All Alone

Psy_Girl and Angel-Wing

Rating: PG
Genres: Drama, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 25/03/2004
Last Updated: 07/12/2005
Status: paused

After the events inside the Ministry of Magic Harry Potter just wanted to shut himself out from everyone, including his friends. After one dreadful night his wish comes true. This is a H/Hr, Luna/Ron and hints of Ginny/Neville

Chapters

1. Closing the Fear

2. Falling Down

3. Trouble Within

4. Resolutions

5. Here Without You

6. Harry Potter Strikes Back

7. Coming back

8. Same Time, Same Dilema

1. Closing the Fear

ALL ALONE

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, the characters and world in the books belong to the one and only JK Rowling.

A/N: This fanfic was made in collaboration with the amazing writer Angel-Wing, whom I am very thankful for all her help and patience. Enjoy.

Chapter 1 –Closing the Fear

It was a hot summer evening when Mr. and Mrs. Granger were sitting at the kitchen table, having a cup of tea and talking quietly. Their 15 year old daughter, Hermione was upstairs in her bedroom. They didn’t need to ask what she was doing. It was almost as if they could hear her quill scratching the parchment while she wrote another kilometric letter...

The sound of the phone ringing disturbed the peace for a moment. But before either Mr. or Mrs. Granger could react, they heard desperate steps, someone running downstairs and before it rang for the third time an agitated Hermione picked it up, panting.

“Hello?” they heard her breathe excitedly.

A second passed and she spoke again, this time with a tone of disappointment in her voice- “Oh, um, yeah wait a moment please...” she walked into the kitchen.

“Dad. It’s for you,” she said unenthusiastically.

“Thanks, darling,” said Mr. Granger, raising an eyebrow at his daughter. He exchanged a knowing look with his wife and went to pick up the phone.

“No word from him yet?” Mrs. Granger asked when Hermione plopped down in a chair beside her.

“No,” she answered.

Mrs. Granger grabbed her cup just in time before Hermione slammed with her fist the table, sighing with an annoyed expression.

“Ah! That git! I haven’t heard anything from him since summer started!” she exclaimed, her bushy hair getting frizzier with her rising temper. “He won’t return my owls or my phone calls! If it weren’t for the weekly report he sends to the Order, you would think that he had disappeared from the face of the Earth!”

“I know you are worried dear, but you have to understand what great loss…” Hermione’s mother tried to continue but was interrupted.

“It’s not just that,” Hermione said. “I know he is sad…but there is something more…I know there is.... Why won’t he tell me?”

Her mother ran a hand through her daughter’s hair. “He will. Just give him time,” she said, and then embraced her.

“I know,” said Hermione, feeling the comfort of her mother arms. “And besides, in a couple of days I will see him again, right?” she added, her frown disappearing at the thought.

Her mother just smiled and looked in her eyes. “You really care a lot about him, don’t you?”

Hermione gazed down and a faint blush rushed to her cheeks.

“He is my best friend, mum,” she said. “And, well, he has been through a lot. It’s just that…”

“Just what Hermione?” Her mother asked.

“Yes, I do care for him,” she said finally, in defeat out of the loss of words to say.

She let go of her mother. “I will go upstairs now. Goodnight mum and…thanks.”

Mrs. Granger stared at her daughter standing up. She had gotten used to Hermione’s attitude towards Harry. Sure, she had always been a caring girl, even when she was 7 she was always worried about her friends. But this boy was obviously different. She knew, because Hermione had told her, that he had a lot of weight on his shoulders. Mrs. Granger didn’t know Harry very well, but she knew he was a good boy. She knew that her daughter wanted to be there for him and ease his life a little, but she also could feel that Hermione had developed some sort of dependence from him. She seemed to need him as bad as he needed her. Her daughter pushed everything aside when it came to Harry, and, even when she was proud of her strong will and loyalty, she sometimes was worried about the effect he had in her life. It was almost as if she lived for him.

“Hermione,” her mother called, when her daughter had reached the door.

“Yes?” she asked, turning around.

“I love you,” she said simply.

Hermione smiled. “I love you too, mum. Goodnight.”

She climbed the stairs, gave her father a kiss goodnight, and went to her room. There she sat at her desk and took out a parchment and a quill and started writing again. Crookshanks came in and jumped on the table, wanting some attention, so she started scratching his ears.

“Oh, Crookshanks, I can’t help but to feel worried about him,” Hermione spoke softly as he just purred. Crookshanks then jumped down off the desk and lay down on her bed.

When she finished the letter, she realized how long it was. It was strange that even when she wrote him almost every day, she still had so much to say. Whatever he was doing, she wanted him to know that she thought about him all the time. Harry was probably feeling very lonely and depressed. She wanted to comfort him so badly! Why wasn’t he answering? He had her phone number. She realized that his uncle had probably forbidden him to use the phone, but knowing Harry, that wouldn’t have stopped him from getting in touch with her if he wanted to.

She was thinking about all this, when suddenly she heard a noise by the window. She got up to see what it was, grabbing her wand that was in a drawer by her desk. As she got to the window, a white blur scared her, making her lose her balance.

“Hedwig! You scared me!” she exclaimed, getting up from the floor and putting her wand on her desk.

She let the beautiful snowy owl come inside. “You are worried about Harry too, huh?” she said while caressing her feathers. “Well, you are just in time; I just finished a letter for him.”

She grabbed the letter and Hedwig extended her leg so she could tie it. She stared at the bird for a second. “How come you always know when I need you to deliver my letters to Harry?” she asked softly.

The bird just flapped her wings. “Oh wait! I have some treats for you! I got them for Crookshanks, but he is so nice that he won’t mind sharing,” Hermione said before Hedwig flew off.

The cat just stared at her indignantly and she laughed at his reaction. She opened the door of her closet, which had a large mirror in the back. She was about to grab the bag of treats, when she spotted a reflection in the mirror that wasn’t hers. A dark figure was standing behind her. She let out a scream and turned around. There was a tall man wearing a black cloak that covered his face. Thinking quickly, she ducked just in time to avoid a spell aimed at her.

“HEDWIG! FLY!! WARN HARRY!”

The man turned to the bird and shot a read beam at it, but Crookshanks leapt in front of it and fell down unconscious.

“Crookshanks!” screamed Hermione.

Hedwig flew away, avoiding the spells that were targeting her from several parts of the house.

There’s more than one, thought Hermione desperately, trying to reach her wand on the desk. She lost sight of Hedwig just when the cracking sound of someone Apparating filled the room. Now there were two more Death Eaters.

In a hasty move, she grabbed her wand. “Stupefy!!” she aimed for one of them, and to her surprise, he fell down immediately. She turned toward another and screamed “Petrificus Totalus!!” and saw how his body went rigid and fell.

The third one was shooting at her, but she managed to get out of her room and closed the door with a locking spell. It wouldn’t last very long, but at least it would give her time.

In the hallway, she ran into her parents, who had come out to know what was going on. They were in their pj’s and stared confusedly at her. Her dad had a cane in his hands; probably thinking a burglar had broke in. With a strength she didn’t know she had, she pushed her parents into their room.

“Mum, Dad…no matter what you hear, do not come out!”

“But Hermione..!” said her father, but with a flick of her wand she shut the door and focused on a powerful locking spell that she hoped would protect them at least until help arrived.

The door to her room exploded and the three Death Eaters came out of it. She knew she had to lead them away from her parents so she rushed to the stairs when she felt a powerful blow hitting her back. She fell down the stairs with a yelp and felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder. Another death eater, the one who had hit her, approached her. She tried to lift her head to look at her, but it was very hard.

“Well, well, so…you are his Mudblood… What a bad taste! But what can we expect? He is just like his father,” said a female voice.

Hermione managed to raise her head and caught sight of long dark hair.... It was Bellatrix Lestrange...the woman that had tortured Neville’s parents...and the one responsible for the death of Sirius. She felt a rush of hatred coming over her, and she tried to stand up, despite the pain.

Bellatrix Lestrange walked past Hermione, and started to move upstairs, towards her parents’ room. With a smile she muttered a spell and directed it at the door, but it bounced off, leaving the door intact.

“Interesting, such powerful magic for such a little girl… Lucky for them that they are not our main targets.” She frowned. “I just wanted to play a little, this is no fun.” She turned to Hermione and walked back to her. “Anyway, Master will be pleased.”

“Voldemort? What does he…” Hermione didn’t have time to finish what she was going to ask, when Bellatrix interrupted, outraged.

“How dare you… you Mudblood speak his name! You shall be punished!! Crucio!!”

Hermione screamed at the unbarring pain she felt, and then suddenly everything went black.

* * *

Harry was lying on his bed, feeling tired of everything: his daily chores, being locked up in Privet Drive all summer.... But above all, he was tired of being depressed. He could not stop his mind from thinking about the events that happened only a few weeks ago. His stupidity and recklessness had lead his friends to a trap…where they got hurt and where he lost…Sirius.

Last summer, when he had been tormented by Cedric’s death, he had thought that things couldn’t be worse. One more time, he had been wrong. The pain he was feeling now was something he had never experienced before. Everything reminded him of that moment when Sirius had fallen through the veil. It didn’t matter if he was awake or asleep, the sight of his Godfather’s face in that moment haunted him. He had been so stupid!

He imagined Voldemort when he realized his trap had worked. He must have been overjoyed to have lured the stupid boy exactly where he wanted. If he had put more effort in Occlumency, this wouldn’t have happened. But his pride had gotten in the way. He had often wondered what would have happened if he had received lessons from someone else besides Snape. If you had been more mature, you would have been able to separate your personal feelings towards Snape.

He replayed in his mind over and over how Hermione had tried to stop him. If he had listened to her.... But she could have tried harder to stop him! No, that wasn’t fair. It was all his fault, and there was no sense in placing the blame in others. Of course, he sometimes had the awful feeling that Snape could have done something. He could have told him that Sirius was safe in Grimmauld Place, and he hadn’t. If it was possible, the hate towards Hogwarts’ Potions Master had only grown.

Being in Privet Drive wasn’t helping him, of course. There was no way his relatives could understand what he was going through. Not that they knew what had happened; Harry wasn’t going to tell them. Sometimes, by the look of his Aunt, he thought that she wanted to ask him something, but she never did. Harry was still being watched by Mrs. Figg and someone else, although he didn’t know who it was. He doubted it was Mundungus.

His friends had written him a lot. Ron and Ginny sent him a few letters, with cheerful comments.

We think that maybe Dumbledore will allow you to come in August. Fred and George are almost set with the Joke Shop. Charlie is coming back from Romania.

In their letters, they never mentioned what had happened in June. Harry had the feeling that they didn’t know how to deal with the subject, so they chose to act as if everything was fine.

Hermione’s letters were different. She didn’t talk about the weather of her vacation. She talked about feelings. Hers and his.

You might think I don’t, but I understand how you are feeling, Harry. I wish I could talk to you and help you. I know that you are in your room, thinking that nothing is worthwhile anymore, but you are wrong! We love you, we are all here for you, and we want to help you....

Those letters brought mixed emotions to him. Sometimes, he felt some kind of warm comfort, and he reread them over and over again. Other times, he got angry. Hermione couldn’t possibly know what it was like. No one could. He didn’t want her to feel pity for him!

He hadn’t answered the letters. He didn’t feel like writing. What was he going to say, anyway?

Dear Ron, I’m so glad your brother is coming back.... Dear Hermione, I’m doing fine, don’t worry....

It would all be lies. And he wasn’t going to tell them what he was really feeling. And he knew that Hermione had called him a couple of times; he had heard his Uncle picking up and shouting that Harry didn’t live there. If he had wanted, he could have called her back.... Truth was, he was afraid to talk to them. Not only thoughts about Sirius were in his mind; he also couldn’t stop thinking about that prophecy. He was terrified to tell Ron or Hermione about that. He wouldn’t blame them if this time they decided to stay away from him. Maybe it was better to keep them away, it would be safer....

His thoughts were interrupted abruptly when Hedwig rushed in from his window and started flying around the room, screeching and pecking Harry’s clothes, trying to force him to stand up.

“Hedwig? What’ s wrong? What’s going on?” Harry was trying to calm down his owl, but she just kept pulling him and flapping her wings frantically. Her screeches were really loud, and Harry was sure that his Uncle would hear them in the kitchen. Sure enough, he heard furious steps on the stairs, and then his bedroom door opened with a bang.

“BOY!! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT BLOODY BIRD?!? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!” A very red Mr. Dursley busted into his room, followed by his wife and overweight son.

“I...I don’t know!” Harry said, too focused on Hedwig’s attitude to pay attention to the murderous look in Uncle Vernon’s eyes. “She just flew in and started acting like this…I don’t know what’s wrong, unless….” A thought came to his mind that made his heart sink. He swallowed and lowered his voice. “Hedwig, is…is someone in danger?”

Such a simple question made the snowy owl calm down immediately and she landed on the edge of the window. Harry was petrified. Now he knew that the answer to that dreadful question was affirmative.

“Who..?” Before Harry had time to finish his question, Hedwig extended her leg to reveal the letter attached. With shaking hands he untied the letter and closed his eyes not wanting to read it…. But he needed to know, so he opened them slowly to see his name written in a fine and neat handwriting. There was no point in looking at the signature. He knew that handwriting better than anything.

His heart started to pound loudly and his head began to spin. He had to do something, anything! Not waiting a second, he stuffed the letter into his pocket and headed for his trunk that was under his bed, not even caring that his actions were followed by the disconcerted gaze of his relatives. He opened the trunk and grabbed his Firebolt. He searched a little deeper to find his dad’s cloak. He stuck the wand in his pocket, and with the broom in one hand, he passed the shocked Dursleys and walked out of the room with a determined expression on his face.

Finally, Uncle Vernon seemed to recover and regained his voice again. “WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING??!!” he screamed, grabbing Harry’s arm just before he reached the stairs.

“I’m going to help my friend!” he said, trying to get away from his grip. “Let me go!”

“You can’t leave the house! That Dimblidong guy told you not to!!” his uncle said.

Harry stopped immediately. He still wasn’t sure what his feelings were toward the Headmaster anymore. However, the thought of him made him regain some conscience. He didn’t know what was going on with Hermione or where she was. He was about to do something rushed again, just like in June...but he had to do something! He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Uncle Vernon let him go slowly.

“Look, I know what he said…but one of my best friends is in danger, and it’s probably because of me, so I would rather be the one who suffers and not her.... Not her....” said Harry with a strange, calm voice that even surprised him. “So this is something I need to do.”

He started heading back to the stairs when he heard the familiar noise of someone Apparating, followed by another one. Reacting immediately, Harry grabbed his wand with amazing speed and pointed to the two persons that had Apparated.

Standing in front of him was Mad Eye Moody and Remus Lupin. Their expressions were unreadable.

“Well boy, seems that after all you have been paying attention to me,” Moody said with a smirk.

But Harry didn’t lower his wand. “How do I know if you really are...you?”

“You know we really need a secret code to stop this question being asked.... Umm, let’s see....” Moody started.

“I’m Moony,” Lupin interrupted.

It wasn’t what he said but how he said it that convinced Harry. He didn’t have time to do this, anyway. “I’m glad you are here! We have to do something! Hermione is in danger!! Hedwig flew in and—”

“We know, Harry,” Lupin said.

“You know? Oh, so she is alright… right?” Harry asked fearfully.

Lupin and Moody exchanged a look. Harry felt a pang of desperation when the answer didn’t come.

“RIGHT?” he yelled, his voice a mix of anger and fear.

Lupin put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Harry but Hermione...she’s gone.”

She’s gone… That was the same thing Remus had said when…when Sirius.... No, no, not again! His mind screamed and he felt such a rush of anxiety and anguish that his heart seemed to stop for a moment.

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....

The Dursleys were still at the staircase holding each other. Fear could be seen in their faces.... Moody and Lupin were just amazed at the amount of magic they could feel coming from Harry. Lupin knew that Harry wasn’t aware of what was going on. He was in some sort of trance and he had to be stopped before he lost all control.

“Enough, Harry. Miss Granger is not dead,” said a calm but strong voice from behind.

The air stopped flowing abruptly and Harry snapped his head, blinking. He hadn’t been sure what had happened, but he had heard that voice. His eyes met with Dumbledore’s, who was standing beside Remus and Moody.

“She’s alive?” he repeated. “Is she alright?” His voice was a whisper, but it was filled with hope. He stared at the Headmaster intently, trying to read his expression.

“Remus, would you be kind enough to gather Harry’s belongings and trunk and take them to Hogwarts? Alastor, please stay here with the Dursleys…for their own protection,” he added as he saw the look of pure horror in their faces. “And Harry, you are coming with me.”

“You haven’t answered my question!”

“Please come with me and I will explain....”

“No!! Answer me NOW!!”

Dumbledore gazed at him behind his glasses. “Very well,” he said, approaching Harry. He ignored the Dursleys, who were stepping back in fear. “As I said, Miss Granger is not dead. But she is missing. If you really want to know what’s going on, you must come with me now.”

Harry numbly nodded. Dumbledore took out a book, which Harry assumed was a Portkey, and Harry touched it with one shaky finger. He felt the familiar tug, and when it stopped he found himself in Dumbledore’s office, back in Hogwarts. The Headmaster sat on his comfortable chair behind his desk and motioned Harry to do the same. Harry sat down slowly. He was biting his lip furiously. He felt as if someone was slowly strangling him, and he tried to take a deep breath, but the air seemed to have left the room. Dumbledore cleared his throat and started speaking.

“Tonight was a grand night for Voldemort, Harry. He started – or well, his Death Eaters started - a major attack on Muggle-borns as well as random Muggle houses. The Order and the Ministry tried to stop them and fight back the attacks. When an attack was reported from the Grangers’ home we thought it was simply because she was a Muggle-born, a random house. But unfortunately, that was not the case as there were other reports - three to be exact - about other houses of pure-blood wizards that were attacked.”

Harry was numb.... Everything was happening so fast…so sudden.... Wait....

Three pure-bloods??

“The first report came from the Lovegood house. It seems that Mr. Lovegood and his daughter gave quite a fight but in the end he was stunned and his daughter, Luna, has gone missing. “The second report was from the Longbottoms’ house. The Death Eaters were very cruel with Ms. Longbottom. She is at St. Mungo’s right now in a delicate state. There were traces of blood in the house. We assume that Neville got into a fiery fist fight, but the amount of blood does not suggest that he was mortally wounded.”

Harry was silent, dreading what was coming next.

“The third report, I am afraid to say, is from the Weasleys.... They put up a real fight and even managed to capture two Death Eaters, but they were still able to take hold of Ginny and Ron.”

Dumbledore paused. Harry did not know what to think.... His friends…missing…all of them…he was alone…they were in danger….just because of his stupidity.... He didn’t need Dumbledore to tell him why.

“The Death Eaters took the ones who went with you to the Department of Mysteries,” Dumbledore continued with a soft voice. “I assume that Voldemort might think that one of them knows about the Prophecy.”

Harry looked at the headmaster with tears in his eyes. He could not hide his emotions anymore. He had tried to shut everyone out all summer; he had wanted to be left alone. And now as twisted as it was, Voldemort granted his wish. He was truly alone now.

A/N: A special thanks to our two beta readers hallee87 and Tawny Spitfyre for making this fanfic readable and more enjoyable.

Please don’t forget to review cause every opinion and criticism is welcomed and useful to be better on the next chapters.

Thanks!

2. Falling Down

Author Notes:

Hi all! Just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed this story. Your comments and opinions are very important to us and keep us going with this story.

This chapter was beta read by Tawny Spytfire, and she has done a wonderful job with it!

Psy_Girl and Angel-Wing

Chapter 2 – Falling Down

A very faint dim of light was the only thing that allowed them to look at each other’s faces. They didn’t know where the light came from –there was no window in the cell they were in. Each one of them had their arms chained to a wall, and they were sitting in the cold, hard, stone floor.

Leaning against one of the musty walls was Ron, with an expression that was a perfect mix between panic and exasperation. Luna and Hermione were sitting together in the opposite side. Hermione was looking at the floor and seemed deep in thought, while Luna was just staring into the space, as if it was an every day thing to be tied to a wall in Merlin knows where. The group was completed by Neville, who had several bruises on his face and his arm was still bleeding, and Ginny, with her eyes wide open in a shocked expression. There was a set of empty cuffs beside Ron that indicated that someone else was expected.... It wasn’t hard to imagine who.

The five of them were very uncomfortable with their arms up. Hermione felt a sharp pain in her back, but she hadn’t complained out loud. Actually, she hadn’t said much since she had woken up in that place. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Ron’s concerned expression that turned to some sort of relief when he saw she was awake. Luna, Ginny and Neville were already there, and they exchanged a few words, telling each other what had happened and wondering where they were. None of them had wanted to ask why they were there...they were too afraid to even try to figure it out.

It was like some kind of surreal dream, and Hermione was waiting for the moment she would wake up screaming with her mum by her side telling her that it was only a nightmare. But denying reality wasn’t very wise...she had to face the truth of what was going on and try to think of a way to get out. But panic made it hard to think, and she really wanted to scold herself for not being braver.... But how could anyone blame her? It’s not like every 15 year-old girl has to face psychotic killers. She had been beside Harry so long, but it had been only in the Department of Mysteries that she had understood what it really meant to face danger. She had heard him talk about it, but until then, she hadn’t been even close to imagining what it was really like to feel that your life could be over at any minute.

Every once in a while, Ron would let a frustrated groan leave his mouth, and he had been shifting and moving, trying to find a weak link in the chains. He was being quite persistent, maybe more than she had ever seen him, but she knew his patience couldn’t last long.

Soon enough, he started screaming at the top of his lungs, with a sore voice that startled everyone.

“YOU COWARDS!! ATTACK US AT OUR HOMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!! YOU JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET OUT....”

“Ron, please stop, you might upset them more,” said a very tearful Ginny.

“Right, because we aren’t in a really bad situation already, huh?” snapped Ron, angrily. “When I get my hands on those Death Eaters, they’ll know what is good....”

“I don’t think you can stand up to them.... They don’t exactly play by the rules...after what they did to my grams…they are not fair people….” muttered Neville with a small voice, his busted lip trembling slightly.

“I know, Neville,” Ron said. “It’s just that being like this… AAAHHH!!! I can’t stand it!! I need to do something!” Then he started screaming and cursing again.

“I think you should keep your strength,” said Hermione tiredly, raising her voice for him to hear her in the middle of his futile screaming. “We don’t know what is going to happen and you’re definitely not helping by leaving us deaf and getting on our nerves.”

Ron wrinkled his nose, but he held back his comments. Hermione sighed and let her eyes wander through the cell. Beside her, Luna had started to hum very softly. Hermione couldn’t believe that even then she didn’t seem to care what was going on.

“Luna, what do you say? Do you think Ron should shut up?” Ginny asked suddenly, probably tired of her humming.

Ron turned his head to look at Luna. He seemed interested in what she had to say, being the one that had remained in silence trough most of the night. She would probably come with one of her strange remarks that....

“We all deal with what’s going on in different ways, and if a tantrum is the way for Ronald to express himself, I won’t oppose to it,” Luna said in her sing-song voice, shrugging.

“I am not having a tantrum…” said Ron, looking very affronted. “I just…well... Fine!!” he exclaimed. “Babies have tantrums, not me…” he muttered to himself, although everyone could hear him clearly.

A long silence filled the cell for a while. Hermione moved a little, trying in vain to find a better position, so her arms wouldn’t hurt so much. Across from her, Neville had offered his shoulder to Ginny so she could rest her head, and even though he looked very uncomfortable, he did not say a word. Hermione couldn’t help but being amazed at his selfless personality.

“Well, at least Harry is all right... I can see by that other set of cuffs that he was supposed to join us in this merry party, but he probably got away...” Ron said a while later, wanting to ease his mind a little. Silence was too overwhelming in that kind of situation.

“I am so worried about him,” Hermione said anxiously, as if she had been waiting for someone to make a remark like that.

“Worried about him?! Hermione, in case you haven’t noticed yet, WE are the ones who are chained up to a bloody wall in You-Know-Who’s basement, dungeon or whatever!!! Not him!! He is probably surrounded by all of the Order right now!! He is not the one to be worried about! We are!!” Ron said in just one breath, his brown eyes looking at his friend in disbilief.

Hermione gave a small, bitter chuckle. “How can I not worry about him, Ron? This is the first time Harry has been all alone...”

“All alone?? Didn’t you hear me?? He probably has the whole bloody Order around him!!” Ron said, and a hint of envy could be detected in his voice.

“Hermione, if he’s not here, then that means he is safe, isn’t he? I don’t see your point about being worried,” Ginny added, interested in the conversation. Neville was looking at her, too.

Hermione fought the urge to sigh in exasperation. Did she always have to explain everything? “Well…what I meant is…Harry is alone for the first time… I know, Ron, the Order, but that is not the same as having you to talk to. Think, when trouble happens he either comes to you or to me or to… well… you know… he had Sirius, too.” She had tears in her eyes now and she hated the fact that she couldn’t sweep them away because her hands were tied. “And you know how Harry is.... We all know how he is, and how much he has changed this last time. He is suffering and is too proud to talk to anyone about how he feels!” She hadn’t meant to let her own frustration come out, but there was no point hiding it, because she knew that Ron felt that way, too. “And what scares me the most is he is so impulsive, and I am terrified that he might be thinking, or worse, doing, something stupid and having no one to stop him....”

“Like looking for us,” Luna said in a strangely lucid tone.

Ron, Ginny and Neville took in what Hermione and Luna had just said and realization hit them all. It was true. The saving people thing was probably taking over Harry’s reason and they knew he wouldn’t stop to think twice about following his impulses, not even after what had happened to Sirius... In fact, thought Hermione, that would only make him more eager to save us. He wouldn’t want to lose his friends to Voldemort too... Oh God, he was probably blaming himself for this.

* * *

Remus Lupin hesitated a moment in front of the boys’ room in Gryffindor Tower. He knew Harry was there – Dobby had told him with teary eyes that he hadn’t moved from the same spot in a really long time – but he wasn’t sure if he should be disturbing him at this moment.

Harry had a tendency to shut himself down when something was troubling him. Remus had spent a lot of time observing him, ever since he had met him three years ago. He had always been a good observer and Harry had caught his interest, first because he was James’ son and second, because of his amazingly strong spirit.

Finally he decided to open the door just a little, to have a peek inside. He didn’t want to be nosy, but he was worried about him and he couldn’t just stand aside and do nothing. He looked through the half open door and spotted Harry, sitting by the window, with Crookshanks in his lap, scratching his ears in an absentminded manner, while his gaze was lost in the sky that could be seen through the window’s glass. He had dark circles under his eyes, and Remus guessed he hadn’t sleep at all last night.

