Chapter 29: September part 2
Harry lies awake, his mind is racing from the events of the last 24 hours. He's worried that Voldemort can and will enter his mind. His fears are that Severus and Hermione would be exposed. He's thinking about asking Hermione if there is away for her to obliviate his mind in regard to them. He may not like Professor Snape, but he loves Hermione enough to accept their relationship. She's like the sister he never had. He knew he wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for her. He also wants to keep Professor Snape alive and well. He knows Snape is a double spy. He knows the sacrifices. Actually, the more he thought about all the things Snape has done for him since he set foot in Hogwarts is for his benefit. In away, he is in debt to Snape.
Harry also can't believe that Ron has been gone this long, with not news of his whereabouts. Is he safe? Has he gone completely mad? He already misses Hedwig. He can't blame her for trying to protect him. But the thought that his owl will no longer be with him saddens him.
"Hey Harry, are you alright?" Neville whispered.
"I'm okay. Did you get that owl you wanted? I know your- toad passed away last year." Harry asked.
"Yes, Luna gave me her last year, we named her Leda." Neville said.
"Fantastic. Would it be okay to send out a letter? Hedwig-" Harry mumbled the last part of that sentence.
"Of course. I'm sorry about her. You had her for ages. Go for it mate." Neville said.
"Thanks." Harry took out some parchment, and a quill and started writing. About an hour later, 2:30am, he finally finished, sealed it and attached it to Leda the brown owl. \
"I don't know where Ron is, but if you can find him, please give this to him. Wait for a response, if you can." He instructed Leda. Leda nodded in confirmation and flew off.
"I have to start looking for Horcrux's soon." He said to himself. He couldn't get any sleep and decided that he was going to start packing.
"What are you doing?" Neville asked.
"I have to find and destroy these horcrux, I will not allow anymore people to die for me."
" You can't do this alone Harry. You-Know-Who is stronger than you and I put together. It'll take a village to defeat him. I'm no Ron, and I'm not sure what happened between you three, but if it counts at all, I want to fight along side you. Help you and Hermione. Besides, you've said yourself on many occasions, you wouldn't last two days without her. Bill and Fleur have their wedding soon as well." Neville pointed out.
" I don't care about some wedding. But- you are right. It's along story Neville and its not mine to tell. However, if you want to come along, I won't stop you. I appreciate all the help. There is a reason you were put in Gryffindor." Harry smiled.
"I'm still not sure about that. Maybe Ravenclaw. But its best to get some sleep. Mrs. Weasley has a lot of chores for us to do before their wedding." Neville smiled.
"I'm honestly surprised there is going to be a wedding at all. During these times." Harry admits.
"Even in the darkest times Harry, we still need to find some sort of joy in life. Even as minuscule as a wedding, something to look forward to." Neville commented.
"Such wise advice coming from a guy who forgot his remembrall in our first year." Harry chuckled at the memory.
"Yes, well, a lot has changed since then."
"Indeed. Good night Neville. Thanks again for lending me Leda." Harry said climbing back underneath the covers. Sleeping in Ron's old bed feels a bit weird.
"Good night Harry."
The next few days have been a blur for Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna. They all contribute in helping Mrs. Weasley prepare for Bill and Fleur's wedding. As they finish setting up the tent in the back yard, they all bring a sigh in relief.
"Finally, everything is prepared for the wedding! Or at least the reception." Neville said, as he brushed off his hands.
"The wedding is tomorrow. We all need some sleep before the big day." Luna mentioned. She looks up at Neville. Her eyes wide with love and adoration. Hermione and Harry couldn't help the tension between the two. It only reminds her how much she misses Severus. She opens her journal and jot down just a few little words:
"I miss you Severus." She drew some XOXO afterwards. She wasn't expecting him to respond. At least not that time of the day.
"I miss you too sweetheart." She is a bit surprised, but happy to see his response.
"Hermione!" She heard Fleur's voice from behind.
"Yes, Fleur?"
"Would you mind terribly, showing me how you manage to keep your hair from frizzing up? I can't seem to get mine to calm down!" She's somewhat panicked. Her hair looked like a 70's dancer afro. Hermione couldn't help but to chuckle at it.
"I'll show you a few spells. It took me forever to get my hair the way it does now. You should've seen me when I was a first year." She relieves a few memories of spending what seemed like hours in the girls bathroom trying to detangle her hair.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'll meet you in your bedroom, er- Ginny's bedroom. Yes?"
"Sure thing!" She nodded. As Fleur walked away, she turned to Harry, Neville, and Luna.
"This is going to be interesting folks." Neville said.
"Hush, you better be lucky you don't have our sort of hair."
"I am lucky."
"Same here."
"Anyhow, we've all agreed to leave once the reception is over, the sooner we get started the better." Harry concluded.
"Very well." Luna said.
