Chapter Ten: Hidden False face must hide what the false heart doth know. - William Shakespeare
As he yanked the robes over his head, he heard the door to the dorm slam and as the cloth slid past he eyes, he saw Ron standing there, glaring at him.
"Quidditch practice?" Ron said, his voice nearly a growl.
Harry nodded. "Ron..."
"Harry, don't. I thought you wanted to stay best friends, but no. You're always with Hermione or Padma now."
"I do, Ron. I didn't select you for the team because, well, because there were better players. That doesn't mean I hate you."
"Friends stick together, Harry."
Harry stared at his redheaded roommate, the anger beginning to surge through him. "Oh? They do Ron? You're sure?"
Ron turned to look at him, his eyebrow raised.
"And I suppose you're just the expert on how to be a wonderful friend, eh?" Harry blinked, surprised at his own words.
"What are you trying to imply, Potter?"
Harry set his jaw. "I'm not trying to imply anything. I'm saying that you haven't exactly been the greatest friend 100 percent of the time we've known each other. You've ignored me for much less, so this really shouldn't surprise me. It is just Quidditch."
"Just Quidditch?" Ron shouted, his voice echoing off of the walls in the dorm. "It's not just Quidditch, Harry, it's everything. You're captain and you don't even pick your best friend for the team. You're a super wizard, or whatever, and I get left in the dust. And of course, the icing on the cake, you happen to fall in love with the only girl I've ever wanted."
Harry tried to push back the guilt that was quickly resurfacing.
Hermione had been furious for Harry not putting Ron on the squad and she'd stayed angry for two days. She had been very vocal that it didn't matter what was good for the team, they were still best friends. He'd still felt guilty, but he knew he'd make the right decision. He wasn't the only one on the team and the others deserved what was best. That meant that Ginny was Keeper. After over a month of the silent treatment from Ron, Harry began to get over his guilt, knowing that if Ron had been in his shoes, Ron probably would have done the same thing. Sighing, his anger diminishing quickly, Harry looked at his old friend.
"If you had been in my position, you'd have done the same. You know that it's not about you and I, it's about the team. I'm sorry, Ron, that it's not different, but I'm not going to pick you for the squad because you're my best friend. I wouldn't pick Hermione for the squad because she can't fly to save her life, even if she is my girlfriend. As for all the other stuff, I don't know what to say, because that's out of my control."
Ron's looked less angry and sadder. "I know," he said, his voice quiet. He set down the book he'd been holding and walked from the room, leaving Harry to puzzle over what would happen next. He sat on the bed for a few moments, shaking his head, before looking at his watch and seeing that he needed to be at the pitch shortly.
They'd only been out ten minutes before it began to rain. Harry hovered high above the game, casting spells on his glasses and broom to keep dry. He had been distracted for most of practice, unable to erase the look on Ron's face from his mind. Katie had noticed his distraction rather quickly and had sent him to watch the team play from above. The reserves were doing everything to block the plans of the main squad and Harry was pleased to see the main squad was doing well, playing together strongly as well as holding off the other team. The rain was getting worse as the sky darkened and Harry knew they'd have to head in soon, but he knew Katie wanted to stretch practice as long as possible. It was Wednesday and the game was Saturday morning.
He watched as Ginny caught another score attempt and tossed it quickly to Ian, who dashed off towards the other end of the pitch, a reserve chaser close behind him. The team's movements were quick and decisive and Harry was impressed with how well they all worked together. As he watched, a large lightening bolt flashed through the sky, illuminating the field below him. He glanced into the stands, noticing a dark figure seated there. Harry knit his brows and he aimed his broom downwards, Katie having called everyone down. He glanced again at the dark figure, wondering who it was and why he was watching the practice.
He landed shortly after the other players and they rushed quickly through the storm towards the changing rooms. Once they were inside the warm rooms, the mysterious figure at the pitch faded from his memory and he stood with Katie to face their squad.
"Today's practice was brilliant," Katie said cheerfully. "I'm amazed at how quickly you came together out there. I realise we've been spending a lot of time on the theory of it, but I was amazed at the practice. We're going to do brilliantly against Ravenclaw this match."
"What time is the match?" asked Beatrice.
"After lunch, but McGonagall has given us use of the pitch in the morning, so there will, of course be a quick practice after breakfast. I'm going to use that time to go through our strategies once more before the match," Harry replied.
"Are there any other questions?" Katie asked.
Each member of the team shook his or her heads.
