Chapter 6
Hermione's Prediction

Harry woke; the cabin was still dark, and he heard a faint grinding noise that was coming from somewhere far below him. It wasn't the familiar sound of the engines, he was sure of that. Ron stirred in the bed next to him. Harry reached for his wand and muttered, "lumos." The end of the wand ignited.

"Harry?" Ron muttered from somewhere off to his left. Harry reached around for the light. After unsuccessfully looking for it, he got up and went over to the window. Ron followed, wand tip lighted. Harry reached the window and at first, he thought that they were just passing one, but then what is that sound? Ron turned on a light. Harry stepped away from the porthole and looked at the floor; ice shavings covered the carpet below the window. "Harry, what was that?"

"An iceberg," Harry said, quietly, turning to look at Ron. A knock at the door, gave them a startle, Ron opened it. Hermione, Fred, George, and Lily walked into the room.

"What happened?" Hermione asked. None of them were fully dressed, except Harry, who still wore his robes, though they were now full of deep wrinkles.

"Shhhh," said Harry, "can you hear something?" The scraping had stopped. They stood in silence for a minute.

"No," said Ron.

"That's right," Harry said, "the engines have stopped." He walked over to the open door and looked up and down the corridor, other passengers were poking their heads out their doors too. A steward burst through the door leading to the Grand staircase.

"All passengers are to put on warm clothes and go up to the boat deck!" the steward's voice bellowed down the corridor. Harry turned to the others, who were standing as though they couldn't make a move. "Well," he said, "what are you waiting for? Do what the man said!" Fred, George, Hermione, and Lily hurried out of the room, leaving Harry and Ron alone.

"You don't think that the ship was seriously damaged, do you?" Ron asked as they walked to opposite ends of their bedroom.

"I don't know, it's possible," Harry replied, pulling on more robes.

"I still think that Hermione's prediction could be right," Ron said putting on two more pairs of socks. "I mean, think about it, Harry, bad things always happen in threes, right?"

"Yeah, but this only the second." They ended their conversation when the others walked into the room.

Harry and Ron put on their Hogwarts cloaks and a pair of gloves. Together, as a group, they left the cabin for the staircase. Hermione and Ron went first, followed by Harry and Lily, Fred and George behind them. Hermione put a foot on the stairs and stopped. Harry heard her whisper, very quietly, "Ron, the stairs." Ron nodded and took her hand in his, as if to comfort her, Harry had never seen him do this before. Harry stepped on the stairs and knew at once what she meant; they were no longer level. The difference was almost imperceptible. The Titanic was leaning vaguely toward the bow.

The group walked into the frigid, night air. A small crowd of passengers had gathered on the deck. The crew was uncovering the lifeboats. "Do you think that we're really sinking?" Ron asked Harry.

"I don't know," he replied, "I don't think so."

"Then why are they uncovering the lifeboats?" Hermione said.

"I heard that it was just a lifeboat drill," George said. The horrible truth finally hit Harry; this is the second warning.

"I don't think this is just a lifeboat drill," said Harry, "they wouldn't have one this late at night and, anyway, I was awakened by a grinding sound."

Fred looked at Harry as if he was being foolish, then said, "You could be right, but how do know that was what awakened you?"

Harry turned away from Fred and said, to Hermione, "Your prediction is right." The others stared, not believing what he had just said.

"Yeah, but, even if it is right, this is only the second warning, and what could possibly be worse than this?" she said.

"Should we try to get into a lifeboat?" Ron said, trying to stop what he could see was a coming argument.

"We can't leave until all the women and children are off, you know that Ron!" Harry said.

"I still don't believe we're sinking," Lily said, it was the first time she had spoken since leaving the cabin, nearly two hours ago.

"Neither do I." Ron, Fred, and George said.

"I do." Harry and Hermione said, quietly. The others looked at them.

"Harry, Hermione, this ship is unsinkable," Ron said.

"What happened to you, Ron, you told me that you thought that Hermione's prediction could be right?" Harry said.

"Yeah, but at the time I didn't think that an unsinkable ship would sink," Ron said.

"I told you, when that boat almost hit us, that bad things were to follow." Hermione said.

"Hermione, why would an unsinkable ship sink?" said George.

"Because once you see an omen, you know that bad things are to happen twice more," she said, "But then, not always." She added, quietly.

"What time is it?" asked George.

"Almost one," Harry replied.

"And we're still not sinking," Fred said.

"Of course we're not, because we're not going to," said George.

"Then, why are they uncovering the lifeboats?" said Hermione.

"Oh, it's just a lifeboat drill," said Fred, "then," He broke off. The others looked at him, an appalled look appeared on his face.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Look." Fred pointed toward the bow. The water had reached the name Titanic on the side of the ship. Harry suddenly became aware of the increasing tilt of the deck and almost lost his balance.

"Hedwig," he muttered.

"Huh, what did you say, Harry?" Ron asked.

"Hedwig and Pig!" he said, "Ron, if we don't let them out they'll drown."

"But where do we send them?" Ron asked.

"Sirius," Hermione whispered.

"Right," Harry said, he disapparated. "We might need these." Harry was holding blankets from his and Ron's room. "You and Hermione should get into a boat," he added, handing Lily two blankets.