Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 36

-

Hermione had to keep working and when an hour had passed she still hadn't had a chance to speak to Harry nor Ron. She glanced over at Harry who was playing roulette with Ginny by his side. She needed to tell him what Peter had said…

She grabbed a tray and walked over towards him.

"Champagne?" she asked and he turned to face her. She looked intently at him and he frowned slightly, she knew he could see that there was something important.

The lights suddenly went out and she stared from side to side, she hadn't heard about this. She usually knew what would happen every single evening. A large explosion was suddenly heard and Hermione's ears rang in pain. Harry grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her down.

"What's going on?" she shouted at him. People were shouting, running in fear.

"I don't know, but stay down!" he answered as he reached for his wand and started running towards Ron. There was another loud blast from outside and he hurdled to the side of the room.

A man Hermione had never seen before ran up to Harry and hissed something in his ear. Harry turned to Ron and shouted something. Reluctantly Ron left Harry's side and grabbed Ginny's hand, they both sprinted to the exit.

Harry hurried back to Hermione.

"You have to leave!" he yelled trying to keep out of sight from the running people around them. Hermione was hiding under the roulette table.

"What's going on?"

"I can't explain, but you have to leave. Go to you room, we'll get you!"

She doubted for a moment and he bellowed "Now Hermione!"

She started to get up when Eloise grabbed her by the elbow.

"Come on Hermione," she shrieked and Harry ran after them towards the exit.

"Out of my way!" a very large man shouted and shoved both Hermione and Eloise to the ground. Harry's hand twitched again, he wanted to blast him halfway to hell.

Instead he helped them up and finally they were shoved out of the main entrance.

"This way," Eloise shouted at Hermione and she turned back to Harry. He nodded that he had to go the opposite way. She felt Eloise tugging her along and she locked eyes with Harry for a very short moment before someone blocked her view from him and she couldn't see him again.

-

Hermione ran with Eloise down the street, there were so many people everywhere and she noticed that a couple of shops were on fire in Diagon Alley, one to her horror, was Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes - there was utter chaos. A large explosion was heard again and Hermione could feel the ground shake under her. She pushed Eloise forwards.

"Run!" she ordered and she looked behind her. A large hole had opened in the ground a few people fell in it.

Four Death Eaters were running towards them in the opposite direction with their wands drawn. Hermione saw a green beam pass besides them and she turned around quickly, panic rising, were they trying to hit Harry?

She turned back to Eloise but she was gone. There were so many people around her and she had no idea where to look.

"Eloise?" she shouted at the top of her lounges but she could barely hear her own voice. "Can you hear me?"

She stopped running and the breath was knocked out of her as people violently ran past her and into her. She tried to turn around but the crowed was knocking her backwards. Suddenly someone grabbed her elbow and yanked her hard in the direction of the crowds.

"I told you to go home," Harry yelled next to her and they started running.

"I lost Eloise,"

"Go home, do you want me to be seen?" he asked and he looked angrier than she had ever seen before. She nodded and he was gone so fast she almost thought she had imagined him, still she knew he would stay around her until he knew she was home and safe.

She was soon at her entrance and remained in it for a few seconds, trying to see Eloise but she was nowhere in sight. She hurried inside and locked the door behind her.

She panted loudly and sat down on the bed.

What the hell had just happened? Had the war arrived in London? Why didn't Harry know about the attack?

She reached for her water bottle and drank eagerly; her heart was beating so fast. Was Harry alright?

There was a loud pop and she spun around.

"To-.." she started but Tonks had grabbed her and in a flash they had apparated away.

-

They landed somewhere outside. Hermione turned around quickly, and saw that they were in a forest, but not in the camp. The woods were very dark and someone was behind her. She spun and saw Ron, Ginny, Tonks, Remus, Lupin and Mad-Eye Moody.

"Where's Harry?" she asked Ron who shrugged.

"What the hell is going on?" Ron asked Moody in return. There was couple of pops and Hermione's heart fluttered as she saw Harry arrive together with Albus Dumbledore.

She squeezed her fists together, forcing herself not to run up to him and throw her arms around him. Their eyes met and he seemed as relieved as she felt that she was safe.

"What is happening?"

"Who is hurt?"

"Who is attacking?"

"Where are we?"

"Where are my brothers?"

The questions were fired at Dumbledore who held up his hand and they all fell quiet.

"Someone attacked Diagon Alley tonight. They attacked quite a few shops but when they did, Fred and George, along with Lee Jordan, ran to the streets and started attacking Death Eaters in return. The Death Eaters had taken a Muggleborn boy and were torturing him, so they fought them."

