Chapter 15
"What on earth are we going do?" It was a perfectly normal question to be asked in a situation like this, but not from Hermione Granger, the know-it-all.
Ron faced her, wearing a determined expression. "We're not going to let him get our Harry, that's what we're going to do!"
Hermione nodded. "What's the plan?"
"Okay. First things first. Harry has to be watched all day long. We can't let him out of our sight…"
Hermione cut him off by saying "Quiddich practise."
"Right. We'll think about that tomorrow morning. I need you to go and check his room. Hidden doors, windows, fireplaces, the usual. Tomorrow one of us will check the rest of the house. I hate to say this, but we're going to have to keep this from him. I don't want him get all worked up over this. You know Harry. He might want to use himself as a target to lure the nutcase out of hiding and that's the last thing we need. He'll get himself killed, or worse… expelled!" Ron said grinning wide at Hermione.
"Oh do shut up Weasly!" Hermione glared at him. "This is hardly the time to be joking around."
"Reminder, Granger! This is your boss you're talking to! The boss jokes around whenever he feels like it!"
Hermione gave him the last glareish look and hurried out.
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Ron turned round with a silly smile playing on his lips. He turned to the table and sighed heavily. The mess needed cleaning and this was definitely not one of his strong sides. He tried to sort his reports into one pile and Hermiones into the other but was not sure if he was doing a good job at it. 'Course, the ones with writing on 'em were easy, but the ones that did not… He'd have never thought that Hermione, of all people, would have so many unfinished documents to fill. Maybe she had grown tired of trying to be perfect at everything over the years? What are you thinking? Only three years have passed and you're already thinking like it has been forever. It has not. Only three years.
His thoughts were however interrupted by Hermione bustling in. "Harry. Can't find him. Anywhere." She panted.
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"So he's not in the living room nor bedroom. Not on the second floor. You check the kitchen and I'll go to the dining room." Ron was out of breath and trying hard to keep calm.
"Right." Hermione said as she started off towards the kitchen.
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"…And Ron was furious when they called him that!"
"We'll I'd be too, if I was called Ickle Harrykins!"
"Ne. They'd have come up with something original. They'd have liked to call you…"
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Two voices. One male, one female. There were no women living in this house but her and she didn't count as she was staying there temporarily. This must be… Right! No time to call Ron! She had to take matters into her own hands.
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"Well, I'd have to admit it'd be better than Ickle Harrykins!"
"Trust Gred and Forge to come up with something original!"
"Expelliarmus!"
A coffee cup flew into the waiting hands of Hermione.
"Ginny!" Hermione gasped as she laid her eyes on the woman sitting at the table with Harry.
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This was what Hermione would call a shock. What was Ginny doing here? How did she get here? Why didn't she or Ron know she was here? Why was she sitting at the kitchen table with Harry, talking, instead of coming and saying Hi! to them first?
Those questions however, had to wait, as Ron's voice came: "'Mione? Everything OK?"
"Go! Please go! I'll explain later!" Panic was visible in Harry's eyes so Hermione just grabbed him by the collar and dragged him halfway to the living room where they were met by a running Ron.
"Yeah, fine. Just fine. I found this little prick in the kitchen. He and Niles were having a heated conversation over politics."
"You want to explain this?"
"What?" the two Unspeakables replied in unison.
" The Rescuing Harry Potter operation."
"No…" Ron started and was helped out by Hermione "…. We were simply unable to locate you and therefore got worried." This was the fishiest explanation ever. If Harry'd only buy it!
He furrowed his brow at them and sent both piercing looks. "Right." He didn't sound too convinced but let it slip.
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Back in the library.
"We'll change shifts every two hours. Even the slightest disturbance of peace in Harry's room…"
"Yes, yes I know Ron! I'll come get you."
"NO! You go in and save Harry's arse! You've been working for Smith far too long. Fill in the report first, then go on the mission. Weird fellow, that he is!" Ron pulled his hand through his short hair and turned to the table that didn't seem any more tidy than it had been before his little attempt to clean it up. "I'll check up this pile here and you take that one. Let's at least try to make something of it."
"Right." Hermione said as she sat down next to him in front of the fireplace with her pile.
