CHAPTER FOUR

THE UNEXPECTED DEATHS

REST AND PEACEFULNESS

It had been two weeks since the eventful trip to Diagon Alley. Remus had moved into the down stairs study which was easily turned into a guest bedroom, while Tonks took the spare bedroom next to Hermione. Hermione was actually quite happy to have another young female in the house who was also a witch to boot. It was like having a long over night sleep over. Hermione and Tonks would be found in either her bedroom or Tonks room gossiping around present and past times at Hogwarts. Tonks would fill Hermione in what Hogwarts was like when she herself was a student there. Sometimes Remus would join in with stories about James, Sirius, Lily and himself during their time at the school. He never mentioned Peter, he didn't have too. The two witches understood.

Remus would leave with Gilbert and Anne whenever they had to step out to go to the office and he would return back to the house after they were safe among other muggles. He very well knew that Lucius would never dare walk among muggles so he knew the Grangers were quite safe. No his main job was to protect Hermione and he aimed to do it. Each nite at the end of the working period he would go and meet Gilbert and Anne and escort them home. He had promised Hermione that he would keep her parents safe after all.

Hedwig quickly got used to sharing a cage with another owl. After all it was Daisy's rightful cage and Hedwig was the guest. Daisy soon felt herself quite at home in Hermione's room and watched Hedwig to learn Hermione's likes, dislikes and how to tell her different moods.

Hermione was leaning back against her back board with her knees up and a book on them holding it up with one hand. She was deeply engrossed in the information that she was trying to find when suddenly the cell phone next to her rung. Even through cell phones didn't work at Hogwarts her parents had brought her the Christmas of her first year. They told her that they wanted her to have one in case they were late getting to the plat form. They said once she had crossed the barrel onto the muggle side she could always call them. She had given the number to Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville once she got back to the school. Harry pocketed the number after saying thank you. But Hermione and Harry had to explain what phone numbers were to Ron, Ginny and Neville. Of course they had to explain to the pure blood witch and wizards what a phone was also. But once they got the jest of it they thanked her and put the number in a safe place.

Hermione picked up the phone and flipped it open and read GINNY. She smiled as she thought of when she went to Arthur, Molly and Neville grandmother and explained what phones were to them and they all agreed to buy cell phones for them and each of the children. Harry and Hermione took the Wesley's to a cell phone shop that they knew a witch was running. That way the Wesley's managed to sign on to the cheaper of family deals for their phones.

She pushed talk. "Hello Ginny."

"Hello Hermione. I'm calling to see how you are feeling." Ginny said into her phone.

"I'm better now." Hermione said with a smile. She raised her eye brow. "Why haven't you called me after you received my letter?" She had sent Hedwig with her letters to the Wesley family four days after she read the pile of letters. Ginny had written right back with messages from her parents, brothers, all expect Ron. Hermione was actually surprised that she hadn't received another letter from Ron.

"I couldn't get into the London until now." Ginny said in a rush and it sounded like she was running.

"Where on earth are you?" Hermione asked eyes sparkling as she pictured Ginny's red hair flying out behind her as she was rushing along.

"Mum said that we could go to see a movie." Ginny said into her phone. "Fred and George were running late so we have to rush to get to the show time on time."

"How's Ron?" Hermione asked as she felt the book slip from her knees.

"Truthfully, not so great. He's still blaming himself for what Draco did to you." Ginny said softly and she sounded like she was standing still.

"But that's ridicules. How on earth can Ronald be blaming himself for? He was no near Neville and I when Draco pushed Neville onto me. There was nothing he could do." Hermione said using the same voice that she used with Ron whenever she was annoyed with him over some silly thing. She shook her head as sighed deeply in her throat. "Put Ronald on." She breathed.

"He's not here with us." Ginny sighed. "He wouldn't talk to you any way if he was here."

Hermione's eyes widen as she sat up. "Why the hell won't he talk to me!" Her hand gripped the phone tightly against her ear, causing her ear to be in pain. But she ignored the pain.

"Ron isn't talking to anyone right now, Hermione, he has been silent since we arrived home that day. He just went up to his bedroom, wrote his letter to you and than nothing. He wouldn't have left his bedroom expect mum orders him out to eat and to get clean." Ginny said in a worried soft voice. "He blames himself fully for not being able to protect you, dear."

