Erised
Chapter Two
A storm had overtaken the area surrounding the Burrow; lightning struck their homemade Quidditch pitch more than once. The sky was a violent shade of dark grey, similar to the eerie colour during the Battle of Hogwarts. The lightning struck, and every detail of the clouds became visible. The entire Weasley estate became illuminated for sporadic moments through the night.
The roar of the thunder interrupted many of the inhabitants sleep, including Mrs. Weasley. Molly had pulled her colourful patchwork robe on and shuffled through the house, checking on each of her children, then was bustling down into the kitchen by five in the morning. Her children were just beginning to stir, and Molly wanted to get a head start on making breakfast for them all.
Hermione was quick to wake when she heard screams coming from next door, the thunder was the last thing she was aware of. Gripping her wand tightly in her first, her knuckles white, she sprung from bed and threw open the door. She pointed her wand out towards the hallway, checking before rushing to Harry's room. She gripped the door handle and pushed against the door, she pushed again, the doors stuck sometimes in the old house; she gritted her teeth before slamming her shoulder into the door. The door banged against the wall, the sound echoing as she pushed it open.
"Harry!" she cried. She saw Ron hovering over Harry's bed, his hands pushing gently on his friend's shoulder, trying to wake him.
"He won't wake up, 'Mione!" Ron shouted.
She crossed the room quickly, and put her hand against Harry's forehead. She was certain, "...he broke into a cold sweat during his nightmare. Ron, go and get me some water and—"
Ginny rushed into the room and kneeled on the opposite side of Hermione, replacing Ron after he stood. Ron left the room with a commotion, the floorboards creaking under his feet and a crash could be heard when he reached the bottom of the steps. "He's going to be okay," Hermione said reassuringly to Ginny as she stroked his hair, "he's had these before—when we we're on the run, you know?"
Ginny nodded and silently looked over her boyfriend's frame, "I hate this bloody war, look at what it's done to us," Ginny whispered. Hermione could only agree, the damage had been done and nothing was going to save them this time.
"Harry," Ginny whispered multiple times, as she began to caress his cheek. His eyes opened with a fright and his body became rigid, but Ginny quickly explained where he was and who was here. Hermione quickly fled the room and stopped Ron from entering; she knew that Ginny would be able to care for him by herself for now. Harry needed her at the moment, and she needed a big mug of coffee.
She had been taking dreamless sleep for the past two months after experiencing a nightmare so terrible that her own screams had startled her awake. She would dream of the night Bellatrix tortured her, and she felt her mind becoming undone once again. She had learned to put a silencing charm around the room, never wanting to disturb any of the others in the house.
Harry had gone without nightmares until the past few days. His demons were slowly beginning to catch up with him, and Hermione knew that soon Ron would be right there with them.
She moved through the hallway and down the steps towards the kitchen. She watched Molly Weasley as she furiously cut up potatoes, and conducted the kitchen food and equipment into submission to make breakfast.
Hermione pulled a cup down from the cupboard, and quickly filled it with coffee and cream before sitting down at the table. She pulled one knee up to her chest, placing her foot on the bench beneath her.
She watched as Mrs. Weasley set the table and wanted to offer to help—wanting to feel useful— but she was never allowed. She would be sat down with a tender look, and told that she should rest and save up her strength. She knew that cooking made Molly feel useful though; being a mother was part of her and in that she found comfort, by comforting others.
When George came from his room, he sat down next to Hermione; her grip on her cup tightened and she looked away from him. Hermione had yet to look at him for more than a few seconds at a time, it was too hard to, without trying to burst into tears. It wasn't his fault though; she would always chastise herself for thinking such a thing.
"George!" Molly called out in surprise. "You're down dear."
He had hardly left his room, but when he did, it was to help Hogwarts and visit the site where he had last been with his twin.
"Yeah mum, I've just got a feeling today—had to be down here," he spoke softly and poured himself some pumpkin juice.
Arthur joined the rest, and soon Ginny and Harry had appeared from his room, hand in hand like always. They all sat quietly around the table until Molly insisted that they dig in. Neither Ron nor Ginny had a problem eating. Hermione only took a few bites, and she saw George only eat some porridge. Harry looked as if he'd throw up if he ate anything more than some toast. Hermione knew she wouldn't be able to keep it down, after a year of barely eating it was hard to eat more than what she was used to.
"How is the Ministry doing?" Hermione asked.
