Hello! Okay so basically, I'm starting work this week and obviously won't have as much free time as I would like, especially considering it's not just work it's a years course on top of that. So fun times! Anyway, uploads are going to be a bit slow but the story will continue, I just rudely have to ask for your patience :D

But yeah, I've tried to do quite a lengthily and action packed chapter for you to all get your teeth into, so I hope you all enjoy this! Thank you all! :)

3

Chapter Twenty One

Another Weasley Lost to the Cause

""

The sense of safety did not last for long as she continued to cling to floor, under the veil of smoke and dust. Shouts and spells still bolted through the fogged air as Hermione squinted her eyes in attempt to make sense of the many pairs of feet.

With each breath she took, she would inhale a deep lungful of the clogged atmosphere around her. She attempted to crawl on her stomach - like a startled lizard - as she waded through the debris particles that masked the air. Pushing forward, she squealed to the sudden stomp of two imposingly sized black boots, which almost trampled her head.

Looking up, Hermione could see no face or any other body part and shuffled back slightly, through fear of being discovered. Shaking her curls from her face, the feet had not moved but pivoted on their heels facing her direction. Before she could plan on how to maintain her discreet presence, the two words she always dreaded to hear soared from behind her.

'Avada Kedavra!'

The man before her crashed to the ground - his eyes wide and lifeless as the green glow still illuminated through him. Screaming for a second time, she scattered backwards, hitting the warm body of another. Frantically looking up behind, the hand of Neville and his knitted jumper swooped down, hauling her up by the collar.

'Go find your wand, Hermione!'

The command rattled throughout her head as though it was too thick to be absorbed. Yet somehow, her legs moved involuntary, ducking past the boy who still continued to hold the protective shield. She flew into her bedroom, running with her weight into the door to open it and scanned the room in hope of finding her possessions. Her bag laid on a wooden chair beside her but her wand was nowhere to be seen.

Grabbing for the bag, she threw the strap across her head and onto her shoulder, guaranteeing that she wouldn't drop it. Running to the bed, an explosion burst through the wall behind her – missing her by quite a bit – and exited through the wall she faced. The shock shot at Hermione's nerves, reverberating inside of her. Dropping to her knees she checked under the bed. Nothing.

'Where is it!' She cried, trying to think desperately where it could be. She couldn't think when she last had it, where she would have put it. Her mind was spinning at such a speed she could not pick one thing from another. The yells of men drew closer as it seemed the skirmish was being pushed back further into the cabin.

Suddenly, she turned and looked down, ripping open her bag. Sighing to herself in frustration she stood, for the wand was in her bag the whole time. Arming herself, she grabbed for door and ran to join the others.

The dust had cleared in the air around her and everyone was plainly visible. Everybody was present; Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Cho, Luna, George and Romilda. They all stood across the width of the middle area with wands high and a convexed blue defence. Running to join her friends, she pushed between Harry and Ron, adding her wand to the fight.

The misty stream flowed from the tip, expanding the shield before them and successfully keeping them safe from the Death Eater's curses.

Every spell the Death Eaters tried, yet not one penetrate the impressive field of resistance. A hand the right of her gripped her arm, clenching at it tightly. She stared towards Harry, startled by his impulsive behaviour. He did not look at her and kept his sights set ahead of him. Hermione could begin to feel the coldness of the materialized shield as she took a step back as the Death Eaters came ever closer.

She felt a pull as she was torn from the incantation and dragged backwards. Her mind took a few moments to realise and her feet obeyed clumsily underneath her. Staggering to the force, her hair fell across her face, blocking all vision. Inside, Hermione couldn't quite make sense of the situation, why Harry was taking her somewhere, where they to escape and leave their friends to perish? Could she actively make that decision and live with herself?

It wasn't until she looked up, Hermione saw Harry barging through the door of their usual meeting room. Dropping her hand, he grabbed for all the maps and information, throwing it towards the stunned witch. Several scrolls fell loose from her hands and she fumbled around trying to pick them up and stuff them into her bag.

