A/N: Thanks and praise are to be heaped upon my wonderful betas, Christina Teresa and Seakays, who continue to slog through this with me, and even do so cheerfully. What would I do without them? Oh, yes – and special thanks to Seakays for the brilliant title suggestion – once I'm stuck for a title, it can go for weeks! Thank you for the nice reviews, f f .net readers MollyCoddles, rgluvr13, and Mist. Hope you enjoy another little trek through the wilds of Trapperton! NZ
Chapter 26
Mad Dogs and Englishwomen
Chapter 25 Summary:
Leaving Ron and Harry asleep in her cabin, Hermione is finally able to rouse Dr. Null and takes him out into the habitat. It's before dawn on the morning after the Trio has witnessed Spyder's kill, but all evidence of the crime has been erased. Dr. Null admits that he knew Spyder was a killer and that it was suspicious that evidence had disappeared before also, but that he thought it had something to do with the male challenges. Hermione reluctantly tells Null what she's seen in the caves and explains that she thinks Umbridge, Voyde, and the handlers are using the communication system Dr. Null has developed to train the Yeti into being killers. Null is frustrated and saddened by the news, but he reiterates that they have no evidence. Returning to her cabin, Hermione suspects she's being followed, then finds she's right – but that it's only Ron and Harry. Hermione awakens later that morning only to find that she's overslept. Joining all in camp at the Portkey site, she witnesses the arrival of Dolores Umbridge. Tonks speaks to Arthur to see if he has any information about Harry. Fred answers their firetalk 'call', though it takes both him and Howard to keep George from ruining their 'Fred's out of town with Ron' charade. The twins realize they must visit Privet Drive to keep their plan convincing as Tonks intends to visit poor, ill Harry. George pretends to be ViolentlyWretching!Harry in Bed while Fred (as George) appeases Tonks and the Dursleys.
ES
Hermione saw something plunk into Dr. Null's soup, she was certain of it. But as he hadn't noticed and didn't flinch, she took it upon herself to look around the nearly deserted commons hall. The two handlers who had recently entered were on the far side of the room, and had been engaged in constant conversation with Tulip about their lunch order for the past five minutes, so it couldn't have been them. A quick glance out the open window nearby proved fruitless as well.
She and Dr. Null were taking a short break to have a working lunch in the commons. Ever since the arrival of Dolores Umbridge in Trapperton over an hour ago, Hermione had been trying to slip away a second to go tell Harry to get out now and to tell Ron that, regrettably, he'd been right. Unfortunately, she hadn't had that second to spare. Hermione had always known that the Dr. Null tended to get lost in his work, but she had had no idea that this was also the way he dealt with stress as well.
Dr. Null had insisted she stay with him, throwing himself full-bore into completing reports that Hermione knew weren't due for a week or more. At the Portkey site this morning, she'd watched as Dr. Null had been effectively ignored by not only their newly-arrived guest, but by everyone else in the camp as well. He'd stood rather helplessly watching as Dr. Voyde introduced Umbridge to Carl Smeggers, then immediately whisked her half-sister away in a flurry of chatter about all that had been done on her own project at Trapperton.
At that time, Hermione was tempted to tell Dr. Null that he was probably lucky to be left out of the loop – that meeting Dolores Umbridge was nothing that anyone in their right mind would want to do. She herself had stood silently, mostly hidden behind her mentor, keeping her eyes down so that no accidental eye contact with Umbridge would be made. At least maybe Ron was wrong about that, she thought. He seemed to think Umbridge had arranged for Hermione to be at Trapperton somehow. But certainly, if that had been the case, the miserable old bat would have been watching for her. Wouldn't she?
Dr. Null had turned on Hermione at that moment, ordering her to quickly complete whatever tasks needed to be done with the mail, then to join him in the office in the lab building. She'd hurried off to do just that, thinking that she'd have a moment to run to her cabin and alert Ron and Harry. But then Tod had appeared just as she walked out of the Post Room (and as she'd carefully left the Space Dislocation Spell in limbo) in order to escort her immediately to Dr. Null's side.
They'd been involved in the reports ever since then. Even when Dr. Null's hunger got the best of him, he wanted to continue working through lunch. Hermione felt for the man, burying himself in his work to avoid his problems. In fact, he was so engrossed in reading over the parchment in his hand, he'd missed the soup incident altogether.
Without taking his eyes from the report, Dr, Null reached for his spoon and readied it to scoop up a mouthful of soup.
"Dr. Null! Don't!" Hermione whispered urgently, not wanting to attract the attention of the handlers across the room in any way. She reached in front of the man, grabbed the bowl, and whisked it out of his reach.
Startled, Null finally broke his concentration on the report and looked at her curiously.
"Sorry," she apologized, setting the bowl on the far side of the table and trying to think quickly. "I think I saw a fly in it... We'll have Tulip bring some more... "
Hermione wasn't entirely sure why she hadn't told Dr. Null the truth instead of making something up. Perhaps a fly was just a more sensible explanation, and for all she knew, that's what it had been – though it would have had to have been one very large fly.
