Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc, etc. Anyone who thinks I do own Harry Potter is an idiot.

A/N: I know, it's a short one, and I know how much you all hate those, but we're getting down to the last few chapters now. I want to get them out as fast as possible and wrap this thing up. Not that I'm rushing it. I had intended to write more for this (I'll cover that stuff in the next chapter) but I felt I've been away so long (my computer died), you guys deserve an update. Also, the first three "chapters" of the history of my Alternate Universe has been posted. Please go check it out and let me know what you think. Reviews are love. Thanks for being so patient guys.

'You don't have to do this.'

Harry and Hermione stood outside the cell of the fake Grangers, deep in the dungeons of Hogwarts. The light was dim in the corridor, but brightness shone from the tip of Harry's wand and through the small bars on the cell door. Hermione had her arms wrapped in front of her, a sad, but determined look on her pale face.

'No, Harry,' Hermione contradicted, 'I do have to do this.'

Harry studied her face in the dim light, and then nodded. 'Okay then,' he said, wand raised to unlock the cell door, 'you ready?'

'I'm ready.'

Harry unlocked the door with a tap of his wand. It swung open to reveal the false Grangers, magically bound tightly to a pair of hard wooden chairs in the middle of the cold stone room. "Mr Granger" glared at them with perfect sight. "Mrs Granger" smiled flirtatiously at Harry.

'Harry, darling, have you come back for more?' Fake Mrs Granger cooed.

Harry ignored her, but Hermione was visibly rattled. Fake Mrs Granger turned to smirk at her "daughter".

'Hermione, be a dear will you, us adults need some alone time.'

'Shut up woman!' Fake Mr Granger snapped angrily.

'Don't be such a bore,' "Mrs Granger" simpered.

'Are you done?' Harry asked calmly.

'Oh, Harry, I can go all night.' The innuendo was clear.

Harry ignored the comment and asked, 'who are you?'

They didn't answer.

'Who are you?' Hermione repeated, more forcefully than Harry.

'We're your parent's dear, don't you remember?' "Mrs Granger" taunted.

'Don't,' Hermione said, with a pained expression.

Fake Mrs Granger smiled widely, but continued the charade. 'My poor daughter, your memory must be failing. You really don't remember us?'

'You're not my parents!'

Fake Mrs Granger and Mr Granger shared a compassionate look, and then started laughing. Harry pointed his wand at them, the threat clear without words. They stopped laughing, but still smirked.

'What happened to my parents?' Hermione asked. 'If you're using Polyjuice potion, they must be alive somewhere. Tell me!'

'We're right in front of you darling.'

'I said don't! Just tell me, please,' Hermione begged.

'Hermione,' Harry protested.

The Death Eaters laughed again. Fake Mrs Granger grinned evilly at Hermione. 'I killed your spineless Muggle mother myself. She wept for mercy and wet herself in terror.'

Hermione slapped her, the sound echoing harshly in the cell. Fake Mrs Granger caressed her reddened face and continued to grin mockingly. Hermione bit her lip and then stormed from the room.

Harry glared at them, wanting so much to kill them right then and there, but knowing he couldn't. He went to leave as well, but "Mrs Granger" had more words for him.

'Oh Harry,' she sang, 'where are you going you hunky piece of meat.'

'Say another word and I'll cut out your tongue,' Harry threatened, turning to face her.

She laughed. 'Ooh, kinky.'

Harry went to leave again.

'Is it the face? This body?'

Harry paused once again.

'It doesn't have to be, if you don't want it this way,' she continued.

'What are you - ' Harry turned as he spoke, but Mrs Granger was gone. In her place was a strikingly beautiful blonde haired woman, with voluptuous breasts and long legs. She quirked a thin arced eyebrow at him seductively.

'Perhaps this body?'

Her large bust threatened to burst through the much smaller top that had once been worn by Mrs Granger. She licked her lips at him.

'No? Then what about this?' She transformed again, into another breathtakingly beautiful woman, and then again, on and on, over and over, variations of gorgeous women flashing before his eyes. 'Come on Harry, you can have whatever you want, and I'll give it to you baby.'

'I have what I want,' Harry declared.

'What?' The witch laughed. 'Her? Okay, if that's what you really want.' She morphed again, this time into Hermione, but her expression was wrong. Hermione could never look that slutty. 'Here I am, all ready for you, and I'll do it all. Every nasty thing in that head of yours.'

Harry shook his head at her. 'You're pathetic.' He slammed and locked the cell behind him, ignoring her indignant cries.

Later that night, Harry called a meeting in the Great Hall. Everyone at Hogwarts was present, seated at the four long tables that used to divide them into houses. Dumbledore sat in his usual seat along with the remaining members of staff. Harry stood before them, facing the assembly.

This wasn't something Harry was comfortable with. He wasn't a speaker, let alone a public one. He was certainly no leader, but this time, with what he had to say, he felt the need to speak up and be heard.

