Forever Together Part 2. A Time to Live and A Time to Die

Forever Together Part Two.

(A Time to Live and a Time to Die)

This takes the story from the end of Hermione’s Tear to the end of Harry’s seventh year at Hogwarts. He has Hermione at his side, the rest of the Tyr behind him, and Voldemort in front of him. Whoever wins, everyone loses something.

Although HBP was released mid way through the writing of part two of Forever Together, I have not used any of it’s plots in the story. I have utilised some of the new devices, terms, names etc. which fitted but I have not changed my story to fit them. So thanks JKR, it saved a lot of delving into Latin dictionaries, and the like.

For anyone who has not read Part One, and is intending to read Part Two, it will help if you do, but it is not essential (I think). As with Part One, so find the same with Part Two. The characters and universe created by J.K.Rowling are hers alone. As imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I hope this story can be taken in that way. Some of the additional characters are mine, and who knows, some of them and the geographical locations, may even be real.

Solomon.

1. Avalon Revisited

Hermione Granger sat in the back garden of her parents’ home staring into the crystal that was on the table before her. She was feeling very frustrated because she was getting nowhere, and this was not a situation that rested well on the shoulders of the brightest witch to grace the halls of Hogwarts since the mother of her boyfriend Harry Potter.

Hermione was a muggle born witch, that is to say that her mother and father were muggles, humans who were unable to use magic. This in itself was reasonably unusual, and to some sections of the wizarding world made her a second class citizen. What was even more unusual was that her parents were living in a wizard village, and not just any wizard village, their home was in Avalon.

Avalon was not supposed to exist; it was part of the muggle legend of Merlin and King Arthur, not real at all. Yet it did exist, right where it was not supposed to be.

Dominating the market town of Glastonbury is the Tor, a steep grass-covered hill with the remains of a church on its top. Avalon lies at the foot of the Tor on its North East side, just slightly sideways to the rest of the world. Being slightly sideways meant that anyone in the normal world could not see it, and anyone living in Avalon could not see the normal world, and that suited them just fine.

The residents of Avalon did not walk about in some kind of perpetual mist; all the physical attributes of the real world were there. The Tor, the land around its base ‘The Isle of Glass’, the sluggish River Brue to the south, and the hills off in the distance to the north, it was all there. Just no muggles, and no other-world wizards, and nothing of muggle or wizard construction, except those structures that belonged to Avalon. So putting it concisely, Avalon was hidden to everyone apart from those who knew how to get to it. It was a place of safety.

This was why David and Natalie Granger were living there, because Voldemort was after them.

Voldemort was the most evil wizard to appear in living memory, he wanted them because of their connection to their daughter Hermione, and he wanted her because of her connection to Harry Potter, the sixteen year old thorn in his side and the only wizard who could defeat him. He wanted them all and he wanted them dead.

Harry and Hermione had arrived back in Avalon two weeks before, at the end of their sixth year at Hogwarts. They had travelled by the nimbus limen, the cloudy doorway, which allowed instantaneous travel between Avalon and anywhere. Harry loved this mode of transport, it was quiet, comfortable, and he didn’t fall over on arrival, despite the fact that the mist fogged up his glasses.

On their arrival in company with Professor Aegis and his familiar Compass, a large black Labrador with a penchant for food, Harry and Hermione had been greeted by their family with warm embraces, and drawn into that warm cosy feeling that comes with being with those you love and those who love you.

For Harry this was a reasonably new experience, only since last Christmas had he had a proper family he wished to call his own. David and Natalie, seeing the relationship that was so evident between Harry and their daughter, decided that although there was no legal bond they would claim Harry as their own.

The Grangers were overjoyed to see how well their daughter looked now. Less than a month before she had been badly injured by a blow to the head that would have killed her, had Harry not performed a meticulous piece of healing and repaired the damage that had been done. She was left with no obvious signs of the attack, but deep in her head the repair that Harry had wrought had provided the means for the two of them to share mental communication and produce a mental shield that could stop any intrusion.

Now two weeks later Hermione was attempting to unravel the last conundrum that had appeared at the end of the term, a pyramid of clear crystal, with a base about four inches in length on each side.

Professor Aegis had been using the pyramid to augment his mental abilities. He had been given the job of scanning the school for the thoughts of those in trouble and in danger, by the Headmaster. Fishing he called it, but that was not the sum of the powers of the pyramid. In some way Hermione was supposed to use the crystal to aid Harry in his fight with Voldemort, and that was the problem, she didn’t know how to do it.

Her cry of frustration attracted the attention of her father, who had been in the kitchen peeling some potatoes for the midday meal.

“Anything I can help with dear?”

“What!?” said Hermione crossly, then “Oh sorry Dad, it’s not you, it’s this perishing crystal. It just sits there and does absolutely nothing. No matter how many thoughts I push into it, there is no response.”

“Magic crystals are not really my area of expertise.” said her father; both Hermione’s parents were dentists in the muggle world, “perhaps you just need to look at it differently. Is Harry coming home for lunch?”

“Umm?” Hermione’s attention had drifted back to the crystal, “Not sure, I’ll find out”

She sent out a mental question to her boyfriend who was in the offices of the Merlect, the head of the council of Avalon, on the other side of the village. “Yes he says he’ll be back in about ten minutes.” ‘Love you too’ was added thoughtfully.

“Oh blow this!” Hermione said to herself; then to her father, “I’m going for a wander round the garden Dad, I need to rest my brain, I’m here if you need me.”

“OK” came back from deep within the kitchen. David Granger watched his daughter through the back door. Looking at her now she could be anyone’s daughter, dressed in muggle clothes, shorts and a tee shirt, it was too hot for their school robes, her long curly brown hair loosely tied back, walking amongst the flowers that grew so easily here, but she was his, and he felt his emotions rise.

Not yet eighteen, and with the worries of the world on her shoulders, it wasn’t fair.

“Penny for them?” Natalie Granger walked up behind her husband and slipped her arms around his waist. Resting her chin on his shoulder she could now see what he had been looking at. “Ah, Hermione?”

“Yes, just thinking how unfair it all is.”

They saw Hermione turn as a young man opened the side gate. He looked hot, dressed for summer in a light blue shirt worn outside of a pair of light trousers, with his heavy black robes slung over his shoulder. His untidy mop of black hair was stuck to his forehead with perspiration. He dropped his robes at the table as he passed it crossing the garden to her, there was a welcoming hug and a quick kiss, then arm in arm they continued walking in the flowers.

“Unfair to them both” said Natalie “But they have their reward, each other, and you know Harry, he will do his best to keep her safe.”

“Yes of course, but I pray every night that his best will be enough.”

………………………………….

They walked to the very end of the garden and looked out over the unspoilt countryside. In the warm summer weather it all seemed so peaceful, it was hard to imagine that evil existed at all.

“How is it going at your end?” asked Hermione.

“Don’t really know, we spend hours talking, studying obscure spells and rituals to see if there is anything we can use. It’s much more your sort of work; you know ‘books and cleverness’.” He smiled, “I can’t make much sense of it all.”

“Well if it is any help I’m at a dead end too, the only thing I see in that crystal is me staring back out. We need a new perspective on all of this.”

“That’s OK then because we are going to get one, Ron and the others arrive tomorrow. Mum and Dad have agreed to put them up so it looks as if we will have to share for a while.”

Hermione couldn’t hide her surprise, “What us share?”

“Yeh” Harry was trying to hide his grin. “Girls with you, and the boys with me.”

“Oh” there was a little disappointment in that simple sound. “I thought you meant….”

“Sorry, no,” He gazed at the girl whom he loved more than life itself, “We have our whole lives in front of us, when Voldemort is gone the next two hundred years will be ours”. He held out his left hand and turned it palm up “I have your love here” he indicated the heart shaped mark in his palm. “And here” he tapped the side of his head. ‘And you have mine’ he thought at her.

Harry tried something then that he had never dared before; he gave her what could only be described as a mental kiss. He didn’t even know if it would work but the effect was instantaneous.

Hermione closed her eyes and grabbed hold of him as her knees buckled ‘Oh Merlin Harry!… That was incredible!’ she regained control of her senses, ‘Gosh! I think I might need notice when you do that again.’

Harry was feeling very pleased with himself “You know if I were to kiss you like that you wouldn’t have to complain if I had been eating onions, like you usually do.”

“Oh no Mr. Potter, you eat onions then no kisses, mental or otherwise!”

They were interrupted by a shout from the house “Lunch is ready!”……..

……………………….

“There you are Harry ham and salad, potatoes in that dish and there are some spring onions over here.”

“Err… thanks Mum but I think I’ll give the onions a miss from now on.” said Harry as he tucked into his food. Natalie Granger didn’t miss the furtive glance that Harry gave her daughter, and smiled.

…………………………..

Ron, Luna, Ginny and Neville stepped out of the nimbus limen into the Grangers’ back garden early the following morning. Harry and Hermione were there to greet them. Just over twelve months ago these six students had fought side by side at the Ministry for Magic against Voldemort’s Death Eaters, and at the start of their sixth year Professor Aegis had kept them together in a study group.

Ginny had given them a name. She had chosen ‘The Tyr’ from the runic symbol for justice, and they now formed the spearhead of the Defence Association. They were Aegis’ top defence students and he was rather proud of them.

At the moment the Tyr were acting like any teenagers out of school, sitting in the sun and catching up on the last two weeks that they had been apart.

“Come on then Ginny, what did your mum say?” Hermione was dying to know Mrs Weasley’s reaction to the news that her youngest had a proper boyfriend. This particular piece of information had only come to light at the end of term and was not general knowledge outside of the Tyr. Neville had been quietly courting the red haired girl and had apparently won her heart. Strangely Ron, usually an over protective brother, had accepted the situation with no qualms at all. Hermione expected that Mrs Weasley would have been a different matter.

“It was really weird, we told Mum a few days ago when Nev’ came to the Burrow. She went awfully quiet then looked at the pair of us and said ‘That’s nice dear’ and carried on as if nothing had happened.”

“What, no fireworks?” asked Hermione.

“No” Ginny replied “and I was ready for a really good row as well.”

Harry smiled, he thought that Molly Weasley was a very perceptive woman.

The talk in the garden naturally turned around to Neville and his parents. Frank and Alice Longbottom had been driven to insanity by repeated application of the Cruciatus curse some fifteen years ago. The intervention of Harry, Professor Aegis and Lady Niniane, the rest of the Tyr and the souls of Harry’s parents, had rescued the Longbottoms from their hiding place, and returned them to sanity.

The progress they had made over the last six months had encouraged Neville to believe that they would make a complete recovery. Repairing the physical damage that fifteen years of incapacity had wrought, and recovering their magical powers was taking time, but every day was an improvement. With this, and Ginny at his side, Neville had every reason to be content.

This was one of Harry’s happy moments, one that he would look back on and say ‘do you remember when….’ He was looking round the group storing up the faces and the way they interacted between each other. He knew the time ahead would be difficult, failure was not an option that he considered any more, but he had to be prepared to lose some of the people he cared about, he may even lose himself but he, no they, would win. He just wasn’t sure how.

Ron and Luna were sitting quietly taking in the surroundings they now found themselves in. Harry thought that even though they had only been a couple for a few months, they had ‘found’ each other last Valentine’s Day; they fitted together like a hand in a glove. They each kept each other ‘warm’, and each would have been empty without the other.

Ron had changed a lot since Harry had first met him on the Hogwarts Express all those years ago, not just in height, though that was considerable, but his outlook had changed as well. The insecure, ‘I’m at the bottom of the heap of five older brothers’ Ron, was gone. He was his own person now, he had his own confidence, and now he had Luna, and that was the biggest boost of all.

‘Luna, what of Luna’ Harry thought. She could be dizzy at times, but that dizziness could be very perceptive. She was also clever, the only one of the six in Ravenclaw, ‘the intelligent’ house. Although, like Ginny, a year below the others, she had shown herself to be loyal and not afraid of what they would have to face. Harry wondered why the Sorting Hat had not placed her in Gryffindor like the others, of any of the six the one who should have been in Ravenclaw was Hermione.

Harry shifted his gaze, and it was returned by a pair of deep brown eyes ‘Don’t worry Harry you can’t control all our destinies, we all made a pact. Remember what you said “Forever Together, that’s what it will take and that’s what we must remain.” Whatever happens to us as individuals that pact will never be broken.’

Harry smiled; he had just had another reminder as to why he loved this girl so much.

……………………………..

Solomon Aegis was the only Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor Harry had ever known who had lasted more than one school year. He was a resident of Avalon, and the son of the Merlect Lady Niniane. He was tall, broad shouldered, and had a mane of shoulder length sandy hair tinged with grey. He had an air about him that suggested he could handle himself in a tight spot, but he had never been seen to use a wand. Solomon gave them a whole day to settle in before turning up at the cottage. He walked up to the front door, and was about to knock when he saw the sign attached to the wall. David and Natalie had decided to give their home a name, the bold letters burnt deep into the wooden plaque proclaimed THE REFUGE , Solomon chuckled, ‘very apt’ he thought as he banged on the door.

On entering the cottage he was assaulted by six renditions of ‘Good morning Professor’ he looked at the Tyr arranged in pairs around the breakfast table.

“OK I think I’ve had enough of that at school” he said laughing “now we are on a more informal footing Solomon will be quite sufficient, but not in front of other students or teachers, especially Professor Snape, he gave me enough grief for daring to call you by your given names. That might be just too much for him.”

“It would almost be worth it just to see the look on his face.” Said Harry, with an evil grin.

“Ah! Solomon, thought I heard your voice, would you like any breakfast?”

“No thank-you Natalie, a cup of tea would go down well though” he sat at the table next to Harry and Hermione “Well Hermione, any progress with the crystal?”

“No, not yet” she replied glumly.

“Well, early days, now that you have everyone here I would suggest trying as a group, you might find it useful. It worked when you were helping Neville with his parents, it may be what you need to unlock the pyramid.”

Ron looked up from his cleared plate, and in deference to Luna who hated him speaking with his mouth full, swallowed. “Aren’t we doing any spell work while we are here err...Solomon? I was hoping to improve some of my offensive charms.”

“Sorry Ron, I wasn’t aware that you had any offensive charms” said Aegis deliberately misunderstanding him, “I mean, like do you snore in bed?”

“YES!” said Harry and Neville together.

Once the laughter had subsided, Solomon acquiesced “Yes Ron, and my apologies, but defensive not offensive. The residents here would not appreciate stunners and reductors flying about, but there are some here who are past masters of the use of the shield, and that is what I want you four to concentrate on, whilst Harry and Hermione continue with their own tasks.”

He took a sip of his tea. “I have arranged for you to meet with Montis Sutton and Bristol Stockland later today, they are both experts in the field of shield work. I am hoping they can improve on the Aegis maximus charm we worked out last term.”

…………………………………………….

That first day proved to be a pattern that was repeated over the next two weeks. The two wizards who were to train Ron, Luna, Neville and Ginny were obviously the strangest of a strange bunch. Montis Sutton was short, stocky and bald, he had a very round lined face, and when he smiled it was apparent that he had lost several of his front teeth.

Bristol Stockland, on the other hand, was tall, maybe an inch or so more than Ron, he was heavily built, and with his height it made him look formidable. His thin face and long white hair gave him the look of Dumbledore, from the neck up. What was amazing with these two disparate characters was their speed. Conjuring round shields about three feet across, they could manoeuvre them from place to place so fast, that you could not tell that the cover they gave was not total.

These shields were not merely defensive, despite what Solomon had told them earlier. Round cabbages impaled on poles represented the enemy, Bristol whirled his shield around his body deflecting imaginary spells, then by adding a second enchantment the edge of his shield burned red and started to spin. The effect was rather like using a very sharp sword. Touched by the edge of the shield, cabbages fell to the left and right, chopped to pieces. Little imagination was needed to realise the effect it would have on flesh and blood.

Painstakingly the four students were taught the art of ‘Volo ventosum’, to move like the wind. The lessons were very tiring, and on their return to the cottage each evening it was all they could do to eat and go to bed.

For Harry and Hermione boredom was beginning to set in. They were spending their time exactly as they had spent the first two weeks, getting nowhere; it felt that they were marking time, waiting for something.

……………………………

It was Luna who suggested it, Harry’s birthday was almost upon them, he would be seventeen, and of age.

“I thought it would be nice to have a party” she said one evening, when they were sitting outside enjoying the cooling breeze.

“That’s a great idea Luna”, said Hermione. “ I’ll ask Mum and Dad and we can lay on some food, perhaps invite some of the Islanders we know. There’s plenty of room in the garden, Harry you’ll love it.”

Harry smiled, when Hermione was happy Harry was happy, and she loved organising people.

“No, not here, there” Luna had raised her hand and was pointing skywards.

“I’m not having my party on a cloud, Luna.” Harry said, half hoping that she was joking.

Luna giggled “No silly, not on a cloud, up there on the top of the Tor, at midnight.”

“Why?”

“Because midnight is the witching hour, it’s when you will be seventeen, and the Rose Line runs straight through the top of the Tor.” She said as if it was all the explanation that was necessary.

Ron looked puzzled “What are you talking about Luna? What is the Rose Line?”

“It’s the main lay line of the world, and lay lines concentrate natural magic. It makes it a very special place. I thought Hermione might like to bring the pyramid with her.” She said giving her a little smile.

Hermione stared at Luna with new respect. “That is bloody brilliant, why didn’t I think of lay lines, even my dad told me to look at it differently. I think I’ve gone stupid.”

‘No way love, staring into that crystal for a month would clog up anyone’s brain Luna looks at things upside down, she told me that once, I think.’ “OK” said Harry out loud “top of the Tor, midnight on Wednesday, it’s a date.”

“Yeh” said Ron to no one in particular “the Thirtieth of July. Ha Ha!”

2. The Grand Old Duke of York

That particular Wednesday was another hot sunny day, everyone was glad that they were not going to climb the Tor until the evening, as it was a strenuous ascent at the best of times. At least by the time they started there was a gentle breeze coming from the south west that cooled them.

There were two ways to climb the Tor, straight up for those who had some sort of death wish, or to follow the path which wound its way around the hill in a spiral getting ever closer to the top, longer, but much less energetic. The Tyr decided to opt for the path.

They left the cottage after their evening meal and walked to the start of the path at the base of the Tor. Hermione had a small bag over her shoulder in which she had placed the crystal pyramid, Ron was carrying some water for the climb and butterbeers to celebrate Harry's birthday, other that that they just took themselves.

As the path wound its way up the slope their view over the surrounding countryside grew. They could see the extent of the cultivation on the south side of the Tor that provided Avalon with much of its food, but in every other direction all they could see was unbroken meadow stretching off into the distance.

The top of the Tor formed a narrow ridge, in the muggle world it was wide enough for a church to have been built there at one time. Although the only remaining structure there was the church tower, here, in the slightly sideways world of the Isle of Glass, there was nothing to mar the ridge other than a large block of stone some four feet square and about the same in height.

Harry, using the top of the stone as a vantage point, could see over the edge of the Tor to Avalon clustered to the North. As the evening drew in and the shadows grew the lights of the village provided the only points of reference. The surrounding country side faded to a blackness that was total. Then all of a sudden the night sky made its appearance.

With no other lights, than the candles and lamps below, which were dim at best, the glory with which the stars shone was breathtaking. They all lay on their backs gazing with wonder at a night sky none of them had been able to appreciate before. In the normal wizarding world the muggle lights still intruded, and blotted out all but the brightest stars, but here every star that could be see was there to look at, and the time leading up to midnight seemed to pass in an instant.

Hermione had given Harry a new watch for Christmas which they were using to count down the minutes to his birthday. With five minutes to go Hermione retrieved the crystal pyramid from her bag and set it down on the stone.

“What are we going to do at midnight then?” asked Ron.

“Well, I suppose stand as we did when we helped Neville, but this time Hermione should be in the middle, and then we……err” Harry shrugged his shoulders, not sure what to say next.

“Yes?”

“ We….we ask the crystal to help us.” added Hermione lamely.

“That doesn't sound very magical to me” scoffed Ron.

“Hah! and that is from someone who thought a silly poem would turn his rat yellow.”

“You just had to bring that up, didn't you Hermione. George made it sound so believable.”

“Well” said Harry “perhaps we should all just believe that this will work, and maybe it will.”

The minutes ticked by, Harry stood at Hermione's right, and Neville at her left, they each took a hand. Ron stood behind her, placed a hand on each shoulder, and gave them a little squeeze of encouragement. Luna and Ginny stood to either side of Ron, and like him placed a hand on her shoulders. As before the Tyr was complete.

The alarm on Harry's watch sounded midnight, and there were murmurs of “Happy Birthday Harry”. Then they all stared into the crystal pyramid, and a gentle glow began to surround them, as it had at St. Mungo's the day Neville's parents returned. As the glow strengthened Hermione felt the stone on her necklace vibrating. Suddenly there was a flash of brilliance and Hermione's Tear burst into life.

…………………………………

The old mansion had seen better days, the walls had a scabrous look, there were few intact windows, and part of the roof at the back of the house had collapsed. There was no obvious reason as to why the house had been built on this site in the first place. It was miles from anywhere, surrounded by an almost impenetrable forest through which no roadways or tracks passed. The only access from outside could not be seen at all.

On the coastline, some two miles to the west, high cliffs pounded by incessant seas seemed to preclude any landfall, but in one spot was a small cove and at the end of the cove was a cave. This cave led to a tunnel, once an underground stream, now dry except in the winter, which continued inland to finish in a large chamber directly below the mansion.

From this chamber stairs led upwards, passed several large rooms cut into the bedrock, to the house itself. In the house, at this particular time, there was only one room in use. Large and dark and smelling of damp, this room had only one piece of furniture, a large high backed chair set in the room rather like a throne. Two people stood in front of the throne, a man with long white blonde hair and a superior look to his features, the other a woman, black haired, who could have been good looking but the ravages of time and debauchery had made her sour. In the chair, hidden in the shadows, was someone that could have been a man or woman, as the only features visible were burning red slit-like eyes, but when it spoke it sounded like neither.

“Lucius, my followers have had enough time to rest and gather themselves.” The voice was dry, hissing like a snake, but dripping with malice. “They will come to us, and you will give them my orders. Then they will go about my business.” Voldemort paused, as if he was considering his plans. “We will start the way we did last time, and this time there will be no errors.”

His balled fist crashed down on the arm of the throne. “I want every wizard to know that I am back, and to be in terror at my coming. My power is absolute and my knowledge supreme, nothing can stand in my way this time.” His voice rose, edged with insanity.

“I will send out the call, then you can go and meet them.” His eyes flashed, and a small wand movement made both Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange cry out in pain and clutch their forearms.

“Show me, Lucius” Malfoy pulled back his sleeve and clear on his arm burned the mark of a Death Eater. “Descend to the chamber and give my orders to the others when they arrive. You understand what must be done” Malfoy nodded. “Good, now go”. They both turned away. “No, not you Bellatrix”.

The woman turned back, remained silent, and awaited her Lord's pleasure, “I want you to set an example of what is in store for those who decide not to follow me. Use your particular talents and your penchant for the young and helpless, make it a good example, I want everyone to notice it.”

“Thank-you my Lord, it will be my pleasure, the young are so vulnerable.” The look in her eyes suggested that Voldemort was not the only one touched by insanity.

Lucius Malfoy descended the steps down to the large cold chamber below the mansion. His twelve months in Azkaban had concentrated his hate, and he had so much hate to concentrate. He wanted the Potter boy dead for putting him in that place, but he was for his master to deal with, Lucius would bow gracefully and accept that fact. So he would have to satisfy his craving for revenge on Potter's friends. Arthur Weasley's boy, Draco had told him his name, he thought, yes, Ronald, that was it, and that mudblood Granger girl. He would enjoy destroying him, and he would enjoy destroying her, eventually, once he was finished with her. It amazed him that he revelled in the idea of revenge, it was not usually his style, but the pleasure at the thought was too much to resist.

In the room above Voldemort smiled `Good, even you Lucius cannot resist my will. What I think, what I want, you will do, and you will think that the ideas are yours. I am the ultimate puppet master, and you and your fellows are the puppets, the tools I will use to do the job. There only needs to be a little hate and I can fan it to an inferno.'

A door opened and closed as someone entered the room. Foot falls echoed from the bare walls as the person approached the throne.

“Ahh, my young protégée, I have special instructions for you.”

The young man approached Voldemort and bowed low to the form in the chair, his white blonde hair fell forward and as he straightened he had to brush it out of his eyes. Those blue eyes gleamed with a sycophantic fervour, and a slightly lopsided smile turned his mouth into a cruel line.

Voldemort gave a satisfied sigh “The young, so much more malleable.” He said to himself. Then to the young man “Bellatrix has been treating you well? Teaching you her ways?”

“Yes my Lord”

“I trust she hasn't exhausted you? Her appetites can be somewhat extreme and you have a great deal of work to do.”

“I am much younger that she is my Lord, I don't tire as quickly.” There was a smile of self-satisfied accomplishment behind those words.

Voldemort laughed, a dry sibilant sound. “Good Draco, listen carefully, this is what you shall do.”

……………………………

On previous occasions when Hermione's Tear had reacted, the light had radiated out in all directions. Twice it had done this to form a shield to protect Hermione from attack, and once when Harry had used it to locate the souls of his parents. This time a beam of intense blue shot right through Hermione as if she wasn't there, it stretched into the distance both in front and behind her.

Fortunately for his peace of mind, Ron was concentrating on the crystal. He did not notice that the beam, which passed through Hermione, also passed through him as well.

The beam did not follow a straight line but bent away to the east before them and to the west behind as it traced the course of the Rose Line, the most powerful lay line in the whole land. The gentle glow surrounding the Tyr intensified.

Down in the village Solomon looked up at the pulsating golden light at the top of the Tor, it was waxing and waning, probably in time to the combined heart beat of the Tyr. Then the sudden appearance of the blue beam marked out the path of the lay line in the night sky.

Now that was something to see; not since the time of old man Merlin himself had that particular trick been used. `I think you would be proud of them too, father' Solomon thought.

Hermione could feel the others' minds with her as the light from the stone at her neck passed through the pyramid and drew her in. She moved through the smooth surface and entered the crystal, her presence was recognised and she was accepted.

The minds of the rest of the Tyr fell away until she was all alone, she looked around her `Oh Merlin, it's full of stars' she thought, but all these stars were golden and they were moving. They whirled about her head, coming close but never touching, and she thought they were trying to talk to her.

Then suddenly it was all over, she was back on the top of the Tor with the others, she could feel Harry supporting her and gently lower her to the ground. When she opened her eyes there were five anxious faces peering down at her, illuminated only by the fading glow from Hermione's Tear and the stars in the night sky.

“Hermione, are you all right?”

“Yes Harry, I'm fine,” she puffed out her cheeks. “Wow! That was quite an experience.”

“What did you see?”

“I'm not sure, they looked like stars, but they moved about a lot. I think I heard voices.”

“That doesn't surprise me in the least” said Ron with mock sarcasm, “we'll all be hearing voices if we stay up here much longer, can't we go back down?”

Harry tore his gaze from Hermione and looked up to Ron “No, I don't think it will be safe in the dark, it's warm enough, lets just settle down and wait until it gets light.”

Ron frowned at the prospect.

“Why are you complaining, a night out under the stars with Luna, thought you would appreciate that” said Harry.

Ron instantly brightened, he hadn't thought of that. He dug in his bag and handed out the butterbeers. He held his bottle up in salute.

“To Harry, Happy Birthday mate” he said.

A chorus of `Happy Birthday Harry' rang out and they all drank to his health.

Neville and Ginny were standing holding hands, then she whispered something in his ear. They turned, walked quietly to the other side of the stone block, and sat with their backs leaning against it.

“Hey you two, no hanky-panky round there” said Ron.

Ginny replied, but her voice was muffled “Mind your own business Ron.”

“Right, if you insist, I will”. With that he and Luna moved to pick an empty side of the stone, leaving Harry and Hermione alone.

They slipped down to the grass, and snuggled close together. Harry had his arm around her, and she was resting her head on his chest.

`Well Harry, what's it like to be seventeen then?' she thought at him.

`How would I know? it's only been fifteen minutes. You have much more experience at it than I do' his thought carried a little smile with it.

`Oh that's nice, throw a girl's age back at her, why don't you' she thought with mock severity. `Right `old man', what would you like for your birthday?'

`I'm not sure, how about one of these?' Harry applied a mental kiss and as before the effect was amazing.

Hermione couldn't help herself and “Ohh Harry” escaped her lips.

When she had collected herself together, she sat up and looked into his eyes `OK buster, get a load of this then' she mentally puckered up and let fly.

If giving was fun, getting one back was indescribable, it was as if all the kisses and emotions in those kisses he had ever had with Hermione were all piled in together in one big heap. His unconscious cry of “MERLIN HERMIONE!” was greeted with absolute silence, then from around the other side of the stone, someone giggled.

………………………..

The six of them descended the Tor early in the morning. Their arrival back at the cottage was timed nicely, as breakfast was almost ready, and Ron was starving.

Harry and Hermione's mum and dad had arranged a pile of birthday presents for him in the main room, and after breakfast Harry sat to open them. Natalie and David had bought him some more muggle clothes. They had started his collection last Christmas, and he had been able to cast off his remaining connections to his previous existence with the Dursleys, namely Dudley's old hand me downs.

“You're at an age when you cannot have enough pairs of socks and stuff.” said Mrs Granger.

“Thanks Mum and Dad” said Harry, now not in the least self conscious about calling them that.

Mrs Weasley had sent him some fudge and another jumper, and Hagrid had sent a magnificent cake complete with decorations and candles, thank goodness his cooking had improved, they would keep that for tea.

The Tyr had clubbed together and bought Harry a brand new set of Gryffindor robes, the only thing missing from them was the Gryffindor badge which was usually attached to the left side, level with the wearer's heart.

“Sorry Harry but the badge came separately and it was more than we could afford” said Ron blushing a little.

“No problem guys these are great, I can use the badge from my old robes, and they were getting a bit short for me anyway.”

“Yeh, we noticed” said Neville.

There was a rap on the front door, and David Granger went to answer it.

“Albus, Solomon, nice to see you, do come in. Harry's just opening his presents.”

Albus Dumbledore swept his pointed wizard's hat off his head, and entered the room. He was so tall that even without his hat the top of his head touched the low ceiling. He looked at Harry and smiled, but behind that smile was sadness, Harry could see it but not the reason for it.

Solomon sensed the tension and butted in “If I might Headmaster, could I give Harry my present first?”

“Of course Solomon, thank-you.”

“Harry, I, that is my mother and I,” he corrected “have a gift for you. Gifts are not normally given with conditions but I am afraid this has one. You must promise that once you have read and learned it, you will destroy it, and there is only one person with whom you may share it.”

“I am afraid I would not be able to keep anything from Hermione,” he said, looking around for her, “if she is not the one I can share this with, then the answer is no.”

Solomon Aegis smiled “I'll take that as a yes then.” He handed Harry a small envelope, which Harry opened.

The piece of parchment it contained held three words, it was a spell. “Sir I don't understand. It's a spell but there is no wand movement.”

“There is none, the spell must be thought not spoken, it is the key to Avalon, it will summon the nimbus limen to you wherever you may be. I will explain.”

Dumbledore had moved over to one side of the room, he was gazing at Harry as he talked to Solomon, he looked in turn at each of the students standing in rapt attention and sighed.

“Sad? Albus, on such a lovely day, anything I can help with?” Mrs Granger asked.

“You are a very perceptive woman, Natalie” Dumbledore replied, “I have a little sadness yes, because I fear that I will not be able to give Harry another birthday present after this one, and the only one I have for him this year is responsibility.”

“I understand, I know the fight will be hard but we must have faith that he will be fine. As for your present, you know it is a responsibility that he will willingly take on, and one he can share.”

Dumbledore considered her words, she hadn't really understood. “I have every faith in Harry, never doubt that. Where is Hermione?”

“She just went upstairs.” Her mother replied.

“Well then, I think it is time now,” he gave her a little bow of acknowledgement, “I apologise for being such an old man” he moved back into the middle of the room. “Harry?”

Harry looked to his headmaster, the bright twinkle was in his eyes again, they both smiled.

“I would like to see you in these new robes your friends have bought you.”

Harry placed Aegis' note in his trouser pocket and picking up his robes he put them on.

“Very smart,… very smart indeed. Ah! I see your breast badge is missing.”

“Yes Professor I was going to take the one off my old set and use that.”

“No need for that, I just happen to have one here” Dumbledore twiddled his fingers and a cloth badge appeared in his hand. Without showing it to anyone he reached forward and placed it in position on Harry's robes, muttered a sticking charm and it was permanently attached.

“Happy Birthday Harry!... I believe congratulations are in order.”

Harry was feeling a little confused, why congratulations? He caught sight of himself in the long mirror by the front door. The black robes with the wide red and gold facings and the black hood similarly lined in red and gold, just as it should be.

There on his left breast was the badge the Headmaster had given him, but it was not a Gryffindor badge. There was a coat of arms on the badge; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter `H' the crest of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry looked, then looked closer still, there was no mistake.

“Professor, I don't understand the only students who wear the school crest are the Head Boy and….”

“The Head Girl” said a voice from the foot of the stairs.

Harry turned, standing behind him in new robes of her own, with the Hogwarts crest at her left breast was Hermione.

Harry stared at her, she closed the distance between them. “Congratulations Harry” she threw her arms around him and kissed him soundly on the lips.

The room was suddenly filled with cheering students as the rest of the Tyr descended on the pair, slapping backs and bestowing kisses where appropriate.

“How long had you known?” Harry asked Hermione once all the celebrations had died down and Dumbledore and Aegis had left.

“The Headmaster came and saw us all last week, when you were cosseted with Solomon. We arranged it all, and then he made us forget, so we wouldn't spoil the surprise by mistake. I only remembered when he walked in the door this morning. It was really hard not to cry out when the memory popped back into my head, I still can't believe it.”

“No, it is a little hard to grasp at the moment. Congratulations to you as well, I am so glad it's you.” he hid a little grin “Ron and the others told me that the head girl position was a bit of a tight race.” Harry said seriously.

“Really” said Hermione with concern in her voice.

“Yes, between you and Millicent Bulstrode. You just beat her on personality though…. OWW! That hurt!” he complained, as he rubbed the top of his arm.

Several envelopes appeared at lunch time, by whatever passed for owl post in Avalon. The letters of confirmation from the school with regard to Harry and Hermione's position as Head Boy and Head Girl. Two sets of OWL results for Ginny and Luna, who disappeared upstairs as soon as the got their hands on them, and two letters from Gringotts wizarding bank addressed to Harry.

Harry took his letters and retreated to the garden and sat in the shade of a tree, Hermione followed.

“Do you mind?” she asked.

“Course not” he patted the ground beside him.

Hermione sat next to him and leaned back against the tree trunk. Harry was sitting forward staring at the envelopes, which one to open first? He knew one would be about his parents, he assumed the other would be about Sirius, he was worried that old wounds would be opened, wounds that had only recently been healed. He handed one envelope to Hermione.

“Hold it for me, I'll open this one first.” He broke the seal and removed the piece of parchment from inside. Opening it up he read the flowery script.

“It's about my Mum and Dad. I thought the vault I drew my money from was theirs, but it seems there is another one, and to claim the key I have to…” Harry was having difficulty in reading the script. “Oh I see now…appear at the bank with this letter and proof of who I am, then they will give me the key.”

How am I going to do that? I don't have any written proof of identity.”

He looked to Hermione for advice. She was tapping her forehead, he didn't get it. She rolled her eyes, and then made a mark on her forehead in the shape of a lighting bolt.

The penny dropped. “Oh yeh, didn't think of that.”

The other letter was as he had surmised about Sirius, it was almost identical to the first, except that at the bottom was added. ` As you are not a blood relation the bank is bound to wait fourteen days from the date of this letter to ascertain that no other claim is to be made on this estate…..'

“Are there any blood relations left?” asked Hermione.

“Yes” spat Harry “Bellatrix Lestrange, and Draco's mother, Narcissa Malfoy.”

“Ohh yes, I'd forgotten. Surely they won't try and claim. Will they?”

-->

3. Bella’s Little Gift.

On the other side of the divide, in the normal wizarding world, there was little to celebrate, for on the last day of July the attacks began. It was no coincidence that this was Harry’s birthday, Voldemort well knew the date. The Second War was timed to start on the day Harry came of age.

The Death Eaters were under instruction to start small and so they did. At first it was just property that was destroyed, isolated houses made ideal targets. Wizards returned home from work to find their houses reduced to rubble, possessions gone, and the Dark Mark floating above the wreckage.

So far there had been no injuries, and no deaths, there was a reason for this. The survivors ran to friends and family, and spread the news that Voldemort had started his march. After a few days the injuries began, nothing fatal, but all distressing. It was clear that before long deaths would follow. The terror had returned.

The members of The Order of the Phoenix, and those Aurors that could be spared, were kept busy chasing after Voldemort’s followers, but they were always too late. There was no way of predicting where the next attack would happen.

Albus Dumbledore and Kingsley Shacklebolt were in the ministry offices in London, with them was Amelia Bones, who had taken the position of joint Minister along with Dumbledore. She was very worried.

“What do we do?” she looked to the others for help and assurances, “Our resources are limited, we have barely enough Aurors to guard the main wizarding areas, let alone every house in the land.”

“That’s not all” added Kingsley “There are still wizards in the ministry who think that Fudge’s old methods, you know, sit tight and do nothing, is the way to go. There are some who would go further than that and actively support Voldemort.”

Amelia flinched at the name, but not much.

Dumbledore sighed, “Ignorance and fear can make people act in strange ways Kingsley, as well you know. Some cannot see that life under Voldemort would be one of slavery, they just fear the consequences of resisting.”

“It is not just fear, there is greed as well” said Kingsley, with distaste.

“Ahh yes, where would we be without greed, but no one will profit from his coming, that is certain.” Dumbledore bowed his head, and shook it, imagining the outcome. Then he straightened “No… there is no point in totally demoralising ourselves, we must devise a strategy to beat him. Attacking him on his home ground would be difficult, and costly in lives. I doubt he would even stay to fight when we attacked, even if we could find him in the first place…” Dumbledore creased his brow in thought, considering the alternatives. “We could try and draw him out with bait, I would gladly put myself up as that bait…”

“No, absolutely not”… “Not the time for silly heroics”, he was shouted down by the others.

“Alright...alright,” he accepted their objections. “Then the only other way I can see, is to gather information so that we can predict a target that he will hit. Catch him red handed so to speak.”

“Spies, Albus? That will never work, Voldemort sees through them in an instant. We would lose more people that way, for no benefit” said Amelia.

Dumbledore smiled, “Ordinarily I would agree with you.”

“What are you cooking up Albus?” Shacklebolt knew Dumbledore of old, “You have a plan don’t you?”

“A plan, no, a hope, yes. A hope that a group of young people who shouldn’t be mixed up in all of this can pull off the impossible.” He looked at Kingsley and Amelia over the top of his half moon glasses. “Just a hope.”

……………………………..

Everyone staying at the cottage was in blissful ignorance of the activities happening on the other side of the divide. They continued with their work, and for a change all were making progress. Ron, Luna, Ginny and Neville had reached the stage where there wasn’t a cabbage in the whole of Avalon that felt safe.

The two girls were by far the fastest of the four, but both boys produced much stronger shields. This was brought home when Ron, who was not the most nimble on his feet, tripped as he was whirling his enhanced shield around his head. Bristol Stockland propelled his lanky frame out of the way as the edge of Ron’s shield passed through the spot where he had been standing. The edge of the shield then continued through the stone pillar he had been leaning against, to send the top three feet crashing to the ground.

With the four of them in a tight group their individual shields flashed and spun around them, at such speed, that they seemed to merge into one. Forming a barrier that was nigh on impenetrable, and would be instantly fatal to anyone daft enough to get within the reach of the blood red edges of the shields. Both Montis and Bristol were convinced, that in another ten days, they would have taken the four as far as they could. The rest would be down to them, and lots of practice.

Harry had not been learning much from the old papers and scrolls in the library of the Merlect Lady Niniane, but now he had joined forces with Hermione in studying the crystal pyramid, and there they were making progress.

Hermione had originally tried examining it on her own. Although the crystal would now let her in, the little points of light, which she had mistaken for stars, spun about her with such intensity, that it made her feel dizzy. She could not concentrate on anything else. So linking her mind with Harry they had tried again.

It was a very comfortable feeling, Harry thought, the more they linked the more comfortable it became. Hermione was doing all the work, all he had to do was relax and follow her in to the crystal. They were mentally standing in the middle of the pyramid holding hands, the lights flashing past leaving trails of gold behind them.

‘It’s no good, they’re not slowing at all’ thought Hermione.

‘Have you tried to stop them?’ asked Harry as he let go of Hermione’s hand and reached out to touch one.

‘No I didn’t think it was …Oh look!’

As Harry stood there alone all the lights were attracted to him. They settled on his arms, on his shoulders, then all over him, until it appeared he was wearing robes of shimmering gold. It was a very strange sensation, the lights were warm, and Hermione had been right, they were talking; he could hear the whispers too.

As they enveloped him he began to feel something else. It was almost like the way he felt when he was wrapped in Hermione’s arms, but not as intense. He felt safe, and comfortable, it was the place he always wanted to be. He felt happy. Could he feel love?

He could see that Hermione was clear of the lights, and he thought to her. ‘What can you see Hermione? look around, quick, while you have a chance.’

‘I don’t understand, the inside of the pyramid is round.’ Then she became very excited. ‘No wait, it’s not the pyramid, I’m seeing something else here, it’s a globe, an enormous glass globe. The lights are being held in a glass globe, and I can see something outside, it’s not the garden, there are stone walls. It’s a room! The lights are held in a glass ball in a room with stone walls. But why? And where?’

It wasn’t much, but it was a start. As Hermione took Harry’s hand again the lights left him and resumed their frantic dance. They withdrew their minds from the crystal and the cottage garden reappeared around them.

“At least we have some information to go on, but I’m not sure what good it will do” said Hermione.

“There’s something else Hermione, I think they are alive.”

“Who’s alive Harry?”

“The lights, I could feel them, I know it sounds silly but they gave me this feeling of being loved.”

