Chapter Eight
Umbra
Summer has come and past
The innocent can never last
Wake me up, when Septembers ends
Like my fathers come to pass
Twenty years has gone so fast
Wake me up, when Septembers ends
Here come the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are
As my memory rest
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up, when Septembers ends
- Green Day, Wake me up When September Ends
"Mione?" asked Ron, throwing Lavender off of him this time and throwing her a look of disgust. His voice was gentle and concerned; he got to his feet and started towards her. So I was right! Harry told himself, they are together… or they were at least…
"Mione, please?" he whispered as though frightened of what was going to happen next. "Look, I didn't, you know I wouldn't –"
"I don't care," she said finally, her voice choked. "You still, you should've…"
"Please come here?" he asked, putting a hand out to grab her towards him but she moved away, looking at him in appal. It seemed neither was aware that the whole common room was staring at them.
She sniffed loudly. "Don't touch me!" she shouted. Ron's face looked like he was about to burst into tears. She looked into his eyes. "I hate you."
From where he was standing Harry knew Hermione was lying but he could also see, no matter how much those words weren't true, Ron had believed her.
"No, please, Mione!" he yelled as she ran towards the portrait and out of the common room. He fell against the nearest wall and dropped, like a stone, down it. He ran his fingers into his hair and he was shaking his head. Ginny looked at her older brother, apparently stunned that he'd do something to hurt Hermione. "Come on now everyone, there's nothing to see here!" Colin Crevey's voice shouted through the silence. Everyone turned away and began to talk amongst themselves again.
"Hey, you wouldn't mind trying to find Hermione would you? It's just she can be really sensitive and I guess a girly mate would be better at the whole shoulder-to-cry-on thing," Harry asked Danielle.
"Yeah, sure, you just keep an eye on Ron, he look's about ready to jump out of the window," she told him, nodding towards the window near the huddled over Ron.
Harry gave her a small smile as she sped towards the portrait and, once she was out of the room, Harry turned on his heel to Ron, put his right arm around his shoulders and yanked him to his feet. "Come on mate, let's get you upstairs."
The corridors were quiet and still, the clock on the wall told her that it was a quarter to nine; she needed to find Hermione fast or get detention for being out of bed. The nearest classroom door was open a little a, as she neared it, hard sobs could be heard along with deep uneven breath.
"Hermione?" she asked as she pushed the door open to look inside. Sure enough, on the floor by the black board crouch a small figure, hugging her knees and crying into them.
She walked over to her and sat down next to her. "Come here," she said, pulling Hermione into an awkward, sideways hug. "I know it hurts like hell, I know… how long have you been going out?" she asked to the girl in her arms.
"Since the end of last year, when we were in the Hospital Wing after what happened in the department of Mysteries… oh yeah, you wouldn't know about that…" she murmured through her sobs.
"Actually, I know all about that." She sounded bitter, upset, tear-choked. "Look, I know it hurts to see the one you like –"
"No," said Hermione definitely, "I loved him, and he's ripped my heart out and…"
"Look, I've been in this sort of position, well not exactly, I only met Ron a few hours ago and I'm not you and I have no idea who that stupid blonde bitch is so yeah but it was similar," she said, smiling at Hermione who raised her eyebrows - as if to say who was it then?– and she continued. "I knew this guy, right and he told me that I was everything to him, that I was his whole world and that he would never choose anything over me."
"Go on," said Hermione. She'd stopped crying but she still sounded as though she'd had a head cold for weeks.
"Well, I hadn't seen him for two weeks and…"
"You caught him cheating on you didn't you!" exclaimed Hermione.
"No, you see he ran off somewhere and chose to go someplace to help out someone who was in trouble and well… he died and the last thing he said to me was, 'don't forget to have a look at the book' or something like that. So there, he broke my heart because I hadn't spent enough time with him."
"But, that's not…"
"Well, it broke my heart, I still haven't got over it, and every time I think about it I feel like jumping out of a window, so I know the pain you're going through."
"Was he the first guy you ever fell in love with?" Hermione asked gently.
"Well I had never met him until I was fourteen you see, but staying with him and being around him for those two years was incredible… I finally had someone," Danielle said, letting out a long sigh.
