Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

21

Hermione decorated the Great Hall, sulking. She was still upset with her for saying that to Malfoy. She knew he was an awful person, but still. She shouldn't have allowed herself to sink on Malfoy's level... or maybe a level or two below it. Hermione was helping with putting ornaments up when she saw Ron and Harry marching over to her. 

"Hey! Where have you been? We've been in the library reading all that we could find on that Nicolas Flamel." Ron grumbled at her. 

"You what?" Hermione nearly jolted when Hagrid's voice echoed into her ear while he scurried over towards them, "Listen here-- I've told you-- drop it. It's nothing to you what that's dog's guarding." 

"We just wanted to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all." Hermione explained to Hagrid. 

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added, "We've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere. Just give us a hint. I know I've read his name somewhere." 

Hagrid crossed his arms and gave a pouting face you would find on a child. 

"I'm saying nothing." Hagrid declared. 

"Just have to find out ourselves, then," Ron stated, "Now why are you here decorating instead of helping us search?" 

"Hermione is doing some chores because she may have said something nasty to Malfoy." Hagrid explained to them. Ron snickered as he gave Hermione a thumbs up while Harry shot her a smile.

After awhile, Hermione joined Harry and Ron in their search for Nicolas Flamel in the library. She took out her list of subjects and titles and proceed to search for them while Ron and Harry did their own things. Hermione had read all she could find on Nicolas Flamel, but there wasn't really anything written about him. 

She was about to give up and put her books back, some of which were close to the restricted area of the library. It was a section that held books containing Dark Magic and only the older students were able to go in. As she was putting away some of her books, she noticed something from the corner of her eye near the restricted section. She turned her face to have a closer look but when she saw Madam Pince walking over towards her, Hermione proceeded to make her way back to the front door, trying to forget what she saw. 

Once the holidays started, Hermione tried to focus on their search of Flamel while Harry and Ron were being busy with having fun with Wizard's Chess. Hermione wasn't exactly a fan given how the pieces actually were being broken to shreds each round. She tried a few rounds, but it was hard to focus when the pieces were standing there yelling at you and demanding you to use another piece as bait. 

On Christmas Eve, Hermione woke up in the morning as she found a small pile of packages at the foot of her bed. She grinned from ear to ear as she hurried and proceed to open her presents. Some of them were from Mom and Dad, one was from her Grandma, another was from Hagrid, and then there was one from a Mrs. Weasley. At first she thought it was a mistake till she saw it was addressed to her.

 Mom and Dad had bought her some new books and a letter saying how sorry they were behaving when they found out she was a witch and to inform her that she had some more presents at home, but they didn't want to let the Owls carry more than they can handle. Hagrid had gotten her her favorite type of tea. Mrs. Weasley had given her a thick, hand-knitted sweater in sapphire blue with a box of homemade fudge. Lastly, she opened her Grandma's gift. It was a small music box that was emerald green with silver snakes as the legs of it. Hermione opened it and saw the inside was blue and bronze and an eagle stood in front of a mirror. Inside there were two small potions and a note. Hermione pulled it out and read...

This music box has been in our family for generations. It is one of our most proudest item. The one in silver is a potion to help you walk through black flames. The other is a potion to help you walk through purple flames. Thought you may need these when the time comes. 

Hermione tilted her head in confusion, wondering what her Grandma was thinking when giving these. She carefully put them to the side on her nightstand as she proceed towards the common room, clinging to her sweater. Hermione was walking in when she found herself shrieking at the sight of Harry's head floating in the air. 

"It's okay, 'Mione!" Ron told her, "It's an Invisibility Cloak! Harry got himself an Invisibility Cloak!" 

"Who gave you that?" Hermione asked, curious. 

"Don't know. It just says 'use it well'. A bit odd." Harry explained to her. 

"My Grandma got me something odd too. She got me a music but and inside it were these two potions. One to help through black fire and the other through purple fire." Hermione told them. 

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" 

"Hey, look-- Harry and Hermione got a Weasley sweater, too!" 

Hermione turned around to see Fred and George walking down wearing their sweaters with the letters F and G on theirs. 

"Theirs are better than ours, though," Fred said, poking at Hermione's sweater, "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family." 

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded, "Come on, get it on, They're lovely and warm." 

"I hate maroon." Ron grumbled while putting it on. 

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed, "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid-- we know we're called Gred and Forge." 

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at them. She had to admit a few of their jokes were funny, but she wouldn't admit it out loud. 

"What's all this noise?" Percy stuck his head around the corner, looking disapproving. He had clearly had gotten halfway through his presents and was holding a lumpy sweater over his arm. 

"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours even Harry and Hermione got one." 

"I-- don't--want--" Percy growled as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew. 

"And you're not sitting with prefects today either," Fred declared while he and his brother began to drag Percy from the room, "Christmas is time for family."