Raven watch
Professor McGonagall blinked. Then blinked again. Then lifted her cup, took a sip of tea and set it back down. Maybe a little harder than necessary.
"Miss Granger. You don't mean to tell me that-" Professor McGonagall's voice shook, and she stopped herself mid-sentence.
"Professor, I really didn't know whom to turn to" Hermione hurried to say. "Then you sprang up in my mind and I was certain you could tell me what to do."
"But if you were-if she's alive-and you-how did you get out of there-how-?"
The brunette had never seen Professor McGonagall so unsettled – scared even. She felt she had to say something.
"It wasn't all that hard, Professor" Hermione reassured her. "Bellatrix was actually quite… different."
"Different?" Professor McGonagall gasped. "Different! Bellatrix Lestrange! Hermione, did she do something to you?"
"No, no" the young woman shook her head. "That's what I'm trying to say – she was different. Not mad. Almost normal actually."
The Headmistress regarded her skeptically. Apparently, Bellatrix Lestrange being normal was as much of an impossibility to her as it had been to Hermione.
"You can tell by the fact I'm all right" the brunette chuckled nervously. "I don't think I'd have gotten out unscathed if she was her usual crazy self."
"As true as this is… When did this happen?"
"A few days before we came back to Hogwarts."
"And you've told no one yet?"
"It didn't seem like a good idea. Listen Professor, I can't really explain it. You need to see her to know what I'm talking about."
"See her?"
"Yes, I can arrange a meeting. I hope…" Hermione finished, not entirely convinced she could persuade Bellatrix to see the Headmistress.
"Arrange a meeting? This sounds like you have contact with Lestrange now. You don't believe this dangerous?" Professor McGonagall sounded stern now. Oddly, this reassured Hermione since her Professor was back to her usual self.
"Like I said. Even if I tell you, you won't understand it until you see it with your own eyes."
This time, the older witch took longer to contemplate her answer. Hermione took this opportunity to glance at the portraits of past Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts. Too many of them had their eyes closed on such a lovely sunny day. She looked at Professor Dumbledore's portrait. His eyes were wide open, and he was staring at the back of Professor McGonagall's head. When Hermione looked at him, he turned to wink at her.
"All right then" Professor McGonagall spoke finally. I would like to meet Bellatrix and see what you're trying to tell me. You said you can arrange for that to happen?"
Hermione nodded and the other witch fixed her with an intense gaze.
"I trust you know what you are doing, Miss Granger."
With that, and the last sip of tea McGonagall took, Hermione knew she was dismissed.
"Thank you, Professor" she stood to go. "I will inform you when I speak to Bellatrix."
"Hermione" Professor McGonagall called when she was almost at the door. She turned around. "Be careful."
The brunette left the room with a nod, making a silent vow to follow McGonagall's advice on that. When she reached the Grand staircase, she heard the chatter and clatter of cutlery coming from the Great Hall. She was just wondering whether to go look for Harry and Ron inside when a voice called out from behind her.
"Hey, Mione!"
Turning, she spotted them hurrying down the stairs towards her.
"We looked for you in the Common room" Ron said, reaching her first. "But there were just a few third-years inside."
"I was hungry and decided to come down and save you two seats."
"Three!" Ginny's voice all but yelled in her ear. Hermione jumped.
"Ginny! Do you want to give me a heart attack?"
"Maybe. Come on, I'm hungry." Ginny grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him towards the Great Hall; he managed to grab Hermione's hand at the last second; and she, ready for her friends' antics, had already caught Ron's forearm. When the four of them sat down at the Gryffindor table, Hermione felt guilty for lying to Harry and Ron about where she had been. She still hadn't told them about Bellatrix and her conscience was beginning to call for her to stop hiding things from her best friends. At the next moment, Ron began telling her how he'd caught the Quaffle almost every time it came towards him, and the voice of her conscience was effectively drowned out.
Hermione's only trouble now was how worried she was about using the ring again. What made her even more unsure than before was Professor McGonagall's warning. Luckily, by pure chance or not, as she was going to sleep that night, she saw Bellatrix's black raven perched on her windowsill. Not wanting to miss the chance, Hermione jumped up and began looking for quill and parchment. When she was ready, she managed to compose a short note, refraining from using any rhymes this time.
B.B.,
My trustworthy confidante agreed to meet you to see with their own eyes how different you are. I suggest using our last meeting point again. Same time too. This day next week. I have a suspicion that this raven will be able to tell you when I wrote the letter.
H.G.
Tying this to the raven's leg, she watched it fly away, briefly wondering how come it was here in the first place. The thought that tomorrow was the start of a new school week quickly pulled this out of her mind, however, and the brunette went to bed worrying only whether her Ancient Runes essay was long enough. She managed to stay put in bed and didn't get up to measure it. But only just.