Chapter 2: Still Alive

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HERMIONE!!!" the voices shouted as Hermione Granger walked into the common room.

She jumped a foot in the air, hand to her chest. "Oh my…wow," Hermione said, laughing.

"That's it!" Harry snapped, pouting. "Ron, we should have gotten the twins to help!"

"Maybe it's not too late…"

"NO!" Hermione shouted, grabbing the boys' sleeves desperately. "The last thing I need is more exploding cake." She hugged the boys and kissed Harry's cheek. "I love you both."

"Are you sure you don't want exploding cake?" Ron asked.

"I'm sure."

"If you're sure…oh, shit! Sorry, Mione, I got to go."

"Detention, again?"

"I swear, Snape is up to something," Ron muttered.

"Good luck, Ron," Ginny called.

"Thanks, Gin," Ron snapped, rolling his eyes.

Hermione and Harry gave each other knowing looks. Even if the siblings didn't know it yet, the rest of Gryffindor House had been…more observant. It was a "family" secret.

Not even Professor McGonagall was aware of Ron and Ginny's growing "friendship" that the rest of the house suspected would become something more sooner or later.

That was how deep the Gryffindor ties went.

"How long do you think it'll take for them to realize it?"

"Er…not sure," Harry muttered. "Nor do I care. I'm more worried about what'll happen when Mrs. Weasley or Mr. Weasley or both find out…" Harry shuddered. "How are we going to figure out how to explain it?"

"We'll worry about it then," Hermione said, linking arms with him. She rested her head on Harry's shoulder.

"What if Professor Snape's already got it figured out?"

"I'm sure that if he did, he'd have talked to McGonagall, who'd contact their parents. No. More likely, Ron just keeps digging his own grave where Snape's concerned. Besides, I'm hoping they'll both realize it sooner or later."

"And if not?"

"Then I've already talked to Dean about it," Hermione said with a wink. They sat at the couch while a few students played pin the beak on the hippogriff behind them. Ginny had left the festivities now that her brother was gone. "He was most willing to ask Ginny out if Ron doesn't admit it by Halloween."

"Won't that be a bit fast?"

"Considering that Ron and Ginny have had all their lives to admit it, no," Hermione said. "More like just the right time. They can run away—"

"I'm surprised! Hermione Granger, are you an otaku?"

Hermione grinned, "Whose fault is that?" she asked, poking his chest.

"I didn't expect you to get into Angel Sanctuary."

"Well," Hermione said, curling her legs next to her and leaning into Harry. "I did. And now I'm going to get them together if it kills me."

"No. You're not going to kill yourself trying to get them together. I'm sure it'll work out…somehow."

Hermione smiled and closed her eyes. "I love you."

"As do I, Love," Harry said kissing Hermione's head…

Hermione Granger and I had been best friends since we were eleven. We've been dating since the end of our fifth year at Hogwarts when we realized that what we thought was more of a sibling sort of affection like what Ron and Ginny had was much, much greater than that.

I loved her. I still do. Deep inside Helena the Beast, Hermione Jane Granger, the woman I adore, is still alive.

I know she is still alive.

Things began to change as we began our sixth year. Especially after Hermione's seventeenth birthday. At first, it wasn't all that noticeable, but as time went on, I could not ignore the strangeness of Hermione's behavior…

Hermione had run from the classroom, her strides angry and purposeful, after the bell rang. Harry chased after her, after giving Professor Snape a nasty glare behind the teacher's back.

"Hermione!"

Hermione halted and turned to Harry, her eyes set in a stony glare. "What?" she growled.

Harry embraced her. "You did well for a first shot at Occlumency."

"He saw it."

Harry tightened his embrace. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Well, in comparison to what it was like for me, I'm sure you did better on a huge scale."

"That doesn't change the fact that he knows!"

Harry released her from his embrace, but did not let go entirely. They walked back to Gryffindor Tower. "Really though," Harry said, "You still did well in comparison."

"Tch."

"I love you."

Hermione smiled a little, but Harry couldn't help but notice that it was a ghost of a smile…

A few weeks after we began learning Occlumency as a defense, Ron won himself a huge butt-load of detentions after catching Dean taking things a little too far with Ginny.

Dean never approached Ginny again afterward.

When Ginny asked Ron later what brought him to do that, Hermione and I accidently found Ron finally confessing how he felt to Ginny.

Hermione was ecstatic, but I was getting slightly more worried about their relationship. If Ron wanted to try his hands at incest, than that was his deal, but it still worried me. More so what his parents would do if they knew how he felt about their daughter—his sister.

The Gryffindor "Family Secret" became even more of a secret that every Gryffindor protected—save McGonagall—now that it was "official," I guess you could say.

But things were far from right, as I began to notice that Hermione had been acting off.

At first, I was worried that, possibly, I had gotten her pregnant, but she swore she wasn't. She said so quite vehemently, so I backed off.