"Oh," he said, shrugging. Then he set the parchment down between them. "Here, on this one, we'll need to re-write this page to include this paragraph on gender learning curves. Of course, we haven't had a large sample to draw from, but the initial results have to be included for later comparison purposes..."
Several weeks ago this work would have thrilled and fascinated her, especially listening to and working with research results compiled by the famous Dr. Null. But now, under the present circumstances, she found it almost impossible to concentrate –
Smack! Thunk!
Hermione felt something hit her bare calf under the table and fall to the floor. Leaning back slowly while trying to make it seem as if she was still listening to Dr. Null, she glanced down to see a dog biscuit lying next to the toe of her boot. There are only a few people I know who'd resort to chucking dog biscuits...
Hermione rapidly scanned the other parchments they'd brought along. "Well, what do you think of including this paragraph with it as well – the summary from that session you did with the twins, Foxer and Foxly – their base information is identical except for gender, so shouldn't we include their results?" She was hoping against hope that reading that entire summary and making a decision would keep his attention from her for just long enough...
Dr. Null quickly scanned the sheet, then pulled it over in front of him to re-read. He didn't seem to notice he'd laid the parchment on top of the last half of his sandwich as he read and mumbled, "Good point...good point..."
Relieved, Hermione knew just where to look. Sure enough, a tuft of black hair stuck up next to a ruffled ginger mound just over the bottom edge of the windowsill. Within moments, a pair of bespectacled green eyes became visible next to a pair of deep blue ones. Trying to nonchalantly check and see if either Dr. Null or the handlers were watching, Hermione coughed and held her left hand to her mouth as she signaled with her right for the boys to stay put. She noticed that Harry was trying to get and keep her attention for a moment, long enough to 'draw' three letters in the air with his index finger: S-O-S.
They've found out about Umbridge somehow and they're trying to let me know, Hermione thought. Good. At least, then, they'll know to be even more careful while they're out there. She was thinking, trying desperately to devise a way to get Dr. Null to release her, when she noticed Harry gesturing wildly at her again.
Turning toward the window so that no one could see her expression, she mouthed, "What?"
Harry pointed to Ron, who lifted his left hand far enough that Hermione could see Pig perched on his extended index finger. Pig? Why did Ron bring Pig out? He should have left him in the cabin. He should have – oh my god, something else is wrong—" There was no earthly reason Harry and Ron should even be out, much less have Pig with them unless—
Hermione pointed quickly to herself, then to the door. She gestured for them to get down out of sight, then she rapidly made a decision.
"Dr. Null, excuse me, sir," Hermione started. It took a moment, but finally he turned to look her in the face. "You know I wouldn't do this unless it was extremely important, sir – and if it's humanly possible, I'll be back to help you finish those reports, but – " She paused a moment to gain strength to go on. "Remember our discussion this morning? Early this morning? And you said that if I felt I had to go that I should? I can't tell you the exact circumstances -- or it might cause more problems for the both of us. But...I... think I need to go."
"You're leaving Trapperton? Now?" Null asked. Though he looked as if someone had physically struck him, he sighed and appeared to be summoning courage himself.
"To be honest, sir, I don't plan on leaving Trapperton just yet," Hermione said, still holding on to the hope that she could help this brilliant man save his reputation and his research subjects. "But it may be later today or tonight, yes. I just don't know when. But I do know that I need to go take care of something right now, and I'm not sure what all it will involve. I hate to ask you to do this, sir, without you knowing what I'm talking about – but can you--? Do you think you might be able to trust me without me telling you more?"
Dr. Null looked confused. "You mean trust you by not saying anything to anyone else about it – whatever it is?"
"Yes, sir," Hermione said. "And – perhaps by telling people you haven't seen me since lunch if anyone asks, but that you're sure I'm around somewhere. You know, act like things are - normal?"
Christopher Null let a small, sad smile play around his lips. "You and some of the Yeti are the only ones in Trapperton I can trust, Hermione – and I don't see why I can't spend another day or two pretending everything is normal. I've been doing that for weeks."
Hermione laid her hand on his arm and closed her eyes in relief for a moment. "Thank you, sir. And I haven't forgotten my promise to try and help. If I can-- if there's any way I can – I'll make it happen."
"You're an extraordinary person, Hermione," Null said. "You'll make a fine scientist one day, should you choose. I'm not sure what you're up to here, but may you have the best of luck with it. And please – stay safe."
"You too, sir," she said, standing and heading for the door.
Once outside the commons building, Hermione rounded the corner to the north side of the building and, checking to make sure no one was watching, gestured to the bushes under the window sill. But no one followed.
She wandered casually back to the area near the window, scanning the camp for anyone interested in her activities. Luckily, there was no one nearby. "What are you two doing?" she whispered at the bushes. "We can't talk out here. Let's go back to the cabin."
"Can't," she heard Harry's whisper say.
"What do you mean we—"
"We can't, Hermione," Ron's whisper interrupted. "Anywhere else?"
Hermione was really beginning to worry now. What had happened at the cabin? Well, she'd never find out this way – at least, not without getting them all caught. Hmmm...maybe the Post Room... "All right – on my signal— come on!"
