HPTT
Disclaimer: see first chapter!!
Chapter 5: Zero Hour
By the time the three of them had returned to Sirius's, it was nearly time for the critical moment… the time when Voldemort killed Lily and James, and lost everything to Harry.
Sirius looked up when they came in. "If what you say is true… what will happen?"
"Can't be any worse, can it?" Harry asked glumly.
Sirius turned his attention the windows, as if expecting an owl.
Ron rubbed his forehead, muttering something about Harry, and then something about Ginny.
Hermione took Harry's hand and gave it a squeeze. "We'll get through this."
Harry gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand in response. Hot, searing pain erupted on his forehead. He let out a yelp, and seized both hands to his forehead.
"It's happened," Hermione winced, leading Harry over to Sirius's love seat and forcing him to sit down.
Ron and Sirius ran over.
"Does he need anything? Should I call the Hogsmeade hospital unit?" Sirius demanded.
"No," Ron said, watching Hermione rub Harry's back. "When this happens, Voldemort is near…"
Sirius walked to the window and shut the drapes.
Harry, panting, slowly removed his hands from his forehead. "I… I think it's passing." No sooner than he said that, another bout washed over him and he cried out in agony. He got up to his feet, only to crumple to the ground again.
But Hermione saw something that made her heart stop. "Harry, you're… you're changing!!!!"
Harry was indeed changing. His hair was growing longer, and his eyes… had turned from emerald green… to blood red.
"Oh my God," Hermione moaned, slapping a hand to her mouth.
Ron grabbed her and pulled her away from him. "That's not Harry," he whispered.
Harry slowly got to his feet, surveying the three of them. "Where's my master?" he demanded.
"Harry?" Hermione asked softly.
Harry's head whipped around and glared at her. "A Muggle…" he walked slowly up to Hermione. She was frozen with fear. "How nice. I could smell their wretched hyde anywhere… Do you know what I like to do with Muggles?" He circled her slowly. "Tear them limb from limb," he whispered in her ear. "Hear them scream in agony as I slowly pull of each delicate finger… snap each bone in two…"
Hermione trembled with fear. "Who are you?!" she demanded.
Ron, remembering how to move again ran up behind Harry. "Leave her be," he said.
Harry ignored him, eyeing the golden chain around Hermione's neck. "What do we have here?" He reached inside her robes and withdrew the small hour glass.
"NO!" she shouted, finding her voice and snatching the hour glass back. She dashed around him and stood beside Ron.
"Unitidio!" Sirius yelled, pointing his wand at Harry.
Electric green ropes bound around Harry and he toppled onto the floor.
"What'd you do?" Ron asked.
"It's a spell. An old spell a friend of mine by the name of James Potter taught me. A spell to use against Death Eaters. Someone is teaching him the dark arts!"
"This is horrible!" Hermione shouted. "First we save Sirius, and by doing that, James is blamed! He must have been with Pettigrew when he murdered those people!! And now… now since Sirius isn't at the Potters… someone must have took Harry! Pettigrew or Voldemort or someone took Harry from the house after Lily was killed! Sure as rain Hagrid didn't… what if Voldemort is still alive?! What if he never tried to kill Harry, and decided to teach him dark arts? Anything is possible!"
"Thirteen hours and counting," Ron said checking his watch. "We have got to set this straight, Hermione. It's up to us. First things first. We have got to get to Godric's Hollow and to Harry's house. And we'll pray he's still there."
"I know the way," Sirius said.
"Tell us how to get there," Hermione said, watching Harry struggle on the floor. "And hurry."
As soon as the directions were laid out, Hermione and Ron headed to the door. "Stay with him, please. Until we come back."
"He's not goin anywhere," Sirius said, his wand still trained on Harry. "Go!" he shouted to them.
Hermione and Ron landed softly on the front porch of Harry's house. It was so quiet. Too quiet. Sirius had lent him his Star 75 broom, in which those days was the best around. Compared to the Firebolt, it was slow as molasses. The Potter's house was a cute two-story home with white siding. Small flowers lined the walk way down to the street. Hermione and Ron snuck up to the door.
Hermione knocked.
