Alohomora 2
Trouble Begins
A/N : Me again. I've just been watching Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer obsessed with fish, reflections and ape men; maybe Draco will be too... hahaha. This part kinda sucks... I'll make the next part better, I promise! A little Ron/Hermione... Harry/Hermione shippers, please no flames. Thanks to those who reviewed Alohomora! I'm not British. If I ever get around to uploading my photograph, you'll be able to tell.
Disclaimer : All characters except Candy and Alicia belong to J. K. Rowling. The Prime Minister of Britain and the other 'officials' belong to themselves.
Candy and Alicia stood in front of a tall, dark-haired woman with her hair in a bun - she looked rather severe, but kind. Harry stood behind them. 'They say they're from the Muggle world, Professor,' he explained, and the woman looked at them sharply.
'What are Muggles?' Alicia began, but fell silent after a hiss from Candy.
'Hmm. Come with me.' The professor brought them up and down numerous staircases through strange corridors. There were a few other students wandering aimlessly in the corridors. The woman stopped at a door, opened it and entered an empty classroom with the girls and Harry in tow.
'I am Professor McGonagall. You are from the mortal world?' she asked them sharply. Harry perched on a desk, watching them; the girls and the professor stood, facing each other. Harry looked from one to the other. The girl named Candace was very fair, with long fair hair, smooth pale skin and frost-blue eyes, and was thin and petite, but undoubtedly around his age. The other girl - Alicia - was taller and her hair was dark, with dark-blue eyes to match. Candy looked more confident than Alicia.
'Yes,' Candy answered.
The professor's face grew more serious than before. 'How did you get here?'
'I'm sure I don't know,' Alicia burst out. 'I had a key and Candy put it in the cupboard lock and when we opened it there were buttons and she pressed one and some more appeared and she pressed Gryffindor and everything went black and we were here and a brown-haired girl splashed water on me...' She trailed off. Harry began to laugh; he couldn't help it. She glared at him, and went on, 'Anyway, where is 'here'? I want to go home.'
'Could you repeat that, please?'
Candy told the story calmly. She looked as though she was enjoying herself. Professor McGonagall nodded, frowning. 'This is a matter for Dumbledore,' she muttered.
'Who's -' Alicia stopped as Candy kicked her.
Just then, Ron and Hermione burst in, arguing about something or other. They caught sight of Harry and their professor, and immediately Hermione burst out, 'There you are! We've been looking for you for ages!' Ron was puffing; Hermione wasn't. 'We found a key in the fireplace, Professor! Is it a Hogwarts key?' She held out an old-fashioned silver key with blue wings. She was holding on tight - the key was fluttering and trying to escape from her hand.
Professor McGonagall took the key from her and examined it closely. Harry, Ron and Hermione watched her, as did the two Muggle girls.
'No,' she said finally.
'Hogwarts?' Alicia said, and darted away as Candy's foot flew out again.
'That's our key, um… Professor McGonagall,' Candy said politely. 'It's the key that brought us here. Alicia bought it, so it's actually hers.'
The professor was paying no attention. She was scrutinising the key, turning it over in her hands. Suddenly she produced a wand from her robes and cried out a strange word. Candy and Alicia watched in amazement as bluebell flames engulfed the key.
Finally Alicia said, 'That's my key! Why did you burn it?' She watched its bright blue wings flutter and die, shrivel up into ash. She looked upset. 'I spent pounds on that thing!' She poked a finger gingerly at the ash that now lay on the table nearby. 'How did it burn up? I thought it wouldn't catch…'
'Alicia,' Candy warned.
Hermione gathered up the ash and put it carefully in a box that had carried chalk, first emptying out all the chalk onto the ledge of the blackboard. 'It may come in handy,' she explained, handing the box to her professor, who took it gravely. Ron was staring open-mouthed at them.
For the first time, it seemed, Alicia and Candy noticed Ron. 'Who's –' Alicia began for the umpteenth time, but was stopped by a hand over her mouth. Ron was staring at them, and at Hermione, who was staring at him.
'What's wrong?' Harry asked, with a tinge of amusement in his voice.
'Nothing,' Ron said, backing up slightly. 'This is all very strange.'
