Harry stood, shocked by Hermione’s sudden statement. “Hermione, that was probably just...but that couldn’t be...” Harry stood in the center of the room puzzled.
“Harry, I’m as puzzled as you are. It’s not like this is what really will happen...this is just my fear. But for one second, one second of my life, I had doubts...doubts that this may in fact be true.” Hermione looked into her lap, tears falling down her face. “Harry, you should go,” Hermione said, tearing up once more.
“But Hermione, I really think I should stay.”
“Harry, you don’t want the Weasleys to get angry now, do you? Just go,” Hermione sniffed and placed her head back on her pillow.
Harry took one last look and exited the room, and just minutes later the Order entered the room. Dumbledore was the leader at the moment and looked furious.
“Hermione, dear...” Tonks called out.
Hermione pushed herself up with one arm and she stared at the end of her bed where Dumbledore had just sat. “Hermione, why was Voldemort chasing you?” Dumbledore asked.
“I - I - Well Dumbledore, what you have to understand is - ” Dumbledore hushed Hermione and asked one more time. “Hermione, why was Voldemort chasing you? This time, just say it.”
“Stone...” Hermione whispered. “...arch...power...”
Dumbledore turned back to the Order members, confused. “Hermione, what are you trying to say? Let’s start with stone...”
“I - I have one of the six stones.” Hermione said as she looked through the window to her right.
“Stone...would this stone be one of the Six Stones of Berfulema?” Dumbledore said calmly.
Hermione just nodded.
“So you have one of the six stones? One of the six stones that are formed into the arch on the cliff?”
“What’s the cliff called?” Kingsley Shacklebolt questioned.
“The Cliff of Crasilium... Hermione, and this is the cliff, that if you place all six stones on the arch correctly, you will gain power, to, well somewhere,” Dumbledore stated, obviously trying to hide the answer.
“Yes, yes headmaster. It’s all true, every last thing,” Hermione started to mourn.
“Hermione, dear, don’t cry, there’s nothing to cry about. You have one of the six rare stones. Which stone do you have?”
Hermione grabbed the stone from her pocket and handed it to Dumbledore. “I’m not sure what it is. I just know that it’s valuable.”
Dumbledore looked at the stone closely. “This would be the Fire Stone.” Dumbledore handed the stone back to Hermione.
“Headmaster, what are the other stones?” Hermione enquired.
“Well, there is the Ash Stone, Water Stone, Iron Stone, Gold Stone, Dragon Stone, and then the one you have here, the Fire Stone,” Dumbledore said proudly, remembering every name.
Hermione looked puzzled. “The Ash Stone? How is it the Ash Stone?”
Dumbledore answered the question quickly and precisely, “The Ash Stone is a simple stone that would be found in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. But it will be difficult to find, considering there is only one in existence...”
“Headmaster, that still doesn’t answer my question. How is it the Ash Stone, ash isn’t like a stone. Stones are hard and firm, ash is just the remains of something that has been burned. Such as someone at Hogwarts setting a curtain on fire after practicing a simple spell, or - ”
“Hermione, trust me, there is an Ash Stone.”
Dumbledore and the Order started to leave the room when Hermione called them all back for another question she had just thought of. “Dumbledore, I have another question. After you retrieve the six stones, you said you will gain power to somewhere. Where is that somewhere?”
“Hermione,” Dumbledore looked around the room making sure that the door was completely shut and the windows were closed completely, “I advise you not to mention anything to your friends about what I’m about to tell you.”
Hermione nodded, anxious to know something that she thought was top secret.
“After you place all the stones on the arch correctly, you will gain power to an alternate world beyond the arch. Once you walk through, there’s no going back. Hermione, this may be too dangerous for you to handle. Hermione, I am telling you as an order not to go through that arch.”
Hermione’s eyes were wide.
Dumbledore quickly said with a smile. “Oh, and Hermione, that wound will heal soon. I’m sure of it.”
Hermione smiled and rested her head on her pillow.
”
“Ron, we should go to bed, it’s getting late,” Harry said, Ron walking through his bedroom at the Weasley household.
“Harry, I’m going to go to bed in a few minutes, you can go to bed if you want though,” Ron said with his face facing the floor, his voice wavering.
“Okay... Ron is everything alright?” Harry asked, taking off his glasses and placing them on the end table.
“Yeah, it’s just I’ve been thinking about Hermione lately. I hope she will be okay.”
“Ron, Hermione will be fine, she already said she was only in a little pain. Don’t you see? Hermione’s quickly healing,” Harry said with a smile.
“I know that, but I still hate to see her in pain. I guess I should go to bed, it may help me calm down...” Ron put on his pajamas and crawled into bed. “Harry, I’m still worried, what happens if Voldemort breaks into St. Mungos and takes Hermione,” Ron frowned at the thought.
“Ron go to sleep, you need rest,” said Harry.
”
The floorboards were squeaking, bright white light was jetting through the cracks in the door. He was here.
Harry groggily pushed himself up in his bed, put on his glasses, and covered his scar, the burning sensation becoming more intense. “Ron, Ron wake up!”
The door burst open and Harry saw the mysterious floating figure hover over toward Ron’s bed.
The figure gripped his wand and plunged it outward. Ron finally woke up and was petrified as he saw Voldemort placing his wand at his throat.