Death at Hogwarts - A Harry Potter fanfiction

Chapter Twenty

I followed Harry outside, to where he sat, digging his nails into his palm.

I said nothing for a few moments, but as I was opening my mouth, Hermione came out with the mugs of tea. Harry accepted his gratefully.

"Thanks." he said.

"Harry, do you mind if I talk to you?"

"No." he said. It was evident to me from looking at Harry that he did not blame Hermione at all for the loss of his wand, but was simply upset as he had been banking on the protection of the wand's twin core against Tom when the two finally met.

"Harry, you wanted to know who the man in the picture was. Well. . .I've got the book."

Saying this, she pushed a prstine copy of The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore into his lap, and he gaped at it.

"Where - how -?"

Hermione explained she had found it in Bathilda's sitting room, with a note from Rita Skeeter sticking out of it. The note was addressed to Bathilda, telling her that she had said everything in the book, even if she did not remember it.

Hermione timidly asked Harry if he was still angry at her; Harry explained that, were it not for her, he would be dead, and she gave a small smile.

The two were shocked to find Albus had been best friends with Gellert Grindelwald in his younger years, and I glanced at the book Harry had in his arms, reading it with the two of them, of Rita's account on what really happened to Kendra and Ariana Dumbledore. Inside the book was a letter from Albus to Gellert, about doing things 'For the Greater Good.' It went on to finish, at the end of the current chapter, by saying 'Is it possible that Ariana Dumbledore was the first person to die 'for the Greater Good?'

Silence fell after the chapter, but not for long. Harry and Hermione soon got into a heated argument over Albus' true reasons for all this, Harry exclaiming angrily that all he had ever been asked to do was blindly trust and do things, risk his life over and over again. Finally, he dismissed Hermione, who left to go back inside the tent.

Harry glanced at me, still angry with Albus. Come midnight, it was snowing softly, and Hermione took over the watch with me, and Harry went to bed.

Hermione busied herself with re-reading Hogwarts: A History, while I busied myself with wondering whether Luna was alright.

Some time later, Harry awoke, and came to the tent mouth. Hermione told him that she had heard, and though she had seen, someone moving around outside the enchantments. We took off to a new location half an hour later, arriving in a large wooded area.

"Where are we?" Harry asked, looking around.

"The Forest of Dean," Hermione replied. "I came here once with mum and dad."

That night, we camped inside the tent, the other two huddled up around a jar of bluebell flames for warmth, and I realised that I, too, was beginning to feel a slight chill. I was a little concerned, as cold had never bothered me before, and instantly slipped out of my guise, staying visible to the other two.

Hermione glanced up and shrieked in shock as she saw all seven foot of me sat in the chair.

"Oh, sorry," I said. "My body was beginning to feel a slight chill."

"Why didn't you come over here, then?!" Hermione demanded.

"You don't understand, Hermione. I'm not meant to feel cold, or heat. Ever."

"Oh, just get over here already!"

I flew over to them.

"Not like that!" she said, looking positively alarmed.