Chapter 15-Vanishing Rats and Cloaks!

Chapter 15

HERMIONE GRANGER

The next morning the castle was filled with rumors, and gossip of different kind. For the weekend had been filled with a flurry of issues that could each occupy the castle's usual gossip mill for weeks, and yet all of them had happened in a span of half a day.

Half a day.

They had been cleared to visit the dorms, and now everyone was gathered in the Main hall for breakfast before they left for the dorms to change into their uniforms to take their classes of the day.

Hermione though could scarcely get out of the shock from last night, and even her dreams last night had been occupied by that scenery of dementors surrounding Harry and Ron.

And the more and more she thought about it, the angrier she became at the carelessness of Harry, who had put his life in jeopardy just because of a single Hogsmeade trip.

If Cassius had not acted as quickly as he had, or if his Patronus had not worked, and she looked up from her side towards the Ravenclaw table besides her, and saw him sitting there yawning as he ate his breakfast slowly.

The warmth of his patronus had truly taken her by surprise, and Hermione had done extensive research on the spell, so she more than everyone else knew just the sheer absurdity that was a third-year student mastering a full corporeal patronus.

That was another one of the stories that was on everyone's lips, and there was another story making rounds as well, one concerning herself and how she had visited Hogsmeade with the boy in question, something which was solidifying the rumors around her.

"Hermione," Harry greeted her as he sat down beside her, and despite her anger at the boy, she held her tongue as she greeted him.

"How are you, Harry?" she asked, and the boy in question shrugged.

"I was fine even last night. It was madam Pomfrey who wanted to keep me for observation," he said as Ron plopped down beside him as well. Despite his apology, their relationship had not returned to its previous state, as Hermione found his behavior rather odd.

"Well, it was for the best. At least you got to sleep in the hospital wing mate, my back's hurting from trying to sleep in that shit bed from yesterday," and indeed the camp beds they had been provided yesterday were rather uncomfortable, but hopefully they would once again be sleeping in their beds from today.

"The beds were quite uncomfortable," she added, as she looked towards Harry.

"Do you think it was really him?" he asked, and she did not answer.

"I doubt the fat lady would be so distraught otherwise, she has abandoned the portrait, and is refusing to return," she added, what she had heard Percy discuss with their Head of House earlier who had just left the Hall a few minutes ago.

"Then how will we enter the dorms?" Harry asked, who much like the rest of the school was still dressed in simpler clothes.

"I reckon they will get a new portrait for the entrance," Ron added as he bit into the food, and that was the likely thing.

"Well, if it really was Black, he has done us a favor," and both of their heads snapped towards him at those words as Ron slowly put down the fork.

"Do you have any idea how badly both of us would have been chewed over by everyone when they learned that we had just cost them eighty points?" and her eyes widened at that.

"Eighty Points?" she gasped, and her voice drew in a few whispers from around them as Ron tried to hush her.

"Keep it down, Hermione. Do you want to sick Percy on us?" he added, but she could hardly do so.

Eighty Points. Dumbledore had taken eighty points from them for their little stunt from last night.

"And he has given me detention for every weekend until Christmas with Snape," Harry added, and that was harsh.

"That's harsh, mate!" Ron added, and despite her frustration with her friend she did find it rather harsh. Detention was already punishment enough, but detention with Snape, that was doubly hard given just how much the man loathed Gryffindor.

"But still, what were you thinking, trying to sneak out the castle like that?" she admonished him as she gave him a small glare.

"You knew about the dementors, and yet you tried to walk in so carelessly," she added, noticing Harry's lips thinning.

"Yeah, mate! Why did you suddenly start running towards the castle? We could have easily used one of the secret passages to get back," he added. She saw Harry's face turn pale at those words, yet he did not say anything but instead continued to stare at her face for some reason as if expecting an answer.

"What?" she asked, and he opened his mouth and hesitated before closing it and, shaking his head, beginning to eat breakfast.

"Nothing," he said, making her frown.

"Still man, when those dementors surrounded me, I thought I was dead," Ron added.

"Me too," Harry added.

"What was that spell though? And what was that animal that saved us?" Ron asked looking towards her.

"It's called the Patronus Charm," she answered, and Harry was now paying her rapt attention.

"It is one of the only defensive spells that works against dementors, and that animal is the physical form the spell takes when a person has mastered it," she answered.

"Hmm. Must be quite easy that Malfoy's mastered it," Ron added and she scoffed.

"It is actually one of hardest spells to master," she cut in as she corrected her friend.

"Even most adult wizards cannot use the spell," and then she turned towars Cassius whose eyes met her own as he gave her a small smile, as Luna besides her waved at her.

"Even I cannot," she added.

"Then who taught it to him?" Harry asked.

"He taught himself, and is now teaching us as well," and Harry's eyes widened at her answer.

"Is that what you have been up to for the last two weeks?" Harry asked, and she nodded.

"Yes, we have a practical class every weekend, where we try to learn a spell or two and practise spells with one another. It is quite fun," she told Harry, who seemed rather interested in the idea, unlike Ron, who had busied himself with his food.

Harry's eyes were focused on Cassius as well, and he seemed to be in deep thought.

"Are you going to meet him today?" he suddenly asked her.

"We have a class together today—Runes," she told him, remembering the Runes class they shared.

