Horcrux Hunt, The Trio's Biggest Challenge Yet

That was very intense! One tiny little piece of constructive criticism I have is that there's a sentence or two that have a few too many "and"s in them. Other than that, I thought it was very well done, considering how hard it is to write battle-type scenes. I especially liked how you make Hermione react. It's true, when in a state of shock, one does tend to think about the oddest things. And now, no more Dudley. Harry's going to have some serious guilt issues, I suspect.

Thanks Merc, for the CC and for being my sole reviewer!

Chapter 30

Left.

Hermione couldn’t move. She couldn’t speak. She had been Petrified. As in “Petrificus Totalus.” And so had Ron. By Harry, who was standing over them. She knew there was only one reason this could be happening. She guessed what Harry was going to say before he even said it.

“I’m going,” he sighed, sinking down on the chair beside her bed. “To get him. Voldemort. And…I just wanted to say…goodbye. I know you want to come. I know I’m being selfish, not getting as much help as I can. I am selfish. I just can’t take it anymore. I don’t want to watch helpless while anymore people die. I’m tired of seeing it, I’m tired of…it. It seems like people are always making up my mind for me and I can’t do anything about it. I didn’t ask to be “the Chosen One” but I am. I didn’t ask for Cedric or Dumbledore or Sirius or the Dursleys to die, but they did…and I couldn’t stop it. I even kind of caused it. Dumbledore once told me there’s a difference between being dragged into the ring and going in with your head held high. He said I should kill Voldemort not because of the prophecy, but because I’m filled with vengeance.” Harry looked at his hands. “I don’t really feel filled with vengeance. I just feel tired. I dunno. I just want it to be over. I’ve got to take control. I’m sorry.”

Hermione was still trying desperately to talk, to scream, anything…but she couldn’t. She just had to listen.

“I never could have done any of this without you two. Thanks, seriously, for helping me find all the Horcruxes…for everything. I know this is hard. It’s always been the three of us. I never could have made it, without you…you’re my best friends and my only family. I…just…thanks. I don’t think it would make a difference if you came with me. I’m supposed to do it alone, I think. See, this is how my plan works…I’m going to go and draw attention to myself. Then the Death Eaters will kidnap me and take me to Voldemort…but I’ll escape…somehow and surprise him. Because…I’ll steal your wand and put it up my sleeve! Then we’ll fight. But you two would be killed on sight, which would ruin my plan. So…I have a logical reason for not taking you too.”

If Hermione could talk, she would have told Harry he wasn’t very good at logic and would really require some lessons before he was. But she couldn’t, so he continued uninterrupted.

“I know you don’t want to hear this, and I’ve been talking much too long. I…have to go…just…you two….I’ll try and come back, so you can yell at me about all this. Just like old times. If not…I’m really sorry. You were the greatest friends I could have ever wished for. Thanks.”

He grabbed Hermione’s wand from her bag and shoved it up his sleeve, then brandished his own. “Bye.” He muttered softly.
Then he cleared his throat and said “Stupefy!”

Wandless magic only works under extreme stress, especially for difficult spells, such as Protego. It took extreme concentration of emotion and logic, compounded by stress. Every inch of your magical BEING had to be concentrated. You had to want it more than anything in the world.

Hermione had never wanted anything more in her life than to remain conscious at this moment.

StopStopStopremainconciousremainrescuesavenonononoPROTEGO!

She felt a vague jolt of drowsiness and that was it. Instinctively she closed her eyes and pretended to be knocked out.

She heard Harry cast the spell again on Ron. Then she heard him mutter something mostly incoherent, but it sounded slightly self-deprecating. There was a long pause. She thought perhaps he’d changed his mind. But then his footsteps sounded, quick and confident and sure, like he was ready for his final sacrifice.

She waited for them to recede entirely then opened her eyes.

“Ron?”

“Yeah…” she heard Ron mutter, sounding garbled. She beamed. He had resisted the spell like her! Though it sounded as though it had had slightly more of an effect.

“We have to get out of this,” she declared.

“No way, really…” Ron drowsed.

“Yes. We need to summon our wands. Excuse me, WAND, since he took mine.”

“Keep going, lay out every detail of the plan for my benefit…”

“You are very intolerable when you’re tired. This is serious. Now let me concentrate…”

“I already summoned it…while you…were talking…” Ron yawned.

“Good, then…wait, I’ve just realized we’re talking.”

“Yeah, I just said…”

Hermione sat up and shook her head. “We’re not paralyzed anymore…it wore off somehow! I wonder is it was our wandless magic, or if the Stupefy spell simply negated…”

“Hermione, shouldn’t we be saving Harry from…whatever…”

“Right!” Hermione snatched up Ron’s wand. “Rennervate!”

“Thanks,” Ron said, jumping up. “Come on, let’s go!”

They ran out of the tent to find a distinct lack of Harry.

“He already Apparated! He could be anywhere!” Hermione moaned.

