Disclaimer: Harry Potter is disclaimed, JK Rowling owns him and the rest of the characters and books etc.
Before I start thanks everybody (meaning the two of you) who reviewed the last chapter - which quickly reminded me to get started on this one. Anyway, here goes Chapter Fourteen.
Also, this one starts off exactly where it left off as it was ended on a little bit of a cliffhanger.
Multiple spaces between paragraphs means a point-of-view change. This chapter seems to be written more in the style of the earlier chapters, if I remember them correctly. The viewpoints jump around more, and it's decidedly more emotional and more focused on the main three.
Chapter Fourteen - Inner Turmoil
Hermione stared speechless at her wand in shock. Red? How could one of her parents be a wizard - or a witch? There must be something wrong, she thought. But the wand glowed bright red in front of her. Did she make a mistake? She didn't think so - she had carefully mirrored Flitwick's every move, even the speed at which he did it, and spoken clearly. Besides, then it would have turned some strange purple or something. Red wasn't a problem in that it wasn't supposed to turn up with the spell, it was a problem because she was a Muggle-born. That is, she was supposed to be, she collapsed into her chair with her face in her hands. She felt Ron swiftly come to comfort her, closely followed by Harry.
How could her wand be red, Ron mused while patting her on the back and gripping her hand in comfort. This wasn't good. It didn't make any sense. Maybe she was adopted - that would explain it. But then why didn't her parents tell her? There could be only one explanation for one of them not telling her about being a witch or wizard, but Ron didn't want to think about it. None of it fit. Why marry a muggle but not tell him or her you're a wizard - or witch? Even if you had sinister intentions, no sinister intentions made any sense.
Ron shot a worried glance at Harry, who returned it. Ron could tell that Harry's thoughts had mirrored his. Harry looked pleadingly at Ron for answers, thinking that Ron had maybe arrived at a different conclusion. Ron shook his head no, and then turned his head at Hermione. Their silent conversation was interrupted by Flitwick's voice, unusually serious and less energetic than usual.
"I think we'd better go to Professor Dumbledore now, Miss Granger," Flitwick intoned quietly. "Please continue with the Charms, class. I'll leave the decision over whether Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley should come with you, Miss Granger?" Flitwick asked a now more-composed Hermione.
Hermione thought over what it would be like going to Dumbledore without and Harry and Ron beside her. No, she silentlyt decided. She needed them there. Without them, she would probably collapse. "I don't want to intrude on the class Professor, but I would really prefer it if they came..." Hermione answered to an unsurprised Flitwick. The three were almost inseparable normally, during times of trouble they were often dependent on each other. Flitwick nodded his head and walked quickly for such a small man out the door towards the stone gargoyle, with Ron, Hermione, and Harry following behind him. Ron was still refusing his grip on Hermione's hand, and Hermione was glad because of it, throwing him a thankful glance, and Harry after that. They both dismissed her thanks with looks telling her that under no circumstances would they not be coming with her. A slight smile was brought to Hermione's lips as she thought of her friends. Lately she had noticed that all three of them were able to communicate to each other without words - odd especially for Hermione, a very talkative sort. She hadn't even formed that type of bond with Ginny and secretly felt that no one could ever compare to Ron and Harry. She leaned slightly closer to Ron as she thought of two other people she had loved, even when they were growing further apart because of Hogwarts, and started to grip his hand with more ferocity.
Ron threw a sad, smiling glance at Harry. Well, at least Hermione's a little better now. Even her lips had curved up slightly in a smile earlier. Suddenly Ron felt Hermione lean slightly closer to him - even on him - and felt her hand tighten on his. He let her continue leaning on him while they walked, and privately hoped that he would never have to go through something like his parents lying to him. Ron looked around his surroundings and estimated that it shouldn't be long until they reach the stone gargoyle.
Harry was dwelling deep on thought on Hermione's other side, privately thinking about his experience in the Pensieve last year. It had been terrible to see Sirius acting so arrogantly, but it really shocked him more to see his Dad like that. He got over the fact that Sirius had been so arrogant, because Sirius had grown to be a great man. His, Dad, though? He never knew his dad. And what was their half-hearted explanation?
"We were all idiots when we were fifteen."
Oh, brilliant. I'm completely reassured. This hadn't exactly made Harry feel great about all the times Harry had defended his dad - especially to Snape, the blunt of so much torture by James. Words he had said to Snape in third year echoed in his head.
