A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews, once more. Now that I am tumbling more and more toward the end of the story (just about 2/3 of the way through) things are going to reveal themselves. Just don't get too scared when they do.
Chapter 20
The Hogwarts Charm
The whole lot of them were looking up at Draco Malfoy and trying hard not to blink more than necessary.
"Er...excuse us?" said Ginny.
"Yeah, I sound insane, I know," said Malfoy, "but there's more to it than you know. Even more than I do, but the truth is that I have something to tell you that may help, so if you feel like you need it anytime, feel free to say so."
"What makes you think we would go crawling to you for help, Malfoy?" said Harry, his voice sounding still slightly disbelieved.
"Oh, shut your pride, Potter. I wouldn't even be seen talking to you right now if it wasn't for mother. She's just in fear of everything since she hasn't seen father for a while. If he was back, she wouldn't be acting like this, like she's Dumbledore's little helper or something. And you look here, Potter, I'm not going to help you fight. Ever. If you do this spell, the better for you, but I will not be fighting with you giving me orders during the war."
"That's the whole point of the spell."
"No, the point of the spell is that no one is disloyal to your little plan. That doesn't mean that they actually have to do it."
"So you're just going to sit there?"
"No, I'm not. I'm going to fight, but not because it's on your watch, Potter, but because it is foolish to pass up an opportunity such as this where we may finally see a power displayed unlike any other."
"What do you mean?"
"Salazar was foolish enough to leave Hogwarts because he did not know the power that he could attain if he stood by his three other little friends just a while longer. Hogwarts has more secrets than you could imagine, and one of them is yet to be found out as to where the Hogwarts four hid their powers before they died."
"What are you talking about?" said Ron.
"As I believe I have mentioned in the past, your dim witted minds could not possibly fathom something such as this. While you're too busy running around focusing on your little `war scheme,' there is a bigger fish that I'm after."
"So, let me get this straight," said Hermione. "If we don't trust you to give us the information, the Spell fails and we lose the war. However, if we do, you'll simply get your hands on some powerful source of magic that you speak of. So, either way, we lose. Is that right?"
"Erm...yeah, that's about it," said Malfoy.
"Get out of here, Malfoy!" said Ron.
"No, wait!" said Harry.
"What? You're not actually going to listen to this rat, are you, Harry?" said Ron.
"He may be our only chance, Ron. If he knows something, he should tell us. We both know he'll never be able to get at whatever power he's talking about - "
Malfoy snorted.
"Oh, shut up," said Ron.
He looked at him and then at Harry, a disapproving look residing on his face. "Whatever you think is best, mate. It's your funeral."
"Go on, then, Malfoy," said Hermione. "What is it that you have to tell us?"
"Only perform the spell when you know you can," said Malfoy.
"Uh huh, and then what?" said Harry.
"That's it," said Malfoy. They raised their eyebrows as Ron looked ready to choke him. "You have to believe that it will work and understand that you have the support of the school. If you think we're not on your side, nothing will happen. As long as you know it, we'll be bound to loyalty. It's just the way it works. You've just got to have a bit of faith in it."
"And that's your great advice?" said Ron.
"It was either that or have each one of us hug and sing the happy song. I mean, come on, Weasley, you know perfectly well that the whole school will never get along. Even that should have been clear. And yet if you could just do that one simple thing of knowing something that is not absolutely true - I mean, it's the same way that magic works. Potter, you lived in that Muggle filth and you never though you were a wizard. Remember how ridiculous it sounded when you were told that. Well, do you? This is the same thing. When you perform a spell, you don't think of how logical it is, but you just do it. You understand why you need to do it and that's all you need to know, and you have faith that it will work. So just trust me on this, it's not that hard."
"And you began to think like a human when, exactly?" Hermione said to him.
"Think whatever you want, Muddblood," said Malfoy, "but I've just told you all you need to know. As long as Potter, here, sticks to that, the spell should work just fine. I just had to be the one to tell you. Don't ask me why, but that's how it is. I told you how it works but, like I said, I'm not going to be one to take orders. Everything else is downhill from there. You go your ways and I go mine."