“Let’s wake up Ginny, Neville and Luna and figure this out,” Ron opened the tent on the three prone companions. “Looks like they’ve been Stupefied too.”

“Renervate, Renervate, Renervate!” Hermione said quickly and each friend sprang up accordingly.

“Harry!” Ginny cried.

“He talked to you too?” Ron said.

“Huh? What about Harry?” Neville yawned.

“Is this a hallucination or something?” Luna muttered.

“He’s going to fight Voldemort! We don’t know where he went,” Ron explained.

Hermione massaged her temples as Luna and Neville chattered in confusion, Ron and Ginny filling in gaps. “He said…he was going to let the Death Eaters get him. Now. Where would Harry Potter go to attract the attention of Death Eaters?”

They all looked at each other.

“Hogwarts,” all five of them chorused.

They gathered together and Apparated away.

Much to their surprise, they appeared right on Hogwarts grounds.

“Wha-?” Hermione muttered, spinning around. “I thought we’d just have to get as close as possible…what happened to the anti- Apparition spell?”

“I don’t know, but this can’t be good,” Ginny said slowly, coming up behind Hermione and staring at the grim gray empty castle. Wind whistled eerily through the trees of the Forbidden forest. Hermione felt like they were in a ghost town.

“Harry’s not here,” Neville shivered. “NOBODY is here.”

“Think again,” someone behind them said.

All six of them spun around to stare at a cocky pale pointed face; one Hermione had had to endure looking at for six years, though it was the mouth she hated most, and how the word “Mudblood” would tend to pour out of it mind numbingly often.

“Malfoy,” Hermione muttered, reaching for her wand, but then she heard the sound of rustling and realized he was not alone, and his smirk was the last thing she saw before everything went black.

-Kon: Of course I’m sure!
Cassie: Oh yeah? Like how sure?
Kon: Like…like…seventy… two percent sure.
-Impulse number 77

I may be the only reviewer at the moment, but I'm sure I'm not the only reader.

I liked Harry's little goodbye speech. Very in-character for him. And of course, very perfect that his friends immediately find a way to come after him anyway. I'm curious to see the final battle: Will Harry be alone or with his companions, and just how do you think he'll defeat Voldemort?

Keep it up! You've nearly finished it, which is more than I can say about any piece of fiction I've tried to write.

Thanks Merc! We're really getting into the good stuff now!

Chapter 31

Victims



When Hermione woke up, the first thing she saw was Draco Malfoy’s smug expression. She struggled to sit up but discovered her arms and legs were bound. She wriggled around hopelessly, as Malfoy laughed. He leaned over and started to say something, but before he could she hit him in the face with her bound hands.

“Agth! You- !” He fell over and she kicked him in the stomach, so his wand went flying out of his hand. Struggling up, she crawled haphazardly toward his wand, which qualified lots of undignified looking movement. Finally, she within range, and reached for it with her bound wrists.

A strong hand grabbed her by the shoulder. “That will be quite enough, Miss Granger.”

She looked up and gasped at the pallid face of Severus Snape, looking at her, as usual, with disdain. “You-!” She coughed and tried to hit him as she had Malfoy, but he sighed and pushed her away, grabbing Malfoy’s wand and throwing it at him as he mopped at his bleeding nose, looking enraged. “Excellent job with the captive, Draco. I’m sure the Dark Lord would be very impressed by your self defense skills against a bound, unarmed teenage girl.”

Draco scowled. “Filthy Mud-

“What have you done with Harry? Where are my friends? You’d better-!” Hermione screamed, but Snape cut her off. “Please, Granger, I know hysteria and crying are your natural bent, but if you could stay calm and stop hitting people, I believe everything could be explained.”

“All I need to know is you killed Dumbledore and now you’re working for Voldemort! After all the times I told Harry and Ron “Oh, I know he’s a lousy git (or whatever they’d say about you) but he can’t be evil, he’s on OUR side! Just because you’re a horrible person doesn’t mean you’re a Death Eater! But I suppose I was wrong! You’re a…a…murderer! And if you think I’m letting you get near me, you’re wrong! Now, tell me where Harry and the rest of my friends are!”

“Oh, of course, why would I not? You look so very menacing all tied up like that. You always think you’re such a clever little girl, don’t you? Well, I’m afraid that you’ve been outsmarted. You really are very stupid after all. Now, if you’d just listen…” Snape said, leaning against the barren wall of the room she was in.

“The only stupid thing I ever did was trust you!” Hermione screamed, as Draco chortled. “And don’t even get me started on you, after all the times we’ve beaten you, you don’t realize you’re a pathetic-

“If I may interrupt, Granger, I’d like to ask a question of your oh so magnificent mind to unravel,” Snape said smoothly. “Why aren’t you dead?”

“What?”

“Why haven’t we killed you? You are of no value to the Dark Lord, we have nothing to gain from keeping you in here and God knows I despise you. Think: Why aren’t you dead right now?”

