Chapter 6
„How are your Patronus lessons going?” Narcissa, who was sitting next to Hermione on the Quidditch stands while they were waiting for the game Slytherin against Gryffindor to start, smiled at her. “I heard you have a very good teacher.”
She grinned a little. “Yes, we do. Sorry I didn’t tell you we were in contact. With everything going on, I just … forgot about it.”
Although they were completely surrounded by their friends and their parents, they kept their voices low and their words vague.
“It’s alright. But it’s good to know there’s a quick way to … share information, if necessary.
She nodded.
“So, the Patronus lessons?”
“Oh yes, it’s going well. Everyone is …” They were interrupted by the players flying onto the field. The game started and Gryffindor quickly made the first goal.
The Patronus lessons were forgotten for now.
Gryffindor scored two more goals and Hermione wondered whether their Keeper was asleep on his broom.
Finally, half an hour in, one goal for Slytherin.
Then the game slowed down a little, no goals for more than half an hour and the Snitch was nowhere to be seen.
Hermione started to get bored and just wanted to turn back to Narcissa, to rekindle their conversation, when Draco started to gain speed, closely followed by Potter. Hermione could see the Snitch now and the two Seekers were racing towards it.
They had almost reached it, when suddenly everything grew cold and several Dementors entered the playing field, their hooded faces staring up at Potter.
Draco whirled around, Snitch forgotten, and when he saw his opponent waver on his broom, flew towards him. But he wasn’t fast enough.
They all jumped to their feet. “Expecto Patronum!” Lucius and Hermione called simultaneously. A peacock and a Mooncalf raced towards the Dementors, chased them away, joined by a doe and a cat that both came from the teachers’ stands, but Potter, who seemed to have fainted, nonetheless fell off his broom.
Narcissa waved her wand, cast a non-verbal spell and he glided slowly towards the ground, landing gently on the grass the Dementors had vacated moments ago.
Now Dumbledore, too, jumped into action, leaving the stands and walking towards Potter, calling for Madam Pomfrey as he went. Lupin followed him.
When she looked up, she saw Lucius and Narcissa looking at her. “So the lessons are going well, do they?” Lucius asked with a small smile and she shrugged with a grin.
“I guess they do.”
Draco flew over to them, hovering on his broom in front of the stands. “For her they do. Us mere mortals only get a little bit of flimsy smoke out of our wands.” He grinned, but he did look a bit shaken. Hermione admired that he had reacted so quickly and had at least tried to reach Potter to catch him, while the other players had been frozen in the air.
Lucius chuckled. “You mere mortals will have to try harder then.”
He looked down again and Hermione followed his gaze. Most players had landed, Dumbledore and Weasley were standing next to Potter, blocking their view on him. Some of the teachers were standing around, some had remained on the stands. Like Severus.
“At least two of the teachers were quick enough to cast a Patronus, too,” Hermione said in a dry voice, still watching the spectacle below.
“Severus. The doe was Severus’ Patronus,” Narcissa said quietly. “I suppose the cat was Professor McGonagall’s.”
Why didn’t that surprise her? Of course one of them had come from Severus. And while McGonagall was close to Dumbledore, Hermione respected the older witch as a teacher. She was strict but fair towards all houses and competent in her lessons.
Lucius turned and also walked towards the Quidditch field, followed by some of the other parents, not just Slytherins.
Hermione and her friends, too, started walking and were joined by Draco, who had landed on the field.
“Albus.”
The headmaster turned around, frowning. “Before you say anything, Lucius, I am just as angry as you are.”
“Oh, are you?” Lucius didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to. His eyes were cold as he looked at Dumbledore. “I didn’t see your Patronus there. How are you going to guarantee our children’s safety, if you don’t even act when they’re actively attacked, in your presence, by the Dementors you host on school grounds?”
Murmurs of agreement came from several of the parents.
“I don’t host them, Lucius. I don’t have a say in that.”
“Of course you don’t.” His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
“And I was so surprise to see Miss Granger here conjure a Patronus. Where did you learn that, dear girl? Ten points to Slytherin, by the way.” He smiled. Hermione wanted to punch him.
“I taught her during the summer,” Lucius answered for her. “And that is not the point.”
“That is quite advanced magic for one so young.”
Lord Malfoy’s voice grew even colder, if that was possible. “I don’t think it’s in your best interest to go on about the fact that a 14-year-old had the presence of mind to cast a Patronus and you didn’t.”
Again, agreement from the parents.
For a moment Hermione was sure to see a look of anger pass over the headmaster’s face, then it was gone and promptly replaced by the familiar smile. “I’m truly sorry, Lucius. I will strive to do better.”
“Maybe it’s time for you to step back instead.”
Dumbledore’s smile froze. “No, I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“We shall see.”
Hermione saw how Weasley helped Potter to his feet now and he approached them on seemingly still wobbly legs. “Ron and Madam Pomfrey said that it was your Patronusses which chased them away.” He looked at Lucius and Hermione. Then his eyes fell on Narcissa. “And Madam Pomfrey believes you cast the charm that slowed me down when I fell. Thank you.”
