CHAPTER 3 - The Great Hall
October 13,
I cannot wait to get out of here. 9 days. 9 complete days that I've been stuck in here with no way out and with nothing to do. So this is the very first entry of my diary in all of my life, given to me by Ron. All of the homework, lectures, and tests I've missed, I can't believe it! But I have to admit; it is nice to be cared for, from multiple numbers of people- Madam Pomfrey, Ron, and Harry.
I figured out what Malfoy hit me with-a Morbida Curse, dark magic that can black out your memory and make you faint for a short period of time and could cause short-term memory loss. But Madam Pomfrey said that I haven't been thoroughly harmed, so that's fine…Harry told me Malfoy would've almost gotten expelled, but thanks to Dumbledore, he didn't. God knows why Dumbledore didn't expel him, but he does have a month's worth of detention. Harry was almost dancing off the walls when he came to tell me, that's the most I've seen him happy in a while.
Ron is acting very strange, I don't know what to think. The bizarre thing is that he's being NICER than he's supposed to be, its quite funny. Out of his busy schedule, he comes to visit me everyday and tries to cheer me up-it's very admiring. But this is the most frightening change, he asked me if I could help him study for a big test coming up in his 'Mystery in The Magical World' class. I still can't believe Ron wants to be an Unspeakable, I never thought he would be interested in that, but I guess those brains in the Department of Mysteries seemed to have a crucial effect on his mind. Usually it would be Harry who came to visit more, but Harry comes by occasionally, sometimes with Ron.
Something is different in Ron, and I wonder if he likes me or something. I didn't think that before, but ever since Madam Pomfrey had said that, she was thinking differently.
"You alright now?" I remember Madam Pomfrey straightening my sheets and talking to me a couple of days ago.
"Yes. Can I please leave?" I said.
"No, you may not leave! The Morbida Curse is very life-threatening, or mind-threatening, it must be taken very seriously!" She flustered.
"You have no idea how dull it is sitting here all day." I said under my breath.
"Apparently I do, Miss Granger. I work here, remember?"
"I have no one to talk to…" I told her, but regretted it the second the sentence it came out of my mouth.
"Preposterous! You have visitors, Mr. Potter, Ms.Patil, even Professor Tonks came to visit you, and what about Mr.Weasley?"
"What about him?" I declared, avoiding her eyes.
"The sweet thing has been her every day, sitting by you, even when you are sleeping." Madam Pomfrey shook her head, "He really cares about you, I can see that."
Was it true? Did he really-
"Guess what Hermz?" She jumped as Ron sprang in from the back door of the Hospital Wing with a huge grin on his face, and ran to Hermione who was sprawled on the bed indolently.
"Hello yourself." Said Hermione, forcing a smile on her worn-out face.
"Two elements of good news." He said, stroking his flame-red hair with one hand and holding a piece of parchment in the other. Hermione grasped it curiously and scanned it over. An 'Outstanding'. She couldn't recall the moment when Ron had ever gotten an Outstanding, especially a psychological class so similar to Divination, one of Ron's former-worse subjects.
"You must be thinking how I got that, right? Nearly fainted myself when I read it, thought it was somebody else's-"
"CONGRATULATIONS!" She got up instantly and gave Ron a promising hug. This was one of Ron's major achievements, and he needed to know it. "I'm so proud of you!"
"Er-thanks, I think." He replied awkwardly, "but it's mostly because of you, I would've failed if you hadn't helped me out."
"True, but it was you who was motivated to learn it." Hermione replied truthfully. "What was the other good news?"
Ron's face came alarmed, and once again, he beamed, "You can leave now! Madam Pomfrey told me earlier when I came here, but you were sleeping, so she told me then!"
Hermione was overwhelmed; her eyes widened in relief and she hugged Ron again without knowing what she was doing.
"Finally! Let's go!"
Hermione beamed at herself in the mirror as she combed her hair thoroughly to make it straight as possible, and all sorts of thoughts traveled into her mind like a train.
She couldn't wait to go to Arithmancy and ask Professor Vector what she had missed and get to Defense Against the Dark Arts and see Tonks again. Hermione missed being around her, because whenever her day was stressed, she would always put some light into her heart. She remembered the first day of lessons when Tonks had given a lesson on Metamorphagus' like her. Neville had raised his hand to ask a question to 'Professor Tonks', and her purple hair had become little yellow slits in surprise and she almost had fallen flat on her face, making the whole class burst with laughter.
Tonks was her most favorable teacher this year. Hermione learned so much in her class without Tonks having to be so strict. She was very casual, as if she was almost one of the students, and that was the only class where the three (she, Ron, and Harry) were together in.
A few minutes later, Hermione left the dormitory to go to the Great Hall for breakfast, carrying a backpack contaminated with books. She promised herself that she wouldn't pull them out at the table, because she had a lot of social catching up to do.
