A/N: Hey all. Well I have started writing this chapter the same day I posted the previous chapter… but that doesn't mean I will finish it the same day… yeah… anyway on to the chapter, which is dedicated to my bestfriend Amy! Smile Amy! Be happy!
DISCLAIMER: You all know…
Chapter Thirteen: Clues
"Molly, please, be calm," spoke Dumbledore softly, "I shall ask McGonagall to owl the Order Member's emergency letter's informing them to meet at the Grimmauld Place. Now I want you three to go there now to meet the others. Whatever you do, do not go home."
Mr Weasley nodded, his arm around his wife's shoulders, "Thankyou Albus."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded then looked at Percy, who had gone silent.
Percy looked at Dumbledore, "I wish things didn't turn out like this. I was gullible enough to fall for her charm and wit."
"We were all fooled, Percy," said his mother embracing her son who was now in tears and Percy rarely let his emotions get the better of him.
!Z!
Hermione walked into her kitchen and was surprised at the sudden appearance of Ron, Harry and Blaise. She looked at the three bewildered, her hands held up in a surprised stance.
"Hermione," came Draco's voice in the room next door, "Gavin and Amy are here to see you."
"No need to ask what about," muttered Hermione turning and walking back into the living room, followed by her three friends.
Sure enough, sitting on one of the three lounges were Amy and Gavin. Draco frowned when he saw the other three follow his girlfriend in.
"What are they doing here?" asked Draco confused.
"I don't know. They just showed up," replied Hermione standing in the center of the room waiting for her brother or Amy to start screaming at her about Clarissa.
"So… why are you all here?" asked Draco after a tension filled silence.
"We want to-" started Gavin at the same time Blaise said, "Ginny has been-"
"Whoa, one at a time."
"Gavin you first," sighed Blaise reluctantly.
"No, Blaise, I know why they are here," spoke up Hermione, "Why are you three here is more important."
"Ginny is missing. Mrs Westwood went to see if Ginny has seen her cat and apparently Ginny invited her in. But from what I can get from what Mrs Westwood said, someone was in the house because Ginny went down to our bedroom and the next thing Mrs Westwood knew there was screaming coming from Ginny and when Mrs Westwood stood to see what was going on she saw someone with blonde hair and red clothes."
Hermione's eyes widened and she started pacing, "Clarissa has her."
"So this whole Clarissa being alive thing is real?" asked Gavin urgently.
"Yes, yes. But where would have Clarissa gone? The Malfoy Manor was destroyed… Gavin, what happened to the Verbatim Estate?"
"I sold it two years ago to be used as a hotel."
"Then she wouldn't have gone there… Oh Merlin this is my entire bloody fault!" cried Hermione running her hands through her hair.
"Perhaps you should've told informed people about it earlier," said Amy.
"I couldn't okay, Amy? Believe me I would've if I could've."
Amy nodded, understanding and Hermione was grateful she didn't ask questions. Hermione continued to pace, her emotions were holding together by a thin piece of string and just the littlest thing would make her snap and Hermione deeply feared what would happen if she did snap.
"Wait!" cried Hermione, "Ron I need to go to the Burrow and search through Clarissa's belongings. Perhaps she has something there that could lead us to her or something."
"Then go. We will go back to Blaise and Ginny's place and see what we can find there," replied Ron waving his hand signalling for her to leave.
"Then what do we do?" asked Gavin.
"Umm… you three go see Dumbledore. He needs to know what is going on," said Hermione hurriedly as she pulled on her black cloak and pocketed her wand, "Tell him to get things rolling now. There isn't much time."
Gavin and Amy left with a crack, as did Ron, Harry and Blaise. But Draco walked over to Hermione and placed his hands on his hips and looked down at her into her deep brown eyes.
Hermione ran a hand over his left cheek and smiled softly, "Don't worry about me."
"How can I not?" replied Draco, "I've only just got you back and I don't want to loose you again."
