Terror Personified
Chapter Three: Mountain Retreat
By: lana-la-banana
Inspired by the Harry Potter novels by Joanne Kathleen Rowling
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The world was swirling around her for a moment, and then the earth came back into focus, surprising Hermione enough that she lost her balance, falling backwards onto the ground. Instinctively, she wrapped her cloak tighter around her shoulders, for the temperature had dropped at least forty degrees from the warmth of Hogwarts. Snow blew through the air, chapping their lips and obscuring vision almost to the point of blindness.
"Welcome to the Himalayas," McGonagall yelled, her voice barely audible above the roaring winds. "This way and hold onto someone so we don't get split up."
Hermione grabbed the hand closest to her and McGonagall took hers, until all eight people were linked together—an odd little procession of people making their way through the drifts.
They had been walking for fifteen minutes and Hermione was beginning to lose hope of ever regaining feeling in her toes again. Her teeth were chattering like crazy and her entire body was shaking from the freezing temperatures of the climate.
Just when she thought she couldn't take another step, in the distance appeared a building. Not a castle by any means, but a good-sized building wedged into the mountains. As they drew closer, Hermione began to make out more details—the dark wood of the façade, the drawn windows that covered the front, the marble steps leading up to the front door.
McGonagall placed her hand on the door handle and concentrated hard for a moment before the door swung open. Inside, the house was a fury of activity. People were running, trying to find family, friends, food, a bed to sleep in. First years sat teary-eyed in a corner, scared out of their wits, and missing their families.
The group had barely closed the door where they were rounded up by Madam Pomfrey who took them into a room off the kitchen where she wrapped them all in blankets and rather forcefully gave them all Pepper-Up potion and hot chocolate.
Hermione sat sipping her hot chocolate, as Professor McGonagall briefed them all on the house's purpose.
"Dumbledore had this house erected three years ago, just after You-know-who returned as a safe-house for Hogwarts students, if ever the need arose. He had a number of enchantments placed on it, as you can imagine—Unplottable, invisible to the muggle eye, untrackable. He made sure that it was equipped with everything we needed, but we never thought we would have to use it."
McGonagall fell silent and Hermione knew she was mourning Dumbledore's death and felt bad for intruding on what had to be a difficult moment for her beloved teacher. She slipped the blanket off her shoulders, and left the room, followed by the rest of the Prefects and Draco.
Back in the chaos of the house, Hermione inquired about Ginny and a fifth- year Hufflepuff directed her up the staircase.
'Dumbledore knew what he was doing,' Hermione thought as she climbed up the stairs. The house was enchanted to be larger than it appeared from the front and provided every comfort that Hogwarts had, with a homier feel. The downstairs was wood-paneled with scarlet silk covered mahogany furniture and the stairs leading up had a thick carpet runner stretching the entire length. Hermione followed the twisting staircase past countless bedrooms, peeking her head in each in an effort to locate Ginny.
She was drawing near to the top of the house when a door swung open and a head of Weasley red hair poked out.
"Ron!" Hermione took the last few steps two at a time and wrapped her best friend in a tight hug. "Is Ginny here? And Harry?"
Ginny poked her head out from around the door when she heard Hermione's voice, then gave her a tight hug.
"Are you alright? We were so worried."
"I'm fine. Have either of you seen Harry?"
The two siblings exchanged glances. "He's not here. We thought he was going to be with you and your group."
"He's not here?" Hermione repeated, her brain unwilling to comprehend this new information.
As she finally absorbed the news, she sunk down onto the wooden step, burying her head in her arms as hot salty tears streamed out of her eyes. She could feel Ron and Ginny rubbing her back and talking in low, sympathetic voices.
"There's still a chance, Hermione. There's always still a chance."
But Hermione could feel, deep down inside her, that he was gone.
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Please drop me a review...
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Chocolate Skittle— To answer your question about the time gap, the only really plausible explanation is that I have had no time whatsoever. I started this story mainly because I was bored during Sophomore Seminar and wasn't really planning to continue it. I've been focusing a lot more on my other story, New Worlds, New Views. But, if you really want to know, during the school year I'm busy with honors classes, keeping up my GPA, Academic Decathlon, attending meetings for two youth groups, fundraisers for my service trip, and trying to find some time to hang out with my friends. This summer, I spent eighteen days in the Dominican Republic doing service work, went canoeing with my youth group, have been attending weekly core meetings, and have started working 35 hours at a week at my job. I have really not had any time for writing, and that time is not likely to increase, seeing as how writing's my leisure activity and not something I'm planning on majoring in any time in the near future. I hope that answers your question and I'm sorry if I was a little rude in answering it.
lana-la-banana