A Change of Plan Keeperoliver Chapter 2

Severus led Charity back to Hogwarts, and once there, cleared her mind of the hold he had on her. Charity blinked her eyes, then shook her head of the cobwebs that nested there. She then thought back to what just transpired at the Malfoy Mansion. How Severus saved her life. She didn't know what to think of this man who not three months ago killed Albus Dumbledore.

He still had the dark look of a haunted man, but it was softer around the edges. There was no smile. There was no humor. There was almost no look of caring on his face. But in order for him to do what he did for her, she knew there was something hidden that he didn't want anyone to know about.

Severus took Charity by the shoulders and began, "Miss Burbidge, in order for this to work, you are going to have to listen to me very carefully. The Carrows will soon be here, and they have to think that I am still in control of you. You have to do what I tell you immediately. If you hesitate one second, they will think I am losing my control, and it could mean both our doom. I may be asking you to do something horrible, but I will never ask you to harm anyone. The worst it could be is to have you do something that goes against your nature, like sexual satisfaction for myself. I will never ask you to perform for the Carrows, but it may be in front of them. Do you understand?"

"Of course I understand Severus. I may not like what you ask me to do, but, I will do it unquestioningly. Will you be hitting me to get me to respond to your demands?"

"I hope it doesn't come to that, but if I think it will improve our chances, I may have to."

"Once again I understand. Anything is better than what I just faced. Please don't do it often."

"If I do it at all, it will probably be only the one time. Once school has started, there will not be much chance for anything like that. Also, with the new laws that are in place, I don't expect there to be many students attending this year. No muggle born, and few, if any half bloods. If they should attend, then they will be putting them selves in jeopardy. They may also be putting us in jeopardy as well. I would be forced to try and protect them, as will you. You must appear as you always did around the students and other Professors, but around the Carrows you must be subservient. Please believe me when I say, this is not a game we are playing."

"I believe you Severus, and I hope my acting skills are good enough to pass the scrutiny of the Carrows. I don't believe I will survive another visit to He Who Must Not Be Named."

"You won't, and because of this, I may not either. I will be giving you information that will be truthful, and will cause minor damage to the side of the Light, but it is necessary if we are to survive this year."

ACIP-}

Hermione and Ron were sitting before the fireplace in Grimmauld place. She didn't know how to approach him with what she had to say, but, she never got the chance. Ron began the conversation, "Hermione, I don't want you to get mad or anything like that, but, I don't think things are working out between you and me. I mean we can't have a decent talk with out arguing about something. What kind of a relationship is that when we fight all the time. I like you Hermione, but as a friend. As friends we can argue, but still remain friends. Can't we?"

Inside, Hermione was doing a victory dance. How Ron was able to solve her dilemma was the first smart thing he had ever done on his own. However, she could not show him how happy she was. She forced herself to shed a few tears to impress Ron. She could see where he claimed a minor victory over her emotions. Hermione didn't care, as she got what she needed with out hurting him. "Ron, I don't know what I did wrong, but what ever it was I am sorry. If you think this is the right thing to do, then so be it. I will get over the pain eventually. Have you already asked someone else to be your girlfriend?"

Ron looked shocked, "No Hermione. I couldn't do that to you. I had to make sure you were comfortable with this before I moved on. I'm not callous or cruel. That doesn't mean I haven't been thinking of someone, but, I haven't asked her as yet."

"Thank you for that at least. I hope we can still be friends Ron."

"Of course we'll be friends. How could we not be?"

Hermione gave Ron a hug, and left the room, praying to who ever was listening, and thanking them for saving her the embarrassment.

Fred and George were just leaving their room, and saw Hermione practically floating down the hall. "And what has you so happy Miss Granger, if we might ask?" Fred asked.

Then George added, "Did you and our dear brother just get finished with a heavy snog session?"

Hermione laughed at the twins, "Quite the contrary. He just broke up with me, and I am supposed to be upset. Doesn't it show?"

Fred scratched his head, and George shook his. "Well," said Fred, "You certainly got over it in a hurry."

George once again finished his brothers thought, "And it looks like you are ready to move on with your life with out the git hanging around."

"Do I really look that happy guys? I suppose I should be in mourning, but how can I be, when it is what I wanted all along. Ron was never right for me, and Harry is more the brother type, although if he had given us a chance it might have been more. I hope Ginny can through to him, where I couldn't. He really does need someone to get his mind off his problems. Breaking up with her at Dumbledores funeral was probably not the best move. If she can get him to see that he could protect her better if he keeps her close, then maybe he will wake up."

The twins looked at her with a stupid expression on their faces. Fred answered, "Harry."

