Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

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They waited till all the Professors and Fudge had left, before they left the pub and made their way to Honeydukes to drop him off. Hermione and Ron stared at Harry, who was still stunned by what he heard, including Hermione and Ron. They were both confused. Though everyone thought Sirius was guilty, Elka was confident about his innocence and had her own idea of proof that supported her theory. 

Hermione and Ron returned to Hogsmeade with everyone else and at dinner, they watched Harry nervously throughout dinner, where they didn't speak with each other for fear of being overheard by Percy. It wasn't better as they made their way back to the dorms where they came face to face with Fred and George's dungbombs before Harry made his way to his bed. Hermione left Ron to keep an eye on Harry as she headed to her dorm, hoping everything was alright with him. 

"Hermione... Hermione..." A voice called for her. Hermione sat up as she found herself sitting in what appeared to be a depressing looking dining room. The walls were a hideous gray, and empty of any sign of decor except for the stone fireplace that had the only light blaring within it. She was sitting at a long dining table with an empty china plate in front of her, countless utensils, and a couple of glasses in front of her. She lifted her head to find she wasn't alone. Sitting right in front of her, was Iracebeth. Even though Hermione never saw a photo of her, she knew the woman was Iracebeth because of her red velvet coat she was wearing. She was a gaunt woman with long black and white hair  framing her face. She had sharp, piercing teal eyes that looked down at her plate as she brought a piece of fish to her lips. 

"Hermione...  it's time... to stop pretending..." Iracebeth said, smirking growing wide as a cheshire cat smile. 

"Stop pretending? About what?" Hermione asked, confused. Iracebeth set her utensils down, chuckling to herself. 

"Stop pretending... that you're nothing like me." Iracebeth told Hermione, giggling a loud, evil laugh before returning to eating. Hermione shook her head, her heart racing in her chest. 

"But I am nothing like you... you're foul and vicious. You killed those poor muggles!" Hermione shot at Iracebeth. Iracebeth paused for a moment. Her head slowly began to ascend before it tilted to the side, her grin still plastered on her face. 

"Are you sure about that?" Iracebeth asked as her face began to shift and melt. Hermione sat there, frozen in her seat, as she watched Iracebeth's face changing till Hermione was soon looking back at... herself. The evil Hermione sat in front of her, laughing Iracebeth's heartless laugh, which kept getting louder... and louder... and louder till....

"HERMIONE! WAKE UP!" Ginny's voice shouted at Hermione. Hermione bolted up as she was gasping for air. She was back in her dorm... no Iracebeth in sight. 

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ginny asked Hermione. Hermione shook her head, lying that she was fine, but she wasn't. She was still shaken up from what she had dreamt about. 

Hermione proceed to get dress and head down for breakfast with Crookshanks in her arms when she was stopped to find both Ron and Harry sitting in the sofas in front of the empty common room. 

"Hermione, you look... terrible!" Ron spat out, "Just as bad as Harry here." 

"Where is everyone?" she asked. 

"It's the first day of the holidays, remember?" Ron told her. She slumped at one of the tables and set Crookshanks down as he laid all spread out in front of her. 

"You look worst than me, Hermoine," Harry said. 

"I'm fine, I just had a horrible dream." She told them, leaning her head against her arm. Ron and Harry looked like they were nervous about asking her something and trying to figure out if it would be safe to do. 

"Speak," Hermione mumbled with her eyes closed. 

"Harry wants to go out and kill Black for what he did to his parents." Ron told her. Hermione jolted up into a sitting position. 

"Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish? Because if you go out there and run into Black, you are probably going to die! Besides, you heard my Grandma Elka, she has doubts Black even did that!" Hermione shot at him. 

"You heard Fudge! She's in denial that Black did it!" Ron told her. 

"My Grandma doesn't believe things idly, Ron. If she is this convict Black is innocent to the point she is confront Fudge, she has a good reason in doing so!" Hermione stated to them. 

"Come on guys, it's nearly Christmas! Why don't we go and see Hagrid?" Ron suggested to them. 

"Yeah, let's go," Harry said, sitting up, "and I can ask him how come he never mentioned Black when he told me all about my parents." 

"Or we could have a game of chess? Or Gobstones? Percy left a set," Ron said hastily. 

"No, Let's visit Hagrid." Harry told them. After they got their coats, they rushed down to Hagrid's huts and arrived on a horrible sight. Hagrid was bent over, tears streaming down his face. 

"Hagrid, what is it?" she asked, horrified. Hagrid's sobs had become worst as he handed them the letter, which Harry read out loud: 

Dear Mr. Hagrid, 

Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident. However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated. 

Yours in fellowship... 

there was a list of school governors. 

"Oh, I bet he'll get off, Hagrid. Buckbeak's a good..." Ron started when Hagrid sobbed loudly. 

"You don't know those gargoyles at the committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures!" choked Hagrid, "They've got it in for interesting creatures!" 

A sudden sound from the corner of Hagrid's hut caused the three of them to turn to see Buckbeak laying in the corner as he was eating something. 

"I couldn't leave him tied up out there in the snow! All on his own! At Christmas!" Hagrid explained to them. Hermione stood up, her hands on her hips. 

"You'll have to put up a good strong defense, Hagrid! I'm sure you can prove Buckbeack is safe!" Hermione told him. 

"Won't matter! *sniffled* Those Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket!" Hagrid told them. 

"What about Dumbledore?" Harry asked. 

"He's done more than enough for me already. Got enough on his plate with keeping those dementors out of the castle!" Hagrid told them. 

"Well you can't just give up! You need a good defense! You can call us as witnesses-- and I remember reading about a case of Hippogriff-baiting and the hippogriff got off. I can look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened!" Hermione stated to Hagrid. 

"Er-- shall I make a cup of tea?" Ron blurted out. Harry and Hermione turned to look at him as she shrugged. 

"It's what my Mum does whenever someone's upset." Ron muttered. Hagrid sniffled. 

"You're right! I can't afford to go to piece... just hard because I haven't been myself lately... I have to past those awful dementors when I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks. Like being back in Azkaban--" Hagrid said before going quiet and shuttering. 

"Is it that awful?" Harry asked. Hagrid gasped. 

"Oh! You have no idea. Hope none of you guys have to go even near that dreadful place! Anyone that goes there, end up barking mad! Those dementors make you keep going over and over of all the horrible things that happen in your life. And most people... oh! It's just a terrible, terrible place!" Hagrid warned them, shaking his head.