Although there seemed to be some movement with Tod and a few of the handlers wandering around the building where the guest flats were, the activity from where the three of them watched was minimal. In fact, Hermione saw no one at all who would be able to see her and her two best friends sneak into the Post Room.
The three friends all piled into the tiny, old, rickety shack, Harry and Ron appearing to be instantly mesmerized by the shimmering waves in the center above the cement platform.
"Is that what Space Dislocation looks like from your end?" Ron asked. "I didn't think it stayed activated all the time like that, unless –"
"Yes, I intended for the channel to stay open," Hermione said. "In case we can possibly get that burning food shipment in here and back to the Ministry tonight. I requested a special setting for 'general locale' for several hours this evening—"
Ron looked as if he thought she was mad. "You aren't still thinking of trying to ship that burning food after all that's happened--"
"Why not?" Hermione sniffed. "They don't know what our plan is. Besides, it's because of all that's happened to Dr. Null and the Yeti because of those...those..." She didn't want to use the word that came to her mind for the people she was talking about, "that makes me want to try and do it if we can. I'm still planning on doing it, but now with Umbridge here—"
Both Ron and Harry snapped their attention toward Hermione.
"Umbridge is here?" Harry asked in surprise. Ron just stared.
Hermione was confused at their bewilderment. "Why, yes...isn't that...what—"
Ron and Harry were looking at one another by now and nodding a bit.
"That explains a right lot now, doesn't it?" Ron said.
"A right lot of what?" Hermione asked.
"Tell her, Harry. Pig won't disturb the Space Dislocation from here, right?" Ron asked, moving toward the rod where the Post Owls usually waited for their mail to be collected. He watched for Hermione to shake her head 'no', then let Pig crawl from his finger.
"When we first sneaked out of your cabin this morning to come keep an eye on you, there were a lot of people wandering around, so we kind of had to lay low for a while until all of that died down," Harry explained. "We saw you on your way into the lab building with that zooliwizard bloke—"
Hermione couldn't help herself from interrupting. "I know. I wanted to come and tell you two about Umbridge because she'd just left the Portkey site, but Dr. Null is burying himself in his work now to try and forget all the horrible things they're doing to him and he had all of these reports he told me to help him with— he wouldn't let me go--"
"It's okay, Hermione," Ron said. "You were just doing what we'd talked about, trying to make things seem normal. Only thing is, around here things don't stay normal for very long, do they?"
"Anyway –" Harry continued, "we figured you were just working, and there was no way to get near you in that lab building. So we waited around outside on that far end in the bushes for you to come out -- until Ron got hungry. Then he saw that house-elf—"
"Tod," Ron added.
"Yes, Tod – well, by then Tod was doing something in the back of that building where Ron said the kitchens were-- where you were just eating-- but you weren't there yet, so he was going to ask Tod for some food for the two of you, but it was really for the two of us."
Hermione swung her attention to Ron. "You couldn't have waited?"
"No," Ron said defensively. "You told me Tod wouldn't tell anyone else I was here if he thought we were mates and sharing the cabin and the food and everything. You told me."
"Yes, but – " Hermione started, "—things are really strange right now. You could've--"
"If it makes you any happier, he never saw me and I never talked to him—" Ron spluttered out.
"Are you two done yet?" Harry asked impatiently, shooting death looks at the both of them. "This is what we're trying to get to, Hermione. That commons building is closer to your cabin than where we were hiding at first. When Ron went over there, he saw Pig flying around loose above your cabin. Pig had been Spell-Locked inside, so we knew something was wrong. Ron came to get me and we went to check on it. Someone ransacked the place. I don't know if they took anything of yours, but everything was all over, everywhere. That's why we didn't think we ought to stay more than a few minutes and we came to get you at lunch."
"Oh no," Hermione moaned. "But - what could they have been looking for?"
Ron and Harry glanced at one another.
"Evidence, maybe," Harry said.
"Of us – or at least of more people being in your quarters than just you," Ron finished.
"They took my rucksack, but I don't think there's anything in there to prove it's mine," Harry said. "And Ron's jacket. Lucky we got the broomstick and the motorbike out of there, really, and we all have our wands, except—"
Hermione looked back and forth between her two friends, waiting for one of them to say something. Both were staring at the floor and it appeared neither one wanted to give her the bad news. "Except what?"
"They took the key," Ron finally said dejectedly.
Hermione gasped. "The key! Ron, why didn't you take it with you? You didn't have the key?"
"Hey!" Ron said. "It's Harry's motorbike now, why aren't you yelling at him?"
"Yes, but you're the one who's used to keeping track—"
"Oi!" Harry said irritably. "Could we possibly argue about this later so we can decide how to get out of this now?"
Ron and Hermione fired one last evil glare at each other before submitting to Harry's sensible request.
"Point being, Hermione," Harry said. "We can't go back to your quarters – and chances are, since they didn't find us there, they'll be out looking for us soon if they aren't already. No doubt they realize, though, that we can't get away without tripping the wards, so it's more or less like catching fish in a barrel, anyway."
Sounds of conversation and people moving vaguely in their direction suddenly silenced the three friends. They pressed themselves against the narrow wall that had no windows and was away from the open doorway so that they couldn't be seen from the main camp. Hermione, closest to the door, peeked out momentarily, then pulled her head back inside quickly, holding a finger to her lips.
