Dark Marks, Orders, and Aurors

Chapter 2 - Dark Announcements.

Since the death of the Longbottom"s were reported in the daily Prophet, some three day"s after he had actually been killed (Another attempted cover up of the facts by the Ministry of Magic. Hermione seriously doubted that "It stopped the spread of panic". Surely not knowing was so much worse, especially when the Dark Mark had been there, bold as brass for all to see), the school had been in a stupor. Everywhere she went, Hermione saw pale and scared faces. Students walking together in groups, and jumping at shadows. Even the pictures on the walls, having heard that the death eaters had killed someone over at Hogsmead village, were acting odd: Several pictures had disappeared completely, and Hermione had only the previous night found out they were all hiding in a picture of a castle with a moat, with a sea monster guarding it; another picture of a woman dressed in medieval clothing seemed to have developed a fear of the dark, and to everyone's annoyance screamed loudly after sunset so much so, she had to be given a large number of candles to decorate the room where she resided; and perhaps the most annoying of all was the Sir Cadogan, who challenged everyone that passed his picture to a duel, having accused them of being a death eater.

It was for these reasons, that Hermione had delayed telling the school about the rumours of the Order of Auror returning to the country. She finally realised she could put it off no longer, Dumbledore had agreed that people needed to know, and had told her she must have faith in the students. Now that the newspaper had got hold of the story (Though it was never printed; the Ministry pulled out all the stops to prevent it getting out. Hermione only knew the papers had it because Ron had sent her an owl), Cornelius Fudge already knew of the matter too, so keeping quite, to the contrary of what Cornelius himself believed, would help no one.

Outside, and reflected in the great halls roof, the sun shone brightly, with no trace of the typical late-summer rain. In fact, there was no cloud as far as the eye could see in the blue sky. As she entered the great hall, the otherwise beautiful day seemed to turn dark incredibly fast. Most of the staff were already there, on the most part looking alarmed, having already heard the news from Hermione the day previous. Hagrid looked the most effected by the news, his usually cheerful face was looking white as a sheet, with his hair looking as wild as a trolls. He was sitting next to a shocked Professor Trelawney ("Bet she never saw that one coming," thought Hermione darkly), staring straight ahead twiddling his thumbs, not even noticing Hermione enter. He looked tired and jumpy; Hermione knew he couldn"t have got any sleep last night, she had been the same ever since she herself found out. Snape had a look of loathing etched upon his face, which was scrunched up with his eyes narrowed menacingly. Hermione could see an unintentional snarl escaping from his clenched teeth when she announced it.

As she took her seat, Hermione wondered if her face resembled Hagrid"s own look. Her hair must be near wild now, and she must clearly look very tiered; perhaps too tiered. Would the students all notice how fragile she looked now and write home to her parents? Should she expect a letter of suspension from the governing body writing her off as "not good enough"?

As students sleepily made their way into the hall for breakfast, Hermione"s resolve only grew stronger. She would tell them, just as Dumbledore would have done if her were the headmaster still; rather then leading the fight against Voldemort.

Slowly, one student at a time, the hall filled. Full of happily chattering students, who conversed eagerly, many wiping their eyes to wake themselves up. It was always a different place in the morning, most of the students were carefree.

An hour later, after they had all had time to eat - Hermione herself had forced down a slice of toast, and some orange juice; Hagrid however hadn"t eaten at all - and after the regular influx of owls that swooped en-mass into the hall carrying letters and parcels, Hermione finally debated whether the time to tell them was now. One excuse after another, Hermione found to delay telling them; what if they hadn"t finished eating yet; they should be given time to digest; some of them might be reading letters still. From her right, someone cleared their throat. She turned to see the beetle black eye"s of Hagrid fixed on her.

"If yer goin" ter tell "em, Hermione, now would be the time," he said.

With a nod, Hermione got shakily to her feet, and cleared her own throat loudly to get everyone's attention.

"If I could have everyone's attention ... Russell White and Gale Dean!"

The two third year students turned abruptly to face the headmistress" narrowed eyes, ceasing their conversation in it"s tracks.

"I have recently received some disturbing news from the resistance. I know many of your parents will not agree with me telling you, but I believe, as I"m sure Dumbledore himself believes you have a right to know. You are all very much a part of this war, and our world. I"m sure you are all aware of the deaths of the Longbottom"s, and Alicia Spinnet-"

A low whisper that had been gradually be growing louder throughout Hermione"s talk eventually became full scale gossip, as many coined on that this had something to do with Voldemort (As if any "disturbing" news had anything to do with anyone but Voldemort.) Pausing for a second the whispers died down again, though a few students still insisted on throwing out theories until of course Hermione"s patented "BE-QUITE-NOW" expression brought complete silence.

