Chapter 3-going to Hogwarts
Hermione slid through the grate and picked herself up shivering as she moved away from the fireplace. The house was giving her the creeps and she couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. Quietly she ran upstairs and packed her trunk muggle fashion folding all her robes neatly to make it take more time. She wanted to delay going downstairs as long as possible. Ginny came in the room and said "Why don't you get one of the Order to pack your trunk for you. It would be much quicker." Hermione looked up and replied "Yeah I thought of that but sometimes packing muggle fashion helps me think and although it takes time."
"Are you trying to go back to your origins?"
"No. but some things I find easier in the muggle fashion and I can pack logically so when I unpack I can put things away in an order."
"What's that on your wrist Hermione?" asked Ron suspiciously.
Hermione looked down at the new plaster on her wrist. Thinking fast she said "Oh I cut my wrist while helping mum skin potatoes." Thinking of the knife and plasters in her bag.
"How did you do that?"
"Well you skin potatoes by drawing the knife under the skins and pulling towards you. I caught the edge of the knife on my wrist." rejoicing in the fact that when she went to Hogwarts she would be able to use a concealing spell.
"But the line is so even and straight judging by the thinness and straightness of the plaster." said Ron getting very suspicious.
"Hermione are you cutting yourself deliberately?" asked Harry curiously.
"No why would I do that?" asked Hermione wishing that she was allowed to use magic outside school. "What would be the point? Did you honestly think that I was cutting myself on purpose?"
"Well the fact that the plaster and therefore the cut is so straight suggests that it's deliberate. If you really did it by accident the line wouldn't be so straight." said Ron.
"Well if you don't believe me I don't want to spend time convincing anyone." Said Hermione turning back to her packing putting her books in her trunk in an ordered fashion.
"Hermione aren't you a bit bored packing so slowly?"
"No I'm not bored Ron." Reaching for her Seer books and placing them in her trunk. Then she laid a large piece of cloth on the ground and placed her crystal ball on it.
"Hermione before you rap up your crystal ball can I hold it please?" asked Ginny hopefully.
Hermione looked at her hopeful face and carefully picked up her crystal ball "Yes you can hold it but be very careful please. It's my most precious thing." She said giving the crystal ball to Ginny who held it with both hands very tightly.
"It's really heavy." she said "but it's the smoothest thing that I've ever held." Gently giving it back to Hermione who put it down. Then suddenly without warning she swayed. "The Dark Lord is gathering more forces. No-one can stop him but one person. The Death Eaters will break out of Azkaban and the story will be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow." then she fainted onto her trunk. Harry, Ginny and Ron stared at her in awe, fascination and fright. They had never seen Hermione give a prophecy. She was scary and her voice was so powerful that it seemed like it travelled. Suddenly they heard the running of footsteps. Professor Dumbledore came into the room flowed by Remus.
"What happened?" asked Remus looking at Hermione lying limp over her trunk.
"She gave a prophecy Remus." said Dumbledore quietly. "Ron, Harry, Ginny what did she say?"
They all spoke at the same time "She said 'The Dark Lord is gathering more forces. No-one can stop him but one person. The Death Eaters will break out of Azkaban and the story will be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow.'"
Remus looked at them and said quietly "Dumbledore we should take these children to the Hogwarts Express now. I know it's very early and it's due to leave in two hours but it we need time to get Hermione on the train. She doesn't look like she's going to wake up for at least another two hours anyway. After the prophecy she'll be tired and she might not be able to stand up. Ron, Harry and Ginny might want to stay with her and it would be easier if they all went to the station at the same time."
"No Remus. Let's take the children to Hogwarts by flo powder. It will be quicker." replied Dumbledore looking grave. Then he lifted Hermione and carried her to the fireplace. Dropping some flo powder in the flames he said "My office Hogwarts." And with a wosh of green flames he and Hermione were gone.
"Harry, Ron, and Ginny you should get going. Take your trunks and Hermione's with you to Kings Cross." They dragged the trunks to a car very slowly.
Once they were on the train Harry, Ron and Ginny started talking.
"Why did she keep it a secret from us for so long?"
"Well she was frightened. And thought the less people who know my secret the better." replied Ron to Ginny's question as the train pulled into the station.