Hey, guys! Hope everyone's doing well. Once again, I apologize for not updating fast, like I promised I would because life is super unpredictable sometimes. So from now on, I'll update as quickly as I can without making any promises. Also, to assure you all, I will not abandon the story, and won't rest till I've completed it XD
Moving on, thank you to all the amazing readers who've taken an interest in this story! Your interactions encourage me to update as soon as I can. Nevertheless, chapter 15 is here so do review and follow :D Happy reading!
Alfred Clemonte.
The name kept running like haywire in Harry's head the moment he had read it in the Daily Prophet. It also gave him a sudden urge to see Sirius, which was why he was sprinting towards the Gryffindor Tower. He could sense Ron and Hermione following close behind, but he couldn't focus properly. In fact, he couldn't concentrate on anything. The name, the man and the article were the only things crystal clear in his mind – along with the thought of contacting Sirius.
The Mirror of Divulgence rested in his dormitory, and Harry didn't realize he would need it so badly up till now. He weaved through the crowds of students and bumped into them along the way, not even stopping to apologize. Such was his haste to get to the mirror that he couldn't even hear the calls from Ron and Hermione, telling him to slow down.
"Hornet's nest!" Harry yelled as soon as he reached the Fat Lady. She gave him a baffled look as she allowed him in.
Some students were still loitering in the common room, but Harry ignored all of them as he bolted up the stairs to reach his empty dorm. Closing the door behind him, he went to his trunk and pulled the mirror out from its case. Then, after taking a deep breath, he declared Sirius's name in front of it.
It took his godfather a few, yet agonizing, seconds to appear on the silvery surface.
"Harry!" he exclaimed with a grin, "How's my –"
"Sirius, the man," Harry cut him short breathlessly, "The man is real."
Instantly, almost like magic, Sirius's face changed from delighted to shocked. Harry was thankful that he knew which man he was talking about.
"How did you know?" the older wizard asked, still surprised.
"An article in today's Daily Prophet," Harry said, "His name is Alfred Clemonte. He's a Ministry official. Didn't you see it?"
"Remus isn't here with my issue yet," Sirius answered, shaking his head, "What does the article say?"
"It's so weird," Harry said and then proceeded to tell him what he learned.
It seemed like Clemonte was part of a group that operated in the Ministry. Even though the Daily Prophet didn't specify the group, it did stress upon its importance. Apparently, Clemonte was supposed to make some decisions with the Ministry jury, but misfortune hit him and he got in an accident. Bizarrely, the newspaper didn't even specify the accident and just continued to say that he was now admitted to St. Mungo's, the hospital for magical people.
"They claimed he's hurt, but he'll survive," Harry finished. There was a long pause as Sirius contemplated his account, after which he said, "The secrecy is evident."
"I know, it's very dodgy," Harry sighed, "I can't help getting the feeling that the accident has something to do with the vision I had."
"It can be related to it," Sirius nodded.
Harry hesitated, but he voiced his concern, "It's just...what if Clemonte was attacked? By the unseen stranger I saw in my vision?"
"That's what I'm thinking, too," Sirius said, "Dumbledore must know about this. I reckon he will start some investigation soon."
"Please tell me what he finds out," said Harry.
"Of course. Contact me again on Monday. I'll surely have some information by then."
"Okay..."
The conversation ended on an anxious note, because Harry had informed Sirius about his first Occlumency lesson being due today, and Sirius had reminded him to be careful.
Head swarming with thoughts, Harry descended the stairs – and happened upon a troubled Ron and Hermione. He had forgotten about them.
"Let's go outside. I'll explain," he said, glancing at the other Gryffindors. His friends understood, and they all made their way outside the Tower.
With as much concealment as possible, Harry told them everything. How the man in his vision was real, how there was a possibility of the Ministry hiding things, how the accident was masking an attack, and how all of this could be connected to Voldemort's doing.
Silence fell among them as he finished his narrative. It was Hermione who spoke up first.
"So...you think...Voldemort showed you that attack?" she asked, her brown eyes wide.
"Yes. I think he wants to scare me somehow," Harry told her, "Dumbledore did say that Voldemort would want to show me what he is capable of."
"Bloody hell…" Ron murmured, "This means that he can show you whatever he likes."
His words caused a massive wave of concern to hit Hermione. "Harry, this is bad. Really bad," she cried, "He can manipulate you in so many ways. He can –"
"I know, Hermione. I know," Harry interrupted, worried himself, "It is terrible."
"This only proclaims how important your Occlumency lessons are!" Hermione went on, wringing her hands.
"Yeah, but that git, Snape, will be teaching them," Ron added with a grumble.
