Time Again (Completed)

Chapter 22

The day after their arrival at Hogwarts, Harry began to send Hedwig off to various hotels and holiday cottage owners with requests for information about vacancies, the list which he had borrowed from Albus was not exactly a long list, it seemed there were very few places that catered for people of the wizarding world, each day the replies were to say the least disappointing.

Harry had been so looking forward to surprising Hermione, in fact keeping things secret from her were not easy. It got even more difficult hiding his disappointments as each request was returned either informing him that there were no vacancies or the business no longer existed. By Sunday of the second week at school, Harry was becoming almost frantic, that afternoon he caught up with the headmaster as he was heading for the evening meal. he asked Dumbledore if he might have a list of hotels or similar establishments at any of the sea side towns or resorts, Albus promised to check it out for him, telling him not to worry too much as Wednesday was still three days away.

Harry went to bed that night feeling as though he had somehow failed Hermione. Hermione noticed the slow but sure change in Harry in the two weeks since they had started their new term, and she chose that Sunday night to ask Harry what it was that was bothering him, Harry almost panicked when she asked, he could think of no answer that might be convincing so he simply admitted to failing in a project. He politely refused her offer of help, going to bed that night he did not get to sleep very easily.

Harry and Hermione were woken on Monday morning at five thirty by a visit from an odd looking house elf, she had odd sized ears one being rather small the other being large and floppy, it was her eyes that caught Hermione's attention, her left eye was a vivid sapphire blue while her right eye was almost like a blue and white bull's-eye, with alternating coloured circles. Dobby let the little elf into the living room then woke his two favourite people, and informed them that they had a visitor, Harry and Hermione were each handed an envelope "From the headmaster sir," said the elf as she bowed low enough for her nose to touch the floor.

Harry protested about the time as they each read the Headmasters writing, each envelope was identical. 'To be opened at six am precisely, Albus', Harry turned the envelope over looking for something more but there was nothing.

'What do you think this is all about?' Hermione asked as she too checked the envelope she was holding.

'I have no idea, but Albus does do things in an odd way sometimes' Harry replied.

'We have just under half an hour, might as well get dressed now we are up' Harry yawned as he went back into the bed room.

Hermione was about to follow him when she noticed that Dobby also had an envelope exactly the same as theirs, 'Well what ever is on Albus's mind includes Dobby' she thought as she too went to get dressed.

Dressed and ready Harry, and Hermione, were sitting in the living room finishing a refreshing cup of tea when they heard the clock strike six, together they opened the mystery envelopes. Half a second after opening the envelope, Harry realised it was a portkey, he felt the usual pull just behind his navel and was whisked away, he came to a stop with a bump as his feet hit the floor just seconds later, looking around Harry found himself in a strange room, Hermione and Dobby were also looking around at the strange place they found themselves in. Prepared for danger, Hermione with wand out, rushed to the window while Harry checked out the other rooms, it took them several minutes to accept that there was no apparent danger, Harry scratching his head took out the parchment contained in the envelope.