From the sound of it, there was a group of people all walking together. It was difficult to catch any single conversation because several were going on at one time.
Hermione recognized Dr. Voyde's new, saccharin, just-for-"Uncle Phelix" voice as she chattered on: "...later the feeding stations...the socialization lab...the food deliveries from the Ministry...see the training rooms..."
There were the low, guttural, frequently one-syllable rumblings of Carl Smeggers, but she could discern no words...
Hermione's stomach turned again at the sickeningly sweet voice of Dolores Umbridge, who must have been talking with Smeggers or perhaps one of the handlers: "hem, hem...won't let them disturb our lovely lunch with their meddling...where could they go anyway?...stupid children...all in good time...around here somewhere...maybe at least she's with her good Dr. Nothing...er, Null..."
The conversations and footsteps faded until they heard a door close.
Ron looked down at Hermione next to him and whispered, "On their way to lunch? Where you just were?"
"Probably," Hermione answered. "Just a second." Again, she peered out the door to see if anyone was about. A lone handler -- Ulav, she thought – had something in his hand that looked rather like Ron's leather jacket, and he'd nearly reached the housing building for the guests. Perhaps it was Ulav that Umbridge had been talking to. "No one there now. I think they're all in the commons except Dr. Null."
"Sounds like they know we're here all right," Ron said dejectedly. "So what do we do?"
"We don't have many choices," Harry said. "Sounds like we either face Umbridge and the Ministry-hired handler goons here in the camp right now, or—"
"Don't tell me the habitat," Ron moaned.
"Ron, it's our only other choice, and the Yeti have been quiet today—" Hermione jumped in.
"That's because they're all hiding and terrified from seeing what we saw last night," Ron said bluntly, then sighed. "Yeah, I know it's our only other choice. But I don't have to like it, do I?"
"No, but... I'll take my chances with the Yeti over Umbridge and those other beasts any day," Hermione said. "Still, I wish I knew what she was doing here..."
"She came for you, I told you," Ron said.
Hermione looked just a little sheepish. "You were right that she was coming, Ron, I'll give you that. And no doubt she'd be glad to have me, if she could catch me here, where her family seems to be in charge at the moment. But she didn't come just for me, or she'd be relentless in her search of the camp right now. There's more to it than just me, than just us..."
Noticing that Ron was watching her closely, Hermione could tell that he was worried for her safety again – and likely worried about what she was thinking right now about Umbridge...
"So are we agreed?" Harry asked. "We head out to the habitat? At least we know one of us might make it out of there if we have to, assuming we can get to Fred's broom."
"Yeah," Ron said with a sarcastic tone. "And then, since we don't have a key to actually use the thing, we can throw the motorbike at the Yeti if they come after us, right? If they don't get too hacked off, maybe they'll just laugh themselves to death at the thought."
"Honestly, Ron," Hermione said, shaking her head.
"Anyone out there still, Hermione?" Harry asked.
She leaned to the edge of the door and looked around. "I don't see anyone. We can move through the bushes around the edge of the camp until we get to the far entrance to the lab building. Then we can head out the back door to the habitat. Dr. Null's in his office, but I think that's all – and he should be fairly easy to sneak by."
"Let's go then," Ron said.
Harry moved to the door of the Post Room, scanned the camp for anyone that might see them, and then stepped out, heading for the nearest row of hedges. Hermione followed Harry at Ron's direction, and Ron brought up the rear.
Hermione had intended to go along with what they had all decided – she really had. But it was simply driving her mad trying to understand why Dolores Umbridge had come to Trapperton. Of course, she seemed to be in on the deprivation plan, something that, sadly, seemed to be just her style – and chances were that training the Yeti to kill wouldn't bother her much either. But what was in that for Dolores Umbridge? She was related to Dr. Voyde and might get some minor pleasure from knowing that her half-sister, or whatever she was, had fooled the Ministry into funding her research program. Surely she wouldn't come all this way just to take revenge on Hermione for stranding her in the Forbidden Forest. Dolores Umbridge could be petty, most certainly, but she had grander designs than that. Hermione intended to find out what they were.
She moved along slowly behind Harry, crouching especially low behind the foliage when they scared a tiny bird from its roost. But if we get just past this row, we'll be close to the back of the commons building...And from there I could hide in the bushes along the side from where Harry and Ron watched...Umbridge and her cronies should still be eating lunch, and if they happen to be close enough to that window...
Harry and Ron will kill me, but I've got to see if I can find out more – for Dr. Null's sake, for the Yeti's sake, for the sake of any creature the wizarding world seeks to manipulate and twist for their own gain...
She made her decision. Hearing her name in frantic whispers behind her, first in one tone, then in two, Hermione charged forward across the narrow open space between the hedge near the fence and the bushes growing along the side of the commons building. She could imagine her two best friends looking at one another in disbelief at her actions, as they had a number of times since she'd known them. Then they'll likely roll their eyes, and shake their heads, and maybe follow...
