The sun rose on Hogwarts; a couple of weeks had already passed since the beginning of the year, and the weather had already started to change, with the arrival of the autumn.
Hermione woke up agitated at the idea that her first meeting as headgirl would be held that day!
As soon as she got out of bed, before getting ready, she grabbed the letter McGonagall had sent for the meeting, from her bedside table, even though she had read it at least 20 times the previous day. She always did it, in order not to make a mistake on time or place, typical of Hermione.
She was a bunch of nerves, just before going to breakfast, she grabbed the letter again and read it as she went down the stairs.
dear students, tomorrow, at eight o'clock, you have to come in the room at the end of the central stairs (the moving ones) for the first meeting of heads.
Professor McGonagall.
Hermione quietly left the dormitory and walked to the great hall, she didn't expect to find anyone, it was early; and as far as she know, she was the only one who liked to get up early and maybe stop to see the sun rising before breakfast.
But against all her previsions, Draco Malfoy was sitting at the Slytherin table with his head reating on his heand lifted far from the table by his arm. he seemed lost in his own world... almost like Luna.
Hermione remembered what had just happened... the day before... on the train. actually nothing happened... just a sudden change in is tone of voice and maybe the empty, tired, glace... nothing important after all. hm, maybe nothing important for any other person, but he was Draco Malfoy, his arrogance was taken for granted... but it was strange... there had to be something... or maybe not?
without realizing it Hermione got lost in her thoughts, and subconsciously walked to the Slytherin table. When she came to, was only thank Malfoy's words, who in the meantime had stood up and now was towering in fron of her.
"what are you doing here you mudblood?!" asked Malfoy regaining his usual arrogant tone as if nothing had happened; as is Hermione hadn't seen.
"is his mood always so swinging?" Hermione asked herself before cutting off his sentence so that it couldn't turn even worse: "oh, for Merlins's sake, invent something new Death Eater! Bloody hell, I have it written on my arm!" at these words in Malfoy's icy eyes flashed regret, pain. But Hermione barely glimpsed the feelings that for once seemed to conver the boy's cold eyes.
Then Draco tried to change the subject, staying there to talk just because there was still no one in the great hall. "Why already up, Granger?" he asked. "Anxiety, total anxiety." Hermione answered hastily to leave the conversation with that Death Eater. "yeah, your typical... . I thought something more poetic like the sunrise, or something like that."
Bingo. Hermione could not tell him that she actually stopped to look at that, she would never make a weakness vulnerable, especially to him; so she confirmed her infallible cover: "And instead, only anxiety. And you? Why already out of bed?" immediately after saying it, she regretted it. Why. the. heck. was. she. staying. there!?
Malfoy was taken aback; he would never have confessed being at the same window of the east corridors, where a few minutes earlier was her. Nor let it be said to a living soul that the rising sun reminded him that every day was a new beginning, a new opportunity to try again, to do better. then he sketched out a random answer. "Emm, I could no longer sleep, so I decided it was late enough to get down here."
He saw that the room was filling up and he sneaked out "goodbye bookwarm." he said dismissively, he would ruined his reputation among the Slytherin if only someone had seen him there, with that mudblood, maybe even lose the title of prince of snakes.
"Goodbye ferret." Malfoy didn't even hear that "ferret" was already concentrated on going to the Slytherin table without getting any attention.
Harry entered the room and saw Malfoy moving away from Hermione who still was a bit petrified and thoughtful. "Hey 'Mione, what have Malfoy done this time? Did he say something mean to you?" Hermione is awakened from her thoughts and confirmed. "no, I mean, yes; but it's only the usual Malfoy." "m, okay." Harry said doubtfully sitting in front of Hermione waiting for breakfast.
The Great Hall is full of sleepy students, and at seven o'clock, breakfast appeared. The other Gryffindors also arrived and sat next to Hermione and Harry.
"So where's the meeting? I forgot it." Ron asked starting eating. "As expected." Hermione commented, passing the parchment containing the few lines about the meeting. "Ugh, I'd like to come too, and skip transfiguration." Ginny snorted eating a muffin. "We'll tell you everything." Harry reassured her. "As if we had a choice." Hermione mumbled under Ginny's killer gaze.
