Chapter 11
" I wonder what I'll be doing in Divination, because I haven't done the things you have." Hermione was walking up the stairs with a very bored Harry and Ron. Although she did know that, there was a slight chance that Trelawney could figure something out, she wanted to be able to see things to help her, in her new job. Since the whole deal with Draco, Harry and Ron were being very protective of Hermione. Hermione was dreading tonight. Will would get in a stress when she showed him the opened letter. As she plodded along to the Divination class, she looked down the corridor she had found last night. She saw Will walk into his classroom. Hermione continued up the stairs.
The Divination classroom was exactly as it had been the last time Hermione had seen it. The smells, the acrid taste of smoke as it entered your mouth. Hermione stood and looked around for a place to sit. Luckily over by Harry and Ron, was a spare seat. As she took her seat next to Harry, Professor Trelawney entered. She scanned the room. " Ah, miss Granger. It is good to see you again." Hermione looked up. " Today, we are going to look at Palm Reading." After 1 hour of explaining, Trelawney set them off on their task. " You have 1 hour to read someone's palm and copy down what you see. In pairs." Ron and Harry looked to each other, then to Hermione. "It's ok, I'll find somebody to work with"
Hermione looked around. Over in the corner she saw dean alone. She walked over too him and sat down. " Can I work with you Dean?" She asked politely. He nodded enthusiastically. " Ok I might as well go first". After she read Dean's palm and took down all the notes she needed, she held out her palm for Dean to read.
" Alright then. You will find love soon." Hermione scoffed.
" You are very down to earth, no, wait, the situation you are in is very complicated but real." Yet again Hermione scoffed. "You will have a hard time in the next few years. But you are strong and can fight them." Hermione just looked at Dean as he read. " Hmmm. I can't read your lifeline." Hermione was not that bothered. She didn't want to know. Before she could shut Dean up he yelled for professor Trelawney to come over.
" Yes Dean?"
" Look at her life line. It is hard to read" As Professor Trelawney looked at her hand, she gasped.
" My child, you have a short lifeline. You will die soon." Everyone looked over, but most new not to take her seriously. Even Hermione who new that she could be right did not give what she said a second thought. She just groaned then looked around.
" Well the book says that the life line represent the Quality of life, as oppsed to how long you will live..."
Trelawney gave her a stern glare before walking off to the front of the class, trying to ignore the sniggers.
After divination they all headed for Care of Magical Creatures.
That rest of the school day was spent arguing with Slytherins. Snape had been feeling particularly generous and only took 20 points of Gryffindors for being too loud. After doing all the homework she had been set that day, she headed up to her room. She put on her black trousers and her Blue shirt, with a warm white jumper on top. She grabbed her stake, then headed for the office where Will was. She was slightly nervous about what he would say about this morning, and about the fact that she opened the letter, though it strictly said not to. Since becoming the slayer Hermione began to get an attitude, which she actually liked. She was now stood outside Will's office. She walked to the door, then knocked. " Come in" She heard a muffled voice reply. Slowly she opened the door, then walked in.
" Hi Will" He looked up from his book.
" Hermione, you're early." He replied, slightly annoyed.
" I got this this morning..." Will was staring at her looking slightly anxious. As he read the back of the letter he gave her an 'I'm not impressed look'. As Will read the letter, Hermione looked at him. Over the past few weeks he had become like anuncletoo her. She became lost in thoughts of her parents and family, and how distant she was becoming from them.... Will had stopped reading the letter, and looked over too her.
" Well, it looks like we got our first assignment together." He smiled, which cheered her up. " So the information in the packet, explains that lately there has been a rise in supernatural activity in Hogsmead, and in this area. What I plan we do is, find out information from demons; vamps etc, then seek this evil out and destroy it. So we are going to start tonight. Oh by the way, I tried to find out some information about that symbol you drew. Well the things is...I found nothing" He said scratching his head. Hermione laughed.
" So where are we going? To Hogsmead?" Hermione asked. Will nodded. Hermione lead Will out to find the entrance. Hermione and Will found their way to the 1st floor, before realising it. Just as they turned a corner, they saw Filch approaching them. Luckily, he did not see Hermione, but he did see Will.
" Professor Giles, what are you doing?" Will thought quickly.
" I'm checking the hallways for rebellious students, in case any sneak out. You can never be too sure you know." Filch smiled while nodding, which was something Hermione had never seen him do.
" Well good luck" he replied as he walked off.
Will turned to Hermione. And moved his head in the direction of the main entrance. " Come on. Lets get outta here." Hermione followed him.
Once they were outside, Will signalled to the forest. " Take it that that's that forbidden forest" Hermione nodded.