Professor McGonagall was opening the classroom door. 'Back to the common room, all of you,' she said, in a voice that meant 'no arguing'. 'The girls must be tired. Show them to the dormitory.' She conjured up two plates of food for the girls, who found they were famished. She went the opposite way, hurrying as though her shoes were winged.
They were hurried up stairs and down stairs, and could hardly keep upright as they were swooped down a stair that flattened itself out whenever anyone set foot on it. Alicia walked head first into a door, which yelled, 'Watch where you're going, clumsy!' and she stared at it in indignation. Harry laughed; he had seen the exact same look on Hermione's face before. The girls nearly shrieked as they walked straight into Nearly-Headless Nick, who didn't even notice them as he hurried away.
'It's winter, I know,' shivered Alicia, 'but I didn't know it snowed inside.'
'That was Nearly-Headless Nick,' Ron said, 'but he's never in such a hurry usually. It's strange. Don't worry, it's always like that walking into a ghost.'
'A ghost!' the two girls exclaimed in unison.
Hermione let out an exaggerated sigh.
'There are ghosts in this castle, didn't you know?' Ron asked them innocently.
Hermione let out an even bigger sigh.
'I promise I can believe six impossible things before breakfast,' Candy said, shuddering, 'but right now, I don't think so.'
'We'd better get them to the girls' dorm,' Harry said. 'They need a rest.'
'You can eat when we're in the common room,' Hermione told Alicia, who was eyeing her sandwich hungrily.
They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, who yawned and asked, 'Password?'
'Fantasia,' Hermione said, and the portrait swung open to reveal the familiar Gryffindor common room. Hermione took the girls to the dorm, and Harry and Ron sat down by the fire, warming their hands.
'What d'you think is going to happen?' Ron asked, as Hermione came out of the dorm and into the common room.
'I don't know,' said Harry, as he yawned. 'But I think it's going to be interesting. Anyone have any more of those Chocolate Frogs?'
Meanwhile, Minerva McGonagall was hurrying to Dumbledore's office. She practically ran, her wand clutched in her hand, and said the necessary password; she entered his office without further ado. Fawkes the phoenix was on his perch as usual, and Dumbledore was reading a letter rather calmly.
'Yes, Minerva?' he said.
'There are two children from the Muggle world in the school, Albus,' she said breathlessly. 'It was the key. The Key of Entry. One of the secret keys that the Hogwarts founders created years ago. It's been missing from our vault like the others have, for ages...' She took out the chalk-box gingerly. 'Look, Albus. I burnt it.'
'A spell?' Dumbledore asked curiously, leaning forward.
'Yes. Some joker, perhaps... whoever it was cast a Disappearing Charm on it. Must have appeared suddenly when the person died - then some idiot of a Muggle found it and tried to sell it... Who knows what other spells that idiot may have set off.' She was busy pouring the little pile of ashes onto the table. 'Here... I'll reconstruct it. The burning should have cleared it of all spells.'
'Good.' Dumbledore's blue eyes were alert, and he was sitting up straight. He watched as a jet of light shot towards the pile of ashes, and they rose in the air, slowly forming a key. A silver key, with blue wings that fluttered. McGonagall caught it and trapped it in the chalk-box again, and handed it to Dumbledore.
'Where are the girls now?' he asked.
'In the Gryffindor dorm,' Minerva replied.
'All right.' Dumbledore sighed. 'I'm sure the Prime Minister of Britain is not pleased. We've contacted him twice already. I'm sure he remembers Black. Fudge is, as usual, flustered. There have been three deaths since yesterday.'
'The dragons?' Minerva asked.
'Yes. The Prime Minister has been asking whether he can fly to Hogwarts on an airplane. Fudge told him to see me.' Dumbledore gave a short laugh. 'Ridiculous. As we predicted, Minerva, some officials have been pestering us on whether we can't cure cancer. They're beginning to get ideas. Fudge received a letter from someone who wanted a way to get to work on time - goodness knows how he received the address.'
'Is it that bad, Albus?'
Dumbledore nodded. 'A team of skilled wizards is working on a massive Memory Charm, and another team, comprised of some specialists in Care of Magical Creatures - you remember Charlie Weasley? - are working on capturing the dragons.'
'That's good.'
