Chapter 9: Across the frozen lake
It took a moment for Harry to realize what she'd said; "What?" he asked.
"The arch in the Department of Mysteries and this 'Point of No Return' is the same thing, Harry," she said, more urgently, "And we figured that the arch, which is the Point, is a horcruxe!"
"Ok…" he slowly began, "Why is that such a big deal that you have to wake me in the middle of the night?" he asked.
"Don't you see?" she asked.
"Erm…apparently not."
"Harry, even if we do find a way to destroy that arch…there will be lost souls drifting everywhere. Thousands, I expect!" she whispered.
"Wait…" he said, sitting up, "Wait a moment, "If we break that thing, peoples souls will come out of it?" he asked.
"Well, yes," she said.
"But, Hermione, this arch is in the Department of Mysteries, no one is supposed to know what it does except the Unspeakables," he told her.
"I know."
"So then…how in the blazes do you know so much about it? I mean, I know you're smart and everything, that stuff's top secret, Hermione," he said, agahst that she knew such information, "Are you sure you know what you're talk about?"
"Harry, I know what I'm talking about. It all makes sense! When people fall through it, they're gone forever and…and Professor Lupin said that it was a horcruxe…"
"He said he thought it was a horcruxe," started Harry.
"And you said something about it Ron, didn't you?" she asked as Harry saw the silhouette of her body move as if she were turning to talk to someone, "Yes that's what I thought…see Harry?" she asked.
"Um…Hermione?"
"I know I'm right, Harry, even Ron agrees with me," her body moved again, "Don't you?"
"I think…I think you're still asleep…" he said, amused. She had managed, in her sleep, to wake Harry up, inform him that he had been talking in his sleep, and was now talking to someone who wasn't even in the room. He was torn between the choice to wake her up and tell her what she had been doing or to let her continue.
He laughed to himself and layed on his back, "Harry I know you must think I'm insane but it's true…"
"Hermione you're talking in you're sleep, of course I think you're insane."
"And as you already know, Ron agrees with me…" she went on as if he hadn't spoken.
Harry turned over so his back was facing her and he was looking out the window. It was a full moon that night and the milky-white light was illuminating the cemetery down the road. That same light crept through the window and across the hard-wood floor, up the side of Harry's bed and across his legs. Harry gazed at it for a moment, then closed his eyes and fell asleep.
