Chapter 17

Hermione got up quite early the next morning, the sun was barely out so it was still pretty much dark – what actually made her get up was an excruciating pain in her stomach as if someone stabbed her with a dagger and kept twisting it. She tried not to disturb the other two boys so she very quietly stood up despite the horrible pain, she looked at her stomach for any kind of blood stains on her top but didn't find any. She lit her wand to look for her stick, and finally left for the bathroom to look at her wound. She managed not to disturb anyone and went in, she saw nothing wrong with her wounds but applied some potions anyway which gave her relief from the pain. She wasn't feeling sleepy anymore so she planned to freshen up and read some book, she went ahead with her plan, by the time she was ready, the sun had come out as well – she sat on Harry's desk with an open book…she could still feel slight pain but ignored it altogether and opened the book of dark spells, she was a little nervous about going through this one but she knew Harry will need all sorts of spells for his protection – that's when she saw the letter on the table, she picked it up and recognized the writing to be of Charlie's. She opened the letter and read it…

Dear Hermione,

Hope the three of you are doing well and not getting in any sort of trouble. I am sure you must've had some good reason for not coming. I will be busy for next two weeks; you know O's business so we might have to delay the plans further than this coming week. Are you looking after yourself? We are all fine here, busy with one thing or the other. Ginny wanted to work with the twins for a while to keep her busy, she's been pretty depressed, wish she would tell me why. Anyway mum refused because she wants her to stay home and keep fleur some company. You know under the current conditions, Bill and she can't go on a normal honeymoon and their shifting to the new apartment will take place by the end of this month. This was all that's happening at the wizarding world. Hope the guys are not bugging you. Say hello to them or slap Ron if you can for me. Don't forget to reply and keep me up to date. Btw if Harry complains about something weird, inform Remus – top priority. Take care of yourself.

Charlie

Hermione smiled after reading the letter. She decided to write to him later, for she wanted to read the book – the book she had so much trouble getting her hands on. She sold all her muggle jewelry, her books, some of her old clothes and spent every last penny of her piggy bank in order to buy this book along with some other rare ones. She had to pull some strings using Remus and Tonks as adult figures for the books were not for any witch or wizard under the age of 30. Remus needed some convincing as well but agreed eventually, may be because he had a hunch what the books were possibly for and kept quiet about them. This was probably the first time she would be opening the book. She finally opened the book to chapter 1 …she went through some of the spells and could feel the uneasiness with each page she went through; she had not even cast the curses but the wordings were enough to judge the darkness behind them. She wondered how come these jinxes or curses were never discussed in Hogwarts course books. One should know them in order to save themselves at least.

While she was engrossed in reading…Harry woke up, he looked for his glasses, after wearing them, he noticed Hermione reading a book…a smile crossed his lips at seeing his friend – "…she is nuts, reading at 6 in the morning…" he thought. He got up and made his presence felt by standing behind her…Hermione turned and said a small Good Morning…

"Yeah Good Morning…what are you reading? " Harry asked in a routine sort of way.

"Oh…well it's a book about dark curses and jinxes…they really are dark Harry, coz I can feel the intensity by just reading them, I mean … haven't even tried them but still the complicated spells and wand movements are quite strong…" Hermione said, in what seemed like one breath.

"Oh…how do you plan for us to practice them if they are so dark Hermione?" Harry sounded disturbed when he asked this; in his mind if Hermione found them hard and dark then he would have even harder time understanding or doing them.

"I was kind of wondering the same thing you know, do you think we should do what Moody did…I mean get hold of some insect?" suggested Hermione. Before Harry could reply she answered her own question, "But that would be down right cruel…I can't … but then again we have to learn and we have to be tough …"

"Harry you do remember what I said remember…that you have to learn the unforgivable curses … I'…well I think you … ok well all three of us should try and practice… u know … kind of like … well be brave and ... you know something like that for us to be able to cast them…We have to mean them for the spells to work" Hermione finished hesitantly as if she wasn't sure herself.

