Dark Days

Dark Days Chapter Thirteen – Alcohol and Azkaban

It was December 31st, the grounds at Hogwarts were knee deep in snow and a deep restfulness that was almost sleepy blanketed the region. Christmas had passed in a flurry of presentinseinsel and more brandy than was advisable. The few students that had remained had been hyperactive and giddy and the teachers and inner sanctum of the order had been only slightly less so, although their merriment had been slightly marred by the two gaping absences in their midst.

Harry had risen early much to the glee of Crookshanks who had immediately assumed his warm place on the bed and snuggled down to sleep, purring contentedly. Settling himself on the comfortable settee with a hot cup of coffee he slipped into a half doze. He was abruptly startled out of his comfortable reverie half an hour later by Cho rushing to the bathroom and retching vomiting loudly. Worriedly he leap and and followed her. He tenderly held back her hair as she lent over the toilet.

“Cho what is it? Are you okay?” he asked his voice full of concern.

She nodded and leant back against him nestling her cheek against his chest. “I am now.”

“What’s wrong? Let me take you up to Madame Pomfrey.”

“Harry I’m fine really, there’s nothing Poppy can do anyway.”

“What do you mean, Poppy can cure anything!”

“Not this sweetie,” she said grinning cheekily.

“Cho will you please tell me what’s wrong?” asked the poor man his face a picture of bewilderment.

“Nothing’s wrong, honestly, everything’s perfect. This is supposed to happen…”

“Nobody’s supposed to throw up Cho it isn’t good!”

“You’re wrong, women in my condition almost always do.”

“Women in your condition?” said Harry carefully, a light dawning slowly in his eyes. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

She nodded, “You’re going to be a father Harry!”

He grinned rather foolishly and gazed around looking rather dazed. Cho laughed at him.

“I’m…I’m going to be a father?”

“Yes darling, you are.”

He grinned again, almost splitting his face in his exuberance. He pulled his wife closer to him and kissed her forehead repeatedly.

* * * * * *

The evening meal that night in the great hall was one of merriment celebration. Harry had waited until everyone was there before standing up to make his announcement. It had been followed by a moment of hushed silence and then a sudden out-burst of noisy congratulations and many more hugs. The women all huddled around Cho asking questions that women always like to know such as when it was due, and whether or not any names had been thought of yet. The students, after nodding politely to the celebrating couple had removed themselves as far away as was polite for fear that all of this hugging and kissing would be contagious. The ght ght of a quick squeeze from Professor McGonagall or a nice sloppy kiss from Flitwick was not something that appealed to them. Harry himself stood with another bewildered smile on his face shaking hands with everyone and feeling all puffed up and proud as new father’s to be are wont.

“Congratulations Harry,” said Dumbledore quietly his eyes twinkling. Harry go the distinct impression that he already knew about Cho’s condition and had for some time, although how was beyhim.him.

“Thank you,” he replied, his grin becoming more inane with every passing moment.

Itk atk at least ten minutes before everyone had calmed down enough to even contemplate summoning the food, a point on which the students were none too happy as they gazed longingly at their empty plates. Eventually however everyone settled down to eat, the topic of conversation still centred around Harry, Cho and their unborn child. The students could look on it with a friendlier eye however as they no longer had the imminent threat of affection from teachers and could distract themselves with their food.

It was raining outside and the ceiling of the great hall showed billowing black clouds and a heavy rain-pour that sounded like drum beats on the roof. As their comfortable meal drew to an end they all relaxed back in their seats, their talk turning to simple homey things of no great importance. The students in groups of twos and threes quietly excused themselves and left the hall until only the teachers and select members of the order that lived in the castle remained. Somehow none of them felt like moving from the warm companionship that held them there.

In another part of the castle the entrance door opened and a small bedraggled figure stepped in dripping cold rainwater all over the floor. The tiny figure made its way towards the great hall, hearing noises there.