'Yes.' Dumbledore looked thoughtful. 'And I have received some bad news for Miss Hermione Granger.'
Hermione opened her eyes, and immediately remembered the two other girls sleeping in the dorm. She rolled over and climbed out of bed. They were still fast asleep. She did not wake them up, just got dressed and tiptoed out of the room. She was in a good mood.
'Harry! Ron!' she called. They were by the fire alone, talking earnestly; when she called, they turned around, looking extremely guilty.
'What's wrong?' she asked.
'N-nothing.'
She sat down with them, glaring at them curiously. 'The girls are still asleep,' she told them.
'So is Neville,' Harry answered. 'Do you know that it's Christmas Eve?'
Ron said nothing, just stared at Hermione. 'What is it?' she snapped, annoyed, but he shook his head and glanced down at his shoes. The tips of his ears were red. Harry glanced at his friend sympathetically. Hermione frowned, her good mood evaporating slightly, and got up to check on the Muggle girls.
She entered the dorm, and there they were - the fair one on Parvati's bed, and the dark-haired one on Lavender's. The fair-haired girl - Candace, Hermione reminded herself for the thousandth time - was propped up on one elbow, watching her.
'Morning,' Hermione greeted her.
'Hi,' Candy replied.
'Are you hungry?' Hermione asked her. 'Is your friend awake?'
'Alicia,' Candy said. 'No, she's still asleep. Thanks for letting us sleep here. Is there any way we can get back home?'
'Not just yet,' Hermione said.
'OK.' The fair-haired girl seemed to accept this, and got up. Hermione directed her to the bathroom and told her to return to the common-room. She sat, waiting, on a bed, for Alicia to awake.
Nothing happened. The dark-haired girl let out a little snore.
Hermione crossed to Lavender's bed and shook Alicia. 'Wake up,' she hissed in her ear. Alicia stirred, then opened one eye. She screamed.
'Now don't start that again,' Hermione chided her, as she shook Alicia's shoulders. 'No fainting.'
Alicia groaned. She sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. Hermione pulled her off the bed none too gently, and directed her to the bathroom, giving her the same instructions as she had given Candace. She felt quite sure that she was going to like Candace better than Alicia.
The few remaining students sat in the Great Hall, having breakfast. Candy and Alicia were at the table too, seated on either side of Hermione; Alicia was next to Ron, and she was talking to him about the Muggle world. He looked distinctly uncomfortable and kept looking at Hermione. Candy was next to Harry, and he was telling her about the wizarding world. Hermione, in the middle, looked rather grouchy.
Two owls flew in, one to a small boy with dark hair and strange light-coloured eyes, and another to Hermione. She took the letter from it eagerly. 'My parents must've replied! I wrote back to them, you know... that was fast...'
She took the letter, but put it by the side of her plate after a moment's hesitation, as though wishing to save it for later. She resumed her meal, watching Alicia chatter to Ron. She frowned at her plate. She couldn't stand Alicia, for more than one reason; ever since she'd come Hermione had found her amazingly irritating. Ron and Harry didn't seem to mind her. Hermione looked sourly at the remains of her breakfast. At least Candace seemed all right. She was intelligent and didn't talk quite so much... Hermione looked down at her feet under the table - Alicia had kicked her accidentally.
Professor Dumbledore got up from his seat suddenly, and crossed to their little table. He paused behind Hermione, who stood up nervously, wondering what the problem could be.
'Miss Granger?' he said, and she was startled by his tone. 'Could you come with me, please?'
She got up, and went with him and Professor McGonagall to an empty classroom, leaving behind the curious stares of Candy, Alicia, Harry and Ron. She heard Alicia begin, 'Who's -' and was glad that she was away from her for a while. They entered the classroom and Hermione sat down, nervously clasping her hands. Professor McGonagall sat down beside her.
'Miss Granger,' Dumbledore began, looking straight at her, 'I'm afraid there is bad news.'
'W-what?' Hermione quavered, her hands locked together so tightly that she could not tell one finger from the other. Her grades - she was slipping. In Flitwick's class she had received a mark of only 110% on his quiz - she was going to be chastised. Or was it that...
'Do you remember the dragons?' Dumbledore asked her.