"Alright then. I want you all to eat well this week, lots of carbohydrates and get plenty of sleep as well. Make sure you cast drying charms on yourselves once you get back to the castle, I won't have a team sick with fever on Saturday. Now, head to the showers."
The showers in the team rooms had been made available now, so everyone quickly went to shower and change into regular clothing. Harry washed up quickly, anxious to get back and be with Hermione. She had been spending every evening for the past fortnight in a corner of the common room, mumbling phrases to herself in Mage. He had tried to help, but he too could not figure out the key to it.
When he exited the shower, he saw Ginny standing near a bench, combing her hair and singing softly to herself. He recognised the tune, though the words were unfamiliar.
"Gin? What is that?"
"A lullaby my mother used to sing to me. I'm not sure what it's called."
"That's not English," he ventured.
"No, it's not. It's French," she said matter-of-factly.
"I didn't know you spoke French."
"I don't, technically. I just... know it," she replied, shrugging. "Most wizards have the ability to know a language, at least partially, without any lessons. You just have to know you know it."
"What do you mean, know it?"
"Well, you just do. You just know it, in your heart, mind, wherever. It's a part of you. Most humans have great language capabilities. Even some muggles can pick up languages fairly easily because they just know how they work. The ins and outs of it are just there, in their minds."
"You're serious?"
"Of course I am. They just don't know it." She smiled at him as she fiddled around with her robes and turned to him. "Go on without me, I'll be fine."
"Sure?"
She nodded. "I need a bit of time to myself anyhow. This sharing rooms bit is getting tired, quickly."
Harry mentally agreed with her as he turned towards the door. "See you later, then."
"See you."
He exited the changing rooms, surprised that the storm had blown over. He took a deep breath of the chilly, damp air, enjoying the refreshment that washed over him. He started towards the castle, moving swiftly. As he passed the edge of the changing rooms, he thought he saw a movement, but he was too intent on getting to Hermione to investigate.
When he was several metres away, he thought he heard a strange noise and turned back, seeing Ginny exiting the changing rooms. She had not wanted him to wait, so he kept moving, keeping his head turned so that he could see her. She turned at the corner of the building and disappeared.
His heart skipped a beat as a strange feeling overcame him. He pulled his wand from the pocket of his robes and moved slowly towards the end of the building where she'd disappeared. He reached the wall and turned his back to it, edging around when he heard two voices.
"I missed you," one of the voices said softly. He waited for the response, but none came. Feeling suddenly as if he was intruding upon something very private, he moved away as quickly as possible and resumed his path back to the castle.
Hermione was in her usual corner, her head bent over the table, staring at the ancient parchment. He paused a moment, watching her in the dim torchlight of the room. She had two candles on the table, creating a soft glow over her book. Tracing over her features, he noticed how much older she looked than the day they had met on the train. Her hair had settled, becoming less frizzy, but no less curly. The curls were soft corkscrews and her hair had grown much longer. The features of her face had become more defined, losing the roundness of childhood as she'd grown up. He'd never taken a moment to really look at her, but she looked much older.
She wasn't classically beautiful, but there was something about her that made her noticeable. Perhaps it was the look in her eyes, but he couldn't be sure because he knew her too well. She was the centre of his attentions most of the time, but this was the first good look he'd enjoyed in a long time.
Remembering Ginny's words, he moved closer to her and she looked up, her eyes looking tired and defeated.
"I'll never figure this out. It's hopeless. I just don't know."
"But Hermione, you do."
She looked at him, her eyebrows knitting together. "What do you mean? I don't know this."
"Hermione," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking into her eyes. "You do know this. You know this. It's a part of you. Just...look at it. And know that you know it."
She remained puzzled but seemed willing to just give him the benefit of the doubt. She turned her attention to the paper and Harry saw her eyes focus into that familiar concentration he'd seen countless times before. He pulled a chair up to the table and sat opposite her.
She had moved, her head resting on her hand with her hair cascading down the side and onto the table. He watched her, the entire scene looking oddly familiar to him. He watched her, her eyes moving swiftly across the page and he had to stop him self smiling as her eyes began to slowly light up in that way he'd seen countless times. She sat up, looking shocked, and grabbed a quill.
Quickly, she began scribbling across a blank piece of parchment, taking no notice of the straightness of her lines or the neatness of her penmanship. She wrote for several long moments, her eyes switching quickly between the ancient parchment and the one she was writing on. When she finished, she raised her eyes to him.