Inside Dumbledore looked up, curious suspicion written on his face. No-body noticed it. Then the great hall doorung ung open and the sodden figure stepped inside. Everybody turned towards the doors to see who it was and all conversation stopped immediately. The newcomer placed their heavy bags down on the floor and shook rainwater off them self.

“Hi everyone,” said Hermione.

* * * * * *

Severus stood and walked about his tiny cell to try to ease his aching body. The cool air of his tower prison had given him more life than he had felt in a while. It did him more good than the stale, musty, rank odour of the dungeon cell he had been in previously. He was still weak however and it took a great deal of effort to keep walking. After a while he stopped and gazed out of the grimy window. Metal bars partially obscured the view and made any attempt to get out impossible. Not that anyone but a suicidal person would wish to so, the room being about 6 storeys up. He watched the dark black clouds billow across the sky and the rain fall in thick dark sheets. He rested his forehead against the cold dark glass and thought of Hermione. She had been in his thoughts a lot lately. He knew that she would come for him, or at least he told himself that he knew it. Part of him was beginning to doubt it.

“She will come for me,” he murmured, “She will.”

* * * * * *

Everybody gawked at Hermione, speechless for the first time all evening. “I’m home,” she said then, unsure as to the reaction she would get. Nobody moved for long minutes before Dumbledore rose to break the silence.

“Welcome back Hermione,” he said simply and moved forward to embrace her. She thankfully buried her face in his immense bushy beard for a moment and looked up to find the others had moved forwards as well.

Ron was the next to pull her into a crushing embrace; “We’ve missed you!” he stated simply and squeezed tighter.

“Ron, oxygen becoming an issue…” she gasped then.

Everyone began to talk at once and she became dazed and disorientated by the voices and bustle of people around her. It had been a long time since she had been with so many people and not hiding away in some corner of a room trying to hide. A hundred questions were being hurled her way that got all jumbled up into one long stream of noise.

“Where were you? Are you okay? What’s happened? Why did you leave? …”

Harry and Ron couldn’t stop hugging her, she seemed to get hugged by one or other or both of them in between everyone else.

“I suggest that Hermione may need a little breathing room,” said Dumbledore sensibly then. “Why don’t Harry and Ron escort you to your room my dear and then you can return later. We’re all gathering here for new year.”

Hermione nodded gratefully and Harry and Ron picked up her bags and walked with her out of the hall.

“Are you really okay Hermione?” asked Ron, his voice full of concern.

“I really am,” she said. “I may not be ‘hills are alive with the sound of music’ okay but I’m better than I was.”

Ron looked completely baffled by this reference but wisely decided to ignore it and merely smiled and nodded.

“And you managed to completely steal my thunder as well young lady,” said Harry mock-angrily. Hermione looked enquiringly at him. “Cho’s pregnant,” he said, “We’ve just found out and announced it tonight!”

Hermione beamed, “Oh Harry congratulations!” She stopped abruptly to hug him. “I’m so pleased for you both!”

He beamed, “Thanks, so you see it’s turning out to quite a good day really. We have you back and I got good news!”

They reached her rooms and she pulled out her wand to open the doors. It seemed like forever that she had been here; she could barely remember the password. Inside was exactly as she had left it, or rather, minus the rubble that she had left behind. But all of her furniture was as she had left it and a warm fire was glowing welcomingly on the hearth, the house-s its it seemed missed almost as little as Dumbledore.

“It feels strange to be back,” she said.

Ron looked sharply at her, “You’re not going to leave again are you?”

“No Ron, I’m not going to leave again.”

They put her bags down in her bedroom and Harry went immediately into the kitchen to make some drinks as if she’d never been away. When they were all nursing steaming hot mugs of tea the questions began again.

“So where did you go Hermione? We couldn’t find you anywhere,” Ron asked.

Hermione sighed, she’d been expecting the questions but wasn’t sure how many she could cope with just now. Harry noticed her hesitation.”

“Give her some time Ron, she may not want to talk just yet.”

Hermione smiled at him but said, “No it’s okay Harry, I knew I’d have to answer the questions sooner or later, I suppose it may as well be sooner.” She paused briefly before saying, “I was in Brazil.”

