Written Mystery

Chapter Two- The Disappearance

Hermione walked slowly out of the library and to her Charms class. She winced at the pain her heart is feeling.

If only Harry knew the ache she felt whenever he talked or flirted with every girl he had met. It's so hard to crush on the most popular wizard in Hogwartsl. Especially when he is your best friend. Ron, Ron was always supportive towards her but he's like a brother to her. She knew that life is not always about studies and books, if only it were so, she would be spared from all this pain and confusion.

She hummed a song that she had heard on radio back at home. The lyrics of the song seemed to parallel her feeling, the pain and the ache in her heart.

Whilst she was walking down the dark corridor to her Charms class, she heard a faint sound behind her. She turned around.

"Ron? Harry? Is that you?" she called.

She was just about to pull her wand out of her bag when she suddenly felt dizzy and dropped the books that she was holding. She collapsed into the darkness.

****

The goddess Epona had once befriended a beautiful white mare,

Its mane is so white, luminescence as a trail of bright light,

My identity wasn't yet revealed, so do beware,

Today your first loved one will be out of sight.

Harry finished reading the letter and gave it to Ron, who quickly scanned it. Both boys looked at each other and frowned. Harry read the poem again and thought out loud:

"Does that girl want me to look for her? If it's the girl in the dream, she had revealed herself to me, so it mustn't be her..... But then who..."

Ron interrupted.

"Maybe she wants you to find out who she is. What's her name, her identity, why she sent you those letters et al. But then again Harry, the letter writer could be a he. I mean, we don't really know that person's gender, do we?"

Harry was quiet. He absentmindedly fingered the green lining around the letter.

"I think I'd better write to Sirius about this. Oh, we are late for Charms. Let's get going."

****

At Charms class, Professor Flitwick was droning on about the history of the Reverse Incantation when they entered. Flitwick immediately stopped his lectures and frowned at the two boys.

"Potter and Weasley, you are twenty minutes late. Do hurry to your seats and open your "History of Incantations" book by Alexander Legre to page five. I'm not taking any points off Gryffindor this time, but don't be late again."

The teenagers nodded and scurried off to their seats. They frowned when they saw Hermione's empty seat. Silently Harry opened his Incantations book distractedly, his mind filled with worry. Where is Mione? She can't be that mad to skip this class. She would never do that, she would rather wash Snape's greasy hair than miss a lesson. He saw Ron writing furiously on his parchment. Ron looked at Harry and showed him what he had written.

'Harry, where's Hermione? She would never miss a class.'

Harry took out his quill and wrote back.

'I know, Ron! I'm worried. What is it that's so important? Something that's more important than class?'

'HARRY! What if she's kidnapped?! You know, like what the poem said. Today your first loved one will be out of sight. What if that person had gotten her? She is your loved one, isn't she Harry? You do love her, even if as a friend...'

Harry opened his mouth in a wide O. He gave a little gasp.

"Harry Potter? Is there something in this lesson that shocks you?"

Harry jerked his face towards Professor Flitwick.

"Umm, nothing Professor. It was Ron. He accidentally stepped on my foot."

Ron nodded.

"Sorry, Professor. It was my fault."

Professor Flitwick shook his head and continued with the lesson.

Harry continued writing on the parchment.

'Oh no, poor Mione. It's all my fault. Why does everything have to happen to me and the people closest to me? Ron, you had better stay away from me now on. I don't want to lose you too.'

Ron made a face as he read Harry's parchment. He wrote back furiously.

'Harry, we are not even sure yet if Hermione's really been kidnapped. Who knows if she's still at the library, too engrossed in reading the 'Advanced Arithmancy' book that she's forgotten about this class. But then again, that couldn't be possible...Anyway, I've been your friend for four years, Harry. So far, I've been kidnapped by mermen, hit hard on the head by a large chess piece, chased by giant spiders *yuck*, trapped in a secret tunnel and I've escaped death so many times that it's uncountable. So why quit now? We'll seek that so-called poet even if it's the last thing that we do. Anyway, two heads are better than one. So count me in, Harry.

I'll go and ask Lavender about Mione after this. She should know about her whereabouts, she's her roommate.'

Ron pushed the parchment to Harry. Harry gave a meek smile to Ron and nodded grimly.

"Thanks buddy." He whispered. Ron gave Harry's hand a tiny pat. He winked at Harry and both of them turned their attentions toward the lesson.

****

"I'm sorry Ron. The last time I saw her was at the dining hall. That's when she told me she wanted to go to the library. Hmm...you should know where she is, I mean, you and Harry are her best friends."

