Praesentia
Chapter Three---The Test
Fred eyed Harry for a moment, and then his brow furrowed.
"Well, he seems fine now. He was unconscious on the floor, and Mum charmed him with something. He woke up right away. You must have hexed him or something. But why?" Fred scratched his ear as he gazed, puzzled, at Harry. Bill and Charlie became visible in the stairwell. Ron's mum and Lupin were right behind.
Ron stepped forward. "Professor Lupin, are you okay?"
Lupin chuckled, and rubbed the nape of his neck. "I'm fine...." He turned to Harry, and his face became grave. "I would like to know how you did it, though, Harry."
Ron turned to look at Harry, who was visibly shaken. "Did what, sir? I don't remember anything!" Harry muttered in a frustrated voice. Hermione was holding Harry's arm, and then she stepped forward and placed her hand gently around Ron's.
"Harry doesn't remember, Professor. What exactly happened to you?" She asked, her brow furrowed.
Lupin let out a short grunt, opened his mouth, and was about to say something, when there was a loud pop. Ron's father appeared right in front of them, appearing very perturbed.
He looked to each startled face in turn and finally stated, "Either someone's got a really bad sense of humor, or we're in loads of trouble."
~*~
Hermione sat curled on the love seat, with Ron close beside her. Mrs Weasley was sitting in a rocker near them, and Ginny and her other brothers were crowded on the couch. Mr Weasley, Lupin, and Harry were in the other room; and Mr Weasley was talking loudly to Cornelius Fudge via floo powder. Everyone was silent, hoping to hear their conversation, but unfortunately it was too muffled....by magic, apparently. Bill squirmed in his seat, and Hermione recognized the look of frustration on his face. He'd wanted to accompany his father and Lupin when they spoke with the Minister, but after a loud argument, Bill returned angrily to the parlor.
Mrs Weasley wrung her hands and eyed the parlor door worriedly. Hermione turned to look at the door, wondering what had brought Mr Weasley back so soon from Hogwarts.
They hadn't had a chance to find out what had happened at Hogwarts, as Mrs Weasley, Lupin and Bill had pulled Mr Weasley aside the moment he'd returned. They had spoked together quietly, and then Lupin and Mr Weasley had asked Harry in to the fireplace.
It was as if the attack on Hogwarts hadn't happened--if it had, Mr Weasley would have been gone longer than this.
Hermione turned around again, clutching Ron's hand tightly, and felt someone's eyes on her. She looked up, and saw that Mrs Weasley was eyeing them intently. Hermione felt the urge to let go of Ron's hand, but something stopped her.
She didn't want to hide from anyone her feelings about Ron. And...the way Mrs Weasley was looking at them wasn't disaproving. In fact....Mrs Weasley almost looked...relieved.
Hermione smiled at Ron's mum, and Mrs Weasley smiled back weakly. Hermione just happened to catch Ron's eye, and she saw he was blushing again. At that, Fred coughed, and Ginny made a little sound as if to say something. Thankfully, Ginny was interupted when Mr Weasley returned to the parlor.
"Harry is going with Remus to St. Mungo's for the night. Harry told us...." Mr Weasely's voice ebbed wearily.
Ron broke away from Hermione's grasp and stood up. "Dad, I need to tell you-"
Mr Weasley put up his hand. "Harry explained everything. I know you helped him, Ron. That's why Professor Dumbledore is going to join Harry at St. Mungo's. Dumbledore will let us know if he wants you to come to St. Mungo's, as well. For now....the Healers want to see if there's anything they can do to block whatever's....whoever's accessing him."
"What about Hogwarts?" Bill asked loudly, a hint of irritation in his voice.
Mr Weasley turned to him. "Hogwarts was never attacked. I arrived, and everything was as it should be. The letter I received was genuine, so I contacted the Ministry of Magic. They looked into the matter, and found that some employees experienced temporary amnesia. We don't know who did this for sure....but we can guess."
Voldemort, Hermione thought. He was.....
"Testing us!" Hermione blurted loudly.
Everyone turned to her. She leaned back into the cushions of the love seat, and looked into the face of each person around her. Her face burned, as she hadn't intended to say it out loud at all.
After a moment, Ron settled next to her, and said very quietly, almost as if to Hermione personally. "It's Voldemort. He's testing us."
Hermione turned and smiled at his profile. She was proud of him. Looking up at Mr Weasley, she said, "Exactly. He's testing all his powers, trying to see what he can and can't do."
Mr Weasley smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "That's what Dumbledore thought, too. Cornelius Fudge was harder to convince." He pursed his lips and grimaced. "It's why Dumbledore wants Harry at St. Mungo's tonight. Who knows what Voldemort's capable of doing if he's using Harry as a conduit for his powers?"
