Hermione screamed in terror, "The store is caving in! We're doomed!"
Ron looked at her as if she was crazy, 'Calm down, Hermione! Have you forgotten something?"
Hermione started to breathe faster, 'We have to find a way out, or we'll get smothered!"
"ARE YOU A WITCH OR AREN'T YOU, HERMIONE?!" Ron bellowed, trying to get through to her.
Hermione's breathing calmed. Right. How could she have been so stupid? They could simply apparate to get out of here. She sighed in relief, "Sorry… Slipped my mind." she laughed nervously.
"Let's go then! Get Dave, he can come with us." Hermione went on.
"Can't… The guy already disapparated. Guess he didn't give a rats arse what happened to us…" Ron groaned, after searching the store.
"Well, whatever! Let's the three of us get out of here, then!" Hermione pleaded.
"Ok, ok… where's Fred?" Ron put his hands up in defense.
Hermione's eyes widened in fear. Had something happened? "Fred?" She called, "FRED?!"
The room continued to shake, and bits of earth were falling on their heads, "FRED!? Are you here?" Hermione and Ron yelled together.
"Stop yelling. I'm here, alright?" came the familiar voice. Fred stood up from a corner in the shop, "I was looking for some wands. You know… One just isn't enough. He had three left. Pretty lucky I guess." Fred held up three wands.
Ron slapped his brother on the back, "Brilliant!" they grinned at each other, until Hermione yelled at the two of them.
"Ok, great. We have more wands. Now can we please, get out of here?!" she half-yelled the last words.
The brothers frowned and nodded. The party of three joined hands and disapparated as a wall of earth came crashing down.
They arrived back at Luna's house with a rough jolt. Hermione felt sudden pain on her face, and when she felt for it… she moved her hand to find blood was soaking her forehead. She let out a yelp.
Splinched.
Fred and Ron both stared at her in horror.
"Hermione… you--" Ron sputtered, pointing at his face to indicate something was wrong with hers.
Hermione clenched her teeth, trying to bite back pain. Tears threatened to flush at any minute, 'G-get me in-inside…" he managed to get out with a groan before weakly falling over due to severe pains in her head.
She felt arms scoop her up and carry her into the wrecked-looking house, but she didn't open her eyes to see who it was. She passed out quickly after only a few minutes more.
Hermione woke up in her and Luna's room later with a cool cloth on her head, and a cup of broth sitting on the table beside her. She felt her forehead, to find it had been mended, but she still wasn't feeling on top of the world.
"Ung…" she moaned, trying to sit up. Luna suddenly appeared beside her, holding a bowl full of strange-looking liquid.
"Hello Hermione. You look much better, thanks to Ron. He looked very nervous when he was trying to fix you~"
Hermione breathed deeply, 'Where is Ron?" she whispered.
"Oh he's out with Fred in the living room. They're trying to find out what kind of wands you all snatched." Luna sang.
Hermione swallowed, "Oh…" she sighed, leaning back against her pillow.
Luna held out the bowl of odd liquid, "Here. Ron and Fred both gave you medicine, but I think this works much better. Father gave it to me whenever I was sick."
Hermione stared at the questionable liquid, "Er… That's alright Lu-"
While Hermione was speaking, Luna shoved a spoonful of the liquid down her mouth, nearly choking her.
Hermione nearly gagged on the awful tasting stuff, but once it was swallowed, she felt a lot better. Not 100%, but better.
"Wow. Thanks Luna! What's in that, anyway?" Hermione smiled, sitting up.
"Oh. It's a family secret. Sorry." Luna grinned mischievously. Hermione raised her eyebrows, suddenly fearful of what she had just consumed.
"Luna, we hear talking. Is Hermione awake, yet?" came Fred's voice.
"She is, Fred~" Luna hummed.
Fred and Ron both entered the room. Fred was holding the cauldron, giving it stirs, and Ron was holding 4 wands.
"We reckon the one we got from Azkaban's Blackthorn, 11 inches… but we're not so sure about the core." Ron began, setting the prison-stolen wand on the table. "And the three Fred snatched," Ron held them up, "Are, cherry, 9 inches," he set a small red/pink wand down.
"This one," Ron held up a rather oaky looking wand, "Oak. 12 and ½ inches." he set the second wand down.
"This one's mine." Ron held up a white wand, 'Willow, 14 inches. I only want it because it's the longest one… And you know, with my height and all."
Fred grabbed a hold of the oak wand, "And this one's mine. I tried them all, and this one works best. I guess it 'chose' me like in Ollivander's when I was 11."
Luna smiled sweetly, "I wanted the blackthorn one I found in Azkaban. I know it chose me there, and I couldn't ever want a different one…" she cooed, holding the wand to herself.
