Part 3 - Winter

Chapter 25 – Deconstructing Percy

Harry dreamed of Ginny laughing. When he woke, he was rock-hard, thirsty, and aching, but he wore a huge smile on his face. It faded all too quickly as he registered where he was, and why; Horcruxes, Charlie and Ez, and Ginny so very far away. He wanted to talk to her about the things he'd seen in Voldemort's head, and tell her that he'd managed to push him out on his own. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to be touched.

"So…then, what do you want to do?" Ron's voice, and he seemed irritated. He and Hermione were sitting at the table, and now it was Percy who was curled up in a tight ball near the guttering fireplace.

Harry blinked and found his glasses on the table by the couch.

"It's not about want. I'm…" Hermione's voice was equally irritated, but less petulant. "We've always known that Voldemort was after Harry, and I've always been afraid for him, but this is different. These wizards – we don't even know them, and they hate us. They could come after your family…and my parents are Muggles - Ron, they'd have no defense at all! We're going to be away for a long while looking for the Horcruxes. What if something happens to my parents while we're gone? What if Lazar Wizmere tries to hurt Ez by hurting Charlie and his family – your family? What if he hurts you or me or my parents? What will happen to Harry if the Wizmeres go after Ginny?"

"Easy," Ron cautioned. "There are a lot of ifs in that. We don't even know if Charlie is right about any of this. He's a bit mental over Ez, after all. He's not exactly inspiring confidence, now is he? Think she's infected him some how? Can mental-ness be catching?"

"Don't joke. Charlie wants to protect his family."

"Charlie's going to get himself killed – and his family with him. Reckon she'll be able to talk him into going home now that she's in his head again?"

"Maybe," Hermione allowed. "But you know your brother. You tell me if you think Ez can talk him into going back to England."

Ron's face darkened. "Hermione, I don't like this. Not one bit."

Harry sat up. "I'm not thrilled with it either," he said in a hoarse croak, as he bunched his blanket in his lap. "If Charlie's going to do this - and I think he is - he's going to need help. I'm not saying us, but he's definitely going to need help. More than Ez can provide. Especially now."

"If not us, then who? The Order? Harry, you know he can't ask them to do that. The Order was devised to fight Voldemort. This is personal."

"Voldemort is a bit personal to me," Harry told her. "But I think you're right. This isn't something the Order can afford to get caught up in."

"Then who?"

Hermione nodded. "I think that's his point, Ron. Charlie's going to need help. More than Ez can give him, and there is no one else. It's got to be us."

"There's dad." Percy slowly pushed himself up to sitting, and rubbed his long, lean face. He righted his glasses. "And Bill. And I'm sure Tonks-"

"No." Ez stood in the doorway dressed in red and black robes so wrinkled they looked as if they'd been pulled out of storage. How long had she been standing there? How much had she heard? "All of you are going back to England." She quietly shut the door behind her, and made a bee-line for the table where she poured herself a generous mug of coffee.

"All of you?" Hermione asked. "Not all of us?"

Ez gulped down a few swallows, and then went to the couch beside Harry. She looked exhausted. "Yes, Hermione. All of you. Charlie won't be dissuaded, and I won't let him go alone. Well, I can't now, but I wouldn't, even if I could. The rest of you, though, aren't involved. It's best that you stay out of it. You're going home."

"I'm not sure that's entirely true," Harry told her. "We are involved – or, at least I am. Remember yesterday when you pushed Voldemort out of my head? Remember the light? It was the same as the light here. In Romania."

Ez froze. "Fuck. I didn't notice that. I should have noticed that."

"There's more," Harry said, and then he related everything he'd heard of Voldemort's conversation with Wormtail about the Horcruxes, and every last detail he could remember…except for Voldemort's mention of Ginny. That was private.

"So, he's recovered two Horcruxes?" Hermione practically wailed. "But then…what will we do?"

"He keeps them with him, doesn't he?" Ron put in. "When we go for him, they should be near by, then. Easier for us, if you ask me. Less hunting."

"Horcruxes? What the blazes are Horcruxes?" Percy asked. "And what do you mean when you go after him? Ron, you're not seriously considering going after You-Know-Who, are you?"

"Of course, I am!" Ron insisted. "You don't think we'd let Harry go off on his own, do you?"

