Disclaimer: Do I still have to write these? I've written ten already. Oh well, I don't own Harry Potter, though I would love to meet the characters who play them.
CHAPTER XI: FACING THE TRUTH
"Have any letters from Ron arrived yet?" Hermione inquired eagerly from Professor McGonagall, a few weeks later.
"No Ms. Granger, there have been no letters from Mr. Weasley yet," McGonagall, acting headmistress, answered, while dipping her quill into the ink and hurriedly writing a parchment.
"Are you sure?" she persisted.
"Ms. Granger, for the last time Mr. Weasley has not sent you an owl. You just mailed him yesterday," McGonagall exploded. "Now will you please excuse me, I'm waiting for Dumbledore's response to my previous letter."
Just then, the pounding of footsteps was heard and Ginny burst in through the door. "Professor McGonagall, I've got a letter I have to send to Harry," she remarked.
"Ms. Weasley, I doubt Mr. Potter has found–" she broke off her sentence when a very rushed owl came flying through the window. Flapping its wings importantly, it perched itself on her desk and handed her the note. She nervously accepted it and read the message quickly.
"What is it Professor?" Hermione inquired uncertainly, while Ginny held tight to her letter.
McGonagall pursed her lips together. "Just as I had feared," she declared softly. She turned to the two girls. "The war has begun," she finished. Gathering her robes, she hurried out the room calling for Filch to send all the students into their rooms.
"C'mon," Hermione instructed the younger girl, as they headed for their room. Ever since Ron had left, Hermione had persuaded McGonagall to let Ginny share her room with her. She had only agreed due to the circumstances they were in.
The war lasted for three days. Explosions were heard, terrified screams pierced the air, lightning flashed, and everywhere powerful wizards were battling bravely against the dark force.
On the last night, McGonagall held a special meeting in the great hall. "Everyone is going to be sleeping here tonight," she remarked rather weakly. "There is also no need to be afraid as Hogwarts is being safely guarded. Now please all try to get some rest," she advised. With that, she muttered a quick spell causing all the tables to vanish and sleeping bags appear in their place.
"I do hope Harry and Ron are all right," Ginny stated, as she crawled into her sleeping bag.
"I hope so too," Hermione replied, clutching tightly to the heart necklace, which she had started to wear ever since Ron departed. Praying softly for their safety, she slowly fell asleep.
It was late at night, when Hermione awoke suddenly. All the students were awake, as the war raged outside. Her heart skipped a beat, when she realized her two best friends were outside, as well.
Suddenly, there was a final explosion, followed by an incantation and everything stopped. Ginny reached for Hermione's hand and held it tightly. She squeezed back; reassuring her she was still here. McGonagall appeared at the front of the room, her hair disheveled and her face unusually pale.
Taking a deep breath she announced, "the war is over and," The tension seemed to be hanging in the air. She continued, "and we have won and they will be coming home tomorrow." Everyone burst into cheers and sobs, as the strain wore off. Above the uproar, McGonagall attempted to speak, but failed miserably as people were either sobbing or laughing.
"Ginny, can you believe it?" Hermione squealed, hugging the younger girl firmly.
"I know, and the great news they'll be back tomorrow," Ginny cried, hugging her back.
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. "Yea. Ron will be back tomorrow," she thought happily.
The next day, everyone quickly changed into their school robes and gathered into the coach. The students who had left would be arriving in the Hogwarts Express and McGonagall had agreed to take all the students with her to greet the heroes.
But everyone had changed drastically over this short period of time. All the students, well, they had aged. Hermione watched as Lavender greeted Dean excitedly, but the mischievous twinkle in his eyes had vanished. It had been replaced by an old faraway look, instead.
She watched as the other students started to climb down from the train, but she couldn't see any redhead or a black haired boy with extremely messy hair.
"Hermione...Where are they?" Ginny queried nervously.
"I don't know," she replied, equally worried. She decided if they weren't going to come to her, she would have to go to them. Pushing through the crowd, she shoveled her way through it. On her way to the front of the train, her eyes met Malfoy's. Lost was the malicious glint in his eyes, but was that a look of pity on his face, she thought, startled. Shaking her head, she shoved past a group of fifth years, which were greeting Dennis Creevey.
She finally reached the front and came face-to-face with Professor Lupin. "Professor Lupin," she panted. "Where are Ron and Harry?"
"Hermione, please," Lupin began, when McGonagall appeared from inside the train and said, "Ms. Granger, what are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to Ron and Harry," she stated breathlessly. McGonagall's face clouded over. "Oh Hermione," she murmured. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you but," she paused, as she glanced at Lupin, who appeared lost in his own thoughts.
