FALLEN

Chapter 5: They Don't Hear You Singing to Me

"Harry!" Ron said urgently, shaking him, "Harry wake up!"

Harry opened his eyes to reveal a very distressed, groggy outline of Ron. He picked up his glasses and put them on, "What?" he groaned.

"It's Hermione!" Ron said, "Dumbledore's just told us. She's missing."

Harry sat up, awake and aleart, "What?"

"She didn't come back to the Girls' Dormitory and no one's seen her all day."

Harry looked at Ron with an arched eyebrow, "Are you sure she's not here? You might've offended her again and she could be crying in the bathroom."

"Real funny, Harry," Ron snorted, "But they've already checked. She's missed all her classes, and god knows Hermione would just about die before she got a D in a class."

"Where was she?"

"She was in the Library yesterday, looking through a book about Dark Creatures she was using to study up on the new Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Ernie Mckillian says he saw her run out of the Library looking really determained about something."

"What do you mean, determined?"

"I don't know!" Ron said, "But we've got to help find her. Dumbledore reckon's that something bad might've happened to her. He told me this morning that the Order knew the Dark Lord was planning something big, but they didn't know what, Harry, they think that he took her!"

"Wha" He was stopped, as Ron pulled him out of bed.

"Come on!" He urged, "Get dressed."

"Where're we going?" he droned.

"To Dumbledore's office, he wants to talk to you"

"No," Harry said, "We're going to the Library to see the book Hermione was looking at."

"Why?"

"Isn't it a bit funny how Hermione just happened to be looking about a book of dark creatures, she leaves looking determined, and the next thing she's missing? Don't you think there was a reason she would be missing?"

"Dumbledore's already said he's sure that Voldemort has her, it's a waste of time to go looking through a book," Ron said, as Harry pulled on his robe, "And plus, McGonagall signed the note, nothing gets passed her, and Hermione would never lie to her, she's obviously her favorite teacher."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Harry said, shoving his wand into his pocket, and running down the steps of the Gryffindor Tower.

They reached a corridor, one way leading to Dumbledore's office and the other to the Library.

"Harry, no," Ron sighed.

"Please. It'll be like five seconds out of our way, just come on," Harry called back as he raced down the hallway.

Soon they were inside, and they approached the librarian.

"Um.." Harry said, "Hermione was here yesterday before she disappeared. We're very good friends of hers and was just wondering if we could check the book she was looking at, you know, we were just wanting to see what she was thinking about before...whatever happened to her, happened to her."

He put on his best melodramtic face, and took in a deep dramtic sigh.

She sighed, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt for you to look at the one page she was looking at, you guys are 6th Years, but no more," she pulled a book out from under the desk, "It was left open on this page." She flipped open the book.

Harry read the paragraph, Ron standing intently over his shoulder. They closed the book in a few short moments, "Thanks."

He slowly and lethargicly walked out of the library.

"Why was she looking at stuff about female vampires?" Ron sputtered, bewildered.

"I don't know. I heard we were going to study them later this year, and you know Hermione, she's an early starter.." Harry said, trying to reassure himself.

"You don't think their could be...you don't think...Dumbledore wouldn't..."

"No, that's just crazy," Harry said, "Dumbledore's a wise man. Putting these lethal things in school is, well, deadly, and he wouldn't put his students' lives in danger. He almost closed down the school because of that."

"Maybe she was looking at stuff about Snape!" Ron said, "He sure fits the description!"

"But it was female."

"She could've been reading about males, and when she ran away the page turned or something."

"I'm just going to believe that she was studying for D.A.D.A.," Harry said, "But we'd better make it to Dumbledore's, we've kept him waiting for a long time."

As they stepped into Dumbledore's office, Harry was suprised, yet Ron just snorted. There, in the seat across from Dumbledore was Alexandria. Her black hair was clipped back, and the patches on her robes swam in the darkness of her robes, her pale skin illuminating the dark pools of her blue eyes.

"Take a seat, Harry, Ron," Dumbledore said calmly, adjusting his glasses. He laced his fingers together and his eyes drilled a hole into Alex. He turned to Harry and Ron.

