Twenty minutes later the three of them Ron, Hermione, and Harry were sitting on the floor of the cabin around the fire. Hermione had a book open before her studying the location spell Harry had shown her. It looked rather uncomplicated to the untrained eye, and in fact it was, if there were two people casting it. "This is interesting," Hermione ran her finger over the spell. "This spell would be almost impossible to cast for one person, but with two it becomes a spell that any fourth year would be able to cast. Though it will still exhaust you, Harry, you said that the amount of energy drained depends on how long the spell is active?"

"Yes."

Hermione nodded. "Then wouldn't it be better to add a third person to the mix?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting that we mess with an ancient, powerful spell that you know practically nothing about?" Hermione snorted. "I knew I would convert you." Harry smiled at her.

Hermione ignored him. "Theoretically it should be easy. All we have to do is split the spell into thirds." She looked at Harry. "Do you have all the necessary components?"

Harry nodded. "My kitchen pantry is akin to The Room of Requirement. It should be able to come up with anything you need as long as it isn't too big."

Half way through his explanation Ron stood and advanced on the pantry with a purpose. He opened the pine wood door and pulled out a bottle of Fire Whisky and three glasses. Hermione gave him a disapproving look as he set one of the glasses before her and filled it half-way. He repeated the process for both Harry and himself.

"Ronald,"

"What?" Ron raised his glass to his pissed off girlfriend. "We have a lot of work to do and should relax a bit while we can." Harry sniggered and raised his glass also.

"Cheers."

Both boys drank to Hermione's disgust. "Can we get back to work now, before you two get too drunk to be of any help?"

"'Course." Ron pulled the book in front of him. "How's the spell going to be split?"

Hermione chewed her lip for the moment. "I'm not really sure." She tapped her lower lip with her right index finger.

Harry decided that it was time to put his two cents in. "We don't really need to split the spell itself again. It's as simple as it's ever going to get anyway." Both Ron and Hermione stared at him. "What we need is not another caster, but someone else to donate their power to the spell so that it is not so draining on the casters."

"You mean like a battery." Hermione furrowed her brows. "Harry that's dark magic."

"Duh."

"Never mind. I guess if someone consents to it, it isn't such a bad thing."

"Yeah, just look at it as an exercise in trust." Hermione glared at Harry, while he smirked back at her.

"Guys," Ron interrupted. "I just have one question." Both Harry and Hermione turned to look at him. "What's a battery?"

"Ronald," Hermione huffed exasperated. "Your dad has hundreds of them."

Ron thought about it for a moment. "Oh, those little cylinder things that taste funny?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged a did-you-just-hear-what-I-heard look. "Yes Ron, those." Hermione cleared her throat and turned back to the book trying to ignore her boyfriend's stupidity. "Do we need to practice this… power transfer before we actually do it?"

Harry nodded. "It's kinda startling the first time. I'd rather not have someone panic. It's not just a transfer you know. We will actually be connected during the spell."

Hermione blinked at him. "But I thought…"

"I can just take the power, but it is more effective this way." Harry supposed that circles were not Hermione's strong point. He rose from his seat and walked over to one of the bookshelves. He scanned the shelves cursing himself for not devising some kind of way to organize his books. He would never admit it, but of all the Founders he had the worst organizational skills. His quill pen collection was probably still spread out over the castle proper. He scanned the next shelf relying on memory to find the right book. He found what he was looking for and pulled out a book on circle work. "Here," read up on this." He handed the book to Hermione who took it gingerly.

"Hey, I have another question. What are we going to do when we find Voldemort?" Ron asked, obviously not interested in the technicalities.

"I'm going to kill him."

Both Ron and Hermione jumped up at Harry's words. "How?" Ron asked eyes wide.

"That's for me to know…. You just watch the fireworks." Harry reached over and flipped the pages to the book he had given Hermione to the chapter on connecting. "This is basically what we will be doing."

Hermione read the short paragraph on the page. "It seems so easy." She reached out her hand to Harry, who met her half way. When their fingers touched both spoke the incantation written in the book. "Universus." A powder-blue light surrounded Hermione's fingers while a pitch black engulfed Harry's. The two different colors swirled around their hands before spreading to their entire bodies. "Oh!" Hermione wrenched her hand away and retreated a few steps before catching herself. "You're right that is startling."

