Hey guys! So I'm posting on time this week yay! So last chapter I was rushing and didn't get to thanks to brainyravenclaw5 for making a correction for me, I have been spelling Blaze instead of Blaise, I don't know why because in my last story I spelt it correctly, but yeah thank you for correcting me! So this chapter is mainly on Harry, Ron, Justin and Hermione, Well actually basically it's just a bit like Chapter 15 in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but slightly different...I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 14 – Rising Force
It was early November Harry, Ron, Justin and Hermione pitched their tent quickly as the light began to fade on the horizon. None of the group was actually aware of how much time had passed since retrieving Slytherin's Locket but it was becoming apparent that winter was drawing closer and closer by the day. The fact that food was minimal and they were continually isolated just to one another's company was beginning to drive Ron crazy,
"My Mother," Ron said one night, as they sat in the tent on a riverbank in Wales "Can make good food appear out of thin air" he looked moodily down at is metal plate and the lumps of charred grey fish, Justin glanced up a Ron and could see the Slytherin lockets golden chain glinting around his neck. Justin then turned to Harry who looked as if he was fighting the urge not to punch Ron, but Harry knew as well as everyone else in the tent that Ron's mood would improve once he removed the locket.
"Your mother can't produce food out of thin air Ron," Hermione interjected also picking at her food, "No one can. Food is the first of the five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfigur-" Hermione began to explain but Ron interrupted her in mid explanation.
"Oh, talk in English why don't you!" Ron bellowed prising a fishbone from between his teeth and glaring at Hermione. Hermione let out a sigh.
"It's impossible to make good food out of nothing! You can summon if it you know where it is, you can transform it, you can increase the quantity if you've already got some but-" once again before Hermione could finish her explanation Ron interrupted.
"Well, don't bother increasing this, it's disgusting!" Ron said moodily setting down his plate. Everyone was silent for a moment.
"Harry caught the fish and I did my best with it! I notice I'm always the one who ends up sorting out the food, because I'm the girl here I suppose this is how it all works!" Hermione retorted fuming, Ron was being so ungrateful.
"No it's because you're suppose to be the best at magic!" Ron shot back. Hermione jumped up and bits of the fish she had cooked slid off her tin plate onto the floor.
"You can do the cooking tomorrow then Ron, you can find the ingredients and try and charm them into something worth eating and we'll all sit here and pull faces and moan and you see how you-"
"Shut Up!" Harry hissed, he got to his feet walking towards the entrance of the door, Hermione looked outraged.
"How can you side with him!" She hissed back moodily folding her arms and following after Harry,
"Hermione be quiet, I can hear someone!" Harry retorted in a strained whisper, they all listened hard knowing that none of them should make a sound they all edged towards the entrance of the tent. "You cast the Muffliato charm over this area, right?" he whispered to Hermione.
"I did everything," She hissed back slightly annoyed that Harry thought she might have forgotten something. "They shouldn't be able to hear or see us, whoever these people are," They listened for a moment when they heard something they all wanted to hear,
"Did you hear about the kids who tried to steal Gryffindor's sword out of Snape's office at Hogwarts?" Harry heard a goblin's voice say. "One of the kids who tried to take the sword was Bill's younger sister, he works a Gringotts." Harry turned towards Ron. "She and a couple of friends got into Snape's office and smashed open the glass case where he was apparently keeping the sword. A Death Eater girl caught them as they were trying to smuggle it down the staircase." Justin gulped as Ron turned to glare at Justin. Griphook began to laugh.
"Snape obviously thought the sword wasn't safe so sent it to the Lestranges' high security vault, The Sword of Gryffindor is fake. Where ever the genuine sword of Gryffindor is, it is not in a vault at Gringotts Bank." Griphook rasped finally. Ron closed his eyes begging under his breath to know what had happened to Ginny. "The kids who tried to steal the sword were punished cruelly." Griphook said indifferently.
"But they're OK?" Harry heard Dean Thomas ask.
"They suffered no serious injury, as far as I am aware." Griphook replied, Ron sat back in the tent breathing a sigh of relief, Ginny was ok. After the group of people had moved on they all stared at one another unable to speak for a few moments.
"Ginny…the sword," Harry breathed finally breaking the silence.
"I know!" Hermione replied almost excitedly. She rushed back to her bed lunging her arm into her tiny beaded bag. She rummaged around for awhile searching through it.
