Forgotten

Book 1 Ch 3

I leaned over a pile of notes, running my fingers through my hair. It had been almost a week since tea with Hagrid and I hadn't made any progress in trying to find out the truth behind the Daily Prophet article. McGonagall had refused to tell me anything despite my constant questions. Hagrid avoided me whenever he saw me. If anyone were to even attempt robbing Gringotts they would be trapped inside. Or at least that's what they told everyone.

"Em," Alison pushed my elbow out from underneath of me. "What're you staring at?"

I blinked several times realizing that I was still in the Gryffindor common room, "How long have I been here?"

"Few hours," George walked over.

"Daydreaming about Oliver Wood?" Fred grumbled.

The smile on his face seemed more like a distant memory when he was around me. I frowned up at him, attempting to size up why his mood had been so bitter towards me lately. There were more pressing issues then whatever drama he had wound himself in this time. None of them had even batted an eye towards the Daily Prophet.

"What's your problem?" I growled.

"Nothing's wrong with me." Fred said rather frankly.

Ever since their prank had gone wrong Fred had been in a particularly sour mood. George let Fred take a step forward so he could shrug to me out of his brother's vision. So the others had caught onto his attitude too. I piled my work on top of the table and stood up. A few of my books slid into my open schoolbag.

"Right," I nodded, lifting my notes into my arms. "Well, if you won't tell me what's wrong, then I have things to do elsewhere."

"Heading to the library?"

A first-year girl with bushy brown hair rose to her feet from a nearby table. I had recognized her as the girl who had been speaking to Percy at the opening feast. Before she had stood up I hadn't realized that she had been only a table away. Books surrounded the outline of her table to create a barrier from her work and the world around her.

"Yes." I said.

"May I join you? People have told me all about you. I've been dying to discuss spells."

Fred, George, and Alison all exchanged curious looks with each other. The girl began to collect her things from the table, not giving much of a choice in my answer. No one jumped to my rescue when I looked over my shoulder to the twins and Alison. I shouldn't have expected much help from them anyways.

"I guess." I shrugged.

I followed her from the common room and down towards the library. The girl spoke at a hundred words per second. I shifted my notes in my arms, tired of the endless talk of how the girl's classes had been going.

"Then there was Professor McGonagall's class -"

"May I ask your name?" I interrupted.

"Hermione Granger."

"You said you wanted to discuss spells, didn't you?"

"Yes, I suppose that would perfect to discuss right now. Are there any advanced leveled spells that you could teach me?"

I smiled, "You will learn them all in time if you are patient. Stay within the first year spells for now -"

"But everyone's told me that members of the Ministry of Magic don't even know how to correctly perform the advanced spells."

My soft laugh echoed down the corridor, "Is that so? I'm flattered that people think so highly of me, but I can only do what I've been taught."

"But the professors won't help me learn to your standards."