Twisting Around
Chapter 11: Breaking The Chains
A/N: I lied. I said I'd let you know before the long delay, but I didn't. My soccer team took a preseason trip to England and Scotland, and since then I've been busy with the start of school. Now as long as I don't get too distracted, the story should finish up at a reasonable clip. My absence was a lot longer then I intended, so I offer my apologies.
Harry and Hermione transported themselves to the small clearing that they sent the twins and Ginny to. The Weasleys immediately jumped to their feet, dismal looks on their faces. Harry slowly shook his head, letting them know that they were the only Weasleys left.
Hermione choked on the words before she could set them loose. "They refused to listen. Ron attacked and the rest fought beside him. We had no choice. I'm sorry."
Tears fell down Ginny's face, and Fred and George slowly sat, as if the weight of the world was dragging them down. Harry's face remained expressionless, but behind the facade he had built was his admiration for the acting job that Hermione was performing. Hermione wasn't sorrowful at all, and they both knew it. Anybody who didn't join them was to be killed, that was what they had decided.
However, the act had been bought. Ginny rushed forward to embrace Hermione, who seemed to be close to tears herself.
"You don't have to fight alone now, we'll be with you"
"No" Harry said. "You can't be with us at every turn. There are still many more distasteful things that Hermione and I will have to do before this is over. We don't want you involved in those. We just need you for the end, when we take on Voldemort."
"Then what are we going to do until then?" Fred asked. "We did come to help you after all."
"There's nothing you can do for us right now. We've found a place where all of you can stay until we face Voldemort. I promise you, it's not going to be long."
"You better be right. I'm not going to stay stuck in the middle of nowhere forever."
There were no more words to be said. Harry and Hermione led the Weasleys to the hideout that they had prepared.
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As Harry and Hermione continued their recruitment campaign, the numbers of their followers rose, as did the numbers of the dead. Thomas and Finnigan had joined them, while Longbottom was brutally disposed of. The Patils were now deceased, as was Lavender Brown. The Creeveys, who had never even considered stopping their fan club, agreed to help the instant they were asked. Defying all belief, Loony Lovegood supported Harry and Hermione's cause, supposedly because they didn't have an army of heliopaths. She also happened to be the only Ravenclaw to support the two fugitives. MacMillan, Bones, and Abbot futile resisted Harry and Hermione, while Smith was lured into the growing army by false promises of power. Smith was so eager for power he set aside his despise for Potter.
The ranks of Potter's Army swelled with the recruits, and soon the only surviving students of Hogwarts were the very young and those who Dumbledore had brought to Hogwarts in his efforts to save them. Meanwhile, Voldemort was amused by the actions of his tool. He knew that the army would be useless against him and Dumbledore both, and that Potter knew that as well. He was tempted to summon Potter before him to learn why Potter was performing such a mad scheme. But in the end, he decided not to. Voldemort would destroy his tool when he turned against him, regardless of whatever traitorous plans had been made.
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Harry and Hermione were ready. They had finished planning the fight against Voldemort, and only needed to wait a few more days for the perfect opportunity to strike. However, the couple did want to do one thing before they fought Voldemort. And because of their desires, they could be seen walking the streets of muggle London hand in hand, garnering no attention except that normally given to a young couple obviously in love.
They had arranged everything several weeks earlier, with persuasiveness of both the vocal and monetary varieties. Harry and Hermione entered a very prestigious looking edifice, leaving the warm, inviting sun behind. Inside the entrance, they found all of their personal retainers, they couldn't think of them as an army on this day, awaiting their arrival, along with others of importance. Everyone was dressed in appropriate muggle attire. Harry and Hermione had seen to that.
Harry and Hermione separated and headed into opposite sections of the building, with a few of their retainers following each of them. A smile was on Ginny's face as she helped Hermione, causing Hermione's smile to broaden, for she was glad to see her friend looking happy for the first time since her recruitment. Once Ginny was finished, Hermione engulfed her into a massive hug, which Ginny returned just as ferociously. Ginny broke the embrace, and turned Hermione towards the door. Taking the rather forceful clue, Hermione exited the room, Ginny and the others behind her.
After Harry had finished his own personal tasks, he returned to the main area of the building and stood next to Dean Thomas. Harry looked around at all of the retainers who were seated in front of him, receiving smiles and smirks from most of them. Music filled the air, and Harry swung his head around. Despite knowing what was happening, Harry found himself amazed. Somehow, Hermione had become even more beautiful, and he could do nothing but stare as she walked towards him dressed in a flowing white gown. Hermione gave him a breathtaking smile that grew bigger with every step she took as her father led her down the aisle..
Harry did not remember much of the ceremony afterwards. He did recall that it had ended as it should, with a tender kiss that followed the command to kiss his bride.
Harry and Hermione glowed as applause was showered upon them, and they both grinned at each other before kissing again, with hoots now joining the applause. At the reception, the newlyweds announce to their guests that due to events out of their control, their honeymoon would be delayed. The witches and wizards in the crowd frowned, knowing that they were referring to Voldemort. Harry had explained the battle plan Hermione had devised, and that they would destroy Voldemort in his first attack after they were married.
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Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters had entered the atrium of the Ministry of Magic in the middle of the day. Witches and Wizards fled before them, several falling dead before they could escape the assault. The yells grew louder as more and more victims fell to the Death Eaters. Aurors appeared, and provided the first serious resistance, forcing the Death Eaters back briefly. The Death Eaters reestablished their order, and the aurors began to fall, several to Lord Voldemort himself. The level of panic and confusion raised tenfold when Harry and Hermione arrived at the battle. The aurors ignored them, for they were too occupied with staying alive to care about anyone who was not actively hostile. However, the Death Eaters looked ready to curse the new arrivals, who were not supposed to be there. They awaited their Master's instructions.
"Potter, Granger, neither of you are supposed to be here. Have you something to offer us, or do we have to adjust our working relationship?" Voldemort questioned them, his fingers eagerly tapping along the length of his wand.
Harry gave the sinister answer. "It's Potter and Potter now, and we are your allies no longer. We're taking over."
"You are a fool, boy. Now you shall pay the price of defying me. AVADA KEDAVRA!"
The flash of green arced towards Voldemort's most dangerous foes.
A/N: Read and review. This story is alive again, so hopefully it won't be another month and a half til the next update. This chapter was made bits and pieces at a time, so if it seems a bit fragmented, that's why.
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