"My dad didn't strut," Harry had said with indignance. I didn't even know, Harry thought in turmoil. Harry jumped from his thoughts as everybody stopped at the gargoyle, Hermione lifting her head from Ron and standing up by herself. Harry scolded himself for ignoring Hermione while focusing on his father. His father was dead. Hermione's parents were alive. It didn't matter if his dad had been arrogant long ago. He should be helping Hermione.
Flitwick cleared his throat and squeaked clearly, "Gumball." Harry smiled to himself - looked like Dumbledore was delving into Muggle Sweets again. Harry noticed with confusion that Flitwick didn't seem to be coming with them.
"Professor, aren't you coming?" Flitwick shook his head and sent kindly smiles all their way.
"Oh no, Mr. Potter, I need to get back to the class."
Flitwick turned around to go back to his NEWT class. Harry grinned as Hermione and Ron looked around in deep confusion and fascination as the staircase started rising up towards Dumbledore's office, realizing that they likely had never gone before. Hermione and Ron looked expectantly at Harry as the staircase stopped. Harry stepped decidedly off the staircase and up to the doors of Dumbledore's and raised his hand, knocking three times on the door. The doors swung upon to reveal Dumbledore sitting at his desk smiling pleasantly at Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Harry was suddenly struck with the thought of what Dumbledore did - he never saw him around the school except for meals and Quidditch. Did he just sit around in his office and twiddle his thumbs to wait for dinners.
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, and Miss Granger. You have NEWT Charms right now? I certainly hope Professor Flitwick escorted you here," Dumbledore said with a smile on his face. "Would someone be so kind to tell me as what has happened?"
Harry looked around at his friends in confusion, wondering who should tell what had happened. Hermione seemed the natural choice, but she seemed in no condition to tell it - although she was standing straight and with a resolute face, she was still shaking slightly and gripping Ron's hand hard. Harry decided that he should probably do it - Ron looked like he was busy with comforting Hermione and had now draped his arm around Hermione's shoulder. She seemed to be on the verge of another collapse, and was leaning on him again, tough exterior gone. Ron nodded at Harry, telling him to speak to Dumbledore.
"You see Professor," Harry started, drawing Dumbledore's attention, "we were doing the Revealing Blood Charm in class. Hermione was doing it, and then she pointed the wand at herself and said the incantation. The wand - it glowed red."
Harry was surprised that Dumbledore didn't seem surprised at all by Harry's proclamation. He didn't look happy about it - in fact, he looked rather grim - and now seemed to be standing up and appeared to be taking some sort of action.
"You don't mind if I double-check, Miss Granger?"
Hermione shook her head no. Dumbledore swiftly waved his wand in fluid, fast motions, the wand spinning around his fingers until it suddenly pointed at Hermione. Dumbledore clearly chanted the incantation. The wand, once again, glowed a bright red. Dumbledore nodded his head and pocketed his wand, returning to his wand.
"I believe all three of you remember at the Burrow in the summer, when Miss Granger was visited by a particularly vivid dream?"
Harry and Ron nodded in agreement, although all three had turned sheet-white from the memory - Harry and Hermione from seeing it in Hermione's dream, Ron from the experience. Harry couldn't figure it out - why would Dumbledore bring up something so terrible at an already terrible time?
"Visions of the sort can only be seen by those with actual witch or wizard blood in them. I had been puzzling over Miss Granger's dream for quite some time now, but was coming at dead-ends. This is the answer. Now, you three, don't get any notions of going out of here. The Order will investigate this with Hermione's parents, but it may be - dangerous." Hermione shook slightly at the thought of her parents being involved with Voldemort. "All of you are exempt of classes for the rest of the day. Lastly, I promise you, Miss Granger, that you will know everything about your parents that we know at the most convienent time - and Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter also, if you so desire. Lunch does not start for another hour, so I suggest you three retreat to the Common Room. I will inform the professors."
Ron, Hermione, and Harry left slowly with the sympathetic gaze of a sad Dumbledore following them.
Pretty emotional chapter, eh? I thought it would have more stuff in it, but it took a different direction that I was happy with. The internal monologues of angst and sadness went on longer than I figured. I also stuck the greater part of this in Harry's viewpoint as I felt he has been slightly neglected in the story as a whole. I feel that all in all this was one of my stronger chapters thus far, although I may be wrong. Anyway, thanks to all those who reviewed/review. Lastly, I noticed while I was writing the last two chapters that they were both significantly shorter than the earlier ones, but for some reason this one is around their length. Ah, whatever.