"But I though you said you hadn't known him long? Two years is a really long time," stated Hermione a baffled expression on her face.
"Not when that person's your dad," said Danielle, dabbing her blue-black eyes with the sleeve of her robes.
Thankfully the sixth-year boys' dormitory was empty and Harry was able to sit Ron down on his bed and get him a glass of water.
"She hates me," he said finally as Harry pushed the glass into his hand. "She really hates me!"
"No she doesn't," said Harry, crouching down in front of his best friend. "She's just upset, come on, how many girls like seeing their boyfriend getting off with someone else?"
Ron looked shocked. "You know? But how?" he asked.
"Guessed," he said truthfully.
"Oh," replied Ron.
"How long have you two been going out behind everyone's backs?"
"Since last summer after the Department of Mysteries, I was heavily sedated and I just kinda, let it slip that I liked her and then she said she liked me too and then we got together the next day when I wasn't so heavily sedated." He sighed heavily and pulled his legs up onto the bed.
"Wow, you kept that really quiet."
"No, we didn't, Malfoy caught us this summer and that's why he keeps grinning at us like a Cheshire cat! That jumped up ponce needs to get over himself, I swear he's going to get hexed so bad if he says anything to Mione that he won't ever be able to walk straight again… EVER!" he cried.
Harry grinned. "As nice as that sentiment is Ron, she actually needs to be in danger before you start mouthing off how you're going to save her and win her back."
"You're right, I need to get her back some way, and you know what she's like, she's too stubborn for her own good!" he said as Harry walked over to his bed and sat down on its edge.
"Hey, maybe you could pay Malfoy to pick on her so you could jump in and be her knight in shining armour!" Harry said laughing a little. Ron shot him a look of disgust.
"I'll get her back on my own merit thank you very much… no Malfoy will ever help me… ever!" shouted Ron in a dignified sort of way, throwing his hangings around his bed shut and pulling one of them off. His ears glowing slightly red, Ron repaired the drapes and flung himself face first into his pillows, muffling the yell of anguish that escaped his lips.
At breakfast next day, Hermione still refuse to even as much as sit near Ron let alone talk to him. Telling Harry that she'd see him in Care of Magical Creatures, she walked off towards Ancient Runes with Paravati Patel.
"Don't worry about her Ron, she'll come around sooner or later," said Danielle who was cutting into a bit of bacon as a handsome black eagle owl came soaring towards her. "Umbra!" she shouted as the owl settled down in front of her breakfast and began to bite at her bacon rinds.
"Who's owls that? Don't tell me it's Malfoy, he only sits over there!" Harry told her eyeing the bird suspiciously.
"No it's not, it's my friend Laura's!" she snapped impatiently, pulling the letter and small package off of the owl's leg before it nibbled her finger in a friendly manner, spread its giant wings and flew off up into the air.
"Who's Laura?" asked Ron absentmindedly still watching the door which Hermione had just left from.
"What does she say?" asked Harry, "Sorry, you don't have to tell me, force of habit from Ron and Hermione."
"Don't worry, can't hurt too much." She ripped back the envelope and pulled out the sheaf of parchment that was inside.
Dear Dannie, it said in a neat scrawl,
We hope everything's okay at Hogwarts with your Uncle. Things are way weird here at the moment, this school just seems way too quiet nowadays what with the Dark Lords return and all that jazz, not many people have shown up this year and we were already a small school.
Hope you get the package okay, Claire and Mike brought it on their holiday in Greece, we've all got one. They said they hope you like it. It's harsh you know, you leaving me and Claire to deal with Mike and Kyle on our own, you know what the two of them are like! Mike crept back into my bed again last night can you believe it! I know I said that if you needed me then I'll help, but right now, I think I need your help more than you need mine!
Did you meet the Boy-Wonder? Is he nice (if you've met him that is)? Meet up with anyone else that went to Flaxes? What House are you in? Oh and can you see if you have my book of Ancient Egyptian's and their curses, I think Rachel must have put it in your trunk instead of mine.
But yeah, it still stands, if you need me, (or now us because they've all got it in their heads that they'll come and help too if you want us) just give a yell and we'll be there.
Send an owl back with the book and a letter for a chat, don't put too much in, in case it's intercepted but yeah. It'll be good to here from you in the other side of Britain!