"You won't. I promise with all my heart and soul that when this is over I'm yours forever."
Draco leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips. Hermione broke the kiss by hugging him, then apperating with a loud crack.
Draco let out a breath as he pocketed his wand and whispered, "Be careful."
!Z!
Blaise raced down the small hall into his and Ginny's bedroom. Furniture was knocked over everywhere, a dent was kicked in the wall and a few drops of blood her on the carpet. But still there was nothing that would lead them to Clarissa.
"Merlin damn it!" cursed Blaise slamming his fist into the door frame, "Why Ginny?"
"I wish I knew that," sighed Ron standing beside Blaise and surveying the scene.
"I found something," came Harry's voice echoing from the kitchen.
Instantly, Blaise and Ron ran to the kitchen, Blaise slamming the door open and nearly whacking Ron in the face when it flew back into the doorframe.
"Listen to this," said Harry, "When you find the right place,
Look out your window,
I'm nearer then you think,
But further then it seems."
"She planned on taking Ginny from the start of all this didn't she?" asked Ron.
"I'd say so. But what on earth does that mean?"
Blaise walked to the kitchen window and looked out at the city. Everything he saw didn't fit the place to take Ginny. He turned back to the other two, "We aren't in the right place, that is for sure."
!Z!
Draco raced up the already open staircase to Dumbledore's office and pushed the door open. Already inside were Amy, Gavin, Percy, Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley, McGonagall and Dumbledore. Draco nodded to Percy sympathetically, who returned the nod.
"Now that Draco is here," said Dumbledore calmly, "Do you three wish to inform me as to why you are all here?"
"Ginny's gone," said Amy, "Clarissa has her. Hermione has gone to the Burrow to see if Clarissa had anything there that could help Hermione figure out where she would've gone and Blaise, Harry and Ron have gone to Blaise and Ginny's place to see what clues they can find that might help."
"Ginny?" cried Mrs Weasley, "But Clarissa could kill her and the babies!"
"I know Hermione," said Draco, "And I know she won't stop working until she settles this once and for all."
"Oh and Hermione said to get things rolling," added Gavin shrugging his shoulders after speaking.
Dumbledore nodded, the twinkle in his eyes, "Things are already 'rolling'. Now I want us all to move to Grimmauld Place. Order members will already be arriving and we should start planning a strategy for this up coming battle."
Everybody started heading for the staircase. Amy walked with her husband, holding his hand tightly.
She didn't want to go back to Grimmauld Place and even though she was never the superstitious type, she did however, feel that returning to Grimmauld Place was a bad omen.
Memories of Gavin nearly dying flashed through her mind and instantly Amy hugged her husband in tears.
Gavin hugged Amy, even though he was utterly confused as to why she was crying, "Amy what's wrong?"
"Oh, Gavin, what if what happened last time happens again?" asked Amy looking her husband in the eyes, "You died almost four years ago in that house, Clarissa knows where that place is… she could come after us there!"
Gavin kissed Amy on the lips quickly, "Don't panic. Nothing like that is going to happen again. That you can be sure of. Calm down."
Amy nodded and Gavin wiped away her tears.
"Now, we'd better get going."
!Z!
Hermione opened Percy's bedroom door open and walked into the dim room. She walked over to the window and pulled back the dark blue heavy curtains and instantly bight-shining sunlight illuminated the room. Hermione sighed and walked over to a trunk marked with a big silver C. Kneeling down,
Hermione undid the metal locks and lifted the lid up, slamming it onto the floor with a loud and echoing bang.
Hermione sifted through the clothes, trying not to be drawn to the stylish shirts with ruffles, sequins and whatever else. But once at the bottom, Hermione has found nothing. With a sigh Hermione fell back against the double bed and looked around the room, searching for anything that would help her in her quest.