"Fine," said Hermione stiffly. "Go your ways, Malfoy. We obviously do not need you."
"Whatever you say, Granger," said Malfoy, and walked away, his hands pocketed in his robes.
"I wonder where in the world that came from," said Ginny.
"Another universe, most likely," said Ron.
"Well, I don't think we should care whatever his issues are - he told us what we needed to know," said Hermione.
"As long as he doesn't try to pull anything over," said Harry.
"I dunno," said Ginny. "Now that you mention it, the whole thing was rather suspicious."
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see if the spell works," Hermione said, looking at Harry, who nodded.
"And if it doesn't?" asked Ginny.
"Then I suppose that would have been our last hope," said Harry, sighing heavily and taking a large piece of roast beef into his mouth.
"You really think so?" said Ron.
"I'm not so sure we can deny it," replied Hermione.
***
"Seeing as we are at the near end of the year, we will shortly be wrapping up the three remaining Eternal Spells and will also cover the twelve Spells in general right before the end of the semester," announced Professor Malfoy.
"Now there is this but one Spell that I want to get over with so that we don't have to do any more wand work in here and that is the Verity Spell. Is anyone here besides Mr. Potter familiar with such a thing?"
"Is it not sort of like the truth telling potion, only backwards because, instead, it makes whatever one says become true?" said Hermione.
"That is precisely so, Miss Granger," said Narcissa. "Does anyone know why someone would desire to use this particular Spell?"
"Well, it definitely makes things easier," said Dean. "I mean, if you could just say what you wanted instead of performing a set of spells, that would work too, wouldn't it."
"That it would, Mr. Thomas, but perhaps with deadly consequences," said Narcissa with a grave tone as the class looked back at her, frightened. "In various instances, it would even include changing the past, if it was a rather strong situation. Sometimes words can be quite powerful and we do have to be careful about what we say.
"However," she continued, "truth telling spells are bestowed upon prophets and prophetesses, but are only awarded usually to those who have shown wisdom and knowledge in the eyes of the wizarding world. And, as an experiment, I want you all to think of something very simple and very minor affecting that you would like to happen. Perhaps you would like to have an apple for lunch or have it rain in the afternoon. Be aware of the fact that you must write down what you are going to say beforehand and present it to me so that I may approve of it - "
"I bet Trelawney would die to be able to perform that Spell," Hermione whispered to Harry, who grinned.
" - As soon as I do so, you may perform the Spell on yourself as I will give you the incantation and instructions to do so. And I do warn you, if you say so much as say anything other than what you have written on your parchment, there will be consequences! Only the first words that come out of your mouth will be granted by the spell, but danger to all who defy them! You may proceed..."
"How odd," said Hermione, "there I was always believing that fortune telling was a bunch of nonsense and now I get the chance to claim a prophecy myself. It comes around and goes around, huh?"
"Bet it does," said Harry. "What are you going to say, or wish for, I guess."
"I think I'd rather like to finish my homework early today, wouldn't you?"
"Er...right," said Harry, raising his eyebrow.
"Well, it does have to be simple!" said Hermione.
"Yeah, I know. I guess I could wish for a dreamless sleep or something."
"That works," said Hermione, smiling.
"You don't think anything could go wrong, do you?" said Harry, looking doubtful.
"Harry, a million things could always go wrong, but that can't stop us all the time, can it?" said Hermione.
Harry looked at her doubtfully. "I guess you're right. I guess you have to stop living in fear that something might go wrong - "
"Because it usually does?"
"Yeah," said Harry.
Harry and Hermione, along with the rest of the class, wrote down their most simple desires on their parchments and presented them to Professor Malfoy. After approving every one of them, the class said the incantation, following whatever it was that they had writen down and Harry found that the Spell felt a whole lot like being sucked into to a Pensive.
He waited patiently for something to go wrong, either his scar to seer or someone to yell out the wrong thing. However, nothing did.
Harry blinked and the period was over sooner than he imagined.
