Disclaimer: I own ev- (Pika)... er... *gulp* Nothing .I own nothing! (chu)

Chapter 12 – Threats, Battle and a Betrayal

Thanks to PKFan and Krystal Lilly Potter for being excellent betas!

"Please, just call me James; calling me Mr. Lians makes me sound like I'm old or something."

"Only if you call me Hermione, instead of Miss Granger." She replied.

"Deal." I said with a smile.

"Deal." She said with her own smile.

-------------------

"Before everyone leaves. For homework I want all students who weren't able to successfully produce a corporeal Patronus to write a three-foot essay on the uses of the Patronus Charm, as well the importance of the emotions needed to cast it properly. Dismissed."

Sighing in relief as the torturous session ground to an end, I picked up my NEWT level Charms textbook and hastily shoved it in my bag as I stood up to leave. I silently chided myself at my feeble attempts to produce a Patronus, the only thing coming out of the end of my wand was wisps of smoke. 'I could do it before, but why couldn't I do it now?' But I already knew why. Every time I tried to draw upon a happy memory, my mind went blank. It was like someone had erected a giant wall inside my head and all I could do was look through the looking-glass but not feel what it was to be happy. Even when I tried to draw the feelings of the freshly started friendship with Hermione as James, it came out as a blank.

"Deal." She said with her own smile.

That moment hung clear in my head for days. I felt a semblance of my shattered heart starting to repair itself. It was like a glimmer for my heart. A glimmer that gave me hope that I could have a shadow of the former friendship we had. Of course, not everyone was as accommodating...

----------Flash Back---------

"Oi! Lians!"

"Yeah Weasley?" I said as I turned around, having decided to not bother with pleasantries since it seemed he wasn't trying to make an effort.

"I'm watching you Lians." His voice trying to be low and menacing while a tint of red shaded his ears.

"What do you mean Weasley?" I replied neutrally.

"If you try to make a move on my girl, I swear to Merlin that your You-Know-Who would seem like child's play compared to me."

I blinked my eyes a couple of times trying to process whether he was serious or not. When I realized he was, I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"What's so funny Lians? You think I'm funny? Huh? That what you think?" Ron roared over my laughter, his ears and face fully red.

Unable to talk coherently, I merely nodded as I continued to laugh doubled over at Ronald's stupidity.

"So you think I'm funny huh? Well let's see how funny you think this is!"

Son of a....

A loud bang erupted beside me, sending me flying down the corridor only stopping when my back slammed against the wall. I felt the air leave my body as I dropped to my hand and knees, stifling the cry of pain that threatened to escape my body. Laughter filled my ears as I struggled to look up. Ron's sneer was plastered on his face with a glint in his eyes that told me that he wasn't done yet as he walked toward me with his wand lazily aimed at me.

"James? What happ- Ron! What are you doing?!"

Turning my head to the left, I saw Hermione running down the corridor with her wand out. Her eyes flashing dangerously at Ron, who stood rooted to the spot. Wincing in pain, I lowered my head to start to mutter the healing spells that I learned on some of the more painful areas as Ron and Hermione blew into a heated argument above me. I barely caught any phrases of their argument as I focused my attention on relieving the pain rather than wanting to hear my former best friends argue.

A gentle hand touched my shoulder made me look up into Hermione's bright orbs, distinctly aware that Ron was nowhere in sight.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so." Giving Hermione disarming smile until a slight pain caused me to winch.

"Here, let me help you up and lets go to Madam Pomfrey." I felt my arm being tugged upward as I slowly climbed to my feet.

After a few moments of walking, Hermione broke the silence. "Sorry about that."

"Sorry about what?"

"You know what. About Ron and him attacking you."

"Hermione, it's technically not you who should be apologizing, it's the redhead. Course, me laughing at him didn't really help matters much."

"Why were you laughing at him?"

"He said that I would fear him more than Voldemort." At this point she stopped us and turned me to face her.

"You said his name..."

"So?"