Remus had never seen Harry like that. He had seen him scared, worried, angry, happy and sad before, but never like that. He looked small, withdrawn, vulnerable.... Too much was going on in his life; first Sirius’ death and now his friends’ kidnapping. He was somehow surprised that Harry hadn’t done something yet... He had thought that Harry would go crazy when Dumbledore explained that Voldemort had taken the Weasleys, Neville and the Lovegood girl as well as Hermione. Considering Harry’s personality, he was almost ready to stop him at the Hogwarts’ gates and had prepared a speech to make him realize it was better for him to stay in the school and leave everything in the hands of the Order.

Which came to prove that he didn’t know Harry as well as he had thought.

After the conversation with Dumbledore, the boy had locked himself in that tower. Remus was curious to know what the two of them had talked about, especially if that had left Harry in this state, but he had never been one to meddle in other people’s affairs.

Gathering up his courage, he pushed the door and entered the room. Harry turned his head and saw him. Remus managed to smile a little in a way that he hoped would be somehow reassuring. Harry didn’t return the smile, and he seemed to sink even lower.

“How are you?” Remus asked, closing the door behind him.

It wasn’t a courtesy question. He really meant it. He saw Harry hesitating, contemplating what to say. Finally, the boy let out a deep sigh, staring intently to his hands.

“I’m angry, confused, frustrated, worried and scared,” he replied in an openess that surprised Remus. He had expected to hear a plain, “fine”. The honesty in that little outburst reached him, and suddenly he felt strangely connected to Harry.

He felt the need to comfort him, so he nodded and sat down beside him. “I just talked to Hermione’s parents.”

Harry lifted his head to look at him.

“They are terrified, of course,” Remus said, slowly. “But they understand the situation and put their trust in the Order.... They are sure Hermione is safe and will soon be with us.”

“They are lucky to think like that,” Harry said bitterly.

Remus fought the urge to put a hand on his shoulder. He wasn’t sure how he would react. “Harry, you can’t give up hope. If you do that, then there’s nothing left. I’m sure they are all fine. Dumbledore told me that he has an idea of what Voldemort is planning and that does not involve killing your friends....”

Harry didn’t say anything. He closed his eyes and stayed like that for a very long time. Remus didn’t know what he was thinking, and he would have given anything to know what it was. It would at least give him an idea of what to do and say...he felt helpless. He wanted to support him. It was a strange feeling, but looking at the raven haired boy, Remus realized Harry was the only person he had left; his best friend’s son. Someone he needed to protect and guide... a reason to keep going.

“Listen, I know that we are not as close as you were with Sirius,” he said in a very soft voice. Harry stiffened a little at the sound of his godfather’s name. Remus knew how he felt. He still couldn’t think of him without feeling a chill. “But... I was your father’s friend, too, and I care about you. So if you need anything...”

He let the words fade and tore his eyes away from Harry’s. He spotted a toad in a crystal cage on a night table. He recognized it as Neville Longbottom’s pet. Remus could have sworn that it looked sad and depressed. He then saw Harry’s snowy owl and Ron’s too, standing together on the edge of one of the beds. Remus had seen Pigwidgeon the summer before in Grimmauld Place and he knew that the fact that he was now quiet and still was a proof of the situation they had at hand. It seemed as if the pets of Harry’s friends were trying to join Harry in his misery.

“Thank you, Professor,” Harry said suddenly, and the sincerety in his voice was impossible to miss.

Remus smiled at him and stood up. “We are having breakfast in a couple of minutes. You should go down and eat something.”

Harry nodded and then turned to look at the window again. Remus walked to the door and gave a last look at him before going out of the room.

* * *

Back in the cell, Hermione woke up when she heard a clanking noise.... She slowly opened her eyes. When had she fallen asleep? The events of last night and early morning came rushing to her mind. Her wrists were sore, well, her whole body was in pain at this point.... What time was? Was it day or night? It was hard to tell when she couldn’t even see outside. She realized only then that someone had removed her watch. She turned to look at her friends and found that they were asleep too.

She heard the clanking noise again, and suddenly, two metal trays appeared in the floor with...

“Food!” she said a bit out loud.

This, being the magic word in Ron’s vocabulary, was enough to wake him up in a second.

“Huh…Wha…Who said….Food!!” he exclaimed when he finally saw one of the trays by his side.

The chains of the cuffs became magically longer and they were able to lower their arms to grab the trays. Three more had appeared, one for each. Ron took his tray with a smile across his face. Everyone else started to wake up with Ron’s outburst; Ginny blushed a little when she realized she had used Neville shoulder as a pillow.

Despite the fear and uncertainty, their eyes lit up with the sight of food.

“I’m not sure if we should eat this,” Hermione said, and Ron stopped with the plate almost touching his lips.

“Why not?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Ron! Death Eaters are giving us this.... Didn’t you learn anything from Moody? It could be poisoned.”

Ron looked as if he was about to cry. “But... it looks perfectly normal to me.”

“Appearences can be deceiving....”

“Who is there?” Luna’s voice asked suddenly, interrupting Hermione and making everyone turn to her.

“I don’t see anybody,” Ron said, raising an eyebrow.

“Who is it?” Luna repeated.

“Ahh, the pure blood traitors have woken up at last!” said a familiar voice.

Soon enough, a small creature materialized behind the bars, his eyes examining their faces carefully and his ugly lips curled up in a smirk.

“Kreacher,” Ron said through gritted teeth. “You bastard! How you dare show your ugly face! After what you did to Sirius!! Filthy scumbag, let me out!” he started moving around trying to reach the little house elf through the bars.

“Kreacher, what are you doing here?” asked Hermione in a calm tone.

“Kreatcher has not to answer the filthy mudblood, he is with his Mistress now.... Yes, Mistress knows how to treat Kreacher.... She’s worthy of her name....”

“Why you… let me out of here… you little piece of….”

“I would not finish that sentence if I were you, Weasel,” a new voice said.

“Malfoy?” Ginny asked, sitting straighter.

Draco Malfoy appeared behind Kreacher, a smug smile plastered in his face. His hands were behind his back and he looked ecstatic. His cold grey eyes travelled from Ron to Ginny, to Neville and Luna and finally to Hermione.

“And what are you...” Ron started, but he didn’t finish that sentence. “Right, why should we be surprised? Your father is a bloody Death Eater... Your mum, too, probably... And now you’re following their steps, right?”

“The traitor shouldn’t talk about the Young Master like that...” Kreacher said, looking at Ron with a hateful expression.

“Shut up, you blasted creature... You sold Sirius out! And now you’re working for a slime ball, good-for-nothing ferret!!” now Ron was on his feet trying to reach Kreacher through the bars.

Kreacher hid behind Malfoy, away from Ron’s range.

“That’s enough, Weasley... For one, this creature is the one who brings you the food, so if you keep trying to kill him everytime he comes near… Well, there won’t be any more food… And that would not be nice for you and your friends, don’t you think?”

“You think we are stupid enough to eat this?” Ron asked. “It’s probably poisoned...”

Malfoy shrugged and grinned evilly. “It’s your problem if you don’t want to eat. But if they wanted to kill you, they wouldn’t poison you... That would be too boring, don’t you think? I believe you are indeed stupid if you think they took the trouble to bring you here just to kill you.”

Ron glanced at Hermione, who was staring at Malfoy with a thoughtful expression.

“By the way, I was wondering... We have the mudblood, of course, and two of the Weasels. I can understand why you are here, but what about Loony and Longbottom? What can they want with you?”

Hermione had an idea of what they were doing there already, but she needed to be sure. “What are you doing here anyway, Malfoy? I know that you are close to the Dark Side, but I didn’t think you’d be a Death Eater... You are the one in charge of us?”

Malfoy’s expression when she said ‘Death Eater’ didn’t go unnoticed for her. If she didn’t know better, she would say he flinched... He regained composure in less than a second though, and his eyes were the same as ever.

“Nah, if it was up to me you would be in the lower dungeons, my personal favorite place, where the torture chambers are... I would love to hear you squeal, to see if you are all so brave as you claim to be.”

“Your favorite place?” Ron asked, frowning.

“We are in your house, aren’t we?” asked Hermione almost at the same time.

Malfoy didn’t reply to any of the questions, but by the look in his face, Hermione was sure they were in the Malfoy Manor. “Well, I just came to see if you needed something...” Malfoy said, smiling again. “Any request from Diagon Alley? As you probably know, I have to buy the new books. You wouldn’t want me to be unprepared for the school year now, would you? I mean we will be back at school in no time… Oh… let me rephrase that… I will be back at school... But don’t worry, I’ll tell Potter you said ‘hi’... If he hasn’t jumped from a window yet.”

Ron moved forward, but Malfoy had already disappeared, with Kreacher behind him, leaving the five friends alone again. A dreadful silence invaded the cell and even Ron was quiet.

Hermione’s mind was working again, and she was glad for it. She forgot about how uncomfortable and scared she was and started focusing. There had to be a reason why they were there... Malfoy was right; Ron’s and her presence there was easier to understand. But why Neville? And why Luna? They had only met her the previous year, and still, no one would say she was a close friend to Harry, except for the time she tagged along to go to the Department of Mysteries...

She knew it had something to do with that. That prophecy the Death Eaters were so eager to get. Neville had told them that it had broken when they were escaping... What was the point? No one had heard it... And certainly no one had cared after what had happened after, with Sirius and everything...

But did she really know everything? Harry had avoided her eyes the only time she had asked further about the Prophecy, and she had decided not to push him... She had thought he was like that because of Sirius’ death. But what if there was something else he wasn’t telling them, something else that was troubling him?

Maybe she was looking too much under the water. Maybe the Death Eaters were only trying to drag Harry there by capturing the people they assumed was important to them. What did they know about Harry, anyway? But her sixth sense was leading her thoughts to the Prophecy again. However, she decided not to voice what she was suspecting. Someone could be hearing them....

* * *

“I don’t think he’s coming down.”

Remus’ words broke a silence that had lasted for twenty minutes in the small table that had been settled in the Great Hall for them to have dinner. Only six places had been set: one was occupied by Remus Lupin. In front of him was Minerva McGonagall, her lips forming a thin line and her eyes holding a dark expression. Beside her, Severus Snape was leaned back in the chair and seemed distant and deep in his own thoughts. Another seat was for Hagrid, who had a very sad face and rubbed his eyes harshly every minute. Next to Remus was Dumbledore, his chin in his hands, staring at the empty spot in front of him.

“You’re probably right. We should eat,” the Headmaster said.

Only Snape grabbed a bite and ate it in silence. None of the rest were in the mood to have dinner. The air was heavy in the room and it seemed that no one would do anything to make it better.

“Any news from the Ministry, Dumbledore?” McGonagall asked a few minutes later.

The Headmaster adjusted his glasses. “I talked to Cornelius earlier in the morning. Luckily, there were no casualties. There are five Muggles in St. Mungo’s. The agents from the Obliviator Headquarters had to modify a lot of memories. Muggle-born parents are receiving guidance from the Ministry now. They are terrified and I certainly can’t blame them.”

“What abou’ Hermione’s parents?” Hagrid asked with a shaky voice.

“They are with the Weasleys and Mr. Lovegood. They are all staying in the Ministry tonight. Mrs. Longbottom is still in a delicate state, but she’s not in death risk anymore.”

Professor McGonagall sighed, slightly relieved, although her frown didn’t disappear.

“No new information about where the kidnapped children could be?” asked Remus.

Dumbledore’s blue eyes had a sad and tired expression when he answered. “Aurors are working on that... So far, they don’t have any useful clues. They could be anywhere...”

“What are we going to do, Albus?” Minerva McGonagall whispered with an anxious voice, not trying to restrain herself anymore. “If anything happens to those kids we...” she trailed off and her eyes travelled trough the table, falling in the empty seat. “And Harry... I don’t think he’s capable of handling this.”

“Calm down, Minerva. I’m perfectly aware of the gravity of this situation, and we certainly must find a solution now, but I’m confident that—”

He was interrupted by the sound of loud steps echoing in the hallway. They exchanged confused looks, and the five heads turned to look at the Great Hall’s entrance. The tall form of Kingsley Shackelbolt apperared then.

“Evening,” he greeted with a gloomy voice.

“Have a seat, Kingsley,” Dumbledore said. “Seems that the sixth person won’t be joining us anyway,” he added.

“I can’t stay, Dumbledore. I just came to inform you about something that has come up.”

His expression was not very encouraging and Minerva McGonagall stood up without even realizing it. Remus and Hagrid were also looking at him eagerly. However, Kingsley ignored them and walked to Dumbledore, kneeling down to whisper something in his ear.

The Headmaster’s eyes widened in a way that didn’t comfort anyone, and he looked at Kingsley in the eyes.

“Are you sure?” he whispered.

“I’m afraid so,” Kingsley replied, in the same tone.

Dumbledore rubbed his temples and a long pause followed. “Severus,” he said, finally.

The Potions Master lifted his head slowly and met his eyes. No words were spoken, but the message between them was perfectly clear.

“Yes, sir.”

3. Trouble Within

Author notes: (Warning: Sillyness ahead)

Angel-Wing: *steps in front of the mic and clears her throat* Harry Potter and the rest of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and all the editorials that publish the books... And also to Warner Brothers... Um, what else?

Psy_Girl: *tries to grab the mic* Nooooooo, not trueee!!! They are mine!!! Mine I tell you!!!! Muahahaha!!! Mineeeeeee!!! You can’t take them away from me!!!

Angel-Wing: *stuns her* So, on with the chapter...

*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 3 – Trouble Within

The cloaked figure moved through the dark hallways, his steps echoing in the dreadful silence and his shadow dancing on the stone walls because of the faint and greenish light emitted by a few candles. He reached the black door and knocked.

A muffled voice ordered him to come in, and he obeyed, entering the big room, and kneeling down immediately in front of the tall man who was sitting in a high chair.

“The kids have been placed where you ordered, Master,” the cloaked figure said, his eyes fixed in the floor.

“Good. Are you sure they are the ones who were with Potter?”

“Yes, milord, we got confirmation.” He looked up for a brief moment to see a pleased smile in the Dark Lord’s face. This encouraged him to say what he had been thinking about. “Master? What about Malfoy and the others? When will we get them out of Azkaban?”

Voldemort took a while before answering. “Let them stay there for now... A punishment for their incompetence.”

“Yes, sir.” The Death Eater stood up and bowed, but before he reached the door, he turned around again. “May I ask what are we going to do with the children?”

“Nothing... for now.”

The Death Eater felt a chill running through his body as he saw his master smile, a smile that was filled with so much hatred and evil... He turned around and left the room, whishing to never see something like that again.

* * *

Harry was walking by the lake, kicking small stones in the way. Crookshanks trailed close behind, stopping when Harry stopped, and resuming the walk when he did. Harry was so used to the cat’s presence by now that he felt that something was missing if he didn’t see him by his side.

The cold air in his face had the effect of clearing Harry’s head. He felt less numb, more awake and able to actually think and reflect about was going on. It was actually the first time he was understanding what this all meant, the fact that his friends had been taken away... Harry was aware that Voldemort would do anything to learn about the Prophecy. What would he do when he realized they didn’t know anything about it?

Too many days had passed. At this rate, his friends could be... They could be... He didn’t even want to think about it. He tried to remember professor Lupin’s words and keep the hope, but it was hard. He knew the Order was acting, he had seen several members meeting with Dumbledore in his office, and it was driving him mad not being able to enter those meetings. He knew that Dumbledore was still trying to protect him from hearing any news. And no news means good news right? He didn’t know if that made him feel more at ease or even more nervous. He had also noticed that Snape was gone. He wished he knew what was he up to.

As for now, he felt completely powerless. His hands were tied; there was nothing he could do. He didn’t even know where they could be, and he was sure that Dumbledore didn’t either. That little voice in his head – Hermione’s voice – told him it was a good thing he didn’t know, or he would have probably done something stupid by now. Harry wanted to disagree, but he had the feeling the voice was right. What would Hermione do in his situation? Many times he had tried to solve things on his own, but now he needed her advice and her wise words more than ever, just as he also needed Ron’s encouragement...

He sat down under the shade of his favorite tree. Crookshanks quickly settled himself on his lap. How many times he had spent there with Ron and Hermione, he thought as he pulled absentmindedly at small fits of grass. Today was September 1st. The students would be arriving tonight. Actually, Harry thought, looking at his watch, by now they should be getting on the Hogwarts Express, probably very excited to start a new year. If this had been a normal situation, he would be among them, looking for a compartment where he could be at peace only to find himself sitting with Neville, Ginny and Luna who would be probably reading “The Quibbler” in her usual way; while Ron would be making fun at the first years and Hermione would be scolding him for doing that, reminding him of his Prefect status. He dreaded tonight’s dinner when once again he would be the main topic of everyone’s conversation. He would have to sit in the Great Hall, alone, surrounded by the cheerful mood of the students and the constant looks they would throw at him. Inside, he hoped with all his heart that his friends would be arriving in the carriages, to reveal it all had been just a nightmare. Right. Life is never that fair. If life was fair, he would be in the Hogwarts Express with his friends. If life was fair… Sirius would be… no, he must not go there, he must be strong, for them... They need him strong and he... he just needs them. With that final thought he stood up and walked to the castle with a new determination: he would find them and Voldemort would pay for everything.

The mood in the Castle wasn’t what Harry supposed it would be for the start of the year. Every teacher – except Snape – was there already. Every time Harry met one of them in the hallways, they would greet him with a small nod, their eyes scanning his face. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Tonks had joined them for dinner the past two days. He had spotted Mr.Weasley once, going to Dumbledore’s office, but he had avoided him and had quickly gone to his room. He didn’t know what he could say to him, as the too-familiar feeling of guilt had surfaced. Harry knew the Order was avoiding Grimmauld Place. They didn’t know how safe it was anymore, considering Kreacher had betrayed them and was probably having the time of his life crawling behind the Death Eaters. As protected as the Headquarters were, Dumbledore had decided to leave that place for a while and let Hogwarts be the point of meeting. After all, they didn’t have any more troubles with the Ministry.

Harry had met with Dumbledore on several occasions. They had started Occlumency lessons again. Harry was relieved that this time Dumbledore was the one teaching him, although both of them were aware that by doing so they were exposing themselves to a dangerous situation. But Harry wasn’t going to give up this time; he would at least make sure to learn how to shut his mind. He wouldn’t be vulnerable to Voldemort again. If only he didn’t have so many worries in his head, it would probably be a lot easier.

* * *

“AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

The eerie scream resonated through the walls of the Dungeons. It sounded as if someone was being tortured; subjugated to the worst terror and pain anyone could imagine.

“Let me out!!! I want out!!!! Help!! HELP!! I can’t take it anymore!!!! I’ll do anything!!”

The screams came from someone with red hair, cornered in a cell, his body twitching with terror, his eyes wide open and cold sweat covering his face. If the torture didn’t stop, he was going to...

“Honestly Ron!” scolded Hermione, stepping on a little spider that had entered their cell, while she glared at her friend with exasperation.

Ginny and Neville were laughing hysterically, and even Luna was looking at the scene developing in front of her eyes with a glint of amusement. With that, Hermione couldn’t help but giggle too. It felt nice to actually be able to crack a smile in that horrible place, and she was surprised they could still laugh. It felt like years since they had been thrown there. She wasn’t sure how many days had passed, probably three or four. Time moved too slowly in her opinion.

Kreacher brought them food three times a day, and after a lot of discussion and warning from Hermione, Ron hadn’t been able to stop himself and had started to eat. Considering he was still very much alive after eating everyone’s meals, they had realized that the food wasn’t poisoned after all. To make sure that they weren’t using Veritaserum on the meals, Ginny and her had started asking him some awkward questions winning glares from him, but not a straight answer, which meant it was safe to eat.

They removed their chains for the most part of the day, except when Kreacher came down. In those minutes, they magically appeared around their arms and legs. Ron was particularly angry with this turn of events, as every time the house elf showed up he immediately tried to kick him. Even Hermione felt like hitting him, but she wasn’t going to say it out loud or Ron would remind her about that for the rest of her life... I wonder how long that is, considering the situation we are in, she thought often.

Malfoy hadn’t come down again, or anyone else for that matter. Just Kreacher. He allowed them to go one at a time to a nearby bathroom -which had probably been put there just for them- and only there could they freshen up a bit. Hermione had broken down the last time she had been there, and had cried for several minutes before Kreacher opened the door and told her it was time to go back. If the rest had noticed her puffy eyes, they hadn’t said anything.

Ron looked at the dead spider in the floor with a shudder and relaxed a bit.

“Merlin, I thought I was going to die.”

Ginny giggled and then her eyes widened. “Erm, Ron, don’t look behind, but there’s a spider coming toward your head.”

“WHAAAAT!?” Ron yelled, jumping from the floor and crawling to the opposite side, panting as if he had just run a marathon. Ginny and Neville burst out laughing again. “That’s. Not. Funny. Ginny!” Ron muttered angrily when he realized it had been a joke.

Hermione smiled and sighed. With the show they were pulling it was really weird that no one had come down to see what was going on. She wondered if they were being observed... She had been very careful with what she said in that cell for fear someone could be listening to her. She really wanted to discuss all her suspicions with Ron and the rest, but it was better not to give any information to the Death Eaters.

If at least someone told them why they were there... She was getting impatient. She almost wanted one of them to come down and start doing whatever it was they were planning to do with them to stop the waiting. Were they waiting to get Harry first? Was Harry safe? How was he feeling? What was he doing? Hermione would have given anything to at least know how he was.

The laughing slowly stopped and the group fell silent for a while. Hermione knew they were all anxious and scared, but after all the time they had spent there, they were more relaxed than the first day. They had desisted thinking of ways to escape. There was no way they could leave that cell, especially not without their wands... And even if they made it, they would probably meet a bunch of Death Eaters on the way. As Hermione had said, it was obvious they were important for the plans of Voldemort, or else they wouldn’t be there... They wouldn’t even care to give them food! They just had to hope the Order would find them before those plans were put in motion...

“I hope Grams is all right,” Neville said after a while with a small sigh. He was probably just thinking out loud, because he wasn’t looking at anyone in particular. But his words were enough to remind everyone the situation they were in.

“I’m sure she is fine, she is a strong woman, isn’t she?” Ginny said, smiling warmly at him. “I wonder how everyone back at home is doing... Mum must be hysterical,” she added, sighing as well.

Luna lowered her eyes. Hermione realized she was probably worried about her dad... Like Neville, she had only one person in the world and would be lost without them. She thought about her own parents, whom, because of their Muggle status, were probably really confused and scared... However, her thoughts ended up drifting to the very same person she thought about all the time. Harry.

* * *

Harry had indeed been the center of attention that night in the Great Hall. However, he had been wrong about one thing. There was no cheerful mood. In fact, he didn’t remember one time where the mood in the castle was darker than the one of that night. And there had been some times... During the events of the Chamber of Secrets in his second year, after Cedric’s death in his fourth year... But this time, it was different. This time, there was something in the air. And not even the muffled whispers or the sound of plates, forks and goblets could do anything about it. The Sorting Hat had sung a suitable song, repeating his advice of the previous year, but also predicting worse times would come. Harry hadn’t even been able to feel happy when Dumbledore had announced Lupin’s return as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I heard the Ministry protested... Fudge had a meeting with Dumbledore... He accused him of ignoring the opinion of the Minister... But of course, Dumbledore got his way. No one is going to contradict him at a time like this. That’s what my Aunt told us, Harry had heard Susan Bones telling Hannah Abbot in a hushed voice before they parted for their respective common rooms. He knew that Dumbledore wanted to have only people he could trust fully in the school... And he also suspected that professor Lupin wanted to be close to Harry. He appreciated his concern, and he felt some sort of relief to have someone like him as his teacher.

Dumbledore had mentioned them. He had said their names and houses. Ronald Weasley, Gryffindor. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor. Virginia Weasley, Gryffindor. Neville Longbottom, Gryffindor. Luna Lovegood, Ravenclaw. Missing. Of course, everyone knew already, it had been on the cover of the Daily Prophet. Harry had lowered his head, but he had still felt every eye on him. Lavender had whispered something to Parvati, and Dean had patted his shoulder. His Gryffindor companions were very affected too. After all, four of them were in Voldemort’s hands. Harry had gazed briefly at the Ravenclaw table to see if there was some reaction to the name of Luna. Her words were still fresh in his mind... They hid her things... They called her Loony... He caught a glimpse of Cho sitting beside Michael Corner. Both of them looked as gloomy as everyone else.

The Slytherin table was the only one which didn’t look that depressed. Still, Harry had to admit that for common Slytherin standards, they were acting very decent. They were quiet and serious. He looked at Nott, Crabbe and Goyle, to see if there was a reaction from them; after all, their fathers were Death Eaters. None of them was doing anything unusual. Malfoy himself was eating in silence beside Pansy Parkinson, who was whispering with one of her friends and looking at the Gryffindor table every once in a while. Harry didn’t understand why Dumbledore let those people come back to school. What if they were spying for their parents? What if they were there only to ruin everything? He had asked Dumbledore in the morning, after he told him that Draco Malfoy was certainly coming back to school this year. We can’t judge people because of their bloodline Harry. You should know that better than anyone else, he had said. Harry had just stared him in disbelief. Was Dumbledore that naive to think Malfoy could be a nice person after all?

“Harry.”

Harry jumped and turned around. Beside him was Seamus Finnigan. Harry hadn’t even realized he had reached the Fat Lady.

“Hi Seamus,” Harry said. Hadn’t he already said hi back in the Great Hall?

“Have faith.”

Harry looked at him in surprise. “What?”

“That’s the new password,” Seamus said, pointing at the Fat Lady that had opened to let them go in.

“Oh,” Harry said. It was the strangest password he had ever heard in Hogwarts. “How do you know?”

Seamus looked a little uncomfortable. “I’m um... A Prefect.”

“What?”

“Just until... Ron comes back” Seamus said, avoiding his eyes. “McGonagall asked Parvati and me to take this position just yesterday... Sixth year Gryffindor had no prefects...” he trailed off and looked at Harry to see his reaction.

Harry just nodded and suddenly felt the urge to go to his bed, close the curtains and shelter himself from that look of pity he was receiving from everyone. They should be feeling sorry for them, not for me... I’m tired of being the one everyone is always caring about...

* * *

Only very few Death Eaters had been summoned for this particular meeting. Voldemort had chosen them carefully and each one of them was very proud to be there. They were forming a circle around their Master, all with their heads lowered in a sign of respect and submission.

“Dumbledore has done a very good job with the boy, I’ll have to admit that. But I can still feel him, feel that he is worried about his little friends. He is getting weaker... My plan is going better than I expected.”