“You wanted to make me listen to your snide comments before I died?” Hermione guessed.

“You really have been hanging around Potter far too long. His churlishness is rubbing off on you. No, Granger, because Draco and I want the Dark Lord as dead as you do.”

There was a moment’s pause where Hermione gathered together her thoughts. “Oh, honestly. Do you really expect me to believe that? You killed Dumbledore! Harry saw it!”

“And this is why good grades do not equal brains. Do you really believe I could have killed Albus Dumbledore if he didn’t want me to?” Snape scoffed.

“What? Harry said he was weakened…”

“And do you think Albus just trusted me with no reason behind it? Here’s another question, Granger, get this one right and I’ll award Gryffindor ten points, What did Potter say were Dumbledore’s last words?”

Hermione bit her lip and tried to remember. “Severus…please…?”

“Oh, good job. This one’s for twenty. Do you honestly think Albus Dumbledore would beg for his life?”

“I…”

“He wasn’t begging for his life. It was his death he was begging for.”

“Why would he want you to kill him?” Hermione asked angrily.

“You got an O in Arithmacy, Granger, why don’t you figure it out?”

“Well…the only reason…I can fathom…is that he’d think your status as a spy is so important…that if the choice came down to jeopardizing that or killing him…you would have to kill him to cement your place in the Death Eaters?”

“And Hermione Granger single handedly propels Gryffindor to the House Cup! For once, Potter doesn’t take all the credit!” Snape said sarcastically, leaving his spot of wall and beginning to pace. “Yes, Miss Granger. That was a deal Dumbledore and I made. It was the hardest thing I ever did. Dumbledore is the only person in the world I care about.”

“Hey-“ Malfoy interrupted.

“Silence, Draco. And as my reward, I am now The Dark Lords most trusted associate. Nobody doubts my loyalty now. As my reward, I have been given the task of killing five bratty teenagers, two of whom are most certainly my second and third least favorite students in the history of Hogwarts. Unfortunately, I made a promise to Albus long ago not to kill any of Harry’s friends, so we’re just going to have to kill the Dark Lord instead and end this damn war once and for all.”

“And Malfoy?” Hermione said.

“Is going to help us as well. I know you children have a petty rivalry, but Malfoy is going to overlook the fact that he will be inadvertently saving Potter, because Draco doesn’t really have a taste for killing at all. The Dark Lord wasn’t very happy with his failure to kill Albus, and killed Narcissa as punishment for the insolence. Since then, he has sent Draco on several missions that his other Death Eaters are too valuable to send on, and has tortured him a bit as well. Needless to say, Malfoy is quite disenchanted with his Lord and Master. His hatred for him exceeds his hatred for Potter.”

Malfoy nodded sullenly. Hermione noticed for the first time he was even thinner and paler than he last time she’d seen him, and appeared to be in ill health. She turned her attention to Snape again. “Why should I believe any of this?”

“Because you have no other choice. The reason I chose to rouse you before the others is you have better intuition and are more level headed than any of your peers, not that that’s saying much, mind you. But unless you’re duller than I think, you can clearly see I am telling the truth, if only by the fact, as I said before, you are not dead. I have you at my mercy. What could I possibly hope to gain by lying to you like this? Now, if you want to defeat the Dark Lord, come with us to rouse your friends. You’ll find a pleasant surprise.”

With a flick of his wand, Snape untied Hermione, who rubbed her wrists and got up cautiously. Whatever this was, there was no way she could escape. She followed them through the door and into the room where she saw her friends, unconscious and tied up. Among them was Harry.

“The Dark Lord is off on some secretive killing spree, and we are unable to contact him, so, as I said, I’ve been charged with holding all of you until he gets back.” Snape handed her a wand. “I believe this is yours. It was up Potter’s sleeve.”

Hermione took it cautiously, as if she was afraid it would explode or something.

“Well, go rouse them. And try to get the idea we want to help him through Potter’s thick skull.”

“I think we’re going to need something resembling actual proof you’re not completely and irredeemably evil to do that, but fine,” Hermione walked over to her friends. Snape flicked his wand with a sigh, and all five of her comrade’s eyes seemed to open at once.

“Uh?”

“What are we doing here…?”

“Tied up…”

“Hermione, why are you untied?”

“Harry! You’re okay!”

“WE’RE not okay…”

“Where are we?”

“Hey, is that Malfoy?”

“ Snape. Harry said, ignoring the others and focusing on the greasy haired man across the room.

“Harry…the rest of you…” Hermione knelt down and whispered. “Listen, Snape’s untied me. He says we’re in Voldemort’s…lair or whatnot. He says he only killed Dumbledore because Dumbledore told him if it ever came down between Snape’s place as a spy that Snape would have to kill Dumbledore. He wants to help us get Voldemort…”

“That’s a lie!” Harry hissed. “Hermione, you didn’t see the look on his face! He hates Dumbledore! He’s evil! You know it!”

