Harry Potter and the Cantoris Quest(3/?)
Author: Anya
Author email: anya@schnoogle.com
Category: Humor, romance, mystery, adventure, drama
Keywords: Harry, Hermione, Draco, Ron, Ginny
Spoilers: For all the books, just to be safe :D
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The beginning of the end. Harry faces off with the coming
darkness in his seventh year. Contains H/Hr, unforeseen circumstances, a
lost heirloom --- and the quest to find Cantoris. A take on the last book
in canon.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. Song fragment is from Ready for a Fall by PJ Olsson . No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Other citations will be made where necessary.
Author's Note: Hope you enjoy reading this and future chapters... it's been percolating a long time in my brain and just boiled over :p
This goes to my really great beta-readers: Steve, Sabs, Cle and Heaven. Thanks to Mia as well for bouncing ideas with me. *glomps all*
Chapter 3: The Talented Mr. Weasley
You sit there in my shadows
And you call it your relief
Don't be the one with bad eyes for
The things that I could see
Don't give me that
The darkness has no armor
Need protection from the air
High hopes through time passing
When I see I want you there
I can't believe
You're the one for me
If it was this easy to find you
I should be ready for a fall
I should be ready for a fall
It was rather early when
Harry awoke, senses alert. Gazing about, he noticed that it was still dark.
Ron was snoring in the other bed, with the bedclothes bunched about his
waist. Harry plopped back down, tossing and turning for a while before
staring at the shadows on the ceiling in fascination. He gave up trying to go back to
sleep and got up, walked silently to the window and glanced at the lamppost
directly in front of The Burrow. The wind lightly brushed his arms and
goosebumps appeared in its wake. Harry shivered. He closed the
windows and drew the curtains over them.
Out of his peripheral vision, he saw something move. He whipped his head to the side and, under the slit of the door, caught a glimpse of a shadow sliding in the hallway. Cautiously, he went over to the door, opened it a crack and saw a man dressed in dark robes standing in the stairwell. The man moved and Harry felt as though his heart had lodged itself in his throat.
The man was actually gliding a few inches above the floor.
Harry followed him stealthily, inching his way beside the wall in the effort to be invisible while going down the stairs. He held his breath as the man stopped suddenly. Beads of sweat formed along his hairline as seconds seemed to stretch into hours before the man moved again. The man was almost at the door when Harry wiped the sweat off his forehead. His hand had barely passed over his eyes when the man disappeared. Harry blinked in disbelief. The man had gone but the door had not been opened. Neither did he see a wand nor hear a muttered spell.
Before he could stop himself, he rushed to the door and opened it wide. He ran a few steps along the walk in front of the house and whirled around but saw no one there. The light from the lampposts illumined the street clearly and there was barely any movement but for the swaying branches of the trees. He looked up and down the street and did not see any figures moving about.
He did not notice a small creature slipping out the door behind him before disappearing in the bushes.
Harry turned back to go inside the house and quietly closed the door. He headed back upstairs, went into the bedroom and sat down heavily, puzzled over what he had just seen. Swinging his feet up on the bed, he had barely settled his head down on the pillow when he noticed a slight breeze wafting from the opened window. He jackknifed, heart pounding, certain that he had closed it before going out. He closed the window again and, holding the curtains aside with one hand, looked back into the room. Moonlight streamed inside, casting its pale light everywhere. What he saw froze his blood.
Ron's bed was empty.
Do not panic, he thought to himself. He went out into the hall and checked the loo, which was devoid of any presence. He walked downstairs to check the kitchen but there was no one there either. He immediately thought --- Hermione. He ran upstairs and opened the girls' room, where he saw Hermione sleeping peacefully in the bed next to Ginny's. He heaved a sigh of relief and crossed the room. He sat gingerly on her bed and looked at her a few minutes, luxuriating in the sense of relief pervading his entire being. Mentally shaking himself, he laid a hand on her arm and shook her gently. "Hermione, wake up," he whispered urgently.
Hermione woke up, heart beating fast, thankful that Harry had stifled her scream with his hand. "It's only me," he hissed reproachfully.
She whispered back heatedly, "I didn't know it was you! You'd scream too if someone just got it into his bloody head to wake you up in the bloody middle of the bloody night!"