"You can try this one, Hermione." Ron handed her the cherry wand, "Sorry you get last pick but…" he shrugged.
Hermione took the short wand, feeling it between her fingers, "Hmm…" she gave it a flick, muttering 'Aquamenti' while she did so. A powerful stream of water came from the tip and put out a fire that had been going in the fireplace. Hermione flushed, smiling down at the wand. "I love it!" she cheered. The wand felt so right. It wasn't a good as the one she'd received when she was 11, but it was close.
The others all grinned. So they all found wands to work for them. This was fantastic!
A few more days passed, and the group was discussing going to the Forbidden Forest. There would be a full moon in about a week and a half, thankfully just after the potion was finished brewing.
"So, Luna will take the potion, and scare anything that comes to attack. If anything does attack, Luna will fight them. " Hermione frowned, "Are you sure you're fine with that…?" Hermione asked Luna.
"Oh, it'll be just fine. Don't worry about me." Luna responded.
Hermione nodded nervously, "And once we've got the petals…"
"We get the hell outta there." Fred finished, "We don't want any unwelcome guests, or death eaters showing up."
"Right…" Hermione nodded.
"Blimey… I can't believe we're actually going to finish this damn potion." Ron grinned.
Hermione frowned, "We're not done yet, Ronald. We still need to add Time turner sand… and that isn't going to be easy to find."
"Whatever." Ron shrugged, "We can worry about that part later. At least the deadline part's almost done."
The other three smiled in agreement.
The day of the full moon came, and the four were packing and preparing excitedly. Luna had taken her potion, so that that night, she would be able to keep her mind as a werewolf. Each wore light, yet dark cloaks, to keep them hidden.
"Do bad we don't have Harry's invisibility cloak…" Ron groaned, trailing off.
The others all frowned at the mention of his name. Oh well. Hermione though. Soon she'd see him again.
"You can't apparate inside of the Hogwarts ground so we may have to apparate to Hogsmede and walk…" Hermione began.
"I dunno, Hermione." Ron shrugged, "I mean, Hogwarts is gone. Don't you think the enchantments have been lifted by now?"
Hermione thought, "I guess you might be right…"
"I guess there's only one way to find out." Fred smirked.
Luna took him by the hand, "I'll transform in about an hour. I think we should go now~"
Hermione frowned, "I don't now, Luna… What if we get caught outside the forest?"
The four argued for about 45 minutes, when the sun went down, and the moon came out. Luna smiled, "Well. I'll be transforming now. I think it'd be best to go." she sighed and stepped outside, letting the moonlight hit her, as she went through a very painful transformation.
Hermione turned her head away. It was difficult to watch Luna go through with this…
In a few minutes, Luna stepped back inside, grinning from ear to ear. She didn't speak a word, and her clothes had been ripped off of her, but she seemed okay. Hermione smiled back,
"Great! Let's go, all!" They joined hands, Fred gripping a very furry paw, and disapparated.
They reappeared just outside the woods. I guess it was now possible to apparate within Hogwarts. Hermione stepped for the woods, motioning the others to follow with her hand.
Once inside the forest, Hermione immediately felt nervous and even a little scared. She hadn't been years in… decades, and now it seemed twice as dangerous as before. Ron seemed to sense this, for he placed an arms around her shoulders and squeezed her tightly to him. Hermione smiled up at him, feeling at ease.
After walking through the forest in silence for about an hour, Hermione swore she heard a rustling from behind them. When she turned, she noticed that the others must have heard it to, because they were all glancing around nervously.
Spiders. Hermione sighed in slight relief. They weren't huge, like the one's she had heard about living here, but it was still about the size of a human head. Hermione felt Ron go stiff beside her, and she smirked to herself, before pulling out the cherry wand,
"Aronia Exinmae!" she cried, sending a shot of light at the spider. It immediately scampered the other way to avoid being hit, seemingly leaving them for good. Hermione nodded in relief, "See? No reason to be scared. Just a little bug, really." Hermione glanced at Ron. Color was drained from his cheeks, but he nodded.
They walked a while farther without interruption, when Luna suddenly growled. Hermione turned back.
"Luna? What's wrong?"
Of course, the werewolf couldn't speak back, but she pointed to a clearing a little farther than they were. There was horse-like figure (with a man's body) standing with a bow and arrow, ready to shoot at them.
Hermione gasped, "Everybody, DOWN!" she yelled. She dropped to the ground and covered her head, daring to get a peek at the centaur. He had shot his bow… The red arrow had already sped at them and…
There was a loud cry, and Hermione's heart sank. It sounded like Fred's voice. She dared look back, to see Fred on his knees, clutching at an arrow that had pierced him through the chest.
