The Redemption

Harry85

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance, Action & Adventure
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 6
Published: 18/12/2005
Last Updated: 06/03/2006
Status: completed

This is my take to the challenge "HBP: Redemption" by Talon Karrde. You'll find the requirements inside. If you read, please leave a comment!

Chapters

1. Starting Of Summer

2. Weddings and Memories at the Burrow

3. A Decision Taken

4. A Sirius Memory

5. A

6. A Cursed Friend

7. Relived Sadness

8. Seventh Year Starts

9. The Next Horcrux

10. Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?

11. Slithering Target

12. Closing the Bills

13. Happy Ending

1. Starting Of Summer

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

The requirements:

1. This must strictly, and I mean strictly, to be canon - to draw upon books 1 through 6. It must draw at least twice or more on the events that happened in HBP.

2. Ron and Hermione will get together sometime during the story. You may place them together at the beginning of the story or have them develop into a relationship - Harry/Ginny is optional, but remember that he might still have feelings for her.

3. Ron is NOT a mega-git. He is Ronald Weasley, the sixth son in the Weasley family, and his actions may have been stupid, but nothing too far OOC. For example, he will not go to Voldemort because Harry and Hermione are together. That being said, if you want to pair him, or don't, it is your choice. Preferably, do not kill him, unless it's really fitting.

3. Voldemort does not necessarily have to be defeated...in the first chapter. I'm trying for you guys to write a complex, full, and living response to the "delusional shippers" - not to have the usual ron bashing h/hr snogging stuff that goes on.

The Redemption

Starting of Summer

Harry Potter and his friends had just boarded the Hogwarts Express for their ride back home. Well, most of the students were going home.

As for Harry, he was going back, once again, to his relatives' house, in Privet Drive, but you can hardly call that home. There he was starved, bad treated and so on. He had not cared thus far about that.

The atmosphere was grim. After all, few days before the respected Headmaster of the school, Albus Dumbledore, had been killed by the Potions Master, Severus Snape. Harry had been a witness of that, although unable to intervene as he was frozen under his Invisibility Cloak by the same Headmaster as soon as trouble arrived.

Now, as usual, the boy was searching a compartment for himself and his friends, and as soon as he, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Ginny Weasley were in, he locked the door.

Normally they would have waited for Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood too, but the two of them were who knows where in the crowd, and Harry was so grumpy he didn't want to risk someone bothering his little group in the meantime. When the two of them would arrive, they would be welcomed in. Till that moment, no one would be able to enter.

As the train moved, Ginny tried to break the heavy silence in the compartment.

“So, Harry, are you going back to the Dursleys' now?” she asked, not really knowing what else she could speak about.

“Yeah. This is the last year I have to, luckily. I plan to leave from there as soon as I can, but now, without Dumbledore” and he flinched at saying that, the pain was still really fresh, “the Order is going to have to elect another leader, and then they may decide when I'll be able to come wherever the lot of you is” he said, his tone neutral.

Ron decided to steer away the conversation. He knew talking about his relatives was something painful for Harry.

“So, do you think we'll be able to stay at the Burrow, or we'll need to go..” but there he stopped, fearing Harry's reaction to what he was going to say.

“Go on, Ron. Say it. It is painful to think Sirius is dead, but I can't linger on that anymore. There's a mission I need to accomplish, and I can't be slowed by thoughts of the past, or what it could have been” Harry said, his green orbs blazing with determination.

“Ok, then” Ron continued, a bit worried by Harry's words. He knew the boy tended to bottle emotions in himself, but that was never a wise thing to do. “I mean, Grimmauld Place is the Headquarters of the Order, so it would be logical they kept us there, but maybe they'll think keeping us out of the Order business will be safer for us…”

Harry gave an hollow laugh.

“Safer, Ron? We are at war. Wherever we go, whatever we do or hear, we won't be safe anymore”

Hermione looked at him. Something had changed in her friend. He was cynical as he had never been, almost cruel.

He caught her gaze.

“Hermione, I know my words can be a shock for all of you. But sooner you lot get this in your head, sooner we'll be able to do something. And safer we'll be” he said, with a lingering look on Ginny, who smiled weakly in return.

After almost three months dating, Harry had broken things with her. He wanted her safe, and he could not provide that. Of course he wasn't silly enough to think she will be out of harms now, especially since she was a Weasley, stubborn as few, so she would find a way to help in the war all the same. Plus, the Malfoys were on the other side of the war, and the hate between their families was old.

But he felt better knowing he would not be the direct reason she was targeted.

Almost reading his thoughts, she placed her hand on his own, as to reassure him silently.

“There will be time to weep after we win this war” Harry said, nodding slightly at her and finishing his explanation.

“Something from the cart, dears?” the voice of the witch carrying the sweets cart arrived to them from the corridor. She was approaching.

Harry unlocked the door, and went to do his purchase.

“Eight Chocolate Frogs, some Sugar Quills and four pumpkin pastries” he ordered. Then, after paying for that, he retreated into the compartment, and distributed the sweets.

“Harry, you didn't have to…” Ron started.

“Ron, I've got enough money to live without working my whole life, and I don't care about it. So, please, accept this” Harry said.

They silently started on their snacks.

For sometime no one said a thing.

However, Ron and Hermione kept stealing glances at each other, trying to not get caught by the other.

Ginny noticed, and smiled to herself. As soon as she and Harry had ended eating, she spoke.

“Guys, do you know where Luna and Neville are?”

No one replied.

“Well, I guess we better search for them, then. Harry, come with me” she said, taking him by the hand, unlocking the door and dragging him out with her.

“Why did you do that for?” Harry asked, rubbing his sore wrist.

“To give my brother and Hermione some time alone” she replied nonchalantly. “Haven't you noticed them stealing looks at each other?”

Harry grinned. “Of course I have” then he darkened again. “There was no need of such a strong grip, tough”

“Oh, come on, Baby Hero” she teased him. “Can't you resist a girl's grip on your wrist?”

He scowled mockingly.

“Come with me. We need to talk too” she said. He did.

They found themselves a quiet corner in the corridor, as the compartments were all occupied. Staring at the passing landscape, Ginny spoke.

“Harry, I know your opinion on this, but really, you can't leave me behind” she said, sighing. This was not going to be an easy chat, but she had to try.

“Gin, look at me” he said, softly.

She did, expecting his tone to be maybe angry, but not soft. She was surprised.

“I won't lie to you, Gin” he said, placing an hand on her cheek. “It pains me beyond belief to leave you behind. I've passed maybe the happiest three months of my life with you. You gave me love, and it was something new for me” he said, now looking outside again, but still stroking her cheek gently.

“But for this reason, I can't risk bringing you with me. I don't know where I'll be going, I don't know what I'll be facing. I can't afford losing you, Gin” he said, now looking directly in her eyes.

“But you allow Hermione and Ron to come with you. What, you think they can look out for themselves and I do not?” she asked, hurt that he may think that of her. “I've come to the Department of Mysteries too, Harry, and I got out of there fine” she reminded him, tears now ready to fall.

“Oh, Gin. Is this why you think I did that choice?” he said, hugging her. It pained him to see her in tears. “No, I know you can stand up for yourself. Your hexes are something everyone who knows you is afraid of, especially the Bat Bogey Hex” he said, smiling.

She chuckled through the tears now staining his T-shirt.

“If I beg you to accept my decision, it is because I hope beyond hope to be able to keep you safe. Ron and Hermione have followed me in all my adventures by now, and they are already on the target list. You may not be yet, but remaining my girlfriend you surely will go directly to the top of the list. If Voldemort knows something about me, it is that he can hurt me hurting the ones I care about. The more I care for a person, the more he will try to hurt him/her. And while you can defend yourself, I'm not willing to take the risk” he said, looking at her. Then he did something he knew he shouldn't.

But it was like he could not stop himself.

He leaned toward her face, and softly he brushed his lips on hers.

She gave into the kiss, but a moment later he broke it.

“I'm sorry Gin. I shouldn't have” he said, looking ashamed.

“Well, it's better…it's better if I go searching for Nev and Luna” she said, then walked away, as confused as she could be.

In the meantime, in the compartment…

As soon as Harry and Ginny had left them alone, Ron understood it had been planned by his little sister. He made a mental note to thank her later.

Now, however, he should not waste this chance. So he gathered all his Gryffindor courage, and after a moment of two, he spoke.

“Hermione” he started, his voice sounding a bit strangled.

She looked at him strangely.

“OK, Weasley, smooth start” he reprimanded himself.

“Hermione” he said again, this time normally. “I was thinking, maybe the two of us could go out? I mean, if you reckon that's acceptable, because you see, we're at war, and I thought that maybe we better try to enjoy life while we can…” he started rambling.

Hermione smiled at him. She had understood perfectly what he was asking her, and she could have given him a reply straight away, but she loved when he rambled. She thought he was simply too cute to interrupt.

However, she had tortured him long enough now.

“Ron” she started, amused.

He didn't stop.

“Ron” she said, louder, restraining her giggles.

He looked at her.

“Oh, Ron. It took you two other years after the fight we had at the Yule Ball to ask me out” she said, smiling.

“Well…” he started sheepishly, but she cut him off.

“It's not important. You did, finally. So, yes, I would love to go out with you” she said.

Ron's grin was wide.

He sat there stupidly, looking at her.

Seeing he was not going to do a thing, she moved, and sat in his lap.

“Now would be a good moment to kiss me” she breathed in his hear, warm air tickling him. Unite it to having a beautiful girl in your lap, and you can imagine at which speed Ron's blood started travelling toward southern regions.

“Ok, Ron, think about something disgusting, like Snape in a dress. Yeah, Snape in a dress. Snape in a dress” he repeated some times in his head, managing to avoid an embarrassing situation.

Then, he finally leaned in, and placed his lips on hers.

She linked her arms around his neck, and he felt emboldened by that, so he ran his tongue on her lower lip, asking for entrance.

She eagerly complied, and soon a battle of tongues ensued, thus resulting in a small moan from her that caused his blood to travel south again. He didn't care this time, and kept kissing her with as much passion as he could.

Harry came back to the compartment, and was to enter when he noticed his two best friends engaged in a what seemed to be an highly enjoyable liplock, Hermione in Ron's lap. So he walked back quickly, hoping they had not seen him. Then he grinned to himself.

“It was bloody time they hooked up. The two of them have been dancing around each other for years” he mused, chuckling. If someone was to see him that way, laughing alone, they would think he had gone mad.

“Yeah, at least since fourth year, I guess” he continued musing.

“And then, this year it was the top. Yeah, Ron dated Lavender, but that was a much needed fling, like mine with Cho. Something for experience, I guess. Now, this seems to be serious”

Then, becoming serious once again, his eyes clouded in determination.

“I'll win for them too. After all the times the followed me in reckless adventures and got hurt in the process, the least I can do is to provide them a safe and peaceful world where they can live, with or without me, that we will see. But I won't let Voldemort rule this world. I won't go down without taking him with me, at the very least” he swore to himself.

Then, he walked back to the compartment.

Seeing they were still at it, he devilishly entered without knocking, just to embarrass them.

As soon as they noticed someone looking them, they sprang apart.

“Easy, easy. It's not the first time I see two horny teenagers snogging their brains out” he said, sitting nonchalantly across of them, barely restraining the laugh at their very red faces.

“Harry, this is not like you think” Hermione started weakly. She feared he would take it the wrong way.

“Oh, come on, Hermione. You and Ron had enough sexual tension between the two of you for the whole Gryffindor House” he said, smiling. “It was about time the two of you acted on it”

“So, you're not mad?” they both asked.

“Mad? Why would I be? It's not like the two of you have snuck behind my back. Have you?” he asked then, very well knowing they hadn't.

They shook their heads. In that moment Harry noticed something.

Although they had sprang apart when he had entered, they had never stopped holding hands.

Amused at that, he decided he had teased them enough.

So, he started looking outside again.

Soon Ginny entered, Luna and Neville in tow.

“Where did you find them, Gin?” Harry said. Hermione raised her eyebrows at him hearing the nickname he had given her. Usually they had kept it just for the moments between themselves, but this time it had slipped him. He simply shrug his shoulders.

“Seems like Luna got in one compartment with her housemates and didn't notice time passing. Nev was there with her, quite happy about that, I must say” she said, looking at the boy, who smiled sheepishly and blushed.

Then Ginny couldn't control herself anymore.

“Harry, I found dear old Neville with Luna on his lap, holding hands. I bet if there wasn't an audience I would have caught them snogging!” she said, bursting in laughter.

“That's exactly what we had been doing till few moments before you entered” Luna added nonchalantly, smiling sweetly at the boy who had turned crimson red.

Ginny stared at the couple in shock.

From that moment, the six of them breezed through the hours of the trip to London between jokes, serious talks about the impending war, and moments of silence, where everyone seemed to be lost in his/her thoughts.

Once at Platform 9 and Â¾ , they retrieved their trunks and left the train. There they found the Weasleys and some other members of the Order, like Moody, Tonks, Kingsley.

They crossed the barrier to the Muggle part of the station, and Harry spotted his relatives. He inwardly groaned.

Before approaching them, tough, he carefully said good bye to everyone in the group.

His hug to Ginny was particularly long and heartfelt, even more than the ones to Ron and Hermione. It was clear he cared specially for the younger girl.

Then he walked toward his “family”.

“Quick, boy” Vernon barked. “We have not all day”

Harry purposely slowed his walk even more. Vernon turned purple.

Then he followed them lazily to their car.

The ride was silent. Harry was already eager to get rid of them once and for all.

Once in the house, Harry was going to bring his trunk upstairs when he heard his cousin.

“Hey Mum, have you noticed Harry's girlfriend?”

“Who, the brown haired one?”

“No, the red head. She was really hot, you know. But if she's with the freak, she must be some kind of whore”

One moment later, Dudley Dursley found himself pinned to the wall, Harry's wand pointed at his throat.

“You. won't. say. That. Again” he hissed menacingly.

“Or what, boy?” Vernon barked. “You don't dare menace my family” the man said, walking toward Harry, purple.

“Or what, dear Uncle Vernon?” Harry said in a mocking sweet voice.

“I'll beat you so bad you will forget your own name, boy” Vernon said, nearing him.

“Don't move” Harry growled. “One more step and you'll try on yourself my wand”

“Don't be ridiculous, boy. You can't use that outside school” Vernon laughed.

“I don't care. I'm not going back to school anyhow, since I've got more important things to care about, so don't try me” Harry menaced, then went upstairs to his room.

Days passed slowly at Privet Drive. After his show, the Dursleys had treated him well like never before. Probably they knew this was last time they would see him anyhow, so they decided to sacrifice for a bit.

Only thing that made his day were the letters he received from his friends.

After one week, Ginny's one came.

“Hey Harry,

how are you doing?

I'm pretty well, although I miss you.

But Luna is keeping me company these days.

She lives nearby, so she often comes to visit.

Ron is making me mad talking about Hermione.

I swear, he has it bad.

I can't wait to see you again, even if I know

We're not together anymore.

Love,

Ginny”

He chuckled reading about Ron's behaviour. Shaking his head, he wrote her, telling her about the little show he gave his relatives. He couldn't help to smile softly thinking about her. On one thing, Dudley was right. She was hot. But she was many other things his cousin did not know, and far more important to him.

Then it was Hermione's turn.

“Hello Harry.

I'm sure the Dursleys are giving you an hard time,

However don't let them bull you around too much.

You've got to study, we won't go at school this year

But we still need all the knowledge we can obtain.

And sorry to tell you this, but I think going back to

Hogwarts would be better.

There's a library there that you can hardly find somewhere

Else. All that knowledge could be useful somehow.

Tomorrow I'm off to Australia with my parents, I'm

So excited!

Hoping to see you soon, your

Hermione”

He read it many times, thinking about her suggestion.

In a rush he had decided he would not go back to Hogwarts. But, after all, she was right. The library could be useful. He would consider it.

“Dear Hermione,

The Dursleys are being nice to me. Probably because I scared

them to death when my stupid cousin insulted Ginny, and I told

them I would use magic on them if they did not behave, as I

would not go back to Hogwarts anyhow.

So, I'm doing fine, but I'm bored. Your suggestion to study may

resolve my days filling them. I'll do it.

As for going back to Hogwarts, I'll consider it. I still think being able

To search all the time is better, but you do have a point.

The library is precious. We'll talk about it again when we see each other.

Hoping to see you soon,

Harry”

Then, after almost three weeks, when he had done all what their professors had required them to, and was bored out of his mind, a letter from McGonagall arrived.

“Harry,

I'm writing you as new Head of the Order. I want to

Inform you that you won't be able to leave your relatives' house

Before more or less a week before the 1st of September. I'm sorry about

That, but we need you to be provided with the strongest protection this year.

We'll see each other at the Burrow after you arrive.

Yes, at the Burrow. I don't think the gloomy atmosphere of Grimmauld Place

Will be of some help to you. Better have a bit of fun till you can, my boy.

Minerva McGonagall”

Harry groaned.

If there was something he didn't look forward to, was passing his birthday with his relatives.

***

As expected, his coming of age was forgotten by his “relatives”, but not by his friends, who sent him letters wishing him the best.

Finally the day of leaving the Dursleys came. He had received an owl from Hermione telling him she would come to pick him up with her parents at noon.

He was so excited by that, he could hardly stay in his room without pacing.

As soon as the bell rang, he bolted from upstairs with his trunk resized and in his pocket, Hedwig's cage with it, and opened just to find himself in front of Hermione.

He grinned at her.

“Australia did lots of good to you” he said, looking at her appreciatively.

She blushed.

“Smooth talker” she swatted him on the arm.

The Dursley had arrived by then.

“I guess you're Harry's relatives” Hermione said coldly. “I'm Hermione Granger, and these are my parents” she motioned to the two adults now behind her. “We're here to pick Harry up”

“Well, off with you then. We hope to not see one of you lot again here” Vernon said, effectively shutting the door in front of them, Harry being shoved out of the house in the process.

Roger Granger was going to knock and ask explanation of that rude behaviour, but Harry stopped him.

“Please, Mr. Granger. There's no need to. They simply hate me, my friends and those related to them. We better get going” he said, somewhat ashamed.

The man nodded, and they boarded the car, a blue BMW 325 Touring.

As soon as they started moving, Hermione spoke softly to him.

“I can't believe you lived with those people so long, and came out the way you have, Harry”

“Oh, that's not an hard feat. As long as you avoid or ignore them, you are fine enough” he said, smiling.

She giggled.

Then she got serious again.

“So we're to start another crazy adventure, uh?” she said.

“I think so. But please, let's talk about this later at the Burrow, ok?” he said. “For the moment, I want to savour seeing you again, and finally being away from them once and for all”

Soon both of them drifted to a dreamless sleep, while Anne Granger looked at them smiling from the mirror.

She was glad her baby girl had found such good friends at Hogwarts, as she had never had them in Muggle school.

-->

2. Weddings and Memories at the Burrow

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me. Since I'm posting this now, let's consider it my little Christmas present to you!

Weddings and Memories at the Burrow

Hours later, the blue BMW parked in front of the strange house that was the Burrow. Anne Granger shook gently awake the two teenagers.

“Hermione, sweetie, we're arrived” she said softly to her daughter.

Soon, both of them were down from the car, and were welcomed by Molly.

“Harry, Hermione, dears! I'm so glad the two of you are here, finally!” she said, enveloping both of them in a crushing hug.

After they regained their ability to breathe, Molly directed them to their rooms.

“Ron and Ginny have gone for a flight in the wood, maybe you can catch them after you've brought your trunks in” she suggested then, going to welcome Hermione's parents.

So they did, and few minutes later they were both walking toward the wood behind the house.

Ginny was the first to spot them.

“Harry! Hermione! You're arrived!” the redhead squealed, landing in front of them. Then she hugged both of them, causing a grin to spread on their faces. She was going to be exactly like her mother.

Ron, hearing his sister's squeals, came down as quickly, and greeted them to.

Then he couldn't stop himself, and placed a quick peck on Hermione's lips.

“EWW!” Harry said in mock disgust. “Get a room, you two!” he teased them then.

They simply stuck their tongues at him, and all the four of them burst in laughter.

“As long as you two don't repeat the scenes Ron did with Lavender last year, I'm fine” he teased them, winking at Ginny.

Seeing her pained him a bit, but he acted as nothing was wrong, he had to be strong for her safety.

“Well, yes, however, the wedding is going to be the day after tomorrow, so we better go to bed, we need to do a lot for it yet…” Ron suggested, trying to change the subject.

“Wedding? The two of you are already getting married? Isn't that a bit rushed, Ron?” Harry said, teasing him.

“I was talking about Bill and Fleur's, Harry, thanks but I think we'll wait a bit more before getting married. As I was saying, lots of things need to be done…”

“Oh, no, Ronniekins, don't think we'll let that slip” George said. “Harry, you're officially invited to join the “Tease Ron and Hermione” day”

Harry grinned. “Thanks guys, but I think I'll pass this chance” he said.

So, some joyful chatter later, they entered the house, and Molly greeted Harry with a big cake on the table, with icing reading “Happy Coming of Age, Harry”.

The Weasleys started cheering him, and Hermione too.

“This is late, we know, but we couldn't let your coming of age pass unnoticed” Molly said him.

He was bewildered. His birthday had always passed without someone noticing, at Privet Drive, so he was not used to this kind of thing.

“Thanks, guys, really” he stammered, not really knowing what to say.

Then they gave him their presents too.

Hermione got him new Quidditch robes, with Potter written in gold letters on the backside.

Ron got him a new wand polishing kit, used by Aurors to restore their wands.

The twins gave him a basket full of their products. “Make sure to use them, mate. Holy knows if Hogwarts needs a good laugh these times” Fred advised him.

Molly gave him two new sweaters, while Ginny gave him a bracelet she made herself with small snitches and Firebolts. He cherished all their presents, as that was another thing he was not really used to, although since he had attended Hogwarts he got Christmas presents from Hagrid, Hermione and the Weasleys.

Next day the big preparations for the wedding continued, Fleur had already chosen her dress, Bill had got his own, the ceremony was going to be held in the backyard of the Burrow as no one wanted to go back to Hogwarts so soon, the pain for the battle was still fresh, so they relocated it.

White and orange roses adorned the garden, and the incident to Bill had brought Molly and Fleur as close as you could imagine, so it seemed really an happy occasion. Ginny still not liked Phlegm, as she called the French girl, very much, but since her mother did, she put on her best face. Harry was near her through the whole ceremony, even if Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, kept trying to be as around Harry as possible, being quite smitten with him as she was.

“Seems you got some competition for Harry's heart, Ginny” Hermione commented lightly.

“Well, I do like to think Harry has better taste than going with her” the redhead said, scowling. The girl really annoyed her a lot with her behaviour, much like her older sister.

Ron and Hermione were one near the other too, obviously as they were going out now, and Harry couldn't help to grin at them. He rarely saw them this happy.

Finally, Bill, who was dressed in a very elegant black robe, reached the altar, and few minutes later the Wedding March sounded. Fleur appeared in all her glory, with a simple white dress which exalted her body, keeping her shoulders almost bare and with a V-neck maybe a bit too deep, but with the outstanding heat of the season it was allowed. Her hair had been pinned with small white roses, and she looked directly at her husband to be, blushing when he mouthed to her “You're gorgeous”, led to him by her father.

“Who gives this witch away?” the priest asked.

“I, her father, do”

And so her hand was placed in Bill's.

They looked lovingly at each other, while the priest kept reading the usual formulas for the ceremony.

Finally the moment of exchanging their vows arrived.

“Fleur, from the moment I saw you I knew there was more to you than your beauty, and I'm glad I was able to find that and discover that you are a well gifted witch, kind, generous, and loyal for all these reasons I love you with all my heart”

“Bill, you've bin ze kindeest wizard to me sinze we met, and you've showeed me what really loving someone iz, for that I love you more than anything elze, and I don't care about you suffering that incident with that werewolf, I love you all the zame”

Then they placed the rings on each other's fingers, with trembling hands.

“Bill and Fleur, I declare you husband and wife. Bill, you may kiss your wife now”

And so the Weasley did, lifting her veil and sharing the sweetest of kisses with his newlywed wife in front of family and friends.

After that, the banquet was held, with Molly who had prepared all the food. All laughed heartily, chatted, joked, ate, there was no room for sadness.

Even in such times, they managed to slither a day of complete bliss into the tension and fear of being in war. Harry for once forgot his heavy burden, and enjoyed even dancing, first with Ginny, then he and Ron exchanged partners, so he swung around a giggling Hermione for some time, before they stopped, quite flustered for the heat.

The four of them chatted till the dancing ended and the moment of throwing the bouquet arrived. Fleur turned and cast it as far and high as she could, and Hermione showed hidden Seeker reflexes snatching it from under Ginny's nose.

“Look who took the bouquet, we better start planning another Weasley wedding” George and Fred teased her and Ron, who both blushed.

“Guys, leave them alone. It was time I didn't see them this happy” Harry said.

“Thanks, Harry” both his friends said when the twins walked away muttering something like “ruining the mood” and “not having sense of humour”.

“Anytime, guys, as long as you don't put on scenes like last year. I was going mad trying to mediate between you two…”

So, with time, the joy died down, the guests left, Bill and Fleur retired to their house to share their first night as wed couple, not before enduring the twins teasing them heartily.

Dinner time came, and there were Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry, the twins and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley there. They ate chatting about the wedding, Ginny and Hermione with dreamlike expressions told them how they wanted their own wedding to be.

“I would like it to be in a big chapel, with all the people from Hogwarts there, lots of red roses, a chorus singing, all the bridesmaids in orange dresses, and my own dress white, with a long tail, a simple veil, not showing so much of my body like Fleur's but still a bit sexy so to raise my husband-to-be's interest for our wedding night...and what about you, Hermione?”

“First of all, as long as I'm in love with the man I'm marrying” and she looked to Ron, who became red on his ears, “I don't care much for how it is. But my dream is a small wedding, with family and the closest friends, the church adorned with lilies and white and red roses, my bridesmaids dressed in pink and my wedding dress sparkling with small diamonds all over it, my hair pulled up in a chignon, no veil, even if I know it is charming the moment in which your newlywed husband lifts it to kiss you, and definitely a bit sexy. I mean, I know the man waiting for you at the altar loves you so no need to raise his interest, but it feels good to see once more what kind of effect you can have on him…”

“Why would it be?” Harry asked, bewildered.

“Girl power, Harry. Something you would never be able to understand” Ginny replied flippantly, moving her hair over her shoulder in a fancy way, as to flirt with him.

They all laughed, while Ron and Harry exchanged a look saying “they are definitely nuts”.

When after dinner Ginny led Harry to her and Hermione's room taking his hand, with the other two in tow, he stiffened for a moment, then relaxed and let her lead him.

They sat on the bed for some chatting, Hermione leaning on Ron's chest, his arms wrapped gently around her, both of them enjoying the closeness, Harry and Ginny instead seated one near the other. After all, they weren't a couple anymore.

“So, I was thinking while you weren't here, since next year probably the tree of you won't come back to Hogwarts, maybe it could be fun these nights, before going to bed, if we recalled our memories from the past years, good or bad they can be, but the events that remained most embedded in your memory from each year” Ginny started.

“I think that's a great idea. This way, if we are not going back, we will keep our memories of the school fresh. I know it has been like home for all of us in these years, through thick and thin” Ron said.

Hermione nodded, while Harry was a bit uncertain. After all, yes, Hogwarts had been his first home, but still he had pretty painful memories of his years there.

Everyone looked at him expectantly.

In the end he nodded.

“So, I thought we may recall one year each night. In turn we'll tell the event we really can't forget from each year” Ginny said. “Harry, if you wish, you can start”

Harry cleared his throat.

“Very well. I guess one memory that is fond for all of us is our first ride on the Express and the Sorting, isn't it, Ron, Hermione?” he asked.

“Of course it is”

“Here it comes, then” he said, before starting to narrate the event.

“ “Hey, Mum. Can you guess who we have just seen on the train?” one of the twins asked.

Harry quickly backed away from the glass, trying to hide he had been staring at them.

“You know that boy with black hair, near us at the station? Do you know who he is?”

“Who is he?” the woman asked them.

“Harry Potter”

“Oh, Mum can I go on the train and look at him?” the voice of the little girl was heard...”

Harry looked at Ginny saying that. She blushed deeply while all of them started laughing.

“ “You've already seen him, Ginny, and the boy is not an animal from the zoo. But are you sure it is him, Fred? How do you know?”

“I've asked him. I've seen the scar. It's exactly like a bolt”

“Oh, poor thing. It's not surprise he was alone in the station. He's been so well-mannered in asking how to reach the platform!”

“Do you think he remembers how You-know-Who looked?”

“Don't you dare ask him that, Fred! There's no need to remember him that on his first day of school!” the woman said hotly.

Then a whistle was heard.

“Come on, go on the train” she said then. Soon the train started moving. The little girl started running after the train, then she continued to wave with her little hand.

Harry squeezed Ginny's hand, and without thinking he pulled her closer, while continuing his story.

“Soon the door of the compartment opened and the younger of the redhead boys entered.

“Is that seat occupied? The train is all full”

Harry shook his head and the boy sat.

After a quick look at Harry, he started looking at the passing landscape.

“Hey, Ron” the twins said.

“Hear, we go toward the half of the train. Lee said he has a giant tarantula”

“Ok” Ron muttered.

“Harry, did we present each other? Fred and George Weasley. And this is our brother Ron. Well, see you later” they said, before going away.

“Are you really Harry Potter?” Ron suddenly asked.

Harry nodded.

“Oh…well, I was thinking it was another of Fred and George's pranks. Do you really have the…” and he pointed Harry's forehead.

Harry moved his bangs to show him the scar.

“So it is there that You-Know-Who…?”

“Yeah, but I don't remember a thing” Harry said.

“Really nothing?” Ron asked, really curious.

Hermione elbowed him angrily hearing that.

Ron grinned sheepishly and kissed the top of her head.

Harry smiled at both of them.

“After some moment staring, Ron started looking out of the window again.

“In your family you are all wizards?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, I think so. If I'm not mistaken Mum as a far cousin that is an accountant, but we never speak of him”

“So you already know lots of spells”

“I heard you lived with Muggles” Ron asked. “How are they?”

“Horrible. Well, not all of them. My aunt, my uncle and my cousin are. I would have loved to have three wizard brothers”

“Five” Ron corrected him. “I'm the sixth of our family to attend Hogwarts. I've got to stand up to lots of expectations from my family. Bill was top of his classes, Charlie was Captain of the Quidditch team. And Percy is a prefect. Fred and George are funny, they prank a lot, but their marks are good, so…I've got to be at their level, but if I do, it won't be great, because they already did that before me. And with five brothers, you've got lots of hand-me-down. I've got Bill's old clothes, Charlie's wand and Percy's mouse”

Saying that, Ron extracted from his jacket a battered mouse.

“Its name is Scabbers”

Later, the witch with the cart of the sweets arrived. Ron said he was ok, as he got sandwiches, while Harry for the first time in his life was able to buy what he wanted to. So he bought lots of sweets, and they shared.

They collected some pictures from the Chocolate Frogs, and discussed about Muggle and Wizarding pictures.

Later, a boy almost in tears came searching for his toad.

“Poor Neville, he was really out of his mind with that toad” Hermione commented brightly.

“Lucky that he found someone willing to help him” Harry said, beaming at her. She smiled back.

“Soon later the door opened again. The boy was back, but with him there was a girl now.

“Has someone seen a toad? Neville has lost his one” she said.

“We've already told him we haven't seen it” Ron protested, but the girl noticed the wand in his hand.

“Oh, you're doing magic. Let's see” she said, sitting in front of them.

Ron tried his spell, but nothing happened.

“You sure it is a spell? However, it doesn't work. Nothing has happened” the girl pointed out. “I've tried to do some simple spells, and I succeeded in all of them. In my family no one has ever had magical powers. It was a good surprise when I got the letter. By the way, my name is Hermione Granger. What about yours?”

“I'm Ron Weasley”

“Harry Potter”

“Really?” Hermione said. “I know everything about you, of course. I've read some optional books, and I've seen you're talked about in “Modern History of Magic”, “Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts” and in “Great Events of Twentieth Century” too.”

Now it was Hermione's turn to blush. She covered her face with her hands, laughing with all of them. Then Harry started once again.

“Really?” Harry asked

“You didn't know that? I, in your place, would have tried to know everything I could. By the way, do you know in which house you'll be? I've asked and it seems the best is Gryffindor. Even Dumbledore was there. Ravenclaw would not be bad too. Well, we better find Neville's toad, and the two of you better start changing into your school robes. We're almost arrived”

As soon as she was out, Ron spoke.

“Whatever house she's in, I hope it's not mine”

Another elbowing from Hermione.

“Ouch! That hurts!”

Harry ignored them and continued talking, a smile on his face at their antics.

“Finally the reached the castle, and they were amazed by the view it provided from the lake.

Hagrid pounded on the huge doors three times.

“Here are the first years, Professor” he said to the witch that opened.

“Very Well, Hagrid. From here I'll accompany them”

Then Harry gave them a swift recalling of his first meeting with Malfoy. Then he started about the Sorting.

“They exited the room, crossed the Entrance Hall, and finally entered the Great Hall. Harry did not imagine in his life that such a wonderful place could exist. It was lit by lots of candles over their heads. Harry looked up and saw a ceiling of black velvet pointed with stars.

“It's for magic that it resembles the outside sky. I've read it in “Hogwarts: A History” he heard Hermione saying.

Then they fixed their eyes on the stool Professor McGonagall had brought. The hat started singing.

After a long list of students, it came to Harry.

All the Hall started whispering.

“Potter, she said?”

“THAT Potter?”

Harry put the hat on his head.

“Mmmh. Hard. Really hard. Lots of bravery. And a fine brain too. Oh, there is talent, there is. But do I place you?”

“Not in Slytherin. Not in Slytherin” Harry whispered.

“Not in Slytherin, uh? But you could be great there. In your head there's everything, and Slytherin would make you great. But if you're sure, then it is better GRYFFINDOR!”

He took the hat off, and started walking toward his house table.

Ron was sorted in the house too.

“Well, yes, I think this is the fondest memory for every Hogwarts student” Hermione commented, dreamily. “As for me, however, the memories I can't forget is how the two of them saved me from the Troll, and the last obstacle before Harry could face Quirrel and stop him from taking the Philosopher's Stone.

“Let's hear about that then” Ginny squealed.

“Ok, I'll start from the Troll then”

“Hermione Granger was crouching against the wall, and she seemed near to be fainting. The Troll was nearing her, destroying the sinks on his path.

“Damn!” Harry muttered, then took a sink and threw it at the beast. It stopped few meters from the girl, turned to search the cause of the noise, and spotted Harry. The Troll walked toward him moving his club.

“Hey, you, stupid beast!” Ron shouted from the other side of the room, throwing a metal pipe at him. The Troll turned, giving Harry the time to run a round it.

“Come on, run, run!” he shouted to the girl, who seemed paralysed.

The Troll grew furious, and ran toward Ron, the nearest.

Harry then did something really brave, and really stupid. He jumped on the back of the Troll, who didn't notice Harry, but did notice his wand stuck in his nose.

So he tried to get rid of Harry, and Ron did the first thing he could think of. He took his wand, and aimed it at the club.

“Wingardium Leviosa!” he cried, and the club hovered over the Troll's head. Ron released the spell, and it fell right on it, making the beast fell on the ground unconscious.