"But what?" she asked, looking at the two professors. "Never mind, let me please speak to Professor Dumbledore," she urged, brushing past them. Just then, Dumbledore arrived, supported by Professor Snape and Hagrid.
"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione gasped. Dumbledore's faced was aged streaked with oldness, while his gray eyes had lost the familiar spark that he had always held.
"Ms. Granger," he choked, as she reached towards him, helping him to a seat in the train.
"Professor, are you alright?" she inquired gently taking a seat next to him.
"I'm fine," he croaked softly, patting her hand with his gnarled one.
"Ye all right there, `Mione," Hagrid asked gruffly placing his hand on her shoulder. She smiled at him reassuringly and turned her attention back to Dumbledore.
"Hermione, I couldn't find them anywhere," Ginny's voice appeared suddenly, as the youngest Weasley sibling burst into the train.
"Oh excuse me," she stammered, startled to see the grim expressions on all the teachers' faces.
"Ms. Granger, Ms. Weasley, I would advise you to leave," McGonagall instructed sternly, but Dumbledore interrupted, "No Minerva, they need to be here."
"What's the matter Professor?" Ginny asked, as she was offered a seat.
"Are Ron and Harry alright?" Hermione added quickly.
"Hermione," Hagrid began gently, but Dumbledore held up his hand. "No Hagrid let me be the one to tell her."
"Tell me what?" Hermione asked inquisitively.
"Ms. Granger, Harry and Ron defeated Voldemort in a final battle," he replied lightly.
"That's wonderful," Ginny commented, but McGonagall's stern gaze silenced her.
"Ginny's right. That is wonderful. But where are they?" Hermione remarked, staring around her.
"They didn't come back," Dumbledore answered quietly.
Hermione stared at him, disbelievingly. "You don't mean to say they refused to come back."
He shook his head. "No," he whispered quietly.
She sighed. "Good. For a second there I thought they weren't coming back. So where are they?" she persisted.
Dumbledore closed his eyes and laid his hand over his tired eyes. He needed to be the one to tell her this, only him. He leaned towards her and forced her to look directly at him.
"Hermione," he started, choosing his words with care. "Hermione, Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter died battling against Voldemort."
Hermione stared at him incredulously. She heard Ginny give a faint scream, and the room started to spin around her and everything went black.
***
CHAPTER XI: FACING THE TRUTH
"Have any letters from Ron arrived yet?" Hermione inquired eagerly from Professor McGonagall, a few weeks later.
"No Ms. Granger, there have been no letters from Mr. Weasley yet," McGonagall, acting headmistress, answered, while dipping her quill into the ink and hurriedly writing a parchment.
"Are you sure?" she persisted.
"Ms. Granger, for the last time Mr. Weasley has not sent you an owl. You just mailed him yesterday," McGonagall exploded. "Now will you please excuse me, I'm waiting for Dumbledore's response to my previous letter."
Just then, the pounding of footsteps was heard and Ginny burst in through the door. "Professor McGonagall, I've got a letter I have to send to Harry," she remarked.
"Ms. Weasley, I doubt Mr. Potter has found–" she broke off her sentence when a very rushed owl came flying through the window. Flapping its wings importantly, it perched itself on her desk and handed her the note. She nervously accepted it and read the message quickly.
"What is it Professor?" Hermione inquired uncertainly, while Ginny held tight to her letter.
McGonagall pursed her lips together. "Just as I had feared," she declared softly. She turned to the two girls. "The war has begun," she finished. Gathering her robes, she hurried out the room calling for Filch to send all the students into their rooms.
"C'mon," Hermione instructed the younger girl, as they headed for their room. Ever since Ron had left, Hermione had persuaded McGonagall to let Ginny share her room with her. She had only agreed due to the circumstances they were in.
The war lasted for three days. Explosions were heard, terrified screams pierced the air, lightning flashed, and everywhere powerful wizards were battling bravely against the dark force.
On the last night, McGonagall held a special meeting in the great hall. "Everyone is going to be sleeping here tonight," she remarked rather weakly. "There is also no need to be afraid as Hogwarts is being safely guarded. Now please all try to get some rest," she advised. With that, she muttered a quick spell causing all the tables to vanish and sleeping bags appear in their place.
"I do hope Harry and Ron are all right," Ginny stated, as she crawled into her sleeping bag.
"I hope so too," Hermione replied, clutching tightly to the heart necklace, which she had started to wear ever since Ron departed. Praying softly for their safety, she slowly fell asleep.
