Chapter 15; One Down
Later that day, it started raining while Hermione and Harry enjoyed each other's company in front of the fireplace. They had to stay in Hermione's summer house for the day since they had no floo powder and they could not apparate to Godric's Hollow. The only way was to use Knight Bus, but neither of them mentioned it. They preferred being alone instead of staying at Godric's Hollow with Ron, who instead of speaking to them, only angrily at the pair.
The following day, the couple went shopping with Hermione's savings; she had some money hidden in her room. She explained to Harry that she had been helping her parents with the housework and that they paid her quite well; saving her money for emergencies.
The more time Harry spent with Hermione in her summer house, the more he found out about her and her parents. He now knew that she usually sat in front of the fireplace with her parents playing alias or simply talked to each other on rainy days
Harry also found it very hard to keep his eyes off of her when she was wearing a very short dress.
Hermione had called her parents and asked them to send her floo powder from the stores she kept back home. She said on the phone as much as she could about her situation before she hung up and announced that they would get away from this place the following day. Harry wasn't as happy as he thought he would be to hear the news. As much as he hated admitting it, he wanted to stay right where he was: with Hermione.
And at the present they were sitting on a couch before the fireplace in each others arms, sipping hot chocolate. Hermione then put her cup down on the table and curled up in his embrace. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest.
Harry wrapped his arms around her and placed his head on top of hers. His eyes were closed as well and for a while, they listened to nothing more than the rain drops hitting the window and the wood crackling in the fireplace as their breathing was deep and perfectly synchronized.
Their day to day problems were far behind them in that quiet peace. They had almost forgotten everything surrounding their lives. There was only them and nothing else seemed to matter. Harry didn't know if it was the sweet smell of her hair or the warmth of her body or but he couldn't hold himself back.
"Hermione," he said.
"Hmm?" she replied.
"I love you, 'Mione. I really do," he said and Hermione smiled against his chest.
Hermione, who had been quite afraid of it earlier that day, had to admit that it sounded like music to her ears. She couldn't hide how these three words made her stomach flip flop and how warm it felt inside. She knew that it was something she wanted to hear more than anything else. She also felt quite ashamed of how she had freaked out earlier. But she guessed that everyone was a little scared when they felt such strong emotions and lying on the beach, soaking wet was not the place she dreamed of confessing her love to anyone.
"I love you too Harry," she said with warm smile.
Harry woke up in the morning with an odd sensation. Opening his eyes, he didn't first recognize the room he was in. He didn't remember where he was and then something else caught his attention-his arms were wrapped around someone. He looked down and smiled. In his embrace was someone so special and he knew then that this is the way he wanted to wake up every morning.
He bent down and placed a kiss on Hermione's forehead. To that, she stirred and opened her eyes. First she was surprised to see Harry there but then the memories of the night before came back to her mind. She and Harry had said goodnight and went to their separate rooms but then the thunderstorm had woken her up. The electricity went out and she had got scared and asked Harry to stay with her the night.
"Morning. Did you sleep well?" Harry asked at her with smile on his face.
"Never slept better," she answered. "You?"
"Never better," he replied and she smiled as well. "Look, I'm going to make something to eat while you take a shower and get dressed," he said and Hermione nodded.
By the time they had finished breakfast, the owl with floo powder had arrived, yet they didn't leave at once. Neither of them wanted to leave. It was so much better to stay there and be together than to return to Godric's Hollow and face reality again.
In the summer home, everything seemed to be so insignificant. Everything was forgotten as if reality itself was some different world where they did not belong, though they knew they could not stay there any longer. They had to return to Godric's Hollow and try to destroy the locket.
They arrived in Godric's Hollow by noon that day. As soon as they stepped out of the fireplace, Ron came into the room.
"Where were you?" he demanded. "Next time you decide to leave, would you mind telling me?" he said and sat down on the armchair.
"We're sorry, Ron. It won't happen again," Hermione said and headed toward the kitchen.
"Would someone please tell me what's going on?" Ron asked as he eyed them both.
"Ron," Hermione started, turned around and sat down across him. "We left to get the locket," she said and Ron's eyes lit up.
"So you know where it is?" he asked and Hermione rolled her eyes. He obviously didn't pay any attention back at school when they discussed where it would be.
"Yes, it's right here," Harry said and pulled the locket from his pocket.
"What are you going to do now?" Ron asked, forgetting he was still not really speaking to them.
"I don't know yet."
"But where was it? How did you get it?"