Ginny gasped in shock and fright.

"Are they…?" Ron asked.

"They are all fine, they are good fighters. However, it is now quite apparent that they are openly involved in this war, they will not be able to return to the store, or to the wizarding world of England."

"Our parents…" Ron stuttered.

"Was of course evacuated at once. The Burrow is empty, and I am guessing it will be under attack very soon."

"But who did this?" Harry said quietly.

"We don't know."

Hermione told them what Peter had said to Christina. Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully.

"A decoy?" Lupin asked him.

"I would think so. I would guess that Voldemort has ordered this attack tonight to turn everyone attention to it. I would estimate that tonight the wizards he wanted, has left the country or set up some attack elsewhere."

Loud talk erupted in the group.

"What does this mean for Ron and Ginny?" Harry asked.

"You can not return either."

"My cover is blown," Ron sighed.

"Harry you must publicly remove yourself from Ron's family. It would not be helpful if they understand you are on our side. We still need you to be inside the inner circles."

Harry didn't look happy about this.

"Let's sit," Dumbledore muttered and with a wave of his wand tree trunks hurdled forwards and made benches for all of them.

With another flick a fire was crackling in the middle of the circle and Dumbledore started handing out small glasses he had hidden somewhere in his robe and Ginny filled them with brandy from the small flask Dumbledore had handed her.

"None for me thanks," Tonks mumbled and looked awkward.

Dumbledore looked over his spectacles at her but didn't comment.

"I am not sure how to proceed," he mumbled. "I could hide people at Hogwarts, but I had wished for the school to be kept out of the war for as long as possible. The moment I open it to the Order of the Phoenix Voldemort will have proof that I am fighting against him."

"Well I want to fight!" Ron objected, "I'm not hiding!"

"I know Ronald, I know!" Albus nodded.

Hermione looked over at Harry, he looked very serious.

"You can't send Hermione back to that place," he hissed.

Hermione looked up and frowned.

"I want to go back, I have to. We wouldn't know what we know about Peter Pettigrew if I hadn't been there!" she objected.

"No Hermione, Harry is right. It will be very dangerous for muggleborns in London now. The Death Eaters will try and blame a Muggleborn for this, people will start hunting them down in the streets. It will be the perfect excuse to kill and torture as many muggleborns as possible."

"She could marry a pureblood," Moody intersected and Hermione stared wide-eyed at him. "They wouldn't dare kill her then. We could marry her off to someone on our side, Cormac McClaggen perhaps!"

Harry frowned and bit his jaw shut.

"No!" Dumbledore answered; there will be many children trying to escape now, Hermione will resume her previous job.

Ginny started filling up the glasses again and Hermione noticed how most hands were shaking. Whether from adrenaline or fear she had no idea.

Tonks shook her head again.

"What's with you? Are you pregnant or something?" Ron tried to joke but when Tonks became white-faced he looked startled and mumbled "Sorry."

Congratulations were heard around the camp from everyone except Moody.

"Lupin," he barked, "How can you be so careless? Bringing romance in to a war is always what makes a battle lost. Didn't you know better?" he sounded very angry.

"This is none of your concern!" Lupin answered angrily.

"Really, Tonks is my concern. And this "issue" will surely put us all under more danger. You should have kept it under control. I've told you all, this isn't school this is reality!"

Dumbledore turned furiously to Moody,

"Alastor, enough!" he commanded and Moody looked away heatedly. "We will never condemn love." Moody rolled his normal eye, like he had heard it all before. "New life will join us, and this proves that no matter what Voldemort does he can't destroy love! Cheers to that!"

Tonks smiled gratefully and everyone raised their glasses. Hermione glanced over at Harry and he was staring at her.

"So, what now?" Harry asked.

"Harry you must return to London at once, you need to make sure the Death Eaters don't doubt you. Smuggle some of them out of London or something of that sort. You know what to do. Ron you…"

"I want to join my brothers!"

"And so you shall. Ginny, you will be rejoined with you mum and dad. Remus and Tonks, you will return to your previous places. Hermione will return to the camp for now, I will send for Cedric to return, he won't like leaving the war but you had a good collaboration going. Moody and I will carry on as we have…" It was all very cryptic but everyone started to get up.

"What about my friend? Eloise, is she okay?" Hermione asked Dumbledore.

"I'll find out for you!" Harry assured her.

