“We need to hurry or we’ll be late.”
Ron walked faster in order to keep up with Hermione who was already halfway down the hall. “Where are we going?” he yelled after her. His voice echoed through the long corridor, disturbing the sleeping portraits nearby.
“You’ll see,” she threw over her shoulder.
“How is an old woman supposed to get any sleep with that racket going on?” Ron jumped and reeled around at the unexpected rasping voice coming from beside him. He searched to see who had spoken when he noticed a tall painting near him. In front of a small cottage, an aged woman leaned heavily on a cane staring daggers at him.
“Sorry,” Ron whispered feebly, as he turned to catch up with Hermione.
This didn’t placate the woman, because she persisted to berate his receding back. Ron rolled his eyes as he turned the corner. He caught sight of the bushy haired girl up ahead and picked up his pace.
He was starting to get really frustrated at Hermione. This wasn’t the first time in the last few months that she had dragged him around without telling him what they were doing, or where they going. He felt like he was some extension of her arm, and he didn’t have the luxury of knowing what was on her mind. Ever since Harry had disappeared, things were getting worse, a lot worse. He didn’t know how much more of this he could take.
He finally caught up with Hermione in a deserted corridor. She was currently walking up and down in one spot along a wall. Soon, a door appeared out of nowhere right in front of her. Hermione reached to open the door and the two of them stepped through it. Ron was shocked at what he saw once inside.
“Hermione, what is this?” He asked, looking around at the people spread throughout the room who all seemed to be preoccupied with talking to each other.
“What does it look like?”
“It looks like the old… no your not…Harry…”
Hermione interrupted, “Yes, I am. Look Ron, just because Harry’s not around doesn’t mean we should stop searching for the Horcruxes.”
“I know that. And we haven’t. We’ve been busting our bums and everything else looking for them. It’s not our fault we haven’t found any yet. And it’s not like Voldemort would just lay them out where anyone could find them.”
“Exactly, that’s why we need help.”
“But I thought Harry didn’t want anyone else to know about the Horcruxes.”
“They won’t.”
“Huh?”
“I asked them to come here to help, but I don’t plan on telling them for what. Besides, why do you think we came back to Hogwarts?”
“Because you said, ‘Ron, we’re going back to school’ without bothering to explain why. The last I heard we were going to search for the Horcruxes with Harry.”
“Except Harry isn’t around is he?”
Ron looked at the girl in front of him in disbelief. What could he possibly say to that? How could she be so callous? He desperately tried to think of something to say in return. He wanted to say something mean and hurtful. It was bad enough that she never told him anything, but restarting the D.A. without even saying a word to him was just too much.
They both glared at each other not saying a word. The tension between them must have been noticed by the others in the room, because soon all eyes were on the two of them. A heavy silence settled on the occupants of the room.
Ginny spoke up, “Hey, are you two going to explain why you asked us here, or what? Some of us have things to do and places to be. We don’t have time for the two of you to work out your issues.”
A dark look crossed Hermione’s eyes as she faced Ginny. “Ron and I don’t have issues.”
Ginny snorted, “Yeah, okay, whatever helps you sleep at night, Hermione.”
“Whatever, I didn’t come here to pick a fight. I came here for a reason,” without missing a beat she then turned to address the rest of the room. “Hello everyone thank you all so much for coming. I know you’re probably wondering why I asked you here.”
“They're not the only ones,” Ron said under his breath.
This earned him a nasty glare from Hermione, but she continued to talk to the now expectant faces, “Anyways, I asked you here because most of you were once part of the D.A. and I was hoping that each of you would consider reprising your status in the organization. And those of you who are new here tonight might consider joining.”
“You plan on restarting the D.A?” Neville asked excitedly.
“Yes, that was the plan.”
“It’s about time!” Neville exclaimed.
“But what…what about Harry?” a timid Colin Creevey asked.
“Yeah, where is he anyway? I hear Voldemort got him,” Seamus inquired.
The room was silent for a moment. The question had been on all of there minds since the beginning of school. They hoped to finally get an answer.
Hermione sighed, “Look, we don’t really know where Harry is right now, and that’s an even bigger reason not to put such an important mission on hold.”
“What mission?” Zacharias asked.
“The mission to defeat Voldemort once and for all, naturally,” Luna said dreamily.
Pavati giggled, “And how would you know…”
“She’s right,” Hermione interrupted. “I can’t give you all the details, at least not yet. But I can tell you that before Harry disappeared the three of us were working on a way to stop Voldemort.”
