The sky was fittingly overcast when Hermione and Dumbledore arrived at the edge of Voldemort's portkey dispersion wards. As Hermione suspected these wards were only designed to keep people from port keying in, not out, much like those wards that guarded the Ministry. Hermione remembered that Dumbledore was able to portkey Harry out of the Ministry after the duel with Voldemort even though Voldemort was obviously prevented from using port keys to simply appear inside the Ministry. It would have been pointless to lure Harry to the Ministry had it been so simple as to portkey himself in.
"It would appear that Tom has a few anti-muggle enchantments in place but nothing that should impede us or reveal our presence." Dumbledore said.
"Good," Hermione replied. "We'll use invisibility and acceleration charms to get us in close, fast, and undetected."
Dumbledore nodded and the pair faded from view. Hermione didn't put all her strength into her invisibility charm to ensure that Dumbledore would be able to see her. Also, she wasn't quite ready to reveal the full extent of her skills to the old wizard. As soon as they were hidden from view they pointed their wands at themselves and sped away toward the cottage where Harry was being held. Extended use of the acceleration charm could be dangerous but they had little choice.
Moments later they found themselves within close visual range of the cottage. Two guards stood outside the door that Hermione had not been able to detect when she appraised the situation through her link with Harry. Hermione didn't recognize either of these two Death Eaters but judging by the scowl on Dumbledore's face he knew of them.
Fortunately these two Death Eaters had obviously been chosen for their loyalty and not their combat ability. Voldemort didn't want anyone powerful and ambitious on hand for the period of vulnerability he would suffer during the ritual. They didn't seem to be considerably alert either, probably due to the fact that their location would normally have been very well hidden. Undoubtedly they considered discovery to be virtually impossible this soon after the hunt for them had begun. If it weren't for Hermione's connection with Harry their complacency would have been justified.
Dumbledore motioned his hand to indicate that Hermione should take the one on the right and started forward. Hermione likewise moved forward cautiously to keep from making any sound or doing anything else that might give their presence away. Icy terror lanced through her being as she heard a shrill high-pitched noise. They had a sneakoscope or some similar device to alert them to covert dangers around them. It was as shocking to the Death Eaters as it was to Hermione because instead of running into the cottage they looked around in a panic. That error was all it took to salvage the situation from failure.
A red beam slammed into the first Death Eater and jolted Hermione into action. She cast her own stunner and dropped the other Death Eater who had started, belatedly, to run inside. Hermione felt her face burn with embarrassment that she had hesitated so long and nearly allowed one of the guards to raise an alarm. Silently she was thankful that the powerful old wizard was along on this mission. He had literally more than a century of experience in all things magical and he had fought at least two wars before. His knowledge on these types of things was immense despite whatever other shortcomings he might have.
Hermione put invisibility charms on the two captured Death Eaters after Dumbledore had stunned them a second time to ensure that they wouldn't awake at an inopportune time. She looked to Dumbledore to decide what to do next.
"We can't go in the door," he said softly, "Tom will have placed wards to alert him to any entrance."
"Then how are we supposed to get in?" Hermione asked.
"Tom didn't expect to be found this quickly and he was always very confident. His defenses are probably geared primarily to keep his guards from betraying him." Dumbledore reasoned.
The old wizard and Hermione circled the cottage warily to see if they could find another point of access. They got lucky on the southern most wall of the house. There was a tiny window set into the attic part of the cottage that was hanging on one hinge. It was far too small for a person to get through, but an owl would have no problem.
"I can fly up there and then let you in," Hermione said as she explained her animagus form to Dumbledore.
"Tom may have additional traps placed inside the structure and it would trigger the alarms to open the main door no matter whether you opened it from the inside or not," Dumbledore said. "I have a far better idea. You can transfigure me into a mouse and then carry me with you."
Hermione kicked herself for not thinking of such a scheme on her own. Dumbledore nodded at her as she waved her wand and transfigured him into a white shaggy haired rodent. Hermione quickly shifted to her form and grasped the Headmaster gently in her talons before he could scamper away. A few strong beats of her wings later and she tumbled rather clumsily into the attic. Once they had both returned to their normal forms they surveyed the attic to determine their next course of action.
