He glanced at the clock on the mantel, then turned to Harry, his anxious expression tinged with panic.
"Harry! It's been over an hour. Hermione still hasn't come back. I'm worried... We have to do something!"
They exchanged a look and headed for the door at the same time. The door slammed shut behind them, but neither looked back. The torches in the corridor had burned down to their lowest, their flames dark red like dying embers. Their footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, hurried and heavy, like two hammers taking turns striking the same nail.
They ran into McGonagall and Lockhart on the first floor. Harry spotted McGonagall at the bend in the stairs—she wore dark green robes, her hair pulled tight, and carried a stack of documents as she came from the entrance hall.
Lockhart followed behind her. His pale blue robes gleamed softly in the torchlight. He carried nothing, merely trailing after her like a subordinate accompanying the headmistress on an inspection, one who did not need to speak much.
"Potter? Weasley? Why are you still in the corridors at this hour—"
"Hermione is missing." Harry's voice was louder than she had expected, loud enough to echo down the corridor.
"She left the Restricted Section and said she was going back to the dormitory. It's been more than an hour, and she still hasn't arrived. She wouldn't be late for no reason. She's never late for no reason." McGonagall did not ask any further questions. She shoved the documents into Lockhart's hands.
"Gilderoy, take these to my office. I'm going to look." Lockhart took the documents, glanced at Harry, nodded, and turned to leave.
McGonagall walked ahead at a rapid pace, the hem of her robes billowing behind her like a flag torn by the wind. Harry