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 دل gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading Broomstick Servicing Kit.
"Wow, Hermione!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside.
"So آپ can come to King's پار, صلیب 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!" کہا Harry happily.
"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," کہا Hermione earnestly.
"Are آپ planning to eat یا sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry [...]
"Are آپ sure you're okay, Harry?" کہا Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.
"Ignore him," کہا 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 کہا flatly.
Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.
"There آپ are, then," کہا 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 کہا 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 کہا exasperatedly, waving his glasses.
At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her چادر, فرغل 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," کہا Alicia, who was shaking.
Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.
"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before آپ came around," کہا 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 آپ going to رپورٹ me?" Harry asked her, grinning.
"Oh -- of course not -- but honestly, Harry --"
Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch اگلے to him.
"You really don't look well, آپ know," Hermione said, peering anxiously into his face.
"I'm fine," کہا Harry.
"Don't be silly," کہا Hermione in a panicky voice. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"
"Harry, please," کہا 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 آپ went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want آپ to get hurt, would they? They'd never want آپ to go looking for Black!"
"No!" کہا Hermione quickly. "Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron --"
"Listen, Hagrid," he said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, آپ just need a good defense. آپ can call us as witnesses --"
To his great surprise, Hermione did not appear either excited یا intrigued سے طرف کی 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 جھاڑو 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 دکھانا 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 میز, جدول and at last, she looked up.
"I got it back," کہا Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.
"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" کہا Ron.
"Well -- there might have been!" کہا Hermione. "I mean, at least آپ know now that it's safe!"
"Yeah, I suppose so," کہا Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs."
"I'll take it!" کہا Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his چوہا 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," کہا 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 آپ getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her.
"Oh, well -- آپ know -- working hard," کہا Hermione. Close-up, Harry saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin.
"Why don't آپ just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching her lifting کتابیں as she searched for her rune dictionary.
"I couldn't do that!" کہا Hermione, looking scandalized.
"Arithmancy looks terrible," کہا Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.
"Oh no, it's wonderful!" کہا Hermione earnestly. "It's my پسندیدہ 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 lost her temper with Harry, too.
"Okay, side with Ron, I knew آپ would!" she کہا 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 ہوم Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. Harry broke away from the میز, جدول where Fred and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her.
"Did آپ even come to the match?" he asked her.
"Of course I did," کہا Hermione in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think آپ did really well, but I need to read this سے طرف کی 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!" کہا Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway..." She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to شامل میں in."
Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say یا 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 آپ give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly.
"Hermione," کہا Hagrid.
"What about her?" کہا 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 cats 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!" کہا 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 گھنٹہ o' the دن an' night -- but I gotta tell yeh, I thought آپ two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks یا rats. Tha's all."
Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her دل in the right place, Hermione has, an' آپ two not talkin' to her --"
"Harry!" کہا a voice in his right ear. Harry started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the میز, جدول right behind them and clearing a space in the دیوار of کتابیں that had been hiding her.
"Harry, if آپ go into Hogsmeade again... I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" کہا Hermione.
"Can آپ hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.
"Ron, how can آپ 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!" کہا Ron furiously. "Haven't آپ 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 آپ dare call Hagrid pathetic, آپ foul -- آپ evil --"
"Hermione!" کہا 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. سے طرف کی the time they had finished their سیب, ایپل 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?" کہا 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," کہا Harry.
"Hermione, why didn't آپ come to Charms?"
"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"
"But how could آپ forget?" کہا 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 lost 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!" کہا 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 آپ have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that آپ 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!" کہا 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 مزید subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the لائبریری the اگلے 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 مزید anxious than Percy was Hermione.
"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" کہا Harry.
But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying.
"Where is it?" کہا 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," کہا Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you.... How do آپ open the witch's hump again?"
"You -- آپ tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" کہا 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 دودھ 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 آپ 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 چادر, فرغل [...]
Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. سیکنڈ 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 سوئنگ, جھول 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 -- آپ --"
"Hermione --"
"-- آپ and him!"
"Hermione, calm down --"
"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for آپ --"
"Hermione, listen to me, please'" Lupin shouted. "I can explain --"
"You're wrong," کہا 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 آپ 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 قلعہ 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 آپ known?"
"Ages," Hermione whispered. [...]
Did آپ check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? یا did آپ realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"
"Both," Hermione کہا 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 آپ 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, آپ know it can't..."
"Why can't it be true?" Lupin کہا 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 دکھانا 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 بستر 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 آپ were knocked out, Professor!" کہا Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear..."
"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"
"What we need," کہا Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione, "is مزید time."
"But --" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"
"Miss Granger, آپ know the law -- آپ know what is at stake.... آپ -- 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 سونا chain.
"Harry, come here," she کہا 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 کہا breathlessly.
"What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost. [...]
He was standing اگلے 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 جھاڑو 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 سوالات answered.
"Where did آپ get that hourglass thing?"
"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first دن back. I've been using it all سال 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 کہا fervently...
"Let's اقدام along a bit," Hermione whispered.
Hermione's mouth was slightly open سے طرف کی the time Harry had finished.
Hermione was still looking at him as though worried about his sanity.
"I know it sounds crazy," کہا 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 بش 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 کالر 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 منٹ to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us -- before Dumbledore locks the door --"
"Okay," کہا 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 آپ passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" کہا Ron.
"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another سال 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 آپ didn't tell us about it," کہا Ron grumpily. "We're supposed to be your friends."
"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," کہا Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry...
"Oh, cheer up, Harry!" کہا Hermione sadly.