The autumn-cool morning shined through the full-panel windows of Great hall and fell mesmerizingly into her eyes and the wind made her shiver like a cold frog. She smelled fresh scents of morning food all around the room, and anticipated the moment that she put some non-hospital food into her mouth.
The Great Hall was filled with merry students quarreling up noise, groups of ghosts were chatting with each other, and some teachers were marking papers while others were talking as well. Hermione checked the room and found Harry, Ron, and Neville sitting at their usual spots.
She neared them slowly from the back, at least a few feet away, and had the idea to jump them. But there was some tension going on, and she observed.
"But I have to do it soon or it'll be over!" Hermione heard Harry whisper hoarsely to Ron and Neville. Ron was settled next to Harry with a concerned expression, and Neville on the other side of Harry whose face showed pure terror.
"But can't you tell Dumbledore first?" Said Ron, sounding very desperate. What are they talking about?
"What's up?" Hermione said eagerly, completely forgetting her plan. All three swerved.
"Hey Hermione!" Neville turned to greet her, bringing some cheerfulness onto his face.
"Hey." Said Harry, forcing a smile. Ron just beamed at her and made room for her in between them.
"What were you talking about?" Said Hermione, still focused on their conversation.
Ron, Harry, and Neville exchanged looks and then Harry nodded.
"Well," started Ron, his voice barely being a whisper, "Harry's saying that he's going to go the…eherm, Ministry, again."
Hermione knew this was coming, because nothing else could've possible been on Harry's mind than that.
"No Harry! You really mustn't!"
Harry smirked with a languor look, "Big surprise," he said, "I'm going, and you can't talk me out of it."
This time it was Neville who spoke to Hermione, "So how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, just weak from sitting for so many days." Then she turned to Harry, "No, you can't! What if something happens? Remember when you and Neville took your little trip there?"
Harry turned the other way and stared at the Great Hall, appearing to be fascinated by it.
Even if Harry didn't want to recount that, Hermione didn't ever want that to happen again. The anxiety and worry that she and Ron had gotten through when one day, Neville and Harry had missed coming to the Common Room last year. She remembered it like it was a day ago.
Three hours passed had passed by. No sign of them. Hermione had been troubled enough to the point that she was ready to Professor Dumbledore's office and inform them. Earlier that day, she had already been suspicious of Harry and Neville with their furtive glances at each other and Neville being a little more clumsy than usual. There was no doubt that they had gone to the Department of Mysteries.
At that time, Hermione didn't really care why Harry hadn't told her or Ron about his plans, because all she was concerned about was their safety. But Ron was the opposite; he was furious that Harry excluded him from his plan and never told him about the prophecy.
So they had gone to Professor McGonagall and told them they had to see the Headmaster with something that concerned with the Order of the Phoenix. Up went the spiral steps to his office a few minutes later, and there had been Dumbledore sitting in his chair and conversing with a man with greasy black hair-Snape.
He had turned with a deafening crack in his neck and produced the most loathing look Hermione had seen yet, but Dumbledore hadn't didn't even flinched at the sight of her and Ron in his office after midnight…
"Earth to Hermione!" Ron spoke and wove his empty hand up and down in front of her face. Hermione returned to the Hall.
"Huh?"
"I said that if Harry's going again, then we're going with him," Said Ron, "Right?"
Going back to the Department of Mysteries would feel more terrifying than failing N.E.W.T's to her; the place too extreme and mysterious for her.
"Yes." She replied reluctantly. Harry needed all of the aid he could get. Ron shot her a look.
"No. You're not coming with me!" Harry said quietly, gazing around with a nervous expression.
"Well, then you're not going!" Said Hermione.
"Why did I even bother to tell you?" He said loudly.
"Shhh!" She commanded.
Neville spoke, "Because we're your friends."
"I have to do this alone, nobody's going to die because of me."
"Does Tonks know?" Said Neville anxiously.
"Are you crazy?" Ron spluttered before Harry got a chance to open his mouth, "She'd probably lock him behind bars first. Mind you, we just might have to do that if this gets serious."
"Can we please talk about this somewhere else, privately?" Said Hermione, staring at her surroundings, hoping nobody would hear them.
Ron stared at her apologetically and Harry stood up.
All three of them glared at him, and he said, "Sorry, but we do have classes soon, and I got to reach the third floor."
A couple of minutes of later, Hermione, Ron, and Neville decided that they would meet at the most private place they had come to know through their years-the abandoned bathroom where they had produced their Polyjuice Potion. Ron left early to go to 'Mystery of Magical World' class, which left Hermione and Neville.
She stood up and turned to him, "Meet us there at 8?"
"Yeah. Bye." He said reassuringly, took out a book and started to read.
With a wave, she walked across the Great Hall to the exit. As her mind was still on the whole situation, someone sprang from behind the door and pushed her against the wall.