She made it without incident to her goal, stopping below the window through which Harry and Ron had chucked dog biscuits at her no more than an hour earlier. Two familiar, but complaining bodies slipped into the small empty space next to her.
"Are – you – mad?" Ron whispered tensely, leaning into her face as she sat with her back against the wall.
"I thought we were going to the habitat," Harry said under his breath.
She looked at Ron first. "No more mad than that day at King's Cross when we first ran into that evil man beating Bruno." Then she turned to Harry. "And yes, we are going to the habitat, as soon as we're done here."
"That's the point!" Ron said quietly, but emphatically. "What are we doing here?"
Hermione sighed. "I need information on what she's doing to take to Dumbledore, or the Order, or whoever can help. Something is terribly wrong with what they're doing to these Yeti. There's got to be another reason she's here!"
"Well, I can't say I wouldn't mind seeing a little suffering headed her way," Harry said snidely. "Where's her group sitting, do you know? Close enough to hear?"
"I don't know," Hermione said, listening, "but...doesn't that sound like her?"
Afraid of being sighted if they tried to peer into the room, the three friends sat silently with their backs against the wall, trying to sort the familiar girlish voice from the rest. It was easier once Umbridge had managed to intimidate most of the rest of the group into silence. They listened to the mundane story of Umbridge's delay in getting to Trapperton, then a short conversation with Uncle Phelix took place, telling him he really needed to do something about that insolent new housekeeper. After that, the conversation turned to some boring Ministry gossip about people they didn't know, until...
"Poor sniveling Lucius Malfoy's having a time of it with his barristers trying to get him out of Azkaban," said the sweet little-girl voice. "But I really think that makes for some interesting opportunities for those of us who are paying close attention, don't you, Pamela dear?"
Dr. Voyde's soft, nasal-sounding laughter came in response, followed by Smeggers' single loud snort.
Then the girlish voice continued. "I mean to say, that leaves rather a weak spot in the ranks in my opinion. And what with that lunatic Albus Dumbledore off on some mad quest slogging around the countryside in search of Morgana-knows-what...Well, it just seems the timing is right for us – through no fault of our own. Isn't that positively delightful?" A sickening giggle followed.
"We'll get the respect that's rightfully ours, Dolly," Dr. Voyde said. "We will."
Hermione noticed that Ron and Harry had disgusted looks on their faces that coincided with the nearly overwhelming sickness she felt inside.
"Now all we have to do is prove ourselves," Umbridge went on. "And we are already so close. Of course, it's never done directly, but I can say it was communicated to me how much it was appreciated that I was able, even under the guise of Ministry 'legitimacy' as the Hogwarts headmistress, to torture that little wretch Potter."
Ron and Hermione glanced over at Harry, who stared into his lap while he tore viciously at the bark on a twig he'd picked up. Hermione laid her hand on his forearm to lend what silent comfort she could.
Umbridge was beginning to sound just a little too mad, a little too crazed even to be precisely the witch they had dealt with earlier in the year at Hogwarts. Perhaps all that lunacy in the Forbidden Forest did do something permanent to her psyche, Hermione thought.
"This is our destiny, my dear Pamela – and to which you've contributed greatly, Mr. Smeggers," Umbridge said. "Thank you...both of you."
An unintelligible grunt from Smeggers seemed to suffice for an answer from him.
An outbreak of laughter from what sounded like two handlers broke into the conversation then. They sounded farther away, as if they must be at a more distant table and involved in a conversation of their own, but the timing of their outburst did nothing to help what the three friends had just heard.
"But is ours the first, Dolly?" Dr. Voyde asked. "The basis for it is here with us now, and we've got this huge facility to use to our benefit, but to build it in numbers that can be effective will take time. We're finding some of them are more difficult to turn than others."
"Don't worry," Umbridge said. "I believe we have some time. We must make haste, but we have a bit of time. Without being in the ranks as of yet, it is difficult to gain information. We must build his trust, and the first proof that he can believe in us will be our little exercise between your first-turned Yeti and those gutless heathens."
Hermione, Harry, and Ron all looked at one another in concerned response to that phrase, as if each was trying to convince themselves they were mistaken about just who the aforementioned 'him' could be.
"I have indeed heard that he has begun the search – for armies." Umbridge spoke even lower as if what she had to say was of the utmost importance. "The rumors abound, they do. But with the aid of my well-placed little spies...Wizards like that slippery Thaddeus Sharpe – the man would do anything for the promise of an influential vote and a chance at sweet Uncle Phelix's job. But that won't be happening for some time now, will it, Uncle Phelix dear?"
Hermione heard a slobbery grunt and something that sounded like it used to be a voice.
"Miss Umbridge would be liking her pudding now?" Tulip's soft and tentative voice broke into the intensity of the conversation. "And tea or coffee, as well as?"
"No pudding, Elf," Umbridge said almost impatiently. "Just coffee for now. I'll be having my sweets outside. After such a lovely lunch, I'm in the mood for a little child-hunting – and I know just the one to satisfy my appetite, though maybe two would do even better."
"I reckon that's our cue," Ron whispered, looking rather alarmed, and moving immediately into a squatting position from sitting on the ground. "Not to mention I reckon we need to be moving quickly!"
