DISCLAIMER:

Since I'm not JK Rowling, I don't own the HP-characters.

They all belong to her and not to me. That's why I'm not making any money writing this fic.

First of all……I want to thank you all for the reviews, I couldn't believe how many I got.
I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm waiting for your responses.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Staring at the bearded man in front of them, the whole class looked confused.

"What?" Hermione asked faintly.

"I will be Professor Snape's replacement," Professor Price said friendlily.

Swiftly, Hermione picked up her fallen cauldron. While Professor Price was telling them what potion they were going to make that day, the Gryffindors started to gossip.

"I thought this day would never come!" Ron exclaimed to a very confused looking Harry, who obviously didn't realize what had just happened.

Everybody wanted to know why Snape had left, and everybody had a different theory. No matter if he left had voluntarily or had gotten fired, they were all happy that he was gone. Unlike Snape, Professor Price was a patient man. He explained to Neville how to cut the spider legs eight times without losing his temper or taking points from Gryffindor. He even awarded twenty points to Gryffindor. The Gryffindors had never earned points in Potions before.

When all of their classes for day were over, and as the students were eating their dinner, Ron and Harry were arguing about Quidditch.

"I don't care if it's raining or not, tonight we practice until nine o'clock," Harry told Ron. He was talking about quidditch practice of course. Ron muttered something back about meeting Simone that night but Hermione wasn't listening.

"Miss Granger, could I have a minute of your time?" a voice behind her said when she had just finished her desert.

Professor Harper stood behind her. It surprised Hermione that her professor was in the Great Hall; Harper rarely left the dungeons. In silence, the Head Girl followed her professor out of the Hall.

"The Headmaster assigned your detention tonight with me, but I think it would be better if you serve it with Mr. Filch," Harper told her uneasily.

Hermione nodded. "Thank you Professor," she said.

After being informed at what time Filch expected her, Hermione returned to the Great Hall. After seeing that most of the students had already finished their meals and since Ron and Harry were already off to the Quidditch Pitch, Hermione walked back to her rooms.

For her detention, Filch made Hermione polish the silver in the Trophy Room. After warning her not to use magic, he left, with Mrs. Norris following, to look for students who were breaking the rules.

Hermione had polished almost half of the trophies in the room when she heard a strange noise. She paused for a moment, but the noise was gone. Must have been my imagination, she thought.

A few minutes later she heard it again, but this time it didn't stop. Hermione abandoned her cleaning and walked towards the door. Slowly, she opened it, hoping that Filch wouldn't catch her. Nobody was there. I'm going paranoid, she thought as she started to clean again, if I go on like this I'll end up like Mad Eye Moody.

As she polished, Hermione's mind wandered off. She couldn't stop blaming herself for what had happened with Professor Snape. Tomorrow I'm going to Professor Dumbledore and explain what happened, she decided. Then she heard the noise again. It sounded like footsteps. She also got the feeling that someone was standing behind her, but when she turned around nobody was there. She knew that feeling well though.

Suddenly Hermione started to laugh, "Very funny Harry, but you're not scaring me this easily."

She couldn't believe that Harry would try to trick her with his invisibility cloak again. It was his favorite hobby the past summer. He had tried to scare her and Ginny almost every day; but at the end of the summer it got pretty boring and Harry got tired of his game. You would believe he doesn't have anything better to do, Hermione thought. But something was different this time. Harry usually showed himself after Hermione knew he was there.

"Harry?" Hermione asked softly.

She knew somebody was standing in front of her, she could hear someone breathing. Hermione glanced at her watch. It was eight o'clock, Harry and Ron had Quidditch practice until nine. Whoever was standing in front of her wasn't Harry. As quickly as possible she reached for her wand.

"Stupefy!" a voice yelled. Hermione fell down on the floor.

"Ennervate."

Hermione found herself in the Forbidden Forest. She was sitting on a chair, ropes around her hands and ankles. Two cloaked figures stood before her, their hoods covered their faces.

The right figure began to speak. "Where is it?" a woman hissed.

"Where is what?" Hermione asked, wishing she could reach for her wand.

"Don't play dumb with us" the left figure, a man, said. "Where is your white book?"

"What white book?" Hermione asked. This was ludicrous, she owned a lot of books but none of them were white.

Hermione wished that she could recognize their voices, but she couldn't.

"I don't know which book you mean. I don't have a white book," she said desperately, hoping that they would finally believe her.

"That's enough!" the witch shouted.

She took a small vial out of one of her pockets. After she uncorked it, she jerked Hermione's head back by pulling her hair. With one hand she held Hermione's nose closed. They are going to poison me! Hermione thought in terror. Not wanting to drink the poison, Hermione pressed her lips together for as long as she could. The witch waited patiently, knowing that Hermione had to breathe sooner or later. Just as her lungs were about to burst, Hermione gasped for air. Swiftly, the woman emptied the contents of the vial into Hermione's mouth.

"Now," she said, "let's ask her again. Where is the book?"

They hadn't tried to poison her after all, they had given her Veritaserum.

"I don't know," Hermione answered.

"You're lying," the witch shouted.

"She can't be lying!" the wizard snapped at his companion. "Are you sure that the Veritaserum is working?"

"Of course it is, I brewed it myself," the witch barked.