"But that's…madness!" Percy shook his head, incredulous. "You're just as bad as that one," he said, jabbing a thumb towards the closed bedroom door. "You're all mental, the lot of you. Just like Dad."

"Dad's not mental, you bleeding waster!" Ron defended, and slammed a fist down on the table hard enough to make Hermione jump. "He's courageous! He wasn't afraid to contradict the Minister! He didn't tout the party line about Voldemort! He knew Voldemort was back, and he said so! He had the courage to stand up for what he knew to be true!"

"Yes? Well, it takes courage to stand up to one's family, as well."

"Rubbish!"

"Think me cowardly all you like, but don't forget, baby brother, that I'm a Gryffindor, same as you."

Ron scowled. "I'm nothing like you." He jerked his coffee up, and it sloshed over on to his hand. "Bugger it!"

Harry considered Percy, across the room and sitting cross-legged on the floor. He had been a Gryffindor, and Harry had never known the Sorting Hat to make a mistake. Certainly Percy would've done well in Ravenclaw - he earned the marks to back up his intelligence. And he would've made an excellent Slytherin – Percy was nothing if not ambitious. But the Hat had made him a Gryffindor, which meant that above all his other attributes, Percy was courageous. Harry narrowed his eyes at him. He was more courageous than ambitious? More courageous than clever? Well, he certainly wasn't more courageous than pompous, but that didn't really count. It wasn't as if there was a Hogwarts House whose attribute was pompousness, or Percy would've been its mascot.

"Something you may not have considered," Percy quietly added, "is that I believed in the Minister because he was the first person who ever believed in me! He saw my intelligence as an asset, and he trusted me for it. And I defended him because I thought he was right. Loads of us thought he was right! A wizard coming back from the dead? Who'd ever heard of such rubbish? Of course I thought the Minister was right! Any sane wizard would. But, Dad didn't care about any of that. He resents that I've done well in the Ministry when he's struggled all his life for his pathetic, little cubicle. He can't understand why I want more, why I actually want to make a difference. He wants me to be exactly like him. He wants me to be like Bill. Like Charlie!" He threw up his arms. "And looks where Charlie's gotten the rest of us!"

"Enough," Ez said. She didn't raise her voice, but there was an edge of finality in that single word to remind Percy just who was in the room.

He didn't stay chastened for long. "How can you love him? How? After everything he's done to-"

"You can't ask me that," she said, and sipped her coffee.

"It's a valid question, I think. I mean, I was there, wasn't I? After the last time? I know what he did. I know what happened. He didn't deserve you. I was a much better boyfriend - I always treated you with kindness and respect. I knew your worth."

"Percy, stop it. Leave it alone."

"No. I won't. Charlie's not good enough for you."

"Charlie is the best fucking wizard in the world."

"You could do so much better."

She slammed her coffee down on the small table by the couch. It dripped over the side on to the wood floor.

"If you're suggesting that you're better, I will remind you that you're married."

"And happily," Percy muttered. "She's never once thought of my brother while we make love."

Ez covered her eyes, but not before she threw a self-conscious glance at Harry. "I told you I was sorry about that. Do we have to do this here?"

"You said you were through with him," Percy said, quieter, reigning in his frustration. "That you were going to get on with your life. Building something new. That's why you went back to Canada, isn't it? You wanted to find your own way and fight the good fight. And now…Merlin's beard, Ez, you're going to have his baby! You swore you'd never, never go back, and here we are – and you're Bonded to him again! And now we're here with you, planning the murder of your family! Doesn't that seem in the least bit mental to you?"

"Enough!" This time she did yell. There was a fire in her eyes Harry hadn't seen for a long time. "Just shut the hell up! We're not going for my family, we're going for the fucking Horcrux! He just doesn't know it yet!"

"I know you don't want to hear this, but you've got to see reason. This is madness. Ez, I know you love him – I don't understand it, but I know you do – but this can't be what you want."

"No, it's not," she said quietly. "None of this is. And still…" A faint smile turned up the corners of her pale lips. She had nicely shaped lips when they weren't all painted up. Not ripe and kissable like Ginny's, but nice lips all the same.

Percy asked an exasperated, "What?"

"Mm…nothing, eh? Charlie's dreaming. I've missed that."

"Are you happy, then? Even though it's not what you wanted?" Harry asked before he realized it was probably too personal a question for the present company. It was just that her face was so changed when she looked inward at Charlie's dream, and she seemed somehow softer.

