Unofficial Portkey Archive

Harry Potter and the Mark of Ingravesco

Ship: Harry Potter/Hermione Granger | Chapter Words: 9233 | Last Update: 6 Jan 06 | Rating: PG-13
Hermione Granger is the next target of Lord Voldemort what ends will he go to in order to get to Harry Potter, and is this latest attempt going to have the effect he wanted?

'Push, Hermione, push.... That's it, one last big push.'

Hermione's head dropped back on the bed. It was over. She closed her eyes and lay still for just a moment. The pain in her stomach throbbed, her breathing was still ragged from the experience and she listened to the sounds around her, the small cry of a new born baby, the words of a nurse soothing the child, those still caring for an exhausted Hermione and two voices talking to her, her mother and Molly Weasley, both doing as they had done for the last nine months, telling her everything would be fine, and how beautiful her child was.

'It's a girl,' the Healer announced handing the bundle of blankets to its mother. 'She's beautiful.' She smiled. 'What are you going to call her?' she asked.

'Lily.' Hermione breathed. She didn't feel right, the pain in her stomach deepened and she felt drowsy and dizzy. Her arms dropped and someone made a grab for the newborn baby. Hermione didn't know whom, because at that point she passed out. The only thought on her mind was how she'd ended up in this situation. How did this happen?

NINE MONTHS BEFORE

Hermione Granger, one of Harry Potters best friends, sat in her room at home, music playing over the sound of her parents scrambling around the house getting ready to leave for a party.

The summer holidays where great for Hermione, she spent most of it on her own. Since she turned 16 last year her parents had started to trust that she wouldn't set the house on fire, or at least blow it up. But with all things, there was a down side. Stuck at home was great, except that Hermione missed her friends, Harry, Ron and Ginny, but most of all she missed Harry.

For the last few years Hermione had looked at Harry differently. At first she though it was just a crush, all the other girls had it, Ginny in particular! Then she had tested the idea that she'd spent too much time with Ginny and the rest of the 'I love Harry Potter' Fan club, but she had to admit there was definitely something more than that going on, there was no denying she was in love with him.

'Hermione.' Her mum popped her head in to her room to get her attention. 'We're off out now, are you sure you'll be okay here by yourself?'

'Mum, I'm 17, not 7. I'll be fine,' Hermione replied, wishing her parents would prove they trusted her like they did her older brother.

'Okay sweetheart, don't stay up too late and don't play music beyond 9, you know the...'

'...boy next door goes to bed at 9. I know!' Hermione finished, causing her mum to smile.

'We'll be back around...'

'... midnight. If I need to call you, I have your mobile numbers and the number to where you're going is pinned to the fridge and if I have any small problems, Amy next door will help me out, and yes I have her number,' Hermione completed, holding up a post-it note with a telephone number on it. 'Mum, you've gone out every Saturday for that last 6 years, I know this already!' Her mum laughed and left, closing Hermione's door behind her. A few minutes later her dad was heard shouting his goodbyes and then closing the front door.

Hermione pushed her chair away from the computer desk and over to the window. She watched her parents get into the car and drive away before pushing herself back to her computer. She loaded up the game she had been playing and after a few minutes she gave up, turned up the music and moved over to her dresser. Digging into a draw she pulled out parchment, ink and quill and sat poised to write.

She wanted to write to Harry, just so she could look forward to his reply, but she couldn't think of an excuse to write to him. Would it look strange to write that she missed him? That she wanted to see him again? Would he figure out her feelings if she invited him to stay for a weekend without asking Ron to come as well?

She sat thinking for so long that a drop of ink hit the parchment and began to blot. She watched it, still thinking of what she could write, but soon concentrated only on the ink as it started to move on its own, forming words on the parchment.

Would you like me to write your letter?

Hermione sat stunned; someone was watching her!

Mr. Potter would love to know what's on your mind!

The ink had carried on, Hermione was torn between getting up to look for the witch or wizard who was spying on her and ripping up the parchment.

Let me start for you:
Dearest Harry, the summer has been long and drawn without you near me. I wish we could be together again, if only for a weekend, but I'm unsure of how you feel for me. Do you share my love for you...?

Hermione seized the parchment, ripped it into pieces and dropped it on her dresser. Looking up into the mirror above her she saw him, someone she never thought she'd be looking at, let alone in her room. She pulled in a quick breath before uttering a single word.

'Voldemort.' Hermione stood frozen in her spot as the Dark Lord of the wizarding world began to laugh, a cold loud laugh, but as suddenly as he had started he stopped, raised his wand and spoke a single word before vanishing, taking Hermione with him.

'Hermione!' Amy, the neighbour, stood at Hermione's door banging to get attention. She held her phone in her other hand while she banged on the door and rang the doorbell. This was not like Hermione; she never played music beyond 9pm. She had always stopped so her son, Adam, could go to bed. Amy banged again and turned to look at Adam, who sat in the doorway to his home rocking back and forward with his fingers in his ears groaning at his need to sleep.

Slightly frustrated and worried, Amy banged again then stepped away from the door, looking up at Hermione's bedroom window. Her curtains were open as was her window, but only a little bit and her light was off, although there was a slight glow that she guessed was a candle. She was tempted to climb up there and see if she could at least look in, see if maybe Hermione had fallen and knocked herself out. She turned to go get her ladder but stopped when a pop behind her sounded.

Turning slowly, Amy found herself face to face with a very ragged man in his mid 40's, looking as though he hadn't slept in the last, well forever.

