13. The Rat's Revenge
They were half way through the summer term and all formal lessons had stopped. Those students sitting OWLS and NEWTS were deep in revision. Only Professor Aegis continued with structured lessons, he knew that even NEWT level Defence would not be enough, he had to push his students for their own safety.
Unsurprisingly Harry was proving to be the best at Defence Against the Dark Arts in both the sixth and seventh year classes. He had worked alone with Aegis on a new spell which enabled him to produce a shield which had so far proved impenetrable. Although this shield would stop any incoming spell, Harry was able to fire spells out through it. However there was one disadvantage, to do this he needed two wands, one to hold the shield, and one to cast the outgoing spells, and he wouldn't always have two wands.
Hermione had not been able to find out anything about this new shield spell and this worried her. Harry had only told her that it produced something called Jupiter's shield and there was nothing about it in any of the books she had looked at.
When Harry and the Professor felt they had perfected the shield, Hermione and Ron were asked to help to test how effective it could be. When the time came, Hermione stood next to Professor Aegis and whispered in his ear.
"If you hurt Harry I will never forgive you, and you'll have daises in your hair for ever."
Aegis gave her a tight grin "My dear if I manage to hurt Harry then Harry should never forgive himself. Ready Harry?"
Harry nodded, he concentrated, he held his wand pointing upwards "Aegis maximus"
Like a fountain, energy poured from his wand to form a dome around him which shone a steel blue colour.
They had started with simple hexes, all three of them firing together, and slowly worked their way up to stunners and reductor curses, the shield repelled them all. The air in the room sparkled and crackled with all the spent magic that was flying about. Hermione had even tried some of the more exotic curses she had found whilst looking for the unrequired loyalty charms for the DA.
Eventually the only curses his shield had not been tested on were the unforgivable ones. Harry wasn't keen to test against them and Hermione was definitely not in favour of the idea. Ron thought they were all barmy, but it couldn't be put off for ever so after a short rest Harry re-established his shield.
Aegis nervously licked his lips and intoned "Crucio" Harry stood as still as a rock, there was no effect.
"Holding OK Harry?" Harry nodded; "Imperio" Hermione could see the effort the Professor was putting into trying to make Harry do something, again to no effect. Aegis let the curse die and Harry let his shield drop. He smiled at Aegis and poked out his tongue. The Professor laughed. Hermione was shocked.
"So you could hear the command then Harry?"
"Oh yes, but there was no compulsion, none at all."
Hermione was practicing the wand movement Harry had been using and was muttering the incantation under her breath, then suddenly she realised something "Hang on Harry's shield spell, it's your name Professor!"
"Come on Hermione, you're not living up to your reputation today. I thought you had worked out what my name meant a long time ago."
"Oh I did, but I thought it meant protection"
"So what is a shield?"
"Ahh hadn't thought of that"
Harry squared his shoulders and stood ready to resume the test "Right" he said "Only one more curse left to try"
Hermione's cry was instantaneous "No Harry you mustn't!"
All Ron could manage was "Oh Bugger!"
Professor Aegis cut in "Ron's quite succinct as always, but I have to agree with Hermione on this one Harry, let me explain. When you produce a shield, even one as powerful as yours, your life force is bound in to it. The Avada Kedavra curse works by stripping the life force from the body. If the curse hits your shield it will still work as it can still reach your life force which is held in the shield. I hope that makes some sort of sense?"
"Oh yes, I see now" said Hermione "That means that only a shield which doesn't use your own magic could hope to deflect the killing curse. Do you think my necklace would be able to stop it?"
"It is possible certainly, we don't know how powerful the necklace is, but its power is its own not yours, so yes it's possible."
Hermione looked very nervous "Should we test…?"
"NO! I forbid you to try; we just do not know enough about the stone. Besides if it did work think what would happen to the person who tested it. One or other of you would end up dead."
There was silence as the truth of that fact sank in.
When the Tyr met the next time Aegis wanted all of them to attempt Harry's new shield and to everyone's surprise, except their teacher, Ron produced the strongest shield after Harry.
"OK Ron now you need to practice extending your shield to cover the four of you", advised Aegis.
"Sorry, don't you mean six?" Ron asked.