The first to speak was Hermione.

“Is he dead?”

“I don't think so. I think we knocked him out, simply”

The teachers arrived in that moment.

Hermione took the blame for the happened, and they went back to their common room.

“That was the moment that started our friendship. Some adventures you can't go through without developing it” Hermione said.

The boys grinned at her.

“Now, for the other memory…”

“Harry opened the door pulling it toward him. They feared what they would have found, but they saw just seven different bottles.

“This is Snape's doing” Harry muttered. “What are we going to do?”

As soon as they entered the room, flames burst from the floor. They were violet flames, while black ones started coming form the next door.

“Look!” Hermione said, pointing to a roll of parchment on the table.

It was a riddle, and after some time she solved it.

“Brilliant!” she said. “This is not magic, this is logic. Lots of great wizards have no logic. They would stay here forever”

“We too?”

“Of course not. We've written here all what we need to know” she said, then explained the solution to him.

“I've got it. The little one will allow us to pass the black fire, to reach the Stone”

Harry looked at it. There was enough for just one of them.

“And which one will let us go back?” he asked then.

Hermione pointed another bottle.

“You drink from that one. Listen, you go back, take Ron and with the brooms fly out of the trap. Then go to the Owlery and send an owl to Dumbledore. I'll try keep him at bay as long as I can, but I'm not at his level”

“But Harry…what would you do if You-Know-Who is with him?”

“Well, I got lucky once, didn't I? I may get lucky again”

Hermione's lips quivered, then s he flung herself at him.

“But Hermione!”

“Harry, you're a great wizard, you know that, right?”

“Not like you” he said.

“Me! Come on, I am just book and cleverness. There are more important things, like friendship, bravery, and…oh, Harry, be careful!”

“Come on, you drink first. You sure it's the right one?” Harry said.

“Of course” she said, then drank. She felt like a cold chill passed through her body.

Then she went back, and Harry continued his adventure.

“Hermione, what were you going to say?” Ginny teased her friend.

She blushed, and shook her head. “I don't remember, Ginny” she said, although she remembered well what she was going to say.

“Now it is Ron's turn”

“Well, in that adventure, we had to pass a living sized Wizard Chess board, set by McGonagall. You all know how I am with chess, so that's my best memory”

“They were on the border of an enormous chess board, behind the black pieces. In front of them there were the white ones. The three of them shivered. The figures were really high and without face.

“Now, what re we going to do?” Harry asked.

“It's obvious. We've got to start playing and reach the other side” Ron said.

Behind the white pieces there was another door.

“And how do we do that?” Hermione asked

“I guess we've got to fake we're pieces and step onto the board” Ron said. He touched a black horse, and it came to life.

“Are…are we going to have to come with you to pass?” he asked.

The horse nodded.

“We need to think about this. We've got to take the place of three black pieces…

“Well, don't be offended, but no one of you two is good at chess…”Ron said.

“Don't worry, just tell us what to do” Harry said.

“You, Harry, take the place of that bishop, you Hermione go near him, taking the place of that tower”

“And you?”

“I'll be the knight”

The match started with the white making the first move.

Ron started directing the black pieces, while Harry got chills. What if they lost?

“Harry, move diagonally to your right for four places”

First shock came when their other knight was eaten by the white Queen. Every time they lost a piece, the white seemed really cruel in destroying it.

Two times Ron spotted Harry and Hermione being in danger just in time.

Finally it was the moment of the decisive move.

“Let me think, let me think” he muttered. The white Queen turned toward him.

“Yes, it's the only way. I've got to let her eat me” he said.

“NO!” Harry shouted.

“This is chess. You've got to sacrifice something. I'll go forward, and she will eat me. You two will be free to checkmate”

“But…”

“Do you want to stop Snape or not?” he said.

“Ron…”

“Hear, if you don't hurry, he's going to steal the Stone!”

It was the only way. So he moved forward.

He was, as predicted, took down by the Queen.”

“Well, it was really brave of you, Ron” Ginny commented.

“Yeah, it was” he said proudly.

“Don't let it get to your head tough” Harry teased him.

“Well, guys, I guess we can call it a night now” Hermione said.

“OK” the two boys said, not moving. They looked at each other grinning.

“This means, you will have to leave, since this is our room” Hermione said, looking sternly at both of them.

“Oh, come on. Can't the two of you change while we chat a bit more? I'm not that sleepy” Ron said.

“Ronald Billius Weasley” Ginny said, glaring at him.

They got the hint, so they left and went to their own room to sleep.

“It was fun to recall those memories, wasn't it?” the redhead said.

“Of course it was, Ron” Harry said, thinking about the memory Hermione had told, the one about the potions, and her behaviour during it.

-->

3. A Decision Taken

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

A Decision Taken

Next morning, Harry and Ron were shook awake by a certain brunette.

“Come on, you two” Hermione said, once they were awaken. “In an hour McGonagall will be here, as she wants to have a chat with the three of us. So you should be presentable and have had your breakfast for that moment”

Harry and Ron groaned, but started getting ready for the day. After a quick shower, Harry went back to the room to get dressed, then waited for Ron.

They went down to have breakfast together.

Once there, they noticed everyone else was already out in the garden.

“Guess we slept in a bit today uh?” Harry pointed out, while taking some pumpkin juice.

“I would have slept till noon if Hermione had not waken me up” Ron muttered, grabbing a sausage.

Soon later the two of them joined the others outside.

“Harry, Ron, dears. Headmistress McGonagall is coming just now from the main street. You're just in time” Molly said to them. Hermione and Ginny rolled their eyes at the two teens, who were still a bit dishevelled, and fixed them in a more presentable manner.

Once the old witch was there, she asked to be left alone with the trio.

“Good morning” she said then.

“Good morning, Headmistress” the three of them greeted back.

“Now, I'm sorry I've not time for the pleasantries, so we should go directly to the point. Mr. Potter, I reckon you expressed your will to not come to Hogwarts next school year, due to a mission you and the former Headmaster had started”

“Yes, Professor” Harry said.

“Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger, I guess the two of you will follow him, right?”

“Yes” both of them answered.

She sighed.

“Harry, while I understand the importance of your mission, as there were documents addressed to me from Albus that explained what it is about, if I'm allowed an advice, I think you should come to Hogwarts. You would have access to the library, and that's a pretty big font of information on any kind of magic or magical item, you would be taught spells that may be useful to you…”

“Headmistress, I've thought about these things. I reckon you're right, but being in school won't allow me to search for the Horcruxes, out of the holidays. I can't afford to waste that much time. Voldemort could strike anytime, and sooner I get the Horcruxes, sooner I can get rid of him” Harry said, his eyes darkening.

For some time there was silence in the room.

Then McGonagall spoke again.

“I see, Harry. Is this your only problem in coming back to Hogwarts?”

“Yeah, I guess this covers all”

“Very well. So what would you say if I allowed you unlimited access to the Restricted Section of the library, and the chance to leave for searching whenever you need to do so?”

Harry thought about the offer. In that way, he would be able to search, but he would also learn NEWT level spells and take advantage of the huge library. It was a reasonable offer.

“I guess, if you truly allow me to leave whenever I need to for a research, I can agree to coming back to school” Harry finally said.

Hermione grinned, as well as Ron.

“Very well. So this is settled. Now, I'm sorry to leave that hastily, but I've got lots of business to attend”

“Of course, Headmistress. So we'll see you again September 1st, then” the three teens said.

After the meeting, the four of them relaxed in the garden till lunch, then Harry and Ron engaged themselves in a match of Wizard Chess.

Of course Ron won.

“There's no satisfaction with you, Harry” the redhead teased him.

“I guess you can owl the Prophet, so they'll print on first page. I can already see the title, “The-Boy-Who-Lived can't play chess!” or something like that…” Harry said chuckling, while they walked toward the ladies.

Once there, they sat under a tree, chatting.

“Hey, you lot said Luna is near here. Why don't' we pay her a visit?” Harry suggested.

“What, trying to replace me with Loony?” Ginny said, in a mocking angered tone.

“What if I am?” Harry said, joking.

She swatted him on the arm. “Prat” she said, smiling.

So it was settled. They went to visit the Ravenclaw girl.

As usual, she was reading “The Quibbler” upside down, but they were used to it by now. She was a bit strange, but she was intelligent and she was a good friend. And a good fighter too, as it had been proved in the DoM.

Later that evening, they walked back to the Burrow. Hermione and Ron stopped few metres from the house. In the whole day they had not had a moment for themselves.

So while Ginny and Harry went to help Mrs. Weasley with the dinner, the young couple remained outside.

“Hey” Ron said softly.

She smiled at him, taking his hand.

“I've missed being alone with you today” she admitted, leaning closer.

He held her, and inhaled her scent.

“I've missed that too” he whispered. Then he leaned in and kissed her. “I've missed this too”

She giggled. “I guess this was a good reason to remain behind, then”

He chuckled.

“You're wonderful” he said then, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.

She replicated the gesture, and sighed in contentment.

“Hey, lovebirds” Harry called. “Dinner is ready”

They rolled their eyes and walked in.

After dinner, they reunited in the boys' room to have the “Reminiscing Moment”, as they had decided to call it.

“Ok, tonight it's about second year” Ginny said, a bit excited but fearful too. Her memories form that year were a mess, due to the possession Riddle's diary had on her.

“So, who's starting?”

Nobody spoke.

“Ok, I'll do it” Harry said, squeezing Ginny's hand in support. He knew that had been her worst year at Hogwarts.

Ron and Hermione looked at the two of them knowingly, and leaned closer to each other. Well, actually, it was Hermione who leaned more on Ron, who was supporting her from behind.

“Ok, it was a rather dark year, that one. But something was so fun I could never forget it” Harry said, and looked at Ron.

The redhead grinned, understanding what Harry was going to tell them.

“Both boys leaned on the grip of their trolleys, and moved toward the barrier, gaining speed. . Few meters from it, they started running, and…

CRASH!

Both trolleys hit the barrier and rebounded. Ron's trunk fell with a great thud. Harry fell on the ground, Hedwig's cage bounced on the floor and the bird rolled on the ground, outraged.

People stared at them, and the guard addressed them.

“What do you think you're doing?”

“Sorry, w e lost control of the trolley” Harry breathed, standing up again.

“Oh, yeah, great excuse, Harry!” Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

“What else could have I said to him?” Harry said.

“I guess you were a great show for the Muggles” Hermione said, giggling.

Harry mocked a glare at her, then continued.

Ron went to take Hedwig back.

“Why can't we pass?” Harry hissed to Ron.

“I don't know…” Ron said, looking around in panic. A crowd of curious people kept staring at them.

“We're gonna lose the train” Ron whispered. “I can't understand why the exit is blocked”

Harry looked at the watch with dread.

He leaned his trolley on the barrier, but to no avail. Finally the big watch signalled it was eleven o'clock. They had lost the train.

“It's gone. What if Dad and Mum can't come back? Do you have some Muggle money?” Ron asked.

“I have got not pay for six years” Harry said, laughing hollowly.

“What are going to do? I don't know how much Mum and Dad will take to come back” Ron said.

“It's better we go back to the car, we're attracting too much attention” Harry said.

“Harry!” Ron said, his eyes twinkling. “The car!”

“What about it?”

“We can fly to Hogwarts!”

“I was thinking…”

“We're stuck, aren't we? And we have to reach the school, right? And the underage wizards are allowed magic in emergency situations”

Harry's panic muted to euphoria.

“Do you know how to make it fly?”

“No problem” Ron said. “Come on, let's go. If we're quick, we nay be able to follow the Express!”

So they ran through the crowd of curious Muggles, and reached the lateral street where the Ford Anglia was parked.

They put the trunks back in the luggage van, put Hedwig on the rear seat and mounted in the front ones.

“Check that nobody's watching” Ron instructed Harry, while he started the engine with a wand touch.

“No one is there” Harry said.

Ron pushed the silver button and both the car and them became invisible. Harry felt the shaking of the car, but could see nothing of it or himself.

“Start!” Ron said on his right. The car started floating in the air, and the buildings became more and more indistinct. In few seconds all London was under them.

There was a little explosion, and the car was visible again.

“Oh, it's faulty” Ron stated,

They punched the button and it turned invisible again. Then it returned visible.

Ron drove the car in the clouds to cover it.

“What now?”

“We need to find the Express to know which direction we've got to take” Ron said.

“Come on, let's go down”

So they did, and spotted it.

“Here it is!” Harry said, “on the right!”

“We go north” Ron pointed out. “Very well, we'll need to control every half a hour more or less” he said. Then moved back into the clouds, and went over them. There was a beautiful light, and Harry marvelled in the scenery.

“We just need to worry about planes” Ron said.

They started laughing and for a long time couldn't stop.

Harry thought that Fred and George would envy them once they got to Hogwarts. They checked the route attentively, and saw a different scenery at every check. First London, then green fields, then wild heath, small villages.

After few hours, however, they started to get bored. He was thirsty due to the sweets. It was hot, and even if they had taken off their sweaters, his T-Shirt kept sticking to the seat, and his glasses glided down his nose due to the sweat.

He kept wondering why didn't they be able to reach the platform.

“We're gonna to arrive soon, don't you think?” Ron said, hours later. “You ready for another check on the train?”

So they did, but when they started going up again, the engine started moaning.

They looked at each other nervously.

“Probably it is just tired. It's the first time it goes this far”

Both of them ignored the now increasing noise, and then the windscreen wiper that started moving weakly in protest.

“We're almost there” Ron said, more to the car than to Harry. “We're almost there, now”

Minutes later, they saw the castle.

But the car started shaking, the engine moaning again, steam coming from under the hood.

Ron gripped the steering wheel with all his strength, trying to direct the car. They flew over the lake, and it shook again.

Then the engine stopped.

“Oh” Ron said.

They started falling directly toward the castle.

Ron tried turning, then stopping the car with his wand.

“Look at that tree!” Harry shouted, but it was too late.

BANG

They crashed on it.

“You all right?” Harry asked.

“My wand. Look at my wand!”

It was broken in two.

Then the tree started hitting them, so they wanted to bolt. Suddenly the car moved again, bringing them away from the tree. Then it spitted them out, with their trunks, and fled toward the forest.

“Come back!” Ron shouted. Then, slumping on the ground, “Dad is going to kill me”

“So this is your adventurous voyage to Hogwarts in second year, uh?” Hermione said.

Both boys grinned sheepishly.

“We had to reach Hogwarts somehow” Harry said then.

Both girls rolled their eyes at them.

“Come on, Hermione. It's your turn now”

“Ok. This is embarrassing” she said, blushing. “But I'm sure you lot are gonna have fun laughing at me” she mock glared at them, then smiled.

“ “I already have what I need! Do you remember Millicent Bulstrode, the one I duelled with? She left on my robe this” she said, showing them an hair, “and even if she's gone home for Christmas, it will be enough to tell them I've come back”

Then she moved to check the potion again”

“Oh, yes, I remember this! Moaning Myrtle must have laughed for the first time since her death” Ron said, gaining himself an elbowing in his stomach.

“OY! Hermione, you really should stop elbowing me during this reminiscing chats, you know”

“And you should stop saying stupid things” she retorted, smiling to show him she wasn't really angry.

Then she continued.

“ “Now what are going to do?”

“We pour it in the goblets, and then we add the hair” Hermione explained. So she did.

“Argh. Millicent Bulstrode essence. It must be really foul” Ron said.

“Come on, put the hair in” Hermione said.

So they did.

“Wait a moment. We can't drink it with our robes on. They a re far larger than us”

“Right. Let's go everyone in a cubicle” Ron suggested

Attentive to not spill it, they moved. Harry went in the middle one.

“Ready?” he said.

“Ready” his friends said back. “One…two…three…”

They drank, and felt their insides twist, and burn. Then it stopped.

Harry and Ron changed to their new clothes, and then went to check on Hermione.

“Come on, we have to go”

“I…I don't think I'll come. Go without me”

“Hermione, we know Millicent is ugly, but no one will know it is you!”

“No, really. I'm not coming. You're losing time!”

“Hermione, you all right?” Harry asked.

“Yes…I'm fine…go!”

“We'll ,see you here then!”

And so they went away.

Later, when they had managed to speak with Malfoy, they returned to the bathroom.

“Hermione, come out. We've got lots of things to tell you”

“Go away!” Hermione shouted.

“Pretty way to greet two friends who risked expulsion in an undercover mission” Ron said

“You would have done the same, Ginny, if you were in my place” Hermione said, ignoring her boyfriend.

“What has happened? By now you should be back to normal too. We have transformed back already” Ron said.

“Ohhh, you'll see now” Myrtle said, exiting Hermione's cubicle. “It's horrible”

The lock opened, and Hermione came into view, covering her head with her clothes.

“What has happened? Did Millicent's nose remain on you?” Ron asked.

Hermione took the clothes off her head. It was all covered in black fur.

“I—It was a cat's hair” she moaned. “She must have a cat, and the potion can't be used to become an animal!”

“Oh!” Ron said.

“Don't worry, Hermione. We're gonna bring you to the Hospital Wing now” Harry said. “Madam Pomfrey will know what to do, and she never asks too much”

After some time they convinced her to go.”

Hermione ended, covering her face in embarrassment while everyone chuckled.

“She was quite pretty as a cat, too” Harry said.

Hermione glared at him.

“Harry James Potter…”

“Ok, sorry. Ron, it's your turn”

So the redhead started.

“Aragog!” the spider said. “Aragog!”

“What's there?” another voice replied, then a spider as big as a small elephant appeared.

“Humans”

“Kill them, I was sleeping”

“We're friends of Hagrid” Harry said.

“Hagrid has never sent humans in our burrow” Aragog replied, clicking his pincers.

“Hagrid is in trouble” Harry said, panting. “That's why we are here”

“In trouble? But why did he send you?”

“In the school they think he's done something against the students, and he was sent to Azkaban…”

“That was years and years ago” Aragog said, upset. “I remember that well, it was the reason I was forced to leave the school. They thought I was the monster of the Chamber of Secrets. They thought Hagrid had opened the Chamber and freed me”

“So…you didn't come from the Chamber?” Harry asked.

“Me?” Aragog said, angry. “I'm not born in the castle. I come from a far land. A voyager gave me to Hagrid, and he cared for me. He's my friend. He protected me and brought me here after they found the dead girl. He found me a wife, and now you see how much our family has gotten big”

“So you never attacked someone?”

“Never. I would have, but out of respect for Hagrid I never did. I've seen just the cupboard Hagrid kept me in, in the castle. The girl was found in a bathroom”

“So…do you know what killed her? Because it has come back, and the aggressions started again”

“What lives in the castle is an ancient creature that we spiders fear above everything else. When I felt it was there, I asked Hagrid to let me go”

“What is it?”

“We don't speak about it!” Aragog shouted. “We don't name it, even Hagrid asked it to me but I did not say it to him”

Harry decided it was better to stop.

“Well, we go then”

“You go? I don't think so” Aragog said.

“But…”

“My sons don't touch Hagrid on my order, but I can't refuse them fresh meat when it comes so willingly in our burrow. Farewell, friends of Hagrid!”

Harry took his wand to fight, even he knew he and Ron would never be able to exit from there alive. But then, a roar was heard. The Ford Anglia came to their help, scaring the spiders and bringing them back to the castle”

“And this explains part of my fear for the spiders” Ron concluded.

“Ron, you've had that fear far before entering Aragog's lair” Ginny reminded him.

“Well, I was right, wasn't I? See what terrible creatures they are?”

“Ron, those were Acromantulas! Not all spiders are that way!” Hermione said rolling her eyes.

Harry simply chuckled, then nudged Ginny.

“Come on, Gin. It's your turn now”

She blushed. “Ok” she said in a small voice.

“Ginny started to stir. Harry was near her in a moment, and she sat.

She looked at the big Basilisk on the floor, then to Harry and his blooded clothes, then to the diary.

“Oh, Harry, I tried to tell you, but not in front of Percy, I couldn't. It was me, Harry, but I didn't mean to. Riddle made me do that, I couldn't deny him, and…how could you kill that thing? Where is Riddle? Last thing I know he went out of the diary…”

“Don't worry” Harry said, showing her the hole from the Basilisk's fang. “Riddle's gone. He and his Basilisk are gone. Come on, Ginny. Let's go out of here”

“I'm going to be expelled” she sobbed. “I wanted so much to come to Hogwarts, since Bill was here, and I'm going to have to go…What will Mum and Dad say?” she sobbed again.

Fawkes was waiting for them, and then they heard noise of stones moved slowly.

“Ron! Ginny's fine. She's with me” Harry called.

Then they collected Lockhart and with Fawkes they flew out of the tunnel leading to the Chamber.”

“I was so ashamed at what had happened, and having to tell that to Harry, the one person I worshipped and had an huge fangirl crush onto was the last straw of my embarrassment” Ginny said.

Harry pulled her close to comfort her.

After some moments of silence, Harry spoke again.

“However, if it wasn't for Hermione's brilliant idea that the monster was a Basilisk, I don't know if I would have been able to save you and the school”

Hermione blushed at the praise.

“Well, we batter call it a night” Ron said, yawning. Then he and Harry grinned evilly at each other, and contemporarily they took their shirts off.

Both Hermione and Ginny blushed.

“What?” they asked in innocent voice.

“You're changing in front of us?”

“So what?” Harry said, then chuckled.

Both girls threw pillows at them and left hastily.

“Good one, mate” Ron said him, before they went to sleep.

Harry chuckled once more before dreams took him.

-->

4. A Sirius Memory

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

A Sirius Memory

Harry slept well that night. Peaceful dreams were a pleasant new after the nightmares he had endured often since Dumbledore's death.

Maybe Ginny's idea of relaxing recalling old times was doing him good. Or maybe it was being at the Burrow again, enjoying one last week of relax with his friends before going back to Hogwarts, something he didn't plan to at the end of sixth year.

So, he woke up well rested, and found that he was alone in the room. Frowning, he got up, went to have a quick shower, then after dressing in a red t-shirt and jeans, he went down to catch some breakfast.

He spotted the others already outside, and felt a bit put out that they had not awaken him so he could be with them.

Shrugging, he took some pumpkin juice, a cup of coffee and a couple sausages.

He was not particularly hungry.

After eating, he walked outside to them.

“Hullo, guys”

“Hey, sleepyhead. Welcome between us” Ginny teased him, then went to greet him properly with a kiss on the cheek.

Hermione and Ron greeted him too, and the four of them went for a walk.

“Sorry if we left you alone, Harry, but you seemed so peaceful we thought better to let you have some rest” Hermione said. “We all know the nightmares you've been through till now”

“You know?” he asked, surprised.

“Well, even if you cast a silencing charm on your bed, we can see you trashing in your sleep, Harry” Ron pointed out. “Not healthy at all to keep all bottled in, if you ask me, but that's your choice to make”

Harry looked in the distance. Yes, Ron was right. Maybe he should talk to them about his nightmares. But he wasn't ready yet.

So, for now, he stayed silent, walking with Ginny's hand in his own toward the pond in the wood behind the house.

They settled there, and chatted for some time. Ron sat leaning on a tree, Hermione for the moment remained standing, looking around the pond for some interesting herb while taking part in the conversation.

Now and then Harry would catch a glance between his two best friends, and knew they would like to share a moment alone soon. After all, they hadn't been allowed much of that since the train ride.

He sighed.

He could have that with Ginny, if he hadn't a madman after him. Once again he cursed his fate. Of course he could have kept her, but that would have put her in danger, and he was not willing to lose her.

Oh, she was in danger all the same. He wasn't that naÃ¯ve to think she wasn't just because he had broken up with her. All of them, being on the Light side, were in danger in the impending war. But, he hoped maybe his gesture made her a bit safer.

Mulling over that, he did not notice he had automatically started running his hand trough her red hair. She sighed contentedly, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

As aware as she was that he was not going to take her back for the moment, his little gestures now and then showed he did really care for her. So she hoped maybe, after the war, they could restart from where they had stopped.

Molly called them for lunch, so the group moved toward the house. Hermione had collected some strange looking herbs, probably for research.

Harry shook his head chuckling.

“What's so funny?” the brunette asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Nothing. Just that you never cease to amaze me, Hermione. We're still on holiday for few days, and you go taking herbs you can search about in the books” he said, looking fondly at her.

Her expression softened. “It's an habit. Reading makes me relax, so if I've got something to read about, I'm fine” she said, looking down and blushing a bit.

“No need to feel embarrassed, Hermione” Ron said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “We all know you love to read”

So they reached the house, and had lunch with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

“Tomorrow the twins will probably visit” Molly announced. “At least, that's what Fred owled me”

Ron and Harry's eyes lit up. The twins there meant they could play a two-on-two Quidditch match…

In the afternoon, Harry excused himself from the others, and went for a flight on his broom. He needed to clear his thoughts, and nothing better than a good flight to do that.

He came back just in time for dinner.

“We were almost going to search for you” Ginny scolded him with her hands on her hips.

“Gin, you're scary when you do this, you know that, don't you?” he said.

“Yeah, perfect replica of Mum you are” Ron said, coming into the room with Hermione.

“So, did the two of you sneak off to snog?” Harry teased them. “I know you wanted to since this morning”

Both of them blushed.

Harry simply chuckled and went to put his broom in his and Ron's room, then came back down for dinner.

After eating and helping Mrs. Weasley a bit with the dishes, they retreated to the girls' room.

They sat on the beds, as usual Ron holding Hermione and Harry and Ginny near each other.

“So, tonight it's third year we're going to recall” Ginny announced proudly. “Harry, I guess it's you who has to start”

“Oh, well. Here it is, then. My fondest memory of third year”

“ “Do you want to kill me, Harry?” Sirius Black asked, being on the floor with Harry's wand pointed on him.

“You killed my parents”, his voice barely trembling, but his hand steady.

Black looked at him.

“I don't deny it” he said. “But if you knew how it had happened…”

“How it happened? You sold them to Voldemort, this is all what I've got to know”

“You've got to listen to me” Black said, urgently. “Or you'll regret it. You don't understand…”

“I understand lots more than you think. You never heard her, did you? My mother, trying to stop Voldemort and protecting me…and it was you…it was you…”

Crookshanks jumped on Black's chest and nested there.

“Get down” the man whispered, trying to push the cat away, but it dug his nails in his clothes.

Hermione looked at the scene in fear.

Harry was ready. What did it matter if he needed to kill the cat too? It was Black's ally, it was not his business if it tried to protect him.

Steps were heard.

Hermione shouted.

“We're here! We're here, there's Black! Hurry!”

Lupin entered.

“Expelliarmus!” he cried toward Harry, who lost his wand, as well as Hermione with the other two.

Harry looked defeated. His nerves had failed him. Black was to be given to the Dementors.

Then Lupin spoke.

“Where is he, Sirius?”

Harry was confused. Where was who?

Black did nothing for a moment, then nodded toward Ron. Harry looked at his friend in shock, and Ron had the face as shocked as his.

“But then, why did he reveal himself in all these years? Or was it him…did you exchange without telling me?”

Black nodded.

“Professor, what…?”

Lupin lowered his wand. Harry was dumbfounded.

Then the man went to help Sirius from the ground, and hugged him as a brother.

“I can't believe it!” Hermione cried. “You…you…”

“Hermione” Lupin started

“You…and he…”

“Hermione, calm down…”

“I never said anyone...” Hermione continued. “I covered your back!”

“Hermione, listen to me! I can explain!” Lupin said.

Harry was shook by rage. “I believed you!” he cried at the man, “And you've always been his friend!”

“You're wrong. For twelve years I haven't been his friend. I am now. Let me explain…”

“No. Don't listen to him. He wants you dead too. He helped him into he castle. He's a Werewolf” Hermione spat.

“This time you've not been right to your fame, Hermione. You got one on three, I fear. I did not help him into the castle, I surely don't want Harry dead, and yes, I admit I'm a werewolf”

Ron hissed in pain. Lupin walked toward him concerned.

“Get away from me, werewolf!” the redhead shouted.

He stopped, and fatigued, turned toward Hermione.

“How long have you known?”

“Lots of time” she whispered. “Since I did the essay for Professor Snape”

“He'll be happy” the man said coldly. “He assigned that hoping someone would catch on my symptoms. Did you check the moon calendar, or did you guess the Boggart transformed itself in the moon when I was in front of it?”

“Both” she said.

He chuckled. “For your age, you're really smart, Hermione”

“No. If I were I would have said it”

“Oh, but they know. The staff, at least”

“Dumbledore hired you knowing you're a werewolf?” Ron said. “Is he mad?”

“Some thought that. He had lots of troubles convincing all of them I was to trust”

“And he was wrong. You've helped him…” Harry said, enraged.

“I did not. If you let me, I'll explain” then he gave them back the wands.

“Now you're armed and we are not. Can I explain now?”

Harry was confused. Was it a trap?

“If you never helped him, how did you know he was here?”

“The map. The Marauders Map” Lupin said. “I was in my study looking at it…”

“You know how it works?”

“Of course I do. I helped designing it! I'm Moony. My friends called me that in school”

“You designed it?”

“The important thing is that tonight I was checking it because I guessed you and your friends would try to sneak out of the castle to be near Hagrid. It was probable you would have used your father's cloak…”

“How do you know about it?”

“You can't imagine how many times I've seen James vanishing under it. But on the map, you can be seen even with the cloak. I followed your movements, and when you left Hagrid's hut, there was someone else with you”

“It's false” Harry said.

Lupin ignored him. “I thought the map was wrong. How could he be with you? But then there was another spot, labelled Sirius Black. I saw him fighting with you, then dragging two of you into the Whomping Willow”

“One of us” Ron said, angry.

“No, Ron. Two” Lupin said, looking at Ron. “Do you think I could check your rat?”

“What?” Ron asked. “What does Scabbers have to do with this?”

“Everything” Lupin said. “Can I see him?”

Ron gave the rat to him after a moment of hesitation.

“What does it have to do with all this?” Ron asked again.

“That is no rat” Sirius said.

“Of course it is” Ron said.

“No, it is not. He's an Animagus. His name is Peter Pettigrew”

“You're both mad!”

“It's ridiculous” Hermione said, weakly.

“Pettigrew is dead. He killed him twelve years ago” Harry said.

“I wanted to, but little Peter got lucky. Not this time, tough” Black said. Then he moved to catch Scabbers.

Lupin managed to make him reason.

“To Harry you owe the truth, Sirius” he finally said.

“Very well then, Remus. But be quick. I want to do the murder I've been sentenced for”

After some time, Remus managed to calm the three teenagers, admitting he thought Peter was dead too, till he saw him on the Map.

“The Map can't lie, Harry. Peter is alive. Ron holds him in his hands”

Hermione spoke. “It can't be”

“Why not?”

“Because everyone would know he was one. He had to be registered”

Lupin chuckled. “Right again, Hermione. But the Ministry did not know there were three unregistered Animagus at Hogwarts”

“Be quick, Remus” Black told him.

After the telling of their youth, Snape exited from under the Invisibility cloak.

Harry, now curious to hear the rest, attacked him with his wand, as well as Hermione and Ron. The Professor was unconscious.

“We attacked a teacher…we attacked a teacher…” Hermione whined.

Ginny snorted. “Hermione, typical of you to worry about that in such a situation”

Hermione smiled. “You know how I am, Gin. I admit Snape deserved that though”

Harry smiled proudly at her and continued.

“Finally it came down to transform Scabbers back, and in front of the astonished faces of the students, it was like seeing a quick growth. From the small rat, a small man came out.

…

“Voldemort telling me tricks?” Black snickered.

Pettigrew stumbled back.

“What, you fear your old master's name? I don't blame you, Peter. His followers are not happy with you, and there are lots of them out of Azkaban. They think the spy ended spying on them. You said Voldemort where he could find the Potters, and there he fell…”

“I…don't know…what you're talking about…Remus, you can't believe this folly!”

“I admit I can't understand why an innocent man would pass twelve years as a rat”

“Innocent but frightened! Voldemort's supporters were searching for me because I sent one of their best to Azkaban, Black, the spy!”

“How dare you! Spy, me? I never went searching fro stronger people to be protected. You did that. It was me, Remus and James in school”

Pettigrew grew scared.

“Lily and James chose you as Secret Keeper because I suggested that. It was to be thought Voldemort would come for me, but who could guess you were the Keeper? It would have been the best moment of your life to be able telling him you could lead him to the Potters!”

Hermione interrupted.

“Why did he not attempt something on Harry till now? He's lived in his dorm for three years!”

“Right! Thanks! See Remus? I never tried hurting Harry! Why?” the man whined.

“Because you never do something if you don't have a reward for it” Sirius roared. “Why risk to kill someone under Dumbledore's nose in behalf of a wizard who had fallen? You wanted to be sure he was back before trying something. That's why you chose a Wizarding family. To hear about news on him”

“Hem…Mr. Black…Sirius?” Hermione said timidly.

He flinched, not used to be called Mr.

“How did you escape from Azkaban without dark magic?”

“Thanks!” Pettigrew said again. “That's the point! That's what I…”

Lupin glared at him, so he stopped.

“I don't know why. I guess knowing I was innocent was not an happy thought, so they could not take it from me, but it kept me sane. Then I transformed in a dog in my cell, but I was weak. They don't see, they only feel emotions. So they probably guessed I was going mad like the others, as animal emotions are simpler than human ones. But then, when I saw him on the paper, I knew I had to do something. So I escaped in my dog form, and swam to the country. From there, I kept living in the Forest, apart fro the match. You fly like your father, Harry”

Harry stared at him.

“Believe me, Harry”

And he did.”

“So, this is how you decided to go and save him” Ginny said.

“Yeah. I could not leave my innocent Godfather to be stripped of his soul by the Dementors, could I?” Harry said, a bit sad thinking about Sirius. “Now it is your turn, Hermione”

“Oh, very well”

“Harry and Hermione, hid between the trees, saw Ron, and themselves going away from the pumpkins. They then saw the execution squad coming and hitting Hagrid's door.

“Where's the beast?” MacNair's cold voice said.

“Out-outside” Hagrid sobbed.

They could see MacNair's face from the window, looking at Buckbeak, then they heard Fudge.

“We've got to read you the execution act, Hagrid . I'll be swift. Then you and MacNair will have to sign it. MacNair, you've got to hear to, it's the rules”

So the man's face disappeared from the window.

It was now or never.

“Wait here for me” Harry said to Hermione. “I'm going”

Fudge started talking again, and Harry moved from behind the tree, entered the fence and moved toward Buckbeak.

“It has been decided by the Committee for the Executing of Dangerous Beasts that the execution of the Hippogriff Buckbeak, from now called the damned, will be done on June 6th at dusk…” the Minister read.

Careful to not look down, Harry bowed in front of the beast, locking his gaze with the orange, fierce one of Buckbeak, then bowed.

Buckbeak fell on its knees, then stood again. Harry started working on the rope tying the animal to the fence.

“…sentenced to death by beheading. The judgement will be executed by the executioner nominated by the Committee itself, Walden MacNair…”

“Come on, Buckbeak” Harry murmured. “Come on. We're trying to help you…slowly…slowly…”

“…in front of the witnesses. Hagrid, sign here…”

“Harry tried pulling on the rope with all his might, but the animal stood firm.

“Well, let's do this now” the member of the committee said. “Hagrid, maybe it would be better if you remained here…”

“No...I want to be with him…I don't want him to die alone…”

From inside the hut steps were heard.

“Buckbeak, come on!” Harry growled, pulling the rope. The animal started walking, agitated. There were still three meters to go to the forest, and they would be surely seen from the rear door.

