Apologies for the long wait between posts!
Chapter 13
Morticia looked up from the paper in her hand, a dark smile moved across her face
"Cara Mia?" Gomez eyed her, Morticia ran a hand down his shirt
"A note from Pugsley" She replied after a moment "The Granger girl has been sent to the Dungeons to live, we shall have to wait it out to see how things progress"
"Indeed" Gomez looked at her "now with Dumbledore out of the picture....."
"Hush my love" a finger brushed against his lips "we shall see...."
Hermione woke later that evening; she spent a few moments looking around the darkened dormitory that didn't feel like her own. She felt like she'd run at least three marathons at once. Groaning a little at her protesting limbs, Hermione made to sit up.
"I wouldn't do that too quickly" a voice made her start
"Wha-?" Hermione turned her head towards the speaker
"I wouldn't try getting up any time soon" Wednesday eyed her from her cross-legged position on the bed at the other side of the room.
"Where am I? This isn't my dormitory" Hermione looked around the dark green drapes.
"Don't you remember what happened?" Harry's voice made her start, His face was shrouded in candle-shadows, his glasses weren't on his face either, and Hermione could see the bloodied emeralds looking at her.
Hermione thought for a moment, she realised how cool and calm the dorm was, it wasn't as noisy or busting with idiots as the Gryffindor common room or their dorms. The silence was welcoming to her headache.
"Um...no" She tried to remember back through her day
"Nothing at all?" Harry needled her a little
She sat up with a heavy groan, crossing her aching legs and leaning against the headboard for support. She hated feeling like this, especially in unknown territory
"I....I went to the library after dinner...." She wrinkled her nose "I was doing some reading...."
"What book was it?" Wednesday asked; Hermione eyed her warily as she noticed Wednesday was playing idly with a bowie knife in her hands, twisting it between her palms as if it were a toy.
"It was something to do with history, between Light and Dark families" She said after a moment "Just a bit of research" Hermione added
"I see" Harry replied "Then what? Do you remember anything else?" He added, Hermione's brows knitted together in thought for a long silence, said brows raised suddenly
"Oh gods....I did it again didn't I?"
"Did what?" Wednesday asked, with a queer tone to her voice. Hermione looked over at her
"I let IT get out of control....He told me that wouldn't happen!" a hint of panic laced the brunettes voice
"What is IT and who is He?" Harry asked curiously
"You saw it!" Hermione pointed at him "You were there!"
"I'm not following" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off
"You saw my......you won't tell anyone will you?" She asked
"Hermione you're beginning to sound like nonsense," Wednesday replied.
Hermione sighed
"I was in the library trying to find out why I'm different compared to the other children here" She started, turning to see the door open. Draco and Pugsley slipped inside, the Malfoy heir simply nodded to Hermione and turned to Harry
"Should we get Severus?" He asked "now she's awake?"
"Why would you inform Professor Snape?" Hermione asked snappishly, she had woken up in a different dorm with these....children and no-one was answering her questions!
"Why wouldn't we? He told us to bring you to the dorms" Draco replied, Wednesday silenced him with a glare
"What...?" Hermione began again but trailed off, knowing she'd get no answers
"You hadn't told her?" Draco cursed under his breath
"We were getting to that point when you opened your idiotic mouth" snapped Wednesday.
"Anyway" Harry said loudly "go on Hermione, you were in the library...." he turned again to the girl across the room
"it's of no mind" Hermione shook her head "I'd like you to show me back to Gryffindor now, considering I've somehow ended up in Slytherin" She moved slowly towards the end of the bed in an attempt to get up
"You're not going back to those idiots" Harry replied "They probably refuse to take you back into their den, not after what happened to the Weasel"
"But...the Sorting Hat put me there!" Hermione replied "I was chosen for Gryffindor!"
"And are now under the Protection of Slytherin House" Draco replied slowly "Ron Weasely will be getting a severe punishment for harming you on the train to Hogwarts, as well as what he put you through"
"I don't under-"
"Hermione, he was bullying you, besides, he is an arrogant little shit who deserves what he will get!" Pugsley replied vehemently, He made a move towards her as Hermione tried to get out of bed, she tripped and he caught her
"You're really not in any state to argue" he replied softly "Why don't you go into the bathroom and take a shower? The House Elves have brought you your night things, its past curfew anyway, so why don't you get ready for bed? Whether you like it or not, you're staying here tonight."
Hermione looked at him, her energy was already leaving her, and she had known it probably would, when she got half-way out of the sheets which had for some reason, had tangled around her feet. She groaned and sank back onto the mattress, Pugsley made sure she wouldn't fall off and retreated back to his family.
"The door to the en suite is through there" Wednesday pointed beside the bed "Everything you need will be in there, the House Elves made sure of that"
"Oh...um ok" She nodded, Hermione took her things from the chair beside the bed and again attempted to get off the bed
A pale white hand stretched out to her, Hermione looked up into Harry's face
"Allow me" He gave her a small smile
"Uh thanks" She nodded, allowing him to help her towards the door connecting the dormitory to the bathroom.
