Harry suspected that Ron had warned Hermione not to call, which was a pity, because Hermione, the cleverest witch in Harry's year, had Muggle parents, knew perfectly well how to use a telephone, and would probably have had enough sense not to say that she went to Hogwarts.
Harry laughed as he put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. Knowing Hermione, he was sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells -- but it wasn't. His হৃদয় gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, পাঠ করা Broomstick Servicing Kit.
"Wow, Hermione!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside.
"So আপনি can come to King's ক্রুশ with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"
Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."
"Excellent!" ব্যক্ত Harry happily.
"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," ব্যক্ত Hermione earnestly.
"Are আপনি planning to eat অথবা sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry [...]
"Are আপনি sure you're okay, Harry?" ব্যক্ত Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.
"Ignore him," ব্যক্ত Hermione, who was right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it...."
Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before.
Everyone was looking at Harry, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.
"I don't think it looks like a Grim," she ব্যক্ত flatly.
Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.
"There আপনি are, then," ব্যক্ত Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"
I don't know," Hermione ব্যক্ত slowly, and Harry saw her glance at him.
"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds, " he said, pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the dementors yet, has he?"
Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron, his high spirits ebbing away. Hermione seemed to read his mind.
"Oh, my --" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.
"I've got no chance with these on," Harry ব্যক্ত exasperatedly, waving his glasses.
At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her ছদ্মবেশ over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming.
"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!"
He handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, "Impervius!"
"We thought you'd died," ব্যক্ত Alicia, who was shaking.
Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.
"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before আপনি came around," ব্যক্ত Hermione in a very small voice.
Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick.
Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried.
"Are আপনি going to প্রতিবেদন me?" Harry asked her, grinning.
"Oh -- of course not -- but honestly, Harry --"
Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch পরবর্তি to him.
"You really don't look well, আপনি know," Hermione said, peering anxiously into his face.
"I'm fine," ব্যক্ত Harry.
"Don't be silly," ব্যক্ত Hermione in a panicky voice. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"
"Harry, please," ব্যক্ত Hermione, her eyes now shining with tears, "Please be sensible. Black did a terrible, terrible thing, but d-don't put yourself in danger, it's what Black wants.... Oh, Harry, you'd be playing right into Black's hands if আপনি went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want আপনি to get hurt, would they? They'd never want আপনি to go looking for Black!"
"No!" ব্যক্ত Hermione quickly. "Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron --"
"Listen, Hagrid," he said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, আপনি just need a good defense. আপনি can call us as witnesses --"
To his great surprise, Hermione did not appear either excited অথবা intrigued দ্বারা the news. On the contrary, her face fell, and she bit her lip.
Harry knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop him from being angry with her. He had been the owner of the best ঝাড়ু in the world for a few short hours, and now, because of her interference, he didn't know whether he would ever see it again.
Even so, he was প্রদর্শিত হচ্ছে the strain nearly as much as Hermione, whose immense workload finally seemed to be getting to her. Every night, without fail, Hermione was to be seen in a corner of the common room, several tables spread with books, Arithmancy charts, rune dictionaries, diagrams of Muggles lifting heavy objects, and file upon file of extensive notes; she barely spoke to anybody and snapped when she was interrupted.
Harry looked up. Hermione was barely visible behind a tottering pile of books.
"You know what -- we should make up with Hermione... she was only trying to help..." Harry said.
Harry and Ron had a clear view of Hermione, the only person who hadn't rushed over to them, bent over her work and carefully avoiding their eyes. Harry and Ron approached her টেবিল and at last, she looked up.
"I got it back," ব্যক্ত Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.
"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" ব্যক্ত Ron.
"Well -- there might have been!" ব্যক্ত Hermione. "I mean, at least আপনি know now that it's safe!"
"Yeah, I suppose so," ব্যক্ত Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs."
"I'll take it!" ব্যক্ত Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his ইঁদুর tonic."
He took the Firebolt and, holding it as if it were made of glass, carried it away up the boys' staircase.
"Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked Hermione.
"I suppose so," ব্যক্ত Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair.
Harry looked around at the cluttered table, at the long Arithmancy essay on which the ink was still glistening, at the even longer Muggle Studies essay "Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity" and at the rune translation Hermione was now poring over.
"How are আপনি getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her.
"Oh, well -- আপনি know -- working hard," ব্যক্ত Hermione. Close-up, Harry saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin.