"Here…we…are…" she managed through gritted teeth as she pulled and object clearly from the bottom on the bag. Ron retreated to the bed letting out a long sigh clutching Slytherins necklace around his neck. Having heard no news on Potter watch was driving him mad, was his family safe at least he knew Ginny was kind of ok at Hogwarts? Did Harry really have a plan as to where to find these Horcruxes because right now it didn't seem like it now they had the real sword of Gryffindor to find? All they were doing was travelling from place to place, not even sure what they were actually looking for. Ron could see Justin making his way just outside the tent slumping down against a tree to keep watch; he could hear Hermione and Harry talking to the portrait of Phineas Nigellus, he listen carefully playing with the locket around his neck.
"We have some questions about the sword of Gryffindor," Harry said looking at the portrait intently.
"Ah yes, the silly Weasley girl acted unwisely, the girl and her friends were foolhardy in the extreme thieving from the Headmaster!" Phineas said.
"They weren't thieving, It's not Snape's sword!" Harry bellowed, Phineas Nigellus' portrait chuckled before continuing to speak.
"Precisely, it is not the Weasley girl's property either; it is the property of Hogwarts which is run by Professor Severus Snape, she deserved her punishment, as did the idiot Longbottom and oddity Lovegood. At first it seemed the Russo girl was in on it too, but she obviously told Snape about the plan because he arrived just in time." Phineas told them. Harry's heart sank, Alex gave them away. If Justin wasn't outside he probably would have felt awful for what his sister was doing.
"Neville is not and idiot and Luna is not an oddity" Hermione retorted angrily. "How did Snape punish Ginny, Neville and Luna?" Harry asked urgently.
"Professor Snape sent them into the Forbidden Forest, to do some work for the oaf Hagrid." Phineas replied in a somewhat bored tone.
"Please Professor Black can you tell us the last time the sword was taken out of its case? Before Ginny took it I mean?" Harry asked quickly watching as Phineas tried to exit his portrait. Phineas snorted impatiently.
"I believe that the last time I saw the sword of Gryffindor leave its case was when Professor Dumbledore used it to break open a ring." Hermione let out a piercing scream rushing towards her table of books as Phineas Nigellus exited the portrait.
"Hermione what is it?" Harry asked whipping round to look at Hermione flipping through pages of a book. She looked up into Harry's face beaming.
"The sword of Gryffindor can destroy Horcruxes! Goblin-made blades imbibe only that which makes it stronger; Harry the sword is impregnated with Basilisk venom!" Harry stared at Hermione slightly confused for a moment before a big grin appeared on his face. But it suddenly faded.
"But where had Dumbledore left the real sword?" Harry asked morosely. Why hadn't Dumbledore told him?
"Think!" Hermione whispered almost excitedly, they were getting closer to being able to destroy the necklace, if only they could figure out where it had been hidden. Harry began to pace up and down the tent his heart beating so fast with excitement.
"Not at Hogwarts," Harry murmured continuing to pace.
"Somewhere in Hogsmeade?" Hermione suggested hopefully watching Harry walk back a forth.
"The Shrieking Shack?" Harry suggested "What do you reckon Ron?" There was a pause and no answer from Ron. "Ron?" Harry urged. Ron then finally appeared his face was sour.
"Oh, decided to remember me have you?" Ron snorted glaring at Hermione and Harry whose faces displayed a somewhat perplexed look. "You two carry on, don't let me spoil all the fun." Ron went on. Harry took a step forward looking down on Ron.
"If you have something to say, please share it." Harry responded diplomatically, Ron would no longer look at Harry.
"There's no problem here at least not according to you anyway." Ron retorted coldly, it was very unlike him, he grasped the locket in his hand which was still hanging around his neck. There was a few heavy patters on top of the canvas over their heads, it had started to rain, Justin's head popped through the tent door, surveying the scene before him.
"Um can I come in?" Justin asked. "It's raining out there." Ron glared at Justin while Harry and Hermione gave him stern looks. "Have I…Have I missed something?" Justin said raising his eyebrow and glancing at each of the unhappy looking faces of the trio.
"Not a bit." Ron growled swinging his long legs off of the bed and sat up. "It's not like we're having the time of our lives on this trip, I mean my arm mangled, nothing to eat and freezing cold every night…I just hoped by now we could have achieved something."