“Brazil?!” they exclaimed at once.

“What the hell were you doing there?” Ron asked in amaze.

“I wanted to find somewhere that was away from people e I e I could think. I found a little cave way up in the mountains surrounded by miles of forests. It was beautiful.”

“You’ve been living in a cave?”

“Yes Ron a cave!”

“But how did you get food?”

“Well there was food in the forests if you knew where to look, and there was a small community nearby, two in fact, one muggle and one wizarding village like Hogsmeade. When I needed extras I went there.” She conveniently missed out the part where she hadn’t actually paid for any of it. She wasn’t particularly proud of her recent behaviour and decided to keep quiet.”

“So you’ve been stuck in the back of beyond for months?”

She nodded. “At least she was somewhere warmer than here,” said Harry wryly.

Hermione grinned. “But I went to New York a few weeks ago, stayed in a posh hotel.”

“What did you go to New York for?” asked Harry.

“There was something I needed to look up in a library.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Ron rolled his eyes. “What was it?”

But Hermione did not answer and stared intently at her tea, a small frown creasing her brow. Ron was about to pursue the matter when Harry shook his head to stop him. The two friends left quietly after a little while to leave Hermione alone to get herself sorted out.

“Are you sure she’ll be okay left alone?” asked Ron when they got outside her room, his voice full of concern.

“She’ll be fine,” said Harry. “Now come on, Padma and Cho will think we’ve got lost!”

Back in her room Hermione leaned against her door and sighed. It was good to be back in some ways but difficult in others. She really wasn’t prepared for all the questions and fuss yet. She was dreading going back downstairs for new-year but knew that she should. The thought of all those people was daunting though.

* * * * * *

The albatross screamed its age-old call, daring the wind to try to blow him off his steadfast course. The prisoners inside Azkaban had been disappointed. Months ago they had believed to be breaking free, their lord and master coming to their rescue. It was a fine picture no doubt but Voldemort had never been the most trustworthy leader, he had not come. They had waited, not that they had much choice inside the walls of their prison, their tomb. Twelve foot high and impenetrable they stood, guarded endlessly by the soul-sucking dementors. Huge hideous creatures, the things that nightmares are made of. But inside once more there was a rumour that Voldemort was coming. Coming to claim his most faithful servants. And coming to lead the dementors into battle against their enemies. Revenge for their imprisonment would be sweet indeed.

* * * * * *

Voldemort and his closest confidants stood on the very edge of the cliff leading to a deadly fall on to sharp rocks half-concealed in tumultuous waters. The sky above whether by design or chance was black with clouds and a roaring wind blew violently in their faces. Far out to see islaisland which was host to Azkaban prison was hidden in the gloom, but they knew that it was there, and the people inside knew that they were coming. Jai’mea threw back her head and laughed into the wind, today the dementors would join them. Today would their victory be assured. Far above the albatross screamed once more. Without needing a signal, Draco, Lucius, Keria and Jai’mea all apparated at once, Voldemort moments behind them, preferring to have an introductory party there before himself.

In the gloomy hall that was the entrance to Azkaban, a hundred dementors stood to attention to greet their new master, thinking gleefully of all the new prey this alliance would result in. Voldemort smirked and greeted them superciliously. Behind him more death eaters were appearing, each spreading out to the prison cells. Those who had been marked were released immediately and taken away by port-key. Those who had not been marked were then given a choice, join Voldemort or stay and starve. Most joined willingly, longing for the revenge they desired against their ministry and against all perceived wrong doings against them. Only two remained in their cells, defiant and afraid. They were left their, un-named prisoners who died alone and whose bodies were left to rot.

Bellatrix, Rudolphus and Rabastan Lestrange were not taken away as the others were but went immediately to Voldemort’s side where they were honoured and promised rich rewards. Then they too left and Voldemort and the rest between then conjured up a porthole by which the dementors could leave the island to take up their place at the head of Voldemort’s growing army.