'Hermione…'

She averted her eyes up, noticing the panic and fear within Harry's face, his eyes appearing a bright shade of emerald. Everything about her stopped as her body could already predict the horrors of what she was to hear.

'I have to go. You can't come with me and I can't tell you where I' going.'

As soon as his voice stopped a soul shatter scream echoed from behind the walls. Snapping her head round, Hermione's ears attuned the noise. Several cries and shrieks emitted afterwards as well as the deep cackle of triumph. 'Merlin,' she said breathlessly as her shocked eyes, slowly turned back towards Harry.

'There isn't much time. But I promise I'll be back.' His words were rushed as no comprehension formed in Hermione's mind as the sound of the fallen rang repetitively around her brain. 'Stay with Ron and Ginny. You three have to stay alive. Especially you, Hermione. I know if this all goes to shit, you'll be the only one able to find me.'

He stepped forward slowly, with a look in his eyes she had seen so often before. Before she could think of a response, Hermione felt herself lung forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Harry's neck.

'Promise me you'll come back?'

Her voice was stifled with tears as his warm gripped threaded around her waist.

'I promise. I'm sorry. I have to go.'

With that, he pushed Hermione backwards, disconnecting all physical contact. A split second later he was gone. Her mouth fell open to the shock as Hermione stared at the empty air before her. She felt overwhelming dismayed as she became deaf to the battle that was being fought on the other side of the wall. Somehow, she managed to grab the rest of the intelligence and roughly put the parchment into her beaded bag.

Numbly she stood, her mind twisting with all that had happened. The events dwindled on the surface of her thoughts as though they were as unfathomable as a distant dream. Turning, she felt nothing but disbelief as her feet took her towards the door. Harry was gone. He left her. He left everyone. The boy who was their saviour had abandoned them. This wasn't happening. Everything was hollow. It was nothing.

Her hand reached for the door handle, pulling it open. She did so almost ritually as if she were a ghost re-enacting the movements of a once happy life. What was she to do? What was to happen to them? How could he of left her and allow her to be the one to tell everyone else that Harry wasn't there anymore. How could he do that to her?

Her mind was full of endless questions - ones she felt should not have been needed to be asked in the first place. Stepping from the room another screech echoed around followed by the recognisable thump of the dead weight hitting the floor from another lifeless body.

The long brunette curls sprawled across the floor and Romilda's skinny frame. Another one gone. Another one who should have been protected. Then Seamus fell, a rebound from his own Incendio curse. The Death Eater's closed in, circling all around them. Ron and Ginny stood in front of her, pushing them slowly back into the cornered confinements of the cabin.

Suddenly, it was though the slowness of time had whirled ahead, faster than anything she had known before and Hermione was thrown into the midst of conflict.

Bodies lay across the floor like dropping flies and she saw that no one here was invincible. There was both an equal chance of survival as death. Yet something electrified within her, a sense she had felt once before during the Battle of Hogwarts. She had every impulse inside of her of what exactly to do. Nothing would deter the bright young witch from staying alive and keeping her friends breathing alongside of her.

In the seconds she had, she honed onto the sights around her, hoping for some kind of escape to present itself.

'Where's Harry!?' Ron cried, yelling behind him towards Hermione. She diverted her attention to him, tearing herself from her thoughts. 'He's gone,' she managed to choke out with dry eyes and steady hands. There was no way Ron could have heard her, as the deafening blows continued to fly around them.

'Sectumsempra!' Hermione shot into the midst of the group of assailants. The curse hit successfully, instantly splitting the skin apart to revealed the whole of the chest cavity. One fell behind him and another. It was impossible to tell which way the spells were coming from and going to. Regardless of how many they would take out. They were still easily outnumbered by five.

