Weasley and Granger

Chapter 47: Recovery

"In a brief statement on Friday night, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He Who Must Not Be Named is returned to this country and is once more active." Hermione read for the second time to her friends. 

She lay in a hospital bed under warm blankets in the Hospital Wing, back in the safe grounds of Hogwarts. It was two days after the events of what happened in the Ministry. Saturday morning was normally spent sleeping in, a late breakfast, maybe a bit of early packing since they were to go home on Monday and then the rest of the day would be left to what ever they wanted to do.

On the Thursday night, after Hermione had regained consciousness, she was taken straight to the hospital wing to be treated. Madam Pomfrey had gotten Hermione to take about ten different potions to counter act the curse, but Hermione was still being forced to take all these potions two days later.

When Madam Pomfrey had finished attending to her that night, Remus was by her side as he had tried to explain what had happened as best as he could. He had told her how Sirius was the one who was on the stretcher, dead. As soon as he told her this, she broke into tears and Remus did too, again. 

Remus told her how Voldemort had appeared at the ministry too, and how Harry had smashed the prophecy earlier as he was escaping a close call with a death eater. He had told her how Dumbledore had also made a grand entrance and how he had protected Harry greatly. 

It took a while for this all to process in Hermione's mind, she knew there was a lot more that Remus had told her about the events that she'd missed that night, but her head was already spinning with the things that he'd told her. 

"To think, that Fudge was only saying last week that 'there was no truth to the rumours about You Know Who's return" Ron scoffed, as he folding his arms. He was also in a hospital bed, the one to the right of Hermione, he had apparently been attacked by some squid like creature in the Department of Mysteries when everyone was fighting.

How the squid creature was even involved or how Ron was attacked by it, Hermione didn't know, and she didn't think she would ever know. Ginny was sitting at the end of Hermione's bed with her legs hanging off the side, her left ankle had been broken in the fight but Madam Pomfrey swiftly mended it when she arrived on Thursday night.

Neville sat in a chair between Hermione and Ron's bed, while Luna was sitting on top of the bed to the left of Hermione. She was not in the bed but instead she was reading the latest copy of the Quibbler upside down. 

Hermione continued to read out the article to the group, ""We urge the magical population to remain vigilant. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home nd personal defence which will be delivered free to al Wizarding homes within the coming month" Fudge promised. Details of the events that led to the Ministry turnaround are still hazy, though it is believed that He Who Must Not Be Named and a select band of followers (known as Death Eaters) gained entry to the Ministry of Magic itself on Thursday evening." 

"The article continues on and it's just mentioning that Dumbledore was reinstated," Hermione added while scanning through the article, "Ah! Albus Dumbledore, has so far been unavailable for comment. He has insisted over the past year that You-Know-Who is not dead, as was widely hoped and believed, but is recruiting followers once more for a fresh attempt to seize power. Meanwhile, the 'Boy Who Lived' - I told you they'd bring Harry into it somehow" She sighed and passed the paper to Neville who took no pause in looking through the rest of the article.

"Well, at least they know you're not crazy Harry." Ron smiled at his friend. Harry half heartedly smiled back and nodded. 

"Did Madam Pomfrey say you guys can get out today?" Ginny asked.

"She said hopefully later on today, as she wants to do some final checks before we leave on Monday." Hermione replied. 

In all honesty she was ready to get out of the bed and out of the hospital wing in that very moment. She was still struggling internally with what happened to her on Thursday night. Her inner demons were telling her that she should've been more aware of her surroundings and she foolishly let her guard down in the Department of Mysteries. 

That moment had allowed her to be hit with a spell, and her to be knocked unconscious. Even worse was that she missed most of the fight. That was the hardest part, her thinking she could've helped more. That she could done something about Sirius-

"Hermione?" Ginny spoke up.

"Hmm?" The brunette was pulled away from her thoughts, as she turned to the red headed female. 

"You still haven't told me what Fred said in the letter he sent you yesterday." Ginny smiled. 

As soon as she brought this up, Hermione's face burnt a bright red. This had become a common occurrence when something in her life had something else to do with Fred Weasley. Not that she minded though.

Indeed, Fred had sent her a letter, but there was no way she was going to tell anyone about what he had written. Just like the letter he had left her the night he and George had made their grand exit from Hogwarts, this one also involved a lot of inappropriate comments (to say the least) about what they were going to do the next time he saw her.

More so, there was no way, in the name of Merlin's beard, that Hermione was going to tell anyone that she was actually heavily considering some of those comments he'd made. But in the short term, and to get everyone to stop looking at her with great intrigue she told them, "He's glad I'm okay, and he can't believe we broke into the Department of Mysteries, let alone the Ministry without him and George." 

That part was still true. He couldn't believe what he'd heard, especially since the Order were the ones to tell him and George. He had also said that Remus, George and Moody had to hold him back as he wanted to go to Hogwarts straight away. But mostly, it was Mrs Weasley who gave him a stern talking to about the situation that calmed him down too.

"What do you think she's going to do now?" Ron lowered his voice to the others, as he pointed to Dolorus Umbridge who lay in a hospital bed on the other side of the room from them.

"There's no way the Ministry is going to take her back." Ginny whispered.

"At least they shouldn't. Dumbledore should fix that." Harry added.

Umbridge was lying down, and she was staring up at the ceiling. Supposedly she hadn't said anything since Dumbledore had gotten her out of the forest, he was seen carrying her out in his own arms after everyone returned on Thursday night.

The group all seemed to have their eyes on her, when Ron whispered, "Hey Harry, check this out." He proceeded to make clicking noises with his tongue. Within an instant, Umbridge sat up in her bed and looked around the room with wide eyes.

Madam Pomfrey came running over, "Is everything alright Dolorus?"

"Yes, yes. I must've just been dreaming." She nodded frantically as she lay back down, on the other side of the room, the students were all stifling laughs. 

"That'll teach her." Hermione smiled.