But while Ginny and Ron grew closer, Hermione began to seem to fade and I was worried.

I was reluctant to leave that May with Dumbledore to collect a horcrux, but I went anyway.

And when I returned…

The school blazed.

Death Eaters ran amuck.

Dumbledore shouted at Harry to get Professor Snape. Harry did so, but after Snape had gone, he went to find Ron, Ginny, and Hermione.

And he did find them.

Hermione stood over them, covered in blood.

Ron's back was still draining of blood and he refused to release Ginny, who had also been killed. He still breathed, but he couldn't keep awake much longer.

"Nice to meet you, Harry Potter…Again."

"Hermione?"

It's not Hermione, Harry…Ron wanted to say, but he couldn't will himself the energy to speak…

Hermione—now Helena the Beast—cut Harry down.

I remember, as I lay there in the school, bleeding to death, that I wanted everything to end. Without Hermione, who betrayed me, there was no reason for me to keep living.

I decided that I had had enough of being a stupid little child and was thinking of just finishing what she began off when Professor Snape found me.

I told him to stop trying to save me, but he wouldn't listen.

He told me to keep living and that perhaps, someday, I might, possibly, break through to Hermione. That because Helena was still breathing, so perhaps Hermione still breathed somewhere in the depths of Helena's mind…

Dumbledore's Army still exists, this time to catch Helena and reach out to Hermione—to bring her back.

There are many spies amongst the Queen's Eyes for Dumbledore's Army, but none of them are high in rank—possibly, Helena suspects something. Only Cho Chang was able to get close enough to Helena to be an effective informant.

Whenever Helena leaves her fortress which was once the place I called home, I follow her, in hopes that maybe I can stop her before it's too late. But as soon as I arrive, she vanishes again back to Hogwarts.

It's as though she knows that I am planning to capture her and find Hermione.

But one day, opportunity to approach her arose.

Helena had taken a girl from the Refuge into her care and a friend of that girl—a young boy—fell into my lap. I promised to help him at least see his friend before we most likely got killed.

Things, surprisingly, went quite well and I am able to get close enough to Helena that I can almost see Hermione.

When I am close enough to begin to pry around her mind, she pulls out her wand. I panicked, so I pulled out my wand and we scream the same spell, which we both dodge…

The duel was short lived, but I survived by taking cover under the couch.

Helena escapes out the window and apparates. As for myself, I wait until it is safe to leave before returning to the Leaky Cauldron and calling an emergency meeting.

If at all possible, we—Dumbledore's Army—will aid the Refuge.

And now I wait here at the Leaky Cauldron for members of Dumbledore's Army who had not become spies so we can leave for the Refuge.

I'm worried about that boy I met—Jeremy. There's something about him that I recognize. A spark—and that spark scares me.

I'm worried about my old teachers—Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, and only Merlin knows who else might be there.

I'm worried about my old friends who had gone to the Refuge in search of shelter and safety.

I'm worried about the children who reside there—children who could easily be ensnared by Helena.

I've lived my life as a coward after I "died." I had to if I wanted to survive.

However, I cannot just stand by, pretending to be dead if more lives are at stake.

And I have to find Hermione.

"Ready to go?" Neville asked, looking at Harry.

"Yes," Harry answered, checking his pockets to make sure he had everything. Map, check. Wand, check, gun just in case wand stops working for some odd or completely unforeseen reason (it's quite possible, Harry thought), check.

"Then let's go," Neville said.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Luna Lovegood asked, staring at Harry intensely.

Neville looked from Harry to Luna curiously. No one moved. No one spoke.

Finally, Harry nodded his head. "I have to do this. Let's get going. The Refuge isn't going to last long unless we get there soon."

"Do you know where to go?"

"I was able to extract a little information from our dear Professor Snape," Harry said, a smile crossing his face. "We'll side apparate."

"A three person apparition!?" Neville snapped. Luna ignored him and linked her arm with Harry's. Neville groaned and linked arms with Luna.

"I think you're supposed to hold onto Harry, Neville."

"Come on, Nev. I don't bite."

"No, but you definitely smell."

"Hey!"

"Now I know how Hermione must have felt when you and Ron fought, Harry," Luna teased.

Harry glared at her and Neville, muttering darkly under his breath, took hold of Harry's other arm.

They apparated outside a fortress of stone in front of a large dragon and a giant; they dodged the giant's swinging arm as it brought down a massive club upon their heads.

"Sorry to bother you," Harry said, "but we're friends. We'd like to speak to a member of the, er, Council."

"Who be?" the Giant demanded.

"Me? I'm James Evans and these are my compatriots, Mr. Neville Longbottom and Ms. Luna Lovegood. Can we please go inside now?"

The Giant shook his shoulders, as though to shake off the snow that fell on him and turned to open the door just enough to let them in.

"Thank you," Harry said, leading Neville and Luna inside. He pulled his cloak further over his head.