"Shhh!" He grasped her hands and pulled her out of bed until they stepped into the hallway. He framed her face in hands, looked at her wonderingly and then, as if unable to help himself, crushed her in an embrace. Hermione fleetingly thought of struggling away as she was self-conscious about being in her nightclothes but thought better of it as she noted the haunted look in his eyes before he enclosed her in his arms. His heart was fluttering like a bird beating its wings frantically against the bars of a cage. She relaxed and unconsciously her hands started to move soothingly, stroking his back. "Shh, it's okay... it's okay," repeating the words over and over again until she felt his arms slacken a bit around her. She leaned back into his arms and asked softly, "What's wrong, Harry? Did you have a nightmare?"
"It's worse... it's real. Ron is missing. I've been looking everywhere and I can't find him."
"What?!" Hermione quickly went to Ron's room and opened the lights. Ron's bed was achingly empty. She started looking under the bed and in the wardrobe, desperately looking for a sign that he had only gone out. Harry followed her as she went downstairs, hastily pattering about in her bare feet, checking the kitchen, the living room and even the backyard. There was no doubt about it. Hermione sank to her knees as the enormity of it hit her.
Ron was gone. She stared uncomprehendingly at the grass as her hands fell in her lap, clenching and unclenching in tension.
Harry hauled her up and carried her into the living room, settling her on the couch while he quickly told her the circumstances leading to Ron's disappearance. They decided to wake up the whole house and started with Ginny, who was horrified at the turn of events. She, in turn, hurriedly went into her parents' bedroom.
Waiting outside in the hallway, Harry dreaded talking to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He was certain that they would blame him, wishing that their son had never made friends with someone who was a perpetual target. He had never more in his life wished desperately that he had never heard of Voldemort, that he never had the scar on his forehead and that he had a normal life. But all the wishing in the world would not bring back one of persons that meant the most to him.
Hermione noticed that Harry was going into a state of shock and hurriedly took him by the hand to lead him down to the kitchen. She sat him down on one of the chairs and, ignoring the chaos churning inside her, held his cold hands, seeking as much comfort as she was giving. She stood up behind him and leaned forward, enclosing his shoulders within her arms, resting her head against his and fighting back her own tears. This was how the others found them.
Sitting down on the other chairs around the kitchen table, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley suddenly looked older than their years. Ginny stared unseeingly at the table, while Lord Flackenthorp walked around agitatedly. Manfred discreetly lit a fire with a whispered spell and made other preparations about the house. A few rays of light streaked their way across the sky. Dawn was breaking but the mood inside the house was dreary.
Harry spoke haltingly of what had transpired prior to Ron's disappearance. His voice faltered as he described what he saw and petered out entirely when he came to the part about finding his roommate was gone. Hermione took up the thread of the story, choking back the tears clogging her throat, trying to be brave. Tears started falling silently down her face as she looked upon Mrs. Weasley. The other woman had started sobbing on her husband's chest as he shed tears along with her. Ginny hugged her parents heartbrokenly, sharing in their pain.
Arthur Weasley immediately sent an owl to the Ministry of Magic and informed them of what had transpired. The Ministry quickly sent a team of experts to determine a magical signature for any spells that may have been performed. However, there were no magical signatures found anywhere in the house. It appeared that Ron had been physically taken away.
There must be nothing worse than having to wait... and wait... and wait. They waited uneasily the whole day for any news about Ron, any contact about his disappearance. Food prepared by the manservant lay untouched on the kitchen table, a silent testimony to the state of disquiet in the house. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had been shocked when Harry offered to leave, assuring him that they did not hold anything against him. Molly Weasley hugged Harry as she told him tearfully in no uncertain terms that he and Hermione were a part of their family and that Ron would be angry if he learned that Harry was blaming himself. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief over this --- not for herself, but for Harry. She had been worried about Harry's frame of mind and Mrs. Weasley's words, she knew, went a long way in allaying Harry's fears. He could be quite insecure about his place in people's affections and she could not blame him. Having lived for so long without signs of affection from his aunt's family and then learning that he was famous in the wizarding world made him a little suspicious about people's motives when it came to befriending him. The only ones he could fully and completely trust were few and that included their tight triangle and the entire Weasley family.
On the second day, everyone had haggard faces from lack of sleep as they all passed the night in wakeful silence. Harry, Hermione and Ginny huddled together, drawing up a list of places where Ron might be. Harry and Hermione went around, searching around The Burrow and the immediate vicinity. Ginny owled her other brothers, casually asking if Ron had popped over to visit them, in hopes of receiving good news. Percy owled back immediately with a "No." Fred and George, who were in the midst of making a general inventory for the year, replied that they could have used Ron's help but he hadn't been there. Charlie owled back that he hadn't seen Ron and was there something going on? Bill was the most perceptive of the lot --- he read between the lines and apparated back to the burrow, to everyone's relief.