“MacNair, wait a moment. You've got to sign here” Dumbledore said. The steps stopped.

Harry pulled again, and Buckbeak started walking quicker, clicking his beak.

They were now hear the forest…

“Hurry, hurry!” Hermione cried, coming to pull the rope too.

They managed to drag the animal in the forest, where they could not be seen.

“Stop now. they could hear us” Hermione suggested. Everyone stopped. Even the animal seemed to be listening.

In the end, they were not discovered, and Buckbeak was safe.”

“Oh, nice one. I've always wondered how Buckbeak got saved” Ginny said.

“Yeah, we couldn't let him be killed when he was innocent” Hermione said, looking at Harry who nodded.

“Pity I was in the Hospital Wing with a broken leg, it seemed fun” Ron said.

“Sorry Ron, but I fear they would have found us out if you went with us” Harry teased him.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing Ron. Go ahead, it's your turn now” Harry said, sharing a smile with Hermione.

“Oh, ok. Small memory it is, but really pleasant”

“ “I'll be here a bit more” Harry said to Wood. “Ron wants to try the Firebolt”. And while the rest of the team went to the locker rooms, Ron jumped over a barrier and reached him on the pitch. Madam Hooch was sleeping.

“Here it is” Harry said, giving the Firebolt to Ron.

Ron, with an ecstatic look, mounted it and flew in the thickening darkness. Harry moved to the border of the pitch, waiting for his friend to come back”

“So that's why you were that cheerful next morning” Ginny said.

“Yes. That broom gives you a sense of speed, and it has such an handling…” Ron said, dreamily.

“Yes, Ron. We know you could stay hours talking about it” Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

“Plus, I recall Ronniekins having pleasant dreams involving my broom and a Quidditch pitch that night” Harry said.

Ron turned red. “Harry, mate, you swore you would never tell that!”

“Oops! I must have forgotten that!” Harry said, mischievously. Then he turned to Ginny.

“So, Gin, what's your memory for the year?”

“Oh, that was a plain year for me. Nothing really worthy to be remembered” she said.

“Well, I guess we should call it a night then” Hermione said, stretching in Ron's embrace.

Ginny got the look of plea her brother gave her.

“Harry, why don't we go catch a midnight snack before heading to bed?” she said.

Harry got the hint and followed her to the kitchen, where they got a glass of pumpkin juice and some chocolate pastries Molly had made.

Then, she accompanied him to his room. “I don't want to risk having to throw up my snack seeing my best friend and my brother snogging” she said, when he questioned why she was doing that.

He chuckled. Then, once in front of his room, he turned to say goodnight, and she kissed him hard.

He kissed her back fiercely, then after some moments he broke it.

He rested his forehead on hers.

“I'm sorry Gin. This is all wrong. We should be strong and keep to the pact we made” he whispered to her.

She nodded a bit sadly, then walked away.

Harry headed to bed, and soon dreams of a certain redhead filled his slumber.

-->

5. A

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

A “Burning” Memory

That night Harry was able to sleep peacefully again. Two times in a row, it was good. So, he woke up well rest.

Remembering that the twins were to come, and they would be able to play Quidditch, he grinned, and shook Ron awake.

“Come on, Ronniekins. I want both of us well awaken and with some breakfast done when the twins come here. We're gonna beat them roughly today mate!”

Ron grinned, and quickly went for a shower. If there was something that could make him get up in the summer, it was food and Quidditch. And Hermione of course.

No one wanted to piss the young witch off, although she did enjoy sleeping in herself during the summer.

So, they were down in the kitchen having breakfast before everyone else.

Much later, Hermione woke up to the excited shrieks of someone outside.

She sleepily got up and looked out of the window just to see Harry and Ron practicing some moves before the match.

Smiling to their antics, she shook Ginny awake.

“Come on, Gin. Harry and Ron won't make us sleep anyway, with their shouts, so we better get ready and go down to cheer them up”

The redhead girl shook her head in amusement.

“Boys! As long as there's a broom and a Quaffle, they're happy!” she muttered.

“You are not that much different, Ginevra. And you know it” Hermione reminded her.

The girl grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, you're right”

So, soon the two girls were outside looking at the boys up in the air.

“Oh, good morning, sleepyheads” Harry teased them.

“Sleepyheads? Harry, these are our last days of holiday, and it's just ten in the morning!” Ginny said. “How long have you been up there?”

“I guess it has been at least an hour” Ron said, landing to greet his girlfriend. He dismounted his broom and walked toward her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“So, how have you slept?” he whispered softly to her.

“Very well till two Quidditch-mad teenagers woke me up” she replied playfully, resting her forehead on his.

“Dreamed me?” he asked cheekily.

“You wish” then she leaned in and kissed him.

“Aww! Get a room you two!” Harry teased them.

They stuck their tongues at him, and went for a quick walk.

“This summer has been the happiest of my life” Ron mused, walking hand in hand with her. “I mean, of course there has been the grief for Dumbledore, especially in the first days, but I think Harry on the train back home was right. Sooner we put the hurt aside, sooner we'll be able to fight again. And, I don't know how he coped up with the loss, I'm sure it has been harder on him, as he was closer than us to the Headmaster, but for me being with you has helped a lot”

“Oh, Ron. This is quite a sweet thing to say. You know, I didn't know you had it in you to be sweet” she teased him.

“Of course I do. I have no more the emotional range of a teaspoon, you know. I'm growing up” he said proudly, puffing out his chest.

“Prat” she said, swatting his arm playfully.

“And you love me for that” he said, gathering her in his arms.

“That I do” she said, before kissing him.

They rested contentedly there, enjoying the feeling of being together, till Harry called for them.

“OY! Ron, your brothers are here!”

“Oh, Harry, don't worry. I'm sure Ickle Ronniekins has better things to do with his girlfriend” Fred said loudly.

All of them erupted in laughter, while the happy couple emerged from the wood.

“Very funny, Fred. Remember me next time you hook up with someone”

“Of course…I won't!”

“Now, for that Quidditch match…” Harry said. He was eager to start.

“Oh, yes. Fred, come on, let's teach these two rookies how professional Quidditch is played”

“You wish, George. Me and Ron have been up in the air till this morning to practice. You have no chance to beat us” Harry said, mounting his Firebolt.

So, with Ginny as referee, they started.

Hermione sat leaning on a tree, watching.

Soon she was joined by Luna, who had come to visit.

“Ron is really brilliant up there, isn't he?” the Ravenclaw girl said dreamily.

“Yes, he's improved a lot since fifth year” Hermione said, just a bit annoyed at the girl for pining after Ron.

In the end, Harry and Ron managed to win, but barely.

“It was just luck” George said, landing.

“Oh, of course it was, George. I'm sure that move we did, the one in which we kept passing the Quaffle between us at top speed, up and down the pitch has been successful just for luck” Ron said sarcastically.

“Well, I admit that was a good scheme, boys. Never seen someone passing the Quaffle that way, at our level” Fred admitted. “But, the rest of the match was tied, so you won for mere luck”

Harry and Ron grinned at each other and walked toward Hermione, Luna and Ginny.

“So, girls, liked the show?” Ron said.

“Quite good, I must admit, Ron” Luna said. Hermione scowled at her.

Ron blushed the tiniest bit.

“Oh, yes. Fabulous team play you two did” Ginny nodded appreciatively.

All of them moved toward the house.

As they did, Harry approached Hermione. “Don't worry, he's not going to trade you for Luna” he said, then winked at her and moved to catch up with Ron.

She sighed, as, strangely enough, butterflies rose in her belly when his hot breath tickled her ear.

So, the rest of the day passed in happiness, and soon they found themselves once again after dinner.

The four of them gathered in the boys' room.

“Ok, this night we're gonna recall fourth year. Well, your fourth year” Ginny pointed out. “I reckon there are interesting things to be said on that, don't you think?”

“Yeah, both good and bad things. As usual, I'll start” Harry said.

“He entered the tent.

Fleur Delacour was seated in one corner, on a low wooden stool. She wasn't as calm as usual, but sweaty and pale. Viktor Krum seemed even grumpier than usual, and he guessed it was his way to face tension. Cedric kept pacing. When he entered the two of them exchanged a quick smile.

“Harry! Hello!” Bagman said, happily. “Come on, enter. Make yourself at ease”

Bagman seemed vaguely a cartoon character, with his old Quidditch team uniform.

“Now that we are all here, I'll tell you the rules” he said. “When the audience will have taken their places, I'll give you this bag, from which you'll take a model of what you're going to face. And you'll have to get the Golden Egg”

Cedric nodded once to show he ahd understood Bagman's rules, then continued pacing. He was greenish. Fleur and Krum did not react. Maybe they thought they were going to retch. That was how he was feeling. But at least they had willingly put their name into the Goblet…

Moments later, hundreds of feet were heard outside the tent. Harry felt like he was another race, not one human being like them. And then, Bagman, opened the small bag.

“Ladies first” he said, giving it to Fleur Delacour.

She put her hand into it, and extract a little, perfect model of dragon. A Common Welsh Green. It had number two around its neck. And Harry knew from her expression that he was right. Madam Maxime had informed her.

Same thing for Krum, who extracted the Chinese Fireball, with number three.

Cedric put his had into the sack, and took the Swedish Short-Snout, number one.

Knowing what was left, he put his hand into the sack, and extracted the Hungarian Horntail, number four. Looking at it, the boy saw the model opening its wings and baring its fangs.

“Well, it's the moment” Bagman said. “Every one of you has taken the dragon he'll face. The number shows the order you'll face them. Now, I'm gonna go, because I'm going to do the commentary. Mr. Diggory, you're the first, just walk into the fence when you hear a whistle, ok? Now, Harry…can I tell you a word? Outside?”

“Hem…yes” he said, confused, and followed the man outside the tent.

“Are you ok, Harry? There's something I can get you?”

“What?” the raven haired boy asked, dumbfounded. “No, thanks. I'm ok”

“Do you have a plan? I can give you some pointers, if you like. I mean, you're the one with the worst odds here, Harry, and if I can help…”

“No” he said again, almost too quickly. “I…I already know what I'm going to do, thanks”

“Nobody would know it, Harry”

“Really, I'm fine” he said once again, very well knowing he was not.

A loud whistle sounded, and Bagman ran away to his seat in the tribunes. He had to do the comment, after all. So, the green eyed wizard entered the tent once again, seeing Cedric walking out of it to face his dragon.

He tried to wish him good luck, but just a growl exited his clenched throat. He entered again with Fleur and Krum. Few moments later, they heard the crowd roaring, a signal that Cedric was into the fence, ready to face his dragon.

Harry found that staying there listening was worse than he had imagined. He could hear the crowd shouting, holding their breath, while Cedric tried to overcome the Swedish Short-Snout. Krum kept looking at the ground. Fleur paced like Cedric before her. And Bagman's commentary gave him nasty images in his head.

“Oh, that was close, people…”

“This guy is risking a lot…”

“Good move…pity it didn't work!”

Then, after something like fifteen excruciating minutes, he heard the roar of the crowd, sign that Cedric had taken the gold egg.

“Really awesome!” Bagman kept shouting. “Now the score from the judges!”

But that was not shouted. Probably it was just showed to the crowd.

“One gone, three to go. Miss Delacour, please”

She was shaking. He felt pity for her, and forgot the dislike he had harboured till that moment for the girl. She exited the tent gripping her wand tightly.

He remained alone with Krum, each on one end of the tent.

And once again, Bagman's commentary.

“Oh, I'm not sure that was a wise move…”

“Oh…close! Careful now…My God, I thought she was going to succeed!”

Ten minutes later, Harry heard another roar from the crowd. Fleur had got past her dragon, taking the Egg. Her score was showed, then loud clapping followed.

It was Krum's turn.

“And here comes Mr. Krum!” Bagman shouted once again. The Gryffindor Champion was alone.

He tried focusing on the wand movement for the Summoning Charm, but he was really aware of his body now. He felt his heart beating madly, his fingers paralysed by fear…and at the same time he felt like he was just watching the scene from afar…it was a strange sensation, really.

“Really brave!” Bagman cried.

Harry could hear the Chinese Fireball roar.

“He's showing his courage here, and…yes, he's taken the egg!” Bagman shouted once again.

It was his moment now.

He stood up, feeling his legs like jelly. He waited. Then he heard the whistle calling him to face the Horntail.

He exited the tent, taking in the surroundings. Hundreds of faces were looking down at him from the stands.

And the Horntail was there, on the other side of the space.

He focused as hard as he could, and raised his wand.

“Accio Firebolt!” he cried.

He hoped it would work. If it didn't…

And then he felt it zoom behind him, and turned to grab his broom. He could hear the crowd shouting, Bagman saying something but he could not distinguish the words.

And then he mounted it, and took off.

As soon as he was up in the air, he felt his fear vanish. He was at his best now. If there was something Harry Potter was good at it was flying.

It was like Quidditch, the Egg was the Snitch and the Horntail was the opponent. Nothing more.

He dived toward the dragon, which tried hitting him with his fire. But Harry knew his intention, so it was like avoiding a Bludger.

“Bloody Hell, that is flying!” Bagman shouted. “Have you seen, Mr. Krum?”

His tactic of flying in circles was making the dragon dizzy. But he should not exaggerate, or it would breathe fire again…

He dived and once again managed to avoid the fire, but not the tail, that scratched his shoulder. He felt pain, while circling the beast, but then he got one idea.

He needed to get the dragon away from the egg, and he should do that little by little.

He flied left and right, not near enough for being hit by the fire but enough to be seen as a menace by the Horntail.

He flied toward the sky, the eyes of the dragon following him, breathing fire, but Harry dodged. He was too far for the tail to be able to hit him, and the dragon seemed nervous about the situation. Finally it took off, opening its large wings…

That was what he was waiting for. He dived at full speed, and before the dragon understood the peril for the egg, he had grabbed it, and was again up in the air, in front of the cheering crowd.

Hermione cheered so hard she almost risked falling from the stands, and he grinned at her. Ron was too shocked as to what had happened to say anything, he just clapped his hands wildly.

“See that” Bagman shouted. “Our youngest champion was the quickest in grabbing the egg. That will lower the odds on him, I guess”

Harry landed, seeing the guardians going to tame the Horntail.

“Brilliant, Potter” McGonagall said when she reached him. It was an unusual compliment, coming from her. Then she sent him to Madame Pomfrey.

“She's already fixed Diggory” the professor explained.

“Great, Harry. You did it!” Hagrid said. “And with the Horntail, you remember what Charlie said, it was the worst…”

“Thanks Hagrid!” the boy shouted to stop him blabbing about how he had already seen the dragons.

Moody was quite cheerful too.

“Good job, boy. Like drinking a glass of water”

“Come on, Potter, off with you. Go to Madame Pomfrey, please” McGonagall said again.

He did, and she welcomed him huffing. “Dragons!” she said spitefully. “Last year Dementors, this one Dragons. What will be next? You're lucky, it's superficial. I'll have to clean it before healing, tough”. And so she did.

“Now you stay there a minute, seated. Seated, I said! Then you can go to see your score”

Then she was to visit Diggory.

He couldn't stay seated. He was overexcited. As soon as he got on his feet, he was knocked down again by Hermione hugging him, followed by Ron.

“You were brilliant, Harry!” she said. There were nail marks on her face, so hard had she feared for him. “Really, you were awesome!” she said again.

Harry, however, kept looking at Ron, who was pale.

“Harry” he started seriously, “whoever has put your name in that Goblet, I..I think they are trying to kill you!”

It was like the rift between them had magically healed, like the last weeks had never happened.

“You got it, eh? You took some time” he said coldly.

Hermione looked at them tense.

Ron was ready to apologise, but the other boy stopped him.

“It's all ok. Don't worry”

“No, really, I shouldn't have…”

“Don't worry” Harry said again, then they grinned at each other.

Hermione started sobbing.

“Hey, there's nothing to cry about” Harry said her, placing one hand on her shoulder.

“The two of you are so…stupid!” Then she hugged both of them and ran away.

“Blimey” Ron said. “Come on, Harry, they're giving your score!”

So he took the Firebolt and the Golden Egg, and walked out of the tent.

“You were the best. Cedric Transfigured a rock into a dog, wanted the dragon to catch it, and it worked, I mean, he got the Egg, but the dragon changed his mind at one point and breathed fire at him, so he got burned…Fleur tried enchanting him, like with hypnosis, and for a while it worked, butt hen it huffed and breathed fire, and her skirt got on flames. Krum…well, he didn't think about flying. He probably was the best after you, tough. He got it in one eye with a spell, but the dragon started stomping around, destroying half the real eggs…that cost him half his points, he shouldn't damage them…” Ron kept blabbing, probably trying to regain the lost time with his friend.

They looked the judges giving their scores, with Ron infuriated by Karkaroff four, but Harry did not care. Having Ron back was like one hundred points for him.

“So you and Krum are even, Harry!” Charlie said, reaching them.

Harry then met the other champions back in the tent, where Bagman was waiting for them.

“Well done, all of you!” he said. “now, you've got a long pause before next task. It will be held on February the 24th. But there's something you've got to think about. The Eggs can be opened. Now, they contain a clue fro the next task, so you can prepare. Now, you can go”

And so they did. He walked back to the castle with Ron, who kept telling him about the other champions, then they dodged Rita Skeeter and reached the castle.

“Ah, yes. The first task, that was awesome. The best of the three if you ask me” Ron said, dreamily.

“Ron, maybe you should just go to work with Charlie, if you love dragons that much” Ginny teased him.

He stuck his tongue at her. “However Harry was brilliant in that task”

“Oh, I was now, wasn't I?” he said, puffing his chest in pride. Then he chuckled. “But really, Hermione needs as credit as me for my succeeding in the task. I can still remember the time she spent to make me learn the Summoning Charm…”

“Hermione, I need you help” he said to her in Herbology class.

“What do you think I'm trying to do, Harry?” she asked, working on the plant in front of her.

“Hermione, I've got to learn a perfect Summoning Charm within tomorrow afternoon” he said.

So they practiced. They skipped lunch, working in an empty classroom, where he tried with all his might to make things in the room come to him. Without great results, though, as the items kept flying for few moments, then fell regularly on the floor.

“Focus, Harry, focus” Hermione scolded him.

“What do you think I'm doing?” he replied, angry. “I keep having in my mind a big, ugly dragon, wonder why...” Then he calmed a bit. “Ok, I'm trying again”

After lunch he was ready to skip Divination to practice, but Hermione didn't want to skip Arithmancy, so remaining without her was useless.”

…

He gulped down something for dinner, then he went back in the empty classroom with Hermione to practice. They used his Invisibility cloak to avoid the teachers. Till midnight they stayed, then Peeves started disturbing them, so they fled before Filch came to see what was happening there.

They continued in the common room. He was surrounded by things that he tried to make fly in his hands, till two in the morning. Just in the last hour he had started doing the charm really well.

“Good, Harry. Really good” Hermione said, knackered but happy.

“Well, now we know what to do next time I can't learn a spell, just threaten me with a dragon” he joked, Accioing a dictionary in his hand.

“Harry, you really learned it!” she squealed.

“Just hope it will work tomorrow. I'll be in the park, and the Firebolt here in the castle…the distance is much bigger”

“Doesn't matter. If you're really focused, it will come. Harry, it's better we get some sleep now. You'll need it”

So they did.”

Hermione blushed at the praise, and Harry smiled fondly at her. “Not to mention that her teaching me the charm saved my life in the graveyard” he added then. “That blasted graveyard” he muttered darkly.

“Well, now, Hermione, it is your turn” Ginny said, holding him to try and sooth his hurt for Cedric.

“Ok. Here it is, my fondest memory of fourth year. Well, apart the time I spent with Harry while he and that prat of your brother were fighting, of course” she said, glaring at Ron, who grinned sheepishly.

“The heavy front doors opened, and everyone turned to look the Durmstrang students entering lead by their Headmaster Karkaroff and Krum. With him there was a gorgeous girl, dressed in sky blue, that Harry did not know.

Professor McGonagall gathered the Champions and their dates near the doors of the Great Hall, and there Harry's gaze fell on the girl with Krum…and he remained open-mouthed.

It was Hermione.

Just, she didn't seem like Hermione. She did something to her hair, not bushy anymore, but smooth and shining, and tied in an elegant chignon behind her head. In her soft periwinkle blue dress, she seemed to have a different poise. Or maybe it was because she ahd not twenty books on her shoulder as usual. She smiled too, nervously, and you could easily notice her teeth were fixed.

So the four couples entered the Great Hall, and McGonagall led them to the table of the judges.

Everyone stared at Hermione speechless, but with really not flattering looks, including Ron.

…

They were chatting about Durmstrang Castle.

“Now, Viktor, if you tell your lovely date something more I'm sure she'll be able to find us…” Karkaroff chimed in.

“Igor, how many mysteries. Seems like you want to keep secret your school” Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

“Dear Albus, who of us doesn't want to keep for himself and his students all the secrets of the schools we have been assigned to rule?”

“Oh, I don't think I know all the secrets of Hogwarts, Igor. Just this morning I found an extremely interesting new room on the seventh floor…”

Fleur instead was criticizing Hogwarts and its decorations with Roger, who seemed under some kind of spell. Probably her Veela charms…

Then Harry noticed Hagrid waving at Madame Maxime, who replied cheerfully.

And then he heard Hermione trying to make Krum pronounce her name rightfully. He kept saying it wrong.

“It's Her-mai-o-ni” she said again, patiently.

“Hermy-own-ninny” Krum said.

“Almost” she said smiling at Harry, who smiled back warmly.

Then the moment Harry dreaded came. The champions had to open the dances.

She and Viktor moved quite easily on the dance floor, she found he was quite skilled a s a dancer. Never stepped on her toes, actually, and that was already more than most boys her and even his age could do.

Later, she, exhausted and thirsty, came to seat near them, a bit hot for all the dancing.

“And here ends the pleasant memory of the Ball” Hermione said, glaring at Ron. “Then there is the fight I had with your prat of a brother”

“Oh, can I hear that? I missed it!” Ginny said.

“Hello” Harry said.

“It's hot, isn't it? Viktor has gone to get something to drink” she said.

“Viktor? You're not calling him Vicky yet?” Ron said sarcastically.

She looked at him surprised.

“What's the matter?” she asked.

“If you don't know” Ron said, “I'm not telling”

Hermione stared at him, then at Harry who shrugged. “Ron, what…”

“He's a Durmstrang! You're fraternizing with the enemy!” Ron said angrily.

She looked at him in shock.

“Don't be silly, the enemy. Who wanted his autograph? Who was so excited about him being here?”

Ron ignored her. “I guess he asked you when you both were in the library”

“Yes, exactly. What about it?”

“Did you try to get him involved in spew?” he asked

“No. Actually, he said he had been searching the moment to ask me for days”

“That's what he says. “

“What are you getting at?”

“It's obvious, he's trying to get information on Harry, or get so near that he can hex him”

“Oh, come on. He's never asked me a thing about Harry” she said, fully enraged now.

“Then he's trying to get you help him with the Egg”

“I would never! I want Harry to win! Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?”

“Of course, Hermione” he smiled reassuringly at her.

“Well, you've a strange way to show it” Ron said.

“The aim for the tournament is to connect wizards from different countries” Hermione explained.

“No, the aim is to win” Ron shouted. “Go search for Vicky, he's probably searching for you”

She left in a hurry.

Later…

“You know the solution then don't you?

“Go on...”

“Next time there's a ball pick up the courage and ask me before somebody else does...and NOT as a last resort!” she said, starting to sob, then ran on the staircase to the girls' dorm.”

“Oh, Ron. You're really a wanker, you know. How could you spoil such a good night for one of your best friends?” Ginny said, angry. If he had done that to her…

“Well, ok, maybe it was uncalled for. But I really felt like she was on Krum's side instead than Harry's and with all the problems Harry had already had with me…” Ron tried to justify himself.

“I think you were plain jealous” Harry said, teasing him. “However, now it is your turn Ron. Let's see what you come up with”

“Oh, well, the event that marked my year was the fight with you, Harry” Ron said.

“Harry entered the dorm hoping to find Ron there.

“Where have you been?” Harry asked him.

“Oh, hi” he said, smiling. But Harry could see his was a strained smile. Harry fumbled with the Gryffindor scarf Lee had put around his neck, but it was tied very well.

Ron merely looked at him. When Harry took it off, he spoke.

“Well, congratulations”

“What does it mean, congratulations?” Harry asked. There was something really wrong in Ron's smile. It was more a grimace.

“Well, no one else has been able to overcome the Age Line, not even Fred and George. What did you use, the Invisibility Cloak?”

“The cloak wouldn't have made me pass the line” Harry said slowly.

“Oh, yes. I thought you would have said me if it was the cloak, because it would have covered both of us. Instead you found another way…”

“Listen, I didn't put my name in the Goblet. Someone else did”

He raised his eyebrows. “And why would have he?”

“I don't know”

“Well, you know, to me you can say the truth” he said. “If you don't want someone else to know, ok, but why are you lying? You're not in trouble, are you? The friend of the Fat Lady told us. Dumbledore lets you take part in the tournament. One thousand Galleons prize! And you don't have to face the end of term exams too…”

“I've not put my name in the goblet!” Harry repeated, starting to lose his patience.

“Yes, of course” he said, as sceptically as Cedric. “But this morning you said, if you were to do that, you would have done it last night, and no one would have seen you. I'm not stupid, you know”

“But you're trying to look that way” Harry snapped.

“Really?” he said, not an hint of a smile on his face now. “Well, you'll want to sleep now. Probably tomorrow morning you'll have a photo shot to take, or something similar”

Then he closed the curtains around his bed.”

“And so it started, the fight that lasted till after first task when the prat come to apologize” Harry commented. Ron grinned sheepishly, while Hermione glared at him. Again.

“Now, Gin, it is your turn” Harry said.

“What? Oh, I would have to talk again about the Ball, so we can skip that. It was really great to be able to attend it, tough. If it wasn't for Neville…”

“Well, he was sweet to ask you” Hermione said.

“Sweet? Well, maybe. But my toes would have done a lot better without him. He kept stepping on them!”

Harry scowled. If there was something that made him angry was hearing someone picking on Neville.

“However, yes, I was lucky no one else wanted to go with him. But again, who would want to go with him with the way he acted in school?”

“Enough!” Harry shouted. “Ginevra, you should know the reason he acted that way in his first years at Hogwarts as well as I do. Hearing you talk like this of him is disgusting!” he said, stomping away and out of the house to calm himself near the pond.

“What have I said?” a dumbfounded Ginny asked to the others, but they simply ignored her and went searching for Harry.

“He's right” Hermione thought while searching for him. “We all have seen how his parents are, thanks to Bellatrix and other Death Eaters. We should not make fun of him, as we don't make fun of Harry. The two of them have had similar fates”

-->

6. A Cursed Friend

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

A Cursed Friend

Even if Ron and Hermione tried searching for him, Harry managed to avoid the confrontation. At late night, he slipped into the house again, and then into his bed.

He was still very angry at Ginny for talking that way about Neville.

“How could she?” he wept silently in his bed. Soon sleep engulfed him, but due to his agitated state, it was not a peaceful slumber.

He had nightmares of Cedric being killed, then Sirius, and then Dumbledore.

So, after a troubled night, in the morning he was up before anyone else. After all, the Silencing Charm on his bed prevented him from waking the others with his screams.

So, he dressed and went for a walk. He needed to calm down to face the last days of holiday, then he would have a difficult mission to accomplish.

He sat with his back to the house, under one tree, thinking.

So he never noticed someone slipping out of the building and walking toward him.

“Harry” the person said softly, touching him on the shoulder.

He turned.

“Hermione” he greeted her.

“I'm sorry for yesterday night, Harry”

“Why would you? It's not your fault” Harry replied, anger at Ginny's words rising again. “I can't believe I dated such a shallow person, Hermione”

“She's not shallow, Harry. You know that”

“Really? So why did she say such things on poor Neville? I could expect something like that from Parvati, or Lavender, after all they have never seen his parents, they would never understand. But Ginny! She saw them, Hermione! How could she forget?” he ranted, while she soothingly mussed his hair.

“Harry, everyone makes mistakes. I think you should talk to her. She was really sorry when we got to bed”

He smiled at her.

“You know, you're right again. Maybe I should simply ask you before I do something” he teased her.

“Prat” she said, laughing.

He stood up, and offered her an hand. She accepted it, so soon they were both walking back to the house.

“Ok, I'll talk to her today” he said.

When they entered, Ron and Ginny were already eating.

“Have I to feel endangered, Harry?” Ron teased.

“Would it be so strange?” the other said, smiling. Then he sat in front of Ginny.

They ate quietly, then Harry took the redhead girl apart, outside.

“Let's go for a walk” he said

She nodded, and followed him.

“Look, Gin, I'm sorry for acting that way last night” he started, but she cut him.

“Oh, no. I'm the one who has to apologise. I've been really bad saying those things about Neville. I should have known better”

He smiled at her. “Yes, you should have. But, I still feel my behaviour was maybe a bit exaggerated”

“So, are we ok now?” she asked, timidly.

He grinned at her. “Yes, we are. As friends, of course”

“Of course” she said dejectedly.

He then started tickling her, and so Ron and Hermione found them wrestling on the ground, in the middle of a tickling war.

“You two sure you belong to Hogwarts? Seems like you both are five years old” Hermione teased them.

The two stuck their tongues at her.

“Go snog your boyfriend, Granger, and leave us to our childish antics” Harry said.

“Is that so, Potter?” she said, grinning mischievously. One moment later, she joined the fight, of course teaming with Ginny.

“Ron, mate, don't you think you could help me?” Harry said.

The redhead grinned and so from the wood behind the house for long time laughs could be heard, as the four of them enjoyed the day like normal teenagers should.

As usual, after dinner the teens gathered in one room to have their nightly recalling moment.

“Tonight we're gonna talk about your fifth year, guys. An eventful one, I should say” Ginny announced proudly. She was happy her idea was having a good effect on all of them.

The redhead knew that she would not be allowed to follow them in their search, but still, if ideas like this could help raise their spirits, she was glad to help like she could.

“Harry, you should start, mate” Ron reminded him.

“Oh, ok. This memory involves the fight at the Ministry. No, I'm not gonna talk about Sirius's death, Hermione” he added seeing her concerned look. “This regards you, mostly”

“ “Petrificus Totalus!” he shouted, while the second Death Eater raised his wand. His arms and legs snapped together, and he fell forwards, face down on to the rug at Harry's feet, stiff as a board and unable to move.

“Well done, Ha…”

But the Death Eater Hermione had just struck dumb made a sudden slashing movement with his wand; a streak of what looked like purple flame passed right across Hermione's chest. She gave a tiny “oh” and crumpled on to the floor, where she stayed, motionless.

“Hermione!”

He fell to his knees beside her, as Neville crawled quickly toward her under the table, his wand raised in front of him. The Death Eater kicked him strongly, breaking his wand and hitting him square on his nose. With an howl of pain, Neville backed away, one hand on his face.

He turned quickly, and saw the Death Eater, that had took his hood away and was pointing his wand at him. Harry recognized the long, pale, twisted face from the “Daily Prophet”: Antonin Dolohov, the wizard who killed the Prewett.

Sneering, Dolohov pointed his free hand at the glass sphere Harry had in his hand, and then Hermione. The meaning was clear, even without words. “Give me the prophecy, or you'll end the same way”

“You'll kill us all the same the moment I do” he said.

A painful lament in his head stopped him from thinking clearly. He still had an hand on Hermione's shoulder, which was still warm, yet he did not dare to look at her properly.

“Don't let her be dead, don't let her be dead, it's my fault if she's dead…”

“Whaddever you do, Harry” said Neville fiercely from under the desk, lowering his hands to show a clearly broken nose and blood pouring down his mouth and chin, “don't gib it to him!”

Then there was a crash outside the door, and Dolohov looked over his shoulder. The baby-headed Death Eater had appeared in the doorway, his head bawling, his great fists still flailing uncontrollably at everything around him. He seized his chance.

“Petrificus Totalus!”

The spell hit Dolohov before he could stop it, and he toppled forwards across his comrade, both of them rigid as boards and unable to move an inch.

“Hermione” He said at once, shaking her as the baby-headed Death Eater blundered out of sight again. “Hermione, wake up…”

“Whaddid he do to her?” said Neville, crawling out from under the desk to kneel at her other side, blood streaming from his rapidly swelling nose.

“I dunno…”

Neville groped Hermione's wrist.

“Dat's a pulse, Harry, I'b sure id is”

Such a powerful wave of relief swept trough him that for a moment he felt light-headed.

“She's alive?”

“Yeah, I dink so”

Then they planned how to escape from there, and going to search for the others”

Hearing how much Harry had been panic-stricken when she got hit made Hermione feel all warm inside, and almost giddy.

“So this is how you got hurt that night” Ron mused. “Well, it's good we all made it out of there quite well”

“Quite well?” Ginny said, disbelieving.

“Well, yes, most of us got hurt somehow, but nothing too serious” her brother explained.

Harry said nothing. Reliving that moments in which he thought he had lost her was an hard blow on him. He grasped once again that his foolishness had cost him not only Sirius's death, but almost Hermione's too.

He put his face in his hands, shaking his head.

“Harry, it's ok. I'm fine now” Hermione said, comforting him.

“But you could have been dead too, and it would have been all my fault” he sobbed, tears streaming down his cheeks.

After some time, he calmed, thanks to Hermione's soothing.

“Sorry guys” he said sheepishly then. “Now, if I'm not mistaken it is Hermione's turn”

“Well, I guess this is the night of the scares we gave each other, Harry” she smiled, before starting to tell her memory.

“Before he could utter a single curse or insult, Harry felt great pain at the top of his head. He inhaled ash, choking, found himself being dragged backwards through the flames, until with an horrible abruptness he was staring up into the wide, pallid face of Professor Umbridge who had dragged him backwards out of the fire by the hair and was now bending his neck back as far as it would go, as though she were going to slit his throat.

“You think” she whispered, bending Harry's neck back even further, so that he was looking up at the ceiling, “that after two Nifflers I was going to let one more foul, scavenging little creature enter my office without my knowledge? I had Stealth Sensoring Spells placed all around doorway after the last one got in, you foolish boy. Take his wand” she barked to someone he could not see, and he felt an hand grope inside the chest pocket of his robes and remove the wand. “Hers too”

Harry heard a scuffle over by the door and knew that Hermione had also just had her wand wrested from her.

“I want to know why you're in my office” said Umbridge, shaking the fist clutching his air so that he staggered.

“I was…trying to get my Firebolt” Harry croaked.

“Liar” she shook his head again. “Your Firebolt is under strict guard in the dungeons, as you very well know, Potter. You ahd your head in my fire. With whom have you been communicating?”

“No one” Said Harry, trying to pull away from her.

“Liar!” shouted Umbridge. She threw him from her and he slammed into the desk. Now he could see Hermione pinioned against the wall by Millicent Bulstrode. Malfoy was leaning on the windowsill, smirking as he threw Harry's wand in the air and caught it again.

There was commotion outside, and some large Slytherins entered, carrying Ron, Ginny, Luna, and, to Harry's bewilderment, Neville, who was trapped in a stranglehold by Crabbe.

“Got `em all” said Warrington, shoving Ron roughly forwards into the room. “That one” he said pointing toward Neville, “tried to stop me taking her” he pointed Ginny, who was trying to kick the shins of the large Slytherin girl holding her, “so I brought him along too”

“Good, good” Umbridge said, watching Ginny's struggles. “Well, it looks as Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?”

