Here you go .......
Chapter 6 – Explanations
Ron knocked desperately on Hagrid's door "Hagrid! Hagrid? Are you there? Please open up! It's urgent!"
"Alrigh', I'm comin'" Hagrid bellowed, as he reached the door. He didn't seem that surprised to see Ron standing there with Hermione in his arms, long after bedtime - and then it became clear why…
"Harry!" Ron exclaimed "what are you doing here?"
Harry had been sitting at Hagrid's rather large kitchen table and he turned to get up when he saw Ron in the doorway.
"Come in, Ron" Hagrid said, waving Ron inside "Whoa – wha' happened to you two?"
In his rush to get to Hagrid's hut, Ron had completely forgotten about their cream-covered faces, and he realised now how ridiculous they must both look – but he had no way of explaining the situation without Harry teasing him to death so he just said "Uh, nothing… I'm more worried about what's happening to her now!" he glanced down at Hermione anxiously "I don't know how it happened, but we need to help her…"
"Right – put her over there on the bed" Hagrid instructed "then come sit down - Harry's got sumpfin' to tell ya…"
Ron gently laid Hermione down on Hagrid's giant bed and looked at her apprehensively. He felt her hands – they were cold. He quickly covered her with a blanket and walked over to where Hagrid and Harry were waiting for him.
"Okay Harry – I know you're here for a reason – what is it?" Ron asked worriedly "Do you know what's going on?"
"I had another vision" Harry stated carefully "well, it was a dream this time – but it was the same as my vision – only, the pain I felt was more intense, and the fear I sensed, it was more intense as well – Ron, I don't know exactly what's happening here, but I think my visions are real – It's hard to explain, but Hermione's really gone – not physically, but mentally - I think Voldermort is holding her captive somewhere – at least temporarily – I'm not sure what his intentions are but she does definitely need our help…"
"So what do we do?" Ron asked frantically, looking from Harry to Hagrid.
"Hold on, first we need to know how this happened…" said Harry "What were you doing?"
Ron blushed as he remembered exactly what they had been doing when it happened… but the curious look on Harry's face quickly brought him back to reality –
"Nothing much – we had a picnic - she wasn't reading, if that's what you want to know…"
"So you were doing nothing and she suddenly just fell into this trance…" Harry queried, half-grinning
"Uh, yeah…" said Ron uncomfortably "that's exactly what happened – it was so sudden – she just suddenly closed her eyes and fell asleep…"
"And you're sure she wasn't near any books?"
"Yeah, I was reading to her from my Herbology book, but that's about as close as she got – and that was long before it happened…"
"I just don't get it then…" Harry said, starting to pace up and down the hut "there doesn't seem to be any sort of pattern…"
"I think we'd best be getting a hold'v Professor Dumbledore" Hagrid said finally "this is pretty darn serious and I think the Order should be informed"
"We already sent them an owl this afternoon…"
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Everybody froze.
"Uh – Who's there?" Hagrid asked feebly
"Hagrid – open up!" It was Dumbledore!
"Oh, Come in, come in, Professor" Hagrid said quickly "we were jus' comin' to find you…"
"Yes" said Dumbledore calmly "I know. However, I don't think young Miss Granger would've been up to the trip – she's not doing so well right now…"
Hagrid sighed – Dumbledore always knew everything before being told.
"Professor" Harry said quickly "what's happening to her? And why am I having these visions?"
"Calm down Harry – all will be revealed soon enough"
"But Professor" objected Ron "we need to help her – she could be dying!" he yelled despondently. The events of the day had finally started to take its toll on Ron – considering everything, a lot had happened since breakfast and he suddenly felt exhausted.
"Mr Weasley – I know you're worried about your friend, but we must not start to panic. I will explain everything in a few minutes, if you'll just sit down and relax"
"So what are we waiting for then?" Ron sat down opposite Harry, feeling exasperated.
"You'll see" Dumbledore said casually
Ron threw Harry a questioning look – but Harry didn't know what Dumbledore was talking about either and simply shrugged his shoulders.
After a few minutes, Ron could not take it anymore –
"I'm sorry, I can't just sit here!" he said emphatically, and walked over to where Hermione was lying on the bed "she's getting worse! She's so cold…" he said, as he felt her cheek. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it softly "Hermione – please come back to me…" he pleaded. And then he remembered – the Waking spell!
"I've got it!" Ron exclaimed "why can't we perform a waking spell?" he looked pleadingly at Dumbledore.
"Ah Mr Weasley – I'm afraid a simple waking spell will not be powerful enough to break through Voldermort's dark magic - there is only one thing that will bring Miss Granger back to us – it's something that you have just demonstrated - something that Voldermort has no power over – and will never fully understand - and I suspect it's why she awoke so quickly earlier today in the library…" Ron looked questioningly at Dumbledore.
