Chapter 12

Thirteen Days and Counting...

"Say something," said Ron, looking between the both of them.

"No," said Harry, giving a disdained look at Hermione.

"Hermione?" asked Ron.

"I'm not the one who is mad," she said. "And for a stupid reason, too."

"Stupid?" Harry looked up from his breakfast. "Thanks to your little investigation, not only did my...cloak," Harry caught himself from saying it's full phrase out loud, "get taken away, but now we have detention with a "death eater" "

"Wait," said Ron. 'Detention? What happened?"

"All I did was ask Harry to let me borrow his cloak," she said. "It's not my fault we got caught."

"It's your fault we went in the first place," said Harry, raising his voice slightly.

"Well, you didn't have to come," said Hermione.

"Oy, what's all the yelling about?" said Seamus, turning around in his seat.

"Sorry," said Hermione.

"You should be," said Seamus. "It's to early for all this commotion."

"Right," said Harry, and he got up from the table.

"Harry wait!" said Hermione, getting up as well.

"Wait for me, too," said Ron.

They exited the Great Hall much earlier than usual, which caused a few student to look up from their breakfast. Hermione and Ron caught up with Harry, who was walking at a fast pace.

"Why are you in such a rush to get to Charms?" asked Ron.

"I'm not," said Harry.

"Harry, what did it say?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know what you are talking about," said Harry, avoiding any eye contact with her, for he might be urged to cast the first spell that came to mind.

"You know what I'm talking about," said Hermione. She pulled his arm, and made him stop.

"Well, I don't," said Ron, he stopped as well, looking as confused as ever.

"I don't know," said Harry, giving up the fight, despite any means of wanting to continue it. " I haven't read it yet."

Harry pulled out the letter that he received the night before. He unfolded it and as he did so, another piece of paper fell to the floor. Hermione bent to pick it up, and Harry read the contents of what he held in his hand.

"It's a shame when even you, Harry, are distracted by such insignificant details. Keep your eye on what's ahead, and not what is in front of you. You don't want to be caught off guard, do you?"

Harry stared at it's contents for a moment. There must be a hidden message in it somewhere. It's to odd for it just to be a friendly reminder.

"Harry," Hermione spoke in a solemn tone.

"What?" His attention was now brought upon what Hermione held in her hands. "What is it?"

"It's the Daily Prophet, but..." Hermione skimmed the page. "I've never seen this one before. And it's not today's."

"Look at the date," said Harry. And he read aloud; "October 23rd."

"Today is the 10th," said Hermione.

"It could be a fake," said Ron, who was straining to look over Hermione's shoulder.

"Read it," said Harry.

"Hogwarts Attacked," she began. "The much adorned Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was attacked last night, by an unnamed source. While the Daily Prophet has no leads at the moment, it is not to early to suspect You-Know-Who in this situation. At the time, the school was not headed by Albus Dumbledore, who took a leave of absence, but was headed by Mr. Shay Winfred who had this to say:

"It is with sorrow that we find ourselves today, frightened and in disbelief. These sudden acts came to us on surprise, and we assure you that they will not happen again. Parents should not be alarmed, for we have taken extra matters to guard the school. If you have any questions, you are allowed to contact me."

An investigation is being held as to how the school was entered and found by the attackers, but we have no details as of this moment. There was reportedly one death connected with the situation, but we are not permitted to allow their name at request of both the school and the family."

They stood in silence for a few moments. Each of them running over the contents of the report. Harry now understood what she meant in her note. They'd been so worried about her, that they were forgetting what was going on around them, and the significance of it as well. Voldemort was back and they weren't even giving it a second thought.

"It - it must be a fake," said Ron, taking the paper from Hermione. "I mean - there...there is just no way anyone can attack Hogwarts."

"That's what we've been assuming," said Harry. "But Dumbledore isn't here. Which makes us all the more vulnerable."

"But the school is protected by numerous spells," said Hermione. "And-"

"You don't think he is powerful enough to get his way through them?" said Harry. "He is alive, if that's not proof of his power than what is?"

"I-I wont believe it," she said. "Not until we've had a talk with her."

"Hermione," said Harry. "You've got to stop this. It's getting ridiculous."

"Stop?" she said. "What?"

