Chapter 29 – Disasters

Despite H and I, both warning Harry not to do it, Harry decided to stay back after Potions class and ask Prof. Slughorn for the memory. Neither H nor Ron wanted to wait for Harry, as they were angry with him. H was angry because he outsmarted her again in Potions class yet again and Ron because he didn't hand him a bezoar as well. I was waiting for him though I was going to get late for Ancient Runes.

I heard Prof. Slughorn yell something and come out of the dungeon. He walked past me like he didn't even notice me outside the class. A few seconds later Harry came out looking shocked and a little defeated.

"So, it didn't go well."

"You think! I didn't see that coming." Harry looked like a lost puppy.

"I sort of told you that this was a disaster in the making."

"Not making me feel better." Harry sighed.

"I know, I'm sorry baby. I have to get to class. I'm going to be late."

"Okay." He kissed me on my forehead and I ran for my next class.


In the evening, H and I were doing homework while Harry told us in detail about the disaster with Prof. Slughorn.

"That serves you right. You shouldn't have pulled the bezoar trick on us. Besides, I already told you this was a bad idea but you went with it anyway 'cause Won-Won said it would work. Because his ideas always work, don't they!"

"H, come on. Give him a break. I know it's annoying but this is not the time to be hard on him." I tried to speak for Harry.

"I'm not entirely sure if you're helping me." Harry looked confounded. I stuck my tongue at him.

H rolled her eyes and whispered, "I looked in the library for Horcruxes. There was nothing about it any books. The only bit I found was in Magick Moste Evile. And all it said was 'most wickedest magical invention, not going to speak about it or give directions.' Why even mention it? This sentence must have caught Voldemort's attention and he went digging about to find out about it."

"That doesn't help at all." Harry complained. He had hoped that H would find out something about it.

"But this one sentence did confirm that Horcruxes are indeed dangerous and dark." I said trying to lift the mood.

We were quiet for a few seconds. Each of us wondering what Horcruxes are.

Harry cleared his throat, "Um…Hermione don't you think it's time to end this feud with-"

"No!" H said before Harry could finish.

"It's been quite some-"

"No!" This time H picked her books and left the common room.

"You should really learn to pick your battles." I told Harry slyly.

He shook his head, "Don't you think this has gone far enough already?"

"Harry not everybody deals with things in the same way. Sometimes some distance is the best way to gain perspective. So, calm down."

"I'm just tired of being around either Ron or Hermione." Harry sounded sad.


Weeks had passed since Harry's tragic attempt to get the memory. In these past few weeks Harry was on a look out for an invitation to the Slug Club parties. He kept asking H, Ginny and me if we didn't get an invitation as well. Though Prof. Slughorn had gone back to complimenting Harry's work, he was still pretty cautious around him.

Once February began the sixth years were buzzing with excitement as our apparition classes were beginning.

Harry, H and I made our way down the great hall. Ron was with Lavender. The apparition class was in the hall. The tables had been removed. The students stood with their Head of the House.

A small wizard stood in front of the group. He looked, for the lack of a better word I'm going to say, colourless. He looked like someone who would be on the losing side of a fight.

"Good Morning, my name is Wilkie Twycross. I shall be you Ministry Apparition Instructor for the next twelve weeks." He recited it like he's been doing this for a long time. I hope to be able to prepare you for your apparition test in this time -"

"Malfoy, pay attention!" Prof. McGonagall shouted.

Ever since he told me what he did, I've avoided looking at him. I pretend like he is not even in the school so it would be easy to cope with this sadness. I saw him for the first time in weeks. He was visibly embarrassed but he looked worse then the last time I saw him. What is happening, Draco? Slowly a few more questions started popping up and I told myself to stop. I've decided to stay out of this. If I ask questions then I'll want to know the answers. Ignorance is bliss, I reminded myself. Harry was looking curiously at Draco.

"- by which time, many of you may be ready to take your test," Twycross continued like he was never interrupted.

"As you know, it's impossible apparate and disapparate within Hogwarts but the Headmaster has lifted the enchantment only in the great hall. It would be wise not to apparate out of the hall. I would like each of you to place yourselves so you have a clear five feet distance in front of you."

As soon as he said that everybody started moving. The Heads moved around to help the students get into position.

"Harry, where are you going?" I heard H say.