"Ron." Hermione said in a small voice.
"I thought you all knew what you signed up for?" Harry asked glancing at Ron, Justin and Hermione.
"Yeah…I thought I did too." Ron said.
"What part of this is not living up to your expectations, did you think we were going to be staying in five star hotels, finding a Horcrux every other day, did you think you'd be back with mummy by Christmas?" Harry asked, his calm voice beginning to falter as anger built up inside of him.
"We thought you knew what you were doing!" Ron bellowed rolling out of bed and standing up. "We thought Dumbledore told you what to do, we thought you of all things had a plan, but it's quite obvious that you don't know what you're really doing!" Ron continued.
"Ron!" Hermione said, this time much louder, but Ron once again ignored her, his eyes fiercely fixed on Harry.
"Well sorry to let you down." Harry said, he was still able to maintain his calm voice. "I told you everything Dumbledore told me and in case you haven't noticed we have found a Horcrux already!" Harry said pointing at the locket around Ron's neck. Ron glanced down at the locket hanging around his neck.
"Yeah and we're as close to getting rid of it as we are to finding all the other Horcruxes now aren't we?" Ron retorted.
"Take off the locket Ron." Hermione said in a soft yet high voice taking a few steps towards him. "You wouldn't be saying any of this if you hadn't been wearing it all day." Hermione went on.
"Yeah he would." Harry said heatedly, he didn't want excuses made for Ron. "Did you think I didn't notice the three of you whispering behind my back?" Harry asked glaring at Ron, Hermione and Justin. "Did you think I couldn't guess what you were all thinking?" Harry went on a feeling of hurt filling him along with anger. Justin and Hermione both took in sharp breath glancing at one another.
"Harry…we weren't-" Justin began but Ron cut across him quickly.
"Don't lie!" Ron retorted glaring at Justin. "You think it too, you're both just as disappointed, and you all thought he had a bit more to go on." Harry looked at Hermione, tears were pouring down her face, and the excitement of only a few moments ago had vanished from her face as if it had never happened.
"I didn't say it like that, Harry, I didn't." Hermione wailed, unable to prevent the tears from streaming down her face.
"Go home then!" Harry bellowed, Ron stared at Harry for a few brief moments.
"Maybe I will then." Ron said taking several steps towards Harry. "Did you hear what they said about Ginny, or perhaps you don't care at all?" Ron went on; Harry stood his ground, while Ron towered over him. "You don't care about any of my family, none of you do!" Ron said glaring at Hermione and Harry. "And especially you!" Ron said, his eyes shifting and then fixing on Justin, who frowned. "Your family, your sister especially!" Ron went on; Justin said nothing his eyes still fixed on Ron. "You weren't here to hear it were you? To hear how your sister betrayed mine, pretending to be on our side and then turning her and everyone else into Snape." Ron went on bitterly. "It's all, alright for all of you, Hermione your parents don't even remember you and they're not here anymore." Hermione looked hurt at Ron's words but said nothing to argue. Ron then turned back to Justin. "And you, your family is safe because Alex is a Death Eater." Ron finally turned to Harry.
"And my parents are dead." Harry said finishing his sentence for Ron.
"And mine could be going the same way!" Ron yelled.
"Then go, go back to them!" Harry roared. "Let mummy feed you up." Harry and Ron both went to reach for their wands but neither was faster than Hermione who already had her wand raised and yelled.
"Protego!" A transparent barrier so powerful it forced each of them to take a few steps back, Ron and Harry glowered through it at one another. Harry felt deep hatred toward Ron at that moment, something had come between them.
"Leave the Horcrux." Harry told him. Ron wrenched the chain over his head throwing it into a near by chair, his eyes then fixed on Hermione.
"Are you coming or are you staying?" Ron asked forcefully. Hermione stared perplexed at Ron for a few moments until she finally answered.
"Yes, I'm staying, we said we'd help, we said we'd stay with Harry."
"I get it. You choose him." Ron said angrily, storming from the tent into the night.
"Ron! Ron please! Ron! Ron come back!" Hermione called rushing out of the tent into the rain, Harry and Justin stood quite still, listening to Hermione's cries and sobbing they grew faint for a few moments and then Hermione returned her sopping clothes and hair plastered to her pale face, she wiped a few tears from her face. Justin picked the Horcrux up from the chair and placed it gently around his neck, while Harry still stood motionless in a daze. "He's, g-gone." Hermione told them continuing to wipe away the endless amount of streaming tears. "He dissapparted." She threw herself into a chair curling up and crying silently to herself.
