The Other Side of The Veil By: Juniper Myst.
Chapter Seven – Intellect and LoyaltyWARNING: Female slash, but only among OCs, so relax. And 'Open up your mind!' it's not that bad, just mentions of it :p It's also important for future chapters so bear with it ok!?
P.S. To anyone who's been 'trying' to read my other fics and noticed I haven't been updating them as often as I do this one, that's because I have so much fun writing this one! Lol, romance is okay, but I prefer adventure.
Aya the Crazy Rabid Fangirl: "I HATE RIDDLES! ARGH!" *rips her hair out*
Juniper Winner: Heh… heh… read on!
~~~
Spade Silver had left her room in the castle, she made her way through the halls with a purpose... she should be resting now, there were plenty of things that needed to be taken care of and she needed her strength for that…but at the moment she really needed to talk to someone.
Spade never liked weak things, weak people, weak animals, weak anything. So at the moment she hated herself, she hated this moment of weakness...
She stole into Sapphire's room; she crept over to the 'Trusted Advisors' bedside and looked down at the sleeping girl.
Sapphire then spoke without opening her eyes, "Did you want something, Silver?"
Spade blinked, she had forgotten how keen Sapphire's senses were.
"Oh, no... I'm sorry I woke you up, I'll just go..."
Sapphire sighed and sat up, "You came here to tell me something, I can tell... so spill it."
Spade couldn't help a small smile, Sapphire knew exactly whenever she had something to say and she wouldn't allow her to leave until she said it. That was partly why she came here in the first place.
She needed someone to force her to admit her weakness. She had never spoken of the pain she bared and it was eating her alive. She wanted someone to make her say it, once and for all...
"It's about her, isn't it?" Sapphire said, she may not be an expert on matters of the heart, but she certainly could pick up on her friend's feelings about it.
Spade didn't answer.
"You know," Sapphire said. "You've been my best friend since we were in diapers, I can tell exactly what's on your mind, so don't deny it."
Spade sighed. "I miss her."
Sapphire stared, she knew that'd she'd have to make Spade spit it out, but that had been way too easy, but then, a lot of things had been changing around here.
"You know, it's not your fault." Sapphire said, pulling Spade down into the bed to sit.
"How can you say that?" Spade asked, surprised. "You know just as well as I do that it was entirely my fault!"
"No it wasn't, it was my fault too. And hers! She's the one who won't listen to your excuses or apologies!"
"Maybe she jumped to conclusions, but—"
"Silver! Listen to me, will you? I'm your best friend so I know what's best for you. Just forget about her, she left you. Over the stupidest reasons, without hearing you out. If she really cared she would have looked for any reason to believe you and she would have understood!"
Spade nodded. Sapphire was right, she was living in the past and that wouldn't do.
"But at meetings and such... how do I act?" Spade wondered aloud.
"Like you don't give a crap," Sapphire spoke. "If she's going to act like that, you should too. You're also the head of the guards, so you can't be making puppy dog eyes at her when you need to play indifference!"
"I don't know—"
"I think I'm the only one who gets to see you like this… the head guard all bewildered and afraid, knock it off already!"
"You're right… indifference… callousness…right?"
"Exactly."
Right Spade thought to herself. I'll no longer think of Diamond Winters...
~~
Inside the main building of Babylonia was a huge lobby with the ceiling stretching out so high that you soon lost the vision to the shadows and are forced to guess just how high the ceiling went.
There was a woman who appeared to be the secretary sitting at a desk separating two silver elevators.
They approached the desk and the woman was typing into a computer with fury. Draco stared at the monitor; he'd never seen one of them before.
"Excuse me," Harry said and the woman looked up at him, but continued to type away. "Can you tell us where to find... uh… Aster… Straeh?"
"Do you have an appointment?"
"Um…no… we're actually here to get a medallion..."
"I'm sorry but Ms. Aster... a medallion?"
"Yes."
"Hold on for a moment." The woman pressed a round button on the wall behind her desk.
"What is it?" A voice asked from the speaker.
Draco stared at that too...
"Two gentlemen are here… they want to see you about… the medallion…"
There was a silence and then the box said, "Send them up."
"Twelfth floor, the second door on your right." The woman said and pointed to an elevator.
"Thank you." Harry said and Draco and he got on the elevator and pressed 12.
The building was cold, kind of like ice, which was appropriate, considering it looked like sparkling blue frost.