Hermione sighed. "Thanks for the information Ginny. I'll let you go." Without a final good bye she hung up on her best female friend. She put the phone up to her chin as she stared thoughtfully at the wall that was opposite her bed. Oh Ron, what am I going to do with you?

HOGWARTS

Albus walked down into Severus's dungeon only to find his long time friend with his head in his hands as he was staring and murmuring to himself over a piece of muggle binder paper. "Well that can't be the information that I had requested out of you," He said in his all knowing voice.

Severus's head jerked up and he quickly got out of his chair and he moved to cover the part of the desk where the paper was. Albus watched in some amusement the younger man trying to fold the paper with one hand. He held up his right index finger and swished it to and for. "Now, now Severus how many times do I have to tell you that you can't hide anything from me. I know you are working with Hermione Granger."

Severus snorted through his nose and almost dropped the paper as he was putting it in his robes. "Like I would be helping that know it all."

"Oh so you are helping another muggle?" Albus asked his eyes sparkled in good natural. He waved his hand. "I don't need to know all the details on what Miss. Granger has asked you to do for her, I know that whatever she has in mind it is to protect Harry."

"What I do on my own time, is my own freaking business." Severus snarled. He breathed through his nose trying to calm down because he knew Albus had been trying to get a rise out of him. And had succeeded. Damn it Severus hated losing control and in front of Albus Dumbledore never less. Damn Hermione and her quest. He should have denied her his help from the get go – but no – she had caught him at a weak moment and he was paying for it ever since.

"Well you are capable of doing two important things at the same time." Albus said with a nod. "Now what have you found out about the ring?" He walked over and looked at the table that Severus had gotten up from. He looked down at the parchment that was spread out.

"The ring is a horcruxe just as you assumed it was." Severus said as he walked over and stood on the other end of his table. "To destroy it you have to have Basilisk poison. The sword of Gryffindor will do because Potter had used that in the Chambers of Secrets to kill the Basilisk. You could even go back down the Chamber and grab some of the teeth if need be. But even you Albus don't have the proper password. "

Albus waved his hand. "When the time comes Harry will be able to get back in the Chambers and he will retrieve the required teeth."

Severus continued on as if he wasn't interrupted. "The ring carries a curse of extraordinary power. If you even touch it it means your death." As he was saying this he looked up and looked into Albus's eyes. "You do understand what I'm telling you, don't you."

"Yes." Albus said in one word. He turned and left the dungeon.

Severus sighed deeply and took out the note book paper and went back to the quest that Hermione had sent him on. God sometimes he hated his life.

GRANGER'S HOUSE A WEEK LATER

"Look Remus, we don't need you to baby sit us tonight." Gilbert said after he had taken Remus aside. "I want you and Tonks both to stay here and protect Hermione at all cost."

"But Hermione has expressed the wish that I was also to protect you and Anna." Remus said softly as he looked sideways at where Hermione was sitting next to her mother on the couch. "I keep my promises Gilbert."

"I said not tonight, Remus." Gilbert said in slight anger. "That's my final word." With that Gilbert went and gathered Anne and after saying good bye and good night to Hermione they left for their dinner out.

"Why didn't you go with them Remus?" Hermione looked over to where Remus was still standing .

"Your father said that he and Anne wanted a night out on their own. They will be fine." Remus said.

Hours passed and Hermione was fast asleep when the next thing she knew she felt arms shaking her shoulders "Hermione wake up dear." She slowly opened her eyes and looked into Tonks tearful ones. She sat up quickly "What is is? What's wrong?"

"Come down stairs." Tonks said as she stood to her feet and waited for Hermione to get up and grab a robe. She held out her hand for Hermione to take but Hermione walked from her bedroom without taking it and lead the way downstairs. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Dumbledore, McGonagall, Mr and Mrs. Wealsey. "What's going on?" She asked for the second time since she was woken up.

"Come and sit down Hermione." Mrs. Wealsey said with a chocked up voice and tears running freely down her checks.

"I think I will stand." Hermione said in a voice that she didn't recognize as her own. She looked around the room and than over at the clock. "Where are my parents?" She saw that the time was two thirty in the morning long time since her parents should be home and in bed themselves.