"Oh Harry." Her words were low and surprised. "Oh, how did you know?"
"It doesn't matter, what does it say?"
"I'm not even sure--"
"No, you know what it says. What does it say?"
She grasped the freshly written upon parchment in her hands and cleared her throat.
"Four powers, equal.
Unique in strengths.
"Omniscience,
Immortality,
Ultimate Control,
Strongest Power.
"One today,
One tomorrow,
One constant,
One forever.
"Once unified,
They will part,
"The three must trust
A trio of generation new.
"Three guards shall fail
In the protection of that
Which is their right and duty.
"Soul and Mind, forever together,
Mind and Heart, never truly agree,
Heart and Soul, a deepest kinship,
shall always be one.
"Starry night, after strewn across the ages,
the Four, separate only by body,
Held together by magic tie,
Shall once again unite.
"From creation born destruction
And a fiery end of days.
"Destroy thy Darkest evil
And rebuild the people's knight."
They stared at each other, wearing twin expressions of confusion, amazement, and fear.
"But what does that mean?" Harry asked finally.
"I have no idea."
He took the paper and ran his eyes over the words, memorising them. His attention was distracted when he heard the door to the common room slam.
Ginny stood there, looking started to see them. Her hair was soaking wet, dripping down her face and robes. She nodded to them before rushing towards her dorm room.
Harry turned to look at Hermione, the parchment in his hand momentarily forgotten. She did not look at all alarmed.
"She's been coming in late for weeks. I'm not sure how she hasn't been caught or what exactly she's doing."
"So you've never asked where she goes?"
"Of course not. It's her business and she assured us she's safe."
Harry debated internally whether or not to tell her about what he'd seen by the changing rooms before remembering what had happened last time he'd withheld information. Knowing that he didn't want to see that particular facial expression again, he cleared his throat. "I saw her."
"You did? Where?"
"Out by the changing rooms. She was with someone, but I don't know who."
"What were they doing?"
His cheeks tinged slightly. "I'm not sure."
Hermione smiled slightly, almost knowingly before taking the parchment from him. "We should show this to my parents. They might understand it." She looked at him oddly. "How did you know?"
"Ginny. She was singing in French and we started talking about languages and she said that most witches and wizards have the ability to just know a language, at least partially. I figured, you're half-magus, you would undoubtedly be able to do that."
Hermione shook her head, looking amazed. "It's hard to believe that was all that was needed. Although, I do suppose it was the simplest answer, considering that even though we didn't know what we were saying, we were able to speak Mage."
"Is the diary in Mage?" Harry asked, looking up at Hermione.
She nodded. "Although, I think that we've solved this...prophecy, it's time to turn all of this over to the adults. We should have done that in the first place, I know."
"I'm surprised you didn't turn it over to them last year," he replied, grinning.
"Mmm, well, maybe you're rubbing off on me," she was looking down at the parchment again, only giving him partial attention. He watched her scribble a few notes on the paper. "I wonder if the four refers to the Keys?" she asked, absentmindedly, almost to herself.
Harry looked at her for a few moments before standing up and walking to her side of the table. "Hermione, you've made a gigantic step today. Maybe it's time to take a break," he said quietly, peering down at her.
She titled her head up to look at him and smiled softly. "You're right, I know," she sighed, "But I just want to solve it."
"I know love. How about we turn in for the night?"
"We?"
"Can I stay in your room tonight?"
For the first time in entire time they'd been sleeping together, she looked uncomfortable. "You haven't been in my room since...since..."
He nodded, understanding, but already beginning to feel his body responding to the memory of that afternoon. There had been many kisses and shared moments since then, but they'd never gone quite as far as they had then. He leaned down and kissed her. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Hermione."
She just nodded her head slightly, looking sorrowful. "Goodnight, Harry. I love you."
"Love you too," he answered before walking towards his dorm.
Jay looked down at Harry. "This," he said as he slammed a large crate down on the table, "is for tonight."
Harry looked at the large wooden box, wondering what was inside it. Jay was only nineteen years old and the only non-student teenager staying inside IMS. "Um?" was all he was able to manage as the blonde boy looked at him.
"It's Firewhiskey."
Harry's eyes widened. "For tonight? After the feast?"
"I'm expecting you'll share with the others, of course. After all, the little ones will be off doing Halloween-type things, and then they'll stay with their parents. The IMS rooms are yours for the night, as I'm leaving for Salem soon."