He and Jai’mea were the last to leave Azkaban that day, his eerie laughter echoing in the halls.

Back on the mainland a dark figure saw them returning and buried deeper into the bush he was hiding in. He watched them saunter confidently up to a camp where others had trooped before them, a sinking feeling growing in his heart. He rightly guessed that it had not only been the prisoners that had been released from Azkaban, and with a certainty he knew that the dementors had joined them as well. Waiting only for them to pass by he apparated to Hogsmeade immediately to inform Dumbledore of this latest development.

* * * * * *

Hermione sneaked into the Great Hall through the side door near the teachers table to avoid as much fuss as possible. Although the hall was by no means full it still felt very crowded to Hermione who stayed as much in the shadows as she could, hoping that nobody would notice her. The students who had stayed at Hogwarts were all huddled in a group together as far from their teachers as humanly possible, the teachers, all in varying states of drunkenness were in the very centre of the room, mingling with those members of the order who lived in the castle or who had come up for new year. She spotted Fred and George in the thick of things as usual, today sporting some very garish purple jackets which clashed horribly with their hair, although they didn’t seem to care. They were promising in loud voices a fantastic display of their new improved firework range when the midnight hour arrived.

She suddenly realised that music was playing, although where it was coming from was a mystery. Harry and Cho were dancing together and laughing on the other side of the hall and Padma was trying rather unsuccessfully to get Ron to dance with her. Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall were doing a surprisingly graceful two-step around the room, robes billowing around them.

Just as she got a drink and sat down Sirius noticed her and came over to sit by her.

“How are you doing?” he asked casually, trying to keep his deep concern out of his voice.

“I’m good,” she said, and on seeing his doubtful look she added, “Really! Feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment, I’ve got out of the habit of spending time in large crowds.”

A blonde haired girl that Hermione did not know joined them then.

“Hermione I’d like you to meet Joanne,” said Sirius then a rather foolish grin spreading across his handsome features.

Joanne held out her hand which Hermione took, “I’m pleased to meet you,” said Jo then. “Ron and Sirius have told me so much about you.”

“All good I hope,” said Hermione then.

“Naturally,” said Sirius expansively. “What else would there be to tell? Now if you would excuse us Hermione I believe that I would like to dance with my girlfriend now. Enjoy your drink.”

With that he whisked Joanne off and was lost in the crowd. Throughout the night her friends came up and welcomed her back, some took the time to have a drink with her and others merely saying hello. But all seemed to sense that she wanted to be alone and left her to herself. Yet at the same time she felt that she didn’t want to be secluded. She had been away and they had moved on. They had new people in their lives; so many things had happened that she hadn’t been here to be a part of. She felt hurt that they were spending time with others instead of her. It was irrational she knew it was. Harry and Ron and Sirius naturally wanted to spend time with there partners, but at the same time she wanted her old trio back. She fervently wished to be back at Hogwarts for real, as a student; when she and Harry and Ron had been inseparable, and though they had got into endless trouble, life and somehow been much simpler then. She sighed and glanced at her watch, 11:57, three minutes to go.

Fred and George were standing by to light their fireworks and fill the hall with cascading stars and colours.

11:58, two minutes to go, the song ended and no new one replaced it. Couples stopped dancing and began to wait to wish in the new-year.

11:59, one minute to go, a hushed silence fell on the hall. With seconds to go people began to count aloud, 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1 the fireworks exploded and a huge array of wonderful shapes and colours not seen in any rainbow filled the room. The gathered crowd also exploded, into cheers and applause. Everywhere couples were hugging and kissing and the students were once more huddling away, lest the kissing become contagious, although it seemed that a few of them had already caught it.

Hermione sat alone in the corner. The noise seemed muted somehow, the colours less spectacular than they should have been. She drained her glass and continued to watch the crowd. Everything seemed to be in slow motion; a firework zoomed around her head and filled her eyes with sparkling stars. She didn’t blink.

