A large explosion jerked Draco awake. The explosion was quickly followed by a shower of dust. Coughing he closed his eyes again to keep out the grit. A moment later the air cleared, the dust settling to the ground.
He felt Hermione move away from his side and he opened his eyes once again. The shaft of light that had been the size of a dime, was now close to the size of a soccer ball. Could someone have found them or was it just the tunnel collapsing on itself?
Most of the prisoners had moved farther away from the shaft of light and were watching it curiously. Hermione had done the same. She was sitting as close to the shaft as she dared trying to peer upwards, but apparently to no luck. He moved over to her placing a hand on her shoulder as another explosion followed by dust rocked the ground around them. She turned and looked back smiling when she saw who it was.
Hours later, the explosions were still coming and many showers of dust. Draco and Hermione had both leaned back against the prison wall waiting, waiting to see what would happen.
***
Harry looked up from a bit of left over homework as Hedwig flew in hopefully carrying the reply to his the letter he wrote an hour or so earlier asking if he and Ron could come.
Ron looked up from a book he was supposed to be reading, but Harry doubted he actually had been reading it for his eyes had not moved and the page number was the same as when he had opened it.
Looking at his parchment Harry realized he'd only written one sentence in what was supposed to be a 3 parchment long report.
Hedwig landed on the table he and Ron were working at in the library. It felt strange without Hermione there with them, scolding them on how little work they'd gotten done. Just as it felt strange without Malfoy swaggering around, getting them into trouble and calling them names. Hogwarts had been oddly peaceful without him, and oddly lonely without Hermione. Why did they have to go snooping around the grounds after dark anyway?
Hedwig hooted softly and Harry awoke from his daydreams and untied the letter from her leg. She then hopped over to his should and he stroked her for a bit before ripping open the letter. Ron looked up at the sound of Hedwig hooting and Harry ripping open the letter.
"A reply?" he asked.
"Dunno, I haven't read it yet," Harry said and pulled the letter out of the envelope. His eyes quickly scanned it and his face immediatly broke out into a grin.
"What?" Ron asked, "What is it? They found Hermione?"
Harry shook his head then said, "They haven't found her, but they think they've found a group of people. A small tunnel leading into the ground was found, it was obviously magically made and they're blasting there way downward."
"What are you smiling about then?" Ron asked.
"Just listen, I'm not done yet," Harry said, "Lupin says we can come. He's arranging for someone to come and get us at 2:30."
Harry glanced at his watch which read 2:25.
"Let's go!" Ron said standing up and closing the book hurridly. Harry shoved away his quill and parchment and as Hedwig launced off his shoulder and flew to the owlery they ran down the great hall. By the time they reached there Tonks was waiting. She smiled broadly when she saw them and then slowed to a halt out of breath.
"Come on you two," she said and pulled a piece of cloth out of her pocket, "Any minute later and this wouldn't have worked. Grab on."
Harry and Ron obliged and a moment later Harry felt the familiar tugging sensation of a portkey. He closed his eyes and when he opened them they were standing on a open plain. In the distance he made out several trees scattered here and there. A large makeshift building stood off to the side a bit, and many wizards ran everywhere, some flying overhead on broomsticks. A large boom sounded from behind Harry and he spun around to see a column of dust rise from the ground like a geyser. There were some shouts and a moment later the dust cleared.
A thrill of excitement rose in Harry's chest as he looked around him. Finally out here, part of the action, where he liked to be. Helping and making himself useful, rather than just sitting around.
"Harry Potter!"
Harry jerked around to see a reporter coming up to him followed by a photographer. The reporter pulled out a parchment and quill and started writing as he came up to Harry.
"I understand you have a classmate who is assumed to be held by Voldemort?" he asked quickly. Harry nodded and the reporter scribbled even more.
"Do you think that we'll find her with this group of people assumed to be below?"
Harry shrugged rather baffled by the reporters quick appearance and hurried questions.
"Use some words please," he said then asked another question, "What do you think You-Know-Who is doing right now."
"Uh, I don't really know, I guess someone down there with his death eaters," Harry said, uncomfortable. The photographer started taking photos the flash going off rapidly making Harry squint.
The reporter then grabbed Ron by his arm and dragged him next to Harry.
