"How much do you wanna bet that before we go home Hermione would have read all the books in the library?" -Ron
House Pride Controlling the snake
"We need to be careful," Hermione said as the trio made their way up the staircase. Harry sighed, thinking back to the three founders' faces as Harry swished his wand in perfect motion and made the feather float. They had been suspicious, not that Harry could blame them. In this time, magic, or magick as it was called here, sounded like a rare thing that few could do. Being many years into the future, magick had become common and being able to make a feather float was not a surprising task.
"That's what we're trying to do Hermione, but if they want to teach us first year stuff then they really need to learn that we do know some magick," Harry replied, waiting for the stairs to come towards them. At least Hogwarts had not changed hugely, it had only become older.
"Yeah 'Mione." Ron put in, scratching his nose. "So where do you want to go? There's no point of us looking around, we've been living in the castle for five years!"
"The library would be a good place to start." Hermione said, and then continued on with the original conversation. "Yes, but I'm just saying that we should not let on that-"
Find information for masssster…"-we're from the future." Hermione continued, and then suddenly noticed Harry's look of surprise. "Harry?"
"Quiet!" Harry hissed, causing them to all fall silent watching Harry as he listened intently. He frowned, as he heard no more sound.
"Harry what is it?" Hermione whispered; her eyes became wide. "It's not the basilisk is it?" Harry nodded.
"I swear, I heard it say-"
Future?Harry's eyes widened in horror, as the voice echoed in his mind.
"No!" Harry hissed angrily. "Don't you dare tell Slytherin anything!"
There was a gasping noise from both sides of Harry. He stared at them; confused.
"What? What happened?" he asked them, Hermione shook her head unhappily. Her brown eyes were wide, in an almost scared manner.
"Harry, you just spoke parseltongue…" Hermione answered.
"Bloody hell mate, warn us before you go and do that!" Ron, his blue orbs full of worry, which made a change as Hermione usually did the worrying. He shifted uncomfortably. "It's just so… weird."
"I'm sorry guys, I didn't even realise-"
Don't tell…master? The voice sounded distant now, like it was slithering away.
"Guys, I think Salazar sent the basilisk to spy on us," Harry told his friends, as they came closer to the library. Ron's face filled with alarm, as did Hermione's.
"Oh Merlin! Harry did it hear?" her voice was panicky.
"It heard, but I don't know if it will tell Slytherin, I kind of… told it not to so…" Harry drifted off, Ron let out a sigh of relief, but Hermione's expression remained worried.
"Oh Harry, I'm still worried, when you were in the Chamber of Secrets didn't Riddle say that it only obeys him?"
Harry nodded, "But that's probably because he told the snake not to obey me, Slytherin doesn't have a clue does he?" Harry said, but he wasn't completely sure of his own words. "I mean, Slytherin tried talking to me in parseltongue when we were in the common room; but I just acted like I hadn't heard him."
They pushed the doors to the library open; it was a big as usual but there were less books. Obviously, Hogwarts had built us its vast collection over the years. Both Harry and Ron grinned at each other; they knew that this would displease Hermione greatly. Hermione soon caught their expressions and rolled her eyes, almost reading their minds.
"There's no point of grinning like a bunch of idiots, I've already been in here; this is nothing compared to Rowena's collection in her office," Hermione stated, and instantly their grins vanished. Not worried that she had spoiled their moment of fun, she walked over to a large bookshelf and began to search for a book.
It was quite clear that no matter what time Hogwarts was in, it still had hundreds of books.
"The sooner we return home the better." Hermione said running her finger along the spines of the books. Soon enough she hand a pile of books in her arms, and the young witch soon dumped them onto the boys to study.
Harry and Ron sat down at the nearest table, a large pile of books sat before them. Harry frowned, but Ron poked the books gently.
"How much do you want to bet that before we go home Hermione will have read all the books in the library?" Ron said suddenly, Harry grinned devilishly.
"Ten Galleons, what about you?"
"Same, but after this I'll be ten Galleons richer! There's no way Hermione will be able to read all this!" Ron replied looking around at the practically dead library.
"I wouldn't be so sure, Ron, I personally think she's already read the whole library back in our time!" Harry laughed, but was soon silenced as Hermione slammed another ton of books down upon the desk.
"What are you laughing about? Why aren't you looking in the books yet?" Hermione demanded, taking a seat next to Ron. "Don't you want to get home?"