To her left, Luna fought with a man twice her height and with hair nearly as long. He bore little teeth but snarled them continuously as if they still remained. Her reactions were quick and proved easily that she was an equal match for the wizard. Luna danced around his curses carelessly, flaying her arms as though it was a hot summer's day.

Avoiding several jinxes by her audacious movements – and firing little of her own – she looked as though she was in more of an exotic dance rather than fighting for her life. However, Hermione knew better, his weak spells were a lure and most certainly not a good one at that. Within an instant, the former Gryffindor not only knew that he was playing nothing but a game but the spell that was about to go Luna's way.

'Luna!' Hermione's legs moved, even though she begun to sprint the ten metres she needed to cover seemed as though it was miles. She would not get there in time and everything had slowed down once again. It was like one of those particular nightmares, she would run but she would not move. She could not do anything.

The ruthless green light soared into Luna's chest, adding to the numbers of the diminished. Since all of this had begun, it was about survival, about making plans and ensuring that everything was set in motion. Now was different, now all Hermione felt was the anger. The injustice of their world, the abandonment of their Messiah and now more and more friends were joining each other in the place that laid beyond mortality.

Her blood pressure heightened along with her anger, the black invaded her eyesight and she saw nothing but the Death Eater that had just ended Luna's life….

'Avada Kedavra!' Not once since the campaign had begun, did Hermione so much as mutter an Unforgivable Curse. Yes, she had aided to men's deaths and certainly not held back on equally brutal curses but this was the first time she had killed a wizard directly. It was never her intention, unconsciousness or impairment was enough to satisfy her. Now baring witness to this death in particular awoke the sleeping lion within her. A predator.

Hermione stood still, not only from shock but through mere contemplation. As soon as the curse left her lips, something within her changed and she knew for sure the insufferable know it all would never have the chance to return. Avoiding Luna's closed eyes and lifeless radish earrings she drowned into the expense of war.

'We have to get out of here, Ron!' His face gave no recognition and he fought strongly against two Death Eaters. Ginny stood behind her, debilitating several with childish jinxes she would also regularly perform on the Hogwarts Express. Now was not the time from reminiscence. Now was the time for survival.

Turning around, she aimed her Vinewood towards the wall that trapped them. 'Reducto!' The wood panelling splintered apart leaving a hole big enough for them to get through. The sunshine spilled through as Hermione shouted 'come on!' towards both Ron and Ginny. The dilemma of the situation, of escaping and knowing that friends would be left to their fate was evident to see upon Ron's face. However, she grabbed his hand in sympathy, tugging him towards their exit. Ginny remained and casted a powerful bout of Fiendfyre in the shape of a beastly lion and then she too turned, following Hermione and Ron to their safety.

They ran as fast as their feet could carry them. Fear of dying was the only thing in that moment that kept Hermione going. Not just mentally but it provided the physical energy needed to keep her running in the right direction. A new drive absorbed within her as she began firing spells blindly behind her, devouring the most deserving. The three curses she vowed never to use now liberated her hate. Several Death Eaters fell to the floor behind them as Ron and Ginny stuck to her side.

Autumnal leaves scattered the ground with their fawn and mauve hues. Twigs lay in her path - coincidentally anywhere she would place her foot as thought they were purposely trying to trip her. Each tree was easy to duck in comparison with the speed she was reaching and how often she looked over her shoulder.

Six Death Eaters still pursued after them, firing spells of blue, green and red. Luckily for them however, the Death Eaters were a lot worse at casting spells while on the move than the three who remained. Hermione's heart began to thump tremendously under her ribcage and she also found her lungs gasping pathetically for shallow breath.

She looked down, focusing her attention on anything she could. She had to stay alive, they had to stay alive. She couldn't concentrate enough for apparition and she highly doubted the others were up to such tasks. With each step she took it brought her that one step closer to her freedom. At least, that's what she believed - it was what she had to believe.

