Disclaimer: Harry, no. Hannah, no. Binns, no. Just checking. Still don't own them.
"Thank you for bringing your child here to me," the cold voice pierced the warm summer night. Three black robed figures stood huddled together at the edge of a forest. A large field spread out before them, with a weather-beaten shack off in the distance. The two smaller figures cowered in front of the tallest. The taller figure reached out a long, pale, bony hand and placed in the head of the smallest figure. The hood of the cloak the child wore fell back and a blinding flash of light ripped across the field.
Harry's eyes flew open and his left hand flew to his throbbing right arm. Wait a minute. His arm? Wasn't his head supposed to hurt or tingle after dreams concerning You Know Who? Harry looked down at the tiny pink scar, remnant of his most recent meeting with Voldemort.
"Harry man, it's History of Magic and it's yours and Hannah's night to present!" Ron exclaimed. He flung back Harry's bed curtains and was more than a little surprised to find his best friend sitting straight up in his bed clutching his arm.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked.
"It's that dream again," Harry replied. He started to crawl out of his bed.
"You Know Who's Jr. League?" Ron guessed. Harry nodded.
"I had more of it, but I still don't know who the child is," Harry said.
"So you've been ready to kill me for nothing!" Ron cried.
"RON!!" Hermione screeched from the common room. Her tone was more panicked than angry, so both boys sprinted onto the landing outside their dorm room. They found their friend at the bottom of the girl's staircase crouched over a motionless form on the floor.
"Hermione, what's going on?" Ron asked. Hermione spun around and looked up at her friends.
"It's Astrid," Hermione began. Before she could say anything, Ron took off down the staircase towards her with Harry on his heels. The two boy's crouched next to Hermione, Ron at Astrid's head and Harry at her feet.
"She was walking up the stairs and then all of the sudden she made a really odd noise like she was trying not to scream. She tried to reach for her ankle but instead flipped backwards down the stairs. I can't wake her up," Hermione explained.
"She's bleeding," Ron said. Sure enough, the front bit of Astrid's hair was slowly turning dark red due to a small cut just at her hairline.
"Hospital wing," Harry suggested.
"I'll take her," Ron volunteered, "Just save me a seat in History of Magic." Hermione began to protest but Ron had already cradled the little girl in his arms so she remained silent.
"You have to be in class in time for mine and Hannah's presentation," Harry said as Ron stood up with Astrid still in his arms. He held her tightly against his chest.
"I'll try not to miss it," Ron said and he started towards the portrait hole.
"How long ago did it happen?" Harry asked.
"About five minutes," Hermione said. Harry scrubbed his fist across his eyes.
"Did you just wake up?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Harry admitted. "I decided to grab a nap before History but my dream woke me up."
"The dream?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Harry replied. "About five minutes ago. My arm was hurting."
"Your arm?" Harry held out his arm so she could see the small scar.
"Do you know who the kid is yet?" Hermione asked. Harry stood up and summoned his bag from his dorm.
"The kid's hood fell back and all I saw was a bright white light and then my arm started hurting," Harry explained as he caught his bag.
"You said this happened five minutes ago?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded. Hermione's jaw dropped and she clamped her hands to her mouth.
"You don't think the kid could be Astrid do you?" she asked.
"Do you think a random pain in her ankle and a random pain in my scar AND the dream is merely coincidental?" Harry asked.
"No, and that's why I wonder if the kid is Astrid," Hermione said. She started towards the door.
"But her ankle? That's a little odd. Voldemort is usually more of a fan of visible places. Arms and foreheads for instance. And in the dream, he usually says son. This time he did say child though," Harry reasoned. "But she's in Gryffindor!" The portrait closed behind the pair.
"But both of her brothers are in," Hermione paused. "Slytherin." Harry grabbed the sleeve of Hermione's robe. He knew the look that had just crossed her face all too well.
"You've got to go to History of Magic now," Harry said. "The library will still be there when we finish."
