Disclaimer: OK, you know the drill. JKR owns Harry Potter and associates. Fred Saberhagen owns the Swords. I only own some bit characters that show up at random intervals. A/N: This chapter is the first heavy-duty action one. It gets fairly violent, so be warned. CHAPTER SIX: KNOW THY OWN HEART
The next few days passed by like a blur. Harry felt in a way that he too had been ensnared by the awful power of Soulcutter. His classes seemed insignificant. The only positive thing about Soulcutter being at the Ministry is that Voldemort couldn't get it either, lest he be overwhelmed by its powers. However, that, too seemed insignificant. Hermione, despite her promise, still avoided himself and Ron. She seemed totally wrapped up by her studies and would not be bothered by anyone. He just needed some way to get through to her, to understand what it was that was bothering her so much. It wasn't like her to abandon her friends this way.
Harry sat in the Great Hall pondering this debacle, when he noticed something. Ginny was sitting not far from him. His eyes narrowed. Of course, why hadn't he suspected before. Hermione must have told Ginny, she trusted her like she did Harry and Ron, and if it was about the boys, why of course she'd tell a girl. Harry stood and walked over to Ginny.
"Oh, hi Harry," she smiled when she noticed him.
"Take a walk with me?" he asked, forcing a pleasant smile onto his face.
She looked suspicious for one moment, but then it evaporated and she stood. They headed out to the lake and strode slowly. Harry took a deep breath. Might as well go for the direct approach.
"What's going on with Hermione, Ginny? And don't tell me you don't know."
He fixed Ginny with an intense gaze. She stood solidly and looked right back into his eyes. She wouldn't be intimidated into giving up what Hermione had told her. That had been confidential. "I can't tell you that, Harry, if she won't tell you herself."
"Look, Ginny," he said, "I want to know what's bothering her. We'd always been able to talk before, and now I don't even know what's bugging her. You know something, Ginny. Please, for the love of Merlin, you've got to tell me!"
Ginny suddenly looked angry. "If you don't know, Harry Potter, I'm not telling you. It's so bloody obvious that you must be a blockhead if you don't know!"
Harry was very confused. He had no idea what Ginny was talking about…until…Does Hermione know that I love her? Oh my God, that's it, isn't it? She doesn't want that, so she's avoiding me. Oh God, what the hell am I supposed to do? He looked at Ginny. "Er, well, is this about…er…the state of our relationship?" he finished very fast.
Ginny looked at him. Now it was her turn to be confused. How could he know that? Maybe he's more intuitive than I thought. "Well…er, yes. So I think you should go and, er, discuss your feelings with her."
Harry nodded. "OK then. Thanks, Ginny. You're a lifesaver." He ran off for the castle. He headed up to the common room. He saw Hermione sitting there on a chair, studying. He prepared himself to go and talk to her, when he heard a soft pounding noise. It was coming from his dorm. Everyone looked around with puzzlement. But Harry knew what it meant. Every time he'd been in danger, in imminent battle it had done this. Something was coming.
He ran up to his dorm. The pounding grew in his ears. Ron was up there also. Harry felt Hermione behind him.
"What is it?" she asked.
"It's the Swords. Danger's coming. Ron, get your Sword out. Hermione, find Neville." Harry opened his trunk, and his Sword flew into his hands. He rushed down the stairs, the steel glinting harshly in the light. People gawked at him as he ran to the portrait hole. He reached the Great Hall faster than he had thought possible. The Sword still thrummed in his hands. Professor Dumbledore arrived.
"What's going on, Harry? Why do you…"
"The Sword. It tells me when there's danger coming. I think Voldemort's going to attack Hogwarts!"
At this, Ron came rushing in, his Sword now wailing in his hands. Hermione had brought down Neville, as well. Dumbledore nodded. The rest of the Professors had arrived now.
Hermione looked to her Sword. "Where are Voldemort's forces?"
The Sword spun her towards the end of the Great Hall. She led them forward. The party exited the castle, to see a group swarming at the base of the cliffs. They were clearly Death Eaters. Harry wondered for an instant how they could have found the castle. But then he reflected that Hermione never said it was impossible to find.
"Get the students back inside," roared Dumbldore. McGonagall started to lead Hermione, Neville, Ron, and Harry back in. "No. They are staying. We will need the powers of their Swords."
The Death Eaters advanced. They stood, then a hundred feet away, then, they fired curses. The first few were blocked by the staff. Neville was untouched, but Harry somehow caught them on the blade and dissipated them.
Harry, suddenly possessed, charged.
One Death Eater noticed him, and spun. "Avada Kedavra!"
