© Sunrisepainter: Because of Snape

23. Help!

Hope spent the rest of the evening in her room before she had to go down and say her farewells. While doing so, Draco gave her one of his scornful looks. How could a person be this tactless?

Mr Shycates and McShadew did not even notice how silent and thoughtful Hope became. When the two snakes were finally gone, Hope immediately went back to her quiet room. She threw herself on her bed and buried her face in her pillows.

Did her father only invite her because he wanted her to become a Death Eater, too? All this time she was sure that all the rumours about him had been nothing but made up. And now, it became apparent that her own father was nothing more than a puppet in the hands of the darkest wizard of all times. She rolled herself into a ball and started to weep helplessly.

Her eyes wandered towards the snow globe she wanted to give to George for Christmas. Lost in thoughts she shook it. The black dragon on the rock was soon caught in a snow storm.

Someone knocked the door. She swiftly put the globe under her pillow and wiped the tears from her eyes, just in time before her father could see them.

"Aside from some minor deviations, your behaviour was appropriate." He said curtly. "That's the reason why I'm going to keep my promise." Without wasting another word he threw the letters on her bed. She quickly took them before he could change his mind.

"Is there anything else?" She asked when he made no move to leave the room.

"The day after tomorrow, we have to call on an important person. It's especially significant for your own future." He said and his eyes showed no sign of sadness or regret. Hope gulped. She knew what he was talking about. Things were progressing much faster than she expected.

"Good night!" So, Mr. Shycates left his daughter alone with her worries and her fear. Hope opened the first envelop with trembling fingers.

Dear Hope,

I hope you have made up with your father and you enjoy your time together. This Aglaja- woman did not leave a very positive impression on me, so I also hope she will not give you a hard time.

The mountains were I spend my Holidays are very beautiful. I did not get to go skiing yet but my dad wants to take me to the beginners' slope tomorrow morning.

Of course, homework before pleasure. I think we both are the only students in Hogwarts who also study during their Holidays. Harry and Ron wrote to me as soon as they were home. It seems like Fred and George managed to drive their mum up the wall on their first day back home. Sometimes I feel very sorry for poor Mrs. Weasley. I guess I have to have a word with them soon. Their mum is having a rough ride at the moment. I did not have a chance to tell you sooner as there was a lot going on in your life, too. Some days before the beginning of our Holidays, Mr Weasley was bitten by a poisonous snake and brought to the St. Mungo. His life is not in danger any more but of course, his wife is still worried about him. Everyone hopes that Mr Weasley will come home before Christmas Eve.

However, I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and I'm expecting your answer soon.

With Love From

Hermione

Mr Weasley was at the hospital? Poor guy. After all, Christmas was nearing.

She would have loved to answer Hermone but she did not own an owl and the one who brought Hemione's letter was long gone.

For a moment or two, Hope thought deeply about all the possibilities she had left. Mr Shycates had put her wand in a drawer in his room on her first day at his house. Hope did see it by chance. Without her wand she was absolutely lost and powerless. However, she needed to get out of this house as soon as possible if she did not want to end up as a Death Eater or anything else related to you-know-who. She remembered that there was also a cage with a black owl in her fathers dormitory. If she could somehow manage to sneak into his room while he and McShadew were still downstairs...

At Grimmauld Place 13, Hermione sighing put her head on her hands and looked trough an iced window. Yesterday, the first snow had fallen in London. After she had realised that skiing was not made for her, she had asked her parents to allow her to spend Christmas with her friends instead. Ginny, Ron and Harry had been very happy about her arrival.

"What's wrong?" George's voice brought her back to reality.

"Did you forget some book in Hogwarts?" Fred joked and the twins sat down at the dining table. Hermione glared at Fred.

"So, what's really on your mind?" Geroge asked another time. Hermione sighed once again:
"I owled Hope yesterday but she still didn't answer. I'm afraid that she might be in trouble."

"She probably just forgot to write back." George assumed.

"I don't think so. Shycates ever forgets about such things. She's very, very responsible." Fred contradicted his brother and frowned.

"Maybe it had to do with her dad or his new flame..." He added. Hermione looked alarmed:

"Why do you think so?"

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling somehow. Maybe he doesn't allow her to contact her friends. Maybe he's also a psycho like Harry's uncle." Fred shrugged his shoulders.

"Well..." Hermione looked like she was racking her brain about it.

"Come on, Hermione dear. We can't stand seeing your sad face. Cheer up, Christmas Eve is coming, too." George pleaded and Hermione could not help herself and smile.