Dumbledore led the way, carefully opening the door that led down into the main house, all the while doing something Hermione didn't quite understand to check for traps along the way. When they reached the main hall Dumbledore held up a hand and leaned over close so he could whisper to Hermione.
"There is some kind of movement detection charm on the floor," he explained. "We need to get across all the way to where the hall turns without touching it."
"I can't fly reliably in this tiny space," Hermione replied.
"You don't need to, we will levitate each other there," Dumbledore said. "All you have to do is levitate me, I will do the rest."
Hermione obediently levitated Dumbledore and he levitated her at the same time. Hermione held the connection while Dumbledore fidgeted for a moment doing something else that Hermione didn't quite understand. Slowly they began floating down the hall, passing a large set of double doors that reeked of icy black magic, and picked up speed as they went. As soon as they crossed some threshold that only Dumbledore could see he let Hermione dropped.
"This way," Hermione said once they were back soundly on the ground. "Harry is in some kind of basement chained to a wall."
Dumbledore took over the lead again when they approached a door that Hermione felt was probably the correct one. It only took a moment for Dumbledore to defeat whatever charm was keeping the door closed and pushing his way inside. They descended a narrow set of stairs into a damp stone chamber that was dimly lit by a couple of torches burning with magical fire.
"Oh Harry," Hermione said as she rushed toward his limp figure. A strong hand grabbed her shoulder.
"Don't go near him," Dumbledore said forcefully, "there are enchantments all around him to prevent escape and raise the alarm should he be tampered with."
Hermione saw that he was right and felt humiliation burn her face again at what her rash emotional actions had almost done.
"Can you take them down?" Hermione asked. She had never seen these kinds of spells before specifically. They were powerful deviations of more common enchantments that most wizards were familiar with. Hermione winced at her own inadequacy and swore that she would redouble her efforts to discover the most elusive of magical secrets should they make it out of this alive. Knowledge was indeed more important than mere power.
"I can but it will take time," Dumbledore said, "and we do not have time. As soon as I begin Tom will be aware of us."
"Fine, then I will go and hold Voldemort off while you save Harry," Hermione said, sounding braver than she felt.
Hermione thought that Dumbledore was going to protest but he only nodded sadly. "You have to hold him off as long as possible, I don't know how long this will take."
Hermione took out Harry's wand and gave it to Dumbledore. "He may need this to survive when you get him free," Hermione said, tears threatening to break free. "If I don't make it…if I don't see him again…tell him that I love him."
"I will," Dumbledore said, "but don't think of that. You'll tell him yourself."
Hermione nodded fiercely. "Give me to the count of five and then begin."
She would have taken Harry's wand herself but he might need its protection and she didn't dare try to use the difficult prior incantato effect for such an extended period of time. Harry would be weak and prior incantato might be his only chance to escape.
Hermione took a deep breath and then flew up the stairs counting to herself as she went. She approached the hall with the sensitive floor on four and hit the area with the alarm at five. She stopped counting then but on what would have been seven she reached the huge double doors they had seen earlier. The icy darkness still seeped out of them almost like the aura put off by dementors.
"Avada Kedavra!" Hermione shouted as she pointed her wand at the door. With great force the door was blown inward into a million tiny splinters. The interior of the room was dimly lit and much more expansive than the size of the cottage would have normally allowed. Voldemort had enlarged this room to several times its original size for whatever reason.
The room was mainly bare of furniture or decoration but in the center stood several immense stone walls. Each wall segment was over two meters tall and at least a meter wide. They stood in a circular patter like great grey dominoes overlapping yet allowing for some small space in between. Hermione took a tentative step into the gloom alert for any sign of movement or attack.
A thin tall figure in a black cloak stepped out from between the stone walls and glared at her. Hermione had seen Voldemort before in Harry's mind and in a memory he placed in her pensieve. It was still shocking to see his menacing red eyes, pale reptilian skin, and sticklike figure. Voldemort appeared surprised to see her too.