“You are loved Harry, don’t you remember I love you.” She slipped her arms around him and drew him to her.

“Of course I remember, and I love you too,” he became very thoughtful, “but why should the lights love me?”

……………………………

They reported their findings to Solomon Aegis later that day, he considered the information for a while, and then announced that he would need to talk to Professor Dumbledore.

“I’ll come back and see you in the morning. I think we may be getting somewhere” he said. He waved goodbye to Natalie and David Granger and disappeared through the front door. Harry could see him as he made his way up the street, he was nearly running.

The following morning Solomon was back on the doorstep of The Refuge. He found all the members of the Tyr finishing breakfast, and giving his greetings to them all, he sat next to Harry.

“Right you two, I’ve spoken to the Headmaster,” he told them, “and we both think that you are onto something, but you can’t take it any further here. You need to go to London.”

Harry gave him a dubious look. “Where?” was all he said.

“Umm…Well at the moment, I am afraid that the safest place for you will be, Grimmauld Place.” He said, expecting resistance.

“No” said Harry with a hint of finality.

Solomon gave Hermione a pleading glance. “Harry I know it will be hard for you, but you mustn’t hang on to your demons. You will have to face them all eventually, you know that” he said.

Hermione slipped her arm through Harry’s “It will be hard for me too Harry, but we can do it together, I’ll be with you.”

Harry looked up from the tablecloth he had been so diligently studying. It was no good Solomon trying it on, he wasn’t going back there, no way. He turned to Hermione to tell her just that, but the words died before he could say them, she had that look in her eyes, it really wasn’t fair. His resolve faded, it was impossible for him to disappoint her.

“Ohh… OK then” he sighed. “But I’m not spending weeks cleaning the place again” he added, just to make a point.

Solomon was relieved, he’d thought it would be far more difficult to persuade Harry to return to Sirius’ old home, but then he hadn’t counted upon the strength of Hermione’s help. He smiled to himself, he knew that Harry had lost one of the biggest battles in his life, to his bushy haired partner in crime. Solomon was very grateful that this was so..

Harry and Hermione packed a few things in readiness for their trip to London, being alone and together was becoming a bit of a habit. The other four were staying on to finish their training, then Neville and Ginny were off to Neville’s parents, and Ron and Luna were heading back to the Burrow. Before they went their separate ways they agreed to meet again before the end of the holidays.

“We’ll have to wait and see where that will be” said Harry. “Solomon is being rather cagy about security. We may have to meet at Grimmauld Place.”

They found out why security was an issue when Solomon returned to travel with Harry and Hermione to London. He told them that the Death Eaters were active again, and that although incidents had only been happening since the start of the month, they were getting worse, and the Ministry was apprehensive as to where the axe would fall next.

……………………………….

Wilhelmina Thrubwell was a kind and loving person. She had a round pink face, and was one of those ladies who, when going out, would have had a liking for large flouncy hats and feather boas. She sat in the comfortable parlour drinking tea with her oldest friend. The pair of them had been at school together, and throughout the long years since then, they had both worked hard to realise their dream.

Forty years ago they finally managed it; they had bought the old house from Woolton Butleigh at a very reasonable price and had converted it into the only wizard orphanage in England. There had never been many children who had needed it’s shelter, wizards tended to have large extended families, and so many orphans could be looked after that way, but there were always the needy few.

At the moment there were twelve of them, ranging in age from six to eleven. Wilhelmina, Willi to her friends, and Auntie Will to the children, was very proud of her eldest; he had just had his letter, and would be off to Hogwarts in September.

“Well Poppy, do we get a clean bill of health this month?”

Poppy Pomfrey smiled “You ask me that every month Willi, have I ever said no? Of course everything is fine.”

“How did you find Austin Henry?” Willi asked, “He is so excited about going to Hogwarts. Did he ask you about his hero?”

“Oh yes. He always wants to know the latest gossip on Harry Potter, and I was able to tell him something that very few people know. I think he took that as a great privilege.” She leaned forward, and lowered her voice as if she was telling something very secret. “You see, I spoke to Albus the other day and he told me that he has made Harry Head Boy and his friend Hermione Granger is to be Head Girl.”

“That poor boy, it’s about time he had something nice happen to him, it was such a shame that Harry was not allowed to come here. Staying with those muggles.” She shuddered at the thought of it. “Still, from what you have told me he seems to have turned out alright, but perhaps a little accident prone?”

Poppy laughed “Yes Harry and his friends do spend rather a lot of time with me, not since his father’s time have I had so much to do.”

There was a knock on the door. “Come in!” sang out Willi.

A sandy haired boy entered the room, he was light of frame, and not very tall, but he had a name which made up for all that. This was Austin Henry. Austin Henry Durston Dibble, orphaned as a baby, he had lived his whole life in Broadwoodwidger Orphanage.

He knew in his own mind that Auntie Will relied on him, he was the eldest, and it was up to him to sort out any problems that he knew she wouldn’t cope with.

“Auntie Will we have a flood in the basement, it’s not too bad, but it will need mopping up. Is it OK if I take a couple of the others down there, and get on with it?”

“Thank-you Austin Henry” Willi beamed at him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

The boy smiled back and left, closing the door behind him.

“Well Willi I really must be going. I am so proud of this place, and the way you are keeping it up together.” Poppy Pomfrey said, putting her tea cup down and standing.

“Really Poppy, we both know that if it wasn’t for you, and that Headmaster of yours this place couldn’t afford to stay open.”

Poppy giggled like a little girl “Get away with you Willi, I’ll see you next month, but if you need me just call.”

With a CRACK Madam Pomfrey apparated away.

Austin Henry, with two of the older children, Norman and Rebecca, set off to the basement to deal with the flood. As he reached the steps a girl of about five or six came up to him.

“A.H. can’t I come with you? You promised to read to me today, and you haven’t” she pouted.

“Sorry Sophie, but there’s a lot of water down in the basement, and we’ve got to dry it out. I’ll read to you at bedtime, how’s that” he said trying to strike a deal.

“You promise?” The pout was fading.

“Yes, I promise.” He sounded very sincere.

“OK” she smiled and skipped off into the morning room.

The three children descended the steps into the dark cellar. There was about two inches of water sloshing about, but it wouldn’t take long. Austin Henry knew that it was the drain that became blocked, and if he cleared this then most of the water would flow down it, and they could easily brush the rest away. They set to their work, the sound of the water gurgling down the drain, and the noise of the sweeping brushes was all they could hear.

The first explosion blew the main doors off their hinges. The sound of running feet and the cry of “Avada Kedavra” rang in the hall. There were screams now, and the killing curse was used again. Then there was an adult cry, one filled with loss, and pain.

“Nooo…Not the children, please!”

Then “Crucio” , the screaming intensified.

Down in the cellar three children were terrified. They could hear the ghastly sounds from above. The screams, initially so intense, began to diminish, and eventually a deathly silence descended on the old house. Austin Henry signalled to the other two to keep quiet. Rebecca did as she was told, but Norman was panicking. With an “I’m not staying here” he pushed past Austin Henry and climbed the steps.

They heard him running to the back door. He must have only been halfway down the corridor when, “Bombarda”. The explosion shook the old house to its foundations, and debris fell in through the cellar door.

Rebecca and Austin Henry could hear someone crunching through the rubble, and some weak crying from somewhere near the back door. It was a woman’s voice they next heard, and the words sounded as if they were being thrown away “Avada Kedavra”, the crying stopped. Silence again for a few seconds, then faintly from outside the house the two children heard the cry of ‘MORSMORDRE’ then the faint crack of someone apparating away.

When all had been quiet for a few minutes Austin Henry and Rebecca climbed out of the cellar. The girl screamed, and started to weep, the boy drew in his breath at the scene before them. The passageway was a mess, bits of wood and plaster strewn over the floor and in the corner was Norman. His body all twisted and bloody, he stared at the ceiling with dead sightless eyes. Austin Henry took Rebecca’s hand and led her away from him, to the main staircase, where on the first step, there was a clear patch amongst the rubble.

“Sit there Becca help will be here soon, I must check on the others.” Austin Henry sounded far more confident than he felt. He walked along the hall towards the main downstairs’ rooms.

He found Auntie Will lying on the floor in her parlour, he hardly dared to look at her face, she must have been in so much pain when she finally died. Austin Henry picked up her favourite shawl from where it lay, it was the one he remembered her wearing the most, and covered her face with it. He knelt beside her for a moment trying to hold back his tears, then patting her on the shoulder he went in search of the others.

He found all the children in the morning room scattered here and there, like so much litter. Some may have been trying to escape, caught out in the open, some were attempting to hide, cowering in corners or behind the large overstuffed comfortable furniture. They were all dead, there was no blood and there were no marks on the bodies, but they were just as dead as Norman and Auntie Will.

Austin Henry walked in a daze to the window, huddled beneath it was Sophie. Her blond curly hair was covering her face. Austin Henry knelt beside her, and brushed it away, he could see that her eyes were wide open and lifeless. He gently lifted her up and cradled her body in his lap, he had promised and he always kept his promises, reaching across her he picked up her book and began to read.

“Once upon a time there was a great wizard. He was the one who saved us all, and his name was Harry Potter………..”

………………………………….

The Aurors, who entered the orphanage, couldn’t believe their eyes; the damage to the building was so severe. As they mounted the outside steps to the main hall, all they could see was a terrified girl, sitting on the bottom step of the broad sweeping staircase. The girl was in deep shock, and could give them no information as to what had happened. As the wizards stood around in the quiet that had fallen, they could hear a young voice. It was a boy’s voice, and he sounded as if he was reading out aloud.

They followed the sound of that steady, calm, voice, and it led them into the horror of the morning room. Eight bodies, all young children, obviously victims of the killing curse. Then there, under the window, a sight that would stay with them for the rest of their lives, the young lad holding the body of a little girl with curly golden hair reading to her as if she was just asleep.

Nymphadora Tonks sat on the floor next to Austin Henry; there were tears in her eyes.

“It’s OK if you want to stop now.” She said quietly.

“No, not yet, I promised to read her a bedtime story, I must finish it.” The boy replied.

And so he did, and when he had finished Tonks took him up in her arms, and carried him from that place. As they passed out through what was left of the front door, Austin Henry put his arms around Tonks’ neck, and burying his head in her pink hair he started to cry.

For anyone who has not read Part One, and is intending to read Part Two, it will help if you do, but it is not essential (I think). As with Part One, so find the same with Part Two. The characters and universe created by J.K.Rowling are hers alone. As imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I hope this story can be taken in that way. Some of the additional characters are mine, and who knows, some of them and the geographical locations, may even be real.

Solomon.

a/n All reviews gratefully received, they help to keep me focused.

4. A Very Little Wizard

Harry and Hermione stepped out of the mist into the hallway of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. It was a very different hallway to the one Harry remembered, brightly lit and freshly decorated; the clutter was gone, as were the screams from the curtained portrait of Sirius’ mother. In fact the curtains and portrait were gone as well.

Harry’s glasses had misted up as usual and that was why he nearly fell over the small creature standing in the hallway.

“Oh sorry, didn’t see you, err…who’s there?”

“Harry Potter sir and Miss Hermione, Professor Solomon too,” said Dobby bowing low. “Welcomes to your home.”

“Dobby! What are you doing here?” shouted Harry.

“Dobby is here to look after you, like last year, but here, not at Hogwarts. Professor Dumbledore said I is to be here, so here I am.” Dobby replied. “This way Sirs and Miss.”

Dobby led them into the kitchen which looked much as before, but now very clean and tidy. Mrs Weasley had always tried to keep the place neat, but the old House Elf Kreacher had undone all her efforts once she was gone. Now Kreacher was gone, working for the only people he considered his family, the Malfoys.

Hermione was puzzling over something “Professor, sorry, Solomon how did we manage to demist into the hall, shouldn’t the wards have kept us out? We’ve always had to arrive outside and ask the house to appear before.”

“Demist Hermione?”

“Ah, Harry’s name for using the nimbus limen.” she said quietly.

“Demisting…hah!... never thought of that. Well, when Harry activated the doorway he had to place his destination firmly in his mind and I imagine that the hall was where he wanted to be, Right Harry?”

“Err…yes I suppose it was.”

“But the wards” insisted Hermione.

“Oh wards have absolutely no effect on the doorway,” Solomon could see that Hermione was not satisfied with that answer. “It’s very simple, wards affect things in this world, stopping spells, apparation, that sort of thing, but the doorway isn’t in this world, at least not much of it, so no effect, see?”

Harry could sense that an intellectual discussion was in the offing, so he excused himself and set off on a tour of the house. Apart from the change in decoration which made the whole place appear much roomier and removed the depressing presence Harry had always felt it had, the house was much as he remembered it.

There was a large room on the same level as the kitchen which had now been arranged to hold meetings. One flight of stairs up, there was a sitting room to one side of the stairway and a dining room to the other. On the floors above were the bedrooms and a bathroom, and then at the top of the house the attic, where Buckbeak had lived.

Harry was peering into one of the bedrooms when a hand descended on his shoulder and nearly scared him out of a year’s growth.

“Agh!” he screamed.

“Sorry Harry, it’s only me, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Hermione said, worried she might have done him some permanent damage.

“It’s OK” he said trying to catch his breath “Wandering around in a world of my own up here, didn’t expect you, I thought you’d be hours with Solomon discussing the finer points of demisting.”

She laughed “No, when you get him going he can be very precise with his explanations. I’ve got a feeling he’s much smarter than we think.”

“I always thought he was smart”.

“Yes, but he plays the country boy bit a lot. I think it’s a cover. I think he could give Dumbledore a run for his money.”

“You know what Hermione?”

“What?”

“Sometimes you think too much, but I still love you.” ‘Here’ Harry’s mental kiss had its usual effect and effectively ended the conversation.

…………………………………

By that evening Harry and Hermione had discovered how useful Grimmauld Place had become. Members of the Order of the Phoenix were in and out of the front door leaving messages and having hurried meetings. What was strange to the two students was that despite this activity there were never more than three members in the house at anyone time. It only dawned on them later that this was to minimise casualties should the house come under attack.

“Well that makes me feel really safe,” said Harry sarcastically.

“We would be OK, just give me a cuddle and my necklace will protect us both” announced Hermione “It’s done it before.”

“Yeh, good idea, shall we practice now.”

“Oh Harry, you’re incorrigible.”

“Am I?”

“Yes”

“Hermione?”

“Yes Harry”

“What does incorrigible mean?”

A silvery giggle and soft pair of lips against his was the only answer he got to that question.

……………………………….

The following day Solomon took them to Diagon Alley and they made their way as inconspicuously as possible to Gringotts Bank. Harry produced his letters and his scar as proof of identity and was shown into the presence of the Goblin in charge of legal affairs.

“My name is Grippipe” said the rather tall, well, tall for a goblin, long fingered legal representative. He spoke quickly, his words clipped. “Welcome Mr Potter, we can deal with both these matters today, although there was representation on behalf of a Narcissa Malfoy we have decided not to uphold her claim, because we don’t like her.”

“Is that all it takes?” said Hermione “Doesn’t seem very fair.”

“Hermione!” Harry was flabbergasted.

“Sorry Harry, had a SPEW type reaction there for a moment”.

“No Miss, you are correct” said the Goblin “It probably isn’t fair, but we really don’t like her err…. quite a lot.”

Grippipe shuffled some papers on his desk, then continued. “Your parents left you their house in Godrics Hollow and the contents of their vault. Some of the money from that vault has already been transferred to your own.”

“This was done at the time of their passing, and I understand you have been drawing on it for some time now.” Harry nodded, “Here is the key, if you would just sign here… Thank-you… As to the will of Sirius Black, you have been left two properties. One here in London and the Black Estate which is situated in the north of England close to the west coast. This is a mansion which I understand is in some state of disrepair. There is a large area of woods and the estate also has a small stretch of coastline which belongs to it. Additionally you have been left the contents of Mr Black’s personal vault.”

Again a key was handed over, and Harry signed for it. Harry looked at Hermione who kept giving him little smiles of encouragement. He reached over and took her hand, gave it a squeeze, then turned to the Goblin.

“I would like to arrange that Hermione and I equally share everything I have; and she is to have it all if anything happens to me.”

“No Harry, you can’t” cried Hermione “and nothing is going to happen to you, please don’t say that.”

He turned from her expression of anguish to the goblin, “Can you do that?” he asked firmly.

“Certainly Mr Potter, consider it done, would you like to view your vaults now?”

The visit to the vaults was rather subdued. Lily and James’ vault held a considerable sum of money and some boxes were stacked in the corner, but Harry didn’t linger.

“All in good time” was all he said.

By the time they reached Sirius’ vault Hermione was clinging to his arm. As the door creaked open they could see that there was not much money but considerably more in the way of boxes and cartons piled against the walls.

“Clearing this lot could take some time Harry” said Hermione “Leave it till later as well?”

“Yeh, can’t face this all yet,” then his eye was caught by an envelope weighed down with a few galleons, he bent down and picked it up. It was addressed to him and the writing on the front was Sirius’.

“Now or later Harry” Hermione’s grip tightened.

“Now”

In the dim light of the escorting goblin’s lamp they put their heads together and read.

Dear Harry,

If you are reading this then something messy has probably happened to me. I obviously don’t know how or why, but if my end has helped you in any way then I am glad. I don’t know how much time we have had together and I may not have got round to telling you this, but know that from the first moment we met in the shrieking shack I recognised you for what you are, for what you could only be, Lily and James’ son. They are both there inside of you, they were very special people and you are the combination of the best of them. Had you been my own son I could not have been more proud of you, you will succeed Harry, of that I have no doubt.

I owe you and Hermione my life for what you did that first day (I hope you have come to your senses about that girl, don’t you dare let her get away), my only regret is that Peter escaped. Make sure he gets what’s coming to him Harry; his betrayal is something I can never forgive.

So for saving me and for being who you are I leave this lot to you. Some of the stuff in the vault is from the Black family and most of that should be left to gather even more dust. There are one or two things I rescued from Godrics Hollow, personal items mainly things I picked up after Hagrid had left with you. They are in the box with the red lid.

Harry cast an eye over the stacks of boxes, there towards the front was the box. About twelve inches square and about half that deep.

I also looked after Lily and James, they are still in the Hollow with everything that meant so much to them except for you. Visit them sometime and give them my love.

I know that parting like this seems so final but I have a feeling that we will meet again somehow. Give my love to Hermione (I would like to think she is reading this with you) and to Ron as well.

My love to you Harry

Your Godfather, Sirius.

Harry sighed and felt Hermione touch his arm in reassurance. He lifted his gaze from the letter to her face and she gave him a sad little smile.

“I’m OK, it’s just rather sad that Sirius was so well prepared for all this to happen” said Harry, his own grief evident in his voice.

“You know how he was Harry, so depressed at times, he probably thought that with the Ministry after him and Voldemort and the Death Eaters around again then someone was bound to get him eventually. He was very aware of what was happening, even more aware than I would have given him credit for.”

“What do you mean by that?” Harry was a little sterner than he meant to be.

In testament to their relationship Hermione didn’t wince at Harry’s tone, but gave him a reproachful look.

“He could see what was happening between the two of us before it really became clear to us.” She fixed him with a Hermione Granger stare. “Unusual for a man.”

“Oh yeah I see what you mean, sorry.” Harry was suitably abashed. He turned to the Goblin standing discreetly in the doorway of the vault. “We’ll take just the one box for the moment.” Harry reached forward and picked up the box with the red lid.

The ride back up to Grippipe’s office was silent, Harry concentrated on not losing the box, Hermione concentrated on Harry.

Harry arranged with Grippipe to have all the contents of the two vaults transferred to his own and in turn the goblin produced a duplicate key to Harry’s vault. Harry pressed this key into Hermione’s hand despite her protests.

“What’s mine is yours” he said to her, “You’ve had my heart for ages, the money is nothing compared to that.”

They left the Goblin’s office and met Solomon who had waited for them in the entrance hall. They returned to Grimmauld Place in the knowledge that Harry’s inheritance concealed no surprises, nasty or otherwise. They were wrong on both accounts.

…………………………………

Solomon had disappeared again, he seemed to be spending a lot of time whizzing around visiting Hogwarts, and surprisingly The Burrow. What he was up to neither Harry or Hermione had any idea, and anyway they had a more pressing problem, the box with the red lid.

They had been sitting in the kitchen staring at that very box.

“Well, it’s not going to open itself” said Harry, so he took a deep breath and flipped off the lid.

It was a very ordinary cardboard box and inside were some very ordinary things. A few photographs in frames, one with a cracked glass, all a bit dusty, two wooden ornaments, one of a dove the other a stag, a small stuffed toy in the likeness of a snowy owl and at the bottom of the box a blue leather bound book with two words engraved into it’s cover in gold lettering, Lily Potter.

Harry stared at the items now spread on the table in front of him, he was very aware of Hermione next to him with her arm around his waist, and he was very aware of the tightness in his throat and the cloudiness of his eyes. The images in the photographs smiled and waved, unaware of what was to happen to the people they represented.

There was one picture he knew well. His mother and father holding a very small Harry, he had a copy of that one in the album Hagrid had given him in his first year. The wooden stag, it was obvious what that was for, Prongs. He could only assume that the dove was for his mother, it seemed the logical choice.

He picked up the book with a shaky hand, looked at the front and back without opening it, and then held it out for Hermione to take.

“Here, you look, I don’t think I can.”

“No Harry, let’s look at it togeth...err” But as Hermione’s hand closed on the book, to her astonishment, it emitted red and gold sparks and Hermione’s hair rippled in a non-existent magical breeze.

“What on earth was that?” Harry said, in surprise.

“I don’t know Harry, but I could feel the spell right up my arm.” With a little trepidation Hermione placed the book back on the table and opened the front cover.

Inside was an envelope, Hermione lifted it out and stared at the name written on it.

“It’s not possible” she gasped. She held the envelope so that Harry could read it, and there clearly written in what he knew instinctively was his mother’s hand was ‘Hermione Granger’.

Harry had rarely seen his girlfriend at a loss for not only words, but action. She stared at the envelope as if it was something so strange that it should not exist.

“Open it Hermione” it wasn’t a command, it wasn’t a question, it was just a suggestion, but it jerked Hermione out of her state of shock.

“Err… OK then.” And so she did.

The parchment inside was as fresh as the day it was folded away. It wasn’t stiffened and the ink on it hadn’t faded. In the same clear flowing hand was written

My Dearest Hermione

Do not be surprised that I know who you are. Books and cleverness has been the cornerstone in both our lives.

That you are reading this letter means you have made a heart bound commitment to Harry, and for that you have my undying gratitude.

As I write on this Halloween evening Harry is asleep upstairs, his mind is calm and free of troubles. I am sure that is not the case for him now, his problems will have increased over the intervening years, but now at least he has you to share some of the burden.

I have a feeling that James and I will not be able to be with Harry, in the normal way, as he grows up, but if we can we will still watch over him. You see I know what Harry has to do. Albus has never told me, but call it mother’s intuition, I know that Harry is the one destined to face Voldemort.

You Hermione are becoming aware of the part you have to play if Harry is to succeed in this task. At the time when he seems at his most vulnerable, when it appears that all is lost, then you will pass the power to him. In the final act you will all be together, for only that togetherness will allow you to win.

There is one thing that Harry must do alone. You will not want to let him go, every bit of you will cry out wanting to be with him, but if you are with him then he will fail. Harry must draw the enemy out. Only if Voldemort thinks Harry is weak and alone will he fight him himself, and Harry must lead him to you and the place of final conflict.

Hermione I love my little boy more than life itself and because you are reading this letter I know that you do as well, and that gives Harry his chance.

If all that I foresee is true I know that any protection I can give Harry will only last until he comes of age, I hope it will be enough. After that my dear it is up to you, your love and support will protect him as well as I can. There will only be one chance to destroy Voldemort and I fear that to truly overcome this evil sacrifices must be made. We must all be prepared to make them.

Kiss my little boy for me. Love him for yourself I know you will find happiness together.

My love to you Hermione

To Harry my love as always will be with you wherever you may be, even in the Blackest Palaces.

Lily Potter.

There was silence in the kitchen, Hermione turned to Harry who was staring woodenly at the letter. She leaned forward and kissed him.

“That’s for your Mum” her voice was full of emotion “And this is for me” she threw her arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace.

Harry responded with an embrace of his own, he buried his face in those soft brown curls and wept silent tears for the love of his mother and for the love of the girl in his arms.

They were still sitting wrapped in each other’s arms when they heard a commotion in the hallway. There was the sound of someone going into the meeting room, then the sound of Dobby’s voice.

“Mr Harry Potter and Miss Hermione are in the kitchen Miss…” another quiet voice must have asked a question… “Yes, they is quite alone.”

The kitchen door opened and a pink haired head peered round it’s edge, a familiar face spied the two occupants of the room.

“Wotcher Harry, Hermione,” Tonks’ jovial greeting seemed a bit forced, “Not disturbing anything, am I?”

The pair slowly disentangled themselves “Hi Tonks, no not really, just been reading some letters, sorted out my stuff from Gringotts today” said Harry. “It’s all been a little difficult, what’s on your mind?”

Tonks’ happy façade crumbled, something was clearly upsetting her.

“Sorry you two, you don’t need my problems as well, but there is something I need to tell you. It’s just so sad.” She sighed “You’d think that after all this time I should be used to dealing with disasters, but some things are just so much harder to deal with.”

“For goodness sake Tonks, what has happened?” Hermione’s voice was filled with concern.

So Tonks sat down between them and told Harry and Hermione the events at Broadwoodwidger Orphanage. By the time she had finished both were trying to comfort her, and the tears rolled freely down her face.

“It was the saddest thing I have ever seen” she managed between sobs “The little girl was dead, you could see that, but he read to her as if she was just going to sleep. He wouldn’t stop until he’d finished the story, then he kissed her goodnight and let me take him away.” She drew a ragged breath. “The poor lad’s been in St. Mungo’s for four days, the healers say there is nothing wrong with him but he hasn’t said a word, just sits and stares at nothing. He hasn’t even slept.” Tonks looked back and forth between Harry and Hermione. “So I brought him here.”

“Here Tonks? Why here?” said Harry.

“Two reasons Harry. He needs somewhere safe to recover, St Mungo’s wasn’t doing him any good, and this” Tonks held out a much read book. It was a child’s book, the bold colours and the cartoon figures on the cover proclaimed that. The title was written in large letters ‘Harry Potter and the Witch’s Cauldron.’

“I don’t understand, where did this come from, and why is it about me?” said Harry, his confusion was obvious.

“Didn’t you know Harry, but ever since you got rid of Voldemort when you were a baby there have been stories written about your adventures. Most of them are pretty fanciful but the children’s books sell particularly well. Like this one.”

Harry was dumbstruck “But…but…”

Hermione giggled “Do you remember I said that your story would make a good book, and I was right.” Harry gave her a dirty look.

“The thing is Harry” said Tonks “Is that this is the book Austin Henry was reading to the little girl.”

“Austin Henry?” inquired Hermione.

“Austin Henry Durston Dibble” chanted Tonks with a sad smile. “A big name for a very small wizard. We know all about him from the records at the orphanage, we also discovered that Poppy Pomfrey was a co-owner.”

“She wasn’t there was she? Is she OK?” the questions tumbled out.

“Yes Harry, she’s fine but she had only just left the house before it was attacked. She is with Dumbledore at the moment, that she is distressed is a bit of an understatement. She gave us what information she could.”

Tonks could see the concern in both the faces before her, and that gave her the courage to ask the question she had really come to Grimmauld Place to ask. “Look, what I wanted to ask was seeing as Austin Henry is due to go to Hogwarts next month, I wondered if you as Heads of the School would talk to him, see if you can get him to open up, sort of your first job in the posts?”

“Of course, we’ll try won’t we Harry?”

“If you think we can help him, then yes, we’ll try.”

Tonks looked very relieved “Thanks, you two are treasures; he’s in the meeting room.”

They left Tonks in the kitchen trying to make a cup of tea without breaking anything. As they crossed the hall Dobby’s voice could be heard again.

“No Miss that’s alright you sit, Dobby will make tea, then he doesn’t have to clear up the broken cups”

Harry and Hermione smiled at each other at the exchange in the kitchen then turned their attention to the closed door in front of them. Harry took a deep breath and opened it, then grasping Hermione’s hand drew her into the room with him.

The boy sitting in the chair by the empty fireplace didn’t move. He looked exhausted, his face was pale and drawn, his eyes were red and he struggled to keep them open. Harry felt Hermione’s grip on his hand increase and a quiet “Oh” escaped her lips.

A silence descended, Harry decided on direct action.

“Hi, you must be Austin Henry” his joviality was as forced as Tonks’ had been, “I’ve heard all about you, my name’s Harry Potter by the way.”

The boy moved for the first time since they had seen him, he looked up and stared at Harry in total disbelief. Without taking his eyes off Harry he stood and walked over to the pair standing side by side. He stopped in front of Harry and raising his hand brushed Harry’s hair to one side, revealing the lightening shaped scar on his forehead. He then prodded Harry in the chest with a finger.

“You are real, you are really here.”

“Yes, I’m real” said Harry.

Austin Henry looked accusingly at Harry “Why didn’t you come and save us, everyone died; only Becca and I escaped. THAT AWFUL WOMAN KILLED THEM ALL” he shouted.

Harry was devastated, “I’m so sorry but I didn’t know what was happening. Tonks, the lady with the pink hair, told us about it a few minutes ago. If I had known and if they would have let me, I would have come,” he looked to Hermione, “We both would have come.”

Austin Henry began to cry, the great sobs racked his small frame. Hermione understood that even if he had cried before this was really the first time his emotions were free. She knelt down and wrapped the young boy in a protective embrace. Harry watched his girlfriend comforting Austin Henry and fought hard to control the lump that had risen in his throat. He knew that he couldn’t show any weakness, the boy needed him to be strong, but by Merlin it was hard.

Eventually they gathered him up and led him to the comfortable sitting room upstairs. He sat between them, sipping an enormous cup of hot chocolate that Dobby had brought up. He was still very tired, but as so often shown by the young, his changed circumstances were supplying him with energy he should not have had. Now that he had started to talk, it was impossible for him to stop. He studied Hermione.

“You’re Hermione Granger, I’ve heard all about you from Madam Pomfrey. Your Harry’s best friend and …” he suddenly became quite shy “you are Harry’s girlfriend as well, and now your Head Girl. You and his other friend Ron Weasley have been involved in all Harry’s real adventures. Odd though, you don’t get mentioned in the books about Harry, but I liked the real tales best. Madam Pomfrey used to tell me as much as she could each time she came to see us and then I would tell them to Sophie. She was only six you know, but she really loved those stories, and now my home is gone and Sophie is gone too…” His words tailed off and he became lost in his own thoughts.

Suddenly he asked Harry. “Why did that lady blow up our home? Why did she kill everyone?”

Harry didn’t answer, he had just realised what Austin Henry had said, so he asked a question of his own. “You said it was a lady, are you sure? It wasn’t a man?”

“No I am sure, I heard her cast several spells. Spells I’d never heard before, Krucio, Avadkadva and Bombada, something like those anyway. Then when she went outside, she said another long word, can’t remember it, but it started with an M.”

“Morsmordre” said Hermione in a dead voice.

“Yes, that’s it, only she sounded as if she enjoyed it.”

“Bellatrix Lestrange” said Harry “Couldn’t have been anyone else. Right up her street this one, everyone weak and defenceless. She makes me sick.”

The question came again “But why us?”

Hermione took the young boy’s hand “I would guess to make an example that all other wizards would notice. Lestrange works for Voldemort and he wants everyone to be afraid of him.

There was a fierce expression on Austin Henry’s face. “Well I’m not frightened, he made me very sad, but now I am angry,” he turned to Harry “You’re going to stop him aren’t you Harry?”

The look of determination in the boy’s face was mirrored by the young woman with the amazingly wonderful brown eyes. Harry stared into those eyes and felt his confidence grow as he did so. Without looking away he said “We’re working on it Austin Henry, we’re working on it.” Then when he did look down, he could see that exhaustion had finally won, and Austin Henry was fast asleep.

Harry carried him upstairs to one of the bedrooms and they tucked him in to bed. Then, just so that they would be there when he awoke, Harry and Hermione cuddled up on the other bed in the room and eventually drifted off into sleep themselves.

5. Being Evil Is Not As Easy As It Looks.

Austin Henry settled in well at Grimmauld Place, Harry and Hermione were finding that they were spending most of their time with him. They had discovered that his friends at the orphanage had called him AH so they started doing the same; it saved such a lot of time. With the two older students as his guide the boy rapidly regained much of his confidence and began acting as any normal eleven year old.

When Poppy Pomfrey came to see him a few days later she was amazed at how well he seemed. She had been told how he was at St. Mungo’s, that nothing was snapping him out of his trauma, and she hadn’t really expected him to have improved.

“I don’t know how you two managed this, but thank-you; the Mungo's healers won’t believe the change in him” she said. “It will be such a shame to take him away, he seems so happy now.”

“Take him away, what for?” The idea made Hermione decidedly unhappy.

“Well Miss Granger, he will need to find another home in an orphanage, it will have to be a muggle one, there are no wizarding ones anymore.”

“Rubbish” said Harry.

“I beg your pardon Mr Potter”

“I said ‘Rubbish’ Madam Pomfrey. AH is due to start at Hogwarts in a few weeks, he will need to go to Diagon Alley to get all his clothes, books and all the other things he will need. We are nice and close, he can stay here in our house. When he gets to Hogwarts he can stay there all year, I did, then when it comes to next summer… well we’ll see.”

Madam Pomfrey considered her school’s senior pupils, she knew these two of old, if anyone could cope with AH’s recuperation it would be them. “You agree to this ridiculous idea Miss Granger?”

“Of course, it’s a wonderful solution, but it’s Harry house, he doesn’t need me to endorse his decision.”

“Actually Hermione, it’s our house, so it should be our decision” Harry reminded her.

“Oh I’d forgotten about that, sorry Madam Pomfrey, it’s our house and our decision. AH stays”.

Much to Harry’s consternation, Madam Pomfrey in an uncharacteristic display of affection, gave them both a hug..

“Thank-you both, that’s such a weight off my mind” she said with relief. “Albus said I shouldn’t worry, and that you two would work something out. I will arrange such funds as the orphanage has left to cover all his expenses.”

“No you won’t” said Harry “I think the Potter-Granger vault can handle one additional small boy. Right, Hermione?”

“No question” she replied.

The words were hardly out of her mouth when with a ‘POP’ a sealed roll of parchment appeared out of thin air and landed on the table.

“I’ve seen one of those before. We had better see what the old man wants now.” Harry said. He suddenly had the feeling that he was being manipulated again and strangely in this instance he didn’t mind.

Hermione broke the Hogwarts seal and unrolling the parchment began to read.

“By order of Albus Dumbledore Joint Minister for Magic and Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

From this day forth Austin Henry Durston Dibble is hereby made a ward of said Hogwarts School and is placed temporarily in the care of Harry James Potter and Hermione Jane Granger currently Head Boy and Head Girl of the school.

A.P.W.B.Dumbledore.”

“Well that settles that then” said Harry.

………………………………..

With only two weeks left before the start of the new school year, Solomon Aegis and the other four members of the Tyr arrived at Grimmauld Place. Harry was very curious to discover what had kept his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor so occupied that he had abandoned Hermione and himself with AH to look after. With no means of leaving the house, and only the odd flying visit from an order member to keep them company, they had felt quite isolated. For the moment however he wasn’t saying, so Harry and Hermione had to be content with listening to what their friends had been up to instead.

It appeared that they had been similarly restricted in their movements, but maybe they had been in more pleasant surroundings. Neville and Ginny had spent time with both Neville's parents and then back with the Weasleys at The Burrow. Ron and Luna, apart from a brief visit to Luna’s father at the offices of the Quibbler, had been at the Burrow as well. They had all been keeping up with the news, such as it was, about the Death Eater attacks, and the description of the destruction on the orphanage had been particularly harrowing.

“They haven’t pinned that on any particular group of Death Eaters yet” said Ron “But I am not sure Voldemort will be all that pleased with them.”

“What makes you say that?” Hermione was curious.

“Well, the mood of people, it’s not like last time, so Dad says. There is more defiance at the moment, and it has made people angry rather than frightened. Not what they wanted, eh?”

“It was Bellatrix Lestrange” said Harry, flatly.

“How could you possibly know that?” said Ginny, in a disbelieving voice.

Harry fixed her with a stare that made her feel a little uncomfortable, “You explain Hermione, I’ll be back in a minute.”

Harry left the room, there was silence for a moment, then “Sorry Hermione, did I say anything wrong?” asked Ginny quietly.

“No Ginny, it’s been a bit difficult, I think it has affected Harry more than even he realises. Let me explain…..”

Harry climbed the stairs to the bedroom AH was using, he found him sitting on the bed reading from Hermione’s old grade one spell book.

“Spare a minute AH. I’d like you to meet some friends of mine.”

“Sure Harry” he reluctantly closed the book “Have you any more books like this? This one’s really good.”

“Ah… you need to have a word with Hermione about that” he said cagily. “She’s the one with the passion for hoarding books. Anyway, we’ll be getting you your own soon, you’ll have more than enough to read then.”

Harry smiled to himself as they descended the stairs. Another bookworm, Harry wasn’t sure he could cope with two.

The murmuring of voices stopped abruptly as Harry opened the door.

“Right” said Harry, by way of introduction “Everyone this is Austin Henry Durston Dibble, call him AH for short.”

“Thank goodness for that” laughed Ron.

Harry ignored him. “AH this is….”

“Ronald Weasley” finished AH, walking up to Ron and holding out his hand. Ron took it rather sheepishly and shook it.

“That’s right” said Ron.

Harry could see AH scan the faces of his friends, so he indulged the lad as AH picked out each member of the Tyr correctly.

“How did you work that out ‘short stuff’?” said Ron, earning himself a look from Hermione this time.

“Oh that’s easy. Madam Pomfrey told me all about you. You have red hair, so you and your sister had to be the Weasleys. Then there was only two left, and I didn’t think you would be holding Neville Longbottom’s hand.”

“Har! Har! Got a right comedian here, haven’t we… ‘short stuff’” said Ron deliberately.

“Well then, that means we have two, and don’t call him that” Hermione said crossly.

“Oh sorry your majesty, I forgot I was in such august company” retorted Ron.

“Ron, you’re incorrigible” snapped back Hermione.

Harry looked with mock concern at his red headed friend. “Careful Ron, she called me that a while ago. I still don’t know what it means, but I think it might be some form of hex.”

The room resounded with shrieks of laughter.

…………………………….

Draco Malfoy wasn’t laughing. During his whole summer holiday he hadn’t seen anything remotely funny. He had met his parents only once, and that was at The Dark Lord’s Keep. That was the name the Death Eaters had given the crumbling mansion that was being used by Voldemort as his headquarters. What it was really called, Draco had no idea.

His aunt Bellatrix had brought him to The Keep, and from her he had learnt what evil really was, and he had learnt to enjoy it. He could cause pain at will, he could command obedience, but he had yet to learn to kill. The muggles they had practiced on would not be missed, vagrants and other similarly dispossessed, were stunned and brought to the lair. When they were finished with, they were taken down the passageway to the sea, the water was hungry, and always took them.

At first the Dark Lord was encouraging. Draco’s efforts were showered with praise, and advice was given to help him on his way to evil. He knew that his father and the other Death Eaters feared the Dark Lord, but to begin with he saw nothing to fear, until he felt the wrath of Voldemort for himself. All Draco had done was to mention Harry Potter’s name in the same sentence as Dumbledore’s.

The pain had been excruciating but brief, however it was the sight of those eyes burning red with hate that would remain with him forever. Draco had made no more mistakes since then; he had watched the other Death Eaters and came to realise that none of them mattered to the Dark Lord. They, his father and mother included, would be used and cast aside, but still in his own mind he thought that he was different.

Voldemort’s eyes had followed the youth as he had left the room, his smile was one of satisfaction that yet another generation of Malfoys had fallen under his control. The boy was ridiculously easy to manipulate, there was no subtlety to him. The father, he was devious, but his mind was clouded with feelings of superiority which caused him to underestimate his opposition, and would ultimately lead to his downfall.

The boy was green and barely trained, he could be moulded and may show some promise. He had after all nearly killed Potter’s mudblood, and if Wormtail hadn’t intervened, he would have been successful. For now the boy would be tested again, while he proved useful he would be used, then discarded like the others.

Draco felt elated and important, with his small band of fellow Slytherins in tow he swaggered his way down Knockturn Alley. The dark Lord had given him specific instructions to ‘shake up’ Diagon Alley. He had been told to enlist some young wizards, ‘Cause pain and destruction, kill if you must. Give them a taste of what is to come’.

Draco passed by the drinking establishments he had entered with his father, the patrons that frequented those places would be unlikely to follow the orders of one as young as him. He needed some empty headed young wizards who would look on his mission as something of a lark.

Goyle said he knew where to find them, Draco couldn’t believe he was taking advice from ‘gormless Goyle’, but the elder Malfoy had never let him enter any of the places the younger wizards used, so he had little choice.

“All right Goyle, are you sure you know which one we want?” Draco tried to hide his irritation while Gregory Goyle’s thought processes slowly built up speed.

“Umm…Yes… yes, down the end of the passage Draco, you’ll see.” Goyle’s encouraging tone gave Draco even more pause for thought.

They walked in the semidarkness that the overhanging buildings produced. The ground was wet underfoot, a general dampness permeated everything, and the smell was none too pleasant either. The doorway into the pub was low and narrow, so that only one person could enter at a time and would have their head bowed down. This form of entrance protected the patrons from surprise raids by law enforcement wizards, or worse, by some of their own kind bearing a grudge.

The pub itself was one large room with many dark alcoves. It was crowded and full of smoke.

“Over there in the corner” Goyle nodded in the general direction, wisely not pointing with an accusing finger.

The man Goyle indicated was sitting at the head of a table around which was gathered some seven or eight others. He was probably no more than a year or two older than Draco, but held himself with that false superiority that comes with having the backup of your fellows.

He looked at Draco dismissively “What do you want then Blondie?”

“Regrettably, your assistance” Draco replied, trying not to be condescending, and failing.

