Harry Potter Short Stories

Lies and Arguments

Hermione Granger felt relief as she entered at the great hall for her sixth year. The train ride hadn't been very nice this year, as Harry wasn't there and Ron had been more insufferable than usual.

In the middle of the ride, Neville did a big favor to the world and casted a silencing charm on him. It was lifted just before the prefects had to return to the meeting that they would have.

A lot of people tried to come to see Harry and were disappointed to not find him. Several asked if he had dropped the school, and Hermione did her best to assure them that he would be at the school at the feast.

"I wonder what his mood will be this year," Ginny asked her with sarcasm. They were of the ones that didn't support the order's decision to keep him at Privet Drive, but as always, their opinion had been ignored.

""I won't bet on that," the brunette said with a heavy sigh. She knew that her best friend wouldn't be too happy with the order and she and the other teens would be the ones to deal with his mood.

When they entered at the hall, Harry was not there. It surprised everyone, Ron included. He looked at Hermione but she was as confused as him. They looked at the high table and noticed the dark looks that most of the professors were giving to Dumbledore and Snape. The headmaster looked worried and the potions professor ignored it as always.

"I don't know why, but I have the feeling that Harry is not coming back this year," Neville commented to Hermione. The witch chose to not make a comment, but she started to feel the same.

Minerva entered in that moment with the first years and the sorting started. Hermione noticed that they were fewer than usual.

"You think that it has to do with You-Know-Who's return?" Gin asked, as she noticed the same.

"It seems to be a good explanation," Neville said seriously and the others nodded, at the same time that the sorting finished and the feast started.

The meal was silent and everyone spoke little and in low voice. Hermione kept glancing at the high table and noticed that McGonagall seemed to be having a whispered and heated argument with Dumbledore. The headmaster seemed to be trying to placate her anger, but he failed. When both professors looked at her and the rest of Harry's friends, Hermione knew that he wasn't returning to the school.

"This is not good," Neville said, as he noticed the argument too.

When Albus was about to make the usual announcements, the minister arrived with a team of aurors. Rufus looked as worried as Dumbledore and asked the headmaster:

"What does it mean that someone kidnapped Mr. Potter?"

"This is not something to discuss here, Minister," Albus said seriously, before ordering the prefects to lead the students back to the towers.

… … … …

"Kidnapped from where?" Ginny asked Hermione, arching an eyebrow, once everyone was at the tower. Obviously, the main topic was the news of Harry's kidnapping.

"He wasn't kidnapped! He ran as soon as the wards were up! And as Dumbledore couldn't say that to the world, they invented this!" The brunette told her.

"What couldn't they say?" Neville asked confused.

Hermione sighed and told him about what had happened during the summer. When she finished, Minerva entered at the tower, went to the teens and set several wards around them.

"Kidnapped? That sounds as a very poor excuse, Professor!" Hermione said seriously.

"It's the only thing that could be thought in two hours!" Minerva said angrily.