Love ya,
Lawz, Kyle, Mike and Clao
XXXX
"Boy-Wonder?" asked Harry curiously who had a sneaky suspicion what the answer was going to be.
Blushing a little bit she replied, "It's what Laura call's you, well, they all call you it, Lawz, Kyle and Mike and Claire that is."
"Thought so," he said stonily. "So, is there anyone else here that you know from Flaxtran's?"
"Yeah, a few; Pansy went there for a little bit, Draco, Blaise Zabini and there are a few people in the years above and bellow us that I know went there. That new kid in Hufflepuff, the first one to be sorted last night, he did, he was quite sweet, always picked his broom up from the wrong end." She sighed and lent down to her bag.
Ron picked up the carefully wrapped package that was situated next to Danielle's breakfast. "What about this?"
"Oh thanks," said Danielle, stretching out her hand to take it off of him. She pulled off the pink ribbon and then the white paper. A small black box lay in her palm and another sheaf of parchment fell out. It read:
I hope you like it; it's a bit of a bummer that you won't be here this year. I got this when I was on holiday in Greece, and I got one that matched everyone. Hope you like it!
She pulled the box open and giggled. Inside the box, on a wad of black velvet laid a small silver necklace, a phoenix pendant burst from flames. Set in the bird's eye was a jewel of darkest jet.
"Ah, that's so sweet!" she said pulling the necklace out of the box, as she did, the velvet came up, revealing a shrunken package of sweets, a note resting on top of them.
So here's the deal, I thought I might as well shrink them in case Lawz tries to read I mean eat them. They aren't your usual MasterMallows, they've got Vodka in them and we all know how much you like your Vodka. See you soon Hun, love ya loads Mike xxx
She sighed, put the necklace around her neck and put the tiny pack of sweets in her pocket along with the notes. "I'll have to reply to these in a little bit."
"We should be getting along to Care of Magical Creatures," said Harry looking at his watch. "I wonder if we'll have the dragons today or not?" He raised his eyebrow hopefully at Danielle.
"Not a clue!"
The grounds were crisp and the air was fresh, so, pulling on their cloaks, Harry, Danielle and Ron headed off in the direction of Hagrid's hut. "Ah!" he said clapping his giant hands together, "ya came back!"
"'Course we did Hagrid!" said Ron. "Don't suppose we'll be able to have a cup of tea?"
"Well no, but ya could go an' say high to yer brother if ya wanted to, he's jus' shown up. You don' know if anyone else is comin' do ya?" Hagrid asked hopefully as Ron ducked inside the cabin with Harry.
"Hermione is," said Danielle. "So, what else are we studying this year?"
"Apar' from Dragon's ya mean?" Hagrid asked giving her a wink. "Well, that's for me to know and you ter find out!" He tapped the side of his nose, "Ah look, here comes Hermione!"
She walked across the grounds, Neville hurrying behind her, and halted as she saw Harry and Ron emerge from Hagrid's hut, Charlie behind them. She looked straight at Danielle who nodded and smiled and she kept walking.
"Hermione!" boomed Hagrid. "Whatever is the matter?" he asked, seeing her slightly puffer pink eyes.
"It's nothing Hagrid, really!" she told him throwing a sickened look at Ron whose ears glowed pink.
"Hi Hagrid," said Neville, crouching over to catch his breath. "Sorry if I'm a bit late."
"Not ter worry, now let's get down to business then," he told them, a grin sitting smugly on his face. "So, this term, as some of you may already know, we'll be studying dragons under the careful watch of Mr. Charlie Weasley – do yer want them calling yer Charlie or Mr. Weasley?" Hagrid asked.
Charlie grinned and said, "Charlie's fine Hagrid, calling me Mr. Weasley will just make me feel like my dad."
"Very well then," said Hagrid. "Okay, can anyone tell me the types o' dragons that were here at the Triwizard Tournament two years ago? Yes Hermione?"
"There was a Chinese Fireball, a Swedish Short-Snout, a Common Welsh Green and Harry tackled a Hungarian Horntail," she said, apparently her anger with Ron could be forced to the side when in class.
"Well done, ten points ter Gryffindor. Now does anyone know any other breeds?"
