Darkness Supreme

Chapter three

By Lilith

A/N: Well, here's the third chapter. I don't know how long this is going to be, but I don't think it'll be more than ten chapters. And just to warn you all now, this story is going to have a sequel. Well, once you read the ending (which is already planned, if not written) you'll understand why I can't just end it there. Okay, now I really want to thank ::takes deep breath:: lapucia, phoenix, Lady Win, Taboo, Squin, Calypso, starrebrooke, Lania, Fe and Cecil for reviewing!!! YAY! You all get extra snaps. I have been saying that (extra snaps) for weeks now, and have no idea where I got it from. Oh well. So, here's another bout of insanity. Hey, and apparently, I have a brick wall around myself, and every time one brick is removed, five more are put in it's place. ::shrug:: Just because I've never had a boyfriend or girlfriend and wouldn't go out with him. ::sigh:: Oh, well, boys are stupid. Except for a select few. So anyway, enough of my rambling...

~~~

Harry pressed his ear against the door, grinning.

"Shove over!" Ginny hissed, pushing Harry over. He shoved back, and they had a silent fight over the crack in the doorframe. Ginny had her hands over her mouth to keep her from giggling insanely, and Harry's eyes shone with amusement. Ginny poked Harry in the ribs, and managed to get the crack. She pressed her ear up to it, grinning hopefully. However, all she heard was "Qietus!". Ginny pouted.

"He's put a silencing charm on the room, hasn't he?" asked Harry, interpreting her look correctly. Ginny nodded glumly, and the two set out after Madam Pomfrey, who had gone to alert the kitchens of the need for a hearty meal. And, of course, to spread the news that Hermione had come back alive from wherever she had been the past year.

"This is so surreal," Ginny remarked as she and Harry walked down long metal and stone corridors. Harry nodded. "I mean... Ron was listed as dead. Everyone had accepted it, as surely as if he was killed right in front of us. And yet, here he is, definitely alive. I mean... how many other people are we presuming dead?"

"I don't know," replied Harry quietly. "And I can't help but feel that it's my fault. I'm a lousy leader, I don't know why you all put up with me." Ginny frowned at him.

"We put up with you because you do a better job of it than anyone else would," she replied sternly. "Even Dumbledore agrees he can't handle this kind of strain, being as old as he is. You are doing remarkably well." Harry opened his mouth to reply. "Has anyone ever blamed you for someone's death? Besides yourself? No, because we're all going to die sooner or later, and we all might as well go fighting for freedom. And I know if I died tomorrow, I'd know I died fighting," Ginny decided. "But I think I'd take a few of those Death Eaters with me," she said thoughtfully, grinning at Harry. He shook his head and laughed softly.

Ginny's grown up rather quickly, he thought, sneaking a glance at the pretty 19-year-old girl out of the corner of his eye. It was true. Ginny Weasley looked tired and thin, but would never admit to being beaten. She was a lot like Harry in that sense.

"Where are you two going?" Madam Pomfrey asked sternly. They both looked up, startled, when she rounded a corner, carrying a large tray.

"We were going to get Hermione some food," Ginny replied, "but it looks like you ran ahead and got there before us." She eyed the tray.

"Well, if you two hadn't been walking so slow, you would've gotten to the kitchens a lot quicker," sniffed the old nurse. "Turn right around and take this to Hermione. I've got someone I need to see." Madam Pomfrey handed Ginny the tray, turned and walked back down the hall. Ginny and Harry blinked, then performed an abrupt turn and walked back to the Hospital Wing. They both tried to walk as slowly as possible, to give Ron and Hermione more time to talk. Too soon, however, they knocked on the door. Ron opened it, looking clear-eyed and happy. Hermione looked happy as her two other best friends walked into the room. Harry looked at her critically. Her eyes were bright and intelligent as ever, but there was something hidden behind them, something dire.

"Harry," she said quietly. "I have something to tell you. It's very important. Could you... could I have a moment alone?" she asked Ron and Ginny. They nodded. Ginny sat the tray down on Hermione's bedside table, and she and Ron left the room. They hovered outside the door, trying not to eavesdrop, but trying to "accidentally" overhear something. To their disapointment, Harry and Hermione kept their voices low, and in about 10 minutes Harry burst from the room looking distressed.

"I-I have to go," he said, and took off down the corridor, pale as a ghost. Ron and Ginny hurried be back into the room. Hermione was looking grim, and her fingers were clenched. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line.

"What happened?" asked Ron quickly. Hermione jumped, as though she had not noticed them enter the room.

