was clear, when everything seemed to be satisfactory Ron threw the cloak around them. With Ron's increased growth it was hard to conceal both of them beneath it. However they noiselessly walked on towards the direction of the Library. They had not encountered any problems so far, Ron had tried talking to Hermione a few times, only to be told to 'shhh'. They pressed on, and finally reached the corridor on which the door to the library resided. They reached the giant oak doors and just as Hermione's hand reached out to open the latch they heard the hurrying footsteps of someone running along one of the passages leading off from the one they were placed in. They had a split second to exchange horrified looks, and then darted off back in the direction they had come, making sure to hold onto the cloak, although they were more than positive that body parts could be seen as they were definitely not covering themselves fully.
They turned around a corner, almost flying straight into one of the many statues that were dotted around the castle. They could still hear the quickened pace behind them, undoubtedly it was Filch pursuing them. Ron having realised they were at a distinct disadvantage attempting to run underneath a cloak, threw it off and proceeded to run. He was running much faster than Hermione, who was struggling to keep up with him. They turned a final corner seemingly out of breath; Ron peered around the stone wall, to see if Filch was still following. They appeared to be safe, and after he nodded to Hermione they lay against the wall, gasping for breath.
'I - knew - this - was - a - bad - idea' she panted.
They waited until they were able to breathe perfectly again, and then pulled themselves away from the wall, but as they did so, the painting they didn't realise they had been leaning against fell, as if in slow motion off the wall. Both Ron and Hermione leapt forward to catch it, but they were too late, the canvas fell to the floor, with an incredibly loud thud. They both frantically picked it up ready to hang it back up, but as they picked it up, the picture inside fell from its golden frame, this time hitting the floor with a muffled bang. Hermione bent down to retrieve it, and as she brought herself closer, she saw that there was writing on the reverse. Ron watched her; she just stayed where she was, apparently staring.
'Hermione, what are you doing? Hurry up or we'll be caught!'
She continued to gape at the back of the portrait, as if fixated. Then, she suddenly reached inside the pocket of her robes and pulled out a piece of rolled up parchment. She unrolled it, and then looking from the painting to the parchment over and over again, finally said,
'I think I've found what I've been looking for Ron.'
Ron had promised he would help and he had kept to his word, but he had only come with her a few times to the library, realising how impossible it was to crack, he had given up on helping her. She understood, after all he had other commitments which he himself were bound to, and he couldn't spend all his time with her, no matter how much she wished he would.
At that very moment, just as her mind had started to wander she heard footsteps rapidly approaching the table she was placed at.
'Hey 'Mione, how's it going? Solved anything yet? Ron let out a small laugh.
'Oh ok, maybe you were right, this code probably is impossible to crack, but I can't understand why someone would hide this in a book and not expect anyone to wonder what it says' she replied holding up the parchment.
'Perhaps you just weren't destined to find out what it means'
'Oh shut up, you know I don't believe in all that rubbish. Fate and destiny. honestly Ron you've been paying far too much attention in Divination. And that in itself surprises me!'
'Well I'm going to make my back to the common room, care to join me, or are you going to continue to waste away here?'
She gave him a very sharp look, but then proceeded to gather her things together, rolling up the parchment carefully and placing it in the pocket of her robes.
Later that evening in the common room, the discussion made its way once again towards Hermione's progress on her personal project. It began with Harry asking how things were turning out, and the rolling of Ron's eyes who was seemingly bored of the topic. He felt now, that the whole thing meant nothing and Hermione was just wasting her time, time that she could be spending with him oh and Harry of course.
'Well while we were having dinner I realised that the only place I haven't looked is in the restricted section, but obviously I would never get permission to do so, so that's out of the question' she answered looking exceedingly thoughtful.
'In the form of breaking school rules maybe, but it's still possible, you could borrow my cloak if you want to' Harry whispered.
'Don't be ridiculous Harry; I couldn't do that, what if I was caught?'
