A/N: Thanks so much to the people who are still reviewing this fic and I hope you enjoy it. This is one of my favorite chapters since it does include some things from the books. Now I have decided to wait to update until I get more reviews and you will see why later.
The reason for this is because I need your feedback on how this will continue. I have the main ideas but I wanted to know if people wanted me to do one really long chapter or two shorter chapters? I am nearing the end of the fic. So the next chapter or two will be the last. And the epilogue will come after.
And I also am toying on whether you guys want to know more about what will happen with Draco? If people want to know then I will include that in the story and if so would you like him to never be redeemable or would you like him to have some nice bones in his body? Hopefully you guys will help me out and review. Maybe people will review more if there is more participation and any review will do good or bad. Constructive criticism is good and will help me write better in the future. Thanks. Also I was hoping if any of you thought that it was good enough that you could recommend it to others it would be great. Thanks again. Hope I don't sound too whiny.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or any other characters. They belong to J.K. Rowling.
PS. I also used some lines from the books to tie into my story.
Part 6: The secret's out.
"Are you trying to tell me what to do?" Voldemort asked in a hiss.
"Of course not master. I'm just trying to do what I think you would want." Ron replied without looking up.
"Is that what you're really trying to do?" Voldemort spoke.
"Yes." Ron answered still bowing.
"Then look at me or are you lying and scared that I'll see right through you?" Voldemort hissed.
"I remain loyal to you." Ron said looking up and stared at Voldemort straight in the eye.
"Let's hope for your sake you are. For now I'll just let it go because I have bigger matters to deal with and you're going to have an opportunity to prove your loyalty to me really soon." Voldemort replied with a slight sneer.
"Thank you master, thank you." Ron answered as he pulled away from Voldemort.
Voldemort then turned away from Ron and started to look in the direction of Hermione who was desperately trying to escape.
"What do we have here?" Voldemort asked then spoke, "Cat got your tongue?"
Hermione just spit in his eye was he came near her.
"Feisty now aren't we?" Voldemort replied in a low voice and performed an anti silencing spell.
"Now what did you want to say?" Voldemort asked.
"I just think you're a disgusting cretin who vouches for purity when you're only a halfblood yourself." Hermione said in a commanding tone of voice.
"How dare you call him that you filthy little mudblood" came a new voice that Hermione recognized with disdain.
Draco appeared with a grin on his face and a steely look in his eyes.
"You." Hermione growled and glared at him.
"What? Spit it out." Draco replied.
"I should have made you pay a long time ago." Hermione replied angrily.
"What's stopping you now?" Draco asked and laughed.
"Stop laughing or I'll.." Hermione started before Draco interupted.
"Or what?" Draco replied walking closer to her.
"Silence." Voldemort commanded.
Draco hung his head down and silence filled the air.
Hermione could feel a chill coming and she could sense fear in all those around her as Voldemort stared at each of them with disgust.
"I will not stand for this disorder. You all will do as I say and obey my command." Voldemort stated in that chilling tone of his. "You understand?" Voldemort said directly to Draco.
"Yes my lord." Draco replied with a look of fear in his eyes.
"Flattery will only get you so far." Voldemort added looking over to Lucius with disappointment.
Voldemort then turned back to Hermione and gave her a now familiar scowl and said, "You say it like it is a bad thing. You have no right to say it." He then turned and with a wave of his arm the Death Eaters holding Hermione followed him to a secluded area and with a wave of a wand tied her to a tree with an invisible rope.
"Let's see what Harry does now when we play our little game." Voldemort said leaning close to Hermione.
"It won't work whatever it is." Hermione answered back.
"We'll see now won't we?" Voldemort responded and in an instant he was gone and Hermione was alone.
It was only now that Hermione was able to let her true emotions and worry about how scared she really was but wasn't compared to how worried she was about Harry and what Voldemort was going to do to him. If anything happened to him she would never want to be the cause of it. The tears were coming down her face now as she thought about how Harry must be feeling to have Ron betray them like this. Truthfully though she really wasn't sure what to think about Ron's position because in her heart of hearts she knew he would never knowingly do any of this but sometimes jealousy causes people to do the most horrible things. But there was something about Ron that really puzzled her because she saw glimpses of sadness in his eyes that only lasted like a second which lead her to believe that things might not be what they seem. Actually now she was worried about Ron because if he was deceiving Voldemort he would be in really terrible danger.
A few minutes later of silence a figure appeared right in front of her. As the figure turned she could tell that it was man and she began to feel some sense of dread as she did not know what was going to happen next. But to her surprise she saw Viktor Krum.
"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked.
"I'm here to help you." Viktor responded.
*Flashback to 5th year*
"Who're you writing the novel to, anyway?" Ron asked Hermione, trying to read the bit of the parchment now trailing on the floor. Hermione hitched it up of sight.