"I'll have to endure that git if I want to ace these classes," Harry contradicted him before Hermione could, "Which I simply can't wait to do. I'm tired of being manipulated."
"Yes, that's right," said Hermione, beaming proudly at him. But Ron did not appear amused. He rolled his eyes as they reached the entrance hall. "We didn't finish breakfast."
"You go ahead. I'm not hungry," Harry told him. All the agitation had caused his appetite to disappear.
"Me neither," Hermione added, her stomach in knots, too.
Ron rolled his eyes yet again, "Well, whatever. I'm going."
He then entered the Great Hall without another word, but not before casting an affronted look their way.
"What's gotten into him?" Harry asked.
"No idea," Hermione murmured in reply, knowing all too well what was wrong.
Harry shook his head, "I don't get him, sometimes. Anyway, we have to visit Hagrid now and –"
But he couldn't say anything more; a loud beeping sound had started ringing in the air. It wasn't that noisy, but it was still very annoying, making Harry feel like he could easily get a headache if he listened to it for too long.
But before he could see what was making that sound, he caught sight of Hermione. Strangely, she did not seem affected by the sound at all, almost like she couldn't hear it.
Over the fiasco of the noise, which was only growing peskier by the minute, Harry could make out her pointing at something in the air. He turned to see the target – and to his astonishment, it was the Snitch type alarm clock of his planner, fluttering just over his head. It had a strip of paper attached to its front, which Harry had to squint to read because of the noise:
Meet Hagrid.
"Yes, I know!" he shouted at the clock, "I'm going right now."
Suddenly, as quickly as it started, the noise stopped. The clock did some sort of jig then flitted away, out of sight.
The quiet it restored was rewarding, even if Harry's ears were still ringing. The rest of the people in the entrance hall looked perfectly normal, as if they couldn't hear the sound, too.
"What was that?" Harry asked, fixing Hermione with a confused look.
She, in turn, was frowning.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I forgot to tell you. Um...this is how the clock reminds you of your tasks."
He looked at her as if she was crazy, "By being this annoying?"
"Well, yes," she replied, failing to hide her smile, "It has to make sure that you're notified completely."
"Wow," he murmured, running a hand through his hair, "You didn't seem to hear it, though?"
"Of course. It's because the planner belongs to you," Hermione explained, "Only your identity is recognized by it. So when it's time to carry out a task, only the owner is notified, meaning only he can hear the sounds."
"Oh," said Harry in wonder, but then he scowled, "I guess in that way, I'll even complete the tasks I didn't include in the list."
He meant to be sarcastic and indignant, but Hermione laughed at his remark, making him smile. He knew he couldn't stay angry at her for too long.
"Now, before that clock comes back, let's go to Hagrid's."
Something struck Hermione as soon as Harry said those words, making the smile disappear from her face.
"Wait, Harry!" she called, running to keep up with him. He had already covered half of the entrance hall. "Shouldn't we wait for Ron?"
He gave her a questioning look, "He'll catch up."
"That he would, but he'll miss half of the conversation."
"So? We'll tell him whatever he missed."
"Please, Harry," Hermione begged, her eyes widening imploringly, "Please let's wait for him. It doesn't seem nice."
The truth was – she absolutely did not want Ron arguing with her again for leaving him behind. She wasn't sure if he'd find it nagging this time, but she wasn't going to take any risks, knowing all too well that he would call her out and not Harry. Didn't she say he could talk to her about anything?
Harry, meanwhile, was puzzling her over, but at last, he said, "Okay, fine. Let's wait for him."
"Thank you," said Hermione, sighing with relief.
"But not inside," he told her, "Let's go to the gardens."
"Sure."
Within minutes, they found themselves walking in circles on the grassy slope near Hagrid's hut. It was a bleak winter day. The trees and grass were covered with pristine snow. The sky was a greyish white and the wind was a little chilly, as some gushes of it caused Harry and Hermione to pull their cloaks closer against themselves.
Ron gave them a lot of time in each other's company, much to Hermione's delight. They discussed Harry's vision, guessed what Hagrid's secret could be, worried a bit about the Occlumency lessons, but mostly worked up laughter among themselves.
Harry realized it was the perfect moment to ask Hermione about the fight she had with Ron. They were still cold against one another, and Ron's mood was not getting any better, as well.
"By the way," he began, "did you and Ron have a fight?"
Immediately, Hermione stopped in her tracks. She thought he would forget about that incident!
"Are you okay?" Harry asked, surprised by her sudden halt.
"Oh yes. I'm fine," she said, regaining her composure, "Um...what did you ask?"
"About your argument with Ron. What happened?"
Hermione took a deep breath, thinking carefully about how she should phrase her words.
I can't tell him what Ron was actually mad about. I can't discuss that with him! What will he think? Us in a relationship? I don't think I would even be able to form words!"
