Title: Harry Potter in the Realm of the Dead

Title: Harry Potter in the Realm of the Dead

Chapter Title:

Author: Avril13

Rating: Strong M (Definitely!)

WARNINGS:

Chapter Word Count:

Date: September 13, 2008

Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and everyone else from Potterverse belong to JKR.

A/N
Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Chapter 9 – Hermione's secret

Harry pulled out the Marauders Map. One look at it showed that Hogwarts was full of people. The dot with "Peter Pettigrew" label was dangerously close. Harry thought that Voldemort must have forced him to turn into a rat and sniff for Harry's scent. For a moment he thought that Nemesis would love a big, fat rat for breakfast, but he shook off the idea with disgust. The burns were even more painful now and he was hungry, thirsty and completely worn out. Harry pulled out his wand from his robes. It took him some time to concentrate even for a simple spell like "Coloportus." The pain from his burns stopped him in the middle of moving. He took a couple of deep breaths and tried again. He had to seal the block and keep the cell hidden. Harry knew that Wormtail couldn't cast spells when he was a rat. Even if he could, he wouldn't try Alohamora on every stone block in the tunnel. After several painful attempts Harry managed to cast the spell right. He sat down to get some rest. That was the easy part. Now Harry had to move another block to get to the tunnel that led to the cabin. One look at the skeleton in the corner encouraged him to try as hard as he could. This time the block moved right away and Harry stepped outside. The chamber looked exactly the same as he had seen it in his dream. With another spell he put the block back and locked it with another Coloportus. It was too cold to transform into a serpent, so Harry started crawling through the tunnel. Fortunately it became bigger after a while. Harry assumed that they had had to make it smaller inside Hogwarts in order to keep it secret. It took him about ten minutes before he reached a place where the tunnel led upwards and saw huge roots. Harry realized he was inside a gigantic hollow tree. He could see daylight coming from the small opening about thirty feet above his head. Harry tried to climb, but the wooden wall was too smooth and too steep. Then he remembered he wasn't in Hogwarts anymore. Harry got his Firebolt ready in one hand and his wand in the other and disappeared with a popping sound.

He appeared in the Forbidden Forest. Nobody was around and the rain most probably dampened the cracking sound just enough that no one could hear it. Without waiting a moment Harry mounted his broomstick and flew carefully through the forest. As soon as he spotted the clearing in the trees, he soared through the air. Up, up, at full speed, as far from Voldemort and his hyenas as possible.

After flying through the clouds for a couple of hours, Harry finally arrived at Black Dawn manor. He slowly dismounted from the broomstick and made a few steps inside. Sirius, Hermione and others gathered around him talking something, but he couldn't understand what. Someone ran for help, while others looked at him worryingly. He made another step, stumbled and fell onto Sirius' arms. Everything went black.

Several Hours Earlier in Blackdawn Manor:

While Harry had been busy with the Horcrux, Hermione had been at her wits end with worrying about him. Right now, she had decided to take a break from researching magical blood types in the library. She stood near the pond, looking into the water. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the dark-haired man approaching her.

"I need to talk to you Hermione," Sirius spoke nervously. "It's extremely important." She looked at him with concern.

"Did something happen? Is it Harry?" Hermione looked as if she was running different scenarios through her head about what could have happened to her best friend. She tried to take his hand but he started pacing, looking rather agitated. "Sirius, you don't look so well." She said.

"Hermione…you're a fine woman." Sirius began awkwardly. He wasn't exactly sure why he'd said that, but he felt that whatever he said would sound stupid anyway and therefore decided to speak his heart. "In most ways you're ideal. I…" Sirius faltered "can't imagine life without you. When I nearly lost you, I realized how much you mean to me. You're everything to-"

Hermione cut him off. "What has happened Sirius? What are you going on about?" Truth be told, she hadn't really been paying attention. She had been thinking about something else.