"They're naming Kingsley as the new Minister. He's going to be reforming the Ministry of Magic, and most of us are positive we'll be doing better things and moving on soon," Arthur said as he cut his pancakes.
"That's wonderful, but are they going to be getting rid of what happened under Voldemort's watch?" Hermione questioned.
"Snatchers are no longer a thing, along with a few of their other departments. We're reforming Azkaban as well and the role that Dementors play in everything; they're setting up a separate department just for dementor regulations. The Ministry could no longer use them, even if it ever becomes corrupted in the future.
"How wonderful," Molly said excitedly.
"It is," Arthur concurred, and dug into his breakfast once more.
"Are we going back to Hogwarts today?" George asked suddenly. Hermione could tell he had been thinking hard about it since he had sat down though. His demeanor made him look as if he was away in thought.
"Actually, we were going to go to St. Mungo's. Lavender's in the hospital and Ron wanted to go see her. We also need to check on a few others," Arthur supplied. Ron's ears turned red at the admission which made Hermione grin softly.
"Still have a thing for Lav'?" Harry teased and nudged his friend with his shoulder.
"Shut up," Ron hissed out, "It's not like that—she just needs someone, alright?" Ron insisted.
Hermione smiled wider and quickly shoved a spoonful of porridge into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "Ronald, just admit that you like her. She grew up a lot, and so have you—it's alright you know, to like someone." Hermione reminded him.
"Both of you now?" Ron whined, and the trio looked at one another with sad smiles on their face. This was how it was in school, but now it was over—everything was over.
"Of course both of us! We don't do anything without one another," Harry insisted.
"You really don't. What did McGonagall say your second year?" George asked out loud. He sat with a perfect posture and made his voice higher, "You Three! Why—why is it always you three?" he mimicked and it made the others laugh. He began laughing as well, an eyes closed and belly tickling laugh. He then turned to look to his left "Right Fr—"
It stopped everyone from moving as they watched realization cross George's face. Agony was the only word to describe the emotion that had crossed his face, as his body visibly stiffened. When he moved to get up, Hermione's hand shot out grabbing his arm.
"George, please…please just stay," she whispered softly. She squeezed his wrist in comfort and in desperation to keep him there.
He didn't move an inch as he stared at her, she still couldn't look at him as she held her grip tight around him. She was busy staring at the jar of jam that was in front of her.
"Why? You can't even face me?" George began with a start, but her hand remained upon his wrist. "You couldn't even look at him!" He shouted towards her and she began to shake.
"I can't and I'm sorry that I can't. I tried, but I'm not there yet George. I'm not ready, I tried to be, but I'm weak." Hermione sniffed out.
"What's she talking about?" Harry asked quickly.
"The mirror—I don't know what it was—just this mirror I found. It showed me him then Hermione found me, but I saw Fred, Harry!" George exclaimed.
"Is he talking about Erised?" Harry turned to Hermione to ask. She nodded as her upper lip quivered. Molly and Arthur were lost in the conversation along with Ginny, but Ron knew. He had seen the mirror as well in their first year.
"I told him that it wasn't real, but he thinks the reflection saw us. We saw—we—"
"We saw the same thing. He was there and he kept trying to get her attention, but she wouldn't look at him," George growled out and looked away from the table.
"Dears, maybe you should stay away from that. If it was in the castle, it was only because they haven't moved anything yet. Some things at Hogwarts are dangerous," Molly insisted.
"No! You don't understand, he was there. I felt it—I remember when he died. I couldn't feel him anymore, and now I feel him. Just last night I woke up, and I knew he was there somewhere," George said persistently.
"You just miss him," Molly moved over to her son, and pulled him into her arms. "we all miss him, Dear"
"No, you don't understand, I can feel him," George cried against his mother's shoulder. His hand now in a grip around Hermione's. Her sniffles didn't die down either, and she found herself leaning against him, rubbing his arm in comfort.
"The mirror only shows you what you truly desire. I'm sorry George," Harry said gently.
"I think I want to be alone," He mumbled into his mother's shoulder and dropped Hermione's hand. He quickly left the table, retreating back up the steps and into his room. The room went quiet, and Harry's eyes went to Hermione. She was slowly wiping the tears that had built up around her eyes. She quickly looked away from everyone, not willing to meet their eyes.
"Come on, we should get ready," Ginny said quickly, and moved over towards her best friend. She pulled her up from the bench and led her towards their shared room. Hermione felt guilty, crying over someone who probably meant more to Ginny than her. They hadn't had a chance at anything, but Fred had been her brother for far longer than even being Hermione's friend.