Dumbledore did not seem happy at all. “My dear boy, I slowed down your fall.”
“Liar.” It was out of Hermione’s mouth before she knew it. And then it was too late anyway. “I was standing right next to Narcissa. She was casting the spell. You just stood there.”
Potter looked between them and Dumbledore. Then he nodded and when he repeated his thanks, his eyes were on Narcissa.
“Do you think that was smart? Antagonising Dumbledore like that? Why didn’t you let Lucius speak? Dumbledore hates him already.”
Hermione, who was sitting on the sofa in the Room of Requirement, holding the two-way mirror, sighed. She had heard pretty much the same thing from Lucius and Snape. “I know. I’m sorry.” He raised an eyebrow. “It just made me so angry that he had the nerve to claim to have done it.”
There was a pause, then her father shrugged. “It can’t be changed now. Just be careful.”
“I always am!” The moment it was out of her mouth, she knew she shouldn’t have said that.
He chuckled. “I can see that.”
“You know what he did then?”
“You mean after you called him a liar?”
“Yes.” She supressed an eyeroll. “He took the ten points from Slytherin that he had previously given for me casting a Patronus. Although Professor Snape gave me 30 that evening when he was in the common room, the point still stands.”
On her way back to the common room, she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Gran … Hermione? Do you have a moment?”
She turned around to see Harry Potter. “Sure.” Then she hesitantly added. “Are you feeling better?”
He nodded with an embarrassed smile. “I am. Thanks again. I’m sorry I missed the Patronus. Ron and Ginny said one of them was a bird, Lord Malfoy’s they think, and there was a doe and a cat from the teachers. They couldn’t tell what yours was. Some Magical Creature?” It was clear that he was trying to clear the air between them, since they had never had a friendly interaction before.
“It’s a Mooncalf,” she explained with a small smile.
“Wow, that’s amazing. I think I saw a picture when I went through the Monster Book of Monsters. After Hagrid told us how to open it, I mean.” A hesitant grin.
She giggled. “That thing almost bit Draco’s hand off right after we bought it.”
He laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me. That book is vicious.”
“It is.”
There was a short silence, then Potter spoke again. “How do you do it? Professor Lupin has been trying to teach me since the beginning of the year. I only manage to produce some smoke.”
She nodded. That was, after all, more than she had managed at first. “It was hard for me at first, too. I tried around with a few happy memories until one worked out. I think my first memories didn’t work because …” She tried to find the right words. “They were happy at the moment, but they were also connected with something negative. Like …” Another hesitation. But he knew, didn’t he? He was there during the Boggart lesson. “Like when Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy allowed me to stay with them. That made me happy, I’m happy living with them. But it’s also connected to the memory of why they had to do that in the first place. Does that make sense?”
He nodded and there was true understanding in his eyes. “It does. So it needs to be something that doesn’t remind you of something bad that happened before or after?
“Exactly! Just a moment in which you were really, truly happy. It doesn’t have to be big or life changing. That’s the mistake I made at first. I always chose the memories of things that changed my life for the better, that led to happiness, like coming to Hogwarts or coming to live with the Malfoys. But life changing moments usually mean that your life changed for the better and that means it wasn’t all too good before and that is connected to the memory.”
“Ok, I think I’m making the same mistake.” He gave her another sheepish smile. “Thanks, I’ll try to find something else.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Have you lost your bloody mind?” Hermione screeched. Noodles retreated, wrapping himself around Draco, who took a step back. She didn’t pay them any mind and just continued to glare at Sirius Black.
Today, the last Saturday before the Christmas holidays, they had been allowed to go to Hogsmeade again and she and Draco had decided to visit him briefly after they had done some last-minute Christmas shopping with their friends. The others had wanted to come, but they had eventually agreed that it was easier for only two people to get out of the village without being seen than it would have been for the whole group. They would meet them back in the castle later.
Sirius had then told them that the Dementors had come to the Quidditch Pitch because he had had the brilliant idea to watch Harry play and apparently the Dementors had become suspicious.
How could he have been so stupid?
Sirius looked at her, a grown man, actually seemingly intimidated by a teenager. At least he did look better health-wise. Tipsy had provided him with food over the past weeks and he had gained some weight. The elf had also brought him something to wear and obviously a comb and soap. His hair was shorter and his beard gone. Probably also Tipsy’s doing. She would have to thank her later. She had gone far beyond what she had been asked to do.
“I’m not saying it was smart,” he conceded.
“Oh really?”
“It wasn’t. But James also played Quidditch and I thought it would be nice to see Harry play.”
“And I think it would be nice to strangle Dumbledore in his sleep. Do you see me trying to do that?”
His lips twitched and she could tell that he was about to make a joke. She silently dared him to.
Obviously, he did have some sense in him and kept his mouth shut.