The dragons. It couldn't be all that bad...
'Miss Granger,' he went on, 'I'm afraid your parents - your parents were killed yesterday by one of the dragons. I'm very sorry.'
Hermione felt Professor McGonagall's hand grasp her arm in a comforting gesture, but she hardly comprehended. Her parents. Her mother and father. They were dead?
The world began to spin around her. Her parents. No. It wasn't possible. 'Can't,' she whispered. No! It couldn't be true. Her parents were not dead - not dead...
She felt McGonagall's hand on her arm. She was led out, shaking, to the Gryffindor common room.
Harry and Ron had led the Muggle girls back to the common room, puzzled over what had detained Hermione. 'She's probably got the highest mark in the school again,' Ron said. 'Probably been asked to transfer.'
'But she won't,' Harry said with utter conviction.
'You sure?'
'Yeah...'
Just then, as they began to talk, Hermione and McGonagall entered the common room through the portrait hole. The professor was holding on to Hermione, who looked as though the bottom had dropped out of her world. Harry and Ron sprang up and ran toward her. Seeing them, Professor McGonagall released Hermione gently, and told them what had happened. Hermione collapsed onto the floor, sitting with her knees hunched up.
'Take care of her,' the professor told them, her face unusually gentle; Ron and Harry half-carried her to an armchair and made her sit down. Amanda and Kylie came over to look at her; her face was paper-white.
'Hermione!' Harry said.
She didn't answer; her face was hidden.
'Hermione,' Ron tried. 'Say something!'
She uncovered her face, dry-eyed but pale as a ghost. 'My parents, Ron,' she said in a hollow voice. 'They're dead.' And then she began to cry, the tears trickling silently down her face. In swift concern Ron looked at Harry, who looked pale himself, and put his arms around Hermione. She sobbed into his shoulder. Awkwardly Ron patted her on the back. 'It'll be all right, Hermione,' he told her.
'No. No, it won't.' She was clinging to him now. 'My parents are dead!' She cried anew, and Amanda and Kylie took her from Ron and into the girl's dorm. Candy and Alicia had been watching from a tactful distance, and now they came up to stand by Harry and Ron, their faces drawn with concern.
'Is she OK?' Candy asked Harry.
'Not really,' Harry said, and the girls entered the dorm tentatively. Hermione sat on her bed, empty-eyed, gazing at the wall.
'Her-Hermione?' Alicia asked.
'Go away,' Hermione choked out. Amanda and Kylie had gone, no doubt chased away by Hermione.
'We're really sorry about - what happened,' Candy said tentatively.
Hermione flopped on the bed, her face to the ceiling. 'Why?' she whispered, in a voice that wasn't hers. 'Why?' Her thin, strong fingers were locked together. Alicia and Candy knelt on either side of her, letting her cry for a little while, and then Alicia spoke:
'It could have been worse, you know.'
Another irritating statement! Typical, ran Hermione's confused thoughts. She began to laugh. The Muggle girls looked at each other uncertainly.
'It hit me after breakfast!' Hermione was laughing and crying now, and Candy grasped one of her hands. 'It hit me after breakfast. It hit me AFTER breakfast. Six impossible things, and I can only believe before breakfast!' She stopped abruptly, and whispered, 'But it's hard to believe now. Are - are my parents really dead?'
Alicia nodded slowly, looking terrified.
'It isn't true.' Hermione's face was contorted. 'I can't believe it. Please tell me - it isn't true.' She had closed her eyes, and the hand that Candy held was twitching.
'We'd better call in her friends,' Alicia whispered.
They tiptoed out and called Harry and Ron, who entered the girls' dorm very quietly.
'Hermione?' Harry said.
There was no answer. Hermione's eyes were closed. Ron touched her hand. 'Hermione?'
'Better to let her sleep it off,' advised Professor McGonagall, coming up behind them. She didn't seem to realise that there were two boys in the dorm - she was smoothing Hermione's hair. Harry and Ron knelt by her bed, their faces creased with worry. 'She'll feel better in the morning.' She walked out of the dorm, looked back at Hermione, and left the common room.
Ron clasped her cold hand in his. 'Don't worry, Hermione,' he whispered. 'It'll be all right. I promise.'