Hermione felt a little nauseated as she saw Charlie sit up straighter at that. "What exactly did Harry do to Remus?"
Mr Weasley shook his head. "We're not certain, and that's why Remus went to St. Mungo's as well. He's going to be examined thoroughly. He only remembered screaming and feeling incredibly hot, and then he lost consciousness. Harry was glaring at him, saying very strange things..totally unlike him, from what Remus said."
Mrs Weasley stood up at that, walked over to her husband, and turned back to the group. "All right, I think we've had enough excitement for the morning. Why don't you all help yourselves to some pie?"
Charlie, Bill, Fred, George, and Ginny stood up slowly and began to walk toward the kitchen. As Ron rose from the love seat and started to pull Hermoine up with him, Mr and Mrs Weasley stopped them. Hermione noticed that the others were oblivious as they talked amongst themselves and entered the kitchen.
Mrs Weasley looked pointedly up at Ron and took his arm. She then gave Hermione a warm glance, and said softly, "Why don't you two come upstairs with us? We have something very important to discuss with you."
Ron let out a load groan, but Mr Weasley tut-tutted. He looked very awkward, and let out a little cough.
Mrs Weasley was tugging on Ron's arm, and Hermione was about to tug on his other one, when Ron muttered unexpectedly, "I already know what you want to talk about, Mum."
Mrs Weasley looked taken aback for a brief moment, and then she straightened. "I'm afraid it's a little bit more urgent than that, Ron." At that, she gave Hermione a very long, pointed look.
For the first time under Mrs Weasley's gaze, Hermione felt very uncomfortable. Mrs Weasley was analyzing her...and it was very disturbing.
Mr Weasley spoke suddenly, as he tugged at his collar. "Please come with us. It's important."
Hermione felt Ron's body relax, as if defeated, and he slowly moved toward the stairs, pulling Hermione with him. Mr and Mrs Weasley followed them up the stairs and ushered them into their bedroom.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OK...that's a good place to end, heh-heh!
I'm sorry I've been "gone" so long. I've just been taking the break I told you about before. I'm going to try to update a bit more frequently, and I know this chapter was really short! I had to get something out there so you still know I'm alive!
As always...any feedback is loved and appreciated!
Chapter Three---The Test
Fred eyed Harry for a moment, and then his brow furrowed.
"Well, he seems fine now. He was unconscious on the floor, and Mum charmed him with something. He woke up right away. You must have hexed him or something. But why?" Fred scratched his ear as he gazed, puzzled, at Harry. Bill and Charlie became visible in the stairwell. Ron's mum and Lupin were right behind.
Ron stepped forward. "Professor Lupin, are you okay?"
Lupin chuckled, and rubbed the nape of his neck. "I'm fine...." He turned to Harry, and his face became grave. "I would like to know how you did it, though, Harry."
Ron turned to look at Harry, who was visibly shaken. "Did what, sir? I don't remember anything!" Harry muttered in a frustrated voice. Hermione was holding Harry's arm, and then she stepped forward and placed her hand gently around Ron's.
"Harry doesn't remember, Professor. What exactly happened to you?" She asked, her brow furrowed.
Lupin let out a short grunt, opened his mouth, and was about to say something, when there was a loud pop. Ron's father appeared right in front of them, appearing very perturbed.
He looked to each startled face in turn and finally stated, "Either someone's got a really bad sense of humor, or we're in loads of trouble."
~*~
Hermione sat curled on the love seat, with Ron close beside her. Mrs Weasley was sitting in a rocker near them, and Ginny and her other brothers were crowded on the couch. Mr Weasley, Lupin, and Harry were in the other room; and Mr Weasley was talking loudly to Cornelius Fudge via floo powder. Everyone was silent, hoping to hear their conversation, but unfortunately it was too muffled....by magic, apparently. Bill squirmed in his seat, and Hermione recognized the look of frustration on his face. He'd wanted to accompany his father and Lupin when they spoke with the Minister, but after a loud argument, Bill returned angrily to the parlor.
Mrs Weasley wrung her hands and eyed the parlor door worriedly. Hermione turned to look at the door, wondering what had brought Mr Weasley back so soon from Hogwarts.
They hadn't had a chance to find out what had happened at Hogwarts, as Mrs Weasley, Lupin and Bill had pulled Mr Weasley aside the moment he'd returned. They had spoked together quietly, and then Lupin and Mr Weasley had asked Harry in to the fireplace.
It was as if the attack on Hogwarts hadn't happened--if it had, Mr Weasley would have been gone longer than this.