The whole room suddenly broke out into excited chatter, each shouting out questions to both Ron and Hermione. It was several minutes before it calm down enough for Hermione to speak, “I know you all have a lot of questions, but now is not the time for that. Now is the time for action, to rebuild the D.A. Each of you needs to decide if this is something you want to be a part of. I also want to make it very clear that, if you chose do this, the risk of being a member will more than just expulsion from school. I know I’m asking a lot of you. If you decide the risk is too great, we will understand. But this decision needs to be made now. Those of you who do not want to be apart of this, I ask you please to leave. Everyone else must sign up again using this parchment. ” She said this while unrolling a scroll on a nearby table.
“I suppose you hexed this one too?” someone asked from the back of the room.
“I’m sorry, but part of the requirement to being a member is signing this sheet. That is non-negotiable,” Hermione replied sternly.
The room was silent for several long moments. It remained this way as people slowly started to come forward and sign the parchment in front of Hermione. Fifteen minutes later, everyone in the room had come forward, surprisingly no one had opted to leave. Once the last signature was on the sheet, Hermione leaned over to sign her own name. She then handed the quill to Ron.
Ron looked down at the long list of names. Most of them he recognized as being members of the original club. No surprise, Ginny, Neville, and Luna were the first names on the list. There were however a few new names including; Victoria Frobisher, Jack Sloper, Romilda Vane, Mandy Brocklehurst, Stewart Ackerley, Orla Quirke, and Wayne Hopkins who were new to the D.A. After Ron finished signing, Hermione took the scrolled and stuffed in her backpack.
“So what do you want us to do?” Neville asked, barely able to contain his excitement.
Hermione pulled out two other scrolls from her pack and unrolled them, “This was my plan.”
Two hours later Ron and Hermione watched as the last D.A. member walked out of the Room of Requirement leaving them alone.
“Do you really think that was a good idea, Hermione?”
She shrugged while picking up her backpack. “It was necessary, Ron. You know that.”
Ron held open the door for her to walk through. “Maybe, but I don’t think Harry will be happy when he finds out. I mean...”
“Harry will get over it. Besides, he’ll need all the help he can get when he gets back from wherever he is.”
Back in the hall, Ron watched as the door disappeared into the wall. “What makes you think he’ll be back?”
Hermione walked briskly without looking back, her voice echoing of the walls, “This is Harry we’re talking about. He’ll be back. You can be sure of that.”
“Glad someone thinks so,” he mumbled as he jogged to keep pace with Hermione.
It was getting close to midnight and the town of Hogsmeade was quiet as a light rain fell to the ground. There wasn’t much activity during this time of night and what little there was, people usually turned a blind eye to. It was the dark hours when shadowy things happened in the small wizard town. People could come and go as they please, since any decent citizen was too scared to set foot on the streets at night, though it hadn’t always been this way. So it was no surprise when a lone person slipped unseen into a candy shop and then to the cellar below.
Once in the cellar, the man silently opened a concealed hatch and crept down the barely distinguishable stairs into the dark abyss. He quickly picked his way down the rough terrain of the secret tunnel. The man was on a mission and he was determined to complete it.
After what seemed like hours, he noticed the tunnel curving upwards. This meant he was getting close. Then quite unexpectedly, he heard loud voices coming from up ahead. This made him stop cold in the passageway. Someone else was in the tunnel and they were in his way. Panic gripped him. How did anyone know he was here? He was certain he’d slipped into the tunnel unseen, but if he had been seen wouldn’t they be behind him, not in front?
Listening closer, the voices suddenly sounded familiar. Surprised at the turn of events, he crept further down the passage careful not to make any loud noises. Drawing closer to the source of the voices, a smile played across his lips. He then took a long stride and came up behind one of the figures, “Hey guys, hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“Hermione, can you please tell me why we’re doing this again?”
“Shhh, quiet, you’ll get us caught.”
“But-” Ron felt a sharp jab in his side that quieted him.
He then noticed Filch’s cat creep out of an open classroom up ahead. The two of them stood still and held their breath beneath the Invisibility Cloak that Harry had left behind at Grimmauld Place. They couldn’t get caught again or they would be expelled for sure this time, and according to Hermione that would mess up their plans. Heaven forbid, Ron thought, rolling his eyes.
Mrs. Norris skulked towards them coming within mere inches from where they were standing. She got down on her haunches and growled in her throat. Ron closed his eyes and waited for the cat to pounce, but it never came. He opened an eye and saw that Mrs. Norris had caught a mouse and was currently holding it down with a paw while nipping at its tail. The mouse was still alive and struggling to get away. It squeaked in desperation. Somehow it managed to wiggle free and scurry to freedom. Mrs. Norris went running to catch her prey. Both animals disappeared into the next corridor.
“Okay, the bloody cat’s gone. Let’s go,” Hermione whispered pulling Ron into motion.
They moved down the hall. Two corridors and a flight of stairs later, they found themselves in front of the familiar witch statue. Hermione whispered the pass code and the witch moved aside revealing a dark opening. Hermione stepped through first.
