Disclaimer: Don't own it, never have, never will. That good enough for ya?
~*~ A Light in Darker Days ~*~
~ Chapter one: Shadows in the dark ~
Shiftily he looked around. It was quiet. He couldn't see much, but he didn't dare to leave his shadows. Behind him was Ron. He, too, was looking scared. His eyes were tired. They didn't know how long they had been waiting in the dark.
"It's quiet."
"I know."
"Do you think...it's over?"
Harry looked at his friend. "No. I don't think it is. This is just the quiet before the storm."
"But-"
"Shut up Ron! We can't give away this hiding place!"
He took a deep breath and stepped out from the dark, carefully. There was no one in sight.
"Okay. Coast is clear."
Suddenly someone grabbed Harry from behind, covering his mouth with their hand. He tried to scream, to wrestle himself free. But suddenly he stopped. Somehow he felt there was no need to.
"The Phoenix always triumphs over the sleeping Cobra. Harry. Follow me." Dumbledore said, beckoning him to follow.
Dumbledore led them out to a field. McGonagall was there, and Snape. Lupin stood at the far end of the field, guarding that end. Next to him was Hermione.
Harry sighed with relief. She was safe.
She ran over to him and kissed him.
"Oh God, I was so scared! I thought they'd gotten you..." he whispered.
"Don't worry. I'm safe."
At that moment Ginny, Fred, George and mr. Weasley appeared. "The Phoenix always triumphs over the sleeping Cobra. Albus, we came as soon as we could."
"Yes. Thank you Arthur. We broke through their first lines of defense. But not without paying dearly. I'm afraid we've lost Neville and also Luna...and Charlie."
Ginny gasped. Fred hugged her. Mr. Weasley fought back his tears as he layed a comforting hand on George's shoulder. Harry supported Ron, while gazing at Hermione. What if she was hurt too. This was a war after all. Anything could happen to her.
He took her aside from the others. "Hermione...I don't want you here to fight. It's too dangerous. I can't risk you getting hurt. I love you too much."
In his pocket he felt a little box with a ring. He wanted to give it now...but it would have to wait."
"Harry. Don't do this. I will stay and fight. You know you need me here. I can't go, leaving my friends on their own."
He looked down.
"Hey you, cheer up!" she said with a cheery voice. "It's a war, these things happen. It's terrible I know but...at least we're winning. We're going to win this Harry."
She took hold of his hand and led him to the others. Dumbledore smiled at her.
"All right. Minerva, you take Ginny, Fred, George and Severus. Try to dispose of the guards at the Left Gate. Then, Remus, Harry, Hermione, Ron and I will charge inside, to finish this."
Everyone nodded. No time for lingering. This was time to act.
The first group left immediately, but not before Ron had hugged them all.
"Be careful out there."
Ginny smiled. "I remember that it was me saving you last time."
"Yeah wel...don't make me have to change that okay?"
Then they set out.
Lupin and Dumbledore started to talk to each other in hushed voices. "McNair is out, so are Nott and Goyle. I have lost count, but we're still outnumbered."
"Don't worry, Remus. We've got Harry. I'm sure this will work out."
Harry turned away from them. Ron and Hermione followed him.
"Harry, are you alright?"
He didn't answer.
"Harry?"
He grabbed his head as a flash of pain made him dizzy. In the distance he could hear loud, high pitched laughter. "It is time. Take the girl. The girl!"
He shook his head violently. It had been worse than ever. Voldemort was close.
"Harry?" Hermione put her hand on his shoulder.
He slowly turned around, looking straight into her eyes. Suddenly he felt something hot pass his ear.
"Hermione! Get down!"
Ron pulled Harry down to the ground. Harry tried to reach for Hermione, but it was too late. She was hit by a red stunning spell.
"No!"
He tried to get to his feet, but Ron pulled him down.
"Harry, no."
"But-"
"Harry, stay down." Said Lupin, who had crawled into their direction.
All Harry could do was watch Hermione's stiff body fall over, onto the grass as seven dark shadows surrounded her.
"Take the girl, leave the others." A cold voice ordered.
"Malfoy! Leave her alone!"
One of the shadows turned around and faced him. "I see a mask cannot fool you easily, Potter. But you can't attack us all at once. We, however, can do as we please." He turned back and pointed at two of the others.
"You two. Take her. The others go and support the rest of our forces at the Left Gate. Go."
And with a swish of a wand five shadows disappeared. Harry could see Hermione through the cloaks of the two shadows. He got to his feet and dan towards her.
"Hermione! Hermione!"
Two masks stared back at him, blank. Hermione didn't move.
Someone grabbed his arms, stopping him from getting too close. He looked back. Lupin and Ron. Dumbledore was knocked out.
"Ron! Let go!" he raged. "I've got to save her! She's your friend too!"
"Don't do it! You'll end up dead!"
"What about Hermione?"
He looked back at Hermione again, just in time to see her being dragged down the path. He wrestled himself free and ran.
"Stop! Hermione!" he was gaining on them.
The shadows gave each other a glance and looked back at the boy who was following them. Suddenly they vanished, and with them, so did Hermione.