"NO!" Hermione yelled. Not Fred to… The centaur the had attacked was now speeding toward them, with an angry expression. Hermione squinted. The centaur that was speeding at them came from an opposite direction, and he was blue and not black. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut as it soared over them… and continued running at the centaur that had shot at them.
Hermione could not hear what they were saying, but it seemed like the two were getting into an argument. Eventually the black centaur, turned and left with a huff. The blue one turned toward the group, and slowly made it's way over. Hermione didn't know whether to pull out her wand. If she didn't, it could attack them, but if she did, it also may attack in defense.
"Please… Don't hurt us. You've already hurt Fred…" Hermione begged.
"I do not wish to hurt you or your friends, Hermione Granger."
"How do you--" Hermione began to say.
The centaur chuckled, "We centaurs see what's in the stars, and I know who you are. I also know you aren't bad like so many claim.
Hermione sighed in relief, "Who are you anyway?"
"My name is Glasto." he said simply, "I will let you go on your way now. Just be careful."
"Wait!" Ron called, "Can you help us help Fred? Maybe you can use some super centaur powers, or something?"
Glasto shook his head, "I cannot. It is not written in the stars that he survives tonight. And it is also not written that any of you will live for much longer…" his eyes ran across them.
"But…" Ron started, stunned and speechless, while Fred lay bleeding.
"I'm sorry. I cannot meddle with destiny. And you shouldn't either." with that, the centaur turned to leave.
Ron narrowed his eyes, "What a coward!" he yelled. Hermione gave him a warning look, but to late.
Glasto came charging back, an arrow in his hand, somehow.
Hermione pulled her wand out in defense. "Protego!" she yelled, sending a shield between the centaur and themselves, "I'm sorry for Ron. He really doesn't think, sometimes…" Hermione gulped, hoping it would suffice.
Glasto snorted, but said nothing. He merely turned back around and ran in another direction completely.
Hermione turned back to Ron, who was glaring at her.
"What?" she glared.
'You!" Ron glared right back, "What, do you want Fred to die?" Ron pointed a finger at her.
"What?! No, of course not!" Hermione growled, 'I just don't want you dying to!" She flared.
"If you don't want him dying, then help me save him!" Ron yelled back.
Hermione nodded and pushed past Ron, in order to get to Fred. He lay bleeding with a weak hand still trying to grasp the arrow that pierced him. Luna was whimpering at his side, trying desperately to help with wolfish paws.
Hermione didn't know whether to take the arrow out. If she did, Fred could bleed to death. Besides, she didn't know if the arrow had struck any major organs. If she took it out, it could rip anything that it had been holding. Including the heart.
Hermione hovered over him, deciding in the end, it was best to leave it… for now. She cast a spell that would numb Fred of pain, and one that cleaned the blood, before standing back up.
"That's all I can do for now. I'm sorry, Fred." Hermione gave him a sympathetic look, and she saw that Fred tried to grin, but it turned into a grimace. He'd already lost a lot of blood…
Hermione and Ron both supported Fred by the shoulders and walked onward, while Luna tailed behind them, watching for danger.
Hours more passed in quiet, bleak silence with no luck on the plant they were looking for. Hermione was starting to worry dawn would break before they found it.
A snap of a twig was heard just behind them, and a low growl was heard.
"Luna… Please tell me that was you." Ron groaned. Luna whimpered behind them, signifying that it wasn't.
Hermione turned around abruptly, to find a very large, savage looking werewolf stood behind them, ready to attack.
Luna took immediate action. She leapt at the savage, much larger werewolf, and the two began snarling, and biting at each other, fangs clashing. Hermione, herself was thrown aside by somebody. Ron had pushed her in the bushes, and she felt herself rolling across the forest floor.
Hermione awoke with nobody around her, and in a completely new part of the forest. She rubbed her head, wondering where in the world everyone could have gone… She was frightened. How had they possibly lost each other?
She walked aimlessly around the forest, not caring to find the Venomous Tentecula anymore. She only wanted to Find Ron, and the others. And make sure they were alright. She shivered in fear and cold. What would she do if something happened to Ron?
Hermione was so distraught, she didn't seem to notice a very large plant looming just ahead. It's leaves were sharp like knives, and it had thorny tentacles sprouting from it's roots. A very pretty pink flower stood at the top of the stem, but the rest of the plant looked down right frightening and dangerous.
Hermione's teary eyes opened and stared up as she smelled a rather pleasant odor. Her eyes widened when she saw the plant.
"V-venomous…" she breathed, suddenly feeling cheery again. She stepped closer to the plant, daring to get a good look. She was suddenly whipped by a thorny tentacle. It send her spiraling backward, but she paid no mind. She pointed her wand at the plant from the distance she was from it. This would be better. This way it couldn't possibly reach her.