Harry cracked open the lid, looking at the bottles of amber liquid. "Do we just...you know...drink it?"
"You can mix it with stuff."
"Like what?"
Jay shrugged. "Like Muggle Coca-Cola. Or just water."
"Oh," Harry looked at the bottles again. "Do you have Coke?"
Jay grinned. "I have one bottle. I thought that girlfriend of yours might know how to make more."
Harry shook his head. "I doubt that. She's not exactly a fan of alcohol, so I doubt she'll help us consume it."
"Ah well. You'll work something out. The more you have, the less worried you'll be about what you're mixing it with. Have fun tonight." He nodded to Harry before turning and leaving the room.
Harry looked down once more at the Firewhiskey, wondering if anyone would actually drink the supposedly volatile drink. He levitated the heavy crate into his dorm and locked the door before heading to the Great Hall. He walked quickly, wondering how many people were actually going to be there. He knew many people were having parties with other families and many of the younger witches and wizards had apparated to the States for an annual Halloween party in Salem. He'd heard Fred and George talk about the party on a handful of occasions. They had planned to go after they turned twenty-one.
There were smaller, clustered tables in the brilliantly decorated Great Hall. Harry had talked with the other House prefects on several occasions and they had all mentioned that many of the House rivalries between Gryffindor and Slytherin had settled. There was still a rivalry, of course, but the bitter meanness between the two houses had practically vanished. He had been surprised at this, but one of the Seventh Year Slytherin Prefects had merely said, "We aren't all on the Dark side. Just because our blood is only wizarding doesn't mean that we don't know people that aren't purebloods." As a testament to that, he saw that many of the students, regardless of House, were clustered together; they seemed more to be divided up by year. He saw Hermione and the other IMS students closer to the front and he wound his way through the other tables to take a seat next to Hermione.
She grinned at him, showing off a set of fake vampire teeth, dripping with strawberry flavoured 'blood'.
"Charming!" he said, laughing at the look on her face as she struggled to close her mouth over the plastic teeth.
The table was cluttered with dishes full of different sweets, both wizarding and muggle. He saw mini Cadbury chocolates, which had been his favourite growing up. The Dursleys had never allowed Harry to go Trick-or-Treating, but he would usually take a handful of chocolate bars from the bowl they kept by the front door when no one was looking and sneak off to eat them in his tiny cupboard bedroom.
There were also all types of food and plenty of pumpkin pie. He filled his plate with mashed potatoes, chicken and vegetables before Hermione cut him a slice of the pumpkin pie she was indulging in. They all talked cheerfully as they ate, everyone temporarily forgetting the precarious situation that faced them and the severity of what the wizarding world was facing.
When they had settled some, Harry motioned for them to listen. "Jay talked to me earlier. He thought we might like to have an after-party tonight since all of the kids would most likely be with their parents tonight. He-um, well... He gave me a crate of Ogden's Firewhiskey."
Draco and Ron both seemed impressed by this, but the girls didn't seem to see the importance of this.
"And?" Ginny said, looking oddly at Harry.
"He gave it to us so we could, you know, drink it."
"Isn't that supposed to be really terrible though?" Padma asked.
"Are we allowed to mix it with anything?" Cadence said.
"What would we mix it with?" implored Akilah.
"Women," Harry heard Ron say to Draco, who looked as if, for once, he agreed.
"I don't know if it's a good idea to be drinking tonight. Some of you have Quidditch tomorrow," Hermione mentioned, looking just as unimpressed as the other girls.
"We'll be fine. There are plenty of sobriety spells," Draco said, not looking up from the book he'd brought to dinner.
Hermione just shrugged and the girls resumed their discussion about certain former Hogwarts Quidditch players. Harry looked to Ron and Draco. Draco was still reading, but Ron was looking at him with an unreadable look on his face. He locked gazes with Harry for a short moment before turning his eyes to stare at his plate.
The crowd of people in the Great Hall began to slowly disperse and the IMS students moved as a group back to their common room.
Draco, Ron, and Harry, their animosity forgotten for one night, went to their dorm to get the Firewhiskey, while Padma and Hermione went to get more people from Gryffindor. When they returned to the Common Room, Ginny was standing in the middle of the room casting silencing charms as Hermione ushered in several Gryffindors.
Before long, several bottles had been consumed, which provided for a very entertaining evening. Harry had been surprised that the whiskey went down much easier when mixed with the Coke Jay had left for them. Ginny had quickly figured out how to make more Coke and had many others began to drink it down quickly. Not long after his third drink, he was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol. He was slightly lightheaded and very warm as he searched for Hermione.