It was late at night, when Hermione awoke suddenly. All the students were awake, as the war raged outside. Her heart skipped a beat, when she realized her two best friends were outside, as well.
Suddenly, there was a final explosion, followed by an incantation and everything stopped. Ginny reached for Hermione's hand and held it tightly. She squeezed back; reassuring her she was still here. McGonagall appeared at the front of the room, her hair disheveled and her face unusually pale.
Taking a deep breath she announced, "the war is over and," The tension seemed to be hanging in the air. She continued, "and we have won and they will be coming home tomorrow." Everyone burst into cheers and sobs, as the strain wore off. Above the uproar, McGonagall attempted to speak, but failed miserably as people were either sobbing or laughing.
"Ginny, can you believe it?" Hermione squealed, hugging the younger girl firmly.
"I know, and the great news they'll be back tomorrow," Ginny cried, hugging her back.
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. "Yea. Ron will be back tomorrow," she thought happily.
The next day, everyone quickly changed into their school robes and gathered into the coach. The students who had left would be arriving in the Hogwarts Express and McGonagall had agreed to take all the students with her to greet the heroes.
But everyone had changed drastically over this short period of time. All the students, well, they had aged. Hermione watched as Lavender greeted Dean excitedly, but the mischievous twinkle in his eyes had vanished. It had been replaced by an old faraway look, instead.
She watched as the other students started to climb down from the train, but she couldn't see any redhead or a black haired boy with extremely messy hair.
"Hermione...Where are they?" Ginny queried nervously.
"I don't know," she replied, equally worried. She decided if they weren't going to come to her, she would have to go to them. Pushing through the crowd, she shoveled her way through it. On her way to the front of the train, her eyes met Malfoy's. Lost was the malicious glint in his eyes, but was that a look of pity on his face, she thought, startled. Shaking her head, she shoved past a group of fifth years, which were greeting Dennis Creevey.
She finally reached the front and came face-to-face with Professor Lupin. "Professor Lupin," she panted. "Where are Ron and Harry?"
"Hermione, please," Lupin began, when McGonagall appeared from inside the train and said, "Ms. Granger, what are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to Ron and Harry," she stated breathlessly. McGonagall's face clouded over. "Oh Hermione," she murmured. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you but," she paused, as she glanced at Lupin, who appeared lost in his own thoughts.
"But what?" she asked, looking at the two professors. "Never mind, let me please speak to Professor Dumbledore," she urged, brushing past them. Just then, Dumbledore arrived, supported by Professor Snape and Hagrid.
"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione gasped. Dumbledore's faced was aged streaked with oldness, while his gray eyes had lost the familiar spark that he had always held.
"Ms. Granger," he choked, as she reached towards him, helping him to a seat in the train.
"Professor, are you alright?" she inquired gently taking a seat next to him.
"I'm fine," he croaked softly, patting her hand with his gnarled one.
"Ye all right there, `Mione," Hagrid asked gruffly placing his hand on her shoulder. She smiled at him reassuringly and turned her attention back to Dumbledore.
"Hermione, I couldn't find them anywhere," Ginny's voice appeared suddenly, as the youngest Weasley sibling burst into the train.
"Oh excuse me," she stammered, startled to see the grim expressions on all the teachers' faces.
"Ms. Granger, Ms. Weasley, I would advise you to leave," McGonagall instructed sternly, but Dumbledore interrupted, "No Minerva, they need to be here."
"What's the matter Professor?" Ginny asked, as she was offered a seat.
"Are Ron and Harry alright?" Hermione added quickly.
"Hermione," Hagrid began gently, but Dumbledore held up his hand. "No Hagrid let me be the one to tell her."
"Tell me what?" Hermione asked inquisitively.
"Ms. Granger, Harry and Ron defeated Voldemort in a final battle," he replied lightly.
"That's wonderful," Ginny commented, but McGonagall's stern gaze silenced her.
"Ginny's right. That is wonderful. But where are they?" Hermione remarked, staring around her.
"They didn't come back," Dumbledore answered quietly.
Hermione stared at him, disbelievingly. "You don't mean to say they refused to come back."
He shook his head. "No," he whispered quietly.
She sighed. "Good. For a second there I thought they weren't coming back. So where are they?" she persisted.
Dumbledore closed his eyes and laid his hand over his tired eyes. He needed to be the one to tell her this, only him. He leaned towards her and forced her to look directly at him.
"Hermione," he started, choosing his words with care. "Hermione, Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter died battling against Voldemort."
Hermione stared at him incredulously. She heard Ginny give a faint scream, and the room started to spin around her and everything went black.
***