"No, Harry and Hermione will have to protect themselves. This will be your task, for the moment just do as I ask, I hope that we will have the time to perfect our strategies, but that will depend on Voldemort".
It was hard to prepare for something when you are not sure what you are going to face but that is what they tried to do. The Tyr prepared, the DA prepared, and the Gryffindor Quidditch team prepared for their match against Ravenclaw.
The exams were due to start the following week so the Saturday of the final match was a chance for everyone to let their hair down and relax. The only house that didn't seem to be entering into the sprit of things was Slytherin. The three Slytherin DA members could only report that Malfoy and his crowd were keeping themselves to themselves, using charms to keep others away when they were talking, but they could learn nothing more. Harry was convinced that they were planning trouble.
Match day duly arrived and as usual for early June it was warm and sunny. There were just a few clouds floating lazily on the gentle breeze, but nothing that would produce rain. In all, perfect conditions.
Katie Bell led the Gryffindor team out onto the pitch and strode to the centre to shake hands with Cho Chang the Ravenclaw captain. Madam Hooch tossed the coin; Katie won and elected to defend the North end. Harry scanned the stands, Gryffindor red and gold stood out at the North end and Ravenclaw blue at the South. The centre stands held the yellow of Hufflepuff but only a smattering of Slytherin green was in evidence. The others had seen this as well but assumed that there was a no show because of the dismal efforts of their own team that year. Harry thought there were other reasons, and had asked Neville, Luna and Hermione to keep a good look out for any signs of trouble.
Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Harry's attention switched to the task at hand. The teams were very evenly matched; it was going to prove to be a hard game. The crowd watching were thrilled by the speed and agility of the chasers on both sides.
The quaffle was moved around with frightening speed and only the skill of the keepers kept the score firmly pegged at 0-0. After half an hour of frantic activity Harry realised that catching the snitch was the only way points were going to be scored. If he saw it there would be no reason to muck about, a quick catch was becoming imperative.
Harry and Cho saw the snitch at the same time; Cho was much closer to it. Even with his superior speed he wasn't sure he could get to it first, he realised that for the first time he was going to lose the race. Harold Winter, a Gryffindor beater, swung his club and connected with the bludger as it flew past him. It rocketed across the pitch and just as Cho was about to close her hand round the snitch the bludger caught the tail of her broom and sent her into a spin.
Harry needed no second opportunity, he urged his Firebolt to even greater speed and as the snitch veered round Ron's goalposts Harry cut the corner and snatched the snitch out of the air. For the third time that year Madam Hooch blew the final whistle and shouted
"GRYFFINDOR WINS!"
The stands coated in red and gold erupted, they had won the Quidditch Cup.
Two things happened in quick succession. Harry heard a shrill whistling noise and shot upwards to avoid a bludger which had appeared out of nowhere. He glanced around and shouted to Ron who had not seen a second bludger heading straight for him. It connected with a sickening thud knocking him off his broom and into the sand under the goalposts.
Hermione, Neville and Luna fought their way off the stands and started to run around the outside of the stadium to the entrance to the pitch. As the reached the point furthest from the castle they were stopped in their tracks by a terrified scream, echoing out from a small clump of trees some hundred yards away.
They looked at each other "Slytherin" they chorused, and as the scream was repeated they turned and sprinted towards the sound. Hermione was the fittest of the three and soon began to outstrip the others, she was soon quite a distance in front when again without any warning yet another bludger streaked over Neville and hit Hermione hard on the back of her head.
The force of the blow lifted her off her feet and spun her through the air. She hit the grass and rolled several times before coming to a stop and lay without moving. Neville rushed towards her yelling to Luna to go and get help. He didn't stop to see her turn and run back to the stadium but skidded to a stop beside Hermione's body and fell to his knees.
He very gently brushed away the hair that was covering her face. He could see blood trickling from her ears and nose, and one leg was bent at an impossible angle. Her eyes were closed and a faint blue tinge coloured her lips.
Neville heard laughter; he looked up and in the trees a short way ahead a group of students were finding the scene in front of them particularly funny. One of the students produced a scream, like the one they had responded to and a fresh peal of laughter sounded. Neville made to stand and confront the group when almost as if growing out of the ground a man materialised in front of him.
