Shortly after arriving back to headquarters I helped Cedric pack for our return to Hogwarts the following night. Obviously, I was the only one who had packed ahead of time. Boys. Once we were all packed up I kissed everyone goodnight and retreated to the solace of my bedroom with Ginny. We were both exhausted from the nights activities though I was rather certain mine were more recreation and... well... fun. Closing my eyes I dreamed of a world without the Dark Arts and where we could all find peace and happiness. Mine of course was with Cedric traveling the world and fighting for House Elves rights.
I was filled with a sense of dread that this could merely be a dream for the moment and once we helped Harry defeat Voldermort there would be plenty of time for fighting my causes. The day that came when I woke up was a blur filled with making sure everyone was prepared for the train ride back and making a plan to get Harry on safely.
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"Nargles?" I shook my head laughing. "Have you been hanging around Luna, Ronald?"
A blush crept up Ron's face and Cedric, Neville, Ginny and I burst into a fit of laughter. We were on our way to the Great Hall to meet up with Harry and Cho with Ron talking about how Nargles affected his ability to do his homework correctly.
"She may have something there, Hermione. She'll prove you and your 'books' wrong."
Ron did a little air quotes thing when he mentioned my books that only set us into an even louder series of laughs. Cedric was slapping his knee trying to get some oxygen back in his lungs and Ginny was pressed into Neville's shoulder as she tried to control her laughter. The fact that Ron was now buying into Luna's world was making us all fit into a better mood.
Just as I turned around to regain my composure I saw a smoke stack coming out of Hagrid's chimney. Elation filled me as I got the groups attention and without a moment's hesitation and a reassuring look from Cedric Ron and I ran towards the Great Hall to tell Harry. I entered first and bee-lined straight for Harry who was in the midst of a deep conversation with Cho who was sitting at her table.
"Harry!" I screamed. "Harry!"
He looked up with a scared look on his face. I was sure he feared the worst and once Ron and I caught our breathing and the rest of the group entered the Hall I took a deep breath and whispered, "Hagrid's back."
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We crept towards Hagrid's hut. He was in deep conversation with Umbi- I mean Umbridge and Ron, Harry, and I hid underneath the window listening in. Hagrid was sitting in a chair a steak on his eye and appeared in pretty bad shape. I almost wanted to burst in there and attack Umbridge with all I had for arguing with Hagrid when he was clearly in need of medical attention.
"I'm sorry." Umbridge feigned care. "I will say this for the last time. I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been."
"I told you. I've been away for me health."
"Your health?"
"Yeah. Bit of fresh air, ya know?"
She scoffed. "Oh, yeah. As gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by."
Umbridge surveyed the room. No doubt looking for something to attack Hagrid with and kick him out. When she found nothing she walked to the door but not before turning back.
"If I were you, I shouldn't get too used to being back. In fact, I mightn't bother unpacking at all."
She left and we waiting until she reached the top of the hill before knocking on the back door and letting Hagrid sneak us in. He fell back on the chair he previously occupied and I surveyed his wounds while Ron and Harry asked him where he was. He wouldn't open up in the least telling us we would find out shortly. Hagrid held a stout finger to his lips and shushed them with a wink.
"Hermione, it appears you've been occupying the time of the young Mr. Diggory."
My face reddened. "Harry's been talking up Cho Chang."
"Hermione!" Harry screeched.
"Don't be mad at her. No secret around Hogwarts. Heard a few second years talking about it when I got back." He stretched out his leg. "What about you, Ron? Any girls you fancy?"
Ron gave a quick, longing look at me before shaking his head. "Girls are confusing."
"Ain't that the truth?" Hagrid boomed. "How about we have a few butterbeers and then I can tell you what Dumbledore's had me doing?"
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We finished up the butterbeers quickly enough. All of us seemed anxious to figure out what Hagrid had been up to. He looked pretty beat up and the thought of him in danger frightened us all. Hagrid wasn't exactly permitted to use magic ever since he went Azkaban for being wrongly accused for opening the Chamber of Secrets. It chilled us that we downed out glasses within seconds of getting them.
Finally, Hagrid spoke. "This is top secret, right?" We all nodded. "Dumbledore sent me to parley with the giants."
"Giants?" Ron stated in his quivering voice while looking around nervously.
"You found them?" I questioned.
"Well," Hagrid began. "They're not exactly hard to find, to be perfectly honest. They're so big, see? I tried to convince them to join the cause. But I wasn't the only one that was trying to win them over."
"Death Eaters?" Harry guessed.
"Yes. Trying to persuade them to join You-Know-Who."
I asked, "Did they?"
"I gave them Dumbledore's message. Suppose some of them remember he was friendly to them. I suppose."
Ron spoke again in his screechy voice. "And they did this to you?"
"Not exactly, no." Fang sat at his feet eyeing the meat that Hagrid placed on his eye. You could tell Fang was getting anxious and finally Hagrid got fed up and threw the meat at him. "Oh, go on. You have it then, you dozy dog."
Suddenly, the shutters banged close and we all jumped in our seats. All except for Hagrid who just stared out the window at the whistling wind. It was like he was staring right at something that none of us could see. It was honestly giving me the chills and I felt Harry squeeze my hand underneath the table and I smiled briefly at him.
"It's changing out there." Hagrid said in a low voice. "Just like last time. There's a storm coming, Harry. We'd all best be ready when she does."
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We were all in the common room when I stumbled across the The Daily Prophet's latest lie. Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville all gathered around as I'm sure others did to listen to me read Fudge's statement on what was obviously an act orchestrated by Voldermort himself.