"Scream if you need anything" Wednesday replied with a cold smile
"right..." Hermione closed the door to the bathroom with an audible thud.
As soon as they heard the water begin to run, the family looked at each other
"Well?"
"I'm thinking that Dumbledore is the He she was talking about" Harry replied
"How so Brother mine?" Wednesday asked
"I saw the whole thing unfold" Harry shrugged "There was some sort of barrier on her, it was weak, like it had been there years and now was wearing away, the signature on it felt somewhat similar to what I felt the time the idiot himself tried to Imperio me"
"Did you tell Severus?"
"I shall do in the morning" Harry nodded "for now, let's see how things develop"
The next morning, the school was afire with rumours about what or who gave Ronald Weasely the broken nose, the students who had seen the fight had been spreading what they knew around the school and the hot-headed Gryffindor was definitely in trouble, He had spent the evening with the newly appointed Headmistress McGonagall serving a detention for what he had done to Hermione Granger on the train to Hogwarts. It was not lost on the students when said Gryffindor appeared surrounded by the Addams siblings and was walked to her House table; her robes were in immaculate condition thanks to the House Elves. As she arrived at the table, Harry murmured something to her and turned with his siblings towards his own table.
"Morning Hermione" Neville Longbottom made room for her at the end of the Gryffindor table.
"Hi Neville" Hermione gave him a shaky smile
"Did you sleep okay?" the chubby boy asked her, busying himself with buttering some toast. She took some toast herself from the rack and began to butter it as well
"I did thanks, I don't suppose you'll walk with me back to the dorm to get my things for class would you?" Hermione asked "They're still in the dorm..."
"No need" a red-headed boy leaned over "I asked that Lavender girl to get them for you... I'm Fred by the way, Fred Weasely" he thrust out his hand to her
"Hermione Granger" she shook it warily "Your Ron's brother aren't you?" her hand pulled away from Fred's
"Unfortunately, our youngest brother is an idiot and should be disinherited" said another red head "Oh, I'm George, that idiots twin" he pointed at Fred, who stuck his tongue out at his twin brother
"Nice to meet you" Hermione nodded
"So," Neville began "What class do we have first?"
"I believe its Charms" Hermione replied "I think it's with Hufflepuff"
"That's okay then" Neville nodded "Don't we have potions this afternoon though?"
"Don't worry about Potions" said George "Professor Snape is a hard teacher but he will be fair if he knows right and now Dumbledore's not here..." he trailed off as Fred glared at him
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked
"Never mind" George replied quickly.
There was a slight hush as Ron made his way into the hall, His face was still swollen around his nose and he sported two black eyes. It seemed Madam Pomfrey was not in any mood to heal him after hearing what he had got in trouble for, so Ron had to deal with the embarrassment of having been bested by a girl. He threw his bag under the table and slunk into a chair near Neville.
"Hi Nev" He started "Sleep well?"
"Ron" He replied a little coldly, turning his attention towards his toast
"What you being like that for?" Ron asked him, his eyes landed on Hermione "oh...it's you" his voice tried to sound nasty, but with a broken nose, it turned out rather sheepish.
"Watch yourself Weasely" Hermione replied coldly "Wouldn't want you to have to go back to the Mediwitch with something ELSE would we?" She sneered a little at him.
Fred and George burst out laughing at their brother's problem
"You two just wait till Mum hears about this! She'll be mad you never helped me!" Ron scowled
"Oh get over yourself Ron." Neville stood up "I'm done; I'll see you in class 'Mione? I'm going to the bathroom before I get there"
"Sure thing Neville, I'll save you a seat" Hermione smiled at the pudgy boy.
Over on the other side of the hall, Harry mused over his breakfast; in one hand he held a letter, a black piece of parchment with red writing on it.
"Brother?" Pugsley queried
"It's nothing" Harry replied with a wry look at the twins "Nothing I can't deal with later"
"Are you sure?" Draco asked
"I am" He nodded, folding the letter up and placing it in to his bag "Did you get anything from Mother and Father?" the tone of his voice made sure that the subject stayed changed
"The usual" Wednesday replied with a calculating look in her eyes.
Draco looked at the Addamses with a side-long glance, Pugsley met his look with one of his own, but his look clearly said "it's not your place to ask"
"What lessons first?" Pugsley asked, changing the subject again
"Transfiguration with the Ravens" Draco replied
"We better get going then" Harry stood up "We don't want to be late, you know the new Headmistress will do just about anything to see us lose house points"
Severus watched from a concealed alcove as the first year Gryffindor and Slytherin students filed into his dungeon classroom, the houses talking quietly between themselves. Harry, Wednesday, Pugsley and Draco took their places at the front of the class, noting how Hermione and Neville took the same bench on the other side of the room. Harry inclined his head at Hermione when she looked in his direction. His eyes hidden by the black lenses ensured that Severus had no idea what the boy was thinking.
Severus mused on his thoughts as he stepped into his classroom; he glared at his students for a few moments before he spoke
"Today you will be making a simple headache-relieving potion, the ingredients are on the board, the recipe is in you books" He surveyed the class "You may begin"