DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. They are the property of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros, etc. No money was made from the creation of this story.
Chapter Twenty: Secrets and Friendship
"You weren't joking," Nancy sighed as she and Hermione collapsed onto Harry's bed. "This sort of thing happens every year?"
The portkey had safely transported the four back to the sixth year boys' dormitory. While Nancy and Hermione had the luxury of falling onto Harry's bed, Harry and Ron sank onto the hard floor. However, after their ordeal, the stone floor felt as soft as cotton.
"Just about," Hermione replied, taking in slow and quiet breaths, completely fatigued.
"I don't hear any fighting," Harry said as he used some of his remaining strength to roll onto his stomach and crawl over to the window. He collapsed onto the floor again, but was able to look out towards the grounds. It was night, but he was able to get a clear view of everything around the castle. Aside for a few fallen trees, the grounds looked exactly the way they had left it. "No one's…fighting outside."
"That's good," Ron coughed as he stared at the ceiling, his eyes half open. "Well…Gryffindor Tower is still standing…that's always a good sign."
"Is everyone okay?" Harry asked as he slowly rolled over onto his back. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself off the floor, allowing himself to rest against the side of the bed next to his.
"I'm fine," Hermione whispered, her eyes slowly closing.
"I'm okay," Ron answered, his hands rubbing his temples gently. His eyes widened when they didn't hear Nancy respond. He pushed himself into a sitting position, his face full of worry. "Nancy? Nancy, you okay?"
"She's fine, Ron," Hermione replied as she turned to her head to face at Nancy. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing softly. "She's sleeping…only sleeping."
"Oh…okay," Ron softly smiled as he allowed himself to crumble back onto the floor. He released a soft yawn and looked over at Harry. "These floors are really comfortable…I never knew that…"
Harry raised his eyebrow at Ron, realizing that he was utterly incoherent, his exhaustion taking a complete hold of his mind and body. Harry gradually turned his head and looked out the window to see that stars were shining brightly. He turned to say something to Ron, but Ron spoke first.
"You know…" he said, almost giggling, "sleep sounds really…really good. Best idea anyone…has had all day."
"Yeah," Hermione sighed happily as she took a hold of Harry's pillow and snuggled with it. She looked at Harry and gave him a sweet smile before she closed her eyes. "Harry…your bed is a lot more comfortable than mine."
"You can have it…" Harry replied as he did his best to fight off a yawn. He closed his eyes and slowly allowed sleep to slowly take. However as the events of their day rushed back into his head, he knew that this wasn't the time to rest. He cursed himself as he forced his eyes to open. He looked at his three friends and saw that they were all asleep.
"Ron…Ron," Harry said softly as he crawled over to his friend and shook his shoulder gently. "Wake up."
"What is it, Harry?" Ron said with an incredibly aggravated voice, his eyes still closed.
"We need to find Dumbledore…c'mon…incase they need help," Harry replied, still shaking his stubborn friend. "They could be fighting somewhere inside the castle."
"They can handle it," Ron snapped as he rolled away from Harry. "If Gryffindor Tower…decides to fall…then I'll…just see you in the afterlife."
Harry's patience was growing thin and he opened his mouth again to say something when he realized that Ron had fallen back to sleep. Harry released a sigh of frustration as he slowly stood up, finding it exceedingly difficult to maintain his balance. He looked over to his bed and saw that Hermione and Nancy. He thought about waking Hermione, but stopped when he saw a soft smile on her lips. She was completely relaxed and carefree. He didn't have the heart to wake her.
"On my own again," he groaned as he quietly walked over Ron and out of the boys' dormitory.
He leaned against the wall for support but his heart sank when he looked at the stairs that led down to the Gryffindor common room. He barely had enough strength to keep standing and with him walking down stairs, gravity would surely have its fill if he happened to collapse.
He gritted his teeth and slowly started to descend the stairs, relying heavily on the wall to keep himself upright. His feet nearly slipped a few times, but he was always able to catch himself. To ensure his safety, he slowed his pace down each time he nearly lost his balance. Now I know how an old person feels when they do this, he thought to himself as he was finally able to see the doorway that led into the common room.
Harry noticed that the common room was too quiet for comfort and he stopped his descent. He pulled out his wand and held it firmly with his left hand as he continued to use his right to support himself. He silently and slowly walked down the remaining the steps, his wand out in front of him. He knew that he wasn't in any condition to do anymore fighting, but hoped that he could at least intimidate his foes by looking prepared.
Harry took a deep breath as he pushed himself out the doorway, his eyes moving in every direction, his wand ready. His eyes softened when he saw Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Remus Lupin sitting by the fireplace. A smile formed on his face as he lowered his wand. He released it, allowing it to fall to the ground, causing the three to turn towards him.
"Harry!" Lupin shouted with a relieved look on his face. He immediately stood to his feet and ran around the couch to Harry. He placed his hands on Harry's shoulders and Harry couldn't help but feel amazingly comforted by them.
"Are you all right?" Professor McGonagall asked as she hurried over to him with a worried look on her face. "How are the others?"
"I'm fine," Harry replied softly, feeling his remaining strength draining from him. "We are all fine. They're upstairs in my room resting."
"Oh, thank goodness," she sighed as she touched Harry's cheek gently, rubbing off some of the dirt that covered his face.
"Is it over? Did Voldemort attack the castle?" Harry asked as he looked at Dumbledore.
He remained in his armchair, but gave Harry a very pleased and relieved look. "It's over," he replied softly with a smile. "Voldemort and his forces retreated before they had the opportunity to attack the castle."
