Chapter Three: Sorrow at the Burrow
Life at the Burrow wasn't the same after the news of Hermione missing. Harry arrived and was hushed upstairs immediately by Mrs Weasley who could only mutter under her breath; "Such a nice girl, such a pity" Harry began to believe that Mrs Weasley knew more about what was really going on than he did himself. She was married to Mrs Weasley, and he did work in the Ministry of Magic.
Harry came to Ron's bedroom, and waited behind Mrs Weasley as she knocked on the door to get his attention. There was no response. Harry began to think that Ron was more deeply affected by this than he ever was. George and Fred dragged Harry's things up the stairs and ate some of the sweets that Mrs Figg had meant to find their way to Ron.
"I have a real good idea for this one," Fred said raising up a giant Gob-Stopper, which really did stop you from talking. "what if they really expanded, and..."
"Shhhhush!" Mrs Weasley snapped. "not at a time like this you two, please...." Harry could sense that Mrs Weasley was extremely stressed at the moment. "Harry just come right through, Ron's been really down lately, with Hermione missing and all," she paused to wipe her eyes again. "please, just talk to him"
Harry slowly opened the door, and for the first time found himself unable to speak with Ron. He was speechless. Slowly approaching Ron's bed, the only thing that seemed to move through the darkened room were the posters of Chudley Canon Quidditch players which seemed to dart around the room. Harry felt a lump rising in his throat as he stared down at his distraut friend. Thoughts raced through his mind, mainly nagging thoughts on how this was all his fault. Guilt seemed to rack his insides, and wriggle around like a thousand worms were racing through his gut. All Harry could think of was Ron first, he always put his friends first and this was a time they needed him most.
"I'm sorry Ron," Harry said quietly. "it's all my fault"
Harry didn't know it but Ron's face contorted in anger as he heard Harry's voice. Deep down he knew it wasn't Harry's fault but he had to blame someone to take responsability of his friends dissappearance.
"Ron please talk to me" Harry said a little louder this time.
Ron sat up not even staring at Harry, and looked towards the wall, so hard he began to cry. Harry had never seen Ron cry before, but just knew that his friend needed him by his side. Ron didn't try to shrug Harry off, but was just happy his best friend was sitting by his side in such a dark moment in his life.
Harry was sitting outside looking out into the lake. He had sat with Ron for a few hours, before he had finally fallen asleep. His best friend had been hit the worst by Hermione's dissappearance. Harry couldn't help but feel a great amount of guilt weighed upon his heart. He picked up a stone and threw it into the lake, and watched as sunlight flickered through the ripples of the water.
At least his scar didn't seem to hurt at the moment. He had a few nights of burning pain, and visions. Usually he would see Voldemort going after wizards, killing them. Not yet had he seen a muggle attack though. Wizards that had been muggle-lovers, or anti-Voldemort. These people were dying and Harry knew he could do something about them. It was his fault that Voldemort was alive now. His blood had brought him back to life. It was Harry's pride that had killed Cedric, and it was now his friendship with Hermione that had led her into alot of trouble.
Harry hadn't even noticed that Ginny was walking across the field with a plate of sandwiches in her hands. She slowly sat down beside Harry and placed the plate down on the ground. Harry didn't even flinch of move, he just stared out at the lake.
"It's not your fault you know," Ginny said quietly. "Hermione will return to us, she's a strong one"
Harry could feel the tears threatening to fall again, and that uncomfortable lump in his throat, but he swallowed hard.
"If she didn't know me though..."
"She wouldn't have met one of the greatest wizards of all time," Ginny interrupted. "one of the greatest friends"
Harry looked away again, and felt Ginny's hand upon his own. It just didn't seem to matter what people told him now-a-days. It was afterall his fault that Voldemort lived again, and now he had to set it right. The stinging had returned to his eyes again, and Ginny had noticed for the first time, she had never seen The-Boy-Who-Lived, cry.
"I just can't help feeling responsable" Harry said quietly. There was a long silence.
"I can tell you care deeply for Hermione," Ginny replied. "but I also know Hermione, and I know that she cared deeply about you" Harry looked at Ginny and frowned. "All those times she may have seemed to be a snitch, the Firebolt, Hogsmeade, she just wanted you to be safe," Ginny paused and grasped Harry's hand in hers. "she would rather be captured by Voldemort than put your own life in danger, she would have been selfless anyway. She would want you to do what you were destined to do, even if her life was the cost"
Harry nodded numbly and forced a smile.