*****
"What happened here?" Madame Pomfrey asked as Ron entered the hospital wing with Astrid still cradled in his arms.
"She fell down the stairs in the," Ron began.
"Out of my way, Weasley!" Draco spat, pushing past Ron and over to Madame Pomfrey.
"Oh no, what happened?" Madame Pomfrey asked. Only then did Ron realize Draco held Keiran much the way he held Astrid.
"He," began Draco.
"Never mind that," Madame Pomfrey insisted, starting over towards the fireplace. "Draco put him in the second bed from the end down there and Ron, put her in Harry's bed." The fifth years started towards the other side of the hospital wing. Ron carefully placed Astrid in the last bed on the left while Draco dumped Keiran into the bed next to his twin's.
"Now get out," Madame Pomfrey said. Ron obediently headed towards the door. Draco, however, waited until Ron was gone. Then he turned and looked down at the motionless form of his little sister. He pushed her bloody hair away from her face and squeezed her hand before quickly exiting the hospital wing.
*****
"Are you ready?" Hannah asked Harry, looking up into his eyes He fiercely shook his head no.
"You're not?" Hannah asked. Harry shook his head no again.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Abbott, your preparation time is up," said Professor Binns. He pulled his head back through the wall and into his classroom.
"Hannah, I can't!" Harry croaked.
"Yes, you can. Just like we practiced," Hannah insisted. Harry shook his head no again. Hannah threw her arms around him tightly. "It's going to be really embarrassing if I have to summon you in there," she whispered. He returned her hug a little less enthusiastically. The thought of being impaled on his own sword was enough to make him move.
"I save the world," Harry muttered as he followed Hannah into the classroom. "I don't do public speaking." Hannah rolled her eyes and stepped confidently to the front of the room. She turned to face the combined group of Hufflepuff and Gryffindor fifth years.
"How many of you before coming to Hogwarts had heard the name Harry Potter?" Hannah asked. Harry immediately turned a shade of bright red that lasted throughout much of the presentation. A little more than half of the class raised their hands.
"How many of you thought he was a hero?" Hannah asked. All of the hands remained raised. Harry turned to face his classmates.
"Well, we're here today to explain what really happened the night Voldemort fell and prove that James and Lily Potter were the real hero's of the situation," he said with a level of confidence he hadn't had when he and Hannah were standing in the hall. Hannah glanced down at her note cards.
"James Godric Potter was born on November 7, 1963. He was the second son of Atticus and Mary Potter. His older brother Thomas was nine when James was born." Hannah began, "James began showing signs of magic at a very early age. By the time he was nine, James's accidental magic was so out of control that Atticus petitioned the school governors to allow James to enter Hogwarts a year early. Because James's birthday was only one month and fourteen days after the cut off date for the year and he was already showing extreme magical ability, James was allowed to enter Hogwarts at age 10." Hannah turned to Harry.
"At Hogwarts, James befriended Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. The four boys were best friends and caused more trouble than Fred and George Weasley have even imagined." This statement from Harry received a hearty laugh from all present. "In fact, most of a certain professor's dislike of Gryffindors can be attributed to my father and his friends." The Gryffindors in the group were more amused by this than the Hufflepuffs. "While at school, my father was captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He was also a prefect and even named Head Boy."
"When James was 16, his older brother Thomas, then 25, was killed by Voldemort. Thomas had been an innocent by-stander in one of Voldemort's attacks on Diagon Alley. About eight months after Thomas died; Death Eaters killed Mary and Atticus. The loss of his entire family in such a short period of time caused James to dedicate his life to defeating Voldemort." Hannah glanced over at Harry. He smiled quickly at her before launching into his second bit of the presentation.
"Besides Sirius, Remus and Pettigrew, my father also met a witch named Lily Ann Evans when he arrived at Hogwarts. Lily was born on May 27th, 1963. She was the first child of Forrest and Acacia Evans. She had one younger sister, Petunia Evans Dursley who was born 15 months later. Both Forrest and Acacia were muggles, so Lily's acceptance to Hogwarts came as a huge surprise to the entire family. Two years later, when she didn't' receive her own Hogwarts letter, Petunia became insanely jealous of Lily, causing an irreparable rift to form in the family. Acacia died of cancer when Lily was 14 and Forrest committed suicide shortly after that."