Hermione and Harry followed suit and the three returned swiftly to the hedge row in the back of the commons building. They had little trouble getting to the cement stoop on the far side of the lab. Although it was a longer path to that entrance, they didn't have to cross the huge, wide open area in front of the lab building.
"What luck, eh?" Hermione whispered as she released the entrance door very gently so it wouldn't slam and echo their arrival throughout the unlit hallway. "Dr. Null's probably still in the office, which is pretty close to the center of the building, so just keep down. If we can only get to the other end of the corridor, like we did when we took the motorbike and the broom out there...After all, it worked yesterday."
The lab building was deserted save for Null. Hermione was congratulating herself that she'd been right about that. Ha! she couldn't help herself from thinking. Foiled sweet little Dolores Umbridge again. For all we know, we may be able to simply walk out the back door and into the habitat to relative safety.
"That light, Hermione –" Ron, who had taken the lead in the hallway, stopped just before the office. "--Is that Dr. Null's?"
"Probably," she answered. "Stay down below those windows on the top half of the wall and we should be fine. He doesn't ordinarily notice things that are right in front of him, much less someone sneaking by. Then head straight out through the end to the habitat door."
Harry willingly allowed Hermione to move in front of him so that she could better guide Ron.
Passing below the windows to the office, Hermione peeked over enough to see the back of Dr. Null's head. He was hunched over his piled-high desk, probably still poring over those reports, especially since he was now more or less on his own. Poor man, she thought, ...so brilliant and so alone.
Ron was nearly past the office windows now and once they were more than halfway through the darkened hallway, the doors were only on their right and led to empty training rooms. They were past the mid-point now...
Bang!
A training room door flew open ahead. Suddenly the corridor was blindingly illuminated and the hulking figures of two handlers blocked the hallway between them and the habitat door.
Hermione heard Ron's and Harry's involuntary gasps along with her own. They forgot to hold their crouch and, blinking in the suddenly-bright light, they focused on Beamer and Hank before them.
The two handlers were just as surprised. But it didn't take them long. "Hey! You there! All of you!"
The men's hands halfway to their wands, there was no thinking twice. Ron, Harry and Hermione turned and fled back down the hall at top speed. Hermione could hear heavy footsteps behind them -- the zing of a cast spell whizzed past her ear and hit the window next to her, cracking it in its intensity.
Please, please, no one come through that door ahead, she pleaded. With locked doors on all sides of them now, there would be nowhere to run if they couldn't go back the way they'd entered.
Another spell split the air. Harry darted left to avoid it, but it threw him off-balance. Hermione barely avoided tripping over him by dodging right, but before she could turn to help, she heard Ron slow a few beats to scoop him up and get him stabilized.
Slamming into the door at the end of the hall, they were suddenly outside. No bushes were going to hide them now -- the handlers were too close behind. This was a foot race pure and simple -- they'd have to outrun the handlers and their spells in full view of the entire camp.
"This way!" Hermione said loudly, darting immediately to the right.
Hermione, Ron, and Harry pounded along in front of the lab building now, gaining a bit more of a lead on the handlers. But they would need it. Once they rounded the corner of the building, again she'd have to hope: this time, that both gates to the habitat were open at best -- unlocked and unwarded, if nothing else. Then there were the dogs...
Beginning to panic, Hermione ordered herself to calm down, for nothing good had ever come of it when she became too frazzled.
"Oh no," she muttered, seeing that the huge gates from both the inner circle of the dog runs and the habitat were closed and appeared to be Spell-Locked. They could run no farther, at least in that direction.
"Where now?" Harry asked, chancing a look behind them.
"Oh -- I don't know," Hermione fretted as she paced, breathing hard and clutching at a sharp pain in her side. "Wait! The handler's gate, the small one!" She'd nearly forgotten the door-sized gate at the side that the handlers used when they were performing routine tasks by themselves.
Hermione pointed and Harry was closest, so he walked over and started to reach for the gate to push it.
"Wait! Harry, don't touch it!" Hermione spat out, scurrying to follow him. "If we do this and if it's warded, we may set off alarms through the whole camp."
"Do we have a choice?" Ron asked. "You have any other way to get out of this in, say -ten seconds?"
Hermione had no answer, so she quickly bent over and picked up a palm-sized rock, tossing it into the chain-link wire of the gate. Nothing happened. "Yes! Our first bit of luck – go ahead, it's not warded."
And neither was it locked. When Harry lifted the latch and pushed, the small gate swung right open. The three friends scrambled through it, finding themselves in the empty no-man's land of the dog runs. Hermione lagged behind a few feet to place a Locking Charm on the gate's latch, but she knew it wouldn't last long.
"Maybe not so lucky...listen," Ron said. On the far side of the camp, they could hear the dogs barking, probably at the realization that someone had just entered their space. It wouldn't be long until they had snarling dogs and rabid handlers at their throats.
"Is there a small gate over here?" Harry asked, staring at the immensity of the huge outside Yeti entrance to the habitat.
"If there is, I don't know where," Hermione said.
"Our friends have arrived," Ron said dryly, looking behind them where the handlers had just rounded the corner of the lab building.
