Love at First Sight (Harry Potter)

Hermione's Secret

|ALEXANDRIA WEASLEY'S P.O.V|

"Shocking business. . . shocking. . . miracle none of them died. . . never heard the like. . . by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape. . . ."

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there. . . . Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, the Weasley twins, and Granger, Minister. . . ."

"No!"

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape. . . . They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now . . . and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster —"

"Ah, well, Snape . . . Harry Potter, you know . . . we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned."

"And yet — is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended — at the very least — for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister — against all school rules — after all the precautions you put in place for his protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer — and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too —"

"Well, well . . . we shall see, Snape, we shall see. . . . The boy has undoubtedly been foolish. . . ."

It was unbelievably bright. I could see the light, pounding against my closed eyelids in a white hue. I felt the heat of it and, within the deep red that was the inside of my lids, spots of white and black had begun to dance across my vision.

There was a pounding in the back of my skull. It was extremely strong where my head met the pillow beneath me, even though it was made of nothing more than gentle fabric and soft feathers. There was a stinging along both of my shoulders; constant and sharp, as though little needles were prickling at my skin over and over again.

The air was stale as I sucked it in through my nostrils. My lips parted to exhale, but I was met with the putrid taste of alcohol that wafted throughout the room.

"What amazes me most is the behavior of the dementors .  .  . you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister .  .  . by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances.  .  .  ."

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the girl —"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

I wanted to sit up, but my limbs were made of solid rock. I tried to kick my foot only to find that it was trapped underneath a thin, itchy blanket. I heard a rustling noise in front of me, quiet and slight, from my movements.

"And the other girl?"

"Found about a mile into the woods .  .  . the dementors alerted us of her presence."