Title: One in a million
Chapter 5: Only One
A/N: I am back with the first update in ages. Thanks for all the comments... I really appreciate them a lot.
When Professor Mcgonnagal went to the dormitory she did not find Oliver Wood. Yet, in a way the teacher was not at all surprised. She had expected something like this to happen. After he had left she had voiced this opinion to the Headmaster and Dumbledore had replied saying "We cannot prevent or change that if it happens."
Honestly sometimes she hated the way he handled dangerous situations. It had taken a lot of her will power to not yell out that it was insane to not watch after him.
She went up to his office and almost screamed out "The boy was not there!"
Dumbledore remained calm "Remember Minerva, it was you who expected this to happen.... all the teachers tonight are on look out for signs of Reynolds and for Voldemort's hideout. I myself will be heading out soon."
Mcgonnagal shuddered "Headmaster, please say that you have an idea where he is.... I cannot see these children hurt. So many have been killed by You-Know-Who all ready."
Dumbledore nodded and said "The signs point to a hideout in the forest."
~~~
Oliver didn't know where he was going. It was so random and he was so upset... he knew that it would be a one in a million chance he would find Charles and more than that the chance he would defeat him and save Hermione.
While he weighed the ideas in his head he was losing out on time.
~~~
Hermione was scared. Sure, she had been through scary things before but they were all Harry's problems... he always had to be the brave one. She was just a sidekick. Right after Oliver had left the dungeon, the dark wizard had "recovered". He made her feel really stupid. How could she have not known that maybe he was taught magic that could ward off some simpler spells, and she had been so confident...
He had over powered her in less than a minute and she was sort of powerless against him. About an hour after he had taken her out of the castle through and underground passage she had tried to escape. She had remembered a certain charm that might have made him let her go but it ended up not working because he noticed her. A few minutes later he had met up with some of his kind.
She was surprised when all of the other Death Eaters raised there wands at Reynolds and one yelled that he was going to blow him away.
"Calm down men." Charles said with a slight smirk on his face. "I am aware that I have wronged but I am ready to show our lord Voldemort that I am loyal."
"I am sure." the obvious leader of the group said. He them pointed at Hermione angrily "And I am sure the little girl is part of your proof."
"Yes indeed." he yelled back at the Death Eater "My immature plans were wrong and I was given a sign of this when I captured the girl. She is a Hogwarts student, she knows things... or else she wouldn't have been aware if my presence at the school. I will offer her to the Dark Lord along with a passage into Hogwarts that I used to get in."
"Very well." the leader said "but do not think that this makes you spared Reynolds. We know you are not truly loyal."
He followed the Death Eaters. Hermione who had not spoken a word in fear noticed then the fear radiating off of Charles Reynolds. He obviously had not expected these men here and they obviously lowered his chances of living.
She didn't know who would save her... Reynolds had left a trail and he would be followed but well.... she hoped that she'd be found soon.
~~~
Why is it so loud? The thought crossed Oliver's mind. Either he was hearing the noises of the forest's rumored creatures or he was hearing more human noises. Either one scared him.... it would be horrible if he never got to Hermione because a werewolf or something killed him first.
He bravely followed the noises hoping that maybe they were human noises and that this whole thing would end. As he grew closer he grew sure that the noises must be human speech. If he wasn't mistaken it sounded like about eight or nine people yelling. He noticed an opening in the ground.
He didn't have a shred of a plan. Plans were for people with time, his time was very short and being late would cost him everything that was important. He went in, this was most likely the place where they were yet he just went in unprepared.
When he entered he was surprised that the room was empty. He had expected to be attacked or something but no... he was all right in a big empty room. He looked around for signs of life. The only thing in the room that signified a living thing ever occupying the area was a bunch of books on a table and a door. A door.... there was obviously more to the room then it showed. He touched the door. It was locked tightly.... then he felt the knob turn. He ducked beneath the table and listened to the footsteps and then voices. A mans voice, "Have they gotten him yet?"