“Here! don’t like your tone, you wanna watch it mate, I’ve ‘ad wizards like you for brek’fst I ‘ave.”

“Really?” said Draco “ever had any of this for breakfast” he placed a small bag of galleons on the table.

“Blimey, you’ve just earned yourself five minutes of my time you ‘ave. What’s the deal?”

“Organised mayhem in Diagon Alley, property destruction, attacks on the weak and confused shoppers, that sort of thing.” Draco said, getting as close to the table as his senses would allow. They all smelled rank, Draco doubted that any of them had taken a bath in the last month, if ever.

“Easy enu’f that is. But what’s in it for all of us then?” he said sniffing loudly and indicating his colleagues round the table.

“Another bag for you and one each for each of your…err…men.” Said Draco dismissively.

“Got it on you?” the head yob asked leering at Draco.

“Don’t be stupid.”

Thirteen dark wizards walked in a group back up Knockturn Alley, pushing aside crones and hags, but avoiding any groups of older male wizards. They turned into the bright gaiety of Diagon Alley full of shoppers, and they began firing spells left and right. The screams started immediately, the panic seconds later. They marched up the centre of the street straight into the last thing they ever expected to see.

………………………..

Harry and Hermione had finally managed to get Solomon to themselves. The others were in the meeting room, having cleared the large table away they were using the floor space to practice some of their shield work. AH was playing with Compass on the other side of the sitting room. Bouncing around like a complete lunatic the dog reminded Harry so much of Sirius that it made his heart ache.

“So, are you going to tell us what you have found out Solomon?” Harry asked, not really expecting a direct answer.

“Yes, I think it’s time, and I think I have everything planned out now.”

Except for some excited scuffling over in the other corner of the room there was a silence.

“Sooo?” Harry tried to be encouraging.

“Harry! please Professor, agh! Solomon.” pleaded Hermione. Then in a firmer tone “You’re playing vague again.”

Aegis smiled “Sorry Hermione, Harry. Look, what I have found is the location of your glass ball full of stars. It is in the Department of Mysteries, and…” he flourished a folded parchment, “I have permission from the Minister to go and see it. However I suspect that things will not be plain sailing. There is certain reluctance in some sections of the department to allow you anywhere near it, but I cannot find out why. So we will have to tread carefully. I think you should get young AH kitted out in Diagon Alley first, then we will tackle the Ministry on the 28^th.. OK?”

……………………………..

So it was that the Tyr and AH took a portkey to the steps of Gringotts Bank. A quick visit to Harry and Hermione’s vault, then with sufficient funds they hit the shops. Harry had expected Solomon or Remus to accompany them, but it had been decided that in the surroundings of the alley they should be able to look after themselves. As they traversed the length of Diagon Alley several shoppers remarked on the seven of them.

“Looks as if that young lad has an impressive bodyguard” remarked one elderly witch. Then “Oh goodness, isn’t that one Harry Potter?” asked another.

They tried to act as normally as possible. AH acquired his wand, his books and robes, there was only his potions things to get now. Harry wondered if he had unconsciously avoided this particular subject, but then the shop was the one closest to The Leaky Cauldron at the far end of the Alley, and thus the last one to visit.They headed back up to their portkey point near Gringotts, their arms full of parcels, their own stuff as well as AH’s.

It had been instinctive for the Tyr to spread out, to give each individual enough room to move unhindered, in case they ran into trouble. So when the sound of spells being fired, and then when the screaming began, it was a simple matter of discarding their loads, pushing AH into the doorway of Flourish and Blot’s, and standing their ground.

The gang creating the havoc were busy destroying all they could see, leaving several shoppers stunned in their wake. They took no notice of what was waiting for them, but Draco did. He grabbed Pansy Parkinson by the arm and dragged her into a nearby alley way.

“Draco! What are you doing?”

“Quiet! It’s Potter, there, look.”

Out in Diagon Alley the hooded gang had come to a halt, facing them were six Hogwarts students. The only two of the gang who knew what they were up against were Goyle and Bulstrode and their resolve began to falter. The others didn’t have the sense.

Ron had taken charge as the Tyr had fanned out to cover the width of The Alley.

“Shields in the front” he ordered “Harry and Hermione behind us, fire through the shields.”

The four shields moved like a well oiled machine, this is what they had practiced so long to achieve, Ron and Neville flanked on either side by Ginny and Luna. Their wands were out, and to the unspoken thoughts of ‘murusvolum’ which had flashed through their minds, round shields appeared at the tips of their wands. Fortunately for the wizards facing them they did not complete the full enchantment ‘murusvolumacutus’ so the deadly cutting edges did not appear.

Then the four began to move, their shields’ mirror like surfaces flashed in the sunlight, the sight was mesmerising. Draco’s gang were entranced, they stood mouths open wands held in mid cast, like petrified rodents in the eyes of a snake, they couldn’t move. Then the red streaks of stunning spells flashed out from Harry and Hermione’s wands, this shocked the gang out of their immobility and those that were left standing began firing again. Reductor and blasting spells were met with shields and stunners in return. A blasting spell crashed into a wall to Ginny’s right, lumps of masonry flew in all directions. Ginny’s shield deflected all, but one piece which came at her was the size of a Quaffle, and it impacted at considerable speed. The shock shattered her arm and as her shield failed she had to dive behind the others for protection.

Suddenly Harry vanished and reappeared behind the ‘dark wizards’, he decided to give them a fighting chance.

“Behind you!” Harry’s voice was loud enough to be heard over the discharge of spells. He raised his left arm, ‘aegis maximus’ he thought, and from the palm of his hand erupted his shield. This left his wand hand free and from his wand stunners blasted forth.

Draco watched in horror as his forces were whittled away. He had seen Potter take out both Goyle and Millicent Bulstrode with multiple stunners. He knew there was nothing he could do to help them, but there was something he could do to help himself. In the confusion he cast memory charms on each member of the gang as they lay unconscious on the ground. The charms weren’t subtle, but sufficient to clear the memories of his part in this fiasco. As the last attacker fell, he turned away and led Pansy Parkinson into the darker parts of Knockturn Alley and concealment.

Back in Diagon Alley there was literally a stunned silence. Harry moved to stand guard over the defeated gang as the rest of the Tyr gathered round Ginny and gently helped her to her feet. A rising murmur from the crowd huddled in doorways and the shops was momentarily cut off as with multiple cracks a dozen Aurors apparated into the Alley. Then seeing the reinforcements, the crowd regained its bravery and surged out onto the street. The Aurors held the crowd back with simple restraining spells, and then one advanced on Harry.

“Can’t leave you lot alone for five minutes without getting into trouble” the pink haired Auror had a great smile on her face. She surveyed the scene. “Well done”. The rest of the Tyr joined them, supporting Ginny in their midst. “Well done all of you.”

“Thanks Tonks. Do you mind if we give our reports at my house? Only we need to retrieve AH and all his things, and get Ginny taken care of” asked Harry.

“OK Harry, you taking Ginny to St.Mungo’s or Madam Pomfrey?”

“Madam Pomfrey, I hope” said a familiar voice. The school matron bustled up and immediately took charge of the injured girl. As she marched Ginny in the direction of Gringotts she shouted over her shoulder. “You can have my report later as well Nymphadora, saw everything, quite amazing.”

They gathered up their belongings and retrieved AH from the bookstore. Walking quickly and avoiding the crowd now gathering, they followed Ginny and Madam Pomfrey to Gringotts, and the portkey back to Grimmauld Place.

6. Sorting Things Out

The reporting of the incident in Diagon Alley to Kingsley Shacklebolt, the head of the Auror Department, took most of the following morning. The group covered the happenings as best as they could, and hoped for some information in return but none was forthcoming. They had all been wondering why Goyle and Bulstrode were involved when there was no sighting of Malfoy, they couldn’t believe that those two managed to plan the attack on their own.

Then the Tyr had to go through the whole process again with Solomon Aegis, this time however each little detail of the way in which the Tyr worked together was analysed. Although their Professor was pleased with the outcome, he hoped that they came away from the experience having learned a couple of things.

Firstly, that the small shields should not be used to stop large physical objects, the shields had no bracing except the arm of the wielder, the injury to Ginny had been lesson enough. Secondly, Aegis wanted Harry to promise him that he would never do the ‘right thing’ again and give the opposition a second chance.

“Take them down first, and apologise later Harry” he said “Try that with a real Death Eater, or Merlin forbid, Voldemort, and we will be taking you back to Hogwarts in a bucket.”

“Sorry Solomon, my only excuse was that it was my first time,” he grinned at Hermione “It won’t happen again.”

“Solomon, do you have any information on the attackers?” asked Hermione, “I assumed they were some local gang.”

“Yes you are right, it would appear that they were hired at one of the pubs in Knockturn Alley, presumably by the two students captured with them” he informed them.

“What, not Malfoy?” asked Harry suspiciously.

“No Harry, there is nothing to connect him to this incident. The perpetrators have been examined at the Ministry by an adequate Legilimens and Malfoy does not appear in their memories”. There was a pause. “Having said that”, Solomon mused, “I noticed some memory gaps which could well have been the result of memory charms.”

“You noticed?” they almost all chorused together.

“Ah… I shouldn’t have told you that.” He said embarrassed at his slip.

Harry smiled “Where have we heard that before,” he murmured to Ron and Hermione.

………………………..

The last few days remaining before the start of the school year passed with little incident. There was an article in the Daily Prophet about the fight, but none of the Tyr were mentioned by name, not even Harry. That they were Hogwarts students was made clear, but seeing as two of the attackers were also from the school, the reporter was left not understanding as to which side the school was really on.

Then on the 28^th. of August Harry, Hermione and Solomon made their way to the

Ministry of Magic. As Solomon had predicted, Dumbledore’s letter was not the magic key it should have been. However, they managed, with Arthur Weasley’s help, to get to the ninth floor and the Department of Mysteries.

On leaving the lift Harry could see the corridor that had for such a long time occupied his dreams two years ago, much to his relief Solomon turned in the other direction and headed down a different but very similar passageway. The door at the end of the corridor was larger than all the others lining it; it was however locked and barred.

Solomon took a quick look around to make sure they were alone, he waved his hand and muttered something under his breath, the bars vanished and the lock clicked open.

“Inside quickly!” He whispered. “We will not have much time; the door has an alarm as well.”

Inside the room was the transparent ball, fully twenty feet across, it was filled with the swirling lights both Harry and Hermione had seen before. As the students approached the ball the lights began to move faster as if sensing their presence. Hermione shook her head as if she was trying to clear her ears.

“It’s the voices again Harry, can you hear them?”

“Yes, it’s much louder than before” then Harry stopped mid-stride for he clearly heard

‘Haaarrryyy’ in a long drawn out whisper. He reached out and placed his hand on the surface of the ball, one of the lights moved and settled apposed to his hand on the other side of the barrier. It flashed once, which made Harry jump, and Hermione put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He stared at the light and his eyes opened wide in wonder. Quietly, so that even Hermione had difficulty in hearing him, Harry said “Sirius?”

At that moment the door banged open and three people entered. Harry whirled around, he did not know the two wizards standing on either side, but the squat witch between them, with a wide mouth looking like the toad she was, was Delores Umbridge.

“Well Mr Potter and Miss Granger, it appears I have caught you red handed again doing something you shouldn’t. HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?” she shouted.

“Ahh…that would be my fault” said a quiet voice from the shadows.

“AND WHO ARE YOU?” Umbridge seemed unable to control the volume of her voice.

“Me? Oh no one important I assure you, but… I do carry a letter from the Minister giving us permission to be here.” Solomon finished sotto voce, and held out the parchment for her to see.

Umbridge scanned the words quickly and looked back to the students, it was clear she wanted to take the matter further, but the Minister’s orders restricted her. Her anger made her puff and blow, and with her nostrils flaring she grudgingly gave way.

“It seems you have wriggled out of trouble again Potter, but if I see either of you, and you as well” turning to Solomon “down here again, you’ll need more that a letter to save you. NOW GO!”

Solomon bowed low to Umbridge “Harry, Hermione it’s time we left, let us not disturb this fine lady any more. Come on this way.” He warbled.

Solomon shuffled his feet, walking with a bent back, as he followed the students out of the room and they made their way back to the lifts. As the lift door closed Solomon straightened to his full height.

“What was that act all about?” said Hermione, suspiciously.

“Often wise not to let the enemy see you in full light to start with, gives them a false sense of security” Solomon replied.

Hermione glanced at Harry “See, told you he was clever.”

Later that evening, Harry and Hermione were cuddled in their favourite chair, in the sitting room. Hermione was lazily running her fingers through his hair, she considered the young man she was so in love with, then dared to ask the question that had been burning a hole in her pocket all afternoon.

“Why did you mention Sirius, Harry?”

“Oh it’s just that when that light flashed that’s what came into my mind; I could see him so clearly. Weird really.” He replied.

“What do you think those lights are?” Hermione asked in a thoughtful way.

“Only one way to find out and that is to get inside that ball, I’m sure we would know then.” He gave Hermione a little lopsided look. “Only problem is that I don’t know how we are going to do it.”

“Maybe Solomon will come up with an idea, or perhaps Dumbledore.” She suggested.

“Yeh, Aegis might be able to help but I don’t think we can rely on the Headmaster he’s got other problems. I have a feeling we may be on our own for this one.”

“Well we’ve coped before, I’m sure we’ll do it again” Hermione said, reassuringly.

“Here’s hoping.”

…………………………….

It always amazed Harry that they had to pack so much to take back to school, and now they had the added responsibility of all AH’s things. On the morning of the first day of September all seven trunks were piled in the hallway. Solomon had popped in the previous evening to tell them that Dumbledore had managed to help them out one last time, and arranged for ministry cars to take them to Kings Cross.

AH was beside himself with excitement and was having great difficulty in settling down to wait for the transport.

Harry grinned at the others “Was it like that for us? I can’t really remember being excited; I think I was just very nervous.”

“Oh I was!” said Hermione “I so wanted to get to lessons and learn things I had only read about.” Ron looked at her with horror, and she noticed his expression, “Well I was” she finished in her defence.

Ginny was gazing out of the window and announced that the cars had arrived, and after ten minutes of huffing and puffing with the heavy trunks, all was loaded and they were on their way.

The first thing they noticed on reaching the barrier to platform 9¾ was the additional security. Four Aurors formed a reasonably unobtrusive guard, but had to keep moving in order not to attract the attention of the muggle police. The police were in greater evidence because some Death Eater attacks had spilled over into the muggle world and the whole country was in a heightened state of alert in fear of more ‘terrorist’ atrocities.

Tonks was one of the guards, but today sported hair of a more normal brunette. She smiled at the group as they approached.

“Wotcher you lot. Here Harry, Hermione instructions for the head students,” she handed over several sheets of parchment. “When the train leaves we will be up the front, but we’ll keep out of the way unless there’s trouble.”

“Are you expecting any?” Hermione asked.

“Not once the train is under way, it is enchanted and heavily protected, you’re as safe on it as you would be at Hogwarts” Tonks explained. “It’s the platform that can’t be completely secured, so keep your eyes open.”

The usual chaos on the platform was absent, everyone was moving quietly and quickly to the train, parents leaving as soon as their children were on board. The trunks were loaded into the baggage car and Harry ushered all of the group on to the train. Hermione was reading through the instructions they had been given and spoke to Harry as he climbed aboard last.

“Harry we need to get all the Tyr up with the prefects, there are some notes here we need to give out and Dumbledore wants the Tyr involved, ‘To maximise the security potential until all the students are safely in Hogwarts’. It says here.”

“OK you go on ahead, I’ll find somewhere for AH to sit.” Beckoning to the new first year, Harry and AH moved down the train in search of a suitable compartment. Harry noticed that there seemed to be quite a few spare seats on the train, not what he had been used to. It became clear that there were several missing faces from those he would have expected to see, and so he assumed that some parents were keeping their children close to hand in these troubled times. Eventually they found a compartment filled with new pupils, Harry pulled open the door and looked at the nervous faces staring at him.

“Hi, hope you don’t mind I’ve another for your compartment. AH come on in and introduce yourself, and here,” Harry slipped AH two galleons, “Pocket money, buy you new friends something from the snack trolley when it comes around. I’ll see you later.”

“Thanks Harry.” said AH as he sat in the only spare seat.

Harry gave a wave and shut the compartment door, he smiled as he walked away because he clearly heard a girl’s voice exclaim.

“Harry! that was Harry Potter?… Wow!”

The trip to Hogwarts was as uneventful as any Harry had experienced, the briefing to the prefects had passed without a hitch, mainly because of the absence of Draco Malfoy. In fact there were no prefects present to represent Slytherin at all, initially Harry was concerned that some unauthorised meeting was taking place in another carriage, until Hermione told him that none of them were on the train.

The only real surprise came when Hermione read out the information that Quidditch would not be played at the school this year, it was considered that security would be too difficult to maintain. Ron was particularly upset about that, he had been tipped for the captaincy of the Gryffindor team this year.

Hermione didn’t particularly help, when rubbing the back of her head in remembered pain said “Well I can see the reason even if you can’t Ronald, we were expecting trouble last year and it still happened.”

Ron looking grumpy, finally agreed to disagree with her on that subject, another one to be added to the list that first began to grow in their first year.

AH, on the other hand, was having the time of his life. The notoriety of knowing Harry Potter, added to the fact that his compartment companions eventually prised some of his life story out of him and found that the Head Boy and Girl were some sort of unofficial guardians, seemed to make him universally popular.

AH guessed, more correctly, that it was because he had spent all of the pocket money Harry had given him on sweets, which were being eaten at an alarming rate. He had seen enough of the world in recent weeks to make him realise that being connected to Harry in any way could be bad news in some people’s eyes. ‘Still’ he thought ‘enjoy it while it lasts.’ But he did hope that some of his compartment companions may remain friends with him.

AH didn’t see Harry again until he was being marched with the rest of the first years into the hall in the wake of Professor McGonagall. Harry was sitting with Hermione at the head of one of the long tables, and like AH, they were now dressed in school robes. AH was very aware that his robes were black and had no house badge, he was, to be truthful, a little worried about the sorting, one boy in their carriage had told a rather lurid tale about the process, not that AH really believed him.

The aged and tattered hat lay slumped on the stool. The Sorting Hat knew that this was the last time it would have to divide the students up in this particular way. It also knew that this was not to be it’s last message this year, but that would be dealt with in the fullness of time. It straightened, all eyes in the hall watched with interest. A slit near the brim of the hat opened, and it spoke.

The school was founded long ago

Of founders there were four

Each has a house named after them

It’s a shame there can’t be more.

For one founder has set a line

Apposed to the other three

A war we have but three must win

To set all wizards free.

If one should win then hope is lost

And watch as darkness falls

For only pain and for some death

Will be found within these walls.

To Gryffindors then turn your heads

And hope that they will win

A Tyr to shed for heroes lost

Defeating Slytherin.

The answer lies within yourselves

Which side you must decide

Is it in light or in the dark

Your truest heart resides.

This verse is over, my task complete

Till war is lost or won

And then this hat will speak once more

To tell what must be done.

The silence was so complete you could have heard a pin drop, and then a low murmur started at the Slytherin table as the meaning of the words sank in. This was not the first time that the words of the Sorting Hat had caused a commotion. But before the disquiet could get out of control the Great Hall was called to order by Professor McGonagall reading out the first name on her parchment in a loud clear voice, and so the sorting started.

AH was very glad that his name was near the top of the list once he had seen what those who had gone before him had been required to do.

At the sound of, “Dibble, Austin Henry Durston.”, he had walked confidently forward and placed the hat on his head.

The small voice spoke quietly in his mind. “Umm, interesting. If all goes well we’ll meet again, but on this occasion, GRYFFINDOR” the last word spoken out loud to those in the Hall. There were cheers from the table that AH had wanted to join more than any of the others. And, as they had with the other first years, Harry and Hermione personally welcomed their newest house mate to Gryffindor.

As the sorting continued it became very obvious that Slytherin was losing out again. Last year there had only been three new Slytherin first years, this year it was worse, and it wasn’t only Harry that noticed. The last new pupil had been sorted and as “Youngwood, Precious” became a Hufflepuff, Ron nudged Harry and whispered. “No Slytherins at all this year.”

He was correct, for the first time in a thousand years a house had been completely ignored at the sorting. This fact was not lost on Professor Snape, he looked accusingly at the Headmaster who simply shrugged his shoulders, seemingly as baffled as the Head of Slytherin.

Harry watched the exchange and then continued to observe Dumbledore, all was not well. His usual spark and the twinkle in his eyes were gone, it was as if all the life had been sucked out of him. Harry felt the fingers of fear gripping his heart, he depended on the Headmaster, he needed him at his best this year more than any of the others. Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort really feared, what was Harry going to do if his main support was in any way diminished.

He stared at the old man, and then it hit him like a thunderbolt. That’s what Dumbledore was, an old man, looking as old as a man of 159 years should look.

Harry’s panic began to rise, and then a warm feeling invaded his mind, soothing and calming the waves of uncertainty that were threatening to overwhelm him. There was a touch on his arm and a reassuring squeeze, then a voice so clear and well remembered sounding in his mind.

‘Don’t worry Harry I am still here, so is Ron and the others, and so is Solomon. That I think is the most important of all, never fear that you will be alone Harry, because you never will.’

Harry turned to the source of these thoughts, her eyes were bright with unshed tears, he knew she was as concerned as he was about the Headmaster, but had found hope in others, and because Harry’s love for her was all consuming he found hope as well. He smiled at her, a smile tinged with sadness but edged with resolve.

Harry and Hermione continued their silent conversation for a few moments, stopping when Harry sensed a nudge from outside. There was a cry of surprise from the top table, and from the corner of his eye Harry saw Solomon attempting to help Professor Snape back on to his chair.

“Upsidaisy Severus” said Aegis, helping him up, “Awfully rickety some of this old furniture isn’t it? Oh, by the way old boy, I think I ought to warn you not to try to probe Potter’s mind, he seems to have developed quite a robust defence. Ah…just in case you ever considered trying of course. Gave me a nasty jolt last term, I can tell you.”

Snape glared at his fellow Professor “Thank you Solomon, I’ll bear that in mind, he said through clenched teeth, he drew himself up and straightened his robes, “But at the moment Potter’s mind is the last place I want to be.”

“Of course, of course, never doubted it for a second” came the jovial retort.

………………………………………….

The end of the meal was signalled by Professor McGonagall reading a few notices, then the Headmaster stood. He opened his arms and welcomed one and all back at the start of a new year. His words lacked the strength of previous occasions and Harry thought his stance more bowed. With no preamble at Dumbledore dismissed them all to their beds.

The new fifth year prefects led their respective houses to the hidden entrances of their common rooms and the dormitories beyond. At the painting of the fat lady, hiding the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room on the seventh floor, AH learned the password for this year.

“Semper Concentus”.

Standing at the back of the crowd Harry thought at Hermione.

‘OK clever clogs what does it mean then? I know it’s one of yours.’

‘Always singing together, you know, like with one voice.’

Harry raised his eyebrows ‘Well as long as you don’t want me to really sing I can put up with it.”

Hermione’s mental giggle sent shivers down Harry’s back.

Once the rest of the house was safely in bed Harry and Hermione left the common room and went in search of their own rooms, they weren’t hard to find. On the sixth floor directly below the fat lady was a fine oak door, and on a plaque in its centre, written in flowery gold script was ‘Head Students Common Room’ Harry tried to open it, it was locked.

“OK, how do we get in?” said Harry patiently.

“You think the password, don’t speak it, and it will open.” She explained.

“OK, what’s the password?” he said, resigned to the game.

That giggle again. “Guess.”

Harry wasn’t going to rise to the tease “OK I will.”

Harry thought and the door gave a click and swung open.

“How did you get it so quick?” Hermione was quite irritated by the speed with which he had worked it out. “You’re getting too smart for your own good, Mr. Potter.”

“You’re nothing if not predicable, Miss Granger. ‘Forever Together?’ Even I can get that one” he said smugly.

The room was spacious but cosy. Enough room for meetings with the prefects, but conducive to private study as well, they looked around and realised it was a smaller version of the Gryffindor Common Room one floor above them, in fact it was perfect.

Set in the back wall were three doors, one opened on to the deserted common room above them, the second to the corridor which led to the stairs to the Headmasters Office, the third opened into a small bare room with no windows. You might have called it a cupboard, but it was bigger than that, or possibly a closet, but there were no shelves or any other means of storage, just bare walls. It was cold and dark in this room and its existence made little sense.

“Well never mind, I am sure we can find a use for it eventually” said Harry as he closed the door.

Hermione had sat herself down in front of the fire. On a sofa that was just a squashy and comfortable as the one in the main common room. She patted the seat next to her, and Harry settled himself down and stared into the flames burning in the grate. Hermione leaned against him and Harry encircled her shoulders with his arm. They sat enjoying each others quiet company for a while.

Harry sighed. “Dumbledore didn’t look well did he?” Hermione could tell that Harry was very worried. “What are we going to do Hermione? We need him and we need to know what is going on.”

“You’re right; it looked as if all his years have caught up with him” she replied. He has changed so much since we last saw him on your birthday. I think we should talk to Solomon about it, if we don’t manage to see the Headmaster himself.”

“That’s a good idea” said Harry, “but I suppose we have to call him Professor Aegis again, now we are back at school.”

“Oh no! Really? I’ve only just got used to calling him Solomon!” she wailed.

7. Love Potions Master?

There was no sign of the Headmaster during the next few days, and so at their first defence study group with Solomon, Harry posed the question that he and Hermione wanted answered.

“Solomon, what is wrong with Professor Dumbledore?” Harry asked. “We have all noticed that something is not right.”

Aegis shook his head, “I told him to see you straight away, I knew you six would notice even if no one else did.” He looked at each of the Tyr in turn, then having made a decision, spoke again “There is no easy way of telling you this, Albus Dumbledore is dying” there was a collective intake of breath, “Not long after your birthday Harry, the Headmaster began his search for Voldemort’s headquarters. He searched in some very unsavoury places as you might imagine, two days after his return from…well never mind where…he contracted a fever. Madam Pomfrey had great difficulty in controlling it and initially couldn’t find the cause. Then she isolated something in Albus’ blood, it’s effects are particularly nasty and impossible to cure. Slowly but surely, this thing is eating away at everything that makes Dumbledore, Dumbledore. There are potions that can slow the process” Aegis looked pointedly at Harry “Severus has been incredible, and produced elixirs which have made things much better, but not a cure. As the Headmaster weakens physically he weakens magically as well, eventually he will be unable to cast even the simplest spell. I am sorry Harry, but he will not live long enough to see your next birthday.”

All the Tyr were shocked to silence, Harry shook his head as if he couldn’t believe what he had just been told. Then Hermione broke the quiet.

“Is there nothing that can be done Professor?” she pleaded.

Aegis ignored her unnecessary use of his honorific, for tears were now falling from her eyes, he took her hand to give her comfort but his words had none.

“All that can be done is being done Hermione, but I am afraid the outcome is certain.” He said sombrely.

“What do we do?” Harry sounded as if he had lost hope all over again.

Solomon knew he was becoming too attached to the fates that awaited the members of the Tyr. To help them properly he had to try and remain a little distant. He mentally squared his shoulders.

“We go on Harry, that is what the Headmaster wants us to do, and when and while he can, he will help. There are times when his mind can be as sharp as it ever was, he has lots of invaluable experience to pass on to us. I know it’s hard but there is only one person who cannot be sacrificed before the final battle with Voldemort, and that is you Harry, only you.”

It was a very subdued group that retired to the Heads Common Room as they sat in their pairs contemplating a future without Dumbledore at the helm; it was Ron who put things back in perspective.

“Look it’s no good us all moping about like this, Voldemort isn’t going to give us any extra slack because of Dumbledore. This fight has claimed many others and” …he swallowed uncertainly… “may claim many more. We have to continue, the alternative is too horrible to think about. If we are going to lose him, let us honour Dumbledore by making him the last sacrifice, and to do that we have to win.”

Even if their spirits were still down, the resolve to finish this war was rekindled, they really had no choice.

………………………….

The Tyr partook in no structured lessons anymore, they studied together and sought special instruction from all the Professors, and all the Professors helped, even Snape.

Outwardly his manner hadn’t changed, but when they were alone with him all the Tyr noticed that he became less confrontational, it was as if he no longer needed or wanted to score points against them. Even Harry surprised himself by thanking the Potions master without a trace of sarcasm in his words, but that was nothing to the surprise of the reply “You’re welcome, Potter.”

What was bothering Snape? It was not increased concern for Harry Potter. Whatever that boy thought of him, Snape had always been on his side. It was not concern for the Headmasters condition, it was regrettable and possibly disastrous to the cause, but he was an elderly man and such things happened to the old. No, the thing which troubled Severus Snape was young and small and had a name which brought back unsettling memories to the Professor.

AH loved his lessons, Transfiguration was great, Charms was fascinating, Defence was phenomenal, but his greatest passion was Potions. He loved the dark and dingy dungeon Professor Snape used as his classroom, the place was essentially creepy, but AH felt it was full of mystery and secrets. Then there was the Potions Professor himself. Snape was universally nasty to everyone in the first year, basically because there were no Slytherin students for him to approve of.

AH thought him well weird, and when his potions weren’t going as planned, steeled himself for the lash of Snape’s tongue. However on those occasions when trouble was certain, the Professor had stopped short, and as AH had looked him in the eye prepared to have detention or at the very least house points taken, a perplexed expression would cover the teacher’s face and he would mutter under his breath and round on the next poor unfortunate whose potion was giving off the wrong coloured steam.

For Snape’s part these occasions left him feeling very confused, not a situation he was well able to deal with. He would often return to his desk and while the little cretins continued to wreak havoc with their classwork, his mind would wander back to possibly the one time in his life that Snape was really happy.

……………………………………….

It would have been just over twelve years ago, the end of another school year, and the start of the brief period when Snape thought he was free. Free of Voldemort, free of the Death Eaters, free of the dark time of his life. The Dark Lord destroyed by little Harry Potter those few years before had not resurfaced as Snape had feared, the last remaining Death Eaters of any consequence were in Azkaban, and those weak followers who cared more for themselves than Voldemort had gone to ground and would remain in hiding for good.

Severus Snape had shocked all his colleagues at the school; he had discarded his traditional black robes. He had not gone completely overboard, but he sported robes of a tasteful green and his normally uncared for hair had been washed and combed. The feeling of freedom had even softened the sour expression he usually carried with him. He remembered Dumbledore smiling at him, patting him on the shoulder and telling him to enjoy his summer, asking if he had everything packed, and when he assented said “Well off you go” just as if he had been one of the students.

Snape had travelled, stayed in good lodgings, explored places he had never been to before, and had met someone who had wormed a place into his heart which had seen so little in the way of love.

Her name was Esme. She was an elfin like witch, not a stunning beauty, but a very pleasant face and wonderful sense of humour. Her eyes were grey, and held such a look of innocence, that made Severus wish he had known love much earlier in his life. There was only one other that had ever made him feel like this, he had been too young and callow, and full of his own bitterness then to realise what he was feeling, that girl had been Lily Evans. He, like almost every other boy in and around his age, had fallen for Lily, some harder than others, it was impossible not to like her, and Esme was the same.

They had spent nearly the whole two months together, and during that time their relationship had blossomed. Severus knew he wanted to be nowhere else than with Esme, that was until the last week of that fateful August. It had just been a little twinge so he had discounted it. Then the pain was more noticeable and it could not be ignored, he had lifted his sleeve and there on his forearm was the mark, very faint but visible.

At that moment all Snape’s hopes of freedom came crashing around his ears, Voldemort was not gone after all, and, to add to his misery, Esme saw the mark and recognised it for what it was. There had erupted a terrible row, innocence and love lay shattered about their feet, things were said in the heat of the moment that would be impossible to retract.

Her few belongings had vanished from the room at a wave of her wand, and with a final CRACK Esme Dibble apparated out of Snape’s life for ever. In that final week Severus Snape had withdrawn into himself, and by the time he returned to Hogwarts it was as if the summer had never happened, he knew he had tasted real happiness for the last time in his life.

Now all the pain had returned, for sitting in front of him was someone who could only be Esme Dibble’s son, and Severus Snape wondered.

………………………………..

Draco Malfoy returned to Hogwarts during October, no one had commented on his absence, as he was not the only offspring of Death Eaters who had not returned for the new school year. His return was only a topic of conversation amongst the members of the Tyr.

“It is all very odd” said Hermione “Apparently he isn’t attending any lessons, he either spends time with Snape or shut in the Slytherin Common Room.”

“He must be up to no good.” Of that Harry was convinced, “Do you think he knows of Snape’s involvement with Voldemort?”

“If Draco is a Death Eater then yes, he’s bound to, and it’s going to cause us a lot of trouble.”

“But Hermione, we can’t just walk up to Snape and ask him what Draco is doing, can we. Like he’d tell us” said Ron.

“No, we can’t find out, but maybe Solomon can.” Hermione said, the others nodded in agreement.

As it turned out Solomon didn’t have to ask Snape because Snape came and told him.

“The younger Malfoy has fallen in with a bad crowd, Solomon.”

“A bad crowd, rather a mild term for that lot wouldn’t you say Severus?”

“Look” Snape said beginning to lose his temper “I am trying to help here, and it affects you more than anyone else.”

“Sorry Severus, please continue.”

“It would appear that a certain person is very keen on paying a visit to your home town, in force, and Malfoy has been given the task of finding out how to get in.”

“Don’t worry Severus; it is not possible for the ordinary wizard to gain entry to Avalon, not even a wizard as ordinary as Voldemort.” Said Solomon, a little too smugly.

“You are picking up too many of Dumbledore’s complacent habits, Solomon. Draco isn’t stupid he knows that Miss Granger’s parents are there and he is aware that she and Potter visit them on occasion. He has therefore worked out that it is likely that either Hermione Granger or Harry Potter has the means to get in.”

“I see, and are you to help him in this task?” asked Solomon.

“It would appear so, yes.”

“Thank-you for the information Severus,” Solomon thought for a moment, “how long can you delay Draco getting back to his new friends?”

“Oh, indefinitely if necessary,” Snape said as if it would be no trouble for a wizard of his capabilities, “but the longer the delay, the more tenuous my position.”

“Very well leave it with me; I will get back to you as soon as I can.”

………………………………………..

Solomon Aegis and The Tyr had taken to meeting in the Room of Requirement. Apart from having a place with enough space for shield work, they needed somewhere secure where they couldn’t be overheard.

They appeared to be in a large open field. The sun, or at least the Room’s equivalent, was out, and there was just enough breeze to provide a little cooling air. Sitting on the grass in a circle, they discussed the latest development. Harry could not understand Voldemort’s preoccupation with Avalon. The inhabitants posed no real threat to his power, their magic in the main was purely defensive, and in they could be kept in isolation with ease.

“You see Harry” explained Aegis “it’s not the people he is concerned about, though I doubt he would spare us if given the chance to destroy, it is the place itself. Imagine the wizarding world on the run, where would be a good bolt hole? Avalon,” he said answering his own question, “and it would be reasonable to expect that sanctuary would be given, as it was to Hermione’s parents. Then you have a protected base from which the forces of the light could sally forth and begin to pull apart Voldemort's plans. You know heroic last stand, that sort of thing.”

“So can we protect the key you gave us?” Harry asked.

“Harry, the only way Voldemort could get your key, or mine for that matter, is for us to give it to him, and we won’t do that until we want to.” Harry gave Solomon a quizzical look, but he didn’t elaborate and he continued. “However, I think it would wise to send a little information back, we still need Severus to appear loyal to Voldemort and it will strengthen his position.”

“Are you sure Snape is only pretending to be loyal to Voldemort, you’re sure it’s not the real thing?” Harry had lost count of the times he had asked this and the number of people he had asked. Then, for one moment Harry was sure he was talking to Professor Dumbledore and not Aegis.

“Professor Snape, Harry,” Solomon censured him “and yes I am sure, and so is the eHHeadmaster.”

The group on the hill lapsed into silence while they thought it over. Harry and Hermione eventually nodded to one another, the others seeing this knew they had agreed a course of action, and waited to hear the decision.

It was Hermione who spoke.

“OK Solomon, we agree that Voldemort can know we have keys, but nothing more for the moment. Harry and I have to work out a way of using this information leak to our advantage.”

“Good, I would like you all to know that I am very pleased with the way you are coping with this situation, I can’t think of anybody I would trust more. The Headmaster is of the same opinion.” Solomon regarded Harry’s expression of discomfort at his lack of contact with Dumbledore. “Err…speaking of the Headmaster he wants to see you Harry, today,” Aegis took a gold watch out of his pocket and considered the time, “in fact, now.”

Harry nodded, closed his eyes, applied a thought, and when he opened them again he was in Dumbledore’s office.

“Hello Harry” the voice was weak, and tremulous.

At first Harry couldn’t see very well, the room was in semidarkness, and after the bright sunlight he had just left, it appeared black. Slowly his eyes adjusted to the dimness, and he could see Dumbledore sitting at his desk. By his side was his Phoenix Fawkes, not on his usual perch, but on the desk within the reach of the Headmaster.

Dumbledore was stroking the bird and seemed to be drawing power from him. Harry was shocked by the ravages the illness was having on the Headmaster, he had always been thin, but now his face was gaunt, his once bright blue eyes were cloudy and dim. Harry could hear each breath Dumbledore took, and each one was an effort.

Dumbledore reached for a goblet on the desk, and took a mouthful of the contents, the face he made told Harry that it did not taste very nice, but the effect of it was startling. Within seconds the Dumbledore Harry had seen on his birthday was back.

“Very effective, this draught, Severus has outdone himself, but I am afraid the effects are only temporary. Well Harry, please sit. How are you finding your responsibilities as Head Boy, and are you getting all the help you need from the new Head Girl?” Dumbledore smiled at his last question, not really expecting a direct answer.

“We’re fine, but we miss not having you around, the school doesn’t seem the same anymore.” Harry said sadly.

“Change comes to everything in the end Harry, don’t be frightened of it. You may not like the way the change happens, but look for the results it brings, if the results are an improvement, then the change is worth it.”

“But what could possibly be worth losing you?” Harry asked accusingly.

“Defeating Voldemort, and don’t you act so surprised, I know that both you and Hermione are prepared to sacrifice yourselves to that end, and so is the rest of the Tyr.” Said Dumbledore.

“Yes Sir, you’re right, as usual” accepted Harry.

Dumbledore chuckled, but the chuckle ended in a cough. “Please listen to me Harry, I have to conserve my strength, I have one final thing I must do and I need to be rested to do it. I have spoken at length to Solomon and I have told him all I can. He is worthy of your complete trust, speak with him as if he were me, he will not force his own decisions on you, he trusts you too much for that, but he will guide you if you let him.” Dumbledore sagged a little in his seat. Harry could see the mist clouding his eyes. “I have never lost faith in you Harry, I know that you and your friends will do all in your power to carry the day. Though you still have doubts, I know that you will succeed.”

The old man sighed “I am sorry Harry, but tiredness catches up with me rather suddenly, I will see you again, do not worry about me, I am content.”

Dumbledore closed his eyes, and, by the nature of his breathing, Harry knew he was asleep. He continued to sit and stare at Professor Dumbledore, his mentor and his friend, now an old man asleep in his chair.

He was so absorbed in watching the Headmaster that he didn’t hear the office door open, nor the soft footfalls behind him.

To be sure he would have stayed there forever, but a pair of arms encircled him, as a quiet voice said “Come on Harry” and Hermione drew him away.

She held him close as they descended the stairs, across the corridor and through the magic door which led to their private common room.

They sat together on that old sofa, desperately clinging to each other for comfort, and Harry cried for the old man he would soon lose for ever.

8. Speculation.

November turned into a month of damp and cold. It hardly ever stopped raining and even when it did the sun rarely shone. It was just as well there was no Quidditch, practicing in this weather would have been miserable, and the matches unbearable for all but the players.

The common rooms were crowded places, as was the library, the Tyr were grateful that Harry and Hermione had a place to call their own that afforded them a refuge where they could study in quiet company.

Draco Malfoy sat alone in the Slytherin Common Room, a situation he was getting used to. There were very few of his acquaintances left at school now, Crabbe, Goyle and Bulstrode were all out of the picture and Pansy Parkinson was avoiding him, most of the remaining Slytherins were not ones he associated with.

Even though the Gryffindors considered all Slytherins inherently evil, Draco knew that this wasn’t so. A good proportion of his house were only there because personal ambition outweighed their courage or intelligence, and of course if you were self centred then your loyalty was to yourself, not to others.

Initially it surprised Draco that having arrived late for the start of the year, and not attending lessons that he hadn’t been asked to leave, but now the reason was clear. Why it had never occurred to him before he didn’t know, but since he had discovered that his head of house was in fact a Death Eater, it made complete sense. For Snape to hide his allegiance and gain the confidence of Dumbledore, Draco realised that he must be very skilled, and thus someone to look up to, and emulate. Now Snape was gathering information that he, Draco, would pass on to the Dark Lord, and get the credit for, his world was very rosy at the moment, if just a little lonely.

Malfoy walked towards the dungeons and yet another meeting with Severus Snape. As he drew close he heard the dungeon door open, he slipped into an alcove and watched as six students passed up the corridor. He recognised them immediately, Potter and his friends, he wondered what they had been up to, but they gave no clue, for as they passed his hiding place he could see that their expressions were curiously blank, neither were they talking to one another. Draco’s gaze followed them as they walked away, he saw Granger at Potter’s side, the urge to strike out was difficult to control, but then he convinced himself that he would get her in the end, and turned back to the dungeon.

Snape was waiting for him. “I trust you kept out of Potter’s way Draco, they have just left.”

“Yes, I saw them in the corridor. What were they doing here?” he asked.

“Ah… well they come for specialist tuition, but instead they get a little veritaserum vapour, a recent development of mine,” Snape said with pride, “and an implanted memory, and I get information.”

“So you know everything now?” Draco demanded.

“No, not everything Draco, have some patience, the secrets must be teased out a little at a time” Snape said. “I have to maintain my credibility; Dumbledore is not the only one I have to fool now.”

“Oh?” said Draco quizzically.