"-As I was saying, I"m sure you are all aware that Voldemort has become more daring in his attacks now. That is why someone in the Wizarding world felt it appropriate to try and end this. Something is going to happen over the next few days that we should all be aware, and wary of. Your safety is what I aim to keep above all others, that is why all trips to Hogsmead are cancelled until further notice."

A loud groan escaped from the crowd, the third years in particular were the loudest, while the older years though disappointed, had already been to Hogsmead countless times before. A few of the first years, though groaning with the crowd looked completely baffled as to what this "Hogsmead" was until fellow students explained it under the cover of groans and moans.

"You can"t do that," someone shouted out, then realising what she"d done, clamped a hand over her mouth and added in muffled haste, "It"s ... Uh ... Not fair. I wanted to buy ... polish."

"Which you can use to clean the coats of arms during your next detention, Lea" said Hermione. The girl immediately sat back down.

"Now I know, the third years in particular wanted to visit Hogsmead, as, for some of you it would have been your first time in a completely Wizard village."

A few murderous looks spread across the Slytherin table, as those that had never seen a completely wizard village were more often then not those that had grown up in Muggle backgrounds; a trait not highly regarded in Slytherin house. Hermione seemed not to notice, and forced a small smile.

"But at this time it is too dangerous. I did however pull a few strings, and this weekend, when the first Hogsmead trip of the term was due to take place, there will be two guest appearances; Fred and George Weasley will be here-" said Hermione, and then, with slight irritation added, "no doubt giving out a few of their latest concoctions."

This went quite a way to cheer up the school - as Fred and George were quite infamous in the Wizarding world, especially after becoming multinational; which they achieved after buying out Zonko products - in what was becoming an emotional roller coaster. Waiting for the eager talk to calm, Hermione would have to tell them something that would no doubt dampen most of their spirits. "The reason the trip to Hogsmead has been cancelled is that someone inside the Ministry is believed to have given information to the Order of Auror about how to come back."

As some of the faces fell in the crowd, others seem to pick up, taking more notice.

"What faction?" someone shouted.

"The -" Hermione swallowed a lump that had suddenly formed in her throat, muttering "sorry," and for all to hear, darkly announced, "The Two ... The Ministry of Magic has brought in "The Two"."

The result was both mixed, and immediate: many of the first years seemed to pale beyond all comparison, though some seemed not to know this word like so many others; one boy sitting at the end of the Hufflepuff table leant violently over, bringing back up the food he had just eater; a few people in the room broke out in muffled sobs, heads pressed firmly against the table as friends attempted to comfort them; some in the older years seemed completely awed at this announcement; and one group of Slytherin"s seemed to revel in the fear and terror that was only matched by the fear and terror Voldemort brought; and the only other reaction was of hope.

"The Order of Auror," Hermione heard someone say at the nearest desk.

"Not just any mark," someone answered back. "Harry Potters. Voldemort"s got his work cut out now."

"NOW I KNOW THIS HAS COME AS A BIT OF A SHOCK-" shouted Hermione loudly, once again earning the attention of the students. "Hagrid, can you go and get Poppy please," she quickly added in a hushed tone. "Some of the first years are looking sick."

"-but this doesn"t mean things should change inside the castle," Hermione continued, making some headway in calming everyone's nerves. "Everything that"s going to be happening over the next few weeks will be happening away from the castle. It is the safest place in the Wizarding world-" she announced, though she couldn"t help but think that didn"t mean much these days, "-and nothing bad will come to pass here. Now, I"m sure you all have lessons to go to, and much gossiping. For the lady"s, I hear on good grounds George Weasley is single again."

A genuine chuckle escaped from a few students.

"If you"re feeling ill, Madame Pomfrey will be down in a minute, stay behind, and she will see you."

The majority of the school quickly shuffled out the three exits the great hall had.

