"Hermione calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down Harry!"
"Ms. Granger, please calm down."
"NO! I will not calm down. I'm trapped in here and Hannah Abbot is lying DEAD out there!" She screeched, pointing towards the closed door, "You expect me to calm down! I don't want to be HERE!"
"MS. GRANGER!" There was a silence as Dumbledore entered his office. He sat down and observed Hermione behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Ms. Granger," he proceeded much more quietly, "I must ask you to calm down. I have just finished calming down Mrs. Abbot and am not in the mood to calm down a hysterical seventeen year old girl." Hermione stopped pacing.
"Sorry," she mumbled, taking a seat between Harry and Ron.
"Now. Can you please tell me what you saw before you saw Ms. Abbot."
"I didn't see anything before I saw Hannah! I told you that. All I heard was the rustling in the bushes and then I heard someone scream. I took out my wand and decided to investigate," she stopped and looked up at Dumbledore, "There's something in the Forbidden Forest, sir."
"I know…" Everyone looked at him. He looked around and then sighed, "Hagrid has informed me that the chickens have been disappearing and that the forest is much quieter than normal."
"What do you think it is?" Ron asked.
"I don't know. At first I decided to pass it of as not harmful, but after to day I will have to inform the students," he turned towards McGonagall, "Minerva, please inform the students that dinner will be held earlier today." She nodded and exited the office. Dumbledore then turned to the trio. "You two should escort Hermione to the Hospital wing." Ron and Harry nodded and then took Hermione's arm and led her out of the office. They were silent for most of the way until they reached the doors. Hermione turned and stared at both boys.
"You don't think that there are Death Eaters in the forest do you?" Ron looked puzzled but the thought had crossed Harry's mind the whole time Hermione spoke. They were quiet for a while and then Ron piped up.
"Death Eaters couldn't do that to a person." Harry and Hermione turned to him.
"What makes you so sure?" Hermione asked.
"Well, I mean, come on! You saw her more clearly than I did when Snape brought her in…" He looked at both of them, then rolled his eyes and opened the Infirmary doors and proceeded, "Am I the only one who paid attention when Hagrid told us about the differences between wand injuries and creature wounds…" he let out a sigh of frustration, Harry he could understand, but Hermione was the smartest girl in Hogwarts. He smirked. I know something she doesn't know. "Ok, look. Judging on the wounds I saw the thing that attacked her wasn't human. It looked almost like the scars Lupin has after the full moon."
"But there wasn't a full moon yesterday or today and besides, the attack was in the day time, I've never heard of a werewolf that can change in the day time if at all on its own will. That's impossible!" Hermione said as Madame Pomfrey started to examine her. Harry turned to the nurse.
"Madame Pomfrey… you know the difference between creature and wand inflicted wounds don't you?" he asked.
"Of course. I have to know!"
"You saw Hannah didn't you?"
"Mr. Potter what is the point of these questions!"
"Was it a creature?"
"Of course! It's obvious that a creature did that to her. No wand could have possibly made those types of injuries." With that said she dismissed the three and told them to head down to dinner. Right before they entered the Hall, Hermione turned around and faced Ron.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Screaming at you." She turned around and entered the Great Hall. Immediately, everyone went silent as they watched the trio, or rather Hermione walk down the isle and take her seat. As soon as they were seated, Dumbledore stood.
"I have no doubt, that Hannah Abbots death is known by everyone. I must warn you now. The Forbidden Forest is strictly off limits except for those of you who have classes there. Those of you who have and interest in danger and would like to find out what really lurks in the woods will be expelled," his facial expression and tone of voice showing that he was not messing around. "I warn you. When outside be on your guard and always have someone with you at all times. Anyone outside after curfew will be expelled. There is no tolerance for misbehavior." The Hall was silent for a while. "Good. Now let's eat." Immediately everyone started talking and looking around to see if they could catch a glimpse of a still pale Hermione Granger. Ginny reached across the table and took her hand.
"It'll be ok Hermione. Don't worry." Hermione nodded and began to pick at the food Ron had piled onto her plate. Dean was about to ask her if she was alright when the Great Hall doors opened and three cloaked figures, headed by McGonagall made there way to the teachers table. Students looked on as the professor set down a stool and took out the Sorting Hat. One of the cloaked figures stepped forward, while the other two stood rigid at their post.
"Wellington, Alex!"
NOOOOOOO!
"What do you mean you know him?" Ginny asked incredulously, stroking Crookshanks.
"I mean… well…" she rolled her eyes, "we used to date ok." Ron's eyes got huge.
"WHAT?"
"Be quiet Ron… We used to go out since the end of fifth year but this summer we called it quits, because of reasons I don't wish to tell."
"What, you didn't give enough?"
"Actually Ron, yes. I wasn't willing to go all the way and so therefore we broke up." Harry glared at her. Well, it's slightly the truth. I didn't want to go all the way. Ron was about to say something when Alex Wellington walked in.
"Speak of the devil…" she muttered and was about to sneak up to the girls dormitories until she could make her way back to her own private room when she was spotted.
"Well, well, well, I never thought I would see you again." Hermione turned around, a look of the deepest loathing on her face.
"Well, well, well, I never thought I would see you out of Azkaban again… What'd you do? Bribe the minister."
"No, but your close." Ron and Ginny watched with confusion as Harry stood up and stepped in between the two.
"I suggest you go." Alex's eyes narrowed.
"Potter," he sneered, "nice to see you again." Harry remained in his spot.
"Still the same asshole, aren't you." Alex smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. He turned to Hermione
"Yes well, I got to know than your ass didn't eye, Hermione." Her eyes go big and filled with tears.
"GO TO HELL!" With that she ran out of the common room. Harry shoved Alex into the mantel near the fireplace and chased after Hermione, Ron and Ginny following him.
"Hermione, please come out!" Ron called as Harry tried to open the door that Hermione had locked.
"Just leave me alone Ron!"
"Come on! Please!"
"GO AWAY!" She shrieked and something broke on the other side of the door.
"We'd better leave her alone. She means it." Ginny told them. As they exited the Heads Common room Ron turned to Harry.
"How do you know Alex?" He asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. Harry gulped visibly.
"It's not my place to tell."
"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean."
"It means, Ronald, to mind your own business!" Ginny snapped and entered the common room and went up to her dormitory. Harry gave Ron a hopeless shrug and went up to their room. Ron sat down in front of the fire and stayed there for a while.