George added, "And Ginny."

"Were an item."

"At the end of."

"The Last."

"School Year?" George finished their little mind game with Hermione.

Showing the twins their game didn't bother her, she answered, "Oh yes, quite an item indeed. Looked very serious for quite awhile. Then the Headmaster took him with him to get the Horcrux, and when they returned, the battle took place where Dumbledore died. "

Fred then got serious, "You mean Harry broke up with Gin Gin because Albus died? Why on earth would he do that?"

Hermione saw the looks on their faces, and it didn't look good for Harry. "You have to understand what Harry's been through. In the last three years, he saw Cedric, Sirius and Albus all die, and he always felt he was to blame. Why else do you think he refused to let us take the Polyjuice potion? He didn't want anyone else to die for him. It was the only way he could think of to protect Ginny, if he could get people to believe that he had really broken up with her."

George could not believe what he was hearing, "Harry really thinks he was the cause of all their deaths? How silly can he be. There was no way he could guessed that the cup was a Port Key. Cedric couldn't have guessed it. As for Sirius, he was held captive in his own home. If that wasn't enough, he never liked it while growing up. Hated it enough to leave it, and live with James, according to what he told us. It only made sense that he would want to leave it if given the chance, and protecting Harry was more than enough to get him to leave against every ones wishes. Dumbledore was the greatest wizard of our time, and to be bested by a sixth year student tells me one thing. He wanted to be defeated. Don't you think he could have stopped Malfoy if he wanted to. No, something else was amiss. Like he was trying to protect someone from doing something he need not have done. Like Malfoy. Maybe Malfoy was supposed to kill Dumbledore, and couldn't do it. If he had been ordered to kill the headmaster, then it all makes sense if Snape was the one to finally do it, to protect Malfoy from failing. Dumbledore and Snape may have had it planned."

Hermione thought on it for a bit, then straightened up, "Of course, his arm. That would explain it."

Fred shouted, "What the Bloody Hell was that all about? What about his arm?"

"Albus' right arm was discolored and hung limp at his side. He told Harry that it was a dark curse that did it, but didn't tell him it was killing him. So, it must have been. That would make Georges statement more than reasonable. It would make it a fact. If he was dying, and Malfoy didn't know it, if he had killed him, it may have secured the mark on his arm. To prevent this, He had Snape promise to kill him since he was dying anyway. That would protect Malfoy from falling to the dark side, and under his command."

"You're right Hermione, it does make sense. To us any way. But will it make sense to Harry?"

"With the turn around that Harry has shown lately, it may. Have you seen how he has taken control of situations, and made better plans than what were being made. He also listens to others when he presents his plans, and uses their ideas to formulate his own. Harry is doing something that Dumbledore hardly ever did, he listens to people."

"You know George, she is right, I have noticed that about our Harry. I can honestly say, I was not looking forward to drinking that putrid Polyjuice potion. Yuck! Nasty stuff that is. And his idea to use the Elf was brilliant. Sort of makes me wonder why it wasn't thought of in the beginning?"

"Yes, I agree with you both. Harry has changed, and it is definitely for the better. Now, what say we go to him, and make him see the errors of his way." George prompted the other two into action, and they made their way to Harry.

As they walked, Fred put him arm around Hermione's shoulder and leaned into her, "You know young lady, you are brilliant. What did you ever see in our git of a younger brother?"

'I guess I have a soft spot for gits. Like you for instance."

"Now you're being sarcastic. You have been hanging around George and I too long."

Hermione smiled to Fred, "That could be. Or it could be that I like a challenge, and you two present a large one."

Fred laughed, "Nah, we're no challenge. Not to you anyway. Now Ron, that is a different story. A caterpillar crossing his path presents him a challenge."

When they finally found Harry in the library surrounded by books, they approached him. George took one side, and Fred the other. "Harry my son, we have to talk." and for an hour they did just that. And between the three of them they got Harry to see where he was wrong in all of his past thoughts on things. It took some doing, but they showed him that none of what has happened, was in any way his fault. They showed him that breaking up with Ginny was the biggest mistake he ever made, and that he needed to make it up to her somehow. Fred thought Groveling was the best chance. George thought lots of chocolate and many flowers were his best choice, Hermione thought the truth was the best way to get her to listen. Harry thought that maybe a little of the first two, and a whole lot of the last was the best answer.

His choice worked out perfectly. He went to Ginny and asked to talk to her. He led her to his room, where he had the chocolate and the flowers laid out, and when he got her seated, he got down on both knees and took hold of her hands. "Ginny, I made a huge mistake when I broke up with you. I had so much on my mind, and with the Professor's death, and the task he left Hermione, Ron and I. The truth is Ginny, I did not think there was anyway I would survive a confrontation with Voldemort. Now, I have a different look on things. With the help I am getting, and what I am learning, I feel better about my chances. What I am trying to say is, will you take me back. I have chocolate and flowers, and I am groveling just a bit, to win you back."