"Potter's mudblood, how interesting," Voldemort said in his eerie high-pitched voice. "Clearly those arrogant fools underestimated your talents. It's amazing how even the most crafty of wizards can be blinded by silly prejudices."
"Ironic, you speaking of prejudice, when your goal is to secure the wizarding world for purebloods," Hermione replied icily.
"Unlike my ideologically challenged followers I merely desire immortality and power." Voldemort countered, "Though I do admit to admiring the long traditions and inclinations toward dark magic that most pureblood families have. I did not create the pureblood movement though. I merely attached myself to it because it was the strongest position. Purebloods have more money, more knowledge, more tangible resources if for no other reason than they have been around longer."
"So if the so called mudbloods had exhibited more influence then you would have tried to overthrow purebloods?" Hermione asked in confusion.
"I would have gathered together all those with the vision to acquire the power needed to reshape the world of magic in my image," Voldemort said smoothly.
"Why are you telling me this?" Hermione asked next.
"You are about to die. This is your reward for finding such a well hidden location and your punishment for being so shortsighted as to come alone." Voldemort replied.
"Maybe it is you who are about to die," Hermione retorted.
"You cannot kill me child," Voldemort said, no longer amused, "Only one can kill me and he is in no condition."
Hermione feigned surprised at this revelation and Voldemort lit up with delight.
"Did no one tell you? Your precious Dumbledore has been hoarding his little secrets as usual," he laughed.
"Don't use that name in front of me," Hermione hissed. She hadn't counted on a chance to misdirect Voldemort about the disposition of the relationship of the forces against him but now that it was offered she took it eagerly. Not that she had to feign dislike of Dumbledore at this point.
Voldemort laughed harder at her apparent distaste of Dumbledore. "You're not half as mad at the old muggle loving fool as you should be. He didn't just let one of my Death Eaters parade around Hogwarts he also allowed me to discover the prophecy that you yourself helped prevent me from hearing a year ago. Potter is the only person in the world that can defeat me, it has been foretold, and once this ritual is complete he will be neither alive nor dead. With Potter's essence trapped inside me, in a state of undeath, the prophecy will be forever in play and I will finally be immortal."
"Will it really be that easy?" Hermione smirked. Let Voldemort worry a little about his plan.
"I assume you are referring to the attempt to infect me with a nullification potion?" Voldemort chuckled. "I knew about the Ministry's plan to entrap me, the antidote to the potion they fed him will liberate Potter from its effects moments before I consume him. I have engineered everything that has transpired here from the very beginning."
"You'll never win," Hermione promised with gritted teeth. If they failed here the world would be doomed and Harry would be condemned to a fate worse than death.
"I already have…" Voldemort cut off sharply as if stung. "Filthy mudblood!"
Hermione summoned a shield as a powerful spell burned through the air toward her. Dumbledore must have found some way to begin disabling the restraints on Harry without tipping Voldemort off after all but that had obviously not lasted long.
"You brought him with you didn't you," Voldemort spat. "You've been playing me, stalling for time…"
"Why yes Tom," Hermione said sweetly as the dark lord grew even darker with rage, "and you went along marvelously. I was just expecting to duel with you for a while but you obligingly stretched it out even longer with your endless gloating and self congratulation at your wonderful plan."
"You will die quickly and painfully...Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort yelled.
Hermione rolled to the side and blew the floor in front of her apart. When she returned to a standing position huge chunks of floor swirled around her.
"Avada Kedavra!" Hermione yelled back. Voldemort conjured something solid to take the blast.
"I see you know how to play after all child," he growled. Voldemort struck back with a spell Hermione had never seen before. He no longer bothered to use the killing curse since he knew Hermione would just block it with debris from the floor.
Hermione shuddered under the impact of his spell but her strongest shield held, though it suffered such a serious crack that she let it dissipate. Hermione retaliated immediately with a hail of razor sharp silver disks hoping that one of them would get though. Voldemort waved his wand lazily and the disks vanished in a wisp of vapor.
"I'm not a werewolf silly girl," he laughed at her disks. "I can see you have strength, but you lack the wisdom to use it properly."