"I haven't even been here for five minutes and I already know I'd hate it," Neville muttered, glaring around the place. "They really think they can keep Helena out of a place this lax?"

"I know what you mean," Harry agreed. "But for now, we have to find Snape. Maybe we'll run into Jeremy while we're here."

"And if we do?"

"Then I'm gonna slap that kid across the face with a dead fish for taking my bag."

Luna snickered.

"Besides that," Neville snapped, "what are you going to do?"

"Er…well…definitely not hug him."

"Good. At least we'll know you're not Michael Jackson."

"Say that to my face!" Harry shouted.

Heads turned. Luna bonked both of them on the head. "Sorry about them, they're a bit drunk." Onlookers turned away and Luna glared at them. "Keep it up and we'll be found out before we meet with Severus."

"Yes, Mother Moon."

"James Evans, I mean it," Luna snapped.

"Okay, okay, don't get your knickers in a twist. Let's go find Councilman Snape and get things cleared up before we cause a bigger scene than we already have."

They walked in swift strides towards the School.

Two weeks had passed since he and Jeremy had returned to the Refuge.

Other than that they had failed to bring Terra back, everything—save for the preparation for a siege that may never happen—seemed to fall back into place.

The only differences seemed to be that Cole was locked away, Terra was gone, and Jeremy…Jeremy had changed.

He had matured.

In any other circumstance, Severus would have been overjoyed that Jeremy was finally being more responsible, but…

There was something not right with the way Jeremy had been acting. As though he was angry, but he was suppressing his rage.

Sometimes, Jeremy would just stare outside the window as though deep in thought—which he never did.

"What happened while you were gone?" Remus asked. "Did he become a daydreamer? Or is he thinking of some sort of philosophy."

"I doubt he's having any philosophical thoughts," Severus said. But the more he thought about it, the more he began to wonder.

Someone knocked at the door.

"Come in," Severus snapped. The door opened and three people entered.

"Darn, and here I was hoping you'd have finally died," Severus muttered, staring at Harry, Neville, and Luna Lovegood.

"Hello to you too, Councilman," Harry said. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I've never died easily."

"That is quite true."

"How's Jeremy?" Luna asked.

"Still ignorant, but quite good—wait, what?"

"Oh, Professor, you can see the similarities really easily when you look at you both together."

"But—"

"Professor, it's Luna," Neville said.

"And that should automatically explains how she knows?"

Neville and Harry looked at each other. They nodded. "Yeah."

"That would explain everything. Somehow Luna knows everything."

Severus shook his head. "You're reasoning skills are terrible."

"Reasoning aside," Neville said, taking a seat, "we're here to help."

Severus raised an eyebrow at Neville. "Help?"

"This place is going to fall."

"And bad," Harry added. "It's obvious that no one has been ready for battle in years here, so be glad we've decided to come out of hiding."

"Potter," Severus muttered.

"Yes?"

"I'm this close," Severus measured with his fingers, "to punching the living daylights out of you."

Harry shrugged. "So, I sorta want to punch your son."

Severus shook his head. "Go ahead. It might snap him out of it."

"What's the brat moping about this time?"

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing! He's either thinking deep thoughts or daydreaming! I don't even know what the heck is going through his head anymore!"

"Did you ever?"

"No."

"Not even when you wanted to use Leginimency on him?"

"No! Just because I'm an Occlumens and a Leginamens does not mean I'm going to read my son's thoughts!"

"Ah-ha! So Jeremy Campbell really is your son."

"I thought you already knew that."

Luna just grinned airily. "Knew what?"

Severus shook his head. "Bugger all. Yes, Jeremy's real name is Jeremy Domitian Snape."

The trio stared at their former teacher.

"His middle name's 'Domitian'?" Neville asked. "I figured it would've been 'Severus' after yourself."

"No. I figured I'd be original," Severus snapped. "I actually wanted to call him Gaius, but Mary wouldn't hear of it."

"You're wife?"

"Ms. Lovegood, I already have a headache trying to figure out how you got me to admit to my relation to Jeremy. Don't aggravate it."

Luna shrugged.

"I'll just say it once then: I want to know what happened. You were never one for walls, Professor, so why did you come here?"

"Luna," Neville said; his voice low as though delivering a warning, "that's enough. Whatever Snape's reason is, it isn't our concern."

"Thank you, Mr. Longbottom."

"You're most welcome, Sir. Whatever your thoughts on our being here aside," Neville smiled calmly, "we're here to help prepare for Helena's siege and only that."

Severus studied them. "So I expect you'll want rooms now?"

"If that's not too much to ask," Harry said.

Severus glared at them. He stood and sighed. "Follow me."

The trio followed their former professor out of the office and down the hall.

Outside the refuge, a black wolf snarled, gnashing its teeth together, staring at the outer walls. A delicate hand, perfectly manicured, stroked its head, scratching behind the ears.