Author Notes: We are really sorry for the delay in this chapter. The reasons for being so late were out of our hands. We'll try to have the next one sooner =D
We have to thank Another for his wonderful job with this chapter.
Chapter 5 - Here Without You
"MURDERERS!! THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE!!"
The loud scream could be heard all over the usually quiet halls in St. Mungo's. The healers and nurses that were walking by winced and shook their heads. One man, however, couldn't help but smile a little, while he knocked on the door of the room.
"Come in!" the voice said from inside. The man did so, removing his hat and closing the door behind him. He looked at the old lady lying in the bed and approached her.
"Ahh, Odwell Lovegood!!!" she exclaimed. "How good to see you!" she added, while the Healer that was beside her bed tried to force her into drinking a potion.
"Mrs. Longbottom please!" the Healer said, sighing. "We have been through this so many times already. Please drink this!"
"No!" Mrs. Longbottom said, glaring at him. "Odwell, please. Tell this young man that I am fine and that they should stop poisoning me."
The healer gave Mr. Lovegood a look that screamed for help. He was incredibly annoyed with the old lady, and he was hoping he would find an ally... But all he found was a spaced out look that wasn't even focused on him.
"Fine!" the Healer muttered, leaving the potion on the night table and storming out of the room.
"These young men think they know everything! HA! But they do not know me!" Mrs. Longbottom said, proud of her little success driving the healer out of her room. She then focused her attention on her long time friend and her eyes darkened considerably. "Tell me Odwell, any news from the kids?"
"No, not yet, I am afraid," Mr. Lovegood replied, as he sat on a chair near the bed. "Those good for nothing people from the Ministry keep telling me that there are no news about their whereabouts. Dumbledore says they might have a clue, but won't really say anything else."
The old lady stared at her hands with tears in her eyes. "Oh Odwell, I'm so helpless. My little boy! He is lost, in the hands of those people, and I can't do anything to find him!" A couple of tears slipped through her wrinkled cheeks and Mr. Lovegood offered a tissue that had the drawing of a strange creature. Mrs. Longbottom took it and blew her nose. "What am I going to do? I swore to myself and to his parents I would protect him! That I would not let him feel any pain! Tell me! What can I do now?"
The wizard took her hand and tried to look at her, but he was also suffering deeply.
"I know how you feel. After I lost Diana, I promised to myself to never let anything happen to Luna..." he paused and Mrs. Longbottom looked at him with teary eyes. "But both your grandson and my daughter are very strong.... Luna told me about Neville. Also about the Weasley children and that Granger girl. We have to trust in them, because I'm sure they'll come back to us." He smiled at her. "Now please drink this potion. I have my doubts about the medicine in this place, but at least it will keep that man away from you."
Mrs. Longbottom chuckled despite of the situation. "Ugh, that thing tastes like old socks mixed with cheese."
* * *
"So...I guess that is all we can do," Hermione said, looking at each of her friends, who were exchanging looks and shaking their heads.
"I don't know about that, Hermione," Neville spoke first. "I can't see how it would work."
"Well, if you figure something else we can do without our wands, go ahead and say it," Hermione said, a little bit snappishly. She knew the chances of success were almost inexistent, but she was determined not to just give in.
"I'm scared," Ginny croaked. "It's too dangerous... Merlin! This whole situation is deadly dangerous!"
"I know, Ginny," Hermione muttered, patting her shoulder. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to...."
Ginny shook her head. "We're in this together. And I'm a Gryffindor. I'll do it."
Hermione smiled at her friend and turned to Luna. "What about you, Luna? Any comments?"
Luna shrugged. "I think it will work."
Ron looked at her strangely and held back a snort. He then turned to Hermione. "This is crazy. But I won't give them the satisfaction of surrendering without a decent fight."
"It's settled then," Hermione said, sighing. Another silence filled the cell while the young wizards were lost in their thoughts.
"I just wished I had time to kiss mum and dad and let them know how much I love them," Ginny said a while later, with tears in her eyes. There was no point in holding them back now.