In any other circumstance, it would have been a glorious day. The sun had split it beams through the hundreds of trees that lay in their way and a soft breeze tumbled around them, rustling the leaves and sweeping them across the ground. Unfortunately however it felt like no matter what she saw, how appreciative she had always been, the beauty had been sucked from everything. Additionally she could not help but think there would be no more niceties for a long time.

As they continued to run, the space between them and their adversaries kept growing and the three continued to retreat at full speed. The curses grew fewer and far between as it became more of a cat and mouse chase rather than a bombardment of magical afflictions.

They approached a sloped embankment, one they were at the bottom of. None of them stopped nor hesitated but only continued to pelt up the hill. Hermione's legs began to burn with use of her muscles. They already had begun to feel stiff and the pangs of hunger increased as her body had nothing to fuel itself with – apart from the sheer adrenaline.

However, she persisted but fell behind both Ron and Ginny. She dared to look behind her, trying to focus on the camouflaging scenery with her curls bouncing around her face. Nobody was to be seen but she did not trust her eyes and assumed the Death Eaters were close anyway. In no time at all, it seemed she had reached the top the slope and she stumbled onto her hands and knees momentarily. Hermione pushed herself back up instantly, tripping slightly as they continued to run into the midst of the forest.

They ran for what felt like an eternity, although Hermione knew it couldn't have been any long than twenty minutes. No more spells were fired since they advanced over the hill but relentlessly, they continued to sprint.

'We must have run at least two miles by now!' Ron said breathlessly as his paced descended to a simple jog. Hermione attempted to nod as both she and Ginny slowed their speed too. When they all finally stopped, they looked around them while panting desperately.

'Do… Do you think… We lost… Them?' Hermione managed to spit out as she leant forward and her knees shook with exhaustion. Ron shrugged his shoulders as he looked as though he was sinking to the ground.

'We can't stop,' Ginny said bluntly. She appeared to be less out of breath, placing her hands around her waist and walking in a circle. They all exchanged glances as well as scouring the area for any sign that they weren't alone.

'Ginny's right,' Ron said standing up straight. 'We'll keep walking, hopefully they won't find us again.'

'How did they even find us in the first place?' Hermione commented, as she too begun to stroll ahead with the other two. She looked towards both Ron and Ginny who seemed to hold no answers for her.

'I don't know, any kind of tracking spell. Maybe someone dropped something, I don't know, Hermione.' Ron seemed as puzzled as everyone else but in no way was Hermione reassured. They had fortified defences, spells and protective charms that have proven to work so many times before. How was it possible that they found them? Her magic was completely fool-proof, not to mention how careful everyone was.

'Why did Harry leave?' Hermione looked towards Ginny who voice held complete and utter pain. The eldest could only give her an expression of sympathy, for if Hermione knew her mind would not be as frantic. 'Well, did he say anything?' Ginny asked more pressingly, perhaps hoping for news to ease the situation. Hermione shook her head - avoiding Ginny's eyes as she found it difficult enough to admit what happened to herself, let alone someone else as well.

'He said he was coming back.' Her voice was weak as the autumnal air chapped the back of her throat. Ron stopped dead his tracks, turning towards Hermione.

'I don't understand. Harry fucks off and doesn't tell anyone why but says he'll be back? How the fuck does that make any sense? It's not like we can go back to the cabin!' Hermione jumped to the aggression in his words but as usual his temper simmered out pretty quickly. She had no idea what to do, what Harry's words meant or how to make any kind of plan from the situation they appeared to be in.

Regardless of the extension charm she had placed on her bag it did not lessen any of the weight as it swung heavily at her side. It pulled down on her shoulders cutting into the side of her neck as they trudged forward through the thickened foliage that masked their footsteps.

As they pushed on, Hermione was sure she had heard a disturbance around them but assumed it was nothing more than either the wind or her imagination. They walked for around about a mile before they even contemplated to stop.

They finally stumbled upon an enclosed area, one scattered with many trees where the canopies had started to entwine themselves, providing some form of roofing and mostly a decent amount of coverage. They all fell towards the ground, collapsing languidly with very little strength left within them.