"Accio petals!" Hermione called. Two large pink petals plucked themselves from the plant and flew toward her. Hermione grinned. That was easy! She picked them up from floating in midair and tucked them beneath her cloak, before setting out to leave.
She had barely gotten two steps before she felt something lash across her back, ad cut her about the ankles. The Venomous Tentecula. Hermione turned back. It's tentacles were coming at her. It wasn't going to give it's petals up that easily! Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it at the plant, but it was merely grabbed by a tentacle and snapped in half.
Hermione froze in fear. She was defenseless now…
The tentacles shot forward, wrapping themselves around Hermione tightly. She screamed loudly, but her mouth was then covered by a tentacle. Hermione struggled to free herself, but she felt the poisonous thorns digging into her. The plant pulled Hermione closer and closer, until she was just feet from the plant. She gaped in horror when she saw a mouth in the bottom of the plant. The mouth was wide open, teeth baring at her, Poison drool, dripping. Tears fell. She couldn't believe it was going to… eat her.
"DIFFINDO!" a voice from behind her shouted. Hermione felt herself fall, and the roots that had been holding her were cut down by her savior. The plant screamed it seemed, as it's tentacles writhed on the ground.
Hermione stood weakly, cuts and bruises all over her. She looked around and of course smiled when she saw him. Ron. He was standing behind her, wand still up.
"Merlin, Hermione. I leave you alone for one minute and you nearly get eaten by a bloody plant…"
Hermione rushed forward, as fast as she could and hugged him tightly, "Ron… Thank you so much." she kissed him with all she had.
Ron kissed her back for a moment, before pushing her away, "We can do that later." he said regretfully, "Right now… we have to go. You got the petals?"
Hermione nodded, and Ron shook his head, "Why didn't you defend yourself?"
"I-I tried! It snapped my wand in half!" Hermione yelled.
"Wow… you don't have much luck with wands, do you?" Ron shook his head and laughed.
Hermione frowned at him, "Where are Luna and Fred?"
Ron gulped, 'They've already gone. Fred was in bad shape, you know. Don't know if he's gonna make it." he paused, "Luna's badly hurt to, but she managed to take them back. After she killed that werewolf, she collapsed herself."
He looked back at Hermione, who began to speak, "Why did you push me away? When Luna was fighting the werewolf?"
Ron blushed, "I just didn't ant you to get hurt… guess I should have kept you with me, huh?" he looked her up and down.
Hermione smiled softly, "Okay. Let's just go then." she took a hold of Ron's hand and the two disapparated.
Hermione practically toppled over from exhaustion once at Luna's house. She felt tired and weak, and she was quite afraid that this was the venom from that blasted plant taking effect. She had to be carried by Ron back inside the house, where she was put to bed.
She'd read something on the Venomous Tentecula a long while ago. How did their poison work? She strained her mind to think before she finally came up with the answer. Once you were bitten, you would feel a series of symptoms before the poison actually killed you. When you were first bitten, you'd feel weak and tired. That lasted about a week. Week two only got worse. You're throat would swell up so much, you'd be unable to speak, and your skin would break out in large painful, purple boils.
Week 3, things would seemingly get better. You would lose all of your other symptoms, and would feel great. But the venom would have gotten to your insides by now, and attack it from the inside out… Week 4 was the end. You would lose all of your hair, and be weak once again Even the slightest movement could shut down all organs.
Hermione gulped. She had less than a month to live… She knew there was an antidote for this poison, but it was almost impossible to make, and very rare to find. She wouldn't tell the others. Especially not Ron. She just prayed she'd be able to finish the potion in time…
After a long sleep, Hermione woke up to find Ron crushing the petals beside her. Once finished, he tucked them in a small bag. "We can't add them until tomorrow. And I don't want to risk things…" Ron half smiled at a very pitiful-looking Hermione.
"H-how're Fred and Luna…?" Hermione managed, trying to make small talk.
Ron frowned, 'Luna's still holding on pretty tight, but Fred's not looking good. I honestly don't know how much time either of them have." Ron sighed, "I don't want to take the arrow out, but I'm not sure of what to do. I'm the only bloody well one in this house!"
Hermione frowned at Ron. He looked like he had survivor's guilt, although no one had even died yet. "It'll be okay, Ron. I'm not sure how, but we'll make it through this." Hermione breathed, before gently grabbing a hold of his hand, to comfort him.
Whoot, I got another chapter up this weekend! I hope you all enjoyed this decent-lengthed chapter. J I really appreciate all of the support and patience you all give me! So I'll try to get the next one up A.S.A.P. Keep reviewing! They keep me going.
So, things aren't looking good right now. How will the group fix this one?
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