"Hermione?"
She snapped out of her rumination at his voice. I'll just skip the relationship part.
"Sorry," she said, looking at the white ground instead of his green eyes, "Ron got really mad at me. If that's what you want to know."
"But why? And so suddenly?"
"Uh..." Oh, why can't he ask Ron about this? she thought, but then quickly changed her mind. It was better that he was asking her, because Ron would have spared no details and he and Harry would probably end up having an argument of their own.
"Are you sure you want to know?" Hermione said, taking a seat on a stone bench near them.
"Of course. That's why I am asking," Harry answered, sitting beside her.
"It's just...Ron is starting to feel left out," she explained, "He thinks we're sharing secrets only with each other and are excluding him." She finally looked at Harry as she continued, "He says that we find ourselves so often without his company that we feel like it's better to leave him out."
Harry's mouth dropped open. For some seconds, he didn't speak but he was furious when he did, "Well, whose fault is that?! He is the one acting like a git by prioritizing other things."
"He's also dating Lavender now," Hermione reminded him.
"But how is it our fault?!" Harry exclaimed, looking at Hermione incredulously. She sighed, shrugging, "I will never know how his mind works."
"He needs to get hit around the head."
"Oh, don't be so relentless," said Hermione before frowning, "Even though he is."
"What d'you mean?" Harry asked.
Hermione answered without meeting his eyes, "He dragged me away harshly. And so much that…" she trailed off, wondering if she should continue and decided she should, "That it hurt my wrist. His grip was very painful."
Whatever Harry was expecting, it wasn't that. He stared at Hermione, suddenly recalling the scene of Ron taking her away in a manner that Harry had mistaken for urgency. As he wasn't fully present at the moment, he couldn't see how painful it was for her.
Hermione bit her lower lip and waited for Harry to respond. He finally did in a quiet voice.
"It hurt that much?"
"Yes," she told him, absentmindedly looking at her wrist where Ron had caught hold of her, "But he was really angry and –"
"That doesn't excuse his behaviour, Hermione," Harry interrupted, shaking his head, "I'm sorry I didn't ca –"
"No, don't apologize. His ill temper blinded him."
"Still, it was so uncalled for."
"I know! But..." she trailed off, then continued with exasperation, "Oh, Harry! I don't understand why Ron is so mean to me sometimes. I try my best to not pick fights with him, but it seems like he wants to quarrel with me every chance he gets. It's just too much for me to handle!" she finished, burying her face in her hands.
Harry regarded her sympathetically. "I know, Hermione. I don't understand it, either." He sighed and went on, his voice picking up an angry tone, "But whatever his reasons are, he has no right to manhandle you like that."
"It's because I'm weak, isn't it?" Hermione said sadly, "He knows I won't be able to do anything except yell at him and –"
"Oh no, Hermione. That's not it," Harry interrupted her, "You're not weak. Not at all. You're the strongest witch I've ever met, and whoever thinks otherwise can go fire themselves up with the Cruciatus curse!"
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed but laughed at the same time.
"It's true," Harry said, grinning, "You're very strong, Hermione. Not to mention smart. You're noble, kind-hearted, and someone who tries her best to see the good in everybody."
Pink patches appeared on Hermione's cheeks at this, but she hid them by resting her palms on her face.
"You really think so?" she asked, trying hard not to smile widely.
"I know so," Harry replied, but his fist became clenched, "But that doesn't give Ron any right to take advantage of your goodness. It's not proper."
"He should learn some manners, I agree," Hermione nodded.
"Well, he can only learn them if someone teaches them to him," said Harry, gritting his teeth, "And I'm gonna do just that, as soon as I get hold of hi –"
"Oh no, you will not!" Hermione interjected, her eyes wide, "You will not talk to Ron about this in any way."
Harry stared at her as if she was crazy.
"But why not?!" he exclaimed, "He has to learn that he can't drag you anytime he wishes!"
"I know," Hermione said calmly, "I'll handle him in my own way. But absolutely under no circumstances should you bring up this argument in front of him. It will not lead to anything good and you two will just start fighting."
Harry looked like he wanted to refute, but Hermione quickly added, "I can't stand you two quarrelling, okay? Last year was horrible for me, as you two were not talking to each other! I can't bear to see you both in a fight."
"Okay. Still –"
"No. Promise me you will not talk to him about this."
"But –"
"Promise me, Harry."
He looked at her for a moment before finally giving up, "Okay, okay. I promise."
"Good," said Hermione, with a satisfied smile, "You don't need to worry about it, really. I'll make sure that Ron's aware of why his actions were wrong."
But Harry was still unconvinced. "Let's see, then..."
