I didn't like it a bit.
Really, I agree there were worse things I have encountered here, but that doesn't mean I'm approving of milder versions of what is still BREAKING THE RULES.
And anyway, this was ridiculous.
There, I just had to read it again:
Harry, meet me in the Great Hall at two o'clock tonight.
Wasn't that just the silliest note you'd ever seen? "It doesn't even say who sent this, Harry."
"Maybe whoever send it was in a hurry. Maybe they didn't have time," he suggested.
Ron cut in. "Maybe it's from Sirius."
I rolled my eyes. They were so eager to get into trouble, they would have taken any excuse to sneak around past curfew. Even a line scribbled down on a piece of parchment. "Sirius could see Harry here in the common room. He's done so before. Plus he always signed his letters, which he sent by owls, by the way. This … request … just happened to find its way into Harry's bag."
They exchanged glances. They always do so when I have a point, to rethink their strategy and reassure themselves. As if I wouldn't notice. I turned my back on them to demonstrate how little I cared and stared at the flames in the fireplace. People were beginning to leave around us and head for their respective dorms. My eyes were beginning to water from staring into the fire, and I glared back at my two best stupid friends.
"Look, Hermione," Ron went on (right, I'm looking, but all I'm seeing is a bright orange spot of light dancing before me – it looks a bit like Ron, though, I'll just pretend it's him). "There's three of us, plus we're having the Invisibility Cloak. We could just go there, have a glance at who awaits Harry, and if it's, like, Lucius Malfoy, we'll leave. No one will notice we've ever been there. And we can get some food from the House Elves on our way back," he added, quite satisfied.
The bright spot of light is dissolving slowly, and I can make out the silhouette of Harry's head nodding his approval.
"You don't think for one moment that this could be a prank?" I enquire, "Sat up by Malfoy, who wants to lure you out so he can tip off Filch and get you into trouble?"
"Actually," Harry smiles, "That was among the first thoughts that crossed my mind. And I'm just dying to find out."
~*~I had all but forgotten how it feels to be cramped under the Invisibility Cloak with them. It had always been awkward, but having grown somewhat was really making things difficult. The cloak might have been designed to cover an adult (or three kids), but we were slowly getting too old for this. I said as much, and received poking elbows on either side of my ribcage.
Harry, meanwhile, was opening the doors to the Hall with great care. If he'd still had the Marauder's Map, things would have been so much easier. But I could of course understand his giving it to Dumbledore when things at Hogwarts had become nasty again last year. I had actually urged him to hand it in. It was a useful tool, and the Headmaster had vowed to use it only in case of emergency, lest we should feel deprived of our privacy. He had not enquired about its origins, which leads me to suspect he already knew more about it than we had anticipated.
"There's no one in there yet, we should enter and see who's coming," Harry hissed.
"Maybe they're hiding, anyway. In which case they could already be there," whispered Ron.
I didn't tell them off for making no sense. I simply didn't have the energy. Our N.E.W.T.s were coming up, and I should have been either sleeping or studying. Instead I had myself allowed to be dragged along on what was definitely the most pointless adventure ever. Merlin, there is only so much a troll-induced friendship should have to endure.
When we opened the doors to the Hall and entered, I thought I caught some movement in the corner of my eye, but since I was part of a six-legged entity now, I couldn't stop to investigate.
We reached the high table, and Harry threw off the cloak. "No one here," he stated, obviously disappointed. They ventured a bit deeper into the Hall, leaving the cloak at my feet. I crossed my arms over my chest. Ron turned to Harry. "Let's wait a bit, then get some food."
I was about to take a stand and drag them back to bed immediately, when I noticed the flickering blue lights speeding down from the enchanted ceiling. Harry had noticed them, too. I saw him try to dodge some sparks, but suddenly everything erupted in a blue explosion. I didn't even have time to raise my wand before everything went black and maybe this is death and I knew I shouldn't have let myself be dragged along and this is stupid why do things like this always happen and I don't want to die now not so shortly before graduating anyway andidontwantto… *THUD*
Great Minds in distress
"Now see here, Severus, you have to admit this is the best way to do it," I argued, watching the Potions Master's profile, trying to read his expression. Unreadable, of course. He was either a very withdrawn young man, or he did a formidable job of creating that impression. Or maybe he just was steaming with anger about to erupt and I was walking beside a very active volcano. I closed my fingers tightly on the wand in my sleeve.
Albus cut in. "I do agree with Minerva. I might add that we are depending on your cooperation here." Severus gave what was a moderate sneer compared to his usual standards. I knew he was not exactly partial to the idea, but was unable to come up with a better solution. The situation was tense, to say the least. As we walked back from the dungeons, where we had been discussing the matter, we passed the corridor near the Great Hall.
As it was well past midnight, none of us would usually have been anywhere near the Great Hall. Argus Filch does a good job of patrolling the castle, and the ghosts are perceptive and can be trusted with few exemptions. Oh, there have been times when we were all alert day and night, I just recall the turmoil four years ago, when Black had been on the loose… Anyway, these days, none of the staff would have been here at this time of the night, hadn't it been for the urgent matters we had been discussing for hours now.
We turned a corner – and froze.
From the gaps between the doors leading to the Great Hall came bright blue flashes of light, as if a blizzard had chosen to take up residence in our midst. The light flickered and ceased in the split seconds we were watching, but Albus was already at the doors, wand raised, face a mask of determination. Severus was at his heels, the embodiment of fury, looking positively frightening.
I made my way in just after them to find the Hall quiet and peaceful and in perfect order.
Then I saw the bodies.
"Oh Merlin," I remember gasping, before I ran after Albus to inspect the damage. Potter and Weasley were lying on the floor, immobile, with their eyes closed. Closer inspection revealed them to be alive, thank Heavens, but obviously knocked out. As Albus walked around the room, checking for the cause of this, I went on to transfigure some chairs into stretchers, when I heard Severus voice behind me.
"Here's another."
I turned to see Miss Granger lying next to the high table, with Severus bent over her, his hand resting on her forehead. I am quite sure to recall him muttering something sounding like "stupid, troublesome Gryffindors" when I noticed the blue sparks speeding down on him. I wanted to call out or raise my wand but found myself quite incapable of doing so. Instead, I could only watch in horror, as Severus eyes lost all focus and he seemed to go completely limb. Mind you, I was in no better state myself, what with the blue light starting to encircle me as well. I heard Albus' voice "No, not THAT spell," then a soft thud that indicated he had made contact with the floor.
The last thing I saw before I was fainting myself was Severus collapsing right on Miss Granger