Chapter 11:
After the information Ginny provided a few nights ago every spare moment the trio had there was at least Harry, Ron, Hermione or Ginny at Luna's bedside. If she managed to utter any more vital information about their mystery rat they would tell the next person on shift. Professor Gertrude was noticing this and was becoming increasingly worried.
"So, has she said anything yet Harry?" Ginny asked as she sat down next to her best friend.
"No, just a bunch of nonsense." Harry replied. Just then Luna began to speak.
"Harry hear this must. Have tell to Harry."
"She's been saying that over and over again. But she never tells me what it is I'm supposed to hear." Harry sighs.
"Well, you had better go down and get some lunch. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Ginny said as Harry left her alone with a mumbling Luna.
This goes on for perfectly for a couple of days. Until one day, Gertrude notices Luna is alone. No one is with her to stop her dealing with her once and for all. As the lord had ordered to her after he got her second note.
"Ah, finally alone Miss. Lovegood. No one to help you now." She says softly.
She raises her wand to Luna's heart and draws a deep breath just as Ron enters the room.
"Hey, What are you doing here Professor?" Ron asks.
"What? Oh, just seeing how Luna is. Shouldn't you be in bed by now?" she asks him back.
"Oh, well, um..." Ron trails off. Now Gertrude's wand was pointed at him. "What are you doing?" he asks backing up slowly.
But before he can leave vines emerge from her wand and begin to tie him up. So tight are the vines that he can't even wiggle his hands to get free.
"You now too much too. I was warned about you and you're friends. Always helping people and sticking you're nose where it doesn't belong... Legilimens!" She shouts.
Before he knows it he sees Harry sitting on the couch and they are talking about the new Professor. But as though she was fast forwarding his mind to a specific time and spot everything seems to go bye double time. Then Ron is staring out the window and is looking at Hermione. He mentions on how gorgeous she is.
"So, you have a soft spot for that girl? Well maybe she'll be more forthcoming if she fells your in danger? Shall we see?" She asks Ron
"No, leave her out of this. She wont tell you or show you anything either. I can promise you that." Ron states
Back in the girls' dormitory Hermione begins to dream of Ron yelling for help. But realizing it was really happening she wakes up with a start. She goes over to the window and sees Professor Gertrude dragging Ron to the Dark Forest. But she knew he was supposed to be in the Hospital Wing with Luna. Worried she get dressed and decides to go check if he is there or not.
As she enters the Hospital wing she sees that Ron is not there. Knowing that it was not just her imagination she runs out of the Hospital wing and dashes toward the forest. She travels through the dark panting, trying to catch up to the professor and the very hurt Ron. She sees the Professor Stop in the middle of the clearing.
As it appears Ron is calling for help. Hermione has no idea that what she sees is not really what is. Professor Gertrude turns around and calls to Hermione.
"Come out. I know you're there. Can't you see your boy friend needs your help?"
Hermione steps out from behind the tree. "Why are you doing this? Please let him go!" she says.
Gertrude troughs Ron down by a tree and walks over to her. "Why? Cause you have something I want!" she states.
"And what is that?" Hermione says coldly.
"I want to know about Potter!" Gertrude states.
"I'll never tell you what he knows." Hermione says defiantly.
"What is wrong with a teacher getting to know her pupil a little better?" Professor Gertrude asks.
"Everything, if they want to use it to do harm!" Hermione lets slip.
Stunned Gertrude says "What? Hurt Potter?" "What does this girl know?" she thinks.
"What do you know... about Potter? Legilimens!" Gertrude shouts in the night.
As it hits she tries to fight it, to get her out of her head. But Hermione is sitting beside Ron in the common room. She was being told about what Ginny had told Harry. Then she found herself suggesting that the rat-man is an animagus, and suggesting about Sirius.
"Tell me more of what you know!" Gertrude demands.
"No!" Hermione shouts back.
"Crucio!" the Professor says to Ron.
Ron begins to scream in pain. He begins to twitch and shake.
"No, stop don't hurt him." She says. "He...he...Harry knows who the rat-man is...or thinks he does... he has some suspects." She stutters quietly.
"Who does he think it is?" Gertrude asks sternly.
"I will never tell you" Hermione replies.
"Fine, you won't tell me. I'll just have to see it for my self. Legilimens!"
Then Gertrude sees Harry explaining the names that Luna kept repeating, "Tailblack, Wormbald, Tailbald, Tail, Worm!""