"They have weird contraptions here." Draco said, referring to the computer and the intercom.
"They were Muggle contraptions." Harry said, watching the yellow numbers rise to their floor.
They arrived on the twelfth floor and walked down the hall two doors and to the right.
Harry knocked.
"Come in." A voice said and they did.
Sitting in an expensive looking desk was a young woman with messy dark hair. She was wearing a blue business suit and her glasses were slightly pointed at the ends.
"Aster Straeh, you are?" She said and motioned for them to sit.
They did.
"Draco Malfoy," Draco said and looked at Harry who introduced himself as well.
"Now, I was informed that you would like to challenge me for the medallion?" She said in a business like way and it was clear that this situation was much different then when they were after Star's medallion.
"That's right," Draco said and put his elbows in the desk. "How about you just give it to us right now and save us all the trouble?"
Shut up, Dolt. Harry thought at him and Draco leered back.
Aster watched this 'exchange' with much interest. She smiled then, "Well I've heard about your previous victory at Quidditch City, against Star Clubs."
"That's right." Harry said, not trusting Draco to speak for them again.
"Well," Aster went on. "I've heard it from her, first hand, so I know it's true."
"You know her then?" Draco asked.
Aster laughed, "Well of course I do. She's a very important friend. Anyways, I accept your challenge and as such, I gain the right to choose our lines of combat, agreed?"
Harry looked at Draco and Draco nodded.
"Alright then," Aster said, sounding pleased. "Let's begin, shall we?"
She led them out into the hall and to the elevator again. She got in and bid them to do the same.
Once they were all on the elevator, she pressed the number 45 and the elevator lurched upward.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked, a little nervous, he really hoped it wouldn't be something weird like Star's task.
"To the 45th floor of course," She said; purposely making Harry feel stupid and Draco snickered. She gave him a sportsman like smile and said, "To my 'battle grounds'."
They arrived on the 45th floor, it was a much faster elevator than that of the one in Quidditch city, and Harry blamed the technology.
They walked out of the elevator and onto a platform. They view from there was spectacular. There was a huge moon at the far end of the 'room' and the entirety of the room was a light blue and gray haze. There was a cemetery and a very clichéd one at that, with leafless twiggy trees and mist. Opposite from the huge blue moon was a golden sun and each orb had a staircase leading up to other platforms. There looked like a storm raging in a far corner of the room, the lightning touching the ground and a river ran across from one end of the room to the other. There was also what looked like a… bar? In the center of the room.
"The rules are simple really," Aster said, walking down the staircase and to the floor. "I'll tell you indirectly where to go. You'll receive new instructions upon arriving at your destinations. You have a time limit," She said and pointed towards a clock embedded in the blue moon. "If you can find me before your time runs out, I'll give you the medallion." She then handed a piece of parchment to Harry.
"Good fortune to you." She said and then she disappeared.
"Whoa." Draco said, feeling the air where she had vanished.
"So it's like a scavenger hunt then?" Harry said, reading the parchment.
"Who makes it has no need for it,
Who buys it has no use for it,
Who uses it can neither see nor feel it."
"What does that mean?" Harry asked, frowning. He never was really good at riddles; Hermione was the one who did that.
"Honestly, Potter," Draco said rolling his eyes. "It's a coffin."
And Draco started to walk towards the cemetery. For once in his entire life, Harry was actually kind of glad that Malfoy was there with him instead of his bosom buddy Ron... otherwise, they'd be here forever…
The arrived at the cemetery and looked around, nothing seemed out of place, or jumped out and grabbed their attention.
"Cheerful, isn't it?" Harry said sarcastically, this whole place was like glooms-ville.
There was a soft breeze blowing throughout the room and it made shivers run up and down Harry's spine. Causing goose bumps to litter the flesh of his arms and legs.
"Look for a piece of paper or something." Draco commanded and Harry did. Draco seemed to know what he was doing. However, after they had combed the whole graveyard and turned up nothing, the blonde was forced to think of alternatives.
"Well it's got to be here somewhere." Draco said, looking around one more time.
"We only have an hour." Harry said, glancing at the clock. They had exactly, 50 minutes now.
"I know." Draco said, retracing his steps again and searching every nook and cranny.
Harry then looked at the tombstones, they were very odd indeed, instead of names or something someone would expect, condolences to the deceased or whatnot, was a single world.
