Love On Risky Ground

Love On Risky Ground

Chapter 9

The Little Cottage.

"Dumbledore," Remus gasped, getting up from his chair, his eyes marked by black circles of worry and exhaustion.

Dumbledore walked into the depressing dungeon room of Azkaban. The noise of the wind and ferocious waves pounding against the rocky shore of the island where Azkaban stood rang in his ears. A light spray of sea water and a blast of freezing wind filtered through the barred, decrepit windows. Sometimes, mad cries were heard from the inmates left to linger after the imprisoned Death Eaters had broken free. Although the Dementors had left, the inmates were still suffering the effects.

Dumbledore barely smiled at Remus' greeting, his aging features making him look frailer then usual. It was not unexpected. The past three days of helping the Order's members search for the still-missing Harry had been wearisome for him and made him wearisome for him and had left him dispirited. Then Snape had died, and it was a great loss to him, personally and professionally. "How is Sirius?" he asked gravely.

Remus shook his head and flayed his hands in abomination. "He's- he's- damn Peter!"

Dumbledore clasped his hands, looking around the cold dungeon as he heard the distressed man's words and sighed.

It was a cold place, very eerie and old. The stone walls were a dark grey and streaks of water marks painted them. There was a strong stench of the sea in the colourless room and he noticed that sea salt was accumulating on the windowsills.

"Remus, am I allowed to see him?" Dumbledore asked, looking at a door at the far end of the room.

Remus sat down again, resting his eyes. "An Auror is guarding his cell. Just knock on the door and he'll let you through." He opened his eyes and looked at Dumbledore. "Any news on Harry?" Dumbledore shook his head. Remus continued, "Sirius has been worried about him. He's not taking it very well."

"I understand," Dumbledore replied.

He quietly proceeded up to the door and knocked. A moment later, a man eating some bread and cheese opened the door. An odour of sweat mingled with the smell of the sea wafted from him.

"I want to see Sirius Black," Dumbledore stated with superiority in his voice.

The Auror grunted and stepped aside. White stubble grew on his chin and he looked badly in need of some sleep and a shower. He let Dumbledore through and shut the door. The Auror then led him through a maze of dark corridors and entered a tiny room that was bathed in darkness, except for a small hovering candle with blue light. A door stood behind with a little caged opening. They must have been deep within the castle prison, for the noise of the wind and waves was muffled.

The Auror unlocked the cell door. "Black, you have a visitor," he spat loudly.

Dumbledore instantly heard a ruffling behind the door and several squeaks from scurrying rats. Sirius leaned against the door, his eyes looking through the tiny metal bars of the door panel.

"Dumbledore," he croaked.

Dumbledore turned to the Auror and asked him to leave. Once the Auror had left he moved closer to the cell, meeting eye to eye with Harry's godfather. "How are you feeling?"

Sirius paused for a while before answering, "I'm surviving, but it's not me you should be worried about." He bowed his eyes but raised them again. "Harry?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "He has not been found as of yet."

"DAMN!" Sirius yelled, removing himself from Dumbledore's sight. He was clearly upset. He was desperate for Harry to be safe.

"Sirius, we are doing everything we can to find him," Dumbledore pleaded, trying to calm the man down. "Anger will not accomplish anything."

Sirius took in a deep breath and gazed out again. "I'm supposed to protect him. The day I was captured, a homeless man I spoke to saw him, he was all right then."

"And maybe he is still, Sirius ... he may still be safe, but unable to contact us. Let us just hope that he will not go to the Order Headquarters; it may not be the best place anymore. Death Eaters were spotted and are strategically hiding around the vicinity. Apparently they have an inkling where we are positioned, but they will never find it," Dumbledore stated, knowledgeably. Sirius rubbed his eyes in frustration. "Now, there is another serious matter to discuss ... and that is your trial - "

***

Harry walked through the Granger house he had been welcomed into, absorbing all of the new scenery. Several pictures of Hermione and her parents lined the walls; all Muggle pictures as none of them moved.