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Wormtail was taking a risk and he knew it, but the end of the school year was getting ever closer. He was running out of time. He reasoned that Harry and Ron would be occupied with the Quidditch match and hoped that none of his friends would be using the Marauders Map. Even if they were if he could get close to the stadium then his name would disappear in amongst the hundreds of others watching the game.
As he scurried through the grass, still some way away from the pitch, he came across a group of students hiding in a clump of trees. Slytherins by the look of their robes, and yes that was Malfoy's brat, even if he were trying to hide is trademark hair in a hooded robe, he recognised his voice.
"It's a faint hope I know but if Bulstrode and Goyle manage to get their part right Potter and Weasley will be out of the way and we can deal with the mudblood. Are you clear what you are to do with that third bludger Pansy?"
"Yes Draco don't worry I know exactly what I am doing Granger won't get away from me."
"Good she's bound to come running when her precious Potter gets knocked off his broom and she has to come round this side of the stadium. One good scream Pansy, she won't be able to help herself, she'll come and investigate. Then she's as good as dead."
'What is that little toad up to' thought Wormtail 'Sounds as if he is after the same goal as I am. I wonder what he has against Hermione Granger.'
From the distance of the Quidditch pitch a whistle blew and 'GRYFFINDOR WINS' could be heard instantly drowned out by the roar from the crowd.
After just a few minutes three students appeared running around the outside of the stadium.
"There she is," Malfoy gloated "now Pansy."
Pansy Parkinson took a deep breath and a piercing terrified scream rent the air. The running students stopped, she screamed again, they turned and then ran toward the sound.
"Here she comes, so predictable" Draco turned to Pansy "make sure that thing hits her good and hard."
Wormtail watched the girl release the bludger and control its flight with her wand. He knew now what they were going to do, this would be his chance. If they killed the mudblood so be it, then at least he wouldn't have to do it himself.
With surprising speed the rat shot through the grass converging on the running Hermione who was herself being tracked by the speeding bludger.
He saw the bludger strike and lift the girl off her feet. She flew through the air and thudded into the ground near him.
The boy was kneeling over her when Wormtail changed back into human form. He gave him no chance.
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"Stupefy" Before Neville could react the spell blasted him off his feet. He did not hear the now genuine screams coming from the students in the trees, nor see the man pick up Hermione and carry her off.
Harry was bending over Ron who was staring back with unfocused eyes.
"Ron, Ron, are you OK?"
"Surei'mfinewedidwindidn'twe?" the words tumbled out all slurred together.
Harry sighed with relief "Yeah, we won, well done mate".
Madam Pomfrey bustled up, gave Ron the once over, then smiled up at Harry.
"No real harm done, he'll be fine by the time the party gets going" she said.
Harry smiled back but the smiled died on his face as in his mind he heard Hermione cry
"Harry, help me!"
Within seconds he had leapt on his Firebolt and shot into the sky. Once he was clear of the stands he could see a still form lying on the grass and to one side half a dozen students racing back to the castle.
Landing next to the body he could see it was Neville, he knew he'd been stunned. Harry raised his wand "Enervate" Neville began to stir.
"Nev where's Hermione she called me?"
"She was hit by a bludger, hurt bad, then this man grows out of the grass and stunned me".
"What man? There's no one about now".
"Not seen him before, small, fat, untidy. Had a face like a rat".
Harry's face paled with anger "Wormtail" he looked around, there was nothing to see. Only the Whomping Willow standing stock still on the top of the ridge. Harry stared and after a few seconds the branches began to thrash and writhe. "That's it. Nev get Dumbledore or Aegis, tell them Wormtail at the shrieking shack. OK?"
"Sure Harry."
"GO! And hurry."
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For such a small fat man Peter Pettigrew could move very fast, even carrying Hermione's dead weight. He reached the Whomping Willow, and poked the knot at its base with a long stick, the tree stopped moving. Stooping low he carried Hermione into the tunnel entrance and disappeared from view.
He knew this tunnel well from his schooldays and he reasoned that he would be in the Shrieking Shack ready and waiting for Harry Potter to turn up, as he was sure he would.
Somewhere deep down inside him Peter Pettigrew was still the same scared little schoolboy who had graced the halls of Hogwarts. He had convinced himself that he wasn't really evil he was just weak and always did what the bigger and bolder boys told him. At school he had fallen in with James, Sirius and Remus, he followed them, and he'd idolised them.
