Chapter Thirty-Five

"One…two…three," the bell tower in Hogsmead rang out loud and clear on the still night air, "six…seven…eight…nine…ten." Silence.

Olivia counted out the hours to pass the time as she stood before the gates to the castle in anticipation. Any minute and Dumbledore would appear. Any moment and she would be begging to save his life.

It had been just under three weeks since she'd figured out what it was she was meant to do to save the Amoverus'. It had also been the same length of time that she and Harry had learned the content of the prophecy Voldemort had been so keen on getting that night. She was meant to save their kind while Harry was meant to save all wizard-kind. They both faced daunting future destinies, but on that night the young couple had made a vow to face that future together.

When she revealed all that she'd been hiding from Harry that night before Dumbledore came and shifted their worlds again, she'd hadn't really known how her boyfriend would take the news. She knew he would either hate her or forgive her. It could have gone either way in her mind, but she was fortunate that the motivation for her confession was also enough reason for him to forgive her. Seeing part of yourself nearly killed was strong enough incentive for letting go of petty things like secrets and half-truths.

She came clean that night and made a sacred promise never to keep anything from Harry again even if she wanted to in order to protect him from the painful truth. It was his only condition, and Olivia agreed to it eagerly. It was a small enough price to pay for Harry's acceptance.

They went over every part of it together, and in that revision of events Olivia had discovered the means to achieve her goals. She realized that every time she'd meditated on the espoir a vision predicting a death she was meant to prevent came to her. She'd been thinking of it in December when she'd seen Mr. Weasley's attack and again the morning before Harry's own vision of Sirius being tortured in the Department of Mysteries that led to the disastrous battle where she and Harry had both nearly been killed. By Olivia's reckoning that meant she'd save two and had two more to help.

Ever since the battle, Olivia meditated daily on the espoir. She both hoped for and dreaded the morning when she would receive a vision. She hoped for it because she wanted to save the other Amoverus, but most importantly she wanted to save Harry. She dreaded it because she wasn't altogether certain she would be able to save them, and she refused to think too long on what would happen if she couldn't. What if it was someone she loved? Lena? Ron? Hermione? Or even Sirius again? What if she couldn't save them? It frightened her to think of failure.

That morning she had received another vision. It was Dumbledore. Her heart had frozen in horror as the clutches of the horrific vision faded and the implications of the beloved Headmaster's death came to mind. It was unthinkable living, going on, and fighting in a world without their leader. She had to save him.

Olivia had figured out something else from her and Harry's blending. The day she had the vision would be the day the death would occur without her intervention. She'd connected with Harry's mind once she had calmed herself to tell him that she would be going on a mission that night. Although the rules prevented her from telling him the details, she could tell him when she had a vision. She just couldn't reveal whose death she had witnessed or what she'd seen.

Harry wanted to go with her, of course, and Olivia quickly outlined the many reasons why this couldn't happen. It was against the rules. It was dangerous for him to go anywhere without an armed escort thus breaking more of the rules. The rules kept him in Surrey while she stood at the gates of Hogwarts.

Finally, movement on the path from the school caught her attention. Olivia perked up and braced herself for the questions to come. She had to answer the Headmaster carefully in order to observe the rules. It was a thin line she toed along and stepping over it could bring harsh punishment…again.

"Miss Townsend?" Now, Dumbledore was never surprised by anything and had never even acted as such in all the time that Olivia had known him. He was, however, certainly unprepared for her waiting on him that night. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong? Is Harry not well?"

"No, sir, no," Olivia replied quickly not wanting to worry the old man unduly. "I came to see you…to speak with you about something."

Olivia bit her lip nervously not knowing how to ask what she needed. It was ridiculous that she was here even under the most tenuous of circumstances one of the Order members would report to the Headmaster not Olivia. She felt her presumption.

"This is hardly the time or place for discussion, Miss Townsend. It is late, and I'm sure your guardian will be wondering why you've been gone for...How long have you been waiting here?" He asked looking at the girl over his half-moon spectacles.