"I'm okay," کہا 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 دل gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading Broomstick Servicing Kit.
"Wow, Hermione!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside.
"So آپ can come to King's پار, صلیب 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!" کہا Harry happily.
"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," کہا Hermione earnestly.
"Are آپ planning to eat یا sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry [...]
"Are آپ sure you're okay, Harry?" کہا Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.
"Ignore him," کہا 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 کہا flatly.
Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.
"There آپ are, then," کہا 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 کہا 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 کہا exasperatedly, waving his glasses.
At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her چادر, فرغل 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," کہا Alicia, who was shaking.
Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.
"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before آپ came around," کہا 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 آپ going to رپورٹ me?" Harry asked her, grinning.
"Oh -- of course not -- but honestly, Harry --"
Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch اگلے to him.
"You really don't look well, آپ know," Hermione said, peering anxiously into his face.
"I'm fine," کہا Harry.
"Don't be silly," کہا Hermione in a panicky voice. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"
"Harry, please," کہا 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 آپ went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want آپ to get hurt, would they? They'd never want آپ to go looking for Black!"
"No!" کہا Hermione quickly. "Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron --"
"Listen, Hagrid," he said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, آپ just need a good defense. آپ can call us as witnesses --"
To his great surprise, Hermione did not appear either excited یا intrigued سے طرف کی 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 جھاڑو 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 دکھانا 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 میز, جدول and at last, she looked up.
"I got it back," کہا Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.
"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" کہا Ron.
"Well -- there might have been!" کہا Hermione. "I mean, at least آپ know now that it's safe!"
"Yeah, I suppose so," کہا Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs."
"I'll take it!" کہا Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his چوہا 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," کہا 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 آپ getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her.
"Oh, well -- آپ know -- working hard," کہا Hermione. Close-up, Harry saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin.
"Why don't آپ just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching her lifting کتابیں as she searched for her rune dictionary.
"I couldn't do that!" کہا Hermione, looking scandalized.
"Arithmancy looks terrible," کہا Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.
"Oh no, it's wonderful!" کہا Hermione earnestly. "It's my پسندیدہ 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 lost her temper with Harry, too.
"Okay, side with Ron, I knew آپ would!" she کہا 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 ہوم Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. Harry broke away from the میز, جدول where Fred and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her.
"Did آپ even come to the match?" he asked her.
"Of course I did," کہا Hermione in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think آپ did really well, but I need to read this سے طرف کی 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!" کہا Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway..." She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to شامل میں in."
Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say یا 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 آپ give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly.
"Hermione," کہا Hagrid.
"What about her?" کہا 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 cats 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!" کہا 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 گھنٹہ o' the دن an' night -- but I gotta tell yeh, I thought آپ two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks یا rats. Tha's all."
Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her دل in the right place, Hermione has, an' آپ two not talkin' to her --"
"Harry!" کہا a voice in his right ear. Harry started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the میز, جدول right behind them and clearing a space in the دیوار of کتابیں that had been hiding her.
"Harry, if آپ go into Hogsmeade again... I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" کہا Hermione.
"Can آپ hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.
"Ron, how can آپ 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!" کہا Ron furiously. "Haven't آپ 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 آپ dare call Hagrid pathetic, آپ foul -- آپ evil --"
"Hermione!" کہا 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. سے طرف کی the time they had finished their سیب, ایپل 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?" کہا 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," کہا Harry.
"Hermione, why didn't آپ come to Charms?"
"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"
"But how could آپ forget?" کہا 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 lost 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!" کہا 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 آپ have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that آپ 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!" کہا 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 مزید subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the لائبریری the اگلے 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 مزید anxious than Percy was Hermione.
"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" کہا Harry.
But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying.
"Where is it?" کہا 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," کہا Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you.... How do آپ open the witch's hump again?"
"You -- آپ tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" کہا 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 دودھ 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 آپ 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 چادر, فرغل [...]
Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. سیکنڈ 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 سوئنگ, جھول 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 -- آپ --"
"Hermione --"
"-- آپ and him!"
"Hermione, calm down --"
"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for آپ --"
"Hermione, listen to me, please'" Lupin shouted. "I can explain --"
"You're wrong," کہا 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 آپ 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 قلعہ 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 آپ known?"
"Ages," Hermione whispered. [...]
Did آپ check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? یا did آپ realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"
"Both," Hermione کہا 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 آپ 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, آپ know it can't..."
"Why can't it be true?" Lupin کہا 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 دکھانا 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 بستر 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 آپ were knocked out, Professor!" کہا Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear..."
"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"
"What we need," کہا Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione, "is مزید time."
"But --" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"
"Miss Granger, آپ know the law -- آپ know what is at stake.... آپ -- 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 سونا chain.
"Harry, come here," she کہا 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 کہا breathlessly.
"What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost. [...]
He was standing اگلے 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 جھاڑو 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 سوالات answered.
"Where did آپ get that hourglass thing?"
"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first دن back. I've been using it all سال 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 کہا fervently...
"Let's اقدام along a bit," Hermione whispered.
Hermione's mouth was slightly open سے طرف کی the time Harry had finished.
Hermione was still looking at him as though worried about his sanity.
"I know it sounds crazy," کہا 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 بش 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 کالر 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 منٹ to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us -- before Dumbledore locks the door --"
"Okay," کہا 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 آپ passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" کہا Ron.
"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another سال 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 آپ didn't tell us about it," کہا Ron grumpily. "We're supposed to be your friends."
"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," کہا Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry...
"Oh, cheer up, Harry!" کہا Hermione sadly.
"I'm okay," کہا Harry quickly.
