"We need to move," Harry ordered as she stared at the map. There were ten red names headed their way from Slytherin and a few coming from Ravenclaw for good measure.
"Hermione!" he nearly screamed, snapping her back to attention.
"Sorry!" she replied as she pulled out her mirror and coin.
She tapped out a message on her HDF coin.
Harry and I are in Slughorn's classroom and JDE's are coming. Send help!
She turned her attention back to Harry. "Only the professors can control who can lock or unlock the doors. I think they've trapped us in," she began.
"Floo?" Harry asked as he sprinted over to the fireplace.
"Except for Dumbledore they control that and also who can use it for travel."
"Albus Dumbledore!" Harry nearly shouted with no affect. "Minerva McGonagall! Remus Lupin! Grimmauld Place!" he continued with no success. "Shit!"
"What about elves? Dobby! Kreacher!" he called desperately. Nothing happened.
"The professor controls the room," she repeated. "It's how Crouch was able to manage impersonating Moody for so long. No-one gets in or out without their permission."
"We could break Slughorn from the Imperius," Harry suggested as he began pulling vials from shelves and placing them on the desks in the room.
"Only the caster can break the curse quickly and we don't have time. Are we sending these at them?" she asked as she began to help.
"That's the plan unless you have something better in mind," he answered.
"We don't know what these do. They could be dangerous."
"That's the point!" he replied as he began levitating the remaining empty desks in front of the door and stacking them together.
"They're almost here!" she called desperately as she eyed the map once again. "There is no way we can take all of them."
"Come on," he ordered as he grabbed his invisibility cloak and pulled her towards Slughorn's office.
She quickly began casting enchantments on the nearby doorway…anything and everything she could think of to provide them a precious few more seconds before the cavalry hopefully arrived. They heard an explosion. Apparently their pursuers had resorted to magic to get past the blockade.
"The storage closet," she suggested and they quickly huddled together in the furthest corner of the small room. Hermione looked at the map once again. "They're here."
They heard the rumbling from the other room as the attackers pushed past Harry's desk blockade in front of the door.
"They must be in the other room!" she heard someone inform. "You four stay here and see if they've disillusioned themselves or are using something else to hide."
Based on the sounds and muffled curses her tripping jinx had caught the first few attackers as they barreled into the room.
"Slow down and check for spells," she heard an unknown voice exclaim
"Accio potions," Harry incanted quietly and they heard the sound of breaking glass. Several shrieks could be heard and it was apparent Harry was right. Some of the potions had been toxic.
"They're playing with you," she heard the unmistakable voice of Daphne Greengrass observe through her coughs.
"Stow it, Daphne. It's just like you to finally pick a side after we've got the advantage," another familiar voice replied. Pansy
"Shut up," the first voice interjected once again. "I think everything has been dispelled. Let's go. Slowly"
Hermione put a finger up to her mouth in instruction and Harry nodded his agreement. They were both on the same page that hiding and remaining quiet was their only option.
'The floo is still disabled," Pansy informed. Hermione could see the legs of the various students moving around the room and hear detection charms being cast.
"Accio cloak!" rang out and her stomach sank. Apparently Pansy had been paying attention to Snape's Defence lesson as well. She gripped the cloak tighter, waiting for the inevitable pull of the spell. But nothing happened…nothing at all.
"They've escaped!" Pansy lamented.
"You can't apparate in Hogwarts," the unknown voice corrected. "They're here. They've just hidden themselves really well. Look in and under everything."
Daphne entered the room and quickly began casting disillusionment detection charms…seemingly with no affect. Hermione's confusion grew even further. The summoning spell, if done correctly, should have worked. The detection charms, cast in such close proximity to their target, should have worked.
Daphne began poking her wand forward as she stalked around the room and her eyes widened as it finally made contact with their invisible form. She'd found them. Daphne didn't say a word, merely reaching out a hand and feeling the cloak in her palm.
"Shit!" the leader exclaimed, drawing Daphne's attention before she exited the room.
"You said we wouldn't get caught Derek," a new voice interjected."
So the leader was Derek Clayhorne, a quiet seventh year…a name that she had been surprised to see on the junior death eater list.
"Someone's bound to be on the way now. We need to go!" Daphne pleaded.
