Aureate- Part 3
 
The sky was a deep shade of carmine, and the stars were just 
starting to give way to clouds. 

"What am I doing up at this time?" yawned Ron, as he pulled 
on a sweater. You know what you're doing up, said a soft voice 
in his head, right, you can keep denying it as long as you want 
but deep down...

He shook himself and crept out the door. What was he 
thinking?

"Hermione, do we have to do this so early?" he mumbled. She 
looked very cross and was tapping her foot impatiently. 

"Where's Harry?" 

"I dunno, still sleeping?" said Ron.

"What's keeping him? We've got to get into Snape's office 
before classes start," said Hermione, "I barely got any sleep 
last night. I was just so worried..." She yawned quietly. "Come 
on, we can't wait any longer."

"Why don't we just wait another day or so," said Ron. He could 
feel sleep overtaking him.

"Listen, for every minute we waste, another Pegasus could be 
killed. I'm going right away, right now," Hermione said 
pointedly, "Now are you with me, or not?"

Ron rubbed his eyes, "Yeah, I'm with you," he mumbled.

"I reckon we should take Harry's cloak," said Hermione.

"Why don't we wake him up then?"asked Ron.

"You know how Harry is, he'll be cross at us for waking him 
and all," Hermione said hurriedly, "Just go get it."

"Right, one moment," he slipped back into the room and came 
out moments later with the silvern invisibility cloak grasped in 
his hand. "Hermione, I really don't know about this...I mean to 
say..." he shifted uncomfortably, "Is it worth it?"

Hermione glared at him, "What do you think, Ron? Is it worth 
a bit of detention to save lives?" For a split second, her eyes 
locked with his. He could see how much this meant to her...

"Yeah, sure," he whispered, lowering his eyes.

"That's what I thought," she said sharply, "Let's go."

Every shadow thrown against a wall seemed to move with its 
own spirit. Each statue guarding a corridor looked as if it would 
leap to life at any moment. Hermione was tremulous beneath 
the cloak, and repeatedly jumped back for no reason.

"Quite it!" sighed Ron for the umpteenth time, "You're going to 
wake everyone if you don't stop this rubbish!"

"It's so dark and empty," replied Hermione, giving him a 
derisive glance, "You stay here and I'll go inside," she 
murmured, slipping out from under the cloak, "And tell me if 
anyone's coming."

"Right..." muttered Ron, "You're sure you don't want the 
cloak?"

"I'll be fine, just keep an eye out." She raised her wand and 
whispered under her breath. There was a soft click of a lock, 
and the door opened with a faint creak. Hermione glanced 
around her, and then slued behind the door.

Ron could hear her mumbling under her breath as she 
searched for the gillyweed. Why did he always get himself into 
these situations? Why did he always draw in trouble? You don't 
have to be doing this, he thought, Hermione said she could do 
it alone...

"She needed help," he said aloud.

"What was that, Ron?" Hermione said softly from behind the 
door.

"Nothing," he said promptly.

"Alright, I've got it. Let's get out of here before anyone shows 
up and..." Hermione started but then froze in spot.

"And what are you doing up at this hour?" Malfoy's cold voice 
sounded straight behind them. Ron watched as Hermione 
instinctively pocketed the glass bottle.

"None of your business," said Ron quietly.

"But it is my business," continued Malfoy, circling them both, 
"After all, I wouldn't want anything to happen to either of you. 
And it's awfully dangerous wandering about at this hour..."

"What are you doing up, Malfoy?" Hermione snapped.

"Just taking a walk," he replied sharply, "You two, on the other 
hand, are standing outside Snape's office. And at this 
hour...that looks a bit suspicious, I'm sorry to say..." His eyes 
darted over Hermione as she fumbled to shove the bottle 
deeper into her pocket. "What's that you've got?"

Hermione pursed her lips and backed up.

"What d'you have there?" Malfoy asked again, his pale eyes 
flashing maliciously, "Really, have you been stealing?"

Ron looked as if he might lunge forward and strangle Malfoy at 
any moment. He spoke evenly, his every word pronounced, 
"Just get out of the way."

"Is that a threat? Somehow I'm not scared..." said Malfoy 
softly.

"You will be in a second after I..."

"Ron, quiet down!" whispered Hermione, "He's not worth it." 

"What do you mean by that, mudblood?" Malfoy growled.

"Don't you ever call Hermione that you..." Ron started.

"Ron, we have to go, c'mon..." Hermione said, desperately 
pulling at his arm.

"You don't have any proof, Malfoy," Ron said as Hermione led 
him back to the common room, "No proof..."

"That's where you're wrong, Weasley," Malfoy said silkily, "My 
word's all the proof I'll need. See you in Potions..." he smirked 
at them and raced up the steps.







"Miss Granger, I need to see you after class," Snape said 
quietly as he paced around the classroom. 

She opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out. Harry 
was looking at her curiously, and Ron was mouthing 
soundlessly at Snape. Hermione lowered her head and 
feverishly stirred her potion. 

The class rose to leave and Hermione stayed at her desk, 
doing her best to act innocent.

"Now then," Snape said, "Were you at my office last night?"

Hermione felt her voice catch in her throat, she could see 
Harry and Ron peering in at her through a crack in the door, 
"No," she choked out, "I wasn't."

Snape's eyes narrowed nastily, "That's not what I heard," he 
continued softly.

"Heard?" she gulped.

"Don't lie to me!" Snape roared, "I know you broke into my 
office last night! This is your wand!" He held up Hermione's 
wand just out of her reach. Hermione let out a gasp. How 
could she be so careless?

"I don't know..." she started.

"Just admit it and you'll only face a few weeks of detention," 
Snape's face contorted into with fury, "Don't ,and I'll have you 
expelled immediately."

Hermione looked as if she might burst into tears at any 
moment. She absently prodded her potion which has turned a 
sickly shade of green.

Snape turned around abruptly, as the door opened a crack. 
Harry and Ron walked inside, both looking terrified but 
determined.

"Ahh....Hermione, we have to get going," said Harry shakily.

"Right, really late for class," Ron nodded, 

"She can't leave yet, Weasley, there's still the matter of my 
office," Snape spat savagely.

"Your...office?" 

"I'm missing something, and Miss Granger's wand was found in 
my office. She obviously broke in. There's no one else who 
might have done it," he paused and his eyes shifted to Ron, 
"Unless you're making a confession?" he added.

"None of us were near you're office..." Harry began.

"I HAVE PROOF THAT GRANGER WAS INSIDE MY OFFICE!" 
Snape bellowed.

"All you have is her wand," Ron growled.

"A student told me that he saw both you and Miss Granger 
outside my office last night," said Snape smoothly, "I only 
have proof that Miss Granger actually went inside however, so 
you're both free to go."

"What proof?" Harry asked.

"I found this in my office, idiot boy," Snape snarled, holding up 
the wand "What, do you think it apparated in there?"

"I went inside," said Ron quietly, "I borrowed Hermione's wand 
because I left mine upstairs."

Snape glared at all three of them. "Is this true?"

Harry and Hermione stared at Ron, who was nodding fervently, 
and then back at Snape.

"Yeah, it's all true," said Harry hurriedly.

"Very well," said Snape, his mouth twisting into a satisfied 
smirk "I'll leave it at this. 100 points from Gryffindor, and 
detention for you," he jerked his head at Ron, "Once every 
night for the next month." 

Ron's hands clenched into fists as he nodded again. Snape put 
Hermione's wand lightly on the desk and said softly, "And give 
me back whatever you took." He held out his hand 
expectantly. 

Hermione fidgeted a bit, and then handed Snape the jar of 
gillyweed. Both Ron and Harry looked thoroughly upset and 
exasperated.

"What did you need with this?" said Snape briskly, as he 
examined the jar from all angles.

Ron shrugged slightly and mumbled, "I dunno, just sounded 
nice to have gills."

"Really?" Snape scoffed, "Hmm..." his eyes narrowed as he 
looked at them all, "What are you waiting for? Get out of my 
sight!"

They all raced for the door in one movement and ducked into 
an empty classroom.
"Ron, why did you say that?" Hermione asked loudly.

"Really, you're such a prat! It sounded nice to have 
gills...honestly!" Harry scowled.

"No, I mean...I mean...why did you take the blame for me?" 
said Hermione more softly. 

"Because..." Ron cleared his throat, "Well, you're the only one 
who really knows about all this, and if you have detention then 
we won't get much done. I didn't think that..." He cast a 
glance at Harry who was sniggering over Ron's lame excuses. 
"I dunno," he finished quietly.

There was a substantive pause and Hermione said softly, 
"Well, thank you."

"Never mind this. Hermione, why did you give him back the 
gillyweed, eh?" Said Harry impatiently.

"Because I had to," said Hermione, "But I didn't give him all of 
it." She dug into her cloak and pulled out a little ball of the 
gillyweed, covered in lint and dust from being pocketed.
"Brilliant!" said Harry, "C'mon we'd better get out of here."

They left the classroom silently and headed off to their next 
class.

"We'll try it out tomorrow," called Hermione as Ron and Harry 
rounded the corner. She sighed as she walked off to 
Arithmancy. Wonder why Ron did that for me? She thought. 
Silly girl, you know why he did that...said another voice in her 
head. She scolded herself for thinking such things and 
quickened her pace.



A/N Alright...I know this part was rather uneventful, but it was 

necessary. The next part has loads of action and more *ahem* 

though ^_^ Well, as always, let me know what you think. The 

more reviews, the sooner I'll get it up...thanks!