Chapter 9: Questioning

'I still don't understand how she knows about the horcruxes?' Hermione said as they marched on. They were pushing through branches and passing large trees that seemed to whisper to them.

'Maybe it was Dumbledore!' Ron said, Hermione looked sceptical and said, 'He took how long to inform Harry yet suddenly this girl shows up with all the answers?'

'I don't know. Maybe she was taught this…she didn't go to Hogwarts did she?' Ron asked.

'No, we would have known her, she is our age right?' Hermione said. Harry all the while remained quiet thinking of Anastasia. She seemed so unreal but he felt that he had known her forever.

'I wonder what her surname is?' Harry asked suddenly, Ron frowned and Hermione nodded, 'See? We really need to question her, if only I had some truth-'

'No.' Harry interrupted, 'we are not doing that, it wouldn't be possible and it would make her trust us less.'

'You sound like she is everything to our jobs!' Hermione said hotly.

'She is.' Harry said walking on.

They walked on for about an hour when Ana suddenly appeared before them. She placed a finger gently on her lips and led them above on a cliff. They glanced down below and saw a camp set up with three people around a fire.

'Death eaters?' Hermione mouthed, Ana shook her head, she pointed to their ragged clothes and the bones they were gnawing on. Harry felt his stomach drop as he noticed the length and shape of one of the bones; it was strangely like a femur bone of a human.

'Werewolves.' He hissed. Indeed there were three of them; a wizard with short, gruffly hair and a goatee sat drinking rum from a dirty bottle while his other two companions, another man with a cloak and hood on, and a female sat chewing away at flesh. The female was very beautiful with black hair falling down her back and tight robes; she seemed of Spanish heritage with olive skin and warm eyes; her voice was elegant and low as she sang to herself,

Cuc, cuc cantaba la rana

Cuc, cuc debajo del agua,

Cuc, cuc pas un caballero

Cuc, cuc con capa y sombrero

Cuc, cuc paso una señora

Cuc, cuc con traje de cola,

Cuc, cuc pas un marinero,

Cuc, cuc vendiendo romero,

Cuc, cuc le pidi un ramito,

Cuc, cuc no le quiso dar,

Cuc, cuc y se ech a llorar.

It began to rain and as the three werewolves put out their fire, Harry and the others moved on quietly and soon took refuge inside a gigantic maple tree. The roots were carved out into a cave like feature and gave them coverage. The only movement they soon heard was the wind blowing around the leaves.

'It should be fine here. Hermione, you should probably put a protection ward on this tree.' Harry said.

'Don't worry.' Ana said softly, 'the tree itself will protect us.'

Hermione gave Harry and knowing look and performed the spell anyways. Afterwards the sat crammed in beneath the trees cover and kept together for warmth. Harry watched Ana, as she stared into the forest. Her eyes were unfocused as she remained cross-legged.

'Ana,' he asked, she did not look his way but made a noise in her throat that told him she was listening, 'Where did you go to school to learn all the magic?'

'I didn't. I was home schooled by my mother until she passed away, then my keeper, a house elf took care of me and made me continue my training.' Ana said.

'Did that include learning about horcruxes?' Hermione asked shrewdly. Ana turned to face her, and her face was angry, 'My mother was attacked before I was born by the death eaters because she helped the Order. They used a horrendous spell on her that made her gradually grow ill and eventually she died from it. I do what I can to fight back for her.'

'Did Dumbledore tell you?' Harry asked.

'Not really, he told me what they were and how to destroy them, then he asked me to find and help you get rid of them.' She said.

'Then how'd you know where to go?' Ron asked.

Ana shrugged and answered simply, 'I followed my dreams.'

'Your dreams?' Hermione asked, eyebrows raised, 'He told me to follow my dreams and they would give me the way of helping rid the world of Voldemort.' Anastasia said.

'Dumbledore.' Harry said softly, Ana nodded and leaned back closing her eyes. They rested silently before Ron asked, 'What's your last name?'

Ana did not open her eyes but lazily answered, 'My surname is Mahoney.'

'What happened to your dad?' Ron asked frowning, 'I never heard of the Mahoney's.'