After a few mumbles of apologies, Ginny quickly pulled away to look at her friend.
"Why are you apologizing? We all lost something, and others lost more. We're in this together still, alright?" she said.
"We are," Hermione agreed and nodded her head.
They separated and began to get dressed for the day. Hermione had pulled on a light cardigan over a tank top and her muggle jeans. She was self-conscious of her arms, the vicious words mudblood carved into her skin, and the bruises and cuts she had gained from the war. She didn't want any looks of pity. She put her hair in a messy bun, and her curls around her fringe fell down, framing her face.
She had washed her face, and gotten ready to meet the family at the fireplace. Everyone was ready to travel, it was July so none of them wore their cloaks.
"Come now, dears," Molly corralled them towards the fireplace, and each of them used the Floo Network, one after the other.
Hermione emerged from the green flames, and brushed some of the soot off of her sweater; she moved out of the way for Ginny and Harry to come through. Ron was already walking towards Lavender's room, while Mr. and Mrs. Weasley asked about the Longbottoms.
"Which way did he go?" Harry asked when they had gotten themselves situated.
"This way," Hermione nodded with her head towards the hallway on their left, and they began walking after him.
"Do you think he'll admit he still fancies her?" Ginny asked.
"No, but if she admits it to him first, then he might admit it to himself," Harry laughed.
Hermione nodded along with him and smiled, "Hopefully he can handle the traits that she gained from being bitten by Greyback," Hermione pointed out.
"Oh right, hopefully, if she did inherit the full traits, then she'll be able to find some peace with him," Ginny said sadly. They knew the trouble that Bill had ran into after being attacked. He didn't turn into a werewolf, but he held a lot of the same traits that they held. He became irritable closer to the full moon, and would become harsher than normal. His face was marred, and he had become a shadow of a man that he used to be, until Fleur had brought him out of his depression. Hermione had gone to their wedding, and there wasn't a happier couple in all of England.
They rounded the corner and saw that Lavender sat up in bed in her regular clothes.
"Hello," Ginny said softly, interrupting Lavender and Ron as he sat on her bed. Flowers and cards were spread around the room.
"Hi, how are you three?" Lavender asked politely.
"We're doing okay, best we can. What about you?" Hermione was the first to speak and took residence in the chair next to her bed, bringing it closer. It was no secret the two girls didn't get on during their time at Hogwarts, but Hermione would never have let Greyback kill her.
"I'm actually better, Pavarti visits me when she can. She and her sister are helping with the restoration of Hogwarts," she said slowly and then with sad eyes she turned to Ginny, "I'm really sorry about him. I can't imagine what it feels like—he was always a popular one at school."
"Thank you and I'm sorry about this," Ginny motioned to Lavenders state.
"Actually, it's not so terrible. I don't turn all furry during the full moon. He wasn't a full werewolf—Hermione, thank you for that," Lavender said quickly and stuck her hand out and squeezed Hermione's.
"We may not have seen eye to eye in school, but you don't need to thank me. I'm just happy you're alright," Hermione replied with a small smile.
"I heard Trelawney got him with her crystal ball. Let's hear you say that Divination is rubbish, Hermione," Lavender teased.
"I'll admit, it seems to have grown on me a bit," Hermione reassured. She remembered their previous fight about the Divination teacher. Sybil had definitely grown on Hermione since their last argument in the common room.
"Ron and Neville subdued him after. It was brilliant team work," Harry told Lavender.
"Really then? You didn't tell me that Ron," Lavender took her hand out of Hermione's to give Ron a slight push on his shoulder. His ears reached a red color once again, much like it was today at breakfast when they mentioned Lavender.
"He's modest," Ginny interjected for her brother and ruffled his hair.
"I can see that," Lavender smiled.
Hermione looked at the two and nodded her head towards the door. Harry nodded and took Ginny by the hand and began to lead her away from Lavender's bed.
"We actually have to go check on a few more people, but I'm glad we got to stop and see you first. We'll come and visit you again," Hermione reassured Lavender and gave her a slight hug from the angle she was at before moving towards the door with Harry and Ginny.
"Get better soon, I know that Mrs. Weasley would love to have you over," Harry called back, as they made their way out of the door and down the hall.
