A/N: I got back early from my vacation so now I can post earlier for my readers! Yay! Also, thanks all my reviewers! D
goddessa39: Ironic, isn't it? Hermione wasn't remotely good at being a "Seer" in Divination, but now she's having these "future" dreams about Harry…
Hermione collapsed into her bed and immediately fell asleep, even though it was surprisingly early in the evening; there days Hermione usually slept fitfully and uneasy at Grimmauld Place because she was constantly worrying about Harry.
At once, her mid led her back to a familiar stone castle.
Hermione stood in the hallway, next the door frame of the room where Harry lay. The haunting, orange glow from the fireplace was cast into the hallway by a fire.
Although she didn't hear any sounds, Hermione remembered her last dram and cautiously peaked through the door and into the room.
Her best friend, Harry Potter, lay on eth floor in a heap in the far corner of the room; Bellatrix Lestrange, the dark-haired woman from her last dream, stood in the middle of the room, laughing cruelly. Her wand was clutched in her hand and pointing at Harry.
Instead of sneaking into the room, Hermione turned on her heel and walked (rather reluctantly) down the hall; she had seen and heard enough of Bellatrix's power to know that she did not want to be caught sneaking around by her. Hermione's palms became steadily sweatier as she continued down the hall, occasionally throwing anxious glances over her shoulder.
As soon as Hermione was sure she was out of ear shot of Bellatrix and Harry, she broke into a run. Although her footsteps echoed loudly off the walls of the stone castle, no one come running and demanding to know hwy she, a mere 14-year-old girl, was doing in this castle.
She ran for minutes, quickly becoming short of breath. However, she continued to run down corridor after corridor, finally slowing to a walk near the only window she had seen so far inside the castle.
Hermione rested her elbow on the window sill and looked out into the rolling green hills that surrounded the castle and seemed to continue forever.
Night was setting on the castle, but the blood-red sun was covered by dark grey storm clouds that were gathering in the western sky. A vicious looking hawk soared past overheard, which alerted Hermione even more to the immense danger she was in.
Hermione backed away from the window and looked around her. To her right stood a dark and eerie corridor that twisted and turned; the torches on the walls that had lit her way so far were ominously absent. ON her left, a spiral stone staircase stod, leading to a place Herminie could not see.
Within seconds, Hermione choose to take the stairs; she didn't like the idea of walking sown an unknown corridor which had no lighting what-so-ever.
Cautiously, she crept down the twisting staircase; as she rounded the last corner, Hermione saw a bright orange glow flickering off the walls which Hermione knew came from a nearby fire. As she approached the landing, two evil-sounding voices reached her ears.
"Has that Potter boy given in yet?" a voice spat.
"No, I've been trying but-"a female voice started, which Hermione recognized as the witch's from the room above her-Bellatrix Lestrange.
"You know that the Dark Lord will not be happy with this. He wanted it to be done tonight!" the first voice snarled back.
Quietly, Hermione crept forward so that she could see the room in which the two Death Eaters sat. She gazed into the large room, her eyes falling upon a huge stone fireplace on the wall to the left of her—larger than anything she'd ever seen before. A cluster of deep red velvet chairs sat around the fire on top of a patterened rug that lay on the middle of the room. The rest of the room remained dark, undecorated, and gloomy. Both Death Eaters sat in chairs, with their backs to Hermione.
"I know what the Dark Lord wanted!" Bellatrix snapped. "And I am doing the best that I can!"
A loud crack filed the air, telling Hermione that someone had just apparated into the room. Both Death Eaters in the room jumped as an evil looking man materialized in front of their faces. He was completely bald and had red eyes.
'Now, now Bella," the man said softly. "There's no need to shout. I happen to be in a good mood tonight, and if Potter is not willing to cooperate now, we can wait a bit longer. I would like to spend at least another week here anyways."
Both Death Eaters wore shocked expressions and gaped at their master.
"But my Lord-" Bellatrix started, finally regaining her voice.
"No Bella," Voldemort replied, holding up a thin, long finger. "Once Potter has served his purpose, he will be killed and disposed of. No one from that meddling Ministry of Magic or Order will be the wiser—both groups will continually work against each other and persist with their searches for Harry Potter. This of course, will take time away from discovering more of my followers," Voldemort finished with a smile.
"But my Lord," the male Death Eater asked, standing up, "is it wise to stay here much longer? If we are caught-"
Voldemort's eyes flashed with anger. Laoughing, he replied, "We will not be found. The Aurors from the Ministry are not clever enough to find us, and even if they managed such a task, we would be long gone. None of them have even figured out that Potter is still in England, much less alive. All it takes is for a Death Eater to plant a few 'clues' for them to follow and they will search.
"Do you not think that I, Lord Voldemort, could defeat a group of Ministry Aurors? Are you questioning my judgment, Nott?" Voldemort asked menacingly, his red eyes flashing more than ever.
Nott watched as Voldemort drew his wand and began playing with it. "Of course not, my Lord, I only meant-" Nott replied hastily.
Voldemort smiled and pocketed his wand. "I thought so, Nott," he said loftily. "But be sure to never question my judgment again, or there will be consequences."
"Yes my Lord," Nott muttered, bowing.
"Now, Bella, why don't you go and see if you can persuade Potter?" Voldemort added, looking around at the dark woman.
Hermione gasped loudly from her hiding spot; immediately her eyes opened and once again, she found herself surrounded by darkness.
"Ginny!" Hermione whispered urgently as she sat up, " I need to talk to you."
Although it was dark, Hermione could make out Ginny's face and bright red hair as she sat up too. "Hermione? What happened in your dream?" Ginny questioned, guessing correctly about what Hermione wanted to talk about.
The next morning at breakfast, many members of the Order crowded around the table in the stone kitchen of Number 12, Grimmauld Place, all of whom seemed to be excited about something.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked curiously to Tonks as she, Hermione and Ron filed into the kitchen.
Tonks, who had her infamous short, bubble gum pink hair today, answered brightly. "We've gotten a tip-off that Voldemort and his followers might have Harry in Russia!"
Ron flinched at the mention of Voldemort and dropped the piece of toast he had been buttering.
Hermione and Ginny ignored him, and instead turned their attention to Tonks.
"Really? How do you know it's not a fake—what if the tip-off was planted by a Death Eater?" Ginny asked, glancing at Hermioen out of the corner of her eye.
"It's been double and triple checked," Tonks replied cheerily, helping herself to some breakfast. "we're having a group go out today."
"Russia?" Ron repeated faintly, finally regaining his voice. "But Hermione, you said that in your dr-"
Both Ginny and Hermione made odd hushing sounds at Ron, who had been filled in on the contents of Hermione's lastest dream the moment he had woken up.
"What was that, Ron?" Tonks questioned, looking curiously at Ron.
'Oh it's nothing, Tonks," Hermione replied quickly. "I just had this dream that Harry was back with us, that's all. It was just a silly dream."
"Silly or not Hermione, dreams can be very helpful," Tonks explained.
"I know, I've read about them," Hermione replied convincingly. "This dream wasn't anything special, really."
"So what are we cleaning today?" Ginny asked before Tonks could say anymore on the subject.