"What happened?" Ron asked in wonder. "Did it work?"

"Yes, it did. But it will take some getting used to in order to hold it." Harry held up his hand once more. "Your turn, Ron?" Ron gulped and stepped up to Harry. He held up one shaking hand to touch his friends. "Just say it with me." Both boys repeated the spell and Ron felt a pressure push against his hand then rush over his body. But it was not the amount of power that made his eyes bulge. The power had its own distinct signature much like a flavor or a smell that could only be identified by magic.

Ron jumped away from Harry. "What-"

"That," Harry interrupted, "was my magic." He scratched his head trying to find a way to explain what they had felt. "Everyone's magic has a different feel to it. It's hard to put into words. Hermione feels like the taste of old parchment, and you Ron Feel like thick, creamy steel." They both looked at him strangely. "Well, what were your impressions of me?"

Ron and Hermione looked at each other before Hermione answered. "It's kinda like frozen honey and moss." She shrugged.

"It reminded me of that one time Fred mixed grass into my ice-cream." Ron supplied.

"Does that bother you?"

"No, it kinda tickles." Ron held his hand out to Hermione. "Might as well get this over with." The two of them repeated the spell and jumped apart at its completion, just like before.

"Does this happen every time?" Hermione asked exasperated.

"Only when you try it with someone new. You have to get used to a person before you can do any spell work with them." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "That's why stealing the power is much easier. All that is need there is to siphon off the power and convert it to your own –no adjustment period."

Hermione gave him a look before raising both her hands. "Well then, let's get used to each other."

Two hours later Ron threw his hands up in the air. "I can't do this. Why the hell is it so prickly?"

"Because you're getting frustrated. You have to remain calm in order to maintain a circle, right Harry?"

Harry nodded at Hermione. "That's why I have a head ache." He rubbed his forehead. "Maybe we should continue this tomorrow morning."

"But we have class tomorrow morning." Hermione protested.

"I'll skip." Hermione glared at Ron's declaration. "This is a tad bit more important than class 'Mione." Ron elaborated.

She sighed. "If we must."

Harry pulled three sleeping-bags out of the pantry. He handed a bright yellow one to Ron and gave Hermione a blue one keeping a maroon one for himself. He had no intention of hearing Ron complain about how much he hated maroon…again. "Great we'll sleep in here and try again in the morning."

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They spent all of the next day and the day after perfecting their small circle. Ron had problems surrendering his powers to either Harry or Hermione. His power kept "flaring" at the most inappropriate times leaving the other two with sever headaches. Surprisingly it was Hermione who had the most trouble with concentration. She would merge her power with Ron and Harry, and then, all of a sudden, get distracted by a new sensation or flux in the bond that she just had to analyze.

"Really 'Mione," Ron assumed the lecturing roll for once. "You just have to go with the flow. We both decided that since Harry knows the most about this that he would be the one doing all the work. All we have to do is stand there."

"Actually, Hermione will be helping with the spell." Harry drawled. "You will be the only one 'just standing there.'" Ron glared at him offended. Harry smiled and went in for the kill. "Besides, Hermione needs something to occupy her mind so that the circle will work at all." He heard Hermione give a huff from behind him. Harry loved ruffling people's proverbial feathers. Especially when it got them to work harder.

"Alright," Hermione clapped her hands decisively. "Let's do this again and get it right this time.

They formed the circle once more, touching fingertips. Magic swirled around them in waves of light, and then steadied. Harry checked the bond and sensing that it was strong took control of the pure magic. He held onto it a few minutes studying his friends. It seemed that the crash course in circle work was finally paying off. He let go of the magic and dispersed the power when he saw Hermione start to sweat.

"Whoa," Hermione staggered when the circle was gone. "That takes a lot out of a witch." Ron nodded in agreement at her side. Even Harry was feeling weary. "Will that be long enough?" She asked.

Harry nodded from where he had sat down on the floor. "It's a short spell seven minutes should be more than enough time to find Voldemort."

"What then?"

"Food," Ron interrupted.

"Ron this is important…"

Ron shook his head practically running for the pantry. "Food first; talk later." He passed out cups of pumpkin juice and set down a plate of sandwiches. Harry grabbed a sandwich, went back to the pantry, and pulled out a large plate of hot cinnamon rolls.