Hermione then realized that the two figures standing before her were the ones that had impersonated Malfoy and Goyle, using Polyjuice.

"Do have the book that we want?" the wizard asked Hermione calmly.

"No, I don't," she answered honestly.

The wizard turned to face the witch.

"And what do we do with her now?" he asked her, confused.

"I don't know, just leave her here!" the woman said angrily. "But we need her to get to the book," The wizard said, trying to keep his voice calm.

"She doesn't have it," the witch replied. "She's no use to us now."

The two moved away to make sure that Hermione couldn't hear them. All she could hear was some whispering. They were probably discussing what they were going to do with her.

In the meantime, Hermione was thinking about ways to escape. Maybe I can apparate! Hermione thought. She tried, but it wouldn't work. I'm probably still on Hogwarts grounds, she thought. Hermione had read in Hogwarts: A History that there were some places in the Forbidden Forest where apparition was possible.

After a few minutes the wizard returned, the witch wasn't with him anymore. With a flick of his wand, the wizard released Hermione from the ropes that were around her hands and ankles. Hastily, Hermione tried to reach for her wand but before she could reach her pocket, the witch yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!"

Hermione felt her body stiffen like a board, before she fell on the ground. She was placed in a full Body-Bind. The wizard levitated her towards on open place in the forest. He walked forward, not noticing the branches of a tree sticking out; he lowered her to the ground. The branches caught his hood, and it slipped down. Hermione's eyes widened in shock when she recognized his face. The wizard panicked after he saw that Hermione had recognized him.

He raised his wand and said, "Obliviate!"

It turned black in front of Hermione's eyes.

Hermione was lying on cold wet grass. She didn't know what time it was, or how long she had been there. The full moon illuminated the sky. This must be the ForbiddenForest Hermione thought. She tried to move her body but found that she couldn't. What on earth am I doing here? she asked herself, the last thing she could remember was polishing the silver in the Trophy Room. Who put that full Body-Bind on me?

Thirty minutes past by before she heard something coming her way. Hoping that it wouldn't be a werewolf, Hermione tried to scream, but the Body-Bind made it impossible for her to make a sound.

Suddenly, the Head Girl recognized the sound. It was the sound of hooves. Oh God, please don't let it be a hungry hippogriff, she hoped. If Grawp still lived then maybe he could have helped her, but Hagrid's half brother had died after a fight with a large group of centaurs in their sixth year. The hooves came closer and closer. She got a bit nervous when she saw three centaurs standing next to her. They would hurt her, would they?

"What is it?" one of the centaurs asked.

"It's a human girl from the castle," the second centaur said. "She's hexed. What do we do with it?"

"Just leave it here," a third one said. "Humans are not of our concern."

Hermione widened her eyes; he couldn't mean that!

"But we cannot leave the human girl here, Nytum!" the first centaur said. "It's too dangerous for her."

Nytum turned towards the first centaur, "Tarys, the human girl is not of our concern."

The three centaurs left Hermione. Or so she thought, because after a few minutes, Tarys returned. He gently picked her up and assured her that he would take her out of the Forbidden Forest. As fast as he could Tarys carried her outside of the forest.

Suddenly he stopped, laying Hermione on the ground again.

"This is where I leave you," he said.

Hermione tried to look up. Since she wasn't able to move her head, the only thing she could see was a door. But it wasn't a Hogwarts door. Tarys hadn't taken her back to the castle, as she had hoped.

"Don't worry," Tarys reassured her, "he will take care of you," and with that, he knocked on the door a few times and left.

Where has he taken me? she thought, a look of panic in her eyes. And who will take care of me? Her questions were soon answered when the door opened. As the man bent over her body, to see who was lying in front of him, Hermione looked into a pair of black eyes she recognized immediately.

A few chapters ago Romm mentioned that Professor Harper could have heard Hermione's password. At the time I didn't remembered when this had happened. I read my fic again and in chapter 7 she stands behind Hermione when she gives her password. So Romm, you were right!

Thanks to:Althea Grey, ElvenWarrior1, Amanda, Kawaiililkitten, PervyElf-Fancier, Severessa, Angelcat221, Larthawyn, Tabii, Kit, Aussie-mel, Tessa, Luthein, LanaManckir, Iplaay Geetar, Lauren, Nighthawk47, Anarane Anwamane, sevcrucio, Shilvigrl/Amyjenc1, Dryad, a person, Nore.

I want to thank you all for your reviews. I'm glad so many people liked Dumbledore's reaction.
Somehow I think it's a more realistic reaction then congratulating them and all.
And of course I'm not telling you what happens next, if he will return and all……..you will just have to wait and see….uh….read.

Cearrae:You're right, English isn't my first language. Dutch is. LOL, is it that obvious??
I admit, grammar isn't my strongest side.
Nice to hear you like the new character, you will hear more of him in the future chapters.
I'm pleased to hear that you like it.

Hippie1212:Don't shoot! Think of the fic!
Are you still hiding under that desk??

AlectoParadox:Well, now you know a little bit more about them, hope you liked it.

Avery-88:You really thought you had everything figured out??
Wow, I wonder what your theory was. Please mail it to me!!
I want to know what you thought.

Acila:
What do you mean he pissed you off?
It's just the way we like him :-)