"That wasn't too bad, was it?" said Hermione as they exited the classroom. "And with the Legacy Spell to look forward to, I mean, I've really enjoyed her lessons, haven't you?"
"Yeah," said Harry mindlessly. He was just thinking of how terrible it must have been to have been made a prophet, knowing that you had the fates of people in your hands.
"Say, Harry, are you - I mean - are you ready for tomorrow? You know, the spell - "
"Yeah, yeah, I am," Harry replied, snapping out of his thoughts.
"You're sure? There's nothing that you need to work on? You've got everything?"
"Hermione, you sound as if you were my mother," said Harry.
"Sorry," Hermione said. "I'm just worried about this whole thing. You know, it's a lot more nerve wrecking to know what you have to face in the war than to actually be the one to face it."
"Oh, don't worry, I won't let you off the hook so easily," said Harry grinning.
Hermione looked rather socked at his response.
"I'm joking!" said Harry. "I've already told you that I need you and Ron to be as safe as possible during this thing, and you promised to keep to that."
"I know," said Hermione, grinning, "I was just testing you."
"Right...."
As the evening of the next day approached, Harry wandered the corridors thinking of nothing but the task that advanced. He knew that he had to succeed in the performing of the spell and that was all that mattered to him. He didn't care about the people in the corridor that were smiling at him, or what class he was going to next, which he concluded was a negative thing. This was a spell about the school, after all, and he needed to stop thinking about himself and focus a greater deal upon those who were around him. It was like Malfoy said, if he didn't believe that he had their support, he wasn't going to get any. He needed to at least think that he had a number of people positive about him and the war. He just wished he knew what was coming. How could he possibly control something that seemed so absolutely random and unpredictable?
Harry was strolling down the Great Hall where he met up with the rest of the Gryffindors at their table and saw that Matt looked as if he wanted to speak with him.
"Harry, six o'clock tonight, remember," he said.
"What's at six o'clock?" asked Seamus.
"Never you mind," Matt replied.
Harry sat down and sighed. He felt as if everything was absolutely out of his control. He knew that as soon as the spell was accomplished, he needed to begin executing the plans that he had laid out earlier with Matt and discuss them with the Defense Group; he had to make sure that everyone was at the precise location at a certain time. He knew that the Order was supposedly to take care of "the rest." All he needed to do was get everyone out of there safely. Although, he knew that anyone above 15 years old was going to have to fight. There was no other choice. He hated that part. And the other one as well. As a matter of fact, he hated the whole thing.
After Harry had grabbed a quick snack, he returned to the common room and went up to his dormitory, where he opened his trunk and stared at the materials that he had prepared for the spell.
He ran his hand through his hair as he leaned over and placed his forehead into his palms.
"Hear me out, Sirius," he said to himself. "I never meant for any of this to happen. And why would it have to have happened to me anyway? I guess because it had to happen to someone, huh?... I'm sorry about everything, but I'm going to try to make it up, okay? I'm going to make them pay for everything. They can't win this time, we've been through too much. We've been planning for too long! It can't go wrong this time. I won't let him trick me anymore, I've learned to control it, I swear!...You never speak to me, nor do my parents, but I'm willing to listen, and that's what counts, right? Right?...I sure hope so, because I'm just not sure what to believe anymore..."
"Harry, you all right?" said Neville.
Harry raised his head and saw him standing in the doorway. "Er...yeah...I'm fine. Thanks, Neville."
"All right. Well, Ginny told me that you have to do something important for the Order tonight, so I just wanted to wish you good luck."
"Thanks, Neville," said Harry, smiling. "You're quite lucky yourself."
"I'm not lucky," said Neville gloomily. "But I am willing to do whatever it takes to help," he said, nodding his head.
"I have a feeling as if we're going to need that a whole lot, Neville," said Harry.
Neville smiled meekly, nodding, and walked over to his four poster. "Well, I need to get started on that Transfiguration essay," he said as he pulled out a book from under his bed along with a quill, some parchment, and ink. "See you later, Harry!" he said as he exited the dormitory and Harry smiled and nodded, sinking back into his bed and hoping to let the time pas bye more than anything.