"I haven't even begun yet," Hermione said determinedly. Her chest heaved with exertion as she poured all her power into conjuring up the deadly elemental fire known as Life's Bane. Voldemort's eyes widened as she launched dozens of the insidious fireballs at him. The cottage shuttered under the multiple impacts of the fiery projectiles. Everywhere they touched they lit fires, melted holes through stone, and caused violent explosions. Voldemort disappeared in the storm for a moment but then reappeared surrounded by a light blue halo that protected him from the deadly flame.
"Better," Voldemort taunted, "but still nothing I couldn't have done in my seventh year."
"I'm in my sixth," Hermione bit back. Voldemort glared at her and fired off another killing curse in his anger. One of Hermione's floor chunks blocked it with ease. Hermione got off another quick spell to buy her enough time to prepare a soul drainer curse. A tiny black ball formed at the end of her wand before zipping across the room to envelop Voldemort. She remembered how difficult it had been for her to break out from this curse and she figured it would be a challenge for Voldemort too no matter how powerful he thought he was.
Laughter boomed through the magically enhanced space. Instead of struggling it looked like Voldemort ate the ball of pure black magic. "You cannot trap me with that spell young one. It should only be used on kindhearted souls."
Hermione racked her brain for something else to try as Voldemort started walking toward her unconcernedly. She tried the most powerful jinxes and hexes that she knew but the evil wizard batted them away like he was swatting flies.
"I almost wish you were one of my followers," Voldemort said wistfully as he wrapped thin black wires around Hermione. "You certainly have more courage and power than most of them. Unfortunately I fear you lack the one trait that I require…or should I say you have the one trait I cannot abide…a conscious."
"You will fail," Hermione said defiantly. "Harry will stop you…"
Voldemort wrapped his long fingers around her neck and squeezed to choke off her airflow. "You'll never know," he hissed.
Hermione opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. Voldemort wasn't attacking her body; he was invading her mind. She felt something foul and black stabbing into her consciousness, leaving destruction wherever it went. Her eyes, which had been burning with the full force of her magic, faded slowly as her thrashing body went limp.
Harry blinked groggily as he opened his eyes and stared into the long white flowing beard of Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore was working hastily to melt through the bonds that held Harry in place on the wall.
"Headmaster?" Harry said weakly.
"Yes Harry, I'm here, you'll be free soon," Dumbledore said soothingly.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"I'm afraid that this is my fault," Dumbledore sighed. "Your friend Mr. Weasley was being controlled by the Imperius Curse. He was forced to use a portkey to take you to this place. Voldemort is here, Hermione is dueling him even as we speak."
As if to affirm his words the cottage shook violently as something impacted upstairs. Dumbledore severed the third bond and Harry let out a low moan. Dumbledore didn't know what was going on with his young charge but he didn't think it was good.
"Hermione…no," Harry groaned, thrashing about awkwardly in his suspended condition.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow but continued working. One moment the boy had been fine, now suddenly he was off in a daze.
"Won't…let…you," Harry protested. "Won't…let…you…go."
Harry's eyes flew open and he looked more alert than he had since Dumbledore had first noticed him awakening. He appeared wild and desperate, his eyes blazed with anger.
"Wand," Harry gasped as he struggled against the last bond.
Dumbledore took out Harry's wand and pressed it into his hand. Harry closed his eyes for a moment in concentration and the final bond began glowing white. Dumbledore didn't recognize any spell. Instead Harry simply poured magical energy into the bond until it was overwhelmed and shattered.
"Harry wait," Dumbledore said as he took off up the stairs. Dumbledore followed as quickly as he could, his own wand at the ready. He had dropped quite a ways behind him as they rushed toward Voldemort's main chamber but he still felt Harry's cry of rage and anguish like he was standing right next to him.
"Hermione!" Harry cried out as he stumbled into the huge room. Hermione's limp form dangled in Voldemort's vice like grip. Dumbledore looked into her eyes and saw that even though her body still breathed what made her Hermione was already gone.