"That's good…" Harry said weakly as he looked back at Lupin. Lupin gave him a comforting smile and Harry suddenly felt his knees give way. His exhaustion had finally caught up with him. With a soft sigh, he fell forward, feeling Lupin's arms wrap securely around him.
* ~ * ~ *~ *
Harry stirred softly, his senses slowly awakening. He felt himself in a soft bed, covered with several warm blankets. He knew something wasn't right as his mind tried to recall what had happened to him. He remembered talking with Lupin, McGonagall, and Dumbledore, but nothing after that. When his mind couldn't find the answer, he allowed himself to open his eyes and observe his surroundings.
He sat up in the bed and gently rubbed his eyes. Everything was a blur to him but he recognized where he was. He had been in this room too often for comfort. He looked to his right and found his glasses on the night table. He picked them up and placed them on, watching the hospital wing come into focus.
"Hello, sleepyhead," he heard a gentle voice come from the bed to his left. He turned and a warm smile formed on his face when he saw Hermione smiling brightly at him. She was sitting up in her bed with her back resting against her pillows and her blankets wrapped around her. Harry could see that she was wearing her light blue pajamas and she looked really pretty with her bushy hair in a ponytail.
"Hello," he smiled as he raised his arms and stretched his back, releasing a soft yawn. "How did we get here?"
"Professor Dumbledore brought us here," she replied. "According to Madame Pomfrey, we've been sleeping for almost three days. I just woke up about an hour ago."
"Three days…" he sighed as he looked at the bed next to Hermione and found Ron sound asleep. He continued to look around the room, only to find empty beds and no signs of Nancy. He looked at Hermione and was about to ask her, but she already guessed his question.
"She's talking with Professor Dumbledore," she said as she unwrapped herself from her blankets and stretched her arms. "She woke up about a half an hour before you did. Professor Dumbledore came by for a quick visit and when he saw that she was awake, he said that he needed to talk to her immediately…so they left."
"It makes sense," Harry replied as he looked over at Ron. "She's a member of the Order after all."
"Yeah…" she said softly as she turned and looked at their sleeping friend. "Do you think Ron will be okay with Nancy?"
"I don't know. I think he'll…" Harry stopped when he heard the door of the hospital wing open.
The two turned and found Professor Dumbledore walking in with Nancy behind him. Harry's mind started to race. He had so many questions he wanted answered, but his eyes suddenly grew wide. He couldn't believe that he had forgotten about him. He couldn't believe after everything they all had been through together, the thought him just recently entered his mind.
Harry immediately jumped out of his bed, his blankets falling to the floor. Hermione nearly jumped out of bed as well, completely surprised by Harry's sudden actions. He looked at Professor Dumbledore with serious eyes and asked, "Do you know what happened to Keung? Is he all right?"
"I sorry Harry, but I do not know," Dumbledore replied as he and Nancy stopped in front of Harry and Hermione's beds.
Harry could see that there wasn't a twinkle in his eyes, and it truly frightened him.
"I have sent Fawkes to search for him, but neither Fawkes or Keung have returned." Dumbledore continued.
Harry's mouth dropped and he felt his knees grow weak. He took several quick breaths and slowly turned towards Hermione, his eyes expressing everything he couldn't put into words. Hermione quickly got out of her bed and helped steady him. She guided him back her bed and the two sat down, one hand holding his and her other gently massaging the back of his tense neck.
"No…" Harry said to himself. He took several heavy breaths as he slowly looked up at Dumbledore, trying to keep his emotions from bursting.
Hermione gently squeezed his tense neck as she ran her thumb across the top of his hand. She knew that he was on the verge of losing control.
Harry trembled softly as his eyes focused on the floor. "He can't be…he can't."
"I do not wish you fill you with false hope, but it is very possible that he is alive. Only time and patience will tell," Dumbledore said with a gentle voice as he walked alongside Hermione's bed and stopped in front of them. He pulled out his wand and with a swift flick, a large armchair appeared. He slowly sat down in it, and turned to Nancy. He gave her a soft smile and asked, "Would you please wake Ron, Nancy?"
She nodded to him and silently made her way over to Ron's bed. Harry could hear Ron stirring behind him, but he didn't bother to turn around. He felt ill and despite Hermione's closeness, he felt his body turn to ice. He knew that Keung could be alive and he hoped that he was with everything in his heart. However, if he wasn't, Harry knew that it would have been his fault. He didn't want to lose another friend. He didn't want to fail in saving another friend.
"What's going on?" Ron whispered to Nancy, when he noticed Harry's uneasy composure.
She placed her finger over her lips and the two gently settled on Hermione's bed and faced their Headmaster.
"What happened with the Voldemort and his army?" Hermione quickly asked, wanting to prevent an uncomfortable silence from falling upon the group. She watched Harry lift his head slowly, hoping that the subject would help keep his mind off Keung for the time being.
"The attack was successfully prevented," Dumbledore replied with a smile. He placed his hands together and relaxed against his chair. "Alastor Moody devised a very clever strategy in combating Voldemort's army, and we were successful in deterring Voldemort's progress long enough to give your party the necessary time to extinguish the Flame of Flamora. His forces retreated shortly after their Flamora abilities were lost, but we were fortunate to arrest over a dozen of his Death Eaters."
"How was it prevented?" Harry asked slowly, sounding relieved and somewhat intrigued. Harry was happy to learn that Voldemort had failed in attacking the castle and was incredibly delighted to see that they were the only ones in the hospital wing. However, he wasn't able to express his joy due to the somersaults his stomach was currently making.
"Alastor knew that Voldemort would strike from the Forbidden Forest," Dumbledore explained. "The forest and Hogsmeade were the two closets locations where apparition is possible. Alastor felt that Voldemort would want to strike when we would least expect, meaning that apparating into a crowded Wizard town would have been out of the question.