Ez didn't say anything, but smoothed her robes over the top of her thigh. She swallowed. She was terrified, Harry could plainly see, but she was happy, too. Love was like that.

"It's just…you're not stuttering anymore," Harry said.

"Yeah," she said. "I noticed that, too."

"It's better, then? Inside?" Harry touched his temple.

"Harry, you need to go back to England. Don't get involved in any of this. Don't let them get involved."

Harry turned and looked over his shoulder at Ron and Hermione. They were exchanging a glance that said something, but Harry wasn't sure just what until Ron nodded, and then gave Harry a resigned shrug.

"It's too late for that," Harry told Ez. "We're already here, and there's a Horcrux nearby."

Ez didn't fight him further, though he could see that she wanted to. Instead, she picked up her coffee and sipped again.

"So, then," Percy said with a heavy sigh. "I suppose someone should explain this Horcrux business."

Ron was amazing. He'd always been fairly good with a wand, but Harry had never seen him duel with so much confidence – or power. He moved like a ninja, blocking Charlie's strikes just as fast as they were cast. It was freezing out in the snow-covered garden, and the wind whipped through Harry and his heavy robes, but Ron was flush with exertion and the ginger hair around his face was dark with sweat. He ducked again, dropping down on to his belly in the snow before pulling his feet back under him, kicking up a shower of crystals, and pouncing up.

"Fire!" Ez ordered. "Ron! He gave you an opening! Hex him!"

On Harry's other side, Hermione looked anxious. This lesson wasn't like anything they'd learned at Hogwarts, or any place else. Charlie and Ron were casting spells meant to really maim, which was potentially dangerous with Madam Pomfrey and St. Mungo's so far away.

Charlie didn't give Ron another chance to cast against him. With a fierce, terrifying look he began a volley of Pummel Hexes that forced Ron to cast a Shield Spell. It held around him like a great blue egg, but as Charlie continued to slam spell after spell at the Shield, Ron dropped to his knees. His face was twisted in frustration and exhaustion, and on it Harry read the exact second his magic failed him.

So did Hermione. She jumped toward him, and cast her own Shield Spell around the two of them together, and then bent down beside him to be certain he was all right. She spoke to him, but behind the netting of gold magic Harry couldn't hear what was said. Ron nodded.

Charlie stopped, winded in his own right, and hunched over to catch his breath. His sweat-stained shirt, despite the cold air, was evidence that Ron had given him quite a work out. He winced as he took a few steps toward Ez, and Harry realized Charlie had been hobbling about without a walking stick since they'd left the Burrow.

"She did a bleeding Double Shield!" he said between gasps. "How'd she managed that? I can't Double Shield. Can you Double Shield?"

Ez cast a spell at his thigh, and it sparkled with blue magic for a couple of seconds outlining the thick scar through his trousers. He groaned in relief. "I don't know anyone who can," she told him. "I've never seen one before. Come sit down."

"Where'd she learn it?"

"Why are you asking me?" Ez griped with a smirk. "Sit down, baby, before you fall down." He gave a loose nod and dropped down on his hip next to her. "How's the leg?"

"On fire."

"I'll rub it for you."

Hermione's Shield wavered, and then popped like a soap bubble.

"Oi, Hermione! That was fantastic! How long can you hold a Double Shield?" Charlie called over to her as Ez settled his leg across hers, and she began to work her thumbs over the ridge of scar tissue so thick it was visible even through his trousers – a physical reminder of just how close he'd come to dying.

Hermione pulled her robes tighter around her. "Not long, apparently." Only Hermione would find a Double Shield for a handful of seconds less than satisfactory, regardless of the fact that it was a tremendous bit of magic, and neither Ez nor Charlie could do it. Harry wondered if he could.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Ron insisted, despite her dissatisfaction. "You saved my arse."

His smile was warm and private, and Harry felt a blush warm his cheeks. He didn't want to be witness to their personal moments like this. Or, like the one Charlie and Ez were apparently sharing without even looking at each other. Were they snogging in their heads? Kissing? Exchanging a private joke? Harry hated feeling the odd man out. Percy, lost in a book on the garden bench, didn't catch any of it.

"Hermione?" Ez said, and the concern in her voice made Harry look up just in time to see his friend stumble. Ron reached out and caught her with one arm, helped her down to her knees, and held her until she could manage on her own.