"Why aren't you afraid of saying his name?"

'Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! Me and my big mouth, I need some Spello-tape...' Deciding I might as well go a shade truthful I replied, "It's just a name; a name doesn't define the person, it's what they do. A name is just a name, its what's under that name that truly matters and being scared of a name only makes the fear pass along to the man. Take away the fear and it's only a person with a name."

"That's quite mature of you."

"I try." I replied as we stopped right outside the hospital wing.

"Do you want me to come in with you? Madam Pomfrey can be quite scary when she's fussing over a student." She asked, her eyes filled with a tint of regret. 'Regret for what though?' I thought.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, you probably have more important things to do then to worry about me."

"It-it-it's alright. I just feel slightly responsible since you were hurt because of what my boyfriend," she spat out the word as if it was venomous, something I noted to ask her later about. "Did to you... huh... I feel slightly nostalgic coming in here sometimes..." the words hung loosely in their air as they left her mouth.

"Why is that?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"I once had a friend who had a bad habit of getting hurt and would often wind up in the hospital wing." She said this with a distant look in her eyes as she glanced out the window.

"Was this friend the same one those Slytherin's called Scarhead?"

"Yes... at least I hope so..."

"Hope so?" I said as I felt an eyebrow quirk.

"A lot of stuff happened last year. I'm sorry but I don't think I'm ready to talk to you about it yet. I'm not sure I would be able to talk about it for a while..." her eyes reflected the regret and sadness heard in her voice.

"That's alright, I'm sorry. It's not my place to pry."

"It's quite alright. You asked a question, and I answered."

"Well..." I muttered awkwardly, "I'll see you later in class then?"

"Oh... Ok. See you later in class then. Bye." she said as she turned to leave.

"Bye." I replied, my eyes following her as she walked away and turned at next corner. I closed my eyes softly and let out a breath I had been holding in before entering the Hospital Wing and my ever-so-welcome monthly check-up with Madam Pomfrey...

---------End Flashback/Flash Back 2.0----------

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Animus Vinclum!"

Like an echo of the past, the two jets of light struck in mid air. The green and the gold, merged together in a blinding ray. But rather then explode, the ray of light expanded into a golden dome that quickly grew in size. A golden light shone forth from the sphere as a bead of light connected our wands.

"So what now Tom?" I asked calmly, as if fighting Dark Lords and creating golden domes were common occasions in my life. "Are you willing to face me in another battle of wills?"

"Ahahahahaha, there is no need for that Harry. Oh no, none indeed." he replied, eerily calm about everything. As if he was planning for this moment. "Let me ask you this Harry. do you have another one?"

"Another what?" I asked perplexedly.

A sinister grin wormed its way across his face as his eyes took on a fanatical glow. His left arm lashed out as silver light burst from his concealed wand. The connection broken as I jerked desperately to the side; trying to avoid the spell. Despite my best effort, the silver light was still able to nick my shoulder. I stumbled to the ground before pivoting around to face my opponent once more as my hand tightened around my wand. Tom almost lovingly sheathed his own wand before transferring his second wand into his right hand. And despite the pain shooting through me from shoulder as I exhaled a pained breath, I was still distinctly aware of Hermione's location near me. 'I have to get away from her! I can't let her get hit by a stray curse!' I thought grimly.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Harry, I thought you would have done better. But no, apparently the Chosen One is not all he seems to be. No?" Voldemort hissed as he erected an Anti-Apparation Ward.

I whipped my wand up as the words screamed in my head; 'Flamma Carcer!' A prison of fire surrounded Voldemort for a mere moment before being extinguished as he countered, "Umbra Incendio!" The light around the fire seemingly being sapped by the hellish ball of black fire that left the earth scorched in its wake as it raced towards me.

"Speculum Protego!" I yelled desperately as my wand waved in front of me. The ball of black fire smashed past my silver shield as if it were paper before my startled eyes. The world around me slowed down to a trickle as a distant memory of Dumbledore's training came to mind...

