Blaze (Book 3 of the Light Series)

Chapter Three: Not An Option

"Hagrid, did you pick up the lesson plan I put on my desk?" I asked, looking around for the parchment I would have sworn I just had in my hand. We were leaving for America in mere minutes and I was scrambling. Me. Hermione Potter, the ever prepared one of our lot, was scrambling.

"Yeh sent it off already." He reminded me, standing off to the side as I flittered about.

"Right." I sighed, putting together the parchment I had my notes on for our trip.

"Relax now, Hermione. Yeh lot are the most capable group I know of. Yeh'll find what it is yeh're searching for." Hagrid gave me a pat on my shoulder and I sighed in answer, laying my hand on my forehead and rubbing away my frustrations.

I couldn't explain it, to myself or anybody else, but I was more anxious about finding the spell for Ginny then I had been about finding the Horcruxes to defeat Voldemort. With Voldemort, I knew enough that I didn't feel blind. With the trip to America, I didn't know what exactly we were looking for or if we would find it. I'd continued researching in preparation of the trip but it was never enough information for me to feel..., like I was prepared for whatever was coming.

"Headmistress?" A house-elf tentatively knocked on the open door. I waved her inside and allowed myself to sink into my chair. "The headmaster and Master Ron are awaiting you."

I sighed, running through everything in my mind over and over to make sure I hadn't missed anything. The Weasley clan had set up shop at Hogwarts to watch over Ginny, the babies, and our classes. It was jammy that we had them to handle everything. Having such talented wizards and witches in the immediate family was a blessing for us. They were taking over classes and keeping everything straight until we got back.

Draco was heading the force, having been convinced to stay and help keep Hogwarts running. With evil always waiting in the wings, keeping up appearances was always going to be important. Draco was family now at all times, but out in the public eye he was still a badarse and we needed all bad wizards to believe he was still on their side. With him in that world, we could always stay one step ahead.

"Hermione!" Hagrid clapped in front of my face, bringing me out of my own head. "Sorry there, Hermione, but yeh were pretty well out of it. Called yer name a bunch and yeh just kept staring off."

"Sorry, Hagrid." I turned to the still patiently waiting house-elf. "Let them know I'm on my way down. They can go ahead and I'll catch up." I advised and she eagerly nodded and hurried off, closing the door behind her.

We were taking the floo network to the house Sirius left Harry then we were taking muggle means to America since we were unfamiliar with wizard means there. With a sigh, I rose and finished packing my shoulder bag. It was enchanted so I could reach back and grab anything from our bedchambers or my office. Ron and Harry each had their own bag that I fixed to do the same so we wouldn't be worried about just using mine.

"Alright. I best be off." I finally said to Hagrid who had stayed with me the whole time I prepared to leave.

"I'll walk yeh down." He opened the door for me. I thanked him and walked out into the corridor, making sure he closed my door behind us. Once closed, nobody but me could get inside without the correct password.

"Yeh lot be careful out there." Hagrid advised as we walked.

"We will, Hagrid. Don't even fret about it. We'll be back before you know it." I promised.

"I can't just not worry about yeh three. I haven't spent a day not worrying about yeh since the day yeh three stepped into Hogwarts, with yer young faces and nutty bravery. Yeh lot have been the object of all me fretting since yer first year here at Hogwarts." He grinned, as though remembering our first year.