"Harry!" screamed Hermione.
With a pounding note, and a blinding flick, the Sword in his hands broke the spell against its edge. The green light of the unblockable, unstoppable Killing Curse was slashed into non-existence somehow. The Death Eater stood, stunned. At that moment, the staff and students felt a rush of cold. Dementors swarmed in to aid Voldemort's forces. A group surrounded Harry. Strangely, he was completely unaffected. One reached for him. In an instant, there was a dull thud, and the Sword swung with blinding speed, slashing the outstretched arm. It moved of its own volition, almost dislocating Harry's arm with its unexpected violence. Another rushed in, but the Sword worked on, slashing with a blinding arc. More curses were sent against Harry, yet nothing could reach him. The Sword somehow protected him, with speed, strength and skill beyond his own.
He risked a glance at Ron, who was engaged with some trolls. His Sword was screaming a mill saw wail, and it seemed to be drawing the air around it in, looking like the oxygen was burning. It sliced through their clubs, armor and flesh without distinction. Ron looked absolutely terrified, and seemed to not be in control of his own movements. Worse still, he was clearly wounded, though much of the blood soaking his robes was off-color, and doubtless from the trolls he was carving up. Yet despite everything, his movements continued forcefully, fueled by the extraordinary magic of his Sword. Neville was doing his best, but he wasn't much of a fighter. Nonetheless, his Sword protected him against all.
"Enough," hissed a voice that Harry recognized as Voldemort's. He reached for his belt, and began to draw a Sword.
Impossible! thought Harry, He couldn't have recovered Soulcutter.
The Sword was drawn, and instantly, something happened. The Dark Forces suddenly fought even harder. What he saw next was even worse. The teachers had turned against the school. They charged the doors, maddened looks in their eyes. Ron now sagged to the ground. Neville seemed to be fighting some inner war. Hermione was trying to hack up Professor Dumbledore, but he disarmed her easily; the Sword was too heavy for her. Harry couldn't believe it. He put the enemies surrounding him down, slashing up their bodies. There was a sound like unholy screaming as each Dementor dies, and with some streams of gray foggish light burst from them. The souls they had sucked, Harry reasoned. Still emblazoned with the power of his weapon, he headed for Voldemort.
"Voldemort! What have you done?" he screamed.
The Dark Lord spun to face him. "Harry Potter? Not affected by my weapon? Curious. Perhaps you are more powerful than I thought. No matter, your friends will all bow before me now."
And men and demons knelt down before… "You have the Mindsword."
Voldemort smiled maliciously. "Is that what this wonderful item is called? I know it twists men to my will. And I shall kill you with it, Harry Potter. The last chapter in your family will be closed for good. And even your sweet Mudblood girlfriend will bow before me."
Blood pounded in Harry's ears. He wouldn't let him get Hermione. "No, she won't. I'll stop you."
Voldemort sneered. "And how do you plan to do that?" He swung his weapon at Harry. Harry went to block, but the blade was suddenly coming from the other direction. He knew that this was it, and he was going to die. But the blade in his hands would have none of that. It swung back around, and the pounding grew to a crescendo. The blades struck…
There was a titanic smash, and a blast like lightning, and Voldemort's blade exploded in a hail of shards, none of which hurt Harry. Voldemort howled in pain, and the effects of the Mindsword began to cease.
"Argh. Flee!" screamed Voldemort, and he leapt away before Harry could finish him. He turned to Dumbledore, who was stunning the remaining teachers along with Ron and Hermione. They were all sprawled on the ground. Ron appeared to be wounded. Dumbledore turned raggedly to face Harry, his face drawn and looking far more pale and old than Harry had ever seen him.
"Professor? Are you alright?"
Dumbledore waved a hand at Harry, but even this seemed to take all his energy. "I'll be fine in a few moments, Harry. The psychic pressure…it was almost unbearable."
Harry stared at Dumbledore. This man was the most powerful wizard he knew, maybe even the most powerful he knew of, and the pressure was almost too great for him? "What do you mean, Professor? I know that was the Mindsword…"
"Is that it then? It would make sense. You could not hear it, Harry. Somehow, I'm not sure why. But I heard. I heard it screaming in my mind, demanding my obedience to Voldemort. And they heard it too. And they did not manage to resist."
Harry looked at the teachers, and his friends. Neville was on the ground in a fetal position, rocking himself back and forth. He seemed to be the only conscious one. The rest…All the teachers had succumbed. So had Ron and Hermione. But he hadn't even felt a thing. "But, how did you resist? Soulcutter…"
"Soulcutter was different, Harry. It's effects strike the mind in a different manner which makes it more difficult to resist. The Mindsword can be fought…for a time. However, I see that it has been destroyed…" Dumbledore paused. "You shattered his Sword, Harry. Do you know what that means?"