"I told him what Severus told me," she replied quietly. "Ron, you said something about Lavender Apparating back here and saying I was dead?" she asked, taking him off the subject quite nicely. Ron nodded.

"Yeah, that's what I heard," he replied.

"It's what happened," Ginny said quietly. "I was there." Ron and Hermione turned to her. "She just... Apparated in here, bleeding and half dead. I don't know how she managed to do it. She collapsed at Harry's feet and gasped out that... that Hermione Granger was dead, and that Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan had gone missing and were presumed dead." Ginny looked at her feet. "Then she just... died."

"I... I don't know why Lavender would say that," Hermione said carefully. "She wasn't there. She and Seamus were heading back on foot, to try and draw away half of the Death Eaters that had been tracking them. Only she and Neville had been there when she had contacted Snape. She remembered everything Snape told her vividly, then remembered a flash of green light, Neville screaming... and then waking up in the Hospital Wing, unable to move.

"You'll remember more," Ron promised. "Remember what the book said? You'll regain your memory. Don't worry about it."

Oh, Ron... Hermione bit her lip. I... I don't want to remember... I was under the Imperius Curse... I don't want to think about what I was forced to do...

"You're right, Ron," she said out loud. "I won't worry about it." Ron's face broke out into a huge grin.

"Good!" he said, sitting down on the side of her bed and uncovering the tray to reveal a warm goblet of pumpkin juice, several steaming buttered rolls, and a tiny beaker of a green liquid. Ron sniffed it, made a face, and handed it to Hermione. "Courtesy of Madam Pomfrey," he told her, and she downed it in one gulp. She made a face that mimicked Ron's, then scarfed a buttered roll.

"I'm starving," Hermione said, grabbing another roll. "I feel like I haven't eaten in years." Ginny sat down on the other side of the bed.

"Yes, that's the speed healing factor combined with the energy that was sapped when you Apparated here," she said knowledgeably. "Apparating on less than half-power starts to take energy from your normal life reserve, so..." She stopped at Ron's blank look and Hermione's impressed one. "What?"

"Ginny, I have never heard you sound so much like Hermione," Ron said, staring at his sister. "Please stop before you really start to scare me." Ginny flung out an arm towards him, possibly to swat his head, but she was sleepy and her aim was off. Her hand swung harmlessly through the air. Hermione smiled, a genuine smile that reached her grim eyes. Ron noticed this and glowed at her. Ginny shook her head.

"Ugh, my love-struck brother and my love-struck best friend," she said in mock disgust. She snapped her fingers in front of Hermione's face and looked at her in mock distress. "I think he's put a Love Potion on you," she said solemnly to Hermione. "Snap out of it!" Ron made a wounded expression, and drew himself up, looking very dignified. The effect was ruined when Hermione poked him in the stomach, causing him to give off an involuntary snort of laughter. Ginny poked him too, and he poked her back, then gave Hermione a gentle poke in the stomach. She giggled a little and tried to poke him back, but he grabbed her hand in his and grinned at her. Ginny giggled and got up.

"I have to go," she said reluctantly. "I promised Harry I'd have the report on the Southern Sector in by tomorrow." She gave her best friend a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and her brother a fond ruffling of his hair. Ginny smiled at them as she left the room.

This day has been unbelievable, she reflected as she headed to the Report Room. Both Ron and Hermione are found alive... my brother and my best friend... and already I've accepted it as though they were never gone. The thought sobered her happy mood. This is what it's come to, she realized. We accept everything as it comes to us, because no one knows how long we have left to live.

It was two weeks later when Harry called the urgent meeting. The whole Weasley family was back with their Mission Teams, and they had all been overjoyed to find both Ron and Hermione alive and relatively healthy. They were all present at this meeting... well, the entire Resistance was. It was mandatory.

"I have called this meeting," Harry began, "Because of new information that has presented itself." His eyes flickered towards Hermione for a second. "One of our members has come back with information regarding Voldemort's wand." The entire assembly flinched. "It seems," Harry said, "That Voldemort has found a way to make his wand invincible." There was a collective gasp from the assembled wizards and witches. "This information is reliable," Harry continued. "We need to destroy Voldemort's wand. In case you don't know, Voldemort has tied his lifeforce directly to his wand. He no longer needs to eat, sleep, or do anything. His wand simply feeds him energy. It has been discovered that the only was to kill Voldemort is by destroying his wand. Thanks to Mr. Ollivander here, and Ronald Weasley, we have discovered a way to destroy the wand. However, Voldemort has found a way to make it invincible. It is a complicated ritual, but will need to take place in three months time in order to properly work, due to moons and tides and star positions and all. A select Mission Team will travel to Hogwarts, infiltirate the base, disrupt the Ritual Voldemort will be performing, destroy the wand and kill Voldemort."

