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"What would he want with either of them? He's after me, isn't he? That's what the prophecy said!" Harry was confused and frustrated. He knew it wasn't over. He was a fool for pretending it ever could be over. It would never be over until one of them was truly gone for good. He hadn't thought you could bring someone back from the dead, but now he knew it was possible.

"Well, yes Harry, he is after you. However, Voldemort knows that he is getting old. He's already died once, nearly so when you were a baby also. He cannot continue this fight much longer. He is strong, yes, and he will be until he dies," McGonagall sighed.

"But we did kill him...the Death Eaters are trying to bring him back!"

"Yes, but it is not such a simple task. You must have unwavering desire to return to this life...a life that seems to bleak compared to the next. There are many mysterious spells used, leery potions and not everything is exactly safe. Since it is such dark magic, you could wind up with half of your soul in this life and half in the next. Or you could accidentally kill your Trade, the one who has agreed to take your place among the dead. Or you could kill everyone participating. Countless tales have been told involving misfortunes. It is not even a truth yet Harry. The Death Eaters may fail." McGonagall said quickly and with hope.

"But they may not," Harry countered.

"Yes and that is why we must take precaution."

"So back to Hermione..." Harry muttered, not even mentioning Ginny

"As I was saying before, Voldemort will need...in order to continue..." she hesitated.

"Come on you have to tell me!" he cried

"...an heir." she whispered.

"Are you serious? But Voldemort works alone, he would never take a wife! And the thought..." he shuddered. Picturing Voldemort getting anywhere near Hermione gave him chills.

"Yes but in the case of a Trade of Fates, the dead returning must leave his or her mark on the world...meaning leave a child. Those who have already had children are automatically disabled from reviving through a Trade of Fates. It was developed by ancient wizards, trying to extend the existence of our magical race. Too many were dying without children and we were risking extinction. If a person is revived, they have only one year to have a child. Of course, there are fertility spells and charms that can make this a rather simple task, but Voldemort will not waste any time,"

"And you think Voldemort would pick Hermione? A "Mudblood", as he so often points out? Or Ginny, a "blood traitor"?" he was astounded.

"Well, honestly it would most likely be Hermione...she is the exceptional witch of her age...and.."

"And?" Harry begged.

"Well, Hermione...is not actually of Muggle parentage."

"What?" Harry could not believe it. What else hadn't anyone ever told him?

" Please, Harry don't be upset. This is not the time. Please, just listen to the rest."

"But why didn't you tell her?"

"Dumbledore refused to let us tell you or her. It was for her protection. She was adopted when she was a baby, too young to remember her real parents. They were killed during a Death Eater attack. Voldemort knew of Hermione's father, a powerful Ministry officer and secretly Dark wizard, and was offering him a place in his Inner, they were attacked by one of his followers, Rodolphus Lestrange, before he could reach them and give them the offer. Apparently the two went way back and Rodolphus wanted to settle some kind of score with Hermione's father. The Dark Lord was not pleased, but it was believed nothing was known of Hermione, so she was rendered safe from his reach. Like in the case with you Harry, Dumbledore believed she would be the furthest from harm in a Muggle home,"

"Hermione's parents were evil?"

"Only her father, Argeus, truly. Her mother, Eliana, was a Gryffindor, against Voldemort and it is certain that more of her shows through in Hermione than her father's Slytherin's side. Eliana probably would have been killed, even if Hermione's father had been accepted into the Death Eaters and not killed by Lestrange. Now I fear that Voldemort has made the connection between Hermione and her father, but we are not sure how," she continued.

"How do you know this?"

"Her Muggle parent's home was attacked a few months before the final battle. Voldemort was looking for Hermione, undoubtedly. We kept it very much under wraps...she does not even know..."

"We will have to protect her! I'll stay with her at all times. We all will!" Harry shouted.

"Of course we will Harry. Once she returns to Hogwarts, she will stay here until this threat has passed," McGonagall decided.

"But school will be starting again soon...where will she stay?" Harry asked.

"She will have private quarters and will be able to mingle with remaining students. She will have close protection always. I do not want her going on any missions with you and Ron, not just yet anyway. I am not sure if the Death Eaters know of her importance. They may try to capture her before they revive Voldemort."

"She won't like it; she'll feel trapped...may we stay here with her also?" Harry asked longingly. He wasn't sure what was compelling him to be at Hermione's side through all this. She was his best friend, other than Ron, but this seemed like more than that...was now the right time to tell her? He was so sure she was smitten with Ron though...and Ginny was still very charming...she just..wasn't Hermione.

"Certainly. However, be careful who you trust Harry. There are still some followers of Voldemort who send their children here," she warned.

"So you mean Slytherins. Not a problem," he stated.

"Well, yes, Slytherins mainly, but some have been known to pop up in other houses too. Just in general, don't tell anyone except who you must about what is happening. We don't need a mass panic or any more rumours to be spread than necessary," she added, shaking her head.

"Right, Professor."

"Harry, you aren't a student anymore. I really don't expect you to call me that anymore. Minerva is just fine," she said softly.

" It will take some getting used to, I'm afraid," he said flatly but with a smile.

"Well, go on then; they should be returning shortly,"

"Right. I'll wait up for them in the Gryffindor common room," Harry said as he walked out into the hallway, turning back to look at McGonagall.

"Alright then. Good night Harry," McGonagall said as she closed the door. She was nervous as could be and was shaking.

