Chapter 26:
Hermoine came awake in her own bed. She looked around at her walls, the familiar bookselves, Mr Fuzzy-Wuzzy propped up against her pillow.
"Hermoine, honey?" asked her mother's voice. Hermoine smiled lazzily at her mother.
"Mom, I've had the oddest dream. I dreamed I went to a wizarding school. . ."
"Hermoine, you do go to Hogwarts." Her mother's words jolted her back.
"Mom, what happened to Patrice? And why aren't I at school?"
"They sent you home. I've had that dratted owl post coming in every day from friends of yours."
"What happened to Patrice?"
"Patrice?"
"My friend, who was with me. . . . Kevin's step-daughter!"
"Kevin who, honey?"
"Next door!"
"That house has been up for sale since September, honey. Must have been part of your dream." Her mother felt her forehead. "You don't have a fever."
"Mom, I have to go back to school!"
"Hermoine, I'm sure Mr and Mrs Weasely can take you up in the summer when you go to visit Ron. Your headmaster called, and said you need to rest."
"Mom, I need to know what happened!"
"You were struck by lightning. Don't you remember?"
"No!" Hermoine felt panic building up inside her.
"Listen, honey, you just rest, and I'll contact that wizard doctor your principal told me to call."
Hermoine watched her mother go. She felt sick. Had she dreamed it all? Patrice, Athena, talking to Crockshanks? Was that part of a dream induced by being hit by lightning?
"Crockshanks!" she called out silently. "Crockshanks! Please answer!" Her cat trotted into the room.
"Glad to see you're awake, Hermoine. I've missed you." Hermoine began to cry. She hugged Crockshanks.
"I thought I had dreamed talking to you. Please, do you know what happened to Patrice?"
"No. I'm sorry Hermoine, but I don't know anything."
"I'm just glad you're all right, Crockshanks. At least I still have you."
The telephone rang. It was a long distance ring. Hermoine reached over and answered the phone by her bed. It was a collect call from Harry.
"Hermoine?" he said, from the other line.
"Harry! I'm so glad to hear from you!"
"How are you feeling?"
"Aweful. Like a train hit me."
"Well, maybe you can try that next," he suggested with a laugh. "After getting hit by lightning, a little train couldn't hurt so bad." Hermoine laughed, but it felt forced. She started to ask about Patrice, but she changed her mind.
"Is your cloak okay?" she asked.
"Yeah. You weren't wearing it when you were struck. Don't you remember?"
"Not really."
"I'm sorry, Hermoine. Look, I got to go. My uncle sent me to the store for eggs. He won't be happy I took so long."
"It's good to hear your voice, Harry. I'll talk to you later."
"Hope you feel better soon, Hermoine."
"Thanks Harry. Bye."
Hermoine sat in her room, slowly stroking Crockshanks. She called out to Athena, just in case the link still remained. Hermoine felt a jolt of sadness, when she remembered the brave bird falling from the sky.
"It will be all right it time, Hermoine," Crockshanks promised her. Hermoine curled up with her cat. She drifted into a peaceful sleep.
The last week in July, she went to learn to apparate. She was gone an entire week. She had told Ron and Harry that it was a muggle summer camp, so they wouldn't send her any owls. She didn't think she could stand to see another owl. She had only seen one since Athena had fallen. It had been Hedwig, bringing news from Harry, news about Mrs Coeur, who had quit. Once again, the Defence Against the Dark Arts had been left empty.
At the end of the week, she was called before Dumbledore. She had become very good at apparation. She apparated to the desk, where the same two women had greeted her with Mrs Coeur and Patrice sat. The smiled at her, and waved her in. Hermoine found herself once more in the dark room.
"Mis Granger, glad to see you alive and well," Dumbledore said, coming out of the shadows. Fawkes was perched on his shoulder. "You gave us quite a scare. Tell me, whatever possessed you to take on Voldemort by yourself?"
"He had a friend of mine, Professor. What was I supposed to do?"
"You were supposed to listen to Mrs Coeur, and back off. Let other Pheonixes handle it."
"She would have been killed! I wasn't going to let that happen."
"Hermoine, did you stop it from happening?" he asked softly.
"I don't know! I have no way to contact her! I cannot find a record of her anywhere!" She looked up at him. "Please, Professor, you must tell me what happened to her!"
"Patrice Esotich has had her achievements stricken from the record of the Pheonix Order. She disbeyed a very important law: she gave herself, willingly, to Voldemort."
"She did it to save our lives! My life!"
"Which is the only reason she still lives, Miss Granger. Now, I have important things to do. This information will have to suffice. Any record at all of Patrice living here has been destroyed. Four people remember what happened this year, and you are one of them. Please content yourself with that."
He turned and began walking away.
"Your assignment will arrive by owl post the day before you board the train for school. Best of luck in the new year, Hermoine." Then he was gone. Hermoine turned and left the room. Patrice lived. At least there was that.