'Who are you?' Amy asked, studying the man a little more.

'Remus Lupin. I used to teach Hermione, just came to make sure she's alright,' Lupin offered, hoping this neighbour wouldn't ask too many questions. 'Any idea how to get in?'

Very unsure about this man's intentions, Amy shook her head before speaking.

'Her window is open,' she said, pointing up to it, 'but I haven't been able to check around the back. I can't leave my boy,' she said, indicating Adam who hadn't changed how he sat at all.

'I'll check around the back and see if I can get in. I'll let you in if I can,' Lupin said, before turning and heading down the street towards the alley.

Lupin stepped out at the other end of the alley and counted the houses back to Hermione's. Opening the gate, he stepped in and was greeted by another man, a taller bigger built man wearing a hat that covered one of his eyes.

'Well?' he asked, pulling a hip flask from his inside pocket and taking a drink.

'The neighbour wants to get in; She's worried about Hermione too. Anyway in?'

'Just the one,' Mad-eye Moody offered, pulling out his wand, tapping the lock to the back door and saying 'Alohomora.' The lock clicked open and they entered.

The dark rooms of the house made it hard for Remus to avoid hitting furniture, he gave up in the end and stayed close to Moody, whose magic eye seemed to give him the advantage of knowing where the furniture was.

Making it to the hall, Remus pulled open the front door after struggling with the lock and let Amy in. Then he and Moody followed her up the stairs to Hermione's room.

She had been right, in the corner of the room was a tall candle perched on an oddly shaped stand. Her computer was still on; the game she had played paused on the screen.

Amy walked quickly to the stereo where she turned off the music, then pushed open the window instructing Adam to shut the door and go to bed. While she did this, Moody stood in the doorway, his magic eye going mad out of sight. He was taking in Hermione's room, looking for signs of struggle, but didn't see anything until he spotted Remus standing beside her dresser.

Remus picked up a pile of parchment pieces, feeling slightly confused he studied them. There was no ink on them at all. He showed them to Moody who took them and put them to his nose, just Hermione's sweet smell was lingering on them.

'She did this a few hours ago,' Moody pointed out.

'Her parents left at 8,' Amy told them, having been watching Remus study her desk, which he was still doing. Pushing books and notes around, he spotted another piece of parchment. This stood out as Hermione had used Muggle paper instead of parchment on this desk. Remus picked up the parchment and unfolded it to read:

Voldemort's guest!

Remus handed it quickly to Moody who, having already seen the writing, stuffed it in his pocket and turned from the room.

'Erm, you can go back to your house. We'll wait for Mr and Mrs Granger to return and let them know what's happened,' Remus said turning to Amy.

'Oh no you don't. You know what's going on here, you can tell me so I can call them and get them home now and call the police.'

'We've already called the police, but you are welcome to call the Grangers.' Moody had returned. 'Other than that I see no reason for you to waste your time here.'

'Now just wait a minute, I don't even know who you two are, I mean you told me your name,' Amy said pointing to Remus, 'but I haven't got a clue about you.'

'I am Alastor Moody, myself and Mr Lupin here were sent to protect Miss Granger. We were pulled from our lookout at 8:13 this evening to what turned out to be a false alarm. On our return we found no sign of Miss Granger, but instead found you banging the door down,' Moody filled Amy in, but not telling her everything.

'Protect her from what?'

'Hermione knows something about someone very powerful. We've been making sure they don't get her out of the way,' Lupin put in, hoping he didn't sound too much like he'd been watching movies though Muggle windows.

'I'll call the Grangers from my house, and get them to come home.'

'Thank you,' Remus said, watching her leave the room. When he was sure she couldn't hear them, he approached Moody. 'Did you send the message?'

'Yes, the other Order members should be here soon,' Moody said, watching Remus drop onto Hermione's bed and cover his face with his hands.

It felt like hours had passed, but really only a few minutes, before the members of the Order came to search for clues to where the Dark Lord might have taken the Hogwarts student; but they found nothing and left to report to Dumbledore. Remus, and this time Arthur Weasley, waited for Mr and Mrs Granger to return. Remus sat in the front room as he had done in Hermione's room, his head in his hands, worry on his face. Arthur on the other hand was pre-occupied with the many gadgets and gismos that the Grangers had. He delighted in the keyboard and mouse at the computer in the study and was currently busy trying to work out the function of an electric toothbrush when the door opened and Mr and Mrs Granger entered their home.

Footsteps on the stairs told the waiting pair that someone had gone to see if it was true, that their daughter had really been taken from her room. The other, Mr Granger, stepped into the front room.

'What happened? Where is she?'

'We don't know, but Professor Dumbledore is doing his best to locate her,' Arthur answered, the toothbrush gone from his mind.

'You said you'd be here to watch her; we kept it a secret that you were watching her in the first place and you couldn't even protect her. What is this Dark Lord going to do to her?' Mr Granger asked as his wife entered the front room.

'We're sorry for what happened, but we were led to believe that Albus Dumbledore had requested we return to the Order Headquarters. On doing so we found this to be untrue and came back as quickly as we could,' Remus offered, now feeling the full extent of the guilt he felt in the first place.

'NOT QUICK ENOUGH!' Mr Granger bellowed, causing his wife to jump at his side.