Harry had dozed off and had woken up to find that his watch read only fifteen minuted until six. He jumped off of his bed hurriedly and grabbed the cauldron from his trunk, dropped his silencing charm into it along with the cloak and rushed down the stairs and out of the common room, avoiding the stares that he was getting from everyone who occupied it.
As he rushed out into the court yard of the school, he saw Mr. Thompson, Mad-Eye, and Lupin standing there and waiting for him.
"Only a hair on time, Potter," said Mad-Eye.
"Y...Yeah," Harry panted. "Sorry about that, I dozed off."
"Don't apologize to us, Potter, this is your responsibility. We're not your professors, you know."
"Right," said Harry.
"Well, aren't you going to put it on, boy?"
"Er...oh, right," said Harry and wrapped the cloak around himself, also hanging the charm around his neck.
"Good," said Mr. Thompson. "Now, Harry, we are going to go with you into the forest, but we are not allowed to enter the cemetery with you -"
"What? Why?" said Harry frantically.
"They told me you were brave too, boy! They must have sold me short," said Moody.
"No, it's just that I'm wondering...why?" said Harry, trying to sound calm.
"Well, it's easier to disturb the spirits if you're not alone. Besides, you're the only one trustworthy enough to do the spell, according to these ingredients - "
Lupin took out a small leather bag and gave it to Harry. "Remember to place these into the cauldron individually, saying the incantation," he told him.
"Er, which incantation?"
"Oh, you don't have it, do you?" said Mr. Thompson, searching his pockets and revealing a small parchment. "Here we are - "
Harry unraveled the parchment with one hand, the other holding the cauldron, and read over the words inscribed in Latin.
"Is this all?" asked Harry, looking at them.
"Well, er, the trick is, Harry," said Lupin, "you have to read it backwards."
"What?" said Harry. "Well, why didn't you write it out backwards?"
"Because that's just it: if you write it out backwards and read it, that's not reading it backwards, technically. It's just a really strange aspect of the spell. Just make sure that you remember to do that."
"Can't make it easy, can you?" asked Harry, raising his eyebrow.
"I'm afraid not," said Mr. Thompson, laughing.
"Are we going somewhere with this thing or are we just going to stand around conversing?" Moody grumbled.
"Oh, right!" said Mr. Thompson. "Well, Harry, you lead the way. Oh, and you haven't turned the Silincing Charm on, you have to turn the knob - "
Harry looked down on the charm around his neck and did as he was told. Immediately, he felt as if he himself had gone deaf and there was an unpleasant lump that had planted itself in his throat. He began to take several steps just as he stepped on a twig, and could have sworn that he felt it crack under his foot, yet heard nothing. He shrugged and proceeded walking toward the gates that had been locked so that no one would go out in the areas that they had earlier been allowed near the forest. Lupin stepped forward and muttered a spell so that they flung open and Harry continued to walk, the others only steps behind him.
Although he was not sure of where he was going, he would occasionally hear either Mr. Thompson or Moody telling him that he was either going off track or to turn toward a certain direction. He could have sworn that they were heading in the same direction toward where he had seen Grawp battle the centuars, but he soon saw a completely new path that had formed itself as they proceeded deeper and deeper into the forest. He wanted to ask if it was much further, but he remembered that he was wearing the charm and only moments later had he looked up to see very large gates that were made of stainless steel and were locked with a large Hogwarts crest above them. Harry stopped and looked at the top of the gate, where an inscription resided that read "Incedo inimicus haud ot eht illarum.."
He turned to look at the others, only to see that they had stopped short several feet behind him and Mr. Thompson had nodded for Harry to continue. At first, he wondered how he would do so if the gate was locked, yet as he turned around he saw that it had begun to slowly unlock itself and creak open as he took a step forward.
