CHAPTER 9 - HOGWARTS, A HISTORY
Hermione stayed unconscious for almost 2 weeks. She was moved into Harry and Ron's room, so she could be with someone at all times, and Phineas Nigellus could watch her as well. Ron stayed with Hermione all the time and Harry usually sat in the room reading the books Hermione gave him for his birthday. Harry had spoken to Ginny and told her everything that had happened. She was shocked. Mrs Weasley had yelled at both Ron and Harry for putting there lives in danger. The second time she told them off, Harry yelled back
"She did this for me. She did this so now Voldemort is weaker and easier to destroy. I don't like what has happened, but it has. She will be fine soon enough ok!"
Mrs Weasley was very shocked by this outburst from Harry and did not speak to him for a few days. It was starting to get dark when Hermione started moving around in her bed. Harry marked his page and put his book down, Ron looked up and moved closer to her.
"Ron?" Hermione asked quietly
"Yes?" he replied
"Ohhh!" Hermione exclaimed, bursting into tears and she reached up, put her arms around Ron's neck and started crying. Ron pulled her up and put his arms around her neck. Harry saw silent tears fall down Ron's face into Hermione's hair.
"AHHHH"
Harry and Ron heard a scream come from their room. They leapt out of there chairs in the living room on the first floor, knocking over the chess board, and ran up the stairs quickly. They crashed into a very excited Hermione.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked anxiously
Harry noticed Hermione was carrying a very heavy book
"Look, look at what it says." Hermione said thrusting the book open
"…The four Hogwarts founders placed something each at the school to watch over the students and to ensure a continual peaceful education. Godric Gryffindor left his own hat behind, which is what now sorts the students into their houses. Helga Hufflepuff left the house elves behind who now watch over the school and attend to the cooking and cleaning. Slazar Slytherin brought a snake into the school to listen into everyone to detect corruption. Rowena Ravenclaw left the imprint of her sister in the castle, Finola Ravenclaw…"
Harry stood there dumbstruck. Ron finished reading and stared at Hermione.
"Look! We need to go back to Hogwarts. I'm pretty sure that The Grey Lady IS Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter." Hermione said very fast
"No way. The mopey ghost from Ravenclaw who never says anything and never smiles?" Ron said flabbergasted
"Yes, yes, it all makes sense. I knew I had read somewhere in Hogwarts, A History about the castles added protection, but I had never thought to make a connection, until now. I was just waking up from a nap and decided to catch up on a bit of reading. Hogwarts, A History was the closest and it fell open on this page!" Hermione said with a squeal. She looked at Harry who still had not said anything.
There was silence between the 3 friends.
"Ok. Its 4 weeks until Christmas, I think it would be best to go to Hogwarts while the school is still quite empty." Harry said suddenly
"What about Christmas?" Ron asked
"Its alright, we will just go for day trips, this way McGonagall will have less of a chance of seeing us."
"How will we get into the grounds?" Hermione asked
Harry thought for a little but when he was about to open his mouth
"Hagrid, we will send patronus' to Hagrid each day, at different times of the day though." Ron said
Hermione looked at Ron with admiration, and Harry saw not only Ron's ears glow red but the tip of his nose too. Harry smiled inside. Little wafts of his 2 closest friends secret romance had been leaked out occasionally, and every time it made Harry smile.
Ginny came home at the start of the holidays.
"Harry!" Ginny cried throwing her arms around his neck, embracing him in a bone breaking hug. Harry hugged her back, but pulled away when she leaned into kiss him
"Oh, so its still the same rules eh?" Ginny asked jokingly
Harry just laughed
"Come on, Ron and Hermione are upstairs." Harry said, taking Ginny's hand and bewitching her trunk with the other.
Harry guided the trunk to Ginny and Hermione's room on the first floor and continued up to the second floor. Harry opened the door to find Ron and Hermione in a compromising position. Hermione opened her eyes and quickly pulled away.
"Oh, Harry. Ginny, hi, I see you got here safely." Hermione said, going a funny shade of red. Harry looked over at Ron, who had failed to close his mouth out of sheer shock. The tip of his nose was red. Harry could see Ginny out of the corner of his eye trying to suppress a laugh.
"Mum wants us all down in the kitchen. She's baking and needs a hand." Ginny said and ran out of the room with tears running down her face. Harry was about to say something to brake the awkward silence, but it was broken by Ginny's laughter a floor below.
Later on that night, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were sitting on the forest floor around a fire Hermione had conjured. Harry begun to open his mouth to let Ginny know of their new plan, but Ron got there first
"Ginny, we need you to distract mum for a few days. We have to go to Hogwarts."
"Why don't you just come when Christmas is over?" Ginny asked curiously
"We need to go, when there is no one at school. Do you know how many people are staying over for Christmas?" Hermione answered
"No one has signed down for Christmas. A few people in Gryffindor where going to, but there parents didn't want them to." Ginny informed them
"Hmmm, we will have to be extra careful then." Harry said out loud
"What are you guys doing?" Ginny asked with her temper rising
"We need to talk to the house ghosts about a few things. Voldemort things." Harry added, he only vaguely registered that Ron had stopped flinching at the sound of His name.
