Chapter 65

Draco was already untying the robes that were tied around George’s arms and legs and Ginny jumped in and removed the ducktape from his mouth. ‘What happened?’ Ginny asked. ‘Honestly? I don’t know, one moment I’m standing and making some adjustments in the shop and the next moment I wake up, tied down and I’m sitting on the ground of my new shop all alone in the dark.’ George said. ‘Then Hermione came here-‘ George started. ‘Hermione was here?’ Draco asked, looking up at Ginny. ‘What happened? Where is she?’ Ginny asked. ‘If you just let me finish.’ George said. ‘A guy who looked exactly like me came in and a girl with dark hair.’ George said. ‘At first I thought it was Fred, but that’s not possible.’ George said. ‘What happened with Hermione?’ Draco asked. ‘The guy hit her hard against the head with something, she was knocked out and they took her. I tried to free myself, but I couldn’t.’ George said. ‘DAMMIT!’ Draco said, getting up. ‘How long ago did that happen?’ Ginny asked. ‘About an hour.’ George said, rubbing his wrists. Draco slammed into the wall he was standing closest to. Ginny got up and grabbed both of his arms, turning him so that he had to look at her. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll find her.’ she said. ‘She’s gone.’ he said softly as a tear rolled down his cheek. ‘We’ll find her, we just have to act quickly.’ Ginny said. ‘Go back to Hogwarts and warn McGonagall, I’ll get the others and come your way as quickly as possible.’ Ginny said. ‘I’ll come with you.’ George said. Draco nodded and they fast took off to Hogwarts. When they arrived there they ran up the stairs up to McGonagall’s office. ‘Professor!’ Draco said as he stormed in. McGonagall looked away from the professor she was talking to, to look at Draco. ‘Mister Malfoy-‘ McGonagall started. ‘Hermione is gone.’ Draco said. McGonagall looked at him. ‘What did you say?’ she asked. ‘She’s gone, taken.’ Draco blurted out, not knowing what to do with himself, so he started to walk around the office. ‘Could you excuse us?’ she asked the professor. He got up and walked out of the office leaving them alone. ‘What do you mean with taken?’ she asked. ‘Someone took her, we don’t know who, or how, or even why.’ Draco said pacing around. McGonagall looked up at George, who looked with pity at Draco. ‘We’ll find her.’ George said reassuring. ‘Where do we start looking?’ Draco asked.

‘We’ll have to act fast, we’ll let the Ministry of Magic know. We can’t do anything, but let them do the work. They’re specialists.’ McGonagall said. ‘I can’t just wait around.’ Draco said. ‘Draco.’ George said. ‘We can’t do anything.’ he said. ‘Are you nuts?’ Draco exclaimed. ‘Mister Malfoy, I know how hard this must be for you, but you can’t do anything. We’ve got to leave it to the specialists! If you’re making your own plans, you can slow them down! Our priority and so will theirs be, is finding Hermione and bringing her home safely. Now the Ministry people will want to talk to both of you. They need all the information there is. So please just cooperate and listen to them.’ McGonagall said.

‘So what happened?’ the inspector asked. McGonagall had informed the Ministry of Magic and they had send one of their man their way immediately to ask questions that could help with the search to the place where Hermione was. The guy had introduced himself by the name “Crawford”. George was the first to be questioned. ‘I was doing something for the new shop in Hogsmeade and all of a sudden I was knocked out by something. I woke up in the shop, only now I was tied down and was seated on the ground with ducktape over my mouth. Hermione came in and when the light was switched on I saw a guy who looked exactly like me coming up behind her and he knocked her out with what looked like wood.’ George told him. ‘The guy looked exactly like you?’ Crawford asked. ‘Yes, at first I thought it was my…. twin brother….. Fred, but that’s not possible.’ George said. ‘Could it be your brother… what’s his name? Finn?’ ‘Fred and no it’s not possible, Fred’s…. he’s dead.’ George said. ‘When did he die?’ ‘Wizarding war.’ George said. ‘He was killed.’ he added. ‘Are you sure?’ ‘YES I AM SURE! I’VE BURRIED MY OWN BROTHER!’ George said irritated. ‘Maybe it’s time to take a break.’ McGonagall said. ‘No, sorry, go on.’ George said. ‘Mister Weasley-‘ she started. ‘No go on, I can handle it! We can’t lose time, go on, next question.’ George said.

‘When did Hermione Granger leave?’ Crawford asked. ‘Two hours before Ginny and I went to the shop.’ Draco told him. ‘And you didn’t find it suspicious that she stayed away that long?’ Crawford asked. ‘Yes of course I did, but I thought she was with George and George would never do something to her. She’s like his little sister.’ Draco said. ‘Are you sure of that?’ Crawford asked. ‘What are you suggesting?  That George did something to her and tied himself down?’ Draco said. ‘Do you think that’s possible?’ Crawford asked. ‘Of course not! He couldn’t have tied himself down like that!’ Draco exclaimed. ‘Mister Malfoy!’ McGonagall said with a warning tone. ‘If you don’t believe his story Mister. Crawford. why don’t you use a truth serum on him?’ Draco suggested. ‘I think he wouldn’t mind, because he’s NOT lying!’ Draco said. ‘Mister Malfoy!’ McGonagall said again. ‘It’s okay, it’s a hard time.’ Crawford said. ‘And I’m here to help.’ he added. Draco rolled his eyes.