"They know, Gin," Ron said, putting his arm around his sister's shoulders. Ginny leaned her head against his shoulder. Hermione looked at them and couldn't help but being touched. Maybe she was wrong when she said Ron had the emotional range of a teaspoon....
"I wish all this was a dream, Ron! There are still a lot of things I want to do!" Ginny continued, sobbing. Ron said nothing and glanced at Hermione, asking her for a little help.
"What do you want to do?" Hermione asked gently, interested in taking her mind off the immediate danger, and looking forward to at least having one good conversation.
Ginny sat up and wiped her tears. "If we ever get out of this...I make a vow to live life to the fullest, never regret not doing something!" she replied, her voice trembling a little.
"Like what?"
The red headed girl seemed thoughtful for a minute. Neville, Ron, and even Luna were now interested in the conversation, four pairs of eyes fixed on the youngest Weasley. Finally, she spoke up. "Well, I've never been kissed," Ron couldn't hide his smile at this, "...so that is something I am looking forward to doing," she finished, rolling her eyes at her brother.
"So Michael or Dean never tried to...you know, kiss you?" Hermione asked, slightly surprised. Neville looked up somewhat eagerly.
Ron's eye went wide. "Hermione!!! Why did you have to bring that up! I don't want to hear anything-Ginny, did they ever tried to?!? Because if anyone of them laid a finger on you, I swear that the first thing I do when I go back is hex them till the next century!!" he yelled in a heated voice. Hermione immediately thought about taking back her previous thought about Ron's emotional range.
"Calm down, Ron!" Ginny said, her previous sadness forgotten and now very annoyed. "The thing with Michael was just...well, we had similar interests, but no real chemistry. And Dean...." She chuckled slightly at Ron's expression. He was torn between being glad and angry. "I never was with Dean. We did go out one or two times but it was too weird! And he was so paranoid! He kept checking every corner, thinking that you, Fred or George, or worse, the three of you, were following us.... He was afraid of drinking anything because he was sure it might be one of the twins' potions!" she breathed deeply, shaking her head. "So no, I have never been kissed. But I am looking forward to have my first true kiss," she said dreamily. Ron made a disgusted face, but Ginny ignored him. "How about you Hermione?" she asked. "Have you ever been kissed?"
Ron's eyes narrowed and he turned to his friend with a smirk. "Yeah, Hermy-own-ninny...did Vicky put his full Hungarian lips on yours?"
Hermione glared at him. "His name is Viktor. And he's not Hungarian, he's-"
"Yeah, whatever," Ron said, now a little less playful and with a visible frown in his face. "Well? Did he?"
Hermione shut up and lowered her head. Even from afar, Ginny noticed her face was red. She mumbled something under her breath, but no one heard it and the four of them leaned closer.
"What? What did she say?" asked Ginny, curious.
"Come on Hermy-owny, we didn't hear you," Ron taunted.
Hermione's head was even lower now, her cheeks crimson. Again, she muttered something incoherent. Once again, the four friends (Luna even put her hand in her ear to hear better) leaned so their heads were almost touching.
"What???" Neville asked loudly. "I did not hear what she said! What did she say???" he asked, looking at the others.
"I don't know, Neville," Ron exclaimed. "Hermione, you'll have to do better than that," Ron said, clearly enjoying torturing his best female friend. For a change it was him embarrassing her and not the other way around. He wished Harry could see her now. Besides, he already knew the answer was no-
"I said YES! Are you satisfied now?!"
Hermione's outburst made everyone jump back a little. Luna and Neville because of the shout, but Ginny, and especially Ron, because of the shock.
"HE WHAAAAAAAAAT!!??" Ron screamed standing up. "AND YOU DID NOT TELL US?! HOW COULD...WHAT DOES HE...DID HE...I'M GONNA...BUT YOU...NOW HE...DOES HARRY KNOW ABOUT THIS??!!"
"No!! Harry doesn't know!" Hermione said, still very red but recovering her temper. "And I didn't tell you because I knew you were going to react like this!"
"Like what!?" Ron shot back.
"Like a prat, like you always do when we talk about Viktor!"