"Love, Mr Weasley – it's the only thing powerful enough to bring Miss Granger back to us…"
"Love? …" Ron repeated, questioningly
"Yes, of course!" exclaimed Harry. Harry had discovered Voldermort's only real weakness – pure love – in his very first year at Hogwarts when Voldermort had tried to steal the Philosopher's stone.
"Yes, Mr Weasley – True Love – the kind that would sacrifice everything to protect the one you love - the kind that cannot simply stand back and wait while your loved one is in danger - the kind of love that you feel for Miss Granger…"
Ron blushed uncontrollably – why was Dumbledore telling him all this in front of the others?
"Today, in the library, it was you who woke her, was it not?" Dumbledore continued
"Yes, but…" Ron objected "I can't seem to wake her now…"
"Ah – things are not always as they seem, Mr Weasley – do not underestimate the power of true love…"
Ron couldn't help wondering why Dumbledore always seemed to talk to riddles…
"So does that mean that Hermione…" Ron asked gingerly
"Ah – it is not for me to tell you how Miss Granger feels" Dumbledore interjected "but I think you already have some idea…" he winked at Ron, sending Ron into another fit of furious blushing. How could Dumbledore possibly know what happened between them earlier?
Suddenly, a muffled murmuring sound emanated from Hagrid's bed – Hermione was stirring -
"Ron?"
Ron turned and rushed forwards "Hermione?" He quickly sat beside her and took her hand – it was getting warmer! "Hermione?" He thought his heart was going to leap out of his chest –
"Ron – where am I?" she mumbled, squinting up at him.
Ron could not contain his overwhelming emotions – he swept her up and held her firmly in his arms, unable to speak.
"Ron? Ron – I'm okay…" Hermione was saying, but he refused to let her go…
"Hagrid – Harry – Professor!" Hermione said, just noticing everybody staring at them "What happened?"
Ron pulled away to look at her – and took her hand again "You're back… I was so scared Hermione… you were so cold…"
Hermione looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face –
"What's going on?" she asked, confused "What am I doing here?"
"You mean, you don't remember what happened?" asked Harry
Dumbledore sighed "It is as I feared…"
"What!" said Ron
"Voldermort has altered Miss Granger's memory – he does not want us finding out what his Master Plan is – and unfortunately, Miss Granger has been affected…"
Ron stared at Dumbledore in disbelief, and turned back to Hermione…
"You can't remember anything about tonight?" he asked desperately
"No, the last thing I remember is talking to you in the library…" Hermione answered "Why, what happened?"
Ron looked distraught.
"And what is this stuff on my face?" she continued, thoroughly confused.
"Yeah, that's what we've all been wondering" Harry grinned "Ron?"
"Uh - It's cream, and probably some jam too" Ron sighed, realising they would not be satisfied until they got a full explanation "we were having a picnic, up on the Astronomy tower – don't you remember?" he asked somewhat hopefully in her direction. She shook her head and looked away from his desperate eyes.
"Well, anyway, I was reading to you from my Herbology book to help you revise for tomorrow, and then you helped me revise for my Divination final. And then we kinda got into a food fight – well, a cake fight to be exact…" he said softly. Hermione looked embarrassed "Oh, I see" she blushed "and - is that all?"
Ron hesitated for a second before replying – he wasn't going to tell her about a kiss she clearly couldn't remember – she wouldn't know what to say – and he wasn't going to mention it in front of everyone –
"Uh yeah – that's it – until, of course, you passed out"
"So I was just talking to you one minute, and the next I passed out?" she questioned
Ron could feel his cheeks starting to burn "Yeah! Sort of… It was pretty sudden…"
"'ermione" It was Hagrid, who had silently been observing up until this point "do ya remember anythin' about where you was jus' now? Ya know – when you was gone?"
Hermione realised that she had no recollection of where she had been – in fact – had she even been gone?
"No" she said despondently "I don't remember anything… Professor – what's happening to me? Will I ever remember what happened today?" she looked at Professor Dumbledore.
Professor Dumbledore sighed "It would seem that Voldermort has finally given up on trying to get into Harry's mind – Harry's built up a strong resistance through his Occlumency lessons over the years – so now he's trying a new strategy – he's trying to use you, Miss Granger, to get to Harry. So far, we have been successful in keeping The Prophecy a secret, but Voldermort will still do anything to try and find out what it foretells…"
He paused "And it is by no co-incidence that Harry is having these visions about you – Voldermort and Harry still have an undeniable connection – so when Voldermort exercises his power to control you, he unintentionally alerts Harry's subconscious – which sends Harry these powerful images – images that I believe are the key to putting a stop to all of this…"
Harry looked puzzled "But Professor, what I've seen, it's not enough to help us…"
"Ah, you mean, what you remember seeing… You see, Harry, visions are like dreams – sometimes, you wake up and you can only remember a fraction of the dream you had – well, I believe that there's a whole lot more to your vision, being stored up in your subconscious somewhere, and I'm going to teach you how to access it…"
"And Hermione?" asked Harry "What about what she doesn't remember? Can't we find a way to access her subconscious, maybe help her remember?"
