Disclaimer: I owned Five Dollars yesterday until I spent it to watch a movie called The Brothers' Grimm. It was good, but now I don't own five dollars anymore. I have a ticket stub, though. Oh, I am soon going to own a puppy from the animal shelter when I get enough money to adopt it. Its name is Oreo. I don't, nor did I ever, own Harry Potter, unfortunately.
A/N: I still am very sorry that I don't write very long chapters. I try to, really I do. I just can't. I don't leave anything out, though. And I try to be as descriptive as I can.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Chapter Six:
As she walked down the street, she had the strangest feeling that someone was following her. She turned her head and looked behind her. Shaking her head, she told herself to quit being such a spaz. There wasn't anyone following her.
-------------------------
Swooping low, the only thing on its mind was its kill. Its father had told it to go kill this human, and it was going to do just that. Calling for its brother, they both went in for a dive.
-------------------------
A loud scream filled the Black house. "Ronald Weasley! You're 20 years old, for Merlin's sake. How many times do I have to remind you to pick up your chess set when you're done with it!"
Ron came rushing down the stairs. Grabbing the chess set, he apologized. "Sorry, mum. I just keep forgetting."
Mrs.Weasley looked at her son's honest face and her scowl grew soft. "It's alright. Just don't do it again. I almost poked a hole in my foot on one of those blasted pieces!" Hermione and Harry walked into the dining room, followed shortly by Sirius and Remus.
"So, Molls, what's for breakfast?" Remus asked. "I'm so hungry, I could eat a dog!" This caused Sirius to jump back in shock.
Remus looked at his friend and laughed. "Sorry, Padfoot. I didn't mean that literally." Sirius laughed, too.
"It's quite alright. Just please don't use those references about food anymore. They kind of make me not want to accompany you on your moonlight escapades."
Hermione laughed. Sirius caught her eye.
This morning when she had woken up, she had been, well, refreshed is what she would have called it if she had been asked to describe it in one word. All night Sirius' kiss was on her lips, and the prospect of their trip to Hogwarts was in her dreams. Many scenarios had played themselves out in her head, each as impossible and farfetched as the next. She had rolled out of bed and went to take a shower. By the looks and sounds of things she was the first one to rise. Once she got out and began to get dressed, she chose to wear a black spaghetti strap shirt with a black wife beater over top of it. She also chose a pair of dark blue comfortably fitting jeans and a pair of flip-flops and then headed down the stairs to begin her day.
That's about the time she heard the scream from Mrs. Weasley and everything else leading up to her and Sirius' little eye lock happened.
"Will somebody please go see if that ruddy owl of Ginny's brought the mail? I am expecting a letter from a cousin of mine from Austrailia."Mrs.Weasley said, putting the finishing touches on breakfast. Sirius grabbed a piece of bacon of the table before standing up.
"I'll go get it." He winked at Hermione and left the room. Hermione just laughed.
A few minutes later when Sirius returned, however, the look on his face was enough to chase any pleasant thoughts away.
"What is it, Sirius? Is everything ok?" She asked, hesitantly. He merely handed her the paper. Her eyes fell immediately when she read the headline:
MURDER BAFFLES MINISTRY YET AGAIN...
Early this morning, Ministry officials found the horribly distorted body of one Tera Norman.
Her body was found in muggle neighborhood a few feet from her home.
Aurors arrived on the scene when a distraught witch by the name of Agatha Tomas reported it's location to the
Ministries Emergency Floo- Line- Network.
No evidence was found and there seems to be no leads thus far.
The Ministry has asked that the public proceed with extreme caution.
The individual behind this act is considered armed and extremely dangerous.
If any sightings of any unusual individuals or strange happenings occur,
please contact the Auror Department at the Ministry of Magic with any details.
Written by:
Ellyn Laspor,
Asst. Editor
Hermione put down the paper and took a deep breath. She could tell by what was said in the article that this 'T.R' character was behind it. The girl, Tera Norman, was found in a muggle neighborhood with no trace of evidence to be found.
She shared a solemn look with Sirius.
"Oh, dear." Mrs. Weasley said. "I wonder if Dumbledore would know about this yet. He's at the school after all. They don't get post there till..." She paused, thinking.
"10:30" Hermione finished for her.
"Yes, thank you, dear. Well," She said, taking a breath, "Someone will have to go inform him, and I'm so busy." She said, looking at all of the young people sitting at the table.
"We're going there today anyway. We can tell Dumbledore while we're there." Sirius said. Hermione nodded.
"Well, alright then. If your going in that direction...But what are you going to the school for?" She asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
Hermione was eager to tell them all. "I wanted some books, you know, to try to figure out what a Serpantitheus is, and Sirius' library didn't have what I was looking for. So, he decided that the best person to ask about them would be Madam Pince."
Molly nodded. " That does seem to make a lot of sense. Will you all be eating dinner there, then?"
Hermione looked at Sirius, who seemed to know exactly what was going on. "Yeah. We've got everything planned." He said. "It might take all day to find the books we are looking for." He added, after a knowing look from his godson.
" Very well, then. Be careful, the both of you. And don't you let her out of your sight, Sirius. Not for one minute, you hear?" She chastised.
Sirius grinned mischievously. "Don't worry, I won't."
-----------------------------------------
They arrived at the school mid-class change. The hallways were flooded with young wizards and witches earning one of the greatest magical educations out there.
"Wow. Were we this shrimpy when we were at school?" Sirius said, earning a glare from a very puny looking boy in front of him.
Hermione playfully slapped him on the arm. "Be nice," She said. "And to answer your question, I quite remember Ron and Harry looking equally as 'shrimpy' as these children are. I couldn't tell you about yourself. Although, by the looks of things, your puniness hasn't done much to improve." She teased.
He mocked a pout until they reached the familiar stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office.
Hermione looked at Sirius. "Uh, did anyone tell you what the password was?" He shook his head.
Just then, the gargoyle leaped aside and Dumbledore walked out of the stairwell behind it with a grim expression on his face.
"Ah. Ms. Granger. I have heard of the unfortunate event that took place last night. And, of course, my Aurors were the first on the scene. I am afraid we found something for you yet again."
He handed her a letter in a familiar looking envelope. She opened it carefully. When she read it, however, she didn't know what to think. There wasn't much that she could make sense of:
Dearest Hermione,
People work better in groups. Take for instance your little Order of the Phoenix. While one person, say, Dumbledore, would be sufficient enough to stop most things, when he has the Order behind him he is almost unstoppable.
That's why, my sweet little mud blood, I have decided to show you that I can have a team too. And my team can be just as unstoppable as yours.
Good luck.
Thinking of your demise,
T.R.
She looked up at Dumbledore in confusion.
"What in the world does he mean by 'team'?" She asked. Sirius took the letter from her hand and read it quickly.
"He means, Hermione, that he has more than one of those terrible creatures at his disposal."
"How do you know that? Did you find any clues?" Sirius asked. Dumbledore shook his head.
"Again, I am afraid that we have no clues to offer. We could simply tell by looking at the horrible shape that the body was in that it was done by more than one of the creatures. It seems this 'T.R.' is trying to send a message, make a point." He finished.
"Well, it appears he has done so." Hermione said, a determined look on her face.
She looked at Sirius and then back to Dumbledore.
"Well, sorry Professor, but we have to go. We have some research to complete."