Then he met Voldemort, he was going to be at the top of the heap, and Peter had followed as he had so many times before. But unlike the Marauders, Voldemort did not let go of his followers, Peter was trapped and he had to obey. So he was right, he wasn't evil but he was certainly damned.
If Harry arrived in time and he could persuade him to undo the necklace, then the girl wouldn't have to die, he didn't really want to kill anyone. He knew he owed Harry a debt, this would be his payment, the stone for the girl, everyone would live and he could return to Voldemort.
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Harry watched Neville run back toward the Quidditch pitch; he looked at the thrashing branches of the Whomping Willow. He considered his Firebolt; he knew where the passage led, should he fly? Should he follow Wormtail down the tunnel?
He knew where he needed to be, and as he had at Christmas he concentrated on his destination. He didn't have access to Hermione's Tear, he wasn't sure it would work without it, so he concentrated especially hard, and he vanished.
Peter was in the shack; five minutes that's all he would need get it all set up then wait. He burst into the upstairs room to find Harry Potter standing by the fire place his wand pointing straight at him.
Pettigrew panicked, in his minds eye he saw the devastated house, Potter on the stairs and then the flames that had incinerated Walker. He swung the girl from his shoulder and held her limp form in front of him like a shield. The long curved blade that had taken his hand, two years ago, was held in the sliver one which had replaced it; he brought the knife up to the girl's throat.
"Well Harry didn't expect you yet, now I shall have to improvise. Put down your wand and remove her necklace and I will let you both go. I owe you that; I owe James and Lily that too." He sounded far more confident than he felt.
Harry was having considerable difficulty in controlling his temper. He could feel himself shaking, but he knew that if he lost control he would lose Hermione. He decided to play for time.
"I can't remove it, Hermione is the only one who can do that".
"Tsk… silly boy, I have seen you do it, when you were with that new Professor. I'd have learnt more if it weren't for that pesky dog."
Harry could see the wild look in Wormtail's eyes he knew he didn't have long before things got out of hand. He moved the point of his wand fractionally and thought very hard
'Obdofores'. The door behind Wormtail slammed shut and he turned fractionally distracted by the sound. 'Accio knife' Harry shouted the summoning spell.
The spell did not work as well as it should as the silver hand had a much stronger grip than normal. The knife did not fly to Harry, which was perhaps just as well, but Wormtail's grip was broken and the blade clattered to the floor.
In fury Wormtail flung Hermione's limp body towards Harry. In Harry's desperation to catch her he fumbled with his wand and it slipped from his grasp.
In a few short seconds the tables had been turned. Harry now had Hermione in his arms with no means of defence. Wormtail reached into his robe and pulled out his own wand.
"Harry I don't have much time, you will take the necklace off and give it to me or I will remove it myself. The Dark Lord requires it before you come of age. I cannot refuse him".
"It won't come off. I've already told you!" shouted Harry, where was help when you needed it?
"Then I will take her head, I will get it then."
"And just how do you intend to do that now? You have no knife."
"Oh Harry! There are many nasty spells and enchantments out there to use. Ones I doubt your teachers would dare to pass on to you. I think a nice severing charm will do."
"But you can't control the depth of a severing charm" said Harry still stalling. He suddenly remembered Hermione's wand, it must be in her robes somewhere. There it was, deep in one of her pockets. "Won't that kill me too, I thought you didn't want to do that?"
Harry was carefully stretching his fingers trying not to be obvious. He almost reached the hidden wand when Wormtail raised his own.
"No more time Harry" "Conseco sectus" he cried out, drawing his wand from his left to his right. A silver blue band of energy shot outwards aimed directly at Hermione's neck. The wand now forgotten Harry drew her to him instinctively trying to protect her.
"Nooo!"
The spell never made contact. With a brilliant flash of white light the stone at Hermione's neck burst into life, and repelled the spell back to whence it came. Wormtail shrieked and held up his arm as if to ward off the severing charm. Harry closed his eyes, the shrieking stopped suddenly.
