Sirius looked as scared as Harry did while they walked briskly to the
hospital wing. Hermione and Ron were close to Sirius as well, and they had
helped him escape in third year.
"What's happened to Hermione?" Sirius asked gruffly as they neared the wing.
Harry told him everything that had happened. Sirius went very pale and Harry's hands began to shake as he finished. He opened the door to the hospital wing and found Ron sitting by Hermione's bed looking destroyed. Harry's heart sank to his stomach and he felt the colour drain from his face.
"What's happened?" he asked calmly and quietly.
"She - she hasn't woken up yet, Harry," said Ron, almost hysterical. "Madam Pomfrey hasn't been able to help her, yet. She's been cursed with something, but we don't know what!"
"Calm down, Ron," said Sirius, patting Ron's shoulder.
"I can't!" Ron shouted. "Hermione's ill, she's hurt, and I can't help her!"
Harry's throat was twisted in knots, it seemed. Hermione indeed was very pale and still. Ron buried his face in his hands and took some steadying breaths.
Madam Pomfrey bustled over and tipped some potion down Hermione's throat. It was smoking and smelled strongly of burnt toast. Hermione didn't move.
"Ron, we're going to need to talk to you now, and Hermione, once she - once she wakes up and is better," said Sirius, half reassuringly, half nervously.
"About what?" mumbled Ron through his hands.
"I can't tell you here," said Sirius. "You'll have to come with us, all right?"
"I can't leave-" Ron began, looking at Hermione, but Sirius interrupted.
"Ron, you'll have to come with us. I'm sorry. We can come back in a while, okay?" Sirius said kindly, but firmly.
Ron looked as though this were killing him. He looked at Hermione, biting his lip, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, he opened his eyes and nodded to Sirius. Sirius stood up and walked to the door, opened it, and held it for Harry and Ron. Harry walked straight up to it, but Ron lingered for a moment, kissed Hermione's cheek, and followed.
"What's up?" Ron asked Sirius.
Sirius said nothing. They were silent until they reached Professor McGonagall's office again. The door was ajar, and they pushed through it. Ron gasped.
"Mum? Dad? Bill? Charlie? What're you doing here?" he asked in surprise.
"We're-" began Mrs. Weasley, but Dumbledore interrupted her.
"How is Miss Granger?" asked Dumbledore, very concerned.
"Um - she hasn't woken up yet," mumbled Ron, not meeting Dumbledore's eyes.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked at each other, then at Ron in concern. They obviously hadn't heard about what had happened to Hermione. They both looked very serious.
"Professor, will she be all right?" asked Harry quietly.
Dumbledore sighed. "I hope so."
There was silence. Mr. Weasley cleared his throat nervously. Sirius patted Ron's shoulder a couple of times reassuringly.
"What's going on?" asked Ron finally.
Dumbledore fixed Ron with a piercing stare. Harry almost shivered - those blue eyes were icy looking. Charlie fidgeted, and Bill tugged at his ponytail.
"Mr. Weasley, your parents, and now your brothers, are involved in the Order of the Phoenix," he said calmly.
Ron's eyes widened. "What? Mum, Dad, you never told me that!"
"You know what it is?" asked Harry, taken aback.
"Yeah - Charlie, you told me about it once, but he never told me who was in it or anything," said Ron.
Harry made an indistinct noise of agreement. Once again, he realised how much more Ron knew about the wizarding world than he did.
"Ron, I couldn't tell you who was in it," said Charlie. "I didn't even know. But now Bill and I've joined, so." Charlie trailed off. Bill tugged his ponytail again.
"Well, so, what do I have to do with it?" asked Ron curiously.
"Mr. Weasley, we are asking for your help in our resistance movement against Voldemort-" Ron flinched at the sound of the name. "-And ask you to join us."
"What?" said Ron again. "I'm not even out of school - what're you playing at?"
Harry had never heard Ron speak that way to Dumbledore before. He wondered what Dumbledore would say.
"Ron," said his mother, "this is important. Listen to Professor Dumbledore."
"Your mother's right, Ron. We need you to be a fighter," said Mr. Weasley.
"I never said I'm not going to fight!" said Ron sharply. "I just don't know why you wanted me, I'm not even that good at magic!"
"Ron, don't talk back," whispered Mr. Weasley.
"I'm not!" snapped Ron.
"Mr. Weasley is under much pressure," said Dumbledore to Ron's parents.
The Weasleys both nodded. Harry was grateful to Dumbledore.
"The two of you, and Miss Granger, if she is well, will be very important in the Order of the Phoenix. The three of you have, over the years, astounded me with your powers of deduction, your determination, and your courage. All three of you will be welcome to join The Order of the Phoenix, should you choose to do so. I believe that we need you three."
Harry looked at Dumbledore, who seemed very calm. He nodded, and Ron followed suit. Arabella and Lupin gave them small smiles.