Harry paced for a while and then sat on the table where Hermione's book laid open…"Hermione, there is something I never told you guys…I mean I do understand the part about meaning to actually hurt someone with the curse…" Harry paused before Hermione could say something for she just opened her mouth… "I have tried crucio once…" He ignored the shocked look on Hermione's face and continued talking, "I used it against Bellatrix, right after she killed Sirius…I wanted to hurt her so badly or even kill her but my spell only got her to fall down and no pain came off it, that's when she mocked me about meaning the unforgivable to cause actual harm and mere anger wasn't enough…" Harry stopped as if remembering the entire scene all over again. Hermione moved herself to face him completely and took hold of his hand, for once she seemed at loss for words, she didn't know whether she should encourage him about the fact that he had a heart of gold and could never cause anybody any harm, but then she would be implying that he will never be able to do them; she was just confused and a bit glad that Harry didn't cause anybody pain even if it was to a deatheater. Harry broke the silence and spoke in a very determined voice, "I really do believe that we should practice the unforgivable curses, Hermione! I mean we have to be strong because the journey we are about to take is not an easy one, it will be a lot harder and I think this time I will be able to hurt those deatheaters for its not the anger inside me now but a boiling hatred …" Harry was now breathing hard when he said all this that even Hermione was a bit taken a back with such forceful words coming out of him. "We really have to Hermione, you have a very soft heart Hermione…mind you I am not complaining but I keep thinking about the time you stopped me from hurting that baby faced deatheater, I would've cursed him you know…shows how evil am I .. doesn't it (he said that with a smile on his face that seemed quite odd to Hermione given the course of conversation they were having) But the question is Hermione will you be able to get past such ordeals and ready to curse and fight whatever the kind of hurdles you come across???" This time Harry sounded serious and looked right in to Hermione's eyes…She took some time and finally spoke not before she took a glance at Ron's sleeping form with a sad sigh…

"Harry first of all you are not evil, never ever let that thought enter your mind, the only reason you were ready to curse that deatheater was to protect us, it wasn't like you were killing him, we all did what we could to harm them except for the unforgivables…I don't know about being able to cast them, I won't lie about it…Harry I am really not sure what to tell you but I will be there through and through...no matter what, there is absolutely no power that would stop me or Ron for that matter, to not be there beside you, fighting … " she paused and then added with a smirk ..."well running too…if you are running forward or backward…trust me we'll be running with you as well" … Harry laughed too over this imagining the three of them running wildly from deatheaters and screaming like girls with arms waving wildly in the air. He shook himself out of the picture and gave Hermione's hand a squeeze. "Lets wake up Ron…he's slept long enough" saying this Harry got up and kicked Ron on his legs…who didn't really budge until Harry give him a sharp poke with his foot on the side of his stomach. Ron immediately got up and rubbed his eyes and gave a punch on Harry's legs was laughing along with Hermione, "you could've just told me to get up Harry…wait till I wake you up the next time…" Ron warned while took standing up. "Good mornin' Hermione, I see you are all set for a brand new day…so what are we eating for breakfast?"

Once Ron and Harry freshened up and all set; the three of them headed downstairs without making any sound, it was still early and seemed the Dursleys weren't up. Harry with Hermione's help fixed some breakfast consisting of bread, jam and tea only for he feared Dursleys' reaction over missing eggs if they ate any. Ron who wasn't really satisfied but kept quiet and didn't complain for he knew Harry would get in trouble. Ron to this day remembered how these horribly people had locked up Harry in that room with chains and to think he spent time in that horrible store room under the stairs. Hermione waved her hand in front of Ron's lost look to get him out of his rain of thoughts. Ron just smiled and shrugged at her questioning look. Harry meanwhile cleaned the kitchen and three of them went back upstairs…both Ron and Harry were still a bit disturbed over Hermione's use of help when walking, it was like a constant reminder of the fact that they both had forgotten all about her when the whole chaos took place.

Harry and Hermione briefed Ron about their plans to practice unforgivables and other dark magic, they both didn't mention Harry's crucio incident to him. The look on Ron's face told them that he was a bit troubled with all this but didn't say anything, that's when Ron decided to talk, "Ok you two…as far as casting these dark spells and all goes… I am a game, its important that we should learn them and I think its way too Coool to pass up on learning something like that…" that's when he noticed the shocked looks on his friends' faces…"hey don't get me wrong, or look so shocked…yes Hermione I do want to learn, but don't expect me to read a book first and learn…just learn things yourself…and then teach me…that's the only way I'll learn …. But please no Spiders…. I mean we don't have to try it on spiders like Moody…do we?" Harry and Hermione couldn't hold it any longer and laughed, they were really not expecting Ron's concern about spiders to be the reason behind his troubled look. Harry felt calm and even more determined after Ron's reaction, somehow his use of the word 'Cool' made him think along the same lines, he was aware that being cool should not be his concern but then no harm in being one now is there.