"We have confirmed that ten high-security prisoners in the early houses of yesterday evening did escape. And of course, the Muggle prime minister has been alerted to the danger. We strongly suspect that the breakout was engineered by a man with personal experience in escaping from Azkaban, notorious mass murderer Sirius Black, cousin of escapee Bellatrix Lestrange."
I saw Neville flinch as I mentioned the Bellatrix and Ginny's tiny hand touch his long fingers and grasp them. I knew in that instant that Ginny knew what only a few had learned about Bellatrix's history with Neville's parents. Neville nodded and she squeezed them tight. That was rather odd. Harry walked over to the fire and gazed at it.
"Dumbledore warned Fudge this could happen. He's gonna get us all killed because he can't face the truth."
"Harry." A voice called and we all turned to see Seamus. "I wanted to apologize. Now even me mum says the Prophet's version of things don't add up." He looked down at his feet. "So, what I'm really trying to say is that I believe you."
Harry nodded in understanding and I felt something change in the air. People were beginning to believe what Harry and Dumbledore had been telling them since the tournament. If this prickle of belief could start here it could spread and hopefully reach the Ministry in time for something to be done. The more people were aware the more things could be done to protect them.
"Neville?" I heard Ron ask in a voice that made me instantly turn around. Ginny was still clutching Neville's hand and I could tell immediately that it bothered Ron. "What are you doing with my sister?"
Ginny rolled her eyes and then rubbed Neville's back. "You can tell them."
I took in a deep breath and Neville began to explain to Harry and Ron the secret he had kept from them. "Fourteen years ago... a death eater named Bellatrix Lestrange used a Cruciatus Curse on my parents. She tortured them for information but they never gave in." He paused and then a smile lit up his face and he stood tall. "I'm quite proud to be their son."
I saw Harry turned towards me and understanding took over his features. "You knew."
Biting my lip, I nodded. "When Cedric went into the hospital I did some research."
"And you never said anything?" It wasn't in an accusatory tone. Harry seemed to be piecing together some of the mystery that went on when he was in the hospital.
With a look towards Neville and a small smile. "It wasn't my secret to tell."
Neville cleared his throat causing all of us to look at him. "But I'm not sure I'm ready for everyone to know just yet."
I walked over to Neville and clutched my hand in his free one. "We're gonna make them proud, Neville. That's a promise."
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"Make it a proud memory, the happiest you can remember."
Harry lectured as we all stood around the Room of Requirement trying to conjure up Patronus' Charms. He walked around the room coaching everyone. If I was being honest I think Harry rather fancied the role of teacher. He went from person to person encouraging and helping as best he could.
"Allow it to fill you up. A full-bodied Patronus is the most difficult to produce but shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents. Just remember, the Patronus can only protect you for as long as you stay focused. Think of the happiest thing you can."
I imagined the moment Cedric and I were fooling around on the couch before my parents had walked in. I let the feeling encompass me before whispering the words. Suddenly, a light in the shape of an otter came out of my wand and swam around me causing me to laugh in girlish delight. Suddenly, I felt to lips press the side of my neck and I turned around in shock-otter gone.
"You need to stay focused, Miss Granger." Cedric tisked while I playfully slapped him.
"That's hard to do with you kissing me."
He clutched his heart. "I believe that's a compliment if I ever heard one."
I watched as Cedric closed his eyes and concentrated and soon enough a light in the shape of lion came from his wand and stood loyally at his side. It fit him in a way the strong, protecting animal. As he moved it around the room I jumped on my tippy-toes and kissed underneath his ear causing shivers to go up his spine. The lion disappeared in an instant.
"Hey!"
I smiled coquettishly. "Don't dish it out if you can't take it, Diggory."
When both of us stopped fooling around and actually got our Patronus' out we danced them across the room. I took notice at Ron's Jack Russell Terrier, Luna's hare, Ginny's horse, and Harry's stag. The room was lit with them and everyone seemed in good spirits which made sense it was alight with everyone's happiest moments.
I turned to Cedric, "What's your memory?"
He walked towards me and wrapped me tightly in his arms. "You. Just you... walking down the stairs the night of the Yule Ball."
"You were watching?" I asked as a tiny tear fell down the side of my cheek.
"Love, everyone was. You had the world at your feet."
Harry broke up the moment. "This is really advanced stuff, guys! You're doing great!"
Just then we heard banging coming from the entrance of the room. We all gathered together in the back by the mirror-wands at the ready. But it was no use we all knew what was coming through that door. Cedric stood in front of me at Harry's side and all we could was watch as the banging continues.
We knew eventually they would find us since they already knew the location but we thought we would have more time. The banging stopped and I heard Umbridge's voice.
"I'll make short work of this. Bombarda Maxima!"
With a sound similar to an explosion a major hole appeared in the entry way and the Inquisitor Squad made work of it to help them enter the room. Instead of cowering in fear we all stood tall and proud and waiting for them to come through.
When the opening was wide enough they all entered.
"Get them." Umbridge ordered.
Within minutes they grabbed us all. Malfoy gripped me tightly in his arms much to the dislike of Cedric who was struggling against a Slytherin to get to me. That was when Umbridge pushed Cho through the hole and I saw Harry's mouth drop open.
Umbridge handled her roughly and made her crying face look towards the group. "Is this all of them?"
She solemnly nodded.
"Good. You just saved yourself, Miss Chang." She gestured to her squad. "Follow me to Dumbledore's office. We have a little issue to discuss with our Headmaster."