Malfoy laughed loudly. Umbridge gave her wide, complacent smile and settled herself into a chintz-covered armchair.

“So, Potter” she said. “You stationed lookouts around my office and you sent this buffoon” she nodded at Ron, Malfoy laughed, “to tell me the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew perfectly that he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the school telescopes, Mr. Filch having just informed me so. Clearly, it was really important for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she's still too ill to talk to anyone”

Malfoy and some other members of the Inquisitorial Squad laughed some more. Harry was so full of hatred and rage he was shaking.

“It's none of your business who I talk to” he snarled.

Umbridge's face seemed to tighten.

“Very well” she said in her most dangerous and falsely sweet tone. “Very well, Mr. Potter. I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you. Draco, fetch Professor Snape”

Harry realised his foolishness. He had thought every member of the Order at Hogwarts was gone, but there was still one. Snape.

“You wanted to see me, Headmistress?” said Snape, looking around at all the pairs of struggling students with complete indifference.

“Ah, Professor Snape” Umbridge said, smiling widely. “Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can please”

“You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter” he said, surveying her coolly through his greasy curtains of black hair. “Surely you did not use it all? I told you Three drops would be enough”

Umbridge flushed.

“Well, surely you can make me some more, can't you?” she said, her voice as sweet as when she was furious.

“Certainly” Snape said. “It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in a month”

“A month?” Squawked Umbridge. “A month? But I need it this evening, Snape. I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with persons unknown”

“Really? Well, it does not surprise me. Potter never showed inclination to respect school rules”

“I wish to interrogate him. I wish you to provide me a potion that will force him to tell the truth”

“I've already told you, I've no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison him, and I would be more that sympathetic with that, I cannot help you. Fact is, poisons act so quickly you would not get his truth-telling.

“You're on probation! I expected better of you, you're being unhelpful. Lucius Malfoy always spoke well of you. Now get out of my office”

Harry did the last thing he could hope to work.

“He's got Padfoot. He's got Padfoot where it is hidden” he shouted to the Potion Master.

“What does it mean, Snape?” Umbridge asked.

“I've no idea. Potter, when I want you to tell me nonsense I'll give you a Babbling Potion. Crabbe, loosen your grip, if Longbottom chokes it will mean lots of paperwork, and I'll have to mention it when you apply for a job” and with that he was gone.

After some time, Umbridge spoke.

“Very well. There's no other way. This is not just a matter of school discipline, this is more a Ministry security matter” and she took her wand.

“You're forcing me, Potter. I don't want to, but at times circumstances justify the use. I'm sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice…”

Malfoy was eager to see what she was going to do.

“The Cruciatus Curse should loosen your tongue”

“No!” she shrieked. “It's illegal!”

Umbridge ignored her.

“The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor” she shouted again.

“What Cornelius doesn't know, won't hurt him” she replied, looking at Harry's body as wondering where to torture him. “He never knew I sent Dementors after Potter last summer, but he was happy to have the chance to expel him all the same”

“It was you?” Harry exclaimed.

“Someone should act. All were babbling about silencing you, but no one did a thing. But you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter? Not today, tough. Not now. Cruc..”

“No!” she shouted. “No! Harry, we've got to tell her!”

“No way!” Harry replied, staring at what little of her he could see.

“We'll have to, she'll force it out of you anyway, what's the point?” she said. Then she started weeping softly in Millicent's grip.

“Well, well, well. Little Ms. Question-all is going to give us some answers. Come on then, girl, come on”

All her friends stared at her like at a stranger. They could not believe she was going to betray all of them that way.

But Harry noticed there were no tears, although she was sobbing in her hands.

“I'm sorry, everyone, but I can't stand it”

“That's right, that's right girl” Umbridge told her. “Now, then, who was Potter communicating to just now?”

“Well, he was trying to speak with Dumbledore”

All froze.

“Dumbledore? You know were he is then?”

“Well, no. We've tried the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade and even the Hog's Head…”

“Idiot girl! Dumbledore wouldn't sit in a pub when Ministry is looking for him!” Umbridge said, disappointed.

“But we needed to tell him something important!” she wailed, her hands tighter on her face, to disguise the absence of tears.

“Yes? What did you want to tell him?”

“We wanted to tell him it is ready” the girl said.

“What is ready? What's ready girl?” Umbridge asked, now grabbing Hermione's shoulders and shaking her slightly.

“The…the weapon” she said

“Weapon? Weapon?” Umbridge said, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. “You've been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?”

“Y…y…yes” gasped Hermione, “but he had to leave before it was ready, and now we've finished it for him, and we can't find him to tell him!”

“What kind of weapon is it?” said Umbridge harshly, her stubby hands still tight on Hermione's shoulders.

“We don't really understand it” she said, sniffing loudly. “We just did what Professor Dumbledore told us to do”

Umbridge straightened up, exultant.

“Lead me to the weapon”

And so after she, with a imagine of students using it on her convinced Umbridge to go alone with them to see it, they moved to go into the forest.”

“Wow! I remember it! It was close, Harry. I mean, the Cruciatus!” Ron said.

“Well, Voldemort had already used it on me in the graveyard, it would not have been a first, you know” he said, darkly. “What an asshole that woman was” he muttered them. “Wouldn't be surprised if in the last battle we find her against us”

“Now, Harry, she was horrible, but implying she is a Death Eater…” Ginny told him.

“Well, she was really close to the Slytherins, wasn't she? And she did mention talking with Lucius Malfoy, that we know to be a Death Eater, so I would not be surprised”

“Well, guys, now for a more cheerful matter, here is my memory” Ron announced.

“The final match of the Quidditch season, Gryffindor against Ravenclaw, was to take place on the last weekend of May. Although Slytherin ahd been narrowly defeated by Hufflepuff, Gryffindor were not daring to hope to win, mainly due to Ron's abysmal goalkeeping record.

“I mean, I can't get worse, can I?” he said to Harry and Hermione grimly over breakfast that morning. “Nothing to lose now, is there?”

“And they're off!” said Lee. “And Davies takes the Quaffle immediately, Ravenclaw Captain Davies with the Quaffle, he dodges Johnson, he dodges Bell, he dodges Spinnet as well…he's going straight for goal! He's going to shoot…and…and…” Lee swore loudly. “And he's scored”

The Slytherins started their song against Ron.

“Weasley cannot save a thing,

He cannot block a single ring…”

…

“Weasley is our King,

Weasley is our King,

He didn't let the Quaffle in,

Weasley is our King”

Harry and Hermione heard in the distance.

“And I wish they would stop this stupid song, haven't they gloated enough?” Hermione said.

“Weasley can save anything,

He never leaves a single Ring,

That's why Gryffindors all sing,

Weasley is our King”

“Hermione” Harry said slowly.

The song was growing louder, but it was not from a crowd of green-and-silver clad Slytherins, but from a mass of red and gold moving slowly up toward the castle, bearing a solitary figure upon its many shoulders.

“Weasley is our King,

Weasley is our King,

He didn't let the Quaffle in,

Weasley is our King…”

“No?” Hermione said in an hushed tone.

“Yes!” Harry shouted.

“Harry! Hermione!” he yelled, waving the silver Quidditch Cup in the air, and looking quite beside himself. “WE DID IT! WE WON!”

They beamed up at him as they passed. There was a scrum at the door of the castle and Ron's head got rather badly bumped on the lintel, but nobody seemed to want to put him down. Still singing, the crowd squeezed itself into the Entrance Hall and out of sight.”

Ron finished telling his memory with a dreamy look.

“Seems like you got at least part of what you saw in the Mirror of Erised, mate” Harry said, chuckling at his friend's expression.

“Oh, yeah. Right you are” Ron said, grinning back.

The two girls shook their heads in amusement.

“Ok, Ginny. Now the scene is all yours” Harry said.

She blushed. “Well, my fondest memory of the year is about me and Harry”

“Some snogging we did not know about, mate?” Ron teased him.

“No way. Come on, Ginny. I think I know what you're talking about”

So she started.

“ “Harry, I'm talking to you, can you hear me?”

“Huh?”

He looked around. Ginny Weasley, looking very windswept, had joined him at the library table where he had been sitting alone. It was late on Sunday evening.

“Oh, hi” said Harry, pulling his books toward him. “How come you're not at practice?”

“It's over” she said. “Ron had to take Jack Sloper up to the Hospital Wing”

“Why?”

“Well, we're not sure, but we think he knocked himself out with his own bat.” She sighed heavily. “Anyway…a package just arrived, it's only just got through Umbridge's new screening process”

She hoisted a box wrapped in brown paper on to the table; it had clearly been unwrapped and carelessly re-wrapped. There was a scribbled note across it in red ink, reading: Inspected and passed by the Hogwarts High Inquisitor.

“It's Easter Eggs from Mum” she said. “There's one for you…there you go”

She handed him a handsome chocolate egg decorated with small, iced Snitches and, according to the packaging, containing a bag of Fizzing Whizzbees.

“Are you ok, Harry?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah, I'm fine” Harry said gruffly.

“You seem really down lately” she persisted. “You know, I'm sure if you just talked to Cho…”

“It's not Cho I want to talk to” said Harry brusquely.

“Who is it, then?” she asked, watching him closely.

“I…”

He glanced around to make sure nobody was listening. Madame Pince was several shelves away, stamping out a pile of books for a frantic-looking Hannah Abbott.

“I wish I could talk to Sirius” he muttered. “But I know I can't”

She continued to watch him thoughtfully. More to give himself something to do than because he really wanted any, Harry unwrapped his Easter egg, broke off a large bit and put it into his mouth.

“Well” she said slowly, helping herself to a bit of egg, too, “if you really want to talk to Sirius, I expect we could think of a way to do it”.

“Come on” said Harry dully, “With Umbridge policing the fires and reading all our mail?”

“The thing about growing up with Fred and George” she said, thoughtfully, “is that you sort of start thinking anything is possible if you've got enough nerve”.

Harry looked at her a bit more hopeful.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?”

“Oh, damn” she whispered, jumping to her feet. “I forgot…”

Madame Pince was swooping down on them, her shrivelled face contorted with rage.

“Chocolate in the library!” she screamed. “Out-out-out!”

And whipping her wand, she caused Harry's books bag and ink bottle to chase him and her from the library, whacking them repeatedly over the head as they ran.”

“This is it” Ginny concluded, smiling at Harry.

“Oh, that was sweet. A secret meeting in the library” Hermione teased them in her best Lavenderish tone.

They all started laughing, and Ginny hit her with a pillow. Soon a full pillow fight ensued.

When they calmed, Ron and Harry walked to their room.

As they prepared for bed, the raven haired wizard kept mulling over the memory he shared with his friends.

He could not grasp it yet, but the feelings behind the fear of losing Hermione he had felt that night, and relived telling the memory, were something he knew he should sort out as soon as possible.

-->

7. Relived Sadness

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

Relived Sadness

Next morning, Molly woke them up quite early. They were to go to Diagon Alley and buy what they needed for the coming school year.

Ron was still sleepy when he grabbed a couple sausages and then stepped into the fire for the Floo Powder trip.

This time Harry managed to get there without mistakes, and went with the others for a first stop in Gringott's to gather some money.

He convinced Ron and Hermione to accompany him down to his vault, while Molly went with Ginny to “Flourish and Blotts” and there he took a small amount of gold. Well, small if confronted with what was in the vault, at least.

“Blimey, Harry. In there there's enough gold for two lifetimes!” Ron commented.

“This is why I constantly try to share it with you guys. But you don't allow it…” Harry said, wistfully. He really did not care about money, and if he was able to make his friends happy, he would be happy too.

Then they reached Molly and Ginny in the bookshop.

There Harry kept roaming even after collecting all the books he needed for seventh year.

“Harry, what are you searching?” Hermione asked him.

“Something on Horcruxes” he said.

“I see. Well, maybe there' something in that section, over there” she pointed to him a secluded corner of the shop, where no customers went.

“Right. I'll go take a look” he said.

Minutes later, he joined her with a new book in his hands.

“I guess you found it, then” Hermione smiled at him.

He nodded, showing it. “Horcruxes and similar. Why and how to make them”. “But where are the others?”

“Oh, Ginny needed new robes, so they went to Madam Malkin's. We can catch them there”

“No thanks. I've no need for new robes, and I'll avoid entering a dress shop if I can” he said. “Especially if one girl is trying robes, we could be stuck there for centuries” he joked.

She swatted him on the arm. “Git”

He grinned and taking her books too, led her to get some potions ingredients for his reserve.

“So, Harry, this is our last year at Hogwarts” she said, a bit sadly. “I know we will have lots of things to do this year, but are you still going to be an Auror after school?”

He sighed.

“Hermione, I don't want to think about future, and give myself false hope”

“Why is that?”

“Because I'm not gonna live to see next year” he said grimly.

“What an horrible thing to say, Harry” she said bringing her hand to he heart, scared.

“Hermione, I'm a seventeen years old boy. What chances do I have against Voldemort? Admitting I'll be able to destroy the Horcruxes, a final duel will be needed, and I'll have to kill him in it. I don't think I'll be able to”

“Of course you will. And we will help you along the way” she said, forcing him to look in her eyes.

He swallowed, seeing the determination they expressed. Maybe, with her on his side, he will really be able to.

“Here you are!” Ron called them.

“Hey, mate” Harry greeted him, happy for the change of subject.

“Mum and Ginny are still in there, but I couldn't resist. I had to go get an ice cream” he said. In fact, he had one in his right hand.

“Honestly, Ron, I thought I was dating a boy, not a pig” Hermione said, rolling her eyes. “You had breakfast not even two hours ago!”

“I'm growing” he said, and Harry started laughing. Soon Ron and Hermione joined the laughs too.

“Hermione, look, can you tell Mum me and Harry are at “Quidditch Quality Supplies”? At least we can use the time while waiting for them in a good way” Ron said.

“Ok, I'll wait with them then” she sighed, and walked away.

The two boys walked toward the Quidditch shop, and found a big crowd in front of it.

“What are they doing here?” Ron asked.

“Guess there's a new broom exposed” Harry answered. And right he was. In the main window there was on show the new Firebolt 2005, and all the Quidditch fan were ogling at it.

Inside, the two boys looked for glasses, gloves, and so on.

They were breezing trough a shelf of Quidditch robes that could be personalized at will, when Harry felt someone turning him from the shoulder.

“Mr. Potter! What a pleasure to have you in my shop!” the owner said. “I'm sure you've seen the new Firebolt 2005…”

“Yes, but I've a Firebolt already, and it is still perfect...”

“Oh, nonsense. We're the only store that has it in exclusive, and I would be more than happy to gift you with one for your coming of age, Mr. Potter”

“Really, I don't think…”

But there was nothing to do. Harry had to accept the new broom, and exit through the envious looks of the crowd outside.

They met with the girls in front of the Leaky Cauldron.

As soon as she saw the package, Hermione opened her mouth, but before she could utter a word, Harry cut her.

“Don't ask” he said brusquely.

Then he with his two best friends headed toward the Leaky Cauldron where they were to meet their examiner for their Apparating license.

He made them Apparate back and forth Diagon Alley three or four times, and when no one splinched or missed the target, he was more than happy to award them their certificates.

“My, aren't you Harry Potter, The Chosen One?” he said, after giving Harry his one.

“Yes, I am” he said, tensely.

“I'm really honoured to have tested you, Mr. Potter” the man said shaking his hand.

Harry nodded awkwardly then he went with his friends to meet Ginny and Molly and head back to the Burrow, before someone else stopped him.

Once at home, he explained the situation with the broom, and after lunch he, Ron and Ginny took turns in using it.

“You must admit it's quite an improvement to your Firebolt” Ron said, at dinner.

“Yes, but I did not need it. I'd a perfect Firebolt already” Harry said. Then an idea came to his mind. “Ron, I gift you my Firebolt”

Ron sputtered his soup. “What? Harry, really, I don't think…”

But Harry could be as persuasive as the shop owner, so in the end Ron accepted.

Then they gathered in the boys' room for their last night of memories.

“This is it, guys. Last year, and what we remember of it” Ginny announced.

“Ok, as usual I`ve got to start, right?” Harry said.

“Yes, you have , Harry” Hermione said, smiling at him.

He nodded. “Of course the thing I remember best is Dumbledore's death” he said, “but the pain is still too fresh in all of us to speak about that. So, this is another memory I will never forget”

“There was a loud bang and the bin behind him exploded; he attempted a Leg-Locker Curse that backfired off the wall behind Malfoy's ear and smashed the cistern beneath Moaning Myrtle, who screamed loudly; water poured everywhere and he slipped over as Malfoy, his face contorted, cried, “Cruci…”

“SECTUMSEMPRA!” he bellowed from the floor, waving his wand wildly.

Blood spurted from Malfoy's face and chest as though he had been slashed with an invisible sword. He staggered backwards and collapsed on to the waterlogged floor with a great splash, his wand falling from his limp right hand.

“No” he gasped.

Slipping and staggering, he got to his feet and plunged towards Malfoy, whose face was now shining scarlet, his white hands scrabbling at his blood-soaked chest.

“No…I didn't…”

He did not know what he was saying; he fell to his knees beside Malfoy, who was shaking uncontrollably in a pool of his own blood. Moaning Myrtle let out a deafening scream.

“MURDER! MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!”

The door banged open behind him, and he looked up, terrified: Snape had burst into the room, his face livid.

Pushing him roughly aside, he knelt over Malfoy, drew his wand and traced it over the deep wounds Harry's curse had made, muttering an incantation that sounded almost like song. The flow of blood seemed to ease; Snape wiped the residue from Malfoy's face and repeated the spell. Now the wounds seemed to be knitting.

He was still watching, horrified by what he had done, barely aware that he too was soaked in blood and water. Moaning Myrtle seemed to be sobbing and wailing overhead. When Snape ahd performed his counter-course for the third time, he half-lifted Malfoy into a standing position.

“You need the Hospital Wing. There may be a certain amount of scarring, but if you take dittany immediately we may avoid even that…come...”

He supported Malfoy across the bathroom, turning at the door to say in a voice of cold fury, “And you, Potter…you wait here for me”

…

“Apparently I underestimated you, Potter” he said quietly. “Who would have thought you knew such Dark Magic? Who taught you that spell?”

“I…read it somewhere”

“Where?”

“It was…a library book” he invented wildly. “I can't remember what it was called…”

“Liar” said Snape. His throat went dry. He knew what Snape was going to do, and he had never been able to prevent it…

The bathroom seemed to shimmer before his eyes; he struggled to block out all thought, but try as he might, the Half-Blood Prince's copy of “Advanced Potion-Making” swam hazily to the forefront of his mind…

And then he was staring at Snape again, in the midst of this wrecked, soaked bathroom. He stared into Snape's black eyes, hoping against hope that Snape had not seen what he feared, but…

“Bring me your schoolbag” Snape said “and all of your school books. All of them. Bring them to me here. Now!”

He felt stunned. It was like a beloved pet had turned suddenly savage. What had the Prince been thinking to copy such a spell into his book?

He took Ron's potions book, and then went to the Room of Requirements to hide his own. He found lots of wrecked things and books in there.

He ran flat out towards the bathroom on the floor below, cramming Ron's copy of “Advanced Potion-Making” into his bag as he did so. A minute later, he was back in front of Snape, who held out his hand wordlessly for his schoolbag. He handed it over, panting, a searing pain in his chest, and waited.

One by one Snape extracted Harry's books and examined them. Finally the only book left was the Potions book, which he looked at very carefully before speaking.

“This is your copy, is it, Potter?”

“Yes” he said still breathing hard.

“You're quite sure of that, are you, Potter?”

“Yes” he said with more defiance.

“The one you got from “Flourish and Blotts”?”

“Yes”

“Then why” Snape asked, “does it have the name “Roonil Wazlib” on it?”

His heart missed a beat.

“That's my nickname”

“Your nickname” Snape repeated.”

“Nickname?” Ron snorted trying to hide his laugh.

“Well, I didn't come up with something better, you know” Harry said, a bit put out.

“Yes, what my friends call me”

“I know what a nickname is” said Snape. He thought the man was going to probe his mind again, so tried to close it.

“Do you know what I think, Potter?” said Snape, very quietly. “I think that you're a liar, and a cheat, and that you deserve detention with me every Saturday till the end of term. What do you think, Potter?”

“I…I don't agree, sir” he said.

But in the end, it was decided that way. He would have to lose the last Quidditch match.

“I won't say you, I told you so” Hermione said, an hour alter in the common room.

“Leave it, Hermione” Ron said angrily.

He had never made it to dinner; he had no appetite at all. He had just finished telling Ron, Hermione and Ginny what had happened, not that there seemed to have been much need. The news had travelled very fast, and all knew. He had already endured fifteen minutes with an irate McGonagall who supported Snape's punishment.

“I told you there was something wrong with that Prince person” Hermione said, evidently unable to stop herself. “And I was right, wasn't I?”

“No, I don't think you were” he said stubbornly.

He was having a bad enough time without Hermione lecturing him; the looks on the Gryffindor team's faces when he had told them he would not be bale to play on Saturday had been the worst punishment of all.

“Harry” said Hermione, “how can you still stick up for that book when that spell…”

“Will you stop harping on about the book!” he snapped. “The Prince only copied it out! It's not like he was advising anyone to use it! For all we know, he was making a note of something that had been used against him!”

“I don't believe this” said Hermione. “You're actually defending…”

“I'm not defending what I did!” he said quickly. “I wish I hadn't done it, and not just because I've got about dozen detentions. You know I wouldn't have used the spell like that, not even on Malfoy, but you can't blame the Prince, he hadn't written “Try this out, it's really good” …he was just making notes for himself, wasn't he, not for anyone else…”

“Are you telling me” said Hermione, “that you're going to go back…?”

“And get the book? Yeah, I am” he said forcefully. “Listen, without the Prince I'd never have won the Felix Felicis. I'd have never known how to save Ron from poisoning, I'd never have…”

“…got a reputation for potions brilliance you don't deserve” said Hermione hastily.

“Give it a rest, Hermione!” said Ginny, and he was so amazed, so grateful he looked up. “By the sound of it Malfoy was trying to use an Unforgivable Curse, you should be glad Harry ahd something good up his sleeve!”

“Well, of course I'm glad Harry wasn't cursed!” said Hermione, clearly stung, “But you can't call that Sectumsempra spell good, Ginny, look where it's landed him! And I'd thought, seeing what this has done to your chances in the match…”

“Oh, don't start acting as tough you understand Quidditch” snapped Ginny, “you'll only embarrass yourself”

“Now, Ginevra, that was clearly uncalled for” Hermione said, visibly upset, remembering the fight.

“Yes, it was. As my reaction was. I should have been grateful that someone in the room was so smart to call me on my foolishness, instead of backing me up unconditionally” Harry said before Ginny could argue. “I was a prat and deserved your comments”

“Well, now, don't put yourself too low, Harry. Malfoy was cursing you, after all” the redhead girl said.

“So why don't the Aurors use that spell everyday, Ginevra?” Harry said, angrily. “After all they face dark wizards ready to curse them on a daily basis”

That shut the redhead up.

“Now, Hermione, it is your turn” he added to end the discussion. Back at the moment he had been glad Ginny had backed him up, but now he understood how painful her words should have been for Hermione. And how she was right, and he deserved far worse than her words for what he did.

Speaking of the girl, she blushed, and spoke.

“She said, in an unnaturally high-pitched voice, “Ron seems to be enjoying the celebrations”

“Er…does he?” said Harry.

“Don't pretend you didn't see him” she said. “He wasn't exactly hiding, was…”

The door behind them burst open. To Harry's horror, Ron came in laughing with Lavender by the hand.

“Oh” he said, drawing up short at the sight of Harry and Hermione.

“Oops!” said Lavender, and she backed out of the room, giggling. The door swung shut behind her.

There was an horrible swelling, billowing silence. She was staring at Ron, who refused to look at her, but said “Hi, Harry! Wondered where you'd got to!”

She slid off the desk. The little flock of golden birds continued to twitter in circles around her head, so that she looked like a strange, feathery model of the solar system.

“You shouldn't leave Lavender waiting outside” she said quietly. “She'll wonder where have you gone”

She walked very slowly and erectly towards the door. Harry and Ron were glad nothing had happened.

“Oppugno!” came a shriek from the doorway.

Harry spun around to see her pointing her wand at Ron, her expression wild: the little flock of birds was speeding like a hail of fat golden bullets towards Ron, who yelped and covered his face with his hands, but the birds attacked, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could reach.

“Gerremeoffme!” he yelled, but with one last look of vindictive fury, she wrenched open the door and disappeared through it.”

“Childish behaviour it was, don't you think Hermione?” Ron said, feigning to be offended.

“Oh, come on, Won-Won” she said in her perfect imitation of Lavender, and all started laughing. Then she kissed him quickly.

“OY! Get a room, you two!” Harry teased them. “Now, Ron, if you are able to detach yourself from your girlfriend's lips, you may want to tell us your memory”

“Ok. Guys, this is sad, but I reckon it is right to remember it”

“Harry, he and Hermione filed into seats at the end of a row beside the lake. People was whispering to each other. It sounded like a breeze in the grass, but the birdsong was louder by far. The crowd continued to swell.

Cornelius Fudge walked past them towards the front rows, his expression miserable, twirling his green bowler hat as usual. There was Rita Skeeter, who had a notebook in her hand. There was even Dolores Umbridge.

The staff were seated at last. There was Scrimgeour looking dignified and grave in front row with Professor McGonagall.

Merpeople gave their tribute with singing, Hagrid walked slowly up the aisle between the chairs. He was crying quite silently, his face gleaming with tears, and in his arms, wrapped in purple velvet spangled with golden stars, was Dumbledore's body. Ron looked white and shocked. Tears were falling thick and fast in both Ginny and Hermione's laps.

Hagrid seemed to have placed the body carefully upon a table. Now he retreated blowing his nose quite loudly, like a trumpet. Many looked scandalised, but the four teens knew Dumbledore would not have cared.

They looked as the half Giant joined Grawp at the last row.

A little tufty-haired man in plain black robes had got to his feet and stood now in front of Dumbledore's body. They could not hear what he was saying. Odd words floated back to them over hundreds of heads.

There was a soft splashing noise, and they noticed the Merpeople had come to listen too. They remembered Dumbledore crouching at the water's edge two years ago and chatting with the Merchaiftainess.

The centaurs came to pay their respects too, coming out of the forest. They did not move clearly in the open, but Harry could see them standing quite still, half hidden in the shadows.

The little man in black had stopped speaking at last and resumed his seat. They expected more speeches.

Then several people screamed. Bright, white flames had erupted around Dumbledore's body, and the table upon which it lay: higher and higher they rose, obscuring the body. White smoke spiralled into the air, and made strange shapes. The next second the fire had gone. In its place there was a white marble tomb, encasing Dumbledore's body and the table.

There were some more cries of shock when a shower of arrows soared through the air, but they fell far short of the crowd. It was the centaurs' tribute. They saw them turn tail and disappear back into the cool trees. Likewise the Merpeople sank slowly back into the green water and were lost from view.”

All of them were crying once again when Ron finished his telling.

For some time no one spoke.

Then, sniffing once more, Ginny did.

“I guess this leaves me with my memory to tell” she tried to lighten the mood.

The others nodded.

“Well, here it is. Not exactly proper for the moment, maybe, but it is my fondest memory of the year”

“Harry looked around; there was she, running towards him; she had a hard, blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him. And without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about the fact that fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her.

After several long moments, or it might have been half an hour, or possibly several sunlit days, they broke apart.

Harry grinned down at her and gestured wordlessly out of the portrait hole. A long walk in the grounds seemed indicated, during which, if they ahd time, they might discuss the match”

“Oh, very nice” Hermione cooed teasing them, who both blushed. “I really did not think you had it in your system to kiss a girl in front of so many people, Harry, you know” she said then.

Harry simply smiled, while Ginny looked up at him almost adoringly.

“So, what did you do during that long walk?” Ron inquired.

“It's not your business, Ronald Billius Weasley” Hermione said glaring at him. “Or would you like to tell us all what you did with Lavender too?”

He reddened and shut up.

After some time, they went all to bed. All but Harry, who went for a walk in the garden.

He was nervous. Next day, a new adventure was to start, but more of that, he wondered why he felt like he would not kiss Ginny, if he were in the same situation right at the moment. Something was changing in him, but he still couldn't put his finger on what. After some time, he went to bed.

After all, they were to have an early start next day, as they were to reach King's Cross to board the train.

-->

8. Seventh Year Starts

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

Seventh Year Starts

As predicted, Molly woke them up early, hoping for once to not have to board the train at the last minute.

Still groggy, Ron and Harry woke up, and they were just finished showering when Hermione entered to check on them and make sure they were not sleeping again. This caused the girl to see both of them in boxers.

As soon as she realized the situation, she blushed furiously.

“Come on, you two. Breakfast is ready” she said, before walking away hastily.

Ron and Harry looked at the door dumbfounded, their brains still not working well enough to grasp the happened.

Soon, they were down to grab something to eat, while the girls were already there, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Once they were done eating, they gathered their things.

“Ok, let's shrink these” Arthur said, and with few flicks of his wand their trunks were small boxes they could put into their pockets. Then they Portkeyed to the Leaky Cauldron.

“From here we'll go with the Muggle transportation, so behave yourself. Got it, Ron?” Molly said sternly.

All of them nodded. Harry and Hermione guided them through the underway, making tickets and so on, till they were finally seated.

Chatter followed, till Harry pointed out they should go down at the next stop. Everyone prepared, and Harry was reminded of the first trip he did on the underway with Hagrid. Those were his first moments as a wizard.

Once at the station, they easily passed the barrier, and Arthur reversed their trunks to their original size, so they could put them on the train.

“Please, be careful” Molly said them when they boarded the train. She was talking especially to the trio, as they all knew the three of them had an important mission to accomplish that year.

Soon, the train moved, and few minutes later King's Cross was out of view.

Harry and his friends occupied a compartment toward the end of the train.

“I'll come back soon, I need to go to the prefects compartment” Ginny said. Ron nodded, and stood up himself. “Me too”.

So, while waiting for Neville and Luna to show up, Harry and Hermione were left alone.

“Wonder who will be Head Boy and Head Girl this year” she said, a bit wistfully.

“I don't know. I'm sorry you weren't chosen tough, I know how much it meant to you”

“Oh, no. There are more important things” she said. “Winning this war is far more important, and winning it keeping you alive is what means the most to me” she admitted.

He was touched at her words, and hugged her.

“Thanks. I've never thanked you enough for staying at my side through all these years, even when no one else was, and I mean no one else, not even Ron” he said, and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

She wiped it away.

“No need to thank me, Harry. I believe in you, I've always done, and this is why I stay by you no matter what. This is why me and Ron are coming with you when you'll go searching for Horcruxes”

He nodded, and resumed staring at the landscape.

Soon Ginny and Ron came back, with Luna and Neville.

“You won't believe it. No one knows who the Heads are, seems they have not been chosen yet” Ginny said, sitting across of Harry. Ron sat near Hermione, while Neville and Luna occupied the last two places.

“Well, probably it's a decision that needs some time, Gin. This year is crucial that the Heads can keep the Hogwarts population safe and quiet, after what happened last year. To me, it's still a miracle Hogwarts is open at all” Neville commented.

“So, Nev, how are things going with our lovely Miss Lovegood here?” Harry asked, trying to change the subject.

“Oh, we are not suited for each other” the girl replied dreamily, “so we chose to remain friends. I will admit that he's an excellent snog tough”

Neville became scarlet red, and all of the others laughed.

So, between laughs, chats, and some snogging for Hermione and Ron who took some moments for themselves, the train ride passed quickly.

Once at the castle, they entered the Great Hall for the usual Welcoming Feast.

Harry noticed that the Slytherins were much less than usual, the sixth and seventh years weren't there.

“Probably gone to feed Voldemort's ranks” he muttered bitterly. “Far worse for them, if I happen to find someone on my path”

Hermione shushed him when she noticed Headmistress McGonagall standing up.

“Dear students, I would like few words before the feast begins, as probably your attention won't be as high later. First, as usual the Forbidden Forest is, as the name suggests, forbidden to everyone. Then, Mr. Filch has gently reminded me the list of prohibited items, and that includes everything coming from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Now, for a more important matter, I would like to present you the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Albert Trayens” she motioned to one man to stand.

He was a tall man, his face hard and serious. He nodded at the crowded Hall, before sitting again.

“Guess he will be as knowing as Moody is about Dark Arts” Ron muttered. “Although we never had a lesson with the real Moody…”

“And he will be right to do so” Hermione retorted.

Then McGonagall spoke again.

“We have a new Potions Master too. Ms. Katherine Pastral”

A blonde young woman stood up and smiled graciously at them. Many boys grinned stupidly.

“Finally, I'm sure the prefects have noticed on the train the absence of the Heads. This is because the choosing took us longer than expected, so we decided to announce it directly here in the Great Hall. Please, Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter, come to take your badges”

Hermione and Harry looked at each other in shock, then slowly got up and walked to the staff table where their badges were appointed on their school robes.

“I'll show you personally your quarters after the feast” Professor McGonagall announced to them.

Then the two teens walked back to their table, still a bit dazed for the surprise of being chosen.

Later, after the first years were settled in their new common room and dorms, Professor McGonagall entered the Gryffindor one, now almost empty, to show Harry and Hermione their quarters.

Just outside the portrait hole, she went to a picture showing a picnic in the grounds.

“This is the entrance to the Gryffindor Heads Quarters” she announced. “You'll need to choose a password”

Harry and Hermione consulted briefly, then spoke together, “Bravery and Victory”. The Headmistress nodded, tapped her wand on the portrait, and the password was set.

Then they entered to find a little common room, and two bedrooms. The beds were larger than in the dorms, and the rooms well refined. There were some shelves to stock their books, and a small fireplace.

Harry and Hermione grinned at each other.

“Now, I'm sure you are both curious to know why I appointed you two as Heads, knowing you have tasks to fulfil. That's exactly the point. Here you will be able to plan your search without someone being able to eavesdrop or intrude in your plans. Of course you can invite your friends here, especially Mr. Weasley as if I'm not mistaken he will be part of the search too”

They nodded.

“Very well then. And don't worry about the usual Heads rounds or such things. When you're here, you'll have to do them, but if you need to leave, the staff will cover your absence, from classes too. Now, I reckon a good night sleep will do wonders for you, and tomorrow your last year at Hogwarts starts” she said.

“Good night, professor” both the teens said.

Then the older witch left.

“I can't believe it, we're both Heads!” Hermione squealed, hugging him.

“Oh, I'm sure you would have preferred a certain redhead to be here in my place. With these large beds…” he teased her.

She blushed, then swatted him on the arm. “Harry James Potter, take your mind out of the gutter” she mockingly scolded him. “Although I've to admit this would be the best snogging spot” she admitted.

Harry laughed.

“Well, I think we really should catch some sleep. Good Night, Mione”

“What did you call me?” she said, surprised.

“Hem…Mione?” he said tentatively. He had forgot for a moment she hated nicknames.

She smiled. “I kind of like it, you know”

He breathed his relief. “For a moment I thought you were going to hex me…”

So they finally headed to bed.

Before falling asleep, Harry kept thinking about his female best friend. Since they started recalling the past years at the school, back at the Burrow, he mulled over her loyalty to him, and how much he cared for her. He had to admit she was quite beautiful too.