"They must have been tipped off!" Derek nearly screamed. "How?"
"It was her!" Pansy exclaimed. "Daphne hasn't been interested until now but suddenly she can't wait to tag along and help."
"You're paranoid, Pansy," Daphne shot back.
"Where was she searching?" Clayhorne replied.
"You can't be-"
"The storage closet."
Before Hermione could react she heard Harry softly whisper "Petrificus Totalus" and she felt her body go stiff. She wanted to scream but was unable as Harry stepped forward and draped the cloak over her. "I'm sorry," he whispered before exiting the room.
"Potter," Clayhorne said with a laugh. "The Chosen One was hiding like a coward."
"Calling me a coward when it's ten to one," Harry spit back, "very brave. Just like your death eater pals."
"Nine to three, actually," Clayhorne answered. "Greengrass is clearly on your side and I'm guessing that Granger is still hiding."
"Derek-"
"Hand over your wand, Daphne."
There were several seconds of silence before Clayhorne spoke again.
"Take Daphne into the other room."
"What should I do with her?"
"Seems like a little punishment is in order don't you think? Nothing permanent obviously. Think you can manage that?"
Hermione's skin crawled as Pansy giddily replied. "Absolutely."
She heard Daphne being shuffled out of the room as Harry spoke.
"It's just me. Hermione didn't come because we knew she'd been targeted."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Look for yourself, take all the time you need," Harry replied as casually as he could manage. "You'd be doing me a favor actually…wasting even more time so help can arrive."
Hermione heard muffled screams. Daphne's punishment had begun.
Clayhorne appeared and quickly began casting the same charms Daphne had attempted just minutes prior.
"I told you," Harry chimed in once again from the adjoining room, "but thank you for wasting an extra few minutes."
Hermione released a breath as Derek gave one final look at the room before leaving.
"I really wanted the mudblood but I suppose we'll have to settle for you," Clayhorne muttered and her heart clenched. She knew what was coming.
"Crucio."
The seconds felt like hours as she was forced to listen to Harry attempting to suppress his cries of pain. While Daphne's agony was full throated and loud Harry's was stubbornly muted as he did his best to suppress the damage that the spell was causing. If anything it made it more difficult for her to endure. He always fought. Always. She felt the tears sliding down her face and realized there were some things even magic couldn't suppress.
And suddenly the torturous screaming stopped as a cacophony of new voices sounded from the other room. Help had apparently arrived.
"Looks like the odds have evened up," Harry grit out.
She heard the floo flare to life and felt another wave of relief wash over her. The headmaster had finally arrived. A scattered clattering of wands hitting the floor followed several seconds later. It appeared they knew they were no match for Dumbledore.
"Mr. Clayhorne, what have you done?" Dumbledore asked, fury evident in his voice.
"Not nearly enough," Clayhorne replied defiantly as the sound of spellfire ceased altogether. Apparently order had been restored in the other room as well.
"He used the Cruciatus on me. Parkinson did the same to Daphne Greengrass," Harry informed.
"You'll be going to Azkaban," Dumbledore informed gravely.
"Not for long," Clayhorne answered, "and Pansy and I are the only ones who have reached our majority. The worst you can do to the rest is expel them."
She heard what sounded like a punch followed by something heavy hitting the floor. She assumed that it was Clayhorne.
"Where is Miss Granger? And what has happened to Horace?"
"Get them out of here first," Harry ordered.
After several moments of murmured orders and people being shuffled out the room was silent.
"Him as well."
"You little-"
"If you don't order him to leave I'll hex him myself."
"Severus, please check with Poppy about any additional potions she may need. I do not believe Horace will be any condition to assist."
"Headmaster-"
"Now, Severus."
The room fell silent again before she heard the sound of a door closing.
"She's in the storage room, under the invisibility cloak. I petrified her."
Finally, mercifully, Finite Incantatem was cast and she was released from Harry's spell. She quickly pushed past the headmaster and sprinted to Harry, catching herself moments before barreling into him.
"It's all right," he mumbled as he pulled her close.
"I don't want to hurt you," she stated as he heard him let out a grimace.
"It's okay," he gritted into her ear as his head fell on her shoulder.
"It's not okay!" she replied through her tears. "Don't ever do that again. It's you and me, Harry. Don't ever do that again."