"Alexandria was the last one to see Hermione," Dumbledore said, his voice toneless, "Alexandria says"

"Alex, please," Alex interrupted, "And sorry.."

Dumbledore began again, "Alex says that she was going down the north corridor when she and her two friends, Chaylin and Jessica saw her. Now, I am going to ask you to tell your story again, Ms. Sparrow, for the two of them to hear."

"Gladly," Alex smiled, "Well, we were headed to the Library to finish up our homework that Professor Trelawney and Professor Firenze had assigned us, when we saw Hermione walking down that particular hallway. We didn't exactly say hello or conversate, but it seemed as though she was busy, so I didn't question her or anything. I thought she might've been going to work on her astrology homework, because that was where she was heading. We just walked passed her, and we did in fact make our way to the Library afterwards. The only thing I could say about her or her intentions was that they were important, as though she had just realized something, very urgent. However, I'm quite clueless on why she was looking urgent after she had been studying vampires. Quite puzzling. However, I don't want to make false suggestions, but I have heard some very disturbing news buzzing around."

"And what would that be?" Dumbledore asked, his voice genaric.

"Well, I had just recieved a letter from home, telling me to look out because some dark things were going around at Hogwarts. It basically said that the Dark Lord was prying his fingers in Hogwarts and I should be on the watch."

"What do you mean by that?" Ron sputtered.

"Ronald, please," Dumbledore said, "Her parents must have told her what happened at the Order's meeting."

"Her parents are in the Order?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, "Be sure to introduce yourselves to Sebastian and Malkia Sparrow the next time you see them."

As Harry, Ron, and Alex made their way from Dumbledore's office, Ron caught up with her, "What do your parents do in the Order anyway?"

"We live by Lucius Malfoy," Alex said, "And everyone knows he and his family are huge supporters of Lord Voldemort. What they do is..well...they spy as much as they can. It's funny how often you can hear him boasting about the Dark Lord's plans, and how he is in such a "high rank." with Voldemort. It's a bit bewildering, really."

"Will you tell us exactly what your parents told you?" Harry asked hopefully, "We haven't heard anything, everyone we know in the order are extraordinarily strict."

"Basically, they told me that the Dark Lord was planning something huge, and at the same time, was not targeting the wizarding/muggle world but a sole person. You, Harry. They said that he is going to bring down the one wizard he know can defeat him if he gains hold of all his powers, if the prophecy is complete. He wants to destroy Harry first because, then, there is no one to stand in his way."

There was in awkward silence...They stopped walking in the middle of the deserted hallway, and Alex spoke up again.

"They also said that Voldemort was being very secretive about this new plan, because he had heard that the Order of the Phoenix had risen once again. But, when you think about it, isn't it odd that one of the people that Harry cares about most has mysteriously vanished, and at the same time, Voldemort is planning something. Isn't it a little out-of-the-ordinary that this happens at the same precise moment? It doesn't take a genius to figure this all out."

"So, do you really think that Hermione has been taken?"

"I don't think, Harry, I know." Alex smiled as she seperated from them by turning a corner, she mouthed to Harry, "I'll see you later."

Alexandria, Chaylin, and Jessica hadn't fed in three nights. Tomorrow was their first Hogsmeade trip, and, they decided it was the perfect time. It would be rather easy.

"Harry's going to ask you to go with him," Jessica said simply, after Alex had broughten up the subject.

"Really," Chaylin said, "You did make him obsessively fancy you."

"He won't if I don't let him," Alex said, "I just need to see him alone..."

She sighed in frustration, "Killing the nosey brat really did complicate this. He and the red haired boy will be doing everything together. They're scared, confused, and alertthey won't take any chances. But...if I tell Harry to come alone...he'll obey, but the red haired one will be suspicious..."

"What about a potion?" Chaylin piped up, "We can feed him a Sleeping Draught and he'll be sleeping through half the day."

"Won't Harry find that a bit odd?" Jessica asked.

"Not if I reassure him differently," Alex said, "I'll just say some bullshit about how pressure and everything that's going on really drains a person."

Jessica laughed, "You really are a cruel bitch, you know that, don't you Alex?"

"I can't help it," Alex said, smirking, "It's in my blood."