Harry looked from left to right. "No! Where are they? Hermione!"
He took out his wand. "Where are you! Come out and fight me you bastards!"
"Harry, mate..." Ron had caught up and layed a hand on his shoulder. "Where- ?"
"She's gone!" Harry's voice was full of tears.
Ron couldn't understand. "What do you mean...is she...dead?"
Harry's face suddenly looked stoney. What if they had killed her? What would stop them from killing her, she was their enemy.
"Harry?"
"...she...they took her...they disappeared." Harry could feel a single tear roll down his cheek.
Ron's voice was shaking. "It'll be all right Harry, they won't kill her." He said, trying to convince himself as much as his friend.
Harry snapped around and looked Ron straight in the face.
"Why not?" he screamed. "She'll never go over to their side. She'll die before she joins Voldemort!"
"I- they-"
"Because they need her, Harry." Lupin interrupted.
Harry looked puzzled at him. "Why do they need Hermione?"
"Because..." Lupin sighed. "Because they know you love her. They're counting on you to go and rescue her without thinking straight. They want you to head off alone, they want you to. So they can lure you into a trap. You've got to see Harry, you've got to understand. You musn't do anything rash. Leave it to us. Dumbledore will have a plan."
Ron nodded understandingly. "Yes...Harry, listen to him. I miss her too, I'm worried too. But if they want you to go..."
Then he turned to Lupin. "How is Dumbledore. Still unconcious? Is he hurt badly?"
Lupin shook his head. "He's okay. Concious again. He called back group one. They'll be back any second now."
The moment he had finished his sentence the sound of swishing robes sounded behind them.
"Harry! Ron! What happened?" Ginny said as she rushed towards them.
She glanced around. "Where's Hermione?" she asked. "Where is she?"
Ron quietly guided her away from Harry. "Don't mention her. I'll tell you later."
She gave him a puzzled look but joined Fred and George.
Harry was still glancing up and down the path where the Deatheaters had disappeared. He could hear Ron mutter to his sister behind him.
She was gone. Hermione had fallen into enemy hands. He held his hands as fists and breathed heavily. They would pay. If they had hurt her...he would make sure to get her back.
'I'll find you Hermione. I won't let them hurt you.'
"Harry, it's time to go." Dumbledore's calm voice sounded from behind.
"Harry, let's go! They know where we are, we have to go!" mr. Weasly was shouting.
George and Lupin grabbed his arms and dragged him away. He didn't resist. Willingly he let himself be dragged away from the field. He could not help her now, standing here. What was the point.
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~*~ A Light in Darker Days ~*~
~ Chapter one: Shadows in the dark ~
Shiftily he looked around. It was quiet. He couldn't see much, but he didn't dare to leave his shadows. Behind him was Ron. He, too, was looking scared. His eyes were tired. They didn't know how long they had been waiting in the dark.
"It's quiet."
"I know."
"Do you think...it's over?"
Harry looked at his friend. "No. I don't think it is. This is just the quiet before the storm."
"But-"
"Shut up Ron! We can't give away this hiding place!"
He took a deep breath and stepped out from the dark, carefully. There was no one in sight.
"Okay. Coast is clear."
Suddenly someone grabbed Harry from behind, covering his mouth with their hand. He tried to scream, to wrestle himself free. But suddenly he stopped. Somehow he felt there was no need to.
"The Phoenix always triumphs over the sleeping Cobra. Harry. Follow me." Dumbledore said, beckoning him to follow.
Dumbledore led them out to a field. McGonagall was there, and Snape. Lupin stood at the far end of the field, guarding that end. Next to him was Hermione.
Harry sighed with relief. She was safe.
She ran over to him and kissed him.
"Oh God, I was so scared! I thought they'd gotten you..." he whispered.
"Don't worry. I'm safe."
At that moment Ginny, Fred, George and mr. Weasley appeared. "The Phoenix always triumphs over the sleeping Cobra. Albus, we came as soon as we could."
"Yes. Thank you Arthur. We broke through their first lines of defense. But not without paying dearly. I'm afraid we've lost Neville and also Luna...and Charlie."
Ginny gasped. Fred hugged her. Mr. Weasley fought back his tears as he layed a comforting hand on George's shoulder. Harry supported Ron, while gazing at Hermione. What if she was hurt too. This was a war after all. Anything could happen to her.
He took her aside from the others. "Hermione...I don't want you here to fight. It's too dangerous. I can't risk you getting hurt. I love you too much."
In his pocket he felt a little box with a ring. He wanted to give it now...but it would have to wait."
"Harry. Don't do this. I will stay and fight. You know you need me here. I can't go, leaving my friends on their own."
He looked down.
"Hey you, cheer up!" she said with a cheery voice. "It's a war, these things happen. It's terrible I know but...at least we're winning. We're going to win this Harry."
She took hold of his hand and led him to the others. Dumbledore smiled at her.
"All right. Minerva, you take Ginny, Fred, George and Severus. Try to dispose of the guards at the Left Gate. Then, Remus, Harry, Hermione, Ron and I will charge inside, to finish this."
