"And here it goes," Remus said, putting the crown on a pedestal and putting glass over it. The LITs smiled, but seconds later their smiles vanished as they heard the alarm. "That's weird," Remus said, frowning, "that's the alarm. Somebody had to have let them in… from the inside."
The 5 all looked at each other and said at the same time "Cho."
They rushed out of the Annex, wands drawn, and ducked behind the two nearest bookshelves. As soon as the first goon came into view, a wizard, Harry pointed his wand and shouted "Expelliarmus!" effectively taking his wand out of his hand and making it fly over to Harry. "Stupefy!" He added, rendering the goon unconscious.
"We'd be better off flying and attacking from above," Hermione said, "Protego!" she added as a spell flew her way. Her shield glowed golden yellow.
"We've got to find Cho," Ron added. Harry crouched and shot upwards, hovering for a moment before he landed on top of the bookshelf and ran forward. Ron and Hermione followed suit. Hermione flew over to another shelf, where a familiar black head of hair was.
Cho! Hermione thought, preparing herself and then jumping. She dropped down on the Asian girl from above. "Avifors!" Hermione yelled, turning Cho into a bird and breaking the Imperius Curse. She soon turned her back and stood back as the girl dry heaved. "Easy," Hermione said, handing Cho her wand, which she had found. "How do you feel?"
"Nnn," Cho moaned, "like a berk. I can't believe I let them do that!"
"Not your fault," Hermione said, and flew upwards, pointing her wand at Cho and saying "Ascendio!" making Cho be lifted into the air. Hermione directed her towards the bookshelf. "Stay here!" Hermione said, and flew downwards, her magic trail following her. She was following the boys, Cho realized.
Hermione flew above the bookshelves, stunning the members of the SB whenever she saw them. When 2 goons who were next to each other nearly hit her with Stupefy, she twisted in midair and pointed her open palm at them, shouting out a random spell that just came to her head:
"Light Beam!"
A beam of light came from her right hand and knocked the two men aside, sending them skidding. Hermione looked at her hand, stunned, and realized that this was a different kind of magic; not ancient, but different. Making a decision to keep gloves on from now on, she flew over to the boys.
She was stunning the members of the SB whenever she saw them. It was in vain, however; for every SB goon that was stunned, two or three more took their place. She then realized the Library was folding in on itself. Bunching her fists, she flew towards the boys, who were flying towards her, and she, Harry, and Ron touched wands in the middle of the Library, saying the friendship spell over again as their magic was joined, making the familiar green-blue glow.
"Miscere magiautmami!" They shouted, thinking of each other and all the good memories they had in order to fuel the spell. They were aiming for transportation that would transport the Serpent Brotherhood goons to a random forest and they would fall unconscious upon arrival. The Friendship Spell, as it was widely known, could do anything (as long as it didn't involve killing anyone), but you had to have a strong will and years of friendship in order for it to work. And it extremely exhausted the casters.
The semi-translucent green-blue wave of magic started in the middle of their wands and spread out in a circle, encompassing them before spreading out to the remainder of the Library. The Serpent Brotherhood goons and the one higher up were transported to a random forest… taking none of their items with them.
Clothes, guns, swords, knives, and 2 wands clattered to the ground, along with one very heavy silver crown. Hermione flew down and grabbed the crown, her chest only inches from the floor, and then flew up again so that her feet could land on the floor. Her skirt swished around her thighs. "I've got the crown!" she said, tucking her wand in her holster and flying upwards.
Harry flew next to her, grabbing her left hand-the crown was in her right. "And we need to get out of here!" he said, starting to fly towards the right wall. Cho was going towards the collapsing part of the Library.
"Cho!" Ron shouted, "where are you going?!"
"I have to stay in the Library because I closed it to protect its secrets!" Cho said, rushing forward and into the collapsing Library. Soon it came up over her.
