Latrunculus--Part 8

Hermione was horrified to see the growing light in the east. With a cry of distress, she threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. She quickly donned a dressing gown, heading to the loo.

In record time, she was back in Ginny’s old room. She found the books that Ron had gotten for her while in the hospital. She got her quill and a bit of parchment and opened a book.

She didn’t how long she had been working when a voice said, “Tell me that you got some sleep, Hermione.”

With a cry of surprise, she whirled around. When she realized that it was Ron, she clutched the collar of her dressing gown closed. “You could have knocked, Ron!”

He chuckled. “I did. You were just too involved with your books to hear it. Did you find anything?”

She glanced at her notes. Given the time she had been working, there were very few of them. “Not really.”

“Well, we’ve got more work to do at the Hogwart’s library.”

“Yeah,” she said quietly. They were both quiet for a moment. “Was there something you wanted, Ron?”

“Huh?”

“Was there a reason you came to find me?”

“Oh, right. Mum’s about finished with breakfast.”

“That was nice of her, but I’m not hungry.”

“Since when has that ever mattered to Mum,” Ron said with a shrug. “It would be easier if you just ate something so we can get back to Hogwarts.”

“Ron, what’s taking you!” a voice bellowed.

He sighed as he stepped back into the hall. “Just a minute, Mum!”

He gave Hermione a told-you-so look. “Better hurry, Hermione. I’ll see you downstairs.”

“Okay.” Hermione shut the door behind him. She dressed quickly so she wouldn’t face an annoyed Molly Weasley.

* * * * *

“Well?” Molly demanded when Ron re-entered the kitchen.

“She’ll be down in a minute, Mum.”

Molly gave the stove another flick of her wand. “I’m worried about her.”

“I know,” Ron said quietly.

She turned and studied her youngest son. She wondered how he was taking all this. After all, he and Hermione had been friends for years.

“Ron,” she began but stopped as Hermione entered the kitchen.

“Good morning, Mrs. Weasley,” she greeted, taking a seat across from Ron. “Everything looks delicious.”

Molly smiled. “Thank you, dear. Now, eat up. I know you and Ron have things to do.”

She watched them as they ate. To be so young, they had been through so much. She hoped that they would prevail in this crisis as well.

However, she wondered what would happen if they couldn’t.

* * * * *

The library was mostly deserted when they arrived. Madame Pince had left their table as they had left it. She and Ron quickly got to work. Harry and Ginny joined them a few minutes later.

The four worked diligently. The silence of the library was only broken by the sounds of turning pages, quills on parchment, and soft footsteps. Words were limited to requests for books or parchment and the like.

Without being asked, Ron took a stack of books to a table so Madame Pince could reshelve them. He stopped when he saw the grounds outside. A group of students were having a huge snowball fight and he could almost hear the shouts and laughter.

He wished that it was them down there, back in their Hogwarts days. Before Voldemort returned, before the battles. Before Hermione was cursed.

Cursing himself for wool-gathering, he made his way back to their table. Hermione glanced up at him, her expression worried. He shook his head and took a book. That seemed to satisfy her and she returned to her work.

When they breaked for lunch, Hermione went without protest. They were again overwhelmed by the house elves. They swapped small talk with Dobby, who was thrilled to be in the presence of Harry Potter again.

It was Ron who suggested that they return to the library. Hermione jumped at the chance. They left Harry and Ginny to follow. Without discussion, they practically ran back to the library.

He tried not to focus on the small number of books left. He tried not to dwell that they had almost gone through the entire Hogwarts’ restricted section and practically learned nothing. He tried not to remember that Hermione may be only had days or even hours of magic left.

His mind was working on different levels. Part was reading the text before him, looking for any clue towards a cure. Another was desperately trying to think of where else they could look. Did the Healers have a library? He had already exhausted his sources with the Aurors.

Across the table, Hermione mirrored his desperation. She searched through the books, writing down every bit of relevant information she could find. Given the number of volumes she had gone through, it was a pitiful amount.

