Chapter 16 Marcelo Morbin

To reach the enchanter's cabin seemed to take years for Hermione. She was so exhausted that she barely had the strength to even knock on the front door. Before she made a fist to do so, she caught sight of an iron plack at the top. It read:

Enter if you will

The home of Marcelo Morbin

She cocked her head in confusion. "Enter if you will, huh?" She asked no one in paritcular, and gripped the iron door knob, pushing it open quietly as she could. The cabin was warm and the sound of a fire crackling echoed in her ears. She stepped inside and carefully closed the door behind her. The warmth felt so good and she had a sudden urge to want to fall right on the floor and sleep.

"Hullo?" She asked quietly, making her way into the enormous living room. Blood red carpets were strewn about the floor and an old rocking chair creaked as it moved, but no one was in it. The fire, sure enough, was blazing brightly in the fireplace and there was large, overstuffed couch by the big window on the back wall. No one was in sight. "Hullo?" Hermione asked again, feeling slightly afraid. She rubbed her arms and walked into the center of the parlour, gazing at the moving pictures along the mantle.

"Greetings, madame."

Hermione cried out and whirled around. What met her eyes was a very tall man with greying hair and a gray mustache. He wore a pair of thick, brown cotton trousers and a bright green cotton top. In his hand he held a staff and for a moment the two strangers stood staring at each other in surprise. Hermione watched as he moved across the room, gazing at her with dark brown eyes.

"I'm-I didn't mean to just come in, but the sign on your door said enter if you will, so I assumed you meant anyone could come in if they needed to."

"In deed." Marcelo cleared his throat. "And who might you be? Wait-I know. Hermione Granger, correct?"

Hermione gasped. "You know who I am?" She asked in surprise.

"I do. I know many things, Miss Granger-all things good and evil. Where is your partner Mr. Weasley?"

Hermione couldn't believe it-he knew Ron had been with her as well! This was unreal! "He's-he's hurt. He's at the bottom of the mountain in the snow."

"I shall aid you. One does not survive in these mountains at night alone with no fire to bring warmth. Come-time is slipping away quickly."

Hermione followed the enchanter out of the cabin and back into the cold night, and they hurried down to fetch Ron, who had fallen asleep. Or at least Hermione hoped that was all that had happened. "Ron?" She knelt down and gave her friend a shake. "Ron I'm back."

Ron blinked open his blue eyes. "Hermione?" He asked quietly.

"I have Mr. Morbin with me. He's going to help you, but you're going to have to cooperate."

Ron shook his head. "I can't move, Hermione. My muscles are all stiff."

Marcelo knelt down and lifted Ron into his arms. "Half frozen. Come now-let me get you to my cabin, and we will gather your potion ingredients for Harry."

"Okay." Ron whimpered, shivering as he closed his eyes, trying to block out the blustery cold.

Harry awoke late that night, sneezing hard. Sirius blinked at the noise and watched as his godson gasped after every explosion. He sneezed at least fifteen times before he just kept his mouth covered with his hands, almost afraid to release them. Sirius rubbed Harry's back, fetching a tissue from the nighttable. "Here you are, kiddo. Blow hard now."

Harry did so, but the action was purely exhausting. Sirius brushed Harry's bangs away from his eyes, just as the boy started to sneeze again. Sirius shook his head with a sigh when Harry finished, falling back against his pillow. "Geshuntite." Sirius told his godson, trying hard not to smirk.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked weakly. (with his clogged up nose it sounded more like Where's Herbione?)

"She and Ron are running an errand for Dumbledore." Sirius replied. "They'll be back soon. Just rest now."

"Where did they go?" Harry wanted to know.

"Top secret." Sirius kissed Harry on the forehead. "Sleep."

In obedience, Harry closed his eyes. Little did he know where Ron and Hermione truly were. At this present moment in time, he didn't care all that much. As long as they'd be back-that's all that mattered.