Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. The Vampire clans and and all references to The Masquerade are the property of White Wolf Games. The vampire characters are original.
"That was the nastiest test I've ever taken," said Harry. The spring air has lodged itself quite stubbornly on the Hogwarts grounds. "And those were supposed to be 'Ordinary?' My eye!"
"Well, at least we're on our way to becoming NEWTS. Are you going for the Auror exams?" asked Ron.
"Course!" Chimed Harry, "Not like I have a choice really. It would appear to be destiny."
"Yeah right."
"Wish Hermione were here. I haven't heard from her in a while! You?"
"No, bit odd, really!"
"Have you tried the mirror?"
"That's a bit a' magic! That one. Haven't heard a peep. D'ya reckon she's been nabbed by Death Eaters?"
"Nah, Viktor would have sent word, right?"
"Not if he were captured too."
They lied beneath an oak tree by the side of the lake with the Giant Squid showing off it's tentacles and trying to entertain them. They were worried, but played to each other that they were calm.
"Maybe we should see Dumbledore. Maybe he has some news," Harry said calmly.
"We don't even know if she's had her baby yet. Surely Dumbledore would have heard something about that." Ron sighed.
"Maybe she just forgot about us; decided, 'that's it, I've got my new life, my old friends mean nothing.' What do you think?"
"She wouldn't do that," Harry said a little urgently. "Maybe the baby was born and she's found it to be a real chore; too much of one to write. Maybe things are not working out with Viktor, with a baby wouldn't that be a bit, well, difficult?"
"Could be."
Along the banks a figure with a plant was walking, watching the squid's tenticles dance and sway in the springtime. Neville Longbottom saw his two friends and hailed them. "Was just out taking my Sarcoficus Tinonianus for a walk."
"Are those coffins?" Asked Harry.
"As the flowers, yes. It works from the same magic as thestrals, if you've seen death they turn red, as you can see. Thestrials love this plant. Maybe you can see them behind me in the air."
"No, thank God." Said Ron. Harry and Neville gave him a salty look. "Say, Neville," Ron continued, "has Hermionie sent you any owls or anything lately."
"OH! Astrid is fine. Bit new for Hermionie having a baby, but she's apparently getting used to it. Are you guys going down for the wedding?" Suddenly Neville's plant fell to the ground with a thud. Harry and Ron both rose. Neville started to run. Both Ron and Harry, being quick on the draw, drew their wands and shot so many ropes at Neville that he was practically a mummy when they walked up to him.
"Time to have a chat, Neville," said Harry.
"Aye, how come you know so much, eh?" They both dragged him from where he lay back beyond the oak whose shade they were enjoying and went into the brushes. "Come out with it, man. What is going on with Hermionie and why isn't she writing us! I'll curse you, you big baboon, why didn't she tell us about the wedding?" Neville kept moaning. "Answer me!" Ron screamed.
"Ron," said Harry calmly. "Perhaps you should remove the rope covering his mouth."
"Oh yeah."
Upon removal of the gag, Neville started pouring his soul. "I wasn't supposed to say anything. You weren't supposed to know what was going on. That way you'd be suspicious and head down there to rescue her."
"What?!?" Exclaimed Ron. "That makes no sense."
"Yes it does," whined Neville, "if Harry thought something was wrong, he would go check it out, you know, hero complex, and if Harry went to go check it out, you would go with him, wouldn't you, Ron?"
"Who told you we're not supposed to know?"
"Oh, use your head, Harry!" said Ron, "Dumbledore, of course, but why would Dumbledore want us to go to Rumania, thinking that something is wrong when it's not. Dumbledore would never manipulate people like this, would he?"
"Dunno," said Neville.
"Maybe he was trying to send us on a mission but couldn't tell us directly."
"We're too young to be going on missions," said Ron.
"Yeah, but maybe that's why he couldn't tell us. He needed some way to goad us, telling us is too direct. Maybe it's just simply that Voldemort's in England and this would be one safe way to get us out of the country without using up too many resources or even letting anyone know. If everyone else knows that we're not looking for Hermionie, they wouldn't expect us to trod off, would they?"
"There still maybe spies, but I'd fancy a sneak-off to Rumania, if I had the money."
"Don't worry, Ron, I got you covered. This is worth spending the extra cash. We'd have to travel as muggles."
"Right, no questions. Well then, thanks, Neville! I guess we'll go pack, eh, Harry?"
"Too right. I guess we'll just untie you then, Neville. It was for your own good, you know." Harry disentangled Neville from his bonds and the two of them trotted off to the castle.