When the time came, Hermione, Harry, Ron greeted Ginny reluctantly and joined Draco, Luna and Morgan outside the great hall. "so you should be Morgan?" asked Ron "yea, pleasure" the girl near Luna answered similar to Hermione in the first year, when she first saw Harry and Ron.
She was taller than Hermione, but not as Ginny; she had dark hair that fell straight just over her shoulders, and a splash of dark tiny freckles. Two large eyes illuminated her face, neither green nor hazel, but the two colors coexisted in the same iris. she looked quite beautiful, but with something unusual, she had a determined but almost hypnotic look.
Ginny said that if she wasn't Hufflepuff she would absolutely be in Slytherin; actually she was totally a Slytherin, and the readhead often added that in her opinion the sorting hat that night had a moment of weakness, and must have got it wrong. Morgan one of her closest friend out of Gryffindor house, if not the closest.
She was charming and funny, but not with everyone: only with the ones who inspires her, challenge her, don't bore her; and especially earn her trust. And with those she's really a fantastic friend, and protective; really protective. No one touches her friends or family and survives, no one. She wasn't exactly a person you would wish to face.
(actually there was a rational reason for Morgan in Hufflepuff and not in Slytherin. Sorting at Hogwarts isn't completely based on traits you have, but mainly on the one you value the most. At Hogwarts doesn't count who you are, but who you want to be.)
"I think it's time to go." Harry pointed out, almost looking like Hermione.
"well then. We wouldn't want McGonagall to put us in detention." Draco added sarcastically. And they went together to the place decided by the headmistress.
As they descended the stairs, a strange fog appeared in front of them, and thickening surrounded them. Then Ron, visibly disturbed by this, asked: "are we sure that McGonagall said exactly to come here? Maybe we got it wrong?" Hermione didn't even turn around, because she knew that in the fog she wouldn't have seen anything. "Ron, it is not possible that we got it wrong in six, and all in the same way." she pointed out continuing on the descent. "okay Hermione, if you say so..." said Ron unconvinced.
Finally they reached the bottom of the stairs, and now nothing was visible, except for a wooden, large, dark double door. With an inscription that Hermione read aloud while holding her wand lit up in front of her. "Only those who have been deemed worthy by the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry will be allowed to enter; the others will be punished for their affront." She declared solemnly. "I don't think we should go in" Morgan contested.
"I instead think so. We have been deemed worthy of the school, we are all heads." said Harry. "You will never change Harry, always looking for trouble!" Luna commented staggering in the fog.
"also what would it mean: -punished for their affront- !? It worries me a bit." "come on Weasel, they won't kill us" said Draco who was looking for something firm to cling to in all that fog. "well actually, every year there is something that could kill the whole school; I don't even know why do people still send their children here! They could with all probability die!" he has got a point.
"okay, now we'll enter this room, because McGonagall said so. Harry didn't said something completely senseless; and mainly because I can't find the stairs anymore, okay?" said Hermione "okay?" the others answered some with more conviction than others.
Hermione and Harry, who were near the door, began to open it, but were interrupted by strange noises from inside, and dark smoke came out of the room so dark that they could destinguish it from the rest of the fog. And a sudden heat waved like a warm wind from the fissure between the two parts of the double door. It didn't exactly look very inviting.
As soon as the door was opened, and they could see what there was inside, their eyes widened they were and couldn't believe at what they were seeing: five relatively big dragons were sleeping in front of them, but as soon as they stepped in, the dragons began to woke up, with students' extreme terror. They opened their flame eyes, slowly stud up, and open wide their wings that probably had been in the same positions for ages and suddenly enveloped the students in a blaze, which was blocked by a sort of bubble that created around them, they were worthy.
With uncertain steps, they move in the room, the fog had disappeared. It was a large room carved out of the rock, illuminated with torches fixed on the irregular stone walls.
Five dragons stood proud in front of them, no longer spitting fire, because they understood that the little people who had appeared before them had been chosen.
As Hagrid had taught them, the students lined up in front of the dragons and bowed. After that, with the students' surprise, the dragons also bowed at them, and were also caressed by the few brave who tried.