"At Hogwarts, Lily's best friend was Arabella Figg who was a year younger than Lily and the four boys. Her other close friends were James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. She was a prefect, top of her year and eventually named Head Girl. She also played beater for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Beginning at age 14, she and James dated. Their relationship was sporadic at best until they were 16. On the deaths of James's family, he turned largely to Lily because she had experienced much the same thing a couple years earlier. The two officially became boyfriend and girlfriend that year. James proposed to Lily on the night of their graduation in 1978. On June 21st, 1979, the couple was married and on July 31st, 1980, Harry James Potter was born.
"That's me," Harry said with a slight wave, eliciting another round of laughter from the class. "After Hogwarts, dad wanted to become an auror. Unfortunately, you had to be 21 to be an auror then. Dad completed all of the pre-training and then went to work for Dumbledore in the battle against Voldemort while waiting for his 21st birthday."
"Lily worked in the Charms Department at Gringott's for a while before quitting work to be a stay at home mother," Hannah supplied.
"In August of 1981, the need for my family to go into hiding arose. My father named Sirius Black as his Secret Keeper," Harry began.
"But before the Fidelius charm could be performed, James and Dumbledore decided that Sirius was too logical of a choice as secret keeper, so James chose Peter instead," Hannah finished. Most of the class gasped. Ron and Hermione threw in surprised looks to keep from looking suspicious.
"So the charm was performed and James, Lily, and Harry went into hiding. What they didn't realize is that, on several different levels, they had confided in a rat." Hannah said. Hermione and Ron both snorted at the double meaning of Hannah's statement. Hannah turned to the board. She quickly hung up an enlarged picture of James and Lily at their wedding and tapped the map with her wand. Harry stepped forward to the center of the class. He jammed his hands into the pockets of his robe and swallowed hard.
"October 31st, 1981 was just like any other day for my family. Around six o'clock that evening, mum and I were in the living room. We had just finished dinner and were waiting for dad to arrive home from a meeting with Professor Dumbledore.
The dots representing Lily and Harry grew a bit on the map.
"Dad arrived home a few moments later. He hugged Mum hello and went off to the kitchen to have his dinner. Not even a minute later, Voldemort entered the front door of the house and a death eater entered the back door into the kitchen."
Two dots on the map labeled "Death Eater" and "Voldemort" slowly moved about the parchment.
"In the kitchen, the death eater bargained with my dad. My dad agreed to become a death eater if Voldemort would spare me and my mum." Harry swallowed again and blinked twice. "The young death eater put a full body bind on my dad and then moved to the living room to speak with Voldemort about dad's offer. In the living room, mum was desperately trying to make the same bargain with Voldemort. Voldemort would hear nothing of either bargain and put the Cruciatus Curse on the Death Eater. Then he proceeded to attempt to push past my mother to get to me. He insisted that she'd follow him even if he killed me. She begged him not to kill me and even went so far as to place herself between Voldemort and me. This action ultimately cost her life. Just as Voldemort was ready to kill me, Dad broke free of the spell the death eater had placed on him and raced back into the living room."
Only Hannah noticed the single tear trailing down Harry's cheek. He sniffed slightly but refrained from wiping his eyes.
"Dad requested that Voldemort kill him instead of me. Voldemort obliged and then turned on me. He fired off a Killing Curse. Because both of my parents died because they," Harry paused. Hannah glanced around the room and noticed that the majority of the girls and even a few of the boys, namely Ron and Neville, had tears in their eyes. Harry swallowed hard and sniffed again, attempting to keep his emotions in check.
"Both of my parents died because they loved me more than life its self. Because of this, I had an almost tangible protection. The curse rebounded off of me and hit Voldemort. It did nothing but cut my forehead. It left Voldemort completely powerless and bodiless, but my effort still wasn't quite good enough." Harry choked out the last few words. Hannah stepped forward next to Harry. She placed her hand over his and squeezed lightly.