'I don't believe that shouting, or making Professor Lupin feel any worse than he already does will bring Miss Granger back.' Dumbledore had entered the conversation; he stood in the hallway behind the Grangers, unseen or heard by all in front of him. 'My current aim, is to return Miss Granger to safety. She is still a Hogwarts student and so long as that statement is true, she will remain my responsibility. However, I cannot return her, if you insist on shouting at two of my people,' Dumbledore smiled.

'How long will it take to find her?' Mrs Granger asked, one hand held tight to her husband in an effort to keep him calm.

'That all depends on Voldemort. He may keep her hidden, in which case it could take some time, or he may return her, perhaps here, or somewhere I would find her,' Dumbledore replied keeping the smile firmly on his face.

'Will he hurt her?' Mr Granger piped in, now calmer than he felt.

'I believe not. The reason for taking your daughter is to reach another of my students, one currently out of Voldemort's reach and someone to whom Miss Granger cares deeply for. Now, if I may,' Dumbledore asked, producing his wand from nowhere as only he can. 'I will leave this owl in your care...' he added, tapping the air to create the small owl, 'and should Miss Granger re-appear here at any time, I would like for you to send me a letter,' Dumbledore finished, his smile still firmly on his face, calm as ever, then bowed to the Grangers before vanishing silently from sight.

Mr Granger turned to look at Arthur and Remus only to find that they too had disappeared.

Harry sat bolt upright in his bed, sweat pouring down his face, his bed sheets had been kicked off the bed and his bedside table empty from its content.

Harry reached down to the floor for his glasses, pushed them onto his sticky face and took a good look around his room, thinking. What had he been dreaming about? Whatever it was, he couldn't remember it, but for some reason, he had a bad feeling that Hermione was hurt, or frightened.

Breathing deeply, Harry pushed himself out of bed and went to sit at his desk. His open window was supplying him with a cool breeze that was cooling him down, and looking around his desk he spotted the box of Every Flavour Beans Hermione had sent him with his birthday present, the latest book about Quidditch, 'The Quidditch Know-It-All' by Dusty N. Sweepy.

Picking up the box, he pulled off the card Hermione had attached to it.

Just a little something extra to keep you going,
Lots of Love
Hermione
xxxxx

Harry kept the card in his hand, cooled down, and returned to bed, his eyes drooping as he moved. His head had barely hit the pillow before he was asleep again, Hermione's card in his hand, glasses on and the feeling of dread still playing on his brain.

Asleep as he was, Harry had a restless night; tossing and turning Harry woke at 7am as sweaty and afraid as he had been earlier.

He dressed quietly, assuming the Dursleys where still asleep as there was no noise in the house, and made his way downstairs.

At the bottom of the stairs Harry stopped. Something wasn't right; at this time of the morning, Aunt Petunia should be up, the breakfast cooking and the Coffee percolating. Uncle Vernon should be sitting at the kitchen table (which Harry could see from where he stood), a paper open in his hands and complaining about whatever news was being reported at that time. But there was nothing.

Harry stepped off the bottom step and walked slowly down the hallway to the kitchen, questions buzzing in his head. Had they over slept? Had they gone out and not told him again?

Stepping carefully into the kitchen, Harry let out a scream as someone grabbed him from behind, pulled at his hair and then left with a sharp POP!

Harry fell to the floor panting. He remained there for a few moments listening to the sound of Uncle Vernon clambering out of bed and coming down the stairs. Harry's scream had obviously woken the Dursleys.

Before Uncle Vernon could reach the bottom of the stairs, Harry pulled himself to his feet.

'What on Earth are you playing at?' a pink faced Vernon bellowed as he rounded the bottom of the stairs and started down the hallway towards Harry.

'I, erm, I thought I saw someone in the garden,' Harry lied, not wanting to admit that there had been someone in the house. Uncle Vernon watched him obviously trying to decide if he was lying or not and eventually gave in.

'Get your eyes checked!' Vernon barked and headed back to the stairs. 'And start the breakfast,' he added stomping up the stairs.

Hermione lay still in the middle of an unknown street on her left side. She kept her eyes closed; she didn't really know why, she just couldn't believe what had and was happening. Not only had the Dark Lord taken her from her home, but he had also forced her to drink something thick and black, which now seethed through her body like an infectious snake. Despite the fact that Hermione was shivering in the cold early morning air, her skin felt as if it had been burned and her clothes where clinging tighter to her than normal. The combination of all this was causing her to feel sick and dizzy, one of the reasons she had yet to move.

Behind her, someone started shouting, and before she knew it there were footsteps behind her. She heard someone approach and felt them as they bent behind her and looked over to see if she was awake.

'Who is she?' Hermione heard a small child ask.

'Don't know,' answered a man's voice from very close behind her, obviously the person who came to check if she was awake. 'Kate, go to the school grounds, see if the headmaster is around and if not get the gamekeeper. Be quick now.'

The child's footsteps where heard for a short time before they were blocked out by a murmuring that started in a gathered crowd.

'Do you think she's a witch or a Muggle?' Hermione heard someone ask, followed by 'Do you think Dumbledore will know who she is?' At this Hermione decided she needed to move. Dumbledore would help her; if she was near to the school then this could be Hogsmeade.

Attempting to push herself from the ground, Hermione found she had no movement in her arms or legs. She tried again but with the same result. She gave in and gave a whimper, something that must have been loud as the crowd suddenly stopped talking.

Taking a deep breath Hermione muttered a single word; the one she wanted everyone to know had done this, 'Voldemort.' The surrounding crowd gave a collective gasp and Hermione heard the sound of footsteps growing closer before passing out.