"See, I made you laugh." George's face brightened up, too. The two stared into each others eyes for a while.

"Oh, I don't want to be the third wheel in this story. I'm going to leave you two love-birds alone now." George was quite angry for Fred destroying his and Hermiones first romantic moment after weeks. Immediately, the two in love blushed. In her embarrassment Hermione was looking at everything but George. However, their embarrassment was forgotten once something was knocking on the window.

"It's an owl!" George piped up. Fred jumped to his feed and opened the window so that the owl could come in. The grey owl circled around the ceiling light a few times before it alighted on the table in front of Hermione.

"The letter has my name on it." She noticed in surprise after undoing the envelope from the owls leg. She stroke the owl to thank it and then she curiously opened the envelope. In amusement the twins watched eyes flickering with excitement as she read the words. However, her face paled soon afterwards. The boys exchanged some alarmed glances. Did something happen?

"That's horrible!" Hermione sighed and run her hand trough her brown curls.

"What is?" The twins in unison.

"See for yourselves." Hermione answered and handed Fred the letter. George leaned over his brothers shoulder to also read the neat words on parchment:

Dear Hermione,

actually, I'm doing fine at my father's house, quite like our first talk in the toilet. You remember?

I nearly love my dad as much as I do love Cormac. He and his girlfriend are actually in the same club as the ferrets father. I've seen their badges. They want me to join the club, too when I'm old enough. However, I'm still thinking about it.

Yesterday, the ferret and his father visited us. My parents are good friend with them and I guess they want me and the ferret to end up together. The ferret's father also told them that their leader is back from his long journey and that he needs their help to expand their club. I think they have a meeting next week or so...

I really miss you but you shouldn't come and see me. Our house is quite as safe as our school grounds and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in any kind of way.

Nevertheless, I hope to receive more letters from you.

Hugs and Kisses

Hope

PS: Hermione, Everyone Loves Practical jokes.

"What is this all about, Hermione?", Fred asked puzzled.

"It's all about Hope being in danger!"

"Eh?"

"Well, it's a coded message. The day we met in the toilet she was crying which means that she's feeling very troubled right now, too. Moreover, she hates Cormac which means she feels the same for her father. She also wrote that her dad and his girlfriend might me Death Eaters. That's what she probably means with "club" and the "badges" might be the dark mark. And then there is the part with the ferret and his father. She obviously referring to the Malfoys here. Lucius Malfoy told them that you-know-who is back and looking for new supporters. Her father wants Hope to become one of them and as she is practically trapped in his house, there is no way for her to escape or for others to get in." Hermione explained everything.

"And what's with that strange P.S.? I mean first it sounds strange and second, she doesn't like jokes at all." Fred wanted to know and frowned.

"That's a code, too. Hermione stands for "H", everyone for "E", loves for "L" and practical for "P" which results to the simple word "HELP"." Hermione explained again.

"Clever." George whistled.

"We have to get her out of there. As soon as possible!" Hermione concluded.

"I'm in!" Fred said quick as a shot.

"Of course." George agreed. "Do you have a plan?"
Hermione bit her bottom lip.

"Well...um...I...um...I'm going to figure out..." She finally mumbled.

"Should we tell the others about Shycates letter?" Geroge wondered aloud.

"No, I guess that would be not a good idea." Fred said. "Mum and dad have their own problems right now. Ginny shouldn't get involved in this either and Ron and Harry wouldn't be that helpful. They're sometimes too rash after all." The other two nodded their agreement. It was better keeping the news to themselves.

"Listen guys, I have an idea..." Fred said slowly and frowned.

"What?" Hermione and George asked in unison.

Hope knew well enough that she risked her skin to send the owl from her fathers room. She was hoping that it was back before anyone noticed its disappearance and before her father would go to bed.

That was one of the reasons why she sat on the window sill with the window open watching the full moon in silence. Somehow, this became a habit. However, it seemed as if she was automatically drawn in by the moon light. She could not take her eyes from the big, round ball lighting up the night sky. It was like she could forget everything around her as soon as she saw just a glimpse of moonlight. It made her feel calm and peaceful like charging her with new energy. She felt as free and strong as never before in her life.