A deep silence settled among them following these words, becoming peaceful and harmonious with the slight breeze and the warm Sun. Harry had seemingly travelled into his thoughts, so Hermione took this opportunity to pursue one of her hobbies – gazing at him furtively, yet lovingly.
Here he was, a boy so remarkably beautiful and amazingly courageous, who could make her pulse race just by looking at her – and he cared for her this much?! Of course, this would be an obvious thing for other people because that's what best friends did for each other, but it meant the world to Hermione. It made her feel significant and as if the world only revolved around him and her, where everything else and everyone else instantly became nugatory. She loved basking in this feeling he didn't know he could create in her.
Her eyes travelled from his pensive face to his hands. She noticed that the ugly scars were very close to fading away entirely, now that they were light pink instead of burning red. Hermione could never understand how Harry managed to bear the pain of these scars in front of Umbridge. That kind of determination was one of the things she really admired about him.
"Look who's here," said Harry, distracting Hermione from her reverie. She followed his gaze, and sure enough – saw Ron striding out of the castle, his hands in his pockets and his face appearing sulky.
Harry and Hermione stood up, to greet him probably, or so Hermione thought. But one look at Harry's face made her heart sink. His jaw was set and he looked eager for a fight. He wouldn't forget his promise, would he?
But Hermione was determined to save the situation, so when Ron finally approached them, she opened her mouth to greet him kindly. However, Ron spoke up before her.
"What are you two doing out here?" he asked shrewdly, observing their surroundings, "In this cold? Was Hagrid's cabin not warm enough or something?"
Harry felt his fists tighten at his crude remark. He realized he couldn't keep his promise. Ron was acting so unlike himself, and someone had to step in to handle things the right way. And Harry knew it was him who had to do that, regardless of whatever Hermione said.
So he replied with gritted teeth, "Trust me, we didn't have any pleasure sitting out here. We just happened to be waiting for you; someone who took all his time in the world to arrive."
"What are you getting at?" Ron said, narrowing his eyes, "You think it's my fault that you two were freezing out here? I didn't tell you to wait for me!"
Harry scoffed, "You didn't tell us to wait, but we still waited, because that's what best friends do for each other. Something which I don't think you'd understand."
Ron's mouth fell open at these words. The tension among them was vividly building up and Hermione, who was biting her fingernails raw, understood that she had to step in before Harry and Ron started a full-blown argument with each other. But something seemed stuck in her throat, refusing to let her speak.
Ron, meanwhile, had recovered from his shock.
"Of course I'd understand that!" he snapped at Harry, "What makes you think I wouldn't?"
Harry, in turn, glared right back at him. His anger was rising rapidly.
Truth to be told, he was angry at Ron. He absolutely did not like his mistreatment of Hermione for such petty reasons. But still, deep down, he knew this anger wasn't entirely because of him. Ron had just added fuel to an already blazing inferno of fury residing in him.
"For starters, how about the fact that whenever Hermione and I share something in your absence, you have the nerve to drag her around and yell at her for it?!" Harry shouted, "When it's exactly something we do with her, too? D'you have some kind of privilege that we lack?"
It didn't long for Ron to put two and two together. His gaze turned to Hermione. "So, someone has been snitching, huh?"
His glare was so penetrating that Hermione had to drop her eyes to the ground.
"Actually, I asked her about it," Harry said, "The silent treatment you two were giving each other was driving me nuts. But imagine my surprise when she told me you deliberately hurt her because of your anger. Just because she doesn't say something does not mean that you can drag her around whenever you please! You really need to be a lot more tolerant."
These words rendered Ron speechless, but they created a burning desire for Harry inside Hermione. However, she still signalled a pleading look at him, telling him to stop it. But Harry ignored her. And to her dismay, Ron was not having it.
Their bickering continued for what seemed like hours, even if it took up only seconds in reality, but both Harry and Ron showed no sign of stopping. Their rage rose up at every sentence they fired at each other. It was evident that the pressure was at a breaking point, and it had to be stopped before things got out of hand. Unfortunately, no one around them seemed interested in their affairs and Hagrid could not be seen strolling out of his house. Hermione really needed him here, because he would have broken up this argument in two seconds flat. Since that was not the situation at present, Hermione knew it was up to her to put things to rest. Only if her voice cooperated!
Amidst shouts of fury that made her heartbeat fasten, a cold wind rushed past them, making Hermione bury her hands in the folds of her robes.
Suddenly, a huge wave of anger gripped her. She was angry at Harry for breaking his promise, angry at Ron for treating her like a lifeless being, angry at both of them for forcing them to stay out in the cold because of this petty argument. And at last, it was this unexpected anger that allowed her to speak.