“Harry, I don’t know…”

Harry ignored her and turned his head to Snape. “You’re a LIAR! YOU KILLED DUMBLEDORE!”

“Potter, I have put up with your antics and melodrama for years now, and I am tired of it. Here is the true story, choose to believe it or not, I don’t care. I did make that promise to Dumbledore, and the reason I had to kill him was because I took something called the Unbreakable Vow. When Draco was assigned to murder Dumbledore, his mother came to me begging me to take the Vow that if Draco did not succeed in killing Dumbledore, I would. I had to take the Vow in order not to jeopardize my position as spy. I immediately went and told Dumbledore about it and he told me I was to honor the vow and kill him if Draco did not, because my position was important. I was not happy about it, but those were his orders. Now I am willing to help you defeat the Dark Lord, and if you don’t except it, you are dishonoring the whole point of your beloved mentors death. He died so I could be in this position and so I could help you. First of all, I assume you want the snake, as it is the final Horcrux….

“WHAT?” Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna all cut Snape off at the same time.

“Yes, I know all about the Horcruxes…Albus told me. I assume you’ve destroyed everything except Nagini?” Snape said in a bored tone.

“DID Dumbledore tell you about the Horcrux? Or did VOLDEMORT?” Harry spat.

“Potter, even you must realize how abysmally stupid that question is. It doesn’t matter how much he trusts me, the Dark Lord would never tell me his most guarded secret. Now do you want the snake or not?”

“It’s a trap…” Harry muttered.

“Harry’s probably right,” Ron nodded.

“This…is really…bad…” Neville said, staring at Snape in absolute terror.

“Just imagine him in that Bogart outfit you told me about,” Luna comforted Neville.

“I told you not to follow me!” Harry snapped. “Now Snape’s going to kill all of us!”

“No, I think he’d give Voldemort the honor of killing you,” Ginny said levelly.

“All of you…I don’t know about this…what would he have to gain by lying to us? We’re in Voldemort’s lair…we’re already dead…it doesn’t matter if it’s a trap…” Hermione said reasonably.

“He just doesn’t want me to get a shot at getting to Voldemort…” Harry muttered.

“Voldemort would kill him if he killed you. He wants you, remember?” Hermione said.

“Hermione, how can you trust him…?”

“I’m just saying, if it’s a trap, it’s no worse than the situation we’re in now…”

“You do realize I and Draco can hear every word you’re saying?” Snape said. “Very well. Malfoy, dispel their notions of deceit. Get the snake.”

Draco nodded, and went out of the room.

“You just want to believe Snape’s good so you’ll be RIGHT!” Harry snarled.

“You honestly think I’m that selfish? You’re just ignoring logic, Harry! AGAIN!” Hermione cried. “I hate Snape too! But his argument makes sense! This is the only thing we can do if we hope to get to Voldemort and-

Hermione was interrupted when Draco entered the room with the massive boa constrictor that was Nagini twined around his shoulders.

“The Dark Lord would have to be going on a very dangerous mission, that’s the only time he allows her to be separated from him,” Snape made everyone’s ropes dissapear as Draco put the snake down in front of Harry, glaring at him. Harry immediately snatched for his wand pointing it at Snape. Snape crossed his arms, not making a move to defend himself.

“Don’t we have a more pressing matter, Potter? The Dark Lord will be back soon.” Snape gestured at the snake.

Harry stared at Snape his wand shaking in his hand and his mouth slightly open. Snape looked calmly back. After a few minutes of silence, Nagini hissed. Finally, Harry lowered his wand to point at her…and hissed right back.

“Nothing spoils a nice car trip like a whiny kidnapping victim.”
-Count Olaf, A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Slippery Slope, By Lemony Snicket.

This was really fun to write. Probably because of Snape.

I'm sure it was fun, because of Snape. And it leads on from the other episode you wrote earlier very well. Sorry for not getting back sooner. Among other things, I've had at least a fortnight of a sore throat, followed by a nasty attack of arthritis, which has left me overtired and sore.

Meanwhile, your most recent episode shows very clearly the sort of thing that could happen if Snape really did turn out to be good after all. I'm not so sure about what will happen to Draco, but the idea of his being disillusioned with the Dark Lord just might work, that is, if he survives so long. I loved Snape asking Hermione that question: 'Why aren't you dead?'

I could imagine him saying that. And mercurystar is right. You've done well to have got so close to the end.

Sorry this took so long for me to get to.


This part was interesting for me to read because I think it's the part I'm anticipating most...Harry vs. Snape. Forget Voldemort, I think Snape is the more interesting character. I think your explanation of Snape's loyalties is a good one, and I also love that you still made him a greasy slime-ball. He may not be evil, but he's definitely nasty. And Draco is great...trying to always act as if he's got one on the good guys, even though he's technically a "good guy" himself, in the loosest sense of the word.

Great job, HRulez. Keep it up.

Thanks guys! Yay for Snape the slimy greasball!

