Chapter Twelve

"Ron. Ron wake up," urged Harry to Ron, who was snoring.

Hermione, who was now sitting up at the edge of the bed sighed and shook her head in amazement. Despite Harry's effort Ron wasn't waking up, finally Harry just gave up. He turned to face Hermione after giving Ron one last fleeting look. Rolling her eyes she grabbed her wand from the table beside her bed and doused Ron's face in water.

"What? What'd I miss?" Asked a bewildered Ron, whose face was now dripping water.

"Hermione's awake," said Harry indicating with his right arm.

"That's great. Hey, why is my face wet?" Inquired Ron who just now noticed that he was wet.

"You were asleep so Hermione sprayed you with water to get you up," replied Harry hiding a grin.

"You know there are other ways to wake someone up besides spraying them in water," said Ron annoyed.

"Trust me mate, I tried them first," countered Harry before turning to Hermione, "Are you okay? What happened up there in the common room?"

Hermione tilted her head to the side as she tried to remember what had happened before she awoke in the Hospital Wing. She could remember sitting in her favorite chair near the fire with Crookshanks in her lap. The next thing she could remember was that apparently at some point between her going from the chair to the Hospital Wing she had had some kind of dream, but couldn't remember anything about it. After a few minutes she finally spoke, "This may seem odd, but I can't recall anything in between now and back in the common room."

Looking mystified Harry looked down at the foot of the bed and then back to Hermione and then said, "Madam Pomfrey told us that if you woke up we were to tell you that she said to drink the potion next to your wand and then go back to sleep."

Reaching over Hermione grabbed the small glass of liquid she quickly drank it, put it back on the table and laid back down. She barely had time to say "Good night" before she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Awaking the next morning she found that Harry and Ron were gone and instead Professor Dumbledore was sitting in one of the chairs at the edge of the bed. Detecting movement Dumbledore's eyes flicked over the top of his glasses to focus on Hermione. "Good morning, Miss Granger."

"Professor Dumbledore."

"Mister Potter and Mister Weasley left when I first arrived to begin work on their homework. They told me what you told them last night so there is no need to ask any more questions than this one. Can you remember anything else now?"

Hermione shook her head no and then sat up in the bed.

"Very well then. Madam Pomfrey has agreed to allow you to leave the Hospital Wing if you are feeling up to it. And with that I am afraid I must depart for I have things of which must be taken care of. Good day Miss Granger," said Dumbledore as he stood up.

'Dumbledore, last night two of my men were discovered dead last night. As far as we can tell they were killed by Death Eaters.'

"What are you trying to tell me Kit?"

'I'm just informing you that we are now officially at war with the Death Eaters.'

"What are the procedures of which you take under these circumstances?"

'Usually we would retaliate by attacking the nation who attacked us, and burning every city to the ground and killing every citizen of that nation, but we have no idea what nation is harboring Voldemort so we can't. Since we can't neutralize the threat in that means we'll be taking all of the defense precautions possible. We've requisitioned additional forces but they won't arrive for another month at least. So until they arrive we'll have to make due with what little we have here.

'We've put silencing charms on all our birds so no one'll hear 'em comin' and since we'll be orbiting the school, Hogsmeade, and where ever Captain Granger goes we'll put disillusionment charms on 'em too. Along with the soldiers on those patrols. Inside the school should be okay so I don't think we'll do anything with that. And all of these measures are all ready in effect so there's no stopping it.'

Dumbledore closed his eyes and nodded letting out a sigh.

Hermione spent most of her day explaining to practically everyone that she didn't know what happened, and that she was fine. She found the peace and quite of the nearly empty common room wonderful. Harry and Ron were doing their homework and even Fred and George were being quiet.

As she sat in her chair she noticed a faint tapping at the windows. Looking over she saw that it was Hermes, Percy's owl. Getting up she walked over to where Ron and Harry were doing their homework. After a short tense exchange of words she finally convinced Ron to look out the window which Hermes was sitting outside of. Ron got up and opened the window. Hermes flew inside, landed on Ron's essay, and held out a leg of which a letter was attached. Once Ron had removed the letter from Hermes's leg Hermes flew off, leaving inky bird prints on Ron's drawing of the moon Io.

Sinking back into his chair, staring at the words on the outside of the scroll he looked up at the others and said, "What d'you reckon?"