"Thank you, boys. I will speak with Miss Granger once she is well."
"Albus," said Arabella suddenly. "Where's Severus?"
"That, my dear, I do not know," said Dumbledore, a slight frown upon his face.
"He is coming, though, right?" asked Fletcher.
"Of course," said Dumbledore. Lupin looked slightly put out.
"Excuse me?" said a small voice by the door.
A girl was standing there, looking anxious at the prospect of interrupting the headmaster. She was a second year in Ravenclaw.
"Yes, Miss Spark?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"I'm to take Harry Potter and Ron Weasley to the hospital wing, Professor," said the girl clearly.
"Very - very well," said McGonagall, going slightly pale. "Potter - Weasley - go ahead."
Harry felt his hands begin to shake again. Ron had gone very white and Sirius had clapped a hand on each of their shoulders before they left again, walking with the girl.
"I'm Luminita Spark," she said as they rushed.
"Hi," said Harry in a distracted sort of voice.
"Is that your friend that's got hurt in the hospital? The girl on the bed?" she asked, almost keenly.
"Er, yeah," said Harry.
"She's okay, isn't she?" asked Ron quickly.
"What's wrong with her?" asked Luminita, ignoring Ron. She seemed to want to carry on the conversation with Harry.
"I don't know. Is she-" Harry tried to ask, but Luminita cut him off.
"She looks a real mess. All ill and Madam Pomfrey in a right state - d'you know, she doesn't look like she's going to wake up anytime soon."
Ron blanched terribly on these last words and his eyes
popped. "What do you mean?" he shouted wildly.
"She's going to be okay, isn't she?" asked Harry, but
Luminita continued as though she couldn't hear him.
"Those Death Eater things - they're You-Know-Who's supporters, right?"
Harry let out a puff of exasperation. "Yes."
"So, then, were they trying to attack you?"
"I don't know," said Harry impatiently, breaking into a run to get to the hospital wing and see Hermione. Ron followed.
"Well, I'd better get back to the common room once we get there. D'you know, I got cursed once? We were practising charms in class and a girl hit me with the Leg-Locker Curse," she said in a tone that suggested that something amazing had happened. "But I'm okay now, see?"
"Yeah, okay, we've got to go now, Luminita," said Harry, greatly annoyed. "See you some other time."
"Okay! Bye, Harry!" called Luminita as they parted ways.
"She's mad," said Ron.
"Yeah, no kidding," agreed Harry. They had reached the hospital wing.
Harry pushed open the door, ran through it, and went straight to Hermione's bed, but no one was in it.
"What's happened to Hermione?" Sirius asked gruffly as they neared the wing.
Harry told him everything that had happened. Sirius went very pale and Harry's hands began to shake as he finished. He opened the door to the hospital wing and found Ron sitting by Hermione's bed looking destroyed. Harry's heart sank to his stomach and he felt the colour drain from his face.
"What's happened?" he asked calmly and quietly.
"She - she hasn't woken up yet, Harry," said Ron, almost hysterical. "Madam Pomfrey hasn't been able to help her, yet. She's been cursed with something, but we don't know what!"
"Calm down, Ron," said Sirius, patting Ron's shoulder.
"I can't!" Ron shouted. "Hermione's ill, she's hurt, and I can't help her!"
Harry's throat was twisted in knots, it seemed. Hermione indeed was very pale and still. Ron buried his face in his hands and took some steadying breaths.
Madam Pomfrey bustled over and tipped some potion down Hermione's throat. It was smoking and smelled strongly of burnt toast. Hermione didn't move.
"Ron, we're going to need to talk to you now, and Hermione, once she - once she wakes up and is better," said Sirius, half reassuringly, half nervously.
"About what?" mumbled Ron through his hands.
"I can't tell you here," said Sirius. "You'll have to come with us, all right?"
"I can't leave-" Ron began, looking at Hermione, but Sirius interrupted.
"Ron, you'll have to come with us. I'm sorry. We can come back in a while, okay?" Sirius said kindly, but firmly.
Ron looked as though this were killing him. He looked at Hermione, biting his lip, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, he opened his eyes and nodded to Sirius. Sirius stood up and walked to the door, opened it, and held it for Harry and Ron. Harry walked straight up to it, but Ron lingered for a moment, kissed Hermione's cheek, and followed.
"What's up?" Ron asked Sirius.
Sirius said nothing. They were silent until they reached Professor McGonagall's office again. The door was ajar, and they pushed through it. Ron gasped.
"Mum? Dad? Bill? Charlie? What're you doing here?" he asked in surprise.
"We're-" began Mrs. Weasley, but Dumbledore interrupted her.
"How is Miss Granger?" asked Dumbledore, very concerned.
"Um - she hasn't woken up yet," mumbled Ron, not meeting Dumbledore's eyes.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked at each other, then at Ron in concern. They obviously hadn't heard about what had happened to Hermione. They both looked very serious.