Lying into the leaves, Hermione took the time to admire the silence and the fact she was still alive. It troubled her deeply that they had left their friends to a certain death and unfortunately there was truth within Harry's last words. It was them that had to survive, the only ones who were capable of preventing all this carnage.

The dryness of the leaves crunched and cracked beneath her hair – most probably clinging onto the depths of her curls.

'Do you think we did the right thing?' She voiced her doubts, her conscious understandably uneasy. There was nothing within her that could excuse their actions. She was furious with Harry for leaving them, yet they did the exact same. Those were friends who trust them to keep them safe, to guide them through this war.

'There was nothing we could do.' Ginny stated simply who was lying on her back looking towards the cool blue sky. 'Besides even if they did escape with us they would have just slowed us down. We would have been dead as well.'

Hermione could not help but look towards the younger witch, curious by the callous attitude. Then shamefully she remembered that George was in the skirmish as well. Another Weasley lost to the cause.

She sighed heavily, fighting back the tears as she pushed herself back up scanning their scenery. Then she heard it again. The same sound she heard about a mile away. It was distinctive, a heavy purposeful sound. Like the sound of a footstep. She couldn't quite place the direction of the noise as the natural orchestral filled the air. The sound of wind rustling through the trees and the shuffle of tiny creatures in the shrubbery concealed any unnatural intrusions.

Her senses perked as she drew the attention of both Ron and Ginny silently. She pointed between a cluster of trees of where she was sure the sound originated from and mouthed 'I heard something' to the both of them. They too looked around cautiously arming themselves with their trusted wands. Hermione's heart beat rose, anticipating the action. As the seconds drizzled past she started to believe that it was her mind going crazy, that it was all the excitement from earlier on.

They all stood as silently as they could - gingerly they tried to stay low and unseen. With all eyes in alternative directions, no one saw anything nor heard another sound. Hermione shook her head, sure of what she heard and it wasn't long before the presence made itself known.

Hermione saw something shift in the air in front of her, a flash of black that tumbled softly like a cloak. She looked around them, noticing the atmosphere contracting quickly as though there was less oxygen to breathe.

The vastness closed in around her as the stillness begun to settle and the tension was slowly drawn away. She crept back down to round resting her hands between the fallen leaves. Her fingers dug through the foliage attempting to find some solid support. They found their way to a patch underneath and the cold moisture licked at her skin. The texture was almost rubbery and smooth as a soft tingle started to develop in the tips of her fingers. Confused, she looked down and gently brushed the leaves away revealing the brown and black speckled mushroom. She saw the redness already beginning to form across her skin, turning her hands raw.

Hermione pulled her hands away quickly, examining both of them and the fungi that lay before her.

'Oh my God.' Hermione said quickly, standing up and away from the poison. 'There's Deadlyius here,' she said as hushed as she could. 'It only grows in places where there aren't any Muggles and there has to magic that is being routinely performed.' Ron stared at her with wide eyes, thankfully confirming that he didn't need any further explanation.

The only reason they managed to escape the previous Death Eater's was because they were cornered into a trap. Panicked, she shot her eyes around her, noticing the faded sways of torn and ripped black robes.

The faces of the Death Eaters slowly came to view as whatever invisibility charm they used was obviously beginning to wear off. They encompassed them entirely, admiring their prey before they took to the kill as the bodies became less and less transparent. There was probably no more than eight of them but enough to ensure that a chance to escape was not possible. Hermione collected her thoughts as best she could, knowing that her concentration might be the only thing to give them any hope of freedom.

There was no way they would all survive, if any of them would. Hopefully they would just kill all three of them right there. Save them all the pain of if the Death Eaters were to discover who they truly were. Knowing their luck, they probably did already.