"Sir, why is it that, some spells can be cast non-verbally when others can't?" I asked as I sat in one of Dumbledore's squishy chairs.

"Ah Harry, that is one of the trickiest things to learn in magic. For generations, Unspeakables in the Department of Mystery have researched this phenomenon. Is it because of the casters ability? Is it because we are not developed magically to do it yet? This is why Tom's followers do not silently cast the killing curse on their victims. Think of what a lone Death Eater can do while disillusioned and silently casting the killing curse in Diagon Alley? But they don't because they cannot. Often times they shout the incantations of the spell because they have to, not because they want to, magic won't allow them to do that. Even Tom himself, for all his boasting, cannot manipulate magic to silently cast the killing curse.

"We manipulate magic to do our bidding, but at the same time magic manipulates us do to its bidding. It is one of the greatest mysteries in using magic that cannot be explained. It is like using wandless magic. Most direct spells that involve affecting someone cannot be done. If I were to point my hand at you and shout Stupefy, it would not happen, yet if I were to stop a spell you sent at me with a Protego, a shield would be formed with a wave of my hand. Magic, does what magic wants to be done, if I were to presume."

"You make it sound as if magic is alive sir."

"Ah but it is, in a sense. We manipulate the magic within us and yet we are alive are we not? Is it really hard to believe that the magic within us can be alive as well?" Dumbledore said wisely.

"Sir, you made mention of a class of dark magic called 'Dorchadas', what do I do when my opponent sends this type of spell against me?"

"As I have told you before, 'Dorchadas' spells are incanted by using the 'Umbra' prefix. These spells are borderline necromantic which, Tom has already delved in, in using Inferi. Since they use netherworld powers, you must use the opposite power. In essence, if someone were to use black fire against you, then you must counter with white fire," he replied while the points of his fingers touched in front of him. "I cannot show you what to do, Harry- for 'shadow' spells require a ritual that involves the blood of a dozen innocents, something that Tom would surely have done. What I can teach you the incantation for the 'bright' spells. Now listen closely..."

In my mind, the memory shone clearly as if it only happened an hour ago. My arm extended forward, my wand firmly in hand as I shouted at the ball of fire barrelling its way towards me.

"Candentis Incendio!"

White fire erupted from the tip of my wand slammed into the black ball of Voldemort's. Clouds of dust filled the air as an explosion rocked the clearing while the ground underneath split from the force. The dust barely settled when jets of spiralled at me from beyond the dust clouds. I threw myself away from Hermione, desperately trying to get her out of the crossfire. My wand moved on its accord as spells erupted from its tips.

The dust slowly settled as my opponent and I continued to exchange fire. I was constantly moving and weaving myself around the spells thrown at me. Some I blocked, some I reflected others dodged, but always firing spells back at my opponent. Some spells were thought, some whispered, others yelled. Never giving my opponent a chance to breathe.

Streams of colour danced across the clearing like an intricate light show, both contestants locked in a never-ending battle of flashes and explosions. The flashes of power displayed reflected in the clouds before being toss around as jets of power streaked across the sky. Trees shuddered as the ground underneath rumbled in agony as chunks of ground were blown away. The air itself grew static as power continued to be exchanged, the glow of past spells never dimming in the air.

Cuts lined my body as I rolled away from another jet of yellow light. My breath came in short pants as I reflexively let off another barrage of Reducto's, the words pounding in my head as I felt his attempts to invade mine. Pivoting on my right foot, I spun my wand in an intricate pattern as words of power tumbled from my lips. My eyes focused solely on my opponent as he was forced to spin to the side. His smouldering robes clung to him like a funeral drape as he dodged my spells. My wand snapped to attention before me as a golden ring formed around Voldemort's body. The ring enveloping his body as it shrunk...

Without warning, my spell was suddenly repelled. The backlash lifted me from the ground and sent me flying backwards. I landed painfully on my hand and knees as I felt the last of my magic reserves draining to keep me conscious. Coughing up blood, I feebly lifted my head as a trickle of blood flowed down the side of my mouth.