Shattered sword? Why did that seem so familiar? He thought back…And there it was. I shatter swords and splinter spears, none stands to… "Shieldbreaker! I have Shieldbreaker, not Stonecutter like we thought. But…none stands to it…There is no defense against Shieldbreaker. All weapons are rendered useless by it…"
Dumbledore nodded. "Even another Sword I would suspect. That is why you were not affected. Shieldbreaker protected you."
Harry looked again at his friends. "But the rest…Will they get better?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "Alas, I do not know whether the Mindsword's effect will be permanent or temporary. But there is one thing that you could do. You will have to prepare greatly, Harry, as it will be a very difficult task."
Harry took one look at Hermione. The thought of her being a loyal servant to Voldemort forever…He thought he might retch. "What must I do?"
"You, Harry, you and Neville must take Wayfinder again. And you must use it to find Woundhealer. If I am right, it alone can cure them of the Mindsword's touch."
Harry nodded and went to collect Neville. He was still sprawled on the ground. "Neville, you OK?" Neville started and looked up at Harry. He was pale and his eyes held a shock Harry had never seen before.
"I…I could hear it in my mind. You-Know-Who's Sword. It was screaming, like a thousand tortured souls, demanding my allegiance, demanding that I follow him. But, I didn't want to. I couldn't…" His voice trailed off as his eyes stared at something only he could see. He slowly and shakily stood. Harry helped lead him back to the castle as Dumbledore moved the teachers along with Hermione and Ron.
They burst into the castle entryway, and found the corridor lined with students, who had heard the sounds of battle outside. There was a collective gasp as the three burst in, with everyone else unconscious. Madame Pomfrey, who had not joined in the defense, came forward quickly to assist Professor Dumbledore. "We must get these people to-"
Dumbledore cut her off. "I'm afraid there's very little that you can do, Madame Pomfrey. They have been afflicted with magic beyond even your abilities to heal. Mr. Weasley will need some attention, for I fear he is losing blood rapidly. Come, I am afraid they all must be locked in the dungeons for now."
Harry was in his dormitory, rapidly trying to pack all that he would need on his journey. Neville was in the Hospital Wing while Madame Pomfrey made sure he was fine. Harry was so focused in on what he was doing, he didn't hear the door open.
"Harry."
He spun, startled. Ginny stood in the doorframe. She had a sad look upon her face which spoke volumes for what she was feeling. Ron's wounds had been tended to, but he was still very weak. He remained unconscious like the rest. There was no telling what he would do when he awoke. "What are you doing here? I have a lot of work to do," said Harry, far more harshly than he had intended, his voice ragged. He struggled to contain what he was feeling. "I'm sorry. Is there something I can do?"
Ginny just looked at him for a moment. "I think you should sit down, Harry."
"I can't, I have too much to do before I go."
"This is more important. We need to talk about your feelings."
Harry cut her off with a savage wave. "What I'm feeling isn't important! That I get these people help is!"
Ginny stood and took his verbal abuse silently. "What you feel is important, Harry. Because I think I know why you are so worked up about this. It's not because you feel it's your responsibility as a Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived. It's because of what you're feeling. Everyone can see it. You're troubled."
Harry stared at her for a moment, then sighed heavily. "Ginny, I…" His voice broke off, and he looked away. "Voldemort, in control of them. My friends. I can't stand it! I have to help them. I'm the only one who can."
On sudden inspiration, he grabbed her wrist and led her away. "Come on, I'll show you something." They trudged down to the dungeon. All of the prisoners' wands had been taken away, and Dumbledore had personally sealed every cell. Harry took Ginny to the cells holding Ron and Hermione, which were next to each other. "You see this? I saw my friends following the wishes of Voldemort. I saw Hermione try to hack Professor Dumbledore to pieces. I saw Ron trying to crawl forward to attack, despite his injuries. I don't want to see them like that again." In his mind, he could still see them, doing what he thought was impossible. He had never felt rage like he had then, rage directed at Voldemort and wishing, desperately praying for his death.
Hermione stirred just then. Ginny held her breath. They had no idea how long the effects of the Mindsword would last. Hermione slowly rose. She looked about, as if confused. Then she saw Harry.
"Hermione," he began, "are you-"
She snarled and leapt at him as soon as he approached. Her hands desperately reached for his neck. "Kill you! I'll kill you! Oh, My Lord, my Master, give me the strength to kill him!" She screamed in frustration and gripped the bars, trying to break them away. "Kill you!" she howled again.