There was a hush. No one spoke. After about twenty seconds of this, a woman with long silky black hair stood up. She was extremely pale, with pale blue eyes and a frail frame. Her cheekbones were high, and she was quite pretty.

"I will go," she said clearly. Everyone turned to stare at her in wonder. She strode towards the front of the assembly, to stand beside Harry. He nodded at her.

"Arabella Figg. You are the second member of the Mission Team." He turned to the assembly, when someone strode forward determinedly.

"I'll go too," said Ron Weasley, standing beside Arabella, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring about him, as though daring anyone to say he couldn't go.

"As will I." Hermione Granger moved to stand beside Ron, cool and collected.

"If Hermione's going, I guess I'm going too," said Angelina Johnson.

Sirius Black didn't need to say anything. He simply moved to stand by Harry's other side.

"I'm going." Kate Bell stood beside her best friend Angelina.

"Me too." Oliver Wood stood beside Kate. Fred and George Weasley stood up, but Harry saw the panicked look on Mrs. Weasley's face.

"I think this is enough," Harry said quickly, giving Fred and George a look. They quickly glanced at their mother, whose fists were clenched so hard that her knuckles were white. Her cheeks were stark white, and two silent tears were trickling down her face. The twins sat down quickly.

"Harry?" asked Ginny Weasley, dreading the answer to her question. "Harry, who's the first member? You said Miss Figg was the second."

"Me, of course," said Harry. This was not taken well by the assembly.

"Absolutely not!" thundered Sirius Black.

"You can't!" shrieked Lisa Turpin. Various other people followed their example, until Harry raised his wand. It let out a loud bang, and the room fell silent.

"In my absence," he said, saying each word clearly, "I am leaving leadership in the hands of Professor Albus Dumbledore. Co-leadership will be given to Professor Minerva McGonagall. Once I get back, I will resume Leadership, assuming it is needed." Harry stopped. "Mission Team, go and pack," he ordered. "We leave first thing tomorrow." The seven others left the room silently. Harry faced everyone else. "I'm sorry," he said, "But I have to go with them. I cannot send others into danger and stay safe myself." Harry looked around sadly. "I'll see you all when I get back. This meeting is over." Harry walked quickly to the door, opened it, walked out, and shut it.

Harry hurried down the corridor. He was already packed, and he knew everyone else was as well. It was regulation that everyone keep spare packs already filled with regulation equipment, as well as one with specialized equipment, if one had a specialty.

Harry reached his rooms and grabbed his pack. He also picked up a list and scanned through it quickly, copying certain things onto another sheet of parchment. He then reviewed his list, and nodded, satisfied. Harry took his things to the overnighting room. Whenever a Mission Team left early in the morning, they all slept in the same room to reduce confusion when they needed to leave. Harry claimed a bed, and dropped his pack onto it. He looked at his list once again.

Specialties—Mission Team Alpha

Harry Potter – flying, protection spells

Ronald Weasley – Hexes, curses

Hermione Granger – Hexes, curses, elemental spells, potions, first aid, communications, protection spells

Angelina Johnson – Protection spells, elemental spells, flying

Arabella Figg – Rituals, blocking spells, flying, languages

Kate Bell – Physical self-defense, stealth, weapons, flying

Sirius Black – Stealth (Animagi)

Oliver Wood – flying, fire spells, elemental summoning

"Hey, Harry." Oliver and Kate entered the room, and claimed beds as far from each other as possible. They were both glaring at the other, eyes smoking. Harry sighed. Just what he needed. Oliver's temper was fairly hard to provoke, but he was easily irritated. Kate, on the other hand, had a fiery temper that had a tendency to go off at the worst possible times. And now they were mad at each other- Harry sighed again. Once Ron and Hermione had admitted their feelings for each other, it had given the Resistance one less thing to bet about. Then they had noticed the way Oliver and Kate acted around each other...

