Hermione looked up eagerly as the post owls flooded the air of the Great Hall at Sunday Breakfast. She was most anxious to read today's edition of "The Daily Prophet." Truth be told, however, she hadn't seen any real news in it since last June. But still... As a brown owl swooped toward her with a newspaper clutched in it's talons, Hermione held out both her hands, palm up. With the ease of practice, the Owl dropped the paper neatly into her hands and flew off.
Hermione unrolled the paper and nearly spit out her oatmeal. At the same moment gasps of shock and fear broke out all over the hall. "What is it?" Ron said anxiously. Hermione handed him the paper silently.
"Crimeny," Ron breathed, "I guess I expected it but-"
"You expected what?" asked Harry as he joined them at the table casting a puzzled look all around the Hall. "What is going on around here?"
Ron turned the paper toward Harry so he could read the banner headline. Hermione watched Harry a bit anxiously. Harry had not been himself all year and she was worried about him. She had no idea how he would take this. To her surprise he said, resignedly, "Well, at least it's in the open now. Fudge can't deny the truth much longer with this news out."
"No, I guess he can't," Hermione offered, still looking closely at Harry.
"I wonder how he'll explain keeping it under wraps all this time?" Ron asked with a note of contempt.
"Dunno." said Harry absently. He was reading the brief article. "Huh. I can tell them when they left," he muttered to himself. Then his stiffened just slightly and made a face. Hermione noticed him steal a quick glance at Neville who had not spoken a word since he got his own copy of the paper right after Hermione.
Harry handed the paper back to Hermione without a word. He was looking at Neville again. As Hermione followed his gaze she could see why. Neville had gone the shade of chalk. He was staring fixedly at the Azkaban article and his hands clenched the paper so tightly the newsprint seemed to be disintegrating under his grip.
"Neville?" Harry asked cautiously.
Neville did not respond and Harry began to make his way along the table to cross to Neville's side.
"Neville? Neville? Are you alright? Neville!" Hermione said anxiously, "Neville, it's alright! We're perfectly safe here."
Neville still didn't speak but he began to shake his head. Just then Harry put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not hungry, Neville, how about you? Come on, what do you say to a walk down to the Quidditch field?" With that Harry took one of Neville's arms and helped Neville stand. Hermione watched, confused, as Neville followed Harry stiffly out of the Hall.
Ron, too, was staring after them. "What was that about?"
Hermione didn't answer, she was scanning the article intently. Suddenly, she stood up and gestured for Ron to follow. "Comeon!"
"Where?"
"The library!"
"Well, of course, I should have guessed."
Hermione turned impatiently, "Hurry!"
Once they were in the Library, Ron sat down at a table and waited. Soon, Hermione had returned from the stacks with three thick volumes. She slapped one down in front of Ron (ignoring the reproving look from Madam Pince, the librarian). "Look up LeStrange in the index," she commanded as she began paging quickly through the back of the thicker of the remaining two volumes.
It only took a moment to find "LeStrange" and turn to the first page indicated.
LeStrange, Mordred and Pravia: Mr. & Mrs. LeStrange were perhaps two of the most notorious Death Eaters under the service of Lord Voldemort. They are currently serving a life term in Azkaban for using the unforgivable Cruciatus Curse after The Dark Lord's fall. They were attempting to force an Auror, Frank Longbottom and his wife, Muriel, into revealing information they were (incorrectly) believed to possess concerning the fallen Dark Lord's whereabouts. The Longbottoms were driven insane by the torture and the unrepentant LeStranges caught and sent to Azkaban.
As she finished the paragraph Hermione heard Ron let out his breath. She looked up to see him staring, thunderstruck at her with his finger on what was doubtless a similar passage in his own book.
"You don't think- They wouldn't be Neville's?" Ron asked.
"I think so." Hermione replied grimly, "It explains a lot, don't you think? Neville's reaction last year to the Cruciatus Curse in Dark Arts; being raised by his Grandmother; his reaction this morning... I think Harry already knows, too."
