.
Chapter 29
The Unnoticeable Man
Hermione stared at the second year girl who accosted her as she came out of History class.
"David wants to speak to you." the child repeated.
"Who?" asked Hermione.
"David Grey. He said it's important."
"Surely it can wait for some other time. I want to..."
"It's on your way. I'll show you." and the girl walked slowly along the first floor corridor to the door of a spare classrom, glancing back again and again to see if Hermione was following her.
Hermione could hardly stand where she was outside Binns' room all day so she reluctantly went towards the anxious second-year who by now was visibly squirming and wishing to be off. As Hermione drew close, the girl opened the door, said "In there." and ran off.
Hermione peered into the classrom. It was full of old furniture and had clearly not been used for some time. A table was upturned against a wall. Many old chairs were scattered around at various angles. On one of them sat Professor Dumbledore.
Seeing Hermione he stood up and called "Ah Miss Granger, come in please and close the door."
"Sorry to be so mysterious but there is something important you should know; something you should have known about some time ago but it wasn't possible." continued Dumbledore.
"I have to cast a spell, or rather, undo one." he said as he draw out his wand and invoked a lengthy incantation almost silently.
Puzzled, Hermione waited, wondering what this was all about. While she was waiting she looked around and suddenly noticed there was someone else in the room over by the blackboard. It was David Grey.
"I believe you know David, Miss Granger?" said Dumbledore lightly.
"Yes of course, he is in our year in Gryffindor." she replied. She waited for some explanation.
"What do you know about him." asked Dumbledore.
Hermione screwed up her face to show her puzzlement and a little annoyance. "Why he's..." Her thought processes began to recall unused memories. Her eyes focused in the distance as her attention was focued inwardly. A look of understanding appeared on her face and her eyes widened.
"Before you ask, the reason I placed David under an unnoticeable spell these last weeks is that he needed to observe certain students without affecting them until he felt they were ready."
"Ready for what?" asked Hermione.
David Grey stepped forward. He was rather plain looking but not unattractive with medium brown hair, and of average height. He wore simple robes and his only adornment was a blue sapphire ring on his right hand. "He's not particularly noticeable even without the unnoticeable spell." Hermione thought to herself, rather unkindly, for she was beginning to find this whole situation rather irritating,
"Voldemort is growing in power. Growing rather too powerful actually. Unchecked he would eventually become unstoppable. I'm here to level the playing field." said David quietly but with assurance.
"You're here to defeat You-know-who?" asked Hermione, with disdain and disbelief in her voice.
"Not I - I cannot harm anyone directly. I am here to help those of you who are ready to learn how to weaken him. This will be a long on-going process, certainly months; more likely years. In time you might reduce him to the level he used to be but I fear he might strike before then. Our hope is that when he does he will at least not be overpoweringly strong." There was no concern in David's manner as he spoke.
Dumbledore spoke, "Miss Granger, you said once that you trusted me. In fact, you drank what you feared was poison to prove it. That is a very, very great trust indeed."
"I remember," replied Hermione, "but I was mighty frightened." She smiled ruefully.
"Then I ask you now to also trust David with your life. He will never harm you and he will do all he can to keep you out of harm's way." said Dumbledore, looking intently at Hermione for her reaction.
Hermione hesitated, looking at them both, then, "Of course, Headmaster. I do not properly understand what this is about but I trust you."
"I must leave you now. David will explain everything. Follow his instructions. Here is a key to this room. This room is free for you to meet in whenever you need it. That will leave the Room of Requirement free for ... other uses. I shall advise all the staff not to intervene." Dumbledore finished by handing over a large brass key and left the room.
Hermione turned to David. "Well, I'm rather annoyed with you," she said bluntly, "You cannot imagine the trouble I went to. I even called in..." she paused as if considering something else but then dismissed it and continued, "but I'm prepared to listen." She placed her hands on her hips and waited.
David replied "I understand how you feel but my plan needs several of you to make it work and you were not all ready. I had to wait and observe without being observed. Interacting with me would have changed things. Now we are ready to proceed."
He continued, "In the magical kingdom the coming of age is described as seventeen years old but that is just a convenient official marker. In reality, individuals mature magically only approximately around that age. Because of your experiences, those of you chosen for this work have matured earlier."
"And who might that be? Which of us is 'chosen'?" She over-stressed the word 'chosen' with a dash of sarcasm.
"They have all been members of Dumbledore's army and have demonstrated their courage and their aptitude. They are Ron and Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and yourself." He paused.
"They trust you. Can you arrange a meeting of them all here tonight at say 8:00pm and I will explain to you all together." It wasn't a question. There was an air of gentle authority about David that even Hermione felt. "And it is absolutely important that nobody else knows about this." he added.
"Very well. If they are agreeable and are free of course." replied Hermione.
"I'm sure you can intrigue them Hermione." smiled David. Even Hermione's stance was melted a little by that smile.
