Chapter 25:



Hermoine saw Patrice fall. She froze, unsure of what to do.

"Athena, go get help," she whispered to the bird. "Be quick, or we may lose her!" She broke out into a run, kneeling beside Patrice. Patrice lay still. She was alive, her heart beating, and she was breathing, but her eyes stared at something only she could see.

"Patrice, Patrice, get up! Wake up!"



Patrice began to move. She blinked, and looked over at Hermoine. Hermoine could see no spark of recognition in her eyes.

"Hermoine?" Patrice said. It was her voice, but Hermoine knew Voldemort had spoken with Patrice's mother's voice. "Where's Athena?"

"I don't know. She took off, and I can't see her anywhere. Maybe she went hunting." Hermoine helped Patrice to her feet, still waiting for sign that Patrice knew her.

"Let's go home. I'm sure the professors will be searching frantically for us." Hermoine gave a grave nod. She felt like she was going to be sick. Voldemort had Patrice in his power! She pulled out her wand, and felt up her robe sleeve. It was still there. Good.



They walked in silence for a few moments. Hermoine noticed they were getting very close to the edge of the hill overlooking Hogsmeade. She felt her stomach drop. She looked over at Crockshanks.

"Sirius is down below. If something happens to me, go get him."

"But, Hermoine!"

"You must Crockshanks. There is no other choice."



Hermoine gave Patrice a grin.

"There, you see it? Doesn't Hogwarts look beautiful from up here?"

"Sure does," Voldemort agreed in Patrice's voice. She smiled back at Hermoine. "Thanks, Hermoine." The voice changed. "You have been most helpful, mudblood." She pulled out her wand from her pocket. "Enjoy the afterlife."

"No!" cried a voice. Athena swooped it, knocking the wand from Patrice's hand. "Hermoine, run, get out of here!" Athena swooped toward Patrice again. Before Hermoine could go more then a few steps, Athena fell from the sky. Patrice grinned as she held the smoking wand in her hand. Her eyes were glowing red. Hermoine felt like she was going to be sick.

"I thought I could go nice and easy on you," Voldemort's voice said. "But since you want to play, so be it. I think I will enjoy this."



Hermoine pulled out her wand. Voldemort grinned, and in a moment, Hermoine found herself sitting on the ground, stunned. Voldemort picked up her wand.

"Poor Potter. He's going to be so crushed." He came closer to her. "To loose one of one's best friends after loosing his parents. . . I just hope that it doesn't push him over the edge. After all, killing him myself would be much more fun."



Hermoine found she could barely move. Her legs had gone completely numb. She felt it hit her arm. She knew what she had to do. Summoning all her strength she made a fist around the knife, and swung it at Voldemort. He fell back with a cry, that turned to Patrice's voice.

"Hermoine!" she cried out. "Hermoine please!" Then Voldemort's voice returned.

"My, my, what little loyalty you have for your friend. If you kill me, she dies too."

"If I kill you, Harry will be safe." She swung the knife at him again, but Patrice caught her hand. She tore the knife away from Hermoine, and began twisting her arm.

"He killed Athena!" Hermoine cried. "Patrice! Help me!"



She felt the wind around her move. Patrice shoved her away.

"Goodbye, Hermoine," Patrice's voice said. "Thank you." And she stabbed herself.

"Patrice!" A dark cloud exploded out of Patrice. Hermoine watched, too stunned to do anything else. The dark cloud snaked into the air, and was gone.



Hermoine tried to get up, but she could not. She smelt burning. A fire errupted off the face of the hill, and Hermoine saw a pheonix fly at them. She passed out.