Hidden under the invisibility cloak she had "borrowed" to Harry (her own version of the cloak had mysteriously vanished, as well as the resurrection stone), Hermione opened the bottle as soon as the curse hit Ed, and then closed it back, as Snape had told her to. She was ready to go, when she suddenly remembered something. It was Cedric's ghost, coming out of Voldemort's wand, that had told Harry to bring back his body to his parents. But the young man's ghost wouldn't come out this time, as Cedric wasn't dead. She thought in herself she had no other choice but to wait, and so she waited, biting her lip to try to hold her screams as she saw Harry being tortured by Voldemort. When the dark wizard decided he wanted to fight him in a duel, the young man ran and hid right next to her, oblivious to her presence. He ended up fighting his enemy, and their wands connected. When the moment was right, Hermione cast a spell to draw Cedric's ghost.

"hold on, Harry. Your parents are coming." she whispered, making the ghost talk.

She then saw the ghost of an old man appear, and then, indeed, Harry's parents. Lily encouraged and reassured her son, and then, just before he broke the link, Hermione whispered once more.

"Harry... bring back my body, please. Bring me back to my parents."

And then, under his mother encouragements, Harry broke the link between the two wands. The Shadow chose this moment to attack, but was blocked by the spirits that were protecting Harry. Among them, Cedric's ghost was emitting a bright light. Harry didn't see that, though. He dashed to the body he thought to be Cedric's, then cast an Accio on the portkey, and disappeared. As soon as he was gone, Hermione disapparated, and went back to Hogsmeade. There, she allowed herself to breathe again, and had to sit against the wall for a moment. She soon felt something warm rolling on her left hand, and as she looked at it, she discovered it was blood. She hadn't noticed how tight she had clenched her fist. It appeared she had clenched it so hard that she had cut her palm with her own nails. Both her hands were now shaking, and she took a moment to breathe. She didn't stay there too long, though, and quickly returned to Hogwarts, choosing to pass through the whomping willow. Once in the park, she immediately went to the hospital wing. There, she found Fred pacing in front of Ed's bed, while the young king's family was around him. The young man seemed to suffer from a bad leg fracture. A few beds away, Cedric's parents, along with Madam Pomfrey and professor Sprout, were crying over their dead son. Hermione came next to Fred, and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Mr Weasley, I know you are worried, but I think now is the time to reveal our little magic trick."

Fred nodded, and silently left the room. He came back a few minutes later, accompanied by an outraged voice threatening mighty revenge. The voice was soon cut short when Cedric entered the room, and saw his own corpse.

"What the..."

All faces turned to him, and after a short moment of realization, his mother let out a high-pitched scream, before dashing to his arms.

"But..." Susan said. "Who's that in the bed?"

Lucy was the one to answer.

"That's Ed..."

There was such resignation in her voice that Hermione felt her heart bleeding.

"What?" Harry reacted. "But why?"

Hermione turned to him. She hadn't noticed him, too focused on her mission. He was surrounded by young Hermione, the Weasleys and Sirius.

"We wanted to avoid a useless death." she replied in a tired voice.

"Useless?" Peter reacted. "What about my brother's death? How useful was it."

"There is still a chance to save him."

"He was struck by a Death Curse." Harry stated. "There is no chance."

"And that's the boy who lived, talking." She replied.

She then cast a finite incantatem on George and Ed, who were both given back their own appearance. When she saw her son in the hospital bed, Mrs Weasley started getting pissed of and yelling at him.

"Molly, please, I need silence." Hermione interfered. "That's very complex magic I am about to execute."

"What... how...?"

"I'll explain later. Fred, I'm going to need your assistance."

"Of course. What do you want me to do?"

She took out the vial, and gave it to the young man.

"On my sign, I want you to open it, towards Ed."

He nodded, and then both placed themselves on each side of the young king. She started reciting a litany, and when she finished it for the first time, she signed Fred, who opened the vial, and she started it back. She recited the litany a third time, and suddenly, Ed started coughing, and then opened his eyes.

"Did we win?" He asked in a weak voice.

"Yes!" She replied, grasping his hand. "We won! We made it!"

The young king looked at her hand.

"You're bleeding."

"It's nothing. How do you feel?"

"I have a monster headache. And I feel like I've been charged by a Minotaur."

Hermione had a clear laugh, and then started sobbing.

"It's okay, now." Ed said, gently rubbing her hand. "We've set everything right, now."

She nodded, unable to stop crying.

"Right." Molly declared. "I think this young lady here needs some rest. Come here, darling. Come take a sit. Bill, will you go the kitchen and ask them for a hot chocolate?"

"Yes, mom."

And Hermione decided she was exhausted, and let Molly gingerly take her to the chair Sirius immediately offered her. She felt strengthless.

"Are you feeling better, now?" Molly asked in a sweet, motherly voice. "Let me see that hand of yours."

And she took out her wand, and healed the young woman's hand. There was suddenly a huge noise near the window, and when she looked up, Ron's mother saw the young Hermione quickly cramming something in her school bag. She sent her a disapproving look.

"Sorry..." the young witch said.

Bill then soon came back with a hot chocolate cup, which she sipped in silence.

"Could anyone tell me what's going on?!" Peter suddenly said.

"Yeah, I admit I'd like to know, too." Bill said.

"Leave her alone, okay?" Ed said sharply. "She will talk when she's rested."

"No!" Peter replied. "I want answers, now!"

"Give her a break, Pete! That's enough, now."

"No, it's enough with you! I am your brother, and I am the High King! I am entitled to be answered!"

Madam Pomfrey furiously dashed to him.

"Listen to me, Sir!" she threatened. "If you don't stop troubling my patients rest with your unremitting bawling, I will be forced to kick you out of this room, king or not king. Am I clear enough?"

Peter opened his mouth in order to talk back, and then shut it. Hermione took a deep breath.

"I will answer you." She said. "I will answer you all. But not here. Please just let me rest for a while..."