Hermione didn't want to tell her friends that things looked bad, but they did.
Harry was looking back and forth between the enormous gate and the fast-approaching handlers. "Let's see if this one's warded." Harry picked up a rather large, heavy branch from the ground. He turned and pitched the branch into the fence, then stepped back.
Blue and orange sparks flew from the gate, a few leaves on the now-fallen branch singed and smoldering. Hermione could hear alarms going off in all of the work buildings and over the Voluminus, the loud speaker spell for the camp. In a matter of minutes, there were likely to be a half-dozen more people present, none of them with honorable or gentle intentions.
"Hermione, I know Impervius works for water," Ron said. "You think it might work for a few minutes for sparks and ward-deflection?"
Hermione was still fighting getting flustered. "I – I don't know. Why?"
"Because remember the other day? You and I slipped through the gate when JoyBoy Leif bashed it with the boulder?" Ron asked. "Maybe Harry and I together could jam the branch in to hold it open wide enough to slip through without touching... You willing to try?" He looked at Harry.
"Er, as you said...do we have a choice?" Harry said, smiling a bit
"All right, then," Ron said, taking a deep breath. "Go, Hermione." He and Harry stood still and straight for Hermione to perform the spell.
"Impervio!"
"I'll take this end, we'll hold it straight up to the fence until we jam it in there on three – ready?" Harry asked. "One, two, three!"
Harry and Ron together shoved the heavy branch into the small space between the gate and the stationary fence. Sheets of white sparks punctuated with long ribbons of blue and orange light showered down on their heads and bounced off onto the ground. Ignoring the sound of the branch sizzling where it touched the wire, they grunted as they turned it to jam the narrow opening apart.
"Oh, hurry," Hermione moaned. "They're at the gate." She could hear that the words the handlers were guessing were coming closer to the counter-spell for hers and that the dogs were just around the corner now.
"Go Harry, you first," Ron said. "Don't touch any skin to metal, whatever you do."
Harry took a deep breath, stood straight and stiff and sidestepped his way through the narrow gap without touching.
"Yes!" Ron said triumphantly. "You next, Hermione."
"No, you next," Hermione said in a strange voice. While Ron and Harry had been dealing with the fence, the dogs had rounded the bend and were frantically snarling and snapping their way along the dog run toward Hermione. "I stand a better chance with the dogs than you. Hide when you get in there – it'll help me with the dogs."
"What! No!" Ron said, looking panicked.
"Go! Help me and go, please!" she said as the first dog reached her. Startled as the dog ran up growling and barking loudly almost in her face, she turned and tried to grab at her wand. Hermione stepped on her own untied boot lace and fell off-balance, her knee accidentally knocking her wand from her hand to the ground a meter away.
"Little problem there, girlie?" Beamer said snidely. The sun glinted from his shiny bald head as he strolled up right behind the dogs, his own wand at the ready.
The dogs had formed a half-circle around her and Ron by now, barking and snarling.
"Attack, you bloody mutts!" Hank said. "Attack!"
The dogs seemed to hear the handler, but looked uncertain.
Hermione quickly scanned the group for Bruno, but he wasn't among them. Otherwise, she knew they'd back down immediately.
The foot of another dog was only centimeters from her wand. Beamer leaned down to pick it up, but the dog nearly took off a chunk of his face. He stood up quickly without the wand and backed away until he stood next to Hank.
"Right, then," Beamer said. "You two just call your little friend out here and we'll take you all to Dr.Voyde and Miss Umbridge, nice and easy-like..."
"Hey you! Little friend here! How about you tell Umbridge we're not so nice and we don't go easy-like? Petrificus Totalus!" Harry's incantation rang out, but Beamer dodged and Hank toppled to the ground, petrified. Beamer swung around and pointed his wand, returning the same incantation at Harry through the fence. For a few seconds, spells tore through the air between Harry and Beamer right next to where she and Ron stood.
Hermione saw Ron quickly jam his hand into his pocket, then fling it high the air. It began raining dog biscuits. Suddenly, huge canine bodies were launching into the air, diving for the ground, and snarling and snapping at one another instead of at her and Ron. Two of the dogs jumped for the same biscuit mid-air and knocked Beamer to the ground in the middle of a spell incantation meant for them.
Stunned at all the instant commotion, Hermione stood numbly staring for a second until she felt a strong hand grab hers. "Wait – my wand!" Hermione told Ron, and she paused to snatch it up from the ground before he pulled her near to the small opening between the gate and the fence.
The branch holding it open had caught fire in earnest by now and shortened; the opening was much narrower, and the flaming bough holding it open was in danger of dropping away altogether and closing on top of and around anyone passing through.
"Stay close," Ron whispered, yanking her immediately in front of him and wrapping his arms tightly around her entire upper torso protectively.
She could see nothing but darkness as she was smashed into his chest, but for some reason the scent of him and the feel of Ron surrounding her calmed her, if only a little.
"To your left...now!" Ron ordered, but he didn't wait for her response. She felt herself being lifted and carried a few steps and she worked hard to get her feet working beneath her. Ron ducked his head down onto the top of hers, either to cover it or to protect his face, she wasn't sure, but it was then she heard the ominous humming sound of the wards kicking in and the crackle of sparks and violated barriers all around them. Even in the darkness she could see the blinding flashes of the orange and blue magical charges.
