SOUL PIECES
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Chapter 08: Third Piece Down
"Well, well, well. What we have here?"
Harry knew that was the end. He knew there was no way that he could fight against Bellatrix. Okay, he had his wand pointed at her, but that was useless. He was on the floor, holding Hermione and even if he didn't want to admit it, Bellatrix was a very powerful witch.
At least I know she can't kill me so...she will stupefy me then take me to Voldemort.
Bellatrix had a vicious smile on her face, she was very proud with herself. Harry noticed that she was about to say something, cast a spell…he didn't know but he was holding his wand very tight. He was about to cry out Expelliamus when he heard that same word from someone else.
Of course the devious witch also heard it and she immediately turned her face to see the source of the voice (because the position he was, Harry couldn't see) and cried out with hate, "Lupin!"
Harry never heard if his former professor answered or not, without a chance to react or say anything, the young wizard felt someone grabbing him and Hermione. Then, when he looked around, he was inside the Hogwarts Infirmary, on the floor, holding Hermione.
"What the hell?"
"Mister Potter!" he heard Professor McGonagall.
With her, were Hagrid, Madame Pomfrey, Ron and a young man he didn't recognize.
He suddenly realized how pathetic the scene must have looked. Harry stood up quickly.
"Lay her in a bed, Mister Potter," Madame Pomfrey said.
Without a word, he did what she asked.
When the Hogwarts nurse saw Hermione's hands and arms, she almost yelled.
"What happened to her?"
Thank Merlin Ron answered for him.
"A thing exploded in her hands."
Madame Pomfrey arched an eyebrow.
"A thing, Mr. Weasley?"
"Well, er…you see…."
But then, Hermione began to convulse again. Harry, despite the nurse protests, ran to Hermione and held her very tight until the convulsing passed.
"What is this?" someone shouted.
Harry started to feel a little frustrated.Why so many questions? Why they didn't help her already
"We were at Godric's Hollow. She touched something and this it exploded in her hands and a kind of smoke entered her body! That's what happened! Now, could you please heal her? She's dying, for Merlin's sake!"
She's dying… She's dying
A loud gasp was heard. Madame Pomfrey looked at the young man. He was crying.
"Harry, I need to examine Miss Granger properly. I will take off her clothes to see if another part of her body was burned too. I don't think that she would like to know that you or Mr. Weasley were here when I did that."
Harry smiled at the thought. Hermione would take his and Ron's head off so he nodded and left Hermione's side. Behind him, he heard Madame Pomfrey closing the curtains around Hermione's bed.
"She'll be alright, Harry."
"Ron is right, 'arry. 'ermione is a strong girl," said Hagrid.
"Now, Mr. Potter, if you would please explain what happened," Professor McGonagall said. "Because Mr. Weasley didn't help very much." Ron, at least, had the decency, to look ashamed at this. "He only said that Miss Granger was hurt, a fact that you explained so well and that you and her were corned by Death Eaters.
"First, I need to know who that guy that was here is." Just then Harry realized that the stranger was no longer there.
"Mr. Perkins is an Order Member, Potter," answered the Headmistress. "He used a Portkey to bring you and Miss Granger to Hogwarts. He's already left; he needed to attend another to other business.
Before Harry could say a word, the infirmary's door suddenly opened.
I am starting to become REALLY irritated with this! he internally yelled.
Remus Lupin, Kinsley Shacklebolt, Mad Eye Moody and Charlie Weasley had just entered the room.
"Charlie? What are you doing here?"
"Not now, Ron."
"So, Alastor?"
"Luckily, there wasn't any major damage. We could take one of Cadows brothers."
"Tonks arrested him," added Remus.
"But the others…"
"They disapparated."
"Bellatrix?" asked Harry timidly.
"She escaped, boy. Now, tell me, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" Moody yelled at the young boy.
"What do you mean?" asked Harry, in a cold tone.
"What do I mean? WHAT DO I MEAN? I want to know what the hell you were doing there!"
Ron Weasley closed his eyes. He knew his friend's temper a little too well.
"WHAT I WAS DOING THERE? I WANTED TO SEE THE PLACE WHERE MY PARENTS DIED! I WANTED TO VISIT THEIR GRAVES BUT OF COURSE THAT'S SHOULD BE DISCUSSED FIRST BY THE ORDER! THE FUCKING BOY WHO LIVED NEEDS TO GO TO THE LOO, OH, LETS GET TOGETHER AND SEE IF IT'S SAFE! I'M BLOODY SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD AND HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO VISITED MY OWN PARENTS' GRAVE!"
"Harry, calm down," Remus said with his hands on boy's shoulders. "You have every right to visit James and Lily's graves. It was my mistake too; I should have thought that Voldemort would try something there. I am sorry."
"Minerva!" Madame Pomfrey had just reappeared.