Then he heard a woman speak "I have word from Bradford . The have Reynolds, he's babbling some insane story. He took a kid from the School. Keeps saying that she's his key to Lord Voldemort's trust.
The deep voiced man laughed "He will have Reynolds and the little kid killed in seconds... what an idiot.... I wonder why he was let in."
Oliver steadied himself and tried to keep as quiet as possible. He needed to stay calm or else. They were coming to this place... he'd have action then not now. It was too soon. He heard them leave and waited for more noise to come.
~~~
The others hurried way past leaving Hermione alone in the dark with Reynolds grabbing on to her with a horrible strength.
He pulled her into a door in the wall. At first it seemed like a empty cave-like room. Then she saw many hooded men and women. The fear and anger in the room was vibrating strongly. She wanted out of that room, she felt for her wand with her free hand. She tried to move as little as possible, so no one noticed what she was trying. She didn't know what spell she was thinking of doing. No spell she had learned in her two and a half years at Hogwarts seemed like enough to get her out of this situation. Her eyes wandered looking for an escape but what they found was even more welcome. Sticking out underneath the single table inn the room was familiar colored clothing. She nodded slightly to the figure crouched beneath the table acknowledging that she knew he was under there.
Slowly from behind the table Oliver rose, his wand in his hand. No words were spoken but some form of magic was used from both his and Hermione's wands at the same instant. The powers were enough to bring Charles to the floor.
"What was that?" Hermione asked a smile on her face realizing what they did "Did you know what we were doing?"
"No." he admitted "but it doesn't matter. We're getting out of here all right?"
"But what about him...." she asked looking at the man on the floor.
"It's all right to leave him here." he replied "I hate to think about what will happen to him when they think that you overpowered him. Alone."
She nodded and they turned to leave through the opposite doorway. It was locked. They looked at each other and turned around. Behind them was five people, one who looked especially menacing.
Not one of them spoke a word. They all had wand raised, they probably had been expecting Charles to be standing there.
"He's out." a female said to the one next to her looking at the unconscious man on the floor.
"What did those kids do?" someone asked.
"Where'd the other one come from?"
They were chattering among themselves angrily. Oliver looked at Hermione. She understood, that powerful bit of magic they did earlier was there only hope. Hermione raised her wand... she felt foolish because she did not know how to do it or what to do. The only thing she knew was it had saved them once
Like a fire storming through the place... the orange spray came again, this time even more powerful... all of the Death Eaters were driven backwards. The door unlocked and bursting forward came the Headmaster of Hogwarts and several teachers.
Hermione gasped at them as they appeared and all of the Death Eaters went scrambling into the back room.
Neither of them knew what to say. The teachers were staring at them as if they expected something. Luckily Dumbledore spoke up "Thanks to that amazing charm you two did... we were able to find you."
"Excuse me sir." Oliver said curiously "but that power... how did we..."
"Oh yes..." Dumbledore smiled "You are young. You probably have never heard of it. A lot of people don't believe it true.... they think it's a silly fairy tale, but you must have done the Amortias charm. It has no incantation, it is rumored to come from people's hearts when they care about someone so much they'd do anything to save them.
He smiled at them and Professor Mcgonnagal from behind said "If that is true Albus, these children are lucky to have one another."
"What will you do with them?" Hermione asked Dumbledore regarding the Death Eaters living in the cave. "They obviously have some bigger plans."
"They will have trials. They all will be charged with supporting Voldemort. Charles Reynolds will be most likely charged with three attempted murders." Dumbledore was grim. Oliver realized that he didn't want Reynolds punished as much as Oliver felt against it.
"Are you sure?" Oliver asked quietly "That he should be charged with so much? After all he was just a jealous man who went to far."
"True." Dumbledore said "True as it may be.... it will be for a council to decide. The ministry may seem it fit."
It ended well and they were taken back to Hogwarts. "I will be needing to talk to you tomorrow." Professor Mcgonnagal said as though she was a little upset at something. Then she said something unexpected "You know... I'm very proud. I've never seen such great actions for my Gryffindors."