`Viktor' she replied (from OOTP CDN edition) and continued writing:
Viktor, could you help me with something? I was wondering if you could help me out with something. I need to know everything I can find out on reversal of curses and what things that can substitute for certain curses that have similar results such as the Imperius curse and ways to fake the Veritaserum truth serum. After everything that has happened to Harry, I'm so worried about him and the more I know the better. I know that I kind find a lot of this stuff in a book but sometimes people know things that are not written in a book and come from knowledge. Thanks so much for your help, I really appreciate being able to talk to you about things like this when I can't talk to Ron about this and of especially Harry. He would think that I was just being paranoid.
Your good friend
Hermione
* End of flashback *
"Does it have something to do with what we talked about?" Hermione asked quickly.
* Flashback to a few months ago *
Hermione,
From what you wrote in your last letter, things seem to be getting worse and I can see it here too. Big things are going to happen soon. People are finally starting to see that the war that has already begun is just going to get worse and people are starting to panic. I haven't seen much movement on my end but there have been signs. I know that we definitely need a plan and the one that you have suggested seems to be a good one but it does seem a little risky though. I'm not sure you should follow it through. You are a really smart witch Hermione and it definitely not because I think that you can't pull it off because I know you can. Are you sure I t is worth it Hermione? I know that if it involves Harry you would think that it was. You would always say that if you can protect him then that is all that matters. I know that Harry's a good guy but you should also look out for yourself as well, I know that he would have wanted you to as well. If I can help you in any way just let me know. And Hermione I really think you should tell him how you feel, I'm sure that he feels the same way. Remember when I told you at the end of triwizard tournament in your fourth year?
Memory:
`Could I have a vord?' Viktor Krum asked
`Oh … yes… all right,' said Hermione, looking slightly flustered, and following Krum through the crowd and out of sight. (pg 629 CDN edition GOF)
`I just vanted you to know if you didn't vant to go visit me in Bulgaria over the summer. I understand vhy.' Krum spoke.
`Viktor I….' Hermione started.
`Hermy-own-ninny, I know that you haff feelings for Harry. I can see it in your eyes.' Krum explained.
`Harry and I are just friends. That's all Viktor really….' Hermione started.
`I vos votching him very closely. I think he feels the same way.' Krum added.
`You think what? That's not possible. He couldn't…' Hermione responded stunned.
`Why not Hermy-own-ninny? You are smart, pretty and an amazing person. Don't ever forget that.' Krum spoke after a moment.
`Thanks Viktor. You're a really great person yourself and I like you, I really do.' Hermione replied.
`I respect him. If there vos anyone else that I would be okay losing to it would be him. I hope we can be alvays be good friends.' Krum asked.
"Always." Hermione responded with a smile and began shaking her head and said, `We should get going soon.'
Krum nodded and they head back.
I believed it then and I still believe it now. He loves you too.
Your good friend,
Viktor Krum
* end of flashback *
"It does. I vos doing some thinking and I vonted to help you and Harry in any way I can." Viktor said quietly looking around.
"But didn't you say it was dangerous?" Hermione asked.
"I did but your plans are pretty good I think. I changed a few things but otherwise it is the same. Don't you trust your plan?" Viktor asked.
"I did but it something happened to you because of this then I don't know what I would do. It has risks but when it was my own life it was my choice and I wasn't endangering anyone else." Hermione admitted.
"Hermy-own-ninny, this is my choice too. I vont to do this. I vont to help. Don't be sad. I'll be okay. Just vonted you to know not to vorry too much about Ron. I haff to go or they will notice I am gone." Viktor said quickly and quietly.
"Be careful okay?" Hermione whispered.
"I will." Viktor answered with a slight smile and was gone.
Hermione really hoped that everything would be all right. She never would have thought that Viktor would do this and it showed that he really was a good friend to her and she prayed that he would be okay but what he said made her feel a little bit better and glad someone would be able to help Ron. She wondered how much of Ron's situation did he know.
*~*~*~*~
Ron was looking around to see if he could find Krum. After a little while he saw someone appear near by and he went to look and surly enough he saw that it was Krum.
* Flashback *
As if out of a daze Ron looked around in surprise and when he saw who was beside him, "Krum, what are you doing here?" He asked.
"I'm here to save you." Krum replied simply holding a vile.
"What happened?" Ron asked quickly.
"You were put under a trance and some things happened. I'm not sure about the details but I think they vont to enhance your abilities and use you to get to Harry." Krum explained.
"I remember hearing a voice telling me to follow it, I was just so angry and Hermione and Harry that it sounded very inviting so I followed it but I don't really remember anything else." Ron said trying to remember was happened.
"That sounds right. Come and drink this." Krum instructed.
"Why should I trust you? What are you doing here?" Ron asked quickly.
"I'm the only one you can. I vos trying to help Hermy-own-ninny with her plan to help Harry. Vot I haff is not dangerous. I vos supposed to giff you this kind of mind altering drink but from vot I learned this will impose the same effect but will allow you to think." Krum explained.
"Hermione told you this?" Ron asked unsure what to think.
"You know we are pen-pals. She asked me to look up vot some of this stuff vos and I did." Krum explained.