"Therefore, we had the students take refuge at Hogsmeade and created our defenses along the perimeter of the forest. Remus was able to form a temporary alliance with the centaurs, and they helped us greatly in devising various obstacles that Voldemort and his Death Eaters would have to pass in order to reach the castle. I discussed the situation with Cornelius Fudge and he gladly sent his Aurors, along with many members of the Order, to aid us."
"Of course, he would," Ron said as he rolled his eyes at the thought of Fudge. "That prat is always trying to take all the glory."
Hermione didn't agree with how Ron had stated his comment, but she knew that he was right. Cornelius Fudge was the exact type who would do everything in his power to stay on the right side of the people. This quality caused a lot of problems for Harry and Dumbledore the year before, when Fudge refused to accept the fact that the Dark Lord had returned.
"Wait…Professor…you allowed Harry and the others to come after me and extinguish the Flame?" Hermione asked with an incredibly shocked look on her face. She had thought that her friends acted on their own, against Dumbledore's orders, but never did the thought of them having permission ever crossed her mind. She wondered if Dumbledore's judgment was starting to be compromised due to age and stress. "What if we failed? We could have all died?"
"To your first question, Hermione, I did allow Harry and the others to go," Dumbledore replied as he looked at her with sincere eyes.
Ron and Nancy stirred gently on the bed, their minds trying to push away the memories of the Flame and their struggle to reach it.
"I understood that you all were taking an incredible risk and it does seem like a unwise decision on my part…however I also had the utmost confidence that you all would accomplish the task and return," Dumbledore finished.
"Not all of us returned…" Harry mumbled to himself, however he had said it louder than he meant to, causing everyone to look at him. Harry lifted his head and looked into Dumbledore's eyes. He felt his emotions starting to get the best of him and he slowly stood to his feet, not taking his eyes off Dumbledore.
He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing would come out. He, too, had wondered why Dumbledore had allowed him to go. Harry was glad that he did, but knew that if Dumbledore truly didn't want him to, he could have easily prevented it. Though, sometime suddenly dawned upon him. The answer hit him harder than he expected and he slowly took his seat back on the bed, his eyes moving towards the ground. He took a deep breath and quietly muttered, "You let me go…because I couldn't die."
"What?" Hermione gasped.
Ron and Nancy were also completely baffled by Harry's comment and looked at each other before hesitantly looking at him and then towards Dumbledore.
Hermione's expression fell to one of worry. "What are you talking about? You could of easily died?"
"No, I couldn't," Harry replied as he broke his eye contact with Dumbledore and looked into Hermione's. The secret that he had kept from her needed to come out. He had kept it away from her and his friends for too long. He looked back at Dumbledore and watched him give him a soft nod. He turned to his three worried friends and took a deep breath. "No matter what could of happened in that mountain…I couldn't die."
"Harry, there isn't any need for you to be the hero anymore," Nancy said softly, unsure of how to read Harry's actions.
"It has nothing to do with that," Harry snapped. He looked towards the floor again and quickly thought through everything, wishing there was a way he could make what he was about to say less shocking. He felt Hermione take his hands in hers. He slowly looked at her and took in another deep breath. "Well…do you remember the prophecy what we thought we lost last year?
"Yes," Hermione answered uncertainly. "The one from the Department of Mysteries?"
"Yeah…well…the prophecy was never lost…I mean…I know what the prophecy is," Harry said in a weak voice. "It was…well…it was prophesized…that the…only way for me to die…"
"What?" Ron asked, his face contorting. "Only way for you to die…is what?"
Harry felt Hermione's hands tighten around his. He took another deep breath and turned towards Dumbledore, his eyes pleading for help. Dumbledore understood his eyes and gently nodded his head. Harry gave him a grateful smile and returned his gaze to Hermione, whose eyes had begun to water. He didn't need to say it to her, from how she was reacting; she somehow knew what was coming.
With a heavy sigh Dumbledore repeated to them the same thing that he had told Harry a year ago. He explained how the boy who would defeat Voldemort was born at the end of July, he explained how the parents of the boy had defied Voldemort three times, he explained how Voldemort would mark the boy as his equal, and most importantly, he explained how the only way for either the boy or Voldemort to die was at the hands of the other.
Harry didn't move his eyes off Hermione. He watched her face grow white as Dumbledore explained everything that he didn't have the courage to say. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and her grip on Harry's hands grew tighter and tighter. Harry didn't need to read her mind. He knew that she was upset and he knew that she wasn't going to be pleased with him for keeping something like this away from her.
When Dumbledore had finished, the group had grown quiet. Harry occasionally looked over at Ron and Nancy, and noticed the stunned expressions that blanketed their faces. He felt horribly uncomfortable with the silence, but he thanked it because it meant that Ron and Hermione weren't jumping at his throat for never telling them.
"Does that mean…" Hermione started as she finally made eye contact with Harry, her eyes red and swollen, "that when all this is over…you are either going to kill Voldemort or he is going to kill you?"
Harry nodded slowly and he watched her body shudder. He quickly averted his eyes away from her, waiting for her to scream at him. In fact, he was waiting to be struck. He knew he deserved it, and he would allow Hermione to do anything if it were to ease the pain she was experiencing. However what Harry felt was something he wasn't expecting. Hermione wrapped her warm arms around him and hugged him tightly, resting her forehead on his shoulder.
"Well mate…" Ron said shakily, Harry turning to look at him. His face was incredibly pale, making his hair seem a lot redder than usual. Ron released a nervous chuckle, and Harry knew that this was hurting him just as much as it did Hermione. "I guess…this means that you're…invincible until…you know…fight You-Know-Who?"