Lavender looked at Ron pointedly.

If I knew where she is now, Lavender, I wouldn't be asking about it, Ron thought.

Lavender raised her eyebrows.

Ron saw her putting on her gossip-hungry expression.

"Are you guys in a fight? And what about?"

Ron shook his head.

"Oh, we never fight Lavender. Even if we do, it's none of your business anyway. Well, thanks for your time, got to rush now, don't want to be late for Hogsmeade."

He ran off to Harry and left Lavender who snorted loudly in frustration.

****

Harry felt a terrible gnawing in his stomach. He walked slowly to the library when Ron stopped him.

"Harry, look! Why are these books on the floor?"

Ron bent down to pick the books up.

"The Secret of the Runes: A History of Arithmancy", "The Science of Magicology", "International Wizardry: Exploring Magic in the Asian Region". Hmmm..these look like something Hermione would read..."

He opened the books and saw Hermione's name on the borrower's form. He breathed hard.

"It's Hermione's....Oh Harry, something must have happened to her!"

Harry closed his eyes.

"It's true then. Hermione was abducted." He suddenly felt a surge of anger in him.

DAMN IT! It's all my fault! I should have gone to Dumbledore in the first place! His mind screamed.

Ron tugged Harry's sleeve.

"C'mon Harry, let's go and write to Sirius."

Harry shook his head.

"No Ron, I want to go and see Dumbledore first."

Ron agreed and both of them ran fast to Dumbledore's office.

****

They met Madam Hooch on the way. She smiled at them.

"Hello boys. Going to see Dumbledore? Oh, you are five seconds too late. He's just left to go to a conference in Holland."

She looked at Harry.

"Harry, don't forget Quiddich practice tomorrow evening. Since you're captain now, you'd better make sure your team mates will be at the field at 5 pm sharp because Oliver Wood will be there specifically to coach your team."

Harry nodded sullenly.

Madam Hooch knitted her brows at the looks on the two boys face.

"Anything wrong boys? What's with the grim expressions?"

Both boys looked at each other and Harry spoke.

"Oh nothing's wrong. It's just that we are a feeling a bit edgy for the next Quiddich tournament. I mean, it's my first time as captain and Ron's first time as one of the beaters, so we are rather nervous."

Madam Hooch softened her expression. She smiled warmly at them.

"You have done well so far in the past, Harry, so I wouldn't worry too much. Ron, I've seen you play, you make such a fantastic beater, just like your brothers, Fred and George. * [[Ron blushed profusely at this]] * Luck is definitely on Gryffindor's side this term, so never fret. Just try your best and you will definitely ace it. Okay, see you boys at practice."

She walked away from them.

As she was out of hearing distance, both teens groaned out loud.

"Dumbledore's gone! Now what?"

"Well, you had better write to Sirius then."

"I guess so..."

****

At the Owlery,

"Dear Sirius,

How are you? I hope you are perfectly fine. I don't want to bother you about this but you see, there's this big problem that I'm having. Yesterday I've found an anonymous letter telling me to find the writer within six days, or risk the safety of my friends if I don't. Today, I got another one saying one of my loved ones will disappear. Added to that, Hermione's gone now, Sirius. It's all my fault. Do you think Voldemort has anything to do with this?

Anyway, I hope you would reply a.s.a.p. Thanks.

Your godson,

Harry.

Okay. Finished."

He gave the letter to Hedwig who flapped its wings excitedly. It's been awhile since he was asked to send a post. Harry patted Hedwig's head.

"Off you go, old boy. Find Sirius and comeback quickly okay?"

Hedwig clicked it's beak and flew off.

Harry rummaged through his bag and took out the red letter. He was still holding the letter when they were walking down the halls and bumped into Draco.

"Oh no, not you losers again. Can't a guy have a decent walk in here without bumping into rots like you two?"

Draco eyed the letter on Harry's hand cautiously.

"A letter from an admirer, Harry? You must get them everyday. There are probably mountains of them in your room. Just the perfect thing for an egocentric like you. By the way, where's your friend, the mudblood? Haven't seen her around lately."

Ron balled his fist.

"Shut up, Malfoy! You..."

Harry interrupted him.

"What do you care, Malfoy. The world just evolves around you and you care about nobody else but yourself."

For a second, Harry swore he saw Draco looking kind of vulnerable. That's weird, Harry thought. But when he glanced again, Draco was wearing his usual haughty expression. Draco scorned them and walked away but before that he said something and Harry could barely make out his words but it sounded like,

"You are so wrong, Potter."