Chapter 32

Long Way

“We’re not going to kill the snake are we?” Luna said.

“We have to, there’s a piece of Voldemort’s soul in it,” Ron explained.

“Oh,” Luna said.

“Wait, WHAT?” Neville sputtered.

“Ssssssss….” Harry hissed at the snake.

“Yes, Potter, we all know about your impressive abilities, now get on with it,” Snape drawled.

“YOU shut up,” Harry said angrily in English. “I’m trying to make sure it’s a Horcrux.”

“Oh then, carry on. We wouldn’t want to kill a snake that works for Voldemort if it’s INNOCENT,” Malfoy rolled his eyes.

“Hey, Malfoy, why is your nose bleeding?” Ginny said cuttingly.

“Shut up, Weasley.”

Nagini hissed and Harry’s mouth dropped open.

“What did it say?” Hermione asked.

“You don’t want to know. She’s a Horcrux all right,” Harry raised his wand. “All right then. Sorry about this Nagini…I mean,” Harry cleared his throat and spoke in Parseltongue. “Hesssssshhhhhaaaaa-sssshhhuiiiiiissss…”

“Oh for- Avada Kedavra! Snape pointed his wand at Nagini and she fell dead to the ground. “Potter, I have doubts you can kill the Dark Lord if you can’t kill a snake before making apologies…”

“Shut up!” Harry said, jumping up and pointing his wand at Snape. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but it’s not going to work!”

Snape crossed his arms, looking bored when suddenly they heard someone call “Severus?”

“Everyone be quiet,” Snape muttered. “I’ll handle this.”

Snape went to the door, leaving Harry with his wand pointed at nothing. while Malfoy continued to glare at all of them threateningly.

“Yes, Bellatrix?” Snape opened the door, slipping out and closing it behind him. They could still hear his voice through the wall.

“Is Potter still unconscious?” Bellatrix Lestrange asked.

“Yes.”

“And you’ve killed the others, I trust?”

“Actually, no.”

“What? Why? They’re of no use to us.”

“Obviously, I’m waiting for the Dark Lord to get back so he can give me the order.”

“Why would he want those brats alive?”

“He might wish to torture them in front of Potter. You know how it is. Believe, Potter is hopelessly attached to his idiotic sidekicks. Nothing would cause him more pain that watching the Dark Lord kill them.”

“You have a point there. Very well, I just came by because I found something else in Potter’s jacket. I think it belongs to you. How is it that he has it?”

Everyone turned to look at Harry, including Malfoy.

“What do you have of Snape’s?” Hermione hissed.

“Nothing!” Harry whispered. “I don’t know what they’re talking about-

He was interrupted by Snape’s voice outside the door.

“What? I haven’t seen that in years.”

“You used to wear it all the time. You said it was a family heirloom?”

“Yes…” Snape sounded shocked.

“How would Potter get it, Snape?” Bellatrix had an edge to her voice now.

“I have no idea. Don’t look at me like that, Bellatrix. I thought we moved past all the skepticism about me. Or is this simply jealousy because you are not longer the “favorite”?”

“You may expect others to lick your boots because you killed the old man, but I’m watching you, Snape,” Bellatrix snapped, and they heard her begin to retreat.

“I tremble in fear,” Snape said sardonically. They listened to Bellatrix’s footsteps retreat until they couldn’t hear them anymore. Then the door burst open, Snape bursting through angrily. “ Potter! Where did you get this? He threw something to the ground in front of Harry, something similar in size to a bullet, it landed on the floor with a sharp clang. Harry stared at it in puzzlement as Hermione crawled over to get a closer look. It was the ring Hermione had found at Harry’s parents house, the one with the green skull on it.

“Oh…” Harry said. “Hermione found that at Godrics Hollow…”

“Wait, it’s YOURS?” Hermione cried. “What on earth was it doing there, then?”

Snape snatched the ring from the floor as Ron reached for it. “That is none of your business.”

“They’re my parents, so they are my business!” Harry snapped. “You’d better tell us what’s going on right now, or we’re going to break out of here and find Voldemort ourselves! We don’t need your help!”

Snape sighed, running his hands through his greasy hair and looking agitated. Malfoy was looking at him in astonishment.

“Very well. I am going to tell you the explanation and I will only tell you it once, so listen for once in your life. I was there the night your parents died.”

“WHAT?” Everyone including Malfoy gasped.

“You…you were with Voldemort…?” Harry said, and Hermione could already see him start to get angry.

“No, I was not. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did not see me. I was there to warn your dear parents that the Dark Lord was coming to kill them.”

“Wh-what…” Harry stammered.

“Kindly do not interrupt my explanation, Potter, I’m trying to keep it brief. All of us were aware of the Potter’s location, as Pettigrew had confessed it in front of all of us. So I did know where they were. And when I saw the signs that the Dark Lord was planning to go after them on Hallow’s eve, I was compelled to go warn them.”