He cleared his throat, trying to find the words to begin.

'I'm tired of waiting,' he said, as loud as he could.

The volume proved unnecessary in the stone silent hall. His words echoed loudly. He cleared his throat and began again, quieter this time.

'I'm tired of waiting. That's all we do. We wait, and wait, just… always waiting. Waiting for Voldemort to strike. He's like a snake, and we're his prey, hiding under a rock, but we can only hide for so long, and eventually…' He trailed off. He didn't need to finish that sentence.

He looked around the hall. Everyone was listening, some even nodding in agreement, while others still looked at him like they were trying to figure him out. But at least they were listening. He pushed on.

'I don't plan on waiting any longer,' he said. 'If we strike first, then maybe we can win.'

'Maybe!?' Someone called out indignantly.

A jumble of voices all rose up, some defending Harry, others not. Harry waited for them to quiet down.

'Enough!' Dumbledore shouted out, effectively quieting the hall once again.

Harry nodded his thanks. 'I'm not a Seer. I don't know what's going to happen. I can only promise you one thing. I'll fight Voldemort, and I'll kill him, or die trying.'

'That's reassuring.' The same voice shouted out again sarcastically.

'Shut up jackass,' Harry heard Sirius yell.

Harry smiled. He was about to speak when someone else spoke up. A woman.

'Do you really think you can beat him?'

Harry sighed. He didn't want this to turn into a discussion about himself. 'I have no choice. It's kill or be killed.'

'But I don't get it,' that same woman called out again. 'Why? No one has ever answered these questions. Why didn't he kill you that night? How did you survive? Why you?'

Harry ran a hand through his hair, getting frustrated now. Dumbledore spoke over the whispers and hushed conversation that followed the woman's questioning. 'None of that matters,' he said. The hall fell silent. 'Harry is the only one that can do it. How or why, it makes no difference. Continue Harry.'

It didn't work. 'But he's a Slytherin! Everyone knows no good every came from that house! How can he be the only one?' It was the first speaker again.

'As I said,' Dumbledore said, 'none of this…'

'No,' Harry interrupted, 'maybe it does matter. It's okay Dumbledore.' Harry took a deep breath. 'I'm in Slytherin because I chose to be. It was my decision and I don't regret it. As for no good ever coming out of that house, well, that's bullshit. There's good sitting right over there,' Harry pointed to Draco, 'and right there as well,' he pointed behind him at Horace Slughorn. 'Dumbledore would be dead right now if it wasn't for him. Shit, we'd probably all be dead, and Hogwarts would belong to Voldemort. So if you think no good ever came out of Slytherin, well then, you're an idiot.

'As for the rest of you, I don't care if you like me. But you need to trust me. Trust that I want Voldemort dead more than anyone. Trust that I don't want anything to happen to this place, the whole fucking world, but especially to her.' He pointed at Hermione. 'So if you can trust me, stay, but if not, then I guess you need to leave. You can send a thank you card when I save the world.'

The hall was silent for a very long time. Then, in ones and twos, several wizards and a few witches got up and trickled out of the room. Harry watched them leave impassively. When they were gone, he nodded, and resumed his speech.

'Good,' he said. 'I guess we can get down to business now. I plan to strike Voldemort right in the heart and I want you all to help. The Death Eaters posing as the Grangers both carried rings; similar to the one I used to escape from Voldemort before. That ring allowed me passage through his wards. I'm sure the rings the Death Eaters carried will let me through this time as well.

'Hermione and I will use the rings to Apparate right into Voldemort's base of operations, wherever that may be, and then we'll take down the wards for the rest of you. We'll use this charmed pendant,' here he held up the necklace Draco had made for Ginny, 'to summon you once that's done. Any questions?'

'How are you going to find You-Know-Who's Headquarters?' Ron asked.

'We have two Death Eaters trussed up in the dungeons,' Harry said, smiling. 'I'm sure they'll tell us. And if they won't, I'll just have Horace here cook us up some Veritaserum.'

'Oho, already done my boy,' Slughorn said proudly, sticking out his chest.

Harry smiled. 'Anymore questions?' He was greeted by silence. 'Okay then, I suggest you all prepare yourselves. Those that want to help can speak to someone who isn't me. They'll tell you what to do.'

With that, the meeting was dismissed, and the gather wizards and witches broke apart to discuss.

'Harry?' Dumbledore indicated he wanted a private word. Harry followed him into one of the adjoining chambers.

'What is it?'

'I didn't want to say this in front of the others, but,' Dumbledore paused momentarily, 'are you sure you're ready?'

'As I'll ever be.' Harry's response was instantaneous.

'And the last Horcrux?'

'Nagini will be there,' Harry said. 'I'll leave that job up to you. Up for it?'

Dumbledore smiled, a true twinkling of his eyes that Harry hadn't seem in a long time. 'I believe I am.'