“Yes, Solomon Aegis is more of a threat than he looks, that, I assume, is why the Dark Lord wishes to destroy Avalon” said Snape, fishing for information of his own.

Draco didn’t know, and was not going to be drawn into guessing “Do you have the key?”

“No, and it is unlikely that I shall be able to get it.” said Snape, seeming not to care.

At this Draco began to panic, the Dark Lord wanted that information, he had to have it to pass on otherwise… “But”

“Calm yourself Draco, all is not lost.” Snape allowed a sly grin to play his features.

“The spell is too deeply embedded in Potter’s mind to read without giving ourselves away; however there exists a locking spell which will hold the doorway open, once we can trick Potter into opening it. That is the only way our Master will gain entry, all we need is a plan to get Potter to use the doorway to Avalon.

……………………………………………

Hermione was studying her notes, crossing out lines and cross referencing others with a large book, then adding comments in the margin.

“You know” she said to Harry “some of these potions could be very useful, the effects they cause are just what we may need, but it is very difficult to get you opponent to drink something in the middle of a fight.”

“I suppose you could call a time out and pass around a tray of drinks.” said Harry sarcastically.

“Not helpful.” She replied with exasperation.

“Meant to be a joke, Hermione.” Harry grinned, then saw that it hadn’t been appreciated. “OK sorry” Hermione’s look spoke volumes “then you need a different method of application. Can’t some potions be absorbed across the skin? And I am sure some can be breathed in.”

“Of course,” she struck her forehead with the heel of her hand, “how could I not have seen that.”

“Too wrapped up in your work that’s why, and it’s a simple answer. It occurred to me because I just caught a whiff of something that jogged my memory.” He leaned closer to her “Do you remember the first time we came across Amortentia?”

“Oh yes” Hermione expression softened and she blushed slightly. “Fresh mown grass, new parchment and…” she stopped, reddening even more.

“And?” said Harry.

“Pumpkin pie.” She added in a rush. “What about you?”

“Treacle tart, the woody smell of a broomstick handle, and what I thought at the time was some sort of flower, but it isn’t. It was vanilla.”

“But that’s the perfume I wear.”

“Yeh, I know” he said giving a little grin “but pumpkin pie?”

Considering their relationship, Hermione was being very coy. She sighed, resigned to revealing one of her final secrets “Oh well…This goes back even further, to the end of the second year. Do you remember when I met you after being unpetrified?”

Harry searched for the memory, “In the Great Hall, at the evening meal, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right, I was so proud of the way you had solved everything, I ran up and gave you a hug.”

“Oh yeah.” he said the memory coming back to him.

“You must have been eating pumpkin pie, and that smell has stayed with me since then. Every time I smell it you pop into my mind.” she smiled shyly, “I think that whatever has happened since then, or whatever anyone has said, that is when I started loving you.”

Harry held out his hand and drew Hermione out of her seat; he led her across to the old sofa and sat her down on it. A quick wave of his hand and all the door locks clicked shut, he sat next to her and slipping his arm round her neck pulled her to him. Their lips met and as had happened before, the stone called Hermione’s Tear began to pulse with its blue light.

The passion between them was so intense as to be palpable and Harry and Hermione lost themselves in it. Their emotions reached a crescendo, but before that invisible line they had drawn in their relationship could be crossed, their breathing steadied and their explorations slowed. Love won out again over their lustful hormones, and the pulse of blue light from the jewel slowed and eventually died.

“Harry, do you mind?” Hermione could have been talking about anything but Harry understood.

“We’ve talked about this loads of times, ‘I’ve got you with me, how could I mind’” he added in thought “we both know that when the time is right for us nothing will stop it happening, ‘It will be perfect and beautiful and it won’t be here at Hogwarts scrunched up on an old sofa.’”

“Oh Harry I do love you”

Harry opened his hand and looked at his palm, the heart shaped mark, the result of his sixteenth birthday present from Hermione, was clearly visible.

‘Feeling is mutual, remember?’

She nodded, for there on her palm was the same mark and as she placed her hand in his their hearts touched and joined as one.

…………………………………..

“Look,” said Ron he was trying to be patient but the strain of the last few months was beginning to tell, “We’ve spent all this time studying spells, potions and curses and where have we got? Nowhere.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say nowhere,” contradicted Hermione, “Err…just not very far.” She had to agree to that.

The Tyr were having yet another discussion, and going round in circles.

“I think the problem is that we have too many unknowns,” suggested Ginny, “We know our final goal, but that’s it, and it’s a bit thin.” Even she was becoming exasperated by their apparent lack of progress.

“Do you mind if I have a go?” the question was asked by the quietest member of the Tyr and they all turned to Neville, who now was embarrassed that he had brought the attention on himself.

Harry wasn’t about to let him sell himself short. “Course Nev’ you have just as much say as anyone else, what do you think?”

“Well, we want to defeat Voldemort, right?”

“Yeah, good one Nev’”

“Shut up Ron” said Harry “Go on” he encouraged.

“But where do we want to fight him, not on his own patch, but on ours. So we need to get Voldemort here, or at least as close to the school as is safe.” His voice had lowered while he spoke as his uncertainty returned.

“So what do we do, send him an invitation” Ron was not impressed.

“Ronald Weasley …” Hermione was about to launch a scathing attack of her own, but Neville butted in.

“No Hermione, Ron’s basically right, we invite him somewhere he wants to go but lead him here instead.

“OK” said Ron paying attention at last, “Do we know anywhere Voldemort particularly wants to go?”

“Yes” Harry answered; they all turned to him, “Avalon.”

Neville looked triumphant, “Exactly, and he knows about the key to Avalon. We just need to make sure the key leads him here.”

“So Nev’ how do we do that?” Ron awaited his answer with anticipation.

“Ah…Don’t know” said Neville defeated again.

“I’ve got an idea” said Luna. Ron regarded his girlfriend with a little trepidation, her ideas could be a bit off track sometimes. “If you had a Nimbus Limen going to Avalon from wherever Voldemort is and another one going from Avalon to here, then joined them together….”

“You would bring him straight here, but he would think he was going to Avalon.” Ron finished for her.

Ron was beginning to think this might work, then he doubted the whole idea. “But can we trick him, he’s not exactly daft you know. We’d need something very tempting to get him to use it without becoming suspicious. What do we use as bait?”

“Me” said Harry, and before anyone could start a fuss, he added “I think it’s a brilliant idea, but we don’t want him here until we’re ready.”

Ron got up and walked over to the door to the blank room “Butterbeer anyone?” he had been keeping a stash in there since the start of term, he reached out to open the door. “What we need is Solomon, I wonder where he is” he said as he turned the handle and pulled the door open.

“AHH!” he cried out in surprise. “Sorry Solomon, didn’t know you were in there,”

Ron was looking through the doorway at Solomon Aegis, sitting at his office desk, working away at some papers. The Professor completely ignored Ron’s presence, and he completely ignored the presence of the rest of the Tyr as they crowded around.

“It’s like a movie screen” said Hermione excitedly, “The walls of the room are showing a picture of Solomon in his office.”

“But why?” said Ron.

Hermione thought for a moment “Perhaps because you asked it to,” Ron looked blankly at her, “When you opened the door, you were saying ‘We need Solomon, I wonder where he is’. She quoted. “He ought to see this Harry; we want to talk to him anyway.”

Harry sent out a thought ‘Solomon would you please come to the Heads Common Room we have to show you something, it’s important.’ Aegis’ image straightened in his seat as he received the message.

‘Certainly Harry, quick as I can.’ he thought back. They saw him stand, then the perspective of the image suddenly changed to show them all crowed round the door with Solomon standing behind them. They all jumped when he cleared his throat.

“Merlin!” said Ron clutching his chest and spinning around with the rest of them, “I’d forgotten you could do that.”

“Sorry all, what have you got here?”

Hermione explained what they had found.

“Try it again” Solomon suggested.

Harry reached for the door handle, but Solomon placed a hand on his shoulder to restrain him. “Not the Headmaster, Harry, it’s not a good time.”

“OK” he said sadly, then as he opened the door, “Gryffindor Common Room.” And there it was, as if they had opened their own doorway to it. He looked to Hermione and nodded towards the door on their right, she walked over, opened it and stepped through. She was instantly visible in the image, she walked into the middle of the common room, turned in the direction of their point of view, and waved. Several of the students already in the common room gave her some very strange looks, and as she left were earnestly discussing the odd behaviour of the Head Girl.

“Interesting,” mused Solomon, “Definitely instantaneous, what you see is what is happening.”

“Muggles would call it real time,” said Harry.

“Really?” said Solomon, unaware of his unintentional pun.

“Yes.” said Harry seriously.

“Umm…interesting” Solomon was only vaguely aware of his conversation, as usual when he was deep in thought he had drifted away, then he rejoined them. “Try another person, Harry.”

“Right, umm… Arthur Weasley!” he opened the door and there he was, sitting at his desk at the ministry, looking a little hassled. Harry immediately closed the door, looked at Solomon and said “Lord Voldemort” and reopened the door. Ginny gave a shriek which made Neville jump, and Harry heard Ron suck his breath in between his teeth.

The view was not as they had expected, it was dark and indistinct, Harry thought it was like a badly tuned television. Again he tried, this time with, ‘The Dark Lord’; the result was the same, and again, ‘Tom Marvolo Riddle’, no change.

“Whoa Harry,” Aegis called, “Good try, but I think I understand why it doesn’t work. Riddle’s other names are aliases and must have no relevance to whatever operates this room,” he sighed and sat at one of the desks, “and Riddle himself is so changed from what he once was, that the room can’t find him.”

“So what good is it if it won’t find him” Harry slammed the door in frustration.

“Well,……” there he was drifting again, “If the room can’t find the man himself, then we must follow someone who can.”

“Draco Malfoy” said Hermione emphatically.

“My thoughts exactly” said Solomon enthusiastically, he smiled at her “Well done, ten points to Gryffindor?” he added his tongue firmly in his cheek.

Harry then broached Luna’s idea of joining two cloudy doorways together; Solomon thought for a moment then decided that it would indeed be possible. However he wanted more time to work on the details, and would get back to them when he had sorted it out. In the meantime they would go on Draco watch.

……………………………..

Draco had a daily routine that varied only in its timing. Each day he visited Snape’s office, the Tyr were well aware of this, for not long after Draco had returned to the school their paths had crossed. On that occasion Professor Snape had sensed Draco’s presence in the corridor outside his office just as they were about to leave.

The Professor had been quite concerned by this and insisted that they should all act as if they were under the influence of a distraction charm; he said he had his reasons and so they did as they were asked. They had walked away from the office as if in a daze, only relaxing once they heard the door behind them open and then close again. They had no idea what the ruse was intended to prove, but since then they had been careful to ensure that the situation didn’t arise again.

They knew that eventually Draco would run back to Voldemort to tell him about the key to Avalon, but it was taking time, time that Harry did not want to waste. So Harry and Hermione decided to leak a little more information that might speed up the process.

Using the ‘camera speculator’ they watched Draco. Hermione had been on a book hunt and discovered some interesting facts about the small room, including what it was called. They confined their observations to the times he was out of his common room, these were the only occasions he would be accessible to them, and so they were able to decide the opportune moment to create the leak.

They chose the day he left Snape’s office after a very lengthy and somewhat heated meeting. Although they had not yet found a way of hearing sound through the ‘speculator’ they could tell from the arm waving and body language that all was not calm. They positioned themselves in a small classroom that was often used by students waiting to see the potions Professor, rather than stand in the draughty passage. They started up a conversation in forced whispers loud enough to be heard by the angry young wizard passing the door.

Draco was not happy he thought Snape was being deliberately slow in finding the answer to their problems. He needed more than vague promises to take back to the Keep. If there was nothing more forthcoming then he would put off his planned trip at the end of term. As he passed the last classroom he heard voices, loud whispers, but a private conversation obviously, and he recognised those voices, Potter and Granger.

He stopped by the door and listened.

“It’s no good Hermione, the information is bound to get out soon.”

‘Information, this might be useful,’ Draco cautiously moved closer.

“What do you think Riddle’s reaction might be Harry?”

Draco held himself with difficulty on hearing the mudblood dare call the Dark Lord by that common name.

“Well, Peter was supposed to be Voldemort’s right hand, for him to die like that last year, after kidnapping you, difficult to say.”

‘Peter? Surely not Peter Pettigrew, but he had vanished. Most, including the Dark Lord, thought he was in hiding.’ Draco’s thoughts raced.

“Oh Harry, I am so proud of you, and you did it so easily. Thanks to you another of his followers is gone. I think it’s time I gave you another reward for saving me.”

The gushy sentimentality in Granger’s words and the picture it conjured in Draco’s mind was too much he didn’t wait to hear any more. Quickly and as quietly as he could, he left the door and continued back to the Slytherin common room, he definitely had something to think about.

Back in the small classroom Harry and Hermione listened as the sound of Draco’s departure receded into the distance.

“Not the quietest spy is he?” chuckled Hermione. “I think it’s his ego that makes all the noise.” Harry laughed, then looked questioningly at Hermione.

She was puzzled, “What?”

He smiled “Well?”

Hermione had a pretty good idea what he was on about, but she played along. “Well what?”

“What about my reward.”

“Ahh…you want your reward?”

“Yes please.”

“Here” the mental kiss she threw at him almost physically pushed him backwards, and he sat down heavily in the chair behind him. “Happy now?” she asked.

He looked at her with a silly grin on his face, “Yeah, thanks for that.”

……………………………..

During the last weeks of term the Tyr took it in turns to watch Draco in the ‘speculator’, his routine was so boring that it led to inattention from one of the watchers. It was Harry’s turn and he had been staring at an image of Draco sauntering through the grounds, it was like trying to watch one of his cousin Dudley’s interminable television programs.

Harry’s eyes started to close and he missed the sight of Draco slipping out of the gates of the school. Fortunately Hermione chose that moment to arrive back from the library and her shout of “Harry” made him start up, just in time to see the road leading to Hogsmead dissolve from the speculator and be replaced by an image of a wooded hill. The two of them watched as Draco forced his way through the trees and break out into a clearing, the land sloped away from their vantage point, and partly hidden in the trees below they could see a building.

The mansion had seen better days, that was certain. They studied the image before them, but there was little to provide any clue as to where it was, the trees were so closely packed together. Then Hermione noticed a small tower or turret at one end of the building, it had distinctive hexagonal windows in its upper floor and on top of the pointed roof was a weather vane. The roof itself was reminiscent of their school hats, black and tall, and the weather vane at its point was in the shape of a wizard sitting astride a broom chasing the tail of a shooting star.

As Draco made his way down the slope they lost sight of any meaningful landmarks, but they continued to watch as he entered the mansion by the front door.

The hall he passed through seemed deserted, but then from the shadows Harry and Hermione could see shapes, that even though they were unknown miles away made their blood run cold. Four Dementors glided out and confronted Draco, surprisingly, he stood his ground.

Harry well remembered that Draco had been just as frightened of these creatures as he had been when they first met them in the third year. This time he did not run, but held his left arm in the air and drew back his sleeve, Harry heard Hermione’s sharp intake of breath, for on Draco’s forearm was the mark that singled him out as a Death Eater.

The Dementors stopped and without turning, faded back into the shadows clearing the way for Draco to carry on. He crossed the remainder of the hall to the large double doors at its end. He waited for a few moments as if for an invitation to enter, then pushing the doors open he stepped inside. Now the view had changed, and Harry and Hermione were in the room with him.

There was only a throne like chair in the otherwise empty room but sitting on it, his red eyes glowing in the semi darkness and the rest of his features hidden in the shadows, was Voldemort.

Harry stared at the man he had to kill, he didn’t hear Hermione shout “NO HARRY!” as he stepped forward so that he was standing in the middle of the speculator. The face of Voldemort was holding him, he couldn’t break away, he moved closer and closer to it. Then a pair of hands closed on his arms and he was bodily dragged back out of the small room, the door slammed shut and he found himself staring at Ron’s worried face.

…………………………..

The experience in the speculator had given Harry quite a shock; he hadn’t expected to be affected by Voldemort's image to that extent. Nevertheless he hurried with the others to tell Solomon what they had seen. It was a definite step forward, perhaps not as much as they had hoped, but they had a recognisable building to identify now. After talking to the Professor the next logical place to visit was the library, and it was a very tired trio who returned to the Heads Common Room later that evening empty handed.

In company with the other members of the Tyr they talked over the day’s events.

Hermione was only half listening to Ron expounding on his theory that the building may not be wizard built at all, and so it could be one of thousands of old mansions like that scattered over the country. She was thumbing absentmindedly through Lily Potter’s diary when she came upon that mysterious envelope with her own name written on it. She took out the parchment and read through Lily’s words again, they made her sad and smile in all the same places as they had before. The last few lines were as still as poignant and she glanced up at Harry as she remembered her reaction to them the last time. She folded the letter intent on putting it away, when she stopped and opened it again. She looked very carefully at the last lines once more

‘My love to you Hermione

To Harry my love as always will be with you wherever you may be, even in the Blackest Palaces.

Lily Potter.’

“Harry. Come and look at this” Hermione couldn’t hide the excitement in her voice.

He came over and sat on the arm of her chair.

“Oh. That’s my mum’s letter to you, have you found something.”

“I think so, read the last line aloud.”

“Err…OK. To Harry err… my love as always, err…will be with you wherever you may be, umm…even in the blackest places.”

Hermione squeezed his hand “That’s how I read it at first, but because it makes you feel upset you read it too quickly. It doesn’t say blackest places, it says BLACKEST PALACES. I think she was giving us a clue” She turned to the others “Did anyone find any material on The Black Family?”

“Yes.” said Ron. “But it wasn’t much, just a few lines, not much of it complimentary either. It did say they had a family estate, but I can’t remember where it was.”

“The North of England, close to the coast.” Harry remembered the words of Grippipe the Goblin. He walked to the door of the speculator “The Black Family Estate” he opened the door and was met with total blackness.

“Perhaps it knows you own it now, Harry.” said Ginny.

“Maybe but I haven’t changed its name so it should be there, LOOK!”

For there was something there, a ghostly light appeared as clouds that had been covering a waning moon moved away to reveal a large house, but of its detail they could see nothing, it was still too dark.

“We’ll have another look in the morning, I think it’s time we all went to bed.” Said Harry resigned to the wait.

Ron left with Luna to escort her back to the Ravenclaw Common Room on the other side of the castle. They walked down the deserted corridors arm in arm in silence. Luna looked up at her boyfriend, she studied his face in the dim torch light.

“Something’s worrying you Ron, what is it?”

“It’s Harry. You didn’t see him earlier on, the way Voldemort’s face held him, he couldn’t move. If that happens with an image what will it be like for him when they’re face to face. I mean, if he freezes like that, Voldemort will have him for breakfast.”

Luna considered the problem, her eyes lazily wandering over the paintings that lined the corridor. They walked past one which depicted a large vase filled with simple white and pink flowers, unlike most of the paintings in Hogwarts there was no movement within the frame. Instead from the painting came the intense aroma of wild roses, Luna smiled, then hugged Ron’s arm closer to her.

“Don’t worry, I’ll fix it so that he keeps his mind on the job.”

“What?....” but she held a finger up to his lips, smiled at him, and wouldn’t say any more.

…………………………………

The following morning, all the Tyr were up and ready before dawn. Harry had opened the camera speculator with the same request he had used the evening before. If anything the view was darker than the first time, the moon having set long ago, but very slowly the image began to lighten.

As dawn broke the mansion was thrown into silhouette, but still any identifying features eluded them. Then as the light grew, the details of the house became apparent. Although they were looking at the building from a different angle, the turret was there with the same hexagonal windows and to top it all, the weather vane of the wizard on a broom chasing a shooting star was there as well.

“Yes!” cried Harry and he punched the air in triumph. “I’ve got you now Tom.” He turned and smiled at the others.

They were all smiling back, even Ron. Despite his smile Ron was still worried, he fervently hoped his dizzy girlfriend would come up with something that would stop it from being Tom who got Harry.

9. Death in Hogsmead.

Draco had spent several hours uncomfortably in the presence of The Dark Lord. It was uncomfortable because he only had a cold stone bench to sit on, and he had to keep his wits about him all the time. He had felt the results of making a mistake, and he didn't enjoy pain.

Voldemort had listened to Draco's information; it wasn't what he wanted to hear but it may be sufficient to spare the boy punishment. If Voldemort was disturbed by the knowledge of Pettigrew's death he didn't show it. It gratified him to know that Wormtail hadn't run from him at all, he had died still trying to do his Lord's bidding. It was an acceptable end, but Potter and his mudblood would pay for that as well.

The boy was nervous; you didn't have to be an all powerful wizard to see that. Voldemort watched Draco, the sweat was standing out on his forehead, he had his hands in his lap, clenching and unclenching his fists. Bellatrix would have drunk this fear like nectar, but Voldemort watched, his face unreadable.

The Dark Lord considered Draco's offering. The news he brought of Wormtail's death, was of neither positive nor negative value, to the boy. Severus had not been able to wrest the key from Potter or the mudblood, definitely negative. Draco had supplied the locking spell to hold the doorway to Avalon open, positive value. Then there was his idea to get Potter to open the doorway himself, that had a certain ironical merit. Get Potter cornered, where he couldn't apparate, he would he open the doorway and try to run to Avalon. They would lock it open and he himself would lead the attack on Merlin's brood. Grudgingly another positive, Voldemort waited, drawing out the discomfort.

“Very well Draco, you may go” he hissed.

Draco didn't dawdle, he left the Dark Lord's presence as quickly as he could without looking as if he was running. Once he was clear of the mansion he apparated directly to the road outside the gates of the school and was back in his common room before dawn.

The only person in Slytherin who may have noticed Draco's absence was Pansy Parkinson, for she was now a very lonely girl. Draco had been her vision of the future, when they had been together he had promised her fortune and comfort, never love, but she hoped that would come. She had given him everything in return for theses hopes, everything, but now her fear kept her away. She knew she could not follow where he was headed, for Pansy was not brave, she was weak, and she had enough sense to realise it. She hid herself away and waited for the term to end so that she could leave Hogwarts, vowing never to return.

…………………………………

Unusually for the start of the Christmas holidays, parents began arriving to personally escort their children home. Many families felt that the only safe way of travelling was by apparating, and thus avoiding obvious Death Eater targets. Despite this exodus, the number of students staying at school was up on previous years. Fortunately Draco Malfoy wasn't one of them, he had left to be in the dubious company of his parents. There was an air of excitement in the school as the holidays started. Combined with the fact that there had been no Quidditch during the term to allow the release of tension, the remaining school population was becoming over exuberant.

The trouble was all relatively minor, practical jokes, the odd disagreement, which often led to spells flying around unchecked, but before long someone was going to be hurt. Harry and Hermione, as the senior students, realised that something had to be done to allow everyone to let off some steam. They knew that they would not be able to talk to the Headmaster so they sought out Professor McGonagall instead. She was in her office, and one glance at her made Harry and Hermione realise she was feeling the strain as well.

“So what is it you propose?” she snapped, her Scott's burr strengthened by her stress.

“Well, we did think about a Hogsmead visit” suggested Hermione, keeping her head low and waiting for the inevitable rejection.

“Out of the question, I am surprised you even suggested it.” This response was not unexpected by either of them, but Harry had another hand to play.

“Professor, we did think about it beforehand” Harry assured her. “We know that the school wards can't be extended, but we did think that each student could be given a portkey to get them back to the school if there was trouble. We also thought that any Order members that could be spared could be on duty, and we wouldn't tell the students it was happening until that morning.”

McGonagall didn't look convinced.

“There will also be Harry and me, the rest of the Tyr, and any members of the old DA we can persuade to help with security.” Hermione added quickly.

“There is one more thing in our favour, Professor.” Harry looked at her shrewdly. “It is not general knowledge that the Headmaster is ill. Everyone thinks he's fine and if he was walking around Hogsmead as well, you'd have to be seriously stupid to attack. I'm sure even Voldemort's Death Eaters would keep well clear.”

“Yes, yes. I suppose you could be right,” McGonagall sighed “but as well you know, the Headmaster is not well enough to do that.”

“It doesn't have to be the real Albus Dumbledore, does it?” said Harry slyly.

McGonagall stared at him, then as she realised what he was suggesting, she smiled.

“And who was going to be your sheep in wolf's clothing?”

“Well, we thought we ought to use one of the better sheep, do you think Solo… ah Professor Aegis might do it.?” Harry answered.

“Umm…” Professor McGonagall looked at the two Head Students suspiciously.

“Knowing the way you and that particular Professor have been working together it wouldn't surprise me if this wasn't all his idea in the first place.”

……………………………….

“You know this stuff is truly horrible” Solomon grimaced as he downed the Polyjuice Potion, “I think I might be sick.”

“Try not to Solomon,” said a weak voice, “It won't work as well if you are.”

Harry was in the Headmaster's office with Solomon and Dumbledore. The Headmaster looked worse to Harry, but at least today he was mentally hale. Solomon Aegis stood wearing one of Dumbledore's resplendent robes, it was at the moment a little long for him and a bit tight round the chest. Then as the Polyjuice took effect the robe seemed to change to fit him, but in fact it was he that was changing to fit the robe.

“There you are” said Dumbledore, he gave a weak laugh, “I only wish I felt as well as I look.”

The transformation was complete; Aegis looked like a fit healthy Dumbledore. Harry smiled; he had seen that Dumbledore burst into the Veil Room at the Ministry, full of power and ready to use it. He glanced at the frail old man in the chair and he felt his throat tighten.

Solomon sensed his distress and putting an arm round his shoulder said “If you will excuse us Headmaster, we need to go and announce today's little excursion.”

Dumbledore nodded, then Aegis mimicking Dumbledore's voice said “Come along Harry.” and he led him from the office.

All the common rooms had carried a notice that the Headmaster was to make an announcement to all those still in residence, and all had responded. As he walked into the hall Harry estimated that there were about a hundred students still here, he sat down next to Hermione and stood again with all the others as Dumbledore entered and moved to his seat.

If any of the Professors thought it strange that Dumbledore should make a sudden reappearance after such a long absence, they didn't show it. They all greeted him as usual, Snape the only one giving the Headmaster an extra long scrutiny. At the precise moment the real Dumbledore would have risen to talk to the school Aegis rose and bade everyone a good morning. To rousing cheers he told the students of the day's events and of the security precautions that would be in place. He gave them all twenty minutes to get themselves ready, and sat again as the rush for the doors began. It was amid the noise of benches being pushed back and excited students all talking at the same time, that Severus Snape sidled up to the Headmaster.

“Headmaster, you are feeling well?”

“Yes Severus I am fine. Thank you for asking.” replied Aegis in Dumbledore's voice.

“It worries me Headmaster, do you not feel this trip may be a little too, ah…strenuous for you?” Snape asked solicitously.

Aegis looked at Snape; he truly hoped that this man could be trusted as much as he and Dumbledore believed. If one went on purely physical appearance he could see why Harry had his reservations about the Potions master. That withstanding, Snape could have killed Dumbledore on many occasions these last few months, and that he had kept the old man going deserved some recognition.

“I assure you Severus that providing I take my potion every hour you will see no change in my condition.” said Aegis giving Snape a look over Dumbledore's spare glasses.

Snape smiled at him, and Solomon found it was not a pleasurable experience.

“That is very reassuring Headmaster, I assume that Professor Aegis will not be coming with us today?”

Snape was pushing his luck and he never knew how close he came to getting a good old fashioned punch on the nose. Solomon Dumbledore smiled sweetly to him instead, and said

“That is correct Severus, not in person anyway. I would like you to stay close today, I may need your assistance.”

“Very well Headmaster, I will return shortly.” Snape stood and left the table, his long black robes billowing out behind him.

Harry watched Snape leave; he still did not trust that man. Harry turned to Hermione; she was staring intently at Dumbledore.

“What do you think?” said Harry at last.

“Well he certainly looks the part, if I didn't know, I wouldn't have guessed” though she sounded as if she held some reservations.

“Something's bothering you, isn't it?”

“Oh I don't know Harry” she sighed with exasperation “I'm worried it might all be a big mistake.”

“But it was your idea in the first place.”

“I know” she said sadly “And if anyone is hurt it will be my fault.”

Harry looked at her sternly, grasped her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I thought we decided that after Sirius we were not going lay blame on anyone. We will do all we can to make it safe. Nothing will be your fault.” She nodded and gave him a little smile. “Besides” he said with mock seriousness “if it's anyone's fault it's mine.”

Hermione slipped her arms around him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You're still incorrigible Harry, what am I going to do with you?” she sighed as she leant her head against his chest.

Harry scanned the now nearly empty Hall, and whispered in her ear, “Don't know, but I'll try and think of something.”

……………………………………

Much to Hermione's relief the morning went as planned. Each of the students wandering the narrow streets of Hogsmead had a glass marble in his or her pocket; this was their ticket out of trouble, a portkey back to the Great Hall.

It could have been any ordinary Hogsmead day; there was little the casual observer would have noticed out of place. For those on guard it was a different matter, they were constantly on watch, alert to even the slightest sign of trouble. The guards unobtrusively steered the students away from areas of potential danger, and kept them in the centre of the village.

The Hogshead Inn did very little business that day, and nobody walked as far as the Shrieking Shack to check out the most haunted place in Britain, which in reality had no ghosts, unless Peter Pettigrew had set up in residence. As all years had been allowed to visit the village there were quite a few first and second years amongst the students. They were the most vulnerable and Harry for one was more on edge whist they were around.

However by lunch time most of them had made their way back to the castle, and with the decreased numbers of students abroad the tension relaxed. Solomon, in his guise of Albus Dumbledore, and Professor Snape had made their presence very noticeable, which had certainly kept the students under control, and seemed to have had the desired effect on any thoughts of an attack from Voldemort's supporters.

Harry allowed AH to remain in Hogsmead after lunch, provided he stayed with Hermione and himself. They wanted to show him around and see if there was something he liked in the shops that they could get him for Christmas.

It was naïve of them to think that Voldemort would not get wind of what was happening in Hogsmead, there was always someone in the Hogshead Inn who was willing to pass on a bit of information. It was fortunate for the school that The Dark Lord did not act immediately, but then his intended target was not the students but Harry himself.

The information that Draco had brought about the key to Avalon persuaded Voldemort to attack. He wanted to see if Harry could be truly scared into activating the doorway. It was Bellatrix he sent with half a dozen others to try and force his hand, but he never got a chance to find out if it would have worked.

Harry, Hermione and AH were standing in the doorway of the Hogsmead branch of Flourish and Blotts, when they heard the unmistakable CRACK of someone apparating. Not just one someone, several someone's as CRACK followed CRACK.

Harry and Hermione's wands flew into their raised hands and they stood shoulder to shoulder with AH safely behind them. From a side alley they could hear the discharge of spells, then a harsh woman's voice issuing orders. At the sound of that voice AH made an inarticulate cry of anger, and pushing passed Hermione ran towards the alley with the others in hot pursuit.

AH stopped in front of the entrance to the alley pointed his wand to cast a spell, when “Avada Kedavra” rang out from the depths of the alley.

Hermione was amazingly fast on her feet, she reached AH first, and grabbed him just as the green bolt of the killing curse left the alley and struck.

Harry, only a few yards behind, stared in horror; it all seemed to happen in slow motion. He could see Hermione reach AH and gather him protectively in her arms then the green flash as the curse hit them both. He saw Hermione stagger and drop to her knees dragging AH with her, and at the same time here was a brilliant blue flash which blinded him for a moment. In his blindness all he could hear was the sound of a body hitting the ground.

Harry's vision slowly returned, as his peripheral sight cleared he could see the buildings and street around him come back into focus. The picture burned on his retina of Hermione on her knees with AH fiercely held in her arms was still a blur.

The sound of running feet and the repeated CRACK of disapparation assailed his ears, and then in front of him he finally saw that which he thought he may never see again. Hermione was still on her knees and was swaying slightly, AH had his head buried in her hair and Harry could see the rise and fall of his shoulders as he sobbed. They were both still alive.

He crossed the few yards separating them, bent down and gently helped the both of them to their feet. Hermione was shaking violently, and grasped Harry round the neck for support. AH was still crying, and with his knuckles clenched to white, was tightly latched onto her robes. Harry looked down the alley to the black robed body that was lying face down in a puddle of water.

At that moment help arrived in the form of the rest of the Tyr, Snape and Solomon, who rushed up to them. Harry prised Hermione's arms from around his neck and motioned for Ron and Ginny to look after her. He walked into the alley with the Professors close on his heels, reaching the body he bent and grasped the black robes pulling the corpse over and onto its back. Snape gasped, but Harry gave a grunt of satisfaction, for staring up at them, her eyes vacant in death, was Bellatrix Lestrange, a victim of her own curse.

Of her fellow Death Eaters there was no sign, but there were two other bodies at the back of the alley surrounded by upset crates and boxes. These two were not dead, but had been heavily stunned; they had been unloading stock for one of the shops when the Death Eaters had arrived. Solomon in his guise as Dumbledore went to give them attention.

Cries of, “Harry! Harry!” drew Harry away and back to the small group at the mouth of the alley. Hermione was still very agitated and was calling for him.

“It's OK, I'm here” Harry reassured her as he took her from Ron, who had been trying to comfort her.

She clung to him as if her life depended on it, murmuring his name over and over again, her head pressed hard into his chest.

Harry looked around at his four friends “Look after AH for me, and get him back to school.” With that Harry closed his eyes for a moment, then he and Hermione vanished.

They reappeared in their common room, Harry cast his eyes around, and with a wandless transfiguration that McGonagall would not have believed him capable, turned one of the large desks into a bed. Hermione would not let go of him, so he manoeuvred her around to enable him to sit her down on the edge of the bed. Very gently he eased her grip and swung her legs up so that she could lay down, and then pulled himself up next to her.

Once before he had followed his common sense to heal this young woman, this time he reached out and placed his hand on her forehead. It was hot to his touch and little beads of perspiration made it damp under his palm. Closing his eyes he thought at her, but the usually welcoming open mind of his girlfriend was gone; her brain was frozen at the instant the killing curse had struck the shield that Hermione's Tear had produced. The only word he could read in her mind was the one she had been repeating over and over again… `Harry'… `Harry'…

He pushed against the barrier that was holding him back, and as it slowly gave way he tried to fill her mind with warmth and comfort. Then gently he projected his thoughts

`I am here Hermione, and I'm never going to leave you. You're safe now, it's all over.' He held that thought and repeated it again and again.

There was nothing from her to begin with and Harry began to worry he would not be able to reach her. Then as if the thought was coming from a great distance she replied, `Are you sure? I saw death Harry, it was coming for me and I was so scared, did it get me?'

`No my love you are fine, AH is fine, death found someone else to visit today. Open your eyes and look at me.'

Hermione responded to that gentle command and opened her eyes; there were two intensely green eyes staring back at her, mere inches from her own, filled with worry for her. Then a kiss so warm and tender, that the last vestiges of shock slipped away, she gasped “Oh Harry” and then the tears began to fall.

As Harry cradled her in his arms the tears dried, and he felt her relax and her breathing told him that she had fallen asleep. There was a quiet knock on the door from the Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry muttered the unlocking charm and said “Come in.”

The door opened a crack and Ron's head appeared round the edge. Harry beckoned him in, then put a finger to his lips telling him to be quiet. Ron entered followed by AH who ran over to the bed, then tentatively reached out to touch Hermione's head and gently stroked her hair. He looked up to Harry who could see the tears gathering in AH's eyes, and whispered “Is she going to be alright Harry?”

“Yes” came an equally quiet response “She's had a very nasty shock, but she's sleeping now” the relief in the boys eyes was immense “don't worry AH, Hermione will be fine.”

A glance at Ron told Harry that AH was not the only one that had been worrying about Hermione, they exchanged smiles. Then Ron gathered AH up and told Harry they would come back later.

“Thanks mate” said Harry “Thank the others for me.”

Ron nodded, and with AH in tow left the way they had come.

………………………………..

Voldemort was in a rage, and Draco was in hiding. Two of the six that had returned from Hogsmead with the news of Bellatrix's demise were dead themselves. The Dark Lord's vengeance was terrible to witness, and the fate of the two Death Eaters left Draco wondering if he should not run away, but deep down he knew that it was too late for that.

The source of the curse which had killed Bellatrix was laid firmly at the young boy who had appeared at the end of the alley way. All the survivors of the raid had clearly stated that he was the only one pointing a wand in their direction. They hadn't even time to set up the anti apparation ward round the village before the boy had appeared.

They assumed that the intervention of the Head Girl had only allowed the two of them to avoid Bellatrix's initial curse, but none of them had witnessed the curse being fired back because of the blinding flash that had preceded it. Draco heard all this and from his experience the year before knew that Granger had more to do with it than they thought, but he kept his own council.

Lucius Malfoy, whilst mourning the lost of his sister in law, was secretly rejoicing, for he was now Voldemort's second in command. It fell to him to organise the death of this child who had taken the Dark Lord's favourite, and he knew just who to send.

“Ah Draco, you know who this boy is, who so spectacularly rid us of your Aunt?”

“Yes father his name is Dibble, Potter and Granger are his, well, guardians, I suppose, he survived Aunt Bellatrix's attack on the orphanage.”

Lucius laughed “She always was a sloppy worker, and now her carelessness has cost her her own life. It has also given you a job.”

Draco began to worry at this. He wasn't going to take on Potter, or Granger for that matter, in an open attempt to get at Dibble. His father saw the fear in his son's eyes.

“Not to worry Draco, not for you to get your hands dirty,” the words dripped from Lucius like oil from a can. “Severus will do it, he will make it nice and messy, and in public. You just have to tell him… to give him his orders.”

The relief must have shown in his face for Lucius laughed again. “Only one more little thing Draco…”

“Yes father?”

“Don't get caught.” Lucius turned and left the room.

Draco stared after his father; he could hear his laughter, fading into the distance as Lucius walked away.

-->

Disclaimer

The characters and universe created by J.K.Rowling are hers alone. As imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I hope this story can be taken in that way. Some of the additional characters are mine, and who knows, some of them and the geographical locations, may even be real.

10. A Christmas Break

When the first noises of the school beginning another day roused Hermione from a deep sleep, she found herself in an unfamiliar bed but in familiar surroundings. In her half awake state she could see that she was in the Heads Common Room, though if that was the case, how was she in bed? Being in bed meant that she should be in the dormitory she had shared with Lavender and Pavarti these last seven years. Something was wrong, but she couldn’t remember what, her brain was still foggy with sleep.

Then she became aware of something else, no not something, but someone else, because there was warmth and movement from the person she was at that moment cuddled up to. The presence beside her was so comforting she knew who it was with out having to look, but despite that she raised her head just to confirm it, sure enough it was Harry. As she looked at him still peaceful in sleep, the events of the day before suddenly came back to her and for an instant she felt the panic rise and she cried out.

Slight though the sound was, Harry was immediately awake and was whispering comfort to her.

“It’s OK you’re both fine,” his voice soothed and reassured, so the panic receded, “do you remember anything?”

Hermione pushed herself up so that she was now sitting. Harry stretched trying to ease the kink in his back, and then reached for his glasses on the table next to the bed.

“Err… Yes I think so,” to be truthful it was all still a bit of a muddle in her mind, “I remember AH running out, then getting to him, to see a curse coming towards us, but there wasn’t time to dodge it.” Harry watched as she sorted through her memories.

“Then I felt so incredibly weak. It was as if I was being pulled away from myself, but something held me. Then all I remember is you Harry, hearing your name and seeing your face.”

“Do you know what curse you saw?” He was asking in a gentle way, unsure if he wanted her to have known or not.

“I think so but I don’t want to believe it, if I’m right I should be dead.”

She had all the confirmation she needed in Harry’s eyes, but he nodded slowly.

“Was it the necklace again? Do you think that it saved me, even from that?”

“Yes it saved both of you, the flash from it blinded me and…” he paused try to work out how to say it, “…the ones who attacked you. It also did what it did before and returned the curse to the sender.”

Hermione went a little pale, “That means?”...then she remembered that she was the one being attacked… “who?”

“Bellatrix Lestrange, that’s what set AH off. He recognised her voice from the attack on the orphanage,” Harry could see the concern in Hermione’s expression, “don’t worry yourself; she got what she deserved, if anything it was too easy for her.”

“No you’re right. It’s not her,” she said dismissively, “actually I was more worried about AH. You said he is… OK”

As if in affirmation of her statement the door, that led to the Gryffindor Common Room, opened and AH’s sandy haired head poked round it.

“Sorry, can I come in? said a youthful, but concerned voice, “the door wasn’t locked, and err…; I didn’t knock in case you were still asleep.”

This was to be the first of many visits from friends and well wishers. Some of whom knew the truth of the incident, and a few who just knew the Head Girl had been hurt protecting a first year, and wanted to show their support.

Some of the visits were more taxing than others. Madam Pomfrey was insistent on a full examination and Harry was unceremoniously turfed out into the main common room as it was ‘Not appropriate for him to stay’. Harry knew better that to argue and left. Fortunately no lasting damage was found, rest and tender loving care was all that was needed. Madam Pomfrey decided to leave that in Harry’s capable hands.

Solomon appeared later in the morning, grateful to be out of his disguise as Albus Dumbledore. Although he found Hermione’s survival remarkable he was not unduly surprised. He and the Headmaster has suspected that the stone called Hermione’s Tear would protect her, even against the killing curse, but had no way of being certain, and no way to test the theory. At least not one they were willing to try; now they knew for sure.

He deeply regretted that the other Death Eaters had escaped, if Voldemort listened to their story, Hermione and even AH may find themselves singled out for vengeance, but that couldn’t be helped. The loss of Bellatrix would, he hoped, throw Voldemort off balance and maybe lead to other mistakes.

The Headmaster didn’t visit, but Professor McGonagall brought a note from him which carried just two words ‘Well done’.

Late in the afternoon there was a knock on the main doors to the Heads Common Room. Hermione was up now and the bed returned to its former shape as a desk, she and Harry were sitting on their old sofa enjoying the warmth of the fire.

Hermione looked round, “Come in.”

The door swung open and standing in the doorway was Professor Snape. To say that Harry and Hermione were surprised was nothing compared to the astonishment when Snape spoke. His clipped speech held no warmth but seemed sincere.

