The Spy at Hogwarts

(chapter ten)

The six friends anxiously made their way into the Great Hall for the beginning of term announcements and the legendary feast. The hall was decorated with vibrant house colors and hundreds of children from varying age groups littered the tables chatting away about their summer experiences. Hermione did notice however that something seemed very different. Perhaps it was the absence of the Jokesters Fred and George, or maybe it was the feeling of impending doom that lay ahead. Either way, something felt wrong.

"Look at how puny they are, is that how we looked our first year?" Ron asked, amazed.

They took a seat at the Gyffindor table and chatted quietly, applauding every time another first year was sorted into their house. Once the ceremony was over they could finally view the teacher's table. The trio's eyes all immediately shot up at the table to catch a glimpse of the new defense against the dark arts teacher. Hermione craned her neck to look over the heads. And she saw seated in the usual seat for the Defense teacher, was a young, attractive witch. She had rosy checks and long raven hair. Hermione felt a hint of recognition.

"She's a member of the Order!" Hermione whispered excitedly. The boys turned to her.

"Yeah, I recognize her too, don't remember her name though," Harry said. "It's good of Dumbledore to hire Order members," He added.

Ron smiled. He was still looking at the new teacher. "We'll, she's sure nice to look at.''

"RON!" Hermione bellowed angrily and smacked his arm with the back of her hand. He recoiled from her and rubbed the spot on his arm where Hermione had hit him.

"What? She is!" Ron responded angrily.

"It doesn't matter, she is your teacher and you should show her more respect."

"I gave her a compliment! And besides, we all remember that ridiculous crush you had on Lockhart!"

Hermione opened her mouth in protest but was interrupted. "Her name is Hestia Jones," Ginny said. They then dropped the argument and turned to Ginny, they had forgotten she was there. The trio wasn't used to a fourth addition.

Hermione smiled "Well, I think it will be great to finally have another female professor, especially for Defense against the dark arts."

"We had Umbridge last year, she was female," Harry said.

Ron Frowned. "She wasn't a female; she was a demon in an ugly toad's body,"

Everyone laughed except for Hermione. "Oh, come on Hermione, it's not like you liked Umbridge either, I mean, you're the one who got her trampled by centaurs."

Hermione frowned once more and shook her head. "No, no, I've just realized something."

They all looked at her concerned. "What's wrong," Harry asked.

"it's-it's something that Voldemort said," Hermione spoke meekly. The only one to flinch at the name this time was Neville; most of them had outgrown their fear of his name. Especially Ron and Hermione. The name was now nothing compared to meeting him in person.

"What? Something about Umbridge?" Ron asked.

"No," Hermione sighed. They all looked to her expectantly waiting for her to explain.

"You see, Voldemort knew things about me, things he couldn't have known…He said he had spies every where…"

Hermione looked to be thinking and Harry asked the question everyone was pondering.

"So you think there's a spy here at Hogwart's"

Hermione frowned. "There's got to be."

"Dumbledore would know though, wouldn't he?" Ginny asked with concern.

Hermione shrugged and they all suddenly went silent as if contemplating a suspect.

"It's Snape!" Ron shouted out suddenly and they all jumped. "It's gotta be, I mean, he may act like he's on our side but really he's giving information to you-know-who!"

"Oh Honestly Ron! You've been blaming Snape for five years now and every year you're wrong, don't you think it's time to give up on him?" Hermione said frustrated, and Ron scowled at her.

"I think its Draco," Ginny said, glaring in Draco's direction from across the Great Hall, "You said his mum is a death eater, I'm sure he tells her everything that goes on here."

"I don't doubt that," Hermione said. Draco had obviously told his father about every thing that went on, she didn't think it was because he is a spy, but rather just because he is a dirty snitch.

"I think Ron's right," Harry stated quietly.

"What?" Hermione and Ron asked at the same time. Harry motioned for all of them to lean in so they could hear him better.

"Look, I know Dumbledore trusts Snape, but there has to be a reason why he has never gotten the Defense against the dark arts job. I think it's because Dumbledore is afraid to let him any where near dark arts or he'll be tempted."

"If that was true then why is Dumbledore having Snape get information for the order from Voldemort? He trusts him to do that," Hermione questioned.

"That's what I'm trying to say, maybe at first that's how it was, but maybe he's been faced with to much temptation, maybe he's working for Voldemort again."

"I don't know," Hermione said still not convinced.

"Snape is supposed to be giving the order information on voldemort, how come he didn't know that Mundungus was under the imperious curse. I don't think he has been giving us all the information he should be," Harry pushed further.

Hermione still looked doubtful.

"Come on Hermione, it's so obvious!" Ron hissed.

"Well, Maybe it's possible, I suppose it would be wise to suspect everyone, it's hard to know who to trust at this point."

"Even if it is Snape though, where's our proof?" Ginny asked, bringing up a good point. They were all silent again, each trying to think of their own brilliant solution.