Shortly after she recovered, Madam Pomfrey called her into her office, telling her that she needed to tell her something important. After they sat down, Madam Pomfrey started to speak:

"Unfortunately, as a result of your transfusion, certain…antibodies have formed in your body." She paused nervously. "this doesn't happen very often, but since your blood type is so special…" Again she hesitated.

"Madam Pomfrey, if it's something so bad, I need to know now."

"Essentially, you are unable to conceive. There are antibodies in you that attack sperm. The likeliness of a pregnancy is low, and if you do get pregnant, it will certainly result in a miscarriage. The only person you can have a child with is your blood donor. I am very sorry Hermione." Madam Pomfrey patted her shoulder, but Hermione couldn't say anything.

And now she'd come out of her thoughts to hear Sirius muttering his love for her. They looked at each other, and suddenly Hermione understood everything. Sirius was about to ask her the question she hoped for and dreaded the most.

"Sirius…" She said at the same time that he took her hand and said "I love you!" He knelt "Hermione, will you marry me? I love you. Say yes. Hermione, why aren't you saying anything?"

"I…"

"You two better come quickly!" McGonagall was rushing towards them accompanied by Polly. "Rose is awake and she's frightened. We don't know how to calm her."

Hermione spoke before Sirius could even react. "I'll go, but Sirius better stay here. Too many people might upset her."

Then she went back with McGonagall and Polly, who were both telling her about Rose's condition. Sirius was left to stare at the spot near the pond where she had been a few seconds ago.


The first thing that Harry realized when he woke up was that the pain was gone. He was lying in the hospital bed. The room was empty and quiet. Harry closed his eyes again enjoying the silence. It felt so good to be safe. He smiled. He felt really great. If it was because of something that Madam Pomfrey gave him, he appreciated it. Harry sighed loudly and stretched. Now, that was painful. He let a yowl out. He wasn't that well after all.

At the sound Madam Pomfrey entered the room.

"How do you feel Harry?" She asked examining his bandages.

"I was feeling great until I moved."

"Nothing to worry about. Two more treatments and you'll be just fine. The magical power of your cloak tempered the effect of the spell. Otherwise you'd have been burnt really badly."

"If this wasn't really bad, I don't want to know what is."

"Precisely. Now be ready for another therapy. It won't hurt but it's not too pleasant either."

"Madam Pomfrey, everything you consider 'not pleasant' hurts like hell!"

"Well it will hurt a little, nothing compared to wounds that you had."

She continued working with her wand. In the end she changed his bandages. "Tomorrow morning you'll be just fine. Now take this."

Harry took the potion and drank it in silence. He felt exhausted again and fell asleep.

When he woke up the next morning Harry had a double surprise. First he didn't feel any pain and second when he opened his eyes he saw Rose smiling at him. She was very pale and obviously weak, but in a very good mood and happy to see him.

"Harry!" She jumped from the chair that was by his bed and hugged him. "Oh Harry I missed you, I was afraid about what had happened to you!"

Harry was too overwhelmed to say anything. He just hugged her kissing her hair.

Madam Pomfrey and Hermione left the room. Harry didn't even notice they were there. Then she asked the question he had so dreaded to hear.

"Where're mum and dad?"

Harry looked into her eyes. He couldn't lie to her. He couldn't tell the truth. Not just yet. "Mum's not feeling well, but she'll be all right. She doesn't know you're here. I'll tell her when she gets better. I still have to find dad."

"They told me that mum and dad had been kissed by the Dementors. Is that true?"

"Who told you that? Why would they bother talking to slaves who don't have their own will?"

"I wasn't under the curse all the time. It was more fun to them that way. Without the Curse we suffered more I guess."

Harry was speechless, clenching his teeth in silent anger.

"things got better after Draco threatened Marcus he would have expelled him from the some Quidditch team if he continued."

"Draco Malfoy?"

"I know him only by his first name. He was very kind to me Harry."

"Kind? Draco?"

