Disclaimer: Everyone knows I didn't create these characters or the magical world of Harry Potter, so why must I write one of these?
(A/N: I decided to edit this story and make it longer and more thorough, so I adapted it from a screenplay I wrote of the same story. I hope that just made sense! Anyway, enjoy!)
Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the Gryffindor Common Room late one night. Ron was sitting on the couch by the crackling fire, sorting through his hundreds of wizard cards. Hermione was doing homework at the table, as usual, and Harry was sitting in a broken down armchair, his head resting on his arm and a newspaper in his lap. The headline read "You-Know-Who Strikes Again!" Harry sat for a moment, thinking, when suddenly he popped up out of his chair.
"We have to go after him," he said. "This can't go on any longer."
Ron turned around from his cards, looking confused. "What, Harry?"
"Voldemort is killing more and more innocent people every day. It has to stop!" Harry yelled.
"There's nothing we can do," Ron said quietly, "V-v-Voldemort is more powerful than us, we'd be killed."
"We shouldn't..." Hermione started, but she was interrupted by Harry.
"Fine!" he shouted. "If you two are too...too cowardly to do anything, I'll do it myself!"
Ron stood up quickly, knocking his precious cards to the ground, though he barely noticed. "No, Harry, you can't fight him!"
Hermione sat watching the boys argue, tears starting to form in her eyes.
"He killed my parents, Ron," Harry continued. "Wouldn't you want to kill the bastard too?"
Ron didn't know what to say; he knew Harry's parents has been murdered when he was only a baby. "I know, Harry. I just don't want to see my best friend along with the rest of those innocent people."
Harry took this into consideration, but changed his mind quickly. "I'm going," he stated simply.
Hermione jumped up from the chair she was sitting upon. "Harry, please!" She walked quickly over to Harry and wrapped her arms around him tightly, put Harry pushed her hard enough to make her stumble backwards and fall. Hermione scraped her arm on the table on her way down.
Ron was outraged. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked Harry.
Harry stood staring at Hermione and Ron with an expressionless face. He was already gone. "Don't try to stop me." Hermione sat holding her bleeding arm tenderly, now sobbing. "I'll be back once he's dead." With that, Harry walked to the portrait hole and crawled through it. Ron stared, stunned, after him.
"R-Ron..." Hermione started.
"Are you alright?" Ron asked, kneeling on the ground next to her. "You're bleeding."
"Yeah, I-I'm fine," she said between sobs.
"I'm just...going to bed now. I guess I'll...see you in the morning," Ron said slowly. He got off the ground and climbed the spiral staircase ever so slowly.
Hermione didn't know if Ron was really going to bed, but she thought she had better leave him alone for awhile. "Damnit, Harry!" she exclaimed.
The next day, the Gryffindor students had Divination. They sat in poofy beanbags and rustic armchairs all over the room. There were tea pots, tea cups and bowls of tea leaves in front of each student. Professor Trelawny, a gangly old woman with wild hair and thick spectacles, was sitting cross-legged in an orange armchair in front of the class.
"Now, my dear children," Professor Trelawny started. Lavender and Parvati picked up their tea cups excitedly as the professor spoke. Hermione, who was sitting in a beanbag next to Ron, rolled her eyes. "Pour the hot water into your teacups, and do be careful not to burn yourself. I don't want to be sending anyone to the infirmary.
Neville Longbottom tried to pour water into his teacup, but his hands were so shaky he dropped the teapot. The fine china shattered and all the water silled on him. "Ouch!" he exclaimed as the hot water reached his skin. Professor Trelawny looked up.
"Oh, dear," she said. "Mr. Longbottom, what did I just tell you?" She noticed the shattered teapot and grabbed the biggest piece gingerly. "And it just had to be the pink one, I was quite fond of it." Sighing, she hurried to help Neville while the rest of the students laughed. Ron, being the comic he was, laughed with everyone but Hermione had something else on her mind. Noticing the look on her face, Ron stopped laughing.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked. "Weren't you even watching?" Hermione didn't reply. She merely played with her tea leaves, crunching them in her fingers. Ron put his arm around her shoulders, understanding instantly what she's thinking about. "He'll come back," he said. "I know he will." Hermione smiled a bit.
Professor Trelawny came over, obviously annoyed over Neville and his clumsiness, and saw Hermione's mutilated tea leaves. "Dear heavens, child!" she exclaimed. "You've ruined perfectly good tea leaves! Now how do you intend on completing your project?"