She could see Ginny standing not too far away from her, probably only a dozen footsteps. Ron however stood a good sprint away causing Hermione's heart to already sink. He looked towards her, his eyes portraying the same sorrow as he visibly struggled to give her a warming smile. Then, without warning his expression completely dropped as he was lifted off of his feet and blasted towards the ground.

It was in the precise moment, everything for Hermione washed away. She felt a part of her soul shred apart with the claws of despondency. There was not one morsel of her that did not belong to him and as his body hit the floor, it was as though she too was flung from every plane of consciousness that could ever emit any form of happiness.

As one part of her completely switched off to outside world, drowning in what only seemed like darkness, there was something else. Something that was screaming at her, telling her to move, to leave, that today was not the day to die.

Somehow Hermione managed to listen to her more pragmatic thoughts and saw the eruption of spells blasting her way. For a second time that day she seemed to have been thrown into a dimension where time did not act of the same speed it usually would. Every tiny motion was emphasised as there only seemed to be time to think, to act. She leaped forward, pouncing on top of Ginny. She prayed her mind would perform the magic correctly, closing her eyes tightly and thinking of anywhere else but there.

The compression took its toll squeezing out every ounce of air inside of her and every bit of physically strength she had left. The countryside, motorways and Muggle towns all flash by at break neck speed causing instant sickness in the pit of her stomach. Hermione could feel a vague grip on Ginny and within seconds they then fell onto what she presumed was the floor, smashing into the hard surface. She rolled for quite a distance, tumbling head over heels and crashing onto her side. When the sensation stopped, she lifted her head to see Ginny storming towards her.

Hermione shot up quickly onto both feet regardless of a pounding headache forming on top of nausea.

'What the fuck have you done!?' Ginny yelled into her face, standing not even an inch from Hermione's nose.

'I didn't know what else to do!' Hermione screamed back, taking a step away from the redhead. 'What choice did we have!?' The girls stared defiantly at each other, each one cloaking their emotion anguish.

'We should have stayed! We should have fought them!' Ginny was undeniably close to tears as Hermione soon followed suit with her eyes beginning to well. She tried to comfort the younger witch, stretching out her arm in support. However Ginny only batted it away turning from the affection.

As Hermione took a deep breath, she saw where she had taken them. It was a simple playground park, one that was not too far from where grandmother used to live. She hadn't been to this place since she was a child, yet everything seemed so hauntingly familiar.

'I'm sorry, Ginny. But… But…' Hermione begun to speak but couldn't find the words. Ginny merely shook her head, biting on her lip. 'It's too late for that now!' she replied pacing closer towards the brunette with her arms tightly folded.

'Voldemort! Voldemort! Voldemort!'Her voice was loud, booming across the fields before them. Hermione's eyes widened in shock, as she tried to move but knew it would only completely futile. 'Why?...' She managed to splutter but it didn't matter. Several cracks popped in the air around her and once again they were found.

A large rough pair of hands gripped the back of her neck, tightening his clasp as Hermione submitted to the pain, almost falling to the floor.

'I'm Ginny Weasley,' the redhead spoke as she too was grabbed forcefully by the arms. 'No!' Hermione cried, utterly perplexed by Ginny's actions. Yet she knew what was coming, her fate was about to be sealed. 'And this is Hermione Granger.'

The Death Eaters grinned between them.

'Look what we've got 'ere boys,' one said eagerly and another nodded enthusiastically.

'The Mudblood and the Blood Traitor.' He said, as Hermione was snatched away from the Muggle scenery and once again spinning in the compression of apparition.

""

As she opened her eyes, her body began to tingle with the paralysis of trauma. Hermione had allowed herself to think back to that day, to delve into every detail of what happened. Yet as she lay on her bed, she felt as though she was still there, as though Ron was still within reach of being saved.