He went up the staircase and onto the second floor, making his way towards Hermione's bedroom. Once there, he rested his hand on the door. But Harry hesitated before he knocked. He wasn't sure if she had gone back to sleep or if she was changing. She had been up long nights nursing him. However, Harry took in an enormous breath and knocked several times.

"Come in," Hermione said from somewhere within the room. Harry opened the door and silently entered with his heart beating fast.

Yellow was the last colour Harry had imagined her room to look like. Her walls were painted a bright shade of it, and her ceiling was white, while intricate lace curtains gave the extra feminine touch to the windows to complete the entire look.

Harry observed the room and sighted Hermione's school trunk tucked under her bed. Toys from her childhood lay littered in every corner of the room. He'd thought that he would see more magical items. But there was one thing that made Hermione who she was. Books! Hundreds of them stacked on a shelf with parchment and ink bottles everywhere.

"Welcome to my room," Hermione said with a half-hearted smile, waving her hand around. She knelt down and laced up her shoes.

Harry sat down on her bed when Hermione brushed her hair by the mirror. He spotted her potions book opened to a particular page on her nightstand and picked it up. It was the Smoking Magithrophic Potion she had made for him the nights before. Harry had thanked her several times yesterday morning. His head was now feeling much better and he didn't need the bandage any more. But on exertion or quick movement, pain would radiate back.

"I'm still searching for the potion to help you with your speech," she said, looking at Harry's reflection in her mirror. "Why don't you lie down?" she added, trying to get a knot out of her frizzy hair.

Harry sighed and took out a pen and some folded paper from his pocket. He trembled before he began writing.

There isn't a potion to help me, Hermione. Snape told me.

Hermione read the note and gulped. "There must be something?" she pleaded in vain. "I'm not giving up Harry, and you shouldn't either."

Harry shook his head gloomily, lying down on the bed with his arms behind his head, hearing the birds outside create a racket and cars drive past.

"Dumbledore should reply soon," Hermione said.

She sat on the bed next to Harry, making the mattress sag down a little. Harry stared at Hermione as she scratched behind an ear flicking through her useful Potions textbook.

"I wonder who the new Potions Master will be?" she dolefully pondered out loud.

I don't care ... as long as they treat Gryffindors better than Snape did,

Harry wrote.

"That's true," Hermione agreed, looking at the paper. "Neville will be relieved - even though it is sad that Snape died."

Harry had seen more people he knew in his life die than many others. He just hoped that no one else was to share the fate unnaturally by the hands of Voldemort and his supporters. But then an image of Sirius appeared in his mind and he had that sickening feeling all over again that his godfather might be the next to go. Harry just didn't understand why a lot of people he loved had died or were going to die. It just wasn't fair. His parents' deaths were the beginning of his torment. He suddenly wanted to protect Hermione and Ron.

"Did you have any breakfast?" Hermione asked, shattering Harry's dismal mood. Harry nodded. He had been so hungry that Mrs Granger gave him three bowls of cereal with milk and a stack of toast that morning.

Hermione watched him intently, her lips shivering. Harry noticed and narrowed his eyes questioningly. "I hope -" Hermione closed her eyes, holding back her words. Harry took hold of her hand, feeling the trouble she felt. "Never mind ... Sirius will be fine, just fine."

Harry nodded, drowning his depressing feelings while Hermione paused, thinking deeply.

How's everything with you and Ron?

Harry wrote. He stood up, snapping Hermione out of her thoughts. She lightly grasped the piece of paper that had been scribbled on several times already and read it.

Harry felt strange writing the question down, but he wanted to take the conversation on a different path away from their worries, even though he didn't really want to talk about Ron's relationship with Hermione. Harry's feelings towards her had seemed to grow a little more over the night. But he had to hold it back for the sake of morals and his friendship with them.

