Beta Reader: Cheryl
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The only things I own are the plot, any characters, spells etc that you do not recognize.
Author Notes: n/a
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR Strike
Ginny sat at the large dining table at Grimmauld Place, her mother and father on each side of her sporting anxious faces. "I can't believe what you did Ginny, your behaviour was unacceptable." Mrs Weasley said coldly. Ginny nodded.
"I know mum, and I'm sorry. I want to apologise to Ron and Harry too, but I haven't seen them yet." Mrs Weasley was about to speak again when Mad Eye clonked through the room, a hubcap in his hand. "What's going on?" Ginny asked. Mr and Mrs Weasley didn't respond, but followed Mad Eye out of the room.
"Stay here," Mr Weasley said to Ginny, who wouldn't dare not do what she was told at the minute.
"Is everything okay Mad Eye?" Mr Weasley asked.
"No Arthur, Potter's activated his Order badge, he needs help. Tonks and I are on our way." Without another word Tonks rushed in, and she and Mad Eye Portkeyed to Hogwarts.
*
A few minutes earlier.
Harry stepped in front of Hermione, drawing out his wand at the Death Eaters. "It was you wasn't it? You poisoned Hermione, you're all Death Eaters!" One of the Death Eaters laughed and stepped forward.
"I would think by now Potter, that you would know a Death Eater when you saw one. And now, we have fooled your old codger of a Headmaster, and now we will deliver you to our Lord."
Harry moved his hand slowly towards his collar, where he pretended to be scratching at his chin, but he really tapped a tiny button on his Order of the Phoenix badge, which would indicate to Order members that he was in trouble. Sirius had told him about this, but the button would only activate two badges so Harry had no idea who would be receiving his call.
"So Potter. Do you want to come the easy way, or the hard way?" Another masked Death Eaters asked.
"Do you really have to ask?" answered Harry. One Death Eater muttered a quick spell but Harry dove out of the way, pulling Hermione with him. "Run," he ordered.
"No I won't leave you," insisted Hermione, as she and Harry dodged another spell. Suddenly, Harry spotted Tonks and Moody sneaking up behind the three Death Eaters, who were walking side by side advancing on Harry and Hermione. Moody muttered the first spell, taking down one Death Eater, then Tonks struck the other, and before the other could strike Harry had sent him to the ground with an Impedimenta spell.
"Ha ha," growled Moody, his magical eye spinning frantically. "I think we got one up on these three imbeciles now, eh?"
"Stealth was always something an Auror should learn," added Tonks.
"And something you know nothing about," responded Moody, facing Tonks.
"That seemed a little too easy," said Hermione, stepping out next to Harry.
"They weren't very strong, and they were unsuspecting," growled Moody.
"How did they get in anyway?" asked Harry.
Moody's magical eye travelled in his direction. "Dumbledore never did want them in, I guess now he can prove to Fudge that his instincts were right. We better get Dumbledore up here."
"I'll go," said Tonks, before hurrying away.
*
Moments later Dumbledore, his purple and silver cloaks draped over his shoulders, arrived in the Hospital Wing, Tonks, Sirius and Snape by his side. "Harry, are you hurt - Hermione, you're awake!" gasped Sirius as he moved quickly towards Harry and Hermione, chancing a wink at Harry who grinned.
"Yeah, she just woke up," added Harry.
"How are you feeling?" Sirius asked Hermione.
"I'm fine Sirius, thanks."
Harry rushed past Sirius and stood in between the Death Eaters and the other Order members. "Professor Dumbledore, they were disguised as BDMS soldiers!"
"So it seems," replied Dumbledore, briefly glancing in Harry's direction. "I am unsure whether we should send these three to Azkaban or keep them in our custody. After all, I am not sure that Azkaban is suitable to be used as a prison at the moment given the recent breakouts."
"We can use them Dumbledore, they have information," said Snape.