"So we ask you; who were the real heroes that night?" Hannah finished Harry's speech for him as he had lost vocal capabilities and couldn't tear his eyes away from his shoes.
The entire class immediately broke into applause. Many of the Gryffindors, Justin and Ernie jumped to their feet. Professor Binns floated to the front of the class and raised a hand for silence.
"This concludes our night of presentations," he announced. "Please return to your common rooms immediately." Professor Binns had held a night session of the class due to the sheer length of the presentations and lack of time in class. The class slowly stood up and started towards the door, many congratulating Harry and Hannah on their way out. Ron and Hermione stopped long enough for Hermione to hug Harry and both of them to promise a conversation in the common room when Harry was ready to talk.
"Shut the door when you're through," Professor Binns said, casting a pointed look at Harry and Hannah's visual aids before floating through the ceiling. Hannah surveyed the now empty room before turning to face Harry. She carefully removed his glasses and placed them on the table just behind him. He leaned back against the table, bringing himself almost eye level with Hannah. She used her thumbs to carefully brush the remaining tears away form his eyes. He smiled sheepishly at her before opening his arms. She leaned into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder.
"Hannah?" he asked after a moment.
"Yeah Harry?" she replied, lifting her head from his shoulder. He pushed her back just a bit so he could look into her eyes.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome," she replied softly, never breaking eye contact. He tilted his head ever so slightly and leaned towards her. She fluttered her eyes closed and tilted her head in the opposite direction, looking up at him. Before either of them fully realized what was happening, their lips met. Their kiss was brief but perfect. Hannah pulled away after about five seconds and rested her head back on Harry's shoulder. He absentmindedly played with her hair.
"Thank you," he whispered.
*****
"Where am I?" A small voice asked from just beside Ron. He glanced over at Astrid. She blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to make them adjust to the light.
"The Hospital Wing," Ron replied. Astrid rubbed her eyes and attempted to focus on Ron.
"Why are you here?" she asked.
"Well, Sawyer, Jason, Dennis and Mandrake Chelsea were in here but Madame Pomfrey threw them out because Jason and Chelsea were about ready to rip each other's head's off. They asked me to come back and sit with you because we didn't want you to wake up alone," Ron explained.
"Thanks," Astrid said, "but exactly why am I in here?"
"Well, a combination of something being wrong with your ankle, falling down the stairs in the common room and blacking out completely," Ron said.
"It was the ankle, then the blacking out then the falling because I certainly don't remember falling down the stairs but I remember my ankle hurting," Astrid reasoned.
"Well, you scared the shit out of Hermione. She was the only one who saw it happen," Ron laughed. "What was wrong with your ankle anyway?"
"I told you before, it just hurts sometimes. It's weird like that," she leveled a glare on Ron that told him not to press the matter any farther.
"Is it okay now?" he asked. Astrid rolled her experimentally as though the problem was in the joint.
"Seems to be okay," she chirped. "So I'm wondering if she'll let me leave." The little girl looked nervously around the room.
"Well, Keiran was in here when I brought you in, and he's not now, so I suppose you can probably go," Ron said. He stood up and went to find Madame Pomfrey.
"Kei was in here?" Astrid asked.
"Yes," Ron replied. "He passed out too or something. Draco carried him in, but he didn't really say what was wrong."
"Ronald Weasley, you're going to wake Astrid!" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed, bustling out of her office. Astrid instantly ran her hand through her hair to make it stand up. She leaned back on her hands and squinted her eyes to look as though she had just woken up.
"He's being really loud!" she complained, faking a huge yawn just at the end of her sentence. Ron glared at her over the hospital matron's shoulder.
"OUT!" Madame Pomfrey roared.
"I was only kidding!" Astrid cried, smiling at the old woman. "I was already awake and Ron was coming to find you to tell you."