Hermione eagerly replied, "Open it!"

Ron quickly unrolled the scroll and began to read. The farther down the parchment his eyes traveled, the more pronounced became his scowl, and by the time he finished he looked disgusted. He then thrust the letter at Harry and Hermione, who leaned together to read it:

Dear Ron,

I have only just heard (from no less a person than the Minister of Magic himself, who has it from your new teacher, Professor Umbridge) that you have become a Hogwarts prefect.

I was most pleasantly surprised when I heard this news and must firstly offer my congratulations. I must admit that I have always been afraid that you would take what we might call the "Fred and George" route, rather than following in my footsteps, so you can imagine my feelings on hearing you have stopped flouting authority and have decided to shoulder some real responsibility.

But I want to give you more than congratulations, Ron, I want to give you some advice, which is why I am sending this at night rather than by the usual morning post. Hopefully you will be able to read this away from prying eyes and avoid awkward questions.

From something the Minister let slip when telling me you are now a prefect, I gather that you are still seeing a lot of Harry Potter. I must tell you, Ron, that nothing could put you in danger of losing your badge more than continued fraternization with that boy. Yes, I am sure you are surprised to hear this — no doubt you will say that Potter has always been Dumbledore's favorite – but I feel bound to tell you that Dumbledore may not be in charge at Hogwarts much longer and the people who count have a very different – and probably more accurate – view of Potter's behavior. I shall say no more here, but if you look at the Daily Prophet tomorrow you will get a good idea of the way the wind is blowing – and see if you can't spot yours truly!

Seriously, Ron, you do not want to be tarred with the same brush as Potter, it could be very damaging to your future prospects, and I am talking here about life after school too. As you must be aware, given that our father escorted him to court, Potter had disciplinary hearing this summer in front of the whole Wizengamot and he did not come out of it looking too good. He got off on a mere technicality if you ask me and many of the people I've spoken to remain convinced of his guilt.

It may be that you are afraid to sever ties with Potter – I know that he can be unbalanced and for all I know, violent – but if you have any worries about this, or have spotted anything else in Potter's behavior that is troubling you, I urge you to speak to Dolores Umbridge, a really delightful woman, who I know will be only too happy to advise you.

This leads me to my other bit of advice. As I have hinted above, Dumbledore's regime at Hogwarts may soon be over. Your loyalty, Ron, should be not to him, but to the school and the Ministry. I am very sorry to hear that so far Professor Umbridge is encountering very little cooperation from staff as she strives to make those necessary changes within Hogwarts that the Ministry so ardently desires (although she should find this easier from next week – again see the Prophet tomorrow!). I shall say only this a student who shows himself willing to help Professor Umbridge now may very well placed for Head Boyship in a couple of years!

I am sorry that I was unable to see more of you over the summer. It pains me to criticize our parents, but I am afraid I can no longer live under their roof while they remain mixed up with the dangerous crowd around Dumbledore (if you are writing to Mother at any point, you might tell her that a certain Sturgis Podmore, who is a great friend of Dumbledore's, has recently been sent to Azkaban for trespass at the Ministry. Perhaps that will open their eyes to the kind of petty criminals with whom they are currently rubbing shoulders). I county myself very lucky to have escaped the stigma of association with such people – the Minister really could not be more gracious to me – and I do hope, Ron, that you will not allow family ties to blind you to the misguided nature of our parents' beliefs and actions either. I sincerely hope that, in time, they will realize how mistaken they were and I shall, of course, be ready to accept a full apology when that day comes.

Please think over what I have said most carefully, particularly the bit about Harry Potter, and congratulations again on becoming prefect.

Your brother,

Percy

Hermione looked down towards the ground. Meanwhile Harry attempted to make light of an awkward situation that the letter had brought on.

"Give it back," said Ron, holding out his hand. "He is –" Ron said jerkily, tearing Percy's letter in half, "the world's" – he tore it into quarters – "biggest" – he tore it into eighths – "git." He threw the pieces into the fire.

Hermione watched the pieces turn black and curl in the flames for a few seconds before being brought back to the present by Ron saying to Harry, "Come on, we've got to get this finished some time before dawn."

Hermione turned abruptly and said, "Oh, give them here."

"What?" said Ron.

"Give them to me, I'll look through them and correct them," she said.

"Are you serious? Ah, Hermione, you're a lifesaver," said Ron, "what can I -- ?"