"She'll be home before you know it," Ginny added. "Hermione's a smart girl, she'll know what to do"
Ginny stood up and walked away, leaving Harry with his thoughts.
Life at the Burrow wasn't fun this time round. It had been a week since Harry had arrived, and he was due to return to Hogwarts within a fortnight. Ron had finally emerged from his room, but the spark in his eyes were gone. Fred and George were no longer their mischeifous selves because Mrs Weasley was terribly stressed, Percy was never around, and prefered to work at the Ministry as Fudges personal assistant, and Ginny was no better off.
Harry hardly saw Mr Weasley during his time at the Burrow, he was always at the Ministry obviously working on the protection of Muggles. When Harry did see him though he had large bags under his eyes, and he seemed to be losing hair. There were thigns that the ministry was hiding and Harry knew it.
Percy came through every now and then, but instead of spending time with his family he chose to work all the time. Cornelius Fudge was still declining that Voldemort was back in full power, and was determined to keep Hermione's dissappearance, and the wizard murders a secret, but Harry knew otherwise, and soon The Daily Prophet would pick up on it also.
It was a warm morning when the owl post arrived, with a message that would relieve and confuse the residents of the Burrow. Harry was helping himself to another serving of Mrs Weasley's home-made porridge, when Errol flew through the window and landed in the jug of milk with a terrible crash.
"Darn owl!" Mrs Weasley moaned, grabbing the envelope from Errol's beak. Errol sat up and hooted proudly before a harsh glare from Mrs Weasley. She was usually a patient woman but with all the stress at the moment she was ropable. She opened the envelope and Harry could only just vaguely make out the Ministry of Magic sign on it. Mrs Weasley broke into tears of joy and everyone at the kitchen table immediately looked up.
"She's alright," Mrs Weasley said. "Hermione has been found at a local Muggle train station, she's at St Mungo's right now getting checked over, but she seems to be just fine"
Everyone at the table immediately broke into a sigh of relief and cheered happilly. Harry felt uneasy though. She just appeared safe and otherwise quite fine. Something just didn't seem right. Despite his nagging thoughts though, Harry and the Weasley's immediately went by Floo Powder to St Mungo's to see Hermione.
Life at the Burrow wasn't the same after the news of Hermione missing. Harry arrived and was hushed upstairs immediately by Mrs Weasley who could only mutter under her breath; "Such a nice girl, such a pity" Harry began to believe that Mrs Weasley knew more about what was really going on than he did himself. She was married to Mrs Weasley, and he did work in the Ministry of Magic.
Harry came to Ron's bedroom, and waited behind Mrs Weasley as she knocked on the door to get his attention. There was no response. Harry began to think that Ron was more deeply affected by this than he ever was. George and Fred dragged Harry's things up the stairs and ate some of the sweets that Mrs Figg had meant to find their way to Ron.
"I have a real good idea for this one," Fred said raising up a giant Gob-Stopper, which really did stop you from talking. "what if they really expanded, and..."
"Shhhhush!" Mrs Weasley snapped. "not at a time like this you two, please...." Harry could sense that Mrs Weasley was extremely stressed at the moment. "Harry just come right through, Ron's been really down lately, with Hermione missing and all," she paused to wipe her eyes again. "please, just talk to him"
Harry slowly opened the door, and for the first time found himself unable to speak with Ron. He was speechless. Slowly approaching Ron's bed, the only thing that seemed to move through the darkened room were the posters of Chudley Canon Quidditch players which seemed to dart around the room. Harry felt a lump rising in his throat as he stared down at his distraut friend. Thoughts raced through his mind, mainly nagging thoughts on how this was all his fault. Guilt seemed to rack his insides, and wriggle around like a thousand worms were racing through his gut. All Harry could think of was Ron first, he always put his friends first and this was a time they needed him most.
"I'm sorry Ron," Harry said quietly. "it's all my fault"
Harry didn't know it but Ron's face contorted in anger as he heard Harry's voice. Deep down he knew it wasn't Harry's fault but he had to blame someone to take responsability of his friends dissappearance.
"Ron please talk to me" Harry said a little louder this time.
Ron sat up not even staring at Harry, and looked towards the wall, so hard he began to cry. Harry had never seen Ron cry before, but just knew that his friend needed him by his side. Ron didn't try to shrug Harry off, but was just happy his best friend was sitting by his side in such a dark moment in his life.