Ginny laughed at this. "You listened to my daft twin brothers, didn't you. Groveling would be Fred, as he was good at that. George thinks chocolate and flowers will get him what ever he wants. The truth must be from Hermione, the only sensible one of the lot."

Harry laughed with her, "Well, you seem to have it all figured out, but you still didn't answer my question."

"Was it really necessary. Do you think I took what you said seriously? Honestly Harry, you have a lot to learn." and with that, she leaned into him and kissed him softly on the lips, then backed off, and left the room before he had a chance to catch his breath.

ACIP-}

Alastor and Remus had been going over their ideas on where the final Horcruxes might be. Luna brought the picture that Creevy had taken, so they knew what the diadem looked like, but no idea where to look. As for the cup, they figured if it was hidden by Bella before she was imprisoned, it would have to be in a safe place. The safest place would be Gringotts. But in which vault. Her Black family vault, or the Lestrange vault. They had only one chance to attempt to get it. If they chose wrong, then it would be lost.

They had filled their time by training Harry, and the rest in defense against the dark arts, and in weapons. If any were to lose their wand, they still needed to know how to defend them selves, and maybe even get in a lucky blow. They were taught to use the sword, the long bow, the crossbow, the javelin, and even some oriental weapons, like the stars, and the throwing knives.

Alastor talked with Minerva, and she agreed that all muggle and half blood students needed to avoid school the upcoming year. She even had fear about pure bloods not in Slytherin. She wouldn't deny them admission, be she strongly objected to any wishing to attend, She was pleased when the numbers were so low, that school had to be closed for the upcoming year due to lack of attendance.

When Severus learned this, he sent Charity to a safe house, knowing that the Dark Lord would be wanting her back, to finish the task he started. He had her hit him with a chair, to make it look like she escaped in that manner. She didn't want to do this, but, his persistence got her to do it. After three failed attempts to hit him hard enough to get the required affect, he finally had to insult her and get her mad enough to do it properly. Her fourth attempt got the required results, when Severus was launched forward and hit his head on a corner of the floo in his room. Charity fled the room, not knowing that Severus was seriously injured from the blow to his head.

With the Professors leaving the school due to it's closing, Severus was left in his state for days, with out care. It was because of Minerva using a house elf to search the castle from a safe spot that he was found. The elf brought him to her, and Severus was finally given the care he needed, but, it may be too late. Being untreated for so long, He lost a lot of blood, before the wound finally congealed. Even if he recovered, it was not known if he would ever be his old self. Brain damage could be an unrecoverable issue.

ACIP-}

With the school closing, it left the students seeking other options for their learning. Minerva and Alastor came up with a plan to teach them all in a different location. Using Black Manor, they turned it into a school that because of the Fidelious would be undetectable. Once again, the house elves would be used for transportation. It was also a safe house for many muggle students and their families, such as Colin, and Dennis Creevy, Dean Thomas, and many more. Hermione was there already, with her parents safely hidden in Australia. She now regretted doing it, as the year was not going as she had planned, and it appeared that her mum and dad would be safe in Black Manor.

Ron took this as a blessing in disguise as he couldn't figure out how he was going to get to Lavender , and ask her to be his girlfriend. Now, she was coming to him.

It made it difficult for Ginny, as Dean would be around her more often, and after the last year, she didn't know what affect it would have on them. She liked Dean, but, with her and Harry back together it made things awkward. She didn't know that Dean and Parvatti were together.

Ginny also noticed that Hermione and Fred were hanging around together a lot lately, as were George and Luna. She wondered if it was coincidence or choice.

She was shaken out of her thought by the loud voice of Moody. "Alright, let's settle down, we have a lot to talk about, and it won't get done if you all keep blabbering on about nothing. We have a problem in our hunt, and wanted to know if any of you have a suggestion. The cup that Harry said was a horcrux has to be in Gringotts, but where exactly, we don't know. We have one chance to retrieve it, and one chance only. If we chose wrong, we may never get another chance, as the bank's security will tighten up. Any one have any suggestions?"

Hermione asked, "So you think it is in a vault, but which one specifically is the problem, right?"

"No Granger, it is kept in the lobby for every one to see. Of course it's in a vault." Mad-eye shook his head.

"There is no need to get snippy with her Moody. You were not very specific with your explanation." Fred fired back at him.

