Feallan Steorra

Chapter 13: Abduction

Author's jibberish: Geez, Oneiros, stop being so smart! =) And does anyone know Draco's birthday? This is driving me crazy!!

Don't worry, kids, this is just getting started…

            He had explained everything to her. They were in the library when they were hit by a bright yellow light. Harry was knocked unconscious and before he knew it, it was morning and Ron was gone. "What am I going to tell Fred and George?" Harry asked. "What am I going to tell his mother?"

            She gently grasped his hand. "Exactly what you told me. You're not at fault."

            Harry looked at their joined hands, then into her eyes. His heart was beating because of Ron's mysterious disappearance; Hermione's gesture caused it to pump double-time.

            "Come on," she told him, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Let's visit Ginny." They walked to the hospital wing.

            Crabbe, Parkinson, Weatherby, and Malfoy were already awake. Fred and George were asleep on two chairs beside Ginny's sleeping form. Mrs. Weasley was already there sitting on the bed beside Ginny.

            Harry, with Hermione's nudge, approached the Weasleys. Molly Weasley looked up to see them. A weak smile was on her face and she hugged them both. "How are you, dears?" she whispered.

            "We're holding up," Hermione answered.

            "Is Ron asleep?" Molly assumed. "Poor boy, must be distr--."

            "No," Harry suddenly interrupted.

            "Then..?"

            It took Harry a few moments to find his voice. "Ron…"

            "What about him?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

            "He…" Harry gulped. "He's…disappeared." Harry was horrified, witnessing Mrs. Weasley's shocked face. "We went out to the library to research on Ginny's condition. But then…something hit us and when I woke up, he was gone." Harry hung his head in shame. "I know it was wrong but we really wanted to help Ginny. Maybe if I wasn't knocked ou--!"

            "Harry, dear, it's alright," Mrs. Weasley choked. "I know…if you could have helped it…"

            Just then, Ginny sat up, turning her head around.

            Hermione sat beside her. Ginny felt the new weight and held her hand out in her direction. Hermione was puzzled.

            "Trace your name on her hand," Mrs. Weasley instructed.

            She did so. H-E-R-M-I-O-N-E. She also wrote H-A-R-R-Y.

            Then frantically Ginny waved her arms madly to get attention. She clasped her hands like in prayer, and then started flapping her hands open, then close.

            "What is she doing?" Harry asked.

            Hermione shrugged. "She's trying to say something…" She grabbed her hand and spelled P-R-A-Y. Ginny shook her head. Hermione spelled P-A-M-P-H-L-E-T. Again, Ginny continued to shake her head and re-perform the gesture. Then, Hermione spelled B-O-O-K. Ginny animatedly nodded. She took Hermione's hand in her own and she traced a shape on her palm: a star.

            Hermione's forehead creased. She traced on Ginny's hand S-T-A-R.

            Ginny nodded.

            Hermione turned to Harry. "Book and star. How does that…" Hermione's face lit. "An astronomy book?"

            "I suppose," Harry shrugged. "But what would be there?"

            "Professor McGonagall told me she was found in the library. Maybe she was looking at an astronomy book there."

            Harry thought about it for a moment. "A book of constellations was on the floor when Ron and I were there. We were looking at it before…" he bit his lip, trailing off. "Do you suppose something in that book connects with the attacker?"
            "There's only one way to find out," Hermione stood.

            Curfew had been moved up. Dinner was served at 6 and everyone was expected in their tower by 7:30. All rooms beside the Great Hall were locked whenever a teacher left the classroom. Detentions were postponed until further notice. Ron's disappearance was later discovered; Harry's punishment for sneaking out would be enforced soon enough. The library was closed. Classes continued with much nervousness. All Quidditch practices and games were postponed. Trips to Hogsmeade were cancelled.

            The day was very tense. Everyone either stayed in the Great Hall or in the courtyard; the students always saw a staff member in proximity.

            Harry and Hermione, however, stayed in their common room, researching. They had borrowed books from Lavender and started scrolling through constellation patterns.

            It was already 6:00 when sunset was complete. In frustration, Hermione closed one of the books. "This is such a broad search. Nothing…" she stood from her seat and looked at Harry.

            He was sitting in the middle of the couch. His eyes were strained and frustrated. A large volume laid open on his lap, fishing through any important information. Harry sighed, exasperated.

            "Harry, you need a break," she told him.

            "No," he snapped.

            "Let's grab a quick dinner."

            "Go on ahead."

            "But--."

            "I won't abandon Ron!" he bit. He looked up at her, regretful, muttered a soft "Sorry" and returned to the book. He took a deep breath and groaned. He pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

            "What's wrong?" she asked.

            "My head's spinning," he told her.