The sun glimmered over something shining, sitting on the floor by Percy's falling apart wooden desk. Curiously, Hermione crawled over to it and picked it up. Inside the picture were Percy and 'Carla' at Hogsmeade. Behind them, in the distance Hermione could make out the castle of Hogwarts, which meant the photo was taken in the forest near the shrieking shack.
Hermione sighed and placed the photo on the bed and scanned the room for anything else. But everything was tidy and in place.
"Nothing," murmured Hermione before apperating to the Hogwarts school gates only to meet up with Ron, Harry and Blaise who were exiting the school, "Why aren't you three going in?"
"Flitwick said they'd all gone to Grimmauld Place," replied Blaise, "But we did find this at my place."
Hermione took the folded paper and opened it, " When you find the right place, look out your window, I'm nearer then you think, but further then it seems."
"We haven't found the right place," sighed Harry.
Hermione looked at the castle, "I found a photo of Percy and Clarissa in the Shrieking shack forest… I need to see something."
Harry, Ron and Blaise watched Hermione take off into a run towards the castle.
"I never understand what is going on in that mind of hers," grumbled Ron, "She never explains what's happening up there."
!Z!
Clarissa stalked into the room, the floorboards creaking under her weight. She knelt down in front of a dry lipped, half asleep Ginny.
"Any time now and I bet Super Ellawise will be coming to the rescue," smirked Clarissa, standing up again and looking out the window, "I've left clues behind… if she is smart enough she will put them all together and well… you'll live… maybe."
Ginny rolled her head away from facing Clarissa and closed her eyes. She was thirsty and tired.
"This will be my winning battle. I can feel it. Ellawise will come to the rescue unprepared for what will hit her and maybe I will succeed in something my father never could. He always was a pathetic man, but with goals that are worth striving for."
"What lack of identity?" spoke up Ginny, "You will meet the same miserable end like your father did – death."
Clarissa stalked back over to Ginny and back handed her across the face, "I have warned you! I have no patience for this shit! If you want to live you will remain silent!"
Ginny glared at Clarissa, even though her heart was beating away a mile a minute.
Clarissa walked back to the window and pulled the curtain back again. Mid-day was drawing closer by the minute, yet Clarissa knew it was only a matter of time.
She shut the curtain and left the room and ran down the staircase. The air smelt mustier and the dust floated in the air.
She walked over to a rickety stool and sat down, her eyes focused on the entrance.
!Z!
Draco looked around the familiar surroundings of Grimmauld Place. The staircase where him and Hermione argued… the staircase where Amy nearly got killed… okay so the staircase held many memories.
"Draco."
Draco looked from the staircase to the kitchen entrance to see his mother smiling at him, "Mum, hi."
Narcissa walked over to her son and hugged him, "Where is Hermione?"
"Trying to find out where Clarissa is."
"I see. Well let's get to the kitchen. The meeting is going to start shortly. All the Weasley's are here – except Ginny of course. Tonks is here, so is Remus and Mad Eye Moody-"
"Mad Eye is here?" asked Draco remembering his forth year and the whole bouncing ferret incident.
"Yes. Oh Draco, that was long ago!"
Draco merely nodded and followed his mother down the stair well to the kitchen. Everyone looked up at Draco who just nodded at them all and sat down in the spare chair beside his mother.
At that moment Dumbledore entered with McGonagall and Snape following him.
"Albus, what is going on?" asked Remus, "What is this all about with Clarissa still being alive?"
"I shall explain in a moment. But we must wait for the arrival of Hermione, Harry, Ron and Blaise," replied Dumbledore.
"And when will that be?" called out a man with a balding head.
"As soon as they can get here," snapped Narcissa, "They aren't going to rush for nobody."
!Z!
Hermione ran into the castle, startling the students. She spotted Trelawny speaking to some student and rushed over to her.
"Professor Trelawny!" cried Hermione grabbing her by the robe sleeve, "What is the password to Albus's office?"
"Why my visions told me I would see you," she replied.
"I don't give a damn about your false visions! What is the password?"
"Smarties and Ice cream."