Gertrude pushes further and further into her mind. Digging for who Harry suspects to be the rat-man. Gertrude realizes she will get no further information, decides to leave. Before heading out she hits Hermione over her head and stalks off. Just before Hermione falls to the hard, cold floor. She sees that The Ron twitching on the floor was fading and being replaced with an unconscious one. Hermione lies on the ground, barely conscious, hearing Ron scream trying to wake her up in her head. It's a while before both Ron and Hermione wake up... Weakly Hermione moves over to untie Ron and then Ron helps her back to the castle and up to the Gryffindor common room.
Ron and Hermione walk into the common room.
"Ron, I have to talk to Harry, now!" Hermione says slowly.
"Kay, stay here. I'll go get him." Ron says as he places her on the sofa and heads up to wake Harry.
Ron pushes and shoves Harry, desperately trying to wake him up.
"Harry, Harry. Wake up. Hermione needs to talk to you." Ron says quietly.
"Okay Ron. I'll be right there." Harry says sleepily turning over.
"No, now Harry." Ron shouts quietly in his ear.
""Okay. Don't shout I heard you! Let's go." Harry says, now awake.
When Harry reaches Hermione on the sofa he can't help but notice how bad she looks. And now in the fire light notices how badly Ron looks now too.
"What is it Hermione and why do you two look so bad? What happened to you two?" Harry gasps.
"Harry, I'm so sorry. I told Gertrude what you knew. But most of it she used "Legilimens" to find. Harry can you forgive me?" Hermione says quietly, and in pain with a headache.
"Yeah, of course!" Harry replies softly.
"We um... the professor wanted to know what you know about what's been going on and she used a spells to get it out of us!" Ron says blushing.
"I only did it because she was going to hurt Ron." Hermione replies also blushing.
Harry thought it only proved his theory's, that they did in fact have feelings for each other. He wasn't thinking of the fact that she now had more stuff to use against him. He began to smile a bit. Then it hit him. "She has more stuff to tell the person she works for.."
Before he could think any more Hermione interrupted him.
"You have to tell Professor Dumbledore Harry.
"But..." Harry begins.
"No mate. She's right. You have to." Ron interjects.
"If you don't tell him Harry, we will. And we'll drag you with us all the way to his office." Hermione states, with Ron nodding his agreement.
After the information Ginny provided a few nights ago every spare moment the trio had there was at least Harry, Ron, Hermione or Ginny at Luna's bedside. If she managed to utter any more vital information about their mystery rat they would tell the next person on shift. Professor Gertrude was noticing this and was becoming increasingly worried.
"So, has she said anything yet Harry?" Ginny asked as she sat down next to her best friend.
"No, just a bunch of nonsense." Harry replied. Just then Luna began to speak.
"Harry hear this must. Have tell to Harry."
"She's been saying that over and over again. But she never tells me what it is I'm supposed to hear." Harry sighs.
"Well, you had better go down and get some lunch. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Ginny said as Harry left her alone with a mumbling Luna.
This goes on for perfectly for a couple of days. Until one day, Gertrude notices Luna is alone. No one is with her to stop her dealing with her once and for all. As the lord had ordered to her after he got her second note.
"Ah, finally alone Miss. Lovegood. No one to help you now." She says softly.
She raises her wand to Luna's heart and draws a deep breath just as Ron enters the room.
"Hey, What are you doing here Professor?" Ron asks.
"What? Oh, just seeing how Luna is. Shouldn't you be in bed by now?" she asks him back.
"Oh, well, um..." Ron trails off. Now Gertrude's wand was pointed at him. "What are you doing?" he asks backing up slowly.
But before he can leave vines emerge from her wand and begin to tie him up. So tight are the vines that he can't even wiggle his hands to get free.
"You now too much too. I was warned about you and you're friends. Always helping people and sticking you're nose where it doesn't belong... Legilimens!" She shouts.
Before he knows it he sees Harry sitting on the couch and they are talking about the new Professor. But as though she was fast forwarding his mind to a specific time and spot everything seems to go bye double time. Then Ron is staring out the window and is looking at Hermione. He mentions on how gorgeous she is.
"So, you have a soft spot for that girl? Well maybe she'll be more forthcoming if she fells your in danger? Shall we see?" She asks Ron
"No, leave her out of this. She wont tell you or show you anything either. I can promise you that." Ron states
Back in the girls' dormitory Hermione begins to dream of Ron yelling for help. But realizing it was really happening she wakes up with a start. She goes over to the window and sees Professor Gertrude dragging Ron to the Dark Forest. But she knew he was supposed to be in the Hospital Wing with Luna. Worried she get dressed and decides to go check if he is there or not.
