Disclaimer: Disclaimed.
Emily – Sorry that you've been bored lately. Thanks for reviewing!
Esrb99 – How many chapters left? Well we're over half but there's still a good few left.
Bhekie – Nope, remember she just found out she was an adopted child in chapter fifteen. To answer another unasked question, she's kept her name as Granger as the Granger's are who she looks to as her parents.
High Serpent King – Yep, the little things are always the ones that catch you by surprise.
Sorry that this chapter is so short, but it's also probably the strangest one yet and it's also quite...interesting. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Chapter 30 – Who's Next?
Hermione wandered through the halls after eating a somewhat meager lunch, she hadn't felt very hungry. She was debating fiercely whether to simply go back up to her dormitory but concluded that it wouldn't be good to start dissolving into tears again. She had already looked for Harry, but he was nowhere to be found. She decided to take a walk, and wandered aimlessly out towards the lake, pensive. Her mind suddenly flashed back to the long walks she and Ron had been having the whole difficult year. It had been nice for the two to share with each other. The lake had always been his favorite spot.
"What if one of us dies, Hermione?"
"What?"
"What if one of us dies? What if you, or Harry, or Ginny, or Charlie – dies?"
"It won't happen, Ron."
"It will though, won't it? I've already been close to dying twice. How is everyone supposed to survive? I don't want to die. I feel like I haven't done anything I should've yet. I haven't made a difference yet."
"What do you mean?"
"I feel like...there's something I've still gotta do, but I don't know what it is. But I should know. And I'm afraid...for everyone. How can we really protect ourselves from all the Death Eaters? First was Sirius, but who's next?"
The conversation came back to her vividly, horribly. Hermione hadn't known what to say to Ron then, hadn't known how to reassure him without lying. Because both of them knew that some of their friends would probably die. That even one of them might die. She hadn't been mature enough to accept it though, because she didn't want to. Everything was supposed to stay the same, forever. Everything was supposed to be good.
Hermione gasped as a hand suddenly clamped her shoulder. A haggard and hoarse voice spoke with deep, shuddering breaths.
"Hermione, take me to Dumbledore."
Hermione turned around. Ron's face stared back at her.
Dumbledore raced to the Department of Mysteries to the Prophecy room. It could be a fluke, but Dumbledore doubted it. Where was it, though?
Dumbledore scanned the orbs everywhere. Finally he came across the shelf he had been at and skidded to a stop. He looked at the dusty spheres and found the nametag Sterling.
The prophecy wasn't there anymore.
Harry and Lupin waited apprehensively at the Headmaster's office. Harry was petting Fawkes, who was currently in his mature stage with magnificent feathers. Fawkes suddenly cocked his head and disappeared with a red flash. Harry jumped, startled, and cast a look at Lupin. Lupin, bewildered, shrugged. Another flash and Fawkes came again, except this time with Dumbledore hanging on to the tail.
Dumbledore let go of Fawkes' tail and wearily tread over to his seat. Lupin approached him eagerly.
"So the prophecy? Sterling? Where..."
"It wasn't there, Remus."
A silence suddenly fell across the room. Harry spoke up.
"But the prophecies – they can't be removed except by the people who they pertain to."
Dumbledore nodded.
"So how was it stolen?" Lupin asked.
Dumbledore bowed his head.
"I don't know."
A pause came again. Lupin wearily ran his fingers through his hair and sat down, agitated, in the chair. Harry mulled over his thoughts while stroking Fawkes again.
Hermione screamed and stumbled backwards, pointing a trembling hand at Ron. I've gone crazy. I've gone freaking crazy.
"You...you're dead...go away."
Ron appeared hurt.
"Hermione...please...got to get...to Dumbledore..."
He just wants you to think he's real. Get over it. He's dead. Weren't you going to be strong now? So don't indulge. Don't let yourself indulge.
"GO AWAY RON! YOU'RE NOT REAL! NO ONE ELSE CAN SEE YOU!"
"No one else is here, Hermione, Dumbledore...please."
"You've got to prove you're real."
Ron – ghost Ron – ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated.
"Fine, how? How do I prove I'm real?"
Hermione ran ideas through her head. She only came up with one. He's not real anyway, he won't feel it...
Ron looked aghast.
"No, not that...you'll hurt me...you could kill me!"
"If you're real, you can defend yourself! Besides it's not going to be the Killing Curse!"
"Hermione...I don't have my wand..."
Hermione hesitated. He certainly did look extremely tired. What if she disarmed him and killed him?
He's not real! He won't feel it!
Hermione snapped.
"Expelliarmus!"
Ghost-Ron had already started dodging. He wrapped his arms around her back.
"There! Can you feel me? Do you feel me?"