Everyone nodded. No time for lingering. This was time to act.
The first group left immediately, but not before Ron had hugged them all.
"Be careful out there."
Ginny smiled. "I remember that it was me saving you last time."
"Yeah wel...don't make me have to change that okay?"
Then they set out.
Lupin and Dumbledore started to talk to each other in hushed voices. "McNair is out, so are Nott and Goyle. I have lost count, but we're still outnumbered."
"Don't worry, Remus. We've got Harry. I'm sure this will work out."
Harry turned away from them. Ron and Hermione followed him.
"Harry, are you alright?"
He didn't answer.
"Harry?"
He grabbed his head as a flash of pain made him dizzy. In the distance he could hear loud, high pitched laughter. "It is time. Take the girl. The girl!"
He shook his head violently. It had been worse than ever. Voldemort was close.
"Harry?" Hermione put her hand on his shoulder.
He slowly turned around, looking straight into her eyes. Suddenly he felt something hot pass his ear.
"Hermione! Get down!"
Ron pulled Harry down to the ground. Harry tried to reach for Hermione, but it was too late. She was hit by a red stunning spell.
"No!"
He tried to get to his feet, but Ron pulled him down.
"Harry, no."
"But-"
"Harry, stay down." Said Lupin, who had crawled into their direction.
All Harry could do was watch Hermione's stiff body fall over, onto the grass as seven dark shadows surrounded her.
"Take the girl, leave the others." A cold voice ordered.
"Malfoy! Leave her alone!"
One of the shadows turned around and faced him. "I see a mask cannot fool you easily, Potter. But you can't attack us all at once. We, however, can do as we please." He turned back and pointed at two of the others.
"You two. Take her. The others go and support the rest of our forces at the Left Gate. Go."
And with a swish of a wand five shadows disappeared. Harry could see Hermione through the cloaks of the two shadows. He got to his feet and dan towards her.
"Hermione! Hermione!"
Two masks stared back at him, blank. Hermione didn't move.
Someone grabbed his arms, stopping him from getting too close. He looked back. Lupin and Ron. Dumbledore was knocked out.
"Ron! Let go!" he raged. "I've got to save her! She's your friend too!"
"Don't do it! You'll end up dead!"
"What about Hermione?"
He looked back at Hermione again, just in time to see her being dragged down the path. He wrestled himself free and ran.
"Stop! Hermione!" he was gaining on them.
The shadows gave each other a glance and looked back at the boy who was following them. Suddenly they vanished, and with them, so did Hermione.
Harry looked from left to right. "No! Where are they? Hermione!"
He took out his wand. "Where are you! Come out and fight me you bastards!"
"Harry, mate..." Ron had caught up and layed a hand on his shoulder. "Where- ?"
"She's gone!" Harry's voice was full of tears.
Ron couldn't understand. "What do you mean...is she...dead?"
Harry's face suddenly looked stoney. What if they had killed her? What would stop them from killing her, she was their enemy.
"Harry?"
"...she...they took her...they disappeared." Harry could feel a single tear roll down his cheek.
Ron's voice was shaking. "It'll be all right Harry, they won't kill her." He said, trying to convince himself as much as his friend.
Harry snapped around and looked Ron straight in the face.
"Why not?" he screamed. "She'll never go over to their side. She'll die before she joins Voldemort!"
"I- they-"
"Because they need her, Harry." Lupin interrupted.
Harry looked puzzled at him. "Why do they need Hermione?"
"Because..." Lupin sighed. "Because they know you love her. They're counting on you to go and rescue her without thinking straight. They want you to head off alone, they want you to. So they can lure you into a trap. You've got to see Harry, you've got to understand. You musn't do anything rash. Leave it to us. Dumbledore will have a plan."
Ron nodded understandingly. "Yes...Harry, listen to him. I miss her too, I'm worried too. But if they want you to go..."
Then he turned to Lupin. "How is Dumbledore. Still unconcious? Is he hurt badly?"
Lupin shook his head. "He's okay. Concious again. He called back group one. They'll be back any second now."
The moment he had finished his sentence the sound of swishing robes sounded behind them.
"Harry! Ron! What happened?" Ginny said as she rushed towards them.
She glanced around. "Where's Hermione?" she asked. "Where is she?"
Ron quietly guided her away from Harry. "Don't mention her. I'll tell you later."
She gave him a puzzled look but joined Fred and George.
Harry was still glancing up and down the path where the Deatheaters had disappeared. He could hear Ron mutter to his sister behind him.
She was gone. Hermione had fallen into enemy hands. He held his hands as fists and breathed heavily. They would pay. If they had hurt her...he would make sure to get her back.
'I'll find you Hermione. I won't let them hurt you.'
"Harry, it's time to go." Dumbledore's calm voice sounded from behind.
"Harry, let's go! They know where we are, we have to go!" mr. Weasly was shouting.
George and Lupin grabbed his arms and dragged him away. He didn't resist. Willingly he let himself be dragged away from the field. He could not help her now, standing here. What was the point.
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