Suddenly the hall doors burst open and a bedraggled figure hobbled in. He was covered in mud and soaked to the bone with rain. The noise stopped, Hermione, shook her head to clear the fog from her senses. The noise stopped. Everyone stopped. Not a person in the room moved. Around their heads the fireworks still zoomed, the only movement in an otherwise paralysed room.

Dumbledore stepped forwards then to greet the unexpected visitor. It was Bill Weasley. His movement seemed to break the spell that held the others immobile. The music came back on and the crowd began to mill around again, murmuring quietly to themselves. Harry, Ron and the Weasley twins also stepped forwards with Dumbledore to ask why Bill was there.

Hermione sat back down; if she was perfectly honest with herself she didn’t care what was going on. If it was important she’d probably find out about it in due course and if not then it didn’t really matter did it. She ordered another drink and lounged back in her chair in the darkest corner of the room.

Dumbledore meanwhile had led Bill, Fred, George, Harry and Ron out of the hall and up to his office.

“Have a seat,” he said to Bill when they got there, “You look exhausted.”

“Thanks,” replied Bill gratefully, “I am.”

The others pulled up what chairs there were or sat on the floor. Dumbledore sat behind his desk, fingers pressed together in classic Dumbledore mr. “r. “I assume its urgent William or otherwise you would be somewhere with Fleur enjoying your new year.”

“Yes it’s urgent, not good either. You know of course that we’ve been monitoring Azkaban carefully for the past few years. Unfortunately we’ve never been able to do anything more than monitor. We were not strong enough to take it, or to prevent anyone else from doing so. I was on duty tonight and saw You-know-who there. He’s taken Azkaban. His death-eaters have rejoined him of course. So too have the dementors. I suspect they’re only waiting for the prisoners to regain their strength before they make their move. You-know-who will not expect to keep this a secret for long.”

Dumbledore sighed, “This is what I have feared for sometime.” He suddenly looked very old and weary. The others too looked pale at the news. They sat for a while in silence before Dumbledore spoke. “Very well, there is little we can do now. Do not say anything of this to the others at present; let them enjoy their new year while they may. Bill would you care to join us for what is left of the night? Or would you perhaps like to sleep for a while. I’m sure a room can be found for you.”

“Thank you Albus, but I think I should return to Fleur, she’ll be worried, I was due home over an hour ago.”

“Very well then, you may floo out through my fireplace there, I will lower the wards for you. Go now then.”

Bill waited only to hug his brothers and Harry and wish them as good a new year as they could expect before stepping into the fireplace and disappearing in bright green flames.

The rest trooped down to the Great Hall again, trying to keep the concern out of their faces so as not to alarm the others. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement between them not to even speak of it with each other tonight.

Cho wormed her way under Harry’s arm as soon as he came in, “What was all that about?” she asked.

“Nothing much,” he assured her, “Shall we dance?”

She grinned, “Fine side-step the question for now if you must, and yes I think dancing would be a very good way of avoiding any more questions…” He laughed and shook his head, pulling her closer to him.

Hermione watched them all returning with a vague disinterest. She felt a sudden need to get very very drunk. With that in mind she ordered three double tequila’s, a vodka and coke and a shot of absinthe.

“That’s a lethal concoction,” commented a voice then. Hermione looked up through rather bleary eyes. It was Joanne.

“Alcohol good,” she noted, “Friend.”

“I think you may have had enough already,” said Joanne.

“No, not enough,” said Hermione pulling her drinks closer and surrounding them protectively with her arm.

“Fair enough, well if you’re drinking it seems only polite that I keep you company.” With that she ordered some more tequila’s, a large firewhiskey and an archers and lemonade.

“Good choice,” grinned Hermione. “Cheers,” she said then holding out her tequila.

“Cheers,” said Joanne and downed her whiskey, grimacing as she did so. Hermione laughed at her and knocked over her vodka.

“No!” she cried and bent down to suck the liquid off the table before it dripped on to the floor.

Joanne burst out laughing at that and choked on her archers. “Shush you,” said Hermione but started laughing herself at that and merely ordered another round of drinks.

