Chapter 8

Letters

Harry walked up to Ron and Dahlia in the courtyard. "Hey, have you seen Hermione? We were supposed to meet in the Library to study today, but I haven't seen her since lunch yesterday."

Ron shrugged. "Hell. I don't really care where she is right now." He looked at Dahlia. She was looking at Harry shaking her head.

"I didn't see her last night. I assumed she was pulling an all nighter in the library for our wizard debate this afternoon."

"Well, she isn't up there." He was getting worried. Hermione was neither in the library nor her room. It was Saturday, she wouldn't be in class.

"Maybe she went to the store? She might have realized she needed some last minute item for class or something. She's a big girl. She can take care of herself." She reached over and patted his hand in comfort.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said, shivering.

Hermione woke up in a strange, dirty room. She was still half asleep due to the potion that Actovious had given her. She saw that the windows were barred shut and there was only one door. Maybe after this potion wears off, I can make a break for it. But Hermione seriously doubted it. Actovious was smarter than that. He wasn't going to just let her escape. The moment she was able to move her arms, she slowly checked her pockets. Of course, he took my wand.

"Yes, I took your wand." Actovious said, entering the room and dangling it in front of her. "You wouldn't dare leave without this, even if the door was unguarded, which it isn't." He smiled at her.

"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" Hermione asked, glaring at him. He just laughed at her.

"Don't be so conceited darling, we don't want you for anything. We just needed you out of the way." He grinned. "And when you're here," he gestured, "you are out of the way."

"Out of the way of what?" Hermione asked angrily.

Ron and Harry were studying in their dorm room when they heard tapping at the glass. Ron glanced over to see the owl with a letter in its talons. He opened the window and grabbed the note.

"What is it Ron?" Harry asked, not looking away from his books. He had a test in potions tomorrow, one of the most important tests of the year. If he failed, he couldn't become an auror.

"It's a letter to us. Both of us." He opened it and read it aloud. "Harry and Ronald, I have something you might want, two somethings actually. Not far from Wyvernsigh is a house. Join me there and I may return these things to you. P.S. When I said somethings, I meant someones."

Harry looked up. "They have Hermione." He put his books away. There were more important things than studying right now.

"It says someONES. That means they have another one too." Ron panicked. "They have Dahlia too!"

Hermione continued to lie on the bed. Actovious entered with food and put it on her bedside table. "What exactly am I in the way of?" she asked him. She wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary. She attended class, studied, and continued with the rest of her daily schedule.

"You are a distraction. If you lingered around, Dahlia's plan may be ruined." he said, not looking her direction.

"What plan? The fact that she likes him? If that's all, she can have that jerk."

"It isn't that simple. That boy is fighting her charms. He still thinks about you, even after what you did to him."

"I never did anything to him! I don't know what you are talking about!" Hermione jumped to her feet.

"I hope you know I still have your wand." He lifted the bottom of his shirt to reveal her wand in his left pocket. "Besides, I know you didn't do anything. Someone who looked like you did."

"How is that possible. I don't have any wizard relatives..." Hermione started, but then realization hit her. "That lying boyfriend-stealing whore! She used a Polyjuice Potion! That's why she needed my hair! It wasn't for that stupid beauty enhancement elixir!"

"That's another reason we had to get you out of the way. You're too smart for your own good." Actovious continued, turning his back to her. Hermione picked up a board that was lying on the ground. What is it with the ones I've faced and abandoned houses?

"What does she want with Ron anyway? He's a wimp. He's... indecisive. He... he..."

"Is Harry Potter's best friend and Harry would do anything to protect him." Actovious finished. "Ron is just a pawn in Dahlia's game. You were a pawn in her game. The real win is that Potter boy."

Hermione only had a few more steps to go. "Why Harry?"

Actovious laughed. "Isn't it obvious? Harry-" Before he could finish, Hermione smashed him over his head with the board. He wasn't knocked out, but he was dazed. She reached down and grabbed her wand. She backed away slowly, her wand pointed at him. "Don't you try anything!"

Actovious looked up at her, worried. But his worry turned to a sly smile. "Put the wand down Mudblood," a voice came from behind her. She turned and realized that there was a wand less than a foot from her face.

"How'd you sneak up on me like that?" Hermione gasped.

"Oh, so princess hasn't found out everything yet has she?"

"Harry, this is the only abandoned house we've seen. This has to be the one where they are keeping Dahlia." Ron said. Harry looked at him. "And Hermione." he added.

"Get your wand ready. I don't know who it is, so I don't know what to expect." Who else could it be? Voldemort was dead, all 8 parts of him. Harry opened the door as quietly as he could, but it was very squeaky.

"Darn these old houses." Ron whispered. They quietly entered what would have been the living area. There were dusty couches and a small nook in the back of the room. To the left Harry saw a staircase. He went up, two at a time, squeaking the entire way.

Hermione looked to the noise. The boys are here! Her heart leaped. She saw the others look in the direction of the door too. How did she sneak up here without us noticing, but Harry and Ron can't even open the front door without alerting everyone of their presence?

Harry opened each door one by one until he reached the end of the upstairs hallway. He threw a look at Ron and had his want up. Ron nodded, and had his wand at the ready as well. They opened the door and looked inside.

"YOU!" Harry said, surprised. Ron's mouth dropped open at the sight of Dahlia holding Hermione in front of her with her wand aimed at Hermione's head.

"Me?" Dahlia asked, innocently. She smirked.

"Dahlia? What are you doing to Hermione?" Ron said stupidly. He stared in disbelief. How could his girlfriend be a bad guy?

"Dahlia. What's going on? Why do you have Hermione and why do you want us here." Harry asked.

Dahlia's smile faded. Now she looked serious. "Well, I was just getting lonely. After all, my father was murdered." Dahlia retorted

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "But what does that have to do with us?"

"Not much." Dahlia squeezed Hermione. Hermione yelped in pain. "Only the fact that YOU THREE ARE THE ONES THAT KILLED HIM!" Dahlia yelled.