"I hope he'll find me, now that I'm free."

"To find you? Here?"

"I live for that moment. I dream about him quite often." She looked at her brother who couldn't hide how detested he was. "But Harry, I'm almost sixteen!"

"It isn't your age that concerns me!"

"I'm so tired Harry. So…" Rose laid her head onto Harry's shoulder. Harry could hear her calmly breathing. He understood that all the excitement was too much for her. Carefully, he put his sister onto his bed, covered her with the blanket and sat on the chair. When Madam Pomfrey went into the room she said nothing but took another blanket, put it onto Harry's back and quietly left the room.


After leaving the hospital wing Hermione looked for Sirius. There was a hidden tension between the two of them after his proposal that was so abruptly interrupted by Professor McGonagall's arrival. Hermione had to tell him the truth and what she felt about everything. But somehow she couldn't find an opportune moment to do it.

To her surprise she found Snape in the lounge talking quietly to Professor McGonagall. They stopped as soon they saw her approaching.

"Severus, what a pleasant surprise to see you here!" Hermione said in the most cheerful voice she could manage to squeeze out of herself. "Does he know? He's a master of potions after all!" She thought.

"I had urgent news for Sirius. I'm so glad to see you fully recovered."

"Thanks to you. I can never thank you enough."

"You already did."

"I've been looking for Sirius. You said you had news for him. Where is he now?"

Snape and Professor McGonagall exchanged looks.

"Something is wrong isn't it?" Hermione's heart sank. "What is it? You must tell me!"

"Severus!" Professor McGonagall warned Snape.

"She has the right to know. You can't treat her like a child!"

"Severus, confidentiality! You can't jeopardize the mission!"

"The only reason Sirius wouldn't tell me something is if it's dangerous. Severus, I must know!"

"Fudge knows about Remus and Tonks. He is going to set them up a trap. Sirius and Mad-Eye will try to pull them out. I hope they'll arrive on time."

"How did you find out?"

"Lucius Malfoy told me. He'll arrange that the Death Eaters will be in the ambush."

"Where?"

Snape hesitated. "You mustn't go there. It's too late now and you can blow their cover."

"WHERE!"

"There is a cabin on the northern edge of the Forbidden Forest. Fudge will ask them to escort him to an important meeting. The Death Eaters will wait inside."

Hermione turned and rushed to the cupboard from where she pulled her broomstick.

"You'll never make it on time."

"I'll use Harry's fireplace to the nearby inn and fly from there."

"I'm coming with you."

"If you really want to." Hermione was running upstairs. She looked furious. "We promised each other never to leave like that!" She said to herself.


Fudge, Remus and Sylvia approached the small cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The place looked deserted with no smoke coming from the chimney or any other sign that someone lived there.

"We have to be very careful." Fudge whispered. "I'll go and check the back and you see if you can find anything suspicious on the front. But don't go in before I join you."

The couple nodded their heads and Fudge disappeared into the bushes. As they came closer to the cabin Remus saw a big dog lying between the pile of fire logs and the cabin's wall. "Padfoot" Remus grinned for a moment and pulled Sylvia back.

"Hush." He whispered pointing at the dog, which lazily moved towards the forest. Remus and Sylvia stepped slowly back, carefully observing the cabin and the bushes around them.

"Over here." They heard Moody's whisper behind the fallen tree. The dog was already by his legs panting.

At that moment one silhouette in women's robes landed in front of the cabin. "Hermione?" Moody gasped "What is she doing here?"

"That's that little witch Hermione! Get her, Black must be near!" The voice was heard from the inside.

Not waiting for a moment Moody sent a blast towards the cabin. The building shook but stood in place obviously protected by a ward. Hermione tried to fly away from the clearing but one red ray took her down and she rolled into the bushes on the edge of the forest. Sirius was already transforming into a human. Tonks, who abandoned her Sylvia disguise, joined Moody in covering Remus who ran to help Hermione. The Death Eaters left the cabin and were trying to surround the party that was heavily outnumbered. Tonks and Moody tried to keep them at a distance moving towards Remus and Hermione. Sirius followed still in half-dog shape.