All the adults looked towards Dumbledore before they began to look every where but at Hermione.

Dumbledore walked over and stood in front of Hermione. "There's no easy way to tell you this Hermione, but there has been an accident."

"Where are my parents? Which hospital? I have to get to them, they need me." Hermione quickly said as she began to turn away. "Give me a minute and I'll be ready to get to them."

Dumbledore put his right hand on Hermione's shoulder to keep her from leaving. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Hermione," he said in a soft and chocked up voice. "But your parents didn't make it. They died the moment the other car hit theirs."

Hermione swung around and jerked Dumbledore's hand off of her and she back away. "No!" She whispered as she backed into the wall. "No! I don't believe you." Tears fell down her checks. "Where are my parents, I have to get to them." She shook her head back and forth as Dumbledore's words kept replaying themselves in her head.

McGonagall had rushed over and put her arms around the sobbing sixteen year old girl and pulled her favorite student close to her. She felt Hermione wrap her arms around her waist and felt Hermione moved closer as if she was trying to disappear from the world and become one with McGonagall. McGonagall couldn't keep the tears in any longer and she lowered her head and allowed her silent tears to fall on top of Hermione's head.

AN HOUR PASSED

Hermione finally pulled away from McGonagall and walked with her teacher over to the couch and sat down weakly. Remus sat down on the other side of her. "What's going to happen to me?"

Dumbledore walked over and sat down in the chair that was across from the couch so he could keep a sharp eye on Hermione.

"We have a room for you at the Burrow dear. You can stay with us until school starts." Molly said from where she stood next to Arthur next to the fireplace. "You can have Charlie's old room or even Bill's."

Hermione shook her head. "Thank you for the kind offer Mr and Mrs. Wealsey but I want to be by myself right now. I love your family and your home very much, it's like a second home to me," tears rolled down her checks. "But I can't be around your family right now. I'm sorry."

"It's quite all right dear." Molly said as tears rolled down her eyes. "We are always here for you."

"Hogwarts is open too you." Dumbledore said.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't want to be in Gryffindor tower by myself."

"You won't be staying in Gryffindor tower. You will be staying in my private rooms." McGonagall said.

"Oh Professor McGonagall I couldn't." Hermione said lowering her head.

"That's settled than." Dumbledore said standing up and walked to the fireplace. "Mr and Mrs. Wealsey it's time you get back to your family." He shook hands with Arthur and Molly and they were soon each in the fireplace flooing back home to wait till morning to tell their children about Hermione.

Remus stood up and put out his hand for Hermione to take. Hermione lifted her head and glared up into Remus's eyes. "Why didn't you go with them? I asked you to protect them and keep them safe. You should have kept your promise Remus Lipton. Or do werewolves not know the meaning of promises." She jumped up and moved away from Remus and crossed her arms.

Remus had moved away from Hermione as she had been saying those things and he now slowly turned to face the angry heart broken girl. "Your father ordered me to stay here with you Hermione, he told me to keep you safe."

"I had Tonks here with me." Hermione seethed.

"Your father said that he wanted both Tonks and I to remain here with you." Remus said softly. "I'm sorry for breaking my promise to you Hermione, but I knew that your father would never forgive me if something happened to you while I was out with them."

"So now they are dead." Hermione said in a deadly tone.

Remus hung his head.

"I will never forgive you for this Remus." Hermione turned her back on Remus. "If you show your face around me ever again than I will make sure you end up in Azkaban with the Dementor's kiss upon arrive."

Remus walked to the fire place and flooed out of there with one last sad look at Hermione. With a look at Dumbledore Tonks soon followed.

Dumbledore waved his hand and soon the Granger fireplace was wide enough for three people to floo together. He walked over and put his hand on Hermione's shoulder. "It's time to go Hermione." Hermione shrugged his hand off and walked over and stood in the fireplace and waited for her two Professors. "Don't ask me to forgive because I won't. Not ever."

McGonagall walked over and slipped her right arm around Hermione's shoulder and pulled her to her side, as Dumbledore stepped in at Hermione's other side. With a wave of his hand the three disappeared and the fireplace turned back to normal.

END CHAPTER FOUR