Harry frowned, on one tombstone it said: London, and the next said Bridge…
"Malfoy! Come here! Look!" Draco made his way back to where Harry was standing. "What is it?"
"Look at the tombstones, they're spelling something out."
Draco looked at them, they definitely were.
"As I went over London Bridge
I met my sister Jenny
I broke her neck and drank her blood
And left her standing empty."
Draco frowned, that was a hard one.
"What the hell—" Harry said. "What are these riddles? They make no sense."
"Well of course they wouldn't to a stupid mind like yours." Draco retorted and left Harry in a huff. He paced the length of the cemetery thinking. As I went over London Bridge… Jenny… broke her neck…
He came to the edge of the cemetery and turned to double-back.
Harry was still where he had left him, concentrating it seemed.
And left her standing empty…
"A vampire?" Harry said.
"No," Draco replied. "They wouldn't break their victims neck until after they've drank the blood, otherwise it would kill them."
"How did you know that?"
"Dark Arts Classes, Potter, don't you pay attention?"
Harry flushed adorably, "Oh… of course…"
Draco frowned, this riddle sounded like one he'd heard before… only not as a riddle… what was it? It seemed so familiar… and yet… and yet…
"What a dumb riddle," Harry said, clearly frustrated. "Stupid Jen."
Draco thought Harry sounded like a baby, pouting. Stupid Potter…
Wait… Jen… Jen… I broke her neck… and drank her blood… and left her standing…
"Empty! I've got it!" Draco said making Harry jump.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Gin. It's gin… you know, like liquor?"
Harry growled, "I know what gin is, Malfoy."
Draco hurried out of the cemetery, Could have fooled me.
Harry scowled at him, but said nothing, he was glad he'd figured out the riddle. He would never have gotten that one by himself.
They walked into the bar and were immediately bombarded with bottles flying at their heads.
They ducked out of the way and took cover once again on the other side of the door.
"How are we going to get in there?" Harry asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
"No need," Draco said picking up a paper that had fallen out of one of the bottles. Draco took a swig from one of the partly destroyed bottles and read the next riddle.
Harry glanced nervously at the clock. 45 minutes… how many riddles would there be?
"What goes through the door without pinching
itself?
What sits on the stove without burning
itself?
What sits on the table and is not
ashamed?"
Draco thought about this, was that possible? It clearly had to be an inanimate object, but maybe alive in it's own way…
"Any ideas?" Harry asked, they were still crouching on the outside of the bar doors.
Draco pushed the broken bottle to Harry and stood up, Harry eyed the liquor and wondered if he should drink some, he decided, why not? And took a gulp, he spit it back out, it was absolutely vile! Draco just laughed at him.
Draco resorted back to pacing, raking his brain for any clues, reading between the lines, and wishing Potter wasn't such a dense idiot.
Hey! Harry had mentally yelled at him, Draco ignored him.
What goes through the door… like a crack in the door? Or the wide open door…?
Without burning itself? … Yes, clearly it wasn't a human or animal…
What sits on the table…
A flashback came into Draco's memory. "Draco! Don't stand on the table!" Draco winced; his home life wasn't exactly as glamorous as he pretended it was. "The only things allowed on the table are the plates and food and the frickin' sunshine."
Draco looked up suddenly, there was no sun… but there was a replica in the corner of the room!
"The sun!" Draco said, he really was on a roll!
Harry smiled; maybe they would get through this after all!
The two boys raced towards the sun, 37 minutes left!
They climbed up the staircase and onto the landing the 'sun' provided. On a table in the center of the platform lay the next clue.
"Two words, my answer is only two words.
To keep me, you must give me."
Draco frowned, now this one made no sense.
"Your word." Harry said suddenly and Draco stared at him.
"That's the answer," Harry said, pointing towards the paper in the other boy's hand. "Two words, my answer is only two words. To keep me, you must give me your word."
Draco raised a flawless eyebrow, "Bravo Potter, maybe you have a brain after all."
Harry just rolled his eyes.
But what did that mean?
"Your word… your word…" Harry was running it through his mind, what did it mean? Where were they supposed to go now?
Draco groaned and ran a hand through his hair; their time was running out. They'd figured out the riddle, but it wasn't pointing in any particular direction.
Suddenly Harry grabbed him by the shoulders and said, "Say you give me your word!"
Draco blinked, puzzled, what the hell?