"Dumbledore would have never let her in the school if she was a death eater," said Harry. "I'm not saying trust her, but I'm telling you there are more important things going on. We are all suspicious of her, but you've taken it to extremes."

Hermione looked at him for a moment, and then nodded slowly in agreement.

"Let's just go to class," said Harry. "We'll deal with this later."

It was hard for any of them to concentrate that day. There was an occasional looking over the shoulder now and then, just in case. During the day, Harry's mind often wandered off onto other subjects, like why Dumbledore left Hogwarts, how Signora Aradia obtained a copy of a paper that hasn't been published yet, and on an event that wont happen for at least thirteen days.

She must know that they have been suspicious of her. That's why she sent it in the first place. It could possibly me a means to "distract" them from her, but Harry wouldn't dwell on that. But he would keep an eye on her, or at least try to. One eye on her, and one eye on the rest of the world. They had every right to be suspicious, but he wouldn't take it to such means as Hermione had. He'd simply be on the look out.

And how lucky Hermione and Harry were to be able to serve detention with Signora Aradia. At least Hermione thought she was. Despite being told not to investigate the Dark Arts teacher any further, it was hard not to notice how anxious she was for their detention to come. She glanced at the clock every five minutes, which seemed to prolonge the already long day. And then, it was time.

Hermione was the one that knocked on the office door. They heard "Come in", and so they entered.

"Oh," said Signora Aradia. She was sitting at her desk, with pen in hand. "I-I've changed my mind. S'you may leave."

"What?" said Harry.

"I do not need s'you anymore," she said, getting up from her desk. "Bay-sides, is not like s'you wont do it again. 'Dis will teach s'you no lesson anyway.".

"We need to talk," said Hermione, in a matter of fact tone.

"S'really?" said Aradia, here eyes widened in mockery. "Talk? With me?"

"The paper," said Hermione. "Is it real?"

"Paper?" asked Aradia, there was a serious tone in her voice now. It seemed like she had already begun her games."What paper?"

"The paper you sent to Harry." Hermione's brow had become furrowed in her impatience. "Show her Harry."

Harry dug into the pockets of his robes, and pulled out the newspaper and handed it to her. Aradia took it and looked at it for a few moments.

"V'why would I send you a copy of de days Daily Prophet?" she asked, turning it around to show them.

Hermione grabbed it from her hands, and they both surveyed the cover.

"No," Hermione's jaw dropped slowly.

"You sent us a paper of the Daily Prophet that was dated October 23rd," said Harry.

"October 23rd has not 'appened yet," she said. Her face was as calm as ever.

"Don't play mind games with us," said Hermione. She took a step closer. "You know what you sent, so why did you send it?"

"Maybe s'you should get more sleep," said Aradia, and she walked beside the door. "Now go!"

"No!" said Hermione, her anger becoming more and more evident. "Not until you answered us!"

"Aller!"

Signora Aradia's voice echoed against the walls of her office. Her dark black eyes were fixated on Hermione's form. She looked like a snake ready to attack.

Hermione stormed out of the room, and Harry followed. They didn't say anything, and wouldn't until they reached the common room.

"Sorry," said Mr. Winfred, as they were centimeters away from running into him. "Goodness, why in such a hurry?"

"Headmaster, I request that you look into Signora Aradia," said Hermione, seizing the opportunity. "She-"

"Who? Dominique?" said Mr. Winfred, his face brightening with a smile. "Is she at her games again? Well, don't you worry about her. Now, off to your beds."

He walked off, and left them. Hermione turned to Harry. "This is unbelievable."

"What have you found in that book of yours?" asked Harry, as they continued walking.

"Joining me are you?" asked Hermione, she gave him a wry smile.

"No," said Harry. "I'm just being suspicious."

"Well," she continued. "Nothing yet, but I'm bound to find something. Call me obsessed if you want, but I've been watching her. She never eats anything, and while she may eat in private, I've never seen her put a thing to her mouth. That's got to mean something."

"We should ask Dobby-" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off.

"Already have," she said. "He wouldn't say anything about her, so I'm sure she told him something. He just went on and on about how years ago she..."

She stopped walking. She stared at the ground before them, her eyes widened.

"What?" asked Harry.

"I've got to go to the Library," she said. Without another word, she headed off in the other direction.