She was sitting in a high-backed chair by the fire, staring into a cup full of water and whiskey, which she was swirling slowly with her hand.
"Mione?"
"Hullo!" she said, a little louder than normal.
"Are you alright?" he asked, sitting at her feet and taking the drink from her.
"Hey! Thas..thas..mine."
"How many have you had?"
She looked down at her hand and slowly counted out four fingers.
"Four! Hermione...are you ok?"
She slid down her chair and into his lap. "This is all very scary you know."
He nodded, not exactly sure what she was talking about.
"I mean, heresa the thing. I like you. No, wait. I love you. And I love you a lot. Like I said. And I want to be with you, but not like, just today. I want to be with you a lot longer than that."
"Hermione..."
"No, no, let me finish."
"Okay."
"So, like I said before, I want to be with you 'til longer than say, next month, and my mother always told me that when you love someone, words can hardly show how much. And you know, I was thinking that someday, maybe even soon, that someday I want to show you how much I love you."
"Mione..."
"Harry, shut it. I'm talking here and you're doing a piss poor job of listening."
"Sorry."
"Ok, so here's the thing. I want to show you how much I love you right now. But I'm scared to. I'm scared because I don't know how you feel and because I don't know if I'm ready and because I don't know how you feel."
"I love you Hermione. Very, very much. And I want to be with you too...a lot longer than next month." He looked down at her, wanting to kiss her and hold her, but knowing that she probably had other things she wanted to say.
"Really?" She was playing with his fingers now as she looked up at him.
"Really, Hermione."
She pulled herself up and looped her arms around his neck. "Harry, can I show you now?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'll show you." She stood, wobbling slightly and tugged on his arm. "Come on." He stood and wrapped his arm around her, supporting her as she stumbled along, moving towards their dorm. He looked around the room, surveying the damage only a few hours and some whiskey had done. Cadence was the only person that hadn't drunk herself silly and she'd escorted the Gryffindors back to the tower. Seamus, Dean, Neville, and Parvati had joined their party and they'd been led back to Gryffindor giggling and carrying on, with Cadence trying to keep them quiet. Ginny was slumped in the corner on a large, over-stuffed chair and oddly enough, Draco was keeping her company. Ron had disappeared with Padma, arguing that he could definitely out-play her in chess. The other IMS students were strewn in various places, looking as if the alcohol had actually thrown them there. He counted the figures and knew that Padma and Ron were in his dorm and also that Hermione's dorm was empty.
She pulled him towards her dorm, slamming the door shut behind them. "Whoopsie," she mumbled as she began putting various locking charms on the door. He watched her waving her wand about, wondering how exactly she was able to perform these spells. After she had put about four charms on the door, she walked him over to her bed.
"Hermione?"
"I don't want to sleep with you, Harry. Not yet."
"Then what?"
"I want a night for us Harry. I want you to stay in here with me."
"Hermione, it used to be that I could sleep in the same bed with you and I never thought about actually being with you, at least not much. I was able to push it out of my head."
"You mean, you wanted to be with me before?"
"Yes, I was fifteen. I'm sixteen now. Those feelings haven't exactly subsided."
"They haven't?"
"No. They probably won't for a very long time. When I'm lying there, next to you, and you're in my arms, I want you. I want you a lot and I'm not sure how to handle that."
She looked confused as he said this. "Does that mean you don't want to be here tonight?"
"No. It means that I want to be here tonight more than anything, but that I just, I really want you."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
She paused.
"Will you stay anyhow?"
Admittedly, he hated the effect alcohol seemed to have on her. She seemed so spacey and out of touch with everything and he couldn't even begin to comprehend the conversation he was having with her. He groaned to himself. "You know I want to."
"Then why don't you?"
"Because I can't take advantage of you Hermione. I'm thinking about a lot more right now then just laying next to you."
"Oh. But I want you in here. That's not taking advantage of me."
He sighed, wondering where his Hermione had gone. "Hermione. I want to sleep with you. That is why it is living hell for me to just have to lay there. I want to hold you, I do. But there are other things I want to do too."
She smiled at him. "You know, it's nice living with two other girls sometimes."
He looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Because we talk about things."
"Like what?"
"Boys."
This was so unlike Hermione that his head was spinning.
"See, Padma's mother owls her this magazine for teenage girls, J17. I read it. There are other ways to...you know."