"What you can say is, 'We promise we'll never leave our homework this late again,'" Hermione said, holding out both hands for their essays, looking slightly amused all the same.

"Thanks a million, Hermione," said Harry weakly, passing over his essay and sinking back into his armchair, rubbing his eyes.

It was now past midnight and the common room was deserted but for the three of them and Crookshanks. The only sound of Hermione's quill as she corrected the two essays.

Finishing the two essays she stood up and walked over to where Harry and Ron were sitting. Walking over to Ron first she said, "Okay, write that down," she said pushing his essay and a sheet covered in her own writing back to Ron, "and then copy out his conclusion that I've written for you."

"Hermione, you are honestly the most wonderful person I've ever met," said Ron weakly, "and if I'm ever rude to you again –"

"— I'll know you're back to normal," she said. "Harry yours is okay except for this bit at the end, I think you must have misheard Professor Sinistra, Europa's covered in ice, not mice – Harry?"

Harry was now crouched down on the singed and threadbare hearthrug, staring at something in the fire.

"Er – Harry?" said Ron uncertainly. "Why are you down there?"

"Because I've just seen Sirius's head in the fire," replied Harry.

"Sirius's head?" Repeated Hermione. "You mean like when he wanted to talk to you during the Triwizard Tournament? But he wouldn't do that now, it would be too — Sirius!"

She gasped, gazing at the fire, and Ron dropped his quill. Sitting there in the middle of the dancing flames was Sirius's head, long dark hair falling around his grinning face.

"I was starting to think you'd go to bed before everyone else had disappeared," he said. "I've been checking every hour."

"You've been popping into the fire every hour?" said Harry, half-laughing.

"Just for a few seconds to check if the coast was clear yet."

"But what if you'd been seen?" Hermione said anxiously.

"Well, I think a girl – first year by the look of her — might've got a glimpse of me earlier, but don't worry," Sirius said hastily, as Hermione called a hand to her mouth. "I was gone the moment she looked back at me and I'll be she just thought I was an oddly shaped log or something."

"But Sirius, this is taking an awful risk —" Began Hermione.

"You sound like Molly," said Sirius. "This was the only way I could come up with of answering Harry's letter without resorting to a code — and codes are breakable."

At the mention of Harry's letter, both Hermione and Ron turned to stare at him.

Hermione was the first to speak, "You didn't say you'd written to Sirius."

"I forgot," said Harry and upon seeing Hermione's expression. "Don't look at me like that, Hermione, there was not way anyone would have got secret information out of it, was there, Sirius?"

"No, it was very good," said Sirius, smiling. "Anyway, we'd better be quick, just in case we're disturbed — your scar."

"What about -- ?" Ron began, but Hermione said quickly, "We'll tell you afterward, go on, Sirius."

"Well, I know it can't be fun when it hurts, but we don't think it's anything to really worry about. It kept aching all last year, didn't it?"

"Yeah, and Dumbledore said it happened whenever Voldemort was feeling a powerful emotion," said Harry. "So maybe he was just, I dunno, really angry or something the night I had detention."

"Well, now he's back it's bound to hurt more often," said Sirius.

"So you don't think it had anything to do with Umbridge touching me when I was in detention with her?" Harry asked.

"I doubt it," said Sirius. "I know her by reputation and I'm sure she's no Death Eater —"

"She's foul enough to be one," said Harry darkly and Ron and Hermione nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Yes, but the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters," said Sirius with a wry smile. "I know she's a nasty piece of work, though — you should hear Remus talk about her."

"Does Lupin know her? Asked Harry.

"No," said Sirius, "But she drafted a bit of anti-werewolf legislation two years ago that makes it almost impossible for him to get a job."

"What's she got against werewolves?" Hermione said angrily.

"Scared of them, I expect," said Sirius, smiling at her indignation. "Apparently she loathes part-humans; she campaigned to have merpeople rounded up and tagged last year too. Image wasting you time and energy persecuting merpeople when there are little toe rags like Kreacher on the loose —"

Ron laughed but Hermione looked upset.

"Sirius!" Hermione said reproachfully. "Honestly, if you made a bit of an effort with Kreacher I'm sure he'd respond, after all, you are the only member of his family he's got left, and Professor Dumbledore said —"

"So what are Umbridge's lessons like?" Sirius interrupted. "Is she training you to you all to kill half-breeds?"

