𝐢. 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 ; harry j. potter ( UNEDITED )

022. "the more time flows the more it deepens"

"Tell the whole world will you," said Fred sarcastically, smacking Ron's head.

"What're you two doing here anyway?" Lucia stated as she placed down Spells for Unnecessary Use 0.2.

"Heh, surprised that you picked up a book," remarked George, which only resulted in him being glared at by Lucia. He held his hands up in defence. "Okay, okay... geez. No one can take a joke these days... well, McGonagall wants you, Ron. And you, Hermione."

"Uh oh..." Lucia clamped her hand over her mouth before she sang, "Someone's in trouble..."

Hermione sent Lucia a glare, in which the latter merely shrugged. She then turned to the twins, "Why?"

"Dunno... she was looking a bit grim, though," said Fred.

"We're supposed to take you down to her office," said George.

Ron and Hermione stared at Harry and Lucia. Was Professor McGonagall about to tell Ron and Hermione off? Perhaps she'd noticed how much they were helping him, when he ought to be working out how to do the task alone? but that didn't make much sense since Lucia had been helping him as well, so what was the occasion?

"Did she... not ask for me?" Lucia asked.

Fred and George shook their heads. "Nah, just them."

Lucia couldn't help but think that this was certainly weird of Professor McGonagall. She didn't know about Ron and Hermione, but it would be more logical for their Head of House to call her in instead of them. Especially after the recent owl attacks... and maybe even when she had snuck out some prawns for the giant squid... and what about when she had snuck some more pus out of the Greenhouse when she shouldn't have? But then again, she had reasons for all of them... nonetheless, it weirded her out that Professor McGonagall haven't called for her yet.

"We'll meet you guys back in the common room," Hermione told them as she got up to go with Ron — both looked very anxious as they glanced at Harry. "Bring as many of these books as you can, okay?"

"Right," said Harry uneasily.

"Aye, aye," chirped Lucia.

By eight o'clock, Madam Pince had extinguished all the lamps and came to chivvy the pair of Gryffindors out of the library. Staggering under the weight of as many books as they could carry, Harry and Lucia returned to the Gryffindor common room, pulled a table into a corner, and continued to search.

"They're not back yet," said Harry through the silence between them.

"I'm fully aware," Lucia said serenely, flipping through the pages of Madcap Magic for Wacky Warlocks. "This one's useless too," she set the book down on the chair beside her.

Harry ruffled his hair in distress as he almost threw A Guide to Medieval Sorcery because there was nothing in it. Thankfully, Lucia caught it swiftly before it could hit the wall and put a dent on it.

They could not afford to be punished by Madam Pince because they brought back a book from her library in terrible condition. "Why aren't they back yet?" he asked wearily.

Lucia glanced up from reading about the underwater exploits in An Anthology of Eighteenth-Century Charms, "It's still early, Harry. I'm sure they'll be back. You know they would never leave you to do this alone," she said reassuringly. "They're not like that..."

Harry sighed feebly. He'll just have to believe that as he looked through Dreadful Denizens of the Deep and Powers You Never Knew You Had and What to Do with Them Now You've Wised Up, but neither of the three gave him the answers he needed.