"Why don't আপনি just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching her lifting বই as she searched for her rune dictionary.
"I couldn't do that!" ব্যক্ত Hermione, looking scandalized.
"Arithmancy looks terrible," ব্যক্ত Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.
"Oh no, it's wonderful!" ব্যক্ত Hermione earnestly. "It's my পছন্দ subject! It's --"
It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. Each was so angry with the other that Harry couldn't see how they'd ever make up.
Personally, Harry was sure that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, and when he tried to point out to Hermione that the evidence all pointed that way, she হারিয়ে গেছে her temper with Harry, too.
"Okay, side with Ron, I knew আপনি would!" she ব্যক্ত shrilly. "First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it?! Just leave me alone, Harry, I've got a lot of work to do!"
Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities. Hermione, incredibly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled প্রথমপাতা Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. Harry broke away from the টেবিল where ফ্রেড and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her.
"Did আপনি even come to the match?" he asked her.
"Of course I did," ব্যক্ত Hermione in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think আপনি did really well, but I need to read this দ্বারা Monday."
"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," Harry said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.
"I can't, Harry. I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" ব্যক্ত Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway..." She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to যোগদান in."
Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say অথবা do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.
"Can't আপনি give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly.
"Hermione," ব্যক্ত Hagrid.
"What about her?" ব্যক্ত Ron.
"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat --"
"-- ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.
"Because her cat acted like all মার্জার do," Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind.... She's found some really good stuff fer me... reckon he'll stand a good chance now..."
"Hagrid, we should've helped as well -- sorry --" Harry began awkwardly.
"I'm not blamin' yeh!" ব্যক্ত Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry ঘন্টা o' the দিন an' night -- but I gotta tell yeh, I thought আপনি two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks অথবা rats. Tha's all."
Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her হৃদয় in the right place, Hermione has, an' আপনি two not talkin' to her --"
"Harry!" ব্যক্ত a voice in his right ear. Harry started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the টেবিল right behind them and clearing a মহাকাশ in the দেওয়াল of বই that had been hiding her.
"Harry, if আপনি go into Hogsmeade again... I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" ব্যক্ত Hermione.
"Can আপনি hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.
"Ron, how can আপনি let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell --"
"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!" ব্যক্ত Ron furiously. "Haven't আপনি done enough damage this year?"
Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories.
Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first -- SMACK!
She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.
"Don't আপনি dare call Hagrid pathetic, আপনি foul -- আপনি evil --"
"Hermione!" ব্যক্ত Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.
"Get off, Ron!"
Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.
"C'mon," Malfoy muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.
Hermione wasn't at lunch either. দ্বারা the time they had finished their আপেল pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and Harry and Ron had started to get slightly worried.
Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. They went to sit down on either side of her. Harry prodded her awake.
"Wh -- what?" ব্যক্ত Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W -- which lesson have we got now?"
"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," ব্যক্ত Harry.
"Hermione, why didn't আপনি come to Charms?"
"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"
"But how could আপনি forget?" ব্যক্ত Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"
"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I হারিয়ে গেছে track of things!"
Hermione snorted.
"Well, honestly... 'the fates have informed her'. Who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" she said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Harry and Ron choked back laughs.
"Oh, for goodness sake!" ব্যক্ত Hermione loudly. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"
Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.
"I am sorry to say that from the moment আপনি have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that আপনি do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."
There was a moment's silence. Then --
"Fine!" ব্যক্ত Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"
And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight.
But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking আরো subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the লাইব্রেরি the পরবর্তি morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.
"You're going to be fine," Hermione told him, though she looked positively terrified.
In fact, the only person who seemed আরো anxious than Percy was Hermione.
"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" ব্যক্ত Harry.
But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying.
"Where is it?" ব্যক্ত Hermione.
Harry told her about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.
"... if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished.
"That's true," ব্যক্ত Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you.... How do আপনি open the witch's hump again?"
"You -- আপনি tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" ব্যক্ত Harry. "But --"
Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.
Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another দুধ jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.
"We'll stay with আপনি too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.
...Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea.
Hermione swayed on the spot.
"They did it!" she whispered to Harry. "I d -- don't believe it -- they did it!"
She and Harry looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the ছদ্মবেশ [...]
Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. সেকেন্ড later, Hermione slithered down beside him.
Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded.
Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's arm again. Her wide eyes were traveling around the boarded windows.
"Harry," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."
The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew. Then he saw Hermione's foot দোল out of nowhere. Black let go of Harry with a grunt of pain [...]
"DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.
Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You -- আপনি --"
"Hermione --"
"-- আপনি and him!"
"Hermione, calm down --"
"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for আপনি --"
"Hermione, listen to me, please'" Lupin shouted. "I can explain --"
"You're wrong," ব্যক্ত Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now -- Let me explain...."
"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants আপনি dead too -- he's a werewolf!"
There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.
"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the দুর্গ and I certainly don't want Harry dead." An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."
Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have আপনি known?"
"Ages," Hermione whispered. [...]
Did আপনি check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? অথবা did আপনি realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"
"Both," Hermione ব্যক্ত quietly.
Lupin forced a laugh.
"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."
"I'm not," Hermione whispered. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what আপনি are!"
Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly.
"But Professor Lupin... Scabbers can't be Pettigrew... it just can't be true, আপনি know it can't..."
"Why can't it be true?" Lupin ব্যক্ত calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with grindylows.
"Because... because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework -- the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register প্রদর্শিত হচ্ছে what animal they become, and their markings and things... and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."
Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework, when Lupin started to laugh.
"Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."
"Expecto patronum! Hermione, help me! Expecto patronum!"
Harry moved his head over on the pillow. In the বিছানা to his right lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open too. She looked petrified, and when she saw that Harry was awake, pressed a finger to her lips...
"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry's side [...]
"That was because আপনি were knocked out, Professor!" ব্যক্ত Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear..."
"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"
"What we need," ব্যক্ত Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione, "is আরো time."
"But --" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"
"Miss Granger, আপনি know the law -- আপনি know what is at stake.... আপনি -- must -- not -- be --seen."
Harry didn't have a clue what was going on. [...]
"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"
But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine স্বর্ণ chain.
"Harry, come here," she ব্যক্ত urgently. "Quick!"
Harry moved toward her, completely bewildered. She was holding the chain out. He saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it.
"Here --"
She had thrown the chain around his neck too.
"Ready?" she ব্যক্ত breathlessly.
"What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost. [...]
He was standing পরবর্তি to Hermione in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. He looked wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into his neck.
"Hermione, what --?"
"In here!" Hermione seized Harry's arm and dragged him across the hall to the door of a ঝাড়ু closet; she opened it, pushed him inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind them.
"What -- how -- Hermione, what happened?"
"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Harry's neck in the darkness. "Three hours back..."
Harry found his own leg and gave it a very hard pinch. It hurt a lot, which seemed to rule out the possibility that he was having a very bizarre dream.
Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Harry wanted a few প্রশ্ন answered.
"Where did আপনি get that hourglass thing?"
"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first দিন back. I've been using it all বছর to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies.... I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see?"
Harry stared at her shadowy face.
"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry ব্যক্ত fervently...
"Let's সরানো along a bit," Hermione whispered.
Hermione's mouth was slightly open দ্বারা the time Harry had finished.
Hermione was still looking at him as though worried about his sanity.
"I know it sounds crazy," ব্যক্ত Harry flatly.
"This is it, Hermione --"
Hermione put her hands on Buckbeak's back and Harry gave her a leg up. Then he placed his foot on one of the lower branches of the গুল্ম and climbed up in front of her. He pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his মণ্ডল like reins.
"Ready?" he whispered to Hermione. "You'd better hold on to me --
Hermione was holding Harry very tight around the waist; he could hear her muttering, "Oh, no -- I don't like this oh, I really don't like this--"
"Harry!"
Hermione was tugging at his sleeve, staring at her watch. "We've got exactly ten মিনিট to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us -- before Dumbledore locks the door --"
"Okay," ব্যক্ত Harry, wrenching his gaze from the sky, "let's go...."
"Hermione -- what'll happen -- if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry panted.
I don't want to think about it!" Hermione moaned...
Hermione gave Harry and Ron some surprising news. "I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."
"But আপনি passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" ব্যক্ত Ron.
"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another বছর like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again."
I still can't believe আপনি didn't tell us about it," ব্যক্ত Ron grumpily. "We're supposed to be your friends."
"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," ব্যক্ত Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry...