"Agreed Severus. I will set up an area in my office, it will be surrounded by steel bars and these three will be left there until, and after they arise. No!" added Dumbledore loudly. "On second thoughts how about a vacant classroom with heavy wards - I feel the office is too important to risk a security breach"
"Good thinking Dumbledore," Moody growled, both eyes fixed on the headmaster. "And lock 'em up, put 'em where they belong I say!"
"Severus, I believe it will only take a quick spell to create the area I require. Would you please produce it for me?"
Snape glanced darkly at Harry and Hermione, and then turned back to Dumbledore. "Yes." With a swirl of his robes Snape turned abruptly and strode out of the Hospital Wing.
"What about the rest of them? Surely we cannot trust any of them?" Harry pleaded, Dumbledore remaining calm.
"I think we will be okay," Dumbledore answered. Sirius, Harry and Hermione gasped. "I had a feeling that some of the soldiers couldn't be trusted when I saw them patrolling in three's around two times a day. I believe you recently had a run in with one of them Harry?"
Harry nodded, recalling the soldier that had taken out himself, Ron and three other students. "If they weren't smart enough to be as inconspicuous as possible then I think that if there had been anymore Death Eaters then they would have been revealed to me in similar ways."
"Trust me," added Dumbledore, obviously noticing the astonished expressions he was receiving from everybody in the room. "I will be keeping a sharp eye on all of them, and I ask all of you to do the same. Good day to you all." Dumbledore turned on his heels and casually left the room.
"Is that it?" said Sirius, glancing around at the rest of the room. Everybody remained silent and judging from all the faces, they were as dumbfounded by Dumbledore's behaviour as Sirius was.
*
The clock struck midnight as Harry, Ron and Hermione were seated in the Gryffindor common room deep in discussion regarding the recent events. Harry and Ron had successfully apprised Hermione of what she missed while unconscious. Conveniently though, Harry's bout of uneasy breathing and buckets of sweating seemed to be forgotten.
"I'm knackered," yawned Ron, dropping his chocolate frog wrapper on the ground beside his armchair. "I'm off."
"See you tomorrow," Hermione and Harry said in unison as Ron dragged himself up the staircase, leaving them a nasty surprise on his way up.
"Well that was unpleasant," said Hermione, rolling her eyes. Harry laughed, although he wasn't really paying attention to what she way saying, he was more lost in her beautiful eyes and hair, her beautiful…everything. "What is it?" Hermione asked, looking her self up and down while staying seated opposite Harry.
"I was just thinking how great it is to have you back. I missed everything about you, your laugh, your smile, the smell of your hair…everything." Hermione stood up from her seat and nestled down on his lap. She leant down slowly and kissed him tenderly for a few moments.
"I've missed you too." Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and she rested her head on his shoulder. They remained in a similar position for most of the night, just holding each other and being together. The two things they had been unable to do over the past couple of weeks.
*
A few weeks had passed and Ron let out a loud grunt as he glanced at his N.E.W.Ts timetable. "Only just over a week to go until the happiest week of our lives," he moaned.
"At least you haven't missed out on study time," argued Hermione over her breakfast. "I can't even take flying now because I missed my chance."
"You'll do fine in every other exam," assured Harry, who at the minute couldn't give two hoots about exams. "You've spent the last month catching up, you've even overtaken Ron and I."
"You'll be fine," added Ginny, who was seated beside Ron, the two of them, and Harry had buried their differences and Ginny was much happier since she had spent a few days with Draco.
"Heard anything from Malfoy?" asked Ron, gasping as he read each line of his timetable.
"I haven't heard anything from Draco for a week, he's trying to persuade Sirius to let him come back but it's taking a while."
"Have you asked Professor Dumbledore?" asked Hermione, placing her timetable in her pocket.
"It's pointless."
"Ginny," began Hermione.
"She's right," said Ron. "Just last week I saw him carrying a huge box of sweets up to his office, and I swear I saw some Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans in there."
"He hates them," responded Harry.
"Well he's living life on the edge then if you ask me…weird!" exclaimed Ron while shaking his head.