"Since dusk," she admitted sheepishly. It was rather pitiful, but her vision had been at night. She could not have known how late it would actually be when her vision took place. "I doubt Lena even notices that I'm gone. She's been spending a good deal of time at Headquarters since…since the incident at the Ministry."

Olivia and Harry hadn't been the only couple to realize the luck of survival from the battle. Lena and Sirius finally realized their feelings for one another after Sirius' near-death experience. They'd been joined closer to the hip than even Harry and Olivia. Lena was there every day, and sometimes Olivia joined her and others she stayed at home to work on her summer assignments for school. That day she had pretended to have an essay to write and sent Lena on her way to spend time with Sirius. Lena walked around on cloud nine so high above the rest of the world that even if she did get home before Olivia she wouldn't notice the girl's absence. The pillows arranged in Olivia's bed would help with the illusion.

"I see," Dumbledore replied as though understanding all of this though it was unspoken between them. "Well, as it is, I really can't talk now. I was just heading out for an important meeting."

"At this hour?" Olivia asked giving his lie all the credit it needed.

"Yes."

"Perhaps I could come with you…I mean not to the meeting. Perhaps I could walk with you, and we could talk at the same time," she suggested weakly.

"I don't think so, Miss Townsend. Perhaps another time?" He moved to pass her on the path. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll say good evening to you."

"Wait," she cried turning and catching up to the older man who wore dark green robes this evening nearly blending in with the summer foliage that surrounded them. "Please, Professor, I can't explain how or why I know, but I know you aren't going to a meeting. You're off to do something dangerous, and I want to come with you. You don't have to explain what we're doing or why, but I must come with you. Please, sir."

Dumbledore might have heard the desperation in her voice or seen the panic in her eye as Olivia believed he would leave her. He might have simply thought it would be interesting to take the girl along. Whatever the reason, Dumbledore considered her request for several minutes before nodding and beckoning the girl to follow him.

"Where we're about to go and what we're about to do could be very dangerous and is very, very secret. I need hardly to remind you that what you hear and see tonight goes no further."

"Yes, sir," Olivia agreed as she walked along the path towards Hogsmead beside her Headmaster. "Of course."

"I will allow you to some on one condition." He held up a finger to stress his point. A large jewel there sparkled in the moonlight distracting Olivia briefly. "You must obey every order I give without question and without hesitation. Agreed?"

Dumbledore held out his hand for Olivia to take, and she considered it briefly. What if he ordered her to do something that would result in his death? Could she obey him then?

"Agreed," she said taking his arm knowing that he would apparate quickly. She would deal with his orders when they came. Her mission was clear—save him tonight.

Olivia had apparated so often on her own that she'd become accustomed to the strange sensation of being pulled through a tube by your stomach. It was a little different piggy backing with someone else, but she quickly regained her footing as they appeared in a lonely, shadowed lane.

They were in the country. Olivia knew this because there was no city haze and the stars were bright above them. There was a wooden post with signs pointing in two different directions, but Dumbledore didn't consult them knowing his way already. Olivia was only able to read something Hangleton as she kept step with the old wizard who walked surprisingly fast for his age. Neither spoke as they walked.

The lane was bordered by tall hedges on either side. In the moonlight, Olivia's imagination could have run wild if she'd been alone. Shadows moved and twisted around them as they walked, and more than one time she believed she'd caught sight of something sinister out of the corner of her eye. It reminded her of a song she'd heard on the wireless once, moon-lit shadows on an abandoned lane/ That's where I met a lonely train. It went something like that.

Dumbledore turned off the lane unexpectedly as the lane fell away. Olivia wasn't able to see what lay in the valley below them as a cloud chose at that moment to hide away the moonlight.

"Wands out," Dumbledore instructed pulling his from his sleeve and lighting the tip.