Here Ana opened her eyes and they were full of pain and loss, 'My mother's family was mostly Irish and Canadian. Her whole family was wiped out during a huge raid on our village in the U.K. as for my father…no one knows, or at least I don't. My mother would never mention him, Albus promised to tell me when this was all over, and well, that obvious didn't happen.'

'He left a lot of things out it seemed.' Harry said bitterly, Ana nodded.

'What, may I ask, have your dreams actually shown you?' Hermione asked quietly.

'A man,' Ana said gently, 'I always find a man in black robes and he tells me everything. He feels cold when I pass him or touch him, but he's kind and gentle when he speaks. And his eyes feel like tunnels that I get lost in.'

'And how did you get the sorting hat?' Ron asked. Here Ana smirked, 'I have my ways, trust me on that.'

'I guess we have to.' Hermione sighed, she casted Harry a dark look before closing her eyes herself and going to sleep. Harry and Ron shared a grin and finally Ron laid beside Hermione awkwardly, due to his height and the space. Harry meanwhile watched the bird outside attempt to hide beneath leaves or in the trees from the rain which was growing heavier steadily. Finally, he too, closed his eyes.

A sound woke Harry from his sleep, he looked up to see Ana pressing a finger to her lips to shush him, she nodded towards the outside and Harry silently moved to prod Hermione and Ron awake. After they both woke they followed Ana outside. She crept out of the tree and stepped gently through the forest. As they walked Harry picked up what she was hearing, a loud crunching noise in the distant.

'We're moving closer to it!' Ron whispered sounding scared.

They came to another hillside and looked down, below them was a camp, not with werewolves but with men in cloaks attempting to keep control over one enormous giant.

'Oh my!' Hermione squeaked. The giant roared and pounded its fists against its chest as it tried to pull against the magical binds that held it down.

'The war is brewing.' Ana said softly, as a stunning spell sent at the giant, lit the sky, her eyes seemed red in its glow.

'Death eaters no doubt.' Harry said glaring at the wizards keeping the giant at bay. Ana nodded and they moved on through the forest making sure to leave no tracks behind them as they went.

'They're growing in strength, if they find those werewolves and get their approval then he'd have more then enough to destroy the Order.' Hermione said worriedly as they walked.

'If they have werewolves and giants.' Ron said sounding aghast, 'he'd be unstoppable!'

'We just have to keep one step ahead then.' Harry said, 'find the candle and get rid of it.'

'What candle?' Ana asked stopping in her tracks, Harry looked at Ron and Hermione and shrugged, 'I had a dream with Voldemort that showed his memory, the horcrux is in a small church just outside of the forest and it's a candle and holder of Ravenclaws.' He said.

'You saw this is Voldemort's dreams?' Anastasia asked sounding frightened, Harry nodded, 'It happens rarely now but helps.'

'It could be dangerous.' Ana said at once. Harry snorted, 'And your dreams?' he demanded.

'My mother was a seer, its in my blood to have this connection and it isn't directly with the dark lord.' Ana snapped.

'Stop it.' Hermione said suddenly making them all stop walking and stare, 'We can't fight because it will only slow us down!'

'You're right.' Ana said and she seemed to calm herself down, Harry took three deep breaths and they continued walking through the forest.

When the second night came they camped under a shelter they had scrapped together. Ana seemed distracted and Harry alone remained calm.

'I'm sorry.' He whispered to her, when both Ron and Hermione had fallen asleep. She nodded keeping her eyes off of him as she watched guard. Harry sat next to her and she seemed to relax her shoulders.

'I've got nothing left.' She said thickly, 'my mother gone, Dumbledore gone, my father gone, all I have is my purpose, and that led me to you.'

'I had always wished that my mother would come back, but when I realized she really was gone I thought foolishly that my father would suddenly appear and make things easier, we would become a family again and I would be safe.' She said bitterly. Her eyes were now wet from tears and Harry put his arm around her.

She laid her head against Harry's chest and cried softly, he whispered words to calm her, not even knowing what he was actually saying. Harry gently closed his eyes for that moment feeling her warmth and feeling almost at peace.

But then it a seconds flash, the peace was shattered as a noise broke them apart and a crash woke everyone up and brought in the alarm.

Harry pulled Ana back towards their camp as a great large beast reared in front of them and gave a howl. It was one of the werewolves. They were being attacked.