Harry backed away, stunned. This is what the Mindsword had done to his friend. He couldn't bear it. He pulled out his wand. "Stupefy." He Stunned her, and she slumped to the floor. Then Harry dropped his wand and slid slowly to the ground. He placed his head in his hands.
"Harry, are you OK?" Ginny bent down and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hermione," he moaned. "Why?"
Ginny glanced about. There was no one else present. "Harry, it'll be fine."
He looked up at her. His eyes were brimming with tears. He wiped them away with his sleeve. "You're right, it will. Because I will make it better. I'll save her. I'll save her." He stood.
Ginny looked after him. "You love her, don't you?"
Harry stopped, and his body tensed suddenly. He turned slowly. "How did you know?" His emerald eyes bored into hers. It was as if she could see through her now, not just her through him.
She staggered for a moment under the weight of his intense gaze. "Everyone can sense it now, Harry. Likely the only one who didn't know was Hermione herself. Everyone can tell you have feelings for her."
"Of course I do! She's my friend," he snapped. He didn't want to talk about this, not now. He wanted to bear his pain in silence and in secret. It was his, not the world's.
Her face darkened, her countenance suddenly fierce and lacking that innocence that had been there only a moment before. "Don't you tell me that like I'm an idiot, Harry, because that is a complete lie. You love her, not just as a friend, but as a woman. Don't gape at me like that," she barked firmly, "You know that she's a woman, now, not just some little girl with a lot of hair. She's a woman, and you love her. You just won't admit it to yourself."
Harry tried to stare her down, but suddenly found he could not; her eyes had borne an force and strength he had never seen in her before. His gaze lowered and his shoulders, so resolute a moment before, drooped. "You're right, Ginny. I just couldn't…I couldn't say it. Because to do that would be to throw away everything I have. She's the only girl who's ever mattered to me. I couldn't just throw away my friendship with her because of something so silly as-"
Ginny interrupted him again. "There is nothing silly about love. Love is the strongest force in this world Harry. Love can bring down mountains, topple governments, and bring two people together from across a world. Love conquers all and unifies all. Don't tell me love is silly. You should know how powerful love is. It saved your life." She pointed at his scar.
Harry clutched his forehead for a moment, fingers tracing the scar that was a reminder everyday that his parents died for him. "How did you know?"
"I'm not exactly an idiot, Harry. I figured it out for myself. Love is magic, and they work the same. The more you give, the more you get. Two people bringing themselves together are stronger than they each could ever be apart."
Harry glanced at her quizzically. "Since when were you so wise?" He remembered suddenly that he had been asked the same thing by Ron only a month ago. He burst with laughter. Ginny inspected him for a moment, before a grin began to upturn the corners of her mouth as well. "What is it, Harry? What's so funny all of the sudden?"
He calmed down a bit. "Nothing, Ginny. Nothing at all." He looked at her again, his face more alive than it had been the past day. "I'm going to save her. I will save her. Because I love her."
Ginny looked at his retreating back. "I know you will, Harry. And nothing is going to stop you; love conquers all."
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I love getting reviews, can't get enough of them. Anyhow, thanks to: Takeda Lee, Hallie, Brandie, Misstake, Batgirl, kinicky21, yurimionepotter, AnimeFanatic, padawan leia, HermioneGranger 4 ever, and last, but definitely nowhere near least, SamanthaMarie.
Questions…
Hallie: I know, I'm sorry…I'll work on Chapter 8 this weekend, I promise…
Misstake: Muahahahahaha! If you hate my cliffies, you'll hate this chapter even more!
Batgirl: Only certain Swords do that… You could summon one I suppose… But that would be no fun… Plus you wouldn't want a drawn Soulcutter anywhere near you…
Yurimionepotter: Well, the Swords all work their magic in different ways, as I'm sure you can see… 3 on 1 doesn't necessarily mean anything. Which Sword does. Hermione… She's not sure what she's feeling right now. Understandable. Other Swords…Maybe… Quidditch, I dunno. At this point, I don't think so, but I might just sneak some in if I can. I like writing Quidditch scenes. Harry is being dense. He'll come around. Mr. Weasley in the Ministry… Probably.
AnimeFanatic: They are each immensely strong in their own way.
Padawan leia: *sigh* Unfortunately there won't be real H/Hr for another little bit. Sorry.
HermioneGranger 4 ever: All in good time.
Sammie: I know you didn't ask anything, but hey. I will most definitely try to do my best. I got some great stuff planned for late I think you'll really like!