"Professor, will she be all right?" asked Harry quietly.
Dumbledore sighed. "I hope so."
There was silence. Mr. Weasley cleared his throat nervously. Sirius patted Ron's shoulder a couple of times reassuringly.
"What's going on?" asked Ron finally.
Dumbledore fixed Ron with a piercing stare. Harry almost shivered - those blue eyes were icy looking. Charlie fidgeted, and Bill tugged at his ponytail.
"Mr. Weasley, your parents, and now your brothers, are involved in the Order of the Phoenix," he said calmly.
Ron's eyes widened. "What? Mum, Dad, you never told me that!"
"You know what it is?" asked Harry, taken aback.
"Yeah - Charlie, you told me about it once, but he never told me who was in it or anything," said Ron.
Harry made an indistinct noise of agreement. Once again, he realised how much more Ron knew about the wizarding world than he did.
"Ron, I couldn't tell you who was in it," said Charlie. "I didn't even know. But now Bill and I've joined, so." Charlie trailed off. Bill tugged his ponytail again.
"Well, so, what do I have to do with it?" asked Ron curiously.
"Mr. Weasley, we are asking for your help in our resistance movement against Voldemort-" Ron flinched at the sound of the name. "-And ask you to join us."
"What?" said Ron again. "I'm not even out of school - what're you playing at?"
Harry had never heard Ron speak that way to Dumbledore before. He wondered what Dumbledore would say.
"Ron," said his mother, "this is important. Listen to Professor Dumbledore."
"Your mother's right, Ron. We need you to be a fighter," said Mr. Weasley.
"I never said I'm not going to fight!" said Ron sharply. "I just don't know why you wanted me, I'm not even that good at magic!"
"Ron, don't talk back," whispered Mr. Weasley.
"I'm not!" snapped Ron.
"Mr. Weasley is under much pressure," said Dumbledore to Ron's parents.
The Weasleys both nodded. Harry was grateful to Dumbledore.
"The two of you, and Miss Granger, if she is well, will be very important in the Order of the Phoenix. The three of you have, over the years, astounded me with your powers of deduction, your determination, and your courage. All three of you will be welcome to join The Order of the Phoenix, should you choose to do so. I believe that we need you three."
Harry looked at Dumbledore, who seemed very calm. He nodded, and Ron followed suit. Arabella and Lupin gave them small smiles.
"Thank you, boys. I will speak with Miss Granger once she is well."
"Albus," said Arabella suddenly. "Where's Severus?"
"That, my dear, I do not know," said Dumbledore, a slight frown upon his face.
"He is coming, though, right?" asked Fletcher.
"Of course," said Dumbledore. Lupin looked slightly put out.
"Excuse me?" said a small voice by the door.
A girl was standing there, looking anxious at the prospect of interrupting the headmaster. She was a second year in Ravenclaw.
"Yes, Miss Spark?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"I'm to take Harry Potter and Ron Weasley to the hospital wing, Professor," said the girl clearly.
"Very - very well," said McGonagall, going slightly pale. "Potter - Weasley - go ahead."
Harry felt his hands begin to shake again. Ron had gone very white and Sirius had clapped a hand on each of their shoulders before they left again, walking with the girl.
"I'm Luminita Spark," she said as they rushed.
"Hi," said Harry in a distracted sort of voice.
"Is that your friend that's got hurt in the hospital? The girl on the bed?" she asked, almost keenly.
"Er, yeah," said Harry.
"She's okay, isn't she?" asked Ron quickly.
"What's wrong with her?" asked Luminita, ignoring Ron. She seemed to want to carry on the conversation with Harry.
"I don't know. Is she-" Harry tried to ask, but Luminita cut him off.
"She looks a real mess. All ill and Madam Pomfrey in a right state - d'you know, she doesn't look like she's going to wake up anytime soon."
Ron blanched terribly on these last words and his eyes
popped. "What do you mean?" he shouted wildly.
"She's going to be okay, isn't she?" asked Harry, but
Luminita continued as though she couldn't hear him.
"Those Death Eater things - they're You-Know-Who's supporters, right?"
Harry let out a puff of exasperation. "Yes."
"So, then, were they trying to attack you?"
"I don't know," said Harry impatiently, breaking into a run to get to the hospital wing and see Hermione. Ron followed.
"Well, I'd better get back to the common room once we get there. D'you know, I got cursed once? We were practising charms in class and a girl hit me with the Leg-Locker Curse," she said in a tone that suggested that something amazing had happened. "But I'm okay now, see?"
"Yeah, okay, we've got to go now, Luminita," said Harry, greatly annoyed. "See you some other time."
"Okay! Bye, Harry!" called Luminita as they parted ways.
"She's mad," said Ron.
"Yeah, no kidding," agreed Harry. They had reached the hospital wing.
Harry pushed open the door, ran through it, and went straight to Hermione's bed, but no one was in it.