The wedding went off without a hitch, Fleur was as beautiful as ever, her hair straight with just a little curl at the end. A beautiful white dress with her veil covering her face. Bill was dressed in his father's dress robes. It might be a bit outdated however still very handsome. Once the wedding was over, the reception was filled with family and friends. Molly danced with Bill and the dancing began afterward. Luna was dancing with her father. Somewhat weird, but who isn't? Harry and Hermione tried to enjoy themselves however it is very difficult for them to full relax knowing what all they need to do in order to fight Voldemort.
There is a flash of blue that floated into the tent. Everyone paused with confusion as the blue orb began to speak:
"The ministry has fallen. The minister of magic is dead." It kept repeating. Not a second later, stream of black smoke filled the tent. Panic stricken, people started to apparate out for their own safety.
Harry, Hermione and Neville found each other.
"Where is Luna?" Neville asked. Frantically looking around hoping to find Luna. But she is nowhere to be found.
"We have no time. We have to go now!" Hermione screamed. She took hold of the boys. In an instant they were out of the chaos.
Soon enough, the three were walking down a crowded street.
"Where are we?" Harry asked.
"Tottenham court road. This is the only thing that popped into my head. Its where my parents use to take me when I was a kid." Hermione answered as they enter into a small coffee shop.
"We couldn't find Luna! What if she was captured?" Neville said worriedly.
"I'm sorry Neville. We couldn't waste anymore time. She was with her father the last time I saw her. I'm going to assume they apparated back home." Hermione said, trying to comfort him. She's hoping Luna was able to escape as well. She wanted to help.
"What can I get for you?" The muggle waitress asked as the trio sat down at the table.
"A Caramel latte, medium please."
"I'll take a cappacino." Harry said.
"Same." Neville answered.
"What about all the other people in the wedding?" Neville asked.
"They were are Harry, again, we can't go back." Hermione said.
"Where do we go from here? Leaky Cauldron?" Neville inquired.
"That's too dangerous. If Voldemort really has taken over the ministry then none of the places we are use to are safe. Everyone from the wedding would've gone underground, or in a safe house.
"I left everything at the burrow. All my things." Harry mentioned. Hermione placed her purse onto the table. Harry and Neville knew she had an extendable charm on it.
"You're kidding?"
"I've had all the essential's packed just in case something like this happened. I wasn't sure if there would be an attack during the wedding or reception." Hermione exclaimed. Two men came into the café, wearing custodial uniforms. At first everything seemed okay. Moments later, one of them turned around and blasted the trio.
"Stupify!" Harry screamed. Glass is breaking everywhere, chairs flipped and shoes squeaked as they battle the death eaters. Meanwhile the muggle waitress is still unaware of what is happening as she makes their coffee. Neville lung forward to push a slow reacting Hermione onto her bench just as the death eaters' spells shattered the wall right behind where Neville's head had been. Harry, still invisible, stunned an unsuspecting Rowle while Dolohov bound Neville from head to foot with a conjured ropes. Harry's second stunner missed, and struck the waitress while she was running away screaming after she came out from finishing making their drinks.
Dolohov cast Expulso in Harry's direction and it struck the table in front of him: the force of the explosion slammed Harry into a wall and made him lose his grip on his wand. The invisibility cloak began to slip off him and he was revealed to the death eaters again. Hermione then struck a distracted Dolohov, who was focused on Harry, with a full body-bind curse from under the collapsed bench where she was hidden from when Neville pushed her out of the line of fire at the beginning of the duel. Hermione cursing Dolohov finally ended the duel.
Hermione severed the ropes around Neville, and they identified the two Death Eaters, Harry and Neville turned off all the lights with a flick of their wand. And Hermione locked the door while they debated on what to do with the incapacitated Death Eaters. Although Neville reluctantly suggested killing them, Harry argued that wiping their memories would more effectively "throw them off the scent." Hermione performed memory charms on Dolohov, Rowle and the waitress while Harry and Neville cleaned up the café. So as to leave no trace of their presence there.
The trio then disappareted to 12 Grimmuald Place.
"It's been an interesting night." Neville said as the trio sat on the dusty couch in the living room.
"No kidding." Harry said. Hermione brought out her black journal and noticed there was a message from Severus.
"Are you safe?" This has been about two hours ago. She really needed to respond to his message.
"I am. I am with Harry and Neville (of all people)." Hermione responded.
"Good. Stay wherever you are for awhile. Voldemort has officially taken over the ministry."
"We will. Are you safe?" Knowing that was kind of a Ludacris question.
"At the moment, yes."
"I'm assuming you're talking to Professor Snape?" Neville questioned.
"Yes Neville. I am. I wanted to let him know that we are safe. It is late, I believe it is time for use to go to bed. Severus warned us that we need to stay where we are, at least for the time being."
"But the horcrux's?" Harry cried.
"They can wait, at least for a bit. We need our rest and we need a plan."
"Very well."
"Good night boys." Hermione stood up, and headed upstairs to one of the bedrooms.
A/N: Probably one of my largest chapters yet. This is going to be a long story. It may be awhile before Hermione and Severus can finally be together again. But we need Voldemort gone. Yes? I kept the café scene almost the same. And, no word from Ron. Yet.