“No good will come from lingering on these thoughts” he decided then, and finally sleep took him.

Next morning their term started. After a good breakfast with Ron, Ginny and their other friends, Harry and Hermione headed to the Transfiguration classroom, Ron with them.

They sat in their usual spots, and waited for Professor McGonagall to start the lesson. Once everyone was there, the Headmistress started talking.

“This year, we'll focus on Animagus transformation, so that you can see if you have the abilities or not to become one. For today, I want you to read the first chapter of your book, then I'll ask you some questions to make sure you've got the basis of the theory. We can't try it without having the basis, that would be extremely dangerous”

So they started reading, and taking notes. After last year, in which he had gotten a reputation he did not deserve in potions thanks to the Half-Blood Prince's book, Harry decided to focus on his studies more and more.

He kept scribbling as furiously as Hermione, while Ron looked at both of them shaking his head.

“Hope this business about the Horcruxes doesn't make Harry become like another Hermione, with one I can cope, with two it would be terrible” the redhead thought, doodling on his parchment.

“Mr. Weasley, I assume you've already finished reading and taking notes” the professor said. He reddened and shook his head, then started working.

Hermione stopped her work just to look at him, then shook her head in disappointment.

Harry never stopped his work, oblivious to the world outside the book he was reading.

Then they headed to Potions.

“Wonder how this new professor is” Hermione mused while walking there.

“I'm sure she's better than Snape, and it is already something” Ron commented.

“Ron, Snape was evil, but in potion-making few are better than him” Hermione reminded her boyfriend.

“As long as she can do the potions we need for NEWTs, I prefer someone less skilled in brewing but loyal and true, not vile and evil like Snape” Harry said coldly. Images of the man killing Dumbledore flashed in his mind, and his anger raised.

Once in the dungeon, they took their usual seats, prepared their cauldrons, and waited.

Soon later, Professor Pastral came into the room.

“Good morning, class”

“Good morning, professor” they all replied.

“Now, today we're going to brew a very useful potion, but difficult too. It is particularly useful for those wishing to become an Auror” and that raised Harry's interest, “as it can give a first aid healing to most curses. It's called, just for that, the First Aid Potion”

After writing the instructions on the board, the professor sat at her desk reading. During the hour, she moved here and there, checking her students' work.

When she came to Harry, she looked him working for some time.

“I reckon you're Harry Potter” she said then, warmly.

He nodded, not taking his eyes from the cauldron, stirring it clock-wise as instructed.

“Well, Harry, I see you're more skilled in brewing that your marks would make one think. You're doing quite well here” she praised him.

He smiled feebly, continuing in his work. The professor nodded and went to check another student.

One month passed quickly, and Harry found himself joining more and more Hermione in the library, for school assignments. He found most of the lessons enjoyable, apart for History of Magic. He tried to be attentive in that one too, tough.

He was especially pleased with his potion-making. With Professor Pastral he found himself at ease, and able to work quietly and well. He found he did not need suggestions from a mysterious book to be top in the class, being even with Hermione.

She beamed at him.

“See, I knew you had it in yourself” she praised him on their way to the Great Hall for lunch, one day that they had been given the marks to a potion they brewed.

Professor Trayens in DADA was quite good too.

But in the library the two of them did not work only on school assignments. They had been given by the Headmistress unlimited access to the Restricted Section, and they kept working on their search for the Horcruxes too.

They would scribble notes on what they could find on the argument and on the two most suspected objects, Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's cup, then at night, in their quarters, they would go over their notes again and again, discussing them, and discarding the information they thought not reliable.

Finally, Harry took a decision. One night he called Ron into their common room.

“Guys, we need to do a trip in London. We need information on the one who most probably took the locket, Regulus Black”

“You mean Sirius's brother?” Ron asked.

Harry nodded.

So it was decided. After obtaining permission by Professor McGonagall, they left two days later, Portkeying to Diagon Alley.

Once there, Harry led them to the Ministry. He needed to collect some information on Regulus and the only person he knew from which he could have it was Tonks, who, being Sirius's cousin, was Regulus's one too.

“Wotcher, guys. What are you doing here?”

“Hi, Tonks. We're here to collect some information on Regulus, your cousin” Harry said.

“Strange man, he was. Never liked him in the first place, and Sirius didn't too” she commented. “In fact he became a Death Eater, honouring the Black family name. Well, considering this, the strange ones should be Sirius and me” she added amusedly.

“However, he was not an evil man. Soon he understood the wrongness of his choice, so he tried to step back from them. But you can't resign from being a Death Eater…” she continued sadly. “And so he was killed”

That much Harry and the others already knew, so he asked again.

“Do you know where he lived once he left the Black household? Once he left Grimmauld Place?”

“Well, I didn't hear a lot from him, no one did, but last I checked he lived in a small house in the suburbs of Manchester. It was a wooden one, painted in dark blue on the sides, while dark red for the roof. Nothing really recognizable, as he was trying to keep a low profile and avoid being found by Voldemort's followers” she explained. “Sorry I can't tell you more, but that's all what I know”

“Ok, thanks all the same. This information will be useful” Harry said, then he and the others turned to go away, leaving the Auror behind, wondering why they were so interested in Regulus. Accompanying them to the lifts, Tonks managed to trip over the carpet of her office, making her paperwork fly everywhere in the room.

Harry and the others kept walking after her reassurance that she was ok, sharing a small smile. Tonks would never change and will always be that clumsy.

Harry couldn't avoid wondering how she passed the Auror admittance tests, as secrecy wasn't exactly her best feature.

Once they were out of there, the three of them Apparated to Hogsmeade, and walked to the castle. They went straight to the Headmistress's office, giving the password to the gargoyle. “Bewitched lights” Harry said, and it sprung to life allowing them access to the staircase. Once there, they explained the situation and asked permission to go to Manchester. Ron knew a Wizarding pub in there, so they would not have to fear about Apparating in the middle of the Muggle city. However, to avoid another walk to the village, the professor created a Portkey for them. Minutes later, they were in the town.

Then they searched for a small wooden house like Tonks had described Regulus's one, and when they finally found it, not more than 30 minutes away from Manchester's most fashionable area, it was by now just ruins.

From what they could see it had been made of cherry wood, and it was still painted in dark blue, while the roof was in normal dark red just as Tonks had said. It seemed time had not ruined the colours, or it had been repainted not long before being destroyed.

Once they managed to get it standing again with lots of Repairing Charms, they searched the rest of the ruins for signs of the Horcrux.

But they found nothing, apart from blood stains on the wood planks.

“He must have tried to put up a good fight” Ron commented, touching one of them.

“Yeah, but that's doesn't tell us if he had already destroyed it or not” Harry said, kneeling to examine something on the floor.

“No, he didn't” Hermione said.

Both the boys turned toward her.

In her hand was a parchment. They rushed to her sides.

There were signs they did not understand.

“Those are ancient runes, that's why you can't read them. It says, more or less “With wings it vanished from me, and now where the white rock and the sea are meeting it you should see””

“Well, that's easy. We just have to search every white rock near the sea…” Ron said, rolling his eyes. “Couldn't he be more precise?”

“Of course he couldn't, Ronald. Every one would have known where to search if he was, so he could have spared the trouble to hide it” Hermione retorted, rolling her eyes at him.

“Guys, now, don't start fighting. We need to concentrate on the task at hand” Harry chastised them.

“Yeah, right. Sorry, Harry” both of them said, grinning sheepishly.

They remained that way for some time, thinking, till Harry stood up.

“It's not one random white rock he's talking about. I think I know about which place he's written that small riddle about”

“How can you? There are no hints at where in the country it could be…” Ron protested.

“Ron, I'm not saying I know for sure. But look, it says “with wings” then “white rock”. So what if he's talking about a white rock with wings?” he said.

The other two looked at each other, wondering where that theory came from. Ron was sure Harry had lost it. How could a rock have wings?

However, they agreed to follow him.

So he made them grip his arm, as he didn't know the name of the place, so he couldn't tell them where to Apparate and they did it together to the coast near Dover, where from the high rocks above the sea they looked upon the water, till their gaze met, not far from the shore, a white rock with a shape slightly resembling a seagull.

Harry had thought of this rock because he had remembered that Regulus's Patronus was a seagull, as Sirius had told him once, so he thought maybe the man had wanted someone knowing him to think about it and make the connection. Someone outside of the Death Eaters circle, as probably they didn't even know that particular.

The words of the riddle seemed to confirm that.

The problem now was to reach the rock and check if the theory was right. Apparating there was risky as it was really little. You could easily end in the ocean instead, and that wouldn't be pretty as it was in that day thoroughly agitated.

For hours they sat staring at the rock, wondering just how to reach it, when Hermione had, as usual, a brilliant idea.

“First of all there's no need for us to go all there. One of us will do to retrieve the thing, then we can work on it here, where we have space. And since I'm the thinnest, maybe it's better I go there…”

“But this is my task, Hermione. If you got hurt in doing it, I would not forgive myself” Harry said.

“Hey, I'm just going to take it and bring it back here…”

“Ok. So how are you going there?” the boys asked. She grinned.

“That's for me to know and for you to see” she said, walking toward the edge of the rocks, and then throwing herself down.

“Hermione!” both Harry and Ron cried, running to see what was happened to her. And they saw her hovering few feet off the sea surface.

“Come on, guys, just a little Hovering charm…” she said, chuckling, then they saw her moving toward the isle. The wind was making her float there.

“I swear, that girl is a genius” Harry said, in awe.

“Couldn't have said it better myself” Ron agreed. “Lucky me she's my girlfriend”

At these words Harry's inner monster didn't seem too pleased. He shrugged it off, although he scowled.

“It's just I'm not yet used to think of them as a couple” he thought, while looking her land on the rock.

Once there, Hermione started searching everywhere, but it seemed the small rock didn't have caves or secret entrances.

“What if Harry is mistaken?” she thought in anguish. “Or am I not able to find it?”

Just then, turning, she tripped on her shoelace, and fell in the water, barely managing to keep herself attached to the rock with her hands.

What she saw while trying to get back on surprised her. In the side of the rock, just below the water surface, a small entrance was conceived. She could sense magic being used on it.

Not being able to use her wand to open it, having to hold on the rock for dear life if she didn't want to be brought away from the waves, she tried pushing on the rock with her hands and feet, but to no avail.

Finally the tide started to change and even if the sea was still agitated, she was soon out of the water apart for her feet. She pulled on the rock and pushed on the side with her feet too, to help herself, so she was back on top of it, took her wand and tried every unlocking charm she knew on the side, that was now in the open, out of the water.

Harry and Ron kept watching her struggle, till in the end they noticed a crack opening in the rock.

“Hermione! It's open!” they cried together.

She, who had been with her eyes close to concentrate better, suddenly opened them and grinned, pushing one hand into the cavity. She grabbed the necklace, and pulled it out of its hiding place, but suddenly fangs appeared on the crack borders, closing swiftly on her hand. They were going to chop it off if she did not do something quickly.

“Hermione! Apparate here!” Harry shouted, but she couldn't if she wanted her hand, and the necklace, to exit the small cavity.

Finally, after many attempts and her hand already being injured by the fangs, she managed to hit them with a Tickling Charm. That did the magic, as the fangs sprung open, moving wildly around, and she extracted hand and locket. Then she Apparated to her friends.

“Wow! That was brilliant!” both of them commented, hugging her. Ron greeted her with a long kiss that she eagerly replied.

Then she smiled, pleased with herself.

“But you're hurt!” Harry said, then, noticing lots of blood dripping from her hand.

“Oh, it's nothing” she said, and with a quick Healing charm her hand was fixed. However, hearing Harry once again so worried for her had made her feel strangely giddy. “Now, the hard work. We need to figure out a way to destroy it” she continued, trying to ignore it.

So they sat with the heavy golden locket with the S of Slytherin in the middle, trying at turns hexes and spells to make it break.

“Impedimenta!” Ron cried.

“Reducto!” Harry said.

“Deflagro!” Hermione shouted, but to no avail. If it had worked the locket would have exploded in a thousand pieces.

After everyone of their attempts, the necklace glowed a sick green, and remained the same. Plus, if everyone but Harry touched it in the middle, it burned their skin. Ron and Hermione got two nasty bruises with that.

Harry thought about simply smashing it on the rocks, but it didn't work. The object was unscathed.

Finally the night came, so they resigned to leave it like it was for the day. They Apparated back to Hogsmeade and walked to the castle, Harry hiding the necklace in his pocket. They went once again to see the Headmistress.

Once they reported what had happened, she nodded, took notes on that, then sent them to have dinner, while she examined the locket.

“Wonder what you've to do to open it” Ron said, once in the Great Hall, still munching. That earned him a swat on the head from Hermione.

“I am at a loss for it” Harry admitted.

“Well, we'll figure out something tomorrow. For now let's be content with having taken it from its hiding place” Hermione reasoned.

Later, after some relaxing chat, Harry went to bed.

Since he was the most knackered, he immediately fell asleep. But his one was not a pleasant slumber, tormented by nightmares of Voldemort sneering, telling him he had almost done it, but since he couldn't break his Horcruxes, finding them was useless.

Finally he woke up with a start, his scar burning.

He went for a walk, then when he felt he was ok, went back to sleep.

Next morning he was still shaken.

“Harry, you all right mate?” Ron asked, while sipping tea at the Gryffindor table.

“Yeah, just some bad dreams” he said.

After a quick breakfast they went to see the Headmistress.

“Harry, I've checked it, but the magic on it seems to be repellent of every kind of spell used on the object. I was up all night, but couldn't find a way to open it, even less to damage it” she said, giving it back to them. “Maybe in the library…I'll excuse you from classes today, it is of the biggest importance that we destroy this”

The teens nodded, and went to the library.

For the whole morning their attempts failed, till Harry had one idea.

“Why not? After all this thing is Slytherin's, the other owner was Voldemort…”

“What are you talking about, Harry?”

He did not respond, but started concentrating, his eyes shut, and hissings came from his mouth.

“Open to your Master. Let me see what you contain” he said in Parseltongue.

And a soft click was heard. The locket opened, but it was empty.

“Not that I expected it to contain something important, but at least we know it reacts to Parseltongue” Harry said, proud of himself.

“That's genial, Harry! I hadn't thought of that!” Hermione squealed, hugging him.

“Now, for the last test…” Harry started, ignoring her touch, or at least trying to.

Excited but also afraid of what could happen, “Reducto!” he shouted in Parseltongue.

They say hexes told in that language are more powerful.

It seemed true, as the locket broke in two.

Harry did it times and times again till just powder was in front of them.

“I guess this one is done, then” Harry said, pumping his fist in triumph, while Ron and Hermione complimented him, the girl giving him a kiss on the cheek that made him blush a little.

“Let's go tell McGonagall” Hermione suggested, smiling at him. So they did, Ron leading his girlfriend hand in hand.

The Headmistress was extremely pleased with their result, and let them enjoy a free afternoon. She said she would have notes of their classes for the day brought to them that evening, so they could study and not remain behind.

Harry decided a flight on his Firebolt 2005 was a good way of releasing the adrenaline and the stress of the past two days, so he passed the whole afternoon up in the air.

Hermione and Ron took the chance to enjoy some time by themselves, near the lake.

Weather was still quite good, just a bit chilly it was starting to get, so they sat under a tree, Ron holding her.

“Seems we started with the right foot this business” he said softly, stroking her hair.

She sighed. “Yes, so it seems” she said, leaning on him.

They sat quietly, enjoying the closeness.

Then she turned and kissed him, so they started snogging.

Harry was flying that way just in that moment, and saw them.

His monster rose once again, just like when he had seen Ginny kissing Dean, previous year.

“But how can it be? It's Hermione we're talking about! It has to be that I'm not used to them being together” he thought, flying away.

Hermione started getting drowsy, so soon she fell asleep in her boyfriend's arms, while Ron kept stroking her hair lovingly.

That night Harry had nightmares again. This time, however, they involved Hermione kissing someone he could not see, and then following him into darkness, out of his view and reach.

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9. The Next Horcrux

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

The Next Horcrux

Harry tried ignoring his nightmares next morning, so he quietly dressed and waited in their small common room for Hermione, so they would go pick Ron up, then they would head to breakfast together.

Once there, they filled their plates, and started eating while chatting.

“So, I guess this is quite good. A month of school, and we've already found and destroyed an Horcrux” Ron whispered, so that only them could hear him.

“Ron, don't speak with your mouth full. And yes, this seems good, but we've got three more Horcruxes to find” Hermione chastised him.

Harry said nothing, simply ate his meal.

When they were done, they headed in the grounds for a Care of Magical Creatures lesson. They had decided to take it again, as maybe they could learn something useful in their quest. Hagrid was once again teaching the subject.

“Welcome” he greeted the students, and smiled broadly seeing Harry and his friends. “Today we're gonna study something really fascinating, but a bit dangerous”

“I foresee troubles. If even Hagrid admits the creature is dangerous…” Ron muttered.

Hermione and Harry simply looked at each other with a feeling of dread.

Hagrid then guided them into the Forest, to a clearing where a fence was built. In it there were strange creatures, seemingly lions with two heads.

“These, boys, are the rare Two-Headed Lions. Although they may seem to simply have one head more than the Muggle Lions, these beasts have strong magical powers. First of all, their bite is highly venomous, and few are the healers in the world able to brew the antidote. Second, their skin is almost invulnerable, as well as the dragon one. There is just one point where you can hurt them, and it is under their belly, as there the skin is much softer. And, finally, they have magical blood, so that it can be used in complex potion-making, especially for explosive potions and similar. But maybe you should ask Professor Pastral for better indications on the use of their blood”

Although the beast was highly dangerous, due to its venomous bite, the class passed quietly. This is because Hagrid did not let anyone inside the fence, to not risk bites.

It was an interesting class, and for once even Hermione should admit Hagrid was really skilled about magical beasts. The Half-Giant knew all what there was to know on every kind of beast, and if he started acting more prudently in class, he would be an excellent teacher.

Harry couldn't hide his grin while walking back to the castle.

They next headed toward the Defense classroom.

After taking their usual seats, they waited for Professor Trayens to show up.

The tall man entered the class soon, and went to his desk in the front.

“Very well, today we'll start on something you already have familiarity with. I've seen from the records that in fourth year, although the teacher was a fraud, he started you on the Unforgivables. I think that now, in seventh year and with Voldemort on the loose, it's good to take the matter in our hands again”

The trio exchanged worried glances. Hermione seemed ready to protest.

“No, I'm not going to show them to you, Ms. Granger. One time is enough, I'm sure you all remember the effects from fourth year. What I'm going to do, is telling you how to contrast them. See, the Imperious Curse can be overcome by a strong will. If you try and strengthen your will, maybe forcing yourself to do something while you don't want to, for example, on a sunny Sunday you force yourself to study instead of going outside and flying up in the air, well, you may grow strong enough to overcome the Imperious, should you be put under it”

All class took notes, and Hermione smirked at Ron, knowing very well that an exercise of will like the one suggested by the professor was something he would find extremely hard to do.

“Then there is the Cruciatus Curse. Terrible, indeed. But there is a way to overcome it. You all know what this curse does, so have you any ideas how we can avoid to endure the pain?”

No one raised his hand.

“I knew it. Well, meditation can help. Yoga is a meditation discipline that is used mostly in the East, by Muggles. It is really useful, as you may learn to detach your mind from your body. Adding it to our magical abilities allows us to be able to, in a figurative meaning, “float” outside our body when the Cruciatus is put on us, and we won't feel the pain. Now, for the Yoga technique…”

One hour later, class was dismissed.

“Really interesting, wasn't it?” Hermione commented while they headed to lunch.

“Oh, yeah. I think this will be most useful in the war. That man knows his job, that's for sure” Harry said, deep in thought.

“Oh, yes. Wonder if he was an Auror or something like that” Ron mused. “Either way, he knows lots on the Dark Arts. Maybe we could ask his help for the Horcruxes…”

“No” Harry replied, while Hermione, who was going to agree with the suggestion, remained with her mouth hanging open.

“Why not?” she said, regaining her composure.

“Because less people know about them, less people are in danger. Dumbledore gave me this task just for one reason, the prophecy. He would have done it himself, if he could”

They accepted his decision, although they thought the man could be useful in their quest.

After lunch, Harry and Ron headed for the common room, while Hermione went to Arithmancy.

Then, she had Ancient Runes, while they had a free period.

Professor McGonagall called them in her office.

“First of all, my congratulations to you, and Ms. Granger, who I understand had lessons now, for destroying Slytherin's locket. Brilliant intuition, Mr. Potter, brilliant indeed.”

Both boys nodded.

“Now, on the matter at hand, I called you here for talking about the Quidditch Team. I reckon with your mission no one of you two would be able to be Captain, due to your possible absences when the training is going to take place. While it can be excused as normal players, it can not as Captain. So, I called you two here to know if you've got suggestions for the captaincy”

The boys looked at each other, and then Harry spoke. “I don't know, Headmistress, but maybe Ginny Weasley would be adapt. She's breathed Quidditch her whole life, and for two years in a row she substituted me very well. So, I would suggest her”

“I agree, and not just because she's my sister” Ron said.

“Very well then. I guess she'll have to gain a steady role in the team to get the captaincy, tough”

“Oh, I guess she can play Chaser” Harry said Ron. “We may have to test her in the position, but I think she'll do fairly well”

So it was decided.

Next Saturday, they organized an impromptu Quidditch training for the Gryffindor team, and Ginny was to play Chaser.

They had kept to themselves the fact that if she was to get the position, she would get the captaincy as well, to not stress her too much.

Harry acted as an interim Captain.

He released the Quaffle, the Snitch and the Bludgers, and the training started. Ron was Keeper, and Ginny was to try and score him as much as she could in ten tries.

Surprisingly, she scored seven goals on ten shoots, while no one else of the Chaser was able to score a single goal.

Harry grinned at Ron, who had effectively tried his best to stop his sister's attempts, and the redhead returned the grin.

As soon as they all landed, Harry walked toward Ginny, followed by the others.

“Welcome on the team, Captain Weasley” he said, giving her the badge of Captain.

She looked at him dumbfounded, then at all her team mates grinning at clapping their hands, and she started crying of joy. Then she hugged Harry in a way that reminded him of her mother.

Later in the common room the celebrations were all for the youngest Weasley, who for one night was treated like a real Queen by the whole House. Hermione congratulated with her friend too, sincerely happy for the younger girl.

The next days brought the trio back on working on their quest.

They kept studying the books in the library searching clues for the location of the Hufflepuff's cup.

Harry shared with them all the places he had visited with Dumbledore in the memories, and they reasoned where Voldemort could have hidden it.

“I guess it has to be a place that held a great meaning for him. Something really representative of one particular moment or event in his life” Hermione said.

“Yeah, I think that too. Just wonder what that place could be, though” Harry replied, deep in thought.

Ron said nothing, as he had no idea where the object could be hidden.

“Let's see, we have visited the cave for the locket. Other places we saw or heard of in the memories are the orphanage, Riddle's house, the Gaunt hut, Borgin's shop…” Harry started remembering.

“Do you know where Dumbledore has found the ring?” Ron asked.

“No, unluckily I don't” Harry said, discouraged. The cup could be in any one of those places…

“We need to try and think like Voldemort. Where would have you hidden it if you were him?” Hermione said.

So they started thinking and reflecting on that. No one came to a solution, as every place seemed equally probable.

Night started falling, so they once again had to interrupt and go to dinner.

They resumed their musing when there was no one else in the common room, but without reaching a solution, so they at one in the morning called it a night.

Next morning, they discussed some time during breakfast where they should go.

“I think we should really go to Riddle's house” Hermione suggested. “I mean, after all an Horcrux can be made just when you rip your soul after a murder, and the Riddles were his first murders, so it would make sense for him to have hidden it there. It should hold a certain importance to him”

“That's brilliant, Mione! I hadn't thought of that!” Harry exclaimed.

“Well, it's just an idea that came to me this night” she said, smiling at his praise.

So they went to see the Headmistress.

She greeted them.

“You asked to talk with me, Harry. So, what is the matter?” she asked gently, while offering them some tea.

“Headmistress, we're on the search for the next Horcrux, but we need some days of leave to concretise our search. You see, we've got to search his Muggle house, as we think it was somehow an important place for him, so he may have placed an Horcrux there”

After the explanation of their whole theory, the Professor nodded.

“Yes, I reckon this is a reasonable hypothesis. I'll allow you some days of leave then, but be careful” she advised them.

And so they moved, walking to Hogsmeade and then Apparating to Little Hangleton and walking toward the building Harry had seen in one of his nightmares in fourth year and recently in a memory in Dumbledore's Pensieve.

All day they searched in the garden, in the walls of the house, they broke in and searched in the rooms, but found nothing.

“Bloody Hell, seems like he hid it very accurately” Ron commented.

“Yeah, or he never put it here in the first place” Harry said, trying a revealing Charm on a wall behind some shelves.

“Guys, concentrate, and if something is here we'll find it” Hermione said, trying to boost their moods. But she was getting sceptical herself, even if she knew somehow that place was important for Lord Voldemort. Probably not enough to hid an Horcrux there, though.

That night, Harry went hunting in a nearby wood, and his Seeker reflexes helped him in catching a particularly fast deer that would be enough food for all of them. So he took the animal and put it on his shoulders, returning to their small camp.

Once there, he found his friends involved in some serious snogging.

“Hey, you two, get a room!” he called smiling at them, even if his insides were, once again, twisting.

“Smartass, we are out of city, where do you think we could get a room?” Ron retorted, sticking his tongue at him.

Harry simply shook his head, placing the deer on the wood for the fire. He was utterly annoyed at his inner monster now, as he shouldn't be so upset at them kissing. It was not like he fancied Hermione, especially since he liked Ginny.

Ginny…he had not thought of her romantically for along time now, to be sincere.

“That's because we have been busy” he thought to rid himself of senses of guilt. But he was not so convinced himself by that explanation.

Thinking about that, he didn't notice Hermione nearing him, so he nearly jumped out of his skin when her hand touched his shoulder.

“You ok, Harry?” she asked, concerned.

“Yeah, of course. Just a bit distracted”

She didn't seem to believe it but didn't push the matter. “Anyhow, I thought you may need some help with that big deer”

“Oh, don't worry. I can manage”

“I would like to help all the same. I feel like me and Ron are exploiting you. Just because you can cook, it doesn't mean you have to do all by yourself”

“Well, if that's so important to you, you can help me”

And so she did. At one point, their hands brushed one on the other, reaching for the plates they conjured to place their food. They looked at each other, both blushing.

Harry found her hands extremely soft, and wondered how would be to have his face cupped and caressed by those hands.

As soon as he thought this, he shook the image from his head, like it was some forbidden thought.

“I can't go on this way. She's Ron's girlfriend after all, and I can't hurt them. Wonder why I'm so affected by her touch, tough” he thought while seating in front of her and Ron, and eating his meal silently.

That night, he had a strange and upsetting dream, in which he was with Ginny, and he started kissing her, but when they parted it was no more the redhead he was with, but Hermione. And he was actually glad for it…

Their search failed for the next two days. Finally they understood there was nothing interesting there. On the third morning, during breakfast, Harry exposed one theory he had formulated while dressing to the others.

“I think we should search in the orphanage. I mean, he placed the locket in the cave he visited when in the orphanage, so maybe since he got the two objects together, he decided to put them in places linked one to the other, thus placing the cup in his old room in the building”

“Brilliant, Harry! I surely couldn't come up with such a theory!” Ron said, enthusiastic to leave because it meant they were going back to town, and he would have lots of places where to satisfy his appetite, that in the last days had been never completely fulfilled.

Hermione nodded smiling too. “Yeah, brilliant thought. I didn't think of that”

Harry became a little pink hearing Hermione's praise, but that went unnoticed from Ron, too busy in gulping down some coffee and sausages.

Hermione however noticed it, but her questioning look was met by Harry's simple shrugging.

Soon they Apparated to Diagon Alley, and from there they exited into Muggle London.

Harry asked information about the whereabouts of the orphanage to some passing people, and then they started walking toward there.

“Really, couldn't we simply Apparate, or take a Portkey?” Ron wailed after half an hour they were walking.

“Honestly, Ron, stop being a baby! We're in the middle of Muggle London, going to a Muggle place, where do you expect for us to Apparate? In the middle of the street?” Hermione said sternly, rolling her eyes.

Harry chuckled. He loved those little fights, and his inner monster hoped they would grow to something bigger so that they would break up.

“Now, I should be happy for them” Harry chastised himself. But he could not deny that every time he looked at Hermione he found her extremely attractive.

So, they finally entered the building, Harry asked of Miss Cole as Dumbledore had done years later, and they spoke with her after some time.

“So, what kind of business brings you here, Mr. Potter?” the woman asked coldly.

Harry didn't know what to say, he had not expected her to question him, so he said the blunt truth, throwing caution to the wind.

“We're here to see the old room of Tom Riddle”

“And why should I let you?” Miss Cole asked.

“Because we are making investigations on him” Ron added, following Harry's path of bluntness. Hermione just closed her eyes, imagining what was to come.

“Well, I admit strange things have happened in that room in the last years, but you can't come here and simply ask to search a room without proofs and a regular permit from Scotland Yard, you know. So now, exit from here and don't come back without it!” Miss Cole said, angrily.

They were kicked out in no time.

“Such a couple of smooth talkers you are” Hermione said, rolling her eyes but a bit amusedly.

“Well, you didn't do a lot better in Borgin's last year” Ron retorted. They all laughed.

“Probably it's better this way. She would have never let us search it alone, and with her surveillance, we would have not been able to use our magic abilities to find it” Harry concluded.

“Yeah, but what do we do now?”

He simply took a folded cloak from his bag.

“Invisibility Cloak. Tonight, we'll search that room, Miss Cole wanting it or not” he grinned. The other two smiled at him.

“For now, let's just relax and enjoy the good day” Harry said. And so they did, passing the afternoon in Hyde Park relaxing under a tree. It was by now almost November, so the days started to grow chilly, but it was still bearable.

That night they squeezed themselves under the cloak, which with always more difficulty contained all three of them without showing a thing, then with a quick Alohomora they unlocked the front doors of the building and slithered in, going up the stairs trying to be as silent as possible.

Harry, who had seen where the room was in the Pensieve, led them there, and they found it empty. Just the cupboard was there. Harry quickly inspected its insides, but to no avail, since he found nothing useful.

They checked all the walls but found nothing. The Revealing Charms they used were too weak, or there was nothing to be found.

Suddenly Ron tripped, banging hard on the cupboard. The noise was so loud, Harry knew someone would come, so they quickly hid under the cloak again, barely moments before Miss Cole entered, followed by her assistant.

“Miss Cole, I'm really scared by this room. Strange things always happen here”

“I know, my dear, I know. Well, seems no one is here, so we can go back to sleep”

The two women exited leaving the trio alone once more.

“Good job, Ron. We almost got caught. Try to be more attentive, please!” Harry spat angrily.

Ron nodded, grinning sheepishly.

After two more hours, they were still at a loss for what to do.

“Merlin's beard! It's not here too!” Harry muttered angrily in frustration, slumping to the floor. That was the moment he saw it. With the moonlight coming into the room from the window, and the view angle he had from that position, he noticed a snakelike V on the opposite wall, just near the ceiling.

“Ron! Hermione! Come here! Do you see it too?” he asked them.

“Yeah, there's something on that tile” Hermione said.

“Ron, can you lift me?” Harry asked

“Of course, mate” so he climbed on the redhead's shoulders, trying to reach the tile.

He tried every unlocking charm he knew, but nothing happened. He thought he had to use some blood to open it, like Dumbledore did at the cave, but it did not work.

Parseltongue was useless too.

“How do we open this bloody tile?” Harry asked.

“I don't know, mate, but do it quickly. It's not like you weight like a feather, you know”

Hermione was deep in thought.

Suddenly she smiled. “Of course. How could we have not thought of it before? Harry, you need to prove it you're Voldemort, or it won't open”

“And how can I do that? I'm not him”

“I know. But we can adjust it” she said, then using the human transfiguration spell they had learned previous year at Hogwarts, and remembering the images of Lord Voldemort Harry had told them, she transfigured Harry's hand to be like Voldemort's, snakelike, really thin, and with long fingers.

“Now press your finger on the V while unlocking it”

Harry did that, and it actually worked. After a click, the tile broke, revealing a small space in which the cup was.

“Hufflepuff's cup” Harry said in awe. It was golden, with a badger engraved on it, and two finely wrought handles. Stretching his hand to grab it, he had it repulsed by a nasty electric shock. The sudden movement he did made him lose balance, so he fell from Ron's shoulders, bringing the redhead down with him .

Fortunately Hermione had put a Silencing charm on the room, so no one came this time.

After many attempts, all of them bringing Harry to be electro-shocked, Ron had one brilliant idea.

“Guys, I hate to tell you that, but maybe we should put Imperious on one of us, so that one would grab it no matter what, even if it will hurt him.

“Ok, then put it on me” Harry said. “This way I'll be the one hurt”

Hermione and Ron hesitated, but in the end she did that. “Imperio!” she cried. Harry's eyes went blank.

“Harry, I order you to take that cup no matter what” she said softly then, hating herself for it. But it really seemed there was no other way.

Harry did, resisting the shock wave, and brought it down trough a nasty smell of burned flesh.

Hermione released him from the curse.

“So, did I take it?” Harry asked, feeling his consciousness come back.

“Yeah, you did. But at what price, I can't tell” Hermione said seriously, looking at him.

Ron seemed horrified too. After all he was the one who had suggested it.

Harry looked down at himself, just to see his wand hand completely soaked in blood and smoking like it had been burned. He tried to use it, but while he could move it, he had no sensibility at all.

“Well, if Dumbledore could go on with a burnt hand, I can too” Harry said, bravely, taking the cloak and putting it around them. Or at least he tried. But he couldn't do the movement right, for his hand was really badly injured.

With Hermione's help they managed to secure it around them, then they exited the building, the cup now in Hermione's hands, since it didn't shock the one touching it anymore.

Once away from there, they stopped in a square, and since no one was around, Hermione took her wand and cast some Healing charms on Harry's hand. She managed to stop the bleeding, and to rebuilt the flesh on it, but it seemed he had lost his sensibility forever.

“I'm so sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have suggested that” Ron said sadly.

“Don't worry, Ron. We had to take it somehow, and we did. Now we need to destroy it. I'll learn to use my wand with the other hand, if that's necessary”” Harry said, dismissively.

They reached the Leaky Cauldron and from there Apparated to Hogsmeade. Then they walked back to the castle, and went to report to the Headmistress.

“So you got it. Have you already tried to destroy the object?” She asked.

“No, we thought better to come here straightaway since Harry was injured to his hand, maybe Madam Pomfrey can do something for him, plus we've been away three days, it is better if we keep our absences to a minimum” Hermione rationally explained.

The older witch nodded. “Very well then. I guess this is it for the moment. Potter, go to the Hospital Wing and see if Poppy can do something for your hand, then the three of you return to your common room” she said, dismissing them.

So they did.

“Potter, you've passed here more time than all the other students together, you know that, don't you?” the nurse said him checking his hand. “And how did you burn your hand this way? I see someone has already fixed it”

Hermione blushed a bit and nodded. “I did, with some spells I've read about”

“Well, you may very well have saved his chances to get his hand back as new, Ms. Granger” the nurse said. “Here, Potter, drink this, and then only time will tell if your hand will be back to normal” she said, shoving a goblet in his good hand.