Ever since she had taken to relaxing more regularly in the no doubt enchanted bath, her memories had begun to recollect and her thought pattern had begun to smooth out. At first when the flood of memories swooped into her brain, unleashing the monsters of the past, she thought it would causing no more than a psychotic hindrance. However as she stared to the ceiling of her four poster bed and actually allowed herself to think of the past, it seemed to provide the clues and details she needed. There were signs of everything leading to this very point, on how to progress and how to win. She just had to remember them.

Hermione did not give any thought to the dinner and ignored the events, secretly pleased that Ginny got what she deserved. There was an ounce of guilt that was building inside of her, knowing that all of Ginny's recent behaviour was only due to everything she had suffer. What kind of excuse is that? Hermione thought bitterly, all had been subjected to more than their fair share of tragedy and mistreatment. Yet there Hermione was, clear minded and ready for the next challenge.

However, it wasn't that simple. There was still something, the thought of Ron that was determined to not let her move on. How could she know that even if she did save the day, what would the point if she did not have her beloved to share it with? Although he never truly left her, she pushed it to the back of her mind, grabbing for the letter that had fallen onto the floor.

Reading the script, she took one verse at a time mulling over what she already knew.

Crouching below the firework,

The hours are chased into the snow.

The lion begins to smirk,

As the swan triumphs her new beaux.

Okay, so. Hermione thought prepping herself as she took a deep sigh. Barty Crouch Jr, The Yule Ball… But the lion? Harry? And the swan? Who on earth is the swan? Maybe it's nothing to do with houses… She paused holding the thought as she rubbed her forehead in frustration. Well else defines personality? A Patronous maybe? Well Cho's Patronous was a swan, but I don't know anyone that had a lion for one….

She thought back to her fourth year, when everything seemed so simple. When they all got their first taste of death. Cho went to the Yule Ball with Cedric, so it can't be that. She began to pull at her lower lip subconsciously, looking up and around that maybe the answer would appear plainly for her. Her attention was then again diverted back to the easier times of her life. When all that mattered, was proving she had a better date to that stupid dance, than Ron did.

Her thoughts trailed off once again, thinking back to all the good times - preparing Harry for the Triwizard Tournament; the excitement of seeing foreign wizards their age; of Ron dancing with Professor McGonagall in front of everyone because as usual his mischievousness landed him in a rather hilarious punishment.

Then a voice of her last thought echoed in the Professor's shrill and commanding speech. 'Inside every girl a secret swan slumbers… Inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance.' This meant that whoever Harry was referring to was clearly a couple that attended the Yule Ball together. However that still left her with a list as long as her arm. Maybe there's another clue somewhere.

Once seen death the path will guide,

Towards the masses that took their form.

Requirement made a side,

Taking little notice of the storm.

Okay, so we now how we're going to go somewhere, by the use of Thestrals but we need to know where to go. I can only assume by the next line that Harry has formed some kind of army. Requirement? Requirement… The Room of Requirement? She threw the paper in front of her, growing increasingly fed up with these ridiculous riddles. How on earth was she even supposed to know that what she did figure out would be a certainty?

Okay so the Room of Requirement, we'll start there. Yet there were so many occurrences in the supposedly secret room - everything from Dumbeldore's Army to the hunt for the lost Diadem. Perhaps it was something to do with the Diadem. I mean the side was always made regarding the DA, we were always on the same side. But the Diadem, with Draco… That's why Harry saved him. Because of the plan.

Taking little notice of the storm.

A storm… Hermione begun to think allowing her mind to trace every depth of the sentence. Of course a storm could only be made from colliding weather fronts, yet who had already begun to brew the sense of trouble? Maybe it wasn't something Hermione knew then, perhaps it was only something Harry saw. Ginny and me? Her mouth fell open as she could not imagine how Harry would have foreseen this. Then again, he was always persistently perceptive especially on the emotional front and both were the closest to him.

Her arms flapped at her side in exasperation and she could not possible stand to look at the letter anymore. She didn't care and started to feel increasingly overwhelmed. She had a feeling that perhaps the letter was best left for another time, after she returned from the bath.