Hermione went up to her dormitory but Oliver stayed. "Professor?" he asked softly.
"What is it Wood?" the teacher turned around suddenly.
"We're in trouble aren't we?" It was the one question that had been bothering him since they left the forest. He knew he couldn't get away with doing all the things he did.
"Well..." she sighed "I didn't want to talk about such things tonight. Personally, I think punishing you is the most horrible thing I've heard of but Professor Snape has insisted and Professor Dumbledore can't keep favoring Gryffindor students."
Oliver was suddenly angry. It showed clearly on his face when he looked at Mcgonnagal and said "Snape can punish me, but he better leave Hermione out of this... it wasn't her fault that she got kidnapped, that was my fault."
"Wood..." Mcgonnagal was stern as softened as she said "Don't blame yourself... you could not have estimated what he could do."
"Can you tell Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape to consider that?" he asked. He was satisfied when he got a nod from the teacher. "Thank you so much Professor."
~~~
It was the next morning and Hermione was getting up to go to the Great Hall. She looked around for Oliver, she just wanted to say thanks for all of the great things he did. He wasn't around. Then she saw him. He smiled at her "How are you?" he asked.
"Great." she said knowing that she'd probably be dead if he hadn't saved her. "Are you all right?"
"Sure." he said "I'm just relieved that it's going to go back to normal. I've got a Quidditch practice this evening after classes. Do you want to come down?"
"Yes..." she was so excited "It's so good that you can go back to playing like normal."
"I know. I was so worried that I'd never be able to go back to being me."
"I'll definitely be there tonight." she said "It should go wonderful..."
~~~
Seventh year advanced potions making was never easy. Today, it was the longest class Oliver had ever been in. Every couple of minutes Professor Snape kept giving him an evil glare.
Halfway through the class, while he stirred the ingredients Snape rudely pointed out that he was doing it all wrong. "Isn't this how you showed us Professor?" Oliver asked knowing that he was doing it the correct way.
"A seventh year should know not to talk back to a teacher." Snape declared loudly "Aren't you in enough trouble with the school?"
He caught the other students in the class staring at him. Everyone knew something had happened to Oliver, something involving you-know-who but when they had asked he had told them to go away and not said another word. Now maybe Snape would let them know.
~~~~
The rumors were circling Hermione too. Ron heard the rumors and was pestering her through their Transfiguration class.
"Ron... it was only a little thing. No big deal." Usually Ron and Harry were the first people she'd tell about anything but not in this case. Hermione had a secret for once and she planned to keep it. Ron and Harry were great friends but she had her secrets with them too and she'd never tell those either.
~~~~
That evening Gryffindor had their last Quidditch practice before the upcoming match. The bothering wasn't going away from Hermione and Oliver and now they were in the same area together.
"You aren't going to tell us?" Harry asked Hermione while Alicia Spinnet was asking Oliver the same thing.
"So..... you were in it together." Fred Weasley said "What happened... come on, tell us."
"It was nothing." Oliver said angrily "For the last time... no big deal!"
The team was just about to mount their brooms and Hermione was headed to the stands when Professor Mcgonnagal marched onto the field and said "Mister. Wood... the headmaster needs to see you now." she looked up into the stands and said "You too Miss Granger."
The followed her into the castle, as they trailed behind her Hermione stated whispering "You know something."
"Yes..." he said bitterly "Snape wants us in trouble for yesterday, he wants it bad." Upon seeing the look of terror on her face he quickly stated "I'm not going to let you get into trouble all right?"
"I'm a troublemaker remember?" she said as to not let Mcgonnagal hear "It's what you called me from the beginning... and whatever your thinking, it's not your fault and I'm not letting you take the blame."
A/N: I really want to know what you guys thought about this chapter. I have a basic idea of what I'm doing with ch.6 but I have nothing down yet so if you want to give some suggestions... I'm always open and I always give credit for ideas that I use.