"Say it," Harry went on. "Say you give me your word."
Draco frowned, "……I give you my word."
They waited, nothing happened.
"That what?" Harry said, letting go of Draco's shoulders but still with an excitement in his tone.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"You give me your word that what?" Harry said, growing patient.
Draco frowned, "I don't know!"
"Make something up!"
"Fine. I give you my word I won't strangle you while you sleep. There, happy?"
Still nothing happened, Harry snapped his fingers, "And I give you my word that I'll let you have the ring of power in return for helping me save Sirius..."
Draco blinked, he was not expecting that.
"Granted you don't use it for some kind of evil thing." Harry added.
Draco rolled his eyes, "I'm not planning on becoming the next Voldemort, Potter."
Harry looked at him skeptically.
"I'm telling the truth!" Draco cried.
"Fine, I believe you." Harry returned, in a lower tone than before.
"Look," Draco said, not believing any of this ridiculous situation. "I give you my word I won't use the stupid ring of power to destroy the whole world, ok? I just want it to defy my father and the death eaters, they'll kill me when they realize I've decided not to join, I know too much already."
Harry nodded slowly. "Ok then..."
Then a loud ring echoed through the air and a piece of paper floated down from the sky to them.
Harry caught it,
"I am, in truth, a yellow fork.
From tables in the sky
By inadvertent fingers dropped.
The awful cutlery.
Of mansions never quite disclosed.
And never quite concealed
The apparatus of the dark.
To ignorance revealed."
"Well that ones easy," Draco said and pointed to the northeast corner. "Lightning."
"Right," Harry said hurrying toward the staircase back down to the floor. "I knew that."
They arrived at the lightning corner and found the next clue on a sizzling stump; they hurriedly made their way out of that area when they were almost struck by lightning.
"Make me thy lyre, even as the forests are.
What if my leaves fell like its own --
The tumult of thy mighty harmonies
Will take from both a deep autumnal tone"
They looked at each other, neither one of them had a clue.
"25 minutes left." Harry said and Draco glared at him. Harry shrugged, "No pressure or anything." He said sarcastically.
Draco's glare intensified, "Well this would go a lot faster if you had a few more brain cells!"
"What! I solved that 'word' one!"
Draco ignored him, Harry was starting to realize why Draco hated being ignored so much, it was very irritating.
They were very quiet as they thought and the room was silent too... Harry was half expecting to hear an owl or some kind of noise, but the only sound was that of the wind and the river.
"It keeps talking about a song or something." Draco said, reading over the clue again.
"There's no music here." Harry pointed out.
"I'm not deaf." Draco retorted.
"So," Harry said. "What could make music, that we can't hear…"
"Maybe we can hear it." Draco said, standing up straighter.
"Huh?" Harry asked, his eyebrows knitting.
"Shush, listen." Draco said and they were very quiet.
Again, the only sound was of the wind and the river.
"The wind." Harry said slowly, remembering a story from his childhood about a song playing on the wind that no one could hear.
"Precisely." Draco grinned and put a hand into the air, trying to find where the wind was coming from.
"The west." He said and they followed the breeze to an air generator.
"Simulated wind, very clever." Draco said, pulling a scrap of paper from behind it.
Harry looked nervously at the clock, 15 minutes left.
"This darksome burn, horseback brown,
His rollock highroad roaring down,
In coop and in comb the fleece of his foam
Flutes and low to the body falls home"
The minutes ticked by… they couldn't think of anything.
"Flutes," Harry muttered. "Great, more music…"
"Hey!" Draco said suddenly. "Brilliant! More music, the only other thing making sounds is the river!"
"Great!" Harry said and they both ran towards the river.
EIGHT MINUTES LEFT!
The arrived at the river and were surprised to see hundreds of bottles floating around in it.
"Oh no." Harry moaned, realizing that they'd have to look through them to find the next not.
"Hurry!" Draco yelled and they started grabbing bottles.
Try again next timeSorry, try again
Boo on you
Suckers, next!
Keep looking pal
HA HA!
Keep it up Buddy!
It wasn't here! Time was running out!
FIVE MINUTES LEFT!
Suddenly a bottle made of blue glass, the same as what the buildings outside were made of, caught Harry's attention.
"That one!" He shouted and raced for it, growing increasingly wetter in the process.
Draco cringed as Harry dove into the water, those were luxurious boots!
"Catch!" Harry yelled and tossed the bottle at him.