One of the Death Eaters bowed and spoke up. “Master, what shall we do about the prisioners?”

“Tomorrow night, I want you to gather all my Death Eaters. We are going to have a feast!”

“A feast, My Lord?”

“Yes! Tomorrow, in front of everyone, I will obtain the rest of the prophecy and we will celebrate the end of Harry Potter’s friends.”

Whispers of excitement filled the room.

“My Lord, shall I free those who are in Azkaban?”

Voldemort turned to the shortest of the Death Eaters with a smirk. “That’s not a job for you, Wormtail. You might end up committing one of you usual mistakes.” Wormtail’s face was covered by his hood, so no one was able to see his expression. “Bellatrix,” Voldemort said turning to the Death Eater at his right. “I’ll leave this to you. You better not disappoint me again.”

Bellatrix bowed. “I won’t, Master.”

“Take Goyle and two more of your choice with you. Get ready to do it tomorrow. Now, you may leave.”

“But Master, the feast…” started Bellatrix, slightly disappointed. She would like to stay and watch the little Mudblood being tortured...

“Are you questioning my orders?”

“No Master,” she said hastily. As she bowed her head again, she saw the face of Wormtail smirking at her. How much she would enjoy getting back at the little rat. She would make sure to regain her place as her Master’s right hand. Oh, yes she would.

The group bowed again and left the room... One of them, however, broke from the group and kept on walking till he reached a room, in which he entered, closing the door. Inside there was a fireplace. He took a bit of floo powder from his pocket and stepped inside the fireplace, whispering an address. He was surrounded by a green flame and disappeared.

* * *

Harry was at Dumbledore office, practicing Occlumency with him. This was the third class they had – Dumbledore had insisted it was better to do it every day and not only twice a week. He had to learn to shut his mind as soon as possible. Harry noticed a very slight progress, but it wasn’t as good as he would have wanted. He just couldn’t shut his mind; he couldn’t get a hold of his emotions. It had been hard practicing with Snape because of their mutual hatred, but he found that it was even harder to do it with Dumbledore... It was probably because he knew the Headmaster had so much faith in him that he was too afraid to let him down... That and something else. Harry had the feeling that somewhere in his subconscious he was wishing to catch a glimpse of Dumbledore’s mind to see if he found out something about his friend’s whereabouts that the old man wasn’t telling him, and it scared him to think that way. He had the impression that Dumbledore knew that as well, but he had never mentioned anything. Not even about the things he managed to see in Harry’s mind either.

“You need to focus, Harry. Are you ready for one more time?”

“Yes professor, I think so,” Harry said, standing up from the floor and getting ready. He was tired, but he wasn’t ready to give in yet.

“Ready? One...Two...”

Suddenly a knock on the door disturbed their concentration.

“Yes?” Dumbledore said.

“I need to talk to you immediately, professor.”

It was Snape’s voice. Harry froze in the spot. Snape had been gone for four days. Was he with Voldemort? Did he know where his friends were?

“Come in.” Dumbledore turned to Harry and offered him a warm smile. “Harry, I am afraid we will need to continue later.”

The door had opened and Severus Snape had walked in dressed in his usual dark cloak. He glared at Harry.

“Potter.”

“Sna—” Harry started, until he felt the eyes of Dumbledore on him, “I mean, Professor Snape.”

“Please excuse us Harry,” the Headmaster repeated, with a suggestive look.

“Right. Well... Good night.”

Harry closed the door behind him, but he didn’t move. What should he do? He knew he should leave, as Dumbledore had told him. He should head to his room, and get some sleep. Yes, that was the right thing to do. Then why his legs didn’t agree?

He knows. Snape knows. He was with Voldemort.

The voice in his head was too loud to make it shut up. Feeling very guilty, Harry looked inside his pockets. He was always carrying one of the extendable ears Fred and George had given him. Maybe it wouldn’t even work. It was Dumbledore’s office after all. It was probably full of charms and protective spells that...

“...the prisoners were telling the truth…”

He could hear Snape’s voice clearly, although with a little interference that made him lose some words. Harry couldn’t believe that the extendable ears would work at all. That had to be a sign. He would only listen if Snape had something to say about his friends, and then he’d leave...

* * *

“Psst Hermione, are you awake??” whispered Ron. Hermione mumbled incoherently and kept sleeping. “Guess not,” he sighed. He hated the night more than anything else, because the cuffs appeared magically around their arms and legs.

“Can’t sleep?”

The voice startled him and he turned around violently to see Luna Lovegood’s big blue eyes staring at him with a dazed expression.

“I apologize, it wasn’t my intention to startle you,” she said.

Ron babbled a few words and then managed to say, “No, I can’t sleep.”

Luna stared at him, not even blinking. Ron shifted uncomfortably under her gaze and racked his brain for something to say to stop the awkward silence.

“These cuffs are killing me, I’m telling you, it’s going to be a while before I ever lift my arms again,” he groaned.

“What about when we go back and you would like to answer a question made by a professor?”

Ron looked at her with a disbelieving smile on his face, not only for asking that silly question - anyone who really knew him would know better - but for being sure that they will go back.

“I was just wondering what is going on... What do you think about this?” he said. He realized it was actually the first time he talked to her more than a few words. And now he had asked something that would probably have her talking for hours. What a git he was.

Luna remained silent for a while, her fingers twirling absently. Ron waited for her answer and couldn’t help but be reminded of Hermione and how she always lost herself in thought when she was trying to figure something out... Then she would throw a few incoherent words at them and leave for the library.

“There might be more than what meets the eye,” Luna said finally.

“Umm... yeah, right,” Ron said, puzzled. Apparently, it was a woman’s thing to give strange answers to simple and forward questions.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“Er...” Ron paused for a moment. Should he tell her what he thought? Ah, what the hell, it was pretty obvious anyway. “Well, I think that You-Know-Who is trying to lure Harry here.”

“That’s what meets the eye,” Luna muttered and her gaze traveled through the cell.

Ron blinked and shrugged. What else could he expect from a conversation with Loony Lovegood?

“Is that all?” Luna asked then, turning to look at him.

“All what?”

“That’s all you’ve thought about?”

“Well no, I’ve also thought that any time some bloody Death Eater will come to finish their job with us... I also think a lot that if I make it out of here, I’ll definitely show Malfoy what’s good. And that bastard house elf too— Why are you laughing?”

Luna shook her head. “You’re really funny, Ronald.”

“I am?” Ron said, replaying what he had just said in his head. He didn’t think he had said anything funny.

“Haven’t you thought about a way to get out of here?” Luna asked when she stopped laughing.

Ron shrugged. “I have, but anything good... I think that if Hermione hasn’t figured out a way, then there’s no way out.”

She stared at him with those intense blue eyes of hers. Maybe it was because of the little light in the cell, but Ron could have sworn she looked more focused than he had ever seen her.

“So you leave all the planning to Hermione Granger?”

“I usually just mess up with my suggestions... What I mean is, I’m not the brainy one; that is Hermione, she is the one with all the answers... Harry is more of the hero type; well you know that already. Ginny, well she looks every day more like—”

“You are very fond of her, aren’t you?”

“Of Ginny? Well yeah, she is my sister after all, and even though I have to say that she does get on my nerves from time to time, always minding my stuff instead of her own…”

“I meant Hermione,” Luna interrupted in a soft voice.

Ron’s ears turned a little red. “Well, yes, she is my best friend after all... I admire her and care for her.”

She smiled and lowered her eyes. “She cares for you a lot too.”

“Yes, she does...” Ron said. “But it’s nowhere close to what she feels for Harry,” he added a little later, in a whisper.

This startled Luna and she looked at him in the face.

“Harry Potter?”

“I don’t know any other Harrys,” he said with a sad smirk. He was staring at the wall in front of him, avoiding eye contact with Luna. “You should read the letters she writes to me during vacation... She’s always asking about Harry... Last year, at the start of the summer, she sent me a letter two parchments long, and all she said was how concerned she was for him. If my memory doesn’t fail me, there were two or three lines at the end that were for me… and actually it was more of an interrogation about how my family was or something like that. She cares more for Harry than she is willing to admit.”

“Ronald…”

“I never thanked you, did I?” Ron said, this time looking at her.

She gave him a quizzical look

“In the Department of Mysteries, I never thanked you for protecting Ginny and well, I guess.. for rescuing me too.”

Luna Lovegood showing a sign of surprised is priceless, Ron thought looking at her expression.

“I only did what I had to... I appreciate Ginny greatly because she is kind to me... I would even dare to call her a friend.” She looked at a sleeping figure of Ginny. “My father always tells me to stand up for what I believe and for those I care about.” A faint blush appeared in her cheeks. She looked at the ceiling with a dreamy expression.

“He cares for her too, you know? And the funny thing is that he doesn’t know that, but he does,” Ron said after a pause.

“Harry Potter cares greatly for his friends. That’s why Hermione is worried... She knows it’s his strength and his greatest flaw at the same time,” Luna said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Luna, why did you go with us to the Ministry? Why risk yourself for someone you didn’t even know?” Ron asked, trying to change a subject that was a little painful for him.

“...I don’t like You-Know-Who.”

Ron laughed softly at her remark. “A lot of people don’t like him, yet they don’t get on thestrals, fly miles to London, go inside the Ministry and fight a bunch of Death Eaters, do they?”

“I’m not like common people.” Ron sniggered. “And I told you before I will stand up for those I care,” she added more softly.

Ron didn’t hear her well, he was yawning now, feeling his eyes heavier. Luna noticed this.

“We should get some sleep; we don’t know what might happen tomorrow.”

He nodded and sighed.

“Luna?”

“Yes, Ronald?”

“Thanks for... caring.”

“...Good night Ronald.”

“Night, Luna.”

* * *

Harry ran through the hallways, his heart beating fast and his breath coming out in loud gasps. He was still shocked from what he had heard in Dumbledore’s office. Calm down, you need to think, he told himself, and stop running. He leaned against a wall, trying to catch his breath. There was only one thing for sure. He needed to act, and fast. He was the only one who could do something about this... He needed answers, and he knew exactly where to find them.

* * *

Draco Malfoy walked slowly through the dark halls of Hogwarts. The night patrols were usually one of the things he enjoyed as a prefect, especially when he found someone to take House points from. This night, however, just like the previous night, he hadn’t seen a soul out of their Common Rooms. Seemed that the students weren’t in the mood to break curfew... They were probably scared that a Death Eater would attack them in the Halls, he thought, rolling his eyes at their stupidity.

Suddenly, he felt someone grabbing his robes and pulling him into an empty classroom. The action was so fast and surprising that he didn’t have time to react. Before he knew it a fist made contact with his face, making him lose his balance and he fell to the floor.

“What the hell...?” Malfoy said, before taking a look at his aggressor. Potter was standing in front of him, looking more furious than he had ever seen him.

Harry didn’t know how he had been able to wait for Malfoy in that classroom. His first impulse had been to hex Malfoy until he had no memory of himself. However, his reason had conquered his rage at the time. If he wanted answers, he would have to leave that for later. So he had hidden there, waiting for him. As soon as he showed up, he hadn’t been able to control himself, though. Harry wasn’t a fighter. In every fist fight he had gotten in, he was always the one being punched by Dudley and his friends. His hand hurt a little, but it had felt good to be able to release some of his frustration on someone he hated so much... Muggle fights felt better than Wizard fights, that was for sure.

Recovering from the surprise, Malfoy stood and picked up his wand, which had fallen to the floor. “I didn’t know you had it in you, Potter,” he said with a smirk. “Did you finally realize that you can’t take me on in a fair fight, Potty?”

“Shut the hell up Malfoy!” Harry hissed, taking his own wand out and gripping it furiously. “I need information and you are going to give it to me.”

“Really. And what kind of information do you want from me?” Malfoy said, passing by Harry and sitting on a desk.

“You know perfectly well what I want! So where are they?”

“Who? Oh do you mean your petty little friends?” he asked in a mocking voice, with a thoughtful expression.

Harry walked to him and pointed his wand to his face. “I don’t have time for your bloody games.”

Malfoy shoved Harry’s wand away with his own. “How should I know? I am not a Seer.” He waited to see Harry’s reaction. He had gotten angrier, if that was possible.

“Look, Malfoy,” Harry said, grabbing him by the collar with violence. He didn’t know where this strength was coming from, he was just a skinny bloke, but right now he didn’t care. “We both know who your father is and who he works for, so stop playing dumb and tell me where they are!!”

“I am not my father, Potter,” Malfoy said trying to get away from his grip.

“You certainly look like him,” Harry said, summoning all his control to stop himself from punching him again.

“You’re getting in deep trouble! I’m a prefect! You’re not only violating curfew, but you are also attacking me for no reason. I’d say that’s around 60 points from Gryffindor and I’m sure that Professor Snape would love to give you a deten—”

Harry pushed Malfoy away, and he fell flat on his butt. Harry ran both hands across his face... He felt so desperate that his knees gave in and he had to sit down. “Malfoy...” he said after taking a deep breath. “Look, I am begging you... where are they? Please, tell me.”

“What? The famous and glorious Potter begging? Now where is a camera when you need one?” Malfoy smirked, dusting off his robes and walking towards the door. His wand was still in his hand, and he kept an eye on Potter just in case he decided to attack him.

“He is going to kill them!” Harry exclaimed when Malfoy had almost reached the door. He stopped walking but didn’t turn around.

“And why would I care about that?” he said. “The world would be a nicer place without the Weasel and the Mudblood.”

Malfoy was ready to be punched by Harry again after this comment, but Harry didn’t move from where he was.

“I should have known there was no point in trying to find some humanity in you,” Harry said, his voice resounding in the empty classroom. “You say you aren’t like your father, but the truth is you are just like him. You are just like all of them.”

Malfoy turned to face him slowly. “You don’t know anything about me, Potter.”

Harry lifted his wand again. “Then prove me wrong.”

Malfoy’s eyes were as cold as ever, and after a moment where they both surveyed each other, he turned around again and opened the door. Harry couldn’t decide if he should stun him right there or just let him leave, when Malfoy spoke again, with his back to Harry.

“Before I came here, I heard Kreacher and my mother saying that they were going to be taken to a cemetery... That is all I know Potter.”

With that he walked out and closed the door.

* * *

Psy_Girl: Hiya! We’re back! Sorry for the late update, but you know Angel-Wing was so into the writting of her new chapter for The Proposal, a fic that she loves so much... *hides from the death glares from Angel-Wing*

Angel-Wing: ...Anyway, we’d like to thank our Beta Reader, Tawny Spitfyre, for her wonderful job with this chapter.

Psy_Girl: Yeah!!! She is the best!!!! And we apologize for the cliffies... but we can’t help it!! It’s sooo much fun!!! Don’t you think, Angel???

Angel-Wing: *whispers* Yes, I do, but don't tell them that, they'll think we're mean on purpose.

Psy_Girl: *grins* Stay tuned for the next chapter... Exciting things coming ahead... And we’ll try to have it soon (er)!

4. Resolutions

Author Notes:

Angel-Wing: We're finally back with another chapter! And an apologize for the long delay; and since we decided that being a team means that we will not point fingers, right Psy???

Psy_Girl: Yup, that is right! We wont say who took the longest to finish this chapter *CoughAngelWingsfaultcough* Nop, not gonna say. =P

Hey a big thanks to our wonderful beta Twany Spitfyre!!! And guys don't forget to review please??? It means a lot to us to know what you think about the story!!! So enjoy!!

Chapter 4 - Reaching Out

The sun began to rise, filling with its warm sunlight the grounds of Hogwarts. It was Saturday, so almost no student was awake at that time.

Except, of course, for Harry Potter.

He was sitting on his bed, a parchment lying over his crossed legs. Both Hedwig and Crookshanks were on the edge of the bed, staring at him impatiently, but he didn't seem to be aware of their presence. Harry twirled the quill in his fingers. He was trying to make a decision, but his thoughts were confused. After days of waiting for information, any information about his friends, now he knew where they were going to be in a couple of hours. The problem was, he didn't know what to do with that news.

One thing was for sure: if something wasn't done, and fast, they would be in mortal danger.

Desperation started to arise in his chest and he did his best to bury it in the depths of his brain. Now more than ever he needed to stay calm, to think with cool head. This time he couldn't make rushed decisions. He had to think about what he was going to do carefully, step by step, think about the consequences, all the possible outcomes of this, and find a practical and reasonable solution to save them without risking anyone's safety.

One choice was telling the Order about what Malfoy had said. After all, Dumbledore already knew that Voldemort was planning to take the Prophecy out of them in front of all his Death Eaters. He just needed to know where it was going to happen... But what if Malfoy was lying? Harry wasn't stupid enough to trust him blindly. He was still surprised that the git had given him that information, but considering Malfoy's history, it wasn't likely that he had decided to help Harry and his friends. What if he was following his mother's, or worse, Voldemort's orders? How could Harry be sure that it wasn't a trick, like the last time? What if it was a decoy, and they would be on a goose chase while his friends were somewhere else in danger?

But then again, what if it was true and he was taking them to that cemetery? What if he dismissed Malfoy's information and it turned out to be true? There were so many questions, and so little time. What could he do? He sighed and his eyes travelled through the room. Seamus and Dean were sound asleep. His eyes fell on Ron's empty bed...

He grabbed the quill tightly and started writing.

* * *

“Hurry up! There is not much cleaning a dirty traitor can do! You will never be able to wash the filth!” Kreacher exclaimed with shrilly voice.

“I am done,” said Luna with her sing-song voice, as if the words of the little house elf were meaningless to her.

Luna started to walk towards the cell. They had all been “asked” to bathe and clean themselves. They could only wonder why they were supposed to do that. Hermione found herself wondering if the time to meet Lord Voldemort had finally come. She wasn't even sure if he had the intention to `take care' of them personally... Whatever the reason, she had the feeling they would know why they had been taken there in first place, and she had shared that hunch in hushed whispers with the rest. No one seemed very at ease.

Kreacher followed Luna through the hallway; he opened the door of the cell, and magically pushed her in, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the floor with a loud thud.

“Hey, be careful you git!!” Ron said through gritted teeth, while Ginny helped Luna to get up. Kreacher just smirked and said in a low voice more to himself more than to them: “Tonight, tonight! Ohh!! My mistress would've been so proud of me now.”

Those words scared Hermione more than anything that had happened since the Death Eaters had showed up at her house. She quickly glanced at the others. They looked confused, except for Luna, who caught her eye and gave her a knowing nod. She was scared too. She knew what it meant.

With a shaky breath, Hermione grabbed the bars of the cell and leaned against them, silently praying. She realized a couple of seconds later that her prayer involved Harry rescuing them and she scolded herself for thinking that way. Harry was safe, and he had to remain that way.

* * *

Harry watched Hedwig fly away and let out a sigh. It was done. He just had to hope they would be able to help him in his plan. He now had a pressing matter at hand. Now that he knew that his friends would be at a cemetery - or at least, that's what he was hoping - he had to find out where exactly that cemetery was...

Hermione always found her answers in the library. Harry couldn't think of any other place to look for the location of that cemetery. He had tried to remember things from that night when he had been taken there... But the only thing he knew for sure was that Voldemort's father's grave was located in there. Nothing else. He barely recollected things from the surroundings of that place. Only the events that had taken place there he remembered vividly and that was something he really didn't want to do now.

He wondered what Dumbledore would do with the information Snape had given him. Dumbledore knew that something was going to happen that night, so he was probably preparing something. But he didn't know where...

“...the prisoners were telling the truth…” Snape had said. Harry didn't know what prisoners he was talking about.

“So now we know for sure what Voldemort wants,” Dumbledore had replied. Harry could picture him sitting behind his desk and looking at Snape above his glasses. “He is going to do it in front of everyone?”

“Yes. He is planning to make a big feast. Tonight. He is completely sure that the children know about the Prophecy... We need to do something, Headmaster.”

“He didn't say where his feast would take place, did he?”

“No, Sir. He said he would summon us when everything was ready.”

“He is being very cautious, indeed. I believe he does not trust his men fully. He once made a mistake that cost him almost everything and he won't do it again. Any information about the children's current whereabouts?”

A pause followed and Harry waited for Snape's answer holding his breath.

“I still think they are at Malfoy's Manor, Sir,” he said slowly and Harry's let out a gasp. He covered his mouth quickly.

“The Ministry raided their house two times and couldn't find anything,” Dumbledore's voice said. “Of course, you and I know that there are ways to hide things when you don't want them to be found.”

“Still, I'm pretty sure the feast won't be there in the same place they have been all this time. The have probably been moved there already.”

“Very well. Severus, try to find whatever information you can about tonight. But be very careful.”

“I will. Sir, about that other issue—”

Suddenly Snape's voice fell silent. For a second, Harry thought that his extendable ear was failing, but then it occurred to him that maybe Dumbledore had found out that he was hearing behind the door, no that could not be right, otherwise he wouldn't have listened to the conversation in the first place. And besides he didn't want to be caught and he had heard enough anyway.

Harry found himself at the library. He had been so wrapped up in his memory of what had happened the night before, he hadn't realized where he was going. He was glad he had heard all that. As he had suspected, Dumbledore had more information than he had shared with him. The thought angered him. If he and Snape had believed Ron and the others were at Malfoy's house, how could they stay there and not do anything?

* * *

Harry hated Hogwart's library. Well, not really. He just hated how big it was, and how difficult it was to find a book when you needed it the most. Hermione always went to the library when she needed information... How come she always seemed to know what book to look for? He had gone through tons of books, and he was already on the brink of complete madness. He had never thought about how many cemeteries there were in England. How could he know which one Voldemort had chosen? The only thing he knew about that place was that it held Voldemort's father. That portkey could have led him anywhere.

Harry sat at the table Hermione always chose, the one in the farthest corner. While sitting there, alone and sourrounded by old and musty books, he realized that he was at her table. There was something that made it inevitable for him to end up thinking about Hermione in that library. Harry looked at the empty seat in front of him, wishing with all his heart that his best friend was there, with her brows furrowed and biting her lip while helping him look for the information. He was sure that if he tried hard enough, he would see her... He would hear her saying `Don't give up, Harry. We still have to look through Places Wizards Choose to Rest for Eternity and Scariest Cemeterys in Wizardring and Muggle Britain.' Harry shook his head. He had to bring her... them back.

Maybe the information was in the Restricted Section, but he couldn't ask a teacher for permission or they would found out what he was up to in the blink of an eye. He had seen Remus Lupin come to the library twice that day and watch him, but Harry had pretended he was just doing his homework for Transfiguration. If the professor had suspected anything, he hadn't let it show.

No, he would have to use his Invisibility Cloak. It would be a hard task, after all it was day time, and there were a few students and Madame Pince around, but he didn't have time to waste. He stood up and walked to the Common Room as fast as he could without looking too suspicious.

As soon as he entered through the portrait hole, he saw Crookshanks nestled in the chair close to the fireplace. It was their place. He noticed that no one sat there... It was as if they knew that was Hermione's, Ron's and his favorite place to hang out in Gryffindor Tower and left the space empty in a sign of respect. Melancholy washed him over and he approached the cat and sat beside him, petting him lightly.

“What do you think Hermione would do now?” Harry asked in a whisper, feeling a little stupid for talking to a cat. He needed her so bad... He needed her help. She would probably know how to find that bloody place, she practically knew the library by heart. Harry had never realized how dependant he had become on Hermione's skills to find all the answers... “How can I find that place without her help?”

He had just finished that sentence when Crookshanks leapt out of his lap and ran to the girls' dormitory. Harry stared at the cat and shook his head. It was definitely a strange animal, but he could understand now why Hermione was so attached to him. Realizing he had lost time, he quickly went to his room and a few minutes later he went back down with his schoolbag, carrying the cloak inside.

He was about to leave, when he heard steps coming from the girls' room and Lavender came down, carrying a book with a green leather cover and Crookshanks.

“Harry, Crookshanks was scratching Hermione's trunk, so I guessed he wanted something... I opened it and he - and this was creepy, I think this cat has been around Hermione too much - he dove into the trunk and dragged up this book and stared at me - you know how enervating his staring gets after a while - so I took the book and he wanted me to follow him downstairs, and now that I see you here I suppose he wanted me to give you this book...” she said without taking a breath.

“Thanks,” Harry said, taking the book and the cat.

“How are you?” Lavender asked.

He sighed. “As good as you might expect me to be.”

“We all miss them.” She looked back to the girls' staircase. “I might not be Hermione's closest friend, but I do care for her; same goes for Ginny, Ron and Neville.” A small silence followed. “They will come back.”

“I know they will,” Harry said in strong voice.

Lavender smiled slightly. “Well, now that I am up, I am going to head down to the Great Hall... Aren't you coming down for breakfast?”

Harry shook his head no, and thankfully, Lavender didn't ask why.

“If Parvati ever gets up could you tell her where I'll be, please?” He nodded, absent-mindedly. “Thanks! See you later Harry!!” She waved goodbye and disappeared through the portrait hole.

Harry looked around the Common Room. There were three first years in a corner, but no one else. He stared at Crookshanks, who had returned to his position in the chair and then at the book, puzzled. The cover said Diary, and in the bottom, there were the letters H.J.G. marked in gold. He hesitated... Should he open it? This was Hermione's. He didn't want to invade her privacy... But why would Crooshanks want him to see it if he was not supposed to read it?

He knew he should be going back to the library, but, as usual, his curiosity got the best of him. He decided to take a look, just to see what the cat was up to. With apprehension, he started reading the first page and found out it was not her diary, but his, as crazy that might sound. Hermione kept a very detailed record of all the “adventures” - if they could be called that - they had gone through each of the years they had spent at Hogwarts.

There were several pages including their investigation about the Philosopher's Stone, Nicholas Flamel (including his biography. She had included the years of his birth and, Harry noticed with a little pity, death, in October 1992), thier suspicions about Snape, a deep description of how they had found it, including Fluffy and the other traps and how they got past them... She had even included notes about the potions, the chess game and the devil's snare behavior.

He flipped the pages and read about their second year; fragments of “Hogwarts, a History” were attached to the diary, where it described the story of Salazar Slytherin and the other founders. There was a lot of information about the basilisk. Harry remembered with a shudder her petrified face and he shut his eyes, trying to erase that memory from his mind. Imagining her petrified was like picturing her dead, and as soon as he thought about that, he felt a knot in his throat. He kept reading, expecting to see something that would grab his attention. Hermione had included how to make the Polyjuice Potion, its effects, it's flavor... He chuckled a little when he saw she had added a very brief description about the Slytherin's Common Room. `Harry and Ron aren't very keen on details,' it said in the end.