"Thank you," she whispered. Everyone was walking silently side by side, finding a place to apparate from. Harry gently and discretely grazed her arm and his pinky finger caressed hers. She looked up at him.

"I love you," she mouthed and he blinked at her.

"Hermione, I'll bring you to the camp," Moody barked and she jumped.

"Okay."

She grabbed a hold off his elbow and she barely had a moment to look at Harry before Moody had apparated them both nearby the camp.

"You'll find the rest of the way by foot?" he asked sternly.

"Yes."

The forest was unlit but she knew the area very well. With a pop he was already gone again. She started trotting towards the camp, everything that had happened during the evening and night running through her head... How would Harry convince everyone that he didn't know the Weasleys were up to no good? Where would everyone think she had gone? How would they solve it?

She waved at the first guard who saw her arriving at the camp, it was still completely dark and everyone was fast asleep. She walked to her tent, it was so cold and it smelled unused, slightly moldy.

-

Harry donated a large sum of money to the Death Eaters cleaning up Diagon Alley. He said that he had taken it personally that Ron had betrayed them all, and he guaranteed that he didn't share The Weasleys' traitorous beliefs.

Just as Dumbledore had predicted Harry was asked to help sneak people out of England. Many of the purebloods did this undercover from the Death Eaters. Blaise Zabini had asked for Harry to smuggle Blaise's mum out of the country, he couldn't openly send her away, it might look like he believe the Dark Lord wouldn't prevail.

"But you need to repay me for this, do you understand the chance I am taking?" Harry hissed at him. They were in Blaise's office.

"Of course, what do you need? How much?" Blaise swallowed a large glass of Firewhiskey. The recent attack seemed to have bothered him quite a bit.

"I want information!" Harry demanded and sat down in the leather seat in front of the desk.

"Information?" Blaise sounded very suspicious.

Harry slammed his hand on the desk.

"Yes, how the hell do you think it looks for me now with the Weasleys? They have really damaged my reputation! And I was here, in this club when the attack happened. What if I had been killed? I demand to know the next time something like it will happen."

Blaise leaned back and looked carefully at him.

"Draco Malfoy was here as well."

"And?" Harry snapped.

"If I had known, if anyone had known do you think the Ministers son would have been here? I've been meaning to ask you Harry…"

"Yes?"

"You have all this money and you are a well-respected wizard. Yet you worked for those freak-twins. Why would you do that?"

Harry knew Blaise was fishing for information, trying to test Harry.

"Obviously I did it because I am bored, and because Ron Weasley is, well was, my best friend. I had a lot of fun there… but now I realize…" he trailed of and looked away from Blaise stare.

"What?" Blaise leaned forward.

"They only hired me to spy on me of course."

"And how much did they find out?"

Harry frowned and leaned back himself.

"Has anything I have ever done been intercepted Blaise? Has someone I have helped out of the country, or the items they have hidden ever been found?" he had a dangerous tone now. "Obviously I know how to keep things to myself, don't I?"

Blaise swallowed hard.

"Sorry Harry, it's just that in these times you never know whom to trust."

"Mm… I notice you didn't lose too much in the attack Blaise," Harry looked around the office, "Your club seem much protected."

"I did lose," Blaise objected, "Three of my waitresses have resigned, too afraid to return. One hasn't been heard from, I think she might have gotten killed…" he trailed off and looked away. Harry knew that Hermione's wasn't the one believed to have died, because she had resigned the day after the attack.

He started to get up.

"Well, I must be going. Much to arrange for your mothers departure."

"Sure. You must be busy, I bet many are leaving right?" Blaise said and Harry stopped in the middle of getting up.

"Sure, I'll give you the names at once!" he spat and Blaise bowed his head apologetically.

-

Harry sat by the fire in Grimmauld Place, waiting for his guest. He had received word that Dumbledore would join him sometime during that evening.

He hadn't touched the dinner on the small table next to him, he was concerned. Dumbledore was late and finally Harry nodded off before a familiar voice woke him.

"Tired Harry?" the old man asked as he sat down in the sofa opposite the armchair Harry occupied.

Just seeing Dumbledore's face made Harry even more tired. He felt that lately all Dumbledore had brought him was bad news.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Harry asked.

"Tea wouldn't hurt," Dumbledore agreed and Harry walked over to the kitchen. He returned with a tray with tea. He had only brought one cup.

"When can I leave London?" he asked at once as he sat down.

"You will leave tomorrow," Dumbledore answered and Harry sighed in relief.

"Thank you."