At that very moment, there was a knock on the trapdoor. The professor looked up, now in a very bad mood. "Oh, what is it?" she said angrily. She opened the trapdoor and Professor McGonnagal climbed up, having a bit of trouble with her long robes. Once she reached the top, she whispered something in Trelawny's ear, who then gasped and jumped back.
"I knew it!" Trelawny exclaimed. "I saw it in my crystal ball a couple weeks ago..." She stopped talking when Professor McGonnagal gave her a sharp look. Trelawny cleared her throat nervously. "Uh, will Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger please go with Professor McGonnagal?"
Ron and Hermione looked at each other, thinking they were in trouble. They clambered out of their beanbags and as they began walking towards the trapdoor, the rest of the class started whispering. Ron threatened one of the boys, clenching his fists, but Hermione grabbed his arm. "Don't," she said quietly. Professor McGonnagal climbed down the ladder first, and when Ron and Hermione reached the ground as well, McGonnagal slammed the trapdoor in Professor Trelawny's face, who was trying to peek down at them.
Professor McGonnagal was walking down the long staircase quickly, and Ron and Hermione were having a hard time keeping up with her.
"Uh, Professor?" Ron said, slightly winded.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley?"
"Where exactly are we going?"
"Yeah," Hermione piped in. "Are we in trouble? Whatever it is, I swear, I had nothing to do with it!"
Professor McGonnagal, remaining expressionless, answered, "No, you aren't in trouble. Professor Dumbledore would like to have a word with you about something."
"Like?" Ron inquired.
"You'll just have to wait," McGonnagal answered. "Please, no more questions." Ron and Hermione were getting really confused, but they kept following the Professor. After walking for what seemed like hours, they arrived at a mahogany door with a shiny golden handle.
"Just go up the stairs and through the door at the top," said McGonnagal. "Professor Dumbledore will be waiting." She appeared to be getting emotional. All of a sudden she reached out and hugged a very shocked Ron, then Hermione, and she walked away rather quickly, clearly sobbing.
"What's wrong with her?" Hermione asked as soon as the Professor was out of earshot.
"I don't know," Ron answered. "Hey; what's the password?"
"Oh, no! McGonnagal didn't tell us! We'll just have to guess."
Ron looked shocked. "What? Where do we even start? There's millions of possibilities!"
"Well, let's try Muggle sweets...everyone knows Dumbledore loves them. Um, gummy bears?" The magical door didn't budge. Ron and Hermione continued to yell out words, hoping that one of them was the password.
"M&Ms," Ron shouted. "Skittles? Almond Joy!" The door still did not budge. "Hershey's?" Ron was getting agitated now. "Charleston Chew?! Lemon drop!"
It was Hermione's turn now. "Tootsie Roll? Carmel apple? Peanut brittle..." Suddenly the door opened. Ron had a very satisfied look on his face. "Thank God," Hermione said. Ron reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand, and the two walked up the stairs together. Slowly opening the door, they saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Granger and Miss Granger," he said. "I have some very unfortunate news for you...please, come closer." Ron and Hermione walked rather stiffly over to the desk and stood before it, Hermione stood closest to one of the many bookcases.
"I know you two and Mr. Potter were very good friends," Dumbledore said. "Perhaps the best friends I've seen since James, Remus and Sirius. But..."
"Is he back?" Hermione interrupted. "Is Harry coming back?"
"I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. Harry's been killed," Dumbledore said softly.
"No!" Hermione screamed. She slid down the bookcase, knocking down some books on her way, and began to cry loudly. Ron fell to his knees, put his hand in his hair and cried.
Dumbledore sat silently for a few moments, searching for something, anything to say. "Would you like to stay here or go back to the Gryffindor dormitories?" Ron and Hermione were both silent except for their loud crying.
"I shall leave you here," Dumbledore said understandingly. "You may stay as long as you'd like. It's about time for dinner." He quickly conjured up a platter of sandwiches and two goblets and placed them on his desk. Without another word, Dumbledore leaves his office. Hermione crawled over to Ron on shaky arms. They looked into each other's sorrowful eyes, and Ron pulled Hermione into a tight embrace. The two friends continued to cry together throughout the night.
(A/N) So how was it? Good? Or no? I know everyone's out of character, but just go with it. Review and I'll probably update sooner!! (wink, wink!!)