"No, said Harry. "She's not letting us use magic at all!"

"Ah, well that figures," said Sirius. "Our information from inside the Ministry is that Fudge doesn't want you trained in combat."

"Trained in combat?" repeated Harry incredulously. "What does he think we're doing here, forming some sort of wizard army?"

"That's exactly what he thinks you're doing," said Sirius, "or rather that's what he's afraid Dumbledore's doing—forming his own private army, with which he will be able to take on the Ministry of Magic."

Hermione let out a small laugh, then Ron said, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, including all the stuff that Luna Lovegood comes out with."

Hermione was furious at this thought, "So we're being prevented from learning Defense Against the Dark Arts because Fudge is scared we'll use spells against the Ministry?"

"Yep," said Sirius. "Fudge thinks Dumbledore will stop at nothing to seize power. He's getting more paranoid about Dumbledore by the day. It's a matter of time before he as Dumbledore arrested on some trumped-up charge.

"Oh, and Hermione just so you are aware. Dumbledore was informed by Kit earlier today that he had found two of his men dead, killed by Death Eaters," Hermione gasped, "and from what he told Dumbledore he'd love to deploy the entire Army, lucky for Europe that most of it's back in the States, and burn Albania to the ground and turn it into a ghost country on the slightest hint that Voldemort is there. But anyway, Kit told Dumbledore that they are now on a war footing, and helicopters will be orbiting Hogwarts, Hogsmeade making sure it's safe for you. And I don't know how much restraint Kit can put up against himself if he has the chance to take down Draco, or anyone that even looks at you the wrong way. So be very cautious and as much as we'd all like to see Draco put in his place, let's try not to make that place six feet under. Or anyone for that matter."

Hermione wasn't sure what to say so she just nodded.

A few moments of silence ensued before Harry broke the silence with a question, "D'you know if there's going to be anything about Dumbledore in the Daily Prophet tomorrow? Only Ron's brother Percy reckons there will be —"

"I don't know," said Sirius, "I haven't seen anyone from the Order all weekend, they're all busy. It's just been Kreacher and me here…."

There was a definite not of bitterness in Sirius's voice.

"So you haven't heard any news about Hagrid, either?"

"Ah…" said Sirius, "well, he was supposed to be back by now, no one's sure what's happened to him." Then upon seeing their stricken faces, he added quickly, "But Dumbledore's not worried, so don't you three get yourselves in a state; I'm sure Hagrid's fine."

"But if he was supposed to be back by now…" Hermione said in a small, worried voice.

"Madame Maxime was with him, we've been in touch with her and she says they got separated on the journey home — but there's nothing to suggest he's hurt or — well, nothing to suggest he's not perfectly okay."

Unconvinced, Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged worried looks.

"Listen, don't go asking too many questions about Hagrid," said Sirius hastily, "it'll just draw even more attention to the fact that he's not back, and I know Dumbledore doesn't want that. Hagrid's tough, he'll be okay." And when they did not appear cheered by this Sirius added, "When's your next Hogsmeade weekend anyway? I was thinking, we got away with the dog disguise at the station, didn't we? I though I could —"

"NO!" said Harry and Hermione together, very loudly.

"Sirius, didn't you see the Daily Prophet?" said Hermione anxiously.

"Oh that," said Sirius grinning, "they're always guessing where I am, they haven't really got a clue —"

"Yeah, but we think this time they have," said Harry. "Something Malfoy said on the train made us think he knew it was you, and his father was on the platform, Sirius — you know, Lucius Malfoy — so don't come up here, whatever you do, if Malfoy recognized you again —"

"All right, all right, I've got the point, said Sirius. He looked most displeased. "Just an idea, thought you might like to get together —"

"I would, I just don't want you chucked back in Azkaban!" said Harry.

There was a pause in which Sirius looked out of the fire at Harry, a crease between his sunken eyes.

"You're less like your father than I thought," he said finally, a definite coolness in his voice. "The risk would've been what made if fun for James."

"Look —"

"Well, I'd better get going, I can hear Kreacher coming down the stairs," said Sirius. "I'll write to tell you a time I can make it back into the fire, then, shall I? If you can stand to risk it?"

There was a tiny pop, and the place where Sirius's head had been was flickering flame once more.