Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, J.
K. Rowling does, but we all knew that, didn't we?
"I had forgotten." Was all he said.
"I had wanted you to." She said back.
"I suspect you came for a reason." Dumbledore whispered.
"I wish to help. He is in danger." She said.
"That's why he's here." Dumbledore said.
"He is here." She whispered, her eyes darting to Harry and Ron.
Dumbledore looked to Harry and Ron, "Harry, I believe I lied to you once."
Harry frowned, "When?"
"I can hardly remember. Please, I am weak from this surprise, return to your common room, please, we will speak tomorrow. If a professor stops you, tell them Alisabelle has returned." He told Harry and Ron. The two looked at one another, questioning silently, and then stepped in unison toward the statue then down the stairwell.
As they walked back to the common room, Harry and Ron couldn't keep their curiosity to themselves, "He lied? When? Why?" Harry asked.
"I can't imagine. He's always been so honest... Maybe he didn't know he lied." Ron said.
"I just don't know." Harry mumbled, looking distraught.
"But how could Dumbledore forget her? And Hagrid? She doesn't seem like someone you can easily forget." Ron wondered aloud.
"I-" Harry started but stopped as he saw a familiar shadow come toward them.
"Out of bed again, Potter?" Snape's sharp voice rang out toward Harry and Ron. "Weasley too? I should known. I can only imagine what you two have been up to. I believe you know what this means."
"Yeah, it means we were out late because of your stupid detention." Ron mumbled.
Harry elbowed him, "We're sorry, professor, we're on our way to the common room now, oh, and Alisabelle has returned." Harry said.
Snape snapped to attention, "Returned, did you say? Did the headmaster tell you that?"
"Yes, he said to tell that to any professor that stopped us." Harry said.
"Oh, well now that's different. You best be on your way, Potter, Weasley. I would hate for something to happen to you this late at night." Snape said, pulling his cloak around him as he marched off toward Dumbledore's office.
Harry and Ron looked at one another, "Right then." Ron said, "We best be going." And they walked back to the common room without any more disturbances.
"Snufflelog." They said in unison when reaching the portrait of the fat lady. They were both tired and wanted to get to bed, but they saw Hermione and lost all thoughts of sleep. "You will never guess what happened." Ron said to her.
"Oh dear, what now?" Hermione asked.
"We found this girl in the woods and-" Ron began but was interrupted by Harry.
"And Ron fell in love with her." Harry said.
"Hey, how about this, I'll talk, and you'll sit, alright Harry?" Ron said.
"Sure, lover boy." Harry taunted in a joking way.
"You're just jealous." Ron joked back and they both laughed.
"Hey, hey, wait a sec!" Hermione interrupted their laughing fest, "What happened?"
"Oh, right, okay, so we had a detention..." And Ron preceded to explain everything to Hermione, right down to meeting Snape in the corridor.
When the story was finished, Harry was smiling, Ron was tired, and Hermione looked as though she were so deep in thought that no one would ever be able to pull her out. Ron sat down and they waited. "That is very... interesting. You said she said 'he is in danger'?" Hermione asked.
"That's what she said." Harry said.
"She must be referring to you, but we already knew that. Why is she here? This is very odd, very, very odd." Hermione thought for another moment, "Well, its clear she has been here before, but why and when?"
"Maybe you ought to let it rest, Hermione." Ron said, "Dumbledore said he would speak to us tomorrow."
"I suppose your right. We'll just wait until tomorrow. Okay, get to bed you two." Hermione told Harry and Ron. She watched as they went up to bed then sat down and began to think again.
"I had forgotten." Was all he said.
"I had wanted you to." She said back.
"I suspect you came for a reason." Dumbledore whispered.
"I wish to help. He is in danger." She said.
"That's why he's here." Dumbledore said.
"He is here." She whispered, her eyes darting to Harry and Ron.
Dumbledore looked to Harry and Ron, "Harry, I believe I lied to you once."
Harry frowned, "When?"
"I can hardly remember. Please, I am weak from this surprise, return to your common room, please, we will speak tomorrow. If a professor stops you, tell them Alisabelle has returned." He told Harry and Ron. The two looked at one another, questioning silently, and then stepped in unison toward the statue then down the stairwell.
As they walked back to the common room, Harry and Ron couldn't keep their curiosity to themselves, "He lied? When? Why?" Harry asked.
"I can't imagine. He's always been so honest... Maybe he didn't know he lied." Ron said.
"I just don't know." Harry mumbled, looking distraught.
"But how could Dumbledore forget her? And Hagrid? She doesn't seem like someone you can easily forget." Ron wondered aloud.
"I-" Harry started but stopped as he saw a familiar shadow come toward them.
"Out of bed again, Potter?" Snape's sharp voice rang out toward Harry and Ron. "Weasley too? I should known. I can only imagine what you two have been up to. I believe you know what this means."
"Yeah, it means we were out late because of your stupid detention." Ron mumbled.
Harry elbowed him, "We're sorry, professor, we're on our way to the common room now, oh, and Alisabelle has returned." Harry said.
Snape snapped to attention, "Returned, did you say? Did the headmaster tell you that?"
"Yes, he said to tell that to any professor that stopped us." Harry said.
"Oh, well now that's different. You best be on your way, Potter, Weasley. I would hate for something to happen to you this late at night." Snape said, pulling his cloak around him as he marched off toward Dumbledore's office.
Harry and Ron looked at one another, "Right then." Ron said, "We best be going." And they walked back to the common room without any more disturbances.
"Snufflelog." They said in unison when reaching the portrait of the fat lady. They were both tired and wanted to get to bed, but they saw Hermione and lost all thoughts of sleep. "You will never guess what happened." Ron said to her.
"Oh dear, what now?" Hermione asked.
"We found this girl in the woods and-" Ron began but was interrupted by Harry.
"And Ron fell in love with her." Harry said.
"Hey, how about this, I'll talk, and you'll sit, alright Harry?" Ron said.
"Sure, lover boy." Harry taunted in a joking way.
"You're just jealous." Ron joked back and they both laughed.
"Hey, hey, wait a sec!" Hermione interrupted their laughing fest, "What happened?"
"Oh, right, okay, so we had a detention..." And Ron preceded to explain everything to Hermione, right down to meeting Snape in the corridor.
When the story was finished, Harry was smiling, Ron was tired, and Hermione looked as though she were so deep in thought that no one would ever be able to pull her out. Ron sat down and they waited. "That is very... interesting. You said she said 'he is in danger'?" Hermione asked.
"That's what she said." Harry said.
"She must be referring to you, but we already knew that. Why is she here? This is very odd, very, very odd." Hermione thought for another moment, "Well, its clear she has been here before, but why and when?"
"Maybe you ought to let it rest, Hermione." Ron said, "Dumbledore said he would speak to us tomorrow."
"I suppose your right. We'll just wait until tomorrow. Okay, get to bed you two." Hermione told Harry and Ron. She watched as they went up to bed then sat down and began to think again.