"But what about me Hermione?" Ginny interrupted, her voice slightly hurt. "I thought we were close...I thought you trusted me enough to tell all the important things."
"Oh Ginny!" Hermione said, looking at her. "I do trust you and I can honestly say that you are like the sister I never had."
"Then why you didn't? I even asked you about it!"
Ron was still muttering incoherently and fuming around, when he felt someone grab his hand. He looked down and met Luna's serious expression, motioning him to sit back down. He did so, folding his arms and glaring at Hermione.
"I did not say anything because it wasn't a real kiss," Hermione explained tiredly.
"What does that mean?" asked a very clueless Neville, staring at Ron who stared back at him with the same confused expression.
"It was not a real kiss Neville," Ginny repeated patiently.
"Not a real kiss? What is the difference? I thought a kiss was just a kiss..." Ron hadn't even finished the sentence when he felt the glare of three annoyed young ladies...no, two annoyed glares. One was was just staring at him with a slightly amused expression.
"Of course there is a difference!" Ginny exclaimed. "Ron, you are so thick! Every girl waits for that true real kiss!"
Ron rolled his eyes. "That's just corny rubbish..."
"How do you know if it's real or not?" Neville interrupted, looking very flushed.
"I...um...well..." Ginny started, not knowing how to explain it exactly.
"There's no magic," Hermione replied instead, in a flat tone. "That was the problem between Viktor and me." The eyes were on her again, and she sighed. "It was the evening before the Third Task...we were talking by the lake, and then he leaned his head...it caught me off guard and I didn't have the chance to react...he put his lips on mine and then.... Ron, do you really have to make that face? It wasn't anything, really. Barely a brush of lips," she said, in a clinical tone.
Ron shuddered, but Ginny was very interested. "What did you feel?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" Neville repeated, moving closer.
"It didn't feel real...I don't know how to explain it. It was just a kiss, but it wasn't what a kiss is supposed to be like. That was the very moment I was sure that I did not have romantic feelings for him." Hermione didn't know what was making her being so open about this, she was usually very reserved. She supposed it was after what she'd been through and the prospect of what was coming next. "The day we said goodbye, at the end of the year, he asked me if I wanted to be with him, and I tried to explain that I did not feel the same. We talked a little and it was then when I realized something..."
Neither Ron nor Neville noticed she blushed at the last comment. Ginny, however, saw it and smiled slightly. After a few seconds, Hermione shook her head and continued talking. "My point is," she said raising her voice, "I don't want to count that as my first kiss."
Everyone stared at her, awed and thoughtful, except for Ron, who was still mumbling furiously.
Neville was the most impressed. "I just hope that I am not a bad kisser," he commented. Hermione remembered that Harry had the same concern, and she was about to say something when Ron started to laugh.
"Yeah Neville! We have to practice several times with tons of girls to see if we are their Prince Charming!" he said, winking.
Hermione shot him a furious look, while Luna's eyes went down to the floor.
"Ron, if you continue talking like that, I am turning you into a frog!" Ginny hissed.
Ron looked at her strangely. "What did I do now?"
"You're being your usual self," Hermione said.
Ron opened his mouth to retort, but he closed it when he heard the cell door opening. The five of them looked up at the cloaked figure that had just entered.
* * *
Mr. Weasley had just turned to hang his cloak in the entrance and was ready to head to his room, when he heard a small noise coming from one of the kids' bedrooms. He reached it quickly and opened the door. He heard a sniff followed by the sound of someone crying. His heart broke as he saw his wife holding one of Ron's old sweaters in Ginny's room.
"Molly..." he whispered, but he really had nothing to say, since he felt exactly like his wife. "Please don't cry," he said getting closer and embracing her. She let more tears run as she found confort in the arms of her husband.
"Arthur, why? They are just children!" she said between sobs.
"I know."
"It's not fair! It's not their fight! Why them? They are so helpless! God, Ginny is just a child! And Ron! Oh my! That boy is so reckless...he won't just sit down and do what he's told. I want them back! I want my babies back!!!"