"I guess," Harry replied as he comforted Hermione in his arms, allowing her to rest against him.
He was grateful of how mature his friends were handling the news. He looked back at Dumbledore and noticed a very pleased look on his face. Harry thought back to the day he first learned about his inevitable fate and he cursed himself for reacting so poorly. He knew he had other things on his mind at the time, but he didn't want to make excuses.
"Though Harry…this doesn't mean that you should go out and start picking other fights," Nancy said with a weak smile as she leaned gently against Ron.
Harry gave her a warm smile and gently nodded his head.
"Voldemort to this day does not know the last and most important piece of the prophecy," Dumbledore spoke, causing the four students to turn their attention to him. "That Harry is your greatest advantage. Until Voldemort decides to treat you as an equal, you have nothing to fear. Until he confronts you with the intention to kill you himself, your life will always be spared."
"He had a chance to kill me though," Harry said with a firm voice, his arms tightening around Hermione.
"However, he did not take it," Dumbledore replied instantly with his index finger raised. "He was obsessed with destroying Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic that he never once considered the idea of fighting you himself. He believes that he should not have to use his own energy on someone like you. Don't you see? His arrogance will be one of your greatest allies, Harry."
"That's good to know," Nancy whispered to Ron as he gently leaned his head against hers.
"Professor, why did you ask Nancy to protect me? What was she protecting me from?" Harry said softly as he looked over at Nancy.
She took her head off of Ron's shoulder and straightened her posture, looking at Professor Dumbledore with worried eyes. She then glanced at Ron and was relieved to see that he didn't show any traces of hostility or betrayal in his eyes.
"I asked Nancy to watch over you for two reasons," he started as he gave her a warm smile. "Harry, I understand how difficult your life is. I understood that after everything you experienced last year, you would need your friends more than ever. One reason I asked Nancy to watch over you was to make sure that you did not get yourself into too much trouble. Do not blame her, for she did this with the best of intentions.
"I was worried about you, Harry." Dumbledore turned to him and gave him a sincere yet apologetic look. "You have a very powerful force inside you that drives you to do what you feel is right. I commend you for such devotion to your loved ones and your need to perform the right thing, but I do worry about the situations that you and your friends manage to get yourselves into. I was afraid that after learning about your fate, you might have done something rash that could have been, otherwise, avoided." Dumbledore paused and allowed Harry to take in everything he had told him.
Harry resented the fact that Dumbledore had always treated him like a child. He looked at his Headmaster and wished he had the heart to scream at him, but he knew that Dumbledore was only looking out for him. He's always had his best interest at heart and he always will. Harry took several breaths and felt Hermione's arms wrap around him tighter.
"I can take care of myself, Professor," Harry said in a calm voice.
"I know that you can, Harry," Dumbledore replied. Harry's heart lightened when he realized that the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes had returned. "That was why I allowed you and your friends to pursue Hermione when I knew otherwise. I did second-guess myself after I allowed you to leave; however, I have faith in the prophecy and I have faith in you. I knew that you and your friends would succeed as you all have done for the past five years. Harry, I no longer see you as just The-Boy-Who-Lived…you have grown into an outstanding man…a man with a destiny far greater than that of any wizard."
Harry shuddered lightly against Hermione, slowly accepting the compliments for Dumbledore. Dumbledore saw him as a man.
"The other reason I asked Nancy watch over you was because of Willard Cross," Dumbledore said as he placed his hands on the arms of his chair.
"You're saying…you knew that William was Willard Cross the whole time?" Ron suddenly blurted, his eyes wide.
Nancy's expression suddenly went to one of shock to see how Ron had addressed their Headmaster.
"Yes…and no," Dumbledore replied, not taking offense to Ron's outburst. "One of my duties as Headmaster of Hogwarts is to ensure the safety of its students. When I received the transcripts of William Weinstein, I had a very strange feeling about the boy. This is the main reason I asked Nancy to watch over you, Harry." Dumbledore paused as he looked at Harry. "My suspicions soon grew when I was informed that he had taken an interest in Hermione and attempted to befriend you.
"Alastor read through the William's transcript and he read that his father was an Auror under the Ministry of Magic. He also learned that his father had died recently while on a covert assignment. Alastor recalled the name, Weinstein, from his days as an Auror and visited the Ministry of Magic to search through their archives.
"After examining several files, he learned that the only Auror by the name of Weinstein actually died ten years ago. This instantly caused my suspicion to grow. However the piece of information that immediately convinced us that William was someone who could not be trusted, was that Alastor discovered that the deceased Weinstein had three children, all of which were daughters."
"Daughters…" Harry muttered to himself as he shook his head. He released a sigh and focused his gaze on the floor of the hospital wing. "That explains the reason why William…I mean Willard…was so strong. All the training he would of gotten was from his father, Malcolm Cross."
"That's correct," Dumbledore said with a gently nod. "Malcolm Cross was a very distinguished wizard and very talented in combat. His skills and talents could be seen in his son. Willard possessed a very similar style to that of his father. It is just unfortunate that he didn't possess the same compassion and conscience as his father and sister did."
"Hold on…" Harry said, his eyes slightly tensing. "You mean, you knew that William was really Willard since the tournament, but you did nothing about it?"
"I never said that I knew that William was Willard," Dumbledore corrected. "I do not have the authority to accuse anyone of anything unless solid evidence could be produced. It is true that I felt uncomfortable with William's presence. Reasons must exist for a boy to want to lie on his transcript; however, he never once exposed characteristics of someone who would be considered evil. As you all knew, he was very likable and popular amongst the students here and very courteous and polite to the staff and myself."