"Oh, cheer up, Harry!" ব্যক্ত Hermione sadly.
"I'm okay," ব্যক্ত Harry quickly.
Harry laughed as he put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. Knowing Hermione, he was sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells -- but it wasn't. His হৃদয় gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, পাঠ করা Broomstick Servicing Kit.
"Wow, Hermione!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside.
"So আপনি can come to King's ক্রুশ with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"
Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."
"Excellent!" ব্যক্ত Harry happily.
"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," ব্যক্ত Hermione earnestly.
"Are আপনি planning to eat অথবা sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry [...]
"Are আপনি sure you're okay, Harry?" ব্যক্ত Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.
"Ignore him," ব্যক্ত Hermione, who was right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it...."
Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before.
Everyone was looking at Harry, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.
"I don't think it looks like a Grim," she ব্যক্ত flatly.
Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.
"There আপনি are, then," ব্যক্ত Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"
I don't know," Hermione ব্যক্ত slowly, and Harry saw her glance at him.
"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds, " he said, pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the dementors yet, has he?"
Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron, his high spirits ebbing away. Hermione seemed to read his mind.
"Oh, my --" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.
"I've got no chance with these on," Harry ব্যক্ত exasperatedly, waving his glasses.
At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her ছদ্মবেশ over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming.
"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!"
He handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, "Impervius!"
"We thought you'd died," ব্যক্ত Alicia, who was shaking.
Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.
"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before আপনি came around," ব্যক্ত Hermione in a very small voice.
Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick.
Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried.
"Are আপনি going to প্রতিবেদন me?" Harry asked her, grinning.
"Oh -- of course not -- but honestly, Harry --"
Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch পরবর্তি to him.
"You really don't look well, আপনি know," Hermione said, peering anxiously into his face.
"I'm fine," ব্যক্ত Harry.
"Don't be silly," ব্যক্ত Hermione in a panicky voice. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"
"Harry, please," ব্যক্ত Hermione, her eyes now shining with tears, "Please be sensible. Black did a terrible, terrible thing, but d-don't put yourself in danger, it's what Black wants.... Oh, Harry, you'd be playing right into Black's hands if আপনি went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want আপনি to get hurt, would they? They'd never want আপনি to go looking for Black!"
"No!" ব্যক্ত Hermione quickly. "Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron --"
"Listen, Hagrid," he said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, আপনি just need a good defense. আপনি can call us as witnesses --"
To his great surprise, Hermione did not appear either excited অথবা intrigued দ্বারা the news. On the contrary, her face fell, and she bit her lip.
Harry knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop him from being angry with her. He had been the owner of the best ঝাড়ু in the world for a few short hours, and now, because of her interference, he didn't know whether he would ever see it again.
Even so, he was প্রদর্শিত হচ্ছে the strain nearly as much as Hermione, whose immense workload finally seemed to be getting to her. Every night, without fail, Hermione was to be seen in a corner of the common room, several tables spread with books, Arithmancy charts, rune dictionaries, diagrams of Muggles lifting heavy objects, and file upon file of extensive notes; she barely spoke to anybody and snapped when she was interrupted.
Harry looked up. Hermione was barely visible behind a tottering pile of books.
"You know what -- we should make up with Hermione... she was only trying to help..." Harry said.
Harry and Ron had a clear view of Hermione, the only person who hadn't rushed over to them, bent over her work and carefully avoiding their eyes. Harry and Ron approached her টেবিল and at last, she looked up.
"I got it back," ব্যক্ত Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.
"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" ব্যক্ত Ron.
"Well -- there might have been!" ব্যক্ত Hermione. "I mean, at least আপনি know now that it's safe!"
"Yeah, I suppose so," ব্যক্ত Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs."
"I'll take it!" ব্যক্ত Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his ইঁদুর tonic."
He took the Firebolt and, holding it as if it were made of glass, carried it away up the boys' staircase.
"Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked Hermione.
"I suppose so," ব্যক্ত Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair.
Harry looked around at the cluttered table, at the long Arithmancy essay on which the ink was still glistening, at the even longer Muggle Studies essay "Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity" and at the rune translation Hermione was now poring over.
"How are আপনি getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her.
"Oh, well -- আপনি know -- working hard," ব্যক্ত Hermione. Close-up, Harry saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin.
"Why don't আপনি just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching her lifting বই as she searched for her rune dictionary.