After an hour of extensive work Hermione noticed something that should not have been in the pile – another letter. Ron was very absorbed in his work and didn't even notice Hermione staring at one particular piece of paper longer than the others. That is until Hermione whispered: "Ron."
"Hmm." He answered, not looking at her.
"Here's another one."
"What other one?" He asked still not looking up from one of his reports.
"Letter."
"Well,
yes Hermioen. Did you just notice now that we are looking through a
pile of letters?"
"A new one."
The effect of that those words was unimaginable. Ron turned his head so fast that Hermione never even thought it humanly possible. Both stared at the envelope that said: Dream Team on it. Hermione, however, was more occupied with the feelings that came over her as Ron stared at the envelope from over her shoulder, his breath hitting her cheek.
"Open it."
Hermione's hands shook as she struggled with the letter. Finally she got it open.
So finally we meet! I've been looking forward to this. It's nice to see the Dream Team all together, once again. But this mystery you will not solve. You will never find out who I am. I'm too clever. I've planned this too long for anything to go wrong. Oh yes! I've been planning! For the past three years now! So far it has worked perfectly and I do intend for my success to continue.
I can almost see the two of you reading this, lying to Harry. We don't want to upset the poor fellow, now do we? If I am correct, you will not tell him about the letter. No. You will keep it to yourselves, thinking the two of you can take me on. You can't! Just because you are Unspeakables doesn't mean you're all-powerful.
Yes. I know where you work. It isn't such big of a secret if you know the right place to look and unfortunately for you, I do.
I don't want to make this one of these long threatening letters saying I can see you but you can't see me! If you want to admire my beautiful handwriting and the wonderful words I so kindly put in line for Harry, you don't have to wait long. There's going to be a little surprise for The Boy Who Lived amongst the mail tomorrow! Yes, you guessed it! Another letter from his greatest fan – Me!
Untouchable
Hermione stared at the letter for a few seconds after reading it. Ron pulled his hand through his hair exasperatedly.
"He knows us. He knows how we think, how we act. Only one person pop's into my mind." He looked at Hermione knowingly.
"Colin." Hermione stated.
"Yup." Ron stared into the fire. "He had a pretty good chance to check out the library and create this mess to hide the letter. No doubt he was looking for clues and decided to leave a note telling us just how stupid we are."
"We can't prove it was him."
"Handwriting."
"Ne. He could have charmed it to look different."
"There's got to be something we can do!" Ron stood up and started pacing in front of the fireplace. "Damn! We can't just watch him do this to Harry! There will be another letter in the fan mail tomorrow! We know it, but we can't stop it! It's driving me mad!"
Hermione furrowed her brow. "I never thought to ask Harry, but has he ever seen the owls?"
"The owls!" Ron spun around, his face beaming. He gave Hermione a quick peck on the cheek and paced a little more, now even faster, muttering things like: 'How come did I not think of that' and 'Bloody Brilliant!'
"Ron?" Hermione interrupted the thoughts zigzagging through his head.
"Yeah."
"The plan?"
"Right, right! The plan!" He sat on the couch next to her pulling his hand through his hair once again, this time excited.
"You know you're going to be bald by the end of the week if you keep torturing 'em like that, Ronny dearest."
"You think I'd look more attractive when I'm bald? That's it! No more style tips from you Granger!" He said mockingly and continued before Hermione was able to word her response. "As I said before, we'll patrol before Harry's doorstep." Hermione admired the way he could turn from serious to funny in a matter of seconds. "I'll take two hours then you'll take two. That way the both of us are even in for a little nap. As soon as you get sleepy or anything, come tell me and I'll take over, okay?"
"Ron! I am not a beginner! I've been in it for over three years now! I think I should know the basic drill by now." Like this was her first mission ever! Well, excuse me!
"Granger. Has anyone ever told you that you do not, I repeat do not yell at your boss? It's not written down as a company policy of course, it's just something you do not do." Ron grinned at her. Hermione looked as if smoke was coming out of her nostrils and any second now, she'd be breathing fire.
"You remind me greatly of Norbert at the moment. I hope you're not going to bite me, though. That was a nasty one! It turned all green and everything." Hermione burst out laughing. She just couldn't help it. They were dealing with a serious nutcase and Ron was talking about Norbert resembling to her. Impossible person, that he was!
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