The Attack / Changes
"I'm looking forward to what this year has in store for us" Harry said, as he and Hermione settled into a compartment. He started to nibble on Hermione's ear and she
"We have to sit here" Ginny said.
"Get a room" Neville added from his seat next to Luna.
"Sorry" Harry said, and he and Hermione sat down. A few moments later, Hermione picked up her Violin and started to play it – much to the amusement of Ginny, Luna and Neville who hadn't seen her play it before.
"Ooh good" came a sneering voice, "The Mudblood has another toy to play with" and Harry looked to see Draco Malfoy standing in the compartment door, looking at them with his normal sneering look.
"Take that back" Harry demanded as he got to his feet, followed by Neville and Ginny.
"I don't think I will" Malfoy said, then drew his wand. "I will do something about that Mudblood though" he added as an after thought. He sliced his wand through the air, and sent a blast of red energy at Hermione.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Harry yelled and threw himself into the spells path. The moment it touched him, Harry simply disappeared. Malfoy made his escape as the occupants of the compartment looked at the spot Harry had been in. It took a few seconds for Hermione to process what had just happened and then she began to cry. Ginny and Luna rushed over to comfit her, while Neville stuck his head out of the door and yelled for Dean and Seamus.
"Whats going on?" asked Dean as both boys came into the compartment.
"Malfoy tried to hit Hermione with some spell and Harry flung himself in its path" Ginny said. Both newcomers looked at the floor, but couldn't see Harry at all.
"Where is he?" asked Seamus and it was Luna who answered.
"He simply vanished into thin air" she replied.
"I want Harry to come back" Hermione whimpered, and then she curled up into a ball and ignored everybody and everything. By now a crowd had sprung up at the doorway to the compartment and Dean, Neville and Seamus had a hard time trying to keep people out.
Somebody had to have sent Professor McGonagall a message, because she was waiting on the platform to meet with Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville. She thanked Dean and Seamus for their help in keeping away spectators and asked them to keep quiet about what had happened. Both boys agreed at once due to their friendship with Harry, and the fact that she gave them a stern warning about their new DADA teacher and how this might not go too well with her. McGonagall unsuccessfully tired to get Hermione to talk about what had happened on the train, but the girl simply refused to talk. Knowing that she might be better in the morning, she asked Ginny to escort Hermione straight to Gryffindor Tower and to put her to bed.
"Things are not going to go well this year" McGonagall thought as she hurried to meet the first years.
# # # # #
Hermione woke up earlier then she normally would have, and went about the routine of showering and dressing. It wasn't until she was almost dressed that she noticed Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil both stared at her head.
"What?" she demanded hotly. Hermione was in no mood to deal with the years most vain girls today.
"Your hairs changed" Lavender said slowly.
"And you've got a scar" Parvati added, and she passed Hermione a mirror so she could see for herself.
"That's…… that's not possible" Hermione stuttered. But she was looking at it with her own eyes. For some reason she now had Harry's untidy black hair, and distinctive scar on her forehead. "Did you two switch it during the night?" Hermione demanded as she turned to face the other two Witches.
"We might do silly things, but not that" Parvati said.
"We only just noticed it ourselves" Lavender said, then looked thoughtful for a moment. "This is not going to make Umbridge happy" she muttered.
"Umbridge?" repeated Hermione, "Who is that?" she asked the two.
"She is pure evil" Parvati told her. She and Lavender then went on to describe everything that had happened after the sorting
"I would like to introduce your Defence against the Dark Arts teacher; Delores Umbridge" and Dumbledore sat down, while a toad like witch stood up. She was dressed head to foot in pink, and several students seemed to be trying to keep the feast they had consumed, from being regurgitated back into existence via vomiting.
"I would like to say that I am looking forward to teaching all of you this year. As well as being the new Defence against the Dark Arts, I am also the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, here to ensure you do not get deceived by the news of He-Who-Must-Must-Not-Be-Named's return. This is totally false information, and the Ministry have asked that anybody who knows people spreading the news around, to inform the Ministry or Ministry officials. The punishment for spreading false information is four months in Azkaban prison" and Umbridge sat down to the disbelief of many students. The Slytherins seemed to be very happy indeed about what appeared to be a gift from the heavens to them.
"Damn" Hermione swore softly as she heard the end of the tale.
"We both want to say that we believe you" Parvati said. "We know that He is back, and we heard a little bit about what happened on the train with Harry disappearing" she added. Both she and Lavender had got dressed in robes while telling the story of the previous night, and all three girls left the dorm and the tower and headed off to the great hall for breakfast.
After yesterday, Hermione had a hunger that was unmatched, but as she walked along the corridors – trying to ignore the stares she received from passers by – Hermione couldn't help thinking about what had happened to Harry. She hoped that he was alright wherever he was at the moment. Hermione's mind swam with ways Harry could have vanished, but nothing seemed to match exactly to what occurred. She had just sat down at the Gryffindor table, all the time thinking about Harry and how desperate she was to see him again, when Professor McGonagall came up to her.
"Miss Granger. You have been asked to see Professor Umbridge at once" and Hermione detected the fact that McGonagall didn't want to deliver the message.
"Where is she, Professor?" Hermione asked politely.
"In the DADA office" McGonagall said, then walked away with an unreadable look on her face. Hermione headed out the hall and arrived at the DADA room.
"Miss Granger I presume?" Umbridge said, and indicated that Hermione sat down. As she did so, Hermione noticed that Dumbledore and Pomfrey had also been waiting for her. It confused Hermione a great deal and only added to the problems she had on her mind at the moment.
"What can I do for you?" asked Hermione.
"I have reason to believe that you are Harry Potter, under Polyjuice of course" Umbridge said with a sickly sweet voice.
"WHAT?" Hermione shouted out.
"You will keep your tone respectful when you are in my presence" Umbridge said simply, and Hermione saw Pomfrey looked shocked but Dumbledore's face was indifferent to the entire scene. "As a Ministry official, I am ordering that you be tested for traces of Polyjuice potion. You will be given several potions and then we will begin the trace" and Umbridge crossed over the distance between herself and Hermione and dragged her out of her seat.
"While you have the authority to do this trace, I can not and will not allow you to handle my students in this manner" Dumbledore said coldly.
"As High Inquisitor it is within my jurisdiction to handle suspects as I will" Umbridge said, then she turned towards Pomfrey who was looking quite sick. "You will give the suspect the potions to reverse the effects of the Polyjuice Potions" Umbridge ordered.
"I will not" Pomfrey said, her face trying to remain calm.
"You will do as a Ministry official orders you to do" Umbridge said, and Hermione was reminded of Snape quite a lot.
"I will not participate in any of your witch-hunts, Madam Umbridge, You may report me to the Ministry, but I do not care at all. I refuse to do harm to a student" and Pomfrey walked out.
"Very well" Umbridge said, "I will do it myself" and she suddenly shoved potions in to Hermione's mouth.
A/N:
Another chapter for you to read and enjoy.
I'm sorry that this chapter isn't up to the normal standards of the last two, but I've been occupied for the last week due to my Uncle passing away – so I've been busy on other matters.
For readers of my big Harry Potter fanfic, It has not been abandoned, but is on pause for the above reasons. I have given what I have on Chapter 62 to a very good friend of mine who is writing the battle for me.
Reviews and PM's will be answered
Regards:
Pixel