Chapter 2: Hermione, Lupin, and Lakora
Character: Remus Lupin, Nympahora Tonks, Molly Weasley, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Healer Smilking, Arthur Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Lakora Black
Disclaimer: All characters and situations from Harry Potter are properties of J.K Rowling, Scholastic Press, Warner Bros. and others. No copyright infringement is intended. I have no intention to publish this, it is just for fun.
Genres: Action / Adventure, Angst, Romance.
Timeline: Post Order of the Phoenix
Lupin woke early the next morning. He wasn't the only one in the kitchen. Albus Dumbledore was sitting across from him.
"Good morning Remus," Dumbledore didn't look up from the paper he was reading. It looked to Lupin like it was a copy of The Daily Profit.
"Good morning Albus, how are you doing?" Lupin yawned the last part but Dumbledore seemed to have understood it any ways.
"I am doing fine, waiting for Molly to wake up so we can go. I believe you are going too?"
"Yes I am, what is wrong with Hermione?"
Dumbledore looked up at last, his face didn't have a smile on it. In fact, he was frowning. "We are not sure,
we are hoping it is nothing much, but I don't think it is nothing. Is something bothering you, Remus?" Dumbledore must still have been looking at Lupin because he had a puzzled expression on his face.
"Well now that you mention it, there is something," Lupin told Dumbledore all about the dream he has had the past two nights.
After he was done, Dumbledore sat there, thinking. At last he said, "I don't know if this is anything to worry about. It is rather strange though. Have you had this dream before?"
"No, after I woke up yesterday, I can here to see Hermione. molly told me a little bit but Tonks was crying, so she had to stop. What wasn't she telling me?" Lupin looked into Dumbledore's tired face. His blue eyes were twinkling.
"I am not sure that I should tell you this. but I will any ways. Hermione is sicker then they told you. She has not woken up in four days."
"What do you mean?" Lupin was looking shocked.
"I mean she has been asleep for four days, we tried to contact her mother and father but they are not at home."
"Oh my gosh, what can I do to help?" Lupin looked up into Dumbledore's eyes and saw that on single tear was running down his check. "I will do anything to help her!" This time Dumbledore saw that he meant it.
'All that I can ask of you, is to escort them to Saint. Mungo's. You must stay with Hermione while she is there until someone comes to take over. Do you understand me, Remus?"
"Of coarse I do, I will do it, when are we going to leave?"
"Once Molly, Arthur and Tonks wakeup. You will take the Nightbus to the ministry Then three members of the order who work at saint. Mungo's will take it from there, go with them." Dumbledore stood up and drank the rest of his tea and said, "I must go now, goodbye Remus." with this he left.
Lupin did not want to be left alone in the kitchen but he didn't really have an option. for awhile he sat there thinking about what Dumbledore had said. His thinking was disturbed by Tonks coming downstairs into the kitchen.
"Good morning Nymphadora," Lupin said on purpose since he knew she hated that name. Tonks stopped dead in her tracks after hearing her name. She glared at Lupin for a moment and then said,
"Don't call me that!" She sounded quiet irritated. After another moment or so ,she said, in a much calmer voice,
"Good morning Remus."
Lupin started to laugh. Tonks glared at him once again. She walked over to the stove and pored herself a cup of tea. She sat down. She started to drink her tea, but she was leaning on the back of her chair a bit to much and knocked it over with her still on it.
"I am okay, if you were wondering," Tonks was leaning up on the table and her face was covered in tea. "The cup didn't break," just as she said that, they both heard a crash. "Never mind."
Lupin couldn't help but laugh, Tonks joined in as well.
The crash must have woken Molly and Arthur up because the came down the stairs into the kitchen. Lupin and Tonks were still laughing when they walked in. As soon as Lupin saw them, he stopped, so did Tonks.
"Good morning Arthur, Molly, would you like some tea?" Tonks had started laughing again before she had said tea. Lupin was starting to crack up to.
"Is something wrong with you two?" Molly had said this with a puzzled look on her face. Arthur's face was like a mirror of Molly's.
"No, everything is fine with me, how about you Tonks and the tea cup of coarse?" Lupin looked at Tonks with a straight face which made her laugh even more. "Okay, she is fine, although I don't think the tea cup is." The look on Molly's and Arthur's face showed that they still didn't get it, but Molly had already started to cook some toast.