Chapter 5: Only One
A/N: I am back with the first update in ages. Thanks for all the comments... I really appreciate them a lot.
When Professor Mcgonnagal went to the dormitory she did not find Oliver Wood. Yet, in a way the teacher was not at all surprised. She had expected something like this to happen. After he had left she had voiced this opinion to the Headmaster and Dumbledore had replied saying "We cannot prevent or change that if it happens."
Honestly sometimes she hated the way he handled dangerous situations. It had taken a lot of her will power to not yell out that it was insane to not watch after him.
She went up to his office and almost screamed out "The boy was not there!"
Dumbledore remained calm "Remember Minerva, it was you who expected this to happen.... all the teachers tonight are on look out for signs of Reynolds and for Voldemort's hideout. I myself will be heading out soon."
Mcgonnagal shuddered "Headmaster, please say that you have an idea where he is.... I cannot see these children hurt. So many have been killed by You-Know-Who all ready."
Dumbledore nodded and said "The signs point to a hideout in the forest."
~~~
Oliver didn't know where he was going. It was so random and he was so upset... he knew that it would be a one in a million chance he would find Charles and more than that the chance he would defeat him and save Hermione.
While he weighed the ideas in his head he was losing out on time.
~~~
Hermione was scared. Sure, she had been through scary things before but they were all Harry's problems... he always had to be the brave one. She was just a sidekick. Right after Oliver had left the dungeon, the dark wizard had "recovered". He made her feel really stupid. How could she have not known that maybe he was taught magic that could ward off some simpler spells, and she had been so confident...
He had over powered her in less than a minute and she was sort of powerless against him. About an hour after he had taken her out of the castle through and underground passage she had tried to escape. She had remembered a certain charm that might have made him let her go but it ended up not working because he noticed her. A few minutes later he had met up with some of his kind.
She was surprised when all of the other Death Eaters raised there wands at Reynolds and one yelled that he was going to blow him away.
"Calm down men." Charles said with a slight smirk on his face. "I am aware that I have wronged but I am ready to show our lord Voldemort that I am loyal."
"I am sure." the obvious leader of the group said. He them pointed at Hermione angrily "And I am sure the little girl is part of your proof."
"Yes indeed." he yelled back at the Death Eater "My immature plans were wrong and I was given a sign of this when I captured the girl. She is a Hogwarts student, she knows things... or else she wouldn't have been aware if my presence at the school. I will offer her to the Dark Lord along with a passage into Hogwarts that I used to get in."
"Very well." the leader said "but do not think that this makes you spared Reynolds. We know you are not truly loyal."
He followed the Death Eaters. Hermione who had not spoken a word in fear noticed then the fear radiating off of Charles Reynolds. He obviously had not expected these men here and they obviously lowered his chances of living.
She didn't know who would save her... Reynolds had left a trail and he would be followed but well.... she hoped that she'd be found soon.
~~~
Why is it so loud? The thought crossed Oliver's mind. Either he was hearing the noises of the forest's rumored creatures or he was hearing more human noises. Either one scared him.... it would be horrible if he never got to Hermione because a werewolf or something killed him first.
He bravely followed the noises hoping that maybe they were human noises and that this whole thing would end. As he grew closer he grew sure that the noises must be human speech. If he wasn't mistaken it sounded like about eight or nine people yelling. He noticed an opening in the ground.
He didn't have a shred of a plan. Plans were for people with time, his time was very short and being late would cost him everything that was important. He went in, this was most likely the place where they were yet he just went in unprepared.
When he entered he was surprised that the room was empty. He had expected to be attacked or something but no... he was all right in a big empty room. He looked around for signs of life. The only thing in the room that signified a living thing ever occupying the area was a bunch of books on a table and a door. A door.... there was obviously more to the room then it showed. He touched the door. It was locked tightly.... then he felt the knob turn. He ducked beneath the table and listened to the footsteps and then voices. A mans voice, "Have they gotten him yet?"