Harry jumped up, but Ez stopped him with a hand to his arm. "She's all right. Just over extended. Give her a moment. A Double Shield is very advanced magic. You know, I wonder if Santiago could do one."

"I wonder if Dumbledore could," Charlie echoed, almost wistfully as the two of them watched Ron and Hermione interact. "Look at him fuss. Poor, besotted bugger."

"He likes to fuss," Ez smirked. "Must run in the family."

"Oh, come now, I never look like that. All red and doe-eyed."

"With the tops of your ears going red," Ez said, laughing lightly.

"Let's have tea," Charlie suggested with a smile. "She should eat. It'll help with the wobbles."

When they filed into the cottage Charlie limped more than usual, and Hermione leaned against Ron looking a little pale, but well enough, Harry decided.

While the cups were filled and sandwiches made, Percy laid several books out on the table. "We need to talk," he said flatly to his brother.

Charlie ignored his tone, and smeared a healthy pat of butter over a thick slice of bread. "I knew you'd over react."

"Vampires, Charlie. They're Vampires."

Ron dropped his knife. "Who's a Vampire?" He looked suspiciously at Ez.

"My family are not Vampires." Ez pulled out some left over cheese from breakfast, and cold roasted potatoes from the night before and placed them on the table. "I'm almost out of money." She threw a glance at Charlie that said she was more concerned about that than Percy's newfound information.

"I have a few luni," Charlie discreetly said before he took a massive bite of bread.

"They can't afford to keep feeding us," Ez began.

"I said I have some money."

"There are six of us, Charlie, and we eat like we're nine." She eyed the hunk of bread and cheese Ron served himself. "Or ten."

Charlie looked down at his own serving, and then considered the small sliver on Ez's plate. He switched his with hers. "Don't argue. Let me fuss. And don't worry. I have some money, and I'll talk to Tibor."

"Some money won't last, and Tibor can't take care of us. Charlie, they're barely getting by now. Can you go back to the Dragon Reserve?"

"No."

"But-"

"I said no," Charlie said firmly. They fell silent, but it was clear from the way Ez stabbed at her potato that they were silently rowing.

"I have money," Harry offered. "If there's a Gringotts equivalent here-"

"You can't touch your account," Charlie told him. "They can't know you're here. At least not yet."

"What about me?" Percy said. "Surely-"

"No," Charlie cut him off. "Anything other than coin can be traced."

"We came by Portkey," Percy reminded him. "Surely they would've traced that."

"Whose name was the Portkey under?" Charlie asked.

"Well, mine," Percy said. "I had to sign for it."

"Then they know a Weasley is here. Hopefully they'll think it was me." Charlie tore off a piece of bread and chewed slowly. Ez looked at him, as if she was saying something, and he gave a slight shake of his head.

Ron and Hermione were doing much the same, only their lips were moving in their whispered debate. When they finally gave each other a little nod, Ron got up and went to his pack by the couch. From the bottom he pulled out a roll of socks.

"We've saved this," he said, and poured a heaping handful of gold coins on the table.

Harry's eyes went wide. "Saved?"

"We knew we'd need something," Hermione explained. "So, every time my parents gave me money for gifts or whatnot, every time Ron's mum gave him some pocket change, we saved it."

"We didn't give each other Christmas gifts," Ron said glumly.

"How long?" Harry asked.

"Since last summer when you started all that I'm-meant-to-be-alone nonsense. Hermione and I knew if you tried to ditch us we'd need a way to catch up with you again."

Harry was stunned. There was a significant amount of money on the table. Enough to buy food and lodgings for the three of them on a Horcrux hunt, if they were careful with it, for a month.

"Ron sold his autograph of Viktor," Hermione whispered to Harry. Ron's cheeks went pink, and he rolled his eyes. "Most of this is Ron's."

"It's ours," he corrected. And then he pushed it toward Charlie, who shook his head.

"You were saving this for something."

"Ah, Harry's not going to ditch us now."

"Ho-ho! I'm not?" Harry playfully asked. "Sure of that, are you?"

Ron smirked. "I'd put a fist full of galleons down on it."

"I'll pay you back," Ez told Ron, her eyes lingering on the coins. "I don't know how, but I will."

"We will," Charlie corrected.

Ron shrugged. "We have to eat, too, you know. And besides, we're family." But his eyes belied his bravado as he watched Charlie sweep the pile of coins together.

