5 days left until the Half-Blood Prince!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, yup yup….
Author's Note: I've had many a question about why Ryn is Annabeth and such, how she is and what she's doing, I hope that I can explain it all clearly….
525,600 Minutes: In Truths That She Learned, or in Times That He Cried-
-Chapter Twelve
"But, I don't….what….how…you…but…what?" Hermione stammered. Before anything else was said, Ryn got up and motioned for Hermione and Draco to follow her into a nearby empty classroom. She shut the door, put a silencing charm on it so no one would be able to hear their converstain, and sat down in a desk.
"I'm supposing you want an explanation?" Ryn asked.
"YES!" Hermione nearly screamed as she plopped down in a desk near Ryn "Sorry, yes."
"I'm doing work for the Order, and as you well know I couldn't just go gallivanting around the school. So I became a student." Ryn stated simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. while placing "Annabeth's" glasses in her robe pocket.
"Students? For the Order? At Hogwarts? Why?" Hermione managed to say through her shock. What is going on?
"Well, let's just say I'm here to help keep an eye on certain students."
"Who?"
"Me." Malfoy bitterly stated from his spot nearby.
"You?" Hermione asked.
"And you." he added
"Me?"
"And Potter." Malfoy added again.
"Harry?"
"Yes." Ryn added. "Well, not just you. Also to make sure other students don't do anything. You know, to harm you three."
"But why? I mean, I can understand the concern about Harry. But me? And him?" she nodded her head towards Malfoy. "And why didn't you come and teach. Why did you have to come disguised as a student and why were you put into Slytherin, of all houses? The majority of the people you claim to be protecting happen to be in Gryffindor. And besides, Harry's in Gryffindor. I would think that he would be top priority." All the questions pored out of Hermione in one breath, without her really realizing that it had happened.
"I take offense to that, Granger." Malfoy sneered, somewhat sarcastically.
"You keep quiet, I'm not talking to you."
"But you're talking about me. I do have a say in this."
"Malfoy, you-"
"Would you two keep quiet! With all your bickering you're bound to wake someone up. Even with the silencing charm on the room. And I'm not exactly supposed to be seen like this!" said Ryn, motioning at her body.
"Sorry, Ryn." Hermione sighed. Malfoy merely grunted.
"Now, as to your questions. I'm here to keep an eye on you, Draco, and Harry and some students who might harm you. I can see that you understand why Harry would need protecting, but as for you, I'm afraid I can't tell you-"
"What! Why?" Hermione interrupted.
Ryn sighed. "I'm sorry Hermione, I wish I could. But I've been told not to. Besides I don't think it's my place to tell you." she paused and looked at the expression on Hermione's face. It was of confusion, anger, and curiosity. "Really, I wish I could."
Hermione sighed in aggravation. "Fine, but what about him." she motioned towards Malfoy. "What's he got to do with it." Ryn turned towards Malfoy, asking for permission to explain.
"Let's just say that I did something that the Dark Lord and his followers aren't to happy about." he stated. "And that's all I'm going to say on the matter." he added at the look on Hermione's face, he could tell she wanted more of an answer.
"Now, the reason I'm not teaching is because of Tonks."
"So she's here to 'protect' us too?"
"Yes. She got the teaching job and I got a more 'hands on' job. But we're both here for the same reason. And the reason I took the form of a Slytherin student is because Dumbledore felt, well," Ryn paused. She wasn't exactly sure how much she should tell Hermione. "Dumbledore has a feeling that some Slytherin students, who's parents are Death Eaters, might be asked to do something at the school. Whether it be to harm one of you three or get you out of the school. So I took the role of Slytherin student because Draco here," she motioned with her thumb towards Malfoy. "Is at a more immediate risk. And that way I can listen in on their conversations without looking suspicious."
"More immediate risk? How?"
"Dumbledore thinks that those imbeciles that I share a dorm with might try and do something to me in my sleep or something like that. But as I've clearly told him before, I don't need help." Malfoy joined the conversation, putting an emphasis on his last four words.
"And I thought we had become friends." Ryn said in a mock hurt, looking at Malfoy.
"Hardly a minor detail." he drawled, while smirking.
"You mean you've known this whole time!" Hermione asked Malfoy.
"Yes." he sighed.
"And you didn't tell me!"
"Why would I tell you anything?"
"Well, because I, oh!" Hermione was flustered she couldn't even think straight.
Ryn let out a laugh. "Well, I think it's time you both get back to your dormitories. It's well past the end time of your patrols."
Hermione checked her watch it was 11:45. But she didn't care about the time. She wanted answers, and she had hardly gotten any. She was now even more confused than she was before. "But-"
"No buts Hermione. I've told you all that I could, and probably more than I should have. Besides, I have to go talk to Dumbledore, now."
"Wait a minute. Have you been following us on all of our patrols?"
"Yes. Just to make sure nothing….er….happened."
"I told you I heard someone following us." Hermione exclaimed, pointing a Malfoy who rolled his eyes.
"Um, Ryn?"
"Yes Hermione," Ryn stood from her desk.
"Are you taking a Polyjuice Potion?"
Ryn smiled smugly. "How you, a seventh year, even know about the Polyjuice Potion , I will never know. It's not exactly something your taught in school." Hermione blushed, remember her encounter with the person changing Polyjuice Potion in her second year. It wasn't exactly a pleasurable experience. Ryn laughed. "Have you forgotten one small detail Hermione? I'm a Metamorphamagus." with that being said she scrunched up her noise, turned back into Annabeth Littledon, and put her horned-rimmed glasses back on.