“Why? You hated by parents.” Harry said.

“Yes. Very much so. But I had that bloody oath to contend with.”

“Huh?”

“You are aware that your father saved my life once, if not entirely for his own selfish reason. Well, because of that I had a despicable bond. Now, the way the magic goes, the only time a person can be forced against his will to save the life of those he is bonded to is if that person specifically cries out for their help in danger, in other cases you merely feel a very compelling tug to help the person, but you can resist it. I felt this tug, and truth be told, I was not overtly happy about the Dark Lord’s command over me at this point, not to mention, being in debt to your father was something I absolutely hated. So I felt it necessary to even the score. Therefore, I went to warn them that night. Much to my surprise, your father believed, though this was most likely because of the fact that I knew where they lived. However, it was too late. As they were preparing to leave, the Dark Lord came. I hid, of course.”

“Well, wasn’t that brave of you?” Ron cut in.

Snape sneered. “The difference between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor is that a Slytherin knows the difference between “brave” and “stupid”, Weasley, which has never been a concept you were very good at grasping. Yes, I hid. And I watched helplessly as Lily and James Potter were murdered. Then he, of course, turned on Potter. Obviously he was planning to make his a Horcrux with that murder, as he had a some sort of gauntlet with him. However, as we all know, The Dark Lord’s spell ricocheted off Potter, due to his mother’s sacrifice. And a shred Dark Lord’s soul, which came out to find it’s awaiting Horcrux, richocheted off Potter as well, leaving that scar. It then went into that gauntlet, which disappeared. Obviously it was spelled to be a transported to a preordained location once the soul had entered. Then the house exploded, and I was injured, but I did manage to get out of there before anyone came. And that is why my ring is there…I supposed in all the excitement it fell off.”

“So wait,” Hermione said as Harry looked stunned. “You’re telling me that the reason Harry has his scar, and his connection to Voldemort, is because he was…touched…by Voldemort’s soul? And the reason Voldemort’s soul didn’t make him it’s Horcrux was because of his mother’s protection?”

“Yes, Granger, that is what I’m telling you,” Snape sighed, looking harassed.

“And you’re also saying,” Ginny said, “that Voldemort was on his sixth Horcrux when he attacked the Potters? Not his seventh?”

“He was probably going to use the last one on Neville,” Harry muttered, staring into space, still looking shocked.

“Wait, what?” Neville said.

“Yes, Longbottom, you were, along with Potter, a candidate for the one who was supposed to defeat the Dark Lord for good.”

“No. You’re joking,” Malfoy said. “LONGBOTTOM? The CHOSEN One?”

“Sorry, did I forget to mention that?” Harry said.

“Yes, it’s true. And I thought it wasn’t possible for there to be a worse candidate than Potter. Fortunately, it is certainly Potter who is charged with the Dark Lords defeat. Ill equipped though he might be,” Snape got up and shoved the ring in his robe pocket. “Do you trust me now, Potter?”

“You were still responsible for their deaths,” Harry muttered. “Dumbledore told me…”

“Yes, I was the one who informed the Dark Lord of the Prophecy. And while I cannot say I am wracked with eternal guilt over the role I played in your parents deaths, I didn’t want it to turn out the way it did, and am…sorry…about it. But what is important now, Potter, is that we end this reign of terror once and for all. And by some cruel twist of fate, you are the only hope of doing so. And though I do not like you, I am obligated to help you, so this can happen. So, will you trust me…or get yourself, and by consequence, millioms of others, killed by charging into this with the thoughtlessness that you always do?”

Harry sank to the ground and sighed. For a minute or two, there was complete silence as he stared blankly at the wall. After a while, he lifted his head up and said. “Fine. First off, where are we?”

“Hogwarts,” Snape said.

“What?”

“We’re in Hogwarts. That’s where we found you after all. As you can see, it was obviously abandoned after the attack, which a few people died in. We’re using it for our own purposes now.”

“People died?” Neville said. “Who?”

Snape shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. This is war. People die in wars. All that matters is ending it.”

Harry looked like he very much wanted to hit Snape, but instead said, “What’s the plan?”

“The ‘plan’ is that I will use the element of surprise to get the jump on my fellow Death Eaters. Meanwhile, one of you needs to get the Order to come in and help us, as well as anybody else. When the Dark Lord arrives and finds all his Death Eaters defeated and multiple opponents in their place, perhaps we will be able to kill him once and for all.”

“Okay, who wants to go get the Order?” Harry said dully.

There was a long silence before Neville said, “I guess I’ll do it.”

Snape sneered. “Longbottom will end up on the other side of the country trying to find them. I wouldn’t trust…”

“Okay, Neville,” Harry said loudly. “That sounds great. Er, I don’t know exactly where they are. They probably abandoned their old headquarters when they found out about Snape.”

“I think I have a pretty good idea,” Neville said. “How do I get out unnoticed?”