Deep and unsettling laughter echoed in the silent clearing as Voldemort watched me with blazing eyes. "I must say Harry; you put up quite a good fight. Managing to block out my attempts to enter your mind while still able to fight back? I must say I am deeply impressed. You could have been great if you joined me. Oh yes, great indeed as my most trust and powerful Lieutenant. But, it is too late for you now... Avada Kedavra!"

The green light of the killing curse erupted from the tip of his wand as someone shouted, "'Arry!"

A giant mass rushed in front of me before my startled eyes, a familiar mass that echoed of time spent in a hut by the Forbidden Forest drinking tea...

"HAGRID NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Before my eyes, Hagrid sacrificed his own life for mine; his body absorbed the light of death... The first friend I had ever had, died before my eyes.

A cackling laugh pierced through my numb mind as Voldemort spoke again. "Ahahahaha, what now Harry? Another death on your head. What will you do now that you don't have your half-breed pet? Hmm? Lets add that mudblood to the collection shall we? The collection of deaths you caused. Avada~"

"HERMIONE!" I screamed as a hidden and unknown power raced down into my left hand. In the span of milliseconds, the power gathered and folded in on itself as it developed in my hand. My eyes turned pure white as blue lightning crackled at the corner of them. The air around me instantly grew more static as power rolled off me in waves. My hand shot forward and raw magic exploded form the palm of my hand as if it were lightning. It raced across the ground, zig-zagging along the way, before tearing itself through Voldemort's body. Chunks of flesh were ripped from his body as the Anti-Apparation Wards collapsed. The sound of fleeing Death Eaters were muted by the lightning racing from my palm. His voiced screamed into the minds of all who were still present before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"THIS WILL NOT BE THE LAST YOU SEE OF ME!"

My hand dropped to the ground, tired and sore from the magical strain. I swayed drunkenly on my right hand as I tried to stay awake. Shaking the cobwebs from my head, I crawled over to the body of my friend. Memories of time spent together rolled in my head as I stared into his unseeing eyes. Sobs wracked my body as tears rolled down my face. I threw my head back and let out a pitiful wail to the heavens. The cry echoed off the treetops as a gentle rain poured from the sky as if crying itself. Rain mixed with my tears dripped onto Hagrid's beard. Fawkes flashed into existence overhead, a sad song thrilling from his beak. Gently, he landed on my shoulder as I grabbed hold of Hagrid's shirt. And with a flash, we disappeared from the Burrow.

-------------------

I buried him that night, beside my parent's grave, beside the empty grave of Sirius's. This was the resting place for people who gave their life for me. Stone slabs marked their place in the ground as I whispered words of prayer before allowing Fawkes to heal me for the long sleep to come...

-------------------

Sighing in annoyance, I leaned back on my chair while rubbing my eyes with one hand as my other ran through my black/red shoulder length hair. A slight headache echoed in my head as I stared out the closed window of the late October evening. Warning bells kept going off in my mind, as if warning me something was happening today. But so far, all that has happened was my inability to master what lay before me. Taking a glance around the near empty library, I noticed the lack of the familiar bushy haired girl who was said to lurk in the library regardless of the time. Shrugging my shoulders at this weird anomaly, I took a glance down at the rune-covered parchment on the table before me.

For all my knowledge and efforts, I couldn't get the teleportation rune to work to the way I wanted. Every test trial left the insect I was experimenting on in pieces. It was suppose to be a simple teleportation rune that I could activate by a thought. No need to carry it on you, just leave it somewhere, think of activating it and being summoned to the rune. No floo powder to throw into a fire, no need to carry around useless trinkets to use as a portkey, no tugging near the naval, no unpleasant feelings that go along with apparating, and no disorientation and sound from said apparating or portkeying. Growling in frustration, I threw myself back into my work until a sniffle jerked my head up.

"Hermione?" I said as I stood up in shock.