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer," Hermione said weakly as she straightened her posture. Harry turned to her and gave her shoulder a gentle nudge.
"Why were you kidnapped, Hermione?" Harry asked. "What did you find that scared Voldemort?"
"I found a photograph of Willard Cross and his family," Hermione replied as she looked into his eyes. He gave her a confused expression and she took a deep breath before elaborating. "During breakfast, Madame Pince asked me if I could assist her in reorganizing all the Daily Prophet newspapers. I told her I would help, and she asked me to stop by the library when I had the chance. I decided to go after the Quidditch match because I knew that you and your team wouldn't return to the common room for a bit.
"While we were organizing some of the newspapers, I came across an old article that was about Malcolm Cross. There was a picture of him walking next to several Death Eaters that he had arrested.
"When Madame Pince and I finished organizing everything, she told me that I could go. However, before I could leave she asked me to bring her an unattended book bag that she noticed on one of tables. When I picked it up, the zipper on the bag broke and all the books fell out. When I was packing everything back into the bag, I noticed that a photograph had fallen out of one of the books.
"I picked it up and it was a picture of the Cross Family. I immediately recognized Veronica and Malcolm, but when I took a closer look at Veronica's brother, I realized that the young boy looked almost exactly like William. That was when I realized that William was really Willard Cross. I then got a really bad feeling in my stomach because I felt that you were in danger." Hermione's eyes had begun to water but she didn't lose her intensity. She never once took her eyes away from Harry's.
"I quickly placed the photograph back into the bag and I repaired the zipper before giving it to Madame Pince. I quickly ran out of the library and hurried back towards the common room, but Willard bumped into me. I tried to act normal, but he somehow knew. I tried to run, but I heard him saying something and everything just went black. When I woke up, I found myself in a cage surrounded by Voldemort and his Death Eaters."
"I'm sorry, Hermione," Harry said softly as he rubbed her back. "I should of been there...that should of never happened."
"It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could do," Hermione replied as she shook her head. "If I had…"
The door of the hospital wing suddenly burst open, causing everyone to turn towards it. Hagrid walked through the door, breathing heavily, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw Dumbledore. He quickly made his way to him, holding a roll of parchment in his hand. He came to a halt and took a deep breath as he handed it a curious Dumbledore.
"Urgen' message, Professor," Hagrid said as he took a deep breath, sweat sliding down his brow. "Fudge is waitin' for yeh outside, sir. He needs ter talk to yeh righ' away `bout somethin' important."
Dumbledore unrolled the parchment and examined it careful, running his fingers through his beard. Hagrid gave Harry a giant smile and took this opportunity to wrap his large arms around the four students, pulling them into a tight hug, squeezing them against his rough fur robes.
"It's so good ter see yehs," he sighed happily. "Harry…Hermione…Ron…and o' course Nancy…made me real worried."
"We're sorry…Hagrid," Harry gasped, his voice muffled by Hagrid's thick beard. "Hagrid…we can't breathe…"
"Oh sorry!" Hagrid exclaimed as he released the four breathless students. They sank back onto the bed and couldn't help but give the half-giant warm smiles. Hagrid sighed again before straightening his back and giving them an apologetic look. "Didn' mean ter squeeze yehs too much."
"It's okay," Harry grinned at him. "It's really good to see you too."
"We must go, Hagrid," Dumbledore said as he rolled up the parchment and rose from his chair. He pulled out his wand and with another flick; the armchair vanished. "I am sorry but I must leave. There is a pressing matter that I must attend to. Though before I take my leave, I wanted to thank all of you. If it were not for your brave actions, many lives could have been lost during the attack. Aside for several trees, not a single life was extinguished. Thank you all on a job well done."
He gave the four students a warm smile as he turned towards Hagrid and gave him a gentle nod. Hagrid gave Harry a proud look and a bright grin before he and Professor Dumbledore made their way towards the door of the hospital wing.
"Oh, Professor," Hermione quickly called as Dumbledore reached the door of the hospital wing. Dumbledore stopped and turned towards the group. "How did the Order slow down Voldemort's advancements?"
"Several tree enchantments as well as other unorthodox methods…quicksand, invisible pits, and such," Dumbledore replied with a soft grin. "If the situation was not as threatening as it was, watching Voldemort and his Death Eaters advance through the forest would have been somewhat amusing."
Harry and Ron snickered to themselves as they imagined several Whopping Willows swatting its massive branches at the Dark Lord. Dumbledore gave the four another warm smile and a comforting nod as he and Hagrid left the hospital wing.
"Listen…Ron, Harry, Hermione," Nancy started as she stood up and walked in front of them, her eyes pleading with theirs. "I'm really sorry about lying to you all. I really wanted to tell you all everything, but Dumbledore made me swear not to. I know I was told to look after you, Harry…but you all have become my best friends. I'm really sorry. Do you all hate me?"
"Before we answer," Ron replied as he crossed his arms, giving her a lopsided grin. "Are you really a seventh year from Beauxbaton?"
"Well…" Nancy hesitated, her eyes moving to Ron uneasily. "I graduated Beauxbaton last year. My parents have been good friends with Dumbledore for quiet sometime now, and when they heard everything about You-Know-Who returning, they decided to permanently stay in England and join the Order of the Phoenix. My brother and I joined the Order too. We wanted to help out as much as we could."
"I see…that explains the reason why you are so calm about your N.E.W.T.s," Hermione said as she crossed her arms and gave her a sly grin. "You've already taken them."