"You burn a lot of energy in circle work. Sandwiches wont help much. We need carbs.

Hermione nodded in understanding.

"Well, there goes my one shot at trying to eat healthy." Ron said with a shrug. He turned to Hermione. "What are carbs?"

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After clearing the plate of sandwiches, the sweet rolls, and the meat pies that appeared seemingly from nowhere, the three teens lounged on their respective sleeping bags. Hermione had put away the dishes by throwing them into the pantry. "You said it could conjure up anything. Why not a trash can?" She commented seeing Harry's incredulous stare.

Why indeed? Harry thought. He lay back on the stack of pillows behind him. The number of blankets and pillows had mysteriously multiplied since they had set up camp on the floor. Each of them now had a healthy stack to lean against when awake and enough blankets to hide in while they slept. Hermione plopped down on her sleeping bag and pulled a pillow up under her chin. Ron was sprawled out across from her with one arm flung over his eyes.

"We should talk about what is going to happen after we cast the spell now." The other two looked at Harry in anticipation. He had not been very forthcoming about his plans. "When we find Voldemort I intend to apparate to that location so that I can challenge him."

Hermione frowned, "Won't the tracking spell weaken you?"

"Not with you two helping, besides the spell I intend to use to kill him doesn't require much power to cast. It only takes a lot of concentration."

"Then you are going to need us there too." Ron sat up meeting Harry's eyes with his own. "If you're going to be concentrating on a spell someone has to be there to protect you. Voldemort will not be alone. He will have Deatheaters at his beck and call."

"Ron's right." Hermione crossed her arms and put on her determined face. "We will be going with you."

Harry frowned. It was true that his plan had great risks where his survival was concerned, but he did not want to involve either Ron or Hermione if at all possible. "I don't think that that is a good idea…"

Harry was suddenly flat on his back looking up at Hermione where she straddled his chest. She grabbed the collar of his robes and jerked him up so that they were nose to nose. "We will be going with you, or you will not live long enough to face Voldemort. Understood?" Harry nodded his head completely nonplussed. "Say it." She demanded.

Harry gulped. He was not sure if Hermione could actually kill him, but it seemed as if she was going to give it a good try. "Understood," He repeated completely cowed by the crazed look in his friend's eyes.

"Good," Hermione said letting go of his collar. Harry fell back bumping his head on the floor. "Now, let's continue to practice. I don't think that achieving a circle once means we could do it again."

"Scary but effective," Harry rolled his eyes at Ron's statement of the obvious.

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It wasn't until the next day after a good night's rest that the trio decided to cast the actual spell. They formed the circle without any problems and Harry immediately took control of the power. He took out his wand and weaved a complicated pattern in the air that Hermione mirrored. She then knelt on the floor placing her hands in the circle that was drawn at her feet. Harry cast magic threads out in all directions and then fed the other end of the threads to Hermione. Harry was the one who would look after the threads and repair any that broke and to lead them over the topography of the land. It was not a hard job, but it did take a lot of concentration. Hermione was the one who read the threads looking for Voldemort's magical signature.

It took them just over six minutes to find Voldemort's signature. When they did Hermione fixated the spell so that an image of Voldemort filled the circle she was kneeling next to. Harry quickly moved behind her and memorized the musty looking parlor where Voldemort was seated in a chair. He was giving orders to Wormtail and did not seem too happy because the rat-like man began to writhe silently in pain as Voldemort pointed his wand at him.

"Okay, this is it. You guys ready?" At their nods Harry continued. I'm going to apparate us there. Try not to make any noise." With that he cast a silencing spell and an invisibility spell around the three of them."

"Why do we need a silencing spell if we are going to be quiet" Ron asked perplexed.

"The spell will keep us from making a popping sound when we appear behind Voldemort." Before another comment could be made the room was empty.

The three of them appeared in the room behind where Voldemort sat. In the last few minutes Wormtail had dragged in another poor soul for Voldemort to torture. Harry stared in shock as he recognized the blond head. Draco stared right into Voldemort's eyes, not backing down even though he was shaking like a leaf.

"So," Voldemort rasped. "You thought that you could plot against me, Little Malfoy." Long skeletal fingers reached out to grab Draco's pointed chin with bruising force. He leaned his face down close to the kneeling boy's.

"Boo," The soft whisper in his ear made Voldemort freeze.