Arthur sighed and did his best to control his own emotions, while Molly kept sobbing. "Don't you see?" she whispered. "This is what I've feared all this time...I can't bear to lose them...."
Molly stood hup hastily and ran down the stairs, out into her garden, still carrying the old sweater. Arthur followed her, calling her name, but she wasn't listening.
"Bring them back! You hear me?!? I won't let you harm them!!!" Then she fell into the ground, weak and tired. Arthur rushed by his said, trying to calm her down. They both stayed there a long time, holding each other in a silent prayer that their kids would come home safe.
* * *
Remus Lupin walked in a quick pace, through the hallways, ignoring the curious looks of the students they encountered in the way. Dumbledore was walking ahead of him, with a calm expression in his face. Remus could not understand the Headmaster's attitude. He was still processing what was going on: Harry leaving on his own to Merlin knows where, his students in mortal danger in the Death Eaters' hands and Dumbledore acting as if Harry was going to a self-esteem mission! In other words, he was enraged. Actually, it had been a long time since he had been so angry. He wanted to continue the conversation he had started with Dumbledore in the Tower, but he knew it wouldn't be wise to do it while they were still in the hallways. Who knew who could be listening?
Finally, they reached the office and Lupin closed the door with a sigh. "Why won't you tell me what's really going on?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
"I already told you, Remus. Harry needs to do this on his own."
Dumbledore sat down in his chair and started cleaning his spectacles with the border of his robes. Lupin felt some of his anger desipate when he noticed the tired face of his longtime mentor. Maybe he was being unfair.... Dumbledore was strong, but he was an old man after all, and it wasn't right to put all the weight on his shoulders. Remus had come to realize that most people seemed to believe that the Headmaster had all the answers and was always the one who took the blame...
"It's just that..." Remus said, sitting in front of Dumbledore. "He's still a kid. He is hardheaded and reckless, and for heaven's sake, Dumbledore, he is not strong enough yet!"
Dumbledore put his spectacles on and gazed at his former student from behind them. "That is where you are wrong," he said softly. "Harry possesses a power that the rest of us could only dream of."
Lupin forgot for a second his empathy with Dumbledore and frowned. "What are you talking about? You told me yourself when I came to teach here for the first time, that despite what had happened, Harry was just a normal boy!"
"I remember I told you that, Remus." Dumbledore took off his hat and left it on the desk. "He is a normal boy...or at least he wants to be. But he is not a normal wizard."
"I noticed that a long while ago, Dumbledore," Remus said, impatiently. "But even so, he is not ready to go off and fight Death Eaters, let alone Voldemort! What you did...allowing him to go on his own is...is stupid!" he blurted. "No offense," he added hastily, when he noticed what he had just said, "but I don't want to fail him like I failed my other friends...."
"Remus, you got to understand...."
"No!" Lupin said standing up. "I don't have to understand anything! Harry has lost everything: his parents, his godfather, he said so to me today and you have no idea how I felt. It's you the one who don't understand...I can. I lost the only friends I've ever had...my only friends! I am the only one who is still here for some strange reason, and I won't just sit around, waiting for Harry to be killed while you, or him, try to prove something." He walked determinedly to the door.
"Wait," Dumbledore called.
Remus stopped and turned around.
"He has to do this on his own. I cannot interfere."
Lupin sighed and went back to the desk. "Why? What is this great power you're talking about? And how can you be so sure he has it? Maybe you are wrong, maybe-"
"No," the Headmaster interrupted. He smiled gently at Remus. He remembered those times when he would come to his office when he was a prefect to abocate for his friends. Dumbledore had thought that Remus Lupin had lost that spirit and it was nice to see it coming back after all that had happened over the years. "As much as I wanted to be wrong all this time, I am afraid that we had many proofs of his great power."
"Look, I agree that Harry is very talented. Being able to perform the Patronus at thirteen, and lead the D.A. last year are quite the tasks... Not to mention his encounters with Voldemort, Death Eaters and the basilisk…. But I don't think that is enough.... After all, Hermione also has an amazing ability to perform difficult spells and charms and-"
"Ahh, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "That is true, she's very skilled as well. But Harry-how to say it?-has a natural ability, something that can't be learnt in books or lessons."