"Oh good, it's all great," she nodded. She suddenly smiled, her white teeth sparkling. "He's so - I don't know how to explain it - but he is different. I think it's because I'm thinking about him more differently. I see things about Ron I never did before."

Six months before Ron had strode up to Hermione in the library and asked if they could go out on a date. There weren't very many places to go, so he had taken Hermione to the common room where the house elves had prepared a small late night snack for the two of them on a table with candles hovering above them. Harry had seen it, but he hadn't said anything to ruin the moment and gone back to sleep again, knowing that finally, they had shown a bit of love towards each other. They were so different; nothing clicked, and all those times they had argued or made sarcastic comments it was all pretence to keep their true feelings hidden. Harry sensed the awkwardness between the two, but he never said anything to them; Hermione would've denied it, and Ron probably would have hexed him.

Crookshanks purred, making Harry look up. The cat jumped onto Hermione lap and she patted him with smooth strokes, which he relished, his fur plastered down sleekly.

"I think Crookshanks is in love," Hermione told Harry, changing the subject.

Harry snorted. Hermione giggled. "It's so cute. I've seen the cat at Hogwarts. She's - no, it's not Mrs Norris." Hermione cringed as Harry wrote the cat's name. "She's a white Persian, but my guess is that she isn't magical, but you never know."

Harry grinned. He loved it when Hermione was so happy and radiant. It made him feel better in times of need ... and now he wanted to kiss her. Their eyes met for an innocent moment, but Harry's hidden feelings were revealed in his eyes. Hermione's smile faded a little as she searched his eyes. Harry knew she was trying to understand what she was seeing.

Harry ignored what she might have been thinking, selfish of his own growing desire. But something made him draw away from her. An old familiar pain struck his scar and he yelled in agony abruptly.

"HARRY!"

Harry could hear Hermione's voice as she tried to pin him down on the bed while he rolled in pain. His hands clutched his forehead, trying to cushion his scar in the hope that it would soothe the pain. He parted a hand and pushed Hermione away. But Hermione was determined to keep him still as long as she had to.

"Kill them!"

Harry heard the echo in his mind.

Then the pain slowly dulled and Harry was able to open his eyes.

"Harry, are you all right? Was it Voldemort?"

Harry nodded. Voldemort knew where he was. Dumbledore was taking so long to send a reply because the Headmaster had never received it. Harry stumbled off the bed and bent down, pulling out the trunk from beneath Hermione's bed.

"Harry what are you doing? What's wrong? Please tell me," Hermione implored, her voice shaking.

Hermione, they're coming here to kill us. We have to get out of here.

He scribbled on the paper so fast his writing was barely legible. Hermione cupped her hands on her mouth in shock. "Are you sure? Oh, no!"

Harry nodded again. Hermione opened the trunk and retrieved her wand, placing it in her belt. Harry knew she feared the worst.

"My parents."

Harry shook his head, scribbling down on the parchment. They would be safe at their surgery for now, until we get help, somehow.

"I hope so, I really do." Hermione furrowed her brow in worry, searching the room.

Harry waved his hand frantically and banged it on the trunk. They needed to get out of the house.

"I have an idea. I know a place where we'll be protected," Hermione said quickly, throwing some clothes and blankets into the trunk.

Hermione spun around. "Quick Harry we'll carry the trunk together. Crookshanks you'll follow us," Hermione added to the cat.

They sped out of the room with the trunk while Crookshanks followed obediently. When they reached the kitchen, Hermione opened a cupboard where she hastily took out some Muggle money. She then took her mother's car keys and pocketed them. Harry watched her head towards the door leading to the garage.

"I- I could drive a little. My father taught me a couple of times. But I don't have a license, so I'm going to have to break every rule in the book."

They heard a faint pop in front of them in the hallway. Harry and Hermione looked back in terror, seeing two rippling cloaks, their faces hidden behind silver masks and their wands trained out. Hermione gave a little surprised scream as Harry pushed the door open forcefully. It hit the wall in an almighty crash.