October 13,
I cannot wait to get out of here. 9 days. 9 complete days that I've been stuck in here with no way out and with nothing to do. So this is the very first entry of my diary in all of my life, given to me by Ron. All of the homework, lectures, and tests I've missed, I can't believe it! But I have to admit; it is nice to be cared for, from multiple numbers of people- Madam Pomfrey, Ron, and Harry.
I figured out what Malfoy hit me with-a Morbida Curse, dark magic that can black out your memory and make you faint for a short period of time and could cause short-term memory loss. But Madam Pomfrey said that I haven't been thoroughly harmed, so that's fine…Harry told me Malfoy would've almost gotten expelled, but thanks to Dumbledore, he didn't. God knows why Dumbledore didn't expel him, but he does have a month's worth of detention. Harry was almost dancing off the walls when he came to tell me, that's the most I've seen him happy in a while.
Ron is acting very strange, I don't know what to think. The bizarre thing is that he's being NICER than he's supposed to be, its quite funny. Out of his busy schedule, he comes to visit me everyday and tries to cheer me up-it's very admiring. But this is the most frightening change, he asked me if I could help him study for a big test coming up in his 'Mystery in The Magical World' class. I still can't believe Ron wants to be an Unspeakable, I never thought he would be interested in that, but I guess those brains in the Department of Mysteries seemed to have a crucial effect on his mind. Usually it would be Harry who came to visit more, but Harry comes by occasionally, sometimes with Ron.
Something is different in Ron, and I wonder if he likes me or something. I didn't think that before, but ever since Madam Pomfrey had said that, she was thinking differently.
"You alright now?" I remember Madam Pomfrey straightening my sheets and talking to me a couple of days ago.
"Yes. Can I please leave?" I said.
"No, you may not leave! The Morbida Curse is very life-threatening, or mind-threatening, it must be taken very seriously!" She flustered.
"You have no idea how dull it is sitting here all day." I said under my breath.
"Apparently I do, Miss Granger. I work here, remember?"
"I have no one to talk to…" I told her, but regretted it the second the sentence it came out of my mouth.
"Preposterous! You have visitors, Mr. Potter, Ms.Patil, even Professor Tonks came to visit you, and what about Mr.Weasley?"
"What about him?" I declared, avoiding her eyes.
"The sweet thing has been her every day, sitting by you, even when you are sleeping." Madam Pomfrey shook her head, "He really cares about you, I can see that."
Was it true? Did he really-
"Guess what Hermz?" She jumped as Ron sprang in from the back door of the Hospital Wing with a huge grin on his face, and ran to Hermione who was sprawled on the bed indolently.
"Hello yourself." Said Hermione, forcing a smile on her worn-out face.
"Two elements of good news." He said, stroking his flame-red hair with one hand and holding a piece of parchment in the other. Hermione grasped it curiously and scanned it over. An 'Outstanding'. She couldn't recall the moment when Ron had ever gotten an Outstanding, especially a psychological class so similar to Divination, one of Ron's former-worse subjects.
"You must be thinking how I got that, right? Nearly fainted myself when I read it, thought it was somebody else's-"
"CONGRATULATIONS!" She got up instantly and gave Ron a promising hug. This was one of Ron's major achievements, and he needed to know it. "I'm so proud of you!"
"Er-thanks, I think." He replied awkwardly, "but it's mostly because of you, I would've failed if you hadn't helped me out."
"True, but it was you who was motivated to learn it." Hermione replied truthfully. "What was the other good news?"
Ron's face came alarmed, and once again, he beamed, "You can leave now! Madam Pomfrey told me earlier when I came here, but you were sleeping, so she told me then!"
Hermione was overwhelmed; her eyes widened in relief and she hugged Ron again without knowing what she was doing.
"Finally! Let's go!"
Hermione beamed at herself in the mirror as she combed her hair thoroughly to make it straight as possible, and all sorts of thoughts traveled into her mind like a train.
She couldn't wait to go to Arithmancy and ask Professor Vector what she had missed and get to Defense Against the Dark Arts and see Tonks again. Hermione missed being around her, because whenever her day was stressed, she would always put some light into her heart. She remembered the first day of lessons when Tonks had given a lesson on Metamorphagus' like her. Neville had raised his hand to ask a question to 'Professor Tonks', and her purple hair had become little yellow slits in surprise and she almost had fallen flat on her face, making the whole class burst with laughter.
Tonks was her most favorable teacher this year. Hermione learned so much in her class without Tonks having to be so strict. She was very casual, as if she was almost one of the students, and that was the only class where the three (she, Ron, and Harry) were together in.
A few minutes later, Hermione left the dormitory to go to the Great Hall for breakfast, carrying a backpack contaminated with books. She promised herself that she wouldn't pull them out at the table, because she had a lot of social catching up to do.