Harry gulped it down, and found it was less foul than it looked.

Then they were off to the common room.

Once in it, they sat on the floor, trying to find a way to destroy the cup. No one was there anymore, so they had quite a bit of freedom in thinking and trying.

Parseltongue hexes did not work, normal ones didn't too. Muggle ways even less.

Then Harry tried putting it in the fire to make it melt. Some kind of venomous gas exited from it, so, between coughs, Hermione managed to open the window and breathed in the fresh night air. Then she turned to see Ron and Harry on the floor, like stones. She felt drowsy herself.

But the task was accomplished, there was no sign of the cup in the room anymore.

For one hour she tried to wake up her friends, but no results. She flung cold water on them, but nothing. Tried Enervating them, with the same result.

When she was starting to despair, though, Harry started coming around on his own.

She immediately rushed to his side.

“Harry! How do you feel?”

“Fine. Drowsy but fine. How's Ron?”

“Still out cold” she said.

“Seems I've more stamina than him then” Harry said, smiling feebly, and trying to stand up.

“No, rest. I'll levitate you to the couch” and so she did. While waiting for Ron to wake up, they relaxed a bit.

“You gave me a nasty worry there, you know” she said, faking to be angry and scooting closer.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to. But what really matters is that we destroyed it” Harry said, just while his eyelids closed, and few moments later her did too, so they ended falling asleep one near the other on the couch, her head resting on his shoulder.

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10. Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?

Fortunately they woke up just moments before Ron started to stir, so that they avoided being caught in a position that the redhead would have probably thought compromising.

Not that they meant something by it, it just felt natural to fall asleep that way.

“So, how's your hand doing, Harry?” Hermione asked, while Ron was rubbing his eyes.

Harry tried closing it, and it moved just the tiniest bit.

“As you can see, still far from normal but a bit better” he said, giving her one of his trademark grins.

Then, as soon as the redhead was fully back conscious, they started to plan how to find the next Horcrux, walking down to the Great Hall to have breakfast, before someone found them there in the common room.

“I guess since it can be anything owned by Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, we will have a pretty crowded list of things to check and try before we got the one. Lucky as we are, we may very well have to pass through all of them before we get it right” Ron said, once they were at the table, while stuffing his mouth with sausages.

The time he'd been unconscious made him grow an appetite even bigger than his usual one, and that's saying something.

Apart for having to endure the not so pleasant show of him munching while speaking, something both Harry and Hermione would have happily done without, they caught something in what he had said.

“Lucky? You said lucky?” Harry asked him.

“Yeah, right. Why are you asking?” Ron said, not understanding what he meant, while Hermione did, an hint of a smile on her lips.

“Because we know the best way to be lucky! Does “Felix Felicis” tell you something?” she said, while Harry nodded, grinning at her once again.

Ron stopped with one sausage in mid air. Suddenly he got it.

“Of course!” he said, laughing and banging his head with his free hand. “Of course! We can use it!”

“Yeah, only problem is that it takes six months to brew” Hermione reminded them.

They were able to talk that freely because it was still early an no one was there to overhear them.

“Well, we better go to do it, then” Ron said.

“Yeah, but where? Where can we go and leave a cauldron for six months without someone messing with it?”

“I think Moaning Myrtle's cubicle will do. Or the Burrow…” Harry said, resolution in his eyes.

“Of course! Ginny is at Hogwarts, the twins have the shop to work in, till the summer no one will mess with it at home!” Ron said, excited.

Hermione nodded, a bit annoyed at her boyfriend's childish behaviour. “Yes, but if we do it here, we may be able to check on it more frequently” she reasoned.

In the end they decided to brew it in Myrtle's cubicle.

Most of the work was done by Hermione, as she was the most talented. Ron, known for messing his potions, simply looked, while Harry did his best to help.

“Wish we had Snape's book with us now” Ron said, absently.

“Even if I had it, I wouldn't use it. I'll not accept any kind of help from Snape” Harry said darkly, and Hermione nodded.

“Yeah, we can do it on our own, plus I would never rely on a traitor's help” she said firmly, stirring the potion clockwise once more.

It had started to take that golden colour it should have when finished, but now it should brew for half an year. Being that they were in November, it should be ready for May.

“Here. It's done” Hermione said, looking proudly at her work. “Never done a potion this difficult”

“Great!” Ron exclaimed.

“Yeah, I just wish we had started it this summer. I mean, we already knew finding this Horcrux would not be easy, if we thought of this first, we could have been already half way through its brewing now…” Harry said, wistfully.

“Yeah, you're right” the others agreed a bit sadly.

After locking it with the strongest charms they knew, they called for Myrtle and explained the situation.

“…and so, no one should enter the cubicle apart form us. We locked it strongly, but just so you know and can keep an eye on it, we are telling you”

“Oh, of course. I'll make sure even one pin can't penetrate it” the ghost girl assured. “Are the three of you being scamps again?”

“No, Myrtle. But it is of the utmost importance that no one finds that” Harry said, since he was the one the ghost liked the most.

She nodded and plunged into the toilet again.

“Guys, I guess we better part now” Harry said.

“And why are you suggesting it?” Ron asked.

“Well, if we search in three different places at the same time, we have more chances to compose the list of the objects quicker” he explained.

“Yeah, right” the other two said, unconvinced.

“Oh, come on. I'm sure you can stay one month not seeing each other. We'll meet each other again for Christmas at the Burrow” he teased them. His inner monster actually laughed at the thought of the couple being parted for so long. Little he knew that while Ron was sad for not being able to be with Hermione, she was sad for not being around Harry for so long.

However, they did in the end part.

“Hermione, I guess Hogwarts library will be the perfect place for you to search. After all we are talking about two of the founders, it's bound to have something about them and their cherished possessions, and out of us three you're the one who knows the library better, so it would be easier for you to find what we are searching” Harry suggested. Actually, he was keeping her there, because that way she would be surely safe. He could not bear the risk to send her alone around Europe, not knowing what she would have to face. But the reasons he gave Hermione were, after all, true, so he didn't feel he was deserting the task for his own personal troubles.

“Ok, Harry. I'll go right now, then” and with that she walked toward the library.

“Ron, I think you should search in the Ministry archives, maybe your father can give you some kind of help in doing that. As for me, I'm off to visit first “Flourish and Blotts” for books on the founders, then the “Worldwide Ancient Magic Library” in Rome. Hope I'll find something useful…”

So the two boys went to see the Headmistress.

“Professor, since I guess this Horcrux will take lots of our time, since we know not what it is and where it is, I ask for permission for me and Ron to leave till Christmas at least. Hermione will stay here in the castle and search in the library”. He then explained their theory about it being something owned by either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.

She nodded.

“Yes, I see how this theory could be true. However, a month leave will surely be noticed” she said, in thought. “If I were to allow you that, I would have to think something really good to tell the school and eventually the Board of Governors…”

In the end, she allowed them to leave. So they went as quickly as possible to Hogsmeade, and from there they were off to where they were to search.

**

Hermione was later called by the Headmistress.

“Miss Granger, what Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley are doing must be covered by a good story. Since you're here in the castle, I think we should plan it together”

Hermione nodded.

“Now, surely someone will ask where they are. I think the best course of action is to try and delay the question as much as possible, but it will eventually come. So, I guess the only option open to us is to tell whoever asks that both of them sustained heavy injuries due to the Two-Headed Lions Hagrid has in the grounds. When the time will come we'll spread rumours how the two of them ventured into the forest alone, and an incident occurred, and that they have been transferred to St. Mungo's”

Hermione was not totally happy with what the Headmistress was suggesting, but still she thought there was no other choice. So she agreed.

“Of course, Headmistress. I'll do as you said”

And so Hermione's research started. Nights and nights she read, but found nothing about the founders' possessions, even if on the founders she collected lots of material. During the days, she would go over her notes, scratching all what was totally useless, and keeping information that could somehow maybe lead them to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw's possessions, and she attended classes so that Harry and Ron would be able to study from her notes during Christmas break.

Oh, they would not be going to like that, but she would have them study in those days. After all, the three of them had their NEWTs that year…

During that month, the first Quidditch match was to be played. Ginny approached her and asked about her brother and Harry.

“Ginny, I should not tell you this, but they are on business. Don't expect to see them before Christmas at the Burrow, so for this match you're on your own” the brown haired girl said.

Ginny nodded dejectedly, and went on her way.

The day of the match came. It was Gryffindor against Ravenclaw.

The whole match Gryffindor was on the lead, Ginny was playing Seeker to substitute Harry, McLaggen had taken Ron's position, and as usual was shouting orders here and there like he was the captain.

Ginny flied toward him and Silenced him so that his big mouth would be close for the rest of the match, and she could concentrate on the Snitch.

Hermione laughed seeing her younger friend doing that, but she reckoned the boy deserved that. He was a real prat.

In the end Gryffindor won with a sound 300 to 50 and celebrations ensued in the common room that night. A brown haired witch, however, was elsewhere in the castle, precisely in the Restricted Section of the library, as most nights.

The time Harry had gave her was almost finished, Christmas break at school was about to start, when one night she casually stumbled on a book in the Restricted Section. It was called “Ancient Artefacts and Magical items of Godric Gryffindor and other famous wizards and witches”.

She took it, beaming, and started reading it, finally falling asleep on the open pages after having discovered that the only items of Gryffindor still intact at the moment the book was published were some kind of cloak, with engraved Gryffindor's family line, the sword in the Headmistress' office, his first book of Transfiguration and the vase in which he kept the Floo Powder.

She was shook asleep in the morning by gentle hands.

“Hermione! Hermione! Wake up!” a known voice said.

Finally she started stirring, just to find herself looking back into the blue eyes of Ginny Weasley.

“Ginny?” she said, not completely awaken by an enticing dream involving her, a man she did not recognize but felt familiar for some kind of reason, and a bedroom. The man had some kind of scars all across his back and his chest too. She was so shocked by that, and did not understand immediately the situation she was in.

Then it dawned on her. She was in the library, and she had fell asleep on the book she was reading.

“Hey, everyone has already left for the Christmas break. I was just searching for a book I need to borrow for a Transfiguration essay, then I'm off home” Ginny said.

“Oh, ok. Well, I guess I better take my things and so we can take the train then, since I'm going to meet Harry and Ron back at the Burrow” Hermione said, the remembrance of her vivid dream still nagging at her mind. However, she was satisfied her task was accomplished, and thought no more of it for the moment.

**

Harry explored Flourish and Blotts thoroughly and found lots of books on the founders. He bought all of them, for which his account at Gringott's would not be pleased, but he didn't care too much. He read all of them as quickly as he could, and managed to find the same information on Gryffindor that Hermione had.

Then he Apparated in Rome, and entered the “Worldwide Ancient Magic Library”. He consulted lots of textbooks, in foreign languages too, growing himself nasty headaches for which he kept rubbing his temples groaning, and thinking about Hermione.

The bushy haired girl was more and more invading in his thoughts, lately, and he was half happy, half annoyed by that. After all she was his best friend's girlfriend, and he was supposed to think about Ginny, the one who had enticed him so much previous year, not about his female best friend. Plus, not being able to find useful information made him irritable too.

However, just the day he was supposed to leave for the Burrow, he found information about Ravenclaw's things. He found that the witch had a passion for birds, so she had every kind of them carved in both wood or stone, but most of those objects had gone destroyed or lost. Only one, representing one eagle, had arrived safe to the days of the book, which was dated 80 years before, so Riddle could have read it when he was a teenager. No signs of where the stone eagle was, though.

He found then that a brooch with her emblem had survived too, and was now probably in Germany, thought there was no certainty about that, while her pointed hat, one which there was a charm preventing it from decaying with wear and be torn apart, was no longer tracked but had been seen last time in France.

He found an ancient book on Horcruxes too, how to make them, and alternatives to making one.

Satisfied with his job, he put the book back in its place, the notes he took in his bag, and Apparated straightaway in front of the Burrow.

**

Ron passed one hell of a month in the Ministry archives, as he was not known for his ability in searching things in libraries or similar places. Normally it was Hermione doing that kind of work for him and Harry, even if this last one had sometimes done it on his own.

Arthur did all what he could do to help his son, but it was not so much. He simply obtained Ron a pass for the archives at any time he should need to consult them.

Unluckily, there was one single but terribly annoying wizard working there, continuously on Ron's tail controlling what the young Weasley was doing, which books was reading, which documents…

“Excuse me, would you please leave me alone and mind your own business?” Ron finally snapped, after three weeks of that being followed around between the shelves.

The other wizard said nothing, merely vanished probably going to really take care of his duties.

Finally free of that pestering, Ron managed to find exactly where the two founders' possessions were. Gryffindor's cloak was in the Italian Magical Museum in Florence, while the Transfiguration book was held by a collector in the U.S.A. and the Floo Powder vase had been seen last time in Scotland, precisely in Edinburgh. As for the Ravenclaw's ones, he discovered that the brooch was in Stuttgart, owned by a respected German wizard named Otto Friedel, while the hat was in Marseille, but the owner was not known. There was a picture of it, though, that Ron quickly snatched, not seen. As for the stone eagle, it had never left England, as it had been found few years before and placed in Rowena Ravenclaw Museum in Liverpool.

He pumped his fist in the air, ran out of the office and was about to Apparate away when he noticed he had forgot his notes inside. Groaning, he ran back in to retrieve them, then Apparated to his home, where Harry and Hermione would be probably already waiting him as he reasoned, not knowing they were travelling just in that moment. So he landed in the garden at the same time of Harry, while Ginny, Molly and Hermione weren't there yet.

“Hullo, Harry. How's your search gone?” Ron asked joyfully while they went up to his room.

“Quite fine, thanks. I found about some objects of Ravenclaw, but no indications of where they are”

“If you're talking about a stone eagle, an hat and a brooch, I know where to find them” Ron said proudly.

“Yes, it's them!” Harry said excitedly. “Great job, Ron. Anything about Gryffindor?”

“We have a book, a cloak and a Floo Powder vase”

“Do you know where they are too?” Hermione's voice asked. They turned to see her standing in the doorway. Harry's breath caught in his throat seeing her. She was even more beautiful than he remembered.

Not that they had been apart too long, but still…

“Yeah, I know. We can go retrieving them after Christmas” Ron said.

“Sounds fine to me” Harry agreed.

“Good for me too” Hermione said. “Seems everything is fine with the potion, by the way. I've checked it yesterday. In May it should be ready to be used. Harry, has your hand improved?”

“Lots. I can almost move it normally now” he said, showing it to her.

“Happy to know that” she said smiling warmly at him.

The three chatted some more, then went downstairs to help with preparing Christmas dinner.

When Molly spotted them, she ran to hug them.

“Guys, it's so good to see you!” she said, while they were still trying to regain their breath.

A bone-crushing Molly Weasley patented hug is something difficult to grow used to, even after years. Always better than Hagrid's one, though…

“Hey, Mum, never thought we could have been Death eaters in disguise?” Ron, who was the first to recover, said, teasing his mother.

Molly was taken aback, then looked down.

“No, I was so happy to see you after months, that I did not think about that. I should have though, as their attacks had become even fouler and they come more often. You probably know that a quarter the Aurors have been killed in a mass attack two weeks ago, and the McMillans have been all killed…” she said, her face darkening.

“What? A quarter the Aurors…and the McMillans…” the three repeated, shocked.

So after a chat in which Molly told them about Voldemort's last killings and attacks, one on a Muggle entertainment park too, in which one hundred Muggles had been killed, the Trio went setting the table for the dinner.

On their way, they met Ginny. It was what Harry was both dreading and waiting for, as it could give him answers on the confusion he felt about Hermione.

He didn't feel any urge to go and snog her breathlessly like he had months ago, and like he had just half an hour before when he had seen Hermione. That troubled him even more, while wiping away many of his doubts. What should he do now?

He had no time to mull over it, as he was greeted by Mr. Weasley shaking his hand.

“Good to see you, Harry” the twins said, patting him on his back, while Fleur and Bill exited from the fireplace greeting everybody. The part Veela provided both Harry and Ron with kisses on the cheek, much to Ron's pleasure and Hermione's amusement.

Ginny simply rolled her eyes, knowing very well that Harry was not much affected by that. What she did not know yet was that he now was not affected by her, too.

So, finally, between chats and pranks from the twins, time to have Christmas Eve dinner came. Molly had prepared one fabulous stew, there were lots of pudding, crackers with their usual silly surprises, and so on.

Harry and Hermione were seated one in front of the other, and pulled together one cracker, making an orange hat come out of it.

“You should put it on, Mione. It would really look good on you” Harry said, amusedly, moving to place it on her head. She moved away, sticking her tongue at him.

“Why don't you put it on yourself, Harry? I'm sure it would make your eyes shine” she said, almost seriously, but then cracking in a fit of giggles, as the imagine in her mind of Harry with that hat was too funny to resist.

When she looked up again, she found Harry staring at her with the most intense look he had ever directed her, full of emotion. She gulped, and looked away, turning pink.

Luckily for them Ron was too interested in food to notice the exchange, but Ginny wasn't. She wondered what the hell was that she had seen.

Harry and Hermione couldn't have been flirting with each other, could they?

Not knowing what to think, she shrugged and turned to her plate.

After all, she was far prettier than Hermione, everyone seemed to think that, so probably she would have nothing to fear. Or so she thought.

After dinner, everyone reunited in the living room for some time, talking about various things, from the twins' latest invention, a strengthened version of their love potions, to Arthur's business in the Ministry, with lots of illegal items and potions confiscated and wizards charged for trying to cheat innocent people with them, selling those objects as protections against Dark Wizards.

Then they all went to bed, apart for Hermione and Ron, who were going to have some quality time alone.

They sat outside, although it was cold, but they warmed themselves with some charms.

It was so a romantic scenery, with all that snow. Hermione took Ron's hand and led him in the garden, leaving footprints on the white blanket.

Then she conjured some soft music, and he got the hint.

Placing his hands on her waist, he started moving, while she rested her head on his chest. They swayed to the soft music for some time, not caring about the snow falling on them.

She sighed contentedly, and then looked up at him, meeting his blue orbs. They slowly moved toward each other's face, meeting in the softest and sweetest of kisses.

After some time, tough, they thought better to go back inside, as it was really cold and the charms were starting to wear off.

They bid each other good night and went to bed. Ron was so happy he did not notice Harry's bed being empty.

The raven haired wizard could not sleep, due to his usual nightmares, so he had gone for a quiet fly in the snowing sky, and had witnessed the scene of his two best friends dancing and kissing in the snow.

He sighed, not knowing what to do. The more he looked at Hermione, the more he knew Ron was a lucky wizard, and he should be happy for them as they were obviously happy. But, he felt something gnawing at him from the inside every time he saw them like that.

He soared high in the sky, seemingly asking the falling snow for help, and then, after some time, retreated back into the house too. His sleep however was far more agitated than his best friends' one.

Next morning, they woke up to find their presents under the tree.

Harry got a sweater from Molly, like anyone else, with a green H on the front, some packs of sweets from the other Weasleys, some WWW products from the twins, an H shaped locket from Ginny and a book on how becoming the perfect Auror from Hermione.

Ron got, apart from his mother's sweater, a Cannons new robe from the twins, sweets and from Hermione he got a stack of new quills and a book with tips for Keeping in Quidditch.

Hermione instead got sweets, Molly's sweater, once again a perfume from Ron, and a Transfiguration book from Harry.

Later that afternoon, Harry went to have a walk on the snowy garden, thinking about how to retrieve the objects. There were lots less than he expected, so maybe the Felix Felicis wasn't so necessary after all, but they would still need time to collect all of them in those months, having to cross Europe many times. Apparating was not an option, still inexperienced as they were, so they would need Muggle ways, or Portkeys if Arthur could provide them those.

When he came back, he found Hermione outside alone, reading the book he had given her. He grinned while walking toward her.

“I see you're not losing time in reading it” he said. She looked up and grinned at him.

“No way I'd let this chance pass. We'll have no much time for reading out of our assignments or search for the Horcruxes in the next months. Thanks for you gift, Harry” she said, giving him one of her smiles, that lately seemed to have a particular effect on the raven haired boy.

“Actually, I had another gift for you. I didn't know how Ron would have taken it, though, so I waited. I'll be here with it in a minute” he said.

So, few minutes later, Hermione was holding a silver heart-shaped locket in her hands.

“Harry, this is so beautiful!” she squealed.

“Really? I was afraid it was too girlish for you…” he said, blushing.

“No way. I simply love it” she said, putting it on and then kissing him on the cheek, just on the corner of his mouth, lingering there maybe one moment too long for a friend.

Few days later, after they had studied the notes Hermione had brought them from the lessons they had missed, they left to go and retrieve those objects.

It was not an easy task, as the owners were mostly museums or collectors, which held them in high consideration and protected with charms. However, sneaking in the buildings thanks to Harry's cloak, and removing the charms, that were fair simpler than the ones Voldemort used on his Horcruxes, with Hermione's ability they managed in April to have all them collected and checked.

The easiest one was Ravenclaw's hat, which had been found by a Muggle girl. Stealing it from her house was easy so that Ron managed to do it without messing it.

Every time one thing was taken, they would provide to destroy it, and it proved an easy task. The Floo Powder vase was smashed against a wall and broken in many pieces, the book was tore apart page by page, the cloak was cut in tiny pieces with a Cutting Charm, the stone eagle pulverised by a well placed Reducing charm, the brooch melted in the fire, the hat cut in pieces too.

No one opposed resistance, and no strange hexes were on them. Thus, the trio understood those things were not Horcruxes, and with some Reparo spells they put the things in perfect shape again, then snuck them back in their places.

The morale of the trio was pretty low, as they didn't know what to do.

Many times they had gone back and forth from Hogwarts on their “raids” but it had proven to be all useless. It was just lots of wasted efforts.

They kept mulling over what they had done wrong, back at the school, waiting for the Felix Felicis to be ready and maybe guide them, when one day Harry suddenly burst in an hollow laughter.

“But of course! How could I have not understood it first?” he said bitterly. “What else could I expect, with the life I've had till now?”

“Hem, Harry…care to enlighten us too?” Hermione said, tentatively, hoping to not incur in his temper.

“Guys, really, it's easy. You should see it yourselves in no time. Just think of it.” Harry said.

After some minutes, seeing they didn't grasp the terrible reality, he said it aloud.

“I am the Horcrux”

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11. Slithering Target

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

Slithering Target

“I am the Horcrux”

At Harry's affirmation, horror crept on Hermione's face.

“No! No, it can't be!” she cried suddenly, tears falling from her eyes.

Ron was speechless.

“This means you'll have to die, for destroying Voldemort completely…” she said, shaken.

It couldn't be true. Not after all what they have been through together, not now that they were finding a way to destroy the madman once and for all…

“Yeah, that's right” Harry said. If there was something that had always pained him beyond belief was seeing Hermione crying or hurt. Now, he thought he knew why she had this powerful effect on him.

He wanted to go and hold her and tell her all would be right, but he couldn't. Not only because Ron was there, but because he didn't believe it himself, and he couldn't lie to her.

Never been able to, never will.

Silence was between the three of them for some minutes.

“But…how?” Ron croaked out, finally.

“I don't know for certain, but I guess it was on the night he failed to kill me. He had just killed my parents, so his soul had been ripped once more. Then, trying to kill me but not succeeding, he must have, unwillingly mind you, transferred that new shred of his soul into me. That would explain the connection between us, and why I can speak Parseltongue…” Harry said.

The more he thought of it, the more it seemed to make sense.

“Yeah, I guess this is what has happened” he concluded as an afterthought.

No one spoke for a long time, then Hermione stood up and simply left the common room, not uttering one word.

“Guess it is an hard blow on her, having to lose one of her very best friends to a madman, for a mere casualty” Ron said. “Not that it isn't on me, after all”

“Yeah, I know. I admit I can't imagine how you two guys must feel right now. But you know, I don't think it can be worse than how I feel, after all it's me who needs to die to kill Voldemort” Harry said.

“Yeah, of course” Ron replied sheepishly.

They were by now at the end of April, few more days and the Felix Felicis would be ready.

Hermione had, later that day, regained some of her usual behaviour and joined them again.

“Sorry for this morning, Harry. It was just that the news upset me so much…” she said, looking down.

“No need to apologize. I would be even more a mess if I knew that fate had pulled such a nasty trick on you” he said, looking at her with the same intensity of that other time.

His hidden meaning was lost on Ron, but not on her, and his gaze too, but she said nothing, turning slightly pink and quietly seating with them.

“So, what are we doing now? Of course you can't kill yourself now, or no one will be able to kill Voldemort. I guess we should pass to the next Horcrux for the time being” she suggested after some time.

“Yeah, I guess it's right” Harry agreed, pensively.

“So we wasted six months with the potion” Ron said.

“No, Ron. We did not. Next Horcrux will still need as much luck as we can muster to find and destroy it”

“Do you already know what that is, then, Harry?” Hermione asked.

“Yeah, it's just a supposition, however I think Voldemort's pet snake, Nagini, may be the sixth Horcrux” Harry explained them.

“What? That giant snake Voldemort set on my father in fifth year?” Ron said, sputtering his Butterbeer that he had nicked from the kitchens all over the floor.

Hermione rolled her eyes and vanished it with a flick of her wand.

“Yeah, that one, Ron” Harry said.

“Well, I guess you're right. How are we going to find it? And even if we do, Voldemort uses to be near it, so…”

“That's why we are using the Felix Felicis” Harry explained. “Just like when I needed to convince Slughorn to tell me the memory, I'll drink it, and it will guide me on the right path”

“And then we'll kill it, right?”

“That snake can be pretty dangerous, Ron. It's better if I battle it, since I'm the one drinking the potion” Harry suggested.

“Or maybe we could drink it too, and be of some help to you” Hermione chimed in.

“No way. I will not put you in the line of direct danger, even under that potion's effects. It's enough I'm letting you on this quest with me” Harry said. “And once we face it, you two will follow my orders. If I tell you to fly, you'll do it, right?”

“But…” Hermione started.

“You'll do it, right?” Harry asked again, commandingly.

“Right” the two conceded, sighing.

The few days till the potion was ready were spent studying for their NEWTs, as Easter break was gone now, and they needed the maximum concentration, since the school year was nearing its end.

Harry would at night practice with them in duelling, for hours and hours. Or, he would close himself in the library reading and taking notes from the book he had found in Rome.

They would, of course, attend their classes.

Professor McGonagall was now teaching the ones who had proved to have the ability how to become Animagus. Hermione was in the group, and it came out she was a white fox Animagus. Harry was one too, but it was harder for him, as he seemed to have two different animal images in his aura. The Professor had advised him to wait some time before trying the transformation, as she needed to research cases similar to his own. He could either transform in a phoenix, or in a snake. Probably the connection with Voldemort gave him this second possibility.

Ron and Harry, when they had time, would practice Quidditch, as they were still on the team. They had missed two matches, the one with Ravenclaw, and the one with Hufflepuff. In both of them Gryffindor had won, but while in the first it had been easy, the second had been close, as Ginny had banned McLaggen from the team, but the replacement was even worse than Ron on his first matches.

It was bad luck, really, because in their raids searching for Gryffindor and Ravenclaw's possessions the two boys had missed the second match for mere hours. However, Ginny had been able to lead the team to a victory.

Now, the time for the match with Slytherin was nearing, and they would not miss that one for nothing in the world. The rivalry with the other house was at top level even without Malfoy fomenting it every day.

Every day Ron and Harry would practice at night, trying to catch up on all the practices they had missed. They both wanted to be in their best shape for the match.

Ginny would help them, especially Ron, as she was a Chaser, who played Seeker just when Harry could not play.

When she had free time, Hermione kept reading the book Harry had given her at Christmas, and she wore the silver locket every moment, even if charmed as that only she and Harry could see it around her neck.

In it she had placed one picture of the two of them at Hogwarts.

When she had showed it to him, once that Ron was away, he had been extremely happy, and if Ginny and some other girls hadn't entered the room just that moment, he would have probably kissed her.

Harry had by now accepted that he had definitely fallen in love with his best friend. He had been in denial at first, but after some time he couldn't ignore the feelings anymore, and how his inner monster behaved around her, or when he saw her with Ron.

Having already broken up with Ginny, he had just one worry: Ron. He wanted to be loyal to his other best friend, and not be a trouble for his and Hermione's relationship.

In the meantime, however, he planned to take care of Ginny. True, he was not with her now, but the girl still hoped they would be able to be together again after the battle with Voldemort. That was if he was to survive.

So few days before the departure for hunting Nagini down, Harry took Ginny apart.

The girl had been excited when he had passed her a note asking her to meet him in the Room of Requirement that night.

She took up Hermione's offer to use her room to get dressed for special events, in case she did not want her dorm mates to see her, and carefully dressed with her best robes, wearing a simple but elegant white shirt, tight jeans and a blue light sweater under them. Then she passed quite a lot of time in the bathroom, applying her make up.

“Going out for some fun, Ginny?” Hermione teased her seeing what she was doing.

“You can bet on that” the younger girl answered, putting a red lipstick on. Then she applied some blush.

“Do I know him?” Hermione inquired.

“Oh, you do really well” Ginny said, grinning to herself.

Hermione came into her bathroom and looked at her, suddenly serious.

“Harry is not going to like it, Ginny. If he finds out…”

“Hermione, relax. It IS Harry the one I'm going out with tonight” the redhead admitted.

“Oh, very well then” Hermione said smiling. “Go and enjoy your night. Merlin knows if both you and Harry deserve it”

So Ginny went, and since she was a bit early, Harry was not there yet. She thought about what she needed, and when the door appeared, she entered.

Minutes later, Harry reached the place, and seeing the door, imagined Ginny had already arrived, so he entered.

He was greeted with a cozy atmosphere, with candle lights all around the room, soft music playing, and fluffy armchairs and couches.

Ginny was sitting on one of them, sipping a Butterbeer.

He cringed inwardly.

“I knew she would take this as a date” he thought, walking toward her.

“Hey, Harry” she greeted him smiling.

“Ginny, there has been a misunderstanding…”

“No misunderstanding, Harry” she said, standing and placing her arms around his neck and kissing him.

Harry did not respond to the kiss, and gently took her arms away.

“Ginny, listen to me” he said, and with a flash the candles, the couches and the soft music vanished. Just a couch like the ones in the common room remained.

She looked dumbfounded.

“But Harry…”

“Listen” he said again.

Then he spoke. “Ginny, in these months I've been here studying, then gone hunting for Horcruxes, and I'm quite satisfied of how things are going. I mean, we got two Horcruxes already, so we're doing good. We know what the third and the fourth are, we just need to find them” he said, not having the heart to tell her he was probably one of the two remaining ones.

“But something is troubling me, Ginny. I can't let you think we're gonna get back together after the war, because it's not what is going to happen”

She looked at him as it was the first time she saw him.

He sighed.

“Ginny, what I'm trying to tell you is that I'm not in love with you anymore. I never was, probably. I guess it was just a crush, and it has passed. Don't ask me why, or how, but it has indeed passed”

There. He had said it. Better going straight for the matter, he ahs never been good in taking circles around a subject.

Ginny looked at him stricken for some moments, then tears started flowing on her cheeks.

“It's Hermione, isn't it?” she said then.

“What?” Harry stammered, wondering how could she know.

“I've seen you two at Christmas. It seemed like the two of you were flirting with each other, but I shrugged it off. I was wrong, it seems”

“No, she's not the problem, Ginny” he lied, hoping to convince her. He could not risk her going to tell Ron that, or it would create tension between the three of them in a moment where unity was crucial.

“Don't worry, I'm not going to tell Ron” she said, before she ran away.

Harry remained there all night, sighing, and hoping all would be resolved for the better.

In the Gryffindor Heads common room, Hermione was once again reading the book Harry had given her, and twirling her locket in her hand, when the door slammed open, and a very upset Ginny Weasley entered, her make up ruined by her tears.

“Ginny, what has happened?” Hermione asked, but the other ignored her, locking herself in the bathroom and sobbing.

“I'm gonna kill Harry Potter tomorrow” Hermione said, slamming the book shut and throwing it in her bag.

Next day, Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room with a murderous look. She knew he would be there waiting for Ron.

“Harry James Potter” she said menacingly as soon as she saw him.

“Crap” Harry thought. “Ginny's told her”

“What the hell did you do to upset Ginny that much?” the brown haired witch said, her wand pointed at him.

“Hermione, really, it was just a big misunderstanding. I asked her to meet me not for a date, as she thought, but for explaining her that I'm not going to go back with her after the war, that is if I stay alive, and she guessed there is another girl” he said, gulping. He couldn't tell she was the other girl.

Hermione's face softened. “Oh, dear” she muttered, lowering her wand.

“Really, Harry, you could have told her it was not a date beforehand, tough” she said then, sitting near him while they waited for their friend.

“Yeah, maybe it would have been better” he agreed. “I'm really sorry, I did not think she would expect a date”

“Boys” Hermione said, rolling her eyes at him with a slight smile.

That was a quiet day, but the trio knew the moment of departure was approaching, but tried to think about it the less they could.

Hermione kept wondering who could be the girl Harry was in love with. Could he have been hinting about her? After all, he had had different behaviours around her lately, and the locket he gave her at Christmas…well, while she liked it a lot, and cherished it as one of her most treasured possessions, it was quite a strange gesture for a friend to do, especially since it had an heart shape…

Thinking about the locket, she caressed it with her hand. The thought that maybe Harry could feel something for her made her feel strangely giddy. After all she was Ron's girlfriend, she should not think like that about Harry. But she could not help it.

She dismissed that train of thought for the moment, as it would lead her nowhere.

Days later, finally the moment of using the potion and hunting Nagini had come.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were all reunited in Myrtle's bathroom, having taken the cauldron from the cubicle.

Harry took a deep breath, he filled one vial with the golden liquid, then took a long gulp from it.

Immediately he started feeling that sense of being able to do anything, of having infinite opportunity that he had experienced when going to make Slughorn tell him the real memory.

“Guys, I know where we're off next” he announced. “Take three vials of it, just in case we need a really lucky escape, and let's go”

Once they were all ready, they said goodbye to Myrtle, who as usual whined about no one remaining with her long, and how she was hated and forgotten by everyone.

“Harry, be careful!” the ghost shouted once more while they were walking away, knowing they were going to board some strange adventure as their usual. The ghost had grown quite an affection for the raven haired boy, almost a crush you could say.

“So, where are we going, Harry?” Hermione asked.

“We're going back to Riddle's house”

“What? We already searched it, and there was no snake there!” Ron blurted out.

“I know Ron, but I trust the potion. It's making me feel it's right to go back there, and since one time it was right, I'm going to follow its suggestion again” Harry explained, grinning, while they reached Hogsmeade.

Three soft pops later, Harry and his friends were in front of Riddle's house once more.

“See? No snake here!” Ron said, proud of his intuition.

“Sorry to contradict you, Ron. It's not here, yes, but surely it has been till short time ago. Look at these marks on the ground” Harry said.

True to his word, near the wall clear marks of a big snake slithering were in the terrain.

“We just need to follow them, and we'll catch it” Hermione said, marvelling in the potion power. It had brought them directly on their target's tail.

So they did.

Half an hour later, they found the snake creating havoc in Little Hangleton. On the main street three small bodies of kids lay, half devoured, and then, at the other end of it, Nagini was, threatening more children and some adults, which were trying to keep it at bay the Muggle way, with sticks and similar objects.

The snake moved dangerously toward them.

“I wouldn't do it, if I were you” Harry suddenly hissed menacingly in Parseltongue.