"So you feel better then?" Madame Pomfrey asked.
"Yes," Astrid replied.
"I would let you go back to the common room, but you may need to stay the night because of your ankle. The walk back to the common room wouldn't be good for it," Madame Pomfrey said.
"Oh Madame Pomfrey, do I really have to stay. Even if I promise to stay off of it?" Astrid asked.
"How, Miss Malfoy, do you propose you'll get back to the common room?" Madame Pomfrey asked.
"How did I get here?" Astrid replied.
"I carried you," Ron said.
"Are you up for carrying me back?" Astrid asked.
"Sure," Ron said.
"Do you promise not to walk until tomorrow morning?" Madame Pomfrey asked.
"Yes," Astrid said.
"Well then," Madame Pomfrey turned to Ron. "Make sure she stays off that ankle, will you?"
"Yes," Ron agreed.
"Okay, you may go back to the common room." Madame Pomfrey said. Astrid held her arms up to Ron like an over grown baby asking to be removed from it's crib. Ron reached over and grabbed Astrid. He tossed her roughly over his shoulder and turned towards the door.
"RO-ON!" Astrid half laughed, half squealed. She pounded her fists on his back.
"Ronald Weasley, if you don't carry her properly, she's going to have to remain here for the night," Madame Pomfrey warned. Ron easily transferred Astrid to the way he had been carrying her when he brought her to the Hospital Wing.
"Better?" He asked.
"Yes!" came the resounding reply from both Madame Pomfrey and Astrid. Ron smiled at Madame Pomfrey before stepping towards the door again.
"Bye Madame Pomfrey, with the group of friends I've got, I'm sure I'll see you soon," he called over his shoulder. The door closed behind him to the tune of Madame Pomfrey's laughter.
"I can walk you know," Astrid said as soon as the door closed.
"I don't think so, chica. You just got out of the hospital wing for a hurt ankle. I don't think I'm going to let you walk," Ron insisted.
"It's not what you think," Astrid said. "And I assure you, I can walk."
"What is it then?" Ron asked. Astrid paused for a moment, obviously planning her answer.
"You know how Harry's scar sometimes hurts?" Astrid asked. Ron nodded. "Well, I don't necessarily have a scar, but I have a situation sort of like that with my ankle."
"You have a cursed scar courtesy of Vold-," Ron attempted to say the name. "Of You Know Who?"
"I didn't say that it was a scar or that it was courtesy of Voldey," Astrid insisted.
"But you didn't say it wasn't, either," Ron reasoned.
"You are too much, Ron Weasley," Astrid laughed. She placed both hands on his chest and her head found the comfortable spot on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, effectively ending the conversation.
*****
Fred eased the door of the library open and slipped inside, uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings. In his seven years at Hogwarts, Fred has spent as many days in the library as Hermione spent without visiting, which is to say, not many.
"Are you lost?" Madame Pince asked the nervous looking red head.
"You wouldn't happen to know where I could find Hermione Granger, would you?" Fred asked.
"She's in her usual spot," replied the librarian.
"Which is?" Fred prompted.
"Through the Dark Arts section, past the medi-magic books, left across from the restricted section, through the divination books and just on the right," Madame Pomfrey instructed.
"Right," said Fred, "So could you point me towards the Dark Arts section?" Madame Pince jerked her thumb over her shoulder towards her left.
Five minutes later, Fred stepped around the corner of yet another bookcase. He hadn't been able to find Hermione or a way out of the library. Then he noticed the glow of a desk lamp on the other side of the book case. He quickly ran around to the other side. About midway down the right shelf there was a break in the book case with a desk built right into the shelves. A girl sat at the desk. She didn't notice Fred but her bushy brown hair was unmistakable. He crept towards her. She never heard him. He placed both hands on the back of her chair and leaned down. She never looked up from the book she was reading. He softly closed his teeth on her right ear. She let out a shriek meant to wake the dead so he quickly clamped his hand over her mouth. Only then did he realize she was trembling all over. He slid down to the floor next to the bookshelf and pulled her from her chair into his lap.
