Disclaimer: I just enjoy writing about these characters…I don't actually own them.
*** Thanks to Snwflakesweety for reviewing, and don't worry—it'll all be explained eventually.
Chapter 9: Within a Week
Hermione decided to stay inside and ask around about Lavender, Katie, and Carmen while Ron and Harry went to Quidditch practice. After asking everyone she could think of about the three girls she sighed and finally resigned to giving up her search. There had to be something they missed last night. There just had to be.
And so, she did what any Hermione Granger would do in a crisis, she went back to the library.
Madame Pince didn't even acknowledge Hermione as she into the same section she and Ron and Harry had occupied last night.
There had to be something they missed.
***
Angelina called all wizards and witches to the field beneath the stands. She clapped her hands together. "Great practice again guys! We're going to have a really hard time picking out our new Keeper!" Her eyes glimmered though and flickered over to Ron as she said this. Harry figured his best friend was nearly a shoe-in.
"Also!" she continued happily, although it seemed like more of a shaky façade, "Due to unforeseen circumstances we also need a new Chaser." Her voice temporarily faltered over these words. Harry felt bad for the Quidditch Captain and other Chaser for the three girls had all been very close.
Fred, who had been holding her hand, squeezed her hand gently in a comforting manner. She looked back at him and smiled sadly. At least she was making an attempt to think positive.
Movement from the corner of Harry's eyes proved that the Ravenclaws were coming out for their allotted practice time now.
"I guess that's it for practice," Angelina announced, "have a good afternoon and we'll see you tomorrow for tryouts first thing right after breakfast." She started walking off and passed Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker, who gave Angelina and Alicia a pitying smile.
Harry's heart did flops. He had barely seen her all year long…
Cho saw him at the same moment he looked at her and she smiled sweetly. It was a sad smile, but it was still something.
Ron looked at Harry. "You ought to do something about that, Harry," he advised.
"I will when you tell Hermione how you feel," Harry countered. He was serious, and Ron knew it.
Ron blushed scarlet and mumbled incoherent words. They reached the Gryffindor Common Room and continued up the stairs to the loo. Both of them stripped off their shirts before entering the shower stalls.
It would be twenty minutes before they heard the news.
***
Hermione emerged from the library looking more haggard than she should have been. Some of the books she had opened probably hadn't been opened for five centuries and most of the dust flew off the cover and pages dusting her bushy hair and eyebrows.
"Have you heard Hermione?" Ginny Weasley asked as she joined Hermione walking in the hall toward the Great Hall.
Hermione stopped. Dread filled her heart and she almost didn't want to hear the words that would inevitably come out of her friend's mouth. "Who?" she asked so quietly she wasn't so sure she hadn't imagined it.
"Pansy Parkinson," Ginny replied.
Hermione's mouth dropped. "Was she dating anyone?" It had become the customary question and Hermione, who truly disliked Pansy, needed to know if Pansy was dating anyone.
Ginny shrugged. "Beats me. Why?"
"Oh never mind," she said wearily. It just doesn't make any sense. How can they be unfaithful if they aren't dating anyone? It can't be. What the hell was Amara's problem? Her hand flew to cover her mouth. Had she just sworn?
"What?" Ginny asked, seeing the dreadful look on Hermione's face.
"N-nothing," she stammered. She closed her eyes briefly and pieced all the clues they had learned that last night together. Umbra Visius. 1556. The Great Witch Amara. Lover Cassius was found with Amara's sister Severina. The Umbra Visius is oftentimes confused with the Cerritus Delirius. Symptoms are the same. Except most people afflicted with the curse, not the ailment, die. When do they die?
Hermione's eyes flew open. They didn't know how long after the curse had been given to the witch or wizard that they died. She placed a hand on her friend's arm. "Ginny, I've got to go! I-I just remembered some homework I didn't get done yet. It's due in a week so I really need to get started on it." With that she took off down the hall.
"Hermione, wait! Don't lose food over something that's due in a week!" she called after her, but Hermione didn't listen.
"Gin," Ron greeted, passing by her. His hair was still looked soaked from his shower and was standing up straight whereas Harry's wetted hair was nearly plastered to his head. It looked like they hadn't even bothered to dry off.
"Hermione went to the library to finish homework so she won't be joining us for dinner," Ginny relayed. Harry looked up at Ron, who was a good lot taller than him. Ron looked back at him blankly. Either he didn't get it, or he was just doing a good job of faking not understanding.
Ginny looked between the boys. "And hey! You two haven't heard yet, have you? Pansy Parkinson is in the Infirmary now too."
Ron and Harry's eyes glittered with amusement. "It's not that funny!" Ginny stated firmly.
Ron tried molding his lips into a straight, serious line, but Harry was a lot less successful and so he covered his mouth with his hand.
Ginny attempted looking at them disapprovingly but failed as well and a small giggle escaped her mouth. She smiled up at Ron. "OK, so it is kind of funny." She put on a straight face. "It's just kind of funny."
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, I'd like to speak with you both for a moment."
The hair on Harry's arms rose. He knew that voice. He didn't have to want to deal with the owner of that voice and one look at his friend told him Ron felt the same way. Ginny looked at them apologetically and then scurried away to the Great Hall, catching up with girls in her own year.
They turned around at the same time, coming face to face with the batty old Dr. Braddock, who was looking down at them very seriously.
He smiled then. "Ah, now I've been wanting to talk with the two of you for a while, Miss Granger too but it seems she isn't with you." He looked back and forth at the two of them.
Ron gulped and Harry feared he wasn't much better off than his friend.
"I've been told you two are the nosiest boys in the school, by Professor Snape of course, and upon hearing this I've decided I would like to hear your opinion of what has happened to your classmates. And teammate," he added with a brief look to Harry.
"As Mr. Weasley must have told you, I've been administering muggle medicine to the girls, which in some cases is very useful, even to witches and wizards. It hasn't worked yet. And so, I am assuming you both have researched what is wrong, fearing it is Voldemort and I would like to hear your input on it," the doctor explained further.
***
As previously mentioned, it isn't known how many people have died due to this curse but what is known is that their death normally occurs after one week, precisely to the time, of the curse's activation, Hermione read.
Hmm, then Carmen would be dead by now. She isn't.
Hermione flipped to the index. This was so weird. How was it her schoolmate hadn't died yet? And why was the curse only on girls, or at least so far? There were so many questions and no answers.
***
"And so, first we thought it was the Cerritus Delirius but because with the Cerritus Delirius you don't have hallucinations, we realized it wasn't that. It's the Umbra Visius. They have all the symptoms," Harry explained with Ron adding input here or nodding there.
Dr. Braddock removed his spectacles, wiping the dust off the glass upon his black robe. "The Umbra Visius you say? That's odd…no one's heard of that since—
"1556," Ron put in.
Dr. Braddock frowned and nodded. "Yes, since 1556. My, my you have done your research." He put his spectacles back on and they immediately slid halfway down his nose, taking their usual position. "But if I remember correctly, people under the Umbra Visius curse die."
Harry and Ron nodded.
The doctor saw this and frowned again. "Within a week."
Thanks for reading! Now please review! Really, it does mean so much to me! (By the way, is it making sense so far? Or are you confused as hell? Because I promise you, it will all come together at the right time…thanks for reading!)