"She's all right" Remus shouted and sent a red ray at the nearest Death Eater. He blocked the spell and sent another at Remus. The party was in the crossfire and started retreating into the forest. They heard some of the Death Eaters moving through the bushes behind them. At that moment a green ray hit one Death Eater on their left, followed immediately by a blast that knocked several others to the ground.

"Over here, quickly!" Snape called them and fired stunning spell. Sirius finally joined the battle as he completed his transformation. Hermione regained consciousness but was still unable to cast spells.

By then the rest of the Death Eaters had already come closer.

"You traitor." Lucius shouted at Snape in a voice full of hate. His blast barely missed Snape, probably because Malfoy was too enraged and furious to aim properly. Snape responded with "Sectumsempra". Lucius barely had time to raise a shield and the spell only scratched him across his face. With a painful grimace he cast another spell and three snakes left the tip of his wand and fell around Snape hissing. Snape disapparated instantly and appeared behind Lucius who made the same maneuver.

Out of the corner of his eye Remus spotted Fudge casting a spell at Hermione. He immediately cast a shield in front of her which reflected the dart. However the next dart hit Remus into his left shoulder as he maintained the shield to protect Hermione. He yelled and fell to the ground coiling in pain. The dart was obviously poisonous and that was the reason for his agony. Hermione's eyes narrowed. She squeezed her wand and apparated behind Fudge ready to cast the spell. He apparated almost at the same time behind her back. She disapparated again and apparated at the same spot a split of a second later. As soon as she disapparated, Fudge looked behind him ready to do the same. All but too late he realized what Hermione did. His eyes widened in surprise as the green ray of light hit him in the chest.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Still filled with wrath she had never felt before, Hermione yelled:

"Who wants to be next, you evil bastards!" She sent reducto high above everyone hitting a tall tree that cracked and started falling crashing the limbs of other trees.

"Let's apparate into the cabin." Sirius commanded. Moody nodded and cast the spell that produced a heavy toxic fog, similar to teargas. This was the same spell he used to wake up his cadets, only stronger. Sirius and others were ready for this, but most of the Death Eaters weren't and they started coughing heavily. Sirius took enraged Hermione by hand and Tonks took Remus and at Moody's sign they all apparated into the cabin. Fortunately it did have a fireplace. Remus was still conscious enough to say "Black Dawn Manor" and others followed before the Death Eaters arrived. Moody knocked out one more of them before setting the cabin on fire and disappearing in the fireplace.


"Remus! Remus!" Tonks was holding Remus while Moody was pouring a potion down his throat. Remus was pale breathing very fast. The sweat overspread his face.

"It's all my fault. Oh God!" Hermione cried "I'm so sorry!" She sobbed loudly.

"Hermione!" Remus whispered struggling to breathe "it's no one's fault."

"Don't talk Remus" Tonks hushed him "Madam Pomfrey will be here any second.

"I love you Tonks. I always did."

"No Remus! No! Hold on! Just hold on!" Tonks threw herself at him, and hugged him tightly.

Remus' eyes rolled into his head as his breathing became weaker. Madam Pomfrey rushed into the room. She looked at Remus and smelt the dart. Then she muttered a spell and waived her wand over his head.

"What is it?" Tonks looked at her practically begging with her eyes.

Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "There is no antidote for this poison. All I can do is to ease his pain. He cannot hear us anymore. He'll be in a coma pretty soon, and then it's only a matter of hours. I'm sorry Tonks. There's nothing that can be done!"

"Oh no! Oh no! Why him? Why not me? Why wasn't it me?" Tonks screamed. Behind her, Hermione was silently crying.

Everyone was looking at the couple when Sirius noticed Snape taking the powder near the fireplace.