Voldemort laughed. "You're too late Potter, your precious little muggle brat is already gone. Normally I'd let you join her, but I have other plans…"
Harry ducked as Voldemort sent a powerful curse blasting toward him while at the same time holding Hermione in front of him like a shield. Harry summoned Hermione's wand that had fallen at her feet. Now with both wands in hand he advanced on Voldemort sending forth a fury of different attacks, most of which Voldemort banished effortlessly.
Harry lifted both wands at once and summoned streaks of light to impale Voldemort from all sides. Black vapor poured off the evil wizard where the light pierced him and for a moment he quivered with agony. The attack faded but it has succeeded in loosening Voldemort's grip on Hermione enough for Harry's summoning charm to finally wrench her loose.
"You're welcome to that empty shell Potter," Voldemort hissed, "You can spend your final moments with it."
Voldemort took a small skull out of his robes and gripped it tightly. "These wards are more sophisticated than you assumed Dumbledore."
Death Eaters began appearing everywhere as they were brought in by portkeys set to allow them passage through the wards when given a specific signal from their master.
"I never assumed anything Tom," Dumbledore said conversationally as he finally made it to Harry's side. He held out the three-pronged pipe and draped Hermione's hand over one of the handles.
"No!" Voldemort shouted, "Stop them…"
It was too late. Harry's hand grasped the final hold and the three of them disappeared as they were whisked away back to Dumbledore's office. When they landed Harry didn't say a word or wait a moment. He marched right out of his office still cradling Hermione in his arms. As soon as he was gone the three professors, who from all appearances hadn't moved an inch, looked wildly at Dumbledore.
"What happened? Was she…her mind was gone," Snape said shakily.
Dumbledore nodded sadly. "Yes, Voldemort destroyed her, but it may be difficult to get Harry to accept it. However, he doesn't seem to be the only one who has difficulty following spoken instruction…"
Snape shut up. He, Flitwick, and McGonagall just stood there looking nervous. Dumbledore's eyes narrowed when he saw their guilty stances. Why had they not dispersed to carry out his instructions? McGonagall responded as if reading his mind.
"We tried Professor but it was no use. The Order has begun its delaying actions but the known Death Eaters have all disappeared into deep cover. We can't find them to hit them. The Americans have refused us sanctuary saying that they have no wish to become involved in England's latest policing action and with no where to send them the children were safest here at Hogwarts."
Dumbledore sighed. He should have expected as much.
"Shouldn't we follow them?" Snape asked hesitantly.
"Yes, we probably should," Dumbledore said tiredly.
"Dobby!" Harry yelled as he stumbled down the hallway toward the hospital wing as quickly as possible. He heard a crack next to him and then the patter of tiny feet as the little elf struggled to keep up with him.
"Harry Potter sir, Dobby is sorry sir, Dobby tried to be stopping them but they is overpowering Dobby…is Miss hurt?" he sputtered in a horrified tone. Harry ignored most of the elf's babblings.
"Yes she is Dobby and I need your help to fix her again. I'll need food precisely every twenty-four hours and absolute quite for the rest of the time. I also need you to give Ron a message, you know, Weezy, that he is to get the regulars and maintain a double guard in secrecy. Can you do all that Dobby?" Harry asked. His body felt like it was going to fall apart any instant but his concern for Hermione drove him on.
"Dobby can sir, but Harry Potter should know that Weezy is in the hospital wing already. Stricken by a black curse he was sir," Dobby squeaked.
"Fine, then give the message you were going to give Ron to Ginny instead," Harry replied.
"Harry Potter can count on Dobby," Dobby said before cracking away.
Harry reached the doors to the hospital wing and kicked his way inside. Madam Pomfrey bustled over toward him but he ignored her. Harry laid Hermione on a bed gently so that he could use his wand to conjure up two soft chairs. He transferred Hermione to one of the chairs and sat down across from her.
Madam Pomfrey shook her head sadly as she inspected Hermione's condition from the side. Where the girl's mind should be was instead a hollow shell festering and tainted by an evil essence. Harry didn't care; he just stared into her eyes.