He stared wide-eyed at Hermione. "To tell you the truth, Mione, I'm shocked we're having this conversation."
She giggled. "Why?" She moved back some and her hands immediately went to the waist of Harry's trousers as she leaned up to kiss him sloppily. He turned his head away and watched her small hands fumble with his belt for a moment before he jumped back.
"Hermione!"
"What?" She looked at him innocently.
He looked at her for a few moments, before pulling out his wand from his pocket. "You're going to hate me..." She titled her head to the side, looking at him oddly. He whispered the incantation that Jay had told him about and tapped his wand on the top of her head. Her eyes slid closed and she slumped a bit before opening her eyes again and looking at him. She seemed confused before her eyes widened.
"Oh, Harry. Please don't tell me that I actually said any of those things."
He looked sheepish.
She buried her head in her hands. "I'm so mortified."
He moved closer to her and pulled her into his arms. "It's okay, Hermione. You just had a wee bit too much to drink is all."
"Don't ever let me drink again."
"Oh, believe me, there won't be any alcohol near you for a very long time."
"I take it, then, that you won't be in here tonight?"
"No. I'm going to head to my own bed soon, but can I ask you a question first?"
"Of course."
"Why?"
"Why was I drinking?"
"Yeah."
She shrugged her shoulders. "I think it was just with how stressful everything has been. I wanted to do something different, try something else."
He hugged her again and she leaned up to kiss him. "I'll see you in the morning, okay?"
She nodded and hugged him once more. "Goodnight. I love you."
"I love you too."
They had agreed to take the journal and Prophecy to Dumbledore's office as quickly as possible and Saturday morning had been their first chance. They gave the password to the gargoyle and were admitted onto the stairwell.
Dumbledore ushered them into his office almost immediately, almost as if he knew there was something they needed to speak with him about.
"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione began, as soon as they all were seated. "Last year, Harry found a diary. I began translating it because parts of it were in Latin, but suddenly, the language changed and the translating spell I had been using wouldn't work. Once we began to learn about Mage, I suspected that's what it was. I've been trying to learn Mage--"
"What do you mean, learn it? It's a dead language and there's no possible--"
"Professor Dumbledore, I know it sounds unbelievable, but please."
He merely nodded and waited for her to continue.
"I used Harry's Pensieve. Listened over and over again. And then...last night, I just knew."
Dumbledore nodded as this apparently made great sense to him.
"I translated the Prophecy last night, and I think it'd be better now if I turned everything over to you. Perhaps Ami would be best to help me, as she knows a great deal about magi."
"You will assist her, though, Miss Granger?"
Hermione nodded.
"May I see this prophecy?"
Harry pulled the folded parchment from his pocket and handed it to Dumbledore. The old wizard read it over quickly before looking at his students. "I will see that this gets to Ami, as well as Richard, who will no doubt be able to help as well. Ami will get in touch with you on the diary. As for this," he asked, holding up the sheet, "is this the parchment that she's been struggling with for months?"
Harry and Hermione both nodded.
"Very well. Is there anything else?"
They shook their heads and stood ready to leave. Hermione nodded once to Professor Dumbledore before exiting the room. Harry, however, remained, looking at his headmaster.
"Professor Dumbledore?"
"There are times, Harry, when you feel as if everything going on around you is only a narrow view of a much broader scope."
"You think, then, that the Prophecy, the Keys, Connelly, they're all connected?"
Dumbledore looked at Harry solemnly. "I can only guess, Harry, whether or not they are."
"And your guess?"
"We are dealing with something much more powerful and much deeper running than we originally thought."
Harry knew that it was time to leave, but he looked once more at Dumbledore.
"Good luck, today, Harry." A soft smile accompanied his words and Harry was momentarily settled in his belief that everything would turn out as it should.
Hermione looked at Harry from her perch on his desk as he straightened his Quidditch robes. "Why do you change in here?"
"I always have. I feel more comfortable for some reason. There've always been too many girls in the changing rooms."
"Why is Katie here, anyway?"
"Each team has one former student. They were all seventh years last year. Pretty much every house had to rebuild a team, so the older player is there to help, as well as to keep an eye out for anything dangerous happening at the matches."
"That makes sense, I suppose. Isn't Dumbledore worried that the older players will have an advantage?"
"I suppose not, as each time has an older player, it doesn't really make a difference. It's not like he brought Oliver Wood back or something."
"Oh, now that would be nice."