Hermione turned around again, clutching Ron's hand tightly, and felt someone's eyes on her. She looked up, and saw that Mrs Weasley was eyeing them intently. Hermione felt the urge to let go of Ron's hand, but something stopped her.
She didn't want to hide from anyone her feelings about Ron. And...the way Mrs Weasley was looking at them wasn't disaproving. In fact....Mrs Weasley almost looked...relieved.
Hermione smiled at Ron's mum, and Mrs Weasley smiled back weakly. Hermione just happened to catch Ron's eye, and she saw he was blushing again. At that, Fred coughed, and Ginny made a little sound as if to say something. Thankfully, Ginny was interupted when Mr Weasley returned to the parlor.
"Harry is going with Remus to St. Mungo's for the night. Harry told us...." Mr Weasely's voice ebbed wearily.
Ron broke away from Hermione's grasp and stood up. "Dad, I need to tell you-"
Mr Weasley put up his hand. "Harry explained everything. I know you helped him, Ron. That's why Professor Dumbledore is going to join Harry at St. Mungo's. Dumbledore will let us know if he wants you to come to St. Mungo's, as well. For now....the Healers want to see if there's anything they can do to block whatever's....whoever's accessing him."
"What about Hogwarts?" Bill asked loudly, a hint of irritation in his voice.
Mr Weasley turned to him. "Hogwarts was never attacked. I arrived, and everything was as it should be. The letter I received was genuine, so I contacted the Ministry of Magic. They looked into the matter, and found that some employees experienced temporary amnesia. We don't know who did this for sure....but we can guess."
Voldemort, Hermione thought. He was.....
"Testing us!" Hermione blurted loudly.
Everyone turned to her. She leaned back into the cushions of the love seat, and looked into the face of each person around her. Her face burned, as she hadn't intended to say it out loud at all.
After a moment, Ron settled next to her, and said very quietly, almost as if to Hermione personally. "It's Voldemort. He's testing us."
Hermione turned and smiled at his profile. She was proud of him. Looking up at Mr Weasley, she said, "Exactly. He's testing all his powers, trying to see what he can and can't do."
Mr Weasley smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "That's what Dumbledore thought, too. Cornelius Fudge was harder to convince." He pursed his lips and grimaced. "It's why Dumbledore wants Harry at St. Mungo's tonight. Who knows what Voldemort's capable of doing if he's using Harry as a conduit for his powers?"
Hermione felt a little nauseated as she saw Charlie sit up straighter at that. "What exactly did Harry do to Remus?"
Mr Weasley shook his head. "We're not certain, and that's why Remus went to St. Mungo's as well. He's going to be examined thoroughly. He only remembered screaming and feeling incredibly hot, and then he lost consciousness. Harry was glaring at him, saying very strange things..totally unlike him, from what Remus said."
Mrs Weasley stood up at that, walked over to her husband, and turned back to the group. "All right, I think we've had enough excitement for the morning. Why don't you all help yourselves to some pie?"
Charlie, Bill, Fred, George, and Ginny stood up slowly and began to walk toward the kitchen. As Ron rose from the love seat and started to pull Hermoine up with him, Mr and Mrs Weasley stopped them. Hermione noticed that the others were oblivious as they talked amongst themselves and entered the kitchen.
Mrs Weasley looked pointedly up at Ron and took his arm. She then gave Hermione a warm glance, and said softly, "Why don't you two come upstairs with us? We have something very important to discuss with you."
Ron let out a load groan, but Mr Weasley tut-tutted. He looked very awkward, and let out a little cough.
Mrs Weasley was tugging on Ron's arm, and Hermione was about to tug on his other one, when Ron muttered unexpectedly, "I already know what you want to talk about, Mum."
Mrs Weasley looked taken aback for a brief moment, and then she straightened. "I'm afraid it's a little bit more urgent than that, Ron." At that, she gave Hermione a very long, pointed look.
For the first time under Mrs Weasley's gaze, Hermione felt very uncomfortable. Mrs Weasley was analyzing her...and it was very disturbing.
Mr Weasley spoke suddenly, as he tugged at his collar. "Please come with us. It's important."
Hermione felt Ron's body relax, as if defeated, and he slowly moved toward the stairs, pulling Hermione with him. Mr and Mrs Weasley followed them up the stairs and ushered them into their bedroom.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OK...that's a good place to end, heh-heh!
I'm sorry I've been "gone" so long. I've just been taking the break I told you about before. I'm going to try to update a bit more frequently, and I know this chapter was really short! I had to get something out there so you still know I'm alive!
As always...any feedback is loved and appreciated!