“I am pleased to see you have recovered, Miss Granger,” he appeared to have difficulty in knowing what to say next, “I would like to offer you my thanks.”

He gave a smile you would expect from a face unused to smiling, and as quickly as he had opened the doors, he closed them again and was gone.

“Well,” said Hermione unsure if what she had just seen and heard had really happened, “that was unexpected; I wonder what brought that on?”

Harry was still staring at the closed doors, his mouth open in shock and surprise; he looked from the doors to Hermione then back again. “Bloody Hell!” was all he could come up with.

Harry had watched Hermione carefully in the days that followed the Hogsmead incident. Apart from tiring easily in the first few days there was nothing wrong with her. AH it appeared suffered even less, after one good night’s sleep he had been his normal self.

As to why each was affected differently? Madam Pomfrey thought it was possible that subconsciously Hermione had realised the full implications of being hit by the killing curse, and had not really expected her necklace to save her. AH, on the other hand, had told Madam Pomfrey that once Hermione had reached him he knew he would be safe and so he suffered none of the psychological stress which had affected Hermione, it was a simple as that.

Now, with Hermione back to her old self, Harry could concentrate on his two most pressing problems. The location of the Black Mansion was still a mystery. It was mentioned in the books but only that it was hidden and unplotable. Harry knew that somewhere in his vault, amongst all the things he had inherited from Sirius, would be the answer.

His other problem still resided in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry, and despite Umbridge, he knew he had to get back in there. Even though he felt he was relying on his defence Professor more than he should, Harry trod the well worn path to his door.

“It would seem obvious to me Harry, you need to go to London and sort these problems out,” Solomon said, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Sometimes, Harry thought, Solomon was deliberately unhelpful. “Yes, I know, but how?”

“Well you have your own method of getting around, use it and go,” he said nonchalantly.

“But what about getting permission, planning for our safety, and deciding what to do when we get there?” said Harry.

“Sorry Harry. I didn’t think you usually bothered with that sort of thing,” then on seeing the pained expression on Harry’s face, he paused…. “tactless remark, sorry again Harry,” Solomon regarded the young man in front of him, “Look, you are well capable of looking after yourself. Hermione has an unassailable defence in her necklace, and both of you are of age. As long as you think about what you are doing first, you will be fine.”

“So you won’t try to stop us going?” Harry asked with surprise.

“No, and I will help you when you go to the Ministry. You may need someone to run a bit of interference for you,” Solomon said raising his eyebrows, “call me when you have found the location of The Black Mansion, and I will come to you.”

Harry had a quick word with Ron, and told him that he and Hermione would be away for a few days. Harry wanted to make sure that Ron and the other members of the Tyr would mind the shop, and keep a close eye on AH.

“We should be back before Christmas Day,” said Harry, “but if not there are some presents for you all in the bottom of that big chest in our room.”

“No problems Harry, you didn’t really have to ask, you know,” Ron said seriously, we’ll be fine, just leave it to me.”

Harry looked at his oldest friend, who was face was now cracked by an evil little grin. “Yeah…right!” and Harry rolled his eyes.

…………………………..

Hermione had already packed a few things for them both in a small bag and was waiting for Harry in their common room.

“All ready Harry, but how are we getting there? Are we catching the Knight Bus?” she asked.

“No, the Knight Bus always makes me feel sick, we’re going to use my silent apparation. You’ve seen me do it before. It’s how I got to Mum and Dad’s,” he said referring to Hermione’s parents, “you know, last Christmas, and it’s how I managed to get to the Shrieking Shack before Pettigrew arrived with you, and I’ve used it a few times in the Castle as well. It’s also the way we got back here after Hogsmead.” Hermione had her ‘more explanation please before I try something weird look’ so Harry tried. “Solomon calls it ‘peragating’, he thinks what I do is to move sideways into a world similar to the one where Avalon is. Then staying in this ‘other world’ I travel to where I want to go then step back into our world. From my point of view I just picture where I want to be, and there I am.”

“So that’s why wards and other anti-apparation charms don’t stop you. Oh it’s so easy, I understand now.” Hermione looked as happy as if she had just finished a twelve scroll essay and it had been marked O.

The perplexed expression that had appeared on Harry’s face as he had tried to explain the process lifted, and he smiled at Hermione. “Well I’m glad you’re happy, I was never really sure I understood it all.”

He grabbed the bag with one hand and Hermione with the other, said “Hold tight”

and the common room dissolved around them to be replaced by the Hallway of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place.

………………………………..

This was their second visit to Gringotts in as many days and the pile of boxes and wrapped items in Harry and Hermione’s vault seemed no smaller. They had made one or two rather unpleasant discoveries. A large box filled with preserved House Elf heads, similar to the ones which had once graced Grimmauld Place, and a glass case which you could hang on a wall, filled with Hags ears, complete with ear rings, were both put in the pile marked ‘To be disposed of’. That pile had slowly grown, and Harry was about to add a very dirty painting to it, when looking a little closer at the canvass he gave a shout of success.

“Yes! Hermione look at this.”

The painting was hardly visible through the layers of grime. Only one small patch was clear enough to see a pointed tower with hexagonal windows in it. Hermione carefully cleaned the painting with a light cleansing charm so that the paint would not be stripped as well as the dirt. Slowly, in all its depressing glory, the Black Family Mansion became visible, and the legend at the bottom, written by the artist, declared

‘Black House 1850. Black Combe. Cumbria.’

“Harry, have you brought that muggle map with you?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, I’ve two that cover Cumbria”, he replied, “but we only need the one with the coast line on it, it’s in the bag over there.”

Hermione fumbled for a moment in the bag, then pulled out several maps. She discarded all but one which she opened up. It took her no time at all, running her finger down the coast line and stopping near the small village of Whicham. Just to the north, rising to a height of two thousand feet, was Black Combe. They had found it.

Harry grabbed Hermione by the hand, and pulled her to her feet.

“Right let’s go. Are you ready?”

“Whoa Harry! not so fast,” she took a step back from him, “think for a moment. We can’t leave now, there’s all this mess, and the vault’s still open. We need to plan what we we’re going to do,” she could see the impatience in him, but knew it had to be controlled, “the house won’t run away, it will still be there in an hour or so. Remember what you promised Solomon.”

Harry stopped his agitated pacing and closed his eyes. “Damn! I’m doing it again. I’m sorry Hermione, you’re right. Let’s close up here and go back to Grimmauld Place, but I do want to find out exactly where the house is before we tell Solomon.”

The Goblin who had brought them down had taken the opportunity of having a nap whilst they had been searching the vault. He was propped up between two pillars, and Harry went to him and woke him up. The Goblin told them that they only had to lock the vault; the pile of discarded items would be dealt with by the cleaning squad.

Harry didn’t want to risk peragating directly home from the vault, partly because he might cause consternation among the Goblins if he could do it, and partly because he wasn’t sure if it was possible anyway. So they returned to the main hallway in the small carriage and left Gringotts by the front door. They peragated back to Grimmauld Place and then settled in the kitchen with the map spread over the table.

Hermione was studying the map so closely that her hair fanned out over it and Harry couldn’t see a thing. He was just about to give her a poke in the back to remind her that he was still there, when she straightened up.

“Have we got a broom here, Harry?” she asked.

“Yes I left my Firebolt here, it’s upstairs, but we don’t want to fly there, it’ll take too long and it’s much too cold.”

“No, I agree, but it might be useful to have it when we get there. This Black Combe covers quite an area, we’ll never find the house on foot.”

Harry could see the sense it this, the views of the house they had seen in the speculator showed that it was surrounded by trees; it would certainly be hard to see from the ground.

“Where should we err…peragate to, this village here? she pointed to a small collection of buildings south of the Combe, “Whicham?”

Harry looked down at the map. “No we could appear right in front of some muggle if we do that. Umm…here, there’s a railway bridge on this little road which stops just before the coast. It’s nearer to Whitbeck,” he pointed to a spot on the map, “there, see it?”

“OK, looks good,” said Hermione, “you get the broom and I’ll get our cloaks.”

Within a few minutes they were standing cloaked, Harry with his broom under one arm and Hermione firmly grasped with the other.

“Ready?” he said.

“Yes… Harry? have you ever done this…” The kitchen walls dissolved around them and the biting cold of a Cumbrian December hit them as they appeared on the bridge… “from a map before?”

“Err…No,” he smiled at her, “but it seems to work.”

It looked as if they would have light for another couple of hours, so they disillusioned each other and the broom, and rose slowly into the air.

The seaward face of the Combe climbed dramatically to its peak, but to the north and south the slope was gentler. Trees covered the lower parts of the Combe but stopped about three quarters of the way up, leaving a bald grass covered summit.

Harry swung the broom away from the muggle houses that could be seen to the south and started to search to the north. Luck was with them; after about twenty minutes flying they discovered that on the north side of the Combe was a small valley, which was very heavily wooded.

Harry had flown the broom along the tree line knowing that the house would be below them, as they crossed the head of the little valley he caught a glimpse of a roof. He kept a good distance away, but by manoeuvring around more and more of the house came into sight. There, as it had on three previous occasions, the tower with the hexagonal windows confirmed the identification.

“Great Harry,” Hermione’s teeth were chattering, “can we go back now…Please,” she begged.

Harry rolled the broom around, smiled as he felt Hermione’s fingers dig into his chest as she clung tightly to him, and swooped over the crest of the Combe and back to the little bridge.

Back in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place they sipped on steaming mugs of chocolate that Dobby had made for them, and Harry marked the map with a bold cross. Harry looked across at Hermione, the colour was beginning to come back to her cheeks.

“Well, one down, now all we have to do is sort out the problem at the Ministry,” her eyes smiled at him over her mug, “I suppose we ought to get in touch with Solomon.” he said.

…………………………

Solomon arrived two days later, shaking the snow off his cloak as he came through the front door. He looked tired and grim, but brightened when he saw Harry and Hermione waiting at the foot of the stairs.

“Hello you two, can’t say I’m not impressed, good bit of detective work,” he handed his cloak to Dobby, who nearly disappeared under the bulk of it, “shall we go to the sitting room? We need to have a little talk.”

They all climbed the stairs, Solomon brining up the rear. Harry knew that from Solomon's behaviour they were not going to hear good news. On a previous occasion his ‘little talk’ had concerned the Headmaster, and Harry feared that this was to be the subject again.

“It’s Dumbledore, isn’t it,” said Harry heavily, once they were sitting in the comfortable chairs by the fire.

“Yes Harry I’m afraid it is,” Hermione gave a gasp and covered her mouth with her hand, afraid of what Solomon was going to say, “he has had a relapse. Madam Pomfrey isn’t sure if he will last more than another couple of months, and if he was to have another bout like this last one,…well it could be before then,” Solomon tried to sound hopeful, “Severus is trying something different, but these new potions carry more risk to the Headmaster. I just wish I had better news. Unfortunately that’s not all…”

“We’re on our own with the Ministry, aren’t we?” Harry finished for him.

Solomon nodded. “The Headmaster couldn’t keep his illness from Amelia Bones any longer, she is now the de facto Head of the Ministry, Albus just hasn’t officially resigned. But you’re right, he can’t help us this time.”

“So what are we going to do?” Hermione asked.

“Go in anyway.” said Harry firmly. “…But…,” he gave both of them a look, “we make a plan first.”

Harry and Solomon Aegis thought through what they needed to achieve, and Hermione delved into the Order’s extensive library, which had found a home at Grimmauld Place. It was decided that in order to meet as few Ministry personnel as possible, they would go in on Christmas Day.

Harry would take them in as close as he could to the room in the Department of Mysteries, Solomon would keep a look out while Harry and Hermione did, well whatever needed doing, with the ball and the golden lights it contained. It wasn’t much of a plan, as there were still a lot of unknowns, but it was a plan of sorts.

11. Toad in the Hole

Early Christmas morning Harry, Hermione and Solomon stood in a circle, holding hands, in the middle of the sitting room of Grimmauld Place. Hermione was carrying a small bag with its strap over her shoulder. In it was the crystal pyramid, which they assumed was the only real object they could use to communicate with the golden lights. Harry took a deep breath, closed his eyes and imagined himself in the corridor of the Department of Mysteries. With no sense of movement at all, they were standing outside the barred and locked door to the room deep in the ministry building.

“Well done Harry, I wasn’t sure you’d be able to get this close, I had expected the Ministry would have been better protected,” said Aegis, “still, we will make use of all the advantages we have.” He looked quickly up and down the empty corridor. “What about getting into the room Harry? If you can peragate to the other side of the door, with a bit of luck the alarms won’t go off. I’ll stay here and guard your back.”

Solomon slipped a little way down the corridor and into the shadow of another doorway. Harry kept a tight hold of Hermione, worked his magic, and moments later they were inside the room. The glass ball was as before, with the thousands of golden lights lazily moving around inside.

“OK, what do we do now?” said Harry.

“Well there was absolutely nothing in any of the books I looked at about this,” she said, “so I guess we try the pyramid.”

Hermione took the crystal out of the bag and held it in front of her. As she had done on the top of the Tor, she tried to push her mind into the pyramid. It was much easier than the last time, the crystal accepted her immediately and she was drawn into its depths. The whispering voices were clearer than they ever had been, she could hear the instructions they were giving her, but could not act on them because she suddenly found she could not move. She listened again, and then she understood what was needed.

“Harry,” Hermione’s voice sounded distant, “Could you pick me up, I want to be closer to the ball.”

Although the request was a bit strange, Harry had sense enough to understand that he was not party to everything that was affecting Hermione. So he did as she asked, with one arm behind her knees and one under her arms, he picked her up as easily as one would a child. Cradling her in his arms like that, he took a step towards the ball.

“One more Harry”

He complied, but then he was distracted, as from the corridor outside, came the sound of shouting and the discharge of spells. Harry was tempted to turn away from the ball but Hermione said in her dreamy voice.

“One more Harry”

Hermione’s body was now pressed against the surface of the ball and the lights inside were moving frenetically. The noises outside rose to a crescendo and culminated in a very loud BANG, which made the doors rattle on their hinges.

Hermione was quite unaware of all this commotion, and said, “One more Harry”

This was pointless, they couldn’t go any further forward, Harry leaned himself and Hermione against the ball while he thought, and he felt the glassy surface give. He almost fell forward and to stop himself falling he instinctively took a step. It was like wading through deep water, he could feel the glass holding him as he slowly passed through it, then with a POP he and Hermione were inside the ball and the lights had stopped moving.

Hermione woke from her dream state and gave Harry a quick kiss on the cheek, then whispered in his ear, “It’s OK now, you can put me down.”

As he did so the doors behind them flew open and the room was suddenly full of wizards. The wall of glass between Harry, Hermione and the room made all the noise out there sound muffled, but it didn’t prevent them from seeing clearly. Through the doors they could see that the corridor was a mess, bits of masonry and wood from the panelling were strewn across the floor. Lying against the far wall, his head covered in blood, was Solomon; he didn’t seem to be moving.

Harry dragged his attention to the wizards in the room. There were, maybe, ten of them, standing in a loose circle; some were swaying on their feet showing the signs of the recent battle and of being of re-enervated. All were covered in dust. Closest to him, separated from him only by the glass wall, was Dolores Umbridge.

She was obviously shouting, but her voice was no more than a murmur, she looked so comical her mouth opening and closing and hardly making a sound that Harry almost laughed, then he remembered Solomon and he scowled at her. He pointedly turned his back on her and looked to Hermione. He could see the worry in her eyes for Solomon but he knew they must finish this now. He would worry later.

“What now?” he said to her.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

‘No plan Harry, I’m surprised at you.’ A voice sounded in Harry’s mind that was so familiar and although there was no reason for Harry to ever hear that voice again he wasn’t surprised.

‘Sirius, thought it was you I heard before,’ Harry looked around for the source of the voice, “where are you? Do you know what is going on?”

From the mass of golden lights one floated forward and stopped in front of Harry’s face.

‘Yes, but not here, we need to leave before your ex-Headmistress starts throwing things.’

‘Err…OK but how?’

‘You and Hermione,…Hi Hermione,’ Sirius threw the thought in her direction,… ‘should be able to use your special method of apparating. Give it a go and we’ll hitch a ride.’

Harry wasn’t quite prepared for what happened next. The golden lights descended on him much as they had on the Tor, but now they were really here, not an image and they were heavy. As they settled on him his legs began to sag the weight was truly incredible, but Harry held on and carried the load. He slowly turned to look for Solomon. He was being dragged away by a couple of wizards and he looked in a bad way. Harry thought he saw his legs moving so he was still alive, and he hoped he would be alright.

Umbridge came into his field of vision, her eyes were popping out of her head and she had gone a very peculiar colour. Harry gave her a look that would have stopped a rampaging Hippogriff in its tracks, and then he felt Hermione put her hand in his and they were gone.

Hermione thought they would find themselves back at Grimmauld Place, but she was wrong. Instead they were standing in a very pretty garden belonging to a small white cottage. On all sides gently rolling grass-covered hills isolated the cottage from the surrounding countryside. There were no signs of habitation apart from this one dwelling; the cottage could have been the only one on the planet. Even in the depths winter the garden was pretty. Snowdrops were showing and even the odd daffodil was poking its head above ground, though not brave enough to flower. It may have been late December, but it was warm enough for a day in spring.

The lights left Harry, and he breathed a sigh of relief as the weight left his body, and he watched them as they whirled around the garden before settling on and amongst the plants. Harry thought they looked rather like Christmas tree decorations, twinkling in the sunlight, it made him smile.

Hermione didn’t take her eyes off Harry, something was affecting him, it was making him relax and he seemed so happy as he looked around the garden. Then it suddenly occurred to her what it might be.

“Harry where are we?” she asked, fairly sure of the answer.

He smiled, “Godrics Hollow, great isn’t it?”

“I think it’s beautiful.”

‘Err…sorry to interrupt you two, but this place tends to distract people when they first come here, we need to talk, err...well think or whatever’ came Sirius’ unmistakable thought.

Harry and Hermione seated themselves on a bench under the bare branches of a willow tree. The single golden light hovered between them.

‘So what gives?’ thought Harry. ‘And why are you here?’

‘Well it’s not very complicated so I’ll try and explain,’ Sirius’ thoughts paused while he worked out the best way of describing the almost indescribable, ‘when I passed through the veil I met someone and we had a little chat. I was given the choice to continue with my journey or to return to the sphere to wait with the others to help you. Naturally I chose to help, so here I am, a sort of go between.’

‘Between who, or what, Sirius?’ thought Hermione.

‘Between Harry and the souls of the dead.’ It was clear they didn’t understand. ‘The little golden lights.’ was thought by way of explanation. ‘that is what they are.’

Hermione furrowed her brow, ‘I would have thought that there would be more of them,’ she thought, ‘you know, so many people have died, there can’t be one here for each of them surely?’

‘No my dear you’re correct, as usual, these aren’t the souls of all the dead, these are the souls of Voldemort’s dead,’ Sirius’ thought held the promise of more information.

‘But why are they still here? Why haven’t they moved on as you could have?’ was the mental question she asked.

‘Let’s see where to start?...OK have you heard of the Inferius?’

‘Yes,’ thought Hermione, ‘they are the living dead, people that Voldemort has killed but somehow he keeps their bodies alive.’

Harry could feel he was going to lose the thread of this conversation.

‘That’s right, just like those kissed by the Dementors Harry,’ Sirius thought to him, trying to keep him in the discussion, ‘alive but empty. Now it is assumed that the Inferius have no soul. Well actually they have a tiny infinitesimal piece of soul left, which is why they can be controlled. The little golden lights are the rest of those souls, but because there is this little bit missing they can’t continue their journey. They will help you defeat Voldemort, because he has something they need. He was the one who created them but he doesn’t know he has done it, you can stop him Harry, but they have the power to destroy him utterly.’

‘The power he knows not’ thought Hermione.

‘Yes lass you could say that, Is it significant?’ Sirius asked.

Then the implications began to dawn on Harry ‘I don’t have to kill him I just have to stop him?’ It was the one thing that had always worried Harry; he had killed once before, but it was in the heat of the moment and it was unintentional. He couldn’t imagine the hate you would have to build up to use the killing curse. Now hopefully he would never be in that position. He was so relieved and both Sirius and Hermione could feel the happiness as he realised he would not have to become likeVoldemort in order to defeat him.

‘That’s it Harry’ reassured Sirius, ‘once he is stopped then they will help you, I’ll tell you how……………’

By the end of the afternoon both Harry and Hermione could see a glimmer of hope in their efforts to rid the world of Tom Riddle.

As they stood to go the light that was Sirius Black gave them one last thought. ‘We will stay here until we are needed, then all you have to do is call. Hermione can use the pyramid to do that. We can be with you in seconds.’

Harry looked at that wavering golden light, ‘Are you happy Sirius?’ he made no answer, but in his mind Harry could see him smile.

…………………………………

They were back in Grimmauld Place by early evening and now Harry knew it was time to worry about Solomon. They didn’t know if he had been badly injured or where he was. Had Solomon been well and in full control, neither of them doubted he would have been back by now. They couldn’t think that Umbridge would have anything like the power to hold him.

Typically, and possibly because it was Christmas Day there were no members of the Order passing through the house, so there was no one to help. Both of them tried thinking at him, they had used that method of communication many times before, but even with the power of Hermione’s Tear and the pyramid they couldn’t find him.

They were just about to give up for the night when Harry thought it was getting a little foggy in the sitting room. He looked up and gave Hermione a nudge and drew her attention to a mist that was forming in the middle of the room. It solidified and out of it stepped Lady Niniane followed by a very agitated large black dog.

“Where is Solomon? Compass is most unhappy, it not like Solomon to leave him for so long,” she sounded rather cross.

“We don’t know, we’ve tried, but we can’t find him.” Harry said, then he and Hermione launched into a tale of the day’s events.

When they had finished Lady Niniane said nothing but reached into her robes and took out what looked like a wand, but as she held it in her hand it grew in length and thickness until it took on the proportions of a staff, as long as Lady Niniane was tall. The material that made up the shaft was almost transparent but held within it was something that was moving, it sparkled with this movement and gave off a dim electric blue light. The head piece of the staff was a golden pentagram, Harry had seen only one like that before, it nestled in the mind of his girlfriend and Harry had been the one who had made it.

“This is the staff of Avalon,” said Lady Niniane, “if Solomon is alive, and there is nothing to suggest otherwise, then this will find him. Come hold the staff.”

Harry and Hermione reached out and gripped the staff with Lady Niniane; she was holding it upright in front of her, with both her hands. As they made contact they left the sitting room of Grimmauld Place, they were only moving with their minds, but the speed with which they travelled left Harry breathless. Their minds flitted from place to place in a blur, stopping only for an instant, and then moving on again. To Harry it was very like the sensation of a trip on the Knight Bus, exhilarating but nauseous.

Suddenly the movement stopped. They were in a small room with two occupants. One was tied in a chair, blood still covering his face, while the other walked back and forth barking questions and occasionally stopping to pour potion into her captive’s mouth. Solomon was hurt and drugged and Delores Umbridge was pumping him for information.

“Do you have the location Harry?” asked Lady Niniane.

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Then go and bring him to me.” It may have been a request, or an order, but it didn’t matter; nothing was going to keep Harry from getting Solomon back. Harry stepped back from the staff and took Hermione by the hand and they were gone. They didn’t appear in the room, but in the narrow dark passageway outside the door.

Harry kept his voice low “You stand over there on the other side of the door, when I blow it wait until I’ve lured Umbridge out, then go to Solomon. I’ll come back when I’ve dealt with her.”

Hermione nodded, she felt so proud of Harry, he had learned his lesson. Now he thought before he acted, and once the lesson was learned, he used it to its full advantage. Harry stood by the door, drew his wand and cried ‘Bombarda’. The door vanished in a flurry of splinters, and Harry saw Umbridge, in the corner of the room picking herself up from the floor.

Faking a voice close to panic, Harry yelled at Solomon, totally ignoring the fact that he was tied in his chair. “Hurry Professor, get up, we must get away now, I don’t think I can beat her, come on, run, run.”

Umbridge recovered herself quickly and smiled, like with Snape it was not a pleasant sight, “Oh no Mr. Potter, your Professor isn’t going anywhere, and soon you can join him, I’m sure you have lots to tell me,” Umbridge said with glee, “you didn’t imagine I would post a 24 hour guard on the department after your last little escapade, did you Mr Potter? your mistake,” she was trying to goad him, “planning, that is what is important, Mr. Potter; I plan everything, unlike you, and that again is your mistake, Mr Potter.”

Harry backed away from the door and down the passage away from Hermione’s hiding place. Umbridge bustled after him, cooing at him to stop and not run away.

“Well if you won’t stop, I will have to stop you. ‘INCARCEROUS’. ”

The spell shot from the end of Umbridge’s wand straight towards Harry. One flick of his hand and the spell was deflected to one side to crash harmlessly into the wall.

Umbridge was not one to be put off lightly, ‘IMPEDIMENTA’, ‘STUPEFY’ ‘PETRIFICUS TOTALUS’, all sped down the passage and all received the same treatment. Harry could see her will gathering ‘CRUCIO’ she cried and Harry knew she meant it, but he was in no mood to let her get the better of him, and the unforgivable curse faired no better than any of the others. He deflected it and it disappeared down the corridor, screaming as it went.

It began to dawn on Delores that maybe she had made a mistake, she was not dealing with the same Harry Potter she had dominated in his fifth year; this was quite a different creature. Harry stood quietly now, he had seen Hermione go into the room to Solomon. He gazed with contempt at the bloated corrupt witch in front of him. He hated her for what she had done to him in the fifth year, for what she had done to the school and the Headmaster, and now for what she had done to Solomon. He thought of all the things he could do to this poor excuse for a human being. Perhaps this is how you had to feel, Harry had never hated anyone this much, he knew now what he could do, and only one thing was appropriate.

“You forgot one thing, Delores,” Harry said in a chilling voice, “people change.”

He summoned all his power so that the energy began to crackle around his head, he lifted his wand and he could now see the fear in her eyes. He cast the spell which hit her square in the chest, it lifted Delores Umbridge off her feet and she crashed down on her back. She lay there, still, with her eyes wide open, but they were eyes that were blank of all comprehension.

Hermione had rushed to Solomon’s side as soon as the way was clear. She looked anxiously at him, and then the relief flooded through her. Although there was a lot of blood the cut on his forehead, though long, was not deep. The two bottles on the table gave testament to the fact that he had been given some Veritaserum, and a sommulus potion that would have caused enough drowsiness to prevent anyone from using their magic. By the way it was hanging, Hermione thought, Solomon had broken his arm as well.

The sounds of the one sided battle in the passageway caught her attention. She heard Umbridge’s spells and the detonations as Harry deflected them. Then she could feel Harry gathering his magic, it was almost as if he was drawing power from the air around him, it was an immense amount of power. NO, he couldn’t do that, not even to that awful woman. Voldemort may be legitimate target but Umbridge didn’t deserve that, not from Harry. Hermione scrambled to her feet, rushed towards the door as Harry spoke.

“OBLIVIATE!” he cried, and all Delores Umbridge’s memories vanished from her mind for ever.

Then he was standing in the doorway and Hermione threw her arms around his neck and pulled him to her.

“Oh Harry. Oh Harry. I thought you were…” she hesitated.

“Going to kill her?” he smiled, “I thought you knew me better than that.”

“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to doubt you. You built so much power I thought….”

“Yeah I know, but she’s not worth that.” he gave her a bit of a sideways look, “I can’t say it didn’t cross my mind though,” he looked over her shoulder at Solomon, “how’s the old man?”

“I think he’ll be fine, but we ought to get him home.”

Seconds later the three of them were back in the sitting room of Grimmauld Place and Harry and Hermione gently lowered Solomon onto the sofa. Compass was overjoyed to see him and cavorted around the room wagging his tail and barking fit to burst. Lady Niniane took one look at her beaten and very drowsy son and began to summon the nimbus limen.

“We’ll take him to Avalon, the healers there will set him right,” she considered the two youngsters, “you had better come with us and spend the remainder of Christmas with your mother and father, I am sure they will be pleased to see you.”

She was of course referring to Natalie and David Granger, and she was correct in her assumption. The Grangers were ecstatic to see them both. Hermione’s parents hadn’t expected to see either of them until after the end of the school year, and to be truthful were very worried that they may never have seen them again. Hermione’s reunion with her mum was rather tearful, Harry and David tried to keep stiff upper lips but it was very difficult. Harry loved the closeness of his adoptive family; this was what he was fighting for, the chance to live in peace and harmony for the rest of his life.

Much later Harry was sitting on the side of Hermione’s bed; they were talking while she was brushing the tangles out of her hair. Once she had finished she climbed on the bed and Harry snuggled down beside her. He had only meant to stay a few minutes to wish her a good night, but in each others arms the events of the day caught up with them, and they both fell asleep.

David Granger on his way up to bed glanced through the open door of Hermione’s room. He stood there looking down on the pair of them; they were so peaceful and so deeply asleep; he didn’t want to disturb them. He walked to the bed and pulled a blanket up to cover them, then turning to leave the room found his wife standing in the doorway, with tears falling freely down her face. He smiled sadly at her, then took her by the hand and led her to their room; both of them had a hope deep in their hearts that their children would be alive to stay with them next Christmas.

a/n The chapter title is a reference to an English culinary delight, which has little connection with the story other than Delores Umbridge’s facial features.

Solomon.

12. The Best Laid Plans

Solomon had the chance to tell his tale, as much as he could remember, as he was recuperating in the Healer Hall in Avalon. It was a light airy building, all on one floor with large windows looking out onto the meadows and hills beyond. Harry, Hermione, and to Solomon’s embarrassment, Lady Niniane were in attendance.

He described how not long after Harry and Hermione had entered the ‘ball room’ half a dozen or more wizards had come boiling round the corner of the corridor firing stunners as they came. He thought there must have been a hidden alarm, because those attacking him were certainly ready for a fight. Solomon had held his own against the ministry wizards, stunning each of them, some more than once, but with so many in the group they kept re-enervating each other. He was having a hard job of it keeping up with them. Then whether it was by design or pure accident a reductor charm hit the ceiling above Solomon’s head.

With all the rubble falling about him, Solomon forgot one of the basic rules; don’t try to stop large bricks with a small shield. As it had been with Ginny, the result was a broken arm, and being somewhat distracted by the pain Solomon had let his shield slip and was hit by several stunners. By the time they had worn off he was incarcerated in the small room with Umbridge, and she had dosed him with the potions Hermione had found. The rest they knew.

He listened with eagerness to the tale Harry and Hermione had to tell. The origin of the lights intrigued him, fractured souls, no wonder the Ministry had sat on their existence, they wouldn’t have had any idea as to what they were. The news that Sirius was involved didn’t surprise him as much as Harry thought it would.

“I met him once, a long time ago,” Solomon said, “he was a man with very great tenacity, it doesn’t surprise me that given the choice he would stick with you.”

Harry was burning to ask Solomon if he had ever met any other of Sirius’ contemporaries, but he was always unsure as to how much he wanted to find out about the past, so he felt he would keep that one for another time.

Solomon was very impressed with the way Harry and Hermione had handled his rescue and ruled that the justice handed out to Delores Umbridge was probably better than she deserved.

“We will have to see if there is any fallout from her predicament,” said Solomon, “but given her record, and the fact she tried an unforgivable curse on you Harry, I don’t think we will hear any more about it.”

“How will anyone know what she was up to?” Harry was despondent; he knew only too well his record with things Ministry.

“The answers all in the wand Harry, remember Prior Incantato,” Solomon reminded him, “the Ministry may not like the answers but they will find out what happened. I will make sure of it.”

Fortunately Solomon healed quickly, with his arm repaired and the potions cleared from his body, the day after the New Year started, saw him in company with Harry and Hermione demisting back to Hogwarts.

Once back at school Harry and Hermione headed directly for the Gryffindor Common Room, and found Ron and the others sitting round the fire trying to keep warm. They all decamped into the Heads Common Room and Harry and Hermione brought them up to date with all their news.

“We’re getting close to having all the pieces of this plan together,” said Harry to the others, “we just have to decide when.”

“But Harry,” said Ginny, “all this still depends on Voldemort taking the, err… bait,” she gave him an apologetic look, “I mean following you, and he won’t do that until he is ready. We need to be able to let him know you’re coming, to give him time, and I can’t see how we are going to do that.”

Harry agreed, their easy route to Voldemort was Draco, and it seemed unlikely that he would be back to school. There was always the possibility of using Professor Snape, but there were dangers in that for him as well.

As they walked into the Great Hall for breakfast the following morning, all their problems were solved, for to their surprise, sitting at the Slytherin table was Draco Malfoy, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to be there. Harry had to fight the impulse to have a go at the young Death Eater, but Solomon had caught Harry’s eye. Harry had seen the Professor looking from himself to Draco and shaking his head ever so slightly. Harry took that to mean leave well alone. He ushered the others to the Gryffindor table and away from any potential trouble.

“Of all the nerve,” said Ron, “coming back here and him a …”

“Remember Ron, nobody but us knows what he is,” said Hermione, trying to placate her friend, “at least it means we have our point of contact back, so it’s not all bad.”

“Umm…” Harry was deep in thought, staring hard at a piece of toast on his plate. “All we have to do is work out how to use him, we mustn’t lose this opportunity.”

Hermione laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Give it some time Harry, we’ll work something out, you’ll see.”

As the first weeks of term passed quietly, Hermione had a good opportunity to study Draco. She had the beginnings of an idea and she knew for it to work she would need Draco’s cooperation. She used the speculator to watch him, sometimes not even having a break for meals, and she found that at least in the Great Hall he was watching them as much as she was watching him, and then she knew what to do. She spoke to Harry that evening.

“I think I have a way of tricking Voldemort,” she said, “you need to visit your inheritance Harry, and you need Draco to know that is what you are going to do.”

Harry questioned her with a look, “Run that by me again.”

“OK… we decide when we want to set everything in motion. You tell us in the Great Hall that on such and such date you are going to visit Black House, because it’s yours now and you want to see it.”

“OK so far,” said Harry, “but where’s this going Hermione?”

“Well the rest of us pretend that we don’t know anything about it, so to explain you show us the painting of the House we found. Draco’s bound to see you doing that, he’s watching us very carefully, so even if he doesn’t know what Voldemort’s lair is really called, he is bound to recognise it.”

“So I will have a legitimate reason to go to Black House, apparently not knowing I am walking into a trap, and we can set the date we want.”

“Yes!”

“Brilliant,” said Harry, “but he would expect you and maybe some of the others to come with me.” He creased his brow in thought, Hermione waited patiently for his plan to form. “No he won’t, because we will make him think I am going on my broom, and that I’m not asking permission. If we all went we’d be missed, so you’re going to cover for me and I will go on my own.”

She looked at him with admiration, “See how much better it is when you have plans, you can see exactly where you are going, and how to get there.”

Harry didn’t entirely agree. “Problem is that now I can see where it could all go wrong. When I did everything on impulse I didn’t know that, so I never worried about it, until afterwards.”

Hermione laughed, “OK so when.”

Harry’s mood changed, he knew he could be picking the day on which he could die. He put that out of his mind; that was not the way to think. He was picking the day on which he would defeat Voldemort.

He didn’t look up as he said, “The last Saturday in March, the twenty fifth.” He glanced up into a pair of calm brown eyes, full of confidence in him. Harry smiled, “Thanks, it means a lot.” he said, responding to the unspoken encouragement, “now, I must talk to Dumbledore and Solomon, I need to clear it with them first.”

The meeting with the Headmaster was uncomfortable for Harry. Each time he had seen him he had looked worse, now he had to strain his ears to hear the old man’s words.

“End of March it is then Harry,” Dumbledore wheezed, “Severus can keep me going that long, then I can take that.” His bony finger pointed to a small bottle on his desk, the liquid in it was a sullen dark red colour, it looked like the last potion a dying man should take.

The old man regarded the boy he loved more than life itself. “Don’t worry Harry, all will be well, in the end everything will be wonderful, you’ll see.”

Harry wasn’t sure why he did it, but he stood and walked to stand in front of his Headmaster. He knelt down and bowed his head to him. Dumbledore stretched out a wavering hand and placed it on his head. There was a moments silence as Harry received the old man’s blessing. Then Harry heard the words he had heard so many times before. “Now off you go.”

Harry left the study, turning as he opened the door to look back at Dumbledore sitting behind his desk, momentarily lit by a shaft of sunlight. Fawkes still resplendent in his red and gold plumage was perched on the back of Dumbledore’s chair. Harry captured that image and locked it away; for at that moment he knew he would never see the old man alive again.

His sadness didn’t leave him as he walked the quiet corridors of the school. Harry thought back over the years he had spent within these walls, how the centre of the power of this school resided in the presence of the old man he had just left. He was certain that things would never be the same as they had been when he first came up.

Then he bumped into a group of first years on their way to a lesson talking amongst themselves as only first years could. As he passed, their voices dropped and they stood aside to allow him through, then his restraining influence dissipated as he turned the corner, and the chatter rose again. Harry smiled to himself, he remembered Dumbledore telling him not to be afraid of change. No, it would be the same, just different.

Solomon listened to the plan; he made a few suggestions, but basically felt it sound. He asked Harry to leave the defence of Hogwarts to Ron.

“He’s a good tactician Harry, and he will have limited forces to play with. Let him have a free rein, you won’t regret it.”

Harry agreed with a nod of his head “And will you be able to coordinate the two doorways, in Avalon,” asked Harry.

“Yes, but I will have to make sure there are no leaks or close them down, before I can come and help you here,” Solomon told him. “When you set your doorway to Avalon have it finish on the top of the Tor. I will set mine from there to Hogwarts. That way if anyone does get out, they will have a long walk to the village before they can cause any trouble.”

…………………………………

Three weeks before the intended date Harry set the plan in motion. Ensuring that Draco was in earshot Harry declared his intention to visit Black House, and produced the painting neatly rolled, for Ron and the others to look at. Hermione watching the performance in the speculator could see Draco’s reaction as he recognised the Mansion and she smiled with satisfaction as the trap was sprung.

The younger Malfoy certainly wasted no time, that very evening he left the school grounds and apparated to his usual spot in the woods, as close as he could get to the House. His meeting with Voldemort was brief but in the speculator Harry and Hermione could see the effect of the information. An exultant expression filled Voldemort’s features, and although they could not hear his words it did not take an expert to lip read him as he said ‘I have you now Potter!’ Draco withdrew from Voldemort’s presence and Harry and Hermione still within the speculator left with him. It would have been better if they had stayed with Voldemort.

In that cold dark room Voldemort had summoned his most trusted Death Eaters. He would use them and the Dementors which Bellatrix had finally managed to convince into helping him before she had been killed. The Death Eaters filed in, this hard core of followers had never been very large in number but they still made a formidable foe. Both Lucius and Narcissus Malfoy were joined by Macnair, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Dolohov, Jugson, Avery, Rookwood, Mulciber, the Carrows and the two remaining Lestranges. All bowed low to their Dark Lord who sat as still as a statue on his throne, a wild fire in his red eyes.

“The time has come, Potter and Avalon are within my grasp. Once they have fallen, then the rest will follow. Dumbledore will not stand, Snape had prepared the way and the old fool does not realise it. Lucius, you and Narcissa will go and force the entrance into Avalon that starts in the muggle town.” He fixed his gaze on Lucius. “You will take fifty of the Dementors with you. If you should happen on any muggles then let them feed, confusion in the town may well help us. The rest of you will come with me. We will take the new inductees and the remaining Dementors and will enter Avalon by the doorway which will be so conveniently supplied by Harry Potter.” Voldemort stood, his thin frame seemed to swell as he absorbed all the pleasure he was expecting in defeating his enemies.

“My Lord what of the others who follow you?” asked Lucius, “the wizards waiting in the cavern below us, should we leave them here?”

Voldemort’s displeasure at having his revere interrupted was plain to see, “Those who have not been inducted are unimportant, they have little value to me,” then he considered the point, “however they may add weight to the attack. Take them with you Lucius, use them as you see fit. The date is set; we have three weeks, go and make your arrangements.”

…………………………………..

Ron spent those three weeks planning his defence of Hogwarts. He would make a plan, look at it, discard it then start again. He could not talk openly about what he wished to do; Draco was back and for him to learn the truth would spell disaster for them all. So Ron had to guess how many of the school would come to their aid and how many would oppose them. He also had another nagging problem.

“It’s Hermione,” he confided to Harry late one night, “I don’t like the idea of leaving her unprotected. Even with that necklace of hers, I feel she is still vulnerable.”

Harry regarded his best friend. “Your forces are small enough without splitting them further. Don’t worry Hermione is a big girl; I promise you she will look after herself. You concentrate on keeping whatever Voldemort brings through that doorway with him from the school and the other students.”

“If you’re sure Harry,” Ron said uncertainly.

Harry voice was firm, “I’m sure.”

Draco Malfoy having delivered his news to the Dark Lord, now had to approach the task his father had placed on him. The death of the Dibble boy had to be accomplished and soon; it must be done before Potter died at the hands of his master. To that end Draco went to see Professor Snape for what, unbeknown to him, was to be the last time.

Draco’s association with Voldemort had made him confident, perhaps overconfident, which may be why he entered Snape’s office without knocking. The Professor was not in evidence, although potions were steaming in cauldrons, which meant he would not be far away. Draco glanced down at the book lying on the working top, he recognised the writing, it was Snape’s. The notes in it were concerned with the formulation of a potion Draco had never seen before. As he read he realised that this was a powerful restorative. As usual with the Potions master the notes were very meticulous, they even had the name of the intended recipient. It was all here the patient’s condition, the potions tried up to now, the prognosis. Draco didn’t understand it all, but it was clear that far from hindering Dumbledore, Snape was helping him.

“What are you doing here Draco?” Snape’s voice jolted Draco out of his state of disbelief.

He turned to stare at the double, no, triple agent who had emerged from a doorway Draco had not seen before.

“I think that is a question I should be asking you.” said Draco, his voice rising in anger.

“You forget your place boy!” said Snape coldly, but his expression of distain faltered ever so slightly as he saw the book Draco had been reading.

“This book proves you are working against the Dark Lord, you are helping Dumbledore. These potions… you’re keeping him alive!” Draco didn’t shout, but his eyes were wild.