Before I start thanks everybody (meaning the two of you) who reviewed the last chapter - which quickly reminded me to get started on this one. Anyway, here goes Chapter Fourteen.
Also, this one starts off exactly where it left off as it was ended on a little bit of a cliffhanger.
Multiple spaces between paragraphs means a point-of-view change. This chapter seems to be written more in the style of the earlier chapters, if I remember them correctly. The viewpoints jump around more, and it's decidedly more emotional and more focused on the main three.
Chapter Fourteen - Inner Turmoil
Hermione stared speechless at her wand in shock. Red? How could one of her parents be a wizard - or a witch? There must be something wrong, she thought. But the wand glowed bright red in front of her. Did she make a mistake? She didn't think so - she had carefully mirrored Flitwick's every move, even the speed at which he did it, and spoken clearly. Besides, then it would have turned some strange purple or something. Red wasn't a problem in that it wasn't supposed to turn up with the spell, it was a problem because she was a Muggle-born. That is, she was supposed to be, she collapsed into her chair with her face in her hands. She felt Ron swiftly come to comfort her, closely followed by Harry.
How could her wand be red, Ron mused while patting her on the back and gripping her hand in comfort. This wasn't good. It didn't make any sense. Maybe she was adopted - that would explain it. But then why didn't her parents tell her? There could be only one explanation for one of them not telling her about being a witch or wizard, but Ron didn't want to think about it. None of it fit. Why marry a muggle but not tell him or her you're a wizard - or witch? Even if you had sinister intentions, no sinister intentions made any sense.
Ron shot a worried glance at Harry, who returned it. Ron could tell that Harry's thoughts had mirrored his. Harry looked pleadingly at Ron for answers, thinking that Ron had maybe arrived at a different conclusion. Ron shook his head no, and then turned his head at Hermione. Their silent conversation was interrupted by Flitwick's voice, unusually serious and less energetic than usual.
"I think we'd better go to Professor Dumbledore now, Miss Granger," Flitwick intoned quietly. "Please continue with the Charms, class. I'll leave the decision over whether Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley should come with you, Miss Granger?" Flitwick asked a now more-composed Hermione.
Hermione thought over what it would be like going to Dumbledore without and Harry and Ron beside her. No, she silentlyt decided. She needed them there. Without them, she would probably collapse. "I don't want to intrude on the class Professor, but I would really prefer it if they came..." Hermione answered to an unsurprised Flitwick. The three were almost inseparable normally, during times of trouble they were often dependent on each other. Flitwick nodded his head and walked quickly for such a small man out the door towards the stone gargoyle, with Ron, Hermione, and Harry following behind him. Ron was still refusing his grip on Hermione's hand, and Hermione was glad because of it, throwing him a thankful glance, and Harry after that. They both dismissed her thanks with looks telling her that under no circumstances would they not be coming with her. A slight smile was brought to Hermione's lips as she thought of her friends. Lately she had noticed that all three of them were able to communicate to each other without words - odd especially for Hermione, a very talkative sort. She hadn't even formed that type of bond with Ginny and secretly felt that no one could ever compare to Ron and Harry. She leaned slightly closer to Ron as she thought of two other people she had loved, even when they were growing further apart because of Hogwarts, and started to grip his hand with more ferocity.
Ron threw a sad, smiling glance at Harry. Well, at least Hermione's a little better now. Even her lips had curved up slightly in a smile earlier. Suddenly Ron felt Hermione lean slightly closer to him - even on him - and felt her hand tighten on his. He let her continue leaning on him while they walked, and privately hoped that he would never have to go through something like his parents lying to him. Ron looked around his surroundings and estimated that it shouldn't be long until they reach the stone gargoyle.
Harry was dwelling deep on thought on Hermione's other side, privately thinking about his experience in the Pensieve last year. It had been terrible to see Sirius acting so arrogantly, but it really shocked him more to see his Dad like that. He got over the fact that Sirius had been so arrogant, because Sirius had grown to be a great man. His, Dad, though? He never knew his dad. And what was their half-hearted explanation?
"We were all idiots when we were fifteen."
Oh, brilliant. I'm completely reassured. This hadn't exactly made Harry feel great about all the times Harry had defended his dad - especially to Snape, the blunt of so much torture by James. Words he had said to Snape in third year echoed in his head.