"Well his parents were very talented," Remus chirped, wondering where this was going. "He might have-"
"Remember the night you told Harry about his friends' abduction? Specifically, about Miss Granger's?" Dumbledore interrupted leaning against the back of his chair.
How could he forget?
He just stood there without saying a word, with his head lowered. His shoulders were shaking and his breathing became heavier. He couldn't see or hear Lupin, Moody or the Dursleys anymore. A light breeze could be felt now.... It did not come from any windows or doors.... It came from him. The breeze started to become stronger. The windows were starting to crack and Harry slowly started to forget where he was or what he was doing....
Remus shuddered involuntary at the memory. "I felt as if the room was twirling with energy... I thought that Harry was going to explode, as if he was gathering..." Remus trailed off and looked uo to meet Dumbledore's blue eyes.
The Headmaster nodded. "You see, Harry, being a teenager, is still controlled mostly by his emotions. It was this power that made Voldemort draw away from him last year in the Department of Mysteries. I believe that Voldemort is getting aware of it, and although he still doesn't understand it fully, he is trying to get rid of all Harry's sources of emotion."
"His friends." It wasn't a question. Those words came out of Remus' lips in a soft and dreadful tone.
"Exactly, his friends...his heart and soul."
"So, are you saying that Voldemort took Harry's friends away just to hurt him?" Dumbledore didn't answer. "Why take Ginny, Neville and the Lovegood girl? They are not as close as Harry as Ron and Hermione..." Remus continued. "Besides, I'm sure that you have thought about the possibility of Voldemort reaching Harry to his closest people before.... There is something else in this kidnap, isn't it? Answer me, Dumbledore!"
"Yes, there is, Remus."
"What is it? Does it have to do with what happened at the Department of Mysteries last June?"
"It's not my purpose to tell you that."
Remus remembered Harry's words before he left his office. I am not ready yet to tell you--anyone actually-what is really going on…. But I can promise you that, when the time comes, I will explain everything.
"Then we must protect Harry more than ever," Lupin said, clearing his throat.
"And we will," Dumbledore said, stroking Fawkes lightly. "We will. But we must give him a little time, to do this on his terms."
"But why? I don't understand...you said it, Harry is led by his emotions."
"Harry needs to realize the source of his power."
"The source?" Remus blinked.
A loud knock on the door didn't let Dumbledore say anything else. A second later, Minerva McGonagall stepped in the office looking slightly nervous.
"Albus, Kingsley and Tonks are here. They are waiting for you in Hagrid's hut. And you should know that Potter is nowhere to be found...."
"We know, Minerva," Dumbledore said. He turned to Remus. "It's better if you come with me. There are some things I must explain to you."
Remus nodded and followed him. Before he closed the door, he heard Fawkes singing softly.
* * *
Mr. Granger was sitting by the fireplace holding a drink carelessly on his hand. With the other, he was flipping the pages of a photo album he had on his lap. Pictures of baby Hermione smiled back at him, and then more recent ones. Most of them had been taken with a traditional camera, but Hermione had added a few where she was moving and waving, looking happy and carefree.
His wife came to sit by his side with a cup of hot tea in her hands.
"Why did I let her go to that strange world?" Mr. Granger asked in a quiet voice.
"Because you love her."
"But look at what letting her go has done to our family! We barely see her anymore and now... We have no idea where she is! We don't even know if she is still...." He didn't finish the sentence. He took a sip of his drink and flipped another page. There was a picture of Hermione between two boys. The way she was looking at that raven haired boy made him angry.
"This is all his fault, isn't it," he said, gritting his teeth. "He took her away from us. Why does she want to be with him? Risking her life? Risking her future?"
With a soft sob he felt her wife embrace him and whisper in his ear, "Because she loves him."
* * *
A/N: Hehe, we know you were expecting Harry's confrontation with his friends kinappers, but, as you were able to see here, that will be for the next chapter. This might seem like a "filler" chapter, but is actually very important for the plot we want to build.
See you soon!
-->