"Hang on - I still don't understand" said Ron "How did Voldermort get into Hermione's mind to begin with? I mean, we all know that Harry has this connection to him, so he used that but Hermione…"
"One at a time boys… Good question, Mr Weasley. You're right, although Voldermort is a powerful dark wizard, he still needs a point of contact with a person to enter their mind. You remember the book Miss Granger was reading in the library?"
"The Dark Arts & How To Perform Them" Harry recited
"Yes. Now ordinarily a simple book would do no harm – but we all know how dangerous a book can become once it's been bewitched with evil powers such as Voldermort's. Miss Granger simply had to read one word from the page – and it gave Voldermort the access he needed to enter her mind. Troubling, I know, but usually such a book would never find its way onto school premises – which means, Voldermort had help – someone to do his dirty work"
"It could only have been Malfoy" said Harry angrily
"Now, Now, Harry – we cannot accuse Mr Malfoy of anything just yet" said Dumbledore calmly "but the culprit will be revealed soon enough. Now - to answer your question Harry – I know it seems like you and Miss Granger are in the same situation here but the images that have been locked away in your subconscious were sent to you unintentionally and therefore Voldermort will not try to stop us from retrieving that information: we have the advantage. However, in Miss Granger's case, Voldermort knows that we'll be trying to access her memories and he would've done everything in his power to stop us from doing so – he'll have put up mentalbarriers in her mind - he was always very talented when it came to understanding the Powers of the Mind – and so, I'm afraid we may never be able to retrieve those memories…"
"So this memory loss could be permanent?" Hermione interrupted
"It's too soon to tell, Miss Granger, but there's no point giving you false hope – it could well be the case. But, obviously we must now try to prevent this from ever happening again… Miss Granger, I would like for you to start Occlumency lessons straight away… and it wouldn't hurt for you to start them as well, Mr Weasley… we can't be too careful – there is a war going on and nothing can be presumed any more"
"But Professor, what about our exams?" Hermione asked frantically "how am I supposed to study?"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled "Miss Granger, I am almost positive you do not need any more revision for your final exams – but, if you would like to study further, I do not think a re-occurrence of what happened in the library is likely – however, you must be extremely careful and guard your books diligently"
"And Occlumency?" asked Ron "when do we start that?"
"Right away" said Dumbledore "after your exam tomorrow – there is no time to waste!"
"But Professor, until then…" Hermione objected
"I'm afraid there's nothing you can do to stop it from happening, Miss Granger – but it might help to keep Mr Weasley close by" he winked at Ron and got up to leave "and now, I do believe some sleep is in order – there are still exams tomorrow…"
Harry grinned at Hermione's puzzled expression.
"What did he mean by that? Why must I keep you close by?" she asked in Ron's direction after Dumbledore had left.
"Because Ron's the only one who can bring you back when you go into a trance like that…" Harry explained with a glint in his eye.
"He is? But why?" said asked curiously
"I think I'll let Ron explain that" Harry grinned impishly "Go on Ron, tell her why…"
Ron looked as though he could've strangled Harry at that point but he soon realised Hermione was still standing there, expecting an answer. He cleared his throat "Uh… it's a long story Hermione – don't worry about it now… c'mon, let's go back to the common room" he said "I assume you can walk? Or would you like me to carry you?"
"But Ron…" she objected, not budging.
"Okay fine then" he said, picking her up "I guess I'll have to carry you!"
"Ron – put me down!" she said furiously, as Harry just sat there laughing at his two best friends.
"Nope – you didn't want to walk – so now you have to let me carry you – how do you think you got here in the first place?" he grinned
"Harry! Make him put me down!" Hermione squealed, trying to punch Ron on the arm.
"Sorry" Harry grinned "but it's more amusing watching Ron carry you"
Hermione scowled but realised she was not going to win this one – Ron was determined to carry her all the way back to the castle.
"Okay – I give up!" she laughed "But it's a long way…"
"You'd swear you weigh a ton with all the objecting you do – honestly Hermione – you're as light as a feather!" he grinned "so stop complaining…"
"Oh, cut it out, you two!" Harry said finally "Now let's go – it's late…" he said, closing the door "Bye Hagrid!"
"Bye you lot! I'll be seeing ya all soon – now best be getting off ta bed…"
"Right – we're going" said Ron, as Hermione put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "Hey" whispered Ron "Just don't go falling into a trance again…"
Hermione yawned "I won't, but would you mind if I got some sleep? It feels like it's been a long day…"
You have no idea! thought Ron, as the three of them headed off to bed.
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