One dragon in particular, a Norwegian Whitewing, approached Harry and Hermione, who were awkwardly turning over to observe the scene. it was a large, mainly white dragon, but the reflections of those scales were turquoise like the sky, purple like violets, and silvery like the stars.
On the edges of the wings and on the torso there were shining curls, as if they were archaic writings. It had two large pearl horns with golden engravings and some rings tied with leather cords. On the neck it had a silvery crest that became smaller and thinner, until it disappeared just before the wings.
For a few seconds, they looked each other in the eyes without batting an eyelid, those large and deep blue eyes seemed delighted to see them, as if they had not waited for anything else for a lifetime.
Harry and Hermione putted their hands in front of them, and the dragon brought his muzzle up to touch the students hands. (dragon trainer, guys).
Hermione looked once more into the big eyes of the dragon and swimming in those large and clear pools, she saw herself reflected.
Harry noticed that the dragon wore a large golden key around his neck, about twelve inches long, carefully and magnificently decorated. As Harry was wondering why the key was there, the dragon had started hitting their back with his muzzle and wings until it caught the attention of the two students.
While the others were intent on observing the majestic dragons and the rest of the room, the Norwegian Whitewing brought them to a little hollow hidden by the stone wall, and a glass case shined a bit under the reflection of light on the shiny rock.
The case contained slightly ruined old books and a beautiful ring: it was in gold, with a large purple red stone, which had a shining H skilfully engraved on it. But the ring had a profound crack splitting the stone in two.
Obviously Hermione's attention was not in the least directed to the ring, but to the ancient books that were next to it. In particular, she had noticed that their titles were written in ancient runes.
"Do you see? Ancient runes course wasn't totally useless!" she reproached Harry.
While Hermione was congratulating herself for attending ancient runes courses, even though everyone had told her it was no use, they heard Ron calling them. "Harry, Hermione, come and see, it's really absurd!"
As soon as they reappeared in the main room, they saw that everyone was looking in amazement at a portrait hanging on the wall above the place where the dragon who had followed the school heads was sleeping.
"What up?" Hermione asked surprised to find them all there absorbed.
"Look, Hermione. above each dragon are the portraits of the founders of the houses of Hogwarts" Ron explained pointing to each portrait rotating towards each side of the room.
"so?" "look better!"
"Godric Gryffindor..." he said pointing to a fiery red dragon with golden eyes as much as his horns, the crest and the inside of the wings.
"Helga Hufflepuff..." he said in front of a yellow / golden dragon with black zones on the muzzle and on front, that looked like an armour.
"Rowena Ravenclaw..." he continued in front of a dragon that looked like a starry sky, unlike the Gryffindor dragon, it had silvery slightly curved horns first inwards and then outwards; and a thin crest of the same colour.
The interior of its wings looked like a colourful galaxy full of stars, which went from black to violet, with many blue shades.
"Salzar Slytherin..." and a large emerald green dragon stood before them. It had black curved horns, wings that looked like a large forest, and crystal eyes, of bright silver.
Then Ron finished his round three hundred and sixty degrees and was interrupted by Hermione before he could say anything.
"but that is not one of the founders." Hermione said scrutinizing the painting carefully.
He was a man with a curly brown beard. He had a pair of glasses in his hand, and he wore a robe that resembled the one of Dumbledore: light blue, white, and silver details, but with some violet; he looked like the human representation of the White Dragon, except for the color of his hair and eyes.
Happy face, amber eyes, and bushy eyebrows; nothing strange, if wasn't for the simple fact that he was there. Under the painting there was a golden writing: Damaris Dragonlear.
"who do you think he is?" Morgan asked. "I don't know. But I think we should take the books that are in the case." proposed Hermione "which case?" asked Luna lost in her thoughts. "yeah" Hermione sighed "they don't know about the glass case." completed Harry. "Come!" he urged them walking towards the display case.
After a few seconds, everyone followed until they got close enough to see the contents of the glass case.
"What is it written?" asked Morgan curiously.
"Hogwarts: a history." Draco said as if it were an obvious thing.
