Big Big World

Chapter 3 A little Situation

Dear Headmaster,

I have encountered a little situation here and I am afraid that I am in urgent need of your advice and assistance. If I can have your permission, I need to bring a friend with me back to Hogwarts after Easter holidays. I don't trust the Ministry and there is no way I would hand her over to them. I am not confident that this letter will not be read by someone else before it reaches you. The only thing I can say is that she read something which could be useful to us.

Please send me back a message as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Hermione Granger

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Miss Granger,

From your letter, I can see that the situation has to be really serious or else you would not ask for a favour like this. You can bring her along but not on the Hogwarts Express. Instead, I will send Professor McGonagall to get the two of you. Your companion will be traveling on the broom with Professor McGonagall and you can come by floo.

She will arrive on the night this letter arrives. I hope you will have enough time for packing.

See you soon.

Albus Dumbledore

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"Dear, you need to eat," Hermione's mother, Liz, said to Allison, who hadn't been quite herself for the past few days.

"Oh . . . Mrs. Granger, I am not hungry," Allison replied and continued reading the bible. It was a habit of hers when she encountered things she couldn't explain. Even Hermione didn't know where she got this habit. She had seen Allison like that only once before, eight years ago. Hermione didn't know what had happened that time eight years ago, but it could have possibly been something really serious. Talking of which, she was rather curious what happened eight years ago. Allison was always calm and confident. It was so rare to see her all worried and agitated.

"Just make yourself at home, Allison. You don't have to . . ." said Hermione's father.

"Mr. Granger, I am okay. Thanks for taking me in anyway. I'll be okay in a few days."

"Well anyway, you have been reading the Bible far too long today. Come have a chess match with me. 'Mione is too much of an expert for me."

"Dad!"

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"'Mione, what time is Professor McGonagall going to get you two?" Liz asked Hermione, while she was helping to dry the dishes after dinner.

"She should be here tonight anytime." Hermione took the plate from Liz to dry it.

"So soon? Have you packed all your stuff yet?"

"When?" Liz was puzzled.

"She has been reading the bloody Bible . . ."

"'Mione!!!"

"Sorry. She has been reading it all day long and she didn't even notice I was missing for three whole hours."

"Seriously, what's going on? You want to take her to see Dumbledore even though you still haven't explained to her about *those things*?"

Before Hermione could reply, her dad, Phil, had come into the kitchen, "What are you two talking about?"

"Hermione still hasn't told Allison that they are leaving tonight and also about *those things*," Liz replied.

"Oops. You better hope that she has a strong stomach for the supernatural then," Phil chuckled.

"Dad, I have it all planned. She won't need to face it until we are at Hogwarts." Hermione smirked. "Dad, is Allison asleep?"

Phil was a bit taken aback by what Hermione asked, "Yes, on the sofa. What have you done?"

"I added a bit of sleeping potion to her food, so she fell asleep after dinner," Hermione explained. "Because Allison can't travel by floo, she has to travel with Professor McGonagall on the broom. I think it would be easier if Allison was asleep. She was totally freaked out after she realized that she could read words out of an empty ancient book. I couldn't anticipate how she would react if she has to confront all this with only me and the Professor alone with her."

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Chapter 4 Another Situation. Oops!

It was almost midnight but McGonagall still hadn't arrived. Hermione had asked her parents to go to bed first and she and Allison would wait in the living room.

Hermione had moved all their stuff into the living room so her parents wouldn't be awakened by the noises she would make when moving their luggage. She really envied Allison, who could go to sleep, while she had to stay awake to wait for McGonagall. Though she didn't plan to, she still fell asleep in the end.

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Snape really hated Gryffindors. They only caused troubles. After a busy night involving Harry's sudden pain in his scar, he had to come and pick up Hermione and an unknown muggle from her place.

He arrived by floo in the sitting room of Hermione's home and saw two girls sleeping on the couch. Hermione was sleeping on the lap of the older one, who had long wavy blond hair tied into a plait. So THAT was the unknown muggle. Strangely, he didn't want to disturb the harmony of the picture. It was a kind of harmony that he hadn't experienced or seen in years. Snape himself was oblivious about appearance, but he had to admit that she was a really atractive woman in an unusual way. She was a lady. It was a funny way of describing a woman but she gave Snape the feeling that she was calm and confident about whatever would happen to or around her. She was aristocratic, but not really an aristocrat. It was just that the way she postured herself even in sleep demonstrated the unconscious elegance in her. The picture was disturbed anyway, as Hermione woke up with a start.

"Pro . . . Professor Snape?" Hermione was shocked to see him there, as she was expecting McGonagall instead of . . . Snape.

"Yes, Miss Granger. Could you and your friend get ready?"

"Erm . . . Professor, everything is ready but Allison won't wake up until tomorrow morning?"

"And may I ask why, Miss Granger? I have had a fairly hectic night already so please be specific," Snape snarled.

Hermione inhaled deeply before she said, "I had given her some milk mixed with sleeping potion, because she was totally freaked out by what happened, and I couldn't possibly handle her on my own if I explained to her where we were going. So I . . ."

"Drugged her so you wouldn't have to face it until later." Snape glared at Hermione, "And how am I supposed to move her?"

"Since I thought Professor McGonagall was coming to collect me, thought I could fly carrying Allison with me on the broom, accompanied by Professor McGonagall, instead of me going by floo and them going by broom," Hermione explained.

"I am sorry that it's not an option, Miss Granger. You are to carry all this luggage with you through the floo back to Hogwarts, and your friend, Miss. . ."

"Lowe."

". . . Lowe is going to go on the broom with me."

Leave Allison with him?! No way! "Professor, I . . ." Hermione wanted to protest but was interrupted by Snape.

"Miss Granger, don't make me say it again. You must be back to Hogwarts as soon as possible. Potter is not well. And as his best friend, you might be in danger if you insist on flying with me. Do you understand?"

Harry was not well?! "Yes, Professor."

Snape took some floo powder from his pocket and threw into the fireplace. The firelight turned green, "Gryffindor Tower." Hermione threw two suitcases into the fire and then, she carried one in her left arm and said softly at the two cats, which were curled next to Allison's feet. "Crookshanks, Snowball, we need to go."

Crookshanks jumped into Hermione's welcoming arm, but Snowball, she wasn't willing to. Instead, she jumped onto Allison's lap and refused to let go. Hermione was in a really difficult situation. She could possibly grab Snowball to take with her, but she wasn't sure if she could keep the unwilling cat with her for the entire way. She turned to Snape and said, "Sorry, Professor, I think I have to leave Snowball and Allison with you."

To Be Continued . . .