"Oh goodness, will you two shut up?!" she yelled. Her shout made the argument cease abruptly as the boys looked at her with surprise.
"Look at you both! Fighting like little kids!" Hermione continued to holler, her anger rising each minute, "You two are so caught up in your stupid argument that you don't even realize the full length of the situation. It's freezing cold out here! Not to mention Hagrid would be waiting for us! But no, you both just care about yourselves and want to do something that won't lead you anywhere good!"
She paused to rub her temple. All this shouting and stressing had brought on a migraine.
"Look," she continued in a softer voice, "Can we just leave this behind? Forget about it? It's only causing trouble for all of us." She sighed before adding, "Let's just go."
Then, without waiting for an answer from either of them, Hermione went to Hagrid's hut.
Ron gave Harry a befuddled look, but Harry just shrugged and took Hermione's path to go to the cabin, too, leaving Ron to follow him.
Hagrid was in a very good mood when he received them. He greeted them with a big smile, his black eyes glittering in the morning Sun. And when he bustled about making tea for them, he was humming to himself.
"Lost his marbles, I think so," Ron murmured to the other two. Hermione had to stifle her laugh, but Harry was too curious to listen.
"Hagrid, what's going on?" he asked, as he scratched Fang's, Hagrid's boarhound, head while the animal slobbered over his robes.
"Will tell yeh in a minute," Hagrid answered. He served them tea and rock cakes. Then after settling himself with his own tea, he declared, "I'm goin' on a mission for Professor Dumbledore."
Instantly, Hermione sighed and looked at Harry, who was regarding Hagrid with amazement.
"On a mission?" he repeated in a daze, "But for what?"
"Dark times are very near, Harry. Very near," Hagrid said, his smile fading away, "You-Know-Who may be in hiding now, but Dumbledore thinks he's planning somethin' big. To take his revenge fer bein' in exile all these years."
Harry's heart pounded furiously. If Voldemort, a wizard who never hesitated to kill anyone, was planning revenge, then Harry could only imagine how foul it must be.
"Now, Dumbledore's found something," Hagrid continued, "You-Know-Who is actually tryin' ter convince monsters and powerful creatures – as bad as they can go – to join his side. Ter fight fer his cause." He dropped his voice to a low note and added, "But I think the lot of 'em wouldn't care for the cause, as long as they're getting a chance to kill..."
A heavy silence filled the room, making the crackling sounds of the fireplace louder.
"You mean like...dementors?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking.
Hagrid nodded his head, looking sombre, "Dementors are joinin' 'em quickly. But what can yeh expect from such loathsome creatures? They're Azkaban guards fer a reason, y'know."
A cold shiver went down Harry's spine at these words. He was suddenly remembering his third year at Hogwarts, when dementors had feasted on him and Sirius. How horrible it felt...
"So, is Dumbledore making an effort for all this?" Ron asked, breaking into Harry's thoughts, "I mean, is he doing anything to stop this somehow?"
His question brought Hagrid's beam back on his bushy face.
"That's where I come in," he replied, pointing at himself proudly, "Dumbledore has decided ter make good use of my birth, and has asked me to convince the giants to join our side."
Another silence filled their premises as the three looked at Hagrid with bewilderment. It was Hermione who broke the ice.
"Giants?! But Hagrid, I have read about them! They're vicious and bloodthirsty, and would not hesitate to kill anyone they meet on the spot! And they're considered to be dangerous according to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, not to mention they can be anywhere at all. Did you ever –"
"Calm yer jitters down, Hermione!" Hagrid exclaimed and assured her, "Don't worry. I got it all sorted out."
"What about the gifts? Have you decided what they'll be yet?" Hermione asked, her eyes bright.
"Hang on," said Harry, giving a quizzical look to both Hermione and Hagrid, "Gifts? What is this all about?"
"Gifts, Harry, are given to the giants to appease them," Hermione explained breathlessly, "Hagrid is going to have a long discussion with them, isn't he? Because he has to convince them to join our side. And giants hate long discussions, as they are not patient enough for them. So if someone offers them gifts, particularly in exchange for being heard by them, they'll listen intently. Otherwise…"
She trailed off, suddenly thinking what might happen to Hagrid if he failed to conciliate them.
"I still don't get it," Ron said, confused, "Yes, I do know that giants can grow up to 25 feet tall, but gifts? D'you think they're intelligent enough to hold a meaningful conversation? They sound like trolls to me. Er, no offence," he quickly added to Hagrid.
"If you did your research, you would know they're not like trolls. At all," said Hermione with a frown, "They are intelligent, way more than they're usually perceived to be. They have their own language, culture, and even tribes with a solid leader. But they're considered to be dangerous because they are willing to fight for the smallest of matters, thus killing each other or anyone who they don't like without any uncertainty. Which is why…."