"They were after you. I couldn't let them hurt you."
She had no response for that because it really was that simple. If she had thought of petrifying Harry and sacrificing herself she would have done it without a second thought. He'd been hurt too much already. She just wanted it all to end.
"Miss Granger-"
"They threatened Mr. Dagworth's family. I think he was authorized to use Professor Slughorn's floo. He put the professor under the Imperius and had him lock us in. It was all coordinated and planned."
"And Miss Greengrass?"
"She warned us then pretended to be on their side to delay them from finding us," Harry continued with the story. "You need to find Astoria Greengrass. She helped warn us as well and-"
"Astoria is most likely in the hospital wing as we speak. She and a few other students from Hufflepuff were involved in a confrontation."
"She must have been trying to stop more from coming here," Hermione interjected. "Is she all right?"
"I do not know. Professor Sprout was the one who came upon the fight. "Astoria insisted that she inform me of what was going on immediately."
It was then that Hermione became aware of the rumbling chorus from the other room.
"I believe there are members of your group waiting to escort you to the hospital wing, Harry. Can you make it under your own power while I tend to Professor Slughorn and Mr. Dagworth?"
"What about the students who attacked us?"
"They will more than likely be expelled," Dumbledore supplied tiredly. "Unfortunately Mr. Clayhorne is right. There isn't much more that can be done to those who have yet to turn seventeen. But we can discuss this later once I have more information. You need medical attention and I need to begin dealing with what has happened tonight. Am I correct in assuming that Miss Greengrass was the source of your list?"
Hermione waited for Harry's nod before replying. "Yes. She was assisted by others but she was the leader."
"Then I will need to inform her parents as well. I need to know the names of all who have assisted you two. It is for their protection."
"You'll tell Professor Snape and we don't trust him," Harry mumbled.
"I will not share the names with Severus. You have my word," Dumbledore replied.
"Blaize Zabini and Tracey Davis," Hermione supplied as she wrapped an arm around Harry and led him toward the exit. She opened the door and found their head of house as well as several students waiting for them. Ron seemed to be favoring one of his legs and Lavender had a rather nasty cut on one of her arms.
"You all right?" Ron asked.
"Not really but I will be. You?"
"I've been better," Ron answered with a muted chuckle.
"May I suggest we continue this conversation in the hospital wing?" McGonagall interjected. "Do you need assistance with Mister Potter?"
"I've got him," she murmured as she delicately pulled him closer. "I've got him."
Three hours later Harry was asleep and full of several potions meant to ensure that he would stay that way for the immediate future. Hermione had supplied a full recounting of everything that had happened to Professor McGonagall. The room was now calm and quiet with most of the injured students having healed and sent to their common room, the castle in a temporary lock down. Supper was a few hours away but Hermione felt like she had been awake for a week. All other visitors had been sent away due to the lockdown by Madam Pomfrey but Hermione had refused, taking up a silent vigil by Harry's side and monitoring the map for any other threats.
She was broken from her musings by a voice from across the room.
"How is he?" Daphne asked, her voice muted and raw.
Hermione made her way over to Daphne's bedside. "Like you I suppose. Thoroughly miserable but too stubborn to show it. Why aren't you sleeping?"
'I refused that potion. My parents are due any moment and I need to speak with them," she supplied.
Daphne sat up slightly, grimacing in pain at the slight movement. "And I wanted to talk to you, about your cloak."
Hermione reflexively clutched her bag where the cloak was stored and scanned the room to see if anyone had overheard their conversation.
"Don't worry," Daphne said, purposely speaking in a near whisper, "your secret is safe with me. But you need to know…that cloak is special."
Hermione nodded her head. "It's a Potter family heirloom. It does seem to be more powerful than most cloaks from what I've read about them."
"It's more than that, Hermione. It isn't just special…I think it's one of a kind special. I've never heard of a cloak being resistant to detection and summoning spells."
"Surely you are exaggerating…"
"I'm assuming you've tracked down a copy of Beedle the Bard by now?" Daphne asked. At Hermione's nod she continued. "Have you read The Tale of the Three Brothers."
"You're joking," Hermione replied, not quite believing such a fantastical story could be true.