Harry was back at his desk; the Daily Prophet lay open in front of him, but he wasn't reading it. His eyes were closed and he had his temples resting in his palms. Harry was slowly drifting into a silent sleep. He could see Hermione, in a chair in some unknown otherwise empty room. Her face twisted in pain, tears streaming down her face as someone moved back a steaming goblet in their hands.

Harry's head hit the desk and he woke again sweating from the experience. He didn't like it anymore; he needed to know. Opening his drawer, Harry pulled out 3 pieces of parchment, his ink and quill.

On the first piece, he scribbled a quick letter to Hermione. He told her that he had a bad dream about her being tortured and was waiting for a reply to let him know she was well. He was careful with what he wrote so he wouldn't scare her.

On the second, he wrote to Ron, asking when the last time he heard from Hermione was. This time he explained the dreams he'd had in a little more detail and finished with, 'Please tell me you've heard from her today.'

On the last Harry wrote a long letter explaining the two dreams and the feelings he'd had. He addressed this one to Dumbledore, then crossed out the name and wrote it to Remus Lupin. He toyed with the idea of changing the name back before leaving it, stuffing it in an envelope and climbing out of his chair.

He turned to Hedwig's cage to find it empty; it always seemed to be empty when Harry was desperate to get his letters on the move. He was thinking fast, if she didn't return soon, where could he go to send the letters? He didn't know any postal addresses for any of them, and didn't know of any witches or wizards in the area he could ask to borrow an owl from. Harry was resigned to going to see Mrs. Figg, when Hedwig glided gracefully back through his open window.

Hurriedly, Harry gave her some owl treats and then instructed her to take the letters to each person in turn and watched as she glided out the window. When she was out of sight, Harry's eyes fell on the open Daily Prophet on his desk, the article at the top of the page catching his attention. It read:

WITCH VANISHES FROM HER MUGGLE HOME

Hogwarts student, Hermione Granger, vanished last night from her Muggle home in London. Ministry of Magic received the report of the missing 17 year old approximately half and hour after her disaperance. However by this report Miss Granger had been missing for over half an hour.

A Ministry representative commenting on the disappearance said, 'We're doing our best to locate Miss Granger and we're positive that nothing horrible has happened to her.' After further questioning the Ministry representative said, 'We would like any witch or wizard with information about what happened to Miss Granger to come forward, we only have a few clues to her disappearance and none of them explain where she went.'

Harry was about to explode with the information he had read and without really thinking about what he was doing he seized his wand and coat and made his way quickly down the stairs, pulled open the front door and slammed it behind him.

Out on the street, Harry walked quickly in the direction of the nearest train station, but slowed down as he turned onto Magnolia Crescent. There was one problem with this sudden need to go somewhere, he had no Muggle money and not only that, where would he go?

'Ron, Ginny, come down here, you need to see this,' Mrs Weasley's voice carried up the stairs as it usually did, sounding like she was using a horn that ended right outside their doors.

Ron made it down first, half asleep he slumped into a chair and groaned.

'What?'

'Read this!' Mrs Weasley answered, pushing the Daily Profit towards him open on the page of Hermione's report. 'Then go get dressed quickly,' she said as Ginny joined her brother at the table.

'"Werewolf lose in Indiana".' Ron read out. 'So what? Lupin's in England, not America,' Ron said receiving a slap around the head from Ginny who had been reading over his shoulder.

'Not that. THAT,' she said pointing the article with a picture of Hermione next to it. Ron read quickly and sat stunned in his seat.

'Go get dressed we need to go see Professor Dumbledore,' Mrs Weasley repeated.

'She's gone? Just gone?' Ron said, a little concerned that the report was too real. 'Doesn't anyone know where?'

'Dumbledore said he had little information. He wants us to meet with him and he's sending someone to get Harry, now will you both go and get dressed?'

Ginny made the first move this time. She pulled Ron out of his chair and off up the stairs. Ron had picked up the Daily Prophet as he went, still re-reading the article over and over, it was only when Ginny pulled it from his hands that he took his eyes off it.

'Get dressed or we'll go find out about Hermione without you,' Ginny ordered, sounding very much like her mother. Ron gave her a quick look and noticed she was fully dressed, having had the chance to dress and return to the hall while Ron kept reading, then turned back to the stairs to go get changed.

Hagrid had been sitting down to eat breakfast, he cooked for himself when the summer holidays where on and the elves at the castle spent more time cleaning than cooking, but his meal had been interrupted by the banging on his door. Pushing himself up out of his seat, he had moved to the door and pulled it open. He was about to ask the small girl who stood on his step what she wanted when she started to explain anyway.

'Hagrid, you have to come, there's a girl in the street, she might be a Muggle, she looks hurt!' the girl had shouted, and then sped off back towards Hogsmeade.

Hagrid had grabbed his coat and pushed the door open wider. Jogging to keep with the child, who was very quick on her feet, Hagrid caught sight of the crowd midway down the street. As he approached he had to pushed people out of the way to get closer and bent down to see who was lying there. Without explaining anything, Hagrid had swept Hermione into his arms and started back to the castle at a run.

Kicking the door of the hospital wing open, Hagrid called furiously for Madam Pomfrey. Hermione was wrapped tightly in blankets craddled in his arms.Hagrid approached the first bed and lay Hermione carefully onto it as Madam Pomfrey, Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall came out of the office.