Nancy gave her a weak smile; unsure whether Ron and Hermione were truly upset with her. Harry rose from the bed and slowly walked to her, looking into her eyes with a blank expression. She took in a deep breath and looked into his eyes, a feeling of worry slowly rising from her stomach due to his silence. "I'm really sorry, Harry…I never meant to…"
"Thank you for watching over us," he said with a soft smile as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a warm hug. Nancy's expression changed to one of shock as her eyes moved to Ron and Hermione. Their mouths had drop and they slowly rose to their feet, their hands ready to strangle Harry. Harry broke their hug and carefully moved behind her, so that she was shielding him from the two.
"What was that for?" Nancy asked quickly as she looked over her shoulder at him.
"Well…you're suppose to watch over me…so incase they want to attack me for keeping my secret away from them," he replied as his hand carefully reached behind him and picked up a pillow, "they'll have to go through you first. The hug was a quick thank you, if they decide to get hostile."
"We will have to talk about that later," Hermione said with a firm tone as she pulled her pillow off her bed and held it firmly in both of her hands. She looked over at Ron and gave him a mischievous smile. "Though until then…Ron…"
Ron took the hint and grabbed Hermione's second pillow off her bed. He gave Nancy a warm smile before giving Harry a menacingly threatening one. "Nancy…we do forgive you for everything, but if you don't get out of the way, we will be forced to go through you."
Nancy returned Ron's smile with a sigh of relief as she tried to move away from Harry. However, Harry remained behind her, his pillow raised above his head. Ron grinned at Hermione and the two readied their pillows. Nancy looked carefully at the three, feeling helpless about being stuck in the middle. However, when she noticed the grins on their faces, she knew that they had forgiven her and she was once again a part of the group. She watched Ron raise his pillow and she released a squeal as feathers started to fill the air.
* ~ * ~ * ~ *
"Could you guys go on ahead?" Ron asked to Harry and Hermione as got into their Hogwarts robes.
Night had fallen and Madame Pomfrey allowed them to leave the hospital wing. She was incredibly pleased to see that they had all fully recovered from their injuries and exhaustion, but wasn't the least bit thrilled when she found feathers covering the wing and four destroyed pillows.
"I guess," Harry replied as he gave Hermione a curious look. He then turned his attention back towards his nervous friend. "Ron…you okay? You're looking awfully pale. I reckon you'd be glad to be out of the hospital wing."
"Yeah, I'm okay," he answered as he fidgeted with the straps that fastened his robes together. "Just a lot of things on my mind."
"I really doubt it's a lot things," Hermione grinned as she gave him a knowing look. Her gaze soon fell upon Nancy who was currently fixing her hair in front of a large mirror near the back of the hospital wing. She looked back at Ron and gave him a soft smile. "Just be nice to her."
"I have been nice," he replied as he finally managed to fasten the ties of his robes, releasing a soft sigh of frustration. "It's just…I don't know…I feel horrible about…"
"She's coming over," Hermione whispered as she took a hold of Harry's hand. "Harry, we'd better go…good luck, Ron."
Before Harry could get a word out, Hermione pulled on his arm, forcing him to leave the hospital wing. Once the door was shut, she gave him an apologetic look.
"I didn't mean to pull on your arm that hard," she said, releasing her grip on his arm.
"Oh no, it's okay," he smiled at her as he took her hand in his. "You sure we shouldn't have stayed in there? You know how Ron is…he could need our help or something?"
"Ron needs to learn how to handle things on his own," she replied as the two started to make their way down the corridor. "I believe that he will be just fine."
Harry gave her an unsure look and quickly glanced over his shoulder towards the door of the hospital wing. He released a soft sigh and knew that there was nothing he could do to help his friend by that point. Hermione gave his hand a soft squeeze and he gave her his lopsided grin.
The two quietly made their way through the castle, amazed at how quiet it was. The night sky was full of thick clouds and a gentle breeze blew through the corridors of the castle. Harry constantly glanced at Hermione, awestruck at how wonderful she looked with the light of the torches dancing across her face. She noticed his looks and gave him a sweet smile, leaning closer to him. He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, enjoying their walk together.
When they reached the final staircase that led to the corridor that held the portrait of the Fat Lady, Harry stopped walking, nearly causing Hermione to trip over his foot. She looked gave him a puzzled look, but realized that he was looking back down the corridor.
"What's the matter?" she asked quietly as she gazed down the corridor, not exactly sure what she was suppose to be looking for.
"I thought that Ron and Nancy would of caught up with us by now," he replied as he looked at her.
She raised her eyebrow at him and gave him a small smirk.
"Well…I want to know if everything went okay…you know," he continued. "Though, I guess everything must of gone well, since I don't…"
Harry quickly grabbed Hermione and pulled her into the doorway that led to the stairs. He noticed Ron and Nancy walking towards them, and from the quick glance that he got, Nancy wasn't too pleased with Ron. It also didn't help Harry's nerves to see that Ron with a lost and helpless look on his face.
"We should go," Hermione whispered as she carefully peaked around the corner of the doorway and saw their friends approaching.
"Wait…just a moment," Harry replied softly as he, too, carefully looked around the corner. "Something isn't right."
"Is something wrong, Ron?" Nancy asked as she gave him a concerned look.
Ron opened his mouth to say something but didn't know what to say.
Nancy's patience had run out and she immediately halted, stomping her foot on the hard floor. Ron almost let out a yelp from Nancy's reaction. She crossed her arms and gave him a frustrated look as her right foot started to tap on the floor. Despite her aggravated composure, she asked in a very calm voice, "What's wrong, Ron?"
"I just…I'm sorry for what I said to you, when we were…you know," Ron said sheepishly as he looked down at his feet. "I didn't mean to blow up at you like that. I just thought…that everything we've been through…together…was only an act. I didn't know if you really liked me or not."