"My dad didn't strut," Harry had said with indignance. I didn't even know, Harry thought in turmoil. Harry jumped from his thoughts as everybody stopped at the gargoyle, Hermione lifting her head from Ron and standing up by herself. Harry scolded himself for ignoring Hermione while focusing on his father. His father was dead. Hermione's parents were alive. It didn't matter if his dad had been arrogant long ago. He should be helping Hermione.
Flitwick cleared his throat and squeaked clearly, "Gumball." Harry smiled to himself - looked like Dumbledore was delving into Muggle Sweets again. Harry noticed with confusion that Flitwick didn't seem to be coming with them.
"Professor, aren't you coming?" Flitwick shook his head and sent kindly smiles all their way.
"Oh no, Mr. Potter, I need to get back to the class."
Flitwick turned around to go back to his NEWT class. Harry grinned as Hermione and Ron looked around in deep confusion and fascination as the staircase started rising up towards Dumbledore's office, realizing that they likely had never gone before. Hermione and Ron looked expectantly at Harry as the staircase stopped. Harry stepped decidedly off the staircase and up to the doors of Dumbledore's and raised his hand, knocking three times on the door. The doors swung upon to reveal Dumbledore sitting at his desk smiling pleasantly at Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Harry was suddenly struck with the thought of what Dumbledore did - he never saw him around the school except for meals and Quidditch. Did he just sit around in his office and twiddle his thumbs to wait for dinners.
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, and Miss Granger. You have NEWT Charms right now? I certainly hope Professor Flitwick escorted you here," Dumbledore said with a smile on his face. "Would someone be so kind to tell me as what has happened?"
Harry looked around at his friends in confusion, wondering who should tell what had happened. Hermione seemed the natural choice, but she seemed in no condition to tell it - although she was standing straight and with a resolute face, she was still shaking slightly and gripping Ron's hand hard. Harry decided that he should probably do it - Ron looked like he was busy with comforting Hermione and had now draped his arm around Hermione's shoulder. She seemed to be on the verge of another collapse, and was leaning on him again, tough exterior gone. Ron nodded at Harry, telling him to speak to Dumbledore.
"You see Professor," Harry started, drawing Dumbledore's attention, "we were doing the Revealing Blood Charm in class. Hermione was doing it, and then she pointed the wand at herself and said the incantation. The wand - it glowed red."
Harry was surprised that Dumbledore didn't seem surprised at all by Harry's proclamation. He didn't look happy about it - in fact, he looked rather grim - and now seemed to be standing up and appeared to be taking some sort of action.
"You don't mind if I double-check, Miss Granger?"
Hermione shook her head no. Dumbledore swiftly waved his wand in fluid, fast motions, the wand spinning around his fingers until it suddenly pointed at Hermione. Dumbledore clearly chanted the incantation. The wand, once again, glowed a bright red. Dumbledore nodded his head and pocketed his wand, returning to his wand.
"I believe all three of you remember at the Burrow in the summer, when Miss Granger was visited by a particularly vivid dream?"
Harry and Ron nodded in agreement, although all three had turned sheet-white from the memory - Harry and Hermione from seeing it in Hermione's dream, Ron from the experience. Harry couldn't figure it out - why would Dumbledore bring up something so terrible at an already terrible time?
"Visions of the sort can only be seen by those with actual witch or wizard blood in them. I had been puzzling over Miss Granger's dream for quite some time now, but was coming at dead-ends. This is the answer. Now, you three, don't get any notions of going out of here. The Order will investigate this with Hermione's parents, but it may be - dangerous." Hermione shook slightly at the thought of her parents being involved with Voldemort. "All of you are exempt of classes for the rest of the day. Lastly, I promise you, Miss Granger, that you will know everything about your parents that we know at the most convienent time - and Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter also, if you so desire. Lunch does not start for another hour, so I suggest you three retreat to the Common Room. I will inform the professors."
Ron, Hermione, and Harry left slowly with the sympathetic gaze of a sad Dumbledore following them.
Pretty emotional chapter, eh? I thought it would have more stuff in it, but it took a different direction that I was happy with. The internal monologues of angst and sadness went on longer than I figured. I also stuck the greater part of this in Harry's viewpoint as I felt he has been slightly neglected in the story as a whole. I feel that all in all this was one of my stronger chapters thus far, although I may be wrong. Anyway, thanks to all those who reviewed/review. Lastly, I noticed while I was writing the last two chapters that they were both significantly shorter than the earlier ones, but for some reason this one is around their length. Ah, whatever.