Endurance

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except, of course, the plot and any OC characters in here.

Chapter 5

Dumbledore stood for moments to study Tanya's arm. Each moment he stood staring the angrier he seemed to become. Finally, he turned to McGonagall with a determined look on his face.

"Go and inform her friends that she will be fine with some rest. Severus, you go send an owl to inform her parents of what has happened. We must move quickly. I doubt that Voldemort knows of Tanya, but I'm sure he knows he has interference. Our plan has backfired," he said simply before dismissing his two colleagues to their tasks.

Outside the infirmary door the students clamored yet again, this time to move away from the door. When professors Snape and McGonagall opened the door to the infirmary, they found the group of teens leaning against each other and the wall for support. McGonagall took one look at them and shook her head as though to push away a bad thought.

"Tanya will be fine," she announced quietly daring a look at each of their faces. She was not disappointed as their faces became less tense. She had no way of knowing how much they knew. She had no way of knowing they'd heard the whole conversation.

"Can we see her?" Ginny asked as she and Hermione clutched at each other's hand for support. McGonagall faltered and they believed she was going to deny their request when Snape intervened.

"Quickly," he said in his oily voice. "Fifteen minutes for the lot of you, then off to bed." It was impossible to tell who was more shocked, the students or professor McGonagall. Hermione was the first to regain her senses.

"T-thank you, professor," she stuttered ushering her friends into the infirmary.

It wasn't until later that night that the group of friends was able to talk about what they'd overheard. When they'd returned to the common room, they found it to be empty, save the few students sitting by the fire half asleep trying to finish some last-minute homework.

Ginny lead the group past the fire into the far corner of the room where there was a conveniently placed large round table and many chairs. The group sat down and began to whisper so as not to be heard.

"Can you believe that?" Ron hissed. "Snape? Being nice? Are we going to die?"

"No, you moron," whispered Ginny. "But it was really weird. I mean, all that stuff about Tanya...that burn mark on her arm. I-it sounded a lot like-like-"

"Like the dark mark," Harry interjected when Ginny faltered. She nodded.

"So," Hermione began thoughtfully. "Voldemort wants Tanya for a reason unfathomable to us-"

"Unwhatable?" Fred asked plainly confused.

"Oh, honestly! We don't know why he wants her, you idiot!"

"Oh," George and Fred said slowly in understanding. Hermione shook her head in disgust.

"Unbelievable," Hermione muttered to herself. She then addressed the others. "Tanya's been up to something big when we're not around. Something so big that even Voldemort has begun giving her attention."

"But what could she be doing?" Wood said quietly.

"That's what we'll find out when she wakes up."

"I did what?" Tanya half-shouted.

"I'm afraid you passed out dear," Madame Pomfrey said soothingly. She patted Tanya's shoulder. "Do you remember what happened before you passed out? Anything at all?" Tanya's brows drew together as she thought.

"I...I was placing the protection spell when I felt something pushing my powers away," she admitted slowly. "Then I saw snake eyes and a red light. That's all I can remember." Madame Pomfrey nodded.

"I thought so. You'll need to stay here for a few days."

"Why?" Tanya asked. "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid the Dark Lord knows of you. He may very well be seeking you out. I don't believe he knows your face, but he knows someone is using their magic to block his and he won't take kindly to that." Tanya swallowed and, for the first time, became aware of a stinging sensation on her arm. She looked down to her sleeveless forearm and gasped.

"W-w," she stammered.

"It's the Dark Mark, my dear. I'm afraid I don't really know how it came to be on your arm. I had no knowledge of such magic. Professor Dumbledore is looking into it as we speak. He should be here soon enough, you should rest until then."

Oliver watched silently with baited breath as Hermione walked right past him for, what felt like, the hundredth time. The night had passed quickly and Hermione had gone straight for the library after breakfast. Wood, intent on speaking with her, had followed. He now hid behind a shelf as he watched her, trying to think of how to approach her without getting hexed.

Finally, deciding that he had little chance of escaping unscathed, he approached Hermione's table. Her head was bent over as she took notes from the book she'd selected earlier.

"Go away," she said quietly before he even had a chance to open his mouth. He was a bit surprised that she knew it was him, she wasn't even looking.

"Hermione," Wood said ignoring her rude comment. He sat down next to her, leaving Hermione no choice but to look at him. "Look, I want us to talk."

"I'm busy at the moment, Wood." She turned back to her notes.

"Look, Hermione, this is more important than that!" Hermione's head snapped up.

"No, it's not!" she returned heatedly. "I think I know why Tanya's here. I think I know why she was hurt." She turned the book towards Wood. "Here read." Wood looked skeptically at Hermione before looking down at the book. His eyes widened as he began to read.

Charmed One : a Witch or Wizard who spends their life protecting the world from evil magic. Their magic is stronger than other witches or wizards. They are born into their magic; it comes through their blood. They are also widely coveted for their powers throughout the magical world.

An: this has nothing to do with the show Charmed. It's just the only thing I could think of at the time.