AN: Firstly and most importantly i just want to convey my wishes that everyone reading this is safe and healthy. Additionally, i hope you are getting through all of this strangeness. I have several friends and family that have lost jobs, been ill or who work in healthcare. This isn't easy for anyone, but i wish you all the best in whatever your circumstance may be. (4/13/20)
Chapter 25: It's Time
*""We've got a problem, Snape," said the lumpy Amycus, whose eyes and wand were fixed alike upon Dumbledore, "the boy doesn't seem able-"
But somebody else had spoken Snape's name, quite softly.
"Severus ..."
The sound frightened Harry beyond anything he had experienced all evening. For the first time, Dumbledore was pleading.
Snape said nothing, but walked forwards and pushed Malfoy roughly out of the way. The three Death Eaters fell back without a word. Even the werewolf seemed cowed.
Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.
"Severus ... please ..."
Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore.
"Avada Kedavra!""*
Hermione stifled a sigh and idly flipped through her potion's textbook. Harry had left for Dumbledore's office, it looked like tonight may be the night he and the headmaster would be going after a horcrux. Once Harry had left for Dumbledore's office, she had tried to convince Ron that she was right about Eileen Prince, but he wasn't having it.
'Hermione, it doesn't matter. I know you think its this Eileen person but its just not possible. You wouldn't understand but Harry's right – the prince is definitely a guy… we can just tell by how he writes.'
He threw up his hands and stood up, pacing in front of her.
'I don't know why you are so convinced it's a guy – a girl is just as capable – '
'Its not that, we can just tell… I wonder what Dumbledore wanted.' He said, glancing towards the common room portrait. Hermione sighed and let him change the subject.
'Do you think he's really found one?' She asked.
'Maybe, he did want Harry there right away.'
'We know about the diary and the ring; I wonder which one it could be. Maybe the cup?'
'I wonder where they will go.' Ron said, a far-away look in his eyes. 'I wonder what Harry will have to do.'
Before they could speculate further, Harry came barreling back into the common room, an odd and determined look on his face.
'What does Dumbledore want?' Hermione asked.
He didn't answer right away, walking past them and heading towards the dormitory stairs.
'Harry, are you okay?' she called.
"I'm fine," said Harry shortly, racing past them.
A few minutes later he had returned, clutching his invisibility cloak, the marauders map and what looked like a rolled-up ball of socks.
'Dumbledore thinks I'm getting my invisibility cloak. Listen…'
He said before quickly telling them a story about Malfoy, Snape and celebrating in the room of requirement. He quickly cut her off whenever she tried to interrupt or get clarification. He thrust the map into her hands and the socks into Ron's, explaining that it was his Felix Felicis potion. Before they could say much more, Harry was disappearing through the portrait hole. Hermione was sure the stunned and slightly shell-shocked look on her face matched the one she saw on Ron's. After a moment of standing there in silence, Ron seemed to snap out of it, taking a deep breath.
'Ok, Hermione. We had better do what he said.'
'But, Ron… Snape and Malfoy… I mean, we aren't even sure if – '
'It won't do any harm to be on alert if he is wrong.' Ron said quietly.
'But, Hermione, if he is right… We have to be ready.' He said earnestly.
Hermione nodded, deciding she would go to Snape as soon as she got a chance.
'Right, well, I'll go get my galleon and send a message out. I'm not sure if anyone will respond… its been a year since we've used them.'
'Get Ginny while you are up there, will you?
She jogged up her dormitory stairs, her mind racing. Was something going to happen tonight or was Harry mistaken? She supposed in the end, Ron had the right of it. It wouldn't hurt to act as if something was happening. At least they would be prepared.
As Hermione picked her communication galleon out of a small bowl on her nightstand, she had an idea. Moving quickly, she conjured two more and set a protean charm on them. Stuffing them in her pockets she ran to find Ginny. If something happened tonight… if tonight was the night that IT happened. she would be ready. She would make sure she could contact her professor if she needed to.
It wasn't 20 minutes later that they found themselves standing in a seldom used hallway on the 7th floor. Hermione let Ron take the lead as he explained to Ginny, Neville and Luna what was going on. He had surprised her by taking charge and laying out a sound strategy so quickly.