After they were both safely in the tunnel, Ron demanded, "Now will you tell me where we are going?”
Hermione sighed and continued to walk down the dark passageway. “We’re going to meet a contact at the Hog’s Head. He says he has information about Harry’s whereabouts.”
Ron stopped in shock. Slowly the shock turned to anger. His jaw was clenched tight as he forced his blurred vision back to normal.
Hermione looked back and noticed that Ron was no longer following her. She whirled around and placed her hands on her hips. “Are you coming or not? We don’t have all night. We have to be there by midnight, which is in twenty minutes.”
“When exactly were you going to tell me this?” he hissed.
Hermione shrugged. “I just did. I wanted to tell you earlier but there wasn’t time. I myself didn’t get the note about the meeting until just a few hours ago.”
Hermione's nonchalant attitude toward him made Ron shake violently. He could no longer take it. All of his bottled up rage of the last few months boiled to the surface and exploded, “YOU STILL COULD HAVE TOLD ME!”
Hermione shirked back at the sudden outburst. “Shhh, someone might hear you,” she whispered.
“I DON’T CARE! LET THEM HEAR!”
“Look, I honestly don’t understand why you’re getting upset about this. I told you there wasn’t time.”
“THERE’S NEVER TIME IS THERE? I’M GETTING SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU BOSSING ME AROUND ALL THE TIME. WHY DON’T YOU EVER TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON? I’M ALWAYS THE LAST PERSON TO KNOW ANYTHING!”
Hermione’s face became red with fury. All concern for getting caught disappeared as her voice rose to meet his, “I DO TELL YOU WHAT’S GOING ON! AND IF I’M BOSSY IT’S BECAUSE I’M TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE IN A TIMELY MATTER!”
“YOU COULD BE A LITTLE NICER ABOUT IT!”
“AND YOU COULD BE MORE HELP!”
“I’D BE MORE HELP IF YOU’D TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON!”
Hermione threw up her hands in disgust. “WHY ARE YOU BEING LIKE THIS?”
“WHY ARE YOU?”
Both glared at each other breathing heavily. The tension that had saturated their relationship for months now hung like a thick cloud in the air. Neither knew what to say next. Each hurt by the other’s words. Ron felt better that he had finally gotten his frustrations out in the open, but he also felt bad because he could see the pain in her eyes.
“Hermione, I’m sorry. I know you miss him.”
“What does that have anything to do with it?” she said indignantly.
“Everything. You’re upset about Harry and so you’re taking it out on everyone around you.”
“I am not! I just… I just…” Tears started to stream down her face. “Oh Ron, when did you get so insightful? You’re usually the clueless one.”
“I might be clueless half the time, but I’m not completely blind, especially since I feel the same way.” Ron held out an arm to her.
Hermione dried her eyes and stepped away from him. “Look, we don’t have time for this. The mission is the only thing that matters.”
“Hermione,” his frustration was starting to come back.
“No, Ron, this can wait. My contact can’t. This may be our only chance to find Harry.”
“Or it could be a trap.”
“It isn’t.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I am.”
“Hermione,” Ron pleaded with her.
“No, no more talk. Are you coming with me or not?” She tapped her foot impatiently waiting for an answer.
Ron glanced past her shoulder. “Ah, Hermione.”
“Ron, I told you…”
“Hey guys, hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
Hermione wheeled around to face the voice coming from behind. Once seeing who it was, she started shrieking loudly and propelled herself forward, throwing her arms around the intruder’s neck, “HARRY!”
Harry stepped backwards to keep from getting knocked over by Hermione’s violent embrace. He patted her shoulder. “Nice to see you too, Hermione.”
She pulled back quickly and looked up into his face, “Oh, Harry, we’ve all been so worried about you. Where have you been? Are you okay?”
Harry put up a hand to calm down the excited girl. “I’m fine.”
“Yeah, mate, we’ve all been worried sick about you. Is too much to ask to drop a friend a line?” Ron was half joking, but only half.
He was glad to see that his friend was alive and well. But he was also a little upset that Harry hadn’t bothered to get in touch with his two best friends, since pulling a disappearing act on them. He knew Harry probably had a good excuse for doing this, but it still hurt.
“Hey Ron, I’m sorry about that. I-”
“Ah ha! I caught you! Wait until the Headmistress finds out about this. She’ll have you two expelled this time for sure.”
The three friends jumped at the sudden intrusion. They had been so caught up in their own conversation, they had not heard Filch coming up the tunnel. He now stood blocking the way back into the school. Mrs. Norris’ beady eyes reflected menacingly in the lamp light near the old man’s feet.