Third year... He stopped as soon as he read his Godfather's name on the page. He would read that part later. It was too soon, he couldn't do it yet... He skipped it and reached fourth year. She narrated a lot of things about the Tri-Wizard Tournament, about Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, how Harry had been chosen the fourth champion... There was a brief description of the other three. Harry started reading the one where she described Fleur and could not help to smile while reading her “politically correct” description. He knew she did not think the best of her, but did a good job describing her anyway. Following Fleur's was Viktor Krum's. He felt a pang of curiosity, Hermione hadn't really talked much about Krum since they had gone to the Brawl together... He was about to read, when Crookshanks purred loudly.

“You're right,” Harry said, moving forward in the book. He didn't have time for that now. He flipped through the pages. What could he possibly find there that would help? He was getting too entertained. He had to go back to the library...

He was about to put the book down, when something caught his eye. He stared at it in disbilief and blinked twice just to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

* * *

“You know, I think I have probably grown an inch thanks to these chains,” Ron complained glaring at the chains around his wrists, as if he could melt the metal with his eyes. He reckoned it was only past noon, and he didn't understand why they had been chained so early.

“Well, I wouldn't mind growing an inch or two, I think I am shrinking more than growing taller,” Ginny said, trying to lighten the mood.

“I think you have the right height, not too tall and not too small,” Neville chirped in, with a faint blush.

Ron smirked. “No matter how tall you are Ginny, you will always be a little pain in the--”

“Kreacher is taking too long with our lunch, don't you think?” Hermione interrupted tiredly. She had sense that if Ron ever finished that sentence, Ginny would retort and they would be involved in one of the many Weasley arguments she had had the chance to witness in that cell. She wondered if that was how herself and Ron got... If that's what Harry had to put up with all the time, then she understood him completely.

“Yeah, I am hungry, where is that creep?” Ron growled. He had been expecting Kreacher to come down when the chains appeared, but an hour had passed since then and he was getting impatient.

As if on cue, the doors opened and revealed the house elf followed by several dishes floating in the air. With a snap of his long and thin fingers, a small table appeared and he settled the dishes. Without saying a word he left the cell, and the doors closed again, making the chains disappear.

The five friends stared at the table with their mouths open.

“Oh. My. God!” gasped Ginny, blinking. “This is a feast!!”

“Look at all this food,” Neville said, approaching slowly to the table. There were all types of food and drinks there. If he didn't know better, he'd say this was almost like a smaller Hogwart's meal.

Ron was almost on the verge of tears. “This is the most beautiful thing I have seen since we got here!”

Hermione just stared at the table... This was like... But it couldn't... They wouldn't... Why take so much effort to... She felt a tug of her clothes and turned around to see Luna, looking at the table with an indifferent expression. “You know what this is, don't you?” Hermione asked in a whisper.

“Yes, my father always insisted that I learn about everything... including War Protocol.”

“What do you mean by that??” asked a very frightened Ginny, who had been waiting for Hermione to give her opinion before doing anything. “What does War Protocol mean? Luna? Hermione?”

“It is a custom to give a last good meal to the condemned prisoners,” answered Ron absentmindedly and turned to see the astonished faces of the girls. “Hey, I can read too, you know?” he exclaimed, looking affronted. “After what happened in the Ministry, I went through some of the books my dad had about You-Know-Who and all that so I could help Harry out.”

“So this is our last meal?” whispered Neville in a weak voice.

Hermione's mind was working at top speed. “No, no it isn't Neville, I have an idea!!”

She rushed to the bars and grabbed them forcefully. She fell silent as in deep concentration, as if she was preparing to do something, as if she finally remembered that spell that would save them. Everyone stared at her with their hearts filled with hope, filled with faith, maybe everything would be alright, maybe she would do something, maybe she...

“LET ME OUT OF HERE!! I WANT TO CONFESS!! I WILL TELL EVERYTHING!! YOU HEAR ME!? EVERYTHING!!”

After hearing her screams everyone just stared at her with dumb expressions on their faces.

“Hermione have you gone mental?? What are you doing??” Ginny said, while grabbing Hermione's arm.

She let go of her grip and looked briefly at her friends. “I told you, I have an idea,” she whispered.

“And that idea involves betraying your friends??” Ron asked with a look of evident confusion.

“Sort of. HEY!! DID ANYONE HEAR ME!?”

“Maybe she's trying to do the same she did with Professor Umbridge,” Neville suggested, covering his ears from Hermione's shrilly screams.

A smile was drawn in Hermione's face. She had reached the last part of her plan. “VOLDEMORT” - everyone in the cell flinched - “IS THE BIGGEST PRAT IN THE WORLD!!!” she yelled, marking her words.

A tense silence followed when she shut her mouth. No one dared to say anything or to move for that matter. Hermione was still holding the bars, withe her back turned to them, breathing heavily. It was Ron who moved first, and he walked back to the table and started eating.

“What are you doing, Ron?” asked Neville.

“Well, after what Hermione just shouted, this IS our last meal. So at least I am going to die with my stomach full.”

Hermione finally got away from the bars and turned to look at them with a huge smile on her face. She approached the table and started laughing softly. Everyone stared at her as if she had definitely lost it. Ginny and Neville exchanged worried glances when she actually grabbed Luna's hand and started twirling around the cell, exclaiming “I knew it!”

The image of Hermione Granger dancing around a cell, with her hair sticking up everywhere and grinning madly was something that Ron would have never expected to see. But considering that currently his life was pretty surreal (captured by You-Know-Who, locked in Malfoy's house, guarded by Kreacher, talking to Luna Lovegood... Certainly none of which he would have imagined possible) he didn't wonder about that. He just frowned and voiced what Ginny and Neville were also wanting to ask.

“What exactly did you know? Are you going to tell us or do we have to guess?”

Hermione let Luna go and turned to him. “They can't hear us.”

“Huh?” Ron asked, not understanding anything.

“When Bellatrix broke into my house and I mentioned Voldemort's” - Ron whined loudly and the rest flinched - “name, she went nuts and used the Cruciatus Curse on me,” Hermione explained talking really fast, her face glowing excitedly.

“And your point is?” Ron asked, serving more food in his plate. No matter what Hermione's idea was, he still wasn't going to miss such a feast.

“Ron, you never get anything, do you!” Hermione exclaimed, exasperated.

“Her point is, Ronald,” Luna chirped in, in a calm voice, “that we can talk freely and no one will listen to what we say.”

“We can come up with a plan to escape... Or at least a strategy to fight back so it won't be that easy for them,” Ginny added, grasping Hermione's idea.

Ron looked at the three girls and then exchanged a glance with Neville. “And why did you wait so long to do that?” he asked Hermione. “We could have started planning ages ago!”

“It was too risky... I only did it now because we don't have anything to lose,” Hermione said.

Ron exchanged a glance with Neville and nodded. “Well then, let's eat! We are going to need a lot of strength if we are going to think about a way to get out!”

“Ron, you'll use anything as an excuse to eat,” Ginny said, rolling her eyes and grabbing a plate.

* * *

Harry checked his watch nervously. He still had a little time. He was walking back to the Common Room with Hermione's diary in his right hand along with a black book that read Maps of Britain. He still couldn't believe his luck. Hermione had already done all the work for him. In that green book, she had written everything about Harry's encounter with Voldemort in his fourth year as he had told her and also things she had researched on her own, like the Riddle family. She had probably spent a couple of days looking for the exact place where Voldemort's father was buried, to point exactly where had Harry been taken to. And she had even pointed in the book where to find an exact map.

Now he knew where to go. He just had to get ready for what he was going to encounter there...

“Harry?”

Professor Lupin's voice made him stop dead in his tracks. He turned around and saw the Defense Againts the Dark Arts teacher standing in the hallway, staring at him.

“Hi, professor,” Harry said, trying to hide the title of the book he was holding.

Lupin's eyes stopped only briefly on the two books Harry was holding against his chest. “Studying hard?” he asked, with a smile.

“Yeah... Hystory of Magic essay,” Harry stammered. He didn't want to lie to him, but he couldn't risk himself now.

“It's Saturday, you should take it easy for today.”

“I need to keep my mind occupied,” Harry said hastily. At least he wasn't lying in that.

Lupin nodded. “I was wondering if you'd like to share a cup of tea in my office.”

Harry wanted to say no. He still had a lot to do. However, he couldn't think of a good excuse and he couldn't afford to raise Professor Lupin's suspicions. He was sure that if he felt uneasy about him, he would go to Dumbledore right away and Harry's plan would be over.

So he followed Lupin to his office. He sat down in the chair in front of him, carefully placing Hermione's book over the map book. Lupin served the tea and gave a cup to Harry.

“How have you been?”

“Fine.” Professor Lupin raised an eyebrow. “Well, not exactly, but I'm holding up.”

Lupin took a sip of his tea. “I know you're a strong young man, Harry. But we all need to rely on others every once in a while, you know?”

“I do rely on people,” Harry said. “That's exactly my problem. I can't do anything by myself,” he said, thinking that if he hadn't been for Hermione's book, he would still have no clue what to do.

To his surprise, Lupin smiled at him fondly. “I knew you would say that. You are not aware of how much you've accomplished at your young age, Harry.”

“I don't know why everyone insists on saying that,” Harry said, shaking his head. He remembered when Ron and Hermione had tried to convince him to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts to the students using the same argument.

“Maybe because it's true.”

“It's not. There's nothing special about me. I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for other people. My mother, Professor Dumbledore, Hermione, Ron, Sirius... ”

“A lot of people have helped you on the way, Harry,” Lupin said, leaning forward. “But they wouldn't have been able to do anything if you weren't who you are.”

Harry looked up with a serious expression. “And who am I? I'm just someone who is living a ridiculous situation, haunted by a Dark Wizard who has killed his parents, his godfather and now is planning to do the same with his friends and all because of a bloody p—” he stopped abruptly. Lupin didn't know about the prophecy, did he? He wasn't ready to share it with anyone yet.

“And all because of what, Harry?” Lupin asked, staring at him intently.

“All because of a bloody... part of my face... you know, my s-scar,” Harry blurted, thinking fast. This was taking too long, he feared that if he continued talking to him, Lupin would see right through him. “Look professor, I really appreciate your concern, but I don't feel too well, I think I need to go...”

Harry got up from the chair and went to the door, quickly. Before he could leave, he was stopped by Lupin's voice.

“I know you don't trust me still, well at least not like you trusted Sirius...” Lupin cleared his throat and Harry turned around to look at him. “Tell me the truth, Harry. What is going on?”

Harry felt a lump in his throat. He did trust Lupin. After all, he was the only link to his parents - of course he couldn't think that of the Dursleys. But he couldn't tell him about this. Not yet, at least. He still needed to understand himself what the Prophecy meant... And certainly he couldn't tell him what he was about to do, because he knew Lupin wouldn't allow him.

“I do trust you, Professor,” Harry said, slowly. “But 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.” He didn't add If I'm still alive by then.

Harry lowered his head, not able to meet the gaze of his professor, his friend, and turned to open the door once again. Suddenly, he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders and he looked up.

“I will be waiting right here then... Until you are ready,” Lupin said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Harry whispered.

Lupin watched Harry leave his office with a strange feeling in his heart. He felt more connected to Harry and now he was sure that Harry was planning something. He should have known it was too strange for him to stay so quiet with all that was going on.

* * *

Harry had everything ready; his broom, his cloak, and his wand, along with the wands of his friends, which had conveniently been put in their trunks when they had sent their things to Hogwarts. He had needed Crookshanks' help to fetch Ginny and Hermione's wands and he was still wondering how the cat had managed to get into the Ravenclaw Common Room to look for Luna's.

It was dinner time and the Common Room was deserted. He had taken a big risk there, he hadn't been sure if every Gryffindor student would go down to the Great Hall at that time, but it was the only chance he had. He was sitting in front of the fireplace, covering the view with his body in case anyone came through the portrait hole early. At his side was a big package Hedwig had brought. The snowy owl was on his shoulder, waiting with him.

At the right time, a noise was heard, and Harry was staring at the twins' heads through the fireplace.

“Coast clear?” George asked, peering into the Common Room.

Harry nodded. “Hedwig just came back with everything. Thanks.”

“Good. Now, where are we going to meet?” Fred asked.

“Meet?” Harry asked, confused.

“Yes, meet. We can't Apparate in Hogwart's grounds; we'll have to meet somewhere else to go all together.”

“Whoa, hold on,” Harry said. “I never said that I would go with you. I'm going alone.”

George snorted. “Alone? To a place full of Death Eaters? You know, I'm not so sure that the people in the Daily Prophet were wrong when they said you had something wrong with your head...”

“I won't risk anyone else,” Harry said vehemently.

“Bloody hell, don't be so stubborn!” Fred exclaimed. “It's our brother and sister there... And Hermione is our friend too.”

“I know, but I need you to stay here and tell the Order where I went...”

“Why not leave them a message?” Fred suggested.

Harry sighed, exasperated. He had already explained that in the letter he had sent them that morning. “I told you. The information about the cemetery came from Malfoy. There's a big chance that is only a lie. I need to go there and check. If you don't hear from me in an hour, you have to tell everything to the Order.”

“Right, so you are going to be there on your own for an hour. I'm sure the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who will wait until the Order arrives to kill you, Harry,” George said sarcastically.

“Do you think I'm stupid enough to try to take them by myself, George?” Harry glared at him. “I know what I'm doing. It's safer this way. If I go by myself, I'll draw less attention. Trust me, okay? I just need one hour.”

The twins exchanged a look. “Fine,” Fred said, finally. “Be careful.”

“I will. I'll be at the Little Hangleton Cemetery. I'm sure Dumbledore will know how to get there. There's a map in a book in my bedroom. Wish me luck.”

* * *

Somehow, he had done it. He had been able to avoid suspicions and got everything ready. Harry was now walking out of the castle, with his Firebolt in one hand, the map he had found in the other, and covered by the Invisibility Cloak. It was dark already, and he hoped he would have enought time to get to the cemetery.

He figured it would be safer to leave the grounds of the castle on foot and then fly from the forbidden forest in case anyone was looking through the windows.

Someone was watching him walk towards the forest from the Tower. He couldn't see his body, but he knew he was there. Another figure approached and stood by his side.

“Headmaster, do you think it is safe to let him go by himself?” asked Remus Lupin.

“Safe? No, it is not safe, but it is necessary.” The headmaster turned to face Lupin. “You see, Harry needs his confidence back. When we found out about the disappearances of his friends, I was afraid for him, afraid that Voldemort had weakened his spirit too much. But again, I underestimated our Harry.” As he said these words he turned to the window once again. “He needs to do this on his own.”

“So are we going to let him face Voldemort??” Lupin asked, with an angry tone. He had suspected something was wrong today, with Harry acting too normal and spending time at the library... He might have fooled everyone else, but he could not fool the last of the Marauders. He knew too well of tricks and hiding the truth. He had gone with these suspicions to Dumbledore. But as usual, the Headmaster of Hogwarts had been one step ahead of everyone.

“No, he is not ready yet,” Dumbledore answered, looking at Lupin and putting a soothing hand on his shoulder. “And Harry knows that. I am sure he has a back up plan, we must trust his judgement.”

“But he is alone, he might need some help...” Lupin protested.

Dumbledore smiled slightly. “He is never alone, Remus. Don't worry, we will be there, he just needs a little time.”

* * *

Harry had reached the edge of the forest and couldn't help but feeling that he was being observed. He turned around on more than one ocassion, but he saw no one. If Ron was here he would probably say that I have been around Moody too long, he thought with a smile. But, still, he did not let his guard down.

He took out the diary, as well as the compass Hermione had given him along with that Quidditch Set on his thirteenth birthday. You are not even here Hermione and once again you're helping me out.

He mounted the Firebolt and took off. As he felt the cold air on his face, only one thought crossed his mind: Wait for me guys, I wont let you down.

5. Here Without You

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!

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6. Harry Potter Strikes Back

Author Notes: Hello again! We are back with another chapter... We think you have been waiting for this. Yes, you guessed: the action-filled chapter! But taking in consideration that a) this is not an action fic, and b) we are not that good at writing action (in fact, Psy_Girl couldn't stop imagining Harry wearing a red bandana and Army pants in some Rambo fashion *shudders*) be gentle with us. (And don't forget to review! Even if it's to say that you'd rather have Harry Stallone!)

Thanks muchly to Another for his Beta Work!

Oh, and the name of this chapter goes to all the Star Wars fans, like us.

Chapter 06 - Harry Potter Strikes Back

Harry landed with certain distance from the cemetery, so as to avoid any charms that might have been set as an alarm. He hid behind some bushes and pulled the Invisibility Cloak out. He had no idea how he had gotten there so fast; it had seemed like a really long flight.

He scanned the surroundings carefully. There wasn't much to see. Just trees and bad land. He knew a town was really close - he had flown above it. He doubted that people from that town visited the cemetery often though...at least the time he had been there it didn't look like the place was been taken care of.

He opened his bag and checked its contents. He would set everything and then approach to the cemetery to catch a glimpse of what was going on. Harry hadn't had much time to plan what he was going to do, and frankly he would be lying if he said he wasn't scared. But the thought that he might be seeing his friends soon was enough to banish that feeling. Whatever happened, he had to make sure they would be safe at least until the Order arrived.

In his mind, the voice of reason kept repeating how reckless he was being. Going there alone, with absolutely no idea what could be waiting for him, to the place where Voldemort and his Death Eaters would be.... It was like making the job far easier for them. But he didn't allow himself to think about that.

However, one question remained. Was that night the one where the Prophecy would be fulfilled? He knew he wasn't ready for that. For one, he hadn't even accepted it completely yet. He didn't even know how to kill -the mere word sent shivers down his spine- Voldemort. A simple Avada Kedavra wasn't going to work on him, not that Harry knew how to cast that spell in the first place.

But what if it happened the other way around? What if Voldemort killed him?

Stop thinking about that now. You must focus on this first.

He needed to be really careful from now on, he couldn't let his guard down. He tried to put in practice everything that had learned so far. His senses had to be sharp... He needed to be prepared for anything. He strained his ears to hear any strange sound and narrowed his eyes. It was the time to get closer to the cemetery and—

“Harry-”

“Ahh!!!” Harry exclaimed in a not-so-precautious manner, and turned around with his wand in his hand, ready to defend himself.

“Whoa, mate! Slow down! It's just me, Fred!”

“Fred!?” Harry whispered, with widened eyes. “What in Merlin's name are you doing here?! I told you not to come!”

Fred looked at him, his face serious. “In all this time you've known us Harry, really, how many times did you see us actually doing what were told? You know me better than that! We couldn't stay around just waiting while you were here by yourself. So George and I had a quick arrangement and decided I would come and he would stay to let Dumbledore know.”

Despite himself, Harry couldn't help but feeling a wave of relief. He didn't want anyone else to be in danger, but he had to admit he felt a little more at ease with someone else there. He didn't let him know that, though, and just sighed. “Okay, I guess there's no point in arguing with you.”

Fred grinned. “So, are we moving closer? I can't see anything from here.”

Harry nodded. “Just be careful, alright?”

“Hey, careful is my middle name,” Fred said, winking.

Harry snorted softly at that and grabbed his bag. Fred was carrying a similar one and started walking towards the cemetery, but Harry stopped him.

“Wait,” he whispered and pulled out his Invisibility Cloak. “We should better use this.”

Fred stared at the Cloak with wide eyes. “Is that a--” Harry nodded, and motioned him to come closer. “Geez Harry, how come you never told us you had one? It would have been so useful! George and I often wondered how you managed to sneak out all the time... How did you get it?”

“It was my father's,” Harry replied, not offering more information. He covered Fred and himself and they started walking towards the cemetery, with an anxious tingle in their stomachs.

* * *

Hermione knew that Malfoy's house must be big, but she hadn't expected it to be this large. She felt as if they had been walking forever through those cold and dark corridors. She was looking desperately around to find something, anything that could help them to get away. But the hallways were narrow and there was no way they could have escaped with one Death Eater walking ahead of them and two in the back, pointing their wands at them to make sure they didn't try anything.

And even if they managed to escape... Where would they go? They were trapped inside Malfoy's dungeons. More Death Eaters would find them before they could find an exit.

The three Death Eaters that were taking them to wherever they were going hadn't muttered a single word to them. Hermione couldn't see their faces, because they were using dark hoods. She wondered why so much secrecy. They had seen Kreacher and Malfoy already. They hadn't been this careful about their identities when they had been at the Department of Mysteries. She betted that at that time they didn't think a bunch of fifteen year olds would make it out alive. But now... They had even less chances to get away from this, she though bitterly. Without their wands, weak after days of concealment, what could they possibly do against these people?

Hearing Ron's quick breathing behind her, she figured he was thinking the same. As much as they'd tried to keep the hope alive, in the back of her mind she knew their situation was really bad. They were completely helpless. Their only chance was the Order of the Phoenix. But if they hadn't come in all these days, why would they appear today?

Finally, they reached a door. It was large and black and Hermione couldn't help but shudder when the Death Eater in the front opened it with a loud noise. It led to an empty room. The Death Eaters motioned them to come inside and form a circle. One of them took a dirty bottle out of his dark robes and extended his arm for everyone to grab it.

“A portkey?” muttered Ginny in Hermione's ear.

“Where are you taking us?” Ron demanded, his ears very red.

The Death Eater didn't reply but pointed his wand at Ron in an aggressive manner. The tall redhead grumbled and placed a finger on the portkey.

The last thing Hermione saw before everything started to twirl was the glowing Dark Mark in one of the Death Eaters forearms.

* * *

“I can't see anything,” muttered Fred.

Harry shushed him with a gesture and kept scanning the surroundings. He could see the solitary graves, but nothing else. The wind was blowing harder and he had to tighten his hold of the Invisibility Cloak that was still covering them.

Being back in that place made him remember everything that had happened that night in a very vivid manner. If he concentrated hard enough, he was sure he'd be able to see Cedric's body, his own body tied to Riddle's grave and Wormtail in front of a big Cauldron. He shut his eyes for a second. There was no need to think about that now. He needed to find his friends.

“Harry, are you sure this is the place?” Fred asked again in a whisper.

“Yes,” Harry answered, although he wasn't. He had just followed a hunch and now for the first time he considered he might have been wrong.

“Are you sure that this isn't a trick from the ferret?”

Harry glared at Fred. “If you have a problem, you can leave. I can stay here by myself.”

Fred shook his head. “I'm sorry. It's just that, well, that Malfoy isn't worthy of trust.”

“I know that. That's why I came here alone instead of telling the Order right away. I needed to make sure he was telling the truth.”

“Call me crazy, but you look really sure that they'll be here,” Fred said, and then kept looking around.

Harry didn't answer this time. He wanted to be sure...he wanted them to be there more than anything.

* * *

The bite of cold air was the first thing that made Hermione realize they must be outside. She opened her eyes and was violently pulled up by a pair of hands. She saw the rest of her friends being treated the same way. There was a new Death Eater pointing his wand at them.

“Walk,” he growled as he gripped Hermione by the arms. The grip was hurting her, but she didn't complain. Another Death Eater grabbed Ron by the neck, while a third one took care of Neville. The fourth Death Eater - the one that had been leading them - took hold of both Ginny and Luna. The wizard that had spoken started walking ahead, never losing his grip on Hermione and just motioned her to walk, his wand lifted to illuminate the place where they were.

All Hermione could see were trees and uncultivated land. It wasn't exactly a forest, because she could see the sky clearly. She calculated their possibilities hastily. If they manage to escape now, they could use the trees to their advantage to protect themselves from the curses. If they were lucky, they would find a way to contact Hogwarts....

Yes, their plan could work. They had nothing to lose. Hermione had explained back in the cell that, if they had kept them there for so long, they had to need them for something. There was a big chance that the Death Eaters wouldn't hurt them until they got what they wanted. She took a deep breath and muttered a short, silent prayer for what she was about to do.

With a loud shriek, Hermione stomped on the Death Eater's foot. She caught him by surprise and he groaned, loosening the grip for a second and with all her might she kicked him hard in a not very lady-like way making him fall to the ground. As she turned, she saw the rest of her friends were following her example. With the surprise factor on their side, Neville had knocked down easily the Death Eater, while Ron kept punching the other one, more as a tension-relief than a survival thing. “This is for attacking at dinner time!”, “This is for leaving us in a cell!” “And this is just because I enjoy punching you”. Finally, he dropped the now very unconscious and bruised Death Eater to the ground. “Oh, that felt real good, not as good as punching Malfoy, but good.” Hermione couldn't help to smile at him.

Meanwhile, Luna and Ginny managed to free themselves from their Death Eater and Neville gave a good punch to the one Hermione had kicked to finish the job. Seeing their captors on the floor gave them some sort of relief and Hermione took a deep breath thinking to herself the first part was done. Now, the second stage: getting back home.

“What do we do now, Hermione?” asked Neville.

“We need to get out of here before...” She didn't get to finish as they heard a cold laughter. It gave them the chills just to hear it. They didn't know where it was coming.

“Run!” yelled Hermione, racing to where the trees seemed bigger.

“DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!” someone yelled and she saw the red light of a Stunning curse pass by her.

She could hear a lot of noises. She turned her head to see Ron grabbing Ginny by the hand and running in a different direction from her. The Death Eaters were firing curses but they had scattered and it was difficult for them to hit. Hermione kept running with a small smile, it had actually worked! All they had to do was get further in the land and they would manage to lose them.

She turned her head again to make sure that no one had been hit. Apparently not, for the Death Eaters were running in the different directions. One was running to hers...if she was quick, he wouldn't be able to reach her—

Thud!

Hermione crashed against something and fell backwards. It took her a second to realize it wasn't something, but someone. A dark cloak was covering a tall figure. Hermione froze with her mouth slightly open. It was as if she had lost all her ability to move. She looked at the person in front of him and struggled to stand up, but she stopped again when she saw a wand pointed directly at her.

“Very clever, but I'm afraid that it won't be so easy,” a voice spoke from behind of the cloak.

Hermione felt a cold shiver running though her back when she saw the man pulling the hood. She looked into the pair of red eyes and she realized who it was.

She was looking, for the first time in her life, at Lord Voldemort.

* * *

“Did you hear that?” Harry whispered.

Fred nodded. They had heard a scream. Faintly, but he was sure that's what it was. He exchanged a look with Harry and they waited for another sound. They heard another voice yelling and then nothing.

“Do you think it's them?” Fred asked.

“What else could it be?” Harry said and grabbed his wand. “Let's go.”

“Where?” Despite his question, Fred stood up immediately, grabbing his bag.

“Let's move closer. They must be in the other side of the cemetery. Come on!” he urged the twin and they walked at top speed trying their best to do as less noise as possible.

* * *

Ron had seen Hermione fall and he had told Ginny to keep running while he went back. He couldn't leave her like that. But Ginny had insisted in going with him. Those two seconds of discussion had costed them being caught by a Death Eater that had came out of nowhere. They were roughly led to where Hermione was now standing. Ron looked at the man who was standing in front of her and gaped. Was that... Was that... Ginny's small whimper gave him the answer he was looking for.