'Right, well Harry told us to watch Malfoy and Snape.' Ron said, opening the map.
'Malfoy must be in the room of requirement and Snape is there in his quarters.' He pointed at the dungeons on the map. Hermione noted to herself that Snape's footprints were moving back and forth as if he were pacing.
'We can split up.' Ron said.
'Ill go watch Snape's.' Hermione volunteered.
'Luna, you can go with Hermione. Neville, Ginny and I will watch the room of requirement.'
Hermione stifled the urge to protest. She would have to somehow get a message to Snape without Luna knowing. At least she would be near his office.
Ron pulled out the small bottle of Felix and held is up, it was only about a quarter of the way full, but it glittered in the light, making Ginny and Neville gasp. Luna smiled serenely.
'Harry gave us this. There is only about a sip left for each of us, but it should help.' He said, pulling the cork out.
'To Harry and Dumbledore… wherever they are.' He said, taking a small sip and passing the bottle to his left. Everyone copied his words and actions, taking a small sip and passing the flask along. Hermione managed to be the last person to take the flask. She surreptitiously conjured a cork so she could save that last sip and pocketed it when nobody was looking. They stood in their circle for a few seconds more, quietly looking at each other… slowly as the felix took effect, their expressions lightened. Everyone wore a small smile. Hermione did her best to arrange a matching expression on her face.
'Well, mates.' Ron said with shrug. 'It's time for Dumbledore's Army to help Harry again.' He reached out to give Hermione an awkward one-armed hug and smiled in Luna's direction before turning towards the corridor.
'Good Luck.' Hermione said as she and Luna started to make their way down to the dungeons.
Severus cradled his cup in his hands, enjoying the warmth as he gazed into the fire. He looked at the contents on his small coffee table. Besides his tea things there was a small stack of books. It seemed innocuous enough if one didn't consider the content of each book. From his seat he imagined he could feel the darkness of the subject matter of each book. They were all he had on the subject of horcruxes. He mused that they looked innocent…sitting on his coffee table waiting to be given to one of his students.
His fire flared green and Dumbledore's face appeared.
'Severus?' The older man called, searching for a minute before seeing his potions professor.
'Do you need something, headmaster?' He asked, setting his teacup down with a soft click, before moving closer to the fireplace.
'Severus, I'll be leaving the school for the evening and taking Harry with me.'
'What? Are you sure? Headmaster this is hardly the time to…' He was at a loss. What could the headmaster possibly need to do away from Hogwarts with Harry Potter?
'This is of the highest importance Severus. I can't tell you what I will be doing, but i wanted you to be aware that I will be gone for a while. I'm not sure how long this will take.'
It dawned on him then. He recalled what Hermione had told him about Harry's meetings with Dumbledore. Were they going after a Horcrux?
'I've asked some of the order members to conduct extra patrols through the halls and to be on alert. They know to be vigilant.' Severus was incredulous. He was supposed to trust a few order members to make up for the castles lack of a headmaster for the night?
Dumbledore adopted a pleasant smile on his face, Snape thought he was trying to look reassuring.
'Sir at least tell us where you will be. What if we need to reach you?'
'Nonsense, it will all be fine. Perhaps you could do a few extra patrols yourself. I must be off now, my dear boy. Harry will be here any moment and we will depart immediately.'
The older mans face vanished and Snape was left staring at just a regular fire that had started to dwindle.
He sighed before starting to pace slowly around his room. He had a bad feeling about this. Dumbledore gone, leaving the castle and taking Harry Potter with him. It seemed to be a setup for disaster. He wondered if he should contact the other professors. No doubt Dumbledore had at least informed Minerva. He cast a tempus charm. It wasn't very late. He would wait a few hours before he started making regular patrols of the castle.
It was a long wait. Hermione and Luna tried talking in a desultory way for a while, sitting side by side on the cold dungeon floor. Occasionally one of them would cast a warming charm and Luna eventually pulled out a copy of the Quibbler and started reading. Hermione wished she had thought to bring a book. It must have been about two hours before anything happened.