Harry felt very much like running back as he saw the graveyard reveal itself. It had several enormously large tombstones at its center with other minor ones planted in an area all around them. The only other thing that caught his eyes was the stone walkway which lay just beneath his feet and litigated toward a mass in the center as if it was an altar. Harry sighed and prolonged his leg forward, stepping onto the road.
He took each step very cautiously, approaching what looked like a pedestal surrounded by four large statues which he recognized were that of a snake, an eagle, a lion, and a badger. Wow, he thought, this really is Hogwart's graveyard. Then he reminded himself that he did sound pretty stupid considering the fact that he had seen the crest outside of the gates and had been told that a number of times.
Harry looked at each of them carefully and realized just how lifelike they seemed. The details in them seemed to be to the very last, and yet they were not made of metal, but stone that looked ready to collapse. Placing the cauldron on the stone, he unlaced the bag with the ingredients and took the parchment in his hands. He read over the first line and saw that there were arranged in order of the founders, starting with Gryffindor and ending with Salazar. Harry didn't know what good it would do, but he reached into the bag and pulled out the dragon scales. Reading the first line backwards, he placed them into the cauldron, after which a reddish smoke was emitted as soon as it reached the bottom.
"Rodniffyrg, temibis sutni satiledif oireper..."
Harry knew that no sound came from his mouth as he said those words, but, apparently it mattered because, as he looked up to the statue of the lion, he was taken aback to see it's eyes glowing red.
Next, he took out the veela hair and dropped it in as well as he watched it emit a blue smoke...
"Walcnevar, aiticima oitseauq sutni snedurp eb... "
...followed by the sand of a hippogriff, emitting yellow smoke...
"Ffupelffuh, ocid siledif iut ingenium..."
...and, finally, the blood of the basilisk, emitting green smoke.
"Nirehtyls, ounitnoc oge iut oitcidartnoc..."
Harry watched each statue at every incantation that he pronounced and saw as every one of their eyes glowed.
This will work, this will work....They trust me, please let it work...This will work...
Harry waited in high hopes as he suddenly felt a small earthquake and the cauldron began
to glow. He stepped back slowly and watched as a small golden orb began to rise from it. Curiously, he approached to touch it when he suddenly heard Mr. Thompson shout behind him, "We've got to get him out of there!"
"Hold on, Harry!" yelled Lupin.
Taken aback, Harry turned around and shouted, "What's going on?" but remembered that he was wearing the charm.
Damned silencing charm...
Turning it off, Harry yelled the words, only to hear Lupin reply as they were attempting to open the gate, "Harry, no!"
Harry turned sharply to see the graves around him begin to glow and the earthquake increase in intensity. As he began to walk back, he fell over the earth beneath him began to split and he remained standing on an isolated piece of stone, only to look up to the four status that stood before him.
Harry wondered if he should jump back on the other side, but realized that the ground was slowly eating away from him and he saw shadowy silver vapor begin to rise from the other graves that began to spin very quickly around him. He reached for his wand, but felt as if it was simply a helpless stick as the mass began to whirl around him and he somehow knew that the statues of the founders had increased in size.
"What do we do?" he heard Mr. Thompson shout from somewhere.
"Leave it!" growled Moody.
"Have you lost your mind!" shouted Lupin.
Harry was now watching the cauldron and the orb above it which was slowly growing and also beginning to spin with four thin rings orbiting around it.
He dared not look down, lest it throw of his balance since the wind that the silver spinning mass all around him created seemed strong enough to create a tornado.
Suddenly, he felt a hand grab him from behind and pull him out as a great force pushed him out of the graveyard and he fell hard on the ground together with Mr. Thomspson and Lupin as he watched Mad-Eye hurriedly attempt to close the gates.
"Give me a hand!" he yelled and Lupin and Mr. Thompson got up to hurriedly lock it with him.
The mass in the graveyard had pillared above the trees and suddenly all vanished as Harry saw them close the gate with difficulty and all that remained visible was the golden orb, which had remained floating in the air.