"Oh, umm, it wont take to long will it? You know what mum is like." Ginny said nervously
"Ginny, we have seen you lie before, just tell mum we have gone off to Hermione's house to check up on her parents while Hermione says 'Merry Christmas'. We will tell her the same thing before we go ok." Ron explained
"Ok, I can do it. You had better make up for this." Ginny said
"Aren't Fred and George coming home for Christmas though? So you will have something to do." Harry said happily
"Bye mum!" Ron said hugging his mum
"See you Mrs Weasley." Harry said embraced in a hug
"Thanks Mrs Weasley, ill give my parents the baking. We will see you soon." Hermione said
They waved good bye to everyone else and walked out the front door. They walked around the corner and apperated to Hogwarts. Hagrid was waiting at the gates for them.
"Ron, I got yer message. Cute wee patronus yer got ther'. Come in, quick." Hagrid greeted them as Rons ears began going red.
"So, this is fer the order is it?" Hagrid asked curiously
"Yup." Harry answered quickly
Hagrid just looked down at them
"Does the order know yer 3 are here?"
"No, and Hagrid, please don't tell them. This is our own mission." Hermione pleaded
"All righ' I won't say eh thing. Yer 3 are more 'n capable of, yer know, things." Hagrid agreed. They walked up to the castles front doors and Hagrid let them in.
"Ill see yer later." Hagrid said with a wave
"Bye Hagrid." They replied, pulling the invisibility cloak over them.
Once inside the castle they had to walk extra slowly to ensure their footsteps did not echo.
"Does any one know where the ghosts hang out over Christmas?" Ron asked jokingly
"I've heard that the Grey Lady avoids the other ghosts and enjoys spending time near he Ravenclaw common room." Hermione said absent mindedly
Ron looked shocked. They continued to wander up to the west tower, but encountered no one. After what seemed to take hours, they turned to face the staircase that would take them up to the west tower. Harry suddenly had a thought and checked the Marauders Map. He saw the Grey Lady was in the library sitting very still.
"Come on, lets go to the library, we should have checked the map when we first walked in." Harry whispered
They turned and walked a little faster to the library. The only person the came across was the Bloody Baron, who was skulking through the wall. When they reached the library they saw it was locked. Hermione pulled out her wand
"Alohomora."
The door creaked open and the library was dark except for one lantern down the back. Harry, Ron and Hermione crept towards the lantern. When there was only one row of books between them, they took the cloak off. They all walked forward silently and Hermione took a hold of Ron's wrist, who did not protest. They had reached the table with the lantern on it, whose wick had almost run out. On the table was a series of very large, heavy books and currently reading one was a very sad looking ghost.
"Umm, hello ma'am? I'm Harry Potter and these are my friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger." Harry began
The Grey Lady looked up. Harry saw her eyes were filled with sadness and her face looked as though it had forgotten how to smile.
"Is it alright if we speak to you for a little bit?" Harry asked tentatively
She continued to stare at Harry. Finally she said in a very sad, quiet voice
"You may. Please take a seat."
Harry, Ron and Hermione took a seat opposite the Grey Lady.
"Umm, are you related to Rowena Ravenclaw?" Harry asked
"Yes, I am."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He waited a short while before asking his next question
"Are you her sister. Finola Ravenclaw?"
"Yes." She replied slowly in the same sad voice
Harry, Ron and Hermione all exchanged excited looks. Harry wasn't sure if he should ask one more question, but he decided to push his luck
"Finola, ma'am? Do you happen to know if your sister, Rowena, left anything hidden behind at Hogwarts?"
The Grey Lady looked at Harry before answering. She studied him closely before answering.
"Why do you want to know?"
"If there is something of hers left in this castle, we were just wondering how safe it is and if anyone before has come across it." Harry asked softly
"Rowena was a very intelligent women, much like myself. She was also very fond of music. Only I alone know this, and now you 3. She made her own instrument, and carved the mouth piece to look like an eagles head. Rowena made a flute out of vine wood. She used her unnatural intelligence to hide it within the school. I am unsure of what happens when you play the flute, whether it plays just music or if it has many more magical qualities." The Grey Lady informed them in her sad, quiet voice.
"Do you know where it is hidden?" Harry asked
"Yes. I do. I am unable to take you to it today though." She replied sadly
"That is fine. Will you be able to show us tomorrow?" Harry asked tentatively
"Yes. I can show you tomorrow Harry Potter. You and your 2 friends; Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Good day to you and I will see you tomorrow morning in the entrance hall." The Grey Lady concluded. She took one last look at the open book, left it on the table and glided out of the library. Hermione stood up and looked at what she had been reading. Hermione gasped and held up the book. It was titled 'Hogwarts, A History'.