"I couldn't do that!" ব্যক্ত Hermione, looking scandalized.
"Arithmancy looks terrible," ব্যক্ত Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.
"Oh no, it's wonderful!" ব্যক্ত Hermione earnestly. "It's my পছন্দ subject! It's --"
It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. Each was so angry with the other that Harry couldn't see how they'd ever make up.
Personally, Harry was sure that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, and when he tried to point out to Hermione that the evidence all pointed that way, she হারিয়ে গেছে her temper with Harry, too.
"Okay, side with Ron, I knew আপনি would!" she ব্যক্ত shrilly. "First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it?! Just leave me alone, Harry, I've got a lot of work to do!"
Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities. Hermione, incredibly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled প্রথমপাতা Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. Harry broke away from the টেবিল where ফ্রেড and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her.
"Did আপনি even come to the match?" he asked her.
"Of course I did," ব্যক্ত Hermione in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think আপনি did really well, but I need to read this দ্বারা Monday."
"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," Harry said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.
"I can't, Harry. I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" ব্যক্ত Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway..." She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to যোগদান in."
Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say অথবা do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.
"Can't আপনি give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly.
"Hermione," ব্যক্ত Hagrid.
"What about her?" ব্যক্ত Ron.
"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat --"
"-- ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.
"Because her cat acted like all মার্জার do," Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind.... She's found some really good stuff fer me... reckon he'll stand a good chance now..."
"Hagrid, we should've helped as well -- sorry --" Harry began awkwardly.
"I'm not blamin' yeh!" ব্যক্ত Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry ঘন্টা o' the দিন an' night -- but I gotta tell yeh, I thought আপনি two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks অথবা rats. Tha's all."
Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her হৃদয় in the right place, Hermione has, an' আপনি two not talkin' to her --"
"Harry!" ব্যক্ত a voice in his right ear. Harry started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the টেবিল right behind them and clearing a মহাকাশ in the দেওয়াল of বই that had been hiding her.
"Harry, if আপনি go into Hogsmeade again... I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" ব্যক্ত Hermione.
"Can আপনি hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.
"Ron, how can আপনি let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell --"
"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!" ব্যক্ত Ron furiously. "Haven't আপনি done enough damage this year?"
Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories.
Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first -- SMACK!
She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.
"Don't আপনি dare call Hagrid pathetic, আপনি foul -- আপনি evil --"
"Hermione!" ব্যক্ত Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.
"Get off, Ron!"
Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.
"C'mon," Malfoy muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.
Hermione wasn't at lunch either. দ্বারা the time they had finished their আপেল pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and Harry and Ron had started to get slightly worried.
Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. They went to sit down on either side of her. Harry prodded her awake.
"Wh -- what?" ব্যক্ত Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W -- which lesson have we got now?"
"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," ব্যক্ত Harry.
"Hermione, why didn't আপনি come to Charms?"
"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"
"But how could আপনি forget?" ব্যক্ত Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"
"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I হারিয়ে গেছে track of things!"
Hermione snorted.
"Well, honestly... 'the fates have informed her'. Who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" she said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Harry and Ron choked back laughs.
"Oh, for goodness sake!" ব্যক্ত Hermione loudly. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"
Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.
"I am sorry to say that from the moment আপনি have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that আপনি do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."
There was a moment's silence. Then --
"Fine!" ব্যক্ত Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"
And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight.
But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking আরো subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the লাইব্রেরি the পরবর্তি morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.
"You're going to be fine," Hermione told him, though she looked positively terrified.
In fact, the only person who seemed আরো anxious than Percy was Hermione.
"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" ব্যক্ত Harry.
But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying.
"Where is it?" ব্যক্ত Hermione.
Harry told her about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.
"... if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished.
"That's true," ব্যক্ত Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you.... How do আপনি open the witch's hump again?"
"You -- আপনি tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" ব্যক্ত Harry. "But --"
Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.
Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another দুধ jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.
"We'll stay with আপনি too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.
...Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea.
Hermione swayed on the spot.
"They did it!" she whispered to Harry. "I d -- don't believe it -- they did it!"
She and Harry looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the ছদ্মবেশ [...]
Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. সেকেন্ড later, Hermione slithered down beside him.
Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded.
Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's arm again. Her wide eyes were traveling around the boarded windows.
"Harry," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."