“Come with us, then, I’ll get you out,” Snape said scornfully. “Perhaps it’s better not to have you with us anyway.”

Neville narrowed his eyes at Snape but got up to follow him, and so did Hermione and everyone else. Harry turned to look at his friends. “I didn’t want you here.”

“Well, surprise,” Ginny said. “We came anyway.”

Harry sighed. Hermione noted how tired he looked. “Nothing I can do now.”

He turned to face Snape and Malfoy who were waiting impatiently.

“All right,” he said. “Let’s go.”

-

My friends from high school
Married their high school boyfriends
Moved into houses in the same ZIP codes
Where their parents live

But I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

I hit the highway in a pink RV with stars on the ceiling
Lived like a gypsy
Six strong hands on the steering wheel

I've been a long time gone now
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
But I've always found my way somehow

By taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around

I met the queen of whatever
Drank with the Irish and smoked with the hippies
Moved with the shakers
Wouldn't kiss all the asses that they told me to

No I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

It's been two long years now
Since the top of the world came crashing down
And I'm getting' it back on the road now

But I'm taking the long way
Taking the long way around
I'm taking the long way
Taking the long way around
The long
The long way around

Well, I fought with a stranger and I met myself
I opened my mouth and I heard myself
It can get pretty lonely when you show yourself
Guess I could have made it easier on myself

But I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

Well, I never seem to do it like anybody else
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
If you ever want to find me I can still be found

Taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around
[I]
The Dixie Chicks, "Long Way Around"

Now it all starts sliding into place. And you have been so consistent in keeping in touch with your own ideas. That gauntlet now....

It will be interesting to see what really happens in the book when it comes out. I'll be thinking of your version as well.

I was thinking the same thing. Of course, I have my own ideas on how it might turn out. But I'm glad you've involved Snape and Malfoy as I'm sure they'll both be important in some way to Harry's final quest.

Thanks so much, Jem and Merc! Next chapter ahoy!

Chapter 33

The Decisions and the Deceased.

Hermione couldn’t believe they had actually gotten to this point. After all these years, all the preparation, they were finally in the belly of the beast. It was almost unreal. What they were about to do…

“Very well,” Snape hissed. “Now, the plan is for Draco and I to ambush the Death Eaters. This will eventually unravel, which is why we must get some help. Potter, here is your cloak, which we found about your person. Put Longbottom under it and he will be able to escape, if he doesn’t do anything predictable, like trip all over the thing.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Neville said sharply, taking the cloak.

“Yes, I have the utmost faith in you,” Snape said blithely. “The rest of you, follow, but keep out of sight.”

They did so, creeping out into the hall, Harry still watching Snape without trust. They were on the ground floor, and Snape told everyone but Neville to stay back, casually opening the double doors of the front entrance and peering out He waited for a minute, then turned a hissed "Longbottom! Come on!" Hermione saw a wind flutter near a table of plants in the Entrance Hall she didn't remember being there before, and heard footsteps retreating from that spot. After a few seconds, presumably Neville slipped past Snape and he shut the doors. No sooner did they do that than they heard more, louder footsteps. Snape gestured at them and everyone but Draco retreated to the Great Hall. Two Death Eaters entered. Their hoods were down, so Hermione recognized them as Macnair, the man who had attempted to execute Buckbeak and a man she thought was called Avery.

“What are you doin’ here, Snape?” Macnair asked curiously. “I thought you and the kid were supposed the be guarding Potter.”

“There was a…disturbance,” Snape said casually.

“A disturbance?” Avery said.

“Yes. A disturbance.” Snape calmly stated as Malfoy came up behind Macnair and stunned him without saying a word. As the man fell to the floor, Avery turned around, his mouth agape and reaching for his wand, but Snape whipped out his own wand and hit him with his own Stunning Spell.

“Can’t allow them to wake up, take their wands and lock them in a closet or something,” Snape said to Malfoy as the rest of them moved into join. Malfoy obeyed, dragging their bodies out of sight.

“So we just go on like this?” Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow.

“If any of you have come up with a superior plan, then by all means, tell me,” Snape said.

“I-“ Luna began.

“Except for her.”

Malfoy came trudging back, glaring at them all sullenly. Ron turned to Luna.

“Do you really have a plan?”

“Well, yes, but it would require a unicorn being present,” Luna shrugged. “What I was trying to say, somebody is watching us. And not just Peeves in the ceiling.”

“What?” Hermione looked up to see the grinning poltergeist above them, watching with interest. “What’s he doing-?”

“Wait, who’s watching us?” Harry said.

“Somebody,” Luna said succinctly.

“O-kay.” Harry rubbed his head. “Well, this is going lovely.

Luna stared at the staircase blankly. Hermione was half listening to the conversation and trying to hear what Snape and Malfoy were talking about. Something about Malfoy’s revenge or whatever…Snape was saying they needed to hurry and finish off the other Death Eaters, which they did…no time for-

“ Hope Peeves isn’t planning to throw those water balloons at US, because that’s very ru- Oh no.” Luna stopped midsentence. “LOOK OUT!” Very suddenly the dishwater blonde tackled Hermione out of the way of a rushing pink light, which hit Luna in the chest instead. They both fell to the ground, Luna sprawled across Hermione.