Her words faded away, and a pained silence took their place. Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances with each other.
Suddenly, Hagrid, who was listening to their conversation with amusement, had enough.
"Oh, come on, yeh lot!" he boomed, "Nothing's gonna happen to me. Dumbledore himself did all he could ter find out more 'bout the giants. They're living close by, in the tallest peaks of Belgium. It's not gonna be an easy journey, I'll tell yeh that. But Dumbledore helped me plan their gifts and everything. And I'm not going alone, y'know."
"Oh?" Hermione immediately perked up, "Is there another giant accompanying you?"
For some reason unbeknownst to her, but not for Harry and Ron as they had figured it out, Hagrid turned a bright shade of red.
"Another half-giant, more like," he blushed, smiling, "Olympe is coming with me."
"Olympe?" Hermione said, puzzled.
"Hermione, you can't be that stupid!" Ron snapped, "He means Madame Maxime."
"Oh," Hermione repeated, still feeling lost, "But she claimed that she wasn't a giant, didn't she?"
Harry laughed at her question, "Not a giant?! Have you seen her size?"
"The woman was almost bigger than her horse carriage," Ron added, smirking, "Her horse carriage that was huge."
"Oi, cut her some slack!" said Hagrid, immediately coming to her defence, "She didn't admit ter being a giant 'cause she couldn't. Not with all the prejudice going on about us 'cause of that damn woman, Skeeter."
"She should have been a bit clever about it, though. Anyone who has eyes could tell she was obviously lying," Ron stated, with a subtle nod towards Hermione.
Hermione felt her cheeks grow hot. Ignoring how dumb the two made her feel, she turned towards Hagrid, "She agreed to accompany you? Does she know about the dangers of this journey?"
"Yeah. She does. Dumbledore told us both about the journey yesterday, which is why I got late ter class," Hagrid told them.
"Dumbledore, the matchmaker," Ron whispered. This time, it was Harry who chuckled and Hermione who took no notice of him.
The rest of the visit went by too quickly for their liking. Even after a hundred bouts of assurances from Hagrid, the three couldn't help but feel extremely worried for him, because of the dangerous mission and the heartless creatures he had to encounter. Then they had to fight the disappointment of not seeing him for two months straight (Hagrid said it could be even longer than that) and having another teacher take up his classes in his absence. Of course, the mission was top secret, so they were not allowed to breathe a word to anyone at all. Hagrid also promised to write to them whenever he got the chance, so that lifted their spirits up a bit, along with the relief that at least Madame Maxime would be with him, a trained witch who surely knew a lot of spells to help them along the way. Nevertheless, the visit did leave them very disheartened, which was why they did not want to initiate their next task – make Rita interview Harry.
Both Harry and Ron were not looking forward to seeing Rita's wretched face again, and Hermione had to admit that she was not, too. But what choice did they have? Now with Voldemort confusing Harry with both false and real visions, word had to get out, and fast, no matter how awful the task was.
They had chosen a spot near the Forbidden Forest that was not easily visible, thus protecting them from prying eyes. Before Hermione could cast the jinx that would turn Rita back into a woman, she put securing spells all around the area, to ensure that Rita couldn't escape. She had confiscated her wand way back when she first captured her, so running away was her only option.
When she was done securing, Hermione announced to the other two, "Okay…I am going to let her out. It'd be best if you both are on your guard, as staying in a jar for too long can turn anyone cranky."
Harry and Ron exchanged nervous glances and held their wands tightly. Clasping her own wand, Hermione took a deep breath and opened the jar. As soon as the beetle scurried out, she launched the Animagus Reversal Spell on it.
Instantly, right before their eyes, the small beetle transformed as Hermione's wand shot a blue light towards it, turning from a black insect to a tall woman. All three of them looked at her in surprise at first, taking in her dishevelled blonde hair, her askew glasses, her face free from makeup, and her clothes all crumpled up and creased. She definitely did not look as beautiful as she once was.
Rita seemed surprised, too. She looked at her surroundings and at the three with her mouth open, her face adopting the expression of someone who had been cooped up inside for too long and hadn't seen the sunlight for years. Hermione almost felt sorry for her.
But whatever pity she had gained vanished suddenly when Rita fixed her with angry eyes.
"You!" she exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Hermione, "You foul, abhorrent girl! You've taken this too far! I swear to Merlin when I get hold of you..."
She tried to reach Hermione – but failed. The securing spells Hermione had inflicted didn't allow her to walk even two steps forward.
Hermione couldn't help but smirk. "Hello to you, too, Rita. You brought on this punishment by yourself, dear. If you didn't write such awful things about Harry, and revolting things about me and Viktor, I wouldn't have captured you!"