Dumbledore looked over his half-moon spectacles and he looked like he was reading Harry's expression.

"You will join Ron at the front," he added and Harry leaned back in the chair.

"Yes," he agreed very content. He looked up and met Dumbledore's eyes again. "And the others?"

"Anyone in particular you're thinking of?" Dumbledore asked.

"All of them, what will happen? What will they do?"

"Harry you know I never discuss what the different parts of this battle do. I can't."

Harry sighed. "I take it you have someone specific you want to ask about?" he raised his eyebrows.

Harry bit his lip, trying to get the words. He had promised her not to ask. They wouldn't tell.

"Yes," he answered.

Dumbledore nodded.

"Everyone in this is at danger, I cannot give promises and I cannot promise anything more than that." He drank some more of his tea. "The cause is what is most important." He added thoughtfully and Harry met his eye.

"What does that mean?" Harry asked a bit affronted.

"Don't get defensive," Dumbledore smiled, "I just mean that we must never lose focus. Your parents died trying to protect our-"

"I know why they died!" Harry intercepted.

Dumbledore became quiet and looked out the window.

"I must leave shortly Harry. I don't want you to be misunderstanding me. Family, friends and…" he took a dramatic pause before adding. "love. They are the most important things in life. But we have to remember that they are threatened and we must defend them. In the end, that's all that matters."

Harry didn't answer; he wasn't quite sure at what Dumbledore was hinting.

"Sometimes we have to focus away from what we love and care for; we have to focus elsewhere, not to lose sight of the finishing line. Which is, in the end, what will keep everyone safe."

"Will I see Sirius?" Harry asked, he wanted to drop the subject.

"I think you might. I am pretty sure of it as a matter of fact, but it all depends on the surprises Voldemort has planted in our path."

Harry sighed; yet again Dumbledore hadn't brought him any real news.

"So, no inspirational quotes today?" Harry half joked.

"I thought I had given some inspiration," Dumbledore grinned, "but alright then, how is this: Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. We are close Harry!"

Harry nodded and added, "I think you've used that one before." Dumbledore smirked.

"Do you now what happened to Eloise Midgen?" Harry asked as Dumbledore started to get up.

"Alas I don't," he said and walked to the other side of the door.

Harry nodded. "Will you tell… everyone... to keep safe," he mumbled and Dumbledore smiled kindly at him.

"We will meet soon Harry," he said and in a moment he was gone.

Harry leaned back in the chair and groaned. What the hell was Dumbledore saying? He must obviously know about him and Hermione, but what did he know? Did he know that Harry was in love with her? Probably. Did he know they were both in love? Maybe. Did he know they were married? Doubtful!

Harry was sure he would ask about it. He thought about what Dumbledore had told him. Sacrifice, love, sacrifice, family… Was he telling Harry to release Hermione? That their love might danger the cause? He leaned forward and buried his head in his hands. He didn't care at all about putting himself in danger? But was he putting her in danger? He would die if something happened to her!

-

Dumbledore walked down the dark street many miles away form Gimmauld place. He sat down on the bench and stared ahead.

"And?" Moody grunted.

"Yes, I have spoken to him."

"And?" he repeated.

"There might be a problem. Like you said." Dumbledore sighed and Moody turned to him.

"With Granger?"

"I have spoken to Harry, Alastor, he knows what's at stake."

"Sure, and Nymphadora Tonks told me that everything was under control. Now we know that she is having Lupin's child and they are all so easy to extort."

Dumbledore looked up at the moon.

"Harry knows what's at stake. I believe in him. He is the key, I am happy if he has found love, but I think he knows exactly what he has to do."

"How can you be sure, when you've never even told him?"

Dumbledore got up without answering. He bowed his head at Moody.

"You will not tell him either, nor will he know exactly what part Peter Pettigrew played in everything. Not yet! Now I really must retire for the evening, it has been a long day."

"Headed back to France?" Moody asked.

"One never knows…" he mumbled and was gone in a flash.

Moody leaned back on the bench and reached for his flask. He drank a very large gulp and then kicked a can with his healthy leg.

"It's all going straight to hell," he mumbled.

-

The next evening Harry left together with Blaise's mum, he accompanied her to Swansea where she was sent on a private boat. She would head for the south of Vietnam. Blaise had made sure she had enough money to buy a very luxurious house there. He promised her that she would rejoin her beloved son as soon as things had quieted down.

Harry leaned into the fireplace at the magic bed & breakfast he was staying at. He appeared in Blaise's office. Blaise was leaning back, almost slouching on his office chair.