‘What did you do after you found George Weasley?’ Crawford asked. ‘I went back to the Three Broomsticks to get the others.’ Ginny said. ‘Why did you do that?’ Crawford asked. Ginny frowned. ‘Excuse me?’ Ginny asked. ‘Why did you go back to the Three Broomsticks after you just found out your friend has been taken?’ Crawford asked. ‘Because someone had to tell the others what was going on! We couldn’t just have left them hanging around there without knowing anything! Thinking that everything was okay!’ Ginny defended. ‘Why did do that? Why not someone else?’ Crawford asked. Ginny looked over at McGonagall who gave her an reassuring nod. ‘Because Draco is Hermione’s boyfriend and George was with her the last moment she was still in Hogsmeade.’ Ginny said. ‘Is it true you and Hermione Granger were in a fight just weeks before she was taken?’ Crawford asked. ‘Yes, but-‘ Ginny asked. ‘And is it true that it took you a long time to forgive her?’ Crawford asked. ‘Yes, but-‘ ‘And don’t you think it’s a little strange that out of the three of you, you go back to the Three Broomsticks, , to “warn the others”?’ Crawford asked. ‘Not really-‘ ‘You could’ve wiped out all of the traces that could’ve let to you so that you would be safe.’ Crawford said. ‘Are you suggesting that I hurt my best friend!’ Ginny said, getting up from her seat. ‘I didn’t say that, but if you’d like to put it that way.’ Crawford said, writing something down. ‘I would NEVER, do you hear me, NEVER hurt her! I wouldn’t even think about it! Yes we had a fight! But everyone has fights! EVERYONE DOES! So you can’t suggest me to have hurt my best friend, JUST BECAUSE YOU HEARD WE HAD A FIGHT!’ Ginny said, turning around and storming out of the room. Crawford wrote another thing down and looked up at McGonagall. ‘That was very inappropriate!’ McGonagall said. ‘At least we know for sure she didn’t do it.’ Crawford said. McGonagall frowned. ‘Someone who had done it wouldn’t snap like that, that person would’ve stayed calm, so he or she wouldn’t look suspicious.’ he shrugged. ‘You’re a strange man.’ McGonagall said softly. ‘Excuse me?’ Crawford. ‘Oh nothing.’ McGonagall smiled.

‘Where were you when Hermione Granger was taken?’ Crawford asked. ‘I was in The Three Broomsticks, just like the rest of us.’ Harry said. ‘What did you do there?’ Crawford asked. Harry looked over at the quill that was writing on its own, with no help whatsoever on a piece of parchment. ‘I was drinking some butterbeers with my friends.’ Harry said. ‘So tell me what happened after you sat down in The Three Broomsticks.’ Crawford said. ‘Draco and I got everyone butterbeers before we sat down and we just chatted. Then George, or someone who looked like George, came in and asked if Hermione could come with him.’ Harry said. ‘George acted quite strange though, because Ginny wanted to see the shop, but all of a sudden George didn’t want her, or any of us, to come and see the shop. He said he wanted to keep it a surprise. Well of course that isn’t strange, but the fact that he had been telling Ginny to come over, because he wanted to show the shop to her, that made his statement weird.’ Harry said. ‘Hermione took off with George and we stayed in The Three Broomsticks. We got some more butterbeers and after two hours Ginny got up, because she wanted to see the shop. Hermione still hadn’t returned, but we weren’t worried, because we thought she was with George. George sees Hermione as his little sister, he wouldn’t even think about hurting her. Ginny came back about half an hour later in panic and told us that they had found George, tied up, and Hermione gone. We came directly back to Hogwarts and now I’m sitting here.’ Harry said. ‘Thank you for the detailed answer.’ Crawford said. ‘You’re welcome, now can you do your job and find my best friend?’ Harry said irritably. Crawford noted something down before looking back up. ‘I’m doing my best, all of you just have to be patient-‘ Crawford started. ‘Patient! How can we be patient! We don’t have time to be patient! We’ve got to find Hermione!’ Harry exclaimed. ‘I understand, but the only way we can find her, is when all of you cooperate and answer all of my questions. Harry rolled his eyes. ‘Let’s go on.’ Crawford said.

Harry walked to the hallway where Ginny, Draco, George, Ron, Lavender, Neville, Seamus and Luna were waiting. ‘Ron, you’re turn.’ Harry said pointing back at the door. Ron got up from the ground and walked into the room. ‘Mister Weasley.’ Harry heard Crawford say before the door closed. ‘He’s taking way to long!’ George said frustrated. ‘He has only questioned four! Just four!’ Ginny sighed. Harry sat down next to Draco who was staring up at the ceiling, with his head rested against the wall. Harry turned his head to look at Draco and saw he looked already extremely tired. ‘I’m not going to sit around and wait.’ Draco said softly. ‘I’m going to look for her.’ he said. ‘Okay.’ Harry said, resting his head against the wall and looking in front of him at the wall on the opposite side of the aisle. Draco turned his head to Harry with raised eyebrows. ‘Okay?’ Draco said. ‘Yep, you’re not alone in this though.’ Harry said. ‘I’m helping.’ Harry said. ‘Me too.’ George said, who was sitting on the other side of Draco. ‘Me too.’ Ginny said. ‘What did you think Draco.’ Neville said all of a sudden from the other side of the aisle. Draco looked over at him. ‘You’re not in this alone.’ Neville said. Draco gave him a small smile and nodded. ‘You all know where the Room of Requirement is, right?’ Draco asked. They all nodded their heads thinking back at the time of Dumbledore’s Army. ‘Meet me there at midnight.’ Draco said.