"Where are you going?" He whispered.

"Now that Fudge is dead, Malfoy isn't bound anymore and can do whatever he wants. Narcissa doesn't know that and she thinks she's safe. I have to get her out of there."

"I'm going with you!" Sirius exclaimed as a woman appeared from the fireplace.

"Going where dear cousin?" Narcissa Malfoy asked raising her eyebrows. She gave him one mocking look and burst into laughter, but stopped as soon as she saw Tonks and Hermione crying over Remus' body. She quietly walked outside followed by Snape and Sirius.

"I was just going…" Snape started

"To save me?" Narcissa interrupted him. "Don't you have any faith in me, darling? I survived my marriage and my husband's reckless engagement with his Dark Lord by being on alert all the time. I knew what was going to happen as soon as Lucius called his friends and you left without saying a word. By the way, which one of you killed Fudge?"

"Hermione did it after he got Remus." Sirius answered coldly. "And please don't talk like it's something amusing!"

"I'm sorry. I'm just happy to see Severus is all right. I'm sorry for your loss."

"You mean it?"

"Yes I do. Though it is a little bit amusing to hear that little saint Hermione actually killed someone."

"Even good people do it when there's no other option, Narcissa!" Sirius hissed through clenched teeth.

Narcissa, however, showed no interest in continuing the row with her cousin. For a matter of fact she looked a bit nervous and Snape noticed it.

"Perhaps we should go outside?" He suggested showing the way.

"No. I have a proposal for you Sirius. I have something for you and I expect something in return."

"Let's hear it."

"Not before everyone else is present."

"All right. I'll meet you in the library in ten minutes. It better be good."


Narcissa's eyes narrowed when Harry came into the library. There was a moment of tense silence between two of them as Sirius and Moody joined them. McGonagall, Flitwick and Snape were already there.

"All right Narcissa, now when we are all here what do you have to say?" Sirius went straight to the point.

"I want a personal guarantee from all of you that no one will hurt my son. He and I have nothing to do with my husband's deeds and I want immunity from any prosecution, now or in the future. Further on, my son's and my inheritance will not be touched."

"And what do you offer in return?" McGonagall asked.

"Very important information."

"How important, may I ask?"

"About the invasion and Dark Lord's plans."

"Why didn't you take your son with you?"

"His father keeps a keen eye on him day and night."

"You have my guarantees that there will be no harm done to Draco and you!" Harry said abruptly. "Your property won't be touched, but you'll have to pay your slaves for the work done. You'll also have to pay for the education that the children under your custody have missed. I think it's fair and you'll have plenty left."

Narcissa remained silent for some time, thinking it over.

"That is acceptable. And as a Black I expect to enjoy hospitality and protection of this manor."

"The Land will give protection to those that are willing to sacrifice to defend it. There will be no mercy for traitors and cowards. It isn't my choice but yours. Are you willing to defend the Land as a true Black?"

Sirius and Narcissa looked at each other in disbelief.

"You talk like Bellatrix! These are her words!"

"You don't have to answer me. The Land will know your heart!"

Moody coughed and stepped forward "Now if that is settled, let's hear about Voldemort's plans before they become history."

Narcissa gave Harry one more puzzling look and then turned to Moody.

"The invasion is already under way. Since Fudge is dead they have nothing to wait for any longer. The Dark Lord decided not to defend the capital and the Ministry. His plan is to leave it to the Resistance to fight the invaders. He expects that the Resistance will try to defend the capital and the Ministry at all cost. Then the Death Eaters and his regular troops will finish off whoever wins that battle. They are going to consolidate their defenses up in the North and Malfoy Manor will be the wartime headquarters. The Dark Lord will go abroad to find faithful allies that 'will strike at the heart of our enemies' land' as he said."

"How do we know that you're telling the truth?" Moody continued questioning her.

"Because I already got similar information." Harry answered instead. "Athena told you this, didn't she?"