Harry didn't know if it was the most gold Ron had ever seen in his life, but it was certainly the most gold he'd ever had in his possession. As Charlie tucked the money away, Ron was once again broke, and it showed on his face.

"Vampires, Charlie." Percy leaned forward, elbows on the edge of the table. "What the bloody hell are we going to do about them?"

"There's nothing to be done. The Wizmeres have long retained Vampire…associates, I reckon you'd call them. It's not likely there will be too many of them around at any one time. They are, as a race, a solitary, private people."

"As a race? But…" Percy was stunned by his brother's nonchalance. "You're mad! Vampires are…superior strength, mind control – Charlie, they can fly!"

"Oh, please," Ez admonished. "They're strong, I grant you. And fast. But they go down with a good Severing Spell just like anyone else. And it's not like meu bunic – my grandfather would use them as body guards. Vampires don't serve. They won't be the problem."

"What will be the problem?" Hermione asked. Ron speared a potato from her plate.

Ez and Charlie exchanged a glance.

"What?" Percy snapped. "What is it? Talk out loud! I bloody hate it when you do that."

"Well, the castle is enormous," Charlie said. "And it's built like a maze. We've gotten lost in it before."

"And, we don't know where the Horcrux is," Ez added. "Or even if it's really there. If it is, it will take time to locate–"

"And the more time we spend there, the more likely we'll be discovered. We need to get in and out–" Charlie continued

"And avoid fights – my family knows how to fight."

Charlie nodded. "They also know the castle better than we do–"

"Secret passages–" Ez said.

"Magical doors."

"It's going to be difficult. But after what we just saw – you're ready."

"Yeah. You're ready," Charlie echoed. And then he noticed Hermione's expression. "What?"

"Fred and George do that all the time," Hermione said. "Wonder if they share minds, too."

"They share one mind," Ron quipped.

Charlie smirked. "Oi, Ron, was that the Robertson Twist you did out there - just before you threw up that Shield?"

"Er…yeah."

"Amazing. Where did you learn that?"

"Er, well…"

Viktor Krum had used the dueling move at the last Quidditch World Cup to catch the Snitch, and caused a sensation. For a week during sixth year Ron had practiced the Robertson Twist morning and night. It was during the time Ron was avoiding Lavender and before he'd made up with Hermione, and he'd looked for reasons to be out of the common room. Harry remembered that as a dark time for all of them, but apparently it was productive as well.

"The Robertson was great," Ez said, "but your Shield Spell was about as good as Charlie's, so don't let them force you to Shield. You're far better on offense. And, while Hermione's good at offense, her Defensive Spells are particularly powerful – especially that Double Shield. Remember that."

"What good is it if I can't walk afterwards?" she complained.

"You just need more practice," Charlie assured. "To build up your stamina."

"And food," Ron pressed. He nudged her arm and nodded to her plate. "It's good. Eat. For me?"

"Vampires, Charlie," Percy pressed.

"Wear garlic."

It had been a long day, and Harry sat with a cup of tea, and a blanket over his legs, staring out the small curtained windows at the falling snow. It was deep and cold, and the wind howled in short gusts as if outraged that winter hit the valley so hard. Beside him on the couch was Hermione, who'd finally succumbed to sleep against Ron's shoulder on her other side. Ron had an arm around her, and a blanket covered them both.

Sounds drifted in from the bedroom - breaths and movement, both rhythmic and heavy. It was the second time that night they'd gone at it, and while Harry knew they meant to keep things quiet, the cottage was small. Harry's lap responded despite his attempts to focus on Horcruxes and everything he'd learned about vampires in Defense classes. And what made it even more frustrating was that there was nothing he could do about it with Ron and Hermione so close, and Percy muttering his own frustrations under his breath.

"I'm going for a bloody walk," Percy finally announced in hushed tones. He grabbed his hat and cloak and stalked out into the blizzard.

Harry didn't much blame him. He tried to ignore Ron's subtle shifting, but Harry couldn't help but imagine that his friend was touching his other friend under the blanket, and a whole series of explicit images that Harry didn't want to think about flooded his brain.