"That was the nastiest test I've ever taken," said Harry. The spring air has lodged itself quite stubbornly on the Hogwarts grounds. "And those were supposed to be 'Ordinary?' My eye!"
"Well, at least we're on our way to becoming NEWTS. Are you going for the Auror exams?" asked Ron.
"Course!" Chimed Harry, "Not like I have a choice really. It would appear to be destiny."
"Yeah right."
"Wish Hermione were here. I haven't heard from her in a while! You?"
"No, bit odd, really!"
"Have you tried the mirror?"
"That's a bit a' magic! That one. Haven't heard a peep. D'ya reckon she's been nabbed by Death Eaters?"
"Nah, Viktor would have sent word, right?"
"Not if he were captured too."
They lied beneath an oak tree by the side of the lake with the Giant Squid showing off it's tentacles and trying to entertain them. They were worried, but played to each other that they were calm.
"Maybe we should see Dumbledore. Maybe he has some news," Harry said calmly.
"We don't even know if she's had her baby yet. Surely Dumbledore would have heard something about that." Ron sighed.
"Maybe she just forgot about us; decided, 'that's it, I've got my new life, my old friends mean nothing.' What do you think?"
"She wouldn't do that," Harry said a little urgently. "Maybe the baby was born and she's found it to be a real chore; too much of one to write. Maybe things are not working out with Viktor, with a baby wouldn't that be a bit, well, difficult?"
"Could be."
Along the banks a figure with a plant was walking, watching the squid's tenticles dance and sway in the springtime. Neville Longbottom saw his two friends and hailed them. "Was just out taking my Sarcoficus Tinonianus for a walk."
"Are those coffins?" Asked Harry.
"As the flowers, yes. It works from the same magic as thestrals, if you've seen death they turn red, as you can see. Thestrials love this plant. Maybe you can see them behind me in the air."
"No, thank God." Said Ron. Harry and Neville gave him a salty look. "Say, Neville," Ron continued, "has Hermionie sent you any owls or anything lately."
"OH! Astrid is fine. Bit new for Hermionie having a baby, but she's apparently getting used to it. Are you guys going down for the wedding?" Suddenly Neville's plant fell to the ground with a thud. Harry and Ron both rose. Neville started to run. Both Ron and Harry, being quick on the draw, drew their wands and shot so many ropes at Neville that he was practically a mummy when they walked up to him.
"Time to have a chat, Neville," said Harry.
"Aye, how come you know so much, eh?" They both dragged him from where he lay back beyond the oak whose shade they were enjoying and went into the brushes. "Come out with it, man. What is going on with Hermionie and why isn't she writing us! I'll curse you, you big baboon, why didn't she tell us about the wedding?" Neville kept moaning. "Answer me!" Ron screamed.
"Ron," said Harry calmly. "Perhaps you should remove the rope covering his mouth."
"Oh yeah."
Upon removal of the gag, Neville started pouring his soul. "I wasn't supposed to say anything. You weren't supposed to know what was going on. That way you'd be suspicious and head down there to rescue her."
"What?!?" Exclaimed Ron. "That makes no sense."
"Yes it does," whined Neville, "if Harry thought something was wrong, he would go check it out, you know, hero complex, and if Harry went to go check it out, you would go with him, wouldn't you, Ron?"
"Who told you we're not supposed to know?"
"Oh, use your head, Harry!" said Ron, "Dumbledore, of course, but why would Dumbledore want us to go to Rumania, thinking that something is wrong when it's not. Dumbledore would never manipulate people like this, would he?"
"Dunno," said Neville.
"Maybe he was trying to send us on a mission but couldn't tell us directly."
"We're too young to be going on missions," said Ron.
"Yeah, but maybe that's why he couldn't tell us. He needed some way to goad us, telling us is too direct. Maybe it's just simply that Voldemort's in England and this would be one safe way to get us out of the country without using up too many resources or even letting anyone know. If everyone else knows that we're not looking for Hermionie, they wouldn't expect us to trod off, would they?"
"There still maybe spies, but I'd fancy a sneak-off to Rumania, if I had the money."
"Don't worry, Ron, I got you covered. This is worth spending the extra cash. We'd have to travel as muggles."
"Right, no questions. Well then, thanks, Neville! I guess we'll go pack, eh, Harry?"
"Too right. I guess we'll just untie you then, Neville. It was for your own good, you know." Harry disentangled Neville from his bonds and the two of them trotted off to the castle.