A/N: As usual thanks to my beta rhmac12.
Harry avoided Hermione as if she were the plague. He didn't need to hide much since Hermione was in the kitchen all the time and her eyes were glued to the Weasley family clock. All he had to do was make sure that he was not around the kitchen. He knows if Hermione finds him today, well let's just say that there is no need to tell which curse he would receive from her. He knows Ron will be dead any minute now as he has been waiting anxiously to hear the update. The fact that he has not heard any shrieks from Mrs. Weasley or Hermione yet was definitely a sign that Ron must still be alive. As horrible as it sounds even to his own ears, he hopes that the death will be painless and quick. Yes it is true that he wants Ron to be out of Hermione's life, but that doesn't mean he wants him to suffer. Ron has been his first friend ever but given the situation if Ron survives there is no way he will able to hide his half-truths and complete lies from what has become his first real family.
Harry sighed in frustration for the umpteenth time. He was itching to go into the kitchen to see where the clock was pointing to but then realized going into the kitchen meant having to face Hermione. He jerked away from his thoughts when the twins apparated on both sides.
"Harry, everything is ready. Shall we leave?" Fred asked with rare seriousness on his face.
Harry looked at them with confusion.
"Where are we going?" He asked before any of the twins answered as Hermione rushed towards them.
"Ron's hand shifted from Mortal Peril to Lost. We have to move quickly." Hermione said determined.
Harry immediately understood what was happening. Fred and George had planned to rescue Ron and Hermione was behind the plan as they excluded him, not being concerned about his feelings on the matter. They are thinking he lied to Mrs. Weasley just to get her off their backs so that they can plan Ron's rescue. He felt his throat constrict. Fred and George started explaining their plan and Harry felt as if he was standing on fire. He wished for Merlin to help him out when suddenly the Silver Doe, which led him to the sword, appeared out of nowhere.
'Ronald Weasley is safe' the doe said and disappeared into thin air.
Harry looked at Fred and George's faces and both were looking at him and Hermione for the answers.
"Harry, is it the same Silver Doe you said about before?" Hermione asked barely containing her excitement.
"Yes, this is the same Patronus which led me to the sword." Harry said looking bewildered.
"Excuse me, can you please tell us what this is all about? Why do you people need a sword? And whose Patronus is that?" George asked looking puzzled.
"We can't reveal it to you guys but all I can say is Ron is safe; he might have escaped or somebody saved him." Harry said with a fake cheerful voice forcing a smile. But his smile turned genuine when Hermione hugged him.
"He is alive, Harry, he is alive. I think he is on his way here…but I don't know how badly injured he is..." Hermione said rushing inside the house to announce the news leaving the open mouthed twins and Harry.
As soon as Hermione left, the twins surrounded Harry for answers as he gave them a constrained smile and took out his wand and dissaparated into Ron's room.
Snape entered the headmaster's office and was warmly greeted by Dumbledore's portrait.
"Ah Severus, I was waiting for you." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Headmaster Phineas Black just informed me that Harry and Hermione are visiting the Burrow."
"Why are they going to the Burrow?" Snape asked his face expressionless.
"It seems Ms. Granger convinced Harry to take help from the Order as they are going nowhere with the mission, but I think the main reason they went there is for Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore's portrait said his eyes twinkling with every sentence.
"How does Phineas know this? Did they have this conversation with his portrait in front?" Snape asked.
"Phineas' eyes may be blindfolded Severus, but his ears work fine."
"Potter doesn't have brains but Granger's brain is also not working properly it seems." Severus said venomously.
"You don't have to act as if you don't care about them Severus." Dumbledore said knowingly.
"I don't care about them and by the way Potter has to die in the end according to you anyway, Headmaster." Snape said plainly.
"It is just a possibility Severus; nobody knows the outcome of the war until it ends." Dumbledore said adjusting his lenses.
"Why don't you tell me about the mission? You trust those teenagers to save the Wizarding World and they don't have any clue what they are doing and you give me the missions like to kill you or leading them to the sword or telling Potter your message to kill himself." Snape said angrily.
"I believe in them Severus; Potter has the potential and with Ms. Granger's brains they will complete the mission even though they will face some hardships." Dumbledore's portrait said patiently unfazed by Snape's anger.
"But-" Snape clutched his arm as the Dark Mark started burning. "I have to go; the Dark Lord is calling for me." Dumbledore nodded and Snape rushed towards the fireplace.
Snape arrived at Malfoy Manor within no time and was surprised to see the number of Deatheaters who already arrived there, showing no emotion as always.
"Severus… you are here; I thought you would show up late as usual."
Bellatrix sneered as soon as Snape entered the room. Snape was always a most trusted servant of Voldemort along with Bellatrix but since he killed Dumbledore and with Bellatrix's failure in Malfoy Manor, her importance to the Dark Lord was diminished. Now Snape was considered as the Dark Lord's right hand man, which irked Bellatrix to no end. She left no opportunity to provoke him or belittle him but Snape being Snape never cared.