Draco caught it, with seeker reflexes and ripped the parchment from the bottle.
Harry climbed out of the water and made his way over to Draco, three minutes!
"What does it say!?" Harry asked, he was out of breath and panicking. Also dripping wet and cold.
Draco stared at him and then back down at the paper and read it out loud.
"My love, when I gaze on thy beautiful face,
Careering along, yet always in place --
The thought has often come into my mind
If I ever shall see thy glorious behind."
Harry wasn't aware he was blushing until it was too late, but he was saved from any explanations when a loud buzzer rang and a voice called out, "One minute left!"
Harry was sure he saw a hint of red on Draco's cheeks too, but then it could be from the rush and the anxiety of their precious last minute.
Draco was scraping every part of his brain for any information. There had to be something! Anything!
Suddenly it came to him. "The moon!"
Harry and he looked up and gazed at the artificial moon, giving off artificial moon light…
…All the way… at the other… side of the room…
"RUN!" Draco cried, wrenching Harry to his feet and they took off in a mad sprint towards the moon.
5 seconds left!
Almost there!
Four…
Three…
They raced up the stairs, leading to the platform of the moon.
Two…
The last step!
One.
They collapsed on the moon's platform, out of breath and they were both certain they had never run so fast and desperately in their entire lives.
Someone was clapping…
They looked up to see Aster, sitting on a stool, a Nintendo system was carelessly forgotten behind her, clapping slowly and loudly.
"Bravo," She said, getting to her feet. "I must say I am impressed."
Draco took another gulp of air and got to his feet, Harry followed suit.
They were still breathing hard, but relieved.
Aster smiled, "You are the first to ever make the time limit, the rumors from Quidditch city are true."
They were still out of breath.
She then began to pace around them, as if sizing them up.
"Hm…" She said and then took Draco by the arm. "You. Draco, was it?"
Draco nodded; he had most of his breath back by now.
She smiled and endearing smile, "You are no doubt the brains of this duo?"
Draco smirked; he wasn't going to argue with that.
Yeah right. Harry thought, Draco just sneered at him.
Aster turned Draco's head to face her again.
"You could be powerful, you know," She said and Draco stared at her. What was she going on about? "Here," She went on, "You could be a very powerful person. You could rule and free of any problems and hardships."
Harry had caught his breath as well and was staring at them now. What was going on?
"Oh yeah?" Draco said, intrigued. Aster grinned. "Oh yes, you could have so much and you'd only have to give so little."
Draco had often dreamed about something like that.
"Here in this world, all you need is to know the right people and you're in. I could make you a very powerful person." She purred.
"Hey!" Harry cried, what was she up to?
"Shut up, boy." Aster spat at him, Harry was taken aback.
"Why, you could even rule over Remellus one day," She said turning back to Draco. "All you need to do is one simple task, and it could be done!"
Draco was thinking over this in his mind. He'd never have to go back to that awful manor, he'd never be told what to do or be sucked into death eater business, he could stay here forever and live like a king… what did he have to do?
Draco! Harry's mind was trying to talk to him, but he ignored it.
"Yes…" Aster said.
Harry was certain, she was hypnotizing him in some way, her voice was as that of a seductress. She'd done this before.
"Yes…" Draco said, his eyes were hazing, the images of all that could be his had entered his mind and he was liking what he saw.
"Do you want it?" Aster asked, her arms were on his shoulders.
"Yes…" Draco said, he did. He really did. What else could he want more?
"Then…" Aster grinned.
"What do I have to do?" Draco asked, he wanted what she was offering… power… control… king… fortune… he promised Harry he wouldn't take over the third dimension like Voldemort, but this dimension was never part of that deal.
Aster walked over to Harry and grabbed his arms, pinning them behind him.
"What the—" Harry was saying. She was strong, he couldn't get loose.
Draco eyed him with concern… but that quickly faded.
"One task," Aster said. Her voice still strangely hypnotic. "Just one."
Draco wanted the power…
"What?" He asked, stepping towards her and Harry.
"Bring something to him." She said, Harry struggled but that soon proved to be futile.
"What?" Draco asked again, taking another step forward.
Aster grinned, perfect. "To those joyous, I bring pain
To those in pain I bring solace
While I bring the others rain.
No one knows what is beyond me
No one can ever foresee
The past, the present, and the future
Could start and end with me."