It was the third day of agony before an owl came to The Burrow. Harry recognized it as one of the barn owls that resided in the Hogwarts' owlery. Mr. Weasley untied the message on the owl's leg and unfurled the small scroll. He collapsed into a chair and stared in disbelief at the message it contained. The hand holding the scroll loosened its hold and the bit of paper fluttered onto the table. Harry was surprised by the shout that Mr. Weasley emitted as he rushed to tell his wife, who was feeling poorly and had stayed in bed, about the news he had received. Ginny picked up the paper from the table and read the words aloud to Harry and Hermione.
Mr. Arthur Weasley, The Burrow
Arthur,
Ron is currently in the Hogwarts infirmary, under the able care of Madam Pomfrey. Please come immediately.
Albus
They all travelled by Floo Powder because Ginny could not apparate yet and there were protective wards set around Hogwarts. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Bill hurriedly went inside the infirmary, accompanied by Professor Dumbledore and followed by Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Lord Flackenthorp and Manfred. Ron, who had been calmly eating a block of chocolate from Honeydukes, was cheerfully chatting with Charlie, Fred and George, who were sprawled in various chairs around the bed. Percy was sitting stiffly on his chair, looking for all the world like there was something stuck up his... Harry quashed the humorous thought and turned his snorting into little coughing noises. Hermione looked at him suspiciously as a few snorts escaped.
Professor Lupin was seated a little apart, watchfully surveying the entire scene with his chin resting on steepled hands. "Watch the bruises," Ron exclaimed, as his mother tearfully hugged him. Mr. Weasley cleared his throat before diving in to hug him as well. Bill grinned. "Looks like we're having a little family reunion."
Harry stopped at the foot of the bed and, with a relieved grin splitting his face, said, "All right, Ron?"
"All right, Harry." The two friends grasped each other firmly in a double handclasp.
Hermione had to wait for her turn at Ron, as Ginny couldn't seem to let go of the brother with whom she quarrelled most frequently. Ron patted his sister's back awkwardly as he made a manly struggle not to cry out in pain. Finally, Ginny wiped the tears off her face and smiled with watery eyes as Hermione hugged Ron tightly as well. This time, Ron could not hold back a whimper of pain and bit out in irritation,
"Hermione, I knew you liked me but this is ridiculous." She immediately let go of him, biting her bottom lip as she apologised with a tearful smile.
As everyone settled down in the infirmary on chairs, hospital beds, window ledges and whatever comfortable position they could get themselves in, Ron started telling his story. He had woken up in the middle of the night to find that Harry had left the room. He was rubbing sleep away from his eyes when hands from behind had covered his mouth with a foul-smelling rag, making him black out.
When he had awoken, he found that he had been carried near the Forbidden Forest and had lain quietly as his kidnappers discussed in a group a few meters away if they should start using spells so that they could move faster. He saw the man formerly known as Scabbers walking toward the them and decided to make a run for it, which surprised the men in hooded cloaks. He dodged the spells they were casting by jumping behind trees as he ran. Wormtail shouted at them to stop, as they would alert the wards set up near Hogwarts. They fled in the opposite direction when they saw enchanted candles gradually lighting up the entire castle. Ron collapsed on the ground, barely reaching the battered Ford Anglia, where he crawled inside and promptly lost consciousness. It was daybreak when he awoke and started wandering in the direction of Hogwarts, where he was found by Professor Lupin, who was checking the grounds for magical signatures from the spells cast by Ron's kidnappers.
At this point, Professor Lupin took up the thread of the tale. He had found magical signatures of spells that originated from Dark Magic and had just concluded that Death Eaters (everyone gasped at this) had been in the area when he noticed a figure in pyjamas (that were too short, though he refrained from mentioning this bit) staggering about in his direction. He immediately brought Ron to Madam Pomfrey, who checked him for any broken bones (there were none) and then cast a sleeping spell to let him rest. Ron still had bruises that he refused magical intervention for, insisting that he didn't need fussing over.
Bill went out of the Infirmary while the others were asking questions. Hermione noticed that Ginny was looking expectantly at the door. She leaned over and asked, "Are we waiting for anyone else?"