"Where do you think you're going?" a Death Eater hissed, walking forward. The second remained standing still like a horrid statue behind him.

With a jerk, Hermione pushed Harry into the garage and she whipped out her wand. "Stupefy!" she yelled.

The man bent down, covering his head, and the Death Eater behind was stuck down, falling to the ground. A curse blast out of his wand and cracked a photograph, its light bouncing off and shattering a vase that sat on a little table. The Death Eater that wasn't hit rose again and pointed his wand quickly. "Expelliarmus!"

But Hermione had entered the garage, shutting the door behind her, before the curse hit her. "Colloportus," she yelled, sealing the door.

Harry grabbed Crookshanks and entered the car. Hermione pressed he garage's remote control to open the door but it wasn't working because of the magic. She hopped into the vehicle, but the Death Eater Apparated at Harry's side just as she hit the pedal. The car skidded forward, splintering the garage door open as more curses were hurled their way. They sped out, without glancing back.

***

Harry looked ahead, staring without emotion at the passing houses and cars. They couldn't go to the Weasleys for fear that Death Eaters were keeping an eye on them. Harry flicked his eyes to Hermione, who drove with fixed attention on the road, blood drained from her knuckles in tension and concentration. Harry guessed she was in shock. He was too.

"D- Dumbledore never got the letter," Hermione spoke, her voice filled with anxiety. Harry shook his head. "Voldemort is really desperate to get you while he has the chance," she continued.

Harry bit his lip, staring at a car ahead on the gloomy highway. Before they reached the highway, Hermione had stopped in a disused alley and changed the colour of the car and the number's plate just as a precaution.

Harry saw a little girl wave at them from the car in front of them. He didn't feel like it, but he waved sombrely back, just to welcome her greeting. He turned to Hermione and scribbled something on a piece of paper. Hermione had to flick her eyes a couple of times until she could read the question, so she wouldn't cause any road accidents.

"My parents and I used to rent this little cottage in the country, during the summer. But it's run down now and derelict. It's called Green's Cottage and it should be the safest place yet for us to go to. We didn't keep anything at home which could give the Death Eaters an idea where we are, except for a couple of photos which doesn't show much. I d-don't think it's safe to go anywhere in London."

Harry wrote something else.

We should do a Fidelius Charm; it's the best chance we've got.

"I know. Ron?" Hermione knitted her brow, glancing at Harry.

Harry nodded. He wanted Ron to be the Secret Keeper. Once Ron had the secret hidden within him, nobody would be able to penetrate the information with magic, and the house they were in would have them completely hidden from view. Death Eaters could search the property but never find them or their belongings; the house would just look empty if they didn't know.

"We need to contact him somehow, because an owl will be easily seen by Death Eaters."

Harry turned around and looked at the back seat where Crookshanks lay. As soon as Harry met his eyes he raised his front legs and the bow-legged cat meowed. Hermione looked in the mirror at Crookshanks and smiled. "We can send the letter to Ron with Crookshanks ... Why didn't I think of it sooner?" she shook her head.

By the time the sun had set they had turned onto a road littered with unruly trees in bloom, wild berries sprouting everywhere, and insects fluttering as they passed by the car. The road Hermione had steered the car onto was very bumpy and dirty. It was a small path and dead branches littered it, acting like speed humps along the way.

"We are nearly there," Hermione said. "Just behind those thick trees." she pointed ahead.

The sky was a deep pinkish-orange; the clouds had absorbed the sun's light, but where the billowing puffs had separated, a vivid blue penetrated their sight. Harry then saw the little house amongst some trees as his eyes trailed down from the sky.

Hermione stopped the car, but it hopped forward, almost giving Harry whiplash. "Oh, I'm sorry," Hermione cooed.

Harry massaged his head as the pain came back. He had forgotten that his head was still healing.