"What are you knocking for?!" Ron exclaimed.
"Sorry!" she muttered.
Ron jiggled the door knob. It creaked open. "Was open already," he said.
"Why would Voldemort use the door?" she whispered.
"Shh!"
They could a hear faint voice coming from upstairs… and what sounded like a baby crying.
"Do you hear that?" Hermione whispered.
"It's got to be Harry," Ron said, searching around for a staircase. "Stay close to me and be quiet."
"There." Hermione pointed to an oak staircase against the far wall.
Ron descended the stairs, Hermione right behind. "Do you have your wand with you?" he asked.
She nodded. "You?"
He gulped. "Yeah. Hermione, we're going to do whatever it takes to get Harry back. Agreed?"
She was silent.
"Agreed?" he repeated.
"Right," she whispered.
They reached the top of the stairs and Ron stopped so abruptly that Hermione crashed right into him. "What is it?"
"Pettigrew," Ron said softly. "I can see him… the door's open a crack. He's with Harry."
"And Lily?"
Ron hesitated. "… she's there too."
Hermione drew in a sharp gasp. "Is she… oh Ron, is she…?"
"Yeah," he said shortly. "She's… I don't think she's alive."
Hermione winced.
"Come on, I'm going in. I'm going to try and surprise him and… tackle him or something!"
"What? Ron, wait!!!"
Before she could stop him, Ron dashed into the room and pointed his wand at Pettigrew. "Expelerimus!" he shouted.
Pettigrew's wand flew out of his hands. Ron caught it.
Hermione ran into the room. Lily was lying on the floor, Harry was sitting up in his crib, crying, Pettigrew hovering over him. Ron stood a few feet in front of her, two wands clutched tightly in his hand.
"Children?" Pettigrew asked, eying them coldly. "The infamous Sirius Black sends children?"
"Why did you do this?" Hermione asked, bending down to Lily and checking for a pulse. "Why?"
Pettigrew raised his eyebrows at her. "Leave. Leave now and I will not harm you."
"I have a score to settle with you," Ron said, throwing the two wands out of the open window. "I know I can't beat you with magic, so I'm going to beat the piss out of you,"
"A street fight?" Pettigrew chuckled. "You are challenging me to a street fight?"
Hermione inched closer to the crib.
"You're of pure blood, I can sense it. I am the dark lord's confident follower." His eyes turned to Hermione. "But who is this Mudblood you have with you?"
"You leave her out of it," Ron said. "This is between you and me. You killed Harry's parents, befriended me, the whole wizarding world, and now it's time to pay."
"What are you doing with Harry?" Ron demanded.
"Showing him the path that is rightly his," Pettigrew beamed. "He will follow valuently in Lord Voldemort's footsteps!"
"You framed James Potter this afternoon, didn't you?" Hermione demanded. She was inches from the crib now.
Harry had stopped crying and turned to stare at her.
"Clever girl," he said. "And all the time I thought I had to fear Sirius. But, I think I shall stop you there," Pettigrew said, circling his icy hand around her wrist as she reached for Harry. He let out a yelp of pain as Ron kicked him in the gut. He let go of Hermione and turned to Ron. "You shall pay for that, boy!"
"Grab Harry and go!" Ron cried, ducking out of the way of Pettigrew's punch.
Hermione plucked Harry from the crib and started back toward the threshold. "Ron, come on!!!"
"GO!" he cried.
"I'm not leaving you!" she shouted.
"You don't have much time!" Ron cried, throwing a shoe at Pettigrew. "Bring Harry to the Dursleys, bring my parents together, get Harry and go to Hogwarts! I'll meet you there! GO!"
"But Ron!"
"It'll be alright! Just go!"
Hermione swept down the stairs, amidst the sounds of Ron and Pettigrew's scuffle. She ran outside, grabbed both of their wands and the broom. Harry had fallen asleep. "Alerto Ron!" she whispered to his wand as it flew up and out of her hands and into the open window. She heard Ron's cry of triumph when the wand flew into his hand. Hermione hopped on the broom and flew far away from Godric's Hollow, Harry clutched tightly to her chest.
End of chapter 5! Review!
