The Girl Who Saw Tomorrow » Harry Potter

1.29 | West End's Magical Mysteries

Margaret knocked lightly on the half-open wooden door.

"Margaret!" Hermione whispers sharply, beckoning her over.

She was already clad in jeans and a full-sleeved jumper even though it was nearly four in the morning. Her hair was dampened as though she had just taken a shower, and her luggage ready by her bed on which she sat; her wand lighting up the letter she was writing speedily.

Out of the other three beds in the dorm room, one was empty and the other two had their curtains drawn around them. Once they were both sat on Hermione's bed, Margaret draws her wand, casting "Muffliato" at the other two occupants of the room, Lavender and Parvati.

"What's that spell?" asks Hermione, briefly breaking out of her worried state.

"Kind of a muffling charm."

"I've never heard of it before..." Hermione says slowly, looking suspiciously at her dorm mates' beds.

"Does it matter right now?" Margaret asks impatiently. She was still bitter about the comment Fred had made even though she told herself to not let his words get to her.

"Right," says Hermione, fixating her anxious gaze on Margaret. "I know something's happened to Mr Weasley. I heard McGonagall come in and say something to Ginny urgently before escorting her away. And I couldn't sleep after that... What's happened?"

"Mr Weasley was attacked by a giant snake while on one of his works of the Order," Margaret says, sighing. No matter how many times she said it, it still made her feel immensely guilty. Hermione gasped, dropping her quill to cover her mouth with her hands. Margaret continues, "Ginny, Ron, Fred and George have been sent to Sirius's place along with Harry."

"Wait – Harry?"

"Yeah, he kind of had a vision while he was asleep," she briefs. "He's the one who raised the alarm..."

"He told Ron and McGonagall?"

"And Dumbledore too, yes."

Hermione stayed silent for a few seconds, biting her lip in thought. When she looked up again, she seemed to be thinking very carefully of what she was about to say, "I thought... maybe you'd have... I dunno-"

"Raised alarm? Warned them?" Margaret offers flatly before looking out of the closed glass window on the side and shaking her head. "There are some things out of my control... some things that, if I change them, no matter how horrible, could set off something much worse. I'd rather not find out how much worse..."

Hermione stared at her friend for a few moments as though she saw something beyond. Then she gave a single nod which was enough to tell Margaret that she understood as far as she could without knowing the future itself.

"I'm writing to my parents to let them know that I'd be staying with the Weasleys. I'm not a big fan of skiing anyways," she tells her, changing the topic and looking down at the letter that she proceeds to sign and fold up. "I'm guessing you – er – teleported?"

"Yes. Although you'll have to take the Knight Bus to London; I haven't yet tried side-along teleportation," Margaret says.

"I figured as much," Hermione says, sighing. "Are Harry and Ron okay?"

"They're really worried, and since Harry saw it happen, he's probably going to blame himself."

"Are... you okay?"

Margaret looks back at her, her brows furrowed. Then she gives Hermione a small smile.

"I will be."