Snape could see his danger and tried to diffuse the situation. “Don’t be a fool! I am hardly likely to leave a book on my desk telling anyone who walks in that I am poisoning the Headmaster,” he spoke as if explaining to a child, “Draco, the book is full of double meanings, it doesn’t mean what you think it means.”

Draco stared at the head of Slytherin his mind now full of doubt. “It is you who are full of double meanings. I can’t trust you any more,” he said, then as if he was voicing his thoughts out loud, he muttered, “I will have to kill the boy myself.”

Snape heard the words and they worried him. He took advantage of Draco’s uncertainty to ask, “Which boy are we talking about Draco? It wouldn’t be Potter would it?”

Draco looked up sharply. “Potter, no not Potter,” he spat out, “I came here to tell you the Dark Lord wants Dibble dead, you were to do it,” he felt his anger grow again, “but you cannot be trusted, now I will have to do it!”

Snape froze, then as quickly regained his composure. He had never found out the truth of Dibbles parentage other than that Esme had been his mother. Even if the boy was not his, deep in his soul Severus Snape still cherished those two brief months with the boy’s mother, and it was for a love long gone that he acted now.

“I am afraid that is the one thing I cannot let you do Draco,” he said reaching for his wand, but Draco saw the movement and he was faster.

Both spells missed their marks. Snape’s ‘STUPIFY’ passed over Draco’s head by half an inch, and smashed into the wall. Draco’s ‘REDUCTO’ wasn’t really aimed at Snape or anywhere for that matter; he flung it out in self preservation. It passed by Snape and flew through the doorway behind him. There was the crash of breaking glass, a loud hiss, then an almighty explosion which reduced the hidden room to rubble and blew Snape over his desk to crash to the floor.

Draco picked himself up, he was covered in dust but the work desk had protected him from the worst of the blast. He looked around, then down at the crumpled form on the floor. Snape’s back was covered with jagged pieces of glass thrown out by the explosion which had pierced his robes. As Draco stared the wetness of blood began to seep through the material, to form little pools in the creases of the robes, which overflowed forming little rivers, which then trickled down onto the floor.

Draco turned to flee, he remembered his father’s words ‘Don’t get caught’ he didn’t care if Snape was dead; he was a traitor, he deserved whatever he got, so Draco ran. As he cleared the first corridor he heard the sound of running feet as people headed toward the sound of the explosion. Draco slipped into a side passage as a group of teachers and students passed toward the dungeons. He reached the main doors and through them he ran out into the grounds.

He needed somewhere to hide, and then he saw the old barns next to the greenhouses. They were only used in the depths of the winter for the Care of Magical Creatures classes, they would be empty now. He staggered over to one of the side doors, surprised that it seemed to be difficult for him to place one foot in front of the other. It was harder by far to lift the latch and open the door than it should have been and when he gripped the handle he cried out in pain.

He looked to the palm of his hand, there was blood there, his own blood and imbedded in the centre of his palm, coated in a dark green potion, was a sliver of glass. He pulled it out, gasping with the hurt of it, now the blood flowed freely. He used his handkerchief to wrap his wound and stumbled into the dark of the barn. He sat heavily on the straw bales they used as chairs when listening to Hagrid giving his lessons. He could see light filtering between the wooden planks which formed the walls, the light blurred and wavered. Draco shook his head to try and clear his vision, but his movement merely made him lose his tenuous hold on his balance, he slipped off the bale and collapsed unconscious onto the straw littered floor.

Severus Snape opened his eyes; he was lying on his back. The high ceiling and dim lighting proclaimed this to be the hospital wing, then the pain hit him. It was not in his back, though the cuts he could feel tingled as they healed, this pain was deep in his very being, his insides were on fire. He gasped and instantly a face was looking down into his own.

Poppy Pomfrey showed the same care to all her patients be they adult or child, and her immediate problem was Snape, and she was very worried. The shards of glass imbedded in his back by the explosion had been easy enough to remove and the cuts were healing, but the glass had carried with it some of the potions it had been enclosing. She did not know the individual potions, but that didn’t matter any more, the combined effect that they were having on Severus’ body could only have one outcome, and she was powerless to stop it.

“Here Severus,” he heard her say, and she lifted his head so he could drink, “take this, it will help with the pain, but I am afraid I cannot take it away completely.”

The potion cleared his head and removed the pain remarkably quickly, he regarded the school nurse.

“You can spare me the bedside manner Poppy; tell me what is happening to me.”

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips “Very well Severus, it appears that your nerves are being slowly destroyed by the combination of potions in your body. There will be little in the way of effects to start with, apart from the pain, but eventually you will become paralysed and lose the ability to talk or see. I cannot see any way to halt the process.” She turned away, hating herself for telling him this way.

Snape gritted his teeth against a stab of pain, “How long?”

The simple question increased her unease. Poppy sighed, “I really don’t know, you may be able to help yourself as you have the Headmaster, he has lived much longer than I would have expected, but like with Albus, your time is running out. I am sorry Severus.

“Thank-you for being honest with me, Poppy,” Severus looked around as if surveying his surroundings, then his face contorted with a wry smile, “I always knew this place would get on my nerves eventually, he fell silent for a moment, “well it seems I need to send a letter of resignation to the Headmaster.” Severus gave a dry laugh which ended in a gasp as another wave of pain passed through him.

13. At The End of a Beautiful Day.

The morning of the twenty third of March dawned chilly but clear. Harry was trying very hard not to show the nervousness he felt. The only one who knew how he was feeling was Hermione and she wasn’t telling. They were both sitting in the Heads Common Room watching Ron as he walked back and forth going through his plan for the umpteenth time.

Since Draco’s disappearance after Professor Snape’s ‘accident’ Ron had felt it was safe enough to talk to several of the seventh year students. As a result he now had Seamus, Dean, Hannah, and Justin all willing to Guard the inside of the main door, in case any of the Slytherins decided to support Voldemort after all. He knew that with those four and some of the staff in position he wouldn’t have to watch his back, because his back was going to be tight up against that door.

All the other students were to be in their common rooms guarded by the rest of the old DA members and whatever members of staff were available. The castle was to be sealed as it had been the year Sirius was supposed to be after Harry’s blood. Ron had been promised some outside help, but the Order was too disparate to be much use, he knew he could only count on six to be at the school. They would be hidden in Hagrid’s hut and would fight as and where was necessary, he had to rely on Tonks and Remus to use them as they saw fit.

His other two unknowns were Harry and Hermione, and he still worried about the both of them, even though Harry had told him not to.

He and the other shield bearers would be on the steps of the castle, their aim to prevent anyone or anything from getting to the doors. Solomon would join them there as soon as he knew that Avalon was safe.

Voldemort, well there was another little problem, but not one Ron was concerned with, well almost not. Ron knew that Harry could take care of him, but he was still worried that he might freeze as he did in the speculator. Luna had promised that she was working on something to keep Harry’s mind on the job, but she hadn’t told Ron what it was as yet.

So that was the plan, uncomplicated and understaffed, but Ron knew he could rely on each participant to do their utmost. He wasn’t worried, well yes he was, but not much, well rather a lot really, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. He was as prepared as he could be; he had to hope it was enough.

The waiting became difficult; Solomon had already departed to Avalon to prepare for his task. He and Harry had maintained contact, although there as a considerable distance between them now, their thoughts crossed the gap with no noticeable delay. They practiced coordinating Harry calling a nimbus limen and Solomon stitching the exit seamlessly to the entrance of another back to Hogwarts.

Hermione tried the extended doorway and apart from the trip taking longer than she was used to, she could tell no difference, nor find the join, and she was looking for it. As the afternoon of that Thursday drew to a close Harry and Hermione left the other members of the Tyr swapping old school stories and walked down to the lake. They sat together by their favourite tree and watched the sun as it slowly headed towards the tops of the surrounding hills. The valley holding the lake always darkened early this time of the year, and as the dusk gathered the young witch and wizard sat enjoying each others company. It was Harry who broke the slience.

“I want you to show me one more time, then I’ll be satisfied,” he said.

Hermione sighed, “Oh Harry! I must have done it six times already this afternoon. You’ll wear me out.”

Harry fixed her with pleading eyes, “Please,” he entreated.

“Oh all right, if I must.”

They had been working on a refinement of the Aegis maximus shield by binding it with the power of Hermione’s Tear; Harry stood to give her some room.

Hermione sat cross-legged, pulled her necklace out from beneath her robes and gripped the stone tightly in her hand. Her brow furrowed in concentration as a dim blue glow began to surround her body then expanded to form a perfect sphere with her at its centre. Harry could only see a dome surrounding Hermione but he knew that the enclosure was complete, half of the sphere was buried in the ground, anchoring it in position.

“I’m going to test it,” Harry said.

Hermione shook her head and pointed to her ear. The shield, like the ball in the ministry, blocked sound and Hermione couldn’t hear him. ‘I’m going to test it’ Harry repeated in thought “OK I’m ready’ she replied.

There was a large boulder just on the waters edge, Harry considered it then raising his wand said “Wingardium Leviosa” and the rock lifted out of the ground and floated over to hover directly over Hermione’s head. Harry dropped his wand and the rock fell with it to strike the glowing shield with a dull thud. It slid harmlessly down the dome to hit the ground and roll away toward the lake. Harry then fired a stunner towards his girlfriend and jumped quickly to one side. The spell passed through the dome and seemed to strike her but as before the brilliant flash of energy returned the spell to where Harry had been standing. The red beam of the stunner passed out across the lake and over the Forbidden Forest before being lost in the gathering gloom.

‘Happy now’, was the thought as the blue glow slowly dissipated.

“Yes,” said Harry, “now I’m happy.”

They walked back to the castle arm in arm when Hermione voiced something which had been on her mind for several days.

“Harry?”

“Yeh?”

“Tomorrow…” she hesitated.

“What about tomorrow?”

“I want to come with you.” She confessed.

“No! no way, you have to stay here; you know what my mum wrote in her letter.”

“No you misunderstand,” she said quickly, she didn’t want an argument, “Not to Black House, to Godrics Hollow, I’ll come back here before you go on.”

Harry had decided to stop at his parents’ old house, first before travelling on to Voldemort’s headquarters the following day. He thought that the surroundings of Godrics Hollow would help him prepare for the battle.

Now that the waiting was almost over the idea of just saying goodbye was more than Hermione felt she could cope with, she could feel the pain, and knew her eyes were filling with tears. Harry didn’t want to leave her either, but would it help them both to drag out the parting?

Then he remembered a piece of advice given to him on his sixteenth birthday. Helga Hufflepuff’s message to him that day had been to ‘Follow your heart’, he had done it then and the result was standing in front of him, her eyes shining and her breath catching in her throat. So he did it again and drew her to him in a tight embrace.

“OK, but only to Godrics Hollow.”

The mood in the Heads Common Room was a little strained the following morning, Harry was saying his goodbyes, they all knew they had confidence in each other but in war things don’t always go as planned. They couldn’t help but be a bit sombre.

It was Luna who lightened the mood. She played dizzy to the hilt making all the others smile at her, and just before Harry and Hermione left it seemed that she had forgotten something terribly important, because she began to rummage through a very large carpet bag she had inexplicably brought with her.

“Here!” she cried having pulled two small objects from the depths of the bag. “I wanted you to wear these, they’re for luck.” She rushed over to Harry and pinned a small silver-coloured disc to the inside of his robe. Then to his surprise she gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

“Err…Thanks,” he said with a little embarrassment at her display of affection.

Luna then turned her attention to Hermione and repeated the process. The kiss was just as brief but left Hermione completely bereft of words. So she gave her an awkward smile instead.

“Those are very old Lovegood heirlooms,” Luna explained, “look after them and wear them at all times.”

Harry and Hermione nodded to her, took one last look at their friends, and gripping each other by the hand, vanished.

“OK,” said Ron looking at Luna, “what was all that about?”

“I was just fulfilling my promise to you, to make sure Harry kept his mind on the job. I’ve been talking to your brothers,” she explained, “they’re very clever you know, I told them what I needed and why, and they came up with those little silver discs.”

Ron looked horrified, “You’ve been talking to Fred and George, but they could have developed anything, this could be a disaster.”

“Oh Ron, have a little faith,” Luna chided him, “they know how important all this is, they don’t want us to fail. They will be in Hagrid's hut tomorrow; they know what we are up against.”

Ron nodded, “I suppose so, but what about those things you pinned on Harry and Hermione?”

“Well if Harry becomes distracted from his task he will get a little reminder of what it is he is fighting for. Then I thought Hermione will be alone as well, so I had one made for her too. The boys are going to market them; I think they said they were going to call them ‘Emotion Brooches’.”

“Ri i i i ght,” said Ron, “what about the kissing bit then?”

“Oh, that seals the charm, I think that’s what they said it did,” she grinned, “why Ron, not jealous are you?”

…………………………………..

Harry and Hermione appeared in the garden of the house in Godrics Hollow. As it had before, the tranquillity of the place distracted them for a moment. They felt the worries and tensions of the past few days leave them, and Harry knew that coming here had been a smart move. In the bushes and the trees of the garden they could see the little golden lights, there was the occasional flash of colour as one of the souls of Voldemort’s Inferius caught the sunlight, and then Hermione saw movement as one light floated out towards them.

‘Hi you two, everything going according to plan?’ Sirius’ thought came through clearly.

‘Yes, so far. Tomorrow is the big day, you’ll be ready?’ thought Harry.

Sirius chuckled ‘Not as if we’re busy with anything else at the moment.’ There was a ghostly pat on Harry’s shoulder. ‘We’ll be there Harry, don’t worry.’

‘It’s hard to worry about anything here,’ thought Hermione dreamily.

‘I think you two ought to get inside, this garden is likely to make you forget why you came here,’ Sirius thought, ‘it was always was a distraction but it seems our presence is making the effect worse.’

‘You coming with us Sirius?’ asked Harry.

‘No, I’ll wait out here; there are too many memories in there for me to feel comfortable. I’ll see you tomorrow,’ he replied.

Harry led Hermione to the back door and reached for the handle, as he turned it a shiver of magic shot up his arm, the house recognised him and welcomed him home. Inside the house was fresh and clean, there was no sign of the devastation that Harry had expected.

There was furniture in each room and pictures on the walls, there was not a speck of dust to mar the simple beauty of the place. The arrangement of the rooms was four square, the kitchen and scullery were at the back looking out over the garden. In the front of the house the sitting room was to one side of the small hall and a dining room to the other.

As Harry opened the door to the dining room he was surprised to see the table laid for two. Food was there, hot and steaming, and the cause of all this was standing to one side of the table his woolly hat held clasped in his hands at his chest. The little figure bowed to them.

“Harry Potter Sir and Miss Hermione pleased be welcome to Godrics Hollow, there is food here for you. Dobby hopes you likes it.”

Harry was dumbfounded, “Dobby, how did you know we were coming here?”

The house elf looked crestfallen, “I is sorry Sir if I did wrong in coming, but you must know that where ever Harry Potter lives away from Hogwarts Dobby is always coming to look after you, and Miss as well,” he added, indicating Hermione with a bow to her. “That is what I does now, that is Dobby’s life. It is what Dobby wants.”

Harry didn’t know what to say, but Hermione knelt in front of Dobby, gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek, the house elf giggling almost turned himself inside out with embarrassment.

They ate their meal and retired to the sitting room, Harry thought there must be workshop somewhere that produced nothing but soft squashy chairs and sofas, for more of that inestimably comfortable furniture was in evidence. They sat for a while in silence, then before the afternoon began to dim into evening Harry stood and pulled Hermione to her feet.

“Come flying with me?” he asked.

“Oh Harry, I don’t know, you know I don’t like it much,” then seeing his puppy dog expression relented, “OK then but not too high, and nice and slow.”

They rose out of the front garden, circling the cottage, gaining height slowly. Harry kept the speed down partly for Hermione’s sake, and partly because he wanted to see just what was on the land around the Hollow. The stream that passed behind the house cut the only passageway through the surrounding hills, which isolated the cottage. Apart from the area around the hollow the countryside was wooded. In the distance the trees gave way to muggle farmland and the odd building with lights beginning to shine in the late afternoon light could be seen. Even from the height they were flying there were no large muggle towns visible.

Godrics Hollow was so perfect it was hard to believe that sixteen years ago it was the site of a double murder, but sadly the evidence was there. The two white cover stones were clearly visible to both the youngsters. They were on the rise of the hill to one side of the house, surrounded by a stand of small trees that would have hidden them from the ground, but marked them well from the air.

Harry almost headed to them to land, then caught the sight of a single golden light weaving backward and forward over the stones. He knew it was Sirius and he didn’t want to intrude, he would have plenty of time to pay his respects when this was all over, so he turned the broom away and landed in the back garden.

Harry put the broom by the backdoor then returned to Hermione who had stayed out in the garden. She was just standing there watching him as he crossed the lawn to her, the moon was out now, its silvery light making her face seem pale and cold but when he reached her found that it was warm, if a little damp, as she drew him into a long slow passionate kiss. Harry could feel her body crushed so tight against his, it was so soft and so alive, the fragrance of her perfume filled his lungs with air that was so sweet that he knew he never wanted this evening to end.

Hermione held him close, he encircled her with those strong arms of his that made her feel so safe and gave her the courage to believe that everything was going to be alright. Yet those strong arms held her so tenderly, as if he was afraid of breaking her, and she could feel his hands caressing her telling her that above all else he loved her.

They stood, as the stars began to shine in the sky above, in each others arms at peace with each other and with everything around them. There was a click as the backdoor opened on its own and they turned toward it and walked in. The cottage was in darkness but their way was lit by the stone on Hermione’s necklace that was glowing quietly as if in anticipation.

They climbed the stairs together and crossed the threshold of the room that led to the beginning of life ever after.

Harry knew beyond any doubt that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this wonderful young woman. Even if his life ended tomorrow, he would have his dreams to take with him. Hermione could feel herself standing on the brink of the rest of her life, she knew Harry would never force the issue no matter how much he wanted it, it was up to her to reassure him, to give permission to take their relationship past that invisible line they had drawn.

How do you do this without feeling awkward, without feeling brash, without making an idiot of yourself? You do it without words, you look into each others souls, the questions are asked and the answers given by a look and the nod or shake of the head. The acceptance of the next step forward can be found in a touch or a kiss which burns so deeply that you think you will never survive its effects. You realise that this other someone is really the other half of yourself, and that without them living would be impossible. You are completing the circle and forging a link that can never be broken or repeated.

This wasn’t Hogwarts and they weren’t scrunched up on an old sofa. There was love and tenderness. There was innocence and awkwardness. There was passion and a need for them both to feel complete. If this was all the future they could ever have together it had to be just right.

In that small upstairs room the radiance of Hermione’s Tear burned brightly and this time it didn’t waver or die.

Outside in the garden those who waited sensed the power of the magic in that room, and acting as one took to the air, and circled the house, enclosing the little white cottage in a band of gold.

14. Cry Havoc

Harry opened his eyes and unusually for him he was not instantly awake. He lay in a kind of half doze, his vision blurred so that the light that was starting to shine through the window gave everything a fuzzy halo. Then there was a movement in the bed and he felt the warmth and contact of someone lying by his side. He turned to look and because of her closeness, even without his glasses she was in focus, and she was beautiful.

Her bushy hair flowed down and over her shoulder, hiding her smooth and perfect skin. He would remember her like this, this vision and the fragrance of her perfume was permanently imprinted in his mind. He reached out to touch her and she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

Hermione had woken as he turned in the bed to face her, but she had kept her eyes closed. It was partly that she didn’t want this day to start, but also that she didn’t want the last night to end. She lay in the warmth of his love, drawing in and holding the sensations and the wonder of it all. She felt the tentative touch of his hand and opened her eyes.

Hermione gazed at him lying next to her, there wasn’t any outward change, he was just the same, her Harry. His dark hair was as untidy as always, maybe a little more untidy, his strong features so familiar, and there the scar on his forehead that marked him for the wizarding world as Harry Potter, but for Hermione as the man she had fallen in love with, her soul mate. She, like Harry, was storing the feelings and images of a love so powerful that it was sealed in their minds forever and that no matter whatever happened it would never fade or die.

Hermione wanted to keep him here, she did not want to let him go, but she knew that today was the day that the rest of their lives would be decided. Lily had been right, Hermione’s heart cried out to keep him close, but she would let him go, she had to.

It was still early when they stood facing each other by the back door of the white cottage. Harry had his broom and Hermione had the little bag with the pyramid tucked safely inside. The necklace Hermione usually hid under her robes was out; visible for all to see, it caught Harry's eye for within the jewel was a flicker of light which had never been there before.

He watched it for a few seconds, it was there all the time, a strange double pulse, as if there were two lights sometimes flashing in time with each other and sometimes out of step. Then he understood because one of those lights was pulsing in time with his own heart, and he knew that the other belonged to Hermione. He held the stone and felt the thrill of the powerful magic in it.

“I noticed it this morning,” said Hermione, “do you think it means it approves?”

“I think it means it knew what was going on,” said Harry, “if it will still protect you then I think we can assume it approves.”

He smiled and kissed her on the lips. “Now, you, back to Hogwarts.”

Hermione took a step back concentrated and with a ‘CRACK’ apparated away.

‘Made it,’ she thought to him seconds later. Her thoughts, always clear and precise, resounded in Harry’s mind with an even greater intensity. ‘Love you’.

‘I love you too; I’ll be with you soon,’ then switching his thoughts to Solomon, ‘Are you ready? I’m just about to go in’.

Solomon smiled as he received Harry’s thoughts, ‘Ahh, so we have finally grown up, there is no child left in that young man’ he thought without transmitting. Then to Harry, ‘Ready and waiting, just tell me when. Good hunting.’

Harry peragated to the little bridge he and Hermione had used before. He removed his glasses and cast an impervious charm on them. He reasoned that it would not be a good idea for his glasses to become steamed up when he demisted this time. Then he mounted his Firebolt and took to the skies. He flew as any wizard would trying to keep out of muggle sight, but not as if he was expecting to be attacked by other wizards, at least he hoped that was what he was doing.

When he sighted the mansion he approached it as if he owned the place, and since he did he felt that it was a reasonable course of action. He landed near to the front doors, tried to look as if he was unconcerned, and marched up the steps. The front door was locked; he leaned his broom against one of the door pillars, took out his wand and unlocked the door with an ‘Alohomora’. Harry pushed it open and walked into the hall. It was a large room full of shadows and places to hide, it seemed as deserted as it should be. Then from the shadows he heard a sound, someone had tripped, the clatter that followed was a dropped wand.

“Hello, who’s there?” he cried, trying to inject some fear into his voice, which to be honest wasn’t that hard.

There was silence then the air around him turned cold. Harry spun around, he could still see nothing but he knew that Dementors were not far away. Then he saw a movement on the first floor landing.

“I…I know you’re there, I can see you, come out!” Harry kept the panic in his voice, he hoped he was being convincing. He desperately wanted Voldemort to think he was nothing more than a frightened teenager. If Voldemort realised how powerful he had become he would try to destroy him on the spot, and he really wanted to keep his abilities as a surprise.

Then four wizards made themselves visible by stepping forward to the banister. Harry recognised them immediately; it was Avery, Macnair, Rookwood and Mulciber.

“YOU!” he cried and sent a stunner at Rookwood which as he intended missed him by inches.

His incompetence earned him a laugh from the four Death Eaters who returned his fire showering the floor around him with spells. They were obviously under orders not to hit Harry by mistake, as their aim was well wide of their supposed target. The cold feeling gripped Harry again and this time he could see them, they may have been the same four Dementors who had greeted Draco but Harry couldn’t tell, for they all looked the same.

He backed away from them knowing he was getting closer to the door behind which Voldemort waited. He produced a weak and indistinct Patronus which pushed the Dementors away, but only temporarily. As they began to advance again, Harry really tried to apparate because he couldn’t think of a way to fake trying.

“No point in trying to apparate boy,” said Macnair’s steely voice, “the wards on this house are far too strong for you.”

Harry made to turn toward his broom leaning by the door. “REDUCTO!” bellowed Mulciber and the spell shot across the entrance hall and connected with Harry’s broom. The Firebolt and most of the door on that side was reduced to sawdust. Harry felt a little pang of loss; that had been Sirius’ present, the best broom he had ever had. He spun round looking for an avenue of escape, but there was none, then the doors to what had once been a magnificent ballroom creaked open.

Harry froze. It was not the sight of Voldemort that had done it this time, but the fact that the room was full of Dementors, a hundred or more. Their plans had assumed that the attack would be made primarily by wizards, not these foul creatures. His mind had gone blank, the plan evaporated from his thoughts. What was he supposed to do? It was all going to go wrong; fear and panic were a real presence now. Then Harry’s emotion brooch worked its magic.

Suddenly Harry was aware of a fragrance that wiped the fear from him. So powerful were his memories that the perfume provoked, that he wondered if anyone else could see them as well, his senses returned and he instantly knew what to do. He formed a link to Hermione and transmitted his thoughts as hard as he could, ‘Tell them all Dementors, lots of Dementors, be ready it will be soon’. He held the link not wanting to be alone but also to hear Hermione’s reply which was just as well. The Dementors moved to either side, allowing passage through their ranks, and into Harry’s field of vision walked Voldemort himself.

The Dark Lord flung his mind at Harry who felt the weight of it, but because of his active link to Hermione, it was repulsed. Solomon had been right, nothing not even Voldemort could penetrate his mind when he and Hermione were joined.

“Well Harry, you seem to have improved in some of the branches of magic,” Voldemort’s voice came out as a hiss, full of menace, “but not enough it would seem. You are trapped with nowhere to run.”

………………………………………

Draco Malfoy opened his eyes, the dim interior of the barn which had been his home for goodness knows how many days, swam back into focus. The first time he had regained consciousness he had found that he was unable to move, having lost control of both his legs and arms. He had been terrified, but his terror did not last long, as he lapsed back into darkness within a few minutes.

As the days passed his periods of consciousness increased in length and slowly he regained the use of his arms. This allowed him to drag himself over to the water trough that the magical creatures sometimes drank from. The water was stale but it kept him alive. He lost track of the days he spent in this misery, his legs still refusing to work properly. He ransacked one of Hagrid's equipment cupboards and found a pile of biscuits that Hagrid used for treats. They hadn’t gone green so Draco ate them all in one go.

Then to his joy, over a period of four or five days the feeling began to return to his legs. First he could crawl, then yesterday he had been able to stand, today he had only managed a few shaky steps but his crawling had definitely improved.

The edge of the forest was his goal; it was only just light as he set off across the lawns on his hands and knees. It took him twenty minutes, but he was in much better shape at the end of it than he had thought he would be.

Being outside refreshed his spirits; he sat concealed in the bushes and considered his options. He examined his legs, still weak from the effects of the potion, but improving, perhaps there was something he could do to help them. His impending freedom gave him courage and he felt brave enough to try enervating his legs with a spell. To his surprise it worked, he guessed it wouldn’t last all that long, but at least he was reasonably mobile again. He was about to disappear into the forest to get out of the school grounds so he could apparate, when he heard the unmistakable sound of Hogwarts locking down.

The crashing of the doors and the rumble of the locking mechanism rolled across the lawns to where he was hiding. His curiosity got the better of him; he turned his gaze to the castle steps. There were five students standing there. He recognised the long bushy hair of Granger, and the tall red headed figure made Weasley easy to pick out, he assumed that the rest of Potter’s gang was there as well. Then Draco’s eyes were drawn by a movement, he could see a running figure, a first or second year by the size of him, who headed across the lawns and scampered off in the direction of Hagrid’s hut. Draco recognised him as well, it was Dibble.

………………………………………

Hermione had been helping Ron and the others prepare the school. Dean, Hannah, Seamus and Justin along with Professors Flitwick and Vector were ready to man the inside of the front door. AH had wanted to help, so Hermione had allowed him to act as a runner to bring the information that all the other students were safely in their houses with the members of the old DA and such teachers that remained for protection.

Hermione knew that McGonagall was with the Headmaster and that he was planning something but she didn’t know what. AH reappeared to tell her that Hufflepuff was all secured, and she was just about to send him on his way, back to Gryffindor Tower, when she received the message from Harry. ‘Tell them all Dementors, lots of Dementors, be ready it will be soon’. Hermione stopped in her tracks. She was sending to Harry when she felt the weight of Voldemort’s attack on Harry’s mind.

Gasping she turned to Ron. “Harry’s just told me, Dementors coming, lots of them. Tell everyone.”

“Bloody Hell we need to let those in Hagrid's hut know what’s happening.” He looked around for someone to send then he heard a young voice speak.

“OK I’ll go. I’ll stay with Hagrid. I’ll be fine.” His words rushed out, and before anyone could stop him, AH was off, running down the steps, and across the lawns.

Hermione was busy sending to Solomon and did not see him go, and at that moment the School began to lock down and Ron’s attention was taken by other matters.

AH ran as fast as he could down the path to Hagrid’s hut, and hardly pausing to knock on the door, burst in. Besides the half-giant himself there were half a dozen other faces staring at him and AH found he was on the business ends of as many wands. He recognised the pink haired witch and it was to her he gave his message. There was a quick conversation in low tones, and then all but Hagrid left to take up new positions.

“You say wi’ me Austin ‘enry. S’all we get to do today is watch.” Hagrid was not happy with his roll, AH could tell, but Hagrid would do as he was asked. So AH climbed up next to him and peered out of the window.

……………………………………..

Solomon was standing on the top of the Tor waiting; although he hated flying he had borrowed an old school broom which he had with him. It would be the quickest way for him to get down to the village, if the nimbus limen failed and Voldemort’s troops gained access to Avalon.

He was mulling over his observations about Harry’s sudden acquisition of maturity when Hermione’s thought came through ‘Solomon, Harry says Dementors, lots of Dementors, be ready it will be soon’ he sent back ‘OK will be with you as soon as I can’. Then he realised that Hermione’s thought had been as clear as Harry’s, for the both of them all the fuzziness that was common in children’s mental communication was gone.

“Well, well” he said to no one in particular other than himself, then smiled “Wonders will never cease.”

…………………………….

Harry was staring at Voldemort and he was staring back, there seemed to be a bit of a hiatus. Harry knew that if Voldemort hadn’t been waiting for him to activate the nimbus limen he would have tried to kill him by now. As it was, Harry realised for him to escape with his life, his timing had to be perfect. All the players were assembled, there were maybe twenty or thirty wizards ranged in front of him, all wearing the robes of the Death Eaters. There were none of Voldemort’s second string here, these were the best he had, with them and the Dementors, Ron was going to have a hard time.

There was no point in putting it off, they had started it so they had to finish. Harry hated multitasking, but there was no choice. With his wand he shot a stunner at the wizard on the far right, in the fraction of a second that all attention turned away from him Harry activated the misty doorway to his left and yelled a thought at Solomon ‘COMING NOW’. He flung himself forward into the rapidly forming cloud and continued running as he burst out on to the lawns of Hogwarts and raced towards the figures near the castle.

Solomon heard Harry’s shout and with a wave of his hand and a mutter of words the forming exit of Harry’s doorway was smoothly joined to the entrance of another.

Voldemort saw Harry fleeing into the nimbus limen, he was furious because he had let his attention waver, as had all the others. He had missed this chance to kill the boy; still he stepped forward and chanted the spell supplied by Snape to lock the door open. As he motioned his Death Eaters forward he activated the Death Eater’s mark as a message to Lucius to start the other phase of the attack on Avalon.

Draco, sitting in the bushes bordering the Forbidden Forest, suddenly felt the mark on his arm burn with fire. Then he realised how long he had been in that barn, it must be the twenty fifth, Potter would die and Avalon be destroyed today.

But that didn’t fit with the activity at the Castle, he was confused, it didn’t make sense. Then he saw a misty patch form on the lawns, Potter rushed out of it and ran toward the castle. Seeing this, Draco knew that The Dark Lord’s plans were about to go horribly wrong and he could do nothing to stop it.

………………………………….

Ron was standing on the Castle steps nervously spinning his wand in his fingers. He was still very worried about Hermione, especially as she was now sitting cross-legged on the lawn to one side of the steps and about twenty yards out. Then he saw the mist forming and Harry burst out running to the Castle, the time for action had come and his nervousness vanished. Then another worry was wiped from his mind as Hermione was suddenly enveloped in a transparent sphere, and he knew she would be safe, probably safer than he was. Now he just had everyone else to worry about.

The four members of the Tyr activated their shields, their recent hard work now allowed them to hold the shields without their wands leaving them free to use them. This time the activation of their shields was complete. They stood as they had in Diagon Alley, but on this occasion the furiously spinning blood red edges of their shields would bring death or dismemberment to any who came too close.

Harry ran as if his life depended on it. It did. He reached the spot he had chosen to fight from and turned to face his enemies. He shot a thought to Hermione ‘OK?’ received ‘Fine’ in return, activated his shield with an “Aegis Maximus!” and waited.

The Death Eaters boiled out onto the lawns, firing as they came, several stunners reached Harry and the Tyr but they were harmlessly deflected. Then the attackers realised that they weren’t in Avalon at all. Most of them recognised the castle in front of them and it wasn’t supposed to be there. Some tried to turn and run back, but the flood of Dementors continued through doorway, blocking any escape.

Voldemort was the last through, expecting to find his forces rampaging through Avalon killing and destroying as they went. He did not expect to find them all standing in a group staring at the Castle in front of them. He evaluated the situation and turned to leave but the nimbus limen had gone.

………………………………………

Solomon sensed Voldemort passing through the nimbus limen and as soon as he was clear shut down his side of the linked doorway. His half was not controlled by Voldemort’s locking spell, and then as he turned his attention to Harry’s doorway and closed that as well, it was clear that the locking spell had no effect there either. The spell had been a sham, nonsense words to give Voldemort the confidence to use the nimbus limen, to let him believe he was in control, but he wasn’t.

Solomon was beginning to summon another doorway to take him back to the Castle steps when thoughts from Frank Puddy held him back.

Frank was one of the Avalon wizards who lived in the muggle town of Glastonbury; he was seeing something very disturbing that morning. In the grounds of the old Abbey he had seen Dementors, a lot of them, and with them wizards, two of them dressed in long robes hooded and masked. Death Eaters he was sure of it, and they appeared to be directing the Dementors to the muggle town.

Since the realisation that Avalon could not completely isolate itself from the fight with Voldemort, several more wizards had agreed to take temporary residence in Glastonbury itself. Frank had called for his nearest neighbour Josephine Sprog who had taken over a childrens clothes shop. Together they tried to set up a barrier to keep the Dementors at bay.

Once Winnie Puddy had heard and seen what her husband was up to, she roused the other witches and wizards in Glastonbury and they effectively sealed off the town and kept the Dementors in the Abbey grounds. Frank was worried, he had no idea what was going on, he just hoped someone would tell him. This was a Saturday, soon there would be muggles arriving to visit the Abbey and climb the Tor, then they would have a disaster on their hands.

Then it seemed that the Dementors reluctantly turned away from their barrier and crowded around the cloister arch that led to the caves and then to Avalon. This was getting past a joke and he sent a thought to Solomon Aegis.

……………………………………

Lucius Malfoy didn’t like Dementors. When they had all arrived he had indicated that they could go into the town and search for muggles, but they drifted only as far as the Abbey wall, then milled about unwilling it seemed to cross the road, they moaned and wailed but it meant nothing to him, he didn’t understand them at all.

The mark on his arm burned, that was the signal. The twenty or so wizards with him moved toward the entrance to Avalon, but it wasn’t about to let them in. They stood about in confusion, Lucius swearing at the top of his voice, then the Dementors pushed past them and the wizards backed away. The Dementors moved under the arch and as they did so they wavered and vanished, they had found a way in.

About half of the Dementors had passed through and as each one disappeared Lucius could see the entrance to a cave, it flickered into existence then vanished again, only to repeat the cycle with the next Dementor as it moved under the arch. Lucius could see only one way to get in, although it repulsed him, he caught the cloak of the next Dementor and walked into the Crystal Caves, he was the last to enter.

……………………………………………

Solomon, on hearing Franks message, had used the old broom and flown from the Tor to the pathway that led from the Village to the caves. His mother Lady Niniane was waiting for him at the head of the path. She said nothing but inclined her head to him and offered up the staff of Avalon. Solomon drew a deep breath and took the staff from her.

“You can have this back later,” he said, “I am not ready for it yet.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to keep it actually,” she replied tersely, and then spoiled the effect by smiling, “be careful.”

Solomon disappeared into the passageway and arrived in the caves seconds before Lucius. He raised the staff towards the invisible entranceway and shouted ‘CADERE’ the bolt of energy flashed over Lucius’ head as he cleared the portal and should have struck the wall behind him, but it continued through as if it wasn’t there, passed out into the muggle world, and hit the stone arch bringing it down. There was a rumble like thunder as stone crashed to the ground, it crushed some of the Death Eaters who had crowded around the entrance to follow Lucius Malfoy’s example; the way into Avalon was closed.

Solomon now faced the Dementors and Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy he could cope with and he gave him no time to gather his wits. “Petrificus Totalus” and Draco’s father was frozen in place and could now only be a silent witness to what was about to occur. The Dementors Solomon needed help with.

In all his long life Solomon had never needed to ask for help before, but now he needed it and was not too proud to ask.

“Father!” he called, the caves may have whispered back, but it may have been the movement of the Dementors robes.

Solomon raised the staff of Avalon and his voice resounded, echoing off the walls of the caves, “Ego imperare patronus paternus.”

This time there was no mistaking the answer. The crystals lining the caves blazed out sending shafts of light streaming across the cavern. As each beam touched a Dementor there was a long drawn-out scream, an instance of flame, and the creature fell to ashes.

Solomon stood in the centre of all this, unharmed, with the staff held high. Any beam which passed close to him was attracted to the five pointed star at the staff’s head and this energy flowed into the shaft making it glow brighter and brighter.

Lucius Malfoy, held fast by Solomon’s spell, watched the destruction of the Dementors. If he could have moved he would have. If he could have cried out in fear and horror he would have. He never even had time to regret the actions in his life which had brought him to this place. Three of the beams struck him at the same time and he died in an instant, not knowing that on the other side of the portal his wife was lying dead, crushed under the key stone of the cloister arch.

The staff in Solomon’s hands was incandescent, it was holding the power of his father and the crystal caves. That power was needed, but not here. It was needed to help defend an old castle against the most evil wizard in living memory. Solomon slammed the staff into the ground, there was a howl of wind and he was on his way back to Hogwarts.

15. A Time to Die

Voldemort knew he was trapped, but if Potter wanted to fight here, so be it. This place was a good as any, in fact it was better. To destroy Potter, Dumbledore and Hogwarts all in one day would be a crowning moment on his path to controlling the entire wizarding world. Avalon had become a side show now; he would deal with them later, if Lucius had not already completed the task for him. He urged his Death Eaters forward, there were only six students facing them, destroying them would be an easy task for his followers.

He watched in amusement as the wizards raced up the lawns to reach the doors of the castle. All of them giving Harry Potter a wide berth and none of them dared to fire at him. This did not stop the boy from dropping four of his Death Eaters, as the passed him, with what appeared to be a stunning spell, one of such power that each of them was blasted off their feet to land some ten paces away. So the boy was not as weak as he had made out, so much the better. Voldemort relished the idea of killing the boy, how ever good he was, Potter was his. He drew his wand, and he walked towards the boy standing inside his shimmering shield.

………………………..

Antonin Dolohov moved swiftly up the lawn with Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange close behind him. The two brothers, intent on reaching the Castle doors, only just caught the gesture from Dolohov calling them to him. He had seen Hermione sitting on the grass, seemingly unconcerned to all that was going on around her.

“The girl!” Dolohov yelled, “Potter’s mudblood, kill her!”

Almost simultaneously the three Death Eaters fired curses at Hermione. There were two cries of “Avada Kedavra” from the Lestranges. From such a close range avoiding the bolts of green fire returned to them by Hermione’s Tear was an impossibility, and neither brother fared any better than Bellatrix had done. Dolohov had opted for the spell he had tried to kill Hermione with at the Ministry two years before, but on that occasion had been unable to speak the enchantment.

“SECTUMSEMPRA” He bellowed slashing his wand downwards. He had the opportunity denied to the Lestranges, of seeing both of them fall to their own curses. Then Antonin Dolohov was immersed in problems of his own making, as his curse rebounded and opened his body from shoulder to hip. He screamed once as the agonising pain tore through him. He sank to the ground but did not die immediately, his failing sight fixed now on the girl sitting not six feet from him. He could feel his life and his blood flowing away, he tried to curse her but the curse would not leave his mouth, there was too much blood, he couldn’t speak. Dolohov gave a wet gurgle and the encroaching blackness took him.

Hermione, who had shut her eyes on seeing the three wizards approaching her slowly opened them, saw what remained of Dolohov on the grass in front of her and quickly shut them again. She concentrated on maintaining her link with Harry and waiting for the order to summon Sirius.

The remaining Death Eaters with Macnair and Avery in the lead advanced on the four members of the Tyr standing alone on the castle steps. Ron was worried again, Solomon should have been here by now, and there was no sign of him. Still, they were holding their own so far. The spells had been easily deflected; curses were dealt with either by dodging out of the way if they were killers, or deflection if not. Their training in ‘Volo ventosum’ allowed them all to move freely of one another, but also in concert, which to the attacking wizards presented a bewildering pattern of flashing shields and counter curses.

The way these students moved was so alien to the Death Eaters, more used to a ‘stand still and slug it out’ type of fight that they fell to temptation, and closed in around them. By the time they realised their mistake it was too late. Neville’s shield tilted and struck, two bodies collapsed twitching to the steps. They were the first to fall but not the last. Like the well oiled machine that they were, the shield bearers of the Tyr struck in turn, each taking one or two of their attackers, with the edges of their shields.

The lower steps were becoming slippery with blood and obstructed with bodies. The attackers backed off, now firing spells not only at the Tyr but at the building behind them. Chunks of stone as big as a fist were blasted out of the walls to rain down on the students. It was instinct on Luna’s part to raise her shield to protect her head, leaving herself vulnerable.

She was fortunate that the first spell to hit her was a stunner, for as she was blasted backwards into the door two green bolts of energy passed through the spot where she had been standing moments before. Ginny moved to stand over her and protect her as best she could, then Ron took the initiative.