Whispering, Ginny filled Hermione in. "Mum said that Bill is in love with someone named Max who we're supposed to be meeting today, since it's so rare that the whole family can get together. All this time, we thought that if any of the boys would be given a 'coming out' party, it would be Percy... until Penelope came along. Then again, they just broke up last Christmas --- as they do every year because Percy is such a miser and didn't want to give expensive presents --- so perhaps there's still a chance." At this thought, Ginny brightened up but sobered when she remembered who they were waiting for.
The door opened and Bill walked in... holding hands with a woman who was dressed up in a decidedly feminine dress trimmed with white lace, with her hair sleeked back in a bun and a pair of small oval gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. She looked like she was holding back in embarrassment at Bill's affectionate grip over her hand. Hermione liked her on sight. Ginny gaped at the new arrival, until Hermione nudged her unobtrusively.
"Dad, Mum, I'd like you to meet Max... Professor Maxine Ascension. She's the new Ancient Runes teacher in Hogwarts."
Mrs. Weasley recovered her composure quickly and moved in to welcome the newcomer with much enthusiasm. "It's very nice to meet you, dear. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when Bill told us that we would be meeting 'Max' without further elaboration." She looked at Bill warningly.
Mr. Weasley gave Max a hug as well. "Welcome, welcome to our family," he said, and began introducing his brood. "That over there is Charlie, then Percy, the two who look alike are Fred and George, the one in the bed is Ron, and lastly, we have Ginny." They waved their hands as they were being introduced. "Harry and Hermione here are Ron's best friends. My great-uncle, Lord Richard Flackenthorp (who gave a courtly bow as he was mentioned by name) and his manservant, Manfred. I think you already know the others..." She nodded at this and smiled at them all.
"We met while I was on assignment in the Ireland," Bill said by way of explanation.
Max spoke in a charming lilting accent. "I was doing some research on ancient artifacts... both Muggle and magical. It is one of my interests, though only indirectly related to the actual course I do teach. Bill needed some information that I could provide and... it went downhill from there." She grinned impishly at Bill.
Bill enfolded her in his arms, her back to his chest. She relaxed against him unconsciously as he rested his chin on top of her head. He grinned happily at the people around him, who looked like they were ready to pounce on him for his deception.
"So... it looks like it's still Percy we'll be giving a 'coming out' party for," Ron's face cracked in a wide smile when he saw Percy scowl at him threateningly. "Just joking."
"Jokes are always half meant..." growled Percy as he advanced to the bed where Ron was. Ron became alarmed. His face immediately registered relief when he saw Madam Pomfrey enter the room to shoo away all the guests.
"Everyone, out. Mr. Weasley ("Which one?" George cheerfully spoke up before being hushed by his mother) needs his rest." All of them leisurely walked towards the Great Hall where they were served some refreshments by eager house-elves, all the while chattering animatedly about the events that certainly made the day memorable.
School would be starting in a few days and Mrs. Weasley decided that Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione would be safer if they stayed behind while she, together with Manfred, would take care of packing their luggage to be sent to Hogwarts. Dumbledore warmly greeted Lord Flackenthorp, who it turned out, was a graduate of the school ("1938? That's practically ancient!" exclaimed Ron privately to Harry and Hermione).
School had opened, and the sorting ceremony had just been finished. At the start-of- year feast, Lord Flackenthorp was seated at the high table in a place of honour beside the teachers. Dumbledore cleared his throat and began speaking.
"I would like to say a few words of welcome to all the students." This was greeted by loud cheers, clapping and some table-thumping before the noise quieted down as Dumbledore raised a hand regally in the air. "I would also like to welcome Lord Richard Flackenthorp, who has graciously agreed to join us tonight." More enthusiastic clapping ensued.
"Lord Flackenthorp has indicated his desire to donate a substantial amount of money to provide for an award called The Flackenthorp Prize. This will be given periodically to deserving students who show exemplary behavior. The first ever awarding of this prize is a symbolic one, bestowed upon a person who is not only related to the benefactor, but has shown extreme courage for escaping Death Eaters... Ronald Weasley!"
Ron's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he was hauled up by his fellow Gryffindors and pounded on the back as he went up to have his hand shaken by both Dumbledore and Lord Flackenthorp. A huge smile spread across his face, which was not even dimmed by Draco Malfoy's nasty whisper of "Nepotism!" and the booing noise made by some Slytherins.
