CHAPTER 3 Old Books And Old Friendships
"What do you mean Hermione?" Harry asked getting quite nervous now, under her piercing gaze.
"I don't think we should talk about it here, come with me", Hermione replied rather mysteriously. She got up off Harry's chair picked up the book and walked out of the Auror's Headquarters, Harry following closely behind. Once they reached the corridors of the Department of Mysteries, Harry let out a long sigh.
"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked turning around and taking off her spectacles.
"Its just odd, the last time I was down here was in fifth year, when, well you know", Harry replied rather uncomfortably.
I know, it was really odd and frightening for me too the first few weeks, but I got used to it", Hermione said reassuringly. She led him to the circular room and held out her wand as the doors began spinning in front of them, stopping at the door Harry presumed to be the one they needed to go through. Hermione opened the door and Harry saw a rather small library with only a few windows high up and books piled everywhere, on tables, chairs and cupboards. A large mahogany table was almost completely covered in books, old parchment and notes. Three squashy armchairs were scattered loosely around the room, and Harry dragged the nearest one to the table, where Hermione sat behind. She shuffled through some parchments, before picking up the one she needed and went to the rows of bookshelves on one side of the room.
"What exactly are you looking for Hermione?" Harry asked as he craned his neck to see what Hermione was doing.
"Looking for a reference book. It was customary for the Ministry to make reference books of all the books they held or knew of, where they give you a description of the book, a summary of its contents and who and when it was written", Hermione replied behind a shelf.
"Sounds like something you would do", Harry said grinning.
"Very funny!" Hermione replied as she headed back to the table and sat down on the chair behind it. "Lets see", she muttered as she flicked through the pages, readjusting her specs on the bridge of her nose. Her hair had broken loose of its elastic band and was falling into Hermione's face, obstructing her view of the book.
"Found it", she muttered happily and read out, "The book, The Greatest Thing There Is, is one of the most powerful books ever made, formed out of ancient magic, the magic was fused and crafted together into a book form, and consists of raw and uncontrolled magic. The book on the outside, looks like a plain book with a leather covering and its pages are filled with talk of power, inner magic and what controls and activates this magic. Made in the 16th century, it is thought to be the only book of its kind. No-one apart from its creator knew how to unlock its secrets and release its energy, so it was considered useless and a fraud. Its secrets were lost for a couple of hundred years, until someone came across a letter the creator wrote and interest in the book was revived. Over the last hundred years many powerful Warlocks, wizards and witches have tried to unlock its secrets but none have been successful. It remains as one of the greatest mysteries surrounding a book".
"That doesn't tell me very much, apart from what you suspected before. This is a powerful book, but if no-one can find out what it does or use this energy, why is it so bad that the Dark wizards had this in their possession", Harry asked.
"Don't you understand Harry, the reason all those Warlocks, wizards and witches couldn't unlock its secrets because they were all in the Ministry or had no dealings with the dark arts. I don't know who the creator was, but it seems pretty certain to me, this wizard was a dark wizard, someone who dabbled in the dark arts and forbidden curses. Seems only natural that's why the Dark wizards wanted this book, they must know something about this book that the Ministry don't. something they could only have found out from its creator", Hermione replied in the tone like she was explaining something incredibly simple to a child.
"But this is all guesswork Hermione", Harry said, "How can you be sure this is actually the case?"
"Harry when you work here as long as I do, working on old books, black cults and Dark Lords, you learn a little on how they act, think and work. Plus I read a rather interesting theses from a very renowned old Auror on the origins of this book", Hermione said holding up the book. "He believes the wizard was much too fishy for the Ministry at the time and there were allegations he belonged to the dark arts cult of the time, the Nefarious Cult".
"You read too much Hermione", Harry replied shaking his head, like she had lost all hope of being normal.
"And you don't read enough Harry. Sometimes its actually good to know things", Hermione replied sweetly.
"So what now?"
"Well Mr Hodgkins wants me on the case to help you out with the book. Leave it with me and I'll work on it", Hermione replied.
"Ok, thanks Hermione", Harry said smiling.
"No problem Harry, what are friends for?" she replied smiling back at him.
"So you want to go out and grab some lunch later on?"
"Sure, say about one in the Atrium?"
"It's a date", Harry said grinning.
***************************************************
At one o clock that afternoon, Hermione was walking towards Harry, who standing at a fountain of two wizards duelling, a boy crouching and a woman being blocked by a statue. The fountain had been erected after the destruction of the old one, and this new one was dedicated to the struggle against evil.