"Norwegian Ridgeback," said Ron lazily as he sighed heavily and rolled his eyes to the sky. A misty glaze echoed in his eyes.
"Antipodean Opaleye's are prized Dragons, very rare and highly powerful," said Danielle as she bent down to retrieve her book from her bag.
"Well, that's quite impressive!" said Charlie. "Have we met before Miss…?" he added hopefully.
"Parker, Danielle Parker, and yes, we met briefly last summer."
"That's right, Dumbledore's niece. Well, that explains it, Flaxtran's right? They always teach their students a, shall we say a, wider range of information than they do here at Hogwarts, not that I'm saying Hogwarts is a bad school, it's the best but Flaxtran's branch out into more, forgotten areas of magic," said Charlie. "I'll go and get it shall I Hagrid?"
"Yes, yes Charlie, maybe it would be better if we go into the hut then, there'll be enough room." They all followed Charlie Weasley into the cabin and sat around Hagrid's wooden table. A large, pale grey egg was sitting in the fire merrily, the flames licking around the shell.
"That's an Antipodean Opaleye egg!" breathed Neville. "We're actually going to study it like that?" Terror clung to every one of Neville's words.
"Yup," said Hagrid simply. "Well, I'll pass you over to Charlie; it's just about ready ter hatch isn't it?" he asked excitedly. Harry had only ever seen Hagrid this happy once before, and that was at the hatching of Norbert.
He nodded and, putting on some very thick dragon-hide gloves, Charlie put his hands into the flames and took the egg over to the table. They all moved back a little.
Taking his wand from out of his pocket, Charlie sent a stream of fire towards the egg. "Now, you all brought your new extra-thick gloves I hope?" he asked. They all nodded. "Good, 'cause you'll need them. Now, this egg's on the verge of hatching, you'll see there are darker lines appearing over the shell where it'll begin to crack," he told them pointing to the thick grey shapes were emerging and then continued, "so Ron if you go over there and sit next to Hermione that'll make sure the shell doesn't impale you when it flies off."
"It'll be easier for all of us if it did impale him!" Harry distinctly heard Hermione whisper to Danielle.
"There we go it's staring." Sure enough, the dark grey lines had begun to break a little. "Now, you need to keep the fire on it until the cracks become big enough for it to burst out. Does anyone else want a go?" he asked.
"I will," said Harry taking his wand out. "Incendio," he said and a stream of flames burst from the tip of his wand identical to Charlie's and pointed it at the egg.
"Well done Harry, now, oh look the shell's cracking!" Charlie too, now sounded excited. They all leaned in a little and little bits of shell started to fly off. "Okay Harry, take the heat off of it now, yes that's right and now just watch." He pointed to the egg and for a few minutes they waited. Harry was reminded poignantly of when he, Ron and Hermione had waited around the very same table, waiting for Norbert's arrival. Everything had been so simple back then, for a start Ron and Hermione weren't at each other's throats every other day and then there was the fact that no one had had to die to save him at that point after his parents.
A bit of shell flew of and hit him hard on the forehead; he could feel blood pouring down into his eye from just above his left eyebrow. "Harry, did you not hear me say move away now?" came Charlie's slightly annoyed voice.
"Sorry," Harry apologised, whipping the blood out of his eye and, leaning back, he watched the egg intently.
One large crack was breaking the shell cleanly in two, smaller chunks were flying everywhere. And then the shell fell away and a small pearly scaled dragon sat on the table, shaking its head. Its tail was about the same size as its body and it had a sharp looking spike on the very tip. The talons on the dragon looked deathly long. It opened its eyes and, Harry noticed that they were shimmering different colours, there was no pupil.
Then it coughed, a little like Norbert had and a shoot of brilliant red flames scorched the table. "So can anyone tell me what sex it is, and why you can distinguish this one for the other sex?"
Danielle put her hand up and Hagrid nodded to her to answer. "Well, it's a female. The tail and the talons give it away," she said, pointing to the creature. "On the males the tail is forked so that they look more fearsome to attract their mates and the male talons aren't nearly as long and shiny."
Charlie stared at her open-mouthed. "Yes, that's correct, twenty points for Gryffindor. I haven't met anyone, who hasn't studied dragons for a long time, who can tell me that since I talked to Sirius Black last summer."