'What is it Hagrid?' Madam Pomfrey asked, stepping out of the office ahead of the others. She didn't really need an answer; seeing that Hagrid was placing someone carefully on the bed she hurried over, Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall following closely.

'She was found in Hogsmeade, they didn't know if she was a witch or Muggle, she's been laying in the street for at least 10 minutes, shivering. Her skin's hot though, I couldn't touch her to pick her up so I had to ask for the blankets,' Hagrid explained as Madam Pomfrey started to separate the covers over the unconscious student on the bed.

'Quick Hagrid, fetch Professor Dumbledore and if you meet the Weasleys on your way stop the children from coming in and tell Molly we need help,' Professor McGonagall ordered helping Madams Hooch and Pomfrey as they started to undo Hermione's clothing. Hagrid turned to leave the room quickly as he heard Madam Pomfrey exclaim.

'If the Dark Lord has done what he planned to her, we need to get these clothes off before her skin is singed with the mark.'

Hagrid had barely made it half way down the corridor before Professors Dumbledore and Snape appeared, both of them seemingly in a hurry.

'Professor Dumbledore, sir, I was just coming to get you,' Hagrid said, a little shocked to find him so quickly.

'Yes, yes Hagrid, Professor Snape informed me that you passed him with Miss Granger,' Dumbledore said giving Snape a look that told Hagrid he had used the word 'barged' instead of passed, which Hagrid had done in his haste to reach the Hospital Wing.

'Erm, you might not want to go in just yet Professor,' Hagrid said, keeping the way between Dumbledore and the Hospital Wing blocked. 'They were... erm... changing Hermione's clothes as I left,' Hagrid urged. Dumbledore merely bowed his head at Hagrid and moved past him.

Stepping into the Hospital wing behind Dumbledore, Hagrid was shocked to see the bed he had minutes ago laid Hermione down on was blocked from view. Professor McGonagall appeared from behind the screen and approached them, she looked as though something terrible had happened, like she did when she announced that the school might be closed when the Chamber of Secrets had been re-opened years ago.

'I'm afraid we're too late Albus, the mark is already on her skin,' she said, addressing the headmaster.

'To which person does it connect?' Dumbledore asked and waited for her reply. Professor McGonagall took a deep breath before replying with:

'Harry Potter.'

Harry Potter had been wandering the streets near Privet Drive for over an hour now. He had left the Dursleys in a hurry after reading an article telling him that Hermione Granger had vanished from her home. He didn't know where he was going, he didn't know where Hermione lived or how to get to any wizards he knew, and worst of all, Harry had no Muggle money to buy train tickets with.

Harry came to a stop and flopped down onto a bench and looked around. There were no people around which was strange for the time of day. Most people would be heading to work by now, but it was surprisingly quiet out.

The silence and stillness was making Harry restless. He didn't like being out of the loop when his friends where in trouble, and he hated it even more when he had no way of knowing where anyone was. Frustrated, Harry got to his feet again, walked to the end of the street, turned left and walked right into someone.

'Sorry,' Harry murmured turning to walk around the person.

'Don't wanna get away from the Muggles then?' a voice beside him said. Harry stopped and turned to look at the person he had walked into. It was none other than Remus Lupin. Harry opened his mouth to talk but found he couldn't find any words, seeing Lupin here of all places was just a little out of the ordinary.

'Come on Harry, lets go get your things, Dumbledore wants to see you,' Remus said, taking Harry by the arm and heading back around the corner and past the bench Harry had just left. Just before they reached the Dursleys house, Harry managed to find his voice and asked the one question that was playing deeply on his mind.

'What happened to Hermione?'

'I'm not exactly the best person to answer that question Harry, I think Dumbledore would do better at explaining than me,' Remus said, giving Harry a weak smile. 'Let's just get your things together for someone to collect and then we can go to the school,' he added stepping up to the door of Number Four Privet Drive.

Harry nodded, pushed the door open and stepped inside. Aunt Petunia was visible sitting at the kitchen table; she was reading a letter. Harry pulled Remus inside quickly and shut the door with a snap. This got the attention of his aunt; she looked up and gave a startled cry at the sight of the tatty stranger in her house. Worriedly she approached them, not sure what to make of him, or how to react around him. She smiled faintly and asked:

'Are you here to pick up the boy?' She indicated to Harry, still making him feel as though he was a piece of dirt that looked worse than the man behind him.

'Yes, I'm here to pick up Harry. He'll be staying at the school from now until the end of his exams and then he'll be given a place to live in a wizard town,' Remus said, causing Harry to look at him in pure delight.

'Okay, well, you better go pack all your things Harry,' she said, not taking her eyes off the man before her. 'I've seen you somewhere before, haven't I?' she asked, causing Harry to stop mid movement as he turned towards the stairs. Frozen like a statue Harry waited for the reason his aunt would recognise Remus.

'Yes,' he said and Harry had to move slightly, the shock of the answer causing him to almost lose his balance. 'I used to come visit Lily in the holidays with James and Sirius.'

'Yes, I remember Sirius,' Aunt Petunia said, a slight whimper in her voice. 'He was that troublemaker, always playing tricks on me! And you....' she uttered, not really wanted to recall him; she'd almost forgotten him. She never carried on her sentence, so Harry turned to look at her and was stunned to see a small attraction between the two. Not really wanting to see this anymore because it was making him feel sick, he took hold of Remus' arm and pulled him up the stairs.