Arthur sat down next to the chair Tonks had knocked over and began to read the paper Dumbledore had left on the table. Tonks soon joined them after she had stopped laughing.
Arthur said, "Tonks, why don't you go help Molly." Tonks shook her head yes and left to go over to Molly. Once Tonks was talking with Molly, Arthur said to Lupin in a quiet voice, "Molly and Tonks are going to stay here with Ron and Harry while we take Hermione to Saint. Mungo's. Alastor is going to help as well, I think so is McGongall."
Lupin shook his head so that Arthur knew that he understood. He hadn't thought about Hermione since Tonks had come down here.
After breakfast, Severus Snape and Alastor Moody showed up. Snape told Arthur that McGongall couldn't make it so he came instead. Lupin didn't like the idea of Snape coming since he didn't really like Hermione. But it wasn't his choice.. they left shortly after that. Hermione was being carried by Lupin and Arthur into the Ministry. They must have looked really weird because Hermione had sunglasses on to make her look like she was awake.
They made it to the ministry shortly after ten. Once inside they only waited five minutes before the people from Saint. Mungo's arrived. Lupin did like he was told be staying with them. Hermione was put in a private room with lots of chairs in it. Lupin sat in one, that was near her bed.
That is when Lupin fell asleep.
He awoke by one of the Healers, Healer Smilking.
"Wake up sir."
"Sorry I must have dosed off, has anything changed with Hermione?" Lupin didn't really expect anything new to have happened.
Lupin assumed right. "No sir, she is still asleep." After Healer Smilking said this, he left.
Lupin looked into Hermione's face. It was completely empty. Lupin set his hand on her face. I was not considered cold or warm. He rubbed his hand up and down on her face, very slowly. 'Dear Hermione, I hope you are okay,' He thought this as a tear rolled down his face.
After a while, Molly showed up to take Lupin's place. He left there to go beck to the headquarters to sleep for a while. He only got a few hours of sleep. His mind was to preoccupied.
After Molly, Arthur took watch of Hermione, then Tonks. Very surprisingly Tonks had asked to watch Hermione.
Lupin sat in the kitchen reading a book, when Arthur came down into the kitchen. Lupin looked up just to see the look on Arthur's face. His face had a huge, chesier cat grin on his face. Lupin was puzzled for a second but then realized what the grin was for. He stood up and said, "Has she woken up?" Arthur's grin grew as he shook his head, yes.
Lupin looked totally shocked. Arthur said, "We can go to see her in an hour. That will been when your shift starts. We need to get Harry and Ron ready to go." With that, Arthur turned and walked back up the stairs. To Lupin, the hour seemed to be more like three. They were ready so quickly that they left a little earlier. They had to wait at the corner of Grimmaud place, since they needed more than two guards for Harry's sake. Madeye and Snape showed up just as it had turned ten. They left almost at once.
Harry and Ron did not so much like travelling with Snape and they did not know why he had come since he did not like Hermione. Something on Harry's mind must of have shone through onto his face because Lupin said, "Professor Snape is only here because Dumbledore couldn't make it." Harry shook his head so Lupin knew he understood. They walked a to the underground railroad and took those the rest of the way.
Once inside, Arthur lead them to Hermione's room. Tonks was talking to her when they walked in. Everyone said hello to Tonks and Molly, then sat down in some of the chairs around Hermione's bed.
Lupin noticed that Hermione looked quiet pale, thin ,and tired. Harry, Ron, Arthur, Molly, Snape, Madeye and Tonks did not stay long. Harry and Ron had brought some chocolate frogs and Bertie Bots Every Flavour Bean for her. After half an hour, they all left.
Now Lupin was left alone with Hermione. When Lupin looked into Hermione's face she looked even more exhausted then before. Lupin said in a quiet voice, " How are you feeling Hermione?"
Hermione said, "I am feeling okay." Hermione looked up into Lupin's face and they stared at each other for a second. Then Hermione turned to look out the window.
Lupin felt very awkward sitting with Hermione where he had not when he taught her. Last year he had not spent time with her alone, she was always with Harry and Ron or Ginny.
After a little while, Hermione fell asleep. Lupin pulled the blanket closer around her. Then he whispered, "Sleep well ,Hermione." Lupin stood looking at Hermione for a minute or so then he sat back down and opened up his book. Lupin read for a little while before he fell asleep.