'Why couldn't Albus be here?' she wondered. Often she had thought it might be possible to bring him back, but she knew that his spirit was content, unlike Voldemort's. Through his Penseive, she had learned that the only real way to kill Voldemort was to kill his soul and spirit...and that required a force that she feared Voldemort was incapable of feeling...love.


Draco knew that the time was near. His father had been talking of nothing but the Trade of Fates: consulting every source, having numerous guests, and planning the glorious day. He knew that Crabbe, his partner in crime, would soon be gone, exchanged with the Dark Lord. Was this how things were supposed to be? He could not help but wonder...had Potter really won? As much as he knew he was a traitor for even thinking it, he wondered if the world was better without Voldemort. Life seemed too complicated with him in it...but he knew that he must remain loyal. How could he go against his family?

"Father, why are so many people here today?" Draco asked his father as Lucius entered the study where Draco was contemplating.

"This is the time we have waited for, Draco. We will attempt the ritual tonight. It is a full moon..a neceesary element," he said.

"Attempt? Is there a chance it will not work?"

"Yes, there is that chance. But we have taken many measures to ensure it does indeed go correctly. Do not have doubts Draco! That is not what we need to success! What are you doing in here anyway? You should be with the others, mainly Crabbe. He will be subdued in a few hours with one of the potions I have made," said Lucius.

"Subdued, as in killed?"

"Stop asking so many questions. He will not be killed until the process has been complete and he has traded fates with the Dark Lord, " Lucius snapped. Draco nodded as his father left the room with some parchment. He headed towards the quarters where Crabbe was resting and talking with fellow Death Eaters. How terrified he must be inside, although he knew he would never admit it.


Back at Hogwarts, Harry sat down on a couch in the common room. No one else was there and he was thankful for the peace and quiet. "Hermione..." he thought. She needed him now more than ever. And he needed her. He was not going to let Voldemort take her from him. He would have to tell her everything. Now was the time; she had a right to know her true past. But could he tell her about the way he felt? Would Ron hate him? Visions of him and Hermione clouded his thoughts, the only thing that could settle his rushed mind.

Harry was just begining to relax when Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Neville burst into the corridor. He was startled they had returned so fast...or had he been dreaming for too long?

"Harry! We're going to be by your side for this,"Luna said as she hugged him.

"Yeah, we've got your back Harry. No matter what," agreed Neville.

"Where should we start?" asked Hermione as she sat down next to Harry.

"Well, first, I may need to talk to you alone," he said softly. Ron looked a little discomforted and shifted nervously. He knew Harry loved Hermione...was he risking telling her now, when he and Hermione hadn't been on the best terms romanically? Ron was sure he could break them up now if he tried.

"Why can't we all know? Aren't we in this together?" Ron asked.

"Well, it's her business and she'll tell you if she pleases. It's a bit personal," Harry said.

"Oh, yeah, alright, " Ron said sarcastically.

"Ron come off it, please? You're acting like you're 5," Hermione snapped, "Harry, it's ok you can tell me infront of them, so Ron doesn't have a hissy fit." Ron scowled and sat down on the opposite couch with Neville and Luna, who were holding hands.

"Well, I guess I need to be blunt. McGonagall and I talked while you guys went off for Luna and Neville. She told me several...incredible things,"

"Such as?" Hermione said slowly.

"...she said that you're parents adopted you..." Hermione gasped and broght he hands to her mouth. She was startled. How could this be? Harry went on to tell her the same story he had just been told before about the attacks.

"So...my father was in Slytherin, but my mother was in Gryffindor?"

"How does that happen?"asked Neville.

"McGonagall didn't say, but I'm assuming there was love there," Harry said.

"Like your mother and Snape," Luna piped in.

"Don't remind me," Harry scoffed.

"But what does this have to do with anything?" Hermione asked.

"That's the worst part...I was saving it for last," Harry sighed. How did he tell her that Voldemort might want her for his own?

"Come on Harry, tell us," Luna urged calmly.

"Voldemort needs an heir in order for the Trade of Fates to work properly. He has one year to find a witch to conceive...and McGonagall fears he will want you ,"

"WHAT? NO FUCKING WAY THAT BASTARD HIS GETTING HIS HANDS ON HER!" Ron roared. He was full of the same emotion Harry had been earlier.

"Harry that's crazy. I...I.. can't imagine it...oh my god... I'm safe here though..with you all...why me?"

"Your father was a powerful dark wizard. Obviously your mother had strength as well..and you are the most talented of all of us Hermione," Luna rationed.

"But he could have any witch! A dark witch! One who follows him! Does he merely want the challenge?" asked Ron.

"I think he means to destroy Harry emotionally...he knows we are close," Hermione assumed, beginning to return to her senses.

"Well, unless they come to our front door looking for you, you're safe Hermione. We will all stay here with you," Neville assured her.

"But won't all the other students wonder why we're back?" Ron asked.

" We could be...professor's aids or something. That would be a clever cover up," Harry suggested.

"Yes, that would make sense. But we all must be smart about it. I'll asisst McGonagall with her filing and maintaining the school. Luna and Neville love magical creatures, so they could help Hagrid. Harry, you and Ron could help with Quidditch and some other class too," Hermione contemplated.

"I could give patronus charm lessons..." Harry thought.

"And I could sell some of the products from my brother's joke shop!" cried Ron.

" I thought George didn't want to continue it after..." Hermione began.

"Nah he's got loads of stuff left I can get off his hands," Ron said.

" So we have a plan then?" asked Harry.

"Of course."

"Sure."

"Right."

"Yes we do."