She still held onto Harry tight and nothing Harry could do was working.
Draco frowned, concentrating. Then realization dawned across his smooth face. A ripple of a strange emotion, "Death?" He said quietly.
Aster nodded. "That's right, complete just this one task and have anything you've ever dreamed of."
A sword materialized out of thin air and Draco took it.
Aster smiled. "Yes… just a quick swipe and all your dreams could come true…" She said, Harry was panicking now… Malfoy wouldn't! No way… but then… it was Malfoy… AH!
Draco was examining the sword, it was very sharp and he pricked his finger, he sucked on it gently to stop the bleeding.
"Malfoy!" Harry tried, "Don't!" He wouldn't kill him… he couldn't!
But Draco could have it all… everything he dreamed of and more… all he had to do was end his school rival's life… simple really… and in reality he'd be doing the boy a great favour… living wasn't that great anyway, right?
Again Harry was trying to contact him telepathically but Draco was blocking him out.
Draco's face changed… and both Aster and Harry knew… he had made a decision…
Draco stepped towards them, the sword in hand.
"No!" Harry cried but Aster put a hand over his mouth. Still holding his hands tight behind his back.
Draco still came forward, determination playing on his features.
Harry squeezed his eyes shut; well this was it for the boy-who-lived.
Draco raised the blade… and struck.
Aster cried out and stumbled backwards.
The wound wasn't fatal but she was wounded.
Harry was freed from her vice grip and he stumbled forward into Malfoy.
"Ruling the world would get boring fast," Draco said, throwing the sword down at Aster's feet. "Besides," He continued, turning to Harry. "I'm going to have fun holding this over your head."
For the first time, in a very, very long, long time, Harry smiled a genuine smile.
Aster got to her feet, a hand pressed to her side where Draco had jabbed her.
She was grinning and shaking her head.
"Wow," She said, once she was on her feet. She looked up at them, Draco still had that determined air and Harry had a goofy smile on his face. She laughed, "Now that I wasn't expecting. No one's ever been able to turn that offer down before."
Harry frowned and Draco said, "You've done this before?"
Aster nodded, sitting down on the stool. "Of course, it is part of this trial after all."
"It is?" Both boys asked in unison.
Aster nodded again. "You're the first to ever pass that one."
"I thought you said we were the first to reach the time limit?"
"I lied."
"Oh," Draco said, looking a little flustered. "Then I guess I shouldn't have stabbed you…"
Aster waved her hand at him, dismissing it. "I'll be fine, I heal fast."
She sent him a wicked grin, "He must mean a lot to you." She said motioning towards Harry.
Draco's eyes widened
and he was about to snap at her but she raised her finger to silence him, "One
more." She said and stood. "What does man love more
than life
Fear more than death or mortal strife
What the poor have, the rich require,
and what contented men desire,
What the miser spends and the spendthrift saves
And all men carry to their graves?"
Draco frowned. "Nothing."
Aster smiled and slid the necklace from her neck, she handed it to him. "Congratulations, the Raven Medallion. You've earned it."
"Can I ask you a question?" Harry said, stepping forward toward the young woman.
"You just did, but ask another." She said, poking at her cut and acting as if it wasn't hurting in the least.
He asked, "What would you have done if Draco had chosen what you were offering him?"
Aster cocked her head to the side and smirked, "I would have killed you both."
This shocked both boys and she shook both their hands. "Good luck with your journey," She said and left the room through a door inside the moon.
~~~
Lupin paced back and forth, Harry's letter hadn't come… they had told him to write every three days, right?
He decided to contact the Dursley's.
~~~
Hermione and Ron were sitting outside; they'd just finished talking with Harry. They had got another Medallion. Things were looking up.
"Ron! Hermione!" Ginny suddenly cried from the doorway. "You better come inside! Lupin just floo in."
Ron and Hermione went inside and were greeted with grim faces.
"Ron," Lupin said nodding at them, "Hermione,"
He stopped talking for a moment and looked like he was gathering his thoughts, and then he continued, "I don't want you two to worry too much okay? No getting excited, alright?"
What was he talking about?
"This may come as a shock to you… but…" He looked at them, very seriously. "Harry's missing."
Hermione and Ron glanced at each other, both with a knowing look in their eyes.
"I contacted his aunt and uncle and they said that they thought we'd come and got him during the night of a few days ago…"
Hermione sighed, "We know."
It was time to come clean…