In the days that followed, the school halls were buzzing with what had happened at the Weasleys'. Ron's story became exaggerated out of proportion by the school grapevine and he became famous for fighting off a horde of Death Eaters. Ron, embarrassed, halfheartedly tried to dispel the notions ("Who wants to be remembered for being stupid enough to be kidnapped in his pyjamas by Death Eaters?") but gave up after a while and began enjoying the adulation. Harry and Hermione let him enjoy all the attention, relieved to just have him alive and with them.
Harry, though content to be in the background, was worried. The message had not been lost on him: those near him were vulnerable. It alarmed him no end that his friends and loved ones were being punished just for being close to him.
Evidently, he was not the only one worried. Dumbledore called him into his office before noon, along with Ron and Hermione. "It seems that Voldemort is intensifying his attacks on you, Harry. What alarms me is that he has extended it to your friends as well."
Harry answered quietly. "It has me worried too, sir."
"You're not alone, Harry," Ron placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and squeezed tightly. "In any case, we have Hermione here to put hex marks on whoever will come to harm you."
"Figures that you would need a woman's skirts to hide behind," Hermione sniffed.
"You don't wear skirts, Hermione. You're too masculine for that."
"Just because you don't see me wear skirts, it doesn't mean I don't have any."
Harry looked at his two friends with a suppressed amusement upon realising that they were seeking to distract him from the seriousness of the situation. He shook his head warningly at them, which made them stop, and turned back to face the professor.
"Will this affect my activities, sir? Should I quit..."
"Of course not, Harry. To do so would arouse the suspicion of the Voldemort and intensify the Death Eaters attempts to permanently do away with you or to harm those around you. We need you out in the open, where anything that happens to you will not passed unnoticed. Just be extremely cautious. Never be alone. I will come up with other precautions and inform you what those are.
"Besides, Professor McGonagall would most likely throw a fit if I were to remove the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain from the team."
The three had to stifle the images that came to their mind from this statement. Breaking out in howls of laughter in front of the school's Headmaster would never do. Although Harry had a sneaking suspicion that Dumbledore would not actually mind.
************
Hermione ran headlong down the corridor going toward the Gryffindor dormitories, hair flying madly behind her, clutching her books to her chest. She choked out breathlessly, "Tail feathers!" to the Fat Lady, making the portrait swing open. Unceremoniously dumping her books on the couch in the common room, she turned to Dean, who was talking with Neville and asked, "Did you see Harry around?"
"Not really. He might be in the Great..."
Hermione whirled around and was out the portrait hole before Dean could finish what he was saying.
"...Hall."
Dean looked quizzically at Neville. "What was that about?" Neville shrugged his shoulders and the two resumed their original discussion.
Hermione burst in through the doors of the Great Hall, startling a few students who were eating some snacks. She hurriedly located Harry, who was with Terry Boot, a Ravenclaw, and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff, eating some ham sandwiches and scones with jam and cream.
"Excuse us," she said while grasping Harry by the arm and dragging him to the broom cupboard. Terry and Susan exchanged knowing looks.
"And they say they're only friends..." Terry trailed off suggestively. Susan just giggled and continued to eat a scone.
Hermione whispered, "Lumos" and the tip of her wand glowed, lighting up the inside of the cupboard. Harry sat on an upturned bucket and crossed his arms on his chest. Hermione paced the small area of the closet, looking like she was going to burst with her news at any minute. He got dizzy from watching her walk back and forth and finally pulled her down to sit beside him. She was shaking in excitement. He hugged her to his side with an arm until she calmed down enough to speak.
"Harry, you'll never believe this... Professor Ascension started off the class by talking all about legends in the history of Runes --- I presume it was a prelude to our actual lessons in Ancient Runes --- and she looked at me when she mentioned a legend about a place named Cantoris. She said that the legend involved seeking the fulfillment of one's destiny... and I thought about you. Since Voldemort is still out there and growing more powerful everyday, maybe we can find out how you can destroy him... for good this time," she ended breathlessly.
"I can hardly bring myself to believe in destiny after all the readings Professor Trelawney gave predicting my death," Harry pointed out dryly.
"Believe me, Professor Trelawney is not even in the same league as Professor Ascension, " Hermione assured him earnestly. She threw her arms around him and accidentally let go of her wand, unable to contain her glee and he automatically put his arms up to respond when the closet door opened and Draco Malfoy stood there, along with Ron and a gaggle of students ogling the sight that greeted their eyes. They parted unhurriedly, trying to look as dignified as possible when one has been caught doing hard-to-explain things in a broom closet.
