He Who Walks Between Worlds

Hermione is Confused

Beginning Notes

This is a shorter one, but I felt like it needed its own chapter. I hope the next one might come quicker, since I have a bit already written, but who knows.

All characters are owned by Rick Riordan and J. K. Rowling.

Hermione

Hermione was confused. Before, she had brushed off Harry's suspicions of Nico as jealousy. Now, she wasn't sure they were entirely unfounded. Wrong, yes, but not unfounded. This day had revealed several peculiar facts about Nico, but they weren't unexplainable. It was strange that he could do nonverbal, wandless magic when he struggled in most of his classes, but magic like that was generally charms, in which he appeared average. She could accept the sword; she had known he was likely specially talented or capable in some area if he had been allowed to join the Order, despite the general rules. Really, she wasn't sure why she thought something was off. But it couldn't hurt to tell Professor McGonagall. 

Michael was explaining something to her. Muggle science, she thought. She nodded along. She had been keeping up with her muggle peers somewhat, over the summer, but last summer she had fallen behind. 

Michael saw Professor Flitwick and broke off. Hermione continued on to Professor McGonigal's office. She knocked on the door. 

"Come in," called the familiar, sharp voice. "Ah, Hermione. What do you need?" 

Hermione slid into the chair across from McGonigal that she had occupied so many times before. "I wanted to let you know that Michael, Luna, and Nico encountered a giant dog in the Forbidden Forest."

McGonigal waited for the rest. "Nico fought it off with a sword, according to Michael. Michael also says Nico can do nonverbal, wandless magic."

"And?" McGonigal asked. 

"I thought you might want to know. And also Michael knows a bit, and I wanted to know what I should tell him if he asks questions."

"And?" McGonigal asked. 

"And I was curious," Hermione confessed.

A corner of the professor's mouth quirked upwards. "You know I can't tell you."

"I would keep it to myself," Hermione wheedled.

"I actually can't tell you," McGonigal said. "This isn't just something you would learn eventually anyway. The Order isn't a secret organisation, per se, but we definitely don't want He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named catching wind of what we're doing." She sighed. "And I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. I don't know why Nico was permitted to join the Order. Dumbledore didn't tell us his reasons. I trust his judgement."

They both heard the "but he's been wrong before" that she didn't say. He had let Peter Pettigrew in, and that led to the deaths of two members. Hermione could see how much it frustrated McGonigal not to know what Dumbledore was thinking. Neither of them mentioned it, though.

After a pause, Hermione spoke again. "I know I'm too young to join the Order, and that you and the others don't want to put Harry, Ron, and I in danger more than we get into already, but I wanted to know if I could maybe help, without actually part of it? Like, I could do research, or watch for things that you're looking for, or something like that? I wouldn't be in any danger, or anything, and I could still be helpful. I know Voldemort is back. I'm Harry's friend. Keeping me out of this isn't going to protect me. The sooner he gets defeated, the safer everyone will be. I want to help defeat him."

"So that's what the Order is."

Hermione and McGonigal both looked over. Michael, while they were talking, had silently come back into the room. McGonigal immediately went into damage-control mode. 

"How do you know about the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Hermione and Ginny talk about it sometimes, when they don't realise anyone's nearby."

Professor McGonigal shot Hermione a look, and Hermione felt her insides shrivel with shame. She should have been more careful. Who else had heard? Professor McGonigal must have been thinking along the same lines, because she asked Michael, "Who else knows about it?"

"Nico, I think. I don't know, I wasn't really paying a lot of attention. Is Voldemort back then?"

Hermione stared him. How didn't he know? She had been a bit more involved than most other people, but such complete ignorance and even nonchalance was more than she had expected. Seeing their shocked faces, Michael explained, "Dumbledore said he was last year, but then I think I read that he was wrong? So I didn't really know what was going on with that."

"That is a matter of some debate," Professor McGonigal explained, "But I, Dumbledore, and many of the other teachers at Hogwarts, believe that he has, in fact, returned. The Order of the Phoenix is a group of individuals who not only believe he has returned, but are dedicated to preventing him from inflicting damage on the wizarding world comparable to when he was last active."

"Okay. It seems kinda . . . secretive? Should I keep quiet about this?"

"Yes. You should. We don't want to be targeted, so we try to keep our members and our actions a secret."

Michael looked skeptical, but nodded. "Okay. Um. Are you guys done, or should I go wait in the hall?"

"I think we're done," McGonigal said. "Hermione, I'll bring it up with the other members."

"Thank you!" Hermione exclaimed. Grinning, she followed Michael out of the office.

"I got the spell!" Michael exclaimed. "Here!"

He shoved a  small irregular ball of metal into her hand. Hermione stared at for a moment in confusion. It was made of a dark grey metal. Iron, maybe? It was light, though, and felt hollow. Hermione could not understand what its purpose was. 

"It goes in your ear, like this," Michael explained, showing her a similar device in his ear. "Then it transfers heat to these pieces of metal-" he dug around in his bag and pulled out two thermometers with bits of metal folded around the measuring end "-and I can tell the temperature!"

"Great!" Hermione didn't mean to be dismissive of Michael's excitement, but she really didn't understand why he was so excited about his long-distance thermometer. Regardless, she dutifully put it in her ear, as instructed, before changing the subject. "I'm really curious about Nico," she said. "It's odd for him to be so advanced so young, and also the sword is strange. Can you tell me if you figure anything out about him?"

Michael cocked his head. "Come with me."

End Notes

So. Michael and Hermione are teaming up to discover what Nico's up to. Not what usually happens. I am excited!!!

Professor McGonigal: I, personally, have no complaint of students reading extracurricular materials. However, I must very strongly recommend that you do not disobey our high inquisitor.