*

Madame Pomfrey arrived a few minutes later, walking quickly to keep up with Hagrid who took his usual giant strides that were twice - some times thrice - as big as anyone else"s. Grasped in her hand was a small bag, carefully woven from dragon hide, that sparkled every so softly in gleaming yellow of the tapestry that hung high above. The ray"s of yellow that hit, reflected into greens and soft reds, that had clearly once wrapped tight around a Norwegian Redback. Her frantic motions started the bag in a gentle sway, as one of ancient times would standing atop a giant wale in the middle of a gentle ocean, rocking to and fro with the breeze (Only it rocked to and fro with her step). As she continued her near run pace to stay side by side with Hagrid, the sway of the bag becoming more pronounced; swinging hastily in tune to her stride, slowing her down as it swung back, and almost tipping her over, as it swung forward. The short woman had to take quicker steps whenever the bulging bag - which was obviously full to the very brim with countless remedies, potions and treatments - came hurtling forward. The school nurse didn"t look at all pleased, she was most adamant that Hermione should consider the consequences of telling the students about the Order of Auror, a name that, for some at least, invoked panic almost as much as the mention of Voldemort himself. With a scowl written plainly across her fat face, Madame Pomfrey immediately set about seeing to the few students that were in the Great Hall, poking and pulling them about. Eventually the numbers began to dwindle, only a few students left, Madame Pomfrey looked at one of them in particular with a note of sympathy. He couldn"t have been much taller then the Transfiguration teacher, and looked to be standing on unsteady feet. His eye"s gleamed with a look of worry, and his hands trembled with fear. Rummaging through her bag, madam Pomfrey pulled out a small clear bottle, in which a red liquid substance that filled the bottle three-quarters was held. A label on the bottle, written in Madame Pomfrey"s own handwriting, read:

Tranquillity Potion No.8

Warning: Contains Red Worttle Extracts.

Hermione remembered quite clearly that Red Worttle was a plant that grew only in selected regions of south Europe, and though renowned for it"s potent relaxation properties, it could have some inadvertent effects if the Witch or Wizard was allergic to it"s spores. Shaking the bottle, and after careful questioning, Madame Pomfrey gave a small amount of the liquid along with some orange juice to the boy.

Soon enough, most of remaining students were fine again once they"d had time to fully digest the situation, and remember that Hogwarts was one of the few places "The Two" couldn"t enter. The student that had taken the "Tranquillity Potion No.8" left minutes later, through Halls left exit - which lead to the east tower - in a highly rambunctious, sing-song voice, that made Hermione wondered if perhaps Madame Pomfrey had given him a little to much Red Worttle additive. As soon as the last of the students left, Madame Pomfrey retreated hastily back to the medical office, leaving Hagrid and Hermione alone in the great hall.

The two began to walk, in silence, to where they were going. Since both Hermione"s office, and Hagrid"s room were both in the same area of the castle, they walked together for much of the way. Hermione thinking about the situation over and over again, and what she could have done to have caused less panic, almost walked into the corridor that had only been discovered last year. It had been triggered by a secret lever, disguised as a candle, in one of the nearby dungeons. However, this corridor only had one entrance, and liked to, annoyingly, transport people to the other side of the castle whenever they walked through it. They would simply walk down it, and come to a dead end, but when the walked back, would find themselves in the kitchen, in the greenhouses; one student was even transported all the way to a secret room that opened out into the lake. Since it"s discovery, many a student had been late for class with wild story"s of how they ended up the other side of Hogsmead. But in general, it was more of an annoyance then anything.

Having realised that Hermione was pondering over the situation, Hagrid finally spoke.

"They seem a lot happier," said the half-giant. "Yeh did the right thing, Hermione. It might seem bad now, but it"ll be better in the long run. I"m sure o" it."

"Yeah," Hermione said faintly, as if not really believing it. "I know that ... It"s just. I don"t know ..."

Trailing off, the brown haired woman seemed to be searching for the right words. Chewing on her bottom lip as she always done when thinking. They reached the end of the corridor until she finally finished what was playing across her mind. "Dumbledore would have handled it better."

"Yer very much like Dumbledore. In many way"s," said Hagrid thoughtfully. His beetle black eye"s twinkling slightly as a burning candle - one of the few still lit - that hung from the wall shone off them, lighting up the whole of his face; a great contrast when compared to the dark of the corridor they were walking in now. Hermione, it seemed, had chosen a route that adequately reflected her mood. Whether or not this was intentional, Hagrid didn"t know.

For a moment, Hermione seemed lost for words, her stride changing slightly, and she quietly muttered "Thank you." A slight blush spread across her whole face, and the edge of her mouth curled up in a grateful smile.

"I only wish it were true," said Hermione with a hint of sadness behind the smile.