"There is nothing for you to be sorry about," Nancy replied as she uncrossed her arms and took his hands in hers, squeezing them softly. "I wanted to tell you, but I wasn't allowed to. Plus…I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want to make you feel like I betrayed you. But don't you dare think for one second Ronald Weasley that what we have doesn't mean anything to me."
"Does it…really mean something…to you?" Ron asked nervously as he looked into her eyes.
She gave him a soft smile and moved her hands to his cheeks, rubbing them gently. His face turned bright red, and she giggled when she felt his cheeks grow warmer in her hands.
"What's…so funny?"
"You really are strange one, Weasley," she smiled as she pushed herself up on her tiptoes and firmly placed her lips on his.
Ron's eyes grew wide and he felt his knees grow weak. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he slowly closed his eyes, placing his hands gently on her waist. He had never kissed a girl before and this felt better than anything than he's ever experienced.
"I think we really should give them some privacy," Hermione whispered to Harry as she nudged him with her shoulder.
Harry pried his eyes off his best friends and gave her a soft smile. "We will have to get him for this though," he whispered back as they both slowly moved away from the corner of the doorway. "After the loads of things he's said to us…it's only fair."
"But we can't," she replied as she took his hands in hers and slowly started to pull him up the stairs. "We're more mature than that."
"Well…okay, I guess you're…" Harry started, but released a soft yelp as his left foot slipped on the step, causing him to stumble out from behind the doorway and into the hallway.
Hermione, not wanting to let go of his hands, stumbled with him, releasing a small cry of her own. She was relieved when they were on flat ground again for Harry was able to stop them from falling over. However her eyes suddenly grew wide when she turned and looked at Ron and Nancy. The two had broken their kiss, but still had their arms around each other.
"Sorry," Harry said with an embarrassed smile, his and Hermione's faces turning a deep red.
Ron and Nancy's eyes grew wide as they instantly released their hold on each other.
"Didn't mean to interrupt your…" Harry stopped when he felt Hermione jab her elbow into his stomach.
"Interrupt what?" Nancy asked as her eyes moved uneasily from Harry to Hermione. Ron's face grew even redder.
"Oh…nothing. Beautiful night, isn't it? We'll see you later," Hermione quickly answered as took a hold of Harry's hand and pulled him back up the stairs again.
"You don't suppose they saw us?" Ron asked as he looked at Nancy.
"Would it really be that bad?" she asked as she leaned against him and kissed his cheek. "We've seen them snog loads of times."
"Oh, you don't understand," Ron replied as turned towards her and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. "If Harry knows, he's gong to bother us about it just as much as I bothered him about Hermione."
"Well, why did you have to tease them so much?" she asked playfully as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"It's what best friends do," he answered as she rubbed his nose with hers. He wanted to expand on what he meant, but before he got the chance to say another word, she kissed him tenderly.
* ~ * ~ * ~ *
Harry sat in his armchair and stared blankly into the warm fire in the Gryffindor common room. His sixth year at Hogwarts had finally come to an end and he was prepared to board the Hogwarts Express the following morning with the other students.
The remainder of the year passed by without further incidences. Talk of the evacuation of Hogwarts remained the topic of many conversations amongst the students, but as usual, after several weeks, the students settled upon other topics. The majority of the parents were thrilled and very impressed with Dumbledore and the Hogwarts' staff for protecting their children during the event; however, there were a few that didn't act pleasantly. Harry had to admit that watching Dumbledore receive a howler during breakfast one morning was one of the most peculiar things he'd ever seen. Though Dumbledore didn't take offense to it. He relaxed in his chair and listened to the howler scream with a look of interest and amusement. Interestingly enough, the howler came from Mrs. Malfoy.
The prevention of the attack and the protection of Hogwarts plastered the front page of many issues of the Daily Prophet. Harry was pleased to see that his name wasn't mentioned once in any of the articles, allowing he and his friends to maintain the image of being innocent bystanders. Though as Ron had predicted, Cornelius Fudge received praise and thanks for aiding Dumbledore with the protection of the school.
He pulled his eyes from the fire and looked aimlessly at the floor. Despite the fact that Voldemort's plot to destroy Hogwarts and the Ministry had failed and the Wizarding world being safe for the time being, the eerie feeling that had plagued Harry never left. He still found it incredibly difficult to sleep and would spend his restless nights either gazing at the stars or sitting in front of the Gryffindor fireplace.
Harry had remained amazingly optimistic about Keung. He would often catch himself peaking towards the doors when he was in class, constantly waiting for Keung to appear with a large smile on his face. However, he was disappointed everyday. His disappointments, though, only added fuel to his persistence, and regardless of how much his mind told him otherwise, his need for Keung to be alive never weakened.
His thoughts wandered to Cho for a few moments. Despite his feelings about Keung being alive, he knew that he couldn't tell her the truth about what really happened to him. Unable to think of a suitable story, he did everything he could to avoid her. However, she was able to corner him earlier today with questions about her brother. He decided to lie, saying that he was currently doing something for Dumbledore and that would return shortly. He was glad to see her smile at his answer, though he felt a heavy weight sink on his shoulders.
He managed to hide his grief from Nancy and Ron, but there was nothing he could do to fool Hermione. It helped that she was being optimistic with him, telling him that Keung is alive and well, and how he would return when the time was right. Harry appreciated this, even though he knew she was only saying what he wanted to hear. She did her best to keep him busy with schoolwork, making sure that he properly prepared for the final exams, which he did exceptionally well on.