Once inside his room, Harry shut the door and turned quickly to Remus.

'You dated my aunt?' he asked.

'Yes Harry, but only for a few weeks in the holidays years ago,' he answered and seeing the disgusted look on Harry's face he added, 'But we never could get along very well, she was always under the impression that we were all bad.'

Harry didn't move; he couldn't believe it. Remus Lupin, one of his dad's best friends and his Aunt. The thought was turning his stomach over and over. It was only when Remus picked up the Daily Prophet left open on Harry's desk that he remember what they were here for in the first place and he began to gather his things up and drop them unceremoniously into his school trunk.

'So, let me get this straight,' Harry started. Remus closed his eyes; he really didn't want to go into detail about this relationship right here and now. 'Hermione disappeared from her home last night...' he started, much to Remus' relief, 'and you've come to take me from here for the last time and get me to Hogwarts with all my things?' Harry finished.

'Not quite, I'm here to take you to Hogwarts as quickly as I can, but you need to get your things together for someone to pick up,' Remus corrected.

'I'm not sure my aunt or uncle will appreciate a witch or wizard knocking on the door for my things at any time in the day, or night for that matter. Although, it would be nice to see Uncle Vernon red with anger one last time,' he added, stopping at the thought, but the image of Uncle Vernon, bright red and yelling himself hoarse at some stranger standing at the door dressed in robes was pushed to the side by a picture of Hermione sat up in a chair, a look of pain on her face and tears running down her pale cheeks. Blinking the image away, Harry seized a pile of fresh clothes from a draw, pulled out the draw of his desk and tipped the content into his trunk.

When he was done collecting all his things, Remus pulled out his wand and cast a hover charm on Harry's trunk, then pushed it out of his room and down the stairs. Aunt Petunia re-appeared in the hall, she was smiling naturally this time as she looked at Harry.

'Well, I guess this is goodbye Harry,' she said, and Harry's face twisted in confusion. 'I know we didn't exactly make things easy for you here, but at least you turned out alright.' Harry couldn't believe it, 'was this really his aunt?' he thought, looking at her with interest, and nearly choked on air as she pulled him into a tight hug. When she let him go again, Harry had managed to pull his face into what he thought was a natural smile and said.

'Well, goodbye then,' and turned to the door. 'Oh, someone will come and get that for me later, is that okay?' he asked and was still wondering if this really was his aunt when she nodded. Harry turned to the door and quickly stepped outside, not quite sure what to make of all that and very glad it was all over.

Out on the street, Remus led the way down towards an alley and turned suddenly into it. Harry followed. Once deep inside the alley, Remus pulled out his wand and a piece of paper, told Harry to take hold of it, tapped it and they both vanished.

Ron pulled himself up from the fireplace, having just arrived though the fire in Dumbledore's office. He, Ginny and Molly Weasley pulled the door to the empty room open and made their way down the stairs and out into the school corridors. Molly was about to ask her children where Dumbledore would be if not in his office, when he turned the corner and stopped right in front of them.

'Molly, you're needed in the hospital wing immediately; I shall join you in a moment. If you two would be so kind as to wait in your common room, someone will come and explain everything that is happening to you later. The password is 'flobberworm',' Dumbledore said, passing them and stepping up the first few steps to his office. Molly hurried away quickly, leaving a bewildered Ginny and Ron in the middle of the corridor.

'Well then, Gryffindor Tower it is,' Ron said and turned to start down a corridor when Dumbledore re-emerged from his office and rushed quickly past them. They noticed as he went that he held a potion in his hand, and giving each other a quick look, started towards the common room.

Back in the hospital wing, Molly had been given the task of re-clothing Hermione. She gave a small sob as she pulled a pair of pyjama bottoms up over a mark on her stomach; the mark that indicated the dark work of Lord Voldemort and connection between Hermione and Harry. Molly found this mark to be horrifying. The mark was a skull, the same skull Voldemort delighted in using, only with bright red eyes. Out of the skull's mouth shot a lightning bolt of pure gold, an icon that could only point to the famous Harry Potter and the scar he had received as a child. Behind both of these things however, was a book. A simple item that Hermione would be pleased to have imbedded on her skin, if only it came without the skull and lightning bolt.

Struggling slightly as she pulled the top onto Hermione, Molly gave another sob. She couldn't believe it had happened. The potion Voldemort had given Hermione was illegal, and had only ever been given to one other person, Lily Potter, and only then as a joke. Sirius Black had slipped it into her drink before she arrived for breakfast on the last day of school. She had been extremely ill for three days, but there was a good side. It brought the Potters together to begin with.

Harry found himself in the middle of Hogsmeade. A few feet away from where he was standing next to Remus was the Three Broomsticks, the pub he, Ron and Hermione visited whenever the school would allow them out over the weekends. He turned slowly around taking in the familiar sight of Zonko's Joke Shop, Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, the post office and Honeydukes sweet shop. In the distance Harry could make out the Shrieking Shack where he had first met his godfather, Sirius Black, and not far from there was the usual loom of the a giant castle that could only be Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Remus had already started walking while Harry looked around, so Harry had to run to catch up with him. It didn't take them very long to reach the school gates at the speed they walked. Once inside the grounds they jogged quickly to the doors and pulled them open. Professor Dumbledore had been pacing the floor of the Great Hall waiting for them.