"My family has spent years obsessing over that book. Every story…any and every clue that could lead to a solution…especially one that deals with mastering death. My parents are convinced that the Hallows are real."
"Hallows?"
"The Deathly Hallows. The wand, the stone and the cloak."
Hermione instantly recalled Dumbledore's expression when he saw the book in her hand. She still remained skeptical.
"I find it hard to believe that Death goes around handing out magical artifacts."
"That part is nonsense of course but that doesn't mean the fairy tale isn't based on real life events." Daphne paused and nodded toward the bed next to her as confirmation of her statement.
Astoria.
According to Susan Bones, Astoria had been hit by a simple bludgeoning spell but she seemed much worse off than any of the other students who had been involved in the fighting. The girl looked so frail and withdrawn…like death warmed over. Hermione had never noticed how pale and thin the girl looked in the past but now that she knew of her condition she could see nothing else.
"I'm sorry," Hermione stated, once again not knowing what else to say, "and I'm sorry protecting me led to you being discovered."
"My idiot sister has probably taken a few years off of her life by helping today," Daphne continued. "It's ridiculous and irrational but part of me stupidly hoped that by helping you we could cure Astoria of this wretched curse."
Daphne wiped at her eyes angrily. "Astoria and I knew the risks when we decided to help. Harry was smart not to let them know about the cloak and protect you."
As Hermione was pondering Daphne's words she heard a gasp and saw Harry's eyes shoot open. He tried to sit up before sagging back into his bed, the lingering pain caused by his prior torture hitting him in full force.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, quickly rushing to his side.
"Draco is dead," he informed, his voice gravelly and hoarse as he placed a hand on his scar. "Voldemort tracked him down and killed him. He said there couldn't be any loose ends."
"You saw it?" she asked in horror. It had been almost a year since his last vision.
He nodded with a grimace. "I don't think he wanted me to see it...it felt like he'd lost a bit of control…like he was furious but enjoying it at the same time. He made his parents watch, Hermione. They just stood there."
Hermione grabbed a washcloth and dipped it in the nearby basin before placing it on Harry's forehead.
"I hate that you have this connection-"
Hermione purposely stopped herself from continuing her thought out loud. The HDF and the resulting drama had served as a distraction from the horrifying theory she'd had since learning of Horcruxes.
Harry had a connection to Voldemort.
"Close your eyes and try and go back to sleep, let the potion do its work," she urged.
Harry had a connection to Voldemort's Horcruxes.
"I need to tell Dumbledore," he murmured as his eyes slid shut, the potion taking affect once again.
Horcruxes were created by killing someone
"I'll tell him," she soothed. "Please try and sleep."
She placed the washcloth back in the basin and grabbed Harry's hand. It was softer now that he'd quit playing Quidditch. She prayed for the day when she'd get to feel those rough calluses once again.
Harry had survived being struck by the killing curse.
She brushed Harry's fringe back and looked at his infamous scar. It may have been her imagination but it looked brighter than normal.
Dumbledore knew something he hadn't shared with Harry.
She looked at Harry once again and a decision was made. No more secrets. No more unanswered questions. She needed to talk to Dumbledore.
It had taken over twenty fours but she now had her chance for answers. Dumbledore's name had finally shown back up on the Marauder's Map after dealing with the rogue student attacks from the day prior. Harry had been released from hospital and was now recuperating on their couch. She'd made an excuse and pulled Ron and Lavender to a corner out of Harry's eyesight.
"I need you to distract Harry so I can sneak out of the common room," she began.
"Why?" Ron asked immediately, an eyebrow raised in suspicion.
"I need to talk to Dumbledore about a possible theory."
"Why can't Harry know?" Lavender asked as she peered over her shoulder where Harry was seated.
"Because if your theory is correct it's really bad, right?" Ron asked. She nodded.
"How bad?"
She felt the moisture pooling in her eyes and cursed her emotions. She'd done so well keeping them in check over the last day. But in this moment…having to say the words out loud…it was too much.
"As bad as it gets," she answered, bowing her head at Ron's stricken expression.
It was Lavender who spoke first. "No."
"Lav we-"
"No hiding," she repeated. "No sneaking out. It's too dangerous." She looked very determined.
"Tell Harry the truth, Hermione," she continued. "Tell him the truth and have McGonagall take you."