Harry eventually returned to the library alone. Ron worked as he waited for his sister to appear as well. Minutes ticked by and there was no sign of her.

“Where’s Ginny?” Ron finally asked quietly.

“I sent her home,” Harry replied. “She won’t admit it, but she needs rest.”

Hermione’s head jerked up. “Is she okay? Is she sick?”

“No, no,” Harry stated quickly. “She just needs a nap is all. She’ll be back in a bit.”

“Maybe she shouldn’t,” Hermione murmured. “It’s not like we’re making any progress.”

“Don’t say that.”

She met Ron’s glare. “We have to be realistic, Ron. We have to face the possibility that we may not find a cure.”

“We still have books to go through,” he protested. He ignored Madam Pince’s order to lower his voice. “There could be something in them.”

“Or there could be nothing, as in all the others,” she countered. “We’ll be through these books by this afternoon. And then what? We’re running out of places to look, Ron. The healers are probably right; there is no cure.”

He shook his head. “I can’t believe that.”

“Why?” she demanded. Why was he being so stubborn about this?

Again, he shook his head. Hermione glanced at Harry. He looked back at her, his expression torn. She sighed and decided to change her tactics.

“Ron,” she said gently. He refused to look up at her. “Ron, please.”

He stilled as she covered one of his hands with hers. He let out a breath and some of his defiance melted away. She tightened her grip on his hand.

“Mr. Weasley!”

The student ignored Madam Pince as he ran to their table. Ron pulled his hand away as he rose to his feet. He walked toward the boy to meet him.

“This just came by owl for you,” the boy said. He stopped in front of the tall Auror. “It looks like it’s urgent.”

Ron thanked the boy as he took the letter. The boy lingered until Ron gave him a meaningful look. As soon as the boy was leaving, Ron opened the letter.

It couldn’t be long, given the time it took him to read it, Hermione surmised. She watched his face for any hint of the news the letter had. But he kept his face blank.

He seemed perfectly calm as he refolded it. But his eyes were blazing blue fire as he turned to them. “Malfoy’s been captured.”


