Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 44: Speaking of Time

Hogwarts
28 March 1994, 8:50 a.m.
(263 days ago)

With a sad expression, Hermione Granger exited the Great Hall after a quick breakfast. Tomorrow, she would leave Hogwarts for the Easter Break. And most likely, she would never return. The prospect of starting over again at Ilvermorny in America was frightening, but not as much as the thought of staying in Britain for even one more day than necessary. She just hoped that the Creeveys followed her and Justin's advice, young Finch-Fletchley having already formally rejected his Prince inheritance before transferring to Beauxbatons.

In the foyer outside the Great Hall, the witch paused to look at the memorial. It was a table decorated with moving pictures and a simple banner: "Gone but not forgotten!" While looking sadly at the pictures of those she'd lost (and many of those depicted were once her closest friends), she couldn't help but feel a flash of anger for the one friend whose name and image were absent from the tableau.

"Even in death," she thought to herself bitterly, "the Purebloods still don't want to even think about The Outcast!"

Suddenly, her reverie was broken by a sharp Stinging Hex to her leg that caused her to drop to one knee and let out a soft expletive. There was laughter from behind her.

"Such language!" sneered Pansy Parkinson. "You should learn to hold your tongue, Mudblood, or we might have to wash your mouth out with soap!"

The Slytherin girl laughed cruelly while still pointing her wand at Hermione in a hand that was covered in the long satin glove that went almost all the way to her shoulder. Despite the best efforts of St. Mungo's top Healers, the scars never did heal, and Pansy's disfigurement had only made the bigoted Slytherin grow even more vicious.

Beside her, the other members of her Pureblooded pack also laughed at Hermione's pain: Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, Marietta Edgecombe, Cho Chang, and Lavender Brown. Of those, Lavender at least had the decency to look slightly embarrassed at her involvement. But a nervous laugh was still a laugh, and Lavender's fairly recent decision to ingratiate herself with Pansy was a clear sign of which way House Brown was leaning in the current political crisis.

"Is there a problem here, Miss Parkinson?" came a stern Scottish brogue from further down the hall.

"Not at all, Professor McGonagall," Pansy said with a smug smile.

"Then be off to class with you, young ladies."

Pansy and her gang swiftly departed while Hermione rose unsteadily.

"Are you alright, Miss Granger?"

Hermione took a deep breath and then looked to her teacher with her usual mask of confidence. "I'm fine, Headmistress," she lied.

"I am pleased to hear it." The newly installed Headmistress of Hogwarts moved closer and spoke quietly.

"Miss Granger ... Hermione ...." The older witch trailed off uncertainly. Then, she took a deep breath before continuing with her usual confidence. "I am here to inform you, Miss Granger, that there are some gentlemen from the Ministry here asking to meet with you."

At that news, Hermione went deathly pale and took a step back. "The Ministry?!"

She'd honestly thought that nothing like this would happen before the Summer, and she wondered if she'd be able to make it to the Quidditch pitch and the broom lockers before she was caught. Thank goodness, Fred Weasley had insisted that she learn to fly a broom "just in case." She still owed her friend (and perhaps more than friend, if circumstances had allowed her the luxury of a first romance) for that. Just as she owed Professor Snape for his secret Occlumency lessons – she wasn't a true Occlumens, but he assured her that she should be able to keep out all but the most powerful Legilimens now.