Hope was also praying that Hermione would get the letter. She knew that her friend knew her well enough to decode the real meaning behind it. However, she was not sure if Hermione could do anything for her in the end. Hopes eyes landed on the snow globe, the one she wanted to give to George. She got to her feed, carefully lifted the globe from her bed and went back to the window again. The red eyes of the dragon were illuminated by the moon light and made it look dangerous but also mysterious. She really like the black dragons. Twin dragons. Lost in thoughts she shook the snow globe and the dragon was covered with artificial snowflakes. Hopes eyes followed each snowflake until it fell to the floor.

Sighing deeply she put the globe on the sill in front of her and looked back at the night sky.

"I wished I also had wings like this dragon to get out of this place." She though.

However, she was human and could not fly. No, she was a witch, so it could actually fly but without her wand her magic was completely useless. Suddenly, she saw something moving in the darkness of the skyline.

"A shooting star!" This sentence escaped her lips before she could think about the possible consequences of arousing her father's attention. However, no one came to look for her so she swiftly closed her eyes and wished for something or someone to take her away from here. When she opened her eyes again she saw another light moving up and down which looked nothing like a star at all. It looked as if it was moving in her direction. Excitedly she squeezed her eyes to get a better view at this strange object. There was a faint soughing noise and then the light was so bright that Hope had to shield her eyes with her arms in order to not be blinded by it.

"Hope." A voice whispered. Was the light actually talking to her?

"Hope? Listen, Hope." The speaker raised his voice but Hope did not even dare to make a peep.

"SHYCATES!"

Hope shrieked. It was not the light which was talking to her but a voice she knew very well.

"Are you deaf or what?" Fred snapped at her. The light was gone and finally, Hope was able to lower her arms. Her eyes needed a little time to get used to the darkness again and for her to visualize the three silhouettes in front of her.

About fifty centimetres away from her window, Fred, George and Hermione were hovering with their brooms. Hermione who shared a broom with George had her arms tightly around his middle and her eyes were shut.

"So, you actually love practical jokes? Why didn't you say so sooner?" Fred asked with a wide grin spreading across his face. His impudence made her all mad again.

"Well, I couldn't think of something else so don't turn this into some kind of drama, Weasley!" She hissed and blushed. Although he was already driving her crazy, she had never been happier to see him.

"So, what is going on Hope? Why did you send such a letter?" Hermione asked. Hope heard in her voice that Hermione felt very uncomfortable on the back of that broom.

"I'll explain everything but first, come in." Hope whispered and hopped of the window sill so that her friends could easily enter her room,

George looked around:

"Nice room."

"No, nothing is nice in this house!" Hope hissed gloomily.

"Come on, tell us!" Hermione asked her friend for the second time. Making it as short as possible, Hope summarized everything that happened since she had left King's Cross. She told them about her father, his new girlfriend, the Malfoys and finally there horrible plan to make her into a Death Eater.

"Wow, this is all really messed up!" George shook his head in disbelief and Hermione comfortingly put an arm around Hopes shoulder.

"It's time for you to say goodbye to this house as soon as possible, darling." Fred grinned and she raised an eyebrow:

"With pleasure but how?"

Fred rolled his eyes:
"Just pack your stuff and buzz off together with us, Miss know-it-all!
She only bit her bottom lip:
"What if we get caught by my father. I can't escape this easily. What would my mother say and-"

"So you rather want to become a Death Eater?" Hermione eyed her intensely. Hope lowered her head;

"No but I have nowhere to go anyway."

"You do. Just come with us. Let's go to London. Mum and the others won't mind." George assured her.

"So, take your bags, your books and your wand and let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps!" Fred shivered.

"My wand! My father locked it up!" Hope remembered. Fred just shrugged his shoulders:
"So what? Let's just take it out."

"Are you crazy?" Hope hissed quietly. "It's locked in a drawer in his room. It's possible the drawer is under a spell."

"You think that is going to hold us back?" Fred asked nonchalantly and let his own wand turn around in his hand. "A little whoosh and poof and done the deal!"

"As if "a little whoosh and poof" would be all that is needed!" Hermione huffed. "Hope is right. The two were going against might be Death Eater and they probably are going to use black magic, too." Everyone kept silent for a moment.

"However..." Hermione started her new thought.

"Yes?" Everyone looked at her in expectation.

"However, you could think about buying a new wand as soon as were in London." Hermione proposed. Hope did not want to admit it but she was a little disappointed. She had hoped for Hermione to come up with some great plan on how getting her wand back without risking anything. After she thought about it for a while, Hope nodded her head. She would rather sacrifice her wand instead of her friends lives.

"So pack it up and cut and run." George said.

End of Chapter Twenty-Three.