"Thankyou!" yelled Hermione as she started running again and disappeared around the corner.
"Am I really going to die?" asked the petrified student as Harry, Ron and Blaise arrived.
"She said that to me when I went here and I'm still living aren't I?" said Harry as he passed Trelawny and the student.
"She is a crackpot," chuckled Ron as they ran around the corner and up the flight of stairs, "Man Hermione runs fast."
"She does when she has too," commented Blaise.
!Z!
"S-smarties and Ice Cream," stammered Hermione breathlessly.
The gargoyle rumbled and moved aside and hurriedly Hermione climbed onto the staircase and allowed it to revolve her upwards to her former Head Masters office.
"Come on," muttered Hermione tapping her right foot impatiently, "Move it! I don't have time for this!"
After what seemed like hours the staircase rumbled to a stand still and Hermione jumped off and opened the office door and ran in to the window.
"When you find the right place…" murmured Hermione looking out the window, "Look out your window."
Hermione looked over the forest and her eyes landed on a certain shack.
"I'm nearer then you think… But further than it seems… bingo."
"Bingo… what?" asked Ron running in followed by Harry and Blaise.
Hermione turned to them, "Listen to me, you must do as I tell you and NOTHING else. Go to Grimmauld place… and just wait a second."
Hermione walked over to Dumbledore's desk and grabbed a slip of parchment and a quill and began scrawling a note to him, hurriedly but neatly.
Harry and the other two watched her face as she wrote, a look of anger mixed with determination. She folded it up and handed it to Ron.
"Go to Grimmauld Place and give this to Dumbledore," instructed Hermione, "I am going to Clarissa."
Ron went to open the note but Hermione pointed her finger at it, sealing it so only Dumbledore could open it.
"I'll come with you, " said Blaise.
"No," said Hermione looking at him, "I'm going alone and that's final. When the time comes, Dumbledore will tell you all where to go."
With that Hermione disappeared with a swirl of a bright white light.
"Hang on," said Harry, "I thought you couldn't apperate on school grounds?"
"Harry, she's a descendent of Merlin. She can break the rules."
"Come on, Let's get going," sighed Blaise exiting the office.
!Z!
Everyone looked up at the kitchen stairs at the sound of footsteps; many footsteps running down the stairs. A second later in burst Harry, Ron and Blaise… with no Hermione.
"Where's Hermione?" asked Draco standing up, "She should've arrived with you three!"
Ron handed a letter to Dumbledore who opened it with no hassles. The three took a seat and Narcissa coaxed Draco to sit back down. Everyone watched Dumbledore who read the note and sighed.
"What does it say, Albus?" asked Lorraine worriedly, "Is everything okay?"
"Hermione… knows where Clarissa is. But I am not to tell you until the time is right and she will tell us when the time is right… but she asked me to read this out to you all.
Today maybe the last day I see the daylight. But the memories I have will last with me in all eternity. Do not fear, you will see Ginny if it is the last thing I do. But know I care for you all and you all are close to my heart.
There is nothing else I can tell you all."
Draco bit his lower lip and felt his mother's hand on his shoulder. She gave him a reassuring squeeze, but that didn't ease Draco at all. All he could do was stare at the table and picture Hermione's smiling face.
A/N: Hey everyone! Well I have some news for you all… now this isn't definite yet, but this may end up being a four part series… my mind just keeps on coming up with new stuff that should happen… but we will wait and see how this turns out…
Thanks for the reviews: Lady Cantara, Trinity Cloud, RoleModelGirlie, xputteckx (I live in Australia and The OC is on Tuesdays), NicksterPotter, 6TEEN fan for life, I wish your heart was mine (Its never too late to start watching a TV Show, especially LOST, you can catch up with it all by going onto a website with the episode guides and all that), GoldenGirl313, American Deer Hunter 73 and SLytHeRiNcHiCk 101.
Thankyou all! You all rock!
Anyway…
Bye for now!
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