Hermione looked to see Ron wearing a sad smile. "Well I'm certainly not going to help you and make Lav angry. Besides, I reckon she's right."
She nodded in resignation and sent a patronus message to her head of house asking for an escort to see the headmaster. The appearance of her silvery otter had caused a stir in the common room and Harry was now looking at her quizzically…waiting for an explanation.
She told him exactly what she had shared with Ron and Lavender and was met with the same questions and the same worried looks. Hermione watched as he pondered her words and absently scratched Crookshanks in the specific spot that always elicited a contented purr.
The tension was broken as the common room door opened and Professor McGonagall appeared, looking very concerned.
"I'll see you soon," Harry answered softly, doing his best to smile despite whatever horrible scenarios were rattling around in his brain.
She nodded her thanks, not trusting her voice at that moment, and quickly left the room.
McGonagall had apparently warned the headmaster as he seemed entirely nonplussed at her entrance, going so far as to have tea waiting for both of his guests.
"I'm assuming you are here for an update on yesterday's incident," he began pleasantly.
She took a breath. "Partially."
Dumbledore paused briefly, clearly taken aback by her cryptic response.
"Mr. Clayhorne and Miss Parkinson are currently being held by the authorities and will both be charged for the use of an Unforgivable. The remaining students involved in the incident have all been expelled and their wands snapped. Based on what we've been able to surmise the plan was to torture you and Harry before obliviating you two and Professor Slughorn. They had anticipated not being detected for sixty minutes which Miss Greengrass was able to foil."
"Mr. Dagworth?"
Dumbledore sighed and removed his glasses. "Mr. Dagworth has been removed from his position at the Ministry and it is yet to be determined what, if anything, he will be charged with."
"His family?"
"His wife has been killed for his failure but his two children are alive. Her body and the children were found in his home. The Ministry employees who contacted him have yet to be apprehended."
This was more than a schoolyard fight. This was an open and clear escalation of events and there truly was no going back. She did her best to not think about the two children that had lost their mother and forced herself to refocus.
"I need to speak to you privately. It's about Harry."
"Minerva, I will escort Miss Granger back to Gryffindor once we are finished with our discussion."
McGonagall nodded and left the room, casting one last worried glance at her before disappearing down the steps. Hermione had thought and rethought about how best to phrase her questioning for the last day but all of her carefully worded plans were immediately discarded. The time for treading lightly was at an end.
"Harry is a Horcrux isn't he?"
"What have you shared with Harry?"
"Yes or no. Is Harry a Horcrux?"
She watched as the headmaster considered how to answer. When this had happened in the past a benevolent smile was on his face and there was a twinkle in his eye. This time, however, all she saw was a man who was seeing all of his carefully laid plans burn to ash.
"Yes."
Before she could reply he raised a hand to stop her. "Please, Miss Granger. Please let me explain why I have kept this information from Harry."
And he did. For the next several minutes he laid out a highly precise, detailed and logical justification for why Harry could and should not know his fate until the last possible moment...until all the remaining Horcruxes had been dealt with. He was adamant that only then could Harry be made aware of the unspeakable sacrifice that was expected of him.
Silence reigned as she attempted to process what had just been shared. How many times had he miscalculated situations in the past?
Then suddenly, inexplicably, the prophecy began echoing in her mind. As she repeated the damnable words it dawned on her that it was one more thing that Dumbledore may have gotten spectacularly wrong.
Neither can live while the other survives…
Voldemort wasn't a part of the 'neither'. He'd damned himself from that possibility long ago. Willingly splitting his soul…drinking unicorn blood…enacting ancient rituals to regain a body…they were the acts of a man doomed to a half life…a cursed life...something that could merely survive. While he may have taken steps to ensure survival his chances at living were well and truly long gone.
She thought of Harry. His ridiculous hair…his eyes…his smile…the small of his shoulder where she seemed to fit perfectly. She thought of so many wonderful, exhilarating, infuriating bits and pieces that she couldn't fathom living without. She thought of everything but the scar. That wasn't Harry. That abomination belonged to the other. And neither could live while the other survived. Her path forward was clear.
"Expecto Patronum," she intoned, sending her otter on its second mission of the day.
"What have you done?" Dumbledore asked.