A second later, another Death Eater was carrying Luna, who was still struggling to shove him off. She too stopped moving when she saw the tall man in front of them and stood beside Ron with her eyes wide opened.

Neville came last, and Ron was surprised to see him coming on his own accord. A Death Eater ran to him and made sure he stood beside Luna.

“I couldn't leave you all alone,” Neville whispered and he didn't say anymore. He was shivering, more from the fear than from the cold.

Hermione was breathing in short gasps. She was tired from the run, but she was more shocked than anything. She had seen Voldemort in her dreams so many times since she had met Harry, that seeing him in front of her now was as if her worst nightmare had come true. Thinking about it, that was exactly what had happened.

All thoughts of running away had been vanished from her mind. She wouldn't have been able to move even if she wanted to.

“I am Lord Voldemort.”

The declaration came in a loud, high-pitched voice. They all knew it already, but hearing it like that made the situation an unavoidable reality. None of them spoke. Just a silence followed the infamous Dark Lord's words.

“My oh my, they don't teach good manners anymore in Hogwarts, do they?” Silence. “Very well I will teach you. When someone introduces himself, it's good to introduce yourself back. Understood?”

Silence again. Hermione realized with a strange jolt that the silence that had started because of fear was now their way to defy him, to show him that, no matter what he did or who he was, they wouldn't surrender in front oh him. She felt a little pride of her friends and of herself.

“Crucio!”

Hermione felt again the insufferable pain she had experienced at her house the night she had been taken away. The curse had hit everyone, but it lasted shortly. It was just a reminder of whom they were facing.

“When you're asked a question you will answer it, do you understand?” screamed someone, and Hermione knew she had heard that voice before. Looking up, she found Peter Pettigrew looking at them from behind his hood.

“Yes,” they all answered back, reluctantly.

“Good,” Voldemort said. He turned to the Death Eaters that had been carrying them when they had escaped. “Do you have a decent explanation for this shame? Beaten by a bunch of kids once again? A bunch of kids without wands? Fighting like Muggles?

The four Death Eaters moved closer, with their heads hanging. One of them opened his mouth. “We are really sorry, Master,” he stuttered, bowing clumsily. “They caught us off ward. And you said the scum shouldn't be hurt--”

With a wave of his wand, Voldemort shot a green light to him that made him drop dead in the second. Ginny gasped and covered her eyes. Hermione felt her eyes stinging from the tears but she held them back.

“I will not allow any more incompetence, is that clear?” Voldemort asked, looking at the group of Death Eaters, all covered with hoods, around them. Hermione hadn't even noticed when they had arrived, but now they were completely surrounded.

Voldemort turned to the prisoners once again. “I will start with you,” he said, looking at Neville. “Who are you?” he asked, with a cold smile, as if he was just trying to start a polite conversation.

Neville gulped. Voldemort narrowed his eyes. “N-Neville Longbottom,” he croaked finally.

“Longbottom, you say?” Voldemort commented. Hermione looked at his expression. He seemed interested. Had he remembered the Longbottoms had been tortured by the Lestranges?

Neville nodded slowly, looking more terrified than any of them had ever seen him.

“Bellatrix took good care of your mending parents,” Voldemort said, peering at Neville more carefully. “Ah, this proves that children never learn.” A silence followed this statement. “How long have you known Harry Potter?”

“S-six years.” Voldemort raised an eyebrow. “W-we m-met at-t Hog-hog-warts.”

“That will do for now,” the Dark Lord said and turned to Luna. “And who might you be?

Luna didn't answer, and had once again that distracted air around her that made Voldemort angrier.... He asked again, and when no answer came from her, Wormtail stepped forward and slapped her hard on the face. “When our Lord asks you a question, you must answer!” he cried.

“Don't hurt her!” yelled Ron, and before he could jump on Wormtail's throat in a very impulsive reaction, another Death Eater grabbed him and hit him hard on the stomach, which made him fall to the floor. Hermione covered her mouth with one hand.

“I'm Luna Lovegood!” almost screamed Luna, trying to bring back the attention to her so they would leave Ron alone.

Voldemort turned to her, the cold smile on his lips again. “I see. So, Miss Lovegood, tell me, were you at the Department of Mysteries too last June?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Luna held his gaze for a second. “I've always wanted to see what kind of creatures the Ministry keeps hidden in there,” she answered simply.

Voldemort looked at her for a while longer and then moved to Ginny, which was in the verge of tears tugging at Luna's arm.

“Who are you, little girl?”

“I'm - I'm Ginny Weasley,” she said in a soft voice, avoiding the red eyes that widened when he heard that name.

“You are Ginny Weasley,” Voldemort repeated, his smile growing wider. “I think we've met before, haven't we. Of course, you didn't meet exactly me, but a memory of myself....” Ginny didn't answer. “Funny that after being a close friend with Tom Riddle you are now attached to Harry Potter.”

Voldemort then moved to Ron, who was pulled up by the Death Eaters that had hit him, and slowly motioned for Hermione to get closer.

“Are these two the ones you told me about, Wormtail?”

“Yes, my Lord. These are Harry Potter's closest friends.”

“You are obviously a Weasley too,” Voldemort said, waving his wand casually in front of Ron's face. “That was a very stupid thing you did before, but you seem to have guts. No wonder Harry Potter considers you a friend. What is your name, boy?”

Ron was glaring at him. He didn't know where this courage was coming from, but he wanted to remain quiet and not give him the satisfaction of an answer. However, one glance at the rest, especially at Ginny, whose eyes were silently pleading for him not to act so recklessly, made his resolution dissolve.

“Ron, I'm Ronald Weasley.” He could hardly believe he was standing in front of the person he had grown up fearing.

“Wormtail tells me that you are his best friend, is that true?”

Ron glared at Wormtail before answering. “Yes, I am.”

“You know, my dear Nagini found the blood of your father very tasteful and is looking forward to savor a Weasley's blood again,” Voldemort said, smiling at Ron's look of anger. He then turned to Hermione, who moved closer to Ron. “And you...you must be the mudblood. Bellatrix told me about you. So you are not afraid to say my name, are you?”

“The fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself,” Hermione said, quoting a sentence she had heard more than once coming from Dumbledore's mouth.

Voldemort glared at her with his red eyes glowing. “Very well. I will show you how to be afraid of it then.” He turned to Ron once more. “So you two are his dearest friends. How close, I wonder? Enough to die for him?”

He took two steps back and started laughing. A cold, creepy laugh that startled the prisoners and made the Death Eaters wibble in their positions.

“This is it?!? Five little children?! Five children defeated my Death Eaters?” He looked at his minions gathered there and turned to look at the three girls.

“Potter does not have a very nice taste in women,” he commented going from one to other. “A poor disgrace to the Pureblood race such as a Weasley, a lunatic and, worst of all, a Mudblood!”

Hermione bit her lip to keep it from trembling when Voldemort came up to her and whispered in her ear. “You must have a great talent for him to use you. But don't worry, I will find that talent, be sure of it.”

She stayed still, trying her best not to seem affected. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to remain calm. There was a little voice in the back of her head screaming desperately. You'll never get out. You are trapped. This is it. There's no escape. You are lost. You won't be able to say goodbye….

She stole a glance at Ron, wondering what he was feeling. Ron was standing very straight, his mouth forming a thin line.... He wasn't shuddering and his face wasn't contorted in a scared expression, but his eyes betrayed him. His eyes were frightened. She supposed he was much more afraid of Voldemort than she was. Since he had been born, he had known he had to fear him. Fear his name. But to Ron, until very recently, Voldemort had been practically a legend.

With a wave of his wand, Voldemort made a long table appear on top of a small stage. Another wave, and many goblets appeared on the table. Voldemort walked to the stage and motioned his Death Eaters to bring the kids closer.

As they all stood very close to each other, feeling the stares of Merlin knows how many Death Eaters on them, they looked up at Voldemort. He raised his voice so everyone could hear him now.

“Fifteen years ago, our dream came to an abrupt end...” A pause. There was a faint muttering before Voldemort spoke again. “But now, this glorious night, we are one step closer to achieve our deserved victory!!” He looked at each one of his Death Eaters. They were all staring at him in silence. Hermione wished she could see their faces. To know who else was there. Maybe, if they survived, that information would be useful to the Order...

“As you all know,” continued Voldemort, this time a less content expression in his face, “a few months ago, my plans were thwarted again by Harry Potter. But the time has come when I will destroy him forever! In the final confrontation it will be me the one who survives.”

“What's he talking about?” whispered Ron from the corner of his mouth. Hermione shook her head slightly.

Voldemort lowered his head to look at his hostages. “A prophecy foretold the fate of him and I....”

* * *

“What's he talking about, Harry?” Fred asked. Both of them were hiding a little afar from where the Death Eaters were, but close enough to listen to what was going on. If they moved a little to the right they would be able to see clearly what was happening, but they could be seen in the spot and that would ruin everything.

“It's not important—” Harry replied immediately. “What's important is that he's buying us time. His speeches don't tend to be very long and something bad happens afterwards, so we better start moving on with the plan.”

Harry's heart was beating madly... He realized his suspicions had been right. Voldemort thought that his friends knew about the Prophecy. He was going to make them tell him. But they didn't know anything. How long would it take for Voldemort to realize that? What will he do then? Harry wasn't sure, but he certainly knew that he wouldn't let them go home.

He realized Fred was still looking curiously at him. “Got everything we need?” Harry asked.

“Right here, mate.”

“You know what to do?

“Yup, they won't know what hit them,” Fred said grinning. How he managed to keep a good mood with what was going on was beyond Harry.

“Good,” said Harry. “Remember to wait for my signal. The key is to stay low and unnoticed for as long as we can.”

Fred grabbed his things and before he stood up, he whispered into Harry's ear “You know, he's not what I imagined him to be... he is way too short.”

Then he got up and went behind the bushes to get everything ready.

Harry took a deep breath and covered himself with the Invisibility Cloak. He hoped that Voldemort's snake wasn't around, and moved to the right to look at the scene unfolding in front of his eyes.

The first thing he saw was Voldemort in some sort of stage, talking to a group of Death Eaters. He counted hastily how many were there... Around 20 or 25. Good, there was still hope. There were other two Death Eaters standing on either side of Voldemort. One of them had a silver hand. Wormtail.

Some of the Death Eaters in the crowd moved and Harry's heart suddenly stop beating... There they were. His friends. He desperately looked at each of them, searching for any trace of injuries... They seemed unharmed so far. He could see Hermione more clearly, since she was standing closer to him. Her eyes were fixed of Voldemort, and they were not showing fear, but loath. Despite the situation, Harry couldn't help but smile. They were alive.

* * *

“I'm going to ask this only once. What does the Prophecy say?”

Neville, Ginny and Luna looked at Ron and Hermione with confusion. Ron shrugged slightly, but Hermione had her eyes on Voldemort.

“We don't know,” she answered.

Voldemort looked at her. “You are lying.”

“No,” Neville said, shaking. “The glass ball broke in the Department of Mysteries before we could see what it had inside.”

“That Prophecy was revealed to Albus Dumbledore sixteen years ago,” Voldemort said, with a bitter smirk. “It's only saved in the Department of Mysteries for future references. Dumbledore knows what it says. He must have told Potter. And Potter told you.”

Hermione inhaled sharply. She had guessed this had something to do with that Prophecy. But if Voldemort was telling the truth and Professor Dumbledore knew what it said, he couldn't have told Harry. Voldemort could sneak in Harry's mind; he'd know what the Prophecy said... Besides, Harry would've told them about it, wouldn't he?

“We don't know about any Prophecy,” Ron said.

“Braver and stronger men than you have tried to fool Lord Voldemort. None of them were successful, young boy,” Voldemort hissed.

“That's why you are so scared of Harry?” Hermione couldn't help asking. Voldemort turned to her with a dangerous look. “Because of a Prophecy?”

Wormtail took one step forward. For a second, Hermione thought he was going to hit her, but Voldemort stopped him.

“I have my ways of knowing the truth,” he whispered and raised his wand.

* * *

Suddenly, everything went quiet. Harry had been too occupied scanning his friends and he hadn't really listened to what Voldemort had said in the end. Before he could ponder about it, a strong light came out of Voldemort's wand and hit his friends, and a burst of shouts broke the silence.

A wave of panic hit him. What was the spell he had used? They hadn't drop dead, so it couldn't be Avada Kedavra... But they seem in pain. Voldemort kept his wand raised while pointing at them, but Harry couldn't see his face clearly.

He couldn't take it anymore. All his caution was thrown out of the window along with the Invisibility Cloak and he jumped, startling the Death Eaters that were nearer. Harry wasn't thinking, just acting. He ran shouting hexes and avoiding the ones that came in his direction. Bad plan, he heard himself muttering, but it was as if his mind and his body were separated. Everyone noticed his presence now... Everyone except Voldemort, who seemed to be in some kind of trance. Harry couldn't see what was going on with his friends, he only heard their screams and that was more than enough to keep him moving.

“Bloody Hell, Harry! What are you doing?!” cursed Fred from his spot, as he rushed to start up with the plan. He had heard the screams and had barely been able to stay where he was, but he was surprised when Harry marched out and threw away their careful planning... Only if by careful planning you meant 10 minutes before combat.

Suddenly fireworks were going off everywhere. They were similar to the one the twins had set free on Hogwarts last year, but these were more aggressive and louder for which confusion seemed to take over the place.

Some Death Eaters were out trying to put some order to this chaos with several spells. Between the shouting, people running and the noise coming from the fireworks, it was impossible to make out what was happening.

Harry was trying to get closer to his friends. He could see them clearly now, and, like Voldemort, they seemed to ignore what was going on around them. Ignoring the painful throb in his scar, he ran to them. Ginny was leaning onto Ron for support, while Luna and Neville where on their knees... The only ones who were still standing were Ron and Hermione, but barely.

He realized what was going on...he was using Legilimency. But on all of them at the same time!?!

“Stupefy!” Harry heard someone shouting, and he turned around to see a Death Eater unconscious on the ground. “Now, aren't you happy I came to watch your back?” Fred said, lowering his wand with a smirk.

“My hero,” said Harry breathless.... He was exhausted, bruised and restless. Behind Fred, more Death Eaters were coming their way, avoiding the fireworks. “Come on, there's no time to lose,” he said, grabbing Fred and throwing him to the ground when more spells were shot in their direction. “This might take a while” he said.

The whole situation was a mess. Harry had to take his friends out of there. He tried to think of something, but the pain he was feeling in his scar made it hard to see. He hoped an hour had passed and the Order would be arriving any minute.

One Death Eater ran pass them, screaming while chased by one of those Dragon fireworks. Fred laughed.

“Ahh George, we are a Hit!!!”

A light blue spell hit him in the arm and Fred fell to the ground craddeling his arm.

“Fred!! Are you ok?” Harry exclaimed, dragging him behind a tombstone that served as a shield against the spells.

Fred winced, but nodded. “I'm fine, Harry. Go, help them!”

“But... you'll be helpless....”

“Me? Are you serious? I can take care of myself, lad. I'm alright, go now!”

“The Order should be informed by now,” Harry said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone and ducked another spell thrown at him. “Petrificus Totalus!” shouted Fred, and another Death Eater fell in front of Harry.

“See?” Fred muttered, and Harry nodded.

He got up and ran towards his friends. They weren't screaming anymore, only whimpering. One of them was muttering something, but he couldn't hear with all the noise that was being made. He saw Luna was now on the floor... She looked unconscious. Ginny and Neville were on the floor as well, but they seemed still awake. He was amazed that Ron was still standing, while Hermione was going down... She fell on one knee, but never lowered her head.

What is he doing to them?

He was close. Just a few more steps and he would be able to reach them... Before he could move forward, something hit him in the back and blew him till he crashed with another tomb. He didn't lose consciousness, but felt as if his body was splitting in too. He had forgotten he was still surrounded by Death Eaters. Where was his Constant Vigilance!? He couldn't think straight... He was losing all coherent thought... .

With a lot of effort, he slowly got up, and saw that at least a dozen Death Eaters were surrounding him. He gripped his wand tightly... His eyes darted to his friends. Neville was lying on the ground. Voldemort had his eyes closed and seemed still deep in concentration while muttering something.

He saw Hermione falling forward followed by Ron.

No! No! I won't lose them!

The Death Eaters were walking slowly towards him, but he barely acknowledged their presence. Someone was screaming.... Ron?

No!!!! No! This is my fault! No! I can't lose them! They haven't done anything wrong!!

The hooded men suddenly stopped their advance when they felt an oddly cold air surrounding them... No, it wasn't the wind. Suddenly it was hard to breathe and the whole environment had changed. They exchanged looks trying to find an explanation. An eerie silence covered the place, except for the cries coming from Ron and Hermione. Fred looked up from behind the tombstone, shivering. It wasn't the kind of coldness that came with the Dementors, though. It was hard to explain, but Fred felt as if the air slowly disappeared. Fred also felt something else, but he couldn't find the words to describe the sensation.

And Harry was just standing in the middle, his head hung low.

One of the Death Eaters pointed his wand at Harry and shot a spell, but it just bounced off, as if there was an invisible shield surrounding him.

Suddenly the cries died out. Harry managed to see through his clouded eyes that all his friends were now lying in the ground, not moving. They looked...dead.

No. No. Nooooooooooo!!!

A huge wave of energy was released, and with a blast, everyone was blown away a couple of feet.

Those who were surrounding Harry flew the farthest. Fred had to embrace the tombstone he was leaning on for support. The explosion of energy had the effect to wake Voldemort out of his trance, and he also was blown back, although he didn't fall like that rest.

“Get him! GET POTTER!” Voldemort roared.

Harry snapped his head and stared confusedly around him. He didn't have much time to ponder about what had happened, and more by instinct than by reasonable thinking, he rushed to his friends. He got to Ron first and started shaking him.

“Ron! Ron, please wake up!” he yelled desperately. He turned to Hermione and shook her shoulders as well. “Hermione!”

He didn't care about the Death Eaters rising to their feet and fetching their wands. He should have thought about Voldemort standing a few feet from him, where he could strike in any minute, but he didn't. All he cared was that his friends were all right.

He heard a small grunt to his left and looked up to see Ginny opening her eyes. She frowned and looked at him, blinking.

“Ha-Harry?” she asked, confusedly. “What happened? Where—”

She didn't have time to finish the sentence when a green shot of light barely missed her. She shrieked and rolled to her side.

Several Death Eaters were moving towards them. Harry stood up in front of his friends with his wand raised to protect them. How was he going to do this? A single shield spell wouldn't do. And Ginny was still too confused and weak to help.

“This is it, Potter,” one of the Death Eaters muttered.

Harry was ready to shout a curse when several loud pops were heard.... Harry almost fainted of relief when he saw the familiar face of several members of the Order. In the front, was George Weasley.

“I couldn't miss the fun, could I?” George said, running towards them while the other members engaged in a heated fight with the Death Eaters. George pulled Ginny up to her feet. Fred came from the other side, still clutching his arm.

“That was slow,” Fred muttered to his twin. “You were supposed to wait an hour, not the whole night.”

"Well, if someone hadn't locked me in the closet, I might have gotten here sooner," hissed George as he moved towards Ron, slapping him on the face to wake him up. Harry kneeled besides Hermione, breathing heavily.

“HARRY POTTER!!!”

Everyone stopped for a second to look at where the angry voice was coming. Harry turned around to look right into the red eyes of Lord Voldemort. He narrowed his eyes. He was the reason his friends were like that.

He stood up to face him. Someone muttered “Harry, no!” but he wasn't listening. He realized he wasn't afraid, and that surprised him. Was he accepting his fate already? He was standing in front of the darkest wizard of all times, and he wasn't afraid.

No. He was mad. He was angry. And HE was going to pay for what he had done.

Harry raised his wand.

“We seem to meet again, Harry,” Voldemort said with a smirk. “Let's just hope this is our last encounter.”

He raised his wand at him. Harry shouted Expelliarmus! But Voldemort blocked his spell and countered with one Harry had never heard. But before it could reach him, another beam of light hit it and made it miss.

“Indeed Tom, you meet again, but it's not time for you to fight him yet,” Albus Dumbledore said, his wand still raised and his face expressionless.

“DUMBLEDORE!!!!” growled Voldemort. He looked at his Death Eaters and realized they were outnumbered already by the members of the Order. He then looked down at Harry who had kneeled beside the Mudblood girl and the Weasley boy again.

A dark smile appeared in his face. “Yes, you are right,” he said politely, bowing slightly. “So I shall wait for the day that victory is mine!”

He dissaparated. The Death Eaters that were still standing, followed him without more words.

Harry didn't care that Voldemort was gone. He heard a groan and saw Neville waking up. Before he knew it, Lupin, Tonks, Kinglsley and the rest surrounded him. Lupin was waking Luna, whom after a while opened her eyes and stared dazedly around her. Fred was now hugging Ginny, while George was shaking Ron rudely.

“Ron, Ron wake up,” whispered Ginny looking worriedly at her brother.

Harry was unconsciously holding Hermione's head. He didn't know what he was thinking. Was he thinking at all?

“Ronniekins!” yelled George; his face more serious than Harry had ever seen him.

A low grunt came from Ron... He mumbled something and Harry had to lean to hear him.

“Don't... call me... Ronniekins,” he managed to say a little louder and opened his eyes with a wince. Fred and Ginny went to him and joining George they hugged him.

“Harry?”

Harry looked down to his lap and saw Hermione's big brown eyes staring at him. Harry opened his mouth to say something, but his voice didn't come. They are fine. They are okay. They are alive.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered.

Harry broke into a smile.

“Hermione's awake!” Ginny exclaimed. Lupin walked over to Hermione to check on her.

“I believe that we need to head back to Hogwarts. They will be better under the care of Poppy,” Dumbledore said. His eyes were twinkling and he seemed extremely relieved.

Harry let go of Hermione and let the adults take care of his friends. He approached Dumbledore.

“I'm sorry, Professor.”

“We'll talk about this later, Harry,” Dumbledore said, smiling gently at him. “Now let's go home.”

* * *

Wormtail watched as Voldemort paced through the room. He was hidden in a corner... He didn't want to be there. He knew by experience that his Master wasn't benevolent after a defeat.

Lord Voldemort, however, didn't seem angry this time. Just deep in thought.

“Ma-master,” he finally spoke. Voldemort didn't look at him, but stopped pacing. “May I ask a question, Sir?”

“If you must,” Voldemort replied.

“Why—why didn't you take the chance?” Voldemort looked at him and Wormtail cowered.

“What do you mean?”

“There was a moment...when the Potter boy had his guard down.... You could have easily finished him off then.”

Lord Voldemort took two steps to him. “Do I look like someone who hits his enemy when he's not looking? I am not a coward, Wormtail. The time when Harry Potter and I have our confrontation, I want him to know that it is me the one who'll end his existence.”

Wormtail swallowed and nodded.

“Did you manage to read the Prophecy in the scum's mind?”

“No,” Voldemort said. “But I found out something even better. The key to Harry Potter's fall is in my hands, Wormtail.”

-->

7. Coming back

Authors Notes: Hi everyone, did you think we were dead?? We’re really sorry for taking soooo long to update this story! Because we also read fan fiction and suffer when the authors don’t update as often as we’d like, we understand there’s not much we can say to excuse ourselves. Just that life got in the middle (University, work, exams, one month trips, engagements, holidays... uff!).

But we hope that this longer chapter will make up for it.

Lots of thanks to Jon for his help, comments and encouragement; and to everyone that is reading and hopefully enjoying this story. We ask you to forgive any mistakes that might have slipped, our Beta can’t do miracles with our “spanglish” grammar ^_^;

Angel-Wing and Psy_Girl

Chapter 07 – Coming back

Hogwarts’s Hospital Wing had never been more active than that night.

To Madame Pomfrey’s disdain, she suddenly found her precious ward full of people. She kept running from here to there, muttering under her breath about noise and disrupting the patients’ recovery. But even she couldn’t hide her smile to see that everyone had finally come back and with only minor injuries.

“For the tenth time, Mr. Weasley, sit down!” Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, pushing Fred to a chair while she treated the wound in his arm.

Fred didn’t pay much attention to Madam Pomfrey while he kept telling everyone how he and Harry had traveled to the cemetery. Neville and Ginny were listening eagerly, while Remus Lupin and Tonks were sitting on one of the beds with Ron and Hermione, who had already been treated by the school nurse. Luna was lying on another bed, unconscious. Professor McGonagall was beside her, and she looked more relieved than anyone had ever seen her.

“I swear that when Harry jumped in front of the Death Eaters and started running, I thought we were busted,” Fred was saying.

Harry was sitting in the corner, looking down. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him, Dumbledore’s especially. Now that his first feelings—relief and happiness to see his friends alright—had passed, he had been able to ponder about how he had dealt with the whole situation. If it hadn’t been for the Order, who had arrived just in time, they probably wouldn’t be there now. He had almost killed everyone with his recklessness yet again!

The door swung open and Mrs. Weasley dashed inside, followed by a beaming Mr. Weasley.

“Ron! Ginny! My babies!” Mrs. Weasley yelled, rushing to where they were and enveloping the two in a bone-crushing hug. “I was so worried about you!” she said, her voice cracking a little. “You’re safe!!”

“Mum, I can’t breathe,” Ron complained, but Harry noticed he didn’t let his mum go.

“And you,” Mrs. Weasley said, turning to Fred and George, “your father and I will have a serious talk with you two, but now come here and give us a hug! Thank Merlin you’re all safe!!”

The twins didn’t look very frightened at the prospect of a talk with their parents, and smiling they joined the rest of the Weasleys (Fred had to plead with Madam Pomfrey to let him go).

A man that Harry had never seen before entered in the Hospital Wing a few seconds later. He headed to Luna’s bed immediately, not looking at anyone else.

“Luna!” he exclaimed, kneeling beside her. “Professor McGonagall, what’s wrong with her?” he asked McGonagall, who approached as soon as she saw him.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Lovegood,” she said soothingly. “She passed out on the way here, but she’s going to be fine.”

Mr. Lovegood looked extremely relieved and turned to look at his daughter again. Neville got off the bed and went closer to the Headmaster. Harry noticed he looked uneasy.

“Excuse me, Sir?” he asked in a soft voice.

“Yes, Mr. Longbottom?” Dumbledore smiled at him.

“Is my... I mean, where... Is my Gran—”

He didn’t have the chance to finish that sentence, because in that moment a loud voice interrupted him.

“Look, Mr. I-am-a-famous-healer-and-a-real-pain in the-!… My GRANDCHILD is in here, and if you want to ‘take care of me’, then you come with me, because there’s no way in the Wizardring World that I’m going to go back to that hospital without seeing him!”