He flung his still spinning shield away from him and at the same time raised his hand and shouted “AEGIS MAXIMUS” his shield only surpassed in strength by Harry’s, enveloped the top two steps, and the descending stone and brickwork bounced harmlessly off it. Ron’s small shield hovered to one side of the steps; he held it there with his wand. It spun ominously giving off red sparks and a menacing hum, like an angry wasp. He looked quickly at the others; he was relieved to see Luna getting to her feet, Ginny having re-enervated her.

“Let’s finish this now,” he said, gritting his teeth with the effort of maintaining the spells.

He flicked his wand and the humming shield stung. It darted across the first row of Death Eaters at shoulder height. The result was as gruesome as expected, only the last in line had the time to duck and he was hit by a curse fired by Ginny. Those of Voldemort’s followers that were left were distracted, they kept a very close watch on the shield that Ron maintained hovering to one side of the castle steps. Their attack faltered, and then lost all cohesion, at that moment the Tyr struck.

The Tyr did not use stunners, it was too easy to re-enervate. The Tyr did not kill; it was not in their nature to do so easily. The Tyr, following Harry’s example in the Ministry, cleaned, they wiped everything away. Time and time again they cried “OBLIVIATE”, and again and again the spell found its mark, then there was no one left to fire at.

The dust settled and Ron relaxed the shields he had been holding. The castle steps were littered with bodies, there were more out on the grass, and mixed among them wizards wandered aimlessly, not knowing who they were or what they were doing.

…………………………

Out on the lawns another battle raged, it was not as obviously violent as the one at the castle doors had been, but it was savage none the less. Voldemort had not held anything back from his first attack. Harry had expected killing curses and he had not been disappointed, he kept just enough distance between Voldemort and himself to be able to dodge them, his seekers reflexes were the only things keeping him alive at the moment. The curses Harry threw back to Voldemort forced him to break his attack to deflect them, and this gave Harry the chance to keep ahead of the game. Then he lost his advantage. If you stand still it’s hard to slip, Harry wasn’t standing still, and a wet patch of grass was all it took. His foot shot from under him and he fell. He rolled as he fell, he kept moving but it was not enough, the green bolt from Voldemort’s killing curse caught his arm. Harry’s world seemed to slow down, his vision blurred, he felt terribly weak, and he was slipping away when a voice in his mind screamed

‘HARRY!’

He could see her face and he thought it was the last thing he would ever see. He wanted to say goodbye, and he wanted to say he was sorry. Then there was a flash of gold and a five pointed star hidden deep in a young woman’s mind blazed out as Hermione poured all her mental strength into Harry to hold his soul in his body. She acted purely on instinct, there was no plan, she just did it because it seemed the right thing to do.

Voldemort had seen his curse strike home, it was over. He took the chance to look around, and saw the carnage on and around the castle steps. His Death Eaters may be gone but they were not important, he still had the Dementors to do his bidding, they had been the key to both attacks on Avalon, now they would fulfil that same role here at Hogwarts.

The Dementors, who had remained out on the lawns, away from the battle on the steps, now, at Voldemort’s urging, moved forwards. Their advance was slow but deliberate, their rasping breaths sucking the warmth out of the air.

Harry opened his eyes, he was alive and he shouldn’t have been. He was lying between Voldemort and the castle and could not see the advancing Dementors. Voldemort was not looking in his direction, so trying to move a little as possible Harry began to draw in power, he only needed to stop Voldemort, not kill him, Sirius’ companions wanted him alive. He moved at the last possible moment pointing his wand at Voldemort and thinking the spell he needed ‘Petrificus Totalus’. It sped to its target and struck him in the chest.

Voldemort froze, his arms and legs snapping together, but he didn’t fall. Harry could see that he was fighting his spell, his whole body was trembling, the muscles in his neck twitched, and very slowly Voldemort turned his head to look directly at Harry. His eyes were wide open in surprise, and they followed Harry as he climbed to his feet. Harry was using all the power available to him to hold Voldemort immobile, he had the upper hand, but Voldemort had inner strengths of his own and Harry knew he could not hold it for ever. He called to Hermione.

‘NOW tell Sirius NOW,’ he thought to her, but there was no response.

Harry could not turn to look, so he could not see the Dementors gathered around Hermione in her protecting sphere. Nor the fact that she seemed to have slumped to the ground. The sphere had done its job; none of the stone blasted from the castle walls had touched her. Hermione’s Tear had done the rest, she had been untouched by any spell, but nothing was stopping the soul-sapping effects of the Dementors.

Ron and the others had tried to fight the creatures off; each of them had produced a patronus and sent them out to help Hermione. Ron’s terrier patronus was running round and snapping at the Dementors but there were too many of them, and the already exhausted Tyr could not maintain the spell for long. Then help arrived in the shape of the Order of the Phoenix, the six wizards burst out on to the lawns and added their strength to the embattled Tyr. Ron saw Fred, George, Remus, Tonks, and Neville’s parents Frank and Alice Longbottom, multiple cries of ‘EXPECTO PATRONUM’ rang out and their patronesses went to work.

Hermione stirred, the weight of sorrow was lifting, and then the little silver brooch Luna had given her came to her aid. Perhaps it did make the inside of the sphere smell like the kitchens just after the baking had been finished, but that simple aroma roused Hermione and the memories flooded back. An image of Harry flashed into her mind and then she heard his thoughts, ‘NOW HERMIONE, NOW’, and she responded. Focusing her thoughts into the pyramid she called to Sirius.

The numbers of Dementors were beginning to tell, the fight was going their way again, as the defenders tired, and they closed in once more. Then something happened that only Hagrid and AH could see from the window of Hagrid’s hut. On the battlements above the castle doors four figures appeared. One was dressed in red and gold, one in blue and silver, one in yellow and black, and the tall figure of Albus Dumbledore in purple and gold.

None of the figures spoke, but all raised their hands stretching their palms out, and the walls of the old castle began to give off a low blue light. The light waxed and waned, each time getting a little brighter, and each time pushing further out away from the walls. The Dementors gave a collective cry of anguish, writhing and moaning they were forced back, but could not escape from the light for they were held by it.

Then a vortex of wind howling and shrieking appeared on the top castle step, not four feet from where Ginny was standing half supporting Luna. Out of it stepped Solomon, Ron thought he looked really pissed off. He held the staff of Avalon aloft and shouted at the top of his voice ‘MERLINUS PATRONUM’.

What erupted from the golden pentagram was definitely a patronus, but it was huge, it had the appearance of an old man in a long flowing cloak, who grew and grew in size until it could open it arms wide enough to engulf all the moaning but unmoving Dementors. The enormous arms began to close, gathering the Dementors in an unwelcome embrace. As each was touched it cried out anew, a horrible wailing sound, there was a flash of flame, and then Dementor dust rained down onto the grass.

As the enchantment on the castle flickered and died three of the figures on the battlements faded from sight. Dumbledore stood for a moment looking down on the scene below him. His life had run its course, he had protected the castle as he had intended now he was ready; he knew Harry would win and that was all that mattered. He slowly collapsed to the ground, all the strength leaving him, he expected to move on but something told him to wait. He rested his eyes, and waited.

………………………….

Harry’s control on Voldemort was slipping, the Dark Lord was able to speak, he could see the defenders futile fight, the Dementors would have them.

“You will soon be alone boy, your friends will fall, then you will fall, and I shall be triumphant,” his voice hissed out, it was almost a laugh.

Although he could not see what was happening behind him Hermione was thinking at him and he knew that the Dementors were being driven back by the castle itself, then he felt the relief in her thoughts as, ‘Solomon’s here’, was sent.

Harry would not let Voldemort move, they both heard the screams of the Dementors, they both knew that they were gone, but Voldemort never gave up. He taunted Harry

“Loneliness is all you will ever know, Harry. Your friends will not help you now. They never will, they only look to themselves. Call them, call them now, no one will come. YOU ARE ALONE!”

Harry considered the most evil wizard in the world; did he feel pity for him? No not really, he was only getting what he deserved. Then a small thought slipped into his mind. ‘Here Harry just say the word’

‘Thanks Sirius,’ he replied.

“Oh Tom, you’re wrong you know,” Harry said quietly, “I let love into my heart and because of that I am never alone.” With that Harry raised his arms and thousands of small golden lights appeared in the air around him. They floated, gently moving up and down like the surface of a calm sea. “I even brought some friends for you; you’ll be dying to meet them I know.”

All but one of the lights moved forward and crowded around Voldemort, whose eyes were now bulging in fear for he recognised them for what they were. They settled on him and their weight, despite Harry’s spell, drove him to his knees. Then the lights sank through Voldemort’s robes, through his pale papery skin, into the core of his body and there they surrounded his soul. Harry released his spell, Voldemort cried out and flung his arms wide, His soul burst apart and shattered into thousands of pieces, each of the souls of the Inferius took a piece of that dark soul. But that soul was only dark when intact, these pieces in isolation were as pure as if they had come from the soul of a child and so the souls of Voldemort’s dead became complete.

Collectively they thanked Harry and he could feel their gratitude. He saw them leave Voldemort’s body; the golden lights floated in a cloud around it, then they lifted up into the sky and faded from sight.

A soulless body will decay, and with Voldemort whose body had been constructed with spells and potions, the process started rapidly. Harry watched, sickened but fascinated, until he could stand it no more then pointing his wand at the decomposing body in front of him cried ‘INCENDIO’, the flames erupted from his wand and engulfed the body and Harry poured on the power until there was nothing left but a pile of smoking ashes.

Sirius, floating by Harry’s head, surveyed the remains of the most evil wizard in the world. In his mind Harry heard his godfather chuckle ‘Good job there Harry. It’s been great to be with you again, have a good life and give my love to Hermione,’ then, before Harry could respond, he was gone. He was too tired to be saddened at Sirius’ sudden departure, he would miss not having his godfather’s thoughts in his mind, but he knew that Sirius was alright, and that he was happy, and that for the moment was enough.

Wearily Harry turned back to the castle and had his first look at the devastation around the main doors. He couldn’t see who was OK and who wasn’t. He wanted to know, but he didn’t want to find out. Then he saw Hermione rushing toward him, her robes flying out behind her in her haste. ‘They’re all OK, they’re all OK,’ she sent at him. Then she was in his arms, he gathered her up and swung her round, and he kissed her. She was the one he had shared everything with; she was the one he could now spend the rest of his life with. Voldemort was gone, it was all over.

……………………………………..

Harry and Hermione out on the lawns wrapped in each others arms were completely happy, too happy for words they could only stare at each other and smile. They heard a shout from the direction of Hagrid’s hut, not the man himself but a young childish voice cheering and shouting, and then they could see AH as he raced up the hill towards them.

Draco Malfoy was in shock, he had witnessed the destruction of the Dark Lord and with his death the destruction of his own life. He had nothing now, his powerful master was gone, the despair crippled him, and he wanted someone to pay. The boy ran passed his hiding place up the hill towards Potter and Granger. The boy was cheering and whistling in glee, almost dancing in celebration. Draco could see Harry and Hermione beckoning him on with welcoming smiles.

This was his vengeance, Draco pointed his wand and put all his hate into the curse ‘AVDARA KADAVRA’ the curse leapt from his wand, the green bolt screamed through the air.

AH jumped up the last of the steps to reach the lawns, he was in mid air when Draco’s curse found its mark and hit him in the middle of his back. The boy’s voice stopped in mid shout, his eyes were wide with the excitement he had been expressing, and then the life was ripped away from them. His momentum carried him onto the wide green lawns and he hit the grass rolling over and over, coming to rest on his back, he was dead.

Draco smirked as he heard the cries of anguish from Harry and Hermione, but didn’t dare look. He turned on his heel and made off into the forest as best as he could on his unsteady legs.

Their joy had turned to horror, Harry and Hermione ran to AH lying still and deathly pale on the ground. They reached him together, Hermione was overcome with grief, this young boy had become a symbol of the future for her. A symbol of her future with Harry, she couldn’t think straight, he couldn’t be dead, she had saved Harry from Voldemort’s curse, and she would save AH as well.

Hermione gripped the stone of her necklace; still flickering with that strange double pulse, and she plunged her mind after AH. Harry understood instantly what she was trying to do and he knew that this time it was the wrong thing to do, but Hermione was already on her way and Harry wasn’t about to lose her too, so he followed.

Of the people on the Castle steps the only one to see all of the drama on the lawns unfold was Solomon. He had cried out when AH had been hit and others had turned to see what was going on, but Solomon knew what was in Hermione’s mind almost before she had done it.

He didn’t run to them as most of the others did, one second he was on the steps, the next he was there in time to catch both Harry and Hermione as they slipped to the ground. He could waste no time, holding one under each arm, he vanished again, taking them with him appearing in the centre of the hospital wing, where a weary Madam Pomfrey was tending to the dying Headmaster.

She shrieked when she saw who Solomon had with him, then cried with despair when she realised that they were both dead.

16. The Price of Victory

Solomon did not wait for Poppy to regain her composure. He manhandled Harry onto a bed, then lifting Hermione a little more gently placed her on the one next to him. Solomon stood between the couple, placed his left hand on Harry’s chest over his heart, then he did the same to Hermione with his right. Then he began to chant in a language, that was old, and forgotten, save by a few.

The words called out to summon a magic that was as old as time itself, as old as life, and as old as death. A magic that had only ever been used once before and on that occasion the words had resounded off the Sarsen stones of The Great Stone Circle. This time the resonance was created by the high ceiling of the hospital ward of Hogwarts, but it made the words sound no less compelling.

The air around Solomon, Harry and Hermione began to shimmer, as if there was an inferno trapped in each of them giving off vast quantities of heat. They were still visible, but their bodies glimmered and wavered in the disturbed air. Poppy Pomfrey watched all this not understanding what was happening, but knowing in her heart that she was going to lose more than just Dumbledore this afternoon.

Then she received another shock; at the end of Hermione’s bed a stout figure began to appear out of nothing and nowhere, and as it took on substance Poppy could see that it was an elderly witch, one with a kind face which at the moment was troubled. She ignored all but Solomon and spoke softly to him.

“Are you sure what you are doing is wise Solomon?”

Solomon did not look up and his voice mirrored the strain he was taking to perform this spell. “I am aware of the cost Eleanor, and yes it is wise. These two have given everything to save us and I am not about to let them down now.”

“Very well, how long can you hold?” she asked.

“As long as necessary, unto death if need be.”

………………………………..

The great doors of Hogwarts School were open once more. In the entrance hall were signs that a battle had been fought here as well. There were chips of stone all over the floor and holes in the walls that had produced them. Those defending the inside of the doors had cuts and grazes caused by the flying stone, but no serious injuries. They also had a prize, five students all in Slytherin robes were bound and gagged and lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. If they had hopes of a bright future under Voldemort then these were gone, they were soon to learn that he was gone as well.

Ron and the others dashed across the threshold and they shot up the stairs heading for the Hospital Wing. Hardly able to take in the truth of AH’s death they were frantic to find out what had happened to Harry and Hermione, they were not really prepared for what they would find.

Ginny outstripped her brother running up the stairs, despite his long legs, and she was the first to rush through the doors into the ward itself. There she found two of her best friends so pale, and unmoving as if dead, Solomon kneeling between them a hand on each of their chests, his head bowed looking as if he was trying to force life into them by the sheer power of his magic. Frightened and confused, Ginny looked wildly around and saw Dumbledore so near to death as well, with a tearful McGonagall and Pomfrey standing frozen near the beds. The tableau was too much for her mind to handle, so it acted in self preservation, and she fainted. Her legs gave way, and she would have fallen, but Ron was there and he caught her.

Ginny had not seen the other occupant of the ward, but Ron did. The old woman was standing close to Dumbledore’s bed, bent over as if she was talking to the old man.

…………………………….

Eleanor Wicca had seen much in a life that spanned countless years, but the enchantment that Solomon was attempting she had only seen once before. Before the birth of Solomon, before the birth of his mother, even before the birth of old man Merlin himself, Eleanor had been an ‘ammanti’, an old woman. Her task, then as now, to ensure, when she could, that the right things happened at the right time. In this distant time there was no magic, as those in Hogwarts would have understood it.

Magicians borrowed their magic from the air, the earth, from fire and water. Some could use this magic but the talent appeared only here and there, and rarely was it passed from father to son.

In one small village a boy was born, he was no more important to his tribe than any other child, but ultimately he would have an importance that none of his people would ever understand. The village’s young Shaman understood and so did his father, who in one of those rare instances had been the Shaman before him until age and infirmity made him step down in favour of his son.

When the boy was ten years old something had happened. An evil presence, a ‘maljo’ had passed through the village and taken the boy’s life. The Shaman had been near to hand, and as Solomon was doing with Harry and Hermione, had acted quickly and by his will alone held the boy’s body stable, not alive, but not in death either.

“Kabagli belatu kraqo biwo ad-alo ad-sor-o wiro-jowanko dusjo!”

He appealed to the forces of light to be merciful ‘trougo-karja’ but even in their beneficence balance had to be maintained, one had to go willingly to replace the one taken. It had been the Shaman’s father, who had made the trade. He had walked through the doorway and passed the veil, the exchange had been made, and the boy had lived. Everything that was happening now was due to the life of that boy. All the trouble, all the joy, the Castle and everything it contained, the world of Harry Potter and all the people who lived in it. For that boy had been the first, the first of many, but still the first human to contain the natural magic that made him a wizard and be able to pass that magic on to his children.

Now the problem was the same, only this time two had gone where they should not and two lives were held in the will of the Shaman and it would take two to willingly go and make the sacrifice.

……………………………

Dumbledore lay on his bed, he had not long to last now. His summoning of the three remaining founders and their enchantment to repel the Dementors had cost him his remaining strength, despite Severus’ wonderful potion. It had not really surprised him that Slytherin had not responded to the call, and the other founders had told him that Slytherin’s presence had left them some time ago, they thought, to start a new life. Dumbledore had no proof, but he suspected that Slytherin’s new life had just ended out on the school lawns, and now his soul was gone forever. Albus Dumbledore was ready, he only had one task left to perform and dying was easy.

Ron could feel the old woman in his mind; she asked him questions he didn’t even know he had the answers to. He looked from her to the two still forms on the beds and his heart broke.

He turned to look at his sister, now on another bed with Neville kneeling at her side. Then to Luna standing in the doorway, the tears falling down her face, tears not for Harry or Hermione, but for him, because somehow she knew what had been asked of him, and his heart broke again.

Ron turned away and walked, as if in a dream, to Dumbledore’s bed, he bent over and picked up the old man. Either Dumbledore was very light or Ron had become very strong, for it cost him no effort.

Eleanor was by the window at the end of the ward, with a word and a gesture; a stone arch appeared with a fluttering veil hiding what lay beyond. The sun streaming thorough the windows made it hard for the other to see what was happening, but Ron could see clearly and carrying Dumbledore in his arms he walked towards the veil.

He knew that he was doing this not just for what Harry and Hermione had done, but for what they would do in the future. A future that would not include him, but a future that he could make possible. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall tried to hold him back, but he passed through their outstretched hands as if they weren’t there.

He could not hear the cry of protest from Neville, nor those from Fred and George now standing in the doorway with Luna, who was beyond sadness. Ron climbed onto the first step of the dais, the bravest Weasley of them all; none would ever doubt his courage again. He took a deep breath for the final step, when a hand descended on his shoulder and held him back.

“No Mr. Weasley, not this time, you to have much still to do.” The voice was not as strong as it once had been, but it still made Ron turn concerned that he had forgotten some piece of homework, to look straight into the very pale face of Severus Snape.

The potions master gave Ron a quirky smile. “I know that you would willingly go Ron,” he said, using his first name for the first time, “but I cannot let you. You have a life to live, I have had mine, and there is nothing to keep me here any longer. If you let me take your place you will give my life a final purpose and a chance to learn the truth. Your greatest achievement is still out there waiting for you; it won’t be in the field of potions, but never mind.”

Snape reached out and took Dumbledore from Ron’s arms. “If you’ll allow me Headmaster,” then to Ron, “thank-you, Mr. Weasley.” And without a final look back, Snape walked on and through the veil.

Ron stepped back from the veil as the arch and the dais vanished. He looked at the old woman.

“What do we do now?” he asked quietly, as Luna came up behind him and held him tight as if she would never let him go.

Eleanor smiled sadly at him “We wait.”

……………………………………..

Harry had felt the shock of dislocation as his soul had left his body behind, but he did not see it fall lifelessly into Solomon's arms. In her grief Hermione had felt and seen nothing and now Harry was rushing to keep up with her. Was this what it was like for Sirius, for all the souls of Voldemort’s Inferius, for everybody who died? He made an extra effort, reached out, and caught Hermione’s arm.

“Slow down love. There’s no hurry,” he said, trying to keep hold of her.

Hermione slowed her relentless pace, then stopped and turned to Harry, flinging her arms round him and holding him tight. Her body was wracked with sobbing; Harry smoothed her hair and tried to reassure her, all the time whispering “It’s alright, it’s alright.”

Harry began to take notice of their surroundings. They were on a path through the woods, or maybe it was a corridor with torches lighting the way, or maybe it was both. It was however very strange, as both the corridor and the path flowed into and out of existence. As far as he could see there was only one object that remained static and that was a large squashy sofa, so familiar to him that he almost laughed out loud.

Sitting on that sofa was a little girl with golden curly hair and next to her holding her hand was AH. They appeared as solid as he and Hermione did, but he knew, or at least he thought he knew, that none of this was possible.

Hermione lifted her head to find that she and Harry were now standing next to the sofa and the two children on it. In this place, wherever it was, it appeared time and distance had no meaning. AH was smiling at her, he seemed quite unconcerned. Hermione knelt down in front of him and took his spare hand.

“I am so sorry AH, it’s all my fault, you should be safe in Gryffindor Tower, not here.”

AH smiled, “It’s OK, you see I found Sophie. She was waiting for me, now we can go on; we need to finish our journey.”

Hermione was close to tears again “But… don’t you understand… you’re dead AH. I’ve come to take you back.”

“I can’t go back now. I will, we both will, but not now.” AH was talking with an understanding that an eleven year old should not have. “We have been born out of time, but now we can put that right.”

He reached out and grasped the stone hanging round Hermione’s neck. Harry had been the only one able to do that before, without it reacting violently. Hermione’s Tear was dark and inactive, but in AH’s hand the stone took on a beautiful pink glow, it pulsed once, then once again and then the colour faded away. AH looked at his friend sitting next to him on the sofa, they exchanged conspiratorial smiles, and then he reached out and drew Hermione to him and kissed her on the cheek.

If Harry was feeling a little left out he didn’t mind. This was for Hermione, something important was happening, and he sensed it was healing her. Then he felt something tugging on his robes and he looked down, Sophie had left the sofa and was standing next to him. Harry crouched down to bring his face level with hers, and was a little surprised to have her arms firmly placed round his neck and a kiss planted on his cheek.

“What did I do to deserve that?” he asked.

Sophie pursed her lips, and brought her hand up to cup her chin as if she was thinking.

“Oooh, you just wait and see,” then she laughed a silvery giggle which sent shivers down Harry’s spine, a giggle which he thought was very familiar.

The four of them sat in a line on the sofa waiting. AH had said it was for their guides, some one would come and lead them on, but so far no one had appeared. Then two figures walking side by side could be seen in the distance, and then they were right beside them. Harry’s mouth dropped open, it was Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, but it was a Snape that Harry had never seen before. He was smartly dressed in dark green robes, his hair was clean of its usual grease, and he was smiling, and it was a pleasant smile. Dumbledore looked the same, no, he looked well again, he looked as fit and as strong as he had the first day Harry had seen him.

“I see you have no more grasp of things on this side than you did on the other Harry,” Snape said, “close your mouth boy, it makes you look like an idiot.”

“Now now Severus, you are supposed to be changing, try to be nice,” Dumbledore chided.

“Sorry Albus, but Potter seems to bring out the worst in me,” he turned to Harry and smiled, “sorry Harry, force of habit.”

Harry shut his mouth anyway.

Dumbledore smiled in a fatherly way at the four sitting and waiting. “Well then, time to go,” the four stood. “Ah! Not you two,” he said pointing at Harry and Hermione, “you have a different road to travel.” He swung his arm to the side, and another path that hadn’t been there before, appeared.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then at the four preparing to leave. Harry suddenly felt a lump in his throat and he could see the tears in Hermione’s eyes, but he could think of nothing to say.

He watched as Snape looked down at AH and reached out a hand to him. As their hands joined Harry saw Snape relax, AH looked Harry directly in the eye and winked at him.

Dumbledore took Sophie’s hand, smiled once at Harry and Hermione and said “Right then off we go.” The four turned away all hand in hand, took one step, then another, and then they were gone.

Harry and Hermione stood together and watched, their eyes fixed on the spot where the four had vanished, hoping to glimpse them again but there was nothing only the path or corridor stretching into the distance fluctuating in and out of existence.

Harry slipped his arm round Hermione’s waist. “Come on,” he said, turning to the new path, “let’s see where this one leads.”

They walked on and Hermione laid her head on his shoulder and sighed, “I don’t care where it goes as long as I can be with you. That’s the only place I want to be,… ever.”

…………………………………

In the Hospital Wing night was drawing in, Ron and all the others were sitting on chairs and perched on beds around the ward. Solomon kneeled as he had all day, bent in concentration, the air shimmering around him. Then suddenly he straightened, lifted his hands from Harry and Hermione, and stood.

The bodies, lying so pale and still, moved. It was small to start with, but each movement was stronger than the last, then it was obvious to everyone in the ward that Harry and Hermione were breathing again.

………………………………..

Solomon breathed a sigh of relief, he could have held the enchantment forever, but the longer Harry and Hermione were dead the less likely that Dumbledore and Severus would be able to find them. If the two youngsters had passed beyond the entrance, then all would be lost, and Solomon would have no way of knowing that they could not return.

His relief had come because in each chest he had felt a tiny flutter, like the beating wings of the smallest bird, it was fast and faint but it was there. The stone on Hermione’s necklace flickered once and then again, a faint blue double pulse shone out and then settled into a steady rhythm. Their hearts had started again and Solomon adjusted the enchantment, so that he was now just enriching their blood, not pushing it around their bodies as well. It had taken another half an hour for the first faint movements to suggest that they were about to start breathing again. Solomon adjusted the enrichment charm to encourage the breathing to deepen and when he was sure that they could manage on their own, he broke the enchantment and his contact with them.

……………………………..

As he straightened Solomon caught his reflection in the mirror above Hermione’s bed. He looked as if he had aged twenty years and perhaps he had. His hair was now completely white and there may have been a few more lines around his eyes, but that didn’t matter, he could reverse his external appearance when he felt like it.

He was pleased he hadn’t sprouted a beard, they were far too itchy to cope with, but on the down side he thought he would have to use his reading glasses a bit more frequently.

Nevertheless any price would have been worth seeing what he could see now, and that was the stone of Hermione’s necklace pulsing again with that strange double beat. Someone came up behind him with a chair and he sat gratefully. It was Ron who placed a questioning hand on his shoulder.

“Yes Ron, they should be fine, and by the way even by today’s extraordinary standards what you did was the bravest thing I have ever seen. A totally selfless sacrifice is something that not many would contemplate, the fact that you didn’t have to do it no way diminishes the desire. I am very proud of you.” Solomon was now surrounded by the rest of the Tyr as they waited for Harry and Hermione to show some signs of waking. “In fact” he said “I am very proud of all of you.”

It was Hermione who stirred first, she opened her eyes to the low candle light that was the only illumination in the ward.

“Harry!” she called “Harry, where are you?”

A voice deeper than Harry’s answered, but a welcome voice none the less. “He’s right here with you my dear, in the next bed. He’s going to be fine, he just needs a little longer to recover.”

“Oh Solomon, it was so strange and it was so beautiful, and we saw AH and Sophie and the Headmaster and Snape.”

“Professor Snape, Hermione. Don’t worry about that now, we’ll talk about it all later” he said reassuring her.

Madam Pomfrey insisted that now Hermione was conscious she was her responsibility, so Solomon and the others moved away to let the nurse do her job.

It was an hour later that Harry showed signs of literally returning to the land of the living, and by the following morning it would have been hard to tell that they had been so close to being completely dead.

…………………………………..

For everyone else it was a different matter. Ron and Luna were fast asleep on one bed with Ginny and Neville on another. Fred, George, Remus and Tonks were tucked up as well, but it was noticed that Tonks had firmly pushed her bed close to Remus’ so that they could sleep in each others arms, but in comfort. Of Frank and Alice Longbottom, Solomon and Eleanor Wicca there was no sign. The hushed tones of Poppy Pomfrey and Minerva McGonagall could be heard in conversation in Poppy’s office.

“So will you take over now Minerva?”

“Oh, only until the Governors find a new Head,” her Scots lilt gave her voice a sing song quality. “I don’t want the job permanently; this will be a difficult time for the school, I will help all I can, but I’ve worked too long with Dumbledore. There will have to be many changes and that’s not for me. I found it hard enough telling the school about Albus, Severus and poor little Austin Henry last night. How about you, Poppy?”

“I’ll stay for a while, but I would like to start the orphanage again, I think once all the dust settles, there may be a greater need for it now more than ever.”

“Aye it’ll be a difficult time for us all,” said McGonagall She nodded her head in the direction of the ward, “for those in there, worse than others.”

Harry lay in his bed listening to the conversation unfold, they were right, there was lots of change coming, and today would see the start of it.

“Hermione?” he whispered.

“Hmm.” She replied sleepily.

“You awake?”

“I am now”

“Would you come with me for a walk?”

“What now?”

“Yes, this is the first morning we have had in a world without Voldemort; I’d quite like to enjoy it.”

Hermione sat up “Gosh, I hadn’t thought of that, don’t you think they’ll try and stop us?”

“Not if we don’t tell them. Come on.”

As quietly as they could, the pair slipped out of bed and crept along the ward, out into the corridor and down the stairs.

The Entrance Hall was spotless as usual, all the damage had been repaired, Harry and Hermione opened the Castle doors and found that outside all the horrors of the day before had been removed as well. They walked away from the Castle, across the lawns and down to the lake. Their wandering led them as usual to their spot under the large tree. There they sat and waited as the sun already spreading its light over the countryside appeared over the hills and flooded the valley in a gentle yellow glow. They sat, just looking, not talking, absorbing the beauty of this first day and then from the far end of the lake they could hear someone coming.

They knew who it was before they could see him, his tuneless humming and occasional words of some song floated over the waters of the lake, then as they expected Hagrid came into view. He could see someone as well, but not who they were, so he challenged them with the pink umbrella he was carrying.

“‘Oo’s there?” he said sharply. Then as they stood, “ ‘arry! ‘ermione!” he shouted in a far more joyous tone, “w’at you doin’ ‘ere?”

Then he was up to them and crushed them both in a fierce hug. He was crying but his tears were those of joy. “I knew you’d do it, never dou’ted it for a moment,” his happiness was hard for him to contain.

He released them, and they quickly checked to make sure nothing had been broken, then Harry noticed the umbrella.

“What have you been doing Hagrid?”

Hagrid’s cheerfulness evaporated, he looked at his feet and the sky, anywhere but Harry and Hermione. “Err, I been looking after young Austin ‘enry. I found a spot down the lake a ways. Pretty little place if I says so meself, thought it were only fittin’.”

“I’m sure it’s lovely Hagrid,” Hermione said quietly, “but don’t be sad, there’s something we need to tell you.”

And so they told him all that had happened, and in turn he told them all he had seen. When they had finished Hagrid continued back to his hut in a happier frame of mind, and Harry and Hermione walked on down the lakeside to the little grass-banked bay they had visited once before.

Only there in the centre, where they had laid their blanket, was the small grave. A length of freshly turned earth that would soon flatten and melt back into the ground leaving no trace.

“It’s not enough,” said Hermione tearfully.

Harry looked at her and instantly knew what was on her mind.

“We can try Hermione, but it will take both of us,” he said.

He reached around her neck and unclasped the chain of her necklace. They stood close together, the stone of Hermione’s Tear clasped in their joined hands. Forming the magic in their minds they focused on the jewel and the grave before them. For the first time in their lives, but not the last, Harry and Hermione truly combined their magic. There was a flash of light and the sound of stone grating on stone. As the light faded instead of the pile of earth, AH’s grave was capped with a slab of red granite and on it two words emblazoned in gold proclaimed Forever Together.

……………………………..

Harry and Hermione returned to the castle to find the place in an uproar, students were running about in the grounds searching the bushes and ditches, even braving Fang’s loud barking and looking in Hagrid’s hut. Hagrid was not around as after dropping off his umbrella he had carried on into the forest to visit his brother Gawp and thus was missing all the excitement.

The causes of the excitement were walking calmly across the lawns back up to the main doors of the school. As Harry and Hermione passed them, the searching students stopped what they were doing and joined the throng that were now following the Head Boy and Girl.

Harry leaned in close and whispered.

“Do you think we are in trouble again?”

“Looks that way, perhaps we should have told someone we were going out,” Hermione whispered back.

“Where in Merlin’s name have you two been!” screamed a shrill voice as an irate Ginny Weasley, her face almost as red as her hair, appeared in the doorway.

Her shout was loud enough to cut through all the student babble and the crowd fell silent. She stood there, her hands on her hips, a miniature Molly Weasley, Harry was about to laugh and make a joke of it when he saw the fire in her eyes and thought better of it.

“Err…Umm… we just went for a walk down by the lake,” an abashed Harry replied, “we didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”

“Well just you come up here Harry, and you Hermione,” Ginny said fixing her with a glare, “they’re all waiting for you and they’ve been very worried.”

As they ambled up the steps Harry thought this was all terribly unfair and as Ginny encouraged them to hurry, he muttered under his breath, “Yes mother”.

“What was that Harry?”

“Nothing Ginny,” was the surly reply.

They thought they were going to be taken to a meeting with the hierarchy of the wizarding world, but instead Ginny led them into the Great Hall, in which all the students were now seated, the last few rushing in just before Harry and Hermione.

As they crossed the threshold the room fell silent, then as they walked slowly up the isle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, Professor McGonagall sitting in Dumbledore’s old chair stood and began to applaud. Then Solomon was there next to her joining in, then all the staff stood and the applause began to spread to the students and then the cheers began.

Both Harry and Hermione had seen many occasions of happiness and celebration in this Great Hall, but neither had experienced anything like this. Ron and Neville, standing at the head of the Gryffindor table, were joined by Ginny, all three cheering as loud as the others. Luna was on the opposite side of the aisle at the head of the Ravenclaw table, and was swinging her butterbeer cork necklace round her head in her excitement. The six members of the Tyr met, embraced, and then turned to accept the acclamation of their peers.

The noise died down only slowly and Harry had a chance to view all the tables. His own, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were full of cheering students, and as he turned his gaze to the Slytherin table he was gladdened to see their response was the same. As he looked down their ranks he could see the three Slytherin members of the old DA, they as with all the others had been given the task of protecting their own houses in case the Death Eaters had gained entry to the castle.

The Slytherins were the only ones to see action, trying to prevent the five students leaving their common room and attacking the front doors. Malcolm Braddock was sporting a sling, his arm had been broken in the fight. Looking at him and the students around him Harry noticed something else, they were all wearing plain black robes. In fact none of the Slytherin students were wearing their house robes, Harry wondered what all this could possibly mean.

The applause eventually died, Harry and the others turned to face the staff table. Professor McGonagall remained standing and looked down at the six students standing in front of her. Eyes bright and shining, she smiled at them.

“What the rest of the wizarding world will make of your exploits yesterday I cannot say,” she said, her voice wavering with suppressed emotion. “I speak now for the school, its staff and its students. Know that we owe a debt so great that it can never be repaid, and knowing you as I do, I realise that any gaudy display of homage would not be what you want. Suffice to know that from this day forth Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley have the keys to Hogwarts, they have the right to expect help from any member of staff and obedience from any student here, or yet to come. They also receive awards for services to the school; this will be recorded under their collective name as the Tyr of Hogwarts.” The cheers hit the roof again, but they ebbed away as Harry turned to face the school.

“I ask only one thing,” he said, “that the peace we have made her should last. You will all go out into the wizarding world, some sooner some later, and I want you to carry this peace with you,” he paused, choosing his words carefully. “If in your time at school, or even after you have left, you feel aggrieved at someone, do not let the feeling fester and turn to hate. Take a walk down to the lake as I did with Hermione earlier this morning.” He reached out for her and linked his arm through hers. “Walk along the lakeside and you will come to a secluded bay with a grass bank. There is a stone on that bank, beneath it is one of your own, a young boy who saw the victory and celebrated it, but his celebration was cruelly cut short.” Harry stopped for a moment, steadied his thoughts, then continued. “Take your bad feelings with you, look at that stone, remember what it represents and read the words written on it. The words are not just for Austin Henry, they are for all of us. Even if you never have a need, visit the stone, go alone or go with your friends and remember, …so that we never have to go through all of this again.”

Hermione slipped her hand into Harry’s, her right in his left, the hearts on their palms together again, the stone at her neck flared into brilliance and the Great Hall rang as it had done on Harry’s sixteenth birthday to record a deed well done.

……………………………

The school broke up the following day, an early start to the Easter Holidays. The Tyr remained behind as the Ministry was on its way and the details of the battle needed to be discussed, recorded, and then reproduced in a way the general wizarding world would fine acceptable.

There had been another change at the top and a new Minister for Magic had been appointed. Rufus Scrimegour had now taken over and Harry was no more impressed with him than he had been with Cornelius Fudge. So for the most part Harry ignored him.

The Ministry listened with polite interest and a lot of scepticism to the story of the battle at Hogwarts. They were finding the whole thing difficult to swallow, and admit that six students one Professor and half a dozen vigilantes could finish such a threat as Voldemort. They were far more impressed with their own involvement in the clean up in Glastonbury, and it was regaled in glowing terms. It seemed that the surviving followers of Voldemort were set upon by the remaining Dementors and all reduced to soulless shells and would soon cease to be a problem. The Dementors themselves had been held, with a little help from some of the witches and wizards from Avalon, and a means had been found to imprison them. Held in this way they could be totally isolated and prevented from feeding, they would essentially starve to death, or extinction, or whatever it was they did. This, the Ministry had decided, was the important outcome of that day’s event.

The Minister announced that there would be no awards given to Harry and his friends; in truth they were scared that if they were not careful they would end up making another Dumbledore out of Harry who would one day challenge their authority. They gave them their thanks but that was all.

None of the students cared, but Mr and Mrs Weasley, who had arrived at the school the day after the battle, were furious. They and most of the other adults, were disgusted that there was to be no official recognition of what the students had done.

Harry diffused a situation which was becoming ugly, by inviting the new Minister for Magic for a walk along the lake. When they came back Scrimegour was looking very thoughtful, took his leave of Professor McGonagall and departed back to London straight away.

The school governors, a very different bunch to the ones who had sacked Dumbledore in Harry’s second year, met with all the staff and with the members of the Tyr. They were far more appreciative of the efforts of all concerned and if they were anything to go by, despite the efforts of the Ministry, the truth would come out in the end.

It was in the talks they had with Solomon, McGonagall and their friends at the school that everyone learned the full story. The courage that Ron had shown, and his willingness to sacrifice himself, earned him a special place in Harry and Hermione’s hearts, as if he didn’t have one there already.

Hermione had been very upset when she learned the reason for Solomon’s apparent ageing and berated herself at great length for her stupidity, but Harry knew that without their visit to wherever it was, she would never have been whole again. She also desperately needed to know why having saved Harry from Voldemort's curse she could not do the same for AH, it was Harry who supplied the answer to that.

He explained that his tactic had been to tire Voldemort, which is why he had been dodging and deflecting his spells and curses. The killing curse that hit Harry had been the eighth or ninth Voldemort had thrown at him and to maintain the hate and power needed to use the curse effectively is very difficult.

“It’s one of the reasons why that curse is so hard to use in a battle,” he said. “There is so much going on around you to act as a distraction. Don’t you remember in our fourth year the false Moody telling us that we could all say the words and make the wand movement at him and he wouldn’t get as much as a nose bleed?”

“Err…No,” said Ron.

“Well he did,” continued Harry, “and it is the same with all the unforgivable curses, you really have to mean it with every fibre of your being for them to work, Bellatrix taught me that. I doubt if Voldemort's curse had half the power of some of the ones he threw at me. I would have died if Hermione hadn’t been linked to me and held me, but I think it was because Voldemort’s curse was weak that she could do it at all.”

Ron looked at his friend thoughtfully “What you mean is that you were lucky and AH wasn’t.”

“Yes, Draco must really have wanted to kill AH” Harry said sadly.

There was an instant intake of breath when Harry mentioned Draco’s name.

“You sure it was him Harry?” Ginny asked.

Hermione had gone very pale at the thought.

“No not sure, but he wasn’t at Avalon, and he wasn’t at the fight on the castle steps, lurking in the bushes is something he has had practice at,” said Harry, in a voice that had the edge of winter in it, “I’ll make sure I ask him when I catch up to him.”

Harry turned quickly as Hermione stifled a sob. She looked imploringly at him.

“No Harry,” she pleaded, “please think of what you said, think about AH, and think about those two words and what they mean. Don’t let vengeance rule again, not even against Draco. He will get his own reward for what he has done, of that I’m sure. I don’t want his ghost clouding the rest of our lives.” Her arms were around his neck again, it was happening a lot lately, and Hermione kissed him soundly on the lips. “We have the chance to live, let’s do it.”

…………………………

‘So there it was’ thought Harry ‘the war was over, and they had won’. But this episode in his life had a bit more to run. There were the holidays to look forward to and then there was still one more term left for all of them at Hogwarts. A new Headteacher to cope with, and the little matter of Draco Malfoy,…. well maybe.

17. The Rise of the Phoenix

The three weeks of the Easter holidays stretched out before them, Harry and Hermione travelled with the rest of the Tyr to the Burrow. The reunion of the Weasley clan was something to behold, even Percy was there once more in the bosom of his family. His relationship with the rest of his family was still a little uneasy, but during the visit of the Ministry personnel to Hogwarts Harry had seen Percy and Mr and Mrs Weasley returning from a walk along the banks of the Hogwarts Lake, some bridges had been repaired then; others may take a little longer.