Bellatrix had stepped out from behind the staircase.

“Expelliarmus!” She cried, and a shocked Snape’s wand went flying out of his hand. “I knew you were up to something, Severus. You fooled everybody else…the Dark Lord himself, even…but you never fooled me. Who’s the favorite now?”

Luna was breathing very raggedly, but she seemed fine. Hermione saw Harry slowly raise his wand.

“Don’t even think about it, Potter,” Bellatrix still had her wand trained on Snape. “They’re coming.”

Just as she said that, they heard footsteps. And indeed, they came. Fenrir Greyback entered, loping on all fours and snarling. Peter Pettigrew came down the stairs, followed by four anonymous hooded Death Eaters…then four more…and four more. Hermione felt her heart race. Luna’s breathing was growing shallower and shallower.

Dead silence filled the room. All of them were frozen. Trapped. There was no way they could win. Bellatrix chuckled hollowly.

And then…

“Peeves.” Luna broke the silence in a strangled whisper.

Seemingly from and invisible hand, water balloons crashed down on Bellatrix and the rest of the Death Eaters. Then the room exploded. Curses began flying everywhere, the Death Eaters sufficiently distracted and blinded, and Peeves zoomed away cackling. Luna, however, was convulsing spastically in Hermione’s arms.

“Luna!” Hermione places her on the ground, fumbling for her wand, eyes wide. “Luna, are you all right?”

“Yes,” Luna managed to say. “Except I seem to be dying.”

“No, you’re not! I won’t let you!” Hermione said fiercely. Her mind searched it’s vast library frantically, trying to figure out what sort of curse Bellatrix had uised. “Just hang on, all right? Hang on!”

“All right, then,” Luna said, her eyes fluttering. “But I don’t think there’s a counter curse here, though I may be wrong.”

“Of course you’re wrong,” Hermione said frantically. “But me, I’m right a lot of the time…” She realized she didn’t have her bag with her. She had lost it along the way somewhere. “Oh no….oh NO.”

Luna was going into a convulsive seizure now, drooling all over the place, her body bucking like a horse. Hermione tried to stabilize her, make sure she didn’t bash her head or bite off her tongue, tears running thickly down her cheeks, because she recognized the curse now. Symptoms….convulsive seizure, hemorrhaging…and Luna was right…there was no counter curse. There was nothing Hermione could do.

“Luna…Luna…” Hermione choked through her tears as the seizure calmed down. “Luna…thank you…for saving me. Thank you. I don’t deserve it after the way I treated you as first…oh please…”

“S’okay,” Luna managed to croak. “S’little…loony…me…”

“No, no you aren’t,” Hermione sobbed, cradling Luna’s head as curses zoomed over her. “You aren’t at all. You…you’re the one person I know who doesn’t hide themselves…who truly knows who…who they are. You have faith in things…you believe…that’s something I wish I could do…have faith. When I called you silly…what was I talking about? This is a world with magic after all…how am I to say there isn’t a…such…thing…as…as a Crumple Horned Sn-Snorkack? How am I-?” Hermione broke off, sobbing. Luna smiled at her peacefully.

“S’okay. You’re…friend. Never had…that…before…”

“Yes…you’re a wonderful friend. A best friend,” Hermione could barely get the words out through her tears.

Luna closed her eyes as Hermione gripped her hand. “Good…tell…Dad…I….loveim…kay?” She coughed up blood and sighed. “Mum…”

“No…no…don’t go!” Hermione squeezed Luna’s hand desperately as her shoulders relax. “No, Luna, PLEASE! YOU CAN’T! LUNA!”

But it was too late. Hermione could feel the life leaving Luna Lovegood and going somewhere she couldn’t see.

“No...No…” she gripped Luna’s hand and sobbed. “No! It’s all…my fault…”

“Hermione!” Harry had stopped beside her. “Hermione, what’s wrong with Luna? She’s okay, isn’t she?”

Hermione shook her head, unable to speak anymore as her body shook.

Harry collapsed on his knees. “No…” he echoed Hermione bleakly. “No, this can’t be-

“HARRY!” Ron screamed. “LOOK OUT!”

That’s when a snarling Fenrir Greyback knocked Harry away from Hermione and across the floor.



-Cassandra (Batgirl): No…this is…why does everybody I care about die?

Stephanie (Spoiler/Robin IV): Because you care about everybody. And everybody dies.

- Batgirl Issue: Revelations


***

I apologize sincerely for the death in this chapter. As you all know, Luna is one of my favorite characters, so this was very hard. I felt it was needed though, and you'll see why in time. Yeah. Sorry. (It's not the real thing at least. Luna is still alive...in real canon)