"Remus wake up."
Lupin opened his eyes to find Molly looking at him. "Hermione can go home tonight. Do you want to take the last shift or switch?" Molly was still looking at him as she said that.
"I will take it the last shift," Lupin looked to find that Hermione was still sleeping. She had very little colour in her face. Then the turned to look back at Molly.
"Alright, I just came to check on both of you, goodbye." Molly turned and walked out the door.
'Poor Hermione, look at all that she has been through,' Lupin thought that as he sat back up. Hermione was starting to shake.
"Hermione?" Lupin whispered this, just in case she was still asleep. Hermione suddenly opened her eyes. They were very alert. "Hermione, are you alright?" Lupin was looking very concerned, he also had stood up.
"I...I..," she couldn't finish. Hermione started to cry. Lupin sat down on her bed and took both her hands in his. Hermione looked up into Lupin's face. Tears were just streaming down her face. There faces were very close. Lupin moved closer to Hermione and hugged her to tell her that he cares about her. Hermione hugged him back. She cried for a long time. Lupin hugged her the whole time.
Finally she stopped. Lupin let go and looked down at her. "Hermione, are you alright?"
"Yes, that dream really scared," She looked at Lupin and she still looked very scared.
"What was it about?"
Hermione looked down at her hands. "Some one I care for was going to hurt me and some friends. We ran away but hey followed us. It turned to night and we were still running. I fell and hurt my ribs. We ran pass this house or shed and out walked the person that was going to hurt us. Then we made it to this train storage house were we hid. The person followed us. He followed us and I slipped and hurt my ankle so I could barely walk but I still ran. He found us hiding and said that he would never hurt me. Then..." Hermione stopped and looked up at Lupin. He now knew that she could not finish it.
"Hermione, it was just a dream, no one is going to hurt you." Lupin stood up and sat down in the chair closes to Hermione. Hermione looked, to Lupin, as if she calmed down a little. "Hermione, are you sure you are alright?"
Hermione nodded and opened up one of the books that were laying on her bead side table. Lupin opened up his own book. The rest of the afternoon went by quickly. Around six, Tonks, Molly, Arthur, and Madeye showed up to take Hermione back to Grimmaud place.
"Everything is okay, Hermione," Lupin said after seeing the worried expression on Hermione's face. She shook her head yes. Hermione couldn't walk. They tried and every time they tried, she would fall down. Lupin and Arthur were the tow to hold Hermione's arms to help her walk.
The trip was slow but they made it to the underground around seven. Once on, Hermione started to breathe very heavily. Lupin was on Hermione's right and he asked, "Are you alright?"
Hermione responded, in between breathes, "Yes.. I .. am.. not.. used to.. walking.. this ...much."
They made it to Grimmaud place around eight. They helped Hermione into the kitchen, where she sat down. Molly went over to hte stove and put some water on to boil, and she started to make dinner.
Lupin sat next to Hermione. He turned to look at her and said, "You have to eat something, even if it is very little." Hermione wasn't really hungry but she didn't want to disobey him.
Hermione turned her head towards the door. She had just heard some load thuds. All of a sudden, Harry was on the floor at the end of the table. A moment later, Ron was there to. This time Hermione saw, when Ginny appeared, that they must have fallen down the stairs. then, just as suddenly as they appeared, they all shouted, "Hermione!"
Harry jumped up off the ground with nothing more than a few scratches, Ron wasn't as lucky. He had fallen right underneath the table and when he tried to get up, Hermione heard a very load thump. Ron appeared, rubbing his head a moment later. Ginny had started to laugh and was still on the floor. Harry sat on the other side of Hermione and Ron sat across from her. As soon as Ginny was in control, she came and joined them.
"How are you feeling?" Harry said.
"Just fine." Ron said.
"No you, I was talking to Hermione." Harry looked at Ron, he was almost laughing.
"Oh, that must have really messed up my brain." Ron had started to rub his head again.
"Your brain has always been messed up." Ginny added in. Ron rolled his eyes at her.
"I am feeling fine." Hermione said, "and I see that nothing much has changed between you three."