They heard noises first. Indistinct sounds that resembled thumps and a few shouts. All of it muffled, seeming to come from far away. They both stood, pulled out their wands and looked at each other uncertainly. Hermione looked at Snape's closed door.
'What should we do?' Luna asked softly.
'I don't know. We are just supposed to watch Snape, but... should we maybe knock?' Hermione asked, feeling uncertain.
Before they could make any decision, they heard footsteps and Professor Flitwick appeared. Hermione wasn't sure he even saw the two students. He made a beeline for Snape's door and started yelling.
'Death Eaters in the castle. Severus! Help! There are Death Eaters here!'
Flitwick pointed his wand at the door – opening it and running in.
'Severus, we need your help, there are Death Eaters here!'
They heard a thump and then Snape ran out, stopping in surprise when he saw his students standing there.
'Professor Flitwick has collapsed.' He said, his eyes moving back and forth quickly between the two girls.
'Go attend to him. I will go help fight the Death Eaters.' He said.
'Yes, Sir.' Luna said before she ran into his open door to check on her head of house.
Hermione stayed where she was.
Snape pointed his wand at the door of his quarters, gently closing it before he stepped close to her and spoke in low tones.
'It is time. On the coffee table in my quarters you will find some books on horcruxes, the wards will allow you to enter. Make sure you grab those and whatever else you may need before you leave the school.'
Hermione nodded.
'Ill come back later when Luna isn't here.'
'I must go.' He said. His voice was whisper quiet.
'Wait. Before you go… I have…' She dug a galleon out of her pocket and held it to him.
'Keep this on you. I set a protean charm connecting it to another coin. We can send messages like this.'
She tapped the coin with her wand and changed the serial number to read 'be safe.'
'The coin grows hot when the message is changed. Its not much… but if you need anything.'
He nodded and wordlessly pocketed the coin.
'I also have this…' she said, pulling the small vial out of her pocket and holding it up. The golden potion shone in the torch light. There was just one small sip left.
'Is that…?'
Hermione nodded.
'Harry won it from Slughorn, he gave it to us… I saved my portion.'
'It is yours.'
'You need the luck.' She said, looking straight up into his eyes.
'Please.'
'We will share it.' He said, gesturing. 'You first.'
Hermione nodded, knowing they didn't have time to continue arguing. She lifted the vial and just let the potion touch her lips, trying to take as little as possible. Nevertheless, she could taste it. She could taste the luck and felt a growing calm. She knew that everything would be alright. She handed him the vial.
He turned it and placed his lips just where hers had been and sipped the rest down, keeping his eyes open and on hers.
'Its going to be ok.' She smiled at him.
Abruptly he reached for her shoulders and tugged her close. His arms wrapped around hers and he rested his chin on her head. Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist and for one short moment the world was quiet. Her whole world was reduced to him and to this moment. She felt warm and cherished, tucked in against him, their bodies flush against one another from the top of her head down to where the toes of their shoes touched. She could smell him. He had a slight herbal, smoky smell, something that hinted at the potion's classroom. Hermione took a deep breath. It was the best hug she had ever experienced, and it made her want to weep.
'Ill see you at your parents house.' He said, his lips close to her ear, before releasing her. He turned and ran, leaving her standing alone in the hallway.
'Hermione, come help me with Flitwick!' Luna called, breaking her reverie.
AN: Well there you have it. We have come to the end of book 6 . A rather bittersweet way to end it but it was all that would work for me. This was my originally intended ending (i wrestled over a final kiss or a hug before he runs off- but this couple moves slow). But now, i do feel like it would be really incomplete to leave it here...the next chapter will take place after book 6 ends, when Hermione is back home. Thoughts? Hopes? Constructive criticisms?
AN: Hey all- i really wish i could say that through this quarantine i have lots of extra time to write, but i work for an essential company. I'm working from home but i'm also helping home-school my stepson and working probably more than i was before. I am however, sticking with this story. sorry its such a slow process.
Disclaimer: As always, these belong to JK Rowling, not to me and everything between the * are her words directly. I'm not making any money and am merely borrowing her brilliant characters and universe.