Alex sighed glancing out of the rain washed window, she was once again sitting at the window, which she often did although nothing much could be seen, the rain hammered at the glass so violently the rain drops could have been mistaken for hail stones. The pitch black night surrounded the tower, nothing could be seen out in the blackness. She rubbed her hand across her forehead, she had began to get more frequent headaches as the weeks went on, some that were completely unbearable and she would often take trips to the hospital wing for potions to help her sleep. The more she thought and questioned herself the worse and more rapid they would become. She jumped slightly when she heard a creak as the portrait door swung open, Neville appeared, followed closely by Ginny, both were completely drenched down to their skin, the water dripping off of their robes leaving a wet trail behind them, they were just retuning from their detention that night with Hagrid. They both froze just in front of the portrait hole as their eyes fixed on Alex and began whispering in the corner.
"What are you two trying to hide?" Alex said placing her hands on her hips, making her way towards the two, she raised her eyebrow and both immediately stopped whispering, Ginny taking a few steps towards Alex until she was finally only a few inches away.
"What's it to you, Russo?" Ginny asked looking Alex up and down. "I think we've all learnt a valuable lesson not to trust you after that stunt you pulled back in Snape's office." Ginny told her, Alex narrowed her eyes on Ginny folding her arms across her chest as she spoke.
"You have no proof that it was me." Alex retorted.
"Do I need any? I think that Dark Mark on your arm shows us transparently." Alex glanced down at the Dark Mark still pulsating on her forearm, she pulled down her sleeve. "Who else would have tipped Snape off and I didn't see you in detention." Ginny pointed out, Alex eyes glanced for a moment at Neville who was now standing beside Seamus Finnigan, Alex frowned.
"Seamus…what are you doing out of bed, you weren't serving detention?" Alex pointed out her eyes fixed on Seamus as if scanning him, her eyes then caught sight of a can of bright red paint that he was clutching and desperately trying to hide. Alex smirked shaking her head. "Graffiti again, I'm surprised this time it wasn't you behind it Neville…but then of course you were serving detention so how could you?" Alex went on Ginny glowered at Alex when Seamus and Neville didn't look so sure. Alex was about to say something when Max appeared through the portrait hole, he too was clutching a can of red paint. "Max! What are you doing?" Alex said sternly. "I told you not to get involved in this sort of thing!" Alex went on, she was upset that Max had not listened to a word she had told him as she didn't want to send him to detention with any of the others. Max looked at Alex with a blank expression and then continued walking, passing Alex, who turned glaring at her younger brother. "Max I can't let you do this!" Alex told him.
"Of course you can Alex, it' was for the good, but then you're for the bad, I don't know much about this sort of thing, but from all the movies that I've seen good usually wins so that's what I'll go with." Alex frowned.
"But Max this isn't a movie! This is real life!" Alex bellowed ceasing her brother's shoulder. "Don't you see everything I tell you to do, you should do because I'm trying so hard to protect you and everyone else!" Alex blurted out. Everyone's eyes were fixed on Alex but nobody said anything until Max finally spoke.
"Alex I think for once you're more confused than I am, that doesn't make any sense, you're doing bad, to help the good?" Max asked. "My head hurts, I'm going to bed." Max said finally making his way up to the boys' dormitory. Everyone else followed slipping into their dormitories and Alex sighed, she did know how ridiculous it sounded once again placing her head in her hands.
"Yeah Max, my head hurts too." Alex said to herself tiredly.
Alex wandered through the corridors early the following morning, where she finally found the graffiti painted on the wall, she sighed as she read the word 'The DA Still Recruiting!' Alex stood staring at it for a few moments she was going through the list of previous DA members in her head and wondered if any of them, apart from Ginny, Neville, Luna and Max were all still a part of it. Snape's cold voice soon interrupted her thoughts.
"I do hope you're not slipping in your duties Miss. Russo." Alex turned to face Snape who was standing just behind her, his sallow face was expressionless. "It's your job as a head girl and Death Eater to prevent this sort of thing." Snape continued, Alex bit her lip. "Have you any idea who might be the culprit of this?" Snape asked, his cold dark empty eyes were fixed on Alex, she thought for a moment.