"What's the matter? Why did Master call everybody?" Snape asked Wormtail ignoring Bellatrix.
"Somebody entered Gringotts under the Dillusionment charm. Master thinks most of the Order will be there and it's time to finish the only resistance." Wormtail said trying to avoid the penetrating gage of Snape which always intimidated him.
"Why will The Order be there at Gringotts?" Snape asked.
"That information is only for the Dark Lord's most trusted servants and the Dark Lord only trusts me with it. So you better follow the orders instead of questioning them."
Bellatrix boasted and immediately became silent as Voldemort entered the room.
"Severus, I think you know what we have to do. You along with the others must take complete control of Diagon Alley. Make sure that nobody can leave the place nor can they enter. Bellatrix and I will go inside Gringotts. We will find the Order members and kill them all."
Voldemort instructed and everybody dissaparated.
Bellatrix followed Voldemort into Gringotts, staying two steps behind him. The Auror who was guarding the door tried to flee as soon as he saw them apparating in front of the bank, but Voldemort was too quick for him as the killing curse hit him square in the chest. The Goblins who were always busy working dropped everything with fear as soon as they saw the Dark Lord.
Voldemort didn't bother with them as he went straight to the carts which took them to Lestrange's vaults; since people knew who they were dealing with, nobody in the security dared to question him as they allowed him to pass to the carts without being interrupted. As they neared the dragon they saw Griphook passing the dragon with clankers in his hand and as soon as he saw them, he froze on his spot as the dragon spit fire and burned him alive.
"You little twit; you are lucky the dragon killed you or else I would have made you regret the day you were born for going against the Dark Lord!" Bellatrix shouted as they passed his burnt body.
They reached the Lestrange's vault where they saw the Head Goblin who just came out of the Imperious curse and was shaking his head vigorously, trying to clear his mind. He stopped as soon as he saw Voldemort standing before him.
"I didn't… I didn't do anything." The head Goblin stuttered as he fell to his knees with fear.
"Open the vault door." Voldemort ordered and the Goblin got up hurriedly and opened the vault door.
Voldemort entered the vault. Bellatrix stopped before entering the vault and looked at the Head Goblin menacingly and hissed, "Stay here."
The Head Goblin stood outside waiting. Then he heard 'Crucio' shouted from inside the vault as he resisted the urge to run away from the place. He tried not to think about the punishment he was going to receive from Bellatrix but the shouts coming out from the vault were not at all helping.
His wait didn't last long as Bellatrix came out of the vault with a red face and the Head Goblin knew it spelled trouble for him.
Bellatrix eyed him and smiling cruelly spoke low.
"It's time for your punishment, isn't it?" Bellatrix asked with an evil glint in her eyes. The Goblin started pleading to her for forgiveness but no word came out as he was hit with a silencing spell by Bellatrix.
Bellatrix laughed evilly, "Let us see how much pain you can withstand, shall we?"
Bellatrix tortured the Goblin and didn't stop even after he lost consciousness. She renervated the Goblin and again started the torture and continued until Voldemort came out from the vault which by that time the Goblin was barely alive.
Voldemort closed the vault door and saw Bellatrix torturing the Goblin. He then shouted, "Avada Kedavra" as the spell hit the Goblin's head, killing him instantly.
Snape casted a Caterwauling charm and Anti-dissaparation charms around the alley, as he along with other Deatheaters searched the whole place but didn't find any members from The Order.
Snape came back to Gringotts to report where he saw Voldemort along with Bellatrix coming out of the bank.
"My Lord, I think somebody gave you the wrong-" Snape stopped as Voldemort raised his hand.
"I know Severus; tell everybody to return and clear the mess inside. Keep two people here and tell them to inform us as soon as any Order members come here." Voldemort said as he made a Portkey and took Wormtail and Bellatrix with him into thin air.
Snape bowed and removed the Anti-apparation charm and Caterwauling charm.
He informed everybody to return and immediately rushed inside Gringotts and went straight to the Lestrange's Vault where he saw the Head Goblin's dead body outside the door. He immediately lifted him and placed his hand on the door and it opened. He quickly then pulled out Ron and closed the door again.
Ron was barely alive; Snape immediately took out his wand and performed healing charms. Weasley needed immediate medical attention as he still had some major injuries but would live. Snape transfigured Ron into a book and kept him inside his robes as by this time Potter and Granger would be at the Burrow where they would know about Weasley's stupidity; and if he knew them correctly, they would planning to save Weasley, despite the danger. If they came here they would directly fall into the trap. He took out his wand and sent them a Patronus.
He could leave Weasley outside the Burrow but in his condition they had to take him to St. Mungo's or Hogwarts as he didn't think they would have all the potions to treat him which left him with only one option: he has to treat Weasley until he was fully recovered.
Snape decided to take Ron to Hogwarts and when he was half way he remembered the Weasley clock. He cannot take Weasley to Hogwarts….yeah he definitely knows one place where nobody will come looking for him yet: The Shrieking Shack.