Chapter 26: Caught
Harry ran up the corridor, panting, with Minerva behind him. He approached his room and said the password. Someone was in his room, wearing a dark cloak and rifling through his things.
"Stupefy!" He yelled, and the person fell back, their hood falling.
He and Minerva gaped. "Hermoine?"
Minerva set her in a chair and secured the girl, tying it tightly. Minerva woke her back up, her wand trained on her.
Hermoine looked around worriedly, glancing at the Professor's wand.
"Um…"
"Why did you break into Mr. Potter's room?" Hermoine looked wildly around, biting her lip.
Minerva sighed. "Stupefy." She turned to Harry. "Go get Professor Snape, tell him to bring the veritaserum." Harry nodded and went out of the room.
He went to Snape's office. Snape looked at him worriedly. "What happened?"
"I need you to come quick, and bring the veritaserum, someone broke into my rooms." Snape nodded, going to his storage closet and grabbing a vial of clear liquid.
They walked back to Harry's rooms. "Who was it?"
"Hermoine. I don't know what she was playing at, I'm really worried about what…" He trailed off for a moment, pausing in his footsteps. He shook his head, limping quickly to catch up with the man's long strides.
When they returned Minerva was going through Hermoine's pockets. "Look what I found."
Harry trembled as she pulled out his journals. He snatched them back quickly, holding them to his chest. Not only that, but Hermoine had grabbed a few of his books, the more rare ones, including the one Remus had given him. Minerva frowned as she pulled out a small vial that held several black hairs.
"My hair…she's been polyjuicing as me!" Harry snarled.
Snape frowned. "Don't get too hasty, perhaps-"
"Someone polyjuiced as me last summer, and I think it could have been her." Harry said, glowering.
Snape tilted back Hermoine's head, administering three drops on her tongue. Minerva woke her back up, and Hermoine blinked her eyes slowly, her eyes vacant.
"What is your name?"
"Hermoine Granger."
"Very well. Now, have you ever polyjuiced as Harry Potter before?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"At Sirius Black's will reading, and three times before."
"Where you planning on doing it again?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"So the attacks around the school would be blamed on him."
"Why?"
"He is…" She started to sweat, and finally answered. "He is a horrible friend. I wanted to get back at him."
"Why?"
"He did better than me on the exams. He spends his time with all the purebloods. He is turning dark."
"Why do you think he is turning dark?"
"His spell books I found. And…and Dumbledore told me so."
"Why would Dumbledore tell you that?"
"Because he's right."
"Why did you want the blame to be put on Harry?"
"So he would have to leave the school."
"Why?"
"Because no one can be better than me."
"why did you take Harry's journals?"
"They were protected with something. I was going to have Dumbledore to look at them. I was afraid to open them, afraid they were cursed with dark magic."
"What does Dumbledore have to do with all of this?"
"Dumbledore doesn't want Harry at the school. He never said, but I know."
"Why?"
"He's dark."
"Was anyone else involved in your and Dumbledore's plans?"
"There were different plans. Many have changed."
"What were they?"
She twitched. "Before Harry killed Voldemort, he was supposed to fall in love with Ginny. He was supposed to be an auror and work with Dumbledore. He wasn't supposed to kill Voldemort so early."
Harry and Minerva exchanged a dark look.
"Why?"
"We weren't ready. He was supposed to marry Ginny, then die killing Voldemort. Ron and I would be heroes. Ginny would get his money and share with us."
"And what changed?"
"Dumbledore was afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"That Harry would be the Chosen One."
Harry trembled, looking away.
"Why is that?"
"I don't know."
Snape put her back to sleep, then looked to the others. "What are we going to do about this?"
"Obliviate her." Harry said softly. "Have her think I suspect her and the others of something trivial. She will have to quit her plans, and she will not know that we caught her, nor what she found in this room. None of them will know that we caught on to their schemes."
Both of the professors nodded curtly and got to work. Harry was deeply shaken. His best friends, his first friends….they betrayed him. Harry felt his heart breaking once more, and jumped as a hand touched his shoulder.
He turned and Severus was looking down at him solemnly. Harry felt his eyes burn and he started to cry. He felt Severus hold onto him tightly as cried into the man's shoulder. After Minerva came back into the room after depositing Hermoine out in the corridor, she looked at them, raising a brow.
Harry pulled away, sniffling. "Sorry." He murmured. Snape sighed, looking away.
"I'm sorry Harry. I never thought in a million years…" Minerva said, looking down.
"It's alright. I…I should have known…."
She gave him a tight smile, patting his shoulder. "You cant See everything Harry."
Harry nodded glumly, and the professors left the room, leaving Harry alone.