As she enters the Hospital wing she sees that Ron is not there. Knowing that it was not just her imagination she runs out of the Hospital wing and dashes toward the forest. She travels through the dark panting, trying to catch up to the professor and the very hurt Ron. She sees the Professor Stop in the middle of the clearing.
As it appears Ron is calling for help. Hermione has no idea that what she sees is not really what is. Professor Gertrude turns around and calls to Hermione.
"Come out. I know you're there. Can't you see your boy friend needs your help?"
Hermione steps out from behind the tree. "Why are you doing this? Please let him go!" she says.
Gertrude troughs Ron down by a tree and walks over to her. "Why? Cause you have something I want!" she states.
"And what is that?" Hermione says coldly.
"I want to know about Potter!" Gertrude states.
"I'll never tell you what he knows." Hermione says defiantly.
"What is wrong with a teacher getting to know her pupil a little better?" Professor Gertrude asks.
"Everything, if they want to use it to do harm!" Hermione lets slip.
Stunned Gertrude says "What? Hurt Potter?" "What does this girl know?" she thinks.
"What do you know... about Potter? Legilimens!" Gertrude shouts in the night.
As it hits she tries to fight it, to get her out of her head. But Hermione is sitting beside Ron in the common room. She was being told about what Ginny had told Harry. Then she found herself suggesting that the rat-man is an animagus, and suggesting about Sirius.
"Tell me more of what you know!" Gertrude demands.
"No!" Hermione shouts back.
"Crucio!" the Professor says to Ron.
Ron begins to scream in pain. He begins to twitch and shake.
"No, stop don't hurt him." She says. "He...he...Harry knows who the rat-man is...or thinks he does... he has some suspects." She stutters quietly.
"Who does he think it is?" Gertrude asks sternly.
"I will never tell you" Hermione replies.
"Fine, you won't tell me. I'll just have to see it for my self. Legilimens!"
Then Gertrude sees Harry explaining the names that Luna kept repeating, "Tailblack, Wormbald, Tailbald, Tail, Worm!""
Gertrude pushes further and further into her mind. Digging for who Harry suspects to be the rat-man. Gertrude realizes she will get no further information, decides to leave. Before heading out she hits Hermione over her head and stalks off. Just before Hermione falls to the hard, cold floor. She sees that The Ron twitching on the floor was fading and being replaced with an unconscious one. Hermione lies on the ground, barely conscious, hearing Ron scream trying to wake her up in her head. It's a while before both Ron and Hermione wake up... Weakly Hermione moves over to untie Ron and then Ron helps her back to the castle and up to the Gryffindor common room.
Ron and Hermione walk into the common room.
"Ron, I have to talk to Harry, now!" Hermione says slowly.
"Kay, stay here. I'll go get him." Ron says as he places her on the sofa and heads up to wake Harry.
Ron pushes and shoves Harry, desperately trying to wake him up.
"Harry, Harry. Wake up. Hermione needs to talk to you." Ron says quietly.
"Okay Ron. I'll be right there." Harry says sleepily turning over.
"No, now Harry." Ron shouts quietly in his ear.
""Okay. Don't shout I heard you! Let's go." Harry says, now awake.
When Harry reaches Hermione on the sofa he can't help but notice how bad she looks. And now in the fire light notices how badly Ron looks now too.
"What is it Hermione and why do you two look so bad? What happened to you two?" Harry gasps.
"Harry, I'm so sorry. I told Gertrude what you knew. But most of it she used "Legilimens" to find. Harry can you forgive me?" Hermione says quietly, and in pain with a headache.
"Yeah, of course!" Harry replies softly.
"We um... the professor wanted to know what you know about what's been going on and she used a spells to get it out of us!" Ron says blushing.
"I only did it because she was going to hurt Ron." Hermione replies also blushing.
Harry thought it only proved his theory's, that they did in fact have feelings for each other. He wasn't thinking of the fact that she now had more stuff to use against him. He began to smile a bit. Then it hit him. "She has more stuff to tell the person she works for.."
Before he could think any more Hermione interrupted him.
"You have to tell Professor Dumbledore Harry.
"But..." Harry begins.
"No mate. She's right. You have to." Ron interjects.
"If you don't tell him Harry, we will. And we'll drag you with us all the way to his office." Hermione states, with Ron nodding his agreement.