Part VIII Hermione was horrified to see the growing light in the east. With a cry of distress, she threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. She quickly donned a dressing gown, heading to the loo. In record time, she was back in Ginny’s old room. She found the books that Ron had gotten for her while in the hospital. She got her quill and a bit of parchment and opened a book. She didn’t how long she had been working when a voice said, “Tell me that you got some sleep, Hermione.” With a cry of surprise, she whirled around. When she realized that it was Ron, she clutched the collar of her dressing gown closed. “You could have knocked, Ron!” He chuckled. “I did. You were just too involved with your books to hear it. Did you find anything?” She glanced at her notes. Given the time she had been working, there were very few of them. “Not really.” “Well, we’ve got more work to do at the Hogwart’s library.” “Yeah,” she said quietly. They were both quiet for a moment. “Was there something you wanted, Ron?” “Huh?” “Was there a reason you came to find me?” “Oh, right. Mum’s about finished with breakfast.” “That was nice of her, but I’m not hungry.” “Since when has that ever mattered to Mum,” Ron said with a shrug. “It would be easier if you just ate something so we can get back to Hogwarts.” “Ron, what’s taking you!” a voice bellowed. He sighed as he stepped back into the hall. “Just a minute, Mum!” He gave Hermione a told-you-so look. “Better hurry, Hermione. I’ll see you downstairs.” “Okay.” Hermione shut the door behind him. She dressed quickly so she wouldn’t face an annoyed Molly Weasley. * * * * * “Well?” Molly demanded when Ron re-entered the kitchen. “She’ll be down in a minute, Mum.” Molly gave the stove another flick of her wand. “I’m worried about her.” “I know,” Ron said quietly. She turned and studied her youngest son. She wondered how he was taking all this. After all, he and Hermione had been friends for years. “Ron,” she began but stopped as Hermione entered the kitchen. “Good morning, Mrs. Weasley,” she greeted, taking a seat across from Ron. “Everything looks delicious.” Molly smiled. “Thank you, dear. Now, eat up. I know you and Ron have things to do.” She watched them as they ate. To be so young, they had been through so much. She hoped that they would prevail in this crisis as well. However, she wondered what would happen if they couldn’t. * * * * * The library was mostly deserted when they arrived. Madame Pince had left their table as they had left it. She and Ron quickly got to work. Harry and Ginny joined them a few minutes later. The four worked diligently. The silence of the library was only broken by the sounds of turning pages, quills on parchment, and soft footsteps. Words were limited to requests for books or parchment and the like. Without being asked, Ron took a stack of books to a table so Madame Pince could reshelve them. He stopped when he saw the grounds outside. A group of students were having a huge snowball fight and he could almost hear the shouts and laughter. He wished that it was them down there, back in their Hogwarts days. Before Voldemort returned, before the battles. Before Hermione was cursed. Cursing himself for wool-gathering, he made his way back to their table. Hermione glanced up at him, her expression worried. He shook his head and took a book. That seemed to satisfy her and she returned to her work. When they breaked for lunch, Hermione went without protest. They were again overwhelmed by the house elves. They swapped small talk with Dobby, who was thrilled to be in the presence of Harry Potter again. It was Ron who suggested that they return to the library. Hermione jumped at the chance. They left Harry and Ginny to follow. Without discussion, they practically ran back to the library. He tried not to focus on the small number of books left. He tried not to dwell that they had almost gone through the entire Hogwarts’ restricted section and practically learned nothing. He tried not to remember that Hermione may be only had days or even hours of magic left. His mind was working on different levels. Part was reading the text before him, looking for any clue towards a cure. Another was desperately trying to think of where else they could look. Did the Healers have a library? He had already exhausted his sources with the Aurors. Across the table, Hermione mirrored his desperation. She searched through the books, writing down every bit of relevant information she could find. Given the number of volumes she had gone through, it was a pitiful amount. Harry eventually returned to the library alone. Ron worked as he waited for his sister to appear as well. Minutes ticked by and there was no sign of her. “Where’s Ginny?” Ron finally asked quietly. “I sent her home,” Harry replied. “She won’t admit it, but she needs rest.” Hermione’s head jerked up. “Is she okay? Is she sick?” “No, no,” Harry stated quickly. “She just needs a nap is all. She’ll be back in a bit.” “Maybe she shouldn’t,” Hermione murmured. “It’s not like we’re making any progress.” “Don’t say that.” She met Ron’s glare. “We have to be realistic, Ron. We have to face the possibility that we may not find a cure.” “We still have books to go through,” he protested. He ignored Madam Pince’s order to lower his voice. “There could be something in them.” “Or there could be nothing, as in all the others,” she countered. “We’ll be through these books by this afternoon. And then what? We’re running out of places to look, Ron. The healers are probably right; there is no cure.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe that.” “Why?” she demanded. Why was he being so stubborn about this? Again, he shook his head. Hermione glanced at Harry. He looked back at her, his expression torn. She sighed and decided to change her tactics. “Ron,” she said gently. He refused to look up at her. “Ron, please.” He stilled as she covered one of his hands with hers. He let out a breath and some of his defiance melted away. She tightened her grip on his hand. “Mr. Weasley!” The student ignored Madam Pince as he ran to their table. Ron pulled his hand away as he rose to his feet. He walked toward the boy to meet him. “This just came by owl for you,” the boy said. He stopped in front of the tall Auror. “It looks like it’s urgent.” Ron thanked the boy as he took the letter. The boy lingered until Ron gave him a meaningful look. As soon as the boy was leaving, Ron opened the letter. It couldn’t be long, given the time it took him to read it, Hermione surmised. She watched his face for any hint of the news the letter had. But he kept his face blank. He seemed perfectly calm as he refolded it. But his eyes were blazing blue fire as he turned to them. “Malfoy’s been captured.”


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