They had gone through each of the floors of St. Mungo's, trying to talk to everyone who had been injured during the battle of Hogwarts. Harry felt guiltier with each passing moment, and every person reassured him that they would give up their life even if it meant that Voldemort would stay gone for good. Hermione and Harry would share a look, and she would grip her wand a little tighter in her pocket when they mentioned him. Hermione had gone over it thousands of time in her head, there was no way for Voldemort to come back after the war. They had destroyed all of the Horcruxes that contained his soul, and there was nothing left for him to hold onto.
When Hermione saw Minerva McGonagall standing outside of unnamed ward, she stopped their group from moving forward and pushed them back into the adjoining hallway.
"Harry, what is McGonagall doing here?" Hermione asked him. They watched as the older witch began pacing outside of the ward, her hands wringing together.
"I don't know, but it can't be that bad?" Harry supplied.
"Did she lose anyone during the War? A friend?" Ginny questioned.
"Most of the teachers were unharmed except for a few, but this isn't even a ward we know. It's unmarked…" Hermione said as she observed McGonagall.
A mediwitch came out of the doors, and began to talk to McGonagall, who became more flustered as they talked.
"What I wouldn't give for an extendable ear," Ginny muttered.
"You should start keeping your invisibility cloak around," Hermione pointed out to Harry.
"How was I supposed to know?"
"Just let me put an extension charm on all of your pockets," Hermione argued back. She squinted her eyes, and strained her ears to try to hear what they had to say. McGonagall rushed back through the doors with the mediwitch, and the three moved out of hiding.
"We can always ask what's back there," Ginny suggested. "They won't say no to the-boy-who-lived."
"Yes, but what if it's something even higher than Harry level? We're talking Ministry level. They've never had an unmarked ward before," Hermione thought out loud.
The three began walking towards it, and looked at the Healer's desk next to it. A young blonde woman was sat writing away, oblivious to them being there.
"Excuse me, miss?" Ginny asked brightly. The woman's face looked up, and her face softened when she saw Ginny.
"Can I help you three?" She asked.
"What's back there? We've seen one of our professors go in, and we wanted to know if it was someone we should be visiting." Hermione said formally.
"No one is allowed back there except for Minerva McGonagall. You see a new case came in, she brought the boy back from Hogwarts. I'm sure your Professor will tell you all about it Miss Granger," The woman supplied, and went back to her work.
It wasn't a surprise that the woman knew her name. Everyone in the Wizarding World knew about the Golden Trio.
"Thank you," Harry said as Hermione was going to speak again. Her brows furrowed and she tilted her head as he took her and Ginny by the arms and pulled them back towards the other hallway.
Finally, once a few of the Healers had walked past them, he began talking, "It's got to be something really important if it's a new ward and only for McGonagall. We'll just have to ask her about it. It's simple?" Harry supplied.
"Harry, what happened to your adventurous spirit?" Hermione demanded playfully.
"I just think it would be a lot easier," Harry said, "I've got enough adventure to last me a lifetime."
"What's easier?" Ron asked from behind them. Hermione turned around, and then stepped aside, allowing Ron into their small circle.
"Finding out what McGonagall is doing in the unmarked ward," Harry said.
"Wicked! I mean, I know we just got done with being on the run and all—not that the Burrow isn't lively—we need a little something," Ron said. Hermione nodded in agreement as well as Ginny this time.
"Looks like you're finally in my old position," Hermione teased.
"Haven't we done enough sneaking around?" Harry questioned.
"Mate, it's not like we're going to get in trouble or worse, expelled," He annunciated the last word while looking at Hermione. She scrunched up her face, and stuck her tongue out at him in annoyance.
"I'll distract the mediwitch, while you three go under with the invisibility cloak. Then, you'll be able to get in undetected, and unless Hermione is pregnant, then there should be no trouble with you getting in. There's only certain wards that women can't get into, and it's only because of pregnancy," Ginny planned out as she tapped her finger against her bottom lip in concentration.
"How do we get the cloak?" Harry asked.
"Oi, you're a wizard or did you forget? Go apparate back to the Burrow and bring it back. I'll walk with you outside, and side-apparate. Come on," Ron clapped his hand against Harry's shoulder and started to push him from the group and down the hall towards the exit.
Hermione looked around and pulled Ginny over towards a bench that gave them the perfect view of the ward.
"There's nothing that would make McGonagall this nervous. She looked positively terrified," Ginny said, breaking the silence.
"There has to be someone in that ward, or something that's unlike anything else here. It's a whole private ward that they've transfigured for just them," Hermione said and bit her lip as she narrowed her eyes at the doors. If she had looked at them any harder, memorizing each and every bit of them, they would have burst into flames from her gaze alone.