Olivia followed his example and used her wand to light the way. It was a good thing she did, too, for the path they followed was overgrown with weeds, nettles, and lined with rocks and holes. It appeared that this path was once well traveled and kept up. It was obvious that Dumbledore and Olivia were the first people to walk that way in many years.

It made little difference that the moon was hidden behind a cloud now, because the way was preternaturally dark from the abundance of trees that lined the way. Indeed, the trees were so thickly arranged that Olivia didn't see the building until she and Dumbledore stood at the doorstep.

There was an abundance of magic that pervaded the area. Olivia felt that. It must have been all the magic which kept the building from falling as any logical reason for it to be standing was certainly missing. The roof was almost completely missing. Olivia could have counted on one hand the spots of tiles left. Nettles and other weeds had grown and crawled up the walls nearly covering all the stone. The windows were broken, and the door stood ajar hanging from its hinges.

Olivia had a bad feeling about the place. It was exactly something you would imagine in a horror story where none of the witched or wizards made it out alive or sane. Yet, this was their destination. Olivia could tell it was the place Dumbledore had set out for by the way he examined it carefully, thoughtfully.

There was a great deal of magic that hung around this place, and Olivia closed her mind to examine it all more closely. There was a deep magic here. It was the kind of magic that was neither good nor evil. It simply was and lent strength to whomever channeled it whether they were good or evil. There was a different type of magic that lay here, too. Olivia turned her head to the side as she felt the dark spells that had been cast here, and she wondered if that were what endangered Dumbledore. Her vision had been vague letting her see his form writhing in pain as a curse slowly overtook his body. It had made little sense to her that morning and made less sense to her now.

Dumbledore waved his hand over the doorway and said something in a language that Olivia didn't understand. She opened her eyes and watched as a blue shimmer retreated from the doorway.

"Wait here," Dumbledore instructed looking at the girl over his shoulder. "I'll be back in a tick."

Olivia shook her head and stepped towards him. "There's powerful magic here, Professor," she said in a reverent whisper. "It's more powerful than either of us, and I think we should stick together."

He didn't argue. Both knew she was joining him either by invitation or intrusion, so they entered the shack carefully holding their wands out ready for any type of attack. Olivia felt the magic pressing all around her. She felt strangled by its intensity. Even at Hogwarts, she'd never experienced such powerful magic.

There were only three rooms from what Olivia could see in the small house, for that's what it must have been at one time. There were two rooms that were off of the main one which served as both a kitchen, there was an old black stove in one corner, and a general living area. Dumbledore seemed to focus his search of the house in this room and moved through it looking for something, Olivia didn't know what.

"Sir, what are you looking for? Maybe I can help," Olivia suggested as Dumbledore moved to one corner sweeping his wand from left to right.

"I hardly know, Miss Townsend. I believe I'll know it when I find it," he replied.

Olivia turned in the direction of the stove and walked slowing over the rickety floorboards hoping that her foot would not fall through one of them. The magic here was intense, and Olivia felt her head swimming from the overwhelming power. Her vision blurred for a moment in response which was how she noticed the subtle change in the floor to the left of the stove.

She blinked several times and then knelt slowly to the floor. She closed her eyes and placed her hand above the strange portion of floor. She felt it certainly then, powerful concealment charms. She focused on the first muttered a spell to break it. It was easily dismissed, but the one beneath it wasn't as weak. She could do no more without alerting the Headmaster.

"Professor, I believe I've found something," she said turning on her heels to regard the old man. "Concealment charms," she said by way of explanation.

Dumbledore crossed the room quickly and joined Olivia by kneeling on the floor beside her. He studied the area with both wand and hand and smiled with relief at the girl beside him.

"Very good, Miss Townsend! Now if you'll step back, I'll see if this is what we're looking for."