The rest of the night was spent in a haze of alcohol fumes and giggling. They were joined at four by Sirius and Harry. Cho had long since gone to bed and the two men had deemed it wise to steer clear of Jo and Hermione for a bit. It was after all the first time all night that they’d seen Hermione smile. At this point however they thought it would probably be a good idea to intercede. Coherent language had by this point completely deteriorated and the two young women, although perfectly intelligible to each other were impossible to understand from any outsiders.

“Okay Hermione, enough’s enough,” said Harry attempting to take her whiskey off her.

“Gerroff, no lowed iskey,” she slurred.

“Whiskey bad Hermione,” said Harry prising the glass out of her hand. Once it had been removed she seemed to forget all about it.

“ ‘Ance ‘Arry, twirlly dancering,”

“No, no twirly dancering for you tonight miss. You need a nice warm bed.”

“No bed,” slurred Hermione, pushing past Harry anumblumbling down to the dance floor where she began to sway precariously. Harry looked despairingly at Sirius who merely laughed.

“Looks like I got the easy one,” he grinned indicating Joanne who had fallen asleep across the table, a glass of archers still in her hand. He picked her up easily, “I’m going to put her to bed, good luck with Hermione.”

“Thanks,” Harry said grimacing. He glared after the two of them for a while, not entirely happy that she had been making friends with Hermione. At length her sighed and turned his attention back to the present.

He made his way down to the dance floor. Hermione had by this point wrapped herself around an equally drunk Fred and they were staggering about the room grinning like idiots and singing along very off key. Harry shook his head. For as long as he had know Hermione he had never once seen her drink more than a couple of glasses of wine with a meal, let alone get roaring drunk. He had to admit that she was very funny, but that was really beside the point.

“Come on Hermione,” he said then. “I’ve got something to show you.”

She peered at him owlishly, “Prise?”

“Yes Hermione a surprise,” he grinned.

“Fred come, see prise…”

“No, Fred stay here and dance.” Carefully he untwined her arms from round Fred’s neck, Fred merely carried on dancing and was soon joined by Alicia and Angelina. He hardly noticed Hermione leaving.

“Where prise arry?”

“It’s this way,” he said leading her out of the main door.

“Legs are funny,” laughed Hermione leaning down to try to watch her legs walk. Of course this wasn’t very successful as she fell over and rolled across the floor giggling. Harry shook his head and laughed at her.

“Come on you,” he said as if to a child. He picked her up and she snuggled into his neck.

“Where prise arry?”

“You’ll see soon,” he said. He began carrying her back to her rooms in Gryffindor tower. She was soon asleep though and snoring very gently. He got her back to her room before realising that he didn’t know her password, He sighed and turned back to take her to his own rooms.

He carefully laid her down on the couch when they got there, enlarging slightly so that she would be comfortable and less likely to roll off in her sleep. Then he covered her up, brushed some hair out of her eyes and went to his own bed.

* * * * * *

Hermione woke up early, the light was insufferably bright and an annoying bird outside was twittering much too loudly for comfort. She moaned and tried to ease her aching head by burying it under her pillow. It didn’t work. All it actually achieved was too little oxygen so she gave up and sat up.

Harry came into thom tom then. “Morninrmiormione. How are you feeling?”

She grunted. “That bad?” he asked, “But you were having so much fun last night.”

She glared at him, but as the light got in her eyes and she whimpered pitifully it didn’t really have much of an effect. He laughed.

“Don’t laugh Harry,” said Cho, “The poor girl’s feeling bad enough already. Here Hermione drink this,” she said holding out a cup with a rather sickly looking potion in it.

“What is it?” asked Hermione weakly.

“It’ll make you feel better,” she said.

Hermione looked at it rather like you’d look at a poisonous snake. It was a pale green colour and smoked slightly. It was not the most appealing looking potion ever made. She screwed up her face and gulped it down. She shuddered.

“Is it horrible?” asked Harry.