"You must be Ron Weasley, is that correct?"
"Yeah," Ron said the tips of his ears turning pink.
"You're Harry's side kick I hear?"
"He's not my side kick, he's my friend," Harry interrupted. The reporter grinned and wrote that down quickly. Harry tried to look at what he was writing but the reporter quickly pulled the paper away.
"You're both here in hopes of finding your other friend"-
"Hermione, Hermione Granger," Ron said quickly.
"Do you know how and when she was taken by You-Know-Who's death eaters?"
"We were looking for something," Ron said.
"A death eater mask," Harry continued.
"A death eater's mask?" the reporter looked shocked and he jotted down more notes, "Why were you looking for that?"
Harry, wishing he hadn't said anything, continued, "Well, er, I had this dream, and my scar was hurting, and I guess I just kind of got this feeling, you know?"
"Ah," the reporter looked uncertain as though he didn't quite believe Harry.
"But then there was this flash outside so we went out to look around," Harry said not wanting to be made out as a 'I had this dream' person, that chases after feelings.
"You, Ron, and Hermione?"
"Yes," Ron said taking over.
"Then you found a mask?"
"Yes," Ron said again.
"Then what did you do?"
"We were going to bring it back, but it was really dark and we found ourselves near the Forbidden forest," Ron explained, "Then there were lights in the forest and we went to investigate."
"Even though you are forbidden to enter the Forbidden Forest?" the reporter asked, then laughed at his own statement.
"Well," Ron said uncertain, "We went in and then the death eaters started trying to hit us, once they noticed us. We ran, but then realized Hermione was left behind. We went back but she was gone, then we saw her with the death eaters."
"Did you try to rescue her?"
"We figured it would be dumb to try to rescue her then and get caught ourselves."
"Ah," the reporter had obviously been hoping for some action packed scene where Ron and Harry played the unsuccessful heroes.
"We'd be more help alive and free than dead and captured, wouldn't we?" Harry demanded defending him and Ron.
"Yes, yes, of course," the reporter said then added, "Well if that's all, I must be going."
The reporter hurried off and Ron glanced at Harry who shrugged.
"I hope he's not from the daily prophet," Ron said.
"Probably is, he has that pushy attitude they all have," Harry said looking around.
"Harry! Ron!"
They both spun around expecting to see another reporter and instead saw Lupin jogging over to them looking healthier than ever.
"Lupin!" he and Ron yelled at the same time.
"Good to see you here!" he said hugging them each briefly.
Grinning Lupin led them to the large building, inside was many tables, the air overhead was filled with steam, which appeared to be coming from the kitchens which were through a wide door, or several doors.
They went through the dining hall and through a set of doors opposite then end that the kitchen was at into a hallway.
Many smaller doors lined the hallway. Lupin walked down the hall the took a left at a four way intersection. Finally he stopped a door with the label 236. He tapped it with his wand and it promptly swung open. Then he led them into what looked to a bedroom. There were two bunk beds, a dresser, and a table with two chairs next to it.
"This is the room I've been staying in with a hit wizard, his name is Joe Skylander," Lupin explained, "You two will stay in those bunk beds. Dumbledore's already sent your trunks."
Harry looked at the end of the bunk beds where two trunks were, stacked on top of one another.
"Great," Harry said looking around happily. Ron flopped onto the bottom bunk and smiled, "Comfy, I claim the bottom."
"Sure," Harry replied not really caring whether he had bottom or top.
"If you want to take a nap or get a snack, feel free to. You can go where ever you like pretty much except for near the explosions. You don't want to get hurt."
Then Lupin left and Harry glanced at Ron.
"I'm in for a nap, I haven't slept good for months," Ron explained pulling off his shoes then putting his feet up on the lower bunk. Harry nodded thinking this a good idea and climbed to the upper bunk taking off his shoes as well.
A/N: Whoa, long chapter! Longest I've written I think! Word Perfect doesn't do word count, unlike Microsoft word, so I can't be sure, but never the less. I put in a lot of Harry and Ron as you can see. I surprised myself. That reporter just came out of the blue. I didn't plan him at all. He just came running up. Surprised me as much as Harry and Ron. Tee hee.