"Hermione! Move," Ginny hissed, when she saw the older witch holding open the door and talking to one of the Healers. The girls scrambled away, and were far enough they could see her, but McGonagall couldn't see them.
They watched her sigh and drop the door as she walked out shaking her head. The girls began backing up, and quickly rounded another corner.
"Just act natural," Hermione ordered and she took Ginny's arm in her own, and began walking towards the ward. They bumped into McGonagall and quickly apologized.
"Miss Granger. Oh! Miss Weasley. How are you both?" she quickly asked, stumbling along her words.
Hermione looked over at Ginny before answering, "Well. We're doing well—it's been hard the last few months."
"I can imagine," McGonagall said softly before looking around, "Are your parents around Miss Weasley? I have something of importance to discuss with them."
"They are visiting the Longbottoms, so you'll probably catch them there. Is there something wrong, Professor?" Ginny questioned.
"Nothing is wrong dear, things might be a little too right in fact. Your parent's will probably explain later. I assure you both that things might be looking up," Her lips pursed together in a smile as she patted both girls on the shoulder before leaving and moving through the crowded hallway. Her robe swishing as she turned a sharp corner and disappeared.
"I really want to know what's in there now," Hermione decided and they briskly walked back towards the ward where Ron and Harry stood again, but with the cloak in hand.
"Ready?" Harry questioned.
"As I'll ever be," Hermione assured him, and they huddled together, like they had done many times before while Harry pulled the cloak around them.
Harry adjusted the cloak to fit them all before calling out to Ginny, "Are we good?"
"Perfect, I'll go distract the girl. Come on!" She waved her hand and began rounding the corner. The trio looked at each other before moving forward in sync. Hermione leading at the front with her wand drawn. They watched as Ginny began to talk to the girl, and then she was on the ground, pretending to faint. The mediwitch quickly moved from around her desk and began to assist Ginny.
"Now," Ron whispered as they rushed forward and pushed open the door to the unmarked ward. They were in and quickly closed the door, before moving around inside. It looked like all of the other wards. White in colour and with many rooms. They moved through the ward, taking a few turns until they came to a door marked private. There seemed to be less staff there then the rest of the room, but when a Healer came out of the room, the trio squeezed up against the wall.
The Healer looked at his chart, and began moving down the way they had just came.
Hermione quickly moved them forward, poking her wand out in front of the door, "Alohomora."
"If there's a chess set behind that door then I'm gone," Ron said quickly causing Harry to snort loudly and Hermione had to turn around to cover his mouth.
"Seriously Ronald?" She scolded.
"I'm sorry, but you've got to admit we've done this too many times," Ron defended himself, and she rolled her eyes before turning back around and sticking her hand out to open up the door. She turned the handle and they quickly moved inside. Ron shut the door gently as they took the cloak off of themselves.
They looked around the room and saw that both beds were empty.
"You can't be serious? We came all the way here for nothing?" Ron scoffed.
Harry shrugged his shoulder, but Hermione moved forward and looked around the room before a smile crept upon her face. She twirled around to see the boys.
"It's a Disillusionment charm. There has to be others with it though," she replied as she cast a quick hex towards the space and prodded her wand around it. "Salvio Hexia and Muffliato, I'm guessing?" Hermione said out loud.
"You're downright scary, you know that? Maybe Kingsley should step down and let you be the next Minister," Ron said.
"Brilliant though," Harry said quickly when Hermione turned around to glare at the two. Her eyes widened when she saw that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were behind them accompanied by Ginny and Professor McGonagall.
"You were always excellent at detection, maybe after all you'll want become a curse breaker, Miss Granger," McGonagall said.
"I um—" Hermione was at a loss for words.
"It really is always you three," McGonagall muttered as she pursed her lips and raised her brows in question for them.
Harry and Ron turned around and quickly backed up, allowing room for the others, and to move away from Mrs. Weasley's scolding gaze. Ginny looked just as ashamed, her father's hand on her shoulder, though the trio could see the half smirk on her face when she would look away. She was proud of her work.
They only could hope that an explanation would be given to them, but a nagging feeling in Hermione's head told her they would only get more questions.
A/N: Thank you everyone who has reviewed and or given this kudos. It really means a lot when I get to hear your feedback and constructive criticism. Another huge shout out to my lovely Beta Burrsquee. She is absolutely brilliant and she's like chicken soup for the soul, but writing instead of the soul.