"How did you know?" Hermione asked in diffident amazement.
"I attended the ancient runes course too." Hermione frowned, she had never noticed. "I think it is appropriate to take the books that are in there."
"Who knows why the books and not the ring!" Harry commented amused.
"Anyway, I think it's better taking the books because they can tell us what the heck dos this cave do here, and the ring doesn't; there is something here that doesn't work." Malfoy added, looking around suspiciously.
While Hermione was taking the books from the case, Luna asked: "What about the ring?" "I don't know what it is, but I think the answer is in this book, or maybe this one." she added extracting another. "It is better to leave it here, guarded by the dragons." the others nodded. "yeah, it's the best thing to do." said Harry.
"Anyone know anything about dragons?" Hermione asked after holding the books in her arms, as she approached the door and then turned to look at them. "These dragons come all from countries distant one from the other, I don't understand how they can be here, and how they live like this, together in harmony, dragons don't usually do it!" She observed incredulously.
"I think that the Ravenclaw dragon is a Siberian cloudjumper. I feel its aura, it's the one of a dreamer, just like mine."
While the others were mulling over the fact that Luna could feel the aura of a dragon with wide eyes, also Morgan expounded her theory: "I think you are right; instead, Hufflepuff one seems a Spanish goldencrest. Only they have those magnificent gildings on the wings."
"I believe that the dragon of Gryffindor is a Italian Vesuvian, of those who live under Vesuvius. Although now, they are practically extinct! How is it possible that he is here?" exclaimed Harry, that from the Three Wizards tournament, had been quite interested in dragons.
"I think Slytherin's is one of the giants of the Caspian swamps." Malfoy said quite confidently. "I think so, Malfoy." Hermione said coldly. Even if she didn't show it, it still bothered him that he called her a mudblood. The tension between Malfoy and Hermione could be cut with a knife but everyone pretended nothing happened despite seeing clearly.
"I absolutely want to find out what a cave full of dragons is doing under Hogwarts. But these books are written entirely in ancient runes, and it will take months before they are translated enough to understand something." Hermione observed.
"why don't you get Draco's help? He studied ancient runes too." Luna said with a hidden sly smirk, not totally unaware of what was happening, but simply not taking care of it.
"I would gladly avoid; isn't it that someone else could?" Hermione looked around but everyone shook their head, "really? Nobody?" she asked desperately.
"I'm sorry Hermione, but here nobody has the slightest idea of what it says not even on the cover of the book, except for Malfoy who as soon as he read the title was able to translate it." Luna said while Malfoy was gloating to himself.
"okay then, if Malfoy agrees, can he help me translate it?" asked Hermione turning towards the person concerned.
Malfoy's grin disappeared at that words. "don't even talk about it. I don't spend more than two hours in the same room with Granger." he exclaimed.
"oh yes instead! Or we will have to erase your memory because you know about this place. And you'll start today!" Harry threatened him. Malfoy snorted.
"without insults." added Hermione with a grim look. Malfoy nodded annoyed, rolling his eyes.
"thanks Malfoy." She said still coldly turning back to the others.
"It seems obvious to me that our meetings will not be all this way, maybe Ron was right, were we wrong? But I don't want to let this mystery go, how about if we keep seeing each other separately to talk about this?" Hermione asked smiling at the others. "you look like Harry! Are you, Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of your age, wonting to break at list one hundred rules and throw yourself into solving a mystery that includes a ring, a hidden cave, and dragons?" Luna dramatized. "oh, thanks Luna, it means a lot to me!" exclaimed Hermione sarcastically. "so? what do you say?" everyone nodded, with various shades of enthusiasm (sometimes nil).
"Well then, goodbye to our last and quiet year at Hogwarts, let's start for yet another potentially deadly adventure!" said Hermione un encouragingly."luckily we save us for mircle... usually." Ron commented.
They turned to the dragons, and greeted them with a deep bow, thanking them for giving them something to do for the rest of the year. Then, accompanied by the curious looks of the beasts, they left the room. Before closing the door, Hermione took a last look at the Norwegian Whitewing, and at the portrait that surmounted it, leaving the room with her mind wrapped in the mystery and fog of the stairs.