Hermione huffed and shook her head. “We brought you some Butterbeer,” she muttered and pulled a few bottles out of her bag.
“You have an extended bag? Nice.” He took the bottles. “Thank you! Do you want some?”
They shook their head and sat down. “We already had some,” Draco said as Noodles returned from him to Hermione.
“Coward,” she said with a small smirk.
“I’m not a coward. That doesn’t mean I need to take unnecessary risks.”
She snorted.
On their way back, they suddenly heard Weasley’s voice from their left. “Granger? Malfoy? What are you doing out here?”
All three of them, Sirius, who followed them in dog form, included, turned to him and Harry Potter. The two of them were sitting a little outside of Hogsmeade, each holding a bottle of Butterbeer.
“We could ask you the same thing,” Draco stated and Hermione was thankful that there was no malice in his voice, like there usually was when he talked to Weasley.
The redhead shrugged. “Fair enough, I guess.”
Wow, she called that progress. Slowly, she approached them, Draco and Sirius in tow. “We met that stray last time we were in Hogsmeade and I think he enjoys some human company. We went on a walk with him then and did it again today.” She gave them a small smile. “We won’t tell on you, if you don’t tell on us.”
Potter laughed. “Deal.” He held his hand out to Sirius. “Hello there.”
Sirius immediately approached him, tail wagging furiously as he was pet. “He’s nice. Did you give him a name?”
“Blackie.” She smiled sweetly at Draco. “Draco here isn’t really creative with names.”
They both laughed, and even Draco joined in.
“Want a Butterbeer?” Weasley asked awkwardly. “We have two more bottles.”
She exchanged a look with Draco and eventually they both nodded. “Sure.”
They sat with them, not before casting a Warming Charm on the cold set of tree stumps and accepted the bottles with a quiet thanks.
It was awkward, but eventually Weasley spoke up again. “Listen, I’m sorry. I was a right prick, especially to you,” he added with a brief glance to Hermione. “It’s just, everyone always says how awful Slytherins are and how suspicious it is that a Muggle-born was sorted into Slytherin. Percy said that never happened before. But without you and Lord and Lady Malfoy, that Quidditch match would have ended badly.” He looked at Draco. “And I saw that even you tried to reach Harry in time to catch him. No one else did anything. Or at least not fast enough. Not even Dumbledore.” She could hear the disappointment in his voice as he added that last bit.
Hermione hadn’t expected that. Maybe, just maybe, she had been a bit prejudiced as well. She had only ever thought of him as Harry Potter’s stupid sidekick.
And there was another thing: If they earned their trust, maybe they would eventually believe them that Dumbledore wasn’t to be trusted and that they needed to get their hands on the rat. Maybe Sirius would be able to meet his godson in person one day, not just as a dog. And maybe, just maybe, they could have Pettigrew arrested and as result Dumbledore. Maybe then everything would come out and her father would be able to return home. It was a stretch, but she wanted to believe it was possible.
So she jumped over her shadow. “It’s alright. I guess we also said some things we shouldn’t have. I’m sorry, too.”
“Me too,” Draco agreed quietly. Then he perked up. “How did you get out of Hogwarts, anyway? I thought you weren’t allowed to?”
Potter … Harry … grinned. “There’s a secret tunnel out of the castle.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes! You come out in the cellar of Honeydukes. And … well … I have an invisibility cloak, with which I got out of the cellar and was able to walk through the village with Ron without anyone noticing. But it’s hard to have a Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, people tend to notice, if a glass empties itself.” Hermione couldn’t help but grin at the mental image. “So Ron bought a few bottles and we came out here.”
“Where did you get an invisibility cloak from? They’re so rare, at least the good ones.” Draco sounded a bit envious. Of course, they knew about the cloak, but it was probably better not to tell them that they had set Snape on their heels in first year.
“Dumbledore gave it to me.” Hermione almost choked on her Butterbeer. “He said it was my father’s.”
The dog barked happily. She guessed that was his way to confirm that James Potter had indeed owned an invisibility cloak.
It was still weird that Dumbledore would give it to Harry. To cover up her surprise, she smiled at him. “I’m sure that comes in handy.”
“It really does.”
They finished their respective bottles. “I guess we should go back,” Hermione said then. “Before it gets dark.” All three boys nodded and they got up. Hermione ruffled Sirius’ fur. “Bye Blackie. See you after Christmas.”
The dog whined, but turned around and, with one last look at the group, ran off.
Harry hid under the cloak and whispered a quiet “bye” before slipping into Honeydukes when a customer just stepped out.
Ron walked with Hermione and Draco back to the castle and Hermione listened quietly when the boys finally broke the silence by talking about Quidditch.
Back in Hogwarts, they separated in an amicable way and the two of them went downstairs to the dungeons, where they met their other friends in the common room.
Hermione had a good feeling about that. It could lead to something. If nothing else, their little feud was hopefully over for good. With Dumbledore around, they had bigger fish to fry.
~tbc~