'Thank you Remus.' He smiled and Remus made his way past Dumbledore, up the stairs and out of sight. 'If you will please come with me Harry, we need to have a little chat,' he spoke to Harry before turning and following Remus up the stairs. Harry followed him as he led the way, he didn't say a word or concentrate on where they were going. He was too pre-occupied with questions about Hermione.

Before he knew it, Harry found himself following Dumbledore into the hospital wing. He looked around and spotting Hermione lying on a bed, he let out a cry and ran to her side, seizing her hand as he reached her. Harry looked back at Dumbledore for an explanation, which he got.

'She is well, just sleeping,' Dumbledore said, moving to the other side of Hermione's bed and taking a seat. 'Last night, Harry, Lord Voldemort paid Miss Granger a visit, the result of which we won't fully know until she wakes, but she was found this morning in Hogsmeade. The villagers where unsure if she was a Muggle or witch so they sent for someone here to find out if we knew,' Dumbledore said, watching Harry as he watched Hermione sleep.

'Do you know why he picked her? Why not someone else?' Harry asked, the frustration slowly building again.

'I have to confess that we knew the attempt would be made on someone close to you, but we were unsure who it would be.' Dumbledore wasn't sure how he could possibly explain it any better.

'Do you know what he did to her?' Harry asked not taking his eyes off Hermione's peacefully sleeping face.

'Yes, and unfortunately it was neither good nor bad. Voldemort, it seems, knows a little more about your feelings than we thought. It seems he picked Miss Granger because you have very deep feelings for her,' Dumbledore said quietly, noticing that Harry wasn't really listening all that closely and was surprised when Harry corrected him.

'I love her,' he whispered. Dumbledore picked up a book that was on Hermione's bedside table and flicked it open at a marked page.

'Voldemort made this potion, Harry,' he said, handing the book to him and waiting while he read the page.

'I don't understand,' Harry said looking up, perplexed, after a few minutes of reading.

'This particular potion is created from the ingredients listed and something of one person. I have no idea how Voldemort got hold of something of yours though,' Dumbledore added, hoping Harry could explain it.

'Someone was in the house this morning, really early, pulled some of my hairs out,' Harry said quickly, wishing Dumbledore would hurry up and finish telling him what was going on, or at least get to the point.

'The drinker of this potion becomes pregnant with the person to whom the potion was made. But there is a delay, 10 minutes before it takes effect, 10 minutes, that is, to drink the antidote,' Dumbledore said, giving Harry a look that too clearly told him that they were too late to give Hermione this antidote.

Harry opened his mouth to say something. Unable to find words he gave up and closed his mouth again and just looked down at the book still in his hands.

'It says it gives the drinker a mark, a merging of the people whose being was within the potion,' he read out and looked at Dumbledore. 'Where is it?' Dumbledore moved slightly in his seat and pulled the covers down over Hermione. Leaving them resting on her legs, he pulled her top up slightly to reveal the mark on the left side of her lower stomach. Harry had to stand up to look at the mark and immediately regretted asking to see it at once. 'A skull, Voldemort's mark.' Harry said, anger rising.

'Correct, however, we don't know for sure that Voldemort included himself in the potion. It could simply be that you have some of him within yourself,' Dumbledore explained, dropping Hermione's top back into place and covering her up again.

'Does she know?' Harry asked after a moment of calming himself.

'I am unsure what she knows. When she wakes, I will speak with her alone before I tell her the full extent of what has happened.'

'I want to be here. Please Professor, I need to be here,' Harry said calmly and watched as Dumbledore nodded his approval. 'He used her,' Harry spat, letting his built up frustration out. 'He used her to get to me, and he's gonna use our baby.' Dumbledore was slightly taken aback with Harry's choice of words. He was more angry and worried that Voldemort would use them again than he was that there would a smaller version of himself and Hermione in 9 months time.

'Come on Harry, I think we need to go and have some lunch. Madam Pomfrey will inform us when she is awake,' Dumbledore said, pulling himself to his feet and making his way to the door. He stopped just before it and turned to make sure Harry would follow. Harry had gotten to his feet, but hadn't turned to follow straight away. Instead, he leaned down and kissed Hermione on the forehead, then straightened up and followed Dumbledore out of the room.

Harry was silent all though lunch. Dumbledore tried several times to start a conversation that involved Harry, but whenever it reached him it died out. He sat at the table in the middle of the Great Hall along with Mrs Weasley, Ron, Ginny, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Hooch and Snape. Harry hardly ate, but each one of them, including Snape, urged him to do so. The fact that Snape had tried to talk Harry into eating was lost on him, but Ron and Ginny nearly feel out of their seats.

Harry's silence, however, didn't cause the room to be that way. Ron and Ginny kept randomly asking questions about what was going on. After several of these questions, Molly got extremely annoyed with the impatience of her children and began to shout at them.

When it was over, Harry followed his best friend and Ginny up to the Common Room. But it had taken Dumbledore's word that he would be notified if anything changed. Once in the Common Room, Ron and Ginny repeated their questions, but to deaf ears as Harry had walked past them and disappeared up the boys staircase and dropped face down on a bed. He lay dead still for a moment then punched at his pillow repeatedly before letting out a frustrated scream, which caused Ron and Ginny to appear quickly in the dormitory. They stopped dead near Harry's bed and watched him, face down screaming into his pillow. Ginny began to cry silently. She didn't like to see anyone in pain, let alone Harry, and he was obviously suffering now.

