Chapter 7

The water had filled up to Hermione's ankles now, and more fountains kept popping up out of the stone floor and pouring water spilled out of them.

"Er, Hermione?" said Lily looking at the water strangely.

"Yes?" said Hermione, pulling up her robes so they wouldn't get wet.

"What do we do now?"

"I—I don't know! It's impossible to get out of here! Everything's stone! Wait a minute. You haven't started Hogwarts yet, right?"

"Yeah."

"But you were telling me that you know a few spells, am I right?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have your own wand?"

"Er, yeah. But my mom only lets me use it when she's around."

"That's it! Is your wand with you?"

"Well, I had it in my pocket when that man took me, I don't know if it fell out or not. Let me check."

She searched her pockets and pulled out a brown wand.

"Yes!" said Hermione.

"How come they didn't take it from me?"

"Because they were assuming that you didn't have a wand since you haven't started Hogwarts yet! They took my wand but they didn't expect you to have one. Give it here." Lily handed Hermione the wand.

"Bomberta! she yelled, and the stone wall suddenly exploded into blocks. "Get up, let's go!" said Hermione pulling Lily out of the room. They ran into another room, but there were many guards standing around and when they saw Hermione and Lily, they immediately pulled out their wands and started yelling out curses. Hermione and Lily hid behind a pile of boxes.

"Whatever you do, stay down. Don't let them find you."

"But—"

"Shh." Hermione stood up and aimed Lily's wand at a guard.

"Locomoter Mortis!" she yelled. The man's feet were instantly bonded and he fell to the floor.

"Petrificus Totalus!" the other man fell to the floor.

"Obliviate!" Everyone froze and stared at Hermione, then at the man whom memory she had erased.

"What was that for?"

"It was just at the top of my head!" she shrugged.

"Furnuculus!" yelled one of the guards. Hermione dodged the spell.

"Densaugeo!" yelled Hermione. His teeth began to grow.

"Crucio!" someone yelled.

Hermione hid behind the boxes.

"It's not working! There's too many of them!" said Lily.

"You're right." Hermione stood up.

"INCENDIO!" she yelled as loud as she could and a fire started in the room.

"Let's get out of here." said Hermione.

Lily nodded as they ran out of the room into the cold outdoors.

"I think we should send Ron and Harry an owl. Maybe your sister can be of some assistance."

"Yeah!"

Hermione ran toward 2 eagle owls perched on a stick and called them down. One of them had some blank parchment and a quill tied to it's leg, as if it knew Hermione would come.

She quickly scribbled a note to Harry and sent the owls off.

"And now we wait." said Hermione sitting on a log.

"And now we wait." echoed Lily, sitting next to her.

"How much longer do you think Harry?" asked Ron. "It's freezing."

"I'm not sure. But I can see the train tracks from here. Probably not too far." said Harry.

"Do you think Hermione's alright?"

"I'm sure she is. No can beat Hermione." Ron grinned.

"You're right. I just hope we get there soon to help her before someone can beat Hermione. She's not perfect, you know."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! For one thing she's MENTAL..." They laughed.

"Look there Ron, I think I can see Hogwarts."

"Yeah I see it too. Harry, what are we going to actually do back at Hogwarts?"

"I don't know. Talk to Dumbledore, perhaps?"

"Harry look! Eagle owls! With a parchment! If it's mum she'll KILL me..."

"I don't think the Order has any eagle owls Ron."

Harry balanced on his broom and reached his arm out to grab the parchment and quill from the owl's leg.

He gasped. "Ron! RON! You won't BELIEVE who this is from!"

"Who!?!?" said Ron.

"Hermione!" Harry unfolded the paper and read:

Ron and Harry,

I don't know where I am, but all I know is I need your help. I've got Mandy Brocklehurst's sister Lily here with me, and we are trapped in some kind of old house. Harry, please, get Mandy and find us. I know you know where we are, you always do. Please hurry Harry. Lily is only 10, and she's frightened. We escaped the dungeon Lucius had put us in, and are hiding in the forest. The owls will know where to find us. DON"T GET CAUGHT! You're in enough trouble as it is, I imagine. Hurry Harry. Hurry.

Hermione

"So we have to find Mandy Brocklehurst?"

"Yeah, but let me write to Hermione saying we got her note and are on our way."

"Hurry." Harry scribbled on the back of the parchment.

"Go on, give this to Hermione. Oh, and this too." He pulled out the 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches he had brought for Ron and him and tied the parchment string around the bag.

"Go! And hurry up!"