"I am not in Runes, but you do study with together with them don't you?" he asked and she nodded, not realising what he wanted.

"Then take me with you when you go," he said, and she nodded, surprised by his sudden interest.

They then ate in silence, before rushing upto the dorm. A new portrait was yet to be appointed in place of the Fat Lady, but a prefect was there to let them in, and as they entered the dorm room, Hermione walked up to the common to warm herself when suddenly Ron's screech tore through the Common.

"Scabbers..." and she turned around and saw him holding a pillow.

"He is gone! He is gone!" he screamed with a plea face as suddenly Crookshanks ran across the room towards her.

"She! She killed him! That monster killed Scabber..."

0000

CASSIUS MALFOY

Having barely slept for the entire night, Cassius found himself too tired to do anything as the day went by. Finally, it was time for their homework session in the library, so he came and simply began to rest, for he knew that, much like before, he had another sleepless night waiting for him tonight.

But after tonight, he would be free. People from his House had spent all day hustling him to tell them the tale of what had transpired between him and Potter and how he had saved the life of the boy-who-lived, and Cassius was rather tired of telling the same story again and again.

"I still cannot believe you used an actual patronus," Tracey gasped.

"Half the school still cannot believe it, and the rest do not want to," she added, and Cassius shrugged.

"I don't care about either half so it does not really matter," and without even opening his eyes he could feel her roll her eyes.

"Of course you wouldn't care, after all you got a much better prize," and he could feel her making eyes at Hermione, who had finally begun to pick up at her teasings.

"Still, you seem to be in a sour mood today, Hermione. What happened?" Tracey asked, and indeed, the brown haired girl was obviously a bit more angry than usual, evident by how loud the scratching of her quill was.

"It's nothing," and he opened her eyes and saw Daphne scoff.

"If you were any more angry, you would burn a hole through your homework with your eyes," she added. The girl flushed, and Tracey cast an accusatory glance at him.

"Did he do anything? Because if so, you can tell us, and I will set him straight for you," she offered, and he raised a brow.

"Really," and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, and don't you dare underestimate my power," and Hermione finally chuckled.

"No, I just had a fight with one of my housemates," she answered and Tracey nodded.

"With Weasley?" and Hermione seemed taken aback by the accuracy of her guess as Cassius put down the book.

"Yes, his pet rat vanished from the dorms, and he is accusing my cat of eating it," she added dejectedly, and Tracey's eyes widened.

"You have a cat!" she asked excitedly, and Hermione was taken aback by her enthusiasm.

"Yes, its name is Crookshanks," she added as Tracey's eyes lit up.

"You must bring it with yourself when you can. I love cats," she added excitedly as Cassius rolled his eyes at her.

"What!" she punched his arm, immediately.

"I dare you to say anything against those feline goddesses. I dare you!" she threatened, and Cassius knew better than to get into an argument regarding cats with Tracey and raised his hands.

"I would not dare," he acquiesced as she puffed up her chest. He glanced towards Hermione and looked into her eyes.

"As a matter of fact, I am quite fond of cats as well," and it took the brown-haired girl a second to remember her debacle from last year as her face flushed, though he did not miss the sharp jolt of pain that came from under the table as the girl hit his shin.

"As you should be," Tracey added.

"Then why don't you get one for yourself," Hermione asked, as the brunette's face dropped as she looked towards Daphne.

"Because someone here is allergic to the majestic creature," and Daphne shrugged.

"You can get one when you are older, but if you want to share the dorm with me, there will be no cat," and Tracey made a face at her as Daphne turned towards Granger.

"As for Ron, you should not pay his words any heed; he should really think before he speaks," she added as Tracey nodded.

"And writes, McGonagall berated him rather badly because he has failed two assignments in a row," Tracey added, and he did not know that.

"Well, it was inevitable. After all, he can no longer make you do his work, or copy of of you now can he," Daphne finished, much to Granger's surprise.

"I did not do his work for him?" she tried to defend him, and that was what probably got her sorted into Gryffindor, because despite everything that the boy had said, she still had a soft spot for him as a friend.

"You did, it is an open secret," Tracey said as Daphne nodded.

"As for the rat, it must have escaped into the Halls, it will probably turn up again in a few days," she said.

"Who even uses rats as a pet? I think they went out of fashion in the fifties," Tracey added as he shrugged.

"I often try to think why they were in fashion in the first place," he added his own bit.

"Do you have a pet?" suddenly Hermione asked him, and he nodded and smiled.

"I do," he answered.

"What is it?" she asked.

"A raven," Daphne answered, and he nodded.

"A very eerie raven, I must add," Tracey cut in.

"R-2 is just fine," he defended his pet as Hermione broke out into a chuckle.

"You named your raven R-2," and he nodded.

"That is from Star Wars, right?" and he nodded.

"Yes, and he is a perfectly fine raven, but the school does not permit them as pets. Though I have applied for an exemption this year, and Professor Flitwick has assured me that the application might be approved by Christmas," he added, and that was good for him because he was rather fond of his raven.

"Then you must show it to me," she said, and he nodded.

"I will," and so the day ended with much less productivity. They all had their dinner and headed to their dorms, though not him, as Cassius quietly vanished into the washroom where he had put the rat from last night.

0000

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