"Hermione. Boyfriend. In room."
She grinned at him. "I know." She hopped off the desk and walked over to him. "You look very handsome in your Quidditch robes. Have I ever told you that?"
He smiled and kissed her gently. "Thank you."
"Are you all set then?" she asked as she stepped back to take a look at him.
"I guess so."
"Excellent. Shall I walk with you down to the pitch then?"
He nodded and offered her his hand, which she gently took.
The walk down to the pitch was relatively quiet as they huddled close against the cold November air.
There was a small crowd gathering at the pitch already, but Harry noticed that none of the muggleborn witches and wizards were out among the group. He saw Professor McGonagall standing with Madam Hooch and he walked over to her.
"Mr Potter," she nodded her head as she saw him walking towards her.
"Professor McGonagall, where is everyone?" he asked as he looked around.
"The visitors to the castle are staying inside today. Professor Dumbledore has worked out a way for them to view today's match."
"Then who are all these people?" he pointed at the growing crowds.
"Ministry officials, visitors from Diagon Alley. League Quidditch in Britain has been suspended, there aren't enough players. Many are here viewing the game."
Harry only nodded. "Right then, I'm off to the changing rooms." He quickly kissed Hermione's cheek, who blushed, and jogged towards the rooms where his squad were waiting.
They were seated on benches in a semi-circle, looking nervous. Katie was standing in front of them, wand in hand and drawing complicated diagrams on a board and imitating some of the American football coaches he used to see on television. He walked to her and placed a hand on her arm.
"I think it's best if maybe we just give them a pep-talk rather than lecturing tactics."
She looked at him, surprised, before nodding and taking a seat. He stood before the squad and watched them for a moment. All five of his new players were acting differently, though it was apparent they were all nervous. He sighed and sat down in front of them.
"It's just a game," he said softly. "There's nothing riding on this, nothing to worry about. You're a strong team with a great deal of talent. And remember, have fun."
His words obviously did nothing to ease their tension and they all stared at him blankly.
"Right then. Katie, do you have anything to say?"
She shrugged and shook her head.
"Okay, then I guess we should head out to the pitch," said Harry, dejected. He felt a bit disheartened that his team hadn't had a better reaction to his talk, but he resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't the greatest spirit rouser.
A loud cheer erupted from the crowd when the team entered the pitch. Harry looked around and saw many Gryffindor banners, mixed in with a fair share of Ravenclaw. It seemed that a great deal of people had turned out for the match, adding to crowd of students present. The Ravenclaw team was waiting, hovering just above the ground on their broomsticks. The Gryffindor team hurried out and quickly mounted their brooms. Madam Hooch stepped onto the pitch and set the large box containing the various balls for the game onto the ground. She placed the silver whistle to her lips and a shrill sound echoed throughout the stadium as she kicked the box open and the bludgers and Snitch flew out. With one arm, she tossed the Quaffle into the air and the game was on.
Harry kept his eye trained on the Snitch for the few seconds it hung in the air before disappearing. His eyes roamed the pitch, keeping an eye out for the tiny, glimmering ball and also watching Cho, who was circling on the other side of the pitch. The wintry wind was whipping through his hair and he was already beginning to shiver some against the cold. He pulled his robes closer around him and whispered a warming charm. It didn't do much to take off the chill, but it helped a bit. He let his eyes wander down towards the crowds and he could pick out Hermione, who was sitting with some of the other girls from IMS. He saw Ron and Draco sitting together, a few rows behind the girls and he nearly toppled off his broom, wondering when they had become mates.
Turning his eyes back to the game, he saw Ginny block a brilliant try by one of the Ravenclaw Chasers before she tossed the Quaffle over to Katie, who took off at a racing speed toward the other goal posts. She was flanked by the other chasers, who were doing their best to block the bludgers flying towards them. When she had a clear shot, she easily threw the Quaffle through the golden hoop and the crowd let out a loud cheer as Dean Thomas' voice rang over the stadium, announcing the first score of the game.
The Ravenclaw Chaser once again had the Quaffle, but Beatrice and Gertrude were quickly on them, aiming bludgers towards the lone player. As she ducked away from one of the bludgers, she dropped the Quaffle and Ian quickly snatched it, once again making a beeline for the posts. As Harry watched him, he caught a faint glimmer hovering near the end of Ginny's broom. He looked at Cho, who was still circling a good distance away. He narrowed his eyes and began the swift descent towards the Snitch. As he neared closer, a movement on the other end of the pitch caught his attention. He looked towards a large black mass moving out onto the pitch and heard a whistle blow from the direction Madam Hooch. Every player turned to look at the group of figures moving quickly.