"Well, you see Ron," Hermione started. "To get the locket, we had to break into Mundungus' apartment. We almost got caught and I apparated us to the first place I could think of and it was my summer house. But we had no floo powder and we had to wait until my parents sent us some." Hermione quickly explained.
"You broke into Mundungus' apartment without telling me?" he asked.
"We didn't think you wanted to come with us," Hermione said with some regret.
"And you couldn't ask me? You just left."
"Ron, you haven't spoken to us almost a week, how were we supposed to know you wanted to come with us?"
"You could have asked."
"Ron, just stop it! All you can do is blame us for everything, and I'm sick and tired of it!" Hermione yelled and stormed out of the room.
The room was quiet and dark. The only light in the room came from the fireplace as three pairs of eyes sat staring at the locket on the table. All three were quiet, as if they were afraid to speak. Their eyes were focused on the locket, as if they were afraid to look anywhere else; afraid to lose track of the object.
Time seemed to have stopped for them, but Ron got impatient.
"What now?" he asked.
"I don't know," Hermione answered.
"How long are we going to stay like this? I'm hungry, any of you want to join me?" he asked and got up.
"No, I'm fine where I am," Hermione said, not even looking at Ron.
Ever since she and Harry got back, Ron had finally started talking to them, yet she knew better than that. Ron was still furious, she could tell by the way he looked at them and talked to them. His voice was changed and there was tension in the room when he was around.
Ron was halfway to the kitchen when Harry's voice stopped him. "'Mione, you said something about using parseltongue."
"Yes?"
"Well, let's try it."
"Um, guys, what are you going to do once you open it?" Ron asked as he walked back to them.
"Good point Ron," Hermione remarked and looked at Harry. "What are we going to do then?"
"No idea," Harry admitted as fear coursed through them.
Harry knew Ron and Hermione scared to death. Hell, he was scared too, more than that-he was terrified to admit it. But what had to be done, had to be done.
"I guess we take action. Whatever happens, whatever comes out of it…"
"You think something will come out?" Hermione asked, eyed full with terror.
"I don't know," Harry replied. "I wish I knew, but I don't, okay? I just don't know," he said almost in a panic.
"If you think something comes out, perhaps you should have your sword with you," Hermione suggested.
"Yeah, thanks," Harry said and rushed up to his room to get the Godric Gryffindor's sword, leaving Ron and Hermione anxiously looking at the locket. He came back and looked at his two best friends.
"Well, last chance for you to leave," he said and felt a pang of jealousy. His two friends had the chance to leave and not to deal with this, unlike himself. He couldn't just say 'no' and leave. He could not let anyone else destroy the horcruxes. It was his duty and his destiny and he hated it now more than ever ever.
"I'll stay," Hermione announced bravely, though her voice was everything but brave.
"Me too," Ron said and Harry nodded in his direction.
He tried to smile but failed miserably. He was grateful that his friends stayed with him, and he was afraid for them. Just when he took a step closer to the locket, he felt someone grab his arm. Being as terrified as he was, he didn't notice who held him in his place until he heard the voice.
"Harry, I don't think you should go that close," Hermione said and took the sword from his hands.
"Better give this to me," she added, but Harry didn't notice it.
"You ready?" he asked and both of his friends nodded.
He took a deep breath and in the distance he heard someone casting a levitating spell, so that the locket was now floating in mid air. Just when he was about to say 'open' in parseltongue, a thought hit him.
What if he died? If he did, what about Hermione? Without thinking about it, he turned around and kissed her hard with all the emotions he had.
"I love you," he whispered before he turned his attention back to the locket. He didn't see the angry glance that Ron sent him, nor did he care. All he cared at that moment was about Hermione.
He took another deep breath and asked the locket to open in parseltongue.
After the words left his mouth, everything happened so fast, but to Harry, everything was happening in slow motion.
At first, nothing happened and Harry was about to speak parseltongue again when he saw a dull light glowing from the cracks of the locket. The light got brighter and brighter and lit up the entire room until it was so bright that it blinded their eyes. Within seconds, the room went still and deadly silent.
Then the light started to blur and vanished as quickly as it came. Still blinded from the light, the three friends saw nothing for several minutes. When their vision slowly came back, they saw a figure sitting on the floor. Its head was bent down and the face was hidden. The better their sight became, the better they saw the figure.
It was a woman with very long hair. She was wearing a beautiful formal dress, or at least what was left of it. It was ripped and broken and quite dirty. Harry, Hermione and Ron's eyes were locked on the woman when she slowly raised her head. She revealed her face and the tear marks on her cheeks. Other than that, she was very beautiful and attractive and there was no glow around her to show that she was not really there; to show that she was only an illusion. To Harry's great surprise it was none other than Lily Potter herself.