"That fountain still takes my breath away every time I see it", Hermione said as she walked up to Harry, who was staring at the fountain.
"Its weird seeing yourself in gold and have that scene cast to make a fountain", Harry said still looking at the fountain.
"Come on Harry", Hermione said, walking towards one of the fireplaces. "Our table is waiting".
They Flooed their way to Diagon Alley and stepped out in the Leaky Cauldron. They continued their mindless banter as they walked outside, and through the arch of Diagon Alley. They purposefully made their way down to the bottom of the street, passing Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with only a glance at the shop window, before stopping at a small café with a red sign that was in the form of a goblin.
"How on earth do you ever find these places Hermione?" Harry asked as he looked at the sign and the café. Then his mouth dropped open and he groaned. "God Hermione, don't tell me that's a house elf on the sign!"
"Of course it is", Hermione added sweetly opening the door.
"You mean there are other nutters who believe this sort of thing?" Harry asked flabbergasted as Hermione led him inside a rather dark café to a corner where a wooden table and two benches stood.
"What do you mean other nutters?" Hermione asked angrily, her voice reaching dangerous levels that could only mean a fight was about to erupt. Harry quickly sensed this and replied meekly.
"What I meant was I didn't know there were others who supported elf rights".
"Yes there are, I found this café by chance a few years back. The owners have let me help in their campaign to better Elf Rights. And all the elves who work here are freed, receive pay and get holidays. It must be heaven for them", Hermione said proudly.
"Or Winky's nightmare", Harry muttered under his breath as Hermione had turned around to look for the owner.
Soon they had ordered their meal and were comfortably eating and chatting animatedly, when two wizards from the Ministry barged rushing over Harry and Hermione sat.
"What is it Kensington, Griffith?" Harry asked confused as he put his fork down.
"Harry, Miss Granger, its important you come back to the Ministry as soon as possible. The book's been stolen!" Kensington replied hurriedly.
"What?" Hermione cried jumping up out of her chair. "How can that be?"
"You had better tell us along the way", Harry said getting up and throwing a few galleons onto the tip plate before rushing out with Hermione in tow.
"What do you mean Hermione?" Harry asked getting quite nervous now, under her piercing gaze.
"I don't think we should talk about it here, come with me", Hermione replied rather mysteriously. She got up off Harry's chair picked up the book and walked out of the Auror's Headquarters, Harry following closely behind. Once they reached the corridors of the Department of Mysteries, Harry let out a long sigh.
"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked turning around and taking off her spectacles.
"Its just odd, the last time I was down here was in fifth year, when, well you know", Harry replied rather uncomfortably.
I know, it was really odd and frightening for me too the first few weeks, but I got used to it", Hermione said reassuringly. She led him to the circular room and held out her wand as the doors began spinning in front of them, stopping at the door Harry presumed to be the one they needed to go through. Hermione opened the door and Harry saw a rather small library with only a few windows high up and books piled everywhere, on tables, chairs and cupboards. A large mahogany table was almost completely covered in books, old parchment and notes. Three squashy armchairs were scattered loosely around the room, and Harry dragged the nearest one to the table, where Hermione sat behind. She shuffled through some parchments, before picking up the one she needed and went to the rows of bookshelves on one side of the room.
"What exactly are you looking for Hermione?" Harry asked as he craned his neck to see what Hermione was doing.
"Looking for a reference book. It was customary for the Ministry to make reference books of all the books they held or knew of, where they give you a description of the book, a summary of its contents and who and when it was written", Hermione replied behind a shelf.
"Sounds like something you would do", Harry said grinning.
"Very funny!" Hermione replied as she headed back to the table and sat down on the chair behind it. "Lets see", she muttered as she flicked through the pages, readjusting her specs on the bridge of her nose. Her hair had broken loose of its elastic band and was falling into Hermione's face, obstructing her view of the book.
"Found it", she muttered happily and read out, "The book, The Greatest Thing There Is, is one of the most powerful books ever made, formed out of ancient magic, the magic was fused and crafted together into a book form, and consists of raw and uncontrolled magic. The book on the outside, looks like a plain book with a leather covering and its pages are filled with talk of power, inner magic and what controls and activates this magic. Made in the 16th century, it is thought to be the only book of its kind. No-one apart from its creator knew how to unlock its secrets and release its energy, so it was considered useless and a fraud. Its secrets were lost for a couple of hundred years, until someone came across a letter the creator wrote and interest in the book was revived. Over the last hundred years many powerful Warlocks, wizards and witches have tried to unlock its secrets but none have been successful. It remains as one of the greatest mysteries surrounding a book".
