Well, greetings to everyone, I've noticed that the story I'm currently posting isn't being received too well by the audience. Perhaps you liked the character portrayal in this story less than in previous ones - well, I understand this and plan to finish it in the same vein. However, in parallel I'll start posting a new fan fic earlier, it will be simpler - a light fairy tale where children will be children, they'll be inconsistent, make mistakes and forget things. I won't create supermen and geniuses, but they will know how to think, discover new things in themselves, in each other and in the world and - win, damn it.
I would be glad to see you on the pages of the new fanfiction The Immunity.
***
Sirius and Rita announced that they're going on vacation to New Zealand together. Cassiopeia will be taken in by Andromeda during their trip. We should be happy for the Blacks - their honeymoon was rather unconventional, with Potter and Lupin around their necks. They'll return just in time for Harry's arrival from Hogwarts.
I think if they leave, Harry is unlikely to believe the Voldemort-induced illusion with scenes of Sirius being tortured in the Ministry. The bad thing is that a Patronus won't reach New Zealand, but knowing Harry, he wouldn't have used it anyway. Besides, the two-way mirrors still work. Potter continues to have regular dreams about the Hall of Prophecy. He didn't peek at Snape's worst memory, since I broke the Vanishing Cabinet that the Weasleys stuffed Montague into back in first year, so the lessons continue, but aside from mutual sadomasochism, they probably bring nothing to the participants.
Umbridge, together with the heads of houses, became concerned about students' career guidance.
They posted a schedule of individual consultations on the notice board and placed brochures describing different professions nearby. There are interesting professions, there are very strange ones. Very many are deadly dangerous: troll tamer, hunter of XXXXX-rated magical creatures, veterinarian for XXXX and XXXXX-rated magical creatures (even more dangerous than being a hunter, in my opinion), curse-breaker, artifact tester... According to the brochure, they suggest testing them on yourself. But an artifact isn't a computer program. Testing them is like testing new medicines on yourself, and even more dangerous.
There are peaceful and boring professions, for example, rune embroiderer. Runes need to be embroidered on clothing by hand - the stronger the wizard who applied their hand, the stronger the effect will be. Runes can also be embroidered with telekinesis - a highly specialized area of application, and such work will cost quite a lot, because making very small and precise needle movements with the power of thought is quite difficult and not everyone can do it.
To work as an embroiderer requires just one O.W.L. at Outstanding level - in Ancient Runes. A person must know what they're sewing, even if they didn't compose the rune chain themselves; you need to embroider with understanding, otherwise the effectiveness will be much lower. To work as a troll tamer - O.W.L.s in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures at Outstanding or above Exceeds Expectations. Aurors must pass four whole O.W.L. exams: Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions. The first three at Outstanding, Potions can be above Exceeds Expectations. Strangely enough, at the initial stages, the salaries of an Auror and the same embroiderer with one O.W.L. are approximately the same. And then it all depends on the person. An Auror can become a group commander, and then head of the Auror office; an embroiderer can become a famous runologist, which is a very in-demand profession. However, most wizards will remain at ordinary posts their whole lives.
I'm not Potter, so at our meeting with Professor Sprout, Umbridge hardly got on our nerves. The head of house advised me to focus on Charms, Potions, and Herbology after O.W.L.s, as the most necessary subjects for a Healer; I politely nodded to the head of house and reassured Umbridge that I wouldn't take Defense Against the Dark Arts at N.E.W.T. level. Actually, for magical medicine, ritual magic is needed no less than potions, but it's not taught at Hogwarts. The Ministry treats ritual magic with suspicion and tries to limit its application as much as possible. However, none of the officials even think of refusing medical help, as far as I know. Practicing doctors have to train interns in the basics right on the job.
This meeting was only needed for a checkmark in Umbridge's notebook. She stopped suspecting me of conspiracy against Fudge, but Potter is still undesirable person number one.
In our reality, the headmaster wasn't removed from his position, although Umbridge didn't stop trying to dig up more compromising material on him, so the Weasley twins didn't leave school. Or maybe they didn't leave because they didn't get the thousand Galleons prize after the tournament, and opening the joke shop was postponed. But they still put on a show with fireworks and inscriptions all over the walls: "Pink Toad, we're not afraid of you!" only anonymously. Well, anonymously - everyone knew the authors except the High Inquisitor. The Slytherins knew too, but couldn't prove anything. Fireworks and general chaos - that was fun, I childishly rejoiced along with everyone else.