Harry stood back dumbfounded, looking at the figure, staring at his mother. His mouth was dry and his words were stuck in his throat. He looked at how the woman, his mother, slowly stood up.
"Mom?" he finally found himself asking and felt hot and burning tears in his eyes.
He felt so odd calling anyone that. He had never used the word mom before and now here he was, he finally had the change to say the word.
To Harry, it seemed like an eternity before Lily nodded her head.
"Yes," she said and her voice was the most beautiful thing that Harry has ever heard.
Her voice was different than the one Harry heard when his and Voldemort's thoughts came into contact. Her voice filled every inch of Harry's body with warmth. He was completely captivated with the feeling. It was like bird song in the cold winter that melted everyone's hearts.
"That's me, Harry," she said again and Harry knew he could never get enough of listening to her voice.
"Harry," he heard another woman's voice calling him, but he didn't know who it was. He knew he had heard the voice before, but didn't know where or who it belonged to. All he knew right now was the woman standing before him. All he could hear was her voice, Lily's voice.
"Come, my child. Take my hand and free me," Lily said and reached out a hand. "Come Harry, take my hand and free me. Come Harry. Free me from this prison," she called out, begged.
But Harry couldn't move. He wanted to but he didn't. He was glued to the floor. Something inside of him, some voice warned him not to take her hand. That tiny voice in his head that really belonged to Hermione, who was standing right next to him, holding his hand, told him not to go. Part of him wished to ignore her warnings and take his mother's hand. Part of him was holding him back.
"Voldemort held me in this prison all these years, Harry. Now you have come to save me. Just take my hand, come with me and I am free. I am free Harry, take my hand and we can live like we should have lived all these years. Come my child, come and take my hand, Harry," Lily said and Harry saw that there were glistening tears in her eyes; tears that matched her pleading eyes.
Hermione didn't understand what was going on. She looked around and saw both of his friends in some sort of trance. Both of them were staring at the locket.
And then she heard it. She heard a voice that belonged to no one. A voice speaking parseltongue, as she didn't understand a word. The voice was coming from the locket that was still floating in the air. She didn't recognize the voice, and she still saw nothing more but a wide open locket.
She felt Harry wanting to let go of her hand to touch the locket and Hermione called Ron to help her hold him back, but Ron didn't listen to her either. She called Harry, talked to him, told him not to go. Told him that whatever he saw was just an illusion, and he has to fight it, come out of this, but Harry was deaf to her voice.
Hermione was now panicking.
She didn't know what she should do. Neither of the boys listened to her and she guessed that the voice had the same effect to the boys as the cry of the sirens-calling, though unlike Harry, Ron stood still with wide eyes. He looked petrified.
"Don't fail me, Harry. Take my hand and save me, save me and your dad Harry. Don't make me go back, don't put me in this prison again, Harry. Save me, help me, Harry. Only you can help me, don't fail me now. I've waited so long for this moment, don't fail me now," Lily pleaded and Harry fought harder with the force that held him back.
He fought hard with Hermione who still held onto him with all the strength she had. But Hermione was invisible to Harry. He saw nothing more than Lily. He didn't see Hermione holding both of his hands just to hold him back.
As Hermione saw Harry reaching up his other hand, she dropped her wand and the sword just to hold him still. She moved in front of Harry and tried to push him backwards with all the strength she had. While doing so, she once again called for help, but no one helped her.
"How am I going to fight with something that I can't even see?" she helplessly cried out.
Knowing that she could no longer hold Harry back, she looked down just to see that her wand wasn't where she had dropped it. Her eyes wandered around the floor and saw that her wand had gone to the other side of the room. It was under the locket.
"Harry, what is that?" Lily asked him as she picked up Hermione's wand. "You don't want to hurt me, do you? Who wants to hurt me, Harry? Help me. Don't let anyone hurt me. Is that your girlfriend's wand?" she asked. "Why does she want to hurt me?" she asked and then Harry became aware of Hermione.
"No, don't stop it," he bellowed. "Let me go, can't you see that she needs my help, Hermione? Let go of me," he pleaded and tried to free himself from her grip.
"Who needs your help, Harry? Who? Can't you see that's just an illusion, fight with it not with me," Hermione shrieked back.
"My mother, Hermione. Can't you see her? My mother is right here, look at her. She needs my help, I must save her, I have to free her."
"Harry, what are you talking about? There's nothing here but the three of us and the locket," Hermione yelled back at him and that made him freeze.
Didn't she see? He looked at Hermione, no longer trying to free himself from her.