"What is it, Poppy?"
"I think we have to transfer her to St. Mungus. I really don't know what to do! We are losing her."
"What do you mean you're losing her? You're the bloody healer!"
"Ron!"
"No, Charlie! She's a healer! It's her job save Hermione's life!"
"I know that is my job, Mr. Weasley but I can't do my job if I don't know what's inside Miss Granger's body!"
Harry and Ron exchanged glances. Remus Lupin knew those boys too well.
"Harry…"
Harry closed his eyes. He needed to think, fast. He and Ron knew what was inside Hermione's body but they couldn't tell them, and even if he said anything, no one had the knowledge about horcruxes. No one except Voldemort and…
"Slughorn! Professor Slughorn! He's the Potions Master! Please, Professor McGonagall!"
The old professor looked at the nurse who hurried out of the room.
"I will call Professor Slughorn, Mister Potter."
A few minutes later, the plump professor arrived at the infirmary. He, without a greeting to a single soul in the room, asked, "Where is the girl?"
Madame Pomfrey opened the curtains around Hermione's bed. The girl was very pale, wearing hospital clothes. When Slughorn came near her, she began to convulse again. Remus and Charlie opened their eyes wide; they hadn't seen her that way yet.
The potions professor continued to look at her, his face was expressionless.
"Horace?"
He turned around but didn't look at Professor McGonagall. Instead, his eyes focused Harry.
"My memory…?" It wasn't really a question.
Harry only nodded.
"Can you help her, Professor?"
"Yes, Mr. Potter."
"Which memory, Horace?"
"Some things are meant to stay unsaid, Minerva. Now I need to prepare a potion. I don't have much time," he said and turned to Hagrid. "Hagrid, I need holly and lilies. If you could…."
"Of course, Professor."
"Please, bring those to my office. I must go get ready."
When the two men were leaving the infirmary they almost were almost knocked own by an irate Molly Weasley.
"Oh, boy," Charlie and Ron said at same time.
"RONALD BILLIUS WEASLEY! THAT'S IT! YOU ARE GOING HOME! YOUR LITTLE ADVENTURE IS OVER! "
"What?"
"YOU HEARD ME! YOU ARE COMING BACK WITH ME!"
"I don't think I am, mother!"
"You don't have to think! You are coming and it's final!"
"No!"
"Ronald! I almost lost a son some months ago, I don't…"
"What did Gran Prewett say?"
"What?"
"What did Grandmother Prewett say when you told her you were enjoying the Order?"
"Ron, I don't see what this has to do…"
"This has everything to do with it, Mom! What did she say? After all, she had already lost two sons. Two! Oh, don't give me that look, mom! We know very well that uncles Fabian and Gideon were Order members! What did she say?"
Molly Weasley looked down. Always hurt think about her brothers.
"She didn't like it."
"But you joined the Order even knowing that anyway, didn't you?"
"Yes," she answered in a very low voice.
"You joined the Order because you knew it was the right thing to be done! Even your brothers' death didn't stop you!"
"But it's different, son. I was already a married woman. You are only seventeen, you don't know the world, Ron. You are only a boy."
"Oh, I'm only a boy! I'm the child, along with your other youngest child, who managed to alert the Order when Hogwarts was attacked last year. But let's not talk about me! Let me see…Neville! If it wasn't for him, Harry probably would have been murdered at the Department of mysteries!"
That's damn right. Harry thought.
"Oh, but that might have been luck! No! No! I have a better example! A much better example! Let's think about another boy. He was a short lumped boy, not very brilliant. It was with those words you described him Professor McGonagall, wasn't it?"
"Whom are you talking about, son?" asked a confused Molly Weasley.
But Professor McGonagall, Remus Lupin and Harry Potter knew exactly whom Ron was talking about.
"PETER PETTIGREW! THE RAT! THE TRAITOR! He's a adult now but he wasn't when he joined You-Know-Who!"
Ronald Weasley had defeated Molly Weasley and Charlie Weasley was very proud of his young brother.
Harry didn't know exactly how much time passed before Professor Slughorn returned with the potion. After he gave it to Hermione, the professor said she would wake up in a few hours. Of course, Madame Pomfrey wanted everyone out of the Infirmary but Harry and Ron simply said that they would not move before Hermione woke up.
The two young wizards sat on chairs besides Hermione's bed. They didn't move or said a word. Each boy held one of the girl's hands.
About three hours later, Hermione began to wake up.
"Hermione! You are awake!" exclaimed Ron.
Harry simply looked at her.
Hermione looked at her friends and with a soft smile, and said, "Third Piece Down."
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AN: I know, I know…it's a short chapter….but what do you think?
Next Chapter: Hog's Head, another horcrux and Harry doesn't sleep well…
Thanks to my beta Mabel