"Sure we do 'Mione, we where just-" Ron started, but Hermione butted in.
"I thought you would be most eager to get home Harry!" The witch said, looking angrily at Harry while ignoring Ron completely. "We need to find out what has happened to Sirius! It's the whole reason we went rushing off to the ministry in the first place!" Harry was silent for a moment, a grave expression plastered to his face.
"You're right Hermione, as always," Harry replied softly. "But we can have fun while we're here too. This situation is serious, but if we let it get too serious we'll end up not seeing the bigger picture. We're in the biggest part of wizarding history, seeing the thing first-hand is better than anything we'll learn in History of Magic!"
"I guess you're right, Hermione agreed. "Shall we make a start?"
Without another word, the teens dove into the mountain of books. Well, not so much the boys.
"There's nothing!" Ron exclaimed furiously after slamming shut the hundredth book.
"There's got to be something!" Hermione replied, her patience on its last tether. The trio had sat in the library for hours now, and they all had to suffer the consequences of being human and needing to eat; which in Ron's case was every five minutes.
"Maybe the book hasn't been written yet." Harry suggested, pushing his glasses back up his nose.
"Can we please eat now?" Ron grumbled. "I'm dying here!" Hermione frowned at him in annoyance.
"Yes! Now will you stop complaining?" She snapped, taking out her wand. "But first we need to return these books to their proper places," The two boys beside her groaned, it would take forever to replace all the books to their proper shelves!
"Oh for the love of Merlin!" Hermione muttered, flicking her wand at the pile. "Returnio!"
Harry and Ron watched in amazement as the books took no time in leaving the table and go flying off in every direction to return to their homes.
"How else did you expect me to return all my books after I'd finished with them?" Hermione enquired, smiling at the somewhat dumbstruck boys.
"That was quite a spell Lady Hermione," came a voice from behind the students. There stood Godric Gryffindor, a smile playing on his lips at the surprise of the youngsters. Hermione blushed at his words.
"Sir, you don't need to call me 'Lady'." She replied.
"I'm sorry, but it would be rude of me to call you by your first name. May I enquire what your last name would be my lady?" Gryffindor replied, bowing slightly.
"Granger," Hermione answered promptly.
"Well Miss Granger, it would seem that you and your friends are somewhat beyond what we would call the first year student," the man said, watching them carefully. "Who taught you the art of magick before you came here?"
They remained silent.
"Your parents?" the trio glanced at each other nervously. "Surely your parents must have taught you something?" He asked, looking at Harry.
"My parents are dead Sir." Harry told him, the lack of remorse in his voice concerned Gryffindor. "As for how we where taught magick… well lets say we cannot say, otherwise our lives may be at risk."
It was at least was partly the truth, and Godric knew it. But he let it slide, obviously these three children where unwilling to tell at the present moment.
"Well, I'm sure that you are all quite hungry," Gryffindor said, watching Ron nod his head enthusiastically. "So the four of us would be delighted if you would join us for dinner."
"That would be great." Hermione said, smiling.
"Yeah," Ron said. "Take me to your food!" Gryffindor laughed merrily at his comment.
"To the Great Hall! Enjoy your first meal there!" He laughed, and turned to leave.
"Yeah right…" Harry muttered under his breath, and then felt a gentle kick on his shin. He stared at Hermione, who shook her head in disapproval.
"We're not to say anything, remember?" Hermione hissed as they followed behind Gryffindor and Ron, who where chatting happily.
"What are we going to tell them if they ask where we come from?" Harry whispered, keeping a close eye on the founder in front of him. Hermione shrugged.
"Just make something up on the spot, and we'll all go along with it." She whispered in reply. "I think we should all meet up at ten somewhere, and discuss what we're going to say so we don't make ourselves look too suspicious."
"Where do you want to meet?"
"The Room of Requirement would be a good idea, I take it Slytherin told you we can't enter each others dormitories?" Hermione enquired. Harry nodded. "Ravenclaw told me also, no doubt Ron was told."
Harry was about to open his mouth in reply, but Gryffindor decided to turn around at that exact moment.
"Ten o'clock then?" Harry whispered quickly as soon as Godric had his back to them once again.
"Ten o'clock," Hermione agreed. "I'll tell Ron."
A/N: Now i am up-to-date with the same story on HPFF! I'd like to thank averyone who has reviewed, faved and C2'ed this story! Love you guys!
Please review, updates will come faster and make me happy :)