Harry looked again Wormtail was standing as before, his arm raised, his silver hand pointing skyward. There was a look of absolute horror on his face, his body shuddered and the silver hand detached from his arm and fell to the floor with a dull thud. Harry would have sworn that Peter Pettigrew's eyes looked at the stump of his arm and then moved to look at Harry. Peter's body gave another shudder and collapsed, his head falling from his shoulders and rolling away to the corner of the room.
There was a moment of complete silence. The only movement in the room was of Wormtail's head rocking back and forth till it came to rest.
Harry's attention switched instantly to the girl in his arms. He gently lowered her to the floor, cradling her head in his lap.
"Hermione, Hermione" there was no response. Her lips were bluer than before, she was alive, but her breathing was very shallow. Harry did the only thing he could think of and that was to think at her 'Hermione hold on, listen to me, help will be here soon' It was as if someone had thrown a switch. With a click Harry mind was inside Hermione's head. He repeated his plea, then.
'Harry' the response was very weak 'Something's happening, something's pressing on me, I can't breathe. It's inside my head. Help me please!'
Harry stayed with her; he kept his mind linked with hers. He could feel a suffocating presence it was making it difficult for him to move his thoughts further into her mind and then in the distance he could see it. To him it looked like a dark cloud pushing forward trying to smother everything that was Hermione. He wasn't going to let that happen, 'Inurgeo' the incantation was thought gently but firmly.
The spell fanned out in front of him, it didn't occur to Harry that he had no wand in his hand, in fact he had no hand only his mind to work with. The spell was there nevertheless, it made contact with the cloud, the cloud resisted, he increased the pressure of the spell and slowly, very slowly the cloud was pushed back.
If it took him forever he didn't care, he took his time, he pushed from one side then the other, from above then below, he was totally committed.
Harry didn't hear the cracking of people apparating into the room. Dumbledore, Aegis, Snape and Madam Pomfrey appeared first, followed by Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks.
Dumbledore took in the scene with one glance.
Pettigrew's body, well most of it, and the two students.
Harry was kneeling on the floor Hermione's head cradled in his lap; he was bent over her, beads of perspiration standing out on his forehead he was totally focused on Hermione.
Madam Pomfrey was bustling forward to tend to Hermione making to shoo Harry to one side.
"Poppy wait! Dumbledore was kind but firm "Please wait, I think we need to see exactly what is going on here. Solomon if you please." Dumbledore indicated Harry and Hermione.
Solomon Aegis closed his eyes and concentrated. "Harry is inside Hermione's head he is ……Ah! I see now". He looked to Madam Pomfrey. "The bludger has fractured Hermione's skull, she is bleeding. Harry is in there and he his pushing back the blood. We dare not disturb him if he falters now Hermione could die".
"I need to see what he is doing, he must be so careful, I ought to stop him… please" implored the Nurse.
"I am sorry Poppy, if we go blundering in we could upset the link. We must trust Harry, he will be careful, I really don't think he wants to make a mistake.
Harry continued to push the cloud back; as it shrank in size he could see its point of origin. The blood vessel had a tear in it and it was back through this tear that he was pushing the blood. Once it was all gone he thought 'Resarcio' and the wound began to seal itself.
As he moved away from the now sealed wound he gazed at the beautiful symmetry of his girlfriend's mind. Then close to where the blood vessel had ruptured he saw a patch where the symmetry had been destroyed. It looked like a delicate spider's web that someone had torn, the broken strands dangling and out of place. He stopped his retreat and lovingly took the severed ends and reconnected them. With repeated thoughts of 'Adiungo' each strand was meticulously joined back together.
Each join shone as a little gold bead in the fine threads of Hermione's mind. When he had finished he drew back, much like an artist would examining a completed canvas, to see what he had done. As he moved his mind further away he could see that, like stars in the night sky form constellations, the little gold beads formed a pattern. Glittering and shining in the distance there was a perfect five pointed star sealed in Hermione's mind forever.
He slowly withdrew his mind from her, and began to recognise his surroundings. Hermione's face came into focus, it was battered and bruised; the blood from her nose was drying. Weakly Harry tried to brush it away, but it wouldn't come off.
He looked up as if seeking help and saw familiar faces all around him. Closest to him was Madam Pomfrey looking back at him with an expression of wonderment on her face. He smiled at her and collapsed.