Trelawney was fired, and she threw a terrible tantrum, crawling around the courtyard screaming. An obvious overreaction - she wasn't the only one fired unfairly - and was it even unfair? But people usually don't sink to such depths. Disgusting to watch. Both her and Umbridge, who was clearly enjoying the spectacle. Kind grandfather "saved" Trelawney by offering her the role of a dependent. But Firenze made a mistake getting involved with him. He won't get anything worthwhile from Dumbledore anyway, and for his tribe he became an outcast. A terrible punishment, actually. Even if for a centaur it doesn't mean certain death like for primitive people, his future life is unlikely to be easy among a foreign people. And poor Firenze doesn't realize that Dumbledore just wanted to troll Umbridge, who is a known xenophobe.
***
Exam time arrived. How pleasant it is to take them when you're absolutely not worried about the result. Though they're quite easy anyway.
During Astronomy, instead of stars, we watched Hagrid beating up Aurors while they couldn't do anything to him. Still, firearms are the coolest thing. There are too many creatures in the magical world with immunity to magic that only the most deadly spells from the strongest wizards can handle. Giants, werewolves, manticores... But Colt made humans, werewolves, and manticores equal!
I'll finish fifth year and go to shooting courses. And dancing.
In the last few months, from the towers of Hogwarts you could occasionally observe trees swaying too violently in the depths of the Forbidden Forest. If Hagrid fled now, would he take his giant half-brother with him? Or would he entrust underage students to look after him? Hagrid never forgave my refusal of Care of Magical Creatures, so acquaintance with his brother successfully passed me by. But probably Harry and Ron know. I hope the giant child doesn't eat or flatten them.
McGonagall was unlucky - saving Hagrid, she took four Stunners to the chest. Good deeds are punishable, and the deputy headmistress is now in the hospital.
During History, it happened. Harry had a nightmare. I immediately handed in my answer and hurried after him. Ron looked at me and did the same. Harry dragged us into the nearest empty classroom and locked the door.
Everything's correct: Voldemort is torturing Sirius, and we need to save him.
First thing, I remind Harry that Sirius is in New Zealand, and Voldemort can't reach him there.
"It's an illusion, Harry! If Voldemort really needed Sirius, it would be easier for him to wait until he returns than to search at the other end of the world!"
"How do we know his capabilities, Hermione?"
"It's much easier to believe that you're underestimating his capabilities in mental magic. He just made you believe this to lure you into a trap! Call Sirius on the mirror."
Alas, Sirius doesn't answer the mirror. Harry gets even more agitated.
Damn, this is New Zealand - it's afternoon here, but people there have been sleeping for a long time. Or having sex. And Potter's going crazy here.
I remind Harry about time zones and explain that at night people aren't always available. But Harry doesn't want to hear me. He can't wait, wants to run to rescue Sirius right this second. Possibly, Voldemort not only showed him the torture scene but also planted certain impulses in his consciousness.
I offer him a calming draught:
"Here, take this - it's always easier to think with a clear head."
Potter brings the open vial to his mouth but suddenly hesitates.
"Hermione, is this really a calming draught?"
"What else could it be?"
What's he even thinking?
"You don't want me to save Sirius. You don't believe he's with Voldemort. Maybe this is actually a sleeping potion?"
How terribly timed his paranoia awakened!
"Harry, you should have at least studied Potions a bit! They're even different colors!"
"Petrificus Totalus! Sorry, Hermione, I can't wait when Sirius's life is at stake. And I won't let you stop us!"
"Coward," Ron hissed through his teeth. I don't even argue with this particular point.
Well, Potter! Brainless bastard, hornless ram! If I find out this wasn't Voldemort programming you but you decided this on your own, I'll kill you myself without letting the Dark Lord go first! I didn't expect this from Harry. I cared for him as much as I could and thought he valued it. No, I didn't expect the same in return, but I expected at least some trust from him. And some gratitude, let's be honest. But what he did is complete betrayal.
The two idiots have already run away. I've been training nonverbal wandless Finite for a long time. The problem is that Potter has a fucking lot of magical power. Much more than the average wizard. I only manage it after fifteen minutes. That's still a good result, thanks to my training. Could have been lying for five to six hours until their return. I want to spit on these morons, especially since I believe Sirius isn't there and won't be. But if there's no Sirius and no Hermione there, it's unknown how events will unfold. Here, any little thing can make a big difference, and two wizards are far from a little thing.
I open the Marauder's Map. Harry, Ron, Neville, and two underage idiots Ginny and Luna are running toward Hogsmeade. Now they didn't waste time on conversations through the fireplace - Sirius definitely isn't at Grimmauld Place. I send a Patronus to Dumbledore, who as always isn't at school at the right moment. Umbridge didn't dismiss him, but this bastard is still wandering somewhere anyway.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, Harry dreamed that Voldemort is torturing Sirius in the Ministry, and he went after him. It's surely a trap!"