"There's nothing here, Harry. Only the locket," she repeated desperately.
"What? You can't… You can't see her?" Harry asked and looked at Lily who was still standing in front of him. "Why can't she see you?" Harry asked Lily.
"I can't see anything, Harry," Hermione said
"WHY CAN'T SHE SEE YOU?" Harry bellowed at his mother.
"Because I was locked up. I'm still am a prisoner, Harry. Only you can see me, only you can help me. If you take my hand, you'll free me and everyone will see me. I am Voldemort's prisoner Harry," she cried. "Take my hand, Harry, I don't have much time. Just reach up and save me, save our family. Don't let her stop you, she's possessed by Voldemort, it's his trick to keep you away from me. Save me, don't let her stop you or Voldemort has won. Harry, HURRY!" she said and collapsed on the floor. "I'm getting weak, Harry," she said breathlessly. "Save me," she said and looked up at Harry.
"MOM!" Harry yelled and began running to her, but Hermione was pushing him back fiercely. He looked down and looked right through Hermione. In his eyes, there was the anger that scared her. He was furious. It seemed like he didn't know who she was anymore.
"Get off me!" he yelled and no longer cared if he hurt her or not. It wasn't Hermione he saw, it was a stranger trying to keep him away from his mother. And all he cared about was how to get to his mother and save her from Voldemort.
The way Harry looked at Hermione, scared her. She wasn't afraid of the invisible enemy she had to face. His emerald eyes were full with anger, they were burning with hate. But she didn't let go, she knew that somewhere deep inside, Harry was still there. The one she now tried to hold back wasn't Harry. It was Voldemort who was playing with his mind. But no matter what, she knew she could not let him go and touch the invisible person he called his mother.
Harry's eyes were locked on hers as he grabbed Hermione's hands and with incredible force he threw her off of him. He saw how she first hit the wall that was behind them, before she fell to the ground. He stared at the girl before him and saw how she painfully lifted her head and looked at him with tears and pain in her eyes.
Hermione's eyes were locked on his and she prayed that he would realize what he was about to do. But he didn't. Within seconds, she felt how she was lifted up from the ground and then another moment she was flying through the air. As she hit the wall, she felt a terrible pain run through her and she was sure that her ribs were broken. If only it would have stopped there, but it didn't. She fell to the ground at bad angle as her hurting body made contact with the ground and she felt another flash of pain run through her.
She lifter her head and locked her eyes with Harry's once more. For a moment, she saw something familiar in those green eyes of his, but as soon as it came, it was gone. She knew how helpless and defeated she was but all she could think of was how to stop Harry from doing what he was about to do-touch the locket. She didn't know what would happen if he touched it, but she was sure it was not good.
For a second, Harry knew what he had done and felt awful for it. He wanted to run up to Hermione, kiss and beg her forgiveness. But he was glued to the floor. His body just wouldn't move.
"Harry, help me," he heard his mother call him again. He turned around and looked at Lily. "Save me before it's too late," she begged and Harry was having doubts in himself. He glanced back at Hermione and missed failed to see the red flames flashing in Lily's eyes. "The girl will be fine. We can take care of her once you've saved me, Harry. Take my hand, free me and we'll be a family again," she said and Harry reached out a hand.
"NO! No, Harry, don't do it!" Hermione yelled at him. But he didn't listen to her. She turned to look at Ron again, and saw that he was still in a trance. "Wake up, Ron. Ron!" but it was no use, he didn't hear her cries.
Hermione turned back to Harry and was only happy that he had at least listened her and didn't get too close to the locket when he tried to open it. Otherwise, he would be gone by now. But since the locket was far from him, he had to take at least four steps before reaching it, which gave Hermione a little bit of time to act.
Hermione quickly tried to get up, but collapsed at once by the pain in her leg. She must have broken it when she hit the ground. Looking around her, she panicked. What to do now? She looked up to see that Harry was just one step or two away from the locket. She had lost hope of helping him when she noticed the sword lying on the floor, not far from her. Gathering all her strength she started crawling closer to it until she was close enough to get it.
As soon as she grabbed it, a deafening shriek filled the room and echoed back on the walls. Harry and Ron came out of their trances, as Hermione thought that they were both now looking at her.
"Take my hand, Harry. Quick," Lily pleaded and when Hermione looked at the locket, she saw white mist coming out of it. The more it came out, the more it started taking a shape. A tall male figure with snake like red eyes was taking form before them. The shape belonged to none other than Voldemort himself, but Harry didn't seem to see it. He was still reaching out his hand and was now only one step from the shape in the mist. "Take it, take my hand Harry," Lily pleaded again
"No, Harry, No!" Hermione shouted out painfully as she got up to her knees.