Hermione took control again, "Look, is it so hard to find out which vault she visits the most. That would be the one that had the cup in it. She would be told that it had to remain safe and secure, and to ensure that, she would have to know it was still there."

"Who are we talking about Granger?" Moody asked.

"Bellatrix of course. Either the Black vault or the Lestrange vault would be in a lower level due to their blood status. If she had been given the task to protect the cup, then I would wager that she kept it in her own vault, not wanting anyone else to have access to it, if it was that important to Tom."

"Are you willing to risk everything on this conjecture?"

Fred was getting fed up with Moody's questioning everything Hermione said. "Why the bloody hell do you ask us something, and then tear it to shreds when we answer you? Why even ask us, if you think everything we say is crazy, or asinine. Just because we aren't as SEASONED as you, doesn't mean we can't have our flashes of brilliance."

"I say it because we fail if we are wrong. Granger's idea has merit, but how can we act on it, not knowing in fact that the cup is there. I am not saying her idea was stupid, in fact it is quite logical. However, when has Bellatrix ever acted logical. She may even have purchased a separate vault to keep it in."

Hermione once again butted in. "It still would be her most visited vault. She has to make sure of it's safety."

"Not necessarily. With the funds that Voldemort needs to maintain his plans, frequent trips to the bank to draw funds would be more of a necessity." Moody challenged.

"Do you have a better solution then? Do you have a better plan to implement? If you do, we would like to hear it." Fred countered.

Harry heard enough of the bickering between the group. "Stop it, all of you. Fred, what Moody is saying makes sense, although he could have said it in a different manner. But what Hermione says makes sense also. But to ask questions about her visits would draw suspicion to us, and we can't afford that. If we could find someone that has been into these vaults and has seen what we are looking for, it would save us a lot of hassle. Now, Dobby has told me that Malfoy had him visit the Malfoy vault often, and was given access because of this. Maybe another elf was given this access also by Bellatrix. Maybe Dobby could shed some light on this. DOBBY COME HERE PLEASE."

Dobby popped into the gathering, "Harry Potter wishes to speak to Dobby sir?"

"Yes Dobby, do you know of any elf that was given access to the vaults used by Bellatrix?"

Dobby put his hand to his chin, as if he was thinking, "Dobby is thinking that he heard Missy Belly asking on of us to get something for her from her vault once. Yes, he remembers now, It was Kreacher."

Kreacher popped in when he heard his name. "Dobby called Kreacher."

Harry asked Kreacher, "Kreacher, do you have access to the Lestrange vault?"

"No Master harry, Kreacher can not get into his vault."

"Then you had access into Bellatrix's vault?"

"Yes Master Harry. Kreacher had been asked to visit it many times in the past."

"Do you know if she had any other vaults?"

"She does not have access to any other vaults that Kreacher is aware of Master Harry."

Harry smiled as he was ready to ask his final question, that would put an end to the wondering. "Kreacher, If I asked you a question as to the contents of her vault, could you answer it?"

"He was not forbidden to talk of it's contents. Missy Bella could not control Kreacher in this manner. She is a Black, but in name only. She was not a member of Black Manor family."

Harry pulled out the book they had been using to know what they were looking for. It showed a picture of Helga's cup. "Kreacher, have you ever seen this cup in Bella's vault?"

Kreacher looked at the photo, and looked back up to Harry, "Yes Master, Kreacher has seen it. It sits on a shelf high on the wall farthest from the entry way."

"Are you still allowed entry to the vault Kreacher."

Krecher lowered his head, he hated when he failed Master Harry, "No sir he is not. When the Dark one returned, he stopped all access to this vault. Missy Bella is the only one allowed in."

Harry took Kreachers shoulders in his hands, and gently said, "Kreacher, You have been of great help to us. You saved us many painful hours trying to come up with something to ensure success. Besides, what I was going to ask you, may not be permitted."

"If Master Harry was going to ask Kreacher to get the cup, then He is right. Kreacher could not do this for him. Only Missy Bella could allow him to get things."

"Thank you Kreacher, you have been of great service to us." and Kreacher popped back to what he was doing. Dobby was ready to leave, when Harry stopped him.

"Dobby wait a minute before you leave. You had access to the Malfoy vault, do you still have it?"

"Yes Harry Potter. Master Lucius never thought to stop it. But why would that help you?"

"Once you are in the vault, where you have access, can you go anywhere in the bank?"

Dobby smiled at this, "Yes Harry Potter, but I has to be there by command of Master Lucius or another member of the Malfoy family."

"Thank you Dobby, I think that is all we need right now." and then Dobby was gone.

Harry turned to Moody, "I think we have our plan Alastor."