Helpless

"This must be it," Harry looked at his map, the piece of parchment, and the tall building standing in front of him. 4534 June Street. There was a group of teenagers hanging out on the stairs in front of the building, smoking cigarettes. As Harry climbed the stairs, he noticed them scrutinizing him. He opened the metal doors and entered the building. It was a lot smaller than it looked from outside. There was a list of room numbers with buttons beside them on the wall, along with a dusty speaker. He scanned for 634. Here we go.

He pressed the button, feeling anxious.

"Hello?"

It was a woman's voice.

"Uh – hi?" Harry stammered.

'Who is this?"

"It's Harry. Harry Potter." He replied.

He heard a gasp.

"I'll open the door." The woman answered.

There was a loud buzz and the 2nd set of metallic doors swung open. Harry entered speedily and approached the elevators. Just my luck, he sighed. There was a sign saying OUT OF ORDER, PLEASE USE STAIRS taped on the elevator doors. The tiles on the floor were stained with footprints and mud. He followed a set of footprints to the side of the elevator and faced a step set of stairs. 6 floors here we go, he removed his jacket and began to climb.

By the time he reached the 6th floor, he was breathing heavily, his heart pounding away in his chest. Whose voice was it that answered him? Could it be Ron's wife? He passed by all the other apartment doors, and finally found himself at the end of the long hallway. 634.

As he stretched his arm to knock on the antique looking door, it opened. He found a woman with jet black hair, wearing sweatpants and a dirty shirt and apron, standing in front of him.

"I don't know if I'm in the right place," he began. He had never seen this woman before.

The woman reached for his arm, pulled him inside her apartment and slammed the door. Harry heard her lock the door three times. He felt like he was making a huge mistake by being here. Suddenly he felt the woman grab him from behind and squeeze him tightly. What was going on?

"Harry. Oh my god Harry," the woman cried.

Harry gently removed her arms and turned around to face her. "I'm really sorry, but I have no idea who you are."

The woman's face was drenched with tears, her face bright red. She took off her glasses and placed them on her head.

"Of course you wouldn't remember me. I have changed," she smiled understandingly. "It's me, Hermione."

Harry dropped his jacket on the floor. This was Hermione Granger? The smartest wizard he had ever met lived in a shack like this? There were cracks on the wall, shattered glass on some widows, and a smell that he could not describe. He embraced her tightly.

"What's happened to you?" he asked. There were so many questions swirling in his mind.

"It's been so long Harry, I've been waiting and waiting for you to come back," She sniffled. "Please, sit down." Hermione led him to an ugly brown couch with foam sticking out of random spots.

"Hermione – "

"Do you want some coffee or tea?" She offered politely.

"No that won't be necessary," Harry shook his head. He just wanted to talk with her and figure out this whole mess.

"Do you want some pie? I made some apple pie the other day and – "

"Hermione will you just sit down and explain everything to me?" Harry said. "I just – I have no idea what the hell's going on."

Hermione grabbed a tissue box and sat beside Harry. "How long have you returned?"

"About 7 or 8 months now," Harry answered.

"And you never wrote me or Ron?" She frowned.

"Well I wanted to, but a part of me didn't," he said, feeling embarrassed. "After I saw Ginny at Hogsmeade… she was so cold. She wasn't the girl I had fallen in love with back in the day. I just stopped contact with our world until now."

"Ginny… poor Ginny," Hermione's eyes began to water. "She suffered so much…"

"Please, I need to know," Harry pleaded.

"I – I don't remember everything Harry, but I'll try my best," She took her glasses from her head and began to clean them with her apron. "There are gaps in my memories, and I've tried my best to fill those gaps… but it drains all my strength."

Harry felt his pulse race.

"All I remember is that the Weasley family has suffered a great tragedy. Molly and Arthur were murdered. They don't even know each other anymore. I don't know what has become of any of them," Hermione closed her eyes.

"How did this all happen? And what became of Ron?" Harry felt like he was in a nightmare.

"Ron... he's dead," Hermione said sorrowfully. "And everyone thinks I killed him!"

Harry squeezed his hands together.

"It's a lot to take in I know, but I've been waiting desperately for you to come back so I can explain to you as much as I can. My memory fades little by little everyday, until I'll no longer remember anything about the events that I've witnessed. There has been a spell cast on me, and I can't do anything to stop it."

Harry waited for her to continue.

"Ron and I got married shortly after graduation. It was a pleasant wedding, and we bought a house near the Burrow. We were so happy…" Hermione's eyes shone brightly. "Then, in Ginny's 7th year… at the school… what was it called again?"

"Hogwarts,"

"Yes, that's the one. She was still in love with you, deeply in love. And… I don't know what happened… but the whole family was in the Burrow, worried about Ginny, because she had gone missing for a long time. We were all so depressed… and then… a green flash… Molly and Arthur fell to the ground." Hermione closed her eyes tightly, trying to remember as much as she can. "About 5 men dressed in black, wearing black masks… cast some spells I can't remember on everyone… Ron and I escaped." She took a deep breath. "We didn't know where else to go… we went to a different city… we thought we were safe… afraid to go back to the Burrow…"

"We took refuge at a homeless shelter. For some reason, we couldn't use our magic, and we found ourselves forgetting things constantly. We lived in paranoia… until one night when we were sleeping... I don't remember how, but Ron just died… and somehow everyone accused me. So I ran away, with nothing but the clothes on my back… didn't know where I was going…" She opened her eyes full of sadness. "I remember feeling so alone and hopeless. It was so hard Harry. I didn't know where to go. I couldn't remember anyone's names. I only remembered you, Ron, and the Weasleys."

Harry squeezed her hand. He couldn't imagine what it was like to not remember anything. And he thought he was having the worst time in the caves? They seemed like heaven compared to what Hermione was experiencing.

"So I just came back to London. Changed my name, changed my hair and appearance. The police never found me… I don't know how I got so lucky… I've always fancied the name Isadora, I don't know why. But yes… the memory of you stuck with me all these years… the fact that you would return someday gave me courage. So I've been waiting all this time Harry."

"How did you find my owl? I addressed it to Ron," Harry asked.

"The kids living here shot at your owl with their toy guns. I took it in and cared for it. I saw the letter on its foot and curiosity got the best of me, and thank God it did," She explained.

They were silent for a few minutes, then Harry spoke up. "I really don't know what to say."

"I saw that Ginny died on the news. I remembered her quite differently from the picture they showed though," Hermione shook her head.

"I was right there when she pulled the trigger. I watched her die," Harry felt like his chest was being torn apart. "I didn't know what to do. She was rambling on about so many things I had no idea what she was talking about. It all happened so fast."

"Harry you can't blame yourself," Hermione told him. "I had no idea whether she was still alive, or where she was for that matter. I've lost all the magic I had in me. I feel so useless."

"FUCK!" Harry yelled. "I just wish I could've been here for you, and Ginny and Ron, and everyone. Who would do this? I'm just so fucking angry!"

"I know you're frustrated Harry, I'm really sorry I wish I could be more help," Hermione sobbed. "I've felt that way for so many years."

"I should've never gone on that fucking mission. I should've been here to save her from whatever happened. None of this would've happened," Harry growled. It felt like the walls were shaking.

"What if I told you there was a way to save her?" Hermione said.