Harry took off his glasses and massaged the ridge of his nose as he relaxed against the armchair. He had been waiting for two months and his heart sank when he realized that the chances of Keung showing up at his doorstep at number four, Privet Drive were slim to impossible. He closed his eyes as he placed his glasses back on, softly grumbling to himself.
"You know, mate…staying up almost every night isn't good for you," Harry heard a voice say from the staircase. He opened his eyes and a warm smile grew on his face. The two people he needed most in the world were standing there with soft smiles on their faces.
Ron and Hermione slowly made their way to him, Ron taking a seat in the couch next to Harry's armchair while Hermione snuggled in the armchair with him.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked as she gently rested her head against his shoulder.
Harry opened his mouth to answer, but hesitated. He was happy that his friends were with him, but wasn't entirely sure if he really wanted to expose the thoughts that went through his mind. He was worried about Keung, but something else plagued his mind. Though after receiving very worried looks from the two, he knew he had to tell them something. "Nothing…just dreading going back to the Dursley's, that's all."
"Harry Potter, you are a horrible liar," Hermione sighed, her expression turning to a stern one.
"You can talk to us," Ron said as he slowly turned his attention towards the fire. "I mean, what good are Hermione and me if you aren't willing to let us help you?"
"You two are my best friends," Harry quickly replied. "It's just…I don't know…I'm worried."
"About Keung?" Hermione asked slowly.
Harry nodded to her, but something slowly emerged in his mind. He had been blocking the thoughts for two months now, constantly pushing it away, trying to keep his mind occupied on school and Keung.
"It's more than just Keung," Harry said softly as he turned and looked into the fire.
"What is it?" Ron asked, slowly leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees.
"It's…" Harry took a deep breath and turned his attention back on his two best friends. "It's…I don't want either of you to get hurt."
"Who's going to hurt us?" Hermione asked quietly.
Harry gently stood from the armchair and took a few steps forward. He turned and faced them, his eyes pleading. "Me…I don't know to hurt you."
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked with a confused expression.
"I am cursed. Hagrid once told me that the mark Voldemort gave me was the sign of a curse, but I never really thought about it until now," he cried. "If Voldemort ever hears the rest of the prophecy, he's going to be coming after me. If you two are with me, I know that you will be hurt." Harry stopped and watched the two stare at him with calm expressions. "Don't you guys get it…you can die because of me!"
Hermione stood from the armchair and made her way to him. She stopped several steps away from him and looked into his green eyes. She could see the worry and fear behind them, but she gave him a warm smile. Harry was slightly stunned by her actions, his heart slowly melting from her beautiful smile.
"I don't care, Harry," she whispered.
"I don't either," Ron said as he stood up and took a spot next to Hermione. "We're your best friends and we'll always stick with you."
"But…" Harry protested, but was interrupted by Ron.
"Nope," Ron grinned as he placed his hands on his hips. "Until death due us part…or something like that."
"We're not married," Harry replied sarcastically, doing his best from hide his smile.
"That hurts…" Ron whimpered, as he gently rested his hands over his heart. "What am I suppose to tell the kids?"
"Ron," Hermione muttered, not appreciating his humor in the situation.
He looked into he eyes and couldn't help but release a chuckle. "What…jealous?" he grinned. The comment turned her face red and Harry knew that she was ready to start an argument.
"Stop, you two," Harry quickly said, causing the two to look at him.
Hermione let out a sigh; her expression lightened as she took a small step forward. "Harry, I know Keung said that you need to protect us, but we need to protect you too." Harry opened his mouth to protest, but she spoke again before he could get a word out. "Believe us Harry, after five…well now six years of everything we've been through, do you really think we're going to abandon you?"
"But you both could die," Harry muttered, his body shaking softly.
"We don't care," Hermione replied as she took another small step towards him. "It would take more than death for us to leave you."
Ron released a heavy sigh as he looked at Harry with sincere eyes. "Harry…we're your best friends. We've been through everything together…we love you, mate…nothing in this world could ever change that. And nothing in this world could ever make us walk away from you."
A tear trickled down Harry's cheek as he looked at his best friends. No matter what he said, no matter what he did, they wouldn't leave him. Harry took the final steps forward, closing the space between them and threw his arms around the two, pulling them to a fierce hug.
"We're doing this a lot more often than usual," Ron snickered, causing Harry to laugh with him.
"There is nothing wrong with showing our affection towards each other," Hermione smirked as she gave Harry a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Hey, cut that out," Ron snapped as turned his head to face Hermione. "I don't need to be included in this."
"Ronald Weasley," Hermione giggled as she and Harry released him from their hug. "How is it that you have the courage to face Voldemort, but can't stand to see me kiss Harry?"
"I never said I had the courage to face You-Know-You. Besides…what you're doing is…it's indecent," he replied as he allowed himself to sink back onto the couch and cross his arms.
"Hey, if my memory serves me correctly, you didn't care anything about decency when you kissed Nancy after we left the hospital wing," Harry snickered as he and Hermione snuggled into their favorite armchair.
"That was a one time thing…you guys haven't seen any of the others," Ron huffed as he crossed his arms and looked at the two.
"Others?" Hermione asked as she raised her eyebrows. "What others?"
"Well…" he started, his face turning bright red. "I shouldn't of said that."
Harry and Hermione laughed quietly as looked at their flustered friend.
Harry enjoyed these moments immensely. It allowed him to forget about his responsibilities and his impending fate. Sharing such moments with Ron and Hermione were more important than anything else to him. As Keung had once told him, he cherished the time he had with his friends and he would never let them go.
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A/N: This isn't the last chapter…there is one more to go. Thank you to those who took the time to read my story and a very big thank you to those who reviewed. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.