The gathering at the Burrow was enriched by the presence of Neville’s parents and Luna’s father, who insisted that given time the entire wizarding world would know what had really happened, he and The Quibbler would see to that.

Although Frank and Alice Longbottom had taken part in the battle Harry hadn’t seen them since that Christmas Eve two years before when they had returned to sanity. He was amazed at how well they looked, then it suddenly hit him that had his own parents survived they would have been of much the same age and as full of life and vitality.

It was Neville who saw the change in Harry. He sat quietly on a bench in the garden, a little away from all the noise and bustle, as a meal was being prepared and set out on a long table under the trees. Neville walked over to his friend, sat next to him and put his arm around his shoulders, and silently tried to give back to Harry some of the hope and freedom he had given all of them.

The pair sat for a few moments alone, then as if drawn to them Ginny came over and sat on the ground at Neville’s feet and laid her hand on Harry’s knee, who covered it with one his own. The three were joined by Ron sitting down on Harry’s other side repeating Neville’s embrace. Then Luna sat on Ron’s knee, bent down and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek.

Harry smelt her perfume before she reached him, and he lifted his head to gaze into the eyes that were the windows to his life. The sun was behind her and was filtering through her hair, Harry always knew she was beautiful, now he knew he would never see anything that was more so. He stood to face her, and the others stood with him, Harry put his arms around Hermione and that single embrace included them all. As it had before the forces that held the Tyr together became visible for all to see. Everyone in the garden stopped and turned toward the group. Remus Lupin, helping Molly carry plates to the table, was the only one there who had seen this before. That was in the hospital ward at St.Mungo’s two Christmas’s ago and it in no way lessened the experience.

“Oh Merlin, will you look at that,” he said in awe.

The golden glow that surrounded the Tyr was stronger and clearer than it had been before, ‘Well they have grown and been through a lot since then,’ Remus thought, but this time he could feel something radiating from the group. Not a physical heat, but something deep in him was being affected, and it was warming him.

He could tell that everyone else in the garden was feeling it too, but he didn’t realise that the effect travelled far further than that. Those people shuffling down the poorest alleys in the wizarding world felt it, it lifted their spirits and gave them hope, and they wondered what it was. Those wizards whose houses were the grandest in the land felt it, it let them see past their riches, opening their eyes to the world around them and they wondered as much as the others. Solomon Aegis sitting at his desk in his office at Hogwarts felt it, and he smiled because he knew what it was. It was love, unbounded, unfettered, unequivocal love.

Draco Malfoy in the dark and damp surroundings of his ancestral home howled in despair, because he felt it, and he knew what it was as well. He howled so desperately because he knew that he was truly damned, and he would never feel any love like that again.

As the feeling began to fade, there was a metallic click, which sounded loud to those in the silence of the garden. The glow which surrounded the six friends was still there, but dimming, as Mr. Lovegood lowered his camera. He looked at the faces that had turned in his direction at the sound of the shutter.

“I don’t know if anyone else felt what we did, but everybody deserves to see that,” he said, nodding toward the Tyr “I think everybody needs to see that.”

……………………..

That evening Harry and Hermione demisted to Avalon but not to the road outside The Refuge. As Hermione stepped out of the cloud she realised that she was on the top of the Tor, and Harry, wiping the mist from his glasses, led her over to the large stone block where they had first gazed into the crystal pyramid. The sky was clear and the sun had set. Being early April it was a little chilly, but the stars were as magnificent as they had been that night on Harry’s birthday. The crescent moon gave them enough light to see by, but did not diminish the brightness of the heavens.

“Why did you bring us out up here, Harry?” Hermione asked. “It’s really beautiful but it’s a long walk back down.”

Harry was a little unsure of how to start. “Err… I wanted to ask you a question, and I wanted us to be alone and I couldn’t think of anywhere more suitable than here,” he said.

Hermione stood close to him, slipped her arms around him and pulled him to her. Their faces were so close that when she spoke Harry could feel her breath on his lips brushing across them like a butterfly’s wing.

“You know there is nothing you can’t ask me,” she said quietly, “I would do anything for you Harry.”

“Would you marry me?” he asked, his voice just above a whisper.

The world stopped, just for an instant but it stopped, waiting for the answer.

“Yes” Hermione whispered back, and she kissed him.

Hermione felt the tingle on her finger before she saw the radiance that followed it. Holding up her left hand the pair of them stared in wonder at the ring with the pale blue sapphire held on a white gold band.

“Did you….?” she asked.

“No I didn’t, but someone must have.”

Down in the village Lady Niniane and Eleanor Wicca looked up at the Tor, the little flash of light, as the ring which had been nestling in Eleanor’s palm appeared on Hermione’s finger, was all they could see.

“Happy now, are you, Eleanor?” Lady Niniane asked.

“Oh yes, I like to get all the little ends nicely tied away. Now we can look forward to the next challenge.” The old woman said brightly.

“Umm… I think you are just an old sentimentalist.”

The old woman laughed, and together the two of them turned and vanished into the night.

Anyone watching that night would have seen two bobbing lights descending from the Tor, as Harry and Hermione lit their way down with their wands. They arrived at the Granger’s cottage slightly out of breath, and so waited in the shadows for a moment to let it catch up. The cottage door opened, and two figures emerged.

“No sign of them yet?” said a woman’s voice, sounding rather anxious.

“No, but Solomon did say they were OK, it’s just a matter of time,” her husband reassured her.

Suddenly there was the sound of rushing feet and his daughter launched herself at him, throwing her arms wide around him.

“Oh Daddy, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise you were so worried,” Hermione was beside herself with concern that she had upset her parents.

“Whoa there! It’s alright pumpkin, we knew you were coming, it’s just that it was getting late,” David Granger consoled his daughter.

Harry appeared in the light that was streaming out through the doorway.

“I’m afraid that’s my fault dad,” he said, “Hermione and I have been up on the Tor, it’s taken us a while to get back down.”

“What on earth have you been doing up ……Ohh!” Natalie Granger stopped mid-sentence, for she had seen the flash of the ring on her daughter’s finger.

“Inside everyone,” said David, for once in matters concerning his wife and daughter, taking charge.

As Harry walked in past him David placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze, Harry gave a nervous grin in reply.

Mother and daughter were sitting side by side on the sofa; mother was examining the ring on her daughter’s hand. Natalie Granger gave Harry an expectant look, waiting for the explanation.

“Err…,” said Harry, wondering why, all considered, he was feeling nervous. Hermione’s parents must have realised this was the logical extension to their relationship, didn’t they? We talked about it ages ago, didn’t we? They couldn’t have got it all so wrong, could they? Then he saw the twinkle in his surrogate mother’s eyes and the fact that she was holding back a smile. Harry breathed a sigh of relief…. “I just asked Hermione to marry me,… and she accepted,” he added in case anyone had any doubts.

Natalie Granger smiled “That’s nice Harry, I thought you would,” was all she said.

………………………

Harry and Hermione spent ten days in Avalon, which gave the Granger’s time to get used to the idea that their little girl was a woman now and would at some stage be out in the wide world with a husband of her own. Not that they had ever thought otherwise, but now it was official, and that adjustment always takes a bit of time.

Harry and Hermione had decided that eventually they would make their home in Godrics Hollow, the place would be just what they would need, a haven of peace and quiet and somewhere to call their own. So, at the end of their stay in Avalon, it was to the little white cottage they travelled to spend the rest of the holiday.

Dobby as usual was back in residence, it was uncanny how he knew when and where he was needed and he was deliriously happy when they told him they were engaged. As a house elf he had all he ever wanted, a house to look after and a family to call his own. He was also prepared to let Hermione pay him for his troubles because that made her happy, and the happiness of his family was important to him.

His family spent the whole of the remaining time doing nothing, well not strictly nothing, nothing important. Well not important to the world in general, but to the world inhabited by two young people very much in love very important indeed. They began to fulfil the last part of the prophecy; Voldemort hadn’t survived; now Harry could start to live.

Harry never tired of making that mysterious pendant, round his fiancée’s neck, burst into blue radiance, and Hermione loved it each time he did. They explored their innermost feelings, their wants and hopes, and allowed themselves to be carried away on waves of ecstasy and emotion. They were completely in tune with each other, they had been before of course, but they certainly were now. All the barriers were gone, they let their love for each other expand and fill them up.

In all their efforts to enjoy living they left one visit until the end of their holiday. It was a bright spring morning when they climbed to the small stand of trees hiding the two white cover stones. Harry looked down at the resting place of his parent’s mortal remains. He felt sadness but he could not be really unhappy because he knew that they were still together. Now Harry understood death a little better he knew that James and Lily were just as much soul mates as he and Hermione. They were happy wherever they were, and maybe one day they would all meet again.

As the day they were to head back to Hogwarts drew closer they settled to a calm acceptance of each others presence, in the knowledge that at school they would only be Head Boy and Girl and not the budding Mr and Mrs Potter.

The day arrived and Hermione retrieved their school robes from the wardrobe, they hadn’t seen the light of day for quite a while, so they needed a bit of a dusting off. As she waved her wand down the front of Harry’s robes she noticed the school badge, and remembered how he had reacted when Dumbledore had given it to him last July. Then she noticed something strange, the top right hand corner of the crest was blank, the Slytherin snake was gone.

“Harry, look at this,” she called.

He looked up from the book he had been reading. Then squinted so that he could see what she was pointing at. “Umm… there’s something going on here. I noticed that all the Slytherin robes had lost their markings at the end of term celebrations. Perhaps we’ll find out when we get back.”

………………………………..

When they did get back they found that their badges weren’t the only places the Slytherin snake had disappeared from. None of the school crests carried the snake anymore and most obviously the large banner behind the Headmaster’s chair in the Great Hall only held the Lion, the Badger and the Eagle.

The pair had perigated to the school the day before the Hogwarts Express was due to arrive, so that they could get themselves settled in, and be ready to meet the train at the station. They walked up to their common room on the sixth floor, the password spoken in low tones almost caught in Hermione’s throat.

“Do you want to change it?” Harry asked, for he knew the image those words now produced for her.

“No, in time I will see a smiling face again instead of a sad tombstone. We’ll leave it as it is. Thanks for caring.”

They opened the doors and received their second surprise, the back wall of the common room contained four not three doors as it had at the end of last term. Three of the doors worked as they had before, one to the Headmaster’s corridor, one to the Gryffindor Common Room and one opened the camera speculator. The fourth opened onto a short passageway with a further two doors at its end.

One of these led to a small bathroom, the other that Harry opened gave him the biggest surprise of all, for it contained a bedroom, very obviously made for two, and all their luggage was stacked in it. They both stood in shock there must have been some mistake this couldn’t be for them, but as if to deny this on the bed was an envelope marked with their names. Hermione opened it and unfolded the parchment it contained.

Dear Harry and Hermione

This is for you. The least the school can do is not to keep you apart. Please be discreet as it is a favour not usually handed out to students. Its continued presence will depend on the co-operation of the new Head.

Solomon.

“Do you think he knows something we haven’t told him yet?” Hermione asked.

“Wouldn’t surprise me it the least,” said Harry, flopping down onto a very comfortable bed.

Their call to visit the new Head came early in the afternoon, with some trepidation they mounted the stairs and waited outside the door.

“Ready?” Harry drew a deep breath.

“Ready,” Hermione replied.

Harry knocked on the door, there was no ‘Come in’ the door silently swung open to reveal an office quite different from Dumbledore’s. The book cases were gone, instead were racks to hold rolls of parchment. All Dumbledore’s intricate machines had been replaced with several large carved stones and a stand of long thin crystals. The portraits of the past Headmasters were as before, except that there was now one that contained a smiling Albus Dumbledore who gave them an encouraging wave and winked at them.

It was then Hermione saw it sitting on the new Headmasters desk. She hadn’t seen that particular thing since the day of the battle. She remembered that on seeing Voldemort fall she had turned off her shield, jumped to her feet and ran over to Harry. It must have still been in her lap and tumbled to the grass when she stood. Now it was there, the crystal pyramid on the new Headmasters desk that meant… Then a figure appeared through a door from a side room and Hermione flew across to him, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the cheek.

Harry stood rooted to the spot, his fiancée had gone mad, she had run over and kissed some white haired old man as he emerged through a side door, there was going to be hell to pay. Then he realised that the man wasn’t as old as he had at first seemed. The hair gave a false impression, then as he came fully into the office and into the light Harry could see that it wasn’t the new Headmaster at all, it was Solomon.

“Hello Harry,” Solomon said, as he walked over to the Headmaster’s desk “Everything OK?” he continued, as he placed the scrolls he had been carrying down on the desk. “New rooms to your satisfaction?” he finished, as he sat down behind the desk.

“But…,” said Harry, “what…? err…how?” he gave up the struggle and stared at Solomon, his mouth open in surprise. Perhaps he should have expected it, but to be truthful it had never crossed his mind.

Hermione was trying very hard not to laugh and failing miserably. Harry could hear titters coming from the paintings on the walls. He could see Dumbledore wiping a tear from his eye, and one fat, round, red-faced, past Headmaster was rolling about so much that he looked as if he might fall off his chair. Harry regained his composure, looked calmly at Solomon and Hermione who was standing next to him.

“Do you mind if I borrow one of Ron’s favourite sayings?” he asked, they both nodded, “Bloody Hell!” he exclaimed with feeling. The laughter from the paintings doubled and the little fat Headmaster succumbed to gravity and disappeared out of his frame altogether.

They spent much of the afternoon talking. Solomon had told them that Minerva McGonagall had declined the position of Headmistress, mainly for the reasons Harry had overheard in the Hospital Wing at the end of last term. There had been one other candidate put forward by the Ministry, but the Governors had declined the applicant on the fact that he was too old. Then Solomon had been offered the position and he had accepted.

“Bit ironic really when you think about it,” Solomon said.

“What do you mean, Solomon, Sir, err… Headmaster?” fumbled Harry.

“Oh Honestly Harry,” Hermione slipped back easily into her bossy school girl mode.

“Solomon’s mother is Lady Niniane,… right?”

“Err…yes”

“Solomon’s father is?”

“Err…Don’t know,” admitted Harry.

“Merlin, Harry”

“There’s no need to swear Hermione, I’m sorry but I don’t know.”

Hermione dissolved into gales of laughter, grabbed Harry round the neck and hung weakly to him. “No you nit, Solomon’s father is Merlin.”

“Oh,” said Harry, not sure he had heard right. He looked at his Professor, “but that means you must be….”

“Really old,” Solomon finished for him, “but what you have to remember Harry is that time, and therefore age, is relative.”

“Relative?” said Harry, not having a clue as to what Solomon was on about.

“That’s right Harry, relative,” he confirmed.

“So, if you don’t mind me asking,” said Harry, “how old are you?”

Solomon smiled at him, and not for the first time Harry saw the depth of wisdom in those eyes.

“Relatively old Harry, relatively old,” he replied, then in a conspiratorial tone he added, “and if you keep that quiet, I won’t tell Minerva about your sleeping arrangements, OK?”

“Err…Fine by me,” Harry assured him, completely convinced that his new Headmaster was going to be even more confusing than the last.

…………………………………….

Harry and Hermione met the train at Hogsmead station as they had on many occasions over the last two years. Ron, Luna, Neville and Ginny walked across the platform towards them, it was Neville who nudged Ginny and drew her attention to Hermione’s left hand. Ginny gave a little squeal of delight and rushed up to the pair and kissed them both soundly. The news of Harry and Hermione’s engagement took about thirty seconds to reach the far end of the platform and much to their embarrassment they had to run a gauntlet of congratulations on their way to the carriages. By the time they were safely ensconced with the rest of the Tyr both Harry and Hermione’s faces were as red as Ron’s hair.

Fortunately their engagement was not the only piece of news. A lot of conversation concerned the new Headmaster, some were intrigued by the choice, some were very happy, but none seemed disappointed.

All the school gathered, as usual, in the Great Hall, for the start of term feast. Solomon sat in the Headmasters seat looking a lot less like Dumbledore now he had changed his hair colour back to the way it had been before the events of last term, he had got rid of his extra wrinkles as well but as he had feared he would still need to use his reading glasses more. He waited patiently, because Harry had sent him a thought and asked him to wait until he arrived.

The students were talking excitedly to each other, for some had noticed that there was one unexplained presence in the Hall, and one absence. Flopped on its customary stool was the school Sorting Hat, which shouldn’t have been there, and Harry, who should have been with Hermione, was nowhere to be seen.

Harry was in fact on his way back from Hagrid’s hut carrying with him the last animal he expected to find still at Hogwarts. Fawkes the Phoenix, Dumbledore’s pet, was clinging to his shoulder. Harry had heard him singing and been drawn out of the Castle to find Fawkes perched in a tree by the gamekeepers hut, and the bird was still singing quietly in Harry’s ear as he walked back. Fawkes was telling Harry what he wanted him to do; Harry wasn’t sure how he was telling him, maybe it was in the song, but however he was doing it, the bird’s wishes were clear in his mind.

Harry opened the doors to the Great Hall, the students fell silent, and all turned to stare at him with the bird still on his shoulder. Harry caught Solomon’s gaze and the Headmaster nodded to him. Fawkes’ murmuring song increased in volume so that the notes soared round the hall, it was the most beautiful sound any of them had ever heard.

Then as the song finished the Sorting Hat began to speak.

To those of you who have survived

You know the war is won

That light has triumphed is a blessing

Now hear what must be done

The house that made the evil line

We wish to be no more

It has no head so it must die

A casualty of war

But houses four there still must be

For that has been our lore

This thinking cap has had a thought

A house for Dumbledore

Four houses then this school shall have

And will be always so

Those with courage, and brave of heart

To Gryffindor will go

A ready wit and sharp of mind

Then to Ravenclaw you’ll cling

Heart loyal? Unafraid of toil?

These Hufflepuff will bring

But those who have a special gift

To help the weak and poor

For you we have our newest house

You’ll go to Dumbledore.

Not a sound, not a cough, not the scrape of a bench, just absolute silence. Then the sound of Phoenix song rose from Fawkes’ throat again, he looked down once to Harry and bowed his head in thanks, then spreading his great wings he took to the air.

He flew towards the staff table over the floating candles, faster and faster until there was no way for him to stop before he crashed into the end wall. Then as he passed over the staff table he burst into flames and the flames splashed into the banner behind the Headmasters chair and where they had hit in the top right hand corner of the school crest was a golden Phoenix rising from its ashes, the new symbol for the new house.

a/n

One more chapter to go.

18. Back To Where It All Began

So that’s how it had all ended, Harry shook his head slowly at the memory of it. Sometimes it all seemed so farfetched and unreal; he wondered if it had ever happened at all. Yet here he was, he had survived along with almost everyone else, and now they all had their chance to live.

Harry was waiting for her by the fire, in the sitting room of the small white cottage in Godrics Hollow, his thoughts slipping back the two and a bit years that separated then from now. That last term at Hogwarts, was it an anticlimax? Of course it was, you have to go a long way to better a battle with a dark wizard, but it was fun never the less, and still held a few surprises for them all.

The Sorting Hat had really put the cat among the pigeons by refusing to acknowledge Slytherin any more, but that hadn’t really surprised anybody who had seen that his snake emblem had faded from the school’s coat of arms. It was being suggested that Voldemort and Slytherin were more closely connected than anyone had imagined and that the total destruction of Voldemort’s soul had an impact on Slytherin himself, even that they may have been one and the same. Hermione seemed to understand it all and that was OK with Harry, theorising made his brain hurt.

Harry had spent the last two years working hard on their pet project. He and Hermione, with help from countless others, had laboured every day to achieve the end result that would be opening its doors in a few days time. He thought the whole thing would have been finished ages ago. Solomon had made it all look so easy, as the creation of Dumbledore House seemed to take no time at all.

……………………………

The first few days of that last term had been chaotic and that was putting it mildly.

Harry had marvelled at the speed with which Solomon had worked in sorting out the new House. Dumbledore Tower had been built during the first six days of term and was ready for occupation, like its namesake it was tall and thin, the many windows sparkled and shone in the sun like twinkling eyes, and to cap it all a tall pointed roof clad with dark blue slate was in the shape of a wizard’s hat. All that was needed now were students.

At the welcoming meal of that last term Harry had noticed unfamiliar faces, they ranged in age from first to sixth year and for the moment all of them were seated at the old Slytherin table. It transpired that some families so frightened of the threat posed by Voldemort had sent their children away to be educated outside of the country, but now with the danger gone they had been brought back home to finish their education at Hogwarts.

The new students along with the rest of the school had watched in awe as Fawkes became the Phoenix that symbolised Dumbledore House.

There was no immediate announcement but once the new tower was ready for occupation the Headmaster informed the school that all unallocated students would be sorted over the next two days.

It was no surprise that all the ex-Slytherin students were among the numbers queuing to put the Sorting Hat on their heads once more, and with them were the students back from foreign schools who had never been sorted. What had been a shock was that a number of the first and second years that had been squeezed into the three remaining old houses, when Slytherin had fallen out of favour, asked for re-sorting as well.

Harry and Hermione had watched the ceremony held, not in the Great Hall, but in the Headmasters Office. In front of the Governors and senior Professors, with the Head Boy and Girl representing the school, one student at a time was asked to don the Sorting Hat and await the result. Only those watching and the student concerned knew where they had been sorted and this was to be kept a secret until the evening meal the following day.

Hermione had been somewhat distracted during the sorting. Harry could sense that something was bothering her but did not intrude into her thoughts, until they were in bed that night cuddled in each others arms.

‘You could tell me,’ he thought at her, ‘then it wouldn’t worry you so much.’

“Oh Harry, I just don’t know what to do,” she gave a sniff and continued in a shaky voice, “You have said yourself that you always wondered why I was made a Gryffindor, and not put in Ravenclaw.”

“Yes that’s true,” he conceded, “but if you hadn’t been in Gryffindor we may never have met and so none of the last seven years would have happened the way it did and ultimately Voldemort would have won.”

Hermione smiled at him, “I don’t think I have been that important in it all. You would have managed without me.”

Harry sat up so that he could look at her properly. “That is absolute rot and you know it Hermione. The two of us, no, the three of us were put together in Gryffindor for a purpose, I think that Sorting Hat always knows more than it lets on and it’s not above stacking the deck to get what it wants.”

He watched her, now propped up on her pillow, the pale moonlight filtering through the window made her face glow, the simple beauty she possessed made Harry’s heart ache. Then he knew where all this was leading.

“Why don’t you talk to Solomon tomorrow,” he said quietly, “I am sure he will understand.”

“Do you understand?” she asked.

“Yes, of course.”

“Do you mind?”

“No,” he said, and kissed her, “we each need to have our own star to follow, as long as we can follow them together, that is all that matters.”

Hermione spoke to Solomon the next morning. “The Hat was talking to me all yesterday, when it wasn’t sorting.” She glowered at the offending piece of headwear. “It wants me to wear it again, and…,” she sighed in resignation, “I feel that despite everything that Gryffindor means to me I need to do it.”

“Harry knows?” Solomon asked.

“Yes, he told me I should come and see you.”

“Good lad.” said Solomon with some satisfaction.

Hermione looked at him sharply “Are we being manipulated again, I thought all that sort of thing would stop now Dumbledore wasn’t here.”

Solomon raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows Hermione,” he said, and risked a quick glance at the grinning portrait of the last Headmaster, “and who said that Albus had gone?”

The remaining students sat under the Sorting Hat that day and Hermione went last. The Hat talked long and hard to her and the only other person who knew what it said was Harry. He was linked to her so tightly that the Sorting Hat couldn’t exclude him though it tried.

‘Alright Potter listen if you must but keep your nose out of it,’ then to Hermione it thought. ‘I have never been wrong and under the circumstances of your first sorting Gryffindor was the right place for you. Yes,’ it was reading Hermione’s mind now, ‘you are correct you had things to do and Gryffindor was the place to do them. That battle is over so now you can take up you true place.’

‘Where?’ she asked.

‘You will know when the time comes,’ with that the Hat fell silent and said no more.

However dissatisfying the hat’s answer, that was all they had, and at the evening meal Hermione was in quite a state of nerves.

Solomon’s request that night was very carefully worded. He asked that all the students who knew to which house they had been re-sorted should stand and move away from the tables. Ron, Harry and Hermione all sitting together watched as students from all over the hall stood and moved to stand by the doors.

Solomon then asked the ex-Slytherin students to take seats at the table of their new sorting. They fanned out some returned to the now renamed Dumbledore table, but others found themselves sitting at Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and to some amazement at Gryffindor too.

Those still standing were then asked to sit with their new Houses, a few of the newly arrived students walked to take places with the other three, but most headed to the table on the far right and became Dumbledores. The spontaneous cheers caught in throats and fell silent as one other student got to her feet. Hermione stood, acutely aware that everyone was staring at her.

Ron was in total shock. “What’s going on Harry?” he whispered urgently.

Harry smiled quite unconcerned, and reached out to give Hermione’s hand a reassuring squeeze. She climbed out from the benches and stood facing the Headmaster; Solomon gave her a slow nod.

Suddenly she was unsure what to do, then a very familiar comforting thought slipped into her mind ‘Don’t think you can’t plan this one love. Let you heart lead you, it worked for me.’

Hermione turned and smiled her thanks at Harry, then took her first step away from the Gryffindor table. She walked slowly toward the Ravenclaws, paused and glanced down once at Luna who was sitting near its head, then Hermione walked on and stopped at the top of the Dumbledore table where she reached out and laid her hand on its surface. The stone called Hermione’s Tear hanging from her necklace gave a brief flash of recognition and Hermione sat down.

For a moment there was silence, then someone was applauding. It was Harry, then standing next to him was Ron, the whole Gryffindor table and the rest of the school was not far behind. As the welcome to the new house rose to cheering and whistling, Ron leaned close to Harry so that he could hear him.

“SPEW?” he said nodding towards Hermione.

Harry laughed, “Yes Ron SPEW.”

Ron groaned, “She’ll never let it rest now,” then he smiled, “and you mate, you’re really stuck with it,” and he began to laugh.

……………………………

The excitement of the first days of term soon died down. Although Hermione was officially a Dumbledore now, she made no attempt to move out of her rooms with Harry to the new tower, but did delight on taking Harry and Ron on a guided tour, even if she knew no more about it than they did.

She helped the new Head of House select two fifth and two sixth year prefects then, other than keeping a watchful eye out, left them to run the House as they would be back next year and she wouldn’t.

The Head of House was traditionally a Professor who had once been in that house so it was a little difficult for Solomon to choose one for Dumbledore, as there were no old students to pick from. So in the end he decided that as the house was named after a Headmaster then perhaps, for now, the Headmaster should look after it, so that is the way it was.

As the term progressed the members of the Tyr found themselves at a bit of a loose end they had no lessons to attend, and they had no exams to prepare for; much to Hermione’s annoyance they were ‘not eligible’. Old McGonagall had been very firm on that, they hadn’t done the course, they couldn’t take the exam. Hermione had left her office mumbling something about “Didn’t saving the world count for anything these days” but in her thoughts she was more worried about their future and wondering how they would manage.

The school was running well with Solomon as its Head but it was not just the Professors and the Tyr that realised he was having some problems with the red tape that went with his job. The Ministry was being very restrictive and trying to interfere much as they had in the days of Delores Umbridge. That was until a day about three weeks into the term when there was a joint meeting held in the Headmasters office between the Governors, the Ministry and Solomon. The Governors wanted to back Solomon but they had businesses of their own and they knew what the Ministry could do to them, so their support was weakened, and it looked as if the Ministry would have its way.

No one was really sure what happened in that office, none of those who were there would ever say, not even after they had recovered. But everyone in the castle heard the scream of rage of whatever it was that Solomon summoned and unleashed on the unsuspecting Ministry representatives. Suffice to say, that from that day on, the Ministry left Hogwarts alone and the Governors decided that anything that the new Headmaster said was alright with them.

……………………………..

Harry looked at the clock on the wall. They had bought it the year before from the same wizard who had made Mrs. Weasley’s. Hermione’s hand was still showing work, she really shouldn’t be there in the first place, but she ought to be home soon. At least there were no more problems with the Ministry.

Rufus Scrimegour had only lasted eighteen months in the job, pushed out like Fudge and Bones before him. The new Minister had been elected by public acclamation, not by internal manoeuvring as with previous incumbents of the position, and so far Arthur Weasley was making a good job of it.

All the Weasley’s were enjoying the kudos that came with being related to the Minister for Magic, all except Ron and Ginny. All of the Tyr had avoided the limelight and that stemmed from that last term at Hogwarts as well.

……………………………..

The Tyr, despite trying to avoid it, became celebrities in the school, the story of the battle and its aftermath appeared in the Quibbler along with the photograph that Luna’s father had taken under the banner headline ‘The Hope of the Future’. It had made all of them cringe, but Solomon had seen the mileage in it and arranged for the Tyr to talk to the students in the lower years, sometimes as a group, and sometimes individually. There were a lot of questions and misconceptions that needed to be answered and sorted. The students needed a new direction to move in and they had to realign old prejudices if the same mistakes were to be avoided in the future. It was the Tyr that started the process and the Headmaster was very proud of them.

Harry had not expected it to be any different, but the fame and adulation heaped on the Tyr had no effect on the students it concerned. They remained solidly bolted to the ground. Eventually it dawned on the rest of the school that being a celebrity was not important to them. The Tyr was given respect, it was spoken of with pride, but its members were treated by all the students as friends, and that was the important result.

………………………………………

Harry heard the clock hand start to move, Hermione was on her way home. He hoped all the tests and checks had gone OK, she hadn’t sent a thought to him all afternoon. He had been sent home because she knew he would have been in the way and to Hermione these tests were just as important as OWLS or NEWTS.

………………………………………………………………….

It must have a month after the inauguration of Dumbledore House that the examiners had arrived, if Hermione had been down before about the collapse of her academic aspirations, it had worsened as the old Professors had filed into the Great Hall. They were the same lot that had examined them all for their OWLS. Harry had recognised Professors Marchbanks and Tofty amongst the group of elderly witches and wizards.

“You know I’m leaving the school with no NEWTS to my name.” said a rather depressed Hermione the next day. They were all in the Heads Common Room keeping out of the way of all the nerves and worry present on the first day of the examinations. “Not really how I imagined it, still I suppose it could be worse.”

“How?” said Harry suppressing a grin.

“Not sure” said an even more depressed Hermione.

“Well you’ve got me”

“That’s a bonus is it?” she teased then laughed at Harry’s crestfallen expression.

‘Just as well I know what you’re thinking young lady’

‘Oh yeah what’s that……………………….’

Harry hadn’t known it at the time but Ron was watching them as their conversation fell silent but continued. When they were feeling playful and communicated like this it only ever ended in one of two ways. This time it was Hermione’s turn to shriek “MERLIN HARRY” and collapse in his arms. Ron only told Harry later that mental kissing was the only thing he ever envied his friends for; he just wished he could do that to Luna.

They made the mistake of complaining to Solomon that they had nothing to do. So he, as the Headmaster, decided to that all of the Tyr could help the Professors and sit in the examination rooms to invigilate some of the written papers. Then he had them helping with the OWL, and even the NEWT practical tests.

It hadn’t been quite what they had expected. There were far too many safeguards in place to prevent cheating to require them to watch all the students, but it appeared that the examiners had another role in mind for them. They were asked ad nauseam, to demonstrate this spell, or that charm, or some of their specialist shield work, to make some point to a luckless candidate. There were occasions when they felt they did more work than those sitting the examinations.

At other times they all chatted informally with the examiners. Professor Marchbanks had been particularly interested in Hermione’s study of the crystal pyramid and the books she had read to try and find its secret.

Tofty had found the additional defence and shield work the others had concentrated on fascinating, as it brought into it levels of rune interpretation and Arithmancy not usually seen in school work.

All the examiners seemed a little in awe of Harry. He couldn’t understand why, he hadn’t even used a complicated spell to defeat Voldemort, but they had never seen anyone who could concentrate magic and use it without following the normal rules, as he could.

So with all this in mind it wasn’t so surprising that on the day the examiners were due to depart the Tyr were asked to attend the leaving tea in the Headmasters office.

Solomon asked them to tell the complete story to the examiners and the staff members, all of whom were present. This they did, all the highs and lows, the times of excitement, and the times when things seemed to move so slowly they thought they would never see the end of it. When it was over the examiners looked to one another, then Professor Marchbanks stood and told them that she had never heard a tale so inspiring, and in all her years as an examiner she had never seen students raised to the level of the Tyr in experience and use of magic. That they in the examiners mind were way beyond NEWT level and they were to be awarded a new qualification, the Hogwarts Certificate of Excellence 1^st Class. All six of them.

…………………………….

Hermione arrived home looking tired but elated. She had appeared directly into the sitting room, without the normal CRACK of apparation, Harry had taught her long ago to Peragate.

“How did it go?” Harry asked unnecessarily, judging by her expression.

“Great, passed with flying colours, all the Ministry bods were fine, it’s a godsend having Ron in the educational department,” she looked at her husband, “what have you been up to?”

“Reminiscing actually,” he replied, “remembering our last term at Hogwarts.”

Hermione sat heavily in the seat next to him, being pregnant like this was becoming a bit of a problem. “How far had you got?”

“Well you had defected to Dumbledore we had been ‘manipulated’ into helping with the exams and we were at that tea party; Marchbanks had just awarded us our ‘Hog.Cert.Exes’. I remember that you were very happy about that.” Harry said.

“Gosh yes, but not half as happy as Ron and Neville when they realised that Luna and Ginny could leave school with us and…,”she said, “I did not defect to Dumbledore it was something I had no real control over. Some day I am going to have a head to hat talk with that piece of material it’s up to something I know it.”

Hermione clambered to her feet again waving away Harry’s attempt to help her. “Well I’ll leave you to your thoughts; I’m going to have a bath. You could bring me up a cup of tea in a bit.”

“OK love I’ll go and put the kettle on.”

Harry wandered out into the small kitchen. He was getting used to domestic life, they had been married seven months and Hermione was expecting their baby in another three, a Christmas baby they hoped. Her pregnancy was no real surprise. One night, at the height of their passion, the stone on her necklace had burned pink instead of blue.

It had given them a bit of a shock at first then they remembered it had done the same thing that time AH had held it in his hand; and they had taken it as a sign that something was going to happen.

Harry sighed, Hermione still occasionally woke crying when images of the lad appeared in her dreams, he hoped that their new baby would clear her mind of this sadness.

Harry made Hermione’s tea. Dobby was better at it but Hermione had made him take a holiday, in case he couldn’t have his usual days off as the baby’s arrival neared. Harry hadn’t told his wife, but Dobby had taken his holidays at Hogwarts, working in the kitchens. He was sure that she imagined Dobby was lying on a beach somewhere, enjoying the sun.

…………………………………………….

The sun shone its best for those last few days at Hogwarts. The school had been Harry’s home for the last seven years and soon it would be that no more. In just two days he and Hermione would leave to set up home at Godrics Hollow, it was going to be wonderful but it wasn’t going to be the same.

Hogwarts had been more than a home, it had been the place where Harry grew to know himself, became the man he had become, and the place he had found the most precious thing in his life. She was sitting next to him, so like the little girl he had met that day on the train, and so unlike her as well. Their thoughts meshed and they understood each other completely.

Hermione smiled, and then both of them looked out, from under their tree, at another young couple sitting on a rock by the side of the lake. Ron had always been tall, but now it was not just his height that made him rise above those around him. He had also past the boundary between callow youth and young man. His willingness to sacrifice his future for his friends and his love for the girl in his arms had made him grow beyond his years. Ron had agreed to help with their project after the end of term but they knew he had other things on his mind, he had been talking earnestly with his father and both Harry and Hermione thought that Rufus Scrimegour would have another thorn in his side before long.

There was a shriek, then the sound of someone dissolving in a fit of giggles. It seemed that Neville had finally caught Ginny or more likely that Ginny had allowed herself to get caught. Those two had far too much energy, but it was an energy that was going to be put to a very good use before long. They had attached themselves to the star that Harry and Hermione were going to launch into the heavens.

Strangely they launched it in the Hospital Wing. Harry and Hermione entered the ward they knew so well, it was quiet and empty, but they could hear Madam Pomfrey humming to herself as she worked in her office. They walked up and Harry tapped on the door.

“Madam Pomfrey, could we have a word?” asked Harry.

She looked up from her desk “Come in, come in, both of you,” she said brightly, beckoning them in with a wave of her hand, “what can I do for you?”

“Its more what we can do for you, actually,” said Harry, “are you still interested in opening an orphanage again?”

Madam Pomfrey was a little surprised at the question. “Yes, I am. There were nearly twenty five children who were orphaned by the battle here and at Avalon alone,” then she became defensive, “and I’ll not have you say they don’t deserve our help if their parents followed, err… you know who, its not their fault, they are only children.”

“Have others been saying that, Madam Pomfrey?” asked Hermione.

She said nothing but nodded, and they could see compassion get the better of her as a tear rolled down her cheek.

“Well it’s not the way we feel, is it Harry?.... Go on ask her,” Hermione encouraged.

“No its not,” he said answering Hermione’s statement, “what we wanted to ask you was if you would accept Black House to use for the orphanage, with only one condition. We would like to combine the orphanage with a school for younger children. It’s a huge place, there would be plenty of room.”

It was an idea that Harry and Hermione had been thinking about since the raising of Dumbledore Tower. A way to instil into young minds, the tolerance and understanding, that living in a world such as theirs required, to get them ready for Hogwarts, and beyond. Solomon was backing the project, and Harry felt sure that finance wouldn’t be a problem.

Poppy Pomfrey couldn’t believe her ears but accepted their offer without any hesitation and at that point started crying with happiness. She didn’t really calm down the rest of that day, everyone wondered why she sniffed occasionally, and sighed a lot, but then at the leaving feast she locked her eyes on Harry and Hermione and dissolved into another bout of tears.

The leaving feast was very hard for all of them to cope with. Poppy Pomfrey was not the only one crying, there were tears a plenty, and not just amongst the students. Professors who had seen this every year all their working lives knew this was a one-off.

Harry didn’t remember eating anything though he was sure he did. He remembered looking round at all the faces and missing the ones that should have been there but weren’t. He scanned the staff table, he missed the old man, and surprisingly he missed the one face he never really thought he would. He truly hoped that Snape was happy, wherever he was. Harry could see that Hermione, possibly breaking the rules by sitting next to him for this last time, was going through a similar experience trying to be happy on the outside but crying inside.

The end of the meal had come and Solomon had said the final words. The students began to leave the Great Hall and head for bed. Harry, Hermione and Ron left together, at the doors Luna, Neville and Ginny were waiting for them. Instead of heading for their rooms, they walked out of the Entrance Hall and down the steps and out across the lawns. In the dusk of that summer evening the Tyr had taken that last walk together, down to the lakeside, to visit a friend who couldn’t be with them. The friendship they had forged over all these years was so strong that they knew they would stay together. There would be changes along the way but that was OK, change was natural.

…………………………………………………

Harry carried the tea up to his wife; there had certainly been some changes but their friendship with the Tyr had remained true. Neville and Ginny were starting work at Thrubwell’s Academy for Witches and Wizards, that was the name Poppy had wanted for the new school and it was a fitting tribute to Wilhelmina Thrubwell’s name.

Ron was at the Ministry much to his mother and father’s delight, and Luna was working at the Quibbler, much to Ron’s embarrassment, though he never said so. Hermione was part time at Thrubwell's dealing with all the paper work that goes with running a school, but being a mother was going to keep her occupied for a while.

Hermione’s parents had decided to remain in Avalon, they had been invited to stay and were now working with the healers there developing painless dentistry.

The only mystery had been Draco Malfoy. He had disappeared, no one knew for certain if he was still alive or not. The Aurors had looked for him, and had even found Malfoy Manor, but it had been completely destroyed.

Solomon had consolidated his position at Hogwarts, he had told Harry that he wouldn’t stay there for ever, though he probably could, but for the moment he was quite content.

As for Harry he was glad Solomon was staying at Hogwarts because in a few days time that was where he was going, back to where it all began. He was taking the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor and he was looking forward to it, though he trusted he would last longer at the job than some of his predecessors.

“Tea love, you OK?” Harry asked his wife.

“Fine, these bubbles are really relaxing.… Thanks,” Hermione said taking the mug.

Harry looked at his reflection in the mirror and frowned. Hermione watched him

“What are you thinking about now?” she asked.

“Not a what, a who,… Voldemort.”

“Oh him, you don’t need to worry about him. He’s gone, there’s nothing left of him in this world, or any other,” said Hermione.

“I’ve no doubt that you’re right as usual,” said Harry his mood lightening, “nothing left of him at all and only one thing that reminds me of him………this,” he said pointing at his forehead, “…… my scar.”

The End.

a/n Well that’s it, from here on we are sailing in uncharted waters. It has been great fun steering Harry, Hermione and the gang through their last two years at Hogwarts. I do hope that JKR and her associates will forgive the liberties I have taken with the characters. However it doesn’t stop here, there is one more trip to get them to the very end. Forever Together Part 3, Life Ever After, is on the starting blocks, and in the fullness of time will see the light of day. Just to whet your appetite:-

“He was frightened, and he couldn’t move, not even to turn his head. He couldn’t remember how they had caught him, but now he knew wasn’t able to get away. He had tried to apparate but something was stopping him, and the straps holding him to the table prevented him from reaching his wand.

By turning his eyes as far as they would go he could see vague shapes on the other side of a glass wall, they seemed to be working some sort of machine. It all looked very strange to him, he had never seen wizards dressed like that before. Then the room was flooded with light and he heard a gentle hissing sound.

The green mist that rose from the floor passed the level of the table and slowly enveloped him in its embrace. There was a strange smell with this mist and he began to feel light headed, then with a loud CRACK a bolt of lightening struck across the room, and the pain began. He screamed out loud, once, twice, then a third time as he could feel something being ripped from his body. Strand by strand it was torn away leaving him alive but empty. Empty of what, he wasn’t sure and he still didn’t know when they released him on to the streets again. Then he reached into his robes to get his wand, he drew it out but there was nothing, it was just a stick of finely polished Holly, then it hit him, he knew what he had lost, his magic was gone.”

If you thought Voldemort was a bad lad, you wait. Harry and the gang have to deal with a threat from a direction they never thought would give them any trouble.

See you soon

Solomon.