Harry was sitting outside looking out into the lake. He had sat with Ron for a few hours, before he had finally fallen asleep. His best friend had been hit the worst by Hermione's dissappearance. Harry couldn't help but feel a great amount of guilt weighed upon his heart. He picked up a stone and threw it into the lake, and watched as sunlight flickered through the ripples of the water.
At least his scar didn't seem to hurt at the moment. He had a few nights of burning pain, and visions. Usually he would see Voldemort going after wizards, killing them. Not yet had he seen a muggle attack though. Wizards that had been muggle-lovers, or anti-Voldemort. These people were dying and Harry knew he could do something about them. It was his fault that Voldemort was alive now. His blood had brought him back to life. It was Harry's pride that had killed Cedric, and it was now his friendship with Hermione that had led her into alot of trouble.
Harry hadn't even noticed that Ginny was walking across the field with a plate of sandwiches in her hands. She slowly sat down beside Harry and placed the plate down on the ground. Harry didn't even flinch of move, he just stared out at the lake.
"It's not your fault you know," Ginny said quietly. "Hermione will return to us, she's a strong one"
Harry could feel the tears threatening to fall again, and that uncomfortable lump in his throat, but he swallowed hard.
"If she didn't know me though..."
"She wouldn't have met one of the greatest wizards of all time," Ginny interrupted. "one of the greatest friends"
Harry looked away again, and felt Ginny's hand upon his own. It just didn't seem to matter what people told him now-a-days. It was afterall his fault that Voldemort lived again, and now he had to set it right. The stinging had returned to his eyes again, and Ginny had noticed for the first time, she had never seen The-Boy-Who-Lived, cry.
"I just can't help feeling responsable" Harry said quietly. There was a long silence.
"I can tell you care deeply for Hermione," Ginny replied. "but I also know Hermione, and I know that she cared deeply about you" Harry looked at Ginny and frowned. "All those times she may have seemed to be a snitch, the Firebolt, Hogsmeade, she just wanted you to be safe," Ginny paused and grasped Harry's hand in hers. "she would rather be captured by Voldemort than put your own life in danger, she would have been selfless anyway. She would want you to do what you were destined to do, even if her life was the cost"
Harry nodded numbly and forced a smile.
"She'll be home before you know it," Ginny added. "Hermione's a smart girl, she'll know what to do"
Ginny stood up and walked away, leaving Harry with his thoughts.
Life at the Burrow wasn't fun this time round. It had been a week since Harry had arrived, and he was due to return to Hogwarts within a fortnight. Ron had finally emerged from his room, but the spark in his eyes were gone. Fred and George were no longer their mischeifous selves because Mrs Weasley was terribly stressed, Percy was never around, and prefered to work at the Ministry as Fudges personal assistant, and Ginny was no better off.
Harry hardly saw Mr Weasley during his time at the Burrow, he was always at the Ministry obviously working on the protection of Muggles. When Harry did see him though he had large bags under his eyes, and he seemed to be losing hair. There were thigns that the ministry was hiding and Harry knew it.
Percy came through every now and then, but instead of spending time with his family he chose to work all the time. Cornelius Fudge was still declining that Voldemort was back in full power, and was determined to keep Hermione's dissappearance, and the wizard murders a secret, but Harry knew otherwise, and soon The Daily Prophet would pick up on it also.
It was a warm morning when the owl post arrived, with a message that would relieve and confuse the residents of the Burrow. Harry was helping himself to another serving of Mrs Weasley's home-made porridge, when Errol flew through the window and landed in the jug of milk with a terrible crash.
"Darn owl!" Mrs Weasley moaned, grabbing the envelope from Errol's beak. Errol sat up and hooted proudly before a harsh glare from Mrs Weasley. She was usually a patient woman but with all the stress at the moment she was ropable. She opened the envelope and Harry could only just vaguely make out the Ministry of Magic sign on it. Mrs Weasley broke into tears of joy and everyone at the kitchen table immediately looked up.
"She's alright," Mrs Weasley said. "Hermione has been found at a local Muggle train station, she's at St Mungo's right now getting checked over, but she seems to be just fine"
Everyone at the table immediately broke into a sigh of relief and cheered happilly. Harry felt uneasy though. She just appeared safe and otherwise quite fine. Something just didn't seem right. Despite his nagging thoughts though, Harry and the Weasley's immediately went by Floo Powder to St Mungo's to see Hermione.