Then he heard a woman speak "I have word from Bradford . The have Reynolds, he's babbling some insane story. He took a kid from the School. Keeps saying that she's his key to Lord Voldemort's trust.
The deep voiced man laughed "He will have Reynolds and the little kid killed in seconds... what an idiot.... I wonder why he was let in."
Oliver steadied himself and tried to keep as quiet as possible. He needed to stay calm or else. They were coming to this place... he'd have action then not now. It was too soon. He heard them leave and waited for more noise to come.
~~~
The others hurried way past leaving Hermione alone in the dark with Reynolds grabbing on to her with a horrible strength.
He pulled her into a door in the wall. At first it seemed like a empty cave-like room. Then she saw many hooded men and women. The fear and anger in the room was vibrating strongly. She wanted out of that room, she felt for her wand with her free hand. She tried to move as little as possible, so no one noticed what she was trying. She didn't know what spell she was thinking of doing. No spell she had learned in her two and a half years at Hogwarts seemed like enough to get her out of this situation. Her eyes wandered looking for an escape but what they found was even more welcome. Sticking out underneath the single table inn the room was familiar colored clothing. She nodded slightly to the figure crouched beneath the table acknowledging that she knew he was under there.
Slowly from behind the table Oliver rose, his wand in his hand. No words were spoken but some form of magic was used from both his and Hermione's wands at the same instant. The powers were enough to bring Charles to the floor.
"What was that?" Hermione asked a smile on her face realizing what they did "Did you know what we were doing?"
"No." he admitted "but it doesn't matter. We're getting out of here all right?"
"But what about him...." she asked looking at the man on the floor.
"It's all right to leave him here." he replied "I hate to think about what will happen to him when they think that you overpowered him. Alone."
She nodded and they turned to leave through the opposite doorway. It was locked. They looked at each other and turned around. Behind them was five people, one who looked especially menacing.
Not one of them spoke a word. They all had wand raised, they probably had been expecting Charles to be standing there.
"He's out." a female said to the one next to her looking at the unconscious man on the floor.
"What did those kids do?" someone asked.
"Where'd the other one come from?"
They were chattering among themselves angrily. Oliver looked at Hermione. She understood, that powerful bit of magic they did earlier was there only hope. Hermione raised her wand... she felt foolish because she did not know how to do it or what to do. The only thing she knew was it had saved them once
Like a fire storming through the place... the orange spray came again, this time even more powerful... all of the Death Eaters were driven backwards. The door unlocked and bursting forward came the Headmaster of Hogwarts and several teachers.
Hermione gasped at them as they appeared and all of the Death Eaters went scrambling into the back room.
Neither of them knew what to say. The teachers were staring at them as if they expected something. Luckily Dumbledore spoke up "Thanks to that amazing charm you two did... we were able to find you."
"Excuse me sir." Oliver said curiously "but that power... how did we..."
"Oh yes..." Dumbledore smiled "You are young. You probably have never heard of it. A lot of people don't believe it true.... they think it's a silly fairy tale, but you must have done the Amortias charm. It has no incantation, it is rumored to come from people's hearts when they care about someone so much they'd do anything to save them.
He smiled at them and Professor Mcgonnagal from behind said "If that is true Albus, these children are lucky to have one another."
"What will you do with them?" Hermione asked Dumbledore regarding the Death Eaters living in the cave. "They obviously have some bigger plans."
"They will have trials. They all will be charged with supporting Voldemort. Charles Reynolds will be most likely charged with three attempted murders." Dumbledore was grim. Oliver realized that he didn't want Reynolds punished as much as Oliver felt against it.
"Are you sure?" Oliver asked quietly "That he should be charged with so much? After all he was just a jealous man who went to far."
"True." Dumbledore said "True as it may be.... it will be for a council to decide. The ministry may seem it fit."
It ended well and they were taken back to Hogwarts. "I will be needing to talk to you tomorrow." Professor Mcgonnagal said as though she was a little upset at something. Then she said something unexpected "You know... I'm very proud. I've never seen such great actions for my Gryffindors."