As she finished saying that, Mrs. Longbottom entered in the Hospital Wing and was almost knocked out when Neville jumped into her arms.

“You’re alright!” Neville exclaimed. “I was so worried about you!”

Mrs. Longbottom looked surprised, but she returned the embrace. She looked really funny dressed in the Hospital robes and with her usual hat on her head and bag in her arm. Harry saw two men that looked like healers complaining to Madam Pomfrey that she had made them walk all the way from Hogsmeade carrying the stabilizing potions with them.

“We’ve informed your parents, Hermione,” Mr. Weasley told her, “and we’ve gotten special permission from the Ministry to take them to Hogsmeade so you can meet with them. Unfortunately, they’ll have to travel the muggle way and won’t be here until tomorrow morning.”

Hermione nodded, looking slightly sad. Still, Mrs. Weasley seemed really happy to see that she was alright too and made her join in the family hug.

Harry looked at the scene unfolding in front of him and suddenly felt like an outsider. He wasn’t sure why he was feeling that way, although he could feel the all too familiar guiltiness coming back. After all, it was his fault his friends and their families had suffered in the first place. He knew that it was only a matter of minutes until Dumbledore approached to him to question him about his rash actions, and he didn’t feel like talking at the moment. So, taking advantage of the commotion, he snuck out of the Hospital Wing, oblivious to the pair of brown eyes following him.

***

Indeed news traveled fast in Hogwarts. Outside there were a bunch of students waiting eagerly to know what was going on inside. They gasped when Harry came out. He was sure that Colin Creevey was among them when the flash of a camera nearly blinded him. He ignored them and walked quickly to the main gates. He needed some fresh air.

Luckily, the students didn’t follow him, and soon he found himself sitting by the lake, alone. He took a couple of deep breaths, processing what had happened in the cemetery. He was having a hard time remembering exactly how events had unfolded. He tried focusing on who he had seen there, but aside from Wormtail and Voldemort, he hadn’t recognized anyone. There weren’t as many Death Eaters as he would’ve thought.... Was Snape among them?

Damn, if he hadn’t been so bloody impulsive, he might’ve heard or seen something that could help the Order. But then again, that would have meant putting his friends in even more danger. How was he supposed to keep his head cool at times like that? And he was the one supposed to defeat Voldemort? Maybe that prophecy was just a bunch of crap after all.

He felt steps coming closer, and when he turned around, he saw Hermione standing in front of him. By the look in her eyes, he knew she would ask him to go back inside, to share with everyone....

“Look, Hermione,” he said, looking at her, “I know what you’re going to s—”

He was cut off when she slapped him, hard. He touched his now red cheek and gaped at Hermione with his mouth open. She looked furious.

“How could you do something like that!?” she exclaimed. She didn’t let a shocked Harry answer. “That was reckless and stupid! You could’ve been killed!”

So she was referring to the cemetery issue. Fred had done a good job telling everyone about Harry’s wonderful modus operandi.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Harry said, weakly. His cheek stung. Hermione surely had a heavy hand.

Hermione’s eyes were positively shooting fireballs. “How long do you plan to keep doing this? Playing with your life? Do you have a death wish, Harry?”

Harry finally got out of his dumbfounded state and frowned. “You’re not being very fair, Hermione.”

“What else do you want me to say!?”

“What about thank you!?” Harry yelled back, his temper raising. “Do you think I went there for sightseeing? I was looking for you!”

“You could’ve told the Order in the first place and not go there by yourself!”

“Right, and maybe mislead them while Voldemort was killing all of you in some hidden dungeon?” Hermione didn’t answer. “I couldn’t stay here, doing nothing... It’s been more than a week since you were kidnapped, Hermione. I had to do something!”

“I know,” Hermione said her voice lower, but still looking angry. “I knew that you’d do something rash. We were all worried about you, you know?”

Harry’s frown grew deeper. “That’s just perfect. I’m flattered. Harry Potter can’t take care of himself, so his friends worry about him even when they’re trapped by Death Eaters.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Hermione said harshly. “You know very well that what you’re saying isn’t true.”

“So now I’m stupid,” Harry said, finding Hermione’s attitude hard to believe. After all that had happened, the last thing he expected was having a row with her.

“Yes! Yes, you are!” Hermione exclaimed, waving her finger in front of him. “Do you know what you put me—what you put all of us through this summer?”

Harry sighed. He had the feeling that this was the real reason for Hermione’s anger towards him.

“Do you know how it made us feel to know that you were ignoring us?” Hermione continued. “That you didn’t answer our calls, or return our letters, or let us help you—”

“I didn’t need any help,” Harry cut her off.

“You did. You still need help Harry. No one should cope with... with that alone.”

“Go on, you can say it. I’m not going to break just because you mention Sirius’ death.”

Hermione looked at him sadly. “Sirius’s death isn’t the only thing that’s worrying you, I know it. That’s not the reason why you’re avoiding us, is it? Why don’t you tell us what it is, Harry? You can’t deal with everything by yourself.”

“Do we really have to do this now?” Harry asked tiredly, avoiding Hermione’s knowing gaze.

“Does it have something to do with what Voldemort said in the cemetery? That prophecy?”

Harry flinched involuntarily. “This is the first time I’m seeing you in three months. I thought Voldemort was going to kill you. I don’t want to talk about it now, okay?”

Hermione sighed, but didn’t press the matter any further. She just stared at him, while Harry stroked his red cheek absent-mindly. He returned her gaze. It was dark, so he couldn’t see her very well, but he did notice that she looked thinner and had dark circles under her eyes. Harry had never thought of Hermione as a weak person, but the brief glimpse he got of her in that moment made her look... helpless.

“You’re bleeding,” Hermione said a moment later, wiping a small trace of blood that was coming out of Harry’s forehead with her sleeve.

“I hadn’t noticed,” Harry said, replacing Hermione’s sleeve with his.

“You’re dirty, you’re going to infect the wound,” she scolded him. “You should’ve let Madam Pomfrey take care of that before running away.”

“I wasn’t—” Harry protested, but Hermione shushed him.

“I’m sorry I slapped you,” she apologized. Her expression and voice were softer now.

Harry nodded. “I’m sorry for almost killing us all in the cemetery.”

“You were very brave,” Hermione said. “I’m sorry for being like this when you saved our lives.”

“I didn’t save your lives, the Order did.”

“You still went there, knowing what was awaiting you...”

“I was the only one who knew where he’d taken you...”

“But you fought, and protected us before yourself...”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly...”

“Are you going to apologize for your attitude during summer?”

“No,” Harry said, turning his back at her. He wanted to say he had a reason for avoiding them, but he couldn’t. Not yet, anyway.

“Fine.” A silence followed and when it was almost unbearable, Harry turned around to find Hermione still looking at him. He felt a lump in his throat when he saw she was teary-eyed.

“Hermione... Don’t cry,” he said. Why did girls insist in doing this to him? “I—I wasn’t ignoring you, it’s just that—”

“I’m not crying because of that,” Hermione said, wiping a tear before it could fall. “It’s been a hard week for everyone. I guess I’m a little emotional, that’s all.”

“Right.” Harry suddenly felt uncomfortable. He remembered how much he’d missed Hermione – and Ron... and the rest too – the past few days, and now she was in front of him... Was this the reunion he had expected? What should he tell her? That he’d missed her? Maybe she was expecting him to ask her about what had happened while she was captive... No, that could wait. Then what could he do?

Hermione resolved his hesitation by moving towards him and pulling him into a hug. It was a different kind of hug. Harry was used to Hermione’s emotional outbursts when she would jump at him and almost asfixiate him right there.... But this felt different. He didn’t know how to explain it. He stayed there, stiffened, while Hermione leaned her head on his shoulder with a soft sigh and just held him.

A cough made Hermione pull away hastily and Harry turned to look at whoever was there. He found Professor McGonagall looking at them with an unreadable expression.

“Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Professor Dumbledore would like to have a word with all of you. Please, follow me to the Hospital Wing.” Her eyes lingered on Harry. “I see that your wounds haven’t been treated yet, Potter,” she added.

Harry and Hermione followed their professor to the Hospital Wing in silence. Harry felt his face burning, but he shrugged it off.... Hermione sure had dealt him a powerful blow.

“...and they didn’t let us out of that cell in all the time until tonight,” was saying Ginny as Harry and Hermione entered the Hospital Wing.

Every eye turned to them. Harry noticed that the ward was a lot quieter. Everyone was still there—the children (even Luna, who had finally regained consciousness), the parents, the teachers and the members of the Order—but they’d been probably listening to the story of the ones who had been kidnapped. Harry felt sorry he’d missed part of it, he was interested in knowing what had happened. But then again, he was sure Ron wouldn’t mind telling him everything all over again.

Speaking of Ron, Harry gazed at him and saw he was peering at Hermione and him with a questioning expression in his eyes.

“Harry dear!” Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, breaking the silence. She went up to him and hugged him. “I still hadn’t had the chance to see you well,” she said examining him with her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re okay! But you have a wound in your head!”

Before Harry could say anything, Madam Pomfrey grabbed him by the arm, gave him a piece of chocolate (Harry would never cease to be amazed of the properties of that wonderful candy) and sat him on a chair beside Fred’s while she cleaned his wounds. Hermione went to sit by Ron and Tonks in silence.

“I want to talk to all of you,” Dumbledore said, “but first I need to have a private chat with your parents and the rest of the adults. You too, Poppy.” The Headmaster opened the door of the Hospital Wing. “We’ll be back soon.”

Everyone left, except for the twins, who seemed to consider that a chat with their friends was more interesting than hearing Dumbledore explain the whole rescue story to the adults.

“I still can’t believe it,” George said then, obviously trying to go back to the subject they’d been discussing before Harry and Hermione came back. “But well, at least the ferret was right ... I was sure he was trying to deceive us.”

“MALFOY??!!” Ron exclaimed outraged. “What does he have to do with anything?”

“He was the one who told me where you’d be... kinda,” Harry said in a low voice.

Ginny and Neville looked surprised by this information. Ron didn’t seem impressed, though. “That prat!!” he gruffed. “But now we have proof that he’s a Death Eater.”

“We don’t know that, Ron,” Hermione interrupted.

“Of course he is,” Ron insisted. “He was there. He knew what they were planning. We were at his bloody house! We’re living proof of his acts!” he exclaimed, over-excited.

“We can’t do that.”

Ron looked at Hermione as if she had grown a second head. “And why not!? We all saw him!”

“I know, but it’s thanks to him that we’re still alive...” Hermione said, looking at Harry to see his reaction to what she was saying. “We can’t betray him.”

“Betray him? Are you mad?!” Ron asked. He looked at the rest to find support, but everyone was quiet.

“If they find out he told Harry where we were, he’ll be in trouble... He took a great risk-”

“Hello?? We’re talking about Draco Malfoy here. The one responsible that Buckbeack almost ended up headless. The one who’s been calling you Mudblood all this time. The one who was happy that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened and was hoping someone –mainly you- would die. The very same that has made Hogwarts a less nice place and was laughing at us when we were trapped in that cell!” Ron turned to Harry. “Please, say something.”

Harry was thoughtful. “I don’t know Malfoy’s motives to give me that information. It could be a trap... But it could also be something more. I think we should wait and see what he’s up to.”

“You’ve all gone nuts!” Ron exclaimed, but dropped the subject for the moment.

“How did you manage to hold all those Death Eaters until the Order arrived?” Neville asked, eager to go back to the main topic of discussion. “There were like thirty of them and just the two of you.”

“Actually, it was Harry who did it,” Fred said, turning to Harry. “That was some awesome magic, Harry! What spell did you use? And why didn’t you teach us that one at the D.A. last year?”

Harry looked at Fred and blinked. Everyone was looking at him and he shifted in his seat, not knowing what to say. Actually, he wasn’t really sure of what had happened in there... He didn’t remember using any particular spell. Fred was probably wrong. How could he beat all those Death Eaters? It must’ve been the confusion of the moment.

“What are you talking about Fred?” asked Ginny, confused.

“You were unconscious at the moment,” Fred explained. “You see, Harry was at one moment surrounded by Death Eaters. I thought he was a goner. I couldn’t see very well what he did, because my back was turned to him and with the wound in my arm I couldn’t really move, but suddenly I felt very cold. Not the Demetors’ kind of cold, but...” Fred struggled with the words. “It was as if something was draining… something… I’m not sure, as if it was draining me.”

“Draining you? What?” Hermione asked with wide eyes.

“I’m not sure how to explain it,” Fred said, “but I felt as if someone was calling me...well not me, but my magic.” He snapped his fingers. “That’s it. It was as if my magic was being drained. Leaving my body. It was wicked!”

“Whoa! I think I need to call Madam Pomfrey. The spells must’ve hit you pretty bad in the head, Fred,” George said, laughing.

“I know it sounds farfetched, but it was exactly as I’m telling you!” Fred insisted. He didn’t seem to be joking and obviously everyone noticed, because they turned to Harry again. Harry just remained silent, thinking about what Fred was saying. He didn’t remember that feeling. He certainly wasn’t the one responsible for that... magic.

“So what did You-Know-Who do to all of you?” Fred asked, noticing that Harry was sinking further in his seat. “It looked like some strong dark magic to me.”

“It was Legilimency,” Harry said, his eyes slightly closed when he remembered the moment he had seen his friends in front of Voldemort.

“Legilimency? Are you sure about that, Harry?” Luna asked, speaking for the first time.

“Well, it seemed like it.”

“But not all were memories...” Neville said vaguely, more to himself than to the rest.

“What’re you blabbing about, Neville?” inquired George.

It was Ginny who responded.

“When we got hit by that spell, all these memories came to me.... Memories of bad things that have happened. I lived everything... all over again.... My first year, with Tom Riddle’s diary,” she explained, her voice quavering. “But it was different. I saw things that didn’t happen, or at least I’m sure I’ve never gone through that.... They were horrible things.”

“That’s why Mr. Riddle excelled in the Dark Arts, Miss Weasley.”

Everyone turned to the door, where Professor Dumbledore was standing. He was alone.

“I’m glad to see you all well,” the Headmaster said, smiling slightly. He closed the door behind him, summoned a chair and sat down. “Before you ask, Mr. Weasley,” he said before Ron could open his mouth, “I’ll explain what you all experienced. It was, in fact, a way of Legilimency. Hearing what you’ve told your friends, Miss Weasley, it seems to me that he used a great ancient spell that has been mostly forgotten because of its darkness.” Dumbledore made a pause. Everyone was looking at him with great interest. “As Mr. Potter here would be able to explain,” he continued, “Legilimency can be very hard and painful if a person is trying to block out memories. That’s why Voldemort tried to weaken you, by making you relieve your worst memories and experience your greatest fears. In that way, it would be easier for him to read what was not only in your minds, but in your heart.”

A silence followed his statement. Harry felt the anger building inside of him. How did Voldemort dare to do that to his friends? He hadn’t only taken them away from their home and hurt them on the outside.... He had attacked their very soul, played with their fears, putting them through that awful feeling.... He clenched his fists and bit his lip until he could taste his own blood.

“What did you want to tell us, Professor Dumbledore?” Hermione’s voice came through.

“Ah yes,” Dumbledore said, adjusting his glasses. “I’m sure you’re all very tired and I should let you have some rest. It was an exhausting day for everyone,” he added, looking at Harry briefly. “The Ministry wants to have all your statements about what happened. They’ll want to know details: locations, names, anything. I convinced Cornelius to let you in peace tonight, but they’re expecting all of you at the Ministry tomorrow.”

“Well, at least it’s on a Sunday so I won’t miss any more classes,” Hermione commented. Ron rolled his eyes.

“I thought you would think like that, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore said, standing up.

“Do we have to go too?” Fred asked, pointing at Harry first and then at himself.

“I think it’s better if we keep the fact that you went there just between us for now,” Dumbledore answered in a strangely forward manner. Harry didn’t need to ask to know that mentioning his presence at that cementery would mean revealing lots of complicated stuff.... And he could get in trouble, since he had broken Merlin knows how many rules leaving the school in the middle of the night without permission.

“Well, I’ll let Poppy take over now, so you can get some rest. Good night,” Dumbledore said and walked to the door.

Harry stood up and followed him. “Professor, wait...”

Dumbledore turned around. “I know, Harry,” he said. “But we can have our very much needed talk later. Now you should sleep a little and enjoy your friends’ company.”

“Can our parents come inside for a little while?” Ginny asked.

“I’m sure we can arrange for a little more time,” Dumbledore said, winking.

* * *

Madam Pomfrey finally managed to get the parents and the twins to leave the Hospital Wing with the promise they would meet with them in London the next day. Except for Mrs. Longbottom, who had to go back to the hospital. She only left when Neville promised he’d visit her there after he went to the Ministry. Guarded by members of the Order of course, and only those she trusted.

They chatted for a while longer, but the excitement of the day and the lack of sleep that everyone had experienced in all that time got the best of them, and soon they were fast asleep.

Except for Ron.

He kept tossing in his bed, until he finally opened his eyes with a groan. It was the first time in days he got to sleep in a bed and not on the floor, and he was attacked by insomnia. He couldn’t believe it! He had always been a heavy sleeper, no matter what. With a frustrated groan, he sat on the bed and turned to look around. He saw Ginny breathing softly and Neville snoring in the next bed. Harry and Hermione were also asleep. There was one empty bed though. He looked up and saw another figure standing by the window.

He got up quietly so he wouldn’t disturb the others. Luna was staring out the window. She seemed deep in thought. He didn’t want to distress her, so he was ready to go back to trying to sleep counting hippogriffs or something, when he noticed she was rubbing her arms and shivering.

She’s cold.

Without stopping to think about it, he grabbed a blanket from one of the beds and walked up to her. He put it on her shoulders, which startled her. She turned around, surprised to see him there.

“Ronald, what are you doing up? It’s common knowledge that sleep and food are very important to you,” Luna said in her sing song voice, looking up to meet his eyes.

“It is, is it? Well, turns out I can’t fall asleep no matter how hard I try.”

“Oh, I see,” Luna said, and turned to the window once again.

“What about you?” Ron asked. “Again, you can’t sleep?” he added, remembering that night they had exchanged that strange conversation in the cell.

“No, actually I’m really tired, but it’s been a while since I last saw the rabbit, so I decided to wait a little and see if I could get the chance to look at it tonight.”

A rabbit? Ron looked outside the window, and scanned Hogwarts’ grounds, looking for the rabbit she was talking about. He couldn’t see anything else than grass, and Hagrid’s hut in the farther corner. He gave a sideway glance to her, wondering if this rabbit really existed, or it was just another figment of her weird imagination.

“Thank you for the blanket,” Luna said.

He turned his attention back to her. “Yeah, no problem, I noticed that you were cold, so...”

“Ronald, may I ask what you saw?” she interrupted.

“Huh? Well, I saw you standing here, and then I saw you rubbing your arms and assumed you were cold, so I went to get the blanket…”

Luna just smiled. “I saw my mother.”

Oh, now he understood what she meant. He was talking about what happened in the cemetery.

“I saw flashes of my mother,” Luna continued, a smile still on her lips. “How she used to tell me stories of the magical creatures that are around us, some easy to find, others not so much. And then I saw her.... I was very young when it happened, and I’d never had such a vivid memory as the one I had this time. Usually they’re just blurry images.”

Ron noticed that now she was shaking, and even though she was still looking at him, there was something different in her eyes. They were no longer dreamy, but sad and filled with tears.

If there was something Ron really couldn’t stand (well, that and spiders) was seeing someone cry, especially a girl, mostly because he had no idea how to act or what to do. He looked at Luna helplessly, and tried to remember what his dad usually did when Ginny cried.

Very slowly and with a shaking hand, he reached for her shoulder and squeezed it gently. When she felt his hand, she looked up at him and he tried to smile what he hoped was a “it will be okay” smile, although it could have turned out like a “please don’t do this to me” grimace. Luna wipped her tears and smiled back, and then she turned to the window once again, to keep looking at her “rabbit.”

Look at that, I actually conforted her, Ron thought, feeling pleased with himself. Well, okay, his father would’ve probably hugged Ginny, but nothing was going to make him hug Loony Lovegood! Sure, they seem to be getting used to having strange late night conversations, but he still wasn’t at ease around her. So for the time being, his hand on her shoulder was enough.

“So, what’s up with this rabbit?” Ron asked after a while, surprising even himself with his question. But he had to admit he was very curious to know.

Luna turned around again. Her eyes had recovered their dreamy expression and she looked at him with mild surprise.

“It’s a fascinating story,” she said excited. “It’s about Quetzalcoatl.”

“Quetziwhat?”

“Quetzalcoatl,” Luna repeated patiently. “You know, the feathered snake.”

A snake with feathers, and with a very weird and complicated name? Yes, seemed like a Luna Lovegood type of story.

“Quetzalcoatl was wandering the forest in his human disguise, when he stopped because he was very hungry. Some animals gathered around him: a fox, a wolf and a rabbit,” Luna explained when she saw that Ron had no idea what she was talking about. Her gaze was intense, but somehow he didn’t feel uncomfortable and kept listening to her story with interest.

“The fox and the wolf, being agile, strong and fast, found food for him very quickly. They brought him fruits and some vegetables. But the rabbit came back with nothing. Ashamed for not being helpful, the rabbit was very sad, but since it was a very smart animal, she came up with an idea. She walked up to Quetzalcoatl, and asked him to make a fire. The feathered snake and the other animals found enough wood to make a nice, big fire. When everything was set, the small rabbit jumped into the fire.”

Ron was scandalized with this turn of events. “Well, that was a very stupid thing to do!”

Luna smiled at him. “Don’t you understand Ronald? The rabbit loved him so much that she sacrificed herself, so he would be able to live.”

“Why do you keep referring to the rabbit as a she? How do you know it was a girl?”

“In some cultures the female is symbolized as a rabbit. Would you like me to continue with the story?”

He blushed a little, and nodded.

“Quetzalcoatl was surprised by the actions of the rabbit. He removed her lifeless body from the fire, and said ‘You have been very brave, and because of that, the entire world will look up to you and know about your sacrifice’. So he took the rabbit back with him to the sky and drew her image on the moon.”

Ron followed her gaze and noticed that she was looking at the full moon. He was surprised to see the shape of a rabbit in it. He’d never noticed that before. But before he could say anything, Luna whispered something.

“I’m afraid, Ronald, that there’s a rabbit among us.”

He turned quickly to stare at her, awed by her statement. A shiver ran through his back, making him shudder a little. A rabbit among them? Did she mean...a sacrifice? But who...?

He was so lost in thought that he actually jumped when he felt the blanket on his shoulders.

“You seemed to be cold too,” Luna said in a small voice, moving closer to him. “We can share, if you don't mind.”

Ron was surprised... by the rabbit story, Luna talking about her past, his own vision in the cemetery... But what surprised him the most that night, was that he didn’t mind sharing that blanket with her... He didn’t mind at all.

* * *

Harry woke up next morning feeling a lot better. Thanks to Madam Pomfrey’s potion, he had been able to rest like he hadn’t done in a while. Seeing his friends in the other beds certainly lifted a weight from his shoulders. Of course, he still had many things worrying him, but at least no one was in inminent danger.... Yet.

He sat up and put his glasses on. Everyone was still asleep, except for Hermione, whose bed was empty.

“Where’s Hermione?” he asked to Madam Pomfrey who had just came inside carrying a tray with breakfast.

“She woke up early. Professor Lupin took her to Hogsmeade to see her parents,” Madam Pomfrey replied, going to the other beds to wake up the rest. “You have to hurry, as soon as Professor Lupin and Miss Granger are back, you’ll take a Portkey to London,” she said.

Ron yawned and strectched. “Oh, food!” he said when he saw the tray.

“I was hoping we could go and have breakfast in the Great Hall. I want to see everyone,” Ginny said, rubbing her eyes.

“You’ll be able to do that when you come back from the Ministry,” Professor McGonagall said, appearing in the door.

“Who’s going with us, Professor?” Neville asked.

“Professors Dumbledore, Lupin and Snape.”

“Snape?” scowled Ron. “And I who thought we’d actually have some fun there.”

McGonagall gave him a stern look. “I suggest you watch your mouth, Weasley. Besides, you’re not going there for fun. Ministry’s interrogations are not a game. You should take it seriously.”

“How are interrogations, Professor?” asked Ginny.

“Well, they’ll just ask you questions and you’ll have to answer all you know. All your words will be recorded.”

“And who will interrogate us?” asked Ron.

“Cornelius Fudge, probably,” McGonagall answered, her lips forming a thin line. “And maybe Amelia Bones as well. She’s the Head of the Department of Law Enforcement.”

Harry was glad that Amelia Bones would be there. At least she seemed smarter and fairer than Fudge.

“Now get ready, you’ll be departing soon. You can go back to your Common Room if you want, Potter,” McGonagall said, and left to the other side of the room to talk to Madam Pomfrey.

Harry got dressed quickly. The others were busy having breakfast, so he took the chance to sneak away. He had to talk to Dumbledore before they went to the Ministry. He walked quickly to the Headmaster’s office. Thankfully, it was Sunday, and he didn’t ran into any students in the way.

When he reached the eagle statue, he muttered the password that Dumbledore had given him when they started the Occlumency lessons, praying that he would be at his office. He sighed in relief when he heard Dumbledore’s voice telling him to come inside.

“I was expecting you, Harry,” the Headmaster said. He was sitting behind his desk, with Fawkes by his side. “Please, take a seat.”

Harry sat down. How many times had he been in that office, in front of Albus Dumbledore, discussing some complicated event?

“I wanted to apologize,” Harry said, in a small voice. “I know I broke the rules last night, when I left Hogwarts’ grounds without permission...”

Dumbledore shook his head slightly. “Harry, you and I both know that you’re not sorry for breaking that specific rule last night. And that you would do it all over again, even if I told you that it would mean your expulsion.”

Harry didn’t say anything, and looked at his hands, knowing that Dumbledore was probably right.

“So let’s talk about the real reason of your presence here this morning. You seem eager to talk to me.... That’s something I haven’t seen in a while.”

“Well, I wanted to talk about what happened last night, in the cemetery...”

* * *

That night, when Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville arrived to Gryffindor’s Common Room, Harry was waiting for them sitting by the fire.

“How did it go?” he asked immediately, jolting from the couch. Since it was late, everyone had gone to their rooms already, giving them the opportunity to talk freely.

“I’ll leave you guys to tell him,” Ginny said, yawning. “I’m way too tired, my body still feels sore and tomorrow we start with class again. I can’t believe my schedule! Anyways…”

She approached to Harry and before he could guess her intentions, she gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. “I didn’t get a chance to say thank you yesterday,” she said, smiling at his startled expression. After all, it was the first time she had gotten so close to him.