'Harry? You alright mate?' Ron asked and Harry stopped screaming to lift his head.

'Just perfect,' he said and his face hit the pillow again. 'Voldemort using Hermione to get to me,' he shouted into his pillow.

'Is she okay?' Ginny sobbed, hoping the answer was good. She'd spent the whole time they were there thinking that Hermione was dead, and when she found out that Hermione was in the school, she thought perhaps she was dying. Now she dreaded that Voldemort was using her as a timer and that when it hit zero she would die, unless Harry went to him.

'She's fine,' Harry said, giving her an off hand wave. 'She's just pregnant.'

'Pregnant!' Ron and Ginny proclaimed at the same time. 'How can she be pregnant?' Ron asked after exchanging a look with Ginny. Harry rolled on to his bed and fixed his gaze on the ceiling.

'Voldemort made her drink a potion that made her pregnant,' Harry said not wanting to go into more detail.

'It's your baby isn't it, Harry?' Ginny said, getting to the point and watching Harry as he slowly nodded.

'Wait, wait, how can drinking a potion make her pregnant with your child?' Ron asked. 'I mean, it's a liquid, so unless it had some of you.... Ohhhhhh,' Ron said and sat abruptly down on his bed. 'He put something of you in it.' Ron finished. They sat in silence for a few more minutes and just as Ron opened him mouth to say something, the door to the dormitory opened and Professor McGonagall stepped in.

'Potter, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in the Hospital Wing,' she said and turned to leave. She had barely made it to the bottom of the stairs when Harry went running past her. He pushed the portrait open and vanished out of sight.

Had this been a different situation, Harry would have congratulated himself on arriving at the Hospital Wing in the fastest possible time. But he was more concerned with his best friend lying on the other side of the door to think about that. He pushed the door open and saw Hermione sitting up in bed. Dumbledore wasn't in sight, Harry had got here first.

'Harry,' she said, looking as though she would cry. Harry closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her before she could say anymore. Hermione was a little shocked at this, but only for a second. As soon as Harry had said it was okay, she started to cry into his shoulder.

Dumbledore stepped into the Hospital Wing unheard. He watched the two teenagers for a moment with a smile on his face before approaching. He cleared his throat as he got nearer and the pair broke apart. Seeing the stream of tears running down Hermione's face, Dumbledore picked up a box of tissues from off the side and offered them to her. Hermione took a tissue with a sniff and slight forced smile.

'Now, Miss Granger, I know this will not be very pleasant, but I need you to tell me everything that has happened between the time your parents left last night and the first time you woke up here.' Dumbledore smiled hoping to keep her calm so she would tell him enough. Hermione looked worriedly at Harry; recalling the events of the previous night was the very last thing she wanted to do.

'It's okay Hermione, I'm here!' Harry reassured her, giving her hand a quick squeeze. Hermione took a breath and let it out slowly before she started.

'Perhaps you should start with your reason for the ripped up parchment,' Dumbledore suggested seeing the fear on Hermione's face.

'I was going to write a letter, but didn't know where to start,' Hermione explained. 'I ripped it up in frustration,' she added shrugging.

'And at what point did you notice that Voldemort was in your room?' Dumbledore urged.

'When I gave up writing, I stood up and I could see him in my mirror. He laughed and muttered something and.... and...' Hermione broke off tears streaming down her face, Harry gave her hand an encouraging squeeze.

'Where did he take you?' Dumbledore asked as Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, Molly Weasley and someone who was obviously a Healer from St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries entered.

'I don't know where it was, a house somewhere, I was only in the one room, and the windows were covered so I couldn't see out.' Hermione paused, trying hard to remember. 'Wormtail tied me to a chair after Voldemort told him to, and there were others there in the room, I couldn't see them, but Voldemort always spoke to them.' Out of the corner of his eye Harry caught the flinches of Fudge and the Healer every time Voldemort's name was used.

'What was he saying?' Dumbledore asked.

'He was explaining why I was there,' Hermione said, now keeping her eyes fixed on Dumbledore so she wouldn't have to look at Harry. 'He told them that I was the one that would lead them to Harry, that...' Hermione took a breath '... that my feelings for him gave him a reason to repeat what had happened before. There was a cauldron there, with a potion made. Voldemort told them he was missing one ingredient, that it had to be added fresh at the start of the day.' Hermione was crying hard by this point, she really didn't want to recall the experience, but knew she would only have to talk about it once.

'Did they leave you there until morning?' Fudge asked only to receive a nod from Hermione.

'They came back, added the last ingredient...' Hermione gulped, 'and forced me to drink it.' Behind Harry, Molly Weasley had been trying to get closer to Hermione, but was being held back by Fudge. Dumbledore stood up and moved around to Harry's side of the bed.

'Miss Granger,' Fudge addressed her directly. 'This is Healer Emily Moon. She is here to make sure you are well, then explain what the Dark Lord had done, with Mrs Weasley's help of course.' Fudge introduced the Healer at his side then turned to Harry. 'Come on Harry, you can show me where Gryffindor Tower is.' Dumbledore pulled Harry from his chair as Healer Moon moved forward, and pushed aside the chair Harry had just left.

'Right, Hermione, if the Dark Lord has done what we think, then you and I will be meeting up a lot,' Emily said with a smile.

'What has he done to me?' Hermione asked, looking between Emily and Molly.

'Erm, lets just make sure your well first, Hermione,' Molly said looking worriedly at the tear streaks on Hermione's face.

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