Hermione's mind raced with questions, her heart was filled with a sense of dread. Who could have done this to Fleur, and why? She couldn't shake the feeling that they were dealing with something beyond their comprehension, something that could not be explained by ordinary means. She couldn't help but wonder if Dumbledore and McGonagall knew about this, and if they did, why had they not taken any action? Her mind went back to her conversation with McGonagall earlier in the day. Had she sensed something was wrong but not said anything? Or worse, had she been complicit in Fleur's captivity?
The more Hermione thought about it, the more questions she had, and the less certain she became about who to trust. She knew that if someone had wanted to keep Fleur captive, they must have had a good reason to do so. It was clear that they had chosen the Hogwarts dungeon for a reason, but what could it be?
She knew that she had to keep her safe from whoever had done this. She was her utmost priority.
She turned to Fleur and said, "I know a place where you can be safe. The girls' bathroom. I'll bring you new clothes and food."
"But you must promise me that you won't leave that spot," Hermione emphasized, her eyes locking onto Fleur's. "We can't trust anyone, and no one can see you."
Fleur nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude and trust. Hermione couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility for Fleur's safety, and she was determined to do everything in her power to protect her.
Fleur was too weak to speak as she followed Hermione through the secret tunnel. The only sound was the soft shuffling of their feet on the damp ground. Hermione moved confidently, as if she had done this a million times before. The air in the tunnel was musty, and the scent of wet earth lingered in the air. Fleur's heart was pounding as she tried to keep up with Hermione's brisk pace, but the girl's determination kept her going.
As they continued on, the sound of tiny feet grew louder and louder until an army of rats appeared before them. Fleur shuddered, taking a step back in fear, but Hermione did not flinch. She simply raised her wand, and the rats parted like the red sea, allowing the girls to pass through safely. Hermione's knowledge of Hogwarts' secret passages had been one of the most significant advantages for the trio in the past, and it was proving to be helpful once again.
Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel, and Hermione pushed aside a large stone to reveal the entrance to the girls' bathroom. Fleur's eyes widened in surprise as Hermione led her inside, and they both breathed a sigh of relief at their arrival in a safe haven.
Moaning Myrtle, the resident ghost of the girls' bathroom, floated over to Hermione and Fleur, intrigued by the sudden appearance of two girls in such a secretive manner. She peered over Fleur's trembling figure, noting the dark circles under her eyes and the torn state of her robes. Her tone was one of concern, as she asked, "Aw, poor girl, who did this to you?"
Hermione's gaze flickered from Myrtle to Fleur and back, and then back to Myrtle again. She knew that Myrtle could be a bit of a troublemaker, and that she was prone to taking offence easily. The last thing she needed was for Myrtle to cause a scene and draw unwanted attention to their situation. She replied in a firm voice, "Don't trouble her. I'll be back." With that, she led Fleur towards a secluded corner of the bathroom, where she could hide and rest without being disturbed.
Hermione's heart was racing as she made her way through the secret tunnel back to Gryffindor common room. She couldn't shake off the image of Fleur's scared and exhausted face. When she finally entered the common room, she was immediately greeted by Harry and Ron, who were both looking at her with concern.
"Where have you been?" Harry asked.
"We were looking for you everywhere," Ron added.
Hermione tried to compose herself before facing Harry and Ron. She knew that she couldn't tell them the truth about Fleur, not yet at least. Hermione decided to lie to them, not wanting to put her friends in danger.
"I was just taking a walk," she replied nonchalantly, hoping to deflect their questions. "I needed some time alone."
Harry and Ron exchanged a knowing look, not entirely convinced by Hermione's explanation. "Is everything okay?" Harry asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Hermione plastered a smile on her face and said, "Of course, everything's fine. Why wouldn't it be?"
Ron seemed to buy her story and said, "Well, we were just about to head to the Great Hall for lunch. You wanna come with us?"
Hermione nodded, grateful for the opportunity to distract herself. "Sure, let's go."
As Hermione, Harry, and Ron made their way to the Great Hall, they saw that every teacher was present, except for Professor McGonagall. Hermione couldn't help but feel worried about her absence.
Had something happened to her? Was she still in the dungeon?
Hermione couldn't help but notice the somber expressions on the teachers' faces. Dumbledore's eyes met hers, and he gave her a sad smile before turning his attention back to the conversation at hand. Hermione couldn't help but wonder if their discussion had something to do with Fleur's captivity. She decided to keep her head down and not draw any attention to herself or her friends.
As Hermione finished her lunch, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Dumbledore standing behind her. "Ms. Granger," he spoke to her in a low voice, making sure that Harry and Ron couldn't hear. "meet me in my office in an hour."