I look at the map again - Harry and Co.'s dots aren't there anymore. So they decided to use the Knight Bus. Better if they'd flown on Thestrals - there would have been time to spare. But it turns out they'll arrive at the Ministry before the end of the working day. There should be enough people there now. Maybe someone will stop them? Or will Harry officially ask to show him the prophecy about himself to get into the right hall? He has that right... and will fall straight into Rookwood's hands, who works in the Department of Mysteries.
I send a Patronus to Lupin too. Maybe we'll be lucky and he'll intercept the idiots on the approaches to the Hall of Prophecy.
While waiting for a return Patronus from the headmaster or Lupin, I run to Professor Sprout - maybe she'll figure out what to do. The head of house listened to my confused explanations and sent a Patronus to Tonks. And was satisfied with that. The professor thinks her actions are quite sufficient - an Auror will surely handle the kids and bring them back to school. Even if there's a trap somewhere, the students won't have time to get there. And they'll have detentions next year, she'll see to that. I would agree - I've been to the Ministry, it's really hard to navigate there without preparation. But in the book they somehow reached the Hall of Prophecy.
A silver phoenix flew to us: "Miss Granger, go to my office, I'll arrive soon." He'll arrive...
Professor Sprout ran with me upstairs and got quite out of breath - our wonderful head of house isn't an action hero after all. We run into the gargoyle, which doesn't want to let me through but opens for the head of house. The headmaster isn't in his office. Should I tell Snape too? What if he's a Death Eater by heart here, not Dumbledore's?
The headmaster arrives in a flash of phoenix fire. He's focused - this doesn't look like his usual relaxed and benevolent appearance, but he's not rushing to run and save his hero, first he wants to understand. I repeat my story again, it comes out quite confused since I'm hurrying and nervous.
"Miss Granger, it will be faster if you show me."
I step back. No way!
"Miss Granger, children's lives depend on this now!"
Dumbledore takes a step toward me and places his hand on my shoulder.
"Albus!" Pomona exclaims disapprovingly, putting her arm around me from the other side and trying to gently push me away from the headmaster. At this tense moment, a silver wolf appears before us and shouts in Lupin's voice:
"Headmaster! Voldemort is in the Ministry! Battle! We're in the main Floo hall!"
"Fawkes!" The headmaster grabs the phoenix that burst into flame by the tail.
But he's still holding my shoulder with his other hand, and Professor Sprout is still holding me from the other side. All three of us are engulfed in a flash of fire. But whyyyy?
When we moved, I lost orientation for several seconds and went blind after the phoenix fire. But the professor supported me and obviously put up some kind of shield around us, because very close to my head I heard the ring of a spell against a Protego. Finally blinking, I saw that battle was raging around us. People, flashes, nothing is clear, most of the fireplaces in the main hall are hopelessly destroyed.
"Hermione, hide!" Sprout pushes me into one of the nearby corridors, gripping her wand more comfortably. Crouching, I run further from the epicenter of the fight.
For a moment everyone froze - both the Order of the Phoenix and the Death Eaters. In the center of the hall, two elements collided: Dumbledore and Voldemort. But soon everything around came back to movement, and I hurried to get out of there. Bearded goat, why the hell did he drag me and Pomona here? That's really true - no good deed goes unpunished. I could have lain quietly under Petrificus while they would be killing each other here.
The corridor leads to a smaller hall where battle is also going on. Ginny and Neville are fighting against a Death Eater. None of the adult Phoenix members are here. Neville isn't thinking about defense at all - his nose seems already broken, his whole face is covered in blood. And he's limping. Ginny dodges quite skillfully, sends her Bat-Bogey Hex, but the Death Eater conjures fire with his free hand and burns all the bats in flight. I'm standing in a niche and they don't see me yet. Ginny falls from some spell but is alive, writhing.
"Avada Kedavra!" A green beam flies at Neville. And he's not even trying to dodge, throwing a desperate Sectumsempra in response.
I sharply jerk him with telekinesis, the green beam flies past. The Death Eater switches to me, I dodge an unknown curse, throw Sectumsempra back, which breaks against his shield. Neville throws a Blasting Curse from the floor, but it flies past and explodes part of the hall's facing. I cover Neville with a shield from lightning, but I don't manage to dodge myself - my right arm burns with pain and hangs like a whip, the wand rolls across the floor. My arm no longer obeys me but hurts terribly. To dodge a black-colored beam, I had to fall to the floor. The next one will finish me off.
"Fuck off!" I shout desperately in Russian.
The Death Eater freezes for a second, continuing to aim at me with his wand.
"Olya?" asks a surprised voice.
Using the pause, I try to set him on fire with my left hand like I did the Dementor, spending almost all my remaining reserves on it.
But the opponent deflects the flame aside with a practiced movement of his free hand, and a Stunner flies at me from his wand.