"Arrrgghhh," Ron moaned in a long, low, muffled cry of pain into her ear as they jostled along.
The pungent smell of charred wood, burnt hair and singed flesh assailed her nose, but a few moments later they were beyond the fence and he released all but her hand. She felt a thud on the ground by her foot; a few feet behind them the burning branch had dropped and the gap in the still-warded fence had closed to mere inches. Beamer had organized himself from the ground enough to try and get off a spell at the three of them inside the habitat. Hermione turned and readied her wand; Harry's was already lined up to fire. But just then a huge mass of black and brown flew in a blur from the side into the handler's face. Salivating, snapping jaws clamped down on the man's wand arm, and the dog started tugging him about by the forearm as he wailed.
"Bruno," she murmured just before she was again yanked away. This time Ron pulled her into the tall brush at the side of the entry clearing where the two of them had hidden a few days before.
"Are you all right, Ron?" Harry said with deep concern once they reached an opening large enough for all three of them to stand in. "You are one mad bloke for trying that."
"I've learned from the best of the mad blokes, mate," Ron said, his voice strained even in jest. "Spot-on timing with those spells, thanks. I couldn't have done it just now. I'm not sure I want to look at my arms yet...They are...just a bit painful."
"I'll keep an eye on that handler for the moment...His arms, Hermione," Harry said. "See if you can do anything. I think the rest of him made it through all right. Going through one at a time not good enough for you then?"
"Didn't think we'd both make it before the branch fell and the opening closed up...unless we did it together," Ron said matter-of-factly. "Besides, I reckoned the Impervius would still be enough to protect her...er, us." Ron's ears began to blush deep red and he looked anxious to change the subject. "The dogs were working with me, though. See how I had them under control?"
Harry snorted.
It always amazed Hermione how collected the two of them could sound under even the worst of circumstances.
She turned to Ron, looking at him closely for the first time since entering the habitat– and gasped. "Is that what the ward spells did?"
Most of the fine reddish-blond hair on Ron's forearms had been singed off, and some of the previously improved brain scarring had been burned and re-opened; it was red, bloody in places, and angry-looking. Ron was trying not to look pained, she could tell, but she also knew him well enough to know he was hurting pretty badly.
She knew she must have had a horrified look on her face because she glanced up to find Ron watching her with an expression that was a mixture of both sadness and resignation. Quickly she turned away as her eyes filled, frantically and deliberately searching for something else to look at.
Hermione watched Harry for a moment as he visually checked on the handlers' activities through a hole in the foliage. He didn't say anything about the man, but she could still hear dogs barking and snarling and an occasional muffled yell. Harry didn't seem to be worried that anyone was coming for the moment, though, and pulled his head away from the hole to look back at his friends.
"That's why I told Harry not to touch the fence wire," Ron said. "Besides -- I reckoned that even if the Impervius didn't hold and I bumped the wire a little, nothing the wards could do would make the scarring any uglier. Looks like I musta bumped it quite a bit,"
Ron quipped just before drawing in air through his teeth in pain.
Seeming to have a mind of their own, her eyes were drawn once more to Ron and she fought the urge to let her gaze drop to his arms. Staring straight into his eyes, she watched his sarcastic facade drop away before she said quietly, "You did that for me? So that I wouldn't..."
But the look in Ron's eyes was so bold and straightforward and open at that moment, even through the pain, and there was such an unequivocal, wordless "yes, of course, and you know I'd do that and more again" behind them, that her words just faded away. All at once she knew she couldn't let down her guard and face that much honesty and emotion any longer – at least not here, not while she was supposed to be rational and quick-thinking, instead of thanking him in the way she wanted to just then. His eyes had said it all.
Still, she had no time to think about it, either. "I told you I think your scars will heal and disappear...eventually," Hermione said determinedly and quite clinically, though it had made her stomach ache to look at his arms before, and she privately wondered if what she'd told him was true. "I've already told you how to keep them healing – just think positive."
"I'm trying to think positive -- about the pain too, Hermione," Ron said, "but it's really hard when it hurts so much."
His voice was so odd when he said that. Did he--? Was he talking about just his arms, or...? She took the chance and looked into his face once more, only to find those eyes were trying, and quite nearly managing, to stare right through her, perhaps searching for a means to see straight into her heart and find what truth he could.
"Hmmm, let me think," she said, trying to keep thinking instead of feeling and come up with a spell that would ease the pain, if only a little.
"Er...they seem to be collecting a bit of a search party out there," Harry said, back at peering through the brush and sounding a bit worried. "If we're planning on finishing your little task with the food shipment later, Hermione, we're going to have to find some place to hide. Right now."
Earlier on, she'd thought that hiding out in the habitat itself would be sufficient, because the handlers would assume no one would go there except as a last resort. Now that it had been well-advertised via the ward alarms exactly where they were, they'd have to find a much more secure hiding place.
"With friends," she said to herself. "Come on. I know where, but we've got to get past that lab habitat entrance before the handlers head out here after us."