"Blaise?" Harry said and he jumped in his seat. He sat up straight.

"Is she alright?"

"She is very well, she has left and will arrive at her destination in a few weeks."

Blaise let out a relieved sigh.

"And when will you come back?"

"I am heading out on my yacht again, I think I will take care of some of my accounts near the Caymans. Besides, I need this whole thing with the Weasleys to blow over. I need to make sure people stop thinking about me when they think of them."

"Traitors…" Blaise mumbled in agreement and ran a hand over his forehead.

"You alright Blaise?" Harry asked through the crackling fire.

"What? Oh, yeah. Sure."

He was lying, it was obvious, he knew something and it was clear he didn't want Harry to know. "Best be going now Harry, the girls are about to go on stage and I don't want to miss their entrance. But I have wired the money for your help with my mom."

"Brilliant, see you Blaise."

Harry extracted his head from the fire and was glad to not see Blaise's face for a while.

"You ready?" a voice said behind him and he turned to face Remus Lupin. He nodded and they left the hotel room.

-

The scene Harry met when they arrived in Germany shocked him. The war had escalated so fast. They drove an old muggle car to their destination and all along the way they met refugees, mostly muggles walking with their things on their backs.

"What the hell has happened here?" Harry asked looking out the window.

"They are all heading south," Lupin explained while swerving the car from hitting a family walking next to the road. "They are saying it's some sort of gang war. That the gangs are fighting and burning the muggle villages… I guess it's better," he sighed, "that they believe some street gang is the cause. I think wizards would shock them beyond repair…"

Harry pressed his nose against the windows. The war had been hidden from the muggles for so long, now they were all involved, and the muggles had no chance of defending themselves.

"It started the night after that attack in London," Lupin said.

"What do you mean?" Harry turned back to him.

"Well looks like Voldemort shipped loads of Death Eater soldiers off to the war. They waited a day and then they sprang their attack."

"Who was involved?"

"Only muggles," Lupin sounded sad. "No one survived in the villages they hit. They are targeting muggles now. I think they believe it will draw us out. That we'll be so desperate to protect them that we'll come running.

"Did this happen all over Germany?"

"All over Europe," Lupin turned to Harry and Harry was stunned.

"But that means…"

"Yes, thousands of dead muggles…"

They remained silent for the rest of the ride.

-

Finally they arrived at a large hotel.

"We have this whole manor as ours, the Order has it now," Lupin said as they turned in.

Harry grabbed his duffle bag out of the car and walked up to the house and the door swung open. He smiled.

Almost the whole Weasley clan was there to greet him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Fred, George and in the very back - Ron!

They hurried over to him and they each took turns hugging him. Even Ron couldn't stop himself.

"So good to see you mate," he said and patted Harry's back very hard. "Was a bit worried about you back in Britain without me covering your back."

Harry grinned and followed them inside.

-

Harry unpacked in the small single room he was to share with Ron, Fred and George. Ron caught him up on what had happened since they had been separated. The Weasleys' had been reunited at this hotel shortly after the attack in London and they had been awaiting orders from Dumbledore. The same night he had told Harry to leave London he had also given them their new jobs. The Weasleys' were to head to France to help set up a refugee camp who needed help. Ginny would join them shortly, but she would stay at the hotel for a few weeks. Making sure all those seeking refuge there was helped.

Fred and George would join Mad-Eye Moody's side in the war and, to Harry's delight, Ron and Harry would now join Sirius side in the war.

"Did you hear anything about Hermione and Luna?" Harry asked without looking at Ron.

"Nothing," he answered gloomily and neither of them mentioned them again.

--

Dinner was a very busy affair. It reminded Harry of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. There was an indecent amount of people in the hotel. They were from all nationalities. People had started joining the war from all over the world now. Everyone was talking loudly to their neighbors to be heard, but the mood wasn't happy like it could have been believed judging from the volume. The words "battle, attack, strike, ambush" was heard often.

"Oh pardon me," Ginny said and squeezed in next to Harry. He tried to make room for her but the table was very small.

"I'm glad you got away from London alright," he said to her and she smiled warmly at him.

"Back at you," she said and something in the way she said it made Harry raise his eyebrows slightly.

"Alright," he offered her a slice of bread and she took it. Dinner contained of bread, potatoes and broth soup. But Harry wasn't complaining, it was better than anything he had had during the war. Eating here with his friends made anything taste better than the most luxurious meal in London.

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