Everyone began to laugh. Molly brought over dinner and set it on the table, before she left, she said, "Ron do you mine going to get everyone up in the sitting room, please?" Ron didn't look to happy about that, but he didn't want to ruin the joyful occasion. So he did as he was told.
Ron returned in a few minutes with a long line of people following him. All the seats near Hermione filled up with everyone except Snape. He sat at the very end of the table. Everyone seemed to be in a very happy mood. A lot of people seemed to be staring at Hermione. Now she knew how Harry felt all of the time.
Hermione barely ate anything. No one seemed to notice. they all were to happy, with the fact that she was back. All she wanted to do was hide in one of the sitting rooms and read. Who would she ask to help her? Lupin, Tonks, Ron, Harry, Ginny? She did not know. Wait a minute, who was that girl sitting next to Snape? She thought she had seen her once before, but could not think of who she was.
She looked very happy. Her hair was straight, black, and had bright red ends. Her eyes were bright green. She seemed to have wolf ears coming out of her head. She did not look any older then herself.
Dinner ended after a little while. Hermione passed on dessert. So did the girl. "Would you like to go up to bed, Hermione?" Lupin asked.
"Yes, I am tired," Hermione responded, looking away from the girl for the first time in minutes.
Lupin walked over to the ground and whispered something to her. She nodded her head. The girl stood up and walked with Lupin back over to Hermione. "She will help you up to bed, there is nothing to worry about, she is a member of the order." Lupin said that as he helped Hermione up. The girl took hold of Hermione's arm and helped her walk over to the stairs. She was so glad to be away from all the staring faces.
"By the way, my name in Lakora." The girl looked down at Hermione, "I don't believe we have meet."
"Hi, La. .La ..sorry, I am no good with names." Hermione looked into Lakora's face. she was actually smiling.
"That is alright, I have known Remus since we were in school together and he still can't say my name right."
"I didn't think that you were that old, you look closer to my age." Hermione said this with a look of surprise on her face.
"Oh, not surprised to tell you the truth."
Lakora did not say anything until Hermione was sitting down in her room. "I hope you feel better, Hermione."
"How did you know I wasn't feeling good?"
"What can I say, I guess it is a gift of mine." Lakora walked out the door, but before she closed it, she looked back in and said, "Remus will be up to see you in a little while," Then Lakora through something at Hermione, then shut the door.
Hermione looked to see that the thing was a book. It was called Secrets to Hogwarts. She had never seen this book before. Hermione opened it right away. It had maps of every place at or near Hogwarts. It was astonishing. It must have everything about Hogwarts in it. What astonished Hermione most of all was that there was a section of pages where you asked them a question or where someone is and it would tell you the answer or show you where the person is. you could even hear what they were saying.
Hermione was so preoccupied in the book, that she did not hear or see Lupin come into the room. "Hi Hermione." He said this and she almost fell of the bed.
"Are you alright?" Lupin said as he sat on the bed next to Hermione.
'Yah, I was just reading this book." Hermione held up the book, so Lupin could see it.
"Did Lak.. Kora give it to you?"
"Yah, and I see what she means about you."
"Oh, yah I still can't say her name so I just call her Kora, that is her nickname. She has the other one of that book, she uses it to spy on people. She was on of he reasons why we were always in trouble at school. Although she wasn't in detention any less then us, actually more." Lupin started to laugh. Hermione joined in.
"You mean that there are only two of this book?"
"No, there are four of them. She gave one to Snape, You, me, and she has the last one."
"Why did she give on to me?"
"I am not sure, I am not even sure why she gave one to me."
"Okay, well I know just how to use mine." Hermione smiled.
"Well, I better get to bed, you should to." Lupin stood up and hugged Hermione then walked towards the door.
"Goodnight professor," Hermione was looking at him.
"Goodnight Miss Granger," he said coping how formal she was being.
"You can call me either," Hermione smile widened.
"You can call me Remus, Professor, Professor Lupin, Moony, or Lupin. I don't mine any of them." Lupin
was smiling so sweetly at Hermione.
"Alright, I hope you sleep well."
"You too, Hermione." At that, he left.
'Wow, I don't think he will let Harry or Ron call him Remus,' Hermione thought to herself.
Hermione read for a little longer, but then she fell asleep. She was so tired, that she did not hear someone come in and tuck the blanket closer around her. They also kissed her on the cheek. That someone stayed to watch her for a few minutes, then left.