Hermione picked up her wand and stuffed it in the pocket of her robe. She put her hands on her hips, tilted her head and angrily said, "Just what do you think you were doing, Malfoy?"
"I'm saving you from yourself, Granger," Draco sneered. "Just what do you think McGonagall would think when the news reaches her about her precious head girl snogging in the broom closet with the Quidditch Captain?"
"She'd probably knock off points from the house of her precious head boy who went around jumping to conclusions, sticking his nose in places where it shouldn't be," she retorted. "Harry and I are just friends."
A groan arose from the crowd as Ron went around collecting money from people, grinning from ear to ear. Hermione was shocked.
"Ron, have you been making bets?"
"Nope. Just taking them," he smirked unrepentantly.
"If the teachers only knew what you were doing... you'd have that prefect's badge stripped off faster than you can say 'Hey!' "
Ron covered his prefect's badge protectively. His mother had been extremely proud that he had followed in the footsteps of his older brothers, though it had been uncertain at the start.
"What were the bets on?" asked Harry interestedly as Hermione slapped him on the arm. "Ouch," he said, rubbing the area that she hit. "I was only asking."
"I told them that when you went out of the closet, one of you will say that you're just friends. You should have heard the gossiping when you went out of the Great Hall together."
"It always happens anyway when only one of us is with Hermione," Harry noted.
"Keep this up and I can probably buy a new broomstick before the Halloween feast," Ron practically drooled at the thought.
"That's not nice, Ron," said Ginny as she walked up to them with Colin Creevey by her side, his camera, no longer a Muggle model, looped around his neck. He took a shot of Ginny and she automatically smiled as the flash bulb went off. Harry was relieved --- it seemed that Colin's hero-worship had transferred to Ginny. Then the camera was suddenly aimed at him and he was blinded by the sudden flash of light.
Then again, maybe not.
************
Dinner was a noisy affair with everyone, it seemed, chattering at the top of their voices. Draco went over to the Gryffindor table, ignoring the murderous stares that emanated from several of them, and spoke to Hermione.
"Granger, McGonagall scheduled an emergency meeting for us. Be at her office immediately after dinner."
"What? Got your lips unstuck from Snape's arse long enough to grace us with your presence?" Ron spoke up blandly.
Draco raised an eyebrow and looked insultingly at Ron from head to foot.
"Sadly, Weasley, I just came over to comment on your stylish clothes. That's a good Rafe Laurent imitation... from about five seasons ago."
Harry and Hermione visibly braced themselves to hold back Ron. Both of them exchanged surprised looks when the expression on Ron's face changed from fury to a sarcastic smirk. He seemed to have noticed the attention their little talk was gathering and remembered that he was a prefect now. Draco sauntered away, leaving Hermione to wonder at his message.
Why are we having a emergency meeting? she thought puzzledly. Harry seemed to pick up her thoughts as he said, "Looks like something came up. Want us to come with you?"
Ron added, "I don't like the idea of Malfoy in the same place with you. Even with McGonagall. A git is a git is a..."
Hermione sighed. "We're head girl and boy. You can't keep hanging around me, looking like a better version of Crabbe and Goyle." Harry and Ron protested loudly at this unfair comparison. "We have to meet weekly with Professor McGonagall, just as we have to meet weekly with the prefects." She looked pointedly at Ron, who adopted an air of injured innocence.
************
Hermione was walking along the grounds just outside the castle, mulling over the reason for the emergency meeting. A nice, long walk always helped to clear her mind after eating and she needed all the advantages in her first meeting with McGonagall and... ugh... Malfoy. She sighed loudly as she wondered just how Malfoy had gotten the position. Sure, he also had top marks in his classes but... a Slytherin? She shook her head in disbelief, not noticing a shadow creeping from behind her as she headed back to the castle.
Thanks to all those who reviewed Chapter 2:
HarryNZ (Harry!), Unregistered (without doubt, the most popular reviewer on the boards), E.C.R. Potter (Eric!), Opaleye, Oracle, Lady Attolia (Attolia!), SirLoyne (Steve!), mia fitzpatrick (Mia!), Erin, Marpessa (Esha!), Lily Vance, nappa (!), Ayla Pascal, calicutie11 (Carla!), Cadey(!), Smilie117 (Sabs!), Clepsydra Delphinus (Cle!), sugarkube and miuccia. Thanks, you guys are fantastic!
End of Chapter