" That's Hagrid's hut over there. He's ace. You gotta love Hagrid" Hermione said as she walked down the path taken too Hogsmead.
When they reached Hogsmead, Hermione headed straight for the cemetery. Will looked curiously at her. " What's that building over there?" He asked as he pointed to a rams shackled house. Hermione looked nervously at the building then to the moon. It was a crescent moon.
" It's called the shrieking shack." Will looked at the building again.
" I have heard of that. It is said to be haunted by animals. People heard howls and two years ago a fight in there" Hermione wanting to get off the subject interrupted him.
" The grave yard is over here" Will sensed her uneasiness, so quietly walked behind her.
Almost as soon as they entered the graveyard, they spotted a vampire. Will began his stopwatch. Hermione gave him a strange look, before she turned around and struck the vampires face, bloodying his nose. " What are you doing?" Hermione asked as the vampire got back up, and tried to kick her, Hermione just ducked.
" Timing how long it takes you to stake him" Will replied. The vampire now was throwing a punch in Hermione's direction; she blocked it, and then kicked him in the stomach.
" So I'm kicking ass, and getting my ass slightly kicked, while you stand there timing. Some how that doesn't seem fair to me." Will was now giving her a ' get on with it look'. Hermione got the hint then sank to the floor, and then brought her leg round kicking the vampire's ankles. Quickly she pulled out her stake, then slammed it through his chest.
As he squirmed, then turned to dust, Hermione turned to Will.
" How'd I do?"
Will looked at the stopwatch then to Hermione, " 1 minute 48 seconds". He looked around.
" So what now?" Hermione asked, while giving him strange looks.
" WellI have a few criticism's to make. One- you didn't bother to ask questions about the evil. Two- you were too busy focusing on me and three- you didn't see the other vamp, which is now behind you. Always be on your guard." Will said as he backed away from the vampire standing directly behind Hermione. Hermione who could actually sense him behind her, turned around quickly then ducked.
The vampire's hand smashed into a headstone, shattering it. It then raised its arm and grabbed Hermione's lower arm, and with a firm grip twisted it behind her back. " Owww" Hermione whined childishly.
" Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hurt a lady?" The vampire just sneered. Hermione's arm was killing her. She glanced over at Will who was trying to figure out how to load the crossbow. Knowing that it would be best if the Vampire did not see Will, Hermione kicked back her right leg, making sharp contact with his shin. He felt the pain, but it did not affect him greatly. Though he, on the impact, released her from his grasp. Hermione took full advantage of this and leapt back 4 feet away from him.
" Obviously not." Hermione exclaimed as she fell to the ground, as a result of his second blow, which this time, she did not dodge in time. She sprung back up onto her feet. The vampire now kicked her backwards, but she soon recovered in time to pin him against the wall of a crypt. She sharply banged his head against the wall, then proceeded to ask him questions. Will emerged from behind her, pointing the crossbow at his heart.
" So, who's the big bad?" Hermione asked sounding very determined. When there was no answer she banged hid head against the wall. Will just stared. " So how am I doing?" Hermione asked Will, still holding the vampire, looking to him hopefully.The vampire looked confused and scared at the same time.
" You're doing-just fine" he said, hesitating. Hermione smiled, then gave the victim another threatening look.
" Okay, okay. Enough with the head banging and the questions. I don't know what's going on just that it's big, and maybe that there has been a large amount of vamps and other demons, arriving in town." He rushed the last sentence, and at the same time trailed off.
" We should go now" Will said. Hermione nodded, then drove her stake through the vampire's heart.
" Will can I ask you something?" Hermione questioned.
" Sure" he replied, then turned to face her.
" Well, why did you criticise me?"
Will was silent for a while then replied, " Well it's the only way you learn I guess, and it's what watchers do." Will began to laugh.
" What's so funny? I mean I do the fighting, and you do the criticising. That just doesn't seem fair. Like why should I do what these 'watchers' tell me to, when I don't know who they are, well with the exception of you?" She knew she had made a point when he suddenly went silent.
He carried on walking, Hermione close behind him. He turned around again, " It's simple. They have helped to destroy evil, they are trustworthy. And we have to do what they say because they are our superiors." Hermione did not accept this answer.
" Well why should I do what you say, and get my ass kicked?" she knew she was annoying him now but she wanted to know. Why should she risk her life, while others simply dictate. She was the one with the power, not them.
She even began to confuse herself as well as Will. " because I'm your watcher, and your teacher. Which means" he said while glancing down at his watch, " that you should be in bed." Hermione still not happy with her answer, did not want to ask again. She had annoyed Will, more than enough today. They walked back in silence. When they reached the entrance hall, they both spilt up.