Nagini stopped and turned hastily. The citizens escaped as fast as they could, dragging the kids with them.

“You made me lose my dinner. You'll do fine, though” the snake hissed back, slithering at full speed toward Harry, whose Seeker reflexes kicked in and helped him avoid the assault.

The duel had started.

For being so huge a snake, Nagini was really fast and agile, and kept dodging the hexes Harry threw at her, and counterattacking.

Hermione and Ron looked at the scene in front of their eyes, scared but hopeful in Harry's skills.

“Petrificus Totalis!” Harry cried once again, but Nagini moved to the right, avoiding the spell.

“You're not going to get me if you use those childish hexes, my dear. And as fast as you are, you're going to grow tired soon or later” the snake hissed derisively.

There was no doubt to Harry that part of Voldemort's soul was in her body. She had the same manners of her master.

Just then four loud cracks were heard.

Dolohov, Bellatrix, and other two Death Eaters had Apparated there. It was clear Voldemort knew of them trying to kill Nagini, and had sent help to his pet.

He must really care a lot for her, maybe the only living creature for which he did so at all.

Since Harry was engaged in duelling the snake, Ron and Hermione had to battle them.

Few minutes later, the two teenagers were at a loss for what to do, when Hermione remembered the potion bottles. Ron understood her quick signal, so they took the vials and untapped them quickly, but before they could drink from them, Bellatrix and Dolohov intervened.

“Accio vials!” they cried, and both of them flew in their hands.

“Ah, the Felix Felicis potion. Dear old Slughorn seems to have a passion for it” the female Death Eater sneered, moving the vial to her lips, mimicked by Dolohov.

Hermione was quicker, though.

“Reducto!” she cried twice, shattering them in their enemies hands.

It was a waste of the precious liquid, but better that than having the Death Eaters to drink some. Those deranged criminals were already powerful and dangerous enough on their own, if they got lucky too, they would grow almost unstoppable.

So the fight resumed without external helps.

The Death Eaters managed to get Ron, as he got cursed on one arm, which grew limp. Luckily, it was not his wand arm, so he continued to fight.

Harry was still duelling with Nagini, but noticing the happenings decided the fight needed a strong acceleration.

“You can't avoid me forever, and you know it” he hissed to the snake, which, as a reply dodged his stunner once more.

“Seems I can” the snake hissed back, just to grow still suddenly.

Harry had spoken just to distract her a bit, and it worked, as he managed to throw her a silent Freezing Charm.

“For once, Snape's lesson has been useful” Harry thought angrily.

And even more useful it was when he crept behind the Death Eaters, silently Accioed his friends to him knocking their enemies down in the process, and then silently cast a Deflagro charm on the ground under Bellatrix and her cronies, who were blasted away and torn in pieces before they could even understand what had happened.

“This avenges Sirius” he said then, looking with hatred at the pieces of the woman who had killed his godfather, and releasing the breath he didn't even know he was holding.

Then they all walked toward the immobilised snake.

“Seems your last hour has in the end arrived, Nagini” Harry hissed to her. “Ron, care to avenge your father?” he said then, giving the redhead a grin.

“Couldn't want it more” his friend replied, darkly. Then he cast a Cutting charm on the animal, giving it some nasty gashes.

“Now, before I kill you once and for all, will you please tell us Voldemort's plans?” Harry asked in Parseltongue.

The snake couldn't reply as it was frozen still.

“You better move away” he advised his friends, then he released Nagini from the spell.

The snake didn't move or hiss a word. After repeating his request with the same result, Harry grew impatient.

“Very well, then. I'll find out all the same, you know that. But since you don't want to betray him, as it seems, then go and warm him a place in Hell” he said, then raised his wand.

“All together, guys. The spell good old traitor Snape has written in his book” he said to his companions, who nodded.

“Sectumsempra!” they all cried together then, and the animal in front of them got torn in pieces by the three curses, blood spurting everywhere, even on them.

They quickly got rid of it with cleaning charms, fearing it could be venomous, and they were right. Their clothes grew some holes where the snake blood had touched them.

Same end was for the ground under the corpse.

It grew black and smoking, like it had been burnt.

“Well, with Voldemort's soul in it, what else would have you expected?” Ron said, attempting a joke.

“Surely nothing better than this” Harry said sourly.

Then they Apparated back to the village, and from there they walked back to the school.

Once there, they went to report to the Headmistress.

“So you not only used a very powerful potion, that could have had some kind of effects on you if you did not brew it perfectly, but you also left the grounds without permission and put yourself in danger battling a giant snake and four Death Eaters” she commented sternly. “Mr. Potter, I thought you had better judgement, as well as Ms. Granger. I know it may be hard for you, but I need to remember that it is exactly this kind of rushed actions that led your godfather to his death, Harry”

The boy looked down ashamed. His friends looked at him, sorry that he had been reminded that.

“However” McGonagall started again, “I am very aware that your actions led this time to an important result. Not only you've destroyed an Horcrux, you also took away from Voldemort one of his weapons, and some of his most faithful and skilled servants. So I guess for this time I can close an eye and ignore the rules you've broken to accomplish that. Not that you've thought about rules that much since you entered the school, Harry” she ended with a smile.

Harry looked up, an smiled in return. “I'll try to be more prudent from now, Professor” he said.

“Well, off with you now. Mr. Weasley, go see Poppy for your arm”

And so they went to the Hospital Wing, where Ron was put into a bed and given some potions.

“I want you to stay here for a couple days, Mr. Weasley” the healer instructed briskly.

Next day, Ron's conditions were going worse, he was extremely pale and shaking, his arm as limp as it could be.

Madam Pomfrey decided it was better to bring him to St. Mungo's.

So there they went, and he was assigned a room in the Ministry relatives ward. The Healer assigned to him checked his pulse, flicked her wand at him some times doing some checks, then left reassuring them.

“He's gonna be as good as new in a few days” she said. All of them released their breath.

Once he had started improving, Hermione and Harry were sent back to school so they could have some sleep. Arthur would check on Ron and alert them if there were news.

Harry and Hermione entered their small common room and remained there, in front of the fire, chatting, for some time before going to bed.

When they did, Harry escorted Hermione to her bedroom and kissed her good night on the cheek.

Then he walked to his own room.

“I love you, Hermione Granger” he thought before sleep took him.

-->

12. Closing the Bills

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.

Closing The Bills

Next day, Harry and Hermione were called by the Headmistress.

“Harry, Hermione, I've had news that Mr. Weasley is going to be released today. I thought maybe the two of you would like to go and pick him up…”

“Of course we would like to!” Harry eagerly said. Hermione nodded too.

“Very well. I thought so. This is why I've arranged a Portkey directly to St. Mungo's. Here it is” the older witch said, passing them a broken quill.

They grasped it, grinning.

“When he's ready, the three of you just have to grab it to return here in my office” the Professor explained just before they vanished.

Once in the hospital, Hermione went to the reception.

“Sorry, we're here to see Mr. Ronal Weasley, he should be released today” she said.

The receptionist controlled her notes, then smiled at them.

“Room 54 in the Ministry relatives yard” she said politely.

The two teens moved to reach the room they were told, and then entered to find their friend in bed, his things already packed to leave.

Harry couldn't help to notice the room seemed strangely tidy, for being one Ron stayed in.

“Hey, mate, nasty scare you gave us there, you know it, don't you?” Harry said to him.

Ron grinned. “For once you've tried what me and Hermione have felt every time you got in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts, then” he retorted.

“Ok, ok, now don't pick on me. Seriously, I'm really glad to see you're all right again” Harry said.

“Me too” Hermione chimed in.

“I'm glad to see you guys again too” Ron concluded.

So, after some last minute checks, he was released and they escorted him to school. Arthur had taken a day off the Ministry for being there for his son, but seeing that they had a Portkey directly for Hogwarts, he did not need to accompany them there, or at the Burrow.

That day was for relaxing, so no talk about Voldemort and his cronies took place, they simply enjoyed being all together once again, and that they were still in one piece.

They played Exploding Snap, chess, Hermione read some books, chitchatted a lot, and so on. It felt good to be able to do what teenagers like them do all the time, without worries of a madman coming after them.

Faster than they expected, dinner time came.

They walked down to the Great Hall, and the students at Gryffindor table greeted Ron back. Ginny hugged her brother in a perfect imitation of the trademark Molly Weasley hug.

“Big brother, feels good to see you again” she said. Although she was not supposed to know he had been hurt, his absence spoke volumes to her, since she knew what the trio had been up to the whole year.

After dinner, Hermione and Ron stayed in the common room, and when it deserted, they had time for themselves.

“You can't imagine how worried I was for you” she said, cuddling with him on the couch. He kissed the top of her head.

“Hermione, we all knew we would be in danger soon or later in this quest. Harry almost lost his hand, and something could have happened to you too” he reasoned.

“This does not mean I've to like it” she said, claiming his lips in a kiss.

“You know, if this is what I get every time I get hurt or you worry for me, I think I'll do that more often” he said, chuckling.

“Prat” she said, swatting his arm.

“But you love me for that” he said, kissing her again.

“That I do” she said sighing contentedly and enjoying the closeness.

In the meantime, Harry busied himself into the library, reading and taking notes on some books he found in the Restricted Section, but mostly from the ancient one he had found in Rome.

Next morning, he was woken up by soft hands stroking his hair.

“Harry, wake up. We need to get to breakfast, then to Transfiguration” he heard Hermione's voice telling him.

He finally opened his eyes to find her there.

“Seems I fell asleep on my books last night” he joked, putting them in his bag. He was trying to keep something from her, she could tell, but let it slip for the moment.

The fact he often stayed in the library alone was however not lost on her, and she wondered what he was up to.

Later that day, Harry and his two best friends reunited in the Heads common room.

“Guys, we need to search for Voldemort now. It won't be easy, but it is most crucial that we do that, or he'll surprise us and we won't be ready to fight him properly” he said, pacing in front of them.

“Well, maybe we could spy on some people we know to be Death eaters, and they will lead us to him” Ron said.

“Good idea, but really risky. I would keep that as our last option” Harry said, pensively.

“We could use the potion again, as it led us to Nagini, it may lead us to him too” Hermione suggested.

“That would be worth a shot. But somehow I think finding Voldemort won't be done simply drinking that potion. He's too smart for being found so easily, or any Auror could have done that” Ron commented. Hermione nodded at him.

After some time, they agreed that their first move was to study all the information they had from books, memories that Dumbledore had showed Harry and other objects about Tom Riddle, hoping to be able guessing where he would put his whereabouts.

That weekend there was the last match of the Quidditch season.

Harry and Ron decide a little break could do them no harm, so they played.

With Gryffindor at their best and Slytherin that had lost all his best players that year, due to graduation and Voldemort's recruiting, it was a mere formality.

Ron did not let a single Quaffle in, Ginny scored lots of goals, and Harry had no problems guiding his Firebolt 2005 on the Snitch's tail, thus grabbing it just in front of the Slytherin stands, an added pleasure as it gave him the chance to mock them.

The final score was a thundering 500 to 0, and the team went to collect the Cup in the middle of the pitch.

Ginny raised it to the sky, while a crowd of gold and red kept cheering them.

All night the festivities continued, and that involved quite a bit of snogging for the couples in the House. That meant Hermione and Ron got some time alone too, especially since Harry was too busy to try and keep the girls throwing themselves at him at bay to be able to use their private common room.

Some days later, Harry resumed his Animagus training, while Hermione was already able to transform at will into her animal form, a white fox.

He found that if he thought about something happy before attempting the transformation he would not incur in the risk of changing into a snake, thus confirming the suspicion that his second animal form was due to his link to Voldemort.

His skills helped him be able to have the transformation learned in a week time, but Professor McGonagall alerted both him and Hermione that it would be painful for the first times to attempt it, and especially the turning back to human could make their bodies ache for hours.

After two more weeks, they concurred that Voldemort would probably set his hiding point nowhere near Muggle cities, in a place where dark wizards would never be suspected to be, so no one would go searching there.

The result of their guessing was that they Apparated to the coast in front of Azkaban, near the border with Scotland.

Searching there for some days, finally they entered a wood in which they could feel magic had been used.

Following the main path, they arrived to a crossroad.

“I think we should go right” Ron suggested.

“Well, it's not like we have clues, so one direction is as good as the other. Let's go right then” Harry said, his wand alight as the wood didn't let sunlight to enter, so it was really dark. Almost like the Forbidden Forest.

But they found nothing on that path. So they walked back to the crossroad, and chose the left way.

After some time, they come to a big house, deserted and wrecked.

They cautiously entered it, searching everywhere, but found nothing on the ground floor. On the upper one, instead, Hermione suddenly tripped and fell revealing an hidden closet where Death Eater masks were.

“Bingo!” Ron shouted, pumping his fist in the air. “We found his hiding place!”

“What had once been, but not his actual one” Harry said, kicking the dust.

So they decided the area wasn't worth researches anymore.

Apparating back to Hogsmeade, Harry decided to try and use the potion.

Hermione and Ron looked at him expectantly after he drank it, but he didn't feel any good sensation this time.

“Guess Voldemort's ability at hiding is stronger that the potion effects” he said sadly, slumping onto the bed.

So they had just one option left, the most dangerous. Following a Death Eater and find out where they reunited.

“I'll do it” Ron volunteered.

“No way, Ron. You've been hurt few days ago, I don't want for you to be again” Harry said, commandingly. “I'll go”

“Harry, it's better you don't risk it in first line. You're crucial for defeating Voldemort, so you shouldn't risk to be hurt by some random dark wizard” Hermione protested. “I'll do it”

“No way! I won't let you step in such a peril” Harry stubbornly said.

“Harry, reason. Out of the three of us I'm the less known by them. You are their prime target, so it's not logical for you to do the spying”

After some time, Harry admitted defeat. Hermione would follow the Death Eater around and try to find their hiding place.

The chosen one was Nott.

For a week she had been able to follow him without the man noticing, but no hints to where they used to hide.

One day, she betrayed herself as Harry's cloak got moved by a gust of wind and the Death Eater noticed her feet appearing.

He hastily turned, grabbed the cloak and took it off her. Hermione froze.

“So, what do we have here? Aren't you Potter's friend, the Mudblood?” the evil wizard sneered.

Hermione moved to take her wand, but he was faster. “Expelliarmus!” he cried, and her wand flew away.

“My, the voices were true. You're really pretty” he said, licking his lips. Hermione gulped.

Then he grabbed her wrists, pulled them over her head and pushed her on the nearest wall.

“I'm gonna have some fun with you now, and then I'll bring you to Voldemort. He'll be pleased with me” he sneered again.

Then he forced himself on her, kissing her. Hermione struggled, but he simply stunned her.

Darkness enveloped her as he carried her away to his master.

Harry and Ron were worried sick that evening when she didn't come back.

“Something has happened to her. I know it” Harry said.

“Hey, mate, she's gonna be here any minute. Calm down” Ron said, but he was worried too. It was not Hermione-like to be this late.

At three in the morning, Harry moved.

“There's one more thing I can do to find Voldemort before he finds me. And I'll do it” he said, his eyes dark. Then, he ran away out of the castle, not bothering to tell Ron where he had gone.

It was an idea that had come to him some days before. Trying to lure Malfoy on their side and extract information from him.

So he Apparated to where Malfoy Manor was signed on the maps, and snuck in through an old hole in the ground, once meant to be the entrance to the secret Chamber under the manor. It had been sealed, but Harry managed to unlock it.

Cautiously walking around the castle, he heard Draco's voice ordering around an House Elf.

“…and you better come here quick with that food, or I'll punish you” Draco said.

“Good Evening, Malfoy. Taking your frustration on Elves now?” Harry said, his wand in his hand.

Malfoy suddenly turned.

“Potter! How the hell have you entered?”

“Sneaked in. Couldn't have been more simple, you know. You must be more careful if you don't like surprise visits”

“What the hell do you want, Potter?”

“I have an affair for you. I've heard your chat with Dumbledore before Snape killed him, Draco. I know you were seriously thinking to pass on the light side, before your companions arrived. I'm here to renew the offer. Pass on the light side, and I'll give you and your mother protection”

“You can't protect me from him, Potter. No one can”

“There's a place he won't be able to find. No one will. You and your mother will live there till he's been killed”

Draco thought about it for a while.

“And what will this cost to me?”

“Just an information. His whereabouts”

After some time pacing, Draco spoke again.

“I need to speak about this with my mother, Potter”

“Thought you would” Harry said, taking out of his pocket one of the DA Galleons. “Take this. If you tap it with your wand, the other in my pocket will grow hot. I'll know you accept my offer then. If I don't get the signal until tomorrow night, I'll take that as a no”

“Fine, Potter. Now, get the hell out of my house”

And so Harry left and Apparated back to the village, and hastily made his way back to the castle.

Meanwhile, Nott had brought Hermione to Voldemort's headquarters.

“Very well done, Nott. I'll take care of her now” the Dark Lord said. His servant bowed and left.

“So, you're the so much talented Mudblood we've all heard a lot of” he said coldly, looking at her with his red eyes. Hermione shuddered, and wondered how could Harry not be afraid of him and freeze on the spot when he saw Voldemort.

She suddenly understood why everyone was so fearful of his name.

Voldemort sneered. “You fear me, don't you? That's wise of you, not like your friend, Potter. But then, you are the wisest out of the three of you…you know, I could use you. So, will you join me?”

Hermione glared at him. “No way. I would never do that” she spat angrily.

“Very well then. You'll change your mind soon enough. Lestrange, take care of her” he called to Bellatrix's husband.

“Sure, master. I'll break her, don't worry”

And with that, Hermione was brought away to a cell.

All night she was tortured, but she resisted.

“You're a tough one, I see. Well, tomorrow you'll break” Lestrange said, walking out of her cell.

Once alone, Hermione started crying.

“Harry, Ron, please, save me” she whimpered softly.

“They can't save you, this time. But I can” Nott said, creeping out of the shadows. “Agree to be my sex slave, and I'll take you from this cell and your pain”

Hermione glared at him. “I'm not some kind of whore”

“You'll change idea soon enough” the Death eater said, leaving her alone, this time for real.

Next evening, when Harry was already thinking Malfoy had refused his offer, the Galleon in his pocket grew hot.

He grinned at Ron. “He's accepted. I'm gonna take them at Grimmauld Place, then I'll be back here” he said.

Ron seemed sceptical, but before he could say a thing Harry was gone. He ran on the stairs and outside the castle, almost knocking Filch down in the process.

“I swear if he wasn't Head Boy…” the caretaker muttered angrily.

Once in front of Malfoy Manor, Harry pounded on the main gates.

Few moments later, Draco opened.

“Ready to go, then?” Harry asked.

“As ready as we will ever be” the other boy muttered darkly.

So Harry activated the Portkey he had brought with him, and in few minutes he, Draco and Narcissa left, to land into the old Black household.

“So this is where you think we'll be safe” Draco's mother said. “Black's house”

“Yes, madam. This house is unplottable, and as Sirius has left it to me, no one will be able to find it without me wanting it”

“It will do, mother. Better than waiting for the day he kills all of us it is” Draco said. “Now, Potter, to seal our deal, I'll give you the information you need. Last time I checked, his whereabouts were in the Highlands” then he took a map and signed the precise place.

“Very well, then. Wait here for my return once we have defeated him. If we fail…well, just hope we don't” Harry said, then he hastily left. Hermione needed them.

“Mission complete” he said to Ron as soon as he landed. “He told me where Voldemort is”

“You trust him right?” Ron asked, still not convinced.

“Yeah, I do, Ron. He's on our side now” Harry said, showing confidence even if he did have some doubts on Draco's honesty.

In three hours time, the two of them Apparated near the place Draco had signed, and moved to see what would wait them.

They checked it everywhere, and in four hours they had looked every little hole in the place. It was all empty, but for some plans of Hogwarts and notes scribbled on them.

“They are going to try and take the school! And they are doing it today!” Harry cried.

“And they have Hermione with them” he muttered after seeing the necklace he had given her on the floor of a room. He pocketed it swiftly.

Then they walked away and as soon as out of the hiding place, they Apparated to Hogsmeade. It was already destroyed, but Harry didn't stop thinking about it. They needed to make their way to castle as soon as possible.

He and Ron ran, and once on the grounds, they noticed the battle had already started.

Students and Professors had engaged the Death Eaters everywhere around the castle, and were fighting back every one of them. The two boys mixed into the crowd and started taking down as much Death Eaters as they could.

Hagrid spotted them.

“'Arry, glad to see you here. Your help will do a lot. Ron's too” he said to them.

Then they met Ginny, who was leading a group of girls in fighting the enemies.

He felt a rush of proud rise in him for her, but just that. Just as for a little sister who's doing very well her duty. They exchanged a quick nod then Harry ran to help Neville with two Death eaters closing on him.

He silently cast Sectumsempra on them.

“Thanks, Harry” Neville said.

“Glad to be able to help. How are things going?”

“The battle has gone on for one hour now. They are tough, but we are defending ourselves pretty well. Now that you're here too, they won't be taking the castle, I'm sure of that. By the way, where's Hermione?”

“They took her. I suspect she's with Voldemort and he'll use her as a bait for me” Harry said sourly. “But I won't let him hurt her”

Neville was scared by the intensity of his gaze. If he were a Death Eater, he would have peed in his pants.

So, Harry and Ron helped as much as they could.

At one point Harry noticed Colin Creevey's body on the ground, dead. He sadly continued his run, cursing Voldemort for the cruelty of the life he was imposing on them.

“I'll avenge him too. Time for closing all the bills approaches” he thought angrily.

McGonagall was engaged in a duel with three Death Eaters, and it was clear she was going to be taken soon or later.

Ron bravely Accioed them to him, then before they could realize what had happened, he cast Sectumsempra on them.

“Good move, Weasley” the Headmistress praised him while going to help some young boys who were in trouble.

Ron grinned, then turned to go and help Luna who was surrounded by enemies.

Harry helped her too, so in few moments the Death Eaters menacing the blonde girl were taken care of.

“Thanks guys. That was really sweet of both of you, especially Ronald” she said airily, walking away to search some other enemies.

Ron blushed, while Harry simply smiled. The girl had always had an huge crush on his redhead friend.

But as good as Harry and Ron's arrival had been for the Light side, they were going to lose many more students if the battle didn't end soon. So Harry started searching for Voldemort.

“He has to have arrived by now” he thought, running here and there, taking down enemies in his path.

He noticed Snape, and moved to go and kill him.

“Snape!” he bellowed. “How dare you show your face here again?”

The man turned and sneered at the boy. “Who are you to stop me from coming here, Potter?”

Harry's rage blinded him.

“Deflagro!”

But Snape managed to block it.

“Haven't you learned to cast silently yet, Potter? Crucio!”

Harry let the curse hit him, and used the meditation techniques Professor Trayens had taught them. He felt no pain, and used the surprise of his opponent as weapon.

He cast Sectumsempra silently, and Snape's body got covered by deep gashes, blood spilling freely from them.

“How does it feel to be killed by your own spell, traitor?” Harry said coldly, then spit on the man's body before continuing searching for Voldemort.

Finally he spotted the Dark Lord, with Hermione chained to him.

That made Harry's blood boil in his veins. He walked toward them.

“…and so in short time I'll take over the school. Your friend Potter doesn't stand a chance” he heard Voldemort say to her.

“I wouldn't be so sure of that, Tom” Harry said, fully enraged.

Voldemort turned, sneering.

“Oh, Potter. How kind of you to join us. Good show it is, isn't it?”

Harry ignored him. He cared just about one thing. “Release her, Tom. It's me that you want” he said.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about your Mudblood friend. No, Potter, I think you will enjoy seeing in which pain you put her, just for being your friend” he said evilly, then raised his wand.

“Crucio!” Riddle cried, and Hermione screamed. Probably she was too weak to be successful in the meditation to avoid the pain.

That pained Harry to the core. He looked at her in the eyes, hoping for her to understand.

“I'll save you, just resist” he thought.

She looked at him, and hope was reborn in her heart. She knew he would never leave her in the Dark Lord's hands if he could help it.

“I said leave her, Tom” Harry hissed menacingly in Parseltongue.

“No way, Potter. Just relax and enjoy her going mad for the pain just in front of you. By the way, did you know she's very good in bed?” the Dark Lord hissed back.

At that Harry was blinded with rage.

“Reducto!” he cried casting it on the chain, and the power he put in the spell pulverised it instantly, even if Voldemort, expecting that kind of move, had placed protection spells on it. It surprised the Dark Lord enough to let Harry Accio Hermione to him.

As soon as he got her, Voldemort attacked.

“No one plays with me like this, Potter. Avada Kedavra!” he shouted, aiming at Hermione, who was still shaking for the curse she had suffered, after the hours of torture in the whereabouts.

Harry pushed her on the ground, then used a stone as a Portkey and sent her on the Astronomy Tower, the only place she would be safe in the castle, at least till the battle raged outside. If the Death Eaters were to find her there, it would have meant the castle had fallen. She was not in the condition to fight right now.

“Now it's just the two of us, Tom”

“Don't call me that way!” Voldemort shouted.

“Why, are you ashamed of your past? Haven't you told your followers that you are a Muggle-born too?”

“I am not!” Voldemort shouted again. “Time to die, Potter! Avada Kedavra!”

Harry simply moved out of the curse path, then counterattacked.

“Incendio!”

“You're not going to kill me with these childish hexes, Potter” the Dark Lord sneered.

“Funny, your pet snake said the same thing, but it did end killed after all…” Harry retorted.

That made Voldemort really angry, but Harry dodged every attack from him.

Around them the battle was still raging, and no one had noticed the duel that would decide all their fates was going on.

After some more time, Harry decided it was time to put an end to it.

So he started searching for the moment of using his secret weapon.

He kept avoiding Voldemort's attacks and counterattacking when he could.

“Seems you can't do anything more than defending yourself, Potter. You're not going to exit this fight alive” Voldemort said smirking. “You're too weak to take me”

It was the moment. Harry cast a silent Sectumsempra on the Dark Lord, and while he was in pain, he silently Accioed Gryffindor sword.

Once it arrived flying to him, Voldemort was standing again, even if profusely bleeding.

“Your time has come, Tom. Prepare to die” Harry said, walking toward his enemy brandishing the sword.

Voldemort said nothing, panting and trying to catch his breath for some desperate assault.

Harry attacked.

“Sectumsempra!” he cried again, while contemporarily slashing the Dark Lord with the magical sword.

Voldemort fell to the ground, almost dead.

“You can win this fight, but you can't save yourself, Potter. Till you live, I'll do too, as you're one of my Horcruxes. Fate is strange, isn't it?” the madman said, with a fatigued evil laugh.

“Surely it is, Tom. But see, I already knew that. And I took my precautions against it. I've studied the theory behind Horcruxes deeply this year, and I know everything about them. I know how to make one, and I know how to avoid to have to make one. See, you claim part of your soul is in mine. While it is true, it is a bit that is easily recognizable, as it is pure evil. This spell will rid me of that”

Voldemort's face showed comprehension, and fear. He knew the one spell that could rid Harry of that last link to the Dark Lord.

Harry's wand was pointed at himself.

Hermione, who had regained her composure enough to want to join the fight, although still weak, had returned to the battle field, and looked at Harry in horror. She had managed to get some look at his notes after that morning she woke him up in the library, and she had researched the spell he had noted there.

It was something highly dangerous and possibly lethal.

“Goodbye, Tom. Your permanence on this earth was nor healthy nor useful. It lasted even too long. Now, it's finished” Harry said, the closed his eyes.

“Malevolus Pars Animi Extorco” he cast on himself, and his whole body glowed in blinding white light.

The last thing he heard was Hermione screaming his name, before darkness engulfed him.

An unnatural scream was heard on the grounds, and everyone noticed Harry falling on the ground, while the Dark Lord's body started burning.

That last scream from their master discouraged the Death Eaters still fighting, and they let the Professors and the Aurors who had by now arrived capture them and bring them away to Azkaban.

-->

13. Happy Ending

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…

A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named “HBP: The Redemption”, by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story “HP and the quest of the Horcruxes”, you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me. This is the last chapter, hope you liked this fic like I enjoyed writing it!

Happy Ending

Harry started coming around from the blackness that had engulfed him.

“What has happened to me?” he thought, then he remembered. He had tried the spell he had found in that ancient book, and after that he could remember the scream of the Dark Lord when he burst in flames, thus it had to mean he had done it.

He had won.

He had avenged many people he cared about, and much more he didn't know at all. He had rid the world of one great evil.

Oh, others would rise, that's for sure. But Voldemort was no more now. His mission was accomplished.

Strangely, being in a bed with all his body aching did not help him feeling better knowing he had done it.

Giving that he had a bad headache, he thought better to not open his eyes yet. He felt really tired, so he simply lay there. Resting that way, he heard the door opening.

“Ron” he heard Hermione saying.

So she was the one holding his hand. He should have known it.

“Hermione. How's he doing?” Ron asked.

“Same as usual. The Healers don't know what else they can do to wake him up, they tried everything. They said only time will tell”

“Well, he's not dead, that's for sure” Ron stated. “So he'll come around soon or later”

Silence.

“Hermione, you should really go have something to eat, and then go maybe to the Burrow to rest a bit” Ron suggested.

“No! No, I won't leave him” she stubbornly said.

“I knew it” Ron said, an hint of a smile in his voice.

After some moments he spoke again, but his tone was far more serious now.

“Hermione, we need to talk”

“About what? This is not the moment, Ronald”

“It is instead. It's about us”

Silence.

Harry could imagine Ron passing his hand through his hair, again and again. It was clear he was going to say something difficult.

“I think we should stop dating”

There, he had said it. As Harry had predicted, it was something painful.

“Why?” came Hermione's response, in a strangled voice.

“Hermione, I can have the emotional range of a teaspoon as you put it once” and that earned him a chuckle form her, “but I'm not blind, nor I am stupid”

“What are you talking about?”

“I'm saying, I know you're not in love with me, but with Harry”

“What?” Hermione said, shocked.

“Come on, Hermione. He's been unconscious for three months, and not for one minute you've left his side. I noticed the blushes every time he praised you this year, or the glances at times you would throw his way. And, I can feel that while you've been quite happy with me this year, there's something missing. Am I wrong?”

For some excruciating moments Hermione said nothing, then Harry heard her sobbing.

“Oh, Ron. I don't really know. I've been really well with you this year, but yes, at times I felt like something was missing. At times I felt like with Harry I could have it. But I can be wrong, can't I?”

“No, Hermione. See, even someone with the emotional range of a teaspoon can see that the two of you are made for each other. You can make each other truly happy for your whole life” Ron said softly. “And as much as it pains me, because I love you, I know that this is the right thing to do”

Harry heard a chair being moved, and then light steps.

“Oh, Ron. You've really matured in these years, haven't you?” Hermione said, hugging him and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“We all have Hermione. We had to, if we wanted to survive” the redhead said, grimly. “And I'm more than happy to be able to contribute to my best friends' happiness” he said, hugging her back.

After some time, Ron spoke again.

“Well, I better go, Mum wanted to know if there were news about him. I'll come back later” he said, and Harry heard the door opening again.

He stayed there, in silence, thinking about what he had just heard.

“Three months? I've been unconscious three months?” he mused. “And Hermione never left my side?”

He thought she deserved to stop worrying.

“Hermione” he croaked out, although it wasn't an easy feat. His throat was completely dry, and he had to do an huge effort to speak.

“Harry?” she said, not sure that it hadn't been her imagination playing tricks on her.

“Yes, it's me” he managed to say. “Can you give me some water?”

“Oh, of course”

She immediately gave him a glass of water and helped him drink it.

Finally he opened his eyelids, light hitting him. But in few moments, he adjusted, putting his glasses on.

“Thanks” he said, now in his normal voice.

She flung herself at him, arms closing around his body.

“Oh, Harry. I'm so glad you're awake” she said, sobbing. “I've been so worried”

He decided to not tell her he had eavesdropped on the previous conversation, not for the moment at least.

He simply held her close, reveling in her scent.

He was definitely in love with this young woman. “Shh, don't cry. I'm fine now, and we did it. The bastard is gone”

“Yes, he is, thanks to you, Harry” she said, kissing him on the cheek.

He wanted to snog her right there, but thought better.

So they enjoyed being with each other again, and Hermione finally left his room to go and alert Ron and the Weasleys.

Soon later, Harry's room at St. Mungo's was crowded.

The twins, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were all there. He hugged everyone, endured some teasing from the twins, then the healer came to check on him to make sure he was fine.

“Mr. Potter, I guess we can release you now. But I recommend rest for the next few days” the man said briskly.

Soon later, they were all at the Burrow, as Arthur had managed to get a Portkey so that Harry did not have to Apparate.

Molly had lunch ready in an hour, and they all ate joking and laughing heartily. The war was won, they could go on with their lives now.

In the afternoon, Ron, Ginny and the twins played a two-on-two Quidditch match, Arthur was the referee, while Harry was forced to look at them with Hermione.

He had wanted to play, but the pretty brunette sitting near him had reminded him of what the healer had recommended, and she had been really persuasive.

If there was something Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Won, was afraid of was to be on the business end of Hermione Granger's wand. He would like more to face ten Voldemorts all together than that.

At dinner they were joined by Bill, Fleur and her little sister Gabrielle.

After eating they reunited in the living room, and Harry was once again at the center of the attention, and they all told the new arrived how he had saved the Wizarding World.

Gabrielle kept looking at him in awe, and that earned her some serious glares from Hermione, who was sitting near him. Ron, who had taken the place near Gabrielle, smiled knowingly.

“Gab, would you like to have a walk in the garden?” he offered, trying to take the younger girl away from Hermione.

The pretty French girl blushed a bit and nodded.

Ginny rolled her eyes at the girl, she had never liked her or her older sister, but since she was family now tried to be civil to them.

Later that night, Harry woke up sweating. He may have killed Voldemort, but the nightmares were still coming.

He set for a walk, and maybe a taking a bit of fresh air outside. So, careful to not wake up someone else, he reached the porch, where he found Hermione, sitting.

“Hermione, what are you doing here?” he said softly, sitting near her.

“Oh, it's you, Harry. I couldn't sleep”

“Neither could I” he said. “Nightmares keep coming”

“Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry” she said, caressing his hair soothingly. He felt the now usual monster in his chest purring.

“There's something I've to tell you, Hermione” he started then. “This morning, I was awake when Ron entered the room and spoke with you. I'm sorry, but I couldn't help to hear your discussion”

“Oh” was all she said.

“What I would like to know is, are you really in love with me?”

She looked toward the sky, sighing.

“I guess I am, Harry. It's complicated. See, in our fourth year, I realized I was in love with you when we were on our own, as Ron thought you had put your name in the goblet. I found myself enjoying more and more the time we spent alone, and more than once I wanted to kiss you” she admitted, blushing. “But, I reasoned that someone like you would never fall for a girl like me”

“What…”

“No, Harry, let me finish. You fancying Cho confirmed that to me. So I tried to get over you. That's the main reason why I agreed to go to the Ball with Viktor, but I knew I could never fall in love with him. Then Ron came and we had that huge fight”

“Oh, yeah, I remember it” he said, chuckling.

She smiled too.

“So, I thought he was jealous. And I started thinking, “Why not? After all he's one of my best friends, yeah, he makes me angry at times, but he's sweet, caring, he's quite good-looking too, so why not?” and from that moment I tried my best to see the good side in everything he did, even that perfume that he gave me at Christmas in fifth year, it was horrible but I appreciated the gesture. And slowly I found myself liking him more and more. Then he goes and snogs Lav for months, you can imagine how I felt knowing he did not like me. That's why you found me in that classroom crying”

She paused.