"I'm going out, too. You have ten minutes." Harry didn't have a hat, so he pulled on his cloak and grabbed Ron's. He tied it under his chin as the cold air blasted him in the face. His nose hairs froze as he inhaled, his cheeks went stiff with cold. The filtered light from the small windows was minimal, and thanks to the storm, the meager halo they offered limited visibility to just a few feet inside the garden. Snow stuck to Harry's glasses, making a mosaic out of the darkness. So, hunched against the wind, he trudged through the shin-deep snow toward the only glow that permeated that inky darkness. Percy was warming the stone bench. Once all the snow and ice dripped away, the two of them sat.

They didn't talk right away. Harry hadn't really known Percy while they were at Hogwarts together. Then, of course, there was the falling out Percy had with his family, and Harry had come down hard on Mr. Weasley's side. Truth be told, he was still firmly ensconced in that camp, though it was more complicated now, like everything else in Harry's life. Percy wasn't just the black sheep that the twins railed against and joked about. He wasn't just the prat that made Mrs. Weasley cry. He was a prat with layers.

In some ways Percy reminded Harry of Hermione, and what Hermione might've been had she not had the purpose that he and Ron had given her. She was ambitious, and clever, and she loved her rules more than anyone Harry knew…outside of Percy. But she also loved her friends, and would do anything – even break her precious rules – to protect them. Just like Percy, Hermione would've done well in any of the Hogwarts houses, but the Sorting Hat had placed her in Gryffindor because her courage, when engaged, outshined even her incredible ability to retain knowledge, and eclipsed her ambitious need for recognition and her drive to constantly be right. But if she'd not had that opportunity to let her courage out…

Harry glanced at the wizard beside him. Percy scowled at the blowing snow. He was a Gryffindor, but a Gryffindor without a war. Instead, he had cauldron thicknesses to standardize.

"Stop staring at me," Percy gritted. Gryffindor, yes, and still a prat.

Harry began to shiver. He picked up a twig and cast Charlie's Brolly Charm. The resulting umbrella was heavy and a bit woody, but it was big enough to share, and it kept the wind off of them. Percy nodded his thanks.

"Are you nervous about going after the Horcrux?" Harry asked.

"No."

Harry knew that he was. Dueling, Percy was the weakest among them, and he didn't have physical stamina or battle experience going for him, either. And he had a wife at home, of which he continually reminded them. Someone was counting on him remaining alive and intact. Someone needed him to come home. But then, Harry wasn't certain why Percy hadn't simply gone back to England…though he thought perhaps it had something to do with what the Sorting Hat knew about him.

"You're staring again."

With a sigh, Harry looked into the darkness and thought of Ginny. She would be going back to Hogwarts tomorrow. Without Charlie or Ez. Without him or Ron or Hermione. Would they assign a new Head Girl? Probably not. They hadn't officially withdrawn from school, so it would be assumed that they'd return. Ginny would still be able to sleep in the Head Girl's room. And, with the Aurors roaming the corridors, she should be safe enough. Tonks would be there, after all. And most likely Lupin as well – McGonagall would need someone to cover Defense again.

And still, Harry worried.

His vision blurred, and Harry blinked just as the white-hot pain sliced down the center of his forehead. He doubled over, and heard Percy as if from a distance, but all he could make out was the pain and the pressure threatening to blow his head apart. Snow was in his face. Cold and hot and…

There you are…Harry…

Get out of my head!

Now, now. Is that the way to great your old friend?

I'm going to hunt you down- Harry began, but he felt Voldemort's laughter and it hurt. He tried to shove his hand through his skull to stop the pain.

Ah…the storm. So, the rumors were true, were they? You are coming for me. Good, Harry. I'll be waiting.

Shove off! Harry's Fist made stunning contact, and he felt Voldemort fall out of his head.

Harry? It was Ez. Her presence in his mind was almost a balm after Voldemort's torture. He opened his eyes to find she was kneeling in front of him, holding his face in her warm hands. She was looking into his head, searching, and he could feel her concern. There was an odd buzzing.

"He's gone," he told her, and pulled away. The buzzing hurt. The cold hurt. "I pushed him out again."

"So you did," she said with a smile, and left his mind. "Good for you."

"He knows we're here. He's close by, and he thinks I'm coming for him."

Hermione knelt down on Harry's other side. "Well, he's wrong, isn't he? We're going after the Horcrux."

Ez didn't say anything to this, but she stood, and headed back to the house. As she passed an anxious Ron and Charlie, she said over the building wind, "He's fine. He's stronger now. He's ready. We'll go tomorrow."