"Hey, Oliver. Harry, Kate," Ron entered, looking slightly flushed. He dumped his stuff on a bed next to Harry's. He noticed the way Oliver and Kate were glaring at each other and smirked. A moment later Hermione walked in, looking flushed as well. She and Ron blushed when they looked at each other, but Hermione took a bed next to Ron's anyway. Angelina and Sirius entered next. Sirius took the other bed next to Harry, and Angelina took the bed next to Kate's. Arabella entered last. She took a bed next to Angelina without a word, and sat down. She pulled out a thin leather bound book, and began to read. Angelina and Kate began talking in hushed tones, and Sirius left to go say his goodbyes. Ron grabbed Hermione and Harry and pulled them down to his family's rooms. They were all gathered in Mr. And Mrs. Weasley's room, looking grim. When the three entered, though, Mrs. Weasley burst into tears.

"I'm sorry, Mum," said Ron. "This is just something I have to do."

"I-I-I-I've just got you back!" sobbed Mrs. Weasley. "And now you're leaving again!"

"It can't be helped," Ron said guiltily, looking at the floor uneasily. "I have to, Mum."

"I know, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, wiping her eyes. Mr. Weasley's eyes looked unusually bright. Fred and George were standing to the side, looking grim. Charlie was sitting with his head in his hands, and Bill was standing in the corner, arms crossed, biting his lip. Ginny was looking a little angry and sullen. She glared at Harry, and he looked away. He knew why she was angry with him.

He'd forbidden her to go.

Before the assembly, he had taken her aside.

"Ginny, I'm going to ask for some people to do something with me," he'd said quietly. "And you cannot volunteer. I forbid it. Your mum would kill me. Don't do it."

Ginny was a big girl now, and able to take care of herself. However, Mrs. Weasley didn't think so, and was always worrying about her 'little girl'. If Harry had allowed Ginny to come with him, he didn't think Mrs. Weasley would ever speak to him again. Plus, Ginny was like a little sister to him. He didn't want to see her get hurt...

"Harry," said Charlie, taking his face from his hands. Harry look at the man, whose blue eyes looked dead. Charlie got up and took Harry into the hallway. "Protect Ron," he said in a low voice. "Please. For Mum. She wouldn't be able to take losing him again, so soon after getting him back. After Percy..." Charlie trailed off. Harry didn't need him to finish his sentence. He remembered how Mrs. Weasley had acted after Percy... passed away.

Her eyes had been dead for weeks. Her skin went yellow, and her skin hung off her frame. Her hair had lain matted to her head, unwashed for weeks. The circles under her eyes were a vivid purple, as though someone had hit her.

Harry nodded.

"I'll do my best to protect him." Charlie nodded, satisfied. As soon as they entered, Fred grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him back outside.

"Two things," he said in a low voice. "Oliver Wood and Kate Bell... don't let them talk to each other too much. They're like Hermione and Ron before they realized what was going on. Second," here Fred's eyes narrowed, "Angelina." Harry groaned inwardly.

"Fred, it was her decision. I can't make her not go," he said awkwardly.

"I know that. I'm not asking you to make her stay. However," he said, "Please... please don't let anything happen to her." Harry nodded. George came out into the hallway and put a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"It's ok, Fred," he said. "I know I'd feel the same if Alicia was going..." he steered his twin back inside, and Harry followed. He was immediately swamped by hugs, first from Mrs. Weasley, then Mr. Weasley, then by Bill and Charlie, and finally he was tackled by Ginny.

"Don't die. Don't let anyone else die," she whispered into his ear as she released him. He stumbled back a step, and nodded to her.

"It's pretty late," Ron said awkwardly. "I think we'd better go get some sleep, don't you?" Hermione nodded, and Mrs. Weasley clasped her in a fond hug.

"Stay safe, dear," she said, and Hermione was then passed around and hugged by all the Weasley clan. Harry hurried into the hall, followed closely by Ron and Hermione. For a moment no one spoke as they walked silently through the hallways. Then, out of nowhere:

"Race you!" Ron yelled, and he took off down the corridor as fast as his long legs would take him. Harry made an undignified noise and sprinted after him, Hermione bringing up the rear. The sound of their laughter echoed throughout the hallways. They arrived back at the overnighting room panting, faces flushed and eyes sparkling. Ron won, of course, both because of his head start and his long legs. Hermione and Harry tied, because Hermione had tackled Harry at the last minute. Harry tripped, his arm falling onto the doorway as Hermione jumped off his back and raced inside. Oliver looked up from his book, raising an eyebrow. Ron waved at him cheerfully, then grabbed Hermione and began tickling her. Oliver shook his head and went back to his book. Harry stumbled in and threw a quill at Ron, which hit his head and bounced to the floor. Hermione scooped it up quickly.