"Wave, come on!" Harry said, racing forward. Hermione followed him, and Ron did as well, zooming a bit above their heads. They reached the right wall, which was covered with doors. Sirius and Remus were there. "Shit," Sirius hissed.
"Pick a door, any door," Ron sang. Remus looked between doors and then growled in frustration, putting his fists up, and picked a dark mahogany door that was to the immediate right of the Annex. He, Sirius, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went through it, Remus' dark red sleeveless cloak trailing behind him.
The 5 landed in a forest very close to a road. "Oh, no no no," Remus muttered, rushing towards the door and pushing it open. There was nothing but forest on the other side. "Goddamnit," he cursed, "Cho and Albus collapsed the Library."
"Can't we just go to Applechance?" Harry asked. Remus shook his head.
"That's just it. The main portal to the Library is closed." Seeing their confused expressions, he added, "The Library is in a separate dimension. The Applechance Library is just one of the portals that are there; there a bunch of smaller portals, and I have to find them so we can get the Library back."
"How are we supposed to do that?" Ron demanded as they got to the main road. Wearing black dress shoes, black dress pants, a silver dress shirt, a dark green tie, and a black unbuttoned trench coat, with his straight greasy hair hanging on either side of his face, was-
"Professor Snape?" Hermione burst out.
Snape smirked. "It is indeed I, Ms. Granger. Although, I am no longer your professor…"
"How-how are you alive?" Ron asked, "We saw you die, the bloody snake bit you."
"I was a spy, Mr. Weasley; as such, I know how to be sneaky and cheat death."
"You did say in first year that you can stopper death," Hermione said.
"What are you doing here?" Sirius said, narrowing his eyes at Snape.
"Black, how charming it is to see you again," Snape said sarcastically. "And I came here to pick you lot up."
"Why?" Harry asked. "Wait… don't tell me, you're a Librarian?"
"There's only one Librarian, Potter, I would have expected you to know that," Snape said with the characteristic sneer on his face. "And you are only half correct: I'm not a Librarian but I do work for the Library. Now, hold out your hands."
They did as they were told. Snape let them grasp his wrist and turned, and they were gone with a loud crack.
They appeared in front of a small, squat little house. It was about the size of a cottage. Snape stepped forward and saying the password loud and clear so they could hear it, opened the door. The group followed, going down a short hallway before coming to a set of fancy doors. Hermione realized with shock that they were the exact same doors that led to the Annex.
Snape opened the doors and all present gasped as they saw the Annex. "The Library!" Ron gasped.
"It's not," Sirius began, surprising them all. "Remember, the Library is in a different dimension, and the Annex is too. It's not connected to the main Library; the dimensions are different."
"Black is correct, this isn't the Library," Snape said, walking behind a desk. Lupin walked up to a mirror and then looked back at the Golden Trio. Sirius was to his far left, and Snape was behind him.
He had to make sure they wouldn't regret this.
"I'm offering you a life, of mystery, and magic, and misery, and loneliness, and adventure." He paused for a moment. "More then that I'm offering you the opportunity to make a difference… and save the world every week, twice before Friday. Are you in?"
Ron shrugged. "I'll give it a shot. For helping people, sure."
"It will provide an opportunity to learn new things," Hermione said, "I'm in."
Remus looked at Harry, who was wringing his hands. To his surprise the boy didn't answer directly, but ran towards him and enveloped him in a hug. Remus was at first surprised, but wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and butted heads with him accidently. Harry pulled back with a small "ow" but he giggled and Remus was shocked to see tears running down his face, and he nodded.
Smiling, Remus started to walk Harry back to the others. "It's your Library now, at least this little part of it." He missed the astonished look that Severus threw him over his shoulder. "And don't worry," he added, walking to the door, "I'll be back to check on you in a few weeks." He paused and hit them with a smile as the Golden Trio, Sirius, and Severus looked at him. "Try not to die."
"Oh joy," Snape said sarcastically.