CHAPTER II: The Letter to Durnham

"Hermione!"

The witch put down her copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5 and glanced around the room. Harry and Ron appeared once more.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you," she put the book on the night table. "Where's Crookshanks?"

"Umm…well you see, Hermione…" Ron began, shuffling his feet. "We didn't exactly find him…"

The young witch buried her face in her hands and started a fresh round of tears.

"Oh, this is just perfect!" she sobbed. "My parents are fighting, Crookshanks is gone… and that Charms exam is tomorrow!" She grabbed a tissue from the nearby box and blew her nose loudly.

"Well, yeah, speaking of Charms, I was wondering…" Ron received an elbow in the stomach from Harry.

The sudden sound of a doorknob turning caused Hermione to jump. Harry scrambled for the Invisibility Cloak. He found it and pulled Ron into a corner just in time.

It was Professor Dumbledore.

He padded toward Hermione (he was wearing fuzzy pink slippers) and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I was just taking a midnight stroll, and I thought I heard someone crying. Are you all right, Miss Granger?"

"Oh, y-yes, Professor, I'm fine."

The Headmaster's eyes shifted to Harry and Ron's corner.

"You know, my parents fought when I was a boy." His blue eyes twinkled with warmth that comforted Hermione. "But they did not split up. It turned out they were just arguing about where to go on holiday." The kindly wizard chuckled. "Well, I've got to get back to bed before Madam Pomfrey sends me out herself."

Hermione smiled. "Thanks, Professor," She dried her eyes on the sheets.

"Anytime, Miss Granger." He gave a small wink in Harry's direction, and then shuffled out.

"We had better go too, Hermione," Harry whispered, still wearing the cloak. "We'll come and see you again after breakfast tomorrow."

The next morning after a breakfast of eggs and bacon, Harry and Ron scurried up the marble staircase to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey let them through, as Hermione was accepting visitors. She beamed when she saw them.

"Good morning!" She seemed in a much better mood than she had been the night before. "Listen, I was meaning to ask you two if you could nip down to Hagrid's today,"

"Sure, Hermione," Harry answered. "Why?"

"I'm just wondering if he's seen Crookshanks lately… you know how he sometimes wanders outside."

"Yeah, okay," Ron agreed. "And if we get back in time before Charms, do you think you could…"

"Umm.. I've just remembered I have a soufflé in the oven!" Harry didn't want to cause Hermione any more emotional trauma than she could handle in one sitting. He seized Ron's wrist and dragged him downstairs, where the school emptying into the corridors.

Back in her hospital bed, Hermione shook her head.

"Boys,"

And she buried her nose in Magical Me.

"Hagrid!" Harry pounded on the groundskeeper's door.

"Yeah? Oh, Harry, Ron, nice to be seein' ya. How're classes? I hope that bloody Umbridge woman hasn't given ya too much grief. Where's Hermione?"

Ron spoke first. "She was sent to the hospital wing yesterday,"

The groundskeeper looked troubled. "Hospital wing? For what?"

"She's been… having some trouble at home," Harry answered. "Her parents have been fighting lately, and she hasn't been able to find Crookshanks,"

"Well that isn't like her, losin' Crookshanks all the time. Is there anythin' I can do?"

"We were wondering if you've seen him lately." Ron explain.

"I'm sorry to tell ya, I haven't. But I'll keep an eye out for him. Now, will you two be havin' any tea before ya leave?"

Over tea and Hagrid's cranberry muffins (forgotten on a plate – Harry and Ron had experienced his cooking before), the three discusses Hermione's condition.

"Well, all I can say is, her parents must be fightin' like ruddy dragons, 'cause I've yet to see Hermione in bed just for depression." Hagrid took a sip from his flowerpot-sized mug.

"And we looked for Crookshanks everywhere," Harry shook his head in frustration.

"Well if this continues long enough," Ron said cheerfully. "She'll have forgotten how much she likes that bloody cat and we'll get her a nice owl instead."

Harry grinned; he knew his friend was joking. Off in the distance, the young wizard heard the bell for dinner.

"There's the bell," said Ron. "Sorry to leave so fast, Hagrid. Thanks for the tea!"

He and Harry snatched their bags and hurried up to the Great Hall.

As they entered the large hall, the two friends were surprised to see Hermione at the Gryffindor table.

"Feeling better?" Harry asked, plunking down next to her.

"Umm hmmm," Hermione answered, slightly dazed. Harry was wondering whether to call for Madam Pomfrey again when he noticed what Hermione was staring at.

On a page of the Daily Prophet (the wizarding newspaper) was an ad. It read:

FOUND

Large orange cat, fluffy, squished face. No identification; enjoys chasing rats and other small rodents.

Contact Fogglebrook Durnham

"Oh my goodness!" squealed Hermione. "Crookshanks… they've found him!" Ron leaned over to examine the ad.

"You should send an owl right away," Ron said, slightly disappointed. He had already been thinking about a nice tawny owl to buy Hermione with his pocket money.

"Yes, right away… I'll go now!" Hermione jammed the rest of her boiled potatoes in her mouth and sped off toward the Owlery. Ron picked at his steak for the rest of the meal.

The young witch selected a snowy owl from one of the racks in the Owlery.

"Now hold still," she muttered, tying the letter to its foot. "There. Now send this to…" Hermione studied the ad once more. "…Fogglebrook Durnham. And don't leave until you get an answer from him." The owl nodded as if in agreement, then took flight through one of the open windows. Hermione checked her watch. "Oh dear… I've got Charms, History of Magic, and Potions homework tonight. There's so much to do!" and she hurried to Gryffindor tower.

"Honestly," groaned Ron. "It's like she's expecting that bloody cat to fall from the sky." He looked up from his Transfiguration homework to scoff at Hermione, who was getting up to look out the window every 10 seconds. Suddenly, the snowy owl that Hermione had sent earlier that day swept into the common room, a letter clamped in its beak.

"It's a letter from Mr. Durnham!" Hermione exclaimed, nearly toppling over her chair in her excitement. The owl gave her the response and took off back to the Owlery. The sorceress ripped open the envelope hurriedly, and scanned the letter it contained.

"Dear Miss Granger… I have your cat…but I'm afraid he's… not a cat at all."

"What?" Hermione whispered. "But of course he's a cat. That lady at the shop told me so."

By now six or seven other Gryffindor first-years had gathered around Hermione and were reading over her shoulder.

"Please meet me in Hogsmeade tomorrow at the Three Broomsticks… I will explain in detail then. Sincerely, Mr. Fogglebrook Durnham."

Ron had abandoned his homework to shoo the young Gryffindors away, and stood next to Hermione.

"Well," he said. "I guess all that's left to do is go to Hogsmeade tomorrow. Want me to come with you?"

"Yes. Thanks Ron," Hermione smiled at him. "I'm wondering what this is all about and what this man has done to Crookshanks!

"Of course, you can come too, Harry," Hermione remembered her other best friend sitting by the fire.

"Uh, no. That's okay, 'Mione. I've got some Charms homework to do. But thanks,"

Harry of course had no Charms homework, but since Ron had volunteered to go with Hermione first, he didn't really want to intrude.

"All right. But now I've got to turn in if we want to get an early start. 'Night Harry, 'Night Ron." Hermione gathered her books and walked up the stairs to her dormitory.

"I don't believe it," Ron murmured.

"What?" Harry asked. "About Crookshanks not being a cat? I know, it's really wei—"

"No," Ron corrected him. "She didn't even finish her homework,"

A.N. Yay! Chapter 2 is done. If you review it, I might even have Chapter 3 up before I graduate from college. ;)