'Well that's the point, you won't be will you? You will be invisible believe it or not, I did it in first year managed to get away with it didn't I? Well just about.' He sniggered.
'No I couldn't Harry its wrong, I'm meant to be responsible, being a prefect holds duties you know, and I must show good behaviour and that means no breaking of school rules.'
Ron had been extraordinarily quiet throughout the conversation, he had been deep in thought; maybe if he went with her, at least then if they were caught he might be able to help her explain away their presence. Obviously he wanted to go with her for another reason, but he would never voice that thought. She was his friend and he was more than sure that that's all it would ever be.
'Hey Hermione, if you want to go and I know that you do, I'll go with you, and then that way if we get caught, we can just say that we were patrolling the halls or something?' he finally said.
She turned to look at him, obviously going over in her head what he had just uttered. She definitely didn't want to get in trouble, but the thought did appeal to her, maybe she might find the answer if she were to look in there? What about the fact she was a prefect though? She would be letting herself down if she got into trouble for this. And then she thought about Ron's made up excuse, it could possibly work, if she were quick they could be in and out of there in no time.
'Are you sure? I mean I'm not saying this is right, but this whole thing is driving me insane, I need to know what it says. I can't believe I'm agreeing to this.'
'Yeh I'm sure, how about twelve tonight? That's should be late enough, only Filch will be around by then, be less people to run from' he chuckled.
At five to twelve, Hermione snuck out of bed, she had had a few hours sleep and had gone to bed fully clothed. She crept silently down the staircase from the girls' dormitories, at the foot of the stairwell she saw Ron standing holding something in his arms, to which she assumed was Harry's invisibility cloak.
'You ready?' he whispered.
She nodded in reply.
They walked towards the portrait hole, climbed through then looked to check the coast was clear, when everything seemed to be satisfactory Ron threw the cloak around them. With Ron's increased growth it was hard to conceal both of them beneath it. However they noiselessly walked on towards the direction of the Library. They had not encountered any problems so far, Ron had tried talking to Hermione a few times, only to be told to 'shhh'. They pressed on, and finally reached the corridor on which the door to the library resided. They reached the giant oak doors and just as Hermione's hand reached out to open the latch they heard the hurrying footsteps of someone running along one of the passages leading off from the one they were placed in. They had a split second to exchange horrified looks, and then darted off back in the direction they had come, making sure to hold onto the cloak, although they were more than positive that body parts could be seen as they were definitely not covering themselves fully.
They turned around a corner, almost flying straight into one of the many statues that were dotted around the castle. They could still hear the quickened pace behind them, undoubtedly it was Filch pursuing them. Ron having realised they were at a distinct disadvantage attempting to run underneath a cloak, threw it off and proceeded to run. He was running much faster than Hermione, who was struggling to keep up with him. They turned a final corner seemingly out of breath; Ron peered around the stone wall, to see if Filch was still following. They appeared to be safe, and after he nodded to Hermione they lay against the wall, gasping for breath.
'I - knew - this - was - a - bad - idea' she panted.
They waited until they were able to breathe perfectly again, and then pulled themselves away from the wall, but as they did so, the painting they didn't realise they had been leaning against fell, as if in slow motion off the wall. Both Ron and Hermione leapt forward to catch it, but they were too late, the canvas fell to the floor, with an incredibly loud thud. They both frantically picked it up ready to hang it back up, but as they picked it up, the picture inside fell from its golden frame, this time hitting the floor with a muffled bang. Hermione bent down to retrieve it, and as she brought herself closer, she saw that there was writing on the reverse. Ron watched her; she just stayed where she was, apparently staring.
'Hermione, what are you doing? Hurry up or we'll be caught!'
She continued to gape at the back of the portrait, as if fixated. Then, she suddenly reached inside the pocket of her robes and pulled out a piece of rolled up parchment. She unrolled it, and then looking from the painting to the parchment over and over again, finally said,
'I think I've found what I've been looking for Ron.'