Hermione went up to her dormitory but Oliver stayed. "Professor?" he asked softly.
"What is it Wood?" the teacher turned around suddenly.
"We're in trouble aren't we?" It was the one question that had been bothering him since they left the forest. He knew he couldn't get away with doing all the things he did.
"Well..." she sighed "I didn't want to talk about such things tonight. Personally, I think punishing you is the most horrible thing I've heard of but Professor Snape has insisted and Professor Dumbledore can't keep favoring Gryffindor students."
Oliver was suddenly angry. It showed clearly on his face when he looked at Mcgonnagal and said "Snape can punish me, but he better leave Hermione out of this... it wasn't her fault that she got kidnapped, that was my fault."
"Wood..." Mcgonnagal was stern as softened as she said "Don't blame yourself... you could not have estimated what he could do."
"Can you tell Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape to consider that?" he asked. He was satisfied when he got a nod from the teacher. "Thank you so much Professor."
~~~
It was the next morning and Hermione was getting up to go to the Great Hall. She looked around for Oliver, she just wanted to say thanks for all of the great things he did. He wasn't around. Then she saw him. He smiled at her "How are you?" he asked.
"Great." she said knowing that she'd probably be dead if he hadn't saved her. "Are you all right?"
"Sure." he said "I'm just relieved that it's going to go back to normal. I've got a Quidditch practice this evening after classes. Do you want to come down?"
"Yes..." she was so excited "It's so good that you can go back to playing like normal."
"I know. I was so worried that I'd never be able to go back to being me."
"I'll definitely be there tonight." she said "It should go wonderful..."
~~~
Seventh year advanced potions making was never easy. Today, it was the longest class Oliver had ever been in. Every couple of minutes Professor Snape kept giving him an evil glare.
Halfway through the class, while he stirred the ingredients Snape rudely pointed out that he was doing it all wrong. "Isn't this how you showed us Professor?" Oliver asked knowing that he was doing it the correct way.
"A seventh year should know not to talk back to a teacher." Snape declared loudly "Aren't you in enough trouble with the school?"
He caught the other students in the class staring at him. Everyone knew something had happened to Oliver, something involving you-know-who but when they had asked he had told them to go away and not said another word. Now maybe Snape would let them know.
~~~~
The rumors were circling Hermione too. Ron heard the rumors and was pestering her through their Transfiguration class.
"Ron... it was only a little thing. No big deal." Usually Ron and Harry were the first people she'd tell about anything but not in this case. Hermione had a secret for once and she planned to keep it. Ron and Harry were great friends but she had her secrets with them too and she'd never tell those either.
~~~~
That evening Gryffindor had their last Quidditch practice before the upcoming match. The bothering wasn't going away from Hermione and Oliver and now they were in the same area together.
"You aren't going to tell us?" Harry asked Hermione while Alicia Spinnet was asking Oliver the same thing.
"So..... you were in it together." Fred Weasley said "What happened... come on, tell us."
"It was nothing." Oliver said angrily "For the last time... no big deal!"
The team was just about to mount their brooms and Hermione was headed to the stands when Professor Mcgonnagal marched onto the field and said "Mister. Wood... the headmaster needs to see you now." she looked up into the stands and said "You too Miss Granger."
The followed her into the castle, as they trailed behind her Hermione stated whispering "You know something."
"Yes..." he said bitterly "Snape wants us in trouble for yesterday, he wants it bad." Upon seeing the look of terror on her face he quickly stated "I'm not going to let you get into trouble all right?"
"I'm a troublemaker remember?" she said as to not let Mcgonnagal hear "It's what you called me from the beginning... and whatever your thinking, it's not your fault and I'm not letting you take the blame."
A/N: I really want to know what you guys thought about this chapter. I have a basic idea of what I'm doing with ch.6 but I have nothing down yet so if you want to give some suggestions... I'm always open and I always give credit for ideas that I use.