"I think you're right, but what do we do?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe we should just wait until they come back and see how they both are."
"I suppose." Ron said shutting his book and pushing it away with distaste. "Lets turn these back in, shall we?" Reluctantly, Hermione nodded her head in agreement and followed Ron.
There was no sign of Harry and Neville by lunchtime and Hermione and Ron were beginning to feel a bit uneasy.
"Maybe we should just take a turn around the grounds and have a look for them?" Ron suggested and Hermione readily agreed, leading the way out of the Great Hall Neither Hermione nor Ron was feeling much better an hour later when a thorough search of the grounds produced no sign of either Harry or Neville.
"Maybe we're just being paranoid," Hermione said, sounding unconvinced, "You know, with everything that's happened. They're probably somewhere in the castle."
"It would take forever to search it, Hermione. What if, after all that time, they're not in it?"
"Should we tell someone now?"
Ron didn't look too enthusiastic about that idea. "I dunno' we could wind up getting them in trouble. If only we could be sure- Wait!" he cried brightening. "The Marauder's Map!"
"You know where Harry keeps it?"
"Comeon!" Ron said sprinting up the stone steps toward Gryffindor Tower.
Hermione waited anxiously in the common room while Ron ran up for the map. Time passed slowly as she waited, fighting the urge to go up to the boy's dorm in spite of the rules. Just when she had convinced herself that a Prefect with good reason could probably go, Ron appeared walking slowly down the stairs looking at the map, crestfallen. Hermione grabbed him and pulled him into a corner.
"Where are they?" she hissed.
Ron's face was pale as he looked up at her blankly, "They're not on the map."
"They've got to be!" Hermione said, grabbing the map and searching it intently. Ron sat down heavily while Hermione's eyes raked every inch of the map - twice.
"I don't believe it." Hemione breathed, "Ron, we've got to tell someone!"
Ron looked glum, "I know, but what if they're in Hogsmeade? We'd be getting them in an awful lot of trouble."
Hermione was torn. Her head told her that, under the circumstances, they couldn't take the chance of NOT telling someone. But she had latched onto the idea of Harry trying to cheer up Neville by sneaking him into Hogsmeade for a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. The more she thought of it, the more she liked the idea...
She felt paralyzed by indecision and, looking at Ron, she could see he was dealing with a similar struggle. The portrait hole opened and, instinctively, Ron whipped out his wand and touched the parchment hissing "mischief managed." The map went blank as Ginny climbed through the portrait hole. She took one look at her brother and Hermione and made straight for them.
"What's wrong?"
Ron and Hermione looked at her, unable to respond.
"It's not the Azkaban news is it?"
Hermione shook her head and tried to think what she should say but, before she could marshal her thoughts, Ron had jumped up and moved to the nearest table grabbing parchment and quill and scribbling madly. Both Hermione and Ginny looked at him in confusion as he folded it in thirds and in thirds once more. He tipped a burning candle to form a puddle of wax over the fold in the center of the square of parchment he had made.
"Ginny," He said looking at his younger sister intently, "Can we trust you?"
"Of course you can, idiot."
Ron ignored the insult and continued, pressing the parchment into Ginny's hand, "If Hermione and I aren't back in two hours can you find a professor and give this to them?"
Ginny looked alarmed, "Well, yes, but-"
"There's no time, Ginny, just swear you'll wait two hours and then do it if you don't see or hear from us."
"I swear, Ron, but can't I-"
Ron did not reply he grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her after him through the portrait hole. Ginny was left to gawp after them in disbelief. She looked at the clock and back at the parchment whispering "don't make me regret promising, don't you dare."
"What's going on Ron?" Hermione asked as they raced toward the front entrance.
"We're going to check Hogsmeade for Harry and Neville. If they're there we should easily be able to get back within two hours. If we don't, the note explains what's going on."
Hermione bit her lip, she had to admit this was a good compromise to their dilemma but she still wasn't sure they shouldn't hurry to a teacher right now and damn the consequences.
"Hurry!" she said picking up the pace.
******
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