Annabeth opened the door, paused and turned towards the room and to Hermione and Draco. "And it's best that what we talked about tonight doesn't leave this room. Deal?"
"Deal."
Hermione walked like a zombie towards the Gryffindor common room and her dorm. She gave the password to the portrait of the Fat Lady that guarded the common room, climbed through the portrait hole, climbed up the stairs, opened her dorm room, and lied down on the bed.
Hermione mind was like a roller coaster that wasn't stopping. Annabeth was really Ryn. Malfoy had done something to upset Voldemort and his followers. Well, that explains why he was being chased that one night. But what did he do? And she was being protected as well. Why? Did it have anything to do with what she had over heard at Grimmauld Place? The questions kept going like a slide show, and Hermione didn't even have time to realize that her eyes had closed and that she fell into a restless slumber.
No sooner than Hermione had fallen asleep was she woken by someone slightly shaking her. "Hermione." she heard someone whisper. "Hermione wake up." She slowly opened her eyes to see Tonks and Annabeth, no not Annabeth…Ryn, standing over her, trying to wake her up.
"Hermione, you need to get up."
"Whu? Tonks? Ryn? What's going on?" she sat up a little.
"Dumbledore needs to speak to you."
Hermione checked her watch it was 5:21 a.m., the sun hadn't even risen. "What? Now?" she woke up a little bit more.
"Yes, it's urgent." Hermione sat up straight, fully awake.
"Ok, I'm coming."
The three walked in silence to the Headmaster's office. Tonks and Ryn would occasionally look around, then at Hermione, then each other, and then the cycle would start over again.
"Guys, what's going on?" Hermione asked as they approached the stone gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office.
Tonks and Ryn looked at each other and then at the ground. "Just hurry." was all she got in reply.
"Cockroach Clusters." Ryn muttered the password. At once the gargoyle sprung to life and stepped aside to reveal a moving, spiral, staircase. They stepped on.
As the staircase took them higher and higher a sense of dread began to form in Hermione's stomach. She had the most horrible feeling that what ever awaited on the other side of the door which came into view was not good. As they approached the door, Hermione could hear a conversation from within
"…do you think this was the warning they were talking about, Albus?" the unmistakable voice of Professor McGonagall said.
"I believe so." Hermione heard Dumbledore reply.
"Were you and the other girl told about it, Severus." Mad-Eye Moody growled, "Seems suspicious that we've got spies in his group and we didn't know about the attack."
"That's because we weren't told about what the surprise would be, Alastor. The Dark Lord only told those who performed the attack, and we're not even aware of who they are." Severus Snape said in a vicious tone."
"Would you two quite!" Hermione heard Mrs. Weasley sob as they came to a stop in front of the door. "Think of the matter at hand! They could have been killed!" Tonks knocked on the door very quickly wanting to make their presence known on the other side of the door. Without waiting for a response, Tonks opened the door. Hermione couldn't took in the scene before her as Ryn closed the door and she and Tonks leaned against the wall on either side of it.
Standing by the fire place in Dumbledore's circular office was Mrs. Weasley. She was slightly sobbing into the arms of Mr. Weasley. Standing on the other side of the fire place was Mad-Eye Moody, he was leaning against the wall, his magical blue eye looking around the room while his normal brown eye glared at Snape. Snape was standing next to Dumbledore's desk, with his usual scowl on his face, directed at Moody. Professor McGonagall was standing by the stairs with a very solemn look on her face. Finally, Professor Dumbledore sat in the large chair behind his desk the twinkle in his eyes gone. There was no trace of the youthful expression that usual occupied his face. Hermione had never seen him look this old before.
"Hermione, so nice of you to join us. Please, sit down." Dumbledore said, motioning at the chair before his desk.
Author's Note: Tee hee! Don't you just love cliff hangers? I know I do!
Draco's-Ice-Princess666: I really enjoyed your stories! They were great! Thanks for the review!
Hermione02886: Hope I cleared any questions you had about the Ryn/Annabeth situation. Thanks for reviewing!
Exploded toilet bowl: I hope all your questions were cleared from this chapter. Thanks for reviewing!
GuardGirl07: I did get the title from Rent. I love the song, and can't wait for the movie this Nov. What about you? Happy to hear that the plot is original, yeah! Thanks for reviewing!
nicky475: Yup, the title is from Rent, can't wait for the movie! How about you? Thanks for reviewing!
stephanie: I know what you mean about parent's wanting you to get a job…my parents are doing the same thing…:sigh:….well, thanks for reviewing!
DMHg 2GETHER 4EVER: I hope your confusion has disappeared now, and everything is clear. Thanks for reviewing!
Queen of Duct Tape: Yup, it sure is the same Ryn, but she didn't actually go to Durmstrang it was just "Annabeth's story". So it's THE Army of Death Bubbles and Destruction. Very interesting, and a man-eating toothbrush. Send my hello's to both of them:D. Thanks for reviewing!
meghan: Thanks for the review!
To all the wonderful reviewers and readers out there: I thank you all so much for taking time to read this story. And I'm so happy that you all like it so much! Thank you all!
I hope that answers all the questions you have! And if not, then feel free to ask and I will answer them, well, without giving to much away that is!
More to come soon
The Lonely Goatherd