Harry looked forlornly at his nemesis's back.

"You know Harry, Malfoy could have been the one who is sending you those letters. I mean, as a sick joke, you know."

"Nah..that couldn't be possible. He hates me too much to bother sending me all this." Harry said with a sigh.

A second later, Fleur appeared from the corner of the hall.

"'Arry! 'Ave you seen Draco? Tomber amoureux de Draco but ee 'as been avoid..." she stopped in mid sentence when she saw the red envelope on Harry's hand.

"Eez that yours?" she asked him.

Harry nodded.

Fleur fidgeted. She then walked away from them without a word.

Harry and Ron were dumbfounded.

Ron made a face.

"What in bloody hell's name is going on here?"

"I wish I knew, Ron."

As quick as lightning, Fleur ran back to Harry

"'Arry, you're in trouble. I was checking your future yesterday, in Professor Trelawney's crystal ball and I saw a red envelope, zat red envelope, morphing into zee image of zee hanged man. 'Arry, I saw death!"

Fleur was hyperventilating. Ron was busy calming her down. Harry, who was standing still, looked unruffled.

"Fleur, me and Ron have never believed any of that divination stuff. No offence really, but it's all just plain stupid. It's just a coincidence."

Ron, who was busy massaging Fleur's back, agreed. Fleur looked up at Harry sadly and shook her head.

"But eez true, 'Arry...Professor Trelawney told me someone's going to die zis year...I don't want it to be you."

"Professor Trelawney said that every year, Fleur. She predicted my death last year but look, I'm still here, alive and kicking but a bit worn up though."

Fleur smiled thinly and stood up. She gave Ron a little hug.

"Thanks for calming me down. You're a nice boy." Ron beamed.

"'Arry, you take zee good care of yourself okay?"

Harry nodded. Fleur sighed and turned away.

"Uh Fleur?" Harry called.

Fleur turned around.

Harry pointed to the way Draco went.

"Draco went that way."

Fleur grinned and walked to the path Harry pointed.

Harry and Ron looked at each other and shook their heads.

****

At the Gryffindor's Common Room, Harry was sitting on the lounge, stroking Crookshanks who was purring loudly on Harry's lap.

"I wonder where did your mistress disappear to? It's been four hours now, and I haven't seen her since this morning."

Harry sighed.

"Crookshanks, I missed her. I really hope nothing bad has happened to her."

As if to comfort Harry's melancholy feeling, Crookshanks pawed him and licked Harry's hand.

Ron looked at the pair silently. Harry looked up and he saw Ron looking at him with a silly smile on his face. He smiled back. Ron continued his chess game with Lee Jordan.

The room was quiet for a minute, when suddenly Harry voiced out,

"Ron, I can't stand this anymore. It's really driving me crazy. Where is Hermione? What has happened to her? Why did she leave her books lying around on the floor? Ron!!"

Ron was surprised.

"Harry, relax. What about that girl in your dream? Don't you want to find her?"

Harry stood up. It was so sudden that Crookshanks was thrown off his lap. The cat hissed, hurt.

"Who cares about that girl! We are talking about Hermione here. Mione? Our best friend? I would trade in that girl for Hermione any time."

Ron was astounded. Wow, he had never seen Harry this anxious and angry, okay, well except whenever Voldemort or his parents are involved.

"That's great!..uh..what I mean is..me too! I would trade in Fleur for her anytime."

Harry glared at him.

"What's with your nonchalant attitude, Ron? Don't you even care about her? Don't you.."

Lee Jordan spoke up.

"Are you guys talking about Hermione? I think I saw her at McGonagal's office just now. She's there with Parvati."

Ron let out a huge breath of relief.

"See Harry? I told you to relax. She's probably still mad at us or something."

Harry was quiet. He then stalked off to his room to change into his Quiddich robes. Ron followed him.

"Harry, I'm sorry. It's not that I'm not worried, she's my best friend too, but it's just that she can take care of herself, you know. Just trust her."

"Nevermind, Ron. Gosh, I'm so tense lately. Especially since that Triwizard championship last year, with Cedric dead and Voldemort emerging, everything has just changed so sudden. I need something to cheer me up."

Ron took out his Quiddich robe out of his closet.

"Well, we have Quddich. I know that would make you happy, even if it's temporary."

Harry grinned as he seized his Firebolt from under his bed.

"Quiddich. Yep, that will do. Ready pal? Let's hit the field."

Both boys smiled broadly as they walked out of their room and down for Quiddich practise.

****

Watching them at the far end of the field was a blond head, hungrily staring at every move that Harry's made.

****