"I sent a message to Harry telling him that his scar is a Horcrux but he didn't need to panic…that we would figure out a way to get rid of it together. And if I don't remember sending this message when I get back to the common room it's because you obliviated me."
The headmaster looked well and truly defeated now. Not by her necessarily…but by time…life…his actions and inactions…all of it. "Do you really think so little of me that I would resort to such a despicable act, Miss Granger?" he asked.
"I couldn't take the chance," she replied simply.
"I believe my plan would have allowed Harry a chance to survive," Dumbledore answered.
"And I believe Harry deserves to know the truth. He doesn't need to be tricked into doing the right thing at the last moment," she spit out. As the seconds ticked by and the headmaster remained silent she thought of how much more could have been done by now…how much less Harry would have suffered…if only Dumbledore had trusted them all just a bit more.
"You always sell him short," she continued, forcing herself to remain calm. "You constantly sell him short and he's worth a thousand of you." She felt tears forming and quickly wiped them away. There would be time for tears later…when she was alone…away from the headmaster and away from Harry.
"On that we both agree," he replied wearily.
He suddenly looked so pathetic and sad and she felt her rage growing. He was Albus Dumbledore. If she could postpone her tears and remain focused than the supposed greatest wizard of the last century could do the same.
"I don't care if you feel bad! If you really care about Harry you need to tell us everything you know and help us."
"Well it seems you've left me little choice in the matter, Miss Granger," he replied with a sad smile. As sad as he looked she also thought he looked a bit relieved as well.
Neither can live while the other survives…
She knew they wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts in the fall because she and Harry had something much more important to take care of. Everyone and everything else could wait because neither she nor Harry could live while the sodding other survived. Whether Trelawney meant for her to be considered part of the neither was irrelevant…because she was. Totally and unequivocally.
Hermione had been gifted with magic for a reason. Harry had saved her in first year for a reason. She helped him survive a dragon for a reason. He'd come back from that graveyard for a reason. She'd gone to the Department of Mysteries despite knowing it was a trap for a reason. Being the two halves of the neither was the reason. It was too late to turn back now and it didn't matter that Harry was the one with a bit of Voldemort embedded on his forehead.
She'd had enough of waiting for Dumbledore's silence to end and stood to leave. "I need to talk to Harry."
As they began the journey back to Gryffindor, Dumbledore spoke. "I would very much like it if you and Harry would meet me here tomorrow morning at eight. I have some additional information to share with you and the sooner we start working on a strategy together, the better. You will, of course, be excused from your classes for the day. Perhaps Mr. Weasley could join the meeting as well."
As she nodded her agreement the mirror in her pocket warmed. It was Harry.
"Are you all right?" they asked each other in unison.
She laughed despite herself. "You just found out that you are a Horcrux and you're asking how I am?"
"You said you might be Obliviated!" he protested. "I reckoned I could start panicking about me once I knew you were safe."
"I'm fine, Harry," she reassured. I'll be there in a few minutes and we can talk about everything and start coming up with a plan. I love you."
"Me too, Hermione. You've no idea…" he answered with a sad smile. "Crooks and I will be waiting."
"Communication mirrors," Dumbledore observed as they continued their trek, "quite ingenuous."
"Harry's dad and his friends created them when they were at Hogwarts," Hermione supplied.
"That explains so many things," he observed with a soft chuckle.
A few minutes later she bounded through the portrait hole and an orange ball of fur darted toward her…presumably there to escort her to her reserved spot. Harry turned and looked at her over the back of the couch, shooting her an awkward smile. He looked a mess…hair going everywhere. She imagined he had been running his hand through it a lot the last few minutes. He did that when he was worried…or thinking. He was surrounded by Ron, Lavender, Neville, Ginny and Luna. Even Hedwig had joined the party, regally presiding over the group on a nearby window ledge.
Hermione marveled at how alive she felt at that moment despite everything they'd gone through and everything they still needed to accomplish. She had no idea how they were going to manage it but she was positive that the neither were going to live and the sodding other didn't stand a chance.
A/N: From the beginning this was planned to be a retelling of sixth year so we are nearing the end. Having said that there will be one more chapter outlining the ramifications of the changes and the final confrontation with Voldy.
Thanks to all who have stuck with this story and I'll see you in a few days for the final installment!