Chapter Fourteen:
Unpleasant Tidings
For a certain period of time, time itself seemed to be on fast-forward. October
vanished without a trace and it wasn't until the middle of November that this
stopped. In this period of time Hermione had helped Grawp with his first letter.
It went much better than anticipated and hadn't been a reply. Harry, Ron, and
Hermione were studying for mid-term exams.
"Hermione, how many drops of Basilisk venom are you supposed to put in the
Malevolent Mixture," asked Harry for he couldn't read his own writing.
"Three," answered Hermione, stifling a yawn.
Studying was particularly difficult this year. Ron had just shut his book in
disgust when a loud rap could be heard. The three of them lifted their heads to
find Pigwideon hovering outside the window.
Ron opened the window and Pigwideon flew in. As quickly as Pigwideon flew in, he
flew out and Hermione shut the window behind him. Ron opened up the envelope
that Pigwideon had left behind and after reading it through once, read it aloud,
"Dear Ron,
Your father has gotten some time off work and we would be thrilled if Hermione
and Harry would come home with you for Christmas. Please tell Harry and Hermione
this and that they already have permission from their parent and relatives.
Love,
Mum"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other in amazement and replied in unison, "Of
course we'll come!"
"I knew you would," stated Ron.
It was only afternoon so the three went down to the lake and practiced casting
spells they would need to perform for their Mid-Term exams.
"Ara Dischasia!" cried Hermione.
The familiar bubble appeared around her and Ron bombarded her with a series of
Impediment Jinxes. When her bubble burst Hermione was knocked off her feet and
she just sat there laughing.
When the natural-high of the thought of being at the Burrow had worn off, it was
well into the latter portion of the day and Harry had clambered into his
four-poster, thinking about something that hadn't penetrated his mind since the
Dementors attacked Hogwarts.
Voldemort had said something about forgiving Harry's mother for killing
somebody? This didn't make sense to Harry. His mother wouldn't kill anybody. But
then Harry had been wrong about his father too.
"Sirius, are you awake?" asked Harry.
As if on cue loud snores emitted from Sirius' portrait. Harry turned away and
dismissed the thought all at once. He probably had just imagined that. Harry
closed his eyes and let himself succumb to sleep.
Harry's sleep was interrupted from someone shaking him gently. When Harry was at
least semi-conscious he noticed that Dumbledore himself was in his Dormitory
flanked by Hermione and Ron.
"Harry, please come with me," said Dumbledore.
Harry jumped out of his bed and followed Dumbledore out of the Dormitory. When
they had exited the Dormitory Harry asked Ron,
"What happened?"
"Voldemort attacked St. Mungo's. Personally," answered Ron.
"Lupin!" cried Harry.
Hermione nodded and Ron simply looked sick. Harry noticed that they were headed
for Hagrid's Hut. When they reached the front doorstep Dumbledore opened the
door without knocking and let everyone enter.
When Harry was inside he was surprised to find Lupin laying on Hagrid's small
moth-eaten sofa, wrapped up with a plethora of blankets. Harry couldn't help
seeing he was shaking.
"When we heard about the attack Hagrid managed to get him out," stated
Dumbledore.
"Where's Hagrid?" asked Hermione anxiously.
"He`s upset. The only person he could get out of in time was Remus," Dumbledore
half-muttered, "He'll be back in a minute or two."
At that exact moment Hagrid entered the hut, tears still streaming down his
face, "I know I couldn`t save anyone but..."
Hermione ran up to him and gave him a hug, sobbing, "It... must... have...
been... horrible..."
At that exact moment Harry felt his scar erupt with pain. He collapsed on the
floor...
Screams. People were running in all directions. Voldemort and a troupe of
Death-Eaters were walking through a corridor of St. Mungo's. Voldemort bellowed
at the top of his lungs,
"Where is he! Tell me!"
A medi-witch was foolishly, magically sealing a corridor and since she was in Voldemort's
field of vision and not answering his question, "Avra Kedavra!"
A jet of green light struck the medi-witch down. Voldemort proceeded down the
next corridor...
"Harry!"
Hermione was slapping him in the face. Harry sat upright and saw Hermione
kneeling next to him, Ron standing next to her with his hand on her shoulder,
Hagrid standing next to Dumbledore, and Lupin looking worriedly at him from the
sofa.
His scar still burning Harry put his hand against it. Ron asked, "Are you
alright?"
"I saw him... at St. Mungo`s," Harry barely managed to get out. Hagrid blanched and Dumbledore walked up to Harry, "What did Voldemort do?"
"He killed a Medi-Witch. He wanted to know where somebody was," answered Harry
getting slowly to his feet, "Who was he looking for?"
And for the first time Dumbledore responded the three words Harry never thought
he would say, "I don't know."
To be concluded...