I watched Harry walk until he positioned himself right behind Draco. My heart skipped a beat. I didn't think Harry would so blatantly let Draco know that he was watching him. Draco hadn't yet realised that Harry was behind him. Draco was arguing with Crabbe. Then Harry said something and Draco turned around and almost drew his wand on him. Just then all the Heads of House demanded that we remain quiet. Draco turned around but he didn't look pleased.

Twycross waved his wand and wooden hoops appeared in front of all the students. "The important things to remember are the three Ds! Destination, Determination and Deliberation.

He explained each of the three Ds and asked us to focus on the hoops before us. The hoops were our destination. "On the count of three I want you all to turn on the spot. Move with deliberation. One, two…three."

I turned. I caught myself before I fell. But a lot of the others had fallen including Harry, Ron and Draco ('Ignorance is bliss', I told myself). It hurts me to look at Draco. H, like me, didn't fall. Twycross seemed to have expected, he said, "set the hoop and go back to your positions."

At the end of an hour while no one had managed to apparate, Susan Bones ended up splinching herself. Twycross and the Heads of House fixed her up in a few minutes after which Susan was visibly shaken up after the incident. It was really scary to watch her in the hoop without her leg.

"Remember the three Ds!" Those were Twycross' parting words.

Before H and I could catch with Harry, Ron got to him. Harry took Ron somewhere. It looked like he was going to tell Ron something. Is he telling Ron something about Draco? Stop being concerned about him.

"Want to go for a walk?" H asked. She had seen Harry and Ron walk out of the great hall as well.

I nodded.


Harry finally told H and me that he was keeping a watch on Draco. He used the map to keep a watch on him. I didn't know if it was necessary at that time. I wanted him to focus on getting the memory and not on Draco. I needed Harry to not focus on Draco. I was afraid of where it would lead him. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to save him if Harry got to him first. Stop it! Don't think of him.

"Harry, I think you should be figuring out how to get the memory and not follow Malfoy around." H said mirroring my thoughts.

"Hermione, I'm trying but he doesn't want to be alone with me." Harry said. "Besides Malfoy is definitely up to something or else why would he need Crabbe and Goyle to keep a look out for him?"

"Do you really think it is important right now?" H looked frustrated.

"If Malfoy is up to something then it can't be good can it?" Harry countered her.

H sighed in defeat, "You should learn to prioritise."

"It was on my birthday!" We heard Ron exclaim.

"What's the matter Ron?" I asked hoping this would cause the much-needed distraction. H started to leave when Ron got to us.

"The next Hogsmeade trip has been cancelled." He cried.

"Yeah. We know. The notice was put up sometime back." Harry said.

"It was on my birthday!" He exclaimed again.

"Oh."


"H, let's go." I've been trying to get H to come to the common room with me for a while.

"I don't want to go. I don't want to be around him," she pouted.

"It's his birthday. The least you can do is wish him."

"It's really annoying when you're right."

"Says the 'know-it-all'," I retorted.

We got down and waited for the guys to come down. It's Saturday so the guys were going to be late.

"I'm getting hungry how about we go have breakfast." H suggested. I nodded and we went down.

We waited for the guys to show up. Seems like they really are taking their own sweet time.

"They are not normally this late. I wonder what's happening." I blew out air from my mouth in boredom.

"Maybe Won-Won and Lav-Lav are busy doing something," she said nastily.

"C'mon, it's his birthday. Be nice to him."

"He's not here."

I realised she was right, "You can't say mean things to him on his birthday even if it's behind his back."

Suddenly Harry burst into the hall. He had that look on his face. You know that look when something bad happens. He looked for us frantically and rushed towards us.

"Something…happened…Ron…hospital wing." He was having hard time breathing. He must have run a long way.

"Harry, I didn't understand anything. Have some water and tell us." I gave him a glass of water. "You have that look on your face."

He shook his head and drank some water, "Ron's in the hospital wing." He finally told us.

"What?"

"What happened?" H asked with concern.

"I'll tell you on the way. C'mon." He said. We ran into Ginny on our way. "Ginny come with us."

"Why?"

"Just come."

Ron had some love potion spiked chocolate cauldrons that Romilda Vane had given to Harry. Harry took him to Prof. Slughorn so he could give him an antidote. Then Slughorn offered them a glass of oak matured mead. Ron drank it before Prof. Slughorn and Harry could finish toasting. Turned out the mead was poisoned. Prof. Slughorn was so shocked that he couldn't do anything. Harry found bezoar in Prof. Slughorn's potions kit and shoved it down Ron's mouth. Then Prof. Slughorn got Prof. McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey and they brought him here. Since then Madam Pomfrey has been working relentlessly on him.