"Get down!" yelled Moody and Lupin as Mr. Thompson pulled Harry to the ground once more and he pulled his head up only slightly so that he could see what was going on. Moody had also fell to the ground next to them, sheltering his head as the orb began to glow belligerently and it suddenly emitted an extremely loud sound blast accompanying a wave of plasma that seemed through the air, toward Hogwarts and out to the forest. It was as if Harry felt trapped in a vacuum for a few moments, and then it was over. His lungs filled with air once more and he blinked his eyes several times, slowly gathering his strength to pull himself up from the ground.
"Did it work?" he heard his voice creak.
"You tell me," said Moody.
"Apparently," said Mr. Thompson.
"Yeah," said Lupin.
Harry looked up to see that only some smoke remained present within the gates of the cemetery and all of the graves were intact; it was as if none of it had happened. The ground was firm once more and, as Harry lifted himself up, he regained his balance. He was suddenly aware of the cool night air that occupied his lungs and he took extra care in taking deep breaths seeing as he had most definitely lacked them in the past several minutes.
Lupin, Mr. Thompson, and Moody had gotten up beside him and had also been watching the graveyard for a while. It now looked very peaceful and somehow even harmonious.
Harry looked at the three of them and Moody said, "You might want to take that off, son, so that we may see your face properly." He motioned to Harry's cloak.
Harry looked down on it and lifted it over his head.
"There we are, now," said Mad-Eye. "You feel accomplished, well, do you?"
"Er..." said Harry. "I guess."
"Well, that's too bad," he answered. "Because this is nothing compared to what's to come."
Harry's expression fell slightly.
"Now did you have to go and say that, Mad-Eye?" said Mr. Thompson as they turned around and began to walk back to the castle.
"I'm just telling the boy the truth," said Moody.
"So," said Harry, "so this means that all of Hogwarts will be faithful to us, does it?"
"If that's what you want it to mean," said Lupin.
"Er, right," said Harry.
"And that orb? What did it mean?"
"Well, that was the actual charm," said Lupin.
"For what it's worth, it sure did look effective," said Mr. Thompson.
"Hear, hear," said Harry, exasperated, the sound still ringing in his ears.
From there on, the four of them walked back to the castle in silence, Moody growling unexplainably every now and then and Harry asking occasional questions as to what he had just witnessed. He found himself not willing to listen most of the time, however, since he was submerged deep in his own thoughts.
"Well, this is it, Potter," said Mr. Thompson as they reached the Hogwarts grounds.
"Wonderful performance today, Harry," said Lupin. "You would have done Professor Snape proud, and that's saying something."
Harry flinched. "Er, yeah...you have no idea."
As he returned back to the common room, Harry felt so exasperated that he could have sworn that the spell had taken all of the energy out of him.
But it's wonderful, thought Harry. The spell worked...Maybe Malfoy was right after all...maybe all I needed was to have a little faith - wait, are you kidding me? Malfoy? Right? I definitely need some rest...
Getting past the Fat Lady, cloak in hand together with the silencing charm, Harry had just remembered that he had left the cauldron behind, but he realized that he must have made some sort of sacrifice in the least. Passing by the couches that occupied the space before the fireplace on his way to the boy's dormitory, Harry saw something that caught his eye and he turned his head to see Hermione asleep on the couch. It couldn't have been that long since he was gone, but, apparently, she had stayed up to wait for him. Harry checked his watch and saw that it was well into the eighth hour.
It seemed too early for everyone to be at bed already, yet, then again, half of them were probably having dinner down at the Great Hall.
Cautiously, he approached her sleeping form and, putting down all that he had in his hands, he sat down gently next to her, extending his hand to push a hair out of her face.
She looked so peaceful and beautiful just lying there that Harry did not wake her, yet he knew all too well that she would be upset since she had bothered to wait for him. He saw that she had even left a stack of sandwiched on the table by her side with a couple of butterbeers.
For once, Harry wished to just leave her there like that; to not need to bother her with his problems nor adventures and that, finally, she would maybe have some peace of her own. Yet maybe it was some strange force that landed her in his life, although Harry knew that many would have preferred other wise. If anyone ever had the choice to be acquainted with him or even be an important part of his life, he knew that many would rather avoid that chance and go a different path altogether.
