TITLE: Unknowing

GENRE: General (because I don't know)

RATING: K+

SUMMARY: For the first time in Hermione's memory, books fail her. Just when she needs them most.

AU (Alternate Universe): none, canon-ish

WARNING: none

Unknowing

By RowenaHermioneRavenclaw

For the first time in Hermione's memory, books fail her.

Just when she needs them most.

She can't find a single mention of a creature that uses petrification as a weapon in any book. She's already gone through seven just in this hour alone.

She's stumped. She hasn't been in the magical world long enough for her to know every creature - she's sure that the thing petrifying students is a creature. So she's resorted to books, but even books aren't helping her.

Hermione is honestly tempted to throw the book across the library. But that would make noise, which would make Madam Pince ban her from the library, and who is Hermione Granger without her books?

So instead of throwing the book across the library, she sets it down slowly onto the table. She takes a deep breath. Be calm.

But the thing is - she can't be calm. A creature, monster, whatever - it's attacking the students, petrifying them. It's targeting Muggleborns in particular, too.

It's not just her own life that Hermione's concerned about. It's about Harry and Ron, nearly everyone in the school. Lives are relying on her, whether they know it or not.

Steeling her resolve, Hermione picks up the book again and stands up. Her footsteps are slow and quiet, muffled by the carpet covering the library's floor. She reaches the magical creature section of the library.

She checks the book's author. Arella Burke. Hermione sets the book at its allotted space, then runs her finger down the spines of other books.

Some of them look dull and dusty from not having been taken out for a long time. Some are shiny and clean - perhaps new? But not many look promising.

Good books are so hard to come by, she thinks as she examines each title closely, gauging how useful they'd be.

Finally, she slides a couple of books out of the shelf. Hermione hopes that they'll be helpful.

Lives are relying on her.

Assignment 12: Zoos Task 8: Dolphins - Dolphins are very intelligent - Prompt: Write about someone intelligent being stumped by something

WC: 327