Magnetic Force

Chapter One

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Hermione stared out of the window of her compartment in the Hogwarts Express. She was finally alone. Harry and Ron had already left with Neville to look for his toad, Trevor, who always seemed to keep getting away from him.

Hermione was glad of the boys' absence. Whenever either one of them was around, she would become a nervous wreck. No one seemed to understand her, or why she had become like she was.

The truth was, Hermione had fallen in love with both of her best friends over the summer. She didn't know what to do. She was torn between a handsome hero and redhead heartthrob. She had no one to tell it to, either. Her parents wouldn't understand, and she had no real girl friends that she could spill her secret to. She spent most of her time hanging out with Ron and Harry.

Suddenly, jolting Hermione out her thoughts was the sudden bang of the door of the compartment being flung open.

Rats! thought Hermione. Her "alone time" was up.

"Well, we caught Neville's rat!" said Ron cheerfully. "What a stupid animal!"

"Yeah," agreed Harry quietly.

"So, Hermione, what've you been doing while we've been gone?" asked Ron, his voice saturated with sarcasm.

"Well... um... I've been... been... studying for start-of-term exams!" lied Hermione, visibly shaking in front of her two friends.

"You okay, Hermione?" asked Harry. "You don't look so good... Your skin is sort of pale..."

"Really, I'm all right!" burst out Hermione. "I think I'll take a nap!"

"Well, sweet dreams then," said Harry solemnly.

Within a few minutes, Hermione drifted off into a tortured sleep like the many she had experienced before.

"NOOOOOO!" croaked Hermione. "He can't be dead! He can't die! I love him!"

The cold, high laugh that was unmistakably Lord Voldemort's rang in Hermione's ears. "It's too late!" he cackled. "He's gone forever to stay with that cursed uncle and meddling parents. They'll all be very happy! And now, young lady, it is your turn..."

Voldemort raised his wand high above is head, and then shouted "AVADA KEDAVRA!" A fork of green lightning flew from his wand, and the moment before the impact of the spell, Hermione heard a high-pitched scream that seemed to be emanating from everywhere at once.

"HERMIONE!" shouted Ron's voice. "WAKE UP! We're here, at Hogwarts. It's time to get off the train!"

"Huh?" said Hermione, her head swimming from millions of thoughts flying around her head. "Oh. Right." She got off the golden booth that she had become familiar with after sitting on it for five years, flung the compartment door open, and raced down the hallway as if Death itself were chasing her.

After running for what seemed an hour down a seemingly endless hallway of compartment doors, Hermione finally reached the front of the train. She got off, and then ran to the first empty carriage. At last, she felt safe from Ron and Harry, who now seemed to be in her thoughts constantly.

"Wait for us" came the distant shout that was unmistakably the voice of Harry. "You forgot about us!"

NO! screamed Hermione in her head. I was hoping they wouldn't notice! Dang!

The carriage came to a halt as the invisible thestrals stopped their galloping. Moments later, the door swung open, and Hermione's eyes were greeted with the sight of Ron's bright red hair and Harry's stunning green eyes. The boys boarded the carriage, and instantly, Hermione became nothing more than a wreck with both of the boys in her presence.

"Hermione..." said Ron, his voice trailing off for a moment, "Harry and I have decided you need to go to Madam Pomfrey. I mean, for heaven's sakes, you're a wreck! Look at you! You're as pale as candle wax, and you're shaking like a leaf in the breeze."

"NO!" shouted Hermione. "You can't make me go to Madam Pomfrey! I'll never go! NEVER!"

At exactly that moment, the carriage jolted to a stop. Hermione flung the door open and jumped out of it.

"HERMIONE!" shouted both Ron and Harry together. They knew that something was really wrong with Hermione. If only they could figure out what...