Signing, Harry placed his hand gently at the side of her face and whispered, "Hermione, wake up," in her ear.
Her eyelids fluttered open slowly and Harry grinned at her just as she smiled in return.
"You came back," she said in a drowsy voice.
"Yeah," said Harry, still grinning as Hermione sat up, looking concerned.
"How did it go? Are you all right? Everythings's fine? Are you fine? What was - ?"
"I'm okay, Hermione, really," said Harry, laughing.
Hermione smiled and said, "I knew it," defiantly.
"Knew what?" asked Harry, rather surprised at her response.
"Knew that it would work, of course," said Hermione. She fumbled with something in her the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a folded scrap of parchment. As she unfolded it, Harry saw that she was inexplicably beaming. "And just look at this," she told him, holding up the paper for him to see.
Harry furrowed his eyebrows, unsure at where she was going with this; all he saw was a bunch of poor stained ink blots on a very old piece of parchment.
He looked up at her with a questioning look only to see that she was still glowing.
"Harry," she said, unable to hold back the grin. "I know who the heir of Hufflepuff is."
Harry's eyes widened and he adjusted his seating position as if not sure if the cushions would hold him up right.
"You what?"
"One of the last parchments that I found from Lily in the locket led me to do research on the moonclaf. It's a beast that only comes out during the full moon and it's just about one of the most peculiar things out there. And that could only mean one thing. I mean, once you think about the connection, it all makes sense." Hermione's eyes were shining with so much anticipation that Harry did not know wether to be more surprised or happy.
"Well, who is it?" Harry asked, taking one of her hands into his own.
"Harry, it's Luna," she whispered, almost silently.
"What?" he said, almost thunder struck and nearly falling off his seat.
"I said, it's Luna," Hermione repeated, looking at him.
"But...er...I mean, are you sure?"
"Positive. There is absolutely no other - and were you just doubting my word?" said Hermione, raising her eyebrows.
"Er...no, no, of course not," Harry retorted quickly. "It's just that, I mean...why Luna?"
"I really have no clue, but, Harry, don't you realize how wonderful this is? Harry, we're going to win the war! I mean, this information is absolutely incredible! Could you possibly even imagine what it could mean? It means that this could all be over...and soon...and...and...we won't have to deal with this anymore. I mean,....it just will be so much easier for us..."
"I know," said Harry, pulling her into a hug. "I know....I know what you mean..."
While Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry tightly, nestling her head in his neck, Harry could only think of one thing and it was that he had now absolutely nothing to lose. It was as if the whole thing was suddenly laid out for him on a platter and all he had to do was make sure that the task was completed. It was no longer about the prophecy and it was no longer about him. It was about the fate of the school and everyone that resided within it and every person that had the will to stand strong to make it so just like the beautiful and intelligent girl that was in his arms. And, he decided, that was the way that he wanted it to be. No matter how difficult it would be to get there and no matter how it was that they would accomplish the task, he knew that they were going to find a way and, no matter what, he knew that they would win, not because it mattered to him, but because it was of importance to her, whom he loved and would not let go of no matter what it depended on. There was but one promise that he had to keep and that was that they came first, and he came later. Screw the prophecy and screw everything else because the only thing that mattered was not whatever destiny the magic spoke that had been shoved into some prophet's mouth, but the decisions that he made along the way and whom they pertained to. That's all that mattered, he knew, and he wasn't going to have it any other way. Perhaps, if others had known that long ago, things would have turned out even somewhat differently from the way that they were now.
As Harry felt Hermione pull away, she said, "So, how did it go? Did everything work out all right?"
"Yes, yes, of course!" Harry said, smiling, still holding her arms.
"And?"
"Well, first we went really deep into the forest - we've never really been that far in before. And, er, there was this really large gate to the cemetery and I had to go in alone - "
Hermione had all of a sudden given him a very quick kiss, her eyes shining.
"Okay," said Harry, taken aback. "And...and then I went up to this pedestal-type thing and that's where I placed the cauldron and slowly put in every ingredient - "
She did it once more.