            "Here, let me," Hermione sat beside him on the couch, placed her fingertips on each side of his temples and started to move them in a circular motion.

            Harry closed his eyes, feeling her brain massage. It seemed to magically pull the strain out of his head. He took a deep breath: the sweet scent of cinnamon lingered around her. The pressure slowly decreased; he groaned again. Gently, he tilted his head over to the left; in response, her hands stopped, her right hand cradling his cheek. "Be careful," he gently warned.

            Hermione slightly flushed. "What?"
            "Ron was taken," Harry opened his eyes but his gaze was on the book in front of him. "I don't want it to happen to you too."

            Hermione gently bit her lower lip, holding back her tears. "Promise," she told him.

            Harry sighed. "You've been avoiding me for the past few weeks."

            "I…I'm sorry."

            "Why? Why'd you do it?"

            She didn't bother to hide it; she let a tear fall. "I'm such a fool, that's all…"

            "I don't want you to feel torn between Morell, Ron and me."

            "Harry," Hermione said softly. "I'm happy you and I had a marvelous Christmas; it was one of the best. But there were some things I just couldn't handle or understand." She looked at him, reading the concern in his eyes. "It's…I can't explain really…"

            "I missed you," he told her suddenly.

            Hermione's eyes widened. "What?"

            "You, Ron and I have always been together; a trio," he explained. "When you were gone, it didn't feel right."

            "Because the trio became a duo?"

            "Well, yeah."

            "Oh…" her gaze fell to the floor.

            Harry blinked. Did he say something wrong? He pulled away from her hand and put on his glasses. He turned the page of the book on his lap. The top of the page was in bold: Chapter 7: Winter Constellations.

            Pain shot through Harry's head; he groaned, clenching his teeth in response. "Harry?" Hermione asked. "What's wro--?"

            BANG!

            A crack of light hit the Gryffindor window. The fireplace blew out and the cold air entered. Hermione and Harry ducked, dodging the glass flying about.

            When they looked up, a cloaked figure hovered above the windowsill. "Harry Potter…" he hissed. He extended his white wand at him and a stream of light shot out of it.

            "Look out!" Hermione pushed him aside. She was hit, flew a couple of feet back and fell flat on her back, knocked out.

            "Hermione!" Harry exclaimed. In a fury, he extended his wand at the figure. "Expelliarmus!" The white wand flew out of the figure's hand as the figure fell from sight. The wand fell to the floor, near the wall.

            Harry sighed in relief. It was gone. He headed towards the window, checking where the figure could have gone. Suddenly, a hand, cold and thin, reached and grabbed Harry's neck. Harry gasped for breath, his throat burning for air.

"Accio wand!" the white wand flew back into the owner's hand. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Potter." He dug his fingers in Harry's neck. Harry screamed in pain as he was forced down on his back. Shock ran through his system and his wand rolled out of reach.

"Petrificus nadirus!" the cloaked figure cast. A chill ran down Harry's hips and thighs. The figure stood and revealed the result of his spell: Harry was petrified from the waist down.

The figure approached Hermione's form, which was behind Harry. Harry rotated, now lying on his stomach. "Don't you dare touch her!"

The figure snickered. "You are in no position to give me orders." He lifted her in his arms and carried her towards the window.

"Give her back! Return Ron!" Harry demanded.

"You want them, come and get them," and with another crack of yellow light, the figure left.

Harry was left alone, stuck in his position. "Ron…Hermione…" he muttered. A chill from the cold wind outside ran into the room. Then, a little white origami flower fell beside him. He leaned over, looking at one of the leaves. On the edge was in dark, black cursive: "I can take you to them…"

Fred walked through the portrait hole and found the common room in shambles. "What the—Harry!" He sped to his side. "What happened?"

"The attacker," he explained. "Petrified my legs…attacked…got Hermione."

"Here, just a second," Fred pulled out his wand from his robe. He pointed it towards Harry's legs and muttered "Purgeous nadirus." A warm sensation ran through Harry s legs and within moments, his legs were back to normal. "There, how's that?"

"Better, thanks," Harry stood and then turned to Fred. "Listen, we have to tell Dumbledore--."

"He's not here though," Fred informed. "He had to face the Ministry of what's been going on."

No Dumbledore…no Sirius…no friends…Harry took a deep breath. "Then do me a favor. Send an owl to Dumbledore, telling him about Ron and Hermione. I'm going after them."

"Alone? That's some brave stupidity, Harry!"

"I have to. I've got to get them back," Harry told him. "What if Dumbledore doesn't come back in time? I can't wait by to see what happens."

"You don't even know where they are!"

"I will soon enough," Harry clutched his wand tightly, and grasped the origami from the floor. His insides pulled towards the paper flower, sucking him inward. His feet lifted off the floor and in a swirl of wind and color, he was gone.