He looked at her in the moonlight, and thought she was an angel. How much would have he liked to hold her, and kiss her right at the moment.

“But then, he asked me out on the train, and I felt happy. Truly happy. He's been sweet and a perfect boyfriend all year, and I thought I'd managed to get over you once and for all, and I could see myself growing old with him, and having children and so on”, at that image Harry's monster growled its disgust, but he said nothing, “but I guess he's right. I knew something was missing, and that something was you. There were moments during this year where I felt connected to you, more than with Ron, even if I was happy with him. Then you would do some kind gestures, like giving me that necklace, and in those moments I knew I had not gotten completely over you, and that I would never be able to. Now that you know the truth, you can have a good laugh at my expense” she concluded and ran into the house, tears forming in her eyes.

Harry was too shocked at her thinking she was not good enough for him to react, and when he did she was already in her room.

He cursed, he could do nothing till next morning now, and surely she took his actions as a confirmation of rejection. He could only imagine how heartbroken she would feel right now.

Sighing, he remained outside to think all night.

In her room, Hermione flung herself on the bed, and started sobbing quietly, till she cried herself to sleep.

Next morning, the Weasleys came down to find breakfast ready.

“But, who did…” Molly started.

“I did” Harry said. “I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I thought to make breakfast for all of you”

“Oh, dear, you shouldn't have, you know what the healer said. You've got to rest” she started.

“Mrs. Weasley, really. You always look out for me and prepare meals for all of us, for one time I do it, nothing is going to happen” he said smiling, then went to have a shower and a change of clothes, before coming down again. He found himself sitting in front of Hermione, and couldn't bring himself to look at her in the eye.

“Today I'm gonna tell her” he promised.

True to his words, he searched for her later that day, when everyone else was engrossed in Quidditch or chatting into the house, and found her sitting under a big oak in the wood.

“And who would this wonderful lady be?” he flirted, approaching her.

She said nothing, simply kept reading.

When he sat near her, she got up and walked away. “Can you at least not make fun of me, Harry?” she said angrily.

Bu this time he was ready. He grabbed her by her wrist, and pulled her back to him.

“We've got to talk, Hermione”

“There's nothing to talk about. You don't fancy me, that's…” she started, but was cut by his mouth crashing on hers, kissing her with fiery passion.

She was bewildered.

Harry was kissing her, and he was doing that with such a passion that not even Ron had ever put in it.

Moments later, her book fell on the ground, while her arms entwined around his neck, and she kissed him back with as much fieriness.

They parted for lack of air after some minutes.

“Wow” she said, her eyes glazed and her lips swollen. “Tell me this is not a dream” she added softly then, caressing her lips.

“If it is, I don't want to ever wake up” he said softly, resting his forehead on hers and holding her close.

“I reckon I was wrong then. You DO fancy me, after all”

“That's not right. I do not fancy you, Hermione. I do LOVE you. I have since Christmas, at the very least”

“I love you too, Harry” she said, resting her head contentedly on his chest.

They stayed that way for long time, simply enjoying the new step in their relationship, and the closeness, till they heard Molly calling them for lunch.

She moved to retrieve her book, and then he took her hand in his own, and leaned in for another quick kiss.

“I reckon this is yours, my gorgeous lady” he whispered in her ear, taking something from his pocket.

Then he showed it to her. It was the locket he had given her at Christmas.

She took it eagerly, looking at it fondly. “Where…?”

“In the place “he” kept you prisoner” he said. “You can't imagine how panicked I was that night you did not come back. If something had happened to you…”

“Shh. It's all in the past now” she cooed softly.

When they entered the house, Ron spotted immediately their hands entwined and the new spark in their eyes, and nodded, smiling.

It still pained him a bit, but he knew it was the right thing for them. Plus, he had learned to enjoy the company of a certain French younger girl…

That night Harry and Hermione were still awake when everyone else had gone to sleep.

They enjoyed the starry night, and she conjured a sheet on which they lay together, her head on his chest and his arm draped around her shoulders, pulling her close to him.

“It's lovely, isn't it?” she said.

“You're lovely” he said, kissing her. “God, I could never tire of this”

“Of snogging some random girl?” she said, pouting.

“Of snogging you” he replied, attacking her mouth once more. The kisses grew heated, and soon he started kissing down her neck, caressing her sides. She moaned softly when he found one spot that drove her crazy, and he smiled happy to have that effect on her.

Looking at her for permission, he lifted her T-shirt to reveal her bosom wrapped in a light blue bra. He started kissing down the valley between her breasts, then on her stomach, while she unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders.

She started grazing his back softly with her nails, while he kissed once again, pouring all his passion for her in that kiss.

With another look of reassurance, he started fumbling with the clasp of her bra, finally managing to open it, and slid it down her arms, revealing the soft skin of her mounds.

She was a bit nervous at having him see her like that, but it soon passed when he spoke.

“My, you're gorgeous” he said, caressing her breasts softly.

She felt a warm feeling traveling south in her body, and planting in her crotch, when he started taking her nipples between his fingers and then into his mouth, sucking and playing with them, as well as she could feel his arousal through his trousers.

“Harry…I…think…we…should…stop…now…” she said. Oh, how much self-control that required. If there was something she would have liked in that moment was for him to make love to her, but she wanted to wait after her wedding for her first time.

He understood, and, as hard as it was, he respected her decision.

“Of course, love. There's no hurry” he said, taking his shirt back, and handing back her garments.

They stayed there some more, in silence, enjoying the company of the other, finally happy, then some time later walked back to the house hand in hand, and once inside he escorted her to he room and kissed her good night.

Then he snuck into Ron's room and entered his bed. He was glad they had managed to not wake anyone up, when from the other bed a voice came.

“So, did you shag her already?” Ron asked, teasing him.

“No way! And even if I did, I would not tell you!” Harry whispered back.

“Ok, ok. Mate, I know there's no risk of that, but if you hurt her, I'll kick your ass” the redhead said, rolling on his other side.

“Don't worry, I don't plan to” Harry replied, his eyes dreamy.

***

Months passed, and they were as happy as they could be.

After summer at the Burrow, they had passed some days at the Grangers' and Harry had the chance to know Hermione's parents better.

Anne treated him like a son since the first moment she saw him, and Roger did too, although with the obvious little reserves a father has toward the guy his baby girl is dating.

“Oh, don't worry, Mr. Granger” Harry said, one day that the girls were out shopping, and they were chatting in the garden.

“I'm not going to push Hermione into something she's not ready for. I know she wants to wait till after the wedding for that, and I love her too much to not respect her decision”

“Wise choice, son” the man said, offering him some whiskey. “Let's make it clear. It is not that I don't like you, I like you lots, and I would love to have a son like you, but she's my little girl, and you can understand a bit of fatherly worry, can't you?”

“Of course, Mr. Granger”

“Please, call me Roger”

“Ok, Roger. Now, here's a thing I wanted to ask your permission for before I ask Hermione. I was thinking, now that we are out of school, maybe we could live together in a flat…”

Roger sputtered his whiskey, and Harry quickly vanished it.

“Living together? You and Hermione?” Roger said.

“I think that's a lovely idea” a third voice interjected. Both men turned toward the door, and saw Anne Granger looking at them.

“Mrs. Granger, really, this is just an idea, if the two of you are not ok with it…” Harry started.

“Harry, first of all call me Anne, then, I'm more than ok with it. I've seen you treat Hermione like gold, and I could not wish for a better man for her to live with” she said, glaring at her husband who seemed to want to say something. “Now, if you want to go and tell Hermione the news, I wish to have a word with my husband”

So Harry did. He found Hermione in her room upstairs.

“Hey, beautiful” he said, looking at her from the doorway.

She turned and smiled at him, walking toward the man she loved. “Hey, handsome” she cooed back, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.

“So, have you and Dad been good boys while we were away?”

“I guess so” he said breathing in her ear and sending shivers down her spine. “We had a little chat about some things, and also about a little idea of mine”

“And what would that be?”

“I thought we could go living together…”

She kept squealing and hugging him and squealing, and then hugging him again, sneaking a kiss now and then. Hearing her father was not totally agreeing, however, put her on her way toward the living room.

Her shouts could be heard even upstairs, where he lay on her bed. He couldn't help but chuckle at her behavior.

So it was settled. The Grangers accompanied them to search for a flat, and they found one they both liked in Diagon Alley, in a not so crowded little alleyway.

Her parents helped them move into it, and after one week, finally, Hermione and Harry were in their new flat, together.

“Harry, you can't imagine how happy I am to be living on our own” she said, once her parents had left them alone, cuddling on the couch.

“I'm glad you're pleased” he said, kissing the top of her head and stroking her hair softly.

Days later, Harry enrolled in the Auror training, while Hermione started studying to become an Healer, so their days were rather busy, and they met just at dinner, or, when he was able to take a couple hours, at lunch.

However, Harry managed to organize a surprise for her birthday.

When they woke up, he did not acknowledge it, kissing her good morning as all days, then going on with his morning routine like every other day.

He kept this faÃ§ade up all day, making her first angry, then furious.

She even sent an owl to him telling him he could take his things from the house and leave her forever. She called her parents, crying, but he had included them in the organization, so they played along, comforting her but not getting angry at him.

At night, finally, she returned, exhausted, to their home, and when she switched on the lights, all her friends were there to welcome her, Ron, Ginny, Luna, her parents, Molly, the twins, Arthur, even Professor McGonagall, who stayed just few minutes, and even Draco.

All of them cheered her for her eighteenth birthday, and her anger melted away. She had a wonderful night that paid her back for a day of sadness.

Once they were alone, in their bed, he pulled her close, inhaling her scent.

“I still can't believe we can do this every night now” he said, nuzzling her neck.

She giggled. “Nor do I. But it feels wonderful” she said, kissing him softly. “Thanks for tonight. I should have known you were up to something, you never forgot my birthday before”

“I would have been rightly pissed off too if you treated me like I did, on my birthday, so no offense taken” he said. They soon drifted to sleep in each other arms, something they were growing used to.

***

It was by now Christmas, and Molly had organized for all of them to reunite at the Burrow, she simply loved to have the house full in the holidays.

Hermione and Harry Apparated to their flat for a quick change of clothes. It had been, after all, a tiring day of shopping.

While Hermione went to shower, Harry hid a small package. It was his gift for her, and he surely did not want her to find it out before the time was right.

Then they Apparated to the Burrow, and were greeted by all the Weasleys. Ron had his arm around Gabrielle's waist, Harry noticed, and the younger French witch was peacefully resting her head on his shoulder.

He grinned, and made a mental note to ask his best friend for details later.

He had noticed the redhead had grown quite fond of her in the last period, but his training had kept him from hanging around with Ron as much as they did at Hogwarts.

All of them were called by Molly, announcing dinner was ready.

She had prepared her fabulous stew, with pumpkin sauce, and then there were lots of pudding, crackers, and then Hermione brought the surprise she and Harry had bought together. A big pumpkin pie, that everyone eagerly tasted.

After everyone had filled their stomach, chatter ensued in the living room.

“So, Ron, I see that you and little Ms. Delacour here have become quite friendly, uh?” Harry teased his friend, his girlfriend on his lap.

Ron reddened while Gabrielle, Fleur and Ginny, who with time had grown to like the younger French girl a lot, giggled.

“Yeah, we have” she said, looking lovingly at him, and placing a quick peck on his lips.

“Aww, little Ickle Ronniekins is growing up…he snogs pretty girls now…” the twins teased him, in a singsong voice.

Ron blushed even more, for the amusement of all the others.

Then the arrangements for the night were done. Ginny and Gabrielle would sleep in the same room, Bill and Fleur of course would sleep in his old one, the twins had their, and Harry would sleep with Ron, while Hermione would have Percy's old room for herself.

Although not completely pleased with that, Harry and Hermione accepted. They had grown used to sleep in each other arms, but for one night, they could manage. Or so they thought.

Actually, Harry woke up in the middle of the night, and not being able to sleep again without her, snuck in her room. Not a difficult feature for an Auror-to-be.

He looked at her sleeping form, reveling in her beauty.

She really seemed an angel.

Then he slid in her bed, careful to not wake her. She smiled, feeling his body against hers.

“Harry” she murmured softly.

“Yes, it is me, love” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

“I knew you would come” she said, then placed a peck on his lips and both were soon asleep.

Ginny found them that way next morning, and smiled to herself.

“They really seem happy” she said, a bit wistfully. Then proceeded to wake them up before someone else noticed.

Later, when everyone was down, the gifts were exchanged.

Harry gave Hermione her box, and she knew just taking it in her hands that is was jewelry.

Eagerly unwrapping it, she found a pair of white gold earrings, resembling snowflakes, and with tiny sapphires in them, her birthstone.

“Oh, Harry, these are so wonderful!” she said, wrapping her arms around him, and kissing him.

He caught the chance.

“Look on the backside” he whispered in her ear.

She did, while the others opened their gifts, and found engraved an heart with two entwined H in it.

She looked up at him in surprise.

He grinned at her, blowing her a kiss, and she felt all warm inside.

***

One week before Valentine's Day, Hermione had planned to welcome him home in a special way, and had cooked all his favorite dishes. She set soft music in the background, and candle lights all around their flat.

But he did not came till midnight. He did not know of her plan, but he had one of his own, one that, being he occupied with training all day, he had to work on at night, thus his lateness.

“Honey, I'm home” he said, entering.

“Where the hell have you been all evening?” she asked, furious, tears flowing down her eyes.

He expected that. “Shagging some random girls” he replied, nonchalantly.

She smiled through her tears and swatted his arm. “Prat”

“I know. But you love me for that”

“That I do” she said, kissing him. “Really, where have you been?”

He said nothing.

“Come on, tell me”

“It's a surprise” he said. “Just make sure you've nothing to do at evening in a week time”

She looked up at him. One week time meant Valentine's Day. She smirked at him.

“You know, I may have to go out with an handsome wizard, that night”

“Is that so?” he asked, playing along. “Do I know him?”

“I think so. He's got raven messy hair, and those green eyes…” she said, attacking his mouth again.

She then told him about the special night she had prepared for them.

“Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry. I couldn't imagine, or I would have worked on my surprise another day” he said, holding her close while they cuddled on the couch in front of the TV.

“It's nothing. Being here with you is enough for me. It was just something to relieve you of the stress of training” she said, claiming his lips. He eagerly kissed her back, and once again, as almost every night, passion brought them on the border of the greatest step in their relationship, but knowing how much it was important for her to wait, he stopped.

Every time it took more will power to stop, but till that moment they had managed to.

Harry hoped his surprise would make the wait shorter.

One week later, Hermione came home from her lessons tired, but curious about what Harry was going to surprise her with.

She found him already at home, a rarity since his training often kept him away till late.

“How come you're already here?” she asked.

“Tonight is the night of the surprise, have you forgotten?” he said, coming out of the shower with just his towel on.

She shook her head, and went to kiss him, something she would have liked to do all day, especially if he was in that attire. At times she cursed her decision to wait till the wedding to have her first time.

He replied hungrily to her kiss, but soon stopped.

“If we start this, we're gonna be late” he said.

“Ok, honey” she said. “I'm gonna have a shower, and then we're off”

Half an hour later, she exited their room, a black dress hugging her figure and exalting her curves at their best.

He gaped at her almost drooling.

“What? Is this dress not adapt for where we are going?” she asked.

“No, it is adapt, of course. It's just that seeing you in that dress makes me want to stay here instead” he said huskily.

She blushed, taking his hand. He handed her an old cap they would be using as Portkey.

The usual tug at their navel started the trip to a secluded restaurant on the Italian west coast. It was set on the rocks, just over the sea, and in a moonlit night like that one, the view was breathtaking.

The waiter led them to their table, the one with the best view. He had, for once, had to brag about being Harry Potter, the savior of the Wizarding World, to have it, but in cases like this one, he admitted fame was useful.

As the waiter left them with the menus, Hermione leaned toward her boyfriend.

“Harry, this is wonderful” she said, looking at him in awe.

“I know. Only the best for my Hermione” he said, taking her hand and kissing it. Soon the waiter was back with a bottle of Champagne.

“This is our best, with the greetings of the house” he said, placing it in the icebox after filling their glasses.

They started browsing through the menus, and Hermione was shocked at the prices.

“Don't worry, I'm not going to become poor after one night here” Harry said, almost reading her thoughts. “Order whatever you feel like”

So they both chose grilled lobsters, something they had both never tried, but it seemed really delicious.

And it was, as that was one of the best Wizarding restaurants for cooking fish in the whole world.

When the dinner was almost finished, Harry suddenly got on one knee and took a small box from his pocket.

Opening it, he spoke.

“Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?” he said.

She was speechless. Not only he had brought her in one of the most expensive restaurants for Valentine Day, but he proposed too. She kept looking from his face to the white gold band with emeralds on it, not able to utter a word.

He was growing nervous. If she wanted to marry him, she would have said so already…so he started closing the box, dejectedly, when she, not caring about someone seeing them, flung herself at him.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes” she kept repeating, tears of joy escaping her eyes.

He chuckled, and gently stood up, supporting her too. Then she kissed him as hard as she had ever done, and he eagerly kissed her back.

When they parted, he slid the ring on her finger.

“Bring me home, Harry” she said lovingly. And so he did.

Next morning, a stack of owls kept entering their window, while they ate breakfast. Hermione kept glancing at the ring to make sure it was not a dream, but the letters confirmed it. All of their friends congratulated, and she was puzzled. How could they know already?

She understood when Harry threw the Daily Prophet at her. In the front page there was the picture of the two of them kissing, with evidence on her ring, and a big title about their engagement.

So, all day they endured people congratulating with them, and at night Ginny obliged them to reunite with the closest friends, Luna, Ron, Gabrielle, herself and Draco, who she had started dating steadily after Christmas.

Once at home, they discussed about the date.

In the end, they agreed for having it in early summer, choosing July the 20th as the date.

They went to visit her parents that weekend to give them the news, and both the Grangers were excited, although Anne a bit more. When the young couple left, she was already engrossed in her wedding magazines.

“I knew they would be useful soon” she kept saying Roger, who simply rolled his eyes.

“Poor Harry, doesn't know what he's stepped into” the man thought, sipping his beer.

Through the months to the wedding, true to what Roger had predicted, Harry found himself between some wedding-crazy women, Hermione, Ginny, Molly and Anne, all of them did their best to organize it, but the poor boy was left with dealing with a nervous Hermione, upset when the other three did not see things the way she wanted, and overly tired as she had her studies to keep her occupied too.

Soon he learned, with Roger's advice too, that it was best agree with everything they would come up with.

This lead to having the wedding on Hogwarts grounds, with all their close friends invited, so it was a rather small wedding. Harry alerted them that press would show up as usual when he was concerned, but McGonagall had assured them she would place wards to keep them out.

Then the young couple had to decide the wedding party.

“Well, I guess Ron will be my best man” Harry said, thoughtfully, sipping a Butterbeer in their living room, while Hermione scribbled down.

“And I could ask Ginny to be my maid-of-honor. Or do you think Mum would be better?”

“I don't know. Maybe she's too involved, being this close to you. She'll surely be emotional, so maybe it would be the best for her if she did not have responsibilities too”

“Yes, guess you're right” she said.

Few days later the invitations were sent away.

Harry James Potter

And

Hermione Jane Granger

Request your presence to their wedding,

That is going to be celebrated at

Hogwarts Castle

On July 20th, at midday.

Please confirm your presence by owl

Soon the wedding party, that was completed with Remus and Neville being the other groomsmen and Tonks and Luna being the other two bridesmaids, had to go choosing the robes for the ceremony.

Ron and the other men were given dark gray robes, with classical white shirts, while the girls were to wear stunningly beautiful light pink robes.

Remus was almost drooling when he saw Tonks in that one.

Finally the day came.

Harry was nervously fidgeting with his black robes in the Great Hall, waiting for the moment of going outside.

Ron and the other groomsmen were trying to keep him calm.

“Harry, son, if you pace a bit more you're going to leave marks on the floor” Remus said. “It seems to have gone back to your father's wedding” the werewolf chuckled.

“Was he this nervous?”

“Yes, he was. He almost retched before entering the church”

Harry smiled at that. He could imagine it, because he was feeling the same way.

In that moment Ginny entered to speak with her brother.

“Hi, Harry. You look really handsome, you know” she said flirtatiously. “Maybe I could jump you myself, since your bride seems to have changed her mind…” she purred.

“What?” Harry said, paling. He moved to go and search Hermione when all of them blocked him.

“Easy, mate. It was just a prank” Remus said, laughing at his face.

Ginny giggled. “Don't worry, she's as nervous as you are. But, I confirm, you ARE handsome” she said, leaving with a last wink.

Then the moment came. He walked outside, in front of the altar, and waited for her to come. An area had been conceived for her to dress, and from there she would be coming. But, the charms stopped Harry from seeing her before she stepped on the aisle leading toward the altar.

The Wedding March started sounding, and there she was, her father on her arm.

His breath caught in his throat.

She was angelic, with her hair fixed to have small tendrils adorning her face, and the rest in an elegant chignon and one single white rose adorning her ear, and a light veil covering her head.

Her dress was clutching at her form very well, exalting her body. Since it was summer, it was sleeveless, with small straps keeping it in place on her shoulders. It had sparkling little diamonds on it, that reflected the sunlight giving her an almost ethereal glow. Although the dress had a V-neck, it did not plunge too deep, but the way it was clinging to her body made her look sexy all the same.

Harry was glad he had convinced Madam Malkin's to create something special for her, although he had not seen the result till that moment.

She noticed his gaze, and blushed slightly. Finally, she was at his side.

“Who gives this witch away?” the officer asked.

“I, her father, do” Roger said, emotion clear in his voice.

She kissed him on the cheek before he left to join her mother who was already in tears.

“We are here today, to unite in marriage Harry James Potter and Hermione Jane Granger” the officer announced. “If there is someone who does not want this marriage to be celebrated, speak now or stay silent forever”

No one spoke.

“Very well. Now, for your vows, Harry take her hand, then speak. Hermione, you do the same after him”

“Hermione, I've come to realize my love for you just one year and a half before this day, but I think I've loved you always. You've been my rock in the tempest, and more than once your presence made my day. I don't know if I would have been able to do what I did without you. I'll love you forever”

“Harry, I knew your fame even before meeting you. In these years I've come to see that while you could have been a spoiled brat, just for who you are, you are instead kind, caring, and loving. You do all you can to help the others, and blame yourself every time someone gets hurt, even when blame is not to be assigned to you. For who you truly are, I love you, Harry” she said, looking at him lovingly.

Then Ron brought the rings.

“With this ring, I thee wed” Harry said, placing it on her finger with shaking hands.

“With this ring I thee wed” Hermione repeated, sliding the ring on his finger, not without difficulties as she couldn't hold her hand still if she tried.

“Harry and Hermione, I declare you husband and wife” the priest said. “Harry, you may kiss your wife”

He didn't wait for the priest saying it again. Swiftly he raised her veil, and she thought in that moment that her mother was right, it really was one of the most emotional moments of the ceremony and her whole life, and thanked God she listened to her in the end, then he placed his lips on hers softly.

Cheers erupted in the grounds, where the Weasleys, the staff and some students of their class were reunited.

Then, a sumptuous banquet followed in the Great Hall, in which Ron really had a field day.

Everyone enjoyed it, eating lots of deliciously cooked dishes, then the moment of the dances came.

As tradition, the newlyweds opened them, swinging to the soft notes of a beautiful Muggle song by Elton John, “Can you Feel the Love Tonight”.

There's a calm surrender to the rush of day
When the heat of a rolling wind can be turned away
An enchanted moment, and it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you

And can you feel the love tonight
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight
How it's laid to rest
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best

There's a time for everyone if they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours

They danced to the slow rhythm looking lovingly in each other eyes, from which their happiness was clear and radiant.

Then they kissed once more, for the crowd's joy, as cheers erupted again.

They then switched partners. Harry danced with Ginny, Hermione with Ron. Even if they were with their ex significant others, there was no awkwardness, but only wishes of happiness from their friends.

“Harry, I've never seen your eyes shine like this, not even when we were together” Ginny said, smiling.

“I could say the same of you, Gin” Harry said. “How are things going with Draco?”

“Perfectly. He's so sweet, who would have thought back in school?” she said dreamily.

“Guess another wedding is near then” he teased her.

“I don't know about it, but I surely hope it is” she said.

Hermione, as said, was dancing with Ron.

“So, keeping him in line, are you?” he asked her.

“Well, not that he needs it, unlike someone else we know…” she replied, looking at him, who reddened on his ears.

“You're so cute when you redden this way” she teased him.

“Hermione, men aren't cute. Handsome, maybe, but not cute”

“Ok, then, Mr. Handsome, how are things going with Gabrielle?”

“Very well. I think I might want to marry her soon” he confessed.

“That's great, Ron!” Hermione squealed.

“Shh. There's nothing concrete for now” he said, placing a finger on her lips.

“Still, that's great” she said, grinning.

Few dances later, the ritual of the throwing of the bouquet was held. Gabrielle managed to get it, beating Ginny for mere inches.

The blonde girl ran to Ron, squealing. He caught Hermione's eye and she grinned at him. He blushed.

“Congrats, Gabrielle, Ron. Seems a wedding is near for you” Harry said. Then there was the throwing of the garter, and there Draco was the faster. He was a Seeker after all.

“Well, another probable wedding then. Congrats Draco, Ginny” Hermione said.

Once everyone was gone, they Apparated back to their flat. They took their luggage and Apparated straightaway to the Wizarding resort in Anguilla, in the Caribbean sea, where they would pass their honeymoon.

He took her in his arms, and brought her into their bedroom.

She giggled. “That's very manly of you, Harry” she said, when he placed her on the bed.

“Anything for my extremely sexy wife” he said, kissing her hungrily.

He slid the straps of her wedding dress down her arms, just to find she was wearing no bra under it. So he caressed her bare breasts, before engulfing one nipple in his mouth, and sucking on it, while teasing the other with his hand.

She moaned loudly, happy that finally they could fulfil their love. There was no stopping that night.

Soon he started tracing patterns on her belly with his fingers, sliding the dress down and down till it fell from her legs, leaving her with only her lace panties on.

“You're way too dressed, Mr. Potter” she said, starting to shred his clothing, first the robes, then the white shirt, in the end the trousers.

She started rubbing his crotch though the material of his boxers, and he growled in pleasure.

That night, they made love to each other for the first time. The first in their whole lives, almost like they had been saving themselves for each other.

Next morning, they lay in bed, cuddling.

Harry kept stroking her hair softly, while she doodled on his chest with her finger, her head resting just there.

She still couldn't believe how wonderful last night had been. Four times he made love to her, every one they came together.

“So, what do you like to do today, love?” he asked.

“Well, I've heard here they have such wonderful beaches, I guess some tan can't do bad” she said. “Plus, you get to see me in bikini” she said, sultry.

“I prefer you like you are now, naked, thank you very much” Harry said. “But I guess we can't stay coped up in this room making love for two weeks, can we?” he sighed, starting to get up.

They rented a car, and went to the most famous beach on the isle, Shoal Bay West.

“Wow. Never seen sand this white” she said, putting her sunglasses on.

Harry looked in wonder at the scenery. The water was turquoise, and he couldn't help to go and have a swim immediately.

Soon she followed him.

The sun was really hot, so they couldn't stay sunbathing for long. All day it was a continuous coming and going from the water, searching for some relief to the heat.

They strolled on the long beach three times, collecting shells of every shape and dimension.

Then at dinner they went to one of the best restaurants, “Straw Hat”. There they could taste some of the specialties of the place, of course fish.

In their stay they managed to explore the whole island, and one of their preferred beaches was the one in front of the Cap Juluca Resort.

They went snorkelling, and managed to see some sea turtles and even two little sharks swimming back and forth in front of the beach, probably searching for small fishes.

They took Muggle photos of the beaches to show their friends, and some of the animals too. And, they managed to get a fair amount of love-making at night.

But as all the beautiful things, their holiday finished. They Apparated back to their flat two weeks later, lovely memories forever in their heads, and ready to restart their lives.

Days later, Hermione started being sick.

Every morning, she would have to go and puke, at times even twice before she could go on with her day.

Harry was worried, so she after some discussions, agreed to see an healer.

The man ran his spells on her, and then grinned.

“Mrs. Potter, I've the happy task to tell you, you're pregnant”

Hermione could not believe her ears. She was going to be Mum! She was going to have Harry's baby!

As soon as she exited St. Mungo's she Apparated back home, ignoring her afternoon lessons, and called her mother to give her the news.

Anne was simply delighted to know she was going to be a Granny.

Hermione took the afternoon to prepare a romantic setting, for a quiet dinner with her beloved husband and father-to-be.

This time, he was on time, having got her owl telling him to come home for dinner. He knew she went to see the healer, and was eager to know the response.

She kept him guessing all dinner, but then the excitement was too much.

“Harry, I'm pregnant! We're going to be parents!” she squealed.

On his face a grin slowly spread, and he stood up. He took the woman he loved so much in his arms and started spinning her around, in joy.

“A baby! We're gonna have a baby!” he kept shouting over and over, through her giggles.

That was a night for sweetness. They fell asleep in each other arms, forgetting their raw passion for once.

As time passed, Harry started learning that dealing with pregnant women was not an easy task. He would have preferred to have another go with the Dark Lord than tending to a pregnant Hermione, as she had sudden mood swings.

One moment they would be cuddling lovingly on the couch, the next she would find one little detail out of its place, and she would start shouting at him.

“Harry James Potter! How many times have I told you to put back the jam after you take it?” she shouted at the top of her lungs one morning, while he was finishing dressing.

He cringed.

“Sorry, love” he said sheepishly walking into the kitchen, and putting it in the right place.

“Don't sweet-talk me” she said, storming off.

“Perfect way to start the day” Harry thought, Apparating away.

At times they would go out with their friends, in the first months of her pregnancy.

She was not showing yet, or if she did, it was something imperceptible, but she kept trying all the dresses of her wardrobe, throwing them away in disgust.

“I'm a whale” she said, huffing.

“No, you're not” Harry said, wrapping his arms around her. “And even if you were, I would love you all the same”

She turned in his embrace.

“Thanks, love. I know at times I am mean to you, with the mood swings and all, but really, I don't think I could go trough nine months of this without you” she said, kissing him softly.

“If you continue doing that, we may not leave at all, you know”

“Would it be that bad?” she pouted.

He chuckled. “Come on, let's be there on time for once” he said, shaking his head. Every time it was the same thing. They kept getting sidetracked with other, err, interesting activities.

Months passed, and Hermione's belly grew. She could feel the baby kick now and then, and she got tired easily.

Soon it was time to bed-rest, for her.

Harry exhausted himself in going through his training and caring about his wife and the house, but the smile never left his face.

He was going to have his greatest wish since childhood, a family, and he was ready to do everything he had to for that.

Hermione started getting strange cravings, and it was better for him to comply, because an angered pregnant witch had not perfect control over her magic, as they learned when one night she shattered a light on the other side of the room without even moving a finger.

So he would get her chocolate ice-cream with pumpkin sauce around it, or some steak with whipped cream, or something as strange as this.

He wondered how could she eat such things, but he did not ask.

Roger had instructed him, it was better not know, just act. And he followed the rules.

Finally, the moment of bringing another Potter to light came.

That night, Harry was just finishing in the kitchen, after washing the dishes, while Hermione was in bed, already asleep. He was startled by screams from the main bedroom.

In one moment he was to her side.

“Hermione, dear, what's happening?” he said, concerned.

“I…think…my…waters…are…broken” she managed to say through gritted teeth. The pain was killing her.

“Ok, hang on just a moment” he said, taking the luggage they had already prepared for this moment, and then he Portkeyed them to St. Mungo's. Better it than Floo.

He steadied her when they landed, then walked to the front desk.

“My wife is in pain, she's about to give birth to our child” he said.

“I fear you'll have to wait, our healers are all busy right now” the nurse said him without even looking.

“I'm Harry-bloody-Potter, now get me a healer now, and make it the best you have” he growled, showing her his scar.

Minutes later they were in the most comfortable room of the hospital, and the best healer was checking Hermione's conditions.

After few minutes, she cast a pain-relieving spell on her, and she relaxed.

“She's going to have a painful labour, I guess. The baby is some days early, but he's fine. Well, they are fine, I should say” she told Harry with a smile.

Harry was too distraught to understand her. Only thing he understood was that all was under control, although Hermione would be in pain when giving birth.

“Can I be there when she…?”

“Of course you can, but be ready to be called some not pleasant names by her. All women in labour do that”

Some hours later, the worst moment came.

Harry sit there, holding her hand, while Hermione followed the healer's instruction, pushing when told, resting a bit when she could.

The other witch ahd stopped casting the pain-relieving spell on her because it could hurt the babies now, so she gripped Harry's hand viciously while pushing again, through the waves of pain flooding through her body.

“Harry James Potter, if you dare to put me through this again, I swear I'll hex you into the next millennium, you bastard”

Harry ignored her rants, focusing on holding her hand, although her grip was making it difficult to control his own as the blood was stopping to pass through it. His hand was now ghostly white, but it was nothing in confront to her pain.

He simply stayed there.

Four hours later, two new Potters were in the world.

A girl and a boy they were, and Hermione kept them lovingly in her hands. Harry beamed at his new family, and Roger, Anne and the Weasleys were all one by one admitted to see the babies.

Ginny and Gabrielle squealed seeing them, and asked Hermione to keep them in their hands.

She passed them to the girls, and turned to Harry.

“So, we need to pick names for them, now”

Harry nodded. “I was thinking, maybe we could call the boy David and the girl Caroline”

“Actually, I thought Julian for the boy, and Alexandra for the girl” Hermione said, “but I kind of like Caroline too”

“So that one is settled. Now, for the boy…”

“Why don't you call him Albus?” Ron said.

“No way. Potter is already an heavy surname, I don't want him to be compared to Dumbledore too” Harry said.

“What do you think of Mark?” Anne suggested. “I've always loved the name”

“That's nice” Roger commented, “but I kind of like Francis better”

“Enough!” Ginny shouted. “This is something Harry and Hermione need to figure on their own”

Everyone agreed, so they quietly left, giving their best wishes to the couple again.

Hermione sighed.

“So, what are we going to call him?” she said, caressing the boy's head. Soon the healer came to bring both babies in the nursery.

“I don't know. I kind of like Mark too, you know”

“Yes, sounds good. Mark Potter. Yes, it sounds good to me” she said, smiling and resting her head on his shoulder.

He grinned.

“Now, for their middle names…”

“I guess we can name them after your parents. Mark James Potter and Caroline Lily Potter” she suggested.

“That would be lovely” he said, a tear coming to his eyes thinking about his parents. That was one of the reasons he loved Hermione that much. She could read him like an open book. He was to suggest just that.

So, finally Harry Potter could live in peace and happiness with his wife Hermione and his two sons, Mark and Caroline.

Time showed how much the two young took after their parents. Mark got brown eyes and hair, but as unruly as his father's, and he inherited the Potter Seeker talent, however he did care for studies a bit more than his father had done back in Hogwarts. Caroline got long black hair and green eyes, and her hair was just a bit bushy. She loved reading just as her mother, but she did not hate flying.

So, once again, an happy Potter family was growing into the Wizarding World.

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