"Baby?" he whispered.
"I'm okay," she replied, despite the fact she was still shaking. He ran his fingers through her hair a couple of times.
"I'm sorry, baby," Fred whispered. Hermione smiled sweetly at him. He leaned in for a kiss.
*fifteen minutes later*
"Now we see why you like coming to the library so much," A familiar voice said from just off to Fred and Hermione's left. The pair jumped into the air from surprise and tried to untangle themselves from each other. Hermione tried to smooth her hair and Fred ran a hand across his mouth. Both were unsuccessful attempts to hide the fact that they'd been caught snogging in the library.
"Merlin Fred, that's Hermione!" Ron cried.
"And this is the library!" Harry added.
"Merlin Ron, she's my girlfriend!" Fred exclaimed. "And what's wrong with the library?"
"And besides, I don't see
either of you being brave enough to even kiss your girls," Hermione quipped.
Ron and Harry both turned bright red, but for completely different reasons. Ron
knew Hermione was right. Harry knew she wasn't.
"Bloody hell Hermione, why'd you have to point that out?" Ron asked. Harry stayed oddly silent. Fred finally picked himself up from the library floor. He offered his hand to Hermione. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. She carefully laced her fingers through his.
"If you two are quite finished, fancy a walk back to the common room?" Ron asked. Hermione and Fred exchanged a glance and Fred shrugged.
"Sure," he replied. Hermione quickly banished her books into her bag and Fred picked up the bag and slung it over his shoulder.
"So what did you figure out?" Harry asked as soon as the library door closed behind the group.
"Some quite interesting stuff. I want to run a few tests first though," Hermione said.
"Tests?" the three boys chorused.
"Yes, tests," Hermione replied.
"On what?" Harry asked.
"Well, Fred, Ron, do you guys think you could help out?" Hermione asked.
"Sure," Fred readily agreed.
"What are we testing?" Ron asked, a bit more warily than his older brother.
"Actually, I'll need George and maybe Ginny too," Hermione said. Fred glanced over at Ron.
"Why do I get the idea we're going to be the test subjects?" Fred asked.
"Maybe because you are," Hermione laughed.
"Will it hurt?" Ron and Fred asked simultaneously.
"No," Hermione said. "I just need to test the strength of Fred and George's magic in relation to the presence of each other, various siblings and other people."
"And you're going to do this how?" Fred asked.
"Just get George to go along with it and you'll see," Hermione said.
*****
"So are you going to tell us what the results of these tests are?" Ron asked. Hermione was pouring over a thick sheaf of parchment while curled up in a corner of the couch. Ron was lounging across one of the chairs and Harry was stretched out on the rug in front of the fireplace. Fred and George, tired of waiting for Hermione to announce her findings, had disappeared to their room. Astrid had just about worn out the bell Dennis, Jason and Sawyer had given her to ring when she needed anything. In turn, Dennis, Jason and Sawyer left the three fifth years alone to go to their rooms, tired from running up and down the stairs. Slowly the common room completely emptied, save the three friends.
"Fred's magic is 37.2% stronger in the presence of George," Hermione finally announced.
"You've made us waste an hour conducting tests plus another 45 minutes waiting on your analysis for you to come up with that one bit of information?" Ron asked. Hermione silenced him with a wave of her hand.
"Fred's magic is 37.2% stronger around George. George's is 35.3% stronger around Fred. The twins' magic increases on an average of 12% around Ron, and only 8% around Ginny. George's increases just a bit around Angelina while Fred's doesn't increase at all around her. The exact opposite is true about them in reaction to me. They have no reaction to Natalie McDonald and Harry, well…" Hermione rattled her results off but trailed off when she reached Harry.
"It's not my fault your magic meter blew up when I hit it with that spell!" Harry exclaimed.
"Right Harry 'let's see how strong my summoning charm that's summoned people, desks, and a broom from half a mile away is' Potter," Ron laughed. Harry rolled his eyes and glared playfully at Ron.