The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew. Then he saw Hermione's foot দোল out of nowhere. Black let go of Harry with a grunt of pain [...]
"DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.
Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You -- আপনি --"
"Hermione --"
"-- আপনি and him!"
"Hermione, calm down --"
"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for আপনি --"
"Hermione, listen to me, please'" Lupin shouted. "I can explain --"
"You're wrong," ব্যক্ত Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now -- Let me explain...."
"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants আপনি dead too -- he's a werewolf!"
There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.
"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the দুর্গ and I certainly don't want Harry dead." An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."
Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have আপনি known?"
"Ages," Hermione whispered. [...]
Did আপনি check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? অথবা did আপনি realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"
"Both," Hermione ব্যক্ত quietly.
Lupin forced a laugh.
"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."
"I'm not," Hermione whispered. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what আপনি are!"
Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly.
"But Professor Lupin... Scabbers can't be Pettigrew... it just can't be true, আপনি know it can't..."
"Why can't it be true?" Lupin ব্যক্ত calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with grindylows.
"Because... because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework -- the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register প্রদর্শিত হচ্ছে what animal they become, and their markings and things... and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."
Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework, when Lupin started to laugh.
"Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."
"Expecto patronum! Hermione, help me! Expecto patronum!"
Harry moved his head over on the pillow. In the বিছানা to his right lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open too. She looked petrified, and when she saw that Harry was awake, pressed a finger to her lips...
"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry's side [...]
"That was because আপনি were knocked out, Professor!" ব্যক্ত Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear..."
"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"
"What we need," ব্যক্ত Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione, "is আরো time."
"But --" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"
"Miss Granger, আপনি know the law -- আপনি know what is at stake.... আপনি -- must -- not -- be --seen."
Harry didn't have a clue what was going on. [...]
"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"
But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine স্বর্ণ chain.
"Harry, come here," she ব্যক্ত urgently. "Quick!"
Harry moved toward her, completely bewildered. She was holding the chain out. He saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it.
"Here --"
She had thrown the chain around his neck too.
"Ready?" she ব্যক্ত breathlessly.
"What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost. [...]
He was standing পরবর্তি to Hermione in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. He looked wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into his neck.
"Hermione, what --?"
"In here!" Hermione seized Harry's arm and dragged him across the hall to the door of a ঝাড়ু closet; she opened it, pushed him inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind them.
"What -- how -- Hermione, what happened?"
"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Harry's neck in the darkness. "Three hours back..."
Harry found his own leg and gave it a very hard pinch. It hurt a lot, which seemed to rule out the possibility that he was having a very bizarre dream.
Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Harry wanted a few প্রশ্ন answered.
"Where did আপনি get that hourglass thing?"
"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first দিন back. I've been using it all বছর to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies.... I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see?"
Harry stared at her shadowy face.
"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry ব্যক্ত fervently...
"Let's সরানো along a bit," Hermione whispered.
Hermione's mouth was slightly open দ্বারা the time Harry had finished.
Hermione was still looking at him as though worried about his sanity.
"I know it sounds crazy," ব্যক্ত Harry flatly.
"This is it, Hermione --"
Hermione put her hands on Buckbeak's back and Harry gave her a leg up. Then he placed his foot on one of the lower branches of the গুল্ম and climbed up in front of her. He pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his মণ্ডল like reins.
"Ready?" he whispered to Hermione. "You'd better hold on to me --
Hermione was holding Harry very tight around the waist; he could hear her muttering, "Oh, no -- I don't like this oh, I really don't like this--"
"Harry!"
Hermione was tugging at his sleeve, staring at her watch. "We've got exactly ten মিনিট to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us -- before Dumbledore locks the door --"
"Okay," ব্যক্ত Harry, wrenching his gaze from the sky, "let's go...."
"Hermione -- what'll happen -- if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry panted.
I don't want to think about it!" Hermione moaned...
Hermione gave Harry and Ron some surprising news. "I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."
"But আপনি passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" ব্যক্ত Ron.
"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another বছর like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again."
I still can't believe আপনি didn't tell us about it," ব্যক্ত Ron grumpily. "We're supposed to be your friends."
"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," ব্যক্ত Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry...
"Oh, cheer up, Harry!" ব্যক্ত Hermione sadly.
"I'm okay," ব্যক্ত Harry quickly.