"Hermione Granger, please step forward onto the pitch," a loud voice said, ringing out for every person to hear.
Stony silence settled over the stadium as Harry watched Hermione step down and make her way slowly onto the field. He was too far to clearly make out the expression on her face and for some reason, he didn't dare push him broom closer. She was standing in front of who he assumed was the person that had spoken. He heard a vague incantation and suddenly she was kneeling on the ground, her arms bound behind her back.
"As ordered by the Ministry of Magic, I do hereby arrest thee, Hermione Granger, for Improper Use of Magic to the severest degree."
Shouts and gasps echoed from the crowd as the dark figure pulled Hermione to her feet and began pulling her off the pitch. Harry, no longer caring about the consequences, pushed his broom swiftly towards the ground. The group had moved off the pitch and was now swiftly making its way towards the castle as he hopped off the broom a few feet over the pitch and tumbled to the ground. He rolled and jumped to his feet before taking off at a dead run towards the group. Others were following behind him and he heard many people calling out his name. He didn't look back, focusing instead on the black robed group in front of him. The anger within him boiled as he charged forward, ignoring whatever people were calling out behind him. His effort was fruitless, they were moving too quickly. Knowing that he would undoubtedly be breaking several rules, he stopped and squinted his eyes shut.
He was standing in the Entrance Hall now and Dumbledore was looking at him. Wordlessly, the wizard turned towards the doors, where he watched the procession moving towards him. Harry choked back a cry as he saw Hermione floating before them, her head flopping dangerously to the side. Quickly, he pushed past Dumbledore and out onto the lawn. Dumbledore followed and they met the group halfway up the path to the entrance of Hogwarts.
"Headmaster Dumbledore." Harry now recognised the voice of Lucius Malfoy, who was holding Hermione in mid-air with his wand.
"How may I help you, Mister Malfoy?" Dumbledore's tone was icy and still as he looked at the blonde wizard standing only a few metres away.
"Hermione Granger is wanted by the Ministry of Magic."
"For what?"
"For disobeying the Muggleborn Laws and the special rules for Hogwarts by using magic outside, for using magic to further her own studies, for abusing her powers as a half-Magus for Apparition, and for speaking out against the Ministry of Magic during a recent class time."
Harry's mouth dropped open in shock as he recalled Hermione's diatribe last week during a class when a ruling had been passed down from the Ministry that it was no longer advisable to speak ill against the wizarding government. She had launched a class discussion drawing lines between Nazi Germany and their current state of affairs, of which only a few of their classmates had truly understood.
"And how do you know of this?"
"We have witnesses from her class, willing to testify."
"Who?" Dumbledore's tone was edging along dangerous.
"I will not tell you that, Headmaster. At her trial, you may find out who."
"Her trial?" Dumbledore implored, his eyes narrow slits as he looked at Malfoy.
"Yes, the Minister of Magic himself has set her trial date for December Twenty-sixth. Until then, she will be held at the Ministry."
"No, she will not."
"I daresay, Professor Dumbledore, that you cannot go against the Minister of Magic."
"Should the Minister of Magic decide that he is going to arrest and hold one of my students, let him know that it would be advisable for him to come and speak directly to me." He pulled his wand from the sleeve of his robes and held it menacingly out in front of him.
Malfoy stared at Dumbledore, his jaw set in a sneer. "Fine." He flicked his wand and Hermione's limp body fell to the ground. Harry dashed to her, ignoring the words of Dumbledore and pulled Hermione to him.
He held her head, watching as her eyelids fluttered. She peered at Harry briefly before her eyes rolled back and her body went limp again. He looked up at Malfoy, gritting his teeth. "What did you do to her?"
"What does it matter?" With a swoosh of his cloak, Malfoy and his men marched quickly down the hill towards the gates. Just as they had moved away, the crowd from the pitch arrived. Ginny and Ron were leading the group and they stopped dead, staring at the three people on the Hogwarts lawn. Ginny looked at Harry, tears flowing freely down her face. She bent next to him and looked at Hermione, fresh sobs racking her body.
"This is all my fault."
A million thanks to Ian and Neil for beta-reading. Also, my eternal gratefulness must go to those of you who have reviewed. Your reviews keep me writing and without them I never would have made it this far.
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