"The sword," said Voldemort in a shrill voice, his red and glowing eyes locked on it. As Harry turned to Hermione, she guessed that all he heard was the voice of his mother. As she saw Harry coming closer to her to take the sword away, she leant on the sword to get up and stood up on her right leg. Breathing hard through the pain, she gained her balance as she the sword up above her head.
"Hermione, no!" Harry shouted but it was too late. Hermione had thrown the sword, putting all her force and strength into it. As soon as she had done that, she fell to the ground again. She looked at how the sword hit Voldemort's shadow right in his heart. She thanked her luck that Harry had thrown her back; that had given her the chance to do what she had done without having worry about Harry getting in the way.
Harry had frozen again. As soon as the shrill voice filled the room, he saw his mother's eyes glowing red. The spell was gone and he saw how the shape of his mother turned into the shape of a mist that was none other than Voldemort himself. He looked at Hermione and had told her not to throw the sword, but it was too late. She did it and now all he could do was to turn his eyes back to Voldemort.
Voldemort's eyes were burning in fury. He lifted his hand and Harry had a bad feeling about what was coming next.
"Hermione," he whispered and turned to her just to see her lying helplessly on the floor. He wanted to go to her but he was still glued to the ground. "Hermione, be careful," he called out and looked back at Voldemort.
He saw how the mist started to vanish from the place where sword had hit him, but it didn't vanish fast enough to stop what happened next. A glowing fireball appeared in his hand.
Before anyone could understand what was going on, the fireball went flying through the room towards Hermione. It hit her in the chest and the force had thrown her to the wall again. The room lit up with blinding brightness and then darkness came back to the room.
Hermione groaned quietly and felt someone taking her limp body in his embrace. "Hermione, talk to me," Harry begged her and when she opened her eyes, she saw nothing.
"Harry? Ron?" she asked weakly. "Is it gone? Are you alright?"
"Yes, yes we're alright," Ron responded where he was kneeling down before her. He took her cold hand
in his.
"
It's gone. It's alright," he said.
"Where are you?" she asked as she realized that everything was black in her eyes.
"What do you mean? We're right here," Harry said who was now stroking her hair.
"I can't see. I can't see you," she said weakly but panic was still audible in her voice. "I can't see you. I can hear but I can't see. What's going on? Why can't I see, Harry? Why I can't…" she said and at once her body started to twitch violently, followed by shrieks of pain.
Harry was having a hard time holding her down as he looked worriedly at Ron and both of them said the same thing at the same time: "St. Mungo's."
Author's note:
Alright, so this is it. Finally a chapter where the first horcrux is destroyed! I worked so hard on this chapter. It took so long to come up with the perfect way to destroy it and what are the effects of it were going to be. I didn't want to just write: and he destroyed it, or anything that simple. It wouldn't be right. I wanted something special, something original. Something like in the books.
To the ones who didn't understand why Lily's shape and body appeared, then I'll explain it here, though I will explain it next chapter as well.
I used the effect of a boggart. Since boggarts turn into the shape of your biggest fear, then from the locket comes out someone who you love the most. In Harry's case, it's his mother. No, it doesn't change shape when someone interrupts, as you could see since Hermione interrupted and nothing happened.
Lily was calling Harry because touching Lily would have killed Harry. And that's the meaning of it-to kill the one who opens and tries to destroy it. But you wouldn't touch anyone if it wasn't the one you love the most.
That effect that happened with Hermione. Well once again I wanted something original. I didn't want to end this with Hermione falling into unconsciousness. It would be boring and it's been used in most stories.
So, I thought, what's the worse thing that can happen to a normal person? Well one of the worst things. And it's becoming blind. But it would be boring, right? Hermione being blind for a while, so what? So I added the Cruciatus curse. Well sort of. Well, come on-it's still Voldemort who we're dealing with here, right?
So I really hope you liked it, enjoy it and don't be mad at me for taking so long. You know I had this writers block (shown signs in 12th chapter what's so lame-I wrote this one chapter for months!!) and then my internet was gone and I was too busy with work. Now, well true, don't have internet yet, but since I am ill and won't be able to go to work, nor surf in internet while I should be writing…well let's just say that the ideas are still running through my mind, and I'm unable to stop them.
Yet again I know I will have some problems with destroying next horcrux... so any ideas for what I could use? If so, email me: rella18@hot.ee but meanwhile, I will continue writing this story and make things move faster :)
-Insignificant-