"If Hermione thinks it's alright then I guess it is safe but why not use the Imperius curse on me?" Ron asked.
"It vos a way to really get to Harry because there are other ways of convincing you to help them but they vont it to look like it was all on your vot the say "free will"." Krum added.
"Okay. What is going to happen next and what is the plan?" Ron asked.
"I don't know if they trust me totally so if they test you in any way do it and if they give you the truth potion eat this." Krum said handing Ron a small herb.
"This will allow me not to completely submit to the effects?" Ron asked.
"Yes but just to be safe think of yourself as someone else. Put yourself as someone else so you think vot you say is the truth and you are not lying." Krum told him quickly.
*end of flashback *
"Where were you?" Ron hissed quietly.
"I went to see Hermy-own-ninny and make sure she vos okay." Krum replied quietly so nobody else heard.
"Is she?" Ron asked.
"Physically she vos okay but I could tell she vos very worried about you and Harry." Krum answered.
"Then we better put this plan in action quickly." Ron said determined.
"Right now I believe he does not trust you." Krum answered.
"Yes so before that happens do something to gain his trust." Ron replied determinedly.
"That vould mean I might haff to hurt or turn you in." Krum replied looking down.
"I understand that you might have to do that so don't worry about that. I knew this might happen right when I decided I wanted to be a part of something like this." Ron answered.
*Flashback to 5 months ago *
"In order to defeat Voldemort we need to know more about what is going on. It would be nice to have someone down in his group but that would be hard to find someone he could trust." Harry explained to Ron as some of his ideas on what he wanted to do next to win the war.
"I would do it." Ron piped up.
"Ron, I could never ask you to do that. It's too dangerous and I wasn't really planning on implementing it." Harry explained.
"Harry it is a very good idea and you are right he is dangerous and having someone on your side can only help in." Ron replied.
"But that would be putting you in too much danger, I wouldn't want anything to happen to you and besides, what about Hermione? What would she do if anything happened to you?" Harry demanded.
"Hermione is a strong person and will be okay and she has you. I know that you wouldn't let anything happen to her." Ron answered.
"But I don't even know if I will live." Harry said quietly.
"I know you will Harry. I have faith in you and that is why I have to do this Harry in order to give you a better chance in winning. Hermione is really worried about you and I'm worried what would happen to her if something did happen to you. I'm also hoping that you would be able to save me as well." Ron added impishly.
"I will do my very best." Harry answered.
"Best mates forever?" Ron asked.
"Forever." Harry said slapping him in the arm.
* end of flashback *
"I know that Harry never really would have wanted me to do this but that day I had already made up my mind to do this and I'm not giving up." Ron answered.
"I'm glad because now there is no way out." Krum said pointing to all the Death Eaters around them.
"I know. Just try to not get me killed." Ron asked nervously.
"I will, just remember to do as you are told. Buy us more time." Krum added.
"So we must start our final stage of the plan now." Ron asked.
Krum just nodded grimly.
*~*~*~*~
Harry was blasted awake. As he stood up he felt a sudden feeling of being refreshed and looked around. He was not locked anywhere and he saw that there was nobody around. It felt really eerily calm and he sensed that something was wrong. It came rushing back to him. Ron fighting him and Hermione. Where was she? Harry pondered feeling worried. He began walking around but as he tried to walk through he got hit by a force field and he fell back on his bum.
"Hermione, where are you?" Harry called out hoping she could hear him.
"She's not here." Came a high cold voice.
Harry recognized the owner of the voice immediately. It was Voldemort.
"What did you do to her?" Harry demanded anger taking him.
"Nothing yet but I guess that would depend on you." Voldemort answered grinning evilly.
"What does that mean?" Harry asked suspiciously. He knew that he could never trust him to be fair in any way possible.
"It would depend if you're going to play this little game." Voldemort answered.
"What kind of game?" Harry asked firmly. He was surprised at how confident he sounded even if he felt like jelly on the inside.
"I'd like to see just how powerful a wizard you have become. I keep hearing about how far you've come and I would like to see just that for myself." Voldemort answered as he clasped his finger together.
"How are we playing?" Harry asked.
"This game has about three challenges and if you win you save your friends from certain fates. If you lose unpleasant things could happen like they could die." Voldemort responded.
"Fine I'll play." Harry answered knowing that he had no other choice.
"Great." Voldemort waving his arm and within a few seconds several Death eaters appeared holding up a beaten up Neville.
"I'll this first one easier on you. If you can defeat Draco malfoy here then Neville here won't suffer a fate that his parents did." Voldemort explained.
Draco stood up and walked up pulling away his hood to reveal his face. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time Potter." He snarled.
"I have too. I can't wait to defeat you one more time." Harry responded with equal confidence.
"But I'm stronger now Potter and you're only slightly better than me." Draco answered waving up his wand.
"Let's get on with it." Harry replied quickly eager to get this over with so he could find out what happened to Hermione.
Please review.
-->