Chapter 7:
A/N: I'm so very sorry for the delay. Life has been hectic lately and unfortunately writing was put on the back burner. I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of these characters. All of that belongs to the brilliant JK Rowling. Some parts of this fic may be taken directly from the book. I by no means intend to plagiarize. Some things are just too good to make any changes to.
It was as if the weather knew of Lord Voldemort's return. Even with summer approaching, the temperature dropped and leaves browned. Summer seemed to no longer exist, taking the energy Hogwarts usually had with it. Small footsteps against stone trampling along were the only sound heard in the corridors. The silence became a way of unspoken communication and understanding to the students.
A few days after the third task, every student and member of the staff, including the house elves, gathered in a no longer recognizable great hall. Its warm embrace and expected comfort shifted into iciness that seeped into their bones as if one hundred dementors were waiting for innocent childrens' memories to eat. The ceiling showed the smoky clouds identical to the ones floating across the outside sky. The customary house flags in red, blue, yellow, and green were changed to pitch ebony. Bobbing up and down around the black flags were the routine candles, but much more dim as if they were grieving in like manner.
Professor Dumbledore stood before the students and staff looking grave. His blue eyes held no sparkle, and expression showed no shine. Never had any of the students ever see their cheerful headmaster draped in black robes the way he stood at that moment.
He spoke only with truth but withheld most gory details. At the mention of Lord Voldemort's name and the news of his return, audible gasps echoed throughout the room. Sobs and tears were plentiful at the many mentions of Cedric. Professor Dumbledore mentioned Harry sparsely and included his name along with Cedric's for the toast at the end of his speech, but did not want to raise even more questions about where the Boy Who Lived resided at the moment. The only information included was that he was obviously injured and under great stress.
Without delay, rumors spread like wildfire. Evidently, most of the nastier ones had come about by the Slytherins. Draco Malfoy with his idiotic cronies used all of their energy to make sure everyone knew that they believed Harry killed Cedric and was already locked up in Azkaban. Despite how absurd that accusation was, it swam though the air violently.
Ron and Hermione hardly talked at all. Neither one of them behaved in a way that remotely resembled their usual selves. After the third task, the entire Weasley clan and Hermione went on a rampage search for Harry. Molly was an inch away from being put in a body bind by Madam Pomfrey when she was harassing her for information on Harry's whereabouts. They all gave up a day later when they obviously were not going to pry any information from anyone.
Since then, Ron locked himself in the boy's dormitory and refused to come out even for food. Hermione spent about half the time shut in her own dormitory or in Ron's with him. The two of them would sit in silence with equal looks of loss and misery. One of the only times Ron spoke, he declared that he would not be returning to lessons when they resumed a week later. Hermione turned her tear stained face to his, nodded and said, "me neither."
There would be no way possible Hermione could concentrate on school work at a time like this. Normally, books were her only escape, but not until she at least knew where Harry was. Ron's came across as anger. The same pouty scowl, which he usually reserved for times when he was forced to wear his brother's hand-me-downs, sat still on his face. His blue eyes betrayed the sight of rage by instead looking absolutely heartbroken. Hermione figured that Ron's face made a compromise. The balance of a grimace with sad eyes allowed him not to cry.
None of the professors had come to seek them out and force them to return to lessons. The only contact was from Professor Mcgonagall via note on parchment given to them by Neville. A fortnight after the third task, after the last time they've seen their best friend, and after Lord Voldemort returned to his body, a very frightened Neville slipped quietly through the door of the boy's dormitory. He tried his best not to make too much sound, but just enough so Ron and Hermione would not get startled at this normally noiseless time of the day.
"Hey," Neville croaked sheepishly. He's been working up the courage to talk to them the whole way from Mcgonagall's office. They've spoken sporadically the past couple of weeks, but not more than a word or two. Even though he was exceptionally devastated and confused about Harry's location as well, he wanted to give them their privacy.
Ron was staring straight ahead but not into Neville's eyes. Hermione was the one that answered, "oh hello Neville," she answered in her usual sweet voice but it sounded unusually distant. Neville carefully passed the professor's note over to her like he was feeding a shy animal at the zoo.
"Professor Mcgonagall asked me to give this to the two of you," Neville said in a strangled voice, trying to act very calm but showing his pity at the same time. Hermione looked down at the folded parchment. Hesitation glistened in her eyes. Neville looked at the both of them sitting side by side on Ron's bed, unsure if he should stay or leave. Listening to his instincts, he left them be without another word.
Dear Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley,
Please report to the headmaster's office at 8 o'clock
this evening. It may be best to slip out of your common
room unnoticed. The password is Acid Pops.
Kind Regards,
Professor M. Mcgonagall
A/N: This is so super super short I know! I am so sorry. I'm a terrible person for making you wait this long and now giving you a #$! #$% chapter. I was going to make this longer but then it would take longer to put up and I wanted to give you a little something since I've been absent for so long. Please don't hate me. I promise there is more to come and the plot will get better.