“So you two are trying to leave the grounds again are you? And in a secret tunnel no less. Exactly how many times have you used it to sneak off? I keep telling the Headmistress you are up to no good, but does she listen? Well, she’ll listen this time and you’ll be expelled for sure. And what are you doing here, Potter? I thought you were dead.” He squinted at the dark haired youth.
“Ahhh… no,” Harry replied sheepishly.
“Too bad, well, let’s go. McGonagall will want to see the lot of you and don’t think about get any fancy ideas about running off either. We’ll finally see some punishment, though I can’t say she’s much better than Dumbledore in that area. She’s much too soft with you lot, and look what happens because of it.”
Harry shrugged and walked past the man. “Part of the reason I’m here is to talk to McGonagall. Let’s go, guys. You’ll want to hear this too.” He motioned to Ron and Hermione.
Moments later, Harry stepped out from behind the witch statue followed closely by the other three. Sounds of clicking heels could be heard coming down the Hogwarts corridor. Seconds later, a mousy brown head followed by a familiar form popped around the corner up ahead.
“Argus, what’s going on? And what is all that noise… Harry?” Tonks eyes widened and her mouth hung open.
“Tonks, good to see you,” Harry said nonchalantly.
“Good to see… wait how… where… what? Of all the places I thought you’d turn up….”
“It’s a long story,” Harry consoled.
“I bet and I’d love to hear it.”
“Let’s go, you’re holding up the punishment,” Flitch growled as he passed.
“Actually, we’re going to see McGonagall right this minute,” Harry explained as he continued down the hallway.
“Right, of course,” Tonks replied as she turned to walk with him.
“Hello, Professor,” Hermione greeted.
“Wotcher, Hermione.”
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about yesterday’s assignment.”
“Oh?”
The two women continued their conversation, oblivious that Harry had slowed his pace.
Ron took the opportunity and caught up to Harry. “So what are the other reasons?”
“What?” Harry asked looking confused.
“You said earlier that seeing McGonagall wasn’t the only reason you came here. What were the other reasons?”
“Err… well…to see you and Hermione of course. We have a lot to discuss.”
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Ron snorted.
“Tonks is teaching here?”
“Transfiguration.”
“Oh.”
“So…” a moment of silence passed.
When Harry didn’t continue, Ron spoke up, “What?”
“I know it’s none of my business, but what’s with you two anyway? I’m no expert, but I thought you were doing… err… pretty well?”
“Who?”
“You and Hermione.”
“Oh… well… things have changed since you left. One of them is that Hermione’s been even bossier than usual. And it’s… well… she’s not the easiest person to get along with sometimes.”
“Hermione, bossier than usual, I didn’t think that was possible,” Harry said laughing.
“Don’t laugh. Believe me, it’s possible.”
“I’m sure it’s not that bad, Ron.”
“Oh yeah, when you find out what she’s been up to you might not think so.”
Harry raised an eyebrow, “Oh?”
“For starters, guess what organization Hermione decided to start back up, on her own I might add, last week?”
“What?”
“The D.A.”
Harry stopped in his tracks, “What? Why she’d go and do that?”
Ron halted in mid-step, so not to leave his friend behind. “Don’t ask me. I don’t know anything these days. She won’t tell me what’s going on and it’s getting so frustrating. Maybe now that your back she’ll go back to normal, well as normal as she ever gets. I use to think she was mental, now she’s just plain bloody certifiable. There’s no question about it.”
“Have you tried to talk to her about it?”
“We kind of were back in the tunnel.”
“So that’s what you guys were yelling about?”
“Are you two coming or not?” Hermione asked who was now near the end of the corridor with Tonks and Filch.
“Yeah,” Harry started walking again.
“See. What did I tell you? Bossy,” Ron complained shaking his head.
“Come on, we do need to go.”
Ten minutes later, the party of five found themselves waiting in the Headmistress’ office. Filch was the first to enter the room and had shout to the portraits to summon her immediately. They had scoffed at the aged caretaker, but upon seeing Harry several ran from their paintings to fetch the Headmistress.
“Well, I have to say I’m not surprised to see you two back in here,” McGonagall reprimanded Ron and Hermione while descending the stairs from her room. “I am however surprised to see you,” she peered down her crooked nose at Harry taking a seat behind the massive desk.
Harry stood silently as everyone in the room turned toward him. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do, but unfortunately he could tell them very little. He could tell this wouldn’t go over very well with anyone.
“I’m glad to see your okay, Harry. You’ve had all of us worried. We didn’t know what to think when you disappeared, and there was nothing to tell us what had happened to you.”
“I know. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to contact anyone to let you know what was going on. I would have it I could, but circumstances wouldn’t allow. I …
Bang!
The door to the office flew open interrupting Harry and causing everyone to jump. A harried Hagrid entered. “Professor, Death Eaters! Death Eaters are in Hogsmeade!”