-Chapter 4-
Winding through the wilderness of the Highlands, I felt as if I was borrowing freedom from the horse on which I rode upon. The mountains and the open moorlands reminding me of the rich history the Highlands were forged in.
The rural landscape with its traversing forests have escaped the development of the more southern areas, what with it's picturesque farmlands, old monasteries, and castles from a bygone era.
My sole companion and I seemed to share a heartbeat. We had wings. We were unstoppable. My lungs filled with so much of natures scent, I felt as if they would burst. I wasn't sure how I was alive. In that moment, everything felt like a miracle.
So, this must be what it's like to be free. A time without war, fear, worry for loved ones, loss, or heartache. Uncertainty wasn't even a possibility in that fleeting moment, everything was as sure as day is light and night is dark.
Then, darkness. I felt a pair of hands wrap around my upper arms. Maybe I was drowning, my legs seemed to be heavy and I felt as if I couldn't breathe. I screamed, I grabbed, clawed, and ripped at whatever seemed to be attacking me.
"Hermione! Wake up!" Was that yelling? A voice cut through the few seconds of amnesia one experiences upon waking up. I realized I was in my four-poster, seemingly safe, in the Gryffindor tower.
My cheeks flushed deep red, I was embarrassed. I buried myself under the duvet that I had previously thought was constricting me moments before.
"Hermione. We need to go." Harry's voice registered finally. He shook me again, "Now! Hermione!" I could tell by the rough tone of his voice that he wasn't simply requesting my company for a midnight cup of tea.
"Professor McGonagall was taken in by the Auror's, they're coming for us. Please tell me you've got a bag packed?" he finished.
I blinked once, twice, and finally Harry's words started to register. I tumbled out of bed very ungracefully, grabbed my jeans and began dressing in them.
"Shrink my trunk, put it in your pocket. It has what we need in it." I said shortly while trying to tie up my trainers. Harry did as I asked.
"Where's Ronald?" I said, now wide awake. I heard a loud explosion in the common room door downstairs.
"He went to head off his family at the Burrow. He'll be meeting us at dusk tomorrow as long as everything goes to plan." Harry assured me, as he stuck the miniaturized version of my trunk in his pocket.
"Ready?" He asked.
My stomach gave a lurch as I felt the familiar but not welcome tugging behind my navel. I could feel the castle's unwillingness to let us pass through it's wards. All of my hair was standing on end, as I felt a second rush and tug that seemed to break us away from the castle's hold.
And then, it was like I was in my dream all over again. The sun was just peeking through the mountains and it was a glorious sight to be had. Don't get me wrong, Hogwarts and it's grounds are absolutely stunning. But, in a different way. This was nature, it was raw. Unchanged by man. Not even a wizards magic could make this place more beautiful.
Harry and I drew our wands and cleared the immediate area for any unfriendlies. I finished off by throwing up a variety of privacy and protection wards, along with a notice-me-not charm.
"What in the hell happened Harry James Potter?! When I went to bed, everything was fine!" I shrieked as I spun around, stamping my feet on the ground as I did so. A nearby flock of birds took flight into the sky.
Harry put his hand up as he caught his breath.
"Aurors came for us, the new Minister of Magic is accusing the three of us of the Headmaster's murder along with conspiracy. Professor McGonagall held the Aurors off, refusing to tell them where we were. She sent them off to look for us at Hagrid's, then came and woke Ron and I. She sent Ron off to warn and gather his family, and I came to wake you up."
I stared at Harry in disbelief. I couldn't wrap my mind around what Harry just said. The Order has been in an uproar since the Headmaster died, yes, but I was completely taken aback by what was happening at the Ministry. This was bigger than I previously thought.
"This is just insane. Who is this new Minister? They must either be imperiused or associated with Voldemort somehow." I said, biting my lip.
"New Minister is Evelyn Rosier, I've never heard of her before. I didn't have much time to look into it." He replied.
"I have heard that name before..." I said, flipping through my mental index of names. "Pureblood name, I believe. I'm not sure from where, I'll have to do some reading."
"With what library?" Harry asked, "I don't think it's very likely that we'll stumble across one out here." He raised his arms and twirled around, as if reminding me that we're in a bloody forest, and the gods only know how far we actually were from civilization.
"Give me my trunk." I requested simply, with my hand out. Harry looked at me with his mouth agape. "Close your mouth, I've been packed for days."
Within an hour, some work, and a few choice words we had a tent up, the campsite secure, and a fire cracking merily.
"You're ridiculous sometimes." Harry huffed as he poured himself tea from the kettle.
"Yes well... we're not sleeping in the bushes are we? And we have some food..." I replied with a smirk, and settled in with my cup of chamomile while I flipped through Wizarding Geneology: the Twenty-Eight Families You Need to Know.
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A/N – This story really does take a while before you'll be seeing the big picture. But, that's the fun in reading, isn't it? Hope you enjoy. Please review if you get a chance.