"Yer more alike then yeh think," said Hagrid, waving his huge hands wildly to get across his point, almost knocking an empty picture from it"s position on the wall as he done so. "It doesn"t matter how Dumbledore would have handled it - And let me tell yeh, he wouldn"t o" handled it any different ter how yeh did - what matters is, yeh done what yeh think was right. Yeh didn"t back down when yeh though the board of governors didn"t agree with yeh. Yeh and Dumbledore are the same in that way; yeh act with yeh heart, and yer head. But yer different as well, Hermione. Yeh have ter remember, yerh not Dumbledore. What yeh are though, is a good witch - the best I"ve seen in a long time - and a good person, one that I"m honoured ter call a friend. Yeh should stop trying to fill in fer Dumbledore, as if he were still the head here and do things yer own way. This is yer school..."

Hermione stopped abruptly, outside an empty room. The words Hagrid spoke, hade, aparantly managed to get through.

"You know what, Hagrid," said Hermione appreciatively, a smile forming on her face. "You"re right. Thank you."

"What," said Hagrid. "Oh ... Uh, yer welcome."

The two began walking again, turning right when they reached a junction with a coat of arms on either side. This time, however, the corridor was lighter then the others, a large window that opened up high above the rows of paintings letting the sunlight shine through. As the neared Hermione"s office, passing a picture of a set of pixies that were trying to pull a large chest of gold back to their own picture (but quickly, and with muffled yelps, diving behind it, out of sight when they saw the Hermione approaching; one of them accidentally tripping over a small gold coin that had dropped out of the chest, and falling on it"s flat, ugly face - that seemed reminiscent of a bulldog - with an angry shout).

"So, Ron came ter see yeh then, I gather" Hagrid said, glancing back at the pixies, who had resumed trying to get the gold back to their frame, which stood at the other end of the corridor.

"Yes," said Hermione stiffly. The heated argument with Ron still playing on her mind, along with so many other things: The Order of Auror, and the possibility of seeing Harry and Ginny again; and the possibility of Harry and Ginny getting caught by the Dementors, or Voldemort; the revelations about Ron missing her, and of course, the argument; and last but not least, until this morning, announcing to the students the news about the Order of Auror. Quickening the pace, she looked to be debating whether or not to tell Hagrid about seeing Ron. Glancing around sceptically, narrowing her eye"s as they passed the empty frame of the pixies she explained that Ron had told her he missed her. Then, she had admitted that she missed him to. Hagrid of course, couldn"t see the problem.

"You know ..." said Hermione, hushing her voice so much so, that Hagrid had to bend down to hear what she was saying. "You know that it was Ron that told Harry exactly how to get into the Ministry headquarters? That if it wasn"t for everything Ron told him, Harry wouldn"t have been able to kill those people?"

"Yeh," said Hagrid nervously as they changed to an, until now, of limits topic. "Almost cost Ron his job in the Ministry."

Hermione looked down to the floor, her face frowning shamefully.

"Well, I kind of threw it in his face," said Hermione. "We got into an argument - can"t we see each other just once without an argument - " she asked herself. "And I mentioned that."

"And I bet he said some things that he didn"t mean too," said Hagrid, still leaning over so as to keep the conversation hushed. His new moleskin overcoat that bared the Hogwarts sign, hanging loosely to one side, draping along the floor.

"He brought up Draco," said Hermione, still with the same look of regret on her face, "but that"s no reason for me to have brought that up."

The two turned down the last corridor, at the far end, a large statue of a Gargoyle marked the secret entrance to Hermione"s office.

"Yeh and Ron have been like that as long as I"ve know yeh, both as stubborn as any person I"ve ever met," said Hagrid, standing up; his back giving a protesting click as he done so. "It"s not my place to say ... but if yeh ask me, yer both acting like students at this school, not like the headmaster, and someone in the Ministry o" Magic. Yeh have to ask yerself, how do yeh really feel about Ron? I know that Ron"s crazy about ..." Hagrid broke of abruptly, his face contorting with a look of horror. "Forget what I said."

"Ron came to see you, did he," said Hermione. "What exactly did he say."

"Uh ..." said Hagrid, looking shiftily around, and adding, "I have a class ter teach ... Gotta go ... talk ter Ron."

Hagrid made a hasty retreat, continuing down the corridor to where his class were, eventually disappearing up a flight of steps.

Looking happier then she had in the past few days, Hermione muttered the password, and pulled something out of her clothes. It was a letter ... well, you could call it a letter ... it had been delivered earlier that day by a large Tawny owl, and had on the front simply the word " Sorry ..." written in an all too familiar style. On the back, was written:

I couldn"t chuck the book out the window ...

But I am going to keep it.

It"s the only picture of you I"ve got.

Love,

Ron.

End chapter 2 - Dark Announcements.