We waited there the entire day. People kept coming and going. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came worried. The twins turned up after them. They were waiting to surprise Ron in Hogsmeade. Harry repeated the story to each and every one of them. I could tell Harry was tired of repeating the tale but there was no other way. Harry, Ginny and the twins started dishing out various conspiracy theories. H was quiet. She was tensed. I stood next to her listened to the others.

It was pretty late when we were finally allowed to visit Ron. He was unconscious. Hagrid burst in to the infirmary and with him he brought his own conspiracy theory. He thought someone had a vendetta against the Gryffindor Quidditch team. This was far-fetched but it was interesting to hear him say it. Some time later, Ron's parents' came from Dumbledore's office. Mrs. Weasley thanked Harry for saving Ron's life. Then Madam Pomfrey came and reminded us that only six visitors were allowed at a time. Hagrid, Harry, H and I left the infirmary.

"Dumbledore is worried. Neva seen him this angry. Even wid the security children getting hurt." Hagrid told us.

"Does he have any ideas how this happened?" I asked him.

"It's Dumbledore we're talking 'bout. He must've a lot of ideas." Then he told us about how there's a possibility of the school closing because of the attacks.

"But that can't happen." Harry said passionately. We all knew Harry thought of Hogwarts as home, we all did. "This is the best magic school in the country."

"You gotta see from der point o' view. If children get attacked, parents'll want ter keep children safe at home. And attempted murder will definitely scare parents, no wonder Dumbledore is so angry with Sna-" Hagrid looked sheepishly at us and stopped talking.

"Dumbledore's mad at Snape?" Harry asked.

"Now, don't go lookin' too deep inter it." Hagrid started to put us off.

"Why is he angry with Snape?" Harry asked.

"Not so loud, Harry! Do you want ter coz me my job? But I guess that doesn't mater since you don't take my subject anym-"

"Don't guilt-trip me, now. Tell me, why is Dumbledore angry with Snape." Harry asked firmly.

"Look, I didn't hear much. I was comin' back from visitin' Aragog, who is sick. I was readin' ter him. Dumbledore and Snape were talkin', more like arguin'. Snape sed somethin' like Dumbledore takes too many things for granted and maybe he didn't want ter do it anymore."

"Do what?"

"I don't know. But Snape look tired maybe he's overworked. But Dumbledore sed he agreed ter do it so he must do it. Then he asked Snape 'bout the investigations in Slytherin house." We exchanged glances. "Afta the necklace incident, Dumbledore had told all the heads of house ter search students."

"But he is not arguing with the other heads of house, is he?"

"I know how you feel 'bout Snape so don't look more inter this." Hagrid pleaded.

Just then Filch turned up. He lit up like a Christmas tree when he saw us. "Ahhh….students out of bed, this late in the night."

"They're wid me, Filch."

"What difference does it make?"

"I'm a teacher." Then he whispered to us, "Leave now."

We left as quickly as we could. We could hear Hagrid and Filch arguing. The Fat Lady didn't look too happy to see us that late in the night but she let us in nonetheless.

"I knew, Dumbledore believed me when I told him about Malfoy." Harry said.

"Harry, you heard Hagrid, don't read too much into it. You can't pin everything on Malfoy." H said.

"Someday, you'll believe me and you'll eating your words." Harry said.

"Ahhh…there you are!" We heard someone say and we were about to draw our wands.

"Oh, it's you. Cormac, what are you doing?" H asked.

"I wanted to talk to you." He looked at Harry as he said that. " I saw them taking Weasley to the hospital wing and didn't look like he'll make it for the next week's match."

Harry looked a little lost, "Right…the match against Hufflepuff. Yeah, I don't think Ron will not be able to make it."

"So, I'll be playing Keeper then." McLaggen asked anxiously.

Harry took a few moments to answer that, "I guess."

"Great! When's the next practise?"

"There's one tomorrow evening."

"Listen Potter, I want to talk to you about strategies which might be useful for the team." McLaggen looked charged up though it was really late.

"It's been a long day. I'm tired. We'll talk about this tomorrow."

"Ya, Sure." He turned to H for the first time, "Good Night, Hermione." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips and went up the boys' dormitories.

"Good Night," she was bewildered. She looked like she didn't understand what just happened here.

"What an opportunist!" I exclaimed as soon as he was out of our sight.

"That was the word I was looking for." H said dryly.


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Enjoy! Neepa :-)