Olivia stood and stepped back as the wizard worked silently to lift the charms. She felt the magic around them stirring ominously. She felt a strange anticipation build within in her as layer by layer the charms were broken until a small hole in the floor was revealed to the two companions. Olivia looked over the older man's shoulder to see a small ring lying at the bottom illuminated by Dumbledore's wand.

She felt the sudden desire to grab it and place on her finger, a compulsion that was strange and foreign to her. Dumbledore must have felt it, too, as he reached for it while Olivia fought the desire.

"Don't, sir!" She cried out stopping his hand with her own. "It's cursed! You don't know what could happen if we touch it."

Dumbledore looked up at her with a confused expression in his light blue eyes that quickly cleared, and he withdrew his hand. "How do you know?"

Olivia flicked her wand and the ring floated up into the air before them. "See for yourself," she said as the ring began to spin slowly and picked up more speed as she used a revealing charm to prove it was cursed. She knew now that this was what would kill him if she hadn't intervened.

"Lena had taught you well, I see," he commented watching the ring with an odd expression. "You're spell work is beyond your years."

Olivia ignored the compliment. "Do you have something to carry it in?"

Dumbledore produced a cloth bag and opened it to accept the object. Olivia guided the ring into the bag with her wand and released the levitating spell when it was carefully inside.

"We have," Dumbledore said drawing the string of the pouch and stowed it away where Olivia could not see it, "what I came for, Miss Townsend. Shall we go?"

Olivia felt the magic around her and quickly agreed. She helped the older wizard to his feet and they retreated to the lonely lane quickly.

"What will you do with it, sir?" She asked as they cleared the hedges when she finally felt free of the powerful magic once more.

"I cannot reveal that to you now, Miss Townsend. Know that it is in good hands and forget that you ever saw it."

Olivia was silent feeling it was disrespectful to continue, but she was worried for the man's safety if left alone with the ring.

"Sir, I believe that laced within the concealment charms was a spell to make you want to touch that ring. I broke the first charm easily before I alerted you, and I feel a strange urge to put the ring on my finger. The curse is deadly, Professor. You should destroy the ring."

"I believe you are right," he agreed after a long pause as he considered her warning.

They had reached the signposts again, and Dumbledore held out his hand for Olivia again. She took it and they apparated instantly back to Hogsmead. Dumbledore waved his wand as soon as they arrived and a bright phoenix appeared and flew away in the direction of the castle. He had alerted someone of his arrival.

"Thank you, Miss Townsend, for your help. I think now you should return home."

"You shouldn't be alone with that ring, Sir. I'll stay with you until you destroy it."

Dumbledore looked at her with an amused expression that was blended with a little offense, but he smiled and asked, "Don't trust me to leave well enough alone, do you? That's probably just as well. Severus will meet me at the gate. You may accompany me there."

"Thank you, Sir."

Olivia felt her luck that he hadn't taken her worry the wrong way. She also knew she was lucky he didn't ask uncomfortable questions but seemed to accept her advice and presence with aplomb.

"I will be fetching Harry from his aunt and uncle's in a few days time," Dumbledore said conversationally as they walked up the hill towards the castle. "It occurs to me that you might care to join me."

"Really, sir? Could I?" Olivia asked eagerly unable to hide her enthusiasm.

"Indeed. You can consider it repayment for your help tonight." Olivia opened her mouth to thank him, but he interrupted her as they reached the gate. "Ah! Here comes Severus now. I will say good night then."

Snape reached the gate as Dumbledore bade Olivia good night, and the gate opened to allow the Headmaster in. Snape didn't remark on the girl's unexpected appearance and hid any surprise he might have felt with a cold glare.

Olivia began to warn Snape about the ring, but Dumbledore stopped her once more as he turned and the gate closed behind him. "Severus will not let me do anything unwise, Miss Townsend. You may rest assured I'm safe. Good bye, then, and I'll see you in a few days time."

The two men turned and walked quickly up to the castle. Olivia turned as well as the bell tower began to ring once more. Three down, one to go. Could it really be that easy to break the curse on the Amoverus?