" - and suddenly this whole thing just - Hermione!"
"Yes - Harry - " she managed to say in-between the kisses that she was giving him, after which she finally stopped and gave him a rather long and deep kiss, during which Harry felt one of his hands climb up to her back and the other place itself at the side of her face.
When she finally let go, Harry said, "What was that all for?"
Hermione smiled and said, "For being you."
"For being me," Harry repeated.
Sighing, Hermione said, "Because I love you." She took his hands into hers and sat to face him. "Harry, I want...to marry you. I want to grow old with you, share every adventure with you. And I will die with you, no matter what."
"Hermione - "
"Please don't say what you have to say," said Hermione laughing and looking away. "You tend to - "
" - Make things worse that way, yeah, I know," said Harry, smiling broadly.
"Harry, I want this to be my destiny, can you understand that? I will stand by your side no matter what and I don't care what may come in the way. I will always be the one to save and protect you."
She looked at him, her eyes now sparkling with tears.
"You have no idea how much I want that to be my destiny as well, do you?" said Harry, smiling.
Hermione hugged him and said, "And it will."
"Despite the fact that there's this overgrown source of evil that I must perish, but that will all be in the past soon, won't it?" Harry whispered to her, smiling to himself.
Hermione pulled away, giggling. "It's not exactly something to joke about, Harry," she said sweetly. "But it's not something that will get in the way of us either."
"You're right," said Harry softly, leaning into her. "No matter what..."
No sooner had Harry and Hermione the chance to share a very brief kiss then the door of the Gryffindor common room suddenly burst open and they sprang apart, watching an enormous fleet of students enter and settle themselves around the two of them, all screaming in jubilation and each saying something along the lines of "Harry, you did it!" or "That was completely wicked, Harry!"
As Harry watched them in complete surprise, he saw that the common room was now occupied with people from other Houses as well since he had just caught a glimpse of Luna. And there was Cho, as well as Justin Finch-Fletchey -
"Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute! HOLD IT!" Harry yelled.
All movement seemed to cease and all eyes were on him accompanied by brilliant grins and smiles.
"What the devil is going on here?" he asked, looking around the room. He hear Hermione laugh next to him.
"What's so funny?"
"Harry, mate," said Seamus. "The spell! It worked! Man, you should have seen it! It was amazin' what happed down at the school. The Houses! They're gone!"
It took several minutes for Harry to register what he had just heard. "I-I'm sorry, what?"
"Harry," said Ron, who had stepped forward. "Um...do you see what's...not on my uniform?"
Harry looked at Ron from head to foot and his eyes suddenly stopped at his badge. In place, there was a crest that simply read "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." "Where's your Gryffindor badge? Where are your colors? What happened!"
"Harry," Hermione whispered suddenly. "Look around!"
Harry forced his eyes to move about the room as he got up and noticed that he was not in the Gryffindor common room, or at least not in the way that he remembered it. The Gryffindor flags had disappeared and were replaced by the same banners that contained the Hogwarts crest. The reddish glow had been replaced by a golden one and the plate on the fireplace no longer bore the House name.
"Is this - what does this - ?"
"Harry, you've got to tell us!" said Dean enthusiastically.
"It was so amazing how the ceiling in the Great Hall just began to swirl with all of these colors - and then there was this blast that just came out of nowhere - "
"Yes, Potter, I think all of us would be keen of hearing how is it that you managed to get this spell, is it, to work," Malfoy's voice came from behind.
Smiling slightly to himself, Harry nodded and began to tell them exactly what had occurred at the graveyard. He was, of course, pestered with a flood of questions, yet seeing them all there, grouped around him, could have been possibly one of the most successful moments that he had ever experienced. And, sure, they had a long way to go, but to everything there was a beginning, and he knew that he couldn't ask for one that was any better that this.
A/N: If you think you've waited long, so have I. Not to spoil it or anything, but I will say that the war will begin in the next chapter. Alas, that's the crazy way it is. Please review!
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