Disclaimer : I do not any rights of Harry Potter !

Thanks to Ferretina, my Beta !

Chapter 14: Rescue and Homecoming

The appointment was made, tomorrow at the same time he would have his mother in his arms, and Harry was convinced now. The transfer of prisoners would be done by the chimneys of the Ministry they was the only ones of the country not to be monitored. The B.A. was ready to do anything to free their professor and put an end to the trickery led by Umbridge. Their plan was simple, to get to the Ministry before the Death Eaters and to hope with all their hearts that the information gathered by the Order of the Phoenix is accurate. It was supposed to be only Hermione and another wizard transferred by a very small group of Death Eaters, which suddenly had to go unnoticed.

Of course it had to be true, they were going to be six wizards' students and it was more than some that they did not have the level to face a legion of Death Eaters. Harry fell asleep that evening full of hope, fear and courage. The little group got ready without anyone knowing what they had in mind. After all, the members of the Order would have discouraged them from doing that, but since they did not seem inclined to try anything...

"Harry, do you think we're going to succeed? To save Mom?" Olivia whispered, observing her brother's reaction to her words.

"Yes, I am sure of it! In any case we can't let her suffer without doing nothing, she taught us to fight, now it is up to us to show what we are capable."

This brief discourse had been heard by all the small group and had motivated them. So they went to Umbridge's office, which would normally be distracted by the umpteenth invention of the Weasley twins. As expected she was absent but could come back at any time and all hurried to use the chimney of the new director. They arrived in the Ministry and hid in the places they had planned and remained there, patients hoping that the transfer would not be postponed to another day.

A noise was heard, a Death Eater appeared on one of the fireplaces but something was wrong for Harry when he saw his mother and another Death Eater arrive in their turn: there was supposed to be another wizard transferred! Was the information false on this point? Had the wizard been killed in the meantime? Or it brought something much darker.

Unfortunately it was too late to turn around and even if he could he would not, not after seeing her in such a state just a few meters from him. Harry threw the signal to the rest of the group, with some Stupefix and other Expeliarmus, Reducto or Rictusempra, they reduced the poor defences caught unawares by the two Death Eaters present. The young wizard as well as the whole group then fell on the young woman who was so weak that was now on the ground before realizing that the Polyjuice that the latter had taken had worn off.

They saw then who was truly before them: Bellatrix Lestrange just escaped from Azkaban. She laughed, and another Death Eater arrived, and was immediately recognized by the group: Lucius Malfoy. He was jubilant, that could be seen in his face which was generally inexpressive.

"Well, Mr. Potter, would you think you were cleverer than the Dark Lord in person? How could you think that we should be so careless about such a precious prisoner? However I have a proposal for you."

"And why should we believe a filthy Death Eater like you, Mister Malfoy?" Olivia shouted, hoping to see her mother one day.

"Well, it's simple, my Master needs an object that only your brother can take in hand, and I propose Mrs. Black against this object."

"Never would you exchange such a precious prisoner as you call her against any object of any value!" Ginny replied. "We are not so stupid!"

"Silence, blood traiter!"

"Calm Bella." Lucius said. "You see, this little Mudblood has not said a word since the kidnapping, so she is better for an exchange than totally dead, even if I would have been happy to take her life."

The young wizards looked at each other briefly, after all Lucius' explanation was on the good because he knew that Hermione would never have said a single word. Luna had the idea of asking them to bring her right away with them to make sure she was alive and given back to her family after all. Lucius had her come, she had a weak face, and she could hardly stand up, and blood could be seen here and there.

Olivia was nauseated to see her so but knew she could not press on her to take her in her arms, at least not immediately. Two Death Eaters wore Hermione as everyone went where all the prophecies predicted one day had been preserved. One of them seemed to call Harry, he took it and finally wondered if it was wise to give it to them. Yes he was ready for anything for his mother but...

"Harry ... No ... Give ... Prophecy ... No!"

One of the Death Eaters slapped Hermione for the few words she had managed to line up but it was too late, the whole group already knew what to do. They separated and fought as much as they could, Ginny knocked down all the shelves filled with Prophecies before the group joined a door leading them to a Great Hall with an Ark in the centre. The Death Eaters joined them and Hermione gave a cry of anguish, it was here that Sirius had died of Bellatrix's wand in her world.

Harry was about to surrender and give Prophecy to Lucius to save his mother and his friends when a slew of white lights appeared around them, taking the shape of the members of the Order of the Phoenix. The fighting went on one after the other and Hermione felt a second breath animate her. She no longer had so much strength but if this evening she would die would protect her family, protecting the man she loved above all else.

She stood up and took one of the wands on the floor of an unconscious Death Eater hoping that she would accept the witch. She rushed to her husband's side, not holding herself, Sirius and Hermione fighting Lucius and Bellatrix respectively. As long as the latter was in Hermione's eyes everything would go well, she gave all she had to the great pride of her children who had gathered with the young wizards to ensure their defences together.

In front of them they had a real Gryffindor who drew all the courage of which she was provided on that evening, who could really know what had been done to her and yet she was there! She gave Bellatrix Lestrange a hard time and sent her waltzing a few yards away, and the Death Eaters finally fled. A spell was screamed at the other end of the room by Igor Karkaroff, aiming at Sirius at first, it was Hermione who was touched when she interposed between the magic flow and her husband. Two cries of a teenager and a male cry were heard in this already cold room and filled with misfortunes...