Rita fumed. Her eyes crept from Hermione, passed to Ron, and finally settled on Harry. Despite everything shockingly, she beamed at him.
"Ah, it's a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Potter," she said, flashing her yellow teeth, "And my, don't you look even more dashing –"
"Don't you dare talk to Harry like that!" Hermione shouted, her eyes ablaze with anger. However, Rita just smiled at her outburst.
"Jealous, are we?" she said, her smile widening.
"How about you shut up?!" Harry interjected, also glaring at Rita, "Just get on with what we need you for and get back in your stupid jar! Nobody wants you here!"
The quirky smile instantly faded from Rita's face and she glared back at the three. "I won't be staying in that odious jar any longer! And I don't see how three little kids can make me do otherwise."
Hermione raised her wand at her, "Oh, we can make you. Because we're armed and you're not. Now, back to business."
At the sight of her wand, all the bravery from Rita disappeared and she obliged sulkily. Hermione had brought her some parchment and ink. Settling down on seats Hermione had conjured for all of them, Rita started jotting down Harry's story on the parchment while he told it to her. For the next ten minutes, the air was filled by Harry's voice only as he plunged into the details of everything that happened to him before he returned with a dead Cedric. Hermione was happy to see that Rita was concentrating on her writing, making sure that she wrote Harry's account with precision. While she looked at the process with interest, Ron appeared bored.
"This is useless," he whispered to Hermione, who was having a hard time focusing on anything but Harry.
"It's not useless!" she said, glaring at Ron.
"No, I mean, what's this got to do with us? I think I'll go back to the castle. I'll be more productive there."
"Suit yourself," said Hermione, turning her attention back to Harry and Rita.
"Right. Don't forget me when you go to the kitchens."
Hermione rolled her eyes at him. Giving Harry a little wave, Ron left their spot without a backwards glance.
The interview took 10 more minutes to complete. By then, the Sun had lowered into the sky, casting their shadows on the snow-ridden ground. After glimpsing at her watch, Hermione stood up.
"Okay, I think that's enough," she declared.
"But I am only halfway done!" Harry exclaimed, regarding her with wide eyes.
"Yes, I know. But we don't have much time. We've got other things to do." Hermione glanced at her watch again, "We'll schedule the other half in the following week. But right now, we have to meet Dobby."
"So, I suppose you'll put me back in that jar?" Rita asked bitterly.
Hermione sighed, "Look, I really appreciate you helping Harry and me with this, but you have to understand I can't let you get away. Not until Harry is done telling you his account and it is published in the Quibbler."
"Then, you'll let me go after that?"
For some reason, Hermione couldn't meet her eyes as she answered, "I am not sure. We'll see…"
To avoid looking at Rita's accusatory face more, Hermione cast the Animagus spell on her, turning her back into a beetle. As she ushered the insect back into its jar, she didn't realize Harry was watching her intently.
"Are you all right, Hermione?" he asked, the concern evident in his voice.
Hugging the jar, Hermione replied without looking at him, "I'm okay. Why'd you ask?"
"I don't know, but I'm almost sure that you feel bad for keeping her locked up."
"Well, yes. I can't help it. She's human after all…" she trailed off, staring at the ground. Harry approached her and took her hand in his.
"It's not your fault, you know," he told her, "She's just gonna ruin more innocent people's lives if you let her out. And I don't think a woman like her can ever change."
Despite herself, Hermione smiled at him, "You're right."
In raised spirits once again, she set off towards the castle with Harry. The warm interior of Hogwarts provided sweet relief from the merciless cold outside. They found Ron in their common room and went to the kitchens with him.
As usual, the house-elves were delighted to see them. Dobby was especially elated, of course, but much to Hermione's dismay, Winky, Barty Crouch's old house-elf, was still suffering from the sickness she had brought on herself by mourning her old master. The news of his death and the fate of his son had made her lose her mind. But Dumbledore was a kind wizard, much kinder than the Ministry officials, and he had let Winky stay employed at his school, even after she was charged with the offence of keeping Crouch's horrid secret for all these years.
Now, she could be seen huddled in a corner, with a huge mug of Butterbeer that she kept spilling on herself, ruining her dress.
"Harry Potter! It's so good to see you again, sir!" Dobby exclaimed as soon as he caught sight of Harry. The dissentient house-elf was wearing a strange combination of clothes as usual. A yellow button-down shirt that was two sizes too big for him, beach trunks, a red and blue sock adorning each leg, and a straw hat with holes for his bat-like ears sitting on his head.
"Dobby misses Harry Potter terribly, sir," he continued sadly, "Because Harry Potter is so busy nowadays..."