At the sound of my voice she threw herself at me, burying herself into my shoulder as my arms automatically wrapped around her. At first, my body stiffened at the contact before I forced myself to relax. "Hermione what's wrong?" Her only response was to dig deeper into my shoulder and cry harder as I slowly rubbed her back with my right hand while my left merely patted her on the head. I must admit, it felt awkward with her crying on my shoulder, but at the same time it felt... dare I say it, natural?

Taking a glance at the librarian, I saw her eyes narrow in annoyance at the disturbance to the silence. Nervous sweat broke down my back as I quietly waved my wand to banish all my belongings back to my room before leading Hermione into the hallway and away from Pince's radar. A sudden shudder ran through Hermione's body as she clung to me even more tightly. My eyes closed on their own admission as my arms tightened slightly around her, hoping to give her some small measure of relief. Somewhere deep within me, some long forgotten part recognized that she needed a shoulder to cry on, and partly, within that recess of emotions, I knew I wanted a bit of my humanity back, just to be there for her.

Minutes passed and her sobs grew shorter and shorter until we sat in silence. With her left arm wrapped around my neck and her right clutching my cloak as if to never let go, I merely held her, amazed at how she fit perfectly to my body as my arms hugged her close to me. "Did you know?" her voice waspy from all the crying.

"Know what?" I asked in turn.

"Lavender and Ron..."

"What about them?"

"They said everyone knew..."

I pushed her gently back a little so that we were looking at one another. My right hand uncoiled itself from her back to gently wipe away a tear escaping down her cheek. Her eyes told tales of pain and betrayal, something that even I, until not long ago, held. "What happened? What did Ron and Lavender do to make you cry?"

"I...I...I... after Charms, I went back to the common room to work on the Ancient Runes project for Professor Babbling." She let out a small sniff. "After a while, I asked where Ron was and Neville told me that he had last seen him going to the boys dormitory and I f-f-f-found him in bed with Lavender."

This brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes and I quickly hugged her close to me. "Shhhh, shhhh, it's alright. Everything is going to be alright."

"H-h-he laughed at me... -said that everyone knew, and I was too stupid to notice. What have I done? I lost Harry, and now Ron pushed me away. I don't know what to do anymore."

I stiffened at the sound of my name, 'Wait, wait, wait, she... lost... me? What did that mean? Wasn't she the one who pushed me away?'

"I'm so lost," she continued. "After recieving his letter at the end of 5th year, and then Professor Dumbledore's death, I'm scared for Harry; I don't know where he is...I'm scared he's on his own trying to fight Voldemort!"

'Something really doesn't seem right here... I thought she said I was too dangerous to be around... What's going on? I'll worry about that later; right now I need to be here for Hermione.' "Hermione..." I said, unsure of what to do, but deciding for the first time in months to follow my heart, "I'm sure, wherever Harry is, he's fine."

"But how do you know?!"

"Because, if he has such a caring witch worrying about him, then he would be an idiot to let himself be hurt. And I'm sure he cares about you as well."

"But he doesn't know! I was a horrible friend to him last year. We didn't talk for the whole year last year, not even when Dumbledore died! And.... and.... and now I'm scared he's on his own, trying to fight V-V-Voldemort!"

I hugged her close to me as I whispered, "I'm sure, wherever Harry is, he knows how you feel despite everything, and he still cares about you. And I doubt that he would want you to worry about him."

"But how do-"

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"

---------Translations----------

Candentis - shining/bright/clear

Umbra - Shadow

Dorchadas – (Celtic Gaelic) Darkness

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A/N – That was a pretty hard chapter to write, I had the words in mind but I couldn't make them coherent on paper.

A/N - This was probably my all time favourite chapter to write... until... possibly the EPIC DUEL IN THE END OF THE STORY! :O

A/N - Reviews are welcome in a contructive manner. i.e. telling me I suck doesn't actually tell me much in general. Give me examples of why I suck and chances are I'll improve