"How do you know?"

"I know more than you think." Harry replied. "Since the Ministry is practically disbanded we can freely use the Floo network. Mad-Eye will create portkeys. I want everybody available to be ready to leave in fifteen minutes."

"I'm going too!" Narcissa exclaimed.

"We expect no less." Harry whispered something to Moody and Flitwick and left the library without waiting for any more questions. He ordered Polly to bring the Lombardy twins and any others from his secret "army" who'd recovered enough to fight. She returned with the twins, the old couple and the courtesan.

"You two will make sure that Draco escapes safe and sound. You will protect him with your lives!" Harry told the Lombardys.

"Yes My Liege" They said bowing, but Harry noticed disappointment in their voices.

"You're allowed to fight, as long as you don't put his life in any danger." He added.

"Thank you My Liege."

Harry turned to Archie and his wife "You two will sneak in and silence the guard at the door that leads to the dungeons. Can you do that?"

"Yes My Liege."

"Moody will follow you and attack from the dungeons when we attack from the outside." Harry turned to Cecile "You will take the supplies from Madam Pomfrey and be our medic."

"Yes My Liege."

When Harry came in the lounge followed by the five, everybody was frozen when the Lombardy twins showed up.

"Our new recruits." He said simply and looked to see who was present. Tonks was standing aside accompanied only by Hermione. Her betrayal was obviously neither forgotten nor forgiven. Everybody had a broomstick and combat outfit.

Moody gave four Portkeys to squad leaders and they started counting:

"Three… two, one…"


Next thing they knew they were in the countryside. There were stables on their left side and a manor's roof could be seen thorough the trees about half mile in front of them.

The old couple left immediately sneaking through the bushes. Moody's squad followed them at a distance. It was early afternoon but the low clouds made it look like dusk. As they came closer they noticed a group of recruits practicing in front of the manor. Sejanus and Cassius pointed to a guard near the stables. Harry nodded his head.

The party watched how the twins sneaked soundlessly to the guard. As one of them slit his throat the other caught the body before it hit the ground in order to ensure that no sound alerted the others. Harry was exceedingly tense. Mechanically, he reached for the snuffbox, just to realize it was empty. Nervously he put it back into his pocket. Hermione didn't miss that episode. She already credited Harry's mood swings to that mysterious box and its content.

In the meantime Harry approached silver haired brothers followed by the rest of his squad. The twins had a fire in their eyes.

"My Liege." They bowed. Then they looked at the manor and Cassius said passionately:

"No Prisoners!"

"Yes My Liege! No prisoners!" Sejanus added.

"Harry" Hermione interrupted "What are we doing here? Shouldn't we defend the Ministry?"

"The traitors first!" Harry responded without looking at her. His eyes were locked on Marcus who was practicing in the field with other recruits. Harry's breathing became heavier as he remembered what Rose told him. There they were, the molesters of his sister and who knows how many more innocent victims. His face was like cast in stone with eyes wide open staring at the manor. Then his lips started trembling and his face distorted in an ugly grimace of pain and anger.

"No prisoners!" The twins repeated.

"Harry, don't listen to those murderers!" Hermione said desperately. "The Ministry Harry, the Ministry! Not this! Surely not this!"

"No prisoners!" Cedric Diggory repeated heatedly holding his father's wand.

By that time Harry's whole body was shaking uncontrollably. Even though the evening was quite chilly, sweat was dipping from his forehead. He turned to Sirius.

"Your squad will charge through the windows, the rest follow me and remember; Draco Malfoy mustn't be harmed."

He mounted his broomstick and raised the right hand with his wand in it. The Lombardy twins flanked him with a hawkish smile on their faces and a bloodthirsty expression in their eyes. Their broomsticka were restlessly moving back and forth.

Harry's face turned dark red and every vein bulged as if they were about to burst. Finally he let the scream out:

"NO PRISONERS!"

And they all surged forward.