"I got it!" Ron shouted, and then quickly brought his voice lower. "We steal some of that truth serum from Snape's office, mix it into his drink during dinner and get him to confess right in front of Dumbledore!"

"We are not poising our teacher Ron!" Hermione argued.

"He deserves it, he's a death eater!"

"We don't know that for sure, if were wrong, we'd be in deep trouble!"

"Would you two just stop it?" Harry pleaded with frustration. Hermione and Ron both immediately stopped bickering, both in fear of setting off Harry's temper.

Harry took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself.

"Hermione, what do you think is the best way to find out for sure if Snape is a death eater?" Harry asked calmly.

Hermione thought for a second before speaking.

"We have to set him up somehow, maybe get him to overhear something, we've got plenty of time to think about it though," Hermione said looking around the Great Hall and noticed that the six of them were close to the only ones left in the room. "Right now we should get up to the dormitories."

The others nodded in agreement and they left the great hall together and headed towards the Gryffindor common room.

The common room looked the same as usual and was mostly empty. All the students were exhausted from the trip and were already in their dormitories.

"We'll work out a plan tomorrow," Hermione said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Harry and Ron Replied. And just then Hermione noticed Harry place his hand on Ginny's shoulder and smile at her. Hermione hadn't seen him smile like that all summer. "Goodnight Ginny," Harry said and she watched as he, Ron, and Neville went up to their dormitories and Hermione and Ginny went up to theirs.

Harry and Ron opened the large wooden door and entered their dormitory. They were both greeted with friendly 'hello's' from their room mates who were seated on Seamus Finnegan's bed. They looked as if they were just in the middle of a very amusing conversation and had just recovered from fits of laughter. Harry and Ron approached them, smiling wanting to join in on the fun.

"What are you guys talking about?" Harry asked curiously.

Dean blushed "Seamus and I were just discussing how good looking all the Hogwarts girls are this year," He explained.

"Yeah, they would bring those girls from Drumstrang and Beauxbatons to shame!" Seamus laughed as well as Harry Ron and Neville who decided to join in on the fun.

"Have you seen the Patil sisters? They look amazing!" Neville said.

"Lavender too, that girl is gorgeous. I'm going to try for her this year!" Dean boasted.

"Yeah well, you know who I think is the best looking this year by far?" Seamus stated.

"Who?" Harry asked waiting excitedly to hear who this beautiful girl was.

Seamus smiled. "Hermione," He said as if the name were as beautiful as he had explained her image.

Dean and Neville offered their words of agreement and Ron and Harry's smiles faded and they went speechless, and when Ron heard Seamus say something that sounded like asking Hermione out, Ron's face turned bright red.

"Don't talk about Hermione like that," Ron Said through gritted teeth.

Harry nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm not comfortable talking about Hermione like that."

Seamus still hadn't wiped the dumb smile off his face. "I know she's like a sister to you guys, but even you had to of notice how great she looks," he said then shifted his gaze directly at Ron. "Especially you Ron, I've seen how you've looked at her before, I know she's just not your friend, or at least you don't want her to be."

Instantly, Ron Leaped forward angrily, in hopes of attacking Seamus. Luckily however, Harry caught him and was holding him back.

"Don't ever talk about Hermione again you stupid Pratt!" Ron shouted and Harry told him to calm down. He heard Seamus mutter something under his breath as all the boys made their way to their own beds. No one talked for the rest of the night.

Ginny and Hermione entered their dormitory and were not greeted by the other girls in the room. They were to busy showing each other the new fancy dress robes they had gotten or the stylish new hair cuts they were wearing .

Hermione and Ginny ignored them and both began to put their pajamas on.

"Ginny, I er, I noticed that you and Harry are getting on really well, there isn't something going on between you two is there?" Hermione asked blushing.

Ginny looked up at her lost for words and her face turned as bright as her hair.

"Why do you say that?" Ginny asked shyly

Hermione shrugged. "you guys just seem to be a little well…flirty in front of each other," Hermione said finding it hard to conjure up words to explain. Girl talks had never been one of her favorite things to do, she always found it very uncomfortable.

"Oh well, no, I don't think so, I mean Harry has so many other things to worry about, I'm sure he's not interested in having a girlfriend," Ginny explained Sadly.

"So you do like him then," Hermione stated happily and Ginny tried to hide her grin.

"Yeah, of course I do," She said turning even redder. Hermione noticed how embarrassed she was and stepped closer to Ginny to place a hand on Ginny's shoulder in a big sister comforting fashion.

"I think he likes you too Gin, maybe you should say something," Hermione suggested quietly. She didn't want any of the gossiping girls in the room to over hear anything.

Ginny nodded her head sadly thinking about it. After a few seconds her head shot up and she looked at Hermione with a sly grin on her face.

"I will once you tell Ron how you feel."

Hermione backed away from her and rolled her eyes.

"You'll never give up will you?"

Ginny shook her head and crawled into bed. Both girls were dead tired but they knew they weren't going to get much sleep tonight now that their minds were on others things.