“But I didn’t...” he stammered.

Ginny winked and left them before he could finish the sentence.

“I think I’ll go to bed too,” Neville said hastily. “Harry, it’s great to see you again.”

Harry watched him disappear in the staircase and turned to Ron and Hermione. “So?” he asked, sitting back on the couch.

“It was tedious,” Ron said, sitting heavily beside Harry. “They made us tell them all the details about the night they took us away, and then they asked about the time we spent in that dungeon.”

“What about the rescue?”

“Well, we were all unconscious by that time, so they didn’t ask much about it. I think Dumbledore must’ve told them something gullible, because he spent almost two hours in Fudge’s office before we got in.” Ron suppressed a yawn and then smiled. “You should see Fudge now, Harry. I think he’ll soon lick the floor where Dumbledore walks. After treating him like a nutcase, he seems to have realized that he won’t be able to do anything against You-Know-Who without his help.”

Harry thought it was funny that even when Ron had stood face to face with Voldemort, he still couldn’t bring himself to call him by his name. “Who was interrogating?” he asked.

“Fudge and that woman who’s the Head of the Department of Law Enforcement...”

“Amelia Bones,” Hermione supplied, speaking for the first time. She was sitting in a chair across from them, the one she usually picked to do her homework. She looked rather serious.

“Kinglsey was there too,” Ron said. “He was the auror working on our kidnapping. There were a few people we didn’t see very well, they stayed in the back and didn’t ask questions... Oh, and Percy, too,” he added, scowling.

“Are things still bad between him and your family?” Harry asked.

“That git hasn’t even apologized yet, you know? Mum of course has already forgiven him, and I’m pretty sure he’s been talking to Ginny too. But I can tell dad is still mad at him, Fred and George don’t even mention his name without scoffing and I certainly can’t blame them.”

“Ron, he’s your brother, maybe you should give him a chance to...” Hermione started, but Ron cut her off with a glare.

“He treated us like dirt because we were interfering with his ambition, Hermione. And even now, he won’t recognize he made a mistake. He’ll never change. His bloody position in the Ministry is far more important that his family or this war.”

Hermione didn’t press the subject.

“What about Malfoy?” Harry asked, trying to get back on the subject.

“Oh, we told them we were pretty sure we were being held in his house,” Ron said, “but we couldn’t give them any proof besides telling them about Kreacher. We didn’t mention about Malfoy’s little visit,” he added, bitterly.

“Do you think it was the right thing to do, Harry?” Hermione asked, looking slightly concerned. “I’m not sure if hiding that fact is a good idea anymore.”

“Yeah, what if Malfoy tries to do something here?” Ron asked.

“He wouldn’t dare to do anything under Dumbledore’s nose,” Harry said. “I don’t know if it’s right, but we need to know what he’s up to.”

Hearing his words, Hermione smiled slightly. She recognized the Harry she knew behind those words. The one who always wanted to solve the mystery. She kept this comment to herself, though.

“Ah Harry, we also found out that some Death Eaters broke into Azkaban,” Ron said.

“What?! Again?”

“Tonks told us about it today. The Daily Prophet hasn’t announced it yet, and the Ministry is trying really hard to cover up everything,” Hermione told him. “That’s the reason why there weren’t that many Death Eaters at the cemetery last night.”

“Who got away?”

“Everyone who was in the Department of Mysteries last June. That means Lucius Malfoy, too.”

“I can’t believe it, wasn’t Azkaban supposed to be a really well guarded prison? They can’t do anything without the dementors?” asked Harry, angrily.

“Well, according to Tonks, the security in Azkaban was tighter than ever,” Ron said. “She said that probably someone helped them from the inside. Not many people knows about the new security system in Azkaban...” Ron yawned and stretched. “I’m knackered. I didn’t sleep much last night. Good night,” he said, and strolled to his room.

Harry sighed and leaned back. Voldemort was certainly active, lately. He wasn’t sure the Ministry was prepared to stop him. They hadn’t done much the last time, had they? It wasn’t until he had tried to kill him that he’d been defeated.

“Voldemort still isn’t as powerful as he was fifteen years ago. I think that we have a chance.”

Harry looked up and looked at Hermione. He hadn’t notice she was still there.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” he said flatly. His mind wandered to the prophecy again. Did Dumbledore really believe that someone like him was the only one who could defeat someone so powerful?

Hermione stood up from her chair and sat in the spot that Ron had left empty, beside Harry. He waited for her to say something, but she just stayed there, silently watching the fire.

“You saw your parents today, didn’t you?” he asked.

Hermione nodded. “They were happy to see I was fine. It hasn’t been easy for them, being muggles and all.... They don’t get much of what’s going on.”

“They must hate me.”

She turned to look at him. “No, they don’t.” Harry didn’t say anything and avoided her eyes. “They don’t blame you, Harry. It’s not your fault, even if I didn’t know you, Voldemort would still be—”

“Yes, but he wouldn’t have taken you away like that, would he? I know you’ll say to stop blaming myself for everything, but we both know this time it is about me.”

The truth was, Harry was amazed Hermione was still in Hogwarts. He had figured her parents would take her away from the Wizardring World after this. She had faced so many dangers there, ones that muggles like them would have a harder time understanding. In the years she had spent in Hogwarts she had been petrified by a basilisk, almost had her soul sucked by a dementor, fought against armed wizards and had been badly injured and now had been kidnapped by a lunatic....

“My parents trust me,” Hermione said, as if she had been reading his mind. “They trust my judgment. They aren’t too happy about what’s happened, I won’t lie to you, but they understand I want to stay here and they respect my decision.” She looked at her watch. “It’s late Harry, you should get some sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow, okay? Good night, Harry.”

“Good night, Hermione.”

* * *

A couple of days had passed, and things were starting to get back to normal. Ron and Hermione were prefects again, which was a relief for Dean. He told everyone in the common room how he hated to boss around.

“It’s no fun to be the punisher instead of the prankster,” he said, and won a severe scolding from Hermione. No one cared about it, though, everyone was happy she was back.

Ron, Ginny and Harry, along with Katie Bell, had met to decide what they were going to do with the team, since the Quidditch season would start soon and they still had to find a Chaser and see if they would keep the beaters that had replaced the Wealey Twins last year. Harry was glad he was able to play Quidditch again.

Mrs. Longbottom had been released from the hospital, and Neville told everyone with a smile on his face that he had never seen the Healers so happy to see a patient leaving.

Therefore, it wasn’t unusual for anyone to see Hermione sitting in her usual spot in the Library, surrounded by tons of books and scribbling every once in a while in a piece of parchment.

“The information that we seek isn’t easy to find, and I’m afraid that this time, books may not be the ones with the answers we need.”

Hermione looked up from her work and saw Luna placing her schoolbag and some books on the table, and then sat in front of her.

“What are you talking about? I’m just doing a little research for Defense Against the Dark Arts,” Hermione said a little too fast, not meeting her eyes.

Luna grabbed one of the books that was conveniently under a pile of parchment and read out loud: “Prophets and prophecies through out History”. Interesting material for someone who claims not to believe in Divination.”

Hermione blushed, surprised at Luna’s sharpness. Since she had already been caught, there was no point in denying it, “I... it’s just that… I need to understand…”

“You and I are more alike than you think, Hermione. I, as well, think the clues that came with our captive event are very interesting, and I’m curious to figure them out; I’ve always loved to solve a good mystery. And now we have the biggest mystery right under our nose…or should I say flying by us?” She said, pointing to the window as Harry flied by dressed in his Quidditch Robes, obviously looking for the Snitch.

Hermione turned to look at Harry, and then back at Luna. “Two minds work better than one, right?” she said with a sad smile.

Luna stared at her and did something Hermione had rarely seen her do. She grinned.

“Unless you are Trifelerhofler. They have three brains; my dad has been trying to find one to analyze it…”

Hermione just rolled her eyes and shook her head at the blond girl in front of her. I think you’re right Luna; we’re more alike than I could’ve ever imagined.

* * *

Ginny was sitting by herself near the fire in Gryffindor’s common room. She had a book with her, but it was lying by her side, long forgotten. She was staring at the flames in front of her, deep in her cavilations, when she heard the portrait opening. She jumped and in a quick motion she grabbed her wand and pointed it towards the person that had just entered without even realizing what she was doing.

“I-I It’s just me! Neville!” Neville exclaimed, with his hands up when he saw her.

“Oh, I’m sorry Neville!” Ginny said, putting her wand away. “It’s just that lately I’ve been a little jumpy,” she explained softly.

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Same here, this morning I almost hexed Dean when he came up to me from behind to ask me something about our Herbology homework,” Neville said. He walked up to her and sat on the floor, close to the fire and not too far from her.

She smiled a little, but turned serious in less than a second. “It’s been a week since we got back and everything came back to normal... But somehow, it’s different now, you know?”

Neville nodded. “I agree. But we’re not the only ones who feel like this. The others, too.”

“The others? What do you mean? I haven’t noticed anything unusual in any of them, but then again, my brother and Luna aren’t what you’d call usual, and Hermione, well she’s just the same.”

“The changes have been very subtle,” Neville said, staring at the fire. “Hermione, for example. I see her unfocused.... There’s something missing in her eyes when she studies.”

“How is that?”

“There used to be this passion in her eyes everytime she found something that interested her. Now she just reads because she needs too. I’ve noticed her drifting off in classes. And there’s something else. She seems sad... or worried about something, I’m not sure.” Neville lowered his voice when he felt Ginny’s gaze on him.

“You seem to have been observing Hermione a lot,” she commented briskly.

Neville blushed slightly. “I’ve been observing everyone,” he said.

“Well, what about my brother? Or Luna?”

“Ron? Well, he stares at the moon a lot.”

Ginny blinked. “What? The moon?”

“Yes. I know it’s weird, but I’ve seen him doing it several times. The first time, I was woken up by the silence in the room.” Ginny stared at him quizzically. He laughed a little. “Ginny, when you share a room with the boy who has nightmares every single night, a soccer fan, a heavy snorer, and a guy who screams about dancing spiders, believe me, it is odd not having any noise.”

Ginny giggled. She could picture all of them, just like Neville had described it. “Okay, continue.”

“As I was saying, it was all quiet, too quiet, so I woke up and looked around. Harry wasn’t in his bed, which isn’t really out of place. I know for a fact that he takes walks at night or just goes and sits in the common room and stare at the fire. He’s been doing that since third year, but now he does it a lot more often. Dean and Seamus were sleeping like always, with their usual mumblings of ‘Patty, please just one kiss’ or ‘that was a foul, you blind fool!’. But Ron was up. He was by the window, staring at the moon. I asked him what was wrong, and instead of answering, he asked me this really weird question...”

“What did he ask?” Ginny asked eager to know.

“He asked me if I’ve ever seen the rabbit of the moon,” Neville asked, frowning when he remembered those weird words coming out of Ron’s mouth.

“A rabbit? What was he talking about?”

“I don’t have a clue. When I asked him what he meant, he just laughed and told me to go back to sleep.”

“I think my brother is mental,” Ginny said, matter of factly. “What about Luna? I’ve been around her a lot, and she seems normal.”

“That’s the point. She’s been acting almost like a normal person. Think about it, when was the last time she mentioned one of her weird creatures?” Ginny thought for a second and finally shook her head. “Sure, she still reads The Quibbler, but she, just like Hermione, has this... overwhelmed aura around her... As if they know something we don’t.” Neville felt silent and sighed.

“You’re amazing,” Ginny said, her eyes peering at him so intensely that Neville had to lower his face so she wouldn’t notice he had turned crinsom.

“What? Why?” he asked shyly.

“Why? Well because you’re able to see all that! That’s why you, Mr. Longbottom, are a very wonderful and caring person,” she said, finishing the sentence with a yawn.

“It’s getting late, you should go to bed,” Neville said, still not looking at her in the eyes.

“I guess you’re right, I have Potions early tomorrow.” She giggled when he flinched. “You can fight with Death Eaters, you come back willingly to the hands of You Know Who, but you still panic at the sound of anything related to Professor Snape!” she said, laughing now.

Neville looked flushed, but he had to admit she was right.

“Everyone has their weakness,” he said, defensively.

She got up from her chair still smiling, picked up her book and bent down to gave him a small peck on the cheek, which startled him. Ginny walked toward the stairs, but stopped before going up. She turned around, and smiled at him.

“I meant what I said. You really are an amazing person, Neville.” And with that, she climbed the stairs up to her room.

It was long before Neville could go to bed. He had a lot of things on his mind, but his heart seemed to be busy with nothing more and nothing less than a red-haired girl.

* * *

References:

The story that Luna told Ron is based on one of the many legends about the Rabbit on the Moon. We are both huge fans of History and Hispanic literature, and this particular myth seemed to fit with something Luna would say. Because its a popular tale in Mexico, Psy_Girl was the one who suggested it, and the only thing she changed are the animals (the fox and the wolf) because in the original story they are some native mexican (pronounced “mechican”) animals.

It’s also true that many cultures portray the woman as a rabbit. If you have any questions about this particular story, you can PM Psy_Girl and she’ll gladly help you.

And you can actually see the siluette of a rabbit on the full moon, you just need a little bit of imagination and you’ll find it.

See you on the next chapter!

8. Same Time, Same Dilema

Author notes: Hi everyone! We bet you thought we'd abandoned this. Or maybe you don't even remember this story. There are no words to say how sorry we are for leaving this aside for so long, and even if we wasted space explaining all the reasons we had, it wouldn't matter. So we can only hope that you like this chapter, and if you forgot about this story, read it again =P!

With the release of HBP, this story is very much AU by now, but nevertheless, we'll always keep as close to canon as possible. Most of this chapter was actually written before HBP, so we won't be changing anything from what we originally planned for this story. We know you're sad, but there won't be any H/G here *grins* (We really dislike Ginny-Sue, in case you didn't notice. Psy_Girl has been trying to delude herself that HBP never happened *sigh*).

Since we're back on track, we'll probably have the next chapter out a lot sooner than this one. Or so we'll try, because Psy_Girl is getting married in January and everything's quite hectic for her now.

We have to thank Another for the time he took out of his busy schedule to beta read this chapter for us. And everyone should thank perfectzero (Marisol) and WonkyKris (Kris) because their nagging is responsible for the release of this chapter in this century. We love you guys, and we'll make this chapter your birthday present, Marisol. You better like it, no refunds!

Chapter 08 - Same Time, Same Dilemma

“Reducio!”

A spell filled with frustration and hate hit a beautiful vase and sent it flying all over the room in hundreds of tiny, colorful, shattered pieces.

“How dare he! How. Dare. He! That ... that insignificant fool!” Another flick of her wand, and a piece of artwork hanging in the wall was reduced to ashes.

“Bella ... darling, please, calm down...”

“How can you ask me such a thing, when that filthy mudblood-lover has escaped from our Master's grasp once more!” Bellatrix Lestrange exclaimed, outraged, and pointed her wand at a marble statue in the middle of the room.

This time, before the blast had a chance to destroy it, a hand whisked the object away from the path of the destructive spell, and instead only a window was broken.

“This is more than a thousand years old, my dear sister. Such a rare item should be handled more carefully,” said Lucius Malfoy, carefully putting the statue back in place and staring at Bellatrix with cold eyes, “would it be too much to ask for you not to destroy my house? If you wish to continue your little tantrum, I suggest you direct your anger towards the Death Eaters who let our master down.”

Bellatrix's scowl turned into an evil smirk, her head spinning with wonderful and fulfilling ways she could teach a lesson or two to those useless idiots. But, at the same time, it reminded her of the reason of her distress, and she let another furious exclamation come out off her mouth.

“Ah, come now, my love,” Rodolphus Lestrange said, taking his wife's arm and pulling her next to him. He knew very well that Bellatrix was impossible when she was angry, so it was better to comfort her now before she decided to include him in her path of rage.

“If Master had let me stay instead of that rat, the mudblood and the others would be dead by now. Master would be happy. And you know that I love it when our master is pleased.”

“We all do, darling,” said her husband, stroking her hair in a soothing way. Lucius Malfoy rolled his eyes. Bellatrix was the only person that Rodolphus ever treated kindly; it was painful to watch him when he looked at her.

“Why?” Bellatrix kept whining. “Why did he choose the rat and not me? I could have dealt with Potter and his friends! I would've crushed them!”

An eerie silence filled the room, located in the secluded part of the Malfoy Manor. Several Death Eaters were gathered, the deadliest and most vicious of all Voldemort's followers. They were waiting for the Dark Lord to contact them and inform about their next move.

“Something disturbs me,” said Dolohov, moving forward so the rest would see him clearly. “How did Potter and Dumbledore found out where our Lord would be? The clues were supposed to lead them somewhere else. Isn't that what you said, Narcissa?”

The blonde woman turned her cold eyes to him, but remained silent behind her husband.

“Isn't it obvious?” Bellatrix spoke again, leaving Rodolphus' side and walking slowly towards the group of Death Eaters. “There is a traitor among us. Now we know it for sure.”

She turned to Severus Snape, who was standing in the farthest corner of the room. She moved until she was standing in front of him, her wand pointed threateningly at his neck, a cruel smirk covering her features.

“I've never really believed your story, my dear Severus. I've always suspected that you're Dumbledore's puppet pretending to be one of us, and not the other way around. I'd be delighted to take care of you, you know.”

Snape didn't even flinch. He lowered her wand effortlessly and returned her smirk calmly. “I know how much pleasure my death—or any other death, for that matter—would bring you, Lestrange. I hate to disappoint you, but it wasn't me the one who told Potter our whereabouts.”

“No one else aside from you has contact with Potter...” Bellatrix insisted.

“Are you sure about that?” Snape asked, his lip curling slightly. “I, like most of the people in this room, didn't even know where the Master would summon us until the time came. Maybe you should direct your questions to the ones who were more … informed,” he added, looking straight at Narcissa Malfoy.

Bellatrix followed his gaze and her eyes met with her sister's, who was suddenly frowning.

“You're not suggesting...” Narcissa said, in a high pitched voice. Everyone turned to look at her, somewhat curious. It wasn't very common to hear her speak up. “How could I let the information leak?!? I've never even talked to Pot—”

“Shut up, Narcissa,” Lucius ordered. “I won't tolerate that kind of insinuation from you, Snape.”

“I haven't made any insinuations,” Snape said. “I'm merely suggesting that since Bellatrix is so fixed on blaming one of her own, she should start with the ones who knew the place we would be at beforehand and actually had a way to let Potter and Dumbledore know ... I'm not the only one at Hogwarts.”

“That son of yours,” Bellatrix said, leaving Snape's side and strutting towards her brother-in-law. “He's proven to be quite the failure, hasn't he? He's lost to Potter and his mudblood friend more than once...”

“That's none of your business!” Lucius yelled, his face tense with anger. “My son has nothing to do with this.”

“Are you sure about that? Since he's disappointed you in so many ways already, he might as well be one of Dumbledore's allies.”

In less than a second, he had taken his wand out and was pointing at Bellatrix's face. The woman smirked and lifted her own wand, and for a moment, the rest of the Death Eaters thought they'd be entertained with a duel while they waited for Lord Voldemort's arrival.

“Stop it, Bella!” Narcissa exclaimed, standing between her husband and her sister. “Draco didn't know anything. I swear on my life. He couldn't have told Dumbledore. Stop looking for a traitor among us! We're all loyal to the Dark Lord!”

Bellatrix lowered her wand, not very convinced. She went back to her corner, determined to bring up the subject again when the time came.

Across the room, no one noticed Severus Snape smiling to himself in a pleased fashion, his eyes fixed on Narcissa Malfoy and a strange idea forming in his head...

The sound of the door opening got everyone out of their ponderings. A short, shabby looking figure stepped in the room. A loud hiss of disaproval was heard at the back of the room.

“My, oh my, if it isn't the nasty rat,” sneered Bellatrix, not bothering to hide her look of disgust. “Craving for some leftovers?”

Wormtail ignored her remark as he entered the room. He tried his best not to show any fear. He knew what they all thought.... They hated him. If they could, they would kill him on the spot. It bothered them, especially the Lestrange woman, that he had such a close position to the Dark Lord. They all thought he was useless, and a coward. He was used to it. For as long as he remembered he'd been looked down, even by the people who were supposed to be his friends. So he didn't mind what the Death Eaters thought of him, as long as he had his protection. If he ever lost that... He didn't even want to think about it.

“The Dark Lord requests your presence, Bellatrix,” Wormtail said, not looking at anyone in the face. The room was full of his most powerful supporters, and he knew better than to give anyone a reason to get more crossed with him.

“What for?” asked Lucius Malfoy. His tone clearly showed he was irritated, and it seemed that he was expressing everyone's question.

Wormtail clicked his tongue. “He asked for Bella, Lucius, I don't know anything else and you should know better than to pry in His business.”

Bellatrix dedicated a smug smile to her brother in law, and followed Wormtail out of the room. She wondered what plans her lord would have for her, but whatever they were, she hoped they involved a raven-haired boy and a filthy mudblood from whom she desperately craved revenge.

* * *

Harry leaned his forehead against the cold shelf of the Restricted Section. He was really tired. He wasn't sure how long he'd be able to continue like this.

Ever since that talk with Dumbledore, he'd been sneaking out at night to go to the library and research in the Restricted Section. He would wait until everyone was asleep, pull out his Invisibility Cloak and start looking among the hundreds of books that were cooped up in there until the crack of dawn, when he'd go back to the dorm, think about how useless the previous hours had been, and then try to sleep for at least an hour before he had to get up for the first class.

Harry raised his wand to look at the title of another book and sighed in disappointment when he read it. He wasn't interested in the side effects of mixing the Draught of Peace with Polyjuice Potion during the full moon. He decided to let it go for that night, as he could barely keep his eyes open anymore and could do well with two extra hours of sleep. Maybe he'd look less tired the following day and Hermione would stop looking at him as if she feared he'd collapse any second (not that he was too far from it).

He put on the cloak and started walking back to the Gryffindor Tower. Maybe the reason why he hadn't had luck so far was because he wasn't sure what he was looking for exactly. He knew if he would just ask Dumbledore, he'd probably tell him where to look.... Heck, he'd probably even give him a signed permission to wander freely in the Restricted Section, but Harry was determined not to show the Headmaster that what they'd talked about in his office the morning after the rescue had disturbed him. It was better to keep the denial act.

“So let's talk about the real reason of your presence here this morning. You seem eager to talk to me.... That's something I haven't seen in a while.”

“Well, I wanted to talk about what happened last night, in the cemetery...”

Dumbledore looked right into his eyes, and made a slight nod to encourage him to continue.

“Um, I...” Harry cleared his throat. “Fred was telling everyone about how we battled the Death Eaters before the Order arrived. And he said I ... he said I...” thinking about what Fred had said again, Harry had trouble to repeat it to Dumbledore. He didn't even understand himself, how was he supposed to explain it?

Fawkes cried softly and approached Harry, nudging his arm with its feathered head. Harry patted the phoenix gently, recognizing its supporting gesture. “Fred said I cast some spell... That it managed to keep the Death Eaters away from us long enough until you came. He said he had felt... that his magic was being drained.” Harry looked up to Dumbledore to see his reaction, but the old man was staring at him calmly. Harry took a deep breath and continued. “But I don't remember casting anything like tha t... I don't think I—no, I'm sure I can't do something like that. Not consciously, at least. So he must be wrong, right? He was probably confused...”

Dumbledore opened a small box he had on his desk and pulled out a sherbet lemon. He offered one to Harry, which he refused. “Do you really think Mr. Weasley mistook what he saw? Or should I say, what he felt...?” the Headmaster asked, sucking the candy.

“Well, I don't think he.... Maybe it was like that time I blew up Aunt Marge. Hagrid once told me that sometimes magic can get out of control a little when we are really upset...”

“Do you remember how you felt that time you blew your aunt?” Dumbledore asked, and Harry nodded. How could he forget how furious he was at that time? He could feel the anger building up inside him just by recalling that woman's words. “And, if I asked you to, would you be able to tell me about other times when something you couldn't control happened?”

Harry nodded again. He remembered the snake at the zoo, the time when Aunt Petunia had cut his hair and ... Dumbledore interrupted his silent recount.

“Harry, the night your friends were kidnapped, I sent Remus and Alastor to your Uncle's house so you'd know from us, and not from other sources, what was going on. Then, I thought it might be better if I went there as well, because, like I told you that time, I had the suspicion that Voldemort's action was aimed at something that neither Remus nor Alastor know.”

“Finding out about the prophecy,” Harry muttered, pronouncing the last word as if it was some king of venom.

“That's right. Do you know what I saw when I got there? Or, to put it better, what I felt?

Harry shook his head. Everything had been so confusing that he couldn't recall the events very well.... He hadn't even noticed when Dumbledore had showed up in the second floor. He remembered Lupin telling him that Hermione was gone, and the next thing ... Dumbledore telling him to calm down, that she wasn't dead.

Dumbledore noticed Harry's frown. “Those few seconds you can't remember about that night, that fragment that is blurry inside your head... Isn't it a little like what happened last night, when you were surrounded by those Death Eaters?”

Harry's eyes widened. “I...”

“Magic varies from wizard to wizard; some are more powerful than others, as I'm sure you are already aware. And although it's true that training is essential to develop skills, it doesn't have a real effect on the amount of magic power you have. It's just a way to achieve that potential.”

Harry blinked, not very sure why Dumbledore was telling him all that at the moment. Dumbledore must have read the “what does that have to do with anything?” expression in his face, and smiled gently.

“I think it's time you accept that you're not an ordinary wizard, Harry.”

“Of course not, I'm being targeted by a bloody maniac just because of a stupid Prophecy,” Harry said angrily, not able to hold back what he was really thinking. He was tired of everyone thinking he was special just because he had been lucky enough to escape from Voldemort and could conjure a Patronus.

Dumbledore, far from getting angry with his outburst, chuckled. Harry resisted the urge to ask him what was so funny about it.

“The answer you're looking for, Harry ... I can't give it to you. You're the only one who can get to it. And the first step is believing in yourself, and in what you can do.”

Harry looked at Dumbledore, frustrated. “That's it? You won't tell me anything else?”

Dumbledore removed his glasses and started cleaning them with his robes, breaking eye contact with Harry. “I have the impression you had your own theory about this, Harry,” he said. “Come on, say what's on your mind.”

Harry took a while before speaking up. “I thought that ... maybe ... this had to do with ... `The power the Dark Lord knows not.'”

Dumbledore put his glasses on again and looked at Harry with interest. Harry felt a little flustered under his gaze.

“I realize it's ridiculous ... I don't have such power. I don't have it.”

“You've already said that,” Dumbledore remarked, with a slight smile.

