"So what exactly are we looking for again?" Ron asked. I just sighed. He really is an idiot sometimes. "We are looking," I reply, glancing at the spines of the books, "for anything that might possibly help us with Umbridge." Or just something nice to read because reading is fucking fun, I thought. "Hermione, I doubt that anyone had this sort of problem before," Harry said, pessimistic as ever. "Well, what would you say if I told you the only reason we're in the library is that I'm bored and want a book to read?" I said huffily. The boys were really getting on my nerves. "Well just grab a stack, look at them! You literally have no taste in books whatsoever." Ron said, looking irritated. "Alright, if you're s keen, why don't you pick the books out for me then?" I say, sick of Ron. I go to the nearest reading desk, and announce, "I'm waiting Ronald." He rolls his eyes and goes down a different aisle of books. Harry just looks back and forth at where I am and when Ron was. He then just shakes his head and sits across from me. "We'll be here a long time, if we can't take out books for anything other then class work. How are you dealing so far?" Harry asked, genuinely concerned. "I'm fine, since I've started packing books. I gotten some more from home after Christmas Break," I reply to him.
"This enough books for you?" Ron grunts, and I start laughing. He has a stack from his waist to over his eyes, and is precariously close to dropping them. I'm getting up to help him right when he sets them down on the table. "Don't hurt yourself, Ron." I said, looking at his hands. He had deep impressions of the corners of his hands. "Well, choose one and let's go! I have a note from McGonagall for any book we need," Ron explained, getting impatient. I swear, he's allergic to the written word.
I start leafing through the books until I find one I find particularly unusual. "Ron," I ask, looking at the book closer. The title is "The Pendragon Legacies. " "I've read every book we have on King Arthur and Merlin, but I've never seen this one before. Madame Pince would have us notified of any new arrivals, and this is old." I'm not sure what to make of this- but I decide to read it anyway.
"Come on you two. Let's get back to the common room," I call back to Harry and Ron. After checking out my book, I wait until I've reached the hallway and the two caught up with me before I decide to start inspecting the outside of the book. I could feel them breathing down my neck, one on either side of me. Okay, one of them is Ron. I can feel more warmth on my right side, and Harry is shorter then Ron, so he is on my left. Stay calm. "Well, let's see what this story has that wasn't in the other books," I said, and opened the front cover.
Once I opened the book, I felt a tugging sensation around my navel area. My mind began to race with possible explanations.
Okay, based on the physical feeling, I'm pretty sure the book is a portkey. But wouldn't it activate immediately after Ronald picked it up? Unless you have to pick up a certain part of the book for the portkey to activate. I did touch the inside binding area, and you cant reach that unless you open the book. The only thing we can do is hope we end up someplace familiar, send an owl to the school, and get back soon.
After this went through my head, we landed in a forest. Thanks to last years practice, we landed softly, not cracking any branches. "Before either of you say anything," I whisper, looking around, "do either of you know where we are?" They both shook their heads. I roll my eyes. Should've known I wouldn't be getting any help from them. "Alright. Let's see if there are any clues in the book," I open the book again. As I flip through the pages, looking for anything that doesn't appear as if it belongs, a hand written note falls put.
If you have this note in your hands, that means you have been transported to Arthurian times. You have a simple task-get back to wherever you came from. But while you are here, you must find an answer to your dilemma. I know you have a problem, because otherwise this book would not have made itself visible to you. This is not a normal portkey, because once you have an answer, this book will act as one yet again. You will not be missed, because time is stuck where you came from. Do not try to figure out who I am. A new set of instructions will appear when you most need them. If you need to use the book as reference, do not share any information with the inhabitants. Knowing to much of your future can be very dangerous.
After I finished reading, I looked at the boys. Harry stated, "Well, Arthurian times. I'm guessing that means we're in the time under King Arthur's rule. So magic might not be legal right now. Let-" I don't know what he was going to say, but just then, I heard a horse and someone shouting. I clapped my hand over his mouth, and quietly told Ron not to say a word. Once I was sure Harry wasn't going to say anything, I took my hand off his mouth. He gave me a look, but then glanced out in between the trees and branches.
I don't think any of us expected what we saw. A man with raven hair in his late 20's, early 30's was galloping away from a blond of about the same age. After catching up to each other, they shared a kiss, and began setting up a picnic.
Aww, how sweet, I thought to myself. Looking at the others, I started thinking I might have said it aloud, based off their incredulous looks. Harry just took the book from my clutches and started leafing through it. I kneeled behind him, and asked him, "What exactly are you looking for?" Harry just kept perusing the table of contents. I heard Ron say, "Ugh, no, I do not want to watch them do that!" He said it quietly, but as he stepped back, he accidently (well, I'm assuming it was accidental; who knows with him) put his foot down on twigs, and then tripped over a root and shook and entire branch.
"Ronald be quiet, you dolt!" I said, a bit louder then anticipated. I froze, and so did everyone else. We just kind of huddled together, waiting for them to find us. I briefly considered revealing our position, but if I did that would eliminate any chance of not being found. I was paralyzed with fear; I had never been in this situation, so exposed. Magic was far too risky, so there was no other option then to wait for the two to pass and await our fate to crash down upon us.
WOOT IT'S DONE
I had a load of issues getting through this one. Sorry it's so short. (If Hannah is willing to beta this chapter, I don't doubt it will be fattened. Huge thanks to you for beta-ing the first chapter )
Also, thank you to jakefan for the first (and so far, only) review!