"That doesn't tell me very much, apart from what you suspected before. This is a powerful book, but if no-one can find out what it does or use this energy, why is it so bad that the Dark wizards had this in their possession", Harry asked.
"Don't you understand Harry, the reason all those Warlocks, wizards and witches couldn't unlock its secrets because they were all in the Ministry or had no dealings with the dark arts. I don't know who the creator was, but it seems pretty certain to me, this wizard was a dark wizard, someone who dabbled in the dark arts and forbidden curses. Seems only natural that's why the Dark wizards wanted this book, they must know something about this book that the Ministry don't. something they could only have found out from its creator", Hermione replied in the tone like she was explaining something incredibly simple to a child.
"But this is all guesswork Hermione", Harry said, "How can you be sure this is actually the case?"
"Harry when you work here as long as I do, working on old books, black cults and Dark Lords, you learn a little on how they act, think and work. Plus I read a rather interesting theses from a very renowned old Auror on the origins of this book", Hermione said holding up the book. "He believes the wizard was much too fishy for the Ministry at the time and there were allegations he belonged to the dark arts cult of the time, the Nefarious Cult".
"You read too much Hermione", Harry replied shaking his head, like she had lost all hope of being normal.
"And you don't read enough Harry. Sometimes its actually good to know things", Hermione replied sweetly.
"So what now?"
"Well Mr Hodgkins wants me on the case to help you out with the book. Leave it with me and I'll work on it", Hermione replied.
"Ok, thanks Hermione", Harry said smiling.
"No problem Harry, what are friends for?" she replied smiling back at him.
"So you want to go out and grab some lunch later on?"
"Sure, say about one in the Atrium?"
"It's a date", Harry said grinning.
***************************************************
At one o clock that afternoon, Hermione was walking towards Harry, who standing at a fountain of two wizards duelling, a boy crouching and a woman being blocked by a statue. The fountain had been erected after the destruction of the old one, and this new one was dedicated to the struggle against evil.
"That fountain still takes my breath away every time I see it", Hermione said as she walked up to Harry, who was staring at the fountain.
"Its weird seeing yourself in gold and have that scene cast to make a fountain", Harry said still looking at the fountain.
"Come on Harry", Hermione said, walking towards one of the fireplaces. "Our table is waiting".
They Flooed their way to Diagon Alley and stepped out in the Leaky Cauldron. They continued their mindless banter as they walked outside, and through the arch of Diagon Alley. They purposefully made their way down to the bottom of the street, passing Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with only a glance at the shop window, before stopping at a small café with a red sign that was in the form of a goblin.
"How on earth do you ever find these places Hermione?" Harry asked as he looked at the sign and the café. Then his mouth dropped open and he groaned. "God Hermione, don't tell me that's a house elf on the sign!"
"Of course it is", Hermione added sweetly opening the door.
"You mean there are other nutters who believe this sort of thing?" Harry asked flabbergasted as Hermione led him inside a rather dark café to a corner where a wooden table and two benches stood.
"What do you mean other nutters?" Hermione asked angrily, her voice reaching dangerous levels that could only mean a fight was about to erupt. Harry quickly sensed this and replied meekly.
"What I meant was I didn't know there were others who supported elf rights".
"Yes there are, I found this café by chance a few years back. The owners have let me help in their campaign to better Elf Rights. And all the elves who work here are freed, receive pay and get holidays. It must be heaven for them", Hermione said proudly.
"Or Winky's nightmare", Harry muttered under his breath as Hermione had turned around to look for the owner.
Soon they had ordered their meal and were comfortably eating and chatting animatedly, when two wizards from the Ministry barged rushing over Harry and Hermione sat.
"What is it Kensington, Griffith?" Harry asked confused as he put his fork down.
"Harry, Miss Granger, its important you come back to the Ministry as soon as possible. The book's been stolen!" Kensington replied hurriedly.
"What?" Hermione cried jumping up out of her chair. "How can that be?"
"You had better tell us along the way", Harry said getting up and throwing a few galleons onto the tip plate before rushing out with Hermione in tow.