"I don't know," said Hermione thoughtfully. "Dumbledore's always been a bit…"
"Like I said - weird," said Ron.
"I was going to say different," Hermione countered, swallowing a spoonful of cereal.
"He's lost the plot I tell you!" insisted Ron, munching down his last piece of bacon.
Hermione shook her head. "I don't have time for this, I'm going to go the library to study…anybody care to join me?" Ron grunted and Hermione turned to Harry. He remained silent and she nodded sternly at him.
"We'll see…I need to use the bathroom first." Harry stood up from the table and began leaving the hall, Ron catching up to him. They stepped into the bathroom and Ron began talking.
"You mark my words…Dumbledore's lost it." Harry smiled and was about to step into one of the cubicles when he froze in his steps, Ron clattering into him.
It was happening. The one thing Harry had been dreading happening for the past weeks had finally come. The once familiar anger rising through him occurred, and he remembered what Dumbledore had told him. "Ron…get out," Harry managed to force out. Ron remained rooted to his spot, apparently in silent shock.
Suddenly Harry turned to the toilets and various spells began blistering out of his wand and shattering the toilets and sinks into pieces. Ron backed off but remained at the doorway, using the door to shield himself.
"Is it driving you mad Potter? It is isn't it?" The sharp voice rung in Harry's ears as he continued to fire off all sorts of spells he had no idea that he could produce. "Guess what Potter? I like it when you're mad!"
"No!" Harry moaned weakly, still firing off spells at the walls and toilets. Ron remained in the doorway, although in shock, he kept his composure and pulled out his wand and aimed it towards Harry who had his back turned.
"Sorry mate…Stupefy!" The spells fired towards Harry, but in one quick moment Harry had spun around, held up a hand and the spell was now hurtling towards Ron who dived down behind the door to avoid the spell, which had succeded in shattering the door.
"You're not going to let that idiot get away with that are you?" Voldemort hissed at Harry. "Kill him!" Harry found himself striding towards the doorway where Ron was sat on the ground, his face horrified. "Go on Potter, two words and he's out of your way forever. Who will miss the piece of rubbish anyway? His beggarly little family? No, no. I think you would be doing them a favour, it's one less pair of socks for them to buy at Christmas."
Harry raised his wand against his own will, Ron's eyes growing wide beneath him. Harry was about to lift his arm one notch further when he froze. "No!" he said firmly.
"Potter!"
"NO!" Harry said again, his tone even stronger than before. Voldemort wasn't going to control him anymore. Harry closed his eyes and turned his concentration solely on ridding Voldemort from his mind. "GO! GET AWAY FROM ME NOW!"
"Potter!"
"NO! GO AWAY NOW! GET AWAY FROM ME! LEAVE ME ALONE! NOW!"
"NO!"
"NOW! NOW! NOW!" In a split second Harry felt his wand fly from his grip and he slumped to the ground, his boiling face itching on the cold surface.
Seconds earlier…
Ron stumbled to his feet as he watched Harry screaming into open space. He pointed his wand straight - "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand soared towards Ron who caught it in his hand, however, he quickly released it as the purple glow surrounding it burnt into his flesh. He hurried over to Harry.
"You okay mate?" Harry lifted his head from the ground and opened his eyes wide, noticing the purple glow fading on the wand.
"Yeah, are you?" Harry asked, glancing up at Ron who nodded.
"Your wand was-"
"I know. The sphere wasn't here though." Ron furrowed his brow.
"But it has to be… that's what controls you isn't it?" Harry shrugged.
"Maybe…or maybe it was just a diversion?" said Harry thoughtfully. He stood up to his feet. "Thanks Ron."
A/N: Well that was a chaotic chapter for out main man wasn't it? Can you tell we are coming to the end of the story? Just so you know, there won't be much written on the N.E.W.Ts because there isn't really anything left to happen other than all the stuff I have planned for the end of the fic. So I will be focusing on that.