The autumn-cool morning shined through the full-panel windows of Great hall and fell mesmerizingly into her eyes and the wind made her shiver like a cold frog. She smelled fresh scents of morning food all around the room, and anticipated the moment that she put some non-hospital food into her mouth.
The Great Hall was filled with merry students quarreling up noise, groups of ghosts were chatting with each other, and some teachers were marking papers while others were talking as well. Hermione checked the room and found Harry, Ron, and Neville sitting at their usual spots.
She neared them slowly from the back, at least a few feet away, and had the idea to jump them. But there was some tension going on, and she observed.
"But I have to do it soon or it'll be over!" Hermione heard Harry whisper hoarsely to Ron and Neville. Ron was settled next to Harry with a concerned expression, and Neville on the other side of Harry whose face showed pure terror.
"But can't you tell Dumbledore first?" Said Ron, sounding very desperate. What are they talking about?
"What's up?" Hermione said eagerly, completely forgetting her plan. All three swerved.
"Hey Hermione!" Neville turned to greet her, bringing some cheerfulness onto his face.
"Hey." Said Harry, forcing a smile. Ron just beamed at her and made room for her in between them.
"What were you talking about?" Said Hermione, still focused on their conversation.
Ron, Harry, and Neville exchanged looks and then Harry nodded.
"Well," started Ron, his voice barely being a whisper, "Harry's saying that he's going to go the…eherm, Ministry, again."
Hermione knew this was coming, because nothing else could've possible been on Harry's mind than that.
"No Harry! You really mustn't!"
Harry smirked with a languor look, "Big surprise," he said, "I'm going, and you can't talk me out of it."
This time it was Neville who spoke to Hermione, "So how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, just weak from sitting for so many days." Then she turned to Harry, "No, you can't! What if something happens? Remember when you and Neville took your little trip there?"
Harry turned the other way and stared at the Great Hall, appearing to be fascinated by it.
Even if Harry didn't want to recount that, Hermione didn't ever want that to happen again. The anxiety and worry that she and Ron had gotten through when one day, Neville and Harry had missed coming to the Common Room last year. She remembered it like it was a day ago.
Three hours passed had passed by. No sign of them. Hermione had been troubled enough to the point that she was ready to Professor Dumbledore's office and inform them. Earlier that day, she had already been suspicious of Harry and Neville with their furtive glances at each other and Neville being a little more clumsy than usual. There was no doubt that they had gone to the Department of Mysteries.
At that time, Hermione didn't really care why Harry hadn't told her or Ron about his plans, because all she was concerned about was their safety. But Ron was the opposite; he was furious that Harry excluded him from his plan and never told him about the prophecy.
So they had gone to Professor McGonagall and told them they had to see the Headmaster with something that concerned with the Order of the Phoenix. Up went the spiral steps to his office a few minutes later, and there had been Dumbledore sitting in his chair and conversing with a man with greasy black hair-Snape.
He had turned with a deafening crack in his neck and produced the most loathing look Hermione had seen yet, but Dumbledore hadn't didn't even flinched at the sight of her and Ron in his office after midnight…
"Earth to Hermione!" Ron spoke and wove his empty hand up and down in front of her face. Hermione returned to the Hall.
"Huh?"
"I said that if Harry's going again, then we're going with him," Said Ron, "Right?"
Going back to the Department of Mysteries would feel more terrifying than failing N.E.W.T's to her; the place too extreme and mysterious for her.
"Yes." She replied reluctantly. Harry needed all of the aid he could get. Ron shot her a look.
"No. You're not coming with me!" Harry said quietly, gazing around with a nervous expression.
"Well, then you're not going!" Said Hermione.
"Why did I even bother to tell you?" He said loudly.
"Shhh!" She commanded.
Neville spoke, "Because we're your friends."
"I have to do this alone, nobody's going to die because of me."
"Does Tonks know?" Said Neville anxiously.
"Are you crazy?" Ron spluttered before Harry got a chance to open his mouth, "She'd probably lock him behind bars first. Mind you, we just might have to do that if this gets serious."
"Can we please talk about this somewhere else, privately?" Said Hermione, staring at her surroundings, hoping nobody would hear them.
Ron stared at her apologetically and Harry stood up.
All three of them glared at him, and he said, "Sorry, but we do have classes soon, and I got to reach the third floor."
A couple of minutes of later, Hermione, Ron, and Neville decided that they would meet at the most private place they had come to know through their years-the abandoned bathroom where they had produced their Polyjuice Potion. Ron left early to go to 'Mystery of Magical World' class, which left Hermione and Neville.
She stood up and turned to him, "Meet us there at 8?"
"Yeah. Bye." He said reassuringly, took out a book and started to read.
With a wave, she walked across the Great Hall to the exit. As her mind was still on the whole situation, someone sprang from behind the door and pushed her against the wall.