"Oh no, Dobby. You can come visit me anytime," Harry told him, grinning, "I'm not too busy really. I just –"
But his words were cut short as Dobby had flung himself towards him.
"Harry Potter wants Dobby to visit him!" he cried, "Never, in Dobby's life, has he met a wizard as great as you, sir!"
"Well, that's not true, you know," said Harry, turning pink.
Because of the three, a frenzy had started in the kitchen. After making sure the other house-elves couldn't hear him, Harry told Dobby about the private classes and inquired about any secret room he knew of. Amidst his account, house-elves served them all kinds of treats, which Harry accepted absentmindedly, Ron eagerly, and Hermione reluctantly.
"Now this is what I call service," Ron said as he bit into an eclair. The house-elves grinned at his compliment and rushed to get him more treats.
"Ah, Dobby knows just the room, sir!" Dobby was telling Harry in the meantime, "Dobby has gone there a lot of times for Winky, as Winky got so sick that Dobby had to take her away from others."
Harry's eyes widened. "What room? Where is it?"
"That's the thing, sir. The room magically disappears once Dobby stops using it," the house-elf told him, his huge green eyes shining brilliantly, "But Dobby can tell you that it's somewhere on the 7th-floor corridor, sir."
"But thaf's where the Gyffinfor tower is!" Ron suddenly declared through a mouthful of muffins. He swallowed and spoke again, "How come we've never seen it?"
"Because like Dobby said, the room magically disappears. But it is always there when Dobby needs something, sir!"
Out of the blue, a thought struck Harry, making his mouth fall open.
"Hang on a second. I think I know which room you're talking about, Dobby."
"You do, sir?"
"Yes. Dumbledore mentioned it once during the Yule Ball last year," Harry said, then turned towards Ron and Hermione, "Guys, I think this might be it."
Ron grinned with excitement, but Hermione nodded distractedly. She was staring at Winky with a concerned face, who was dead to the world.
Harry, meanwhile, addressed Dobby again. "Dobby, I need you to show me this room. It's the perfect fit for what we're looking for."
Dobby beamed at him, "Sure, sir! Anything for Harry Potter. Do you want to go now, sir?"
"No. We'll cause a lot of suspicions right now," Harry replied, shaking his head, "Not with Umbridge's lackeys patrolling the corridors like hawks."
"We need a plan, in that case," Ron put in.
"But we would need to implement it immediately. We don't have much time," added Hermione, finally contributing to the conversation now that she had torn her eyes away from Winky.
"Okay..." Harry said, adrenaline rushing through him, "I have an idea. Here's what we'll do..."
According to this idea, Dobby was to visit Harry in his dormitory tomorrow in the wee hours of the morning. Then, using his Invisibility Cloak to avoid any unwanted guards, he and Dobby could go to the site of the disappearing room.
"That's good and all, but Dobby, didn't you say the room vanished once you stopped using it?" Hermione asked, her brow furrowed, "So how are you going to show it to Harry if both of you won't be needing it at that moment?"
"Don't worry, we'll figure it out then and there," Harry told her, "Besides, I will be needing it, won't I? As I need a room to take these private classes."
Hermione bit her lip in doubt and nodded slowly.
"A room that only appears when one needs it," Ron remarked, "So what's it called? The Room of Requirement?"
"That's a nice name," Hermione giggled.
"Yeah. I like the sound of it, too," Harry added, then turned to Dobby again, "Do you understand the plan, Dobby?"
"Yes, sir. Dobby is ready for it!"
"Great!"
After a little while, they finally left the kitchens, their pockets heavy with treats that the house-elves insisted they should take. All the way to their common room, the three discussed the plan fervently among themselves, their excitement growing at each second.
Harry was definitely not looking forward to facing Snape for his first Occlumency lesson, so he wished the day could go on at a snail's pace. But alas, time had the bad habit of passing quickly when one wanted it to go slowly. So before they knew it, the massive clock in the Gryffindor common room chimed, declaring that it was 8 pm.
Rubbing his slightly sweaty hands on his robes, Harry stood up from their table. They had been attempting to study for their OWLs.
"See you two in a bit," Harry said. Ron bid him farewell from the table, but Hermione accompanied him all the way out of the portrait hole. Her hands were trembling as she clasped them together.
"I'll be fine, Hermione," said Harry, reading her thoughts, "I won't let Snape get to me."
Hermione sighed, "Good. And Harry..."
She had so much to say to him, but couldn't understand how she should say it; the proper words got lost on the way to her mouth. She finally uttered, "Just...just be careful."
"I will," Harry smiled at her, though he looked nervous, "See you."
"Good luck," Hermione replied.
He gave her a determined nod before setting off down the corridor. Hermione watched him go, a strange ache settling deep inside her heart...