Harry sighed heavily at the memory. He had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, who let him past with a groan, complaining about how she'd been awoken every day for a week. Harry ignored her and entered in the Common Room, pulling off his Invisibility Cloak as soon as he stepped there.

“You came back earlier tonight.”

Harry almost had a heart attack at the sound of the voice and turned to the fireplace with a startled expression. Ron was sitting on the couch, staring up at him. He was wearing his pajamas, but Harry had the impression it had been a while since he'd gotten up from bed.

“What are you doing up so late?” Harry asked, not able to hide the surprise in his voice.

“And I thought that was my line,” Ron said. “I was hoping that tonight you'd finally tell me what you've been doing all these nights you've sneaked out.”

Harry stared at him, somewhat embarrassed. “You knew?”

“Yeah, apparently Malfoy's dungeon turned me into a light sleeper,” Ron answered, shrugging. “I hear when you go out, and I hear when you come back. You're three hours earlier tonight ... not that I'm complaining, I don't know if I would've been able to wait until six in the morning for you to come back.”

For a moment, both friends looked at each other without saying anything, as if they were trying to read the other's mind. Of course, the only one skilled enough to guess what the others were thinking was Hermione, so they gave up fairly quickly.

Ron spoke first. “So, are you going to tell me, or do I have to start with the interrogation?”

“It's nothing, really,” Harry said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I just needed some air, to clear my head.”

Ron snorted loudly. “Apparently your head needs lots of clearing if you have to do this every night. Come on, Harry, I'm not that thick, you know?”

Realizing he wouldn't be able to get away with this unless he lied to his best friend, Harry sighed in resignation and sat on a chair next to Ron.

“I've been at the library.”

Ron raised an eyebrow. “I think the only person who could use that excuse convincingly is Hermione.”

“I'm serious,” Harry said. He had to admit that it did sound suspicious.

“Okay,” Ron said, clearly not convinced yet. “May I ask why do you need to sneak out in the middle of the night to go to the Library? Unless you're meeting a girl there...” Harry looked at Ron with utter shock and the read head laughed. “I was only joking, Harry! Well, are you?”

“Of course not!” Harry said, slightly flustered at the idea.

Ron laughed a bit longer and eventually became serious again. He looked at Harry straight in the eye. “Then why are you going to the library every night?”

“I'm... doing some research.”

“But why at night? You could do it during the day.”

“I'm looking in the Restricted Section. I don't want Pince breathing on my shoulder all the time,” Harry answered. It was only a half-truth, of course. He didn't want Ron and Hermione knowing what he was looking for, either.

“What are you looking for in the Restricted Section?” Ron pressed. “It must be something important. I could help, you know. I'm sure Hermione would too—”

“No!” Harry said, more forcefully than he would've liked. Ron looked at him, puzzled. “I mean ... I don't need help. I don't want to bother you...”

Ron sighed heavily and leaned back on his couch. “You think we don't know you're hiding something from us?”

“What are you talking about?” Harry asked, trying to sound innocent, but he was failing miserably at hiding his uneasiness.

“It's so evident, I could tell even before Hermione said something to me.”

Harry, who was already used to Ron and Hermione talking about him behind his back, couldn't help the little pang of annoyance in his stomach when he pictured them this time. He stared at Ron, wondering what he should say to make him drop the subject.

“If you don't want to tell me what it is, I understand,” Ron said, after a long silence.

“It's not that,” Harry said defensively.

“But there is something, right?”

Harry lowered his head, cursing silently. Why did Ron have to get sharp and perceptive the one time he needed him to remain oblivious? Knowing he wouldn't get anywhere lying to him, he nodded weakly.

“I will tell you. Just ... I can't right now.”

Ron nodded in understanding. “I know you must have your reasons to keep it to yourself.” He made a pause. “Harry, I just ... I wanted to say I'm sorry.”

Harry looked up in surprise. “Why?”

“For not being the friend you needed me to be.”

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Ron shut him up with a gesture of his hand.

“Ever since what happened at the end of our fourth year, I've been avoiding any topic that might affect you. I haven't voiced any opinions because I feared it would make you angry. I've just followed you along, not even attempting to be any kind of guide, so you wouldn't get upset with me like you did with Hermione. She's a lot braver than I am. I've just stayed out of it and haven't helped you at all.”

Harry stared at Ron with his mouth open, in disbelief. “Ron, what the hell are you babbling about? You've been a great friend. You've helped me much more than you think. I've always felt your support and you've stayed with me without questions or hesitation.” Harry swallowed, and cleared his throat, realizing he and Ron had never talked like this before. “If it wasn't for you, I...”

“I'm glad you think so,” Ron said, his face reddening like it always did when someone gave him a compliment. “But I've realized that the best way to be your friend isn't pretending that things don't happen. So, from now on, I'll stop agreeing in everything with you,” he added, grinning to break the sappy mood a little.

Harry grinned back. “What did those Death Eaters do to you?” he teased.

“Death Eaters? No mate, you've got it all wrong! The real torture was being locked up with Ginny, Hermione and Loony.... That's more than enough to drive a good bloke nuts. Pure torture, I'm telling you,” Ron said, shaking his head dramatically. “Women ... dunno how Neville and I got through it.”

Harry laughed as they headed back for a much needed rest.

* * *

Hermione shut the book with such force that the table trembled. Sighing, she turned to look out of the window. Time was passing by too quickly, she thought, looking at the cloudy sky, and imagining the grounds were covered in a cold fog. She felt a pair of eyes on her, and turned to the girl in front with a frustrated expression.

“It's been almost a month already, Luna!” Hermione said. “Never before I was in a situation where I had such an important question and absolutely no answers!” She closed her eyes, tired, and rested her head on top of the now closed book.

“Patience is a virtue, they say,” answered Luna, in a voice that could match Hermione's exhausted expression, “and I'm quite sure by now that we both lack that virtue.”

“I don't know what to do,” Hermione whined, banging her head against the table.

Luna left the book she was reading aside and grabbed another. “Well, I think you do know what you have to do. You should ask Harry...” Hermione lifted her head and glared at Luna. “Of course, you don't want to do that, so we'll have to keep looking here,” the blonde finished.

Hermione couldn't help but smile at Luna, and she smiled back. She wasn't sure how it happened, but she could tell they had become good friends. She knew it was the first time Luna had someone to call friend, even if she got along very well with Ginny. Luna seemed to understand what Hermione was thinking, and they sealed their silent agreement with another smile, before turning back to the books. Or so they tried.

“Hermioneeeeeee! Heeeeeelp me, pleaseeeee!”

Both girls turned to look at Ron, who had stumbled on the library carrying a ton of parchments and ignoring Madame Pince's angry remarks about keeping quiet. He dropped the parchments on the table, in front of Hermione, and sat next to Luna. “That greasy git gave me extra homework! I don't know who I hate more now... Snape, for being his ugly self, or Dumbledore, for forcing me to take NEWTs Potions even if I didn't get the O that was required.” He stared at the parchment and books in front of him, and his face contorted in pain. “Please, take me back to that cell. Now. Anything is better than this.” He stared at Hermione with his trademark pleading look.

“Oh no, Ron Weasley, you know that look doesn't work on me!” Hermione said as sternly as she could, even if she knew that in the end she would give in.

“Come on, `Mioneee, can't you help your very best friend at his time of need?”

“Ron, you should be able to do this by yourself now, or how do you plan to pass the NEWTs? Don't make that face! You know that—oh, fine—if you're going to be a prat about it, then forget it! And don't call me Mione!” She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “And you're not my only very best friend.”

“Ouch, you've hurt my feelings. But ... what is it that you're working on so hard, that locks you here everyday and can't allow you to help me?” He leaned forward and tried to grab the book that Hermione had just closed, trying to read its title.

“I can help you, if you want, Ronald,” Luna chirped in. Ron turned to her as if he had just realized she was sitting next to him.

“Oh, hi Luna...” He looked at her uncertainly. “This is really advanced, and I—I ... I don't think...”

Hermione bit her lip, trying not to smile. She had noticed Ron getting weirder when Luna was around, and she found it incredibly funny. She wished she could comment it with Harry so they would tease him together, but his head had been anywhere lately, and he probably hadn't even noticed.

“I might not be in the same grade you are, but I'd say I'm better at Potions than you,” Luna said, grabbing the parchments that Ron had brought with him and studying them carefully. “Besides, my father has always taught me how to brew special potions and the importance of roots and plants, just in case I find myself in mortal danger while looking for a flercarnish.... Quite an interesting animal, that one.”

“Yeah ... okay,” Ron said quickly, not wanting her to start a description of the flowerfish or whatever it was. He wasn't very confident that Luna could help him, and shot a desperate glance at Hermione.

All Hermione did was grin wickedly. “Well then, I better leave you two to study,” she said, standing up and putting some books into her schoolbag. “Are you sure about this, Luna? He can be quite thick and stubborn.... And he'll surely try to trick you into giving him the answers he needs.”

“That's not true! Luna, don't pay attention to what Hermione says!” Ron said somewhat panicked, and looking at Hermione with a don't-ruin-me expression.

Hermione was about to come up with another retort, when Luna interrupted her, looking past her shoulder.

“Hello Harry.”

Hermione looked behind her and saw Harry coming towards them with a book in his hands. She didn't notice her grip on the books she still had in her arms got tighter.

“Hi,” Harry said, looking at Luna, and then at Ron and Hermione. Hermione noticed he looked really tired, which seemed to be his natural state lately.

“What brings you to the library at this time of the day, mate?” Ron asked. Something in his tone made Hermione think that he was trying to imply something else with that sentence.

“I'm just returning a book I borrowed for Defense Against the Dark Arts,” Harry replied, raising his hand to show his proof. “Well, see ya...”

“Where are you going?” asked Hermione.

Harry looked at her briefly. “I still have to finish my Transfiguration homework...”

“Do you need any help with that?” Hermione offered, good-naturedly. “I was heading to the Common Room myself, and I'm already done with my assignments...”

“How come he gets all the help?” mumbled Ron.

“No thanks,” Harry said quickly, “I mean, I need to do it on my own for once, or I'll never learn.”

There was a brief moment of silence. Harry avoided Hermione's eyes, Hermione refused to look at Ron's direction, Ron stared at Harry shaking his head and Luna let out a tiny sigh that went unnoticed. Harry waved goodbye and disappeared again, and Hermione finally turned to Luna, looking resigned and not exactly surprised that Harry had refused her company.

“Tomorrow, same time?” she asked.

“Same time, same place, same dilemma,” came Luna's answer.

And then Ron noticed something—a flash of pain in Hermione's eyes when she turned to walk away. He looked at Luna and she just stared back, understanding what he saw and nodding her head slightly.

“By George!” exclaimed Ron suddenly.

“Your brother?” asked Luna, confused.

“What? Oh no, not that George ... the other George ... oh, forget the George! Do you realize what we just did?”

“Talk about your brother George and not your brother Fred?”

Ron looked at her strangely. “What does Fred has to do with anything? Oh, never mind that! We did a Harry-Hermione thingy!”

“A what?” Luna looked more lost than usual.

“A Harry and Hermione thing!” Ron repeated.

“What do Harry and Hermione have to do with George and Fred?”

“Not George and Fred! Harry and Hermione!” Ron yelled, exasperated, earning himself a glare from Madame Pince.

“Ronald, sometimes you are just too loony for me to keep up,” Luna said seriously, shaking her head.

Ron just stared and then couldn't help but laugh at her remark, finally starting back on his homework.

* * *

Harry was sitting by the lake, slowly turning the pages of Hermione's journal. Even now that it had been a while since they'd returned, he still hadn't given it back.... Hermione hadn't mentioned anything about a missing book, which was odd coming from her, but Harry didn't want to return it yet.

He'd already read through it twice. At first, he'd felt a little guilty, reading something that belonged to Hermione without her authorization, but then he realized that not much of what was written there was unknown to him... But he'd relived everything that had happened since his start at Hogwarts through Hermione's eyes, and that was an experience hard to describe. He was suddenly aware of many things he hadn't noticed before. Or maybe he had noticed them, but never really thought about them.

He was suddenly very conscious that, if it weren't for Hermione, he would be dead for sure. She had saved him so many times (starting in his first Quidditch game) that he was thinking that to the name “The Boy who Lived” someone should add “Thanks to his friend Hermione Granger.”

And for the first time, he was seeing how hard it'd been for her all these years. By reading the way she described all their close encounters with danger, he could tell that they had been terrible for her. He had unwillingly pulled her—and Ron, who probably felt the same way than Hermione—into the mess that was his life, and she didn't deserve that. He felt miserable, selfish, and extremely self-centered.

“Hello, Harry.”

The voice startled Harry and he quickly tried to hide the journal inside his robes. “This is a very nice spot,” Lupin said, looking around.

“Hello, Professor. Yeah, Hermione discovered it a few years ago, and it kinda felt like a fine place to be right now.”

“I see. I liked it, too when I was a student. You get a great view and it still gives you privacy, a fact that Sirius enjoyed greatly. His `thinking spot,' I think was the name your father gave to it.” Without waiting for an invitation, Lupin sat next to Harry, leaning against the tree.

Harry noticed the small smile on his face. “I bet some of the best pranks were planned here”.

“True. This tree has a lot of History. I'm glad that you and your friends enjoy being here.”

“I'm sure Ron would like to hear about it... He has a weird obsession with this tree... “

“So what's so interesting about that book you're carrying with you all the time? And by that very poor attempt to hide it —if you don't mind me saying so— I assume that it's not something you're willing to share with others.”

Harry fidgeted a moment in his spot, not knowing what to say.

“I don't know if anyone has told you this, but books in the magical world can be dangerous”

Harry let a small laugh. “Umm ... yeah, I think Ginny mentioned something back in second year. But don't worry, Professor; this book is from a reliable source … too reliable, actually,” he finished with a sad tone.

“It's not from Snape, is it?”

Harry gave him a scandalized look, and Lupin chuckled. “Just kidding. So it's Hermione's.”

“What? How do you … I mean … what?”

“Sometimes, you're not too hard to read Harry. When you're moody it has something to do with Snape or Malfoy, and when you get all pensive, it usually has to do about the people you care about. Like Hermione.”

“Well, is just that … let's just say that she gives me stuff to think about.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Harry hesitated for a moment.

“Have you ever … er … how do you … it's hard to explain.”

“Well, let's start with the easy part. What's the book about?”

“It's a journal—”

Lupin straightened and looked down at Harry with a serious face.

“Her journal?” He shook his head. “I'm kinda disappointed with you, Harry. Reading a private journal is not so far from betrayal.... Your father did a lot of crazy stunts in our time but he never...”

“No, no you got it all wrong! It's not hers, it's mine.… Well she wrote it, but ... it's not about her.”

“Okay, I'm officially confused.”

Harry sighed. “Here.” He passed Lupin the journal. The older man hesitated at first when he saw Hermione's initials on the cover, but Harry gave him a reassuring nod.

Lupin passed on the pages carefully, stopping to read a paragraph every now and then. Harry waited for him to finish, while he pulled out handfuls of grass, his mind drifting back to all the thoughts that had been filling his mind.

Finally, Lupin raised his head and stared at Harry in awe.

“I never knew … Dumbledore told me some about your adventures, but.... You, Ron and Hermione have done things … I never … It's amazing! But how?”

“Hermione is the one who's amazing, actually. I always get myself in trouble and they get involved; Ron always opens his mouth and we get in deeper trouble.... And then there's Hermione, who gets us out … she's always been there to help out.”

As he heard Harry talk, Lupin could see something ... something in his eyes, something he'd seen before, a long time ago.

“She's always been there; even when she was petrified, she solved the mystery. Even when she was scared, she fought; even when she knew I was doing something stupid and reckless, she stood by my side... Even when I was lost because she wasn't here to give me the answer, her diary came to me and showed me the way.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is how I found where that cemetery was, she had pointed it out when I got dragged there during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. She even drew a map of the surrounding area!” He gave a small snort. “So you see … the Boy Who Lived is alive thanks to Hermione Granger.”

“You've also helped her, and the rest of your friends, a lot. You've also saved her life, more than once, apparently.”

“Maybe, but if I hadn't dragged her along, she would've never been in danger in the first place, would she?”

“I wouldn't say that you've dragged her. I'm pretty sure she's followed you on her own accord.”

“Of course. That's who she is. That's who both of them are, Ron and her. They would follow me anywhere, even if it means to put themselves on the line. And I understand why Ron does it. Not only because he's a loyal friend, but also because he needs to prove himself. No matter how he protests, in the end he wants to. But Hermione ... she hates it. She's terrified. But she just keeps on doing it, because of me. How do you think that makes me feel?”

Lupin regarded Harry with a thoughtful look. He knew that Harry carried a lot on his shoulders, and that he seemed to force himself to carry even more. He was glad that he was opening his heart to him a little....

“I think you should talk to her, Harry.”

Harry looked at him, and then shook his head. “What for? I know what she'll say. It won't change than I'm making her feel like this.”

Lupin stood up from his spot and crouched in front of Harry. “It's not fair that you jump into conclusions and don't let her say something about it. I'm sure that Hermione has strong reasons to help you the way she does—reasons beyond loyalty.” Again, Harry shook his head. “Listen to me,” Lupin insisted, “I, like you, have known the value of a strong friendship. If it hadn't been for my friends, I probably wouldn't be here right now. And I ended up losing them all. You don't know how terrible it is ... to lose your friends, Harry. You can't let that happen to you. Don't push them away.”

Harry swallowed hard as he stared into Lupin's eyes. “I'm s-sorry, I forgot...” They stayed in silence. The professor stood up straight and gave the boy a gentle smile.

“I know that you'll do the right thing. And whatever you need ... I'm here for you, okay?”

He left, leaving Harry alone, with a strange feeling in the pitch of his stomach. Almost unconsciously, he looked up to the window in the Gryffindor Tower. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him, but he was sure there was Hermione's silhouette, staring down at him.

* * *

Later, when Ron went up to the Gryffindor common room, he found Hermione sitting by the window, her gaze lost somewhere in the grounds. For a second, Ron thought about leaving her alone with her cavilations, but the sad look in his friend's face made him reconsider it. He knew that comforting people wasn't among his best abilities, but at least he had to try.

He approached carefully and sat in the chair in front of her. Hermione acknowledged him with a small smile.

“Did you finish you homework?”

“Yeah, who would've thought that Loony actually had a thing for something so grounded like Potions,” he answered, shrugging. “What were you doing?”

“Oh, just thinking...” Hermione said, her eyes moving to the window again.

Ron looked outside. The day was dull and cloudy, the trees moving along with the cold breeze of Fall. He then noticed a very familiar figure sitting by the lake.... He turned to look at Hermione again, and saw that, without a doubt, she was looking at said figure too.

“I talked to him last night, you know?” Ron said, and Hermione looked at him somewhat surprised.

“You talked to Harry? About what we discussed?”

Ron nodded. “I told him we knew he was hiding something from us. At first, he played innocent, but in the end, he admitted there was something.... He said he'd tell us, but he couldn't just now.”

Hermione sighed. “I wonder what could be so big that he has to hide it from us?”

“Beats me. I guess we have no choice but to wait until he decides to spill the beans...” Ron said, but the truth was he really wanted to know, too.

“But Ron, don't you get what he's doing? He's shutting himself up again! This is what he spent all summer doing, leaving us out of his worries.... I thought that, after what happened, he wouldn't do it again.” Hermione let out a frustrated growl. “He's so annoying.”

“I have to admit I'm actually glad to hear you refer to someone else than me as `annoying',” Ron said and Hermione shot him a look. “But maybe we shouldn't worry so much. You know Harry, he's not very keen on letting others know that something's bothering him.... He always has to be strong and invulnerable. I guess he's still having a hard time dealing with Sirius.”

“You honestly think that's all?”

“Well ... no.”

“I don't, either. I'm sure there's something else.”

Ron stared at her in silence for a moment. “Since we are talking about hiding stuff...” he said, and didn't miss Hermione's uneasy expression, “shouldn't you tell me what you've been looking for all this time?”

“I don't know what you're talking about, Ron,” Hermione said, in a poorly convincing way.

“I'm talking about you spending time in the library with Luna Lovegood, of all people. I'm talking about same time, same dilemma,” he said, quoting Luna's words. “What is it? It has to do with Harry, doesn't it?”

Hermione bit her lip and finally nodded. “I'm looking for the answer that Harry doesn't want to give me—us.”

Ron's face looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“Isn't it obvious? I want to know why Voldemort kidnapped us. Aren't you curious to know about that Prophecy he's so interested in?”

“But Neville broke the Prophecy in the Department of Mysteries last June.”

“Yes, but still, there has to be people out there who know about it. What about the one who told it, the one who heard it? What if—”

“What if Harry knows what the Prophecy says?” Ron finished for her. Hermione didn't say anything, but it was clear to him that he had guessed correctly. “So you think Harry is acting like this because of something that appeared in a prophecy?” Again, Hermione remained silent. “But Hermione, I doubt Harry believes in that stuff.... He's been three years with Trelawney, no one can keep their faith in Divination after that.”

“I don't know, Ron. I'm just making assumptions. Luna thinks the same way I do, that's why she's been helping me. We've been looking for everything related to prophecies, but we haven't found much that can be of use.”

Ron rubbed his forehead. “Shouldn't we ask Harry? If we go to him with a direct question, he won't be able to weasel his way out.”

“We could try, but that could only increase the distance he's putting between himself and everyone else.”

Ron admitted she had a point. They both sighed and stayed silent for a couple of minutes. There was something Ron wanted to ask her, but he couldn't gather enough courage to do it. He cleared his throat a couple of times, until Hermione looked at him, questioningly.

“Hermione, um, can I... can I ask you something?”

“You're doing it now, aren't you?”

He glared at her, but decided to continue. “The reason why you've been looking so sad and upset lately... It's because of Harry, isn't it?”

Hermione frowned. “Weren't we talking about that just now?”

“Yes, I know you're worried about what he's hiding and all that...” Ron knew that he wasn't wording his question correctly. “What I want to know is ... are you like this because he's drifting away from you?”

Hermione stared at him, her eyes a little wide. “What? Well, I told you, I'm worried that he's alone.... Of course I don't like the fact that he's leaving his friends out of his problems. I wish he would talk to us so we—”

“That's not what I'm asking,” Ron interrupted, impatiently. “I already know that Harry's problems worry you all the bloody time. But I'm talking about you. What you feel when he pushes you away, like he did today.”

Hermione couldn't help the faint blush that coloured her cheeks when she got what Ron was trying to say. “Well, he's my friend, of course I miss him...”

Ron let out a very small sigh, and looked briefly through the window. Harry hadn't moved from his spot. “Maybe you should try to knock some sense into him,” he suggested.

“You think I haven't tried already?”

“Hermione,” Ron said, looking at her seriously, “in all the time I've known you, I've never seen you giving up with something that matters to you ... so much.”

He was right, Hermione realized. She couldn't let Harry do this. She had to keep trying, until he got in his thick head that he wouldn't be able to get rid of his friends so easily.

Ron watched Hermione leave the tower, mentally thanking Luna for hinting him what he should do about Hermione. He leaned back, feeling pleased with himself. Who'd have thought that he'd end up advising the very same person that always complained about his lack of sensitivity?

* * *

He could hear the footsteps coming closer. He didn't need to turn around to know it was her. He should've known she would come, and silently hoped she would suddenly change her mind and go back... But he'd already learnt that, when she had set her mind about something, there was no turning back.

Without moving from his spot, he heard her voice.

“Hey. I saw you here and thought that you might want some company. Do you mind if I sit?” she asked timidly.

“If you want to...” he replied curtly, still not looking at her.

“I've been meaning to talk to you, but...” she started, but trailed off when she saw that his expression had changed for one of alert “Wha—”

“Sssshhhh!” he whispered, standing up. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” she whispered back, not really sure what for.

But as soon as she asked that, she heard it, a soft sound that seemed to come from the grass. It was familiar, yet she couldn't say where she had heard it before. Without knowing what was going on, she felt a chill ran down her spine, and a sense of dread filled her until it got hard to breathe. By the look on his face, she figured he was experiencing something similar.

“Go back to the castle and get help,” he said then, looking everywhere for the source of the increasing sound.

“No! I'm not leaving if you're staying here.”

The sound was coming closer.

“Over there!” he exclaimed, taking out his wand. “Near that tree! Petrificus Totalus!”

In the back of her mind, she knew it wasn't very smart to just throw a hex at something they didn't even know what it could be, but she realized that she would have done the same thing if he hadn't done it first. It seems as if their instincts had taken over completely.

A silence followed his shout.

“Did you hit it?” she asked.

“I don't think so...” he swallowed and moved forward. “Maybe I scared it off—”

He couldn't finish his sentence. Suddenly, he felt something brush his feet and less than a second later he saw it. It was a snake, a really big one, wrapping slowly around his legs. He was paralyzed, and his body wasn't responding to what his brain was commanding,

“No!” she yelled, trying to think of a way to hex the snake without hurting him. But it was wrapping him too tightly and her hands were shaking bad.... “I can't get a clean shot!”

“Listen to me,” he said, voice strained. “You have to go back and get help.”

“I can't leave you!”

She tried to move closer to him, but the snake was faster. She never had the chance to figure out what happened when she felt something hit her, a sharp pain in the back of her head, and then it all went black.

* * *

When she woke up, she was alone. If it wasn't for the fact that she was lying in the humid grass, she would have thought it had been a dream. The silent and calm wind seemed to be mocking her. Trembling, she stood up, fighting with her wobbling legs to regain some control. She found her wand a few feet away, but his wasn't anywhere. Fear was consuming her, and she was having troubles to think clearly, but she knew that she couldn't lose any time, and started running towards the castle. If she had gone for help, maybe none of this would've happened. Where in Merlin's name was everyone!?!

She was out of breath and felt dizzy, and could feel she was about to black out again. She suddenly heard familiar voices. Two people were moving towards the castle's entrance, and with the last of her strength, she ran towards them. She tried to call them, but her voice sounded like a faint whisper.

One of the figures stopped and turned to look at her.

“Oh my God! What happened to you!?” she heard.

“You've got to help him! The snake... it got him... I tried... But I couldn't... help him!”

“Help who?” it was another voice, one that she knew was the one that she'd been looking for. “What snake!?”

“Harry...” she whispered urgently, grabbing someone's robes tightly. “You have to help him.... You have to save Neville, Harry!”

Then, the world started spinning again, and she closed her eyes.

“Ginny!” Hermione exclaimed when the girl fell forward and was barely caught by Harry before she could hit the ground.

* * *

We don't have the right to end a chapter with a cliffie, we know, but there was no other way to do it. Extra points for the ones who catch the HBP joke.

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