"I'm surprised I didn't cause so much trouble on the road," Hermione softly said with a long sigh, looking at the lonely house in front of them.

"My parents. They will be so worried. The mess they would find. Harry they might think we're dead." She buried her face in her hands. "I wish I could tell my parents."

Harry watched her and rubbed her shoulder in comfort. But he shook his head. It just wasn't safe at the moment to tell them where they were. Harry opened the car door, hobbled over to her side of the car and helped her out, holding her hand and ushering her to the house.

Hermione gasped, letting go of Harry's hand. "I've used a lot of spells outside of school, I've created potions ... and now I've driven a car without a license, an-and used magic to change the car!"

Harry rolled his eyes, it was all self-defence and in the name of emergencies. Plus, they hadn't been caught. Harry was still amazed that he didn't get expelled when he had broken the windows at the Dursleys with uncontrolled magic the day Hedwig died.

Hermione, we were nearly killed, don't worry about it,

Harry wrote.

They got in through the window, and when Harry fell through he could see that the house hadn't been used in years. The rooms were almost empty. Wallpaper was peeling off from the walls, its prints faded from years of sunlight. The floors and the little furniture, which had been kept in the home, were full of dust and some were missing parts.

Hermione opened the front door and pulled in her trunk, her wand still tucked safely in her belt. She dropped the trunk on the living room floor and the floorboards trembled as a cloud of dust rose in the air before them.

Harry coughed a little, trying to waft away the dust that was irritating his throat, nose and eyes. He walked out of the room and explored the house with Hermione right behind him.

"It's changed so much since I was here the last time," she whispered over his shoulder, even though there was no need to. Nobody was in the house and the neighbours were miles away. She stayed close to Harry as he entered a bedroom. An old mattress lay on the ground, and he thought he saw a rat run out of sight from the corner of his eye.

Hermione tried to flick on the lights, but the electricity wasn't working. They needed candles. Since they weren't in immediate danger, Hermione couldn't use her wand for fear of the Ministry. It was a chance they didn't want to take.

"I'll see if there are any candles in here," Hermione said and she left Harry alone in the bedroom as he wandered around and looked out of the window. He wondered what was happening in the world around him and thought about Sirius and how he was doing, and the trauma Hermione's mum and dad must be in once they found out their daughter was gone, and Ron's worry.

***

The Grangers had pulled their car into the driveway when they noticed the torn metal of their garage door. They looked at it in shock, their hearts pounding with fear - fear for their daughter and for Harry.

"Oh my god, Jack," Mrs Granger yelled in the car. Before Jack could shut off the ignition, Helen bolted out of the car and into the darkness of the garage.

"Helen!" he yelled back, running in after her. He could hear her distressed footsteps as she searched every room in the house. Broken objects lay on the floor, and Mr Granger knew the children had been attacked.

"Hermione! Harry!" his wife shouted upstairs. Tears poured down her face as she ran back down. Jack's hand fumbled over the phone. He had the receiver in his hand, the phone tone beeping through. He was just about to call the police.

"Jack- th- they're gone," she whispered. "Hermione's school stuff is gone."

Jack placed the phone down gently. The horror within dispersed out a little. He sensed that his daughter and her friend were safe. Whatever happened in the house, he knew they had escaped. He could feel it in his heart. He knew his daughter too well. Nearly everything about Hermione was taken after her mother, her brilliance, her intelligence and her sweetness and strength. But her courage was from her father. No matter what situation she had gotten herself into, Hermione was able to triumph through it. Judging by the fact that the car was missing, they were safe and sound.

Where they were, they might not find out for a while. But it was an assurance that they were going to be fine. Jack just hoped that they were safe and secure now.

"Jack, we-we have to f-find them. They're in danger," Helen sobbed.

Jack stood beside her and hugged her tightly. "They'll be okay; they will. You know Hermione."

"But, I-I want to k-know where she is," she cried loudly, "I want to-to know where my baby is."