"No idea…" Alex said finally trying to sound confident in her answer. Snape continued staring into Alex's eyes as if he was trying to read her she had a small fear that Snape knew that she was lying.
"I suggest then Miss. Russo you do a much more thorough investigation as to who is behind it, I believe you were once a member of the DA yourself you must have a inkling little idea of who is behind it if you fail I'll be sure to inform Bellatrix of your slack." Snape said. Alex nodded without saying a word. Snape turned making his way down the corridor, his black cloak billowing behind him. Alex let out a groan slapping her hand to her forehead.
Later that evening when Alex was sitting in Slughorn's office she was once again lost in thought, would it be better for her to side with Neville and her brother, allowing the DA to recruit members behind the Carrow's and Snape's backs and then risk herself and maybe her entire family or would it have been better for her to report what she knew turning in her own brother and the other members of the DA to spare herself and her family anymore trouble? It did not help the fact that Alex had over her Amycus and Alecto discussing for a new rule to come in, they would be taking to the families of the trouble makers and holding them hostage hoping in return to earn some cooperation from the students, Alex feared that if Max continued his rebelling act he, without knowing would put their parents at risk of torture or even death.
"Miss Russo. Are you alright?" Slughorn asked, Alex shook her head staring at the carpet. "What is it are you feeling sick, something on your mind, homework perhaps?" Slughorn asked.
"There's always something on my mind Professor." Alex answered.
"As I feared, I think that is the trouble Miss. Russo, questioning yourself and if what it is you're doing is right." Slughorn said, Alex frowned when he said this. "I myself used to feel that way." Slughorn told her.
"I need you to help me Professor." Alex told him, she looked into his eyes pleadingly. "I want you to help me do what is right and to help me to protect my family so that I won't have any doubt in my mind that they're safe." Slughorn stared at her for a few moments, it seemed that he didn't know what to say.
"Have you ever considered putting them into hiding?" Slughorn asked, Alex shook her head.
"But I can't leave, there are Dementors and Death Eaters at each exit to the castle and I couldn't get past the Death Eaters without them questioning where I was going." Alex told Slughorn placing her head in her hands.
"Miss. Russo we don't all have to be truthful." Slughorn told her. "I believe you of all people know that." But Alex shook her head.
"Snape is-"
"Professor Snape." Slughorn corrected her.
"Okay, Professor Snape would know, The Dark Lord would have informed him if he had any tasks for me to do." Alex said now pacing in front of Slughorn thinking carefully. "It can't wait until Christmas, it' might already be too late, especially now that the Dark Lord knows about Justin." Alex said, she realised that her worst fears were coming to life, that there was no longer anything she could do to protect the ones she loved not without putting herself even more so at risk. "I can't possibly sneak past, even if I did, there are curses also at the exits." Alex groaned collapsing into a chair. "I might as well face it, I'm screwed, everyone is screwed." Alex moaned she had lost faith in herself, there was nothing she could do any longer, her parents would be unable to protect themselves if Death Eaters came knocking, at least wizarding families with wizard parents had some hope.
"Miss. Russo, what did I say to you about negativity?" Slughorn asked. "I think you know what you need to do and you know what is right, you just do not wish to face the consequences, some daring choices need to be made and sometimes they are for the better, it is all about taking it at the correct time." Slughorn told her. "Christmas is not far away, if they have not targeted your family after the news of your brother maybe it is better to bide your time and be patient, patience is a virtue remember?" Slughorn said, Alex rolled her eyes, she couldn't help feeling that Slughorn sometimes couldn't possibly understand her, how she was feeling and what she wanted and that he sometimes went off of the subject but she couldn't deny that he could be a great help to her at times.
"But Professor, they're introducing a new rule that they're going to take students parents hostage to get more cooperation from them and what if that happens to my parents?" Alex asked. "I can't allow that to happen, but it could…because of Max or because of Justin, or even because of me if I don't do as I'm told, this is why I need to know they can be somewhere safe and then all I need to worry about is Justin and Max." Alex told Slughorn, her mind was racing and she still had no clue on how to protect her parents and Harper.
So I hope you enjoyed that chapter, the Hogwarts bit was way more original than the whole tent thing I know, but I've been having requests to include more of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Justin so this was the chapter for it.