“Repulsive,” she replied, “Yet still a million times better than that Polyjuice potion we made in second year.”

Harry grinned at the memory, “Yeah that was fairly rank.”

“I think I need to sleep,” said Hermione then.

“There’s a bed through there,” said Cho indicating her room.

“That’s okay; Ioingoing to head back to my room.” She stood up on shaky legs and made towards the door.

“Are you sure you can make it that far?” asked Harry.

She grunted again and nodded. “Okay, see you later.” She half-heartedly waved at them without turning around and began to wander back to her room, trailing her hand across the wall for support. It took her about fifteen minutes to get back to her room and when she did she collapsed gratefully on the bed without undressing and slept for the rest of the morning.

Harry spent a good deal of the morning gazing out of the window. He had a lot on his mind. A break out from Azkaban meant that heavy action would soon be happening and he wasn’t happy about having Cho and the baby so near to it, but he couldn’t think of any way he could persuade her to leave without him. She could be as stubborn as a mule sometimes.

“What’s on your mind?” she asked then coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

“Nothing,” he replied, “Don’t worry about it.”

It was nearly one when Hermione woke and dragged herself wearily out of bed. She looked in her mirror to see a pale face with a slightly more greenish tinge than usual and large black bags under her eyes. Her hair had resumed all of its former bushiness and she stood with a slump. The light was still fire in her eyes and her head felt more wobbly than usual.

“Well you made a complete idiot of yourself last night.” She said to herself. “Absolutely bloody fantastic.”

“It can’t have been that bad my dear surely,” said the mirror comfortingly.

“Oh it can,” replied Hermione gloomily. “In fact it was probably worse. And today looks like being a complete waste of a day too.”

“There must be something that you can do.”

“I don’t think I should leave this room, I look like a rat.”

“Oh you don’t look that bad. A bit of make-up and brush your hair you’ll be fine.”

But Hermione wasn’t paying attention. The thought of rats had put her in mind of the reason she had come back to Hogwarts in the first place. Dumbledore. She wanted to ask Dumbledore about her weird transformations. Hurriedly she showered, pulled a brush through her tangled mess of hair and put on some clean clothes. Feeling better now that she had a task she strode confidently through the corridors towards the headmaster’s office.

The large statue guarding the entrance stood stoic and unmoving as Hermione tried sweet after sweet in search of the password. Finally after five minutes, vanilla fudge made it move and she strode up to Dumbledore’s office, feeling confident that in a few minutes she would have the answers she longed for.

When she entered the room she found no-one there but Fawkes who watched her curiously from his perch for a while before carrying on with preening his beautiful plumage. The room was strangely peaceful and she soon found herself nodding off. Her dreams were strange and disturbing, odd places that she did not recognise, doors that led nowhere people with no faces and a strange foreboding presence. Above all there was a feeling of being followed by a hooded figure, tall and ominous and there was no escape. A sudden noise behind her made her start and jerked her out of her dream and back to the present.

“Hermione,” said Dumbledore then, “What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to my office today?”

“Well, it’s a long story really.”

“I have plenty of time,” he said calmly seating himself at the desk. Please begin.”

And so Hermione told her story; about her time in the cave, and the brewing of the potion, omitting only the fact that she had stolen the ingredients. Although she had the feeling that he knew without being told. She told him of her first unsuccessful change and how she couldn’t control it at all. She told him about going to New York to seek for information in the library there and how she had found nothing, but how she had learned to control her changes, although there was still no one fixed animal as with every other animagi in the world. Throughout it all Dumbledore remained silent and listened attentively.

“So you see I don’t know what to do or how it happened. I did everything right, I checked the potion thoroughly before-hand and checked afterwards as well. I just don’t know why it happened.”

“Well my dear you are right that it is not normal. I do not however think that it is dangerous or that anything is wrong.”

“Well what is it then?”

Dumbledore smiled and began to explain…


* * * * * *

AN Yes I am going to be very mean and leave it there for now. But naturally you’ll find out next chapter and I shall depend upon your curiosity! Until next chapter… :D