"Harry, you really shouldn't waste these, they're very rare, especially this goose kind, we're not able to get as many as we once were..." She shut up when Ron grabbed the quill from her and thwacked her on the head with it. Harry grabbed the quill from Ron, smacked him on the head with it, and went over to his own bed and sat on it, brandishing the quill threateningly at his two other friends. They glared at him, then both sat down on Ron's bed, crossed their arms, and continued glaring at him.

"Ah, Harry?" He turned. It was Angelina. "I was wondering if you were going to brief us...?" Harry jumped up, looking guilty.

"Oh, right, sorry," he said, grabbing a few sheets of parchment and going to stand at one end of the room, near the door. "Okay, people, listen here for a sec," he said, looking through his parchments. "Okay, we're going to be taking broomsticks and flying most of the way, but low to the ground, so we won't be spotted by Muggles. We're going to mostly be going by night, but tomorrow I want to cover as most ground as possible." He looked at his list. "Okay, each of you has a specialty that you're particularly good at. Concentrate on what you're good at and don't worry if you're not too good at something, chances are someone else can do it well, so you don't need to worry about it. That's pretty much all. We've got one tent that can fit all of us in it, so we don't need to worry about that. That's pretty much all. Get good sleep tonight so we can make it as far as possible tomorrow." He headed back to his bed and got in, robes and all. Everyone else followed suit after saying goodnight to one another, and Harry clicked the main light off.

The next day, at 6:00 in the morning, everyone was awake but bleary eyed (except for Oliver Wood, who was used to getting up this early for Quidditch practice, even though the last time he'd had practice was a good seven years ago). Angelina and Kate were leaning on each other, yawning, and even Sirius looked a little more ragged than usual. Harry handed out steaming beakers of a rich brown liquid, and once everyone had drank theirs, they began to perk up.

"What was that?" Hermione asked. "It's really working. Was it that chocolate potion I showed you a while ago?"

"No," Harry said, grinning. "I'd thought you would've known, Hermione, you were a muggle. It's hot cocoa." Hermione looked surprised, then laughed.

"Everyone got their broomsticks?" Harry asked, raising his voice so everyone could hear him. Everyone shouted an affirmative, and they all headed directly up the stairs to the exit. Harry signed everyone out, and looked at the assembled crowd who were watching their loved ones go. Fred and Angelina were making eyes at each other, Oliver Wood and Kate Bell were glaring at each other, Ron and Hermione had linked hands, and were both waving sadly to Mrs. Weasley. She was crying, and was being held by Mr. Weasley. Tears dripped off his long nose as he waved goodbye to his son, to Harry, and to Hermione. Harry gave everyone gathered a final wave, and then walked out of the door onto the muggle street outside. Everyone followed him, and soon there were eight figures clad in black robes with large camouflage backpacks and covered broomsticks on the muggle street. Harry waved his wand, and they all quickly slung Invisibility cloaks over each other. Harry shared one with Oliver, Angelina and Kate shared another, then Hermione and Ron shared Ron's personal one, and Sirius and Arabella shared the last one. They had gone to Hogwarts together, and apparently they had a lot to discuss.

"Right," Harry whispered. "We set out walking until we get to the woods. Then, we lose the cloaks and use the brooms to fly through the trees. We set camp around 2 am. Any questions?" A hissed chorus of "no"s was heard, and the band began walking towards their destiny.

Towards Lord Voldemort.

~~~

A/N: Mwahaha, I am an evil person. I love cliffhangers... well, when *I* write them, I love them. When other people write them I tear my hair out in frustration and anger. Wow... I love Ani Difranco with a passion. Her stuff is awesome. Anyway... oh yes. If you'd like to read something that I wrote while on a sugar high, read "Why Lilith Should Never Be Given Caffeine". It's Lord of the Rings, but you don't need to know about LotR to read it. And for the record, I LOVED THE LOTR MOVIE!!!! LEGOLAS IS PREEEEETTTTY... anyway. I also love the movie "Willow", which you should all go see. Now. Do it. The signature quote is just something I like... the song's not so bad either. I have an Ophelia complex... Gotta go before mom comes and finds me not sleeping... which I should be doing, seeing as how tomorrow I have exams.

--Lilith

"Ophelia drowned in the water, crushed by her own weight

And Hitler loved little blue-eyed boys and it drove him to hate

Birds always grow silent before the night descends

Because nature has a funny way of breaking what does not bend" --Jewel, "Innocence Maintained"