"So what exactly do your results mean?" Harry asked, trying to ignore the fact that he had, in fact, blown up the meter Hermione had devised to measure the strength of a person's magic when he hit it with his summoning charm.
"It means that the twins' magic is stronger because they're twins," Hermione says.
"And this relates to Harry's dream how?" Ron asked.
"If Keiran or Astrid is, in fact, the child in the dream, then the other twin has a connection even if they didn't want to," Hermione explained.
"OH!" Ron exclaimed.
"So you're saying if Keiran is the child in the dream, and Voldemort is giving him some sort of power, then Astrid is getting some of the power basically by guilt through association?" Harry asked.
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Hermione said.
"WAIT!" Ron cried. He tried to stand up but ended up getting his large feet tangled together. He landed face down in the floor next to Harry.
"What?" Hermione asked.
"Astrid's mysterious ankle pain!" Ron cried, jumping to his feet, obviously excited.
"Astrid's ankle pain?" Harry asked.
"YES!" Ron cried.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Hermione asked.
"I think that's what he's trying to figure out with this new brand of sign language he's created," Harry laughed. Ron was pacing about his chair, waving his arms about excitedly.
"She said it was like Harry's scar!" Ron cried.
"WHAT?" Harry and Hermione asked at the exact same time.
"Like Harry's scar!" Ron cried again.
"My scar?" Harry said.
"Only in principle!" Ron replied.
"Ron! Sit! Breathe!" Hermione instructed. Ron sank down into his chair and ran his fingers through his bright red hair, making it stand wildly on end.
"Now start from the beginning," Hermione said.
"When I was carrying Astrid back from the hospital wing, she said she could walk. I wouldn't let her and she insisted that the pain wasn't in the joint of her ankle. I asked her what she meant by that, and she explained that she had a situation sort of like Harry's scar with her ankle, but she basically said it wasn't a scar and didn't mention it being courtesy of Volde-," Ron made another attempt on the name. "You Know Who either."
"So you're basically saying Astrid has a dark mark only not given to her by Voldemort on her ankle?" Harry asked.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," Ron said.
"But Voldemort is the only one who does the cursed tattoo thing," Harry insisted.
"Harry, Lucius Malfoy is right hand death eater. I wouldn't put it past him to put the dark mark on his children," Hermione pointed out.
"Only Voldemort can make the dark mark," Harry said.
"So what if Lucius did something like that to make his twins more connected?" Hermione asked.
"Would he do that to his own children?" Ron asked.
"Well if she doesn't have a scar, I would tend to think so," Hermione said. "Voldemort couldn't have done the ankle bit if she's had it since she was younger."
"What?" Ron asked.
"She's four years younger than us. Voldemort fell when we were one," Hermione replied.
"So Lucius would have had to have done it had they had it sometime before our first year?" Harry said. Hermione jumped to her feet and started towards the portrait hole, muttering something about the library.
"NO!" Ron and Harry both shouted.
"The library will still be there in the morning," Harry said.
"What are you going to research anyway?" Ron asked.
"Barrett Malfoy," Hermione said, grinning at her friends. She started towards the girls' stairs, eager to get a jump on sleep so she could get to the library first thing in the morning. Ron and Harry both rolled their eyes again.
"Goodnight Hermione!" they called after her retreating back. Harry picked up his potions book and opened it on the floor in front of him.
"Well, goodnight Harry," Ron said. He started up the boys' stairs. Harry heard the door click closed behind Ron and then he heard footsteps on the girls' stairs. He looked up to see Hermione walking back towards him.
"So Mr. Potter, what exactly happened between you and Hannah tonight?" Hermione asked.
"What makes you think anything happened?" Harry asked.
"When you and Ron caught me and Fred in the library, Ron defended himself after the comment I made. You didn't," Hermione pointed out. Harry slammed the potions book shut before jumping to his feet.
"I'll never kiss and tell!" He cried. He turned and sprinted up the boys' staircase before Hermione had a chance to reply.