Love Changes (Dramione)

[fifty]

Turns out, seven didn't mean seven hours, or seven people. As soon as Draco and Hermione got the note to McGonagall, she called for an assembly, along with a search of the castle.

The aurors, who had been there conducting "seminars" all week, scoured the castle for any threats, but came up with nothing.

McGonagall held the assembly in the Great Hall, checking the attendance, in case seven meant seven kidnapped students, but everyone was there. She pretended like the assembly was for the upcoming examinations, announcing several rules and regulations to make sure the traitor didn't think they were onto them.

Ten didn't mean anything either. There weren't ten Death Eaters waiting to storm the castle, not even ten birds. The crow that Elena had mentioned that dropped the note on her hand was nowhere to be seen, neither were its friends.

"Professor, what do we do?" Hermione asked the headmistress worriedly when they reached a dead-end.

"We ought to send the students back to their dorms. Stricter security will be employed until the end of the year." McGonagall sighed "The stone... For once, I think, you should let us worry about it."

Draco couldn't help his scowl "With all due respect, professor, you've already gotten us involved."

Hermione nudged Draco lightly "I think, what Draco meant to say was that we're in this too deep already, professor. Besides, you know Harry, Ron and I." She almost laughed "We can't help but be at the center of trouble."

"That, you're right about." McGonagall sighed again "Alright, well, we'll go about this the smart way. We'll proceed as normal, we can't show them we're fazed. The stone is perfectly protected and should be none of your concern. The best we can do is hold our defenses until the end of the term."

"We're just...going to wait like sitting ducks?" Hermione frowned

"It's that, or another battle Hermione, and I'll be damned if I let another student die under my watch." McGonagall shook her head "Our students are still grieving, most of them are still afraid." She said "I don't want to subject them to more trauma."

"Why don't we just hand the stone over to the Ministry?" Draco suggested, a little annoyed already that this stone has caused a threat to befall upon their lives.

"The Order is currently building the hallow a safe hiding place, as per the Ministry's orders." McGonagall said "It's the real reason why we're keeping the stone within the castle until the end of the year. That storage just needs a little more time—time we have to ensure we have. I think you both know as well as I do that the Ministry isn't always the safest place to hide things." She gave them both a pointed look.

Hermione couldn't help but agree. Between the prophecy, to Mad-Eye's magical eye and the Slytherin locket, the Ministry wasn't always the best place to keep important things.

"We'll hold them off until the end of term. We proceed as usual, strengthening the defenses as we go. No one's dying or getting kidnapped under my watch again." McGonagall shook her head "We'll keep the aurors in the castle, having one or two should do us some good. Perhaps one of them can team up with professor Yanley to teach DADA."

"We'll fix the nightly patrol as well, professor. Maybe we can cover more ground." Hermione agreed

"I'll talk to Hagrid about letting some magical creatures roam the grounds at night. Perhaps that can offer us more security." McGonagall muttered, she didn't like the idea of Blast-Ended Skrewts roaming the castle grounds at night, but if it'll help keep the Death Eaters at bay, why the hell not?